"I've been waiting long enough for you to show your face."
"Ha ha." The Alicorn almost-growled. "You're Kha, and I know it."
Don't take him up on any bets. Kha warned.
NOT a good time for random comments. "I am, surprisingly, fully aware of this."
"I bet you don't know what he's done in the past." Corona snickered. "Fifty bits an I'll say what he hasn't told you."
"No thanks."
The vibrant red Firstborn laughed. "You just as penny-pinching as I am?"
"I have no money."
"You came to talk to me without any cash on you? I could probably sell some of your fur, or feathers... ah, those claws look good for letter openers..."
"Quit it! I don't sell my body!" Obsidian emitted a sudden blush as Kha snickered away in his mind. "Parts to weirdos!" He added.
That didn't help
Shut up.
The numb feeling quickly filled his limbs and head. Hey! Stop it!
Relax, I need to talk buisiness.
"Corona, I can give you as much gold as you could ever have if you help us."
"The knucklehead already said he didn't have money."
"I do." Kha waved Obsidian's paw, materilizing a handful of small golden coins. A few fell to the ground, and Corona swept them closer with his magic, drooling slightly. "Ah ah ah. No touching." The entity hissed, lifting them back into his hand.
"What do you want me to do? I'll do anything!"
"Tell me where Maris is, and forget I was ever here. In that order, and when I ask you."
"Maris is in the southern seas! On the Griffon side!"
Wow, he's not very smart.
"Good. The second I teleport, forget I was ever here, or this gold will turn to dust and ashes. Understood?"
"Yesyesyes!"
Kha stepped back from Corona, dropping his pawful of golden coins. He stepped into the previous teleport and altered the strands of magic inside so his travel didn't end at this place. Without a word, he vanished in the altered magic, without noticing the other presence sharing his newly changed route.
How did you know that?
Not hard. Your friends are Magic, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, Honesty and Laughter, as well as the Seventh, which I am not permitted to tell you. The Firstborn are Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Pride, Envy and Anger. Two of these belong to something and nothing, as you will soon determine which. Corona is Greed, and has been satisfied. All we need to do is settle the others. Each Harmony is affixed to a Cacophony. As long as the Harmony has a Bearer, the Cacophony can be settled. Make note of our first match: Greed to Generosity.
And why do they need to be 'settled'?
It is one of the conditions for my return.
Ah.
The pink earth pony sank to the ground, clutching a small object in her hooves. Shivering against the cold of the wind rushing through the alley, she pressed up against the wall, trying to hold back tears that would only be a waste of fluid. None of the ponies trotting by saw her, and if they did, they just turned their muzzles up in disgust and continued on. None had stopped, ever. None ever would.
It wasn't Canterlot, some little city in the middle of nowhere, Forelockington or some stupid name.
But it was somewhere where nopony would know her name, would recognize her face.
She curled up tighter, her coat dull and her mane straight. Holding the item in her hooves where she could see it, she hiccuped back another sob.
The photograph was old, but hadn't faded. Six ponies, each a different pastel color, looking happy an free and young despite the confines of the brown frame. It must have been taken by someone else... probably Spike or Bonbon or something.
Her friends.
Pinkie hid the photo back in her mane and stood up.
There was no use in hiding any longer. She needed a friend. Word on the street - literally - was that something big was happening in Ponyville, and that Celestia and Luna had both passed away. Through living in Ponyville and her twitching ear, something BIG was about to happen. And she was going to help fix it.
Who's next?
Maris, now that we have confirmed his location.
Which... Cacophony? ... is he?
There was a mental laugh. I can feel another presence on this line. A Harmony. When she arrives with us at Maris's palace, I'll affix the magic that lets us breathe to her as well, and Maris's shell will soon peel to his Cacophonic nature.
The blinding whiteness suddenly tore away, and Sunrise found herself surrounded by thousands of pounds of pressure, and unable to breathe in.
An invisible, bodiless voice whispered through, She has arrived. And suddenly her body filled to it's normal density and the pressure subsided.
"Wha? Where am I?"
"Sunrise?! She was the one-" She was the one following me?!
Well yes. And she will be quite excited about-
"Obsidian!? Twilight gave me her Element! See? I can do magic now! How cool is that?!"
He caught the dragonness as she lauched herself into his arms. "You're heavy! Oh, nice scales there."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about them. But I missed you so much... I thought I'd never see you again..."
"I know. I got your letter." Obsidian sighed, hugging her close. "I missed you too."
She had grown with the essence of Magic. A few years of growth had been rapidly established, and if Obsidian had been quadruped, they would have been the same size. The darker, hidden parts of Obsidian's mind filled with ideas.
As if coming to the same conclusion, she straightened up on her hind legs - much more comfortable with her longer tail and neck - and continued holding his shoulders, despite her hind claws still comfortably settled on the ground. Obsidian's surprise faded quickly as she lifted the surface of her muzzle into his chin. Laughing and blushing, her wrapped his arms around her shoulders, noticing the strengthened muscles along her wing structure. Locking his claws together after setting his arms even lower, under her wing membranes, he did something he rather wished Kha hadn't snickered at later.
He kissed her.
It took her a few moments to respond, but she wasn't thoughly shocked, or - luckily - disgusted. She just came to her senses, and kissed back.
It was a while before he pulled back, but neither of them was blushing, and Sunrise was smiling at Obsidian.
"Whatever happens, Obsidian, I'm with you."
He smirked. "Maybe we can bring you along."