It had taken sometime before the voice had disappeared from Grue’s mind, still haunting him as he slept. His eyes opened in the middle of Uchawi’s hut. He could hear his teacher whispering under his breath. With more scrutinous eyes, he searched for any clues to why he had ended up there.
“Grue, you’re up!” Uchawi’s voice squawked as he spoke, as if in shock.
“Yes, what time is it teacher?....I need to find Maua.” Grue could remember the need, but not the reason.
“Foolish oaf, I asked for those ingredients that’s all, now we have to deal with the chieftain’s reign for how many more years!” The elder zebra whacked Grue in the back.
“Ow! You asked me to bring you what would've made a deadly poison! I am glad I didn't find them.” Grue rebutted
“If I added them together, you insignificant heep-a bones! Those where ingredients I had run low on!” The witch doctor explained.
“Go on, get out of here and don’t never come back. I’ll just ask Hofu from now on.” He added, swatting his cane like a broom. Grue galloped until he had made it to The Brush.
“Hofu...He’s a lot better at herbology than I am. It’s why he can skip whole days of Maua’s lessons.” He thought. Meanwhile a dark smoke drifted into The Brush, Grue looked up and the smoke caught his eyes, he followed it.
It lead him to a hole ridden tent hidden behind thick and thorny bushes. He trotted close to until *Cruntch!*, he had stepped on what looked like a black glowing gem. It had to been rather frail for Grue to break it so easily, then he heard voices. A figure phased through the overgrown shrubbery like a ghost.
“It seems the fables are true Sirius. These Zebras are the last race our creator made before hiding herself.” The figure that spoke was a griffon. beside the war-scarred griffon was a navy blue unicorn, he gave a hearty chuckle to the griffon and wrapped a forehoof around him like an old friend.
“I promise you Hawktalon, the Pegasi will be good friends with you, just as I have. You no longer need Crystalline to be as strong as you are now, The Solus heirs have done great in their reign, albeit short so far. It brought a tear to my eye to see all of our races getting along so well.Which is wh-”
“I vowed to make sure no other race lived in fear of hunger, or tyranny.” Hawktalon recited mimicing Sirius’ motion as the words sounded heavily forced, but still truthful.
“Let us rest until sun!” He hollered ending in a loud caw. The other party members cheering with him, They all retreated to their tents. Sirius’ illusion walked to the tent beside Grue. As he walked in Grue peered in to see Maua was already waiting for him.
“I dank you-for-” Maua started. She seemed a lot younger, as if she had just passed her Rites of Memory. The sound of her zebra accent was thick. It only further confirmed Grue’s suspicions of her age. Sirius smiled, with his magic he moved the hair out of her eyes.
“I thought after I made a mess of things for you and your chieftain that you would never talk to me again, love.” He whispered, moving his body close to her, rubbing his muzzle to hers.
“The chieftain is not my love, he forced me.” Maua said, longingly. The two began to kiss, Grue looked away, It wasn’t that he was grossed out. He felt one of the illusions phase through him, It was the chieftain. The chieftain’s face was a mix of horror and malice. This must have been the seed to all of his distrust in ponies. But he wasn’t sure if Sirius’ magic was brainwashing her to love him, or if it was her own raw emotion. The figure galloped away, but not after hearing Sirius take his chosen’s desire fully away from him, as she cried the unicorn’s name.
“It’s a beautiful story isn’t.” Grue turned to face a disfigured unicorn, she had holes in her hooves, and in her aquamarine hair.
“Who are you?” Grue asked, taking a step back.
“I could be many things, little enigma, your kind call me Chrysos. But more importantly, do you really believe Zebra and Pony could love one another?” The black unicorn asked.
“Why not? It’s not like you’re asking the sun and moon to never rise.” Grue said. She smiled back curious to his answer.
“In a way of speaking....it is. Zebras are one of my creations, while the pony tribes were made by the very thing I despise, Magica. The two are made with different magics and because of that, shouldn’t be able to mix, like oil and water.” She explained.
“But they have, and now you-You are the only of your kind.” Crystalline grinned.
“But I am half zebra, the tribe could still see that.” Grue stated.
“You’ll find in this world. half is half too short. A whole being is what you need to be! I could fix that, right now, right here!” Her voice began to trail to him like a siren’s, repeating. “I could fix that!”
Grue waved his hooves around his ears to rid the voices. “I’m not interested in your magic, the very thing you hate about yourself.” His body turned away from her getting ready to walk. Crystalline gave a lick of her upper lip, she loved it when her prey played hard to get.
“Here I am, an embodiment of monsters and the dark itself, and little Grue wants nothing to do with me? It almost has a uplifting honor to it. I doubt that is what you see being your defining aspect, little hybrid. Your Rites of Memory will be a whole tribe staring at you, fearing if they touch you they will be poisoned by the magic you hold.” She gave a drawn out evil chuckle, but Grue continued walking.
Crystalline stared menacingly to the hybrid. “He didn’t even turn back. Foolish mortal!” She thought to herself, then her lips grew wide as she remembered his little secret. Her body floated to keep up with him, landing in front of him. “Isn’t it getting painful? Your ribs look like they’re about to burst, I know how to fix that little Grue...You’re a well of magic. Do you want to know what happens to stagnant magic? I wish it was as peaceful as stagnant water.” Crystalline began to ramble on.
“Leave me alone. You already took my happiness away, please just let me go!” Grue yelled to her, charging in a furious rage. Crystalline split her body in a cloud of smoke to avoid being trampled as the hybrid went postal. She could feel the sorrow and anger stepping off of him like a beckoning meal, her stomach growled to the sweet scent of his melancholy. Her eyes followed Grue until she realized he was going 'home'.
“Perfect.” She whispered coldly, forming back into a smoke trail, she drifted to the lone hut in The Brush.
When he had made it to the steps of Maua’s hut, he clenched his ribs. The pain was becoming unbearable. “I made it, I just have to ask Maua if she’s my mother...then I can let go of my memories.” Grue thought to himself, as he entered the hut. Fahdil was sleeping, her forehead was wrapped in a damp cloth and Maua was in her kitchen stirring a brew in her cauldron. “Maua. I need to ask you about something very important.” Grue insisted.
“In a moment Grue, this is very complicated.” Maua replied.
“I don’t think I can wait for this answer Maua.” Grue groaned from the pain. She turned to glance Grue the mixture turning a pale white when she stopped mixing.
“Now I’ve messed up a remedy that takes days to procure. What is so important!” She turned in anger.
“I’m really sorry about your potion, but I need to ask you if you are my mother.” Grue’s body slumped, the pain was moving across his body. His skin felt like it was twisting in knots.
“A question like this...It’s hard to explain.” The lights blew out.
“What a wind!” Maua exclaimed, giving a lighthearted chuckle. Then the lights flickered back on. The fire was green and blue, just like the alarm had been at the trial. There stood Crystalline holding Maua, who was passed out. Crystalline’s hooves phased into the zebra’s head, the hole ridden unicorn glared devilishly to Grue.
“Leave her alone!” Grue yelled.
“Such a pity...this zebra. You’d probably go all across the word for this one zebra?” Crystalline teased. She motioned Maua’s head back and forth like a marionette
“She’s my mother isn’t she! You won’t give me a satisfaction of knowing for sure that she’s my mother!” Grue shouted, it began to sound as if he was begging.
“How do you know for sure though?” Crystalline chuckled, shifting her form into Maua. “Maybe I tempted your father so well he couldn’t tell the difference.” Crystalline’s voice had morphed into his beloved teacher’s. “It is not the chieftain I love....” She moaned out as she used Maua's like a marionette mocking Grue, teasing his memories. He wasn’t sure who to love, and what to trust.
“Enough! I HATE YOU!” Grue screamed. “I -I DON’T CARE I WANT MAUA!” He begged, falling to the ground sobbing.
“You really want this teacher, Then that’s just what I’ll take away from you!” Crystalline forced her hooves together until Maua became a cloud of black smoke.
“Mother!” Grue yelled as he tried forcing his legs up, but his body couldn’t take anymore of the pain. He felt cuts begin to slice across his chest, he blacked out.
Fahdil was hyperventilating. A friend she had made sure to smile and laugh with laid on the floor below her. What replayed in her mind was Grue lunging at her and screaming wildly for Maua. He had gripped her and choked her violently, so she was forced the grab a nearby kris and stab him, but it got worse. She could feel her hooves moving on their own, she took the knife out of his chest and cut him again, and again until her friend gave out. Fahdil could feel a form float out of her, but as she looked for anything to make sense, all she she was able to do was cry for what she had done.
Crystalline took in deep breaths, finally some potent emotions that could feed her starved body. Frivolous sibling rivalry could offer only so much, adding in a leader who needed his hoof held to do a good job and she wasn’t going to rise to her omnipotent status anytime soon. A vengeful son, and confused friend could have a lot more promise. She rested on the roof as she feasted on the years of work for a delicious meal. She couldn’t wait to find the bratty mud covered alicorn that tricked her into eating emotions, but for now she scarfed down as much emotion as she could, feeling her holes fill as she did.
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Morpheus mind was one again at ease after showing Pan to his room, and making sure Crystalline’s half was friendly, for now. It seemed the two needed each other at the moment, with Pan’s moods changing like the autumn leaves, this other half seemed to counteract his negative feelings into positive. But now the night alicorn had to uphold his second duty to Equestria. With his wings outstretched he guided a magical form of himself in a world full of dreams. He guided a cat down from a tree to a crying filly below, helped buck some of the last plums for a troubled mare, than soared across the tree line that separated Equestria from the rest of the continent. As he was getting ready to fly back home for a peaceful rest, he heard an echo for help.
His head turned to the Savannah of The Stripes, a land clearly owned by Crystalline. Morpheus turned to aid the creature in need. He made it to a small hut with a female zebra. She was about Luna’s size, but she wasn’t sleeping, his eyes glanced over a blue zebra that reminded him of his once beloved friend Sirius Dusk.
“What have you been up too,blood brother.” Morpheus wondered. Then he heard the male zebra call out once more in a hushed groan
“H--help...father!” Morpheus wasn’t the zebra’s father,but he was sure to help him if he could. There were gashes all along his chest but they didn’t look too deep, just enough to draw blood. Morpheus made a small ball of magic at the end of his horn,and sealed the wounds shut.
“There you go,little guy.” Morpheus said giving a smile to the healed zebra.
“Father?...is that you father?” Grue asked. Morpheus looked in shock,this zebra could see and hear him? Only a pony with powerful magic could see him in this form. He wondered if somehow Sirius’ genes had given his son magic, but with no horn the zebra was just a walking magic pool. Knowing this Morpheus knew Crystalline was close by, there was no way she would pass a chance to take this zebra’s hidden magic.
Crystalline gave a spit in disgust,her scrumptious despair had turned sweet and hopeful on her. What an unsavory taste! Crystalline sniffed around, she sensed a magic that was dense and was trying it’s best to feel less powerful. “Aurael’s pet, perhaps!” Crystalline wished, flipping her body over to peer into the hut. “Better, a stronger Midnight Star!” her jaw opening to salivate. Morpheus flew out of the window, flapping his wings wildly. “What’s the big hurry Midnight?” Crystalline whispered,s he appeared in front of him. Larger than she actually was, in the dreamworld she could manipulate his mind to believing anything she desired, it was a grey area of power between Aurael and herself. Morpheus stared as she grew to a monstrous size, he knew that if he flew home, Equestria would be in danger.
So he aimed to the Griffon capital. Crystalline had made normal sized versions of herself to catch up to Morpheus. One of the clones managed to catch up to him. It exploded into a ball of black smoke, coating the night alicorn’s wings, seeping into his feathers. A group of her clones had been trailing closely behind Morpheus, he could hear them cackle wildly. He pushed his wings to flap harder since the smoke had made them stiff, as if below freezing. He pushed his wings to fly up the steep mountain. He gave a short smile, the clones had given up. He couldn’t feel their looming coldness. But as he made it to the top of the mountain, he shed a single tear.
Crystalline had already outstretched her monstrous mouth, and camouflaged her body with bright lights. She waited for Midnight Star to set his hooves on the mountain’s peak before she lunged her mouth, capturing the pesky dream drifter. He was under her control now, since she had taken the very essence of Morpheus’ magical power. She replaced Aurael’s softer magic, with her own. Casting the magenta hued magic out of his body, like sucking the poison out of a wound.
“Who’s a good colt?” She asked, giving her signature dark giggle.
Morpheus whimpered longingly.
“Won’t you help out your Queen? I need to find my other half, pet. Show me where your old friend is keeping her!”
Morpheus nodded his head wildly letting drool hang from his panting lower jaw.
“Off you go then.”
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Morpheus rose from his plush bedding. He cantered out of the royal bedroom. His head bobbing oddly as he moved, his body thudded into the old wooden door. As he unlocked it with his magic. Pan had been sleeping by the younger Crystalline, he sneaked back to her room when Pan could tell Morpheus was sleeping. When he heard the door open with Morpheus entering, he assumed his friend was coming to apologize for earlier.
“Hello, friend. She’s doing much better-” Pan looked to Morpheus’ eyes, or where his eyes would be. His figure was as dark as a shadow, it didn’t even reflect the light from Pan’s magic.
“My Queen needs to be complete!” Morpheus moaned as he lumbered over to Pan.
“Halt! I won’t let you take her!” Pan rose to the situation, his body was low to the ground, magic at the ready.
“Move aside, you muddy oaf or your friend will cease to exist!” Crystalline said, controlling Morpheus’ body.
“Daddy? Why is Morpheus talking like mommy?” A soft voice asked. Pan eyes grew wide. She knew about Crystalline!? When? He had spent his new life protecting her, giving her alias’ like Harrington so she would never hear her other half’s name.
“Dear I need to you remember the time I brought you your first balloon.”Pan said.
“Right now?, it’s really late.”
“Yes dear, remember everything, remember how the first balloon I brought popped?
“You spent a whole day finding me a new one.” The half giggled, her body beginning to glow a pink aura.
“What?” Crystalline harped. He had tainted her magic! making her other half good somehow.
“Remember the day,I-I showed you how to fly!” Pan chuckled.
“Yes, yes! it’s one of my favorite memories.” She chuckled heartily, her horn spurting fireworks of magenta energy.
“Now honey, I want you to remember everything I’ve done for you. I’m going to ask you to channel all your energy at Morpheus. Think about giving him a big hug!” Pan insisted, he motioned his body as he instructed, first up straight, then with a hoof bent, then with both eyes closed.
“How dare you use her against me, you insignificant whelp!” Crystalline hollered, she casted her magic through Morpheus’ horn.
“No!” Her pure half cried out, she jumped in front of her guardian, unleashing a typhoon of raw magic filled with red and purple hues the waves slowly blended together, her magic aimed to the deflect the opposing ray, she shot again at his side.
“Hah! You missed!”, than Crystalline felt her host become warm. Her other half had Morpheus in a tight hug, with such a loving display of emotion it took over like a fever on the possessed liege’s body.
“Come back home, Morpheus!” The half cried out. Soon the night alicorn regained his body, his head wobbling in dizziness.
“I feel ill.” Morpheus stated, holding a hoof to the back of his head, as his rubbed it.
“No more dream trips, my liege.” Pan insisted, his voice sounding more caring than usual.
“I only make big mistakes once, now that I know Cry- she’s out there.” Morpheus said, making sure to follow Pan’s advice. He sat down and gave the kinder half a tight hug.
“Thank you very much!” his voice softened for her, like how he talked to his children.
“You can call me Chrysalis, your majesty.” The gray unicorn responded.