//------------------------------// // Forty Six: Best Laid Plans // Story: Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra // by Randimaxis //------------------------------// ~>-<~ She was standing at the edge of Ponyville, which looked bright and happy, even if it was completely barren of life. She could make out the familiar shapes of Sugarcube Corner, the Carousel Boutique, and even her own house from here, all awash in a light dusting of pink. It would probably be quite a long time before she and Cup would get another chance to 'test' so soft and luxurious a bed; this time, the smugness of a certain smol pone was a bit less appreciated than before. At least this time, she didn't have to accompany her father and his foolish marefriend. "THERE YOU ARE!" Ruby's forehooves wrapped around Obsidian from behind, and she was pulled into a dainty yet excited hug. "What's been the story out there? Where have you been? I was worried it was another spell like last time," a flicker of panic passed through her eyes, but only fleetingly, "but I wasn't feeling weak like before, so I figured you just haven't been sleeping much lately or something!" She gave her another light hug, then stepped back to look at her. "RUBY!" Obsidian cheered happily, wrapping her own forelegs around her favourite sister and returning said hug. "It wasn't by choice, believe me! Instead of visiting with you, I've been re-living Radiant Hope's memories of Sombra." "You... wait, y-you saw WHAT?" Ruby gasped as her eyes flew wide open. "Obsidian - you were seeing her memories!? But that's FANTASTIC!" Ruby suddenly sat down, intent on getting the full story. "No one ever figured out what happened to her! This is a chance to find out! I mean, it was one of the biggest mysteries of the Crystal Empire, and even Peri couldn't figure it out - and you know how smart he is!" She patted the ground next to her. "C'mon! TALK! Please!" "Oh, I didn't find out too much from their silly escapades," Obsidian waved a hoof dismissively, "only when they found the Umbral Altars hidden in the frozen mountains of the Crystal Empire, close to the City, and started to blasphemously plan on creating life with their use. They were also discussing something about King Crest - whoever he was - and some sort of 'Kayfadd' spell... oh, and apparently, Sombra unsurprisingly had some sort of issue with Dark Magic, and something kept demanding sacrifices of him." Well... that wasn't too much... right? Ruby listened intently, taking in all the information, then looked as though she was thinking it over carefully. "Okay, I have to take this in order - you do remember I was a researcher, right? This stuff is part of what I was looking for! The Umbral Altar is one of the most powerful Umbral artifacts there is - I mean, waaaaaay powerful - and it's what helped make all of us... if you know the actual location of it, then why didn't you mention the city? It should've been right there!" "King Crest? Oh, HIM." Ruby's expression uncharacteristically soured, making her resemble her Dark Ruby look a bit more. "Crest was the king in charge of the Crystal Empire while Father was growing up; he was run through with corruption, and his subjects were poor, sick and miserable. When Father first took over, it was considered a miracle; the subjects loved him and his advisor, and many improvements were made that brought up the quality of life for them." "Crest," she growled, "got what he deserved, thanks to Father and Hope." "But... Kayfadd?" She scratched her mane. "I've never heard of a Kayfadd Spell; maybe Peri knows what it means? Maybe even Onyx, but... well, ask at your own risk, y'know?" "And... demanding sacrifices?" Ruby looked worried at that one. "Father was plagued with darkness, and I later came to realize that it was Umbral Magic, but... I don't know about the 'sacrifices' part; that's news to me." "At least, I assume it was about sacrifices; it demanded, hmmm... oh - blood, power and slaves. That's as far as I could say... and.. wait, what city? I mentioned the Crystal Empire, I thought." Obsidian shrugged slightly... unless Ruby didn't mean the City, as in the Crystal capital - but something else. "I'll need to ask Peridot, then; he's a touch more reliable than our dear sister," she sighed. "The Umbral City! Don't tell me you didn't see it? Don't tell me it wasn't there!" She looked dumbfounded for a moment, then closed her eyes and blushed. "Oh... you might not know about that, I guess." She cleared her throat. "The Umbral City is the ancient capital of the Umbral Empire; it was supposed to be big enough to be a kingdom unto itself, and it was filled with all sorts of magical myths and legends. Supposedly, when the first ponies came across it, they were awed by its' size and wonders... but it was the seventh generation of Umbrals who attacked the whole of Equus, and when the pegasi traced them back to their home... it was The Umbral City." "All I know are legends, but the Umbral Altars were supposed to be standing at the gates to the city... i-it should've been obvious... I'm totally at a loss, sis." She then huffed a sigh, and leaned her head on Obsidian's shoulder. "It's weird. I've always been happy to be useful, but it just sort of feels like... like I'm not really pulling my weight. But stuff like this, Hope's memories? THIS, I can definitely sink my teeth into; I can do this part, with ease." She then rolled her eyes to look at Obsidian. "Y'know... it feels strange to miss sunshine?" Obsidian put her hoof on Ruby's shoulder. "Dearest sister of mine, rest assured - I will do my utmost best to bring you back to us. You will be able to enjoy sunshine once again, I promise." Ruby smiled and placed her hoof over Obsidian's. "Thanks; I needed that." As long Ruby could believe it, Obsidian could believe it as well. She had so many things to do, so many mysteries to unravel - but this task seemed to be a very interesting case of research and exploration. Nothing like trying to stop the evil, twisted plot by Onyx, and being carried out by Amber. "But to answer your question, no," Siddy shrugged, "I didn't see any gates to any sort of city. If they were there, Hope either didn't notice them, or they were hidden from sight." After a moment's thought, Ruby nodded. "Well... okay. I can't exactly research much here, as I only have access to what YOU'VE studied... but maybe I can go over some of the things you already know and see if maybe I can figure out something you missed..." She then looked at her sister. "Oh, and no - there's no book with all your secret thoughts or anything; it's all knowledge reference material - spellcasting, mathematics, music lyrics, Cupcake's baking pantry ingredients... that sort of thing. It limits me, but it still doesn't completely stop me." The libraries in this metaphysical Ponyville were only what she knew already? "Oh, I meant to ask - how's the Sibling Search coming along?" Ruby asked brightly. Well, Peridot seemed to be content with reading her metaphysical library books.... though she was a bit worried about what he could have found already. Cupcake's ingredients, eh? Well, hopefully it wasn't anyhing too immodest. Her knowledge of such things was quickly increasing in aspects she didn't even dream about during her old days. "I've met Sapphire, but she escaped... Quartz was put in prison, though I'm not worried about that so much; he said he's protected from Amber's influence there, and that she was trying to grind him to dust with the amount of work he had to do for her. This way, I'm sure he will finally be able to rest from all that labor." Ruby slowly looked as though a chill were working its' way up her spine. "Oh... oh, no..." She turned to look at Obsidian. "Ummmm... sis? It just occurred to me that, when I was alive, I was working for Onyx to help get her plan going, and she never told any of us the full plan... but she did share it with Amber... which means..." she looked more and more worried, "Onyx's plan is still going. Oh, this is NOT good, not at all - Onyx cut her plans short, due to you showing up early... but what if Amber has been doing it all since then?" She stood up. "Obsidian, we need to find out that plan. If we don't, then it's possible that Amber might succeed where Onyx failed... which would mean that, unfortunately, there's someone you're gonna have to convince to give up the plan..." She wasn't serious. "I'm serious, Obsidian; you have to talk to Onyx." Damnation, she was. "Convince Onyx... to give up her plan. Onyx. Convince her. My dear, sweet, lovely sister of mine... there are many things I can do, and even more that I can't - but I don't think that convincing Onyx to do anything is anywhere in the first category." So Amber was realizing Onyx's plan, without a body, while she was locked away in a rune-covered case at Twilight's castle. Well, as soon as the Manehattan police FINALLY reveal what they put into their walls, Amber will rot inside her shard form until the end of the world. Ruby gave her a flat look. "Right - and not trying at all has so much better of a chance to work. Gotcha." Sighing, she began to pace. "Well, all that means is we're still stuck at Square One, which is getting hit with things AS they happen, instead of before. I swear, it feels like they're always one hoof ahead of me - dammit, I wish I could just ask her myself! But... okay, if we're not asking Onyx, then all that's left is to piece together what she's doing from scratch. So, I know that her ultimate plan was to bring father back, so we have that. We also know she was going to have an Umbral army waiting for him, so we have THAT, too. We also also know that it was in her designs to have something more ready, but that part was always where she got shifty..." "We also know that sister Opal is making something using her rather big and powerful industrial company, and that brother Quartz was preparing millions of suits that could block completely Light Magic, and... a-and... okay, okay! I'll talk with her," Obsidian moaned quietly in annoyance. "I'll tear it from her mind, if I'll have to. " It would be far easier if she could simply absorb Onyx... Ruby took this new information in carefully. "Well... I'm not sure what the suits mean... but I'll ponder it over. Maybe she's planning on using Slave Helmets to-" She suddenly jumped like she'd been popped with a spark of electricity. "AMETHYST! Siddy, if Amber gets a hold on Amy, she might have a way to use her Slave Helmets for herself... and that might be what the suits are for? Either way, Amy may be a target; you might have to be careful on her behalf." "Isn't Amy the most resistant of us against mind control? She said she'd been learning for a long time how to resist against it..." Obsidian pondered aloud. Ruby winced. "She did - it was father's intent to break her of being controlled, so she could never have it done to herself. But that's why Amber probably can't just take her over, so I bet she may have a plan in mind to deal with that. And wait - Sapphire? You say she escaped? Crap. Well, we'll have to see if we can't locate her at some point, I guess. But poor Saffi..." Then she looked concerned. "Quartz said he was 'safe' in jail? Maybe so... but as much as I know both Onyx AND Amber to be planners, there's probably something in place to handle that possibility - I just don't know what it could be yet, is all." "We'll figure it out... I hope. I mean, can you imagine Onyx's plan falling apart because of putting proper security measures around Amber?" Obsidian shook her head. If only the police would tell them what they needed to know immediately! But perhaps there could be another way? Maybe they would simply release Quartz - and instead put Amber's shard in his cell. That way, she'd be cut off from the entire world. "Anything else you want to discuss before I go to our family's diabolical mastermind, dear sister?" Obsidian asked. Ruby looked at her for a moment... then threw her forelegs around her and hugged her tightly. "Yes; I want to discuss the fact that my Best Little Sister Friend Forever is the most incredible, determined and hard-working mare I've ever-" The colors abuptly shifted to a purplish hue, and Ruby was gone. Instead, she was standing outside - where else? - the library doors. And sure enough, inside she could hear a familiar click-clacking of typewriter keys. Miss Tome was in. Oh, Ruby - it was a bit too much praise. Obsidian herself knew quite a few more determined and hard-working ponies - Onyx included, unfortunately. And right now, she had no other choice but to walk straight into her den. Siddy sighed deeply, and opened the door to enter. The library was as solemn and quiet as the first day she'd strolled into it - moreso, because there were only two ponies in it. She was one of them... And, seated at a desk and typing away, was the other. Same spectacles. Same light brown mane pulled back into a respectable bun. Same frill-less and sensible suit. But there was something different this time... Miss Tome's eyes were the same shade of violet as Onyx's; of everything, it was the only part of the real Onyx who showed through the disguise. "Ah," she said as Obsidian got close, "I was wondering when you'd show up, though I doubt you're here to pay the fine on that book you borrowed." Considering that the first time she strolled there was in Cup's company, it really wasn't that strange that it was more calm in here. To be fair, Obsidian would pretty much prefer to be in the company of her coltfriend, if only because she was strolling into decidedly hostile territory. "I work in the library myself now, Onyx - and I returned all the books I've borrowed," she protested the baseless accusation, "unless you mean your books? The ones about Dark Magic? THOSE are not borrowed - they are the proper spoils of war. Or an inheritance, if you prefer." Onyx glanced up with those severe violet eyes, her expression remaining aloof. "Well, as I rarely see you unless you want something, I suppose it would be best to simply cut to the chase here. I've gotten the impression you've made a few discoveries in the world of the living, and now you've come to speak to the dead. How quaint." She suddenly stopped typing, sighed, crossed her forelegs and sat back in the chair, gazing at Obsidian... but not with scorn or hate. More with curiosity, to be honest. "So then - what do you want? I'd say my time is important and short, but..." she gestured around her at the silent library, "I don't really have anything better to do." "Unless I want something? Oh my dear sister, trust me - I would visit you a bit more often, but I didn't know you'd made this bit of my mind your home until recently, and after I learned about it, I stopped dreaming about this place in lieu of other dreams." It was enough to make Obsidian slightly defensive; she hated treating ponies as tools, and her own sister was basically accusing of her doing exactly that. "...but," she sighed, "you are at least partially correct. I wanted to ask what you had planned for Sapphire and Opal - particularly Opal. Quartz is - thank Darkness - safe, but I would prefer Amber not rampaging around Equestria in the near future." Onyx regarded her for a long moment before speaking. "So... you've discovered Quartz, have you? And he's singing like a songbird - what a surprise. You see, THIS is why I broke my plan into pieces and only gave out certain parts to certain siblings... so that a goody-goody like you couldn't find out everything at once." She smirked at her own intelligence, then continued. "Amber, I take it, is bringing things along nicely then, yes? I take it you've discovered the suits, and oh what could they possibly mean?" She pressed a hoof to her forhead in a fit of mock dramatics. "But hark! I shall ask mine sister, whom has no brains whatsoever, and therefore shall tell me all I need to know to bury her Swan Song, once and for all!" She then placed her hooves back in the crossed position, with a scowl to accompany it. "Sorry, but no - I've worked FAR too hard at making this plan happen... and to have the chance to see it come true from beyond the grave through your eyes as you see your world come tumbling down around you?" Now, she smiled. "I wouldn't miss this front row seat for the world." "I will admit, you've made these puzzles of yours quite frustrating," Obsidian said as she stepped closer to the desk, leveling a close look at her sister. Actually, considering that Onyx's physical body got splattered after Sombra's return, she technically HAD no brains. "Why are you so set on ending the modern world? Did you dislike it so much when you were still breathing? Honestly, I don't think you like watching others suffer as much as you imply; if you were that heartless, you would have destroyed Diamond's picture as you claimed you did, and you wouldn't give a damn about any of your siblings," Obsidian tried to guess. This caused Onyx to blink in surprise for a moment. Then, slowly, she sat forward and uncrossed her hooves, looking at her with almost a hurt expression. "Obsidian... it was always as it was; it was for Father." She shut her eyes tightly and put a hoof to her forehead, as if she were having a headache. "If I had been able to let everything run its' proper course, Father would have had the power to defeat the alicorn usurpers, the army to conquer Equestria with, and US to act as his advisors and strategists... for crying out loud, Amethyst wanted to be his WARLORD!" With a frustrated grunt, she dropped her hoof and glared at Obsidian. "But you were discovered. Woken up FAR too early in my plans. And I panicked... I just tried to come up with a plan that bypassed most of my original idea, and went straight for the main goal..." Now, she sat back and looked a bit deflated, as if the realization was finally coming home to her. "... and that was my mistake. I rushed into things, trying to hurry before you had a chance to set my plans on fire... and..." Now, her entire muzzle fell. "... and... and I was just a shell for him. A warm body, meant for nothing further." She suddenly let out a shriek of anger and frustration loud enough to echo through the library and back twice before it stopped. "I did what he wanted, damnation! I was the LOYAL one! I saw all the PAIN and SUFFERING he went through to make us! ALL of us! EVEN YOU!" She was standing on the desk, having unknowingly clambered onto it in her fury. Her breathing was hard and almost wheezing, and she looked either one hair's breadth of either destroying the entire building... or weeping uncontrollably. But THAT was a rather strange thought which appeared in Obsidian's mind - could Onyx, or possibly any of the entities in her head, hurt her in any way? As far as she was currently concerned, it didn't seem to be possible - if it was, Onyx surely would have struck before Obsidian had even realized that Ruby lived in her head. Besides, for her it was merely a dream. And it was something to remember, too - when Onyx started panicking, she couldn't think straight. "My dear, dear sister," Obsidian decided to risk it; she trotted forward in an attempt to give Onyx a warm hug. "Everypony makes mistakes - the fact that you panicked doesn't mean I don't consider you to be one of the most dangerous creatures in the world... even when you're trapped inside my head." Onyx flinched - unsure of Obsidian's intent - then simply stood there as her sister gave her a hug. She felt rigid, as if she was expecting the hoofstrike to come at any moment. Obsidian idly wondered if this was the first actual hug Onyx had ever gotten. When Obsidian stepped back from the embrace, Onyx took a step back as well, and eyed her warily. "Look, what's your deal?" she said in an exasperated tone, "You've managed to turn Tourmaline to your side, you're handling Amethyst marvelously, you're the greatest thing to Ruby since spiked manacles, and you've even managed to free Diamond, gather Jade and Amber AND NOW, you're hugging me? What gives!? Why aren't you imagining me in a torture chamber, being flayed endlessly while you demand answers to your questions? It worked for Father, but you seem to be the embodiment of everything he-" She stopped... then cracked a wicked grin as she pointed a hoof at Obsidian. "You... you had me monologuing! I was just rattling off details I KNOW you'd love to have, and you just led me into it with one single embrace. Well played, Obsidian... well played." She sat back down at the desk, straightened her glasses and began to sort through her paperwork as if she were right back in the same library again. "So, is this where you give up on me and simply curse my name, or shall it be the more Equestrian 'sympathetic' approach? Well - which predictable reaction will you give me today, dear sister?" For a moment, she'd almost gotten through to her... at least, it had felt like it. Obsidian knew that Onyx was trying to trick her into a false sense of security; telling her that she 'handles Amethyst marvelously' simply had to be a lie - a pretty shameless one, to a boot. Despite that, at least some of her exasperation sounded genuine... in fact, The Grey Princess managed to surprise herself a well; she didn't expect to be hugging this particular sister today. It wouldn't be at all surprising that Onyx hadn't expected it either. "You know, sister... acts of good are not always wise, and acts of evil are not always foolish. Regardless, I'm trying to be good nonetheless." Hmmm... not bad. Maybe she should remember those words too - as maybe her catchphrase or something? "Besides, you seemed to need a hug... but still, you could stand to finish your last sentence. Everything he, what, hated? Everything he was not? Come now, sister - it sounded interesting!" Onyx looked at her for a long, long moment. "... everything he gave up. For us. For her." The last was said with a nasty sneer that seemed to imply that she was not a fan of whomever she was speaking about. "Obsidian," Onyx spoke as if she was tired of talking, "my only goal has always been father's glorious return... and nothing else really mattered to me. Even if he DID just use my body to reincarnate himself, I was his to use. Can't you see that? Each of us, created as vessels and gifted with portions of his power to combat the world around us. To unite ALL nations under a single flag. To bring back the Umbral Empire, in it's full and powerful glory." Now, she gave Siddy a casual look. "... and all it took was one stupid alicorn princess and her proclivity for touching things with her magic, and now I'm dead - but my Tartarus is being stuck here with no hope of ever escaping the taunting, teasing fact that I was defeated by my own rash impulses... and you." She went back to typing. "You want to know about Opal's part of the plan? Go ask her yourself - I'm sure she'd LOVE to tell you all about how your intervention could potentially ruin countless days of work from her, and how it could possibly spell the end of her little company, even before father has a chance to dd it to his glory." She smiled as she typed. "Yes, tell her all of that... and see if she'll fall for your words like I almost did." Again, no matter how much Onyx tried to make herself out to be the heartless villain, there was the fact of the fate of Diamond's drawing; she might have been putting on a sour attitude... but if she'd been truly without a heart, Obsidian would have been screwed, trying to find her other siblings. It didn't make sense... but the first pieces of the Onyx puzzle were at least somewhat visible now; if she wanted to win over one of her greatest enemies, she'd have to work at it more... but imagine the potential if she succeeded... "Why couldn't we unite the world under the flag of an Empire that didn't like making books about torture or flaying ponies alive so much? I'm sure that we - as a family - could easily claim one of these countries and use it as a base to increase our influence and power, bit by bit. Even now, I'm making contacts at the highest echelons of both the Equestrian and Imperial governments, while Opal and Quartz apparently have the capability to manufacture an army on their own. And I consider slave helmets to be mostly useless, since slave soldiers lack true tactical flexibility; however, they could be used to make prisoners of war do something useful instead of rot in cells all day, and of course Amber would probably be an effective Head of Intelligence and Counterintelligence..." Obsidian coughed awkwardly. "Not that I'm actually plannig anything... i-it was just, you know, a mental exercise. But still, why bother with the Umbral Empire? How closely are they really connected to us? Would they-..." It dawned on her. "They're... not as gone as everypony thinks, are they?" Onyx now wore a look that was unlike anything she'd seen yet... blatant surprise. It even took her a moment to gather her words before she spoke. "Oh, their bodies are gone, make no mistake... but no, THEY are far from 'gone' - just sleeping, so to speak. There are names of legends among them - such as Grogar, Brae, Hydea - which have struck fear into the hearts of Equus for long and long..." She now looked... proud? "THIS is our heritage, Obsidian - power, limitless in scope and measure, and the Darkness that holds it. The Umbra lived inside father, and it craved the return of the Umbral Empire... and, once he realized the truth of it, so did he. Obsidian, he wouldn't have needed the Crystal Empire anymore because all of Equus was to be his kingdom!" She sighed. "He paid for us to live, so that we might support his rule. Granted, towards the end, he wasn't... thinking properly sometimes..." Did Onyx just admit their father was flawed? Maybe Obsidian WAS reaching her, after all? "... but as I watched him create the others, I knew I had to be the leader he needed me to be. And when I awoke to find myself in this world-gone-crazy, the modern Equestrian world... I knew I had to bring him the glory he deserved." "Honestly, sister... he didn't look too happy about The Umbra living inside him," Obsidian corrected Onyx a bit. "He and Hope had planned to rid him of it, as soon as possible. Well... at least, at the beginning... oh, but I'll be happy to learn all I possibly can about Umbrals; Brae and Hydea, you say?" Grogar's name was a bit more well-known, thanks to the stunt Discord had pulled off, concerning the Terrible Trio. Obsidian shrugged. "I'm just trying to understand a bit better, sister. Would these Umbrals require new bodies? Possession of existing ones, or perhaps the creation of new, artificial ones?" Onyx now seemed to have a bit of interest in the conversation... and oddly enough, her expression changed from her usual sour look to one closer to the last look she'd seen on the living Onyx's muzzle... Hope. "Umbrals themselves are only 'alive' in the sense of their undead corpses - and no mere pony body would be able to hold them for long. No, they would require a full and complete ressurrection - something that The Umbra was trying to prepare father for, I believe." She stood up, and began to pace as she kept eye contact with Obsidian. "Father never knew that I had seen him speaking with The Umbra - multiple times - and though I never heard any sort of voice in return, I could overhear what father was saying to it... and he wanted the whole thing finished! He said he wanted it over with!" She stopped, then glanced over at her desk. "Grogar is in the more recent history books as a fraudulent avatar of Discord... but the real deal himself? Legends say he was magnificent in his Darkness, and that he was one of the greatest leaders of the Umbral Empire, along with his second in command, War General Brae. They nearly had all of Equestria under their hooves... if they hadn't been stopped by ponies, of course." She sighed. "Obsidian, answer me truthfully - do you want to see father's return? Would you stand behind an Umbral Empire? If father returned again... would you fight him, or welcome him?" Wait... wasn't Grogar a ram? Did it mean that Umbrals possibly had other races in their service or ranks? Were the legends wrong? Or perhaps they simply appeared to be something aside from themselves? She hadn't learned anything new about the other one - Hydea - but she could find out more about that subject later... and perhaps a little chat with Peridot or Gypsy wouldn't hurt, either. "Truthfully? At the moment, I'm content with our current situation. The only Umbrals I've actually seen for myself were the undead monsters you summoned, and I still haven't learned anything that would make me wish for their return - or at least to wish for it more than the realization of any of my own plans." Well, she asked for honesty, right? Besides, Obsidian DID have her own plans too, and the horrible return of murderous beasts from the past would most certainly interrupt all of them... including the one about making a happy family with her Cupcake. Onyx seemed to be unsure of how to react to that at first... then, a cold and bitter glare seemed to win out, and settled into her features. "So. I suppose that simply means I was right to mistrust you. I thought you might balk at such a thing... which is what made me decide to use you to get the Darkheart amulets filled quicker, instead of trying to approach you to join us." Smiling without a trace of humor, she leaned against the table, eyeing her sister. "You've been in the light for too long, Obsidian... and when the Darkness finally DOES come? You'll be powerless to stop it." She then returned to her seat, smiling in a rather mean-spirited way. "And DO enjoy the rest of my marvelous plan - because you'll see the fruits of it very soon, I promise you tha-" ~>O<~ "... you were right; they look adorable, together like that." Mica's voice spoke softly. "That absolute IDIOT!" Obsidian growled without opening her eyes. Damn it! Just damn it all! How was she supposed to earn Onyx's trust if she kept failing to convince her to join them? Tourmaline had literally tried to kill her... Amethyst attacked her and her friends... and at the first opportunity, Onyx siphoned away her magic and ordered Amy to kill her! One could think that blasted mare would have learned something from her defeat - after all, she had ended up dead only because Onyx wanted to use Obsidian as a pawn and made her stand on the Equestrian side! At the beginning, Obsidian would gladly have helped them with their plans... well, most of them, as even back then she'd considered mass murder, torture and such to be exceedingly wasteful. "Whoa - that was rude, Sids! He was just-" Clap began, but Mica's voice cut hers off. "Clap, she may have been dreaming again," the earth pony deadpanned. "Oh... uhhh, mornin', Siddy!" Clap tried to recover, "I'd ask if you slept good, but from the looks of it, you three had one heckuva night!" "And I had no idea you three were so very cute together...." Mica said, the amusement in his voice quite obvious. Obsidian opened her eyes and rapidly sat up; right - no last night snuggles with Cup, a frustrating end of her discussion with Onyx, and the apparent doom of all of Equestria. Wonderful. It was no surprise that she was not at all in a good mood, and that she was glaring at the entire world as if she wanted to challenge it to a duel to death. Clap and Mica were standing at the edge of their bed, looming over them. As for her sleeping companions, Cupcake was rolled onto one side, his foreleg stretched across Wart's tiny (and quite adorable) sleeping form to wrap his hoof in Obsidian's mane. Wart, meanwhile, had nestled herself against Siddy's belly, so her sitting up had the effect of rolling Wart against Cup, who smiled and snuggled her in his sleep. "... zzzzz... so shoft, my Dark Prinzezzzzzz..." the blue unicorn mumbled softly. Wart let out a tiny sigh, and settled next to Obsidian's coltfiend, looking peaceful and content. Which just seemed to add to her irritation, for some reason. "I talked with Onyx; we need to prepare for war," Obsidian growled. That got Wart's eyes open, and she sat bolt upright. "Lady Siddy, I heard talk of WAR... what has happened?" Mica held up a hoof. "Good morning, Wart - but I think we should wait for Cup to wake up before we start this conversation." "What conversation?" Cup asked, awake and looking curiously at Mica. Mica, unruffled, answered. "The one where Obsidian apparently believes we're bound for war... and good morning to you too, Cupcake." Cup stretched, yawned, rubbed his eyes... then, as the words settled in, he looked at Obsidian with a bit of shock. "War? Just because we stopped Quartz?" he asked, sounding incredulous. "No," Obsidian went on, "but because Quartz prepared three million suits that can block Light Magic, and apparently sister Opal was preparing something as well. Amber is the only pony other than Onyx who knew the full plan for restoring Sombra, and she was using her mind-control powers to force Quartz, Sapphire and Opal to work for her." Strange thing that she didn't try to mind-control Obsidian after her awakening, she thought. She hopped off the bed, looking for her jewelry allowing her to contact Flurry Heart. Princess Cadance surely had some means to contact Princess Twilight - that way, they could try to stop Amber as quickly as possible using knowledge about the runes on the walls of Manehattan's prison... they couldn't refuse a princess' order, right? She found the bracelet easily, yet when she put it on, it was already running. ... HOO, SIDDEEEE... what the fuck? I keep this thing on, and she calls me all the time - yet when I call her... hel-LOOOO-OOOOOOO??? Hello, Obsidian answered with a sheepish chuckle, sorry, I've been sleeping. Hello, sunshine. Shit, Sids, I was about to just give up! 'Bout TIME you picked up! She groused only a moment, then she took on an excited tone. Hey, guess what - I'm here! TA-DAAAA! You asked me to come by P-Ville sometime, and I'm at the station right now, girl! So, how long before I should expect you here to pick me up? Oh. Umm, well. Hunh. You rememberer, sunshine, that I was calling you from Manehattan yesterday, right? AAAAANNNNNDDDD??? I mean, it's not like you were gonna stay for a week, am I right? There was a pause. ... a-am I right? No, it just means that I won't be able to pick you up for a while yet... however, it IS a good thing you're here; I'd like to ask you to contact Princess Twilight for me, please. It's yet another matter connected with Sombra's Hellish Spawn, as you can imagine. Perhaps Obsidian was still a little bit cranky and annoyed. Whoa - not another Peridot! Fuck, Sids, is your family half-fuckin'-yak or somethin'? They just don't quit, do they? SHIT. Well, fuck, I can always stick around for a bit; Mom knows I'm here, and I can stop by Auntie Twily's to let her know whassup. Mica looked at her for a moment, then nodded and headed to his own room. Meanwhile, Clap and Wart went to gather their own things together. However, Cup simply sat next to her and waited, smiling as he just watched her. Kinda creepy... but cute, in a way. No, this time we're not dealing with some harmless bookworm like Peridot. Okay, calling Peri 'harmless' was a bit of an abuse of the word, but Flurry had to know that the stakes were THAT high. "Love, could you get our things, please? We need get back to Ponyville as soon as possible," she said aloud to her stallion. Cup gave her a salute, then a quick peck on the cheek as he got up and started humming softly, getting everything ready to go. 'Harmless bookworm'? Celestia roast my cunt with a blowtorch, that fuckin' NASTY, hunh? You think I oughtta tell anyone else while I'm running around town playing messenger mare? It was a little snark back at her, but nothing angry about it - just Flur's way of being Flur. Not really, dear - just tell Princess Twilight that something included in the walls of the prison in Manehattan are able to block Amber's influence, so I hope that copying their safety measures and putting them around her shard - as soon as possible - could stop the entire invasion. That shard... the one we got out of the tunnels? THAT Amber? Fuck, if you want, I'll go smash it myself for ya! Right now, even! Cup finished packing, then made his way to the bathroom and shut the door. We could end the whole damned thing right now, Sids! Just give me the go, PLEASE give me the go! It's not that easy, Flur... or do you want to risk another nasty case of alicorn possession? Oh, FUCK that - I'm taking some dynamite; I ain't touching that fuckin' thing! First, are you sure explosives would even work? Second, are you sure it would destroy the shard without destroying that little coffin we put it into long enough to allow her to possess everypony around her? Third, I'd prefer to explore the idea of putting warded walls around her before we seriously plan to murder my sister. Frankly, she'd been planning to do it as well... but in her case, the situation was a bit different; she knew where her siblings kept ending up. Murder... That stopped Flurry's tirade cold; if Obsidian recalled correctly, the mare had taken her own personal vow of Pacifism. And despite anything Flur said, she could still recall how the young alicorn refused to simply blast PeriNight directly, if she could help it. Yeah, okay; go to Aunt Twily's, tell her she needs to build Ward Walls around Amber and Jade, then sit on my sweet ass and wait for you to get home. Right. Fuuuuuuuuuun. SO glad I stopped by, Siddo - tons o' fun. If it works, then it would mean you've helped to save the world from the invasion of few million of magic-resistant beasts, Flurry. "Siddy? Love? We're packed and ready... you can stop staring at the wall, now." Cupcake grinned, then shyly added, "U-unless you're not done staring at the wall yet, then you can go ahead and stare at the wall a bit more..." Yeah, okay - I'll get the word to Aunt Twi - you go save the world. Again. Without me. She mentally chuckled. Go be the bitch Equestria needs right now. "I was talking with Flurry, Cup." I'll see you later, Flurry - hopefully I won't need to save the world as much as the last two times. You wouldn't believe how long I was sore after the Umbral invasion... "...But you're right - let's go; I can talk with her on the way home. Just, umm... pay attention to me, okay, love? I wouldn't want to wander off because I was too busy gossiping with her." Cup grinned. "You're asking me like I don't do that already?" They all met in the hall with the subdued lighting; someday, she may have to try to return here - to fully get to experience this city without rush or deadlines or the threat of annihilation over her head. Red Carpet wished them well as they left, and the taxi ride to the station was quiet... even Thunderclap was just looking out of the window. "... I hope Markannus is okay," Mica said softly. The others nodded in full agreement. She was missing so many interesting things, all because of this world-saving business! They didn't even have any time to get souvenirs! What a shame. "He will be, I'm certain. He's tough - and if it were otherwise, the queen would most likely have stayed with us and called help instead of sneaking away," Obsidian mused as they rode to the station. If the ruler of his changeling hive was so sure that Markannus would survive that she'd decided it would be safe to sneak away, then he would most likely survive. Simple enough. It was somber for a moment, then Clap gave a large sigh and turned to the others. "Hey... when we get back, we gotta go see Gypper - this whole trip, I keep feeling like he' should BE here with us, y'know? Like, I even turned to say something to him yesterday... and he wasn't even here!" "Yes," Mica added, "I think we should go see Gypsy when we have the chance. Together." "I miss hearing about all the cool stuff he knows - like histories and such; Gypsy knows the best stories!" Cup added. "Indeed, such a noble creature with such a vast intellect... most certainly my favorite canine," Wart added, with a grin. He may not have been there... but talking about him certainly seemed to help the previously glum mood. "Gypsy is absolutely the best," Obsidian smiled softly, "and we will meet with him soon... and hopefully, we won't part ways for quite some time." As far as she was concerned, her siblings were preparing something very big, and Peridot had advised her to keep the group together. There would be the small problem with Diamond obviously, but that was something that they would have to deal with later. Manehattan was such a nice place; Obsidian really regretted that she didn't have the time to be as decadent as she'd originally wanted to be. At the station, the lot of them made their way towards the platform and found the proper train; the schedule said it would still be another fifteen minutes, so there was a bit of time to kill. And it just so happened that there was most certainly a gift shop here; it was a bit tourist-y and such, but that's what souveniers were for, right? Tourist types? Or perhaps, diamond dogs who couldn't come along with them? The shop wasn't lost on Thunderclap, as she smiled and turned to the group. "Yo, if we got a minute, I wanna find something in there for Gypsy - anyone else?" "For Gypsy, yes... and Amy, Tourmy.... and - why not - for Diamond, too. He would be thrilled to learn how big this city truly is." They would have to be quick, though - Obsidian doubted they could afford doing anything else other than a simple 'grab the first nice-looking gift and run to the train'. Wandering into the gift shop, the group fanned out to find whatever they could for the folks on their minds. The place was full of kitschy little things; all decorative, nothing really useful... though the thermometers, calendars and potato chip clips all tried hard to convince customers they were. Clap found a table lamp that was shaped like the Statue of Friendship, Mica bought a scenic picture book of the city itself, and Cupcake purchased an entire set of postcards which showed the museums they'd gone to. Wart managed to find the most useful gift - a new set of markers, all the way at the back of one of the bottom shelves. Each of these gifts was bought with their diamond dog companion in mind; his absence was palpable... just like Mica's had been when she was dealing with Peridot. It was strange, but before she'd woken up in this world of the future, she never would have considered missing anyone other than her father... Now? It felt as though she were charging into battle wearing an incomplete suit of armor. Apparently, nopony was thinking about Amy or Tourmy... meanwhile Gypsy would be swimming in souvenirs. Obsidian couldn't accept that - even if she had to buy them gifts herself. She picked up and purchased something called a 'snowglobe', a pack of those museum postcards... and maybe a calendar for Diamond? And she still had to find something for Gypsy; she couldn't be the only one without gift for him! With a bit of searching, Obsidian came across an actual book about the history of Manehattan, complete with pictures and reference guides; surely, he'd like this, right? It was about history, and he loved that subject - she had not failed in her quest! Looking up, Obsidian was suddenly blinded by a flash of light, right in front of her face! There was a shifting sound, and a shelf fell over next to her, where a unicorn stallion wearing a suit was levitating a camera which was pointed at her. "Obsidian, the Manehattan Tribune here, would LOVE a personal interview, if you've got the time..." From behind Clap and Mica, another one popped out of a rack of clothing, and another camera flash went off. "Lazlow Press here, would you be willing to give me an exclusive on your story of why you're here?" Cupcake went pale. "... th-they found us... paparazzi..." was all he could say in a thin, strained voice. Wart took a defensive stance as another one leaned over with a microphone in hoof, pointing it dirctly at the miniscule mare. "Equestrian News Network; tell us, Miss Stance, in your own words - what does Miss Obsidian mean to you, and how often does your group gather? And when? And where?" Yet another one, this one a mare, swung down towards them from the AC vents across the ceiling. "Channel 42, Appleloosa - mind if we take, say, six dozen or so pictures for a montage of your time in Manehattan? It's for the morning show, so the sooner, the better!" Other voices (and resulting reporters) began to try to draw her attention: "Miss Obsidian! Can we get a candid shot of you? It has to look natural, so we should only take about two hours to set it up..." "Mister Cupcake! Mind if we have an interview? I only have a few hundred questions..." "Thunderclap Dash and Obsidian; just friends, or something more..? Inquiring minds want to know!" ...oh no - invaders! And apparently ones with stupid questions and stupider cameras! While normally Obsidian didn't have a bad opinion about journalists in general, that stance was quickly changing... after all, this was the first time they'd ever swarmed her. "...eh, we are in a bit of a hurry; we just want to finish buying some souvenirs and then we're going straight to the train. I'm afraid you're out of luck today, gentlecolts and gentlefillies..." Damnation! Obsidian's response was civilized, calm and respectful... and they didn't seem to hear her at all. Her speaking up only caused a sudden circle of microphones to seemingly appear out of nowhere around her, boxing her in as a flood of words came at her. Questions, undoubtedly, but so many and so rapidly that she couldn't even understand them. Now, the paparazzi were begining to swarm the little gift shop; this was starting to make the incident in the museum look like a warm-up, in comparison. There were FAR too many, and they were coming in MUCH too fast! Mica stood right next to Clap, and the two of them made their way over to where Cup and Siddy were standing. Wart, meanwhile, had climbed one of the shelves, and was making her own way over towards the group, diligently dodging questions and deflecting statements. What in the world did they want!? Why were they wasting her time like this!? What was the meaning of this degradation of media!? Obsidian would have loved to step back from the situation - but even then, a paparazzi was already standing behind her! She pressed her ears against her skull as she started to look around for a way out. Wart leapt from the top shelf and landed amongst her friends. "Lady Siddy, there's too many! We must make good our escape, before they overwhelm us!" Even Thunderclap Dash, who would normally love being the center of attention, looked as though she was mere seconds from just taking off straight through the roof. "Siddy... we gotta get out of here!" Cupcake was now steadily murmuring, "...it's not like last time... it's NOT like last time... it's not like last time..." Mica looked over at her, then pointed with a hoof towards the side of the place, where there was an emergency exit which looked clear enough to get out of. If only they could make it... "... it's not like last time... it's not like last time... it's WORSE than last time..." Cup's voice began to pitch higher and higher as his panic rose. "... ews, can we get an exclusive intervi..." "... pcake's love children, born in scand..." "... ather abuse you, or dress you up in..." "... cess Twilight REALLY say to you when..." "... dvice to all the Crystal Ponies out the..." "... ike the dragon? Is there ging to be a lawsu..." "... lejack is still alive, somewhere in Las Pega..." "... Tome, the librarian, was actually a changel..." "... HUGE Dark Crystal, but you had to destro..." "... idnight Star's secret lover, and he chased y..." "... eige on Twilight's Castle, but you and your frie..." "... ou and your friends, tell us about how much..." "... ments of Harmony? Because if that's true, the..." "... pinion of the state of Zebrica at the momen..." "... stal Empire is legally yours, so is this goi..." "... aybe a few nice pictures for the fellas back ho..." ... and the questions just kept coming! Granted, as far as Obsidian was concerned, some of the questions were interesting; she would love read about them in the newspaper - if it was about A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PONY! She grabbed Cup's hoof and started to drag him towards the emergency exit. What in Tartarus was wrong with journalists and fans? When did they become such a threat to her way of life like this? Mica, Clap and Wart all followed... as did every reporter in the place. The five of them came barreling out of the gift shop, headed forward - no telling where yet - at a breakneck pace, doing their best to keep ahead of the flood. Behind them, it was almost like a cloud of questions with hooves (and horns, and occasionally wings) was trying to charge them down, a dull roar of noise and words that galloped behind them. The station's other guests all watched in varying degrees of interest as the two groups stormed their way down the platform. They wouldn't possibly risk following them on the train, would they? Obsidian and company already knew which one they were bound for; now they only had to get on board in one piece! Getting there seemed like there were more and more groups of paparazzi that were joining the ruckus; where were they all coming from!? Before long, there was a veritable army following them! Clap had Wart, and was flying to keep away from the crowds; Mica just ran like his tail was ablaze, and Cupcake kept yelling about how it was worse this time far worse than he'd ever seen it before. Soon, they found themelves headed right for the correct train... but there was no way they would make it without being followed by the whole ball of reporters - and if it was bad enough running from them, imagine what it would be like having to survive a train trip with them! But, as they reached the right platform, Obsidian caught some movement from the roof of the train car they were running towards... Atop the passenger car, an equine form stood up; it looked like a mare, clad all in purple, her face masked beneath a wide-brimmed purple hat. The figure moved suddenly, and several small plastic purple spheres went flying through the air, right towards Siddy's group... and past them, and into the mob of paparazzi swiftly closing in on them. There was a >POOF< sound, and a dark yellow cloud blossomed out from the center of the reporter storm, rolling through the crowd quickly. The entire gaggle of paparazzi, almost as one, began to wretch, heave and actually vomit as they were surrounded by the funky cloud. "Ohhhhhh..." "EWWW! WHAT IN- urrrrrrgchk!" "WHAT is that SMELL!?" "Poison! POISON!!! Rrrrrraugh..." "HUGURRRRKCK!" "YUUUUUUUURGH!" "OOOOOOOOAUGH..." "My eyes! MY EYEEEEEES!" "Oh, the equinity! THE EQUINITYYYYYYY!!!" Obsidian and her group got to the train just as the conductor called for an 'all aboard', and the paparazzi were STILL heaving their guts up as the train pulled away from the platform, one or two hooves outstretched towards them, begging for them not to go. And so - thankfully, they were safe... but who had saved them? As far as Obsidian could guess, it was most likely Markannus... or, she hoped so; it would mean that he'd already recovered, right! However, first things first - and right now, the firstest thing was getting home to Ponyville. Fame hurt. The train was headed back to Ponyville, and all her friends were onboard... and, most importantly, the paparazzi were not. "Hey Wart," Clap spoke up, "I dunno what you did back there, but whatever it was, it was real effective!" Wart blinked at her. "I assure you, Clap - that was not my doing." Clap gave her a skeptical look that slowly turned to confusion. She then looked at Mica, who shook his head. "Cupster? Did YOU do something?" Cupcake was hugging Siddy tightly, shaking just a bit. "N-n-no, not me. I thought you did..." She then turned to Obsidian. "Well, Sids, I guess it was you, then - how'd you do that?" "It wasn't me, either - I'll bet it was Markannus, as he always helps us when we don't expect it," Obsidian shrugged, panting quite heavily. Damnable journalists... although, could she earn some bits through them? They could possibly pay her for an interview... then, at least something good would come out of it. She could've bought gifts for everypony, then! "It was a mare... in purple... with a big hat, which was also purple." Well, normally Markannus tended to use less... direct methods to help them. Maybe this was some sort of change he'd experienced? At the description, Clap blinked and just stared back at her. "Hunh?" She looked to the others. "Wearing purple, big hat, cape? Does that sound like anyone we know..?" Mica simply shrugged his shoulders, and Cupcake shook his head... but Stalwart Stance's eyes lit up, and she walked over to Obsidian with a wide-eyed, incredulous stare. "Lady Siddy... the description you've given is one that matches someone from Equestian history. Someone who was unafraid to help others in need, and who did it without the need for fame and fortune." She smirked. "You're describing Mare Do Well!" Mica and Clap looked at each other, but Cupcake suddenly smiled, his fear forgotten as the name hit him like a speeding bobsled. "Mare Do Well!? REALLY! Oh WOW, that's incredible; you really saw her?" But then, his face grew puzzled. "... wait... what? The last time anyone saw Mare Do Well was actually a good bit before The Terrible Trio showed up; should she be running around like this at her age?" Mica now put a hoof to his chin. "Wait... you know, Cup, I think I have heard your mother speak about a 'Mare Do Well' before; wasn't that something the Element Bearers did, back during their own time?" Wart grinned and nodded. "Mare Do Well was the foil to Rainbow Dash's ego; Clap's mother had become insufferable with her bragging, but Mare Do Well stepped into the picture and did the same things - but without the need for recognition. I recall that it seemed to be about Miss Dash learning a lesson... but I don't believe I ever heard of what happened to her." Clap just shrugged. "Well, this is the first I've heard of it." Mica lifted a bemused eyebrow. "Considering who your mother is, it doesn't surprise me in the least, Clap." So a superhero that had appeared some time before Tirek and company tried to take over Equestria last time had apparently saved them from the horrible fate of the rabid journalists. "So in other words, we still have no idea who helped us." Cupcake shrugged. Mica shook his head. Clap looked clueless. Wart just gave a small, proud grin. "Mayhaps the acts you have done, Lady Siddy, have spurred others to follow in a hero's hoofprints!" Mica lifted an eyebrow. "Perhaps... but that would also possibly mean that, whoever she is, she's still on the train." Cupcake's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean... we could try to discover who Mare Do Well really is???" "Why do you assume she's onboard, Mica? If she is a unicorn, she could simply teleport herself away. If she's a pegasus, she could fly off easily. If it was Markannus... well, then he's probably on the train somewhere, I agree," she shrugged once again. They seemed to be more excited about this little strangeness than she was. "...and, Wart - I assume you mean the acts WE have done, yes?" Mica shrugged. "Chances are, you're right. It was just a thought." Cupcake looked a bit crestfallen. "Awwww... well, there goes the fun of looking for her. But that's okay, I guess; we might see her again, and we can ask her then, I'll bet!" Mica rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Sure, Cup... sure. She might not TELL us, but we can always ask." The train ride back was a calm moment, for once; the gang talked about what they'd done while they were out. Mica and Clap had gone to the Statue of Friendship, where Clap had gotten into an argument with a straw dog vendor, and it had ended up with her buying straw dogs for the entire tour group. Mica had come across Pound Cake during their trip, and he also had one of the business cards; apparently, he and Clap had also been watched by the twins in their younger years, and they all knew each other well enough. Cup told them about their museum follies, and Wart filled in what had happened to them with meeting Markannus, then spoke about her own adventures in evading the security at the party. Apparently, though they were good at their jobs, they'd never had to deal with the likes of a well-trained Royal Guardpony before, though the little mare did applaud them for their tenacity. Arriving at the station, they disembarked and found themselves in quiet, cheery Ponyville once more. After the hustle and bustle of the Big Applecore, it felt good to be back where things were simpler and more laid back. And, because of bracelets, Flur was waiting for them when they arrived. "Heya, Sids! I spoke to Auntie Twily already, and she said she'd have a list of runes for you as soon as she can - am I The Shit, or what?" She looked at the group, and greeted them all. "Mikey!" "Hey, Flurry." "Stalwart, yo yo yoooo, what's up with you?" "I am well, Princess, and I thank you for your concern." "CUP! 'SUP?" "Hiya, Flur!" Then, she looked at Thunderclap, and ALL of the good-nature in her expression promptly vanished. "... you." Clap pointedly didn't even look in her direction. "You," she snarked back. Flur then turned back to Obsidian, her expression instantly returning to its' previous cheer. "So - 'sup bee-yatch?"