---Onyx 2nd POV a day before Griffon the brush-off---
As Onyx checked his and Pinkies mail. He slowly separated their letters before he saw a letter from the Rune society. As he opened the letter, he saw it a meeting to be held about the information about Harmonic Magic being able to cure the Filth. Onyx let out a hum as he thought about if he should attend. What he did not notice that Pinkie was behind him reading the letter. Pinkie spoke, surprising Onyx. "You should go. I know you were studying our magic to see what was different from before."
Onyx looked at Pinkie and nodded his head in agreement. "You know, as well as I do, this is pretty much a two-week-long trip. I will be gone for two weeks or more."
Pinkie smiled before remember Onyx's finished blueprint for a Rune engine. "You can show off your Rune engine as well."
"I would have to leave today to get there on time." Onyx gave several reasons for himself not to go.
Pinkie grabbed his face and mushed his cheeks. "You want to go really badly."
"I really do; this will be the first time I will get to meet more senior rune makers," Onyx admitted. "It would be the first time I would be home in a while."
"Onyx, have you spoken to your parents since you moved to Ponyville?" Pinkie asked worriedly.
"I have not spoken to my parents since I moved to Ponyville, but that is pretty common for me, Pinkie," Onyx comforted Pinkie. "I should have told them I had moved and maybe that I started courting a pony, but I have no real problems not talking to them for months at a time."
"Onyx, you have been here for nearly a year, you have seen several festivals, and you have not talked to them at all?" Pinkie asked in a worried tone trying to get him to understand how long it has been.
Onyx blinked slowly as he thought about Pinkie's words before he started to panic as her words hit him 'it has been nine months since I have arrived in this world. I totally forgot to keep in contact with this body's family.'
"I forgot how long it has been since I had spoken to them. I got totally wrapped up in my projects." Onyx spoke in a panicked tone of voice. "I need to head home and inform them of everything that I have been doing and where I am living right now."
Pinkie watched as Onyx paced back in forth in panic. "Onyx, it is fine. They will forgive you; they will probably make fun of you, but they will just be glad you are home."
Onyx nodded before kissing Pinkie to go get his clothes packed.
---time skip 3rd POV Ponyville train station---
"I will be back in two weeks, alright?" Onyx asked Pinkie as their friends were there to see him off.
"Just get on the train. Onyx, it will be fine." Pinkie comforted Onyx, who was worried about leaving them behind. "We are not made of glass."
Onyx kissed Pinkie before climbing onto the train and waving at them. "I will be back soon, Pinkie."
"So, he has not spoken to his family in nine months, Pinkie?" Rarity asked, confused on how anyone could go that long.
"Nope, he did not even notice that nine months had gone by." Pinkie admitted, slightly worried.
"Well, Onyx is a pony that gets really focused on his work Pinkie Darling." Rarity silently comforted Pinkie.
"But nine months, that is weird, right?" Pinkie asked in worry
The others thought about the last time they talked to their parents and could not help but admit it was weird. "It has been a couple of weeks since we sent a letter."
Rarity asked the question. "Did he really forget to send anything on the Summer Sun Celebration?"
Pinkie nodded her head, confirming Rarity's question. Pinkie then asked the one Unicorn that could think like Onyx, Twilight Sparkle, "Is that normal."
Twilight thought about it before nodding her head and informing the group, "When I get deep into a project, I sometimes forget to eat. Spike has to force-feed me."
The group looked shocked about Twilight's words. Twilight looked up in thought. "For research ponies, we have a habit of losing ourselves in the research itself. I have not talked to my brother in 5 months."
The ponies started sputtering in shock. Pinkie looked worried that this would be a recurring theme before nodding her head. "I am going to get Onyx to give me his parents' home address so I can send them letters."
---Time Skip Onyx's POV---
As I got off the train, I could already tell this was going to get emotional. I was lucky that Pinkie reminded me that just because I was an Orphan in my previous life did not mean I was one in this life. 'They are really kind according to the memories; there will be tears.'
I quickly moved to my parents' home, and that is what I considered them, which surprised the hell out of me. 'Onyx, are we merging even further together… I am sorry I took your body.'
For a split second, there was a noise in my head. 'what the hell was that?'
---Inside Onyx's head---
A pony stood inside a room with a ton of food around them. He slowly went through to his new partners' memories. "It is alright; you did not mean to take over hell. No one could have known what could have happened, and from what I am seeing. I am becoming a nightmare like Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker."
The pony that was the original Onyx looked around before heading into the forge and slowly looked at the rune volumes on this side. They were an entirely different version looking more like Warhammer Fantasy Elven Runes mixed with Celtic Runes. "I am not just going to ride your coat tails though, mister. I am going to be just as strong as you are."
Onyx looked at the runes and realized they were more warrior-like than the outside ones that were more for defense. "I see if Onyx is the armor crafter, I am going to become the weapon maker. Most likely, we will each take an aspect of the Rune society Onyx for the Rune makers and me for the Rune warriors."
The original Onyx growled before sighing in annoyance. He quickly looked through his other halves memories for a new name. "I need a new name."
---Arriving at the Cobalt mansion 3rd POV---
As Onyx stopped at the door and prepared himself to knock. Onyx was surprised that the door was yanked open, and he was pulled into a hug by a female Unicorn. She tearfully asked him questions. "Oh, where were you? Why did you not come home? Are you alright?"
"Sorry, mom, I had moved and got wrapped up in a couple of research projects. I totally forgot to tell you I was moving." Onyx hugged the Unicorn tight. "I have so much to tell you. Is dad home or my brother?"
"Both are out for right now. They will be home in a few hours." The Unicorn, whose name was Cherry Cobalt, looked at her son, that was home for the first time in 9 months. "Onyx Cobalt, you will explain where you were and what you were doing when your father gets home! How long are you back for?"
"I am in Canterlot for two weeks because of the Rune Society," Onyx explained happily before he grabbed his two bags and followed his mother inside. The face Onyx's mother made when she heard how long he would be back was beautiful. As Onyx set his bags down inside, he felt the picture of Pinkie that he brought as well. "I also have a bunch of stuff to tell you."
Cherry looked at her son before nodding her head. She quickly moved to the kitchen so she could make extra food. "I will have to make a little extra for dinner."
---Time skip a few hours still 3rd POV---
As two ponies walked up to the house, they were speaking. "Still no word from Onyx, Dad?"
"No, Emerald, but I am sure he will get to us when he finishes what he is doing." The pony named Ivory Cobalt replied with weariness in his tone of voice. They were surprised to hear music playing from the kitchen because Ivory's wife did not play music unless she was happy. "Looks like Onyx finally got back to us."
As they opened the door, they were surprised to see Onyx at the kitchen table watching his mother cook. Ivory took on a stern tone of voice. "Boy, you better have a good reason for not sending any messages. You had also better be alright because I swear to all that is good."
"Hey, dad, I do not have a good reason for not sending messages, but I am in good health, probably the best I have been in a while." Onyx was not surprised when his father started poking at his body. His father, Ivory, was a grandmaster doctor. Emerald had followed him into the medical field, just reaching master this year. "Well, I have been straining myself, but the doctors where I am staying say I am in perfect health right now."
Ivory let out a snort. "You are in good health, and you have healed from the magical backlash but just barely… if it were up to me, you would still be on a no magical usage for another week."
Emerald quickly looked over his fathers' notes to learn. Emerald was quick to point to one of the readings "He nearly cracked his horn, dad."
Ivory looked at the reading before looking at Onyx sternly. "What have you been doing with yourself?"
Onyx had the good decency to look sheepish. "I had to hold up a barrier during that Nightmare Moon Incident."
Ivory and Emerald looked over the date they had before nodding their heads. Ivory looked at his son proud before admitting. "Despite some tearing, you are in as good of health you can be."
Cherry let out a happy sigh before sitting across from Emerald at the table before looking at Onyx with interrogation in their eyes. Onyx sighed because he had already had a story ready. "I left Canterlot about seven months ago… I realized I was getting stuck in a rut as a toymaker."
They nodded their heads, motioning for Onyx to go on. "I moved to the small town of Ponyville and bought a house with my savings; it is a 5 bedroom and 4 ½ baths on a massive lot. I could probably grow enough food for 2 people year-round."
"There was enough room for me to start up my research and with the prices in the village. I was able to get by only making money in gaps of time and living off of my grants, I thought once I had gotten myself out of the rut, I would start thinking about sending a letter, but I fell in love I got distracted again she was beautiful." Onyx admitted that he had gotten distracted. Cherry let out a squeal of happiness while Ivory and Emerald looked at each other. Onyx pulled out a picture and passed it to his mother. "Her name is Pinkie Pie, and her Talents are in planning parties. She is a Grandmaster Party planner. She helps set up parties for the whole county."
"She is beautiful, Onyx." Cherry cooed at the photo before handing it over to Ivory, who nodded his head.
"Before I had even realized it, we were courting, and 9 months had passed. The only reason I even remember was because of the invitation to the Rune Society. I am so sorry I got distracted and forgot to send letters." Onyx bowed his head to his parents and his brother.
Ivory nodded his head before looking at Emerald. "What do you think?"
Emerald looked at a map on the wall before nodding his head. "I will see about getting myself transferred."
Ivory nodded his head. "You should spread your wings anyway."
Onyx was confused about what they meant, so he asked. "What is going on, dad?"
"We obviously cannot count on you to keep track of time and the like, so your brother and I decided that he was going to move closer to where you live and keep an eye on you." Ivory informed Onyx
"But he is your apprentice, Dad, isn't that really important." Onyx looked worried
Emerald snorted. "Dad says I am ready and that the only thing I need is experience. Onyx, he has already taught me all that he can."
Onyx blinked before remembering that his brother was a Master level healer damn near Grandmaster with a good chance of reaching Heirloom in the future. "Are you sure, Emerald? I mean, aren't you happy here."
"I have wanted to get away from dad's shadow for a while. It is a little stuffy in the hospital with dad there." Emerald admitted before looking sheepish about getting away. "I would not mind living in the same city you are in Onyx."
Onyx nodded his head before smiling at his father. "Thanks for hearing me out, dad."
"Oh no, you are still in trouble for not sending anything back for over 9 months, and what is this about courtship? Your mother has not given her approval, and have you even gotten her family's approval?" Onyx could not help but wince when his fathers' voice cut into him.
'it is good to be home,' Onyx thought while listing to his father nag him.