//------------------------------//
// Thirty Two: Shine On You Crazy Diamond 
// Story: Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra 
// by Randimaxis 
//------------------------------//

Ponyville was as busy as usual; ponies (and other creatures) all around them, doing their daily best to live their lives.  Interestingly, a few passing folks did either call out to or wave at Obsidian; she was known in town now, and was just as welcomed as anyone else here.

And Obsidian waved back merrily - after all, it was the polite and kind thing to do.  That, and her mood after last night's events with Cupcake, spurred her on to reply in such a manner.  In all complete honesty, she was really enjoying being part of a community of ponies who weren't wearing chains or slave collars.

Tourmaline himself was the target of a few waves... from mares who seemed to have a certain look on their muzzles for him.  Pity; were they to know the truth, it would possibly break their hearts.  Still, he waved back and made a rather decent attempt at returning smiles.

The post office was there, with a letter carrier coming out just as they were arriving.  He was a full-grown stallion, though a bit skinny and lanky for his size... but he was most certainly tall, as he nearly dwarfed Obsidian in size.

"Oh, hello," he said with a strange little accent, "might you be wanting to mail a letter?  I'm about to head out right now, and I'd be happy to take it along with me, if you like?"

Ah, how wonderful!  A carrier was already here!  "Yes, I'd like to do just that!  Please give me a moment, as I need to get a proper envelope, would you kindly?"  She was beyond happy - the sooner she could send it, the sooner Princess Luna would be able to reply!

She made a mental note to invite both princesses to her wedding.

The mailpony nodded.  "Right then - I'll wait here for a minute, and once you get what you need, I'll gladly take it where it belongs!"  He seemed genuine and sweet... then again, in the mood she was currently in, even Amy had been a joy to see.

The mailmare inside sold her the necessary envelope (and proper postage, as well), and she got the letter to the mail pone.  He gave a big grin, then shouldered his mailsack and, with a wave, headed out to deliver.  He wasn't even a pegasus... he looked to be just an earth pony.  But he seemed happy about his job, nonetheless.

Obsidian had now sent two letters to Princess Luna; sooner or later, she had to be able to reach her.  If not... then, in the worst case scenario, she would have to ask Princess Twilight for help.  She surely had something to contact them in an emergency.  Considering that it was an important issue that might be dangerous to her and her head-bound sister, so she shouldn't be angry about that.  Right?

"So... onward to brother Diamond, then," she nodded.

Tourmaline smiled.  "Yes, please!  I can hardly wait to see him again... though... he miiiiiiiiiiight not wanna see me very much.  I mean, it wasn't as though I was outright cruel to him, but... well..."

He looked at Siddy meaningfully.  "I have gone through a number of changes, recently; I hope he accepts that."

Obsidian patted her brother gently on the shoulder. "Fear not, dear brother of mine - as long as you are in my presence, he will surely realize that we are all changed and ready to behave like normal, non-pathological siblings."

She pondered for a moment.  "Maybe we could buy him a present?  Some kind of 'welcome to the world of tomorrow' gift?  Maybe a plush toy?"

Tourmy's eyes lit up.  "We could, at that.  And if I recall correctly, he was always a big fan of phoenixes; we could find him a plush one - that shouldn't be too hard to do, right?"

They talked about it as they made their way towards where Diamond was being kept.  A few small stops later, and there was a plush phoenix sitting directly on top of Tourmaline's head.  He'd placed it there as soon as it was paid for.

Obsidian was a genius. This way, Diamond will be happy with his gift AND Tourmaline will have a nice little bribe for his forgiveness.  It was grand to be so wise and intelligent...

Well... okay, so at least THIS was going to work out!

"Now, I do hope Stalwart didn't have to stun him yesterday; he seems to be... quite fond of her," Obsidian chuckled as they made their way toward the castle's approaching path.

"He... wait..."  Tourmaline's muzzle turned up in a smile.  "Really?  The midget with the chip on her shoulder is about the same size as he is, come to think of it.  Wouldn't they just make the cutest couple?"  He laughed at that.  "That is, if Mundy can deal with that hard-boiled half-pint!  She might actually be too much mare for him!"

"Well, there is a small problem with that, as I think Midnight may also be interested in her, as well..."  And in Obsidian herself, but he only said something along these lines once; hopefully, there wouldn't be any problems.  "... but yes, they would.  I quite agree."

"A small problem?"  Tourmy said with a chuckle.  "Good one, sister dear."  Okay, in this particular case, Obsidian hadn't been planning to make a pun with 'small'... but yes, it was kind of funny.  Ha ha.

"But still... have you ever heard anything more about those two?  If not, I'd say Stalwart Stance is available for anyone who wants to try... after all, she's her own pony, isn't she?"  He then rubbed at his midsection.  "Not to mention she has a Tartarus of a headbutt."

"Not really, no - though I may have saved Midnight and the world and immediately started to travel across Equestria to find out more about our siblings and get Diamond to safety... so I'm not exactly in a positioin to catch much news, I'm afraid."  Obsidian smirked a bit.  "As far as I'm concerned, Midnight could literally have already proposed to her, and I wouldn't know anything because I haven't had much chance to talk with ANY of them lately," Obsidian sighed.  Of course, it was a bit of an excessive example... but it should get the point across.

And, ahhhhh... that headbutt had been glorious.

Tourmaline nodded.  "Then that settles it - we should go see short and angry right after we visit short and sweet; there's no sense in allowing your friendships to atrophy, especially after all the work you've put into them, eh?"

The facility they were directed to at the front hall was at the far end; it was in the Scientific Wing, as the guard had called it.  There were a number of ponies here, mostly unicorns, and almost all of them wore lab coats. The receptionist, a cotton candy pink mare with an electric blue mane, looked up at them as they approached.

"Welcome," she said in a very fluid, soothing voice, "how may I help you?"

"Good morning," Obsidian began, "we are looking for our brother, Diamond - a patient here, I believe," she said, hoping it would be enough.  If this mare couldn't help them, the search for Mundy could be a bit more difficult than she thought.

The receptionist held up a hoof and looked over a quick list of names on a clipboard... after a moment, she smiled and turned back to them.  "He is resting comfortably in Room number five; I have permissions here for you, Obsidian, to visit... may I inquire as to your companion?"

"Er... Tourmaline," he said softly.

She looked at the clipboard again, then she seemed to set it back down with a soft sigh.  "I'm afraid that there is no mention of any 'Tourmaline' being registered as a visitor; do you wish to register him now, or shall he wait in the lobby?"

One never wins against bureaucracy.  "Let's... register him, I suppose.  We're siblings, so it only makes sense to allow him in, too."

"Very well," she smiled, "all I need is some information, if you please."

She turned to a screen, and began to wave her hooves over a glowing green crystal set at the base of it.  As she did her waving, the word 'ENILAMRUOT' appeared on the screen from their side.

"Alright then... what I will need from you is a home address, a birthplace, and a quick background check; from there, the rest should be easy." Tourmaline looked at Obsidian with a touch of worry; would he even be allowed in?

"Don't worry Tourmy; you've been getting integrated fairly well, so I'm certain there's no reason to fret."  Hopefully.  Her own word should count for something in this matter, right?

Tourmaline cleared his throat, then spoke to the mare. "88 Cherry Chestnut Lane, Ponyville..."

She waved her hooves, and the words appeared backwards to them again.

"Uh... Crystal Empire?" She nodded, and the rest happened again as before.  Once that was done, the receptionst smiled at them both. "If you'll have a seat over there, I'll run the background checks - as long as you're not a criminal, then you should be all set!"

He turned to Siddy and motioned to the chairs.  When they got there, he shot Obsdian a nervous look. "With this ring on my horn, I might be listed as potentially dangerous!  How am I going to see Mundy if they won't let me go in?"

"Perhaps he will be allowed to come see us?" Obsidian tried to guess. "Equestrians didn't keep me in my room; quite the contrary, as the princess sent me a liaison and allowed me to move around.  I don't see any reason why Diamond would be any different - if anything, he is more friendly than I was!"

It was a nervous moment or two, but then the receptionist looked up from her screen and waved them both over.

"Mister Tourmaline?  It DOES say you are under observation for attempted criminal activity, so normally we cannot allow you to enter..."  She smiled.  "But... as I was reading through your file, a writ of special perission came through, signed by Princess Twilight herself.  The only stipulation is you are ONLY alowed to visit while in the company of Miss Obsidian."

He breathed out a sigh of relief.  "Oh, thank Darkness, I was worried for a moment there!"

"Thank... darkness?"  The receptionist looked at him.

Tourmy gave an embarrassed grin. "Eh, it's... something we say.  Pay no mind to it, please."

The receptionist eyeballed him a moment more, then waved her hooves again, and two slips of paper came out of a small slot on their side. "There you are; keep these with you at all times while you're here, please, and be sure to be respectful of the others here.  Room Five is down this hallway, on your left.  Thank you kindly for your patience."

"Worry not, we are always respectful!", Obsidian assured the mare as she took her slip of paper while Tourmaline nodded, thanked her, and then he and Obsidian made their way down the hall towards Room Five.

Good to know that Princess Twilight remembered about Tourmy - though Obsidian couldn't help but wonder if she remembered about Amy, too.  Though in Amy's case, 'remembering her' probably meant something along the lines of 'arrest her if she attempts to visit Diamond'.

The other rooms around them all had closed doors and no windows; there were slots instead, where presumably, one could look though to see what was happening on the other side.  It felt a bit... confining... but it wasn't a hospital; it was supposed to be a laboratory, right?

"I hope he's awake," Tourmy said softly.

"I hope he already has a liaison.  He should start learning about modern-day Equestria as soon as possible," Obsidian added.

Room Five's door was slightly ajar, and they could hear voices as they drew close.

"{... way the light shone off her beautiful armor, and how lovely her tail was, a-and her amazing eyes!  Oh, I admit, I am stricken by Stalwaat!  She is the most magnificent creature I have ever had the chance to behold!}

That was Diamond, no doubt.

{This one is quite pleased you have found something so lovely in his friend; he does not know if she would feel the same for you, but it is still a good thing to have hopes, yes?}

And the other voice, she was quite familiar with, of course; there was only one creature she'd met yet who would refer to himself as 'this one'.

Good for Stalwart - it seemed that she was NOT chosen to become Diamond's liaison; it might have driven her insane, sooner or later.  As far as Obsidian was concerned, there was only one Nightmare in the history of Equestria - the one that created Nightmare Moon - but a furious Stalwart would be probably just as dangerous.  Also, good for Diamond... who, in this case, Obsidian kind of hoped he wouldn't end up in a relationship with his liaison, as she did.  The mental picture was... weird.

Obsidian knocked gently on the door, which opened slightly, and Obsidian was treated to the sight of Gypsy Rover peeking out of it before smiling broadly and wagging merrily. "Siddy!  This is a p-p-pleasant surprise, y-yes!  Diamond is aw-w-wake, if you wish to-"

"{Obsidyan!  Is that you?}"  The little stallion's voice was filled with hope.

"{Yes, Diamond, it's me!  And I'm not alone,}" she replied cheerfuly.  Immediately after opening the doors she hugged Gypsy as a welcome, and then she trotted to her brother to do the same.  "{How are you two?  Having fun?  Is Gypsy your liaison?"}

Gypsy gladly hugged her back, smiling sweetly as he did.  "This o-one has missed you, f-f-friend.  It is good t-to see you." 

Diamond also eagerly hugged his sister.  "{Oh, Obsidyan!  I am overjoyed to see you once more!  Has Stalwaat come with you too?}"  He looked eagerly towards the door, just as Obsidian's guest entered.

"Diamond?"  Tourmaline said.

It was quiet for all of a few seconds.  Diamond just stared, and Tourmaline stared back.  It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

"{... Tourmaline?  Is... is that you?}"

Tourmy nodded, nervously.

Diamond looked at him a moment more, then asked, "{Why do you have a stuffed phoenix on your head?}"

Tourmaline cautiously spoke.  "{It is a gift for you, my brother... and an apology.}"

Diamond's eyes practically bulged from their sockets - he was quite surprised to hear that!  "{Tourmaline... you are... apologzing for what, exactly?}"

With that, Tourmaline came in, closed the door, and came to sit on the edge of the bed.  Diamond didn't flinch away; he simply watched his brother as if he was trying to figure him out.

"{Mundy, I... have been a horrible brother, and have done you disservice time and again.   I have since learned the errors of my ways, and have begun to reform myself as a citizen of the Equestrian Empire-}"

"{Nation,}" Gypsy corrected.

"{Yes, nation... and to have this chance to see you, after all this time, in this place, with these changes...}" Tourmy took the doll off his head and placed it gingerly on the bed between them. "{... I may not deserve such, and I understand that, but...}"

Diamond reached out and took up the little phoenix.  Curious, he looked it over a bit, then gently set it down next to him, on his bed's pillow.

"{... but... i-if you can see a way to do so... do you think... think I could... be...}"

Diamond simply reached across the bed and embraced Tourmaline tightly.  "{Of course, my brother - you are forgiven.}"  Tourmy began to cry again, but Mundy held him even closer, comforting him gently.

Tourmaline really had made such incredible progress in such a comparitively short amount of time.  And Diamond was already ahead of both of them it seemed, considering how easily he'd forgiven Tourmy for his past sins - though they were unknown to Obsidian.  Considering that he'd tried to kill her, well... she could imagine how unpleasant he could be.

She quietly moved to the side, closer to the Gypsy - after all, she had something to tell him as well...  "Touching scene, isn't it?" she spoke sotto-voce to her friend.

Gypsy nodded.  "It is always g-g-good to see forg-giveness in others, as there are of-f-ften times we require f-forgiveness ourselves, true?  This one is pleased to b-be here to witness i-i-it."  He then sniffed at the air a bit, cocked an eyebrow, and looked at Obsidian again. "This one... n-notices your scent.  It is... sw-sweet.  It is v-very similar t-t-t-to Cupcake, in fact.  Have you c-come from hugging him, p-perhaps?"

Obsidian blushed a bit.  "Um, perhaps a bit... more than that.  I also, erm, kind of proposed to him.  B-but don't spread it around, okay?"

Gypsy looked her over a bit, his own eyes wide for a moment... then he smiled knowingly, and gave Siddy a single-armed hug.  "Obsidian... there are m-m-many things in this w-world that make little s-sense... but you and C-Cup are not am-mong those things.  It is a w-wonderful thing to hear, a-and this one is honored f-f-for you to have shared it with him."

Tourmaline sat back from Diamond, and the two stared at each other for a bit.  Then, calmly, Diamond spoke first. "{You look... different, somehow.  There is something about you that is... brighter... than when last we met.}"  He then gave a little giggle.  "{Which, admittedly, has been quite a long time hence.  Tell me, brother - how have you survived?  How were you awakened?}"

Tourmaline's smile petered out, and he gave a heavy sigh.  "{Onyx.}"

Diamond gave a small start at that, but Tourmy quickly added, "{Do not worry, as she is... unable to harm any of us, anymore.  It is... a long story.}"  He then looked at his sister with a slight grin.  "{One that Obsidian would possibly be far better informed to tell than I would; after all, she was the hero of it.}"

Diamond looked at her with wonder.  "{You are... a hero?}"

Not too long ago, it would have been sheer ludicrousness for her to be with Cupcake.  In fact, it was probably the greatest evidence that Destiny worked in mysterious ways.  After all, she was born a thousand years ago before him, and yet-

Oh, wait - her brothers were talking to her.

"Yes, I..."  Wait, wrong language.  "{Yes, I saved Equestria twice: once from Onyx, and once from Peridot.  Onyx... tried to take over Equestria, while the spirit of our brother tried to commit genocide.  So... yes, I suppose.}"

Diamond looked at her with sparkles in his eyes.  "{Woooooooowwwwwww... you bested Onyx?  AND you defeated Peridot's spirit?  You must be quite astute to have even had the chance to best them!  To outwit Onyx, and to undermine Peridot... I am in awe of your might, my sister!}"

Tourmaline gave a smile now.  "{Oh, she did not do so alone; she had quite a bit of help from others to accomplish this.  Including the diamond dog before you.}"

Gypsy blushed.  "{This one is but a footnote in the annals of history; he was simply happy to have been of assistance.}" 

Tourmy then smiled a bit wider.  "{As well as a certain small guard mare...}"

Diamond's eyes lit up again.  "{OH!  You mean Stalwaat!  Oh, to have seen her in battle must have been a treat for the eyes, yes?}  He looked expectantly at Obsidian, almost begging for an answer.

"{She looked like a goddess of victory,}" Obsidian assured Diamond, "{and there were three other friends that helped us - my coltfriend Cupcake, a pegasus named Thunderclap and the Earth pony Mica.  And with Peridot, I was also helped; at the end, I wouldn't have survived without the help of Princess Flurry Heart - from the Crystal Empire - fighting with him to buy me some time.}"

Diamond listened intently, but he sat bolt upright when she mentioned Flur.  "{WHAAAAT!?  Another princess who sits on the throne?  But how can this be?  What of Father, and what of all of us?  What has become of us, Obsidyan?}" 

Tourmaline sighed.  "{We are displaced; the throne is no longer ours, and Father has been... dealt with in a manner that stands to contain him for quite some time.}"

Diamond looked stunned at the revelation.  "{Oh... oh, poor Father; to have worked so hard, to have put so much of himself into his plans, just for them to... this is a LOT to take in, Obsidyan.  I ache for him, yet I truly am a bit...}"

He looked hesitant to say what was on his mind, but he swallowed loudly and continued, "{... relieved, i-if I may say such a horrible thing about Father.  He was our creator, yes... but he was not very kind to us.}"  He then covered his mouth with his hooves.  "{Darkness preserve!  I did not mean to speak such blasphemy!  Forgive me, sister!}"

Obsidian waved her hoof. "{Fret not, brother.  I was in the group who defeated him, remember?  He was trying to destroy us, but his spells couldn't reach us, and eventually we sealed his magic away.  He is currently contained, and the more I learn about him, the less I respect him.  In fact,}" she peeked at Tourmy, "{I'd call that 'blasphemy' a 'common sense realization'.}"

Diamond stared for a long time, just gawking at her.  Then, he looked to Tourmaline, then Gypsy, then back to her once more. "{But... but... Father trained us.  He was all we had between ourselves and the cruelty of the world.  He kept us and prepared us, so that we would be ready when he needed us most.  It may not have been a kindly upbringing, but it was STILL about bringing us up to where we could do what was needed to keep and grow our... o-our empire...}"

He looked down, and his next words were soft and quiet. "{... and you betrayed him?}"

"{Plenty of that cruelty was of his own doing, brother.  He created us as mere tools, only to be used and discarded by him.  His return alone killed sister Onyx, and as soon as he came back he attacked my friends and he hurt me.  This way...}" 

Her expression hardened.  "{This way, at least he won't hurt anypony else.}"  Even when he returned, she still had hopes that he could be reasoned with - and that didn't end well.  "{Love, especially in a family... shouldn't go in only one direction.}"

Diamond didn't look up; he simply looked confused... and a bit hurt. "{This... this... Obsidyan, love - true, unfettered love - comes whether or not love comes back.  I loved all of you.  And I loved Father.  He may not have loved me, but love should not require love in return; it is to be freely given, and any expectations about returns... sound selfish to me.}"

"{Father sacrificed so much of himself to create us... Obsidyan, we OWED him at least some of our love, did we not?  We would not even exist, were it not for his toil at the Royal Spell Altars... where we were created.}"

He sighed.  "{I... can comprehend why you have done what you have done, my sister... I do not agree, but I can understand.  And I forgive you, as well... for there is no sense to hold any anger towards another.}"  THIS was Father's creation?  HOW!?  How could someone who was so very caring about others - even those who would abuse him - have come from someone like her father?

Obsidian lowered her head a bit to look Diamond squarely in the eye. "{But it does require a positive return; otherwise, it turns into a pathological and sad mockery of itself.  It isn't selfishness, but an honest requirement of a healthy, normal relationship.  All of us were doing everything we could to satisfy our father, but in vain - he saw us as no more than tools, pets at best.  The only reason he was defeated was because I realized that my feelings towards our father should not... must not... be manifested as total, complete obedience.  Especially as it clashed with my love for our siblings and my friends.}"

She straightened her posture once again. "{Eventually, I had to stop him so he would stop hurting my friends.  So he wouldn't kill any more of us.  So he could have a chance to stop the madness he tried to unleash.  In this case, my love towards him manifested in my pleads for him to change... and that's all.}"  Who gave any right to this midget to forgive her for anything?  What nerve!

But... Royal Spell Altars?  Ah, now that was interesting; she wondered if there was anything in her books about them - if so, she could possibly be another step closer to bringing back sister Ruby.

Diamond looked down.  "{I... see that I shall not be heard in this matter.  Then I shall not speak of it again, Obsidyan.  My apologies if I have upset you.}"

Tourmaline leaned forward towards him.  "{Each of us had to discover for ourselves what we truly needed AND wanted from Life; I suspect it will not be long before you reach the same conclusion, my brother.}"

At that, Diamond looked up at him and smiled.  "{You are so very different than you once were, Tourmaline... is this the sort of changes that being... independant from Father has wrought you?}"

Tourmy nodded.  "{They are indeed.  I have discovered that Life is not as bitter as I once thought, I have realized I am worth more than a tool... and... I have found love, Diamond.}"

The little stallion's eyes grew wide.  "{OH!  Have you?  I suspect whomever he is, he is quite a talker, yes?}"

Gypsy looked at Obsidian and mouthed the word 'he?'  Tourmaline just blushed a bit, and Diamond laughed - a very cheery sound, but not loud at all.  "{Yes, he must be.  I am so very happy for you, my brother, to have found so much of living to be worthwhile at last.  I assume this means no more fooling around with dynamite?}"

Tourmaline balked, then laughed.  "{So you recall that incident, brother of mine?}"

"{Where it took four hours to get that single stick of crude explosive from you?}" Diamond grinned.  "{Why would I ever forget?}"

Obsidian blinked.  Instead of admitting he'd made a mistake or an error in judgement, Diamond simply stepped back from the conversation.  It wouldn't do... but at the moment, she really didn't want to argue the point anymore.  Besides, he would find out what she meant soon enough.

But, uh, dynamite?  And... Diamond seemed to guess that Tourmaline's interest was a 'him'?  "{Apparently, you two have quite a history together, eh?}" Obsidian quirked an eyebrow.

"{I was already alive when Diamond came into existence,}" Tourmaline began, "{and I did not care one whit about any more siblings... but he cared for me.  There were so many times he would heal us after fighting practice, after tortures, after just plain fights; he was always willing to help, even if we didn't need the assistance.  The explosive he speaks of is when I stole one of Opal's more crude explosive sticks and was determined to end my life with it.  I went into the tunnels, and made my way outside of the city - so that I wouldn't be stopped.}"

Diamond continued, "{But I followed.  And when he was about to ignite the stick, I begged him not to do so.  The next few hours were filled with conversation about duty, obligation and life in general.  He eventually heard my logic, and we both returned to the palace.}"

"{Yes... I owe you my life, Mundy - many times over.}"  Tourmaline gave Diamond a pat on the head. 

Diamond waved the comment away.  "{Love does not owe, Tourmaline - I would have done so at any time, for any one of you.  I am a healer; I care for others, and help them to stay healthy.  To do so was part of who I am.}"

Gypsy looked at Diamond.  "{This one notices you spoke of... Royal Spell Altars?  May he ask about them?}"

Diamond nodded.  "{Of course, my liaison friend!}"  The diamond dog tipped Siddy a wink; he knew what she'd wanted to hear about. "{The Royal Spell Altars are where each of us was brought to life; it is where Father once cast many of his armada's spellfire attacks from, and served him well for the defense of the Empire.  They were capable of magics heretofore unseen in the world, and were miracles of magic in and of themselves.  However, after our creations, he had them sealed off, forever forbidden to the rest of the world.}"

Gypsy cocked his head a bit.  "{Sealed?  Does this mean they may be reopened?}"

Diamond pondered the question.  "{... yyyyyyes.  Maybe.  Perhaps.  I am unsure... but I do know where they are located.}"

Magics unseen in this world... YES.  And she didn't expect that Tourmy - after all of this brainwashing - really would want to end himself.  This day was full of surprises.

"{You are older than Diamond, Tourmy?}"  Obsidian's expression went to a curious look.  "{But... Diamond, you said something that Radiant Hope helped in our creation, right?  Yet, Tourmaline doesn't know anything about her...}"

"{Tourmaline did not have the chance to read Father's diary, either,}" Diamond spoke with the tiniest of smug smiles.

Tourmy stared at him for a moment, mouth open.  "You... YOU were the one who read Father's diary!?"  He'd completely slipped out of Crystallian to say it.

"{I was but one of three: myself, Amethyst, and...}"  Suddenly, Diamond's muzzle fell.  "{... and Jade. Oh, poor, poor Jade... if only I was strong enough to heal him... and yet, the curse would keep me from doing such.  My poor, poor brother.}"

Tourmaline gave Obsidian a knowing glance; Mundy had said that their erstwhile sister had read Sombra's Diary... and now, they knew it.  Maybe the field trip would be more revealing than Obsidian had first planned, now that she was aware of what Amy knew.

"{Diamond... you were not the one to send him to steal it, were you?}" Obsidian inquired.

Diamond balked this time.  "{Darkness preserve, no!  It had been Onyx's idea, yet Jade felt that she did not deserve to read it, as she was... difficult with him about it.  So, in spite, he allowed us to read it over.  I read more than half, but Amethyst read it through twice.}"

Very interesting.  Sadly, it seemed that Diamond himself wasn't able to cure Jade, but perhaps...

"{Do you think you could heal Jade using these Royal Spell Altars?}" she asked with curiosity in her voice.  Their father's diary... his knowledge, his thoughts... oh, how she would love to get her hooves on it!  She was fairly sure all she would have to do would be to ask Princess Twilight for access to it... but there were always so many more things to do, and so little time to do them in!

Diamond pondered for a moment, then shook his head sadly.  "{I am afraid it will not work that way, Obsidyan; Jade's Curse calls for him to 'prove his nobility', in order to break it.  However, with as much as he has been through,}" Diamond unconsciously took up the phoenix plush and hugged it to himself, "{I am afraid there will BE no way to break the curse.}" 
He looked sad for a moment, then simply gave a sigh...

Amy - now that could explain her smug behaviour, and her bragging about her knowledge of Dark Magic.  She knew more than she'd let on!  Obsidian was really looking forward to their little trip now.  "{... and Radiant Hope.  Please, tell us something more - I apparently look like her, for some reason...}"

When she mentioned Radiant Hope, Diamond looked at her sharply, but not unkindly. "{You mean... she who would be our mother.}"  He looked very closely at her for a moment... then, he closed his eyes and gave a small smile.

"{I saw a portrait of her, once... and yes, Obsidyan - you bear her looks so very closely.   From the very first page of Father's diary, her name was mentioned every single day.  Though he had a small crush as a colt, his intent became pure friendship when he realized that romance with her would possibly risk changing that precious friendship...}"

He looked up again.  "{And before he was a conqueror, his friendship with Hope was the only thing in the entire world that truly mattered to him.  And when he... lost her... he was never the same again.  It was what spurred him on to create us all, to perhaps fill the void caused by her loss.}"

Tourmaline asked, "{Do you know what happened to her, brother?}"

Diamond looked around at all of them... then, he hung his head in shame. "{I never got to finish the book; Father discovered it missing, and cast a spell to locate it; when it began to glow, I merely... I dropped it and hid myself, to avoid his wrath...}"

He closed his eyes.  "{... of which, Jade got no such luxury.}"

Obsidian tapped her chin as she pondered.  It seemed that Peridot was quite a clever bastard - a truly brilliant mind, if he was able to weave such an obscure condition into his curse.  Hopefully they would be able to come up with a plan, using Luna's help; considering that she was able to wander into the dreams of others, perhaps there would be a way for Jade to get better and improve himself before releasing him?  It would be worth a shot.

Of course, it would be safer to release him in another city.  Country.  On another continent.  Just in case.

And another confirmation that she looked like Radiant Hope - was it just the whimsy of their father, that he crafted her this way?

"{So I will have to ask Amethyst, back home...}"  Too bad these Altars couldn't be used to restore Jade - but still, they had so much potential!

Diamond's eyes flew open, his pupils shrank to the size of peas, and the phoenix went tumbling to the floor as Diamond shuffled backwards off the bed, panicking, and backpedaled quickly to the far corner of the room, utterly terrified.

"{SHE YET LIVES!?  IN YOUR HOME!?  NO OH DARKNESS SWEET DARKNESS PRESERVE, NO!  NOT HER!  NOT HER! }"

Gypsy was at his side in a moment, with Tourmaline right behind him. {"DIAMOND!  Please, calm yourself!"} Tourmaline spoke up, worry writ large on his muzzle.

"{NONONO!  NONONONONO!  PLEASE, NO!}"  He was almost in hysterics, he was so afraid!

Oh shit!  She really should have known better - it was a very, very bad idea to mention that particular mare around him. Obsidian quickly galloped to him with his little phoenix; for a pony who had forgiven Tourmy without batting an eyelid, the fact he was so very afraid of Amy was scary.  Practically terrifying.  "{Brother!  Please, calm down!  You are safe here!  You are safe with us!}"  She tried to reach him.

Diamond squeezed his eyes shut, quivering with fear from every inch of his little body. "{PLEASE... PLEASE NO... PLEASE NO... nonono... nonononononono...}"

He curled up into a ball of pony, his eyes pouring tears, shaking like a leaf in a storm gale.  Tourmy, Gypsy and Siddy all hugged him tightly, and he simply began to weep.

Apparently, this might need a long therapy session to deal with.  Maybe two.  Obsidian looked at Tourmaline with a questioning look.  "Brother?  Do you know anything about...?"

Tourmaline looked back at her, stricken yet calm. "Am-..." he glanced at Mundy, "... she was FAR worse than anything Father ever did to him; for a number of years, he was mostly her toy-slash-punching bag... and her favorite target to use her blade on.  Repeatedly.  She was mean to all of us, but since he was so little, she was doubly so with poor Mundy." 

The little unicorn was shivering, and silent tears fell from his eyes as he made not another sound... like he was trying to hide from the memory of his terrible sibling.

"I cannot tell you how often I witnessed him having to heal himself,"  Tourmy continued, "... and what he was healing from was sometimes the stuff of fiction and nightmares."

Gypsy looked back at Obsidian.  "This one... n-now has a bone to p-p-pick with your s-sister."  He did NOT look happy.  At all.

Well, it didn't sound very rational.  Assuming Amy didn't want to train to become a surgeon, there was no reason why she would treat anypony that way - especially her own brother!  Perhaps that's why she was so surprised that Obsidian was treating her so nicely.

"Gypsy... no.  It wouldn't end well, I'm sure," she warned him.  It was still very, very concerning.

Gypsy didn't protest... but his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were making his own decisions as to what he'd be doing later.

Diamond sniffled, then looked up at Obsidian, looking both utterly helpless and strangely cute, like a stuffed phoenix. "{PLEASE Obsidyan!  Do not tell her I live!  I beg and beseech thee - let her believe I am dead!  Do not tell her of me... please, Obsidyan!}"

"{I did not tell her of your return for that very reason, Diamond - worry not.  She won't find out about you from me."  If anything, Obsidian not only cared about Diamond enough to keep him from Amy, but she also didn't trust her sister that she wasn't trying to plot anything for Amber and Jade.

She needed that field trip - they needed to spend some time together and bond, even if it was over a dark crystal-ridden carcass of some animal.

It took a few minutes (and much reassurance) before Diamond finally managed to get to his hooves and made his way back onto the bed.  Now, Tourmaline and Gypsy were flanking him on either side, with a chair for Obsidian directly in front of him. He was still shivering a little bit, and again, Siddy's eyes saw the large scar running down his little side, almost to his cutie mark...

A dark crystal heart with a bandage around its' middle, encased in an aura of light.

"{Are you better now?}" Gypsy asked with concern.

Diamond took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then gave a slight nod. "{I... sh-shall be better, given time, thank you Gypsee.  I appreciate you more than you know... all of you.  Thank you.}"

Tourmaline looked at him for a moment, then seemed to think of something.  "{Diamond... from what you read of Father's Diary, was there perhaps any mention of the spell that gave us life?}"

Diamond nodded.  {"Oh there was quite a bit written about it, yes - Father's notes held parts of the incantations, including some of Hope's notes.  She was a wise and gifted spellcaster, and Father seemed to be quite taken with her research.  Why do you ask?"}

Tourmy looked at Siddy with hope lit in his eyes.  "{For a friend,}" he said with a grin.

"{Then I do hope your friend is well-versed in magics, because from what Father wrote, the spell is exceedingly dangerous.  Each creation made with it requires a piece of the caster's soul and mind; I feel it is why Father became as he was.  We cost him too dearly.}"

"{This one is trying to understand - Sombra could create life?}"

Diamond shook his head.  "{Nay, Gypsee - the spell expands what is put into it, and allows magic to fill in the remaining spaces within.  It creates a manner in which a life can be made, but it does not manufacture life from nothing.  It is why the spell is supposedly very dangerous; it may take more of you than you realize.}"

Clever Tourmy - he remembered that Obsidian was looking to create a new body for Ruby... but Diamond's response was somewhat disheartening.  Soul and mind?  She didn't know exactly what would be the difference between those two, in this case.  Was it only Ruby's mind within her?  Was it Ruby's soul?  Both?

Obsidian hazarded a guess that it was at least her mind, as in the dreams she was clearly sentient... but her soul?

"{So then... the soul and mind act as a seed?  Magic fills the void, so that's why we aren't just smaller copies of Sombra. Does this mind and soul have to come from the caster directly?}"  After all, Obsidian didn't want to create children for Ruby or herself - but to put her soul into a whole new body.  Perhaps this spell wasn't exactly fitting for this specific goal...

Diamond looked at her with a somewhat confused stare.  "{Er, I... th-the spell says it requires a portion of mind and soul, but... it does not mention such a thing, to be honest.  I am not an expert on this sort of magic, so I will not guess and have you take it as law; though I do not believe the spell will act with an unwilling subject, should that be a thought.}"

Good to know; it meant nobody could be forced to cast the spell.

"{And your statement about our not being direct copies is correct; we are our own, unique personae, and we exist just as much as any other creature in Equestria... our origins are simply different.}"

"{This much is certain,}" Gypsy chuckled.

Perhaps at least her theory about the changes in Sombra's personality was correct?  "{Do you... Diamond, do you think that the order in which we were created, and in which the different parts of Sombra's soul were harvested, had an influence on our personalities?}"

He smiled for the first time since the mention of you-know-who, and nodded vigorously.  "{Yes!  That is listed within the spell notes!  The order, perhaps, is not as important... but what goes in most certainly shapes what comes to be!  Very astute, my sister!  I am beginning to see why Onyx and Peridot stood no chance against you!}"

"{Each of us,}" he continued, "{has a portion of Father's mind and soul within us; depending on which portion we have, it shapes who we are to become.  I know of a few of my siblings portions, but not all.}"

"{Then, you come from his kindness?}"  Gypsy asked, and Diamond laughed out loud.

"{YES!  That is correct!}"  No wonder he was so little...  "{Our personae are not written by what is within us, but guided, instead.  It is a voice inside us that tells us what we think would be best thing to do - even if it ultimately turns out to be a bad decision.  We have the capacity to outgrow or ignore such thoughts... but it would not be easy.}"

Well, it honestly wasn't that surprising; anypony who knew about this whole shard bussiness and had met both Diamond and Amethyst would suspect that something was rather fishy here.  But then... what part of Sombra's soul was Obsidian herself forged from?

Her, ah... conditioning... wasn't too hard to break; perhaps she only changed sides because Tourmy tried to kill her (otherwise she would have happily joined her siblings), but even then she already had a few friends (or candidates for friendship) by that time.  And of course, she turned out to be rather, ahem, open to love.  Very open.  And contrary to her father, she didn't know (or care to know) if love would ruin her friendship - a good thing, because she couldn't imagine her life without Cupcake at the moment.

"{So... there should be some explanation in the order of our creation, perhaps.  Maybe further creations were, I don't know, weaker?  More prone to cruelty?}" she mused.

Diamond and Tourmaline both nodded. "{As each of us were created,}" Tourmaline spoke up, "{Father became more and more unstable.  More cruel.  More angry... and it's quite possible it's because Mundy here had Father's kindness... so Father would have either had a diminished leftover... or none at all.}"

Diamond shuddered and hugged himself. "{Yes.  The caster will lose a portion of themselves in the casting, but Hope's notes claim it is a wound that can heal, given time and attention.  And love, as that is the balm that can heal the world.}"

Tourmaline rolled his eyes.  "Okay, that was a bit sappy, even from YOU, Mundy."

Diamond gave a soft laugh.  "{Perhaps a bit, yes... yet no less true.}"

Obsidian clapped happily.  "{So then... with Cupcake's help, I'd be able to create an entire ARMADA on my own!}" she exclaimed happily. "{That is... if I ever need one, of course.}"

Diamond stared at her.  Gypsy stared at her.  Both seemed a bit disturbed by her statement; Tourmaline simply gave a chuckle. "Perhaps, but maaaaaaaaybe you two can make an army of your own without the altars, too... the natural way."

Now, the other two began to laugh - and it was a strange sound, between the wheezey chuckle of Gypsy Rover to the soft, tittering giggle of Diamond.  "{Honestly, you two - you should relax a bit more,}" Tourmaline smirked, "{Siddy has quite a sense of humor, you know.}"

Hmmm... actually, they were right; an army of golems would be far better.  Not that she would ever need any - it was just a theoretical musing.  To defend Equestria from villains, she had to think like villain!

Juuuuuust not too often.

"{Only after marriage, Tourmy,}" Obsidian grinned.

At that, all three laughed loud and hearty. "{I am very pleased that you came to see me, my sister... my brother... and my friend.}"

Gypsy grinned happily, tail-a-wag.

"{I am humbled that Fate would see me through what I have experienced, and has now placed me into a world I could only imagine... where there is light, love and laughter - things that were impossible to find during Father's reign.  I consider myself blessed by the spirit of luck itself.}"

Gypsy grinned.  "{This one is glad to know you, Diamond; after all, you are one of his favorite kinds of gems!  And you are so well-versed in Crystal Empire history that he has enjoyed every minute of our conversations!  This one can hardly wait until we broach modern history, where he can teach you!}"

Mundy nodded.  "{Obsidyan is fortunate to have a friend like you, Gypsee.}"

So he knew that Sombra's regime was cruel and sad - and yet, just a moment ago, he was accusing her of betrayal.  At least it seemed that, just as Obsidian guessed, Gypsy had a great time with him... which only left the question of how much did Diamond traumatize Stalwart?  He was still alive, so it couldn't have been too harsh.

"{Yes, I'm a very fortunate mare, brother.  I can hardly wait until you meet the rest of our friends.}"  Gypsy seemed to be having the time of his life lately - first he met Celestia and Luna, and now he was spending time with Diamond (who, thanks to the fact that he was far less isolated than Obsidian was, probably knew more about ancient history than she did).

"{Besides, now that we are all here... do you remember brother Quartz?}" Obsidian asked; might as well get some inside informaton while she could, right?

"{Quartz?}"  Mundy gave a half-grin.  "{The fashion plate?  Obsidyan, I remember all of my siblings - save you, of course.  And now, that circle is complete.  But as for he, Quartz is not as angry or worrisome as some of our other brethren, to be sure.}"

Tourmaline spoke up.  "{Quartz never was much for pain and suffering; he was more interested in looking good while he did whatever was ordered of him.  He is no simpleton, but... he isn't the darkest shadow in the night, either.}" 

Diamond looked to his brother.  "{Be kind, Tourmaline - that sounds so strange to say! - and there is little call to make light of him that way.}"

Tourmy just shrugged.  "{Facts are facts, and he wasn't exactly in the same caliber as, oh, Onyx or Peridot, that's for sure.}"

Diamond nodded.  "{True, but all the same...}"  He then turned back to Obsidian.  "{What did you wish to know about him?}"

Obsidian tapped her chin in thought.  "{Well, I am aware that he works as a fashion designer - under his real name, too.  I'm just curious if it is possible that he plans something cruel and terrible for Equestria.  Because, as you know, I have a rather terrible track history with our siblings.}"  She glared slightly at Tourmy - she never did get to jog with Clap that morning.

Tourmaline rolled his eyes.  "Yes, yes - I get it, ha ha, quite a-MU-sing," he grumped in Equestrian, but he didn't seem too terribly upset by the comment.  A bit chagrined, but not upset.

Diamond thought for a moment before answering his sister.  "{Quartz... isn't the type who would try to conquer anything; he was far more at home with his artworks and his fabrics and metals.  Not only was he an expert tailor, but he was a rather competent blacksmith, as well.}"

Tourmy nodded.  "{Father's trademark steel boots and cloak?  Those are Quartz's creations, to give you an idea.}"

Diamond nodded his agreement.  "{Yes; regardless of how your interactions with the others may have gone, I am highly doubtful that he is plotting, scheming OR conniving; he was among the youngest of us within the palace, and was either doing what Father told him to, or he was making his designs.  It does please me to hear that he not only lives, but is doing something he truly loves.}"

Siddy nodded, then pondered aloud.  "{So... I should be able to just walk in, hug him and say that I'm glad to find another lost relative?  That doesn't sound too bad... and I'll need a wedding dress soon, so finding him was apparently quite lucky for me.}"

Gypsy and Diamond both smiled at that.  "{I do hope, Obsidyan, that your mate-to-be is kind; I am quite ready to make friends, as I have been told about by Princess Twilite!  I look forth to meeting him, and perhaps adding him to the list of friends I wish to make while I am here!}"

Tourmaline gave his own smirk.  "{Kind?  Well, he most certainly counts as one of a kind.  Thankfully.}"

"{Oh, he is exceedingly kind... and he makes delicious sweets.  Do you like sweets, Diamond?}"  There was a small glimmer of hope that she'd be able to find out something more about their previous lives, here.

Diamond gave a bit of a blink, confused.  "{... sweets?  What is this?}"

Tourmaline looked at Obsidian.  "Chances are, he has no idea what those are, Siddy."  He then turned to face Mundy.  "{Obsidian speaks of candies, a delacacy here in Equestria, that can be found on almost any corner, in any town.  Have you ever had anything that tasted... sweet?}"

Again, he looked a bit confused.  "{I do not know...}"  He looked at Obsidian.  {"What is the taste of 'The Sweet'?}"

Okay, that was a point for their father - for a moment, Obsidian was afraid that she would turn out to be the only child of his without any access to sweets - just like she was the only one without any access to the outer world, or to the knowledge of her siblings' existences.  It seemed, however, that his dietary regime was equally opressive to them all.

"{You shall learn soon enough; I'll certainly ask Cup to bake something for our next visit.}"  Obsidian really couldn't help but smile at the little stallion; he was simply adorable - she was sure his first encounter with sweets was going to be wonderful.

Diamond nodded, then gave her a curious look. "{Obsidyan... when may I leave this room?}"

Tourmaline looked at Obsidian with a questioning glance as well.

"{There is sunlight outside, and I miss its' warmth on my coat... and I truly wish to see this land of Equestria, as I have seen ponies of many colors since I have been within this place... and I desire to find Stalwaat, so that I may discover what she likes, what she knows, what she wants from life...}"

Diamond hugged the little stuffed phoenix to himself; Siddy certainly hit the target with that idea.

"{I feel... a bit trapped.  I have been told that I am under observation, yet no one here has yet told me when I will be well enough to leave... and I have not the capacity to ask them.}"

Gypsy stood up.  "{This one shall inquire on your behalf, then - as a proper liaison should do.  A moment, if you please.}" 
With that, Gypsy made his way out into the hall, closing the door behind him.

Mundy looked back at his siblings.  "{I am unsure how to... approach the subject, but when I am released from here, where shall I be expected to live?  It sounds as though I would not be allowed within the Crystal Palace any longer, and so I wonder where I shall sleep at night?}"

He felt trapped, did he?  This room was already bigger than Obsidian's had been, back in the Crystal Empire - which would, among other things, explain a bit why she was so obedient at the beginning.  Considering that Diamond apparently had a bit more freedom than she once did, it was probably to be expected that he wouldn't react to isolatiation as well as she would.

"{I wouldn't fret; when I first arrived, I was living for quite some time within the castle suites here.}"  That would be the most logical thing; after all, she REALLY didn't want to move him into in the same house with Amethyst.

Well... at least The Applejack Suite would be rather empty.

"{Castle?  There is another castle?  But why?  Does not Equestria fall under the purview of the Crystal Empire?}"

Tourmaline rolled his eyes and sighed.  "{More like the other way around, Mundy.}"

Diamond looked stunned.

"{The Crystal Empire is ruled by an Equestrian princess, who is married to an Equestrian guardspony.  She's very nice, actually... but our Empire is sadly in a subordinate position to Equestria,}" Obsidian explained,  "{and I meant Princess Twilight's castle.}"

"{The purple alicorn mare - she has a palace?  Her Crystallian is... er... entertaining to hear, yet sadly is not advanced enough for her to truly understand my speech.  Obsidyan, might you be willing to teach me to speak Equestrian, so that I may communicate with others better?}"

He then gave a tiny grin.  "{Especially Stalwaat Stanze; I cannot wait to proclaim my heart to her!}"

Tourmy looked at Obsidian with a glance that said she should try to get him to knock it off... but, DID Diamond have a chance?  She would need to talk with Stalwart - Obsidian had no idea how much she would approve of this sort of  behaviour.  It didn't exactly help that Diamond only seemed to have a crush on her because of her appearance.  Let's be fair - Obsidian fell into Cup's embrace because of his personality, not his appearance.

"{We'll surely do our best, brother,}" she reassured him.  "{Might I ask how much Equestrian you DO know?}"

Diamond answered instantly.  "{My name is very similar, and I can undertand it fluently; otherwise, I know nothing of speaking it.  Father was quite strict about my being well-versed in Crystallian - after all, it was his goal to make it the ONLY language in the entire world.}"

Tourmaline nodded.  "{He WAS rather strict on Crystallian, but with some help and practice, the rest of us learned a good bit of Equestrian.  But father was relentless with Mundy, because he expected him to teach the world our words.}"

Diamond sighed.  "{Another dream, dead and gone.}"

Would the inevitable slave ponies even have use for speaking in a restored Umbral Empire?  Perhaps the Umbrals, brought back into this world by any means their father had planned, would speak Crystallian too?

"{Well, it's not that difficult, my brother - language normally doesn't dominate so many territories without being rather... simple - you should be able to learn to speak it fairly quickly.  We may lack the proper books that could help us, though.}" After all, how many books could be made to help teach native speakers of ancient Crystallian, the Equestrian language?  It would have been terribly niche.

Tourmaline began to smile.  "{And you know, you might still be able to accomplish a similar goal... I mean, what is to stop you from teaching Equestria how to speak Crystallian?}"

Diamond mulled the idea over.  "{Would... would they have me as a teacher of students?  It would not be impossible, I suppose... and it would still allow me to teach, instead of conquer - which I am not created for, obviously.}"

It did sound like a good idea; Diamond could feasibly get a job at the school, teaching Ancient Crystallian... if, of course, there were enough students interested in learning it, that was.

"{We could always ask Gypsy how he learned to speak Crystallian - he is surprisingly fluent, so he surely had a very good teacher or translation book.  Anyway, his experience could be quite helpful.}" Obsidian realized.

After all, what was the chance that a young diamond dog - a member of a not-so-popular species among ponies - would learn something like that?  Especially at such young age?

Diamond's smile widened.  "{Oh, Gypsee is a wonderful individual!  He knows so much about history, and he is so polite and kind!  Oh, Obsidyan, I am so very glad to have met him - I am in awe of how incredible your friend is!}"

Tourmaline looked to Obsidian.  "Maybe it would be best to stop him here, before he meets Thunderclap?"  He chuckled, then turned back to Mundy.  "{Obsidian knows many interesting individuals, and has a knack for friendship that leaves the rest of us in the proverbial dust.  They even threw her a party.}"

"Hey!  Thunderclap is just great, thank you very much!  Just... don't let her race him."  She could accidentially step on him.

Diamond nodded... then looked at Obsidian again.  "{Please, what is 'The Partee'?}"

"{It's a small festival; plenty of dancing, eating, drinking and laughing.}"  Hopefully her short explanation would be enough. To be fair, she'd missed quite a lot of her own party because she was busy with with discussing how to save the world/Equestria/herself/her siblings... again.  Luckily, Cupcake made the portion she attended much more interesting.

"{Oh - a festival?  You mean the celebration that the Crystallians used to throw during father's time as a colt?  That would be... interesting to observe, as I have only read about Festival before.}"

The door opened, and Gypsy came in, tail wagging.  {"Good news, everyone!"} he said, {"The scientific staff have told this one that you are clear and free of disease, that they have taken all sorts of pictures and diagrams of you for their records, and that you will be allowed to leave later this very day!}"

Diamond jumped up out of bed and looked absolutely thrilled to hear the news. "{How wonderful!  Obsidyan, I will be FREE today!}"  He then paused, as the thought went further than he'd expected it to.

"{I... I am free...}"

The realization that he was indeed free of all his pains, his past worries (mostly), and his father's control.  As she saw it hit home within him, he turned to Tourmaline with tears in his eyes.

"{... I am free.  I am Free.  I AM FREEEEEEEEE!}"

He then grabbed up Tourmaline in a hug, and spun him around like he was as light as a feather!  The stallion was at least TWICE the size of little Mundy, yet he lifted and swung him as if he were nothing more than a sheet of parchment!

"{Okay, OKAY, Mundy!  I'm glad too, just put me down!}"  Tourmaline laughed as he tried to get his brother to release him.

It was quite an an amusing sight... but it also meant that Diamond would need a lot of help!  Friends... social interactions... ooooh, he would surely LOVE Professor Fluttershy!  There were just so many things they could do together - and as long as they didn't come across Amy, everything was going to be great!

"{Hmmmm... Gypsy, did they happen to mention where Diamond will be living?  Wasn't he asked to meet with Lemon or something...?}"  Her own first interaction with Lemon Custard had initially been rather... sour.

Gypsy smiled.  "A-a-actually, they have told this one that th-they wish Diamond t-t-to meet with another official, a st-stallion by the name of Stonewall.  He will b-be waiting at the p-p-palace; he should only have to a-ask after him."

Tourmaline chuckled as he brushed his coat back into place after Diamond's display.  "{Do you hear, brother?  Stonewall is whom you shall meet with, and hopefully he will assist you in getting situated here.}"

Diamond nodded, then looked to the diamond dog.  "{Gypsee, will you accompany me, please?   It would be embarrassing if I had to speak with him, only to discover he knows not our language.}"

"{Of course, dear friend,}" Gyspy answered in Crystallian, "{as your liaison, it is the duty of this one to accompany you and help you communicate with the world around you.  He would be honored to do so.}"

Diamond clapped his hooves in excitement, and turned back to face Siddy and Tourmy. "{Shall you both accompany me, too?  Oh, it would be such a wonderful thing, getting to witness the Equestrian world for the first time, surrounded by my my new friend and my wonderful siblings!}"

Honestly, Obsidian had a few other plans for today... but she really didn't think any of them had to be dealt with immediately.  As far as she was concerned, she should try to bond with her brother as much as possible, anyway.

"{Yes, brother - I shall gladly come with you.}"  Perhaps she would meet some familiar faces in the process?  Maybe even Cupcake would catch up with them.

Diamond let out a tiny little squeaking sound, and jumped almost to the ceiling! "{I am happiness incarnate!  Please, Gypsee, tell me that we may leave now, so that I may experience the pure bliss of living!}"

Gypsy chuckled.  "{You will have to go to the front desk, and they will present you with your bill of health; you may leave after that, yes.}"

Diamond quickly grabbed up his stuffed phoenix and set it on his back, in a prime position to see everything clearly.  "{Then there is no time like the present!  Onward!}"

With that, he marched proudly out of the door, with a grinning Gypsy, an eye-rolling Tourmaline, and a broadly smiling Obsidian right behind him.