Crystal yawned as she trotted with as much energy she could muster on her way to spend the evening with Winterspear and company. Between school, writing, and trying to find time with Velvet, she hardly had any time for herself before she would enter the most awkward part of her days: visiting with Silent's family.
Iridescence had been unable to garner any information on Silent Knight's whereabouts or expected return, which put everypony on edge. Wallflower hardly moved from her spot on the couch, staring at the door, waiting for it to open. Winterspear tried desperately to find some way to keep her own sanity while trying to engage her mother in any form of normal conversation. Iridescence did her best to support her marefriend, and most nights that meant keeping Dot occupied.
Crystal was left with the ill-defined role of making tea. Finally, that night, she looked up from the half-eaten cookie on her plate and asked, "Wallflower, do you have any hobbies?"
Winterspear's wide-eyed gaze turned on her and she opened her mouth to speak, but Wallflower cut in with the simple reply of "Hobbies?"
Crystal bobbed her head. "Yes, ma'am. Hobbies. Making tea is a hobby of mine and is very relaxing for me. My friend's mother has recently taken up knitting."
Wallflower slowly raised one brow. "Knitting." She turned her head to look at Winterspear. "She wants me to knit, as if I were an old grey mare."
Winterspear's ears folded back. "I don't think she means it that way, Mom."
"I would indeed hope not," Wallflower retorted with a derisive snort, returning her gaze to Crystal. "And why should I knit?"
Crystal turned the teacup slowly in her magic, then wrapped her hooves around it to absorb its warmth through them. "It doesn't have to be knitting, you know. A hobby can take your mind off an unpleasant situation."
"If the situation is so unpleasant for you, then I'll remind you that you don't have to be here."
Winterspear jumped to her hooves. "Mom!"
Crystal held Wallflower's gaze firm and steady. "I wasn't calling it unpleasant for myself, ma'am."
"Is that so?" Wallflower didn't waver. She certainly had nerves of steel for not being a soldier herself, only the wife of one. The tension didn't diminish any when she said, "Then I'll try it."
---
Two weeks went by at an agonizing crawl until, slowly, the unease that sat in the edge of every conversation began to lift. Crystal peeked over the cards held in her magic to see Wallflower's perfect poker face staring back at her.
"And the goal," Wallflower started to ask for the third time, "is to amass fifteen points?"
Winterspear groaned while Iridescence smiled politely. "Yes, ma'am."
"I see." There was a pause before Wallflower laid down a card. "Then all ponies will pass a treasure to their left, and because of my affinity, I choose what is passed. I will take Iridescence's diamond. That puts me at fifteen points and I win." Her ears pinned back. "How is this fun?"
Crystal tried to hide her smile. "It's usually even more fun when you win like that."
Wallflower sighed and pushed her chair back to rise to her hooves. "I think we can cross this off as another hobby that is not for me." As she walked into an adjoining room, the muscles along her sides and flank twitched with nervous agitation.
"We've tried everything," Winterspear said, dropping her head to the table. "That's it. Give it up. My mother is incapable of enjoying herself."
Iridescence rubbed her partner's back. "Aww, sorry, honey. I was sure that time we had her hooked."
Crystal idly gathered up the cards into their appropriate decks. She glanced up at Iridescence and asked, "Still no word on when he'll return?"
Iridescence's light smile fell and she shook her head. "Nothing that anypony will tell me, anyway."
Wallflower leaned back into the room, her brow furrowed and her tone hesitant as she asked, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but is this Princess Luna and Silent Knight on the cover of this book?"
All three mares jolted upright and stared at each other in perfect silence.
Wallflower waited before she looked at the novel in her hooves. "Is this a romance novel... about my son and a princess?"
Crystal finally sputtered, "I-it is a romance novel, yes, ma'am."
"But it's not Silent Knight," Winterspear cut in. "It's just a royal guard."
Crystal nodded. "That's right. Sir Chevalier's eyes are violet."
"Exactly, his eyes are—" Iridescence stopped to stare at Crystal, one brow raised, a puzzled grin on her lips. "What?"
Wallflower walked past where they sat at the dinner table to seat herself on the couch. They watched while she flipped the book open and paused to stare at the inside cover. One ear started to turn toward the mares before it flicked back into place.
"I'm so sorry," Winterspear whispered. "That's Silent Knight's copy!"
Crystal swallowed, chewed her lip, then shook her head. "It's fine. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I only signed it with my full name trying to impress a stallion I thought was cute." She frowned and muttered, "Me and my stupid past self."
They all turned to look at Wallflower again, whose gaze was focused on the book. Iridescence reached over and patted Crystal on the shoulder while she and Winterspear gazed at her with pity.
The only saving grace that came to Crystal's mind was that the story was tame and aside from having her little secret revealed, there was nothing inherently embarrassing about it. The back of her neck started to feel hot as a few other, much more incriminating pieces of work came to mind and slowly, she buried her face in her hooves at how utterly inappropriate of a moment it was to think of them.
---
It was nearing three weeks and there was still no sign of Silent, which was becoming an ever-increasing source of stress—not in the family life, which had settled into an odd normalcy, but in the war of Crystal's mind.
She sat in the privacy of her bedroom, rereading her secret, unpublished short story. When she had written it, it had quelled the uncomfortable sparks of heat. Now, however, was a different matter. Her inner turmoil made everything so awkward. She wanted to run her hooves through his mane, to know what it was like to have his weight against her... and lately, those thoughts nearly sickened her.
With a frustrated sigh, she threw the notebook across her room and flopped onto her side, burying her face into her pillow. It was wrong! They were only dating and, to make matters worse, she was waiting for him to return so they could tell him his father was dead. There could not possibly be a worse time to have such heated thoughts.
Her eyes widened and she jolted upright. She needed a distraction, and a game store had just recently opened up not too far away from home. All she had to do was pick a nice, boring strategy game and take it over to play with Winterspear and Iridescence. Being around his family would remind her embarrassing little voice of just what sort of situation she was in.
Each step along the cobblestone streets seemed to land with a heavy weight as her thoughts spun around and around. Perhaps her mother had been right and writing romance novels was a 'tawdry affair' and would 'corrupt her mind'. Why couldn't she just keep these feelings under control a couple months longer?
The Crystal Delicacy, she discovered upon arrival, was quite the classy establishment, which wasn't much of a surprise given the more upscale district of Canterlot it was in. Crystal paused just inside the doorway to look around the posh interior, wide-eyed.
Most of the shelf space was filled with beautiful crystal figurines carved into the most wondrous of designs. Some were of the Crystal Palace while others were of the much more familiar Canterlot Castle. The other figures ranged from the well-known princesses to the more obscure Starswirl the Bearded, as well as mighty creatures such as dragons, chimeras, and more.
The further she walked into the store, the more the merchandise transitioned into the gaming world. The crystal figurines became painted miniatures and the shelves displayed all manners of games. Her gaze drifted over the selection of strategic war games and though she had convinced herself that was what she needed, each one looked terribly boring to her.
"Hello," a voice called to her right and Crystal looked to see a light red mare standing behind the counter. "Welcome to Crystal Delicacy. My name's Ruby Moon." She smiled. "May I help you find something in particular?"
Crystal shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm fine. I'm just browsing."
Ruby's two-toned pink mane bounced as she bobbed her head. "All right, just let me know if there's anything you need."
Crystal nodded and returned her attention to the collection of games. She spied the base set for Airship Armada and couldn't help a smile. Perhaps she'd buy it for herself and try to get interested in it, but on the other hoof, it was one of the ways Runic and Silent bonded. She struck that from her list of options and continued looking.
Off to the side of the second bookcase, on one of the higher shelves, a title caught Crystal's eye: Fantasy Affairs. Her ears stood straight up when she read the rather suggestive blurb and noticed the other games around it, such as Bedroom Bucks and the very unsubtle SexXx.
"Something catch your eye?" Ruby asked, her voice a little deeper than before, a cat-like grin on her face. "I recommend Bedroom Bucks if your partner is a stallion. If you have multiple partners—"
"That's quite all right!" Crystal practically shrieked, looking at Ruby with wide eyes. "I-I was just looking. Now I'm looking at other titles." Her magic grabbed the first game with a soldier on it she saw. "Now I'm buying this!" She almost slammed the box onto the counter.
Ruby chuckled as she lifted and dropped her shoulders in a lighthearted shrug. "If you're sure. I have even more intimate games in the back if you're—"
"N-not interested!" Crystal fetched the bits from her bag and picked the game back up, tossing the coins in its place. "Thank you!"
After she hurriedly left the store, she slapped her hoof to her face. That was the opposite of what she wanted! With a heavy sigh, she started the walk home.
Clearly, the distraction technique wasn't going to work. She had to face the issue head-on... but how?
A thought struck her and she changed her course to head toward a different set of condominiums. Doubt wriggled its way into her determination the closer she got, however. What if she was making a mistake? Could she really handle looking a pony in the eye, telling them what was going on in her mind, and accept their judgment? However, the better question was, could she handle letting these feelings fester and having something happen at the wrong time?
Crystal stopped to take a breath and, after a moment of hesitation, knocked on the door. When it opened, she dropped her gaze to stare at the floor.
"Crystal?" Sunbeam asked, then smiled. "What brings you by?"
Crystal shuffled her hooves. "I wanted to see you, if you're not busy."
"Not at all! Come on in!" Sunbeam stepped to the side to free the entryway. "Pepper's at the store shopping for the bakery, so it's just me and Red right now." Her tone grew a little silly as she called to the foal, "Look who's here! It's Aunty Crystal!"
Crystal froze when she locked eyes with Red. He was too young to understand regular conversation, right? Perhaps she'd just wait until he needed a nap. He was still of the age where those were a frequent occurrence.
Sunbeam sat down on the floor, pressing her hoof gently to Red's muzzle. "Boop! And isn't it great timing that you just woke up from a nap, my little sugarcake?" Red squealed in delight and waved his forelegs to grasp at her hoof and Sunbeam giggled. "Yes it is!"
Or not. Crystal sighed and sat down across from her, staring down at the foal. Her heart started to beat faster as she searched through her mind for the words she wanted to say. She opened and closed her mouth a few times to start to speak, but kept deciding against it.
"Mrs. Sunbeam?" Crystal finally and tentatively asked, her voice cracking from the butterflies that were turning into little nerve storms.
Sunbeam's ears shot straight up and she looked at Crystal with a furrowed brow. "What happened to Mama Sunbeam, creampuff?"
Crystal swallowed. "S-sorry."
Sunbeam moved around Red so that he was no longer between them, then wrapped a foreleg around Crystal's shoulders and pulled her in close for a hug. "Sweetiepie, what's got you so worked up? I swear I can hear your heart pounding!"
"I just, there's something, well, there's something that I'd like to talk to you about," Crystal explained in a hurried mumble. "But I'm scared."
"Are you pregnant?"
"Wh-what?! No!" Crystal jerked away to give her a wide-eyed stare. "I—No!"
Sunbeam smiled. "Then what could be so scary?"
Crystal groaned, shielded her face with both hooves, and turned away. "I, well, that is. I've never had... the talk."
Sunbeam tilted her head. "The talk?" When Crystal just nodded in reply, she gasped and exclaimed, "Crystal Sugarsweet Wishes! Are you talking about"—she clamped her hooves over Red's ears—"being intimate?!"
Crystal tried to curl up into a tight ball, a shiver of fear running through her. This was a mistake. She couldn't go through with it! "I, um, f-forget it!"
"Crystal Candydrops Wishes, look at me when I'm talking to you," Sunbeam said in a stern voice. She put a hoof on Crystal's shoulder and forced the mare to face her, then pulled at the forelegs blocking eye contact. "Do you mean to tell me that you plan to be intimate outside of marriage?"
Crystal squeaked and clenched her eyes shut.
Sunbeam frowned. "Little Miss Crystal Wishes, what did I just say?"
Crystal cracked one eye open. "T-to look at you when you're tal-talking to me?"
"Exactly. Now, I would think that you, of all ponies, would know that intimacy outside of marriage is—"
An overwhelming feeling of regret, dread, and self-loathing washed over her. She should have known better. She had to face the music, which would be a stern lecture from Sunbeam.
"—perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed of at all!"
"What?" Crystal blinked. All emotion drained from her body, leaving only a tingling numbness in her skull.
Sunbeam burst into a fit of giggles and squeezed Crystal to her. "Oh, sweetheart, of course it's fine! I just couldn't resist teasing you with how scared you looked! After all, you don't want to marry a stallion and then find out his eclair doesn't satisfy your pie, now, do you?"
Sensation of emotion still hadn't returned, so Crystal replied in a soft voice, "Mama Sunbeam?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
Crystal tilted her head to look up. "Can you please not use baking metaphors for this?"
"Oh, fine, fine." Sunbeam giggled again. "So, things are getting serious between you and Mr. Knight, huh?"
Crystal's gaze darted away when a pang of guilt was the first thing she felt. "I, I guess."
Sunbeam hooked her forehooves together and rested her chin on them. "Then what's the problem?"
Crystal sucked in a breath, held it, then muttered, "Everything. Everything is the problem." She sighed and shook her head. "We haven't been dating very long, but I can't stop... feeling this way about him."
"Sweetie, there's no set timeline for this sort of thing!" She winked. "Besides, haven't you been pining after him for just about a year now? It's really not a surprise at all, I think."
The pounding of her heart refused to stop and the words fell out more easily. "Well, yes, but that's just the thing, Mama!" She buried her face in her hooves. "We're waiting for him to get home so that we can tell him his father died! I don't want him to think I feel this way out of pity, or—or to work up the courage and he rejects me because of his dad, and—" Her breath hitched as panic set in. "I don't know what I would do if he rejected me! What if I missed my chance and now it's gone forever?"
Sunbeam reached out to pull her into another close embrace, stroking her mane with one hoof. "Oh, Crystal, dear, shh. Calm, now. It's going to be all right." She smiled softly. "Trust me, if you worked up the courage to proposition him, I guarantee you the last thing on his mind would be his father."
Crystal did her best to breathe evenly. "But what if I never work up the courage? I always thought it would be the stallion, that I'd come home to rose petals leading to the bedroom, or we'd have a candlelit dinner and after dessert he'd sweep me up and carry me off and—"
Sunbeam interrupted her with laughter, then laughed harder when she saw Crystal's pouting face. "Honeybear, I know you're a romantic, but honestly." She put her hooves to Crystal's cheeks and gave them a smoosh and a squeeze. "You're overthinking it. When the moment strikes, you'll know, and neither of you will be thinking about his father or how long you've been dating or if there's onion in your teeth."
Crystal continued to pout for a while longer before she slumped forward, hiding her face in Sunbeam's chest. "I don't know," she mumbled. "I just don't know."
"You will," Sunbeam reassured her. "Now why don't you get some cookies from the kitchen and I'll tell you everything you need to know about proper, safe intimacy."
---
The moment Crystal opened the door to Silent's place, white hooves grabbed her and tugged her off to the side.
"Make her stop," Winterspear hissed.
Crystal blinked a few times. "Hi. Make who stop?"
Winterspear glanced over at her mother, who sat on the couch with a book. "Mom is reading The Mare's Temptation. Do you know how awkward it is that she's reading romance novels?!"
Crystal followed her gaze to stare at Wallflower, whispering back, "Do you know how awkward it is that she's reading my romance novels?"
Winterspear squeezed Crystal's shoulders. "All the more reason to make her stop it! When you suggested finding her a hobby, I thought that was a great idea, but this is the worst hobby imaginable!" She paused, then added, "No offense."
"What are you two girls talking about?" Wallflower asked after she cleared her throat.
"Nothing important, ma'am," Crystal chirped in reply as she pranced over to the couch. "Winterspear, Iridescence, do you two mind making some tea?"
As the two mares reluctantly complied, Crystal settled in beside Dot. "Hi, sweetie."
Dot glanced up at her, then returned her focus to the coloring book in front of her. "I'm gonna be an artist."
"Oh?" Crystal smiled. "Is that what you've decided?"
Dot gave a curt nod. "Yup."
"Practice makes perfect," Wallflower cut in, then flipped to the next page of the novel.
Crystal giggled and leaned over to watch Dot color, blinking when the little filly exclaimed, "Okay, fine! You can help me, so stop hovering already!"
"Oh, um." Crystal tried to smile. "I don't—"
"But you gotta stay inside the lines," Dot said with a huff, offering a crayon. "I just got this coloring book and I want it to be perfect, like Mrs. Wallflower said."
Crystal smiled. "Don't worry, I'll do my best."
After a moment, Wallflower looked up to watch them coloring together. Her even expression softened into a faint smile. "Do you plan to have foals, Crystal?"
"Mom!" Winterspear exclaimed from the kitchen.
Wallflower merely kept staring at Crystal, waiting expectantly, so Crystal cleared her throat and replied, "I would like to someday, yes."
"I see." Wallflower returned her attention to her reading. "You'll make a fine mother."
Winterspear leaned around the corner to glare at her mother. "Mom, stop being—"
The conversation came to a sudden halt when the lock on the door clicked and the handle started to turn. Crystal's magic sent her crayon sliding across the page, earning a squeak of disapproval from Dot, but she, along with the other mares, was focused on the door.
Slowly, it opened, and a bedraggled Silent Knight froze in the doorway, staring at them just as they stared at him.
After a stunned moment, Wallflower snapped the book shut and set it aside. "Hello, Son," she said in a soft voice. "Why don't you come inside? There is something we need to tell you."
I LOVE that Wallflower got hooked on Crystal's novels! That's like, the coolest thing that could have happened there, especially with regards to their future relationship xD Silent Knight is going to be miserable now, but at least his appearance put off any awkward mare talk... Poor Dot, I'd be frustrated too at her age if someone messed up my coloring book. Everything felt so lighthearted for a moment there, in the apartment...and then SK walked in. And the news had to be broken. Ouch. Hang in there, everyone!
Dear God, I'm dying.
And now I'm dead XD.
Cute chapter, very nice to see Sunbeam tell Crystal that she's still being a bit of a fairytale reading filly when it comes to romance. Too bad she doesn't know about those social events or she'd put a stop to that straight away.
Also, poor Silent gets the news
again, oh wait, I'm fic crossing :Pabout his father. :/Ugh, even reading it from Crystal's perspective, it's still a cliffhanger!!! Agh!!! :P
I always enjoy Crystal's side of the events. You characterize it so well.
Great job like always =)
I can't believe that happened to poor C.W. I would have walked right out the door if I was her. Then I'd blame Winter Spear for not hiding the rest of those novels, I'm sure Silent Knight would have understood.
Another great chapter!
Some ponies, I swear! Wallflower is just too much sometimes.
*nods* Romance definitely corrupts one's mind. As a romance writer myself, I can verify. Then again, that's half the fun.
Agh! OMG! I can't even! I've lost the ability to EVEN!!!
Lucky Crystal! I can never un-read that line. *shivers* And thank goodness there aren't any more of those baking euphemisms. I was not prepared for this.
Wallflower and Sunbeam. This chapter could have been named 'Really Mom?' and it would've summed it up perfectly. Then again, kinda worth it to see Wallflower compliment Crystal.
Did Wallflower smile in this chapter? Is that the end of the world? Poor Crystal, she is now in an awkward situation :)
Poor Crystal, even inanimate objects like games are teasing her and then there's this mare running the shop and then Sunbeam with her metaphors, will it ever stop?! Aaaaand a cliffhanger again. Also, good job on delivering the chapter this early, I thought that with Horsey technically updated also on Tuesday, it'll be late.
Oh ho ho. Velvet is already used to checking out Crystal's notebook(s), after all that is how she found out she has a talent. Leaving her more interesting secrets lying around might just set things in motion.
:velvet: Crystal dear I read the most fascinating thing this afternoon and had to send it to your publisher straight away.
*edit*
500 Thumb barrier broken.
What would possess someone to put an eclair in a pie? Seriously, you ponies are six kinds of messed up.
I mean, us ponies are messing up.
I mean
Applebucker, you know what I mean!
Awesome wallflower is reading that romance novel. That is just perfect. Thank you this made me smile
I think Velvet's family just may be the best family in both Crystal Wishes and Memoirs/Secrets. I'm not really surprised that Crystal didn't get the talk considering her mother (well her biological one since she seems to consider Sunbeam her mom - which is a great choice as Sunbeam is awesome).
In my head they're actually playing C.W.S.'s Secret Shipfic Folder and you can't stop me from it! It would just be too hilarious.
This actually makes me wonder how many stories Crystal has written. I am only aware of the two books. Has she dabbled in some more mature theme stories now based on the latter part of that sentence?
On another subject, I can understand how Crystal must feel. She's, how do I not put this as blunt as I would normally put it; Crystal thinks of Silent Knight in more mature ways and she gets hot and bothered about it and that makes her feel dirty and ashamed. It especially worse for her on the current situation that SK will walk into when he gets home. Oh yeah, also, I can't believe that Crystal's parents never gave her the talk. I thought she was sheltered but dang, that puts her early life in a bit of a different light. But it is understandable how Crystal must feel based on her upbringing. I do like how she went to Sunbeam for advice. More bonding time with best non biological mother!
And now to find out when Crystal does decide to make a move on him. If she can get over her shyness, I bet she would be the one to make the move.
Hey now. Let's not go making assumptions. It might be some kind of military acronym. Maybe you should ask Silent about it.
6309074
Just you wait until Velvet comes home and casually asks Crystal, "I swung by the shop and guess what mom told me you two talked about." or "I stopped by the shop and Mom said you might need some pointers about what you two talked about, how can I help?"
6308653 Sounds like you and Sunbeam have been reading "Fifty Shades of Souffle"
encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRLj8UZ9yMV0R8MnRwxoZOs9w1jqsmEaQPJN00P0bQzIeWWVLNk
Sunbeam is abit demented and teasing. I love it! As for Crystal, I think its better she had The Talk with Mama Sunbeam rather than Upper Crust. Luna knows how well that would go. And Its always the most unsuspecting things that become hobbies for someone. But yes it is a bit akward. A great chapter and im happy to have red it, even though it did end with abit of a downer moment.. but still.
Huzzah! This story has made it to 500 thumb-ups! I want to thank each and every one of you for your thumb support. It's a little crazy and baffling to think that there are 500 people out there have enjoyed my story enough to thumb it up. And, according to the statistics, 669 liked it enough to favorite it! I wonder if that double-counts some users or something, because it seems odd to me to go to the effort of favoriting it but not thumbing it? Then again, I do know that the length of this story has put it in some "Read it Later" shelves, so maybe that's it.
Either way, thank you all! More than thumbs and favorites, I super duper appreciate the comments where I can interact with y'all. That's my favorite part of posting a new chapter is sitting in a mixture of excitement and terror for reactions!
6308134 You caught exactly what I was diabolically trying to achieve—"everything felt so lighthearted for a moment there... and then SK walked in." Just as things were finding a sort of normalcy, and Wallflower was starting to let her walls down... and then he shows up.
6308142 The "fake middle names" were probably my favorite part, I'll be honest. And, yes, it was probably a necessary talk, because I don't think Silent Knight was going to leave a trail of rose petals to the bedroom anytime soon.
6308165 Sorry!
6308184 It's always a little daunting to write so many of your characters in one scene.
6308200 In Winterspear's defense, I don't think she expected Wallflower to go snooping in Silent's room!
6308212 Thank you!
6308267 I'm soooo not sorry. I've had that scene written for a long while, and I've had that line in my head even longer. I've laughed every time I've reread it, and I'm laughing now that I got to share it!
6308279 The end of the world... or the beginning of a beaauuttiful friendship! (Probably the former.)
6308319 According to my timezone, I posted Horsey on Monday, sooo neener! Your logic is invalid! (Not really, I'm just being mean.) I'm pretty dedicated to two Wishes updates a week so that I can close the gap between this story and Secrets. Being in parity for some of the later chapters would be really, really nice.
6308401 What! Velvet? Snoop? She's certainly not the kind of mare that would stoop so low, or so low as to dig through the trash can to find a discarded
panda toothCosmarepolitan magazine.6308653 Hey, someone thought to put cream in a donut to make the eclair. Maybe they just wanted to make the next big thing!
6308730 I promise, the evilness will let up soon! Glad to bring back your giggles, though!
6308789 You're more than welcome, always happy to make someone smile!
6308900 I do really, really enjoy writing the Sunridge family. Pepper Ridge doesn't get as much screentime as he should, but he's usually busy with baking and working the register. Sunbeam is much more the "leader" of the couple, anyway.
6308961 No, I—oh, I can't do anything to stop you? Well, all right then.
6309074 Oh, yes, indeed. Velvet confirmed that she found something Crystal wrote under another name in Cosmarepolitan, and Crystal's over-the-top reaction made it pretty clear that she had written it despite her denial. It's been hinted at that she started writing more mature short stories as of "Heated Thoughts," and that, for extra income, she's written regular short stories for Mares Monthly. Nothing named or gone into details of, though.
6309107 Good idea! I'm sure Silent Knight would be happy to explain it to her!
6309257 That's assuming Sunbeam would betray Crystal's trust—oh, wait, Velvet learned her trolling from her mother. Nevermind, Crystal is doomed!
6309729 Hah! I like it. Sunbeam should get right on writing that!
6309761 Some parents just don't seem inclined to have "the talk" (if I ignore it it'll go away), or go about it in... strange ways, such as painting it in a negative light to discourage kids or whatnot. But I have a feeling talking to Sunbeam was just what she needed to make up her mind on the issue!
6310524 Sunbeam is best troll! And, yes, I never would have suspected Wallflower would be into romance novels. I think the most awkward part would be she'd keep her stoic face the whole time... I mean, how can you not squeal in delight when the main couple finally gets together or swoon when the leading stallion says just the right thing at the right time? Nope, Wallflower just flips to the next page... But she keeps reading, so she must be enjoying it, right?!
6310764 Very good point raised by you. Maybe shes an introvert of the highest order eh? all her emotions remain internal unless its something really shocking or distressing.. then again idk what that could be for her..
6309257 Oh yes I would laugh if that happened.
Even with the somewhat depressing ending, this is one of the funniest chapters so far. I really love this story, despite its tendency to play with my emotions - congratulations on the 500 likes, which I'm proud to have contributed to, and as always, keep up the great work!
6312188 Thank you oodles! It is a joy to share this story, even if it does play with the emotions (some scenes get me, too) from time to time. Glad you found Crystal's emotional torture so funny! As they say, sex sells, or in this case, talking about sexual confusion amuses...
6310764
I totally wasn't wasting lots of time doing something hilariously unproductive...
Crystal Wishes
Velvet Step
Silent Knight
"The Goal"
EDIT: I can't seem to get Velvet Step's flavor text to un-bug! It's properly cited, but you have to arrow down to see...
6312829 Oh you... I never actually played that game although I did support it on Patreon for a while. I really need to get around to that ;)
6312829
That made me laugh aloud so hard. Thank you. Thank you so much.
[edit: I can see Velvet's flavor text citation just fine, myself!]
6312848
6312844
My work here is complete...
Now just imagine Wallflower playing the game. Go on, I dare you.
Noo im out of chapters
6314188 Don't worry! Barring unforeseen disasters there should be a new chapter out today!
6314366 thank you so exited yay
A hobby for Wallflower? Might not be a bad idea.
Hahaha!
It's an important difference, especially so in being nearly the only one!
Oh man, that scene with the book, I thought the laughter was going to kill me.
Well, honestly, I'm not sure I'd agree that it's that bad at all. People die, but life moves on, and that includes all aspects of life.
Haha, who would have guessed that a gaming store wouldn't have been a safe retreat? I'm really curious about that game Crystal did buy, she didn't look at the title after all and just because it has a soldier on it doesn't mean it might not be risqué.
Sunbeam, now there's a good choice for who to talk to about this.
Sugarsweet, Candydrops, those are so great for pet nicknames for Crystal. Sunbeam is best mother by far.
Heh.
Yeah, looks like that was exactly the talk Crystal needed.
Okay, I was apparently wrong up above, the hobby suggestion was definitely a bad idea.
Oooo, there we go, Silent has returned.
As an aside, since it was mentioned by another reader I went looking for the cover to the upcoming Velvet story, and woah.
6314754 I've been looking forward to sharing the scene with Sunbeam for a while now! It's been sitting on the bench for a while, making me giggle each time I reread it. I'm very pleased with how it turned out.
Whoa indeed. The whoa would be doubled if I could find time to finish and post the story! It will be, how do you say... a little different. (But not Mature!)
Oh, the confusion and horror as I realise I've finally caught up and have to wait for updates!
6314811
I was doing some baking and I took a break to swing by and check for updates and skim through the comments. Gah. Doubled. Glarg. Baking metaphors, I am not sure if I will be able to finish cooking with a straight face now.
I know I'm a chapter behind, but hah! That moment with Sunbeam was everything I had hoped it would be. And sure enough, Crystal had been caught by her own delusions about the romance genre. Good thing she worked up the nerve to actually talk to someone about it before just diving in. Gotta break down all those illusions so that she can enjoy the real thing when she gets to it.
And I still love Wallflower. She's just so...perfectly awkward. I'm really looking forward to seeing how she'll change now that she doesn't have to fit into the role that she's been stuck in for the past twenty-odd years. When she first showed up at Winterspear's place, she was clinging to her old role with a death grip; rather than breaking down the walls she had built up over the years, Stratus' death actually reinforced them as she tried to preserve that last piece of familiar safety.
But we're already starting to see her let go of pieces of that wall, slowly but surely. From her conversations with Crystal and Dot, and now the romance novel thing, we can already see her starting to change. She'll always still have that core of steel, and I can't wait to see what she'll anchor herself to now that the decision is hers instead of Stratus'.
Chapter behind. Each chapter needs one though. :P
What's wrong with baking metaphors? Surely Crystal's heard of a 'bun in the oven' after all. And that lead up to the Talk was hilarious, though I have to say, Crystal romanticizing everything is almost more so. I totally think the dinner, desert and mare swept off her feat is the way to go. Rosepetals and candles just seem like an accident waiting to happen. Well, the candles at least. Besides, what if pink, fuzzy hoofcuffs are involved?
ANYWAY! Dot deciding on being an artist is adorable (speaking of, I still need to stick Silent in a dress ), and it was awesome that she shanghaied Crystal into helping, despite making it sound like Crystal was the one who wanted to help.
Oh, and their reactions to Wallflower reading romance novels is priceless. In particular, Crystal's romance novels. (The whole Violet versus Silver eyes thing making a comeback just made the whole thing better.
Well, anyway, on to the next chapter to see how they tell Silent and have my heart ripped out (again) in sympathy for him. Only this time, there was build up, so instead of hurting less on repeat, it'll hurt just as much, if not more, due to this build up from Crystal's perspective. Oh, the feels!
1. Wonders how I am doing on catching up with the story
2. Goes to chapter index pull down tab thingy.
3. Scrolls down
4. Goes "Ahh. A while yet. Neet."
5. Scrolls back up to see how far I've come.
6. Notices word count on the chapters.
7. Frantically scrolls through all chapters checking word counts
8. Sits back in shock and just stares for a while.
9. Reloads page just to make sure.
10. Looks again.
11. Stares in awe.
HOW DID YOU DO THAT? WHAT KIND OF FELL MAGIC IS THIS?
Your hopefully step-mother reading your romance novels? Could anything be more akward?
Well I suppose there is your hopefully step-mother reading your "cough" romance "cough" novels.
6602707 Y'know, I have to say that that double "0' at the end of every word count is one of the most satisfying things i've ever seen
ooooh wait crap I just responded to the wrong person...
this story REALLY knows how ta pull a gal in ^-^ been reading for 4 hours
I threw aside my tablet as soon as she said the talk.
I picked it back up again, read Sunbeam's reaction, and scrolled right to the comments.
I thought I could make it through without commenting.
I just had to say something at this chapter.
I guess I'm glad that Silent Knight is back... But I'm worried he might get hurt.
I've got tons of catching up to do, so I better keep reading...
I'll manage, though. After all, I LOVE THIS STORY
This chapter made me realize something.
The mothers are my favourite characters, despite how I love the others (RavenxWishes) the three mothers just really hold their ground in essential roles around the perimeters of the story. It even falls eerily close to the old trifecta - Mother, Maid and Crone.
Upper Crust Is the maid - I believe she's insecure at heart, focused on things like social standing and how other's see her, and has repeatedly shown herself to be a not-very-great mother. Not for lack of trying, (well yes, partly) but...she's got her own issues to work out, and she puppets Crystal around more like a girl with her favourite doll than a mother guiding her daughter. She doesn't really know how to be a mother, not that I blame her. Upper Crust might be crusted over, but inside I expect she very much is still the lower-social-standing girl and acutely aware of that, and so Canterlotting twice as hard to keep up with those born to that dubious priviliege.
Hence why.... Sunbeam is the actual mother - she is life-affirming (even having given birth within the story), is settled into and in control of her own life, works as a provider (a baker!), is a great fount of guidance for our characters, even insisting on Crystal calling her "Mama Sunbeam."
And lastly...Wallflower. The third of the traditional hecate. The crone. The most readily misunderstood of the three. She's cold and difficult to relate to. She may or may not be actually older, but in either case, she does allude: "She wants me to knit, as if I were an old grey mare."
She appears where life is at its closing - in holding with examples: She first appears when Silent is in a death-like coma, and now again with the death of his father, her husband. This doesn't make Wallflower an evil prescence, far from it. She might not be nice, but she is good. And she does care. Every time Crystal has perservered in getting to know her more, it's proven beneficial. Wallflower doesn't prepare her for the nice things, like what Sunbeam with the talk does in this chapter, rather, Wallflower prepares Crystal for the hard, painful, difficult-to-face things. Everytime Wallflower has tested Crystal by, well, by being Wallflower, Crystal has come through it more emotionally centred and resilient. She even gives out treasure-rare little nuggets of approval, like here:
So there we have it - the three mothers that appear with substantial roles, each taking one of the ancient roles, quite naturally, as the story develops.
Such is my thought on the last chapter for me, tonight.
I don't even know how this is even possible, but just earlier today, I was thinking about how Crystal's parents, what with there 'class', would even give her the Talk. No kidding.
...
... Nope.
I still love this story, and it's one of the best I've read, but... just... just why? Why include such unnecessary lines that detract more quality from the story than they could ever add?
Granted, a character grows when their morals are tested, but- forgive me if I'm wrong -that doesn't seem to be the case here. Here, it doesn't seem as if such teachings are obstacles, but rather are represented as something to use to overcome obstacles. Which- in and of itself -is untrue. After all, all good things to those who wait: for if you rush into something before you're supposed to, it's reduced to half of what it had the potential to be. Just like you don't pick a fruit before it's ripe.
I'm not saying you should change anything, as that's not my place to say. I respect what you've written, and even adore it thus far. Again, call me old-fashioned for having such morals, but oxygen is older than them, and yet still necessary for life. So, I'll stick by them.
(Plus, I haven't read far enough to make a full opinion on the matter yet. Thus why I'm only typing in this tiny little tidbit.)
Anyways, back to the main story: the fact that Wallflower found that particular hobby is a sweet touch, given the recent situation. And I foresee it helping open her heart a little in the future. As always, I look forward to the next chapter, and I am loving this book.
7968254
Oh, care to preach how abstinence is the best form of safe sex there while your at it? You opinion differs from the authors, your opinion is (shocker) your opinion, not a fact
7968254 I believe you see the comment as a statement rather than a piece of dialogue. I understand why you would say what you said.
How I view it are two ways: that’s how that character feels, and try to relate to Crystal’s predicament.
Sunbeam understands the issue behind Crystal’s urges and has advice to gives. This does not tell the reader to go and do things outside of the novel. This story isn’t a “how to be” guide, but a story; and sex can be a successful plot point. But on the flip side, I understand personal opinions can conflict with an interest of a story.
The other way of seeing how Crystal’s mind is working is just how much she misses Silent. Crystal Wishes is a helpless romantic. She is literally at last in a relationship. And being as helpless as she is, it does not help that she is very emotional about her relationship and wants to keep it from falling apart. Not to mention, he is a soldier. And with the missions he has gone on and will go on, puts her on edge.
Just to add a personal note about myself, when I was in a romantic relationship, being separated from someone for a few days, weeks, and so on, you might this longing to see them again. It becomes uncontrollable sometimes. And when the time of being reunited with them, the amount of feelings might be more magnified. This is what is more important. Crystal wants to hold what she holds dear together. And the acceleration of her urges is what’s making her worry. However, her love for Silent, and vice versa is what I see. That is what I feel. And I love when a story makes me feel and remember emotions of a past I can only recall through words.
Relationships accelerate at many different paces.
That’s my take on this chapter.
You can PM me if you wish to discuss further