The Siren's Remorse

by TheronSniper

Ch. 16 Who You Really Know

Ch. 16 Who You Really Know

While the night was still young, the Dazzlings and Twilight settled on a relaxing night of food and drink for celebration. Though they awaited the call for the next meeting with Yellow Tail, the eagerness to get back home was exhausting. Using some of the bits that Yellow gave them, they packed on a hefty load to keep their bodies at peak performance. The store of sustenance was part of Adagio’s new training regiment which would fine tune their voices for any big performances Tail had eluded to. Although they regained their forms, they still had to feed the physical essence they possessed in this world. The choice in the late night feast was inspired by their Equestrian food palette from yor, anything from the ocean. Fortunately, the Dazzlings plus one were able to acquire from a small on the go foodie dive in a shopping center. Several Styrofoam cases soon decorated the siren’s homely abode after everything was said and done.

Once in the room, the girls had set up on the hotel room’s office desk usually used for just about any purpose. As all four teenagers piled the white containers into an open spread, the grumbling of stomachs were the appetites ready to let loose. Something about having a crazed spirit yanked out of the body had the side effect of being famished as well as being frightened out of one’s own skin.

First to start serving themselves, Sonata moved around the aromatic cuisine like a hungry shark. She may have the infamous taco affinity, but her old homeworld food was irresistible just as much. Her searching eyes finally locked onto her prey and her mouth watered. The waiting tongue of hers licked away at her slightly sharper canines and premolars begging for the taste of the flesh of marine animals. Aria however was not too keen on having her meal slathered with saliva, and sighed as she wiped the girls mouth with a napkin. With a disgusted look, she tossed the damp paper towel away haphazardly onto the carpet.

“Hey! Remember that tune I was working on before we got sent here? Do you think I could use it to introduce us at the next grand stage? Like to capture everyone’s attention before we begin?!” Sonata requested with glee as she scooped up a few deep fried prawns and grilled whole squid.

“Hmm… now that you mention it I did have to tweak the ending of the second song on the list. Tomorrow, you better remind me and not forget so I can see what you’ve got and judge it fit for our main body of work.” Adagio answered wagging her finger to impress her order firmly in the aloof girl.

Glaring at the blue Dazzling for a few more seconds, Adagio went back to plating a medley of shellfish and caviar with a little bit of kelp for flavor. Her attention to a grumbling troublesome stomach made her less aware of Aria’s disgruntlement. The rather feisty attitude was nowhere near its potency it had a day ago, rather it was as abrasive as sandpaper than steel wool. Greedily, she scooped up the large steamed crab legs and a couple squid and eyed the lead singer.

“If we’re going to toss in her stuff, then I guess my improvements have to be included. After all, we do want to succeed if he asks us to perform before the entire town. How else are we going to charge our powers to do anything to any portal.” Aria huffed before shoving the cooked cephalopod into her mouth, chewing savagely.

“Whatever, tomorrow when we get up… we’ll dissect everything we have lined up. If it fits in I’ll allow it, I’m not going to just stuff the song list just so you both can fill those air bladders in your heads! Now enough, we have a reason to be happy here and I don’t want it going sour. So eat…” the golden siren commanded and left to her bed to enjoy the meat.

Twilight had been given permission to join them and feast as well, but she wasn’t much for fish or things with long squirming appendages. Her serving consisted of the fried prawns and couple of crab legs that remained. Expecting the meal to be a bit messy when they were initially shopping and Adagio made the menu off hand. She took the liberty of buying a spare set of clothes with her own money, as after tonight she’d have to go back to Crystal Prep’s dormitory. Her research trip expired tomorrow and attendance was mandatory, but at least she had something to show for from the books offered to her. From what she was able to skim through, there was a practical application with a device that could detect magical signatures. Twilight saw a way to discover and name the new magical energies she’d uncover, a more than unique product of her temporary journey that Principle Cinch wouldn’t deny.

Figuring Sonata of the three would be the easiest to talk to and allow any company, Sparkle let Aria and Adagio have their peace with the TV in front of the beds. She had questions about the siren’s intimate lives, and Dusk had already told her a few things about herself off hand. The valuable data she needed to harness for the record books, and to owe the Dazzlings for their part when the world soon embraced magic. It was the least she could do for the trio, the world would adore them in their own way.

Having set herself with all she needed and a bottle of water, Sparkle walked up to Dusk, “Mind if I join you?”.

Looking up with a mouth full of lightly breaded fried shrimp, “Shuff, goff righh aheaaa!” she muffled with a thumbs up and glowing eyes of satisfaction.

“HEY! Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Aria shouted from the other room as she changed channels for something entertaining.

The demand was met with a roll of the eyes from the offender, Aria simply didn’t care to enforce her words right now. Having paid no mind, Sonata swallowed her partially chewed food before patting down on the sofa cushion next to her.

With a nod the schoolgirl took her seat, “Thanks… I was wondering, would you mind if you talked about yourself some more? You know, back when you were a pup, a cub, or… fry? What do Hippocampi consider their young as? Do you know what your people are in terms of the animal kingdom!?” Sparkles eager mind started to race off which only earned a confused look from the gluttonous faux human next to her.

“You mean like my earliest memories? Or how we are born? What about a kingdom? I don’t follow.” she tilted her head before stuffing her mouth again.

Catching her triage of questions with embarrassment, Twilight coughed into her hand to compose herself.

“Sorry… It’s just that well, since this is a rare opportunity to know such a unique species of another world on a personal level. I guess your memories would be a good start. But if it’s something you don’t wish to talk about I understand, this is just for the archives when I find a practical application for magic here. I’d like to thank you three in some manner, and I know you like to have fans.” She smiled gently with a little nervous giggle.

Sonata thought for a few moments, looking to the sky in a cartoonish kind of way. A lone finger tapped her chin as she contemplated eagerly, slurping down another grilled squid between your dainty lips.

Without bothering to chew much, she swallowed the morsel quickly. The lanky tentacles waving before her mouth as she slurped them into her gullet.

“You know… it has been like so long since we were tossed from Equestria. I almost can’t even remember when I was a little hatchling. Almost… I remember my mother and her totally awesome voice, she would always sing to me and help me find my own song among the others in the pod.”

“Pod? You mean as in the family units whales and dolphins travel in?” Sparkle asked as she took a bite of a crispy prawn.

“I don’t know about whales… whatever those are, but sirens form something similar to the kind ponies call herds and clans of dragons. The only difference is when two become a couple, they form a family with a mama and a daddy till the very end like those adorable little tuxedo birds that can’t fly and live at the white poles!” a happy smile overcame the blue haired girl as she squirmed over the adorable creatures in her head.

“Penguins? You mean the polar regions of your world? Strange, very strange that your world has those too. Well, so Hippocampi form life mates and monogamous relationships, what about your father? What was he like?” which Sonata ceased her assault on the cooked marine life.

“I don’t remember papa... mom said he disappeared fighting a Kraken with two others that tried to eat us a long time ago. I barely hatched four lunar cycles then.” The quirky girl elaborated.

Twilight backpedaled after the revelation and panicked in fear of touching the sensitive matter. The redirected discussion went to the aspects of siren biology, primarily their one trait that defined them.

“I’m sorry that happened to you, I’m sure he was a fully capable and admirable member of the pod. Um… do male sirens have a voice as well? Or are they relegated to another function in a pod?” she nervously brought her legs onto the sofa as she crossed them.

Thankfully the spontaneous faux human didn’t notice the forced segue, “Umm… I’m not sure about that. I’ve only heard my mother’s, Adagio, and Aria’s. I think Papa and others were warriors who drove away monsters that couldn’t be controlled by the siren’s song. There are a few out there like that and you don’t want to be trapped in a cave with them either.”

“So a sexual dimorphic feature? Only females can sing and possibly the only users of dark magic. What they can’t sway under control the more physically capable male handles. I can only speculate the likely reason anything wouldn’t be affected by a siren would be if it was as base of a life form as they came. Kraken? I wonder if it was behemoth of a Tusoteuthis? Or even a Cameroceras!? Something that actively predated pods of your kind must have been a monster of nature!” the science geek within Sparkle showed so much she didn’t notice how Sonata started to dwell on her family again.

“I wonder if dad ever heard my first song… what he thought of it?” her cheerful simplicity vanished from her character, “I’ve never really been able to remember a lot of things. I can’t even remember what he looked like...” by now the flow of cooked invertebrates ceased and the fork fell to the plate gently.

The enthusiastic bubble popped and Twilight fell back into her hole of worry, “You don’t have to answer any more questions, I’m not trying to resurface bad memories. Though… I guess by asking I did learn how human you all really are.” Twilight looked away feeling bad for upsetting the girl.

“Ya…” the response was soaked in grief like a wet sponge.

Sparkle wanted to comfort the downtrodden Dazzling. Unfortunately, the lack of any psychology courses at Crystal Prep stalled any attempt. She feared she’d do more damage due to her insufficiency in that field of study. It was clear however, something had to be attempted if at least to report to Yellow Tail about. She’d have to work on the approach, concerning the other two when the inevitable came to pass. It was clear they were not sisters by blood, but a band of very powerful and aspiring beings. Judging by how controlling Adagio was, there was likely a history of issues that had to be handled soon before it came back to haunt the plan and her research.

“I may not know what it feels like to lose family, but I can share the loneliness you feel. I never mentioned it before, but my brother Shining Armor had quite the skills in engineering. When he started to show his prowess with metal alloys and synthetic materials, Principal Cinch brought him into the spotlight. A few universities wanted him for his abilities, and so he left after graduating early. It happened before I got into C.P., my brother was my B.B.B.F.F. throughout my childhood, other than Cadence of course. We were close, mainly because our parents were always working. We did everything together, learned from each other, and created our own fun when we were not at school. And whenever he couldn’t make it, Cadence was there… but it wasn’t the same.” Twilight looked away as she began to feel the encroaching memory of how she became such a social outcast.

Sonata looked over as she could sense the sincerity of the negative energy the book smarts emitted. It was palpable and hearty, like a fully loaded supreme king taco she tried at a small food truck awhile ago. She choked off the flow to her gem, if anyone didn’t deserve to be slaved or drained it was their go-to girl with Yellow.

“And…” she goaded softly with her undivided attention.

“When he left, I was often by myself. Even though I had Cadence to talk to now and then, she had her own life as the dean of Crystal Prep.” Sparkle laughed to herself lightly.”

“This Cadence, was she a friend or something?” Dusk looked with curiosity.

“She use to be a babysitter to fund her higher education, she hadn’t watched over me for a while now. Though she’s always been there if I needed help, and she somehow knew I needed a friendly smile when Shiny left. If anything, it was like having the older sister I never had.” A small smile accompanied the answer.

“You must have been all down in the dumps then. Didn’t your brother ever come by or send a letter?” the inquiry seemed harmless enough to ask.

Shaking her head mournfully, “No letters, no messages, not even a phone call to check up on mom, dad, Cadence, or me. All I was told was that he’d been immediately involved in projects as soon as he arrived there from mom. Without him, I never really learned to make friends and Cadence had her busy schedule. My classmates never included me in any activities because I was weird. I found it hard to work with others in class projects anyways. Always worked well by myself, because I knew the course material while everyone else messed around. I’ve assumed that that advantage earned the alienation unintentionally. That or I had no real social skills to begin with, no matter how hard I tried…” she removed her black frames to rub her eyes.

“Wow… you like, kept your head in books and stuff instead of learning to be part of the pack?” Sonata put her plate on the floor and adjusted herself to face Twilight.

“Yes, it was a sense of comfort for me and it reminded me of the bond I had with my brother. Progress and knowledge became a drive in its own right, as if he was still there. I got into Crystal Prep because of how well I did in my old school. They gave me the space for my personal projects and even minimized my need for attending class like any regular student. The only requirement was that I submitted my academic undertaking to contests and win the cash prizes and awards for Crystal Prep. I’m literally their golden goose when you think about it.” Sparkle breathed out in a huff and nearly threw her glasses across the room.

“In fact, I recently won the Best Innovators Award for creating clear lightweight solar panels that can be easily installed on any surface or building. It’s already been purchased and being used as we speak.” A hint of pride in her tone shone through her dismay at the school for being an enabler.

“I have no idea what solar pans are, but it sounds a lot like why I kept practicing my voice. We… both had something to keep it together.” The short lived vigor gave way to the monotone ending of emotional withdrawal.

“Indeed… we’re not so different are we? I haven’t seen my brother in six years and he’s not even tried to contact me or our parents still. I love my B.B.B.F.F. no matter what happens, but growing up without him. It’s painful… even a fellow educated person like me should understand how involved a project can be!” Twilight sagged in her seat as the hole in her heart started to pulse, her legs drawn to her chest as she hugged them.

She may not have endured the death of a loved one as a kid, but it might as well of been the same. Shining was miles away from their hometown, and the few attempts to contact him were never replied to. No matter how much she threw herself into her work, something was always missing. Surprisingly enough, she failed to even help Sonata by making herself just as depressed. It would have been another failed interaction attempt to add to the list of social failures racking up. Yet, the warm feeling of a gentle hand on her back caused her to turn back to her peer.

“We both keep on with our own music, hoping they would be proud of us where ever they are. You totally made me see that now.” The surprised reaction had Twilight smiling back to the happy go-lucky girl before her.

“Ya, I’m sure they are.” She dropped her legs back down and adjusted her glasses.

“You wanted to know about my past right?” Sonata felt they had passed some kind of hurdle of trust and felt compelled to continue the questionnaire.

“If it’s not too much of course.” The young scientist asked as she watched the siren go back to her food albeit with not as much heartiness.

“It’s no biggie, so here’s the sitch. I guess there's the family I grew up with… hmm… right!” She said aloud to herself, “We kept to coasts in the tropics when we settled to get away from that giant squid. My mother and the others sang to nearby villages and ports , but they were careful to not send the land lovers into any real fighting. It was totally a special rule, so there would always be ponies and stuff to take energy from. Plus, we had all the tasty treats in the nearby reef, we had everything we could ever dream of!”

With a long drawn out hum of interest, “I’m still baffled by your physiology, but I think I understand it when I take into account our own sirens. Please continue.”

“Umm… okay? The head honchos in turn kept the baddies off their wooden floats and stuff. If they went after our fans, they almost always sought us as well. These ponies had no real warriors of their own or many unicorns who could use attack magic. So there was always a sort of peace between us and the folks on shore.” Dusk grinned to herself as she remembered the golden apple of home she enjoyed long ago.

“Interesting, how did you end up there and not targeted by the inhabitants? Were sirens well known back then? Where did the Kraken come in during all this… OOPS!! Don’t answer that!” her eyes widened in horror as she let the topic lose from her mouth.

The blue girl shook her head and just smiled back, “It’s alright, it hurts less when I talk about it which I never really done like ever! We use to live near the thing called the equater? A place that made the weather and water always warm and fun! I think, where the ocean floor met the shores too? It was a sheer drop into the deep blue where monsters slept. When the Kraken came for us, it led the old matriarch to find a safer place to live which was there. Far as I know no one actually knew what we were. Like I said, we were careful to feed just enough. Like little nibbles so we didn’t leave crumbs.”

“Matriarch? So your pods are all ruled by dominant females?” the inquisitive part of Twilight came forth as she reached for a nonexistent pen and paper out of habit.

“Ya, the Big Kahuna of all the sirens, her name was Cavatina Hymn. I don’t remember much of her though, she was always busy looking out for everyone like a seahawk. You never wanted to cross her though, rules were her thing like Adagio's planning. I do know how she earned her place though, by battling a fleet of pirates who wanted our gems. Crazy right?!” She reminisced as the last prawn was slowly devoured.

“Cavatina fought pirates?! How? Did she use her voice? Did the males take part?” the fervor of questions poured on.

Sonata giggled at the attention her old family was getting from the human, “Sorry, too bad, I don’t really remember the details that well. I can only remember that the old lady had been captured by those sea fairing ponies and bird lions. Hymn left us to fight those evil guys and their harpoons. We were too far away to see anything clearly, but she saved the old leader and sank some ships. She became our new Matriarch and the one she saved left out of shame. It was said she was as strong as any siron and had the sharpest pitch of us all.”

“Siron? Is that your term for males?” she asked as the last cooked cephalopod was slurped in a loud gulp.

“Ya, we’re not ponies or human that’s for sure silly.” Dusk answered as she wiped her face with a few paper napkins.

“So Siren for adult females, Siron for adult males, hatchling for young… I think I got it.” Sparkle started to eat into her meal faster as it started going cold.

“Yup!”

“Okay, your family unit sounds very conservative with their resources. Valuing the future by caring for the safety of their territory and those in it, whether or not they were sirens. Though, if I might ask, what happened that led you to join Adagio and Aria?” the purple girl dabbed her mouth clean of the fried breading.

It was a moment in her life she never let herself forget, for two reasons with the first being obvious. For any siren, it was a monumental achievement that came with its fair share of giving to go abroad.

“Well… I actually… came to know them because I might have caused a problem for Cavatina sometime ago.” She visibly winced and earned a sympathetic gaze from Twilight, “My singing got outta hoof for me to control when I started to see my gem poke through my chest. I... kinda sent a large harbor into a mosh pit by accident. I was just part of the chorus, and my magic went crazy. Hymn saw the whole mess up, but also why I wasn’t able to focus it. As punishment, I had to give all the energy I sucked up to the older sirens, even if my momma stood up for me.” She sighed as she flicked at her ponytail that draped over her shoulder.

That day, she remembered the quartet the pod set up by what made for the harbor’s resort for travelers. It was a beautiful summer season with few storms ever passing through, and Cavatina wanted to bank on it for a hearty feeding. A few sirens were going to start their own family's and the negative energy was desperately needed for the new ones to be brought into the new world like she had been.

Since becoming an adult, Hymn allowed her to be part of the singing group as her voice showed promise. It all started well, they began with amazing any new ponies and the occasional minotaur fish mongers with their pristine scales and glistening dorsal fins. When they began their session, she initially provided a background voice to balance out the primary siren. Things appeared to be going well enough until something in her voice pulled like a cord ripped and snapped into a new place, like when she swam too hard and pulled a tail string. That was when it all went downhill, and a hair trigger pulled at the listeners before them.

Even though she stopped abruptly, the damage was done as her enchanted music spread like wildfire. Ponies argued, minotaurs became self glorified jerks, and any griffons in earshot started to haggle their many customers by raising prices. Once the first fights broke out, the older sirens she sang with realized what was happening in horror. No matter how hard they tried to get the citizens to obey them it was all in vain, Sonata’s mana spike had a near concrete hold on everyone as the spell bound their hearts. Only Cavatina’s arrival herald the end to the chaos, and she wasn’t very happy.

“Everyone makes mistakes though.” Twilight tried to assure the girl.

“Ya, but that harbor took two years to get back to its old self when some boats purposely rammed into the docks fighting for parking space. Cava believed I was a danger to the paradise she found. So when Adagio came through asking for new members to add to her own pod. Normally Cavatina would have fought tooth and voice against any outsiders, but she happily threw me to them even after my mother challenged her. I left knowing my mother didn't win the battle of the songs, she was put into the lower rung of the ranks and that's never good for anyone...” Sonata put her hands to her temples on her head as self hatred once again surfaced.

Twilight sat wordless, she couldn’t really figure out a way to respond to this new bit of knowledge. She knew the klutzy girl had her moments, but it seemed harsh to punish her and separating her from the pod. It seemed to be the equivalent of young drivers who crashed into stores or in traffic, probation was the most they’d suffer. Never had anyone lost their license or despised.

“Mom told me before I left, that it’s a dream for any siren to join a new pod and see the world. That most totally grew up and got old in the same one they were born into. Never leaving the land their whole lives! She said I’d learn new songs and have fresh voices to create new music with. It was the last I saw of her before Adagio whisked us away, to avoid Cava trying to fight her out of instinct.” By now the TV in the other room had its volume turned low enough for the conversation to be eavesdropped.

“How long ago was this?” Twilight scrunched her fingers into an anxious ball.

“I don’t even know, kinda feels like ages now that we’ve lived in this world. I think we were banished here two years? I think it was two years after I joined Adagio." She looked to the ceiling in deep thought, "Wonder if mom is still alive? Do you think she’d still be proud of me? Proud of our songs that nearly took over Equestria and this world?” she shook her head as if it was starting to hurt.

As she whispered to herself blaming her own voice for causing trouble Twilight fought action out of caution.

‘Look at what you did now! If these creatures harbor lingering regrets like this, it will affect the plan. Perhaps it’s a test by Yellow Tail?! Yes a test… that’s it! I’m supposed to help these girls overcome their past so the plan won’t be jeopardized! I’m the only one close enough and not just some stranger with gifts.’ Sparkle tried to convince herself.

The bookish Crystal Prep student knew the whole situation was going south more than ever. If Sonata continued any longer, she was sure only variables would arise and complicate the success rate beyond a comeback. She knew nothing would work if she thought as Twilight the recluse, but in a split decision she put herself into her brother’s position. When she came home on those few occasions other students treat her unfairly. The name calling, the taunting, and exclusion from group activities because she had a bigger brain than them. She never tried to sound like a conceded noble, it was just every time an occasion arose it just happened. When the inevitable occurred, Shining was always there to hug her and take away the pain.

‘Just like Shiny did, I just have to be a friend for them. Then they’ll get through this… If I help Sonata, I’ll have Aria and Adagio… who will likely be problematic. But I will not fail this test! I will make Yellow Tail pleased and I won’t lose the books on magic or doom another world to an apocalypse! I can’t lose now… not when I have such a discovery at my fingertips!’ Twilight wore the look of determination within her spirit, desperate to not fail.

In a swift graceful move, Sparkle got up and tenderly wrapped her arms around the distressed person. Embodying her brother’s sibling love, she used a lulling hush and silence until her friend ceased trying to move away. The initial struggle wasn’t even a big attempt to get away.

‘Remember, be empathetic. You have a trust bond, now strengthen it. Be Shining Armor.’ She recited to herself.

“Your mother would be proud of you. You’ve survived the odds and regained your ability, you’ll be going home soon. Even if you three tried to control the world, I believe you would have brought some kind of peaceful era to humanity if you did.” Her most soothing voice she could muster had earned the desired effect, allowing her to break her embrace and kneel before the seated siren.

“You mean it?” Dusk asked as if her hope were a fragile pane of glass.

“There has been so much conflict my species has endured for generations. If these ponies of Equestria consider you evil beings, then we humans consider you saviors... considering what's going to happen soon if politics go their way. Either way, you’ve even given me a chance to study and hopefully utilize magic to end our ongoing problems once and for all. I’m very sure even Cavatina would approve of what you tried to do here. Even if it was incidental?” She looked her in the eye with a solid smile patting her shoulders.

“Even Cava? Even though we create disharmony and cause our audience to fight each other so we could take all the negative emotions? We’re not monsters?” Sonata had to ask to reassure herself, with the way the Rainbooms treated them not long ago.

Nodding her head, “Humans are inherently violent and confrontational, it’s our way of life. You three would be harnessing that curse and let us live happier lives by removing that part of us for a time… even if it’s worshiping you. I could even show you the statistical data of the major countries and the correlation between poverty, corruption, and crime to resource management and environmental destruction. We’re on our way to extinction in the next hundred years unless we change. Of course that's another story for another time.”

Sonata sat still as all that bothered her faded away like fall leaves in the wind. The entire moment confused her to oblivion, but one thing was for certain. Her new friend was doing all she could to help her, a creature from another world saw worth in her and the others. She couldn’t fathom any kinder words to be of aid. They could make a paradise for a world in jeopardy if they wanted to. Instead of her destroying it and starving without any being to feed from like Cavatina had feared once before. This place wasn’t paradise, but they could turn it into one.

“Thanks, I needed that.” Dusk rubbed her arm as Twilight let go of her.

“You three are doing so much even if it looks to others like it’s an evil pursuit. They just don’t see the bigger picture, the good it will do! You’re doing what Cavatina would have liked, a form of coexistence and one that would save a race from its own arrogance because it cannot do so itself. That I know all too well on a personal level. Of course if you stayed that is, actually just being here and us meeting. I can see so much progress to make with magic alone, and mankind cannot thank you enough.” Twilight gave a thumbs up and received one in return.

“Man, I don’t know where you came from… but you’re like, the first ever best friend in the world. Sorry if I got all down and sad, I know you wanted to know about us.” She said as Twilight rose up and took a seat next to her.

“It’s fine really, I’m just glad I have other people to talk to… even if they’re from another universe. You’re not being condescending or rude to me, it’s actually quite refreshing.” The both of them had resumed eating in the pleasant atmosphere.

In that big brain, Sparkle imagined herself jumping up and down screaming happily the word ‘Yes’ over and over again. One third of Yellow’s test was completed with flying colors and she learned something new about the siren race. The niche of being a social outcaste couldn’t contain her now, she just had to be like her brother and give a helping hand. She wondered how proud her brother would be if he was here, seeing her make friends and gather priceless data.

In the other room, Adagio and Aria had a new way of looking at Twilight and the race of apes she was from. After seeing humans as little more than cattle to eat off of, having the world briefly explained to them and how their actions were beneficial. It dented the hatred they had for the culture and monkeys that permeated the lands. Their short miserable little lives so full of disharmony on such a large scale. When they were tossed into this place as punishment, they just saw crazy bipedal mammals and their technology amongst a magicless plane. They never really paid attention to the news or media, being so focused on getting some form of negative energy to subsist on was dire enough. Adagio’s plans often had them performing where possible and trying to exploit possible magical items.

Here and now was a human being who had the empathy level and understanding of a fellow pod member. She saw their dilemma, and even rationalized it to spin their nature into a blessing. It was a strange thing to behold. As if she was the antithesis to Starswirl the Bearded.

Aria couldn’t stomach her food anymore, and went about disposing of any leftovers she had. The trash bags they purchased started to fill up with whatever was touched. The fridge in the room was small, but Aria was able to stuff all the remains to be eaten later. During the process, she ignored the two friends bonding on the couch. Aria’s toiling was noticed by Sonata, but the way things were shoved into the trash bag had been a blatant sign to not disrupt the girl. Even Twilight glanced over and had seen the ticking time bomb caused by their heart to heart moment.

The purple haired girl with teal streaks soon made for the bathroom to shower, and unexpectedly didn’t slam the door behind her. Adagio had taken note of it and followed suit, cleaning her plate and making sure any mess left could be cleaned up by the saps on the couch. All she had to do was wait for the shower to be free, in the meantime she simply went back to her bed and held her gem closely.

Her fingers meticulously caressed the ruby she pulled from her blouse as her mind raced. This was not what she was expecting to happen when they tried to take over the world after the first go. She couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation with Twilight and her compassion to her kind. An actual living being that understood the cycle of life and wished to aid the aspirations of predators like her. Though, she figured Yellow Tail’s explanation about the danger Equis was experiencing was the reason for their power seeking. Twilight was likely going off that cliff and believed they were different or something else. To consider anything to be deduced, Adagio even pondered the guess that little Mrs Sparkle was a siren herself. One who was exiled who knows how far ago and who lost her memory, living among the humans through a surrogate family and the next as she never aged. Where was her own gem, did it even exist? Could any unicorn be so heartless to send a hatchling through such a catastrophic process of banishment for revenge maybe?

A farfetched idea as it was, Adagio stared at the ceiling thinking it all over. She listened to Twilight and Sonata laugh at the most insipid things and begin to put up their mess. It wasn’t long before everyone had gone through their duties and routines for bed. Once the waste was removed, and the two new buddies exited the room to dump the trash. Adagio felt the creeping past try to crawl tooth and nail to her consciousness. The weakness had been met with utter revile and suppressed with quick vengeance.

‘Regret and repress… regret and repress… regret… and… repress… right mom?’ the memory of many hatchlings laughing and playing as adult sirens called out in the distance.

Comments

[Lucid Dream the Mule]

Ooh, more siren lore. I love how there's just as many deviations as there are similarities, when people try their hand at describing possible Siren cultures.

[vectorVll]

“You three are doing so much even if it looks to others like it’s an evil pursuit. They just don’t see the bigger picture, the good it will do! You’re doing what Cavatina would have liked, a form of coexistence and one that would save a race from its own arrogance because it cannot do so itself. That I know all too well on a personal level. Of course if you stayed that is, actually just being here and us meeting. I can see so much progress to make with magic alone, and mankind cannot thank you enough.” Twilight gave a thumbs up and received one in return.

I love this but this part right here is something that the kid would say or someone who's red like half of Play-Doh. This is almost up here with the argument that parents didn't raise their kids they should be raised by the state.

P.s love the stories and the questions though