>You are Anonymous: Ambassador of Earth...or at least that is your new profession after living in Equestria for several months.
>How you got here is irrelevant, an accident, or something you can't quite remember. Just the bright light soon afterward, then seeing a grand hall, and two tall horses with horns, and wings staring at you.
>Turns out they are both royal, and goddesses of the land, and you just interrupted their meal.
>You became acquainted with them fairly quickly after they took you to a dungeon, and interrogated you.
>Once they confirmed you as safe, and even somewhat friendly they released you, and as a way to make amends for unjustly imprisoning you, they gave you the job you have today as a means to both explore their world, and have the inhabitants of this world get to know you as well.
>So now you're here
"The Crystal Empire"
>You say out loud as the train slows down, and finally making a complete stop at the station. You don your gray coat wearing it over your best black suit courtesy of a generous unicorn you've met briefly during a chance meeting on your month long trip in P0nyville. Kind of wish she hadn't stitched both of them with her cutie mark, the three diamonds flashing permanently above your left chest, but they were rather snug so you'll make yourself a living advertisement for the time being.
>Stepping out of the train the cold air slapping your face only slightly. you quickly, and easily ignore it, and start taking in the sights.
>Now this is the fantasy land you've  been waiting for. While Canterlot still has that air of fantasy, and wonder, it can't hold a candle compared to this. The glow of towering crystal buildings, the assortment of confectioneries that also look genuinely crystallized, even the gift shop has it's merits, those snow globes look beyond magnificent.
>Ignoring the mixed stares you're getting from everp0ny you take all of it in as you leave the station, and continue walking a little faster than you usually would. Well you try at least, with the sun in just the right spot in the sky a lot of it is just too radiant to see clearly. Maybe some sunglasses would help right-
>You trip on a large bump in the road, falling face first onto the crystal floor. Pain instantly shoots through your entire face. Upon impact you bit your lip causing it to bleed slightly, but luckily that seems to be your only serious injury besides being slightly dazed.
>As you attempt to stand up you hear a soft groan coming from behind you.  Turning around you see that the bump you kicked wasn't a bump at all, but rather a slumped local now tipped to the side clutching at it's injured side with her left hind leg. Apparently you must have kicked...her? Yeah her right in the kidney, or spleen, or something.
"Crap! I'm sorry I couldn't see through all the glow! Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?"
>You're panicking now, they haven't invented diplomatic immunity yet so you can actually get in trouble for this, even if it was an accident. You get a better look at the p0ny you just hit. She had a periwinkle coat that dimmed with a soft light unlike most of the crystal ponies who shine proud, and bright. Her mane, and tail consisting of every color in the purple rainbow, and both hanging straight down, her mane ending in small curls. Her cutie mark depicted a single wheat grain with pale golden dots around it. She also appears to be carrying a brown satchel possibly the only thing less dimmer than herself.
>She stares at you with a distant gaze, only now do you realize that you were doing the same thing for quite some time. Before you make an ever more awkward first impression you decide to speak out.
"S-so you're okay then? Do you need any help getting up?" You ask again
>You offer your hand to the mare now staring at the floor she reluctantly extends a hoof toward you which you take as the go ahead to help her.
>Only seconds after doing so the mare walks only a few feet away from you before slumping on the ground looking every which way. Normally this would be the time to just walk away, and head for your hotel room, but curiosity got the better of you as it always had.
"Are you...looking for something by any chance?"
>You're not really expecting an answer this time considering how quiet she's been, but your patience was finally rewarded.
>"...My bit pouch...I dropped it...a while ago, I can't find it..." the pony whispers just loudly enough for you to hear.
>She sounded reluctant to speak, as if doing so caused her great strain, and judging from the glum expression on her face you would believe so. Though that could just be from losing her money, and not finding it yet.
"Do you mind if I help you look for it? You know as a way to make it up to you for basically kicking you while you were down."
>You really do feel bad about that, and this may be the only way to make an actual good first impression. You don't want any misunderstandings from this. Something like you occasionally punt ponies every other Tuesday for no reason.
>Once again you ramble in your thoughts not noticing the mare was still staring at you with her sad gaze. You turn your attention back to her, and notice she was reaching into her satchel, and pulled something out of it with her mouth. A small handkerchief she placed on her extended right hoof. She looked up towards you with depressing determination raising a sad hoof upwards, and swaying it slowly back, and forth.
"What's wron-oh! My lip...you want to clean the blood off?"
>"Uh-huh" she gasped softly, nodding her head slowly.
>you lower yourself bending your knees till your head was at her level. She gently poked the spot where you cut your lip, the blood still wet she gingerly pushed, and scrubbed the area clean never taking her eyes off her work, but still no change in expression.
>Once she deemed it clean enough she pulled herself back maybe to look you over one more time in case she missed a spot.
"Thanks...um~, crap, I don't even know your name. Do you mind telling me.
>"...Golden, Laurel...it's okay if you don't remember it. No one really has..." Golden Laurel replies with her same soft, sad, forced tone.
"W-well...geez, I'll try not to forget it then. So why don't we look for that bit sack now?"
>Okay so maybe your first few minutes here weren't the best, but you're certain once you've help poor Laurel here then maybe things will get better.
>Two fucking hours...
>You, and Golden Laurel searched low, and lower for the damn sack, and you both came out empty. It also turns out Golden Laurel won't, or perhaps can't hold a decent conversation.
"So what brings you to this side of town?"
>"Oats...and oatmeal"
"What do you do here?"
>"Sleep, eat, take up space, sometimes I get mail...i read those, but it doesn't happen often."
"I heard you guys went through quite an ordeal a while back, are you feeling any better?"
>"Everything's changed...except me..."
>You even tried to lighten the mood, but she shot down everything you got, with a whisper not a bang.
"H-hey Golden Laurel knock, knock"
>"What's that?"
"You know *knock, knock* somep0ny knocking on your door"
>"No one has done that to my door"
"Don't you think those cutie marks you p0nies have are in the most awkward place it could be. I mean because it's on your flank, and stuff.
>"...No one comments on my cutie mark, or flank...*sigh*"
"Let me see your war face Golden Laurel!"
>"*hic-sob*..." she began to grow teary eyed, her frown growing.
"...I'm, sorry?"
>You even tried complimenting her
"I bet a quiet mare like yourself must be really smart, and you're just hiding it"
>"I was the bottom ranked in my school, then King Sombra took over before I could get better, it still hurts to remember anything else after that."
"So your cutie mark has something to do with wheat maybe? I would love to see your farm, and crops"
>"I don't have a wheat farm, I can't grow anything in these climates...my cutie mark is worthless here.
"I really like your...mane...?"
>"...I haven't washed it today I'm filthy, there are some things you can't scrub off."
>Going through that, and you have nothing to show for it. You both just stood where you were defeated.
"I don't know what to say..."
>Golden Laurel didn't say anything she sat on the crystal floor staring at seemingly nothing.
"Are you gonna be okay?"
>"You ask me that question a lot"
"Because you're just so!...Anyways I'm sorry we couldn't find your bits, but I have some bits of my own I can spare to keep you fed for the day"
>"...Why do you keep trying?"
>That's a very good question, why are you still going at it? You've done more than anyone else would do, and has done for her. Plus she has been taking care of herself just fine. Besides her lack of crystal shine you see other crystal p0nies have she appears to be physically healthy.
"I...I honestly can't answer that yet...look I'm not saying you need it, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't somewhat worried about you...just here, take some bits, and just...have a good day, or try to."
>you hand Golden Laurel ten, or so bits, more than enough to buy what she needs, and now you wait for a response.
>"Oatmeal only cost two bits..."
>Honestly you weren't expecting anything more, she did in fact disappoint to your predicted levels. You keep your cool as best as you can as you conclude your sudden encounter with the sad p0ny
"Keep the change, no really keep it, and use it to live a little. See you later Golden Laurel.
>"Not a 'good bye'?"
"Well I'll be here a while, and so will you. That means there's still a chance we'll see each other again. Is that gonna be a problem?"
>You weren't mad when you said all that, but you weren't happy either.
>"...N-no, no that won't" she whispered just loudly enough to hear, and for a split second you might have seen her frown twitch, but it may just be wishful thinking.
"Okay then so...see you later?"
>"S-see you...later..." she mumbled.
"Close enough" you say out loud.
>You give Golden Laurel one last wave before turning around, and heading to your hotel, room already paid for in advance, but it looks like you might need to borrow more bits than you expected.