Luna was back in the hallway of Crystal Note's memories. The crystal unicorn was staring at the cluster of lights they had just seen. While Luna boiled with anger and disgust about the scene she just witnessed, Crystal Note seemed worryingly calm, almost apathetic. Luna stepped between her and the lights and finally she blinked and showed some reaction, even if it was just a sigh
"I think that was the last time we actually talked with each other. As in really listening what the other had to say and responding to it."
Luna's eyes went wide and she glared daggers at the memories that floated behind the crystal mare as if they were to blame. Crystal Note's voice stayed unnaturally calm and even
"I kind of hoped those memories would turn out to be wrong, but I guess..."
Luna shook her head and pushed away her anger
"I am beginning to see why your mind preferred to have been born a crystal pony in the Empire. And the origin of your dislike for magic."
Crystal Note's eyes finally found Luna's and some emotion returned to her features, mostly confusion and regret
"I can't shake off the feeling he was just trying to teach me something but I couldn't understand it. Maybe if I had tried harder..."
"I fail to see any flaws in your behaviour. Your creator has shown that he didn't deserve to be called a father to his own."
Crystal Note sighed again and stared back at the lights, her body sinking down into a sitting position. Luna stepped beside her and sat back on her haunches and saw the images that flashed through Crystal Note's mind right now as clearly as her own thoughts.
She saw her filly self being shunned by her own father on multiple occasions. She saw his magic frightening her every time he used it, sometimes against her.
Luna watched and noticed this profound fear taking root in the young pony's heart from an early age. She could barely grasp the idea of waking up one day and suddenly possessing the power you've not only learned to hate, but to fear.
But there was more in this memory than just anger and fear that Luna had seen. There was a family who cared about the lonely filly. Calling forth the words Crystal Note had used earlier, Luna began to query in this direction
"The filly with the pink mane, Rose Quartz. She's the sister you mentioned upon entering?"
Crystal Note nodded and a smile came to her face
"She is. She lived next door with her father and mother. When they noticed I was on my own most of the time, they took me into their home. They didn't ask for anything in return at first, but when father found out, he insisted upon paying them. I think he didn't want to owe anything to a crystal pony since he was an important stallion and all."
Luna noticed apathy returning to Crystal Note's voice as soon as she mentioned that stallion and her smile faded once more. She went back into staring, this time into the unnatural darkness that still surrounded them almost entirely. In an attempt to pull the mare out of her withdrawal, Luna decided to push forward once more
"It would be understandable for you to hate your father. As far as I've seen, there's been nothing but malintent and selfishness in all his deeds. I deem him beyond redemption. Rarely I've found somepony as despicable as your father."
Crystal Note flinched at the harshness of those words and the hard tone Luna's voice had taken. Luna could almost see the gears of her mind beginning to move again, no longer frozen by apathy and regret.
Soon Crystal Note's eyes widened in realization and Luna allowed herself a smile, only to have it frozen by the mare's next words
"I don't hate my father."
Luna slightly tilted her head, expecting a further explanation. Crystal Note just stared at her as if processing what she just said herself, but when she did a genuine smile graced her features
"I don't hate my father, but this stallion is not him. He's not my family"
Both turned their heads when a bright orb of light emerged from the small cluster of memories, far bigger than the ones they had been observing so far. Without thinking, Crystal Note reached out and images appeared around them.
They saw both fillies held and hugged by the adult ponies after a day of play and fun. They watched them sharing what little food they had with each other, helping each other whenever they needed.
“How could I forget about this? I met them as Harmony, but… I became Crystal Note with them. They are my family and I love them and they loved me. Like a real family should.”
The light from the ball glowed and as the light spread out, more and more memories reappeared, branching out and spreading all over the former void darkness. Just realizing about her family unlocked the part of Crystal Note that lay dormant for so long.
Luna watched the dark rose mare embracing the earth filly after another fight and tending her bruises. When Rose Quartz was at school, the two of them would read together, or the mare told stories and legends to Harmony, as well as teach her songs. Together they rediscovered the mother’s violin and practiced playing. The mare was the first to hug Crystal Note the moment she received her cutie mark of the trio of musical notes. When the mare’s illness got worse, Crystal Note took care of her with utmost dedication, as did the rest of their family. Far too soon, the mare lost the fight though, after giving as much love as she could to both her daughters.
Rose Quartz and first Harmony, then Crystal Note got closer with each hour they spent together. Luna watched Crystal Note defend her like a big sister, and Rose Quartz comfort her in a way only a sister could. Crystal Note played her violin to cheer up Rose Quartz after a bad day at school, and the love she put into her music called forth a cutie mark for the earth filly. Rose Quartz quenched Crystal Note’s thirst for knowledge by teaching her the things she learned at the school. They lay in each other’s hooves on the day their mother passed away, helped the other to go on and find their way back into life after being consumed by sadness.
Rose Quartz turned more and more into the big sister, taking care of Crystal Note and dampening her youthful recklessness. When their father became weaker from his own sadness as much as the hard work in the mines, it was Rose Quartz who held the family together.
Their father struggled from the loss of his wife, but he kept going for the sake of both his daughters. He offered them an ear to listen whenever they needed and despite not being old, he carried a deep wisdom within, born equally from his own experiences and the lessons he had learned from his own ancestors. He shared it as much as he could and watched with pride as his daughters grew up into strong and responsible mares. Just like he always had his home and heart opened for the ponies around him, his daughters carried on this tradition, each contributing to the close community of the crystal ponies in their own special ways.
The images and memories flashed and flickered around them, Luna still managed to receive most information and emotion they carried but they didn’t draw her in like the first ones had. Crystal Note on the other hand literally relived her own childhood in bare moments, processing years of memories in a blink of an eye. At one moment, a beautiful smile brightened up her face, then trails of tears run down her cheeks at the next moment.
Luna was there to support the crystal unicorn when her body slumped down at some point, exhausted by her intense experience. The result however drew another smile to Crystal Note’s lips. The darkness of the hallway of memories was almost entirely gone, the void filled with orbs of memories, each of them connected to others. Gone were the former grey wisps and remains of lost impressions, instead a tight knitted network of emotion, knowledge and reminiscence trailed as far as their eyes could reach.
Crystal Note looked expectantly at Luna and the princess nodded
“Well done, Crystal Note. Recovering your true family achieved what you hoped most for. Secrets still linger inside you and not all questions will be answered right away, but no longer should you have to fear confusion or insecurity as before. You rediscovered your identity.”
Crystal Note smiled gratefully and let her eyes roam over the orb and lights of so many different colours and even distinct shapes. Her heart fell as she took in the more dark and sombre colours, reminding her of sad or unpleasant memories. Luna noticed this and nodded with a sympathetic smile
“We all have good and bad in our past. It is both that defines what pony we are and will become. You’ve taken the first steps but there is much you still have to face and process. Memory is never free, Crystal Note. It comes at a cost, but take comfort in knowing that each of them will help you grow further.”
Crystal Note nodded with a thoughtful expression
"There are things I'm not very proud of. Some things I'm not sure everypony would understand why I did them. It seemed right back then, but now..."
Luna gently touched Crystal Note's shoulder with her hoof
"In hindsight, wisdom is always easier to declare. In youth however, action is by far more compelling than waiting and thinking everything through. A wise pony once said 'It's the duty of the youth to be reckless and driving, while the old have to worry and frown upon them'. Don't be too harsh on yourself while reconsidering the events of your youth, Crystal Note."
Crystal Note sat silently for a while, a thoughtful expression on her face. Luna noticed one of the more moderately coloured orbs leaving the network of memories. Without realizing it, Crystal Note reached out and once more, a flash of light flooded the hallways and replaced it with another scene from the past.