A Fallen Angel

Criss woke up to see an all too familiar sight:

Somepony kneeling at his bedside.

"You actually stayed."

Double Time's head snapped up, much to Criss's painful memory of Marshall, and he spoke very softly. "Hey bud." "Bud." Criss couldn't decide if it was better or worse than kid. "How're you feeling?"

"Well, for once I haven't woken up in a hospital feeling like I've been attacked by a drunk." Criss said with a nervous chuckle.

Double smiled. "That's good. You feeling pain?"

"I don't feel anything."

"That's morphine for ya'."

They sat in awkward silence for a few more seconds, before they both tried to talk.

"Look, I-" "Listen, kid-" They both stopped, looking at each other before they hastily swapped apologies.

"You go first, kid."

"Okay. I'm greatful that you stayed, even after the operation was done." Even if he wouldn't be able to remember it, it had been nice to have another friend to confide in. "Anyway," Criss wanted to change the subject: he was blushing a bit. He hadn't really felt proper thanking a pony that took his life away. "What were you going to say?"

"Huh?-Oh yeah. Um, I told Luna you were asleep, and to come back in three hours, two and three quart-hours ago." Criss didn't understand what Double had just said. He did understand "She'll be here in fifteen minutes. Actually, closer to ten, now."

Criss looked down at his bed. "Oh. I guess I have to talk to her, don't I?" Double nodded. "Well, may as well get this over with. Can you help me sit up more?"

Double reached down and fiddled with something. He chuckled as, when the bed started moving, Criss damn near jumped a hoof. "Magical beds. One of the bonuses of being in the palace, rather than a hospital."

"Oh." Criss sat fascinated as the bed bent in the middle until he was sitting up straight.

The doors of the hospital-wing cracked open, and Luna peaked her head around the corner. It would have been kind of funny if Criss hadn't been so worried. Upon seeing Criss awake, (and not crying) she pushed the door open the rest of the way and walked up to Criss. Criss realised he had nothing to talk about, and almost immediately started getting flustered. But then his critical mind set in, and realised she'd probably be asking him questions.

Sure enough. "Hello.. Criss?" It was more of a question, so Criss nodded. "Very good. Hello Criss, we haven't had the pleasure to meet you. How do you feel?"

...She was using plurals. His voice came out in a tone just above a murmur. "...Okay." Clearing his throat, Criss tried again. "I'm okay."

"We are very pleased to hear you are okay. The doctor told us about your operation and how scared you were-" (Criss blushed) "-and we were immediatly worried about your safety."

Clearing his throat again, Criss tried to show courage for his friends, and for his mom. Probably why his voice cracked "I'm-" Clearing his throat again "Thank you for your concern."

"Criss, I'm going to be very plain with you right now." This sounded really good, or really bad. "Do you want to actually go to E-gen?"

That caught him off guard. He hadn't expected to have a choice. His natural reaction took over and he said "No, I just want to go home." That is, he would've, but A, it wasn't an option, and B, his mouth decided to take over.

"I don't know."

Luna nodded, a small smile crossing her face. "That's alright."

"I wish I knew more about what was going to happen. But it wouldn't matter anyway, because I'd be losing my memories."

Nodding again, Luna said "That's true. You have our sympathies."

Criss started tearing up. Again. His brain really hated the rest of his body, as it seemed to grow a consciousness of it's own. "To tell the truth, I think I'm mostly worried about losing the memory of Krystal and Marshall." And my mom.

"Shhh... Criss, please, don't cry."

"B-b-but I'm stuck, because I either go to a new home and start a new life, or go to E-gen with no memories." Criss sniffed, and winced as he had a realisation. "And if I went home, my father would probably end up killing me." He wanted to add "My life's so unfair.", but that made him sound weak.

"Sleep, child."

Those last words were like a spell. Maybe they were. Whether they were or not, Criss fell asleep crying into his pillow.

"So, Luna, what do you make of him now?"

"He seems like a scared little pony who doesn't want to be hurt anymore. Nor does he want to forget he was hurt."

They had left once Criss had fallen asleep, and both of them had decided they could use a coffee. Once that had been decided, they had walked into the mess-hall to use one of the coffee vending machines. Now thats where they stood, Double sipping his coffee while Luna decided what she wanted.

"This one looks good..." she murmured as she pushed a button. To Double she said "I'm sure of your decision, but I'm glad he doesn't know what he wants. I think he expected to be dragged off without a choice. I don't think he's ever had a choice in what he did."

"Yes, it's good to know he's thinking both ways." Double said thoughtfully. When Luna asked Criss if he wanted to go or not, Double was sure he'd say "No." or at least, "Not to E-gen." It was surprising when Criss had said he was worried about going home. Maybe being away from his father in general was a good idea. It seemed with Criss a little generosity, and a lot of patience, could go a long way.

"One way to make sure he's not hurt is to give him the training to not be hurt, anymore."

"Still, I'm not sure if he'd be happy going to E-gen or not." Luna said.

Double gazed out the window, into the night sky. "Y'know, Luna, your sky is beautiful."

Luna smiled. "Thank you, Double."

"But in relation to Criss; I think that he wouldn't be happy about going into E-gen. Maybe not angry, or sad. But definitly not happy." Double scratched his stubble. "However, I think he'll be happier in the long run. I refuse to look that far into his future, however."

Luna sighed. "It'd be easier if you did, but I understand."

They were joined by a third guest, not unwelcome in anyway. "Hello, Double. Hello, Luna"

"Hello Sister." "Hello Celestia." was the unified response.

Celestia glanced from one to the other. "Can't sleep? Or haven't tried yet?"

"Haven't tried." Luna answered for both. "Though I'm sure I wouldn't be able to if I did."

Celestia gave Luna a questioning glance. "Oh? Why? What's the matter?"

"The child."

"Oh."

Double stepped aside as Celestia went to aquire her own coffee. Coming back with a third floating cup, she asked both of them. "What is the problem with the child?"

Double answered first this time. "Well, until he got here he was sure he wanted to leave. He told me so himself." Celestia nodded, allowing him to continue. "Once here however, he's seem to have had a change of heart. Not a complete one eighty, or even a quarter turn. He's just not sure anymore. He seems to be worried about losing memories. Once he actually was asked what he wanted, though, he wasn't sure if he didn't want E-gen, either."

Luna joined in. "He is also pretty shaky about going to E-gen, but we both know that there are far worse paths if he chooses otherwise."

Celestia said unhelpfully "I see."

"It'd help if he was older than a foal. Then it wouldn't be so unfair."

Celestia cut her off with a perceptive smile. "That's why I said it had to be a foal. Also, that's why he couldn't want to come.  An innocent youth, so you'd know you were ending a life."

So that's why. Double thought. Celestia was teaching them why she had been so hesitant. Her form of torture was guilt-trips. Definitely harsh ones.

Celestia cut through his thoughts like a knife. "Knowing you are ending a life, do you wish to continue?"

Double nodded. "Knowing the alternative leaves me with no other path than that one."

Luna agreed. "I've seen his spirit. It would be better that altered then gone forever."

Celestia sighed. "You realise you get only him, correct? Any others you see, no matter how horrid their lives, will never again get Criss's chance."

Double and Luna nodded simultaneously.

Celestia glanced from one to the other, than smiled. "Good. Now, off to bed."