The rain had finally stopped. Crystal, her pure white coat now caked with mud and blood, gazed down proudly at her new foal. Pure black, the foal nestled up to her mother to sleep.
"What should we name her?" Coldhooves nearly hissed the last word. He hated being wrong.
"I have no idea," Crystal responded.
"Surely as the mother you have some idea?"
"Nope. Nothing."
"How 'bout 'Coldflake'?"
"Um... no."
"How 'bout..." Coldhooves paused mid-sentence, obviously deep in thought.
"Chrysalis," Crystal murmured.
The foal shifted at her chest, responding to the name. She lifted her head and stared with bright green eyes at her mother.
"What did you say, mommy?" the foal squeaked.
"I was simply saying your name, Chrysalis," Crystal gently said.
"Oh. Okay."
"I see the decision's been made without me," Coldhooves muttered.
"Who's that, mommy?"
"That's your father, dear one," Crystal quietly laughed. "Who else would it be?"
"Then who is that unicorn?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, if that see-through pony is my daddy, then who is that unicorn?"
See-through pony? Crystal thought. I don't see a see-through pony. What could Chrysalis be seeing?
"There's no see-through pony, dear,"
"Yes, there is! He's standing right above me! Look up!"
Crystal looked above her. A shimmering, glowing shape stood above her head, leaning over the edge of the rafter. She recognized the familiar shape of what her family had called a DemonGhost. Crystal gasped. Above her head, the DemonGhost snarled, a sign that he was thirsty for pony blood.
Crystal heard a scream, and at the last minute, realized that it was her own. She threw herself on top of Chrysalis, shielding her from the evil force above her. As soon as she was on top of her child, the DemonGhost launched himself downward, aiming for where Chrysalis had been not two seconds earlier. The DemonGhost sunk his fangs into her back, just inches from Crystal's spine. The excruciating pain made her shriek, which she was sure wasn't helping Chrysalis calm down.
"Leave... them... ALONE!!!"
The vicious voice came from in front of her, and she realized who it belonged to when it was too late.
"Coldhooves, NO! COLDHOOVES!"
The DemonGhost howled in anger above her. It was knocked backwards, his fangs ripping from her back, leaving long red wounds down her back, which were bleeding heavily.
"Crystal, run!" Coldhooves yelled.
"NO! I'm not leaving you!"
"Crystal, please! I'll see you in Cloudsdale, I promise!"
"Coldhooves..."
"JUST GO!"
Crystal quickly grabbed Chrysalis and ran out of the cave. She could hear the agonized shrieks of the two fighting creatures, but she wasn't sure who's they were. She kept running, besides the fact that she was losing a lot of blood and Chrysalis...
"Mommy, where are we going? Why are we leaving daddy?"
"Who is your daddy?"
"The unicorn."
"Good girl. We're going somewhere safe," Crystal soothed. "Daddy will meet us there."
Coldhooves glared across the cave at the DemonGhost. He knew that he most likely lied to his mate when he promised that he would meet her in Cloudsdale.
When I became mates with Crystal, I swore to myself that I would protect her, even at the cost of my life, Coldhooves thought. Each one of these breaths will possibly be my last. I am not afraid. I'm ready to die.
The DemonGhost snarled, showing all of its sharp fangs. It crouched, ready to spring, anxious to end Coldhooves's life. The DemonGhost wasn't ready when Coldhooves sprang.
"You vicious, stupid creature!" Coldhooves hissed. "Did you actually think that I would let you destroy my family without a fight? You were wrong! You're nothing more than a mass of flesh, rotting away each second, killing for the fun of it, not because you have to, but because you want to! You're worthless! I don't know why you even exist!"
That made it mad. It lunged for his throat, but Coldhooves was too fast. Ho rolled out of the way, quickly enough for the DemonGhost to hit its head on the stone floor hard enough for it to crack its skull open.
"You're wrong," the DemonGhost hissed. "I will get your mate and foal!"
Then it breathed its last and died, the beginnings of a snarl still on his face.
Crystal was just outside of Cloudsdale, the rainbow waterfalls splashing colorful mist on her coat. She looked down at Chrysalis, smiling as she watched her foal stare in amazement at the waterfalls, her unicorn horn sparkling with the colors of the rainbow.
"Ready to go in?" Crystal asked.
Chrysalis nodded vigorously. They stepped carefully into the city of Cloudsdale, the fluffy clouds soft beneath their feet. Chrysalis stared in wonder around the beautiful, breathtaking city. Beautiful pegasi flew this way and that, filling the air with joy. Crystal looked around for one of her faithful friends, gasping with joy when she saw her.
"Derpy!"
"Wha? Who's that?"
Unfortunately, that slight distraction was all that Derpy needed to forget to flap her wings. She fell quickly to the ground, opening her wings at the last second, staring up at all the other pegasi, who were glaring at her.
"Whoops! My bad!" she called.
The other pegasi flew away, muttering and shaking their heads.
"Hey, Derps."
"Hey, Crystal! How can I help ya?"
"We're just looking for a place to stay."
"Who is this?" Derpy asked, smiling at Chrysalis.
"This is my foal, Chrysalis."
"So you and Coldhooves finally tied the knot, eh?"
"Yep. It's official."
"I would be more than happy to offer your family a place to stay."
"Thanks, Derps. I owe ya one."
That night, Crystal stayed at Derpy's house and slept with her wing curled protectively over her foal. Creaking on the wooden floor woke her up. She curled her wing tighter over her foal.
"Dern squeaky floor!"
It was Derpy.
"Hey, uh, Derps, can you try to be quieter, please?"
"Sorry, Crys. I was just bringing some body special in."
"Crystal?"
"Coldhooves!"
She said that a bit too loud.
"Daddy?" Chrysalis murmured. "Is that you?"
"Yes it is. How's my little foal?"
Chrysalis charged out from under Crystal's wing right in to Derpy.
"Sorry, Ms. Derpy!" she squeaked.
"Come on, now, kid. Let's go to bed."
The family slept peacefully. Nothing more was heard from the DemonGhosts at the moment. A week passed. One night when they were sleeping, a scream split the still night air, and it sounded unreasonably close.
"Derpy!" Crystal and Coldhooves shouted at the same time.
"You stay with Chrysalis," Coldhooves said. "I'll see what's going on with Derps."
Crystal stared at the only way in and out. More shrieks and screams came from the other room, along with some bangs and crashes. A faint glow appeared at the doorway, growing brighter and brighter. It was another DemonGhost, but this time its sharp fangs were dripping with fresh blood.
"I won't go down without a fight!" Crystal snarled. "You may have killed my friend and my husband, but you won't kill me without me killing you."
The DemonGhost leaped, sinking its fangs into her neck, breaking all major blood vessels and arteries. Although she was bleeding to death, Crystal still fought. She managed to trick the DemonGhost into killing itself, and lay on the floor to die with her wing wrapped around her foal.
Chrysalis stared at her dying mother, and as she breathed her last, burst into tears.
"MOMMY!!!! How could you leave me?"
"Shhh! Shh... It's okay, Chrysalis!"
"Ms. Derpy?"
"Yes, dear. I'll take care of you."
Author's Note
This chapter is sad and a little gory.
Chapter Two: The Years After
The sun shone down on the meadow. Chrysalis looked up from her tears, staring at all the birds flying around. There was a beautiful pegasus flying in the air with the birds. Chrysalis stared in amazement as the pegasus circled lower and lower. Finally, she could see her. It was her mother.
But that's impossible! She dead! Chrysalis thought. What's going on? Am I dead, too?
As if in response to her thoughts, Crystal landed in front of her, stars sparkling on her hooves.
Are my hooves sparkling too?
No, they weren't. That proved that she wasn't dead.
"You're dreaming, little one." Crystal murmured.
"Hey, kiddo!"
That was Coldhooves's voice.
"Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?"
"We just want you to know that even though we aren't with you..." Crystal began.
"...We will always be watching over you," Coldhooves finished.
"But mommy, who will take care of me?"
"Derpy will, dear.
"What will you do?"
"Watch over you from the stars," Coldhooves answered.
"You better wake up, dear," Crystal murmured. "You're worrying Derpy."
"Chrysalis? Chrysalis! Chrysalis, wake up! Chrysalis!" Derpy's voice called through the clouds.
"I don't want to leave you!" Chrysalis wailed.
"No, no, NO! You can't be dead! You absolutely can't be dead!!!" Derpy's voice sounded above them again.
"You must. Derpy will take good care of you, I promise." Crystal said.
Derpy stared down in horror at Chrysalis. She had fallen asleep and didn't look like she was breathing now.
"Chrysalis? Chrysalis! Chrysalis, wake up! Chrysalis!"
The foal still didn't wake up.
She can't be dead! She just can't be!
"No, no NO! You can't be dead! You absolutely can't be!" Derpy cried.
She kneeled down next to Chrysalis and wept. The last of Crystal's family was gone.
"NO!" Chrysalis woke up with a scream.
None of that really happened. My mother is NOT dead, I did NOT see her in heaven, and my father is still out battling the DemonGhost to keep us safe. Chrysalis thought. But whatever I do, don't look down. She looked down.
Chrysalis stared into the empty, lifeless eyes of her mother, the promenient bite marks on her neck still gushing the remnants of her blood. Sorrow overcame her again, threatening to overflow through the floodgates of her eyes.
It was dark, cold, and stormy. The moon was out, just hidden behind the clouds. A lone mare quickly trotted through the piercing rain, her long, beautiful mane flowing in the wind.
"Coldhooves!" she desperately cried to her mate. "Coldhooves, where are you?"
No response came. The mare continued to run. The rain came down harder than ever before, getting in her eyes and soaking her wings.
"Coldhooves!" she called again.
"Crystal?" a voice called in the distance. "Crystal is that you?"
Crystal suddenly stopped. She must be hallucinating. Coldhooves said that he'd meet her in Cloudsdale, not the middle of nowhere!
"Crystal! Crystal, I'm here!" the voice called again.
She couldn't be imagining this. No hallucinations were this realistic!
It MUST be Coldhooves! she thought. It has to be...
"Coldhooves!" Crystal yelled.
"Crystal! Crystal! Stay where you are! I'm coming!" the voice progressively got nearer.
Crystal stopped running. She peered carefully into the rain, using one of her soaked wings to shield her eyes from the onslaught of rain. The silhouette of a unicorn was quickly approaching. A flash of lightning quickly illuminated the sky. That short amount of time was just enough for Crystal to see the unicorn racing towards her.
He was a bright blue, with a white flowing mane and sparkling green eyes. This was Coldhooves.
"Oh, Crystal, my dear, how close are you?"
"It's almost time," Crystal responded, her voice cracking with pain.
"Lay down!" Coldhooves frantically demanded. "Lay down, and hurry! You must rest!"
"Just what are you saying, Coldhooves?"
"Well, uh, if you that close to it, don't you think that you should rest?"
"Do you want our foal to be born in the rain?"
Coldhooves opened his mouth to respond, but Crystal didn't give him a chance to respond.
"She'll catch a cold as soon as she's born!"
"If it's a girl," Coldhooves muttered under his breath.
"OF COURSE IT'S A GIRL! Do you doubt Celestia?"
"Well, no, but,"
"We need shelter, Coldhooves. Now."
Coldhooves sighed. "All right. Let's go."
They traveled on, pregnant mare and mate, for what felt like hours. Every now and then, Crystal would fall to the ground, groaning about the pain. Finally, they found a cave.
"I can't let you go any farther!" Coldhooves said. "Get in that cave, now!"
Crystal obeyed, and settled down to give birth to her child.
