Onyx looked at the fourth volume that he was writing and realized that it would take even longer than he was planning for. "With everything going on and the way the runes are fighting me, I most likely be done around the time of season 3."
While Onyx was thinking, he quickly thought back to the winter wrap-up.
---Flashback Winter Wrap UP---
As Onyx was trying to stay awake, sipping at some coffee. "I should not be awake at all; it is way too early for this."
Spike slid up next to Onyx. "Do you have any more coffee, Onyx?"
Onyx looked down at Spike and slowly blinked at him before taking a hearty sip. "No."
Spike looked up at Onyx in annoyance. "You just took a drink in front of me."
"Oh, you meant in my cup than yes I have more coffee, but I have none to give you," Onyx informed Spike, a little more awake.
Spike grumbled and walked back to twilight before standing next to her. Twilight spoke up. "I wonder what I can do to help."
Onyx watched twilight start a heart song accident. "Heart songs start really easy with them. Back in Canterlot, I was lucky to see once a year, but now I have seen several since I have moved to Ponyville."
Rainbow started off the heart song with a hearty. "Three months of winter coolness and holidays."
Pinkie picked up the next line. "We have kept our hooves warm at home, time off at work to play at home with family."
Applejack let out in a solemn tone. "But the food we stored up is running out, and we can not grow in this cold."
As Rarity let out heartfelt. "And even though I love my boots, this style is getting old."
Onyx let out a low snort at Rarity's line because it was extremely random. Twilight started marching away while singing. Spike was slowly following her. "The time has come to welcome spring and welcome all things warm and green, but it is also time to say goodbye; it is winter we must clean. How can I help? I knew you would see, what does everyone do? How do I fit in with magic? I haven't got a clue."
Onyx blinked slowly and looked at his mug in thought 'this is stronger than normal. Did I add something different?'
A bunch of ponies started singing together. "Winter wrap-up. Winter wrap-up. Let us finish our holiday cheer. Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Because tomorrow spring is here, cause tomorrow spring is here."
The Pegasus quickly took over and burst into a song led by Rainbow Dash. "Bringing the birds home from the southern lands is the start our pegasus job begins and clearing the gloomy clouds in the sky to let the sunshine bright. We move the clouds and melt the white snow. When the sun comes up, its warmth and warm glow."
The Ponies burst back into song while Onyx looked a little more alert before he saw Pinkie watching him and decided to just hum along. "Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Let us finish our holiday cheer. Winter wrap-up. Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter wrap-up. Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Cause tomorrow spring is here."
Fluttershy was next, leading a group of ponies in song while Pinkie pulled Onyx into a dance and whispered into his ear. "I notice you are not singing."
Onyx whispered back, holding her tight while they danced. "I do not sing Pinkie at all; I am tone-deaf."
"Little critters hibernate under the snow and in the ice. We wake up all the sleepyheads so quietly and nicely." As the various Ponies moved food around to the awaking animals. "We help them gather food and fix their broken homes. We welcome back the southern birds so that they can grow their families."
Onyx watched the conga line of ponies walk past while singing. "Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Let us finish our holiday cheer. Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter wrap-up. Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Cause tomorrow spring here."
Applejack over-looked one of the communal farming areas; Onyx yawned before realizing that he technically has no way to help if they do not want to use magic, not even his runes could speed this up. "No easy task to clear the ground, plant our tiny seeds with proper care and sunshine, everyone it feeds. Apples, Carrots, Celery stalks, Colorful flowers, too."
As Applejack looked at the ponies working extremely hard cleaning up the grounds. "We must work hard, it's just there is so much to do."
As a couple of ponies bounced past Onyx leading some bunnies, they sang happily. "Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Let's finish our holiday cheer."
A couple of ponies shoveled snow off a house singing. "Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here."
As the Pegasus uncovered the clouds, Pinkie danced around on a frozen lake while singing. "Winter wrap-up Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Cause tomorrow spring is here."
Onyx watched as twilight started to sing lowly, allowing him to focus on figuring out what to do with himself. Nodding his and moving over to help the transport division the people who deliver things to where they are needed. "Twilight does not like to do physical things."
When Onyx arrived, he was not surprised to see some of the more robust Ponies picking up boxes, they nodded at Onyx, and he picked up a box to help. Every Pony burst into the final lines of the songs. "Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Let's finish our holiday cheer. Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter wrap-up, Winter wrap-up. Cause tomorrow spring is here. Cause tomorrow spring is here."
Onyx finally let out a sigh about the harmonic energy beginning to subside. Pinkie appeared in front of Onyx and smiled at him. "Thanks for trying your best, Onyx."
"I only hummed Pinkie." Onyx looked at Pinkie, knowing that was all he did.
"But you tried, and that is all that truly matters, Onyx." Pinkie quickly kissed him on the cheek before running off to do her duties.
---Flashback over---
Onyx picked up the finished Runic schematic before seeing that Pinkie Pie was taking a nap. Pinkie was complaining about all the skating she did to cut up the ice. Onyx grabbed a blanket and threw it over her. As Onyx was leaving, Pinkie peeked at Onyx's back and snuggle deeper into the blanket.
---Time skip---
Onyx heard complaining coming from the orchids around Apple acres and thought about how long it had been. Figures we were at the start of Applebloom attempting to find her cutie mark. Onyx could not help but smile as this would lead to one of the most important things he had seen. The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Big mac was sitting in a chair, looking over the various metal bits on the ground next to him. "I got the runic schematic, Mac. You got the engine all ready for me to mark it up."
Mac nodded his head and showed Onyx the blueprint that he had written out. "I got enough for a small-scale model."
Onyx blinked and realized that the parts were everything that would be put together. He quickly moved over and did what his mother did when he was young and flicked each of them. "You got excellent quality products, Big Mac."
Big mac nodded his head and asked Onyx, curious. "Can we put it together now?"
Onyx shook his head and looked at the various parts. "I need to put the runes on the parts, and that is going to take me close to half a day."
Onyx slowly picked up the parts to take them home. "So what was the Applebloom complaining about?"
"You could hear her from the walk up?" Big Mac asked, surprised before sighing. "She wants her Cutie mark because one of those ponies that come from old money is holding some fancy party."
"Aren't Cutie marks in really private places? I still have never seen yours Mac or anyone's besides Pinkie's." Onyx was really confused about the party being held by this little girl's family.
"Old money holds a party to show off the cutie mark, and it's not like it is in too private a spot, mostly hip and lower regions. I mean, Applejacks is pretty big, so you can see just fine when we go swimming." Big mac mused.
Onyx thought about his own cutie mark and nodded in agreement that it was not too terrible. "I just mean, should a little girl be showing it off."
Big mac thought about someone's Applebloom's age showing off her cutie mark and deciding. "Yeah, it is a bit inappropriate, but that is the way of old money."
Onyx waved goodbye and moved off to rune these pieces of equipment up. "I will be back tomorrow so we can test it out."
Big mac nodded and waved Onyx off before seeing Applejack and Applebloom walking up. Applejack was quick to speak up. "Was that Onyx?"
Big mac nodded while speaking. "Yup."
Applejack saw the metal parts were gone. "You are getting that scale model built finally."
Big mac nodded, showing off a smile that he could use his Talent to the fullest potential. Applejack smiled as well. "I am happy for you, Big Mac."
"Applejack is taking me to go sell with her to see if it is part of my Talent," Applebloom spoke up happy before rushing into the house to change.
Big mac looked at Applejack with questioning eyes. "I had to do something, Big Mac. She was despondent at the fact that she was not getting her mark right off the bat."
"Onyx informed me it took him a little over 10 years before he found his Talent." Big mac said with worry about Applebloom that she would be disappointed.
"I know these things take time." Applejack before heading inside to change.
---Location changed and focus change Pinkie Pie---
As Pinkie was preparing food for the Cutie mark quince era. She was surprised that Onyx showed up at the store. "Pinkie darling, could you make something to help me wake up."
"Sure, Onyx, why so tired?" Pinkie asked Onyx in confusion.
"I am just exhausted Pinkie, I know a couple of things that are causing my problems, but the worst is my fourth Rune Volume." Onyx admitted looking like he was going to collapse and fall asleep. "I was going to go over to my brothers later so he could examine me because I am using way more energy than I should be."
"Why?" Pinkie was confused about the book and how it was causing Onyx problems.
"The Runes are fighting me, and some Runes want to get onto the pages before the others and are causing me extreme strain," Onyx explained as he let out a low groan. "I know why they are fighting me so much now, but before that, I had no clue why."
"Why not just write them out in the order they want to come out?" Pinkie looked Onyx up in down in worry giving him a practical reason.
"When building a Runic Language, you have to lay the foundation correctly just like when you are building a house, or you mess up everything." Onyx looked at the food and coffee that Pinkie just set down in front of him.
"Sounds dangerous." Pinkie looked worried, but she quickly smiled at Onyx enjoying her food.
"I know why my language was giving me such trouble, but I do not know why I am feeling this enormous amount of strain because from everything I have read. No one else was having nearly as much trouble that I am having, and I just do not know why," Onyx admitted in worry.
"Could it be because it is so strong?" Pinkie remembered that Onyx's Runic language was powerful.
Onyx blinked before rubbing his face into his hands, letting out a massive groan. "That is probably why. While others are doing wooden support for their foundation, I have all six volumes mapped out in my head, so every time I write it down. A future volume wants to make the magic better."
Pinkie smiled and kissed Onyx on the cheek and moving back to bake the goods she was making.