"Happy birthday!" Crystal cheered as soon as Velvet walked through the door of Sweet and Smooth, a small café that specialized in smoothie flavors that couldn't be found anywhere else. It was a quaint little shop that boasted a whole rainbow of colors on the walls and furniture, and the whole place just felt happy.
Velvet laughed, trotting over with her tail perked and swishing. "Aww, you remembered! And here I thought this was just going to be a lunch I'd have to awkwardly sit through."
Crystal's ears wiggled and she drummed her hooves on the table while Velvet sat down. "Of course I remembered, silly! It's not as if the date changes each year. Now, I've ordered something fun, so settle in."
"Fun?" Velvet arched her brow. "What are you up to?"
Crystal just grinned. Only a moment later, the owner of the shop, Tropical Smoothie, pranced over with a tray balanced on her back. Her wings held it securely in place, which was especially important given what it carried: twenty shot glasses, all filled with smoothie samples as colorful as the shop itself.
"Here you go!" Tropical chirped, one wing stretching out to expertly slide the tray onto the table. "The 'Mares Just Wanna Have Fun' special!" She winked before turning away. "Enjoy, ladies!"
Velvet stared at the glasses with a curious quirk in her smile. "I've never heard of that special before."
"It's a secret menu item," Crystal practically purred. "Go on! Try one. They're all unique, and you can't get these any other way."
Tentatively, Velvet picked up an orange-filled glass and lifted it up to sniff. "Oh!" Her ears perked upright and her lips curled into a grin. "Oh, I know that smell. These are special. Bottom's up!" She raised the glass before tossing it back.
Each shot was, more or less, from the section of Sweet and Smooth's menu titled Gourmet Smoothies. There were blends of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, and herbs all mixed together to create unique and wonderful flavors. The 'more or less' part came in with the special addition: vodka.
Velvet smacked her lips and gave a contented sigh. "You did order something fun." She pushed the tray closer to Crystal. "You try one! It is called Mares Just Wanna Have Fun, after all. Mares! Plural!"
"All right, all right." Crystal giggled, pink magic wrapping around a matching pink glass. Strawberries, she hoped—and was right. The silky texture of the smoothie complemented the burn of the alcohol perfectly.
"So how did your meeting go?" Velvet asked, selecting a purple one for herself. "You had one today, right?"
Crystal's ears flicked back and she rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."
Velvet frowned. "Wow, that bad, huh?"
"Oh, no, no, don't get me wrong." Crystal waved a hoof, sighing. "I'm grateful for the get-togethers. It's nice to sit and talk to ponies who understand. There is just a stallion who grates my nerves, and, well." Another sigh was dragged out of her. "Today, Bonnie suggested an idea of 'care companions'."
Velvet tossed back an orange-and-green smoothie shot. "Whassat?"
"With the recent news that Nordanver forces are moving, the war is going to be starting in earnest soon. Or, rather, it likely has already, given how slowly news travels across the ocean." The muscles along Crystal's sides and flanks twitched with nervous agitation that she tried to ignore. "In the event that something happens, we have a designated pony to go to. To ensure that everypony has somepony and doesn't face bad news alone."
Her brow furrowed, Velvet idly poked a hoof at one of the remaining glasses. "Uhh... Okay? That sounds like a good thing?"
Crystal quickly nodded. "Oh, it is! It's a wonderful idea. The only problem is that there is one pony with whom nopony wanted to be paired, so I foolishly volunteered to be his care companion." She rolled her eyes again. "Starlit Bastion. He's rude and callous. He was marginally more respectful toward me this time, but that doesn't mean he grates my nerves any less."
Velvet slowly pushed the tray toward Crystal. "Sounds like you're going to need this more than me."
With a snort and a giggle, Crystal took another shot. Banana, kiwi, and... thyme? She ran her tongue over her teeth, pausing a moment to decide how she felt about the flavor combination, then shrugged. The alcohol warmed her from the inside, and that was what really mattered. "He's like... He's like... Oh, he's just such a pompous stallion." She huffed. "But I will be his care companion. I will be the best care companion!" Another shot went down. Raspberry, lime, and mint. Ooh, she liked that one.
"I'm sure you will," Velvet said in a teasingly airy tone, reaching across to pat Crystal's hoof. "You're like Horsey that way." She hesitated, then said in a softer tone, "You're both going to be great mothers..." Her ears folded back and she averted her gaze.
"Huh?" Crystal blinked. "Are you all right?"
Velvet bobbed her head in a light nod. "Uh, yeah. I am. I've just been thinking. You know... A while back, we talked about foals. For me. And how I couldn't have one because I didn't want to settle down. And you said I could adopt. Do you remember that?"
Crystal offered a weak shrug. "I remember as much as you've just said, yes. What about it?" Her eyes widened. "Wait, Velvet, are you preg—"
"No!" Velvet hurriedly interrupted and shook her head. "I'm not! I just. Well, Red's kind of grown out of his Si-Si phase, you know?" She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck and slumping in her seat. "He's getting bigger. He's turning two this year. Two! He doesn't laugh at my silly faces anymore and he is more interested in watching Dad bake or Mom decorate."
Crystal did her best to smother a giggle. "Well, he is their son and your brother, after all."
Velvet shot her a dirty look and crossed her forelegs over her chest. "So?! I'm supposed to be there for him. I am there for him. Forever! Except, he doesn't..." The fire was snuffed and she slumped again. "He doesn't need me anymore. And I miss that bond."
The lightbulb flickered on and Crystal leaned in with interest in her wide eyes. "Wait, Velvet, are you saying you want to adopt a foal?"
After scrunching her nose and looking anywhere but at Crystal, Velvet muttered, "Kinda, yeah... I think so. I miss that bond with him, and I'm jealous of Horsey... They're planning on having a second foal. Because I guess one just isn't enough for them."
"Velvet, that's so exciting!" Crystal practically bounced in her seat. "How long do you think it will take? Do you get to pick a foal, or will it be a surprise? When do you start the process?"
"I don't know, I don't know, and I don't know!" Velvet tried to glare again, but a grin on her lips kept the look playful. "Jeeze, I've only, like, just started seriously thinking about it, okay? I don't know any details! I just—I just kinda wanted to know what you thought. If you thought it was a good idea. For me."
Crystal nodded as quickly as she could. "Oh, absolutely! Velvet, I've seen the way you handle Red. If you loved another foal half as much as you love Red, they'd never want for anything! You should start right away. The sooner the better!"
Pausing to take another shot, then another, and then a third, Velvet finally sighed. "What about my career, though? I don't know if I can raise a foal and do ballet at the same time."
"Surely you are not the first pony to become a parent and a ballerina at the same time." Crystal waved a hoof. "Don't worry! You can leave the foal with your parents and Little Uncle Red while you work. I can't imagine your parents minding having to foalsit in the least."
"Yeah, maybe." Velvet leaned her head back to look up at the ceiling. "Maybe." She rubbed the back of her hoof against her cheek and straightened up. "Come on! We've still got, like, half of these left. Forget foals and care companions. Let's drink these as fast as possible, order another, and get totally smashed!"
♡
Crystal giggled.
"Shhh," Velvet hissed, bumping their shoulders together. "Be cool! Stay cool. Gerds around. Be cool."
"Of course there's a guard around," Crystal whispered back loudly. "We're in the castle!"
"Shhh!" Velvet bumped her again. Their shoulders bumped together a lot. Were they walking, or just playing bumper carts? No, they were supporting each other, one wobbly step at a time. "Be cool."
The guards standing post by the door kept an eye on them. They didn't intervene, however. That was probably because they were being kept in a room with only one door. Because they had gotten caught trying to sneak into the palace.
Well, emphasis on trying. They had barely made it to the front gates before they were stopped, asked what they were doing, and Velvet brilliantly invoked the name of Princess Luna. Crystal had backed her up, reminding them that she was a friend of the princess. Luckily for them, the guard who had stopped them recognized her.
Unluckily for them, they were clearly and utterly drunk, which landed them in a guarded room while they waited for somepony to come take them home. Velvet had no interest in partaking in any of that, so now they were working on their escape.
"We're just gonna go out the windur," Velvet said in a wholly casual tone. "Don't mind us."
One of the two guards left his post to step in their way. "If you'd just sit down, ma'ams, somepony will be in as soon as she can."
"She?" Velvet straightened up to her full height, head still tilted back to look up at the stallion. "She! Who is she? Hmm? She who?"
The guard glanced at the other, who shrugged. "We've contacted Mrs. Wishes's husband's sister."
Crystal gasped. "Winterspear? Nooo, no." She shoved her face near Velvet's ear. "I don't want her to see me like this. She'll tell Silent."
"You bet your flank I'm going to tell him."
"Nooo," Crystal whined, her ears going flat against her mane as she turned to see Winterspear standing in the doorway, a big grin on her face. "You can't!"
Winterspear waved a hoof to gesture them to her. Crystal made it one step, squeaked when the room spun around her, and looked to Velvet. Velvet staggered forward, pressed her shoulder to Crystal's, and nodded. Together, they wobbled their way over to the waiting, grinning mare.
"What in Equestria did the two of you do to end up this way?" Winterspear looked down at the two of them, shaking her head. "I don't think I've ever seen you drink like this before, Crystal!"
Crystal stuck out her tongue and tried to blow a raspberry. It didn't quite work, but her point was made. "Velvet's birthday! Had to celebrate!"
"Uh-huh. Well, looks like you definitely succeeded at that." Winterspear lifted her gaze to look at the guards standing on either side of Crystal and Velvet. "I'm sorry for the trouble they caused. I'll take them straight home and send them to their room without any dinner."
"Aww..." Velvet's ears drooped.
"It's quite all right, ma'am," one of the guards said. "We're just doing our job."
Crystal jerked her head to the side to look up at him and, once her head didn't feel so fuzzy, she huffed. "Your job is to arrest mares? Is that so?"
"Ma'am, you weren't under arrest, just supervision." He bobbed his head. "Have a nice day."
Winterspear stretched out a wing and gently pressed it to the back of their necks, pushing them forward and walking along beside them. "Come on, fillies. Let's get both of you home. Velvet, you're coming with us so you can sleep off all the alcohol. Crystal, since it was for Velvet's birthday, I won't tattle on you... this time."
"Yay!" Crystal's legs wobbled as she tried to prance unsuccessfully. "Thank you! You are the best! The literal best!"
Velvet flicked her tail. "Best birfday ever. Shotses, breaking into the caystle, and arrested by gerds."
Winterspear just laughed. "Oh, you two..."
They had hardly made their slow, giggling way out of the palace before a shadow landed on them and a voice called, "Mrs. Wishes! Found you! Hello!"
"Huh?" Crystal looked down at the vaguely pony-shaped shadow. "Oh, hello there. Who are you?"
"Me!" A white pegasus mare landed in front of them, startling a squeak of surprise from Crystal. "Snowy Haze, reporting for duty!"
"You stepped on it! Her! Them!" Crystal batted at the shadowpony beneath the mare's hooves. "Rude!"
Snowy blinked and brushed her windswept, blue bangs out of her eyes. "Huh? Uh... um? Are you okay?"
Winterspear stepped forward, putting a hoof on Crystal's shoulder. "Somepony just had a little too much to drink, that's all. I'll take her letter and give it to her when she's sobered up."
Snowy glanced between Crystal and Winterspear with confusion clear in her knitted brow. "Oh, but, um—"
"Letter?" Crystal tilted her head one way, then the other. "A letter for me?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Snowy reached into her satchel. "It came in just this morning. I've been looking everywhere for you. Glad I found you finally!"
Crystal looked at the envelope that was held out to her. Her gaze meandered at first, trying to meet Snowy's for polite eye contact, but lingering on the simple piece of paper.
A letter for her.
Delivered by courier.
A courier she recognized.
Wait, why did she recognize her?
Something clicked into place and adrenaline surged through her blood, replacing the fuzzy feelings of alcohol with an icy burn. All at once, her senses returned and she had to brace herself from the impact of a sudden, aching headache. She had more important things to think about than how awful she felt, however.
"I—" Her mouth was dry and her throat hurt. How much had she had to drink? She had never felt so dehydrated before. Or was that from the nerves? "I'll take it. Please. Now."
Snowy nodded and let go of the envelope when pink magic sparked to life around it. "Have a great day, Mrs. Wishes! Hope you feel better!"
Crystal heard nothing else. She saw nothing else. All of her attention was focused on opening the envelope and removing the letter. If magic could tremble, hers certainly was.
There it was: Silent's hoofwriting.
To the Rose Princess
The smell of your letter has reminded me more of what I’ve left behind and what I now fight to return to. Each day will be easier now, however, knowing that when I get through it I will be rewarded. I can look up at the stars and share a moment alone with you.
It will be our moment. Our peace and harmony. With you at my side I know I can persevere.
I am lonely this evening. Princess Luna paid us a surprise visit on the eve of what is going to be an experience I'm certain I'll never forget. We are to follow the gryphons to battle and observe from a distance. That is not why I am lonely, however.
My former guards rallied around me and for a mere few hours it was as if I was back home in the role I never should have left. I spoke quietly with the Princess and she offered me the chance to leave the general's command but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I am safe enough here and making a difference.
We head south tomorrow. Toward the battle I romanticized as a foal. How foolish. Soon countless lives will be lost while we sit upon our airships watching.
Fear not for me though. I'll be aboard the general's flagship surrounded by the Army's best archers... and of course you are aware I'm pretty good in a fight still. Not that I'm expecting a fight.
I've dispatched Iridescence and Winterspear to your side. I don't know if they'll arrive before this letter but I wanted you to have them nearby.
Tomorrow my love, it all begins tomorrow. Look to the heavens and know that I will be looking back because I will get through tomorrow. For you.
Your Knight
Her chest tightened from the emotions surging and swirling. They headed south... tomorrow. The day after his letter. Letters took so long to travel. He had already gone south. He had already been there. What happened? Was he okay?
Crystal gave a quick shake of her head to clear it. Focus on the positive. Her love in the stars had reached him. It hadn't been a silly, foalish gesture... It had, even if only in a small way, helped. She had actually done something.
And he, her Knight, was protecting her, even from afar. Despite what he was going through, he still took the time to take care of her. Of course, he didn't need to know that she had already sought out Iridescence and Winterspear on her own. As far as he would know, he had sent them to her.
Tilting her head back, Crystal gazed up at the sky. The sun still dominated it and would for several more hours, but the heavens still looked down on the both of them at the same time. They were together, even if they were so far apart. Somewhere out there under the same sun was her Silent Knight, and she would continue to send him all her love each and every night.