Work Text:
"Once upon a time," The mother began. "There lived a boy with no heart."
"What? How can that be?" The boy asked.
"He didn't need one. He had the strength of a thousand elephants, a brain smarter than any scientist, and the courage of a whole pride of lions. He could do anything and face anyone. In fact, he could do it better."
"Wow, I wish I was that boy."
"Even if you had to live without a heart?"
"Well, if I was him, I wouldn't need it, would I?"
"No, I suppose not. He was rather accomplished without his heart. So accomplished that some people started to feel jealous of him. So they took out their hearts, too."
"Did it work?"
"It did, and they became just like the boy. But the boy lived without his heart longer, and has gotten used to it a long time ago, and the others haven't, so he was still better than them. So, with a phantom lingering feeling of jealousy that was left behind in their empty chests, they decided to kill him."
"Oh, no!"
"Exactly. And they almost succeeded, too, but the boy was able to kill him before they did. But something happened that day. You see, the boy wore a ruby around his neck, and he was never seen without it. On that day, one of the heartless people broke it before he fell dead, and the boy watched helplessly as pieces of the ruby dropped away, revealing a sound, beating heart."
"What?! He had a heart the whole time?"
"He did. Apparently, he stored it in a ruby as to stop himself from feeling anything. But as his heart was exposed, many emotions went though him. Pride for his accomplishments, love for his family, and happiness for finally feeling the emotions that he forgot what felt like. But, he also felt a horrible emotion, and he felt it crawling up to his chest and mind and inflaming both with a horrible sensation."
"What is it?"
"Guilt. He was feeling guilt and he couldn't handle it. The strength of a thousand elephants faded, the brain smarter than any scientist suddenly stopped working, and the courage of a pride of lions was gone. The brilliant boy with no heart was, once again, a normal boy."
"How horrible!"
"Yes, he thought so, too. His heart, the heart that he worked hard to hide was returned, and it overwhelmed him. And so, he disappeared, and no one ever saw him ever again."
"That was a terrifying story, Mother."
"It is, isn't it?"
"Why did you have to tell me that story? Now I can't sleep!"
"Some stories have to be told. That's just the way it should be." The mother smoothed the blanket over her child on the bed.
"But I thought stories are supposed to put me to sleep? That's why you tell them to me, isn't it?" The boy asked, his eyes wide and alert.
"Stories are not supposed to put you asleep. They are suppose to make you pay attention and feel with your heart. For how else will we learn what hearts are for?"