Chapter 9

Krystal, meanwhile, was still asleep. She was dreaming, and a very strange dream it was. She was walking on a lush green planet. It was just after the sun had risen, and the dew on the grass was crystalline, pure and beautiful. The morning mist caused all the colors to become pastel farther than 4 meters away.

Then Krystal realized she was no longer 20. She was a young kit, only six years old. She had gotten up early to watch the sun rise, for there was nothing more beautiful to her than a sunrise. Except her mother. Azalea, queen of all Cerinia, was the most beautiful animal on the whole planet.

Krystal had inherited her blue fur from her mother, but her personality was more akin to her father's. She was the determined kind of animal you knew you could trust to do something. When she got a good idea firmly planted in her head, there was nothing that would stop her.

"Kryssie?" a voice inquired behind Krystal, and she jumped and turned around. And there was her mother, still looking a bit sleepy, but radiant nonetheless.

"Mother, I just wanted to see the sunrise. I'm sorry I went out without asking," said Krystal, looking down at the ground.

"My kit, I don't mind at all," said the queen soothingly. "In fact, I wanted to see it with you, but it looks like I got up too late." She smiled. "You sure are quiet, to get out of the palace and to here without waking me up." Seeing Krystal's crestfallen face, Azalea had an idea. "Come 'ere, you!" she yelled and suddenly seized Krystal around the middle, and began to tickle her.

"Mommy!" Krystal cried out, laughing. "Stop it!" she said again, but to no avail. They soon flopped down on the ground, exhausted, with tears in their eyes.

"You're funny, Mommy," said Krystal, recovering. "Well, if I weren't, how would you ever have fun?" her mother replied.

They were interrupted when a strange footpaw came down next to her head. "W-who are you?" the queen inquired, getting up quickly.

There were three of them. They were covered in short brown fur, and they had long tails. The strangest thing was that their footpaws looked exactly like their forepaws.

The one in front said something to one of the others, in a language neither Krystal nor Azalea understood. That one touched something metal on his arm, then spoke. "Who we are does not concern you. Where are the rulers of this planet?"

"I am Queen Azalea," she said, drawing herself up regally, "And I rule with my husband, King Rey."

"Then you are hereby ordered, by the mighty Andross, to come with us." He glanced at Krystal. "The girl, too."

They were led to a clearing where two ships had been set down next to a cliff. The two gleaming, silver vessels were huge. Krystal was awe-struck; she had never seen a spaceship before.

But her mother had. She noticed immediately that one, the smaller one, was an automated cargo ship. She turned quickly to one of the creatures, and asked, "What are we wanted for?"

The commander glanced over his shoulder and replied: "You are to be terminated. This planet is under control of Andross."

It happened almost too quickly to be seen. Azalea had suddenly whipped out the staff that had been hanging, compacted, from her waist. When she had drawn it, it had extended to full length. The first creature had been knocked to the ground by a vicious blow to the head. The second charged Azalea, but was impaled on the butt-end of the staff. The third backed up, then took out his gun and fired. Azalea brought the staff's end to the ground and knelt behind it, activating the shield. She then jumped and pushed the staff deep into the ground, activating an earthquake that knocked the attacker off the cliff.

"Krystal! Come with me!" Azalea yelled. She dragged Krystal over to the cargo ship, and inside to the cockpit. "You stay here, while Mommy goes back outside, all right?" She commanded, while pressing various buttons on the control panel. Krystal noticed her laying the staff on the deck next to the panel. Azalea swung around, then paused, turning to her panic-stricken daughter. She hugged Krystal tightly, then withdrew. Krystal, still confused, saw a single tear roll down her mother's cheek; then she was at the door.

"I love you," Azalea choked out, then pressed the controls next to the hatch, which slowly drew shut. There was a rumble, then nothing.

* * *

Krystal woke suddenly, in a cold sweat. She remembered now. After that, she had seen a gigantic explosion, and then a cloud of poisonous green gas had covered the planet, as the enemy ships had hurtled out of the atmosphere.

Andross. Andross had killed her parents.