Pleasant Company

by Lingo

Crystal Empire Train Station

Dreary, gray light glowed through the windows of the royal car. Though the sky was cloudy, no snow storms were currently stirring along the route. The tame weather was a tad deceiving, especially from inside the magically heated luxury train car. If Shining was to look towards the rear of the train, he would undoubtedly see crystals of ice and frost on all of the other cars.

Such was normal in the Frozen North.

He would wake his traveling companion up before they reached the edge of the warming zone, but was content to let her sleep for a little while longer at the moment.

She looked peaceful right now, a large improvement from how she was a little over an hour ago.

Knowing what she had done in her past, the scars it undoubtedly left, it was no surprise she had nightmares.

The Crystal Empire would do her good. There were no shortages of nightmares among the citizens, after all. Sombra had made sure of that.

Once the Crystal Heart got a hold of her, though, she would sleep like a foal and wake up feeling like a million bits. If she didn’t, he would have to give the artifact a stern talking to. And maybe send a letter to Luna. He was a stranger to how she handled nightmares and the like, but surely she could be doing more for the amber mare.

Speaking of the hearts, he couldn’t wait to scoop his wife up off of her throne and drown her in overdue affection.

Shining turned his head, looking in the direction his heart tugged him. Toward the empire. Toward her.

He never realized, before falling in love, how badly you could miss someone. How being away from them made you hurt. It was a terrible, amazing feeling. And it only gets more intense when he considers how she feels the same way.

The entire trip from the minute he left, he missed her. In every moment, asleep and awake, she occupied his heart. But..

He looked back to Sunset, peaceful and strong and beautiful.

Last night, for the first time in the entire journey, he didn’t miss her as much.

No, that wasn’t right. His heart sang for Cadence the same as it always did.

But it tugged him to Sunset too.

Being married to the Princess of Love, he learned alot about the affairs of the heart. And thanks to his loving partner, he came to know the tune of his own very well. She loves to hear him speak about how he interprets it.

If he had to explain it, he would say that there were musical strings between lovers.

Between him and Cadence there was a rope, strong and tightly wound, nigh impossible to sever. It was not held too taut as to be controlling, but not slack enough to be relaxed. Pulled just enough that he always felt it while still being free to move around. He could pluck it like a musical chord and listen to the harmonious symphony it sang in reply. The song was built on unfathomable depths, bottomless wells of emotion and feeling. Just like her. Cadence loved with her whole self.

Between him and Sunset, though, was a length of yarn. Soft and fragile, so newly formed. It was stretched like a cello string, straining under its own forces, liable to break at any moment. And yet when he gave it a strum, it sang a beautiful song. A song brimming with light and fluff and promise. A song that sang in multiple parts, like a band with more than one vocalist.

There were racing rhythms that threatened to break tempo, but never would. They were too loyal for that.

A mighty baritone boomed from below, setting the pace. It was simple and inelegant, but too proud of the part it played to try and copy another. A foundation of honesty.

There was a featherlight aria in the background, almost unnoticeable. It weaved in and around the other parts, providing support and structure where it was needed. A fundamental kindness.

Demanding center stage was a grand, almost overpowering voice. Arguably the strongest part, it was capable of carrying the entire song alone if it wanted to. And yet it didn’t. It was content to share the stage with the other parts, never overstepping and never interrupting. Despite it’s skill, the voice gave up opportunity after opportunity to it’s fellows. Generous almost to a fault.

A joyous tune complimented all of the others, bouncing and exuberant. It’s incredible this part was able to be sung between fits of giddy laughter.

Lastly there was the staccato hums of the director. Baton stabbing and swinging, steering the ensemble. The balance that helped transform the separate parts and tunes into a single magical song.

Sunset’s heart sang in tune with her soul in a breathtaking harmony rarely heard in the world.

Shining shook his head, clearing away his musings. He was over philosophizing again. He had no real way to know how she felt or what song her heart sung. Judging by how well they got along last night, he probably wasn’t too far off.

There’s only one mare he knows of that can accurately decipher a pony’s heart, and she’s probably having her morning coffee right now in the Crystal Palace.

Coffee that he really wished he could have a cup of right now. Train brew was not nearly as good as the royal blend, but it’ll have to do. And the smell would be the perfect way to wake Sunset. He quietly got to his hooves and made his way to the dining car for two cups of life.

---

The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted tantalizingly into Sunset’s nostrils, firing off the pistons in her brain telling her to wake up. Her neck stretched, unconsciously pushing her face toward the source of the heavenly aroma as she yawned wide.

Shining levitated the mug away from her, just out of reach. “Ah ah, coffee comes after saying good morning.”

She licked her dry lips, wetting them for her groggy reply, “Bite me.”

A thoughtful hum echoed through her ears. “I suppose I can drink two cups, I will have to really hit the restroom later though..”

Her ears jolted to attention and her body jerked up to a sitting position.

“Don’t you dare!” She growled, wiping sleep from her eyes.

“I’m still not hearing the magic words~” he teasingly sing-songed at her, levitating the hot mug under her muzzle for a moment to let the smell torture her.

“Mmmmm… Good morning.” she ground out.

“Good morning, Sunset,” he replied, far too chipper for this early in the morning. The mug came to rest on the seat next to her, where she grasped it in her hooves and took a drink. “Did you sleep well?”

After a long sip and a content sigh, she said, “As well as I could on these seats. Why doesn’t the royal car have like… beds?”

“Though it’s not my place to assume the decisions of their highnesses, I would guess they do not usually ride the train for long enough trips to warrant them.”

“Perhaps. Still, I oughta write a letter to Twilight about it.”

Shining laughed and, in his best Twilight impression, said, “Dear Princess Twilight, riding in the royal train car wasn’t good enough. I also want it to have a princess-sized bed and a butler.”

“Hardy har har. If I wasn’t holding this, I’d hit you.”

“You do have magic, remember?” He pointed to the horn on her head.

“Oh, right.” The mug levitated out of her hooves and flew in a low arc around the room. While he was distracted by it, she leaned over and gave him a swat on the shoulder.

“I regret everything.” He said somberly

“As you should.” She replied, equally serious.

They both only lasted a few seconds before chuckling lightly.

“Thanks for the drink. As much as Celestia wanted me to embrace tea, I just couldn’t part with a good roast.”

“I know how you feel. The Crystal Princess got turned onto it by Luna, and Celestia used to complain about the ‘great betrayal’ by the both of them.”

“She must have been so thrilled when Twilight never went to the dark side. She tried coffee back in the other world, practically spat it out in disgust.”

“I’m sure she was overjoyed. That mare loves her tea.”

“Yeah.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, idly sipping their drinks. After a short time, Shining stood up and made for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Just outside the car, follow me.”

“But it’s freezing out there!”

“Just trust me.”

And she did. For whatever reason, she got to her hooves and joined him in the frigid cold.

They stood in the howling of the wind for almost a minute, “Mind telling me what we’re doing out here now?”

“Not yet. Just wait.”

And so she did. She stared out over the frozen expanse, over the barren tundra that stretched out around the train. Seconds from inquiring again, everything changed. A wave of magic washed over her as the cold was replaced by blessed warmth.

Her mouth dropped open as the train seemed to skip between seasons from winter to summer.

The ground, once barren, was now covered by a lush field of grass. The clouds parted in places, letting the midmorning sun shine through. Taking a deep breath, the air tasted clean and vibrant.

Shining chuckled and she turned to wide-eyed stare toward him. He was unfazed by the sudden change, instead observing her with no lack of glee in his gaze.

“Welcome….” he said, suddenly gesturing out across the fields. The train crested a small hill, revealing at its peak what lay on the other side.

“...to the Crystal Empire!”

Growing out of the valley was an enormous city, seemingly made entirely out of crystals and gems. The sun shone and gleamed from every surface, every building and road, creating a spectacle of light that brought tears to her eyes.

He put a leg around her shoulder, pulling her into a half hug as they both beheld the sight. And in that moment, he made a decision.

“I had a feeling you’d enjoy that. It gets me every time, despite how many times I’ve seen it.”

“It’s…. Breathtaking. Gorgeous. Like nothing I have ever seen before in my life. Is everything really…”

“Made of crystals? Yup, even the ponies.”

“Even the.. What?!?”

“The ponies. They’re crystal ponies. They shine and reflect light the same way crystals do.”

“Can you see through them? And the walls of buildings?”

“Not exactly. Light comes through them, yes. But they are… they’re not transparent but..” His brow furrowed in thought.

“Translucent?”

“That’s the word! You can only see shapes and such around the edges.”

“That’s fascinating! What causes the effect? How do they construct buildings? Can you see foals inside pregnant mothers? Oh Celestia, can you see a mmMF!”

Her line of questions was cut off with a tactically placed hoof on her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at him, annoyed. He removed his hoof.

“You can ask as many questions as you want once we’re there. I can set you up with the court mage and get you access to the crystal library.”

Her eyes twinkled with barely restrained glee.

“Are the books made of crystal too?”

He snickered but shook his head no. This did little to deter her growing excitement.

But as the train drew nearer to the empire’s edge, her giddy elation was replaced by a creeping unease, bordering dread. Once they were at the station, they would likely be going their separate ways. She would go off in search of a hotel of some kind, and he would report back to the palace. She could look him up tomorrow, so he could keep his promises of library access and Q&A. But…

But she really didn’t want to part ways. This train ride has been the best time she’s had since she was in high school with the girls. And if they taught her anything over the years, it's that good ponies, good people, were worth fighting for.

What if?

---

The train pulled into the station, brakes squealing and cars lurching. Sunset stood looking out the window and into the gleaming station, clutching her shoulder bag tightly and dreading the coming minutes.

She took deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, an effective calming technique. Shining Armor stood casually beside her, having already retrieved his luggage from another car. He didn’t seem tense or nervous in the least, which did little to help her own growing anxiety.

As the train ground to a halt and passengers started to disembark, she stayed silent.

Even as they both stepped onto the platform and he led the way out of the station, she stayed silent.

It was only once they were outside of the station and the small crowd thinned that she summoned the courage to speak. But it was several steps too late. He had stopped and looked at her, she halted next to him.

Now she knew he could feel the tension. It was almost palpable. It felt like there was enough pressure to crystalize the air between them.

“So...” he ventured.

“So…”

“Here we are, at the end of our little trip.”

“Yes.”

Silence.

They both tried to speak. “Do you-” “Can you-”

Silence. He bowed his head for her to go first, ever the gentlecolt.

She rubbed her elbow, ears flat to her mane. “Can you… can you recommend any hotels around here? I don’t have a map or like a travel brochure or anything.”

He thought for a moment, staring intently at her. Nodding as he came to a decision, “Yeah, I know a place you can stay while you’re here. But you should come with me to the palace first, so I can set you up with a visitor’s guide and all.”

She visibly brightened and nodded her head with a shaky smile.

He led the way again, she stayed just beside and behind him. The Crystal Palace loomed ahead, growing ever larger as they approached.

For some reason, Sunset felt uneasy.

Author's Note:

Two chapters down, you're on a roll!

Still interested? Got any ideas what happens next? Got a favorite line or moment?
Please let me know! I love feedback!

If I did i right, there's some tasty emotions coming up in the next chapter. They may not be the kind you think. Better keep reading to find out for sure!

Read it all the way to the end and you may get a cookie!