The first we saw when we entered the Crystal Empire was a giant statue of Spike holding the Crystal Heart. Sapphire must have figured out that it bugged me and slowed down so she could walk beside me.
"Don't worry just a week here then we'll leave." She said I couldn't wait for it be over as fast as possible. Cord was walking ahead of us towards a mare who had a foal in her arms and another one standing beside her.
"Cord!" The mare called out, jeez could this day get any worse he's a father.....
"Sister sup!" He replied thank Celestia. I watched as the two hugged and then I recognized one the foal's as CD.
"Cord we have to go check into the hotel." Sapphire said and he waved goodbye to them and caught back up to us. Rarity was walking beside him, I could only imagine what she was asking him. So I decided to fall behind to keep her from asking anything inappropriate.
"You didn't tell us you had a sister." Rarity said quizzically
"To be fair you never asked so I didn't feel like I had to tell you." He replied. I guessed that made sense my sister on the other didn't feel the same way towards it.
"We shouldn't have to darling." Rarity said before she sped up to catch up to Sapphire who was leading us. That's when something felt off Cord was all alone at the funeral so where was his sister and parents, not to mention the rest of his family. He must have caught on to this cause he answered me before I asked anything.
"Let's not get into it right now." He said, his tone made it clear it was a difficult subject so I decided not to bring it up anymore than I already had. After he mentioned that his mood changed from cheery to melancholy. Sapphire also noticed this transition and must have thought it was because of his brother's passing.
"Cord if you want some time to yourself to get over this just tell me." She said he looked up at her.
"It's not that, it's just something personal." He said Sapphire shrugged.
"As long as it doesn't effect your performance at the concert or how look in public." She said, she was always thinking about the P.R. and trying to keep us on the good side of the media. We got to the hotel around thirty minutes later, it was nicer than usual, there was a private hot tub, a room for each of us, and a wonderful view. Rarity was the first in the hot tub followed by Sapphire, I asked Cord if he wanted to join but he said no and went into his room.
"I think something's really bugging him." Sapphire said then we all fell silent except for the playing of an acoustic guitar and Cord singing which was weird cause it wasn't what I thought he would sing, it was softer I looked over at Sapphire and her eye's lit up. I went to talk but she put her hoof over my mouth so that we could hear the song.
"We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand" We heard Cord sing but it was off key which didn't make sense, I got out of the hot tub before Sapphire. After I wrapped a towel around myself I went over and knocked on his door. The music stopped and I waited for a response. When he didn't respond I opened the door Cord was laying on his bed looking oddly depressed which didn't really suite him, I walked in and closed the door. I got on the bed next to him, I put my hoof around him and held him close.
"What's wrong?" I asked
"It's nothing." He replied he clearly didn't want to talk to me but I was determined to get him to open up to me.
"Please it'll help just tell me, you've been off since the family reunion." I said and he sighed, he rose his head before beginning to speak.
"It's nothing." He said again.
"If you ever need anything I'm here." I said as I made my way to the door not expecting him to do anything.
"Wait, could you just....stay for awhile." He asked I didn't see anything wrong with it so I got back onto the bed with him. We stayed together for the rest of the night and in the morning Sapphire was freaking out thinking that some reporter saw this and thought it was going to blow up into a sex scandal.
"What were you thinking if this gets out your done for!" She yelled at Cord and me, Cord was back to his usual relaxed self.
"You worry to much." He replied and she glared at him.
"Well sorry mister to cool to care if I find it a little bothersome if you just popped Sweetie Belle's cherry." My face went red and so did his.
"THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN!!!" We both yelled in unison and Sapphire rolled her eyes at us. I couldn't believe I was actually having this conversation right now with her. I mean I dated Spike for two years and I didn't let him get close to doing that, so I wouldn't even think about doing it with a pony who I just started going out with. But that didn't matter to Sapphire.
"From now on separate hotel rooms." She said we both groaned at this statement before continuing with breakfast. We finished and went down to where we were suppose to have the press conference. Sapphire as always was the first to the podium she announced us and walked in. She stepped down and I stepped up.
"When will Cord's single album be made?" Was the first question none of us had an answer for that so Sapphire took over.
"Cord will not have an album he simply here to help Sweetie Belle with her tour and that's it." She said the reporter wasn't satisfied yet.
"So do all the ponies who want to hear his music don't matter?" He asked Sapphire looked confused
"No what I am saying is we haven't signed any form of contract." She said and the reporter grinned as he came closer.
"Then Cord would you like to sign a contract to Ponywood records?" He asked Sapphire looked in disbelief as Cord took the contract and read it over. She looked at me for help followed by Cord doing the same.
"Cord and I are dating." I said and the reporters began writing it down and Cord handed back the contract. With that everypony's hands shot up, it took for what seemed like hours to get out of there and back at the hotel wasn't to much better.
"Alright you two now to discuss how to handle this." Sapphire said as we took our seats around a coffee table.
"What does that mean shouldn't we just act like we have been acting?" Cord asked it was clear he didn't know the first thing about this business.
"No, you two now need to be seen together and with no pony of the opposite gender. Not to mention you two now need to act like your completely in love with each other. Now for the matter of your contract Cord." Sapphire laid a piece of paper in front of. "Just sign here and when this tour is over you can start recording." Cord pushed it back to her.
"No, like I said in the beginning I'm only doing the tour then I'm going back to running my store." He replied Sapphire looked ready to explode on him.
"Why your talented and ponies like you." Rarity replied she was always trying to get known and now that was she didn't like to see ponies who could be famous just throw it away.
"Because I don't want it." He replied Rarity was obviously wanting a better answer so he elaborated. "I like being around my family and friends more than being famous and not seeing them at all." Rarity must have felt something when he said that because she didn't ask anything else. Sapphire gave up trying to get him on a contract and Cord and I went out for a walk.
"You know if you signed on we could hang out more." I said as I walked beside him.
"Here let me ask you something." He said I nodded that it was okay we stopped at somewhere far off from the city. "Do you miss Scootaloo and Applebloom?" It was something I never considered they were for me signing the contract but I never thought I would see them so little.
"Yes I miss them but they for me getting the contract." I replied and he looked up at the sky.
"The night is wonderful isn't it." He said I looked up and couldn't help but admire it. After that we headed back to the Hotel. We slept in the next day because it was one of our few "free days" by that I mean a day where we go around and try to increase our positive P.R. but in today it was different it was trying to increase my relationship with Cord's P.R. That meant we would have to spend the entire day together doing things that other one likes, doesn't sound half bad right well put in also that we're constantly being mobbed by some fans, which makes it hard to act like a couple.