//------------------------------//
// Forget About Your Worries 
// Story: Crystal's Hopes 
// by Crystal Wishes 
//------------------------------//

"Here you are," Willowy said as she set a silver tray on the coffee table that separated Crystal and Luna.  She removed the plate of little triangle-shaped sandwiches, then set about pouring two cups of tea.  "Two lumps of sugar and a honey-laden stirrer for you, Mrs. Crystal."

Crystal laughed softly.  "You may just call me Crystal, you know."  She winked.  "I did take you on a date once.  Doesn't that put us on a first name basis?"

The tips of Willow's ears turned red and she huffed lightly.  "I-It wasn't a date!"

Crystal couldn't help laughing again.  "I'm sorry, no, of course it wasn't."  Her magic accepted the teacup offered to her and she smiled.  "I'm impressed you still remember what I like."

"It's my job," Willow muttered, her wings still showing her agitation in the way their feathers were ruffled.  "I know the tea and coffee preferences of every important guest the princess receives."

"Oh, really?"  Luna made a playfully poor attempt at concealing her grin behind a hoof.  "You can remember all of that, but you neglected to remember my sister's favorite flavor of cake?"

The flush spread to the whole of Willow's face, showing easily through her light brown coat.  "I-I—Well, Princess, she's not my princess to remember these things about!"

Luna just laughed and took her own cup of tea in her magic, though she brought it to her hooves and held it.

"What is Princess Celestia's favorite flavor?" Crystal asked before she took a quiet sip of tea.

Willow huffed and muttered, "It was a trick question, apparently.  No matter what answer I gave, the princesses were going to laugh."

At first, Luna's expression was relaxed by the smile on her face, but the corners of her lips slowly fell and the sparkle left her eyes.  "It is good, I think, to find any reason to laugh during these times.  I do apologize that it was at your expense, Willow, but you can be so serious all the time.  My sister and I thought you would take the joke better."

Crystal stared down at her watery reflection in the cup, her own mood growing somber.  Slowly, she stirred the tea, watching the honey as it was warmed and melted away from the spoon.  "I went to the support group meeting," she blurted out, blinking a few times at how loudly she had spoken into the silence.

"Oh?"  Luna smiled.  "That's wonderful to hear.  How was it?"

Crystal scrunched up her nose.  "I suppose it went better and, at the same time, worse than I expected.  I don't quite know what I had in mind, but that was not it."  She waved a hoof.  "But that's neither here nor there.  Next week, I'll meet up with the other ponies at Toffee Strudel's home.  He's a spouse, like myself.  Very sweet.

"That does remind me, though."  Crystal set her teacup down onto the table and straightened up to prepare herself for an impending wave of guilt.  "I think it might be fun to put the group back together for game night."

At first, Luna's expression lit up with excitement—and then she must have had the same thought that struck Crystal the other day when Velvet brought up the idea.  What about Silent?  Could they really have a game night without him?  A look of regret and reluctance crossed Luna's face as she almost recoiled into the couch and averted her gaze.

Crystal just waited patiently, holding the smile in place.  Their lives simply couldn't stop just because Silent was overseas.  That was what she kept telling herself, anyway.

"I think," Luna finally said, hesitated, and then finished, "that sounds like a wonderful idea.  We should send word to Runic, Miley, Winterspear, and Iridescence to coordinate schedules as soon as possible.  I assume you will talk to Velvet."  She turned her head to look at Willow.  "Will you coordinate that, please?"

Willow nodded, her planner already out and open.  "Yes, Princess.  I—"  She snapped her mouth shut and ducked her head.

Luna's brow raised.  "Yes, Willowy?"

A light flush returning to her cheeks, Willow mumbled, "I would like to join in this game night, if it wouldn't be intruding."

"Oh, certainly not!"  Crystal clapped her hooves together.  "The more the merrier!  It's always fun with more ponies."

The flush darkened to a deeper shade of red as Willow shifted almost uncomfortably.  "And, perhaps...  I could invite somepony?  Depending on when the game night is?"

Luna gasped and stared at her with wide eyes.  "Somepony?  Willowy, surely you are not suggesting—"

"—your special somepony?" Crystal finished, an excited squeak in her voice.

Willow raised the planner to hide her face, but her reddened ears were still exposed.  "Y-Yes, Frank is coming to visit next week.  Hopefully."

Luna tossed her regal mane and declared, "Then the game night shall not commence until the elusive Frank may attend.  Willowy, make it so!"

"Yes, Princess," Willow mumbled, keeping the planner in front of her face as she flipped through it.  "I shall draw up invitations for Runic Phial... Miley Hooves... Winterspear... Iridescence..."  She paused, then peered over the top of the planner.  "Princess?"

"Yes?"  Luna looked over at her.

There was a moment of hesitation that filled the air with trepidation until Willow finally asked, "Should we invite Lieutenant Snow?"

Midnight Snow.  Silent's replacement.  The silence in the room was deafening.  What business did she have intruding on their time together?  She was a guard—just a guard.  She couldn't replace Silent.  She wouldn't.  It was petty and foalish, but Crystal refused to look at Willow.  If she just didn't acknowledge her, she wouldn't have to voice her awful feelings.

"Perhaps," Luna finally said, "another time."

"Yes, Princess."  Willow took a step back, her gaze falling.  "I..."  Her ears fell as well.  There was a moment where her chin quivered before she finally said in a quiet, trembling voice, "I never wanted this.  I just wanted him to take his duty to you more seriously, but this isn't how I wanted it.  Not at all."  She lowered her head.  "I'm sorry, Princess."  With those words, she retreated to the secretary's desk that stood near the door and disappeared into her work, leaving the two in a moment of awkward silence.

Crystal shifted uncomfortably.  Luna sipped from her tea.  Willow made no sound at all.  A grandmother clock made of deep-hued mahogany ticked from its post against one wall.  The merriment had been drained from the atmosphere.  Somepony needed to put things back in order.

"It's interesting," Crystal said, a smile forming on her lips.  "To me, at least.  Isn't the joke that a wife doesn't get along with her mother-in-law?"

Luna blinked a few times, then bobbed her head in a small nod.  "That is the common story told, I believe.  Are you and Silent's mother having trouble?"

Crystal shook her head.  "Quite the contrary!  I get along fine with her.  It's her home that has it out for me."

"Her home?"  After a moment of thought, Luna burst into a chime of laughter.  "Of course!  She lives in Cloudsdale!  Yes, that would complicate matters, wouldn't it?"

"I have heard that some mares fear their mother-in-law, but in my case, it's my mother-in-law's home I fear."  She giggled, waving a hoof.  "But it's nice to have her.  She understands me."

Luna's demeanor shifted, the smile fading and her posture straightening.  "Then perhaps you should make it a habit to see her.  A pony of your means could afford a cloudwalking enchantment, after all."

Crystal leaned back in surprise.  "A cloudwalking enchantment?"

"Of course.  An amulet of some sort, enchanted with a cloudwalking spell."  Luna blinked.  "Were you not aware of such things?  They're primarily made here in Canterlot, I would think—"

"W-Well," Crystal sputtered, her cheeks heating up with a light blush, "yes, I'm aware of them!  I've just never had a reason to need one before, so the idea didn't cross my mind...  And they're so awfully expensive, aren't they?"

Luna waved a dismissive hoof.  "It depends on the spell and how much of a charge it holds.  As long as you don't mind having to recharge it more often, the price can be quite affordable for a pony with your income.  Of course, if it is too much of a burden, I wouldn't mind—"

Crystal quickly shook her head.  "There's no need!  I'm sure it won't be a burden at all.  After all, it will allow me to more comfortably visit Wallflower, so it's worth whatever price."

After a moment, Luna arched a brow.  "Do you interrupt Cadence the way you keep interrupting me?  Are you picking up this bad habit from her?"

"What?"  The blush returned in full force.  "I-I'm sorry, I didn't intend to, I just—"

Luna's eyes narrowed, trapping Crystal's breath in her throat.  Then, just before the tension grew too thick, Luna broke the silence with laughter.  "Oh, I missed you!  Few ponies are as much fun to have tea with as you."  Her laughter bubbled up again before she settled into a somber smile.  "I'm glad you have not changed."

"It's hardly been two months since I left," Crystal said, a light sulk seeping into her voice as she tried to keep her ears from folding back in embarrassment.  "A pony doesn't change that suddenly."

"No, I suppose not.  Not if they were a normal two months."  Luna's gaze drifted the room, her eyes and voice growing distant.  "And this past month has been anything but."

Crystal could only nod, her head rising and falling in a slow motion of its own accord.  The tea had already cooled to a lukewarm temperature, but she idly sipped from it nonetheless.  "Quite," was all her mind came up with in response.

"But enough of such topics."  Luna returned her gaze to Crystal, playful expression back in its rightful place.  "What is next for you?  Your interview mentioned nothing of what your next work shall be."

A fluttering sensation filled Crystal's chest with warmth as her lips curled into a smile.  "Oh!  It's still somewhat of a secret, as the details aren't finalized yet.  I've sent in the pitch to Reindom House in hopes of an advance.  This one will be special, so I'm hoping they'll like it."

Luna drummed her hooves against the couch cushion.  "Special!  Was your previous work not special enough, telling your own story?  What could be more special than that?"

Crystal winked.  "I don't want to spoil too much, but this one won't be a typical love story."

"Not a typical love story?  Well, consider me intrigued!"  Luna smiled as her magic raised her teacup.  "To your continued success."

Giggling, Crystal levitated her own cup over and gently clinked them together.  "To my continued success."

"I hate to interrupt," Willow said as they drank to complete the toast, "but, Princess, you have a meeting with Princess Celestia soon."  She walked over and held out a piece of paper to Crystal.  "I've taken the liberty of writing down the address to a nearby shop where you can find a cloudwalking amulet."  Her ears flattened to the sides.  "Please remember to charge it."

Crystal laughed softly, accepting the paper and glancing it over.  "Of course!  I would hate for it to stop working mid-step."

Willow stared at her with an intense, serious gaze.

Crystal waved a hoof.  "I understand!  I understand.  I won't forget, I promise."

"Mm..."  Willow sighed.  "Just to be safe, try to ensure you have a pegasus nearby at all times.  All right?"

"I will, don't worry about me.  I will only be going to visit my mother-in-law, not to sightsee."  She stood, stepped forward, and wrapped a foreleg around Willow's neck.  In a soft whisper, she added, "And you have no reason to apologize.  Nothing is your fault."

Willow said nothing.  She tensed at first, but the tightness of her muscles eased as, for a moment, she slumped her weight against Crystal.  Just as quickly as she relaxed, she recoiled and straightened up.  "We should be on our way, Princess."

"Yes."  Luna nodded her head for Crystal to follow her out.  "I hope we can have tea again soon."

Crystal smiled, having to maintain a slightly quicker pace to keep up with Luna's longer stride.  "Absolutely!  It's my pleasure.  And thank you for the advice about the amulet."

"Of course, just remember to—"

Crystal laughed.  "Yes, yes, I'll remember to charge it!"

Luna's ear flicked.  "You continue to interrupt me..."

Heat coursed through her veins as she reddened all the way from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.  "S-Sorry, Luna!"

"We'll have to curb that habit."  At an intersection, Luna stopped to put a hoof on Crystal's shoulder.  "I am glad, however, that you have somepony you can relate to."  She smiled softly, almost motherly.  "You should cherish that bond with your mother-in-law."

Crystal bobbed her head in a light nod.  "I do.  Thank you... for convincing me to come here.  I cherish my bond with you, as well."

After a brief pause, Luna's smile brightened.  "As do I.  Good day, Crystal."  She turned and took the hall that joined the one they had walked, Willow at her side, Harvest Moon two paces back and one to the left.


♡


The Woven Spell was a store like no other that Crystal had ever visited.  The closest comparison she could come up with was an antique jewelry store, except all the trinkets had auras.  Some of them were powerful auras that pulled at her, called for her, whispered through the aether to her.  Others merely sparked with glimmers of magic.

All along the shelves, each amulet was kept safe inside a glass container.  They came in all shapes, sizes, and styles—there were simple necklaces, large pendants, delicate anklets, ornate hornlets, and exquisite winglets, all ranging from gold to silver with gems of every type.

It was almost intoxicating.  Magic was all around her.  The air was practically buzzing with it.  Was this what it felt like to be a powerful unicorn that was more in tune with the aether?  Her spells merely scratched the surface of magic's potential.

"Hello!" a voice called from somewhere in the labyrinth of shelves.  Light flashed from behind one of them, and after a pop, another flash of light appeared in front of her.  When it receded and she blinked a few times to clear her vision, she found herself face-to-face with a purple-coated stallion.  "I'm Spell Weaver.  May I help you?"

Crystal was still blinking rapidly.  "I-I, oh."  Teleportation.  She didn't see that very often, and certainly not so close!  "I'm looking for a cloudwalking amulet."

"You, too?"  He smiled and she felt the sensation of magic being pulled in from the air around them.  "Right this way!"

Light filled her vision.  Her head spun, throbbed, ached.  The ground disappeared and her stomach did a flip when she touched down again.  Her surroundings came back into view, different from before.  Had he just—

"Here you are.  This row here"—he gestured to his left—"has all of our cloudwalking amulets.  The ones labeled with a cloud symbol.  Let me know if you have any questions!"  With a small wave, he disappeared in another flash.

Crystal nodded dumbly.  She needed to sit down, and her hindlegs complied.  Her rump hit the ground a little hard, but she was just grateful to feel how solid it was.  "Uh-huh."  Still a little shaken, her head lolled to the side to look at the options contained in glass.

"Have you never teleported before?" a mare's voice asked, and Crystal turned to look in its direction at the light green unicorn standing there.  "It's overwhelming, isn't it?  I can't believe he just does it so casually.  I don't think he even remembers how it feels to be unaccustomed to it."

"O-Oh, it's fine."  Crystal stood despite how her legs wobbled.  "I just wasn't expecting it, is all."  She smiled lopsidedly.  "I suppose when he said 'you, too', he was referring to you?  Are you shopping for a cloudwalking amulet as well?"

The mare nodded.  "Yup!  I have some research to do in Cloudsdale, myself.  What about you?"

"Visiting my mother-in-law."  She held out a hoof.  "Crystal Wishes, by the way."

"Ley Lines.  Nice to meet you!"  After they shook, Ley Lines levitated two of the glass cases into the air between them.  "I'm having trouble deciding between these two.  This one"—the right one bobbled—"is so much prettier, but more expensive.  What do you think?"

Crystal glanced at the cases.  The right one contained a silver, coiled hornlet with a teardrop sapphire suspended on a chain at the tip.  The left was an amethyst pendant that hung from a silver choker.

"Oh, they're both lovely," Crystal murmured, her gaze returning to the blue gemstone.  Blue...

"You think so?  Well, I guess that means I should save the bits and just get the necklace."  Ley started to return the right case to its spot on the shelf, pausing when she noted Crystal's eyes following it.  The case changed course and made its way closer to Crystal.  "This would look really pretty on you, though."

Crystal flushed, though she did take the case over in her magic.  "Was I staring that much?  I'm sorry!  I just...  I'm just rather fond of the color blue."

Ley smiled.  "Don't worry about it!"  She started walking down the aisle and Crystal followed alongside her under the assumption she was heading to the register.  "Have you ever used an amulet before?"

Crystal shook her head.  "This is my first one.  I've never really had a need for one before."

"They're really useful, as long as you remember to charge them.  Especially with ones like these!"

"Yes, so I've been told," Crystal said with a somewhat strained laugh that faded with realization.  "How do you charge them, exactly?"

Ley's eyes widened.  "I'm glad you asked!  That's the most important part!  It's easy, though.  You just pour energy into them."

Crystal tried not to frown as she glanced at the hornlet.  "What do you mean, 'pour energy into them'?"

"Uh...  Here, Spell will show you."  Ley set her case on the counter as they approached it.  "Crystal's never used an amulet before, so make sure you show her how."

Spell Weaver smiled.  "My pleasure!  Let me just check you both out, then I'll give you a small demonstration."

"Thank you," Crystal said, though a bit of trepidation filled her.  Ley had said this one was more expensive, but she had neglected to even look at the price.  How much was she going to regret that mistake?

Putting the necklace in a bag, Spell said, "That will be a hundred and twenty bits, please!"

While Crystal gawked, Ley simply retrieved the gold and silver bits from her saddlebags.  "Thanks again!"  She turned and smiled at Crystal.  "Have fun visiting your in-law!  Don't forget to charge it!"

"Yeah..."  Crystal watched her go, then slowly slid her gaze back to the shop owner.  He smiled, and she smiled back.

"Yours will be—"  He paused to look it over.  "Oh, normally two-hundred bits.  But also since it's your first, I'll give you a discount and drop it down to a hundred and sixty bits."

She could only imagine Silent's face in the back of her mind as she counted out the coins from her bitpurse.  A hundred and sixty bits.  Oh, he would faint from shock over such a frivolous purchase!   But she would hopefully be getting her advance from Reindom House for The Desert Rose soon, so it would be all right.  She would be all right.

"Thanks!"  Spell put the bits in the register and lifted the lid off the case to retrieve the amulet.  "Here you are.  Try it on and I'll show you how to use it."

Pink magic overtook the green aura and she carefully slid it on, nerves fluttering in her chest.  The flexible coil expanded and contracted to fit over the smooth ridges and settled along the natural spiral that curled along her horn.  It was so lightweight that she could hardly tell it was there, save for the swaying motion of the gem as she moved her head.

"There.  Now you can walk on clouds!"  Spell beamed at her.  "And all you have to do to keep the spell going is to give the gem energy.  Since it's a hornlet, that will be easy!  Just put magic into your horn."

Crystal's brow furrowed.  Put magic into her horn?  How did she do that, specifically?  Her nose scrunched up and she did her best to focus on her horn, on the focal point where aether gathered.  After a bit of effort and strain, she finally felt the pull of magic and gasped when she could see a blue glow emanating from just above her vision.

Spell held out a bag for her to take.  "Perfect!  And there you have it.  Enjoy your amulet, and whatever you do, don't forget to—"

"Charge it, I know!" Crystal said with a huff, snatching the bag.  "Thank you very much!"

As she made her way to the exit, she carefully levitated the hornlet off and put it away.  It was certainly more expensive than she had prepared herself for... but it was fine.  Everything was moving forward.  She just had to keep moving forward, too.