Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra

by Randimaxis

Thirty Six: Truly Gifted

Luna gave a sharp gasp as she released the magic that surrounded them both, nearly falling out of the single chair in the room as Siddy awoke to find herself right where she'd last remembered.

"Obsidian," the alicorn lightly panted, "he... he may not be... aware of how... difficult it is to... locate... a single mind... by dreams alone..." She looked winded, but otherwise she didn't appear to be in any pain or harm.

Father's diary, eh? Alas, Obsidian didn't get a chance to bid a fond farewell to Ruby... but hopefully, she would be able to fix this mistake. And fix it again, and again - without any problems until the day when their new bodies would be ready.

"So, how much were you privy to, princess?" she asked, not wanting to repeat anything she already knew.

Luna nodded. "All of it, as I was with you the entire time. That glimpse of Sombra's Empire..." she visibly shivered, "I do not recall that place being so sinister as when it was empty, just now." She threw her head back and gave a long, drawn out sigh. "As I stated before, nothing about your family is ever easy, is it?"

"Sadly, no," Siddy sighed, "though hopefully at least my foals with Cup won't make as much trouble as their uncles and aunts do." This was, of course, assuming she would live long enough to spawn them... or that she wasn't infertile due to being an artificial pony... or... well, that was plenty; no more thinking about it.

"I apparently require a dagger, my friends, and we should ask Princess Twilight for help - I think it would be a good idea to request state's help with Quartz and Opal. My poor brother probably doesn't have a plot for anything dangerous, but he could be still used by Amber..."

Obsidian stood up; damnation, this was not a comfortable place to sleep. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Half an hour, or just under... but your sleep was intense, which is why it took so much to keep you under." Luna now shook her magnificent head and stood up, slowly, until she was at her full height. "Obsidian, Twilight Sparkle is a very busy mare; she governs all of Equestria, and is responsible for the well-being of her entire nation. I do not think that it would be effective to ask for her assistance, as she is currently doing the job that my sister held during my... absence, shall we call it?"

"I offer instead the assistance of another alicorn, who may no longer rule the realm, but is still considered the Ruler of the Night; such an ally could be useful, one would think." She smiled. "Especially one who still has access to her own personal armada of Thestrals."

"Armada? Now we're talking!" Obsidian exclaimed with enthusiasm. A grand army of bat-ponies, ready to serve Princess Luna and swoop down on their enemies, charging forth en masse to fight... er... uhm... okay, deep breath, focus, go away, illusions of grandeur!

"And yes, you're right - I apologize; I hadn't considered she would have so much to deal with. Though if Princess Twilight is at that level excessively busy, then perhaps it's the right time for some... political reformation?" Obsidian tapped her chin, thinking deeply about the possibilites for a moment before she shook her head to clear it of the lingering (and very tempting) ideas that could possibly turn Equestria into more of a quasi-feudal, greatly decentralized nation.

Illusions are only those things that aren't real; illusions you make real are no longer illusions. Meh, food for later thought, mayhaps... or, as usual, preempted by the steadily-growing mountain of concerns she had weighing in on her already.

"Anyhow, perhaps it would be possible for any scouts you may have to look for a single pony destroying forests near Mount Arris? Maybe if some of them carried my father's old banners or something like that, it would convince my sibling to parley," Obsidian mused, "while I'll also need to locate Thunderclap... and seek out Markannus... and gather a large amount of lead... and... "

She then stopped, closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. "... and I'll need to do my best to reach Amy - quickly." So much to do, so little time! "Thank you for your help, princess; with each passing day, I seem to be more and more indebted to you. Er... do you accept cheques?"

Luna simply chuckled. "On the contrary - thank you, Obsidian. My sister and I have grown, over time, to discover that retirement... is quite boring, to be honest with you. I am grateful for the chance to do anything that requires me to leave the house!"

She pondered. "A number of Pegasi have already tried scouting out where the massive plume of smoke is coming from, and so far none have found anything that could be causing it. Though they do tell me... that it smells like burning flesh, at times. I can send a few Thestrals there to scout the area, possibly coming across something worth reporting."

The alicorn then pondered for a moment. "Markannus... if I am correct, he will be working at the 'Curious Curios' booth in Rainbow Falls today; unless you make the trek out there, I doubt you'll find him. However, his next day should be at Twilight's Palace, as a royal guard by the name of Pseudo Nimh... he'll be the most non-descript officer on duty."

Luna then gave a warm grin. "And if you truly wish to repay me, then do so by succeeding in your task, and continuing to fight The Good Fight."

"No worries - we'll keep fighting," Obsidian promised; not only because it was moral, not only because she cared so much about Equestria and her friends, not only because she had to save her siblings (and sometimes 'saving' apparently included death)...

But because the rogues' gallery of Equestria seemed to have the nasty habit of targeting her.

"Burning flesh...?" Obsidian had no idea what it could mean, in this case. Perhaps it was just the smell of animals from the forest, caught in the fiery blast? "Maybe Diamond would have a better idea about that."

Luna nodded, then gestured toward where they had left the others. "I am certain I heard Cupcake and your brother singing a few moments ago, so I believe it would be safe to check on them now. As for myself, I will speak to Twilight Sparkle about this, and I shall try to arrange for some form of support for your plight."

She stood, tall and regal, and made her way toward the door... then, she paused. "Is there anything more that may be of importance?"

Obsidian tapped her chin... anything else of importance... Opal, Quartz, Tourmy... Luna knew about the materials necessary to prepare for Jade's awakening...

"Peridot mentioned our father's writings; I'd like to get access to them, sooner or later. Preferably sooner, as there could be plenty of things in it that could help me with my siblings."

Including possibly bringing back some of them, of course.

Luna nodded. "I shall inquire about such, if you wish. Now, I shall await in the hallway while you gather Gypsy to us, and once I bestow the spell upon him, I will see to what I can." She stepped into the hallway where she waited patiently, seeming to take personal stock of what was learned through Obsidian's dream... and looking only slightly concerned.

Should Obsidian be happy that Luna was only 'slightly' concerned? Or perhaps there should be worry if she was concerned at all? She'd heard it herself - there was a rising chance for Harmony's intervention. Equestria should be safe... soon... probably. Hopefully this time without fatalities.

But for now, the young mare only nodded and walked into the Rainbow Suite.

Cupcake and Diamond were hunkered low on all fours, staring intently into each others' eyes without blinking. Gypsy was simply grinning and watching, looking quite bemused.

"Those eyelids must be getting pretty heavy, Mundy... might as well just give up." Cupcake grinned.

"{Is not the wind drying out your eyeball?}" Mundy growled playfully.

Gypsy translated instantly: "He asks if the w-w-wind is drying your eyeb-b-balls." Cupcake's smile redoubled.

"Oh, I'm not falling for THAT one... hiya, Siddy... because I'm too good at this game to fail!"

Diamond, without breaking eye contact, waved at Obsidian when she entered the room.

It was official; those two were crazy, but in a good way. However, she certainly wanted to avoid either of them taking on any undue eye trauma. "You know Gypsy, I think a part of me doesn't want to interrupt them... It's very small part, but it's still there," she muttered, wondering how to stop them; she already had a few ideas, but was having a hard time choosing.

Gypsy smiled and held up a paw. "Th-this one knows how." He stepped forward until he was looking directly between them... and blew a puff of air across both of their muzzles. Cup and Mundy both blinked, then pointed at each other.

"A-HA!"
"{THERE!}"

Then, both defeated rivals began to laugh, and gave each other a hug as they did. Gypsy nodded. "A t-t-tie."

Good - she'd been considering a small bribe; Gypsy had saved her purse a bit. "Now, if you are done with staring lovingly into each other's eyes, we must prepare ourselves. Let's join Princess Luna in the hall, shall we?"

Cupcake giggled at Siddy's joke, but Diamond just looked confused. Still, both stallions seemed to agree, and all of them made their way into the hall, where Luna was waiting. She looked at Gypsy, and addressed him directly.

"As I shall be assisting Obsidian in her quest, I shall require a means of communication. My sister has taught me a spell for just such an occasion, one she used herself in days past. Gypsy Rover, I shall require you to volunteer for this; I shall not perform the spell on an unwilling subj-... I mean, citizen."

Gypsy nodded graciously. "This one t-trusts Luna not t-t-to harm him."

She smiled at that, then nodded. She then reached into a saddlebag with her magic, and removed what looked to be a miniature scroll, complete with ribbon. "Here - eat this."

Gypsy looked at the miniature scroll dubiously, then at Luna again. "But... i-it is paper..."

Luna nodded. "You shall see, shortly. Please, eat it."

Gypsy looked at it again, shrugged, then simply opened his maw and tossed the little scroll into it, swallowing it whole. After a moment, he made a strange face, then burped - and when he did, a full-sized scroll flew out of his mouth! It landed on the floor in front of Luna, and she gathered it into her magical grip, opening it.

The scroll said: [ Spell complete. ]

Luna smiled. "Excellent. Now, should you feel the need to comunicate with me, simply write your words onto a scroll, and have Gypsy swallow it; it will come directly to me. And I shall be able to send scrolls to you in a similar manner."

Gypsy patted his mouth with a paw. "E-excuse, please."

At first Obsidian was rather interested in what kind of spell Luna was going to use; perhaps it would allow the royal sisters to see everything Gypsy had written? Or maybe it would connect them telepathically? There were so many possibilites, so many wonderful ways to accomplish it. But, instead, Luna went with something... well frankly, something ridiculous.

Obsidian looked at her, then at Gypsy, and back at Luna again. "It... looks like a rather unorthodox method of communication," she said hesistantly. How exceedingly strange... and it meant also possibly meant that Gypsy's savoir-vivre was at a constant risk. "But if it works, then I suppose it'll good enough."

Luna nodded. "If it was good enough for Twilight Sparkle, it will be good enough for you."

Did it mean one of Twilight's friends had been eating paper? Who was it? Pinkie? Rainbow? Obsidian imagined Rarity carefully consuming scrolls with a knife and fork and smiled to herself.

Luna looked at them all for a moment, then smiled. "I am pleased to be useful to you all; retirement is most certainly NOT all it was purported to be, and I appreciate your faith in me."

Cupcake looked at Siddy. "So... what's the plan, Siddy ma'am? And are we taking Mini-Mund with us?" Diamond looked interested in the answer to that question as well.

"We need to gather the entire team, Cup - just like when we were standing against Onyx. Peridot also advised me to keep an eye on Tourmaline and check on Gunther... and I'd say yes, brother Diamond can - should - come with us. First off, he needs to see more of Ponyville. Second, Peridot said he was strong willed, and it would be nice to have a medic that wouldn't be easily mind controlled."

Obsidian sighed deeply. The most infuriating thing was the fact that, except for grinding Amber into gravel, Obsidian didn't know what exactly she could do with her. Waking her could be dangerous, and their connection wasn't based on magic. At the moment, they could only try to gather all the other siblings together and check to make sure they weren't already under Amber's influence.

Cupcake grinned. "Siddy Six assemble! Yeah, we could do that, I'm sure of it! I mean, we already have Gypper with us, so that'd leave Clap, Wart and Mica; any clue where they are?"

Gypsy spoke up. "This one kn-knows that Stalwart-"

"{Oh, Stalwaat!}" Diamond gushed, looking quite taken by the idea.

"... will be finishing her d-d-duties soon, and should be here at P-Princess Twilight's palace, somewh-where. Clap and M-Mica, this one does n-not know."

Diamond looked at Obsidian with hope in his eyes. "{Please, Obsidyan - tell me that Stalwaat shall be joining us!}"

"{Yes Diamond, Stalwart will be joining us; she is an important member of our team, after all,}" Obsidian grinned... and now that she thought about it...

"{Brother?}" she asked, "{I know you don't care for violence and fighting, but just in case... do you think you would be able to defend yourself if necessary?}"

Diamond looked at her, then looked down for a moment. "{I... will not bring harm to another. I shall defend myself, yes - but do not expect me to do so by bringing harm to another. I shall take care of whatever I must as I must... but do not expect me to be of any use in a fight.}"

Cup looked at Diamond and sighed. "I don't know what he said... but all those words doesn't make me feel like he said, 'sure no problem', y'know?"

"Quite the contrary, Cuppy - I'm very glad to hear that. Sister Amber can mess with our heads, and considering Diamond's strength, I'm actually relieved that he won't just resort to harming others if she gets control of him."

It was great news - the last thing they needed was Diamond thinking that he was surrounded by Amethyst clones and going full frenzy on all of them.

"So, let's check on Stalwart now," she said as she headed for the doors, Luna waving to them as the group went along their way.

With a bit of walking and a few questions to the guards they passed, they located Stalwart Stance standing at full attention next to a door to something called the 'Map Room'; she was standing statue-still, not a single expression visible on her muzzle... until she saw Obsidian and company headed her way; her face remained neutral, yet her eyes almost seemed to light up at the sight of her friends headed her way.

"Salutations," she spoke up as they got close, "I am pleased to see you here." Diamond had eyes for nothing but the little guardmare.

"Stalwart! I'm so glad to see you!" Obsidian said cheerfully. "We need to gather the team again; another Sombra-daughter-shaped helping of problems is brewing around us. Princess Luna herself has gone straight to Princess Twilight to discuss a few matters of support for us. We need you."

Wart blinked, then gave a smart, short nod. "Absolutely, Lady Siddy... as soon as my shift is done."

Cupcake grinned. "Nifty! And when will that be?"

"Two hours from now," she replied simply.

Cupcake looked at his fiancee. "Okay, well... I guess we're gonna have some time to kill, huh?"

Well, it would be helpful of Princess Twilight to let Stalwart join them immediately, correct?

"Stalwart, we stand against an enemy who can mess with our heads. Just... be careful, all right? If somepony attacks you, try to maim instead of kill, please?" she smiled slightly, but it was a rather uneasy smile.

Wart drew a look of concern across her muzzle as she heard the news, yet she saluted smartly and gave a firm nod. "Then I shall be on my most vigilant guard, Lady Siddy; we shall see to this threat, and it will kneel before our combined might."

"{Even her oaths of determination are beautiful... oh, strong and true Stalwaat, if only thou would see me, in a world of sound...}" Poor little lovestruck Diamond kept his eyes trained on the love of his life, as the mare in question continued to stand guard.

"And apparently we DO have to slaughter a few minutes, Cupcake. Stalwart, do you possibly have any idea where Mica or Clap could be?"

Wart looked at her directly. "Thunderclap Dash's whereabouts, I do not know... however, I believe that Mica is currently out of town, as he informed me that he would be making a trip to Manehattan. He did not explain why, yet he did inform me to remain prepared for a possible call to action." Wart looked at Siddy. "Is this that call?"

Right, right, right - they'd talked about that! She was surprised that he would leave so quickly, though. Well, hopefully he would find out that everything was fine with Brother Quartz, and that he'd be back as quickly as possible.

"So he's probably already left... right, good, yes. He's checking on Brother Quartz; at least Quartz is apparently not dangerous... as long as he won't try to use clothes as an offensive tactic," Obsidian mused. What else could they do? "That leaves Gunther and Tourmy to check on; I hope my brother is still home."

Wart nodded. "As soon as my shift is over, Lady Siddy, where would you have me meet you?"

Diamond sighed softly. "{At the place where my heart meets the universe, for that is where we shall forever shine like stars...}"

Cup looked at Mundy, then gave Siddy a smirk. "I don't know what he's saying, but I know that tone... he's got it bad, doesn't he?"

"He's got it bad," Obsidian confirmed with a straight face. "Let's say... at Sugarcube Corner, mayhaps? We could eat something during the meeting of our... eh, war council. And besides, I'd like to ask Miss Pie about something..." After all, her cameras could be a great help in the current crisis; Onyx would have had to be quite clever to avoid them all.

"Oh, and Stalwart?" Obsidian tapped on her engagement necklace with a smile.

Wart looked at it for a moment, then her eyes widened. "Lady Obsidian... is that-"

"WE'RE GETTING MARRIEEEEEEEEED!!!!!" Cupcake simply couldn't hold himself back. "See Wart! I got one too! Looklooklooklooklook!"

He showed off his own necklace as well, and Wart looked them both over closely. "Congratulations, both of you - it pleases me to know that the two of you will be wed and happy together, and I salute you for your fortune!" She gave a royal salute, which made Diamond sigh longingly. "Then I shall meet you at Sugarcube Corner, and we shall discuss what we will do from there, yes?"

Obsidian would smile at Cup's enthusiasm, but she was already smiling broadly. This situation was practically begging for some slight teasing... but it could be dangerous with Diamond around; he might take it far too seriously. "Yes, Stalwart. That's all at the moment, methinks. For now, we'll go check on Tourmaline... and then we'll think of what comes next."

Wart nodded, then gave Obsidian a small smirk. "Until later, then... and I look forward to it."

It took Diamond a moment to realize they were leaving, and he gave Wart a small, friendly wave as they went on their way. "{Ohhhhhhhhh... I am blessed for every single day in which I get to witness the glory that is Stalwaat; those fierce eyes, her exquisite coat, her incredible voice...}"

Cupcake nudged his sweetheart. "He sounds like a lovesick puppy; maybe we should have Elo make up another set of necklaces, huh?"

"Let's wait until Stalwart sounds like a lovesick puppy as well; I'm not so sure that she would want King Sombra in her family tree," Obsidian replied quietly. In fact, she was more concerned that sooner or later Stalwart would get annoyed enough that it would end rather badly for Diamond - either for his heart, his hide or for some other fragile body parts.

"We should also check to see if Mica has already sent any letters from Manehattan. I was so worried about the other night and not meeting Ruby that I completely forgot he was investigating Quartz. Luckily Tourmy is home, so he could get any messages sent... but I'll have to ask him if he's going to stay put for a while; somepony has to wait for news, just in case something would happen."

Cupcake nodded. "Probably a good idea... especially because Tourmy can't really travel, what with that ring on his horn and all. I mean, we could always take Am-... Ameth-..." He suddenly burst out laughing. "Sorry, sorry... couldn't say it with a straight face!"

"{You... could do worse.}" Diamond spoke low and softly. "{She... she IS a warrior, and she would be... quite useful in a fight. I have seen it.}"

"{But is she not also banned from travel?}" Gypsy tried to counter Mundy's suggestion, but the little stallion just shrugged.

"{I suppose she would be... but my words still speak true.}" Even afraid of her, the little stallion wasn't about to see her skill overlooked.

"I just want somepony to be home, in case a letter comes. This way, he could simply inform us if it was something important and dangerous." The fact that Diamond was able to talk about Amy without panic was encouraging; perhaps his initial reaction was just an effect of the first shock? "But yes, I think it would be a nice change to fight alongside Amy, instead of against her."

Diamond visibly shuddered, then began to walk closely behind Obsidian and Cupcake, his eyes shifting back and forth, watching as if he expected his feared sibling to drop from the sky at any given moment. "{Stalwaat would want me to be brave,}" he muttered to himself as he kept pace with them.

The walk to the house was well enough, and Diamond's mood mellowed out a bit; he was walking along with them and occasionally pointing things out to Pancho 'so he won't be confused', according to Mundy. The house itself was quiet when they arrived, but there was a light on in the kitchen.

"Gypsy, perhaps you could wait out here with Diamond? Let's not risk any unwanted family reunions at the moment," Obsidian asked carefully. Gypsy nodded, and Mundy hid behind the diamond dog, his tiny figure all but vanished behind Gypsy's form.

Now, if only they could do something as simple as check on Tourmy without problems... making her way indoors, she crossed the living room and carefully peeked into the kitchen.

It smelled like onions and burnt cotton candy; as unpleasant to sniff as it is to imagine. The stove had the big pot set in place, with a muffled bubbling sound coming from under the lid. Standing at the stove itself was Amethyst, and she looked... excited?

She seemed to be fussing over the pot quite a bit, but when the kitchen door gave off the tiniest of creaks, she swiveled in place and looked at where the sound had come from. She saw Obsidian, and froze for a moment. Then, with a wary caution, she stepped back from the stove and faced the door.

"Yes? What?" It was as polite as Amy had ever been, more or less. She didn't sound annoyed; simply curious. Waiting for the bombshell to hit, perhaps, but curious.

By Darkness, what was she cooking? Poison? Though, on another hoof, it could be accidental poison - whatever it was, it certainly smelled like something brewed to kill someone with! Obsidian had no idea about the possible merit of Amy's cooking skills, after all - maybe she was simply trying to make onion soup?

"You look much better, Amy - I'm glad to see it. I've been informed that you're immune to mind control, so I guess I don't have to worry about that... so, what are you cooking?" She stepped a bit closer; now what was that dear sister of hers doing here?

Amethyst stepped lightly between Obsidian and the stove, frowning. "Whoa whoa whoa... 'Immune'? I'm not 'immune', you idiot! Father forced me to endure Slave Helmets until I could break through them; mind control doesn't work on me, because father refused to train anyone to create Slave Helmets who could BE enslaved."

She glanced down, gritting her teeth. "I'm NOT immune... I just break through them like they're made of wet paper, is all. Immune, my flank." She shifted her eyes to the pot, then back to Obsidian. "So where have YOU been?"

"I've been visiting with Ruby, Onyx and Peridot," Obsidian answered firmly. Peridot forgot to mention that it was a trained behaviour, and not one of her traits as a shard. So, theoretically speaking, Amy could possibly train her in this skill after regaining her magic; it could come in handy. "Chatted with them a bit. Peri looks much better than the last time I'd met him, I daresay."

Amethyst stared at her like she had lobsters coming out of her ears. "You... spoke... to them. Ruby. Peri. Fucking ONYX. YOU. Spoke. To them." She stepped forward, coming muzzle to muzzle with Obsidian, anger boiling in her gaze.

"Are you losing your damned mind? Is it happening like this? Are you just gong to say you-"

She suddenly stopped, blinked, glanced back at the stove... then, to Obsidian's surprise, she simply shrugged. "Okay, so... fine. Let's say I accept this, for a moment. So tell me what's going on... Siddy."

Why did that sound... not good?

Everypony acted so surprised - and yet, in Obsidian's experience, she felt that it was normal to speak with dead ponies in this manner. Perhaps it was a bit silly, but she really never experienced anypony's death before...

"I have contact with the spirits of our fallen siblings, and I've been having a little chat about Amber..." Considering that so many ponies already knew about the situation (and Amy was probably the pony best suited to deal with her), it would be silly to withhold this information - perhaps safer, but silly. "Didn't you read something about it in father's writings?"

"Amber?" The name seemed to strike a chord in Amethyst... and not a good one. "Wait, wait... are you telling me that some poor schmuck let Amber out? Great... GREAT! There goes the fucking neighborhood..."

She started to head to the table, but paused when she realized she would leave room for Obsidian to get to the stove; instead, she leaned against the wall with a thump.

"So, who woke her up, hmm? Was it you? I'll bet it was, wasn't it? Stupid nag, you couldn't just leave shit where you find it, could you? Nooooooooooooo, you have to go wake up Princess Skullfuck! SHIT." She gave a huff, then looked at Obsidian with eyes that looked both hard and tired. "So, what, where are you headed now?"

'Princess Skullfuck' was a rather interesting term - perhaps Amy would get along with Flurry?

"No - she's not free yet. She's in shard form, and additionaly encased in a sealed container, to keep her restrained. She started to mess around a bit with my head, so I decided to take precautions that nopony would accidentially free her from this form," Obsidian explained. "I was going to check on Tourmy; I'd heard that he would be the most prone to mind control... then we're bound for Manehattan, to meet with Mica."

Amethyst gave a sharp bark of a laugh. "HA! Keep her contained, she says. That's rich."

She groaned, then looked at Obsidian seriously. "She has a link to our minds through stuff that isn't magic, dumbass! Put up all the wards and spells you want to, because that won't do a damned thing to keep her out of OUR heads! Your little friends might be better off with them, but if she goes the usual route, even they won't be safe."

She glanced at the clock. "But yeah, of all of us? Tourmaline IS the weakest link; Onyx really batted him about in the Nightmare Spells, so he's sorta got a vulnerability to it."

"We had her sealed up before I'd even learned that little detail. Besides, at least it keeps her in a place where we could simply smash her, if we need to. If she remained within the Crystal Empire, she would have simply taken over slowly... and our problems would be far greater." At least Obsidian hoped she was right - in her head it all sounded logical enough, at least.

"So... do you have any tips that would protect our brother from going full berserk in unwilling service to Amber's machinations? Peri advised us to check to see if he isn't already controlled," Obsidian asked Amy directly.

The wicked unicorn stared at her for a moment, and the look on her muzzle softened, just a bit. "You... want my advice?"

However, before this could go much further, there was a >DING!< from the egg timer, and Amethyst almost instantly shut the stove off. She started to grab the pot's handle with her mouth, then grabbed up a towel first, using her hooves to steady the pot, and got it to the floor.

Amy looked up at Obsidian again, whatever moment that had been about to occur having passed. "Tie him up, keep him knocked out, make him wear blinders, whatever... I got stuff to do."

She took hold of one of the handles and pulled it to the stairs, where she began to bump it up them, one stair at a time.

>KA-BUMP<
>KA-BUMP<
>KA-BUMP<
>KA-BUMP<
>KA-BUMP<

She stepped back down long enough to kick the doorway shut, and continued dragging her 'cooking' upstairs.

>ka-BUMP<
>ka-BUMP<
>ka-BUMP<

Cupcake poked his head in the door, and wrinkled his snout in disgust. "What is that smell?"

Interesting. So Amy actually wanted to help her - if only for a moment. What was her deal? Did she want to get Obsidian to use more Dark Magic? Help her out more? Be more directly involved into matters of the family? Not be involved? She was acting more strange lately - more strange than usual - and Obsidian was clueless.

"I really have no idea, Cuppy; Amy was cooking something, but I didn't see what it was." Obsidian lifted an eyebrow. "You can't identify the smell either?"

Cup gagged. "I think it's burnt cotton candy and... onions? BLEAH!" He looked at the stairs for a moment, then turned back to Obsidian. "Did you tell her we were headed to Manehattan? I mean, if Tourmy isn't available to get messages, maybe she could..?"

Obsidian rubbed her temple... did she say something about heading to Manehattan? She'd said that Mica was there... hopefully they wouldn't have to search for him. She didn't even know how far Manehattan was from Ponyville.

"Let's check on Tourmy first; perhaps Mica already sent something," she muttered - and opened one of windows a bit. This kitchen really needed some fresh air. "Do we even have cotton candy that she could burn? I really hope it's some kind of Dark Magical thing - because if she was cooking a meal, then I fear for her life."

Cupcake made a face. "Amy was cooking something? Remind me not to eat anything she offers me... not that I'd eat it anyway, but you know what I mean."

Tourmaline, it turned out, was downstairs. He had his door open, and was seated in the hammock he'd made in one corner. "Is she done up there?" he asked, "Because whatever that FOUL stench is, it's making my eyes water."

"I think so... and I've just opened a window to let in some fresh air. Do you have any idea what she was doing, brother? And did you get any messages addressed for us, perchance?" Obsidian asked with hope.

Tourmaline nodded. "Yes, your friend sent word that he was staying at the Rockhoof Hotel, and that he found out the 'basics', whatever he means by that. He says he's waiting for you all, and that he's informed the front to keep him posted if you should write back."

He then raised an eyebrow. "As for Amethyst, if what she said means anything, Amethyst was cooking a 'leave me the fuck alone', with a side order of 'mind your damn business'."

Oh, good - everything seemed to be fine with Mica, at least for now; there was no need for any rapid intervention. While Obsidian would more or less like to visit this new city and meet another brother that (probably) wouldn't try to outright murder her... she did have other things to do.

Though in Quartz's case, it would be probably wise to advise Mica to carry something sharp with him, at all times. Honestly, she should get something as well. "If I only had a dagger," she mused softly to herself.

"Well, whatever she was cooking," Obsidian continued to Tourmaline, "it certainly didn't smell like anything I know of. Whatever it is, I hope she doesn't have it for dinner; it didn't seem to be edible." The last thing they needed was a sick Amy, after all. "Also... Brother Peridot told me that you are, ah... a very probable target of Amber's mind control attempts. Perhaps we could ask Gunther to, uhm... stay away for a little while?" she suggested meekly.

Tourmaline glared for a moment like he was about to get angry... yet he simply ended up giving a sigh, then nodding.

"Amber knows what buttons to push in me; you're... probably right. If she's currently doing Father-knows-what, then it's probably a good idea to just keep me away from the center of things, at least until we find a way to sink her."

He then looked at Obsidian. "As for daggers, well... I'm sure Amethyst's dagger is still in Twilight Sparkle's possession; maybe you could ask her for it back? After all, it's more than just a dagger, you know - it's a Foci Blade; it's a magical amplifier for her." That would explain why she wanted it back in the first place.

"Or, then again, I guess you could just grab a steak knife from the kitchen," Tourmy finished with a shrug.

To be fair, the steak knife should be enough. While Obsidian was trying to bond with Amy, she was still a bit uneasy about idea of carrying around her dagger - the same dagger that killed Ruby, to boot. What's worse, she had a bad feeling that she might get the wonderful idea to return it to Amy, as it could surely win her over - and that could end VERY badly.

"So, in this case, dear brother of mine... could you tell me where Gunther lives, so that I can speak with him as well? Also, do you have any important plans for today? Because, as I'm sure you've seen, Mica is sending us messages and it would be nice to have somepony present who could receive them, and inform us if anything is bad enough for immediate response - and, well... I'm quite worried about what might happen to you in this whole 'mind controlling' thing." It didn't seem like a bad idea. Was it a bad idea? Hopefully not.

Tourmaline nodded, albeit glumly. "Yes, yes... I suppose I can play 'messenger service' today; since I'm apparently quite the target, then maybe I'll just practise my death speech, eh?" He groaned, yet he seemed to accept what was going on, and his role in it. Begrudgingly, but accepted it all the same.

"Gunther, for the record, is currently visiting his family in Griffonstone; I'll be sure to send a message that tells him I'm sick with something or other," Tourmy sulked. "I don't like lying to him, but I'll be DAMNED if I'm gonna let him suffer, just because of me."

He turned over in his hammock to face away from the door. "Just... make sure to let me know when this is handled, Obsidian; I don't want to stay cooped up in here for any longer than I have to."

Obsidian reached over and patted Tourmy's shoulder gently. "Don't worry, my brother - you'll KNOW that it's handled, because I'll... I don't know, throw a party or celebrate in some way! I do not like the fact that yet another sibling of ours is a danger to any of us at all."

He rolled over just enough to look at her over his shoulder. "ALL of us are dangerous, Obsidian... especially you, because there's no telling what you'll do next; at least with us, we're predictable. But not you."

He rolled back over. "In exchange for this, I want you to pick up some kind of keepsake for me - I don't care what it is, but if I'm going to stay cooped up in here with her, then I want something to show for it."

Cupcake peeked in the doorway, looking between Siddy and her brother.

Obsidian tapped her cheek. "Truly, I think that I am rather predictable; I have a rather limited set of behaviours - 'panic', 'act naively', 'act paranoid', 'try to be moral', 'run around like mad'," she smirked at him. "And a keepsake, you say? Nothing specific? Do you want to rely completely on the creative ingenuity of your sister and future brother-in-law?"

Tourmy waved a hoof non-chalantly. "Yes, whatever you like... I'm not choosy; I just want proof that I'm not just your answering service. Now go on... I need to think."

Cupcake leaned in a bit. "Thank you, Tourmy. You know she really appreciates this."

"Bah," he muttered, "just get it over with, so I can go out again. I'm helping, aren't I?"

"You ARE helping, dear brother," Obsidian said enthusiastically, reaching over to Tourmy so she could hug him properly. "I'll see you later, brother; perhaps you'd want some books or postcards alongside said keepsake?"

He accepted her hug with a mutter. "Sure, fine, good."

Cupcake gave a small grin and motioned for Siddy to meet him in the hall.

"I'll bet he's just irked that he can't see Gunther right now; those two have been inseperable since he moved in here. I'm sure he'll be fine, once he can go out again. I know I'd be kinda sullen and grumpy if I wasn't allowed to see you." He emphasized the thought with a kiss on her muzzle. "So, Tourmy and Gunther are taken care of - what's next on the list, my lovely captain?"

"I need that big cake knife that you like so much, Cup. Perhaps Quartz isn't wicked, and we have zero proof he's mind controlled... but I'd prefer to carry something sharp around without the need to use it over being strangled with clothing while thinking 'gee, it sure would be nice to have a sharp knife right now'." Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary.

"Then... then, we..." Obsidian thought for a moment. "We could send a letter back to Mica, inform him of our progress. Then we should look for a nice keepsake for Tourmy, maybe a book or two as well; something the stave off the boredom. I mean, he has Onyx's diary... but reading it is a chore, not a pleasure."

She tileted her head. "Cuppy, do you have any way to contact Thunderclap?"

Cup started to shake his head... then he smiled. "Wait... I could use fireworks? She likes them, and I've got a TON of 'em! I can just set off a few of her favorites, and she'll come right on by!"

"Who'll come right on by?" And standing there at the top of the stairs was Thunderclap Dash.

"You have any idea how hard it is to find you guys!? I've been looking all day! I came here, but Tourmy said you went to Twilight's palace, so I went there, but the guards said you'd headed out... so I checked everyplace I know you guys go to, but you weren't there! So finally, I said to myself, 'yo... where could they be at, huh?'" She smiled broadly. "And so, here I am! Now, who are we setting off fireworks for?"

Finally! It'd been a while - perhaps not a really long while - just a few days - but with so many dangers around them, each moment felt like a small eternity. "Actually, they're for you, Clap; we wanted to set out colorful bait for you, because we missed you so much," Obsidian smiled at the great (in many ways) pegasus, "and because my dead brother Peridot advised me to keep our entire team together, because yet another of our sisters is a proving to be a wee bit dangerous," she added less enthusiastically.

She reacted as she heard things: "Awwwwww... oh. Oh."

She then gave a long, dramatic sigh. "Another one of your family? Siddy, no offense... but your family's kinda... well, they're kinda creepy."

"Thanks," came from Tourmaline's room, and Clap gave a flustered sigh.

"Not YOU... well, mostly not you. You know what I mean!" She then stepped forward and gave Obsidian a bone-rattling hug. "Missed you, girl!" She then did the same for Cupcake. "You too, ya mook!"

"Of course we're creepy!" Obsidian chuckled, "But worry not - Ruby and Diamond more than make up for it! Just wait until you meet him!" Obsidian obviously didn't take offense to the (obviously true) complaint about her family.

Damn, it was nice to see Clap healthy and well once again! A bit painful, as her hugs had enough power to shatter bones... but nice.

"Ooooh, and Clap? We got engaged!" she chirped happily, presenting her necklace.

Clap's jaw dropped open. "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!? Are you KIDDING me? Holy Schnikes, that's... it's... THAT is so awesome, I can't even think of WORDS for it!"

This time, when she reached out for the hug, she caught both Siddy and Cup in her embrace. "Awwww, you guys! You're gonna be so CUTE together! You'll have, like, the cutest foals in the whole-..."

She stopped abruptly as she caught sight of Cupcake's necklace. "... THAT is an Eloquence creation! I'd know that look anywhere!" She admired it for a moment, then looked at Obsidian's as well. "WHOA, and MATCHING ones? He must've gone all out for these things! They look GREAT, Siddy!"

"... please... put... us... down..." Cup gasped. Clap gave a small gasp, then carefully set her friends down again.

By Harmony, this time she not only tried to crush them, but to asphyxiate them as well, it seemed! There was a lesson to be had in this - never give Clap really good news when she's in hugging distance.

"Foals... will have to wait... until the pacification of... their aunts and uncles," Obsidian gasped. Oh, sweet air.

Clap blinked. "Wait until the passif... the pacific... the pass... the what now?"

Cup shook his head. "She means we gotta make sure her other brothers and sisters won't cause any more trouble."

The pegasus rolled her eyes. "Well why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Cupcake started to answer, but realized better of it and simply smiled at Thunderclap. "Yeah, we'll just say that next time." He winked at Obsidian.

"Cool. Oh, hey, Siddy? I never really got to say thanks for helping with my feeling sick; I heard it had something to do with some sort of 'Parry Dough'? What's THAT about?"

Obsidian smiled slightly. "I'd like some help with something that will ensure Blue will accept me. By the way, she asked me to join her at the Battle of Bands as support, and she said you always join her as well."

Clap's eyes went WIDE. "Whoa... she invited you? Sids, I had to hound her for a whole year, just to get her NOT to kick my flank if I showed up - and she INVITED you?" Uh-oh... was Clap going to let jealousy come between the two of- "ALRIIIIIIGHT! Way ta go, Sidster! You're gonna see some real MET-ALLLLLLL, I promise you! We are gonna have SO much fun, you'll see! Oh! And I'll have to take you shopping; you've GOT to have the right look in there, or they'll laugh you right outta the place!" ... apparently not.

And then, Obsidian's smile faded. "Well, what you asked about was Peridot, my brother; he was doing his utmost best to curse ponykind into extinction. I stopped him - he feels much better now."

When she heard Siddy's explanation of her brother's sinister quest, and that he was better now, Clap lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "Uhhhhhh... o... kaaaaaaay... so, what, is there another brother now? Is he like Tourmy, or like Amy?"

Okay, another shopping trip was in the works - good to know. Clap was an expert, so Obsidian was going to trust her with it. Her scant knowledge about metal was enough to make Blue look at her more kindly, but it wasn't enough to prepare her properly for the upcoming event. ... she still had a tiny urge to make her own band, but alas - saving Equestria was more important.

"Well... it... may sound strange, but he died. And I can still chat with him; the same with Ruby. Peridot had some kind of mental illness, and in this strange afterlife, he feels much better. Pretty nice fellow, he was just reacting aggresively to other ponies presences," she smiled coyly to calm Clap down, just in case she would freak out.

Clap tilted her head and just looked at her. "Siddy. I think you might be losing your gourd."

Cupcake then leaned in. "No, for reals! I don't know either, but I choose to believe her, no matter what!"

The pegasus then smiled. "Well... since you put it that way, I guess I gotta believe you too, hunh? Okay, so... who's the little guy outside with Gypper? I saw 'em both when I came in, and he looked like he was playing catch with him and a bird doll of some sort..?"

"That's Diamond - the one I mentioned a moment ago. Another one of my siblings... he's cute, kind and sweet, with healing magics... and a phoenix plushie. Don't mention Amy around him; he's still rather afraid of her."

Most of these words were spoken in whispers - after all, it was a rather little secret, and one that would sooner or later be revealed to Amethyst... but Obsidian wanted to be certain that her 'little' brother would be able to endure this particular family reunion.

"So," she grinned, "let's head out, shall we? We need to get some things for Tourmy, and send a letter off to Mica."

Thunderclap nodded solemnly as she spoke about keeping Mundy a secret. Then, she glanced at the stairs. "Right. Gotcha. So... what kinda stuff do we gotta go get? I mean, are we just picking up some stuff real quick... or are we going shopping?"

Cupcake gave a chuckle. "I think it's supposed to be the first one... but that's up to Siddy."

"We should hurry, so I'm afraid we don't have time for a real shopping trip, Clap. Not today," Obsidian replied quickly. Shopping could take way, waaaaay too much time in this situation - and wasted time was the last thing they needed. All things considered, they didn't even know when and how exactly Amber could attack... and perhaps she should also check on large amounts of lead... and hopefully Princess Twilight would receive (and honor) her request for Sombra's diary...

Clap nodded and smirked. "Right; business before pleasure, hunh? Got it - but I'm gonna hold you to it, you got it?"

Cupcake began to walk along, then he slowed to a stop as he looked at Obsidian. "Hey... you, uh... you look a little... panicky. Not like, you ARE panicking, but more like you have this look on your muzzle that says you're overloading on stuff."

Was he right? It felt like her head had been spinning a bit, so many things to do, so much possibly at stake... but here was her Cuppy, already seeing it and instantly showing his concern for her. Her thoughts may have been organized, but she had yet to actually move on a decision... maybe she needed to take a breath for a moment, after all?

Perhaps 'not today' was a mistake... though to be fair, she would have to go shopping soon anyway - to prepare for her metal-bonding ritual with Blue.

"Well, we have a number of things to accomplish, yes?" she said with a somewhat resigned look on her muzzle. "I just have this constant feeling that I'm either forgetting or missing something. Just like before, when the issue with Ruby got me so worked up, I'd forgotten that Mica had already gone to Manehattan. I'm somewhat encouraged by the fact that I apparently have a genius in my head; Peridot's calculations are simply wonderful for my nerves."

At least as long they weren't calculations centered around how to kill the entire world's population, of course - but he seemed to be through with that. She hoped.

Cupcake stepped over to her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, which made Clap smile and blush a bit. "Have you thought that maybe, with him in that head of yours, you might be overthinking things a bit? Here, let me see if I can't break it down into easier bites..."

He suddenly zipped over to the far wall, where he quickly set up a dry erase board that he pulled from out of nowhere, then he brought out a set of markers and began to draw frantically as he spoke.

"Okay, we have this thing with Quartz in Manehattan, where he's some kinda big fashion designer, right? The bad part is that we're not sure what he could be up to, even if he IS up to something! But, our good friend Mica is there, soaking up info and getting ready to help us figure out how to tackle the situation!"

Cup had drawn a rock wearing a fancy hat and scarf, then drew evil eyebrows on it, with a big question mark over it's head. Then, a picture of a stallion which looked as dull as the subject himself looked - Mica's value was under his surface, which Obsidian possibly saw as endearing. Next to that, he drew a face for himself, Gypsy, Clap and Siddy, all happy and smiling. Of course, Mica was stoic as usual.

"Two, there's the creepy possibilities that could be happening with Opal, and her company Pola Industries. Mining equipment doesn't seem that big a deal to me, but I'M not the brains of this outfit. We don't know what she could be up to either... but whatever it is, we have proof that Dark Magic is somehow involved. Which, unless it has something to do with my snugglebunny, is bad."

He drew a picture of another rock, this one with a pickaxe and a pair of glasses. He also added evil eyebrows to it, but then he made a BIG checkmark next to it. He then added some wavy lines with a purple marker, to possibly indicate Dark Magic... or that she may have smelled like grapes.

"But we have Pepper coming with us on that end, and I could try to see if maybe we could get permission to help us get there... though, I don't remember where THAT one leads us to... do you?" Cupcake scratched his head. "Did we ever learn where Pola Industries is? I... m-might have forgotten." He grinned at her sheepishly as he admitted to it.

He then turned and drew what looked like Peppermint's muzzle with her goggles on, grinning from cheek to cheek, before drawing a big black silhouette of what looked to be an airship, with little question marks around it.

"And then, we have reports of fires and trees that look like used firecrackers from the forests around... uhhh..." Cup trailed off.

"Around Mount Arris, love," Siddy smiled, saving his proverbial bacon, "I don't remember if we even learned the whereabouts of Opal... but I had hoped that Markannus could help us with getting permission to go there. Princess Luna gave us a detailed schedule of his roles for the next day or two."

Obsidian rubbed her temple. "There's also Amber and her mind-controlling abilities, and Jade's curse, and Blue's concert, and I'm also worried about Amy..." Did she forget anything? "It's a good thing that I'm not planning world conquest myself; far too much competition."

If anything, Obsidian had been planning to start her world conquest with Equestria, yes... but by rather peaceful means - like getting wings on her back and becoming a completely legal, full-powered princess! Yeah, that would be simply perfect.

Cupcake laughed, and Clap moved up to her. "Yo, Sids... we got your back. No matter what happens, you know I won't have any problems with givng you as much of my help as I can - 'cause friends give 120%, which is 20% cooler than a straight hundred." She smiled, and gave Siddy a meaty pat on the back. "Where we goin', right now? We can figure out the rest on the way, right?"

"First things first," Obsidian nodded firmly, "we need to go fetch something nice for dear Tourmaline - maybe it will help him deal with his angst over his current situation. It's the least we could do for him."

Cupcake looked back at Tourmy's door, then nodded. "Okay, let ME hit the kitchen, and I'll whip up some blueberry crepes; he loves those! It'll take me a few minutes, but I think it'll make up for it. Are you going to wait here for me, or do I have to come to where you'll meet me?"

"I'd rather you take... the second option, methinks? Unless you already have a wonderful, grand idea for a keepsake for my brother?" Obsidian replied immediately. Crepes, eh? One could only wonder what Amy would enjoy eating in a similar situation. Hopefully it wasn't the contents of that pot...

Cup shrugged. "I have no idea what he likes... other than griffon butts, I guess?"

Clap actually barked out a laugh. "Cup, you're a RIOT!" She then turned back to Obsidian. "So, what, we fetch something from the store for Tourmaline? We really gonna make time to grab him some coloring books or a snuggie, when we could be headed to Manehattan right now?"

She gave Siddy a mock-pouty look. "I mean, you DID send my coltriend there, all by himself and stuff; not like you maybe could've told him to come get ME first, an' take me too?"

To be completely and utterly fair, Obsidian HAD suggested it - and Mica had rejected it, so she wouldn't divert his attention. And why was it that everypony wanted to go to directly to Manehattan; that was the whole point of dividing up the group - to get Quartz tended to as soon as possible!

"Well... yes, Clap. Mica isn't truly in any danger right now," she hoped, "and Tourmy's going to be our local contact in Ponyville. And he asked for that job."

Clap rolled her eyes, but gave a shrug anyway. "Okay, I guess so... but we have GOT to do some shopping while we're there, Sids - they have ALL the latest fashions and ALL the best shops in Equestria! Heck," she lowered her voice, "I can help you find something sexy to wear for you-know-who," she smiled as she nodded her head towards the kitchen.

The 'you-know-who' was unecessary - after all, Cupcake was in the kitchen and they were alone. However... what would be considered 'sexy'? And would Cup enjoy it? Obsidian wasn't too sure about the idea; even a quick memory flash of her coltfriend wearing his strange sneaking suit didn't help her with figuring out very much.

The thought DID make her tingle a little, though.

Outside, Gypsy was playing catch with Diamond and Pancho; it looked as though the little stallion were having the time of his life, while Gypsy simply looked amused. Diamond caught Pancho just in time to see them come outside.

"{Obsidyan! Gypsee has taught me a new game! It is The Catch, and it is SO much fun! May you and I play The Catch?}"

Clap laughed. "He talks funny, but he sounds happy - you sure he's part of your family tree, Siddy?"

Ah, Diamond was being quite amusing today - a cute sight, but it was only to be expected from him. "Perhaps later, Diamond. For now, we're looking for a gift for Brother Tourmy. And of course I'm sure, Clap - he's just a little more, er... enthusiastic than the rest of us."

Diamond nodded, then looked up... up and up... at Thunderclap Dash's large frame.

"Heh... you're cute, little fella," Clap said with a smirk.

"{And you are tall! Are you one of Obsidyan's friends, too?}"

Clap looked at Siddy. "Can he understand me?"

"He can understand you just fine, Clap - but he can't speak Equestrian yet," Obsidian nodded. "and yes, Diamond; Clap is my friend, and she's Mica's marefriend."

Thunderclap Dash puffed out her chest fluff and smiled broadly. "Yep, yep, yep... I saved the world with Sids, an' looked good doin' it too! We kicked those zombie flanks from here to Mt. Arris, and sent 'em crumbling into ash when your sister here wiped the floor with Ol' Sombrero!"

Now, a look came over Diamond's face, and his merriment slowly turned to puzzlement. His eyes crawled over to look at Obsidian, a vague pain and questioning in them as they looked into her very soul. "... {wiped the floor... with Father?}"

Obsidian gave a slight shrug. "I told you, Diamond - I defeated our father, haven't I? 'Wiping the floor' is just a manner of speech which means we did it rather easily. Clap didn't mean it literally."

"{I... am aware of the idiom, Obsidyan. It is why I am... curious. You told me you had to defeat him, yes... but, from what Khlap says, you did more than defeat him. Did... did you harm him? Does he yet suffer from a wound?}" He looked worried, and a bit sad at the prospect that the stallion who had doubtlessly made his life a living Tartarus was possibly in pain. Exactly how much DID Diamond care for the world?

Clap looked at Siddy. "What's he sayin' now? He sounds upset..."

Gypsy looked at the little stallion. "{Our home was at stake; what was done, it had to be done. Your sister saved our realm, our lives, and possibly our very souls from being in the clutches of a stallion who had lost all reason and rationale. What she did, she did NOT do in excess - Thunderclap Dash tends to exaggerate, to embellish a story.}"

Diamond looked skeptical, yet he seemed to accept Gypsy's response. "{Obsidyan... I think that-}"

Suddenly, his little eyes grew as big as saucers, and he looked straight up at the attic window, which had its' curtains drawn... except for a single corner.

Diamond kept his eyes locked on the window as he said, "{Please let us go. Now. Please, now. Please.}"

Damnation. "Yes. Let's go - I'll talk with Amy later... oh, by the way Diamond, are you aware of any dish that smells like onions and burnt cotton candy...?"

As they began to walk away, Obsidian saw the curtain in the attic window move slightly, then slowly close. Diamond shuddered, and seemed to walk double-time until he was out of sight of the house. Gypsy kept his eyes on the little guy, concern tempered with personal space and respect for Diamond's intelligence; the diamond dog knew he would settle himself, but stayed available just in case. Clap only glanced back at the house once, then shrugged as they moved along.

Hopefully it wouldn't ruin anything - Obsidian was rather confident that her brother would be just fine, with no tendancies for violence and so on... but Amy was another issue. She might feel hurt over the fact that nopony told her about their brother's return, after all.

"So," the pegasus began, "we're picking up something for your creepy brother; what kind of stuff does he like?"

"{He likes music,}" Diamond said softly and simply.

Clap started to speak, but Gypsy interrupted; "He s-s-says Tourmaline likes m-music."

The pegasus thought for a moment. "Hey... we could get him a little radio or something like that, couldn't we?"

"Hmmmm... that does sound like a good idea. I'm not exactly well-versed with modern technology; do you know where we could find one, Clap?"

Thunderclap grinned knowingly. "Yeah, stuff like that's easy to find - we just have to hit Buggy Hollow, and we should be able to find a radio or something..."

Cup's muzzle lit up. "Buggy Hollow? I haven't been there in forever! Yeah, that'd be GREAT!" He then turned to his fiancee, all smiles. "Buggy Hollow is a pawn shop, over towards the edge of Ponyville; it's a place where folks take stuff they don't want anymore and sell it, and Tennae and Karapuss turn it around and fix the stuff up, then resell it for a little profit!"

Gypsy leaned in closer. "It is c-c-called such, due t-to it being run by changelings."

To be fair, Obsidian deduced that right after hearing the owners' names - it wasn't really that hard to guess, especially as she immediately thought about the local changeling hive after the mention of 'the edge of Ponyville'.

"Any chance we could pass by the post office on our way there?" she asked with a touch of hope.

"Sure; like it's on the way or anythi- OH WAIT, yeah it is!" Clap laughed, as she actually didn't challenge anyone to race her there, for once. Cup walked next to her, giving her occasional smiles or glances, while Gypsy and Diamond spoke in hushed tones, seemingly exchanging information about changelings and pawn shops.

The post office was right where it had last been, and the doors were open as usual. Gypsy elected to play more catch with Mundy (and Pancho), while Clap and Cup stayed at her sides.

"So, Clap... you want to say something to Mica in our letter?" Siddy asked as she took out her purse to buy paper... again. It should a short letter - 'hope everything is fine, everything seems to be fine now, my dead brother told me to keep our group together, so we will probably join you soon'...

But, wait - Gypsy was Diamond's liaison. Could Diamond travel?

Clap looked back at Gypsy and Diamond, then looked around with great care, and stared at Cup until he walked over to play with the other two... then she leaned in close and spoke in a whisper, behind her hoof.

"Tell him... that I, uh... love him, and stuff." She then stepped back, and said more loudly, "Tell him not to get into any trouble before I get there; we stand a better chance at whoopin' some tail if we're together, right?"

Cup, glancing over his flank at them, just smiled and winked at Siddy.

Oh - that was easy enough. Obsidian simply wrote a few words to Mica, telling him that everything seems to be fine here, that she got some precious advice from a pony wiser than her to stay in their group - and as such, that they would probably be going to Manehattan soon, assuming that no disasters happened around Ponyville before their departing, and to be careful - it was probable that Amber could mess with Quartz's mind.

Then she added that Clap sends her love. And stuff.

Letter written and sent, it seemed like the only thing left to do was to head toward whatever Fate had planned for her. Cup, Clap, Gypsy and Diamond were all outside, waiting for her as they spoke amongst each other. Strange... why did it feel like something was still missing?

"Let's obtain this radio, shall we," Obsidian said as she made her way out of the post office. To be fair, she was somewhat curious about the shop itself - there could be some interesting things there. Maybe some of them could even be useful! Anything that would increase her chances for survival was welcome, after all.

Buggy Hollow was, appropriately enough, located in a house that was built within a massive fallen tree, the hollowed out trunk was all that was left, and it had a number of colorful things growing on it, as well as different bugs living in it. It looked as though the base house was built inside it, but then whomever moved in just kept adding things; a tin porch roof that looked to be the side of a billboard, windowboxes that were hollowed-out television sets, planters made of a pair of dryers, and a fountain out front that was built from what looked like several statues, as no two limbs were the same.

The sign out front wasn't hoofwritten, but constructed letters from different bits of scrap instead.

Huh - was this an average example of changeling architecture? Did they typically use nature in this way? So many questions, so little time - but to be fair, Obsidian would have to visit a few different hives to find the answers for these questions. Sadly, she didn't really have time for that... but it looked interesting - a pretty good example of a building that advertises what's inside... and Obsidian was curious to find out what else its owners had.

"Looks nice; certainly catches one's attention," she commented happily.

"They got all sorts of stuff in here, Sids!" Clap gushed, "It might look like they just dive into the garbage & salvage stuff, but I know it's gotta be more than that! Some of the stuff they come up with is, like, things I've never even known!"

Cup nodded vigorously. "Momma comes here all the time, looking for gifts for Discord; she always finds something, that much is true - so maybe this is the right place to be, hunh?"

Diamond looked around at the place, grinning. "{What an interesting building; Gypsee, do you know of any history for this particular shoppe?}"

Gypsy smiled. "{This one knows that this store has been active for almost a decade, and is known for the strange and rare things that manage to find their way into the owner's hooves. Buggy Hollow is for those who seek something strange and unusual; most often, they find it.}"

"And I hope we'll also find something strange and unusual... and, uh, a radio as well, of course." Siddy's voice didn't hold back any of her cheerfulness - even for a moment. What a strange, yet wonderful business this was! Oh, if only it would be a bit closer to home, she could gladly check their stock from time to time! She didn't exactly need anything, no... but it didn't change the fact that it was very possible to find something interesting. She trotted happily to the doors.

The shop's interior was as unusual as the outside. The entirety of the massive log had been hollowed out, but on the inside there seemed to be a layer of stained-glass that completely covered the inner walls, wherever the log was... except the floor, which was made of what appeared to be steel grating.

All around them were shelves; tall ones, short ones, big ones, small ones, some hanging from the wall, some imbedded within the wall, even some magically hovering off the floor... and every last one of them was crammed full of fascinating and wondrous stuff, some of the likes of which Siddy had never seen before.

Diamond simply stared; he was so overwhelmed by the sheer amount of strange and unusual here, he sort of overloaded a bit. Nothing serious; there was no smoke rising from his ears. He'd just need a minute.

Behind one of the taller shelves hear the back, there was what looked to be a colorful changeling seated in an office chair, reading a magazine whose front cover boasted something about exotic locations. They didn't seem to notice their new guests yet, whomever they were.

Aaaaah, perfection - a very chaotic one, but it only meant that all of them could spend a really marvellous time here, checking thing after thing in the search for anything of particular interest, whether useful or simply entertaining. In fact, Obsidian pretty much reacted the same way as Diamond, despite being far more used to the craziness of modern world than he was. It was just... a truly fascinating sight.

She hook her head clear of the wonder; she should be polite. "Good morning!" she said, smiling at the changeling in the chair. Well, they would surely find a radio here - perhaps it would also cook, dance and sing?

The changeling looked up and blinked, squinting at her for a moment before reaching over and donning a pair of spectacles. Once they were on, a smile broke out. "Well, well - looks like we have a bonafide hero in our midst! Greetings and salutations, Miss Obsidian; welcome to Buggy Hollow, home of all the stuff you need, but just don't know it yet! And how may I, Karapuss, assist you on this fine day in Ponyville?" He stood up, gave her a polite bow, and seemed quite eager to help.

Ahh, it felt good to be recognized, from time to time... especially when some jerks like Peavine kept reminding her that no, being a hero doesn't mean that everything is copacetic... or when her damned siblings were doing their utmost best to ruin her chances for any sort of long and happy life.

"I'm looking for a radio; I need a gift for my brother," she tapped her cheek in thought, "and I should get something for my sister too, but... I have no idea what she would like." No reason to possibly make Amy jealous, right?

Karapuss smiled (a toothy, dangerous-looking smile; quite nice, to Obsidian); though she'd already managed to learn that her father was a pure bastard, it still didn't change the fact that she was perhaps a bit biased towards toothy smiles. After all, she spent quite a while thinking that any sort of smile from him was a good sign. The teeth just made her more comfortable, perhaps.

He buzzed his wings enough to hover over the desk, nearly hitting his head on a hanging lamp, and landed in front of her. "Whaddya need, ma'am? We've got small radios, big radios, HUGE radios, tiny radios, radios that are loud, or soft, or randomly known to change volume for no reason... what's your hunt?"

Obsidian made a few quick calculations. She liked it when her house was peaceful and calm; her brother's room wasn't really too big, and she didn't too much left to spend.

"Something in the middle, I think; not too small, not too big... something with a clear sound, to let my brother enjoy the subtle nuances of the music. Would you possibly have one like that?"

The changeling nodded, then took wing and buzzed his way towards the eastern end of the log/store. "There's a few good ones over here, but only about half of 'em work, anyway. I'll show you which ones work, and which ones we can fix, mmkay?"

Behind the counter now was another changeling, but this one was thinner, and a bit more... purple and pink... than Karapuss, who was mostly blue and green. The pink changeling looked around at the others a bit, waved at Diamond when he waved at her (because of course, he did), then just watched for a moment while things proceeded.

One of the radios she saw was about the size of a tribal drum; big enough to look like it made some sound, yet small enough to fit in a lap.

"That one's working," Karapuss said with a grin, "but it picks up channels from all over the globe, not just here in Equestria. Don't know why, either - back's been sealed up by a previous owner, and opening it up might make the magic in it stop working."

Obviously Obsidian only wanted working radios - she didn't know if Tourmy would be able to repair it at all, and she doubted that he would appreciate receiving a broken gift as a token of friendship between siblings.

"So this radio is, umm... broken in a way that makes it work better?" Now that was a novel idea. All over from the globe, eh? To be fair, she didn't see any downside to it.

"Not broken; special," the changeling chuckled. "Everything here works, don't get me wrong - but how they work is often up for debate."

That was a good way to put it - it worked, but in a very special way. Almost like Obsidian herself, heh.

The pink one behind the counter apparently decided there wasn't much happening here, so she picked up a book from behind the counter and began to read. It had no title; it was blue and it looked at least twenty years old; maybe it was for sale too?

"Whoooooaaaaa..."

Clap made her way past them all, and made a slow beeline to a wall, where there was a picture of a rather tough-looking mare in a Wonderbolt's outfit, standing next to Karapuss, who looked no older than he currently did.

"You knew Commander Spitfire?" Dash asked with awe in her voice.

"I did indeed," Karapuss said with a measure of pride. "My hive was among the first to take up the Reformation banner, and the Wonderbolts made a show of meeting with each one, to show solidarity. You can't tell from that picture, but the entire team was there that day."

He chuckled again. "Turns out, we both enjoy rock 'n' roll - so we chatted about it for most of the meet. Great flier, she was. Too bad about her wings," he looked to Siddy. "Arthritis," he explained.

Clap still gazed at the picture. "Since Mom stepped up to take over, Spitfire's turned into a travelling mare; last I heard, she was staying in Saddle Arabia... but that was about three years back."

Karapuss smiled. "She's living in the Shettish Isles, now - but she says she's thinking about Troy or possibly Neighpon next. She still sends me letters."

Clap smiled. "Actually, I'm glad to hear that - I kinda just thought she'd... y'know..."

Karapuss nodded. "Old Wonderbolts never die; they just get crankier."

Clap gave a laugh at that. "HA! Yeah, Mom's a perfect example of that."

The changeling now looked back to Siddy. "Just a radio? You don't want to look at anything else? I mean, we have two floors of goods; are you certain you don't want other things as well?" The changeling behind the counter now glanced up at them both... then, after a moment, sighed softly and returned to her book.

The mention of Spitfire brought up the memory of Short and Whisper's lost daughter, who decided she would travel around the world as well - but with a more unknown (and possibly sadder) outcome; Obsidian assumed that her reason for not contacting her parents had to be serious. Perhaps gravely serious.

"Hm, now you mention it... I think I need a gift for my sister too... but I have no idea what she would appreciate," Obsidian mulled over as she tapped her chin. She was at a double disadvantage: she didn't know Amethyst all that well, and she also wasn't too well-informed on what gifts were even available in this day and age. She glanced over at what looked like some sort of musical instrument; maybe she could try to interest Amy in a new hobby aside from flaying and stabbing?

Clap barked a laugh. "HA! Get that so-n-so a muzzle; she might not like it, but I'm pretty sure it'll make her more likable!"

Cup, however, simply thought for a minute, then nodded to himself. "A brush. For her mane."

Clap looked sidelong at Cupcake. "A brush? Seriously?"

Cup looked at Obsidian. "Her mane's braided, but it's always unkempt-looking - and she doesn't seem like the kind of mare who takes care of her mane very often. I've been wondering if it was a family trait..." Obsidian's own mane had been dishevelled enough for him to mention when they were still just liaison and charge; maybe he had a point?

"Still think a muzzle would be better," Clap grumbled.

Heeeeeey... was he criticizing the very same mane he loved to smell and touch so much? "Well, it's a start. Everypony needs a brush," Obsidian grudgingly admitted.

Karapuss smiled. "We have those, yeah! Tennae?"

The changeling behind the counter's ears twitched their direction, and she looked up with a grin, closed her book, then rose and fluttered towards a stairway in the back, making her way... down?

"She'll be back in a bit; we have an entire CASE of brushes for sale, but we don't get much call for them, so they usually stay out of display sight."

The pinkish changeling reappeared moments later, with a well-worn case that she placed on the counter and opened up. Inside, there were a score of different brushes - and each one looked pristine clean, even if they seemed aged.

Karapuss smiled broadly. "Buy a radio, and I'll throw one of these in-"

Tennae suddenly glared at him, and he stammered out the next words: "... f-for half p-price?"

She looked at him a moment more, then glanced at Obsidian, then returned her look to Karapuss... and nodded. Decision made, she went back behind the counter and returned to her book.

Obsidian thought a brush was actually a pretty good idea... and she got a good deal, too. "Cuppy, your opinion please?"

Cupcake smiled. "Sounds good to me - and trust me, she'll like the brush."

Karapuss looked eagerly at Obsidian, as if he was silently begging her to buy something.

Clap shrugged. "Eh, I still like my idea better... but if you wanna do something nice for her, I guess you could do worse."

"Of course I want to buy her something nice, Thunderclap - she's my sister. And she doesn't try to kill me, anymore."

As it was plain to see, Obsidian's bar for accepting her siblings was set rather low. Besides, she'd purchased plenty of gifts lately; she'd gotten Diamond his phoenix, even though it was Tourmaline's gift (but her idea!)... the copies of the artwork... the letters sent along through the post... pastries and such... clothing...

She took out her poor, beleagured purse once again to pay. "I'll take this radio, then - and one of the brushes." She took a closer look at them; to be fair, she was no expert with brushes - she just hoped one would seem better than the others, and that it wouldn't make Amy throw it back at her.

Karapuss' wings suddenly spread out and shivered, and the changeling's smile grew three times its' original size.

"Splendiferous! A SALE! Okay, then... twenty bits it is! I'll ring you up, and you can pick a brush from the case - any brush - and we'll get you on your way!"

As he went to the counter, like a well-oiled machine, Tennae stood up just before Karapuss sat down. She made her way towards the back, but as she passed Siddy, she stopped and gave a tiny, cute smile.

"Thank you for shopping with us today, Miss Obsidian," she spoke in a breathy, sweet voice, before continuing into the back area.

"I'll have to visit here again," Obsidian resolved, "and next time, I'll get a more thorough look around - maybe even buy something for myself," she added. Twenty bits, hm? Sometimes, she had no clue about budgeting in Equestria, really!

After paying for a number of things lately, Obsidian discovered that she still had enough bits to cover this expense... but now, she only had about five bits left to her name. Still, the look of happiness on the changeling's muzzle was quite a sight to see. She paid Karapuss, and was rewarded with a giggle from him as he took the bits from her, giving her a hoofwritten receipt for her purchase.

"Then whenever you're ready, Buggy Hollow will be here waiting for ya! Now, one radio and one brush. Have you chosen one yet?"

Inside the case, almost all the brushes looked more or less the same... plastic or metal, pastel colors, missing bristles and tape around most of the handles, some with partial melting, some with chips missing...

Except for one.

It sat at the very back of the case, near the corner. It had a curved and elegant handle, looking almost like black marble, with only a single crack which had been glued expertly, and the bristles were in top notch shape. The finishing touch on it was a small purple stone, set into the center of the back. Among the bright, colorful but obviously-used brushes in the case, it looked like the outsider.

"That one," she pointed at the exceptional brush. A purple stone... could it be an amethyst, mayhaps? If so, it could possibly be considered the most perfect brush possible for Amy.

Damnation, who would have thought that spending money was so easy to lose track of?

Karapuss nodded, then deftly tossed it lightly in the air, catching it within a small sack before adding the radio and holding it out for Obsidian to take.

"Your business is our livelihood!" he smiled as he spoke.

Diamond came over to them both, and held up what looked like a stone bowl and a little concrete stick. "{Obsidyan... a mortar and pestle! If there are more such items here, I may be able to create potions for you!}"

Karapuss' smile faltered a bit. "Um... excuse me, miss, but what did he say?"

"He said that he likes this mortar and pestle set," Obsidian translated without even thinking. She then looked over at Cup, who was staring into a glass fishbowl filled with what looked like little plastic toy ponies.

"Erm, Cuppy... I don't think I could afford another gift, to be honest," she murmured, embarassed. It could potentially be a dangerous thing; a flat-broke hero is a hero that couldn't support her own heroic actions with enough cash.. and though she might be lucky, she wouldn't mind having at least a small 'Hero Budget' from Princess Twilight.

Cupcake slid right up next to her. "Siddy... as long as I'm around, you don't have to worry about a thing."

He reached over and took hold of Obsidian's purse, then he pulled a pouch from wherever he kept his cannon, and poured its' entire contents into it, filling her purse with his own bits.

"That good enough?" He smiled at her. "Now you can afford anything here, if you wanted to!"

Karapuss grinned at Siddy. "I'd say he's a keeper, Miss Obsidian!"

"Oh, that he is," she agreed with Karapuss. It was still a little mortifying - the fact that she'd managed to empty her purse was rather unpleasant. Her father would have surely severely punished her for a mistake like that. While she held no love for the old fool... she still would possibly prefer to just be scolded from time to time, to point the way for improvement.

"So... I suppose, how much for the mortar and pestle?" she asked with a sheepish smile.

Karapuss hovered up carefully into the air, looking towards the back for a moment... then, once satisfied that Tennae couldn't overhear, he grinned at Siddy and said, "No charge; consider it a thank you for aiding Ponyville when we needed you."

Cupcake smiled back and gave Obsidian a light side-hug. "You have no idea what that means to her... heck, to all of us, Karapuss. Thanks muchly." Gypsy gave a light bow in thanks, his tail wagging gently in the (possibly fragile) curio-filled store.

The changeling held up a hoof. "Don't mention it... no really, don't mention it; I don't want Tennae to get mad that I gave something away again!"

Being a hero had some advantages - but still, relying on the good will of others... well, it might work in Ponyville, but her siblings were apparently active within the whole of Equestria. If she was going to travel, she shouldn't get used to this sort of attention.

"Thanks, Karapuss - I really do appreciate it," Obsidian replied with a light smile on her muzzle.

The changeling gave a small yet gracious bow. "The appreciation is all mine, princess..."

There was a flash of greenish light, and Obsidian was staring back at herself! "... and please, don't be a stranger!"

The voice was spot on, and it was interesting to be able to see and hear herself like this; it was her, for all intents and purposes, and the only reason she knew better was because she was herself.

"Does my voice really sound like that?" Damnation, that mane of hers - she really should take batter care of it. Perhaps train a bit more; as a hero, she could use more muscles, maybe - the best choices for training would be Thunderclap, or even Amy....

Nah - she looked great; no changes necessary. Obsidian smiled at herself.

And she smiled back - a mirror-perfect copy - before another flash of green magic, and Karapuss was standing there once more. "Funny thing, that - everyone says that when I do that - it's not just you, ma'am."

She could believe that without any problem. Obsidian never really thought about the sound of her own voice, but this... well, this was an interesting experience. In fact, she thought she sounded rather pleasant - just not the same as she thought she would sound like in her own mind.

Diamond chirped a mellow "{thank you, bug-sir!}" as he carefully reached up and placed the bowl and stick into Siddy's right saddlebag.

The little healer then smiled brightly, and gave her a hug... well, as far up as he could reach, anyway. "{I will make many potions for you, my sister... your generosity is unbound, wild and free, and such things are a beautiful thing to see in this family line!}"

They made their way outside, after gathering a picture-gazing Thunderclap from her focus. Gypsy looked over Obsidian's shoulder, his attention on the sack. "Do you b-b-believe that S-Sister Amethyst will accept your k-kindness?"

"Yes, Gypsy... I think she just might." She sighed softly. "At least I hope so; let's go home and find out, shall we?"

The house was quiet as they came walking up to it, but the attic windowshade was fully drawn. Still, Diamond stared hard at it as soon as it was in sight, fear crawling across his features like a swarm of spiders.

"{This one shall remain with your brother outside; he will be safe, have no fear.}" Gypsy assured her. The small stallion smiled up at the diamond dog, who returned it.

Cup nodded, then leaned over to give Siddy a quick kiss on the tip of her chin. "I'll head to our room and grab my bags; I should be ready in two hops of a bunny's bottom!"

Clap looked at the house for a moment before shrugging. "Eh, I guess I do kinda owe Tourmy a thanks for watching out for me while I was cursed... or sick... I'm still not 100% clear on what happened to me, but it's not important at the mo', I guess. I'll follow ya, Sidster."

Diamond clapped his hooves as he began another game of 'The Catch' with Gypsy.

"Well, you were cursed by my brother Peridot, who wanted to destroy all sentient life in the world, save for himself and his brothers and sisters." Despite the mention that it 'wasn't important', Obsidian quickly provided an explanation.

Amy could be dealt with first... should be dealt with first - and first things first. Obsidian trotted to her room to knock politely at the attic door.

Clap shrugged again. "All I remember is my pal Obsidian brought me to her house, and wouldn't let me leave until I was well - even with my own Mom being brat-tastic about it. And that's all I need to know, Sids - you were there for me." Clap smiled kindly - a look that complimented her quite nicely.

Which quickly became a scowl when she saw where they were headed first. She flopped into a chair which protested loudly and pouted a bit as Siddy knocked.

There was the sound of thumping around for a moment, then a sharp squeak that sent shivers up her spine. There was the measured thump of hoofsteps, soon followed by the door opening slightly.

"... you? What? What do you want?" She sounded a bit impatient, as if she had little time for whatever nonsense Obsidian had to tell her.

"I've got something for you, my sister," Obsidian said with her perfected 'cheerful' voice. She took out the brush from her saddlebag and held it out for her.

"What, you have some stupi-" Then she saw the brush... and stopped. She stared at it for a long, hard moment... then her eyes slowly went to Obsidian's. "What... i-is... I don't..."

By Darkness, she was speechless.

She turned her gaze back to it, and stared at it some more. "This... what IS it?" There was still no way to tell if she liked it or not; her muzzle looked as though she were trying to figure it out, like it was a jigsaw puzzle.

"It's a brush, dear sister - I think this stone on the back suits you rather well, don't you?" Speechless Amy; It could mean that she was either going to be very happy, or at least the token value of 'happy', in her sister's case... or that Obsidian would possibly get this brush shoved into places where brushes really, really shouldn't go.

Amethyst looked at it for a moment more, then slowly reached out and picked it up with a hoof... and trned it over a bit, looking at the small stone inlaid there. She then looked up at Siddy, an unfathomable expression in her eyes.

"Uh... sure. Whatever, yeah. I guess... thanks." Holding it as if it were something she expected to burn, she shut the door and went upstairs to her dwelling space once more.

"Toldja we should've gotten her the muzzle for her stupid face," Clap smugly snarked.

Well, could be worse, could be better. Overall, Obsidian would give it a score of Amethyst/10. "She seemed to like it more than not, actually," Obsidian shrugged slightly when she returned to Clap once again. "And NO Clap, she doesn't have a stupid face. Come on; it's Tourmy's turn."

"Well, I think her face is stupid - goes with the rest of her," Clap muttered as they made their way downstairs.

All things considered, even if Amy had acted the way she did, there was one fact that told Obsidian that Cup quite possibly could've been correct: she did take it with her, after all.

Tourmy's door was open, and he glanced at them both as they reached his door. "Amy's in her room; no letters yet." He sighed, sounding supremely bored.

"Thank you, brother," Obsidian once again slipped into her 'cheerful' voice mode as she trotted closer to Tourmaline to present him his lovely, new-but-used magic radio; it would surely make his time under lock-down far more entertaining for him.

"Well?" Obsidian asked, "What do you think?"

Tourmy sat up in his hammock as he looked at what she presented to him. "Wait, what is..." He then gasped lightly. "Obsidian... is this a radio set?"

Clap grinned. "Eeyup - Siddy gotcha some musical entertainment!"

He gently picked it up and looked it over. "Gunther has one of these - but his looks more... complicated than this one does. Does it-" He turned the left knob, and there was a light click from inside the radio... but no sound. "Is... I didn't already break it, did I?"

Clap gave a sharp bark of a laugh, then came over and continued turning the same knob until music came floating out of it, filling the air with an aria. "See? You just had to turn it up!"

Tourmaline's eyes went wide as the somber melody poured from the little radio... and then, he slowly closed them, and his head began to bob to the rhythm as it continued on. "Ohhhhhh... such a wonderful sound..."

He opened his eyes again, looking at her and smiling. He then gently set the radio own on the nightstand next to his hammock, and embraced Obsidian in a warm hug. "Thank you! I love the one Gunther has, but this one certainly is better, in my opinion. Of course, I am biased; my sister gave me this radio, after all - it means something to me."

Well, she slam dunked the home run par on that serve! (Sports idioms are weird for those who don't do sports.)

Obsidian obviously returned the hug, happy that her brother seemed to be satisfied with his gift. However, she would be more inclined to expect his bias was towards his griffonfriend, not towards the sister who'd put him in an anti-magic ring and forced him to integrate with modern society against his will...

"Now, you won't get too bored - wonderful! Luckily this basement has rather thick walls, so there shouldn't be any problems with volume."

Hopefully... otherwise, he might have heard her and Cup during... uhhhh, 'things'.

Tourmy nodded, gave her a quick squeeze again, then let her go and simply sat down on his hammock, grinning at his new gift as he adjusted the volume to where they could continue to talk, yet still hear it playing. The sound was crisp and clear - possibly a bit too clear, though that may have been part of its' magic as well.

"With something like this," he said with a grin, "I doubt I'll ever complain about boredom again."

"Hey, Tourmy... uhhh, look I wanted to, y'know, say thanks for the other day - where you kept me on the couch and fed me tea?"

Tourmaline rolled his eyes, but gave a light chuckle. "Yes, I DO recall that, Thunderclap... and I'm pleased to see that Obsidian's politeness is rubbing off onto you."

Clap gave him a look at that, but Tourmy simply returned a sumg smile, unflinching... and eventually, a smile crwled across Clap's muzzle too, and the two of them laughed it off.

"Yeah, yeah, well... I really do appreciate it. I might not have thought well of ya at first, but after that stuff? You're okay, Tourmy."

He gave a half-grin. "Thunderclap Dash's approval; be still my heart."

Clap laughed. "You're a RIOT, Tourm!"

"Maybe a quiet riot," he chuckled softly.