/ Public reveal part 2/ Story: The Prince Of Darkness/ by ShadowStallion/-/
As Nightmare slept soundly on their new bed, Derek stood outside on the balcony, gazing up at the night sky, idly twirling the magic he now possessed between his fingers. He stopped. The magic dissipating from his fingers, his hands reaching up to his head. The heavy pounding causing him to slowly sit down, breathing heavily.
"Three hours and twenty-seven minutes." He was keeping track on how long he could continuously use his magic. From the balcony he could see a library across the palace grounds. The possibility that there were books on magic inside that could assist him in furthering his knowledge and mastery...would have to wait.
Derek stumbled his way to the bathroom to splash some water on his face to cool down. He filled the sink with cold water and splashed some on his face a couple times before looking into the mirror. He rubbed his face, feeling the stubble pricking his hand.
"I really need a shave." He wasn't one to grow out facial hair since he felt it made him look weird. After some time of looking at himself, the mirror flashed with lightning and the sound of thunder echoed in the bathroom, his reflection revealed something. He reached forward and tapped the mirror. He observed it closely, waiting for something to happen. The reflection changed.
The eyes transitioned into a soulless black that could pierce the darkest of hearts. The teeth sharpened to a such a fine point that they looked more like fangs than anything else. The skin paled to a point that looked like all the blood had been drained. He wore a sadistic smile that screamed insanity; it made Derek's skin crawl and his body tremble in terror. His 'reflection' copied him and rubbed his face. His nails looked more like claws. They lightly dug into his skin. The worst part is, Derek could feel them on his own skin.
"I agree, Derek. We look simply horrid." His voice was deep and cold. "Long time no talk eh? How long has it been, about five years?" Derek swallowed hard. The voice was definitely familiar now that he thought about it.
"W-what do you want?" He shakily asked. The 'person' laughed maniacally.
"Why do you always think I want to hurt you? I'm not that bad of a guy. I simply showed up on good graces, can't you just accept that maybe I wish to help?" He clasped his hands together and pursed his lips and gave Derek puppy eyes.
"Fuck you, I don't need you! Get the fuck out of my life!" The 'person' laughed once again. It was a little more controlled this time but still contained his insanity.
"Very well, I'll leave you alone... for now." Derek glared at him with pure anger. "But before I go, I will bestow a special gift for you." Derek was taken by surprise as the man in the mirror reached out and grabbed his face. Derek instantly felt a rush of energy pulsing into him. He felt cold, almost frozen. His vision started becoming blurry. The last he saw before blacking out was the man in the mirror disappearing.
"Wake up Derek." A voice called out. He slowly opened his eyes and they locked on to the mare before him. His eyes were flooded with a pearl white. He soon regained feeling in his body and felt a hoof on his shoulder.
"Where am I?" He couldn't move, his limbs heavy and numb.
"You are in the medical wing of the castle. Try to relax. Do you need something to drink?" Celestia asked.
"Anything with lots of alcohol..." Derek managed to shift his head to the side where a pony was resting their hoof. He came face to face with the one and only, Nightmare moon. All his numbness went away almost instantly, his heart pounding faster and harder than ever before. He tried to muster up the words to ask why she was there.
"Oh shit..." Not exactly what he was looking for but it worked to some extent. "I knew all along Derek. That's why I was hesitant to allow you to use my castle as a home. I won't ask for the real reason you came here. Despite knowing you for a very brief time, I trust you," Celestia said. It took Derek by surprise and he attempted to ask further questions.
"To answer your next question, yes I've always known she was still around."
"But how could you have known?" He inquired. The whole situation was unsettling to him.
"I rule Equestria, no information gets by without me knowing. You don't have to worry about my sister, Luna. Or as you put it, Lunatic." Derek nodded and closed his eyes.
"How long have I been out?"
"My guess is a little over six hours." Derek sat up and rubbed his head. "If you don't mind us asking, what made you pass out?" Derek remembered what happened as clear as day. He contemplated telling them or if he should keep it to himself. The fact that they would both become worried or quite possibly worse, frightened him.
"Not exactly sure. Possibly dehydration or something. Your guess is as good as mine." He hopped off the bed and stretched.
"I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. What's there to eat in this place? Please tell me there's meat."
"As much as I hate to admit it, yes. Every now and then we get carnivorous diplomats who come and settle disputes between our countries."
Nightmare took her fox form and climbed up on Derek's shoulder as Celestia led them to the kitchen. The kitchen and the med bay seemed to be on opposite sides of the castle. The walk that would take a few minutes seemed like a few hours.
Derek spent the entire walk thinking about what happened in the bathroom. He thought that he would be rid of him, but apparently that was a fantasy that would never come true. Derek held back to urge to scream out in anger as he came to accept he was, to put it simply, completely fucked.
"That's right. Accept it Derek, embrace it if you must." Derek stopped and spun around so fast that he almost flung Nightmare off him. He looked down the hall behind them and stared intensely. He gritted his teeth and glared, expecting to see him. To his disappointment, no one was there.
"What in the world is wrong with you!?" Nightmare yelled at him. "You almost flung me across the hall!" Derek rested his hand on her head.
"Sorry hun, I thought I heard something." Nightmare looked him in the eyes and squinted.
"How bad did you hit your head?"
"Oh please, I don't think I could get any more fucked up in the head." Or so he thought. He wished he wasn't so messed up. Only in Equestria for a few days and his past was already coming back to ruin him again. The kitchen was large and was filled with ponies rushing to finish dishes and preparing meals and hanging up decorations. Derek wondered what the occasion was until he read a decoration that read 'Nightmare Night'. His guess was that it was some sort of Halloween like thing.
"I have to admit, you showed up at quite an interesting time. Nightmare Night is tonight, I think it would be an opportune time for you to expose yourself to Ponyville."
"You want me to get naked?"
"... No, I mean introduce yourself. By no means will you strip naked." Derek nodded and followed Celestia to the locker where they hold what little meat they had. As soon as she opened the door, the scent of delicious bacon flooded his nose. "It's not much but it's what we have." Derek set Nightmare down before he stepped inside and turned to face them.
"If I'm not out by lunch time, send in a rescue team." He slammed the door shut and managed to lock it from the inside. Celestia and Nightmare stood there staring at the door.
"Do you think we will have to send in a rescue team?" Nightmare asked.
"I'm... not sure." They both stood there, basking in an awkward silence that fell upon them. They exchanged glances every now and then, hoping that one of them would break the silence. Deciding to break it herself, Nightmare spoke up.
"So how have you been lately?" Celestia shrugged and didn't look at her. "Anything new with you?" She responded the same. "How's being ruler been?"
"I don't fully trust you," Celestia said. She looked at Nightmare with a neutral expression. "I only let you stay here because I believe that everypony deserves a second chance. No matter how badly they have messed up. Don't betray the little trust I have for you." It was Nightmares turn to stay silent. She nodded and began to walk away.
"I'll see you around, Celestia," She said a little colder than she intended.
Derek flopped on the bed and groaned. "I think I ate way too much bacon."
"Did you even cook it?" Nightmare asked as she took her normal form.
"I got six words for you."
"And what's that?"
"Honey badger don't give a fuck." Nightmare sighed and climbed on the bed next to him.
"That is so disgusting. What if you got some sort of disease?"
"I lightly cooked it with my lighter if that makes you feel better." Nightmare shuddered and gagged at the idea of him eating pretty much raw meat.
He shifted to face her. He brushed his fingers across her cheek and smiled. "I have an idea for tonight."
"What do you have in mind?"
"How about we go down to Ponyville and celebrate Nightmare Night?" Nightmare rolled over on her back and stared at the ceiling.
"I don't know. It feels a little weird to celebrate a holiday created for the sole reason to ridicule me."
"I doubt that's the whole reason for Nightmare Night. Please can we go?" Derek gave her the puppy eyes and hugged her. As much as she hated the holiday, she couldn't say no to that face. She nodded in defeat and gave him a quick kiss.
"You're amazing! I promise you'll love it.