//------------------------------// // Where Do I Go From Here // Story: Crystal's Hopes // by Crystal Wishes //------------------------------// Jet Ship cleared his throat and tapped a hoof on the long meeting table he sat at the head of. "First and foremost, I would call the Harmony memorial party a success." "Party?" Crystal's nose scrunched up. "That makes it sound trivial. It was an event, not a party." Jet Ship waved a dismissive hoof. "Nonetheless, the pamphlets given out during the party had a one-to-five response ratio. We gained twelve volunteers from the party alone. Not perfect, but good enough for a beginning." Crystal swallowed. "Yes, but—" "Unfortunately," Upper Crust cut in, the tension along her jaw adding a rigidity to her voice, "because of the nature of the event, it was the Forget-Me-Not branch that saw the majority of the volunteers. I only have a minuscule amount of helping hooves in my branch by comparison." Jet Ship stared down his muzzle at her with only the slightest narrowing of his eyes. "Your branch's services are in less demand, so that is not on my list of current concerns." Upper Crust's lips curled into a light sneer, but before she could respond, Orchid Bouquet said, "We could use more volunteers, actually. We have a backlog of requests for flowers and trees to be planted." Violet, who sat in Orchid's lap, giggled. "We got trees in our house!" "They're not trees, dear," Orchid chided with a smile. "What are they?" "S—" Violet scrunched up her nose. "Sap. Saplings?" Crystal smiled behind a hoof. Violet was still young, but the squeakiness in her voice was starting to fade. That didn't make her any less cute, of course. Upper Crust gave a loud sigh. "Getting back to the point, we certainly can't put together another memorial garden. What do you suggest?" "If I may?" Verdant smiled as all eyes turned on to him while he shifted uncomfortably, his earth pony frame too big for the unicorn-sized chair. "I think we should put ads in the papers." Jet Ship leaned back, crossing his forelegs over his chest. "Newspaper ads cost money. How can we be certain of a worthwhile return on investment?" Crystal's ears folded back and she dropped her gaze. Her grandfather's words held no compassion or care, and each one felt like a pinprick in the back of her neck. "Oh, please." Upper Crust stretched out a hoof to paw in his direction, though the venom in her voice made the gesture a mocking one. "Jet Ship, everypony reads the newspaper. I would think you would have the business sense to know that much." Jet Ship's expression remained unchanged. "Be that as it may, I would still like to know the facts going in, rather than your word." Crystal stomped a hoof on the arm of her chair. "I'm sorry, but could we please stop talking about this as if we're dealing with material objects? We are working with ponies—living, breathing, hurting ponies! Matters of the heart cannot be simplified with matters of the mind!" The look Jet Ship gave her was not one she was accustomed to. No withering stare from her mother or embarrassing moment in her academy years compared to Jet Ship's disapproving glance. It made her feel smaller than she ever had before; she didn't feel like a filly, but a mere foal. "While that may be true," he said with ice in his voice, "my financial backing is a matter of the mind, not the heart. This is not a happy, simple little game." He smiled, though it brought her no comfort, and levitated a butterscotch over to her. "Now, mind your tongue while we talk." Irritation bloomed, but she swallowed it and merely nodded as she accepted the candy in her magic. She flinched when a hoof landed on hers, and she looked up to see Wallflower looking at Jet Ship with determination. "Excuse me, Mr. Ship," Wallflower said, "but Crystal's opinions are just as valid as anypony's in this room. She is the reason we're here together, after all." One of Jet Ship's brows arched. "As I said to Upper Crust, I am in the business of facts, not opinions." Before anypony else could speak through the tension that filled the room, Verd cleared his throat. "I think it might be better to call it a night and reconvene tomorrow. The little one looks like she needs a break." Crystal and the others looked over to see Violet squirming in an attempt to free herself from Orchid's embrace. When all the attention turned to her, Violet froze, then slowly settled against her mother's chest. "Yes," Orchid said, patting Violet on the head. "Violet is getting restless. Come on, sweetie, let's go to the hotel and see how Blue Belle and Cocoa are doing." As Orchid rose, so did Upper Crust and Verdant. Wallflower stayed where she was and, given that she was holding onto her hoof, so did Crystal. Wallflower kept her gaze locked on Jet Ship, who returned the stare twofold. Crystal could almost feel the fire raging between them, both daring the other to make the first move. "Come on, Mom," Crystal whispered and gave Wallflower's hoof a squeeze. "Let's go to Sunridge Sweets and check on the volunteers." Jet Ship nodded. "Yes, I have important business to attend. We have the first prototype of the new ships ready for testing tomorrow." A chill ran down Crystal's spine, but she buried the feeling and swallowed the questions. Instead, she tugged Wallflower's hoof to lead the mare out of the office. "Bye, Grandfather." Once they were outside, Wallflower wilted against Crystal. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. I wanted to stand up for you. I tried, but—" "No!" Crystal quickly shook her head and smiled. "I really appreciate it. I don't have the will to challenge him, so it means a lot to me that you even tried." They made it only a few steps before Wallflower came to a halt. "Why don't you head home early? I think Winterspear mentioned she had the day off. Spend some time with her. I'll take care of the Foundation for what's left of today." Crystal opened her mouth to argue, but the words didn't come forth. She felt emotionally drained. After a day of working in their makeshift headquarters above Sunridge Sweets followed by the meeting with her grandfather, she wanted nothing more than to slip into a bubble bath and forget about the world for a while. Finally, she relented with a smile. "All right. Thank you." She gave Wallflower a tight hug before trotting off in the direction of home. If only she could send a courier on ahead to beg Winterspear to draw a bath so it would be ready when she got home. Crystal's gait slowed as her thoughts started to spin backwards. Could she endure more meetings like that? Would it be like that with anypony she got funding from? Was he being extra harsh because Upper Crust was involved? No matter how many times the questions echoed in her mind, there were no answers. She sighed and tried to clear them by shaking her head and hurrying back to a trot. It was only going to get harder from here on out. There would be more events to host, more galas to attend, more ponies to coordinate with. There would be grieving widows and wounded soldiers. The road ahead was not one she had ever expected to tread, but it was the one she had chosen to follow. Heaving a sigh, Crystal put on her best smile and pushed the door open to the place she shared with Winterspear. "I'm home." Winterspear jolted upright from where she was sprawled on the couch, snorting lightly. "Wha—huh?" She rubbed at her eyes and yawned. "I wasn't sleeping. You were sleeping." "Of course." Crystal giggled. "Enjoying your day off?" Winterspear scrunched up her nose. "Not particularly. It's been boring. You were handling Foundation business, Iridescence is working, and Dot is out with all her coltfriends." "How many does she have following her now?" Crystal shook her head as she made her way to the bathroom to start heating up the water. "Does she actually plan to date any of them, or is she just going to enjoy the attention?" "She's young and she's growing into her body." Winterspear followed after her, hanging back to lean against the doorframe. "What, didn't you leave a string of broken hearts behind when you were her age?" Crystal gasped in mock offense. "When I was her age? I'm not that much older than her!" Winterspear merely replied with a raise of one brow and a quirk of her lips. Giggling, Crystal tested the running water with a hoof and nodded, satisfied. "I don't believe I did. I dated a few stallions, but I doubt I broke their hearts. I certainly didn't have a following like Dot does, that much I can guarantee." "It's really going to stick in Opalescence and Luminescence's craw when she fully matures." Winterspear grinned. "They're drop-dead gorgeous, which intimidates ponies into thinking twice before pursuing them. Dot is pretty without being too pretty, you know?" While the bath filled, Crystal set about finding her bottle of rose-scented bubbles and retrieving some rose petals from a jar. "Mm." Winterspear flicked one wing and tilted her head to the side. "Hey, are you all right? Did something happen with the Foundation today?" "Oh, when isn't there something?" Crystal rolled her eyes, measuring out the bubble bath liquid and pouring it into the hot water. "But I suppose it's all normal for a venture of this scale. I'm just not accustomed to my grandfather acting this way toward me." Her magic worked to undo her braid and instead tied her mane into a loose bun. "It's always dangerous, mixing family and business." Winterspear walked inside and sat on a stool by the tub as Crystal climbed into the bubbling water. "But you're doing really good work, so whatever it is, it'll be worth it. I have confidence in that." Crystal sighed, letting the heat seep into her muscles, and leaned her head back to stare up at the ceiling while the bubbles rose around her. "I know. I just wish it were easier." Winterspear snickered and shook her head. "Good things never are. Anyway, I'll let you enjoy your bath. When you're ready, we can decide what to do for dinner." "Thank you, Winterspear." Crystal rolled her head to the side to smile at her. "You have no idea how much your support means to me. You're a better sister than I could have asked for." "I know." Winterspear winked and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. A single drop fell from the faucet, the sound of it hitting the bathwater echoing throughout the otherwise quiet room. There was a low hum of tiny bubbles quietly popping, reminding her that there was always a limit. The bubbles would disappear. The warmth would fade. The bath wouldn't last forever. Crystal released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in. The steamy air was filled with the scent of roses, a luxurious treat for the senses. It made her feel normal, like everything was as it always had been. War, soldiers, fear, and death were so far away in that moment. Slowly, Crystal lowered until she had sunk down just low enough for her chin to touch the water's surface, her eyes clenched shut. The popping sound grew louder as bubbles tickled her ears; it was all she could hear. It was all she wanted to hear. One of the rose petals bumped against her chest and she straightened up to look down. In the few patches where the bubbles had already faded, she spotted a couple red petals. Once upon a time, she was contented by a bath with some oil and scattered petals. Now it took bubbles to find peace. Her indulgences were going to be impossible to feed if she kept going at this rate. The magic of the bath lost, Crystal sighed and reached out for the stopper to drain the tub. Bubbles still clung to her coat, but a wet hoofcloth took care of that soon enough before she dried off with a towel. Wrapping herself in her favorite pink robe, Crystal left the still-warm bathroom into the cooler living room. "What are you thinking for dinner?" Winterspear turned around, a somber look on her face and an envelope in her hoof. In a low voice, she said, "The courier came by while you were in the bath." A strange mix of tension and excitement filled Crystal's chest as she glanced between the two. "Is it—" "Yeah. It's from him, for you." Winterspear held it out with a trembling hoof, her ears pinning back. "I mean, I assume it's from him. I hope it's from him. It's from Nordanver, at least." Crystal's magic started to open the envelope, but she stopped and sucked in a breath. Winterspear gave her a curious look and she returned it with a smile. "Would you mind giving me a lift up into the clouds so I can be nearer to him?" "Oh." Winterspear's expression relaxed and she smiled. "Of course, sure." "Thank you." Crystal's magic unwrapped the robe and set it aside before retrieving her hornlet. While she began to pour energy into the charm, she walked out the door behind Winterspear. She shivered lightly as a cold breeze washed over her once they stepped outside, but she smiled nonetheless. "With the stars out, I want them to carry my feelings the moment I read his words. It feels like it's been so long." Winterspear fanned out her wings to offer her back to Crystal. "Well, you've been busy the past few weeks." Once Crystal was seated and holding on, she started trotting forward, then broke into a gallop and leaped into the air. They flew in relative silence, the winter's wind biting the patches of Crystal's coat that were still wet. The stars were out in full form even despite the cold haze that covered Equestria. Crystal looked down to watch Canterlot grow smaller, leaving her worries behind. In the sky, there was no grandfather, no Foundation, no stress. The sky was true freedom. She smiled and lifted her gaze upward, spying the group of puffy clouds that they neared. From below, they seemed to be a dark grey, but when Winterspear flew higher, the moonlight shining down lit them up to a brilliant white. "Here's a good one," Winterspear said, though how she could differentiate clouds from each other was a mystery to Crystal. She landed gingerly and lowered herself to let Crystal off. "Be careful, it's full of snow, so it's pretty cold." The moment Crystal set a hoof down, a chill ran up it as if she had stepped into icy water. She clenched her teeth and pressed on, however; if she wanted to be closer to Silent, this was the price. "All right." Crystal breathed in and out before looking at the envelope she clutched to her chest. Was she trembling out of fear, because it was cold, or both? Winterspear wrapped a wing around her for comfort and a little warmth, but gave the privacy of looking away. Crystal smiled; the simple gesture gave her the strength to finally open the envelope and retrieve the letter inside. The sight of Silent's hoofwriting calmed the latent nerves that had been buzzing in the back of her mind. My Love Crystal, As I write you I am still of sound body. Though I've been injured off and on, no sword, spear, or arrow has yet to do me any serious or permanent harm. The enemy has learned to fear me and I am concerned that a dark legend is being born. My soldiers and I have made a pact that we will come home to our loved ones. We will do what is necessary to make it through. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of many of our enemy's lives and it leaves a great deal of blood on my hooves. I think of you every night as I look up at the stars. You are my motivation and what keeps me moving forwards. I wonder what you'd think of me if you knew what I did each and every day. Am I the stallion you married? The one you want to be with? Did you know I was capable of what I now do? It is my life's goal to keep this world from you and everypony else. This was not meant for us. It pains me to say it but this letter shall likely arrive near our anniversary... our first one. There is no chance that I will be there to hold you in my hooves. For that I am deeply sorry. I know that this was not the world you wanted to marry into. It was not mine either, truly. I wish I could be there at your side. We'd have a small party with our friends and then I'd whisk you away for a romantic week in Colton Head Island. It would just be me, you, and the beach. Remember that small lagoon that wasn't far down from our room? We'd have a picnic there and play in the water. And the evenings... well, those are best left up to your imagination. Happy anniversary, Crystal. May this be the only one we ever spend apart. All of my love, Silent Knight "Crystal?" Winterspear asked in a soft voice after a while of silence between them. "What does it say?" Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but tears jumped to her eyes and her throat closed up. When the first tear fell down her trembling cheek, Winterspear's pupils constricted to the size of pinpoints. "What happened?" Winterspear reached for the levitating letter. "What happened to him?!" "No—" Crystal gave a quick shake of her head, her voice raspy and strained. "He's—He's all right." Her shoulders quivered as the pain of realization racked through her. "I just—It's just that he reminded me of something." Winterspear's hoof slowly lowered, but the tension in her muscles didn't ease any. "What?" In a voice so fragile she wasn't sure if she had spoken at all, Crystal replied, "Our anniversary." Silence held them for a while, the wind gently brushing against Crystal's face to chill the streaks left behind by the tears that fell in quick succession. Through her blurred vision, she noticed the cloud they rested on start to darken before a rumbling sound filled her ears. She leaned forward, blinking away her tears just long enough to see a heavy downpour of snow below, emanating from their cloud. "Sorry," Winterspear said with a hitch in her voice, and Crystal looked up to see her crying. "I didn't realize it was that time already. That he's been gone so long. I—I miss him, Crystal." Crystal reached out and wrapped her forelegs around Winterspear's neck to pull her in for a tight hug. Winterspear returned it with twice the strength needed, but Crystal ignored the crushing discomfort. It was no worse than the pain in her heart. "I know. I miss him, too," Crystal whispered, clenching her eyes shut. "He'll come home soon. I'll have a late anniversary, you'll have a wedding, and we'll have Silent back. All will be well soon." Winterspear buried her face into Crystal's mane. "Yeah." There was no conviction in her voice; it was just a hollow word spoken to fill the silence for a brief moment. There was little conviction in Crystal's heart, either, but she didn't voice that awful thought. She kept that to herself so that as she looked up at the stars, only her feelings of desperate, lonely love were conveyed.