New and a Bit Alarming
The bed was warm, but no warmer than the memories that lingered within the groggy fog of Crystal's mind. She giggled and nestled deeper into the thick comforter that held her in a soft embrace. A tingling sensation reached the tips of her hooves as she closed her eyes and saw a vision of Silent's face.
Sunlight tried to reach her through the curtains, but she was in her own world. Her mind and body were exhausted. She was tired—so tired—so very, very tired, but she didn't mind. It was a small price to pay for the most wonderful night of her life.
A moment of panic shot through her and she bolted upright, heart racing. What happened to a soldier who was too tired to get out of bed? Could he take a sick day? Would they send him into battle? Were there battles every day? Would today be a day without conflict, without consequence?
Just as quickly as it came, the adrenaline faded and she dropped back down onto the bed, her eyelids fluttering closed. The weight of drowsiness was too much to bear. She had three meetings that day for the Flower Foundation, but perhaps she could tell Wallflower she was ill. Being lovesick was a legitimate ailment.
A giggle slipped past her lips as her thoughts cycled around to return to the dream. Silent's wingtips trailing along her sides, his hooves holding her like a precious gem, his lips—
"Crystal?" Winterspear called from the other side of her bedroom door, knocking three times. "You have a visitor."
The only response Crystal could muster was a groan. She tried to sit up, but her muscles gave a rebellious seize to hold her in place. If she just closed her eyes and fell asleep, would everypony go away? It was a tempting theory to test, and her body was more than relaxed when Winterspear knocked again.
"Hello? Crystal?" Slowly, Winterspear pushed the door open. "Are you feeling all right? You're normally up early, but I was going to let you sleep in since—" She cut herself off with an abrupt clearing of her throat.
Crystal groaned again and buried herself under the comforter. The darkness and warmth enveloped her, coaxing her back to sleep. "Fine."
Light and cold air washed over her face as the comforter was pulled back, and Winterspear leaned in to get a closer look at her. "You look awful! Did you catch a cold?" Winterspear touched the back of her hoof to Crystal's forehead. "You don't have a fever..."
"I just—" Crystal burst into raspy giggles as memories of her dream flooded her mind. "I just had a busy night."
Winterspear furrowed her brow. "A busy night? How? Did you sneak out after you went to bed? I—" She withdrew her hoof and sighed. "It's not my business, sorry. You can go back to bed, but I already invited your guest in. She says she's your aunt? I honestly didn't know you had an aunt."
"Aunt?" Crystal clenched her eyes shut hoping to make everything go away until a gear clicked into place and she looked up at Winterspear. "Is she Itailian?"
Winterspear's ears perked up. "Yeah, now that you mention it, that's exactly what her accent was. Come on, I'll make tea while you say hi."
"No tea," Crystal grumbled as she managed to push herself almost upright. "Coffee. Strong."
"Coffee?" Winterspear came to a halt just before she reached the door and looked over her shoulder. "Wow, you really are tired." She shook her head, saying as she walked out into the main area, "She'll be out in just a moment. Sleeping Beauty stayed up a little too late last night."
Crystal remained with her forelegs holding her up, then flopped over to lie on her side. If she just closed her eyes for a second, then she'd have enough energy to get up all the way. One lid slid down, soon followed by the other.
"Crystal!" Winterspear hollered. "Did you fall back asleep?"
Jolting up and off the bed, Crystal hurriedly replied, "No! I'm up! I'm coming!" She trotted out into the living room and smiled when she saw Pretzel Crust, Whisperwind, and their foal Focaccia, the three of them sitting on the couch. "Good morning. It's been a while!"
"Crystal Wishes! Hey, it really has been a while, ain't it?" Pretzel rose to her hooves, her movements a little strained from her rounded stomach. "So good to see ya!"
Crystal blinked through the returning haze and smiled as Pretzel wrapped a tight foreleg around her neck. "It's good to see you, too, Aunt Pretzel."
Pretzel snorted and laughed, pulling back to look at her. "Oh, Celestia, we're practically the same age! Don't call me that! Call me Pretzi." She looked over at her husband and foal. "Whispy, ain't ya gonna say hi?"
Whisperwind offered a light smile. "Hi, Crys—"
"Oh!" Pretzel interrupted, slapping a hoof to her forehead. "Before I forget! Mamma and Papà wanted me to give ya this." She waved a hoof at Whisperwind, who gave her a small package that she then held out to Crystal. "Some herb-and-cheese stuffed breadsticks, made this mornin' by Papà himself."
Crystal smiled and accepted the bread in her magic, walking to the kitchen to set it on the counter. She spied Winterspear in front of the coffee maker, ears turned toward them to listen in but otherwise facing away.
"Not that I mind having family drop in," Crystal said, returning to the living room, "but I assume there's a reason for this visit?" She paused, her vision starting to blur and her head growing heavy as exhaustion set back in. "Wait, is it—" She squinted. "Are you pregnant?"
"Ain't you a sharp one?" Pretzel giggled as she set her hoof on her stomach. "Yep! We 'ave our second foal on the way. And this time around—" Her voice dropped slightly with a sudden flux of emotion. "I want my big sister involved."
Winterspear cleared her throat and held out a mug of dark brown, almost black coffee. "Here you are."
Crystal mumbled incoherent gratitude, her magic enveloped the mug, and she took a long sip. It was bitter, heavy, and unpleasant; and it was just what she needed. The aroma alone was enough of a kick in the face to get her back on track.
"So," Crystal started, pausing for one more sip, "if you want my mother involved, then why are you here?"
While Whisperwind idly bounced Foccacia on his knee, Pretzel huffed and explained, "Why do ya think? I didn't even know I had a sister up until you came along, nipote! Can you imagine suddenly having a big sister, eh?"
"That is a good point." Crystal hummed while the wisps of steam from her coffee tickled her nose. Aggressively. It kept her focus on track, and she nodded. "All right. Let me have about—" She leaned to look at Winterspear. "How much coffee did you make?"
Winterspear's ears perked as she looked up from her mug. "Huh? Oh, uh, there's, maybe, three cups left?"
Crystal nodded. "Let me have this cup and three more, and then I'll be ready." She lowered herself onto the loveseat and gave Whisperwind a smile. "How is little Foccacia?"
"Good," Whisperwind replied, pausing to look at Pretzel. When she didn't interrupt him, his ears perked and he continued, "She's almost got her complete alphabet memorized."
"That's great," Crystal mused before taking a long, slow sip. The hot liquid ran over her tongue like mud—heavy, thick, and unpleasant. Once she finished it off, her magic grabbed the coffee pot and levitated it over to refill her mug. "What is your plan, Pretzi?"
Pretzel looked up, blinked, and tilted her head. "Plan? Plan for what?"
Crystal vaguely gestured with one hoof. "You can't simply engage my parents in a conversation without a plan. There's no telling how my mother will react to your arrival."
Pretzel's ears started to droop. "What do ya mean? Won't she be happy t'see me?"
"It's complicated," Crystal muttered. "She's not like anypony in your family. Her life is built around high society, which means everything must have a value. What value will she perceive this visit as having?"
"Crystal," Winterspear cut in, "that's a little harsh, don't you think?"
Crystal blinked and looked up from her coffee to see the distraught look on Pretzel's face, both hooves on her stomach. She winced and quickly said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that! My mother is just—she—" She sighed and set her mug down on the table. "Why don't we simply head there now so you can see what I mean?"
Pretzel glanced at Whisperwind and grabbed his hoof. "Maybe—"
"Maybe nothing." Whisperwind leaned over to nuzzle her cheek. "Come on, we didn't come all this way for you to get cold hooves now. The mare I married never backs down from anything."
"Yeah." Pretzel's bright smile slowly returned and she stood up. "Yeah, you're right, Whisp. Besides, she's my sister, no? What could go wrong?"
"Famous last words," Crystal mumbled as she snuck in one quick, last sip of coffee before dragging her hooves toward the door. "But all right. I'll be back in a bit, Winterspear."
Winterspear waved from where she sat. "Have fun. I'll probably be at work by the time you get back, so I'll see you tonight."
Crystal yawned and kept walking, her ear flicking at the sound of hoofsteps following her. "It's a bit of a walk, but they don't live too far."
"Okay!" Pretzel chirped. "Just lead the way and we'll follow."
Focaccia giggled and pointed at a mare they passed from her perch on Whisperwind's back. "Donna!" Her little hooves wiggled at a stallion. "Uomo!"
"Sì, sì," Pretzel cooed in a soft, gentle voice. "You wanna play with everypony, eh? Sorry, Foccaciana, but we've got a date with your Zia."
Focaccia bobbed her head as she tried to focus on her mother's face while Whisperwind's gait bounced her slightly. "Zia Cannoli?"
Pretzel wiggled her ears. "No, you don't know this zia. But we're gonna fix that!"
A yawn escaped Crystal, so wide that she thought her jaw might lock up. Exhaustion was settling in her mind again as the memories from the night resurfaced. The corners of her lips lifted in a small, giddy smile. The gentle warmth of the winter's sun on her back paled in comparison to nestling into her husband's loving embrace, the scent of stallion filling her senses, the weight of him giving her—
"Crystal?" Pretzel's voice prompted, ripping her out of the fuzzy, sleepy state. "Are you all right?"
Crystal blinked and looked around; they were just standing in the middle of the street. Had she stopped walking? How long had she been standing there, lost in her mind?
"Yes, I'm fine. We're almost there." She shook her head quickly, then spotted her parents' house just up the road and pointed at it. "That's their house, actually."
"Oh! Look at that, Whisp!" Pretzel ambled ahead, her gait strained just slightly. "Upper and Jet live in a fancy house! Bunch of rich ponies, eh?"
"Seems that way," Whisperwind said with a small chuckle.
Crystal followed after them, feeling an ache seeping into her muscles. Perhaps she could sneak away into her old bedroom and sleep on the floor. Upper Crust would likely make such a scene that nopony would notice her absence, after all.
When Pretzel happily knocked on the door, Crystal rolled her eyes as she began to count down the seconds until her mother would answer. Five... four... three—
The door opened and Upper Crust gasped. "Pretzel!" she exclaimed, the mirth in her voice startling Crystal fully awake. "Che piacere vederti!"
Crystal stared as Pretzel and her mother began to chirp at each other in Itailian. Was she at the right house? Was this the mare she grew up with? Why was she smiling, embracing Pretzel, kissing her cheeks, and practically giggling?
Wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, Upper Crust beamed at her sister. "What brings you here, Pretzi?"
"Well, as I'm sure ya can see, I've got a foal on the way." Pretzel giggled, shifting her weight to put one hoof to her stomach. "If it's a filly, I wanna name her after you, and if it's a colt, after Jet."
Upper Crust gasped and pulled Pretzel back into another embrace, more heartfelt Itailian falling from her lips. "Non sto più nella pelle!"
Crystal's jaw dropped. Was she still in a dream? Yes, that had to be it. After giving Silent and her an amazing anniversary present, Luna was having a little fun. That was the most logical explanation for the situation she was in.
While Upper Crust led Pretzel and Whisperwind inside, Crystal turned away to look up at the sky. There had to be a moon somewhere that held a giggling alicorn, but all she could see was a dusky blue-grey sky and the sun behind the clouds.
"Crystal?" Jet Set asked from behind her, his hoofsteps signaling his approach. "Aren't you coming inside?"
Crystal kept her gaze upward as she continued her search of the skies. "Not yet. I'm looking for the moon."
Jet Set stood beside her and lifted his head as well. "The moon?" After a pause, he sighed. "Ah. I see you have had a nightmare saved by the grace of Princess Luna. I'm sorry to hear that, dear."
"What?" Crystal blinked and finally looked at him, then frowned when she took a moment to really look. Grey speckled his black mane, and his upper eyelids sagged to give him an ever-tired stare. "What do you mean?"
"Your mother is acting strangely to you, right?" When she nodded, he chuckled lightly. "You must think this is a dream. No, this is reality. I think you should talk to her, dear." He leaned down and nosed the side of her forehead. "Your endeavor with this Flower Foundation business has had quite the effect on her, especially after yesterday."
Crystal nibbled on her lower lip, scuffing one hoof against the cobblestone before she asked in a soft mumble, "Dad, are you having nightmares?"
Jet Set's ears perked upright, then swiveled back. "Yes." The muscles along his sides twitched. "Production of the new airships is well underway." His lips briefly curled in a sneer. "Or, as the Army calls them, battleships. I've designed battleships, dear. I've put weapons on them, to kill gryphons. I knew a gryphon once—not well, mind you, but I knew him. Are they really that different from us that I should feel nothing for their deaths?"
She opened her mouth to speak, but he sighed, shook his head, and continued with a weak smile, "I'm doing what I can for the safety of our ponies, and for the safety of my son-in-law. There is some peace in that, at least. Now, let's head back inside. I'll entertain our guests while you talk with your mother."
"All right," Crystal said softly, watching her father turn back into the house. There was a strange chill in her chest; had he always sounded so old?
She swallowed and shook her head to clear it, then started to follow after him. One problem at a time. Her mother's friendliness was much more unexplainable than her father's sudden aging.
"Dear," Jet Set called, smiling when Upper Crust looked at him, "have you offered our guests any tea?" He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Crystal, would you please help your mother prepare some tea and biscuits?"
Upper Crust rose to her hooves with hurried movement. "Of course, where are my manners? Please, forgive me. It'll take just a moment."
Jet Set winked at Crystal before he focused his attention on Pretzel and Whisperwind. Crystal ducked her head, mumbling to excuse herself as she followed her mother into the kitchen. "I'll start the tea," she said, glancing at Upper Crust.
The mare seemed almost frantic as her magic grabbed a platter, teacups, and mismatching saucers. She kept her gaze fixed firmly forward and away from Crystal. "That's fine. Thank you."
Crystal breathed in to smother her nerves with fresh air, then exhaled it all away. "Mom." She turned to face her mother completely with what she hoped was an empathetic look. "What happened yesterday?"
Crash!
"Oh, darling, you shouldn't startle me like that," Upper Crust muttered as she stared down her nose at the shattered remnants of a saucer. "Now I have to find a replacement. China doesn't simply grow on trees, you know."
Crystal gathered up the broken shards in her magic while her gaze never left her mother's tight, guarded expression. "Mom."
Upper Crust sighed, turning away. "Honestly, it's nearing time I replaced my china, so I suppose it isn't a disaster."
"Mom." Crystal stepped forward, but froze when she saw the tremble of Upper Crust's silhouette. "What happened?"
After a while, just as Crystal was about to press further, Upper Crust's quiet, quivering voice pierced the silence between them. "I was a fool when I said this Red Poppy business would be easy compared to social events, you know." A hoof raised to touch her face—was she wiping away a tear? "I met with a wounded soldier. He wished to connect with the family of another soldier, one who had saved him but died in the rescue. And do you know what I discovered?"
Crystal swallowed, though her mouth was dry. "What?"
"He had none. His parents had passed years ago, both of whom were only children, as was he. A pony sacrificed his life for another, and there is no family to mourn him." The hoof returned just as her voice cracked. "The soldier looked so lonely when I told him this. I sat with him for hours, listening to stories from the war." She shook her head. "We're really at war. We've been at war for almost a year now, darling, and I only just realized this."
It was all Crystal could do to keep silent. So many emotions flared within her, but the two that raged for dominance were pity—and exasperation. Her mother lived in a tiny, sheltered world that the war had been unable to touch. Bitterly, Crystal felt it was about time she tasted the pain of reality.
Shoving down her darker feelings, Crystal forced the pity to the forefront of her mind and stepped forward to stand beside her mother, nudging their sides together. "It's awful, isn't it?" she whispered, closing her eyes as she ducked her head under Upper Crust's.
Upper Crust raised a foreleg and wrapped it around Crystal's neck to pull her close while she buried her face into the blonde and pink mane. "I don't know where you developed the strength to carry on. You certainly didn't get it from me. I would be delighted to never meet another soldier like that again."
Crystal bit her lower lip. "If you want to quit, then—"
"Quit?" Upper Crust snorted, the puff of air billowing through Crystal's mane. "Hardly. It is the least I can do after the ignorance I've paid the war. I merely wanted to complain. I thought that was what this was. If I was mistaken, then you may resume prepping the tea." She pulled back and turned away. "I've spent more than enough of my life ignoring my family. I intend to be grateful that I have one."
Crystal watched as her mother diligently put together a platter of cookies and took it out to the living room, where her cheerful smile and fluent Itailian returned. Finally, Crystal smiled and turned back to the stove to pour the kettle's boiling water into the teacups. She hadn't considered any impact the Flower Foundation would have on the ponies who worked for it, but she certainly wasn't going to complain if this was the result.
New and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
If you have enjoyed this story so far, please consider taking a look at Anzel and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, an Ask Us form to submit questions, responses to said questions, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon.
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wow, this chapter, it's very touching. very good.
Oh my, hell yes! The chardev is real! :3
Now, I am very pleased with this, too.
Yay, such a happy chapter
"Hey boss, I keep zoning out and losing time, having frequent palpatations, warm flashes accompanied by uncontrollable giggling, and I swoon at inopportune times. So I'm calling out for today and until whenever."
Don't be surprised Crystal, this is pretty much the same thing that happened to Au, isn't it? Somepony got a wakeup call. You and your mom can be there for each other when the soldiers' fates gets too distressing - strength in numbers and family.
I hope we hear a follow-up about how Upper and Pretzi spent like 6 hours catching up, and nopony noticed Crystal had passed out on the couch until it was time for dinner.
When times of war, everyone changes around you for better or worst.
Oh boy, this chapter. So much goodness. I find it interesting how the dynamic between Crystal and Upper Crust now seems to have changed. It kinda seems like Upper Crust catching up to Crystal, and stepping out of her protective bubble in a way. We've seen Crystal leading quite a sheltered life throughout Wishes... now you make us realize Upper Crust has been leading such a life as well.
So many vibes.
And the coffee addiction starts off with a kicker. Legend has it only the great Painted Wave is able to withstand that much caffeine intake without succumbing. Can Crystal do the same?
:takes off his monocle in shock at the chapter:
Moon Almighty...
Well, Upper Crust needed a wake up call at some point, and her was rather forceful
9:30 in the mourning and i'm already tearing up. You got talent in writing things that make me emotional........
Jet Set is having nightmares? Not surprising, he is helping others kill gryphons after all.
Dang it, no Velvet yet. I still hope she asks for the juicy details of the last dream. wink wink wink
Oh look, she does have a conscience. It only took being dragged kicking and screaming into a charity for half the wrong reasons, but we'll take it! (b^_^)b
So why does it seem as though upper and pretzi know each other so well if pretzi didnt even know about Upper?
7900996
A caffeine bender when you're that exhausted is a miserable comedown. Burning a candle stub at both ends and all that...
7901417 Not that I think you don't remember, but just to recap!
- Crystal went to the Pizza's place and Pretzel learned she had a sister
- At Crystal and Silent's wedding, the Pizza family showed up, and among other things, Pretzel hugged Upper Crust (which she begrudgingly accepted)
So they both knew about each other, just don't know much about each other.
The encounter here wasn't intended to be knowing each other well, but that Upper Crust is in the middle of a perspective shift and was overjoyed to see family after her encounter with the deceased pony who had none.
Great character development for Upper Crust. Also I absolutely love how each chapter has an even word count.
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/591/928/94f.png
This was such a warm and sentimental chapter. Not only do we revisit a pregnant Pretzel Crust and her family, but Upper Crust also ecstatically greets her with open arms (and in their fluent language too).
What happened to the title songs? I loved that part about the story. It was doo unique and special.
I feel a bit sorry for Jet Set. I'm thinking of the movie The Man Who Saved Christmas. Nice work but on this chapter.
7901547 In fairness, I didn't remember that aspect of the wedding!
Fair enough, makes sense.
7901547 Also, I've said it before but seriously, girl, what is with that avatar????!!!!
Oh my... Well, better late than never Upper Crust.
So the war luckily also brings positive things in it's terrible wake.
7900936 Thank you!
7900947 Yes! A ton of background characters got some visible movement in the world. :D
7900964 Yay, such a happy comment!
7900967 Hahahah. Well, follow-up or not, that is absolutely what happened.
7900990 Absolutely true!
7900996 Yes, that is an interesting part about Upper Crust that hasn't really seen any light. She's kept herself in her own little world of fancy parties and biting gossip, sheltered in her own way.
7901018 I know it's a good chapter when the monocle comes off! :>
7901025 Sometimes, it takes a lot to move a mountain, and Upper Crust's mentality was pretty set in stone.
7901041 D: I'm sorry!! I'll include a tissue with all chapters from now on.
7901060 Yeah, he's just a civvie... building weapons of war. Not an easy thing on his conscience.
7901259 Crystal isn't the type to dream and tell! ;D
7901379 Hahahah. It's progress!!
7901818 Phyco.exe has stopped responding
7901863 Yeah, this was a pivotal development for Upper Crust. The chapter took so long because the new job has been exhausting me to the point where I didn't want to write because I wanted to do this chapter justice.
7901866 Yas! I've been excited to bring Pretzi back.
7901867 "New and a Bit Alarming" is from Beauty and the Beast's "Something There"
7901873 Yes, obviously the focus of comments is going to be primarily on Upper Crust, but Jet Set has some notable development as well. He is having a rough time, too, but putting on a brave face when he can.
7901892 :V lololololol
7901944 Indeed! :D
7901995 It's hard to appreciate them when the war gets tough... but good things can indeed happen.
7902954
It's 8:34 am on Saturday. You're sleepposting again Crystal, go back to bed.
Must be method acting your titular character, or something.
7902984 Dude, I woke up at 7! That was my body's definition of sleeping in. :(
7902954 Oh I did not realize sorry. There was no author's note like there normally is.
7903076 I just forgot to include that. It's been a busy few weeks :)
w00t! Upper Crust redemption!
7902954 It is indeed a happy moment. On the other hand, I feel bad for Crystal's father in having to construct all those battleships.
7902954
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Im honestly surprised with Upper Crust... I really am.. but.. I suppose the reality check is what she's been needing all along. I hope its not a temporary thing. Anyway, I enjoyed this chapter. Yay family visits!
7903082 I completely understand.
This chapter simple, but amazing, and anyone who doesn't agree with that is a heartless soul eating monster with a hole in its chest.
Story time. I like story time.
Jet Set is going to need some major support going forward from here, especially when he closes his eyes at the end of a long day.
Crystal, you know the middle of the street is not the best place to fantasize, right?
7906224 huh... Never thought of it that way.
This gave me goosebumps, you are truly an artist, Crystal
You know, I can't help but wonder about the tiredness. Simply a humorous side effect of the, let's say, nighttime activities, or would any Luna shared dream of such a duration (or any shared dream at all, even) have produced a similar result? Given the more serious dream related problems going on in Trials, this could be an important detail.
It's nice to see Crystal's mother's side of the family come back into the story. They're fun.
Jet is having nightmares? That's concerning because of reasons.
Dang, the Flower Foundation is already accomplishing miracles.
Well this completely blindsided me. Not that I don't mind at all. I've been wanting for SO long for Crystal's mother to do a turnabout, and finally seeing it has a great kind of satisfaction to it.
Ah Upper Crust has had an eye opening moment. Glad to see that she has become a better person.
Wow! That must have been some night!
That bit with the wounded soldier really got me
God damn I love the Defrosting Ice Queen trope.
Good to see Upper Crust like this.
YES! F*** YEAH! THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT!
I’m speechless. Utterly speechless. The title certainly fits. I don’t know what else to say.