There was tension in the air while quills danced across pages, hooves jabbed out accusingly, and accusations fired back and forth.
"—I thought you said Fatinah would—"
A nose scrunched with disdain. An ear flicked in retaliation.
"—yes, yes, yes, yes, but that was before we had the idea for—"
Coffee was nearly spilt on pages. Pages were torn out and tossed aside.
"—and then we can, here, we can pan in to show—"
This organized chaos had reigned supreme for weeks. Day after day. Hour after hour. Crystal had seen so little of Ponyville that she sometimes forgot where she was, instead only knowing one thing: work. Horsey brought snacks and refreshments like a doting mother, and Savoir, like a protective father, shooed Silver away to let Crystal sleep once the hour chimed midnight.
Today, however, would be different. Crystal pushed her notebook across the table toward Silver and stood up. "All right! I'm afraid I have a train to catch now. I'll be back as early as I can tomorrow morning."
"What?" Silver looked up from the scattered pages in front of him. "What?! You're leaving? But we still have so much work to do and the deadline is closing in!"
Crystal scrunched up her nose. "Well, Majesty shouldn't have scheduled the shooting without a finished script. I have somewhere to be and I'm not going to miss it for this. And that aside, it's just one day! You'll survive, I'm sure."
Silver snorted, his nostrils flaring before he crossed his forelegs over his chest. "Fine. But I'll expect you on the first train into Ponyville tomorrow! Got it?"
Her expression lightened with a smile. "Yes, of course."
"Crystal!" Horsey called as she walked out of the restaurant, Claire riding on her back. "Are you ready to go?"
"I thought I was, but now I feel underdressed." Crystal lowered her head to more closely inspect Claire's yellow dress of frills, tulle, and sequins. "My, my, you weren't kidding about this, were you?"
Horsey puffed out her chest. "If my baby is going to meet her potential future husband, then she's going to meet him with style."
"Mon coeur, she cannot even speak yet," Savoir said, closing the restaurant door behind him and locking it. "Perhaps we should focus on that before we begin to arrange her marriage."
Claire beamed up at her father with adoration when he stopped to nuzzle her.
Horsey dismissed him with a wave of one hoof. "Don't be a sour apple. Claire is as pretty as can be, and Red has good tastes."
"Oui, oui." Savoir chuckled while gathering up an assortment of carefully wrapped presents in his magic. "Shall we go, then?"
Crystal smiled. "Yes!" She offered Silver one final wave before trotting alongside the happy family as they made their way to the train station. "I can't believe he's turning two years old already." Her smile softened. "Time truly does fly."
"It does." Horsey craned her neck to look back at her daughter. "Little Miss Claire's well on her way to her own birthday. She's grown so much already, but I know she has a lot more room to grow, too."
Savoir bobbed his head in a light nod. "I do not wish for time to fly with us, but for you, Mademoiselle Crystal, I would not mind if it simply skipped to the return of your Silent Knight."
Crystal's ears drooped slightly, but she kept her pace without missing a step. "I wouldn't mind that, either, but I know better. That's not how it works in real life. It does happen that way in novels, but usually only if you skip over everything just to get to the end."
"What's wrong with that?" Horsey pursed her lips. "Are you saying if you could just skip the next few months, you wouldn't do it?"
Crystal sucked in a breath. The next few months? No, it would be longer than that. She could feel it in her soul. There was going to be quite some time before she would be reunited with her husband.
"No," Crystal finally replied, "I wouldn't. Life is about the journey, not the destination, isn't it?" She flashed a smile at the two concerned faces looking at her. "Besides, if I simply ran through my life without stopping to enjoy it, I would miss these moments. Now, are we going to mourn something we cannot change, or are we going to cheer up and look forward to Red's birthday?"
Claire gave a tittering giggle and tugged on Horsey's mane, as if urging her to move faster.
Horsey took two side-steps to bump her shoulder to Crystal's, smiling. "When we get back, remind me to have Beignet make you a whole bunch of beignets on the house."
A small, cheerful skip worked its way into Crystal's gait. "Deal!"
♡
"Happy birthday, Red Velvet, happy birthday to you!"
Confetti was thrown into the air, streamers were tossed, and balloons rained down on the little colt. He grabbed a light green balloon between his forehooves and squeezed it lightly while squealing in delight. Claire sat at his side, eyeing the cake with big, hungry eyes.
"Okay, little guy," Velvet said, standing right behind him, "make a wish and blow out the candles!"
Red's ears wiggled. He hugged the balloon closer to his chest. "Wish?"
"Yeah, wish!" Velvet lowered her head to nuzzle into his mane. "You know, whatever you want. Like a new set of blocks. Or for lots of kisses and cuddles. Make a wish in your heart and blow out the candles!"
"Wish..." Red let go of the balloon to touch his hooves to his heart.
Everypony watched and waited in silence. Red didn't move. Crystal glanced around to see a few wandering, confused gazes as the seconds dragged on into a full minute.
"Sugarplum?" Sunbeam finally prompted, stepping forward. "Have you made your wish?"
Red shook his head.
Sunbeam giggled and gestured a hoof at the cake. "Well, then, hurry up and blow out the candles before the frosting melts, cuddlebutt!"
With a small, almost irritated wiggle of his nose that sent giggles and chuckles throughout the room, Red huffed and blew on the candles. He managed to get them both in one breath before looking up at his mother, his brow furrowed and lips puckered as if to say, 'There, are you happy now?'
Hooves clapped against the floor and, while Pepper started to cut the cake, gifts were set in front of Red from him to open. Each one earned a squeal of delight from the little colt.
"And this is from Auntie Azurite," Velvet said, giving him the present while she opened the card to read it. "She says she's sooo sorry she couldn't be here, but Sandy needed backup in Las Pegasus over the case of the missing bowling ball. Since Mr. Peepers had to be her chaperone, she hopes this will take his place."
Red pulled the wrapping apart and stared at a goldfish doll. It stared back with its oversized eyes. He looked up at Velvet, confusion on his face.
"It's, uh, Azurite says it's Mr. Plushy Peepers." Velvet shrugged. "Just hug it next time she visits, okay?"
Sunbeam sidled up to Horsey, peering down with the best icy stare she could muster. "So, my little cinnamon roll, word has it that you gussied up your little filly to impress Red."
Horsey flushed and sputtered, "W-W-Well, it's—it's a joke, Mrs. Sunbeam, just—"
"You do remember that he's my son and not Velvet's, right?" Sunbeam arched one brow. "And your daughter marrying him would make you my sister-in-law?"
Velvet's head jerked toward them so fast it was a wonder how it didn't hurt. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, what? Horsey, you're trying to marry off my sweet little baby brother to Claire? He's two!"
Horsey's face was nearly purple from the heavy blush underneath her blue coat. "C-Crystal!"
Crystal shoved a slice of cake in her mouth as quickly as she could, then gave a helpless shrug. "Mmph?"
"So very mature," Golden sneered, but there was a bit of levity to her tone. "I believe I overheard your exact words as—" She cleared her throat and raised her pitch. "'Oh! Mama Sunbeam! You won't believe what Horsey's planning!'"
Horsey whimpered, dropping her head low. "I'm never telling you anything ever again."
"Don't be that way, sister!" Sunbeam threw a foreleg around Horsey's shoulders and pulled her in close for a tight hug. "Just think of all the super fun we'll have! Oh, it'll be great! You can tease Velvet and make her call you Auntie Horsey!"
"I—I—" Horsey swallowed. "O-Oh! Claire got frosting all over herself." She slipped out of Sunbeam's embrace and hurried over to collect her daughter. "Sav and I will take her upstairs for—for a quick bath!"
Just as the three of them made their way upstairs to leave a playfully sulking Sunbeam behind, the front doors to the bakery burst open. All eyes turned to see Winterspear skid into the room, Iridescence clinging to her back, the both of them laughing.
"Everypony, I—" Winterspear paused to gasp for air between pants and laughter. "—I have an announcement!"
Red was the only one to make a sound, devouring the rest of his cake with wild abandon. The rest of the crowd merely stood and stared in surprise.
Winterspear turned to the side and flared a wing as if to show Iridescence off like a prize. "She said yes!"
Confusion washed over the initial shock of the sudden intrusion, and Pepper cleared his throat. "Well, uh, Winterspear, Iridescence! That's great news! Isn't it, everypony?"
Iridescence's brow furrowed and she raised a hoof to hide her mouth as she loudly whispered, "I told you it wouldn't be the normal Thursday cake day."
"Oh my Celestia," Winterspear gasped out as her face turned red. "Is this—Is this a party?"
Sunbeam nodded slowly. "Yes, honey. It's Red's birthday party."
Iridescence slid off Winterspear's back and patted her now-fiancée on the shoulder, giving the gathering of ponies a half-smile. "We're so sorry for interrupting. Winterspear just couldn't wait to tell everypony and said you'd all be here for a cake day."
"It's fine! Of all things to interrupt with, this is perfectly wonderful!" Crystal exclaimed as she trotted forward and threw her forelegs around Iridescence's neck first, then Winterspear's. "Congratulations!" She lowered her voice to a whisper and added, "Told you."
Winterspear grinned, nuzzling against Crystal's neck. "Yeah, yeah."
Sunbeam clasped a hoof to her cheek, looking at Velvet. "Oh, dear. Do we really have cake days that often?"
"Yes," Winterspear and Iridescence answered together, glanced at each other, and laughed.
"Well, nevermind that!" Sunbeam bumped her flank to Pepper's. "Go get another cake, dear! Now we have two things to celebrate today!" She smiled down at Red. "My little bumblebee won't mind sharing, I'm sure."
Red tilted his head back to look up at her, sucking on his cake-covered hoof. "Maa?"
Golden strode forward to take up center stage with the way her golden coat shimmered. "You are Crystal's sister-in-law, if I remember correctly?"
Winterspear looked as if she might faint while Iridescence nodded, eyes wide. "Yes! That's her. Winterspear." She wrapped a foreleg around Winterspear's shoulder and pulled her in close. "I'm her marefriend. Her fiancée. Sorry about her staring, she's just in love with you."
"Is she now?" Golden gave a playful smirk. "I hope not, since I'm not the one she's marrying."
Winterspear gawked. "It's just because Iridescence talks about you all the time! And leaves her filly magazines lying around! That's all!"
Golden laughed good-naturedly behind one hoof while Velvet and Crystal tried to smother their own giggles.
"It's about time," Velvet said, grinning as she clapped Winterspear on the back. "You two have been dating longer than Crystal and Silent!"
Iridescence glanced at Winterspear with a shy smile. "Everypony moves at their own pace. I'm just happy she proposed."
Crystal wiggled her ears. "Is it too soon to ask if you've set a date?"
There was a long, somber pause. Iridescence put a hoof on Winterspear's and said, "We're not sure yet."
"I want Silent to be my stallion of honor, so." Winterspear looked down at the floor, then jerked her head back up with a smile. "But a long engagement is normal. I'm going to enjoy calling her my fiancée for now."
"Oh, I'm just so, so, so happy for everypony." Sunbeam pranced in place. "Red's turned two years old, Horsey's my sister-in-law-to-be, Crystal's a movie star, Winterspear's getting married... This is all just too much! What next?"
Crystal's ears perked up. "Actually, that does remind me of my own news. In a few weeks, I'll be leaving for Saddle Arabia."
Velvet jolted upright. "Wait, what? What?"
"Saddle Arabia?" Winterspear tilted her head. "For how long?"
"I'm not sure, to be honest." Crystal walked over to where Red ate in blissful ignorance. "Prince Majesty is all over the place. He's already trying to schedule the auditions to be held on the boat ride over." She let out a frustrated sigh. "He's like a foal that can't sit still."
Golden lowered herself onto the nearest seat, her lips pursed into a tight, thin line. Sunbeam squealed with delight, Pepper brought Winterspear and Iridescence a small cake, and Velvet shoved her face in Crystal's.
"I don't have a good feeling about this," Velvet grumbled. "Isn't he moving things way too fast? Won't it be a disaster?"
Crystal gave a weak shrug. "What can I do? I already signed the contract. Everypony who works with him says he always does this, and he's made several films already, so perhaps there's a method to his madness. That's what I'm hoping for, at least."
"So you'll just leave and go have a wonderful time in Saddle Arabia, then," Golden said with a strange distance in her voice.
Crystal's ear twitched, but before she could respond, Sunbeam cut in, "So exciting! So very, very exciting! Pepper! We need more cake!"
Pepper blanched. "Honey, don't you think—"
"Cake!" Red squeaked, and just like that, Pepper was off to the back room in a flash.
Velvet sat back on her haunches and crossed her forelegs over her chest. "You know it's, like, really hot there, right?"
Crystal snorted lightly. "Of course it's really hot! It's a desert!"
"Velvet has a good point," Winterspear said in between bites. "It doesn't get remotely that hot here in Canterlot."
"Exactly. I'm just saying. You're kind of, you know." Velvet looked over at Golden, who tensed up at the eye contact. "What's the word?"
"Delicate," Golden suggested.
Iridescence nodded and waggled the fork in her magic at Crystal. "You're delicate."
With a flick of one ear, then the other, Crystal stood up straight and glared at all the faces looking at her. "I am not delicate! Perhaps I'm exceptionally well-suited to desert life. I've never been in one, so we could all be surprised to how adaptable I am."
Sunbeam burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh, sugarstick, you're my little filly who went into a panic because the store was out of tea. I love you! But you're about as adaptable as a soufflé."
"They're right, you know. There's no reason for you to go, is there?" Golden stared at Crystal, ears pinned back.
Crystal returned the stare with a light scowl. "What is your problem?"
"Problem?" Golden put a hoof to her chest. "I have no problem! You're the one with a problem, as far as I can see. A ridiculous timeline with a ridiculous producer. I don't know why you're going through with it at all."
"Because it's an amazing opportunity," Winterspear said before Crystal could even think of a response through the haze of irritation. "And she'll get to go to Saddle Arabia! That alone is worth the rest."
Golden rolled her eyes. "She could go to Saddle Arabia at any time as a tourist. Why go with work looming over her? By the sounds of it, this Prince Majesty won't give her a moments' rest."
"Oh my goodness." Crystal couldn't help a short, startled laugh. "You're envious!"
Golden glowered at her. "Hardly!"
Crystal put a hoof to her forehead and groaned. "I thought you were over this. I thought we were friends! But the moment I get a wonderful opportunity, you—"
"I am not envious!" Golden jerked her head to the side, silence reigning for a moment before she muttered, "I'm happy for you. I just—I just simply don't want you to leave. I don't want you to leave me behind. I'm not ready for that to happen again."
The air escaped Crystal's lungs as if she had been bucked in the chest. She blinked a few times, all the irritation leaving her and replaced with guilt and sympathy. "O-Oh." She glanced at the various eyes on her, seeking an answer in them.
Winterspear, Iridescence, Sunbeam, and Pepper all shared looks of confusion—they were no help. Velvet, however, had pity in her furrowed brow.
Pity wasn't right, though; that implied Golden was weak, but she could be strong with a little help. That sentiment took hold of Crystal's heart and she looked back at Golden. "Then come with me."
Golden's ears perked upright and Velvet gasped out, "Hey!" She pouted. "What about me?"
Crystal couldn't help a small giggle. "You can come, too, then."
"Nahh." Velvet waved a hoof. "Thanks for the offer, but I have to go to the adoption agency in Fillydelphia to get on their list. I'm just, you know, super busy."
"Then why—" Crystal stopped herself, rolling her eyes, but grinning all the while. "Honestly."
Golden dropped her head, pawing a hoof at the floor. "You don't have to make such an offer simply because I'm wallowing in a little self-pity. Besides, I can't. You left me in charge of the support group." She paused, then added, "But, of course, they are adults. We don't need to treat them like foals. They have Radiant Orchid and Derelict Apathy for dire news from the war."
Crystal swallowed her muddled feelings on that particular matter and held out a hoof. "Will you come with me to Saddle Arabia? As you said, it would not be as tourists, but at least I would have somepony there I knew."
For a moment, Golden just stared at the hoof. Then, slowly, she raised her own to place on it. "If you're certain."
"That settles it, then!" Velvet squealed and clapped her hooves around theirs. "I can't believe you two are going to Saddle Arabia! This is so exciting!"
Crystal looked down at their joined hooves, a smile spreading across her muzzle. It was exciting, wasn't it? Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction today; she just hoped life kept that momentum going for a while longer.