Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra

by Randimaxis


Twenty Four: Cici & Lulu

Damnation... Celestia's words meant that either Radiant Hope didn't escape to Equestria, or she did so unnoticed, without catching the attention of the kingdom's rulers. Either way, Obsidian was afraid she wouldn't learn anything new from the two ancient mares.

Well, this house appeared to be a bit of a danger to the environment. Apparently, it seemed as though the princesses had made some very interesting friends during their retirement; Obsidian hadn't slightest idea who could live in such a strange place. When Celestia offered them money and they instantly accepted, however... she became a little concerned about their apparent greed.

"Most likely, there is nothing to worry about, Gypsy. We're just planning a small heist, after all," she said as she patted the diamond dog and followed after Celestia into the abode.

Inside the house was a plethora of gadgets, gizmoes and other such machinery, pumping and grinding away all around them. In the midst of all this was a pair of what look liked twins, each with red manes and tails, both generously rife with grey streaks - and one had a mustache. However, they both wore matching grins... even though they seemed to be eyeballing Celestia with some degree of caution.

"Now, officially, we are retired, madam,"
"But we would always be willing to help out such as yourself!"
"Especially if it pays well!"
"It DOES pay well, correct?"

Celestia smiled, rolled her eyes, and nodded. "How does a thousand bits sound?"

The two's eyes lit up with money signs, and their smiles grew wider.

"Well then, my dear,"
"If THAT'S the case..."

And they spoke together: "Then you've just hired the incomparable Flim Flam Brothers!"

Celestia winked at Siddy, but Gypsy's eyes went wide, and he shuffled behind the Grey Princess.

Now why was Gypsy behaving that way? It was a typical (if somewhat unique) house... just inhabited by a pair of retired inventors. Obsidian was truly starting to regret not taking Peppermint Patty with them - she surely would have enjoyed this place, and Obsidian liked it when ponies enjoyed themselves.

Twins? Well, they did look like experts of some sort... and Princess Celestia surely knew what she was doing, didn't she? "Gypsy, whatever is wrong? Do you dislike the machines?" she tried to guess.

The diamond dog said nothing as the two inventors addressed Celestia.

"So, my matronly monarch,"
"What can the fabulous Flim Flam Brothers do for you?"

"Well," she began with a wry smirk, "we have need of two enterprising ponies such as yourselves. My friend here," she motioned to Obsidian, "needs some goods to leave the Crystal Empire without being... prematurely discovered, let's say. And of course, with such a task ahead of her, I thought of the cleverest pair of entrepeneurs I've ever known for the task."

"Oh? Such a task, yes."
"But nothing too difficult, I would hope?"

"It's fairly simple - I'll allow my associate to explain further." Celestia turned to Obsidian and motioned with a hoof.

"Ah! Well then, my dear,"
"Please illuminate us on what we'll have to accomplish,"
"As well as the dimensions of such an item,"
"So that we can assist you in making the impossible..."
"POSSIBLE!"

Did they always talk that way? Was that normal for pairs of twins? Obsidian didn't know too many twins herself, and she had a form of mental connection with her siblings... so perhaps twins were similar in this matter?

As long as I don't start doing this with Amy, everything should be fine, Obsidian thought.

"We need to transport three crystal shards from the catacombs beneath the Crystal Palace, and they cannot be touched by any actual horseflesh, nor can we invest in using magic on them. We might be able to afford for a specific one of the shards to become active, as one of the three has more potential for a good outcome than the rest - however, activating either of the other two by accident could be... rather unpleasant, let's say."

She briefly explained the sizes and dimensions of the crystal shards, as well as the additional problems in store - in this case, specifically the acid waterfall that was meant to torture Jade - as she went over what would be necessary for this to come through without any further problems.

"I am in contact with Princess Flurry Heart; she's the one who offered to help me in dealing with these crystals, so I hope she could help you, too. She's already checked which materials can survive contact with the acid, in a manner of speaking, so she has some working knowledge in this instance."

The two listened intently, then grew thoughtful looks as they pondered the problem.

"Hmmmmmm... a veritable pickle, I would say."
"Indeed, brother of mine, but one we've encountered the likes of before."
"True, my esteemed sibling, true. Perhaps the 'Aspiring Artisians'?"
"No, too much work involved. What about the 'Welfare Wiggle'?"
"Not enough time, I'm afraid... oh! Maybe the 'Travelling Traders?'"
"Hmmmm... yes, that does have quite a bit of merit!"
"Been a while, eh brother?"
"Far too long, brother dear!"

The two of them brohoofed each other, then smiled as one at the gathered visitors.

"We would be delighted to assist you, madam!"
"And the challenge makes it all the more interesting!"
"If you can put us in touch with the young princess,"
"We would be delighted to gather information on these materials,"
"And begin construction post-haste!"

Celestia smiled. "I knew I could count on you two for this!"

They laughed and grinned widely. "Nothing is impossible for the Flim Flam Brothers!" they said in unison.

Obsidian reached back into her saddlebags and began to dig for the bracelet Flurry had enchanted for her; hopefully, she was listening in.

As the brothers and Celestia began to discuss 'payment details', Gypsy leaned up and softly whispered into her ear. "Th-those two are infamous for b-b-being scam artists... this one is n-not sure how much you sh-sh-should t-trust them. They've b-been responsible for many different issues d-d-during the Mane Six's t-time, starting with the n-near takeover of Sw-Sweet Apple Acres. One would b-b-be wary of trusting them t-too far."

"Takeover? Wait, are you saying they can use Dark Magic?" Of course, the only takeover Obsidian knew of was the one which was done by her father...

"No - d-deception! Thye have a h-history with-" Yet he was cut off in mid-sentence by the brothers, both seeming to simply appear on either side of Obsidian.

"Madam! My brother and I have decided,"
"With the advice of our esteemed former princess,"
"That we will make the journey to the Empire tomorrow,"
"So that we will be prepared to deal with such a matter,"
"AND we'll have more than enough time to retool,"
"Refashion, restock and rework,"
"Our grandest invention, for use in your proposed delivery!"

Celestia looked at Obsidian. "Tomorrow, I assume, you would be able to reach the Crystal Empire to assist in their idea?"

Well, it would be nice to have masters of deception on her side. For once. "I can contact Princess Flurry Heart, personally... assuming she's able to receive my messages. Hopefully, we should have everything ready in time to help these two gentlecolts," Obsidian sighed.

Flurry will surely love that idea, Obsidian thought through the bracelet.

What idea? OH! Hey! I was wondering if you'd call! She sounded as though she were quite pleased to hear from Obsidian. So, you figure anything out on your end about the shards yet, 'cause I think I hit the motherfuckin' JACKPOT over here!

"E-excuse me for a moment, please - Flurry is available right now," Obsidian spoke up before turning her focus to her friend. It's good to hear from you, Flur; I'm currently with Princesses Celestia and Luna, and they both support the idea of giving my siblings a fair chance - and they also agreed that informing Twilight or your father wouldn't have been wise.

Well, DUUUUH, I fuckin' told you that! Still, y'wanna know what I found, huh? Do ya? DO YA!?

Of course I do, Obsidian smirked.

There was a squee of delight and excitement from the princess. Oke-dokes! So, back in the day, when your Dad tried to attack the Empire again, he left a bunch of Dark Crystals all over the place, and the magicians here had to come up with a way to dispose of 'em, before they did anything nasty... so, they developed a 'Magical Biohazard Containment Spell' that could seal 'em up without any harm - and I think it'd be fuckin' PERFECT for holding the shards with!

I just gotta get a copy of the spell - no big whoop - and cast it on each shard, right before we put 'em into sealed containers. That should not only keep 'em from getting loose prematurely, but it can also keep anyone magically-inclined from even fucking SENSING their presence! Am I a genius, or what?

Obsidian smiled - though, this time, the proper recipient of this smile was far, far away. Yes, ingenio solutus, indeed... just remember to try it out first on Diamond; even if it doesn't work, I doubt he would do anything worse than hugging someone without asking for permission first. Princess Celestia will send you some help to smuggle the shards away from the catacombs - so by working together, you shouldn't have much trouble.

Smuggling? Flurry's interest was piqued. Oh shit, this just got a LOT more cool! I've always read about smugglers and stuff, and it always seemed so intriguing and exciting! I can hardly wait to see how this shit goes down! And Aunt CELLY is in on this? WOW, Sids - you've got a LOT of fuckin' pull, girl!

The brothers and Celestia were haggling over prices and time constraints, but Gypsy still seemed quite apprehensive about it all. He tended to keep his eyes to the floor... but those ears of his kept swiveling to face whomever was speaking.

So, is she gonna come and 'port them out of the Empire and stuff? 'Cause it might be kinda hard to do if she shows up - ponies here won't give her a fuckin' minute to herself if she's here, even if it's just for a few seconds... shit, my Dad alone would probably talk her ears off!

Obsidian shook her head, even though Flurry probably couldn't see it. No, no, quite the contrary; she knows a couple of ponies that can do it for her. She doesn't want to risk using her magic, but these two gentlecolts she knows seem to be able to come up with a way to do it. As far as I understand, they can construct a machine to move the shards. Obviously they'll need help with Jade, because... well, you know, the acid and whatnot.

Wait, what two stallions? Who? Flurry's, er... voice?... sounded curious.

Er, they introduced themselves as the, ah... Flim Flam Brothers, I believe, Obsidian answered.

Wait. The Flim Flam Brothers. Are coming here. To smuggle the shards. Out of the Empire?

There was a pause, and then an actual squeal came across the magical line.

OH SHIT! FUCK YEAH! I remember some of Auntie Twilight's stories about them, and they always sounded so fucking clever and sneaky! They're practically LEGENDS when it comes to shifty shit! OHFUCKOHFUCKOHFUCK, this is gonna be SOOOOOO FUCKING COOOOOOL!

Well, if Flurry was okay with it, then everything was going to be fine. After all, she had far more experience than Obsidian herself did, and her knowledge of modern times was far more broad. I'm glad to hear you like the idea, Flurry. I can't wait to see my siblings safe... while remaining harmless. I'm sorry I can't go to the Empire myself to assist, but I hope to meet with you again as soon as possible, Flur. I just-

Whaaaat? Oh no, Sids, you've just GOTTA come! I wanna make sure things don't get all fucked up, and if you're there, then shit can't go as bad as it might if you're NOT here! Fuck, I don't have a clue as to what I'd do if one of your siblings got loose! You've gotta come, you've just GOTTA! Flur sounded almost desperate.

Er... well, perhaps if I ask Princess Celestia for advice on how to deal with Princess Twilight if she becomes suspicious, then... I guess I could come. Damnation, there was so much to do - Quartz, Opal, possibly Aquamarine as well; Obsidian should make a copy of herself... or two... perhaps even three. That way, she could be always in the right place, at the right time.

YESSSS! Good, great, awesome! I'll go ahead and get you a suite at the Crystal Inn again, in case you gotta stay overnight; with THOSE two at the helm, there's no fuckin' way to know WHAT'S gonna happen! Oh, this is gonna be so SWEEEEEET!

Celestia looked to Obsidian with a raised eyebrow. "Have you found out what we need to know yet? They can't construct anything for it without knowing what to use, after all."

"Um, I'm getting to that. Flurry seems to be quite ecstatic that the world-famous Flim Flam Brothers are going to visit. Also, she discovered a spell that was used to seal away my father's more, ah... non-sentient Dark Crystals; she thinks it could be useful, given our current situation." Flur, the brothers need to know what materials survived contact with the acid; do you happen to remember any specific stuff that didn't melt?

The twins smiled at each other as Obsidian spoke about Flurry's excitement.

"So, the princess heir to the Crystal Empire finds us exciting?"
"Interesting?"
"Incredible?"
"Astounding?"

They chuckled in synch. "Marvellous!"

Celestia only smiled, as if she were in on a joke that nobody else was getting.

SHIT! I'm a total fuckhead - tell them that Iridasteel and Calcified Corovastone doesn't take a bit of damage from the acidfall, and that of the two, the Iridasteel is the easier-to-find shit - cheaper, too. Flurry sounded confident in naming the substances, so that was a plus.

"Iridasteel and Calcified Corovastone," Obsidian said aloud to the others standing with her, "and she also says Iridasteel is easier to find and cheaper." Her thoughts returned to Flurry Heart... with a question.

Flur? Er... what exactly does 'fuckhead' mean?

Fuckhead? That means I was an idiot for not thinking about telling you... it's a word that works for telling someone they're a dumbass.

The twins grew thoughtful looks as they were told what to use.

"Hmmmm... complicated, that."
"Yes, indeed - Corovastone is QUITE expensive,"
"But Iridasteel isn't readily available around here."
"But we might be able to work around that,"
"After all, we're nothing if we aren't innovative!"

The brothers smiled at each other, and Celestia grinned. "Well, then - we'll leave you two geniuses to work things out, and I'll be in contact with you in the morning. Come on," she spoke to Obsidian and Gypsy, "let's go see if Lulu's eaten all the cupcakes yet."

Ah... so not only does 'fuckhead' mean someone is an idiot, but 'dumbass' also means the same? Thank you, Flur - I'm always glad to learn something new every day. Obsidian bowed respectfully to the brothers who had been so generous as to help her with her own sibling issues, and followed Celestia outside.

Well, she certainly didn't expect to actually have to go to the Empire straight from HERE; it seemed that this time, dealing with her brothers and sisters was going to take a considerable amount of travelling... more than anything she'd experienced thus far. "I do want to thank you for your help, princess - my debt to you and your sister grows with every passing moment."

Celestia nodded. "You're welcome. I know those two fairly well, and if bits are involved, you should be fine. And believe me, those two? They could write an entire book on how to get just about anything done for profit... in fact, they did." The alicorn chuckled. "Twice."

They headed back towards the little cottage, but Gypsy still looked apprehensive. The alicorn just shook her incredible mane. "I take it diamond dogs have no great love for those two?"

Gypsy jumped a bit, but gulped and shook his head. Celestia, however, spoke up.

"They're not too bad, what with their retirement; they pulled their last caper over a decade ago, and it was quite the fiasco for them both. They simply had to admit to themselves that they were getting too old to be travelling salesponies anymore. So, they came here, and they seem to keep to themselves mostly. We haven't had any trouble from them - in fact, there are a number of elders who find them particularly charming."

Gypsy just made a face like he'd tasted a lemon.

"Gypsy, did they perhaps try to scam the diamond dogs?" Obsidian asked, curious. She didn't know very much about the diamond dogs and their history; hopefully, it didn't make her a bad friend. After all, a good friend should at least know a little bit about the history of their friend's species, right? However, she did actually have a good excuse - with her siblings at large, she didn't have enough time to deal with everything that a good friend should do. Maybe when this was all finally dealt with...

Celestia looked back at Gypsy as well. "Yes, I'm trying to remember... what did they do?"

Gypsy cleared his throat. "D-D-Diamond D-Dogs were the ones th-they tried t-t-to sc-scam off of our l-l-la-l-la-l-land!" he said with a slight growl to his voice.

Celestia seemed to think a bit. "Oh, that's right... if I recall correctly, they almost succeeded, too - if it hadn't been for a loyal subject's keen eyes, the poor dogs would've lost their homes. I... forgot about that. I am sorry, Gypsy... I'm usually better at keeping tabs on those sorts of things."

"They have a thing for scamming others off their land, do they?" Obsidian asked, beginning to wonder if garnering their help was a good idea in the first place.

"They have a thing for scamming, period," Celestia replied. "Any way they could make a bunch of bits, they were there. Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres, Los Pegasus... anyplace they could separate others from thier funds, you'd find that pair."

"But their final escapade landed them in water that was almost too hot for them, if you get my meaning. Then Flim's hip went out, and Flam got a bum knee... and they ended up here, after all was said and done. They were mischevous, but now they're closer to the twilight of their lives, and they mostly just enjoy being here, inventing and relaxing."

She grinned. "Though, for what it's worth, they seemed rather excited to help you."

"And that's... a good thing, right?" Obsidian asked. Hopefully they wouldn't try to scam the Crystal Ponies off of their own property; the poor things already had hard lives, thanks to her dear father and his unpleasant method of ruling.

"I'll do my best to repay you for all this, princess - a thousand bits is a lot of money, right?" Obsidian had lived in Ponyville for a bit now, but in her past life, she was more used to thinking about economics on a grander scale. She never thought she would ever have to deal with money on so personal a level.

Celestia waved an indfferent hoof. "No need to worry - I have plenty of bits; think of it as repayment for helping with the Umbral Incident. Just keep doing what you're doing, and I'll take it as paid in full."

To be fair, it sounded like that logic made sense, and Obsidian couldn't deny that she fully deserved at least a bit of recognition. After all, she did save the world. Twice.

Sure enough, when they arrived back at the cottage, Luna was munching on a cupcake with only two more left on the plate. She looked up and raised an eyebrow. "So, I take it they were amendable?" She asked her sister.

The alabaster-coated alicorn smirked knowingly. "For the right price, of course they were."

Luna rolled her eyes. "Of course they were."

Obsidian gave them a hopeful grin. "I can hardly wait to see what they come up with - they seem to be quite clever and shrewd."

Luna just sighed. "A bit TOO shrewd; make sure they don't wander off with your siblings, is all I'm advising."

"If they wander off with them, they will probably die rather quickly; I doubt they would know how to handle either Jade or Amber very effectively," Obsidian said as she echoed with a sigh of her own.

Celestia took up the tray and floated it over, offering the last two goodies to their guests. "Here - take them, before Lulu does."

Gypsy reached out and took one, staring at it with big eyes before popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly. Obsidian considered the other one carefully.

By Darkness, it should be physically impossible to make cupcakes that good; they were practically god-tier. For a moment, she could feel a severe craving... an utter lust for sweets, rising within the depths of her very soul, threatening to overpower her at any given moment, to become a writhing ball of desire for nothing more than the sweet, sweet sensation of these ambrosial confectionaries...

"I, er... thank you kindly, princess, but... I believe I'll pass. I'm not quite used to eating more than one serving of sweets at a time, I'm afraid," she said with true regret in her voice. They were so good that she would possibly commit a crime to get one - so, by her own logic, she should most likely avoid this forbidden pleasure.

Best not to be tempted onto the path of wickedry... even with chocolate.

Celestia nodded, then looked to Gypsy and motioned to him with the tray; he gladly ate the last one with puppy-like glee... though Luna looked a bit put out by missing it. When he looked up at her wearing crumbs all over his muzzle and hoodie though, she gave a small giggle behind a hoof.

At least the cupcake went to the creature that deserved it most, and everyone was happy (except for Obsidian's stomach - but come on... she really shouldn't eat sweets that made her feel as if her coltfriend was lacking in any way).

Celestia sat down gently, then looked over to Obsidian and her friend. "So, Gypsy... what do you think of the Friendship Academy?"

The diamond dog's eyes lit up. "Oh, i-it is w-w-wonderful! So m-many other b-beings, all in one p-pl-place, and so much to l-learn! This one is s-so glad he was accepted!"

The alicorn smiled, and even Luna gave a grin at that. "And you, Obsidian? How are you finding life in the modern century?"

"It's considerably more... pleasant than back in the old days, I'd say. Far more lively; my father looks better than ever. I only hope that I'll run out of villainous siblings soon, so I'll be able to enjoy the modern era without worrying about invasions, Dark Magic and similar pleasantries."

Celestia nodded. "Yes, I know a thing or two about errant siblings," she grinned at a chagrined Luna.

"Yes, well... I also know about forgiveness, as well," Luna added, making her sister blush a bit.

"I will gladly forgive their every transgression as soon as I'm sure that they don't want to destroy Equestria," Obsidian mused under her breath. "... this, er, quarrel of yours happened not too long after my father's first defeat, yes?"

The two alicorns looked at each other uneasily, but Gypsy spoke up. "Y-yes - there ws a... d-d-difficulty... between th-them, a-a-and-"

"Difficulty? Is that what we're calling it now?" Luna spoke up with a catty look, but Celestia sighed.

"Yes, my sister and I had an argument that grew worse as time passed, and she and I came to..."

"Blows, sister - we attacked each other, and YOU won, exiling me to the moon for a thousand years. It's in the past, Cici; it's okay."

Celestia nodded. "Our subjects tended to sleep at night, so Luna wasn't getting the attention she rightfully deserved."

Luna now gave a kind smile. "Yes, thank you... and sending me away was one of the hardest things she ever had to do."

"IS the hardest thing I ever had to do," Celestia kindly corrected, "and it still bothers me to this very day that I had to do it."

Luna shook her head. "I wasn't exactly in my right mind, either - you did what you thought you had to do."

So they managed to beat Discord, defeat her father - and then, somehow, their own relations came to such low levels that they started a fight. It sounded dreadful - if, after this kind of adventure, two sisters such as these could stand against each other... then maybe Obsidian should worry more about her own friendships?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that..." the unicorn began.

Both sisters held up hooves. "No, it's okay, really," Luna interjected, "it's in the past, and if we never really got past it, it wouldn't be a subject worth approaching... but we did, and now it's just another of Life's little lessons for us."

Celestia smiled. "Arguments aren't the end of relationships; they can prove just how strong a bond can be... even if it takes time to realize it."

Obsidian tapped her chin. Should she find something to argue about with Cupcake, then? "Gypsy, my dear friend, is there anything you'd like to ask? About history or... something?" She supressed an urge to ask another question - this time about the battle with her father. It was surely an interesting story and sadly, Obsidian didn't know very much about it.

Gypsy blinked, then nodded slowly. He stepped towards the princesses, his nervousness visible, but he still stood there, gulped, and spoke. "Th-th-this one w-w-wonders what it m-must be like t-t-to actually b-be a p-p-part o-of hist-t-tory?"

To be fair, Gypsy didn't have to ask that one - he was a part of history himself at the moment! Even when their bodies rot away and their bones turn to dust, they will be still remembered as the heroes who defeated wicked King Sombra... at least, as long as the historical facts don't get massively distorted, given time.

Celestia grinned. "Old. It's just being old, and not having any visible end in sight. That may sound depressing, but I see it as a wealth of opportunity - to learn, to change, to embrace things as understanding comes. It's a chance to really see what the world becomes as time passes... and honestly? It's amazing."

Luna shrugged. "Past Equestrian history is an interesting subject, but I'm afraid I'm not of much help there - I spent most of the time away from Equestria itself, and believe me when I state that Lunar history is exceedingly dull. But," she grinned lightly, "to have been a part of what I have been? Yes, I also find it simply amazing at how much can change, and how fast it often does."

Celestia looked at Obsidian. "Our turn."

She and Luna looked at each other, then Celestia motioned to her sister, and the pretty blue alicorn spoke up. "Tell me, Obsidian... I have heard much of your friends; please, indulge us about what you think of them now that you've become more acclimated to life within Equestria, and if you believe they are as worthy of your time as you are of theirs?"

"Ohhhhh... good one, Lulu!"

"Princess... I believe they are more worthy of my time than I am of theirs. Without them, I wouldn't have changed after I was captured. They are my friends, my teachers, my guardians... and I can only hope that I'm a good enough friend to make up for their toil. I still have some problems with understanding the complexity of abstract ideas such as friendship or love, but... I think I can safely say that I honestly love them." She thought for a moment. "... and then there is Cupcake, who is in an altogether different category, of course."

Gypsy blushed a bit at Obsidian's words, and Luna nodded. "I am glad to hear such; since our..." she glanced at the diamond dog, "... journey together when we first met, I have been curious to see if you paid heed to my advice. And it seems you have, at least somewhat - and that pleases me greatly."

Celestia, however, looked interested. "I hear you saying words such as 'captured', and I wonder... do you still believe the Crystal Empire to be your home, or are you more likely to ever accept Equestria?"

Obsidian couldn't help herself but shrug slightly. "Technically it's the correct term, and it doesn't have anything to do with my preferences for the Empire or Equestria. However, I do like living in Equestria; I feel good here and I certainly enjoy my house, but I feel a bit nostalgic from time to time. I'm curious about the place where I was crafted, and I sometimes miss how much more simple the old days were... even if I now know that it was hardly a good life."

Celestia nodded, but Luna was smiling. "Did I hear you correctly? About Cupcake Sprinkles? A different category, you say?"

"Now, Lulu," the older sister gently chided, "it's her turn, isn't it?"

Luna gave a slight chuckle. "Fair enough... count that as my next question when my turn comes again, then."

"Well, the two of us are a pair, princess - we live together and everything," Obsidian immediately sated her curiosity. "However... do you know, perchance, what turned my father into... well, into what he became? I hoped I could possibly, sooner or later, find something in his writings that pertained to it, but I never found time to ask Princess Twilight for permission to see them..."

The two princesses looked at each other with a grim glance, then together they sighed, and Celestia addressed her. "We have no evidence to prove the theory, but... I believe it was around the same time that Radiant Hope disappeared. It's my opinion that her departure pushed your father to become... well, villianous."

"He did truly care for her - as a friend, a confidant, and possibly even more," Luna continued, "but as to where she went and why she simply vanished off the face of Equus is beyond even alicorns like ourselves to know."

Celestia nodded. "There have been some investigations, but nothing has turned up about her that we know of... unless you've gotten more information on the subject than we do?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, have you? Radiant Hope was a good mare; I hold hopes that her ending was more of a pleasant one than... well, than the one that a stallion like your father might have had in stock for her."

"You said Twilight Sparkle has his writings?" Celestia asked.

He turned villainous around the same time she dissapeared? "She was saying something about that, yes. As far as I remember, Professor Fluttershy also read them... or at least overheard some details from Princess Twilight," which felt like it was ages ago, "and Radiant Hope is the closest thing to a mother that we have. According to my brother Diamond, she helped father create us - split his soul. And from what I gather, something went wrong... but he didn't get into details. Yet. I hope to discuss the subject with him after releasing him from his shard."

"Well, all the same, you might be better off if you made certain you had someone to protect you there when he is released... perhaps Stalwart Stance? Maybe even Thunderclap Dash?" Luna was a bit worried about such a thing, but her sister just smiled.

"Maybe he truly does know something; if you find out, might we hear about it as well? As for Twilight Sparkle, I'll have a chat with her, and see if your father's writings would be made available to you."

Luna gave a serious look. "I would advise you to take caution; remember, what is learned cannot easily be unlearned."

"I'm not afraid of knowledge, princess - at worst, I'm afraid of what I might do with it... but I'm hopeful that I've already become moral enough to refrain from trying to conquer world or such," Obsidian solemnly promised. "And... is it Gypsy's turn now? Your turn, possibly?"

Gypsy started to try to say something, but his tongue kept tripping up too hard at first. He sighed, shut his eyes, and tried again. "W-w-w-would you ever p-p-possib-b-bly wr-wr-write a b-book ab-bout your exp-p-periences? Or a s-s-sc-scr-scroll c-c-collection?"

Celestia pondered for a moment before speaking. "I'm not certain there would be enough scroll paper to capture everything... but maybe a book would tell enough."

Luna, however, laughed. "As for myself, I don't think 'A Millenium of Moon Rocks' would be a bestseller, for some reason."

"The idea of living on the Moon sounds interesting, though. Could the local soil be used for farming? Did you have any troubles with breathing? I wonder if there are any resources below the crust..." Obsidian mused.

Luna gave a small smile. "Well, this is rare; questions about the Moon itself? As best I recall, the soil is dead and dreary, and is more dust than actual soil - just a LOT of it. And I seemed to be able to breathe perfectly fine... though it has plagued me, on occasion, that I cannot understand why."

She then gave a shrug. "As for what is under all that dust and rock? I suppose I only knew about the craters I made, and those showed me nothing more than more dust and rocks. I did make a number of attempts to do something to alleviate my anger and boredom... however, it was fruitless."

Now Celestia looked a bit sad. "Luna, I'm-"

"Oh, stop it!" She grinned at her sister. "I told you - that's in the past!"

Oh well; no point in settling the Moon, it seemed... or perhaps the idea just needed more research. "I apologize; I ruined the order, and I asked one question too many. Your turn, princesses..."

Celestia and Luna both giggled. "No need to be so formal, Siddy," the white alicorn smiled, "we did retire from ruling status, so technically, we're all the same here."

"Even your adorable friend," Luna added. Gypsy's blush was evident, and he gave a sheepish grin at Luna's compliment. "But yes, my question earlier? You and Cupcake make an... interesting pair, no doubt. Tell me, what is it like living with him?"

"Ummm... I suppose the easiest answer would be 'completely different from living with my father'. It's as if I have almost no responsibilites, at least compared to my old life - but plenty of affection. He cares about me, I care about him, and I simply feel good in his presence. He's just... warm. Not just physically, but I mean it metaphorically as well; no hunger, no sadness, no grand scolding for minor mistakes... really, it's like... living in paradise. I'm glad I scored him," she added with a smile.

Now both princesses gave her shocked expressions, and Gypsy simply looked confused. "Ob-b-bsidian... do you kn-know what th-th-that terminology m-means?"

Huh - what a strange reaction. "Um... that we're a pair, right? D-did I say something wrong?"

Celestia looked stunned, and Gypsy was still a bit confused... but Luna let out a peal of laughter. "Oh, I believe I understand now!" she said, "and yes, I believe you truly scored in finding such a kind stallion who loves you as much as you apparently love him."

Celestia looked to the dark alicorn, but Luna just smiled at her. "I shall explain it later, dear sister - I have discovered modern slang to be fascinating, so I am able to understand what she is saying... unlike a certain stick-in-the-mud I know."

Celestia gave a humph. "I've always thought slang was uneccesary and somewhat silly... though I do like a few phrases. Lulu, is the term '23 Skiddoo' still common parlance? I liked the sound of that one..."

Luna stifled a laugh. "Oh, sister... older, yet not always wiser."

They both chuckled at that, while Gypsy sat down next to Obsidian again, giving her a look as if he was trying to figure her out. But now, Obsidian was getting a bit worried. She stepped carefully closer to Gypsy. "No, really - did I say something wrong? You know that I'm sometimes rather bad with slang and idioms," she whispered.

Gypsy leaned closer. "Th-this one b-believes your w-w-w-words were t-taken as... w-well, remember w-what this o-o-one taught y-you on the t-tr-t-tr-train? T-t-to say you h-have sc-sc-scored i-is to say y-you have d-d-d-done... th-that. The t-t-t-term is d-difficult to use s-s-s-somet-times."

"We can hear you, you know," Celesta fixed a humorous look on Obsidian and Gypsy. "and questions would be far better asked aloud than at a whisper."

"Oh. Oh. Oooooh..." The first one was for the realization of what 'scored' truly meant... the second was for the realization that she'd said it aloud... and the third was for Celestia saying that she heard them anyway. "... I believe I used the wrong term, then."

She was quite puzzled, though - perhaps Cupcake didn't know what it meant as well?

Celesta waved her concern away. "Don't worry about it - I believe we smply mistook your phrase for... well, something else."

Luna eyed her sister skeptically. "Yes... sex, Cici - you can say it, you know. Even if you have never experienced it."

Now the older alicorn was blushing brightly, and Luna looked as though she were amused by her sister's discomfort. The dark alicorn turned back to look at Obsidian. "Since the subject has been broached, may I inquire as to whether or not you and Cupcake have had sex yet?"

"LUNA!" Celestia gasped, "That is not a proper question!"

Luna simply shrugged in response. "Mere curiosity, mostly - and no, you have no need to answer that question, if you feel as strongly as Cici the Virgin does." Celestia grumped at Luna, and Luna smiled at Celestia.

"No- I mean, yes- I mean... yes, you can inquire, and no, we haven't." Obsidian, with her issues pertaining to social interactions (courtesy of her father and his rather extreme and strange methods of upbringing), wasn't as embarrassed about it as any other mare her age would be... though Celestia's reactions were somewhat strange. She still had a bit to learn about social norms.

Luna nodded. "As I suspected; your love is still young, and there is much time to experience such things. I will tell you that it is a... unique sensation, and quite pleasant if done with a gentle and devoted lover."

Celestia blushed hotly. "Luna... I truly do not want to hear about your... your... escapades!"

Luna laughed. "Oh? And I have to listen to you speak about the many, many things that Canterlot depended on you for, each day... so, with myself being subjected to your boring conversations, I believe I should have the right to speak about..."

She leaned forward with a mischevious smirk. "Sssssseeeeeeexxxxxx..."

Celestia stared back at Luna, blushing a bit. "Lulu - it's a subject that is taboo to speak of! Would you presume to tell her how foals are made, as well?"

Gypsy raised a paw. "Th-th-this one a-already d-d-did tha-"

Luna laughed grandly. "And how much authority DO you hold over me now?"

Celestia looked insulted, but Luna looked like she was going to burst into giggles at any moment. Gypsy just looked concerned, and slid a bit closer to Obsidian... who was starting to suspect she should rather talk about the subject with Cupcake. Or perhaps with his mom; after all she was, well... a mother. She surely knew what to do, when to do it, and so on, and so forth. "Gypsy... what have I done?"

Gypsy sighed, then slowly stood up. "Th-that is en-n-nough! This o-one thinks you t-t-two need t-to calm down, b-b-before anyth-thing b-b-b-bad happens."

The two alicorns looked at him in a bit of shock. "But, this is how we are with each other," Luna said.

"Yes, we're not going to fight over this... simply argue a bit that's all." Celestia added.

Gypsy was shaking with fear, yet stayed standing. "It is unp-p-p-p-pleasant t-t-t-to witness th-this, and we would b-b-both ask th-that you p-pl-p-pl-please s-s-stop."

Luna and Celestia looked at each other... and smiled softly. "Of all ponies, Obsidian, I'm certain you should understand at least a bit, don't you? You've been living with your own siblings, and have experienced at least a fraction of what that's like, yes?" Luna offered.

Obsidian stood up as well to try to calm Gypsy down... with a hug; she didn't have any better ideas. "To be fair, princess, I think that of all ponies, I'm the last one who should be asked about relationships between siblings," Obsidian admitted.

Luna shook her head and chuckled. "Perhaps we would be better to speak of such things privately in the future, yes?"

"Perhaps, princess - I'm not sure. Eh... probably? As far as I have come to understand with families, ponies ask their parents about things they don't understand, but... I do not believe that would be an option in this case." Though un-stoning King Sombra, just to ask him about 'sex', might have been entertaining.

Luna stood up, came to Gypsy, and embraced him as well. Obsidian felt the diamond dog go stiff, but Luna spoke softly into his ear. "My apologies to you, Gypsy - we did not mean to discomfort anyone, especially our guests."

The diamond dog now seemed to be transfixed on the dark alicorn, and he went from stock still and solid to a bit leaning and soft. Obsidian could see him blush even brighter at being embraced by an alicorn. Celestia then rose and joined the group hug. "Yes, loyal diamond dog; please forgive us. We've gotten used to each other... but we apparently have forgotten that not everypo-... I mean, everyone can appreciate or understand such. I am truly sorry."

"Sorry Gypsy - I had no idea this conversation would discomfort you."

Gypsy just nodded; his eyes were on the dark alicorn who was hugging him. Celestia stepped back and sat down again, and Luna soon followed suit.

Gypsy just stood there for a moment, then slowly took his seat next to Obsidian. "N-n-no, it's ok-k-kay. Th-this one j-j-just thought... h-he should s-s-say something t-to stop the f-f-f-fight."

Celestia sighed. "You're right, Lulu - he is adorable." Gypsy's blush threatened to claim his entire body, and he now began to fidget with his paws, looking down at them.

"And so, to be fair," Luna said, "maybe we should ask YOU questions, kind sir?"

Obsidian wondered briefly if Gypsy made any origami for princesses before. She'd suggested it yesterday, right? It wasn't manipulation; she just thought he would enjoy making something for them, and they would enjoy getting small, folded gifts.
It will be wonderful to interact with these friends without anything threatening the whole world, so Obsidian wouldn't have to worry about this kind of thing, and just enjoy learning more about friendship...

Oh dear... what if they were embarassing him a bit much? What if he'd become upset that Obsidian had brought him with her?

Gypsy looked back and forth between the two alicorns, and nodded his head lightly. "I-i-if you w-w-w-wish, y-y-your majesties..."

"Remember," Luna said with a kind grin, "we're not royalty anymore - you can simply call us by our names."

Gypsy slid his big paws into his hoodie pocket... then his muzzle lit up, and he pulled out his paws, balled up. "Th-this one h-h-has something f-f-for you as w-well. H-here," he held out the paws and opened them, "f-f-for you."

On each paw pad sat an alicorn; each one was colored to match the two, and their cutie marks were drawn on carefully. Both mares looked quite impressed.

"Gypsy, that is excellent origami! I have always been a touch jealous that I don't have such things as fingers as you do; this is only further proof that diamond dogs are capable of great things." Celestia praised him, and Gypsy actually gave a tiny smile.

"Adorable and artistic? I daresay that he keeps growing more interesting by the moment," Luna added.

Then again, considering the amount of praise he was currently getting, he might be somewhat satisfied with this visit, after all. Princess Luna particularly seemed to be interested in Obsidian's pup friend and his arts. "And he's a scholar, too. None of my friends knows history as well as he does," she added. "Gypsy is a pon-... er, a diamond dog of many merits."

He blushed at Obsidian's compliment, and smiled when she mentioned his favorite subject.

"History?" Celestia now raised an eyebrow, and gave Gypsy a bit of a grin. "Indeed? Well, then perhaps a test of sorts, just to see HOW well he knows his stuff?"

The diamond dog's tail began to wag softly. "O-only if y-y-you w-wish."

Celestia now sat forward in her chair. "Who was it that discovered Mount Arris for the ponies of Equestria?"

Gypsy answered promptly. "Tart Pickle, during a r-run to deliver a caravan of g-goods to the town of Foalanoke, which n-no longer exists."

The alicorn smiled. "Good! And where did the Battle of Bastion Bulwark take place?"

Gypsy's eyes were now focused on Celestia. "In the valley of Buffalo Ridge, on what i-is now the site of the town of Appleloosa."

She focused back on him. "The Great Cherry Shortage?"

"Manehattan, during the reign of the classic g-gangster Al Cap Pone."

"First crossing of Ghastly Gorge?"

"531 years ago - by YOU."

"Pick's Pride?"

"Guitar Pick, 872 years ago, caused the flooding of the Mason Basin, now known as Manehattan."

"The return of Discord?"

"Caused b-by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, 35 years ago - and reformed by Professor Fluttersh-shy."

Celestia sat back and clapped her hooves merrily. "Oh, he's brilliant! Very good, Gypsy!"

The diamond dog smiled broadly for the first time since entering the cottage, and he even gave a bow. "This one th-thanks you. That was f-f-fun!"

Luna, smiling while rolling her eyes, turned to Obsidian. "So, what are your plans from here, if I may ask?"

Obsidian smiled slightly; she herself could have answered roughly half of the questions - she still had a lot to learn about modern history. She was really doing her best - all the time - no matter how much it cost! Though, to be fair... it was rather exhausting sometimes.

"Go to the Crystal Empire... move my siblings somewhere safe... release Diamond as soon as I'm able to come up with an explanation as to why there's another brother of mine walking around freely... then check on Pola industries and the oddly damaged trees near Mount Arris... then I'll focus on releasing brother Jade without harming him or anypony around." There was something else... it felt like there was always something else...

"I hope that Quartz really just wants to live a normal life, and that for once, I'll have a family reunion that won't end in battle. Then I would only have to deal with Amber, because I sincerely don't want her mind controlling anypony. And then, a nice, long vacation."

Luna gave a smirk. "Sounds like you have your work cut out for you; honestly, should you need my assistance again, do not hesitate to call for me. As it is, I shall be blocking your dreams as you've requested, until you're certain that Amber will no longer invade them."

Celestia and Gypsy were now engaged in their own chat, so Luna turned her attention to Obsidian fully. "May I ask why you feel you would need an explanation of why Diamond would be present? Would the truth not be acceptable, that he was found?"

"Well, if word got out, Princess Twilight could find out about Jade and Amber, and I... I'm still a bit worried she could simply lock them away. In both cases, it could end badly with Amber trying to read the minds of our other siblings, and with Jade's constant torment..."

Obsidian thought for a moment. "I can only hope that Amber won't invade the dreams of Amethyst or Tourmaline. I really should focus on learning more about mind controlling magic as soon as possible," she muttered with a slightly frustrated tone. Come on, her father surely didn't need that many children! Now, poor Obsidian had to suffer again and again because he wouldn't stop crafting new fillies and colts...

Luna grew a thoughtful look for a moment, then nodded to herself. "If you wish, I can act as their guardian; my presence will relieve Twilight Sparkle of her fears, and you and I can discuss how to approach assisting your sibling Jade... after all, I believe I know a bit about redemption," she grinned.

Did she have the right to bother Princess Luna with this? "It could seriously interrupt your retirement, princess... but I would appreciate the help. The various problems with my siblings are sometimes a bit... overwhelming," she admitted hesistantly. It wasn't as if she didn't care for her siblings - she did - she would simply prefer to care for them from a safe distance, and without the constant threat of another apocalyptic event hanging over her head.

Luna waved a hoof. "Nonsense - it would help alleviate a bit of the boredom. Plus, I'm giving you permission to tell Twilight that I am involved; whether or not I actually am is another matter." She tossed a wink at Obsidian.

"Jade is fully convinced that he is a monster, completely undeserving of anything good in life. Even if I do manage to lift his curse, I would have to look for the help of somepony more experienced than I to help lift his spirits; I believe it would be far too difficult for me to do alone. I doubt I could significantly help his trauma with a few hugs."

Obsidian wasn't sure what Luna exactly wanted to say with this 'actual involvement' she'd spoken of... but she assumed the alicorn knew what she was talking about. By Darkness, Jade was really going to require a lot of help; perhaps Obsidian's past life may have terrified most of her friends, but compared to him... she was outright spoiled.

"Hmmmmm... and yet, you claim you've spoken to him within your dreams?" Luna pondered this a moment. "Mayhaps I can visit him through the DreamScape, and speak to him directly, so that I may be able to discover a way to help him... or at least to help you. Pain and misery are no strangers to me, and I may be able to reach him where you have been unable to. However, I make no promises - all I can do is try."

"I... I would appreciate your assistance, princess. Jade's fate..." she shook her head, "honestly, turning my father into a statue was too good for him," Obsidian finished angrily. Such a cruel and wasteful creature he was - brilliant, yes... but his daughter's respect for him was dwindling more and more with each atrocity she discovered.

Gypsy now brought out more paper, and Celestia began to speak to him about different kinds of animals while Gypsy's gifted paws went to work. "And you say this 'Diamond' will be harmless? Are you certain?" Luna inquired.

"About Diamond, to be honest... no, I'm not. Though Ruby speaks quite highly of him, but I can't help but worry about a kind pony who somehow managed to stay that way under my father's rule. If anything, I'm slightly worried he might decide to be 'kind' and try to heal our father from his stone state."

Luna nodded. "Then I would say that it would be important for you to get to know Diamond as quickly as possible, to ascertain if he would do such a thing without permission or not. Kindness is an Element of Harmony, but it does sometimes come with a price that may not be suitable - or feasible - to pay."

"As for Jade... I will take my time with him, and will use caution to make certain this is no trap. But you have my word that I shall try; I know all too well what it means to see thyself as a monster, and I would be a poor example indeed if I were to merely give up on such a case."

Gypsy presented Celestia with an origami sea serpent, and Celestia clapped her hooves.

"You have quite the work ahead of you, do you not?" Luna asked with a smirk.

Luna may have been taking it somewhat lightly, but Obsidian actually was considerably less pleased with the amount of work she had ahead of her. "Oh, yes... I will be a very busy mare for quite some time," Obsidian rubbed her temple with a hoof.

School would have to wait, work would have to wait, any sort of social life she might have would have to wait... and though she regretted it, there was a certain pony that had once taught her that the needs of a single pony should be sacrificed for the needs of the many.

Of course, said pony had since been turned into stone, and he'd hardly been living by the virtues he had tried to instill into his precious tools, made only to act as placeholders for a new body. But still...

"Did Princess Twilight ever feel that the tasks on her shoulders were too big for her to carry? Did you, perhaps?" She was worried - was she becoming lazy? Or perhaps she was simply too weak too handle it all? "I really hope we get to meet one day without me begging for help with yet another dangerous problem, princess."

Luna smiled knowingly. "Twilight Sparkle, for a while after her transformation, seemed to feel that EVERY task she had to undertake was too big for her to handle; she used to panic quite often, and had a very nervous thought process that would always seem to put her in the worst possible state of mind. Thankfully, she overcame that mentality, and grew to be quite the fair and confident princess you see today."

"As for myself, well... I had always been told I would rule, and so I got over most of my panic as a filly. Most of it. But there have been times I have been stuck in a proverbial rut, and had to get assistance to make my way through it." She smiled kindly. "It is okay to ask for help when you need it, Obsidian; it's learning to realize when its' needed that's the tricky part."

Obsidian sighed deeply - 'when it's needed,' eh?

"Then I feel completely justified in asking for help with Pola Industrial and Jade," she said as she actually managed to crack a slight smile. Small steps; three siblings here, three siblings there, and each one with their own diffculties and idiosyncrasies to deal with, for better or for worse.

And first things first.

"I will do my best to repay for your help, princess... and I really do hope to meet under better circumstances, someday; it would be a shame if the only time I ever end up walking around Ponyville is when one of my siblings runs amok." Besides, she didn't want the princesses to think that she was leeching off their goodwill.

Luna actually gave a slight chuckle. "You know, there are a number of similarities between yourself and Twilight... including your gratefulness. And you're always welcome to call for me in your dreams, as I cannot help but hear - which, believe me, is not quite as handy as it would appear to be."

Similarities? Truly? Hmmm... well to be fair, Obsidian couldn't help but notice a few: Saving the world. Unicorns using plenty of magic. A noticible library fetish. However, Twilight's parents appeared to have a bit more concern with quality over quantity - at least when it came to children.

"Hopefully, that means I should get wings too; I could most certainly appreciate that additional similarity," Obsidian said with a small chuckle at the idea.

The indigo alicorn thought for a moment. "Pola Industrial might be a situation you should slide into with careful caution, as I am unsure if this Opal will even be a threat; mayhaps you should not reveal your true nature to her until you know for certain she will be a problem?"

"Opal... well, considering she's participated in forgery of a royal signature AND gotten her hooves on some Dark Magic scrolls... I would say I'm a tad concerned about it, yes. Even if it didn't mean any grave danger to Equestria, somepony has commited a crime, regardless. But I believe I agree with you about not revealing my nature immediately..."

She thought for a moment, considering what she could possibly be instead of herself. "Oh, I know - I can pretend to be somepony completely normal; it would be the very LAST thing anyone would ever expect of me! But really, I'm sure I can come up with something..."

Maybe Eloquence could help her? With his (and possibly his mother's) help, she could pass as a lesser noble or something like that, stopping in for a visit and wanting to see the spectacle of proud progress, and perhaps check the place out, thinking about some rather generous noble investements into the industry...

Then again, maybe not; she wasn't sure she could act so insufferably stuffy for so long. Maybe she could just go and apply for a common job there? Perhaps her friends would have some better ideas...

Luna nodded. "I happen to know that there is a changeling who frequents the Friendship Academy who might be able to help you come up with a proper disguise. He tends to get around a good bit, and he has yet to be found out - unless he wishes to reveal himself, that is. His name is Markannus, and he has a different identity in every town he goes to; he's the Thursday Night Bingo Caller, here."

Obsidian facehoofed - a bit harder than she wanted to, practically slapping herself. "But of course! I didn't think about the most obvious solution! I had no idea that he had so many secret identities, though... but I suppose it makes sense. I'll have to remember to talk to him; maybe he could come along with Cup's sister Patty, and we could go en masse to meet Opal for ourselves... and hope that she currenly manufacturing weapons, armies of artificial murder-ponies or anything else that looks like it was taken straight out of the Science Fiction section of the library."

As Luna nodded in agreement, Celestia smiled and leaned in towards her sister. The white alicorn once again had a crown gracing her brow... but it was made of carefully folded origami. She went eye to eye with Luna.

"I am the Queeeeeeen..." Celestia said with a smirk, "of Paaaaaaaay-perrrrrrrr!"

Obsidian smiled slightly at the ancient, living-fossil of a princess. She was so different from her own father... and he'd spent thousands of years imprisoned, was apparently dead for a few years, and then eventually got ressurrected just to be turned into a statue... while Celestia, during her entire, broad lifetime had built, then co-ruled, then solo-ruled a prospering nation which still stood today. It spoke volumes about the preferred style of rule in this magical land.

"Cici, good grief, you sound ridiculous," Luna chided, yet giggled at her sister's antics. If only Amy would do some silly things like that; but noooooooo, she had to be all murder-facey. Sometimes, Life just wasn't fair.

Gypsy made his way back over to Obsidian's side... but now, he had a firm wag to his tail, and didn't seem nervous at all.

"This one m-m-made the crown," he told Siddy with a smile. It was obvious who had made it, but he was so pleased, it would have been a shame to rain on his proverbial parade, and especially after just getting over his nervousness around the alicorn sisters.

Markannus... Opal... Peppermint Patty... damnation, after all of this, Obsidian knew she would most certainly have earned - and needed - a proper vacation. Maybe more than one.

"It's a grand crown, Gypsy. Do you possibly have enough material for another one?" Obsidian was now interested to see if he did; after all, Luna deserved one too.

He smiled and pulled out some dark blue paper; Luna gasped with delight.

[Roughly An Hour Later]

Celestia and Luna, resplendent in their new crowns, waved as the two friends headed back down the path, toward the central building where Obsidian could hear what sounded like numbers being called out at random.

"... a-and she knows so m-much about history, because she p-pr-practically lived it!" Gypsy's talk was now quite animated, as he had been quite a hit with the two alicorn sisters; Obsidian herself seemed to have done well by them too, regardless of all the apologies she'd had to make. The talk with them had most definitely been eye-opening, that much was certain.

"Now that we h-have some idea of wh-wh-what can be done, this one w-wonders what the plan is from h-here?" Gypsy asked Obsidian, his tail still wagging from their visit with living, breathing history.