Three Sirens and a Sunset

by Shadowsnake89

Chapter 2

At Canterlot High the lunch bell rings and everyone files into the cafeteria. Before too long just about everyone is either seated or on their way to their seats. Sunset Shimmer heads over to her friends, tray in hand before slipping and dropping her apple. The fruit is caught inches from the ground by Bulk Biceps who hands it back to her. “Thanks Bulk.” She says with a smile.

“Any time Sunset.” He yells happily blowing her hair back. Sunset almost drops her entire tray to cover her ears.

“Okay, well thanks again.” She leaves him and joins Rainbow Dash and the others at their usual spot where they are all busy conversing. Everyone greets her as she sits. “Hey guys.”

“My my, it looks like a certain someone has taken quite the fancy to you.” Rarity says with a light smile.

“Who, Bulk?” Sunset looks over her shoulder to see the big guy scarfing down two trays of food. Things had recently turned around for her with many of the students being far more friendly. Bulk Biceps had especially made himself available to aid her in any task he could. “I mean he's nice and all.” From across the cafeteria he lets out his signature 'Yeah'. “It's just the volume.”

Pinkie Pie pops right between Sunset and Applejack. “Speaking of sound.” She points over to the lunch counter where Adagio has grabbed her tray and walks across the room.

“Look who decided to show their faces after we whooped their sorry hind quarters.” Rainbow Dash says, squinting her eyes at the siren who sticks her nose up at everyone.

“They haven't been in school since we beat them.” Fluttershy says, still visibly frightened by her sight.

Applejack places a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. “All I know is if they better not try anything else.”

“Not sure they could anyway, without those pendents they have no power.” Sunset explains as they continue to watch Adagio. She makes her way to a vacant table in the corner. Along her path Aria is leaning against the wall where Sonata is trying to speak with her, though it is apparent that she is having none of it. They watch as the three come into contact. Even from where they are seated the girls can tell the body language plain as day as Adagio and Aria point and ball their fists at each other. The other students near them do their best to stay out of it. Before long the three part ways again as Aria storms out and Adagio takes her seat at the table, leaving Sonata on her own again. The blue haired girl sits against the wall bringing her knees up to her face and begins sobbing.

“What was that all about?” Dash asks, clearly confused by what she has just seen.

“Well whatever it is I think the best thing we can do is not get involved in anything that has to do with those three trouble makers.” Rarity says as she gets back to her lunch. As she moves to take a bite out of her sandwich Sunset stops her.

“I think someone probably should have told Pinkie Pie.” The group look over to see their partying friend trying to cheer up Sonata. She helps her off the floor and in usual Pinkie fashion moves all around the girl before firing off a party popper that spreads confetti in the air. Sonata wipes the tears from here eyes and puts on a friendly smile.

“She's not. Is she?” Rainbow Dash asks as they watch Pinkie put a friendly arm around the girls shoulder, gesturing her toward their table.

“She is.” Applejack says slightly frustrated as the two make their way back over.

Pinkie Pie offers her a vacant seat next to her as Sonata timidly sits down. “Hey guys, I'd like you to meet Sonata Dusk. These are my friends Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset Shimmer.”

“Hi.” She says meekly, her eyes still slightly puffy from crying.

“Yeah, we've met.” Sunset says, unsure of how to handle the situation. Seeing the girl clearly shaken she decides to inquire. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Adagio and Aria. They don't won't anything to do with the other or me. Singing was the only reason we stayed together, to feed off the negative energy of everybody around us.”

“But without your pendents they think there's no reason to stay together?”

“Mm hmm.” She says nodding her head as she helps herself to Pinkie's fries. “We did get on each others nerves sometimes but it was never this bad.”

“It's okay we're here to help right everybody?” Pinkie says confidently as the others give nervous gestures and unsure sounding answers still managing to put on smiles.

Across the room Adagio watches much of the spectacle barely interested in what Sonata could possibly be doing with the Rainbooms. She moves to eat a spoonful of soup but is shocked to see a black mist with a pair of red eyes peering at her from the utensil's tip. “Siren.” It declares as she jumps back slightly, dropping her spoon. “You have nothing to fear from me. I merely wish to have words.”

“Okay.” She responds hesitantly, looking around to see that no one else has noticed.

“Do not worry. None can see or hear me but you.”

“Yeah well lets take this conversation somewhere else so that it doesn't look like I've lost it.”

“Very well.” The small cloud gathers itself and follows Adagio out of the cafeteria. The duo take their talk to the soccer pitch, moving under the bleachers as the voice explains.

“So you ruled the Crystal Empire huh? Always did like that place. So what is it I can do for you? But more importantly what are you going to do for me?”

“Legends told of your extraordinary abilities siren. How you absorb energy through conflict and discord. I simply wish to harness that power to reconstruct my physical form.”

Adagio stands, casually looking at her nails. “Interesting, wish I could help but it's impossible. The pendents my sisters and I possessed were destroyed. Even if I wanted to I can't help you with the fragments that are left.”

Sombra begins to chuckle slightly. “They cannot be fixed only because you believe the damage cannot be undone. With the power I still possess I can repair them and, in exchange, you will use that power to restore me. With our combined might we will return to Equestria and there will be no one who can stand against us.”

“Except Starswirl the Bearded.”

“Hahaha. That fool has long since passed by my time. All that remains is a memory.”

She puts on a wicked smile as she hears this. “Then what are we waiting for? Fix the pendents and we'll control all of Equestria.”

“It is not that simple. Though I can communicate through my current form I cannot transfer that power to you. I require a conduit, the portal that links that world to ours. That connection is precisely the reason I was able to detect you siren.”

“The battle of the bands. That's when our power was at it's strongest.”

“Someone on this side knows of a way to bridge the gap between the two. My followers and I are on our way to find the source. In the meantime make whatever preparations are necessary siren. I fear that once we make the connection we will have but a small window of opportunity to make the exchange.”

“Wait, there is something else, a group of girls here who also possess power from Equestria. I don't know how, but they're the ones who defeated us before.”

“Intriguing. But that gives them no edge. Once my power is properly restored, only the Crystal Heart can defeat me. And once our might is combined no one will stand against us. I can delay no longer. It will take time to reach our destination. I will reconnect again once I discover the secret of this bridge.” A small black crystal appears in Adagio's hand as she stares in amazement. “This will allow you to contact me should you learn anything as well. Until we meet again siren.”

“Call me Adagio Dazzle.”

“Until next time, Adagio Dazzle.”

As the mist fades, she begins to think. As good as she is she realizes that Aria was right. She'd dreamed too big before and her arrogance had cost her. As much as she hated to admit to herself she needed them. Leaving back into the building she searches for a few minutes through the halls before finding Aria Blaze shaking down Snips and Snails, lifting both in the air with one hand. “Aria.” She calls to her as she turns her head slightly.

“I've got nothing to say to you.”

“Would you be willing to talk if I told you I can fix the pendents?” This causes Aria to turn around, dropping the two who quickly run off. Before the two can speak further, the two boys come back.

“Hey you wouldn't be in the market for a couple of lackeys would you?” Snips asks. Aria angrily growls at the two. “Right, so we'll put you down for a maybe.” The duo than dash off leaving the sirens to talk.

“What are you talking about Adagio?” Aria puts her hands on her hips, doubting her sister.

“I was just contacted by someone from Equestria, someone who can not only give us our powers but the keys to rule once we have them.” Adagio realizes how this sounds as she sees the look of disbelief on Aria's face. “Look I know how it sounds but it's all true.”

“Oh I'm sure it is.”

“Than what is it?”

“Look Adagio we've been over this. You're not thinking about anyone but yourself. Me and Sonata followed you through every plan, every scheme and it always turns out bad for us. You always have to keep going and going even after it's clear it's not working and I'm done. I'm just done. I'll see you around.” Aria turns to leave only for Adagio to place a hand on her shoulder.

“Aria wait, please.” This causes her to stop in her tracks as this is the first time she has heard her sister ever use that word. “I need your help. I know I've never appreciated you and I was...wrong. And I know I made some bad decisions in the past that didn't effect just me. That's why I need to make this right with you two, but I can't do it alone. We're sisters, we're all we've ever had in the world and I'm sorry it took all this to realize that.”

The two stand looking at each other for a moment before Aria finally responds. “Alright. But we make decisions together. No more ordering around. We're equals from now on, deal?”

“Deal.” Adagio thankfully hugs her sister, with Aria visually uncomfortable, not used to close contact. “It's good to have you back. I promise you, things will be different from now on.” Adagio says with tears in her eyes.

“Good to be back. But as much as I hate to say it, we need Sonata.”

“That could be a problem. I saw her with the Rainbooms a while ago.”

“Figures that airhead would end up around them. I'll handle this and we'll be back before you know it. She won't say no to me.”

Comments

[seventeen]

Alright, that last chapter had me interested, but now I'm intrigued. It's nice to see Aria and Adagio working together for a change.

[Lord Seth]

Hrm… the story itself is interesting so far. The main problem is the way it’s told. There’s quite a few spelling and grammar issues as well as cases of awkwardly written prose. I don’t think it would be beneficial to go through every single line (not to mention it would take way too long), so I’ll point out two particularly notable recurring issues.

The first is dialogue. The punctuation and capitalization in the dialogue of this story isn’t done correctly. One of the best things you can ever do to make sure you punctuate dialogue right is to read this. At least 95% of errors in dialogue will be avoided just by reading that, particularly the section on said tags.

The second is that this story is written in present tense narration. Normally, stories are written in past tense narration, so writing in present tense makes the story feel weird and continually pulls the reader (or at least this reader) out of it. Present tense narration can work, but I’ve never seen it work outside of a first person story, which this isn’t.