Author's Notes:

Take note, I did add part of an old chapter to this to develop Luna's part in the story.

And so my revenge on a certain, egotistical artist begins.

No happy ending for his romance shipping. (Que Evil Laughter)

"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."