//------------------------------// // Thirty One: Snugglebunny Playtime // Story: Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra // by Randimaxis //------------------------------// At the table, seated in a slump in one of the kitchen chairs, was a very bedraggled, exhausted-looking Amethyst. She looked as if she'd been running a marathon all day long; her mane was limp with sweat, her coat matted, her eyes narrow and tired. Even her tail simply hung there off the chair. She had Cup's carton of orange juice in her hoof, and by the time Siddy came into the kitchen, she already had the carton up to her mouth, gulping noisily. Just how did she manage to sneak past them? Or perhaps Cupcake didn't notice she snuck out of her room? Obsidian took liberty of sitting down in one of the other chairs, focusing her sights on her suspicious sister. "Hard training routine, Amy?" she started carefully. Amethyst put the carton down on the table, belched soundly, then turned a weary eye to her sister. "Not like you care," she grumped. Great. First she ruined the mood, now she was getting grumpy. Obsidian sighed deeply and counted to ten. "I'm a busy mare, dear sister of mine, and you haven't really done much more than complain, these past few days. If you don't feel too welcome here..." She had nothing. She had nobody. She was dangerous... "... then, perhaps you'd like to hunt a bit?" Fine - Miss Pie said not to give up on her; Obsidian hoped beyond hope that she would turn out to be right. "I've heard that Ghastly Gorge is, er... exciting. And the local beasts probably taste better than that fake meat you keep buying. This trip would be only you, myself... and perhaps some spices to flavor the bounty?" Obsidian was praying in her head to any deity, higher power or spirit that would listen that Amy wouldn't react negatively to the offer. Honestly, if they did go, Obsidian herself would probably prefer to just bring a bag of hay with her. "Now, about your training..." she began. Amethyst sat up. "My training is none of your business, and I'll thank you to keep your fat flank out of it. Dope." Wow... she must be tired; that insult was hardly an insult! However, she looked as though she really were pondering it over for a moment. "... hmmmm... Ghastly Gorge, you said?" Wait... was it working? "Yes. It's far removed from civilization, it frankly sounds better than gallivanting through the Everfree, and I need a place to train my Dark Magic," Obsidian added. Amethyst's entire body language changed when she said those words; the mare sat up, and her eyes went wide... and she gave a smile that said she was eager to see what Obsidian looked like in action again. "Oh-HO! So, you're finally gonna listen to your sister, and start actually trying to TRAIN your Dark Skills? It's about time!" She got up (though visibly slower than usual) and stood in front of Obsidian. "If you think we HAVE to do it somewhere where we'll be able to get away with it, then I suppose an old crevasse will do the trick well enough. Not like I haven't worked with less, honestly - it's a decent start! And YOU!" She smiled again; it was getting creepy. "You've surprised me here... I was completely certain you'd just let your Dark Magic wither, atrophy and die... but here you are, actually wanting to train!" She moved over to the table again and sat down. "So, does this mean you're honestly possibly considering taking over Onyx's work?" Hunh. Obsidian had expected some kind of scowl, baseless anger, perhaps another accusation or just plain and simple grumpiness; she didn't expect to see Amy so enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. And taking over Onyx's work? Uuuuh... slavery was bad, Umbrals were evil, and Sombra was merely an idiot who managed to get himself defeated three times in such a short span - once by a part of his own soul forced into a crystal! But it hardly meant that Onyx didn't have good insight into a few matters. "As far as I remember, sister Onyx suffered a very nasty case of 'bodily explosion'... so perhaps 'taking over' would be a bad idea. I have my own ambitions and interests, after all," she explained calmly. Besides, her official research topic of Grey Magic included mixing both Light and Dark Magic - and to achieve that, she had to work on both branches - even though she still wasn't comfortable with the idea of mixing magic from two different sources. And then, there was her pet project of researching the origins of the Umbral Shards... and the fate of Butter's long-lost brother, whose bloodied clothes were found around their destination. Most likely, it would be almost impossible to find anything after so long, but Obsidian was still curious and hopeful. After all, Butter was supposed to be one of Cup's best friends - so the Grey Princess should also be interested in her well-being, right? "No, I mean her CONQUEST plans! She'd drawn up some really complicated plans - said she was looking forward to turning them over to Father personally, but..." She shrugged; the nicest reaction to Onyx she'd yet seen from Amy. "Your own ambitions and intere-..." She suddenly stopped cold, and her previous scowl settled back into place. "Waaaaaaait... why am I getting all worked up over this? I know what'll happen: you'll practice Dark Magic, but you won't actually use it, will you? And if you do, your 'ambitions and interests' usually lie with something cheery, sunny or - FEH! - adorable." She facehoofed. "Why would it be anything else? Just another let-down, like everything else in this miserable era..." She almost seemed to have to drag herself out of her chair, and she turned to head to her stairs again. "But... still... Ghastly Gorge would mean I'd have to spend almost an entire day without Tourmaline or your asinine coltfriend around... so fine. I guess when you decide you want to do this, you can let me know. Even though I think this is some sort of stupid plan or something to get me to be all saccharine-sweet like you are... I'll go." Conquest, eh? Well, when Obsidian becomes an alicorn and then a princess, she won't need to make conquests any longer, right? "I'm not sure about cheery or sunny, exactly... it's about raw, real power. And you know, my favourite living sister... turning you saccharine-sweet like me would be a waste. You could enjoy life a bit more, but you aren't really cut out to be cutesy," Obsidian shrugged slightly. "And besides, we'll get some real meat... that is, IF we can figure out which creatures are viably edible, of course." Amethyst stopped at the foot of the stairs, leaning against the wall for support, yet not turning to face her. "Obsidian... why are you being so nice to me?" She sighed, and slowly turned to meet her gaze. "I've been nothing but a thorn in your side since I was 'generously' given the attic in this dump... I've taunted and called you all sorts of stuff... I've been as unpleasant as I can, hoping you two would just throw me out on the street, so I could just go wallow in my own misery..." She sighed again. "But you keep being nice to me. Why? I... I don't GET it. What's in it for you?" Why was it that Amy couldn't get it? For a pony who apparently lived longer in Equestria than Obsidian had, she really didn't seem to get the whole friendship theme and so on. "You hoped for that? What, you don't like your room?" Obsidian cocked her head a bit to one side. "There's nothing in it for me, Amy; frankly, you could be a blind, deaf paraplegic... and I would still care about you. You are my sister." There it was. Nervous about blades, unsure of motives, and generally uncomfortable because of Amethyst's presence... but they were family. And Obsidian wasn't about to give up on the possibility of HAVING brothers and sisters - even one as difficult as Amy was. Amethyst stared for a moment at Obsidian. Not with a scowl, nor a smirk, nor any sort of facial expression... just looked at her, as if seeing something she hadn't noticed before, and was committing it to memory. "... and you are mine. Whether either of us like it or not." With a strained sigh, she turned and made her way back upstairs slowly, taking time with each step she took. It was strange, but... it was actually an interaction with Amethyst that didn't end badly. She didn't yell or goad; it was just a conversation - though with some grumbling - and it had ended well enough. Though it may have been nothing to any passing observers, or to those who didn't know them... For Amethyst? It was a marked change. Obsidian rubbed her temple - she seriously needed to get cupcaked right now. Hopefully, their joined carnage in Ghastly Gorge would bring them a bit closer to each other, because Obsidian didn't want to throw her away - getting her to the point where she could live on her own was one thing, but just sending her away was another. Siddy turned to head back to the dining room. Maybe she could eat a little something sweet to improve her mood a bit... When she reached the kitchen door, she almost ran muzzle-first into Cupcake who was making his way in. "Whoa! I was just coming to check on you; it was WAAAAAAAY too quiet in there for it to have been Amy, so I thought there might be a burglar," he said meekly, putting down the rather large and intimidating umbrella he'd been holding. "Are you okay? What's going on, love?" Running muzzle-first into Cupcake wasn't the worst thing that could happen to her. In fact, she continued the forward movement of her head until she buried her muzzle into Cup's chest fur. "Mmmmmmm... well, I planned a field trip with her. Should be fun," she explained, nuzzling his chest with enthusiasm. He grinned and brought a hoof up to wrap around her neck, pulling her against him and nuzzling her back, letting his muzzle come to rest in her mane. Again, she heard (and felt) the lightest of sniffs; Pinkie had been right. "A field trip? With HER?" He looked concerned for a moment, then blinked and smiled at his love. "Well... I guess she kinda IS your sister... and it's not like I don't get it, y'know; remember Blue?" He pulled her with him into the living room again, trying to guide Siddy to the couch... where he could properly snuggle her. OOH! Obsidian had an idea! A lovely idea! She made a mental note to check on a few things tomorrow. After all, if she practically proposed to Cup already, she should give him something to symbolize it with, right? Of course, she should deal with a few other things first... including finding one, specific changeling to plan an infiltration of Pola Industrial... but she couldn't neglect her relationship. "It's hard to not remember Blue, Cuppy," Obsidian chuckled as she let him guide her to the couch. Couch was fine. Couch was great. "Well, after she got out of her 'filly' phase, it took us what felt like forever before we got along... more or less." Reaching the couch, he gently guided her onto it, got her to lie down, went around to the back and stepped over, wiggling in behind her until she was neatly spooned on the couch, her Cupcake right behind her. "Once she reached her tenth summer, she fought, pulled manes, teased, taunted, and was generally a big butt," he went on, "so it was about, oh, I'd say my thirteenth summer before we finally clicked. We'd both been assigned the task of cleaning up the warehouse, and neither of us wanted to do it." He grinned. "So, I made a game out of it; for every ten boxes put away, the mover would get a piece of candy. Naturally, as I moved boxes, I got faster and faster... but Blue was determined to get that candy, and she kept up with me, despite not having my Sugar Powers." He chuckled at that. "By the time we ran out of candy, the warehouse was spotless; because I'd made a game out of it, it only took two hours - and it's usually a minimum of four to get it done!" He hugged Obsidian tightly to him, and she could feel his warm, sweet breath across her neck and shoulders. "Blue told me it was pretty cool of me to figure that out, and we've been okay ever since. Maybe not perfect... but okay." By Darkness, she was really happy here. The feeling of Cup's body pressed against her back was one of the best things she felt she could ever get in life... and a few other said best things were also connected to Cup. "Perhaps I should bribe her with sweets, then?" Obsidian chuckled once again, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the embrace of her coltfriend. "It would be wonderful to be okay with Amy. And if she would be okay with the rest of the world." On one hoof, she was looking forward to their shared bath... but to get to the bathroom, they would have to leave the couch. Such a terrible dilemma. Cupcake's warmth felt like it was joining with her own, the result being the ball of warm comfort they now made together, there on the couch. "Maybe that's the key, you think?" Cupcake pondered. "Maybe she just doesn't know where she fits into this new world, and it's got her feeling mean, or maybe the mean stuff's more of an act, and she's actually depressed?" He sighed, taking in a deep breath while buried in the luxury of her mane. "Either way, something needs to change, there. I keep waiting to see if she mellows out any... but if she doesn't, I don't know how much longer I'd want here here. I mean, please don't be mad at me about it, but I don't know how much longer I can live with someone who I'm afraid will eat me if I fall asleep alone." "I was also wondering if-or-when Amy and/or Tourmy would move out on their own... er, b-but let's change the topic, Cuppy, please? I just had an actual pleasant discussion with her, and at the moment I'd just like to allow myself to be a bit hopeful about it," she whimpered, breathing evenly. Maybe she should visit a hairdresser? Take care of her mane a bit more for him. "Ah, also - I learned that 'scoring' doesn't exactly mean what you think it does, Cuppy," she said as she attempted to change the topic on her own. "Because, well... I used a sentence including the words 'score' and 'my coltfriend' next to each other when I was talking with Princesses Celestia and Luna and, well... it turned out to be somewhat... humorous." Cupcake looked at her with a quirked brow. "It doesn't? I always thought... I mean, I'm sorry if I gave you bad information or something; I had always heard that it was-..." He then gave a small giggle. "Well, just proves that nobody knows everything. But then, if that's not what it means," he asked, "then what does it mean, Siddy?" Ah, her lovely coltfriend. So happy. So innocent. So gosh-darn-heck cute. "Sex," she explained plainly. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Snugglebunny playtime?" he asked with wonder in his voice. By Darkness, how much did Miss Pinkie use this term!? "... yes, Cuppy. That," she said with a sigh. Cup stared for a moment... then, he began to fidget and squirm. "But... b-b-but I've never... never ever... done, um... THAT... b-before..." A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead... and yet, from behind her, his body seemed to be reacting as well, but in a totally different manner. "I mean... I m-m-mean, do you really wanna... with me? I KNOW I wanna with you, b-but..." He blushed hotly. Did she want it? She actually hadn't thought too much about that particular point. She knew that it was something ponies in pairs were doing... that it's apparently pretty pleasant... and can lead to foals. For her, it was just another interesting aspect of life she hadn't explored yet. "Now now, Cuppy... I was simply explaining what the term actually means..." Wait. Waaaaaaaiiiit... did it mean those gossips in school were saying that she'd already had snugglebu-... had sex with him? How very annoying. "... but yeah... sure, I guess," she added quietly, slowly half-lidding her eyes. Cup was actually quiet for a bit... but he snuggled tightly with his mare, and placed a line of tiny kisses along her neckline, right where it met her mane. It made her spine tingle. "... iloveyou." It came out as all one word, but it was clear what he meant as he held her close to him, as if daring the world to try to take her away. His breathing was a little heavy, and she could feel him reacting to her (his body was as honest as he was), but he simply nuzzled and snuggled her, content just to be in the presence of his beautiful princess. Ah, the pleasures of the body! Of the mind! Of... other things, too! "I love you too, Cupcake," she purred. Perhaps she was a little curious to take a peek behind her... but, alas - his kisses had the magical power to melt down her spine into nothingness, forcing a blissful lazy peace onto her. "... and I want you to be happy... happier... the happiest. So, well..." she finally turned her head a bit, to look at him with eyes wide and seeking, "... would that make you happy?" His smile was the stuff of romatic ballads. "YOU make me happy, Obsidian - anything else is just icing on the cake." He kissed her in a manner that blew his smile away, and made Obsidian shiver with how delicious it was; it even tasted sweet. She never really had the chance to hear any romantic ballads - in her old life, she obviously didn't have access to them, and in her new life she was busy with so many other things. It was very nice of Cupcake to provide her a real life equivalent. She started to breathe a bit deeper, feeling... somewhat strange. Heated. Excited? Perhaps. "... so... about our shared bath..?" Cupcake stood up from the couch, taking Obsidian into his forelegs, and moved her onto his back, where she could put her own forelegs around him. He then headed for the stairs that led to their own room and bath. He walked slowly up, making sure not to overbalance her, and carried her all the way to the bathtub, where he began to prepare the water as he let her stay where she was, with him warm and soft beneath her. Well, he was really enthusiastic about it, it seemed! Obsidian didn't expect that - she'd kind of planned to try this special way of walking she'd heard about, that somehow makes the plot the most active part of the body... but this was nice too. It was quite the novelty, and while it wasn't the fastest way to travel, she had no reason to complain; she could nuzzle him the entire way upstairs. She had just enough of clarity of mind to magically snag the special thing in her saddlebag - the results of her recent visit to the pharmacy. Once the bathwater was drawn and slightly steaming, he stepped into the tub and, without taking her off his back, he slowly sat down in the water, sighing as its' warmth took hold of his body. He then grinned and slid further down into the water, until Siddy herself was immersed in the tub. He then turned and looked back at her - but it was just the very top of his head; two eyes, a wet mane and his ears. He blew a single bubble underwater from his snout. A nice, steamy bath - that's exactly what Obsidian needed after the last two days... and perhaps the two days before that as well, considering that she immediately went from 'saving the world from a Peridot-ridden Midnight' to 'trying to smuggle her siblings across the border undetected'. However, compared to the pleasure of being with Cupcake, a hot bath barely meant anything to her. "Now now, Cuppy - stand up a little bit, or I won't have easy access to your kissable lips." That, and he would drown - this was an important fact to remember. His head slipped underwater... then, he suddenly lunged up out of it, his forelegs on either side of her as he was just THERE in front of her, and he planted a solid kiss on her lips. "RRRRAWR!" he growled playfully as he broke the kiss, "I'm the mean ol' nasty hydra, and I wanna nibble on ya!" He began to give tiny, barely there nibbles at her cheek, her neck and her shoulder. "Om nom nom nom nom... now, you are my prisoner! And I shall keep you with the rest of my treasure, because you are so valuable to me! RRRRRAWR!" Oh yes, that was the Cupcake she loved - he was always able to surprise her, no matter what the situation. It was almost making her a little concerned about his possible ideas for snuggl-... other activities. Almost. "Oh no! Whatever am I supposed to doooooo?" she tried to exclaim in a dramatic fashion - even though she couldn't stop giggling. "Just don't devour me whole, you nasty hydra, you!" Cup grinned evilly, then lunged at her - and closed his mouth around her left ear. Gently. "Nom," he spoke softly into it. "I starts here." It was surprisingly amusing. "And end wherrrrre...?" she asked with a sultry smile. He froze for a moment, his brain trying to figure out what to say... then, he gave a deep, low chuckle. "... anywhere I please, because you're MY prisoner... though, I might be able to think of a few places that I was told about..." He ran a hoof down her chest, almost lower... but instead, he then leaned in and moved his mouth to her cheek, nomming it fiercely. "Ear was nummy; time for cheek." The water was hot, her coltfriend was cute and loving... it was the best possible thing. She really should have done this earlier, even without any discussion about snugg-... foal-making-without-foals, it was simply great. "Mmmmm..." Obsidian sighed, "oh, do try to spare my lovely horn, scary monster! I do so like it... even more, since it got straightened..." Cup's smile grew, and he moved slowly from her cheek to her forehead, then onto her horn. He wasn't using even a single tooth on her; his nibbles were all lips, and he even gave it a few soft kisses. "... is this what they mean by being 'horny', you think?" "Maybe," she giggled while Cup kept playing with her horn. It was surprisingly sensitive for something that, in theory, looked just like a strange bone, and it made her wiggle a bit. "So - that would mean we are both horny, right? Sounds good to me..." Cup gave a giggle of his own. "Then I think I like it!" he said as he then moved right down to her muzzle and >BOOP!< stuck the tip of her snout in his mouth! "Nom," he repeated with his mouth full. Siddy playfully crossed her eyes trying to focus on her soon-to-be-devoured snout. "Oh no, not my nose! How will I smell without it?" Cup gave something between a sexy chuckle and an amused giggle. "You'll smell beautifully, 'cause bath, remember?" Good - he got it. But of course he would have; he was Cupcake Sprinkles, after all. His kisses now began to make their way down her face, to her neck, to her chest. She felt little tingles under her skin where his lips touched, and he even gave a stray nibble of two as he did. However... now he was beginning to get low on her barrel... and she found herself reacting in a gradual manner, her breath getting quicker, her body putting off a bit more heat, the way every tiny touch was like electricity on her flesh. By... well, by Harmony, it was simply divine. It wasn't just a physical pleasure - she doubted that it would feel as great if she didn't love Cuppy so damned much. And she was starting to get rather curious about the next surprises he had prepared for her. Her hoof reached down to stroke his mane as she started to pet him carefully, calmly. Her foreleg was shaking slightly...until Cup placed a calming hoof there, and looked at her with a nervous smile. "Uhhhh... S-Siddy?" A blush began to creep up his face. "I, um... I w-wanted to know if... i-i-if you might be willing to... I mean, there's this thing, um... I..." He stopped, closed his eyes, took a deep breath and calmly let it out. "Obsidian, my love," he started again, in a somewhat smoother manner, "I'd... like to show you this... trick... I've heard about... and I wanted to try it out. On you." He smiled... but it was a different smile; this one was soft, knowing, and very loving. "... please." A trick? Well, whatever it was, Obsidian was sure it would surprise her in some manner or fashion. After all, it was Cupcake she was thinking about - he always knew how to help her realize that the world held even more wonders than she'd ever thought of. "Of course, Cuppy - I completely trust you," she reassured him, "and I just love your tricks!" Cupcake's smile was... strange, but not at all bad. He nodded. "Then close your eyes... and lie back... and just trust me." His head slipped under the water and out of sight. Well, she just said she trusted him, right? There was no other option but to follow his request... and apparently, wait. Hopefully it wouldn't be tickling, she thought - at least half of the water in the tub would end up out of it in a hurry! It was strange; at first, it didn't seem like anything would happen at all. Then, his hoof came to rest on her inner rear thigh, and began to slowly massage... then, he followed with his right hoof doing the same... and then- SWEET FUCKING DARKNESS! WHAT WAS THAT!? It felt liiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH... Was heeeeEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOHHHHH... That was his toooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH... And he waaaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHOOOOOHHHHHH... In herrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH... Yes. She did love his tricks. And he was always surprising her - it was more blissful than anything else she could have ever experienced. In fact, the last time she felt this incredibly overloaded was... maybe when she was powering up using the Amulet of Light? No - even then, it didn't feel THIS great. The young mare opened her mouth and tried to calm and slow her gasping. She hadn't even opened her eyes yet - Cuppy had asked her to close them, so she was complying with his request. Her tail was twitching nervously underwater, being the only reaction she wasn't able to completely hold under control - at least, the only one at the moment. This... thing... he was doing was sending jolts and surges of pleasure through Obsidian, and she felt as if she would melt away into the tubwater. He stopped momentarily, and his nostrils surfaced. There were a few deep breaths, and then he went back under... and back to what he'd been doing - except this time, he was practically shoving his muzzle into herrrrrrrRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOHAAAAAA... The pure bliss of whatever the Tartarus he was doing continued for another twenty minutes, where Obsidian discovered that there were things in life that are better than even the best foods, the best dreams, the best days... but not the best coltfriend. Oh, no - nothingwas better than that. Especially right at that moment. When his entire head finally surfaced, he was wearing a deep blush, and was panting a bit himself... but he was more intently looking at his love. "Was... d-d-did I do it right?" If he was doing it wrong, then Obsidian was kind of scared how it would feel when done right. It felt like her own, private heaven, and she barely noticed the flow of time. If anything, she was a bit surprised that the water was considerably cooler by the time Cup returned to the surface. "Y... Yes... Yes, you did, Cup. By Harmony..." Obsidian was already barely able to sit or breathe without panting hotly... and yet, it was just the beginning. "I... I thought you would stop after... a-after..." How could she describe it... what could she say? "Are there other... t-tricks... you'd want to try on me? Or maybe a trick you've heard about that I... could try on you...?" He was obviously more experienced, despite it being his first time. She had no other option but to rely on him... but it was such a sweet reliance. He gave a nervous grin. "I'm just glad I... I mean, I'd never done that before..." His voice was uncharacteristically soft and husky, and held a sense of awe in it. "I just... heard that it felt good, so... I wanted to try it out... and I never liked anyone enough to try it with them before. As for more than that, I, uh..." He fidgeted a bit. "I know how snug-... how sex works, but I really don't know too much about what to do other than... um, wh-what I was told was the usual way." He looked thoughful for a moment, then looked to her again. "Maybe... we could... experiment?" Experrrrriment... "Oh, I am certain we could... however, perhaps in, well, our bedroom? The water is kind of cold..." She smiled nervously at him. It was going to be very interesting, whatever came next. Cupcake's smile evened out, and looked sultry. "Then I guess we should move to where it'll be... more fun..." He now picked her up out of the water, and set her down on the chair at the vanity mirror. He took up a towel, and he began to dry her off... slowly. He took his time, his hooves and the soft towel flowing over her figure until she was mostly dry; her mane and tail were still damp. Once dry, he then did another surprising thing: he stood up on his rear hooves and picked her up in his forelegs. With her in his hold, he then walked - on two hooves! - to the bedroom with her. "I love you so much, my princess," he said as he carried her over the threshhold. Surprise after surprise, tonight. And strangely enough, for all the advantages this bath had over normal one, they forgot to properly clean themselves. "You are so... Impossible," she giggled. With any other stallion, she would be a bit confused and somewhat concerned for her safety with a stunt like this - but it was Cupcake Sprinkles. They entered the bedroom, and Cup nudged the door closed with his flank. It was a very interesting night. ~>-<~ Ruby looked quite frightened and a bit disheveled. "Obsidian, wha-" ~>O<~ Cup's soft little snore greeted her in the morning as she woke from... Sweet. Darkness. Harmony. Whatever... last night had been something she would never, ever forget. But why her dream had been cut off again, she had no idea. It had been a very intense, interesting night - and Obsidian had been really looking forward to her chat with Ruby. So many things had happened lately - she'd rescued three of their siblings, freed one from his shard prison, proposed to Cupcake (um, kind of - she still didn't know it would be understood as such, but she was fine with it) and, um... A talk with her older sister would've been perfect - but it didn't happen. Why? Just... why? Even such a grand and glorious night simply had to be tainted with anxiety and nervousness. Did Princess Luna forget about her request? Maybe the message simply didn't reach her yet? Or perhaps... Obsidian sighed heavily as she tried to wiggle out of Cup's sweet embrace. Looking over at him, she smiled warmly and softly kissed his forehead before getting to her hooves. So today she had to... meet with Tourmaline. Discuss her little idea - ooh, perhaps with Eloquence? Check on adorable little Diamond. Find Markannus... somehow. Also, she apparently had to go to the post office send another, more urgent message to Princess Luna. Whatever was happening with Ruby, it seemed to scare her - and Obsidian, as well. But first things first - she was practically starving. Downstairs, the smell of hay bacon seemed to fill the entire house. At the stove was Tourmaline, who was busily making breakfast as Gunther, sitting at the table, was speaking to him. "... an' I don't evah wanna be dat close to water - heck, you seen what that stuff does ta wood, right?" "Well, I guess that's another one off the list," Tourmy replied, "so we can-... Obsidian! Good morning! Hope you don't mind Gunther joining us for breakfast, do you?" Mmmm... breakfast prepared by somepony else was always great, particularly this morning. Less things to do for Obsidian, more time to focus on the important stuff. "Of course not - good morning Tourmy, Gunther. And how are you, this fine, wonderful morning?" She trotted to the pantry get some bread for herself. "Gunther's a bit irked due to some setbacks, but it's nothing he can't handle. I, on the other hoof, feel grand this morning. And how about you, sister?" Gunther motioned to Tourmy as if agreeing with his statement, then sat back again and put his claws behind his head. "If what I heard last night has anything ta do widdit, I'd say she's feelin' pretty good right now." The griffon tipped her a knowing wink. Obsidian had enough decency to blush. "Y... yes, I feel great. Was it that loud? A-and when did you two come back? I thought you were going to spend the night elsewhere?" Tourmaline looked back at them both from the stove. "What was that loud?" Gunther quickly spoke up. "Nothing, nothing... just something I overheard after I carried your flank back home from the bar." He looked at Obsidian, and after Tourmy shrugged and turned back to the stove, the griffon put a single claw in front of his beak, smiling at her. Well, Tourmy would find out sooner or later anyway. "So... you spent a night at the bar?" Bread, butter... some water - plenty of water - she felt dehydrated as Tartarus... "This guy was gonna nut-up if he stuck around the house too much longah; your sister's a capital-tee-total punk, by the way," Gunther said to her. Tourmaline growled a bit from where he was at the stove, but said nothing more. "So's I figger, take 'im out and let 'im get good and liquored up, then bring him home and stuff him inta bed. Worked like a charm, din'it?" Obsidian tilted her head a bit, curious. "... Total punk? What does that mean, praytell? And it seemed that it worked perfectly, yes. I may not know much about alcohol, but... shouldn't you two be suffering from some sort of side-effects from it? I think I read something to that effect, anyway." Gunther laughed. "Not when yer drinkin' with a pro like me, ya don't! I know a few good ol' home remedies fer a hangovah, and i used at least three of 'em on Tourmy; he's fine as sterling silvah!" "He means," Tourmaline answered from the stove, "that Amethyst was being exceedingly rude to me yesterday, and it was getting to the point where I was starting to want to kill her again... but that's when Gunny here got me out of the house." "Oh." Not just plain rude, but exceedingly rude? Amy really had to have done her utmost best to rile up Tourmy that much... and that was combined with the knowledge that he was still quite hostile towards her, and hoped that she would be thrown out. "Well, I think sister Amy doesn't take to this new situation as well as we do, Tourmy. In fact, I'm planning a small field trip with her - it should cheer her up a bit, I think." Tourmaline finally finished on the stovetop, and brought Siddy a plate of the aromatic hay bacon... with a slice of toast, too. "A field trip? With HER? ALONE?" Gunther just chuckled. "Eh, slow yer roll, T - if Obsidian can take down Sombra, I'd like ta think she can handle a magic-less creampuff like Amethyst." "I plan to have a lot of fun hunting with her. And yes, alone - it means we could have some real, proper sisterly bonding! It will be wonderful," Obsidian said cheerfully. The smell of the hay bacon was simply divine - almost as good as Cup's, just in a different way. "Thanks, Tourmy. Also, brother Diamond is in Princess Twilight's castle - he seems to enjoy modern times. Would you want to welcome him later?" Tourmaline's head swiveled to meet her eyes as if it were spring-loaded. "DIAMOND??? He's HERE!? Wha-... whe-... you found Mundy!?" He suddenly got up from the table, a huge smile breaking across his muzzle like a wave. "Seriously? You found him? Where WAS he? Is he OKAY? When did THIS happen!?" He looked over at Gunther. "She found Mundy!" The griffon chuckled wryly. "So I gathered." Toumaline made his way over to Obsidian."Yes, yes, a THOUSAND times yes! Diamond is here, he's alive... Siddy, that's wonderful news!" Okay, Tourmy also loved him - he simply HAD to have been a really great guy. As soon as he starts speaking Equestrian properly, Obsidian hoped to enjoy introducing him to her friends. Especially Cupcake, considering that they were apparently going to get married. ... damnation, what a sweetly-terrifying thought! "To answer your earlier questions, he was within the Crystal Empire, and I saw him after I decided to take a peek in on my old room, after my fight with Peridot. Jade and Amber were also there, and they are currently also secured. Princess Luna offered to help with Jade, as soon as we manage to do something about his... condition," Obsidian sighed. If Tourmaline's muzzle had lit up like the sun at the mention of Diamond, it became a rictus of sheer horror at the mention of the other two. "JADE!? And AMBER!? Obsidian, ARE you CRAZED!? DO you KNOW what THOSE two are CAPABLE OF!?!?" Now, he looked panicked, and his eyes were a sea of nervousness. "Amber alone could spell the end of all of us... and Jade? He's a MONSTER!" "That's why I thought it would be a good idea to secure them and keep them safely under supervision, instead of abandoning them in a place where somepony could potentially free them. Princess Flurry Heart found them first, but luckily she didn't try to do anything with their shards. Besides, Jade is merely a victim - he wasn't that dangerous when he only had his sneaking talents, right?" Oh, that bacon tasted as great as it smelled... Tourmaline shuddered. "Obsidian, YOU'VE never SEEN Jade! He's so full of poison, he glows! His breath alone can kill! Just being NEAR him can make you sick! Plus, in case you weren't aware, he can become invisible! So pardon me for panicking, but the thought of an invisible stallion who can melt steel and make others sick just by being around them makes me fucking scared to death!" Gunther now sat forward, looking a bit concerned himself. "And that's peanuts, compared to Amber! That mare is waaaaaaay too clever for her own good, and she has a willpower the likes of which Equestria has never known! Siddy, she might take the alicorns, for crying out loud! And once she controls someone, they are hers, no matter what!" Obsidian blinked. Then blinked again. "... brother, when did she ever have any sort of opportunity to test her powers on alicorns? And yes, of course I know that Jade is dangerous in his current form - which is why I actually feel more safe knowing that he's been secured, and that nopony can release him by accident." Tourmaline paced nervously. "Siddy, Father trained Amber to take the minds of all manner of beasts and ponies... I'm fairly certain that, given the chance, she could take an alicorn. After all, she'd really only need ONE; the destruction she could cause through a single alicorn could potentailly kill us all!" "Whoa whoa whoa... Tourmy, calm down! Fer cryin' out loud, she just toldja they were being held safely, yo - stop freakin' out, 'kay?" "Gunther... you don't KNOW what I KNOW about THEM!" "No, I don't... but I know you, and yer 'bout two minutes from a heart attack, if you don't stop all dat right now!" Her brother stopped pacing, sighed, then sat down at the table too. "Obsidian... okay, honestly, finding Diamond was a stroke of genius, but I still think it to be eternally foolish to have taken Jade and Amber, too! Worst of all, in this modern world, I don't even know if Equestria would be capable of handling even one of them!" "Brother... without finding them ourselves, they could be released by mistake. Amber's powers could affect somepony and force him or her to serve her, while we would have no idea where she is. That way, we can release her in a secured room and immediately enclose her horn with so much anti-magical restraint that she'll be effectively crippled." Or, if she's THAT bad, we could always simply grind her shard into gravel, Obsidian's thoughts took a darker note. "Besides, I already fought an alicorn controlled by one of our siblings. I... regret that Peridot didn't survive the encounter, as I'm sure he would know how to heal Jade, but..." she shrugged. Tourmy groaned and dropped his head onto the table. "Ohhhhhh, this is bad, this is bad, this is BAD..." Gunther looked at Obsidian for a moment, then sighed and turned to Tourmaline, where he suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders and planted a firm kiss directly on his lips, holding him there as they kissed. The panic in Tourmy's eyes slowly seemed to drain away during the kiss, and by the time Gunther broke it off, her brother wore a similar look on his muzzle to the one Obsidian got after Cupcake passionately kissed her. "There," Gunther said as he sat back down, "bettah?" Tourmaline gave an incomprehensible mutter, his eyes half-lidded, a smile on his lips. "Ho-kay," the griffon turned to face her, "dat'll work for 'bout another, oh, two 'r' three minutes... so, with dat in mind, I wanna know more 'bout dis. So who's dis Diamond, an' who're Jade an' Ambah?" Good thing Amy didn't see it happen, or the whole secret would be revealed - wait, she didn't see that, did she? "Well, Diamond is our brother. He's, er... rather short, has a talent for healing, and is surprisingly joyful and kind for somepony related to us. Amber is our sister, with a nasty talent for mind control and the ability to use our connections between us. And Jade is another one of our brothers, a skilled thief... but tortured by our father into insanity, and cursed to become a poisonous, walking disaster." It was a short, yet effective description. "Oh, I also found Opal and Quartz, as well... but they are, ah... already free. And not by me." Gunther put on a thoughtful look. "'kay, so... dat means you got, uh..." he counted on some of his feathers, "... what, like... nine of ya? Sheesh, Ol' Sombra didn't waste much time, did he? Still... from whatcha say, dem three you talked 'bout are safe, an' deeze... uddah ponies, right? Like you? Dey're out dere somewhere, loose in Equestria, right?" "Thirteen, Gunther, thirteen. And that's only assuming that I'm really the youngest, and he didn't produce any others." Hopefully his soul was too damaged at this point to do anything else... though his natural foal-making abilities were probably still an option. "And I've even already identified them - Opal has an industrial company and Quartz is a fashion designer. Frankly, I hope that he doesn't plan anything dark and dangerous - I'd love to meet another sibling that won't try to murder everypony around them." Gunther gave a low whistle. "Dat's... a LOTTA sibs, Siddy; yer Pop must be a Casanova 'r' somethin'... ooooorrrrrrr, if I recall correctly, he was a slave lord, so..." His own face wrinkled with disgust. "You ain't tellin' me dat each o' ya were... forced on somemare, are ya?" Obsidian peeked over at Tourmy - did he want the griffon to know? "Well, I know about one mare who sort of, er... helped our father to make us, and she was apparently his only love in life or something..." She carefully spoke a small half-truth, half-lie. She'd told Pepper more details, but Obsidian was going to be part of Pepper's family and Pepper, in turn, would help her with Opal - so it had seemed like a good idea. "No..." Tourmaline now chose to speak, and he slowly began to wake from the dreamy kiss he'd gotten. "... NOT his love... his best friend." Gunther looked back and forth between the two siblings, a confused look on his face. "Father really had no want for any sort of queen," he continued, "because he was intent that Radiant Hope would be his second-in-command. Of course, when she vanished, he was absolutely furious about it... shortly after her vainshing, he created us." Gunther looked at the stallion. "Wait - I thought you said she helped to create alla yaz?" Tourmaline looked at Obsidian. "Did she? I'd always been told she'd vanished before we came into the picture; I don't remember her being there, but there was a lot of talk about her, between the slaves. Nobody knows what happened to her... except maybe Father, and he never was big on sharing information with any of us." "Diamond said she taught father how to make us, and that one of her spells went wrong, somehow. As far as I'm aware, I also apparently look like her. I'm sure that there's a connection somewhere in all of this - but in any case, some of the implications kind of gross me out." Either Sombra really made her to look like his best friend - for some strange reason - or there was something else. Whatever it was, Obsidian was both a bit concerned and very curious about the fate of Hope. "So I assumed that she participated in creation of at least some of us." Obsidian shrugged. "Perhaps Diamond knows more details?" Tourmaline sighed. "Perhaps he does; perhaps ALL of us have a portion of that story, and it would take fitting it all together to make a clear picture? Because, honestly, if Radiant Hope's fate might help us discover more about ourselves in the process..." Gunther shook his head slowly. "Dis is a bit much fer me ta wrap m'head around... I think I'm gonna leave you two to it, yeah? I'll stop back by later ta see ya, T... but I gotta feeling youse two need some talky-time, widdout a nosy griffon amongst ya." Tourmy started to speak, but the griffon held up a claw. "Nope, ain't stayin' put - youse two gotta REAL weird fam'ly, an' I'm just givin' ya a bit o' respect." He stood up, headed for the door. "Later on, Siddy... an' I'll be back fer YOU later, handsome..." Tourmy only blushed a little bit. "So," Tourmaline turned to face her again, "when do you plan on going to see Mundy? Because I most certainly want in on that visit." "Hold on, Gunther - wait a bit!" There was something else Obsidian wanted to talk about, and if Gunther was already there, then he could hear it as well. "I, um... I think I... proposed to Cupcake yesterday." She really wanted to say it - she just didn't want to just put it in the middle of discussing their family issues. However, if Gunther was already leaving, it might be best to come out with it now. "I'd wanted to visit the post office first, Tourmy, because I didn't meet Ruby again tonight, and I'd like to ask Princess Luna about it... but I planned to go meet Diamond as soon as possible. If you wish, I can postpone my other plans so we could go there immediately... after sending a quick message to the princess, that is?" Tourmaline just stared at her for a moment. Gunther, completely taken by surprise at the door, also froze in place. "Did... you... just... say..." Tourmaline sounded as if he was still trying to understand the words that had come out of her mouth. Gunther barked out a strong laugh. "HA! Toldja it wouldn't've been long before doze two hooked up!" Tourmy simply stared. "You. Proposed. To him." Gunther smiled. "Dat's what she said, yeah." The stallion didn't look angry... but he didn't look happy, either; he simply looked stunned to hear the news, and his brain may have been contemplating how to reply. That, or Tourmaline had a mental meltdown. Either way, now they knew. "Uh-oh - do you mean he should have proposed to me? You know I'm not too knowledgable about local traditions," she tried to explain quickly. "but, er... anyway, it would be great if Quartz would turn out to be non-violent. It would be nice to ask him for help with a wedding dress, don't you think?" Tourmaline just stared at her. Gunther looked at him a moment, then turned his gaze onto Obsidian and shrugged. The stallion then blinked, and looked as if he was trying to decide something... then, he apparently made his decision. "I... can accept that." He sat back, looking a bit weary. "I may not exactly... agree with your choice, as he is a ball of sugar, nonsense and goody-goody sweetness, but... but YOU are the one marrying him, so... for you... I will accept it." Gunther cocked an eyebrow. "I'm sure she appreciates yer support, dere... but if she wants ta marry 'im, she's gonna do it. I've seen what happens when DAT mare puts her mind on somethin'!" Obsidian patted her chin. "Plenty of sweetness... oh, yes." And last night, she discovered that in a more than a few ways... Gunther looked at her directly. "Yo, Siddy - you want me to keep dat announcement under my wing, or you mind if I blab about it all ovah town?" He grinned. "At the moment, I'd rather you keep it under your wing, Gunther; I'd like to inform the rest of our friends together with Cup. After that, it can spread like wildfire, as far as I'm concerned. I also want to buy Cup something... do you think an engagement necklace would be acceptable?" Gunther grinned. "Yeah - dat sounds good ta me. You go, girl - do dat thing youse do. I'm headed out; bye Siddy... later, lovah." He went out the door, closing it softly behind him as, at the same moment, the attic stairs door opened and a bleary-eyed Amethyst walked zombie-like to the fridge, where she opened it and stuck her head inside. "Morning," said Tourmy. Amy gave a low grump. So it was a good idea to get those symbols, it seemed. Really, she hoped Eloquence will be able to help her out with it. "Good Morning, Amy!" Obsidian practically chirped at her, happy to see her lovely, wonderful sister... though she didn't seem to be too happy at the moment. Amy gave another low grump, then came out of the fridge with the pitcher of orange juice in her teeth. She carried it to the table, plopped herself down into Gunther's vacant seat, then just took the pitcher in her hooves and turned it up, drinking directly from it. "Germs," Tourmaline said, but got only a glare from Amy as a reply, once she finished drinking. She then gave a decent belch, and looked between the two of them. She looked... strangely worn out. Even after what Obsidian assumed was a full night's sleep, she still looked tired - though, to be certain, it wasn't on the same level as Thunderclap had been after Peridot had cursed her; Amy just looked as though she' been doing far more than anyone knew lately. Not reassuring, but at least she was keeping busy, right? "... are you all-right, Amy? You don't look too good; perhaps you should see a doctor?" Obsidian tried to guess the correct way to approach it. Her self-training, that weird dresser... she didn't look that worn-out yesterday, did she? Hopefully, she and Cup didn't interrupt her sleep that much! Amethyst rolled her eyes. "No. I'm fine," she insisted, "so stop it. I just want breakfast; you two can piss off, for all I care..." She dragged herself back up, and returned to the fridge to search for whatever she was hungry for. Meanwhile, Tourmy looked at Siddy with a bit of real, actual worry on his muzzle. Worry for Amethyst? From Tourmaline? "Lemme get some leftovers, and I'll go back upstairs where I don't have to see OR hear either one of you," she mumbled. "Amy?" Tourmy asked. "ARE you okay?" She turned to stare at him, the look on her muzzle one of shock. "Since when do you care?" Tourmaline's expression soured a bit... but he tried anyway. "Amethyst, we're not rivals anymore; we're not enemies. It took me a little while to realize that, but you seem to be fighting it at every turn. Why?" Amy stopped, then looked over her flank at Tourmaline. "Maybe because I don't wanna be made into some fruity, goody-goody, two-shoes, namby-pamby ASSHOLE; you ever consider that?" She turned from the fridge, and addressed him directly. "I've watched what's been going on here - YOU, Tourmaline, used to be STRONG... you used to enjoy watching others bow and scrape before Father... you were as heartless as I was, at one time. But since we came to this accursed place?" She now came close enough to be almost snout-to-snout with him. "All I've seen is how it's changed you and how it's killed those who wouldn't reform. And I do NOT want to be anyone but MYSELF, thank you very much." With that (and a covered plate from last night's feast), she went back to her stairs and began to stomp her way up them. Okay, that was shocking. Tourmy asking if Amy was okay? Obsidian surely didn't expect that. Apparently it was going to be a day full of surprises. "Amy seems to be surprisingly sentimental of her old days... at least for a pony who, in a short span of time, almost got her horn kicked out of her skull, imprisoned, robbed of magic, somewhat tortured by Onyx and eventually backstabbed with her own dagger, no less," Obsidian noticed. "Perhaps we should ask somepony for some advice? There was that one unicorn with the damaged horn who managed to conquer Canterlot, whom I read about; I think she got reformed quite easily, but her past experiences could impress Amy..." Tourmaline sat there, the look on his muzzle being one of concern and deep thought. "Obsidian..." he stared carefully, "... is it a bad thing that it's possible that Amethyst might actually have a point?" He sat up and sighed. "When I was awakened by Onyx, I truly was a heartless bastard; I stole, I hurt, I even tried to kill you... but then, when you fought against her, then actually bested Father - which I STILL don't understand how - since then, it's like I've been feeling myself transforming into... into something I've never known before. And, well... it makes me think: are we still ourselves? Or are we becoming what Equestria is shaping us into?" Obsidian didn't even have to think about that. "Oh, I know I'm still myself - I'm the very same mare, just one who knows a bit more about the world and doesn't worship a loser named 'Sombra'. Bah, I'd say I'm more than I have been - my plans are my own, my thoughts are my own and so on. When I woke up in Equestria for the first time, I was merely a tool for our father. And I've outgrown that. I mean, did you want to be a heartless bastard? Or were you just dancing to Onyx's tune? How many decisions that were truly your own did you make, the whole time you were working for her?" He looked down. "Honestly? I don't even KNOW anymore; all I know is that Onyx would throw a Nightmare Spell on us if we didn't obey. Amethyst herself spent a whole month inside one, at one point - THAT was for trying to tell Onyx to go... well, let's just say it was physically impossible and really rude, and leave it at that." Tourmaline sighed deeply. "I was manipulated for... well, practically all my living years, either by Father or Onyx. I really don't even know who I am yet. But... Gunther helps... and so do you, Siddy. I may still be trying to figure out what I want from life, but you two have helped me realize that I want my own life." "See? It wasn't you - it was Onyx being an ass... though to be fair, she was also father's tool; she would probably have even found her own purpose in life without Sombra's shadow over her," Obsidian shrugged slightly. "Now, Amy's gotten away from the fucking harmful influence of our sister and our father... but she still considers everything they put into her to be part of her. That's why I hope that our field trip will work well - it's the only alternative to throwing a Nightmare Spell on her myself that I can think about." She didn't know how to cast that spell, but that was beside the point. Tourmaline gave a slight shudder, then looked at Obsidian with a great gravitas. "Obsidian... listen to me. Very. Carefully. I understand you may have meant it jokingly... but you've seen what that spell can do to someone. Seen its' potential. And I have PERSONALLY been on the recieving end of that spell over a dozen times, thanks to Onyx..." He glowered at her. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... if I discover you have EVER cast that one, particular spell? I WILL kill you - or I will die trying. That spell is one that Onyx herself created, and I will be DAMNED if I ever allow it to be used again." He leaned forward. "ARE we CLEAR about THIS?" He then sat back, the anger in him deflating like a popped bicycle tire. "But... you do make a point, though. Maybe... maybe this little outing you have planned might just help bring her to the point where she realizes she doesn't NEED to keep such a deathgrip on her past..." He then sighed. "Or, she's plotting to murder you out there, where we'd never find your body." Obsidian was taken a bit aback by this reaction - she didn't expect such strong vehemence from her brother - and it was a shocking experience to see him that angry at her again. Thankfully, it passed quickly. "If she created it, then it's lost forever, brother - fear not," she reassured him. Though perhaps something could be found in her notes... but Tourmy was right; it was terrible spell. "And if Amy did that, she wouldn't survive for too much longer. She is without her magic, and she would have to deal with the vengeance of some rather dangerous ponies." Tourmaline leaned back in his chair and laughed, loud and hard, for almost a solid minute. Then, wiping a tear free, he looked at her again. "Are you serious right now? Obsidian, Amethyst was one of the most physically fit of ALL of us; Father put her through a lot of strict training regimens, and I honestly think he might have been grooming her to be a royal assassin." He threw his forelegs wide. "Magic or no, she's still dangerous! I wish ponies would stop assuming a unicorn is helpless without their magic; she's good enough to survive for weeks out in the wild, if she really wanted to; don't allow her to fool you into a false sense of superiority - she'll play you like a lyre." "That would explain her training routine," Obsidian mused, "but I still think I will survive. I don't think she wants to kill me... at least, not too much." Besides, they were going to have some fun with Dark Magic. It should prove to be quite interesting; Obsidian wanted to see how much anger she still could produce. "Though, to be on the safe side, I could learn how to teleport before that trip..." Assassin... would she need one? Ever? Killing others was excessively wasteful, after all... could Amy possibly teach her? It could be a useful set of skills to have. Tourmaline nodded. "Probably a wise idea, honestly. Ruby was the one who was our teleporter, she always-..." He suddenly got quiet. Then, without warning, his bottom lip began to quiver and his eyes started welling with tears. "... oh, poor Ruby... I never... got to..." And with that, Tourmaline began to cry; great, hitching sobs filled the kitchen as he put his head in his hooves. "Why? Why? Why didn't I ever show her what she meant to me! She was always kind to me - even when I was an ass to her! She was so sweet, a-a-and..." His sentence dissolved into sobbing, but he tried again, through a teary voice. "I never mourned her until now! WHY!?!" Oh dear. He really had travelled a long road since he'd lost his magic. Obsidian herself had never really mourned Ruby - she was in shock after her death, and for good reason - but mourning somepony who still talks to you is... diffcult. She quickly trotted over to Tourmy to hug him. "Shhhh... It's okay, Tourmy. Ruby... she's still with us." Tourmaline looked up at her, the tiniest glimmer of hope visible among all his despair. "... she... she's alive?" he asked with so much fragile hope. "Her... spirit... lives on within me; I actually chat with her quite often." Obsidian tried a smile on her brother. Tourmaline leaned back from her a bit to look her in the eye, the skeptic inside analyzing her for even the slightest hint of a lie. "Wait... you mean... wait..." he seemed confused, "... I don't... underst-stand..." "Two minds, one body. She only appears in my dreams, though; I don't know how that happenes, but Princess Luna explained some of it to me." Tourmaline just stared at her for a moment, then... "So... does that mean... there's a way to... *sniffle*... t-to bring her back?" That little spark of hope seemed like it was slowly, cautiously trying to grow. "I plan to," Obsidian confirmed with a nod. "We are already made out of shards of a soul, forced into an artificial body; I hope that it would be even easier with a complete soul to work with." Toumaline now looked as though he were thinking in earnest, even through the tears he wiped away. "Then that means... we just have to find, what, a body? Or maybe a way to duplicate the spell that made us in the first place? But... but I don't know that spell..." He shook his head to clear it of the sadness that was trying to nest there. "Okay, then - I suppose we would have to find out who DOES know that spell, yes? For certain, Father knows it... but I'm fairly certain he won't talk. Radiant Hope was the one who taught him... but no one knows where she disappeared to, so that's no help..." He sighed. "So, who else might know of such a powerful spell? Who can create Life like that?" "It won't be an easy task, brother - nor a short one. There are so many options... so many possibilities!" It was an intoxicating thought. "But... first things first, my brother. First, I need to contact Princess Luna, as I wasn't able to contact Ruby tonight and I'm worried about her. The sooner I send her a message, the better. There is also the issue of Diamond..." Tourmy held up a hoof to stop her. "Okay, then - enough talk in this kitchen; let's deliver that letter, then we can go and see Mundy. You know, even if I was never able to show Ruby what she meant to me, I can still show him." Now, he looked a bit excited at the prospect... and it was a bit weird to see him so emotional; he'd been all sorts of nasty and mean when she'd first met him, but now he was so much more than some throwaway side villain. Cup was still sleeping, apparently. Not surprising - after all, he was very active last night, oh yesssss... Obsidian left him a short note: Post office, Twilight's castle, Eloquence, possibly Markannus. That should be enough to find her, if he wanted to catch up. To be a little bit romantic, instead of signing it, she kissed the note and left a lip print. Because why not - it was a signature he could identify, wasn't it?