Once, a long, long time ago...
Ponykind was in chaos. Ponies in war with themselves, torn under the corruption of the Chaos King, Discord. So the Creation Mother, Faust, Mother Of All Things That Lived On The Earth, sent her two most powerful daughters, Celestia, and Luna, to defeat their brother. So they did, but the effort cost them their mortal bodies, and they ascended from the Earth to join their mother.
As they looked at the damage the Chaos King had done, the three deities wept, and their tears watered a huge boulder, which crumbled away, leaving behind a Heart Of Crystal, which was fathomed, later on, to have great powers, and where the boulder once was, there now was a crystal disk, etched in the markings of the Ancient Elders of Ponykind: Platinum, Hurricane and Puddinghead.
Years later...
A tall black figure made her way towards a small, crumbled hillock, humming silkily under her breath. Her harlequin eyes lit up as she detected a faint blue glow, and she dove towards the source. Her smile spread from ear to ear as she saw a crystal heart, floating above a crystal disk on the ground, etched in ancient markings. The mare put a hoof on the beautiful relic.
Oh, Heart, gleam and glow,
Let the power show,
Give me what I lost,
Oh, I pray to the power of Faust,
To replace what I lost.
Instantly, a blast of blue magic enveloped the mare, and she threw off her cloak, cackling in glee.
The mare cradled her new treasure in her gnarled hooves, yet she knew she could not remove it from where it floated. So she levitated a cover of green leaves, and hid the Heart away for her own selfish reasons.
Decades passed, and a kingdom, made of pure crystal, was built on the far side of the shore. The Crystal Empire.
The King, Shining Armour, and his Queen, Mi Amore Cadenza, were rulers of harmony, and their kingdom flourished under their reign. Yet came a time when the kingdom fell into sadness, for the Queen was dying.
The Queen was having a baby, a princess, and her body was too weak. She had days, maybe a week at the most.
Shining Armour and his sister threw themselves into study, and Twilight Sparkle chanced across the myth of the Crystal Heart.
There was nothing else to be done, so Shining Armour sent out his most trusted Guard to find the Heart that could be the only hope at saving his wife and daughter...
Chrysalis smiled softly as the embers of her song faded away. She exhaled, closing her eyes as she caught her breath, basking in the Heart's powers. She stroked her treasure, but her eyes widened as her sharp ears detected noises. Fearing for her safety and the Heart, she quickly threw the cover over the relic and fled. However, the force of her fleeing was enough to overturn the disguise, and the Heart glowed in its uncovered splendour.
"Over there!" came a shout, and Chrysalis ducked behind a boulder in horror as the guards surrounded her Heart. She watched in muted anger as the guards bowed in respect to the creators of the Heart; the ancient deities, and gently wrapped the ancient treasure in a sack, to be used for the Queen's ailment.
They crushed the Heart in a fine powder, then made a potion out of the Gift Of The Deities. With the power of the Heart, the Queen was healed.
A few weeks later, the kingdom rejoiced in song. For the long awaited arrival of the new Princess.... was here. The whole kingdom celebrated the birth, and everypony partied from day, to night, thanking the deities for the safe delivery of their Princess.
Except for one.
Chrysalis watched, anger boiling through her veins, as the new Royal Family came out to speak to their ponies. Without the Heart, all her plans were wasted! How dare they...
To mark the birth of their new daughter, the King and Queen released a lantern into the heavens,wishing for her the best in life, watching its glow fade away into the evening.
That night, as the kingdom slumbered under Luna's moon, Chrysalis tiptoed into the baby's nursery.
Her eyes fell upon the peaceful infant, her alabaster body wrapped in huge, feathery, pink-tipped wings. She found herself stroking the infant's silky soft, curly, blue streaked pink-and-purple mane, and she managed to croak out her song.
"Oh... H-Heart gleam a-and glow.. Let... m-my power show...G-give me w-what I lost...- AHH!"
The infant's chest, right where her heart should be, had started glowing, an eerily, soft, calming blue. The glow coursed through her mane, which Chrysalis held, and Chrysalis watched in wonder as some of her old power came back.
Her eyes flashed in understanding. Grinning evilly, Chrysalis held a lock of the infant's mane and snipped it straight off.
Chrysalis snarled as the lock of hair turned limp and faded. She glared at the infant, then held her hooves out, and snatched her away.
The King and Queen were alerted by their daughter's cries. With great haste, they rushed to the nursery, only to see a pair of glimmering green eyes disappear out the window.
They searched for their beloved daughter, sparing no expense in the process. The kingdom mourned, for everyone believed Princess Flurry Heart to be lost forevermore.
Yet, in a place no other pony has ventured, Chrysalis raised the child as her own. The Changeling Hive.
"Why can't I go outside, Mother?"
Chrysalis smirked. "The outside world is a terrible place. When you were young, some tried to steal your hair. They wanted its magic for themselves."
Flurry Heart brushed her hoof against the lock of hair that had dulled into a light grey. She shuddered, then looked back at her "mother."
"But you'll keep me safe, won't you, Mother? You and the others?"
Chrysalis smiled. " Very safe."
Author's Note
Ahh! Another story submitted! Hope you enjoyed!
"They only rise on my birthday."
Stars flickered across the dark canopy of the night. Chrysalis' soft snores echoed through the corridor, further igniting the excitement and fear in the young alicorn's heart. Steadying herself, she stood on her hind legs and gazed out the window, silently counting down to the moment she had awaited for a year.
Maybe ten minutes passed, and a small, beautiful ball of light rose up from an unseen point, the lead of many others. Flurry Heart gazed at them in awe, lost in their beauty and majesty. Soon enough, the sky was filled with thousands of the golden lights, and she couldn't help but feel that they were meant for her. After all, they only rose on her birthday.
Time skip..
The phoenix cowered behind the dancing flames in the fireplace, not minding the searing heat. Its heart hammered under its feathers... if it lost...
"Got ya!"
The bird squawked with indignation as its owner levitated it from the flames, huffing in resignation. Flurry Heart giggled.
"Oh, Mena, you are way too predictable for your own good!" The adolescent alicorn giggled, nuzzling her pet's flaming feathers.
The phoenix shrugged.
A ring of heavily armed guards. Alarms. Yet the prize was in exposed, out in the open. Oh, this was almost too easy.
In a clean swoop, the Princess' Tiara was in his hooves.
A guard sneezed.
Ignoring his minion's hushed whispers to hurry up, he smirked and said.
"Hay fever?"
"Heh..Yup... What?"
But it was too late. The thieves were long gone, racing through the crystal roofs and dodging chimneys. They sprinted for
"Today, Mena, is a very big day!!" Flurry squealed, kicking the box lid shut behind her, eyes lit up in glee.
"I'm finally gonna do it! I'm finally gonna ask her!" the young mare sing-songed, grinning as the phoenix, perched on her shoulder blade, gave her a little peck of affection.
"Flurry! Flurry Heart! It's me!"
Eyes wide, the mare placed the phoenix in the fireplace, where Philomena took on the appearance of searing flames.
"Flurry Heart, I'm not getting any power out here!"
"Coming, Mother!"
Within moments, the changeling slime that was her wall melts away to reveal a door, which the all-powerful Changeling Queen comes through, eyes also shining with excitement.
"Dear pet, you know Mommy's bones cannot take that much stress much longer! Why does it take so long to open that inferior door?!"
"Sorry-"
"Wait! Flurry Heart, look in this mirror. What do you see?"
"Well, I-"
"I see a strong, confident, powerful mare with a beautiful mane and shiny hooves . Me. Oh, and there's you! How adorable!"
Flurry Heart grimaced at her mother's egotiscal comment. "Umm.. Okay. So, Mother, as you know, tomorrow's my birthday.."
Chrysalis internally rolled her eyes, but put on a toothy half-grimace to mask it. "Flurry, your mother is feeling a little worn down. Do you mind singing for me?"
"Oh! Of course!"
Chair, ottoman, brush. Mother in chair, mane in mother's magic, brush ready to brush. Flurry cleared her throat.
"OhHeartgleamandglowletthepowershow-" Chrysalis gasps and starts brushing her daughter's mane at a fast pace.
"GivemewhatIlostOhIpraytothepowerofFaustToreplacewhatIlost! Done!"
The changeling half-glares as she feels a slight sting and her power restored. "Flurry!"
But her daughter was babbling away.
"- tomorrow's my birthday! Tada!"
Chrysalis grimaces uncomfortably.
So what if it's your birthday? she muses.
Author's Note
So... I kinda edited this chapter.
BTW, I love pizza. For all you Italians out there, I simply adore your paradise country.
The shopping is great too. It's now on my top ten list to visit again!
