> Crystal Chris's Heart > by Trillionaire Doge > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Rude Awakening > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Chris's Heart Slumbering. Slumbering is something that has become somewhat of a second nature to myself, lying inside this cramp confined space with nothing other than my thoughts to keep me company; so naturally I’d find solace in my dreams. And finding myself left inside a dream was always something that pleased me to no end, to be anywhere but trapped inside this stupid crystal, unable to move, forced to hear the constant voices that swirl through my head like a whirlpool. At the moment I was of course asleep and dreaming a rather pleasant dream about my life before being trapped inside my small confined prison. This dream however was abruptly ruined when my prison began to move around, waking me from my dream, also waking the voices that screamed in my head about betrayal and sadness. Looking around my lightless prison I found nothing ajar compared to the previous time I’d woken, although by now the only way I could tell whether or not I was awake was if I was somewhere else. I gave up on trying to find a means of escape and closed my eyes; hoping to return to my dreams. “The Heart, Where is the crystal-?” These words echoed through my tiny prison like thunder and shook me awake, I now knew I was awake and decided I needed to see what was going on with the ‘Heart’ this unknown voice had been talking about. As I tried to penetrate the darkness that covered my view I felt another bit of movement and began being tossed around; completely helpless and unable to save myself. “Here it rolled over to me when you dropped it.” ‘IT’ I questioned myself and ran my hands down my body, nope I still had a body, so why were they referring to me as ‘IT.’ “Don’t Move” I heard the first voice command, it sounded feminine and rather intelligent. I couldn’t help but laugh a little ‘Move? I’d given up on moving around after the first week of being in here.’ The voice spoke up again, “You can move, just not towards me” This sentence was followed by a brief sound of magic followed by a clunk against crystal, ‘Ouch, must’ve hurt.’ “How could I have been so foolish, I was just so eager to get it.” The same voice called out yet again, I was starting to think that the voices in my head had collaborated against me now and were simply messing with me in a new way. ‘Foolish? Ha, maybe next time don’t just grab the floating crystal when you see it’ I let the thought go through my head, in complete silence; the voices had gone. Wait a second where are the constant voices about sadness and depression?’ “But then I saw what was going on outside and I.” ’WAIT A SECOND’ I shot the thought through my head, ’What’s going on outside, is something happening to the empire again? Is he back?’ The previous, almost forgotten voice chimed in again. “You have to get out of there Twilight, you have to be the one who brings the crystal heart to Princess Cadence, if you don’t then you’ll fail Celestia’s test.” ’Three new names that I’ll probably never hear again’ I thought as a sombre look fell across my blackened face. “King Sombra is already attacking the empire, he could reach the crystal ponies at any moment. Reach Princess Cadence, my brother, my friends, there may not be enough time for me to find a way to escape.” The voice I pieced together as Twilight spoke, her tone becoming more and more depressed. I opened my mouth to scream at her to not give up but found no sound escape my lips, although before I could try again I heard Twilight speak again “You have to be the one to bring the crystal heart to the fair.” ’That’s more like it’ I cheered from my crystal prison and awaited to be lifted into the air again, ’Time to kick some serious ass’ my happy thoughts were cut short when the unknown voice responded again. “Me? But Twilight” Before I could tell him to grow a pair he was commanded by Twilight again. “Go” “But-“ “GOOOO” The voice of Twilight was immediately silenced by something I had no idea about. Then I was up and being thrown around like a ragdoll in my prison, the sounds of crystal’s growing around me was becoming threateningly close. I felt myself stop and was beginning to wonder if my carrier had perished due to Sombra’s traps he had placed around the heart, if my hope of escape was really just that, Hope. Then the voices returned and I felt them stronger than ever, the first one to come back was a female who screamed out “He’s back, I can’t take it.” This was followed by hundreds more, all flooding my mind in seconds. Then we were moving again, but I couldn’t even comprehend where I was at the moment due to the immense screaming that was going through my head at the moment, “Hey we’re here.” The voice called out again, “We got the crystal heart.” ’Woah, careful buddy’ I managed to get one coherent thought through my head as I felt myself being swung around in circles while descending and then I felt the unknown figure holding me let go, then I felt nothing but weightlessness. Then I didn’t feel myself falling anymore, incredible and indescribable warmth was spreading through my entire body; for the first time in possibly years I actually felt warm inside. I felt myself fly through the air while the voices faded away and I began to hear voices in reality, all exclaiming in amazement at whoever was carrying me. “The Crystal Heart has Returned” I heard an unfamiliar voice echo through my prison, “Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not,” and then it was back to weightlessness for a few seconds. Until I felt myself snap into place, the voices in my head were non-existent and I heard an all too familiar voice call out, “No Stop.” Light spread through my prison blinding me slightly, my body becoming visible for the first time in what felt like centuries, my body began to grow to its full size; the size of a fully grown human. I felt myself be propelled away from the prison which once held me and land on the hard crystal floor. I heard Sombra’s voice echo in the distance, drowned out by the roar of the crowd for everyone but me “I will return.” My body landed on the cold floor with a thud, cloaked in a long jacket that left most of my chest exposed, white drawstring pants were covering my lower region although my chest was completely bare. My skin was a ghostly white, due to being trapped in darkness for an unknown time, although a particular part of my body stuck out; my upper left chest. Right where my heart would be underneath my skin, although at this time my skin was a soft blue around that area, glowing softly against the crystal floor, the reason for having this glow was gone to me as my head swam, clouded and torn asunder; leaving my past a complete mystery. But one thing was certain to me; the glow was somehow connected to my heart being made of the same crystal as the heart behind me, which had served as my prison/room for the past millennia I would wager. The reason why it was glowing was gone to me as the only thing I remember about it was it was made of crystal. I was at this time unable to move as a roar engulfed my hearing, I guess that Sombra had been destroyed, although I knew he wasn’t completely gone; otherwise I wouldn’t have reappeared, although I didn’t know much about my past I knew this. Rolling onto my back I glanced up at the sky and noticed a magnificent rainbow was colouring it, like the northern lights. “That brings warmth to my crystal heart” I spoke and found my voice sounded a lot deeper than I remembered it being, looking down at my body I found It was rather thin but also much taller and leaner than I remembered. “I don’t think I’m eight years old anymore” I spoke and was startled by my new voice, “That will take some getting used to” I almost laughed, the shouting began to die out as I was laughing at my new body. As my gaze dropped I noticed that the roaring of excitement had died down, now there were only a few murmurs followed by a group of slow hoof and footsteps. “It’s a Human” I heard one voice call out from the crowd and immediately the murmurs increased in volume. “But they’ve been dead and gone since Sombra rose up a millennia ago” Another voice echoed through the crowd I planted my hands onto the smooth crystal surface and tried to climb to my feet, this wasn’t an easy task; falling down more times than I could count, everypony eyeing me, almost daring me to make a wrong move. I still found I was unable to stand after a few minutes so I dug deep into my soul and began to work some magic that I held within my body, although it was a tiny amount I was still able to conjure some small magic; so a staff would be hard but I could handle it. I had a realization as I thought of this, I was able to take in the feelings of any creature around me and they would manifest inside me until I could form a tangible object for usage. I held my hand to my heart and started to concentrate, drawing all my emotion out from my body and forming it into a tangible shape, shocked voices raged around me as the staff formed and helped me to my feet. One particular voice rang out with the sentence “It’s the Fabled Crystal hearted Human.” Upon reaching my feet I felt myself being pushed back down by an invisible force, my head forced against the crystal and my staff disappearing and fusing back with my body, as a shadow loomed over my immobile figure. “What are you doing here?” I heard a voice call from directly above me. “I’m thinking the same thing” I voiced in comedic fashion. “This isn’t a joke” The voice called out in annoyance. “No because a joke is something a lot funnier, like why was Celestia’s flank red and sore… because she’s got a sun on her butt” I spoke and couldn’t help but giggle a little immaturely. A hoof stamped down beside my face and was followed by another set of hooves that rushed over, the voice I recalled as Twilight spoke next “How could you make such obscene gestures about Princess Celestia” She complained. “Because I’ve known her all my life, which is wayyyyyy longer than yours” I tried to move my head but was unable to and so I just lay there in silence. “Well so have I” Twilight responded with smugness, “I’m her number one student.” “Oh that’s cool” I responded sarcastically while rolling my eyes unenthusiastically. “I know right” Twilight responded with happiness evident in her voice, the tension disappeared in the air for a moment before I was reminded of my place. “Twilight hush… Listen whatever your name is” The first voice came back into my ears. “How do you know Princess Celestia and where did you come from.” “Also how did you make that Staff appear” Twilight chimed in. “Yeah, that too” Cadence added. I managed to roll onto my back; the magic that was holding me had faltered for a second and allowed me to move before setting back into place. I set my young eyes on the two ponies that stood above me, each one holding a different expression. One of the ponies was a light pink colour and had wings and a horn, obviously a princess unless Alicorn’s were born more frequently since I had been trapped. Her coat was light pink and her wings were tipped in a light purple hue and her hair consisted of three colours that blended effortlessly into each other; violet, rose and then pale gold, she seemed to hold a crystalline sheen that looked immaculate and just how I remember it to look. The other Pony I figured out was just a Unicorn and had a light lavender coat; her mane was violet in colour and held a rose streak through it, she also held a crystalline sheen. “Why don’t you just tell us everything” Cadence decided to add in since I had been quite silent since rolling onto my back, taking time to examine the two ponies. “Well can you give me a bit of time?” I asked and was met with the Unicorn pony getting fidgety. “Time is something I don’t have at the moment” The Unicorn spoke before looking behind herself and towards somepony or something I couldn’t see. “Twilight you should leave them” The alicorn spoke without taking her eyes off of me, “I guess I can wait until you return before looking over him, since you seem so interested in him” It was now that I noticed the Unicorn had been examining every part of my body that was visible to her, thank Celestia I was wearing clothes. “Really!” She seemed extremely excited about what the Alicorn had said, “I’ll be back immediately” She spoke before rushing off, her hooves fading into nothing as she left me behind. “Now then” The alicorn spoke with an aggravated look, “What is your name? So I’ll know what to call you.” I let a smile cover my face as I tried to remember what my own name was, “Ch-Chri-Chris… Yeah I’m pretty sure my name was Chris, but everyone just called me Crystal or CC” “Well then Chris” The Alicorn started to speak, “Let’s get you somewhere more private and comforting” she held an indescribable look on her face; almost angry. “Well that should be good” I let a smile cross my face as the magic surrounding me began to release its grasp and I was allowed to stand, with the help of two guards who for some reason stayed extremely close to me and held my arms very firmly. “Take him away” The Alicorn spoke and received a curt, “Yes Princess” in response as I was carried off. “I wonder where I’m being taken.” I thought out loud and couldn’t help but notice one of the guards snicker at me, my eight year old brain was unable to comprehend why he was laughing so I ignored it and became lost in my thoughts which for the first time were completely barren of the fear and hatred of Sombra that once plagued them. New body, new voice, new people to become friends with and I’m being taken somewhere by the princesses’ orders. How could this day get any better. We rounded a corner and started to descend some stairs until we reached a set of halls where no light other than torches and magic could penetrate, I was led down the hall until we stopped by a large cell with metal bars. The door was opened and I was tossed inside, scraping my knee on the hard floor and landing on my face with a thud. “Stay here until the Princess comes to retrieve you and don’t even think of calling for help, nopony would hear you anyway” The guards spoke in unison while slamming the cell door shut and walking off with a laugh. “I can deal with sitting in here while waiting” I spoke with haste, “But keeping silent is something I can’t do because I hurt myself” I began to sob at the end and just as I finished tears burst forth and I gripped my knee and face in pain. “Why would you do this?” I wailed to the air as blood began to soak through my fingers, “weren’t you ever taught to treat others how you’d like to be treated?” I stopped sobbing the moment the realization came to me “Treat me like this and I’ll treat you no better,” I let a devilish grin cross my face as the soft glow of my chest turned a slight shade of red and I began to focus the magic that manifested inside my body, closing my eyes and allowing my muscles to relax. “I’ll treat you just like you treat me, just as Celestia told me” I opened my eyes which now were glowing red instead of their usual green. > New and Old Friends > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Chris's Heart It was already dusk when I’d finally finished forming my escape tool, a long spear with a hooked point; just long enough to reach out and unhook the keys which were conveniently placed across from my cell. Once I’d finished making the tool and almost collapsed from exhaustion, normally I wouldn’t be this exhausted but since I’d used negative thoughts instead of positive ones I needed to be careful not to let them overwhelm my mind and take control. This meant I needed to only allow one at a time to travel through my heart as to not corrupt it. Standing from the wet stone floor I went to the bars and stuck the hook through. I missed the keys on my first three tries but managed to securely hook them on the fourth before yanking them over to me, the hooked staff disappearing as they slid into my cell. “Dirty, Dirty, magic.” I shuddered while speaking to myself, the voices in my head were returning although this time they spoke mainly about fear of the human that was obviously myself and how I’d appeared from the crystal heart like legend predicted; a legend that for some reason I knew I’d written. Scooping the keys up from the floor I silently unlocked my cell and slid the door open, poking my head out to make sure no guards were around I began my trip towards the stairs, freedom and revenge; my left eye remained a light red while the other had returned to normal. Making my way down the damp and dark corridor I noticed one other cell that was occupied, I decided against my better judgement to go over and check it out; curiosity got the better of my eight year old mind. I came right up to the bars and peeked inside the cell which was completely black except for two green eyes that stared straight back at me, I knew those eyes, I hated those eyes, and I needed to kill those eyes. I got into a fighting stance and started to force magic into my heart because behind those bars was the very creature I’d been brought back to eliminate; at least that’s what I thought as both my eyes turned a deep green; like seaweed. ---------->>>Meanwhile<<<---------- “Cadence, Darling are you sure we should’ve locked that human up? He seemed to know Celestia” A pale white unicorn spoke as he followed his wife down the large crystalline halls towards the throne room. “Shining I was certain that the human would’ve caused more trouble than fixed” Cadence replied without giving her husband a second glance, “Plus he made a very rude comment about Auntie Celestia that I cannot take sitting down.” “What did he say?” Shining Armour asked striding up so he was matching the same haste filled pace that his wife was taking. “Do I need to entertain you with this?” Cadence asked with a sigh. “Why is Celestia’s flank so red and sore… because she has a sun on her butt.” Shining had to stifle a laugh at the simple immaturity of having his wife say something so foalish “I’m sure ‘it’ was just joking around, how old was ‘it’.” “The human was around the size of the last recorded human and looked to be just exiting his adolescent years.” “Really? Well he definitely was either immature or crazy.” Shining responded with a shrug as they entered the throne room which was completely empty. “Listen Shining” Cadence started. “I’m sorry for being a bit cold hearted at the moment but it’s just this human appearing right after Sombra was defeated is wracking my nerves, plus I’m exhausted from keeping that shield up.” Shining trotted over and placed a foreleg around Cadence; pulling her into a tight hug. “It’s perfectly understandable but just promise me you won’t punish him for appearing out of nowhere and making a joke… regardless of whether or not it was foalish.” “I’ll try to be more understanding in the future” Cadence promised, although she didn’t really mean it after her past encounters with a human; back when she was a filly. Although before she could dwell too much on this the doors were flung open and Celestia stood behind Twilight and her friends. “Cadence” Celestia spoke, her voice resonating through the entire hall, “We need to talk about this human you found.” ---------->>>Back with our Hero<<<---------- “Step forward you foul monstrosity” I commanded the two green eyes that stared at me with curiosity. “I won’t ask you again” I almost yelled this time, my voice surprising me more so than the creature I was interrogating. The eyes regarded me for another moment before closing as a deep breathe escaped the figure inside the cell “Very well, I shall come forward” The voice spoke in a feminine tone that was unfamiliar to me. The figure began to move from the back of the cell, taking a little more than a minute as it seemed to be struggling with all its might to move the small distance. “Are you okay?” I asked as concern took place of my resolve, eyes fading back to their usual emerald green. “well…” The feminine voice spoke with trouble as it drew closer, “You try being locked in a cell by crystal ponies while unconscious and then having done nothing wrong not being fed for six months.” “Six months!” I exclaimed out loud and quickly patted myself down in hopes I somehow had picked up any form of food, “Sorry I don’t have any food for you” I apologized while hanging my head. The figure finally pulled itself into the light and showed off that it wasn’t the pony I had been looking for, she wasn’t even the right gender as it was a mare instead of the stallion I’d been summoned to fight. The figure instead was a dark grey coated alicorn with a dark cerulean mane; she looked very weak and malnourished, her wings and body seemed to be filled with holes. She lay on the ground and wasn’t able to lift herself causing me to lean down so I was face to face with her. “You look Delicious” The female spoke as her tongue flicked out and touched my cheek, I recoiled back as she got some life into her eyes “Full of life and love as well” she gave a large smirk. “Thank… you…” I questioned myself while staring back at the alicorn who was now trying to stand up instead of lying sprawled on the floor, failing and instead deciding to sit up. “May I feed on you for a while?” she asked with the biggest puppy dog eyes I’d ever seen, although I couldn’t remember if I’d seen any due to my amnesia. “What do you mean by that?” “I want to eat some of your love, it won’t hurt you in anyway but it will help me recover my lost power.” I stared at the mare and began to think this over, “You are probably in here for a good reason, why should I help you escape.” “You are in here for something as well, so why don’t we help each other. You feed me and I help you escape, treat others how you want to be treated right? Well then I’ll treat you nice if you treat me nice.” “This is a good conversation, you are very nice, unlike the one I had with my guards earlier” I noted out loud, “I guess I could help you.” “Excellent” The mare hissed out like a snake, “Queen Chrysalis is the name” Chrysalis spoke while sticking her hoof out through the bar for a shake. “Chris is my name” I replied and stuck my own hand out taking hold of her hoof. The moment the two connected I felt her grab onto me, yanking me into the bars where she then leant close and stared deeply into my eyes. I was wondering what she was doing before a soft blue light gathered from my chest and began to flow from my chest towards the alicorn in a single line, entering her mouth as she literally ate my love like a meal. “Would you like hay fries with that?” I spoke while unable to pull my eyes off hers. After a few seconds she took on an amazed expression and let go of me, collapsing back onto the ground and beginning to cough “Are… you okay” I wondered while breathless as to what I had just experienced, it felt strange and wrong but at the same time also filled me with a sense of satisfaction I had never known. “Yes…” Chrysalis stopped herself before erupting into another coughing fit, “Just so potent compared to the previous love I’d consumed which I had thought was the best” she choked out between coughs. “Oh yeah I probably should’ve mentioned that I have a shard of the Crystal Heart inside me” I laughed while rubbing the back of my head. “You idiot” Chrysalis laughed while slapping my leg gently from the other side of the bars, “I have to say though, your love tasted amazing.” I looked around in slight shock, “Thanks… I guess” I spoke while beginning to stand and took the keys that had since fallen from my hand and lay a metre or so away, unlocking the door for my newfound friend or customer. Chrysalis rose to her feet and trotted out from the cell “You didn’t need to open the doors since I could’ve blasted my way out” she spoke with resentment, almost as if she really wanted to destroy something. “Time for that later” I turned towards the hall and set my eyes on the stairs “Now we escape,” I began to walk but felt my legs give out from underneath me, the ground rushing towards me. I would’ve hit the floor if it wasn’t for Chrysalis who to my gratitude had grabbed me with her magic, lifting me up and onto her back when I lay against her fur, it reminded me of something in my past I couldn’t put my finger on. “What’s happening to me?” I asked in a slurred voice. “Just after dinner sleepiness, it should pass in a minute or so” Chrysalis stated in a matter of fact tone. “Well can we sleep for a bit, I’m actually really tired from breaking ou-“ I didn’t stop as my eyes shut and I began to sleep on top of the Alicorn. Chrysalis looked from me to the stairwell and let a short sigh out, “Alright then human, we can rest for now” she trotted back into her cell and sat down, keeping me close to her so I wouldn’t become cold. “But after this we are even.” “Okay then” I groaned from my sleep. Chrysalis lay there pondering one thought in particular, "Just how did you survive the feeding?" ---------->>>Back in the Throne Room<<<---------- “So you say that he appeared the moment that Sombra was defeated?” Princess Celestia was now seated on a cushion and had a glass filled with tea in front of her, Cadence sat opposite to her and was seated in a similar manner; the seven other ponies were gathered around the table. “Yes, he dropped out of nowhere and caused a massive commotion” Cadence replied while drinking from her own cup of tea. To the side of Cadence stood Twilight who was avoiding eye contact as Cadence spoke, since she had watched the boy appear and knew that he hadn’t caused as big a commotion as Cadence said. “How exactly did he cause a commotion?” Celestia asked, picking up on Twilight’s uneasiness and deciding she would capitalize on it later. “When he appeared he summoned a weapon and was half naked, not to mention he scared all the ponies who had just been freed from Sombra’s hold” Cadence responded in a friendly tone. “What about you Twilight?” Celestia turned her attention to her student, “You were the one who told me about this human, how would you describe him in your own opinion?” Twilight gasped silently and looked between her sister in-law and her mentor, unable to decide which one she should answer to. “Well…” She started before stopping. “Come ah’n Darlin, Yah know yah can tell us” AppleJack spoke from beside Celestia, she had removed her hat in respect for royalty and held it to her chest. “Yeah come on Twi” Rainbow Dash added before giving Twilight a small push. “Well I guess he didn’t do anything other than lay on the ground” She began while looking around the table, “Then he tried to stand but was unable to.” Twilight looked up at her mentor “So he summoned some magic, which was supposed to be impossible for humans.” She noted that her mentor held a look of happiness and enjoyment, “So he summoned an ethereal staff and tried to lift himself but just as he was about to stand… Cadence subdued him” Twilight flinched away from the table, afraid of Cadence and Celestia blowing up at her. “That is most interesting, very different from Cadence’s story” Celestia noted, “Although Cadence was probably too exhausted to be thinking like a proper princess at the time.” “Yes that would probably be why I acted the way I did” Cadence spoke in the same friendly tone, deep down though she was fuming about how her own sister in-law would sell her out, especially when she knew that this human was connected to Sombra. “But… he did make a crude joke about you Celestia.” “Oh really?” Celestia raised a brow, “What joke was this?” “A really immature one that insults you” Cadence replied. “Why is Celestia’s flank so red and sore… because she has a sun on her butt” Twilight added with a small laugh. The table went deathly quiet, that was until Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and AppleJack burst out laughing, unable to hold in the laughter that was an immature joke. Celestia however was holding a stunned expression “Take me to this human.” Cadence seemed to be more pleased now “Of course, glad you realize just why I disliked this-” “Take me NOW!” Celestia almost commanded, a small fire burning in her eyes. “Of course” Cadence replied, more docile now than before as she got up and began to lead Celestia towards the dungeon. ---------->>>Back in the Cell<<<---------- I sat up with a small content groan and stretched my limbs out “What a great sleep” I remarked with a smile, behind me Chrysalis had one eye open and let a loud yawn out. “Can I have a rest now?” she asked, still half asleep. “Nope, time to escape together” I laughed while standing and helping her up from the ground. “Okay then Chris.” “Time to run” I laughed before jumping out of the cell and beginning to dash towards the stairs, “Race yah.” I looked behind me and found that Chrysalis hadn’t budged from the cell and instead was staring at something in front of me in pure horror, I had no idea what it was until it hit me or rather I hit it… literally. I fell to the floor with a thud and shook my head to clear my thoughts “What did I hit?” I wondered out loud and looking up I took notice of the large Alicorn princess standing at the bottom of the stairs. “This is the human I take it” she spoke in a very familiar voice; I leant around while trying to get a look at her flank to determine if she was who I remembered and then my eyes set on it, the sun that stood on her flank symbolising her as Celestia. “Hey it’s Burnt Butt” I joked while standing up and staring up at the sun goddess. Celestia stood there holding a poker face which lasted until I stared at her long enough for the joke to set in and she began laughing out loud, snorting like a pig. “Chris, it’s been way to long” she laughed before lifting me up and close to her so I could wrap my arms around her in either a chokehold or a hug… I chose the hug, mostly due to how I hadn’t seen her in an unknown period of time. “How long’s it been since I joked about your butt?” I spoke as tears began to flood my eyes, “I missed you the second most.” I cried out into her mane behind her I could hear a chorus of ponies, each voicing their own thoughts of the scene playing out before them. “A millennia” Celestia choked out as she had begun to cry as well, “How I wish your mother was still here to see you.” I stopped crying in happiness and began to cry in sadness at the mention of how I would never see my mother again, “NOoooooo Momm…” I began to cry into her coat, soaking the fur and causing it to stick to her. “It’s okay Chris” Celestia tried to sooth my crying form “She died at an old age, happy and proud of you.” Everything Celestia said was lost to me as I grieved over the fact I’d never see any of my friends or relatives again, regardless of the fact I was raised by ponies instead of humans. I was about to lose myself to the sadness and allow the voices inside my head to take over, but luckily for my own sanity and everyone’s wellbeing a figure stepped out from the shadows behind me. “Chris” she called in a voice that caused my tears to stop immediately and leap from Celestia’s grasp to locate the sound of the voice. Landing on the ground I felt the shock of such a solid landing wrack my body but I paid no mind as my mother stepped out of one of the cells. Her ruby coat was gleaming in the candlelight, her mane fiery red and sending fractals around the room. “Mom?” I called out while starting to walk. “Yes Sweetie, come and give your mother a hug” she called as I broke into a sprint and leapt into her arms, fresh tears sprouting forth. Once we had hugged for a good several minutes and my tears had settled down I began to wonder where my Love eating friend had disappeared off to. “Hey mom did you see Chrysalis anywhere?” I wondered once I had a solid grip on my mother. “She left just before I came down” My mother replied. “No Chris that mare is…” Celestia stopped short when she noticed how happy I was to be held in my mother’s forelegs, regardless of whether they were really hers or not. I turned around to look at Celestia “She is your favourite mother.” “Come on Sweetie I think it’s time we got out of this dark and gloomy dungeon, plus you are rather heavy.” “Okay then mom and sorry, I guess I grew a lot since the last time we met” I laughed while removing myself from the arms of my mother and dashing towards the stairs. “Come on mom I want to go see the house” I ran past the rest of the ponies and up the stairs, my chest was glowing a brilliant purple colour. The moment I was gone Celestia stomped towards the illusion of my mother “How’d you get the image of his mother?” she demanded. “Also why are you here!” Chrysalis shifted back into her normal Alicorn form and just grinned at Celestia, “He fed me his love after I was locked in here by the crystal ponies.” Everyone gasped in the dungeon “You mean he let you feed from him?” Cadence asked “And he’s still alive.” Chrysalis just grinned more “Amazing isn’t it, Sombra used changeling’s to kill all the humans off because they couldn’t live through being fed on, yet he easily takes it and only needs to sleep afterwards.” Chrysalis looked to the ceiling with an ecstatic look “Plus he tasted simply exquisite.” Chrysalis started to walk past Celestia but was stopped by a hoof “You stay in his mother’s form whenever he is around and acclimatize him to Equestria, at least until he comes to terms that you aren’t actually his mother.” “I guess I could do that” “NO NOT I GUESS, YOU WILL DO IT” Celestia boomed. “Did you see how he was acting when he realized his mother had died, he was about to lose it and go insane because of the voices.” “Voices?” Everypony questioned at the same time. “The crystal shard inside him focuses the thoughts of all the ponies in the crystal empire through his head, most of the time they don’t cause him any strife.” Celestia glanced away from all the ponies in the room “But sometimes if he is experiencing a giant influx of negative emotions it can destroy his sanity.” “You say this like you’ve seen it before?” Cadence questioned. “I have.” “When?” Chrysalis interrupted, having now turned back into Chris’s mother, “Also what’s this mare’s name?” “Her name was Clara… Just Clara” Celestia swallowed hard before looking behind herself at the ponies. “So when did this last happen?” Celestia took a deep breath and gave everypony one last look before speaking. “When his human family left him on the side of the road to die because of his crystal heart.” > A New Mother and Explanations > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Chris's Heart Edited/Proofread by JYNRB “So, could you tell us how you found yourself trapped inside my dungeon?” Cadence spoke while regarding the human man-child that was now running around the halls, pointing at everything he could see and trying to replicate it with his magic; to show to his mother. “Well, I guess it could be simply explained over a cup of tea.” Chrysalis, or rather Clara, spoke from the opposite side of a table that everypony had gathered around. As if on cue, butlers appeared from a hallway, each carrying a cup and teapot. Once the tea had been poured and the guards retreated back to their stations all the ponies stared intently at Clara, each eagerly awaiting the story of how she came to find Chris. “Well, I guess I should start from the very beginning.” Clara gave a soft laugh while drinking from her cup. “After that wedding and I was sent blasting off again, I ended up passing out in mid-air.” Clara stared at Cadence with pure hatred, the memory of being defeated still stinging her inside. “Waking up, I found myself to be inside a city made of complete crystal. Even the ponies were crystal. So I thought to myself that this was a sign, I’d been sent here to restart my colony of Changelings and raise the army I would need to come back to Equestria to take over again.” After receiving a few glares, Clara continued. “So I went around the place in search of the leader but found it did not have a single ruler for nearly a full millennia. So I thought I’d take over, only to find that I was unable to draw love out of the crystal ponies, and they found out what I was trying to do and threw me into the dungeons to be forgotten by time. A little like my son over there.” “I’d be careful who you call your son.” Celestia chimed in, barely giving Clara a glance while watching Chris play around in the halls, having the strongest sense of nostalgia she felt in a long time. It felt just like before Sombra had risen and turned evil, the time when Chris had been playing around with Luna; when they were both fillies and colts. “Celestia?” Cadence asked with a huff. “Did you hear what we just said?” “Sorry Cadence, but you’ll have to repeat it.” “Where will Chrysalis and that human go to stay?” Cadence leant in close, “His home has more than likely been occupied for at least a generation.” Leaning back away from Cadence, she began to ponder the choice she could make. “They could always move to Canterlot and live in the castle?” Clara’s eyes flashed with eagerness at the mention of Canterlot and how she could end up staying there. “That is so benevolent of you, princess!" “Then I guess it’s decided then." Celestia spoke with a grin, clapping her hooves together to show she wasn’t taking any complaints that related to her old friend and enemy. Clara looked behind herself to find Chris balancing on a chair, a staff balanced on his forehead. “Hey mom, look at what I can do!” he cheered. Clara let a smile flash across her face, then the smile faded and was replaced by something she’d never felt before. ‘Worry’. “Chris, get down from there this instant, it’s dangerous!" Her own tone surprising her and many of the ponies in the room. “Sorry, mom." Chris spoke with a solemn expression before leaping off the chair as gracefully as a fish out of water, landing on the ground in a roll. “It’s okay darling, just come over here for a second." Clara spoke before shaking her head in disbelief and looking over at the two princesses trying to find an explanation from them. “Welcome to motherhood!" Celestia laughed as Chris sided up beside his false mother. “What is it, mom?” Clara turned to her son and placed her hooves on his shoulders, staring at him intently. “Chris, what do you say to us two going and living with Princess Celestia for a while?” Chris’s face lit up with excitement. “Really?” He looked between his mother and Celestia, trying to confirm what his mother had told him. “Well, the house is under renovation so we can’t exactly stay there.” “Does that mean I can go see Lunie again?” Chris spoke a name that none of the ponies around the table were familiar with; all except Celestia who chuckled softly while nodding. “When we go there I’m sure you can probably sleep in... Lunie’s room?” Clara spoke, questioning herself for using the absurd name that nopony other than Celestia seemed to get. “How long would we stay for?" Was the next question the eight year old inside the man’s body asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement and his face sporting a wide grin. Clara looked from her son to Celestia, receiving only a motion of the hoof as a reply. “We’d be staying there indefinitely, or at least until our house is finished.” “Two questions, mom. First one, what does indefinitely mean? Second, how long does indefinitely mean?” Celestia was the next to speak. "It means you would be staying with Lunie, myself and your mother for a long, long time.” All the ponies awaited Chris to burst right then and there with excitement; instead he took on a sad expression. “But I can’t stay there for THAT long.” “Why not, darling?” Clara spoke, feeling her hopes had been dashed; her one chance to get back at Celestia gone. “Because I’m supposed to be here when Da-Sombra returns!” Chris tripped over his words and then started to scratch his head wondering what he almost said instead of Sombra. “But he’s already been vanquished." Cadence interrupted, wanting the human to just be gone as her past experience with a human hadn’t ended well. She still had a few nightmares about just how ghastly humans were. “Yes Sweetie, Spike and Cadence returned the heart to its rightful place and banished Sombra.” Clara interrupted Cadence’s brooding. “But he isn’t gone, not until I do…” Chris began to scratch his head. “I do…. What is it I have to do….” Chris began to violently scratch his head in annoyance of his shrouded past. “Well then." Clara glanced back at Celestia who nodded slowly, seeming to know what Clara was planning. “Why don’t we go and stay for a week, then we’ll come back and check to see if the house is done?" “Until I…” Chris was too absorbed in his own thoughts to be reached by his mother’s voice. “I think that’s a brilliant idea, I’m sure I still have some of Chris’s old clothes” Celestia began to laugh, “Although I doubt they’d still fit him.” “But Celestia, what about Chrysalis?” Twilight finally spoke, her eyes never having faltered from Clara the entire time. “I’m sure we can handle her at this point in time. Plus, Chris is always there to help, just in case." “Plus, do you really think I could take over Canterlot with just myself?” Clara smiled as Chris lay his head on her shoulder, apparently tired from all the thinking he’d been doing and how hard he’d tried to remember his past. “Mom, I’m tired!” Chris complained as a yawn escaped his mouth, clearly showing his canines and frightening Cadence slightly. “Just get him out of here, right now!” Clara tapped her son on the nose with a smile, “Come on darling, let’s go and stay with the Princesses for a while.” Chris let another yawn out and started to whine. “But mom, I’m tired, my feet hurt, I don’t want to move, I’m tired!" “You can sleep on the train, I would guess.” Twilight spoke while trotting up to Chris. Leaning in she began to examine the human’s face. “I’m afraid we won’t be taking a train.” Celestia chimed in, moving between Twilight and Chris. “You can examine him at a later date, but as for transportation I’m willing to just teleport us back.” “You can take this many people at once?” Rarity asked with a curious tone. “I could hardly be Co-Ruler if I couldn’t perform such a simple task,” Chris raised his hands in a cheering motion, his eyes beginning to shut as he drifted off to sleep. “I’ll see you another time, Cadence.” Celestia gave a warm smile to her niece as everypony else said goodbye to the princess and wished her luck. “Bye Chris, I hope we can meet another time!” Twilight spoke just as Celestia and her two hitchhikers disappeared. Once the three had completely vanished, Cadence stomped over towards Twilight. “How can you be so calm around a beast like him?!” Cadence began to rage. “What do you mean, Cadence?” Twilight backed away, her ears folding down. “You do remember my history with humans, I told you one time when I foalsat you!" “Oh yeah..." “You remember one of them attacked me at a very young age, out of the blue it just attacked me.” “Yes, I remember." “Do you?... Then why would you treat him like one of us?!" “Because it’s horrible to treat someone badly because of something they didn’t do, we don’t know if he is bad.” Finishing her sentence Twilight was backed up by her friends, each one taking a stance on the side of her. “Aghhhh! Fine!" Cadence growled before stomping off in anger. Why couldn’t they see how bad humans were and how that human would do something horrible in the future? “What’s her problem, Twi?” Rainbow interjected, only causing Cadence to stomp off faster. “She's had a horrible past with a group of humans, when she was younger… She was attacked by a group of them.” “Oh dear, how long ago was that?” Fluttershy spoke up. “Just before they were wiped out by Changelings, right before Sombra tried to take over the crystal empire.” Appearing in the throne room with a simple flash followed by complete silence, the two ponies and human appeared. “I will take you to your room." Celestia commanded instead of offered. Although she held a soft spot for Chris, she was still wary of his so called mother. “Yes, that would be certainly appreciated.” Clara responded while shifting a tad so that Chris wouldn’t fall off. He had fallen asleep and was cuddled into Clara’s mane. “He truly is a brilliant human.” Clara found herself saying. “He really is an odd one; I’ll chalk it up to his heart.” They began to walk down a hallway, passing by some curious guards who shot sideways glances but didn’t actually do or say anything. “Why does he have a crystal heart?” Clara spoke quietly, for fear of waking her son and for fear of him responding to her negatively for asking. Celestia took on a sad expression. “That is one thing he has never shared with me, although he had made it obvious he was aware of how he came to possess the crystal organ.” “I doubt we could get it from him, what with his amnesia and everything.” “Well, I wouldn’t pester him about it anyway; it was kind of a sensitive topic back when his human family abandoned him.” “Come to think of it, do you know why they did that?” Clara posed the question as they came to a door. “...I do.” was Celestia’s only response. “Care to tell his mother, who has a rather bad case of amnesia as well?" “I’d rather not say it in the open, or when he’s around. I do hope you wouldn’t go so far as to ask him, it would drive him insane.” “Oh… Okay then.” Clara turned towards the now open door. Peeking inside, she recognized it as the room where she had done her little music piece back during the wedding. It looked almost exactly the same, although there were now two beds instead of one and they were already tailored towards each of them. Chris’s bed had a blue set of covers and the bedhead was decorated with drawing of weapons and carriages, whereas Clara’s was a more adulterated one with a simple headboard and plain white covers. “Wow, this is… pretty nice!” Clara spoke, her form flickering from Clara back to Chrysalis as she stepped inside, her magic failing to cover her appearance inside the room. “What the…” “Oh yeah, sorry, I’ve started to buckle down security since that wedding fiasco, so now whenever you enter a bedroom or somewhere private it would eliminate all magic placed upon yourself." “On edge, are we?” “Considering the queen of the changelings is staying in my castle with a man-child who could potentially destroy all of Canterlot? Yes, I’m on edge.” “I see. Well then, you are right to be on edge.” Chrysalis smiled while beginning to close the large doors. “I guess Chris and I will see you tomorrow.” Celestia stuck her hoof in front of the door before it could close, “Do not do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt or scar him.” She removed her hoof and allowed the door to shut. “What a nosey princess.” Chrysalis hissed while lifting Chris from her back and setting him down on his bed, not bothering to tuck him in as she collapsed onto her bed and squirmed under the covers. Closing her eyes, she relaxed for the first time in six months, no more dripping of water or the coolness of the floor; just pure bliss. That was until she heard movement in the bed adjacent to her own, accompanied by some shuffling before there was a tug at the covers. “Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?” Chris asked in a sleepy voice. “Why would you want to sleep with me? You’re old enough to sleep in your own bed, aren’t you?” Chrysalis responded, not bothering to change back to his mother; luckily he was too tired to notice. “I’ve slept by myself for the last…” He tried to search for the words. “Last more than a hundred years.” Chrysalis let out a long groan before allowing her form to flicker back to Clara and move over in the bed, allowing Chris access to the bed. “Come on then.” “Thanks… Mom…” Chris sleepily replied before climbing into the bed and lying next to his mother, although he quickly moved so he was close and hugging his mother. “Mom…” “Yes, Chris.” Clara replied with a less than motherly tone. “I missed you.” Clara felt a pang of guilt hit her for acting so coldly to him a few seconds ago. He truly WAS just a kid inside a full grown body, and although Chrysalis wasn’t his real mother she felt the bond that he obviously had between his mother and himself. “I missed you too." Clara replied while turning around so that Chris could hug her better, also allowing Clara to watch her new son sleep, his chest glowing a soft violet in the darkness. > Good and Bad Memories > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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." > Crystal Chris and Crystal Christopher > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crystal Chris's Heart “What were you thinking Chris?” A voice woke Chris from his slumber, causing him to jolt upright and look around where he was. He was as far as he could tell, nowhere; a white horizon spread as far out as Chris could see and every direction was the same. “Huh?” Chris mumbled sleepily as he placed his hands onto the cool surface and noticed they were smaller and much like he remembered them from before his time inside the crystal. “Who’s there?” he asked while taking another more thorough look around the expansive abyss. His eyes set on a motionless body and a standing body just beyond it. “Look what you did to us” The standing body spoke in a scarily familiar voice. “You almost killed us… again.” Its voice definitely sounded male and also more than a little disappointed in the current situation as its eyes set onto the lifeless body. “What do you mean again?” Chris asked while standing up and falling over, he had just gotten used to his new height and weight so the change back threw him off slightly, he staggered and swayed for a few seconds before becoming used to his old eight year old frame and size. “Remember when you took us away from the crystal last time? We were about to fall face first into the crystal roads and die by the time I got us back.” The body stepped forward and revealed itself to be a carbon copy of the motionless body on the ground, it took a second but Christ realized that the motionless body was in fact his body and the man standing beyond it was him. “Who are you? Why do you look like me?” Chris responded with hesitation and slight fear, memories began resurfacing; the changeling attack to be exact. Small memories of his fight with Sombra while the screams of innocent humans and ponies had echoed through his heart as each one fell to the bloodthirsty creatures. “I look like you because I am you… or rather I’m your heart.” The man shrugged and caused Chris to shiver in fear, he was exactly like him in every aspect; the only difference was the posture. While Chris’s was one of joy and playfulness the man’s was one of seriousness and control. They were completely opposite in the way they carried themselves, yet they seemed to be more alike than not. “I doubt you are my heart.” “Well that doubt is misplaced, I’m that shard of Crystal Heart you have in you.” “How are you talking to me then? If you’re just a piece of crystal then you shouldn’t be able to talk to me.” “I have no idea of that myself. If I had to guess I’d say that in return for giving your life back I was also granted life.” The elder Chris smiled, “It’s really funny that you didn’t even know who I was until now, I remember you calling for my power all those years before the crystal took us back. We fought alongside each other all the time during that war and we never even knew each other’s names.” “I… Called for you?” “Amnesia must be a horrible thing.” Was all the older Chris responded. “Well since I apparently don’t know your name anyway, do you have a name?” “Dave used to call me Christopher; since I was much more mature than you he thought I needed a mature name.” “Dave?” Chris asked softly. “Oh that’s right you don’t remember our old life do you” the Chris now known as Christopher responded. “A few things are missing.” Chris admitted with a hint of embarrassment. “To be expected, Dave put a strong memory block spell onto you just before we fought him off.” “Memory blocker?” “He didn’t want you to go on a rampage I’d say. You know being trapped in the crystal for so long, a lot of the people you loved would’ve grown old and died.” “So who is Dave?” Christopher let out a soft chuckle and turned his back to the younger Chris. “The Stallion that saved your life and in turn granted me mine.” “That doesn’t really help.” “The Stallion we had to fight to keep the people we loved safe.” “Still pulling a blank slate.” “Oh creators why are you so stupid. Dave was Sombra.” Christopher got annoyed and spat the answer hastily. “Sombra was called Dave?” Chris responded with a tilted head. “Back then you gave two ponies a human name, one was your adoptive mother Clara and the other was Dave; the Unicorn that saved your life.” “Oh yeah,” Chris responded with a small smile “I don’t really remember Dave.” “That’s too be expected considering he’s suppressing your memories.” Christopher spoke in a calm tone while crouching down and prodding the lifeless body that he so resembled. “So why are we here?” Chris asked while making his way towards the body. “Because you stayed too far away from the heart and began to die.” Christopher spoke without meeting Chris’s gaze, but when he didn’t receive an answer he decided to elaborate. “Since your heart is part of the crystal it needs to be near the crystal in order to stay charged, when away for too long the shard inside you will start to lose its magical properties; or if you prefer we would start to die. Knowing that this happened before we returned would’ve been an amazing piece of information but I guess Dave doesn’t want us to be around.” Christopher finished his short explanation and sat down while regarding the two Chris’s with interest. “That’s a lot to take in and my brain hurts.” “That’s to be expected since now you’re trying to break the spell but all you’re doing is causing yourself pain.” “So I should stop trying to remember the past.” “Yeah that would be for the best.” Christopher watched the younger form of himself, “Something that makes me wonder however. Why are you an eight year old again?” “It’s probably because I like being small and able to climb into places that mom and Celestia can’t reach me in.” “That’s always a bonus, even during combat your small frame was good for dodging.” Christopher stood up and held his hand out for Chris, “You’re almost ready to go and I feel this was as nice a reunion as any.” Chris took the hand and shook it with a look of complete joy, “I’ll see you some other time.” “Definitely” Christopher replied before looking down at the unconscious form of Chris, the abyss they were inside began to close in around them; Chris started to freak out but Christopher placed a hand on his shoulder and calmed him. “One more thing don’t play games in your sleep with that princess, your body won’t recover fully if it continues.” “Okay Fine.” Chris huffed in disappointment as the world turned black. “Auntie Celestia, Auntie Luna. What are you doing here?” Cadence greeted her two guests with a joyful smile, until she glanced behind the two and saw Chrysalis disguised as Chris’s mother Clara. “What is she doing here?” “Cadence we’ve come on urgent business.” Celestia began before being interrupted by an erratic Clara “Where’s Chris?” Clara shouted while pushing the two princesses out of her way. “Why would I know where that human is?” Cadence spoke with distaste in her tone. Celestia pushed Clara back and took her original place, “Because we have it in good reason to believe he has returned to the crystal empire in order to replenish his magical life force.” “Why would he need to replenish his life force?” “Because he’s only alive due to a shard of the heart inside him, I thought we already spoke of this.” Clara interrupted again, pushing Luna out of the way and taking her spot beside Celestia. Luna shook her head softly and decided to wander around for a while, turning tail she walked out the way she had arrived and arrived at the top of the castle stairs “I wonder what the Heart actually looks like.” After a quick walk down the staircase Luna arrived at the location of the heart, coincidentally underneath the castle and sitting proudly atop its pedestal. Looking around the immediate area Luna concluded she was the only pony in the immediate area, with the utmost haste Luna made her way to the heart and stood in front of it; her gaze never wavering from the centre where she was sure Chris was. “Please return to us” Luna spoke while placing a hoof onto the smooth crystalline surface, “Don’t leave us alone for another thousand years.” As Luna finished her prayer the crystal began to hum softly, causing Luna to move away in surprise. The heart cracked open and a body was flung forth and dropped onto the ground with a loud thud, immediately the crack in the heart disappeared and looked it good as new. “Owww” the body groaned in pain, lifting its head it revealed itself to be Chris. “Lunie what are you doing here?” “CHRIS!” Luna cried while throwing herself towards her friend and gripping him in her forelegs, “We thought you had returned to the heart for another millennia.” Luna felt tears begin to well up as she realized how scared she’d been if Chris hadn’t returned, the moment however was interrupted by three sets of hooves appearing behind them. “Sister what was that noise?” Celestia began to ask questions but stopped after seeing Chris hugging with Luna, Clara shoved past Celestia and dove towards her son; pulling him from Luna’s grasp and into her’s. “Chris don’t you ever run away again” Clara cried into her sons shoulder. “She’s definitely changing because of him.” Celestia laughed to herself as the third set of hooves came to a stop beside her and cadence entered her vision. “I’d rather have that human-“ Cadence stopped her rant short as her eyes settled on the smile that was plastered on the human’s face “it’s the same smile as that boy” Cadence whispered to herself before turning away in order to clear her thoughts. “Everything okay Cadence?” Celestia asked, averting her gaze from Chris in order to look at her niece. “Yeah I’m fine. It’s just- nothing.” Cadence looked back towards the human and the two princesses that were fighting for a hug from him, as her gaze set on the human she watched as for a slight moment his form shimmered and changed to that of the child from her memories; the very same child that had died from glass piercing his heart. “Chris…” Cadence began to speak, causing the human to look up as his smile faltered for a half a second before returning. "It can't be you" > Pranks and Old Bodies > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Not Proofread or edited) “Chris come on, time to wake up” A soothing voice called from the doorway. Within the doorway was a darkened room that contained an occupied bed and a very much asleep human. “You can’t just sleep all day Chris.” Chris and Clara were currently located in a section of the crystal empire; Cadence had demanded they stay until further notice, so she could check on something over the time. In turn Cadence supplied rooms for all four of her guests and each one was lavish and well equipped for all the needs the four guests would require. After the first night Princess Celestia and Luna returned home, they had duties that they had to uphold but left with a promise of returning when they were able to. Since then it had been a full month since moving in and Clara was beginning to worry. Chris’s room was completely silent except for the tell-tale sound of hooves approaching the side of his bed. “Chris. Darling I would rather not force you out of bed… again.” Clara’s voice echoed with a slight edge. Ever since Chris has returned to the empire in order to recover, Clara had noticed changes in his personality every so often. “Can you let me sleep in for once Clara” Chris’s voice responded, forcing Clara to back up in shock and start spluttering for an answer. With a quick roll Chris had his back to his confused and stunned mother and resumed his sleeping state. Clara recovered moments after and with a short growl, accompanied by “Ungrateful human.” She made her way around the bed and placed her forelegs onto the bed, moving her face close to Chris she took a breath before opening her mouth to shout. She however was stopped from shouting by a hand clamping her mouth shut and pushing her gently away, Chris had his eyes set onto his mother and with a groan he sat up. “You really need to monitor your… Son’s dreams.” Christopher groaned as bags were faintly visible on his eyes. “Pardon?” Clara asked tentatively, she didn’t like this side of Chris and grew nervous whenever it appeared; she didn’t know why but he was just scary. “That… Lunar Princess… always appearing inside his dreams” Christopher stifled a yawn, looking at the pony beside the bed. “She is disrupting his sleep cycle and affecting his emotions, stop her. or I will.” “Okay sorry” Clara backed away further, refusing to look towards Christopher and instead finding more interest in the tiles. “I guess I’ll let you have Chris back.” Christopher spoke while cracking a few stiff joints and falling back to the bed, he faded away and Chris returned. Clara moved back to the bed and found that Chris was more than happy to see her now and had pulled her into a hug before she could react. “Morning mom.” Chris spoke while separating from his mother and leaping from the bed in excitement. “I wonder what games I can play today.” Chris cheered to himself while getting changed, Clara just sat by the bed watching her son dress himself in a hurry. “I truly hope you never find out Chris.” Clara spoke softly as she began to feel her stomach rumble again, Chris’s love was enough to sustain her for close to and it was nearing a month since she’d last fed. “I’ll feed tonight, while he’s asleep again.” Chris ran for the door and threw it open with all his might; the door shuddered at his force but didn’t break. “Come on Mom let’s go have breakfast.” “You go on ahead sweetie” Clara called and watched Chris leave without her, once he was gone and she was sure he wasn’t coming back she reverted to her original shape. “I sure hope he never finds out I’m not his mother, he’s too innocent to be hurt like that.” As Chrysalis spoke her horn lit up and the bed sheets slid into their original place; the curtains soon followed allowing sunlight into the dark room. She was about to sit down on the bed and rest for a moment when she heard the sound of feet hitting the crystalline floor of the palace, with a flash she was back to looking and sounding like Clara. “Mom you’re never going to believe it.” “What is it Sweetie?” Clara called just as Chris peeked through the doorway. “Cadence wants to actually talk to me, not just avoid and be mean.” Chris spoke before looking back down the hall. “Got to go, Cadence really wanted to talk about something important.” “Okay sweetie, just don’t do anything silly.” Clara called as Chris disappeared and ran back down the halls. It wasn’t a minute later that she stood and began galloping after her son, she didn’t know Cadence well but from she’d seen and heard; Cadence was not nice to humans. “What do you want with my son?” Clara asked herself as she rounded a corner to find the Throne Room completely empty, except for Shining Armour who flinched softly at the sight of Clara or rather the being behind Clara’s disguise. “Where’s my son?” “They’ve already left” Shining spoke, refusing to meet the gaze of the pony standing in the doorway. “Where?” Clara questioned calmly, stepping into the room she trotted to the throne. “Cadence said she didn’t want any interferences.” “WHEre.” Clara forced her rising anger down, the thought of allowing her new son to be harmed was enraging her and she needed answers. “He won’t be harmed” Shining took on a new approach, deciding it would calm the changeling queen if she heard that he would be safe. “I don’t care about that.” Clara spoke through gritted teeth, “If I don’t know where he is then that doesn’t matter.” Shining looked up from the ground and noticed that Clara was now directly in front of his face and was staring him down with anger only matched by Twilight when she entered one of her fits, he only hoped that Clara couldn’t light on fire. “You. Are. Going. To. Tell Me. Where. The. Buck. My son is. RIGHT NOW” Clara’s form shuddered as she returned to her changeling form and now effectively stood higher than Shining Armour. “As I said.” Shining began until Chrysalis silenced him with a glare. “Where are they.” “In Canterlot.” Clara seemed to visibly calm down, of course it was all a front as when she opened her eyes a small fire hat turned into a raging bonfire. “Why is my son in Canterlot without his mother?” “Cadence wanted to see something.” Shining answered but could tell his answer wasn’t good enough, “Cadence didn’t tell me why she just said she was going to show him something.” “Oh I’m going to have a long talk with Cadence about stealing a child from their mother.” Chrysalis spat as she turned and began to leave the halls through the open double doors. “Technically you aren’t his mother.” Shining chanced to mutter under his breath, he set his gaze back to the floor and awaited the changeling to leave. He however was met with a slam of multiple doors in the throne room, followed suit by a chorus of locks clicking into place. “Would you like to repeat that?” Chrysalis asked while turning back to Shining Armour. “Oh Buck” “Cadence why are we in Canterlot?” Chris asked as they strolled down the streets, which were mostly empty and no ponies blocked their way or impeded their progress. Chris had no idea why he wasn’t seeing any ponies but Cadence knew it was because his race has long been extinct and these ponies had probably never seen a creature such as himself. “Because I wanted to take you somewhere you may remember.” Cadence answered as they took a left turn just in time to see a few stray ponies rush inside to the safety of the closest shop or boutique. “Why aren’t there any ponies around?” Chris asked as he looked into windows to find nothing as all the ponies shied away from the window’s sightline when he approached. “I’d say it’s because of you.” Cadence answered without thinking, she knew that Chris had to depend of a lot of emotions but didn’t know how emotional he was; being at the mental stage of an eight year old. “What?” Chris asked as he began knocking on doors as they passed. “You mean they’re hiding from me?” Cadence looked over and noticed his blue glow turning a rather depressing dark blue begin to take over the light blue that usually sat there. “Oh don’t worry Chris, they probably just don’t know you. I’m sure if they did they’d be out here playing with you. I can tell that you don’t want to hurt them and if they knew I’m sure they’d be fine.” Chris perked up and started darting from door to door shouting about how he wasn’t going to hurt anypony and only wanted a friend. None of the doors opened of course but a few ponies appeared in the windows as he passed and gave him a curious stare. “Just a few more turns and we’ll be back at the house” Cadence whispered to herself as they rounded another corner and found themselves standing in front of an alicorn and an earth pony; both sharing the same expression of frustration. “Mommy” Chris cheered as he leapt onto the back of Clara and wrapped his arms around her, Clara’s legs buckled and she swayed but she never took her glare from Cadence. “Shining can be found tied up in the broom closet.” Clara responded to a slightly distraught Cadence before turning her head back and nuzzling Chris’s hand gently. Cadence was about to complain to Clara about what she’d done to her husband but was interrupted by Celestia. “I don’t condone her activities to your husband, but I also don’t condone your attempt to make Chris remember things that could make him emotional.” Celestia spoke in a hushed voice so Chris couldn’t hear, not that he would considering he was so caught up in burying his head into his mother’s mane. “Mom, your mane is always so soft” Chris sighed into the mane with content. “It’s weird seeing an adult act like a child” Cadence commented, not wanting to respond to Celestia’s question; though she filed it away for more thought later. “It’s weirder seeing an Alicorn act like a foal” Celestia finished before moving towards the two who were happily reuniting. “Would you prefer to return home or stay for dinner?” “I’m not hungry at the moment” Clara lied through her teeth as she nipped at Chris’s hand when it gripped her mane a little too tightly. “I’m not hungry either” Chris also lied but his stomach betrayed him a let an audible grumble loose which caused all three ponies to grin. “Staying for dinner it is then” Celestia said with a happy smile, “It will give us some time to talk more Chris.” “Lead the way Princess” Clara spoke, trotting up beside her. The four of them set off towards the palace, none looking back; except for Chris. His eyes rested on a certain corner just down the street, he could’ve sworn there was something there, something he should remember, something painful; his hand went to his chest to try and stimulate any memories. “Don’t think about it Chris” echoed through his head in a tone he recognized as Christophers. He was about to go against those wishes. But just as quickly as the feeling came to him, it left and he thought he heard his mother sigh in satisfaction, he returned himself to reality and starting running his hands through his mother’s mane happily. Celestia and Chris were strolling through the castle, well Celestia was trotting more like and Chris was the one strolling. They rounded a corner and went through a set of double doors which led to a nice sitting area. Three large couches lined the centre of the area with a table between them all, a few single armchairs lay off in the back of the room. Celestia trotted over and took up a seat, her gaze set on Chris and she motioned for a chair near her which was quickly taken up by Chris. “what did you want to talk about Celly?” Chris asked once he had gotten comfortable on the couch. “I wanted to talk about what Cadence was trying to do today” Celestia answered in a calm voice. “Was it wrong that she brought me here to see something?” Chris asked with curiosity. “Yes dear, she didn’t ask your mother and therefore did something rather bad, I’d like to ask you to not allow her to take you anywhere without your mother’s consent” Celestia finished and awaited a response, her eyes locked with Chris and she could’ve sworn she saw his eyes harden for a moment before softening. “What does consent mean?” Celestia almost fell off the chair at that. “It means that she didn’t ask your mother if she could bring you here.” “Oh okay then Celly.” “Do you understand what I am asking you to do?” Celestia asked again. “Yes Celery.” “Repeat it for me then. Also don’t call me a vegetable.” “Don’t go anywhere with Cadence unless mom says I can and don’t call you Celery.” “That’s a good boy, come here and give me a hug.” Celestia opened her wings and allowed the now airborne human to land and grab her in a hug with a soft grunt. “I love you Celestia.” Chris sighed into her fur as his body went limp and his consciousness faded as he slipped into sleep. The next day Chris, Clara and Cadence were teleported back to the empire by a smiling Celestia, once they’d teleported back they began to burst out laughing. “Why was there two sticks of Celery sticking out of Celestia’s mane?” Clara laughed as she fell to the floor and tried to tap out. “I’m not one to laugh at my aunt but…” Cadence couldn’t keep regal any further and also fell to the floor with a case of the giggles. Meanwhile Chris just stood over them and admired his handiwork, he heard a soft slap from inside his head and realized Christopher had face palmed at his childishness. “How does anyone get two full stalks of Celery caught in their mane?” Clara questioned while regaining composure and starting to stand. “I’ve no idea but I think your son has something to do with it.” Cadence stood and gestured to the now giggling Chris. “I can’t imagine she’ll be too pleased with this when she finds out.” “Why’d you do it Chris?” Clara posed the question that was on both the ponies’ minds. “Well” Chris began. “Last night I called her Celly instead of Celestia, and then I thought that Celly sounds like Celery and how ponies eat a lot of vegetables and grass and hay. So I named her Celery and she didn’t like it.” “So why’d you then put Celery in her hair?” Cadence asked. “Because she made us stay the night when I wanted to come home and sleep in the empire.” Chris answered. Cadence readied another question but a booming voice resounded through the castle and stopped her. “CHRIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS” Celestia boomed while slamming the palace doors open, causing everyone to flinch at the suddenness. “Hi Celery” Chris responded and was instantly silenced by Celestia’s magic. “You think this is funny?” Celestia asked in a calmer voice, the two Celery sticks floated out of her hair and floated in the air. “It was a little funny Celly.” Chris said while trying to use his childlike charms, too bad without his child body it didn’t work as well. “This childish joke was funny to you?” Celestia asked as a smirk appeared onto her face. “Yes” Chris nodded rapidly. “Well then I guess a childish jokester like you would prefer a childish body. Would they not?” Celestia asked while waiting to see his reaction. “Yeah I guess.” “Glad you think so as well” Celestia’s horn lit up and Clara tried to shout out but a loud bang followed by a white flash filled the room. Blinking the white out of her eyes Clara ran to where he son and the princess had been, although when she arrived she only saw one of the two. “Where’s Chris gone?” Clara asked. Celestia turned her head to the distraught Clara and shrugged, she pointed to the floor and what beheld was a much younger Chris, in a mess of his adult clothes. “A child for childish jokes.” “Why would you do that?” Clara asked, completely against the idea; until she saw Chris. “Never mind I know exactly why you’d do it.” Clara answered her own question and dived towards the child form of Chris. “I trust you are pleased with this transformation, though it’s not permanent and will wear off in a few weeks.” Celestia spoke while Clara busied herself with hugging her now eight year old son. “Celestia what in your name was tha…” Cadence stopped as she set her eyes on Chris’s younger form, she as well dove for the small boy and tried to wrestle Clara for a chance to hold him. “Oh he’s so cute… and yet so familiar looking.” “This may have backfired for me.” Celestia mumbled while stepping away from the two wrestling ponies, Chris managed to get away from them and was now watching as she draped himself in his now huge shirt. “I guess he is as cute as I remember him being.” Chris’s head turned and his eyes set on Celestia, a smile crossed his lips and he made his way over while acting as cute as possible. His reward was a floor stricken Celestia as she gently nudged and cooed at him. “I remember how we used to play when you were young.” Chris got up and whispered in her ear, his voice darker than normal; Christopher taking over. “I hope you like pile ups.” Once he had finished he pinched his arm to bring tears to his eyes and began crying “Celery was mean to me.” Both Cadence and Clara immediately leapt at Chris who was standing in front of Celestia, the two ponies were however not met with a crying human they wished to comfort but rather an angry princess of the sun. “I’ll get you for this Chris” Celestia called out from beneath the two ponies, Chris was long gone and making his way around the castles as fast as his legs could carry him. Once Chris was happy in the small closet he had locked himself inside he happily relaxed against the oaken frame, retreating into his mind he was met face to face with his other half. Christopher looked Chris up and down and after a few seconds sighed gently. “What about this form made them uncouth over you?” Christopher breathed in exasperation. “It’s because I’m adorable” Chris replied while pouncing onto the larger version of himself, they both fell to the ground and Chris shoved his face right in front of Christopher’s. “Who wouldn’t want to cuddle me up?” “I for one.” Christopher pushed the child off of himself and stood, brushing non-existent dust from his body, “Don’t find you all that cute.” “That’s because you are me.” Chris sat up with a reply. “I guess that can be true.” Christopher smiled in response, “But maybe we can use your cuteness to get stuff from the princesses and your mother.” “Our mother” “Yes… our mother.” Chris thought for a moment “I guess we could try to get some free stuff from mom, like a thousand years’ worth of birthday presents.” Chris spread his arms apart as to show how many presents he would get. “Or maybe…” Christopher leant in closer. “We could also try and get some freedom, you know so we can go find Sombra and end this.” “Why would we want to go find him when he isn’t a problem?” “Because,” Christopher began. “If he is allowed to rest he will grow in power, gaining followers and eventually coming back in full force.” Chris nodded in understanding “This would be bad, we barely were able to banish him last time and even then it was only for a thousand years. If he brings an army we will surely lose.” “I guess you’re right.” Chris agreed. “I’m glad to have a smart guy in my head.” Christopher face palmed at how stupid that sounded. “I’ll see you later Chris” he waved as the world faded and Chris returned to the Closet, which had its’ doors open and three mares stood where they last were. “Hey there” Chris uneasily spoke as they descended upon him. “You know Clara.” Celestia spoke as the four of them sat at a table in the garden. Cadence, Clara and Celestia happily sat while Chris stewed from his seat; dressed in childish clothes that made him feel like a baby. Clara lifted her gaze from her son and turned towards the solar princess across from her, “Yes Celestia?” “Chris is in his ideal body for his mind at this time, is he not?” “I think he is considering how little maturity he has shown since I’ve reunited with him.” “Do you think it prudent that we enter him into a school?” Celestia gave a smirk to Chris as she spoke; his face was priceless. Clara seemed to understand the revenge that Celestia had in her mind and decided to go along with it, since as a mother she should have her son or daughter in school and learning to make a life for themselves. “I believe that is a sound decision. Where do you think I could enrol him?” “There’s a schoolhouse located in Pony Ville that is run by a lone teacher named Cheerilee. I think you could have a word with her tomorrow and see about his enrolment as soon as possible¬.” “That sounds perfect” Clara clapped her hooves together and nuzzled Chris happily. “What do you think darling?” Chris’s eyes faded softly before returning with a dignified voice “I believe this is an infringement to our rights, no matter what we answer we will lose and Chris is in shock at the moment; that is partly why I have taken over.” “Why don’t we vote then?” Celestia proposed as she raised her hoof “All who say Chris should go to school raise their hooves.” Three ponies raised their hooves in agreement. “All opposed” Chris shot two hands up, for both himself and Christopher. “Looks like we lost Chris.” Christopher spoke to himself before standing up and leaving the room to presumably sulk with the new knowledge they had received. “Looks like you got your revenge Celestia” Clara smiled once they had left the room. “Yes and now Chris will get an education and knowledge about the new world.” Celestia smiled happily. “Oh my baby’s first day of school will be so exciting.” Clara squeed the words she would soon come to regret immensely. > First Day and Experimentation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- not proofread but I just wanted to get it out to keep you guys going “Hurry up and get dressed Chris” Clara called from down the hall where she, Celestia and Cadence stood with large smiles plastered upon their faces. “I can’t wait to see how cute he looks in those new clothes you had made Celestia.” “Yes it was a good thing Twilight’s friend Rarity was able to make a set of clothing on such short notice.” Celestia spoke back as Chris stepped from the room and looked down at the three of them with such vehemence it made her burst out into the giggles. Chris made his way towards the trio and spoke, clarifying that it wasn’t Chris at the moment but rather Christopher. “I truly despise all three of you at the moment; we will get you back for this Princess.” Christopher finished with a sigh before fading away and allowing Chris to return. “Mom do I really have to go.” He whined in protest, stomping his foot onto the ground to push his point. “Well sweetie, are you mature enough to be a big stallion?” Clara asked with another smile. “I’m more mature than Celery over there.” Chris complained and ignored the pout/glare Celestia gave him. “Oh well darling, let’s get going.” Clara nudged her son down the hall, “Can’t be late for your first day.” As she nudged Chris along his eyes lost their lustre for a moment, signalling the swapping of consciousness’s. “Whatever pony.” Christopher returned as he made his way down the hall mumbling to himself. “Come on Chris I can’t do this, you need to take over for the day.” “Do you think they will accept him?” Cadence asked as they followed the brooding boy down the hall. “I’m sure there may be a little teasing but with Cheerilee there I doubt it would get out of control, he needs to acclimatize to ponies now that he’s back,” Celestia calmly answered. “But why Pony Ville? Why not send him to a school located in the empire?” Cadence asked “Have you even seen any fillies or colts around the empire since you got here Cadence?” Clara cut in as they rounded a corner and noticed Chris waiting for them at a large door his small body couldn’t open. “Well… no I haven’t.” Cadence answered as the door swung open, courtesy of Celestia’s magic “Well I have and a few of them seem a little dark for Chris to be around, plus Twilight’s been begging me to allow her to study Chris.” Celestia replied. “Dark?” The two ponies responded in unison. “I haven’t seen any of them acting like the fillies or colts in Pony Ville, plus it’ll be good for Chris to get a change of scenery.” Celestia answered another question about the odd place for Chris’s schooling. “But won’t the travel take it out of him? Taking the train every day to Pony Ville?” Cadence asked. “Plus he can’t stay out there for too long since he would die.” Clara choked up when she thought of that happening. “I’ve planned for that as well” Celestia had her smile hidden from the two ponies as a small pendant appeared in her magic, seemingly from nowhere; hung on a golden chain was a large light blue gemstone that glowed softly in the daylight. “When he wears this he can travel from two set points.” She showed the pendant to the two ponies and they reached out to grasp it. “I’ve created a tether between the crystal empire and Twilight’s library. He need only rub the pendant and think of either one of the places and he shall disappear and reappear in the place he wishes.” Celestia released the pendant and allowed Clara to take it in her mouth, Cadence getting a better look at it as Clara steadied her walking. “You really do plan for everything don’t you Auntie?” Cadence asked with a smirk. “sadly no.” Celestia sighed softly, “I planned for everything except for what happened that day all those years ago.” “What day would that be auntie?” Cadence asked but was met with silence, the rest of the walk to the hall was spent in silence as Chris battled with himself. A short walk and a few tears later Chris, Clara and Celestia appeared inside Twilight’s library. Chris immediately let go of his mother’s foreleg, forgetting the act he had been putting on to get some leniency; taking to explore the library instead. “Princess?” Twilight called from upstairs which was followed by a loud crash, a few moments later an ink covered Twilight appeared at the top of the staircase; all other ponies covered their mouths to stifle laughter. Chris didn’t even try, Chris also learnt to fall with style that day. However after Chris had been recovered and placed onto his mother’s back Twilight had cleaned herself up and was enjoying a rather lively conversation with Princess Celestia. “So I can study him after school today?” Twilight happily spoke, the sentence causing Chris to tense and grip his mother; the look Twilight kept giving him was scary. “Mom, do I have to stay with her after school?” Chris whispered to his mother so that the other two ponies couldn’t hear. “Of course not dear, here take this.” Clara took the pendant out of her saddlebags she just so happened to have that were totally not full of film for a camera she had in her left saddlebag. “If Twilight scares you just rub the gemstone and picture the empire.” Chris took the pendant and cradled it happily “Thanks mom.” Chris latched onto his mother happily, nuzzling into her fur with renewed vigour. “Also Princess,” Twilight shouted before returning to a whisper. “Why is Chris so much smaller than when I last saw him?” “Ahhhh,” Celestia began and turned away from the door she was about to leave from. “That would be because he thought it funny to prank me,” Celestia began to recount the story and how Chris had transformed into a child. Unbeknownst to her Chris had snuck away from his mother and was buried within the fridge; Twilight watched him but didn’t want to interrupt her mentor and princess. Chris emerged from the fridge with a giant stick of Celery, he snuck towards Celestia and jumped onto her back; playing it off as an act of affection her hugged Celestia with his free hand. “Ahhh here is the perpetrator now,” Celestia nuzzled Chris before turning back to Twilight and continuing. Chris sat up on the princesses’ back and revealed the celery stick to the world, with the precision of a heart surgeon and professionalism of a burglar he quickly tied the stick of vegetation to the dubbed Celery’s hair and jumped off towards the door. “Can we go to school mom?” Chris asked once he was far enough away from the princess. “Sure honey,” Clara uneasily answered as she choked back laughter. “I shall tell you the rest of the story when I return from seeing Chris off.” Celestia smiled happily before turning from Twilight and heading out the door to follow Chris and his mother. Once the door clicked shut Twilight sat there stunned before trying to shout. “But. Princess.” Twilight immediately tried to speak but found it in vein as the Princess had already left “Maybe that’s a trait of Humans’?” Dashing for her quill and paper upstairs she hoped to document the small information she had just witnessed. With Celestia a little behind Chris and his mother reached the school before her and were inside speaking with the teacher Cheerilee, an earth pony with a cerise coat which blended well with her pale rose mane and tail; her cutie mark consisted of three flowers with happy faces in the middle. The building they were situated inside was known as the schoolhouse and it featured a single classroom for a single set of students, since there weren’t that many fillies or colts in Pony Ville. None of the students had shown up yet since school let in just before Lunchtime, allowing the students to wake a little before coming to school; Cheerilee found this method more efficient than having an earlier start with a class of sleepy foals and colts. Celestia made her way towards the doors and noticed as Chris pushed them open to try and make a run for it, Celestia stopped that immediately; picking him up and carrying him back in. “Bad boy” She chided while trotting up to Clara, Cheerilee bowed immediately and stopped speaking “Princess” Cheerilee spoke in an amazed breath. “Clara I believe your son was trying to escape” Celestia simply spoke and set Chris down, “Now how is the school arrangement going?” “Well Princess,” Clara responded with a smile as Cheerilee rose from her bow and set her eyes on Clara. “You’re the mother of the new student that Celestia asked me to teach?” Cheerilee asked as she set her eyes onto Chris “And… this… thing is your son?” “This thing is my son and his name is Chris,” Clara moved closer to the teacher. “He is also a human and the hope for saving the Crystal Empire and maybe Equestria if Sombra returns.” Cheerilee backed away uneasily “Oh… right I’m sorry.” Cheerilee then brightened up and turned towards Chris “So does... Chris here know anything about school and will he be able to catch up to what we’re learning?” “Chris here is a rather intelligent individual with very special abilities which include and are all based off his ability to turn emotions into power” Celestia butted in. “So don’t upset or anger him,” Clara answered quickly. “It would be really bad for Pony Ville.” “How bad?” Cheerilee dared to asked “All of Pony Ville becoming a crater if he is angered, if he was sad I’d imagine there would be a large earthquake.” Celestia calmly responded as Chris looked away in embarrassment. “Worst case scenarios of course, but you get the gist.” Cheerilee looked positively petrified at this point, “Princess Celestia are you sure Chris is safe to be around?” “One hundred percent sure” Celestia answered without hesitation. “Anyway I must be off; I need to speak with my faithful student Twilight.” Celestia turned and walked away, the stick of Celery still tied to her hair as she left, Cheerilee opened her mouth to speak but Chris stopped her by clamping her mouth shut with his hands “Shhhh, don’t tell her” he whispered. Cheerilee sighed and mouthed through the hands “This is going to be a long day.” Half an hour later Chris and Cheerilee had become quite acquainted and had almost exchanged a few blows, broken up immediately by Clara luckily. But as students began to fill the room Chris was pushed into another small room full of paperwork, “Stay here until I knock and let you out” Cheerilee spoke happily; taking on a completely different demeanour as to before. “Okay Cherry” Chris responded while poking his tongue out playfully, he was met with a bop on the head. “Don’t be rude Chris.” Cheerilee spoke before closing the door and returning to her gathering class. Most of her class had gathered and were milling around with a pleased expression, after a quick count she had all but four students gathered in her class. Three of said students were probably late due to their so called crusading as they called it and the other one was probably lost… again. “Did anyone see Dinky or the Crusaders this morning?” Cheerilee asked as she trotted up to her desk and awaited an answer. “No Ms. Cheerilee.” A chorus of answers rang out causing the teacher to sigh. “I guess they’ll show up eventually, we still have a few minutes until class starts anyway.” Cheerilee happily spoke as she trotted around the room and fixed out of the place objects and decorations. Sure enough the Crusaders came bounding in, all three at the same time. “Hi Ms. Cheerilee” they called in unison before taking their seats with the other fillies and colts. Cheerilee felt a twitch in her face but shook it off and watched the clock tick over symbolising the start of the school day, she could’ve sworn she heard a small crash as it ticked over but ignored it and began to speak about the days agenda. “Okay students” she began while shooting a glance back at Chris’s door, half expecting him to be watching through the small window. “Today we have a new student that I would like to introduce” immediately a chorus of whispers broke out but with a small stomp they were all silenced. “His name is Chris,” three fillies in the class turned to each other and began whispering to each other. “And he has come all the way from the Crystal Empire to go to school.” “Is it that weird thing that came from the heart?” Sweetie Belle chimed in and all heads turned towards her, she squeaked and tried retreating into her mane like Fluttershy; sadly she didn’t possess the prowess and failed miserably. “That thing…” Cheerilee continued “Is also known as a human,” she pulled down a chart that Celestia had left for her that showed a fully grown Chris. “This is a grown human and a smaller human will be joining us for class for now.” “That’s it” Sweetie chimed in again “That’s the thing from the crystal heart. My sister told me about it and it looked exactly like that.” All eyes were on her again as another crash could be heard from somewhere but this time much closer. “Don’t interrupt Sweetie Belle” Scootaloo whispered and nudged her gently; “you’ll get in trouble.” “Yes quite.” Cheerilee grated her teeth gently before resuming her happy demeanour, “So as I said Chris the human will be joining us for class today.” A pale magenta unicorn raised their hoof next an exquisite tiara sat upon her mane “But Ms. Cheerilee where is this… Chris the human right now?” “He’s hiding until I go and get him” Cheerilee responded as she made her way over to her small office and pushed the door open. On the ground in a flurry of human and pony was Chris and a light grey filly, the two were wrestling and pushing at each other. “Get off me” Chris cried out as he tried to push her away to no avail. “Help me it’s a monster” the filly retorted and tried to buck Chris but he dodged away at the last second. “Get this pony off of me!” “Get the monster off of me!” Cheerilee sighed and pulled the two flailing students away from each other, Chris settled down almost immediately but the Unicorn continued flailing and squeaking. “Dinky, He’s not on you anymore.” “Oh really?” the Unicorn stopped and looked at her teacher, leaping up and wrapping her forelegs around her she began sobbing into her mane. “I thought I was going to die” she cried into her teacher’s mane. “Chris here wouldn’t hurt you Dinky.” Cheerilee urged the point that Chris was harmless “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” “That is true” Chris responded which caused all students present to gasp in shock. Cheerilee placed Dinky onto the ground and the Unicorn scrambled to her desk “Okay students, this is Chris as you have probably figured out. He will be joining us as a student from now on” Turning to Chris she pushed him forward so the class could see him. “Now I want you all to give him a warm welcome before we start class.” “Welcome to Pony Ville Elementary Chris!” the students all shouted causing Chris and Cheerilee to flinch visibly. “Okay Chris you can take that seat there” Cheerilee pointed to a desk near the front, besides an earth pony who wore a tiara. “Yes teacher” Chris made his way over and sat down at the desk, it was hard and awkward due to his different body structure but he managed decently and paid attention to class. “Today we will be learning maths” Cheerilee immediately brightened up and started to write on the chalkboard, Chris was perplexed at how ponies managed to perform tasks like this considering they had no hands but didn’t question it. Once Cheerilee had finished scrawling onto the chalkboard she turned to the class, “So who can tell me the answer to this problem?” Chris saw a few hooves fly up into the air and he was tempted to throw his own up into the air but decided against it at this current time, Christopher berated him for this ”Put your hand up Chris, you know a trivial question such as this. Sombra made sure that we were educated in simple mathematics and literature.” “But I don’t remember learning any maths or liter… liter… that other thing” Chris whispered to himself, drawing the attention of a few ponies sitting close to him. “Literature Chris. Also you don’t remember your past so that is to be expected but still I know you instantly knew this question, five by five is not a difficult question.” “I guess I know it, but the answer came immediately and I don’t know if that’s correct.” “Only one way to find out” Chris looked up from his desk to find Cheerilee standing in front of his desk, a small frown plastered on her face. “Chris, would you care to stop whispering and answer the question?” “S-Sure Ms. Cheerilee” Chris looked around the room and then back at the board, the question had changed but Chris knew it immediately. As he opened his mouth to answer he was interrupted by a colt who spoke up “Twenty One!” he said loudly. Cheerilee took on a thoughtful expression, turning back to the board she saw the question was nine plus ten; she had no idea how the colt had gotten twenty one but ignored it. Chris noticed her mouth something akin to ‘you stupid’ “The answer is nineteen” Christopher took over and spoke the answer taking everypony in the room back in surprise to the new voice. “Chris?” Cheerilee asked while crouching lower to meet eyes with him, she looked into his eyes and in a single second she watched the lustre within them fade before returning. “Yes Ms. Cheerilee?” Chris responded, now back to his own voice. “Nevermind, that was correct though Chris.” Cheerilee returned to the board and filled the answer in “Good job, now please don’t whisper to yourself during class.” Chris straightened up and readied himself for the long lesson ahead. Chris slumped down onto the desk as the bell rang “How do these ponies do this every day?” he asked himself as fillies and colts rushed from the room. “I’d say it’s because of their demeanour, their interest in the class probably directly relates to their cutie marks and what they mean.” “Thanks Christopher, always the optimist” Chris answered before realizing he had no idea what that word meant, it had just felt right to say it at that point. “I do try my hardest.” Chris was about to retort when a trio of fillies stopped in front of his desk, an earth pony with a coat of pale yellow stood before him, to her side stood both a Pegasus and Unicorn. The colour of the Pegasus’s coat was a light orange, the Unicorn’s coat resembled that of a Unicorn that Chris faintly remembers being light grey. “Hey there” The Pegasus spoke boldly as she held out a hoof for the started human; Chris regarded the hoof for a moment before taking it and shaking gently. “My name’s Scootaloo” she began, “This is Apple bloom” Scootaloo pointed to the Earth pony and then directed her hoof to the Unicorn “And that is Sweetie Belle. We came to say that it’s nice to meet you.” “I’m Chris, nice to meet the three of you” Chris responded as he shook hooves with the other two fillies before an awkward silence filled the air. This silence was broken when another voice came from Chris’s mouth. “I’m Christopher, the second being that resides inside Chris.” All three ponies leapt back at that, surprise evident on their faces; they looked at each other before sprinting from the room. “Nice one Christopher” the now alone human responded once he regained control. “I was just being nice, sheesh sometimes I wish I stayed insentient” “You don’t mean that do you? Also what does that mean?” Chris asked as he stood and began to make his way out of the schoolhouse. “Of course not, what would I do without you and what would you do without me?” “I’d be dead I suppose?” Chris answered as he drew a few glares from passing ponies. Christopher’s laugh echoed for a moment “I guess that’s true.” “I like it when we can talk together” Chris smiled as he unknowingly picked up a few followers, two to be correct. Of the two one wore large cyan glasses and the other wore a diamond encrusted tiara. “I also enjoy the talks we can have at these peaceful moments, before the heart we rarely spoke to each other; Sombra always preferred us to be focused on other developments.” “Well with him out of the picture we can interact a lot more now” Chris came to the library door and knocked on it gently. A loud crash came from inside which was followed by an annoyed “Coming right down” met Chris’s ears as hoof steps approached the door. Twilight opened the door with a sour expression, an expression that disappeared the moment she saw who it was “Oh Chris it’s you. Come right inside” Twilight was so excited she didn’t notice the small camera flash in the distance. Chris followed Twilight into the library and gripped onto the necklace he was given a little tighter as he saw the machinery that had been set up, “What are we going to be doing today?” “Oh just a few tests to find more about your genetic makeup” Twilight innocently responded as she lifted the human into the air and began to hook him up to a machine. Once Chris had been secured Twilight pulled out a quill and parchment, ready to take down any notes or information she got “So Chris first I want to find out a little about your nervous system and muscles. These cords I’ve hooked up will administer small shocks to your body, tell me when it becomes uncomfortable. “Okay Twilight just warn me whe-“ Chris was cut off from his sentence as Twilight threw the switch to its first setting, he awaited the shock but it never came; Twilight’s smile drooped slightly as a few hairs poked out of place. “Why didn’t it work?” she asked herself as she dialled the machine’s power forward more and more until it was maxed out, she groaned loudly before trotting out of the room and into what looked like a kitchen. From within Chris could hear Twilight reprimanding someone. “I don’t care if it didn’t work, where was the warning you crazy mare!” Christopher shouted through Chris’s mouth in anger. “Spike how many times do I have to tell you, do not unplug my machines when I’m experimenting.” “Sorry Twilight.” “It’s alright, just plug it back in please.” “Sure Twilight.” Chris began to shout for Twilight but it was too late, the immediate shock sent his body into spasms and his vision went black, consciousness quickly followed it. “Chris. Chris wakeup, come on darling wakeup already.” A far away voice called. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I promise I didn’t mean to.” Another voice repeated as fast as possible. “Twilight, I expected a little more safety from a pony such as yourself, make sure this never happens again. I also expect a full apology and a letter written to both myself and Chris, apologizing for what has transpired.” “Yes Princess I promise it won’t happen ever again.” Chris groaned as he opened his eyes, his vision was blurry and he could barely keep them open for a few seconds before pain set in and forced them shut. “That’s good honey, just stay still.” “M-Mom?” Chris wheezed from the floor, his entire body felt hot and it was hard to speak. “Shhhh, don’t speak anymore Chris” the voice of his mother responded as something damp hit his cheek. “I’m so glad you’re okay” Chris felt his body shift and something tighten around it “I’m so glad you’re okay” his mother repeated. “We need to sleep inside the heart tonight Chris, it’s the only way for this to heal by tomorrow.” “M-Mom.” “Yes sweetie?” “I.. need… Crystal hear… recover” Chris finished before it became too painful and a small tear rolled down his face. “Clara, get him to the heart now please.” Celestia pushed in as Clara began to grip the necklace around Chris’s neck. “I will” Clara answered before disappearing with a pop to get Chris cleaned up. “So Twilight” Celestia turned to her student who was still laying on the ground in tears. “Y-Yes Princess.” “Why did you not tell me of the Vegetable that was within my mane this morning?” “W-Well you see…” “Chris, come on honey.” Clara bounced a little, jostling Chris around and forcing his eyes open “Don’t fall asleep until you’re back and safe.” “Sure mom” He groaned into her fur before mumbling to himself. As Clara trotted towards the heart she began to wonder how this had happened to Chris and why it had happened. She was unable to find a suitable reason for how or why, so instead she focused on the perpetrators. First there was Twilight, a very studious unicorn with emotional ties to Celestia, her friends, her Brother Shining Armour and… Cadence. Suddenly all the pieces clicked and Clara trotted just that extra bit faster, she soon had the heart in sight and once arriving close enough she dropped Chris off at the base. His body fell slowly before disappearing into dust and rushing towards the heart. Clara swore she heard her son whisper “Thanks mommy.” “You’re welcome sweetie” Clara happily replied before turning away, “Now onto more pressing matters.” Clara trotted away in a huff as the Crystal Heart took Chris in and began to pulsate softly, she mumbled to herself as she trotted “Try to hurt my son will yah?” Cadence was sitting in a large decorated room of the castle, she had a cup of tea levitating in front of her with magic and a book open in front of her. She enjoyed the peace and quiet she was receiving at this time and had decided to read up a little on a book she’d found in her room. The general plot was a princess had been kidnapped by a nefarious villain and the hero went on a quest to find his princess. Cadence always loved this book, it was similar to a book she used to have read to herself and the human who had died when she was young. She turned the page and felt a tear drop from her eyes and hit the page, it had been years since she’d remembered that boy and ever since this new human who looks so much like him had appeared she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. “Are you truly the Chris who died that day?” she asked herself, shutting the book and gripping it tightly to her body, the book reminded her exactly of the book she remembered; even down to the small stain on the back. She found this peculiar and examined the book, opening to the back she dropped the book with a gasp. On the last page was a picture that she and Chris had drawn when they were kids, it depicted Chris as the hero and Cadence as the princess; oddly enough Celestia was the villain. A smile painted itself onto Cadence’s face “You always did like teasing Celestia didn’t you, Chris.” Cadence shut the book again and stared at the cover for a long while or at least until she heard some commotion in the hallway before the double doors blew open and Clara stood there. “Cadence.” “Yes Clara?” “you got some splainin to do.” > Recovery and Old Memories > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “You got some splainin to do.” Clara spoke as she charged into the room, her hooves slammed into the floor with vigour as an anger she hadn’t felt before coursed through her. “How dare you try to kill my son!” “Chris is harmed?” Cadence asked in shock, dropping the book as she trotted towards Clara. “Take me to him now, I’m not as experienced as Auntie but I’m sure I can help.” Clara stepped back and in front of Cadence, blocking her path, “There is no way I’m taking you to see my son after what happened.” “But he could be hurt; I now some healing spells that can help his healing.” Cadence urged her point. “Celestia’s already tended to his wounds, he doesn’t need you” Cadence cringed a little at this. “Always being so rude to my son, locking him and myself away for no good reason” Clara began to circle the princess. “Then you get your bestest buddy and sister in law Twilight to try and kill him, but when she fails you want to go and finish the job.” Clara stopped in front of Cadence and stared her down “I’m not letting you hurt him anymore.” “But-“ Cadence was cut off by a loud slap, after recovering she looked at the perpetrator and noticed that Clara had tears streaming down her face. “Clara?” “Don’t look at me” Clara sobbed as she moved away from the princess, heading back towards the door she had entered through. “I need to go see my son now” Clara spoke before leaving the room and allowing the door to shut behind her. Cadence was shocked by the sudden outburst and sat down where she had been standing, the book she’d been looking through just before levitated towards her. Glancing at it she realized just how awful she had been to Chris. Pulling the book close she let out a silent sob “How could I, the Princess of Love be capable of such hatred?” her grip on the book tightened “The boy I’d watched die, the boy I’d spent my childhood with. How could I have treated him so badly, he probably hates me by now.” “I would not be so sure Cadence” A soft serene voice echoed through the halls as Princess Celestia stepped into the room, with her an upset looking Twilight. “Chris is incapable of hate, he had that feeling locked away just like his memories.” “Auntie Celestia!” Cadence cried as she leapt towards Princess Celestia and was embraced lovingly. “But why do I feel so bad, especially after what Chrysalis spoke of.” “The Changelings are a rather strange species, only the Queen is capable of sentient thought and emotion. This means that she is susceptible to new emotions more so than others, much like Chris.” Celestia explained as Cadence began to settle down from her recent attack. “But why has she changed so much, I remember her being so angry and spiteful.” "I'd like to think that it's Chris, that boy is so full of emotions and memories of his mother. Their close proximity is affecting Chrysalis on a much grander scale than any of us would've thought.” “Is that good… or bad?” Twilight asked, stepping out from behind Celestia, a large stick of Celery stuck between her mane. “Only time will tell at this point, however I can only hope it doesn’t cloud her judgment too much.” Celestia trotted over to the doorway, Cadence and Twilight following close by as she looked out the door and towards the direction of the heart. Clara had made her way to the heart and lay at the base of the large crystal object, her chest rising and falling gently from all her yelling and running back and forth. Rolling onto her side she ran a hoof down the heart, it felt cold at first but after a short second it became warm and inviting. “Thanks Chrissy” Clara spoke as she rolled over and sat so she could caress the smooth surface better. “I know that she tried to hurt you don’t worry though because mommy’s here now. No one can hurt you now, I won’t let them.” As if responding to her words there was a small flash from inside the heart as it became a little warmer than it was previously. “Can you seriously not even go a week without almost dying?” Christopher jeered, he stuck a hand out towards a groggy child who smelt of smoke. “You try getting electrocuted, then we’ll talk.” Chris responded with a cough, dust flying from his mouth. Christopher slowly floated above Chris’s singed body and admired the damage, “boy she really did a number on you didn’t she.” “Us” Chris reminded him. “Of course. I mean it’s hard to remember we both possess this body when you control it ninety percent of the time” Christopher continued floating in circles around Chris. “If you want more control just ask, I’d be happy to sit back and watch myself get electrocuted.” “I think I’ll pass for that, however I’d really like to take control next time we speak to that pink princess with the heart on her butt.” “You mean Cadence?” Chris tried to stand but found his body wouldn’t follow his orders, even in the heart. “Don’t try moving, she caused most of our vital organs to fail with that shock and burnt out most of our nervous system.” Christopher warned as he got closer and began to assess the damage closer. “I swear that mom should’ve never left us with that horrid purple pony.” “That’s a new word for the vocabulary and quite a hurtful word, I’m sure the shock didn’t damage your brain so where’s that coming from?” “Was that supposed to be an insult?” “Nothing of the sort but it looks like school helped you out, after one day already knowing new and advanced words. I’m so proud.” “I didn’t learn that word at school though” “Where’d it come from then? Because I haven’t observed it from anypony you’ve spoken to.” “It just popped into my mind then.” “Weird” Christopher finished his examination and began to fix parts of Chris’s body, “3 Days.” “Until what?” “Until you can leave this sanctum, I’m not playing around she messed us up.” Chris groaned in exasperation, he couldn’t imagine being stuck inside the crystal for even one day, all the time he’d spent inside it before being released and here he was again; prisoner. 3 Days Later “as far as I can tell it looks like you’re all ready to go, unless you plan on getting electrocuted a second time we should be fine” Christopher fell away from the anxious child. “Because it felt so good last time I think I’ll go and get shocked again.” Chris joked, standing up from the spot he’d been confined to for the last 72 hours he stretched his joints out. “Not on my watch you won’t, I’ll be watching out for you whenever you’re around that pony from now on.” Christopher stood up as well. “I guess it’s time to go see mom again, I can’t wait” Chris closed his eyes and tried to contain his joy… he failed… miserably. Christopher stood there while Chris went on and on about how happy he was to see his mother again, Christopher couldn’t return these feelings however. “Listen Chris” Chris stopped and looked up at himself “Be careful around our mother, she doesn’t seem-“ Christopher was unable to finish as he caught a right hook to the jaw. “Don’t talk like that about mom; I don’t care if you are a part of me.” Chris landed back on the ground and stared up at Christopher, anger filling his eyes. “Okay I’m sorry but please be careful” Christopher begged but to no avail, Chris had closed his heart and his ears to Christopher and was in the process of leaving the heart. “Oh that impertinent child.” Outside the heart sat a sleep deprived mare, empty plates and trays lay scattered around her. She had a single hoof resting on the crystal heart caressing its surface gently. “Any day now sweetie” Clara whispered, her head drooping every few moments before snapping back up only to repeat the process. “Clara you really need to rest, I don’t need to control dreams and sleep to know that you’re pushing your body too much” Celestia trotted up beside Clara and sat down beside her. “I… n’t leave… he comes… to me” Clara mumbled between her dozing off every few seconds. “Chris hasn’t come back in three days, he may not come out for another three and I don’t think you can make another three.” Celestia placed a hoof around Clara, “Just come to the palace and sleep, Chris will be happier if he sees his mother cleaned and well rested.” “What do you know… about being a mother?” Clara woke up slightly at Celestia’s words. Celestia was taken aback, Clara was of course correct in the fact that she had never been a mother. She’d never had a foal but even so she considered herself a mother figure to all her subjects. “All my subjects are-“ “Don’t give me that subjects are my children crap” Clara stared up at Celestia with dead eyes, a few tears leaked from each one. “You’ve never had a real pony to care for as your own.” Celestia frowned at what was being said “I’d like to say that you are most likely the same… Chrysalis.” “Do not EVER call me that name again.” Clara growled while behind her the heart began to glow brighter. “You claim he is your own, yet you never knew him until just a few weeks ago.” Celestia continued, angry with the accusations that Clara was placing on her. “Be very careful with what you say about Chris and me.” “Why should I need to, I’ve known and cared for him much longer than you have.” Celestia finished, standing up she walked to the front of the Crystal Heart; it’s light near blinding at this point. “Did you raise him? Did you take him in after you found him abandoned by his real parents?” Clara accused in anger. “Did you?” Celestia calmly quipped and before Clara could respond Chris came flying out of the heart and straight towards Celestia. He smiled happily and latched onto the Sun Princess. “Celery!” He happily called, he grabbed onto her neck and found her and him had begun falling towards the ground; the force from flying out of the heart was too much for the Alicorn princess. “Too big, Chris… let go” Celestia tried to called out before she fell backwards with the Chris and rolled onto the ground with him “Sorry” He mumbled through Celestia’s fur before wriggling out from underneath and going back in for a hug. “I missed you.” “We missed you too” Celestia spoke softly, pointing Chris in the direction of his mother, his arms quickly left the Sun Princess and instead wrapped around his mother. “Mom!” He buried his face into her mane happily, Clara however stood there frozen at Celestia’s earlier words. “Did I really find him?” She asked herself in suspicion of her own memories as sleep began to take her. “Mom?” Chris asked again, poking her gently. Clara didn’t respond and instead slumped to the ground, her eyes closed and breathing slowing. “Goodnight” she mumbled just before she fully lost consciousness. “Well it looks like she tired herself out waiting for you.” Celestia giggled as her horn lit up and she floated Clara gently into the air and began walking. “Come on Chris, she waited for you to wake so how about you and I wait for her to wake?” “Sure thing Celery” Chris smiled as he followed Celestia towards the Castle. “Why must you tease me about my name?” Celestia asked with a hidden smile, she had to admit it was amazing to have Chris back; his positive outlook always brightened her days. “Because it’s fun” Chris poked Celestia to emphasize what he was saying. “I’ll have to devise a crude nickname for yourself then” Celestia lightly kicked Chris. “I dare you to try” Chris nudged Celestia, causing her to stumble a few steps before recovering and continuing onwards; her elegant walk continuing unimpeded. “What about Crispy?” Celestia voiced with a hidden smile. “Why would you choose such a strange name?” Chris asked with a twitch in his brow. ”It’s obvious isn’t it Chris?” Christopher echoed through his head. “Because when Twilight’s experiment went haywire it turned you from Chris to Crispy” Celestia smiled proudly, practically beaming at her nickname. “That is literally the worst nickname I’ve ever heard.” Chris flatly answered back, his walking stuttered for a moment before he began to speak again. “I just want to let you know Princess, Chris is pretty disappointed with you for that.” The now Christopher groaned while walking past the Princess and up the stairs to the castle. “As a result he’s pushed me into control.” “Oh come on now Crispy” Celestia saddled up to Chris and bumped him with a bright smile. “Let us just get this imitation to her room.” Christopher replied before starting up the steps, leaving Celestia behind him with an open mouth. “H-How do you know?” Celestia asked, quickly trailing up behind Chris. “I’ve always known, Chris doesn’t know right now and as long as I see fit he won’t know.” “But why would you want to ruin Chris’s happiness?” Celestia continued her questioning. “He’s pretty old,” Christopher stopped at the top of the stairs and looked at Celestia “The time for being a child has long since passed.” “Why do you say that?” Celestia asked as they continued their walk, Christopher leading the way. “Dave or rather Sombra is making his first move.” Christopher motioned for Celestia to take the lead again “I don’t know where the room is.” “Hang on Christopher” Celestia interrupted, “What’s going on with Sombra?” As Celestia took the lead Christopher followed and began to explain. “I felt something poking around our mind before I was put in control, I’m unable to go back inside to stop it now but I’m sure it’s Sombra.” “Why can’t you go back inside?” Celestia asked as Chris faltered for a moment, his face scrunched up in pain. Celestia picked him up as well and took them both the rest of the way to Clara’s room before setting Christopher down where he sat on the floor stiff as a board. “Chris is writhing in pain right now.” Christopher stated before continuing with, “This Sombra is messing both of us up.” As he finished his sentence as to emphasize his point he began to bleed from his nose, It hurts, make it stop Chris cried from inside Christopher “Why’s that?” Celestia asked, finished tucking Clara into the bed and turning to find Christopher on the floor, bleeding from his mouth and nose. “Christopher! You’re bleeding.” “Yeah, Sombra is dispelling a lot of the memory blockers and Chris is fighting desperately to stop him. It’s a small scale war inside right now.” Christopher looked towards the bed, “The time to grow up came a lot sooner than I thought it would. Sombra is not one to take a break it seems.” “Does that mean he’ll find out about his mother?” Celestia asked with worry. “I don’t think Sombra would do that just yet, he wants to rule the empire, not destroy it.” Christopher spoke before going rigid. “No, don’t show him that.” “Show him what?” Celestia asked, shaking Christopher vigorously. “His death” Christopher spoke before falling to the floor.