//------------------------------// // The Crystal Heart: Part 1 // Story: Spike: The Last Draconian // by Maneiac //------------------------------// Spike “Oxford! Oxford, where are you!?” I called out aimlessly, looking for my partner who was supposed to be with me. It’s strange that I haven’t heard any word of guards coming here, that is, to the Crystal Kingdom in the north. What, with my brazen killing of two pegasi guards to escape Celestia’s fiery wrath, I would imagine her on some type of unholy burning chariot, screeching through the sky like a demon general as she sent her hordes of guards at me. That...would actually be kind of cool!  I was searching one of the many crystal hallways of the castle when my ‘escort’ suddenly left me. She was a wall-eyed crystal pony in a maid’s outfit, who seemed more interested in butterflies than actually ensuring that I didn't get lost. Which, of course, ended up with me being left in the gardens while she bolted off after a crystal butterfly. I can’t seem to catch a break! No use crying about now. “Not like anyone cares, seeing as how I’m the villain now. Geez, I wonder if the changelings have it this rough.”  I kept walking, the cool feeling of glistening crystals encompassing my feet. I was surprised at the sheer size, of the castle’s interior. It dwarfed Canterlot Castle by a landslide. Not paying attention to where I was going, my body lurched into double steel doors that caught me unawares. Rubbing my snout while glaring at the doors, my eyes shrunk when I noticed the vibrant illustrations on it. A light-blue heart shape being hugged by a pink alicorn with tri-colored mane, covered in yellow and white ribbons melted into my brain. I was at the doors leading to the Crystal Heart! “How the hoof did I end up here? Granted, I have been lost for a while.” I placed a claw on the doors, feeling a warmth slip through the once cold steel and into my palm. I sighed in content as I felt the magical artifacts magic begin to reverberate through me, eliciting more sounds of content. If someone were to come down here, I’m sure their minds would be occupied with trying to eject explicit thoughts. Nevertheless, I could feel my body begin to lose control, forcing me to open the doors. With a moan of protest escaping only once from the doors, they began to open slowly but surely, revealing a winding case of stairs leading down into a pit. “Oh, so she kept Sombra’s little tricks for herself? Might as well see if I can find the blasted thing, seeing as how I don’t have anything better to do.”  I placed a foot on the first step. Except...there wasn’t a step. I fell right through the freaking floor!!!??  “ARE YOU BUCKING KIDDING MEEEEE...” My mind was racing on the many ways I would die. I would either hit the ground and become a stain on it, or keep falling for the rest of eternity. Personally, the first option sounds astronomically better! The warm wind that caused my cheeks and round belly to flap wasn’t helping things in the slightest. If I’m feeling heat while plummeting, that could only mean a couple of things. One, I’m imagining it. Or two, there’s freaking lava below me. “DAMNIT!!!” I yelled as I was suddenly yoked up, making me flail my arms in a useless attempt at finding my imprisoner. I could feel the tingle of magic being used on me, which should be impossible since I’m a dragon. To be honest, the idea of being immune to magic was a little far fetched, so I did some rummaging through the many books in the library. Keep in mind that this was about two years ago, when I discovered a shocking little tidbit of information. I was pony hatched. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, ”Oh Spike, that’s nothing new! Silly dragon, thinking we didn’t know he was pony hatched.” Turns out, since I was hatched by magic, then I’m affected by magic. Go figure. Peering out into the pure darkness, I could see the faintest glimmers of blue light shining in the distance. “Most peculiar.”  I could still feel myself floating, which means somepony or something had stopped my imminent demise. That still doesn’t explain how I’m supposed to be getting out of this situation. Tentatively, I took on a swimmer’s stance in midair and gave an experimental stroke. I nearly cried out in joy when I realized that movement was not taken from me. “So far so good. Just keep swimming~! Just keep swimming~!” That play that Twilight took me to when I was twenty-seven came rushing back as I continued on my way through the darkness, growing closer with each stroke to the light at the end...of...the tunnel. Oh buck all kinds of duck. I stopped as a horrifying thought penetrated my mental walls. What if I had already perished? “Well...that would suck.” I thought as I frowned, continuing my voyage through the darkness. When I came closer to the light, little specs of white started implanting themselves on the darkness around me. In all honesty, the darkness started to resemble space! It wasn’t long before that feeling of warmth returned, alerting me to the Crystal Heart’s presence. I should know more about this feeling than anypony else, for I was the one who held it in my own claws. Little did anyone know, it sounded as if the Crystal Heart was speaking to me back then, filling me with the knowledge that everything was going to be alright. “Can’t believe it’s been nearly twenty years since I last held the thing. I wonder if I’m allowed to be down here.” My mind was racing as I finally swam through the dark tunnel, feeling the all-too-familiar feeling of gravity wash over me again, causing me to fall. I landed on pure rock, which erupted a pained gasp from my mouth as I landed harshly. Scraping some dirt with my claws as I stood up, my mind went blank at the sheer brilliance of the artifact of Love. The Crystal Heart was suspended between stalagmite and stalactite, giving off a white and blue glow to illuminate the dimly lit cavern of grey crystals around it. “I’m in the heart of the Crystal Kingdom!? Wow...the irony is not lost.” I facepalmed at Cadence’s unoriginality. The Crystal Heart, was literally, the heart of the Crystal Kingdom. So, she placed it in Crystal Gullet, the caves underneath the Crystal Kingdom. I whistled in amazement as a thumping sound reached my ears. I smiled, knowing very well on what that sound meant based on one mo Twilight and I’s study sessions. “Well aren’t you just content! Listen to that strong and mirthful heartbeat!”  I approached the Heart with a smile on face, the warm feeling in my stomach igniting further with every step. The feeling washed over me, like wading into a lava pool after a cool winter’s day. Of course, ponies can’t do that, so that’s a hidden pleasure only I and other dragons can enjoy. My stomach nipped the ground as I walked closer to the suspended and glowing heart, feeling like my insides were on fire. I held my gaze for about five minutes, lost in its ethereal beauty. *Aren’t you going to touch me?* My heart nearly dropped into my stomach as all the warmth left my body. I swung my head to and fro, looking for the source of that child like voice. A giddy chuckle filled my ears as I turned my head to its source, feeling my mouth drop at what was causing it. With each start of a new giggle, the Crystal Heart would glow brightly then dim. I was at a loss for words, each sentence coming out as a stuttering cacophony of confusion. *Well?* The feminine voice said with amusement and impatience. “Uh-I-uh, what? Excuse me...but...what?” I asked, my face skewed with genuine confusion. The heart glowed bright for each word as it responded, *I’m talking to you, Spike. You were too young to hear my voice before, but now you’re so grown up! I’m forever in your debt for saving my life from the wretched hooves of King Sombra. Now, how about you ask me something instead of listening to me talk forever, hmm? Oh, and for the record, I’m female by choice.* “All of my what.” The Crystal Heart was talking, no...conversing, with me!? What!? “Ummm...” I placed the tip of my index finger to the corner of my mouth in thought. What do I say to it? What can I say to an artifact that I saved twenty years ago? “...You’re welcome? Why are you down here by yourself? Doesn’t Cadence or any of the townsfolk know you’re sentient?” *Nope. The townsfolk are so out of tune with the magical forces around them, that I just appear to be an artifact and nothing more. Truly, this is irony at its best. Princess Cadence knows not of my full capabilities, for even she is out of tune with magic, even though she’s an alicorn. You, however, are a special case. All those years ago, when you first held me, I implanted you with a microscopic magical crystal called, Izzy. From that point on, something called an abnormality, began to grow in you day after day after day.* “Abnormality? What the hoof is an abnormality? Well, besides the literal meaning of course.” I asked the ancient artifact. I heard it *hmmm* again. *An abnormality is something that differentiates you from someone, or somepony, else. Think about it. What could a crystal filled to the brim with magic do for you?* The Crystal Heart phrased that question like I already knew the answer. Ha, yeah I totally know the answer to th- Oh wow. “You can’t be serious. All this time I thought that it was because of Twilight’s way of hatching me that I became sensitive to magical influence, but you’re saying that it was that shard of crystal!? Where could it be, if it’s still residing within me?” My mind was creating more questions from the information she was giving me. *Relax, Spike. The crystal is still within the confines of your body. It looks like it’s been proliferating as well! Now that’s interesting!* I could feel magic begin to float over me once more, lifting my comfort levels to orbit. But it became unbearably painful when the sensation landed on my bulging...stomach. I grimaced as pain rocketed through my very being, snarling angrily at the artifact that was causing me so much pain. Then, just as quickly as it came, the sensation went away. In front of me stood a round orb of crystal about six feet high and six feet wide, covered in a luminous and sparkle-filled blue aura of magic. It amazed me at how something that was supposedly filled to the brim with magic, could look so plain and lifeless. My stomach was now just extra skin that dragged along the ground as I stood up, wincing from the soreness left behind of the removed crystal. I probably just lost about ninety pounds, but that didn’t matter. What mattered right now was why the Crystal Heart had done that to me in the first place! “Why did you plant a crystal that could grow, into my body!?” I pointed a claw at the artifact. I could've sworn it had a sheepish smile. “Couldn’t it have killed me if it continued to grow!? I’m not thrilled about exploding via crystal ball!” *Hehehe...well, yeah, you could’ve died from having all your internal organs smushed. But, what I did has had many fruitful things happen! Like, you coming back here and asking me about it! IF, you would’ve stayed away for...* The Crystal Heart elongated that word for a while as she swung the massive orb to and fro around her, giving the appearance that it was actually studying it to find the precise time. *...One more day, you could’ve become a Spike Salad.* “EXCUSE ME!!!???” I roared in outrage! What the actual buck!!?? I could’ve died without knowing how, I died!? Why the buck is everything out to kill me!!? *WELL NOW YOU CAN USE MAGIC!!!* The artifact of amore shouted back, halting me in my temporary uproar and causing me to turn my head to the side quizzically. “I’m sorry...what? Dragon’s can’t use magic, Ms. Crystal Heart. That’s a fact.” *Well, who said that you’re a dragon?* The Crystal Heart adopted that giddy tone again, causing me to scratch my head in utter confusion. I was vexed, with no way of knowing what the heck this artifact is talking about! “What do you mean, ‘who said’? I was hatched from an egg like any...other...” My words became lost on me, my eyes growing wide in surprise and comprehension at the same time. “Twilight’s magic?” I asked unsurely at the suspended heart, swearing once more. That time, I saw it nod. *Look who’s actually been learning something! Those deduction skills of yours are sharper than diamond, Spike! You’re so much more than you think. In fact, magic has been at your disposal forever! Before Twilight Sparkle even hatched you! Your scales were meant to be different hues, but your ability to control magic would’ve still been present! I’ll elaborate more on this later, but I must see you out. I fear that your partner is becoming worried about your well being!* As the Crystal Heart said this, my eyes shrank once more as I thought of Luna. Nay, angry Luna. I shuddered. “I have no problem with going back to the castle, but how? How will I get back there? I fell through what seemed to be Tartarus itself in order to get here, and I don’t think that passage is offering return trips!” The Crystal Heart sighed, then teleported me without a moment’s notice. I felt my face smack tapestry, then crystal flooring hard enough for unconsciousness to consume my mind. --- “Oh...my aching everything!” I sat up in my bed, shaking the sleep from my eyes. “Well, I’m back in my room.” I held my head and hissed through my teeth as I felt a venomous headache ransack my brain. Damn Crystal Heart and its rough teleportation spells! I felt some stirring to my side as I yawned, popping every bone in my back as I stretched afterwards. Oh...did that feel gooood! “Mmmm...Spike?” My heart leapt from my mouth. That was Luna’s voice....please don’t tell me! “You’re awake!? Oh Spike, you had me and Cadence so worried!!!” I could feel those same bones crack in my back again, but not comfortably as Luna wrapped me up in her forehooves, giving me a hug that would cause even Pinkie Pie some pain. “Luna...can’t...breathe!” I wheezed out, feeling my mind begin to slip back into unconsciousness. In an instant the pressure was relieved, a simple but bashful ‘Pardon Me’, following suit. “How long was I out if I had you two worried?” To be honest, it really only felt like yesterday that I had that talk with the Crystal Heart. “A week.” Warning! Brain Failure detected! Releasing system correction, code: What? “What?” I asked with severe confusion. Today was just my day of being confused, huh? “It’s been about a week since I found you in my personal bathing quarters-” WARNING! SPIKE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERE STIMULATION!!! TO AVOID WING_ERECTION, _BLUSH WILL NOW BE DEPLOYED!!! My cheeks reddened behind the implications of that one phrase. I distanced myself from the Lunar Matriarch, falling off the bed on my right side and scooting up against the wall behind me. Luna snickered at my antics, before grabbing me with her magic and planting me on the bed next to her again. How she lifted something as big as I am with so little strain was a mystery to me. “Fear not, Spike. You have not violated me. I was, however, very non-plussed about your sudden intrusion. To be quite honest, I believed that you had fastened yourself to the ceiling with your claws for a better vantage point than peeping through the doorway.” My cheeks reddened more at the implication of seeing Luna bathe. All I could remember was talking with the Crystal Heart and the taste of marble, crystal, and some blood. Oh well. “Now go to sleep, we have a busy day tomorrow!” Luna finished as she turned around, magicking some of the covers over her sprawled out form. My eyes lingered on her flank for a second before I mentally slapped myself, remembering the lesson I learned when I accidentally walked in on Twilight while she was bathing. It sucked walking around on three legs with one eye for week! Rarity completely cut me off and her other friends cringed every time they saw me. I sighed. Today’s been taxing and I just want to go to sleep. So, lifting a fairly decent portion of the covers over my body, I snuggled into my side of the bed and closed my eyes. Luna’s struggles to get comfortable kept me awake unbeknownst to her. I had aligned myself so that I had my back to her, but I felt the warmth of two hooves and a chest later on in the night. My mind displayed an image of the Crystal Heart, suspended in all her glory in the Crystal Gullet. I wonder what she’s going to tell me next time I see her. But, no thanks to Luna’s snuggling, I knew sleep wouldn’t come until the early hours of morning. So, I had all night to wonder on the words of the Crystal Heart.