Three Sirens and a Sunset

by Shadowsnake89

Chapter 9

CHS
“What do you mean Sunset? I don't understand.” Aria asks the girl as she catches her breath.

“When I touched Adagio's pendent I could see what she thought, what she felt. I saw all of her plans and why she lied to you.”

“We already know why she did it. So she could take all of the power for herself.”

“That's not it.” Sunset pleads.

“She never cared about me or Sonata. This was all just another one of her schemes.” Aria says as she folds her arms.

“No Aria. She did it because she cares about you. I saw inside her heart. She told me that she was addicted to the power she absorbed every time she used the pendents and I could sense it. Even after it was destroyed that craving was still there and no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't go away. That's why she tried so hard to get it back.”

“Poor Adagio.” Sonata says with a worried voice.

“But she also saw how happy you two were. That's why she wants to destroy the portal. To keep you both here.”

“That's why she said all those mean things to us. She wanted to make us hate her so we wouldn't want to follow her and she wouldn't have to hurt us. Aria we have to help her. She needs us now more than ever.”

Aria lets out a sigh before answering. “Alright. Let's go save our sister.” The two say their goodbyes to the others as they prepare to disembark with Twilight.

Sonata shares another best friend handshake with Pinkie Pie. “Make sure you tell me every detail when you get back. And give the alternate me a huuuuuge hug.”

Not far away, Aria does the same. “Look, I'm not the best at saying these kinds of things so I'm just going to say it. My whole life has always revolved around me making people love me, never making a real connection. But you, you gave me something no one else ever has, genuine love. I've never felt like this before and I can't imagine my life without you. I...I love you.” She says holding Ticki in her hands as he nuzzles her face. “Now you be a good boy and I'll see you when I come home.” She puts the ferret in Snails arms and grabs him by the collar. “If anything happens to him you're a dead man.” The two sirens walk over to Twilight. “Okay, we're all set princess.”

Twilight turns to Sunset who is standing with the others. “You know we could really use your help.”

“I don't know. I haven't been back to Equestria since that day. Maybe it would be better if I stayed here.” Sunset says reluctantly. While she knew she could be of help she didn't feel quite ready to head back to her old home and possibly face her former mentor.

“But you know everything Adagio knows. You could really help us to stop her before it's too late. Please Sunset.” Sonata begs with large puppy dog eyes.

“Trust me. You can't say no to that face.” Aria chimes in as Sunset Shimmer nods in agreement.

“Alright, I'm in.” The four girls pus Spike get a good running start as they head through the portal, the others waving goodbye. As they disappear Ticki crawls into Snails' shirt as he and Snips try to grab the ferret with the others giving embarrassing looks. “You really know how to kill a moment, don't you?” Rainbow says with a smirk.

Ponyville
“Is that all of them?” Adagio asks as she finishes converting the last of the pegasi in Ponyville into her Shadowbolt army.

“Yes ma'am. The rest of the citizens are being detained as we speak and we're ready to move on Canterlot at your word.” Lightnig Dust informs her as she looks on, with Scootaloo by her side.

“Excellent. Assemble a team. We need to move on the castle tonight. Once we have the princess out of the way we'll move on the Crystal Empire. With the crystal heart in our possession there will be nothing in this realm that can stop us.”

“I am afraid that is a gross miscalculation.” The turn to see an alicorn as dark as the night, descending from the sky.

“Princess Luna?” Dust says nervously as Adagio looks on with curiosity.

“I take it this is the princess you were referring to.”

“Her sister actually.”

“The Princess of the Night commands you to release these citizens and surrender.” She and Adagio trade glares as Dust steps back. Adagio channels her energy into her horn, firing a beam of energy that surprises Luna, knocking her across town as she pursues.

“No one commands me. Now bow before your new queen.” She says standing over Luna. The princess responds with a surprised blast of her own that tosses the siren into the sky. She then restrains her in a bubble.

“Not this night. Now I will say once more release these citizens and return thee to where thou came.” Adagio responds by shattering the bubble with her song. She combines it with her newly acquired alicorn power to create a concussive blast in an attempt to pin Luna only for the princess to evade the attack and retaliates with a large boulder she has levitated, hurling it at her opponent. The projectile is easily destroyed as Adagio breaks out her high notes, turning it into powder.

“You can't be serious. With Sombra's power combined with my own I'm the most powerful thing you'll ever see and you thought throwing a rock would stop me?” Adagio looks down to where Luna was but finds she is gone.

“No but I knew it would distract thou from my true intentions.” She stares in awe above her as the princess rains down a flurry of energy blasts onto her target, slamming her into the ground as she disappears in a cloud of dust. As the air clears Luna can see Adagio laying on the ground as she struggles to get up. “Thou hast no chance of victory. I urge you to surrender.”

Hating to admit it to herself, Adagio knew she was right. Despite her superior power, the siren's abilities were not nearly as honed as the vaunted Princess of the Night. But she also admits that she did not come this far just to be stopped by one pony. “Never.” Luna reluctantly prepares to finish her only to be sideswiped by Lightning Dust.

“We've got your back ma'am. Shadowbolts, attack!” In an instant, a swarm of the new recruits converge on Luna, pelting her with a flurry of attacks as she holds back from retaliating, not wishing to harm the innocent victims. Adagio takes the opportunity to fly high above them and focuses her voice for one, devastating blast. “Retreat!” Dust shouts as she spots the incoming attack. While many of the Shadowbolts escape, a few are not so fortunate and are caught in the blast radius along with Luna.

Lightning Dust, having crashed a short distance away looks over at the scene as the Shadowbolts that got hit are caught under rubble or in pain. As Luna struggles to get up Adagio stomps down on he wings. “You see, this why you lost. You actually care about these ponies and when you care about anything it makes you weak. Bring her with us. We'll deal with the other one when we arrive.” Adagio focuses her energy and, using Sombra's power forms the dark crystals over Luna's wings and horn.

“You will never get away with this.” Luna says as she is dragged away.

“Come Lightning Dust we have a castle to take.” Adagio says as she leads the way.

Dust pauses before turning to see the injured Shadowbolts. “But what about my squadron? They're in no condition to move on the castle.”

“Leave those fools. We'll have many more where they came from, remember? These weaklings obviously weren't Shadowbolt material.”

Dust looks down and then back to Adagio. “Right. If they can't cut it that's their problem not mine. Everypony else to the castle!” She commands as a group flies with Adagio toward Canterlot. Dust halts, turning back toward two of the Shadowbolts. “Make sure the injured are treated. We'll need all the horsepower we can get for what comes next.”

“Yes ma'am.” The duo say in unison.

“And make sure that portal is destroyed.” She darts off into the sky after the Queen, quickly catching up with her. “Apologies Queen Adagio. Just needed to make sure something is taken care of.”

Adagio gives a confirming nod. “Next stop, my new castle.”

Back inside Twilight's castle the trio of Shadowbolts are doing their level best to destroy the portal but haven't quite figured out how. “Maybe we should just pick it up and drop it?” Double Down suggests.

“We can't lift it. How about we blow it up?” Boogie says as he looks it over.

“With what you knuckle head?” Cut Off says as the three break into another argument.

“Wait!” Pinkie screams out. “Why don't you just push it over?”

“Pinkie!” Her friends shout in unison.

“Great idea. It's worked for everything else.” Boogie says.

“So simple yet so effective.” Cut Off gestures the others to the front of the portal. “Okay boys let's go to work.”

“Pinkie here's a tip: The next time the bad guys need a helping hand, please keep your mouth shut.” Dash says as they watch the three.

“Alright on three. One, two,” As they are about to give it a shove four ponies, two with translucent wings, and a small dragon fly out, crashing into them. “three.” Cut Off says before he passes out with the other two Shadowbolts.

“Twilight!” The captive ponies shout as they spot the other three along with her. The five quickly move to free them. “What happened?” Applejack asks.

“Who was that Alicorn who came through with Lightning Dust?” Rarity asks as she is untied by Spike.

“Alicorn? Oh no. This is worse than I thought.” Twilight says as they finish untying the others.

“And who are these two?” Rainbow Dash asks.

“Were the ones who just saved your tails.” Aria say with her usual dry wit.

“Yeah well I totally could have saved myself.”

“Sure, because you looked like you had them right where you wanted them.” The two butt heads for a moment before they are broken up by Applejack and Fluttershy. As the potential fight is stopped Sonata frees Pinkie as the two trade stares.

“Pinkie Pie? It's so good to see you.” Sonata says as the two hug.

“It seems like forever since we've seen each other.” Pinkie says as Rarity stares in confusion.

“You two know each other?” She asks with a raised eyebrow.

“We're total best friends in an alternate universe.” The pink pony explains resulting in confused looks all around.

“Right, everypony this is Aria Blaze and her sister Sonata Dusk. They're here to help stop Adagio, the pony who came through with Lightning Dust.” They then turn to see the last guest, the familiar orange and yellow mane giving her away. “And you remember Sunset Shimmer.”

“Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity.”

“Okay, how do you know our names?” Rainbow inquires.

“I know we didn't have time for formal introductions the last time we met but I'd like to think I've come to know all of you fairly well since then.”

“Okay. All oddities aside, we have a huge problem.”

“Adagio has taken over Ponyville and is transforming every Pegasus into soldiers for her army.” Fluttershy says.

“And they got Scootaloo. And they're moving on Canterlot tonight.” Rainbow says hovering over the group.

“Princess Celestia is away on an important delegation. But we can get a message to her before it's too late. Spike.” Twilight says as her loyal assistant copies down her words on a scroll then sends it off. “In the meantime we should find Princess Luna and warn her about what's happened.”

“We'll go to the castle and try to reason with Adagio. We might be able to make her see reason.” Aria says.

“And why in tarnation do you think she'd listen to you?” Applejack interrupts.

“Because she's our sister.” Sonata's comment leaves the group in shock.

Rainbow Dash soars right into the blue haired pony's face. “Wait, your sister? Your sister's the one who took over Ponyville and is transforming all our friends into mindless drones for her own personal army?”

“That's pretty much it.” She responds with an innocent smile.

“We can talk about that later. Right now we need to get out there and find out exactly what's going on.” Twilight says as they hear hoof steps rounding the corner. Four of the new Shadowbolts appear and are alerted by a now conscious Double Down. “Over here, help!” He shouts as the other ponies turn to him. “Sorry guys, just doing my job.” Aria pops him once on the head and he is out ounce again as she and the others prepare for a fight.

Comments

[seventeen]

holy crap, Aria giving a heartfelt goodbye to a very special character... priceless.
“We're total best friends in an alternate universe.” omg
Why just pegasus ponies? I mean, Sombra had no problem changing a unicorn into a Shadowbolt; perhaps Adagio isn't used to the power, since her Equestrian magic is based on song rather than horn?
that's really sweet of Adagio... it felt like she had a little more up her sleeve than she let on you can't just say 2 have wings, and then not say who the other winged pony is!!