Crystal Chris's Heart
Proofread by DJPON3LEGEND2047
3 Days Later
“So how is he settling in?” A regal voice broke through the warm afternoon air. The voice belonged to Celestia who was sitting down at a small table, situated just inside the garden outside the castle. Across from her sat the shining form of a crystal pony that was known as Clara.
“I’d say he is settling in perfectly. He loves messing around with your sister though.” Clara looked beyond the princess and towards where two figures were dashing around, one was a human while the other was a princess.
“Yes I can see that. But what I really mean is” The princess looked behind her at the playing human and alicorn before leaning close, “How is he settling away from the empire.”
Clara pondered for a moment before responding. “Well I did find him staring out the window last night, in the direction of the empire I think. But other than that he hasn’t said or done anything.” Clara wanted to keep the part about her and Chris sleeping in the same bed as son and mother a secret; she wasn't particularly proud of her inability to deny the human when sleeping arrangments came into the conversation
“I see.” Celestia concluded with a sigh before looking back towards Chris and Luna.
"Although I don't particularly like acting like a lovey dovey mother all the time, maybe you could take over once in a while?"
"I doubt he would like that very much" Celestia smiled without glancing back.
"It's not about what he wants so much as I'd go on a rampage soon if he didn't give me some peace and quiet for at least an hour." Clara looked past Celestia and watched her son and the princess of the night.
"He's a kid. What do you expect?"
“Come back to us” A dark blue Alicorn shouted in a resounding voice, she dashed towards a human with a roar but was easily dodged. “It’s so unfair that you have legs and can move around easier than us Chris.”
“Oh don’t be like that” Chris spoke while dancing around the Alicorn, making sure to keep his distance. “You never could catch me without magic Lunie, neither could Celestia.”
“You think?” Luna responded with an annoyed look, “we remember that you couldn’t be caught by the entire guard.”
Chris rubbed the back of his head with a laugh, “Oh really… I guess I forgot that part. It must just be my Flexibility.” Chris gave a quick wink before stretching out his back.
Luna let a loud sigh escape her as she slumped to the ground. “We always end up tying, you win here and then I win when we play in your dreams.”
“This is true.” Chris laughed his response, turning around and waving towards his mother and Celestia; both who were now staring intently at him and Luna. "Although I don't think we can play tonight."
Just as Chris was about to begin walking he heard a flap of wings, signalling that Luna hadn’t given up and wanted to keep trying to win. Diving to the side with a soft thud Chris destroyed a patch of flowers but also escaped his chance of being tagged. From behind him he heard a loud gasp from none other than the Alicorn whom had planted the flowers.
Chris stood and began to dust himself off before resuming the game.
"It's amazing to think that Luna would act so foalish around him" Clara spoke what she had been thinking for the past three days.
"Well do you know what happened just after Chris entered the heart?" Celestia spoke sadly at the memory.
"What happened?"
"Nightmare moon rose up." Celestia spoke before silence fell over the two and the garden
“You see this is when I really wish you'd tell me more about my son.” Clara was the first to speak after they’d shared a silent moment to watch Chris and Luna, who were both acting like small foals trapped in adult bodies.
“There is only so much I can tell” Celestia responded with a grumble as she stared at the destroyed flowers, “I liked those flowers” She grumbled softly.
“Why is that? Is there some danger to me knowing about my new son?”
“There is much I do not even know, much that I’m sure Chris wants to forget about himself. I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to accidently bring something up that would sadden him. He is still a child.”
“What could that lovable human have that he would want to forget?”
“Lots.” Was the only response Clara received from a downtrodden Celestia.
“Can you at least fill me in about how Clara came to meet and adopt Chris?”
Celestia turned around with a soft sigh, “I suppose although I don't think we can talk about it too much when he's so close.”
"Okay but at least tell me the basics."
"I'll try my hardest." Celestia lit her horn up and with a quick glance behind her to make sure Chris wasn't near she summoned a small orb which began to play back a memory. "This is a memory he'd like to forget and has probably forced it deep down inside the recesses of his mind."
“Chriiiiiiiis come down!” A small alicorn filly whined up at a young child, around two years younger than the filly. The child was sitting on top of a fridge with triumph. The fridge in question was just a large wooden box, sealed with enchantments to keep anything placed inside cold or frozen; depending on where the food is put.
“No!” The child known as Chris shouted with defiance.
“But if your parents find you up there they’ll get mad.”
Chris crawled out of eyesight before returning with a jar full of treats and confectionary. “Look” he cried with joy, slapping the glass jar in happiness.
“Be careful” The filly chided, her form skittering around the room in annoyance. She was getting scared for Chris and was ready to go and get his parents. The two of them were usually together and playing safely, so much so that their parents didn’t really keep an eye on them at this point. The reason that Chris was atop the fridge while the filly stood on the ground and didn't fly up was because she hadn't fully been able to grasp magic or flight yet.
Chris continued laughing like a maniac and almost lost his balance, his laughter was replaced with a shout; luckily he regained his balance and cheered himself on with unintelligible sounds.
“That’s it Chris!” The filly stamped her hoof on the ground, “I’m getting your parents.” She stormed out of the room while Chris fiddled around with the lid of the jar.
Once Chris had processed what his friend had said he crawled to the edge of the fridge to call for his friend to return. Stupidly he hadn’t been watching where he was putting his hands or what they were holding as one still clasped the jar which slid across the surface and caused Chris to lose his balance and enter a state of weightlessness.
Chris’s screaming was stopped immediately the moment he hit the ground, landing on the jar which smashed to pieces and embedded itself deep into his body; namely around his heart. His body spasmed about on the ground for a good two seconds before going completely limp. Chris's vision went mixed shades of red and black as the sound of screaming humans and ponies faded from existence just as he did.
“Then what happened?” Clara asked as she leant closer to Celestia, her eyes filled with curiosity.
“I’m afraid I cannot continue the story at the moment” Celestia responded while looking away from Clara and towards Chris and Luna who were now wrestling in the grass; each one name calling at the other.
“Whoa” Clara gasped while watching the wrestling match continue, “How’d that happen?”
“This usually happened when they played as kids and filly’s” Celestia let a short laugh out. “I guess old habits die hard.”
“I know I said this just before but it's so hard to believe Luna is acting like such a filly around him.”
“I’d say it’s hard to believe she was so composed when she first laid eyes on him.” Celestia responded with a soft laugh. “Come to think of it, why was Chris in your bed that morning?”
Clara looked away in embarrassment “Can’t a mother and son share a bed on their first night back? Plus he told me he was scared to sleep alone.”
“I guess that’s reasonable, he was inside that crystal by himself for a thousand years.” Celestia spoke with happiness but was still slightly wary.
“You'd think all he wanted was his mommy to hold him close and tell him its all okay.” Clara spoke with a teasing voice, “and ol’ sunbutt wasn’t a good enough candidate.”
“I swear to faust if you continue calling me sunbutt.”
“What will you do? Steal away poor Chris’s mommy?”
“If needed” Celestia let a smirk become visible on her face, it was a dark evil smirk that didn’t suit the usual happy calm demeanour of the princess.
Clara took on a disturbed expression at the look Celestia gave her, standing up from the seat she had been sitting in and wandering over so she could get a better look at Chris. “You do realize one day he will realize I’m not his mother.”
“Does that upset you?”
“I-I don’t know.” Clara answered unsurely. "On one hand I want nothing to do with you or this human, at least I don't want it to be like this."
"What would you mean by that?"
"I mean that sitting her with you so calmly, no guards threatening me, everything is so at ease that it doesn't register as right to me."
"You're saying you'd rather be attacked than pampered?"
"Well I'd rather fight you in revenge for my hive than sit here talking."
"Why don't you try then?"
"Because it would destroy him to see his mother disappear into my true form and attack his only surviving friends or rather family."
"I thought you didn't care much for him?"
"That's exactly why I feel so strange."
“Chris! It’s time for bed.” Clara trotted down the silent night halls with a sigh; she’d been looking for her son for the last ten minutes and was becoming agitated with her failure.
Meanwhile from a locked bedroom the sounds of two people’s muffled laughter leaked into the halls. “Chris we really need to stop hiding in rooms all over the castle” Luna spoke from behind the door while suppressing laughter.
“But why?” Chris responded with a muffled chuckle, “I like hiding from my mom when its time for bed.”
“Why is that?”
“Because sleep is boring.”
“Is that the complete reason?” Luna raised a brow and shoved Chris gently.
“Well… I also don’t want to lose tonight.” Chris admitted with a devilish smile causing Luna's cheeks to burn up slightly. Luna had begun to think about how much Chris's body had actually changed and how handsome he had looked when smiling just then. It had made her heart flutter softly, something she hadn't experienced for such a long time.
Snapping out of her trance Luna frowned at Chris. “But that means we wouldn’t have a chance to beat you.”
“That’s true.” Chris smiled brightly at his friends annoyance.
Luna stared at Chris with a childlike expression, one that displayed she felt cheated and it was unfair. “Cheater! Unfair!” Luna began to cry out loudly, her royal Canterlot voice booming through the room and immediate halls.
Almost immediately afterwards the door shot open and two figures stood in the doorway, Celestia and Clara; each wore a different expression. Celestia’s expression was content and seemed to be enjoying the scene playing out, Clara’s was one of annoyance and sleepiness.
Chris froze as his mother simply said. “Bed. Now.”
“B-but mom.”
“BED. NOW.”
Chris stood up and glumly began to walk out of the room, “Okay” he finished before leaving the room and disappearing around the corner, a soft glow following him as he disappeared down the halls.
“How’s motherhood?”
“I'll tell you that it was much easier taking care of my hive than this child.” Clara replied, turning and beginning to follow her son’s footsteps. "Although it is much more enjoyable" Clara spoke while rounding the corner as her stomach rumbled softly, " I may need to feed again however."
After another few minutes of walking and getting lost due to sleepiness Clara finally arrived at the bedroom. Opening the door she moved inside with a loud yawn, alerting whoever was inside to her presence "I'll feed tomorrow... too tired."
Clara made her way to the bed and flopped down with a soft grunt, she expected to feel her son’s warmth or body next to her but took no notice of it before drifting off to sleep. She was unusually tired and could barely think straight as she dozed off.
Over by the windows however was Chris, his back to the room and eyes peering out into the night sky. he only glanced back at his mother once when she entered the room before staring out the window again. In the back of his head he felt a small tugging, a pull that was originating from the direction of the empire.
Seemingly by itself, the window flew open giving entry to the cool night air chilling the otherwise toasty room. Chris couldn’t tell if it was the voices inside his head or if it was his instincts that were gently whispering ‘come home, we need you to go home.’
The idea that formed inside Chris was quickly becoming his only desire as a foot planted itself onto the windowsill and was quickly followed by another; Chris now stood in the windowsill and was one step away from plummeting into the garden from the two story window.
With a final glance behind himself “I’ll see you at home mom” Chris spoke in a voice that was the complete opposite of his normal voice. This voice held power and control, rather than his normal joking and happy. Taking a step forward he began to plummet towards the garden brush. Chris planned to form a bed before he landed but found out he was unable to control his magic at all, or rather he had no magic to use.
“Huh. What the-” He spoke in surprise as the ground quickly approached him and his hands instinctively went up to cover his face. The ground rushed up to greet him as he hit the bushes with a loud thud before rolling out onto some soft recently disturbed soil.
Standing with a loud groan Chris assessed that he hadn’t broken anything but was barely in the shape to travel at the moment, he however soldiered on and began to limp into Canterlot city and towards the train station, he'd gone on a tour with his mother and Celestia on the first day here and had remembered most of the town; it seemed familiar to him but he couldn't remember why.
On the walk he began to wonder why he couldn't use his power but the thought was given way as a new way of thinking entered his mind, a much more profound thought process and better awarness was what Chris's mind now consisted of. His posture straightened and he walked or rather limped with a better sense of direction and certainty
As the train drove Chris watched the scenery blur past while he thought of personal matters and how he’d gotten onto the train so easily; without paying as well. He’d managed to attain a ticket to the train by convincing the pony at the booth he was being sent to the Crystal Empire by Celestia’s order, the pony hadn’t been convinced at first. But that quickly changed when he had seen Chris was a human and not a pony.
The train Chris had stepped onboard of was simply amazing, he'd never seen anything like this before and couldn't help but jump around on absolutely everything; that was if Chris were in control at the moment. Instead of jumping around Chris simply walked in and took a seat, glancing over everything inside the train car. A loud whistle was heard before the train started on it's journey and Chris had thought about how far technology must've came since his entering of the crystal.
Chris still didn’t know how that stallion hadn’t noticed he was human until Chris was right up in front of him, or rather why he didn't question a human being in Canterlot. He began to think about the thought process that ponies must go through and wondered if it came with the new technology.
He watched as the moon began to disappear behind the distant mountains, the sun rising above the opposite mountains just as it did every day. “I guess the time for sleep has ended” Chris spoke with a serious voice that would've surprised him, although for some reason he felt a lot more mature than he had a few hours ago, like all the pieces had finally fit into their places.
He found that his mind had begun to develop more so than it had previously been and he was able to think of more complex thoughts than before, mainly they were about how much time had passed and why he had been brought back into Equestria.
As his mind fathomed the concept of living forever like the princesses if he’d just return to the crystal whenever he felt like skipping a few thousand years, although this was quickly countered by the realization that his body aged one year for every hundred years.
It was then his mind set on the thought about how he would find Sombra and how he would stop him. He thought about why the Princess of the Empire had acted so horribly to him, where Chrysalis could’ve gone in such a short time, why he was only now beginning to act maturely as his age would've warrented from the moment he left the heart.
But the moment his thoughts began to set on his own mother his mind clouded up again, his chest flashed a bright green before returning to its soft blue glow. His thoughts returning to their original childlike nature which consisted of playing pranks on people, eating sweets and playing games with his friends; friends he hadn't seen since his time in the crystal. It was as if the puzzle which had been complete was then smashed and layed back out.
With a scratch of his head Chris looked out the window and flexed his still sore legs, he was sure he’d sprained them but not bad enough to cripple him and prevent his journey. Chris began moving around the small empty cabin to test how his legs felt while passing windows he glanced out just as the train whistle chimed loudly, signifying they had arrived at their destination and Chris’s hometown.
The whistle was followed by a sharp hiss that scared Chris. He had no idea what the hiss was and tried to steady himself as the train took a sharp stop, he was unable to keep himself standing and fell to the cold ground with a thud; tears threatening to spew from his eyes.
"Why would anyone enjoy taking this monster?" he asked himself as the train skidded to a stop. "I wish mommy had come with me."
Clara slept uneasily that night, she tossed and turned the entire night and was completely uncomfortable for some reason she didn’t know. She however found out why she’d tossed and turned so much from the moment she had opened her eyes and seen the windows ajar.
“Chris!” Clara was now out of bed and rushing down the halls, her breathing ragged and frantic. She had no idea but the thought of not knowing where Chris was or what trouble he could be in was unbearable. It was almost as unbearable as coming face to face with that princess of Love and her husband.
She sprinted down the halls and soon ran out of energy before collapsing on the cool tiles in a heaving mess. She stayed there for what were a few minutes but felt like an eternity, the feeling of having lost Chris was destroying her; she’d only known him for a few days but she felt like she’d known him since birth and was responsible for him; even after she'd told Celestia the opposite of how she was acting.
“Clara?” A familiar and regal voice broke her panic attack and lifted her spirits, Celestia made her way down the hall with a look of worry present on her face.
“Have you seen Chris?” Clara didn’t mean to sound completely distraught but her voice betrayed her.
“No. Why?” Celestia replied as she reached the sprawled out mare, “Is he hurt?”
“I don’t knowwwww. And I'm hungryyyyy.” Clara broke out in sobs, her voice changing back to Chrysalis's.
“Well I guess we need to find him then.” Celestia helped Clara to her feet with a quick nudge before setting off with the distraught mare, towards the bedroom where they could talk and investigate. “I’m sure he’s probably just hiding or sleeping somewhere else.”
They reached the room and found there was already an occupant inside, the sound of movement could be heard from the end of the hall; no voices where heard from inside however. “Chris?” Clara shouted before throwing open the door, her smile and hope faded just as quickly as the door had been thrown open as the figure inside was revealed as Luna.
“Sister.” Celestia spoke up while entering the room “Have you seen Chris? Are you two playing Hide n Seek?”
Luna looked up at her sister with a soft sigh of defeat “No we aren’t playing, I don’t even know where he is.”
The three ponies faces fell in sadness, they were defeated as far as finding Chris was concerned. “Sister… Can't you track him when he slept?” Celestia started but was silenced by the look that Luna gave her in response.
“He hasn’t slept at all.” Luna looked out the still open window, “He spent the entire night alone and cold we'd bet.” Luna cursed to herself for allowing her friend to once again disappear without a moment’s notice.
“Ahhh the air in the kingdom is always the best.” Chris inhaled sharply as the sweet air flooded his lungs, it was unlike any air he’d ever breathed; the empire’s air was always so refreshing. It was still rather early in the morning and the air was rather chilly compared to its usual heat he remembered. It was around the time that colts and fillies would be rushing off to school. “It does feel bad to be back here without mom but she’ll come and find me soon, I’m sure of it.”
Chris had limped his way through the town while many of the ponies stared at him with a mix of expressions ranging from disgust to interest. At one point Chris even had a few colts race towards him to see who would stop running and cower first, none of them made it within three metres before turning tail and dashing away. Apparently Chris had been the talk of the empire since his first appearance and there were a few ponies who cheered at him calling him their savour, "I hope I did something to deserve that."
Soon he had reached the centre of town and could clearly see the Crystal Heart underneath the large elevated castle that stood there. He hobbled on towards the heart and fell onto the stand where it was kept, remembering why his magic wouldn’t work now and due to his extended distance from the crystal.
Reaching a hand up towards the crystal he touched it and was immediately brought inside the crystal with nothing more than a quick surprised scream as ponies watched from behind him in awe.
As Chris was pulled inside he found himself overcome with lethargy and decided to lay inside the crystal with a content sigh as energy and the feeling of magic began to flood back into his body, his eyes shutting as he dozed back into his millenium like slumber.
Meanwhile back at the castle Luna, Celestia and Clara were all seated in a large dining hall, food decorating the tables but none of the ponies were well enough to eat anything. They sat there in silence until one of them shot upright and began to fidget in excitement.
“Guess who just fell asleep” Luna chided while unfurling her wings in excitement.
"You don't mean?" Clara and Celestia spoke in unison.
Luna gave a quick nod in reply before shutting her eyes and beginning to locate the location that Chris had fallen asleep at. The concept of finding a sleeping subject came easily to Luna and she found it like childs play, her sister however couldn't figure out how to do it and would always chalk it up to her not being aligned with the moon like her sister.
Luna opened her eyes after a long moment and looked at the two fidgeting ponies, both eagerly awaiting her next words; she however was not as eager.
"Well... Where is he?" Clara spoke up first.
"He's back at the Crystal Empire... Inside the crystal heart." Luna spoke but didn't seem to be finished, each princess eagerly awaited the rest of her sentence.
"Christopher has also resurfaced."