Two ponies sat outside the Castle Of The Royal Pony Sisters, watching the sun begin its descent. Celestia had re-engergized her mane and tail, and they flowed gently towards her companion. Dusky Brush was seated, hindquarters firmly planted in the grass after their walk out of the castle.
After she had finished the story of Silver, the two had by unspoken agreement risen to leave. The spectral ponies and ancient splendor receded in their wake, leaving Dusky with an ache in his chest he could barely define. Seeing the glory and beauty of the old castle destroyed so quickly, especially after her story, left him in a sober and introspective mood.
Furrowing his brow, he glanced up at his princess, bathed in the orange light of the setting sun. "Princess... I don't know what to say. I'm surprised you didn't outlaw prostitution after that."
"What good would that have done?" Celestia smiled, fixing the other pony with her fathomless rose eyes once again.
He thought for a moment, eyes tracking a green jay fluttering through the canopy. "Well... that might not have happened, otherwise."
She shook her head. "Nay, it would have. If we outlaw something, something so harmless, our little ponies will find a way around it."
"But... they can break up relationships and families. I just don't see why something so harmful should exist." He ground a hoof into the ground, digging into the fresh loam of the earth.
Giggling, Celestia brushed a wing over his back. "Are you bringing a petition before me, Chancellor?" She grinned at his blush, before composing herself. "Ahem. Let's say you were in a relationship with a pony. Let's say that you decided to go off and hire the services of a prostitute. Let's say your significant other finds out."
"Right..." He nodded along.
"How is that the fault of the prostitute?"
He blinked. "Well, if the prostitute didn't exist, then... then I hypothetically wouldn't have slept with her?"
Celestia shook her head. "No, my little pony. The prostitute is not doing anything wrong. She or he does not exist to be your moral compass. Your choices are your own. She's merely providing a service that you decided to hire—it's not her fault that you would have, hypothetically, stepped outside the bounds of your relationship."
He furrowed his brow again, looking down at the ground. "I... I guess, but... the profession doesn't really do anything good for anypony, so..." He trailed off, blinking up at his leader as she rose and stretched.
"Not so. They give company, and comfort, to those that have no other way of getting it. They can be an ear to listen, and a giver of hugs and encouragement." She gestured to Dusky with a wing, bringing him close as she gathered magic in her horn for the teleport home.
He laid his head against her slender neck. "But those are all... almost all intangible things."
"The intangible things are sometimes the most powerful, my little pony."
A quiet flash of light later, and the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters was silent once more.
Celestia paced nervously, a groove wearing into the stone along the length of her room. Her wings, normally folded gently at her sides, folded down and inwards around her barrel. Rose eyes darted back and forth across the room, seeing everything but noticing nothing as the clack of her golden horseshoes continued.
Her eyes flitted, periodically, to a small floating crystal above her vanity. She had purchased it, in disguise of course, from a local apothecary. The cheerful earth pony mare had, in fact, wished the disguised Celestia all the best of luck. She snorted at the memory. The best of luck... what would that be, in this situation? She glanced back at the crystal, floating and spinning merrily, its faceted sides casting cheerful dances of light across the stone room.
A sudden rush of air made her raise her head, ears pricking as she turned to her open window. Perched carefully on the ledge, her favored pegasus guard made a clumsy half-bow. "Glowin’ Targe reportin’ t’you, Princess."
Celestia rushed to the window, helping the tan pegasus to the floor. "Please, tell me... what have you found?"
In a less precarious position, the guard's stance relaxed, though his deep green eyes remained quite serious. "Ah've searched th’ entire country, ma’am. Made m’way from the Crystal Mountains t’ th’ Badlands, an’ searched hither’n’yon between. I cannae find th’ stallion." He scuffed a hoof nervously across the floor, but kept his gaze steady even as his monarch wilted beneath it.
"I... I see. Nopony called Silver Boulder? Nopony that left town suddenly?" Her ears flattened to her skull, and she dropped heavily to her haunches before him.
At the sight of his favored Princess so low, he rushed to comfort her, Scoltish accent coming to the fore as he extended a careful wing to her cheek. "Hey, now. Ah did learn that somepony by th’ name was in town, but left, gibb’rin’ ‘bout seeing some sort’a demon mare outside ‘is home. Some bus’ness ‘bout dripping fire, an’ unholy screams and the like. Dinnae b’lieve a word ‘f it, m’self." Celestia was thankful for her nose nearly touching the ground, as it meant the standing guard was unlikely to see the sudden, fierce blush that overtook her alabaster cheeks.
"A-Anything else?"
"Oh, aye. Th’ fella packed up ‘is entire life an’ left, just a few weeks back. Well, so says th’ barpony from ‘is fav’rite alehouse. Said ‘e was scairt t’ death, babblin’ on ‘bout curses, gods in mort’l shrouds an’ th’ like.." Glowing Targe sat before Celestia, eyes searching the ceiling as he thought. Blowing an errant lock of bright red mane from his face, he smiled. "One thing Ah’ve learned o’er th’ years, yer highness, is tha’ ponies can make ‘mselves believe some strange things, if’n y’ don't mind me sayin’."
She rubbed a hoof across the back of her neck, smiling guiltily. "I suppose they do."
Silence fell over the two like a familiar blanket, warm and cozy even as the late fall winds buffeted the still open window. Targe rose, closing it gently before pulling a more literal blanket to Celestia. Draping it across her shoulders, the two sat quietly for a moment before he spoke again. "Would y’ like me t’ send for some tea? Warm y’ right up, it will."
"That... would be nice. Perhaps you could send for Princess Luna as well." She met his eyes bravely, a small smile eking at the sides of her muzzle. He returned it kindly, bobbing his head once.
"’f course, Yer Highness." He saluted once before turning for the door, posture straightening and face hardening as he put the mask of the Royal Guard back on. One hoof on the doorknob, he stopped suddenly, turning back to the Princess. "Princess... ye dinnae have t’ tell me, ‘f course, but Ah gotta say, Ah’m fair curious as t’ what this pony did t’ have you looking fer ‘im like this."
Shivering, she pulled her wings tighter around herself as she glanced furtively at the crystal. "Nothing... nothing truly awful. I merely wish to speak with him."
"As y'wish, Highness." With that, he slipped from the door, galloping easily away to find both a teapony and the other Princess.
"You sent out a marehunt for him?" Dusky cocked an eyebrow, lifting his teacup to his lips.
Celestia sighed. "Yes. It was important that I find him."
The two ponies had arrived back in Canterlot before nightfall, as Celestia had promised, and now sat in her cozy study. Both ponies' fur was ruffled slightly, hooves covered in dust and dirt, and neither seemed to particularly care. The teapony, a matronly earth pony mare, said nothing and did nothing besides bring the tea and bow deeply, hiding a small, secret smile as she left the room.
Dusky sipped his tea idly, before his eyes widened. He gasped, with the unfortunate side effect of sucking tea down his windpipe, and coughed, his cup clattering to the table. Celestia leaped up, rubbing his back with concern etched across her features. "Dusky! Are you quite alright?"
He held up one brown hoof, the other covering his muzzle as the last of the coughs dissipated. "Whoo, well... ah, I'm sorry, Your Highness..." He took up a napkin in his magic, carefully wiping the table of the spilled and spit tea. Celestia shook her head, lifting the individual drops together before pouring them into the potted plant in the corner. Dusky cocked an eyebrow.
"She likes jasmine."
"I see." He chuckled as he settled back down on his cushion, before eying his monarch more seriously. "This Silver stallion... he got... no. He didn't."
When no response came from Celestia, he looked up pleadingly. "Did he?"
She just sighed, and resumed her tale.
The Princess of the Moon danced happily to her sister's chambers. The seasons were turning much colder now, meaning her Winter Moon Celebration was coming up in a scant two months. She pranced up to her sister's door, rapping one hoof upon it as she hummed traditional Winter Moon songs under her breath. A moment later, Celestia bade her enter, and she trotted merrily through the door.
"Salutations, sister! Art thou excited for the celebration two months hence?" She continued to hum, nearly dancing around the room, before she spotted her sister. Celestia still sat upon the stone floor, wrapped in a blanket yet shivering all the same. Eyes widening, Luna flew to her side. "Sister! Art thou hale?"
Meeting Luna's concerned teal eyes with her own exhausted rose ones, she shook her head. Gesturing to the vanity, she spoke. "I picked that up at an apothecary this morning."
Luna trotted to the vanity, ears pricked forwards as she eyed the little crystal floating gaily above it. "Oh! It is a health crystal. I had not thought thee to be interested in such things, my sister." She lifted the crystal in her magic, a teasing smile playing at her lips. "I had thought We could not fall ill. Was I incorrect?"
Celestia merely groaned, one hoof going over her eyes. "In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Sister, I tire of thy dancing and games. Speak plain. Dost thou have a cold, flu, or imbalance of humors?" Luna trotted back over, floating the crystal between the two of them.
"Perhaps it would be best if I show you. The way this works is a unicorn can feed their magic into the gem, and the gem returns an explanation of any ailment in the body." Celestia chuckled. "I could swear it was the work of a quack, but it seems to be accurate."
Curious, Luna fed her own magic into the crystal. It floated higher, spinning and refracting azure light across the room and their faces before slowing. Luna peered at the crystal, reading the runes that had surfaced. "Huzzah! It would seem I am in the most perfect of health!"
Celestia smiled slightly, taking the crystal in her own glow and resetting it with a small burst of magic against the bottom. "Now, watch." Celestia fed a stream of her golden magic into it, shaking imperceptibly, and watched as the magic swirled within it. A moment later, the crystal spun again, bathing them in gorgeous reflections. "I think it's a bit showy for a diagnostic tool," Celestia muttered, prompting a giggle from her sister.
It slowed, finally, and runes floated to the surface. Celestia did not even bother to look, merely eying her sister, who's mouth became more and more unhinged the longer she stared at the runes. Luna turned to her big sister, eyes wide as dinner plates. "Thou art with foal."
"Y-yes. I am." Celestia ducked her head low, hiding from her sister's piercing gaze.
"I... I am going to be an auntie! Oh, glorious day!" Celestia felt herself quite suddenly swept up in her sister's dark forelegs and spun around. "Oh, I get to play with it, and babysit, and teach it astronomy and the stars and the moon and oh do you think it will like Abacus? I hope it does! Can we find out if it's a filly or a colt? Oh, Celestia, I am truly the happiest sister in Equestria!" She dropped her sister unceremoniously, hooves prancing in place as she remained oblivious to the distinct green tint on Celestia's face.
"You're not," Celestia paused and urped, "not angry with me?"
Grinning maniacally, Luna shook her mane. "Of course not! This is wonderful news! The first natural born royal in almost five hundred years, save you and I!"
"Ah, well, you see... the sire is mortal."
A hush fell across the two at the word, Luna's mind working at the implications. "I... I see. So, the foal..."
"...is most likely mortal as well."
Another hush. "You wish to keep your foal, Celestia?" Luna fixed her with a serious gaze. "I will aid you any way I can."
"I... yes. I wish to keep it. I think... I think she will be meant for great things, mortal or not." Celestia brushed one wing across her belly, smiling fondly down at it. Luna extended a gentle wing, pulling Celestia close.
"And what of the sire himself? Surely he may wish to be in his foal's life." Celestia nodded at her sister's words, looking up at her.
"I've organized a marehunt for him. Glowing Targe is leading the pack, and we still can't find him." Celestia sighed. "He was not the best stallion, nor the worst. Hopefully, he returns."
Luna shook her head. "I see. You told him about the child, then?"
Blushing, Celestia hid her face in her sister's wing. "N-No. I... I may have frightened him just a tiny, tiny bit. Ah, when he mistook me for a prostitute."
Luna blinked once, then twice. Her muzzle trembled as her eyes widened, and Celestia glanced up in concern. "Ahaha, oh... oh Celestia..." Luna gave up, flinging herself back and allowing the deep belly laughs to shake her frame, elegant legs kicking at the air. "Ha! Oh! Only you would frighten a suitor away, and be mistaken for a mare of the night besides! Ahahahaha!"
Celestia just rolled her eyes, glaring flatly at Luna as she slowly composed herself. The guffaws gave way to giggles, which in turn gave way to periodic chuckles as she righted herself, wing draping back over her older sister. "Oh, Celly. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. If he comes back, or I can find him, wonderful. If not... well, why can't the foal live with the two most powerful ponies in the land?" Celestia elbowed her sister, smiling. "It'll be an adventure."
"We were a bit foolish, she and I." Celestia looked down at her tea morosely, taking a token sip. Dusky settled more comfortably on his cushion.
"Did you ever find Silver? And what happened to the child?" He nibbled a scone, curious eyes fixed on Celestia.
She rose to her hooves, heading to her balcony. "A moment, if you please. The time has come to lower the sun." She glanced back over her shoulder, smiling. "Would you care to watch?"
His mouth dropped open, and he scrambled to his hooves. "Of course! I would be honored!" He trotted up towards the Princess, halting a few feet behind. Hesitating, he pawed at the stone floor, looking out at the sunset excitedly. With a chuckle, Celestia extended a wing, sweeping him up beside her on the balcony.
The streets of Canterlot bustled even at this later evening hour, bars and nightclubs sending up the blue and purple glows of their magelights to advertise that they were open. Ponies on the street were dressed more casually around the palace, top hats and cravats giving way to simple cloaks and summer dresses. A few stopped, glancing up high to the balcony to catch a glimpse at their princess, but the looks were few and far between. Dusky stood, shifting his weight nervously, as Celestia lit her horn.
Dusky felt his own horn tingle slightly as hers powered up. He knew he was no great magical talent—his magical reservoir was fairly small, and he used it only for the most mundane of tasks such as levitation. Standing there, watching his princess pull with raw might and finesse on the fiery ball in the sky, he for the first time felt a stab of shame about that fact. We are capable of so much, and I... I do so little.
Celestia's wings spread and her body thrummed with power, white coat seeming to glow once more. Dusky fell to his knees, almost unconsciously, bowing even as he watched the sun slip past the horizon with awe. Never since colthood had he felt like such a child, such an inexperienced foal, and his cheeks grew hot at the thought of his past hubris. Never again.
The sky faded, orange and red giving way to deep hues of violet and blue as tiny twinkles appeared. Celestia folded her wings, looking up and to her left, raising one hoof. Peeking around her, Dusky could see Luna on a further balcony, her horn lit as she brought forth her own celestial body. Celestia glanced down with a smile at the still-prostrate stallion. "Rise, Dusky. I daresay we're past such formalities in private."
With a self-conscious chuckle, he did as he was bade. "I... yes, sorry." He smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his head with a hoof. "I've just never seen that much magic used up close, especially by a Princess."
She led him back inside, flopping somewhat inelegantly on her overstuffed pillow before the tea table. "I can understand that. Well, Dusky, it is nightfall. I am assuming you need to return to your home and attend to the needs of your House before bed?"
"Oh, I think they'll manage a night without me. Might prefer it, actually. I haven't been the best boss to work for over the years." His cheeks flushed again. "Something I plan to rectify."
She inclined her head easily. "You're welcome to stay to hear more."
"As if I'd be able to sleep with a cliffhanger like that." He smiled good-naturedly at Celestia, easing down on his own pillow opposite her.
Pouring them each a fresh cup of tea, she smiled back. "The pregnancy was very easy, all things considered, as was the birth. We were lucky—even with a mortal sire, she was born a natural alicorn. She had a soft, silvery-grey coat, much like her father, and flowing hair the same color as the green streak in my current mane. She was just... perfect.
"We named her Silver Crystal, and for many years, I was the happiest and proudest mother in Equestria."
Silver Crystal wandered the halls of the castle, rather bored. Aunt Luna was asleep, and Mother was holding court—she'd decided that she'd grown out of her toys, and wished to grow into the responsibility of ruling. She trotted aimlessly, nodding to the castle staff as she tried to find something to do. Stopping for a moment, her ears pricked, catching a small sound behind her, and she deflated slightly. "I know you're there, Targe."
The tan pegasus rounded the previous corner with a sigh. "Y’well ken yer mother tol’ me t’watch ye, Silver. We cannae have y’gettin’ inta some sort’a mischief."
Her eyes widened, full of all the forced innocence and affront that only a fourteen year old girl could pull off. "Mischief? Me? I'm sure I don't know what you could be referring to, Targe."
He cocked a brow, smirking. "Oh, don’t ye, now? Ah do seem t’remember a certain young Princess gettin’ herself all wrapped up in giant spider's silk oot in th’ forest. An’ the time y’ layer’d yer Aunt's bed wi’ moon pies an’ replaced th’ covers. An’ let's not forget th’ time wi’ that poor wee squirrel an’ the bucket, when ye—"
"Okay thank you, that's quite enough." She sighed, flopping dramatically to the floor. "There's just nothing to do, Targe!" His ears flicked back at her whine, eyes rolling.
"Once yer grown an’ runnin’ th’ whole shebang, y’ won't be complainin’ too much ‘bout a wee bit’a boredom. Now, come ‘long, we'll head oot t’ th’ gardens. 'S nearly lunch time, at any rate—" He was cut off by a sudden shout from down the hall, and he leaped in front of the small alicorn protectively.
"Targe! Sargent Targe!" A powder-blue unicorn skidded around the corner, armor clanking against her body. She halted before them, saluting hastily.
"Private Lulamoon! Just what is th’ meanin’a this?" Targe drew himself up to his full height, projecting as much confidence at the frightened soldier as he could. "We just so happ’n t’be th’ Princesses' best, no’ bumblin foals, d’ye ken? Pull yerself t’gether."
She nodded, copying his stance, but her wide, darting eyes betrayed her nervousness. "There's... there's been reports of crime rising. And ponies just generally being unpleasant."
Targe rolled his eyes, glancing back at the Princess. "Aye, Ah’m well aware, lass. Did ye have a point?"
"We found out why. There's a... a slime of some kind. It seems to have limited intelligence, and calls itself The Smooze." She took a deep breath, letting it out in a single, shuddering rasp. "It was just getting little globs on ponies, here and there, just... sowing small seeds of defiance, I guess. Now the entire body of it is here, and it's... oh, it's drowning us. It just... sucks all the love out of you. I don't know how else to describe it, but it's dangerous."
Targe stiffened for a bare second before whirling on Silver. "Get t’yer room, Princess, an’ that is an order." Turning back to Lulamoon, he seemed to think for a moment. "Right, now. ‘nform the royal sisters—"
"—have done, sir. They're calling a conference in the throne room."
"Bollocks t’their conf’rence. Yer wi’ me, then. Distract it. Dredge up e’ry illusion’st we got. We need t’catch its attention, lure ‘t ‘way from populated areas. Ah'll do a flyover’r two, have me a wee bit’ve a look-see, try’n find a weak point. On yer way, pop inta th’ barracks, mobilize er’ry single unicorn an’ pegasus that can put one hoof in front’a the other. Set th’earth ponies to whate’er y’can that leaves ‘em close t’home." He drew a hoof down his face, sighing. "Ah’d trust each an’ er’ry one’f ‘em with m’ life, good ponies all, but if th’ Smooze is running o’er errypony, they might not be able to run away ‘n time."
Silver slunk away, tuning out their plans. Oh, sure, ignore the freaking powerful alicorn princess, why don't you. I'm sure there's nothing I could do. She rolled her eyes once, before sneaking to a window and peering out at what all the fuss was about.
A wall of purple met her. Purple in the streets of Everfree. Purple atop the houses. Purple atop the ponies. And, as she watched in horror, ponies were overtaken and submerged in the Smooze. A golden earth pony mare struggled valiantly, but in the end, the Smooze took her too. Horrified, Silver stared at the spot the mare had disappeared, hoping against hope that she would come back up—but she never did.
More ponies were in the streets, making crude makeshift weapons and shields. To her mounting horror, she saw that they intended to fight. "No..." she breathed, before throwing open the window and shooting out.
Silver Crystal could be described as many things, not all of them entirely polite. She was a teenager, with all that entails—inflated self-worth, insistence that she was always correct, and a general disrespect of authority. For all that, a heart of a compassionate leader rested within her, a heart that was pulled violently as she watched her subjects die. She could not abide this.
Tears streaking down her face, the silver alicorn sheared her wings into the wind, desperately plucking ponies from harm's way and depositing them on the balconies of the castle. Some ponies cheered, and others, under the control of the Smooze, fought her. Alicorn though she was, she was still young, and realized quickly that using that much magic would drain her entirely too fast.
She resorted then to making quick dives, hauling ponies out of the Smooze before they were entirely overtaken, using her earth pony strength to aid her. Some still fought her, and after nearly dropping one ungrateful stallion, she perched on the balcony to rest for a moment. Sweat trickling down her face, she quickly counted the survivors with her, and then counted the ponies below. Heart sinking, she realized she could not save them all.
As she watched, the Smooze seemed to pause, half-aware eyes glaring up at her as its many mouths gaped open. It shuddered, dislodging some unfortunate pony bodies in the process, vomiting them up into the street covered in a glaze of purple slime. Tears joined the sweat on her face, and she bowed her head in shame and respect.
A crackling silver beam lit up the sky to her right, and she jerked around. Lulamoon and her company of unicorns flanked the Smooze from the left, sending up illusions of pegasi while other unicorns hastily erected a barrier around the purple menace. Targe could be seen wheeling above, diving periodically to study it. It snarled in confusion, progress halted as it was unsure where to go next. Silver sighed in relief. Soon her mother and aunt would be there, and it would pay for the crimes against their ponies.
Then, with a horrible lurch, the Smooze began anew. Silver's eyes widened as Lulamoon's entire company of unicorns was overtaken. With an incoherent scream, she threw herself to the Smooze, grabbing desperately for the flailing legs of the doomed company. A green hoof flailed, and she met it—and was pulled under by it. The burbling laughter of the enemy and the anguished scream of her arriving mother was all she heard as she went under.
She thrashed desperately through the goo, murky shapes of ponies all around her, She saw a few half-lit unicorn horns through the muck, and it was clear to her that the soldiers were trying their hardest to fight, even now. The goo pushed down on her, pulling the air from her lungs and crushing against her ribs even as she was rocked violently, presumably by shots of magic from her mother and aunt. The horns around her began to dim further, winking out one by one.
In a desperate, last ditch effort, she reached out with her own magic, a hastily cobbled transformation spell engulfing herself and her still-living subjects. As her own vision began to dim and she felt herself going limp, she prayed for the first time in her young life that her idea had worked.
Celestia finished her tea, slowly and deliberately, ignoring the stallion leaning over the table. "And did it work?"
Smiling, Celestia rolled her eyes. "If it hadn't, how else could I tell you what she was thinking and feeling at the time?"
"Oh. Right. Carry on." He flopped back onto his cushion, blushing.
The afternoon sun burned brightly—too brightly—across the city. Survivors were herded into the castle, into the cold stone basement, as Celestia and Luna battled the Smooze. Both calling on the power of their respective celestial body, the Smooze was by turns burned and frozen as it swiped ineffectually at the darting alicorns. The unholy howling of the formless beast could be heard from the Dragonlands to the Eyries, gryphon chicks huddling close to their mothers as the day and night ruled the sky at the same time.
The battle stretched on, hours eaten up as the Smooze stubbornly clung to life. By the time it had been dried and frozen for the last time, both sisters were exhausted, landing heavily on the uneven ground before their foe. Celestia bowed her head, tears flowing freely to the ground. "It took Silver."
"I... I know." The two stood together, necks crossed, as an exhausted Princess of the Sun sobbed on her sister's neck.
"I need to recover her body, at least..." Celestia glanced at the piled purple goop, flinching at the sight of a unicorn horn sticking out.
Luna shook her head, extending a wing over her sister. "Nay, sister. Let the dead lie, for now. We are exhausted and distraught, and our subjects need us now more than ever. We must worry for the living before concerning ourselves with the dead."
Eyes clenched shut, Celestia nodded mutely, leaning against her sister's soft, dark hide as the two walked slowly back to the castle. Turning back for a bare moment, Celestia glanced up at the moon, then back down to the purple mass.
"I'm sorry, my daughter. I failed you. I am so, so sorry." Sobs wracked her body anew, and eight tired hooves beat a path back home, the keening wail of a grieving mother their only company.
Some hours later, when the moon had nearly finished its travel across the sky, a single black hoof pushed out from the top of the goo. A sleek, black, chitinous body followed, ragged green mane and tail lying limply against it. Insect-like wings buzzed upon the pony's back, trying desperately to dry off, as the pony turned her head to survey the goo.
Slowly, more, smaller, black hooves and heads emerged. Most had their manes and tails burned off entirely, and their eyes had gone entirely blue and smooth. The quiet group eyed their defacto leader, who bowed her head sadly. "I'm sorry. It was all I could do." Her voice sounded strange to herself—where it had once been smooth and light, it was now rougher, reverberating slightly against her own throat. Looking down at herself, she noted tiredly the black coat, shiny green carapace, and the strange holes in her legs. She felt empty, drained of both magic and willpower, and it was all she could do to keep standing before her subjects.
"I..." She faltered, before a pang hit her chest. Love. She needed love. At the realization, the emptiness inside her surged, and she staggered back slightly. Two of her strange new subjects flew to her side, holding her up. Together, she and her small band of survivors stumbled and slid towards the nearby forest. I need rest. I can't see Mother like this. I must be strong before I go see her.
To her utter shock, a buzzing responded, resolving itself into one, reverberating voice. As you wish. Forest. Trees. Animals. Love.
Too tired to think further on it, Silver Crystal and the former Private Lulamoon led the pack of now-refugees into the forest.