Prologue

Seasons of Darkness

Author: SaiyanUltima

Rewritten 6/18/15

Nothing within in this story, except the main character, is owned by the author. It is a story written for fun and for the entertainment of readers.

So It Begins...

Derrick Whitten sat quietly on a dead tree that had fallen many moons ago, its bark completely black and decay from months of nature taking its course. His eyes paced the weak fire he created with two stones that are easy to find in the gem mountain: Sulfur and Phosphorus. He had spent many hours tending to his new camp to keep it well-maintained and ready for the upcoming struggle of living in the Everfree Forest. He had survived honorably through an entire night of running from guards that have yet to give up in finding and retrieving him for those who wronged him.

And yet there was silence around him. No hooves were sounding in the distance to find him. He was well-hidden in the darkness that no one dares to wander alone. He knew and felt that much before he cut himself of the ponies he considered to be his best friends.

Derrick was stoic about loneliness and survival. He was an Engineer in his prime and he'd been respected by the inhabitants of Canterlot and Ponyville for his talent in fixing and building things. His work was very complicated, but for all intents and purposes, he did it with a smile and an open mind to sharing his knowledge. The ponies never expected a creature like him to possess such skill and wisdom. He had the element of surprise on his side when it came to fixing what others thought to be beyond repair. That, as well as good, vast knowledge and his powerful but untested physique.

Still, he had faith in himself. Through the harsh crumble of a friendship and the shattering of a growing relationship, he found every strength and weakness inside himself to his advantage. Like his former friends, he was extremely intelligent and most of the time underestimated in physical abilities He knew that every one of those ponies—those who betrayed him—were regretting every second of letting him escape.

He loved it, somewhat.

Holding his gaze at the fire, he reached for another small log and tossed it into the flames. It cracked and cindered ominously. Interestingly. Just like in the movies. The sound sent a flourish of warmth down his skin. The fire rose slowly and darn the night anyway, it looked as if a demon was lifting itself from the light.

He leaned back as the wood began to spit flakes of cindered bark, one hand going up defensively to shield his eyes. There was sorrow as the fire came to a stop in its rise. Nothing else happened. He could watch the log burn with the others and hear the flames whisper in his ear. This made him cough nervously. He rubbed his arm and shivered. The silence put an invisible hand over his mouth and lowered his senses.

So this is what I get after doing so much? Derrick was somewhere between laughing and crying with angry tension.

...

There was silence throughout the Grand Galloping as the smoke in the middle of the dance floor cleared through the windows, aristocrats and nobles standing far away from the cause of the smoke while the Princesses of Equestria waited. Nothing moved from the smoke. Neither princess could see the figure in the greyness stand there with disbelief in his eyes. Princess Celestia coughed once from being too close to the smoke, but her eyes remained fixed on the area she and her little sister just blasted with untold fury.

Princess Luna stepped forward to the smoke and flapped her wings to reveal if their combined attack with Twilight Sparkle and her friends Rainbow Power destroyed or sealed what they presumed to be evil with a pale face.

The Lunar Princess cleared her throat and finished flapping her wings. "Did we stop him or seal him away?" she asked herself.

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward to her teary eyed mentor and gently nuzzled her side. She sensed how heartbroken her teacher was after doing such a thing to her ex-coltfriend. "It wasn't your fault, princess," she reassured the Solar Deity. "He was just like his species, and he would have done the same to us his kind does to themselves."

Celestia, like her sister, looked away and removed the tears before they could be seen by their subjects. "If so, then why is my heart telling me that I just made the biggest mistake in my entire life?" she asked the purple alicorn, pitifully. "Why do I feel that our actions just cost Luna and I the eternal love we have always wanted?"

Holding her breath at those words, Twilight turned back to the dissipating smoke to watch the results of her accusations come to light. The figure stood quietly. Ominously. As if he were turned into another statue for the Royal Gardens or for Celestia and Luna's personal collection. The light within the Gala slowly revealed Derrick to be untouched by the blast. Nothing more than a ring of ash stood around him as the ponies waited. His clothes were cindered, torn, burnt in various spots that were too revealing, but his entire body was unscathed.

His heart, however, was deeply torn by the princesses and the Mane Six.

"Did we do it?" a disgruntled Rainbow Dash asked.

"I hope we did not kill him," A stressed Rarity said. "The Rainbow Power was simply there to amplify the princesses' in case they were unable to stop Derrick, right?"

"Look!" Pinkie Pie said loudly.

The smoke gave one last spin and exited the Gala, leaving there alone with a man that was frightened, angry, and heartbroken. The girls waited until they saw his entire in the light and the princesses move out of the way. They prayed that their combined power did the deed without too much damage to the room.

Unfortunately...they were wrong.

"What!?" Celestia and Luna yelled in unison, blinking in uncertainty of what they're seeing.

"Why?" Derrick said in a whisper, his voice dripping with sorrow and anger. He tried to glare at both mare, but his eyes betrayed him with showing how deeply hurt he is. "After everything I have done to prove myself to you, you attack me without questioning my behalf. Why?"

Celestia and Luna's eyes widened dramatically. Neither of the two could believe that they're ex-coltfriend was unharmed after having a combined force of powerful magic, equivalent to Discord's power, blast him in the middle of their castle. It was inconceivable that Derrick was merely heartbroken and needing new clothes. He should have been turned to stone or nothingness after having that much magic hit him.

Unless...

"Oh my goodness," Luna was the first to say, her eyes sparkling with fear and guilt as the human looked around the room. "It cannot be true. That is just a rumor mother once told us. It cannot be true that he has-" she was cut off by the shock her mind felt when remembering her fillyhood. The memory flashed for a second, but that was all it took for the Lunar Deity to come to grips with this new truth.

"An immune soul," Celestia said aloud, revealing to her little ponies the grave mistake she and her fellow attackers committed. "Derrick has a pure soul. He's untouched by any form of evil."

"A what?" Twilight asked worriedly.

Celestia did not look away from Derrick, her eyes dilating as the crowd watched. "Derrick has developed an immunity to magic through his purity. His evolutionary stage must have triggered awhile back and created this immunity from his purity. That's all I can think that would prove as to why he is untouched."

Luna stepped back and flashed a worried look to her sister. "But if that is true, if Derrick has a pure good soul, then that means we-"

"We just screwed up big time," Applejack said for the princess, her hat suddenly falling off her head as the human began to shed tears. "Oh sweet Celestia, we just tried to hurt our friend." She turned to the window revealing her home in the distance. "Big Mac's gonna kill me for this."

"I trusted you," Derrick said pathetically, his words stabbing each of his attackers as they came to conclusion of their misunderstanding. "I thought you were my friends." he moved his gaze to Celestia and Luna. "I thought you two loved me, as you said you did. I thought you two cared about me!"

Both princesses flinched, fear becoming terror in their hearts as the world around them seemed to crumble into dust. There was pain in their chests, pain that continued to grow with each second of Derrick staring at them so hatefully. They realized how badly hurt their ex-coltfriend was failed to find any form of words to explain their attack. It was too much for the princesses to try fixing their relationship.

"Derrick, please listen to me." Twilight's voice alarmed the human, her hooves shuffling in small as steps as she attempted to be the voice of reason. "I am so sorry for this. I had thought that you were evil like your species. I dwelled too far in my research and studied your world with the Crystal Mirror. I should have listened to my heart and not my head."

"You attacked me," Derrick said angrily, his fists shaking terribly as he took a step back. "YOU ALL TRIED TO KILL ME!"

Twilight grimaced at his accusation but kept moving forward at a slow pace. "Derrick, it was a big mistake on my part. Please calm down and let me-"

"NO!" Derrick spun in place and took off as fast as his feet would allow. Surprisingly he was able to sprint through the crowd and find his way within seconds. "STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!"

"DERRICK, WAIT!" Luna gave chase as her sister gasped, her slippers flying off from her incredible speed. "DERRICK, BELOVED, LET US TALK WITH YOU!"

"DERRICK!" Celestia took off with a powerful flap of her wings, taking to the skies after she swooped through the same doors Derrick just ran through.

Sadly the chase would be long and hard.

...

Derrick was on the breaking point of breaking down and allowing the Everfree Forest consume him. Or simply have some carnivorous animal rip him apart for food. He was not entirely sure which would come first. Either way, he was close to not giving a damn.

He stood up from the log and peered into the darkness of his trail, beads of sweat and dirt visible on his face. He tried to clear his throat, but the dry heave from hours without water made it impossible. The most he got out of coughing was a serious burn inside his throat and a green fluid flying out and landing on a nearby tree. It was obvious to him what was happening. He needed water for his thirst and medication for whatever ailment is befalling him.

Probably a really bad cough or some weird case of strep throat. Derrick thought. If it keeps up, I might become one with this damn forest in a matter of days. I've got to find a way out of here without anyone noticing me.

Derrick pressed a hand to his throat and massaged it as best as he could, hoping it would take his mind off the pain for a moment. "I can't believe the girls turned on me like that. Celestia and Luna should know better than to think such things. Or at least I did believe that, but it is obvious that I was very stupid to have such belief."

Derrick licked his lips and studied his surroundings. He was vigilant and scared, but he wasn't certain as to why he should be. Clearly there was no one within miles around him. There was not a soul in this part of the Everfree Forest to keep him company. And yet he felt fear because of this ominous fact, fear which he could not explain to himself. All he knew is that something felt very wrong here, something he could not figure out.

It was almost as if the Everfree Forest is hiding something or someone from his naked eyes. There was so much darkness, however, that he could not see beyond the edge of the light from his campfire. Did he suspect a monster appearing very soon? A Timberwolf, perhaps? If so, that would not bode well for him; it would mean surviving an entire night with a wooden beast tailing him.

He looked around some more and observed to the best of his ability. Listening and waiting for this odd feeling to end. His fear grew until the darkness around became mischievous and alive. He raised his hands defensively. "I must be losing my fucking mind right now. There is nothing here and I'm acting all paranoid."

The darkness deepened until there no light from the night sky; even the moonlight failed to pierce this everlasting blackness that seemed to be engulfing the frightened human. It crawled and peeved the light of his campfire with tendrils of an unknown force, devouring Derrick's only means of seeing before he could realize it.

He did a double-take of this darkness devouring his campfire, fright spreading throughout his weakened body as the source came closer in the darkness. "What the fuck is going on here?" he asked himself, or so he thought. "HOW THE FUCK IS THAT POSSIBLE!?"

Suddenly a sinister and courage stealing giggle sounded, the source still being unknown but there as Derrick gasped. He froze with fear as the giggle closed in on him, its owner eyeing him with great lust as the campfire died in the maw of blackness. This left Derrick without any form of light and no way to defend himself from whatever it is that has been watching him. He had no weapons, no idea what is tormenting him, and no way to see who this dark tormenter is. He was helpless and weak. A wounded animal that cannot defend itself, and his stalker was getting closer by the second.

"It is possible because darkness is my power," the stalker chuckled in a female voice. "The darkness is my domain, just as the Dark Moon is my celestial body in my world."

Derrick pressed his lips together and barely looked behind himself to the figure revealing herself in the darkness. He'd thought little about everything else and had come up with the only idea that could benefit his safety—if there is any safety that is. "I don't know who you are, but this is not funny at all. I can't see a damn thing and I am in no mood for games."

The figure in the darkness smiled warmly at Derrick, although her toothy grin would be more frightening than charming to most. Hence why she remained in the darkness. "Oh I sure you that I am not here to play games with you, Derrick Whitten." She said to his left. It was obvious that she was circling him. "I have reason to be here, and my intentions are not at all harmful. That I assure you."

Derrick spun in place and chuckled at the owner of the voice. "I highly doubt that because you're hiding in the darkness. And only cowards hide in darkness."

"I hide in the darkness because it is fun," she replied, sending icy chills down the human's spine when it became clear that she just whispered to his ear. She was standing right behind him. "Though it pains me to see you cower in my darkness, my heavenly touch of safety, it tickles me to see you react with anger when you are afraid of what you cannot see."

"Show yourself!" Derrick demanded. "Show me your face right now and I'll prove to you how angry I can get. Like an animal backed into a corner, I'll come out fighting!"

The owner, or mare, laughed musically and bit her lip at his words. She was aroused by his aggressive nature and intrigued to see if he was true to his word. Her heart was begging for her to reveal herself and test the human.

"Now why would you attack me, the one who is protecting you at the moment?" she asked curiously. "My darkness is blinding those insufferable sun lovers from finding you. The darkness that which you fear is actually keeping you safe and sound from the ones who tried to kill you."

Derrick's eyes widened quickly. He faked his courage with raising his anger to the point of rage. "How the fuck do you know about the princesses and the Mane Six trying to kill me!?"

"I know a lot of things, my dear human," the mare answered, her form starting to glow in the blackness. "And I know that you are in need of medicine and water. Not only that, but I also know everything there is to know about you. Inside and out."

"Dammit, show yourself!" Derrick screamed, his lack of respect getting him nowhere.

"Very well, but don't be shocked by my appearance." the mare said.

Her voice was powerful. Commanding. Derrick shivered again. Fear? Excitement? Anticipation? His core was shaking, an earthquake that demanded peace. His eyes dilated as the blackness became brighter at the mare's command. He'd been so close to the stalker, never knowing the kind of fear he experienced at Canterlot until she came into her own light.

She was now so close to her goal, wanting to take the human in the same kind of pleasure she'd only dreamt of for the past year of watching him. She definitely knew him, every square inch of him and she was brave enough to make the first move greeting him.

Her horn lit up, igniting various parts of her divine figure in shades of blue. She had caught some of the erotic images that played in her mind months back and she wanted to fulfill all of those things in the future. Right now, standing in front of the human unable to comprehend her entrance, the cool night air playing over her body so that she was acutely aware of his heated breath, her every step more terrifying and majestic, she found herself growing even more beautiful.

Silence stretched between the two. She could hear the high decibel of fear in Derrick's heavy breathing as the wind carried it. Several seconds passed in the distance, she even caught the sound of his rapidly beating heart. She stopped, waiting for him to make a sound or move in any way. Her soft breath came and went, but she remained silent, her heart pounding as his masculine aroma drifted into her nose.

Derrick's heart skipped a beat. "Oh fuck," he squeaked, dropping his defense.

"Hello, my dear human." Nightmare Moon said kindly.

When the darkness removed itself from the dark alicorn, a woven tendril of soft petals revealed themselves as the blackness shrank at her control, the fragrance heavy with passion. The world came back and Derrick's scent grew stronger, teasing the mare while her powers continued to surround them as a curtain of illusion. Her heart jumped at the smell, but again she remained in her spot and allowed him to process her presence.

"Are you surprised, or astounded?" she laughed, feeling quite proud of herself for this.

"Nightmare Moon...alive?" Derrick paused. He looked around the forest as it came back into view and back to the mare. He began to move back with small steps, targeting the-

"I would not do that if I were you," Nightmare Moon mused. "If you start running I will only give chase for as long as I want. And unlike those ponies you once called your friends—" She leaned into his ear, her lustful breath licking his neck. "—I will catch you."

Derrick's mind went into overdrive at that point, as did his body. "That's what you think!" he screamed.

Spinning in place, Derrick sprinted from the mare and moved deeper into the Everfree Forest before the dark alicorn could catch his shoulder with one of her wings. He ran through the bushes and uncaringly journeyed without a certain location. Not that it mattered since he just met a mare that should be dead.

Back at the campfire, Nightmare Moon simply giggled and stretched her legs, preparing for what felt like an race for the human. She smiled determinedly and licked her lips as his figure shrank into nothing more than a speck in her enhanced vision.

"And so the human runs from his queen, unaware that who he desires is actually the one who brought him here." Nightmare Moon said poetically to herself, her eyes glistening with the same lust and motivation she had in the beginning. Using all of her godlike strength Nightmare Moon sprinted through the Everfree Forest, with the light of Luna's moon to help her track the human.

"Run all you want, my dear human, but you will be mine before this night is over."

Prologue Pt. 2

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Derrick Whitten pulled the long, black branch in front of him closer, making certain he did run into it after his arms and legs were made victims of various dark shadows possessing branches he could not see. His heart beat so hard he was afraid any living creature with the Everfree Forest would hear. Everything in his sprinting hinged on losing the dark alicorn before she could find any clue to his whereabouts. Or worse, catch him and take him to this world she calls her home. Nightmare Moon had put him to his limits in stamina and speed, and she was doing her best to do so. She could shift her voluptuous figure into a gaseous blue of the night sky and carry herself around any obstacle with ease. She did not doubt having the power and intelligence she gained over the months of living to catch the human, but she still had to play it very carefully to convince him.

The Everfree Forst was pitch black and looked as if it might come alive and swallow Derrick at any moment. He ran and leaped over various obstacles to get away from the Mare in The Moon, sweat pouring with the blood he earned from running into low hanging branches. He was lost and terrified as the moonlight wheeled him towards the only glimmer of hope. Fortunately the path was a little clear to him, but shadows fell around him as each step towards the moonlight became more exhausting, making it more difficult to see clearly as to where he was going.

"Derrick, you cannot hide from me." Nightmare Moon cooed in the distance. Her voice was sultry, kind, more exotic than the most beautiful voice in all of Equestria. "This is my domain, my darling human. I will find you, and I will take you back to my world."

Her world? Derrick thought. He began to panic, something that triggered his body to release more adrenaline as the exotic voice of his pursuer changed into musical laughter. What the fuck is she talking about? And how in the hell is she alive!?

"Where, oh where, is My Derrick~?" Nightmare Moon sang. Her voice was getting louder by the minute, indicating she was faster than human, or that his body was starting to slow down; even though he has adrenaline pumping through his veins, days without sleep and proper nourishment can turn your own body against you. "Oh where, oh where, could he be~?"

He glanced back toward the path he took to escape the alicorn's grasp and then felt his heart skip a couple of beats, knowing certain that her voice was not an echo in the distance and he was not insane. Nightmare Moon had somehow caught up to Derrick and kept pursuing him for sheer enjoyment of chasing him through the darkness. She was running and leaping over trees that fell in the past, magic causing her to shift from full figure to the same gaseous form, helping her faze through trees that were too close together for her to run between. She was right behind him and closing in fast.

Blasted things are making this difficult for me to pass through. Nightmare Moon was slightly frustrated with how compact the Everfree Forest is, but not so much as excited for having her human run in the direction she wants him too. Luckily I can drift through these trees; if not, my large rump would be stuck between them. Nevertheless, I know Derrick loves mares with large rumps. And my rump is perfectly firm and plump.

Derrick leaped over another log and swung his bruised arms against more brush that blocked his path, blood dripping past his fingers as the thorns dug deeper into the skin. His lungs were on fire as he looked towards the only glimmer of moonlight with disbelieving eyes. "How the hell am I supposed to get away from her!?"

Nightmare Moon laughed erotically and shook her head, trying to play out the dramatic chase with her own drama. "You cannot escape me, Derrick Whitten. I am faster, stronger, and able to see in the night." She choked back the urge to use her magic to teleport and appear in front of Derrick, just to give him a little scare. "You are only delaying the inevitable of us, but not for much longer."

Derrick looked back at the alicorn again and scowled. "What the fuck is your problem with me?" He yelled foolishly. "I have done nothing to you at all, so go back and torment your own kind and leave me alone!"

A terrible assumption you've made. Nightmare Moon was unrepentant as always. There was amusement in her dark tone. No matter how serious a moment, she did not mind in the least being mischievous and deviant.

She managed to keep her smile and gave Derrick what felt like laughter that is filled with mirth, almost as if she were the same as Lyra. Always acting so seductive and innocent. "You truly are a misguided human, but it does not bother me." she had no choice but to go with Derrick's attitude, just for a little longer, even if it meant twisting her wings together hard in order to prevent herself from shaking with desire. "Just wait until I get my hooves on you."

Okay, even to his ears, that sounded totally frightening. But a misguided human? Only Nightmare Moon could come up with something so childish and insulting. How else could she explain he's assuming the wrong things? There was definitely going to be a long explanation after she ends this game of Cat and Mouse.

She could feel Derrick's fear spike as Luna's moonlight revealed an opening to their destination. We are almost there. Just a little bit more running and I will have you backed into a corner. You will not be able to run and hide from me a second time, my dear.

She knew Derrick would not have the chance to escape. If necessary she'd use anything to restrain her human and drag him back to her home to give him that little "push" to open his eyes to reality. Right now she was having too much fun watching Derrick run and squirm his way through the forest—and she supposed she loved it. She was making him do something that is both highly dangerous and too much for his exhausted body to handle, and she would be blamed for all of it if something went wrong. Her fellow monarchs would probably mangle her on sight.

Almost there, Nightmare Moon said. I just need to get him to the castle.

"How in the hell is she keeping up with me?" Derrick stared at the moonlit opening and then back at the alicorn. "What is with you!?"

Nightmare Moon lifted her gaze and chuckled, trying for older and more sterner. She knew she looked young and vibrant, but not her eyes. If anyone looked directly in her eyes, they would see and believe what history says. And there was great history behind those orbs. Nightmare Moon had many memories from being trapped on the moon with Luna, although telling such history was clearly not something she wants.

"You'll know when I catch you," Nightmare Moon replied, fazing through another group of trees while Derrick took his first step into opening. It was partially the truth. She felt much more excited and, and that should count for something. She'd been through more than most mares—okay, teenage fillies.

"And what makes you think you'll catch me?" he said skeptically, unaware of the moonlight revealing his unknown destination.

Nightmare Moon had insisted she would catch him before the night is over. Chasing creatures had come easy to her and it was something she especially loved doing with Derrick, so for own enjoyment, and for other reasons, she would do this with her human on many other nights.

"I have you right where I want you," the Dark Alicorn added, watching him closely as she leaped through the opening, her ethereal mane barely missing a tuft of thorns as the night sky lit up the entire area.

Derrick managed a little gasp and stopped dead in his tracks, disbelieving slightly as the mare slowed her approach. Though his heart was jumping out of his chest, an eerie silence passed while the glorious history of his ex-marefriends erected in plain view as the historical monument no one dares to enter.

His lungs were relieved of the burning sensation with cold wind as his breath. His jaw lowered a little and he stood at the edge of the rickety bridge. "You have to be kidding me," he scowled at the once-glorious edifice, only to realize how easily misled he was. "This was her fucking plan the entire time. To get me here!"

Nightmare Moon looked at him much more kindly. "You do not have to fear me, Derrick Whitten. I possess no quarrel with you, but there is something I want," She took another step closer, her approach drawing his gaze from the desecrated castle to her. "Something Celestia and Luna have truly lost because of their ignorance, something they cannot regain after committing such a heinous crime on your well-being."

Derrick felt a little angry for this. If he knew anything at all about Nightmare Moon—from the various things Luna spoke of—she would toy with him and make his life a living hell before breaking his mind.

"Do not take another step," he warned, although it did not help much since this is an alicorn in front of him. "I mean it, Nightmare Moon. Get the hell away from me!"

Nightmare Moon shook her head and clicked her tongue in disappointment. Never before did she have such disrespect given to her. "You're such a fool to believe that I am here to harm you. How can you see me as a monster when I have done nothing to harm you? I have done nothing to hurt you, although I cannot speak the same about your friends."

She sounded far too eager and excited. It took a lot of discipline to keep a straight face from his fear where she could read it. Derrick did not doubt that Nightmare Moon could do a perfect serial killer impression, or that she is up to something devious.

"Run and hide all you want, my dear," she took another step towards the terrified man, wings perked and glowing in the moonlight, her true form of authority and power. "But just know that no corner of darkness, nor a shadow, can keep you from my eyes. I am the Goddess of Darkness and the Dark Moon."

Derrick heaved a sigh as she came closer. No matter how much I run, she is always right behind me, a shadow that will not leave me alone. Just what is it that she wants with me?

That was very hard to hitting the truth. Nightmare Moon was everything a man could only dream of, but that did not mean he was going to surrender himself to her so quickly. He still had some fight left in him.

He gave Nightmare Moon a strong, hateful glare and backed into the bridge. Standing between the Mare in The Moon and the Castle of the Two Sisters, his hands curled into bloody fists for reassurance, he stared beyond the alicorn into the gathering darkness that continues to move at her command, keeping himself very still. He had only one idea left, and hopefully it would work.

God, if you are there, I could really use a little luck right now. Derrick had never been on the receiving end of Lady Luck's fortune, but he was always without such luck when it came to dire situations.

I hope I can lose her here. he mulled over his own thoughts as the silence continued. Until something very surprising came his way, something he never expected to hear in the distance.

"I see his footprints, girls. He must have gone this way just now." That was definitely Twilight Sparkle's voice, along with five other voices that responded with concern for the man.

Nightmare Moon did not waste time figuring out who it was that made such noise in the Everfree Forest. She knew better than to mistaken the voices of her greatest enemies of all time. Her amusement died in an instant, as did her desire to tease the human a little longer. Her ears perked to Twilight's voice as the soft stepping in her hooves ceased. She was very unhappy to hear the young princess approaching the castle with her friends.

"Must those maggots bother me and my fun?" Now there was disgust in her tone and magic flaring to her horn as a dark blue. The anger and hatred that became Nightmare Moon radiated around her body in the light of her power, a streaming blackness of terrifying tentacles, lashing and whipping around her as Derrick watched with opportune.

He could not tell if the mare was going to attack or not, but he was not going to take the chance to find out. It was suicide to sit and wait. Why tempt fate when it is so dangerous. He looked back to the castle and send a silent prayer, hoping for the best of his choice.

Right now, Twilight and her friends were probably closing in on the two and would soon find their first enemy standing between them and the man they need to retrieve. They thought the noises were from Derrick and followed his difficult trail, sprinting through the Everfree Forest with the Co-Rulers of Equestria at their sides. None of the girls had ever been so worried and scared before. Not at this level. And it hurt them to feel so much fear now, but it was of their own doing.

"He must have ran this way after we lost him near Zecora's Hut," Rainbow Dash pointed out, galloping as fast as her legs would allow in such a dark and cramped place. Suddenly she was touched with a familiar scent. Said scent made her cringe and almost gag in absolute disgust. "Does anybody smell what I am smelling?"

"I smell it too," Celestia said hastily. "It's the scent of blood, and that can only mean one thing."

"Derrick must be hurt or injured," Luna stated from their left. "Quickly, everypony. If Derrick is hurt, then time is of the essence."

The unexpected presence of the princesses and Mane Six was Derrick's miracle. A rare timing beyond any he'd ever dreamt of. He was backed into a corner, but he had a chance to escape. Without the girls coming his way, he would not have a single minute to escape Nightmare Moon. Yet he knew the opportunity was a small window that he could not miss.

He lifted his courage to his heart and spun towards the castle, his feet kicking up dirt as the Dark Alicorn returned her focus on him. I just have to hide long enough for the girls to pick a fight with Nightmare Moon. Once that happens, I can take my chance of getting the hell out of here.

Nightmare Moon would never take her eyes off her enemies, but this was the only moment she had to call it necessary. She would have to conserve her power and do what must be done to get her human safely out of dodge; first and foremost that is.

Gasping at the sight of her human sprinting into the old castle, she reacted to the screaming of her heart with a sudden dash towards him. She ignored the sound of her enemies and gingerly watched the man make his escape into the castle, his figure becoming a snack for the blackness ahead of him.

"Derrick, stop where you are this instant," Nightmare Moon demanded strongly, her eyes widening in shock as a simple push of the door made the castle echo with pebbles falling all over. "Derrick, do not go any further inside. The castle is unstable and bound to fall!"

She stepped inside and pushed the door. It creaked ominously. Terribly. Just like it did the first time Luna gave her control of the body. She could hear Derrick panting and running through the darkness as the castle's foundation rumbled to her senses. It was bound to come apart within a few minutes and tumble to the bottom of the cliff.

Nightmare Moon breathed heavily. She glanced at each door Derrick could possibly have taken, but none of them possessed a single clue to which path he chose. She pursed her lips and cursed under her breath as the princesses and Mane Six came into the open. She cleared her throat and took the first step into the darkness. The same darkness she made a thousand years ago. "I have to be quick about this, or we will both be seeing destruction of the castle from the inside. I am able to withstand this much, but Derrick will die."

Twilight and the gang stepped out of the forest and peered at the old castle, beads of sweat visible of everyone's foreheads. The purple alicorn coughed into her hoof. "Okay, we've followed the trail to the castle, so lets hurry with catching Derrick and getting him back to Canterlot."

"Easy for you to say, you're an alicorn" Rainbow Dash complained. "Unlike you, we still have to sleep and recharge. We've been searching for days and going without sleep all night, and it's starting to wear us out."

"Rainbow Dash is right," Rarity nodded. "Going without my beauty sleep has ruined the curl of my mane. It will take days for me to regain the volume it had."

"Forget about sleep," Luna interrupted harshly, causing all eyes to rest on her as the figure in her eyes disappeared into the darkness. "We have much bigger problems on our hooves, and I believe it is pursuing Derrick."

"Pursuing?" Celesta questioned. That certainly did not sound like Luna. She was clear on that. "Who could possibly be pursuing our coltfriend at this time?"

Luna held her breath as she glared at the figure's majestic eyes and slowly pondered her thoughts. There was fear in her heart, fear she felt only once in her fillyhood. She stepped back to her sister and lowered her gaze to the alicorn in the castle's darkness, magic of similar nature brimming her body as the Solar Princess nuzzled her cheek.

"It can't be," Luna was somewhere between petrified and insanity as the figure became one with the darkness. "The Elements of Harmony destroyed you. There is no possibility of you being alive."

"Luna, are you alright?" Celestia asked with pure concern.

Luna shook her head and looked up to her sibling, fear imminent in her blue orbs. She took the first step towards the bane of her history, knowing the inevitable encounter to come. "I pray that we are not too late."

Prologue Pt. 3

View Online

Seasons of Darkness

Author:SaiyanUltima

Rewritten 7/16/15

It Begins...

The clash of hooves and voice rang throughout the torn castle of the Royal Sisters. Nightmare Moon kept a cautious pace with Derrick, hoping his long run would tire him out soon. Though she was an alicorn, a being that is master of strength, speed, and magic, there was a deeply motivated desire to not do anything rash. She was very worried that Derrick would fear her more if she displayed any of the three in her godlike manner.

Mediocrity in her actions was at best right now, especially with the Castle of The Two Sisters barely holding itself in place from the extra weight. Cliffs were crumbling very slowly, trees that lost their blossoming life long ago were plummeting to their final destination, and walls were loosening as he sprinted through room after room to find a good place for rest. He was more exhausted than he anticipated, his body aching with each step he took to get away from the Mare in The Moon.

For the first time he felt the impact of his body beginning to fail him in his darkest moment. It hit him like a solid body blow, cruel and wicked to the fullest. This is bad. This is really bad. I don't think I can run for much longer, not at this state. I'm bound to pass out soon or make a wrong move. I have to find a place to catch my breath.

His aches sharpened in his legs, although there was nothing physical that touched them. Derrick was right. It was not going to be very long before his body shutdown and left him to the clutches of the dark alicorn. He thought long and fast where he could hide to catch his breath, but the deeper he went inside the castle the more rooms he found to be occupied with creatures you normally see in the Everfree Forest.

Trying to find an empty room seem impossible to the man. Derrick had almost a determined fervor to him when he became frustrated at all of the unwelcoming occupants. Said occupants were quite aggressive if not deadly, but none of them dared to leave their nest and give chase this weakened prey, not when the Queen of Darkness passed by.

It was Nightmare Moon who broke the silence, calling out to her human. "Derrick, stop running this instant and calm down. You're only making things worse for yourself. This castle is bound to fall any given minute if we stay any longer. Please, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to protect you."

Derrick did not slow down. He simply looked backed and exchanged a look that was mixed with fear and anger. Both were very clear in his eyes, making the alicorn frown deeper in spite of the circumstances. Although being a grown man on the run, clearly he was still relegated, only by Nightmare Moon, to the "child" perspective for his lack of listening.

It was difficult to keep herself in check and her powers at bay with Nightmare Moon's sense of humor disappearing throughout the night.

"I should have explained myself in the beginning," Nightmare Moon confided in a loud whisper. "I cannot touch with him magic, but maybe I can get in the way of his path."

Just as she darted around the next cornered, Derrick took in a large breath and ducked his head to avoid the wooden support beams that already broke apart. He hadn't expected the castle to be this damaged, to be a large dump. He was used to seeing houses that have little to no hope in reconstruction, but this one took the cake.

The darkness ahead signaled the human, his hopes growing as the dark alicorn cursed for the support beams blocking her path. He smiled and chose to take his chances in the blackness, approaching the first room that is completely shrouded in this blinding darkness. Objects fell as he pushed inside in an attempt to coat himself in the darkness. Once he did, however, he was completely blind and hidden from the alicorn.

He lowered his head behind what he felt to be tables and chairs and covered his mouth with his hand, listening to the sound of Nightmare Moon's voice in the echoing halls as they drifted with a strange atmosphere of danger. Derrick, however, did not notice this strange atmosphere around himself, not even the peril of him sitting on a floor that is close to giving in from under his weight. Not that he was fast, but rather the fact of a thousand years wearing the foundation down to its core.

He looped his arm around a bar—a secret lever, maybe?—and looked up to the alicorn's horn shining into the darkness. In the midst of this, he heard many familiar voices trailing behind her, voices he remembered in an instant.

"Derrick, please come out," Nightmare Moon whispered. She sounded so scared at the moment, so worried for him, but that could not be right. She was the monster that tried to bring eternal night to Equestria, so it had to be a façade for luring him out. It just had to be, right? "Derrick, I am not here to hurt you. Please, let me help you before those sun lovers find you. If they do they will take you back to Canterlot, and I do not want that."

"Derrick!" a very angelic said in the distance, one he knew all-too well. "Derrick, my beloved, please come out. It's not safe in here!"

"Derrick, we are sorry for what we did," added a panicking Luna. "Please cease this hiding and come back to us. We know you are angry and scared and you have every right to be, but know that we did not do what we did out of spite. We love you and want you to come back home with us, please!"

Celestia!? Derrick mentally screamed, his fear causing him to betray his own secrecy. His heart raced again and the sound of his breathing tripled in decibels, almost as if he was in a horror movie. No, not those assholes. How were they able to find me? Is it because of Nightmare Moon?"

Nightmare Moon heard his breath and reacted to it with a sharp turn of her head, her horn glowing brighter as the sounds of her enemies drew closer by the minute. She knew it would not be long before those monsters saw her. She knew she had to be quick, even if it meant forcing Derrick to go with her.

She entered the room, finding it to be Luna's old bedroom, something she remembered to be much cleaner than now; given the fact of this place being a desolate home in memory, something was still amuck, something the dark alicorn sensed to be closer than she wants.

"Derrick, is that you?" she said in a worried tone, discarding furniture after furniture with her magic. "Derrick, if you are in here you need to come out right now. Something is very wrong here. I feel a dark presence within these walls."

At once Derrick felt the light of her horn shine down upon the pile of he was hiding behind, darkness leaving him when the light licked him and the walls. He tried his best to stay quiet and think of a way to escape, but there was nowhere to run. Derrick realized that he had trapped in a room that has no doors and no windows, nothing but a stone-cold room that felt more like a prison. He felt oily and dirty, shaking his head repeatedly to deny the reality he is experiencing and remove the emotions out of his head. He swept a hand over his face and it came away very bloody. Tiny beads of blood began to pour from his nose and chin, realizing his running has left him slightly injured. Not a good thing at all. Nightmare Moon most likely sniffed the air and caught a whiff of the stench.

"Derrick, I can smell you," she managed to say. Dear god, he was right. "Stop hiding and come out right now, please. I do not want to force you to listen to my words."

Nightmare Moon pushed more debris from her long forgotten battle until her light shined in the shadows of her target, its brightness blinding the human as she pushed further to uncover all spaces. She was very determined to find Derrick before the others. To bring him back to her part of the world, safely. Most importantly...she could smell him. And this was not just any normal scent a predator finds in the midst of hunting—no, this was a very fresh scent. Derrick was near—Nay, he was so close, so close that she could almost taste his aroma.

"You are very close. I know from your scent." the dark alicorn whispered. She pushed another table aside and tossed the last chair out the window, her light shining directly upon the one she cannot lose again.

Nightmare Moon stopped dead in her tracks when Derrick's curled up form rested in her eyes. He was pale and weak from causes she cannot assess right now; at least not until they were out of danger. Still, there was the simple unbearable sight of his body having cuts, scrapes, and bruises running down his skin from all the running he performed. The deepest laceration was on his forehead, the wound all the way to the third layer of skin.

Blood only ran down his forehead, something he barely managed to comprehend in the midst of his fright. This only made things worse for the alicorn. She did not want this to happen. Not to see the one she cares about shaking in terror of her, all the while of allowing himself to puddle the floor with his own blood.

Goddess of the Night or not, even Nightmare Moon could not resist the sorrow that swelled behind her eyes. What did they do to you? she whispered in her mind, wings stretched to curl around him for comfort. Did they hurt you? Is this all from being in the Everfree Forest and running from me?

Silence continued to pass between the human and the human, almost as if death was about to take a life. Nightmare Moon leaned down to the man, her approach causing him to curl harder against the corner. "Oh Derrick..."

"Leave me alone," Derrick told her in a very hateful tone. "You're all a bunch sick fucks that think of me as a monster. Just get the fuck away from me."

Nightmare Moon's gaze softened. "Derrick, I am not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you get away from Celestia and the others." she replied very lovingly. "I know that sounds impossible, but I really am here to help you leave those ponies behind."

Derrick sighed, wiped the blood from his mouth and looked up to the saddened alicorn before approaching rather abruptly with a powerful curl of his fist. The blood from his hand dripped as he expressed to her a mixture of sadness and a lost will to live. He was through lying onto the ground and hiding from his fears, and that was the problem—a huge one.

"Why can't you all take a hint?" he asked, tears running down his cheeks, mixing with the blood. "Why must it always resort to this for me to be left alone?"

Nightmare Moon knew that look very well, and she knew by those words what he meant. Her eyes widened as the floor began to crack from under his feet, its resistance finally giving out as she took a step back for her own protection. Oh no, he's so delusional that he's resorting to violence, and he doesn't realize that the floor is caving in.

"I just want to be left alone," Derrick said very threateningly, unaware that the stone was giving in. "I just want you all to—"

Nightmare Moon was about to interrupt him, but the sound of stone breaking from under Derrick's feet stopped both him and her in an instant. They looked down to see the foundation descending faster than their minds could process, taking the starving and mentally exhausted man to a plummet he does not want to experience.

Derrick looked back up to the alicorn and realized it was too late for him, taking into account he was falling to either his death or a very bad injury. Seconds of him falling became the loudest scream he has ever released in his entire life. It was loud enough to alarm every living thing in the castle and send the Mare in the Moon into a full-blown panic attack for his health.

"DERRICK!" Nightmare Moon screeched. Dust and debris fell with her human as he continued to scream. He looped around multiple structures to the castle as her form shrunk slightly in his eyes. He crashed and fell on wood and rock that held the lower caverns of the old castle, pain unlike anything he has felt in last week.

There were multiple yelps and screeches from the man, but the last one he gave off sent Nightmare Moon into overdrive. No, no, no. This can't be happening. This cannot be happening. He's got to be alive!"

Finally, after falling for what felt like minutes, Derrick landing hard on his back and yelped in the middle of having wood and small rock pile around him. He was lucky to have missed the large stuff; all of the rock and wood would have done damage or have killed him in an instant. Still, he had a very hard time breathing. Then again, he just had the wind knocked out of him.

Derrick curled up and moaned painfully, his spine bursting with long jolts of agony as the aching in one his legs increased one hundred fold. "Motherfucker...Dammit...Son...of a...bitch..."

"Derrick, Derrick, are you alright?" Nightmare Moon yelled. There was no answer at first, just the sound of rock rolling around and pebbling the floor. This made her terrified, very terrified. "Derrick, please say something. Say anything to let me know you are alright."

Derrick coughed in response, blood dripping from his mouth as the light from Nightmare Moon's horn beamed down to him. "...This...is all your...damn...fault."

"My fault?" she questioned annoyingly. Okay, even if he is injured, Nightmare Moon could not take such an accusation, although in some perspective it is her fault. She glared at the injured. "How the hay is it my fault that you fell into the cavern of the castle?"

"...Because you are...Nightmare Moon, and you chased me throughout the...forest," Derrick wheezed very loudly. Though he was injured and unable to stand, there was no logic in his words; even though she did chase him throughout the Everfree Forest, it was not his fault that he wandered into the castle without knowledge of its foundation failing. "Seriously...what the hell do...you want from me?"

"I warned you of the castle being unsafe, but you decided to keep hiding from me." Nightmare Moon said scathingly, before remembering how important it was to get to him. Finally she shook her head and groaned to relieve herself of the frustration. "Anyway, are you able to stand up? Does anything feel out of place or broken?"

"I don't know," he tried to move his legs but the right one to be shot with nigh unbearable pain, including his left arm. "Fuck, that hurts like a motherfucker!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"I think my arm and leg is broken. I can't move them."

Nightmare Moon took in a deep breath and collected her thoughts. She was almost back to her royal demeanor, almost in complete silence until the next moan from Derrick snapped her out of her worry. "Derrick, do not try to move. I am coming down there to get you. Just stay right where you are."

"No argument here," Derrick gave her a thumbs-up with his left hand. Thank the heavens, he was starting to realize her intentions were true. "Just be quick about it. I don't want to be down here for very long, not when the background is like Jeepers Creepers."

Nightmare Moon chuckled at his poor humor and began to charge her horn for more destruction of the castle. She did not have a choice in the matter of subtlety. Everything so far was going to Tartarus and time was of the essence. Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six probably heard everything and are most likely running this way to see if Derrick was alright, so it was only logical to be quick with making the hole big enough for her to descend through. Unfortunately that meant more time had to be wasted in order to reach him, and doing so would only delay her more.

"Do you feel pain elsewhere?" Nightmare Moon asked as calmly as she could.

"Yeah...everywhere." Derrick chuckled, while rolling to his side to find a more comfortable spot. Currently, in his weakened state and position, he was not going anywhere, not anytime soon, so he might as well make conversation with the alicorn. What the worst that could happen with talking to her? He already lost everything when Twilight and the others tarnished his reputation with false accusations before killing him. "Why do you give such a damn about me? I thought you only desired eternal night and overruling Celestia."

Nightmare Moon continued moving debris. She did not stop, for there was too much at stake, and something around her was beginning to awaken, the same "something" she sensed earlier. "That was my purpose when I possessed Luna, but the Elements of Harmony destroyed the evil within me and gave me new life."

"How?"

"When Twilight and her friends split Luna and I apart, the elements destroyed the evil that I was and borrowed natural magic from the Everfree Forest to give me life. I was but a mere soul watching Luna regain her body when it all happened."

"Talk about having your life flash before your eyes." Derrick joked, but it was a poor joke at best, one that Nightmare Moon found to be slightly insulting.

"Anyway..." she continued, "The elements took the magic they borrowed from the plants and wildlife to construct my original form. Once that was done, I made haste to escape before those insufferable bastards could find me and make sure that I never exist. I fled Equestria and in do time found a place that inhabits ponies like me, ponies that are not evil yet still carry the reality of light and darkness carrying a sense of balance."

"Ponies like you?"

"Yes, ponies that live in light and darkness, but you will know more when I take you there."

"To your home?"

"Yes, but it is not just home...It is my kingdom, and I share the power with my sister and her husband." The last bit of debris was removed from the hole, thus giving the dark alicorn space to commence with the final step to reaching Derrick: Increasing the size of the hole. "But enough about my beginning; tell me what it is that made you flee from Celestia and Luna when they are so desperate to have you back?"

Derrick raised an eyebrow towards the mare, suspicious already. "You pointed out that I was running from them, so why ask me that when you should already know?"

"I know that you fled from your new home, but I do not know your reason for fleeing." Nightmare Moon clarified.

Things were starting to get mysterious, so much that it gave Derrick a migraine to go with his physical pain. "I ran away because they tried to kill me by using their power to amplify Celestia and Luna's magic, hoping to kill me, I think." He looked away in shame, anger imminent in his bloodshot eyes. "I'm not sure if that was their intention, but it felt like that to me."

Derrick went to add more about what happened at Canterlot when suddenly he was interrupted by a small noise to his right. His ears twitched at the noise, the same as Nightmare Moon's, and he gathered all of his remaining strength to sit up and see where it was coming from. What the hell was that just now?"

"Derrick, stop moving around or you'll hurt yourself more." Nightmare Moon scolded.

"It wasn't me," Derrick replied angrily, his eyes never leaving the direction of the noise. "I'm not sure what made that noise just now, probably some rock or wood?"

Nightmare Moon was going to agree to that, but her words stopped in the middle of her throat and swelled in fear of what she just felt. Her sense of danger returned stronger and more powerful than she recalled, its presence burning around her, almost as if the owner of this energy was directly above or...underneath her.

She'd learned from her experiences to keep her voice low and quiet in these kind of situation. To be silent, just like does when she wishes to avoid her friends and family. This presence, however, alarmed her very quickly with its dark and ominous nature drawing in as she gaped the hole with her magic.

As the seconds went one, Derrick became more adept with his conscience assessing the cause of said noise, telling him that it was not a rock or piece of wood that fell. He could hear clearly and see through the terrible darkness a creature's eyes, hissing in temptation to eat, trying to invoke pure terror for the thrill of finding easy prey.

Terror gripped him. Fright. Absolute dear. There was no way to deny what he was feeling as the creature dripped saliva with anticipation. His eyes dilated even more, almost as black as the darkness around him. He took a deep breath and proceeded to scoot back, reaching into his body for adrenaline to shoot through his veins like venom from a poisonous snake.

The burst of pain was sheer agony. His body went rigid with each movement. Convulsed. The air he inhaled was driven from his lungs in one loud screech from the monstrous creature prowling him. He could not think, the fear and pain turning every nerve ending to fire and every thought to one sentence.

"Nightmare Moon...get down here now." he demanded calmly, his words somehow enticing the monster's hunger greatly.

Nightmare Moon looked down the hole again, only to see her human pressed against the debris pile that was made in his fall. Still, she could feel that something was very wrong with Derrick. He never demanded from others to do a single thing for him; there was never a dull moment where he ordered someone. It was always kindness that came from his mouth when he needed something done. It was always a request.

"Derrick, what's wrong?" she asked in a fearful tone. "Is there something down there with you?"

The creature stepped into the light, its features too disgusting for Derrick to properly explain. It hissed and screeched at him like it had won a battle with its next meal.

"Yes, and it's looking at me!" Derrick screamed at the top of his lungs. "Nightmare Moon get down here right now!"

Nightmare Moon saw the beast and gasped. She knew not of its species but clearly sensed its intention to eat her human. "Hang on, I'm coming!"

"No, no hanging on," Derrick yelled. "Get your ass down here right now!"

The creature lowered its head and began to trot towards Derrick, as did Nightmare Moon begin to rip through the debris like paper.

"Get down here!" Derrick backed into the pil at this moment. He was trapped between the creature and the pile, unable to reach for anything or see an exit. "Nightmare Moon, get the fuck down here. Get your sexy ass down here now!"

"I'm coming, Derrick, just hang on." she yelled in return, but there was no hanging on, no form or method of patience. The beast was almost upon Derrick with its teeth flickering from muscle control, readying to stretch and engulf him in one bite. Darn it, I cannot teleport to him. The cavern is too narrow!

"GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Derrick began to panic. The screeching from said creature grew louder, stretching across the castle as an ear splitting tune. "GET DOWN HERE. GET DOWN HERE. GET DOWN HERE. GET DOWN HERE RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"

When the monster came close to Derrick, the Mare in the Moon removed the last remaining piece that hung in her way and dove into the hole without spreading her wings. She was not worried about herself. Her body can take long falls without receiving a scratch, and Derrick was too valuable of a man to be allowed to die at the hooves of an unknown creature.

"GET DOWN HERE, PLEEEAAASE!" Derrick began to scream madly at the monster. He kicked and swung at it with his good arm and leg as she grazed bits and pieces of the hole with her body.

Nightmare Moon thrust herself to the ground, between Derrick and the screeching beast. She raised her head and instantly unleashed the fury of her power in beams of burning darkness, protecting her human with all her might. It still did not change the fact that this thing is real and preying her human, and that in turn made it very difficult for the alicorn to contain her rage.

"You will not lay a hoof on My Derrick!" she roared in what seemed to be her Royal Voice. She lowered her head and dragged her hoof across the dirt as a warning sign for the monster. "If you dare touch him I will bucking kill you with my bare hooves!"

Derrick was going to tell Nightmare Moon to kill it and be done, but his words stopped short. He suddenly felt a large force impact the top of his head and steal his ability to stay awake. Though he could not look away or move to see what just hit him, there was no mistake as to the blunt force that hit him. A rock or a large piece of lumber had to have fallen from somewhere.

He fell to his side in a dazed fashion, but unlike most people—or ponies in this case— his unconscious state was very quick and painless.

Before he could blink and see conflict unfold between Nightmare Moon and the beast...he blacked out.

Ch.1

View Online

Seasons of Darkness
Author: SaiyanUltima
Rewritten 8/6/15

Reality and a Heart Break

Awareness rolled in, like mist drifting on the winds of a peaceful morning, long tunnels of sound stretching through the room and digging into his ears. Each decibel curling around his restarting mind. The dense tone of a male muffled other strange noises and lent an eerie familiarity to the man. Out of that deep voice came another, one much softer and more loving than he could believe. Derrick did not move when he realized someone was talking. He went still and regulated his breathing as the mysterious owners of said voices moved around him, nearly blending with a loud beeping to his right.

"It has been four days, Doctor, and he still has not woken up!" the female barked angrily; at least that is how the tone felt when Derrick heard. He wasn't sure though, and he certainly was not going to find out. "Why are you using so little of your capabilities for my human?"

"My queen, please calm yourself and realize that my abilities are stressed with this human." the doctor replied bravely. It had to have been a courageous thing to talk so boldly with the mare, seeing as how she was growling under her breath at the moment. "I can only do so much for your friend. I'm limited to common procedures because of his strange immunity to all magic. Not even a simple levitation spell can touch his skin. It's almost as if he were born with this ability."

"I do not care about your setbacks. I want results, Doctor Stitch, and I will have them, or so help me, I will make your life a living nightmare!"

"My queen, I cannot produce miracles with this creature. His unconscious state is a mental process that must heal itself without the aid of magic. If I try to force any spell upon him there is the possibility of bad results. Now please let me finish my—"

Derrick felt great fear from opening his eyes. He groaned to the mild headache that came with his equilibrium going all over the room. He was very imbalanced but showed no outward signs of physical damage when moving himself into a more comfortable position. His awakening was exactly the same as always in the morning: a mild dislike of the cider he guzzles at Pinkie Pie's parties. This, however, was more of a great hatred towards whatever fell on his head when he recalled the monster in the castle.

Derrick was very perplexed with what is happening. He couldn't have been more confused in this room as some patients had been, because he had no damn clue as to where the hell he is right now. When he regained control of his senses and realized his arm and leg would not move, many seconds of silence filled him. He did not know if he had been rescued or taken as a hostage, or if the ponies in front of him were friend or enemy. His instincts could not speak for him.

And then it happened, he concluded his new location to be some odd form of a hospital room with burgundy walls and a silk bed that is blacker than any hollow cave in Equestria. His warmth was generated by a fireplace that blazed hotly, its sound the only comfort to his bewilderment as he watched the flames change color ten seconds. Clearly there was magic about.

He turned to his left, and then to his right. Books lined up in sturdy oak shelves on the west wall, alphabetically organized by someone who has a very bad habit of keeping things to their order.

Subconsciously, he rubbed his eyes and yawned whilst collecting his senses. "Where the hell am I?"

"Derrick..." a deep, feminine voice cooed. Derrick stopped ceased his thinking and froze with fear. He knew that voice very well, maybe too-well, and it gave him a deep chill that slithered down his bruised back.

He went to make a quick jab at the owner of such a beautiful voice but was suddenly taken into a soft and ticklish hug, his skin shivering at the many pokes her wings did to his bandaged stomach.

His first movement to the mare hugging him so tightly was to yell and scream at the top of his lungs, but his lips were gently shut with her muzzle rubbing against them. Softly. Tenderly. Lovingly. "...Thank the Night Mother, you are finally awake. I have been so worried about you."

Derrick blinked in uncertainty; even in this shocking moment, he wanted to believe that the mare holding him is indeed the same one that rescued him from the disgusting monster. Finally his mind floated to the very surface of reality, and so became the moment of him finally coming to his senses. He blinked again and turned to the left, finding medical equipment and a very relieved unicorn in a lab coat wiping the sweat off his brow. His fur was red, eyes bloodshot from lack of rest, and a very distinct set of incisors under his top lip.

Derrick felt something grow inside his chest as this stallion approached him from the other side of the bed. He felt terror before that beloved touch of his hugger being more than what most have given him since his arrival to Equestria calmed him down. Still, how this mare found the gall to touch him when there was so much to explain, he didn't know.

His body came to life; at least his good arm and leg did. His heart raced, and the monitor showed his heart rate to be one-hundred and thirty beats per minute. He was fully aware of this place and its strange atmosphere, and that did not settle with the two ponies at his sides.

I don't know where I am, but I'm getting the hell out of here!

"Derrick?" Nightmare Moon said quietly, worriedly.

He pushed Nightmare Moon away as hard as he could and reached for the I.V. in the upper section of his left arm, its location barely reachable as it sits under the cast. His breathing accelerated, a fear induced moment of ill thoughts and concern for his well-being. He began to pinch the tube that is filling his vein with water, ignoring his conscience telling him not to remove the I.V. from his skin.

He squeezed a little and began to—

"No, don't!" Nightmare Moon said quickly, hasting to his side after recovering from falling on her rump. She was not physically hurt or injured, but having the man she saved push her away was by all means the most hurtful thing she experienced. If the situation was different, she might have felt her heart break. Derrick, however, was not thinking straight nor acting rational at the moment.

He was scared, if not terrified, and that was very understandable to the concerned alicorn. She knew it was fear that made him push her away. Fear that she made by making a dark and extravagant entrance when she found him.

Derrick tugged on the I.V. as the doctor ran through the door and stopped in the middle of a dark hallway, yelling at multiple guards for their help in restraining him before things got out of control. Fortunately it was Nightmare Moon who stopped him from making that mistake, for she was gentle and kind with her words.

"Derrick, stop." she said as calmly as she could, placing her hoof over his hand. She did not flinch when their eyes connected, albeit in opposite feelings. "It's just medicine and water," she leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with frustration whilst trying to keep him still. "It's to help your body fight off the infection. Just calm down and listen to me, please."

Even as the fearful and slightly angered Derrick glared at her, the legendary Nightmare Moon held her gaze on him. She did not allow herself to be defeated by such a glare. She'd never been a mare to be intimidated, but she suddenly wished they met and talked under much better conditions. She felt Derrick's chest against her own, heartbeat in sync with his, as though they were connected. Her hoof slowly tightened around his hand and began to guide it away from the I.V. She prayed to her sister that he would not act so foolishly again.

"It's okay, Derrick. Nopony is going to hurt you. You are safe and out of harm's reach." she cooed softly, something similar to a wife calming her husband down. Surprisingly she felt Derrick's hand loosen after a few seconds of deep thinking. Perhaps he was not as irrational as she thinks him to be.

I can't run or hide. I'd better play along if I want to live.

Derrick retracted his hand from Nightmare Moon and lied back down to rest his throbbing muscles, his eyes never leaving her; even as the doctor returned with ten fiercely armored stallions, he kept his gaze locked onto the Mare in The Moon, for he knew who was strongest in the room.

When he did release his glare and allow himself to be touched, Nightmare Moon wrapped her wing around his waist and nuzzled his cheek for her own enjoyment. And as strange as it was for her to touch him, Derrick could not deny feeling joy when she expressed so much affection.

"You were foolish to run in the castle and hide from me, but that does not matter. What is important is you are safe, awake, and away from the horses that dared to lay a hoof on you."

Derrick began to think as she spoke.

"That bucking Devourer was difficult to destroy, and having you unconscious did not make it any easier for me. Whether or not those sun lovers saw us is pointless, because you are here."

Derrick put a hand to his head as the headache made it difficult for him to think. He started remembering what happened and reacted to it very angrily. From the attack in Canterlot to his plummet in the old castle, he acted on emotion. He groaned and growled as each memory dug into the very fibers of his mind, replaying as the guards approached.

Doctor Stitch pointed a hoof at Derrick and said, "He needs to restrained to prevent harm to himself. Make sure his arms, legs, and head are—"

"Nopony is touching Derrick!" Nightmare Moon barked, causing her guards to step back in fear. She glared furiously at her royal protectors, her eyes shining in the light of her dark moon. She scowled at each one as though they were her enemies, fangs displayed as intimidation. "If anypony dares lay a hoof on my human, even in the slightest, I will personally send you to Tartarus and feed you to Cerberus!"

Her words guided the guards to the door and out of the room. Nightmare Moon did not hesitate to use her authority, she simply commanded the core of her power to her horn and demanded ferocity in the light of her explosive anger, settling into her own instincts with a small shiver. She stayed over Derrick with the same wing around his waist, afraid to leave his side too soon. She'd been through enough already, the search, the worry and the terror of him never waking up. She went through all of that for far too long and was beginning to feel the effects of such a division.

"Get out of my bed chambers...NOW!" she reassured Derrick.

He thought the Mare in The Moon to be a frightening beast with untold powers, but maybe he only thought what he wished to know. She had yet to lay a threatening hoof on him or do something ghastly. Her only intention so far was protecting Derrick from those that have come to hurt him. She was already acting monstrous but in a different manner, slipping into animalistic fury. Breaths blazing across his skin, he gave a weak smile a sighed. Not so afraid anymore. He was beginning to wonder if the alicorn he was told of did experience a rebirth from the Elements of Harmony.

He found himself firmly held by the mare. Doctor Stitch and the guards had removed themselves from the room at a breakneck pace and the fury of their queen died when the doors slammed at her command.

Nightmare Moon panted and snorted until her emotions were brought back into her control, remembering she had her human resting in her bed, remembering to keep herself under control, that she did not want him to see her in the same perspective he sees about his former friends. As a monster and deceiver.

Derrick did not resist his urge to laugh, although it was slightly painful. "I guess they won't be back anytime soon."

Nightmare Moon shot her gaze to him, ears folding back when she assessed his current state. He looked so pale, so ravaged by starvation and illness, eyes slightly bloodshot and bandages all over his naked form. But he was alive and he was still the most handsome thing to her. The blanket over his lower half had sunk, taking the form of his bare skin all the way to his toes. The smooth blanket, fluffy with thousands of feathers, had wrapped itself around the man, revealing the shape of his firm legs.

Derrick took his time to relax, unaware of the medication numbing his pain as it fought whatever infection he has. "And here I thought my life was crazy enough already. . ." He looked around him, his eyes setting on Nightmare Moon. "But lo and behold the truth of my exes being crazy and a thought-to-be-dead alicorn sitting with me."

Nightmare Moon adjusted on the other side of the bed, her expression set in concern, but she made an effort to be happy. She laid close to him and stared with slight apprehension of his mood change.

"You chased me across the Everfree Forest and protected me from that...thing in the castle," he reminded her. "You're supposed to be the most sinister pony that exists, but, instead, you are acting so nice and caring. . .Why?"

"Is my previous explanation not enough for you?" Nightmare Moon asked, receiving a nod from him. Suddenly she was twiddling her hooves and blushing in a most peculiar way, one that everyone would find to be infatuation. "Well I am still very sinister and feared by all, but I have my reasons for saving you from that Devourer, reasons that you are not prepared to accept; at least not until you acclimate to your new home."

Derrick raised an eyebrow at her. "You have your reasons, but you will not tell me them because I am not ready?" He questioned. "Okay, I know what I said and did made me look like an ass, but telling me nothing makes this weird. I feel as if I'm your hostage and your only reason to have me here is to have your vengeance on Equestria."

"I assure you my reason for you here is not for vengeance, but something very different, something you will need time to understand." Nightmare Moon admitted. Her voice became hesitant, but she refused to look away from his curious gaze.

"I can understand many things, but I cannot understand them if I am not told, now can I?" Derrick said, a slow, answering grin pushing through the weight of his stress and anxiety. "So how about you tell me why I am here in...wherever this place is and tell me explain what happened after I was knocked out."

Nightmare Moon shook her head and quickly averted from his Derrick's, but not before he caught the nervous nibble she did to her lip.

"I will tell you in due time, but, first and foremost, you need to rest and recover," Nightmare Moon said firmly. "You are strong for one of your own kind, but you cannot regain your strength like this."

"Because I am stressing myself to find out why the Mare in The Moon is treating me so nicely." Derrick implied stressfully. He rubbed both hands over his face, dragging them over his eyes. "I am so sick and tired of all this bullshit. First, my ex-marefriends tried to kill or turn me into stone, with the aid of my former friends, then that damn monster almost ate me, and now you are being so mysterious. It's a freaking migraine that no amount of aspirin can fix."

"I will tell when you are ready to accept the truth. Right now, however, is not the best time, not when you've been betrayed and tossed into a whole new life with me."

Derrick forced himself to look up, to look at the blushing mare. The transparent wave of her mane travelled under the blanket and glided across his legs, which seemed to be tightening around thigh. "What do you mean by. . ." He broke off at the sensation on his leg. ". . .What the hell are you doing to my leg?"

Nightmare Moon put a hoof on his palm and giggled cutely. Only then did Derrick realize she had become a new mare with a new purpose and that he might have made the mistake of disbelieving everything she told him. He was still very unsure of her, but there was a definite lead to judging her too soon, and that did not sit very well in his head.

Nightmare Moon subsided, although she did not like removing her touch from him. She had planned many things with him and liked them all, but he did not trust her at the moment. For now, for the sake of turning his life around to her favor, subtlety would be her best approach in getting what she wants. Him.

"Are you well enough to have food with me?" she asked. "I have not eaten since yesterday morning."

"I don't know. I'm not really. . ." Derrick broke off, his stomach growling at the mention of food. It was his turn to blush and feel embarrassed, and that is exactly what happened when Nightmare Moon stared at his stomach with apprehension. He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Okay, maybe I could go for some food and drink. A good meal would be good to have after rationing on vegetables, bread, and water for days. Thank you," He pointed a finger at her, trying to act serious. "But this does not change the fact that you are still very suspicious."

Nightmare Moon let out her laughter. She could not deny how cute he was acting. "Very well, I shall have my servants fetch us both proper nourishment." She turned her head to the door and took in a deep breath. Her horn flashed a bright blue for a second and dissipated, leaving Derrick to wonder what she— "There we go. We should have our food and drink in about thirty minutes."

"What did you just do?"

"I telepathically requested one of the maids to inform the cooks that you and I are in need of a good meal. Didn't you obtain food through telepathy when you were with Celestia and Luna? I figure you would know how to use magic to ease your life."

Pain welled up at those words, a wave blunt and terrible, crashing through his insides, smashing and destroying his heart. He turned away sadly just in time as the memories of his bound-to-fail repeated in his head, each one emptying itself in his subconscious mind, a wretched action he could not stop. Something more powerful than physical consumed him. Wave after wave of emotional pain crashed through him, lasting long than the previous. He could not fight it.

Celestia...Luna...Everyone...

Abruptly, the pain faded, and Derrick looked up to what made it fade, desperate to draw the reason in and keep it close. He felt so weak and hurt. He couldn't believe that this was really happening to him, that the life he had in Equestria was now a short lived memory dying in the coldest part of his heart. He would never get back the time he lost in adjusting to a new life as an Equestrian. Preventing the tears from falling took a tremendous amount of willpower. He was still an emotional wreck and unable to comprehend that Twilight and the others screwed him over, yet he had some grasp of reality as it fell on his shoulders.

Derrick followed the source of his comfort to the hoof that moved up his arm. His breath stopped in the middle of his throat. He had seen many ponies express sadness and depression, but never did he see it come from the one mare believed to be a shell of what was once Luna's jealousy and hatred.

"They did not do anything with you, did they?" she asked. "You were nothing but a secret kept inside the closet whenever others were around. Your relationship was behind locked doors and never expressed, wasn't it?"

Derrick shook his head in denial. "No, we...we spent time together throughout the night and went on dates throughout the class. We did things together and—"

Nightmare Moon was starting to see a pattern. "Derrick..." she held his arm a little tighter, just enough to make her point. "Did anypony know that you were dating their princesses?"

"...No," he whispered, before finding some way to add or counter the negativity. "But it wasn't that bad. Celestia and Luna did their best to spend time wi—"

"Derrick. . ." Nightmare Moon sighed disappointedly at him. She could not believe how ignorant he was when it came to the truth. How could he still see them as good mares after what he just said? ". . .If Celestia and Luna cared about you, then your relationship would have been known across Equestria. If they appreciated and loved you, the judgment from their subjects would not have mattered in the slightest."

A sense of denial swept through the man. He wasn't anywhere near close to believing her and he doubted that Celestia and Luna would act in such a way for their own protection. He wanted to get away from Nightmare Moon without having to hear another word about his ex-marefriends possibly using him, but she had him stuck in bed with her body laying on his legs.

"Celestia and Luna fucked up and lost me, okay, but they would not—"

"Derrick, did you ever go out in the open with them?" Now it was starting to get very deep, maybe too deep for her to keep Derrick under control. The hurt in his eyes. . . It was unbearable. "Did Celestia and Luna ever share with somepony, other than Cadance, Twilight and her friends, the truth of you being their coltfriend?"

"Well...no...But—"

"Derrick, you cannot deny the truth when it is right in front of you." Nightmare Moon said sternly, although her heart ached for her to not say a word about what she is seeing.

"You're just fucking with me right now," Derrick said frustratingly. He was starting to get defensive, pushing her away with all of his strength. But, to his dismay, his denial grew as weak as his when she embraced him. "No, get the hell away from me. I don't want to hear from you that—"

"Derrick. . ." Nightmare Moon sighed unhappily, knowing she was about to break the rest of his heart. "Celestia and Luna did not love you. Your relationship with them was nothing more than a dirty secret."

"No...I...I..."

"Derrick, you were just a potential flank-call for them. They wanted you for your body, not for you."

Derrick managed a shake of his head and stared into her eyes. He looked back just as angrily, fighting her to know that he was not some booty call for the princesses, that he was something special to the Royal Sisters.

"You're so much better than most stallions, but you are the most foolish one to deny you were their toy." She smiled sadly at him. "Derrick, I know from being part of Luna that love is something she and her sister threw away when they were young. I mean, think about it, they have never married a mortal but kept inclined to the idea of coltfriend for as long as they want."

Derrick jerked his hand away and looked towards the window, seeing a small glimmer of Equestria in the distance. "Shut up right now. Don't say another damn word about—"

"Derrick, open your eyes and realize there was nothing. If Celestia and Luna truly cared about you, you would have them defending you against Twilight's accusations, not here with me for your own protection."

"Shut up. Shut up!"

Nightmare Moon leaned closer, still pressuring him to crack under reality. "They attacked you before you could say a word in your defense. They tried to turn you into stone—No, they tried to kill you. The tears you saw when they realized how wrong Twilight was were for hurting another creature, not for loving you."

"Dammit, just stop talking!" he tried to push the alicorn away, but her persistence proved unwavering. "Get away from me. Just get the hell away from me. I don't want to hear any of this!"

"Derrick, you were nothing to them!" Nightmare Moon said sharply, caringly.

Very gently, she hopped onto the bed and took him into her chest, her wings moving up to massage his scarred back before she placed her muzzle on top of his head. He nuzzled and pecked him very lovingly. Her hooves moved over his hands as she fell on her side, preventing him from the slightest push to her form. "It's okay to be angry and hurt, but don't let it blind you from the truth. Please, just let it out and listen."

Derrick was going to fight, but her softness abated his anger before it could bunch into a fist. His grunts became light, and then long with the urge to shed what little sorrow he has left. "Why do you care so much about me? What the hell is it that you want from a man like me, a man with nothing left to lose?"

He leaned back and another jerk of her wings reminded him that she would not let go. "Why do you give a damn about me?"

Nightmare Moon chuckled, still fighting to hold in what she wants to say. But, alas, she has to keep the truth to herself, to wait for the perfect moment of Derrick being ready. She adored the way he acts—Well most of it. Right now, the way he is behaving, was a result of many bad encounters that will drive a pony near the edge of insanity. The Devourer is a prime example of an Equestrian snapping, but Derrick is not an Equestrian. Not anymore. No, he was something else. He was part of her world now. He was her human now and no one would be to take him away.

She reached out to touch his cheek, his tears descending into her fur. She gently kissed his cheek, uncaring of the apprehension he showed. "Think of it this way," she crooned. "I am Luna's opposite. I am the Goddess of Nightmares, the Deity of the Dark Moon and queen of my own world. Her feelings were fake, not genuine, an illusion you've been blinded by for many months now. So ask yourself this; what does that say for a mare like me?"

Derrick took in a short breath as if he had been punched in the stomach, and he was starting to think with his head and not his emotions. He looked down at the bed in shame, and then he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Nightmare Moon simply nuzzled him and relaxed her grasp. "I will tell you everything when the time is right. But, for now, just rest with me and let your troubles be pushed aside."

Derrick closed his eyes and nodded, before laying against her chest.

"Rest, My Sweet Derrick. Your new life with me is going to be a long journey."

Chapter II

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There was no grand conversation as the light of the dark moon beamed on the eve of Nebula's daytime. . .certainly nothing out of the ordinary between Derrick and Nightmare Moon. The atmosphere around them was the status-quo of their day, which happened to be the worst first day in the dark country. Nightmare Moon had quietly been sorting through a large stack of documents she had been neglecting since last week, so as to save her sanity from the miniscule complaints some of her noble subjects throw at her. She was a bit irritated with the upper class whining over every little thing that does not fit in their 'perfect world', although the latter did notice this when the first maid to give them lunch had the gall to spread gossip about it, which was very bad, but Nightmare Moon was not berating herself for this minor setback. Instead, she was quickly reading over her work and deeming which is worthy to look over while the rest go into her fireplace.

Derrick found he was getting feeling back in his legs as Nightmare Moon stood up from her desk, stretching her legs and wings as the trash stack levitated into the fire. Though the alicorn was being quick about it, and the papers being small, it seemed to be a loss when most of them were tossed into the fireplace.

"All that time looking over those papers, and hardly any of them are worth my time." she sighed to herself, while rubbing the top of her head to ease the migraine she received. "If only I could make a law that prohibits—how did Derrick say it?—oh, yes. . .bitching."

Derrick had been curious of her work, watching like child with vast wonder in his eyes; that is until blood flowed back with movement, and he found he was dealing with the pain of pins and needles with every attempt to shuffle around the bed. After the jolt in his knees, the prickly sensation was more agonizing than it was annoying in the beginning. Nightmare Moon heard him groan and picked up the pace of her filing, and surprisingly in deference to his state, she was moving very quickly. Her long strides of reading each sentence hastened.

He has not been provided medication since this morning. The doctor said it is too risky to give him another dose, but hearing and seeing my darling in pain does do any better.

Nightmare Moon hadn't believed she could just threaten the doctor give him something for his agony, but what else was there to do? Biting her lower lip to remain at bay, she had to think od something to help her human rest. A lot of her day-to-day operations were instinctual in the arcane of magic, probably imprinted in her mind before birth.

Her own experience as one of two mares fed her information on what it means to be a normal pony, giving her the data necessary to a normal mare caring for someone she holds dear to her heart, but this was different. Her instincts told her how to fix the problem, but she gleaned much more. She knew how to tend with others, albeit rather poorly in some cases. She kept her mind focused on the logical means of helping Derrick ease his suffering, although her body was screaming to move.

She found her heart swelling with worry and concern. There should be something or someone that can help, yet no one was around to provide. Her abilities continued to grow along with her need to help. Was it the combination of her powers?

"Fuck me," Derrick shifted to the left and then cut back sharply to the right, trying his best to calm down. He could feel the pain growing with each minute. Every breath he drew was difficult, and he had no way to prevent his body from making any sudden jerks when the nerves surged.

He began to sweat and groan as the spasm accelerated.

Nightmare Moon felt the terrible tension in her worry rising without end, her relentless shuffling of paperwork pushing her faster and harder until she saw a single tear fall from his cheek. Her body had become a volcano of molten fire, an erotic fury, capturing the darkness in her room on fire with her beauty, yet gracefully going to him with ease.

She exploded from her seat and towards her human, tossing aside her crown and other pieces to her garment with haste, but that did not help. She had struck her stuck of papers, and now they were scattered across the floor. But that did not matter to her. The schism of fear snaking through her heart, weaving through the frenzy of care, that she might descend into paranoia of Derrick suffering the slightest.

"Derrick," she whispered lovingly as the bed creaked under her. Her hooves worked on his legs, slowly massaging away the pain while her wing kept him firm to the bed.

As if his body had been bitten by a venomous spider, the pain started to leave him, with that silhouette fur soothing every nerve from the tip of his toes to his thighs. His shorts were rolled up to his waistline, and that soft lick of her tongue move across the cuts one by one.

Nightmare Moon gave herself up to the instincts of healing her human, her snout and hooves rubbing across his legs, warmly invigorating, dragging him into what must be paradise. Once again he felt numb, unable to feel the smallest amount of pain, cleansed of the agony he brought upon himself.

The Mare in The Moon kept him from sitting up to watch her, pushing on his chest with her majestic wings. She could feel his heart slowing down, matching the rhythm she started to feel with her own. She worked with the other leg, delicately working her way up to his thigh, his moans soft and joyful.

"Thank you," Derrick whispered. "I doubt I could take much more."

"You are my stallion," she whispered, receiving a confused look from the human as she realized those words slipped from her mouth. She began to blush as her mind went to work about misleading him from the truth.

"You were enduring pain like a filly," said the alicorn, with a smug grin, although the beads of sweat across her brow gave away she was lying. "So I decided to take pity on you until the doctor returns with another dose of your medication."

"Pity, huh?" he grumbled, while crossing his arms. He started to pout as she tenderly squeezed his legs with her wings, forcing a very relaxing 'pop' to his joints. "Well I guess I should feel honored that the Mare in The Moon is kind enough to ease my pain."

Nightmare Moon laughed as she spun around to face him, and her wings did the rest of the work. With her position comfortable, she adhered to the desire of snuggling with Derrick, who happened to be observing her with keen eyes. This time, she took in the satisfying allowance of snuggling with her chin resting against his thighs— nearly lying on top of his crotch— and her mane wrapped around his arm. Nightmare Moon was an oblivious mare when it came to intimacy, her first thought of it was the stallion rutting that same night as a way of courtship. To bathe one another in their scent. But that was then, and this is now. She still had yet to truly understand the term 'snuggling' until she actually followed her sister's advice. . .then she realized just how magnificent that sensation is. It was more gratifying with each moment of her human allowing it, especially on a glum day like this. Quiet nights were the worst for the Dark Alicorn; even though it gives her time to be lazy, there was no fun in that.

"I'm surprised you have good physique considering the structure of your body is very different from ours." Nightmare Moon pointed out when her wings curled around his leg muscles. She knew Derrick to be a man that cares about his figure, but the tone of his body was better than she anticipated. Slightly muscular, actually. It was quite a treat to be corrected of her assumptions, given she observed him from a distance for a few months So, she indulged herself with getting a nice feel for his calves. Derrick, undoubtedly more timid than Fluttershy when it comes to infatuation, turned red as a beet when the alicorn rubbed him in a possessive manner.

"Mine," she whispered to herself.

"How do humans acquire such a muscular appearance?" she continued, this time stroking his abs with her hoof, which was he was not particularly comfortable with. But it's not like he can tell the mare who saved his life stop or to get away from him. Though it did feel nice at first, he was not like most males on Earth or in this world who enjoy having a female touch them so tenderly. He preferred to be left alone, untouched if you will, although he could not deny that Nightmare Moon's touch was very comforting and reassuring.

Nightmare Moon tittered musically as her lust driven movements worked deeper into his personal space. She circled his left peck as the movement of her wings slowed to a gentle glide, her feathers tickling when they reach his feet.

"Big Macintosh had me build a windmill that runs a water channel through Sweet Apple Acres; that is thanks to Discord using a jinx to make the water travel without gravity applied." Derrick said in a nervous tone, his body shivering with delight as she stared at him endearingly. "Building the windmill took a few months, but for it to have constant function required a daily check-up from me. So I lost a bunch of my fat and. . .and. . .gained some muscle throughout the months."

Derrick looked away but Nightmare Moon would have none it. She was very determined to fit herself in his life, without the chance of another coming into the picture; even if it meant having conversation and taking small steps to capture his heart, she was going to do so with wholehearted intention. She stayed her next move and smiled warmly so his blush burned hotter and she could see his wonderful eyes, her hoof firmly in his palm. She inhaled his scent and continued to make him squirm with her charm.

"A handsome, intelligent and hard working stallion who builds things for others," she slowly massaged his left leg, targeting the thigh for his shivering defeat. "It is no wonder why the mares want you all to themselves."

"You mean it was no wonder why the mares wanted me," Derrick sighed deeply and continued to look towards the window, his eyes glossed with painful regret. "Now I'm just a man who has nothing. I've lost everything. My home, my work, my belongings, and my pride. All thanks to Twilight assuming that I am the same as my fellow humans."

He was certainly depressed now. She wondered why that is when it should be a joyous day, because he is free. Nightmare Moon considered this to be a setback to her goal and decided to counter it like most of problems: if were to hinder what she is doing, then she will remove it with swift action. Luckily there was no problem to finding the solution. She recalled the first day Derrick came into her life and resorted to his interests. Nightmare Moon used her magic to pull a single vial with a red liquid from her dresser and levitated it to Derrick, before sitting up and commanding her entire bedroom to shift with the darkness. She knew this would make him happy.

"Drink this." she pulled the cork out, the liquid now tainted to a sinister black.

Derrick cocked an eyebrow at the vial, and then at Nightmare Moon as said darkness replaced part of the room with electronics he believed to be lost, his heart jumping its normal speed. "What the hell are you having me drink in the first place?" He took a closer look at the substance, his nostrils bombarded with a sour odor. "Good god, did the Devil donate some of his blood to you?"

"It is just a powerful extract that I have been holding onto for an emergency situation," she answered enthusiastically, her magic pushing the glass to his lips. "If my assumptions are correct, then the extract will reduce your breaks into fractures and numb whatever is left for the next six hours. And if it does, then you and I will have some fun."

"Fun?" the man questioned. He did not like the sound of this, nor the way his surroundings changed into such a dark atmosphere.

"A game," she quipped with a proud smile. "One you are very familiar with, except you will be teaching me. Now drink the water so we may enjoy ourselves!"

Regrettably, Derrick accepted the fact he was not going to get away from this mare any time soon, so he willingly guzzled the black liquid and waited for the change to end. Once the last drop hit his tongue, his gag reflex kicked in and he was coughing uncontrollably, his eyes watering with disgust. Nightmare Moon mentally grinned, praising herself for such an easy task.

Getting him to drink my blood should have been difficult, but I will not complain.

A surge of black light beamed around his arm and merged the broken bones back into place, before vibrating the hardened casts with a pulse of dark magic. His cuts and scrapes were still untouched for some odd reason, but none of them were felt after the liquid reached his system.

Seeing the results to be true, Nightmare Moon clapped her hooves and laughed victoriously as the first step of her plan came to fruition. This was the second happiest moment in her life—the first being her freedom and rebirth into a real goddess. She squeaked with joy and watched as Derrick's eyes flashed a deep blue similar to hers, before returning to normal when he blinked.

It is true, he can be affected on the inside. Now I just have to wait for his blood to alter. But how long did sister say that will take? A few months or an entire year?

Finally, Derrick regained his ability to breathe, yet he still gagged a little when his stomach finished churning its new content. He glared at the alicorn a little to let her know that was not at all pleased with tasting such a foul liquid.

"That was worse than tasting Celestia and Luna's pussies on our first night in bed. And that was really bad." he gagged for the last time. But little did he know what his words did to Nightmare Moon. If he was using his head right now he would process the hurt in her eyes as she realized his first time being gone. "What the hell did you just have me drink!?"

"Just a simple extract," Nightmare Moon lied, her silver tongue showing. She sighed deeply as the anger from him died in disgust of the taste, but she immediately replaced her attitude with concern rather than slight heartache. It quickly became curiosity when her common sense forced her to rethink what he just said. "Wait, you. . . bred with Celestia and Luna?"

"No," Derrick gagged, his eyes bloodshot. "I'm still a virgin. We simply had oral sex on our third month of dating and slept together. We were going to take it to the next level on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, but Twilight—as you already know—ruined that and everything else in my life."

"But I thought you and those sun lovers were—"

"Nope. The closest I have come to intimacy is me doing the sixty-nine with Celestia while I finger the shit out of Luna."

Nightmare Moon cringed a little at the idea of the Royal Sisters going so that far with him. She had idea either of the two had the courage to come unhinged and be real mares that have real needs. Though she despises them with all her heart, she could not help being impressed with them.

"So you are still—"

"Yup, I am still a virgin," Derrick said frustratingly, his dignity damaged. It was the last thing he wanted anyone to know. "And the way things are going I am probably going to stay that way for the rest of my life."

Nightmare Moon glared determinedly before sitting up to regain feeling in her legs. So he has not been tainted by Celestia or Luna. Well then, I guess I will have to remedy his purity—in due time that is.

"Anyway, please do not make me drink something like that again," he requested. "I don't think I will live through such a horrible taste a second time."

"Maybe you need to learn to drink like a real stallion," Nightmare Moon giggled into her hoof, receiving the 'bird' from Derrick as he watched more objects from his old home appear. She could not be any happier than to see him act like himself again, as the slightly belligerent man she always knew he was.

After what had to be the most mind-blowing phenomenon in his entire life—this excluding how Pinkie Pie appeared in the tank of his toilet once upon a time—Nightmare Moon's magic no longer touched the room, and everything recognizable to the human was now in front of him, where her dresser and mirror should have been. There were many things Derrick left behind on Earth and in Ponyville, but he never expected any of it to return to him.

Aghast by the sudden kindness of his savior, Derrick stared as she pretended to polish her hoof with a heated breath and wipe against her chest. Vivid, pleasant thoughts flashed through the Night Alicorn's mind as she finished her impressive feat by producing electricity to the largest electronic in the room, namely the first being his gratitude being a hug or a small gain of his trust. It was one of many thoughts she's had for weeks and on the first night she spied on him from inside his room. It was a thought that came to her through the actions of stalking her human with predatory eyes. Her life was full of joy when he came to this world, and that joy became a purpose as she got closer to him.

"You seem surprised rather than grateful." Nightmare Moon mirth, her eyes fluttering in a locked gaze with his. "Is it not pleasing that everything you possess has come back to you, or have I wasted my time and magic to help you adjust to your new home?"

Derrick returned to reality and blushed deeply to Nightmare Moon, biting his lip in embarrassment of her making him flustered.

"Th—Thank you," he stuttered, while his brain tried to process. Nightmare Moon giggled and levitated two familiar controllers to him, before spreading the electricity she commands to his favorite console as well. "But. . .how did you. . .Isn't this. . .bad because—MMPH!?" Derrick broke off, his eyes slightly widened as the Dark Moon Queen kept her hoof pressed to his lips.

"Let's keep this as our little secret," she winked at him, before removing her hoof from his mouth. After enjoying the shock on his cute face, Nightmare Moon activated the console, although it was very difficult since the buttons are flat. "And I would like for you to stop worrying about every little thing. Reality is not going to break or warp if I have your devices in this world."

"Okay, what the hell is with you?" Derrick asked seriously. Nightmare Moon flinched and quietly sat in front of him to try understanding the meaning of his question. Derrick was very patient as she leaned away apprehensively for her own good.

"I. . . do not know what you mean," she paused at him, feeling a little defensive. Confusedly, she pointed at herself and tilted her head at him. "But if you are unable to comprehend who I really am, then I must answer that I am the reformed Nightmare Moon."

"No, no, no. I'm not talking about who you are as a pony," Derrick shook his head in frustration. He was beginning to wonder if this was really the same alicorn that has a mean streak for all lesser beings. "I'm talking about the 'you' that is supposed to be cold and heartless to everyone around her. I'm talking about the Nightmare Moon that will crush anyone and anything that defies her. What happen to that Nightmare Moon?"

Derrick's words struck a hollow spot in the alicorn, and her smile disappeared in a flash. Vague, unpleasant memories flashed through the Dark Queen's mind as she looked away, particularly the first pony that cowered when she returned as a new mare. It was not even a month into her reforming she encountered a Thestral that was alone and injured in the Everfree Forest. She tried to share her love and care for the night creature to ease the agony of his broken hoof. He was not going anywhere in the night, not when the predators of the dense and unforgiving forest surrounded him. She tried again and again to help the poor colt, but his fright stayed her attempts, and through some terrible recollection of her history, the Thestral cowered against one of the trees and begged her to go away. It was through his eyes the Dark Alicorn realized how badly influenced the ponies were, and how she could never redeem herself.

Nightmare Moon returned from the darkness of her mind to find Derrick inches away, his hand touching her hoof to gain her attention as the most unexpected emotion filled her chest.

"Hey, you okay?" Derrick asked genuinely, his hands now reaching to her matted cheeks. His heart started to grieve for the mare, filled with guilt and regret for making her cry. He slid over the helmet and grasped it, before taking it off her head. "Here, let's get this thing off of you."

Before Nightmare Moon could stop the man from removing what masks her face, he slowly pulled it up and revealed the true face of a villain that's learned to have a heart. She blushed behind her tears as he gasped, his hands nearly dropping the helmet.

"Holy shit," Derrick whispered. He could not believe what he was seeing. It had to have been an illusion or some sort mental breakdown from his traumatic event, because there was no way in any universe the Mare in The Moon had such a face. "This is. . .you?"

He blinked multiple times in uncertainty as she stared at him with half-lidded eyes, her tears destroying what little suspicion he had left.

"I see that you are stunned by my hideousness." Nightmare Moon said glumly. As a result, he flinched with disbelief and dropped the helmet to the floor, with her attempting to take it back so it may cover her face. She desperately levitated said helmet and worked quickly to put it on, but the helmet was taken away from her for a second time. She was starting to feel miffed by this. "Release my helm to me at once. I do not want you to see another second of my ugliness."

"Are you serious?" Derrick exasperated, tugging the helmet away from Nightmare Moon. She folded her ears to the back of her head and cringed on the inside as he twitched with excitement. His eyes grew wide, and every meaning to the word "beauty" flew out the window. "You're not ugly at all. You're freaking gorgeous." He looked towards the curtained window, hiding his blush behind his hand as she perked up to his words. "You're. . .hotter than Celestia and Luna put together."

"You find me. . .attractive?" Nightmare Moon muttered with trepidation and curiosity, which really differed her from the monstrous creature she thought out to be. She twirled a hoof through her mane and briefly smiled behind it, tears no longer falling as he realized the statement he just made.

"Oh—uh. . .yeah. I mean. . . you're very beautiful and. . .and it would be a crime to hide such a beautiful face behind a helmet." Derrick immediately frowned at her joyous look, having remembered how inconsiderate he's been with the Dark Queen for the entire day, and gave a deep but depressing sigh. "But I have been thinking of you to be a monster that is trying to manipulate me, when you've really done nothing but treat me like a personal guest."

"It is nothing to worry about," Nightmare Moon waved off his honesty as though it were nothing, uncaring that he assumed like that. She scooted closer to him, laying her hoof into his numb hand. "I am just. . . pleased to know you do not find me to be a horrid monster."

"Regardless, I haven't been grateful for all of this. For you doing all of this for me." He hung his head in shame, wishing he could take back everything he said to her when they were in the old castle. "I. . .I'm sorry for treating you like shit. And. . .And thank you. . .for saving my life."

"As I told you already, it is nothing to worry about. But you are very welcome." She seemed to be completely unfazed by his words, but truth be told, she was stunned to the core. To have someone thank her was by far the most amazing thing she experienced, greater than receiving a smile from her sister. She did not know what to do as her human smiled warmly at her. . but that was when she quickly remembered, he is not a pony, nor any other animal of this world. He has something most ponies do not possess inside themselves, something not even she could ever hope to have.

"You really have changed, haven't you?" Derrick asked out of genuine curiosity. She nodded in response, having, again, no idea what to say. Derrick scratched the back of his head, nervously.

"Maybe if you start showing your real face to others you might get a stallion to ask you."

"Yes, but stallions are too thick-headed to treat a mare the way she wants him to. Besides, my interest is not in a stallion. . .but in you." Nightmare Moon tittered, feeling she could be a little more seductive with the man. In truth, she was now very confident of winning him over with her looks and charm, no more self-conscious thinking or fear. Derrick took that as a compliment and grabbed one of the controllers, albeit with much difficulty.

In Derrick's mind, he was beside the fact that he failed to see past her history and into the real mare she has become. This was the most shameful thing. To believe the Mare in The Moon was still a heartless bitch when she told him the truth to her revival, which had to have been quite a shocker in the beginning. Still, he had to be thankful that she was being so kind and sincere, even though he had been an asshole to her. . .why should he deserve this chance in the first place?

Damn, I really fucked up this one. But maybe I can amends to it by giving her a chance.

"Now that we have grown a little more acquainted with one another—" Nightmare Moon levitated the second controller, rested against his shoulder, and then wrapped the covers around their bodies. "—Care to show me how this oddly shaped contraption works?"

Derrick cocked an eyebrow at her and smiled. "You want to know how to use a PlayStation Four controller?" He asked in a disbelieving tone. She nodded furiously whilst using her magic to see if their dinner was on its way yet. "Okay, since when does a goddess take interest in human technology?"

"Well I cannot kill a living creature, because it would be cruel to do so when I am in a foul mood or want to." she replied in a joking tone, receiving a sudden look of fear from the man. She shrugged her shoulders. "What? I'm not that reformed. I am still a dark and twisted mare that enjoys making others suffer. But you are here with me now, so I must find a better outlet to quench my thirst for blood and death. And what better way than to have you teach me how to play those confusing games you had in your home on Earth."

"Are you for real or pulling my leg?" He looked at her with an incredulous gaze.

"I do not know what you mean, but if I did pull your leg I would either dislocate it or rip it off—depending on the mood I am."

"Okay then, I guess you're being serious. So with the confusion cleared up, let's teach you how to play Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare." he replied, although the little man in his head was telling him to make a break for the door.

"Huzzah! The killing shall begin!" she cheered proudly.

"Figuratively, Nightmare Moon," he clarified, beads of sweat falling down cheek as she nestled in his neck.

"You're adorable when you are nervous. I cannot wait to have you meet my sister when she returns from the Jade Empire."

Great. . . I made friends with, most likely, the hottest sociopath in the entire world.

Chapter III

View Online

Truth came in power; and it had awoken at the sound of her servant bringing magnificent news.

Deep in the halls of Dark Hive, trouble brewed throughout the last hour of Nightmare Moon's royal guard changing shifts, their heads low in fear of the monstrous eyes glaring at each of them. The anger in those demonic orbs glowed in the shimmering light of the dark moon, magic of godly caliber caught in said eyes as an aura of red. Her naked hooves shook the pictures hanging on each side of the walls as she mumbled under her breath.

"How dare she!?" the tall alicorn narrowed her gaze at the guard accidentally getting in her way. Her extremely long, curved horn blazed with dark magic and surrounded the Thestral, before hurling him into the nearest guest room, which happened to be occupied by a pair of love-making Dark Sun guards—not that she cared anyway. "How dare she go behind my back and not tell me!?"

She passed through the first set of doors her overwhelming power splintered upon her return. She moved swiftly. She moved with rage. She moved with the fury of a mother that is looking for her lost foal.

The minutes transpiring were certainly a new terror in the castle. As the Alicorn had sensed when Nightmare Moon's magic spiked six days ago, the immediate lure to a familiar life force seemed to give a reason for all of existence to be meaningless to her. The air she breathed was hot and blackened with her divine control, puffs of starry blackness leaving her body. To the guards, it would remain to be seen if her sudden burst of anger would be abated any time soon. Ever the destructor she is, the dark grey alicorn poorly released her magic whilst focusing on the familiar presence across the castle. She grimaced, for her student, the very alicorn she raised into a queen, kept him from her.

You were supposed to let me see him!

"Em-Empress," one of the Dark Sun guards stuttered, his eyes low with pure terror as she slowly turned to him with hatred. He bowed to her as low as his legs would allow. "Is-Is there something t-troubling you?"

"Yes, there is." Her highness said in a low tone, immediately causing the stallion to quiver. "It would seem that an old face has returned to the world he belongs, but I have not been informed of his return." She took her first step into the moonlight beaming through the window, appearing less frightening than most ponies make her out to be. "Care to elaborate why I am the only pony that has not been informed when it is clear that his return should start with me."

"The-the human, that which you speak of, is currently resting in Queen Nightmare Moon's bedchamber." The stallion admitted, albeit very pathetically. His hooves shook uncontrollably. His eyes watered underneath the glare of the Night Mother, and even a slight whimper of his fear gave reminder. However, one major difference between only the alicorn noticed was that his fear was not for her but for the mare that demanded his secrecy until it was time. That much was seen through his green eyes.

"I see," the alicorn began anew, resting her chin against her hoof "And how long has the human been staying in the castle?"

"Only a few days, My Empress." he replied with a more bold tone, although he would rather be a cowering foal since this is the source of all darkness. "He's been recovering from severe injuries and exhaustion, which he received after running away from the sun lovers and encountering a Devourer."

"A Devourer," she puzzled at the idea of such a beast still existing. "I haven't seen or heard one of those in over four thousand years. But I am going to assume my student rescued our new guest."

"Affirmative, and from what I heard recently, the queen is already laying claim to the human and forbidding anypony to come near him."

"Laying claim to my darling before telling me. . ." the fanged mare mused beneath her breath, drifting to the window for fresh air as another monarch made his way to her. "Well, my student, I hope you are ready for what is going to come next."

"Am I missing something fun, Empress?" the deep voice of the Unicorn King addressed before she could truly frighten the stallion. The loyal guard made himself scarce without being told.

She forced her thoughts back on the status quo of her night and set herself back in reality, running the same hoof through her long, black mane before regaining what little composure she lost.

I was about to kill that stallion for no reason. I really should learn to control myself, as my student once told me.

"Empress," the unicorn cocked an eyebrow at her, unsure if she was lost in thought or dealing with different problems. He stepped forward with a comforting hoof as she swayed her mind at the idea of his return. "Raven, are you alright?"

Returning to reality, Raven snapped her cold gaze to the unicorn. "I am fine," she sighed somberly. "Just a little disappointed in Nightmare Moon."

"For her inability to be on time to court?"

"No, for her blatant disregard of not telling me that our new guest is here."

The two shared a similar gaze of understanding how the Dark Alicorn is still naïve to her actions. They shared a laugh while alone in the cold hall. Still, Sombra had a bit of remembrance from seeing the Creator of Darkness in all her horrible but majestic beauty, which he had come to find as one of very few rarities in the entire world. Such grace and elegance in each word or step she takes, yet behind that façade rests an almighty beast that awaits to have her family reunited. She was pinnacle of a true goddess, a living symbol of what it means to be the mightiest of alicorns.

Sombra blatantly stared at Raven as she peered to the window opening on his right, her eyes bright with devilish red. Her mane was tied into a bun but still as silky as he remembered—that soft touch bringing him back to the living when she revived his soul. There was no forgetting that alluring touch. The touch of the Night Mother. Her dark grey fur was still a little matted from a lack of bathing first this night, but he did not care whatsoever. No, he simply adored seeing his empress act so peaceful during Nebula's hard time of coming into full existence.

"Do you really believe that it is him?" Sombra asked for clarification. It was terrible enough for their existence to be jeopardized by this human, and he was already exhausted from the many spells he used to hide his magic signature—that is if he has one at all. Raven pushed her glasses further up her muzzle, before gazing up to the moon. That was, of course, during her mid-thought of the human being lenient with her at all.

"Do you believe I am a bad mother?" she asked out of the blue. Sombra flinched as quickly as she locked her gaze on him. He blinked in uncertainty of what to say as she approached, her eyes filled with desperation. "Be honest with me, Sombra; do you believe I am a bad mother?"

"No," he quipped. "But you are sadistic and methodical; and that is what makes you the last pony that anypony wants to be related too." Raven shot him a glare for his rudeness, although he did have a valid point. If there was one pony in the entire world that would torture and kill others to protect her family, it was this mare right here.

"I'm serious about this," she stomped her hoof to get his full attention, frustrated that she had to be so stern with this pony . . .well, given the Unicorn King still hasn't fully recovered from his rebirth. "Do you think I am a bad mother?"

"Well, why ask such a question?"

"Because. . ." she paused to look in the distance of her enemy's home, its brightness the bane of her life. She felt extremely conflicted. ". . .I did not fight hard enough, and its been over four thousand years since I failed to protect him. I'm worried that the truth will destroy his life or make him hate me."

"It's not your fault for what happened. Faust was—"

"Stronger than me. . ." the Empress interrupted, resting her chin against the window. She dragged a hoof across the cracks of a single brick, her eyes dim with regret. "How could I have held back at the time? I have more than enough power to kill her, but I was bested by my emotions."

Now. he remembered, everything that made the alicorn so unsure of herself, and being a mother that failed to save her son, he never really got a chance to think anything but gather the facts behind her horrible past. He recalled in the corners of his mind the reason to her question, a memory of the first time she cried whilst holding an empty blanket. Said memory made his heart cringe painfully.

"Sombra?"

. . .

Sombra cowered behind the castle walls. Lightning struck all around Raven as she held the emptiness of her life in the form of a red velvet comforter, her eyes drenched in tears of regret whilst narrowing to the alicorn towering over her. Ever since she came into the picture, neither could truly understand what it meant to co-exist in such a young world. She had been on edge with the Goddess of Life for too long, always standing in the shadows as an abomination while the mortals revere in the light. But this was going too far. All she wanted was to be happy, so why was that so hard to receive when you never harm somepony?

The crackling of their destructive battle consumed Equestria in an inferno, something the broken mare found to be no one's fault but the alicorn before her. She scowled at her counterpart and tossed the blanket into a pit of fire, before standing on her bleeding hooves with one last ditch effort to make things right.

Celestia and Luna, being the young fillies they are, watched in the safety of their home as both mares readied themselves. They were confused as to why this is happening, but it was clear that their furious mother had some reason for taking Raven's little one.

"Give him back!" Raven growled dangerously. "GIVE ME BACK MY SON, YOU HORSE!"

"And allow you to raise that beast into a master of darkness, I think not!" the plainly colored alicorn barked. Her words struck hard to Raven's heart, causing her to nearly fall from what is real heartache. However, she shook her head and cried while the storm brewed deeper.

"I have never done anything to hurt or anger you, yet you have the audacity to murder my husband and send my foal to another dimension. Do you have no sense of reason or compassion for others, Faust!?" she screamed at the top of her lungs, moving closer with every intention to obliterate the monster beneath the beauty.

"I do have reason and compassion," Faust replied, matching Raven's approach. She flared her wings and magic to challenge her authority, albeit very unjustly. "But you are my counterpart, which means any foul creature from your womb will be born as a master of death; and I simply cannot allow it to happen!"

"You dare insinuate me being a monster when you just committed murder and have taken my foal!?" Raven questioned, grinding her teeth to the point of cracking. She flared what was left of her magic, but the loss of her foal destroyed her desire for vengeance. She could not find the strength to bring harm to her opposite, and fell to her haunches.

"That thing was not a foal," Faust stated with a deep sigh, pitying the mare a little. Knowing this was the loss of Raven's happiness, her pride and joy, she looked away in some bit of shame for her actions while extending a comforting wing. "It was not even a pony, sister. It was nothing more than a—"

"IT WAS MY CHILD!" Raven rejected the wing with a slap from her own—in which made Faust flinch. "IT WAS MY FOAL, MY BABY, AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!"

"But he will live; and when the void releases him—" Faust tried to justify her actions, but, alas, there was no form of justification.

"Get the buck away from me!" Raven yelled. "Get away from me, you heartless, foal-stealing maggot!"

Faust immediately backed away.

She felt her heart grow as heavy as lead when Raven focused her magic onto the cracked crown on her head, though thank the heavens, she did not try to attack in her weakened state. It was already bad enough the Elements of Harmony purified most of her creations. She only took the crown and tossed it to the ground, rage and despair rapidly forming on her face as she screamed to the sky.

Faust grimaced, and then turned away to fetch her foals.

"DAMN YOU, FAUST!" Raven did not take her eyes off the sky. She was too disgusted to look at the alicorn. "DAMN YOU TO TARTARUS. I SWEAR I WILL FIND MY SON. WHETHER IT TAKES A THOUSAND LIFETIMES OR TEN THOUSAND, I WILL BRING MY SON BACK HOME; AND WHEN I DO, YOU WILL SEE JUST HOW WRONG YOU ARE IN SEEING US AS MONSTERS!"

...

"Sombra?" Raven repeated—this time reaching out to the stallion. He scowled at the floor, snorted, and then looked up to her with the rarest of emotions he can express, sorrow.

"Human's have every right to live in this world, it is not dictated by that bitch." he said sternly, receiving a warm smile from her. "But I do not weighing his mind with anymore will help you. It is probably best to remain in secret until he—"

"No," Raven said quickly. "The truth has been kept from him, and I have gone without him for far too long. I deserve to have my happiness brought back into my hooves, even if it means taking the risks."

"Raven, are you even certain that this human is—"

"I am absolutely certain," Raven smiled warmly, showing confidence in the man just beyond her grasp. "Because I know that magic anywhere. He has his father's light and my darkness."

Sombra was going to argue, but he found it pointless to try and convince his empress. She was already lost in her own little world of joy as they followed the path to Nightmare Moon's bedchamber, eagerly awaiting to meet him.

"Are you sure this is the right thing?" he asked, expressing concern for her. "It is well-known from your history with humans they're aggressive and able to become violent—if felt threatened that is."

"Sombra," I didn't know you cared." Raven cooed like any mother would, draping a wing over the nervous stallion. "Since when did the Unicorn King care so much about me?"

"Hey, I have some concern about this!" Sombra barked, but he was no threat to the giggling alicorn. If anything, he was less dangerous than a box of kittens in the rain.

"Of course you do," she leaned down and nuzzled the top of his head, ignoring the one rule his wife invoked. "But I can take of myself; and I am confident that Damian will be just fine with the truth."

"Stop nuzzling me. I'm not a foal nor your child!"

"But all creatures of the dark are my children, even you!"

"Let's just get this over with. And wait a second; did you call him Damian?"

"Well it is not his real name but his father would have loved having our son named after him."

Sombra furrowed his eyebrow. "And what is his original name?" he asked, only to receive another nuzzle from the mare.

"If I told you, then I would have to devour soul and skin your body." That made him shiver a little. While some have the common knowledge of Raven performing such foul acts to ponies who cross her, Sombra did not truly believe she would do such a thing. Then again, this is the Creator of Darkness he is walking with. "Now let us hurry, because I have thousands of birthdays to catch up on, not to mention Black Hole Sun is going to be home soon."

"Imagine the drama when she arrives," he quipped, only to be left in silence. Raven frowned while coming around the first corner.

"There better be acceptance when she meets Damian. Otherwise, she just needs to stay out of the way."

***

The Heavy Exo Specialist spiraled upward, ten feet upward from the top the Mayan Monument with her Tac-19 aimed directly below. She was not built for heavy weaponry or recon, like so many Call of Duty players set themselves up in Advanced Warfare. It was a graceful and near silent strike as the opposing player had no idea what was coming to him. He aimed with his customized MORS and exhaled very slowly to steady his aim, and when his crosshair marked on the CPU sprinting towards him, the smallest indication of a second enemy flashed on his map as a red circular ring. It was surprising, but he was. . .

"No, no, no!" Derrick shouted as he manipulated his soldier to dash backwards, but his efforts were futile. He was a mouse backed into a corner, for he had forgotten the most important rule in Advanced Warfare: never set yourself in a corner.

"Die, you pathetic insect beneath my hoof!" Nightmare Moon cackled as she 'pulled the trigger'. The Tac-19 unleashed a close-range pulse and exploded on the soldiers head, creating a splatter of blood and brain-matter just before the screen blacked out with the winning team displayed. It was a satisfying victory for the alicorn, but, for Derrick, it was. . .

Team Atlas 100-46

"You have got to be shitting me!?" Derrick dropped his controller in disbelief of the Dark Alicorn besting him, his hands frozen with shock as the crook of his neck was filled with deep nuzzles of affection and pity. He did not take his eyes of the television screen nor respond to the sensation of her loving warmth. His mind was completely fried by the newbie owning him so easily.

"It would seem that I have two special talents," Nightmare Moon said teasingly. She continued to nuzzle her human's neck to soften his loss, and to baste his body with her scent—such is the way for the Queen of the Dark Moon. "Mastering my moon and all darkness. . .and DESTROYING YOU AT YOUR OWN MEANS OF ENTERTAINMENT!"

"That does not make any sense!" Derrick thrust his good hand at the screen and pointed at the difference in kills, heart racing and eyes twitched with frustration. "There is no fucking way you just beat me in five rounds. You learned how to play only two hours ago, so how the hell did you just rape me at my favorite game!?"

Nightmare Moon hummed tauntingly before tightening her wing around his back. The word 'rape' sounded terrible but nicely as she flashed herself with the imagery of the man being submissive to her demands, an imaginative sync of moan and groans between the two while the bed shook underneath her thrusts.

For a minute of peace, she smiled evilly and licked her lips as it played out in her mind.

Nightmare Moon. . . oh god. . .

You like that, don't you? You like how tightly I hold your foal maker!

Yes, I like it so much!

You like it so much; and what else!?

I love you, my queen! You're so much better than Celestia and Luna! They are nothing compared to you!

"No, they're not," Nightmare Moon whispered to herself, just as the television and console was shut off by Derrick. "Because only I can understand what it is you want from a mare."

"Did you say something?" Derrick set the remote down and turned his gaze to the affectionate queen, his eyes partially filled with the determination he lost days ago—that which made the mare feel accomplished for saving him from depression. But, alas, such a feeling scurried away when their eyes met. Nightmare Moon's smile became sheepish; and then she shook her head nervously while locking away the naughty thought she had.

"No, nothing at all." She replied, her silver-tongue perfectly hidden. Derrick cocked furrowed his brow in confusion but quickly pushed aside his suspicion for the meal he waited so long for. Finally, the servant bowing to them before exiting the room brought their dinner, two fine dishes of smoked Salmon dipped in lemon pepper juice, two bowls of Nebula's fresh, red cabbage salad, and diced potatoes licked with black fire and spices.

Derrick's mouth watered, stomach growling with anticipation. The aroma of real meat played out again and again in his frazzled psyche, like a broken record stuck on the repeating note of savory delight. He could not remember the last time a proper meal was placed before him, it had been so long since he was denied meat of any kind. After confessing to the princesses about his diet, proper nutrition was given to him as a supplement they made with magic. Protein pills were unheard of by the Royal Sisters, so the best he could have was large glasses of milk. And even when he looked down at his food with predatory eyes, he swore his heart felt a little apprehension for the taste of something other than healthy food—not that it mattered anyway. It was stomach over brain, and the stomach was demanding for him to devour the steaming salmon.

He completely ignored said apprehension.

If Celestia, Luna, and the girls did see him eat meat, even a small fish, he would be in a heap of trouble, but they no longer have meaning or purpose to his life. His heart barely ached at the thought of them seeing him like this, just a little. Still, their words no longer dictate his eating habits, not anymore.

And there, he was still caught in the trance beneath him, flowing unbidden in a snare of a new joy.

If this is what I'm going to get while stuck in this part of the world, then I am ready to stay!

"I see that you are impressed," Nightmare Moon said, but her words drifted through one ear and out the other. She was nearly invisible in the human's mind, which was not so bad since his entire life in Equestria has been a study of her own. It was evident that his instincts would slightly take over when meat came back in his life.

Derrick was about to engorge himself without consideration of waiting for the Alicorn, but he was too slow to grab the fork and knife on his tray. When he reached for it, Nightmare Moon subtly grasped the utensils in a blue aura and began to cut his food for him.

"You have an injured hand, therefore you cannot cut your own food." she said humorously, not responding to his childish glare.

"Look, I know you are wanting to help and all, but I am a grown man that can improvise if need be." Derrick reassured, really not wanting to have someone who is still a stranger feed him like he was an infant.

"The same way you improvised when Celestia and Luna were pursuing you through the Everfree Forest," Nightmare Moon responded to his reason with decent reasoning and a lopsided grin. Derrick started to grimace as she pondered more of his mistakes. "Or when you ran into the old castle and hid away when it was obvious of its structure ready to give out."

"Gee I wonder why I did that," Derrick pouted to the mare with incredulity. Though in the back of his head, this was not going to get him anywhere with her without obliging to the overbearing kindness. The Queen gave a cute wink and smiled.

"What's the matter?" she cooed erotically, stroking his chest as their noses met. Derrick could not help but blush at her. "I am simply trying to take care of you. After all, it is my responsibility to help you regain your strength. A simple feeding should be nothing new to you since Celestia and Luna probably did it."

"Actually, they did not. We hardly did anything other than hide from the public and satisfy eachother. " Derrick clarified, looking away from the surprised mare as she retreated a little for getting underneath another wound to his broken relationship.

"You cannot be serious, right?" she was becoming glad but very irritated by the lack of intimacy in his life. It was near impossible for her to believe he was telling the truth—that is until she caught faintest glimmer of a tear in the corner of his eye. Ignoring her guilt, Nightmare Moon dropped the utensils onto his plate and rested against chest. She finally understood his reason for such a bad connection with them. "You had nothing to fill the emptiness inside you, so you continued to let yourself be their plaything. That's why you were in denial of being used."

"Yeah," Derrick nodded quietly. "I had nothing else left to look forward too, and they were all I had at the time." He shot his gaze up to her, expressing an almost convincible smile that even she would misinterpret. "But that is all behind me now. I'm just glad that it stopped before things got worse."

The fact that he actually sounded so clear with his choice should have been praised as thinking properly, but nevertheless he astounded Nightmare Moon with his quick wit about the traitorous horses.

"Glad, but you only realized the truth when I informed you." she exclaimed in confusion as he took the first bite, starling her with his acceptance of being fed, which made them both blush crimson. Stunned by his acceptance and choice, Nightmare Moon chose the latter of the two for better understanding whilst continuing to feed him. "Do you not care that Celestia and Luna used you, and then carelessly tried to hurt you? Does that not upset or infuriate you?"

"It does," Derrick nodded, after swallowing the mouthful of salmon. "But there is no point dwelling on it. I'm here, not there, and I have already let out all the anger I want to feel. Besides, I'm too tired to hate or be angry. Plus I do not want the pain sticking to me like a parasite, because it will just eat me away the entire time. The best thing I can do is just get over it and get back to what I do best."

"Which is. . ."

Derrick beamed a warm smile underneath the wounds, and calmly replied, "Fixing or building things. I do have a master's degree in Engineering, afterall."

Nightmare Moon's ear perked to those words, and a flood of ideas came to mind as the faintest sound of hooves clacked at her door. This was her chance—No, this was the perfect opportunity to draw him closer, and all she had to do is give him enough space to work. There were endless possibilities running through her mind. Repair something—anything—while shirtless. Build something to benefit the kingdom, while wearing attire she personally picks out for him.

No, even better an ingenious plan to strengthen their growing relationship. The idea was so insidious that Nightmare Moon could feel loins heating up again. She could make Derrick fix her bath, and right when he turns on the water to test it, she'll 'trip' and latch onto him for a surprise kiss of her doing. She smiled evilly inside her head, maniacal laughter in the background as she subconsciously nuzzled him neck.

If he continues to act this way, then I'll be claiming him as my mate before receiving the Night Mother's blessing.

She went to suggest where her darling human could start, but her words were caught off by the sound of her door gliding open, revealing a familiar face. Derrick looked at the dark grey Alicorn but failed to process who she could be as Sombra closed the door behind him, his eyes wide and blinking repeatedly in shock the magnificent beauty. Nightmare Moon, on the other hand—or hoof—cringed when the monarch and goddess greeted with dark smiles. She knew she was in deep trouble.

"Oh buck me," she whispered, hiding behind her human, her body tightly anchored to his. "I am—as you would say, Derrick—fucked."

"Not yet, you aren't." Raven said gleefully, albeit very frighteningly. She approached the bed very slowly to torment her pupil, but the face of her new guest stopped her.

"Either I'm going bat-shit crazy from, or I'm seeing Sombra and some freaky Alicorn stand in front of me." Derrick said aloud, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was not hallucinating. Raven only gawked a little at Derrick, caught in a battle between logic and belief. Her eyes shone the reflection of her deceased husband as they sat, or stood in her case, in silence. She could not believe how much the man had taken to his father's look's. Could he really be the one she lost to that monster?

"You. . ." the Dark Goddess paused, raising a hoof to his cheek to reassure herself that she is not dreaming. She caressed him very lovingly, tears on the brink of escape. "You look just like your father."

"Huh?" was all Derrick could say before the Alicorn wrapped embraced him with a spine crushing hug, bones cracking where they shouldn't. If Raven was not caught up in the moment she would see him twitching and turning blue as her student begged for his release. But, to their dismay, the happy crying goddess was ignoring everyone.

"Oh man," Sombra cringed. "That looks painful!"

"My baby is home!" Raven cried, tightening her hold on the unconscious man.

"Master, you're going to break him!" Nightmare Moon exclaimed fearfully, attempting to pry the mare from Derrick, but her strength was not enough. She shot her gaze at Sombra. "Help me before she breaks Derrick in half!"

"And risk the wrath of our Empress, I think not!" Sombra scoffed, receiving a monstrous scowl in return.

"Now, dammit!"

"My baby is home!" Raven continued to wail.

"Buck, get me a freaking crowbar!"

Ch. IV

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Derrick is lying on his stomach, sprawled across Nightmare Moon's bed as four nurses worked on the intense bruising his body endured in that godlike hug. The first to actually speak to him is the Mare in The Moon, apologizing profusely about her mentor squeezing him so strongly he suffocates to unconsciousness and has a shoulder popped back in the joint. Sombra shook his head in shame of the Empress scolding herself at the sight of Derrick undergoing various fixings of pain. He felt rather peeved by the mare who revived him lose control and throw subtlety out the window before the first hello is said.

"I almost killed my own son!" Raven thrust her head to the arm of the couch, breaking the wood without trying. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

Nightmare Moon licks Derrick across his cheek as she watches the nurses cast his injured shoulder.

"I am so sorry for my teacher crushing your spine." she nuzzles his lips, the only part of him that is not cutoff by the nurses. "There should not have been encounter until my sister returns, but it would seem that word of your existence spread across the castle and reached her ears."

"I've been attacked by my exes, former friends, monsters; and now I have more bruises to go with the injuries because of that pony right there." He sighed to himself and gave up trying to be angry, resting on his cheek as the dark alicorn braved a couple of pecks to his forehead. "When is god going to realize I need a break from all the bullshit and pain in my life?"

"Does any other part of you hurt?" Nightmare Moon asked, rubbing her hooves across his body without consent. What she did not realize is the shape of a human's backside is not the same as a pony's and unknowingly invaded a much more sensitive area. This made Derrick blush and grab ahold of her hoof before it slithered to the other cheek.

"You're touching in the wrong places," he warned the alicorn, gently forcing her to cease any more of her rubbing. Nightmare Moon did not know what he meant—that is until she thought about it and concluded where his rump resides. Unfortunately for the injured man, her blush was very lustful and heating up with every dirty thought she can think of. "And the only place I am still hurting is my back. I did have my spine nearly broke in half a few minutes ago."

"And I am so sorry for that." Raven apologized, tears pouring as she approached him with a tender nuzzle to his immobile arm. "I am truly sorry for injuring you; it has just been so long since I have seen you. I can't even remember how I use to hold you."

Derrick does a double-take in remembrance of the dark atmospheric alicorn stating that her baby is finally home. He cringed in fear of the mare as her loving nuzzles pushed upward to his cheek, forcing Nightmare Moon to step away and hold back every vulgar word she has to say for being denied her human's touch. Through it all he felt more confused than he ever in his entire life; and it was barely past dinner time. Nothing was making sense with this goddess having so much affection and emotional turmoil over his well-being. He began to wonder if maybe her sanity ran out the door a long time ago.

Raven starting licking the bruise on his cheek, the same one she inflicted after Nightmare Moon forced her to release him before death could take his soul. It was not easy, what with the Creator of Darkness flailing out of motherly desire to hold her only son for the rest of eternity. Derrick's luck, however, was not enough to save him from the injuries.

"I'm sorry, my darling." the fanged mare whispered, though with a very angelic tone that can sooth the most violent of monsters. Derrick tried to lean away, but the nurses were still working on his bruises and she was too strong. "Mommy is so sorry for hurting you. Mommy loves you. Yes, with all her blackened heart."

"Master. . ." Nightmare Moon paused at her mentor gazing over her shoulder, curiosity and anger mixed as the human quietly pleaded for rescue. She twirled a tuff of her ethereal mane and coughed nervously. ". . . He does not know the truth. I have been keeping him in my bedchamber for the sake of letting him adjust to our world."

Raven narrowed her glare. "I specifically told you to find me when my son awakens from his short-lived coma. I'd thought you would understand that I want to see my only son before his sisters come."

Nightmare Moon takes a deep breath to calm the fear rushing through her nerves. It's true that her teacher requested to be informed of Derrick waking up the second his eyes so much as flutter. However, once she thought about the consequences of weighing his mind with the truth, she found herself keeping Derrick as a secret for best interest of his health. Still, this wasn't going the way she hoped it would; and now the very alicorn who made her a queen is ready to strike out of spite.

She nods, reluctantly. "Forgive me for not telling you right away. I was only looking out for Derrick's well-being; it will not happen again."

"There is no need to be sorry, my pupil." Raven says a little more calmly, giving the dark alicorn the benefit of their conversation. A small silence builds in the room as she brings Nightmare Moon into a soft hug, something Derrick found to be the strangest thing in his entire life. "You are very young and ignorant to these things. Besides, the idea of having my son to yourself seems to have driven you a little further to becoming your own pony."

Nightmare Moon blushed behind her man, covering her face from the stunned human. "Teacher, he doesn't know!"

"Well he does now." Raven whispered, before releasing the embarrassed pony. She received a deep glare for this one, but it did not faze her at all. "Oh don't give me that look. We all know about your attraction to my son; even the guards have seen how different you've been while around him."

"I. . . I. . ."

"Pardon the interruption of this crazy clusterfuck," Derrick said to the mares, eyes shimmered with a desire for an understanding of the situation. "But someone needs to give me the lowdown as to who the hell she is and why she is treating me as though I am her child."

Raven and Nightmare Moon separate to seat themselves on the couch. They were not expecting him to be so calm through the confusion and act a little mature, but no complaints were said. Ever since the untimely loss of her husband and child, Raven has been worrying about the truth warping around the boy's mind in the worst possible way. It's beyond joyful to see him come back to Nebula in one piece and she hopes the trauma already experienced will not destroy the bridge that desperately awaits to be made. She looks down to the floor and shuffles her hooves. She prays to the heavens her son will be willing enough to give her one chance.

But there is so much between them she is not so sure their family can be whole again. Another world, a world of humans, has influenced Derrick since the day he was freed from the Void. Not to mention the humans that took him in probably kept it secret that he is a bastard child with no biological parents. That's not the worst part. He is a human and she is an alicorn, and nothing but their hair color matches.

Raven feels her entire body freeze up at the thought Derrick rejecting her. She did not want to have a gap between them, not a single inch. But how could she convince him when Faust drove them apart completely?

There must be something of strong evidence, something she could use. Wait. . . There is the picture of his father. That could. . . Her wings start to flutter as she tries her hardest not to scream and demand for Sombra to retrieve the old photo in her room. But that is all she can use to convince him. She needs it now. With it, there is no way Derrick can ignore the resemblance he has to the man in the photo.

Derrick notices the Empress channeling her magic to her horn. Nightmare Moon and Sombra notice as well, but ignore it and stare at him in anticipation of the conflict coming. Raven smiles widely after the old photo appears in front of her, wrapped in her red aura. She stares at said photo and giggles with hope, rubbing a hoof over the glass casing.

"Because you are my son." she looks up to the man, tears sparkling in the corners. "I carried you in my womb for eleven months and gave birth to you on the first new year of Nebula."

Derrick cocks an eyebrow and leans away, unsure if he should listen to another word she has to say or make a run for the door. "Are you off your meds or something, because there is a vast difference in our anatomy."

"Derrick, she speaks the truth." Sombra says out of the blue, gazing longingly towards his empress. "Your anatomy may be different, but your bloodline is alicorn. You are the son of Raven."

"This is alot to take in, but nopony is lying to you." Nightmare Moon assures, but Derrick is not responding to her or Sombra at this point. He's at a loss for words while the nurses finish up. "Derrick?"

Still not responding; and he has a very empty look in his eyes. Nightmare Moon has seen this before. She did not know if he was going to become violent or distance himself from everyone. She needs to do something before that emptiness completely overwhelms him and destroys Raven's one chance. Placing a hoof on his good hand, she draws Derrick's attention while Sombra and Raven watch. Nightmare Moon holds his hand and uses her magic to scoot the couch a few inches closer, closing what little gap is left.

"Derrick," she leans in so her eyes met his, nose to nose. They face one another and exchange an understanding of the weight he is enduring. "Try and wrap your mind around what we are saying. I know you're suffering from everything that's already happened to you, but it will be much easier if you try to understand."

Derrick cannot believe what he is hearing from this pony. Surely this was some terrible joke they though would help him loosen up. Was she serious? There must be some explanation to the alicorn beside her acting so emotional and desperate, but finding it meant denying every word that is coming out of their mouths. A fearful thought came to his mind. A small one, but it was the best thing to a proper answer.

"No, whoever you think I am, you're wrong." he says quickly, staring at the Empress as her hopes began to wither in her eyes. He tries to pull his hand free of Nightmare Moon, but her hoof was firmly grasping. "I have no biological parents. My sister and I grew up in an orphanage before we were adopted by our stepfather."

Raven's eyes widen slightly as she hears Derrick repeat the only family being his sister. She leans in some as she feels his fear scratch against the surface of his true person. She notices that when Nightmare Moon leans in to calm him down, with a loving lick to his chin, a deep swirl of pitch-black overtake his eyes and the pupils are replaced with large dots of red. Suddenly, the gears in her head start spinning. An idea hatches in the back of her psyche. A regrettable one, but it just might work.

"Look I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong guy. I am grateful that you're letting me stay here, your . . .highness, but I am not your son. I'm a human and you're a—"

Derrick's head strikes to the left at lightning speed, echoes of pain soaring throughout the bedchambers as Nightmare Moon and Sombra begin to gasp in shock. The nurses notice their patient yelping deeply, the look of denial replaced with humiliation as blood stains the floor.

Raven retreats to her spot on the couch and awaits for the results to explode, her smile growing while Nightmare Moon turns to her.

That should help realize you are my son!

Sombra can't even find the right words for his superior as the room falls into darkness. Nightmare Moon's darkness.

"Empress Raven, are you out your bucking mind!?" she barks, releasing her human's hand, mind completely focused on the fact of a mother assaulting her own son. Raven smiles proudly and points at the human gritting his teeth, but she ignores him. "Why in Tartarus would you—"

"Stupid bitch!" Derrick scowls at the proud alicorn furiously, eyes pouring an all-too familiar hatred as he clenched every muscle in his body. The man doesn't even know what is happening to himself as he stands up. He's in his own state of rage right now as Raven relishes at the results of her slap. Surprisingly a large aura of black and red lightning burst from his pores and force the legs of the bed to collapse. "DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN HIT ME AND GET AWAY WITH IT!? I'LL RIP YOUR FUCKING HORN OFF AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR CUNT!"

"Holy crap!" Sombra rolls backward and lands on the floor. He lands on his head and loses consciousness as the Dark Empress giggles evilly at the enraged human.

Raven nods to Nightmare Moon. "I knew you had your father's temper, but that is beside the point." She points to the mirror at her left this time, and then turns the photo so he can see it.

Derrick did not want to listen to the mare, but he is struck with conscience before the rage can be unleashed. He wanted to punch Raven's down her throat, and many other things you should not do to a female. The aura around him, however, was a clear sign that something was different about him and he could ignore it so easily like the rest of his situation. He looks at his hand as it hisses with the blackness, and then looks at himself in the mirror to see her words were really true. His heart starts to race at the intensity his eyes give off before returning to normal.

The sight of them turning, unfortunately, did not rest as easy as the flash of blackness and brought up more questions than he can possibly retain at the top of his head.

He looks back to Raven and finds the numbness of his shock disappearing at her touch. It surprised him that she stood up and braved wrapping her wings around his fragile form while Nightmare Moon kept her distance. Raven felt how frightened he is and ran a hoof over the back of his head, mulling the terror with unwanted nuzzling.

"Still believe that you are not my son, because the magic around you tells me that you are!" She whispers gently. Derrick's breath becomes shaky while the soft beating of her heart thumps through her chest and into his ear. This drives the goddess to put him and herself together on the bed, securing her hooves around his back. "It's okay. It's alright, my darling. Just breath and let everything sink in. Mommy is here. Mommy's got you."

Derrick feels his body sink deeper into the soft fur like a colt needing his mother's love. He tries to snap out of his daze as every word in the last ten minutes registers in his head. He really is not as human as he believe to be! A few tears fall as the picture is forced to him.

One second seeing the man in the photo, a glimpse of the resemblance; that was all it took to shatter the denial in Derrick's racing heart. He cannot believe that the Raven and the man in said photo is really his parents, but the proof is right here! He feels himself stop in the midst of thinking at the sound of her voice. The world goes cold but strangely warm as all the eyes on him rest easy at his arms around her. He did not know when the hug was returned.

"It is alright, my darling." Raven brushes his forehead with a kiss. "No more secrets. No more lies. No more fear. You are home and safe in my wings."

Sombra finally comes to his senses and smacks his lips as the mild headache dies with magic. He feels pathetic for having the human throw him over the couch with a simple burst of aura, but he had no warning. He looks up to see the Nightmare Moon and Raven at Derrick's sides as he continues to stare at the picture.

"Did I miss anything good?" he asks dumbly, shooing the nurses with a wave of his hoof.

"Just about the biggest mind fuck in history." Derrick replied, though with some sarcasm. Back then, if none of this happened so suddenly, he would be running for his life at the sight or sound of Sombra. Now, with all the instant changes to his life and person, there was no need or want to run away. Plus he does not have the energy to brave a great escape.

"Damn. And here I was hoping to see a little more drama." Sombra threw a bit of a pout at the human before receiving glares from both alicorns. Though the awkwardness of Derrick's true person coming to light is exactly what he thrives on right now, the Unicorn King could see he was not going to be in good grace much longer.

"Why did Celestia and Luna not tell me about this?" Derrick chose to hand the picture back to Raven instead of throwing it on the floor, his voice more demanding than empty. Both mares shook theirs heads.

"Neither of them know that you are her son." Nightmare Moon said as she rubbed his leg and back with her wings. She found herself unable to cease comforting the man of his stress, or whatever negative feeling he has in his system at the moment. The most she could make out is the look in his eyes saying he is having difficulty accepting the truth.

"Then again, nopony knows that the very alicorn who created darkness had a human son." Raven pointed out once their eyes locked on together after the man pondered the truth a little bit longer. Derrick relieved himself of some of the stress by sighing deeply. "The closest thing to those two knowing you are my son is by seeing you now and remembering their mother banishing you into the Void. But let's be realistic about this. Those two can't even remember to get both sides of a story before taking sides."

"Yeah, that's no kidding. I'm a prime example of it." Derrick laughed naturally for the first time in days and found himself loosening up to the dark monarchs as any damage in the room was repaired by Raven.

"At least you are alive and far away from them." the Dark Empress added, after which she tucked the picture into her wing and adjust herself so she was lying on her stomach and holding his hand, albeit with some giddiness. . . such was the common action for a mother to reassure herself that her son is really next to her and not an illusion.

"So. . . What kind of goddess are you?" Derrick asks out of curiosity. He'd seen Celestia and Luna's lineage dating back to the era of Discord's ruling, but none of showed her in it. He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I've seen Celestia and Luna's family tree, but you're not in it all. I don't remember seeing your name in the list of alicorns."

"I'm not going to be in any family tree that is part of their bloodline, because I am the Night Mother of Equus. The second alpha to the balance of light and darkness." She replied with great pride, holding her head high in the air. Derrick looked at her with a dumbfound expression as the others laughed quietly, knowing the rest of the truth will stun him.

"The Night Mother?" he questioned, and there he received a playful rub to his head by the alicorn as Sombra cleared his throat for ample opportunity to 'spill the beans.'

"Derrick. . ." he pauses to regain control of his urge to laugh at the man's obliviousness. ". . . She is the other half that created Equus. Raven is called the Night Mother because she is Creator of Darkness."

If there was ever a moment where the brain shut itself down completely, that certainly did the trick.

". . . Excuse me?" Derrick asked for clarification, to ensure that he definitely heard correctly. It was not like he was unknown to Equus having a creator or that everything starts from something. He was very educated on the subject the first moment Twilight got him in a closed room for one day of cramming Equestria's history into his head; and that is why he hardly picks up a book relating to any history.

"You heard me, boy. Raven is the goddess that helped create everything that is dark and ominous. Her special talent is not a talent at all, but the very symbol of darkness and dark magic." Sombra looked over to Raven for her approval of continuing his statement. She nodded, and he resumed with ease. "What most ponies call an Alpha and an Omega is entirely false in our world. Raven is the counterpart of Celestia and Luna's mother, Queen Faust. Their understanding of light and darkness makes them both alphas. The only difference is which side they chose in the beginning of Equus' birth."

Moving back to get a good look at the fanged mare next to him, Derrick wondered just how powerful she really is, after realizing how big of a mistake he made by threatening her, and mentally prayed for salvation.

He pointed at Raven, eyes wide while looking back and forth at her and Sombra. "You mean to tell that she is—"

"The Creator of Darkness," Sombra interrupted, causing the man to flinch before Raven took this chance to seal the deal with one last bit of information she's been holding back.

She leans into her son and taps his knee. "Which makes you the third foal of my bloodline and royal to the castle."

"A prince or a lord, whichever you prefer." Nightmare Moon chirps, before nuzzling his cheek lovingly. This is only fries his brain much more as the surprises keep happening.

"Royalty!?" Derrick screams, and then remembers the last part of Raven's statement. "Wait a minute. What do you mean by third foal!?"

"Oh dear," Raven blushes deeply at remembering the other children. "I forgot to mention that you have siblings. You were a year old when Faust banished you, but I was barely pregnant at the time of losing you and your father."

"Are you kidding me?" the man asks in a high pitched tone.

Suddenly the doors open and slams the only nurse still in room into a wall, giving her a mild concussion. Both ponies dash into the room and come to a skidding halt as the couch is levitated by Raven to return where it should be in the room. In front of the fireplace. A unicorn with many similarities to Raven, yet much younger looking than the Pegasus with red shading in the wings, startles Derrick by standing on her hind legs on leveraging on his knees.

"The guards was right, sis!" the unicorn had a feminine voice. A very feminine voice. "Look, big brother has finally come back home!"

The red mane Pegasus standing next to her little sister nodded, while holding back every single urge to pounce the man. "Easy there, squirt. Remember, the guard said he is still in pretty bad shape from having his flank kicked by those sun lovers."

"Excuse me!?" Derrick barked angrily. "I did not get my ass kicked. I got sucker punched with the Elements of Harmony and forced to run away from Canterlot."

"Did you fight back?" the female Pegasus asks with an evil grin.

". . . No."

"Then you got your flank kicked."

"Fuck you!"

"Isn't this great?" Raven chimed, clapping her hooves together as the others laughed at their pouting human. "Midnight Estelle and Crow are meeting their big brother for the first time. We're a family again."

Chapter V

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"You have grown into a handsome man." Raven pecked her son as she was drawn by his slow breathing. She pet the top of his head and smiled contently that her colt was finally back home.

She recognized the shallow breaths leaving him. He had done more than just show an unbelievable amount of magic to her and Nightmare Moon. He drained himself with that single burst, and now the rumors of a lost prince returning to Nebula had spread across the castle. Nobles were vigilant in the information they received hours ago, waiting and watching for the first sign of Nebula's first prince to make himself present.

Raven had held herself to overlooking her duties for the sake of bonding with her baby while the others finished with theirs. Her body came to life as she listened. Her heart. Her soul. That gentle touch, the brush of his voice across the scars of her mind held so much hope she struggled to keep alive. She had cravings in her gentle ways. A mother's hunger for the touch of her child, and she filled herself by finding the well of tenderness in holding him. She found it had been buried and almost forgotten for thousands of years.

"I will not lose you again," she admitted, brushing her lips across his cheek. "I will never let you go."

Derrick did not reply in words or movement, the effort to respond even subconsciously was too much in his weakened state, but he gifted her a smile over the sorrow and fear she felt. He did not know yet if what she said was really true, but for now, he was going to play along and see where this new journey takes him; at least after he has a nice nap.

Though his entire mind and body was shutdown, he still felt Raven's warmth and the small kiss to his cheek was her undying love tingled nicely, but she needed to hear him talk and she needed to see him awaken—if he really was exhausted and not damaged in any way, shape, or form after his little outburst.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I just want you to know that I am sorry for everything you went through. Not just for being too weak to stop Faust from taking you, but for not trying to find you sooner. I was so sure of myself that you were dead. I had thought to myself that my son was destroyed by that monster, so I gave up and moved on. But it was thanks to Nightmare Moon that I found you. Still, I hope that you will give me a chance to mend the years we lost. I pray that you will accept me as your mother."

Raven wouldn't give up on him this time. She was prepared to do anything, fight any battle. No matter if the act was sickening or not, if she could keep her colt, she would humble herself, put herself in any kind of danger or fight any battle to keep him safe.

"Can you feel your mother's wings around you?" she giggled quietly, feeling the man slip deeper into her chest as her feathers spread much needed warmth. "Do you enjoy my touch as you did when you were just a baby?"

Raven felt no shame in snuggling in front of the guards her pupil posted. She showed no outward signs of growing embarrassed. Her light and darkness was exactly the same as her mind—it was strong. She couldn't have cared less having guards watch her and her son as they snuggle under the same blanket, because holding her baby mattered more than what others think of her. That light right in the center of her form she had given up so carelessly in her despair was back. It glowed brighter than ever for her child. Her son. Her love.

Raven hadn't retreated when their eyes met hers. She'd fought worse to prove her pride. Besides, why would she, a mother, be ashamed to express her love to her lost colt?

She sensed how weary they were of Derrick. She had accepted the complications to come in the near future, allow it to flow through her, not once thinking about it or trying to fight or resist. She was too old to worry or fear what may become of Derrick. She was bound to him, intertwined tightly, feeling the energy and power wrap around their bodies. She concentrated on this feeling for both of them, pushing her through her lungs, focusing immensely on his calm magic.

If this lasted much longer she would lose herself to the familiar energy—that everlasting flow of powerful magic. You have your father's light and my darkness, but I feel that you are still between both roads. It's no wonder Faust was afraid of you.

The silence was worse then ever, robbing the guards of their stiff nature, of their ability to think for a long moment. Neither could process their empress being so affectionate to such an oddly shaped creature. He looked so strange, maybe hideous enough to be called a monster. The idea of watching over him was as bad or worse than foalsitting Sombra's and Chrysalis' changelings. Their bodies shuddered with seeing Raven lick the man's cheek and whisper "Momma will never let you go. Momma loves you with all her blackened heart."

"Disgusting," the guard to the right whispered, perhaps too loud for his own good. His fellow guard went to nod and follow with a comment about Derrick's appearance being equivalent to the backside of a mule, but the first word that was about to leave his mouth locked up at the tip of his tongue. Strangely, instead of widening, his eyes shrunk in what little light the fireplace has to offer.

The red in Raven's frightening orbs glowed in the shadows, the glimmer in her body stretched out, spreading through the darkness there in the icy cold room, crawling for the fool that insulted the slumbering man. Attempting to hurt him? Only the silent guard, on the very edge of wetting himself, already falling to his stomach out of fear, could think to show his inferiority out to the goddess. She had come for the idiot when he thought more about the young royal and his difference. Against all her morals as an empress and a mother to all her children of the dark, she had given into the hatred, when the guard doubted any consequences.

The light subsided, and Derrick was left in the bed to shiver. Raven breathed a sickly growth, and he felt on the back of his neck that was the right time to be afraid. She surrounded the fool in her darkness and began to move slowly over his form from the icy darkness.

"You dare whisper an insult in front of your empress. The mother of that darling child. . . .Your creator."

The guard's hooves shook, and that small warm comfort that was Raven's love did not spread over his body. She stayed hovering in the door, gazing down at him. The moment he ceased holding a stern demeanor, the darkness that engulfed the light allowed a spark in the very center of his snout and then dimmed as if it could not fight the blackness without help.

"Maybe I should relieve you of your duties?" she leaned into his ear, nipping it harshly. "Maybe I should relieve you of your position, seeing as how you are incapable of respecting your lord."

The guard felt the smallest of answers. Warmth in his body. His heart jerked in his chest. Stuttered with pain. Raven was the cause of this, filling him with magic, reminding him what it meant to have the other end of the stick. He had no idea how bad the spell actually was, but even in his panicked state, he knew with absolute certainty that his empress would not kill him. She would make him take the brunt of his punishment and learn his lesson—for her.

"I shall remind your comrade what it means to anger a mother, and then you will all remember to respect your lord."

Again there was that small spread of warmth. This time he was certain of that spell in the midst of the warmth being a forceful muscle contraction of his boy. Raven had a reputation for internal torture to her victims. He stood still and listened to her whispers as the spell coursed through him; at least until a shift in her power changed him.

"You will never insult my child again."

Suddenly, pain welled up, a wave sharp and terrible, burning through his insides, raking and clawing at his stomach as he fell to the floor with both hooves on his barrel. He looked up to the Night Mother just in time as her horn intensified in the light, emptying the remainder of her spell over and over in his muscles, a wretched action he could not resist. Something more powerful than the pain in his stomach consumed him. Wave after wave crashed through him, lasting long seconds that felt to be minutes. He lost track whilst realizing that his empress sowed his mouth shut with magic, threads of his own mane locking his lips together.

Abruptly, she leaned down and kissed his cheek, and the guard next to him looked away for his own good, desperate to ignore the scene. He felt betrayed. He felt like he was going to explode. He couldn't find the strength to fight the spell and started screaming at the top of his lungs, but no sound left him. His voice was muted by her.

He was still contracting into a ball, an unwilling action done by the smiling alicorn. Multiple lacerations opened and fire burned through his body, yet he did not try to stop it. He was as powerless as the last guard that tried to rape Midnight Estelle. Already another wave of pain rose in the guard's body, bleeding through his eyes and nostrils and slamming against his chest. The strength and intensity of the convulsion forced him to vomit through his tightly woven lips, but there were chunks of his meal stuck and blocking any air from entering or leaving.

Raven forced his body to relax with another spell, relying on thousands of years of mental discipline. There was no blocking the hatred, no way to stop herself from killing this pony, or the way she pet his bulging cheek as it bled.

"Do not worry my little pony," she tittered, licking his blood one last time. "Your suffering is over. You may rest now."

***

The wonderful yawns of Derrick rang throughout Raven's mind as she removed the blood from her lips. The surviving guard at the door kept to himself, while the human opened his eyes to the Dark Goddess holding him very closely. Her felt her snout rub against his lips before a tender kiss was placed on his cheek. He stiffened when the kiss was over, blushing profusely whilst feeling himself drown in her chest.

Raven smiled, studying her perfect image of her child buried so deep in her wings. She brushed a hoof over the same cheek, tracing one of the cuts he earned in the Everfree Forest. She could feel his heart race as the matting of her fur was replaced with short breaths.

"Calm down my son, you are safe. There are no safer hooves in this world than mine."

Her soft voice faded and she leaned forward to trail more kisses across his cheek and forehead, and use the moment for bonding as she traced his cuts with her tongue.

Derrick wanted to scream and push the alicorn away from him, but he found her ministrations of love not only soothing, and extremely intimate, but calming as well. No one had ever held him this close and treated him with such love' and she had actually wrapped him in her form, entangling her legs with his, twisting her tail around his lower half while her soft wings cover him from his neck to his waist, her chest pressed close to his face as she administered butterfly kisses.

"Perhaps hitting you was not the best way to help you realize that I am your mother;" she cooed in his ear, nuzzling him. "You did pass out shortly after meeting your sister."

Derrick opened his mind to the thought of having other sisters, staring into the devilish eyes of the alicorn he had found to be pure of truth. He had so much to think about and not enough time to process it. He remembered on Earth the sound of his sister's laughter when they played and the murmur of her voice during their darkest days. He realized he wanted to have her back, to make this new world her home as well. It was deep enough in darkness to keep Twilight and the others away and yet still close for him to spy. Equestria was a small spark in the distance. Small, but visible.

Raven saw his trouble and leaned into him. She loved cuddling her colt as he thought deeply. Nightmare Moon did say he looked more peaceful in his thoughts than he does when speaking, but to be this quiet—so different from everything she presumed in the beginning. If this was how her son truly is as a freethinker, then there was much work to be done. But for now, it was best to let him cope with the truth and adjust to the life he was denied. Gently she brushed back silken strands of hair that had fallen over his eyes.

"You need your mane trimmed." she pointed out grimly.

Derrick could not help with the smile. It was the first in a long time that anyone cared enough to state the obvious about any part of his figure. He looked up as she giggled, knowing his smile was the cause. Her lashes were long and feathery, dark, yet glossy in the light of the fireplace. Curiosity overtook him. He traced her cheekbone with the pad of his finger, absorbing the satin-smooth fur. It was his first time touching someone who is his mother, although he still did not believe that she really is. Still, he wanted to know what it was like to touch someone that is or might be his family.

Raven teased him mercilessly, moving out of his hand from time to time to make him earn her touch. If he was going to try and understand through touching first, she was going to have a little fun.

Derrick found himself smiling brighter than ever at the idea of having a real family, until he realized how alone he was. "I had a nice life before coming to Equestria," he murmured aloud to her. "I had a nice apartment. A great job. A good life. I had everything I needed, but now I am here."

Raven flinched at his sorrow, nuzzled the top of his head and lifted her lashes. The impact of her eyes meeting his was powerful, a strong, wicked strike that drove the air from his lungs. She had her maternal instincts, the true nature that makes her a terrifying goddess.

"And it was all taken from you. I'm sorry."

Derrick sighed and rolled in the empress' wings, spooned as the moon rose higher. "You have no reason to apologize to me. Karma is just a big bitch, and it decided to take a shit on me with everything that's happened."

"But it is my fault that you are suffering." It was the first time she'd lost herself to the guilt. She didn't push herself further into his life, knowing this would be one of the hardest truths to him to accept.

Derrick didn't mind the twists and turns happening, but in the moment he heard Raven say those words, he needed to know what exactly she meant and that she had a reason to justify it. It was a natural part of coming into the light of the truth. He craved the facts, but the thought of forcing it out of Raven bothered him on a much higher level.

There was a small silence. Raven had separated herself from Derrick and she smoothed over her emotions there—absently—like she did with losing him the first time. "I had more than enough power to stop Faust from taking you, but I was so focused on her murdering your father that I could not use it. I allowed her to banish you from our world. I let her destroy us, and now you have to suffer losing your lifestyle in Equestria and on that other world. You have to suffer, because I was too weak-hearted to fight back."

His heart jumped. One little blink from her and the tears poured. He accepted the new way of life as an Equestrian and trusted everyone to teach him the things necessary to be treated equal, but to lose it all when Twilight screwed up. He knew his life in Equestria was over, but he never expected his troubles to weight so heavy on the Dark Goddess. It was not just a small step for her to express so freely, it was a huge milestone for her.

"I should have killed Faust and her daughters. I was more powerful than her, but I dwelled on your father's death and let her take you." Raven sobbed, pacing in front of the bed. "And even though you were gone I should have tried to find you, but I gave up as quick as she abandoned me and my little ponies. I gave up on you and hoped that your sisters would fill the void in my heart. I chose them over you in a heartbeat and pushed you out of my mind, but Nightmare Moon found my journal and searched for you."

He'd spent several years wanting to know who his mother is. He spent too long hoping she would find him and say she is sorry for abandoning him. Yes, he'd prayed to god for her to spend one day with him, and even talk about the things he went through, but the entire rest of his life, he been beneath wanting a loving mother, knowing that the only person he needs to think about is himself.

But to hear all of this. . .

He sat up and glared at the mare. He wanted to hit her as hard as he could and tell her there are no second chances, but seeing how much it tore her up to admit the past was more than he could bear and resist. He'd spent several years building a mental wall for this moment and it all crashed at the impact of her eyes. Yes, he'd gotten to the breaking point of a cold-hearted man, and even exchange a piece of him for clarity of never having a real family, but Raven took that away with a whimper.

The seconds spent between him sitting perfectly still and her crawling on the bed had been necessary—both of them were in bad shape when they'd felt a similar desire. Raven had barely enough sense to gently place herself in Derrick's lap before she collapsed from guilt. Fortunately, that essential time confessing her biggest mistake meant she was able to start a new life with him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for losing hope in you." she cried against his leg, tossing her glasses away whilst ignoring the guard. "I understand if you hate me and want me to leave you be, but I cannot do that. I cannot leave you to your own life, because I want to be part of it. Please, at least give me one chance to redeem myself as your mother. That is all I ask."

Derrick remained quiet and watched while Raven sobbed into the comforter, tears seeping through and soaking his skin. He gave her a few minutes to collect her emotions and thoughts and certainly there was something he felt for her. He almost felt as if he were a child returning home, that he had come back to where he truly belongs. Home. Raven said little afterward, and she seemed to prefer to crying herself to death in his lap, rather than face the problem.

"I've been without a mother or a father for my entire life," Derrick began, and reached down to rub his hand across the back of her neck as if it would calm her down. "I have buried the thought of having a mother that loved me and moved on with my life, but you just have to do this to me. You just have to tell me everything about a past life that involves me."

Raven looked up, horrified by the insinuation of his anger. "Derrick. . . My son. . . Please. . . "

His hand shaped her neck as he chuckled lightly. "I should be telling you to go fuck yourself or to rot in hell, because any mother who gives up on her child deserves to suffer."

"Derrick. . ."

He couldn't help laughing, though the weak smile and tears gave away his pain. "I lost everything because of Twilight and now have you to twist my mind with facts I cannot understand. After losing my lifestyle on earth and Equestria I don't know what I should do. I have nothing and no one. I don't even have a single penny to my name."

He nodded, cupping the mare's chin and forcing her to see the pain in his eyes. Her heart jumped. She did not expect sadness to affect the magic inside him, and yet, here he was lost in eyes of black and red once more and shedding tears. Anger was not the trigger to his dark power, but why?

Was it through deep emotions that he showed the signs?

Raven sat up to meet his gaze. The brush of her hoof was far too loving to him to ever be nothing and both his heart and body responded to those caresses.

She murmured her words each time she carefully removed each tear from his cheeks.

"It was never my intention to hurt you, but I have done so without trying. I have done so much harm to you that your father would be disgusted of me. He would have my head for giving up on you. I'm so sorry."

Derrick allowed himself to inhale deeply, to bring his good hand up to her hoof and hold it against cheek, fingers splayed wide to take in as much of her bare hoof as possible.

"I don't know how I should feel about having a mother," Derrick said, staring so close at her hoof that the heat of his breath grazed the fur as she ran loving nuzzle into the deep corners of his throat. "I don't know if I should hate you or love you. Everything about this feels so unreal and terrifying. It's hard enough to believe that I was born from the womb an alicorn."

Raven too a breath and let it out. Her wings wrapped around his back and stroked his skin, her touch sending calm flames flickering through his nerves. He had dreamt of this, had wanted it, the touch of a mother destroying his pain and anxiety, but her knowing she could not act on the desire flooding her body made the moment bittersweet. She needed this as much as he did.

"You do not deserve a second chance," he admitted starkly, breaking of one last tear before pecking her hoof. "But what good would come out of me hating you? What good would it do for me to hate someone who is already suffering?"

Raven was silent for a moment, turning his words over and over in her mind. She had to admit to herself she'd been nervous since his rising. She felt afraid, there in her own kingdom, in her fortress, trapped in the suspension of his decision.

"It's going to take me a long time to recover from all of this and to believe that you really are my mother," he sighed in a hollow tone, smiling as best as he could. "But, for now, I want to try and have some happiness in my life before it is lost again. So, I will not believe you, but I will give you a chance."

The breath in her body went still, remaining over the burning in her lungs. She found it amazing that in those words, she could feel some hope return to her life, and yet she was expressing her joy whether or not she could be his friend or mother for the time being.

"You're saying. . ."

He nodded and shook her hoof. "Hi, I'm Derrick Whitten. And you are?"

Raven could not be any happier to hear him say that.

"Empress Raven of Nebula. . . and your mother."

"We'll see," he chuckled. "But, for now, you're just Raven to me."

Chapter VI

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***Canterlot***

Drawing several deep breaths, Luna continued to follow her own path. Twice, she veered away from her sister's hoof reaching out, but the situation was dire for her and she kept to her panic. Both times, she showed a glimpse of guilt through her tears.

"This is not happening. She cannot be alive." she breathed heavily, and then looked to Celestia. She wasn't prepared for the inevitable either. Nothing could have prepared her.

Derrick was still with Nightmare Moon, captive in her clutches and suffering nothing else from a strong hoof. The idea of her coltfriend living through whatever Nightmare Moon is putting through sickened her. The feeling was nauseating. Her body was shaking, stricken from the fear that drove her to tears. Her wings had at least shed enough feathers to fill a pillow case, and her figure was disheveled from the Everfree Forest's unforgiving touch. Celestia felt the same way for their human, but her mind was chained all the way down so that she appeared calm.

"I don't get it," Rainbow Dash said overhead her friends, flying in one spot while they watched the Lunar Princess. "How did Nightmare Moon come back to life, and how what could she want with Derrick?"

Celestia shook her head. "I have no clue to her revival, nor her reason for taking Derrick. Powerful magic is the cause of this, and it may be possible that we have a new enemy upon us."

"Do you think she will try to hurt Derrick?" Fluttershy asked. Celestia would have answered if she could get enough air and thought to do so. Her sister, however, felt as if that question jerked her heart in a thousand different directions. What could she be doing to her love? "She may be revived, but could she hurt him since the Elements of Harmony did nothing?"

Luna brought her forehead close to Fluttershy's, terror contorted into fury for the alicorn she despises. Fluttershy cowered beneath the scowl of her princess as the room darkened. "Of course she will try to hurt him. She is my other half, a living incarnation of the jealousy and rage I had when my sister was worshipped for her sunlight. She does not need to use magic on him; there are many ways to inflict physical pain if she so desires!"

Celestia approached them with a hint of caution. She put a comforting wing around Luna and pulled her away, but her eyes were flat and cold. Not even the warmth of her smile was felt. "Luna, do not drown yourself in those assumptions. Derrick is resilient and extremely intelligent for such a young creature. He will be fine."

Luna glared back at her sister, the pain and sorrow overtaking her. "You ignorant fools do not know her like I do. You have no bucking idea what she is like or what she is capable of doing." she snapped, certain of herself. "For all we know, Derrick could be chained suffering illusions she plans to use as a means of breaking his mind. He may very well be a vegetable already;" she spun to her fellow princess in the room. The very regretful Twilight Sparkle. "And it's all thanks to your idiotic student!"

Twilight held her breath as the Lunar Princess inched closer to her. Luna stomped with every step she took, her eyes blistering with a mixture of fury, despair, and hatred. Twilight looked towards her mentor for help, but there was none for Celestia to give, nothing to make the situation any better. She had retreated this time, well versed in what appeared to be sorrow for the human she loved with all her heart Twilight knew, by the way her teacher hid behind her man and then sighed deeply, that she was no longer in the good grace of her fellow princesses.

A strong hoof swung its way to her cheek, the slipper following, as Twilight looked back to her friends, who were standing with her as support. Well, except for her most supportive friend. Pinkie Pie. Luna struck the purple alicorn with enough force to spin her around, but in her mind, it was not enough to satisfy the fury. She wanted to inflict everything in her heart upon this naïve princess. She wanted to make her suffer. She wanted to hurt her.

"My sister and I had the one thing we'd thought to never have," Luna said aloud, making it a statement. "And you took it away from us. You stole the one thing we never had before."

Twilight turned back and looked up to her infuriated friend towering over her. She eased back between Applejack and Rarity, positioning herself directly behind them, hoping they would protect her. She could not do anything about the problem she created, and it frightened her. She shivered a little at the Lunar Princess.

"My sister and I worked so hard to earn his friendship and love. We put so much effort into making our lives better that we failed to remember your dislike towards him." Luna continued. "And it is because of our ignorance that Derrick is now held captive by Nightmare Moon; and it is all thanks to you, Princess of Friendship."

Twilight's heart plunged. Had Luna somehow seen through her façade? Was she somehow able to look past the mask and find the aggression? She was so careful in keeping her true feelings in secret. "That is not true at all. Derrick's my friend too." She kept her voice even, not wanting to sound the least as if with that accusation, Luna had boldly called her true nature of Derrick's existence in question.

Luna growled before shaking her head furiously, fighting with herself to not use magic on the fool. "I know all about your hatred towards Derrick. I have seen enough of your jealousy festering dreams to know that you have hatred towards my mate. I have known it for months, but I've been so stupid as to believe you could learn to accept the truth."

A low glare escaped Twilight. "Why would I hate Derrick? I have nothing against him."

"Still going to deny the truth, Sparkle.

"There is no denial. I have been his friend since the day I saw him walking with you and Princess Celestia."

"That is a load of hay and you know it. Your friendship died when my sister and I kissed Derrick and asked him to be our coltfriend. But what is truly disgusting is that you began to hate Derrick when he bested you at something no other pony in this world can do."

The accusation was harsh, but Luna was right and she felt harsh. She felt like shaking Twilight until her teeth rattled and then taking her down into the darkest dungeon Canterlot has to offer to beat some sense into her. What was wrong with Twilight? She was such a good soul, not a fanatic that cannot handle being limited.

"I do not hate him," Twilight mumbled.

"But it was you who made everyone in the Gala see him as a monster," Luna insisted. "That was part of your goal. Make the human look so terrible in front of his friends, his mates, and the entire Gala so that it would crush him. It was your intention all along to destroy Derrick."

Celestia was fed up with the entire thing. "Luna, you are making no sense with anypony in this room. Twilight is an outstanding pony with the same qualities you and I possess."

Luna sank back to her spot next to her sister. "That is where you are wrong, my dear sister." she sounded certain. "Twilight is not as perfect as you had hoped her to be. She does have ill will towards Derrick, and it festers through her jealousy and hatred."

"Jealousy over what?" Rainbow Dash exaggerated. "Twilight is a princess and talented in magic. She's super smart and had stallions lined up to go out with her. She's bust all of us out of every problem we've faced, so how could she be jealous over somepony who is can't even do magic?"

"Is it that difficult to see?" Luna asked the blue Pegasus, smiling grimly at her while no one noticed the purple alicorn shiver to her core. "Come, Rainbow Dash. Tell me, have you been watching the number of monarchs visit our kingdom in the past year?"

Rainbow Dash placed her hooves on her flanks, still flying above her friends. "Yeah, I've seen some kings and queens pay a visit to Canterlot." Finally, the lightbulb above her head came on. She was now in deep thought. "Come to think of it, there is hardly a visit from any kingdom. Most of the time it's you and Princess Celestia paying them a visit."

Luna's smile grew a little bigger. And who happened to be summoned to Canterlot when a gathering happens?"

"Now that I think about it, you and Princess Celestia summoned him almost every couple of days. I know that because I saw the letters pile up on his table."

"Yes, and why would it be so important for Celestia and I to summon Derrick so much?"

"I don't know."

"Think, Miss Dash. What is it that makes Derrick so very special that my sister and I would summon him to the castle for every gathering?"

Luna complicated things for the Element of Loyalty, but she could not find it in her heart to beseech the Lunar Princess for the answer. What is it that makes Derrick so special, and why is it so important to Princess Luna, she'd thought. She might not want to admit, but her best friends were the best support she could get in this mystery. But the question was just as confusing to her as it was to the others. Except for the nervous purple alicorn, of course. Twilight had a very good idea as to Derrick's special talent, but she could not muster the courage to speak freely. Luna's harsh and unforgiving glare sent chills down her spine.

Taking a breath, Luna turned her attention to the newest mechanism built on the castle doors, something she admired her human for. Steel bars were coated in gold and hinged to the frame as reinforcement. Two devices were on each side of the door and handled by a pair of guards, holding around their necks a pair of large, brass keys that fit in the identical keyholes on said devices.

She let out her breath and focused, straining for control over her emotions. Magic, raw and crackling with power, glowed around her horn. She fought white-hot energy, corralling it and bringing it back inside her body to stay the urge for violence. It was a huge accomplishment for the Princess of The Night. She wanted to pat herself on the chest with pride for such maturity. The moment she forgot what she was doing, that insufferable cough from Celestia reminded her to proceed.

Regaining her state of mind, Luna directed everyone's attention to the castle doors. "Do you remember when Tirek invaded the castle?" she asked, though with an unladylike curse under her breath, one she used once in her life. "My sister and I had to combine our magic to repair the damages, but it did not help with the nobles fearing the next attack that may come our way. They were so afraid of somepony stepping through into our castle with such ease a second time."

"We remember you telling us," Rarity answered. "But what does that have to do with Derrick?"

Luna went to stroke the confused mare by the top of her mane, but a deeply feminine chuckle echoed in the throne room and startled the group. Celestia's sunlight was suddenly blocked by thick, black smoke rising through the crevices of the floor in a continuous stream. Twilight and her friends retreated behind the two sister. They did not move or make a sound. Luna followed her sister's lead. She was thankful they were together to stay the intruder. As a warrior of history she learned the value of patience and did not move or try to see through the blackness for it's owner. They would appear soon enough as it is.

"You oblivious foals," the female giggled whilst sifting through the smoke for her own amusement. She enjoyed her enemies fearing her again. The answer is so simple that it sits in front of you right now. Twilight Sparkle is jealous of Derrick for his incredible skill in engineering. She hates my darling human because he denied teaching her; and we all know that the Princess of Friendship cannot stand somepony knowing something she does not."

Celestia began lighting the room, but only enough to see what she believed was impossible and it made her gasp. Darkness poured through the reinforced doors onto the floor like sludge. Thick and oily, the muck was foul. Luna rushed in front of her sister fast, her frazzled mind spinning one way and the next as the darkness took a familiar shape, but she did not dare disturb it. She spent another minute listening to the voice cackle as it molded into a solid base of an alicorn. Time seemed to have passed. It could have been five or ten minutes, Luna didn't know or care. Her mate was in danger and she'd been more than ready for something like to happen. After all, her counterpart could not deny the satisfaction of besting those who wronged her.

"And purity of heart you say;" the figure spat, though with a combination of disgust and amusement. She materialized completely and spread her wings, her smile just as wicked as it were the day she broke free of her prison. "Now that would be an interesting subject to talk about if it were true. But let's be smart about this, Luna. There is no such thing as a pure heart."

"Nightmare Moon," Luna hissed.

The Queen of the Dark Moon stepped forward to greet the enraged princess with a bow. "Nice to know you have not forgotten me. I was almost worried that you did." she mused to get under the Lunar Princess' skin. "How's everypony treating you since the Elements of Harmony separated us? Are you doing well in a world that barely knows you?"

Nightmare Moon felt power running through her counterpart like a strong current of electricity, her eyes blistering with so many emotions.

"What did you do with my Derrick!?" Luna stepped forward and met the Mare in The Moon, snout to snout, trying to convey that she was ready to fight to the death.

Nightmare Moon smiled in approval before stepping back to allow herself some space. To everyone's surprise, she effort a calm and collected look while Luna did the opposite. "Are you talking about that tall, intelligent, deliciously handsome human I found in your old castle?" she asked coyly.

Luna couldn't quite keep the note of hatred out of her voice. She was furious with the Mare in The Moon. It was not like her to harbor any secrets. She had a desire for boasting her accomplishments. Luna would know.

"Tell me where you took my mate, or I swear to Tartarus I will strip you of your wings and have them mantled!"

Nightmare Moon clicked her tongue against the back of her teeth, a sound of disappointment as she shook her head slowly. "Now you and I both know that I would not harm a single hair on that man." she swooned herself, holding a hoof to her forehead in dramatic fashion. "Why, it would break my heart if I hurt my darling lord."

"Lord?" Celestia prompted.

Nightmare Moon left the Solar Princess depraved and twist in confusion with a mischievous grin, hidden behind her hoof as she played the innocent filly in this encounter. "Oh dear me, I said too much about my mate." That part infuriated Luna enough to clench her teeth as the darkness closed in. She snorted deeply and dragged her right hoof across the floor to issue a challenge while the dark alicorn turned away, gazing at the mare from the corner of her eye. "No matter; there is no need for me to worry. After all—" she turned her full gaze back to Luna. "He is very slowly awakening; and it's all thanks to you, Princess Twilight."

Those words made the Princess of Friendship shiver, those cold facts, like death, wrapping around her throat, ready to squeeze the life out of her while Nightmare Moon smiled down at her.

"What do you mean he's awakening?" Celestia asked as calmly as she could, though the furrowing of her brow told the dark mare she was suspicious. "I do not suppose that means he is waking up from a involuntary slumber you put him under."

"Oh you ignorant mare," Nightmare Moon mused, giving the alabaster alicorn a wink. "Derrick is not as weak as you think he is. There is more to him than you know, so much more that it will make your skin crawl. But if you must know, here's a little hint to what I am saying." she cleared her throat, and then giggled lightly at her. "The Dark Creator has her son again."

Celestia was without a clue to what the Mare in The Moon meant, but Luna was not. No, she pushed aside hours of terror and called on memory. She remembered for that day. The red-orange flames and white-hot energy blistering across their first home. Death written across the land in bodies and blood as Equus trembled beneath its makers. Always inside of her, Luna felt the memory smoldering her mind, waiting for the chance to erupt through the nightmares, whether intense agony, history or feeling soaring through her body, the feeling of darkness was still there. She could never forget the mare that taught her the ways of dark magic.

"It cannot be," she whispered, a look of desperation and shock as her counterpart grinned evilly. Nightmare Moon knew that Luna was refreshed by the alicorn that created their convergence as one mare. She could see it in her eyes, the intense remembrance of what evil truly looks like.

"You remember, don't you Luna?" she directed her attention to the stunned princess and began twisting her mind. She made certain her counterpart took matter around the shadow of her failure as well, giving satisfaction with shaky breathing. "You remember the one who made us become one mare. You remember the true face of darkness and destruction." Nightmare Moon whispered lustfully, circling her prey. "You should know that she misses you; even though you were saved by the elements, she knows that you are still a child of the dark. And like all her children. . . they always come back."

"Where is she now?" Luna asked anxiously. She was pierced through and through with Nightmare Moon's cackle and felt as if her body was breaking under the weight of her guilt.

"She is with Derrick right now, keeping him safe and warm in my bedchamber." There was a tune in her voice that caused Luna concern, but she had no idea what it meant. Even though they are the same, she could not decipher the mare's intentions. "You should have seen her face when she saw Derrick. I had never seen her cry before, but I guess a mother will react that way when her colt has returned."

Luna bit down hard on the need to find Derrick's whereabouts. She did not have time to play Nightmare Moon's games and she didn't have the patience, but her spirit felt drained, torn, so thin, her energy waning. She could not get a boost from Celestia, she too was exhausted from lack of sleep.

"But I have made said and done enough with meeting you all again." Nightmare Moon stepped back, and with a pulse from her horn, cleared the room of her dark power whilst fading into the shadows. Luna realized this and ran forward to stop her, but she was not fast enough to stop the shadows from engulfing her counterpart. She was not the same alicorn that had dark powers. "I really should return to him. He must be famished from how weak and broken he is, and it is close to dinner time."

"You horse. Tell me where he—"

"Until we meet again, Little Lulu. Don't have a tantrum like you always do~"

Luna did so after Nightmare Moon disappeared completely, thinking about her human as the echoes of the dark alicorn's sinister laughter travelled. She had much time and effort to keep herself under control and tried to use that to rid herself the thought of her old teacher tending to the man she loves. But it was not so simple this time; it was not so easy to remain intact. The room blackened and turned into the night sky even as she turned back and scowled at the purple alicorn. What she did not realize is the whisper her counterpart left for her to hear as the light of her life began to wither.

Return to our beginning if you want to see him again.

"This is all your fault!" Luna screamed at the frightened princess. "Because of you, Derrick is in the hooves of the Dark Creator; and what's worse that he IS HER SON!"

At this point, Celestia stepped forward. "Luna, what are you talking ab—" The rest of her question was interrupted by her little sister, to a point that she was afraid for herself and for everyone around her.

Luna shrieked her rage, erupting into a temper tantrum, something she remembered vividly from her centuries trapped on the moon. A thousand stars of her own light ignited and flew and exploded in every conceivable spot of the throne room, striking everywhere, countering the light of Celestia's sun. There was no way to avoid the dangerous orbs flying from in every direction. Celestia had no choice but to put up a large dome around herself and the Mane Six.

Luna poured herself into the fury, but as she did, she broke through the shell of her broken form. The Lunar Princess' magic reacted as the thought of Derrick becoming corrupted stimulated her anger, laden it with deep emotions. She was unleashed to show her sister and friends the damage she had kept inside for so long. The eruption was massive.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

The magic was massive. There was no way to stop the alicorn now. Celestia refused to try, giving in to the cold truth, desperate to keep from losing the only weapon she has against evil. Still, her breath caught in her throat as her sister continued. This is what Nightmare Moon wanted all along. She wanted to trigger Luna's anger, but why? Why would she want to target her and not me as well?

"HE IS MY LOVE AND YOU GAVE HIM TO NIGHTMARE MOON!" Luna accused, spreading her new, much larger wings. "YOU USED US TO HURT DERRICK, AND NOW HE IS WITH THAT MONSTER!"

Twilight said nothing to that. She was far too gone in her own fear.

"Luna," Celestia called out. "You mustn't let Nightmare Moon get you. Remember that she is using him to—"

"Enough of your words, sister!" Luna spat, though in a very dark tone. "I have no time to hear your preach about preserving ourselves as princesses. My mate is with that monster, and I plan to find him before she and Raven corrupt him!"

"Who the heck is Raven?" asked Rainbow Dash, but the enraged princess ignored her.

"No more standing around. It is time for action!" Luna screamed before spinning in place to the only pair of guards in the room. Sad to say they were terrified of their princess. "You two, inform the messenger to write a letter to Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. Have him detail that I hereby decree my consort missing and currently held hostage by Nightmare Moon. Do it now!"

Back In Nebula

Derrick sank back at the edge of bed, trying to find a comfortable position for his reading. He had no idea how he had thought his broken body would have the strength to move so much, but he needed to move around in this odd position he'd been put in with Raven. She lay as if a pillow and a barrier for him, her slim belly as a cushion while the left blanketed his upper half. There was a chill about the room as the fireplace was reignited by a servant, yet there was no feeling to his disheveled form. Not a single nip from the cold atmosphere. Raven had packed herself around her son in an effort to bring him closer to her and to stop the denial of his heritage. Her tail was extended around his thighs, curled firmly to his skin while the blanket covered overlapped him. The Empress had a mad desire to destroy the sorrow and regret in Derrick's body. Even seemed a possible feat with her power.

He took his gaze off the book that was left on night stand to his left and then looked up to the ancient goddess. "Where did Nightmare Moon run off too?" he asked, as if it really mattered. She realized he was worried about her. Of course he was. He had some feelings for her. He looked through the window, feeling uncomfortable that the mare who saved his skin had yet to return all evening. "She must be pretty busy right now."

"Nightmare Moon will return soon enough," Raven said, nuzzling the top of his head. "She cannot be away from you for an entire day." She took Derrick's broken hand into her hoof and carefully straightened his arm, checking the flexibility. "How are you feeling right now? Does the doctor need to bring you more pain medication?"

"Not right now. I'm actually a little tired from the medication, but I've slept enough already. Plus I'm waiting for dinner to come around."

Raven choked several times, fighting the laughter stuck in her throat, determined not to treat her son like a newborn colt that is curious about everything. She wanted Derrick to believe he was getting his space to adjust to the new life of a royal. "You do not have to wait for the cooks to prepare dinner. They are at your command."

"My command?"

"Yes, this is your home." Raven said, though with a little emphasis of her longing gaze. "Nebula was your home before Faust took you from me. Though you exist between the roads of light and darkness, this is your true domain. Darkness is your true home, and we are your real family."

"We?"

"Midnight Estelle and Crow—your little sisters."

Derrick exhaled deeply and shook his head. "You really believe that I am your long lost son from another world. But don't you think that is impossible since I am not like you?"

"Not like me, your own mother?" Raven mused, though with a wicked grin to go with the devious thoughts she had. In spite of the low, cool tone of the Black Empress, the tension in the room continued to escalate with the truth. She pinned the injured human with loving yet piercing eyes. She was the goddess that created this half of the world, an almighty being that knows almost everything about the darkness. But if there was one thing she was certain of being correct, it's that her colt was not as human as he thinks he was.

"You say you're not like me, but you have no idea the similarity we have." Raven continued. "You have your father's looks and his compassion, but you have me in you as well." she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "You have my powers, my temper, and a black heart to go with the hatred inside you."

"One outburst because of you slapping me does not—"

"Tell me this then," Raven requested, curious of his past. "Was that the only time you have seen strange happen to you, or were there other occasions throughout your life?"

Derrick was going to deny that immediately, but every time he opened his mouth to speak, it would close up and leave him pinned by memory He choked several times on his own breath, trying to clear his throat repeatedly as she waited patiently for his answer. He wanted her to believe there was no chance for him to be related to her, but the facts were adding up and weighing against him. He did not believe for a moment that could be the son of a goddess and judging by the worry in his eyes, he feared the Black Empress would turn the tables on him and everything about his life would be a lie. The thought terrified him. He could never go back to being a normal person in a strange world, not even a weak, deprived, broken man.

Derrick's body jerked so unexpectedly that Raven nearly locked herself tightly around him. She caught his hand and held it tightly, but the warmth was gone. It was freezing—freezing enough to make her worry. Whatever he had going through his head, it was affecting his physical state as much as his mind.

"There were some strange moments where nothing made sense." Derrick replied, his tone hollow, as if all the life in him had left him. "Being an orphan helps you move to different schools, but it was the same no matter where I went. Everyone was afraid of me, and I can understand why."

Derrick's cracked voice made Raven jump as nearly as much as the servant taking her leave. She saw the worst of her new lord when he looked up to her and gasped as the last remnant of his gaze blazed at her. She saw it all and knew from her experience as the Empress's personal servant what it means to see horror in mortal form. Those eyes of his, such anger and guilt. Where did he learn to contain that much negativity, she'd thought while trembling down the hallway.

"I don't what happened to me," Derrick continued, his memory yet somehow clear in some parts. "But I would always wake up and find myself standing over someone who pushed me around. They were not hurt or dead, but they would be in a fetal positon and begging me to stop."

"The darkness," Raven whispered. "He's been using it throughout his childhood. He just doesn't know how to control it."

Derrick's voice strained now. Turned hoarse and raspy. "I just want to wake up and find myself back home with my sister. I want this to be a dream I've been stuck in because of some freak accident. But I know I'm wide awake, and she is not going to come back."

"But you have your sisters with you." Raven reminded him, before reminding herself of their whereabouts. "Well, not right now. They're still in detention for ripping off a unicorn's horn when he made fun of Crow's tail, but they'll be here soon enough."

"That's not what I meant. I mean I want to wake up to my human sister, the one person in the entire world that was not afraid of me." Derrick's clarification brought the alicorn to long gasp. She had no idea that another human was close to him, and is a sister. Where was she now, she'd thought as the chill went away.

Silence was there, but the sound of hooves filled their minds before the door opened. Derrick's gaze snapped to the one entering. He looked up at the mare he was thinking about and smiled. Nightmare Moon entered the room and carried with her a large tray of food, while, behind her, two darling fillies followed inside to see how their big brother was doing, hoping he was well enough to spend time with them.

"Good evening, master," Nightmare said with a very positive attitude and smile. She closed the door, and then beamed her joy to her curious human. "And good evening to you, Derrick."

"Brother!" Midnight Estelle chirped before leaping onto the bed, her hooves barely missing some very important parts of Derrick. But that was all thanks to the Black Empress jerking him closer to her before any damage could be done.

Crow approached the bed and presented a note for her mother. "Nightmare Moon picked us up and had the teacher give us an early leave. Plus she went to Vile Flora's house and repaired his horn, so there was no trouble after detention." She turned to look at her injured brother struggling to calm the younger filly snuggling in his stomach and cracked a peaceful grin. "Hello big brother, I see you are doing better than yesterday."

The cold atmosphere subsided as Derrick felt an emotion he could not remember. Strangely, instead of fearing himself for it, he smiled at the sarcastic filly and pet the top of her head. Now if it was not for all her children being in the same room, Raven would have noticed the chill being her son's doing. Derrick did not know it and neither did she, but Nightmare Moon felt the change happen as he lured a few giggles from Midnight Estelle. Derrick surrounded them with a special warmth of his own and began to push away the icy darkness. He just did not know that he was.

So I was correct about his magic. It is slowly awakening through his emotions and growing with every strong feeling he has with anypony around him.

"So what is it that you brought for Derrick?" Raven asked out of the blue, or so everyone thought. She knew what she was doing to her student by asking such a silly question. She was well aware of the bait now dangling at her daughters.

Midnight Estelle and Crow seemed caught in emptiness when the Mare in The Moon levitated the steaming tray to her human. Both fillies had to collect their thoughts as the smile of their brother curled into ravenous hunger. It was only then they realized Nightmare Moon and Derrick were more attached to one another than they should be. This did not bode well for either filly, for it was their time to bond with the man. He was not just an injured royal. He was their brother and it was time for him to focus on spending time with his family, not with the one who caused him so much trouble.

"Just a little something I had the cooks prepare during the end of my work," Nightmare Moon took the lid off the tray, and many delicious smells came to the man. "Courtesy of Black Knight and Deadly Amore of the Jade Empire. We have Grilled Chicken, fried vegetables, and Jalapeno Poppers as an appetizer, all smothered in Derrick's favorite cheese. Sharp Cheddar."

Derrick politely thanked Nightmare Moon, trying hard not laugh at the mare's obvious infatuation for him. The divine beauty had him like an open book, knowing every secret there is to him and that wasn't an easy thing to do. "You have surprised the most out of all this craziness; and I'm saying that in a good way." He said, making her blush a little while Crow and Midnight Estelle closed all gaps of space on her. They were not prepared to share their time with Derrick with the Queen of the Dark Moon. It was not difficult to see, especially when their glares were fixed on the dark alicorn.

Raven giggled at this and nuzzled her fillies, unable to resist the adorableness of their jealousy. "You only met him one day ago and you're already like this. It brings me joy to know you both have accepted your brother." she cooed with a sly glance at Nightmare Moon. "Seems to me that you have competition, my student. You'd better do more than bring excellent cooking if you wish to surpass these two."

"Speaking of cooking," Derrick lifted his gaze from the tray, a mouthful of peppers in his mouth. "Where did you say you got all of this, and who gave it to you?"

"Black Knight and Deadly Amore sent the food and spices from the Jade Empire. I sent them a letter while you were asleep that explained everything, so they sent this as a welcoming gift before they come to meet you next week." Nightmare Moon replied.

"That's cool, but who are they and what is the Jade Empire?"

Raven smiled with her student. They knew that Derrick would not react normally if she or Nightmare Moon answered. He was barely aware that Equus is split between light and darkness and that all ponies have an opposite. And let's not forget his stay in Dark Hive counts as a few days.

Raven's smiled grew, as did her ego for the empire she empowered for her children of the dark. "The Jade Empire is an allied kingdom and the opposite of the Crystal Empire. Black Knight and Deadly Amore are the king and queen."

"Opposite!" Derrick sounded shocked. "So does that mean they are the opposites of certain ponies!?"

Nightmare Moon nodded. "Indeed. You should know their opposites quite well, considering her husband attacked you when he met you."

Derrick looked up to Raven, his eyes wide from the shock. "Cadance and Shining Armor." he said, and she nodded. This made him curious and afraid. He would never have thought the Princess of Love to have an opposite. Shining Armor was much more believable, but Cadance. . . "And what does their kingdom use for power?"

Raven leaned into his hear, feeling far too happy to hide the truth from her colt. She licked his cheek and whispered in loving tone, "Hatred,"

Chapter VII

View Online

The screams of agony rang throughout Nightmare Moon's bedroom. Derrick kept to himself by hiding underneath the covers while Crow snuggled with Raven and Midnight Estelle. Certain that the Empress might have a screw loose, her took up a vacant corner on the bed and observed from a safe distance as the bloodthirsty alicorn licked her lips with anticipation. Everyone who walked in and saw the Night Mother like this immediately retreated and dared not to return for the rest of the day. Although there were many occasions of Derrick whispering for maids and guards to help him, no help was given in his time of need.

Every second of the goddess enjoying her own carnage and killing spree was a nightmare he would need psychiatric evaluation for.

"They're trying to break him," one of the guards standing outside of the room whispered. Chills went up his spine as he heard the Empress cackle like a mad pony. He tipped his helmet to cover the fear in his eyes. "May the heavens have mercy on that boy."

His fellow guard swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Is it too late to be reinstated in another area of the castle?"

"Attack me with everything you have," Raven called out to the television, her magic firmly grasping a PlayStation controller. She grinned evilly and giggled at the bloodbath she was making in a digital version of New York. Maneuvering through the streets of New York, she manipulated the main character leap from the highest building and plummet towards large group of infected humans. She laughed some more as the shockwave from his elbow drop sent an insane number of the humans flying into buildings, blood and flesh painting the walls as the main character recovered and sprinted to the closest military base. "You pint-sized, pathetic maggots cannot defeat the Empress of Nebula."

Derrick had seen enough insanity and tucked himself under the covers, cowering under the impression that his favorite video just became his worst nightmare. "I will never play Prototype ever again, not even if god offers me all the power in the universe."

"I never would have thought human technology to have any significance, but this is really fun." Raven laughed with her daughters. "This is almost as fun as slaughtering a herd of Sprawlers."

Crow's smile held little humor for the cowardly human. "Your people certainly have a way of satisfying one's bloodlust. Are most of these 'video games' so good, big brother?"

Derrick poked is head from under the covers and glared at the young Pegasus. "Let's just go with this one and stick with it. The last thing I need is for your mother to play something like Doom 4 or—" his mind stopped him abruptly as the game was paused. He looked up towards the smiling goddess and squeaked "Oh shit. . ."

"Doom 4?" the Empress questioned, head tilted to the left while her son sweat beads. If she didn't know any better, she would think her son was afraid of her. But that could not be true. She just loves to slaughter. "Now that sounds very interesting. Is it another game that involves death and destruction?"

Derrick jumped out of the covers dramatically, falling off the bed and landing on his face. Raven, Crow and Midnight Estelle gasped at this and scooted across the bed to the man's rescue, but he was quick to recover. He faked an Irish accent as he sprinted out of the bedroom. "Nope. Nope. Nope. Fuck this shit. I am out of here!"

The guards who were praying for the man a few minutes prior were the unlucky ones in Derrick's mad-dash for freedom. The doors flew open and slammed in their faces, bones crunching yet—shockingly—not breaking as they were imprinted to the stone wall.

The doors slowly returned to their closing point as the first guard flashed a cocky grin. "Well his lordship appears to be in high spirit today," his voice was broken and wobbly. He could not tell if the stars spinning around his head were real or not. "So I guess that means we can go back to our normal—"

"Son!" The door's swung open a second time with Raven being the culprit; only this time, both guards were out cold and firmly planted in their wall prints.

After realizing he was still injured, Derrick staggered around a corner, appalled by his own weakness, the smile of a victorious escape fading and replaced with pain as the Empress gave chase. Raven had allowed him some space and time to understand her predicament, something she clearly did not want to do, but this was going too far. She had been doing her best to assure her son she was going to anything similar to those traitorous sun lovers. Now she had to chase her own foal because of her poor impulse for blood and death. How time did he need to understand that she is not like Celestia?

Derrick came into a rotunda and circled around in the opposite direction of the Empress's movement in order to throw her off his trail, but he was not as sly as he thought he was. Flying behind him came the worrisome alicorn at full speed with no care for who or what she knocked over. This time she follow exactly what her student told her to do, marking her strike with precision, masking the next hallway with a silencing spell she remembered. She noticed the moment her spell came into contact with Derrick passing through it there was a very small shift of magic. The walls were expanding as if breathing, while the heavy panting of her son became deep and raspy, just like her student had told her.

She noticed the moment his feet touched the floor the tiles were crushed and she picked up the pace. The next ring of his dark power would be soon, but she was ready.

She felt a burst of speed and had to tamp down the maternal instinct to share her understanding with Derrick. So far the spell hadn't set off any sound or alarmed anyone; that is to say 'anyone in their room', but there was one pony heading their way. Said pony just happened to be trotting merrily back to her bedchamber with a little snack for her human.

She hummed to herself, resisting the urge to run. She didn't want to freak out her Derrick by entering all excited and giddy for him. Her path veered to the right. She slowed down even more, moving cautiously with the tray of soup, happy now in the closing of her night with Derrick. Her heart felt lighter the closer she was to her room, but still she was oblivious to the panicking human heading straight for her.

"This is bullshit!" Those words snapped into the mare's ear and she held her breath. The situation had changed direction and moved in suspense, not the way she wanted. The tray in her magic became shaky as she watched her human see her and stop dead his tracks. However, the floor was freshly waxed, leaving a slick finish that he could not get in control of.

"Derrick?" Nightmare Moon heard the human scream a warming and the sight of him sliding across the floor gave away what she needed to know. Almost immediately the Mare in The Moon turned back, certain she had time to run away before he crashed into her.

Raven saw her student in the way and smiled at what was coming next. Oh, this is going to hurt them both. But it's going to be so funny watchin their relationship grow like this.

Derrick inched to the right and now was in contact of the alicorn's backside. This was where they screamed together and crashed into a clad set of armor with the tray hurled across the corridor, intertwined, perhaps more than they should be, but anyone could tell this was a good moment for them both—that is if anyone but Raven saw what happened.

Drawing several deep breaths, Derrick cursed himself and opened his eyes to see where he landed. Surprisingly, his destination led him from the fear of a crazy alicorn playing games to very firm and plump flanks squeezing his face. His eyes were the size of saucers now, and both times of trying to talk, he tasted something slightly sweet and heard the soft moans of a very eager and embarrassed mare. His heart raced as fast as her 'winking' at his 'touch'.

"Don't move at all, you fool!" Nightmare Moon beseeched in her best tone of authority, but the sensation of her body feeling the man's lips against hers made it difficult.

She felt through this horrible accident his tongue gliding across her nethers. Deep. So deep. Her agony burst through her like an inferno out of control as Raven stood her up, beads of sweat dripping down her snout. She back away from the embarrassed human and fought down the need to pounce on him. She had not counted on fate bringing them together like this, just because they were in close proximity. She should have thought of that possibility and look where it has gotten her now. There was no way she could get closer to Derrick without some sort of intention to have him mount her. Again, she backed away and pretended to look for the soup that flew into the air, which happened to be emptied onto the floor around the corner.

Derrick found he was getting weak knees while staring at her as Raven made sure to hold him back with her wing. At first he'd been stiff when her eyes met his, connecting like they were meant to. His senses returned with movement and realization, taste of the alicorn's fluids, the sweetly sensation of a mare's juices descending his throat. He never thought there was someone in this world that had sweeter fluids than Luna.

"I am so sorry for Derrick running into you, my student." Raven cooed lovingly, nuzzling the blushing alicorn. "I hope he did not hurt you in any way."

"I didn't want you to stop him." Nightmare Moon whispered, though not in a low enough for others to not hear. Derrick could not believe that he just heard those words come out of her mouth. He was no idiot to sexual innuendos and choked on his own breath in the midst of recovering. After seeing his blush deepen, she pushed her boundaries. Adding fuel to the fire would be a serious understatement to what she was about to do.

"What's with that look?" Derrick asked, leaning away nervously.

Nightmare Moon winked a second time and approached, ignoring her teacher's observant eyes. She brushed her wing over his face. Derrick shook his head, and she giggled, mirth behind her joy for his apprehension. She knew he was being defensive. She understood that he was not ready for what she has to offer, but he was in good hooves. Nightmare Moon obviously loved to push his buttons, it was there on her face. He might not be ready for Nightmare Moon to 'step into the picture', but somewhere along the line she would help him, developing his mind and body into her own desire, rebuilding his mind with confidence and certainty, reshaping his person to her life, and best of all, remaking him into the monarch she wants. She could not fault Luna for not changing the man. She knew, as a mare of the same perspective, that making the one of your dreams was near impossible, especially when you're a child of the dark.

She stepped up to the nervous man and clasped his forearms, no space between them. Her hoof ran down the back of his head, dragging shivers in his spine. "You are more oblivious than the Element of Laughter, but that just makes you more desirable. And you should know why I winked at you; even those you once called 'friends' would know what it meant."

Raven glared down at her student. "You're pushing this too far, Nightmare Moon. He's still very fragile."

Nightmare Moon circled his waist with her wings and nuzzled the man's lips, the tension slowly rising. "Yes, he is still very fragile from being around those sun lovers. But with our guidance, he will be a strong and fitting lord."

Derrick realized the slip of her tongue with the word 'our' and glanced up to the alicorn. "Fragile?" That confused the Mare in The Moon, until he took a few steps back and glanced over his shoulder at the Empress watching him unravel. She could see the hurt and anger behind his eyes. "Is that really what I am in your eyes, someone who is fragile?"

Behind the Empress, Midnight Estelle and Crow stood curious and worried. They'd been wondering where their brother had run off to, before the sound of metal clanking and voices yelling came to their ears. Both fillies were worried, yet not for his well-being, but for their mother. Raven's fear, both for Nightmare Moon speaking too much and her son glaring at her, ran deep in her eyes.

"It's not your fault," she replied apprehensively. "Your existence was altered when you grew up in another world. In a world that has no magic, your body adjusted to that reality. We just have to help you readjust to your true reality."

"Adjust?" he whispered, though with more hurt than he let them see. "None of you know what I adjusted through before coming here against my will, yet you have the fucking gall to believe that I need to be changed."

The anger that had come to light worried Raven. It was stressing her son's body too much. His chest wound was starting to bleed, as if someone might have traced a blade across the laceration with intention. She reached out to him, allowing him to slowly fall in. The hurt of his pride was deep. So was confidence and self-esteem. And yes. . . there it was. . . that faint glimpse of hatred confirming her belief that Nightmare Moon had said too much. There was no doubt that Derrick had enough.

And now, her doubts were much worse.

Once again he started to back away, making his way around the flirtatious alicorn behind him to keep a safe distance. He lowered his form in to a defensive stance and kept his eyes on both alicorn, and then raised his good hand. It curled into a fist, and that was all Raven needed to know he was not going to trust her. Not even in the slightest.

Derrick swore under his breath, though with more skepticism in his tone for his own lack of faith in himself. He had to get away from these ponies as quickly as possible, he couldn't handle another minute of their words. "You don't know me," he snapped through gritted teeth. He had established a large gap of space between him the mares as they realized their wrong. "You're all a bunch of lunatics who have no idea the hell I've felt for the last two years."

Nightmare Moon turned to her teacher and heard the in her voice, even felt it somehow. The Night Mother had experienced a terrible feeling and started to come unhinged. Pain is what she felt. The pain of a mother who is hated by her own child.

"You can't hope to understand how much pain I feel." He collapsed against a wall, as if that small spurt of energy had gone and he was too weak and exhausted to run away. "Discovering that I had no friends in the beginning and the two mares I dated turned on me for Twilight, that only scratches the surface of what I have been through. So do not ridicule me for being different, and do not assume that I am fragile just because I'm not like you."

His confession made the Empress curious. "What could you have gone through?" She asked. "From what I was told by Nightmare Moon, you had a good life and a promising future in that human world."

"I clawed my way up to what I am now!" He lifted his head up again to glare at her. "It's easy for you to reach your goals, but for someone like me, someone who had not a single friend to help him, it was the hardest thing to do; especially when you're an orphan who no one wants. I grew up in a slum neighborhood and fought hard to reach my goals. But what about you?"

"What about me?" Raven asked with skepticism.

"You're a goddess," he clarified. "You can do anything you want without any struggle. You can do whatever you please without having to try."

"Your point being?" she prompted.

He stood on shaky feet to face her. This time his hands did not push her away. This time they were firm when he grabbed her fur, a little more insistent. He touched her forehead with his and then tried to shake her—tried.

"My point being this—" he growled. "I busted my ass to make it somewhere in life. I made myself strong without anyone's help, while you had the luxury of an easy life. That's why I am certain that you are not my mother, because having so much power does not hide how fragile you are as a pony."

Raven wrapped her mind around that statement. Her brain threatened to short out. Her heart skipped, nearly burst in her chest. Every muscle hardened as her blood began to boil. Her own foal, the boy carried in her womb, compared himself to her and accused her of being fragile. He practically made her eat her own words.

Raven need met his in opposite directions. She backed away and watched as he fell on his knees, drawing air into his aching lungs. She glared at the man, looking at him with venomous eyes, her mane floating across her face to cover her expression, but not before he caught the infuriated, hurt look. "I am a goddess who do things with ease," she admitted, settling into maternal anger as the tears broke free. "But living with the fact that I failed to protect the man I loved and keep you safe is not easy. No amount of power in the entire world could ease my agony; and now you want to give more by saying that I could never be your mother."

A little shiver went down Derrick's spine at her tone. She looked more frightening than that monster in the old castle—a true horror—but there was something in the timbre of her voice and in her eyes that told him he just made a big mistake.

"Damian Le Destro, who else could be your mother?" Before he could answer, she rushed to him and thrust her wings under his arms. He blinked in time to feel his back crunch when she threw him up against a wall, reared up with both hooves pushing on his bandaged torso. It drew a painful yelp from him, but nothing she needed to worry about. "Who else could love your father as much as I? Who else could have loved you as much as I? Who else could be your mother when your father and I made you!?"

Derrick struggled to push her off, but she was too strong and he had no balance or strength whatsoever. If anything, the most he could do was kick his feet, which were dangling in the air, and breathe heavy from the pain drawn by her hoof grazing his wound. Nightmare Moon begged, if not pleaded, for her teacher to release the man, but she was too far gone in her own mind. Raven was so deep in pain and loss that she was ignoring everyone and everything; even her daughters could not reach her.

"Dammit, let go!" Derrick begged. "You're hurting me!"

Raven snarled threateningly. "Good. Maybe a little pain will help you realize that the truth cannot be denied, because I do not have the time or patience to exorcise the influence those sun lovers have on you. I have suffered enough with Faust taking you away from me out of jealousy."

"Jealousy?" He groaned, feeling himself rise higher as she pushed him. "But I thought she killed him because she hates—"

"She does hate me and all the darkness I created," Raven interrupted abruptly, whimpering on her own thoughts before they could come out as words. "But that was not what started everything;" she eased her aggression with her son, just a little. "It was your father choosing me over Faust that tore us apart. He was nothing more than a pathetic creature that somehow found himself in our world until we saved him from death. Your father was nothing more than our servant, but overtime we found ourselves falling for him. We came to understand that as pathetic as he is, there was something very special about him."

"Even if he was 'fragile'?" Derrick joked, but it was not a good joke.

Raven proceeded to sob as the memories came back in a blur. "Yes, as fragile as your father was, I loved him with every fiber of my being. I grew to enjoy his company while Faust became obsessed. So obsessed that she tried to use lies to win his love, but he was too wise and perceptive to be fooled, and it drove her mad."

"What about Celestia and Luna?" He coughed. "If she loved him, then why did she have—"

"Your father introduced us to alcohol and got us drunk, but it was with an earth pony that she bear Celestia. It was five years after alcohol was introduced to this world that Faust had Luna next and I conceived you." She admitted, though with some pride in her tone. Her grip loosened a little more, and immediately, rather than keep him against the wall, she pulled Derrick close and closed herself around him. Awkward it was to him, but it was better than getting crushed. "Your father and I hoped you would be an alicorn, but you came into this world as an exact copy of him. You cried and screamed your head off as he cleaned you up, but that all stopped the second he put you in front of me."

She looked down at her son and reminisced the similarity by stroking his head. "He expected me to be disappointed or disgusted of you, but I wasn't—and I still am not. I was so happy when you calmed down at my touch. I was so emotional to see you smile when I licked you. It was as if you knew I was putting my scent on you."

Derrick laughed softly and tried to hide it, but not before she caught the smile he wore under his hair. "And what about those two?" He pointed at Crow and Midnight Estelle, who were starting to feel a little unloved.

"Thankfully, your father offered every type of fluid he possessed for research and I had preserved it in a black crystal." She replied, almost conceded.

His gaze was on his torso now, a little worried when blood seeped through the gauze, forcing her to worry while he pinched the edge. "You opened it up again, and now it hurts like hell. Between your insanity and obsession of me, I think I'm going to die before I can recover."

"You will not die," Raven assured, confusing him ."I don't know how much longer this mortal form of yours will remain, but your dark power will keep you from dying. Just seeing your temper flare it tells me it will be sooner than later." She smoothed back his hair with loving hooves. "Besides, you are the son of The Dark Creator. You're my son, a god in mortal form."

He brought his hand to his head, scratching the itch of his confusion. "I'm not a god. I'm just a man who wound up here by mistake. If I was a god, I would be changing the world for the better."

She rolled her eyes. "You just don't realize it yet, but you will soon. Still, why change the world for the better when it's so much fun to rule it?"

He frowned. "Because I grew up around corruption and tyranny, where right and wrong changed sides and our leaders let it happen." He shook his head at remembering a few incidents on Earth. "Take for example the historical tragedy on Earth known as nine-eleven, thousands of people were killed by suicidal radicals that followed one man. And when he was found and executed, everyone felt that justice was served. But not me though, I felt that executing one man who led a dangerous militia in another country did not equal to what we lost. I actually mourned for my caretaker in the orphanage when I found out he was on the list of people taken by those bastards."

Nightmare Moon shared the same expression as Raven. "That does seem a little unorthodox; even if somepony is a valued leader, their death would not be equivalent to thousands of lives taken by them."

"Exactly," he snapped. "And that's how corrupt the justice system is in my country. That's what made me want to change things, but I can't do that now. I'm a useless engineer who cannot benefit anyone in this world. I gave up my dream the minute I worked for my Engineering degree."

Raven did her best to look interested, just to show that she does care. Tension was beginning to wear on her as she watched Derrick shrink into self-pity—the thought of having no worth or value. She was worried about him sinking to the same level when Faust took him away.

Her ears rang at the sound of an echoing voice. There was no way to stop the instantaneous pain of noise booming throughout the castle. Raven stood up and spun around to the direction of the voice. The joy in her was overwhelming, making her day the best as she picked up Derrick.

Derrick winced at the booming voice, looking up to the Empress. Guards sprinted from around the corner and passed the group with ponies in lab coats behind them.

"What the hell is that?" He asked in an irritated tone.

"Attention. King Discord and Queen Black Hole Sun have returned."

Derrick stepped in front of Raven so he presented a solid look of concern for her. "Where the hell is that coming from?"

"From the enchantment around the castle," Nightmare Moon said sheepishly, receiving a curious look from him. "While I was watching over you, I overheard some interesting conversations you had with Celestia and Luna. One of them being the enchanted noise system for quick word to spread when there is an emergency."

"YOU STOLE MY INTERCOM ENCHANTMENT IDEA!?" He screeched.

"Whatever you two are talking about, it can wait;" Raven said with a smile. She arched her neck to glance at her exhausted son holding onto her for leverage. "Right now we need to introduce you to the rest of the family."

Derrick and Nightmare Moon turned their attention to the task at hand. Taking her son with her to see the couple was not the idea she had in mind since Black Hole Sun hates secrets. She dropped to her stomach and bid for him to ride her along the way. Once he hopped on, she made her way to the throne room with her daughters and student right behind her. She trotted from hallway to hallway at her own pace though, humming a sweet tune while the number of guards passing them increased.

"You're going to love Black Hole Sun," she said sweetly. "She's nothing like that horse you dated. She likes to be blunt with everyone around her."

Derrick sighed to himself. "Great. I go from making my poor escape to meeting the opposite of my first ex-marefriend." He said in a flat, unenthusiastic tone. "This is going to be the worst day of my life."

"That reminds me; why did you run out of the bedroom?" Raven asked, curiosity in her eyes.

"I was running from you."

"Why?"

"Because you ruined playing video games in a matter of hours, and you traumatized me with how insane you are."

"I'm not insane," she snapped defensively. "I'm just more open about my desire to shed the blood of my enemies. You should try it, my son. You'd be very appealing to most mares if you learn to be open about bloodshed and death." Suddenly an idea came to her, a very 'bloody' idea. She smiled like a cheshire cat before turning her attention towards him. "I know. The Night Raid is happening in a few days and Nightmare Moon needs someone to go with her. Why don't you both go to Nightmare Town for a few days and become acquainted with the townsfolk. I know she would love to have you beside her throughout the raid."

Nightmare Moon's wings shot up. She made a small whine that was between excitement and joy. She took to her teacher's side and nodded furiously, brushing the man with her wing before it curled around his arm in very 'friendly' manner. She had the same attitude as she did with bringing him to her home. There was nothing better to the mare than to have a chance to be alone with her human. She could have him all to herself and no one could stop her.

Raven giggled. "Well there is no argument from her."

"Not so sure about it since I have a hard enough time handling all of you, but the Night Raid?" Derrick pondered it, scratching his chin. "What is that?"

"It's a celebration for my return to power." Nightmare Moon asked happily. "We eat, drink, and have magnificent activities that range from cider drinking contests to fights. It lasts throughout the night."

"Sounds like any regular Fourth of July."

"Yes, and I have seen in your dreams what a 'Fourth of July' is. But there are no limitations to the amount of explosives used."

Derrick hung his head in shame. "At least we have some rules for safety."

"Do not fret my darling," she cooed, nuzzling the man as he blushed. "You will have a wonderful time with me. Plus you will have the chance to meet the opposites of your former friends."

"It can be a nice experience for you both to bond." Raven suggested.

"For us to bond!?" Derrick screamed, his eyes the size of dinner plates as Nightmare Moon agreed with her. "Now hang on a damn minute, I just got through a shitty breakup with Celestia and Luna. I have alot of things to get over before I'm back into dating."

That's what you think, but you're already becoming mine. Nightmare Moon murmured softly. Your heart is slowly becoming mine.

Chapter VIII

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The throne room was full of guards, yet as silent as death when Derrick arrived on Raven's back, his arm firmly curled around her neck to support his balance so he does not fall on either Crow or Midnight Estelle, though it were it not necessary since the Empress had her wings flourishing and keeping him still as she made her way to the throne. Once the guards who were standing in her way stepped out of her path and bowed to her, the latter of Derrick's fear towards the mare he has yet to meet took a moment to acclimate to the fact of having a place in this castle and some protection of his own. Said protecting being his resistance to magic.

"The Night Mother," one of the guards whispered in awe as he looked up to her. Obviously he was a new recruit, and that was alright to the alicorn. His commanding officer, however, did not take lightly to him breaking his bow as she passed them.

"Put your head back down right now," he whispered in a sharp tone, punching the new recruit on the back of his head. "Do you want to have the Empress rip your heart out on the first day because you can't show her respect?"

Derrick felt a little worried for everyone after hearing that. He looked around and saw what he believed to be a fraction of the castle staff bowing to Raven while sharing some whispers about her and him. Most of which were focused on him being the son of their creator, and that he was riding her back. No one had ever thought the Night Mother to be so kind as to carry her foal when he should walk or limp next to her. This was very unsettling to man, and he continued to listen to their whispers.

He leaned to his right and focused on their voices. Most of them were stallions.

"Is that supposed to be our lord?"

"He's not even a Nightmare Pony. . ."

"What monster stomped all over him, he's got bandages and casts all over his body."

"I heard he's Nightmare Moon's mate. . ."

The whispers went on and on, and Derrick chose to continue listening to them as Raven stopped in the middle of the crowd to allow a single guard to announce the return of the Dark Sun Queen and her king. He ignored those who tried to talk to him, mainly Nightmare Moon, who was starting to get worried since she could hear what her subjects were saying. Some were good, but the bad outnumbered the comments by a long shot. She wondered if this would be a problem in his development as a Royal.

"He doesn't appear to be dangerous. . ."

"There's something odd about that thing on her back. I can feel it."

"He's kind of cute for a weird creature."

"Queen Nightmare Moon has feelings for that thing?"

Derrick watched as Nightmare Moon turned sharp on that last comment to the stallion who was foolish enough to say it. She leaned over the pony as he resumed bowing and scowled with the deepest hatred. She was ready to rip this jealous foal to pieces and feed them to her pet.

"Silence~" he heard her hiss before Raven made movement towards the returning king and queen, breaking his attention from the furious alicorn to meet with the supposed opposite of Celestia.

"Welcome home, my child." Derrick heard the Empress say with joy as she nuzzles the mare in front of her. Suddenly he finds himself exposed when Raven's wings curl around the alicorn that had not seen him yet. "Was your trip to Scalar a fruitful one?"

"More than fruitful!" The alicorn in front of her exclaimed as she fluttered her wing, accidentally dropping a sealed scroll that bear a royal insignia. One that Derrick had never seen before. "The dragons have agreed to our demands and will make haste to supply Nebula with a few dragons that will help us conduct research on their anatomy. Not only that, we now have a trade route with them. They will provide us with a monthly allowance of their finest jewels so long as we give free passage into our forest for their hunting." She flipped open the satchel around her barrel and removed what was inside for all to see. It was nothing to awe over, just a black egg with red bolts circling the shell as an illusion of it cracking. "They even gave us this egg as a testament of our alliance and agreement."

Raven nodded and then nuzzled the proud mare affectionately. "You've done very well, my child. Another kingdom in our grasp."

"And all we had to do was slaughter a couple dozen dragons and switch the Elder's head with his backside." The Dark Sun Queen leaned into her husband and hugged him tightly. She giggled like a filly as the Draconequus in her wing basked in her admiration. "All thanks to my Dissy."

Celestia said Dissy whenever—Derrick's thought is interrupted when he looks around Raven and sees that 'Dissy' was who he thought about that just now. His eyes widened dramatically, the air in his lungs expanding with his gasp as he watched the so-called 'King' act his chaotic self.

"Do not praise me for the job," Discord ordered in a playful tone, his eagle talon dragging under his wife's chin so he could tickle her. "I just did not like hearing that arrogant prick say such crude things about my Black Hole Sun."

Derrick turned his gaze to the mare beside Discord and felt all of his courage sink beneath when the mare's right eye drifted over to him and expanded sharply. She turned her gaze towards the intimidated human, and they looked into eachother's eyes. The intensity this alicorn was radiating almost suffocated Derrick as she eyed him with much curiosity and suspicion, her stare altering from his broken form to him riding the Empress as though it were nothing. Her husband should have been aware of it as well, but he was too busy using a guard's helmet as a bowl for the wine he materialized with a snap of his bear claw.

Black Hole Sun. The mare that is supposed to be Celestia's opposite. In Derrick's mind that meant she was bringer of destruction and mayhem, a true demon of the darkest form, and that only made it harder for him to sit up and match her gaze with a hollow glare. It was his only trump card, and it was definitely failing him. After all, Celestia was a princess of love and tolerance, and if this alicorn is her opposite, that could only spell trouble for him. He swallowed the massive lump in his throat and mentally prayed to god for help while the Dark Sun Queen approached silently, never taking her eyes off of him. Not even when her husband plucked a strand of her mane and used it to floss his teeth.

As Derrick turned away from the alicorn, his arm firmly locked around Raven's neck, Black Hole Sun lifted her right hoof to his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. Derrick did not know that he was fine, but nobody told him that the alicorn was doing what everyone knew to be her 'Soul Glare'. For those who experienced that intense stare, it was like having your mind pulled and tugged on by the queen for a true understanding of someone's inner pony—or in this case their inner person.

Black Hole Sun stared into his eyes for what seemed to be an eternity before she nodded her head and turned to her smiling Empress.

"This is the creature you spoke of?" She asked in a cold tone. "I find it strange that he shows promising power without some sign of physical attribute. Such darkness cannot be contained—" She looked back to the nervous human. "Unless he is restraining it, but I find that impossible."

Derrick sank back behind Raven, trying not to appear squeamish in front of the crowd. He had no idea how Black Hole Sun thought of him, and there was no hint of her taking a liking to him. He sat on Raven's back as if a statue, his eyes locked on the Dark Sun Queen and staring, yet they were lifeless.

Black Hole Sun's gaze altered as she stared at Derrick's lifeless face and then down at his body. "You've been through something painful," she announced, as if it were news. She realized the scent of her sister oozing off this man. Of course she knew Nightmare Moon would claim him. She had been waiting for a long time. She looked at each bandage carefully, feeling disappointed and a little angry. "This is what must happen for somepony to escape those horses."

"Actually, this is all my fault," Derrick said nervously, shocking the alicorn. "I think they intended to petrify or kill me." He took the largest bandage on his arm and rolled it up slightly for her to say the cut. "Your sister tried to be the voice of reason, somewhat. But I took her as the same monster Luna told me she was and ran blindly into the old castle." He looked down to the Mare in The Moon and smiled. Although it was weak, it was still a warm smile. "If your sister had saved my ass from whatever that was in the castle, my life would have been over."

Nightmare Moon choked a few time, clearing her throat repeatedly, determined not to boast or cram her heroism in everyone's faces. She wanted Derrick to believe there was a vast difference between her and Luna. She did not believe that Derrick could come to a conclusion from a simple deed, but judging by his maturity, she knew that with a little time and patience he would turn from those Equestria to Nebula and Celestia would be without her toy. The thought tickled her. Still, she could never cause as much damage to her opposite, not even a torturous, methodical, manipulative Luna, but she couldn't leave her feelings unscathed.

"Is this true?" Black Hole Sun asks her little sister.

Nightmare Moon nodded slowly. "Every word he spoke is the truth. It was not Derrick's that he was afraid of me. Those horses twisted his mind to have him perceive me as a monster." She leaned over and nuzzled his leg. "But he has learned his lesson the hard way and apologized for it."

"Very good." Black Hole Sun said, before reaching out to the man.

Derrick's body jerked so unexpectedly both Raven and Nightmare Moon nearly jumped on the defensive. Black Hole Sun caught the man with her wings. They were warm—warm enough to make him melt as she held him close. Whatever the Dark Sun Queen was doing, she did not show any sign or intention to put him in the ground.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you."

Black Hole Sun's whisper in his ear make him jump nearly out of her hug. She sounded guilty and sad as if everything his exes and former friends was all her doing and costing him dearly.

Derrick was flabbergasted by her, and he finally had enough of the confusion.

"What are you apologizing for?" Derrick demanded, though with a kind voice. Still, it worried everyone around him. "Seriously, this is not what I expect you to act like."

Black Hole Sun's breath caught in her lungs. She was under the perspective with his mind as twisted as her sister expressed. She could not mistake the man's mind for what it was. Corrupted. Fear burned through his body. She saw that he was weakened and on edge, the chances of him turning to Nebula were better. She just had to push him over that edge to see the Equestrians for what they truly were.

"You mustn't mistaken me for the mare that made you believe you were loved, believing that she had feelings for you and cared," Black Hole Sun warned. She took a deep breath, infuriated, but willing to tell the truth so that he would open his eyes to the real monster. "Do you really think that Celestia is the kind and gentle monarch everypony sees her as?"

The thought of which totally stumbled the man and creeped him out. She had a point there.

"Some of our ponies are born as corrupted monsters," she held him a little tighter, forcing his gaze to remain completely focused on her. "But most of us are dark creations that are born with a kind heart and a gentle soul. I am an excellent example of such a pony, while Celestia plays the opposite."

Derrick raised a brow at the mare. "Really, because I seem to recall her giving me a job and a place to stay when I fell through the sky and landed in a lake."

Black Hole Sun leaned into his ear and giggled. "You are ignorant and blind by the kindness and care she has now. But know the mare for what she is—" She leaned in a little further to make sure he heard her clearly. "Celestia was no saint when she was young. The Celestia you thought to be your lover was born after Starswirl used the Elements of Harmony to purify her."

Black Hole Sun jerked the man again when he tried to pry from her. Her eyes went wide, as blue as concentrated fire, but swirling with other colors beneath the blue—a beautiful mix Derrick did not recognize. He did not know it, but her eyes, when she was completely calm and relaxed often went that amazing shade. When she was happy, her startling blue shone through and pierced. Now, There seemed to be a strange mixture and for the first time, Derrick felt welcome that she was being different from what he perceived.

"Let us take a walk. You and I." She whispered then acted as his leverage. "I don't have anything to do and you are in desperate need of the truth. Plus I wish to speak with you about Nightmare Moon."

"I'm not going to die, am I?" Derricks asked before looking back to Raven. This time his voice was edged with fear. No answer came from the alicorn, and he assumed the worst. "Seriously, I'm coming back in one piece, right? I kind of like being alive."

Black Hole Sun guided him to the corridors and shook her head in disappointment. "If I wanted to kill you I would have done it when you used the showers in Canterlot."

Derrick's head burned now. Turned red and rushed the blood. Everyone could see the embarrassment beneath his hair as if it were as clear as the night, yet only the gulp she heard indicated how nervous he was. He was now looking back to Nightmare Moon for help, his skin tone nearly pale when she smiled nervously and worded to him, 'good luck'.

Finally the doors closed behind them and Derrick felt a flash of blinding pain. His legs convulsed before buckling on him. Luckily the alicorn was kind enough to keep him steady as they made their way towards wherever she had in mind.

"We'll have to work on your physique after you heal." She told him.

"Alright, we can talk alone in here." she closed the doors to Nightmare Moon's bedroom with a flick of magic before setting Derrick on the couch. Once he was comfortable she took her place next to him, with wing around his back. "Now then, let us get down to business." She coughed to clear her throat, and then gave him a more serious look. Nothing threatening, but it was enough to make him think twice about talking back at her.

"To clear up the confusion you have about me," she began in a calm tone. "I am the darker half of Celestia, but I am not evil. What you see is merely a manifestation of the darkness that she was before Starswirl used the Elements of Harmony for the first time to purify her. I was born when she was purified, but I am not the evil mare you presume."

Derrick tilted his head. "Well if you're some evil goddess, then what exactly are you?"

She scooted closer to Derrick, until he was practically resting on her side. She started with a magical imagery of her and Celestia being two completely different being. Both in personality and power.

"See those two images of her and I?" she asked, waiting for him to nod in response. "Our purpose is the same, we bring light and warmth to the world while Luna and Nightmare Moon bring the night. But we share different personalities and ideals for our kingdoms."

She expanded the image of Celestia and brought forth her sitting on the throne. "She believes that peace and harmony are the two key factors to a prosperous kingdom. Also, justice must be dealt in a swift motion that is merciful." Next she brought forth her own image and throne. "I, on the other hoof, do not side with that. I believe that a prosperous kingdom will happen if my fellow monarchs and I fight to preserve our own peace and harmony. As for justice, it is given in equality of the crime. There is not mercy shown to those who are guilty."

Derrick wanted to ask her what that meant, knowing the worst has yet to come. He did not want to leave any gap between him and the alicorn, even if it is the smallest of detail, because even for his current situation, he needed friends more than even. No matter how weird and bizzare.

"So say if a pony was a thief?" He stopped right there, watching her expression turn brighter

"I'm not sure if you wanted to know both sides of thievery, so I'll tell you anyway." She said in a lighter mood, almost bubbly. "We compensate the victims and offer work to the thieves that are stealing to survive. To provide for themselves or others because they have no work." Suddenly, her expression darkened. "But if they stealing for no good reason, we sentence them to the dungeon for however long and brand them with the word 'thief' so everypony knows their crime."

That was a little unsettling for Derrick, but he had to admit to himself that it was an affect way to let others know who lives in their neighborhood.

"And if a pony is raped?" He cringed on that one.

"Mare or stallion, should they rape an adult then they face branding of the word 'rape' and a certain number of years in the dungeon." She took in a deep breath before continuing. "But if is a colt or filly that is raped, then the penalty is death by the same torture."

"Same torture?" He questioned.

"Yes, but that has not happened in over two hundred years." The Dark Sun Queen added with a little nostalgia. Now she was going back to that day with ease. She almost smiled when hearing the criminal begging for mercy. "I cannot tell you the name of the criminal because I forgot. But rape was eliminated when your mother used her dark power to create an exact copy of the criminal and give it an erection that was too large for any pony to handle."

Derrick held onto his stomach as it gurgled, trying to push up the contents of his last meal. Now he was as pale as a ghost. "I think I get the idea of what happened to that guy."

Black Hole Sun laughed while patting him on the back. "Don't tell me you can't stomach a little torture to those who commit such heinous crimes."

"I think I'm to throw up." Derrick's chest convulsed once before he could get himself back in control. Black Hole Sun still found it hilarious though, especially when he gurgled and burped. This one is definitely a keeper, she'd thought to herself.

Seeing as how Derrick was not as threatening as she thought him to be, the Flare Queen shed her mask and relaxed with the sickened human as he wiped his mouth of the bile that did escape with a nearby folded towel. He had unknowingly given Black Hole Sun the right perspective of him, rather than concentrate on what he might become in the future. She had never known her Empress having a child so weak. As much as she wanted to toughen him up, she feared Derrick could not recover while in his current state of health and Nightmare Moon would be pushed over the edge into madness should something happen to him.

"You are not fanatic of such things, are you?" She asked cutely.

"No. Not at all." He wheezed.

She was very pleased that Derrick was honest with her and drawing closer than expected, and she felt it necessary to send up a prayer that his father—the source of all this mayhem—would watch over him and see with time and patience that his son would grow to be a dark lord if he learned to overcome his flaws.

Derrick was well of his setbacks. He feared those very same things. He was weak, and right now, his only focus could be on recovering. Once he had regained his composure, he was certain a spark of amusement, very faint, but there nonetheless, had grown in that warm smile Black Hole Sun held in that moment of silence.

He felt her wing pull him close, their space closed off and locked out now. In that strange moment one could walk in the room and mistaken her hug as the start of an affair. During the awkwardness of this mare holding onto him, Derrick almost wanted to be lost. He felt that her warmth was almost the same as Nightmare Moon's. He feared Nightmare Moon might find them like this and pull away before he could tell her how he feels. He did his best to tell the elder sister, but she was not listening. Instead, she was talking.

"Feel the difference in our touch. Feel me holding you close to me. This will be a warmth unlike any you can imagine when you let my sister have you. The light of my opposite will soon cease to hold you, and the darkness will burn through your body. When it does, when you welcome darkness, it will cleanse you, prepare you for the conversion. You will then be ready to take your rightful place in this dark world of ours."

Derrick felt the riddle become the smallest of answers. Warmth in his body and mind. His heart jerked in his chest. Stuttered with excitement as the door opened. He looked up. They were there, watching him cling to the alicorn, relying on her, trusting her with everything he was holding back.

"Those ponies put you through the very fires of betrayal, but I am thankful for it." Black Hole Sun told him, which was a surprise. It didn't matter for long though. Not when she was understanding him better than his exes.

She nuzzled the top of his head as her sister approached. "I am sorry for what my opposite did to you. I'm sorry for everything she, her sister, and her subordinates put you through, but at the same time I am glad that the pain they put you through has brought you here. We can guide you now. You felt the knife of their corruption twist through your body when they struck you with the power that is meant to protect their kingdom. Now we can help you walk the right path.

He had no idea just how right the alicorn actually was, but even with her truth, he was still without absolute certainty that could face the facts, take the brunt of it and remain honorable—for himself.

"Stay true for her, Derrick. I can see you are weary and in pain, but I'm asking you for my sister to stay true. Do not see her the same way you see them." He had never heard such a request in all of his life. This had come to be the hardest thing for him to feel, an impossible acceptance and he had to do it.

Again there was that small spread of warmth, but it was not from Black Hole Sun. It was stronger. This time he was certain of that gentle power in the midst of the warmth. This was what it meant to be cared for. Maybe loved. He looked up and found the gentle Empress holding him while Black Hole Sun surrendered to her the spot she took next to him.

Derrick was not sure if this was real, but something told him that Raven would not desert him. He had taken in the fact of her suffering long enough. She had dealt with enough pain, dared to live patience for a chance to see him again. It was odd, but the feeling was there. That she would not leave him. He had to somehow believe that—with time.

He heard the Night Mother humming, and looked to Nightmare Moon for answers.

She smiled. "Start with giving her a chance."

Pain welled up, a wave sharp and terrible, burning through his eyes, building and exploding at the breaking point. He looked up to Raven just in time as her tongue glistened his head, tears of his own emptied and lapped down his skin over and over, a wretched ache he couldn't stop. Something more powerful than his anger had consumed him. Lick after lick from the mighty goddess crashed through him, lasting long seconds that tore away the wall around his heart.

Abruptly, the pain increased, and he found himself panting, desperate to draw air into his lungs. He lifted his good hand to his eyes. He felt hurt in a different way and terrible. He couldn't believe the tears he pulled off his cheeks onto the tips of his fingers. He thought he could never this way for anyone; especially an alicorn that claimed to be his mother. Regaining the strength to calm himself took a tremendous amount of energy. Energy that he did not possess. He was still crying from the Night Mother sobbing and licking him so lovingly, yet he didn't understand reason to this new feeling. Already another wave of pain rose in his eyes, bursting and gushing out of him.

The strength and intensity of his pain scared the group. Their eyes locked on him in worry and shock. He had been an angry child suffering endless torment when he found out those he loved turned on him without hesitation, but this pain was different, a longing for what has been taken from him, building so it was impossible for Nightmare Moon, Crow and Midnight Estelle to not comfort him.

"I feel so alone," he pressed his face into Raven's fur, relying on her for support. There was no blocking the emotional pain, no way to stop the tears, or the way he broke down, went rigid, and shattered. As the pain subsided, he held onto Raven for the first time and muffled his crying, a horrible retching sound to the alicorn that seemed to give life to her slumbering hatred to those sun lovers.

Raven became aware of two things. Derrick's spirit, rather than strong and unbreakable, seemed to have a weak spot to loneliness and betrayal. She could accept that. After all, time would heal his wounds and he would grow to be as stronger as her if not stronger. This gave her hope that she might teach her son and actually pull him out of the pain he endures.

"Let it out," she whispered. "Let it all out."

Surprisingly he did. He cried without restraint. Without care of who was seeing him that way. The only thing mattered to Derrick was getting the pain out of his system, so he held onto Raven and said what she did not expect to hear.

"I'll try," that shocked her just as much as Nightmare Moon. "I'll try. . ."

Raven just smiled at him, and then at Black Hole Sun, wording 'thank you' to her.

"My work here is done." Black Hole Sun bowed to the grateful alicorn, turned, and walked away, leaving a mother and son to begin the growth of their stolen relationship.

"Not this time, Celestia." She muttered under her breath then left the room, but not quiet enough for her sister to not notice.

"Sister," Nightmare Moon called to the elder alicorn after breaking from the group. She did not hear a respond from her sibling and hastened her approach. She could not let this kind deed of hers to slip by without questioning.

"Black Hole Sun," the Mare in The Moon said a little louder as they walked around the corner. She placed her hoof on the Dark Sun Queen's chest to stop her. She took it as a yes when her sister did not stop her.

"Yes, my dear sister. Do you need something?" she responded.

Nightmare Moon frowned at her. "Why did you do that to Derrick?" She asked in a stern tone. "Why did you act so kind and understanding to him when your intentions are not of that."

Surprisingly, the alicorn flinched before laughing, respecting her little sister's sharp intuition.

Abruptly she pecked Nightmare Moon on the cheek and walked away, leaving her in confusion.

"Because he is Raven's foal and your happiness." She answered whilst looking back to her stunned sister who was holding a hoof to the kiss. She gave her a deadly serious look. "And I will not let Celestia corrupt him so much that it keeps you and him apart, and Raven without her only son."

Nightmare Moon blinked in surprise. Never did she expect her sister to be so nice to someone let alone a total stranger.

"By the way, Dissy and I were going to make love when we got back. So you owe me a solid for all of that." Black Hole Sun yelled around the next corner. "I want grilled bat and a big Everfree Salad with Manticore Blood Dressing on the side. Be sure to have it ready tonight."

Nightmare Moon gave her a bemused look. "Now that's the big sister I know."

Chapter IX

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Derrick pressed his lips together in the heat of the moment. He'd thought about little else since he and Nightmare Moon had taken a stroll around the castle with her as his guide and help. "There is so much that I don't understand about this world and myself. Having a mother for the first time, taken away from a world that I'd thought was my home and the only stability I'd ever had now shattered by everything going on in my head. I don't know how much longer I can take having my entire life turn one-eighty."

Nightmare Moon held him tightly and nuzzled where her cutie mark was starting to show, and the glow from the slowly growing moon on his skin flashed. "I know," she admitted softly.

"You knew this entire time I was not human, that I am something else, that I needed to overcome. . . everything that is a lie." Derrick remained still in the garden grass, so that he did not lose his comfortable spot whilst staring up to her moon. It was different from Luna's moon. Smooth and glossy with not a single crate to shape the image of a pony. He hid his expression by looking away from the alicorn.

"Do not worry about the truth," Nightmare Moon said. "You've come back to where you belong. And what happened to you before wasn't your fault, and you should never feel ashamed of it."

"I'm not ashamed, just scared and angry. I'd believed there was no reason for being an orphan and that Celestia and Luna really loved me, but I'd lived a lie with those two using me as relief. I'm not even sure if these feelings you have for me are true. I want to believe it, I feel that I would be better off believing. It's growing in me every day, but it's so damn hard to believe that you, The Mare in The Moon, has a thing for me."

Nightmare Moon should have taken that as an offense, but she understood where he was coming from and felt she should be more his friend than his enemy. She wanted to be mad if not angry for her feelings being compared and questioned to those monstrous alicorns. His situation, however, made her see and realize that belief is not something she could gain with words or affection.

"Do you think I would do the same thing those two did to you?" She asked in a soft voice.

Derrick sighed in his own disappointment. No, I just don't how to feel or think about your feelings. You saved me from being eaten and from the girls taking me back to Canterlot, but I feel lost and confused. It should not be so difficult, but it is."

"You're heart was crushed by those who you believed to be your lovers, and your supposed 'friends' helped in the matter." Nightmare Moon pointed out. "You're mind and soul are not in sync with one another, and without a full heart to bind them, you're lost in the darkness that is loneliness and despair."

Derrick's eyebrow shot up. He turned to the alicorn and stared into her deep, blue eyes tipped with magic sparkling inside them.

His grin was almost contagious, revealing twin dents near his mouth. "You certainly have a very good eye for what a person feels. I thought I could express myself without letting you know what is going through my head."

"You are not the best liar, nor the best deceiver. You're too busy looking in the past and the moments you occasionally have put just too much remembrance," she accused, laughing softly. "I care about you, Derrick, you know that, don't you?"

"I don't know how much though. I don't have much in my name and my entire life is a lie. I don't have all that many ponies to turn too for help. If you ask how I feel, I'd say I don't know." He looked away from her, disgusted of himself.

Nightmare Moon put her hoof on his chest. "There are many ponies here who are your friends and your family. I am one of those ponies, but what I feel for you is deeper than friendship. If I wanted to have you for myself, then I would not hesitate to make you mine. But I know that you need time and space to rebuild yourself."

"So us snuggling in the garden and looking up to your night sky doesn't count as something closer?" He mused, grinning evilly.

Nightmare Moon was quick to offer a rebuttal. "I thought it best to slowly pull you towards me rather than force myself on you." She expressed with a passionate kiss to his cheek, before returning to star gazing. "Besides, I enjoy the slow growth of what we have going on right. It's better developed with you and I being."

"Is it because you respect me?" Derrick asked.

"No," she chirped. "It's because I love seeing your mother squirm in anticipation for us to become mates."

"That's going to take some time. I don't have much to go by with you being this completely different mare, but I do see that how you are is not a lie."

"Are you implying you're convinced that my true nature is to have you and protect you?" She tittered like a filly.

"I guess I am."

"Of course you are. As I said in my previous statement, you're not good at lying, nor deceiving. You're better off remaining the creator and fixer you are. It's much more interesting."

"Does it not upset you that I was claimed already?" Derrick asked curiously.

Nightmare Moon laughed and shook her head. "Derrick, to be claimed by an alicorn means you bred with Celestia and Luna and developed a bond so deep that no magic in the world can break." She slid her hoof downward until it reached his waistline, and proceed to pat it gently, causing for the man to blush while she gave him a vampish grin. "And I seem to recall that neither mare gave their bodies to you. So don't you worry about being claimed, because that will happen in due time." She leaned into his ear. "In my bed. Under my covers. With me being the mare who claims you."

"You wouldn't happen to have something to eat in that basket, would you?" Derrick asked nervously, his voice cracking under the mare's lustful gaze as she remembered the food he servants brought out for a midnight snack. Reluctantly, she had to pull away from her own devious purposes to search through the handbasket for the few sandwiches she requested.

The undesired separation muted in Nightmare Moon's mind as she rolled away from him. She felt that with the time they already spent together Derrick's feelings for her needed to be understood more clearly. Not just for her own satisfaction but to know if she was going to more or less to him. Her eyes snapped to the handbasket as she stood up, her grin meaning the worst a mare can do to provoke a males lust. She looked down at the nervous man blushing up at the slight view of her genitals. Her smiled curled into something more devilish, her appearance evil in a seductive way. Strands of her tail tangled on his arm, intentionally, bright in the moonlight while the magic flowing from every hair dissipated at his touch.

Beneath the view of her slightly glistening lips, both aroma and musk blew into Derrick's nose, his need to put space between him and her greater than when she snuggled him in her own bed.

"Not the same as a normal ponies vagina, is it?" She husked boldly, making his last breath stop midway. She knew she was right about the difference, and Derrick could not resist agreeing by nodding his head. Unlike the misshapen swelling of a mare's genitals, hers was much smoother and did not reveal itself to the world. Given that it was barely viewable, Derrick was certain it was beautiful with it's slick, small formation.

Nightmare Moon's tail moved to block his view, the smallest of teasing, a mere whine escaping her throat. This betrayed the man's mind and body.

"Naughty lord," she called him, laughing erotically.

Immediately he threw his arm over his eyes and rolled away to make his escape, to spend the rest of his night in peace rather than have a goddess play with him. Her hoof stopped him however, and instantly her breath slithered across his face. Over-head stars glittered a bright pink and the moon glowed a soft yellow while lazy clouds blew in. He shielded his eyes to the best of his ability, but her breath caught his attention.

"Sorry, I forgot that I must give you space." She apologized, though it was not to be sympathetic. "But I guess I just cannot help myself. I hope you don't mind."

She laid back down and pulled back the arm from his face, removing the appendage from his strong eyes, while allowing the moonlight to shimmer in them. She wanted him to be comfortable with her, not afraid or aware that he was alone and unable to trust.

"What is it, Derrick? Are you intimidated?"

Her hooves pulled and forced the man to look up to her. The moment their eyes met, his heart leapt in his chest. She had always been stunningly gorgeous; even when he was manipulated to believe she was monstrous he could not veer from thinking how beautiful she was. As he'd seen Luna in her more natural appearance, his mind became more much more apparent to such beauty being equal if not more with Nightmare Moon. He was wrong though, he was in the presence of divinity that outmatches Celestia and Luna by a longshot. The curvy figure ran strong with Nightmare Moon, giving her a more voluptuous and slim figure, better than he thought, with every inch of her being what he hoped.

"Intimidated is what you feel when we are like this." The alicorn answered for him. She rested as they were originally with face in his neck, hovering the meal in her magic.

There was a little growl to his stomach that caught at her. "Well now," she floated the sandwich closer and locked her wings around him to prevent escape. "Are you that hungry?" She began to trail her breathing, delicately, across his skin.

She felt him tremble, the strongest of shivers, but she did not stop from there, rather she lifted her face subtly so her next kiss brushed the side of his chin. "Derrick, you will heal in time." She kissed him gently and him close, demanding nothing. Asking for nothing in return. Simply through body language telling him she wanted to be more than his friend and holding him were all that mattered in that moment.

Her lips curved into a faint smile while the sandwich was used to taunt him. "Perhaps you are still too weak to eat on your own. I believe you still need somepony to feed you properly."

"I promise you I can feed myself, if you give me the chance." Derrick assured in a nervous voice. "Besides, I still have one good arm to use. It's not like I've lost my arms completely."

"I see. So you wish to be stubborn. . . "

"Come on Nightmare Moon, I'm not as weak as you think I am," he interrupted. "Besides, I really don't to cling onto anyone and want them to take of me."

She laughed, turning her face back down to his throat as she cuddled him. Her tongue brushed licks over the barely noticeable replica of her cutie mark slowly burning on his skin. She was surprised that it wasn't affecting him at all, but, then again, there are so many things about the man that have yet to be discovered. Her tongue stroked caresses there, followed the path to his shoulder. Derrick did not understand why she'd pushed the boundaries. For him? For his love or servitude? Not for herself, he assumed. She'd been so desperate to cling onto him and the suffering she'd gone through to watch the princesses take him must have been unbearable.

Bravely, he slid his hand into her mane, bunching the thick silken strands between his fingers. "You have me so confused. We're two different creatures. There are stallions that could be better for you, but you want me so badly. It's so weird and kind of scary to have this right now."

She laughed softly. "Stallions are nothing compared to you. The most they see in a mare is their physical beauty and how nice their flanks are. But you are very different from that. You have an amazing grasp for what a mare truly is and what she wants." Her lips went back to feathering short kisses in between the smooth stroking of her tongue.

A rush of heat sent magic flickering through his bloodstream. Every muscles tightened, became aware of the mare loving on him. This mare. With every silent moment, her wings brushed his skin intimately. He caught enticing glimpses of her flank, the moon in it's dark blotch rounded to her very feminine curves.

He did not know it, but she was bound to him, drawn by her blood coursing through his veins, barely soul to soul, but it was there, and even a pony as strong-willed as Raven could not separate them ever. He did not try to hide his body's reaction from her. He was scared, but he understood too much to pretend nothing was happening.

She lifted her head to look down at him, her dark eyes glowing with power. "I want you to know that you were meant to be mine. Not Celestia's. Not Luna's. Mine."

Her gave her a faint smile. "That's a little creepy, but I like it," he assured her. "Because there is something about me that Celestia and Luna do not know."

"You have various thoughts of being in a relationship with me." She hit the nail of the head. "It doesn't surprise me. You have a fetish for me to dominate you."

He looked away and laughed. "If I'd known I was being spied on while in Equestria I wouldn't have had Luna change into you and do some foreplay with me."

She mused the subject. "Well your secret is safe with me, though I don't how long you will be safe." She leaned closer to him. "After all, you've never made love with a pony. So that makes you somewhat a virgin; and I just cannot wait to take that from you and shove it in their faces."

"Thanks, but you're gonna have to wait for a little while," he said simply, meaning it. He'd saved himself for that occasion, waiting for someone to take part of him. "I'm not some stallion that will have sex with the first mare who raises her tail. Plus it will be fun on the day I do make love with a mare—"

"With me." She interrupted, her tone stern. "And it will be fun to see how much better a human is than a stallion."

"I figured, since stallions can do nothing but nip and mount, that were is not much intimacy." His eyes went soft, those growing iris' of red she was fond of. "I suppose two minutes is not enough to get a mare to orgasm."

She laughed softly. "Only you would think that, and you are half-correct. Some mares need time while others are very sensitive." She leaned into his ear. "And just so you know, from masturbating as I watched you shower alone, I discovered that I am very sensitive down there."

The amusement faded from his eyes. "Okay, you're going way too far there. I know this is supposed to be your free-time with it being just us two, but flirting with me was not part of the description."

"No pony is here to see what is happening, Derrick," she assured. We're deep in the garden. Even should a guard, your mother, or even Discord appear in this part of the castle, they could not see us lying here. I have created a barrier that no eyes will penetrate."

Derrick took a bite of the sandwich after taking it from the mare while she was in her thoughts. He swallowed hard in nervousness as she collapsed on him, as if that small spurt of lust and energy had gone and she was content using him as a body pillow.

"I understand you are not ready to embrace what I am trying to give you, and I will wait for a little while. But remember that bringing you here was for me to have you and not those deceivers you'd thought to be you lovers." She looked up to him, her eyes filled with a dark emotion he found to be more exciting than terrifying. "I may be your friend, but you are mine. And should another mare attempt to take you from me, there will be mess for the maids to clean up."

Her confession made him laugh. Why, he did not know. "You are mine?" he repeated. "Nightmare Moon, it's been a little over two weeks since I met you. Plus I'm just starting to get over what happened back in Canterlot."

"A void that I will fill my love and care." She turned her head up to look at him again. "Should I remind you that I spent months watching you grow on those mares. I was capable of murdering them, if I knew you would not hate me or be terrified. I felt an agonizing pain in my heart that grew with every waking moment of you so much as kissing Celestia. Luna, I did not mind so much. But to see you date the one who banished me hurt me so much."

"I don't think you ever have to worry that I will be with Celestia or Luna ever," he assured her. "I've had enough of their bullshit."

"Ever?" she prompted.

To her surprise, he leaned in to snuggle. This time his arm was firmer, a little more clingy He dug deep along the middle of her chest and buried his face.

"I'm not going back or giving them a second. Why would I when the sexiest mare in the world has the softest chest and is holding me?"

Nightmare Moon pressed her snout to his head, a soft loving nuzzle, brushing his hair back and forth over her lips, as if she was already his mare. Her tongue stroked over a tender gash, following his taste, tasting his blood a little tentatively, but growing bolder as she deepened with a relaxed sight.

Loving with such intensity was frightening to her—wonderful—but frightening. She'd never thought herself the kind of mare to fall the man from a distance, and now have him in her hooves. She was not the same monster. She would never be the same. She would have the perfect personality of the emotionless goddess. Admittedly, she would forever need this strange man who lived at his own pace.

She took control of that perfect moment, so warm and inviting. Her wings ruffled in the smooth touch of his shirt overlapping them, anchoring herself to him, her first commanding, yet not controlling move. She waited a sigh, giving her the incentive to remain like this, but her lust remained strong, a creature that would be mistaken to be in heat, holding, still fighting the urge to pounce him.

Her body molded to his for him, more of a physical claim then she'd ever made before, more natural. She timed the sync of her heartbeat to his this time, shocked she'd feel perfection and almost pull away, but her obsession in him overcame any doubts she had and she spread her warmth to him.

The sensation was hot and tingling, a balanced surge sizzling through her veins, snapping along her every nerve ending. Her feelings for him encompassed her, almost infused to their cuddling, so that her need of him, elevating like a tidal wave, melded with love.

She took possession of his hug, so soft and powerful. She watched as he became peaceful, ignoring the sound of his own stomach. Derrick's mind raced, nearly shutdown from the sensation. Nightmare Moon did not know it, but every muscle hardened as blood rushed intensely to his groin. Her kisses were not the same as Celestia's, they were sweet, hot, a haven of ecstasy he wanted to visit over and over. He did not feel this with the princesses. He did not feel passion, but with this mare he does, and just his, but hers as well.

His need for another almost met hers. Almost rose with hers. Synced with hers. Her feelings were unparalleled and un-tutored, and that made it all the sweeter for him. Unlike the Solar Princess, she wasn't hesitant, but still a little shy from time to time. Nevertheless, he followed her warmth willingly, and when he held onto her, there was no as much fear as he had when he felt the princess, only a bizarre need to give her the same pleasure of cuddling.

He allowed her to nuzzle him over and over, allowing himself to drown in her passion, his breath stolen every time, giving her the benefit of his feelings opening to her. This dark, beautiful alicorn had saved him from a horrible death with the power of dark magic running through her and the incredible love she wielded. She had proven him wrong already, a reason to think not everyone is what they are spoken as, and then the thought of being loved by the wrong ponies, when he was lost he believed loneliness was best and no reason to hope, she had risked herself by coming for him.

He lifted his head to look down at her, drawing air into his lungs. Nightmare Moon pulled back, looking at him with her ensnaring eyes, her lashes fluttering down to cover her expression, but not before he caught the curious, nervous look. "You may be a stranger to me, but you are more amazing than them," he admitted, settling into her wings again. "I think I could get used to this."

"I am already clinging onto someone I met two weeks ago," he said, his tone skeptical. "I must be losing my mind or so desperate to not feel lonely that I'm hanging onto you."

He heard her snort. A little shiver went down his spine when she opened her eyes. She looked as calm and as happy as ever—the beautiful goddess in his eyes—but there was something in the timbre of her voice and in her eyes that told him she was very serious.

"Silly man, you don't realize that what you are doing is meant to happen." Before he could speak, she laughed softly. "You may feel desperate, but I do not consider it."

"I need to get some air," Derrick said, blushing. "I'm feeling hot."

She smiled deviously. "Yes you are."

He shuddered. "I don't think you understood what I meant. I'm not trying to flirt with you. I'm trying to be as honest with you as I can. Plus it's not that I want to get away from you, I just haven't thought about what's going on between us."

"That's my job right now, not yours," Nightmare Moon said." I am to think about what will be happening with us, while you rest and heal. We are all waiting for you to recover so Raven can make certain you're ready to stand with us as a royal. She wants to give you training and lessons when the time comes. It's not subtle, but she is a very good teacher. You'll need to be strong in order to move past your regrets."

Derrick stroked his fingers over her mane. "I'm lucky to be alive and have such help when I need it. But don't you think it would be a bad idea to put me in a position I'm not meant to be in?"

"Don't ever say that again, Derrick. Can you imagine what it would be like for Raven hearing you do not want to take what was stolen for you?" She asked in a very serious tone. "It is your birthright to rule with us, and Raven wants to see you be the lord you are."

He turned his head to look away. "I'm not a leader." His voice was weak." I can't imagine myself being someone in power, seeing as how I am far different from everyone."

"You are not that different." She brushed another kiss over his cheek. She held his arm and turned his head, forcing him to look. "You have the blood of the Night Mother running through your veins. You have alicorn blood, her blood, in your body, and she wants to see that bloodline awaken you. She loves you with all her heart, but she wants to see the true colors of your inner self. She wants to see your inner demon."

"Rather than see that I am nothing but a weak man," he said very soberly. Her retracted his arm and retreated. "I know I have to face the truth and how hard changing will be. I'd rather just wake in my room on Earth and think this is all a dream."

"So you would rather think that I was a dream?" she asked in a hurt tone. She retreated. "Is this new life of yours so terrible that you wish for it to be a dream, including me?"

He sat up, wincing, as she scooted away. "You don't understand what I have been through." He told her firmly. "Imagine if everything about you suddenly felt fake and everyone around you felt unreal. That's how I feel right now with you and the others."

She frowned at him. "I understand completely, seeing as how I was nothing more than jealousy and hatred that manifested before the elements gave me a body of my own."

She shook her head in disappointment, whipping her mane aggressively to the man. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have somepony to call a mother. At least you are somepony that is original and not a creature born from another's emotions."

He frowned, studying the perfect image of a her coming to life through the elements. A broken and lonely mare with no one to turn too, stuck in the loneliness, tracing her own hoofprints. He could feel where she was going with this and that he was wrong.

"I'm sorry. . ."

Nightmare Moon's expression dissolved to sadness for the man. She was still angry, but thought she hadn't considered that his life was thrown into a firestorm of lies and deception or that every moment in the company of the princesses gave him meaning to be happy. And with that happiness destroyed he had so little to smile for. She knew he was being unreasonable, and so was she.

"You need to eat something to regain your strength," she pointed out gently, returning to cuddling his bandaged chest. She levitated the sandwich he stopped eating while his expression changed to confusion. "And do not resist this time. Just open your mouth and take a bite, please."

The intimacy in her voice, that soft, almost strong note sent tingles of desire teasing down his skin, testing his willpower. He was taking a serious liking to this alicorn. Perhaps more than what he would consider friendship. His body shuddered with pleasure at the thought.

Derrick waved his hand over the alicorn's neck to pull her close. He wasn't looking forward to walking the new path that leads him to this new life, but as long as he had someone like Nightmare Moon next to him, the journey would not be as hard.

"Yes, honey." He joked before taking another bite.

Nightmare Moon's smile returned. "So I'm your 'honey' now." She mused.

Fuck me!

X

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Derrick laid in bed restless in the cold, dark night that is Nightmare Moon's domain. Pain travelled through his body as the chill seeped into his skin and worked with the slow altercation of his blood. It made him shiver to see his veins flowing with black, eventually churning the contents of his stomach.

"Fuck me," he rubbed his face as tenderly as possible, but the smallest touch shocked his nerves and forced a yelp. He looked up to the mirror next to him and saw it had spread to his face. Why, he had no idea; there was an answer though and he needed to find it. But only if he could move.

He was beginning to feel alone and a little desperate. Not the slightest twitch of a finger could be done. He was helpless to this strange yet unbearably powerful agony so long as no one walked through the doors. He was beginning to wonder as sweat coated him, worried about the possibility of the food he ate poisoned or the magic he disbelieves coursing through his veins trying to corrupt or kill him. Had it not been for the unusually alluring thoughts of Nightmare Moon, he could never have reached out for a reason to stay sane. He had tried to for leaving the bedroom, but to no avail.

Dammit, I'm going to suffer like this until someone comes by. But everything hurts so fucking much. Where is everyone anyway?

He did not want to sound needy or selfish, but circumstance called for it and he'd come to rely on his new friends and family. He'd come to know them better through Nightmare Moon's perspective, and had come to adore as much as they do for him. The throbbing in his arms grew stronger with each passing second, his breathing unsteady. He had no idea that pain could reach this level, and how in the world could he possibly stop it?

He curled into a ball and took a breath to try to keep still. The burn twisting through his body felt as though he were on fire. He could barely control his body to stay under his control, instead of remaining still in an effort to ease the never-ending agony bent on breaking him. He had to admit it was worth the books on medieval torture.

Someone. . . anyone. . . He told himself, his desperation in a low, compelling tone—if someone did hear him. A tub of ice wouldn't work for his pain, but he had to trying something; even a cold bath might do wonders. Fuck it. I'm not going to let myself lie here and wait for someone to help me.

He proceeded to roll off the bed, ignoring the possibility of his legs giving out from under him. "You're a grown man Derrick. Grow. . .some balls and. . . help yourself. They've done enough for you. . . already." He spoke with absolute confidence whilst getting his legs under him, said pain amplifying to the point of his entire body sweating profusely. He grabbed the crutch next the bed as an alternate crutch, barely able to support himself. "I need to know what the hell is happening to me. More than anything else, I need that. But I have to try and numb myself, and I have to get back on my feet. I have to take care of myself."

Derrick, in spite of the pain and exhaustion, couldn't help think back to how this all started, and almost burst into laughter at the look Twilight had on her face when the rainbow power failed. She was a fool. A moron. His new means of personal amusement. So many ponies underestimated him in the beginning, and they did again; only this time it cost Equestria the best engineer to fall into their world. He loved the thought of everyone back in Ponyville and Canterlot despising the rainbow six and the royal sisters. He loved how he had ongoing projects requested by many ponies now in the shitter. All because of Twilight being the arrogant bitch she is.

In some way he was proud of her stupidity and ignorance, in spite of the fact that he was stripped of his life, his mares, and his career. He didn't want to find some means of making her suffer, however. He didn't want to be man that takes revenge and becomes a monster in the end. Still. . . how could not feel elated and overwhelmed with the desire for vengeance and justice, that he rightfully had to take into his hands and use to his satisfaction?

I hate them. I hate Twilight. I hate her friends. I hate Celestia. I HATE . .

There was a moment of silence that made his heart stutter. He remembered the look on Luna's face when she realized how wrong she was to side with Twilight. Had she been regretful for attacking him? Was she grieving for losing him and his love? Even though he knew she had no possibility of being different, the question ate at him.

Is she really like Twilight and Celestia?

He a confused man, a lost person and his first thought about her—his certainty—did not feel as right about Celestia. He was well aware he had no reason to think differently, so why did he?

The pain swept through him again. He was on one knee. He could feel his strength shattered and his will very crushed, but he wasn't anywhere near the state he'd been after waking up in this room the first time.

He made a little sound in his mind, a scoff of anger. Why should it matter? She made her choice and it cost her me. He pushed the thought out of his head and tried to stand once more, but the harder he fought the more resistant his body became, until it went numb and his control was completely gone. Falling onto his side, he gave into his exhaustion. As there was no feeling in him at all, not even the pain remained.

"I think I overdid it," he told himself, mulling that over while a slow creaking echoed in his ears. He assumed the best and gave a little sigh just before a gasp was heard.

"Big brother!" this pony—or filly—screeched, the sound of her running to his side bringing some relief as he chuckled.

He looked up, into her watery eyes as they trickled his cheek. A smile came across him. "Hey there Midnight; what are you doing here?"

She did not answer. How could she at a time like this? All she could understand was her big brother had fallen and was covered in black lines that pulse through his body. She had overheard from sneaking into Sombra's room that something serious would drastically alter her sibling, but to this extent?

Tears drown her innocent eyes as she dropped to his level and nuzzled him, hoping he was not hurt. She ignored the guards running inside at the sound of her voice and witnessing that their lord was down. All she heard was—

"Lord Derrick!"

Derrick felt hooves surrounding him as he was turned onto his back, but he didn't want the guard touching him at all. Worry ran through him when even the situation is dire he had something eating at the back of his mind, not mildly either, but tearing at his conscience as soon as he looked up to the bat pony looking down at him.

"What happened?" The guard looked over to the panicking princess still nuzzling Derrick.

"He-he was like this when I-I came in!" Midnight Estelle hiccupped, which was all she could say to him.

The panic in her voice gave insight to the guard. At least he was here at the perfect time if he wanted to do something. The room was very dark, the fireplace barely burning. She could feel a tear come to his eye as he mentally noted what a nice opportunity this turned out to be.

This stranger followed the path of his desires directly to the door. The young princess was more confused, but it wasn't long that she heard the stallion turn the lock before taking his helmet off. Triumph swept through him He wouldn't have to bide his time for the perfect moment to get what he wants.

"It's strange how something so ugly could be so important to the empress and my queen." He returned to the motionless human, his smile not at all friendly as he peered over to see the man's pathetic helplessness. He stepped over Derrick, but not without pressing his hoof on the man's bandaged arm.

Though he was numb in an instant, the pain returned just as fast, and took his breath as the stallion pressed hard.

"What are you doing!?" Midnight screeched, looking up to the guard. "You're hurting him!"

This strange guard did nothing but grin down at her while lifting his hoof off Derrick. "I should hope so. After all, he stole what I was promised in the next few days." He began to circle her and Derrick, slowly. "I just have to pass the recommendation and I will be the next captain in Nightmare Moon's guard. I have to keep things according to plan, and with it—" he clenched his hoof, determination in his eyes. "I would have all the time in the world to have her majesty fall for me."

He looked down at Derrick through the corner of his eye, pure, unadulterated hatred glowing in the reflection of his burning, furious gaze. "But then you had to come along and steal her away from me. She had to fall for a creature that is not a pony and completely useless, can't even use magic."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Derrick spat, coughing black as he tried to sit up. Thankfully he had Midnight Estelle to help him up as the mystery stallion grit his teeth.

"You're just a sun lover. So why did she choose to love you?" He'd asked in a low tone, watching Derrick wobble to his feet.

"How does she love you? What makes her love a hideous creature that can barely stand up and look down at me without losing his balance?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.

There was a brief silence from Derrick. "I never asked or demanded for Nightmare Moon to have feelings for me. I did not request for this new turn in my life," he replied, clenching his hand as it throbbed wildly. "But shit happened, and I was brought here and told that by Nightmare Moon that I was meant to be with her in the first place."

"And now you have the life of luxury, all because of Empress Raven being your mother." The stallion pointed out, spitting on Derrick's chest. "It disgusts me how something like you can easily worm it's way into the good life while guys like me have to bust their flanks to get a scrap of what you toss away so ignorantly." He spat on the man a second time. "I hate that you are a lord and Raven's son. You're nothing but an abomination to this world."

"Strider," Midnight Estelle screeched, drawing his and Derrick's attention. "My mommy will hear about this. And you can forget about your promotion or ever being a guard ever again."

Derrick liked that the filly had some spunk to her—but she wasn't going to have much of a life with that tenacity in it. She might be a princess, but she was a very young filly, and this Strider was a grown stallion. He knew her status as princess would keep her safe, somewhat. But the anger of a jealous pony he had in front of him was indulged. Derrick was no psychic, but he could never mistaken the look Strider took on when Midnight confronted him, one totally bent on more sickening desires. Derrick was very experienced to the mask worn by guys like Strider.

His eyes widened as the smallest chuckle escaped the pony. "Midnight, get away from him." He said very seriously, reaching for the filly's tail to pull her back.

Unexpectedly, the smirking stallion raised a hoof at her. Echoes a her yelping sounded like a choir in the man's ears as she rolled across the floor and bumped into the fireplace. He heard her scream and retreat from it in the blink of an eye. Terror told hold the very moment he saw Midnight stand up with blood dripping from her mouth and the fur on her hoof burnt away.

How could someone hurt her? He didn't want her in the middle of the conflict. Despair swept through him when even in his worst moment he hadn't seen the stallion strike his stomach, not for one moment, worsening the pain to move so quickly through his body. He had known it would leave, but not before he fell over vomiting blood and his last meal. And to watch this filly suffer as well. . .

"I have no chance with the dark moon queen," pure evil sharpened the look in Strider's eyes after he turned his attention to the crying princess. "So I'll settle with a something a little more. . . ripe for my tastes."

The pain burned continuously as Strider approached the princess, his insides on fire, caught in agony, yet unable to move. He watched the stallion gloom over his 'sister' until she was forced to turn around, and unfortunately, her strength was nothing to help her. Fright bear at the man, until he didn't which was worse to hear—the sound of her screeching, or sadistic laughter of this pony forcing her to stand and meet the level of his arousal. Now, all that meant little when he was reluctant of this place became his greatest worry.

He heard her beg and plead. She was pinned by her forehooves. The edges of Derrick's mind were stretched thin. He was shivering with fear and anger. He couldn't understand what was driving him, but he could that much.

"Stop squirming or I'll get the wrong hole!" He heard the stallion snap, and that did it for him. He felt the burning pain inside him leave, yet there was a powerful energy surging his muscles. At times he had felt angry, but his mind wandered into the darker corners he locked away.

His peaceful nature changed completely. The fear and despair disappeared. His broken heart was full and throbbing. The blackness in his veins coursed over every injury with a healing touch. Don't you dare. His mind became clear, but one thought clenched tightly as he stood up and rushed with all his legs could give him. Don't you fucking dare rape her!

Midnight struggled and screamed until he sank his fingers into the stallion's neck and ripped him off of her, stopping the crime just before it could happen. He did not wait for Strider to react. He lifted the stallion off the floor, the roar of his anger soaring out the window and alarming everyone in the castle as he threw his first enemy through the pair of doors. The hinges broke, and the twin set of heavy oak splintered. The guards that were responding to Midnight's screaming responded with the same startle, almost caught in the line of Derrick's throw.

Said human hadn't realized how truly shaken he was after absorbing the scene and feeling, no matter how strange these ponies were, that the chained monster inside broke out. There was little he could process whilst approaching the recovering stallion, now on his feet and drawing his sword, not at a great speed however.

Strider took a step toward Derrick, his blade pointed as the guards watching ran off to fetch one of the royals.

"You ugly piece of—" The rest was forced out of him in a blood-spurting cough, pain with the force of a giant colliding with his chest and stomach. The walls carried a booming thud as Derrick thrust him against the solid concrete. Ho could he possibly possess the strength to harm one of Nebula's best guards?

"You come into Nightmare Moon's room, talk shit, punch me, slap Midnight and attempt to rape her!?" Derrick roared, his fists continuously mining the pony's insides, a powerful, striking form of dark magic coursing hard in his eyes. "You are so fucking dead!"

Midnight winced at his tone, looking from inside the room at her enraged brother mercilessly beating the screaming guard until he was out of breath. The guards were returning, and with a few royals behind them. Appearing out of the shadowy halls, Raven, Chrysalis and Black Hole Sun all but shoved their escorts aside. Midnight stood up and ran up to her mother so she presented her wounds and told her part of the story.

It was Black Hole Sun who approached and stood without any reason or conflict, facing the human. "I have no knowledge of what is happening." This took Derrick's attention from the stallion, long enough for him to crawl away. "Clearly, you are aware that something of the utmost attention has taken place. We came here on the demand of the guards informing us that you were going berserk, and they were right."

Derrick moved past his anger and hatred, although both clawed his mind, unprepared, he was certain, to remain in control if Strider made another move toward him or Midnight."

"Strider, the little bastard, came into Nightmare Moon's room, assaulted me, slapped Midnight and attempted to rape her," he explained.

"You'd best be joking," Raven said, lowering her eyes from Derrick. She looked past him to the pummeled stallion, pushed her glasses upward and took a step forward—a very aggressive step.

Like all dark alicorns, emotions ran deep; this included Derrick with half of his bloodline being part of it. He might be human long enough to stay neutral, but a sick stallion attempting to rape a filly, a filly he enjoys spending time with, was something altogether.

"I wish I was joking. He had her pinned and mounting her, forcing his body onto hers before I stepped in," Derrick accused.

Raven took another step toward her son. She put a gentle wing on his arm, but he shook it off and spun to find the pony crawling around the corner. "Where the hell do you think you're going!?" He grabbed Strider by the tail and dragged him back, enticing a scream of fear. "I'm not done with you!"

"Let go of me!" Strider demanded. "I'll have your head for this, you ugly buck!"

Derrick dug his fingers into the pony's throat, the magic in his body giving him the strength to hold his prey midair. His eyes glowed brightly with the same color as his alicorn mother. "I am sick and tired of assholes like you calling me ugly. I dealt with it for the first four months of living in Ponyville." He proceeded to slam the wheezing pony into the wall, repeatedly. "What is everyone's fucking problem with how I look, huh? Am I really ugly or are you so jealous that you have to try and degrade me?"

Getting no answer out Strider, he threw him onto the floor at Raven's feet and spat on him. "You know what, I don't give a shit anymore. I'm not the one who's ugly. It's you, and everyone who follows your ideals are just as bad. So go fuck yourself!"

"Says the reject!" Derrick flinched, and Strider took it as the first blow to is pride. Though bewildered by such a weak remark, he smiled, stood up, and left no space between them. "Yeah, I know all about your life story with those sun lovers you called friends. And let's not forget about those horses they call princesses."

The air shifted all across the castle and then cut back sharply to the human. The mares could feel the dark magic seeping Derrick's skin as he clenched his teeth and fists. Strider was much closer to everyone than any of them had expected, which meant he had something sinister about him. Worried for his well-being, Black Hole Sun put a wing on Derrick's shoulder, halting his motive. She, Raven and Chrysalis stood together beside the young man, sheltering his low gaze of hurt as best they could, making certain he was completely covered in the event Strider tried something stupid. The herd preferred letting him do as he pleases, but remembered he'd experienced enough pain for one day.

Until. . .

"Son!" Raven reached fast for her colt, but he was already on top of the stallion.

Derrick felt he was getting more of his old-self back as the mares stood back. At first he'd been aware, thrashing like a raging bear with his cub in danger. Blow after blow, they connected with inhuman strength, an he found himself easily sinking into the blind fury of a man that could not stand having his past come back to haunt him. After the burn of his bleeding knuckles, the sharp sensation of pins and needles crawling his skin became less of a hindrance.

The darkness these mares saw in him began to rise in his veins, much like magic with a mind of its own or a parasite fueled by the hatred, spinning rapidly around his entire form as he rose and feel, continuously thrusting his forehead into Strider's snout.

The moment a rope of blackness seeped out of his back, the empress wrapped her wings around his neck and retreated from the barely conscious stallion, restraining him doing causing any more change to himself. Curses, grunts and snarls rose out of the man, he did not like someone pulling him away from his target, the strength of these wings overpowering his even though he had abnormal growth of muscle structure.

Derrick spun around as if he might attack Raven, but realization caught up at him, jerking his mind from the fury. "What the hell did you do that for?"

Raven smiled, but she was not happy with the situation. Twice she had to see somepony hurt her foal and one of them being a pony of her world.

"Take a deep breath," she admonished. "Relax your mind and body. If you don't then I am afraid I will have to force you to calm down. And I don't want to do that to my only son." She pressed her snout to the back of his head and exhaled slowly. "I lost you once. I don't want to lose you again by your own pain fueling your magic. It will consume you like it consumed Sombra in the past. I don't want that."

Derrick went to disagree when he looked down to his hands. He had no choice but to agree with her. He was aware that magic can change anyone, but wasn't used to it healing or helping him. He noted himself for no magic at all or to find a way to control it; especially with the given fact that the wounds on his knuckles were closing at a rapid pace.

He looked down to the destroyed doors. Through the reflection of the doorknob, he caught glimpse of his eyes not changing back to their original color.

"I really am part pony," Derrick said. "And it's going to show more the longer I stay with you guys."

He looked up to mares. "Am I becoming a monster?"

The hall ran silent and the three alicorns stood together with the disgruntled human, impressed by the recovery he made, and mostly by his change of attitude. Chrysalis found his anger and hatred quite delicious, almost to the point of drooling at such a sweet nectar. Black Hole Sun was glad to see the darker colors of her sister's mate come to light. It gave her reassurance that Nightmare Moon would have a good mate to keep her safe.

As for Raven, blinded by her own joy. . .

"Not at all. You are becoming more like me. " She whispered happily, kicking Strider to the side. How could she not be happy that her colt had a similar attitude? Completely human on the outside, similar looks to his father, but the cold, dark eyes and change of attitude. . . . To see him like this brought tears to her eyes as she forced a hug.

She pressed a hard kiss to his cheek and nuzzled him. "I knew there was some part of me that you would inherit." She hugged him even tighter. "I could not be any prouder than I am now. You're finally becoming the lord I hoped you would be."

"Lord?" Derrick questioned, but it was ignored by the empress.

"Nightmare Moon is going to be so happy to see you like this;" Black Hole Sun said. "There was some speculation of you remaining soft and weak, but we all stand corrected."

Chrysalis nodded then added, "And your magic has given you a new look. Quite an improvement if I say so myself."

Derrick dropped all nervousness. "Wait. None of you are mad or disappointed. I just went bat-shit crazy beating one of your own ponies half to death."

"You protected Midnight from this disgusting creature," Black Hole Sun smiled, and kicked the stallion in his most gentle area. "It was justified. Besides, I'm glad that you finally showed your true colors."

"Not that it will help;" Strider coughed, angering everyone with his lowly giggle. "Given that he will not be able to protect you when he returns."

A series of raised eyebrows were given to the stallion. Someone gave an inelegant snort, but hearing it was the confusing part. Derrick was suspicious, until a pair of deep blue, cat eyes opened in the dark hall to his right. "Sounds to me that you have other motives to harming my human." Said shadow appeared in what little light there ism and with no armor. She approached then leaned down to his eye level. "Care to elaborate who this he is you spoke of, and why he promised you that I would be yours."

Derrick tilted his head, to which the Mare in The Moon found adorable through the corner of her eye. "Nightmare Moon—" he pointed a finger at her whilst struggling out of Raven's wings. "—how did you know to come here?"

"I felt a very powerful surge of magic while I was trying on these socks I ordered, but I did not recognize who's it was." She smiled lovingly at her human, her eyes fluttering. "So I followed it, and lo and behold, I stumble across the magic being yours. And what a delicious change you've taken. It's very. . . alluring."

The bedroom eyes disappeared, and she looked down at her legs, fiddling with them, curious of what sort of fetishes her human has. "By the way, is it true that you are turned on by a mare wearing these?" She looked back up to Derrick. "During one of the nights of watching over you, I noticed how embarrassed you were to see Luna in socks. Is it that mesmerizing of you?"

Series of giggles echoed from the mares as Derrick turned three shades of red. His eyes batted back and forth from the dark alicorn to the fearful stallion. His heart jumped into his chest before he looked down at the guard and had an idea of his own. His mind whirled around to a bold intention. In front of him was the most beautiful alicorn in his eyes, and he was more handsome than all stallions in hers. Staggering on the very edge of his courage, he stood next to her and began to run his arm around her neck. Nightmare Moon was a little surprised by his touch.

With his heart racing, he gave into the last desire he had for this mare and smiled about it.

"You know what Strider," he grinned evilly, his eyes glowing brighter than when he was angry. He lifted Nightmare Moon's gaze to him, causing her to blush. "You're never going to have Nightmare Moon, because she wants me—" he pulled her close. "—as much as I want her."

Another moment silence fell around them, and Nightmare Moon fell to her haunches from her legs giving out at the touch she never anticipated. In her own mind it was expected that she would be the one to seal the deal with her human, but it was necessary to remember that someone as unstable as him could do surprising things. She let out a yelp of shock inside his mouth and would have pushed him away from suspicion, but the taste of his lips intoxicated her.

She closed her eyes and breathed evenly, opening her heart a little at a time to take in what she hoped for, to absorb the feel of her human through every sense of this kiss. She recognized from how gentle he was with Luna, and melted in his arms. She barely made a sound, a soft moan, no more, as his hands occasionally brushed her feathers. He was so loving he shocked the others. When they finally parted, Derrick's entire demeanor changed. He ate up the despair and agony Strider expressed, nearly giggling. He was holding the alicorn close as she leaned on his chest.

"I don't care what I am to you," he announced, with a proud glance at his mare, who somehow had little hearts popping out of her horn. "I have friends and family here who see differently. And what is more important is that the mare who saved my life wants me. What they think about me is all that matters."

It was the last thing any of them expected to hear, but they realized his revelation made more sense than his softer person.

Derrick kept a grip on his loving mare as Raven pushed them aside. It was a terrible moment for her and mostly for Strider when he looked up to her. He was certain that she would be an infuriated mother rather than the goddess she was known to be. His certainty however, was corrected by the look in her eyes and the sound of her jaw bone coming unhinged.

"Nightmare Moon," she pushed her back then towered over Strider, her eyes looming with hunger. "Why don't you and Derrick take Midnight to the garden for a midnight swim in the pond, while I handle with this traitor for attacking the Lord of Darkness. Maybe you can find out how deep his magic runs and we will assess who will be his teacher."

Derrick furrowed his brow at Nightmare Moon. "Lord of Darkness?"

Nightmare Moon nuzzled his cheek lovingly. "It was supposed to be one of your birthday gifts, we're supposed to be celebrating it tomorrow."

"Oh."

"Off you three go," Raven levitated Midnight into Derrick's arms. To his surprise she was very light and all for snuggling in his grasp. "I don't want you to see what this mare does to piles of filth that attack her babies."

"Should we leave as well?" Chrysalis questioned, to which Raven giggled evilly for.

"Care to prepare Derrick's birthday party tomorrow?"

Chrysalis and Black Hole Sun teleported while Derrick took this request to heart and made haste with his mare guiding him. Once around the corner and gone, the Night Mother loomed over the frightened stallion, licking her lips of the hunger she's had since lunch.

"My empress?" Strider stuttered, curled into a ball and shaking.

Raven shook her head and snickered deeply. "No. For attacking my colt, I'm no longer your empress."

Her grinned widened.

"I am your worst nightmare, and I'm very hungry."

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

***

"Should I be worried about what Raven is going to do to that pony?" Derrick looked back quickly, hearing the sound of said stallion's horrendous screeching dying abruptly, followed by a loud burp.

Nightmare Moon giggled quietly, adoring his concern and curiosity. "Trust me when I say you don't want to worry or know what she does to ponies that bring harm to friends and family."

That made him a little uneasy. "Well I'm hardly part of this family of hers."

"Yes," she nodded. "But you are her only son and Midnight is the baby of the family. Imagine if we had a foal and somepony hurt them for their own pleasure. Would you be still?"

Derrick forced his mind to go slow on the thought, to assess and conclude methodically. He could not avoid the subject since it would draw doubt in the mare and draw attention to the others; that is if they found out.

Imagining it was his snuggling sister in his arms, he pet her cheek and replied, "I'd probably keep them locked in a dungeon until I create a torture device that is original and never foreseen."

"Oh," Nightmare Moon mused. "Like what?"

He pondered it in silence for a minute. "Well there were some ideas I thought of and wrote down after Celestia and Luna talked about the justice system they had when they were teenagers. I remember one idea I titled 'The Spoon'."

"The spoon?" Nightmare Moon laughed. "What is this silly idea of torture? I must know."

He took her wing gently around his back, ignoring with her how his immunity to magic was making her mane lifeless and dull. "Bear with me, these ideas came to mind out of interest when they were talking about the old ways." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, what you would do is strap the criminal to a table—"

"Very common," she chirped, winking at the bemusement on his face.

"As I was saying, you strap them to a table and heat up a large metal spoon to the temperature of charring skin. After that, you stick it to the part of the body part of your choice until the skin hardens."

"Skin does not harden." She argued, only to hear him chuckle.

"Yes it does, but it's very difficult. You see, it will remove all the moisture in the skin, forcing it to shrink and harden. Once that's done, and if you did it right, you then continuously smack the wound."

"So you cause them pain," she elaborated boringly. "I'm not impressed."

Derrick snorted loudly at her and continued, disregarding that Midnight should not be hearing these things; not that it was bad for her in the first place. She was very curious ad used to hearing new ideas of torture coming from the royals during one of her quiet intrusions in a royal meeting.

"It's not about the pain," he said in passion, which made the mare a little more aroused. She was enjoying his darker self a little too much. "The skin will swell to the its breaking point, but it won't bust. If done correctly the hardened skin will force more blood flow until it begins to seep."

Nightmare Moon hummed to the last part. For one moment there was a smile to the idea of a pony suffering that way and then it was gone, instantly taken by his hand rubbing her back, and it was purely lustful.

"Sorry for the sudden kiss back there," he whispered, his cheeks blazing red. "I don't know what came over me. I just reacted to what Strider said and felt. . . obsessed."

The amused alicorn smoothed back his hair from his marked face and then leaned in to brush licks over the blackened and glowing symbols where his they connected to the her cutie mark is dug into his neck. She had kissed the corner of his lips as they entered the gardens.

His magic is finally cracking the shell of his old reality, and our magic is starting to connect. Just a little longer and our darkness will be fused. All I have to do now is wait, and then show him why Celestia abandoned him. Once that's done, making her despair and suffer will be his first test.

"That's good," she stopped with him at the entrance to the pond and teased with a pouty look, her other wing brushing his bottom lip, making him his breath. "Because I would hate for there to be the slightest indication of my handsome human wanting some other mare. It would break my heart."

Derrick responded bemusedly, whilst listening to Midnight whisper for him to hurry up and go to the pond. Clearly she was getting impatient with their strange romance. "You know damn good and well that I have no intention to find someone else. Besides, why would I trade the sexiest alicorn in the entire world for a smaller, less beautiful pony?"

She found his annoyance adorable and replied, "I'm just teasing you. Expect much of it now that you made it official to Raven, Chrysalis and my sister that I am your mare." Her descended to his butt, partially slipping inside his clothes and giving her good feel of the firm buttocks her opposite loved smacking all the time."

"Not happening," he gently set Midnight on the brick path to remove Nightmare Moon's wing from getting any further down his boxers. "You have to take me on three dates before any butt grabbing happens. This includes any tongue as or foreplay as well."

She legitimately pouted on that one before opening the gate so Midnight could dart inside and make a splash. Of course there was the fact that she forgot to remove her tiara, but Nightmare Moon was quick enough to levitate it off her head and set it on the bench. Sadly though, she didn't understand the man's need for boundaries. She thought he would be more open after these last four weeks and that he would the same passion for her. It was respect his decision or despise it. Her handsome man and his desire to play hard to get with her; even when he's so ravaged by pain and betrayal he was still strong enough to hold onto his respect for a properly developed relationship.

It irked the mare, she would let him come closer at his own pace just as he wanted, but a mare with love, lust and insecurity can only handle so much of her mate being stubborn.

"Stupid, idiotic ideals of human relationship," she muttered under her breath, leaving him to remove her socks and hop into the water. "Why can't he get it through his head that I'm not like Luna?"

"Come on big brother," Midnight giggled then proceeded to splash water at him. "Get in the water with us."

Derrick pointed at his lower regions and said, "I have nothing to wear. I'll just sit on the bench and watch you two have."

Nightmare Moon went to hash at him for saying that when the light bulb clicked. She felt stupid the way she did before acting so bold with him in the beginning. This was so easy and even as stubborn as the man was, she was a devious mare with better intentions than what the princesses had for swimming. She knew what to do, knew how to get under his skin, and she would do it to bring him closer.

She turned as fast as she could, for Derrick, for all his stubbornness, matched it with her own but in a more efficient manner.

"Derrick, honey. . ." she cooed, her flanks swaying in his direction, beads of water matting her to the plumpness of her plot. "Are you really going to make me swim all alone? Are you going to make your mare swim by herself?"

His eyes focused on the mare, he leaned over the edge, drawn by her delicious curves. Neither of them regarded Midnight seeing this unfold, which was really bad on their part.

"I suppose I could take a dip. . ." he stuttered, removing only his shirt.

Nightmare Moon was quick to give him space to enter and fall in the cool water, long enough for him to adjust before she splashed his face.

"Good boy,"

Chapter XI

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"Derrick."

Her voice was cool, like a gentle breeze. Rather than soothe herself, it fanned the anger pouring through her. She swung off the edge of the bed and flung the covers off her slim figure in a hard throw. "I should not have acted the way I did during the Gala. I do not hate Derrick. I...I love him."

She couldn't contain the fury rising sharp and fast and terrible. Her decision leapt into her chest to drive her, to force action before any more damage can be done. The lies with her would stop at this point, and Derrick would know the truth; even if she must go alone, the happiness of her life will be taken back.

Luna ignored the guards at her doors and stalked out of her bedroom, leaving with Derrick's jacket firmly grasped in her wings, uncaring of her sister, her subjects, and the kingdom. The why mattered little to her. Just getting Derrick back into her life mattered the most.

Why wasn't she brave enough to protect him from the danger of those two, especially Twilight? Her teeth clenched as the thought ran through her mind. Disgusting tastes of blood trickled from her tongue as it bled from an accidental pinch between her teeth, but she did not care about it. She held onto the jacket as if she could protect herself from the truth, as if it were the key to her salvation.

Quietly she entered her sister's room to find a pair of wild bodies under the bed sheets and booming moans of delight as the bed rocked back and forth. Anger overcame the blue princess as she approached the bed, hearing that the second voice was a male. Her skin itched and her eyes and jaw ached with the effort to hold back the words that would snatch her from being the benevolent princess she is and guide her to darkness. She could not stand the idea of her big sister already having another stallion to fornicate with after their horrid actions.

"Celestia, we need to talk." She left no time for the alabaster princess to make up some form of excuse. She tossed the sheets from the bed and readied to scold her sibling, until male on top of Celestia synced with shock and horror of his presence being discovered.

Luna gasped then stepped back as the sweating pair of lovers separated. Questions rose as she eyed the dark-haired male covering his privates with his hands.

"Who the fuck are you!?" She screamed, using the language she learned from Derrick. She turned to her horrified sister and pointed at the human. "Who the fuck is this!?"

Silence was the alicorn's answer, but Luna was no fool. She put the scenario together and added it with attacking Derrick before coming to the conclusion.

Her shock dissolved into a scowl. "You were cheating on Derrick."

Before Celestia could explain herself, Luna had her wings unfolded and carrying her out the window in a flash. She took off with her sister screaming in the distance for her to come back., but she kept it out of her mind. She focused on finding Derrick and earning a second chance, but first, she had to tell him what was just discovered—and the only clue she had was what Nightmare Moon told her.

"Nebula," she whispered.

Meanwhile. . .

When Derrick is present for any small gathering he'd been requested to attend with Nightmare Moon, his silence cuts through the air like a knife in butter. The remainder of that agonizing of difference wrapped around his mind like a python would always to constrict its prey. He felt that this new world was suffocating him, although Raven and her student did their best to make his adjustment as comfortable as possible—and he was certain no other pair of ponies could do more—but the strange markings were there. Like scars, they were too deep for anyone to remove.

After his outburst with Strider, life took a sharp turn for the man. Sometimes, when he woke up in the middle of the night, he could feel his body scorching or as bitter as the bite of winter, all over himself, surrounding his skin, quickly like a poison, penetrating the walls in his mind, drilling deep holes as intense as the magic he cannot control when he's asleep. He knew he could never go back to being a normal person, and that memory would stay with him, right along with his new appearance.

Currently in his own state of mind and cowardice, Derrick contemplated on the edge of the balcony what there was left of him that remains human. Assumption after assumption, thought after thought, he was defeated by the fact of this dark power changing him against his will; it felt as if a parasite was growing inside him, reaching into his own DNA and bending the laws of science with the dark energy he tries to cage.

He wasn't alone though, as it was not in the alicorn's heart to leave him alone for even a second. She knew from his past experiences that her human is more than capable of holding his ground, but like his mother, she didn't want to spare a second of time that could lead to a dangerous situation. What happened between him and Strider should've never taken place, but it did and gave everypony the idea that Derrick is not welcome as they thought.

"Derrick. . ." her voice meant nothing to him, she was almost nonexistent in his clueless wonder about his true person. It was only by her tongue running up his cheek that he pulled away from the sorrow long enough to abate her worry.

Nevertheless, he did not look away from the land of darkness caught in a spiral celebratory lights in a small town just west of the castle.

"I'm so confused," he gazed drearily at the distant light of Equestria, thinking about how unfair it was for them to remain happy after destroying his life. Behind the depression was a burning heart that longed for justice, but he could not bring himself to ask Nightmare Moon.

He looked down at his hand. His fingers traced the blackness in his veins. His hands in particular had been very mysterious, bending his mind and belief with this newfound power until he was certain the law of physics did not matter in this world.

He was changed forever by these ponies. He was mixed blood, mixed power, part of the pony world, yet half human and half alicorn. Like he helped Luna when they started dating, he would have to come to terms with what he is meant to be and how he would feel about himself.

"I want to think this is no big deal, but I can't." he turned his attention to the alicorn holding him so lovingly in her wings, his eyes meeting the deep blue before she nuzzled his lips. "What is it that made you choose me?"

Nightmare Moon smiled. Derrick sounded as he always does—matter-of-fact, very unsteady and full of doubt. But she could feel a ripple beneath those red and black eyes. He was tuned to her. She was his world and she knew the very reason behind that redundant question.

She rested a hoof over his chest, feeling the tension in him—not sexual as she had concern for his mind and body. She felt worried and angry for the circumstances. No. Not anger. Rage, towards the princesses and their element brats. She took a breath, inhaling his scent, wrapping herself tightly in him for a minute while she considered how to best put it delicately. She understood the way Derrick take the truth is not the best. She wanted to ease all his burden, but wasn't sure how.

"Would you be convinced if I admitted that I love you?" she prompted. It would be easy enough to take him on the bed and show how deep her feelings go, but like she promised on their night of stargazing, she would keep at bay to earn his trust—to earn his love.

She loved him. It was that simple. Every stroke of his fingers along those powerful curves made her feel closer him. Though she tried not to be too intimate in her touch, she couldn't help the obsessive feeling she had when her hooves returned the favor. Derrick belonged to her and so did his wonderful body. He belonged as her stallion. Her mate.

Each time she found herself fur to skin with him, legs intertwined, his head over hers while she relaxed, her body reacted, coming to life when she'd thought the elements took that part of her and killed it. She hadn't known she could fall in love. She'd never felt that fear building in her chest, the numbing shock of who she wanted possibly rejecting her, until Derrick. Most of the time just his scent triggered her heart to race and her loins to throb.

"You are the one I fell for," Nightmare Moon admitted. "I found you in my search after Raven told me he battle with Faust cost you the life you were supposed to have here. I saw you and the magic sleeping inside, and I told myself that I want this man. I want Raven's colt."

Derrick was uneasy, and yet he was also equally as mesmerized by her. When he had leaned against her neck, her first reaction had been lust, but Nightmare Moon never forced anything on him—certainly not right now. He felt calm with her, safe to do some of the things he had been wanting to do—like return to his love for engineering. He didn't want to be selfish though—he knew it was difficult for her with everything that's happened, that he was lucky she remained at his side, but he had to know how she would react to his decision. There was time however, for him to take up constructing devices again.

"The change is harder than the adjustment to your new life, I understand that. But you are part of something much more important than Celestia and Luna put together. You are something unique, something powerful, and you mean the world to your family." She leaned in to trail soft butterfly kisses over his face until she reached his mouth. "You mean so much to me, and I don't want you to stumble on these changes."

He pulled back just enough to rest his forehead in her neck. "There are no words to tell you how grateful I am to have you."

"I feel the same way." She stroked his neck, hoof massaging the soreness in his neck as she felt his lips touch her. She had to push him away—given that if he continued he would have his obsessive mare showing how much she loved him. "Now then, stop thinking about what's happening to you and enjoy this night. You should be happy and feeling free."

Derrick wanted to agree with her, but it was said than done after everything that'd taken place. "Look, I'm just not in the mood for any excitement or fun tonight."

She sighed and straightened, dropping her posture and regal behavior. "You're letting yourself sink in those emotions, but that is not happening tonight." She took his hands away from his black veins, and guided them to her sides. "Let me attune your mind to something that is positive."

Derrick went to interject with the alicorn, but she took his lips, giving him a vampish grin. "There's no more self-doubt or depression in this castle. You are going to be happy, and I'm going to make sure of it."

Nervous laughter bubbled up and he found himself pushed into the bedroom. Her laughter joined his, albeit differently, and he was a little excited to see how assertive she was. "I don't know if this such a good idea. And what if someone walked in and saw us like this."

She immediately put him at the edge of the bed, running her hoof down to his flat stomach, her lust as sweet as the kisses. "Let them see us like this. Unlike those sun lovers, I have no problem taking you in my bed and kissing you in front of the others. It would be nice" —she pushed him onto her bed, and then sat on his body, forcing that bulge of his to press against her teats—"gossip if somepony spread the word of their queen breeding with the night mother's son."

"So that's your intention with me," Derrick accused teasingly. "You want us to have sex right now and let someone come in and see us doing it."

She shook her head and kissed his lips. "You're so cute when you make false accusations. No, my intentions tonight are to make you laugh and smile, because I am woring very hard to have your birthday happen."

"You do realize," Derrick pointed out. "My birthday is three months away, and I'm not really a fan of celebrating such an occasion."

Nightmare Moon nodded. She grinned down at her human as he rested his hands on the sides of her stomach. "That is your earthly birthday, but next week is the day you were born in Nebula. You're turning 4,391."

Derrick gave a small derisive snort. "Why I am not surprised by that, or a little shocked that you have the exact number?"

He sank into the bed as Nightmare Moon rested herself on him, completely. He had no idea how Nightmare Moon could know so much about him, but there wasn't any certainty to the facts he had coming to him every day. He rolled his eyes before continuing where they left off, as if the subject was dead to him. His eyes closed to the sloppy collision of tongue, yet there was not a mess. Though the problems of his life needed to be addressed, he had a mad desire to ignore them and just let the moment take it's own course with their rough kissing steering his mind and body.

He looked at the smiling mare after she parted from his mouth, and then down at his hands. "I never realized how fit you were," he announced, as if it was important. He realized he was amusing his queen. Of course she knew she was fit for her size. She had been eating properly and getting exercise whenever he was resting. He looked up to her grinning devilishly, feeling scared and a little numb while she adjusted herself.

"I bet Celestia was not as well-toned as I, her flanks jiggled in your hands, didn't they?" she asked, guiding his hands in their descent with the use of her wings. "Did they my beloved? Did the princess who everypony in Canterlot adores, turn out to have a fat plot?"

Derrick gazed at Nightmare Moon's evil-stricken face and then down to her rump. He hadn't realized how dangerously close he was until he processed that she pushed him against the wall and was now sitting up with her straddling his crotch.

"Be honest my love," he tensed at how true and loving those words were. "Do I have better flanks than Celestia or not?"

He choked several times, clearing his throat constantly, determined not to faint or run out of the rom. He wanted to believe that this mare was really striking him with a conversation about her butt. He didn't believe for a moment that she was that bold with him, he feared the alicorn would trap him to breed. The thought terrified him. He was never put in a situation like this, but he couldn't remain silent with her.

Nightmare Moon could see he was troubled, so she jerked her body so unexpectedly her human nearly jumped. "I'll make it easier for you, seeing as how you're not ready to claim my body."

"What are you doing?" Derrick demanded as he watched her force his hands in the sacred area. "Nightmare Moon, doing this won't bring us to have sex."

Nightmare Moon caught her breath in her lungs at the feeling of his hands cupping her cheeks. She was wrong about the size of his hands and the way they're shaped. More throughout this intense feeling, she could understand the reason of this man acting so nervous. He had not been prepared to touch the blessing of a real mare that takes care of her body. As sad as it was for him to be so inexperienced, it was all the better for the alicorn. To have the opportunity of teaching Derrick made it equally sweet to crack his wall of insecurity with her tormenting playfulness of his lust for her.

She giggled in her head, at the same time of giving her human a short grind on his hands; there was nothing better than this, except for the almost-perfect shaping of his hands.

She began to pout when he wasn't talking, her hooves firmly pressed on his shoulders. "I am not attempting to claim you, I just want your answer." The pout suddenly grew in her eyes, worried-looking—and some tears to go with it. "Derrick, I am your mate, so give me a straight answer. Who has the better plot, Celestia or I?"

Derrick bit his lip, a soft tremulous groan escaping him, his hands brushing back and forth under her plot, but he didn't pull away from her. is eyes widened, went soft when he felt the difference. The beautiful moan of ecstasy, indicating she was relaxed and aroused by his touch.

Touching with such intensity was terrifying for the man—exciting and wonderful—but terrifying. He would never be the same after this. He would never have that mental control of the inexperienced man. He would forever need to feel this mare who held his sanity in her hooves.

Swallowing his trepidation, he took possession of that answer, his intentions so warm and inviting. His fingers curled in the plump, firm silky fur of her buttocks, anchoring her to his crotch, his first aggressive, possessive move, his first fall into obsession. He waited a groan from this pony, giving her the aggravation to pull away when he still silent, but he kept her motionless, trapped like a bear caught in a trap. Only it was her cheeks caught in the trap, holding tightly, and finally groping.

"Yours is better than Celestia's," his honesty drew the wicked grin, and she licked her lips hungrily. "As nice looking as it was, it was like having two cups of jello mush to my hands." He coughed to clear the dryness in his throat. "But yours is . ."

"Say it," she demanded.

"Plump, yet firm, like it should be."

Derrick needed not to say another word to her, for his mouth coaxed to hers opening in passion, more of a claim then he'd ever expected from her before. He counted his blessing this time, afraid he'd screw up and lose her, but the thrust of her body overcame any fears he had and he opened himself to her. He ceased following her actions and took control, dragging her closer as his growing erection throbbed in her loins.

The rush shocked the alicorn to yelp in his mouth, it was hot and instant when he gripped her flanks very hard, an electrical burst sizzling through her flower, snapping along every thought she had of his personal space. Love from her encompassed the man, infused with a hellfire of his addiction for her, into his very muscle and bones, so that his burning need of her rose like a hellfire, melded with lust.

His brain threatened to short out to every kiss she gave him. His heart raced to her moans, nearly explode in his chest. The muscles in his fingers hardened as he felt the depth of her feelings moisten his knuckles. Her mouth was sweet, tangy and warm, a paradise of pleasure he wanted with the princesses, but not anymore. He wanted it with this goddess.

Their lips drifted apart, but her desire met head-on as she was tortured by the feeling of his erection shackled behind the zipper. She wanted nothing more than to perfect his special day with their bodies finally becoming one, with the last step of her ambition becoming the symbol of the ancient methods she remembered from Luna's memories; marriage would not make it official, but the old tradition of breeding. She wanted that very much. She wanted to have a marriage created in said tradition, but there was plenty of time.

"I love you," she crooned in his ear; moans of delight accompanied the mare as she rested on his chest.

Derrick's feelings did not meet hers, nor matched. He pondered their relationship over and over, allowing himself to drown in the worry, punishing himself with the silence. This soft, seemingly fragile mare had confessed to him with the core of her heart and the incredible feminine power she used. She had given her heart just now, a reason to be happy, and he was unsure how to react. Should he tell her the truth, or would it break her heart?

It ate him up as he held the loving mare licking his neck, drawing unsteady breaths into his aching lungs. He didn't know how to respond, until Nightmare Moon pulled back, looking down at him with enormous eyes, her lashes fluttering to cover the sparkling in her eyes, but not before he saw that beautiful, adoring look of contentment. "I know you're not going to love me for quite some time," she admitted, settling into his arms again. "You need time, and I can wait. I just want you to know that I love you."

A smile crept his lips at her tone, and it was stunning—her broken mate—but there was something in the timbre of his chuckling and in his eyes that told her he was not the same.

She realized he was smiling for the first time in weeks, and it was genuine. Unlike smiling when they are alone, he was smiling because of her confession. He was happy. Her heart hiccupped. She never expected that to happen, but it was and she had flung her lips to capture the joy when it was still there.

But sadly, like always, the kiss was shortened with the creaking of her door and a familiar face spying through the door to see if she was not coming in at a bad time. Derrick had to disappoint his mare by turning his attention to Raven. Oddly enough, the bells struck twelve and the room was riddled with silence when he smiled at the mare.

"What's up?" he asked in friendly tone, the chirp in his voice sending mixed signals to the alicorn that pushed all her work for this night.

She stared at her son skeptically, rubbed her eyes, and looked at him again; and sure enough he was still smiling. Her eyes searched his for what seemed like an eternity of raiding his soul for the answer, but no cosmic power or twist of fate was to be suggested by the night mother, and it worried her. Derrick was going through more than he deserved, and to see him smile so warmly shook Raven's core while she glared at her proud student, who happened to be relishing the scenario of sitting up, straddling her human for all to see.

"What did you do?" Raven asked in a deadly serious tone.

Nightmare Moon grinned at goddess, and hugged Derrick's head as he sat up with his arms on her lower half. "It must be from letting him grab my flanks while we kissed."

Derrick's nervous chuckling was all Raven needed to hear as she entered the room. Strangely, she had a gift for the man underneath her wing. "Well enough of you two with your foreplay or whatever it is you do; there is an important matter we must discuss with Derrick."

Magic had to be used to pull Nightmare Moon away from her human when she refused to move from her spot; yelps and whines slipped when she was forced to sit beside Derrick, but with no physical contact. Which made her pout and grumble at her teacher as the gift was given to the man. Why it was, she did not know, but if there was one thing she knew about Raven, it was that whenever a gift was given there was a catch. She knew that, personally, from accepting the offer of having her armor restored and a place in Nebula.

There was silence between Derrick and the smiling goddess. He found himself troubled with the poorly wrapped parcel sitting in his lap and Raven waiting impatiently in front of him. Her smile was not encouraging him to tear the paper when she pushed it, nor was she being critical for him to accept it.

"Open it," she whispered, clearly showing in her expression that this was important to her.

Derrick responded with the same reluctance, almost the same when she told him what he really was, slowing taking the paper apart, away from himself, the black ribbon coming undone. Strangely, elation swept through him. The lid was taken off to Raven's desire. He could feel a deep pressure pushing against his chest, as if the item inside was alive, it pushed then pulled to his body in strings of blackness responding to the magic in his veins. However, every time he looked away to talk to Raven he as drawn back by the dark ensnare of a female whispering to him.

He gazed at the mysterious garment until he was certain it was not his mind playing tricks. He heard the voice again, and it sounded desperate.

Master sweet master, young and bright,

I call to you, seeking what I was denied.

That which cannot be tamed and full of light and darkness.

Damian, ancient youth,

Prince of Darkness, lost god,

I beg of you to steal my pain, to accept me as your symbol.

There was a moment of silence between him and the garment, until he found himself drawn by it with neither goddess speaking. The box was dropped but the longcoat was with one arm slipping through as Derrick stood up. He slung the other sleeve and felt the pressure calming at his touch. The voice sighed after he adjusted the collar and magic both inside and out burned through him. This time he did not resist or shackle himself with fear.

The symbols on his skin were glowing and the heaviness in his heart was lessened. How this was happening, he did not know—and he didn't want to.

"Raven," In spite of the hesitation in his voice, Derrick sounded strong. He'd only used his strength when he was working. "Is there a reason you gave this to me when it clearly isn't normal clothing."

She had known this moment would come. She had hoped it would come much later. Licking her lips she nodded, even though neither he or Nightmare Moon could see her gesture.

"I did not want to wait until your birthday. Once I realized how caged you are within these walls I had to do it." She infused absolute joy into her voice. She believed he was ready to get back on his feet or she wouldn't have this chance to let him be free. She would have kept like a bird, but she wouldn't have let him fly.

"I understand that you are feeling well again, so I think it's time you take your place beside me," she added with confidence. "However, I was informed by your mate about your capabilities. So please—my son, show me in the next week what you can do for this castle."

Derrick, in spite of this sudden request, and early birthday, couldn't help the burst of energy at Raven's question for his skills. She allowing him to do what makes him unique. His own abilities. So many ponies underestimated him in the beginning. None of which were confident in him, but this mare wanted to see what he can do. He almost wanted to kiss her.

He was proud of her courage, in spite of the fact that she was the one who changed him. He didn't want to disappoint her or his mare, and he was determined not too. Still. . . how could he not thank this pony for her overwhelming care, that she had loved him enough to let him take back what makes him proud.

There was a moment of silence that made the mares gasp. His arms were locked around Raven's neck and he was crying into her fur. Both ponies were concerned that a nerve was struck, until he said the last sentence either of them expected them to hear.

"Thank you. . . mom." Despite the shortcoming of their developing bond, Derrick had to take pride in the fact of this mare being his mom. As disbelieving as it was. . . she was closer to a mother than anyone in his life.

Raven took a deep breath to try to keep her emotions together. The burn of her son's acceptance rekindling her soul. She could barely force her body to remain under her control, instead of moving in an effort to hug him as strongly as she could. She had to admit it was the best thing in a long time.

"Oh man, I need to explore the castle." Derrick told her in a high, compelling tone, although he was still trapped in the alicorn's hooves. "I need to see the weak spots of the infrastructure. I need my pencils and blue sheets if I'm going to start."

Raven took her time mulling his excitement while she hugged him. She gave a little sigh before forcing him to lie down. "Just settle down for a little bit, and how about we wait until the end of the week, when everypony is free?"

"Why?" He cocked an eyebrow as she held him in place. He was beginning to feel there was a catch to her request.

"Because I want to start your training tomorrow." She said in a kind voice, shushing him with a nuzzle to his cheek.

Nightmare Moon gasped then smiled. "Do you mean—"

"Yes, he's going to learn how use his powers," Raven nodded, before surprising her student. "And Black Hole Sun is going to be his teacher."

Chapter XII

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A cold and peaceful night for the queen of the dark moon, her hooves worshipped by the very nightmare ponies that watch her pass through the corridors with a delectable scent travelling the halls, attracting her to its source as she wandered where her lord could be at a time like this.

She brushed a wing into the open air to draw in the aroma of burning meat and spices. She moaned with delight as her stomach grumbled from the lack of lunch, but a good queen must skip meals from time to time to keep things in line. Still, even as hungry as she was, Nightmare Moon was in a very good mood from the upcoming teachings they pushed back to get his birthday out of the way. Thank the heavens they were going to do it in the next couple of days. She obviously had something planned, it was there on her face. She knew Derrick might not be ready to fulfill his duties for the kingdom, but somewhere along the line he would do so. He would mature into his own image of darkness and authority. She just had to help him gain confidence in making himself into a fine symbol of power. She couldn't fault her lover for his weakness. She knew, from the many weeks they shared, it was the life of a human and living around those sun lovers that he'd grown soft-hearted.

She stepped around the corner with the aroma stronger than ever, and stopped before her presence was felt. She clasped her crown as it slid off and watched her fellow royals piled against the kitchen doors. She listened promptly to their muttering as the sound of sizzling was heard in the background.

"Has that boy lost his mind?"

"He's going to set a bad image for us."

"He's just making himself a meal."

"That's what slaves are for."

"What, pray tell, is everypony doing here?" Nightmare Moon asked with some curiosity, startling everyone but Discord while a sudden burst of flames came from inside. She could hear ponies awing over the combustion whilst approaching her fellow royals, who were shushing her and bidding that she sees for herself what the commotion was about.

Black Hole Sun looked down at her sister. "You're mate is inside the kitchen, sister. He's been in there for about two hours now."

Nightmare Moon took a peek through the crevice and saw that Derrick was indeed cooking with a bunch of their chefs watching closely. Beside him, the head chef was writing notes on the recipe and listening to every detail given.

Discord looked down at Nightmare Moon with a smile cracking between his cheeks. "I hope you're not as astonished as they are," he received a series of glares from everyone before looking back at Derrick. "It doesn't surprise me that the boy can cook as well. He did tell me that he spent most of his life cooking meals for himself and that human sister of his."

"But that is a slave's job," Sombra said bitterly, receiving the harshest of glares from the mare that is.

"What," he held his hooves up defensively as she snorted at him. "It's the truth. Slaves are meant to do our bidding. They cook for us , not clean. And that right there proves he is not ready to rule beside us."

Nightmare Moon removed herself from the door and stepped up to the unicorn. Clearly he was in one of his bad moods and she was going to fix that right away. Nothing infuriated the alicorn more than to hear how some pony was degrading her dark lord, but for it to be one of the royals that she'd trusted to give him a chance. . .

She was ready to strange the stallion for his arrogant perspective of the man.

"Cooking is not a sign of weakness," she rebuked venomously, clasping his chest her a tight grip to her hoof. If glaring could be used as a lethal weapon, Sombra would two holes bored into the center of his skull right now. "It is a hobby of Derrick's and part of his person. It shows just how caring and open he is."

Nightmare Moon's hoof tightened on his fur. She'd always thought this part of her life would come, willing to face it, subconsciously viewing Sombra as the student rather a role model. She'd been stolen by her human, both her heart and soul, but his love and devotion. And she would not tolerate anyone, no even her family, insulting him for his good traits.

"Maybe if you learned a little from Derrick you might understand what he is coming from," Nightmare Moon said.

"Like what?" Sombra scoffed.

At that moment Nightmare Moon inherited an idea from this stallion's disrespect. The thought inside her head was devious, a little sinister, growing a sickly smile on her muzzle while she held the pony in the air. She released him of her hoof, but just as he was about to fall on his hooves she kept him in a gentle aura and pushed the door open with her hind leg. She brushed his hoof over her face. Sombra shook his had of it. He knew he was in trouble. He was not ready for what she had in mind, but it wasn't his choice to say no.

"Let's find out," the alicorn hissed, giggling as she turned to her human and entered the kitchen.

***

"It's best if you cook the meat first over an open flame to drain the meat." Derrick told the chefs, taking charge of the meat after they burnt part of it. He needed to be in charge in the first place to stop them from overheating the contents in the pot next to the skillet. "Reason for this is there won't be much grease, and you mix it with the vegetables the juices from all the spices will be absorbed, giving it better flavor. Plus the grease will go straight to ass if you don't do it this way."

The chefs were all in agreement of this, but none of them expressed such gratitude to this piece of wisdom, as in their moment of understanding the human's method they came across the royals entering and bowed to them immediately, never speaking a word or looking up to see what was next in the man's cooking.

Nightmare Moon approached him with a very aggravated Sombra cursing in every language he knew. Thankfully she'd put a silencing spell on the unicorn before he could make a fool of himself. She held him with her magic and approached to surprise her dark lord with a passionate kiss, such as could be done to her leisure and desire for the taste of his lips. There was no doubt that he was surprised by the alicorn leering over and jerking his mouth gaze to hers before the feeling of tongue passed his lips.

After realizing what was happening, he placed a firm hand in her mane in support of said kiss and moaned with her, enticing the jealousy of some chefs. He found this ministration not only soothing, and extremely intimate, but sexy as well. He had actually found joy in wrestling with for dominance of the kiss.

"Having fun in here my love?" Nightmare Moon greeted, licking his saliva from her lips.

"Just doing a little cooking," Derrick said. He pushed back a few strands of hair that had fallen over her eye. Her body trembled at his touch as he gave her a peck on the cheek.

"What are you all doing here anyway," He asked before noticing the angry unicorn pouting in her aura. "And why is Sombra like that? Did he catch something that's contagious?"

"We are not that lucky my sweet," Nightmare Moon chuckled. She levitated the unicorn to Derrick and dropped him on his rear. "No, Sombra thinks that you're setting a bad image with your cooking. So I brought him here for you to teach."

Derrick knew the moment Nightmare Moon stepped away from him and Sombra. He'd learned when the alicorn had a mischievous side to her and needed to trust her for it. Before, he never would have trusted someone with a bad reputation, not if she was still such a stranger to him, but this pony had held out against the hard work of earning his trust and he wouldn't turn her away. He had learned enough and had accepted the fate everyone knew with stoic resolve.

He was much like the beloved mare. He didn't have a pure heart or a mind to understand everything. He simply accepted the flawed pieces of himself and smiled if tempted, but he would ruin Sombra fiercely for the amusement of turning the immortal into something the mares would find tempting. He was already deep in thought and kneeling to the mad unicorn and he could see the idea on Sombra, with a little bonnet for extra emphasis.

Derrick had politely rubbed Sombra's head, giving him an evil smirk from the depth of his heart, although the glow in his monstrous eyes seated the meaning of 'teaching a hard lesson'.

"So you think I'm making a bad name by cooking," he insinuated, a deep chuckle in the bottom of his throat while the unicorn gulped nervously. "Well. . . let's see what you think after the tables are turned on you."

Sombra looked over his shoulder to his wife for help. "Chrysalis. . . my beloved queen. . ."

Chrysalis exchanged a long glance to the closest wall and whistled a fine tune, ignoring the whimper of her husband as Derrick rummaged through an overhead cabinet. Sombra's heart began to pound with fear. His wife was considered the salvation of his mistake, but he'd forgotten that she was the eccentric among the castle. More than anything, she loved to try new things and ran with any idea—wholly and certainly willing to see a new side of him.

"Aha, I found it." Derrick chirped, turning to the not-so ready changeling king, his idea firmly grasped in his hands as it made it his victim blush crimson.

Sombra had spent centuries ruling in darkness, advocating for himself and providing fear for his subjects and live without a single pony to question his authority. He had done so in the beginning of his revival to provide safety for his family, but now in the clutches of the half-blood, he'd purchased a life lesson that would haunt him forever.

"You'll look so cute in this, Sombra," Derrick said with faux innocence, his eyes going grim as he slowly towered over the pony.

Meanwhile. . .

After Luna's Leave. . .

Luna reached the faint light of Spike's bedroom and saw the drake curled in his new bed. He was silent in spite of the alicorn making a surprise landing through his window, radiant her body was with the moonlight glistening off her sweat, knowing he biggest lead to her love was through a withering energy that Spike held firmly.

Luna looked somberly at the poor dragon, at the claws digging into the cloth. She would need that item to take away the loneliness, and even out the pitting guilt over her heart, but that would require taking what remained of the boy's faith. She could only hope that he would understand.

"Spike," she greeted, but his eyes did not divert from the painted fabric.

"Twilight's not here," Spike told her in a hollow voice, clutching on the shirt as tightly as he could without tearing it. He rolled away completely, facing the wall to hide his pain.

"I'm not here for that insufferable filly my sister made a princess," Luna explained sternly. Her bold words grasped some of the drake's attention, as he was a little curious why the princess would talk about her first friend like that. "I'm here for that shirt of Derrick's. I need something of his essence to find him."

Spike tried not to be surprised, but he wanted to be answered that moment. He had thought the human a big brother and felt a piece of him was torn away. "You can find him?" He tried not to sound desperate.

Luna nodded solemnly. "I believe that I can, but I need that shirt for a chance to discover his whereabouts."

Her words were uplifting in his mind, filling him with an odd tingling sensation, with a small rush of his heartbeat. "Can you bring him back?"

Luna exchanged a long glance with him. Her mind began to weave around her blatant actions with her sister, but she was not considering forgiveness or returning to the corruption. Besides, she could not harbor the dark secret Celestia kept from everyone. She could not leave the man she loved in the dark. He had he right to know that another human was there and in an affair with Celestia.

Luna approached the boy with a gentle wing. She was actually trembling with her fear, hardly able to contain it.

"Spike," she paused, cringing at how disgusting the situation became. ". . . I witnessed my sister with another human tonight. They were fornicating in her bed when I entered her room."

Spike gasped up to the mare, his full attention on her. "But. . .but she and Derrick—"

"It was nothing more than lust," Luna interrupted. She could not take the heartache in Spike's eyes, his tears a dark reminder that he was going to suffer as well. "Derrick was merely relief to the loneliness in Celestia's heart. That's the best way I can put it."

Spike leaned against her barrel, his eyes drained of life. He didn't know what to say, other than ask the princess why Celestia would cheat on Derrick and hurt him. But even Luna was unsure and just as confused as him, maybe a little more. There were no words to express her disgust or agony of such a betrayal.

"I guess he and I have the same problem," Spike stood up laughing painfully as Luna quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Rarity dumped me," Spike admitted, shocking the princess. "She left me for some rich noble a week before the gala."

"Spike," she whispered apologetically, but no amount of comfort could help the drake.

Spike began to tremble. His claws shook furiously. Once again he was stuck between two roads in his life, but he had it figured out.

"Are you going to bring him back?" Spike asked.

Luna shook her head and said, "There's nothing here to tie Derrick with Equestria. If anything, I'm going to find him and stay where he resides—hopefully earning his love and trust again. But I can't do it unless I have his shirt."

Spike looked up to the princess and then made his confession in a little rush. "Well I don't want to give up on this shirt. Derrick gave it to me as a gift and I promised to take care of it."

"But Spike. . . I need. . ."

"Which is why I'm going with you."

Luna flinched at the drake. She never expected those words to come out of his mouth. It was understandable though, when the things he'd told only her were enough to make any mother feel aggression to those who are the cause such anguish. She had retreated into her mind in order to save her emotions, but still, she had wanted to know more about Spike's decision.

"She's mistreating you again, isn't she?" Luna questioned in a gentle voice, bringing him close to her chest.

"It's gotten much worse since Derrick ran away," Spike admitted, clenching his teeth to fight the tears. "All of his things disappeared after she confiscated them, and she blamed me for it. She even hit me when I told her that did nothing with his stuff."

Luna nuzzled the top of his head, exactly where a faint bruise was hiding under the scales. "She's become a different with those wings. I can understand why you would want to leave."

"Things were better when I was at Derrick's house," he admitted, sniffling in her fur. "He didn't get angry or yell at me for messing with his stuff. He would sit down and tell me what his things do."

"Life certainly has changed with Derrick in our lives, hasn't it?" Luna asked her friend. "We've been shown new things and have learned from him."

Spike nodded against her. "I miss him."

"I miss him too," she cooed, pecking his head. "Which is why we are not going to let him go. But are you sure that you want to come with me?"

"And stay here with the craziest pony in Equestria," Spike laughed. "No thanks."

"But she is family to you."

"She stopped being my family when she left me behind to go have all kinds of fun with her friends." Spike told her in a hateful tone. "At least Derrick spent time with me and didn't care what Twilight would say, and he took me to some fun places when I was supposed to be watching the castle."

"No wonder she was always angry with him," Luna said as though she had an epiphany, making the drake chuckle.

"No, she was pissed off," Spike corrected. "I'll forget the day he snuck me out to go have some fun at one of Vinyl's parties. Twilight looked like she was going to explode."

Luna couldn't blame Derrick for his lack of disrespect to the purple alicorn. He'd been a nice influence and taught Spike that life doesn't revolve around Twilight, and gave him a little courage to express himself in the hopes he would become his own dragon. He had grown stronger emotionally, a little more fierce with his life, every bit a free child as those around him.

Luna had to push that out of her mind though and catch up on her idea before her sister could find her. Even the daytime princess would not let her avoid the situation for long.

As the two of them rose, Luna a little shaky, she sent Spike a concerned look. Is it really my place to take Spike with me? There could be consequences, but I don't want to leave him with that brat.

She went to protect on sheer whim of respecting that Twilight is his mother, but he held up a claw, making her silent in the room. He took his place on her back without saying a word.

"So the question is, how do we find Derrick?" Spike said, holding out the shirt for her to take. "Equestria is a big world and Derrick ran off in the everfree forest."

"Thankfully an old part of me was kind enough to give a clue," Luna added, smiling as she made her way to window without any argument. "The old castle would do good to start off. There I can use a spell to track him without any problems."

Spike nestled his head inside of Luna's mane for comfort. He knew it wasn't going to be easy leaving everything behind—it was his home and it will be forever—but he had nothing tying him to it, and he certainly did not want to wake up in the morning to an angry Twilight finding out Luna was gone.

He tightened his claws around her quickly and shifted his body, just a little to avoid the wind. He leaned in and watched as the world under him grew smaller with every second of her rising above the clouds.

"Hope he's not hurt," he said to himself.

. . .

"This is beyond humiliating," Sombra. . . well sombered, listening to the snickering of every single pony watching him learn how to cook in his new maid outfit.

"You look good in pink Sombra," Derrick chuckled. Both he and Nightmare Moon thanked the universe for there being a cupboard that had emergency outfits. They smiled at the unicorn learning how to properly boil an egg, sitting together, suddenly feeling like the world was perfect.

"You should have him do a little dusting while he's at it," Chrysalis added with bedroom eyes. "It would do me some good to see my husband stretch in those panties that were stashed in the back."

"I am the changeling king and the symbolism of fear," Sombra protested angrily, although everyone could see that he was whimpering as he dropped another egg in the boiling pot of water. "I'm not some stupid maid who takes orders. I GIVE THEM!"

"Not right now pal," Derrick laughed. "Right now—for insulting me about my hobby—you are a maid. And make sure your bonnet doesn't fall off."

Sombra sank back in his embarrassment, as it was impossible to keep a straight with the sense of humor going around the kitchen. He scowled and started to say something, but Chrysalis came up behind him and gave him a quick nip to his flank before he could engage his mouth.

"Don't worry too much my love," she crooned in his ear, nipping it tenderly while the laughing died. "I'll make sure to give you extra special treatment when we go to bed."

Sombra shook his head and sighed, "That's not making me feel any better." He looked back to the grinning human sharing a kiss with Nightmare Moon and growled. "I liked you more when you were just a weak and emotional wreck."

"You'll thank me later," Derrick said, frustrating his mare with the lack of his lips. "Trust me, nothing gets a lady turned on like a guy who can be a little feminine."

"THIS IS NOT FEMININE. THIS IS DEGRADING!"

"Well don't insult my hobby and I won't make your day a living hell."

Sombra could only snort and pay attention to the pot, knowing he wasn't going to get out of this anytime soon. You're lucky your mother is creator of darkness. If she wasn't and you were still here, I'd turn you inside-out and feed you to the sprawlers."

Derrick and Nightmare Moon looked at one another and gave a slow nod in perfect, as if they had one mind. They could understand that making Sombra do this shouldn't take too long. Humility was a way o life thought. Although it was abhorrent, sometimes it was necessary when teaching someone a lesson.

"When those eggs are hard-boiled you can take off the maid outfit," Derrick told him kindly.

Sombra's eyes became the size of basketballs, his mind hardened on the pot. "BOIL YOU STUPID EGGS. . . BOIL!"

Chapter XIII

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Affection came to him first, in a kiss and then a nuzzle. A low, humming purr growing louder beneath the night sky. Derrick felt the shivering of the cuddles jarring throughout the pony's entire body. Each lick to her kisses seemed to numb through his flesh and bone, reinvigorating from his toes to the tip of his lips, shaking him until the alicorn restrained him.

He did not resist or deny. It was too much of a battle even to tell said pony to give him some air and figure out where their relationship was standing—or why it had gone far so quickly. If he tried to reason with her he would have to make her stop, and that would hurt him more than it would her. If he remained still, restrained in her wings, he could keep his mind off the important stuff and keep his mind in the poison of her touch, even though he felt as if his thoughts were a sea of questions.

He lied in her bed for long enough, his time wandering away in that place of darkness and peace. He knew the way to make her stop and listen, but to end the oasis of affection when in a world of lies and cruelty meant bringing her pain and discomfort.

He found no answer to his predicament, no stopping to the heat of her voice touching the surface of his moist lips, his fingers dancing to the rhythm of her feathers as he was invited to another kiss. A small drop of the mare's saliva trickled down his cheek to the bed, the sensation warm and itching.

Derrick waited for her to stop, holding his breath. He had to be patient when his mare was on top with her tail losing life after she locked it around his legs. She wore no helmet or chest piece tonight, nor the mask of a cruel queen, but a genuine smile of accomplishment and excitement.

"It's going to exciting today," Nightmare Moon crooned, the glow of her night clinging to the sweat on her body.

She spoke genuine for the first time; there was no façade this time. Her voice was soft and melodious, not lustful or carried in obsession, but rather with breath.

The love for this man had risen with the moon, ascending higher than what any pony could feel for her half-breed, beginning to feel as full as the moon appeared. An pair of red and blue auras wisped from the lovers and merged into a deep purple that glowed as bright as the stars above. She made out a long kiss to his lips by the light of their aura shining dimly in the darkened room. Magic was etched in their, as were the confusing emotions Derrick felt for her. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something in his head told him that this is what it means to be falling in love.

"Can't we just stay here and relax?" Derrick asked as he put both arms around the alicorn, merging deeply under the covers to snuggle her with all he could.

Nightmare Moon chuckled lustfully under the arms of her human, but Derrick's words struck her chord and she desired more than to remain in bed with their bodies together. This was an excellent moment, one which she never expected after having so many annoying ponies bother them at unexpected time. She knew Derrick may not be inclined to her idea, that's for sure, but she had to try and chisel away the shadow that is his fear.

She laughed tenderly in his ear, then nibbled on it.

"We could always relax my way," she breathed huskily as she dragged a hoof to his crotch. She began to rub it gently whilst putting some pressure on his chest to keep him from stopping her.

Things were getting very heated in the room, so heated that Derrick's magic was increasing the fire in her fireplace without his control.

"Well we could lock the doors, strip of your clothes and share the most wonderful night, but that would mean skipping your first lesson," She suggested with passion, her eyes glowing much brighter than normal, her teeth sinking into his neck. "I can almost imagine you taking me in this bed. Having our bodies as one as you relentlessly dominate me. It arouses me to think just how forceful you will be with me."

Derrick met her lustful gaze with his own and choked on the lump in his throat. The moment at first was flattering and very enticing so that he could hold the mare close as they move around the bed as easily they could to continue their passion, but the tender rubbing on his crotch reminded him how fast things were going.

Before long, the alicorn slid further down to his waistline. Derrick attempted to sit up and cease her actions they went too far, his hands grasping her face as she carried an expression that could be no more than pure addiction and determination. He moved to stop her without a word, his hand sliding between her chin and his vulnerable groin, as she mirth the most sinister of giggling he'd ever heard.

"This happens when I say I'm ready, and right now I'm not."

The statement came as a challenge rather than a insult. Nightmare Moon vaguely saw behind the fear a sense of curiosity and desire whilst forcing her mouth under said hand. She made up the inconsideration though, with a gentle nip of his bulge. Although it was nowhere near as fun with his clothes still on, she was certain she could at least play with it.

"But my lord," Nightmare Moon with faux hurt, nuzzling the area she was sure to be in pain from having those shorts on. "Can I not do my duties as your mate and. . . please you?"

Derrick glared frustratingly at her, breaking out into a long growl that lit with his dark eyes.

"We haven't even been on a date."

"Does it matter?" Nightmare Moon asked as she took the advantage of licking where he was most vulnerable. Derrick hadn't realized it until she did so, but the head was barely sticking out. It drew out his most embarrassing of noises while the strength in his arms went numb, thus giving her the chance to take what she wants.

Him—completely.

Derrick had never been so conflicted in his life, and now was the time to think on his morals. He had just found out that he was not as human as he'd thought he was, had a mother that is basically a goddess and he wasn't too sure of it. But now he had a new marefriend that bests his exes ten-fold and was now pulling his shorts off whilst licking the head of his throbbing ally.

"Derrick," Nightmare Moon drawled sultrily, with the purpose of resting her chin on his member to make it ache. "You're torturing yourself so much that it hurts me in the process.

He chuckled, clutching his hair.

"I'm almost tempted to scream rape just so you'll get off of me."

Derrick's words tickled her amusement. She even grinned evilly under that hard stare of his. Inside her, the emotions flared up, her eyes going entirely blue. Immediately, a feral, wild growl escaped the alicorn as she stood up. She towered over the concerned man with her eyes boring into Derrick's, making him squirm just before she plopped onto his waist. The feeling was mutual with her loins kissing his shaft, a synced, unexpected moan from both.

"Don't tease me," she whispered with her entire mouth salivating, her saliva dripping onto his skin as she bear him a sadistic smile. "I want nothing more than to try those fetishes with you."

Derrick nodded in understanding. "I suppose this is how you are when you're in heat?"

Nightmare Moon hissed and then pressed her lips hard against his, her body motioning against his cock to the stutters of her heart, reliving that moment when she was on the brink of insanity for the one who had taken her lover. She growled wildly in his mouth, her soaking flowering grinding hard against Derrick as she kept him pinned by his hands.

"I want you so much right now," her voice quivered. She couldn't help it. "I want to feel what those princesses never got. I want you to pour into my body and claim me as your mate!"

But of course, Derrick was given no better opportunity from the hands of destiny to discover things between himself and the clearly feral alicorn struggling not to take him by force. He nodded his understanding to her. Nightmare Moon was dark, methodical and passionate—the everything he could want in a woman or a pony in this case. He certainly would follow her to the last word to understand how deep these feelings go, but his heart played with his head as soon as he saw in her mirror how he was grasping her flanks with a death grip.

He would get close to her. He wanted to join her in this time of connection in order to learn and be ready. More importantly, he wanted to have a mare that adores and loves him for just himself, the mediocrity he was certain she uncovered from behind the heritage and his talents.

Which is why he could not let go.

"It's the same as before."

The alicorn sitting on his naked crotch ceased her actions and temporary insanity of love and lust and asked without thinking:

"Is this what you did with them?"

Just the way she said it sent a sharp pain to his chest that ebbed from his thoughts about the past. A depressing chuckle came as he rolled her over and pulled his shorts back up. His gaze clung to Nightmare Moon as she stroked his cheek. Her eyes were compassionate, though, and she was listening. He just had to tell her, but he had to hope that she would not the same as Celestia or Luna.

"Talk to me," she whispered gently, comforting with a soft kiss. "I need to know everything, including what happened between you and them. Without the answers, I can't prove to you that I'm not them."

Nightmare Moon's voice turned him over. So tender and caring. She could destroy him with just her words if she really tried.

He buried himself into her chest and answered without hesitation:

"I want this relationship. I want you more than I had wanted Celestia or Luna, but I can't bring myself to throwing away my morals and letting us be decided by sex."

When Derrick said those words in a smooth tone, his voice dying, like his passion, she couldn't help but hold him possessively and feel some bit of guilt.

"Believe me," he laughed, though it was dismal and his form was to her in obsession and security. "I would love to strip right now and make love with you, but I want this relationship to base off understanding and knowing one another." He looked up to her with hope. "I want to be yours, but I need to know you more."

"And you brought up dating for that," Nightmare Moon finished.

Derrick nodded. He held her tightly in the darkness as if she could disappear should his grasp slip even a little. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. It's not me if I go about this like those two. I want us to know eachother more than anything else."

"Could going on dates lead to more in our relationship?" She asked, surprising her half-blooded lover. "The day you will take me as your mare?"

"Of course," he chirped, rising up from his moment of despair to smile at her. "I want you and I to interact more than what we've done. There can't just be stargazing on your balcony or in the garden. There needs to be so much more."

"You make it sound like I must climb a mountain to make love with you," she dreaded, snorting frustratingly while Derrick pecked her lips.

"No, just go on a few dates with me." Derrick laughed, though Nightmare Moon did not find it amusing at all.

"If that is what must be done to prove I am different from those two, then I suppose I have no choice." Nightmare Moon stated with mild venom between her grumbling at the idea.

Derrick pet the back of her neck, but she did not seem to care at the moment. It was safe to say that things were starting to look up as he let the alicorn have her turn to snuggle his chest; at least for the time being so she could physically calm down. He remembered though, if alicorns were the same nonetheless, then he had done a serious cock-block that would haunt him. Here, he had shunned making love with this beautiful mare and right now, she was blazing with lust.

"This sucks," she spat on his skin by accident.

Scanning through his mind, he found the appropriate idea and grinned for it. Knowing it was the best incentive he could give about his feelings for the dark mare, he scooted away and rolled her onto her back, which fit him as something strange and very unexpected. He had been wanting to do this anyway to the least; at least show her with the effort to return the care and affection with his own.

"What are you doing?" Nightmare Moon asked, perturbed by the man throwing the covers over them with only herself visible while he was completely engulfed.

"You're worried that I don't have feelings for you," Derrick replied from under said covers, crawling backwards until he between her hind legs with both hands on her flanks. "Well you shouldn't worry, but I don't think I'm doing a good job by leaving you so troubled."

Nightmare Moon was fazed at the sudden concern, and unwelcoming to what Derrick has in mind. She knew what he was up to but found it one-sided, which quite disturbed her.

"I'm not comfortable with this," she forebode, but her legs refused to shut him out.

He caught the little note of apprehension in her voice and laughed. He brought his hands to her cutie mark, his nails digging gently at her skin. "Well I'm not comfortable with disappointing my mate. I'm not ready to make love with you, but I can do this, and I assure you that you will enjoy this."

He stopped listening to her concerns, daring to plant himself into the winking lips in front of him. He took a lick at the moment she opened again and found the taste surprisingly sweet. But who was he kidding about how a mare tastes, he just wanted things between them to be in balance.

"I didn't know my mare had such pretty lips," he said, licking the clit.

Of course, Nightmare Moon gasped at the jolts and arched her body to him, needing this more than she let on. She had to contain herself when Derrick resumed licking, letting his hands massage her flanks and his muscle drag unbearably on the entrance with a wry smile of glee on his face. She was yelping and moaning into a pillow as she was teased cruelly.

"Derrick. . ." Nightmare Moon whined, steeling herself against ripping his attire away and taking him by force. Let's be honest, it had been a hard enough journey getting him away from the sun lovers and endearing that she had to be pure in body for him.

"And such lovely flanks," he stopped to nip them.

The effect was instantaneous with her, a shuddering moan crawling its way out as she felt his tongue return to its work. Derrick, in all honesty, was not sure what had come over him. So before mind over heart came, he began lapping her nectar quickly and aggressively, clearly wanting to feel the twitch of her needy lips as they pleaded to be full. On Nightmare Moon's end, she had to practically suffocate herself with the pillow to not overwhelm the entire castle with her cries of pleasure. She focused all of her feeling into her nethers and reflexively unfolded her wings, which Derrick heard and felt to be quite the turn on for him.

Unfortunately, this would not please him. This advantageous position he was trying was not beneficial to making the his mare scream her heart out. So, with his newfound strength from the magic seeping his skin, he changed their positions, much to the alicorn's surprise when he pushed her to practically sit on his face.

"Ever been eaten out before?" he jest, looking up upon that mare that brings him reason to be happy, and for the simple fact that she was as red as a beet.

"I'm not familiar with this," she admitted, her dilated eyes locked on the soaks of her passion ever-so slowly dripping onto his face. She went to stopping this position out of fear that it may be dangerous, but Derrick had already taken action.

He took the plunge with his tongue sinking deep into her waiting pussy with a loud squelch. The feeling for Nightmare Moon was incomprehensible, but obviously the key to what Derrick wanted, who only did what he believed to be his death sentence or a sexy discovery about the pony.

In no sense of mind did he expect his savior to be that sensitive.

"You are not right in the head!" She yelled, looking to see he had indeed stuck his index finger into her anus. But that did not mean she hated it, especially when it had her more aroused than she'd thought possible.

Then again, the night was still young.

Two Hours Later. . .

Nightmare Moon curled her wing tightly around Derrick's hand. She was beyond relieved to have him doing such a thing to the point of numbness. She didn't ask him to speak as they walked through the corridors to find the rest of the royal family gathered in the dining hall for lunch, she simply let him remain silent, as it best for them both.

The eyes of the family though, so deep and scrutinizing, digging into the pair while they stood in the doorway with the combination of musk and shampoo permeating the room in a flash. Ordinarily, a couple in the family would be chastised for not properly cleaning themselves after having sex, but everyone, even her beloved sister and teacher, were looking at her as though she just bred with a god.

She could taste fear in her mouth, a horrible, irony tang she couldn't quite rid herself of while taking her seat next to her lover. Tension knotted in her belly and left her holding leaning into Derrick for protection. She tried to follow the steady rhythm of his breathing, inhaling and exhaling and portraying confidence and sweet relief to the ponies staring her down.

"Derrick," Black Hole Sun said softly, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm terribly sorry. I forgot to mention that I will not be teaching you on your first day."

Derrick went to say something but remembered why he couldn't and looked to his mare for help. She was glad to be his voice.

She joined the entrapment of this conversation at her own will, there in the middle of the trouble coming their way, sitting worriedly beside her mate. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"No, it's just that Discord and I have made a doctor's appointment to see about having a foal," Black Hole Sun told her sweetly, taking a sip of her crystal blood tea before makings worse. "Plus I didn't want to interrupt. He sounded quite busy from all that screaming and moaning you did."

NIghtmare Moon looked down with such a shameful expression, taken aback like she had committed a crime. Her heart and stomach simultaneously dropped into the pit of her body as the family waited for her to give the juicy details.

"It must have been quite a thrill if you were screaming like a filly," Black Hole Sun quipped to tease the mare. "Maybe I have underestimated Derrick."

Derrick found that compliment to be quite insulting coming from the mare that he knows so little of. He didn't even want to talk about what transpired in the bedroom.

This emphasized an echoing groan with everyone but his mare laughing at them, and then smacking his head against the table.

However, the right corner of Nightmare Moon's mouth did turn slightly at his childish reaction, and she nuzzled him lovingly. She then delivered her answer on the matter smoothly to return fire, smoothly and proudly:

"It's unavoidable, but I just could not help myself. Derrick is very good with his tongue."

The family instantly closed their mouths, except for Raven, for she was quite familiar with the wonders of a man putting tongue where he should not. After chuckling at her student and seeing that Derrick was now embarrassed, her mind leveled, albeit specific questioning that no one but she and the dark alicorn were able to know.

"So you did not breed, but had what I know to be oral sex?"

"If that is the term for having your privates licked relentlessly, then yes." Nightmare Moon grinned whilst petting her human with her wing.

"You did not return the favor?"

"Derrick would not let me, but he was more than happy to relieve me."

"And how did it feel?"

"Wonderful."

"But you did not breed or make love?"

"He said he wasn't ready and I wasn't going to push the matter any further."

Raven hummed thoughtfully, resting her chin against her hoof and ruffling her feathers as she undoubtedly formed the worst of words for her son to hear.

"Makes me wonder if he inherited his father's traits. Tell me, what size is his penis?"

"WHAT THE FUCK RAVEN!?" Derrick screeched, blowing cartoonish steam out of his ears.

Again, neither mare took little consideration in their conversation.

"Judging by what I felt when I was grinding him, I'd say he's large."

"SHUT UP NIGHTMARE MOON!" Derrick at that point made it clear he wasn't comfortable with hearing this between the two, so he stood up and made a mad dash outside before things escalated.

"I think we angered him," Nightmare Moon said aloud, before standing up to follow the man who was no probably hiding in the garden. "I'll go fetch him."

Raven couldn't agree more with her, and waited for Nightmare Moon to leave the room before returning to the matter at hoof. She glowered at her fellow royals with a deadly tone of authority in her voice.

"He needs to control his power quickly before Nox is freed. Can you do it?"

Black Hole Sun, although she hesitated for a moment.

"Good, the sooner he does the sooner we can send him and Nightmare Moon to find the black elements. We can't waste any more time the we already have. Nox will come here when the seals break, and I want every advantage we can have."

"Yes, but before going on with this conversation," Discord said with bewilderment. "Was it just me or did Derrick have trouble speaking?"

"Oh that's nothing abnormal," the empress laughed softly. "His mouth was probably sore from pleasing his mare."

Chapter XIV

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Nightmare Moon found herself smiling. Her eyes met nothing but the empty gardens as she wandered the castle looking for her mate, who was surprisingly quick on his feet.

"Oh Derrick," she drawled, "Where have you run off too?"

She heard nothing and received not a clue to his whereabouts, and it excited her. The mare in the moon felt a small urge of arousal. She was so certain her lover was playing hard to get with her, she had considered the conversation back in the castle the torment that made him hide from her. She was far above such petty games that have no interest to her, but she was not beneath going around her home to find the man she loved and claim a prize from him. Perhaps a kiss and some snuggling, or maybe something more intimate. She was not above making herself so irresistible that Derrick would throw his morals aside and claim.

She kept walking, using the overwhelming pressure of magic she had sensed to find the man, shrinking through the bushes so that she could pass through and see where Derrick might be. If she wanted to though, she could just leap of the balcony and take flight, but that would be no to her. Everything in the dark alicorn wanted to catch her prey and claim him.

She moved slow and careful to avoid tearing feathers or her mane being caught on some branches, the entire journey a messy business with leaves and dirt getting in her coat. She pressed into the only opening of bushes and emerged victorious, although now it meant getting a bath when after she found Derrick.

Or perhaps he liked a mare that's dirty, or resting against him while bathing. . .

"The possibilities are endless," she told herself with a giggle, before shaking a few leaves out of her mane and looking to find her adventure had come to and end.

Standing at the farthest edge of the balcony with his eyes on the southern mountains, Derrick was in plain sight as she grinned evilly and ruffled her wings. She moved very slow and cautious. The longer it took for her to get him, the less aware he was of her presence, and she could surprise her half-breed with a bite to the neck for that succulent taste of blood and marking him again.

It may have been overkill, but Nightmare Moon had her heart set on making sure that every pony knew he was her mate, and most of all—her property.

She kept creeping up to the oblivious man, allowing herself to be methodical and careful, meticulous of avoiding fast movement, rather drifting through the wind in an effort to keep from drawing the man's attention. The wind began to slow down, reducing her camouflage of noise, and then stopped with her being inches from pouncing.

She licked her licked and giggled at the last second. The was a small stillness that boded ill as she leaped reared up and plunged her fangs into Derrick's neck. He gasped and realized that he'd been caught, but paid no attention to the sting in his neck as she sucked on his skin. Nightmare Moon felt his hand rub across her cheek, but she continued to bleed her lover, burning her second mark into his skin, narrowing with certainty that their bond had grown so strong that she could counter his immunity.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. The magic she used to mark him had erupted into her mouth through her nostrils, tiny strings of deep blue oozing from Derrick's body repelling her. This time, she knew it was going to take a great deal of time before the bond would be completed, she just had to be patient.

With aggravation, she released her lord and licked her lips of the blood dripping off her maw and wiped her nose of the blue ooze by rubbing against the grass.

"Not strong enough," she told herself. "But it won't be long before we are one."

Nightmare Moon was disappointed. But, nonetheless, she had her answer to how strongly connected they were. She blocked Derrick's opening of leaving the balcony edge, fanning her wings around his form and pushing slightly, refusing to give him an exit point.

"Found you, beloved," she cooed, rising underneath his arm for a tender kiss. "You should not hide from your mate, especially when she finds you so succulent."

Derrick did not respond, rather nodded and continued watching the spark of light he could barely see on the southern mountain. He had much on his mind and picked through the pickiest of thoughts to rid himself of the confusion his ears were picking up from a distance. He had no idea if it was normal hearing or if the magic in his body was amplifying his sense of hearing, but he knew that whatever he was hearing had to be coming from that mountain.

"Do you hear that?" He turned to his queen as she arched an eyebrow, then back to the mountain with his left ear absorbing the deepest of the scream ringing in his head.

"Hear what?" she smiled, moving around so she rest against his chest. "The only thing I hear is the sound of your heart, and it. . ." she stopped mid-sentence when her ears picked it up as well, and became curious with the man as he watched the spark of light grow brighter on the mountain.

"It sounds like something is in pain," Derrick stated, listening to said cry erupt into a howl, something he could not explain but was feeling that this voice was very familiar.

"I'm hearing it now," Nightmare Moon said confusedly, eyeing the light now. "What is that? It can't be the annual festival of crillers; that's four months away."

"Nightmare Moon," he said softly, drawn to the voice. "I think I've heard this before."

There was a hitch in his voice that caused her concern, but she had to trust him a little. "Are you sure?" she questioned. "Because you've been away for thousands of years."

Derrick bit down hard on his lip on the need to know why he was familiar with this voice. He could feel something surfacing and he dared not drift from what was coming, but his memories were rigid, torn, so thin, and he could not remember being a baby. Nobody could.

So why was his mind so desperate to remember?

Nightmare Moon, at this point, pushed aside the banishment picked at her own thoughts. She tried to find the answer for him, until the heat of Derrick's body grow hot at her touch. Black flames and white-hot energy surging from beneath his shoes as she held on. Somehow she could feel his immeasurable energy surging, building to engulf them both as she grew concerned. But she, of all ponies, knew that this magic was not trying to hurt them, but rather do the unthinkable.

As for Derrick though. . .

"What the fuck is this!?" he screeched, patting himself down to put out the fiery aura, but it would faze through him.

Nightmare Moon directed her thoughts to the light in the distance and began holding onto her mate tightly. She made certain every inch of her was inside his growing aura. It took time, time she didn't know if they had at the moment with everyone, especially Discord, sensing the man's power, but there was not a moment left to think or to try and calm her lord. In that final moment, where she blinked to the voices behind them, Derrick's magic swallowed the two of them into a swirling ball of black and red that immediately soared high above the clouds, towards the southern mountain.

Sound was the first thing that came to Nightmare Moon. A low echo of water dripping. She felt the sound jar her thoughts, and it awoke her into a fright. Her mind and body moved in sync with a single feeling that seemed to echo through her flesh and bone, reverberating her body, until she was on her hooves and spinning in place.

"Derrick!?" She stopped after seeing him on a boulder, his pants scorched but his shirt turned to ash by the remaining magic surging from his body.

Nightmare Moon didn't move at first. It was too much of an effort to take a single step for reassurance and figure out what that powerful, insistent magic was—or why it would take them both. She beyond terrified of seeing her human lie on the ground with no visible movement. If he opened his eyes she would have to move, and that would help her greatly. If he stayed still though, she might not have the heart to bear the pain.

She stood there for who knows how long, her mind stuck to a place of pure terror, until the sudden gasping from Derrick caused her to jump back.

"FUCK!" Derrick screeched. "I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS BULLSHIT!"

Nightmare Moon, still shaken up, did not wait to rush the man. She teleported across the stony room and embraced him immediately without considering that he might be injured. But hearing not scream or yell when she hugged him gave indication that he was not hurt at all.

"Nightmare Moon. . ." he listened to the alicorn quietly composing herself in his shoulder, before putting a hand on her mane to comfort her. He waited, holding his thoughts to the strange cavern they were now in.

He found the warm, body of his mare inviting, the wind of this cavern touching the surface of a puddle, causing ripples to dance. The surrounding environment was solid and cold though, the only light beaming from tiny holes in the walls. They were in a cave. That much was evident immediately. There was a chill surrounding him, although he didn't feel cold. Large stalactites hung high from the ceiling. The were a great formation, giant, long rows of teeth. Stalagmites rose from the floor with large bases. Colors wound the rock from the shining bases to the pointed tips. The floor was smooth with lifetimes of water flowing everywhere.

A cry from the same voice they heard snapped both him and the alicorn onto their feet, the sound almost heartbreaking.

"You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" Nightmare Moon asked out of the blue, checking under his entire form before he stepped forward, following the cries of pain.

"It's even closer than before," he said aloud, turning to the mare, who was just as confused as him. "Mind telling me what the hell just happened and where we are."

Nightmare Moon shook her. "I cannot say that I do. What we just experienced was nothing similar to teleporting, but that is just a theory. As for where we are, I am unfamiliar with this area."

"But you heard that scream, right, just before we shot into the sky?" He insisted softly.

"I didn't hear it at first," she replied, as if it were the most normal thing to do. "But whatever it is, your magic seemed to react to it, as if it were called upon."

"Okay, so I'm not crazy," he sighed and then looked away to search the cavern. "Well we have no idea where we are—other than that we're in a cave—or what happened, but at least we know the voice that is screaming is real."

"But why hear it all of a sudden?" Nightmare Moon asked, pondering with the man as they walked the cave.

"I don't know, but it sounds like it's in pain."

Nightmare Moon frowned. This made no sense. She had vast knowledge of Nebula and it's areas, but this was unsettling to her. She had books on this and the legends, and none of them detailed a creature who's screams can be heard across the country. She was on edge now, and few of her thoughts led to the same thing.

"Escape is our priority," she echoed. "And I will lead. You can't defend yourself against—"

"I found a hallway," Derrick interrupted, and she looked to her right to find he was holding a burning torch with an actual hallway in front of him. "Seems like this is the only way out."

Nightmare Moon stayed still, tilting her head at the man as he waited for her to follow. She arched an eyebrow and asked with curiosity:

"Derrick, it's near pitch black in this cavern. How did you light that torch?"

Derrick swallowed hard when he answered, afraid of himself. "You won't believe this, but I found it in this doorway and when I picked it up, it suddenly ignited."

Nightmare Moon was quick to approach after that. She grabbed his hand and check the black veins to find they were pulsating and glowing a deep red.

She gave him a hard stare that could make a dragon cower. "Your magic is responding, but why, I'm not sure." She traced a vein, then looked inside the dark hallway as it gave another echo of that same scream. "I suspect the source of our problems will be through here."

"Not to rain on your parade, but something tells me we shouldn't go in there." For the time he realized he was absolutely sure and Nightmare Moon had to agree, but they had no idea where they were.

"It's okay my love," she cooed, nuzzling his cheek. "No big, bad monsters will get to you. You're queen is here to protect you."

Derrick glared at her for that one. "Are you implying that I am a pussy?"

"If that is a term for you being a coward, then yes. You are the most pathetic pussy in the entire cosmos." She replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

At once he was motivated, and filled with a burning fire to challenge her words. He struggled to take the first step inside, but upon doing so came a magnificent flash of red that lit up the hallway, shocking him and the alicorn. Both his and Nightmare Moon's legs were rubber at this point, refusing to work properly. For these two lovers, this getting stranger and more terrifying by the minute.

"Okay," Nightmare Moon nodded, ruffling her wings. "Now I'm starting to feel a little uneasy."

"Why?" Derrick said nervously. "It's not like the hallway lit up because my magic commanded it."

Actually, it did. And that same magic brightened their path much more as another scream was heard. He looked over at the mare and nodded his approval to enter, or maybe it was that she had permission to go first.

To his dismay, she stood behind him with her wing wrapped tightly in his hand.

"I'm right behind you," she whispered, nudging him forward.

"Of course you are. . ."

The pace was made and the red light was consuming with every step they took. Derrick kept a keen eye on his surroundings, looking up and down for any indication of what may be a trap. He wasn't sure what one would look like, but all the video games he played that had them was his best guess. He was searching high and low for thin string, stone pads, and even buttons on the wall.

He dropped his palm on the wall to his right, over a symbol that pulsed at his touch. His blood ran cold on the glowing stone. The colors changed instantly, flashing with a deep blue through the dark red. He did not stop though, he kept moving forward with the dark moon queen holding his hand as tightly as she could.

Whatever they fell into, Derrick wasn't going to aggravate the situation. Either they found the source of the screaming or they found a way out of this mess. He could only imagine how worried Raven was right now.

His mind stretched to meet the thought of the screams being a creature that summoned him and Nightmare Moon, but that could not be possible. He lacked the mental and emotional control to manipulate the energy surging inside him, but these markings, judging from how faded they were, dated back to ancient times, probably before the elements of harmony; at least that's what he presumed.

"I don't understand." That was a serious understatement. He was more confused than ever with the symbols reacting to his touch.

"These symbols have no relation to any language from earth, and they have to be very old. But why are they glowing like that?"

Suddenly, Nightmare Moon had a memory surface, and she began reading the symbols throughout their journey into the darkness. It was only thanks to the memories from Luna that she could understand them.

"By the blood of the ancient, so shall the keys to a dark peace be gained." That was a statement she needed an answer too, but none of it made sense to her, and Derrick was certainly not the guy to ask.

"You understand these symbols?" He asked, stopping to look back at the curious alicorn.

"It just came to me, as a memory from when Luna and I were one," Nightmare Moon replied, tracing another row of symbols.

"What else does it say?"

"It says. . . By the blood of the pitch king our greatest beast will be freed, and thy enemies will know true terror."

"Blood of the pitch king?" Derrick interpreted. "Could it be referring to another alicorn?"

"I am thinking it relates to your father," she answered. "He was the king of Nebula before Faust killed him. And these symbols are reacting to the blood flowing in your veins."

A humming began to rise and Derrick found himself reaching further into the darkness, needing answers. The humming grew loud, and the cries of pain boomed, and he now recognized what this hallway would lead too. Colors began to swirl and band around his arm. Those ancient symbols recognized him, recognized his bloodline, not just the blood of his parents, but his own, born of unity between man and alicorn.

Derrick had no knowledge of his lineage being anything but alicorn blood. His mother's power flowed through him, but why was it reacting to the relation of his father?

Answers were needed, and Derrick was certain they lied beyond these halls. His fingers curled around a corner, and in that next step came the red light, illuminating a room beyond repair and comprehension. It struck a chord in both the man and the alicorn as they stepped inside.

Derrick was a man of observation who checked every detail of his surroundings. It was one of his characteristics that had allowed him to become such an experienced engineer. Now, everything seemed fuzzy and heart-wrenching. Every detail in the mysterious chamber from these ancient symbols matched their pulses to the beat of his heart. Fear and bewilderment flowed and ebbed in his veins.

"It's a. . . room," he said, but the hitch in his voice told Nightmare Moon he was distraught.

Beyond the hall they escaped was a disheveled baby room with a violent history. Scorch marks strung the room, remains of what had to be toys had fallen mostly to dust and fire, and a crib that was touched by age and battle, sat in a corner with a crumpled picture in front of it.

Derrick was quick to approach the crib and grab said picture, but Nightmare Moon was not. She could feel the similarity of Raven's power seeping into these walls, as well as a powerful light that had long since faded in the darkness.

"It this me?" Derrick breathed lightly, drawing the attention of his mare as he unfolded the rest of the picture. He gasped after finding the mare in the picture was Raven, and the man standing next to him was holding a sleeping infant—a human infant.

Nightmare Moon leaned over to see it, and didn't think there was much question about their whereabouts. She wasn't prepared to accept where Derrick's magic had taken them, but she was more prepared than him. Derrick could barely contain himself. There was a note of guilt in his voice that his heritage was truly a dark revelation.

"That's. . . my father. . ."

He knew Nightmare Moon had come up behind him as he searched for more clues in the picture. He made no sound when he found straightened the picture, and saw in the left a white mare with a crimson mane standing next to Raven, with two undeniably familiar fillies on her back, peeking around the said mare.

But something was different from the picture. The white mare had a look of disgust while Raven and the black-haired man smiled, and she was eyeing the infant.

Nightmare Moon clasped Derrick's forearm in the comfort of his distress. "This must been your home, before Faust banished you."

"Yeah. . . maybe. . ." he admitted. He folded the picture and put in his pocket. He looked around the chamber. He needed more answers. To understand. Where could he find them?

As if it was bad enough, the voice they heard was now grumbling, startling the two, and a pair of amber eyes glowed in the darkness. "This just went from bad to a shit storm," he said.

"Get behind me!" Nightmare Moon ordered with her horn already blazing, but she was too late. The creature in the darkness surfaced with a leap and tackled the both of them. Of course, the two lovers were startled by the beast's paws firmly planting them to the ground as it hummed. Surprisingly a song of nature before it eyed her and then Derrick.

Seconds went by with pain in every inch of their body, but Derrick wondered why he had not been torn to shreds already or devoured when he was not struggling to get away. Unlike Nightmare Moon, who had forgotten that she could use her magic, he stayed very still as the humming beast of yellow and white sniffed him. He held onto the fact that this feathery creature had a black book chained around it's neck, and that it was probably two or three times Nightmare Moon's size.

He ignored his mate snarling and trying to bite the beast, and watched the creature's actions as it ceased inhaling his scent. Suddenly, the wings of this beast flapped and he was licked viciously. His neck was nuzzled, and it cried a high pitch of glee before releasing them.

Nightmare Moon was quick to create a spell that would turn the creature to dust, but she realized that when Derrick got to his feet, this animal was actually circling him with it's six wings dragging across his body.

Derrick heard the joy in the creature and could not help chuckling as it shook like a dog, wanting to play a game. He laughed in the end and pet the beast's head, his touch soothing to the monster.

"It's friendly," he said to Nightmare Moon, who was now in shock.

"This is impossible," she said aloud, her eyes as wide as dinner plates while the beast eyed her curiously. She touched the furry beast and listened to it hum softly before nuzzling her.

She told the man with much bewilderment in her voice:

"This creature is an Omni-Drake."

"Omni-Drake?" Derrick questioned with an arched eyebrow.

She nodded and explained it to him:

"Omni-Drakes are a lesser being of dragons, bred with the blood of most carnivorous creatures you see. They're supposed to be extinct, because Faust went on a hunt for them after one of her ponies were eaten."

"And how do you know this?"

"Raven spoke of it. She was very drunk that day and speaking about her past throughout the night."

"Okay," Derrick drawled, still petting the colorful pet. "But that doesn't explain why it's here and how it survived. There's nothing around here to eat."

"Perhaps it has been feeding on the dark magic in this room," she suggested. "The walls are laced with it, and I did read that Omni-Drakes fully grown, can survive by leeching magic."

Derrick pondered it slowly, ignoring the drake's pleas for attention as it nudged him. He wasn't donned any good idea as to how everything about this room relates to the beast, but the atmosphere stirred him to think differently while waiting for Nightmare Moon to beat him at the punch.

Sadly, she was not having any luck either.

"Well we're still trapped down here, and we have no way out." His tone was grim, and he circled the room. "All the other room are sealed off by rock."

The two immortals were enveloped in silence for a good minute, until the Omni-Drake grabbed Derrick with a soft bite. He screamed and cursed at the feathery beast before it's neck arched, and he was put on it's back.

"Hey, give him back!" Nightmare Moon scorned, but the Omni-Drake was already leaping into a large, pitch-black opening in the ceiling.

Now she was infuriated, but with good luck on their side—and a well-knowledge beast to guide them—Derrick was taken to another room with Nightmare Moon flying right behind him and screaming at the monster to not carry him, because it's her job.

Derrick however, sent her an enigmatic smile and took to riding the Omni-Drake's back. He had to admire it's smooth, agile body. It leaped again, a graceful cat leap, shifting as he did onto a small column that had seen better days. Everything about his new friend was fascinating. Everything. He found the weird humming of it's voice adorable, the way it moved, the sense of childish play. He wasn't so enamored with fearing the beast.

"I don't like her!" Nightmare Moon barked, glaring daggers and the happy drake.

"Her?" He arched his eyebrow once more.

"I checked."

"Oh," he quipped. "Well I do. It's not every day you get to ride something mystical."

"I'm mystical," she pouted, flicking her tail frustratingly.

"Yes, but you're my marefriend. This is different."

"I'm not your marefriend," she corrected with a venomous tone. "I'm your mate."

"Hey, I just remembered. She has a black book chained to her neck."

"We will examine that when we get out of here." Nightmare Moon told him sternly, although it probably would not have hurt to read it and see if there any clues. Then again, she was more concerned about the room being large enough for the Omni-Drake, and potentially collapsing on top of them.

She had to recede for the benefit of staying calm, but alas, she felt angry for keeping herself at bay when she was so obviously possessing enough power to blow a hole through these walls, but something inside her said not to do anything rash just yet.

She fly higher to take Derrick from the Omni-Drake, but was met with a threatening growl and a flick of the tail before another leap was made to reach the doors that were across a hole in the floor. It was too big for any pony to leap over, but Derrick's new friend had no trouble whatsoever making the jump and ramming through the rotten doors.

Now they were surprised, by the light shining through more holes in the walls and showing the two the room they entered was a throne room, and the torn tapestry hanging above the throne was—

"Mom!" Derrick screamed, and then looked up to the mare flowing ahead of him. "Nightmare Moon, this is a—"

"Castle, I know." She interrupted whilst piecing the tapestry together with her magic. She gasped, stunned to her very core, and retreated from said tapestry before telling him:

"This was their home. . . This is the first castle."

Little did they know that what lurked in the darkness was not just the Omni-Drake.

Chapter XV

View Online

Derrick strode down the only hallway still intact in the ancient castle with a purpose at hand, making his way down the engulfing darkness that called to him as strongly as the symbols glowing on the walls around him and not even bothering to look back and see his queen following him on shaky hooves. Despite the shock that transpired as soon as Nightmare Moon observed the overhanging curtain in the destroyed throne room, Derrick became very nervous yet astounded by the fact that he no longer needed a torch to light his way. . . though it would have felt much better to have one for easing his nerves. Even with Nightmare Moon carrying one, he did not like the idea of seeing perfectly in the dark.

Passing right by his new friend, who wanted nothing more than his attention, he entered a disheveled room and saw in the darkness what must have been the barracks. Rusted swords and deteriorated spears with broken shields were spread across the entire room as he stepped inside, hoping to find more answers to his mysterious past with this kingdom.

"Incredible," he whispered, but the hollow room echoed his voice and Nightmare Moon picked up his amazement, though the reason behind it, she wasn't sure.

"What is incredible?" She asked, kicking the useless weapons away as Derrick stepped further out of the light in her torch.

"I'm scared shitless, but this is awesome." Derrick told her as he turned around to face her. To his surprise, his loving mare was stunned to the point of gawking at him, yet he ignored it. "I can see in the dark, I don't need any light to see. It's strange that everything is a light purple, but I can see clearly."

"Your eyes are purple," Nightmare Moon pointed, staring at the purple iris' as they pulsed. Of course, this development troubled the alicorn, and she glared at Derrick with concern.

"What's wrong?" He asked, tilting his head. If it hadn't been a dire situation of mystery and escape, he would have been pounced just now for acting so adorable.

"I am not comfortable with this," she said, confusing the man whilst taking his chin into her hoof, forcing him to gaze mere inches away from her. She stared at these purple eyes with scrutiny before releasing him and answering in a dark tone:

"This castle is doing something to you; it's awakening all of your power and I'm not fond of it. It may be dangerous to have your magic develop so quickly in this place."

"I feel fine though," Derrick chuckled as he approached her for a kiss, but as tender as he was, Nightmare Moon was not letting it go, even with a loving and delicious kiss of his lips. "Nightmare Moon, I promise you that I feel fine."

"For now, but what if something else takes hold?" She questioned seriously as she leaned into his chest, holding him tightly while the feeling of his hands touched her neck. "Fear is something I would prefer never expressing, but I am terrified right now. Something is happening to you, and I don't know what it is."

"So it's a bad thing?"

"No, the changes make you more alluring. However, it could be potentially dangerous; there's thousands of years that separate you from this reality and the reality you were banished too."

"Separate realities?" Derrick reiterated, scratching his chin curiously.

"Could we not find a means of escape and return with your mother?" Nightmare Moon suggested, almost pleading against her lover while the room ignited with more symbols. Derrick shook his head.

"No, I need answers and I'm going to find them here. We were brought here for a reason." Derrick countered with a much more serious tone than he would us. Nightmare Moon actually smiled and was aroused, as it was hoped for in the beginning:

He was starting to act his own man and make the orders.

And Sombra thought he wasn't ready to be a ruler.

"You're starting to take matters into your own hands, and nopony is here to see it. Such a shame that I'm only here to witness your growth." Nightmare Moon sighed with a shake of her head. What was worth noting to Derrick was she never complimented him that way. "Nevertheless, informing them will be just as good when we find the answers you're seeking and escape this place. Soon I hope, I feel as though I'm on the moon once more."

"Well, let's get a move on and find out why we were brought here." Derrick shot back as he found another door, becoming quickly irritated by the alicorn's relentless affection.

"And here I thought I was going to be the stallion in our relationship." She giggled in the end, pressing on with her human, although there was still the annoying factor of the Omni-Drake becoming too attached to Derrick while their expedition continued.

She made haste through the door with the creature following closely to the man, nuzzling and cooing as he pet her affectionately. If it hadn't been for quick wit and a keen eye, Nightmare Moon would have been bashed on the side of her head by that wagging tail. She scowled at the beast with every intention of elimination. She could not stand having the love of her human focused on the Omni-Drake, and it burned inside her as the next room opened up.

I will pluck every feather off your body and make you extinct if you don't stop, you annoying, oversized prick.

"You're quite the lover, aren't you?" Derrick laughed, stopping to hug the head of this majestic creature. The Omni-Drake invited the response with a coo and flapped her wings happily. Derrick turned to his extremely jealous mate, who was grinding her teeth, and told her with joy in his tone:

"I'm keeping her, but a name is needed."

Nightmare Moon stopped, as dead as the skeletons around them and pushed to hide her rage with a forced smile, though it was clear as the light in the new sector of the castle that she was against. Derrick may have been oblivious before, but he could tell by the twitching eye and grinding of her teeth that she was beyond pissed off.

"What a wonderful idea, my love." She said dangerously, shaking all over as he smiled evilly. Derrick turned his attention back to the Omni-Drake and sparked an idea of great fun and stupidity to get under the alicorn's skin. He chuckled at his large friend and kissed her on the snout, and the results were as expected. He needed one more push though, just to see if Nightmare Moon was really in love with him or downright obsessed.

"Zelda will be your name, because it's a badass name," he looked back at Nightmare Moon and saw that her eyes turned white as spontaneously combusted into blue fire. "And you will sleep with us."

Zelda seemed to be a fitting name. The Omni-Drake accepted it with a powerful bark before licking his cheek aggressively. However, the ignited alicorn felt her tolerance for Derrick's teasing snap like a twig in her head, and she approached at lightning speed with the two separated. The fire was gone as fast as it appeared, but the burning fury of a mare who is obsessed and in love glowed in her eyes as she reared up to his shoulders and growled threateningly.

"Do not test me. I will murder that beast and steal your virginity if you keep pushing your luck."

Nightmare Moon had the habit of getting what she wanted, but this was more than she would reveal. This seemed to be the only plausible solution however, but she was not taking any chance of their companion stealing Derrick from her.

"I'm not a virgin," Derrick chuckled nervously beneath monster towering over him, his eyes batting back and forth before the sting of her fangs drew blood from his neck.

"You have not bred a mare, so that's close enough to a virginity." She hissed in her royal voice, licking the wound before his magic closed the wound, as if it never existed.

"Anyway. . . lets get. . . going. . ." Derrick struggled to articulate more of the situation. It was impossible though, as it had been confirmed just how deep the alicorn's feelings were. Each second of fearing the goddess was tingling with kissing and nipping him in order to calm herself, and it made his senses run wild as Zelda tilted her head curiously. "Before. . . you know. . ." He immediately averted the softening gaze of his queen, searching for any reason to change the subject.

"Perhaps I should just make my mark now," Nightmare Moon implied sternly, giving her lord a toothy grin. She pushed him until his back was against a wall, and made it so her emphasis was made with harsh rubbing his crotch. "Maybe I should take this advantage and claim what is rightfully mine. Tis only fair since you were intentionally aggravating me by giving that beast your affection."

"Perhaps you should calm down and think before our relationship goes south. . ." he responded with a thousand thoughts running his head at once, trying to hold the mare at bay. There was bemusement in Nightmare Moon's eyes.

"Do you really believe I would fall for that?" She asked, turning away. Derrick flinched at her question but yelped when she lifted her tail and retreated against him. Her loins now rubbed harshly against his erection, and he bit his lip with the mental fortitude of a monk as she looked back and moaned.

"Could you honestly say that you would leave me?" Nightmare Moon asked, moaning lightly whilst rubbing up and down on his trapped bulge. "Because I know you would never say such a thing. I made sure of it with that tonic you drank."

Derrick's eyes widened, and he did his best to summon any shred of anger in his heart. But the more he thought about Nightmare Moon the harder it was to look or think different about her.

"You. . . are. . ."

"No, I'm speaking the truth," she giggled maliciously, Finally, she had seen enough of her lord suffering and released his bulge from her dripping lips. However, she was not done, she rounded the man and pulled him into an inescapable hug. "The tonic you believed to be medicine was actually my blood."

"Why?" Derrick panted, snaking his arms to adjust his pants. Nightmare Moon giggled at his ignorance and rewarded it with a lick to his lips.

"I could not take any chances. I had to make sure that the man I love is forever mine, so I took some of blood and used a very ancient spell to bond our minds and souls together." She mused, nuzzling his chest. "Be angry if you wish, but I know how you feel right now. You're excited to have a mare so possessive. You love it and you love me."

"I never said I. . ." Derrick was without denial or resolve of that statement. He sighed at the mare as she laughed in the crook of his neck, which was his way of admitting defeat to her. He hated it though, to be fooled and read like an open book. His skin crawled with disgust of being so obvious as she kissed him tenderly.

"Besides, I will never allow you the chance to leave me, even if you had good reason." Nightmare Moon sighed contently and steeled the matter as her victory. "I am not Celestia or Luna. I am not benevolent like them. I will kill anypony who gets between us. I will rip this world apart to keep us together."

"Just my luck. . . " Derrick mused as he pushed the mare away in one fluid motion, leaving her to resume his search and adjust his throbbing bulge. His eyes narrowed on the new room being completely destroyed by age and battle, but to his luck there was a small pond and water flowing from the wall while Zelda drank from it. He noticed, however, that this was not a new room, for there was a nest of rock and large leaves in the back. He was glad to see that the creature made her way towards it and rested lazily in the leaves.

"That's a relief," he said to himself, but his attention was caught by Nightmare Moon. He heard her giggle and looked over his shoulder to see the alicorn winking at him and blowing a kiss before following him.

"Love you, my lord." She punctuated her meaning with another surprise bite to the neck when he turned away, and licked the wound clean. Derrick ignored it though, he was too endowed with curiosity, mostly due to the same symbols lighting up the room as his stomach growled.

"Think we'll find anything to eat in here?" He asked his mare, although he didn't know why.

"Maybe," she shrugged, and then wrapped her wings around his waist. "Or we could eat eachother?"

"After a few dates, yes." He snipped, grinning proudly after stepping away from the alicorn to leave her in the simmering of his rejection. He could hear the pony snort and growl whilst approaching the pond, and chuckled at his victory.

"You are no fun," Nightmare Moon pouted.

"I wonder if there is something in here?" Derrick asked himself, with noticable frustration in his tone. He gazed into the pond for a good minute before seeing quite a number of fish swimming in an out of a small cave at the bottom. His eyes lit up with shimmering refraction of the fishes' scales and bolted from the ground with the dark moon queen staring at him quizzically.

"We'll rest here," he told her but kept his attention on finding necessary materials for his hair-brained idea.

"Why?" Nightmare Moon barked.

"We've been walking for hours, our only source of food and water is the pond and the fish, and we can't leave together since magic doesn't work on me; that means teleportation is out of the question, so we will set up a camp for the night." Derrick spun around and found Nightmare Moon growling lowly through her pursed lips. "We can have a romantic campfire, just the two of us to keep eachother warm. I'll even consider this our first date." The mare in question immediately smiled and proceeded to pick up dry sticks around her, the victorious man smiling proudly at his mare as she piled them up.

"I'll start on the fire." She chirped, trotting happily to find more wood.

Meanwhile. . .

Raven marched repeatedly around the throne room with a single purpose once the guards returned with ill news, leaving what was a unicorn that muttered how Derrick is best gone forever, a now broken and mumbling mess with his soul stripped from his body and devoured in an instant. Despite the faith she had in her student for all these years, she, physical and emotionally, became the living nightmare that nopony had seen in over fifteen hundred years. She wished for a miracle from the heavens, and when her fellow royals offered advice or comfort, she spat it back at them and continued to stomp around them furiously.

Dropping another guard to his rump, she turned to the leader of the squad and snarled, frightening every pony in the room, even the mighty Sombra.

"Where is my son!?" She roared, her voice blasting a very unlucky cadet through a wall. Her attention remained on the quivering leader who had yet found the courage to speak.

"My lady. . . we. . .w-we can't—" His words were cut short by the lack of breath escaping him. He blinked at the empress and tried to exhale, then realized that she had done something to him. He looked down to see blood was oozing from his throat before the entire world darkened in an instant.

The other guards watched as their leader's head fell off his neck, some cringing while others looked away to release the contents of their stomachs.

"Useless maggot!" Raven snapped without a shred of remorse for the stallion she beheaded. She turned to the other guards and targeted them, and then asked with all of her power engulfing the throne room:

"Does anypony here have a clue as to where my son and student have gone!?"

One guard stepped forward, but beneath that fiery maternal gaze, he was with little to no courage in his heart. He was on the verge of wetting himself as she approached with a menacing snarl escaping her shining fangs. This was without a doubt the most terrifying goddess in existence and he realized why she was the night mother.

"I may. . . have some. . . idea. . ." He stuttered.

Raven lowered herself to the guard's eye level and narrowed on him before telling him in a deadly tone.

"Your idea better be great, because if not, I will drag you to your house and make you watch as I devour the souls of your wife and foals."

"I was in the astrodome. . ." He uttered, and Raven raised an eyebrow at him. "I saw. . . the light that took. . . Lord Derrick."

"Go on," she drawled.

He gulped loudly and turned away from the goddess, gesturing her to follow.

"If my lady would please follow, I can show you where the light had landed." He said a little more bravely, although the slight wetting of his his underbelly said differently.

Raven was not in the mood for games, but what choice did she have at the time. Her baby was taken from her, just like the first time but right from under her nose, and by a force that she had no recollection of. She sighed deeply and stood up, shaking her head of all the frustration before taking a few steps. However, her attention shot to the doors as they opened with a very familiar pony carrying something small on her back. She glared at Raven with the utmost intention of making her presence very clear whilst marching inside with many of the nightmare guards floating in her magic, unconscious or mangled.

Everyone in the room gawked; Black Hole Sun, Sombra, Chrysalis, even Discord, and all the alicorn did was throw the guards she incapacitated to Raven before flying to meet her at eye. It wasn't until they met eye to eye that the remaining guards who survived, crawled in and began begging for the empress to forgive them.

"Luna. . ." Raven gasped.

"Where is my mate?" Luna asked in a dangerous tone, pressing her head against Raven's. "Where. Is. Derrick?"

"Does he really matter to you, traitor?" Chrysalis chuckled.

She was certainly bold. Everyone knew that and worried for the changeling, as it was seen in Luna's expression when she turned to Chrysalis, there was nothing but rage and fury burning in the cores of her eyes as she retreated from the surprised empress. She resorted to desperate measures. She rose above the changeling queen with a flap of her wings and began building magic into her horn quickly and dangerously, before soaring into Chrysalis with a large beam that struck her directly in the chest and sent her threw a wall. Clearly, Luna was on a rampage and not going to stop until she was given what was desired.

"He means everything to me!" Luna bellowed, sending beam after beam of her power throughout the room, striking wildly against anyone and anything. "NOW GIVE HIM BACK!"

There was not a word to be shared between Derrick and Nightmare Moon as they took to resting near the fire he built near the pond. . . it was nothing out of the ordinary, but to the dark moon queen, it was his way of proving that he can take care of them during the night. The atmosphere around the disheveled cavern was quite warm and inviting. . . it was actually very romantic. Nightmare Moon had quietly slipped her wings around the man as he ate the cooked fish she skinned and cleaned in seconds. Both she and Derrick were quite comfortable in Zelda's fur, so the latter of their situation did not matter, which was the best thing, because Nightmare Moon had plans for the man. The torment a little while back was the first step to winning him over, the rest of her attempt would be relentless though.

"Derrick. . ." Nightmare Moon's voiced whined softly in his ear. He was falling for this mare more and more with every day they spend together, but she could wait for him to finish. He turned to the alicorn pouting at him and sniffling as she caressed his torso with her wings. His stomach called at that moment. So, he turned away and went back to eating the fish he caught and cooked, down to bone and toss the remains into the fire.

"Baby. . ." Nightmare Moon continued, this time nestling in his neck, which was a serious turn-on. He was not the same as most men who have a clingy lover. He preferred a lady that latched onto him than be away, though he could go without the tender rubbing of her hoof on his crotch. Nightmare Moon began nipping on the side of his neck to grab his attention and rouse him. She was not going to let this night be ruined.

I am not going to sleep at all.

"As nice as this is, I am bored." She whined, drawing blood off his neck. Derrick groaned and tried to move away, but Nightmare Moon would not be ignored or denied. She wrapped both of her wings around his arms and pulled him back so she was in his neck again. She whined and snorted and continued her attack:

"Let's ask some questions," she kissed him gently on the neck. "What do you think about us having babies?"

Derrick immediately choked on this fish slipping down his throat. He coughed and gagged harshly until the bite was heaved out of his mouth and caught by Zelda. Both lovers cringed at the beast for such thing but remained focused on the question she purposely threw out there.

"Babies. . ." Derrick said hesitantly, drinking some of the water he gathered as she nodded her head. "As in you and I having babies? Is that even possible?"

"You are half-alicorn, so it should be relatively easy for us to breed." Nightmare Moon answered with a wide smile, scaring the man a little. "But there are some potions that allow different species to have hybrid children."

"I see," he pondered the idea for a moment, although nervously whilst keeping the mare's hooves at bay. "But what made you want to bring this up?"

"You are my mate," Nightmare Moon reminded him. "And I have been thinking about having a few foals when we reach that point."

"And how many foals are you wanting?" He furrowed his brow as she giggled and kissed his cheek.

"Not many, just seven or eight foals."

"That many?" He laughed, panicking a little while she held him in place and spoke thoughtfully about her fantasy. As if it wasn't bad enough that she was trying to get his clothes off, now he had this to worry about.

"I figured that before having foals we will marry and will go to tartarus and slaughter a few prisoners. I hear the hellfire queen needs some help executing the caribou." She explained with glee, her eyes sparkling with the imagination of her lord beheading the king. "We could stay at her empire, you can learn more about our kind and start your reign by killing Dainn. After that, we can start a family."

Nightmare Moon turned to him and laughed with joy, nuzzling him lovingly as he processed her idea of this honeymoon.

"Wouldn't that be so exciting?" She chirped.

Derrick fell back and passed out.

Chapter XVI

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"Well this has been a surprising turn of events," Raven giggled as Luna struggled desperately in her grasp. As she had always remembered, the violent edge of her perfect, little nightmare bared grudge and aggression towards her with snarls and flailing legs that desperately reach for her throat, but the aura that surrounds the infuriated princess kept her at bay and for all to see the might of their empress while the rest of the royals recovered from Luna's last spell. It was a powerful blast that everyone but she and Black Hole Sun had the displeasure of tasting after Sombra foolishly commented how Derrick found Nightmare Moon as a much more worthy mare.

Deep down though, something in the night mother told her that this was not going to be one of the usual meetings with the same mare she taught to control the stars and moon. . . granted, however, meeting was rather stretched in this unfair encounter of rage.

"I must say I am impressed that you braved returning to Nebula. I take it Celestia put you up to retrieving my son and forcing him to return to that awful realm of light." Raven inferred, wondering where Luna was standing in the matter of her only son.

"We did not come here to force such recurring pain. Our reasons are completely different from your presumptions. However, there has been a serious development in the conflict between my sister and myself, a conflict that I doubt you could understand. Now put me down!" Luna demanded, an odd sense of negotiation in her words, absent of the scorn and disdain she had naught two minutes ago. Raven grinned she slowly dropped the alicorn to her alicorn, yet without releasing her, feeling most curious to Luna's reasons for being here. She had a good idea though as to what drove a wedge between the royal sisters.

"So you are not here for that horse, then perhaps it may be the other human that beds her every night, hm?" Raven inferred sarcastically. The Lunar Princess finally calmed down and raised an eyebrow as her hooves touched the floor.

"Walk with me." She gestured for a private conversation, and frightened the pony with her calm nature. Luna mistakenly left Spike with Discord though. "I know all about the other human that wench has been seeing. In fact, I know about him more than you." Raven began clarifying, her wing moving over Luna's back as she spoke and ignored the groans of her wounded and possibly injured guards and royals.

"So. . . you knew about that human and kept quiet;" Luna finally broke her silence as the two stared at one another with critical looks. "Why?"

"You may call me cruel and sadistic—which is oh so very true—but would it have done any good for Derrick to have found out." Raven implied with a cheeky grin, finally releasing Luna when she felt her emotions were in check. "Come now, my little Lulu; what good would it have done to fly across this world just to expose the lies and deception of Celestia. I had to play my cards right in order to bring my son home."

"You could have done so with exposing her." Luna said quietly, but the dark goddess shook her head and giggled.

"You forget that Derrick is not the kind of man to stick around when the pain hits most." She pointed out, guiding the mare into the corridor and up the stairs to her astrodome. "Or at least he was, but now he's grown some backbone."

"You're avoiding the subject."

"Right, I am. Anyway, if he had found out that Celestia was cheating on him, then there was a high possibility of him running away, and I really did not want for Nightmare Moon to waste any more time tracking him."

"And am I going to believe that you planned this ever since he found himself in Equestria?" Luna questioned with scrutinizing eyes. Raven stopped dead tracks in pace and glared down at the mare with the true meaning of fear in her eyes. There was no questioning to who the stronger alicorn was, and Luna immediately shut her mouth and resumed pacing with her old teacher.

"Your mother took him away from me," Raven growled, tightening her wing with enough force to make Luna grunt. "Four-thousand years, four millennia of wondering if my son was alive and well. And I suddenly find myself listening to Nightmare Moon about locating my first foal." She leaned into Luna's ear. "Yes, I planned it out, just as I planned on revealing the secrets about your sister."

"I am not surprised. There are always secrets with you. Hence why I left this realm in the first place."

"But now you have returned," Raven chirped, her expression turning 180 as she began nuzzling Luna. "And I suppose you are here to win Derrick back, under the assumption that Nightmare Moon is corrupting him and using him for her gain."

"Of course I am!" Luna yelled angrily, her eyes suddenly burning with long needed tears and anger. Raven took this moment of weakness to her advantage and grinned while the gears in her mind turned rapidly.

"You must be really desperate to find Derrick if you had come all this way just to attack my castle." Raven cooed, licking her lips hungrily at the mare's distraught nature. She loved nothing more than an a pony who was in emotional pain. "You know, I could have you executed for attacking us."

"You can try, but I did not come here to negotiate. I came here for my mate, so return him to me and disenchant the illusion my dark half has him under!" Luna commanded. Raven had to resist the urge to laugh at how ignorant Luna was being. The two turned around a corner, approaching the doors to the astrodome.

"I hate to crush your heart," Raven mused, tapping her chin teasingly. "But Derrick is under no spell whatsoever. Magic cannot touch him, not even levitation, and Nightmare Moon has not corrupted him. She has stolen his heart."

"What?" Luna shook her head, unsure if that meant physically or metaphorically.

"Let me put it bluntly. Derrick and Nightmare Moon are in love." Raven ceased holding her old student and proceeded to act like a filly. She hopped in front of Luna and gave her a big smile that was mixed with wonder and joy. Her wings ruffled with excitement. "I know. Isn't it wonderful!? I can wait to see what their foals will be like."

"Foals!?" Luna screamed in shock. "She bares one already!?"

"Oh heavens, no. Derrick is being a bit stubborn about the development of their relationship. He wants to take things slow with Nightmare Moon," Raven's grin became cheeky, and she nudged the shocked princess. "But knowing how forward my student is, I am certain that these walls will be screaming with foals by next year."

"Get back on subject. Where is Derrick?"

"Oh yes, apologies." Raven took a moment to compose herself, but her mind was rushing an idea that puzzled together. She stared at Luna with incredulity. Though in her head, this could be a serious change in the matter of her son and bring about the awakening she had been wanting for weeks. Perhaps she could reward Luna, if she were to side with her that is.

"I'm not sure," she replied in a calm voice. It did nothing to help Luna, but she was at her wits end and desperate enough to listen. "Something called out to him, and he shot across the sky with his mate, as a beacon of light. And thankfully one of my guards saw where he went before you arrived to defile my kingdom."

"Do you have suspicions of his whereabouts?"

"Perhaps I do," Raven lifted her hoof and stared at it, mocking the alicorn with her lack of care, though it was a facade just for fun. "But why does it matter to you?"

"Because he is MY MATE!" Luna proclaimed, spinning around the empress to face her. Raven simply gave a huff and shrugged her wings.

"You relinquished that relationship when you attacked him."

"I was fooled by Celestia's student!" Luna screeched, stomping her hoof and crushing the tile beneath it. "She used the culture of his species to make us believe that he would become a violent brute. Hence why we tried to use the elements."

"And now the lies of the jealous come to light," Raven mused, grinning evilly at Luna. "Quite ironic, don't you think?"

"Whether it is irony or not, I came here to make amends with him." Luna was finished. She'd had enough, and decided that talking was not going to get through the goddess. She approached Raven and did the unthinkable, surprising not only just her superior but Black Hole Sun, who was watching from the shadows.

She tossed her crown to the wall and bowed to Raven, tears gushing onto the floor as she sobbed pathetically without a shred of dignity to hold.

"Please. . ." she begged, hiccuping every so often. "I can't take this anymore. I love him and I want to see him. I want to make amends with Derrick." She looked up to the surprised alicorn with beady eyes. "Just tell me what you want. Surely you have demands. Tell me and I want will meet them, just let me see Derrick."

Raven stood in silence with her full attention on the broken mare. By her scrutinizing eyes and ancient mind, which held the most knowledge about a pony and their emotions, she could tell that Luna was not trying play tricks or fool her. She was actually serious about doing anything to see Derrick again. Resting on the past between them though, a great deal of buried feelings rose from the surface of the empress as she softened on the sobbing princess. Her eyes dissolved into sorrow, and she stepped forward to wrap her wings around the alicorn for a hug that had been missed for too long. Although they were two completely different ponies, this was a moment where Luna needed to embraced by her mentor, for behind the dark memories that plagued them, she was still the closest thing to a loving mother.

"Alright, my dear," Raven cooed, nuzzled the princess cocooned in her wings and buried in her chest. She had not felt this much as a mother in a very long time. It felt good. "Hush now. I'm here."

"I've missed you so much," Luna confessed. It was not like she was changing the subject, but she had suppressed emotions that boiled inside her over the years. She was well aware that abandonment was not the answer behind Raven not stopping the past, but the pain was the same. It still ate at her.

If there was a way to go back and fix things, Raven would have done that a long time ago.

"I've missed you too. I'm sorry for not being there when you were losing control." Raven moved by emotion and not by thought, she kissed and licked Luna's forehead, as she had done many times during their adventures. The effect was immediate, as it had drawn a giggle from the princess.

Luna shook her head and snuggled the warmth of her mentor. "It is not your fault that I became a monster. The fault is mine alone. I fell into darkness after mother forbid me from seeing you. The loneliness was too painful, and I fear that is what will happen to Derrick."

"You'd be surprised how strong he's become. Sure, he still has emotional moments but he is learning more about himself he should. He's finally come to understand that his life will never be normal."

Luna glanced up at the deity, again. "Is he happy?"

Raven let her breath out slowly. "He is happier now that his problems are gone, but I do believe he misses you. A fact that I detest due to your actions towards him. Still, that doesn't mean you can have him back; at least not without doing something for me and convincing Nightmare Moon to share him."

Luna shrank against the alicorn and hugged her tight. The smile faded. "She will never do that. She is obsessed with him."

"Oh, quite the contrary my dear," Raven told her with glee, straightening a few strands of her mane from her eye. "I believe you can be Derrick's mistress, but you would have to prove your worthiness."

"Why are you wanting to help me?" There was hurt in the princess' voice. "I hurt Derrick."

"Because you are family," Raven simply put, pecking Luna's head. "And unlike your mother, I look out for my children. Plus I would love to see your sister's reaction when she finds out you abandoned your role for us."

"I have not agreed to anything yet." Luna exclaimed, but the slow giggling of her mentor told her differently.

"Who said you have a choice?" Raven inferred, smiling sadistically. "Negotiating is not an option in my castle. If you want Derrick, then you have to become a child of the darkness once more, convince Nightmare Moon that you are worthy and. . . accept Derrick for what he is becoming."

Luna stood in silence and her eyes on the window that glowed with the light of her home. She had a long road ahead of her but much to think about first.

If only she knew though, what was currently happening with our favorite couple.

Nightmare Moon scooted forward, closer to the growing threads of her mate's hate, concentrating on the pace of his breath as she stretched across his body, extending her form in places that she was not allowed to touch. She called on the magic inside her to rejuvinate her being. She was a daughter of the darkness, bound to its power. The darkness had always come to her aid when had need. She felt that connection now but could not draw on it. She felt warm yet lacking the strength to summon her power as most straining effort of her magic was blocked, and her abiities, whether it was weakness or not, ran cold at her command. Right now, in this moment of waking up to the mysterious hour of their new night, she relied on what waking herself up.

To her groggy and utter astonishment the lack of magic made her exhausted and dreading with wonder how earth ponies could rise to the sun without the use of magic.

"Why does my magic fail me?" Nightmare Moon gave a groan, desperate to rise to her hooves, to be the first one awake so Derrick didn't try something stupid or foolish like wandering off or playing tricks on her, eyes burning through the light of their slumbering pet as it's fiery wings glowed, to keep them safe.

"I still hate you," she yawned on shaky legs. She felt her magic return to her and followed her tail to the tip being inches away from her sleeping mate.

She shook her head, disappointed in herself for not realizing it sooner. "Now I remember, his touch can block my magic as well."

Her eyes finally settled on Derrick as she shook the grogginess away one last time. The sight of her lover resting peacefully brought her peace and joy, as it was her desire to be the one he wakes up too and vise-versa, but Derrick's appearance veered her thoughts and emotions as she stared down at the hand that was close to touching her tail. She leaned for close examination, moving cautiously above the creature as it awoke to the sweet nuzzles of Zelda, his eyes bright now in the thick of the of the light. Nightmare Moon was unafraid yet flabbergasted to see the dark powers finally take hold.

"Oh my god," she gasped. A claw scraped the surface, slicing the bed of rock with ease before dissolving into a human hand to avoid cutting Derrick when he proceeded to rub his eyes. The emotional man she knew and loved was no longer vulnerable. Almost immediately the beautiful changes of her dark lord sent her loins on fire he smiled at her.

"Morning, Moon." Derrick yawned, jumping to his feet without realizing the magic in his body sprout four spider legs to balance him. By the time he stood up he was left with the mysterious tingling in his back as said legs dispersed into his spine. He rubbed his shoulders and groaned.

"Holy crap. I feel great." He told his queen with enthusiasm. He surprised the alicorn with a kiss, unaware of his new incisors grazing her lips. "That fish must have had some healing properties."

Derrick was essentially a changed man, a child of the darkness now, and his mare observed his appearance as carefully as she could could. She found it ironic that Sombra's disbelief in Derrick was now going to be his downfall when they return home.

Derrick finally saw that the alicorn was not going to speak and decided to break the silence. He tilted his head and scratched his chin while watching her mouth open and close repeatedly.

"What's the matter? Did you not sleep well?"

"Beautiful. . ." Her voice wobbled. She choked on the exploding lust for his taste and touch. She knew it was not normal for Derrick to turn into that overnight, yet she could not deny that he was far more handsome now than he was as a human.

"Huh?" Derrick cocked an eyebrow. He heard the deep shift of his voice as it rumbled for a moment, every bit as strong as a demonic tune as he remembered in movies. He turned to the pond and saw his reflection and gasped.

"You've become one of us," Nightmare Moon approached. She stood at his side with, their reflections together in the calm water as Derrick rubbed his hands across the horns curling around his head.

How could it have been possible to change overnight? How could this possibly be explained to him the power that finally entered his core and turned him into the beast that he was now? He wanted to ask Nightmare Moon for the answers, by there was nothing in her eyes that told him she would possess the ability to explain his metamorphosis. He didn't know if he even wanted it explained. He couldn't even get reassurance to the positive altercations.

"Is this what Raven meant?" He asked himself, staring and rubbing himself for assurance.

Nightmare Moon crossed her wings across his chest and planted a kiss to his neck. The mark she left was almost in full bloom for their connection to become permanent, and the coos of their new pet were delightful; even the darkest moment in Derrick's life was approved by Zelda, as she found no flaw but rather a complete man that was denied his heritage.

"This place has done more than draw you in; there was a reason for being here and it shows." Nightmare Moon wanted to shake down the concern and fear in her dark lord. She felt he deserved to reminisce this moment. "The reality of being a human is no more. You are now embraced by the reality of Nebula."

"What does that mean?" Derrick glared at her reflection.

She giggled, thinking about the future to come. She would be very happy to face the troubles too, which she could take, but she'd also be there to help him adjust again.

"Derrick, you are now who you were supposed to be in this world. Raven is going to be so happy when she sees that you've bloomed."

"Bloomed into what?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She chuckled. "You have bloomed with the blood of your mother and father, and this is what the results are."

Derrick was speechless. He took a good look at himself, one of very few things he did. The hand he raised to see the markings he around the cavern were now disappearing into his skin as his fingers morphed into deadly blades that curled at his command. Fortunately, the answer to that was obvious to the dark alicorn.

"Your magic is not just an energy, it's symbiotic." She examined the blade before they shifted back to fingers. Astonished, she was. "It's no wonder you were able to heal so quickly."

"Symbiotic?" Derrick questioned. "Is it like a parasite?"

"Something similar, but not the same." She began, feeling proud of herself for studying the old ways of magic. "Sombra's dark magic was parasitic due to it driving him to madness. It was trying to control him. Your magic, however, is infused to your cells, which, I repeat, explains your healing. Instead of trying to take over, it has given you a new appearance and you still have control of yourself. Most symbiotic magic users are driven mad."

"Shouldn't we be concerned then?"

"Not at all," she shook her head. "It's been weeks since you have been brought to Nebula, and you are still conscious of yourself."

"Okay," he scratched the back of his head, unsure of his next step.

"And I think you blooming deserves a reward." Nightmare Moon implied with a lick of her lips. Her eyes fluttered as she still felt Derrick's skin and the powerful energy that was his magic flickered valiantly, but she needed more than just his touch to go with—if what she believed was true, she could get what her heart desired without his resistance.

"Still not having sex until a few dates," Derrick said bemusedly. Well that killed it for the mare, but she wouldn't give so easily. She was prepared to push the boundaries. No matter if the act was forbidden or not, if he could do those things to her, she would humble herself, put herself in the same spot and give what she'd felt in their bedroom.

"A lord in the making and still scared of me." She felt no shame in insulting her lover. She showed no mercy or outward signs of being gentle. Her hoof slid past the barrier and it was there, throbbing and erect. She couldn't suffer any more getting herself to him, because she had put a great deal of thinking into where they stand as mates.

"I'm not scared," Derrick interjected, spinning to face the mare with his hand firmly grasping the hoof stroking him. He fought the urge to respond to his bodily urges, yet kept his movements gentle, his voice stern. He didn't want to share the greatest of intimacy inside a damp a broken castle, nor let it happen so soon. If he could stay calm and instill his perspective that time and patience would out the best, she might take this transition as something natural in their relationship and try to force herself on him.

"Nightmare Moon, please. . ."

"I think it grew," she crooned, breathing on his lips tentatively as she fought the hand trying to stop her. "Such things must not be left unattended."

"I'll fix that when we get home." He told her with a firm voice. There was a flutter against the walls of his mind, a spark of lust that was as gentle as her hoof.

"Derrick, my darling lord," Nightmare Moon ceased her movements and retreated. Now this would have given the man the incentive that she had finally understood his morals and gave up, but the slow and enticing feeling of her hoof crashed his mind. He looked up, closed his eyes and took a deep breath to compose himself, but the battle had been lost already.

She lowered herself when he wasn't looking and grinned at the bulge.

You will thank me after this.

She astonished him once again, her actions proving the depth of her feelings towards him. In a swift motion of speed and accuracy, she took his pants into her hooves and ripped them down immediately. She opened her mouth just as he looked down and engulfed the arousal with a mild echo his breath leaving in a moan. She let out her desire, her hooves tripping the back of his legs. Derrick's only saving grace was Nightmare Moon's wings having the strength to catch and lower him onto the rocky terrain as she proceeded to assault his friend with harsh bobbing of her mouth and the swirling of her tongue.

"Dammit. I said no sex!" He yelled, an incredibly sexy gruff of his voice sending the mare over the edge as she pinned his legs. Derrick fared no better when she separated from the twitching cock and smiled evilly with one hoof sliding up and down the hard flesh.

"You tasted my love for you," she said slowly, twirling her hoof on the head. It sent shivers up the man's spine. "Now I will taste your love for me. Besides, I can't allow you to explore this castle while having such a problem between your legs."

Derrick went to scold the pony for her actions, but he gasped at the sensation returning to him immediately and by instinct, bit his hand to control his moans as they traveled the halls

"Fuck me." He groaned, and the mare between his legs came back up.

"That can happen in our bed. Now be still and enjoy the feeling of my tongue."

He couldn't argue, not any more.

Chapter XVII

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Derrick had to move away from the overbearing lust of this mare, backing away from the approach she made after washing her mouth. He needed to rest after having his genitals violated so powerfully and unwillingly for the past twenty minutes. It did not help that Zelda was just sitting beside him with tilt of her head while the mare giggling evilly licked her lips and looked down at him with the same psychotic, obsessed eyes she adored when he was trapped in her bedroom.

"I know my rights!" Derrick screamed, desperately looking for a way out. Nightmare Moon took no greater pleasure than her mate acting so worried and afraid after having every drop of his seed milked and swallowed tentatively. She wanted more though, a lot more and she was not going to let him get away.

"Derrick," In spite of the mirth in her voice, she sounded genuine behind those hungry lips. "The only rights you have right now is to shut up, toss your clothes and mount me."

"We had a deal!"

"Well I am horny!" She spat with a hint of anger. Derrick knew this moment would come, but he did not expect her to be so forceful and demanding.

"It's because you're in heat!"

"I am not in heat. My estrus does not happen for another three months!"

"What!?" His eyes widened, infused with absolute confusion and worry as he pulled up his pants before she could sit on top of him. He believed it to be a bluff or that the cavern was doing something to her, but she was darkness. Nothing could overpower her.

"That's right, my love," Nightmare Moon sauntered whilst plopping on his semi-erection. She began to grind him as the last of his strength was restrained by her hooves pressing against his hands; even with her magic robbed, the strength he possessed did not compare to hers. She grinned like an innocent filly, but he knew there was no innocence about her. "I am not in heat. I am aroused. In this world, mares do not have to be in heat to desire their lover. The body yearns on its own, just as your body desires to plunder mine."

"I said we need to go on a few dates!" He barked, his anger returning to him. He found himself getting firm with the alicorn as she plunged her fangs into his neck and proceeded to feed her desires with his blood. The pain was normal to him.

Nightmare Moon had known this moment would come. She had hoped he would be more grateful for having his pent-up balls and penis played with and emptied. Then again, a mare who acts lust-crazy after sucking her lover off would make it difficult to be thankful, especially when that mare can make your life a living nightmare, literally. Pressing her lips together after licking the blood she nodded, even though he couldn't see the gesture.

"Gotcha," she tittered with a whisper. She suddenly found herself rolled over and now pinned to the ground with hate-filled eyes looking down at her.

Derrick was reluctant to respond since she wanted this and now had him in a worse position with her hind legs wrapped around his. There was silence as he fought every damn urge in his body to drop his drawers and make her squeal with delight. He was a man of moral and was going to rot in hell before he let himself become a similar being like his mare.

"You are so lucky that you're gorgeous," he commented, breathing heavily to compose himself. He shook his head at the mare as she turned away and closed her eyes. He was not fooled though; there was a scheme behind that grin of hers.

"If you wish to punish me," she implied with expectancy, tightening her legs so his crotch touched her dripping flower. "Then do so right now. I am helpless when you touch me, as your body drains my magic. You could even force my body to bear your seed."

Derrick tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow at her, his suspicions rising with her frustration. "What are you trying to pull?"

Nightmare Moon, in spite of Derricks ability draining her, couldn't help the burst of fury at Derrick's blatantly obvious stupidity after she did all of this. She was pissed now. Aggravated. Any stallion would understand what she suggesting cryptically. She loved him like no other mare could, but he could be such a twit.

"Oh for your mother's sake!" She scowled at the stupid man. "WHIP IT OUT AND MAKE LOVE WITH ME. BUCKING IMPREGNATE ME. IT CANNOT GET ANY MORE CLEAR THAN THAT!"

Derrick smiled down at the mare, but it held little humor as he forced himself off the alicorn. He stood up and paced the floor, calming down once more while she grumbled and muttered under her breath.

"I am not complaining about what you did. I feel great now, but I meant what I said." Derrick pointed a finger at the frustrated pony, his eyes narrowed on her, and on her flank a little. "We will go on a few dates first, or I will be biggest cock blocker you ever knew."

"You have to crack sooner or later," Nightmare Moon snipped, her lustful and dominating attitude returning with a smile. Derrick just shook his head at her and focused on the book Zelda was still carrying around her neck.

"I'd rather crack later and not in a cave that is falling apart," Derrick admitted, gazing at the large book. "Anyway, we're up now. We may as well let ourselves loosen a little and have a look at that damn book. It's bugging the crap out of me."

That was easier said than done. Derrick's breath strained now as he approached the beast, His voice hoarse and raspy for some odd reason. He could see with his new eyes the magic rippling around the book. His hand drew closer to it, and the magic grew stronger as if his presence had made it come to life.

He bit down hard on his lip, wincing a little at the thought of taking it from Zelda. He wasn't entirely sure if he was safe or in danger when the confusion around him dangled around her neck. He'd had enough mysteries and changes for one lifetime after waking up to see he had horns on his head and teeth that could tear into wood. He was nearly impossible to resist though, when Nightmare Moon's favorite part about him was how little he knew about this world. She loved the ignorance of him.

Her teasing nudge nearly knocked him off his feet. He groaned when the book detached from the chains at the touch of his hand, it's ominous aura now pulsating to the calling of his magic. "Why would this be the only thing that survived in this cave? And why did Zelda have it on her?"

Nightmare Moon's resistance to the touch of her mate had faded in an instant. She needed just a little of him to satisfy her obsession when it was eating at her. She should have been with Derrick about the mystery of the black book and asking questions with him, but she was compelled to hold the man in wings and take some of his blood to satisfy her addiction. Blood was uncommon with her subjects, to taste your significant other in such a foul way; this was not a normal relationship, however. She had to taste his blood to strengthen their connection until she was the only thing that could touch him. He tasted enough of her blood to start the process, now she just needed to ever so slowly form the magic that brings them closer as eternal mates.

"Maybe we should find a way out and return home;" Nightmare Moon mumbled during her bite, her tongue lapping every drop that oozed onto his skin. Derrick was not paying attention as she continued to sink her fangs deeper into his neck. The pain wasn't really there anyway. "There may be some answers back at the library."

Derrick hugged his queen and his hand in her wing, knowing that behind those words of logic was a silver tongue that wanted nothing more than to curl around his balls. "You can keep trying with the idea of finding a way home, but I'm not leaving until I get some answers."

Nightmare Moon sighed. She was not getting through the man with her needs and knew that it was futile in her attempts to make him claim her body. She was spoiling for a perfect night. For him to cease his torture and just take her for all that is given to him so willingly. She knew she was not the only one with pent-up energy and loins that need sweet release. As well as suppressed sexual frustration, the queen that brought terror to the equestrians still had some insecurities about their relationship. She was scared. Frightened. If she was being truthful, she would tell him that her heart aches at the imagination of him leaving for another mare. She deserved so much more loyalty and love from this man than her subjects show, but patience was key to winning his heart and she had plenty of time to learn that.

"Can we please wait on that?" She asked, almost desperately him. It was too late, as it had been opened when Derrick's fingers slid down the symbols and his magic released a powerful interlock that she recognized to be an ancient enchantment. It was red in aura and filled with Raven's essence—that much she could interpret after sensing the intensity of said lock. She was glad that Derrick was able to open. If anyone else had tried, the enchantment would have turned them to ash.

Both lovers had been taken off guard by the magical book suddenly flying out of reach, floating above Zelda until ran behind her master. They were thankful that the large beast shielded them with her wings, protecting them like a mother would. The red aura was as bright as the sun now and blinded the queen and lord for a brief moment as it echoed a long forgotten language that only Nightmare Moon could interpret. Zelda was quick to curl her wings so Derrick and Nightmare Moon were shielded in darkness. A voice was heard and it was female, too fast for the dark moon queen to interpret.

"What is this?" Derrick asked, staring at the mare. She was as lost as him though and shook her head while the cave was illuminated in powerful dark magic.

The voice finally slowed down and came to a murmuring chant that carefully called upon the magic that opened it—or her in this case. She spoke elegantly and watched herself as the chains that bound and sealed her to the book shattered, allowing her the freedom to crawl back into reality of Nebula.

The magic of the empress calls to us,

The seal of the spiteful sister has been broken,

We return to serve the power that gave us life again,

The magic of The Night Mother and The Pitch King,

I RETURN TO SERVE THEE!

"This is a bunch of bullshit!" Derrick spat, leaving the safety of his pet to see what the hell he had done.

We will bring forth the potential of the son,

We shall ease the balance, the scars done by the spiteful sister,

Our knowledge given willingly, so it may help fade her existence,

The light went on for seconds as the enchantment broke, to release the mare that was forced into a world of emptiness. The light disappeared, as well as the book, but she stood before the man and allowed herself to inhale the scent of his magic, to understand that it was he who broke the spell. She had pushed beyond that crouching darkness that surrounded her.

Derrick was silent for a moment, turning his mind over and over at the mare as she flicked her mane to move the braids out of her eyes. He felt familiar with this pony, almost as if he'd met her before. He took a deep breath and let it out. He twiddled his thumbs worriedly, his presence sending shivers of delight down her spine. She had dreamt of this, had wanted it for many generations, but knowing the spell placed upon her before the massacre of her home. She needed a minute to collect herself, and no one was really inclined to question her or why she came out of the book that was nowhere to seen now.

"The son has released us from our prison," she said very sweetly, ending the awkward silence, bowing to the man and surprising him with a kiss to the hand she took into her hoof. Of course, this made Nightmare Moon grind her teeth and take Derrick from her in a possessive manner. The mysterious mare did not care though.

"Our master has freed us from the power of the spiteful light," she added, still low to the ground. "There is no thanks we can offer that will equal the kindness that thou has given."

"She speaks in the old tongue," Derrick whispered to Nightmare Moon. He took a collective moment of thought to understand the mare staring back at him with a motherly yet somehow creepy smile. Her voice was think like molasses but smooth and slowly tingling his body, touching the nerve endings of his mind he'd never know to be buried. That familiar setting in the back of his subconscious mind had found on this messed up journey of self-discovery another push through the walls of his memories and awakened what he was beginning to know another sign of his past.

Derrick fell to one knee, his hand pressed against his eye as it throbbed with a pulsating burst of magic that bashed against the walls that protect him. He found his queen holding him up. More than anything else he was certain that the memories were trying to bash their way through for what he needed, and he needed to be remembering his loved ones in every sense. She was not a stranger to him, but Nightmare Moon did not take it kindly that the unicorn was causing this much trouble.

"JESUS!" He grit his teeth until the pain stopped. How could he possibly deal with these ponies after so much trouble they'd given him?

"Our humblest apologies," the mare said, bowing to Derrick as he recovered his senses. "But the pain we see you in is an enchantment done by the spiteful sister."

"Derrick's immune to all magic that touches him." Nightmare Moon clarified, her eyes burning with fury to the unicorn, which did not faze her one but. She left Derrick after he regained his footing and lowered her horn with the intent to kill. The two held their eyes in a locked battle of will for a good minute before Derrick to step in front of the alicorn and bring her back to reason with a kiss. Perturbed by his action, the mysterious pony tilted her head at the two and observed the scene unfold as it brought his mare to her senses and an even deeper kiss.

"How strange. . ." she puzzled her chin. "The power in her horn was for my death, yet you calmed her so easily. Perhaps alicorns have grown docile during my imprisonment."

"She's my mate and she will do anything for me," Derrick said, turning around to face this new stranger and ask some questions. Though there was the problem of Nightmare Moon latching onto him after that kiss, which made it difficult to act serious or even threatening in the slightest.

"We can see that," the mare affirmed with a gentle grin.

"Who are you?"

Even now, he was still unable to recall the face that he first saw when his eyes opened for the first time. The mare had little idea where to go if the situation turned foul for her, and from how serious he appeared to be, it was most certainly going to be a long explanation with the young lord most likely disbelieving a word she tells him.

Fearfully, she exhaled a deep breath that she did not know was still there and approached the two carefully, a somewhat hurtful smile on her face. After all, she was family to this man and felt forgotten.

"We do expect thou to believe us, but we are part of your family," she began, stopping when Nightmare Moon lowered her horn again. "We have been sealed in the book since the separation of the sisters. Thou may find it impossible, but we are your guardian."

"Guardian?" Derrick questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I don't have a guardian."

"But thou does," the unicorn nodded seriously, taking another cautious step forward. "The blood in our veins was not born from either sister but we are a traitor in Faust's eyes. Thou was cradled in our hooves for many moons. We sat with thee, lulled thou to sleep."

"Has it been that long for you?" Nightmare Moon inferred sarcastically, shaking her head. "The old tongue is no longer used. We speak in the modern language."

"The old tongue is dead?" The mare questioned, receiving nods of disappointment from the two. She sighed with a hoof to her chest and laughed. "Oh by the stars, I'd thought I was screwed. She would make me talk like that and I hated it with a passion."

"Yeah, we use normal language. Now I'd appreciate it if you would tell who the hell you are, because I'm pretty the longer you keep secrets the harder it will be for me to hold her back."

"Oh yes, I almost forgot." She took a deep breath, collecting herself as she approached the man. "Your mother probably hasn't told you due to her believing that I am dead, but I am was supposed to be your guardian in case something happened. I am Lilith. I was actually the first to hold you when you were born."

"Lilith?" Derrick found this to be very strange. His eyes scrutinized the unicorn with skepticism, feeling grossly afraid of her.

"Yes, I was your caretaker during her recovery. However, Faust decided to attack her and seal me in a book after I refused to help her in destroying your side of the bloodline," Lilith began answering, her hooves kicking dirt with enthusiasm but she herself did not take a second to gander at the now confused alicorn holding him protectively.

"And am I to be lead to believe that the reason this castle is total dog shit is from Faust?" Derrick inferred with a raised eyebrow. The ancient unicorn nodded her head and gazed past him to see the Omni-Drake standing behind him as well but with a more relaxed posture.

"I see you found your pet," she said smoothly. "It's a shame that Faust trapped her in these walls; there is hardly enough space for her to stretch her wings."

"How do you know about Zelda?"

"So that is the name you gave her," Lilith replied completely unsure if that was a good name for the beast. Derrick had to shake a little to loosen Nightmare Moon's grip on him.

"Answer the question!" He snapped, growing tired of her beating around the bush. Lilith had to resist the urge to laugh at the man at how similar he was to his father.

"I gave her to you," she finally answered. "When you were a baby, this castle was swarming with Omni-Drakes. They were the guards of this castle until Faust destroyed most of them. But by pulling a few strings and sneaking that one past her, I was able to give it to you when it was just a hatchling. You two were so cute together."

Guess this Faust-Bitch is as bad as I thought.

"I honestly do not see how this is related to us being trapped in this cavern. Care to explain why and how you brought us here?" Nightmare Moon spoke up, reasoning with the two, really not wanting to spend another minute in this darkness that gave her the eerie that something was watching them.

"I wasn't the one who summoned you," Lilith replied humorously. "I did not expect you to free me. My magic was tightly sealed by the enchantment; not even a simple levitation spell could work while in that blasted thing."

"Well if we're not here because of you, then why are we here?"

Lilith sank back on her haunches, trying not to laugh. She was just as lost as her godson and his mate, but there was no real fear or concern in her heart. She let the matter slide off her back as if it did not matter, and it didn't for her. Not a shred of worry in her heart. She was simply happy to be free from the book and able to see that the baby she cared for was now a grown man with a very attractive mare for a significant other.

She looked up at Derrick's frustration-stricken face and then smiled motherly at him. "Look at you, a tiny baby I cared for—now you're all grown up. You have a mate. By the stars, you look so much like your father. So powerful and handsome."

Derrick choked several times with embarrassment, clearing his throat repeatedly, determined not to show the mare anything but serious distrust. He wanted to believe there was more to his family than he was told. He didn't believe for a moment that Lilith could somehow be his guardian and judging by Lilith's beaming love for him, he feared the mare would doing the same thing Raven has been doing for weeks and would be treated like a child that can't do anything without help. He could barely endure the empress with her constant snuggling and kisses to his face—now a unicorn of unknown origin to him, pronouncing herself as a member of the family.

Derrick's body jerked so unexpectedly Nightmare Moon nearly fell with him. He snapped out of his thoughts to see the tall mare embracing him in a long needed hug. It was surprisingly warm—warm enough to make him relax a little. Whoever she was, she didn't inhabit the desire to harm him in any way, shape or form, so that was a relief.

"I have missed you so much."

"What are you doing?" Nightmare Moon demanded, trying to pry to the two apart. Her strength was bested though, and it aggravated her. "Hey. Let him go. HE'S MINE."

"We can be a family again."

"MINE. MINE. MINE!" Nightmare Moon was completely ignored. She grunted and growled the entire time. But, alas, the strength of an alicorn was no match for a mare that existed since the dawn of their world.

"But now that I'm free, we can escape this place and rescue your father."

Derrick's and Nightmare Moon's breath caught in their lungs. Clearly this pony was undergoing some mass delusion with her imprisonment having some effect on her still. They were afraid to tell Lilith the truth whilst she illuminated the room see where they were.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Raven told me that he was killed by Faust," Derrick warned, watching her open a hallway that was caved in with a wave of her horn. He took a deep breath, terrified, but willing to see how things will turn out. Lilith stopped dead in her tracks and turned her head to face the man with a raised eyebrow.

Lilith's eyes went wide, glacier-blue, but swirling with memories beneath the blue—beautiful giggle Derrick barely recognized when his eyes met hers. He gulped during the moment of silence of between them.

"Faust really fooled her own sister, eh?" Lilith chuckled into her hoof, confusing the man and alicorn. "Damian, sweetie, your father is not dead. Unlike most ponies, my knowledge is as vast as the deepest secrets there is to know about magic. I saw the magic she used to fool your mother into believing that Jackson is dead."

He let the mistake of his name slide this time.

"So that's his name. . ." Derrick paused for a moment, happy to at least know the first name of this supposed father of his. He smiled briefly but had Nightmare Moon to interrupt him with a question of her own.

"If the pitch king is not dead, then why is he not around?"

"Simple," Lilith chirped. "Faust could not kill him due to her love for him, so she sealed Jackson in the—"

"So Derrick really is Jackson's son?" Luna asked with quizzical look about her. It was nothing new to her since there were many theories that came to mind after he showed great resistance to the attack she foolishly allied in.

"That he is," Raven nodded, sipping on a cup of blood that was extracted from the guard she behead. Nothing calmed her down like a hot cup of fresh blood.

"So. . . doesn't that mean we are cousins?"

Raven stopped to control her laughter, she did not want to spill her drink by laughing her flank off.

"Oh heavens, no. Did Faust not tell you?" She asked, and Luna shook her head. She took this moment to nuzzle the mare, while using the moment as an advantage to wipe the blood on her lips with the alicorn's mane. "Luna, you sweet, innocent mare, you were adopted by Faust. Celestia is her only biological daughter."

Luna's face immediately went pale, the past coming back to her in a flood as she fought the urge to puke.

Oh my god, Derrick and Celestia. . .Oh my. . . Oh no. . .

"Thank goodness my son did not go too far with Celestia," Raven commented. She took another sip but licked her lips of the blood this time. "Hm, I wonder if I ever told Derrick that he is Celestia's cousin. . ."

"I don't feel well." Luna couldn't hold it in anymore, and started burping into her hoof as she turned a sickly shade of green.

Chapter XVIII

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Luna hurried through the meal given by the fearful chefs to resume their conversation. Spike was sent as well after it became a failed attempt on everyone's part to show that he had nothing and nopony to fear, but the sins of the past haunted the royals with terror and hate in the drake's eyes during the entire time. Evil had come and gone with these former villains, but their crimes were like cancer, a sickness that would not leave and nothing could cure them of it. As they sat at the table with Raven and Luna, they remained silent. Spike was more than pleased they did so entirely on their own, not wanting to push the matter any further. More and more, food was brought to the dining table and bellies were filled as the empress watched the princess exchanged glances with Black Hole Sun.

Raven signaled her to go slow. The Dark Sun Queen nodded to this and went gentle, making a long connection with Luna's gaze into a single exchange of words that had a powerful hint of care and love. Black Hole Sun's took on the conflict of everything that was missed throughout the years so that she was ready to help the night mother reveal the many secrets that were to come. She just wasn't sure if now was a good time or if it was best to tell Luna the truth. Honestly, she was afraid to find out how Luna would react if she found out who she really was underneath the sinister name that was given to her by Faust.

She was afraid to be hated.

Feeling her stomach churn, which did not surprise her, she pushed her plate away and leaned onto Discord so that her turmoil would ease with his touch. Feeling a soft kiss on her cheek, she smiled whilst looking up to her chaotic king for a more direct approach of her emotions going still in the dead of silence.

Unsure as to how she should feel about the sightly love between those two, Luna took her gaze off the mare and stared down at her plate as Raven finished first with a slight burp into her napkin.

"Roast Beef has always been my favorite." She commented, wiping a bit of gravy from the corner of her lips. She turned to watch Black Hole Sun and Discord continue embracing one another, and sighed contently to see that their love was still as strong as it was all those years ago.

"Love can be such a fragile thing, but the right pair of lovers can make it last." Raven added after turning back to Luna with a motherly grin. "Tell me, is that the kind of love Derrick shared with you and that horse you call a sister?"

"Of course we do!" Luna slammed her hooves on the table, cracking her part of it and scowling at the alicorn. "But we do not express our love for all to see. We keep our desires to ourselves!"

Black Hole Sun retreated to Discord, the pinch on her heart making her less enthusiastic to tell Luna the truth. Her voice broke in when the lunar princess glared at her, her tone wavering with distress, but she kept to the matter at hoof and she couldn't help but feel some need for Discord to protect her from the insults, which he did with a proud smile and both arms around her securely.

"And that is why Derrick is much better off with Nightmare Moon." He said nonchalantly, infuriating the alicorn to the point of grinding her teeth into dust. Black Hole Sun cursed under her breath. Shots were fired. The last thing they needed was to mix in the truth needed to be said with the man that Luna was desperately trying to retrieve.

"She does not deserve him!" That was all Luna could say. If she was not going to listen, it was up to the truth coming out of the most honest pony that lives and breathes on ruining lives with facts, not Raven, although she knew things would go much smoother if Discord had kept his mouth shut.

Everypony mentally braced themselves for the event that Discord would want to actually save Luna from the lies and deception and he would have to tell her everything, even if it meant breaking her heart.

Discord stood up and moved around the table, sweeping the area of any guards with a few snaps of his talon to send them out of the room for their conversation to remain private. Bickering and revealing secrets definitely needed to remain in royal ears if they wanted to keep Derrick safe, and to prevent any form of a bloodbath that may come when Luna finds out what had been kept secret from her for a very long time, or that he puts the facts there, bluntly.

He stopped behind his worrisome queen and glared at the lunar pony, hate turning his eyes red as the blood wine he sipped. "She deserves that man more than you ever did. Derrick was nothing more than a secret for you and an output for your stress. At least Nightmare Moon doesn't hide her love for him, she lets us all see it without a shred of regret. And that is what love should be."

"I love him as much—if not more—than that fake!" Luna snapped. That bought her a faint smile and a quiet chuckle from Chrysalis, who surprisingly decided to step in and have a crack at the mare.

"I did not know attacking the one you love was another way to express yourself." She broke out in a fit of laughter with Sombra, invoking more of Luna's rage.

"You know nothing about love!"

"More than you ever could," Chrysalis corrected furiously. "I know love is something you do not hide. It is not a toy or a dirty secret. I express my love for my husband and cherish it as much as him. I do not hide from anypony."

"I love it when the family comes together," Raven muttered under her breath.

Luna stood up from the table and made her way over to Chrysalis, who did the same with ill intent. They butt heads and pushed at one another with equal force as the others watched with amusement, both growling like mad ponies and putting all of their magic into their horns.

"I do not need advice from a bug that feeds on love!" Sorrow welled up in Luna's rage. Though a strong mare, the pain was building, and she had nothing to help or defend her against it as Chrysalis snapped and pulled all the stops on her.

"I helped my husband when he was reborn and hated by our subjects. What did you do to help Derrick!?" The words shot out and rang across the room. Luna's mind and body jerked to the question, fear and guilt skittering down her spine, everything straining in to remain strong, but even with a thousand years to harden her heart there was still a soft spot that Chrysalis struck. It brought tears to the blue pony as she stepped back from the angry changeling.

No matter how far she retreated though, the changeling queen kept approaching and jabbing a hoof into her chest with each question.

"What did you do to express your love for Derrick?" She snarled, losing her composure entirely.

"Um. . . honey—" Sombra went to intervene, only to have Raven's hoof on his shoulder. He looked up to the goddess to the pony shake her head, telling him not to stop his wife.

"What about in the beginning?" Chrysalis barked, jabbing the breaking mare again. "What about when he first arrived in your part of the Canterlot? What did you do?"

"Shut up!" Luna expected to feel some mercy, just as all ponies give to one another when there is conflict, but this was not Equestria and Chrysalis was not like them. She was ruthless.

"I remember now," the upcoming truth made Luna cringe, falling to the floor and covering her ears just Chrysalis spat the truth. "You were the one who put him in a hospital, you were the one who deemed him a monster, and the only saving grace for him was that Nightmare Moon's magic also triggered the dark powers inside him."

Clearly the truth was hurting Luna more than what everypony anticipated, but they just wanted to make her see that the way things were now would make it impossible for Derrick to find forgiveness in his heart. Even as Luna shut her eyes and blocked the world, Chrysalis continued to berate her, the truth shaking her mind to the core.

"And what about the night he wanted to spend time with you—the first night he actually met you and not your magic. I remember, he gave thanks to you for giving such a beautiful night sky that cannot be seen back on that dying planet Faust banished him too, and all you did was treat him like garbage, because you could not find it in your heart to understand that someone so kind and forgiving could really exist, and it frightened you."

"Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!"

"Admit it, oh great Princess of the Night," Chrysalis mocked, snarling at the sobbing alicorn. "When you should have protected him, you went along with Twilight's accusations to ease your fear. To see if he was evil, but due to your ignorance, you lost him and are so desperate to get him back because you cannot bear the guilt. You do not love him. You just cannot handle the guilt."

Luna's churning gut exploded and she looked up to the changeling, burning away the fear of losing Derrick to replace the intense emotion with sheer love and rage. "I DO LOVE HIM!"

It was nearly impossible to see the spectacle burst of magic as Luna leaped off the floor and shot Chrysalis with dark magic. Raven continued to watch in her seat as things became extreme, maybe even too extreme for her, as it was not in Luna's heart to attack somepony for the love of another. Not even she had the fortitude to do that.

Luna's mind turned as if it were a coin, although she lurched forward and tackled Chrysalis, towering over her with a every intention to silence her for good. Tears ran down her face past the graze she had on her cheek when the changeling tried to fight back. Her chest was stained from said tears gushing into her fur. Each breath she took was laborious, her body shaking with spasms and twitches. She could have easily silenced the bug-pony, but her eyes went wide and round, like her mind.

Another thought hit her. Her head jerked away and she fell to the floor in a still position for a few seconds while her words stumbled rapidly in an effort to make everypony understand her.

"I didn't mean to hurt him," she sputtered, ignoring that Black Hole Sun had approached her. "I just. . . didn't know what to do. I was afraid And. . . and now I know my sister was having an affair with Derrick when she should be worried about him . . . ."

The nuzzle to Luna's cheek parted, and she looked up to Raven, her face slack, mouth crooked yet gentle wings coming around her. She had the same warmth and comfort as her sister did. Part of her fell into the alicorn's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

Luna didn't know it, but Black Hole Sun loved her with all her heart. She adored Luna more than Celestia ever did, and she had memories that only she could possess. She shared stories with her, stories that were fiction but were still fun to tell, as it was her duty to make sure a sister was happy.

Black Hole Sun shook her head. She had no idea what she was going to. Luna was right here in wait for someone to tell her it was going to be alright, and that went against everything she was as a pony. As a mother however, and a broken one at best, she was obligated to try and fix things between them, even if it meant showing the horror behind the Celestia that is now.

Swearing savagely under her breath, Black Hole Sun parted from Luna and took a few steps back to prepare herself. She moved slowly, keeping a deliberate focus of the alicorn as she ignited her horn with a powerful spell only she could use.

"They are happy together, but I can see that you do love him." She told Luna in a soothing tone. "However, you cannot be with him unless you are able to accept the truth."

Luna hesitated, clearly warring with herself.

Suddenly Black Hole Sun was engulfed in magic. She blended in with the light of her horn and as she moved out into the eyes of the mare to reveal herself, she realized there was no going back that the sister she loved and adored may very well hate her. The light that shed her body was gone as a gentle flash, the revelation penetrating Luna's mind as she saw the Dark Sun Queen for who she really was. Silence settled again in the room, mostly by the alicorn that finally showed herself for the broken pony she truly was as her scorched wings settled in a droop. She peered down at the younger alicorn below with a faint smile, her horn revealing to be broken and burnt like the burns all over her body.

Luna was at a loss of words and turned to Raven for an explanation, but the empress had nothing to say.

"I was the one who manipulated Twilight's mind." Black Hole Sun—or Daybreaker—whispered into her ear. She was flooded with guilt and self-hate. She might not be ready to commit to making amends, but she was hoping that their past would.

"Daybreaker. . .you're not real," Luna said shockingly. "You're just a figment of a dream."

"Black Hole Sun is my name now, and I am very real," the broken alicorn said. "I have been since the day I was created. You just don't realize how long I have been with you."

She took a shaky breath and readied herself:

"You wonder about your parents as well, and you should know." She exhaled, fearing the last part to leave her lips. "I may be Celestia's broken darkness, but it was I who gave birth to you."

Luna went to snap at the alicorn with disbelief, but she was stopped before a single word could escape her lips.

"It is true, Luna," Raven added, drawing their attention as she stood up. "Without my magic to give her new life, her spiritual presence would have died and you would never have existed."

"But that makes no sense, I would then be related to Derrick, wouldn't I?" Luna pointed out for clarification, to ensure that she was indeed related to him or not.

"No, as you said, I was a figment of a dream. My blood relates to nopony, the same for Nightmare Moon being a former evil from your heart. However, I was not as fortunate as she was. . ." Black Hole Sun began explaining, gesturing with her hoof for Luna to return to the table.

"Please, sit with us. We have much to discuss. I had hoped it would not come to this, lest the situation was brought up or Faust made it dire for you to understand who you really are. . ." She looked down to the food in front of her, but then locked eyes with the hesitant mare once more. She could clearly see that Luna was regretful of listening, but at least they were getting somewhere rather than fighting. "I'm sorry for taking Derrick away from you, but I knew that he would be in danger if he remained in Equestria with Celestia. It was only a matter of time before she discovered who he really was. I had hoped that manipulating Twilight to attack Derrick would make you come to us, but I suppose I was too arrogant in my power and hurt you more."

"How can you be my mother?" Luna prodded as she adjusted herself, levitating the tall candles away so she could look at the mare. "I have only seen you as a dream, and Celestia destroyed you."

"She destroyed the dream figment," Black Hole Sun corrected. "But I have always been a piece of her that was banished when she discovered dark magic. The dream figment you saw was made of memory and fear, but that was all it could be. I, on the other hoof, came to life when that mare learned how to separate darkness from light, but she was careless and split the darkness from her heart during her teenage years. When Raven found me, she offered to give me life so long as I joined her."

"And I suppose that is when I came about, " Luna said, her eyes full with suspicion. She was not going to trust this mare.

"A few years after I made a stable rule of authority here, yes." Black Hole Sun nodded, then her eyes became dark and serious as dessert was brought to the table. She fanned the servants away with a wave of her hoof, exciting the fear in their hearts before they gave her portion to Chrysalis. "Unfortunately, as you can tell by my broken body, Faust sought to ending your father and I when she discovered that her own daughter had a dark side that was brought to life. You should feel grateful, if Raven had not come to my rescue that night, you would never exist."

"If this is all true," Luna said skeptically. "Then who was my father?"

Black Hole Sun chuckled into her hoof. "Would you believe me if I said that Starswirl was quite the handsome stallion during his youth?"

"Okay," Luna nodded. "And why were you never there?"

"Simple," Discord chirped. "Faust stole you."

It was a huge accomplishment for Nightmare Moon. She wanted to leap up and down with joy. The moment she forgot what she was doing, that goal was snaked out of her grasp and scooting behind Zelda's wing as they reached another level of the castle, hissing and glaring at her. Several times she watched the button fail to go back and grinned, as it was pleasing to see her actions bring the worst out of her mate.

She hissed an unladylike promise under her breath, one she'd make him bring to fulfillment, and crawled across the omni-drake's back to fill the gap between them while Lilith decided to have a good rest. She had forgotten how exhausting it was to travel across the castle and wore herself out in the process, which gave the alicorn her chance. She concentrated on breaking her lover while Zelda took her place around Lilith to protect and ignored the two pests on her back fighting one another. At once the flames of her love for Derrick burned brightly in her intentions, flickering defiantly with her hoof blocking both his hands before they could hide what she craves.

"Something so impressive should not be kept hidden," Nightmare Moon praised him, rubbing it tenderly.

Derrick, obviously desperate and monitoring the mare, wasn't quite so kind as to letting things go her way. "How many times are we going to do this? I keep telling you no sex and you keep pushing the matter without regard of what I say." He spat quietly, hoping that Lilith did not hear him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"The better question is what is wrong with you?" Nightmare Moon whispered, pushing on his erection as she rested on her stomach, teasing the man with a kiss to the base. "You have a gorgeous alicorn who wants to make love with you, yet you resist and find every reason to avoid her."

"I'm not ready for us to go that far."

"Well I am," she snapped quietly, "Derrick, I am bucking aroused right now. I have been horny ever since you recovered and have waited for weeks for you to claim me as your mate."

"I can't do that, not yet."

"Well if you don't before we return home, everypony will know that I am like this and the stallions will make attempts at claiming me. Do you understand that your human culture is not the same as ours?" She grabbed him strongly, intentionally sending pain in his groin to get her point across. By his wandering eyes, which found the twitching flanks of this mare, he could tell that she was not joking when she said she was horny.

"Derrick, for the love of your mother, stallions will attempt to claim me if they see me like this." She told him again, releasing him a little to gently stroke the member. "Not that it will do them good, but I do not want stallions coming after me. I want you to claim me. I want them to know that I am your mate. I want them to know that I am your mare."

Derrick couldn't help but feel some pride swell in his chest when it rushed through his veins. He had not expected Nightmare Moon to be so serious as to fall in love with him for himself. He smiled at the mare, realizing that she couldn't go through her life without him. She wanted to be the one mare he only needed and wanted. It complicated things for him though, but he couldn't find it in his heart to reject the mare or her love. How could he not say yes to her? How could he not look at her and be attracted to her. He might not want to be at times, but each time his gaze rested on her, his body burned wildly. She was a goddess of darkness and beauty, and he and their relationship were her world, but when the fire of her love pooled low and heavy in her every move, he was afraid to be engulfed, yet tempted to find out just how fiery her love could be.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly zipped up his pants and turned his attention to turning the mare over to satisfy her needs. Nightmare Moon's eyes shot up like a tower when he rolled over and pinned her against Zelda's wing, climbing fast, her anger churning and boiling until he kissed her passionately and reached back to pierce her moist folds with his finger, stealing her breath.

"Let's be home first," he whispered, confusing the silently moaning alicorn.

"W-what?" She asked.

Derrick rubbed the back of his head wit ha wry grin. "If you can wait until we get back home, I promise to go that far with you."

"But that is too long," she moaned, but Derrick was having none of that. He listened to her banter, letting the shared amusement warm him, easing the sting of this mare's pouting just a little bit as he fingered her into a sharp orgasm. He kissed her, indicating he did love her and that it would be telling moment. If Nightmare Moon could restrain herself, he would give in to his desires and reward her with his body, but he would not hesitate to retract the offer should she fail to oblige.

"Fine," she panted, looking down at the resting unicorn at Zelda's paws, sweat glistening her fur whilst Derrick teased with licking the fluids on his fingers.

He chuckled and rose slowly, pushing himself off the alicorn to go find some water to wash his hand and face off. He stopped though, and stared down at Nightmare Moon with a blank stare as she turned back to him and smiled. He had yet to take a breath or move. His stillness dissolved Nightmare Moon's joy as she pressed a hoof to his chest and then looked into his suddenly dilated eyes.

"Derrick?" Her touch met his heartbeat. There was a rapid rhythm. Strong. Over-bearing. Something was happening and she had no idea, this unexpected lack of movement from her mate.

Silence took hold in the cavern for a couple minutes before Derrick's eyes shut tightly. He rolled off Zelda and crashed onto the floor with Nightmare Moon screaming his name and leaping off to reach him, but the pain had already taken over and awoken Lilith. He could hear his own heart like thunder booming overhead. His first reaction was screaming. It was all he could do while clutching his stomach. He hadn't know what his body was doing or the jeopardy he was in when Lilith approached his side and checked him. Unfortunately, when she did try to help she was met with projectile vomit and blood, which frightened Nightmare Moon.

"What's happening to him!?" The Mare in the Moon demanded, glaring at Lilith with tears.

"His magic is purifying his body." Lilith said in a panic, searching around the cavern.

"IT HURTS!" Derrick could not stop vomiting. He was met with having his body dumped into a nearby pond but had his head turned over the edge so his vomit did not touch the water.

"What are you doing?" Nightmare Moon spat furiously, trying to drag him out of the water. Her efforts were stopped with the ancient unicorn slapping her hoof away.

"Leave him in the water!" She ordered, splashing his head repeatedly. "We have to keep him hydrated through the process or he will die!"

"Die!?"

"Yes, you fool. His body is removing any toxins or ailments he may have possessed as a mortal, but if we do not keep water in his system the entire time, then his body will drain itself."

Nightmare Moon needed nothing more to hear, and jumped in the pond with Lilith to aid her. She leaned over her puking mate, her mouth brushing the back of his head as she held him in place. Her hoof clutched his hand, every cell in her body rebelling to the probability of him dying. Every single fear she felt in those long years of loneliness welled up to choke her—to choke back what she had to say.

"You will pull through this," she said with confidence, watching his vomiting turn a sickly black sludge that steamed on the ground.

"As long as we keep him in the water, he should pull through." Lilith advised, but it did not help Nightmare Moon with her turmoil.

It was going to be a very long and painful purification for Derrick.

Chapter XIX

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Derrick’s exhausted groans of pain had faded in the cavern, but purged from his shivering form were the impurities that were desperately forced out, his eyes still shut tight as Nightmare Moon remained at his side with her wing around him.

It eased her mind a little to finally have him out of the water and next to a roaring fire after hours of watching him suffer. She did not permit Lilith or Zelda to comfort her human, not even come within ten feet, as it was certain in her heart that his pain started with those new companions of theirs.

Strangely though, on the other side of the campfire, Lilith was working hard at studying the one impurity that gave her dark lord a struggle for air during his torturous ascension. This mysterious unicorn examined what appeared to be a disfigured ball of flesh that was still steaming after being expelled from Derrick. It twitched and oozed a sickly blackness that bubbled in the bile and blood, as if it were alive but slowly dying at the same.

“This is not normal,” Lilith said to herself while compressing her aura into a blade.

She attempted to cut the flesh in half and succeeded, that is until the results were very minimum with the inside looking the same as it was on the outer layer.

NIghtmare Moon looked past the burning flames and glared at the unicorn. “Which part of this situation would you call normal?” She asked angrily, getting the mare’s attention. “Ever since Derrick and I were brought here, it has been nothing but confusion and pain for him. Nothing about this makes sense, and it started with that thing over there.”

Nightmare Moon shot a nasty look at the Omni-Drake, watching the beast sit on her haunches and stare at the man still. She was ignored however, as Zelda cared for nothing but for her master to be alright—that much could be understood of the creature with her constant staring and whimpering.

Zelda would pace around the couple from time-to-time, but whenever she got too close to Derrick she was met with the Dark Moon Queen’s threatening snarls and promises of turning her into a feast that would feed her subjects for a month. It was truly heartbreaking for Zelda to remain distant when all she wanted was to help in any way she could.

The next sound that escaped the man alarmed Nightmare Moon. She broke her gaze from Zelda and looked down to Derrick with worry and desperation. Quickly, she lowered her ear to the man’s mouth and concentrated on what he was trying to say as it repeated over and over.

“Not. . . Fault. . . I. . .tried. . .”

Nightmare Moon could barely make out what he was saying and cursed under her breath after the muttering stopped, her hopes diminishing once more while the touch of his hand scared her.

“He’s going cold,” she spat at Lilith, who was unfazed by those words. It angered the alicorn. “Why is he suddenly going cold!?”

“Metamorphosis is a fragile process, young alicorn.” Lilth responded, confusing the pony.

The next couples of minutes were left in silence until she decided Nightmare Moon with words of encouragement and wisdom. She stood up and approached the two whilst maintaining a safe distance, trying to observe the boy as he began to cough harshly and spit out more the black ooze. She could swear that her brother knew exactly what he was talking about—how magic can can affect creatures in different ways. But for him to be on the spot about dark magic, the thought of him being right made her smile.

“He will be fine now that he’s out of the danger zone. This is the most dangerous step in metamorphosis, but now all we have to do is wait and see how he changes.”

“Changes?” NIghtmare Moon cocked an eyebrow at the unicorn who was nodding slowly at her.

“Mentally, sometimes emotionally, and right now—physically like his hand is showing,” Lilith said as she took notice of the second step already taking hold in a similar state she went through. “I suppose it was bound to happen after you two were brought here. That seal was making it difficult for his body to transform.”

“What are you talking about?” Nightmare Moon asked after watching Derrick’s fingers shift into the same slender blades, then into a single dagger, and finally his entire arm becoming what appeared to be a gauntlet before returning to normal.

A sigh of relief escaped the pony’s lips and she nuzzled her mate lovingly, but all too soon, the return of his hand became a bubbling of the skin, the hairs falling off and shriveling as it glowed with the symbols from before.

“It’s getting worse!” Nightmare Moon barked, smashing a rock with her hoof. “BUCKING DO SOMETHING TO HELP HIM!”

Lilth giggled into her hoof and enraged the queen, enjoying how ignorant this pony could be.

“It is not something I can help him with, it is a process that he must suffer through.” She replied in a sweet voice while getting comfortable, loving the feeling of cold rock touching her belly. God, she missed being in the real world.

“If something goes wrong, it will be your head!” Nightmare Moon threatened before nuzzling his cheek again.

Lilith put her attention on Derrick and sighed, before turning back to the worrisome mare.

“He will be fine,” she reassured, but the look in Nightmare Moon’s eyes was not very convincing. “The seal that Faust used to bind his magic has finally been broken.”

Nightmare Moon gave her a bemused look and scoffed.

“You must be delusional or stupid,” she insulted weakly. “Nothing, no seal, not even a jinx, was put on Derrick. That was the first thing I had the doctors check when I brought him home.”

“You had them search for a magic seal, but I can see it clearly and tell you that she used a reality seal.” Lilith pointed out. “She’s clever, but not that clever.” With that, the mare levitated a sharp rock and began drawing on the flattest surface next to her to teach the confused alicorn. “Here, look at this.”

Nightmare Moon was reluctant of taking her eyes off Lilith, but the drawing in front of her was too interesting for her to ignore. She grudged for letting it get to her, but something told her that whatever Lilith was trying to tell her would make a little more sense if she listened.

“Seals are the same with jinxes, they are made with magic.” Lilth started, drawing a few symbols here and there. “However, with a little twisting and turning, one can create a seal or a jinx outside of reality and use it to affect another.”

“These are the same symbols on his skin,” Nightmare Moon said as she stared at them closely. “But. . . They seem a little different.”

“That’s because these are the symbols of Faust’s magic,” Lilth answered. “What you see is an exact opposite of Raven’s, and Derrick has them etched into his skin to help destroy the seal that was placed upon him before his banishment.”

“But why seal his magic before banishing him?” Nightmare Moon asked, shaking her head at the unicorn. “Why go through all that trouble just to rob Derrick of his power? What’s the point of doing that to him?”

“Because she is jealous of her sister,” Lilith said in a cold tone, scaring her fellow mare a little with her neutral gaze. “She is jealous that Raven had the joy of giving birth to a human child.”

“Jealous over that!?” Nightmare Moon mocked, laughing from the deepest parts of her lungs and shedding tears. She had to wipe her eyes to see that Lilith was not joking at all.

Suddenly, the laughter was killed with coldness of Lilith’s eyes turning into a chill on her face. The bemused look now a deadly stare that made the alicorn ruffle her wings a little.

“You fail to understand the depth’s that mare will go;” Lilith added. “Think about it; has Derrick shown any symptoms to his magic wanting control?”

Nightmare Moon shook her head and clarified:

“Magic that tries to control the host is known to be parasitic, but thank the stars his is symbiotic.”

“Very well,” Lilith nodded, her face still as cold as ever. “But what has it done since then?”

“It’s done nothing but grow and willingly serve him, acting as a defense mechanism.” Nightmare Moon answered, wondering where this conversation was going. “It even heals his injuries and expands his abilities.”

“And do you know anypony beside him having such a gift?”

Nightmare Moon took a breath and went to answer her, but she was at a standstill of words and blank in her thoughts. Eventually she pondered the possibility of another pony having those capabilities, maybe herself, but all recollection of her powers left her at a dead end, which made Lilith grin menacingly.

“No, you don’t,” Lilith said to her. “And that makes him deadly.”

Nightmare Moon took that as an insult for Derrick and scowled at the unicorn. She noticed though that Lilith was grinning at her mate.

“You’re a lucky mare to have been accepted,” Lilith insinuated. “Any mare, even myself, would kill to have a mate so powerful.”

“I did not fall in love with Derrick for what he can do.” Nightmare Moon said proudly, smiling down at her human. “I fell for him for who he is and what he did for me.”

“Oh?” Lilith mused. “I didn’t know he was chivalrous as well?”

“It wasn’t chivalry. . . It was a dream he had,” Nightmare Moon sighed, deepening her hold on the man. “You might find this pathetic, but when I could enter his dreams I watched him treat his version of myself with such kindness and care.”

The unicorn tilted her head, before a thought crossed her mind. A thought that almost made her disgusted of the queen. “You invaded his dreams?”

“Every night,” Nightmare Moon admitted. “But that one dream he had was so meaningful to me. At first I was just going to bring him home for Raven, but he stole my heart with that dream.”

“What was this dream about?”

“About how much he wished he could have met me,” Nightmare Moon told her, her voice warm and soothing as she nuzzled Derrick’s lips. “He made a fake version of myself and talked for hours about how beautiful and misunderstood I was, and how he wished he could’ve had the chance to help me.”

She looked up to Lilith. “But he saved me that night. I learned to love, and now I am loved in return.”

Lilith wanted to continue with their talk, but couldn’t help feel a little melted inside at how much this pony loved Derrick, a smile always on her face with every glance she takes at him. And here I thought magic was the greatest force. . . She thought while seeing how Nightmare Moon kiss him so lovingly. I guess Raven is right. It’s about what you will do for others, not what you can do.

Derrick groaned again, and Nightmare Moon laughed with Lilith as it died out. But this was particularly louder than before—not that it mattered anyway, as it happened again and he began to shift beneath Nightmare Moon’s wing before fluttering his eyes open. Despite this, neither mare noticed him slowly waking up until he realized that the itchy feeling on his face was feathers and he reached to push said wing off of him. His touch stunned Nightmare Moon, making her gasp, which caused the same for Lilith.

”Oh my god. . .” He whined in his head, sitting up very slowly with both hands rubbing the temples of his head. ”And I thought the last doctor visit was bad enough.”

Both ponies were not sure what he mean but guffawed nonetheless, startling the man out of his stupor to see that his favorite alicorn was lying next to him with the same wing firmly grasping his torso.

”Moon?”

“How are you feeling?” Nightmare Moon asked, rubbing his torso gently.

Derrick had to shake his head a few times before realizing that he was awake. The smile on his mare was comforting, as was it to be relaxed by her touch after seeing that she was holding him.

He made the effort to respond by taking a deep breath at first, but his throat burned worse than anything he’d imagined and tightly grabbed it with both hands. His pain made Nightmare Moon worry during the agony of having no ability to speak. It was like a hot knife had been driven through the middle and twisted endlessly before having someone rip it out and repeat the process.

Nightmare Moon, as she had when she doctored him the first time, had taken it upon herself to turn her lover over and forcefully remove his hands from his throats. She grit her teeth and stuck a hoof into his mouth before gently pulling the lower jaw down, her eyes brim with tears from the whimpering of her human.

“Let me see the inside of your mouth.” She ordered grimly as she took off a slipper and levitated it into the water, filling it with as much as she could.

Derrick did not respond with words but with his harsh coughing, blood landing on the alicorn’s fur as he shut his eyes and fought the urge to kick her off. But that did not mean he could stay still and endure the searing hotness that was tearing at his throat.

Nightmare Moon ran her hoof across his head, pushing the damp strands from his forehead. “It’s okay, baby. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She poured the water down his throat without warning, watching as he gulped the fluid and settle down a little, her wings resting under his back and head. She felt the anguish of his body burning through her own, but there was nothing she could do to take it away, rather feel with him how bad it was. She watched the effect of the water do as predicted and gasped before helping him sit up.

“He’s very swollen and red,” she said to Lilith.

“The bile must have been like stomach acid,” Lilith responded, pondering the theory. She tapped a hoof to her chin repeatedly. “This never happened with the king when Raven made him a child of the dark.”

Nightmare Moon turned back to Derrick and pressed her lips together. She shook her head and didn’t say another word, but ran her hoof across his chest, keeping him up right while doing her best to comfort him.

“We are not staying here any longer,” she helped Derrick to his feet but was caught in his hands and almost pulled to the ground.

She looked down to see that his legs were shaking, and felt her heart sink.

What is your magic doing to you?

“Can he walk?” Lilith asked, although it was pointless after seeing how difficult it was for him.

“He’s just got the urge to dance,” Nightmare Moon replied sarcastically, scowling at the pony before taking a deep breath and roaring: “LOOK AT HOW WEAK HE IS. DO YOU THINK HE WILL WALK AFTER VOMITING FOR HOURS!?”

“Right,” Lilith smiled sheepishly. “Dumb question.”

“Why is this happening to him!?” Nightmare Moon had enough of the unicorn playing her with small details and did what she was best at. She had never been so inclined as to destroying this mare, but wasn’t the time to show her true colors, especially in front of Derrick. She knew that something was very wrong here and Lilith wasn’t telling her. Why, she had no idea. But she was going to find out, even if it meant ripping the information out of her memory through the use of dreamscape.

When she was sure of having a good grip on the man she quickly wrapped a ring of her magic around Lilith’s neck and lifted her in the air. She had just lost all sense of kindness and she wasn’t going to let this mystery drag-out any longer, not while her mate was suffering.

Lilith could only struggle and gasp for air as the ring constricted, blocking most of her breath. She remembered through her desperation that she had magic to get out of this, but she didn’t have the time nor the concentration to use a spell that would free her from the alicorn’s wrath.

“A pony will change with dark powers—take me for example when Luna became me!” Nightmare Moon snapped, growling dangerously as she made the ring tighten even more. “But it does not cause pain or agony.” With that said, she pulled the struggling Lilith towards her until they were face to face. “You know something and you’re not telling me. Well you better, because Raven will not compare to what I am about to do to you.”

“Please. . .” Lilith wheezed, her ears red and teary.

Nightmare Moon’s rage was pounding for freedom and her tolerance of this mare was about to break. She was going to snap this pony’s neck and she would do it just to help get rid of her ugly mood. She Lilith violently, hearing the bones in her neck pop and crack. She’d had enough.

“TELL ME OR I WILL BREAK YOUR FUCKING NECK!”

Even Derrick had to look at his queen in surprise for that one. He’d never heard the f-word slip off her tongue and was worried that Lilith may very well die should she not say something to calm the dark mare.

“Okay. . . I will. . . Tell . . . You. . .” Lilith managed to gasp out, finding herself no longer thrown around like a doll and dangling in front of the pair. “Just put me down. . . Please.”

Nightmare Moon felt a small surge of triumph and dropped the pony on her butt. She was so certain in their talk Lilith would not dare oppose or lie to her. Still, a small victory did not mean it was alright to smile. She had an image to keep as the goddess that her subjects fear, and she was not going to be easy, not even with this new companion they have.

“So I was right.”

Her voice alone made Lilith shiver, those cold eyes, like death, drilling through her soul, ready to expunge the life out of her while she licked her lips hungrily.

“His magic is not just purging his body, it’s fighting that seal I spoke of— the one that Faust placed on him,” she breathed fearfully, stunning the two lovers. “It’s a deadly reality seal that activates when the host starts their ascension. It’s meant to erase their existence.”

“ERASE!” Derrick yelled, forgetting how damaged his throat was. The pain worsened as he looked to his mare for answers but was given silence.

Said triumph melted into fear for Derrick. Nightmare Moon fell to her haunches. Her mouth went dry as she became aware of the severity to their journey. Despair overcame the queen with an intense coldness in the pit of her chest.

How can somepony be so cruel?

“But it is not working,” Lilith added quickly, which gave the two some newfound hope. “The seal is still there and fighting, but it is losing to your magic. You have your mother to thank for that.”

“Bitch.” Derrick wheezed, glaring at the unicorn hatefully. A sigh escaped him afterward, but he was physically a lump of jello against his mare.

“How do we know he will be alright?” Nightmare Moon asked crucially. Her eyes bore into the mare after that same ridiculous yet infuriating smile was on her lips.

“If it worked, he would no longer exist and all your memories of him would be gone.” Lilith replied sweetly, making the two cringe at how joyful she could answer that.

Nightmare Moon had many other questions to ask, but her mind was taken from them by the hand that held onto her now gripping her flesh tightly. She looked down to Derrick and saw him on his knees and pressing his head against her side. The blood began to seep through his teeth and lips, dripping into her fur.

“Hurts. . .” Derrick groaned, holding his throat again. “It hurts. . .”

“I know baby,” Nightmare Moon cooed, leaning down and nuzzling the tears off his cheek. “I know it hurts, but we’re going to get you out of here.”

“Hurts. . .”

“I know, I know.” She shushed the man, kissing his neck before lowering herself. “Here, get on my back.”

Derrick made no disagreement. He nodded and positioned himself to hop on, moving slow, carefully lifting one leg over the mare’s back. Beside him, Zelda lowered her head as leverage to help him push up and fully ride the alicorn before she stood up. As it always was, his touch blocked all magic within the mare and left her with just sheer strength to carry him throughout the rest of their journey.

“There we go,” the alicorn sighed, getting a test of his weight by lifting him up and down in place.

“You are heavier than before.” She giggled.

Derrick could only lean over and stretch his arm out to give her the bird. But like every moment they had of her teasing the hell out of him, Nightmare Moon gave the dirty impression of wanting to get in his pants by sucking on his finger and looking back at him with lidded eyes.

She took her mouth off the finger after a good minute of watching him blush and said with a saucy moan.

“When this is all over, I am going to be your nurse.”

“If we want this to stop, we need to exit this forsaken castle and reach the empress.” Lilith interrupted, ruining the moment and trekking to a nearby corridor that Zelda approached.

Silence continued on after Nightmare Moon made sure Derrick was not going to fall off from so much embarrassment. Derrick himself had little to go about on refusing Lilith’s help after feeling as though he had been turned inside out, but still he wanted to be cautious and distant of her throughout the end of their journey in that damnable cave.

Lilith left her thoughts of escape and stopped next to Zelda. She listened as the great beast slowly lifted her cowls and proceeded to snarl at the darkness. They had a wide enough path to enter together, but the air wreaked with a foul odor that filled the unicorn’s nostrils as she lit her horn with a small orb of light. She sent a small, quick glare to Nightmare Moon and shook her head. She mouthed the word stop.

“What’s g—”Derrick’s weak voice was muffled by Nightmare Moon’s wing curling around his mouth.

Lilith slowly turned back to the darkness to frown at it.

“I was afraid of this,” she said very quietly. “Something has been stalking us the entire time.”

A terrible, gurgling roar struck their ears. They jumped back and stood behind Zelda, defending the frightened man as the source of this fear thrust its wrinkling form into the light and roared once again.

“IT’S A GORGER!” Nightmare Moon screeched, leaping as hard as she could from the beast as it rushed towards her. She had no time to respond when it passed Zelda and Lilith and lunged at her. Of course she tried to use magic to stop it, but the speed of this beast surprised her before it tackled her to the ground.

Her head hit the ground hard. She was in a daze as the muffling of her human became screams of pain and fright that echoed across the cave. She was forced to pause long enough to get her bearings whilst listening to Derrick screech at the top his lungs while Lilith screamed at her to get up.

“GET IT OFF ME. GET IT OFF!”

Blood seeped into the ground in front of the alicorn in a long trail. She sat up and shook herself to rid herself of the dizziness, and saw that the monster had its teeth in Derrick’s shoulder and was dragging him into the corridor.

“MOON!”

She was up and running in one smooth move, chasing Derrick into the darkness until her head hit what felt like a break wall. She quickly lit the corridor and found that there was nothing but layers of brick and rock blocking her way. Derrick’s voice however, could be heard past it and she became frantic as Lilith ran up behind her.

“DERRICK!” She turned and bucked the wall, but it was no good. It was too solid for even her to break down.

“Oh no,” Lilith said fearfully, knowing what just happened. “It took him there. . .”

“There?” Nightmare Moon questioned, spinning around to hold the pony by her throat. “Where did it take him!?”

Lilith could barely muster the courage to say the words that brought chills to her spine. Dread filled her. “It took him to the outer realm.”

“What? Why?” The alicorn snapped, slamming Lilith against a wall. “Why did it take Derrick!?”

Lilith breathed the words into her ear.

“To feed. . .”

Nightmare Moon dropped her, but she was given no time to despair or even think what it would do to her mate. She was immediately dragged out of the darkness and guided by Lilith to another corridor. It took a moment to realize that she was running, following the unicorn through the blackness to reach another room.

“We have to reach Raven,” Lilith told her in a panic. “Only she can enter that realm.”

Time was not on their side.

Chapter XX

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He's so tiny. . .

Can. . . hold him. . .

Destroy it now. . .

COUSIN!

The scream took what little remainder of sleep in Derrick and jolted him awake, building the fractured consciousness of waking. His body had consulted numerous times in his slow process a sharp pain in his shoulder before a burning sizzle lapped it with numbness. He grunted and clenched to said pain as it very slowly died with his grogginess and brought him to the surroundings appearing to be. . . upside-down?

The darkness was a terrible atmosphere from the shred of light that glowed on a nearby torch that was hanging on a stone wall, too far for him too reach. There was nothing around him but the emptiness and a distant gurgling that sent fear down his spine the very second he heard it.

It had taken a good minute to realize that his arms were free but his legs were restrained, as well as the feeling of all blood rushing to his head.

I'm. . . hanging of the ceiling?

A self-conflicting argument had ensued that had taken into his mental process. He wasn't sure what to worry about first, the wound, the area, or the very monster he caught in the corner of his eye walking down a pitch-black corridor with a rolled-up pile of mutilated bodies in his tentacles.

His eyes widened when the mysterious night-vision of his took hold, and he caught a glimpse of the few ponies that were familiar to him. It hitched his breath. It surfaced memories of Celestia and Luna explaining the dangers of the Everfree Forest and why you should never go alone. He was skeptical at first, but he was a firm believer that evil existed.

He remembered reading a book that explained ancient creatures thought to be extinct or forgotten, although the details were vague and completely useless for him to study, not even influential to his former position as the princesses' engineer.

But there was one image in the book that jarred his memory . . .

It's fucking real. . . he began to hyperventilate whilst reaching for whatever had him suspended, but it was to no avail of finding the rope. Instead, he touched a very sticky and disgusting ooze with flesh and bone mixed in it.

He slapped a hand over his mouth after watching the ooze split around his ankle to reveal a guard that almost caught him when he entered the Everfree Forest the first time. Tears gushed and dripped down his forehead as he watched severed head slip and fall to his eye level with a single string of the substance holding it in mid-air.

CELESTIA SAID HE WAS SAFE! He kept his hand over his mouth but bit his tongue, resisting the scream that was close to escaping his throat. He looked away and tried to rip the ooze off his ankles. I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!

To his dismay, even the claws that he grew were not enough to cut or even tear the blackness. He began to whimper as it dripping onto his face.

DAMMIT! WHERE ARE YOU, NIGHTMARE MOON!?

Panic was overtaking the man with every second of his resistance, his entire hand now swallowed in the sticky ooze. He wanted nothing more than this to be a bad dream from eating something bad or by accidentally hitting his head. The longer he was awake though, the worse it was to understand that this was reality and he had no one to save him. He had no friends, no family, not even that obsessive, overbearing alicorn he kept hurting by denying what she desired.

Derrick took stopped out of the despair of becoming a meal and thought back to Nightmare Moon. He did not understand her or the antics she pulled, but one thing was certain. . . she was not here to protect him.

"I should have listened," he admitted, whimpering to himself. "God dammit, I should have listened to you. I should have been more accepting when you've done so much for me."

He lost his will to fight after that. He hung there in shame, motionless and guilty of every respond he made to Nightmare Moon's declaration of loving him. He had to be such an ass to the mare when all she wanted was to make him happy and love her.

He clenched his teeth in anger. Nightmare Moon had become his—everything. He certainly would have confessed if he hadn't held onto the past so desperately and just let himself come to love the mare. He definitely would tell her if given the chance to escape. More importantly, he would tell the alicorn that he loves her and belongs only to her.

"I'm sorry," he cried silently. "Dammit, I'm so sorry for not telling you."

He cried until there were no more tears to shed from his eyes and remained suspended with no effort of fighting. He sighed to himself out of disappointment. He had never been one to stay in place and just give up, but in this case, it made sense to him to let death come and claim his life. He might have been screwed throughout his life, but he was relatively happy to have such sadistic ponies come into his life and make things better for him

He could only smile at thinking about them. He had been much happier with them than before, much more joyous than in Canterlot. He wanted to hear their laughter again, the mockery of how weak he was compared to them.

However, it was endless silence and death around him. And the thought of Nightmare Moon laughing. . .

Nightmare Moon. . .

His moon. . .

His mare. . .

NO!

"I am not going to become a fucking meal," he growled, scowling at the ooze as his sudden anger triggered the tendrils to sprout out of his back. He tried again to free himself. "Dammit, if I had something to burn it!"

Suddenly he noticed the tendrils curl in front of him and gasped as the tip expanded, releasing gaping maws of teeth and an orange light that grew brighter with every second. All three were clearly reacting to his emotions and thoughts. A deep flow of energy had risen throughout his body as intense flames shot out of the tendrils and evaporated the sticky fluid. He realized what had just happened and shut his eyes after noticing the drop being enough to cripple a person, but the moment of injury or death did not come as expected.

He slowly opened and saw that he had not fallen but was midair with the tendrils acting as legs, carrying him effortlessly. Confusion overtook Derrick while the hardened appendages gently lowered him to his feet, allowing to get his bearings before changing their density to return to soft, floating tails of blackness.

The tension seemed to ease in the young lord after he looked at one and watched as it cooed and. . . nuzzled him?

"Is this something else to go with my change?" He inhaled, drawing in a calming state of mind. The tendril did not stop sharing it's affection, and soon enough the other three were doing the same thing.

"You're alive," he told him, chuckling after a moment of processing what had just happened. "Oh my god, I never thought magic could have a mind of its own."

Derrick waited until they were done touching him before looking down at his shoulder to see that the gorgon's bite was not there. Not even a scratch was on his skin, and him want to laugh even harder.

"I really am Raven's son," he told himself jokingly. His laughter became uncontrollable, as it had echoed loudly and alarmed any living creature nearby. "I. . . I'M THE SON OF RAVEN. I'M THE SON OF A FUCKING GODDESS!"

The four tendrils just swayed gently as Derrick stepped out of his prison and into the corridor of darkness with his laughter dissolving into sobs, none of them knowing what to do or how to fix the problem when they are merely forms of magic given a little life by his own conscience and energy. Protection was all they knew, but the connection of his emotions was strong and confusing while watching him fall to his knees.

"I'm a freak," he announced, accidentally punching a few bones that were on the tiled floor.

"What am I?" He asked himself. "And what am I supposed to do?"

He closed his eyes briefly and dried his tears with his torn shirt. He shook his head without an answer and out of denial that his problems were real. His heart accelerated and he clutched his chest, every fiber in his body wanting him to collapse and lie there until someone could save him or the answer came. Every single fear he felt in those long months of captivity welled up to choke him—to choke back what his scream for Nightmare Moon to save him again.

But again, she was not there at his side. Not this time. She was not there to tower over him so protectively. To stair at horror in it's face and declare death should it try to hurt him. All he had to go by were these tendrils watching him worriedly and the never-ending darkness that. . .

"Master. . ."

Derrick looked up, his sense of touch catching a silky calmness that shot out of his back pocket and circled him tentatively. His eyes widened in fear and he was prepared to make a run from the culprit; that was until his mind processed that he had been touched by the same cloak his mother gave him. His father's cloak, the first object that somehow spoke to him, was hovering in front of him with welcoming sleeves.

"Do not cry, my master." There is was again, the loving. . .soft voice of this strangely animate clothing. "You have nothing to fear. The divine blackness of your father will protect you."

Derrick's gaze was steady on the cloak as it slowly moved behind him and took hold, his voice silenced by a sudden warmth that radiated from the garment after it caressed his body and buttoned itself. He wanted to question where it had come but felt the urge to laugh after bracing a little to the memory he had about learning the magic that Nightmare Moon said he possessed.

"If mine is symbiotic," he told himself skeptically. "Then what's to say this thing can't appear whenever it needs too."

He chuckled again. "Son of a bitch, I guess there's more to magic than I learned from Twilight."

"Master. . ." The cloak spoke again, but he noticed the concern in it's voice. "You must journey through the outer realm. I sense the gorgon returning, and there is life in the distance. Two small lights of life."

Silence took hold of the man when his dark vision returned and the view ahead made his breath stop in the middle of his chest. Beyond him were various thin, pony-like creatures that had long since met a terrible demise and were now trapped in the outer realm as monsters of limbo, hungering for any scraps that the gorgon may have left. They eyes him hungrily and very slowly approached as he stood there in terror that it was truly the end for him.

However, something touched his ears, a sound similar to a blade being sharpened or sheathed. He noticed that these undead creatures began backing away from him with fear in the glowing, orange eyes. The sharpening sound came again, this time with hissing on both sides. He turned away carefully to see from the corner of his eye that the tips of the two tendrils on his right were now large hands with long, razor sharps blades for fingers.

"What the. . ." He looked to his left and saw that the same thing happened to them as well. It was surprising to see that these things had changed shape and now hissing, but nothing could have mentally prepared him for the symbols now glowing off the cloak.

"Do not worry, my master. You are safe." The voice reassured, although he felt no encouragement to have such help, especially when one of the appendages gave a warming by cutting a large boulder into four pieces with ease.

Watching split apart with perfectly clean cuts made him sweat a little.

"Thank god I don't grow facial hair," he whispered to himself.

The creatures eventually disappeared into the blackness, and Derrick was left alone to stand there and wonder where he should go. Given that the only place learned was the castle, this was an entirely different area with just instincts and the cloak to help guide him away from the gorgon before it returned. Water trickled from the columns and empty bookshelves down to the pools all around him, drops hissing as they hit the ooze that was actually all around the man.

Steam rose as curling vapor after the toxic substance lapped over the water and consumed it. The flickering light from the torch behind him cast shadows of victims that were brought to this place and met with an untimely demise. It seemed as though this place was journey into hell, faith abandoned and hope lost in the perilous darkness.

Derrick heard his own heart boom like drum being repeatedly beaten. His first reaction of taking a step forward was letting fear overcome him, but he could not allow it. He worried himself with various thoughts of what lurked ahead, whether it be another monster or someone that actually lived down here. That had to be impossible though, there was nothing that remarked signs of vegetation or a living animal that was not horrendously disfigured and hungry for flesh.

He hadn't known what making another step into the place entailed or the jeopardy he was going to be in if he did not move quickly. His reaction when he turned to the left, around a broken bookshelf was confusion yet not enough for him to stop. On both sides were lines of bookshelves with the very books it holds wrapped in chains or lost to time with some turning to dust by a gentle breeze.

Now he understood just what he was getting into with walking forward. This was not some secret cave that the gorgon dragged him into, this was entire castle similar to Canterlot but clearly opposite of what he remembered.

He leaned to the right and dragged his hand across one of the shelves, remembrance nipping at his mind after he grabbed a book that was not chained nor turning to dust. He stopped long enough to see that it was exactly the same as the advanced healing spellbook Celestia had in the forbidden library, but instead of spells meant to heal there were incantations of mental, physical, or emotional torture with drawings of the victim as an example.

He was beyond disgusted by such a book existing and continued to flip through page after page for some clue that could help him. But none of these spells were of use and he tossed the book to the ground and reached for another. His breath was hitched by this book containing recipes on how to cook someone, or this case. . . somepony.

"Jesus. . ." He put a hand to his mouth and fought the urge to vomit, as it had been drawn out by the fifth page showing how to properly cook a pony. Cutting them from the chin to their genitals, bleeding them out, using a unicorn's horn as a spice or even a pegasus' wings for stem because they they released a hint of magic that would help the meat absorb the spices for flavor.

He tossed that one way as well and reached for another, but it turned into dust the very second he opened it. It angered him a little to find such horrible things here and his situation continued to worsen with more of these books showing death and mind-control, even the proper method of turning somepony into something they are not through a gruesome ritual.

He sighed slowly and dropped the last book he grabbed, it's page stuck on how to turn an alicorn into a delicious meal with simple ingredients. He immediately thought about Nightmare Moon and felt his heart lurch for her becoming a possible victim. His imagination fueled his rage and determination to escape this hellhole. Every cell of his body telling him to get out.

Something caught his eye though, something glowing high above him with rainbow lettering.

He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sure that it wasn't his mind playing tricks on him. "Out of all the books that are here, the most interesting one just has to be too damn high for me to reach. If only I could find a ladder or know how to levitate it to me."

Out of the blue, one of the tendrils dropped it's dangerous shape and quickly shot towards the book, stretching with ease and curling around said book before returning to Derrick. Startled by the tendril, he eyed the appendage cautiously whilst taking the book. The tendril cooed happily at doing something good for him and resumed being a dangerous weapon growing out of his upper back.

Getting a feeling for the weight of this book, Derrick made sure he had a tight grip and blew the dust and cobwebs off after confirming that it would not fall apart in his grasp. He saw the symbol on it and realized that it was another book about the Elements of Harmony, but the gemstones they represented were discolored with a much more disheartening color to them with six darkly appearing ponies touching them.

"No fucking way," he said to himself, looking at the title and saying it out loud as it glowed a little brighter. "The True Elements."

He opened it and began reading the first page, although a bit skeptical since he had seen from Luna's dreams what they did to separate her from Nightmare Moon.

He took a deep breath and began reading quietly, trusting that the tendrils would keep him safe while his guard was down.

"To whoever that finds this," He stopped for a moment, wondering why somebody would put that before continuing. "Know that these elements are the forgotten aspects of what it means for chaos and harmony to come together, but they are trapped in oblivion. I have failed to stop the light from breaking the balance and my own failure has brought forth my end. The fake now stands in my place, a puppet of what I should have been but refused, for I saw that peace cannot exist without chaos."

He took another breath and looked up to make sure nothing was there. Thankfully there wasn't, and he went on with reading the last paragraph at the bottom with an illegible signature at the bottom.

"The puppet blinds my subjects, it speaks with a silver tongue and corrupts the world with a blinding light. Do not trust her. Do not trust the light. Do not let the puppet or the fake elements destroy the balance, or her master will destroy this world."

Sincerely . . . He could not make out the name, other than that whoever wrote this smeared their name by mistake. Whether or not it was an accident, Derrick now more questions that needed to be answered. It ate at his mind with every second of trying to read the name to no avail.

Who was this pony?

Why did this book imply that the elements of harmony are fake?

More importantly, what are the true elements?"

He skipped the index and came to the first chapter, a detailing riddle about these true elements and what they represented.

Their is no peace without chaos. . .

Truth must be with lies. . .

Kindness must have cruelty. . .

Generosity cannot be without greed. . .

Loyalty is not without distrust. . .

Laughter is nothing if it doesn't have pain . . .

And the spark cannot be without light or darkness. . .

He pondered the riddle for a moment before looking up, deep in thought. "There is no peace without chaos. Chaos and peace in a balance; that's not possible. It's no different from good and evil—" He flipped through more pages, skipping the details he should be looking over. "What the hell does this all mean for—" He stopped at a detailed drawing.

His silence was worse than the darkness around him. Blood rushing. Heart racing. Even his hands shaking a little. Derrick gently took the drawing out of the book and stared at it in shock. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned it over to find no writing of any sort, and went back to looking at the unconscious alicorn being dragged by chains into a black hole while another with a red mane scowled at her.

"Never seen her before." He questioned if it was real or something drawn for fun. He caught in the bottom left corner a figure staring from a corridor with a smile on her face and the six elements floating around her.

"Who the fuck is that?" He asked himself, ignoring the rest of the drawn picture. The mare was nothing similar to either alicorn, not even close in appearance to any mare he'd met, but it had the elements and was wearing a crown on her head, larger and more detailed than Celestia's.

Was it another sister that Celestia and Luna refused to speak about, or was she possibly this fake that the writer was mentioning?

More and more questions swirled around inside Derrick's head as he continued to search the drawing for some kind of answer. Sadly, as detailed as it was, a drawing in black and white could only go so far, and it left him with more anger he planned to burn out by building something when he returns home.

That is if he could go home. . .

He exchanged a frown with one of the tendrils. The confusion was getting worse with mysteries about his heritage now teamed with the mystery of the elements. He had tried to put it in the back of his mind as much as possible to focus on finding a way out. To deliberately forget the evils that was daunting this place. Unfortunately, his mind retreated to the book as the tendrils took it and stuffed it inside a pocket that he did not see inside the cloak.

"That's handy," he complimented, smiling at his deadly extensions. "It's a damn good thing that I have you growing out of my back."

He continued to smile at them and wonder the possibilities with these things. His first thought was the time he could cut with building anything his heart desired and the extra help that is needed when it requires more than two hands to hold a part together. It was easy to remember that problem since Spike helped him a great deal with fixing so many ovens and. . .
"I told her not to use that spell."

Derrick immediately froze in place, surrounded with the safety of his tendrils hissing in response and forming staring at all four corners to avoid a sneak attack. Quietly, the man allowed the voice to come a little closer out of the trust of being safe by his tendrils.

The one speaking was strong and scrutinizing. A dark figure wearing goggles with a blade sheathed but ready to cut down anything that may pose a threat. His outline in the darkness did not escape the fearful lord's vision.

"Use her spell?" Derrick prompted, and the bulb clicked in his mind. "Did you bring me to that castle before that. . . thing dragged me here?"

"I'm an earth pony, fool." The figure replied. "The one I serve brought you here, and it has exhausted her to bring you here."

"Are there others here?" Derrick questioned, a little too-excitedly. "Is there a way out?"

The figure stepped forward, but remained in the darkness. "There is a way out, but the gorgon blocks the exit and devours anything that comes close to it."

Derrick raised and eyebrow at the stallion. "Is the gorgon some tentacle thing with a big mouth?"

"It is. Why do you ask?"

"Because it dragged me into this place."

"A misfortune that we did not expect." The mystery pony nodded at him, before turning away. "Nonetheless, you are here now. She will want to see you, and who am I to deny a family reunion."

Derrick had no idea what he was talking about, but he did not have the chance to ask the stallion, as he had walked away and said:

"Come. She will want to see you."

Chapter XXI

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The emptiness had grown around Derrick faster than he or anyone could expect. The only light in front of him was a single tendril having already changed shape again and erecting a red glass with magic filtering through as a source, which made it easier for other creatures to find him. However, none dared approach the man with the other two constantly turning in every direction with elongated blades ready to cut them down.

Derrick was still nauseous from watching one split a strange shadow-like pony with no face turn it into multiple piles of flesh. The memory was fresh in his mind even when the new stallion leading him through a series of corridors acted as though nothing happened.

When he had first questioned the stallion he was left in silence and wonder, but his toleration of mysteries and monsters had run too thin for him to handle the possibility of said pony being a friend or a potential threat. He had so questions that needed to be answered, but the eeriness of this strange place made him very hesitant.

"This place is fucking creepy. . ." He shivered uncontrollably by the sudden feeling of more monsters hiding in the darkness—watching and waiting for his guard to lower. If only they knew he was not on guard but trusting the tendrils erected from his lower back.

"The outer realm is a place beyond light and darkness," the stranger informed, stopping for a moment to turn to the young lord and gaze at him crucially. "It used to be a fragment of nothing, but the sisters of light and darkness created an impact with their conflict that knotted the threads and gave birth to what you see."

"So it exists because. . ." Derrick had to stop himself. Not a moment too soon in his own thoughts did he fully process the stallion's words. "Hang on, how do you know that?"

"I would prefer you not questioning so much," the strange pony requested, growing very irritated of the man and his overbearing curiosity.

Not long after however, did Derrick stop walking and cross his arms with a deep glare for the pony that stopped shortly after him and turn around. It was obvious that he was very aware of his surroundings. "Talk." Derrick commanded as the stallion shook his head. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'll you give name, but that is it." The pony replied. "It's Violent Haze."

"Alright," Derrick nodded. "And what the hell do you want from me?"

Violent Haze sighed deeply at the man. "This is not the time to be answering questions or filling in the details of my sudden appearance. I have enough trouble in my mind with leaving my lady to the darkness to find you while monsters of this unforgiving realm stalk her."

A tick mark grew on Derrick's forehead as the tendrils understood his emotions and attempted to intimidate the stallion by shapeshifting into claws. His blank expression remained still though, as did the blade strapped to his right flank.

"A little irked are we?" The stallion mused, frustrating Derrick even more. "I can see why lady is interested in retrieving you."

"You're starting to piss me off." Derrick threatened, approaching the pony with intention to interrogate him.

His new ally chuckled beneath his breath. "Then I'm doing my job. She wanted me to test your emotions, but I can see that your magic is fueled by your temper."

Derrick's face become something of a deadly serious glare as he gave the tall pony a small nod. "You know what, it's kind of weird how you just randomly appear and start talking about someone that is very interested in me. Strange enough that I think my mother needs to know."

He waited for Violent Haze to respond, but—damn it—he was not taking the bait like he had hoped. The first thing to come to mind as a way to get the pony to talk could have been better than using the excuse of having a goddess for a mother who has a very short fuse for anyone that bothers him. The bait was still hanging, but the armored pony was not biting on it.

Then again, he wasn't responding at all. Not a word nor an expression as they stood there in silence.

The first thing that hits both males back into the reality of their situation was how close the gorger was and how quickly it had caught to them. Derrick shook the conversation out of his head and spun around to approach a nearby cliff that was illuminated by a red glow at the bottom. He looked down with careful observation whilst making himself scarce behind a rock. His friend did the same and they both watch as the monster used it tentacles to pierce the rock and slowly make it's way up from the other side.

Bleary images of having been dragged into this place by that thing slowly played in the man's head with the disjointed sounds of his plea for Nightmare Moon to help him. If he could describe what it felt like for her to not have reached him in time he would have it written down just to get it off his chest. The replaying images of his attacker and being dragged away, he began to hyperventilate and feel dizzy as the beast across them roared and sniffed the air.

"It's trying to find our scent," the crude stallion said coldly, taking his eyes off the monster after hearing the man's breathing accelerate. He was surprised to see Derrick this way. "Hey, what's the matter with you?"

Derrick tried to speak but came up short with his voice completely robbed. His breathing became intense wheezes with one over his chest as he fell back and lied on the cold floor. He tried again to speak, only to stop and wince at the feeling of his chest clenching tightly. He began to sweat profusely and did his best to get his mind on something else, mainly having Nightmare Moon in his mind and how good she was to him. But even that was proving useless with that monster coming through in the background to devour his mental image of her.

"Hey, talk to me." The stallion demanded, lightly smacking the young man on his cheek, only to watch him get worse. "Dammit. Talk to me. What the buck is going on with you?"

Derrick could not focus anymore on the stallion towering over him and fought harder to steady himself, but this was the first time he ever had a panic attack and was unsure what the hell just happened to him. He assumed it was an actual heart attack turned his gaze to the dangling tendrils cooing and rubbing against his skin to help calm him down.

The memory though, it happened again and the shock on Nightmare Moon's face played over and over until it was too much to handle.

"Derrick. . . Talk to me. . ."

He glimpsed at the stallion one last time. . . before shutting his eyes.

"Great. He passed out." Violent Haze scoffed, returning to monster making it's way into the darkness. "Now how the buck am I supposed to get him out of here?"

Pondering his options, Violent Haze tapped his hoof against his chin. He could find an old curtain of rug and drag him with it, but that would mean leaving Derrick alone and unsupervised while there are other creatures stalking in the blackness. He could just carry him on his back. Compared to most ponies, he was muscular and even taller than other stallions. Sure he wasn't normal for being such a size but he had his mare to thank for changing him all those years ago to acclimate their imprisonment.

So Violent Haze was left with few options of taking Derrick where they need to go. He could imagine how disappointed she would be to see that the answer to their imprisonment was actually a coward that feinted at the sight of a gorger. Maybe it was a mistake for them to lure him here. Violent Haze smacked a rock over the cliff and cursed himself for believing that this person might have been the help they needed in this timeless prison they begrudgingly call home.

Everything inside him was screaming at the idea of Raven's son turning out to be a weakling. Like a poison thrust into his veins, the hopelessness drew a tear from underneath his cracked goggles. He released a grunt and kicked some dirt at Derrick out of his own anger. The idea of never getting out irritated him.

"You lose hope too quickly." A familiar voice whispered in his ear, her tone as soothe and gentle as the wing coming over to drape the unicorn with care and love.

Violent Haze shot up and turned around as he prepared to draw his blade to find that she was standing before him and staying his sword with a surprising yet tender kiss upon his dried lips.

The kiss is broken, and he shakes all thoughts of attacking out of his head and looks up to her. "My lady, you're not supposed to be here."

"I may be blind, Violent," the alicorn replies with a warm smile, pointing at the cloth around her eyes. "But I am not vulnerable. I still have my magic and my wits."

"How did you even get here?" He asked, looking past her to see the path blanketed with the hungry but fearful eyes of their every day fears.

The tall, alabaster alicorn giggled, and pressed her hoof to his chest. "Violent, you should not forget that I know you best. Your heart called to me, and I followed the voice."

"But my lady, you endanger yourself by—"

"Oh stop with these fears," she teased, leaning down to nip his nose. "And do not show such respect. I lost my crown when Faust created that fake."

"Of course," he paused for a moment to look back at the passed-out Derrick. "But we have run into a problem. Your cousin feinted at the sight of the gorger."

"Oh did he now?." She mused, approaching the man until she stopped an inch from him. Violent Haze wasn't sure how she could see when her sight was stolen, but after spending his entire life with this pony he did not dare question.

This old alicorn took a moment to drag her hoof across Derrick's face to get a feeling of his appearance, and smiled briefly at him with a familiar tenderness and love she shared when he was just a baby. An old memory never forgotten but kept safe in her heart, she almost wept at the feeling of being in his presence for the first time in four-thousand years.

"He has grown so much," she cooed, resisting the urge to cry. "He was but a bundle of life that could not stop crying until somepony held him. I can still see that smile he wore when Raven allowed me hold him."

"Honey, now is not the time for remembrance." Violent Haze reminded her.

She nodded in agreement, and immediately lowered to her stomach to toss Derrick onto her back with her wing. "You are right. The gorger will find or scent if we do not move." She spun around to face her stallion. "I trust that you can guide us back to our home."

Violent Haze tilted his head at her. "But you got here by yourself, so can't—"

She giggled, nuzzling the back of his neck. "Maybe I enjoy feeling like a princess again when my stallion guides and protects me."

She proceeded to move forward into the darkness ahead with her lover quick to get in front of her, before adding:

"Also, the gorger is not what made my cousin feint. The fear of losing his lover is what drove him to this."

"His lover?"

She made no effort to respond, and instead craned her head to see the marking on Derrick's neck glowing brightly.

Cold, exhausted—Nightmare Moon pushed beyond her limits and followed the violent unicorn out of another room that she blasted into a million pieces with her magic. It should have been confusing for somepony like her to damage the walls when they are coated with iron, but she was solely focused on getting the buck out of the old castle and getting back to Raven and the others so they could work together in locating Derrick.

It had been raining heavily through the cracks of the mountain for the last hour and was filling every room with little to no way through for either mare. Flying was useless for the alicorn and she could barely muster a spell without having the iron-filled walls sap her energy. Lilith however, was still strong and capable of devestating everything that got in her path, but it was obvious that the magic she poured was no ordinary magic at all.

Nightmare Moon began to wonder if this magic beyond reality was actually real.

"Are we close yet?" The alicorn yelled, pushing through another large stream of water that had been flowing through the disheveled throne room.

Lilith was hesitant at first but the promise of an opening came into her view and won her over with a smile on her lips as she stopped and examined a large crack that had some light coming through.

She gave no warning for the dark moon queen and jumped back before blowing another hole with a powerful beam of black and white. The blast pushed her and the startled alicorn back with tremendous before they could see the shred of light now gaping through the opening, revealing the dark world before them and a castle glimpsing over a few low flying clouds.

Nightmare Moon was impressed and ecstatic with what she saw, all that time trying to find a way out and they passed it hours ago without realizing how obvious it was. It just went to show that even she needed to pay attention more.

The realization of Derrick being in danger kicked her mind back into overdrive when Lilith turned to her and started to give her orders.

"Get to Raven and tell her what happened. Inform her that a gorger has taken him to the outer realm through the eastern sector. She'll know what to do."

"And what will you be doing?" Nightmare Moon asked in a crucial tone, stepping forward and spreading her wings to prepare for her flight back to the castle.

"I will be prepping a spell to seal the outer realm," replied Lilith, panting slightly from the last use of her magic. "If that gorger can come and go through that realm as it pleases, then there's no telling what else can escape. The horrors of that place must never break free."

Nightmare Moon scowled at the mare. "I care not about what monsters may find freedom," she snapped angrily. "I only care about my mate."

"If we don't seal that place you will have a hard time keeping your mate safe!" Lilith countered, scowling in return of the angst this pony was putting her through. "Those horrors were born by the imbalance of the two sisters. They cannot die nor be removed from existence. The outer realm is a prison and it is almost broken!"

With that in mind, Nightmare Moon paused and trekked through her own thoughts with Lilith completely drowned-out. She released a troubled breathe both hitched and heavy with the undesired inevitability of trusting this mare to keep things in balance until she returned with help, but the weight of monsters being freed and her lover possibly fighting for his very life pushed her further from her own desires to the extreme of trusting this stranger to her very word.

She'd barely known her, a few hours at best and the entire development of understand this pony was farfetched. Derrick had done most of the talking with her, and that was still little to go by.

Nightmare Moon kept pacing back and forth in the hole and simply told herself that it was wrong to leave Derrick when he needed her the most. She was supposed to be there for him. She was supposed to keep him safe. Scowling at her own failure, the alicorn mentally punched herself for failing him.

"Get going!" Lilith gave her a light nudge.

"Alright!" Nightmare Moon barked, turning her attention back to Lilith and giving her a hard and vicious glare. "But he better be alright when we find him, or it will be your hide that I skin and use as a carpet!"

"His magic will keep him safe for the time being, but every minute wasted here worsens our chance of getting him back. Now go, and tell Raven exactly what I told you."

Without a moment left to spare Nightmare Moon jumped out of the hole and spread her wings with a powerful gust from them giving her speed beyond a sonic rainboom. Her mane colored the sky with the everlasting glow of her darkness, a trail of beauty behind her whilst she alarmed all creatures with her exhausted howl. She was already pushed to her limit and little energy to spare even with the iron walls no longer sapping her. However, a mare obsessively in love was who she became when she brought him to this world, and it was the driving force that made her fly home at the speed of sound.

After watching the Dark Moon Queen disappear in the distance for awhile, Lilith seemed rather calm and collected. She continued to hold herself well, driven by faith in Derrick's magic keeping him alive and desire to get him back no matter the cost. But all in all, with the worst problem finally out of her mane, it was going to be much easier retrieving the man.

But here she stood now, growing a devious grin and a giggle escaping her lips.

"Time to have some fun." She murmured, walking back to the beginning of their problems.

And with mountain far behind her, Nightmare Moon sped to the castle with the feeling of open air gusting across her feathers helping her calm down if but a little. The worries of Derrick being alive and well still plague her mind as she dives into an open field to gain more speed, knowing she had to put her everything into making it back in time with help before the gorger devoured him.

She just hoped that he was not a meal already.

"Please be safe," she whispered, soaring past a farm mare who was turning a timberwolf into firewood.

Although a few minutes passed in her flight towards the castle, Nightmare Moon felt that she had going at it for hours and flanking around homes and trees made her stress skyrocket. It's been quite some time since she had her heart racing and she had to hate herself for not pressing the matter of finding a way home while Derrick was still with her, but the mistakes were made and she understood that bad circumstances do happen.

However, not at this caliber did she expect a bucking monster to take her mate.

With that in thought, she flew through a flock of bats and shook off a couple that latched to her head. A few tears here and there from the irritation but she was back on track and seeing the castle in close distance. She could barely see through said tears the ponies she needed standing on the west balcony, talking to a certain blue alicorn that was stripped of her crown, slippers and chest plate.

Confusion tried to overtake the dark mare as she descended without slowing herself down. So she had the guts to come here!

Roaring to her fellow mortal, Nightmare Moon shot down and prayed that they would move.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

She felt the connection of her lover loosen a little as she came to screeching halt on the balcony and fell over from her momentum, the feeling of pain coursing through her as she rolled into a column and shook the entire room with everyone but the newest pony in thirst castle running to see if she was alright.

Nightmare Moon wasted no time to check herself for blood or injury. If something was wrong she would find out after standing up to face the same alicorn she promised in the beginning to keep Derrick safe. Fear was something she always felt when in the presence of her master, but fearing the very goddess that made this world was nothing compared to the terror of losing Derrick. She shook herself of both however, and darted to the grey empress yelling at her.

"NIghtmare Moon, are you out of your mind?" Raven exasperated, looking over the pony for any injuries. She looked over her student t make sure her wings were intact but found herself flabbergasted the response.

Nightmare Moon breathed for a moment and rested her muzzles against Raven's chest as she tried to process her thoughts. Her eyes fall with the dam of her emotions gushing now. Her bravado and tenacity do not save her from the emotional burst coming from her chest in a heart-wrenching twist of failure.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, her breathing unsteady. "I'm so sorry. I failed you."

"Failed me? How could you. . ." Raven stopped momentarily to look up and find that it as just student standing before her. "Wait, where is Derrick?" She looked back down at the sobbing queen. "Wasn't he with you?"

"It took him!" Nightmare Moon replied hysterically, taking a few steps back to compose herself, which was easier said than done. "It caught us off-guard and took Derrick. We have to hurry before it kills him."

Raven was barely making-out what the mare just said, and decided to think this through with a rational understanding of the situation.

"Calm down, and tell me what happened."

Nightmare Moon wanted nothing more than to drag the empress by her mane to where they were and show her what all had happened, but she could see from all the eyes of her confused friends that she was not making any sense. She had to take a deep breath and speak in clear words before she could get what she needed, and that's exactly what she did, albeit a little frantic.

She started from the beginning after collecting her thoughts. "We were at your old castle and came across an Omni-Drake that was carrying a book. The book had a pony named Lilith sealed inside and she claimed to know you and—"

"Wait," Raven interrupted. "Lilith is alive?"

"This is beside the point!" Nightmare Moon barked angrily, tears growing again. "The point is Derrick is in danger!"

"Danger?" Sombra questioned, stepping forward to face the goddess. Even he was worried for the young lord now. "What kind of danger?"

"A gorger," Nightmare Moon replied, wheezing slightly from exhaustion catching up to her. "A gorger attacked us and took Derrick. This Lilith pony said it took him to the outer realm and that only you, teacher, can get us in there."

Struck by the truth Raven went silent and still whilst Nightmare Moon turned her attention to the now infuriated alicorn that once made them halves of a whole pony. The empress looked up to a blank wall and fell into a deep, abysmal terror of the realization that brought forth grief-stricken memories of her old home, with a look harnessed anger and said terror mixed in her shock. She could feel the vile energies of her power boil with her blood and struggle to break free, and as she ignored the world around her, ignored the two mares that are obsessed with her son, a faint giggle from the bane of her pain whispered in the back of her mind.

You cannot save when afraid. . .

"How could you lose Derrick!?" Luna spat, butting heads against the angry Nightmare Moon.

"What does it matter to you?" Nightmare Moon retorted, pushing alicorn back. "You tried to kill him with the elements of harmony!"

"I was manipulated by Twilight!"

"Well that's obvious. You'd fall over your own hooves if you did not know where they were!"

"Well at least I am a real mare. You are fake plaguing my mate!"

"Your mate!?" The dark moon goddess laughed. "You mean he was your mate, but now he is mine and always will be."

"That will change when I end you!"

"TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT!"

"ENOUGH!" Raven's voice boomed across the castle as she spun around to the startled alicorns looking up at her fearfully, both immediately bowing to her and cowing at the intense red glare she beamed.

Ignoring the burning sense of fury and hate given by the truth, Raven collected herself and softened with the two ponies waiting for her to speak while everyone else waited for her act. She surprised that after looking at Discord for understanding there was anger beneath the mischief of his eyes.

She turned her attention to Nightmare Moon. "This is not the time to be arguing over my son. She is here to stay and will not be treated as an enemy." Next was Luna, but with a more firm answer for her. "And who you are to Derrick is not your decision. It is his decision whether you are his mate or not."

She went back to Nightmare Moon. "And if by some miracle of a chance he decided that she is his mate as well, then I would highly suggest you learn to share."

A response of denial was about to escape Nightmare Moon's lips, but the stern glare of her master stayed her tongue and she remained silent to follow her to the balcony.

"Can you take us to exact location of where you were attacked?" Raven asked, staring at the mountain.

Nightmare Moon nodded.

"Then let us go before we are too late," Raven ordered, opening her wings for takeoff. She turned to Luna before taking to the skies, adding firmly in her statement. "And that includes you. If you do love him, then prove it."

As soon as Raven took off, the others were quick to follow, including an unhappy Sombra that was being carried bridal style by Discord. However, as Luna readied herself to follow, Nightmare Moon took a brief moment to make it very clear to her how she felt about her being here and where she stood as Derrick's mare.

"Derrick is mine. You are but a shadow of the pain you brought him." Nightmare Moon told her in a sharp tone, before adding in a whisper: "Do him a favor and perish."

Luna's heart grieved at those words, but she shook them away and took off behind the spiteful alicorn, ready to prove herself not just worthy to Derrick but the more ideal mare for him.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the group soaring above the dark clouds, a certain drake who had a terrible urge to use the bathroom returned with toilet paper on his tail to find the empty of all but a few guards that knew better than to not keep him safe, lest they want to suffer the same fate as the guard who first attacked Derrick.

"Where did everypony go?"

Chapter XXII

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Confusion was endless, slowing the time of his awakening so that each individual second crawled against the surface of his mind. Derrick was barely breathing, as it had hitch in it with shuddering gasps, signaling that he was rising from the end of a terrible nightmare. His body shivered contiuously of its own accord. Try as he might as a man or some sort of god, he couldn't cease the automatic relfex, much like wounded animal cornered and afraid.

He concentrated on the first touch he could process that was actually against his skin. His mind was in chaos with the sudden remembrance of the gorger, the sound of his stuttering hearing drumming in his ears.

Hunger started to beat at him every slow second that passed of this strange warm on his forehead. He was aware that someone with magic was still near him after unleashing a powerful blow. He could hear the hissing words of the mystery pony beat deep in their soothing voice like a drum. Even the twisted, agonizing pain of his transformation made him rise like a tsunami, only to curl into a ball and lie against the pony's side.

"He's still undergoing the changes to his body." Derrick heard, deducing that whoever was touching him was indeed a mare and a familiar one, but he couldn't focus on her at the moment.

He pinched the canines of his teeth and felt they lenthened and sharp. It took every ounce of discipline however, that he possessed, to keep from concentrating on the pain in his mouth. Even with the gentleness of this pony cooing to him he could not find the calmness that Nightmare Moon would give him.

"Just wait a little longer," she whispered, her muzzle brushing against cheek tenderly.

He smelled the vanilla fragrance on her skin long before he felt her touch him. In his confused and pained state, he thought these temendous gifts of an alicorn's blood—the blood of his mother—would strengthen him, not leave him in such a crippled state, but his every sense stretched and grew until he was taking in various scents of flowers and medicines left in open jars.

A few minutes earlier, the grasses surrounding him had been a few inches under him, but now they covered the ground like a thick rug. Bushes of different flowers seemed to spring up, fully grown with stalks and petals in just mere minutes. He gaze was starting to become clear, surprised to see Violent Haze standing in front of him with a stone bowl of water and a fire that was cooking one of the smaller monsters he encountered.

"You really are the most pathetic god I have ever come across," Violent Haze sneered as he hoofed a hot washcloth to his mare.

Derrick didn't deign to respond, what good would it do for him? He could see that the stallion wanted to elicit some response out of him, and he wasn't about to give the satisfaction. Responding would only worsen his pain, and he couldn't get to him with the intention of harming him, so really, ignoring the pony and listening to the mare beside him was a far wiser option.

"Haze, stop that!" The mare scolded, twisting the hot rag and removing any remnants of water before matting Derrick's back with it. "It is not his fault that he is like this. Dark magic is very excruciating when the final stage of transformation comes in."

"Well it didn't act this way with you when you used it to defy your mother." Violent Haze argued, only to have the glare of his loved one intensify.

"I called upon the darkness for its help, that is all." She reminded, before returning to the matter at hoof with loving smile just for the man shivering against her. It pained her see Derrick like this, but there was nothing she could do.

"Derrick is born from darkness," she said, her voice calm and gentle as she pressed a wing against his side. "He is very special that way."

The touch of this pony was relief, instantaneous. Derrick had his mind writhing in mental agony the entire time of being in this hell hole, for a few moments he almost didn't realize that he was in some dark, secluded place or that the pressure on his side was gone. He could actually put his hand around the kidney region and push on it entirely without a sharp pain coming to him.

The mysterious pony was another matter though, but compared to that monster hunting him like a rabid dog, the matter at hand seemed minimal.

He laughed softly in his mind, as if he knew he was going to have another day of hell with some other pony here to boggle his mind with more facts about his family or about this damn magic he can barely control. His laughter alarmed the pony, and then the connection she felt began to slowly fade away at the fear of how he would react. If what she presumed was correct, and the faint aroma of her fake was real, then she would have a hard time explaining things to him.

"Violent, I want you to stay out of this." She warned in a heavy tone, taking the rag off Derrick's forehead. "I want to do this without resorting to violence."

Who is she?

Derrick took a deep breath and let it out. He might be afraid to meet this mare, meeting another stranger, but still, he looked forward to the amount of bullshit he would hear. It would give him a little sense of reasoning to keep his sanity in check, even if it meant cruelly laughing at the stranger.

He immediately opened his eyes to not a pair looking down at him but a oozing rag tied around the mare holding him.

"Hello cousin,"

He brushed at the confusing sight and ran is gaze down at the flank of this mare to see if he could recognize her by her cutie mark. He hadn't but seen a mere glimpse of the scarred mark and gasped as she nuzzled at him ever so tenderly, but that didn't make up for who she was and why she had ahold of him.

A solid minute of silence was exchanged between them before she could feel a spiking pressure from Derrick. His silence and widening eyes frightened her. Surely he was not thinking of as the same beast that trapped her in this world. She realized by the sudden shaking of his hands the drive to protect himself was primal, strong and nearly impossible to ignore—and she had managed many ponies like that when she was a ruler.

"I'm not here to harm you." Her heart pounded in her chest as soon as he responded to her words with a punch to her jaw, knocking her away from him. The pain was nothing, but to want him to understand, not just meet but to know her whilst already being rejected, it was tearing her apart to to see that her fake had damaged him.

Derrick, caught in the light-headed awakening, would have turned and ran had his legs not been so numb. Anger and fear was so raw it was tinged with hatred. He hadn't felt this way in months, but he could think—imagine—every bad scenario that could possibly happen to Nightmare Moon if she had been caught. He poured his emotions, knowing to be ready for the worst.

"THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" He bellowed, ignoring how she quickly raised her her hoof to her lips and told him to lower his voice.

"Celestia, he's not listening," Violent Haze told her, reaching for his blade to—

"No!" She snapped quietly, using her magic to strip her stallion of his weapon. "I told you that I would handle this on my own."

"You bitch!" She turned back to the infuriated Derrick, his fists raised defensively. She waited for the tendrils to surround her cousin for the ring she placed on his finger minutes ago to activate.

She knew that by doing this she would be holding his magic against him, the same way that fake had done so to take the throne, but this was part of getting to him safely without any bloodshed.

"I don't how you found me," Derrick growled, ready to charge to her without an inkling of an idea to what she had done to him. "But I'm not going back to Canterlot with—"

The strength in his legs rippled in response to the sudden flashing of a ring on his index finger, in response to the magic welling inside him. The air shimmered with fire, and then settled with another flash of the ring, turning the man into a dim glow of red that pulsated around his body.

Violent Haze looked at Celestia in awe. "I never thought it would actually work."

The blind alicorn let out her breath slowly, listening to her cousin struggle as the ring sapped his energy. "I was hoping that it would not come to this."

Derrick fell to the cold floor and felt the burn of tears from the pain of his nose possibly breaking. He made a desperate effort to stand up and defend himself from this heinous pony he hated with every fiber of his body. If looks could kill, then he would have drilled a hole into her head with his glare, but all the best his body managed was give him enough strength to look up.

"Couldn't stand that your engineer was free, right?" He spat mockingly, hoping to draw her attention long enough for his tendrils to do the job. However, he did not expect for the alicorn to be two-steps ahead of him this time. What she had done to immobilize him had affected them as well, leaving them lifeless and slowly shrinking into nothingness.

He tried to muster the strength to at least grab a rock and hit her leg with it, but at the moment of grabbing one of a fairly decent size, he was already turned onto his back by the mare and scooped in her wings.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?"

"I've stripped you of your magic," she answered calmly. "I was worried that you would react this way, considering you have her scent on you."

"Fuck you, Celestia!" He spat. "When Nightmare Moon finds me, she is going to kill you in front of everyone you love. Maybe she'll be merciful to your bitch sister, but I doubt it."

He smiled wickedly up at her, paying no attention that she was carrying him somewhere. "Better yet, when my mother finds me—"

"I pray that she does." Celestia interrupted. Those words were so sudden that it was a wake-up call before Derrick had comprehended past his anger and saw that she was not trying to hurt or take him, but rather the opposite. He didn't understand what had just happened.

Celestia—this Celestia— was sitting next to him with a blanket dragged across his chest, and she moved across his body with a serious look about her as Violent Haze came from behind and gave her another hot rag. He flinched as soon as it went around the mare's hoof and she proceeded to use it for cleaning the blood seeping from his nose.

"Cousin, be still and let me help." Celestia advised, bearing a motherly smile. She decided to clean the dirt on his face as well. "I am sorry for all of this. I understand that you are confused and afraid, but your response had left me little choice."

"Did you just call me, cousin?" Derrick asked, one eyebrow shot up.

Celestia nodded, knowing she was in for a long conversation about how they were related and why he was here. There was no keeping anything from Derrick, not any longer. She knew, probably because she'd practiced a million times in her head, that it was going to take a delicate touch with explaining herself.

She touched his skin studied the markings with her hoof, tracing until a familiar symbol came to mind. She found it to something similar recently. Had she the materials to test them or the knowledge to find a proper answer she would not stop until one was made or discovered, but alas, a world between light and darkness held nothing but horror and emptiness that consumes all who fall prey.

"What are you doing?" Derrick asked, pushing against the alicorn's wing. He stopped for a moment to actually process that she was blind but somehow capable to care for his well-being.

He had no idea of her intentions as she meticulously traced every tiny detail and then went back to work at cleaning him to the best of her ability.

"I did," she answered, holding the rag away from herself for Violent Haze to take and clean before another round. "I am your cousin. Unfortunately our meeting is under the worst circumstances."

"You're a lying bitch," Derrick told her bitterly. "I know Celestia, and she's a cock-sucking whore who likes to play with everyone like they're her personal toys."

Celestia sighed as the impact of his words brought her back to reality. She then reminded herself that it was not the time to be reminiscing with her cousin, coughed to clear her throat, and then worked on cleaning his neck that was still smeared with dirt and dried blood.

She then discovered the intense pressure of an unfamiliar magic coursing from the side of his neck. Her touch brought a gasp of pain out of Derrick, and he shivered fiercely with enough strength to slap both hands on the mark that began to glow, his whole body cringing uncontrollably as he curled into a fetal position underneath the blanket.

Celestia glanced at the ring quickly. The spell was under extreme stress and barely holding on with little to spare for the mark that was starting smolder on Derrick's neck. She took his hand, ripped the ring off his hand, and the pressure from his body became thinner as she slowly pulled the jewelry away to confirm it was not a misunderstanding.

"I see," she told herself, tracing the mark with her hoof. "It's not just a connection, it is a failsafe should somepony try to seal your magic. Quite the elaborate idea, but also dangerous."

"What?" Derrick panted, feeling the same burst of energy when he met Raven return to him slowly.

Celestia shook her head and grunted out of annoyance. "Do you have a mate?"

Derrick's fear started to grow at that question, but he forced himself to remain calm and pondered the facts about this pony calling herself Celestia. She was not hostile in the least, that was as clear as the daylight he'd barely seen over the course of becoming a night person for his lover, but he wasn't sure if he could trust her enough with that much information.

He didn't have a choice though after looking at his surroundings for a pause and taking into account that he was some sort blocked off room with boards nailed to the doors and various furniture barricading it as well. He was stuck in a room with a pony he hated and a silent unicorn that just kept staring at him crucially, as though he were waiting for one wrong move to be made.

He was outnumbered, overpowered, and worst of all—no control over his magic, even with his tendrils starting to regain their function.

"Yes."

"I'd thought so," she replied with a more gentle. "A connection can be very difficult to build if your trying to connect with somepony that cannot be influenced with magic. She decided to go traditional with the blood transfer."

"What?" Derrick replied. He could not stand anymore mysteries or cryptic riddles about him or those he loved, and living a nightmare of adventure was complicating the situation.

"It's traditional for a pony to drink the blood of their mate to complete the process of binding their souls to a single thread. There are various ways—whether it be a sacred oath or merging their souls as one; this however, is a more difficult and time consuming ritual. The end results are fascinating if successful, and I can feel that they are."

"Oh yeah. Care to enlighten me?"

"Oh," she took a moment to contemplate the disposition of his voice. "I am guessing that you do not approve of this oath that you took."

"Took!?" He barked. "I did not take any fucking oath!"

"I see." Celestia sighed, adjusting her blindfold. "Then your mate performed this ritual without your consent."

"No shit, sherlock."

"Well I hate to be the one to tell you, but the overflowing magic I feel is similar to the one I took with my stallion. It's something I would like to call the eternal courting."

Derrick shook his head at the alicorn after hearing those words pass her lips. He was not that smart when it came to courtship and royalty, but he knew damn well from the books he read what courting was. It also did not help him a bit to hear eternal before the damn word.

"Wait, wait, wait—courting?" He questioned, receiving a nod from her. "As in she and I—"

"Are to be wed," Celestia giggled. "Or in this case—already wed."

Derrick simply looked away from the alicorn and gazed up at the darkness as the mare took a break from cleaning him. His eyes swam with distrust and pure, unhinged rage as he took in a deep breath and. . .

"BIIIIIIITCH!"

"What the hay was that?" Sombra barked as Raven went on ahead inside the cave.

Nightmare Moon stopped with a chill down her spine, her wings ruffling uncontrollably while everyone watched her.

"Are you alright?" The empress asked as she watched her student shake off whatever it was that had her so afraid.

"Uh oh. . ." Nightmare Moon replied, turning to the goddess who raised an eyebrow at her. "I think he discovered the truth behind our bond."

"Well what is so wrong with it?" Discord asked, ripping a stalagmite off the floor and turning it into cotton candy. "It's something you wanted."

"But I never spoke to him about it. . ."

At that moment the fluffy goodness deflated as quickly as the smile Discord's face had dissolved, and everyone else but Sombra and Chrysalis, stared at the dark alicorn in shock and fear as she smiled sheepishly and blush behind her wing.

Well. . . Luna was not too happy about it; that much was known by the disgust on her face.

"You lovesick foal," Black Hole Sun sighed, shaking her head at her sister. "Did you plan to tell Derrick at all, or just surprise him in the end?"

"I do not have to answer that!" Snapped the younger sister.

"Yes, you do." Raven stepped in with a serious look about her. "Are you aware of the end results you started?"

"I am," Nightmare Moon told her sternly. "And I made the decision weeks before I brought him home. I realized that he will be angry, but he will understand with time."

Raven groaned after Nightmare Moon turned and walked away with her head high in pride. With a low, bemused look about her, the empress continued to follow with the rest of their group behind her and a very pissed off Luna grinding her teeth as her eyes glowed white.

"I suppose I should start calling her my daughter-in-law."

"I'm going to kill her." Luna growled in her suddenly deep, sadistic voice.

Derrick felt a strong urge to laugh as Celestia took a sip water from the cracked glass Violent Haze fetched for her. After a good hour of listening to the pony, he had wondered if maybe this place was an alternate dimension or timeline with this Celestia being a prisoner of her own mistakes. . . or that she was just bat-shit crazy, but it appeared that she was not joking with him. He realized he would probably need to take every detail with a grain of salt, and braced for the inevitable impact of hearing the truth.

"Wait a fucking minute," he said, rubbing the temples of his head with difficulty of his new horns being in the way. "You mean to tell that the Celestia in Canterlot is actually a fake built by your mother, and you're the real Celestia who was imprisoned in this place for defying. Also, we're supposed to be cousins?"

"That is correct," Celestia replied with a smile.

Derrick chuckled sarcastically and received a frown from the pony in reply.

"It's true," she added. "And the reason you are here now is because I interacted with your magic to draw you here, so that you can free us and help overthrow the fake."

"You're insane," Derrick mused with hand imagery of her being crazy. "That would mean I committed incest with you and your sister."

"If you are referring to the other alicorn that was with me when we were fillies, then I regret to inform you that she is not my sister. She is the offspring of my dark half after I fell too deep into the darkness to find the power to stop my mother."

"Okay, now you need to stop lying." Derrick insisted, his tolerance almost zero until she stood up and did the last thing he expected.

"If you don't believe me, then I show you just how real the truth is!"

Without warning or enough time to react out of his own fear, Derrick watched in horror as she untied the blindfold and revealed to not just be a blind alicorn, but one that had a disgusting black ooze constantly dripping from her blackened eyes. Veins around her eyes were stained in the vile substance and it traveled up to her horn where it started to change color at the base.

He didn't know whether to take pity on her or to be frightened. What she looked like was some kind of monster, but the sad smile on her lips said differently as she gently pressed a hoof to his hand.

"I was four years old when I held you, and by the time I was eight I mistakenly created my dark half that my mother ripped out of my soul, after dwelling too deep in dark magic." She explained in blunt details, hearing no argument from her cousin.

"When I was nine I watched that dark half give birth to a blue alicorn before having to escape from my mother's wrath. Fortunately, she did not have it in her to destroy the filly and decided to raise her. However, that only lasted a few years—" she leaned down, a glare in her eyes now. "And are you aware of the reason?"

"No. . ." Derrick said hesitantly.

"Simple," Celestia took in a deep breath. "At age twenty I attempted to overthrow my mother for trying to destroy a unicorn that harnessed the power of dark magic, but I was imprisoned here with Violent Haze and blinded by the darkness I tried to use against her."

"How does darkness make you blind?"

"A pony of the light must never look too deep into the darkness. Although it is a balance for all to understand, nopony can harness both and live without consequences. The same principle applies for a pony of the darkness."

Derrick pondered on in confusion as Celestia took her seat again, from a more understanding perspective of the alicorn's pain and desire to meet him. There was so much to process and think about, and it appeared that it might take him a little time to collect his thoughts before believing her.

"This is all so crazy." he said with a long suffering sigh.

"I know it's difficult for you, but it's the truth." She smiled at him whilst rubbing his hand. "But you're back and here with us, which means we might have a chance."

"Chance?" He scoffed. "Chance at what?"

Her smile became wicked, and all of his doubts became fear again.

"Killing the Gorger." she said bluntly. "He is the warden of this realm."

Derrick's eyes widened as he remembered the sick monster having already taken a bite of him and shook his head violently. "Oh hell no. I'm not going near that thing again. It's the whole reason I'm separated from Nightmare Moon."

"But we need your magic to get past him." Celestia argued. "Violent does not possess the magic to harm it and I am an alicorn of light, not to mention very blind."

She picked up his hand, feeling the fear in him shift the fingers into blades. "This is the power we need to kill it. We need your darkness to kill it, or we will never escape."

"I can't kill that thing," Derrick exasperated, jerking his shifting hand from her. "I don't know how to control this. I know NOTHING about magic or how to use it. The most I know is that the tendrils sticking out of my back have saved my ass this entire clusterfuck of a journey."

Celestia was about to counter that doubt, but stopped herself at realizing how green he was about magic before sighing in disappointment and turning away to hide her crushed hope. She really did put her faith into him being the chance they needed to get out of this prison and take back her throne, but a man who is as fresh as a fish out of water when it comes to darkness. . . her faith began to lack and she proceeded to walk away without a word to say.

"Hey, I'm sorry. But I don't. . ." Derrick was on deaf ears, as it was seen from a puddle on the rocky ground that the blind princess was crying black tears.

"It's fine," she said with a great deal of effort, trying not to give away the hitch in her voice. "I should have been more considerate about you and your needs."

"I knew this would happen," Violent Haze grunted, comforting her to the best of his ability.

Derrick didn't know what to say after that, but he knew how he felt and wanted to kick his own ass for destroying her hopes without giving her the chance she needed out of him. And now he remembered how similar he was to his old self, to the business man he became after landing his first job. Cold, heartless, a man of business and strictly thinking about what is best for him.

He recalled how much of selfish bastard he was before his sister was diagnosed with cancer.

"Oh geez. . ." He sighed, mentally kicking himself. He perked though, at the sound of the gorger roaring in the distance, and by some random luck saw a few materials on a broken table.

The full weight of how much this mare was depending on him came down at full force, and he pondered to his previous ideas in Canterlot. In those easy days with the princesses, he had nothing but inspiration and a heart filled with excitement and joy for improving the castle with his ideas. He loved nothing more than to build and design defenses that not even a dragon could break through without having quite a bit trouble. He did all of that out of the kindness of his heart, so what made this situation so different?

It didn't, and he wasn't going to fail someone that needed him now. He'd always been there to fix or build something for some unfortunate pony. But now, he was going to fix this problem and build the key to their escape.

"Maybe. . ." He stood up, walking over to the table with both ponies looking up to him. He grabbed the longest rope that was neatly spun around a log, unraveled it, and felt how firm it was before looking around to see through a slightly dirty window a row of large bookshelves and some bits of scrap metal all over the floor.

The gears in his head started turning, and he had found what Twilight and the others destroyed that night at the gala.

He found his determination.

"Are there any trees around here?" He asked, turning to the alicorn who was staring at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, but they're dead."

Derrick chuckled at her and looped the rope around his shoulder. "Then I think I know how to get rid of that bastard, without using magic of course."

"But if you can't control yours, then how do propose killing the gorger?"

"I'm an engineer," Derrick replied with a chilling laugh, his red eyes glowing as the tendrils grabbed a few materials from the table to help. "I can build just about anything. Now let's get to work."

Chapter XXIII

View Online

Derrick knew not if day or night passed by with the endless torment of this broken world, if hours passed by or remained trapped in a web that ensnared his time in a frozen tease. His tendrils made friendly chatter with what must have been every waking minute of his self-discovery and hard work, though now the various screeches and hums of those weightless limbs started to annoy his focused mind.

He took a deep breath and wiped the sweat out of his eyes before taking another rusty nail he found to be less decrepit than the others in the bookshelves, and commanded the tendril in his left shoulder to shape into a hammer and pound said nail into a plank.

"All right, Mr. Dark Knight," Derrick remarked with a sly grin, looking up to the deadly stalactites dripping with the same black ooze he saw on Celestia. "Lets finish up here and go to the next one."

"Yeah, uh," Violent Haze murmured as he took the remaining two rolls of vine Derrick passed him, trying to recall the next trap to the last detail while mostly staying focused on the stalactites not falling apart and skewering either of them. "The next one is supposed to be the boulder we found and had the princess levitate onto the cliff to be an emergency in case we don't trap the Gorger with this one, right?"

"Damn straight." Derrick said with a quick nod. "If we can't make that thing holy, then we'll make the next sponsor for pillsbury."

"Pillsbury?" Violent Haze raised a brow at the young immortal, who responded with a wave of his hand.

"Figure of speech, but we can talk about it if we get out of here alive."

"One can hope that we will be lucky," Violent Haze said with a sigh. “I truly do hope that you know what you are doing.”

"Look," Derrick sighed, patting the ground with mere centimeters from the tightened old rope. "I'm not the best guy for this sort of thing, but engineering is something I don't doubt myself."

"Well one can only hope," Violent Haze groaned to the human. "But if we fail then the last thing we'll see are the corpses the gorger has already consumed."

As the sweat dried and the flow of thoughts ceased, Derrick frowned to himself. "An entire life of assholes, and I get stuck with this one." He said with a tone that would imply disgust, as if trying to be heard by some mystic force that would take pity on him.

"Anyway, how are we going to lure that monstrosity into this area when it strictly guards the gate?"

Derrick snaked a smile at the armored pegasus and began to chuckle, the menace in his eyes glowing behind the redness they took hold.

"That thing likes to eat it's food fresh," he remembered, said smile widening more. "So we'll give it fresh meat that it won't be able to resist."

There was a confusing moment, and then it became angst and anger spouted from the depths of the pegasus' mind.

"You are out of your mind." Violent Haze whispered loudly, his gaze averting from Derrick to his princess, who was carefully studying her surroundings so as not to trigger any trap.

He turned back to Derrick and scowled with a hoof thrust towards the alicorn. "I refuse to take part in this idea. We would be putting her in danger should we---"

"I'll be the bait." Derrick interrupted tactfully, his eyes turning back to the humming alicorn sitting at the entrance of their trap. "I'm not risking her anyway. I just found out that she's my family."

A low growl rolled out of Violent's throat. "That doesn't make it any easier on me when you ARE the key to helping us leave this place."

"And we will get out of here." He reassured the pegasus while making the finishing touches to the last piece of rope they were lucky to find in average condition among most of the scrap that laid around them.

Both boy's attention to the trap after taking a few steps away to gander at the full contraption the human was surprisingly capable of building in silence without the gorger noticing or hearing their handiwork. Having known engineering was quite a feat in his exciting life before Equestria, but to build something of this caliber with rope, broken woods, nails, and fragment's of magic from the real princess was enough of an accomplishment to make him almost pat himself on the back.

Violent Haze was even surprised by the intricate design and wondered what his friend could really do with some metal and an actual area for building.

"Look-" Derrick pointed down to the rope that was tied across the entrance. "The moment he trips over that, the vibration will be just enough to shake the sticks from pushing the bookshelves away from one another. The sticks with either snap or fall off and the shards of woods nailed to the bookshelves will stick that fucker like a shiv while the weight pins him down, giving us enough time to make a run for the entrance and get back to the others."

"Once it's free though, it will hunt us down." Violent reminded, gazing over to his mare as she approached them.

Derrick sighed with the stallion and scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah I know, but we either try and find help after escaping or we stay here and wait. I doubt Nightmare Moon is going to leave me, but I really don't want anyone getting into a fight with that thing."

Having known the Dark Moon Queen for the months they shared, Derrick knew for a fact that the mare's psychopathic obsession would downright boil and explode should she find him in here with that monster trying to devour. And he knew better than to think that his own mother would be better for situation when she was an emotional volcano that bursts at the sight of someone giving him a dirty glance.

He shivered at the thought of seeing Raven come unglued and show what a mother's love could really be, especially she is the goddess that erected half of the entire universe.

Derrick turned his attention back to the dark cavern that led to another section of the dark realm and listened carefully after silencing Violent with a firm press of his hands. It was faint but he could hear growling, followed by many footsteps coming closer with no visible light in said cavern.

He could only assume the worst.

His bright and shiny expression of an engineer proud of his handiwork instantly furrowed with fear. . . and anger.

"It's almost here." He said, turning to his cousin and friend. "We need to hide now."

It never ceased to amaze the dark rulers how attached Nightmare Moon was to Derrick or the fact that obsession was far over the top compared to her sister's when it came to Discord. The group remained in dim light from their horns with their new friend Zelda guiding them through the caverns with the use of her amazing ability to see in the dark. Everyone was on high alert and worried for the man they grew fond of overtime and thought in frantic silence if he was still alive, injured, or possibly another meal for the beast that was drawing closer by the sounds of his roars echoing across this realm of nothing.

Raven pursed her lips as she tried to sense a magical signature that was similar to her son's, but the dark magic that built this monstrosity was seeping all around them and masking everything with it's bitter energy. She was at a loss of using her powers and sighed in defeat after a solid hour of sensing nothing but said energy and decided to tone down the light from her horn before drawing any unwanted attention.

"So how did you come across this thing?" Sombra asked quizzically, looking up to the beast as it sniffed out Derrick's human scent.

"It was in the old castle and recognized Derrick." Nightmare Moon answered, surprisingly with lack of distaste towards the creature but rather grateful that it was guiding them to her mate. She was getting more frantic by the minute and showed it with each shuffle of her hooves or the shaky ruffling of her feathers.

"And the other mare you encountered?" Raven asked, never taking her eyes off the path ahead.

"She said she served you, teacher." The alicorn replied, looking to the mare. "She called herself Lilith."

It was in those words a gasp escaped Raven's lips, and she bolted her gaze to her student with critical eyes as the group behind them watched what was about to happen unfold. Nightmare Moon expected some form of explanation about the unicorn, but she didn't expect hatred to fill the mare's frightening eyes as they found a shred of light after making their way out of the cavern.

"Where is she now?"

Nightmare Moon looked to the ground and shook her head. "I don't know. I left her here to come get you. Where she is now is beyond me."

"Buck!" Raven whispered, confusing the goddess.

"Teacher?"

"Nightmare Moon, listen to me." The empress ordered as she leaned into the mare, forcing those cat-blue eyes to gaze into hers. "If you see her, do not let her near Derrick. She is a liar and a traitor to our kind, so if you see her I want you to kill her without hesitation. She is a dangerous mare and she is not going to help you or Derrick, she is most likely going to try ending him."

"What?" Nightmare gasped.

Raven scoffed at the idea of that mare still breathing and decided to explain the reason behind her orders.

"She was his caretaker, but she chose to serve Faust and aided her in sending Derrick away, though at first she tried to kill him. However, thanks to his magic it was impossible to touch him."

"But his magic is slowly awakening, which means his power is probably weaker than when he was an infant." Sombra pointed out, his wife agreeing with him as they came to a particular room with empty bookshelves.

"Which means he's in worse danger now that he's alone." Discord added as he walked ahead of everyone, trying with his own sensory to try and feel if Derrick was near.

Nightmare Moon growled and shook her head of those thoughts. "We have to hurry and find him. He has to alright, he is the son of the empress."

Just then the roars of the gorger echoed once more and the entire group turned to the direction it came from. They backed away slowly with their magic at the ready until Discord yelped from falling over and landed in a circle made with pages that were weighed down with rocks. The group turned back around to see he was alright but the reason behind his stumbling vibrated and caused a serious of reactions that soon cracked and creaked.

"Come on." Derrick whispered behind a large rock as he heard a yelp, too frightened to think about the difference in the culprit's tone compared to the gorger's.

The rope was tripped and the trap had successfully activated with a serious of yells following before the echoing crash of the bookshelves and dust blowing all over the area. He peeked over and waited for the dust to clear up before taking a good look at his catch and realized that it was not one large, grotesque figure trapped, but actually a certain spirit of chaos slithering out the tiny crevice of the shelves after shrinking himself to snake size.

"I hate this place." He recognized that voice and watched his friend instantly grow back to normal size and point a talon over his shoulder to the trap. "I take it we're close since Derrick does build things."

"Discord!" Derrick said loudly as he appeared from the rock, startling the entire group before yelled his name together and rushed over to him. They had a series of questions to ask, but not before two very worried mares crashed into him, one giving him nuzzles and kisses on his cheek while the other stole his lips and refused to part from him until it was time to gasp for air.

"Oh thank the stars you're alright." Raven cooed with great struggle in controlling her emotions, her wings almost crushing the man as she took in the sweet touch of his form. "We were so worried that something happened to you."

Raven was half wrong about something happening to him, and it was when she finally gave him enough space to breathe that she saw on his shoulder a horrifying mark that healed from the front all the way to his shoulder blade. She had thought his magic was strong enough to heal him with nothing left to show, but it was now clear to her that he was still to adolescent in his magic for it to fully heal him.

"Derrick." Nightmare Moon sighed, planting kiss after kiss on his lips until she felt it was adequate love to let him go.

"Thank god you're all here." Derrick said with joy, hugging his mother and mate before feeling the embrace of Black Hole Sun's wings and her loving nuzzles.

"Now that we found him, can we leave?" Sombra asked, but his attention was thrown from the group taking turns talking to the man to the pair of ponies standing at the rock where Derrick had hidden himself.

He immediately flared his magic and targeted the mare smiling at them.

"Everyone back up." He ordered. "Celestia's here."

Instantly the entire group turned their gazes to where Sombra was looking and saw that he was not playing a joke or hallucinating. It was indeed the sun goddess and she was standing there with a grin and a stallion holding her hoof while she using her magic cover her eyes and hide the black ooze leaking from them.

Everyone got into a protective circle around Derrick and prepared to unleash their might on the mare until he crawled out from under his mother and bolted between them.

"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!" Derrick yelled frantically, waving his arms at them. "She's not the Celestia we know. She's the real Celestia and she's trying to help us!"

Everyone stopped building their magic and tilted their heads at the man.

"HUH!?" They replied in unison.

Nightmare Moon was the first to express her anger and confusion after stepping forward to meet her mate eye-to-eye.

"Derrick, she tried to kill you back in Equestria." She reminded, her anger melting into concern and hurt as she took his hand in her wing. "How can you look at me and say that she's not the enemy after everything she did to you?"

"Because she's the real Celestia and she's been trapped here for a thousand years." He answered calmly, kissing the mare on her nose as she calmly listened. "Moon, I know it sounds crazy but the Celestia we know is a fake ruling over Equestria. The Celestia behind me is the real one and she wants nothing more than to help me."

Nightmare Moon didn't take his words in well and shook her head whilst raising her magic. She was hurt beyond words and presumed that somehow the alicorn brainwashed her mate, and was determined to break whatever spell he was under even if it meant killing in front of him.

"Lies!" She barked. "That horse is the bane of your life and she's clearly poisoned your mind. Now move aside so that I can end her spell over you!"

Derrick felt his entire body cringe at the thought of her killing his cousin while the rest of the group watched with distance between them. What made it worse was-though he knew Celestia was not his enemy-he couldn't provide the proof that would confirm his statement about her.

"Moon!" He wrapped his arms around her neck, forcing her to stay still. "Don't do this. I swear that she's the real Celestia. You have to believe me!"

"Lies!" Nightmare roared, trying to escape his grasp.

She focused her attention on the worried mare as her stallion in armor got in front to protect her. "You will pay for poisoning his mind. I will kill you with all my might and end your spell over him!"

The struggle was on with the two lovers at opposite side of the situation, both struggling desperately while the mare in question looked up to a nearby cliff and listened.

"Moon, stop it!"

"Let go Derrick!"

"She's not our enemy!"

"Let go now!"

Just then Celestia shrieked at the two lover to move and appeared in a flash with her barrel turned to Derrick and the group watching in shock as they anticipated her to take advantage and attack the two. They were wrong however, they were met with the blind alicorn using all of her strength to shove them away before a large force crashed to the ground with her completely pinned by it's foot.

Agony, writing agony of unimaginable proportion boomed out of her voice as the weight of their biggest problem cracked her ribs and wrapped it's tentacles around her barrel before opening it's drooling maw. The situation became clear to the group that Celestia just saved their favorite pair and was now about to succumb to death with it's mouth showing the various bones and flesh stuck between it's teeth.

"The gorger!" Violent Haze yelled, charging the beast to save his mare.

Derrick jumped to his feet after seeing what just happened and grabbed the largest rock he could find before throwing it at the monster.

"Let her go!"

His rock hit where he intended and forced it to release Celestia as the pain rang in his one large eye. He ran with his magic enhancing the rate of his speed to meet with the desire of catching the alicorn before she fell to the ground. He made, but barely, with all three of his tendrils extending can catching the mare while the rest of ponies dropped their thoughts and went on the offensive.

Raven was the first to rush in and leap with a flap of her wings to kick the beast on his cheek before using said wings to create a gust that pushed her son to a safer distance between them.

"Chrysalis, get Derrick out of here now!"

The changeling queen nodded and helped Derrick to his feet with the groaning mare in tow in his tendrils. She jerked him to the cavern by his arm and forced him to make a run for it while the others stayed behind to fight off the monster long enough to get their dark lord to safety.

However. . .

"Going somewhere?"

The voice was recognizable, and Derrick had thought she came to help but found a sharp pain in his stomach and malicious eyes looking up to him while Chrysalis gasped at what just happened. Out of the darkness came Lilith at lightning speed with her actions shattering Derrick's hopes in a bloodcurdling scream from his throat before pulled her horn out of his gushing flesh and kicking him into a wall.

The scream was heard by the group with only a moment of time of seeing what happened as Lilith used her magic to throw Chrysalis into the group to keep her busy with fighting the gorger that was now back on it's feet and ready to devour them all.

"Derrick!" They screamed with no choice but to fight the monster that was upon them as their struggling friend coughed blood and fell over.

"Lilith." He spat blood between breaths, unable to understand why he wasn't healing as quickly as he should. "What are. . . doing?"

"Finishing what I started." Lilith answered between giggles, her horn glowing a blue ooze as it dripped. "Had to find a little something first to keep you from healing. Should last about five minutes."

Derrick looked down to his stomach to find that the same ooze was in his wounds and burning greatly inside at a level of pain that kept him from standing back. He hoped his tendrils would protect them, but they lying flat on the ground shrieking in pain too as his body stung all over

"Funny thing about your kind," Lilith mused, making the man scream by pressing her hoof into said wound. "This venom can only be found here in this realm, and it only works on humans that possess magic. Tried it on so many ponies before your mother sealed me in that book. Didn't even faze them."

She pressed harder on his wound and delighted in his pain as it rang across the dark realm.

"Now I can finish what I started."

Derrick looked over to his friends for help, but all they could do was defend themselves from the gorger when their magic wasn't harming it. Hope was becoming slim and death was knocking on the door as Lilith lowered her head and slowly pushed her horn into Derrick's chest. He tried to stop it, but the strength was gone due to the poison and life was getting number by the second with his vision going blurry.

"Farewell dark lo-"

Just then another roar was heard and a figure appeared to Lilith's side before she was hit across her face with a bone-cracking kick that knocked the spit out of her mouth and sent her flying into the wall Chrysalis was still still lying against.

The sheer surprise of this mare standing up astounded the man after he looked to the pony that was now standing over him protectively and throwing caution to the wind with a blinding fury and care and love. Her was magic was at the ready, both the dark she gained through study and the light she was born with as Lilith stood back up and spit the blood that formed in her gums.

"You." She seethed.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM AGAIN!" Celestia roared, charging the unicorn.

To Be Continued. . .

Chapter XXIV

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Pain…..

Why was it always pain in his direction?

Derrick’s mind raced with the depressing realization of who it was that marked his skin with such a blistering reminder, that he was never going to be out of the troubles of his new life.

Gasping, coughing for a shred of breath, he clutched the wound and watched in his teary vision the unforeseen clash of Celestial and the supposed caretaker who he thought was a friend.

But underneath the story she spewed was a snake that had struck him, and now he was learning painfully not to trust, not to listen.

Not to feel for newcomers…..

“You dare strike my cousin!”

Celestia mustered what little light remained beneath her darkness and blindly fired scorching beams at Lilith. Her aim is as poor and a new recruit as tried to remain focused on the lifeforce of the traitor.

She couldn’t do it all though. Derrick knew this without a doubt that the blind made couldn’t concentrate, defend him, and fight the unicorn all by herself. She is crippled as is and with little space to fight without getting close the battle already taking place between the dark rulers and the gorger.

He leaned up, only to curl back into a ball when the two mares fought violently near him, almost trampling his shaking body with magic wildly flying the area. Rocks crumbling, the cliff side breaking, bookshelves roaring in flame, he was trapped and suffering the poison with no one to help and nothing to protect him.

Even his new pet, Zelda, was struggling vigorously to keep the gorger from turning the tide of battle to its favor and devour anyone that got too close.

“Derrick, get up!”

He looked back up to Celestia pushing Lilith into a wall and restraining her.

“You have to get up and run.” His gaze met hers, desperation and sorrow he could see clearly. “Forget about me and Haze, just get up and leave this place!”

Derrick took those words to heart and mind as his cousin was shoved away and cut by Lilith’s blade.

The scream, the horrible scream of pain reminded him all too well of the despair of his sister living by a thread when he hospitalized her.

A memory he despised himself for.

It hurt. It hurt everything that made him into the person he became that day and he grasped his head to the sharp agony of his memories.

“Not again….”

“DERRICK, GET UP!”

He couldn’t think or hear the cries of the blind alicorn, each convulsing flash of his sister dying and his feet retreating him from the sight of what meant to him the most, taking her last breath with not his hand to hold hers.

He was a coward, a joke of a man who never forgave himself for leaving the room when he was needed the most.

Mutters of denial and hate breathing past his lips.

“I couldn’t do it then.” He told himself, his senses ignoring the dangers that surrounded him. “I can’t help anyone now. No matter how hard I try I always fail.”

Gritted teeth, bleeding tears and a cracked mind, Derrick was being swallowed by his own emotions and descending deeper to the blackness that consumed him before and had no care for himself should death be the final sight.

He just wanted the memories, the pain, the emotions, to do only thing he desperately commanded in a whisper.

“Stop it……”

He could barely hear the laughter of Lilith whilst clawing at his own head, trying to dig the pain out as if it were some parasite crawling beneath his skin.

“Derrick, you have to fight!” He didn’t look up to Celestia struggling to hold Lilith at bay so as to not reach him for another blow.

“If you don’t fight you will die!”

“Stop it!” He ran his nails deeper, drawing his own blood before the wound instantly shut.

You couldn’t save me

He heard as clear as day…..

His sister.

”You ran away and let me die alone. How can you call yourself my brother?

He twitched, he gasped……….he hated.

“I SAID STOP IT!”

Darkness, pure, cold, unforgiving darkness clouding his mind oozed beneath where he sat and the sense of reality splintered.

His screams of pain echoed to all ears and forced them to stop with the unsightly growth that was his power rapidly ascending around his body.

His spine cracked, another tendril sprouting right after the other until the screams stopped with the eighth slamming into the ground with a powerful earth-quaking pierce.

“I WANT IT ALL TO STOOOOP!”

The pain…

The self-hatred…..

Manifestation of the only emotion he could truly feel past the fears and regrets of himself……

Fury.

A cry so confusing yet powerful it paused the conflict and forced his presence to be fixated.

“NO MORE!”

Another tendril, and another, bursting and lashing around and striking all within vicinity of Derrick as unleashed a presence of magic that made it almost choking. And extension of his person, he felt something be struck by his tendrils yet continued to sink in the rage that ensued.

He cursed under his breath, then shot a piercing gaze at Lilith.

His pain was unbound.

“YOU!”

The tendrils shot at her and missed, but only once before redirecting to her with better precision. Her cries of pain when they ensnared the traitorous pony could not compare to the scream blistering Derrick’s throat, his magic exploding.

“BURN!” He snapped and electricity shot through him to Lilith, an intensity that scorched her body instantly as the others watched in awe of his sudden change.

“Derrick?” Nightmare Moon questioned this side of her beloved in witness of the gentleness disappearing in those eyes she adored.

Those blood-red eyes swimming with what seemed to her to be bloodlust.

Hate, but also a smile grew on his lips.

“You want to play games with me?” He ignored Lilith’s cries and raised her high above, stretching his appendages. “THEN LETS PLAY!”

Swiftly he commanded said tendrils and slammed Lilith into the unforgiving ground, a chuckle underneath his breath.

This wasn’t him, not to Nightmare Moon. She dreamt of the day he would finally bloom into the powerful deity he was meant to be, but she didn’t recognize the creature that repeatedly slammed the traitor into the ground and cackled harder each painful screech that escaped her lips.

This wasn’t the man she loved.

“What’s wrong?” He taunted Lilith and dragged her twitching form to eye level, enjoyment of her burnt form broken and mangled. “I thought you wanted to kill me!”

The horrors of a broken mind, born flawlessly and personified with energies beyond thought flowed with each scream Lilith breathed underneath the torture of Derrick’s broken shell.

His body twisted and reformed slowly to every passing second of his first prey splashing her blood across his face.

He licked the red on his lips…..and grinned deeply, until there was no room left in his face and the newly shining canines extended over his lower teeth.

“Delicious!”

His pain become hunger, and he tossed Lilith aside with a quick gaze to the monster that now pinned Chrysalis and Sombra.

He ignored the calling of his name and willed the thrust of his tendrils piercing the beast before it could snap its jaw on the weakened changeling.

The cries of the gorger tickled his mind, goosebumps across his now greyed skin.

“My turn.” He chuckled.

A quick raise of the impaled monster, and Derrick threw it across the floor with the collapse of stone and bookshelves followed. The group was amazed yet worried when they turned back to the young lord and recognized him only by the clothes he wore that were now tearing at the seams of his transformation.

Claws, fangs, horns, a symbol that blazed his torso….

This wasn’t Derrick, this was a demon……and it worried everyone.

“Get up!” Derrick hurled a boulder at not-yet recovered gorger. “I SAID GET UP YOU SACK OF SHIT!”

He walked past his shocked beloved and tossed another boulder, which knocked the beast back into the rubble it escaped from.

“COME ON MOTHERFUCKER!” He extended his tendrils and pierced it once more for satisfaction.

“COME ON! His roar echoed as said tendrils relentlessly attacked the screeching beast. “GET UP AND FIGHT. I WANT TO MAKE YOU SUFFER!”

“Derrick, that’s enough!”

His ears rang to that voice of worry, and spun to find the one that held his arm, vulnerable to his touch, be the same mare that wanted him to come out his shell in the first place.

“Stop it!” Nightmare Moon pleaded, her magic nullified by his touch. “You’ve wounded the beast. Now let us leave before it can recover.”

Derrick didn’t understand this mare’s statement. How could she beg him to stop when the entirety of their relationship it was her trying to bring out the power that made him this way.

How could she not understand his pain?

The scowl on his face frightened her

“Get off me!” He shoved the alicorn back and resumed his approached to the downed gorger, ready to feed his hunger for pain.

But he was stopped…….again?

“Derrick this isn’t you!” Nightmare Moon grabbed the pained man once more, and his glare met her tears.

“Please…..” She couldn’t speak properly. “Don’t lose yourself.”

A growl followed with the raise of his fist as he struggled to break the hold of her wings. His eyes showed no conscience, but a bright hatred for the mare that continued to plead.

“Derrick this isn’t you!” She ignored his struggles. “You are kind and gentle. You do not carry hate in your heart and I refuse to let you carry it now!”

He thrusted a punch but felt his mother’s hoof hold him at bay.

“LET GO NOW!” He demanded, and the tendrils turned on them.

“Derrick, listen to us!” Raven order as she casted tendrils of her own to stop his. “Your magic is fueling your emotions and it’s turning you!”

He roared in the struggle but couldn’t break free.

“If you don’t stop you will be become corrupted!” She helped Nightmare Moon hold the screaming lord to the ground.

No one else dared get close when thrashes of mother, son, and lover thrashed with magic that tore apart the ground beneath them.

“Derrick! Nightmare Moon forced his gaze to hers. “Focus on me and come back!”

He tried to bite the mare but was met with his mother having muzzled his mouth with a tendril.

“Please come back to me!”

It didn’t matter in that moment of despair where Lilith or gorger were. Danger was silenced with cries of desperation as the cavern shook to the radiated magic.

“It’s me!” Nightmare Moon screamed. “You’re moon!”

“Uh……ladies!” Discord added his voice and pointed past the two. “You might want to pause on Derrick.”

Nobody realized what the chaos god meant until the explosion of rock rang in all the ears in said cavern.

Realization had struck.

“The cavern can’t remain intact!” Somber yelled, his gaze lowered back to the fight at hand. “Hurry up!”

In that moment, Black Hole Sun forced her way in the fight and raised a barrier across the ceiling. She struggled yet remained focused with her chaotic lover having decided to aid her as soon she demanded that the two alicorn a hurry their intentions.

“We can’t hold this forever!” Discord grunted, his glare meeting Nightmare Moon. “Try something other than talking!”

The Moon Queen nodded but was puzzled as to what she could do to bring her human out of his pained rage.

Thought after thought rushed by the intensity of their situation.

“Hurry!”

“I’M TRYING! She barked at the draconequss.

Finally it birthed, a thought to the past that she realized was a chance to bring Derrick back.

She rested her head in his neck and rubbed her hoof on his chest, while shushing the fury.

“It’s okay.” She whispered, then shushed in his ear. “You’re okay.”

She continued and prayed for his voice to reach his mind.

“It’s not your fault. It never was your fault.”

Derrick roared but felt her touch, then heard his queen.

“It was alway too much, but you’re no longer alone.” She cried and pecked his check. “You don’t have to carry it alone any longer.”

He calmed his rage, but not his pain.

“It’s my fault.”

He met the gaze of his mate when she raised her head to him, unable to hide his tears.

His cry was met by tears of her own.

“My sister died alone because I ran away.” He chocked a breath and tried to hide his face when Raven released him. “I couldn’t help her and now a fucking monster is hurting everyone.”

He drowned in his thoughts, yet felt the hoof of his mare pull his arm from his eyes.

“Derrick, listen to me.” He stared at the alicorn. “Your sister is not your fault and we are all here because we love you.”

He turned to the dark creator that nuzzled his other cheek.

“She’s right.” Raven agreed. “You are part of this family and we will die to keep you safe. You are her lover. You are my son and a beloved friend to others.”

“No matter your pain.” Nightmare Moon held his hand in her wing. “We will always be ready to help you face your challenges.”

Finally his thoughts broke from the guilt, and he rose from the ground with the hell of both mares before he turned to see the damage everyone had taken to protect him from the rising monster.

Blood and sweat on all ponies and even Discord.

Derrick finally felt what he believed to never come his life once more.

The feeling of being loved……truly loved.

“Let’s get out of here.” All heads nodded in agreement and he looked past to find Violent Haze and the real Celestia already having recovered. “Ready to leave?”

“Buck yes!” Violent Haze turned away from the group. “Follow me!”

Derrick followed quickly with his mare at his side.

“We will have doctors see to your transformation.” Nightmare Moon informed as she nuzzled him again.

Derrick had not a clue what the alicorn meant until he looked at his hand and saw that both his skin was grey and his fingernails were now claws having extended a good deal.

“Woah.” He looked back to his smiling mare. “Did I do this?”

“Yes.” She responded, and he felt regret. “But it’s a good look, so long as your heart doesn’t darken as well.”

Her words encouraged him a budding confidence; enough that he met the approval of his friends’ nods as they approached the opening.

“But don’t let it cloud the situation.” Black Hole Sun reminded with a cold glare. “You allowed yourself to lose control and became a danger to everyone.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” He said quietly, but not quite enough.

“You can be sorry by mastering yourself and your power when we return.” She scolded, meeting a harsh glare of her sister.

Derrick silenced himself at the scrutiny of black hole sun as she released her magic in hope that the collapse would be far enough from them and bring the gorger to its final entrapment.

But alas…..

“DERRICK!”

He felt Celestia shove him and Nightmare Moon to the ground, and looked up to find the gorger had somehow recovered. His face pales in horror of the sudden snap of its jaws and the blind sun goddess’ bloodied hood fall to his legs.

His eyes blanked in shock, a threshold of pain muffled in the monsters closed maw.

“CELESTIA!”

Everyone was still to the laughter of the beast and its last chomp before spitting out the blindfold that covered her eyes.

It’s fabric having both the oozing blackness and the blood of the alicorn he just met.

Frozen, Derrick gazed up to the gorger and prayed that what just happened was simply a lie, an illusion of his mind from all the torment he endured in this cave.

But it wasn’t, and the conclusion struck a feeling he hadn’t felt since the mares back in Canterlot tried to use their magic on him.

“You…..” his expression twisted again to the old feeling.

Fury.

“ILL KILL YOU!”

An explosion of darkness, a charge to his feet and Derrick rushed the beast with his tendrils lashing wildly at the monster. Their bodies collided but the sheer strength of his magic gave the human the edge to push both him and the gorger back into the dark half of Nebula, only to have realized that the exit led high off a cliff above the kingdom.

The struggle went on and Derrick fell from said cliff with everyone’s voices silenced by the descent. Both he and the gorger fought without consideration of their situation.

The descent was quick and he fell to the ground with his magic protecting him injury or death. The gorger was unfazed as well and tossed him into a house before he could understand they landed in the village beneath the castle.

The cry of ponies in said house awakened his fury-blinded senses, and he knew how bad things had become.

“Shit.” He whispered to himself before getting snatched out of the house by his leg and thrown once more, his form crashing into another house.

The gorger was relentless and not waiting for Derrick to recover, but his magic was at his aid.

The tendrils took control and dragged his body across the ground before another blow could be felt, his body seeping with a black smoke.

He stood up and breathed heavily, exhaling said smoke as the group landed behind him with the unconscious Lilith shackled in magic. He ignored Nightmare Moon calling his name and leapt with blinding speed toward his opponent.

The gorger spat what was a piece of either Celestia’s hair, then chuckled.

Derrick saw said piece and shook violently. “You……YOU!

He saw red.

“YOU’RE GONNA PAAAYYY!”

Comprehension was gone at the sight of Derrick flying toward the gorger and landing a bone shattering punch, his roar burning in all ears.

The blow forced the gorger back but Derrick gave not one shred of time for it to recover, and rushed without a thought. He hit the beast again and again without realization that his claws had shred apart the stomach and the lifeless Celestia had already fallen out.

He didn’t see this however. He only saw what the monster and continued to break himself with each blow he thrust.

It wasn’t until the beast gasped weakly for air that he stopped, and heard the group rush at him.

He felt had taken hold of his arm once before a searing headache came.

“Derrick?” He heard her, but the pain was splitting, and he clutched his head.

He struggled to not scream.

“It hurts!”

That was all he could speak, unaware of his mother chanting at the gorger and placing what appeared to be seals. He fell to his knees with Nightmare Moon holding him tightly in her wings.

“It’s okay.” She panicked. “Let it happen.”

It made no sense to him. What did those words mean?

“She’s alive, but barely.” He heard Violent Haze speak those words, and weakly turned to the stallion to see that he stood over the alicorn.

“Celestia?”

The pain worsened at that moment before a sudden rush of relief swept over him, followed by fatigue.

He did not understand why his body betrayed him and continued to rest against his dark mare, watching the townsfolk start to gather and whisper.

“Moon?” He looked up to find said mare lying him on the ground and shushing him, his mind soothed by her voice.

“It’s okay.” She told him calmly. “Rest your body. You’ve done enough.”

Soothed to the brink of sleep, Derrick muttered for her to explain now but found his eyes had shut against will.

The fatigue had taken hold, and he fell asleep with both fear and confusion.

Chapter XXV

View Online

Numb….

The all-too familiar sensation to Derrick’s blinded form. His mind devoid of thought and feeling whilst the darkness blanket his weakened state.

A shred of movement not his own, and he groaned to the wetness dripping his chest.

“Derrick?”

He knew that elegant breath whisper his name but couldn’t focus on it. The rise of his mind festered the lingering emotion of hate as he remembered the pain of his reason to sleep.

He could still hear her scream.

His eyes opened and ignored the mare cleaning his naked form.

“CELESTIA!”

He shot off the bed with the unconscious command of his tendrils, and slammed to the floor with every burning intention of finding the beast that started everything.

He startled everyone in the room with his sudden thrashing before the surroundings struck his enraged mind.

A calming realization before the slow of his breathing.

“Where am I?” He turned to the blushing maids before they were shushed out of the room.

“Derrick….” He spun around to the mare in the moon slowly approaching. “You are safe.”

He didn’t care about his safety.

“Where’s the monster?” His mind skipped to the end of memory, and concern grew. “Where’s Celestia!?”

“Alive.” Nightmare Moon answered with a weak grin. “She’s alive and recovering.”

Derrick raised a brow whilst seeing in the mirror behind the mare that bloody bandages covered his body.

“But…..” The concern could be heard in his voice.

“But there was nothing that could be done about her leg.” Nightmare Moon sighed, then collected her breath once more. “The healers sealed her wound and have her on many medicines. The collected blood and bacteria from the gorger has infected her body, but she’s recovering steadily.”

The concern eased into an exhale of relief. Derrick was more at ease knowing that the real goddess of the sun was alive since he had so many questions still. However, it would be rude to interrogate after the hell they went through.

Collecting his thoughts was more than the man could bare when the remembrance of battle took came to mind. A sharp yet enduring pain to his mind forced his hands to his head before feeling the sharp jabs to his skin.

He winced with Nightmare Moon caressing his back, and gazed at the claws that were once simple and dirty fingernails before.

“The hell….”

He turned to his sheepishly grinning mare batting her eyes back and forth. Clearly she knew something he didn’t.

“Now beloved…..” she hesitated, and that made him nervous.

Unable to wait for her answer, Derrick ran to the mirror and gazed at the shocking appearance of what he couldn’t believe to be himself.

“What the….” He reached for the horns on his head and ran them through his fingers before spinning in place.

Shock was all he could express.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY FACE!?” He scream, then gazed again in the mirror at the rest of his form. “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY BODY!?”

“Nothing.” Nightmare Moon replied as calmly as she could, but that did not help.

“NOTHING!” He did a double-take at this reflection. “I LOOK LIKE FUCKING DEMON!”

“It’s perfectly normal!”

“NO. CHANGING FROM A HUMAN TO……THIS. THAT IS NOT NORMAL!”

“But you’re only half-human, remember?” She reminded the man, trying to give him some sense of reason. “There’s no telling what changes you will undergo. And this is clearly what you’re meant to appear to be.”

“Well change me back. I was content with how I was!”

“Derrick, it’s nothing to be frightened of!”

“NOTHING!” His anger bested his conscience, a heaviness breathing from his forming aura. “I have claws, fangs and horns…..and a tattoo on my chest!?”

It turned out to be a scar when he touched his chest and winced in pain before Nightmare Moon gave him an ointment to dull the sting.

Question after question filling his thoughts with each new feature of his injured form. What more could he do than caress and examine everything that was changed about him.

“Derrick….” He felt the alicorn’s wing on his shoulders. “What you have become is beautiful and amazing in my eyes. You have released yourself from your mortal shell.”

“But why?” He had not the energy left to fear his situation. “Why did this happen?”

Nightmare Moon sighed, as she knew this wouldn’t be easy for him to understand.

“When the gorger attacked….” The very name of that monster angered the man, and she could feel it. “…..you changed not just on the outside, but released a different side of yourself.”

“A different side?” He questioned, ignoring the fact that he was still nude.

“You lost control.” She continued, her mind sickened at the memory of his darker self. “You became this angry, bloodthirsty monster and wouldn’t stop. You wouldn’t even listen to me.”

“What?” He chuckled, stepping away from the mare with skepticism. “I turned into a monster?”

“Derrick, you tried to attack me.” She added, looking towards the fireplace. “If Raven hadn’t stopped you…”

“Oh bullshit!” Derrick snapped, pointing at himself. “This is me we’re talking about. I don’t even have the balls to tell you NO.”

“Derrick this is not something to jest about!” She snapped, throwing a tray of medicines into the fire.

He realized behind the growing tears a new anger that he hadn’t witnessed from the mare he loved. Months of this pony doing nothing but loving him in every way she could, but never this side of her did expect to see when she turned back to him.

He dared not speak another word as she approached.

“You lost control of yourself and I tried to help you see reason!” He didn’t move but allowed her to scold. “Yet you pushed me away and tried to strike me. Raven and I had to pin you down after you maimed the gorger.”

Hiccups, tears……hurt. Derrick didn’t know how to process this expression on the alicorn, but he definitely felt what was all-too familiar in the pit of his stomach as he listened to her cry.

Guilt…..

“I thought I lost you!”

He was shoved into the wall behind him, wincing at the force of her hooves on his burnt chest.

“I thought you were gone from me, forever!”

Again she shoved him.

“You frightened me so deeply that I felt powerless in bringing out of your enraged state!”

Again.

“You’re supposed to be kind!”

Again..

“GENTLE!”

Again…

“CARING!”

“I CAN ENDURE MANY THINGS BUT I WILL NOT ENDURE LOSING YOU!”

Enough. He had enough of her scrutiny and grabbed the her hooves. This side of her was an effort to process when those eyes that gazed obsessively now glared through him with such anger.

Derrick could only try and console the alicorn as she struggled to free herself.

“I’M SORRY!” He spat, sparing his own tears to her and forcing a kiss that seemed to silence her.

He parted to see said pain still masking her beauty.

“I’m sorry.”

His apology remained in silence of her not speaking, until he couldn’t find any other words to breathe.

“I’m sorry…”

He slowly fell to his knees, releasing the mare without a care if she left the room or continued to berate him.

“I’m so sorry….”

Belief was a major flaw for the man, but to believe that he became something without knowing and it causing the one he loved to scare her….

The torment of harming his lover ate his mind, a suffocating acceptance that he had become a monster.

He despised it….

He hated himself….

“I’m so so sorry…”

The silence between them was deafening with no more than the burning embers of the fireplace. Nothing could could be said to defend Derrick and his unknown change, but he hated it regardless and drowned in this self-hatred that shadowed his everything.

“It’s okay…” Finally, the crooning of her voice, the soft touch of her lips on his cheek and traveling until he was forced to kiss her again. “It’s not your fault.”

“Regardless, I-“ He wasn’t given the chance to criticize himself with those lips touching his again, and drawn for an even longer exchange.

His breath was drawn to the limit with the alicorn unable to release his cheeks in her hooves.

What felt like minutes was brought to a halt with the seeing the mare lick her lips hungrily before having the same ointment levitated into his hand again.

“We have met a setback in your power and will find a way to help you.” She reassured, collecting herself with him. “This doesn’t change the fact that you are mine and mine alone.”

Such words meant nothing when he lived in Canterlot, but Derrick couldn’t resist the hollowing pit of his stomach filling with joy after she spoke those words.

Finally…..that smile was back.

“Just please, don’t lose yourself again. I don’t know if I can bare it once more.”

Derrick chuckled, something that made her smile more whilst rubbing said ointment on his chest.

“I can’t promise it won’t happen again, but I promise to try and keep myself in control.”

That much being said, he could see the relief shadow her concern as the silence continued for no apparent reason.

Yet somehow…..it felt right to just be in the room, alone with her and nothing but the stillness and of their voices. Seconds, maybe a minute or two, he continued to stare at the alicorn and dry the last year off her cheek.

Perhaps she was just as enthralled as he was, but nothing mattered more now than the pony sitting before him with a brush of her wing across his cheek.

“I love you.”

The words escaped as quickly as the thought erupted, and a gasp from the alicorn made him cup her cheek and caress it while watching the shock erupt in her expression.

The declaration only seemed to blossom the feeling in his chest, and he acted on it with another breath.

“I. Love. You. Nightmare Moon.”

Unable to maintain restraint of himself, Derrick leaned in and kissed her on the nose whilst hearing her silence break into another sob.

He did not allow a single tear fall from her cheek.

“You finally said it.” She whimpered, leaning into his hand. “And it took you long enough.”

A chuckle left the man, and he embraced her this time. All the moments of love and affection being the alicorn who gave to him felt nothing like reciprocating to her with his own.

It felt right this time, as if something in his life was really coming together.

It felt perfect.

“Not the best time to say it.” He tried to hold back the laughter but was caught in it with her.

“I don’t care.” She tried desperately not to choke on her emotions. “I’m just glad you finally admitted that love me.”

It was only after those words that Derrick finally realized that he was sitting with mare, naked.

Redness and sheer terror of his nude form made him shoot up and march for the nearest pair of clothes he could hopefully find in one the drawers located on his side of the bed.

“HOLD IT!”

Said moment was finally ruined with bursting command and the alicorn running towards him with a harsh tackle, clothes flying into the air.

Derrick was well-knowledge with the obsession this alicorn had for him; from frightening all maids to stay away from to raging at any female that dared speak to him, but never did he expect her to do something like this.

It was not even the right moment for this but Derrick was lying still with this alicorn’s ethereal mane and tail losing all form at this touch.

He cursed under his breath for that unknown ability and tried to sit up, only to have his hands pressed firmly to the floor.

She breathed heavily into his face. He could only understand the expression on her face as hunger and gulped nervously.

“No more.” She growled happily. “No more waiting. I want you now.”

Derrick tried to muster the strength to push the alicorn off before his shallow could be heard at the pressing of her rump on his crotch. Arousal came with the mare’s heated loins pressing harder as she leaned closer until there was no space to have.

Now Moon, let’s take a breath here.” He advised hopefully.

She furiously shook her head and proceeded to grind.

“You said you love me.”

“Yes…” He stuttered nervously, trying to break free.

“Prove it.”

His eyes widened at that command before he found himself kissed passionately, which surprised him considering how upset she was just minutes ago. He began to shudder in response of the alicorn’s nether having dragged to his rising tip. His repressed groans of pleasure made Nightmare Moon grin sinisterly .

“Can you truly hold back after everything?” She asked, teasing him some more.

Derrick slowed his breathing with the conclusion that his body was not its own. His hands grasped her flank tightly and he quickly removed them in embarrassment.

“You want this much as I do.” She purred lovingly into his ear, watching tentatively of his tendrils going limp.

Derrick looked away in denial of her breaking his mind, and it became the catalyst of even greater desire neither expected. An audible hiss she breathed and plunged her fangs deep into his exposed neck with audible squelch of his skin.

Pain and pleasure immediately clouded them both.

His body betrayed him with one uncontrolled thrust of his pelvis and both he and the mare were one. He moaned with his mare, albeit a little weaker than what she gave, and felt what must have been a vice-grip engrossing his shaft.

“Holy Fuck!” His growl came from within deep of his magic eroding his form slowly, innocence disappearing behind his red eyes and birthing lust.

Nightmare was taken back for a second by the demonic sounding of her human’s voice but fell back into ecstasy of his hands grasping her flank once more and another thrust that made her shiver.

It was in that next thrust that she knew for certain that Derrick was not denying her any longer. It gave her the confidence to truly claim what is rightfully hers.

And she did.

She slowly raised her lower half and returned with a harsh slam at the command of her lover’s hands pulling her back down.

More!

“As you wish, my lord.” She cooed then continued with a blissful moan as her reward.

She could only comply to the commanding of her dark lord with each rise and descent growing louder until the sharp gasps of their moans were all that could be heard in the room. She delighted in this side of Derrick, telling her what to do and taking hold of her as though she was owned by him.

She couldn’t doubt. She knew no one owned her but her lover, and she owned him.

“Show me, beloved. Make your claim!” She demanded without a hitch in her movements.

Derrick still retained some conscience of the situation but felt it slipping in what had to be a savage desire to take the mare against his body. He remained hesitant and struggled not to move underneath when he was freed by his hands.

Even with the addicting embrace of his lover, Derrick was stubborn and refusing to relinquish the last shred of his conscience to the alluring begs she gave in his ear.

“Please let go of yourself!” She breathed huskily, causing him to hug her tightly.

Her movements didn’t cease however. Rather strengthened with her feeling his hands hold her cutie mark to the point of his new claws drawing a slight pain.

It was pleasuring.

“Derrick, stop restraining yourself and show me that you were true to your words.” She breathes heavily, her her body stilling in hope of breaking the final shell of his resistance.

Amongst all the thoughts that perturbed Derrick’s weakening mind, he realized that what was truly desired was the alicorn pleasing him…..desperately, not just the tender embrace when they sleep or when she protects him, but the carnal sensation of laying claim to what he knew belonged to him and no one else.

He resisted for these months together, but now the sense of purity was dead in the shadow he laid in. He wanted….no, he needed to show this made that he loved her, to reassure not just her but for himself that they belong only to each other.

Just as the alicorn began to lose hope, Derrick regained control with a thrust of his tendrils and picked up both himself and Nightmare Moon without separating their intimacy. He surprised himself and the mare with his tendrils being his legs and carrying them both to the bed.

Nightmare Moon looked up and gasped with a shocking climax of his new incisors burying into her neck. She couldn’t hold her mind anymore and screamed lustfully while submitting to his form violating her.

She cried in pleasure and locked her hind legs around him.

“YES!”

Derrick retreated from said bite and breathed heavily. Never before did he express such ravenous hunger. He thought himself to soft to even tell the alicorn no when she wanted something from him.

“NO!” She pleaded, jerking the man back down and wriggling underneath. “DON’T STOP. SHOW ME MORE!”

Derrick’s eyes widened at her plea…never did any girl in his life had shown such passion or desire. Yet here she was, a goddess that could have creature in the entire world….and all she wanted was him.

Perhaps this was the love he really wanted.

“You are my mate forever and more.” Said goddess breathed desperately, taking his lips into her own until breath was needed.

“Now claim me as yours!”

Derrick needed not another plea nor command from the moaning alicorn, having lost the battle of lust and relinquishing his entirety to the heat that refused to release his shaft.

A goddess beyond words of beauty, to have without doubt or concern.

Inhaling the deepest breath he could find, the intimacy he questioned now pounded deeply into the screaming mare. He stopped only to adjust himself since there was still pain to his body, but the raw feeling of their connection dulled his senses and he continued to plow.

How long the months of patience and frustration melted away with each thrust of her human taking what was rightfully his. No greater feeling, not even the freedom of her own life, felt this fantastic and she wanted to remain this way forever.

Agonizing throbbing of her loins for those months….now satiated with the intensity she hoped would birth from the young lord.

It was worth it!

“Mine.” She heard him growl, but couldn’t find the ability to process what escaped Derrick’s lips.

Did he really just claim her?

No hitch in his movements, Derrick kept going as the wetness grew underneath and surprised the alicorn by raising her lower half until he was thrusting without effort.

“Yes. I am yours.” She agreed loudly, watching with excitement as her helmet and chest piece were removed and thrown across the room.

To the alicorn’s surprise the man exit without warning and spun her around with his hands holding her rear up before feeling his everything enter once more.

Derrick watched with excitement as the mare grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it, screaming to each pound of her heat.

He quickly raised a hand smacked across one cheek and watched her neck arch, her tongue parted to one side.

“OH BUCK YES!”

Derrick drew back with another slap and grabbed the mare by her mane, refusing to let her muffle her cries of pleasure.

He leaned over, embracing her with a tight hug to her chest.

“Moon, I….”

“Let us finish.” She demanded, adding her own thrusts to his.

Derrick couldn’t hold back anymore and moaned with his goddess to the tightening climax of their love flowing freely. The grip, the unbearable grasp of her muscle clenching to him and draining every ounce.

They were certain that the entire castle could hear everything, but neither dared escape the shared climax as the fireplace suddenly burned brighter.

Was it the moment, or perhaps one of them having released magic?

I should have done this sooner. Derrick told himself whilst taking delight of the alicorn moaning with each passing second of his softening shaft slowly exit her nether.

Nightmare Moon turned over quickly and collapsed onto her human, breathing heavily into his neck as she relaxed with him in the afterglow and his retreating magical aura.

She pulled him into a kiss, breathing the same words before giving another without hesitation.

“Thank you….Thank you….Thank you.”

“I love you.” He whispered, enveloping her with his arms and….wings???

Both of them realized what was blanketing their forms and instantly shot off the bed with Nightmare Moon regaining her magic when their touch parted and Derrick grabbing the black feathered appendage.

“What the hell?” He whispered, releasing said appendage and watching in shock with his mare.

Without warning, both wings parted back into his tendrils before retreating to almost out of sight for either of them to see.

He turned to the alicorn in silence, fear starting to take hold.

“Moon?”

“Polymorphic.” She breathed, expressing only the stunned expression on her face as Derrick approached her.

“Moon, I’m about to freak out. What the hell was that?”

Finally she shook herself back into the reality of the situation and shushed her human before he could begin to lose his senses and panic.

“It’s okay.” She repeated, holding his hand once more.

“How is THAT okay?” He emphasized pointing at his back.

Nightmare Moon took hold of the conversation and her thoughts with a squeal of excitement, jumping in place.

“Because your magic is polymorphic!” She answered happily, ceasing her jumps after seeing that she was making him lose balance.

“Poly….morphic?”

“Yes!” She squealed again, this time clapping her hooves. “Your magic can freely morph, which means you could potentially change any part of your body should you desire it!”

As Derrick stood there and pondered this strange ability, he was shrouded by some of said tendrils suddenly expanding and wrapping around his body before shrinking into a fitting attire that made the goddess scream joyfully.

“Was that supposed to happen?” He asked fearfully, running his hands down his sides to see something else might happen.

“Yes. Oh this is so amazing. Do you have any idea how wonderful this is?”

The mare embraced her human with a tight hug and nuzzled his cheek affectionately as the door opened.

Derrick forced his mind to snap from the addicting love the alicorn to see a familiar mare enter the room with a tray of food that was only appropriate for someone who could eat hay fries. He forced Nightmare Moon off him and stepped back cautiously until the mare in question stopped her movements at the painful sight of his fearful retreat.

But it had been many months since their last encounter and there was no telling what might happen with how things left off.

“What the hell are doing here?” He questioned angrily, steadying the shakiness in his hands as his mother suddenly peaked around the door.

“Hey everypony!” Raven chirped, letting herself inside and sensing the changes of her angry son.

Nightmare Moon knew exactly what to do for her human, but she wanted to see how it would play out with Derrick meeting his ex once more. It could end very badly or very good with how the conversation would start, but she either way she was ready to make herself known to the mare who she was to the man.

Still, deep down, she hoped no forgiveness or even a shred of conversation would be met.

She noticed something different however….something that intimidated all ponies in the room, except for her of course. She could feel it, the connection she worked desperately for months taking full bloom.

They were connecting….at last. His emotions were no longer his own and she could feel it, beyond all magic and even that ability of his. A miracle she prayed for and now her entirety of mind and emotion was becoming his as well.

Perhaps that was part of the trigger for him to make love to her earlier. He needed the push of feeling her everything for him. Still, it was far too early to conclude anything except for the emotion she felt from Derrick.

Hatred….and it felt delicious feeling that from him.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Derrick hissed dangerously, his appearance growing sharper as the tendrils reformed and aimed at the alicorn.

Nightmare Moon would have in glee of her lover showing his darker colors. She wanted…..no, she NEEDED to see Derrick become the dark lord she always wanted, and stood there next to him as an intimidating couple that stared down the stunned mare.

But alas, said hatred was was blocked with the sudden rebuke of Raven teleporting quickly between the blue mare and her son. She draped a wing over his shoulder and tried to give him a sense of reason.

“Darling, Luna is a guest in this castle.” She treats those words carefully and shuffled her answers mentally as his glare met her eyes. “She came here of her own volition and wants to make amends.”

“AMENDS!?” Derrick spat distastefully, never taking his eyes off the empress. “She has no right to make amends after the shit she pulled with her sister!”

Luna didn’t want to take any scrutiny….nor pain of her mistake. She approached the touch with the hope that maybe he would see reason in her words.

But how could she when the darker half of her past life smacked Raven’s wing away and walked quickly between her and the man she hurt.

“You will never get close to him again.” Nightmare Moon threatened bluntly, cracking the floor with a stomp of her hoof.

“Nightmare Moon-“ Raven tried to scold her student but was interrupted by his son suddenly trying to approach the blue goddess.

Said approach could only mean one thing to both the mother and the lover and they feared what would happen if he was given the chance to get close.

“No!” Nightmare Moon was the only one of the two to speak at the heavily breathing man, his eyes glowing the same bright red when he fought the gorger.

Fear became her emotion now, but she was ready this time.

“Derrick-“ she reared up with a kiss, drawing his anger towards her, forcing his gaze with the hold of his cheeks. “Focus on me my love. Remember that I am here and you are safe. Nopony will hurt you ever again.”

Derrick’s only thought at the moment was to throw Luna out the window with all the strength he could. He couldn’t believe that after all this time, the alicorn that helped hurt him in the beginning had the hall to show up now and try to talk to him. He thought he was free to live his life the way it was intended.

Such thoughts angered him even more, and he tried to turn back to the blue alicorn being forced out of the room by his mother, but the mare he loved tightened her grip on his face and forced a multitude of tender kisses to break his focus.

“It’s okay. She will never hurt you again.” She breathed huskily, hoping to calm him down.

Thankfully it did. A minute or two passing by with the glow of blood red in his eyes fading before he took the deepest breath he could find and allow the mare to hold him tightly.

“That’s it.” She soothed, licking his nose.

“I’m okay now.” He exhaled, then turned back to his mother who approached with a smile of her own that he wasn’t sure made her devious or just downright evil.

Either way, with enough observation over the months, he knew Raven was up to something and he already didn’t like it.

“Well now-“ she chuckled, regaining her own composure with a cough. “This has been an eventful week for everypony. Traitors, monsters, old friends and now you.”

Derrick didn’t have a word to say as she analyzed his changes, watching what must have been pride building in her expression.

“And I must say I never expected my son to blossom so beautifully into such a creature of power and authority.”

Nightmare Moon was not amused either but still put her two-sense into the conversation.

“And he was worried about looking like some form of demon.” She added, making the dark creator smile.

“A demon?” Raven giggled. “Oh my goodness. You already appear as one with your body finalizing its metamorphosis and it’s magnificent.”

Derrick was very finished with the awkwardness in the room.

“Why the hell did you let her in?” He asked his mother coldly.

Raven sighed with defeat and walked past the two for a gaze of the world around her.

“Because I believe she truly wishes to make amends.”

Derrick scoffed at those words. “Well I don’t.”

“Regardless if you want to or not-“ she spun around and met her son’s eyes. “With everything that’s transpired I know she can help us. I also know that you want it.”

All hate melted into a cocked eyebrow at the alicorn. “Want it?”

Raven’s smile widened grotesquely.

“You can’t tell you have no desire for revenge against the fake Celestia.” She giggled evilly, brushing his cheek with her wing. “And believe me, my child, I want my pound of flesh.”

Derrick was taken back by the words of his mother….the same alicorn who treated him so sweetly now showing what he believed to be truly terrifying.

But terror didn’t come to mind with the monstrous expression of his mother as she waited patiently for his answer.

Did he really want revenge? Did he want to make the fake Celestia pay after everything she put him through?

Could he even find it in himself to harm someone?

“Yes I do.”

Even Nightmare Moon smiled at the sickly thought and pecked her lover. Now he was starring to think like them… and it aroused her.

Oh this is going to be fun.