The Dream Walkers

Crystal awoke with a start. Sweat ran down her face and her mane was a lot messier than it usually was. She looked over to where her sister slept and saw that her bed was empty. Making her way downstairs she found her father and her sister enjoying some pancakes. Crystal yawned purposefully to make herself known before sitting next to her sister on the bench. "Good morning daddy;" she said with a smile on her face. Her father didn't look up from his newspaper, instead he kept reading and sipping his coffee. Crystal looked over at Moonlight who was pouring loads of syrup on her pancakes. Crystal ate in complete silence until her father looked up for a second at her. "You were havin a nightmare last night," he said in a more calm tone than last night. Crystal nodded her head and continued to eye him as she ate. "What were ya dreamin about?" He brought his head up waiting for a reply, "Nothing," she said in a tone of certainty. Her father looked back down at his paper but he wouldn't let the matter go. "I heard ya screamin, a shouting no in ya sleep. Ya sure it was nothin?" "I'm certain. Just drop it ok." Crystal lowered her head and dropped her ears, which gave the clear message something was upsetting her. "I'm sorry bout how I acted last night. I just don't like it when ya talk about your ma like that, like she was the best mare that was on the face of this planet. She wasn't, nowhere close. In all the ponies of Equestria she was probably the worst." Crystal couldn't stand it any longer, she rose up and shouted at her father, "You didn't know her like I did! She was kind and loving! Somethin you seem to lack!" With those final words Crystal shot up out of her seat and trotted up the steps angrily. She slammed the door to the attic and immediately she began to cry. "You didn't know her like I did daddy, you never did love her." A few minutes later Crystal heard the massive hoof steps of her father coming up the stairs. "Leave me alone, I don't want to speak to you." "I did love her Crystal, if I didn't then... then how do you exist?" Crystal thought for a second until she peeked out her head into the small hallway. Her father had to crouch because the roof was so low, but he still seemed to be standing up as best as he could with a sense of dignity. "I can't argue with that," Crystal said with a big smile on her face. She ran up and hugged her father, "but if you did love her. Why did you let her go?" "Have you ever heard the old sayin if you love something set it free?" Crystal nodded, "yeah, that's what you did with mom. "Exactly, She was miserable, so I gave her a choice and she left." Crystal smiled and hugged her father. Never had she heard the truth about her mother leaving.

Crystal continued her daily routine with a higher appreciation of her father. Never had she heard the truth, only what she didn't know was that it wasn't the full truth. Crystal walked through Ponyville market to get a few things for her dad. Something caught her attention as she walked the long line of different booths. She walked over to what seemed to be a fortune teller, an elderly pony emerged to the surprise of Crystal. "Welcome child, would you spare an old pony a few bits in exchange for a glimpse into your future?" Crystal thought about what daddy said, "don't go spending bits on useless stuff you hear?" Crystal thought harder, ok maybe this once I can use some bits, this isn't that useless. Crystal handed the pony 5 bits which came to the delight of the pony. "Now, see your future open itself to you." The crystal ball shook and glowed, Crystal looked at it closely and what she saw would haunt her dreams and her life forever. The real truth about  her world was going to change that day.

Crystal ran back home after getting what she needed to. She burst open the front door, placed her saddlebags on the ground in the kitchen and ran upstairs as quickly as she could. The thought of what she saw raced through her mind in a swarm of fearful memories. The cold truth blinded her and sent her body in mind into a state of panic. She laid on her bed in thought, what was that thing, it was black with the eyes of mother, but not at the same time. The thought scared her and soon she collected her thoughts after what seemed like hours. A knock on the door told her it was dinner time. Crystal got up and gazed at the door before gaining the courage to face her family again. She descended, her mind still a massive storm of thoughts that raced around like a twister. She finally made it to the kitchen where her father had prepared a small meal of tomato soup and cheesy bread. Crystal ate quickly, not daring to look at anyone. She finished and put her plate in the sink before returning to her room. Almost an hour passed before her sister came up to get ready for bed. Crystal got up and took a hot shower before returning to the room. She watched Moonlight play with some of her stuffed animals, how innocent the young filly was. She was as harmless as a butterfly, but Crystal saw beyond her lovable nature. Crystal saw a soul of darkness that would soon be awoken one she reached the right age, the same way it did it to Crystal. The day your innocence leaves only to leave behind an empty shell waiting to be filled with life and personality. Crystal turned out to be a smart young mare, solving any problems she came across. She wasn't very good at friend making, but this didn't bother her. Crystal laid back in her bed and not long after she heard the familiar squeak of her sister's bed as she made her way onto it. Crystal felt secure knowing her sister was by her side. Moonlight yawned and reached to turn off her lamp. Crystal did the same and soon the girls were in nothing but a vast darkness that spread throughout the large space of the attic. Before Crystal realized it, she was fast asleep. And prepared for another visit from Luna.

Crystal slept for a good long while until visions of the creature from the night before came into view. The long legs, its massive alicorn wings, the long scraggly horn, and it's pure red eyes. The shadowy beast would forever remain in her mind and it showed it's worst this night. Crystal woke up in a dream once again. The pitch black attic didn't give any comfort to her so she went down into the living room where she knew some comfy chairs would be. She sat on the large fluffy sofa and looked around at the darkened house. Nothing but darkness surrounded her and it would stay that way for a while. She was alone with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company. She heard a noise coming from the fireplace that was off putting and out of place. The noise sounded like a snake trying to creep in through the fireplace. But nothing was there, until Crystal turned and saw another one of the horrible beasts she saw the night before and in the crystal ball. She froze with fear until she noticed the same glowing as before. The blue aura surrounding the beast, blasting it to pieces. Crystal saw the shadow of Princess Luna in the back entrance. Luna approached her and they were teleported back to the Celestial plain. Luna looked at Crystal with a smile, the warmth of her smile seemed to fill Crystal with relief and joy. "Thank you Luna." "What do you thank me for dear child?" "For saving me, duh. The way you killed that beast." Luna turned her head and her horn lit up. "Crystal, it is my duty to kill those beasts. I deserve no thanks for killing them when I'm the reason they exist." Crystal was puzzled at first but soon realized that Luna wasn't joking. "But, I don't understand. What are they? why did I see one in the crystal ball? Why do they keep coming after me?" Luna held up a hoof to shush Crystal, "all your questions shall soon be answered child, but for now I will tell you what I told you before. Don't let your fears control you." Luna flew into the air."Wait, princess. Please tell me." "I have no right nor do I have a reason, all answers will come to you soon Crystal Light." After Luna finished she vanished. Crystal thought,what is she talking about? What are those things, and why are they coming after me? Crystal paced in thought but nothing logical came to her. Soon the realm around her vanished and she found herself wide awake in the vast darkness once again. She looked and saw Moonlight fast asleep. Crystal smiled and tried going to sleep again, but the questions she wanted answered would not leave her mind and they wouldn't until the very next night. The night that would change Crystal Light, forever.