The Crystalling

The next morning, Cadance saw Shining Armor was not in the bed and realized he went to get Flurry up and met everypony in the dining hall for breakfast, and then she saw Thomas adorably sleeping in her embrace and saw him smiling as he listened to her heartbeat. “Aww... well, aren’t you precious?” she asked without waking him up, and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. He suddenly started to wake up and then looked up at her face. “Good morning, Princess Cadance,” Thomas said softly. “Good morning, sweetheart. How’d you sleep?” Cadance asked, stroking his hair. “I slept pretty good, and I think I feel better,” Thomas said, until he yawned softly. “Climb on, honey. Let’s get you something to eat for breakfast,” Cadance said as she climbed off the bed, and then Thomas climbed onto her back and hugged her neck gently as he felt her walk off to the dining hall.

When they got there, they saw that the storm got less worse and that some of the others were having pancakes, eggs and toast. “Good morning, Auntie. Sorry I’m late. Somepony had trouble sleeping last night,” Cadance said, as Thomas climbed off her back and hugged her foreleg. “Thanks for letting me sleep with you and Shining Armor, Princess Cadance,” Thomas said. “Aww... you’re welcome, sweetie. You’re allowed to sleep with me and my husband anytime you want if you visit,” Cadance said, then she kissed him on the forehead and went to go sit down. Thomas went to go sit, but this time, he sat between Fluttershy and Starlight.

Thomas saw his plate full of scrumptious chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream and syrup. He then took his silverware and started eating. When they finished eating, everypony went to go socialize while Twilight took care of Flurry by reading her a story. Thomas walked down the hall, until he saw a trapdoor that had stairs. He then saw a scary looking door that had a black crystal on the doorframe. When he opened it, he saw himself back in Ponyville.

He went through the town and then saw Sugarcube Corner, “That’s where Auntie Pinkie Pie lives, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake, but why am I hearing someone crying?” He went inside and saw Mrs. Cake comforting Pinkie Pie, “There, there, Pinkie dear. You were only trying to cheer him up.”

“I know. *sniff* But he was so special! Why would he hate my party planning?!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed in question. “Auntie Pinkie? Mrs. Cake? I don’t hate parties. I love them. I even enjoyed the treats you gave me,” Thomas said. “AND JUST HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO ME?!”

“Auntie Pinkie Pie! Why’re you yelling at me?!” Thomas asked. “DON’T CALL ME THAT! I would never be an auntie to you after all me and my friends have done for you! But you choose to repay us by lying to us?!”

“But... But I...” Thomas said, until he was cut off by Pinkie Pie. “GET OUT!!” Thomas sobbed, and then ran out of the store, until he bumped into cyan-fur colored forelegs, and then looked up into Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “A-Auntie Rainbow Dash... I’m scared,” Thomas said, as he hugged at her foreleg. “Sorry, kid. But I’m not your aunt, and I’d never want to be an auntie to a colt who’s behavior is uncool. And don’t touch me again,” she said rudely, and walked away. “What is going on?!” Thomas asked. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

He suddenly saw the ponies of Ponyville walk over with angry looks on their faces, and then saw Applejack walk over, “Auntie Applejack, why are you being mean to me?! I’m your nephew!”

“Hush up now, ya dirty little varmit! And don’t be callin’ me Auntie Applejack, because I’ve never been so ashamed of somepony as rotten as you be hurtin’ my friends and family like that!” Applejack said sternly. “Now, hold still. This will hurt a little bit.” She tied up Thomas with her lasso. Twilight came over with disappointment in her face, and Rarity comforted Fluttershy, who was crying in her chest. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused?! I don’t know what upsets me, but the fact that you have mistreated us and lied to us after all we have done for you! I am truly disappointed!” Twilight said. “You know better than to pick on others! Shame on you!” Rarity said. “Please! Please stop it!” Thomas said. Princess Celestia suddenly came over with soothing anger, and then looked down at him, “Like I said to Twilight, “you have a lot to think about.” There is no punishment for you to have, but a lesson ought to be taught.”

“No! No! Please, Princess Celestia! Don’t hurt me! PLEASE! NOOOOOO!” Thomas cowered in fear, until the door closed, and then he was back in the room. He then felt a hoof comfort him on the shoulder. He looked up and saw Twilight standing there, “I felt the same way when I found this door. It’s a doorway that leads to your worst fear, and it’s King Sombra’s dark magic.” She then looked down at him, “Tell me what you saw.”

“We were home... You said I mistreated you all, and then you started to hurt me,” Thomas said, until Twilight wrapped her foreleg around him and pulled him closer towards her chest. “Shhhhhh... it’s okay, sweetheart. It’s all over. It was no more than a bad dream,” she said softly. “We’ll never hurt you, Thomas. Ever.” She then gave him a kiss on his forehead and kept hugging him. “Let’s get you out of here.”

Twilight came back with Thomas on her back. She then sat down with her four legs tucked underneath her and then she saw Thomas feeling guilty. “Hey, Thomas. It’s okay. It wasn’t real,” she said. “It’s not that. I just feel like something’s missing,” Thomas said, then he suddenly jumped at his realization. “The Crystal Heart!” Thomas got up and ran to its resting place and saw that the heart was missing. “No! No! No, no, no, no, no!”

The others came to see what was going on, until they saw that the Crystal Heart was missing too. “Where’s the Crystal Heart?!” Twilight asked in concern. Cadance looked down at Flurry cradled in her hoof crying about the Crystal Heart’s disappearance, then she gently rocked her, “Shhhhhh... don’t cry, sweetheart. Mama’s here. Shhhhhh...”

“I’m sorry, Princess Cadance. This is all my fault!” Thomas said, as he hugged the pink alicorn on the chest while she was holding Flurry. “What are you talking about?” Cadance asked confusingly. “The Heart’s gone and the Crystalling’s ruined and it’s because of me. I didn’t mean to ruin everything and make you and Shining Armor feel bad! I just... I... I didn’t want Sombra to take control of me! He wanted me to hurt you and the others! I’m sorry!” Thomas said, as he continued to cry in her chest. Shining Armor took Flurry from her, and then Cadance hugged the little colt. “Shhhhhh... don’t be like that, sweetheart. I promise it’s not your fault,” she said. “We got to go find it! We’ve just gotta!” Thomas wailed, as he hugged her again. “The poor thing’s suffered so much since Sombra came back,” Rarity said.

“Thomas? Come to me,” Princess Celestia said, as she reached out her royal hoof and then held Thomas against her chest as he hugged her neck and softly stroked her mane. “Hush, little one. I promise we will stop Sombra from possessing you and save the Empire,” she said softly as they continued the hug. Thomas nodded as he felt calm and cuddled with the soft fur on her neck, until he somehow cried himself to sleep in her embrace. They all smiled warmly at him, “Perhaps we should put the little one to rest.”

“Indeed, sister,” Princess Luna said with an agreeable nod, as she levitated him with her magic over to Fluttershy and gently placed him on her back. After he was comfy, Fluttershy trotted inside and took him to his guest room and placed him on the bed and tucked him underneath the blanket. Thomas then moaned in his sleep, until Fluttershy hugged him softly in her chest, “Shhhhhh... don’t worry, baby. I promise we’ll do everything to keep you safe. Just sleep for now. And remember... Momma will always love you.” She then gave him a kiss on the forehead and left the room.

While Thomas was asleep, he suddenly felt something rub his cheek and then heard familiar voices. “Bahaaa!”

“Shhhhhh... Now right now, Flurry. He needs some rest,” Twilight’s voice said softly. He then felt Cadance’s hoof comfort his shoulder. “He really looks exhausted,” she softly said. “Maybe he needs somepony to stay with him.”

“Why don’t you deal with Flurry? I’ll take care of him,” Twilight said. “Okay,” Cadance said, as Flurry flew over and landed on her mother’s foreleg and cradled herself against her chest. Thomas suddenly started squirming, and then he hugged his pillow and firmly grasped the blanket. “I think he’s having that nightmare again,” Twilight said, then Princess Luna and the others came. “I sensed he was having that dark dream again,” Princess Luna said. “It looks that way,” Princess Cadance said, comforting the little one, until he hugged her hoof and pressed his cheek on it.

“Princess Luna! I think I have an idea!” Twilight said. “What is it, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “Remember the battle with the Tantabus?” Twilight asked. “Yes. It was positively dreadful!” Rarity said, until she shuddered. “Well, if King Sombra’s attacking Thomas inside his dreams... then that must mean...” Twilight said, until she realized as she looked at her nephew sleeping in torment. “He must be inside his brain... and causing a void of fear from inside, meaning like he’s... hallucinating him with torture.”

“INSIDE THOMAS’S BRAIN?!” Rainbow Dash asked in concern. “No! Not my precious little Thomas!” Fluttershy said. “Well, we must certainly do something! I don’t even know if he can hold it up!” Rarity said, comforting Fluttershy. “Well, I’ve been thinking. We’ll have to enter his dream, with Princess Luna’s help,” Twilight said. “Are you sure about this, dear Twilight? This could be dangerous,” Princess Luna said. “I’m sure,” Twilight said.

Princess Luna thought for a moment, and then made up her mind, “Very well. However, some of you will have to help find the Crystal Heart and warn the townsponies about what is happening.” Princess Cadance and Shining Armor both nodded in agreement and then walked out with the others. After Twilight and Starlight closed their eyes and gently laid down on the floor and were already asleep, Princess Luna then tucked Thomas underneath the blankets again, and cleared her mind, concentrated her magic from her horn, and then teleported herself, and the other two mares into Thomas’s dreamworld inside his brain.

When they woke up, things were looking pretty bad when they saw the entire dreamscape being the Crystal Empire covered in King Sombra’s crystal pollution and then saw the sky was dark. “So this is why he was so afraid when the heart went missing,” Twilight said. “I never even knew he would be that scared,” Starlight said. “Enough. Let us focus and find the little one before it is too late,” Princess Luna said, as they trotted over to the palace, and then they saw the shadowy form of Sombra appear. “Hahahahaha! Foolish mortal ponies! You are already too late! Soon, I will gain complete control of this child’s mind and then Equestria will bow to me once again!” he said in his deep voice. “Where’s Thomas, you heartless freak?!” Starlight asked angrily. “FREAK?! How dare you talk to your emperor like that!” Sombra said in anger. “WHERE IS HE?!” Twilight asked. “You’re still too late! His soul is mine!” Sombra said as he disappeared and went to spread more terror. “I think I see him over there!” Starlight said, pointing at Thomas’s sleeping form. “Thomas! We’re coming!” Twilight said.

Thomas looked and saw his aunties and run up to him, and then he got up and ran over to them, and then gave Twilight a hug around her foreleg. “Shhhhhh... it’s okay, sweetheart. We’re here,” Twilight said softly. “He’s got the Crystal Heart trapped with him. I’ve tried to get it back. But I’m scared,” Thomas said. “Where did he hide it?” Twilight asked, wiping his tears with her hoof on his cheek while she kept hugging him. “He hid it... in the dark room downstairs,” Thomas said.

“That’s where the door was,” Twilight said. “Sombra is spreading more terror,” Princess Luna said. “I will stay here and keep guard. You must stop him and save the child.” Twilight and Starlight both nodded and took Thomas to the dark room downstairs to retrieve the Crystal Heart.

When they got there, they saw King Sombra surrounding the heart with his black crystals and then he appeared, until Twilight and Starlight stood in defensive positions. “Thomas, get behind me,” Twilight said, then he walked to his auntie and hid behind and hugged her left hind leg, and then pressed his cheek on her left flank, until she used her tail to comfort him. “You will not lay one hoof on thy precious child,” Princess Luna said as she lit up her horn and spread out her wings. “You’re gonna stay away from out nephew,” Twilight said. “Because nopony threatens him on our watch,” Starlight said. “Hahahahaha! Your nephew? You really think you two are his aunts?!” King Sombra asked until he charged at them, but Twilight and Starlight dodged him as Princess Luna took it to the sky.

“Thomas! Get the Crystal Heart!” Twilight said, until he ran over to its crystal prison. “NO! That’s mine!” King Sombra said, until he charged at him, but Princess Luna blocked him. “Stay away from him!” she hollered. “Your fight is with me!”

Thomas climbed into the crystal barrier, and as he slid down carefully and landed on his feet on the ground. He got closer to the Crystal Heart and when he touched it, he was in another dimension. It looked like the dream realm, and then he suddenly got confused, “Why am I in the dream realm? This must be King Sombra’s shadow.”

“Hello? Is somepony there?” A female voice occurred. “W-Who’s there?” Thomas asked nervously. “I’m... over here,” she said again. Thomas turned around and suddenly saw a unicorn the same size as Princess Celestia sitting there trapped in dark magic chains. She had very pale vermillion fur, a curly mane and tail with a gradient of brilliant raspberry and cobalt blue, brilliant amber eyes, light blue beaded necklace around and under her chest with a golden yellow heart and had light blue bracelets on all four hooves with four golden yellow hearts, and beaded headband with a golden yellow heart pendant, and a light blue crystal like tiara on her head, and her flank had a cutie mark of a deep blue snowflake between five blue laces.

The unicorn looked down in sadness and despair, until the boy went over to comfort her, “Are you Princess Amore?” She nodded, until then she felt him hug her, “Please don’t cry. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

She looked at him, and then her eyes widened, “Oh my! Aren’t you adorable?!” She stood up at then remembered her chains shackled on her legs. “Did Sombra do this?” Thomas asked. “I’m afraid so,” Princess Amore said. Thomas suddenly sighed in disappointment, “I wish I could help free you.” Suddenly, a hammer appeared magically in his hands, and then realized he had a special power. “I can summon things while dreaming?! Cool!” Princess Amore was surprised, “See if you can cut these chains, and I’ll help you get out.” Thomas nodded and then cut each chain from her hooves and then she was finally free. “Thank you, little one. Before I help you, can you tell me your name?”

“I’m Thomas. I’m Fluttershy’s son, and nephew of the Elements of Harmony,” he explained. “But right now, Princess Luna, Auntie Starlight and Auntie Twilight are in trouble and I need to get the Crystal Heart back to the Empire before it’s too late.”

“Understood. Climb on,” Princess Amore said, as she leaned down on her forelegs and let Thomas climb up onto her back, and then he held the Crystal Heart in his left arm, and then held the back of her necklace that was on her lower neck with his right hand. She then ran out to the tunnel and made it out.

“We did it! We made it!” Thomas said, and then he climbed off Amore’s back and hugged his Auntie Twilight. “Princess Amore?! I thought you were dead!” Princess Luna said. “I was Sombra’s prisoner from within, but thanks to this little colt, I was finally able to free myself and escape his clutches,” Princess Amore explained. “That’s my nephew,” Twilight said, softly ruffling his hair.

“Curse you, Princess Amore! You and the others will never succeed! Once his body is mine to control, all of your precious ponies will bow to me! The rightful king of Equestria!” Sombra said angrily. “That will never happen... for we can still protect my subjects, including this dear young colt, whose heart is pure, from tyrants like you,” Princess Celestia said. “Thomas... this is your dream. You have the power,” Princess Luna said. Thomas realized it was his dream, and then he concentrated and then came up with some illusions from inside his head. Somehow, his mother and other aunties appeared. But in his vision, they were powered by the magic of his dream.

“You’re all here!” Thomas said. “Don’t worry, sugarcube. We’ll take it from here,” Applejack said. “So you may want to step aside, darling...” Rarity said. “And let the dream team do their job,” Rainbow Dash said. Thomas nodded and then he went to go hide. Twilight looked at Sombra with bravery, “You’re gonna stay away from him, because we will always be there for him. Because he is...”

“Our family,” they all said in unison. Thomas smiled warmly and then Fluttershy gave him a wink. “Alright, everypony. Let’s do this!” Twilight said, and then Thomas summoned some magical features to upgrade them to his vision. Twilight became rainbow powered, Starlight was burning with flames that were powered by her magic, the Crusaders became superheroes, Spike became a giant bulky dragon with wings, Rarity had magical sewing tools, Pinkie Pie had party cannons that can shoot explosive cakes, Applejack and Rainbow Dash became Mistress Marvelous and Zapp, Fluttershy had her animal friends on her side with a giant Angel bunny, Trixie was still herself, but she can summon a shower of stars, and the three princesses became armored ponies. Thomas suddenly watched them fight Sombra as he stood behind Princess Amore’s legs and hugged her left foreleg.

Fluttershy rode her giant bunny, and then led her critters to battle, as they pecked, clawed, bit, and kicked Sombra. Twilight and the other princesses used their magic against him and flew around him. Rainbow Dash used her lightning necklace and summoned some lightning bolts, and Applejack used her glowing lasso and spun him around. Starlight used her super magical beam and blasted it at Sombra. Trixie threw some stars at him, Rarity made him a ugly sweater, and Spike breathed fire at him. Apple Bloom kicked her hind legs back with a huge boulder, Sweetie Belle shot a magic beam and Scootaloo flew as fast as lightning around him going round and round. Pinkie Pie shot her cakes at him, “Now that’s how we make explosive cakes in the dreamworld!”

When Sombra got tired out, he managed to escape Thomas’s dream, and then they all saw him sleeping peacefully with a warm smile on his face. “Guess his vision worked after all,” Rainbow Dash said. “We’ll wake him up later,” Twilight said, then Princess Luna lit up her horn and then teleported themselves back into the waking world. When they woke up and stood up, Princess Luna was still doing her magic to help Thomas sleep comfortably and then they saw how cute he was sleeping. “I’ll stay with him, you go stop Sombra,” Princess Amore said, as she laid beside Thomas and comforted him. Luna stood up and continued her protection spell.

Twilight suddenly saw the Crystal Heart being put back into place magically, and then they saw King Sombra preparing for his final attack. “We better get the Crystalling over with,” Sunburst said, and then he carried Flurry Heart in his hoof, and ran outside with Cadance and Shining Armor.

When they got outside, they saw all the villagers appearing, and Sunburst decided to announce them, “Citizens of the Crystal Empire, I present to you... the newborn foal of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor, Princess Flurry Heart!” Cadance and Shining Armor kissed Flurry’s cheeks, and lit up their horns and gently tapped them onto Flurry’s, and then she rose up and spread out her wings. The ponies were amazed by her adorable appearance, and Sombra started to get closer to the commotion.

When they all bowed down to the baby, Sunburst used a crystal shard and collected the magic from the ground and placed it on the Crystal Heart, and it started to glow again. When it was at full power, it created a huge blast of magic and the crystal ponies received their crystal texture, especially Twilight and her friends, the princesses received it too. Thomas suddenly got his crystal skin and got his hair combed. Princess Amore got turned into a crystal pony. The magic hit King Sombra and it burned him into ash, revealing some of his bones, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” They’ve cheered for their victory, and then Fluttershy nodded at Twilight for thanks on save her son. Twilight nodded back.

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