//------------------------------//
// Just Wait and See 
// Story: Crystal's Hopes 
// by Crystal Wishes 
//------------------------------//

Crystal had never seen or experienced anything like it.

Instead of the usual benches, their private train car was lined with plush reclining chairs... that gave massages.  They weren't anywhere near as relaxing as a true massage, but even she had to admit it was nice.  Every ten or so minutes, an attendant would come in to refresh their drinks and take snack orders.

It was luxury.  Pure, unnecessary luxury.  This was the life Au lived, and Crystal had to admit—it was nice to be pampered.

"I feel like a celebrity," Dawn said with a soft laugh as she enjoyed the massaging feature of her recliner.  "I wonder if this is how Miss Au feels every day?"

Crystal's ear flicked and she turned her head to look over at the mare in question, who had taken up residence in the car as far away from her as possible.  "I wonder."  She pushed herself up out of the recliner and trotted down the aisle toward Au.  "How are you doing?"

Au glanced at her, the fire gone again from her sapphire blue eyes.  "What do you want?"

"To talk."  Crystal slipped into the recliner next to her.  "There were some words exchanged earlier that I don't think should be simply brushed aside."

Au frowned and her ears folded back.  "I don't think there is anything for the two of us to talk about."

Crystal arched one brow.  "Really?  How about the part where you said I took everything from you?  Or how you think I live a gilded life?"

"Oh, and I suppose this is the moment where you explain the hardships you've suffered, I pity you, you pity me, and"—her voice raised mockingly high as she clasped her hooves together—"we become just the bestest of friends?"  She scoffed and waved a dismissive hoof.  "Don't kid yourself."

Crystal felt her hackles raising, but swallowed the urge to fight and just leaned back.  "I don't think we could ever be that.  But I do believe you need a friend.  If not me, then I recommend you drop the ostentatious facade and get to know the ponies here."  She rolled her head to the side to stare at Au.  "We are all suffering."

The fire within Au's eyes surged as she sat up straight and made a wide gesture at the train car full of ponies.  "Oh, yes, they do seem to be suffering quite a bit!  Suffering so much that I don't see a single tear!  Suffering so much that I can hear them chatting and laughing back there!"

Everypony went silent and all eyes turned on Au as she shuddered, her breathing ragged.  Crystal just sat there quietly and waited until the breaths heaved with a sob, and at that point, she stood up, moved closer, and wrapped her forelegs around Au's shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Crystal whispered into the golden mane that smelled heavily of mare care products.  "I'm sorry that you feel alone, but you aren't.  We're all smiling over our pain.  It's the only way we can get through the day."

Au struggled at first, but Crystal didn't loosen her grip in the least.  She tried to just sit there until the trembling and sniffling overtook her and she buried her face against the side of Crystal's neck.

"I just don't understand," Au managed in a weak, cracking voice.  "Why can't I smile over my pain?  How do you do it?"

Crystal gently patted her on the back.  "Because, I think, you've been trying to do that for so many years that it doesn't work anymore."

Nothing more was said; there was nothing more to say.  Crystal simply held Au while the mare cried, and she pondered a sudden realization: why did she keep being the pony that held other ponies?  At the very least, she knew she could go to Horsey for comfort.  Her ears perked and she bit her lower lip.

"By the way, Au, there is something you should be aware of."

Au quickly pulled back, a guarded look taking hold of her tear-stained face.  "What?"

Crystal tried to smile.  "The restaurant we're going to is owned by Savoir and his wife, Horsey.  High Horse."

At the name, Au stiffened and her guard fell, leaving her expression open.  Open and afraid.  "What?"  She shook her head.  "She owns a restaurant?  In Ponyville?  But—how?"

"That's a long story that you can ask her about yourself.  But—"  Crystal's eyes narrowed slightly, just enough to make a point.  "—if you so much as say one pompous word to her, I will ensure that you suffer for it.  Miss Au is not welcome in this group.  Golden, however, is."

Au's mouth opened, but no sound came out.  She blinked a few times, furrowed her brow, then finally huffed.  "Fine, I'll play nice.  But only because High Horse was kind enough to donate free meals to the group.  I certainly won't bite the hoof that feeds."  After a pause, a light blush filled her cheeks when she glanced down to see Crystal's forelegs still draped over her shoulders.  "And you can let go of me!"

Crystal couldn't help a soft laugh as she released Au from the oh-so-awful hug.  "All right.  I'll leave you be, Golden."

"Don't ca—"  Au sucked in a breath, then released it in a sigh through clenched teeth.  "Thank you."

Returning to her own seat, Crystal wasted no time in flipping the little switch that activated the massaging feature of the recliner.  She blew her bangs out of her eyes and sighed.

"So, um," Dawn whispered, leaning in toward her, "how exactly do you two... know each other, again?"

Bonnie turned around in her seat to peer over the back, ears perked with interest.  Verd leaned around his seat, the same curious expression on his face.

Crystal glanced between them, then looked around to see all the nearby eyes on her.  Finally, she laughed softly, waving a hoof.  "Oh, you bunch of gossiping ninnies!"  She laughed again.  "There isn't too much to tell.  Golden and I were classmates, and we didn't get along."  Her smile faltered as she looked at Golden, who was making a clear and obvious effort to not get caught eavesdropping.  "But we were fillies then.  We're adults now, and we can move past foalhood squabbles, I'm certain of it."

"That explains a lot," Dawn said.  "Sort of.  Kind of.  Why does she hate you so much?"

Crystal's ears flattened to the sides and she shook her head.  "I don't entirely know for certain, but I have an inkling as to why."  She lowered her voice, trying not to grin when she saw Golden lean toward them just slightly.  "I believe she's just a very, very lonely mare."

Dawn tapped her hooves together.  "That's awfully sad.  I would think a mare as popular as her would have lots of friends."  Her chest puffed as she took a deep breath in and clapped one hoof against the other.  "That's that, then!  We should make Miss A—Golden feel as welcome as possible.  Nopony should be lonely at a time like this!"

With a smile, Crystal watched the other ponies in the group get up and migrate over to Golden's corner of the train car, reintroducing themselves and showering her with a barrage of questions and reassurances.  A famous model should have been accustomed to such attention—from fans and paparazzi alike—but she seemed utterly overwhelmed.  Her guard was still down, and Crystal was certain that was a good thing.  Perhaps even a great thing.

Crystal looked down at her satchel while her magic retrieved her notebook and pen.  Train rides and ink pots rarely got along, so she would just have to make do with an easier writing utensil for travel.  There was still time to fill, and she had no luxury of time.  The pressure of publishing The Desert Rose on a serial schedule weighed on her, but she would be fine.  For Velvet's sake.

Fatinah dug her hooves into the sand and leaned forward to peer over the top of the dune.  "Are you quite all right?"

The stallion sprawled in a disheveled mess grunted and lifted his head to look at her.  When their eyes met, however, the annoyance in his sharp features softened into a look she recognized: attraction.  And that only meant one thing...

She was in trouble.


♡


No time was wasted in getting from the train station to Haut-Savoir.  Savoir must have spotted the large crowd of ponies heading toward his restaurant, because he was quick to greet them himself.

"Bonjour, mademoiselles et monsieurs.  Welcome to—"  His eyes landed on Crystal and, with a surprised chuffle, he strode toward her.  "Crystal!  You—"  His ears folded back as his gaze darted about and his voice lowered to a somber tone.  "Are these... friends of yours?"

Crystal leaned in and kissed his cheek.  "We're here for the military special, Savoir."

"Mais non, cherie," Savoir said in a breathless voice.  "He didn't."

"Is it really a surprise?"  Crystal gave her best smile, which faltered when Savoir took her hoof and squeezed it.  "I'm not the only one, Sav.  We're all here for the same reason.  Thank you, by the way, for the generous vouchers."

Savoir shook his head.  "Absolument.  Horsey and I would have it no other way."  He cleared his throat and addressed them all, "S'il vous plaît, tout le poney, come inside."

As they followed him inside, the stallion began to order around his staff in rapid Prench.  Two waiters scurried over to push some of the tables together to make one long seating arrangement, then diligently seated each pony at the group.

"I will go get Horsey," Savoir said to Crystal, smiling.  "She will be so pleased to see you."  With a bow of his head, he made his way over to the door hiding the stairs that led to the living space above.

A waiter nearby cleared his throat.  "And what to drink for you, mademoiselle?"

Crystal blinked, shifting her attention to the stallion.  "Oh.  Perhaps I'll indulge in some wine tonight!  Surprise me with a nice white wine, please."

The waiter nodded, made a note in his pad, and trotted off to the kitchen.  Crystal leaned forward to glance up and down the table at all the faces, then smiled.  This was a good idea.  The relaxing environment of Ponyville coupled with the familiar comforts of Canterlot in Haut-Savoir's decor kept everypony at ease.  Even Golden and Bastion were engaged in conversations with the ponies near them.

Just as she started to look over her menu, she heard a familiar, wonderful voice carry across the room.  "Crystal!  Crystal Wishes!"

Crystal could hardly make it to her hooves before she was enveloped in a tight hug.  "Hi, Horsey," she managed through laughter.

"I'm so, so happy to see you!"  Horsey nuzzled their cheeks together.  "When I heard the news, I knew..."  She trailed off, pulling back to look her in the eyes, the joyous glimmer quickly falling into empathic sadness.  "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine.  I'm fine."  Crystal rested her forehead against Horsey's and, for just a moment, allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of Horsey's embrace.  Being held, being comforted, being looked at with pity—it was sickeningly nice.  She almost hated herself for wishing she could just stay like that and let Horsey take care of her until Silent came home.  "I'm fine," she repeated, pushing on Horsey's shoulders to break the hug.  "There's somepony here that you should say hello to."

Horsey hesitated.  Her instinct to nurture and to care for others was almost palpable.  Finally, she relented with a smile.  "Oh, who is that?"

Crystal turned and gestured at the golden mare who was doing everything she could to go unnoticed, even levitating a menu in front of her face.  "Golden Pants."

Horsey's expression went through a rapid series of different emotions.  Surprise—excitement—confusion—pity.  "Golden?"  She trotted around the table over toward her.  "Golden, I'm both so happy and so sorry to see you."

Golden glanced up from the menu, lips pursed.  "And why would you be sorry, hmm?"

"Why?"  Horsey blinked.  "Because if you're here, then that means... well..."

"Out with it.  That means I need your pity?  Your condolences?"  She snubbed her nose and returned to looking over the dinner options.  "Spare me, I know you don't mean it."

One of Horsey's hooves raised to her chest, her eyes widening slightly.  "N-No!  I don't think you need any of those, of course not!  I'm just, well, I'm just sorry that you have to go through this."  She looked at all the other ponies at the table.  "I'm so sorry that any of you have to go through this, but at least you all have each other.  I hope nopony is alone during an awful time like this."  Her gaze, gentle and compassionate, returned to Golden as she finished in a soft voice, "If you think I hate you over something that happened so many years ago... then I'm even more sorry."

Golden said nothing further, but her ears did fold back as Horsey walked away from her.

"Please, get whatever you'd like," Horsey said, addressing them all with a smile.  "It's absolutely on the house.  Thank you all for your service."

There it was again.  Crystal flinched as she tried to keep an even expression.  For some reason, she normally loathed those words, but from Horsey, they seemed so sincere.  If she was saying them, then perhaps there was an earnest reason for it.


♡


After dinner—and, of course, dessert—they split into two groups: those who would go with Dawn to her family's farm, and those who were going straight to a hotel to turn in for the night.  There was only one exemption to the groups, and that was Crystal, who stayed behind to catch up with Horsey.

"I'm really glad you joined a support group," Horsey said, her gaze on little Claire as the foal wiggled around her play space in their living room.  "That's such a wonderful idea."

Crystal bobbed her head idly.  She wanted a foal, too.  She wanted a quaint little house with a white picket fence, her husband and a bunch of foals making the house a home.  Horsey had Savoir and Claire, and Crystal just knew that one foal wouldn't be enough for them.  They'd likely have five or six soon enough.

"They seem like such nice ponies, too."  Horsey smiled, then giggled.  "Well, most of them.  The big earth pony seemed a little bit... scary."

"Oh, don't let him fool you.  He is scary."  Crystal giggled along with her.

Horsey glanced around almost conspiratorially, scooting across the couch to sit closer.  "So, um, what happened to Golden?  Does she have a husband who's in the war, or?"

"It's—"

"—my father," Golden cut in, her head appearing over the stair's railing.  "My father volunteered for the war as soon as it was announced."

Horsey's ears shot up and she even squeaked like a little mouse.  "Golden!  I-I—"  She paused, smiled, and patted the empty spot on the couch.  "Won't you join us, please?"

Golden didn't move from the landing, instead looking down at Claire.  "Is this... your foal?"

Claire gurgled and drooled on herself in an attempt to chew on the floor.

"Yes."  Horsey smiled fondly at her daughter.  "My pride and joy, Claire de Lune."

"I see.  Motherhood fits you."  Golden continued to remain where she was, looking around the humble space.  So many pictures lined the walls, all telling the story of a life well-lived once Horsey had moved to Ponyville.  "Your husband said I could come up here if I wanted."

"And he was right.  So why don't you sit and join us?"  Horsey's magic lit up and she picked up Claire, gently levitating her closer so she could take the foal in her embrace and hold her close.  "We're just chatting a little before I put this little princess down for the night."

One step at a time, almost as if she were afraid of the offer being rescinded, Golden walked closer.  She stopped just a few paces away from the couch and peered at Horsey with a strange wariness in her face and voice.  "You want to just accept me onto your couch, as though we're old friends?"

Horsey smiled and replied simply, "Aren't we?"

"No!  How could we be?"  Golden's gaze fell to the floor.  "I...  You left me...  How could we be friends after that?"

"Oh, I didn't say we were."  Horsey giggled as she gently rocked Claire, lulling the foal to sleep.  "I said we were old friends...  We were friends before then, weren't we?"

Golden didn't respond.  With a small sigh, she walked the rest of the way over and dropped down onto the couch.

What an odd trio they were—a broken model, a selfless mother, and...  Where did Crystal fit in?  What was her prominent role in life?  Her nose scrunched up in thought.

Horsey continued before Crystal could mull things over too long, "So much time has passed since we were kids, Golden.  Do you really want to hold onto those moments at a time like this?"

Softly, Golden mumbled, "Not... particularly, no.  But I don't know how to just forget everything.  You left me."

"And you made me hate myself."  Despite the words, Horsey's voice held no contempt whatsoever.  "I think that makes us even."

"I—"  Golden's voice was cut off when she snapped her mouth shut.  She breathed in and out a few times, then sat up straight and looked directly at Horsey.  "I'm sorry."

Horsey giggled and rose from the couch, shifting Claire to hold her with one foreleg.  "I already forgave you a long time ago.  Now, if you'll excuse me, somepony's almost late for their bedtime."

An awkward silence fell on Crystal and Golden once Horsey left the room.  Crystal was still puzzling over who she was, and Golden—who could tell with her?  She was so tightly wound with nigh countless layers of grudges.

Oh, what did any of that matter?  Crystal turned her head to look out the nearby window at the night sky outside.  Stars twinkled and danced, calling for her.  She had something more important to do.

"Excuse me," she said, standing up and going over to the window to open it.  A cold breeze drifted in and brought with it the crisp scents of the countryside.  It smelled nothing like Canterlot.  Ponyville was just so open and free.  A pony could really get lost in the comforts of the open space...

Silent Knight was out there.  He just had to be.  What would she do without him?  She looked up at the stars and did her best to focus all of her thoughts on him.  All of her wishes, all of her hopes, all of her dreams... all of that and more had to travel across the sea with the aid of the stars above.  He needed her love now more than ever.

Crystal was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of a sniffle.  She looked over to see Golden with her head bowed and her mane hiding her face, but she couldn't stop the telltale trembling of her shoulders.

"Golden?"

"I just... I don't understand," Golden muttered.  "I don't understand how you can just be... okay after what happened.  With what's happening.  Aren't you terrified?  What's wrong with you?"

Crystal heaved a sigh and returned her gaze outside.  "Come here."

"What?"  Skepticism was clear in her voice.

"I don't believe my words were vague or unclear."  Crystal's tail flicked.  "I said, come here."

After a moment's hesitation, hoofsteps drew near until Golden was at her side.  "What?"

"Do you see all these stars?"

"Uh, yeah?"  Golden glanced between her and the sky.  "What about them?"

Crystal smiled as she breathed in the fresh air.  "Every night, I fill them with my love for Silent.  My husband.  And until I hear otherwise, I assume he's on the other side receiving that love."

"But—"  Golden frowned at her.  "But I don't understand.  How can that bring you any sense of peace?  What if he's dead and you're wasting your time?"

"Because if I didn't have these stars to hold on to, I'd fall apart."  She inclined her head to look at Golden without turning it to face her completely.  "You're so far from alone it's almost laughable, Golden.  The soldiers in the Army are there.  Thousands and thousands of Guards are there.  Ponies like your father are there.  Do you really think nopony can understand how you feel?"

Golden clenched her jaw to bite back a retort.  She jerked her head to the side, glaring at something down below them.  Quietly, she hissed, "I just... hate that it's you, of all ponies, that I have to hear this from."

Crystal almost laughed.  She bumped her shoulder to Golden's before leaning against the windowsill and closing her eyes.  "Well, get used to it, because now that I know you need help, I'm not leaving you alone."

"That makes you sound like a stalker, you know."  Golden huffed and dropped her head down to rest it on the windowsill.  "But..."  There was a pause.  A long pause.

Crystal was more than content to wait.  She had stars to focus on, anyway.

"... Thank you."  Golden's ears flattened against her mane.  "For not throwing me out of the group after how I yelled at you."

Crystal reached over and put a hoof on hers.  "You're welcome."

"Do you... really think they're okay?  Your husband and my father?"  Golden sighed, looking up at the sky.  "Do you think we'll hear from them soon?"

"We'll hear from them," Crystal said, squeezing Golden's hoof.  "They've already written to us.  We just have to wait for the letters to arrive."

Golden's gaze remained fixed on the stars above, tears welling up in her eyes and falling down her cheeks.  "I hope you're right."

In a voice more like a whimper, Crystal mumbled softly, "Me, too."