Toffee Strudel lived in a quaint, humble space above his bakery, Strudelicious. Sunbeam and Pepper had a similar space available to them, but chose to keep their condo to avoid becoming workaholics. That small bit of separation kept them from baking and decorating all through the night. Toffee, on the other hoof, seemed to relish in the opportunity to bury himself in work.
Crystal couldn't blame him. Quite the contrary, actually; she was a little jealous of him. While she and the other ponies attending the first meeting were mingling in the living room, he was in the kitchen, working on another batch of cookies. It kept him calm, whereas whenever he wandered back in with a plate, he trembled like a leaf.
There was uncertainty in the air. They devoured the cookies like pigeons being fed by an elderly pony at the park. Conversation was kept to a cordial minimum—"these cookies are delicious", "oh what a nice home this is", "the weather is lovely today, isn't it" were the three sentiments repeated each time there was a quiet lull.
It was time to do something. Anything. "Toffee," Crystal prompted on his fourth or fifth trip—she had honestly lost count—with more cookies, "why don't you sit down? You've been rushing about since we got here. Rest your hooves!"
Toffee flinched. Those big blue eyes looked at her almost as if she had betrayed one of his deepest, darkest secrets. Reluctantly, he took off his oven mitts and sat down on one of the assorted chairs that had been brought into the living room. "A-All right."
Crystal folded her hooves in her lap, sitting as prim and proper as she could, despite the weight of everypony's stares turning toward her. "I don't believe any of us have had too much of an opportunity to get to know each other. Why don't we go around the room and introduce ourselves?" She wiggled her ears. "I'll start. My name is Crystal Wishes, and..."
Her mind drew a complete blank. What was there to say about herself? What about her mattered to these ponies who were suffering like she was?
A quiet voice offered into the silence, "You're a writer, aren't you?"
Crystal blinked. The light grey mare who hadn't said a word at the meet-and-greet was sitting across from her, amber eyes filled with nervousness when the room's attention became hers.
"Oh, yes." A smile spread across Crystal's face. That was a good place to start. "I am. I have published a few novels with Reindom House and am working on another."
Starlit Bastion snorted. He was sitting on a chair that was much too small for him, reminding her of the little chair Silent'd had to balance himself on during their date at Sunridge Sweets. It would have been comical if Bastion's face and voice weren't so cold. "Oh, let me guess. You write romance novels, don't you?"
Keeping her smile in place, Crystal inclined her head to look down her snout at him despite the distance between them and the difference in height. "I do, in fact. I hope that is all right with you."
"I'm just not surprised." His ear flicked, and he opened his mouth to speak further, but one of the other mares in the room interrupted him.
"Well, I think that's wonderful." The mare pawed a hoof at the air. "I'm Bonnie Vivant, and I'm a writer, too—well, sort of. I'm a food critic for Le Manger, so I write reviews for restaurants in Canterlot."
A stallion leaned in with interest. "Really? Have you reviewed Le Bernardin?"
Bonnie cocked her brow. "Several times. After all, my boss comps my meals." She gave an exaggerated glance around, then whispered, "Between you all and me, they overcharge simply because their reputation allows it. It really isn't the best food in Canterlot, but with those bit signs, you simply expect it to be, therefore it seems to be."
Laughter went around the room, calming the atmosphere and easing the others into their introductions. Even Toffee relaxed enough that he didn't notice when the cookies ran out, and neither did any of them; save for Bastion, they just enjoyed each other's company.
"So," one of the stallions, Champron, prompted, "who are ye all waitin' fer? My headstrong daughter's the one who went and joined th'Army soon as she could carry a sword."
"My wife," Toffee said with a soft, sad smile. "She is a palace guard. As soon as I heard the declaration, I knew she was going to volunteer..."
Bonnie sighed, folding her hooves in her lap. "My brother. He's a doctor, not a part of the Guard or Army or anything military at all. But he has a good heart, and has exceptionally fine-tuned control over his magic."
The mare who had quietly introduced herself as Dawn Walker flinched when their eyes turned to her. "Oh... M-My coltfriend. He's a guard and volunteered..." Her ears drooped. "He's just my coltfriend, not my family or my husband or wife or anything like that." She started to stand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here, I don't belo—"
"Nonsense." Crystal's magic caught Dawn by the hoof and she nodded her head, giving a small tug. "Does anypony feel insulted that she's worried over her coltfriend?"
Heads shook and smiles were offered. Reluctantly, Dawn sat back down.
Bonnie reached over to pat Dawn on the shoulder. "Why don't you tell us about your coltfriend?"
"What?" Dawn squeaked, ears jolting upright. "I-I-I—" She swallowed. "But he's not..." Her eyes searched the room and landed on Bastion, whose disinterest was clear on his face. "It's fine. I'm fine."
"Okay, let me try this a different way." Bonnie cracked a grin. "Tell us about your coltfriend, please."
After a round of soft laughter quieted, Dawn sighed. "All right... My coltfriend is a guard. He, um, he works at the palace." Her shoulders hunched as she ducked her head. Quickly and nervously, she added, "He's on Princess Luna's House Guard."
Crystal gasped, nearly jumping out of her seat. "What? Who? Who is he?"
Dawn glanced up at her with a strange look of uncertainty in her eyes. "Thunder Tumble..."
"Tumble?!" Crystal's face lit up with excitement, her voice rising in pitch. "You're dating Thunder Tumble?! Oh my word, I didn't know he was seeing anypony!" She giggled at the confused expressions on the other ponies' faces. "My husband, Silent Knight—"
Bastion stiffened next to her. "What?"
Crystal waved a hoof to dismiss him. "Silent was similarly a part of Princess Luna's House Guard, and he and Tumble are good friends. Or, at least, they were before we moved." She breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, I hope they end up in a unit together. I think that would be wonderful for him if he had a friend to keep him company."
Slowly, Dawn smiled. "He really looks up to Silent Knight, so... I hope so, too." She sat up straight and looked at the mare next to her. "I'm sorry, it's your turn now. I'm done."
The discussion carried on, but Crystal only heard just enough of them to remember the basic details. The rest of her was focused on the news. Thunder Tumble had a marefriend, and that mare cared about him enough to go to a support group meeting. How wonderful for him!
♡
"Tumbler has a mare?" Velvet kept walking forward as she and Crystal made their way to the Phial and Filly for the first game night re-get together. "Good for him!"
Crystal's brow furrowed. There was something off about Velvet's tone, but she couldn't recognize what it was. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah?" Velvet glanced at her. "Why?"
"I can't put my hoof on it, but you don't sound like you meant that at all." Crystal frowned. "You do know who I'm talking about, right? Thunder Tumble, the stallion you terrorized whenever we visited the palace?"
Velvet huffed and rolled her eyes. "I didn't terrorize him! Jeeze, I just had a little fun at his expense, that's all." She rolled her shoulders in a shrug. "Look, don't freak out or anything, but I already knew. Tumbler and Dawn and I are friends."
"What?!" Crystal's eyes widened. "You already knew and you didn't tell me?!"
"Of course not! I didn't know that was something you'd care about. Like, do you keep up with the lives of any of the other house guards? How was I supposed to know that Tumbler was important to you?" She quickened her pace. "Come on, let's just enjoy our first game night reunion, okay?"
Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but instead just snapped it shut and kept walking. She had so many questions! How long had she been friends with them? How long had Tumble and Dawn been dating? How did they meet? Dawn was so shy, it was hard to imagine she had been the instigator of the relationship... but the same could have been said for Tumble.
The questions would have to go unasked, however, as before she knew it, they were walking into the Phial and Filly and her thoughts were flung back to reality at the sight that lay before them.
All of the product shelving had been pushed against the walls to clear a space in the center of the shop. The oversized, custom gaming table that Runic'd had made for Silent as a wedding present was fully loaded with every game they had ever played.
"Welcome!" Runic beamed. "You two are the first to arrive! Well, other than me. But I'm always here." He paused, looking at the little mare beside him. "And Miley. But she was here to help me set up." His beam brightened. "You two are the first non-hosts to arrive!"
Crystal laughed and wrapped a foreleg around him and the other around Miley. "It's good to see the both of you." She paused when her new vantage point of looking past them let her see a buffet table of unusual delights. "Runic... What is all this?"
"Only the best game night spread money can buy, inspired by some of the different games we've played!" Runic pulled away from her to fly the minuscule distance, his excitement guiding his wings into action. "I've got spark lemons from Kingdom Harts; koopasta from Paper Mareio; some Shyrim mead, leeks, and fondue; Legend of Zyrda elixir soup; Ponemon lava cookies..."
Velvet licked her lips as her eyes took in the mouth-watering sight. "Wow, Runic, you really went all out, didn't you?"
Miley giggled. "He's been really excited since the idea was brought up. I just hope it tastes as good as it all looks. We've only tried a few things..."
"Don't worry!" Runic waved a hoof. "With how much this all cost, it has to taste good."
Crystal's hoof flew to her mouth as soon as she heard the laugh that had escaped. When a few questioning looks were shot her way, she grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, that just reminded me of something. Don't mind me."
The sound of the rocks Runic set up in place of a door chime clattering against the doorframe drew their attention to the front of the store, where two of Luna's guards walked in to secure the entrance. Luna followed close behind them, a big grin on her face.
"Greetings, fellow gamers, on this wonderful eve!" she announced, tossing her mane. "I hope everypony is prepared for this eve to turn to dawn before this game night is through!"
Velvet pumped a hoof in the air and managed to cheer around the cookie already in her mouth, "Yay!"
Luna's gaze darted about. "Has the elusive Frank not yet shown his face?"
"Fwank?" Velvet choked as she tried to swallow the cookie as quickly as possible, gasped for air, then grinned. "Frank's coming?"
Crystal nodded. "That is the hope, anyway. Willow said he would be in town this week and that she would bring him by."
"Oh my gosh. This is going to be the best night ever." Velvet's grin widened as she lowered herself into one of the seats. "Like, seriously, I will bet ten bits that he twisted an ankle and had to go to the hospital."
"Velvet!" Crystal hissed. "Don't be rude."
Luna strode over with her magnificent aura firmly in place, a calm but stern look on her face. "I will raise you ten more bits if he came down with a cold."
Crystal gasped, eyes widening. "Luna!"
"What? Have you not grown weary of the excuses that prevent us from meeting Frank as well?" Luna smiled. "It's all in good fun. If he shows, then we will pay you the bits we bet."
"I'm not getting involved in this," Crystal muttered, snubbing her nose in the air and turning away from them. "What reason would Willow have to lie to us about him?"
Velvet shrugged. "She has kind of a jealousy thing going with Silent, right?"
The pang of guilt felt by Crystal, Luna, and even Velvet at the mention of his name was palpable in the air, but Velvet pressed on to gloss over it.
"So, like, maybe it's all just a part of that." Velvet waved a hoof in a circle. "He has somepony, so she has to have somepony. She just hasn't found a real somepony yet so she can break up with Fake Frank and bring the new stallion around."
"It's not entirely easy to know what to think," Luna admitted, her ears folding back. "Willow discusses so little of her personal life. Were it not for my position and Raven's nigh insatiable desire to impress my sister, I would not know a detail about her family. She is not forthcoming with such things. It is always business, business, business from the moment I awaken to when I lay down my head."
Crystal sighed, doing anything she could to avoid looking at them. Willow wouldn't lie about such things! Yes, she had a strong, almost unshakeable sense of pride, was particularly reserved about herself, and had invented a concept of competition between her and Silent...
... but she was just outside the window with somepony at her side. Crystal's heart skipped a beat with excitement. "They're here! Frank is here!"
"What?" Velvet jumped to her hooves. "Seriously?"
The door opened and Willow walked in first, mid-giggle. "Don't be silly, of course—" She came a sudden halt when she saw the intense stares focused on her. "Oh... Hello."
Luna gestured for Willow to keep walking. "Come in, Willowy. Do not stall. You know what we are after. Bring him in and introduce us!"
Taking a deep breath in, Willow let it out as a sigh as she stepped out of the way of the door. "I told you not to be silly, Frank. They do want to meet you. Desperately."
A head poked into view, a stark contrast to everything around it. The stallion—Frank, presumably—looked as if he had stepped out of a film. He was an odd, monochrome mix of varying shades of grey: his coat was a dark grey, his eyes were almost white, and his short-cropped mane was three different colors of light, medium, and dark grey.
"H-Hello," he stammered, ears flicking back as he stepped all the way inside. His wings were quivering and tucked in tight to his sides. "I'm sorry for letting Willow barge me in on your night together."
Willow huffed. "You're not barging in. Look at them, they're practically drooling with excitement to meet you."
Frank blinked a few, rapid times. "What? Why?"
"Because you kept hiding him from us, Willsy," Velvet said, trotting over and slapping him on the shoulder. "Nice to finally meet you, Franky! Get on in here and tell us everything."
Before Velvet could drag him away, Willow grabbed him by the hoof. "Frank will not be telling you everything, thank you very much. He will sit safely between me and..." She paused as she weighed her options. "... Crystal."
Luna took a step forward, peering down at her with a stern frown. "I could command you to reconsider your choice, Willowy Tempest."
Willow's wings ruffled as she stood protectively in front of Frank. "I most sincerely request that you don't, Princess. Frank is here for fun, not an interrogation."
"If you'd just be a bit more open about yourself," Frank offered quietly, stepping around her and smiling at the others. "She's always been like this. It took me three years just to get her to go on a date with me."
Willow huffed as Frank sat down at the table, and everypony—including Runic, which surprised Crystal a little—sat down and waited eagerly for him to continue speaking.
"Well," he started, clasping his hooves together and setting them on the table, "first of all, my name is Franklin Gothic. But most ponies call me Frank. I'm a writer for The Cloudsdale Chronicle. I cover upcoming local events in the towns the city will be floating to next..." His ears flattened to the sides. "Which, unfortunately, means I have to travel a lot when Cloudsdale is on the move. And, more unfortunately, sometimes sends me to events I really do not care for."
Crystal was not going to say anything, but if she had to, she wouldn't lie, either. A part of her had hoped for something exotic that explained why Willow had been so secretive about his identity. That wouldn't stop her from enjoying a long and loud night of gaming with her friends, however, especially not when Winterspear and Iridescence walked in a moment later, Dot in tow.
It was going to be a good night. No—a great night. A much needed great and wonderful night.