There was nothing but darkness as Crusher floated in the darkness in his dreams. He soon heard voices around him, whispering to him.
"H-H-Hello...?" Crusher gulped. "Is... is-- is anyone out there?"
"Crushy…" A voice echoed. "Crushy…"
Crusher froze when he heard this voice.
He knew this voice.
He could recognize it from anywhere.
"Mom?" Crusher called out. "Mom, where are you?"
"Here, Crushy…" the voice still echoed through as the darkness shifted into an empty field.
"Mom? Please come here... I've missed you so much..."
An image of a truck stood by his side with a smile. "I've missed you, too, my darling..."
"Mom!!"
Crusher immediately dove into his mother's embrace, sighing in content. She smiled and patted his head.
"Mom... I missed you so much... you gotta help me. Where are you? How am I supposed to defeat the king and help my friends?"
"Calm yourself, Crushy," she smiled. "I'm always there for you, I know you can defeat the king,"
"But... my friends are counting on me... I can't let them down..."
"And you won't… if you believe in yourself as much as I do," she smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Thanks, Mom. I really miss you... will... we ever be back together again?" Crusher asked.
"We will, Crushy. Someday,"
"But... we can spend some more time together while we're here... right?"
"Of course, dear," she nodded and smiled widely. "Whatever you want to do."
"Can... you maybe take me on a flight with those beautiful starlight wings you used to have?"
"Of course. Just let me perform the spell on myself."
She swirled her tires and allowed her wings to shimmer and shine as they appeared.
"Wow..." Crusher smiled. "I never get tired of that."
"Come, Crushy. We don't have long before you wake," said his mother, extending a tire.
Crusher took it and yelped in surprise as he was lifted from the ground.
"I have you, my darling! Hold on!"
She soon took off, Crusher flying with her in her tires.
"Whoo hoo!!!! This is great, Mom!"
"I agree my darling! Now, hang on!"
She took off higher and higher into the makeshift sky of the dream, twirling through the clouds. And after a large amount of cheering from her son, she set him down on the clouds.
"Mom... this feels amazing to be with you again," Crusher sighed and yawned as she began stroking his head. "I... I wish it were real..."
"It will be soon..." she assured him. "I will be there soon..."
Taking one last look at his mom, Crusher's eyes suddenly became heavy before drifting into slumber once again. And when he woke, he was back with his friends in the home of the chieftess.
"Wow... w-what a dream..."
"Morning, sleepyhead!" Pickle beamed. "How'd you sleep?"
"Fine," Crusher smiled. "I... it was one of the best dreams I've had in a long time."
"That's good-- come on! Blaze and the others are waiting for us!"
Crusher nodded and drove off after him. And outside, the chieftess waved them goodbye as they set off down the trail.
MEanwhile, the Star King glared daggers as he watched the group.
"WHAT?! THEY'RE ALIVE?!!" he roared out in rage. "DRAT IT!!" But, he regained his quiet nature and sighed. "Calm, calm. You can do this. You can get rid of them."
He twirled his tires with a hiss, eyes gleaming as the stars twirled at his command.
"Stars, I command you with an order so bold! Stop them with a storm, icy and cold!"
The stars swirled around, turning icy blue as it zoomed out and towards the group. And as the group went along the trial, an icy storm appeared above them.
"Hey, uh... what is that?!" Darington gasped, seeing the storm swirl above them.
"MOON BLIZZARD!!" Crusher screamed.
As soon as the gasping ended, snow began to pour down, along with moon and stardust, at a rapid pace, sending them into a state of shivering.
"How do we get rid of it?!?" Watts cried.
"I-It's too cold for me to use my powers!" Stripes shuddered. "And I can't see a thing!"
"Blaze, what do we do?!?" Gabby yelled.
"Uh... um..." Blaze scratched his head, trying to think. "I'm so sorry, guys, but I can't think of anything!"
"We're doomed!" Darington wailed, holding onto Blaze in terror.
"Everyone, brace yourselves!"
They all yelped as the blizzard got harder. Crusher hissed.
What can he do…?
He tried to call on the stars despite the blizzard, attempting to ask them for heat and shelter from the blizzard. But, with the blizzard covering a majority of the stars, he couldn't call upon them. So, he decided to stand with his friends, in what could be their final moments.
"I'm sorry, Mom..." Crusher whispered. "I failed..."
The blizzard had soon come close, too close to them as they awaited their fates. So, they braced each other tight, tears beginning to sting their eyes and the snow began to increase and cover them.
Back at the palace, the Star King rejoiced as the group were covered in snow.
"HA HA!! I have finally done it! The fools are buried alive!"
He then called upon two guards, and smirked as he gave them some orders.
"You two! Go fetch the frozen bodies and put them in the dungeons to rot!"
"Y-Yes, sire..." one guard sighed sadly and he and his comrad went out to accomplish their mission.
Only the doe managed to escape the snow and watch as the group were taken by the guard.
She had to do something-- she had to go after them!
So, she followed them into the castle where she watched the trucks being thrown into the dungeons.
"I hate the prince had to go like this..." one guard murmured.
"So do I..." the second agreed. "But we have to do what his royal highness commands."
The guards soon left with a sighs of pity. This was the doe's chance to get in there.
Slowly, she creaked open the barred window and entered the dungeon. She had to make sure the sweet mortals she had taken a liking to were okay. She felt their bodies and shivered at how cold they were.
She had to find a way to heal them.
Suddenly, she came up with an idea.
Closing her eyes, she let them glow white before placing a hoof on Crusher's back. Her hoof glowed bright, heating Crusher up little by little in attempt to revive him.
Slowly, Crusher's eyes fluttered open, and he shakingly stood.
"W-What...? Where...?" he muttered before he saw the doe. "Hey... it's you again! You saved us!"
The doe smiled and nuzzled him. Crusher smiled.
"Thanks again. Come on, we have to wake the others!"
The doe nodded and went over to revive the others. As she did the same process, slowly they began to wake. But, when she got to Blaze and AJ, they woke up as soon as her hooves laid on them, but they were still shivering.
"Must be their magic…" Starla hissed as Darington held onto Blaze.
"They have fire magic, which takes longer to thaw than others," Crusher said.
"But... where are we?" AJ asked.
"Dungeons," Crusher hissed. "I'm so sorry... it's all my fault..."
"No, Crush, it's not," Pickle assured him.
"But... if I had never gone back here, you all would be home... safe..."
But, the doe pushed his head up, and licked away the tears with her soft tounge.
Crusher looked into her sparkling eyes, and it was like... he understood what she was saying.
To not give up... that he could still do this.
"Thanks, girl. I know just what we need to do," he said before calling to the stars. "Starlight heed me in my call-- fly us from the dungeon to save the kingdom once and for all!"
The stars came to his command, swirling into the dungeons.
And as they did, the group felt themselves rise off the floor, and in a swirling tornado of stardust, they arrived in the throne room to face the king, tires, hands and eyes glowing.