Blackout led them through the city streets, weaving through the other Umbrum that marched through them. Shining couldn't help but gaze around as they did so, conscious of his surroundings only so far as not bumping into anything.
It felt like Canterlot, though at the same time it wasn't. The streets were narrower, made even smaller by the stalls that lined the curb. Even with only a few other Umbrum out and about, it felt incredibly cramped and closed together. Many things were being hawked on those stalls: statues made of bone or wood, various foodstuffs, weapons. The buildings were simple in construction, with smaller, personal marks on the walls that differentiated them from one another. It felt so familiar and yet so different.
Fortunately, Blackout led them off of the main street into one of the smaller side streets. This street was much less crowded, lacking the stalls and crowds. The lack of other Umbrum also allowed him to get a better look at the buildings themselves. They were made from black stone, the overall design being quite simple and blocky. The main difference was the roof, which had an aggressive slope to it that allowed snow to flow off of it. Even as he watched, an Umbrum was scraping some snow off with a large spade.
Blackout led them to one of the buildings, pulling out a small key and opening the door. "You live here?", Ciaran asked.
"Yeah", Shroud asked. "I thought government people lived in the Palace?"
"No, just the emissaries and ruling family", Blackout said. "Besides, dad's a... Dad likes to live simply, let's just say. Even if both of us can afford a bigger home, he's not gonna take it."
Blackout held up the door, allowing the others to enter. Like the exterior, 'simple' was what best described the interior of the building. A basic foyer, with a single staircase leading up to other floors and another door leading out back. Following his sister, Shining and the others were led upstairs, finally coming to a stop on the fourth floor.
"Stairs...", Shroud said derisively. "What is the city clan's obsession with stairs?"
"You try cramming a few hundred Umbrum into a space this size", Blackout countered, fumbling for another key.
Shroud snorted, "I haven't. That's your problem."
"Not my fault we can't have proper forges and simplified communications without static settlements", Blackout retorted. "Look, can we not argue in front of my dad? My brother, for that matter?"
"Hey, I don't mind", Shining said. "One of my teammates at the Academy was pretty much the same way. Not the subject matter, of course, but... Well, you know."
"Blackout?", a voice called. "Is that you?"
"Yes, father!", she called, stepping in and waving her hoof for the others to follow.
The source of the voice appeared in the small hallway. It was an older Umbrum, about the age of his father...
Shining couldn't help but wince. This technically was his father, right? The Umbrum had grayish fur, somewhere in between his and blackouts in color. His mane was a bluish-black, combed straight back, while his eyes were a pale blue, much like his own. The three rows of fangs were embedded in his jaw, just like Blackout, and he wore a simple tunic as opposed to the heavy coat worn by the others.
"Good to see you again", he said. "What is..."
He stopped, staring past Blackout. At him.
Shining could only stand there, not really sure what to do. This was his father; his rea- His biological father. What did that make...
Shining was drawn from his reverie by the stallion asking, "Blackout? Is... Is it-"
"Yes", she said, breathlessly. "It's him."
"My son", the stallion breathed. He took tentative steps forward, as if he was afraid Shining would disappear if he approached too quickly. "You're alive."
"I...", Shining spoke, before clamping his mouth shut. He didn't have anything to say. No, that wasn't it. He just didn't know what to say.
"You're alive", he said again. "Thank the spirits, you're alive."
Shining squeezed his eyes shut, tensing up before letting it all out in one big, heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I... I need air."