Several Moons Later…
A soft hum echoed throughout the kitchen, steam rising as it did, smells of various ingredients wafting through the air. At the stove a single pony stood, mixing, stirring, and making certain the food was cooked thoroughly. After all, undercooked food could lead to parasites or any stray illnesses. And she wouldn’t have that.
The pony in question, Crystal Hoof, took great care in her dishes. She had gained quite a recipe book of sorts. Not that she made these up herself, it was all left behind by a pony no longer with them, one who died long before she stumbled across Trotter. Of course for those who knew Crystal Hoof particularly well knew she once went by a different name: Chrysalis.
Yes, the former queen of the Changelings, the one who along with Lord Tirek and the filly Cozy Glow had nearly driven Equestria apart, and would have succeeded if not for the interference of Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. In the end, their plans were foiled and as punishment, the Mean Three were turned to stone. From what Chrysalis, or rather Crystal had learned, their statues were left to rot in some Canterlot Garden. Appropriate given the familiar situations. After all, Discord was once a garden statue. She supposed Twilight in her wisdom and foresight predicted the possibility that the trio would one day be free. Having them together powerless in a well-protected area would prevent them from staging any successful counterattack.
Be that as it may, it didn’t matter to Crystal Hoof as she was no longer within that statue.
Crystal had not yet figured out the mechanics of her new form. As far as she can tell she was all pony now, the cutie mark on her flank told her so. She didn’t quite understand the meaning behind it. After all, how could one interpret vines entrapping a Crystal? She narrowed it down to two possibilities. One was her spirit or former self was trapped in a new form, and two it could have signified her growth in her new form. Honestly, she never understood cutie marks, and she didn’t delve too much into it.
“Well, it seems my sister-in-law has really upped her game today.”
Crystal didn’t turn around, focusing her attention upon her cooking, “I’ll take that as a compliment Summer.”
“Rightly so,” Summer Flower said leaning in to gather a smell, “Really went all out with the spices eh?”
“Dinner’s just about done,” Crystal reminded, “Could you go get Spring and Cicada?”
“All right just stay on your meds and be sure to call me if there are any changes okay?” Spring Herb’s voice echoed as the door shut. It was clear he was finishing up with a patient. Soon his hoof steps made their way into the kitchen, “Honey that smells great!”
For this, Crystal turned around, flashing a proud smile as she did, “Anything for my darling husband!” Shutting off the stove, the heating ended and all that was needed was to set the table, but there was one thing missing, “Is Cicada with you?”
“No, he was still playing outside last I checked,” Spring noted, The door opened and Spring’s voice called out, “Cicada! Dinner!”
Yet, no tiny voice answered back, in fact, Crystal heard Spring’s voice nearly call out once more, only to trail off.
“Is everything okay?” Crystal asked.
Spring’s face said otherwise, “Cicada’s not in the yard.”
Crystal stood alert, hastening her pace as she headed towards the door. Looking outside, there was no sign of the colt. Alarm etched upon Crystal’s face but then faded into slight annoyance.
“He’s probably playing in the woods again!”Crystal grumbled.
“Want me to go get him?” Spring offered.
“No, you and Summer just go set the table, I’ll get him,” Crystal said as she stomped off towards the woods, grumbling all the while.
“I honestly hope she goes easy on him, but she probably won’t,” Summer noted sardonically.
“She won’t,” Spring replied optimistically.
“You think so? I mean this is Crystal we’re talking about,” Summer said, still not the least bit optimistic.
“I know my wife Sis,” Spring stated with certainty.
A brisk laugh was his response, “Relax I’m teasing, geeze you’re so serious!”
Summer chuckled all the way. Soon after Spring joined in and the pair started to set the table, while the family matriarch retrieved their newest member.
XXX
The beetle fluttered its way through the air, landing harmlessly upon a tree branch. It was settled, peaceful, only disrupted as the branch shook ever so slightly, before coming to a halt.
“Hello there, you’re a pretty bug,” A young voice followed.
The voice in question belonged to a young colt, one with a turquoise coat and a green mane, yet within that mane were black streams, dark as ebony. The child was a blank flank, still too young to know their special talent. But most assumed it would relate to insects.
A bright smile formed upon the child’s face, revealing his pearly whites, but just slightly noticeable were a pair of small fangs. Not too prominent, but enough that they could be noticed.
The child inched closer, eyes never faltering from the beetle, “Hold still, I want to get a better look at you,” The child pleaded.
However, the beetle was hearing none of it and fluttered away as the branch shook.
“Wait!” The colt called, but that proved to be a mistake. The child began to lose his grip, slipping until at last, he fell! “Woah!” He cried, yet no impact followed, as an aura of unicorn magic coated him, levitating him upon the ground.
The child stood bewildered for a moment, but that bewilderment ended as he noticed a familiar mare, “Mommy!” He cried happily.
However, his mother hardly looked happy, “Cicada Fall! How many times have I told you not to climb trees unsupervised!?” Crystal Hoof scolded.
Cicada folded his ears back, clearly ashamed, “I’m sorry Mommy, I just saw this really neat bug and I wanted to get a closer look!”
“That’s no excuse!” His mother snapped, “If I wasn’t here you could have broken your neck or worse! Do you realize what they would have done to me? Or your father and aunt?”
Crystal's firm words burned into Cicada, and it made the child feel all the more ashamed, “Sorry.”
Hearing that simple little apology, Crystal’s anger cooled, and swiftly she scooped her child up in a hug.
“It’s alright sweetheart, you just scared Mommy, that’s all,” Crystal assured.
Cicada granted his mother a skeptical look, “But you’re not afraid of anything.”
“That’s true,” Crystal corrected, “I’m most certainly scared if my little prince was about to be hurt.”
Sticking out his chest, Cicada boasted, “I’m tough!”
Light-heartedly chuckling, Crystal gave her son a little tickle, “Well I hope my tough little colt has worked up an appetite!”
“I could eat!” Cicada piped.
As the mother and son pair returned home, Crystal for a moment, thought back to how her new life started, and what she had gained.
Once it became public knowledge that she and Spring had become a couple, it was obvious to everyone that marriage would follow. Summer did hold some reservations. Lingering sentiments from the truth of her origins. Yet those faded away. Then shortly after, Cicada came. They hadn’t talked about children when she first learned she was pregnant. When she first learned she was carrying Spring’s child, she was uncertain. Of course, Spring and Summer were thrilled, but at the time she wasn’t entirely certain. It wasn’t as if she didn’t want a baby, it just wasn’t as if she had a good example. Back when she was the Changeling queen, she figured eventually she would have had to produce an heir, but that would have been what was expected of her. Now? This was spontaneous freedom. Yet when she first heard Cicada’s cries and beheld him for the first time, all doubts faded from her mind. All she knew was that she loved her son, and she vowed to raise and protect him to the best of her ability. At the very least, she would have been a better mother than her own.
Dinner passed by in the home, and soon after night fell, all ending right in Cicada’s room. The young colt nestled himself under the covers, eyelids drooping.
“Comfy?” Crystal asked.
“Yeah,” Cicada sleepily responded.
“You had a big day buddy, you want a story?” Spring asked.
Cicada responded with a big yawn, “No thanks, I’m too tired.”
“Well, you can’t sleep without Mr. Bear!” Summer exclaimed, presenting a teddy bear to her nephew.
Taking the bear, Cicada snuggled, “Thanks.”
“All right buddy, you have a good night, remember we love you okay?” Spring parted.
“Love you too, “Good night Daddy, Good night Mommy, Good night Aunt Summer,” Cicada said before slipping off.
“Good night kiddo,” Summer likewise parted.
As the trio of adults exited the room, Crystal took one look back and uttered, “Goodnight my sweet little prince,” And then she turned off the light and closed the door, the nightlight keeping the room safe as far as Cicada was concerned.
“Whoo! Well, I think I’m going to follow my nephew’s cue and hit the hay!” Summer exclaimed, “Besides I know you two like to have some “fun” before bedtime eh?”
“Very funny Sis, you know Crystal and I just like to relax before bed,” Spring corrected.
“Yeah if that were true then Cicada wouldn’t be here would he?” Summer joked.
“Goodnight!” Crystal groaned good-heartedly.
Knowing her brother and sister-in-law had no time for tonight, she ceased her joking and headed to her room, while Spring and Crystal retired to the living room. They settled upon the couch, Spring getting into a relaxed position, but Crystal did one more thing. She pulled out a long object, a pipe, got it ready, and soon took a puff upon it, blowing out a trail of smoke.
“What a day,” She sighed, relaxed both from the couch and from the smoke entering her system.
Sniffing the air, Spring said, “Are those blueberries I smell?”
“Yes,” Crystal replied, taking another puff and blowing out a trail of smoke rings, “It’s a new blend, “Blueberry Sundance”.
“Wow, I was kind of joking when I said I’d buy you that thing,” Spring admitted, “I never knew you would become some an aficionado.”
“I do have to admit, you ponies are quite good at growing tobacco,” Crystal said as she drew more on her pipe.
“When you started hacking up a storm the first time, I honestly thought you would quit,” Spring chuckled.
Blowing out another stream, Crystal let out a small laugh, “When I commit to something, I see it through!”
“I suppose so,” Spring inched in closer and wrapped his leg around his wife, an embrace she welcomed, “Crazy couple of years huh?”
“Indeed,” Crystal concurred.
“Between meeting you, getting married, having Cicada, I’d say we’ve come full circle no?” Spring reminisced.
“Oh no, our lives are just beginning, and I’m going to see it through till the end,” Crystal declared.
“Even when we’re old and gray?” Spring asked.
Snuggling deeper into her husband’s embrace, Crystal gazed upon the fading smoke that hung in the air, “Even when we’re old and gray.”
Turning to face one another, they leaned in and quickly kissed. Honestly, they didn’t know what the future held for them? Would their lives be peaceful? Would they one day be blessed with grandchildren? Whatever the case, they both knew the legacy of Queen Chrysalis had ended, and the legacy of Crystal Hoof would continue.
The End.
The night was still within Canterlot. The moon had set and the entire city had drifted into slumber. The same applied to Princess Twilight Sparkle and her son Prince Rune. Since becoming the ruler of Equestria, Twilight held much on her plate. That and being a single mother. The identity of Prince Rune’s father remained a mystery to the general populace, barring Twilight’s inner circle of family and friends. Whether the prince himself knew was another mystery. He never discussed it, but regardless, being the son of Equestria’s ruler netted him some respect points. Though there was talk of a certain rivalry between himself and his mother’s top student, a young unicorn mare named Luster Dawn.
The gardens. Were a special feature, being suited for the relaxation of the royal family. Statues filled it, but one, in particular, stood out. Three statues to be precise. One was a withered and aged centaur, his expression one of fear and weakness, and above him was a young filly, frightened just as the centaur. And lastly was a Changeling. Her more defined features signified her a regal changeling. Unlike her companions, her expression was one of defiance, as if she gave one final push before she was petrified. They were what was left of three of the vilest villains in Equestrian history. Least those who were living and non-reformed.
The three had remained here for years, having a close eye open them, one such belonged to a certain Draconaquis. Discord eyed the statue carefully. He knew his presence in the gardens at this hour would be tolerated. Nopony knew why he was here, why even he had told his housemate Fluttershy he was simply going out for a walk. But it all related to a “feeling” he felt years ago. It was as if a powerful spell had been cast. He had dismissed it that day, but now for some reason, he was brought here.
Walking curiously over to the statues he knocked each one, first Lord Tirek, and then Cozy Glow. The depth and solid mass implied from the sound they made that the two villains were still inside. And then there was Chrysalis. Tapping her statue, produced a different sound. Discord pressed his ear against the statue.
“So that’s how it is,” Discord said in realization, tapping his chin, he added, “Lumina what are you up to?”
He would receive no answer, and it was too late to be asking them. So with a snap of his claw, he vanished, returning to his dimension. After all, he didn’t want Fluttershy to worry.