The Siren's Remorse

by TheronSniper

Ch. 32 Friendship Games: Stealing Magic

Ch. 32 Friendship Games: Stealing Magic

Nurse Redheart's Office

Shimmer awoke violently and confused, her arms flailed as if the evil was still around. Hands grasped her body and tried to steady her until she realized where she was, like a frantic animal left in a cage for days on end. Once a pair of gentle hand cupped her face, she ceased when a familiar face hovered before her and it was not Discord. Muscles stopped twitching, though her heart continued pounding in her rib cage like a frantic hamster. The many appendages holding on lessened their hold and let her go, finding that she touched the top of the hands holding her together.

Flash Sentry, her ex boyfriend had the most worried look she'd seen, he was speaking to her but she couldn't hear yet. Just the sound of static and her own heart. Applejack put a hand on his shoulder and eased him off her but not away, enough that the others could be seen with Pinkie Pie at the foot of the nurses' bed. The white sterile tiles and walls, the few red crosses plastered everywhere, and a glass cabinet filled with glass jars and plastic containers all spelling the words medical ward. She realized she was in the Nurses office surrounded by everyone dear to her, all talking wordlessly and looking a bit teary eyed. Even pinkie looked different with the mix of bubbly happiness to a little sadness to create a different kind of girl as her poofy pink hair sagged a bit.

"Ah yes, my favorite element of harmony, Laughter... You can thank her for helping get you out of that mess. While my magic is infinite, she gave you some of hers to strengthen your resolve. Give my regards... Oh and not to sound like a broken record let's not lose your magic again." the spirit of chaos echoed away and with him so did the background noise.

Her eardrums were soon assaulted by everyone talking over the other, she still held onto Flash who registered her awareness and breathed out relief.

"Girls, GIRLS!!!" Applejack yelled, "I think she's back?"

One hour later...

After a quick run over by Redheart, she gave Sunset the bill of health owing it to her friends for getting her over for what appeared to be heat exhaustion. However, the odd thing was she did not have the symptoms of being overheated and yet her body reacted as if it had, but the official did not mention anymore when the girls brought up their magic.

"So long as you... don't repeat what led up to this again I believe you should be okay Mrs. Shimmer. Now I don't want to see you in my office for the same thing alright? Have a good day everyone." the nurse smiled on her way back to the desk to finish the medical report.

"So, you sure nothing happened? Nothing at all?" Rarity asked again for the third time.

Shimmer nodded, "Yes, I just touched the statue and it felt as if it pulled away my magic. As if there was something seriously wrong on the other side..."

"Well I reckon we got ourselves one of them baddies around then. Could have set a trap for ya before you chased them off like a fox with its tail between its legs awhile ago." Applejack notioned.

Flash helped Sunset out of the bed and began to lead her and the girls out to the hallway, "I never realized how big this was getting, huh? Another big magical battle ahead for you guys?"

"I hope not, with the games happening there would be far to much danger like the concert battle that might turn kids into zombies or become slaves all over again. And I'm afraid of everyone becoming afraid of magic if this keeps happening." she said as she felt Rarity restyle her bed head in stride.

"Don't you worry a thing Shimmy, I got this under control. No evil disgusting criminal will ever get past my eyes, and I'm the fastest runner of the whole tri-state area!" Dash commented on herself just as the door behind them gently shut.

"The only thing that bothers me is now I can't really feel much of my magic, but there's a little left... Pinkie I thought I sensed you just before I woke up? Did... did you do something?" her sky blue eyes looked questioningly at the pink skinned girl up ahead bouncing as they walked.

"I felt super duper saddie when we arrived and I couldn't believe such a horrible thing could hurt a friend of mine like that! So I just wished really hard for you to get better and BOOM!! Here you are!" she grinned as only Pinkie Pie could.

For a moment, the idea made a little sense since the energetic teenager was spontaneous by nature, that even her magic was rather unstable. She herself had been too consumed with the danger lurking about that she'd put aside learning about magic in the human world that the girls and her still possessed. How they ponied up during their musical numbers, and to which not long ago Vice Principle Luna warned them to avoid using so that Crystal Prep would have no ammo to threaten a default win with.

"So yer say'n you wished for her to get better and it just magically happened? Sounds about right I guess." Applejack shrugged.

"Does that mean we should worry about our magic too? I mean if you think so?" Fluttershy asked meekly behind Rainbow.

With a stern yet tired face Sunset stopped and looked to the group, "I believe it does, if my magic was indeed taken and not by whatever catastrophe is happening in Equestria... that I hope isn't actually happening since Twilight's yet to message me back. I'm going to have to ask something of everyone, and that's to have a buddy with you. This happened when I was alone and by myself, had Flash not been passing by the front doors I'd still be out there. It shouldn't be too hard to do so, but this might happen anywhere so be on your extra guard. This could be the aim of whoever is pulling the strings, just like I did at the formal and the sirens during the contest."

"No ruffian's going to get past us Sunset dear."

"Ain't no way no how anyone's going to ruin the games for Canterlot High!"

"I'll hog tie them faster than they can whistle dixie."

"Ya! My party bombs will tag them with so much confetti and glitter there won't be anywhere for them to hide without sparkling like a laser light show!"

"Oh... um... I'll take their picture with my phone too if I see anyone..."

"And Rose Luck and I will tell Principle Celestia if anything goes down. Speaking of which, should you not tell her about all this? I mean she could put some extra eyes and ears out there for anything suspicious?" Flash asked as they walked back to the practice room.

She thought about it, having the whole school on alert wouldn't be bad and Principle Celestia did say her door was open to talk. Since the staff would likely be going about their business for after the games, setting up new tests and exams they would act as a sort of first line of defense.

"Good thinking, after we get the dresses out of the way I'll go find her. So that's the plan everyone... wait what time is it?" she tried to look for a wall clock.

"Oh goodness gracious!! We only have half an hour before the opening ceremony, if we don't get the clothes properly fitted we won't have time before Celestia arrives to validate them... I'VE NEVER BEEN LATE!!!!" Rarity started to hyperventilate.

Without further hesitation, they dropped the talk and rushed to the band's training area where Rarity and the others had picked out the best looking designs that still had to be tried on. Interrupted by Sunset's accident, they had not gotten to the final part and it was due soon. In haste they left Flash with a farewell, he of whom pulled out his phone to make a call once they disappeared from sight.

Girl's Restroom First Floor

Twilight had been given her attendance call and left to roam the school campus as her device soon picked up something new once again. Unsure of how much mana the scanner could hold or the quartz crystal for that matter, she left to the girls bathroom to make a call first. Checking to ensure she was alone, she went to the last stall and locked the door. Setting her back on the floor and opening it for Spike to get a little fresh air, she pats him on the head and motions to keep quiet.

A few seconds of waiting after she dialed the number, her call goes through, "Hello? Yellow, I have something new that just happened with the instrument, I stood by the portal to recharge it when the blue lights suddenly changed red halfway through the process. What does that mean?"

"Could be anything... here, check the gemstone and tell me what it looks like."

She set the phone on her lap in order to gain access to the disk, unhooking it and doing as told. As it popped open, the tear drop crystal inside had the usual spectral colors lively floating inside it to which she judged the mana it had taken. However, mixed in it like a glob that swirled as its own mass in a body of rainbow water, was a fiery color that seemed to have a life of its own. Her eyes beheld the anomaly as it amorphously moved about that seemed impossible for it to act and behave as it did.

She picked up the phone, "I'm not sure how to say this, but there's a new color in there and its not like the multitude that normally represents the portal magic. Its as if a flame exists inside... like its alive!?"

There was a moment of silence at first before a reply came, "Are you sure its not part of the magic from the gateway?"

"Yes sir, its got a life of its own by the looks of it... like its trying to get out?" she commented as her gaze had been entranced by the colorful show in her hands.

"I can't say for certain... since I've never had to deal with this before, nor ever seen it at all in the past. Can you try a little spell and see if anything is different? I hate to ask you to test something that could be dangerous, but with this new development that scanner may just be as dangerous too."

Twilight gulped as she closed it shut and breathed in, "Nothing ventured... nothing gained right?"

"Audentis Fortuna Iuvat" he told her as he awaited her experiment.

She pushed spike back into the backpack and closed it for his own good even as he whined a little at the way she was feeling. The restringing of the device to her neck herald the first ever test with magic she had in for the lack of a better word controlled settings. Yet test she would, setting the phone down on the toilet basin top as her mind struggled with the rush of adrenaline beginning to build in her. It felt like a knot began to form in her throat and a new kind of energy flowing from the heart. Likely the jitters of what was to come, quite familiar to when she discovered a cleaner fertilizer extract for the apple trees which had been taken to more research at Everton. That day when it happened, she learned her name would be on the academic journal which would display the whole project for peer review on its lack of environmental danger especially as runoff.

"Alright... here we go... a simple levitation spell should be to bad. Then move on to air manipulation to unlock the stall door, followed by a summoning spell... perhaps one of my thumb drives from the lab. Ya that's what I'll do. No fire or geomancy yet, too noticeable and dangerous right now." she said as her eyes closed and she removed one of her shoes to start with.

'Okay, mentally visualize the spell sigils and glyphs in the right order and speak them...' she thought and caste the magic.

The first spell worked without problems, her loafer hovered three feet into the air without wobbling as her hand moved with its ascension and eventual return to the floor. She moved to the next test, repeating the same method only with different words as her right hand swirled in place. This began to cause a disturbance as she felt the breeze of a small fan along her skin, carefully to which she moved her hand close enough to the door. As if she possessed an invisible wheel at her fingertips, the latch was unlocked with a bit of a loud snap. Containing her levee breaking happiness and excitement, she twisted her hand upside down so the vortex of air set the latch back into the first position. The last one would be a big decisive moment, teleportation without actually dematerializing something that teleportors would do. In this case, the spell opened a vacuum portal like a wormhole and deposit the memory device on her lap.

Twilight performed the summoning and low and behold she had her thumbstick drive, nothing bad happened, no black hole that would consume the world or her for that matter. Just plain simple magic and the weird occurrence with the absorption step seemed to be of no real effect to the process other than cosmetic. Thus she let loose her pride at having magic at her disposal.

"YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!" she yelled out and quickly grabbed the phone.

"I guess from what I heard that means there was no problem?" he laughed a little.

"Yellow! I actually performed magic! MAGIC!! All my theories and designs are a reality! Oh you have no idea how much this means to me! Just like when you first showed me back then, oh my gosh this is the new dawn! A new revolution just waiting to happen!!" she practically lost herself in the elation.

"Okay okay, calm down Mrs. Sparkle, remember its not infinite so don't use your mana up. Remember to log everything down on how you feel and what else happens, I know you want to learn more but we're too close to everything being completed." he gave words of caution.

She fanned her face with a hand as she felt flustered in a good kind of way, "No worries sir, I won't let this escape me I will restrict myself. In fact I think I've had enough excitement for one day as it is and the games haven't even begun. I'll need to go, I'm sure the ceremony will begin soon and Principle Cinch will be looking for me. Talk to you later Yellow!"

"Stay safe my little gem." he said before ending the call.

There was no escape from the basking in the afterglow of the successful experiment, the barrage of truths that nearly felt like they were turning her mind into a mash. She essentially confirmed it for herself in the proper way, a new science that she would explore and give to the world. Beyond anything already being studied and used for the benefit of man as well as its downfall, but she would ensure only good would come of it. Knowledge that had so much to give, something that her brain craved in order to operate.

It was this sensation of being sated yet hungry for more that pumped her up, even as she gathered her things and left the girls bathroom. She felt like each step she took had been on clouds, mana might have been at work she figured. Her body adjusting to using it without a second thought, just like Yellow said about humans when they went to him about how she healed herself and used an advanced spell to better use a memory. So much potential...

"Hey Twilight!"

"Hi Twilight."

"Great to see you again Twi."

"Hey what's going on Twilight?"

"Oh look its Sparkle! Hiyah!"

Voices from students she passed by were what shook her from the jubilation she bathed in, students of her rival school must have been thinking she was that body double. Her other verse self that Adagio needed her to defeat if she ever came back, it felt strange though to be so welcomed compared to the environment at C.P.

Students here were calm and down to earth, wearing an assortment of attire that ranged wildly and freely. They moved out of her way as she did theirs, never ramming into her because they wouldn't divert from their intended route. The culture seemed inviting and rather wonderful, adding to the sensation of good from her magic ability. As she waved and smiled to them, she soon found her self before the next target of the device. It seemed to blink like a fire detector its magical gauge to the compass setting, to which as she studied the new behavior someone collided into her.

Having had the scanner flat in her hands, it rammed into the other persons gut who doubled over and smacked his chin into her face. Her glasses were dropped in the process as she stumbled to the ground from lack of vision and coordination from the sudden collision.

She had tripped over his guitar case that fell off his shoulder when he reacted to the minor hit to his diaphragm, to which a couple coughs from him caught her attention.

"Hello? Are you there? Sorry about that, I was a little distracted." she said squinting as she sat up properly and went out searching for the optical gear.

"Twi...Twilight, wow you made it! Sunset's been waiting for you to reply back to her but I guess you were busy. Things have been messy around here, hopefully you'll be able to help stop it all like last time." he replied and took notice of what she was doing.

"Uh... ya? Can you help me find my..." she felt a hand grasp onto hers and gently lift her up, to which her other hand felt the familiar surface and shape of what she needed.

"When did you start to wear glasses? You never wore them before? Do they have contact lenses in Equestria too?" he asked as she put the frames on and took notice of the boy before her.

She was about to reply when the device seemed to shake or vibrate against her chest. Cut short of interacting with the student further she pulled the device up to her vision and noticed it was acting as if it was going haywire. The compass setting now fanned out and closed back onto the direction it tracked the next magical source, ever two seconds it would repeat.

"I'm sorry but I have to go." she excused herself and headed off.

"But I... See you at the games then!" he slouched as the girl went off.

Rainboom Practice Room

The girls were all dressed in their new gear, from C.H. emblem stamped lab coats to work aprons for the carpentry game. Sunset wore the dirt bike armor and clothing stylized after the colors of the school with the equine mascot on the helmet and on each and every piece of the bike padding. Dash had her clothing and padding modeled after hers, but with a little skin exposed since all she and Pinkie would be doing would be roller derby a relay race. Flutteryshy sported the archery attire which had been Rarity's finest piece yet, using floral patterns for the skirt and leggings while stars touched up the arm guards and her shirt.

"Wow Rarity, gotta say you really outdid yourself." Sunset complimented as she twirled around to inspect her own to what Flash would wear.

"Ya Rares, I don't look frilly but awesome like one hundred and twenty percent! Bet those snobs all will wear the same outfits and look totally boring." Dash jeered.

"I like how you didn't go overboard with the minor games, simple stuff." Applejack noted.

"My Rarity, you did a fantastic job on these." Shy felt the fabric as soft and luxurious as it was.

"Ya, you even added extra pockets in all the right places on the wood thingy aprons! Just like how Ms. Cake has hers for big orders so she has all she needs on her without moving too much about the Bakery." Pinkie spun around fast enough to make herself dizzy.

The creator stood off to the side swooning over her work and the love it received. She had to thank Sunset later for letting the girls pick the lines she made for them, so many different tastes pulled in the greatest concepts into perfect harmony. It created an influx of skin tingling happiness in her that she couldn't help but cup her own face and nearly shed a tear of joy.

"I'm so... so glad this all turned out better than my wildest dreams!! I feel so... so... alive!" the girls looked over and noticed a light coming off their friend as she enjoyed the praise.

"Hey is it me or is she ya know... starting to pony up?" the farm girl pointed out as they saw the transformation begin to alter her ears and lengthen her hair.

"Well fashion is Rarity's thing, must have triggered something in her?" Dash shrugged.

Sunset observe the blast of mana wash over the others and her as the change finished. Just like at the Battle of the Bands, she exuded magic which seemed ready for her beck and call through the purple aura that surrounded her form. Unbenounced to her however, just outside the door Twilight stood with her instrument.

"Guys, we gotta be careful with our powers, I know we're still handling everything and all but this can't happen during the games. You know what Vice Principle Luna said about it." Shimmer warned.

By this time, Sparkle watched as the mana gauge showed up on the lights, still split with red and blue. Only now, she could see a hazy fog of purple coming through the air vent in the wall of the classroom she stood by. Another anomaly which like the first changed the next few striations into the same color, giving the front of the scanner a tricolor appearance. It seemed the school had really possessed magic in certain places, though she was sure they were not more portals to Equis. Maybe items brought over and hidden around for the Rainbooms to use against threats?

Rarity soon lost her new form and fell to the ground slowly as what happened to Sunset had befell her as well. The girls went to her aid and caught her before she landed on the hard laminated tiles, though unlike her where she felt like dying. Rarity seemed just exhausted, but no signs of vertigo or extreme weakness as she could speak clearly regardless.

"I... whoa... could use a strong cup of chai vanilla tea right about now." she spoke putting a hand to her forehead.

"I don't get it, she should be completely out of it and way more dizzy..." Sunset's eyes quickly bugged out as it hit her hard, "Someones out there!! Dash check the windows for anyone, Applejack you stay here with Rarity while the rest of us look outside. Her magic was just stolen, you all saw it! They have to be here somewhere or something planted nearby. Quick before they escape!" she pointed to the double doors.

"Uh Sunset, isn't that Twilight?" Dash jerked her head to the new arrival.

All six pairs of eyes then locked onto the familiar figure, except for the clothing it was the one pony person they'd been hoping to get a hold of. To which they all collectively cried out her name and rushed up to her, everyone trying to talk above the other as they greeted the now frightened human girl.

"Twi! It's good to see you again, ya missed the party. We got ourselves some magic thieves runn'in around and Sunset here's been try'n to get ya through that magical book you two use." the cowgirl hooked an arm around her neck.

"Ya why haven't you wrote back after all this time? Did you get all the messages and decide to come here yourself?! Oh wow, I have everything at my dorm room for you to go through, I think I found a few evil beings who might be behind this. I've been going through the librarium spell every night with Pinkie to protect me. We have so much to go over but we have the Friendship Games happening now... darn it!" Shimmer explained quickly as the relief finally showed up to end the nightmare they were in.

"By the way, nice gigs there. You going in disguise now?" Dash pointed to her clothing.

"Yes, this is my uniform." she replied.

"For what? the girls said together.

Before Twilight could respond an older woman pipped up, "For Crystal Prep that's why, I must apologize for my student..." a tall suited blue skinned woman walked in behind the group with Principle Celestia in tow.

"Your student?" the other woman asked out of surprise.

"The smart ones are always the most curious. Come along now Twilight, I believe you need to be in the gym now as we'll begin the opening soon. Can't lose our prized asset now can we." the girls watched silently as the woman took off with their Twilight without a struggle.

Sunset and the others left agape at the mouth, looked to their Principle who shook her head and shrugged, "I didn't know? Why would she..."

"She doesn't, that's obviously our world's Twilight whose here and canoodling with the Dazzlings a few weeks ago and now she's here against her will to compete for her school!" Pinkie pointed out which brought everyone into the know.

As Twilight left the area, she pondered on the source of the mana she drew on. Those girls were all on the deck of cards Yellow gave her, the guardians who stopped anything from getting their way. By the information she received from the group, it seemed as if they were on ropes edge. What made her think over the situation was the fact that she saw the bags in the titanium white skinned girl with purple locks curled at the edge. Had she stolen magic from one or two of them? Did the red LED lights mean that she had another's magic in the device? With everything as new as it were, she felt she needed to share the information with Adagio and hoped for the best. Once she escaped the vigil of Principle Cinch she would call the sirens directly before the ceremony, there was much to discuss.

Dazzling Den

Adagio escaped the day dreaming that led her to remember their time in Neighpon, one of the more comfortable places they'd been to. She wished there was some closure on what happened between her siren and that dracony, but like always she remained tight lipped and would not divuldge anything. She seemed to grow ever more agitated since that day came to pass, to which herself had assumed was a love lost or gone wrong. Aria wasn't the same after, but no where near the siren she was now.

Sonata's phone soon went off, drawing the others attention as she answered.

"Twilight? Hey how's the heist going?" she said laying on her bed in a prone position.

"You think you took one of the Rainbooms magic?" that peaked on Adagio's radar as she crept to the edge of her bed and nearly hung over the edge of the side to get closer.

"You say the purple one looked extremely exhausted after you captured some magic from the same room?" now Aria sat up from her laid back position.

"COOL!! They didn't even know you did that too!?" Sonata yelped with glee.

"Awesome and you think you took someone else's magic as well? Sweet!! Hey see you after today for dinner? Adagio invited you?" which by now the other sirens were sneering at the victory already gained.

"For realzies?! I'll send you the place, see if Serak can take you there. Later besties!" Dusk hung up and looked to the others about to recite what they heard only to have Adagio snap a hand to her to cease.

"I so do love it when things go our way, with possibly two of the Rainbooms down, they can't even fight us anymore. I don't know how that thing works, but if she believes what is true... we've already won." the most devious grin spread across their leaders face although it failed to go beyond what an unhinged Adagio would be, she was still in control.

Aria smugly smiled chuckling to herself as she laid back onto the bed and felt content with their situation. Even one of them would directly impede their musical magic summoning to perform that rainbow laser which humanized them. Two and more down the road meant they'd have to pull some kind of mythical rabbit out of their hat to even dent them in another fight. Aria thought as much as Adagio that if they went to Canterlot High now, their just revenge would be easily achieved, the screams of their prey ever delicious to soak up the negativity.

"So where are we eating?" Dusk interrupted as always.

"Mood destroyed, check..." Dazzle noted.

"What?" the cerulean girl asked innocently.

"... right then, what haven't we tried yet? Well there is that Thailand place what was that name?" she continued.

"Thai Cottage?" Sonata answered.

"That place, we'll eat there tonight to celebrate our victory! Right now if Twilight can truly prove she's done the impossible, our way home is guaranteed. I'm so proud of her, even if she can't sing like us." their leader fell onto her own bed with a lovely sigh of joy.

"Never thought I'd see the day. The Nerd actually doing something like that for us!" Blaze spoke up as she let the good mood and energy send her off to a nice nap.

"I'm going to watch some TV then, I'll just... keep the volume low." the flat screen sparked on as the volume to the news channel fell to the girl's immediate push on the low volume button.