A Strange Happening

by TheReddPony

Chapter II: In A Town Called Blackrock

Author's Note:

It's been a while. No, you aren't reading a different story. Trust me, this will connect by the end of part one.
Here is the Gdoc URL for those of you who wish to read it that way: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qcGcUU2mLgEkUC950eUL7mPBKcmAt-GjW_HCs4MeEik/edit
Enjoy! Don't forget to comment!

Chapter II: In a Town Called Blackrock

“Much can be said about Blackrock. ‘Tis quaint, peaceful, and most importantly, the small town provides us with near all our steel. If such a town disappeared, where would we be?” -A.L. Train, Industrializing Equestria

Blackrock, a small town sandwiched between the sculpted, rocky cliffs of the Northridge mountains and a wild, untamable Everfree forest. Blackrock was a mining town, founded in Equestria’s great industrial age to mine the Iron ore deep inside the Northridge range. The ore mined at Blackrock was the source of much of the countries refined steel, much of which was sent out to be processed at numerable locations, one being Canterlot, the nation’s shining capital. Canterlot rested on the other side of the Great Forest, as the ponies on Blackrock called it, and to reach Canterlot, one had to go around the forest. The town had a peculiarity about it, though. It was entirely founded, run, and populated by earth ponies, the race closest to the earth. Blackrock was filled with hard working ponies, one of which was Obsidian Streaks, a stallion with a charcoal grey coat, blue eyes, and a mane black enough to match his namesake. He had a talent for mining, a common thing in the town, and had a pickaxe on his flank to prove it.

Obsidian Streaks was, as his talent suggested, a miner. He was the assistant manager of operations in the south tunnels, and had a decent life. He worked day-to-day, and after work, he’d go off to the bar with his buddies, then he’d go home. And the next day, he would do it all again. He wasn’t happy with where he was, but satisfied definitely summarized his feelings.

On this day, however, Obsidian had different plans. He had a date planned with the town’s main blacksmith, Silver Flame. She was a gorgeous mare, in his opinion. She had a sky-blue mane, cut short to stay safe around the fires of the forge, her almost silver coat seemed to shimmer under any sort of light, and he always seemed to fixate on her eyes. They were a deep amber that seemed to flicker and burn. He liked her, he was sure of that. And the other day, when he had gotten the strength to ask her out, she said yes.

He had this all planned out, and he ran over it again, losing focus on his work. He gazed down the cavern, and thought about what he would do that evening. He was going to take Silver to the restaurant on the corner of Fourth and Stinerei street. It was a tasteful and classy place, but not too expensive, and not too over the top. Well, he hoped anyways. He shook his head and got back to work, walking further down the tunnel. Thoughts of Silver would have to wait. Work comes ahead of home, after all.

When Obsidian Streaks was done with work, He headed home for a quick shower, and then out to pick up his date.

He made it to her house three minutes after he said he would, and already he felt bad about it. Her house was small, clearly made for a single pony. It was a one story, located directly behind the forge. It was a simple brick house, with light yellow shingles. He stood in front of the door, nervous to knock. It seemed to stare back at him, daring him to reach out and use it’s simple brass knocker. He gulped back his nervousness and knocked, then stepped back and waited. He was about to knock again, when the door opened inwards, revealing Silver Flame.

Obsidian was at a loss for words. Her light mane had been done up, curled around the edges. It framed her face perfectly. He thought about how well she pulled off the short hair, and how great it looked on her. Then he met her eyes. His thoughts about her hair vanished, and he just peered deep into them. She smiled, and he shook himself out of his fixated trance. “You ready to go?” She asked.

A nervous smile replaced Obsidian’s vacant look. “Y...Yeah.”

She stepped outside, closing the door behind her. “You alright?”

He nodded quickly. “Yeah! I’m just… nervous, that’s all.”

“Am I that scary?”

“No!”

Silver giggled. “Let’s go, Obsidian. We have a reservation, or so you say. We wouldn’t want to be late. The Garden tends to be rather mean about those sorts of things.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” Silver began to walk, and Obsidian followed close behind, his eyes wandering across her hindquarters, admiring the curves, studying the way she swayed when she walked, her tail swishing side to side, following the movements of her hips.

She broke his fixation with a query. “Why don’t you walk next to me? I don’t get to see you if you walk back there.”

He blushed heavily. “I can do that.”

Complying, he sped up and fell in step with Silver. “So, you’ve got a management position in the mines, right?” She asked.

He grinned. “That I do. I’m the assistant manager in the south tunnels.” He puffed his chest out slightly, elated that somepony took interest in his seemingly boring job. “It’s a rather prestigious position.”

“Ah. You seem to be proud of it.” Silver smiled.

Obsidian explained his position with great detail, and before the couple knew it, they were in front of The Garden. “Well,” Silver observed “It seems ponies loose time when they’re talking.”

“That’s what they say.” They stood there, looking at eachother, Obsidian admiring his date, and Silver thinking about how she could fall for such a stallion. Obsidian stood up, and turned towards the door, and offered his right fore-leg to Silver. “Shall we, Silver Flame?”

She wrapped her left foreleg around his right, and nodded. “Lead the way, you fine gentle-stallion.”

They walked into the restaurant together, forelegs linked; a picture of innocent bliss.

The waitress at the door noticed them almost instantly, and looked at Obsidian. “Do you two have a reservation?”

“Obsidian Streaks.” he nodded.

“Ah, Mr. Streaks. Right this way.” She walked off, and the two followed.

The two were led to a booth. “The two of you can sit here. I’ll be your Waitress for tonight, if there’s anything you need, please let me know, ok?”

Obsidian sat down, and Silver sat across from him. Silver nodded to the waitress in appreciation. “Thank you.”

“Can I start the two of you off with any drinks? We’ve got a fine selection of wines you could choose from…” The waitress droned on about the choice wines they had in stock. Obsidian was distracted by Silver, sitting across from him.

He couldn’t help but stare.

He was interrupted from his train of thought by a soft kick from underneath the table. “Obsidian, she’s asking what you want to drink!”

“Oh! Um… How about you get me whatever Silver chose?” he said to the waitress.

She grinned in reply. “Alrighty. I’ll be just a minute.” She walked off, and Obsidian turned back to Silver. He was met by a glare. “What?” he asked.

“You were staring at me.”

“S-Sorry…” he blushed.

“It’s fine.” Silver sighed. “It’s not the oddest thing you could be doing. I’m not quite sure whether to be flattered of worried, though.”

He didn’t respond, only looked at the table.

“I’m not mad.”

“Really?” He met her eyes. Such a tender, caring gaze. There was no way she could possibly be angry with him, he thought, not with such tender eyes.

She nodded “Of course not.”

He grinned, and tried to formulate a response.

An ahem sounded from next to the table, both Obsidian and Silver turned to meet the voice. It was the waitress, with two champagne glasses and a bottle of wine. “I know this is supposed to be a somewhat romantic restaurant, but still. I could feel the tension between the two of you from the bar. You should tone it down a bit.” She uncorked the bottle, and poured deep red wine into each of the glasses, then set the bottle on the table. “Who am I kidding, I’m just jealous.” She said, in response to the blushing faces she received. “Do you two know what you’re going to get to eat?”

Obsidian shook his head slowly, and Silver glanced over to him, responding in turn by shaking her own head.

“Oh well,” the waitress sighed “I’ll give you two a couple more minutes.” She walked off yet again to attend to some other table.

“We should probably decide what we’re going to order.” Silver said, looking at the menu that had been leaning against the wall, where the table met the cream-colored paint.

Obsidian nodded quietly in agreement, and grabbed the other menu.

“What’re you going to get?”

“I-I’m not… sure.” He stammered.

Silver giggled. “I think I’ll get a salad. This one looks good, with the anaheim peppers and a ceasar crouton medley.”

Obsidian nodded. “It does.”

“I think That’s what I’m getting.” she asserted.

Obsidian smiled nervously. “Ok. Maybe I’ll get the same thing.”

“Maybe?”She raised an eyebrow, and set the menu on the edge of the table for the waitress to pick up when she came to get the orders.

Obsidian nodded. “I’ll get the same sallad.” He placed his menu on top of hers, and grasped his wine glass.

Silver grinned. “How about some competition, Obsidian?”

He perked up. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well,” she grinned “I think we should have a drinking contest.

He was taken aback. “Here?”

She nodded adamantly.

“Ok, why not.” He raised his glass.

Silver raised her own to meet his. “Here’s to praying the hangovers of tomorrow don’t kill us.”

“Agreed.”

-----
As time passes with a couple such as Obsidian Streak and Silver Flame, the magnitude of the relationship grows, blossoming into something even more beautiful. As such, in six months time, the two were engaged, a relationship set by fate. The happy couple saved plans for a child until after their marriage, and a marriage it was! The wedding was spectacular, a wedding to rival many others. The night after their wedding, they shared champagne and a bed. The went on a honeymoon to Las Pegasus, and were back in about one months time.

When the newlyweds got back to Blackrock, There was a surprise waiting for Obsidian: a promotion. The assistant manager was now to be the manager of the south tunnels. This meant two things, a higher income, and less time at home. The first was a plus, that was for sure, but as a newly-wed, less time at home was a negative, no matter how you cut it. Over time, however, He grew into his new position of authority. After a while, The couple discovered that Silver was pregnant. The smithery had to be shut down yet again, as Silver Flame had to stay home. Obsidian worked out a deal with the head manager at the mine so that he could have a time cut as well, and he spent more time around the house.

When the day came, it was about three AM. Obsidian had to rush to get hospital personnel to the house, because his wife couldn’t move. She delivered a mare, right there in the bedroom. Obsidian Sky was so proud, when he saw their foal. A daughter. He smiled bigger than he ever had before. They were happy, and they named her Diamond Glimmer.

The first two years of Diamond’s foal-hood passed rapidly. She grew to have a sky blue coat, and a flowing, midnight blue mane. She was her mother’s prodigy, too. The cut her mane and tail short, like her mom, and liked to follow her to work. Silver was elated that she’d have somepony to teach. Diamond picked up smithery faster then she learned how to speak. By the time the mare was three, she’d learned to talk, but she could pound out a shovel in less than a minute. At three and a half, Diamond glimmer earned her Cutie mark. It goes without saying that she got the same mark as her mother, an anvil and a hammer. Her parents considered this a blessing, because not two weeks later, it was discovered that, yet again, Silver Flame was pregnant. She had to leave shop, and this time, she had somewhat capable hooves to leave it in.