Obsidian: Shards Of Sombra

by Randimaxis

Thirty: Think Pink

Well, Miss Pie's impression of her daughter was pretty good... except for the speaking part.

"Fairly interesting," Obsidian began, "but I wouldn't exactly refer to it as 'good', though; only a little bit of action and hardly any story - though there was certainly a lot of plot. The camerapony wasn't very, eh... focused, let's say. Honestly, I still can't get over the fact of how small these shards are."

Obsidian had to admit it at least to herself, as she raised her hoof to rub her temple a bit; she felt warm, bothered and just a little jittery.

"Oh, and good afternoon," she added; obviously, Siddy couldn't allow hersef to forget about maintaining good manners. "So, my question is, how did it end up here?"

Pinkie looked at Peppermint with light dispproval. "Is that one of Licorice's video disks, Pep? You know I told you to stay out of his stuff... but if the stuff's this juicy, I may have to snoop a bit as well!"

Wait... Licorice was the camerapone? Well, for starters, that explained the plot-staring... and secondly, it would mean he was there when she was first revived. Why didn't he mention that when she met him? Obsidian shook her head slightly to clear her brain from the vision of the sheer fragility of her shard... though it didn't exactly work very well.

"Licorice... he was with Princess Twilight when I was found?" she asked, just to clarify. She didn't get the feeling that he knew her when they met for the first time. Of course, she wasn't exactly very kind nor gentle with other ponies at that time, so she could understand him putting her out of his mind... then, there was always the possibility that he was too busy staring improperly to have remembered her.

Well, her FACE, anyhow.

Pinkie nodded vigorously. "Oh, Licky does a LOT of cinematography - especially in Ponyville! Oh, I just think it's sooooooo cute how he takes all these little films; he loves to video others too! Like Twi, Fluttershy, Rarity, Luna, Celestia, Cadence... though, come to think of it, he seems to get more footage of them walking away than anything else. Hmmp. Well, maybe he just needs to work on his timing, right?"

Obsidian got the feeling he didn't think his timing was off at all.

"But occasionally, he does do some camera work for Twi when she has something she wants to film. Always such a sweetie for being an eager helper!"

She could always talk about it with him later. And really, who would have thought that he enjoyed plots that much? Though... now that she considered it...

Among Amethyst's few positive traits, there was the fact that she honestly didn't look half bad. Perhaps Licorice could, somehow, soften her edge and win her heart? "... and yet, he somehow survived his confrontation with Prince Armor at the end of this... video?" That was what it was called, right?

Pinkie looked at Obsidian with some confusion. "Of course he did... why wouldn't he?"

Peppermint simply rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Oh, but I'm glad you showed up!" Pinkie trotted over to her and leaned in close. "We should taaaaaallllllllk... priiiiiivatelyyyyyyy..." she said. Even though it was assumedly supposed to be a quiet passing of information, Pinkie said it loud enough for Peppermint to have overheard. In fact, it was likely that a few passing pones on the street heard her too.

"That's precisely why I showed up!" Obsidian admitted cheerfully, happy that she would finally be able to do something she'd planned - without any other interruptions!

Pinkie smiled, and Peppermint gave Obsidian a small wave as the unicorn was led towards the counter. Pinkie moved her to that spot, and pulled on the cookie jar...

>WHOOSH!< She found herself sliding down the crazy slide again, and back into the ball pit. Honestly, even if it was a bit hectic, it was kind of fun. Pinkie followed shortly thereafter, and almost collided with Siddy as she hit the ball pit in a fit of giggles. "I don't care HOW many times I've done that - it's STILL fun!"

At least Obsidian didn't scream when floor dissapeared below her hooves. Not a bit, nope. Well... okay, maybe a bit. Just a short exercise for her vocal cords. It wasn't as if she'd forgotten about this tunnel being here from the Umbral Invasion, she'd just... overlooked it in her thoughts. Yes.

"... sure, we'll go with 'fun'," Obsidian said with a groan as she tried to save some diginity and climb out of the ball pit as quickly as possible.

"Okie dokie lokie! So, I take it you wanted to have a chat with me, right? My Pinkie Sense told me you were headed here to speak with me - itchy rear right hoof - and I figured I could meet you upstairs. And there you were, except you were looking at one of Licky's movie disks, so I waited until you were done."

She began to walk about in the warehouse section, looking over all the shelves full of presents, gifts, packages and other party memorabilia. Each shelf, she touched lightly as if they were passing friends at a soiree.

"Okay, you go first - that way, in case you wanted to talk about what I wanted to talk about, we can just get it all out at once!"

Oooooh, she was dizzy - that slide was rougher than she remembered it being. Okay, now what was that thing she wanted to talk about...? Ah, right! The most important thing in all of Equestria...

"I've learned a few things lately - more on the technical side of the subject, really - so I thought I'd come by for... a-an advice... or two. I just, er," she blushed slightly, a rare occurrance for Obsidian, "... I just want to be as good a marefriend for Cupcake as I possibly can, and I thought that perhaps his own Momma would be the best pony to ask about advice for that subject."

Besides, as far as she was aware, parents were supposed to help their children from time to time, because they were obviously far more experienced and world-wise. Obsidian's only parent was... well, turned into stone. Though with all she'd learned, he probably wouldn't have been very useful anyway. So, the closest equivalents were the parents of her coltfriend - hough she'd neevr say that out loud.

"Oh, WOW!" Pinkie clapped, then giggled. "I was wanting to talk with you about Cuppie, too! Oh, this is just perfect!" She smiled broadly. "It almost feels like we're having a sleepover! Okay, so... I'm all ears, Obsy; please, go right ahead and ask away! No question too big, no question too small! Fire away!"

Oh, good! So they were both here to talk about the same thing - or rather, the same stallion. Obsidian grabbed her notebook from her saddlebag. Perhaps she should start with something big, to immediately clear the ground. Or maybe just a gentle prodding with a scout party - a few innocent questions...

Why in Tartarus was she thinking in strategic terms?

"Well, over the past couple of days, I've heard a few times about a suggestion of a 'wedding'. I know how it's supposed to look like technically, but... but..."

She waved her notebook-less hoof around chaotically. "... I'm not sure if it was just teasing or not! I simply lack any sort of cultural context! I know what the wedding is, what it represents... but I don't think I fully realize its' true meaning!"

Okay, something big, then.

Pinkie looked at her for a moment... then, her smile seemed to go fully electric.

"OHMYGOODNESSYOUWANTTOMARRYMYCUPPIEANDYOU'REASKINGFORPERMISSIONFROMMEFIRSTOHYESYESYESSSS!"

She suddenly jumped up and took Obsidian's hooves in her own and began a mad waltz through the warehouse.

"OHINEVERTHOUGHTI'DSEETHEDAYOHOBSIDIANINEVERTHOUGHTANYONEWOULDWANTMYSWEETCUPPIEBUTYOUDOYOUDOYOUREALLYREALLYDOOOOOOO!"

BY DARKNESS!

"I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND A SINGLE WORD YOU JUST SAID," Obsidian protested as her probably-soon-to-be-mother-in-law started a rollicking rampage through the warehouse, dragging her along by her hooves helplessly.

Pinkie laughed aloud, then waltzed to a stop in the back area, twirling Obsidian onto the couch rather smoothly as she pirouetted herself into the nearby chair and sat down. "OH... s-sorry! I get carried away so easily nowadays, and with you and Cuppie being so close, I just thought you'd come here to ask me for permission to ask HIM to marry you! I just... I... sorry."

She offered a warm smile, and only had a bit of an embarrassed blush on her cheeks as she did. "Okay, well... from everything I'VE heard, a wedding isn't just symbolic to the two getting married, but it acts as an announcement to the world that you two love each other, and are dedicated to loving ONLY each other."

She pondered for a moment. "I've known a few stallions and mares who enjoy being able to love anyone and everyone whenever they want, but most of them are still lonely. Marriage is supposed to be a commitment to someone else, to have snugglebunny playtime ONLY with them, and to dedicate yourself to making sure they have a wonderful life... and, ideally, they should do the same in return."

Okay, explanations - explanations were good. "Er... snugglebunny playtime?" This time, however, explanations needed additional explanations. The overall description DID sound nice; Obsidian would want to announce that she loves Cupcake... though she was pretty sure everypony already knew it.

"Snugglebunny playtime is the phrase I use for..." she leaned in and spoke dramatically, "ESS... EEE... EKS!"

She then smiled wistfully. "Oh, I remember the first time I ever had snugglebunny playtime with Cheese; so much seltzer... so many cream pies..."

She sighed longingly, then shook herself out of it and looked at Obsidian. "But anyway, snugglebunny playtime can cause foals, so you should be certain you either want foals or have some sort of birth control if you want to enjoy snugglebunny playtime with my Cuppie..."

She got small stars in her eyes. "My little Cuppie... having his first love, his first kiss, his first... uhhhhh..." Pinkie then blushed a bit herself, and smiled broadly as she settled back into the chair. "There's some folks who claim the wedding is EVERYTHING... but I don't think like that. The wedding is just a show for everyone else, more or less - it should mean something special to YOU and HIM."

Wait. Waaaaaiiit... did this whole 'sex' thing include seltzer and pies? She brought out her trusty notebook and took some notes. "Hm, isn't the wedding a necessary ritual that comes before sex? I'm sure Cupcake mentioned something a few weeks ago about foal-making being reserved for married couples or something..." She wasn't sure - at the time, she was a bit more concerned about the Umbral Invasion.

Pinkie nodded. "That's how I was raised; foals should have both parents, so it's better to wait until you're married to have them. Of course, there are also Spell Foals, who were made with magic... did you know Cuppie was a Spell Foal?"

She smiled. "Cheese was on his 'Party Of The Century Tour', and I was really, really lonely for him, so we decided we'd have another foal... but he couldn't make it back to me to make one 'the old fashioned way', so he simply charged his part of the Foal Spell, then sent it to me where I put the rest of the charge into it, and BAM! Cup in the oven!"

"In the oven?!" Obsidian shrieked in terror, as she imagined it.

Pinkie laughed. "Not a real oven, silly!" She patted her belly gently. "THIS oven. It's a baking analogy, Siddy - where the 'bun' is the baby, and your 'oven' is where the baby comes from. It's just a cute way of saying it, that's all!"

Obsidian kind of deflated a bit; idioms and metaphors - the bane of her existence. "So... not all sex is a foal-making, then? Foal-making should wait for married life... well, how about non-foal-making sex?" At least Gypsy had explained to her what 'birth control' was to her.

Pinkie now put on a sultry smile. "Oh, that kind of snugglebunny playtime? Oh, yeeeaaaaah... it can be LOTS of fun. Cheese and I enjoy it a LOT - and I promise you, my foal-making days are done, but it doesn't mean I've stopped having snugglebunny playtime with him!"

She sat forward. "It feels... well, it's... it's like..." She then laughed. "Okay, it's HARD to explain, but it feels wonderful... at least, once you get into it, it does. It feels like the two of you become one being, and the pleasure it brings..?"

She suddenly sat up, and squirmed in her seat a bit. "Umm. Well. Okaaaaaaay, I may have to find my Cheesy after this conversation! Any other questions?"

Obsidian pondered a moment. "Okay then, where should I acquire 'protection'? And if I may, where exactly IS Mr. Sandwich? I'd like to meet him, sooner or later." Okay... so it was fun, hmmm?

"Well... there's a section of the pharmacy shop where they sell that sort of stuff, but I've never used it!" She pondered for a moment. "Come to think of it, maybe that's why I have so many children? But I don't regret a single one of 'em, 'cause I love them all!"

She looked at Siddy and grinned. "There's two kinds: pills and sheaths. Pills are what YOU take to keep yourself from getting pregnant before you're ready to be, and sheaths are what HE uses to make sure he doesn't make a baby inside you." She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded vigorously. "Eeyup - that's it!"

Pharmacy shop... check. She still didn't know the whereabouts of Cup's father, but sooner or later he would have to visit. "So... did YOU have any questions, Miss Pie?"

Pinkie thought for a moment, then looked at Obsidian with a delicate smile. "I wanna hear what you have to say about my Cuppie; I know you like-like him, but tell me what he makes you feel, what you think about him, and what you like best about him!"

Oh dear. That could take a while. It was quite a serious question, wasn't it?

It wasn't something she could easily say... but this time, she wasn't going to say anything about 'scoring'.

"He... he's the best thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life, Miss Pie. The sight of him alone makes me feel happy and safe, and I want to be a better mare just because he deserves as good of a mare as possible."

Now, what did she like in him best? She actually blushed a bit as she started to think more deeply about him. "I suppose what I like best is that he's completely and totally different from anything I ever knew in my old life." Great, now she felt she needed to cuddle him - a LOT. "And his breath always smells sweet."

Pinkie's eyes were wet, and she sniffled grandly before producing a hankerchief, blowing her snout noisily, then putting it away while it was still dripping. "Oh, that's so romantic! Such a change from what you once knew, and you love the changes... so, naturally, you love him too! Plus, how he make you feel... what you said about him deserving a good mare..." She stepped over to Obsidian and gave her a hug.

Obsidian, of course, returned the hug. Quite eagerly, considering it was her future mother-in-law.

"If you ask me," Pinkie said softly, "I think he's getting the bestest mare in all of Equus! You're so sweet and kind, and you treat him so well, and he just goes on and on about you... so it's good to see that you feel about him like he does about you!"

She then whispered into Siddy's ear. "Don't tell him I told you, but he just loooooooves the smell of your mane; he says it's what helps him get to sleep at night!"

Well then, she would have to stockpile some shampoo, then. "Thank you, Miss Pie - that means a lot to me." She felt... good. Very good, actually. And she had Cup's mom's approval, which was wonderful.

"And it means a lot to me that you think enough of me to come chat with me about it! Oh, we're gonna be GOOD in-laws, I'm just SURE of it!" She then stepped back and grinned at her. "Y'know... you two are gonna make some adorable grandfoals!"

Hmmm... now that Miss Pie mentioned it, there was a chance that Obsidian and Cup could make foals - assuming that she was able to have them, considering her artificial heritage. Oh dear... was she ready for foals? She'd never thought about it. The mere idea was making her feel... rather strange.

"Y-yes, of course we will. But first, we'll have a wedding... AND, we'll have to deal with all of my remaining siblings. First things first, after all," Obsidian replied with a somewhat resigned sigh.

Foals - wow. So many changes since she first woke up in Equestria...

Pinkie looked at her for a moment, then smiled. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing your soon-to-be mother-in-law has the bestest information network in Equestria!"

She made her way over to one of the crates by the fireplace, knocked on it, and it opened up to reveal what looked like...

It had a number of screens, and two keyboards. It had a chair that looked rather comfortable, and a drink holder that still had a cup in it. It was some sort of station where someone could sit and watch these screens, seeing whatever they had to show. It was unlike anything Obsidian had seen yet.

"Of course, you gotta keep all this stuff a secret, mmm-kay? I mean, it all started when I was younger, as a bunch of filing cabinets... but I upgraded a few years back! Doc said it was the most advanced technological whoosi-whatsis and stuff, but it really just means I can see everything..."

She wore a slightly manic smile as she repeated, "...EVERYTHING..."

Well, THAT was just a little bit terrifying. Obsidian ws shocked, though it WAS rather impressive - she surely envied Miss Pie for having such an impressive spying aparatus. She simply didn't expected that Pinkie Pie would invest so much time, effort and bits into something like that.

"Er... ah... please, might I ask for you NOT to look in on our home today? Starting from about, say, 8 PM?" Obsidian asked gently, trotting closer to inspect the screens. The breach of privacy actually didn't bother her too much, but it was at least somewhat expected - after all, Obsidian was a mare who spent most of her life in a place like the Crystal Empire under Sombra's rule.

Pinkie smiled as she sat in the chair and flicked a hoof across a panel, making the screens light up.

The first one Siddy noticed was what looked like Twilight's courtyard, where Lemon Custard was apparently performing uniform inspections. The next one had a picture of Blue Raspberry, kicked backon her bed with headphones on, playing air guitar. The one under that had a picture of Licorice, smiling and chuckling, sitting in a hot tub with what apeared to be no less than three mares, all smiling at him. Next to that, Peppermint was onscreen, finishing up a transaction with a customer, upstairs. On another, Cupcake was setting a covered dish on their dining room table... and the rest of the table was LOADED with food dishes!

Pinkie smirked. "I like to keep tabs on my kids... and see who lies and who doesn't. Granted, I know what they're really doing, but I always feel like they should have the chance to come clean to me on their own. Of course, not all of them do; it's okay, because I still know, and that helps keep me from worrying so much."

"But don't worry," she said with a giggle, "I'll find something else to watch, when it comes to you two. At least for today."

Obsidian tapped her cheek in thought as she watched it. "So I had the right idea about bathing together," she mused as she watched Licorice. Quite a popular stallion, eh? She had to wonder if there was enough room in their own bathroom for something like that tub. Well, at least Cup only had one mare to deal with.

Pinkie chuckled. "Oh, Licorice knows he's not supposed to do stuff like this - last time, he almost got a mare pregnant, and there was a LOT of fallout from that one. But he never really listens well, and even when he does, he's so forgetful he just never thinks about it until he's caught."

She sighed, then looked at Siddy. "Kinda glad you didn't fall for him; he's not they type that would be good for marriage - not yet, anyway. He's my sweet boy, but it'll have to be a REAL mare who'll have a chance to tame him. But, that's my colt!"

Obsidian pressed a hoof to her chest. "Miss Pie, please - primo, Licorice really looks far too similar to my father and his lineage, which would make any falling for him rather... awkward. Secundo, I think that a mare could use Dark Magic could tame him, if necessary. Tertio..." she shook her head, "well, he's, er... simply not my type, I suppose."

Pinkie smirked a bit. "Oh, I know he's not your type - I've seen you with Cuppie, remember? But I'm sure either he'll find somepony he WANTS to be exclusive to, or he'll just have fun with the mares. Either way, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters to me."

As Obsidian looked, she saw Pinkie stare openly at all the screens. She reached slowly out with a hoof and touched the screen displaying Licorice, but her eyes kept moving among all the screens of her precious children, her smile fading to more of a stare - one that spoke of yearning to be a part of lives that had moved along on their own paths. "As long as they're all happy..."

"I wonder... did he ever have a chance to meet Amethyst?" Obsidian asked with curiosity in her voice. Maybe what her angry sister needed was someone like Licorice to tame?

Pinkie seemed to snap out of her thoughts at the sound of Obsidian's voice, and she turned to face her with what looked like a hurriedly-constructed smile. "Oh, not yet - your sister, however, has been pretty busy lately. I have a number of files on everyone, and hers is one of the more interesting ones..."

She tapped a few keys, and the screen in the middle changed from Lemon Custard yelling at a guard about his muddy hooves to one that showed a back alley... somewhere. Into the frame came a rather heavily-coated Amethyst; the only reason Obsidian recognized her was that Pinkie was talking about her moments ago, so her visage was still fresh in Siddy's head. Reaching the alleyway, she then looked about a bit, then removed the coat... and the one under it... and began to flex and stretch.

Pinkie pointed at the screen as she finished, and Amethyst got up and moved a well-dented trash can into the center of the alleyway. She walked up to where she had a good angle, and she then dropped to the ground, rolled onto her back, and took up the trash can... and began flipping and rolling it between her hooves, balancing it carefully as she continued to practice things like flips, lifts, and occasionally tossing it lightly into the air above her, then catching it deftly with her sky-pointing legs.

"I know what she's doing; that's the kind of training I used to see from circus acrobats! She must be planning to do some running or something, because that kind of thing can keep your legs in REAL good shape!"

Obsidian could not help but feel somewhat suspicious at this strange activity. She didn't trust Amy; she loved her as a sister, of course, but she was suspicious even when Amy was in the bathroom with the door closed... and it wasn't as if she didn't have good reason to be. With Tourmy's attitude towards her, the murder of Ruby, Diamond's utter and complete fear of her... well, Amy wasn't exactly a 'good' pony. But why would she train that way? Perhaps she just wanted to stay in good shape; it was possible... but Obsidian doubted it was as innocent as that. "Fascinating... Miss Pie, tell me - has she done anything else strange and unusual?"

"Well... she's been active for the past week, since she went to town and bought stuff. She got more of her foodstuffs, and stopped into a pawn shop. I think she bought a dresser there... aaaaaaaand since then, she's been doing this exercise thing everyday."

She tapped a few more keys, then a still frame picture of Amethyst leaving the pawn shop came onscreen. She seemed as if she were watching for anyone who might have recognized her as she was lugging a rather fancy-looking dresser out of the shop on a small wagon, pulling it along with her mouth.

Obsidian was starting to feel paranoid. Where would she put that damned dresser? Had she brought anything like that home? What she was doing?

"Perhaps she should live with somepony more suitable for reforming villanous types..." Obsidian pondered aloud.

Pinkie turned to face her. "I don't think so, actually. I think she's best right where she is... where GOOD ponies, like you and my Cuppie, can keep an eye on her and stop any shenanigans she might try to start. Plus, surrounding her with good things might reach her, eventually. Giving up on someone is the LAST thing anyone should do, because everyone needs support, every now and again."

She turned back to the screen. "I mean, you have the Siddy Six, Twily, Flur, Markannus, Shorty and Whispy, Luna, Celesta... you've had a whole SMORGASBOARD of support and help acclimating and adjusting, so you've had a lot of help getting used to the new life you've got, and lots of friends to comfort you when you feel down."

She looked back at Obsidian. "... and who does she have?"

"Nopony..." Obsidian replied gloomily. "But... but Diamond is scared out of his mind of her, a-and I think Tourmaline still would prefer to finish her... and I'm just not sure how to deal with her!" How was anyone supposed to deal with somepony like Amy? She was lucky she hadn't landed in Tartarus - or worse! She'd outright murdered Ruby! Killed plenty of ponies with Peridot! Scarred Diamond for life!

Pinkie now stood up from the chair, and fixed Obsidian with a very serious look. "You mean... the same way nobody knew what to do with YOU when you first appeared? Maybe we should have done things differently, but I don't think anyone trusted or liked you when you showed up - Sombra-Daddy didn't help with your first impressions - but with time and effort, we discovered how wonderful you really were."

Her gaze went back to the screen. "Imagine it: no sense of purpose, no family who even likes you, no friends, not even able to use your magic... granted, she might have brought a lot of her suffering down on her own head, but if there's never any forgiveness... then there's never any hope."

"Folks have HOPE because they have to believe things can't be awful and wrong forever... and because, when there's no hope, well... that's when folks do STUPID things, and usually they just make things worse instead of better. But she has no help, no friends... NOTHING... and now, she's doing some weird exercise-stuff in a back alley, with no way to tell why she's doing it. Sounds to me like either an extremely efficient way to battle boredom... or like someone's got a specific plan where she needs to be in good shape."

"Now, that's not exactly the same situation; Amy already made plenty of first impressions... and in many cases last impressions as well," Obsidian felt she had to point out. In her own case, nopony knew what to do with her, all right - and nopony knew anything about her. In Amy's case, the main problem was the fact that Obsidian knew too much about her - and didn't like most of the things she knew.

"Tourmaline got better... even though at first, I thought that he was more violent and brutal than she was," Obsidian rubbed her temple. Why would Amy need to be in good shape... what was in that dresser? And where was she hiding it?

"Your brother? Oh, he's been busy, too..." The pink earth pony flicked a few more switches, and suddenly the screen lit up with a direct feed from Obsidian's basement! How many cameras DID Pinkie have active?

Tourmy was seated at his small table, Gunther sitting across from him, and the two of them had a number of pictures in front of them... but from the distance the camera was at, she couldn't tell what was in the pictures. "He and Gunther have been doing this every other night for the past few days; I don't know what it is, but they've-... uh, do you know about those two?"

Obsidian deadpanned. "Yes... yes, I do. Why is there a camera here? Tourmy is rather loosely connected to your children."

Pinkie waved her concern away with a hoof. "Oh, I keep tabs on EVERYONE in Ponyville! It started as just a few files for each creature with a birthday, but eventually, it turned out that keeping an eye on this town is more of a job than you'd think it was! So, when it comes to Ponyville at least, always remember that I'm watching youuuuuuu..." She held up her hooves and put on a silly-spooky act, right before she broke out in laughter.

Turning back to the matter at hoof, she tried focusing the camera on the pictures, but to no avail. "Well, whatever it is they're doing, they keep smiling and even giving each other a cute little kiss every now and again. I hope it's something nice - he's really grown to become a nice stallion, your brother has!"

"Yes, he truly has; I had really hoped Amy would also get... friendshipped, as well," Obsidian sighed. Perhaps she needed a pairing, like Tourmy? But who would ever give someone like Amethyst a chance?

"I'm really doing what I can about her, Miss Pie. There's just so many things to do with... well, with basically everything."
Perhaps it was an excuse... but honestly, there were a lot of things to deal with, all the time, it seemed!

Pinkie sighed. "Well, before we move on, I just wanna make sure you know that family should always find time for family... because you may earn friends, make your own children and have all sorts of contacts throughout your life... but you only get family for so long, and once they're gone... they're gone."

She sniffled a bit, wiping a tear from her eye as she sighed wistfully. "I wouldn't want you to lose Amethyst, then spend the rest of your life regretting it."

Now, there was a disturbing question - would she really regret losing Amethyst? She didn't think very much about Onyx, after all... Peridot was a special case, because he was clearly sick... Amy, however...

Obsidian loved her, as a sister should do. But it didn't change the fact that she was utterly afraid of her, and what she might do. "At least my relations with my father are... set in stone."

Pinkie gave a howl of a laugh, then hugged Obsidian again. "Oh, Siddy - that was great! I got a good feeling you'll fit RIGHT in with the Pie Family!"

"Well, I certainly did, that's for sure!" came a voice from behind them.

Pinkie's muzzle lit up like an exploding forework. "CHEEEEEESYYYYYY!!!"

"PINKIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

The older mare suddenly did a remarkably nimble backflip over Obsidian's head, and when her hooves hit the floor, she rushed toward the stallion who was now standing at the door to the back room. He looked about the same age as Pinkie, but he had a look of merriment on his face that seemed to match perfectly with Pinkie's own broad smile.

The pink mare tackled him, and the two rolled to the ground, laughing and kissing for a moment before they both stood up. The stallion chuckled, but Pinkie was apparently SUPER-excited. "Cheesy! THIS is Obsidian! The one who loves Cuppie!"

"I know who she is," Cheese said smoothly as he bowed in front of her. "The name's Cheese Sandwich - Party Pony Abroad!" He then held out what looked like a plucked chicken made of rubber. "And this is Boneless The Third, my ever-loyal companion! Say hey, Boney!"

He squeezed the chicken, and it let out a little squeak that almost sounded like a high-pitched, but polite cough. "You'll have to pardon his abrupt manner; he's worn out from all the time on the road... but now that we're home, we'll relax and spend time with the fam. He just LOVES spending time with the fam, Boney does!"

Pinkie sidled up next to him with a sultry smile on her muzzle. "I know you do too, Cheesy. And I'm glad you're home, too... Obsidian and I got on the subject of, uhh... snugglebunny playtime... and it made me think of you, and how we-"

"With the red licorice?"

"And the fuzzy dice..."

"And how you do that one thing with your-"

"Uh-huh."

Cheese's smile became a bit saucy, though it was still a smile. "Oh, yeah... that's the stuff!"

Oh wow - so Cup's father was REAL! Obsidian got pretty startled when Pinkie - by all means, no longer a young mare - jumped over her, but, well... it was Pinkie Pie, mother to her impossible coltfriend; one should expect unexpected things from her.

Sombra's daughter stood up quickly and bowed slightly, feeling excitement rising within her at the prospect of getting to meet Cup's father! And, by extension, her (hopefully) soon-to-be-father-in law! And his, er... chicken.

Wait, just what was that about red licorice? Dice with fuzz? What? Damnation, this 'sex' thing was complicated, but everypony seemed to be quite enthusiastic when talking about it.

"I'm so glad to finally meet you, Mister Sandwich," she exclaimed happily. Cheese was... well, he seemed to be rather similar to his wife. Not that it was any sort of surprise; they seemed as if their similarities made them happier with each other. Obsidian had heard once in passing that 'opposites attract', but it was obvious that similar mindsets also seemed to get long well.

The stallion chuckled. "Please, just 'Cheese' will do; I've never been a fan of big, flashy titles!"

"Yeah, he's a fan of accordions, juggling, rubber chickens... and me." Pinkie nuzzled Cheese lightly, and he returned the nuzzle in turn.

"You bet, missy! And you," he looked to Obsidian, "you're really pretty - I'll bet Cupcake has no idea how fortunate he really is! I mean, lucky me, I found MY Special Somepony, and I love her with all my heart..."

"Same for me, Cheesy-Poo!" Pinkie piped up little hearts in her eyes.

"... and to know that Cuppie, my little ball of explosive energy, has found someone like that too? It's a swell feeling!"

"Absolutely wonderful!"

"In fact... it feels so good..."

"What's up, Cheesy?"

"That I feel..."

"Ohhhhh, here it comes!"

"... A SONG COMING ON!"

The smile froze on Obsidian's muzzle. "... w-well, I still have to go to the pharmacy store and learn some anti-mind-controlling spells, soooooo perhaps I should be on my way..."

Love has never been too easy, but it shines just like a staaaaaarrrrrrr...

Cheese's voice was mellow and a bit reedy, but wasn't unpleasant to hear.

And love will keep you flying, no matter where you aaaaarrrrrrrre...

Now Pinkie Pie was joining in!

But when the Fates have led you down the path that winds so faaaaaaarrrr...

Now they were DUET-ING!

You gotta KEEP ON LOVIN'! KEEP ON BELIEVIN'! Always be kind and NEVER be decievin'!

Oh sweet Darkness, she had to escape before they tried to get her to join them! Out, had to get out... where was the way out!? Obviously she couldn't leave the same way she came in... wasn't there a tunnel? No, no, not this! NOT NOW! There HAD to be somewhere she could escape! She was already made to dance this week; she didn't want to start a singing career as well!

One of the boxes next to the shelf quietly popped open as Pinkie and Cheese continued their number; inside, Peppermint smiled up at Obsidian as she motioned for her to crawl into the (obviously) fake present.

... and though our love is strooooooooong...
... and our love cannot be wrooooooooong...

Peppermint frantically waved for Obsidian to join her, and the unicorn practically jumped on this opportunity - and did jump into the fake present. Safe! By Darkness, she was SAFE! Apparently those two, when they came together, were hazardous to the non-singing variety of ponies!

Pepper closed the lid, and gave a slight giggle as she turned and began to crawl-shuffle her way through a small corridor, big enough for them to crawl in, but not quite stand up. The earth pony led the way, shuffling through a few different passages until she finally brought them to an intersection, then - with a conspiritorial glance around - she then reached over and nudged a screw with her hoof.

The vent next to them dropped open, and outside of it was what appeared to be Sugarcube Corner's kitchen. Pepper slid out and down, then waited for Obsidian to follow suit.

Not much other choice, was there? Either Obsidian could return to the adult Pies, and hope that they had finished their number, or she could choose another direction to crawl in and probably get lost and starve in this labyrinth of ductwork. However, she could also just continue to follow wherever Pepper went - so that's what she did.

In the kitchen, Pepper dusted herself off a bit before makng sure Siddy was clear of the vent, then pushing it back into place so the escape tunnel could feasibly be used again, should the need arise. She looked over at Obsidian, and pantomimed wiping sweat from her forehead as she looked like she was relieved to have reached Siddy in time.

"Thanks, Pepper. Your parents are both rather... intense, I have to say." She really had no better term to describe it. Cupcake was active and exciting, but Pinkie Pie was on a completely different level - and coupled with her husband, Cheese... by Darkness...

"Well, at least I managed to ask almost everything I'd wanted to before they started singing," Obsidian sighed with relief. Now, about the pharmacy, and her stopping at the pharmacy - maybe it was only a small detail, but better safe than sorry, right?

Pepper nodded, then gave a silent, knowing giggle as Obsidian described her parents. She nodded in agreement, then smiled as she made a face like someone in love... then again with the soundless giggles. She walked over to and leaned on the nearby counter, and smiled at Siddy kindly.

Peppermint wasn't a very tall mare, but she was well-proportioned and fit. She also seemed to have some fashion sense, as the bowler and her spectacles made her look somewhat trendy... but Obsidian got the idea that she didn't do it for the trend; she wore those things because she liked them.

Obsidian smiled; it would be nice to be a part of this family. Sadly, Mister Cheese didn't understand that she'd pretty much prefer to call him her 'father in law' - just to be able to call somepony 'father' without feeling ill - but he seemed like quite a nice pony. Inviting her in-laws to the house to have dinner with them and enjoy their company would be a most wonderful idea. If not for Amy.

"Sooo... did you possibly hear my questions about, er... weddings... and such?" Obsidian asked shyly.

Pepper nodded a slight bit, and had the decency to blush for being caught eavesdropping.

"Okay. Ah... good. Yes. Well, then... do you think it's a good idea, Peppermint?"

Actually, how would they be able to do it? Didn't they need some kind of... like, rings? Bracelets? Amulets? There was something like that involved, wasn't there? Oh dear. Oh, and of course there was the teeny tiny little matter of finding out if Cupcake himself agreed! It was sort of a good thing that he was older than Obsidian, and more experienced than she was...

Even though she was pretty sure she knew which of them was more mature.

Pepper smiled broadly, which revealed a fairly noticeable gap between her two front teeth, and nodded. She then reached over and hugged Obsidian tightly, then stepped back and sighed happily at her.

Oh dear; it seemed everypony loved the idea... while Obsidian herself was a bit nervous about the possibility. Which was hardly surprising - she'd never planned a wedding before. "Good. Er... y-yes, well I suppose I'll go find Cup, then. I'll come back later - perhaps tomorrow - to discuss the trip to Pola Industrial, okay?"

Pepper nodded, pleased that she was being invited to travel along with Siddy. She turned and, hoofing it from a display case, lightly tossed an apple tart to Obsidian before returning to her place behind the counter and giving Siddy a wink.

Obsidian simply had to hug her back; Pepper was so very kind - and besides, she owed Pepper for saving her vocal chords!
That done, with a wave to her soon to be -sister-in-law, she hit the street. Okay, so... now she had to go to the pharmacy. And eat a scrumptious-smelling tart. Perhaps she should save it to eat with with her Cuppy?

Ponyville was a bit overcast, thanks to the cloud cover that the pegasi seemed to be working up, but there was no rain yet. It left what seemed like a decent amount of time to make her way through town. The pharmacy was still open, and after a bit of (somewhat awkward) explanation as to what she wanted, Obsidian finally began to make her way home. At least there hadn't been any other customers in the store; it had been harrowing enough, simply asking the mare at the register!

But to think, her Cupcake (HERS, wow!) was there waiting for her with a dozen or so culinary delights, cooked and baked to perfection... all so he could have a meal with her. He really was something, wasn't he? Going to all that trouble, just because she'd come home after being gone for such a short time...

It was strange, how Life worked; when she'd first met him, Obsidian wanted to flay him alive... now? She simply couldn't stand to imagine Life without him. She practically waltzed home, she was so pleased about her love for her enigmatic, inexplicable and incredible coltfriend!

Okay, look - time to address the elephant in the trunk (was that the correct idiom?); Obsidian was not going to ever, in her life, even on threat of DEATH, use the term 'snugglebunny playtime'. Especially not in public. It was apparently only Pinkie's thing, which was good - it meant nobody else would ever say anything so... so... foolish? Foalish? Both?

But, ahhhhhh... she finally reached home - her sweet, cozy home, filled with laughter, happiness, joy... and Amethyst. Strange, though - Obsidian didn't notice any of her siblings present; were they both in their rooms? Or perhaps Amy was still doing her weird circus-traning thing. Gypsy should be here as well - after all, they'd invited him. Perhaps he simply hadn't made it here yet.

But... first things first. And this time, Cupcake was the firstest thing of them all. Obsidian happily trotted into the kitchen, then sauntered over to him and pulled him into a tender hug, nuzzling him lovingly.

Wedding... wow. With all she'd been through, who would have thought she would have THIS kind of issue in her life?

Cupcake was quite pleased to see her; his tail was even wagging a bit, it seemed. "I'm SO glad you got home okay!" he said as he returned the hug and nuzzle, smiling from ear to ear. "So, what'd you find out? Did you make any progress? Can I go meet your brother yet?" He seemed eager to do so, as if he was as excited about gaining a brother-in-law as she was to gain a mother-in-law.

"Oh, plenty of progress! I've gotten my hooves on four spells against mind-control, which we should use before we go to sleep tonight. I successfully freed Diamond, but he's currently a bit..."

She reminded herself of how he looked - especially when she mentioned Amy, "... a bit unwell, yet. Given time to recover, he should be okay. Oh, and he doesn't speak Equestrian; it doesn't stop him from making sweet eyes towards Stalwart, though," she chuckled slightly.

"Your brother's making eyes at Wart?" Cup laughed merrily. "He literally has no clue what he's in for, does he?"

"No, he most certainly does not. At first, he was asking me if he's supposed to marry Princess Twilight." She smiled a bit at that, then continued. "He... well, even if he is far merrier than I was after my first appearance in Equestria, he's still quite confused. I hope you weren't too bored all by yourself today and yesterday, love?"

Cupcake turned and led Siddy to the decked-out table. "What? Who? Me? Bored? Naaaaaaaah... I kept myself busy by getting some stuff done around here, baking, spent some time with Blue and Lemon, checked up on Momma and Dad, took Amy to the clothing store, played some... uhhh... chess? With Tourmy? I don't really know what I was doing, but it was fun, and he even said I'm good for practice!"

He pulled out a chair at the table for her. "Here, My Princess... your seat awaits you."

So, Tourmaline was playing chess? Maybe she could play it with him... heck, maybe even Amy would like to join them as well? "Wait. Waaaaiiiiit... Amy? To the clothing store? Praytell, how did it go?" she asked with curiosity as she trotted to the chair.

Before she sat down, though, she kissed Cup's cheek. "Mmmmm, thank you... My Prince."

Cup blushed brightly, but sat down across from her and smiled as he just stared at her for a moment before answering her. "Well, she was completely rude about asking, then grumped about it all the way there, then she ditched me for a moment, until I found her in the fabric section. Once she got what she came for, she grumped all the way home, then didn't even thank me for going with her - she just went straight to her room."

He shrugged. "I did the nice-brother-in-law thing with her, but... I don't think it worked."

"I'm, eh... sure she appreciated it", Obsidian ensured him, though she wasn't that sure about it herself. The question was, would she wear any of the clothes she'd gotten from there? The fact that she was grumpy was hardly something new, but deep in her heart, she surely liked it!

... wait, did Amy have a heart?

"It seems we both had some fun... but we still need to play a bit of 'catch-up' with each other. Maybe we could... take a bath together later?" she smiled at him, her grin a cross between something sultry... and something highly nervous.

Cup nodded. "Oh! Sure we could! We can scrub each others' backs, or help wash each others' manes, or have a water fight! Oh, it sounds like we're gonna have us some FUN tonight!"

Obsidian blushed profoundly while giving a knowing smirk. "Yes... fun."

Cup went right to work clearing his plate; he ate heartily, but not sloppily - something that stood out to the well-mannered princess. Oh, he was putting food away like there was no tomorrow... but he was being careful not to make an utter pig of himself. "Tourmaline says he wants to chat with you, when you get a chance - he's not here right now, as he's off with Gunther doing... uhh... griffon stuff, I guess?"

Cupcake had gone quite overboard, it seemed - there were probably more dishes here than Obsidian could eat in a week! It didn't stop her from trying to at least taste everything - though her portions were rather minute in comparision to Cupcake's.

"Did he say when he'd be back?" Griffon stuff, eh? Last time she saw him, he was doing something with pictures. "I also met your parents - both of them. Your father is very nice." And sings a bit too much, she didn't say aloud.

"Tourmy said he should be back by tomorrow; I figure, he and Gunther are having a sleepover, so I figured it would be fine. They get along so well anyway, right?" He sat back, burped behind a hoof, excused himself, then gathered his plates and took them to the kitchen sink, returning for hers once she was done.

"Hey, you met Dad? He's great, isn't he? So cool and suave and awesome..." Cheese Sandwich? Suave? Now THAT was a funny picture. "... he's like, one of my greatest heroes! He goes all over Equestria and throws parties for those in need of one. He takes his job VERY seriously, but that also means he knows how to have some serious fun!"

So, uh... a sleepover, eh? Well, she had no idea what two stall- er, two males could do during a sleepover together. Were they playing some kind of card game when she saw them on Pinkie's monitor?

"Yes, he looks great; I'm envious, really! So perhaps... maybe we could meet your parents together? I mean... more or less officially? Hit a restaurant... or perhaps invite them home for a meal... you get the idea, right?" she proposed.

Cupcake laughed. "Well, of course we could! I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be absolutely stoked to come to dinner! I could make Red Velvet cake, and maybe some mint pudding, or I could glaze a loaf-..."

He then stopped, glanced up at the ceiling, then back at Obsidian. "Wait. How are we supposed to deal with Amy, if we bring my parents here?"

"Bribery? Nicely asking? Setting up a mystery date for her, somewhere in Ponyville?" Poison? Nothing lethal, of course - just some sleeping pills. "She isn't here at the moment, but... mayhaps she could make some use of some of our small feast?"

Cupcake considered for a moment. "Hmmmmmmm... well, if I knew what kinds of foods Amy liked, then I could make some for her, and leave her a picnic basket! Yeah! Then, she'd see it sitting out, and would be all like..."

He hunched over and affected a voice that sounded like a cranky old witch than Amethyst. "A-HA! With no one to guard these delectable goodies, I, Amethyst the Rotten Sister, shall steeeeeeeal them, and make my way off to enjoy my ill-gotten goods! NYEH HEH HEH!"

Obsidian put a hoof over her mouth to stifle a laugh. Yup, that was kind of the vibe Amy was giving off, all right. However, was she doing it because she wanted to behave that way... or was it because she didn't know of any other way to behave? Obsidian was sure she would have far better relations with her if they weren't living together in one house, and she wouldn't have to become a nervous wreck each time Amy picked up a knife to cut her food.

"By the way, Cuppy, did you happen to notice her with some kind of dresser?" Might as well ask... maybe Cup had seen it?

"You mean the really frilly one, with the gemstones inlaid? Yeah, I helped her get the stupid thing upstairs! I swear, I didn't know she was such a fan of... well, girly stuff." He shrugged, then sighed. "Amethyst is her own pony; I don't know what it would take to actually make her a friend... but I'm fairly certain that, whatever it is, I ain't got it. Maybe you can reach her?"

It felt like everypony was telling her to reach out to Amethyst. Meanwhile, the best idea of 'reaching out' to Amethyst was beating her flank again to reassert her dominance and remind her that she'd already lost twice to her and, as such, shouldn't feel too cocky.

Or, Obsidian could simply throw her out of the house completely. Of course, she'd only resort to that idea if the power of friendship, offers of hugs and smiles and other similar things turned out to be ineffective.

Wait a second... "Gemstones?"

Cup nodded. "Yeah - really decorated all frou-frou and stuff; don't worry, they're not magical - I checked. Still, all those little gems all over the drawers kinda make me feel like it's WAAAAAAAAY too much. Heck, honestly? It looks like something Auntie Rares would own..."

Obsidian remembered the Rarity Suite with a bit of distaste. Though, come to think of it, frou-frou was a term that certainly described the place... but it still didn't seem to make much sense. Amethyst, Tartarus-bound and scary nasty, had purchased a dresser that had gems all over it, and was (according to Cupcake) quite girly.

THAT didn't sound like Amy at all.. of all ponies, she was the last creature that Siddy thought would be doing something like that. SHE WAS UP TO SOMETHING!

Or she always dreamed to dance in the ballet.

"I'll have to talk with her tomorrow, yes. I'll have to try to understand her, or I'll lose my mind," Obsidian muttered. "And where exactly is she right now? Did she come back home already?"

Cup pointed a hoof at the ceiling. "Upstairs, as usual. She doesn't seem to go out very often, doesn't have a job, and does NOTHING around here to help out." He sighed again. "Siddy... have you considered... asking her to move out?"

"Yes, among many other things," Obsidian replied shortly. Eh, whoever decided to put two reforming siblings into the same house with her, made life harder for the Grey Princess. "So... did she actually get any new clothes? You know, when you two went to the store?"

"She got fabric... but no, not really any clothing, as such. Unless she bought some while she was away from me - and I SWEAR, I was trying to find her the whole time - then I think it's safe to say that Amy doesn't even HAVE anything to put in a dresser!"

Cupcake now was beginning to look a bit concerned as well. "Fabric... dressers... what could she need those for!? RRRRGH! It's like, the fuse has gone all the way down... but the cannon hasn't fired yet. YET."

Obsidian facehoofed, with both hooves at the same time. Just a few days ago, she had to fight with her brother and eventually kill him. Today, she'd smuggled three siblings of hers into Equestria, freed one and then prepared some measures of defense against another one. Oh, and negotiated help from two ancient alicorn princesses.

And now, she'd returned home to her coltfriend... and had to talk about Amethyst "Are there any animals in Ghastly Gorge?" she asked resignedly.

Cupcake shivered. "Ummmm... yes... is... the short version. Auntie Maud tried living there once... once. She now lives in her cave by Ponyville. Momma said she'd have been eaten up if she hadn't rescued her!"

He looked at her curiously. "Why do you ask? You think Amy would want to move there? I mean, it IS far enough away from us that we wouldn't have to deal with her anymore..."

"Oh no, I'm just thinking about a small field trip. A nice, short adventure with Amy, to strenghten our sisterly bonds." And perhaps train some of her Dark Magic skills. It could be useful; she hardly had any reasons to feel negative enough around Ponyville - what was more, she really didn't want to use it around Ponyville.

"I also met with Jynx, and I agreed to participate in that game of yours," she added.

Cup's muzzle lit up at the mention of Jynx and the game. "Oh, it'll be a BLAST with you joining us! I'm a ninth-level paladin of Systra, with a plus fifteen to hit! That's, like, reeeeeeeally good! Chances are, you'll be starting out at first level... but with the stuff WE go up against, you'll catch up to us in NO time!"

Cup then sat back and grew a thoughtful look on his muzzle. "Ya know... I'll bet, if you wanted a chance to bond with Amethyst... maybe you could find out what sort of stuff she likes to do. Aside from murder. And stalking. And threats. And generally being scary and nasty. Y'know - THAT stuff."

There were two categories of things to do - first, things Obsidian wanted to do. It was a broad category, considering how many friends she had and how many new activities she'd like to experience. She liked to think that she was a rather nice mare, so many of these things were nice as well. Then there were things she had to do: Taking care of her siblings. Being a good marefriend. Working and learning.

In Amy's case, these two groups really didn't have too many common elements.

"Maybe I could start with getting her some real meat?" A paladin of who? Plus fifteen what? Okay, it wasn't that important at the moment - she could learn about it later.

"MEAT!? Wait... you mean, after all that stuff about eating us, she's still being allowed to eat that stuff!? FEH!" Cupcake shook his head to clear it of thoughts, then settled into a slump in his chair, just looking at Siddy and smiling softly.

"I'm glad you made it home, Siddy... I was starting to miss you something fierce. It's like, when you're not around me, it's... hard to concentrate on anything anymore; not impossible... just really hard. I keep thinking about you, how sweet your voice sounds to me, how pretty you are, how you're so independant, yet still kinda need me."

Cup now smiled sweetly at her. "I love ALL that stuff about you. I love you more than you'll ever truly know, Obsidian - more than even I will ever know, because infinite is infinite. And that's how much I love you; infinite."

"I... I feel the same, Cupcake. I couldn't stop thinking about returning to your presence. It seems we are both addicted to each other," she smiled lovingly at him, her heart fluttering at his words. "And... I love and trust you more than anything or anypony else in my life. I want you to be mine, Cup... and I want to be yours. Forever."

Cupcake's smile said a million words... but he spoke not a one of them, as he instead got up from his seat, made his way around the table to her, wrapped his forelegs around her and gave her a deep, lingering, breath-taking kiss. He was warm and soft. He smelled lightly sugary. His voice had cranked down to a lower register, which made it somewhat... alluring.

For every bit of hassle and trouble he'd been, Cupcake Sprinkles had proven to be more than worth the work. He was strong, he was fast, he was intelligent, he was... well, unique. There would never be another quite like him... and to think; he was all Siddy's, hook, line and sinker.

"Obsidian... I love you so very much. That kinda sounded like a proposal of marriage... are you sure we're ready for that step, even if it's gonna be a bit before we can do it? I mean, YEAH, I wanna marry you - who woudn't? - but will we have the time?"

He nuzzled into her mane, where she heard him lightly sniff. "But even if we DON'T have the time, I'll MAKE the time! Siddy, if you really wanna do this, then we can make it happen. Maybe not today or tomorrow, or even this week... but we WILL make it happen. because, between the two of us?"

He smiled. "Nothing can stop love." He then leaned in and gave her another hoof-curling kiss.

So that sounded like a proposal? Obsidian wasn't aware of it - but she considered it to be the final confirmation of the fact that, apparently, their getting married would be a fine idea. After all, she just said out loud what was in her heart... and by Harmony, he didn't have to do anything to make her spine and knees soft... though she certainly approved of his efforts.

She simply loved every aspect of him, from his breath to his innocence. Other mares could be fascinated by Licorice; Obsidian already got her grand prize. And he was a great kisser.

"I... Yes, Cup, I think we are ready. I said exactly what I meant - and we are both made for each other. I didn't even know I could love anypony this much."

Heh... 'meanie'. What a rather unique memory.

Cup's smile threatened to eat his face. "Neither did I, beautiful. I never cared for the mares who kept trying to get at me, because they always seemed to want something from me... but, all YOU ever really wanted... was me."

Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked on her lovingly. "Siddy... oh, Siddy... MY Siddy... you're everything I could ever want from this world! Even if I were to never eat a single piece of candy for the rest of my life, I'd still be happy, because the sweetest treat of all is right here in front of me."

Amy would probably be utterly disguisted by them right now. Stalwart would be probably mortified to her very core. In public, their behaviour would already have crossed a few lines, most likely.

Luckily, they were here. Together. Alone. They could coo, kiss and pet each other to death, and nopony would have any right to complain. Right now, Obsidian thoroughly enjoyed it, even if comparing her to sweets was hardly a new thing.

She simply grabbed him into a tight hug. "You are the absolute best, Cuppie."

He smiled. "I was thinking the same sweet thinks about you, too."

His scent, his warmth, his soft coat, his loving kisses, his gentle sighs... he was more or less lost in a slice of Heaven that wore the name Obsidian. His hooves carefully stroked her mane, his eyes staring right into her soul...

>THUMP<

Something made a hard sound in the kitchen. Cup paid no attention to it at all; he was lost in his Obsidian ocean.

Perhaps Amy had snuck into the kitchen, then overheard them and overdosed on sappy sweetness? Obsidian sighed deeply, annoyed that the mood was ruined, quickly kissed Cup's cheek and pulled away from the hug. Damnation, she was enjoying her exposure to so much Cupcakiness right now, and it felt so lovely...

"One second, love," she grumbled as she trotted towards the kitchen, intent on discovering what the source of the big thump was.

Author's Note:

'Snugglebunny Playtime': the most ridiculous words I can think of to put together for Pinkie Pie's special way of referring to sex. I think it works rather well for Ponk Pone... and Obsidian's reactions to it are hilarious.

TRIVIA: The word 'snugglebunny', I got from an old Bloom County comic strip about censorship; worth a look into.

Really, if you consider it, Pinkie has a point about Amethyst; she has nothing at all. Obsidian might consider putting her out, but the recent talks she's had might help her decide on a different path. Any thoughts as to Amy's possible fate?

Of course, The Pink One's information network spawned from her Birthday Archives... and of course, the 'Doc' she's referring to would be Doctor Whooves himself. (Sorry; 'Time Turner', for those who prefer his canon name.)

So... now the question comes: will Siddy pop the question? Will she get some special sign of their love made for them? Will there be a wedding in the Grey Princess' future?

That's right, folks - no spoilers.

[Pinkie & Cheese's song lyrics by me.]

Comments

[Mr cold ghost]

Wonderful chapter! I can’t wait for the next one!

[Truthseeker]

One of my most favorite chapters yet. Top 5 at the least. Please keep this up!

[Wungiel]

10829579
10828614
What did you like the most?

[Mr cold ghost]

10829825
The fact that her relationship is becoming more serious and how happy she is for it.

[Truthseeker]

10829825 The fact that Obsidian connected with someone, the fact that we finally see Cheese, and the fact that Pinkie pointed out that Amethyst really is all alone. A lot happened, but it all happened at an organic pace and everything felt complete enough.

[Reclusive]

It will be exciting to see how this story avoids getting M-rated for the next 30 or so chapters.