Evan's perspective...

The calm summer breeze brushed past us as we sat in the field together, Twilight and I. Sitting giggling together, we looked out to the pasture's open expanse, a warm smile on both our faces as we watched the kids play together.

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Spike and our own son out playing in the field, flying a kite that they had made out of my T-shirt, just like in the old days. Leaning against me, Twilight rested her head into my shoulder with a content sigh.

“I love you,” she whispered comfortingly. I gently nuzzled against her and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“Me too,” I replied back, the love of my life giggling as she looked up to me.

“Oh really? You love yourself huh, what about me?” she teased, myself chuckling.

“You know what I mean,” I told her as I moved in for a kiss.

“Awwww, MOOOM! DAAAAD! GROSS!” Squeaked our son. I looked over to him and smiled before purposefully giving my wife a noisy smooch, much to his discomfort. He'd understand someday.

“Hey Evan,” Spike called out, gaining my attention. “Wanna come fly the kite?” he asked. I smirked to myself. I was a little old for that... ahh, who am I kidding? Nopony gets too old to fly kites.

I stood up but was stuck by sudden dizziness and lack of knowledge. It felt like the whole world was spinning a million miles a minute. I couldn't put my thoughts together as things became a mess of blurs and neon glows.

“Evan!” I heard Twilight call out as a wetness began to run down my nose. I stumbled around a little before thumping to the ground, more liquid oozing from my nose as the taste of blood became ever apparent...

I woke up, cold, back on the smooth, steely floor. Scrambling to my feet, I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, the darkness being so cold that I could see my breath. “You never get fully acclimatized to the cold,” came a frightening voice. I spun on my heels, turning to face the owner whom was now emerging from the darkness.

It only took me a second to realize who he... it, was, and what the hell was going on. “You here to try and finish me off again, prick?!” I snarled, Death just laughing.

“Well... I suppose I could, seeing as how your friend is missing. He was the only one who was always here to save you,” he mentioned, his comment striking hard. Derreck was always the one to come to my aid in times like this.

I decided to play a bluff and try to ward him off. “I don't need his help! I can take you on and crush you like a bug,” I challenged, a slight bit of fear escaping in the tone of my voice. Death only laughed.

“I needn't waste my time. You have ensured that your fate is sealed in the stone wall of time itself...” he trailed off and I felt my body being pulled forwards with him, both our bodies moving at a rapid pace.

Before I knew it, were were standing out on a lonely pasture hill overlooking the fields and Ponyville. My body tensed. “Yeah... so what?!” I snarled, wondering why he brought me here. Thunder boomed in the background as rain continued to pour down on us. Turning around he motioned with his head to a lone tombstone, unmarked and resting all by itself.

I didn't need him to tell me what he was implying. A shiver went down my back and my right hand clenched. I moved my body with ease and grace, with speed that could match nearly any but ended up stumbling as I hit nothing but air.

I staggered forwards, my entire momentum having been put into the hit with the expectation of my fist striking bone. Looking around, I heard a sinister voice. “If you are so confident, then so be it.”

I readied myself but was not expecting what came. A magical blast struck me dead center of my chest, hammering me back and skidding me along the ground. Looking up, I quickly rolled to the side, dodging a second blast of magic.

A dark cloud slowly approached, it's hellish red eyes staring me down as a purple fume dragged alongside those eyes. 'How do I fight a cloud?' I asked myself but as it drew near, it formed into the shape of a stallion.

“You...” I muttered. It was that stallion from one of my dreams. The king of shadows or something...

A dragged out exhale, almost a hiss, left his mouth. 'Nevermind then... how do I fight a stallion? Easily,' I smirked confidently as I rushed him. Half expecting to move at sonic speeds, I was baffled when my body could only move at a sluggish run, which left me wide open when the stallion's horn lit up and hammered me back with a black energy blast.

The impact sent me hurtling back and crashing into a tree which snapped at the trunk as my body slammed through it. I thought for sure my spine would've broke but I hardly had even a bruise, but the pain still resided deep down.

Crawling to my hands and knees to get up, I barely even managed a yelp as my body was hit again, launching me through several more trees, two of which collapsed on top of me when I finally came to a painful stop.

My hands grabbed the trunk as I attempted to push them off my body but found myself incredibly weak. I could barely even budge it! How was this possible?! I used to have powers unmeasurable. I could strike down any stallion with just a swat of my hand.

An explosion rocked the ground nearby and blasted the trees, along with my body, away. I came to a skidding stop and groaned, blood dripping from my mouth as I found myself too weak to stand, instead residing on my hands and knees as Sombra approached.

“How does it feel? To be powerless? To be pathetic and weak? Unable to stop even a stallion?” he sneered. My body tensed as I drew down deep. This was my only chance. I let out a roar of anguish as I leapt up and plowed my fist into his cheek, only to have my blow come to a painful stop as it barely even budged him.

He looked to me with a smirk as he stood to his hindlegs, and used his front hooves to give me a quick one-two to the face which had such tremendous force it sent me crashing to the ground, leaving a crater around me.

I lay painfully on the ground as Sombra laughed maniacally, slowly approaching. “He was right. You are weak. Just a useless old man,” he cackled. It didn't make any sense. Sure I was old, but I had aged respectably and should still be able to hold my own against even him.

It hit me hard. What if I was lying to myself? What if I was just a useless old man now? I felt a great depression come over me. What if I wasn't of any use anymore... my body felt feeble and weak, barely able to even lift itself.

“Yes... that's it. Let it flow through you... accept it,” Sombra howled. His horn became imbued in a dark sinister aura, lowering his head to point it at me. I tried to brace myself but couldn't even manage that. I had been beaten... defeated by a mere stallion...

I felt a powerful explosion rock the ground beneath me and the blast forced my eyes to squint shut...

Yet even so, I didn't feel it actually strike me. Looking up to where Sombra once stood, I was left in awe as all that remained was a cloud of smoke. A soft melody began to play and gained my attention to a cold presence that struck the very nerves of my senses.

Nightmare Moon slowly approached, a heavy sway in her pace as she walked with utmost intimidation. Looking in the opposite direction, I spotted Sombra recovering from the blast, part of his robe destroyed and armor slightly battered. “You FOAL! I will destroy you!” he roared, charging forwards at full tilt.

Nightmare continued her slow, swayed pace, seemingly unconcerned with his charge. My eyes widened. Surely she couldn't just take the brunt of his charge like that?... Could she?

Just as impact seemed imminent, Nightmare simply vanished. Sombra stumbled forwards, looking around in shock. “WHAT?!” He boomed in fury, head turning from side to side in a blur of motion.

Before either of us could rightfully react, Nightmare seemed to sketch back into view just above him. One of her hind legs drove down hard against the back of his neck and plowed him into the dirt.

Slowly fluttering down, she laughed at him in a nearly frightening tone. “You are the foal here! You may be the darkness, but I am the ruler, the eternal goddess, of the night that brings about your darkness!” she boomed in her regal voice.

Sombra growled inwardly as he charged forwards with utmost fury, raging blasts emitting from his horn and slamming into Nightmare. I gasped as I watched in horror, explosions erupting from where she had once been. Sombra came to a screeching halt and looked onward with a dark smile that barred his teeth.

“I believe you are mistaken,” he chuckled knowingly. His smile was suddenly erased as Nightmare materialized right in front of him, time seeming to stand still as he looked in shock and awe to the mare just inches in front of him whom he was certain he had destroyed.

“W-wha-” he was cut off as Nightmare twirled her body in a split second, cocked her hindlegs and bucked him flat in the chest with enough force that even I could feel the shock wave from it.

Sombra slammed painfully into a tree which snapped under the force but had enough stopping power to halt his flight path. I looked to him in awe. Where he had been totally annihilating me during our entire fight, Nightmare was making mockery of him. His body was batter, blood dripping from his lip, armor cracked...

He painfully struggled to his hooves and fired a powerful blast towards Nightmare.

Firing a blast right back, the two connected and the flight path was redirected into the air where they promptly erupted. “YOU WILL FEAR ME!” Sombra roared, his body tensing, horn glowing as his entire body was coated in a black and purple aura.

“I will show you true fear,” Moon replied as a powerful dark blue aura amassed around her body. Unlike Sombra's however, her's did not stay close to her body and follow her figure. Instead the aura was violent, pushing straight outward and created a whirlwind around her. Static electricity coursed around her body, crackling in the air and creating a feel of great tension. Sombra let out a roar as he fired a volley of violent energy blasts that collided with Nightmare, shaking the very planet itself. It was all I could do but hug the ground for dear life.

After a few moments, I looked back up as my jaw hung slightly agape while I panted. That couldn't have been the end. Had Nightmare actually underestimated Sombra? She seemed so relaxed and calm that surely she...

My jaw, along with Sombra's, dropped low as Nightmare slowly walk through the smoke that had formed from the explosions. Her aura became so powerful that the coloration around us, and of the world itself, began to change on a regular basis, each one of her steps causing the color to shift again.

She was truly an incarnation of fear... no, she was THE very pinnacle of fear itself... I watched in awe as she continued forwards. Sombra snarled and dragged one of his front hooves through the dirt like a bull.

Letting out a roar, Sombra rushed forwards and leapt through the air, attempting to deliver a powerful bucking kick to Nightmare. The impact force was massive, so much so it shook the ground but even so it didn't even budge Nightmare a millimeter, not even staggering her slow pace. The offset force of momentum had Sombra crashing to the ground while Nightmare took flight with utter grace. It was like she was merely mocking him, not even tapping into her true potential.

“Nopony alive can surmount to my power! NOPONY!” Sombra roared at the top of his lungs as an orb of magic energy formed atop of his head. “NOW FACE YOUR DEMISE!” He hollered as the magical orb was launched.

Nightmare stopped mid-flight and looked down upon him with disgust. “Is that the best you can muster?!” she yelled in her royal voice. Just as the massive blast neared her, it slowly came to a stop.

Sombra gasped and tried to force it forwards, struggling on the spot as he fought with an invisible force. Moon's horn began to glow bright and just seconds later the blast began to hurtle back towards Sombra at a faster speed than he had launched it.

His eyes went wide as he let out a shriek of fear. “IMPOSSIBLE-” He roared out just as his own blast came back down and erupted in a massive explosion of fury that caused a mushroom cloud, the shock wave hammering me back into the ground, torrents of energy and wind blustering past...

I lay there in my crater with my eyes half lidded. 'Holy shit... perspective changes when you're not the one doing the ass kicking...' I thought meekly just as a worried voice came over.

“Derreck? Derreck are you there?” she asked. I groaned and Nightmare looked down at me from the edge of the crater. “Der... you're not Derreck,” she mentioned and I nodded in acknowledgment.

“Yeah... I'm... ugh, the other one...” I groaned in pain, Nightmare frowning just slightly.

“I should have known. Derreck's power shadows your own and he would never have needed help against an insignificant threat like that... no offense,” she mentioned, to which I rolled my eyes. She was right though. I doubt with great certainty that Sombra would've barely even touched Derreck...

Nightmare lent a hoof to me, which I graciously took, grunting as she helped me up. “Ugh man... what a beating...” I complained, the alicorn goddess smirking at me.

“Perhaps you should have kept up with your training like Derreck,” she commented. I stretched myself out but the pain didn't deter in the slightest.

“Yeah maybe... but I guess that's where we're different...” I replied, a sudden surge of fear hitting me deep. Nightmare was... oh sweet Celestia, she was pregnant... that meant Derreck, or I suppose me... , no, just Derreck, was the father... and I had killed him... and since she wasn't trying to rip my throat out at the moment, that meant she-

“Speaking of, where is Derreck?" she asked, as though finishing my thought. "He said he'd meet us later but never came around, then Lassie got word the two of you had suffered a heart attack, or well... your body, suffered a heart attack,” she noted, knowing that we used to share a body, or rather that he and I were the same person. “Yet I haven't heard from Lassie since. I do hope everything is all right,” she voiced her worry. My heart skipped a beat as I swallowed hard.

'The buck am I going to tell her?' I thought quietly. She'd split me in half and beat me to a pulp in a second if she found out what I did. “I-”

There was a thundering eruption that shook the ground beneath us. The planet, our world, began to separate, bright glowing beams of light shooting up through the cracks in the surface. “BE GONE, VILE BEAST!” Boomed a regal voice.

“BUCK!” I swore, knowing the voice off by heart. It was Luna. Nightmare stanced herself to fight the alicorn but I felt a pit in my stomach arise. I may have betrayed Derreck in some way... perhaps I was selfish for doing it... who knows. But I knew Nightmare was good now, and I wouldn't let her be vanquished for past decisions.

If there was one good thing Derreck did in his time and left behind, it was be her. I nudged Nightmare and lipped my words to her. 'Run, they can't know you exist.'

She gave me a nod and with that simply vanished into thin air. Luna let out a cry of terror. “NO! WHERE HAS SHE GONE?!” She called out, flying down towards me and landing a few feet away.

I blinked dully as Luna looked to me in panic, rushing up to me. “Do you know where she went?!” she asked in panic and I just blinked as I shrugged.

“Rah unno,” I mumbled, acting confused. She stood up to her hindlegs and placed her front ones on my shoulders.

“Evan, this is very important. You can not allow her to invade your thoughts. She will, as she did me, possess your mind. Twist your thoughts into anger and hate then corrupt and control your very soul itself. You can't-” I cut her short.

“What?” I asked in a baffled way.

“Just believe me. Don't listen to her poisoned words as they will destroy even the ones you love. It happened to me... please, tell me. What happened?” she asked. I scratched the back of my head.

“Uhh... well, at first I was in a meadow with Twilight having a picnic with our kid... and the Cutie Mark Crusaders... and then uhh... I collapsed and blood was running from my nose... and then Death tried to kill me... and then King Sombra tried to kill me and then uhh... Nightmare Moon came and saved me... and then uhh... you showed up and uhh... now we're here,” I replied with a hesitant chuckle. “It makes no sense. Believe me, it's about as goofy as it gets,” I assured her.

She blinked and inspected me, trying to decipher what I had said. “Are you positive? Believe me, Nightmare Moon is evil and if she possesses you, it could create disaster for all of Equestria,” she informed me.

“Uhh... okay?” I stammered, still acting confused. As thought a lightbulb flicked on, Luna's demeanor did a complete 180.

“Oh that's right, you need to wake up!” she chimed in an upbeat voice.

“Wake up?” I asked and she nodded.

“Well of course, this is all just a dream. You fainted in the hospital while Twilight was in labor. But you should really wake up soon and be there with her and your newborn daughter,” she noted and I perked a brow.

“A daughter?” I asked, a little confused. I thought in my... epiphany, I had a son...

“Yes, why? Were you expecting a colt?” she asked but I shook my head.

“No, I wasn't expecting a... It's just a little... I'm soaking it all in... being a dad, you know?” I asked and Luna smiled warmly.

“Truly a glorious moment in your life, here, let me-” as her horn touched my forehead everything went bright white...

I nearly lunged up with a gasp, Luna stumbling back. “GAH... I... WHA...” I panted before everything started coming to. “What?” I asked as Luna repostured herself. “OH SNAP... Yeah, come on, let's go,” I said as I hopped out of the medical bed, following Luna down the halls of the hospital. She led the way as I followed... huh, sure beat sneaking around in a cardboard box...

“It's just up ahead-” Luna was cut off by a blood curdling scream that had the fur, and my hair, on the back of our necks spiked up as we ran towards the scream of agony. Rushing into the room, we spotted... well, everypony really.

Celestia was there, along with Twilight's family; her father, her mother, Shining Armor, Cadance... all of her friends, Lassie... and the gray doctor I didn't really get along with... whom was staggering around with a limp hoof held close to his chest.

My blank stare was met with furious eyes as I looked to him and he to me. “Well at least I know where she gets it from. She obviously shares her father's... tenacity!” He scowled as he limped past me and stormed off.

“I uhh... did I miss something?” I asked, Pinkie piping up.

“Well, besides your daughter being born, no not really,” she sped through her sentence quite quickly which left me a little curious. Was there something about it that I missed and that's why the doctor gave me that look?

“So... how come Grumpy Pants gave me the...” I trailed off and Lassie snickered before bursting into a fit of laughter.

“Oh it was great. He was all like 'Here, let me take her now. We'll just give her a quick check up and she'll be right back with you in no time'.” Lassie was acting out what it looked like. “Then he went to pick up Twilight's... your guys' kid and the filly was all like 'WAHHHHH' and when he began to pick her up she was like-” Lassie made a motion like she grabbed something and snapped it with her front paws. “And then the doctor was like 'WAHHHHHHH!' and we were all like 'AHHHH' cause he dropped the baby and Celestia was all like-” Lassie trailed off and pulled a pair of sunglasses and cigar out of her fur, promptly putting the glasses on then sticking the cigar in her mouth before striking a pose. “Thugnificent, and totally caught the baby with her magic like a real OG.”

We all looked to her with blank expressions, most of us raising a brow. “Whaaaat?” she asked as she put the cigar and glasses away. “It's a true story,” she exclaimed. Celestia let out a gentle laugh.

“Perhaps based on one but I do remember things being a little less... elaborate,” she said with a giggle, the others joining in. Lassie let out a huff and crossed her front legs and went to say something but stopped as I placed my hand on her head and gave her a gentle pet.

Smiling up to me she gave me a wink which I tried to return but ended up just smiling instead. “Evan,” called out a soft voice, gaining all of our attention to the mare in the hospital bed. “Come here.” She nodded me over.

I nearly stumbled over me own feet as I nervously walked over to my mo... to Twilight. As I neared her side, she lifted up our filly daughter to me. “Here, cradle her,” she offered and my legs nearly gave out as I swallowed hard.

“B-b-b-bu... but I... I uhh...” I could barely grasp what was going on. Twilight giggled.

“Here, don't worry, you'll do fine, it's not hard,” she assured me.

“B-but w-wha... what if I drop her?” I blurted out to which Celestia simply laughed.

“Fear not. I'll just... Lassie, may I?” she asked as she picked up the cigar and glasses before striking the pose, making Lassie cackle in laughter.

“See! At least SHE of all ponies has a sense of humor,” she told the others.

Cautiously, and rather hesitantly, I slowly cradled the small newborn earth filly into my arm. “W-woah... she's so... so small...” I said, noting how she was barely the length of my forearm.

“Don't let her size deceive you... she'll snap your arm, just like the doctor's,” Lassie quipped. I was nearly struck in awe as I looked into the eyes of... of my daughter... I began to feel a little light headed again as I slowly handed her back to Twilight.

“H-here... I uhh... I need to sit down again I think...” I stammered with a deep exhale...

Days past and Twilight and I returned to the library. Things were... different, but we were slowly working out my flaws, one at a time. For the time being I was sleeping on the couch, which I kind of deserved. I could have easily just returned to the estate but... I guess the library just seemed like home...

“Yupp, just like that,” Twilight told me as she coached me through how to cradle our filly as we sat on the couch together.

The filly made several baby goos and gahs while she waved her front hooves up at me. “I... ha... huh, I uhh...” I stammered, still getting used to it.

“You're doing great, honey,” Twilight told me as she kissed me on the cheek. I still... I was getting... I was trying to strain myself into understanding that she wasn't my mother. It was so hard. Derreck's mind 'game' he had played on me was still rooted deep in my mind.

I could understand that... well, sort of understood that she wasn't my mother but it still felt weird not to address her as so. It would take time but without Derreck's mental restraints holding me back, there were a lot of things I could understand more clearly now, and her not being my mother was one of them.

“You sure I can't come with you to your parents?” I asked and Twilight giggled as she kissed me on the nose.

“I'd love to bring you along, really I would. But there's a lot of books that are going to be returned in the next two days, and some of them have been put on a waiting list for others so the library really needs a pony here running things,” she told me, Lassie pouting.

“I told you, Spike and I can handle it,” she whined with Twilight rolling her eyes in response.

“After the last time... I... heh-heh, sorry Lassie, but I'll have to pass on that offer,” she chuckled, Lassie giving a frown which I joined in on.

“Yeah... how come you couldn't just get somepony else to do it,” I complained. Twilight gave me a loving smile before giving me another kiss.

“I told you already, silly. Everypony is busy. Rainbow Dash is heading to the academy for a little while, Pinkie is-” I cut her off.

“I know, I know... I just... I mean after all that time, I kinda wanna make it up to-” I was cut off by a series of knocks at the door. I perked a brow. That was... weird. The sign said the library was open...

Author's Notes:

"I was wondering when you'd arrive," spoke a regal voice, perking both our attention as Lassie and I spun on our heels to face the voice.

"Celestia?! What the hay are you doing here?!" I gasped alongside Lassie. The regal princess continued to slowly walk forward before stopping just a few feet away from us.

"You still haven't figured it out? I guess it's true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks..."

* * *

SEE! I already have part of the next chapter done I just... I get totally swamped in life problems and stuff like that, then procrastinate and... I'm really sorry, but SEE, SEE, I do have parts of the next chapter done!
Ahem, cheers... (Don't hate on Princess Tia, pwease, just look at her all cute and cuddly)