A Second Chance

by nimaru

Houseguest

Chapter 4. Houseguest

“You might as well come in then” Crystal said, turning back inside and starting downstairs. The white pony followed obediently. She was silent, but her stomach was not:

*GRUMBLLLLLLE*

Surprised, Crystal looked back and said, “When was the last time you ate!?”

“Probably… some time yesterday?” she replied uncertainly.

Disgusting! Crystal thought. This pony has spent most of the day surrounded with heart healers who never managed to notice that she was hungry!? She was so irritated she nearly walked down to the bottom floor by habit, and only barely remembered to head across the second level balcony towards the kitchen instead. After a few more steps, she stopped and was about to speak when…

BUMP!

Crystal whipped her head back to give the absent-minded guest a piece of her mind. But before she could, powder pony gestured to the slab and stammered, “Sorry! It’s just… it’s so big!”

Crystal glanced up at her stony-nemesis. It was far more imposing when standing on the shop level below, but even here, it stood almost a leg higher than eye level.

“It’s a big pain is what it is! Bah! I’m done with it for tonight anyway.” She jerked her head toward the kitchen and added, “Go ahead and pull out whatever you want. I’m going to jump in the fountain”. Crystal was hungry too, but she was still caked in dust and rock which make for lousy condiments.

She walked downstairs and eyed the stone as she passed. With as much work left to do, it would be hard to take the time to train a live-in assistant. Still… she couldn’t run from the fact that she was suffering from an artist’s block; the cure for which was finding something to keep her mind off the job for a while. Luckily, because of Winter Willow’s deal, she wouldn’t be doing much real work for the next day or two anyway.

This wasn’t part of her plan too was it!? she wondered. She shook her head slightly. No. Some things are just coincidences. Don’t get paranoid Crystal!

She exited the double doors of her shop walked out onto the terrace where her secluded garden looked as calm and inviting as ever. Pleased, she smiled and breathed in the fresh air; letting the distracting thoughts dissipate on the gentle evening breeze.

Originally, her house was going to be the last in a single row bordering the square on one side and a steep retaining wall overlooking the royal gardens on the other. The choice spots were highly contested, but the city planners insisted on placing the metal and stone artisan shops in this way for “noise reduction”.

The plan was well reasoned except for two problems: as late as Crystal liked to work, there would be no way for her to avoid disturbing nearby ponies during night hours. And second, being the last house in the row, her shop bordered the busy street leading down to the lower city. There would be no way for her to avoid being disturbed by city noise during the day.

Crystal stared at the plans for some time when an idea struck her. She suggested that her house be lowered two levels and the retaining wall curved in a U shape around it. The floorplan would be shrunk by a third to allow room for the garden and fountain, while the reduced space would still fit a sizable house/shop by turning the building sideways.

Her design meant that barely any city noises would reach her shop during the day and if she chose to work late, her noise would get absorbed by the garden or deflected out by the wall. Since her shop windows and doors weren’t on the street level, curious passer-bys couldn’t peek in and distract her. And, if she was frustrated or needed to relax, she could rest in the garden with little chance of anypony else trying to make conversation. It was the perfect solution… for her.

But the builders were quick to balk at the extra work her plan called for. At first they argued, but Crystal reminded them that her talents were well suited to the modification. Once she promised to personally provide all of the necessary cut stone for the construction, their objections died out.

And thus she gained blissful solitude.

*Clunk, CLATTER* came a noise from in the shop. “Sorry!” a voice immediately followed.

Crystal’s laid her ears back and rolled her eyes. It was blissful solitude.

Feeling that it was a bad idea to leave the white pony unsupervised for long, Crystal jumped into the fountain. A few dips and shakes later, she stepped out onto the lush grass. She briefly shook off the dripping water before walking back towards the stone patio leading into the shop. She reached out with her magic and levitated a clean cloth to wipe the remaining water as she simultaneously used a broom to brush the dust out of her path.

Crystal walked up the stairs and then crossed over to the kitchen area where the white pony stood waiting with a strangely guilty look on her face. The table was still bare; the cupboards and pantry doors shut.

She scowled in confusion. “Did you eat already?”

*Growl*

The white pony looked sheepish as her stomach answered for her.

“What have you been doing then?” Crystal asked exasperatedly.

The white pony said nothing and started to blush. Crystal was about to speak again when her own stomach reminded her that it had been quite a while since she last ate: *SQUERRRRRR*

Crystal snorted, deciding to focus on more pressing matters.

She magically opened the various cupboards and pulled out bowls and cups; setting them carefully on the either side of the table by the window. Leaving some of the doors open, she said, “See if there’s anything in here that you want. I’m going to get some sunflowers from the pantry”.

She glanced back to see the white pony looking cautiously at the contents of the kitchen and shook her head. You wouldn’t think a pony would forget how to eat!

She quickly found and levitated a few sunflowers into a serving bowl and, feeling uncharacteristically hospitable, decided to add a few of her favorite dried berries and grains to share as well. She floated the bowl in front of her as she walked and set it on the table.

The white pony, upon seeing her return, had moved out of Crystal’s way and was content to watch again. Crystal reached into the garden and magically pulled up some carrots, dipped them briefly in the fountain, and brought them up to the table as well.

“You didn’t see anything you wanted?” she asked.

The white pony shook her head and said, “No. Thank you.”

Crystal considered for a moment and pulled out a few crackers before closing the various pantry and cupboard doors again. The white pony watched with fascination before looking starry-eyed at Crystal and asking, “Can you teach me that!?”

Crystal blinked slowly as was her habit when faced with something that she needed time to process. She can’t use magic!? Oh Celestia!

She slumped down on her hindquarters and lifted a hoof to her forehead to briefly massage the tension that had suddenly built there. She sighed deeply.

“Just sit for now… we’ll take this one step at a time,” Crystal said, gesturing to the area opposite her at the table. As the white pony took the designated spot, Crystal levitated the cups to the kitchen water pump and filled them with fresh water. She set them down and then filled each food bowl with a mixture of the food items she’d collected. Finally starting to feel the hunger that had built during the day, she munched on a berry and then bit one of the carrots in half.

She glanced out the window where shadows were growing in the royal gardens below. The sky was painted orange as, somewhere on the horizon, the sun crept closer to its nightly resting place. The two ponies ate in silence as Crystal concentrated. The white pony was daintily nibbling on her food when Crystal finally spoke:

“You need a name. I can’t just call you “white pony” all the time.”

The white pony’s eyes brightened and she beamed. “You could give me a nickname!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, that’s kind of the idea…” Crystal started.

“And I could give you one too!!” she said as she plopped her two front hooves excitedly on the table, knocking over one of the water cups in the process. “Can I call you Dusty!?” she practically shouted.

Crystal eyed the spill and looked accusingly at the white pony who sat back down and blushed at her clumsiness. Crystal levitated a cloth to cover the spill while sending the cup to the sink for replacement water.

“I just… I just wanted to call you that. It just fits you and it’s cute and… I’m sorry. I guess that’s not really very polite to just name someone like that,” she said demurely.

“I don’t mind.” Crystal answered as she placed the refilled water in front of her guest. “Call me Dusty if you want. As you said; it fits.”

The white pony smiled so brightly that Crystal was dazzled for a moment.

“Ahem! Anyway… the question is what we should call you. What do you want me to call you?”

The white pony frowned. With determination, she pleaded, “No! It has to be you. You have to give me a name”.

Crystal wasn’t sure, but the white pony’s pouting face brooked no argument.

“Fine then.” Crystal said; not feeling up to a long discussion. “I’ll call you Snow… for obvious reasons”.

She considered it for a moment and then smiled even bigger than before. “I LOVE IT! It’s so pretty!”

Crystal blinked slowly. She hadn’t expected this reaction from such a plain name. But if she was happy, Crystal sure wasn’t going to argue.

“Alright then Snow, if you’re done, we should probably figure out sleeping arrangements.”

“Snow” flicked her head sideways too look outside, unaware that the sun had set. Confused, her eyes searched the room until she located the fairy light lanterns which she stared at with awe for a few moments.

Apparently satisfied, she looked back to the food and thought for a moment before gulping the rest of it down. Next she awkwardly thrust her snout into her watercup and tilted it up to drink it.

Crystal inwardly cringed to see a grown unicorn eating so inelegantly, but, though she’d never admit it, she found her innocent enthusiasm endearing.

Snow set the cup down and looked Crystal in the eye with a wet snout and satisfied smile. Then, suddenly, Snow’s face when blank and seemed far away. Crystal, irritated at the lack of response, was about to snap at her, but something told her not to. Instead, she studied Snow while she waited for her to collect her thoughts.

It was hard to make out her expression; was it concern? Or confusion? Maybe she had suddenly remembered something? Crystal couldn’t even guess, but didn’t have to as Snow finally asked, “uh… where do you… when you need to… umm.”

She was standing now and moved in a way that suggested discomfort. Crystal watched as she stammered and shifted her weight back and forth on her hind legs. Suddenly, Crystal understood.

“If you needed the outhouse, you should just say so,” she explained. “Come on then; I need to go too.”

Snow smiled weakly in response and followed Crystal downstairs and out into the garden. Situated between two leafy trees was the small wooden structure designed for bodily relief while also ingeniously providing nutrients for the nearby garden plots.

“You first,” Crystal offered politely. Snow looked apprehensive, but obliged after struggling to open the door with her hoof. Crystal helped close the door magically behind her. She listened to the fountain and relaxed in the cool night breeze as she waited her turn.

“Uh… Dusty?”

Crystal’s brow furrowed. Outhouses weren’t a common place to have a conversation after all.

“Yeah?” she answered suspiciously.

“I… uh… what do I do?”

Oh merciful Celestia, save me! Crystal silently swore.

****************
Crystal fumed in frustration. She couldn’t have anticipated having to teach a full grown pony how to use an outhouse! She wanted to crawl under her covers and forget that it ever happened, but that wouldn’t be possible until she had decided who was going to sleep where.

Crystal led Snow back to the top level and then down the hall to the bedroom. Snow hadn’t said a word since the “incident” and looked at the floor shamefully. Crystal was still angry, but felt a pang of pity for the poor thing.

“You sleep here,” she said curtly, pointing to the mattress and pile and blankets in the corner.

Snow obediently lay down on the bed, but looked sorrowfully at Crystal. “But where will you sleep?”

Crystal magically pulled several thick blankets from the cupboard against the wall. “I’ll sleep down in the shop. It’s hardly the first time”.

“Oh.” Said Snow, looking down again. “Okay.”

Crystal, stared a moment. Something felt “off”, but she couldn’t quite place it. “Well, uh. Goodnight then Snow”.

“Goodnight Dusty!” Snow answered with a smile, but her enthusiasm seemed forced.

Crystal lingered for a few seconds and then made her way down stairs. She’s probably just tired, she rationalized while she stepped up on the raised wooden floor in the back of the shop. She laid the blankets out in her usual spot by the window.

Then she magically shuttered the fairy lights through the house and laid down on the blankets. For a time she stared at the massive white stone which, in the light of the bright moon streaming through the windows, seemed to glow softly in the dark workshop.

Until tomorrow you wretch, she threatened.

***********
Crystal woke confused. The house was still dark and, based on the light’s position on the floor, not much time had passed since she’d fallen asleep. She was about to rest her head again, when an odd noise came from above.

Snow must be a fitful sleeper, she thought. She listened for a moment and, just before she tried to lay down again, heard more noise.

*Urgh* Crystal complained. It was a shame to leave her warm blankets, but it appeared the noises wouldn’t stop without intervention.

She stood and walked up the stairs to her room expecting to have to lay down more blankets to cushion the walls from Snow’s tossing and turning. But as she rounded the corner, she found the white pony awake and standing… or more correctly; wobbling.

Crystal watched for a moment as Snow walked to one side of the room, stood for a moment, and then walked back. On her second run, she stumbled and fell into the wall; huffing from exhaustion. A few times her eyes closed and her face relaxed only for her to inhale noisily and open her eyes wide.

After a few minutes, Crystal couldn’t watch any more.

“Are you ok?”

Snow recoiled and flailed into the wall; her eyes wide with surprise. Crystal jumped slightly then froze in response to the sudden movement.

“Oh,” Snow responded. “Hi.” She smiled weakly. “Did I wake you up?”

She yawned wide and long and Crystal had to fight hard not to mimic the action.

“I’m sorry,” she continued. “I’m just not tired. I’ll be fine. You should go back to bed”.

Crystal examined her restless guest: she was obviously not “fine”. While this pony was an adult, many things about her were foal-like; possibly due to the memory loss. But whatever the reason, it was clear from the look on her face. She was afraid to be alone. Crystal didn’t much like it, but she knew what she had to do.

“I’ve changed my mind,” she said as she floated the blankets from the bottom floor upstairs and laid them out on the floor by the window. “I’m going to sleep here.”

“But…” Snow objected half-heartedly.

Crystal ignored her and laid on the blankets. Then she stared meaningfully at Snow until she did likewise on the bed. Snow wiggled into place and futilely tried to use her teeth to pull a blanket over her. Crystal magically straightened the blanket and tucked it around the white pony who smiled tiredly in response.

Snow set her head down and Crystal mimicked the motion. Then they stared quietly at each other until Snow’s lids slowly closed; fluttered once, and then shut entirely. Soon, Crystal saw her body relax into the bed and her breathing became slow and rhythmic.

For a time, she stared at the mysterious white pony who, in the reflected light of the bright moon, seemed to glow softly in the dark bedroom.

Goodnight Snow, she thought as she rested her head and closed her eyes.

Seconds later, her eyelids flipped open and her brow furrowed.

I’m wide awake! she fumed.

Author's Note:

This one was very difficult to write since I had to take a break to draw several concept sketches to get the setting right in my head. It also ended up being pretty long which meant double the work as far as drawings went. Regardless, enjoy!

Comments

[Hingard]

This is really good, I read your comics and though they were amazing. Then I saw you were righting a fanfic and just had to check it out. I must saw I am not disappointed the characters are great and plot is fantastic. I also like the drawings you have in the story they add a nice element to the story and gives the reader a good sense of what's going on. You get a like and a favorite from me on this story.

Also I might as well do some advertisement, If your looking for more reviews on your story (I mean good reviews that tell you whats good and what you can improve on) take a look at the group, Authors Helping Authors I'm one of the Admins that facilitates the group. I'll let you read the front page for more info, but here's a short blurb on what the group does. The system we use is a Review for a Review, you get a review you give a review. It's as simple as that we currently have 322 members and I think you would make a great addition to our group.

[nimaru]

2266042

Sorry for the late reply! Thanks for the vote of confidence and resource for more help. Right now, I'm focusing on completing it before anything; not to say I don't appreciate some advice, but I'm going to have to forgo actively seeking it out.

This is only one of MANY, MANY things I'm doing right now. Let me give you a brief summary:

* Cleaning, sorting, and preparing for my move this summer
* Recording all tapes (cassette, VHS, 8mm, MiniDV) to the computer for permanent storage.
* Scanning all documents and important papers of all kinds for permanents storage.
* Making keyblades for my kids for Sakura Con
* Repairing the kids computer (which broke last sunday)
* Two unfinished comics that I'm working on (one vector, one drawn)
* My "cutie circles" project
* My Illustrator pony blank project
* Writing this story

Those are the bigger projects. I also have 3 or 5 other art projects I want to do though I'm trying to be reasonable and work on only a few at a time.

[Hingard]

2293139 ... ... ... and I thought I had a hectic life. I wish you luck with all that I'm sure your going to need it.