"Hello, beautiful," the figure in front of Crystal said in a soft, soothing voice. It was Silent. It had to be Silent. She'd recognize that big, sturdy frame and blue mane anywhere. He was turned away from her, looking out over a field of grass that moved without wind.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out, so she started walking toward him. No matter which way she went, however, his back remained to her. She circled him three times and yet she never reached his front.
"I'm home," he said, but his voice didn't come from him. It came from behind her.
Cautiously, Crystal angled herself to keep him within her sights while also looking for the origin of his voice. There was nothing but gently swaying grass as far as the eye could see. No sky, no mountains, no trees—just an endless field of green.
"No, you're not," she finally managed to say, and darkness crept into her vision like a heavy fog. "You're not home."
Silent turned to look at her, but his face was vacant. There were no eyes, mouth, or nose at all. A blank space of white stared at her, the last thing she saw before everything went black.
"Silent!" she cried out, jolting upright and trying to reach for him, but her hoof found nothing there. She was back in bed, a cold sweat matting her coat and a chill deep in her soul.
With a shudder, she looked around to reaffirm her surroundings. Silent's room in the condo he and Winterspear used to share. She was in Canterlot. She was still alone.
Another restless night, another day to cross off in her mental calendar. How many more were left? The future seemed so distant and uncertain that she wanted to crawl under the covers and cry herself back to sleep, but she didn't want to see him again. Not like that.
A soft pink glow illuminated the room as her magic sought out the picture frame sitting on the nightstand. Bringing it close, she smiled wistfully at the photograph of her and Silent on their wedding day, their forehooves entwined and their gazes full of love and happiness. It wasn't all that long ago, and yet it felt like it had been forever already.
She wiped her cheeks dry—of either sweat or tears, she wasn't entirely certain—and slid off the bed to begin the early morning. There was too much to do to sit and wallow.
While she waited for the shower, she stood in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. Tired eyes looked back at her, eyes that hadn't seen a good night's rest in months. Her whole face was haggard and if she were a stallion, why, she wouldn't have been surprised at all if a beard had taken up residence along her jawline.
Steam billowed up and around the curtain, beckoning her into its warm embrace. A much more tempting offer than the fog of darkness that plagued her dreams. She shivered and hurried under the hot water to let it work its soothing magic.
Slowly, the tension was worked out of her muscles and her posture relaxed. It was going to be another long day, especially now that Golden was under her care. Between writing a double feature, mentoring Golden, and essentially running the support group, she wasn't sure when she was going to fit in any time for herself, much less the other parts of her life. Game night was coming up soon and she wanted to be excited for it, but she couldn't muster the energy.
Her magic shut off the shower, and she shook out her coat before stepping onto the bath mat by the vanity. It was time to put herself together. Drying off, brushing and braiding her mane, applying whatever makeup was necessary to look less tired, and the final touch: the little heart-shaped beauty mark just below her eye. Once the mark was in place, she was complete. She was ready to face the day—or so she convinced herself, given she had no other choice.
"Good morning," she called to the empty home when she left her bedroom. Winterspear had already left for work, but the silence was starting to get unnerving. "What do you want for breakfast?" She hummed, prancing into the kitchen. "Something I can eat on the go, please. I have a busy day planned."
She rummaged through the fridge, selected an apple, and levitated it in front of her face to eat as she left the condo to start the first item on her to-do list: get Golden.
Canterlot was quiet, and not because it was early. The loss of the Harmony was still a fresh wound that overshadowed the usual gossip of fashion and fame. The average pony was ill-equipped to deal with tragedy, and that left the city in a soft shade of gloom.
That couldn't keep her down, however. She wasn't an average pony. She had to keep moving forward no matter what. Others were depending on her, so she had to shove her own feelings down and keep one hoof in front of the other.
The trip to Golden's condo wasn't very long, given that Crystal was staying near the Guard base and Golden lived in Canterlot Heights, the closest residential district to the palace. The nicest condominiums in all of Canterlot were in the Heights and boasted the best views in Equestria. Golden lived on the top floor of the furthest building, which put it in the prime spot to see over the walls and out across the land. It also had to cost a small fortune, since the whole floor was Golden's.
Crystal knocked three times, cursed under her breath, and quickly added a fourth. When the door opened a few moments later, she smiled and waved. "Hello!"
The stallion standing there stared with an even gaze. His mane was a curly, wild mess that almost resembled the head of a mop. "Hello? May I help you?"
"Yes! Good morning. I'm here to pick up Golden."
His ears stood straight up before flicking in light irritation. "Excuse me?"
Crystal couldn't help a small roll of her eyes. "Au. I'm here to pick up Au."
"And who are you?" He looked her over, sizing her up, judging her value. "She doesn't have any appointments this morning."
"Oh, she may not think she does, but she most certainly does." Crystal giggled. "I'm Crystal Wishes. We're old friends, in a sense."
The stallion snorted. The humor of Golden having friends must not have been lost on him, which was actually a little sad. Whoever he was, he was clearly close to her, given that he was answering her door. "Oh, I see. You're Crystal Wishes? Well, I'm afraid Miss Au does not wish to see you."
Crystal's tail twitched. "She said that, did she?"
He started to close the door. "She didn't have to."
"Golden!" Crystal yelled, thrusting a hoof in the way before the door could shut. "Get your flank out here right now!"
"What?" Golden's voice yelled back. "No! I told you I'd come get you!"
Crystal snorted. "Too bad! Get out here or I'm coming in there."
"You most certainly are not," the stallion said as he tried to push her hoof out of the way.
Behind him, Golden came into view, a scowl on her face and curlers in her mane. "Fine. Fine! Dusty, let her in, but don't offer her a cool beverage. I'm going to get ready for a day with this tyrant."
With a reluctant pause, Dusty withdrew from the door, but the one eye visible through his bushy mane didn't leave her. "As you wish."
Crystal pranced inside, dropping the apple core she had been carrying into the nearest bin she spotted. That was when she stopped to admire the overly spacious condo. There were two seating areas, separated by a dining table and a long kitchen. One entire wall was made of floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased a breathtaking view of Equestria's rolling plains, lush forests, and tall mountains that stretched out into the horizon.
It almost felt like she was on top of the world. That must have been why Golden chose it.
"There," Golden said from behind her, "I'm ready when you're done gawking."
Crystal turned to see Golden transformed into her beautiful persona, the curlers replaced by luscious curls and makeup applied in just the right amount. Her cheek where Dawn had struck her looked flawless. Whatever foundation she used must have been custom made to match her coat so perfectly.
Finally, Crystal smiled. "Very good. First, we're going to go to visit Velvet. Do you remember her?"
"Velvet Step?" Golden's ears flicked back as she levitated a pair of oversized sunglasses to rest on her muzzle. "The filly you abducted."
"I didn't abduct her. We became friends." Crystal shook her head, laughing softly as she walked toward the door. "You're awful."
Dusty reached out a hoof to stop Golden from following. "Miss Au, is everything all right?"
Golden sighed and waved him off. "Yes, yes, of course it is. Would I be doing this if it weren't?" She huffed. "Once you finish cleaning, you're dismissed. I imagine Crystal has a full day planned for me." She picked up the pace to walk alongside Crystal, brow raised over the sunglasses. "What do you have planned?"
"Well, first, you're going to bear witness to me giving Velvet the great news I received yesterday. And then I'm going to leave you in her care, because if there's anypony I trust not to put up with your attitude for one moment, it's her."
"What?" Golden frowned. "You can't be serious. What am I supposed to do with Velvet? I haven't spoken to her since..." She trailed off in thought before she sighed. "Since a very long time."
Crystal bobbed her head in a light nod. "I know. And that means you'll have all that time to catch up on in a nice, cordial, non-antagonistic way."
They walked in silence for a while, Crystal focused on Golden's long, elegant stride and Golden—well, with those giant sunglasses, it was hard to tell what was going on with her. It seemed silly to wear them, anyway. Golden stood out in a crowd with them on or off. Ponies stopped, stared, pointed, and whispered. When they finally arrived at Velvet's condo, they had already been stopped for Golden's autograph three times.
"It must be exhausting," Crystal commented aloud while she knocked on the door.
"What?" Golden slipped her sunglasses up to rest atop her head. "Walking?"
Crystal sputtered into a laugh. "No! I mean being a famous model. Is that why you have that stallion... Dusty? To get things for you like groceries?"
"Dusty is my valet. He takes care of the house and my schedule. That does include groceries, but it's not because I want to avoid the public." Golden put on a smile as the door started to open. "It's because I have better things to do than chores."
"Uh, what?" Velvet stared up at Golden, frowned, then looked over at Crystal. "Hi. What's going on?"
Crystal threw her forelegs around Velvet's neck. "I have great news! Also, Golden is our friend now, even if she acts otherwise."
"Oookay." Velvet nuzzled her before pulling back and stepping aside. "Come on in, then, I guess?"
Crystal pranced inside, flopping onto one of the sitting pillows. Golden took a tentative step inside and looked around, lips pursed and ears alert.
"Your place is... interesting," Golden said as her gaze fell on the wall of mirrors. "Hmm. And Crystal acts like I am the vain one."
Velvet snorted. "Is that a joke?" She looked at Crystal with a grin. "She's terrible at jokes. You need better friends."
Crystal laughed and shook her head. "No, Golden, Velvet's a ballerina. The mirrors are for practice, so she can see her posture and things of that nature."
There was an awkward pause—with Golden looking almost sheepish, Velvet furrowing her brow, and Crystal waiting for one of them to speak first—before Velvet raised a hoof. "Okay, so before you share your good news, can you explain to me why Golden's suddenly our friend now? 'Cause that's a pretty big development."
Golden glanced at Crystal for guidance, so she took in a soft breath and explained, "Her father volunteered for the war, leaving Golden with the feeling of loneliness and a desire to rectify that."
"Thank you so much," Golden grumbled. "You really have a way with words. No wonder your story is doing so well."
Velvet's ears perked. "Wait, Desert Rose is doing well? Really? But you've only gotten one chapter published so far, I thought!"
"Isn't it shocking?" Golden rolled her eyes. "She writes one chapter, ponies lose their minds, and now she's being asked to do two updates every month. It's almost as if she doesn't even have to try."
After a pause, Velvet's ears went flat to the sides. "Are you sure you want to be friends with her?"
Crystal waved a hoof. "She'll grow out of this phase, I'm sure of it. That aside, yes! Sunset just wrote to me saying that Mares Monthly wants to do a double feature of it." She tossed her mane, stuck her nose in the air, and said smugly, "I told you I could write this."
"Okay, okay, don't get high and mighty." Velvet frowned, one hoof drawing a circle in the floor. "It's only one chapter. Nopony has any idea that it's not a normal romance. They're going to be really disappointed, you know."
Crystal pushed herself up from the pillow and walked over to put a hoof on Velvet's shoulder. "Of course they're not. Have a little faith in me, won't you?" She gave the shoulder a squeeze. "Now, push all of those thoughts aside. I have somewhere I need to be, and Golden can't come with, so I'm leaving her in your care."
"What." Velvet's frown deepened and she glanced at Golden.
"Don't look at me," Golden said, raising her forehooves. "This wasn't my idea."
Crystal gave a soft laugh as she started toward the door. "You two will get along just fine, I'm certain. Velvet, she's learning to be a better pony, so feel free to call her out on antisocial behavior."
The frown lifted into a mischievous grin. "With pleasure."
Golden started to protest, but Crystal hurriedly shut the door before she could be stopped. She only made it a few steps down the hall before she burst into giggles. They would be fine. In fact, she was of the mind that if the two gave it a chance, they might actually become friends. Golden's biting remarks could be pulled back and simmered down to sass, which Velvet was practically made of.
Slowly, however, the good mood she had found started to fade away as she shifted her focus to the next task ahead of her. It wasn't a very long walk to the Jet Ventures building, but her hooves weren't cooperating. Each step was slow, precise, and almost pained. She didn't want to do this, but it was necessary.
How would it go? Would it be a tearful conversation, or would it turn into another fight? She winced. Some awful words had been shared between her and her father the last time they spoke. She was ready to make amends, but he may not be. There was only one way to know, however, and she was going to find out soon enough.
The headquarters for Jet Ventures was a three-story building with a few small airships parked on top for transport to and from the construction berths north of Canterlot. Its first floor was dedicated to making sales, with pictures and models of the different luxury ships on display, while the actual offices occupied the upper two.
Trotting up to the front desk, Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but the receptionist cut her off. "Good morning! How can Jet Ventures help you venture into the skies and beyond?"
Crystal tried not to roll her eyes, smiling instead. "Hello. I'm actually here to see my father, Jet Set."
The receptionist's hooves flew to her mouth. "I-I thought you looked like his daughter, but I didn't want to assume!" She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Miss Wishes! Mrs. Wishes! Sorry! He's on the third floor in a meeting with Mr. Ship, but I'm sure they won't mind if you drop in."
"Thank you." Crystal walked over to the stairs and started the journey up them, her heart racing. She could turn back now. She could deal with this later. She could—
Her magic pushed the door to the third floor open and she felt the weight of eyes from nearby desks turning to land on her. Recognition reflected in the faces she saw and, sheepishly, she made her way past them all toward the large double doors that led to Jet Ship's office.
How these ponies knew her was no mystery. Above the doors to his office was a painting of them all: Jet Ship with Diadem, Jet Set with Upper Crust, and a much younger but still recognizable version of herself in the center. Let nopony ever say Jet Ship didn't love his family, even if he and her parents hardly ever got along.
"Here!" a pony chimed, jumping up from his desk and pushing open one of the doors for her. "Nice to see you, Miss Wishes!"
"Mrs., but thank you," she muttered under her breath, flashed a smile, and crossed the threshold with her heart pounding all the way to her ears. Her gaze landed on her grandfather first, those powerful orange eyes piercing through her in an instant.
Jet Ship's somber expression lightened. "Well, well, isn't this a surprise?"
Jet Set turned in his seat and straightened up when he saw Crystal approaching. "Crystal! What are you doing here?" He cleared his throat, hurriedly rising to his hooves. "What I mean is, it's good to see you, dear."
Crystal stopped just a pace away from him and offered a soft smile. "I was hoping I could speak with you, Dad."
"Let me go see what Arch is working on," Jet Ship said as he circled his desk and walked past Crystal, pausing to levitate a butterscotch off his desk and over to her. "Nice to see you, sweetheart."
"You, too, Grandfather." She took the candy in her own magic and stared at it while she waited for Ship to leave the room. Once they were alone, she mumbled, "I'm here to say I'm sorry." Her ears fell. "I said some terrible things."
"It's fine. It's okay. Of course it's okay." He stepped toward her and wrapped a foreleg around her neck. "It was an emotional moment for everypony. And that aside, your mother and I did our own share of terrible things. I suppose it was only revenge."
Crystal snorted, unable to help herself. "You mean when you and Mom suggested—"
"—that you divorce Silent? Yes, in fact, I do mean that." He pulled back to look down at her, his brow furrowed with concern. "You have to understand, dear. War isn't something that ponies like us understand. We were terrified."
Her nose scrunched up and, after a moment of thought, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I—I think I forgive you, but I don't have to understand. I don't understand. I thought..." She frowned and looked away, over at the wall that featured blueprints of airships from the beginning of Jet Ventures to the current day. "I thought, after our talk at my wedding, that you understood me."
Jet Set sighed and cupped her cheek in one hoof, forcing her to look at him. "I know, dear, but I hope you can see that I don't understand, either. He's not a soldier, so that means he must have volunteered. Why would a husband leave his wife behind to volunteer?"
Crystal frowned. So it was going to be a round two of their fight, then. Before she could respond, however, he moved his hoof to cover her mouth.
"But what I do understand, however, is that you do, and that it doesn't matter what your mother or I think. All that matters is what you decide to do." He smiled. "And you are doing wonderfully, from what your mother has heard."
"Really?" A groan escaped her. "What, does Mom have ears in my support group or something?"
Jet Set chuckled lightly and withdrew from her to walk over to the desk. "She has an ear everywhere, I'm afraid. Now, come here. Your timing is actually quite impeccable. I was just going over one of my design ideas with my father, a design I think will be of interest to you."
There was an initial feeling of revulsion that turned Crystal's stomach. She didn't want to look at airships, not even a design of one. All she could think about was the news of the Harmony. With a forced smile, she pushed through that wave of nausea and watched as his magic levitated a large sheet of paper.
All she could really tell was that the sketch was a large yet sleek ship of war. There was no mistaking it for a luxury cruiser, not with the heavy hull and the outlines she recognized as weaponry of some sort. The tiny pony figure standing on the deck for scale made it seem all the more imposing.
"There is so much work to do before we can even begin construction. We've never built anything like these ships before." Jet Set glanced between his drawing and her. "But we've already decided the names for it and the other designs I have drafted."
"Oh?" Crystal asked idly, her gaze still traversing the various lines and curves, trying to make sense of them all.
"We'll be working on three classes of warships: the Squire, the Errant, and—" He cleared his throat. "And the Knight."
Her blood ran cold at the name and her attention snapped to him. The clink sound of the butterscotch candy falling to the hardwood floor as her magic dissipated brought her out of the momentary daze. "What?"
Jet Set bobbed his head in a light nod. "Yes, the Knight class. This is the initial design for the Knight. A big, powerful ship that will keep the ponies that crew it safe and give back what those blasted gryphons gave to us." In a softer voice, he added, "It seemed fitting. I mean it only out of respect, of course. I hope you don't find it offensive."
"Offensive?" Crystal stepped closer and touched a trembling hoof to the design, trailing the outline of it. A class of warship sharing the name as a family of warriors. It was almost chilling, really. Stratus would have been proud, but what about Silent? Would he see it as an honor, or an insult?
The questions that raced through her head were halted by the uncertain look on her father's face. He was trying to apologize in the most sincere, heartfelt way he knew how. It would have just been easier to say 'I'm sorry', of course, but he went a step beyond that. He had desgined a ship that would keep her husband safe and named it after him.
Finally, she stepped forward and hugged him tight around the neck. "It's perfect, Dad," she whispered. "Thank you."