/ Complications/ Story: The Prince Of Darkness/ by ShadowStallion/-/
The clopping of hooves on the marble floor echoed through the castle of Canterlot. The pure white royal sister walked casually down the halls to her beloved sister's bed chambers. Two guards stood positioned outside her door that was made of a dark mahogany wood. With a nod of her head, Celestia dismissed the guards. She raised her hoof to knock. Before her hoof could land, Luna's voice came from within, telling her to enter.
Celestia opened the door and looked for her sister. The room was a mixed of multiple dark colors from shades of blue, purple and black. Luna's ceiling was painted black and had constellations painted on it that were enchanted to move and glisten like her actual night sky.
Celestia's room was the opposite and it stuck with brighter colors with her ceiling resembling the day.
On the balcony stood her sister who gazed out at the rising sun. Her stars were just barely beginning to hide themselves from the glowing orb.
"How are you today Luna?" The moon princess stood there stoic with a blank expression plastered on her elegant face. Breaking her current demeanor, she sighed and let her shoulders slump along with her head. It became obvious to Celestia that her dear sister was troubled. "You can talk to me about your problems, you know this very well."
"I fear that something has come into this world. Something as dark as... Nightmare Moon's heart. I could feel it since yesterday. At first I thought it was a small magical discharge from the old castle, but now I'm not so sure. Last night there was a spike in the magic. It seems to keep growing with each passing moment," Luna said before taking a deep breath. "You don't think she is still out there, planning to rise against us once again do you?" Celestia draped her wing over her sister and embraced her in a comforting embrace that only a mother, or in this case a sister, could give.
"I do not think she is. If she is, how far do you think she could get. She was defeated by the elements of harmony twice now. I don't think she would be so foolish to try again." Luna nodded, figuring that it would be pointless to argue with her. Despite her "agreeing" with her sister, one thought nagged at the back of her mind.
"Third time's the charm..." Celestia left Luna's room shortly, leaving the moon goddess alone with her thoughts. "I can't simply let this go without looking in to these occurrences," Luna said out loud. "GUARDS!" She yelled, calling for the ones positioned outside her room. They sprinted inside and stood side by side, waiting for her orders.
"What seems to be the problem your high-"
"SILENCE!" She ordered them. The one speaking quickly shut his mouth and pursed his lips to keep any stray words from escaping "I need you both to go to the old castle ruins and do recon. Report back to me once you have completed this task. It would be best to keep my sister oblivious to your mission. Now go!" Without question, the guards saluted and ran out to complete their objective.
Luna walked back out on her balcony and soon saw her guards take flight to their destination.
Warmth was the first thing Derek could feel waking up. He could feel another body against him, only this time, judging by the slow breathing on his chest, that whoever he was with was sleeping. He cracked an eye open, looking at the beautiful mare huddled up to him. He brushed the back of his fingers against her soft cheek. He stopped midway through the gesture and clenched his hand into a fist. He relaxed his hand and brushed his shaggy black hair back and sighed quietly.
"What am I thinking? We're a completely different species. Can I actually fall in love with a fucking pony?!" He thought deeply about whether what he did last was right. He wasn't sure if he regretted kissing her or not. It was all they did before falling to sleep in each other's embrace so they didn't go too far.
He slowly unfurled himself from her legs, attempting to not wake her up. Once he successfully freed himself, he looked at the fire pit that was now just embers. He figured he should be the one to get wood so they don't have a relapse of what happened last night.
He stepped out and felt a cool breeze he recognized. Autumn had come and he gave a soft smile. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit one. Inhaling deeply, breathing in the smooth menthol. As he exhaled, he heard the soft clopping of hooves. He turned around and saw Nightmare coming up to him, taking note of her bed head (mane?). She gave him a small smile as she walked up to him.
"Do you always leave a mare after one night?" She finished with a giggle, which was actually pretty cute. Derek also noticed her voice become more upbeat and happier; contrasting to what her voice had been like when they first met.
Derek placed his hand on her cheek and began stroking it with his thumb, a simple gesture to which Nightmare enjoyed. She smiled and moaned happily with her eyes closed as she pressed her face into his hand. "I would never abandon a mare like you," He said as he leaned in close, almost kissing her. "You're much too fun to tease." He pulled back, making her stumble, showing that she was leaning in as well to kiss him. She playfully glared at him before laughing.
"You're quite the ass Derek." He gasped and held his chest with one hand while the other rested on his forehead and leaned back dramatically.
"You wound me with your cruel words. I thought you cared for me but I guess not." He began walking away while pretending to hold back tears.
"Oh yes, I don't care for you. That is exactly why I make you sleep on the bed instead of the cold hard floor." They stayed silent for a moment before bursting out in a fit of laughter.
Nightmare began to realize that she actually seemed happy.
"Come on, let's go for a walk. My guess is that those wolves won't be back for a while. I say we could use a break from all this bullshit that we have been going through." She nodded enthusiastically. How could she argue with a break after what happened last night?
He stood next to her and put his arm around her. She huddled against him as they began their walk.
Because the sun was just rising, the part of the forest they were in was illuminated in an orange glow that accented to now changing leaves. Looking at her, Derek noticed her beautiful smile. For as long as he had been there, this was the happiest he saw her. With her being happy, he was happy.
They walked for what seemed like an hour before deciding to rest underneath a large oak tree, or at least what seemed like an oak. Derek sat there with Nightmare resting her head on his lap while he stroked her ethereal mane. Despite it being nothing but magic, it still had a solid, almost liquid, feeling to it.
After a moment, she appeared to have fallen asleep. He was surprised to admit it, but he thought what he felt was legitimate love.
After that thought, he felt a strange sensation in his hand. Pulling his hand from her mane, he noticed a strange aura that looked like her mane flowing into his hand. He would have freaked out if it weren't for the fact that it was actually calming and felt good.
"What is this?" He asked himself, expecting something inside him to know the answer.
"My essence in a way…" Nightmare said.
"Well that isn't perverted." He said sarcastically. She sat up and faced him with a soft yet serious look.
"I'm serious," She said in one of the calmest voices he heard. "Essence like that can only be transferred under certain circumstances."
"And how is that." He was now intrigued to find out what was happening. She leaned closer to him. Her breath caressed his lips as she got closer. He could feel his breath catching in his throat. She swallowed hard and tilted her head to the side, still slowly getting closer.
"It only happens... to those... who fall in-"
"I heard a voice over here!" She was cut off by an unfamiliar voice calling throughout the forest. Her eyes went wide after catching a glimpse of blue-black and purple armor passing through the brush.
"Hide," She said in a hushed voice as she turned into a purple wisp of smoke and disappeared into the ground. He quickly got up and climbed the tree.
Underneath him passed two ponies that looked like they would be guards. They were equipped in gold armor and had swords. Both of them seemed to be unicorns. Derek tried to get higher in the tree to get more out of sight. Before he could get any higher, the branch he grabbed snapped, making him fall to the ground in between both guards. He raised both hands slowly as he realized that they both had their swords to his neck.
"Hiya fellas, how ya doing?" Derek said, trying to play it cool.
"Rise monster!"
"I would prefer not being called a monster and I would definitely prefer the ground, it's pretty comfy."
"I said RISE!" He slowly sat up before standing.
"So what seems to be the problem officer? I promise I only had a few drinks." One of the swords pressed against his throat as a warning. "Okay so I take it you're not in the mood for jokes."
"Walk." The guard told him.
"Great. More walking, just what I wanted." The guards lead him to a barred carriage that was used for transporting criminals. One guard opened the gate and gestured him to get in by cocking his head slightly. "Yeah, I would prefer not to." The guard behind him picked him up with magic and through him inside, making him slam against the back. The cage door quickly slammed shut and locked as soon as he was in.
When the guards latched themselves to the carriage, the slow journey to town began.
Derek Sat there for about a half an hour before purple smoke appeared in his mobile cell. The smoke took a solid form, becoming the mare he was falling for.
"What are you doing here, Nightmare?" She quickly wrapped her hooves around him and pulled him into a loving embrace.
"I couldn't leave you. Wherever they take you, I'm going with." Derek pushed her back gently and looked her in her teal eyes that began to water.
"I can't let you come with me. If they catch you with me, who knows what they would do?" Nightmare let her head hang in sorrow. Derek lifted her head up to eye level. He gave her a kiss that was quick but was filled with passion. As soon as he pulled away, she felt empty once again. "I give you my word that I will come back. I will not leave you no matter what happens." He gave her one last hug. When he let go, she sniffled and tried to fight back the tears.
"Please come back unharmed." She told him, still fighting back the urge to cry.
"I will." Noticing how hard she was trying to refrain from crying, he brushed her hair back. "Remember. Crying does not make you weak, in fact it shows you are strong. It shows that you felt pain and you have fought through it to become who you are today." With those words spoken to her, she finally broke. Letting go, she broke down. She buried her face in his chest as she continued. "You should go before it's too late." She pulled away and nodded before becoming smoke again and left.
He watched her form in the tree line, still out of sight. Derek could only think of one thing and he hoped that she could somehow hear him. "Remember that I love you, Nightmare Moon. Don't let anything or anyone make you forget or doubt that."
Unknown to Derek, Nightmare heard it word for word. "And I love you, Derek Mars."