Throughout the school week, Crystal prepared herself for flirting. After a weekend of planning with the girls, she was ready to give it a shot, though exactly how she was going to find Midnight Poem was another matter entirely.
They shared no other clubs or classes, and she knew so little about him that she didn't have the faintest idea on where to look for him. She could never spot him in the cafeteria or the halls between classes, either. She resigned herself to waiting until the next club meeting, and that suited her just fine, as it gave her time to daydream. She would flirt with him and not be confused or creepy. She would be cute and he'd be charming. It would be perfect!
"Crystal Wishes, the assignment was to write the sentence on the board," the calligraphy club president said from over Crystal's shoulder. "Not, well—"
Crystal blinked and looked down at her parchment. Scrawled across it was, in perfect cursive that became sloppy toward the end, the sentence 'The quick brown fox jumps over the Midnight Poem' followed by a heart. She blushed and scratched out the words as quickly as she could. "Sorry! I was distracted!"
"I see that." The club president flashed a knowing smile. "Try to stay focused for another half hour, all right, lovebird?"
A couple of nearby eyes turned on her and she ducked her head as her whole face turned red.
"Oh, Celestia," she muttered. "Just kill me now."
However, the princess of the sun did not seem to be answering prayers that afternoon, as Crystal survived the rest of the calligraphy club without injury to herself, other than her pride.
"All right, everypony," the club president said, clearing her throat. "We'll be switching to brushes next week. I think we've all mostly gotten quills figured out. It's about time for a new challenge before the year is over!"
Crystal sighed as she started to put away her supplies. Calligraphy and tea were most important to her mother and least important to herself, though she certainly liked tea club more. She was at least permitted to experiment with new and interesting flavor combinations that her mother would hate, and that gave her a rebellious satisfaction.
Calligraphy, however, was extremely dull. She tried to get excited by reminding herself she was getting practice for signing books, but it didn't lessen the boredom by much.
She paused just before she had put away her inkwell. Her quill lifted out of her bags and dipped its tip into the ink, then wrote in her fanciest lettering on a scrap piece of paper: Crystal Wishes. She smiled, proud of her signature, then finished putting everything away.
Finally, it was nearing the end of the school day. Crystal excitedly trotted down the halls toward the writing club's room. As usual, Midnight Poem was sitting in the seat at the back of the class in the corner, looking down at his notebook and writing something. She giggled to herself. Well, they certainly had that last part in common.
She cleared her throat as she walked over to take the seat beside his. He looked up at her and blinked a few times.
"Oh, good afternoon, Crystal Wishes." He smiled.
She waved a hoof in a playfully dismissive way. "Please, call me Crystal."
His smile softened and he nodded. "All right, Crystal."
There was a moment of silence as they stared at one another, each waiting for Midnight to say something. She cleared her throat.
"So," she started, gaze darting about. "are you nervous about getting your story back today?"
"Hmm?" He shook his head. "No, I didn't write a story. I wrote a poem."
Crystal waited for him to say anything else. She leaned in expectantly, then gave up and asked, "Are you nervous about getting your poem back?"
Midnight tapped a hoof to his chin as he hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know if I'm nervous about that." He looked at her. "What about you?"
"Very," she admitted in a soft voice. "Velvet's the only one who's really read my work. Well, my serious work. I have no idea what to expect."
"I wouldn't be too worried." He smiled again. Though it was hard to tell with his dark coat, his cheeks seemed to flush. "You're talented and smart."
Her heart skipped a beat. "But—"
"And hopefully, once you get your reviewer comments back, you'll be confident, too. You owe it to yourself to be proud of your work."
She gazed at him before ducking her head and hiding her eyes behind her bangs. All of the cute, witty lines she had prepared vanished and her mind drew a blank. "I—I hope so, too."
"All right, fellow word slingers!" Bright Orange called out, interrupting the moment between them.
Crystal looked around, startled to see how many ponies had wandered in without her noticing. She fidgeted some in her seat and did her best not to glance at Midnight.
"I have received all of the stories back from everypony and am ready to return them, so today will be a self-guided lesson." Bright Orange gestured to the stack of papers on the desk, each bound with a ribbon. "I will remain at the front of the class, so if you all would like to come up in succession, that would be most appreciated." He walked around the desk and took a seat. He crossed his hooves in front of him on the desk, looking around somewhat curiously. "So, who shall begin?"
There was a shared hesitancy among the ponies until one stood up and walked up to the desk. Bright Orange looked past the stallion at the others with a brow raised almost sternly, but his gentle smile kept him from seeming too serious.
On cue, everypony turned to their neighbor to chat or focused their attention on their notebooks, giving the two at the front of the class a fair amount of privacy. The stallion quietly indicated which story was his own and returned to his desk. As he put the bound papers in his saddlebags, another pony went to the front.
Crystal's hindhoof tapped the ground nervously. She watched as the number of stories in the pile dwindled down before she couldn't wait any longer. She got up out of her seat and went to the front of the room. The remaining stories were spread across the desk, only their titles visible.
Bright Orange smiled wider when he noticed her. "I wondered when you would decide to wander up here, Crystal Wishes! I hope this works out for everypony. I am on tenterhooks waiting to hear if this helps confidence within the club or not!" He tapped his hooves together. "All of that aside, please take yours."
"Thanks!" Her gaze wandered over the titles until she recognized her own and lifted it up. "It'd be great if it works out."
Crystal returned to her seat and sat there for a moment in complete stillness, the bound papers placed upside-down so the title, Secrets of the Heart, was hidden. There were no secrets about her heart in that moment. She was nervous. What if the reviewer hated it? Was she really ready to read negative criticism?
She took a deep breath and retrieved one of her textbooks. She opened it up and stuck her story inside it to act as a cover so that she could read with some privacy. Her heart raced as she turned the pages to find the comments.
Wow, what a way to start a story. Your characters are unique, and I really enjoyed the way you characterized them in the context of the story. Your writing is quite good and reads smoothly. Suffice it to say I've really enjoyed what I've read so far, and I hope to see more in the future. Seriously, that was excellent. May your creative spark burn ever more brightly! You owe it to yourself to be more confident.
The noise around her suddenly vanished into deafening silence as realization hit her like a runaway carriage. She read the last words a few times before her head turned slowly and woodenly toward Midnight Poem. He wasn't looking at her; actually, it seemed like he was making a great effort to look at everywhere but her.
"You—"
"I know!" He raised his hooves and nearly fell backward out of his seat as he put some cautious distance between them. "It was a coincidence, I swear! I started reading it and I just saw you behind the words. I wasn't completely sure, of course, but, well, it just seemed like something you'd write." He swallowed, his gaze flickering to her. "And, well, I'm guessing I was right?"
Crystal stared at him. Words escaped her. She had a confusing mix of embarrassment and doubt bubbling in her chest. "You were." She stared at the comments he had written. "So, you wrote this so I'd have more confidence?"
"No! Well, yes, but I meant what I said—wrote." He reached out a hoof and set it on her shoulder. "It was really good. I wrote my feedback as I was reading, and I didn't start to think it might be you until I was halfway through." He smiled. "I'm glad I got to read your story."
She glanced at him, away, then back at him. "What did you like?"
His face lit up. He pulled his hoof back and tapped them together. "The characters in your story were believable. I felt like I could run into them here in the real world, not just in literature." He hesitated. "If I had to be honest—"
Her heart sunk. "What?" All of the scenes raced through her mind. Which was it? What didn't he like?
Midnight looked up at the ceiling. His dark cheeks were darkened further by a red flush. "It made me a little sad."
"Sad? But it has a happy ending!" Her horn lit up as she frantically flipped the pages. "Doesn't it? It's supposed t—"
He shook his head. "No, no, no, it's not that at all." He grinned lopsidedly. "I just, ah—I wish I could be more like Arid Silver. He was bold and charming and certainly wouldn't have been too shy to ask you on a date."
Crystal's ears perked straight up. Her face turned red and she looked around the room, then back at him and tried to smile. Her heart fluttered with excitement. Carefully thinking her words over, she scooted in her chair to lean in toward him and said, "Well, you practically just did, so why not go ahead and ask?"
Midnight swallowed. "All right." He looked directly at her with a weak smile. "Would you go on a date with me?"
A giggle bubbled up from her chest. "Sure." She rested her chin on her hoof. "When and where?"
After fumbling through some vague plans, they had a date. He would come by that Saturday to pick her up and the rest would be a surprise, much to her delight. She could hardly wait for club to be over before she trotted on the tips of her hooves out of the classroom. She stood by her locker, glancing up and down the halls in barely contained anticipation.
"Where are they?" she muttered. "Come on, come on."
"Crystal!" Velvet surprised her with a hug from behind. "Well? How did it go? Did you ask him out?"
Crystal squirmed out of the mare's embrace to turn and face her. She tried not to give herself away by smiling too wide. "Nope."
"What?" Horsey asked as she walked over to them. "Did I hear that right? You didn't ask him out? After all our planning?"
"Nope, I didn't ask him out." Crystal danced from one hoof to the other, her smile growing wider.
Velvet tilted her head in confusion. Then, slowly, a smile formed on her own lips. "Oh! You seem awfully excited for somepony without a date!"
Horsey gasped and jumped up and down. "Did he—"
"Could it be—"
"Yes!" Crystal finally squealed. "He asked me out!"
The three girls squealed and bounced up and down. Velvet and Horsey hugged her from both sides.
"You'll have to tell us everything!" Horsey exclaimed as she stepped back. "When is it?"
"Saturday." Crystal nuzzled her cheek against Velvet's before they pulled apart. "He's going to come by to pick me up on Saturday."
"Then let's all meet up on Sunday and you can spill all the details!" Horsey clapped her hooves together. "Let's meet at Velvet's house so we can have celebratory cake."
Velvet's eyes widened. "Ooh, yes! I'll have my dad bake a date cake!" She grinned and winked. "It'll have dates in it! Get it?"
Crystal laughed and waved a hoof in her face. "You're so silly." She sighed, then nodded. "Okay, Sunday, let's meet for lunch at Velvet's house."
At the end of the week, Crystal hopped in a circle around her bedroom and sing-songed, "I'm going on a date to—mo—rrow! My first date!" She sat down in front of the vanity and squirmed, hardly able to contain herself. "Oh, I need to look my best."
Curlers lifted up out of a basket and started to wind locks of her mane tightly into several rolls. "I wonder where we're going to go?" She sighed dreamily as her magic worked on her mane. "I can't believe it. My first date!"
A knock came from the door. "Hello?" called her mother's voice from the other side.
"Yes, Mom?" She stared at the reflection of the door as it opened and she smiled.
"I couldn't help but overhear that you seem to have a date." Upper Crust walked over, her magic taking the curlers and setting them aside to replace them with a brush. "Tell me about this stallion."
Crystal giggled. "He's shy and a little reserved. But I think he'll come out of his shell with a little coaxing. Oh, and he's a poet."
Upper Crust raised her brow. "A poet?"
"Yes." She nodded and repeated, "A poet."
"What about his family?" She brushed out a few knots in Crystal's mane before rolling in another curler. "Who are his parents?"
Crystal was quiet for a moment as she thought the question over. "I don't know, but I'm sure they're fine, Mom."
Upper Crust paused. Her hooves lowered. "What do you know about this poet?"
Another moment of thoughtful, cautious silence. "I know that he asked me out on a date and that it would be rude to turn down a willing stallion."
Her mother nodded and continued her primping and preening. "You've been paying attention to your lessons well, I see."
"I learned from the best, Mom."
"What a good girl." Upper Crust patted her on the head. "Well, I hope you have a pleasant date. Please do let me know how it goes when you come home."
"Yes, Mom." She looked up at her. "I'm going to go to bed, now."
"Of course." Her mother took a step back and started out of the room. "Remember to wear something nice, darling."
Crystal tried not to sigh. "Yes, Mom." Once her mother had left and shut the door, she allowed a quiet groan. "Yes, Mom. Yes, Mom. Yes, Mom." She rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "Such a nag."
Flopping onto the bed, she hugged a pillow to her chest and curled around it, closing her eyes. She started to smile. Her very first date. She couldn't possibly be more excited!
I'm guessing the mext chapter is their date, and all the awkwardness that comes with it. I'm also guessing one of Midnight's parents is an author, mostly because of his name, and the other is either a Royal Guard (for that extra sense of awkward for Crystal) or a chef/cook (and as such takes Crystal to said parent's restaurant). No matter what he'll end up meeting Crystal's mom, so of course embarrassment will happen.
5420409 You are certainly correct about at least one thing! It is high school, after all... Embarrassment is bound to happen to our poor teenage ponies.
Well I can hardly wait to see how this turns out for our two friends when they embark on their date. This ought to be very interesting.
HA! Literal Lol.
Doesn't everyone do this? I know I'm taking Calligraphy after I get published. Yeah, I'm taking a full minute to sign my name. Gonna do a 'John Hancock' flourish too!
"...looking down at his notebook and writing something." sounds far too casual or detached. Do you think you could detail this a bit more and make it more engaging? Especially since she mentioned it. What tipped her off that he's not doing last minute homework or writing a to-do list?
*Gasp* One of my comments made it into your 'comments'... (wide-eyed shock) *squee*
I'm starting to think that If I wrote poetry, this pony would be me!
A couple things I expected to see but didn't.
1.) Crystal excitedly sharing the news about her first date with her friends.
2.) A mention about Crystal's own story review. How critical/honest/tactful is she going to be?
Obviously, your plot is moving along fine without this, but I was left wondering about their complete omission.
BTW, I'm starting to think that Crystals mom can kill the excitement of ANYTHING with her propriety fixation.
5422542 Thank you so much for all your feedback! I really appreciate it! I'll try to go back through and implement some tweaks. I'll definitely try to add the girls' excited date display; I had originally written it in, but it felt a little like pointless filler. I'll try to find a way to make it feel a little more pointful (that should totally be a word), at least for my sanity.
I don't know how/if I'll add Crystal's review - obviously, it'd have to be when she wrote it, since it's anonymous and wouldn't be in this chapter, and I don't have in mind yet where it'd fit in. She wrote only nice (but true) things; after all, it was her idea, so she's extra inspired to make sure there are good vibes about Authors Anonymous.
Merry Christmas, if you celebrate!
5423207 To be honest, Crystal's own review isn't really necessary, but I thought it could be used to provide some insight to her.
And I could see why you would cut a scene that was just three fillies screaming excitedly. But I couldn't help but wonder as to why there was no mention. Perhaps you could use it as a lead into Crystal's fear about how her parents will respond?
5423313 I put in the original scene I was going to write. Admittedly, it is cute, and I added in a bit of a "point" (they make plans to meet the day after her date)... so I'm glad you said something! It does definitely add something.
Okay! Finally read up to the latest chapter! Great story, deep characters, steady pacing; All in all a very well done work that I'm honored to have my OC be a part of!
I can't help but think that somewhere down the road, Crystal's going to get a heart shattering revelation regarding her parents. She's just assuming that they fell in love like some fairy tale, but then, during some kind of frustration or argument, someone's going to let it slip that this is not the case, especially given all that we know regarding Canterlot snobbery...wearing the right clothes, knowing the right people...marrying into the right families. I hope I'm wrong, though.
5425713 Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and most of all, letting me use Bright Orange. He has been a real treat to write!
I won't confirm or deny anything, but I will say that I think we can tell Crystal over-romanticizes things...
Really cute chapter, but now I'm completely worried about the next one. I have trouble reading through embarrassing stuff (reminds me too much of real life). But, since you're writing it, I think I'll fight through it. Great chapter as always! I especially LOVE the commission art for Velvet. I'm such a sucker for art, and she looks amazing.
On a side note, when is this story supposed to be taking place? Before cannon, after cannon? Just curious, because you mentioned Fleur de Lis once, and I wasn't sure if this was after the Mane 6 or not.
5427916 Don't worry, I can't stand overly awkward or embarrassing things. It almost seriously pains me to watch/read that sort of thing, so I certainly won't be able to write it. It'll be a little embarrassing, but certainly not to the sitcom extreme. I appreciate that you'd take the risk for my story though! And, yes, I super duper love how Velvet's commission came out. Ahhh I love her to pieces!
I haven't been very good about trying to portray when this occurs because this does take place before canon, which will become more evident once I catch up to canon Canterlot events. I was hoping the subtle mention that Fleur Dis Lee had "just started" her career would help a little bit, but other than that, I don't have a lot just yet to show the place in the canon timeline. ^^;
its been so long since i've read this! dang you real life for getting in the way! anyway.
so, a date. awkwardness, cuteness, and food (or drink) on somepony's muzzle? one can hope.
this is, imo, one of the most important aspects of a story. if your characters aren't believeable, the entire story falls flat. you have done a magnificent job in this department.
wow, this story is amazing!
5948275 Thank you so much!
I feel awkward just reading this chapter.
ERRMAHGURRD DATE NIGHT!!
Smooth.
I love this story so far! The characters are very believable with their own strengths and weaknesses. It shows that you put some outstanding work into this story.
Also... SHIPPING INTENSIFIES!
6166998 I'm glad you're enjoying it! I really love writing and sharing this story, so it's invigorating to hear it's being enjoyed by new readers.
SHIP SHIP SHIP SHIPPING SHIPS *shipping intensfies*
oh god... I literally sqee'd.
my manliness was just punted out the door, curb stomped, ran over by a tank, then dumped into the river.....
I think this shipping will go well, Midnight Wishes.
Hooray, the main character's got her first date in a romance story! And it only took 17 chapters!
It's kind of sad that I came here from Secrets, so I know somethings going to go wrong with Midnight. Hopefully its not too painful.
God damn. I had to punch a wall to feel tough again. This is bringing out the romantic side of me. Fabulous work on this!
~Dragon
This was a very nice chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, if you don't mind, I am going into the other room to do something unrelated and befitting of a manly man of my stature and disposition. Excuse me...
(walks to other room, looks around)
31.media.tumblr.com/b822e54d123062177720899f71ffb433/tumblr_inline_n9375bF28o1r69r1v.gif
That part was SO ASWOME!!!
Kid I've never seen someone fail and win so much at the exact same time. You hit the nail on the head but also crushed you hoof. That said lolz.
If it's not nagging it's embarrassing you in front of your friends
I'm sure everything will be fine on the date, but I'm going to keep this here shotgun loaded just in case.
Ok hang on let me do it for you just give me a sec... Ok so how do you want to die? Molotov or high caliber sniper rifle?
It is 1:16am in the morning and im supposed to be going to work at 9:00 in the morning, but instead of sleeping I cant sleep because of this. Its oddly annoying to me that I cant stop. Normally i dont have a problem with this.
But silly, dorky, nerdy me is sitting here worrying about any stallion that goes near Crystal Wishes in this story. Its hard knowing the projected outcome of the other side of this story.
Why do I feel so protective of Crystal? I'm thinking YOU DONT KNOW THIS STALLION!? YOU, MIDNIGHT! WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM!? AAND WHERE ARE YOU GO-
Also, how the Luna did you write that ask-out-on-a-date scene without it being cringe-y? I NEVER could've pulled that off. This is truly an amazing story!
And yes, I put a Bronies react reference on a comment in fimfiction. Deal with it
This is legitimately my second time reading this story. And it definitely better the second time around. Mostly because im noticing all the little things I missed the first time.
7401726 Ooh, yeah? Like what? Indulge me!
Right off the bat, this seems like a cute and hilarious chapter.
See?
This story just gets better and better as it goes on!
For some reason i feel awkward getting so giddy over romance stories.
she said the pony was a Nag
Yup, she gone!
I was kinda worried about crystals mother learning about the date but it went way better than I expected, then again they haven't met yet and everything could go horribly wrong soo..... AAAAAAAAHHH, I CAN'T STOP READING. F*** SLEEEEEEP!
Ugh, that mom...
Date night!!!! Next chapter>>>>
Smooth, dude, smooth.