In the Crystal Grove

Augh… where would she have gone? I wondered as I trotted along the nearly empty streets of the Crystal Empire. The sun should be setting soon. “Where could you have disappeared to, Jade?” I murmured to the wind.

Spotting a familiar sign that read “The Diamond in the Rough” I couldn't help but smile fondly. Remembering the day Jade and I had met in the very same bar.

I pushed the doors open and stepped inside to escape the cold fall weather. As the door closed, the cozy warmth of the bar quickly gripped my tired body. A drink will do me good… I stood in the doorway for a moment longer, taking in my surroundings. This place hasn’t changed a bit.

In front of me sat a faintly glowing blue crystal pool table, with ruby trim to help define the edges as well as the pockets. The tables felt was a rosey red to match the ruby crystal trim. Two stallions were in a heated game, they laughed and talked seriously about bets and rather an earth pony could beat a unicorn in such a game. I’d bet on the earth pony.

I walked towards the pool table, beyond it were the party booths but to the far left, around the corner was the bar, and as it came into view I almost wanted to smile until the sight registered. Sitting at the far end of the bar was Jade, several seats separating her from any other patrons. Her normally bright shining jade colored coat had faded to a dark mossy green. Her ruby mane wasn't in any better condition.

As I walked up behind her, I half expected her to turn and look at me, just out of curiosity. Normally she wouldn’t allow anyone to just walk up behind her like this. Instead, her head hung low as if lost in thought until her head bobbed with a drink to her lips. I’ve never seen her like this… What’s going on here?

I gently touched her shoulder, this was enough to shock her back to life. She glanced over as I took a seat next to her. After a moment, she gripped her glass and finished her drink. “So you found me, Amber.”

“Of course, I did… I started to get worried when you weren’t home when I got off work...” You have no fucking idea how worried I am!

“Ma’am, would you like another?” the bartender asked calmly.

Jade nodded and pushed her practically empty glass away from her. She otherwise remained completely still, aside from a bobbing hoof on the stools metal stretcher.

Her eyes were hidden behind her dulled mane. However, I could almost feel the waves of depression flowing off her.

When the bartender repeated himself and pulled my attention away from Jade, I answered without really hearing what he had told me. “Just a Crystal Berry brew, please,” I answered, hoping that was the what he had been asking about.

The bartender nodded with a small, yet cheeky smile before fetching us our drinks. A moment later he had placed a glass in front of Jade and a bottle of the Crystal Kingdom's best brew for me. His sorrow filled eyes lingered on Jade for a moment longer before he gave me a curt nod and left to tend to other customers.

“Jade. You know I'm here for you, right?” I quietly asked, hoping to reassure her… and myself...

“Yeah, I know.” She replied with a flat, gravelly voice.

I shifted my chair closer to hers. “So what's bothering you?” I asked lightly brushing her mane back behind her ear.

She looked up at me, her eyes were a dull gray, puffy and red. Her nose was dry and crusty as well. “Do you remember the day we met here?”

How could I have forgotten? “Yeah, of course I do. We met here a week or so after Sombra was vanquished by Princess Cadenza.”

She gave a soft, broken smile. “It seems so long ago, but a year has hardly passed since then.”

“So what have you so upset this time, Sweetheart?”

She turned towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. “You have no idea how glad I am you found me here.” Letting go of me she turned back to her drink. “Well, todays… today’s a special day.”

“How's it special?” I asked, taking a drink.

She hesitated for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she took a big drink, polishing off the remainder of the alcohol she had. “It's my little brother’s birthday.”

An awkward silence settles between us as this fact sank in. I finished my drink and signaled the bartender, who brought us two more. I took a good sized drink from my new bottle. Crap… what am I supposed to say!?

Jade looked over at me, as if able to read my mind. “He was beaten to death by Sombra’s slave masters before the kingdom stood still.” She paused to catch her emotions and take a drink. “It's just hard to believe it's been a thousand years… it feels like it happened yesterday.”

“Wow…”

She took a drink. “Finish your drink and we can go for a walk.”

I took note of the vibration of her voice. As if she’d choked on tears. Oh Goddess, I hope you’ll protect her. “Okay, Love.”

After we had finished our drinks, we paid and left. “Can you tell me more about him?”

I watched her motions, each step she took seemed to be forced as if she feared wherever it was we went. She still hasn't looked at me since we left the bar…

She finally spoke, her voice was wistfully quiet. “My little brother… He was a good foal. Bright and intelligent. Our parents, died to Sombra too, early on, they tried to protect us but, they were killed in front of us before they separated us in slavery.” She paused as if recalling a horrible memory. “My Father was an earth pony. My mother was a unicorn. He happened to take after our Mother. While I, on the other hoof, took after our father.

“Wow. I was in the mines and my parents were killed for similar reasons… My Father was offered a position amongst Sombra’s Crystal Guard, but he was killed for refusing to kill my mother... my mother was just…” I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks.

“I don't remember seeing you there…” Jade said quietly.

Glancing over at her, I tried to smile. “I remember seeing you…”

We walked in silence, for a while until Jade spoke again. “My brother and I used to walk to the schoolhouse that used to be down this way. You know, before they tore it down and moved it towards the center of town.”

“Wasn't the old one destroyed by Sombra? I was done with school by the time the new one was build, don't think ever looked into why it had to be relocated…” I asked, tilting my head back a bit with the thought.

“Something like that,” She answered.

I just nodded, starting to feel the fall chill once again. We neared where the schoolhouse once stood, “Come this way.” Jade directed quietly as she veered off towards a cluster of tall blue crystals.

She slowed down and carefully squeezed through a small gap that was between two crystals that leaned towards each other. I followed her through.

Inside the cluster of crystals stood a young tree with three large crystal grave markers in the ground in front of it. “My brother and I had bought an acorn from a young traveler and planted this here back when he was still going to school. It was our little secret and his favorite place in the whole kingdom.” Jade fell quiet as we walked towards the gravestones. I could see tears silently dripping through her fur.

I looked down at the crystals, each one had a name elegantly imprinted on them. “Your family…” I could feel tears coming on now. I sniffled and suddenly felt Jade clinging to me, her face hidden in my neck and under my mane. I put my hooves around her gently. “Your family would be proud.”

Many years have passed since that night. So many fantastic and wonderful years. Few tears slipped from my aged eyes. Too tired to cry anymore. I peered onwards at the Great White Oak that stood in front of me. The trees upper reaches had grown almost as tall as the crystals that protected it.

Its roots have grown around the same three markers. I took a few steps forward and sat down in front of them. I know you will love this, my love… And I hope one day to join you here again.

I had come to learn the one on the right had her father engraved in it. Sir Sapphire.

On the far left was her mother. Emerald Whisper.

The center crystal had her younger brother’s name transcribed on it. Opel Skies.

I took my saddlebag off and opened it. From it, I withdrew a gardening tool and began digging. I know you all have waited so long… I really hope you’re all happy for her and I hope I’ve lived up to your expectations.

Once I had finished, I pulled a new crystal slab with her name engraved just as elegantly as those of her family. I placed it in the freshly dug plot just below and in between the markers of her Brother's and Mother’s markers.

Once it was properly aligned, I filled the extra spaces along its edges in. I miss you already… but we both knew this would come.

As I finished, I laid down in front of the gravestone. “I’m glad I could make your wishes come true, Jade,” I whispered before leaning forward and kissing her name gently. “I love you.”

“Hey, Mom! You in here?” The voice was coming from the only entrance to this crystal hollow. I turned just in time to see our adopted son and daughter squeeze in. “Told you she would be here.” My son said before walking towards us.

“Yeah, actually I was the one that knew she would be here.” my daughter retorted quietly.

“So this is why you left the funeral…” My son said as he saw the grave marker with his mother's name on it.

Just like us when we were their age. Always childish, even as adults. I watched as they both took spots next to me before bowing their heads and paying their last respects.

My voice was slow to come but as I turned to leave. “Come now you two... They have a lot of catching up to do. More than a thousand years worth.”