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.

Author's Notes:

Next Chapter: Black Hole Sun and Discord. The reunion that will go down in history.