//------------------------------//
// P.B. and Despair 
// Story: P.B. and J. 
// by TheAmazingMe 
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It is said that the emotions of the Crystal Empire are amplified by the Crystal Heart and can influence much of the land around it. The most obvious sign of this is the constant fair weather. While the landscape surrounding the Crystal Empire is a frozen waste, the city of the crystal ponies remains calm and balmy. That much I knew from the corny, brightly-colored travel brochure I'd used for research.

In living color, the city escaped sufficient description. So what must follow therefore is my best attempt at a woefully inadequate one. I'd apologize, but that would have to mean I'm sorry. If there was one thing I could never be after witnessing the Crystal Empire with my own eyes, it would be sorry.

Within any other setting, the single-minded nature of the decor would be seen at best as cookie-cutter, and at worst tacky. However, the differing hues, clarity, shapes, cuts and how all interacted not only with direct but also ambient light was a feat of genius writ as large as a city. The sheer effort to make the crystal gleam without being blinding was enough to boggle even the most talented minds. Any single home, business and building exuded the best of craftsmanship. Taken as a whole, what other word could fit but wonder?

It contrasted sharply with the ponies I came into contact with immediately upon touching down in the empire. Aside from Cadence and Shining Armor, it seemed every glistening face had but one facet. Somber.

The public reception was brief. Pleasantries exchanged before the press and then a quick and silent retreat. Cadence's eyes clued me in and I closed my mouth before I could speak. It was only in the privacy of the royal chamber that we Canterlotians could speak without a crystalline ear to hear.

"Some cultural festival." I remarked as I took my seat at a nearby desk chair. 

Joe couldn't help himself. "Blue, we just touched down."

It seemed the informality was spreading. Dr. Turner spoke next. "Joe, you're supposed to address him as Your Highness in formal settings."

"It's more of a...remembrance." Shining Armor started. "And we don't much stand on formalities when it's just us..."

Cadence waved a hoof, silencing us all. "Prince Blueblood, it is a pleasure to see you. I'm sorry that more information could not be rendered to you to make this celebration more understandable. Much of this is impromptu, relying on barely remembered formalities dating back before the Evil Sombra's reign. But Shining Armor is right, this is supposed to be a celebration."

"Then I'm missing something." I said, standing once more. "What are we celebrating?"

Cadence looked to Shining Armor, drew a breath and turned her head back to face me. "The lives of those who have passed."

The silence fell as hard and as thick as a brick. Cadence looked around the room and drew a breath. Then another. By the third, I could see a single tear draw a line down the princess' face. 

Taking a step forward, Shining nudged his muzzle against his wife's and took over. "In the Crystal Empire, the Festival of Lights is to celebrate and commemorate the lives of those who've passed. This is the first year that the Empire has as a group decided to come to terms with the loss of those who were not in the Empire when it disappeared. Virtually no household went unaffected. The Empire was much more vast than these city limits, but only the capitol disappeared. These ponies are over a thousand years old. Their loved ones were lost to time. It's..." Shaking his head, Shining refocused. "So this celebration is to be the biggest of its kind."

I glanced at Dr. Turner and Pony Joe. We were vastly out of our depths. Leagues of emotionally turbulent water was figuratively above our collected heads. A baker, a time-keeper and a reformed prince against the uncertainty and pain of over a thousand years of mourning.

With a shrug, I exhaled softly before answering. "How can we help?"

Cadence looked at Shining, who smiled and nodded. "Well, that is certainly the spirit of things. Service projects have begun all over the city. Since you are our guests, we'll leave it up to you to take an assignment with any of the projects that have invited royal attention. Shining?"

"There are a few major projects. Our hooves are too tied to make an appearance at all of them. First is a replanting at the garden of the main park closest to the Crystal Heart. Second, a monument at the main archway into the city is being finalized. Third, a banquet is being held in the castle tonight and the baking staff is short a member."

"Well, I know which one I'm going for." Joe announced. "Just point me at the kitchen."

"I do think getting my hooves into some soil would do them good." Dr. Turner said next, surprising me. "What? I've always wanted to put down roots."

I groaned. "That leaves me to go see how the monument is progressing." I said, desperate to change the subject.

Cadence and Shining exchanged glances. "You know, you don't have to split up. You could stay with Joe..." Cadence offered.

I waved a hoof. "Nah, I'd just get underhoof with all the other bakers. I'm okay, but I'm not quick."

Shining continued the thought. "Or stay with Dr. Turner and..." He seemed at a loss for words. "Garden?" He looked as if the thought of me gardening was completely outside of his imagination. 

I shook my head. "Just point me down the road. I can look at a monument as well as any other pony."

"We're just...how do I put this kindly?" Cadence said, tapping a hoof to her chin. 

Shining blurted. "Going to be hyper-critical or rudely dismissive of the work normal ponies do."

Cadence looked wide-eyed at Shining and then turned to me. "That's not what I was going to say."

"You know I used to make regular appearances in Canterlot before I hit my...rebellious years, right? Like, even the rough parts?" I rolled my eyes. "But you both are concerned. I don't suppose you have a guard that can go with me. Pull me out of any "trouble" I might have. And give a little more credence to the honor of being visited by a prince."

"That's a good idea." Shining agreed, nodding. "Yes, we do."

"Perfect," I said, attempting to keep my tone even. 

***

"Perfect." I said, my tone dripping with irony as I looked at a group of work ponies at odds with each other. They stood around a half-finished monument. A wall of names, made from large, reflective black crystal. "Excuse me." I said to the pony closest to us. "Could you show me the pony in charge?"

"Sure, most of us are trying to avoid him, but why not?" The crystal pony said, his coat somewhat dimmer than the ones I'd seen to that point.

My guard tapped my shoulder, so I slowed down enough to let him take my ear. "Your Highness, these ponies appear to be in low spirits."

"Thank you, I'd picked up on that." I whispered in return.

"You're welcome." He responded, oblivious.

The pegasus in charge was flapping his wings irritably. His topaz coat barely had any shine to it at all. Upon seeing me, he seemed to dull even more. "Oh great, By Spike's tail this day is getting better and better!"

Before I could even ask what Spike was, the pegasus was practically in my face. "Look, you can tell Cadence and Shining Armor that the memorial will have to be completed next year! This has been impossible. I don't know why I thought I could herd this group of diamond dogs together to get this done on time."

Impassive, I held up a hoof. "I take it you've hit a snag--"

"That would be putting it mildly. It's a disaster! Every pony here seems to think their own idea would be better than what's planned! As if I merely thought up this memorial this morning." He ranted. I pursed my lips in disdain at being cut off. As lax as my aunts were about decorum, one simply wouldn't even go this far in front of nobility in Canterlot. At least not in public!

"What seems to be the problem?" I asked, grimacing as he went off again. I ignored a vast majority of his whining and blame-scattering. The gist of the matter seemed to be that the monument was supposed to be a wall of names to those who went missing. The lists they had were woefully mismanaged. The material they decided to use for the wall was difficult to work with for the engraver. There was only one engraver. Their smallest list had hundreds of names. The rest of the volunteers had no experience engraving and the few that had tried succeeded mostly in blasting chunks out of walls. 

As this pegasus ranted, the engraver walked up and set down his chisel. His turquoise coat was nearly as dull as the pegasus planner. I regarded him and spoke. "I take it you are the engraver?"

"That I am." He responded, calmly. His eyes hardened as he looked at the planner, but then the engraver turned back to me. "Chisel. Nick Chisel. I'm quitting. This has to be the worst run service project in the history of the Empire. That pony there--" here he pointed to the pegasus, "--is the biggest ninny that ever wore feathers."

"You can't quit!" The planner roared.

"Watch me." Nick Chisel responded, turning around. His coat seemed to gain a bit of luster with each step away.

Whatever remaining glow in the pegasus went out. "You just watch! I'll tell all my friends in the Quartz district about this!

"That's it!" I snapped. "On behalf of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor, I, Prince Blueblood, am taking over this project. You, sir, are relieved of duty. You may tell your friends in the Quartz district how a pony from outside the Empire saved it, again." Whether it was my tone or the Crystal Empire Royal Guard at my side, the pegasus blustered unintelligibly and flew off. 

"Mr. Chisel!" I called, catching the ear of the engraver. He must have heard me sack the feather-duster, because he'd already half-turned by the time I'd turned around to call him. "I could use an artist's eye."

"Everypony! This project is going to be reshaped. Leave off those lists of names. It was a good idea, but the execution is killing this project. Do we have any material besides this drab black? Not to put too fine a point on it, but it reminds me of a certain king I heard about on my flight here." With a few short sentences, it seemed like I had everypony on track again, their interest showing in the hopeful glimmers of light reflected off their crystalline coats. 

"Your Highness, if we may have a word. I'm Carter from the supply company. Our warehouse is nearby and we can have any number of other shades for you as soon as hooves can move." An earth pony of deep amber hue piped up. I looked up into his honey-brown eyes and smiled. "What we can't do is anything with the three slabs already engraved. They're too brittle to sand down."

I thought for a moment. "Then we'll break them up and use them for the redesign. Please have your ponies bring a few lighter shades, varying sizes, no bigger than half the size of these black slabs. And of sufficient quality to engrave easily."

A yellow topaz unicorn about half the size of Carter squeezed in and bowed. "Speak." I ordered.

"Your Highness, as the treasurer of this project, I must tell you that the original funding would be insufficient for such materials." He said, his glow nearly completely diminished. 

"How much funding was allocated to this project and from what sources?" I asked. "Actually, tell me about that later. Right now, I want you to bill The Night Court of Princess Luna in Canterlot for this project under my direct authority as Prince of the Court. This project is now a direct gift of Her Royal Highness Princess Luna to the ponies of the Crystal Empire."

"Yes, sir!" The yellow unicorn replied.

"Your name?" I asked, curious about one of the few ponies to ever treat me so formally.

He bowed again. "Jaune Light, Your Highness."

"See to it, then." As Jaune and Carter went to gather more materials, I turned to my engraver. "How are you at design?"

Nick shrugged. "Not as bad as some, not as good as others."

"There's a ringing self-endorsement." I remarked drily. "Well, you're the best we have. Unless somepony else has ever designed a public monument before." At the crowd of shaking head, I shrugged. "Oh well, so here's my idea. We have all the material necessary to start a mural. The archway here is grand, but bland. Color it up, use some of this black crystal to outline some things and basically make a small colorful map of the Crystal City. And an inscription that reads something along the lines of 'Lost to Time, but Found in our Hearts.' Pass that around the ponies and see how they like it. What do you think?"

"I think we need to get to work." Nick said, barking a few orders out to the surrounding volunteers. Turning back to me, he bowed. "How is Your Highness at cutting crystal?"

I shrugged. "I'm a quick learner."

As we broke up some of the black crystal slabs, Nick looked at me. "Your Highness, have you ever lost somepony important to you?"

"That's a cheery subject, Nick." I observed, my witticism doing nothing to deter the engraver.

"I was chosen because I used to engrave tombstones. You can say I'm a pretty cheery guy. It would be a stretch, but you could say it." He said, his self-deprecation easing down my initial walls. "This holiday is supposed to be about remembering the ones we've lost. Celebrating them, not simply mourning. I'm sorry if I bring up bad memories. But surely there were good ones that went before it."

After a long moment of silence, I whispered. "My parents. I was old enough to know them. To be proud of the work they did helping cure ponies. But for all the lives they saved, they couldn't save their own."

A drop splashed on the section of slab I was cutting. I let the magic go, feeling the spell die down as I hurriedly wiped the evidence. Nick noticed, of course. "Did you know that this archway led to another village in the Empire? One that didn't get carried away in Sombra's spell."

I shook my head, not trusting my voice just yet.

Nick nodded. "Most of the ones we honor were in that village and a few others like it. Some were just on the other side of the border. Just outside the spell. When some ponies started to remember, they remembered waving to a friend just across a field before..." Nick coughed, I looked away politely. "My wife and son were just up the road. Just a few hours away. I was here, delivering yet another load of headstones. There were so many in those days. Then, I was just wandering aimlessly for a few months, suddenly thrust forward into the future. When I finally remembered...I remembered telling my wife I loved her as I walked out. Hugging my son on the fence near the gate. I never came back, but they knew I loved them." 

I was literally the worst pony to be handling this situation. I couldn't even bring myself to look over at Nick, a pony I'd only just met. Cursing my weak nature, I charged up my horn and cut off another section. There was quite a bit of this material, with plenty left over for a second mural. I'd have to justify this expense to Luna, but maybe telling her how much it meant to the ponies in this group would satisfy her.

"Do you remember the layout of the town?" I asked, struck by another bolt of inspiration. 

He looked at me, his eyes wet but clear with understanding. "It'd be quite easy to incorporate with your design."

I corrected him. "Our design."

He held out his hoof. I bumped his with mine.