The oldest siren stood by the subway station entrance, looking at the moon. The transport wasn’t due to arrive soon so she might as well appreciate the clear night sky. Around her, withered flowers announced the change of the seasons but it wasn’t exactly a hot summer night, yet. It was pleasant, really.
The moon stood proud, almost outshining the stars and planets around it, and the lack of clouds gave away a perfect ring of light surrounding the single satellite.
Since that fateful Battle of the Bands fiasco, the Dazzlings’ lives had become exponentially harder. Life on that dimension was never close to comparable to the wonders of Equestria and its sea life, however, after their crystals were shattered, their quite depressing existences turned into very miserable ones. Used to get her away with anything by singing a few notes of music, the yellow siren was the first of her sisters to realize that the life they always knew was over. Soon after, Adagio was forced to find real work, which sucked because none of them had any kind of ''real-life skills'' or even identification. They weren’t exactly citizens…
While Aria and her explosive temper hadn’t been able to hold anything for long, she had been working in a small shop attached to a gas station. Humans called her schedule ‘’graveyard shifts’’, which surprisingly didn’t bother her too much. It left her alone most of the time, except when some weirdo came in. Adagio was proud of the fact that even without those powers, she could still intimidate people to do her bidding. That bidding was now limited to leaving the store with or without their items, but still. All it took was a furrow of the brows, a smile too fake to fool anyone and a poison-filled ‘’Are you done?’’.
A breeze passed gently through her puffy hair, and she vaguely noticed the voice that announced the arrival of the subway to her destination. She took one last look at the sky, which offered no warmth or comfort, and left. The station itself was nothing worth looking at or even staying in. Nothing was done to hide the cracks of age or the dirt left by countless feet. There were some fake flowers in vases, but they were nothing but useless attempts to bring some colour to the bleak building. It didn't matter. It served its purpose of bringing Adagio to her work and then getting her on her way home. That was all she asked.
She thought of investing in a magazine to entertain herself on the way, but the tiny kiosk in the station had been closed for hours. So, there was nothing to do but think.
She gulped. Sonata had recently stopped speaking. It had worried her and Aria so much that the usual cold shoulder melted away so they could convince her to go to a doctor. They had never gone to one since the necklaces had given them some kind of invincibility but now life felt truly mortal.
The doctor reassured them that she was perfectly healthy physically, but it was in her mind where the problem was. The sirens had no idea that something like ‘’selective mutism’’ even existed. It made sense, however. Adagio sang when it was needed, like Aria, but Sonata used to sing all the time. During chores, before sleeping, after waking up, during walks and before any attacks (‘’To prepare her voice’’ her youngest sister used to say as if she needed to tune her voice in any way), you name it. With lyrics or without, she sang. Those situations either turned into unplanned fights between any mortal bystanders or attracted the attention of those same bystanders.
What were those melodies about? Anything, really. At the beginning of their exile, Sonata had sung about Equestria a lot. Then their home. Their true home, on the farthest East Sea. When both of those themes became topics too painful to approach, the young siren had turned to sing about their old lives of glory, violence, and conquests. Occasionally, the dimension they were in would get the spotlight. After all, even such a crass and non-magical dimension held some wonders. Like washing machines, tacos, and rock concerts.
Sometimes, she would sing about the only thing that seemed to stay the same in both worlds: the Moon. Ironically, it was the underwater creatures that had fewer chances of seeing Luna’s moon, that revered it the most. But without the beauty of her voice, Sonata stopped singing and then talking altogether. Aria, the one who used to constantly tell her sister to shut up, had confessed to Adagio the day before that the world was quieter without her sisters’ silly songs and incessant rambling.
The subway's journey back to her place was quick. Before, they had never felt the need to stop and call someplace ''home''. What was the need to overextend the same mortals, when the world was filled with countries and cities filled with people that died off constantly? By the time they arrived at a new city, a lot of those in the places afflicted by their spells were dead. So they would eventually return, and spread chaos to the next generation. And it was nice to go sightseeing during their free time and reunite with old spots. Paris was a favourite of the sisters. A beautiful city with great food (mostly enjoyed by Sonata) but filled with such volatile citizens, ready to pick up their (metaphorical or not) pitchforks at all times.
Delicious strife and chaos. It brought power. It brought entertainment.
Adagio shook her head. Their newfound mortality stopped them from traveling like they used to. No way could they keep walking for days and weeks with hardly any rest. No, it was public transport stress for them nowadays. Aria hated those with a burning passion, and so did most mortals, it seemed.
As she left the station, a relieved and exausted sigh left her mouth when she recognized the familiar dirt trail that lead her directly to the back entrance of her apartment. Almost home. With Sonata’s mutism, the sisters wouldn’t be bickering when she arrived, leaving her free to drop dead asleep in bed.
Just a few more minutes.
Her train of thought went towards her younger sisters again. Aria’s anger made her more volatile than ever, which made their fights increase. Sonata’s depression was turning her into a lifeless version of what she used to be. The reality of their situation made her chest feel heavy. Was this was regret was? True worry? It was the only thing those obnoxious Rainbooms had given them.
Maybe one day they would take revenge. The thought brought a smile to her lips. Maybe the world would not be bowing to the sirens anytime soon but maybe those pitiful sorry excuses for anthropomorphic equines would. If they were caught by surprise, maybe she and her sisters could beat them. Magic or no magic, manipulation had always been of her strongest points.
Yes. She would let that speck of hatred fester and infect her entire being. It would be her new drive to get out of bed, besides simple survival. Aria would finally get an outlet to her never-ending fury towards herself and the world, and Sonata would find joy in life again. They could be happy and complete again. She could be happy and complete again. Much like in those old days of watching the pony fights from afar while they sang. Much like her childhood spent under the sea, only hearing tales of the world above. Adagio would bring those feelings back, and leave a trail of misery and blood behind her. And maybe, just maybe, the strength of those acts would bring the mystical musical gift back. If only just her own.
Sonata could find other joys, once they were back on top, surely? Aria never sang unless she needed anyway. And Adagio was obviously the smartest one. The one most deserving. If she found a way to get her magic returned, she would take it in a heartbeat. It would be all the trio needed to be whole once more. Right?
The glow of the moon seemed to abruptly go out in the corner of her eye, which made Adagio turn to it in surprise, letting the growing of thoughts of revenge slip out of her mind completely. However, there wasn’t anything strange when she looked at the moon. It was still up in the sky, shining intensely. Must have been a trick of the light?
In her mind, she just shrugged and went on her away. In reality, her feet became rooted to the earth and her sight never lingered from the full silver coin in the starry sky. In the back of her mind, Adagio thought of how she had only felt like that once in her life. When she became of age and went to touch the foam on the top of the waves for the first time. Memories of countless folk tales surrounding the precious relationship between the sky and the sea, and all the creatures that inhabited it. Of wishes granted, of petitions asked by desperate sirens. The moon’s wise and merciful aura to those who deserved it, to those who could see it. They filled her head like a childhood lullaby.
The yellow siren couldn’t sing properly, but she could sing. Without thinking, she reached out to the sky.
I don't know if you can hear me,
or if you're even there...
I don't know if you would listen to a siren's prayer.
Yes, I know what I have done. I don't know if I should speak to you.
Still, I see your face and wonder, what do I have to lose?
Before she knew she was doing it, Adagio left her path and slowly walked towards the moon. The siren only stopped at the edge of a bridge that went over a small river, and clutched the handrail.
Moon help me, please
Yes, greedy from birth
But show me the mercy
I have existed without.
Still holding the handrail, her legs buckled and Adagio fell to her knees in an uncharacteristic act of submission.
Moon help me, please
I'm on my knees now
Moon help me, please
or nobody will...
I've asked for wealth.
I've asked for power.
I've asked for glory to shine on my name.
I've asked for fame, I don't deserve!
I've asked for everyone on this Earth to love me!
Her voice was hoarse and out of tune but as she looked down at her knees, she kept singing. If someone happened to walk by, they would probably have questioned her sanity, which she would probably do as well, but it didn’t matter to her. Not at that moment.
Still, I ask for one thing, one thing alone.
I won't ask for more. What right do I have?
Please, give us our voices back.
It's the only thing I need.
I only want the hope, our voices will bring.
She swallowed a sob that threatened to erupt from her throat. She was so tired. Her stupid job, their cruel situation. She remembered Sonata's histerical cries after their exile and Aria's promisses of revenge to an empty sky. Those memories seemed to burn her inside.
Moon help them, please,
I only want their voices back...
Her eyes snapped open when she felt two cold tears hit her legs after managing to escape her eyes. She opened her mouth again but now a ragged cry was the only thing she could speak. So Adagio shut it and shallowed. Her eyes were wet, but she refused to open them again. Forcing her body to stop shaking, Adagio clutched her hands until the skin was white.
When her tears disapeared and her breath calmed, she finally looked up, not knowing what to expect.
Nothing. The wind still blew, the river still flowed, the moon still shone. If the shinny thing had any of the same properties the one in Equestria supposedly had, it didn’t hear her. Or maybe it had, but just didn’t grace her with a response.
The momentum of her desperation was gone and now she only felt empty inside. The now mortal creature got up, cleaned her jeans and face, breathed deeply, and continued her journey home.