Jet Ship cleared his throat and tapped a hoof on the long meeting table he sat at the head of. "First and foremost, I would call the Harmony memorial party a success."
"Party?" Crystal's nose scrunched up. "That makes it sound trivial. It was an event, not a party."
Jet Ship waved a dismissive hoof. "Nonetheless, the pamphlets given out during the party had a one-to-five response ratio. We gained twelve volunteers from the party alone. Not perfect, but good enough for a beginning."
Crystal swallowed. "Yes, but—"
"Unfortunately," Upper Crust cut in, the tension along her jaw adding a rigidity to her voice, "because of the nature of the event, it was the Forget-Me-Not branch that saw the majority of the volunteers. I only have a minuscule amount of helping hooves in my branch by comparison."
Jet Ship stared down his muzzle at her with only the slightest narrowing of his eyes. "Your branch's services are in less demand, so that is not on my list of current concerns."
Upper Crust's lips curled into a light sneer, but before she could respond, Orchid Bouquet said, "We could use more volunteers, actually. We have a backlog of requests for flowers and trees to be planted."
Violet, who sat in Orchid's lap, giggled. "We got trees in our house!"
"They're not trees, dear," Orchid chided with a smile. "What are they?"
"S—" Violet scrunched up her nose. "Sap. Saplings?"
Crystal smiled behind a hoof. Violet was still young, but the squeakiness in her voice was starting to fade. That didn't make her any less cute, of course.
Upper Crust gave a loud sigh. "Getting back to the point, we certainly can't put together another memorial garden. What do you suggest?"
"If I may?" Verdant smiled as all eyes turned on to him while he shifted uncomfortably, his earth pony frame too big for the unicorn-sized chair. "I think we should put ads in the papers."
Jet Ship leaned back, crossing his forelegs over his chest. "Newspaper ads cost money. How can we be certain of a worthwhile return on investment?"
Crystal's ears folded back and she dropped her gaze. Her grandfather's words held no compassion or care, and each one felt like a pinprick in the back of her neck.
"Oh, please." Upper Crust stretched out a hoof to paw in his direction, though the venom in her voice made the gesture a mocking one. "Jet Ship, everypony reads the newspaper. I would think you would have the business sense to know that much."
Jet Ship's expression remained unchanged. "Be that as it may, I would still like to know the facts going in, rather than your word."
Crystal stomped a hoof on the arm of her chair. "I'm sorry, but could we please stop talking about this as if we're dealing with material objects? We are working with ponies—living, breathing, hurting ponies! Matters of the heart cannot be simplified with matters of the mind!"
The look Jet Ship gave her was not one she was accustomed to. No withering stare from her mother or embarrassing moment in her academy years compared to Jet Ship's disapproving glance. It made her feel smaller than she ever had before; she didn't feel like a filly, but a mere foal.
"While that may be true," he said with ice in his voice, "my financial backing is a matter of the mind, not the heart. This is not a happy, simple little game." He smiled, though it brought her no comfort, and levitated a butterscotch over to her. "Now, mind your tongue while we talk."
Irritation bloomed, but she swallowed it and merely nodded as she accepted the candy in her magic. She flinched when a hoof landed on hers, and she looked up to see Wallflower looking at Jet Ship with determination.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ship," Wallflower said, "but Crystal's opinions are just as valid as anypony's in this room. She is the reason we're here together, after all."
One of Jet Ship's brows arched. "As I said to Upper Crust, I am in the business of facts, not opinions."
Before anypony else could speak through the tension that filled the room, Verd cleared his throat. "I think it might be better to call it a night and reconvene tomorrow. The little one looks like she needs a break."
Crystal and the others looked over to see Violet squirming in an attempt to free herself from Orchid's embrace. When all the attention turned to her, Violet froze, then slowly settled against her mother's chest.
"Yes," Orchid said, patting Violet on the head. "Violet is getting restless. Come on, sweetie, let's go to the hotel and see how Blue Belle and Cocoa are doing."
As Orchid rose, so did Upper Crust and Verdant. Wallflower stayed where she was and, given that she was holding onto her hoof, so did Crystal. Wallflower kept her gaze locked on Jet Ship, who returned the stare twofold. Crystal could almost feel the fire raging between them, both daring the other to make the first move.
"Come on, Mom," Crystal whispered and gave Wallflower's hoof a squeeze. "Let's go to Sunridge Sweets and check on the volunteers."
Jet Ship nodded. "Yes, I have important business to attend. We have the first prototype of the new ships ready for testing tomorrow."
A chill ran down Crystal's spine, but she buried the feeling and swallowed the questions. Instead, she tugged Wallflower's hoof to lead the mare out of the office. "Bye, Grandfather."
Once they were outside, Wallflower wilted against Crystal. "Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. I wanted to stand up for you. I tried, but—"
"No!" Crystal quickly shook her head and smiled. "I really appreciate it. I don't have the will to challenge him, so it means a lot to me that you even tried."
They made it only a few steps before Wallflower came to a halt. "Why don't you head home early? I think Winterspear mentioned she had the day off. Spend some time with her. I'll take care of the Foundation for what's left of today."
Crystal opened her mouth to argue, but the words didn't come forth. She felt emotionally drained. After a day of working in their makeshift headquarters above Sunridge Sweets followed by the meeting with her grandfather, she wanted nothing more than to slip into a bubble bath and forget about the world for a while.
Finally, she relented with a smile. "All right. Thank you." She gave Wallflower a tight hug before trotting off in the direction of home. If only she could send a courier on ahead to beg Winterspear to draw a bath so it would be ready when she got home.
Crystal's gait slowed as her thoughts started to spin backwards. Could she endure more meetings like that? Would it be like that with anypony she got funding from? Was he being extra harsh because Upper Crust was involved?
No matter how many times the questions echoed in her mind, there were no answers. She sighed and tried to clear them by shaking her head and hurrying back to a trot. It was only going to get harder from here on out. There would be more events to host, more galas to attend, more ponies to coordinate with. There would be grieving widows and wounded soldiers. The road ahead was not one she had ever expected to tread, but it was the one she had chosen to follow.
Heaving a sigh, Crystal put on her best smile and pushed the door open to the place she shared with Winterspear. "I'm home."
Winterspear jolted upright from where she was sprawled on the couch, snorting lightly. "Wha—huh?" She rubbed at her eyes and yawned. "I wasn't sleeping. You were sleeping."
"Of course." Crystal giggled. "Enjoying your day off?"
Winterspear scrunched up her nose. "Not particularly. It's been boring. You were handling Foundation business, Iridescence is working, and Dot is out with all her coltfriends."
"How many does she have following her now?" Crystal shook her head as she made her way to the bathroom to start heating up the water. "Does she actually plan to date any of them, or is she just going to enjoy the attention?"
"She's young and she's growing into her body." Winterspear followed after her, hanging back to lean against the doorframe. "What, didn't you leave a string of broken hearts behind when you were her age?"
Crystal gasped in mock offense. "When I was her age? I'm not that much older than her!"
Winterspear merely replied with a raise of one brow and a quirk of her lips.
Giggling, Crystal tested the running water with a hoof and nodded, satisfied. "I don't believe I did. I dated a few stallions, but I doubt I broke their hearts. I certainly didn't have a following like Dot does, that much I can guarantee."
"It's really going to stick in Opalescence and Luminescence's craw when she fully matures." Winterspear grinned. "They're drop-dead gorgeous, which intimidates ponies into thinking twice before pursuing them. Dot is pretty without being too pretty, you know?"
While the bath filled, Crystal set about finding her bottle of rose-scented bubbles and retrieving some rose petals from a jar. "Mm."
Winterspear flicked one wing and tilted her head to the side. "Hey, are you all right? Did something happen with the Foundation today?"
"Oh, when isn't there something?" Crystal rolled her eyes, measuring out the bubble bath liquid and pouring it into the hot water. "But I suppose it's all normal for a venture of this scale. I'm just not accustomed to my grandfather acting this way toward me." Her magic worked to undo her braid and instead tied her mane into a loose bun.
"It's always dangerous, mixing family and business." Winterspear walked inside and sat on a stool by the tub as Crystal climbed into the bubbling water. "But you're doing really good work, so whatever it is, it'll be worth it. I have confidence in that."
Crystal sighed, letting the heat seep into her muscles, and leaned her head back to stare up at the ceiling while the bubbles rose around her. "I know. I just wish it were easier."
Winterspear snickered and shook her head. "Good things never are. Anyway, I'll let you enjoy your bath. When you're ready, we can decide what to do for dinner."
"Thank you, Winterspear." Crystal rolled her head to the side to smile at her. "You have no idea how much your support means to me. You're a better sister than I could have asked for."
"I know." Winterspear winked and walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
A single drop fell from the faucet, the sound of it hitting the bathwater echoing throughout the otherwise quiet room. There was a low hum of tiny bubbles quietly popping, reminding her that there was always a limit. The bubbles would disappear. The warmth would fade. The bath wouldn't last forever.
Crystal released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in. The steamy air was filled with the scent of roses, a luxurious treat for the senses. It made her feel normal, like everything was as it always had been. War, soldiers, fear, and death were so far away in that moment.
Slowly, Crystal lowered until she had sunk down just low enough for her chin to touch the water's surface, her eyes clenched shut. The popping sound grew louder as bubbles tickled her ears; it was all she could hear. It was all she wanted to hear.
One of the rose petals bumped against her chest and she straightened up to look down. In the few patches where the bubbles had already faded, she spotted a couple red petals. Once upon a time, she was contented by a bath with some oil and scattered petals. Now it took bubbles to find peace. Her indulgences were going to be impossible to feed if she kept going at this rate.
The magic of the bath lost, Crystal sighed and reached out for the stopper to drain the tub. Bubbles still clung to her coat, but a wet hoofcloth took care of that soon enough before she dried off with a towel.
Wrapping herself in her favorite pink robe, Crystal left the still-warm bathroom into the cooler living room. "What are you thinking for dinner?"
Winterspear turned around, a somber look on her face and an envelope in her hoof. In a low voice, she said, "The courier came by while you were in the bath."
A strange mix of tension and excitement filled Crystal's chest as she glanced between the two. "Is it—"
"Yeah. It's from him, for you." Winterspear held it out with a trembling hoof, her ears pinning back. "I mean, I assume it's from him. I hope it's from him. It's from Nordanver, at least."
Crystal's magic started to open the envelope, but she stopped and sucked in a breath. Winterspear gave her a curious look and she returned it with a smile. "Would you mind giving me a lift up into the clouds so I can be nearer to him?"
"Oh." Winterspear's expression relaxed and she smiled. "Of course, sure."
"Thank you." Crystal's magic unwrapped the robe and set it aside before retrieving her hornlet. While she began to pour energy into the charm, she walked out the door behind Winterspear. She shivered lightly as a cold breeze washed over her once they stepped outside, but she smiled nonetheless. "With the stars out, I want them to carry my feelings the moment I read his words. It feels like it's been so long."
Winterspear fanned out her wings to offer her back to Crystal. "Well, you've been busy the past few weeks." Once Crystal was seated and holding on, she started trotting forward, then broke into a gallop and leaped into the air.
They flew in relative silence, the winter's wind biting the patches of Crystal's coat that were still wet. The stars were out in full form even despite the cold haze that covered Equestria. Crystal looked down to watch Canterlot grow smaller, leaving her worries behind.
In the sky, there was no grandfather, no Foundation, no stress. The sky was true freedom. She smiled and lifted her gaze upward, spying the group of puffy clouds that they neared. From below, they seemed to be a dark grey, but when Winterspear flew higher, the moonlight shining down lit them up to a brilliant white.
"Here's a good one," Winterspear said, though how she could differentiate clouds from each other was a mystery to Crystal. She landed gingerly and lowered herself to let Crystal off. "Be careful, it's full of snow, so it's pretty cold."
The moment Crystal set a hoof down, a chill ran up it as if she had stepped into icy water. She clenched her teeth and pressed on, however; if she wanted to be closer to Silent, this was the price.
"All right." Crystal breathed in and out before looking at the envelope she clutched to her chest. Was she trembling out of fear, because it was cold, or both?
Winterspear wrapped a wing around her for comfort and a little warmth, but gave the privacy of looking away. Crystal smiled; the simple gesture gave her the strength to finally open the envelope and retrieve the letter inside. The sight of Silent's hoofwriting calmed the latent nerves that had been buzzing in the back of her mind.
My Love Crystal,
As I write you I am still of sound body. Though I've been injured off and on, no sword, spear, or arrow has yet to do me any serious or permanent harm. The enemy has learned to fear me and I am concerned that a dark legend is being born. My soldiers and I have made a pact that we will come home to our loved ones. We will do what is necessary to make it through. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of many of our enemy's lives and it leaves a great deal of blood on my hooves.
I think of you every night as I look up at the stars. You are my motivation and what keeps me moving forwards. I wonder what you'd think of me if you knew what I did each and every day. Am I the stallion you married? The one you want to be with? Did you know I was capable of what I now do? It is my life's goal to keep this world from you and everypony else. This was not meant for us.
It pains me to say it but this letter shall likely arrive near our anniversary... our first one. There is no chance that I will be there to hold you in my hooves. For that I am deeply sorry. I know that this was not the world you wanted to marry into. It was not mine either, truly. I wish I could be there at your side. We'd have a small party with our friends and then I'd whisk you away for a romantic week in Colton Head Island. It would just be me, you, and the beach.
Remember that small lagoon that wasn't far down from our room? We'd have a picnic there and play in the water. And the evenings... well, those are best left up to your imagination.
Happy anniversary, Crystal. May this be the only one we ever spend apart.
All of my love,
Silent Knight
"Crystal?" Winterspear asked in a soft voice after a while of silence between them. "What does it say?"
Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but tears jumped to her eyes and her throat closed up. When the first tear fell down her trembling cheek, Winterspear's pupils constricted to the size of pinpoints.
"What happened?" Winterspear reached for the levitating letter. "What happened to him?!"
"No—" Crystal gave a quick shake of her head, her voice raspy and strained. "He's—He's all right." Her shoulders quivered as the pain of realization racked through her. "I just—It's just that he reminded me of something."
Winterspear's hoof slowly lowered, but the tension in her muscles didn't ease any. "What?"
In a voice so fragile she wasn't sure if she had spoken at all, Crystal replied, "Our anniversary."
Silence held them for a while, the wind gently brushing against Crystal's face to chill the streaks left behind by the tears that fell in quick succession. Through her blurred vision, she noticed the cloud they rested on start to darken before a rumbling sound filled her ears. She leaned forward, blinking away her tears just long enough to see a heavy downpour of snow below, emanating from their cloud.
"Sorry," Winterspear said with a hitch in her voice, and Crystal looked up to see her crying. "I didn't realize it was that time already. That he's been gone so long. I—I miss him, Crystal."
Crystal reached out and wrapped her forelegs around Winterspear's neck to pull her in for a tight hug. Winterspear returned it with twice the strength needed, but Crystal ignored the crushing discomfort. It was no worse than the pain in her heart.
"I know. I miss him, too," Crystal whispered, clenching her eyes shut. "He'll come home soon. I'll have a late anniversary, you'll have a wedding, and we'll have Silent back. All will be well soon."
Winterspear buried her face into Crystal's mane. "Yeah." There was no conviction in her voice; it was just a hollow word spoken to fill the silence for a brief moment.
There was little conviction in Crystal's heart, either, but she didn't voice that awful thought. She kept that to herself so that as she looked up at the stars, only her feelings of desperate, lonely love were conveyed.
Can you hear me now?
Ooooo that letter. It hits hard. Its a feels trip i wasnt expecting. As for her grandfather... Ive heard of buisnessmen.. well.. ponies being rutheless but dang.. some things ya cant put a price on. Anyway this was a nice chapter!
Yet.
I'm going to wait for the moment Crystal usurps grandaddy now...
Right after I'm down bawling my eyes out over that last scene. Excuse me.
How sad that they'll miss their first wedding anniversary.
Chapter title a reference to Pocahonas?
If so, it's seems pretty appropriate.
I was just thinking. Is chapter A Spoonful of Sugar a reference to the Disney movie 'Mary Poppins'??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLkp_Dx6VdI
And on that one, special night, Luna drags the two of them into a shared dreamscape. Because poetic! And for great justice!
7825705
I wish it were as easy as being priceless. Things work so much better with motivation - even "charitable" things - because individuals are inherently selfish, even if only in small amounts. So those who support the foundation will want something back, even if it's simply knowledge that the foundation is doing its work successfully (which, itself, may cost the foundation through having to create newsletters/postcards, etc.). So the foundation itself must not - must not - give everything away, or else there will be nothing left of it to help those they intend to.
Jet Ship could be more lenient, but his motivation is spot on. The foundation needs to bring in so it can put out, and unlike a traditional business, it doesn't rely on income from selling product to consumers.
Oh my gosh. "Anastasia" is my favorite Disney movie!!! I'm so happy your referenced it!!!
I can't help but respect Jet Ship's willingness to disconnect and see others only as numbers, if only for the good of the foundation. The foundation is at it's core a business, if it's going to thrive, a business needs numbers.
I can suggest an alternate location for you to put that candy.
Sounds like someone has a guilty conscience. Just say DAM. Deny everything, Act indignate, Make counter accusations.
Commission Crystal to fill in the blanks! Just $5k and we'll know what she's imagining!
Author Crystal, make this happen. I'm dying here.
Whoa damn. :3 That were some good butter words, Crystal.
7825836 Anastasia was Twentieth Century Fox, not Disney. I loved it too!
Luna should have let them share a dreamscape yes but maybe it's not possible?
7825834
You are correct that the Foundation isn't a traditional business, but here's the thing, and please excuse my language:
Jet Ship is fucking loaded.
He heads the largest manufacturer, distributer and whole seller of airship in Equestria at the least: Maybe even the entire world. Commerce does not happen on the scale it does because that's how hard ponies work, it happens because he allows it to. Without Jet Ventures, Equestria has no capacity to wage the war that is currently going on. Without Jet Ship, the modern world as ponies currently know it ceases to exist, and he charges them to keep it existing.
Jet Ship is fucking loaded. Jet Ventures is printing money.
He could see exactly zero return on his investment in the Foundation, and not only would he not notice the hit to his or his company's finances, they just need to have one newspaper — just one — run a short story where it's made publicly known that they are investing in the Foundation to help others out of the goodness of their hearts, without expecting anything in return, and they will look like a goddamn heroes. They are never going to run out of money.
The issue that some of us, myself included, are having with Jet Ship is not that he's a hard-edged businesspony, but that he refuses to stop being one when it actually matters. It makes it look like he has no soul. It makes it look like he sees the misery of others, and can only see a way to benefit himself from it, and there is a word for ponies that only see the misery of others in terms of how it benefits them:
Windigo.
7825875
7825957
I think Crystal's main problem isn't his lack of charity, more his uncaring tone. He talks apathetically and statistically about ponies she's met and cried with, and she thinks emotionally (reminds me of my wife and mother) so that way of talking is offensive to her. Am I close, Crystal?
Damn those butterscotch's basically represent his condescension towards those around him.
Yes, he will keep the business running because Crystal is TERRIBLE with money.
However, he comes off as a dirtbag.
7825957
Sounds like we need someone who's in a position of "It takes one to know one" then. Hmmmmm... Who could we know that is f'ing loaded, isn't afraid to voice an opinion, and is on Crystal's side?
Hmmmm...
It'll come to me.
Uhp...
Uhp...!
There it is!
Sic 'em, Au! Or, y'know, just let Crystal know what's up. (Phyco's got a great speech already prepared too!)
(Contrary to my reputation, I'm seriously not just trying to push Au here, either. Crusty should be the one to do it, but familial ties are making this a difficult hurdle for her. Wallflower probably has the gumption, but isn't in the right position to see or do, I think. Any of the other movers and shakers could (like Fancy, were he here), but they're not close enough to Crystal herself. Au has the best combination of position, insight, attitude, and opportunity.)
Ouch. Tearing up now you wicked author.
7825957
Yeah this is about what I wanted to say. It'd be one thing if Jet was talking about expenditures anywhere near the order of magnitude of his usual ventures, but the pony equivalent of Bill Gates nitpicking over the cost of a single newspaper article for charity is just...come on, man.
7826189 Charities have a real tendency to turn into expensive hobbies that waste all their money and don't accomplish much. If he's donating company funds to his granddaughter and that happens, then he has a huge image problem.
But he's not going to let that happen. Most business folks who run charities don't let that happen. But they don't let it happen by doing things like he's doing here and trying to apply actual business logic to stuff.
Fiscal responsibility versus matters of the heart, I imagine that a lot of charitable foundations have these issues.
"You go home, I'll stay here and collect some heads."
Poor Dot's coltfriends.
Can't have a broken heart if you disappear forever!
That's really true. I did some IT work for my oldest sister at her medical practice when I was fresh out of college and it was pretty awkward at times.
I'm sure there's a very specialised corrupted alicorn princess for that. Nightmare Aloe and Lotus?
As far as slippery slopes go, oil and pedals to a full blown bubble bath is a fairly gentle one.
Oh dang.
As a Marine, I never really gave much thought to what war would mean to those left at home; to those who have to wonder, every day, whether or not they will ever see those they love again, or will they instead receive a folded flag, with the hollow condolences from the military.
This story has opened my eyes to see what it means to be a military spouse. It has allowed me a glimpse of the pain that they experience; the pain of not knowing.
Well hopefully Crystals grand dad won't be like that towards her charity forever. I realize he has a business to run but I think even he could afford to be less of a dick to Crystal.
7825682 Sorry, what was that? You'll have to speak up!
7825705 Yeah, Anzel wrote a really cruel letter this time around. ;)
7825777 mwuahah. Crystal Wishes, romance extraordinaire, Foundation founder, and Jet Ventures usurper! She'll be rich! Rich in your tears
7825792 Yep.
7825812 All of the chapter titles, save for the first one, are lyrics from Disney songs. ^^
7825825 stfu
7825834 Wouldn't that be perfect?
7825836 ssttffuu
7825892 Hahaha. I like the DAM method. Totally foolproof!
Heheh.
7825896 Thank you
7825942 The anniversary hasn't passed them, yet...
7826106 But I need your tears in order to live!
7826655 I think Dot's at the ripe age where her coltfriends don't mind, because they're all full of puberty.
heh. heh. Slippery slope? Baths? Oils? How could it get any more slippery?
7827021 It's been an emotional journey for me, too. I've read so many blogs, articles, and snippets from books written by military spouses. Some of the stories shared break my heart. Two in particular that guide me and writing Crystal's mindset...
Okay, now, addressing the conversation going on...
7825834 7825875 7825957 7826027 7826189 7826233 7827087
Some really great points and thoughts on both sides of the field!! I would love to give more of a response but the story will address this issue, so... just know that I wholly appreciate all of the comments, I'm really enjoying seeing where you all are on this topic. ^^
I don't mind Jet Ship being hard-nosed, big charities have to be organized with a certain firmness, because it's so easy to waste money, waste time, waste sentiment when there's no financial feed-back, no profit motive. It's so *easy* to waste other ponies' money when you're trying to do 'good', rather than trying to do well. Somebody needs to be the keel, the center-board of a nonprofit, or else every wind will just blow the skiff sideways and here and there, wherever the winds wist. It takes a sail, a rudder and a keel, all three, to tack against contrary winds.
But as it may be... all will be well:
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always--
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flames are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.
7825792 And what's worse is that same chapter came out between the deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds!
7827301 And what's worse is that same chapter came out between the deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds!
I'm sure everyone here knows that STFU is an acronym for Serve That Fructose Up!
Which of course is like saying, "Give me some sugar, sweetie!"
Because i'm certain Author Crystal would never swear!
7827301 =P I didnt mean that it was a bad feels lol
A definite heartfelt chapter.
Glad Crystal is doing a marvelous job multitasking on her part. I would drop dead on the hours she spent.
So don't mind me asking but. How many chapters left before the return of Silent Knight?
7827958 Don't share this out, but he isn't coming back.
7827301 ):
Oh man.... being reminded that they're going to miss their First anniversary...That's gotta be a real sucker punch. For both Crystal and Silent really.
Also Jet Ship needs to totally cool it. He's being a big ol' poopy head.
Once again another amazing chapter.
7827993 Wait... so it contradicts "Trials of the Royalguard" or is it an Alternative story where Silent Knight is gone forever.
7827389 Also some very good points on the Jet Ship debate. Ahhh, I'd love to weigh in, but I don't want to lead astray with devil's advocacy or spoil anything!
7827460 yes
absolutely
that is 100% what is happening here
7827808 Thank you. ^^
7829040 I legitimately can't even imagine how it feels. I can only read heartbreaking articles on the topic... and try my best to emulate.
7829534 Neither; Rossby was being snarky because I've answered questions like this many times and he knows I get weary of repeating myself on this topic. ^^
As I've said before:
1) Hopes and Trials are connected but separate stories. If the interest for reading Hopes is solely to read "another view" of Trials, then there will be much disappointment there.
2) There are many context clues to give a scale of time. Red's birthday being the key event. Not to mention that we have not reached the one-year anniversary of the Harmony's fall.
7829723 Thank you for your response and best wishes for the new year.
You're gonna make me cry with the whole anniversary bit.
Anyway in all seriousness I needed a good read. Thank you Crystal for writing these stories, I know I'm not the only one who loves them. Your tales and characters give me inspiration for my own works. Thank you, and Happy New Year.
Having Winterspear take Crystal up on the cloud to read that letter literally broke my heart.
Words can not describe the awesomeness that is that scene.
7830809 Agreed
I think i may have actually managed to suck my tears back in. my eyes were watering and now they aren't, and my face isn't wet either. But you know what? It was actually pretty painful, physically painful. It was also probably the most manly thing i will ever do, though i won't be very keen to try it again.
Every letter that Silent sends makes me wanna cry.
Also, I don't think Jet Ship knows what "charity" means.
8463645
Even charities need to be fiscally intelligent. How else do they increase funding?