Glass Slipper beamed as she trotted towards the schoolhouse with her little sisters in tow. She couldn't wait to tell Sapphire about the new records Crystal Note had brought from her latest trip out of the Crystal Empire and tonight, they could listen to them together in her room.
After sending the twins to their classroom, the teenager joined the other fillies of her class who stood together just out of the building. She smiled to all and took her spot next to Sapphire, but then her smile faded. Her friend looked like she hadn't slept at all that night and instead of happy she looked downright depressed. Before she could ask what was wrong, the bell rang and called everypony into the classrooms.
Glass Slipper could barely concentrate as the minutes ticked by. She couldn't answer any of the teacher’s questions, for which she received additional homework, but she couldn't care less. As soon as the bell rang for recess, she rushed to her best friend's side. The teacher who had just been scolding Glass Slipper watched the two fillies. When Glass Slipper gave a pleading look, the teacher nodded in approval and allowed them to stay behind in the classroom while the others left.
As soon as they were along, Sapphire's shoulders trembled and she turned away from her friend
"Sapphy? What's wrong? Come on, talk to me, I'm your best friend, remember?"
"We can't be friends anymore, Slipper."
"Huh? Why not? What happened?"
Sapphire's voice hitched into a sob
"My parents don't want me to visit you anymore. They say it's not good for me to spend time at your place and they want me to stop dancing."
Glass Slipper blinked in disbelief
"But you love dancing!"
"Dancing is just wasting time."
"Says who?"
"My father, Glass Slipper."
"Then he's a jerk."
Sapphire turned around and two sets of blue eyes glared daggers at each other
"You have no right to insult my family!"
"Your father has no right to decide what you like or not."
"Yes he does! He's my father!"
"So he gets to decide what you put your heart into? Does he decide your favourite food as well? Will you let him pick your first crush for you?"
Sapphire snorted angrily
“If your father told you to do something, you do it as well. It's tradition."
"It's old fashioned! In Vanhoover, Haute Nuage told me..."
"But we're not in Vanhoover! And you're not a pegasus pony! We're crystal ponies in the Crystal Empire and our parents are the ones who decide what's best for us."
Glass Slipper took a step backwards and shook her head frustrated
"My parents would never make me quit something I love! Besides, Crystal Note is a crystal pony and she's okay with what I do!"
Sapphire sensed her best friend’s insecurity easily. Feeling like she had the upper hoof now, she glared and pushed on with the words her mother had used the night before
"Crystal Note is not a pony like the rest of us. The question is, are you, Glass Slipper?"
Glass Slipper backed away more, her friend's words cutting in deep. She could just mumble
"But, you liked dancing and the new music. You always smiled at dinner. And you like Crystal Note. Isn't that more important than what your father wants?"
“No. Family is the most important.”
“Well, a real family would encourage you to follow your dreams instead of commanding you what to do!”
“Like Crystal Note does for you? She’s not your real family, Glass Slipper. She probably has you all under some evil spell.”
At this, Glass Slipper’s anger took over and she screamed
“You take that back! Crystal Note is family and she would never put spells on anypony! Just because your mother is afraid of everything doesn’t mean that…”
“That’s enough now, both of you. Unless you want the whole school to know, I’d recommend you stop shouting immediately.”
The fillies stared at the door and shrunk down as they saw the headmaster walking in
“It seems like you two have some unsettled business, so I believe an hour of detention after classes today will give you ample time to sort that out.”
The old stallion fixed them with a glare that allowed no objections and continued
“Furthermore, we will invite your parents, Sapphire, and your guardian, Glass Slipper. I’m thrilled to hear what they have to say about your accusations.”
None of the fillies dared to object, but both of them looked equally nervous about getting their parents involved. The bell rang and the headmaster nodded
“Since that’s decided, you may return to your classes. And if I hear of any more fighting between you today, you’ll be in detention for the rest of the month. Have a nice day, girls.”
Both teenage fillies groaned under their breaths as the headmaster left. Glass Slipper glanced to Sapphire with a little smile, but her friend just glared. Glass Slipper sighed and returned to her seat. It was going to be a long day.
Glass Slipper and Sapphire sat in the front row but on the different side of the room each. The teacher at the front desk didn’t say anything and focused on grading some assignment, so he didn’t notice Glass Slipper trying to sneak glances towards her friend. Sapphire only stared at the wall.
As promised, or threatened, the headmaster returned with three ponies in tow. Glass Slipper found her caretaker’s eyes and relaxed. Crystal Note wasn’t angry, instead she had her usual kind smile that always managed to calm the filly down.
Behind her, another mare and a stallion entered the classroom. While the stallion carried a stoic expression, the mare shot barely hidden glances to Crystal Note, her horn in particular. Sapphire looked up and bowed her head down in shame as soon as she met her father’s glare. Glass Slipper opened her mouth to say something but instead bit her lip.
Crystal Note took the spot next to her charge while Sapphire was flanked by her parents. The headmaster exchanged a nod with the teacher who left quickly, leaving the front seat for the headmaster to take.
The old stallion calmly addressed the five ponies
“As you know, it’s not unusual for fillies to argue sometimes. Today, however, I had to witness something I can only call a bad fight. I’ve heard some things that make me believe there are some misconceptions floating around. That’s why I asked you here today, to clear them out once and for all.”
Crystal Note nodded once, calm and collected. Glass Slipper glanced towards Sapphire and her family from the corner of her eyes when Bronze Bell, her father, called out
“Enough with the smart-talking. Is this about the girls not meeting each other anymore? Well, that’s my decision, isn’t it? I’m Sapphire’s father, so I have the right to decide what’s good for my daughter and what’s not.”
The headmaster nodded with a patience born from years in education
“Very true. But, perhaps you could explain what caused your sudden change of mind? Glass Slipper and Sapphire have been friends for years and they have benefitted greatly from their friendship. There had never been any objections to their friendship until recently.”
The stallion blew out his breath through his nose
“Because recently, my daughter comes home late at night and talks about strange places and even stranger ponies. All that I hear from her is music, dancing and magic.”
He practically spat out the last word and his wife Amethyst fixed Crystal Note through the room
“Instead of learning and growing into a responsible mare, our daughter seems obsessed with foreign culture. Glass Slipper has become a troublesome influence to Sapphire. Not that I blame the poor filly, obviously she’s just a victim herself. I must say, I’m worried how a crystal unicorn was given guardianship of three young and impressionable fillies just like that.”
Crystal Note just shrugged off any hidden accusations and responded with a calm smile
“I can tell you, there’s a lot of paperwork involved, the Crystal Council is very accurate with those kinds of things. I assure you, it didn’t happen ‘just like that’. As for why I in particular became their guardian, Glass Slipper and her sisters made this decision on their own.”
Sapphire’s mother glared once more
“I’ve heard what happened, Miss Harmony. While I respect you stepping in to help after the accident, I hoped you would see that the fillies would be better off in a proper family.”
Glass Slipper and Sapphire blinked confused and the headmaster put a hoof on his temple. Crystal Note just tilted her head and her smile looked more stressed by now
“That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long while. If you don’t mind, I prefer Crystal Note, please.”
Amethyst just grinned, obviously enjoying she’d found a sore spot
“A stone might wish and beg to be called a diamond, but no matter how often it calls itself diamond, it will always be a stone in the end.”
Again, the fillies exchanged a confused glance, but Crystal Note just smiled with a nod
“Ah, well said. I’ve heard a similar saying about apples and oranges, once. And while it might be true for stones or fruit, there is one flaw in your logic: A pony, unlike a stone, has the ability to change.”
“True, I admit. But change is not always a good thing. Change just for the sake of changing is reckless. We have traditions and customs to remind us of our roots.”
“I could not agree more. But, I want to remind you, other ponies have customs and traditions as do we. To cling on our own traditions while denying theirs is hypocrisy in my eyes.”
The smirk faded from the mare and a thoughtful expression took its place instead
“Hm. So you do admit that traditions are important?”
“I never doubted that. Yet, I try to consider other cultures beside our own. I try to take the best of both worlds and share this with Glass Slipper, Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart.”
The fillies followed the exchange of their mothers in awe, while the two stallions groaned, although for different reasons, so the headmaster spoke up again
“Listen, I think there’s just been a misunderstanding. Instead of separating your daughters, why don’t you try to talk things out between each other? It seems like you have a lot in common after all.”
Sapphire’s parents exchanged and glance and Bronze Bell nodded
“We’re willing to try.”
Crystal Note smiled and bowed her head deeply in a well-practiced motion
“Thank you. May I offer a suggestion? It would be a great honour to invite you and your family for dinner. How about the day after tomorrow?”
The couple nodded and Glass Slipper dared to throw a smile towards her friend, but Sapphire seemed uneasy at this suggestion. The headmaster nodded and clapped his hoof on the desk
“Excellent. Now that this is settled, I believe detention is over as well. Sapphire, Glass Slipper, you may go home with your parents now.”
The fillies jumped out of their seats immediately. Crystal Note bowed her head to the family once again and followed Glass Slipper out while Sapphire and her parents tarried behind. As soon as they were outside, the teenage filly couldn’t hold back her questions any longer
“Why did they call you Harmony?”
Crystal Note gave a deep sigh, the one Glass Slipper knew from whenever she talked about a painful memory
“That’s my birth name. Your aunt Rose Quartz changed it as soon as I got my cutie mark, but it seems some ponies still remember it. Outside of the Empire, everpony knows me as Crystal Note and I like that name a lot more.”
Glass Slipper nodded and glanced at her caretaker
“Do you think we can fix this all with dinner?”
“Not all, Glass Slipper. But it’s a first step. They are simply worried about Sapphire’s wellbeing, just like I’m about yours. Remember what Bonne Voyage said in Vanhoover? Instead of looking for what makes us different, we should focus more on the things we have in common.”
The teenager pondered for a few minutes, but then she nodded
“If they see we’re not really that different, Sapphire’s parents won’t worry anymore.”
“Or at least worry less. I think no parent in the world ever stops worrying about their children entirely.”
Glass Slipper grinned
“If you’re cooking though, they’ll have a good reason to be worried.”
She giggled and hopped out of reach when Crystal Note batted her hoof towards her
“Cheeky filly.”
“Just kidding, Mom.”
They both laughed as always and Crystal Note smiled as Glass Slipper joined her again. The fact that the filly could already joke like that again told her that her charge at least wasn’t worried anymore.
On their way home, they already made plans of the night of the dinner.
Glass Slipper paced through the living room and glanced nervously at the clock. Only a few minutes left before Sapphire and her parents would arrive.
The twins just giggled as they watched her big sister, they couldn’t get what all the fuss was about. Crystal Note had spent most of the day cleaning the house and preparing dinner, with the help of Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart.
Crystal Note climbed down the stairs with her usual calm smile
“Don’t worry, Glass Slipper. It will be just fine.”
At that, the teenage filly nodded and joined her sisters on the family couch, mindful not to dishevel her carefully arranged mane. Like her sisters, her coat shined in the lights of the room, Crystal Note had spent some time working on each filly with her soft brush. However, despite Glass Slipper’s pleading, she had not agreed on putting on one of her fancy dresses
“We want to show them who we really are, not put on a show for anypony.”
Right on time, they heard knocking on the front door. Glass Slipper nervously jumped on her hooves but Crystal Note stopped her with a knowing grin. Joined by her sisters, she waited in the living room as the mare of the house opened the door and greeted their guests. Crystal Note was not a mare of many words, but her welcoming smile was warm and sincere. Following the old tradition of hospitality, she bowed her head to the three ponies and led them right into the living room.
Although it was the biggest room in the entire house, it didn’t feel empty at all. Sapphire and her parents looked around and took in the carefully arranged furniture, clearly set up for comfort over design. A flickering fireplace spread its warmth through the room and on the shelves, they saw various books and knick-knacks that belonged to the fillies, giving a very homey feel to the living room.
On the far side of the room, a few framed pictures filled some of the empty spots on the wall and Sapphire’s mother stared curiously for a moment, before she focused on the host again.
The fillies stood in line and smiled, Glass Slipper a little nervously but the twins with their typical innocent curiosity. Crystal Note couldn’t help but giggle a little as she introduced her charges and when the twins mimicked the bow they’d seen from their caretaker, even Bronze Bell lost his stern frown and indicated a smile.
Everpony got seated at the dining table and Crystal Note vanished into the kitchen, followed by Sweetie Tooth.
Sapphire and Glass Slipper exchanged some nervous smiles while the parents examined the room. Velvet Heart noticed of course and giggled, which made Glass Slipper glare at her little sister and hiss through her teeth
“Stop that!”
“Stop what?”
“You know what!”
Velvet Heart smiled innocently, which only made her older sister glare more, both of them so focused on the other that they missed the soft smile from Sapphire’s mother.
Crystal Note returned from the kitchen and she only needed one look to see what was going on
“Velvet, dear, stop teasing your sister. She’s already nervous as it is.”
“Mom!”
Everypony laughed at the whiny pout from Glass Slipper who just blushed furiously now. Crystal Note met her gaze with a caring smile and slowly, the filly regained her normal colour. Through their laughing, Sapphire and her parents had not noticed Sweetie Tooth returning as well, until the filly set down a large tray she’d been balancing on her head. Velvet Heart helped her sister set up teacups for everypony, the small sugar bowl and the honey pot found their place in the middle of the table.
The parents watched approvingly but Amethyst then noticed something moving towards her and backed away in surprise. She saw a glowing teapot float through the air in her direction. She didn’t dare to blink as the pot moved on its own to fill her cup, then move on to the next cup.
She stared and saw Crystal Note with the same glow around her horn. Still, when she saw the warm smile of the crystal unicorn, she couldn’t feel very terrified, especially when the mare explained
“It’s still very hot, don’t burn your tongues, please.”
Amethyst glanced at the teapot as it descended to its designated spot in the middle of the table, just as the glow disappeared
“Too hot to carry with your hooves, but not for magic I presume?”
Crystal Note giggled with a faint blush as she nodded
“It’s one of the little advantages I can get away with.”
The fillies giggled at that, including Sapphire who had already seen Crystal Note’s magic often enough by now. Her parents stared warily at their cups, but the fillies didn’t seem to mind and sipped on their drinks already.
Crystal Note smiled and faced their stares calmly
“Dinner will still be a while, if you have any questions I’d be happy to answer them for you.”
Bronze Bell’s brow perked up at that
“Can you read minds as well?”
Crystal Note hid a giggle behind her hoof and shook her head
“Just expressions. And to be honest, I have had this talk often enough before. It’s the first thing everypony asks me about, but that’s okay.”
Sapphire’s mother tilted her head, confused
“So you’re not bothered with others treating you like… an oddity?”
Sapphire blushed at that choice of words from her mother, but Crystal Note just laughed her usual melodious laughter
“As you said the other day, there’s no denying in what’s true. I am odd. But, as long as somepony is willing to be open about it, so am I. When they understand, nopony has to be afraid of my magic and I don’t have to be afraid of being put on the spot. Everything that takes away fear is a good thing in the end, don’t you think?”
After a few moments of thoughtful silence, both parents nodded and met Crystal Note’s eyes. All three of them shared a shy smile of understanding, as they all knew what it meant to live in fear and only slowly got used to letting go of such fear.
When the obvious questions and answers started, the fillies quickly zoned out. They already knew most of the things their caretaker explained, so they took their cups to the family couch instead, waiting for the three adults to finish, or dinner. Whichever came first.
Sapphire avoided Glass Slipper’s stares and glanced around the familiar room. Her eyes got locked on the record player that was set up as usual, more specifically on the records that lay next to it. She smiled when she recognized one of the covers
“Is that…?”
“Uh-huh. Countess Coloratura’s new song. Mom’s friend Vinyl Scratch sent it over from Ponyville the other day.”
The teenagers’ eyes finally met and they shared a smile
“Is it good?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t want to listen without you.”
“Aww!”
The twins giggled teasingly, at which the older fillies shot some mocking glares at them before joining in as well.
The three elder ponies watched the exchange with pleased smiles
“I would have never guessed that the old mansion could actually feel like a home. After all the stories I've heard..."
Crystal Note nodded emphatically
"I know all those stories. I've seen most of them happen, and I still can't believe it. It's so wonderful how those three fillies manage to light up even a place like this."
The three elders smiled fondly as more giggles floated over from the four fillies. Crystal Note couldn’t help but remember her own past in these rooms, when she had been too afraid to say anything because of her father. She could almost see herself sneaking from room to room and out the house so she wouldn’t disturb him.
Seeing the fillies laugh and smile together like this, carefree and genuinely happy, was balm to her soul. And if the smiles on the faces on her guests were anything to go by, they felt the same
“If you want, I can give you a tour of the house. I think we still have some time before dinner should be ready.”
Amethyst exchanged a glance with her husband and nodded
“We’d love to see more, if it’s not too inconvenient.”
“Not at all, Miss Amethyst. Follow me, please.”
Crystal Note walked past the sitting area with the fillies and up the stairs, both her guests following behind. While Bronze Bell took in the architecture of such a big house compared to the ones he was used to, Amethyst’s eyes darted around in search for details. With her imminent fears about magic quelled by Crystal Note, she wasn’t worried as much anymore but still rather wary. She was not a fearful pony by any means, but the events of the past made her very protective of her family, especially her only daughter. If anything were off in this home, she would find it.
The tour started with the twin’s bedroom. Crystal Note smiled proudly that Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart had tamed in the usual chaos. Amethyst’s inquisitive gaze found two beds, two small desks and a drawer. A big rug in a pale orange colour and a few brightly coloured cushions broke the monotony of the crystal floor and even if the room had been tidied up, the sharp eyes of a mother still found some toys out of place and a few books that stood out from the shelves. In short, it was everything she would expect from a room of two lively fillies.
The other rooms of the floor were tidy and clean. Bronze Bell noticed with some confusion that Crystal Note had picked the tiniest room for her bedroom but dedicated a large room to her musical equipment. They reached the second floor and Crystal Note’s smile wavered as she blushed
“These are Glass Slipper’s rooms. She used to share a room with the twins, but since she’s a teenager, I figured she would prefer some privacy from time to time. She’s still learning the ‘cleaning after herself’-concept though.”
Amethyst peeked past the crystal unicorn and almost couldn’t supress her frown. Compared to the fillies’ room, this one was nothing short of a mess. Books and magazines were scattered around the floor, various knickknacks filled the shelves and the bed clearly was made in a hurry. While the general style matched the other rooms, this one had received far more of a personal touch. There were posters and framed pictures on the walls, shawls and drapes hung across the ceiling in an irregular pattern and in colours that didn’t all match.
In other words, this was the room of a teenager.
Crystal Note frowned and mumbled something under her breath, but Amethyst seemed relieved, mostly. So far, she had seen nothing too odd, except from a few things that clearly were brought in from outside the Crystal Empire. However, those had to be expected by a travelling mare such as Crystal Note.
On their way back down, Amethyst finally made a discovery that changed everything.
On the far end of the hallway, she noticed a small table set up under a window facing south. Only a few items sat on it, but Amethyst was drawn closer as soon as she saw it.
She spotted a beautiful tea mug with a floral design and a miner’s badge. She saw a hoofmade betrothal necklace and a matching set of rings next to it. In the middle, there were three framed photographs. First, a beautiful lilac mare with a traditional braided hairstyle with jewels woven into her mane and a wonderful smile on her face. The next showed a group of stallions from the mines, one of them proudly showing off his newly earned badge. The biggest of the photos showed the mare and the stallion on each side and the three fillies in their middle. Glass Slipper had the same beautiful mane as her mother and Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart had the same smile their father carried. The photo could not be older than a year and had been taken during the crystal faire.
Deeply touched, Amethyst stepped back from the small family shrine and bowed her head in respect to those that had passed. In every home of the Crystal Empire, a place like this, dedicated to the family and ancestors could be found. It was one of the oldest and most treasured traditions of the crystal ponies and even though this shrine seemed small, Amethyst was able to tell that the mare of this house cherished this custom as deeply as she did herself.
Crystal Note’s head bowed down as well. For the first time of the evening, the usual warmth of her smile was replaced by an earnest sadness. Bronze Bell could see that the unicorn mare missed the two ponies who had been his friends for years. Her grief for them and the loss of their daughters was as genuine as the care and warmth she showed for the fillies
“Did you ever get to know them?”
Crystal Note didn’t look away from the photos and shook her head
“No, sadly. All I know about them I learned from the girls. They were wonderful ponies, no doubt.”
Bronze Bell nodded in affirmation and Amethyst closed her eyes for a moment. They both shared a glance, then turned back to their host
“If you want, we could tell you some more. Our families had been close for years, until the war drew them apart. With Sapphire and Glass Slipper, we’ve been growing together again, but…”
Crystal Note stared at the pictures and nodded sadly
“But then they left well before their time. I’m sorry you had to lose your friends in such a way. I’d be honoured to learn more about them from you.”
Amethyst managed an earnest smile as she thanked Crystal Note for her kind words. They shared another minute in silence, staring at the pictures, before Crystal Note excused herself to check on dinner.
Bronze Bell and Amethyst shared another look
“This is nothing like I thought it would be.”
Bronze Bell nodded and his stoic expression returned
“I suppose Crystal Note belongs here after all. She’s one of us at heart.”
“I won’t deny that anymore. Nor that she cares deeply for the sisters. But that still leaves the question if she capable of being a parent for three fillies. You’ve seen their rooms. Sapphire would never leave her room in such a mess.”
Bronze Bell’s lips twitched into a wry smile
“To be honest, a lot of that is us making sure she doesn’t. If we had three foals to take care off, maybe we’d have some more leisure as well.”
“But they need to know limits. They need to learn discipline and order. They need rules to guide them. Especially after their parents… especially since their lives have changed in such a way.”
“We have rules.”
The two turned around and saw Velvet Heart standing at the top of the stairway leading down. The filly had the grace to blush
“Um, sorry. I just overhead what you said. And, you know, we have rules. Some we had when Mommy and Dad were still here, but new ones too. Crystal Note talked with us and explained why we needed them, and we agreed on those rules together.”
Amethyst took a step towards the filly
“And what happens when you break the rules?”
Velvet Heart blinked and shrugged
“Um, we talk about it. Why it’s wrong to do that. And sometimes, we get more chores.”
The mare only had a disapproving frown
“And how does she make sure you won’t break the rules again?”
Velvet Heart just tilted her head the other way
“We talk about it. I already said that.”
“That’s not enough. There have to be consequences for misbehaving.”
“Why?”
Amethyst seemed completely thrown off by that question, especially paired with Velvet Heart’s innocent look
“How else will you learn to follow those rules?”
“Crystal Note explains why we have them and why it’s bad to break them.”
“I don’t care what Crystal Note says, the only way you’ll learn to follow rules is discipline. And when rules are disobeyed, there’s to be punishment.”
Velvet Heart backed away from the harsh response and kept her eyes on the floor as she mumbled shyly
“Mom once said when ponies are afraid they often don’t do the right thing.”
“Again, I don’t care what Crystal Note…”
“Not Crystal Note. Mom said that.”
Amethyst just stared at the filly with her eyes wide open and Velvet glanced past her, at the framed picture of her mother
“I don’t want rules just to be afraid of them like Sapphire. Crystal Note explains everything to us. She wants us to understand so we don’t have to be afraid.”
Bronze Bell quipped in as soon as his daughter was mentioned
“And what makes you think Sapphire is afraid? We set up those rules so she learns order and discipline.”
“But she only follows those rules because she’s scared! Not because she thinks they’re right. You can tell from the way she looks.”
Amethyst stepped closer as if to examine the young filly who threw an almost defiant glare back at her
“You’re a very observant little filly, aren’t you?”
At this, the glare vanished instantly in place of a grin
“I’m top of my class, too!”
Velvet Heart giggled softly at the baffled look the two ponies threw at her
"Oh, right! Crystal Note sent me up to get you! She says dinner is ready now!"
With that, the filly turned around on the spot and scampered down the stairs, as if the severe conversation never even happened. Bronze Bell and Amethyst looked at another confused, but Bronze Bell just shrugged and headed downstairs. Amethyst hesitated for a moment before she followed, still hung up on Velvet Heart's last statement. Could it really be that her daughter was scared of her?
Dinner turned out very quiet, for various reasons. Sapphire and Glass Slipper spent most of the time watching Sapphire's parents. They had noticed a difference in them now that they had talked with Crystal Note and seen the house, however they were both anxious if that had made them more willing to approve their friendship or not.
Velvet Heart didn't say anything because she felt a little guilty for what she had said to Miss Amethyst upstairs. She knew her temper flared up from time to time and so she said things without thinking first. She expected that what she had said somehow had insulted her guests, which was the last thing she had wanted. She didn't dare to look at Glass Slipper or any of the guests, afraid they might be angry at her.
Sweetie Tooth didn't say anything because she felt the tension. She wasn't really sure what had happened, but she didn't want to risk to start a fight over anything by saying the wrong thing. At least everypony seemed to enjoy the meal she and Crystal Note had prepared.
Amethyst was conflicted. She still thought on what both Crystal Note and Velvet Heart had told her. She didn't think she was a bad mother, but she couldn't deny the fearful glances Sapphire threw at her father and her when she thought they weren't looking.
Crystal Note simply waited. She had learned patience and silence from early on and she had learned how to read the atmosphere of her surroundings. She had also seen that look on Bronze Bell and Amethyst before. She couldn't sense anger or animosity anymore, but instead there was concern, even worry. This dinner was supposed to be an opportunity to clear out the differences between the two families, but both of Sapphire's parents seemed too deep in thought at the moment to pursue those plans right now. So Crystal Note waited patiently for a sign on what to do next while keeping her clam smile for the girls so they wouldn't worry.
She noticed the looks Amethyst threw at her daughter and vice versa. Maybe if they had a moment for themselves, they could work out what was troubling them. So when everypony had finished their meal, she addressed her girls
"Glass Slipper, could you help with those dishes please? And Velvet Heart, your sister has prepared some dessert for us, would you please help her get it?"
The twins nodded and headed into the kitchen quickly. Glass Slipper hesitated, but when she met her guardian's eyes, she nodded. Crystal Note was smiling reassuringly, so the teenage filly trusted that she knew what she was doing.
Amethyst watched the crystal unicorn leave as last, before she turned to her daughter
"Sapphire, are you scared of us?"
"What? No Mom, of course not."
The filly instantly replied, but her eyes wouldn't meet her mother
“Sapphire.”
The filly flinched involuntarily and turned towards her parents
“What makes you feel scared, Sapphire?”
The teenager bit her lower lip, but after a moment’s hesitation she replied
“Sometimes you get all angry and start yelling even if it’s not a big thing. Like, when my room is a little messy.”
“It’s important to always keep everything in order so you…”
“Yes, I know! I really do! But do you have to yell each time my books aren’t all lined up perfectly?”
Bronze Bell frowned and Amethyst relented
“Sapphire, of course not, but we are just trying to do what is best for you.”
“We want you to grow into a responsible and respected mare someday.”
“And yelling helps with that?”
Amethyst frowned at the rebellious tone from her daughter, something she had only used recently, since she spent time with Glass Slipper and her adoptive mother
“Sapphire, you’ve changed so drastically over the last few weeks. Your father and I are concerned to where this all leads. I don’t know who gave you all those silly ideas, but you just can’t be sloppy and dance around all day.”
“I know that!”
Mother and daughter stared at each other and their eyes opened wide
“I know that I can’t make a living out of dancing, but I just like it. I’ve got good grades at school, I do all my chores, and I help at the shop, so why can’t I have some fun with my friend once or twice a week?”
“Of course you can have some fun with your friend! But the kind of fun you’re talking about, the things you talk about whenever you come home from here, they are very worrying.”
“Sapphire, you mother is right. The way you talk, I’m worried you might just jump on the next train and never come back.”
“I don’t want to leave the Crystal Empire!”
Both parents stared at their daughter
“You don’t?”
“Of course not! This is my home and I belong here. Maybe someday, I might want to take a visit to the south, but not forever!”
Both her parents sighed in relief and Sapphire blinked stupefied
“Wait, that was all about it? You’re afraid I might run away so you yell at me?”
“Sapphire, no, it’s not like that.”
“Then how is it?”
Bronze Bell and Amethyst looked at each other
“Sapphire, we simply are concerned. Many bad things happened in the past because we were not careful enough and because we forgot our roots. All we try to do is make sure that something like this won’t ever happen again.”
Sapphire sighed and nodded
“I get that. I do, really. But why is everything new always so dangerous? What bad can happen when I listen to some new songs with Glass Slipper?”
“Sapphire! We have wonderful music from our ancestors!”
Amethyst seemed scandalized, but her daughter just slammed her hooves on the table in frustration
“See? That’s why I’m not telling you about it. I know we have old music and it’s nice. But why can’t I like new music as well? Why can’t we try and learn something new to improve our old ways?”
Bronze Bell yelled angrily
“That’s enough, Sapphire! Don’t talk to your mother in such a way. We taught you better than that.”
“You never teach me anything! You just yell and that’s all you do!”
Before the argument could get more heated up, Crystal Note and Glass Slipper rushed out of the kitchen to intervene. While the teenage filly pulled her friend upstairs to her room, Crystal Note addressed her agitated parents
“Bronze Bell, Amethyst, please calm down.”
“This is all your fault!”
The mare glared daggers at the crystal unicorn who tried to stay calm
“If that is true, it’s even less reason for you to yell at your daughter. So please, calm down. You’re scaring my girls.”
Amethyst felt shocked, like somepony had poured a bucket of ice water on her. She turned her head and indeed, she saw the two small fillies hiding in the kitchen, peeking through the nearly closed door.
“I… but… Sapphire?”
She moved towards the stairs, but Crystal Note stepped in her way
“Let’s give them some time to calm down for now.”
Amethyst stopped and turned around. She stepped further into the living room, but everypony could see she was still fuming with anger. Crystal Note slowly approached the mare once she had slumped down, in front of the photographs on the far wall. Amethyst stared at the pictures, nearly all of the showed smiling fillies, in the Crystal Empire or elsewhere. She didn’t turn around as she finally addressed the crystal unicorn behind her
“Why, Crystal Note? Why do you have to make you look like a bad mother?”
She didn’t expect an answer, but she also didn’t expect for Crystal Note to sit down next to her
“How could you be a bad mother? You and your husband do so much for your daughter. I mean, how many parents do you know who would go into a ghost house with an evil sorceress just so their daughter wouldn’t lose a friend?”
Amethyst glanced sideways, irritated at the smile she saw from Crystal Note
“How can you even joke about that? Half the Empire believes those stories.”
“What else can I do? I can’t change what ponies choose to think, but I don’t have to listen to their stories.”
The mare heard the fatigue in Crystal Note’s voice. She realized that the mare didn’t like those stories but simply accepted them as unfortunate facts she couldn’t change.
“I know what ponies say about me and the girls. I didn’t steal them away or put a spell on them. I offered to stay, but they decided it was what they wanted.”
“And now you want to protect them from angry ponies, like us.”
Crystal Note just shook her head
“I just want them to be happy. I want them to get the chance to grow up safe and carefree, like we never could. I want to take away their fears instead of pile up on them.”
“You mean, like we do."
Crystal Note looked at Amethyst
"Do you, though? Sapphire is a diligent filly with an extraordinary power of imagination. She couldn't have become that without your support and guidance."
"It's that imagination that worries me, especially when it runs wild. She has all those strange ideas and plans and…”
“Did you listen to her, all the way?”
Amethyst stopped for a moment and shook her head
“I don’t even know what you mean. Of course I’m listening.”
“I never said you didn’t. But, when Sapphire starts rambling, do you still listen or do you put an end to it? ‘Sapphire, this is nonsense, stop babbling and clean your room!’”
Amethyst couldn’t help but giggle when Crystal Note imitated her husband’s voice and tone nearly perfect.
“I suppose something like that might have happened.”
“And someday, she just stopped telling you things.”
Amethyst stared perplexed
“How can you know that?”
Crystal Note gave a wry smile
“Let’s just say I’ve seen in happen before. Sapphire and Glass Slipper aren't that different in that regard."
"And yet, my daughter does all her chores and excels in school, while Glass Slipper doesn't even manage to keep her room tidy."
"And why do you think is that?"
"Because Sapphire knows discipline!"
Crystal Note thought about this for a moment, before she replied with a soft voice
"Perhaps. But I won’t fall back to punishment."
Amethyst went back to staring at Crystal Note, as did her husband. Crystal Note didn't seem to notice that and her voice grew harder with every word as she explained
"My sire punished me. Whenever he found something not of his liking around the house, he would unleash on me, with his words or more."
She didn't go further into that, but when she turned back to Amethyst, the mare could see the shimmer of pain in her eyes
"I refuse to be like him. I will not force anything on my fillies against their will."
Now Amethyst took a moment to think about this
“You know that’s not how it works. You are their guardian and as such, you need to set some ground rules.”
“I do.”
“And when the fillies don’t listen?”
“I talk to them.”
“And when they say ‘No’?”
Crystal Note turned her head towards Amethyst
“What do you mean?”
“Glass Slipper doesn’t clean her room, even after you told her how many times?”
“Too many, probably.”
Crystal Note sighed and her head dipped down
“They had to go through so much. I don’t want to hurt them.”
“But you’re not doing them any favours either if you are too lenient.”
Crystal Note nodded as she looked at the pictures with the smiling fillies
“Maybe the girls do need a little more discipline, from time to time.”
She sighed deeply, exhausted
“I’m just not sure. Does it ever get easier?”
Amethyst didn’t answer for a minute, but when she did her voice sounded exhausted as well
“No, I suppose not. You never stop learning what it means to be a parent.”
She turned back towards Crystal Note with the indication of a smile
“Today I learned, maybe I should listen to my daughter more often, instead of assuming things for her.”
Crystal Note couldn’t help but giggle
“And I learned today that there’s a difference between discipline and punishment.”
They giggled together and Crystal Note took a deep breath
“Miss Amethyst, I know we had a rough start, but do you think I could fall back on your advice again? I clearly could use it a lot.”
Amethyst exchanged a glance with Bronze Bell who had been silent so far, and they both nodded
“I think that would be a good thing. If you’re willing to return the favour to us.”
Crystal Note returned their smile
“I’d like that a lot.”