//------------------------------// // Ch. 42 Who Is Midnight Sparkle? // Story: The Siren's Remorse // by TheronSniper //------------------------------// Ch. 42 Who Is Midnight Sparkle? Outside Equestria Police Department It was near midnight as the night shift went into full swing, most of the squad cars were out on the town and surrounding areas for routine patrols to keep the town safe. The giant square structure of the authorities headquarters stood imposing at the eastern section of the center. Street lights caste their golden glow upon the lower sections of the building, the front glowed the brightest with security lights and cameras up above the two double doors of the main entrance. The electronic eyes stared without blinking at anyone who entered their field of vision, red lights indicating they were recording shone like ominous spirits watching from their perch blinking every few seconds. They however did not see what was afar and obvious, or at least the officer watching the monitors hadn't yet noticed. At the present time, the captured Arcana prison guards who were apprehended had been treated for their injuries, then secured in their jail cells until the scheduled hearing. No identification on them, nothing the true human officers couldn't extract, they were long since processed and left under eye and key. Most humiliated at being subdued by the woman and a teenage boy, fretting over not using defensive spells rather than assume things would go smoothly. A pastel green skinned man with tan hair stood against the bars, vexed that the humans found all of the mana crystals on him and confiscated every item they all had just for such an occasion. They were unicorns without magic, vulnerable like any of the humans and it was degrading to be sunk to such a level in a short time frame. His name was Strict Motive, the leader of the squad that was sent to capture Sunset Shimmer and the one who'd be held responsible for the failure of the mission. "Stupid monkeys..." Motive mumbled, gaining a lowly look from one of the others in the same cell. A pearl white man ran a hand through dull gunmetal colored hair, "So we assumed they'd be push overs? Wouldn't be the first time a squad did not luck out. Tartarus we're lucky we haven't been hunted by the forces of this place! Remember what happened to Academia's squad when they got lost in the abandoned mental hospital?" giving a short shake as the reports of their demise was all too vivid in his mind. "Merry Weather... not now." Strict hissed with a very peeved look about him, he just wanted to fume until their rescue came. Another joined in, but this one came from three cells down, "Probably didn't help that the woman resembled our Princess Celestia, I think most of us hesitated even touching her much less caste any spells." Weather chuckled, "Ya... probably true, not like any of us were expecting it. We were given no forewarning of who'd be in that room, so fair's a bet Sappy Pines is right. Her being there screwed up the mission." One human officer witnessing the conversation held a newspaper to his attention, barely focusing on the strange language the captives were speaking. The Arcana ponies were using a restricted language to hid their words, and it worked well enough. In an already bored state after listening to them, a need to quench a thirst for energy and sweet black gold had the average built man blindly groping for the cup nearby. His coffee mug accidentally tipped it over, spilling overdone dark roast all over the desk and stained a few papers and folders scattered about before the computer. His mild panic to save the documents pertaining to the latest prisoners drew the unicorns attention, because they knew that was no accident. Those grimy little hands had not even tapped the drinking vessel and it just emptied its contents out of happenstance. "Major Night Watch it is then. Well lads we'll be out of here soon and have our ears shattered by the reprimanding we've earned. Remember this night recruits... you won't forget it." Motive sighed as he removed himself from the bars and stood towards the back of the wall with the others following suit cautiously in all the cells. Merry slapped himself, "Guess there goes the promotion I was aiming for." Outside, just as no motor vehicle passed by for twenty straight minutes. On the opposite side of the street to the Police Department stood a trench coated well styled man with a unique hat as garnish, the flat sun cover bent upwards on the left side, flowing downwards on the other side in a lazy decline. A fancy red ribbon tied around the base of the skull cover decorated with a hawks feather pointing upwards striped in vanilla and mocha colors. In black on all articles of clothing from the coat to the dress pants, polished dress shoes adorned the feet as they clacked against the asphalt in their stride to the front doors unabated. An officer happened to exit the department talking through her handheld microphone clipped to her uniform, barely noticing the approaching figure with a far too busied mind to make heads or tails of him. As she casually thought of the report of a break-in, she simply tipped her hat to the stranger before turning sharply right to her car. She could not have fathomed the intent of the person who easily returned the gesture with a warm smile from his sherbet orange face and a casual wave of greetings from a white gloved hand. No one could have faulted her, she was about to be on her way to a crime in progress. Thus, the first alarm was bypassed, letting the Major free and unmolested to do what he came to do. He was not a violent pony, nor was excessive force like humans often used ever in his line of work no matter the incident at hand. At this moment alone, he had one priority and that was to snatch and grab the guards taken into custody. Unlike Equestria where security meant using defensive tactics of non-lethal methods or paralysis spells, human guards seemed apt to use their deadly weapons that fired solid metal slugs which could do serious damage with even one finding home. To that, he had a plan to act on and remove the threats to himself and those he had come for. Going through the thick metal entrance, creaking open to be greeted by the front desk help. A tubby man and a young woman both suited just in case they were called to respond were just finishing a phone call and stacking papers away. A box of sweet pastries sat on the counter next to a flora pot with a plant showing good health of being taken care of, a small card below its base drew the Majors attention as he stopped before the two. It was a 'Goodbye' gift for a retiring sheriff, a human by the name Honest Law with many signatures written on the empty spots of the notification. "Welcome to Equestria Police Department, state your business and we'll help in any way we can." said the bored front desk help as she set aside the mound of her recent work aside to render aid. She looked up to the strangely dressed person before them, yet in all her ten years of working in Equestria they'd seen far much worse and weirder to say anything of the attire. The Major gave a friendly happy grin and then proceeded to get straight to the point with his hands at his side and his posture immaculately straight. With a robust and suave voice, "Several were arrested today for trying to kidnap a hospitalized girl, I'd like to see them if possible." he said with little emotion though his steely eyes locked onto the woman, giving her a bad vibe from his character alone. "Give me a moment." she held a finger up and soon went to work on the computer and readied to get him out of her face lest she endure anymore of the heeby jeebies shiver being caste upon her spine, "What is your name and your relationship to the arrested?" The Major answered, "I'm their commanding officer, and I need to see them... now please?" It gained a pause from the receptionist, she looked to the man again to ask if she misheard. Her words fell to serenity as he rose a hand up which began to glow just as it leveled with her eyes, it was the last thing she saw before succumbing to a trick of the mind spell. Even her fellow officer who had looked over at the worst possible moment fell hostage after curiosity got the better of him, collapsing softly onto the desk still in his roller seat, a coffee cup flipped over in the process and spilling the hot contents that pooled around his bouncy cheeks steaming hot. He commanded her to locate their position and to which she gave with full heart, just three rooms towards the back which thankfully had little resistance to meet. A few doors and the Arcana guards would be found, all seemed to be on an easy track to an accomplished mission were not for a group of five officers showing up through a door on the left side. They were discussing some up coming football game with a neighboring department for the summer holiday a few months off. The Major looked over, gazing upon the officers who just then started to notice the strange situation concerning him and the help desk as the woman quickly fell asleep at that split second. In one swoop of the hand, he drove the men and women back through the door they came from and slammed the door shut with a wind conjuring. An ice wall was thrown upon the entrance to seal it for the moment until the magic wore off, leaving no trace of the frozen water long after he'd absconded with the guilty. Thus, safe in his stacked deck against deadly humans, he began his sacred duty bestowed upon him by an Arch Mage. Leaving to the right side door to head to the jail cells in a methodical slow pace. The first door led to an office room, computers and desks dotted the entire area with three humans sitting at their stations typing away. They looked up to see him giving casual glances as they were soon asking why he wondered into the room. A powerful surge erupted from a snap of the fingers, the police were yanked from their seats and glued to the ceiling as they cried out in shock. Their arms were prevented from grabbing their sidearms, magic holding their bodies like concrete statues to no avail of their wills. The Major continued on and entered a storage room which took an L-shaped bend into the next area. Boxes and shelves held evidence that stored over the years of past and current crimes, two unarmed personnel were tending to cataloguing when they heard the Major arrive. Noticing he shouldn't have been that far into the depths of the station, one of the men went to confront him gently. "Hey pal, you're not allowed here..." the cop spoke before a yellow aura covered his form, lifted him up, and roughly slammed into the nearest immovable wall. With their partner knocked out cold, the other staff member scrambled to get away only to meet the same fate. Lifted up into the air and then slammed hard into the floor, just enough to subdue and not kill. Like a rag doll, the human was soon out cold and it left the Major to proceed onwards. One last empty room just before a card swipe controlled door, one of which the Major simply blasted the door off its hinges and set off the alarm. The heavy steel door panged hard into the room as it came to a rest on the concrete floor with ear shattering noise, giving two jumps before its weight and hardiness stilled its fall. The cell guard looked up dumbfounded as well as nearly partaking in a heart attack at the suddenness of the violent act, unsure of what to make of what he saw as the figure strode in with a face that could kill any mood. "I am here for my subordinates." the professional elite proclaimed before another spell captured the cop and began to choke him just enough to black out. The slab of flesh squirmed for a little more within the invisible grasp he could not grab at even if his life demanded it of him. Fingers twisting and clamping at air in vain before he went out like a light bulb at night. The poor helpless man lost awareness and was soon deposited into the seat he once took, with the keys to open the cells levitating towards the Major from a magnetic spell he fired out. Standing astute at the quick and easy triumph over the human guards, the necessary key magically found and soon the incarcerated guards were let free with a few twists in the keyholes here and there. "Come, we have much to do." the Major announced coldly as he began to walk back through the path he carved himself. Yellow Tail's Dwelling People mingled and discussed what was to come and the home they had been forced from in its present state. Adagio could hear the more aggressive ones looking to renew their old habits and go to town with their restored bodies. The level headed were already setting up havens for seclusion if the Equis they'd go to proved to be one similar to the human world, hostile and controlling. It tickled the golden siren to listen in on the planning and operations the mages were concocting, old hide outs that should be stocked with all the things they needed if their stasis spells held still to this day. Most guessed at how long they'd been away judging by their arrival and how time flew. All trivial matters to her, as once she heard a few sharing her little piece of history she once told others of, she immediately began to gain double takes from the members around her as they heard how death came from pony hooves even if it were accidental. Hoping pain would earn a few trusts and allies out of the coincidental issues she had with Equestria and the involvement of the Arcana, she figured little work would be needed to be done on her part. All she needed to do now was socialize and let the pieces fall into place, these were the big wigs with power and usefulness after all. Thus, Adagio sought out the first one she felt would be easy to know, the man who stood close by the balcony door, "Serak yes? I'm afraid I do not remember much of our first meeting as it were. I was... incapacitated at the time. Could you spare a moment with me?" The faux human turned to her as he finished speaking to Frozen, "Sure? I'd be happy to help, after all Mrs. Twilight speaks highly of you." His praise tickled the Matriarch as she grinned, "I was just wondering if you could share a little about yourself, a deep and interesting take on who you are. Maybe what you've done to survive without magic this long?" The two stood close by Oak still outside and separated by the wall of glass, she seemed to have lightened up a bit by the body language she hosted. Looking off to the sea of glimmering lights and businesses operating well into the early morning hours. Heart posted himself close by to let her in when she was ready, keeping to himself otherwise. Serak appeared a little livid to find another interested in his tales, to him it was a breath of fresh air from the circle of Yellow's. They'd all come to know the other well enough, some secrets still guarded and suspicion never lifted even after all the years that had passed. He figured if the leader of the Dazzlings was this approachable to the data they had on her, then things would go on smoothly and home would be but an act away. He chuckled, "Well I can see your curious about the magic aspect first and foremost. The reason why I was not mortal after banishment was from a little secret the Arcana failed to notice, contraband!" Dazzle tilted her head and smiled at his little tactic, smart even under the conditions he had previously explained, "A very clever man... err griffon you are? Please continue." "I tore a few pages out of the magical tome and packed them at the base of my primary feathers before my people arrested me. At first I did not think even the pages would possess magic nor retain it after removal from the book, but to my surprise when I was sentenced I could! Though it was finite unfortunately, Yellow found me before I could have accidentally expended it all. There is just enough to help with the portal spell Paradox created to force the portal open if it is closed. We're all low on mana as it is sadly." he said a Magnus cracked a joke to Havoc only he knew, though Adagio picked up on that tid bit concerning them in the grand picture. "Ahhh yes, I've been meaning to ask him how our magic would do such a thing, I guess we really are just the power source then. Interesting..." she noted that little question to ask later, "A griffon you said you were? Back when we were in Equestria we only knew of one griffon settlement. Nothing really to do with that pitiful slum of a kingdom if you ask me, they were greedy birds always asking for a bit for something." Adagio's spat about Griffonstone did not affect the mage, instead he agreed openly about her words of it, "Yes well that was the Equestrian colony that had little to build on, so they settled on trade and amassed as much bits as they could in the peak of their time. Similar to the Pilgrims of this country if I had anything to relate to them. I heard from Frozen and Paradox that those buzzards became entranced with some kind of chalice of gold, that it actually gave them a society that brought prosperity?! Then they lost it to a roving monster, utter bellends they were! Fall to their own greed and collapse over a trinket of gold! Bah!!" his own tone slapping the chimeras that apparently were nothing more than spinoff of some greater kingdom. "You know the ponies seem to only think that place was the sole land of griffons, did you know that?" Dazzle inquired. "Would not surprise me in the least. Pillocks! From what I know that's been in effect for ages by the Arcana itself, even Paradox and Emerath had some knowledge of the second continent of Equis. If you were born in Equestria, you were spoon fed what you needed to know and given a life to live. From where I hail from, the true griffon kingdom of Key'Astra lies on what they would call the Fringe. You'd have to travel there by boat for a few days away from Equestrian soil. The lands use to be rich, vibrant, plentiful until the soil began to fester, nonetheless, it is our homeland for all breeds of griffon. We were the true trading destination where goods came and went from Equestria to all the other kingdoms beyond." proud and happy at the reality he was able to bring to the siren. "A wonderful place I'm sure, now about your magic. What was that book you sequestered by chance? It seemed to make your own kind fear you out of prejudice did it not?" she asked kindly enough though her reasons were anything but good. Serak tapped his chin as he took in the past little by little, "If I were to relate anything of it... I'd say it was a similar trinket to what Emerath discovered? It just suddenly appeared when I was out looking for rare mushrooms to sell for my family. When I touched it, it just... bonded to me and any spell within it I could caste to some degree." Not quite pleased with the answer Adagio pressed on, "So you found a book out in the lands and suddenly became a magician like a unicorn?" As easy as it was to explain it as such, he had no other choice but to shrug, "Unfortunately yes. Though I do not know of its origins, I can surmise it was the same occurrence with Emerath and his country. Maybe it was brought up by the machinations of the demons or simply dropped by a wayward wizard? Either way, non magic users could caste spells, enchantments, hexes, and all the sorts by having it in their possession. Unlike Emerath however, it had no dominating effect, it simply was a source of magic. I should know, my brother tested that theory out with me." While Dazzle seemed to fumble with what she was told, Aria had taken the moment to instead remain on the couch and let the others do what they willed and benefit from it. She had no intentions of talking to anyone other than Havoc or Magnus, but then again she cared nothing for them either. At this point it was a waiting game for her and one which she needed her limited patience to bear with. Sonata on the other hand took to the crowd like Adagio, seeking out those she had random questions for and was oddly received rather well. The first exile she darted towards was Havoc, mumbling about his spicy rub to herself that she enjoyed so much of. Aria's eyes tracked the cerulean siren all the way across the living room to the lounging lizard turned human, it was be a mistake not to with her. Even though Serak said he'd calmed down, listening to his story of himself just painted his person to be yet another ticking time bomb. Emotion would not be his vent, but as a dangerous roving dragon he use to be it would be more like Tisiphone's wrath. Sonata came to a skipping halt and appeared like an inquisitive child before him, his forest green eyes glimmered as they took in the visitor. He had been told by Yellow Tail to be patient with them, and no misconduct lest he'd be left in the human world. Much to his chagrin of wanting to warn the siren away, he knew any such action would be punishable. Thus, with the only thing left to do, he gave the singer a line to hook herself with like the fish she was. "I assume your here to chat with me? Like your leader over there?" he huffed like a bored rich CEO being bothered by a homeless child, pointing to her matriarch with a quick jerk of a thumb. Sonata remained optimistic and still rode the flavor train of his taste in spicy seasonings, "Nah, I really enjoyed that hot salt stuff we put on the meat! For realzies! It was like soooo just perfect! I've only ever had anything like it when we once went south to hunt for more magic." The lazy dragon gave a quick studious look over the young body, as if trying to see any hint of a lie in her words. With his head resting on a closed fist of his right arm, he hesitated to join in conversation at first. Yet it had been a long time since anyone actually liked what he did, much less when it came too food. In all honesty, he always sought that same feeling of breathing fire, how he missed his glorious flame which could melt any metal weapons, castle walls of stone, and even repel magic thrown at him long ago. He was once on the top of the chain to become the Dragon Lord of the North Marican continent, once heeded as one along the same power as those of the eastern lands. Now, a little horse fish comes along and can stand the heat he even dubbed down just for others to like, it was a long time since anyone could say anything good about his desire to replicate that feel of his fire. He'd regret the decision for the rest of his life as he righted himself on the large recliner, sitting up properly and then tapping the left arm of the chair for the girl to sit on. She beamed with joy and happiness, taking to the offer with all utmost glee and plopping herself on the given seat. "So... someone or something actually can take the heat of my tastes? How so does an aquatic relative of a dragon seem to handle even a minuscule amount of what I normally like?" he beckoned the question, his green eyes staring into hers with vigor yet no fear was created by his dominate spirit. "Ohhh we traveled to many cities after we were dropped into this awful place. Tried all sorts of food, I just liked hot stuff and what came from the southern border. I remember when we passed through farms, hot peppers as far as the eyes could see..." she salivated with a smile, "Adagio had us take a few meals in the area and we had a taste or more. I think it makes food taste like... like its alive with power! The hot, the spicy, the salty, burnt, smokey, goodness you can't find from anything else!" Havoc snorted with a grin, this being of Equis seemed to actually go to the source, "How interesting? I've only met your kind maybe once during my life back home. So strange to find that you can handle the fire?" "Ya, my mom and our pod lived in a place where stuff had a bite to it. Literally too! There was this coral we could eat, they called it fire coral because it stung ponies who bumped into it. We could handle the stings like nothing, crunchy yet it tasted like puffer fish. Guess that's where I picked up the taste?" Sonata grinned widely and gained a light chuckle from Inferno. He chuckled deeply, "I think I actually like you, young siren. Anyone whose mouth and stomach that withstands the burn is okay to me." An idea popped over Dusk's head, "Hey!? Did you ever try wasabi paste? Neighpon had this stuff made of a root, it burned so much that it hurts your nose, your mouth, and your eyes? Can you believe it?" The mere mention of the name of that land popped an eyebrow in curiosity, he'd never been out of Marica before. Though all dragons knew about the other lands beyond the oceans around them. A few of those who lived there did venture to his domain, bringing with them what to trade for in other goods. Though the thing she mentioned was not in his memory of what he took by force or tried out of whim. "Can't say that I have, though I think I'll make that on my to do list upon my return. A long list..." he said, "So tell me little siren, what other hot stuff have you tried in this human realm? Let us see how far your tolerance goes?" As the two discussed cuisine and sources of culinary hotness, Twilight followed Yellow Tail as he joined Pandius in the kitchen who had served herself a little red wine in a glass. He himself opened up one of the cabinets to look for something in particular for whatever reason she could not ascertain immediately. Sparkle peered from the edge of the doorless entrance into the room, seeing him extract a bottle of capers and licking his lips in anticipation of the snack. Pandius in her sultry form leaned into the kitchen counter, taking slow sips of the oxblood liquid with closed eyes as if she savored every ounce of the alcoholic liquid. Yellow had just pried open the top and went for a drawer to likely pull out a utensil to eat with when he noticed the teenager in his peripheral. She waved nervously, "Hi? I um... kinda needed to talk to you about my magic is now a good time?" she peeked further out of cover still being ignored by the Empress. Yellow had paused to listen, then returned to his course of action, "Ahh yes Mrs. Sparkle, I've been meaning to ask about the disarming of the portal guardians? Even Pandius here whose been near them is very curious. Its quite the feat in itself honestly." he extracted a small thin fork perfect for pulling the pickled flower buds out of their glass container. 'You can do this Twilight, after all this is magic... no one will think your crazy. Besides, they seem to be enthusiastic enough to hear me out.' she told herself before she steeled up and spoke. The crimson haired man enjoyed the first few morsels in his mouth as she began, "Well you see, it was all because of the device and the magic it took in the first half of the games. The 'guardians' as you call them confronted me after they tried to corner me in a bathroom, I... I had some symptoms from the device itself that affected me. That was when they tried to pry information out of me and... uh... something happened." she grinned sheepishly. Pandius gave no discerning reaction, but her eyes were upon her as a mountain lion eyeing a deer, "What do you mean something happened my dear? Did the magic blow up the restroom or what?" taking another light sip of the red liquid. Taking a deep breath to quell the jitters trying to quake her speech, "In the shortest explanation possible? I transformed into something that made me feel so... so alive! As if all my inhibitions were absconded and all restrictions to my normal behaviors lifted! I stood my ground and held up for myself for the first time since I can't even remember?! You can't imagine how amazing it felt, when the device unleashed its magic upon me it was a varied spectrum of sensations that left a euphoria inside my mind even though I was angry at them. I left after I made my arguments, but it would not be the last of it. The next day after the Friendship Games ended in a stalemate, it happened again and that was when I found myself before the Rainbooms trying again to reason with me even though their negotiations were far less convincing than they tried to think they were. The changes I endured at first finally completed itself from what I could tell, though I was unfortunately too... err... consumed by the heat of the moment to really take it all in or write any notes. I kind of dislike that I let myself go as I did." The two adults were speechless with parted lips as their jaws went slack, "I may have become a little... sadistic as I held power over them, I'm not sure where that came from... but it felt natural... something I'll look into with a keen eye hopefully with your help. Anyways, they eventually tried to use that cleansing magic that neutralized the Dazzlings on me, so I interfered with their charge up so that only Sunset was the one I would fight. I figured strategically it was sound, I could focus on her and avoid being accosted on all fronts by the girls. You know the saying? Divide and conquer? You've probably heard of the damage to the school too, that was the combat magic in your book Yellow Tail sir. Though I only turned my back on Sunset for a moment before she came too and used the spell I once worried would stripe me of magic. I tried to defend myself that I will promise you, I erected as many Blight Light panels as possible, but it appears nothing can halt that spell... they shattered easily like a bullet through a row of mirrors. I strangely enough came out of the attack unharmed even though I was enveloped in their spell from head to toe, but after the blinding colors faded away I still was empowered by the mana within me can you believe it! It was then that I took the moment to rob her of what magic was left in her... Yellow sir? Why was there some kind of hex placed on her at some point? Because I searched the well from her I first took and used the manifestation that seemed to have once haunted her for days if not weeks to instill fear and apprehension to weaken the target for offensive retaliation?" She expected an explanation as she worried there was a rouge out there who was also chiseling away at the Rainbooms to get to the portal or whatever their hidden agenda was. Worst yet, if they might harm the sirens as well, from what she read over hexes and curses were powerful and very caustic to the victim. They were so close to leaving and this variable was not acceptable for anyone involved. Though as she fretted and waited with baited breath, Pandius set her wine glass down and walked up to her. The shimmering ocean blue straight hair that reached behind her back caught Twilight's attention just enough to sooth her concerns. "I remember you... now that I'm of a more calm mood. Back at the museum... I sensed someone nearby and they had the same kind of spiritual aura as you did... that very glow and taste. My, my, the one who broke the guardians is also a snoop of some sort, you knew a little more than you should and yet it was not used against us in any way. How honorable of you. Though I'm curious as to why your red string is missing, I've noticed the absence since you've arrived here. Now I know why." her illustrious voice which put the siren's music on par with hers, tickling the human's morbid curiosity into Changelings as a species. "Wha... what do you mean a red string?" she asked looking about her for a physical blemish on her person, finding nothing even remotely relevant on her school uniform. An deep blue colored arm reached out, gently grasping her soft lavender chin and guiding her attention back to the Empress, "You had a red string of which I'm certain was tied to the sirens. Yellow informed me of their nature and how much he's been interested in why you've become such fast friends with them, how they came to accept you so willingly if not out of desperation. But the way you were treated, especially by that blue one..." Pandius gives a look over the man behind her who had the fork frozen between his lips, "So it was true, they had you under their spell at some point when they tested that first gemstone. He did not believe you could escape their songs enthrallment without some form of mental slavery or suggestion, but they probably did not even realize it. A charm of some sort... probably a complication caused by the lingering spirits of the original sirens of this planet." Taken aback by the Empresses words, "What do you mean enslaved by them? I made conscious decisions that I made alone and by myself! No one made me do what I did for this group or for them. Right?" The Changeling grinned widely across her face, something about it struck a chord of fear and uncertainty in Sparkle, "You forget what I am little larvae... Changelings know emotions more than any being in existence, it is our specialty. Whether or not you could even realize it, that red string I sensed was unmistakably love and adoration for someone too pure to be normal. It has been severed and I believe from the guardians doing at that. Though... from you it has been broken, but I can see within... a birds nest of the very string tangled in endlessness... a mess which cannot be undone by even the greatest of mages." She paused for a moment and then brought Twilight into a hug, drinking in the love she had within her for the sirens caused by the magic inside, "Its a perfect storm, their spell has latched onto the essences you stole... acting like souls themselves, but they are hollow like a dead tree limb. They adore the sirens now where you do not... I wonder if they're aware of it?" Sparkle squirmed in extreme uncomfortable sensations, confused and panicking slightly as Yellow set away the pickled good to speak, "Basically Mrs. Sparkle, if I can understand this myself as we're both in the dark about this magic you've amassed. Stealing mana wells has essentially taken the entire magic away from the guardians, they will never get it back unless you return it. While that is good and all, it also means as the Empress has mentioned, the signatures have not decomposed into pure mana within you or the device. Instead, they coalesce into a source of power for you to draw on as they remain whole and recharge at their own rate I believe... but you haven't learned how to truly access that power willingly and sober. Your emotions activate them as a self defense mechanism judging by your experiences you've told us. The siren's spell infected them before you were treated by Sunset, though you stole the others after the fact. That leads me to believe, now this is just a theory, that the first ones you took were far too much of a mess to be cleansed and thus carried the adoration and spread it to the others by now. Your transformation you speak of is your own magic trying to piece together the original owners they came from into one... have you heard voices by chance?" Pandius casually released her, edging away back to her wine glass to take another sip. Twilight then out of her element of knowledge, nothing could have readied her for the unknown territory she'd been made to realize. Was it really true that she'd become their friends and persisted in the very face of obvious danger because she listened in that first day they sang? Why she was frozen in place in the face of Adagio as she went into a breakdown, where her very life was in danger? All she did made possible because she was under their spell unintentionally? Did Adagio not say they could target their spell? Her inner voice came back of its own accord, 'She knows not of what she speaks. We just want to help them and learn all the magical arts that exist. Nothing else.' Twilight looking around instinctively. "Its very possible my little dear that your magic behaved like that because of the enchantment. While you yourself are free, your still trapped because your magic cannot let go of them? I can see it influences your decisions, and how you still find them to be valued friends regardless of whatever sad little history they have. Even now in your fear and anxiousness, your trying to make sense of this, I don't like that flavor myself but its a huge alarm bell to me. Your magic... is it not trying to defend them? Telling you things?" The Empress giggled a little. "Twilight, have you been hearing voices for a while or recent?" Yellow stepped closer to her, causing her to go into a deeper level of panic. "I... I... I... I did everything for everyone... I did it for myself and for the greater good... I'm not under a spell... All my choices were mine and mine alone!... I trusted them... trust..." she muttered as the voice came back with a louder echo. It had become frustrated by the tone it took, freaking out the girl as she couldn't find the source other than within herself, 'Get away from them! We're fine... everything will go according to your plans you made. Fools!' Yellow knelt before her, his gray eyes shimmering golden once again as he worked up a little power to see for himself, "Are they speaking now?" he asked as softly as his grainy voice could, like a child lost from their parent in a grocery store and a staff member found them. "Be careful, they are becoming very agitated by the second. It appears we're nearing another incident as it seems, how fair of it to happen amidst a gathering of beings like us isn't it? Again?" Pandius quipped as she walked up to the man's side, amused at the developing problem. "I'm in control! I've always been in control..." 'Yes you have, I'm just here to help is all' "NO!! Your just a figment!" she yelled to no one, the others in the other room hearing the commotion and quieting to overhear. 'Don't push me away! I am you as you are me! We are loyal only to ourselves... loyal to the cause to make our brother proud!' That mention sent her heart to miss a beat, it was an awful feeling to know the voice could name her brother. After all it was just a voice of stress most likely, she would soon leave earth for another universe after all and she'd done her best to suppress the fear and nerve wracking unknown into magic. Into a reality where things were nearing their own apocalypse of their own and she'd be in the middle of it trying to benefit while helping. Had she done what Adagio did herself and push everything she initially worried over down below the surface just to function? "Twilight? Twilight?!" Yellow calls out, "She's slipping, Pandius can you subdue her? We have to calm her down!" He turned to the Aphrodite made flesh and blood, she herself quickly lost any fun in the circumstance when a burst of magic erupted from the human girl. It was not in a good fashion either, the sheer wash of mana burnt her emotional senses like a hot cup of tea on the tongue. Fear, a very palpable feeling that was amazingly strong and budding into full bloom at an alarming rate. Changelings needed love and adoration, but negative emotions were a trash heap as to human noses and she had become offended by the negativity spreading out like a wild flame. She snarled and placed a hand on the girl's forehead, a low glow of a dull blue energy blurs into the air around her digits and soaked into Sparkle. 'They're trying to harm us! Let me help us?!' With eyes squeezed shut, Twilight did not feel the machinations of the royal and instead focused on trying to force cold hard facts into her daze of anxiety. The actions of the past day were enough to shake her resolve to nothing, and now she had nothing to hold up with. Doubt sowed into her every thoughts as the voice kept insisting it was on her side and trying to help. 'They are ATTACKING us you idiot! Let me through!' "... no..." Twilight whispered before falling to the cool feeling of a mountain stream passing by her as if she were in water. Yellow caught the girl and cradled her as he lifted the lithe frame up, Pandius had since withdrew her hand and followed him into the living room. All eyes were upon them, but he cared little as the vassal of intense magic he had in his grasp appeared to be handling the power in a very inefficient way. One way which was causing her harm and that would hurt their efforts to go back, the gemstone was cracking. Aria shot off the couch as she eyed the unconscious Sparkle, Yellow settling her softly on the seat in a resting position. An evident blue magical born horn starting to slowly grow out of the girl's forehead, a faint glow around her dorky glasses started to come too. She looked peaceful and almost a scene of cuteness if the urgent way she was delivered did not offset the thought, Aria soon found her will to speak. Yet as she was about to ask harsh questions, Adagio appeared and looked afraid to touch their new siren addition. Dazzle had taken three quick steps and then knelt by the unconscious girl, "What happened to her?" she demanded in a low voice as the oozing Equestrian magic permeated her senses. Not even the tempt to feed could challenge her concern over her subordinate, the noticeable changes occurring were obvious enough. She was not attacked, nay, something was happening to her new Dazzling and something she could not understand. At one moment she chatted with a griffon magician, the next the pod had one of its members out for the count. Yellow sighed as he gestured to Monet to come closer, "Honestly? I don't know, but from what we do know is that she is dealing with a complex complication with herself and the magic she's taken. Its fighting her for control over her body, an unfortunate symptom of humans taking another mana well as their own if not multiple. I'm afraid we can only help by keeping her from harming herself and others until she gains a foothold or the magic does. Either way, both are loyal to the cause... and you strangely enough?" Adagio yanked her hands away and snapped her head to the man, a cruel glare cracked to life upon her soft yellow cream face with a red glow around her eyes and pendant. To the horror of the others who stepped away to give space, Yellow did not shy nor react. Monet walked up and gauged the situation, first inspecting Twilight and then Adagio the wild creature who felt pain and sorrow over the wounded. "Magic doesn't do this... magic is just energy!" she hissed through clenched teeth. Shaking his head, "For a native Equis denizen yes, but humanity is another card all its own. Perhaps she'd be fine if she had never listened to your first song when you took the initial ruby I provided. Did she not hear you sing before? Perhaps again later on?" he glanced into her angry eyes, they wavered under his gold irises as they reappeared again like a lighthouse in a storm battering the coastline. "Ya, so what? We thought she wouldn't be under our spell? She didn't act like any of the other monkeys we've slaved to us for that moment. Not like the effect should last after we stop singing right?" Aria huffed with her arms crossed. "But... she sang with us at the karaoke bar... we sang together... heard her sing." Dusk said from the crowd with a hint of sadness in her voice. "When?" Yellow inquired as Dazzle lost the inferno in her eyes. "After she took the first batch of magic from those Rainbooms. Why?" Aria answered confused. Putting a hand to his forehead he breathed out laboriously, "She's a beginner mage, lacking mental fortitude to handle the effects of stolen magic. When you sang, not only did she fall to your spell completely... but so did the magic within her. It's nothing ordinary either just so you know... everything was ripped out of the guardians. As if you clip a piece of a plant and put the bottom into a cup of water. It will soon root out and become a clone of the parent plant, and thus... Mrs. Sparkle here allowed the mana wells to retain a spirit or... she actually took a bit of the soul of the guardians with the magic itself. This is beyond my expertise honestly, but it is the best we can come up with as of now." "So she like? Has the Rainbooms inside her head? What does that have to do with our singing?" Sonata pleaded for an answer. Monet then spoke up, "If she did anything like the Vorak's line of studies, in her carelessness the magic was anything but mere mana itself. She took a part of the soul of the guardians with it, creating personalities inside which your songs infected. The reforming spell she withstood had some kind of effect I can only guess... did you feel anything by chance? Something or anything before you reunited with her earlier today?" Adagio's eyes widened, as did the other two as if reality slammed into them like a baseball bat at a major league game. That pain that swept over them, the pain that let them know something happened to their newest Dazzling. Then the question came up, for adagio she wondered if by chance they had Twilight under some kind of spell that lasted beyond their performance. It would explain her clingy nature with them and how Sonata took to the girl long after they first met. Coincidental life experiences would only hold a bond for so long, but this human persisted and did everything she could to please them. Had she been a thrall all this time, and now the magic within her fractured beyond belief was also affected? Was it the effect of the spiritual essence of the old sirens? Had those old dusty regrets done them in only now? Yellow nodded to Monet and the two walked up to the girl nearest to her head, "Your silence says it all. If my theory is correct, she was freed of the bond and you felt it like any pain of mortal flesh. Her magic however, far too scrambled for anything to get through maintained the adoration of the Dazzlings. It has spread to the other wells she drained and they've merged into a whole other entity that's convinced it's there to help Mrs. Sparkle. Acting of its own accord with her approval, forever looking to appease you three. Its even infecting herself again to establish the connection, quite the persistent little virus it is?" "Sir, a simple Blood Seal should help. She'll need your command to use magic to any degree, but it will subdue the magical outburst and give control back to Twilight. But..." Monet looked with no hint of emotion like a piece of tree bark. "I'll have to use the last of my blood for this. I'm aware... Mrs. Adagio, I can help her but I'm going to ask for your permission seeing as she is apart of your group as it seems." Yellow asked waiting for an answer. "How? Why?" her attention aimed at nothing, staring at space like a goldfish in a bowl, "Our songs don't..." It hit her hard as she remembered the spirits that once dwelled in the stones. They must have left an imprint on the human girl and even with cleansed gems it was a virus of the old essence which would not be so easily removed. Their effect never left those they sang to before that first meeting with Yellow then, what else could explain the connection? "Adagio!! Listen!" Aria blasted her voice and gained the leaders attention, "Twilight needs our help so let him do what he has to! So help me if something happens to her..." Seething with barely contained rage, Blaze gained the spotlight with vigor. Sonata had by then came up to Yellow's left side and put a hand on his shoulder with a sad look upon her. Giving her silent consent, the man gave her a passing glance before going back to Adagio still unsure of what was falling apart. Nothing was making sense yet, but if a fire was raging there was no time to think of why it started. It just needed to be stamped out and watered down to prevent an inferno beyond control. "Do... what you will..." Inside Twilight's Mind... "Where am I?" "I feel... light?" Twilight slowly opened her eyes from blackness and into a white abyss all around her as her head sluggishly moved around. The thought that she was lucidly dreaming came to mind, but her mind pulsed with pain as if she were dehydrated. In addition, the environment she hovered in was not eye searing in any way, it was just white in color and not in intensity. "Why..." "I feel so... empty?" Her form slowly regained gravity's pull, from a floating prone position she gently moved to stand up. Her dainty loafers tapping onto solid ground that started to manifest into the front of Canterlot High, exploding into debris, structures, vehicles, roads, and then the sky itself. All around her the world overtook the nothingness she first saw, revealing a battleground where Sunset and her had fought, though no soul was around like before. It was all so very quiet that a needle could be heard falling, nothing of the case to indicate there was no one else but her among the devestation. No sooner had she tried to move about, a rather sinister sounding version of herself erupted in a booming voice in the sky, "We are one." Steadying herself, "Who said that?" spinning about looking for the thunderous speech. The area of the school where Sunset had been launched into the building suddenly gave way to the missing supports. The hole that Sunset caved in from being thrown into by her attack crumbled to the ground like falling dirt out of an excavator. Dust and debris kicked up and clouded the area as the ruckus came and went. Twilight shied away, putting her hands up to defend her face from the bouncing chunks and cloud of choking particulates. "We exist to serve you. To make her happy." Twilight turned about on spot fervently, afraid of what was going to happen to her in this new world that was definitely not the waking one, "Whose talking?! Please show yourself?!!" A cackle of a laugh erupted loudly as a blur of dark purple came out of the dark dusty cloud and appeared before her. Quickly taking shape into something that jumbled her resolve beyond her limits, the very amorphous shape was herself, only with drastic changes which made into something she couldn't fathom no matter how long she would have thought. Spreading her black raven wings as wide as possible, Midnight drifted from the disaster and wafted slowly to her prey, "I'm you as you are me? I'm the magic you've taken and will forever hold for you to use." she held her arms outward ready to embrace her physical counterpart with everything she had to offer. Sparkle winced, "Are you... loyal to me? Or to Adagio?" she asked fearfully. The nightmare version of herself tilted her head curiously before floating even closer, "I'm Midnight Sparkle, born from your deepest desires and wills of others who hover over you. I exist for you to use." she smiled in a way that reminded her of how her mother once use to do when she was a little child before Cadence. Taken aback by the admission, "I never created... I'd never compromise myself like that!" Midnight laughed again, "I was of no consent, you made me when you took the first two magical essences. Among other things." Twilight stepped back until she bumped into the statue of Canterlot's mascot, "I just wanted to help everyone and learn magic!" "Yes... your desires led to my birth. Your leader's song gave me purpose. The catalyst... the attack by those filthy girls that thought we could be brought low by a measly spell to get rid of us." Midnight scowled as she floated around Sparkle, blind to the girls expressions of confusion. "NO! I am MYSELF!! I did what I did because I wanted it!" she fired away. Midnight stopped before her only inches away and came close enough that their noses touched just gently, "Exactly! You thought you did! But your wrong... We live for them... for her." their eyes locked on too each other reading everything that was there to examine. "Who?" Twilight asked as she tried to bounce back from the recoil of the moment. With a roll of the eyes, "None other than my true birth mother... Adagio Dazzle." Willing away the confines of enclosed thoughts, Sparkle shook her head as she pieced what she could together of the words thrown at her since she initially talked to Yellow Tail and Pandius. The whirlwind of assumptions and facts were hard to figure anything out of, but the voice of her other self became the glue and immediately gave form to them. It was becoming painstakingly clear as to what was happening and why, with a few gaps from her lack of knowledge in magic itself. "I must be dreaming... nothing is real..." She started to hyperventaliate, putting her hands to her temples and holding her head in desperation. "NO!" Midnight embraced Twilight, harsh but gentle enough even in her dream form she felt only slightly afraid as she felt the other version of her tend to her in a careful manner. Of course it was the dark magic working into her very spirit to soothe her worries into something tameable. "None of this makes any sense..." she said with a half a heart. Midnight spoke softly into her ear, "That beautiful music... it is in us... and we heed its call." "No..." A chuckle escapes Midnight as she pulls away with a soft smile almost like the one Cadence once gave her to calm the young Twilight when she was afraid and sad, "We love them, we adore them, and they give us what we want the most! What else is there to think of?" Sparkle yelps as she shakes herself from the other Twilight's grip, "I'm myself! No one else!" She fell to the grassy lawn as Midnight gave a loud evil laugh, "You keep thinking that but it's never going to overcome what is true! Let me help so we can help them. I am your power! Your magic! Magical power she needs to get her revenge on those who wronged her!" Twilight trembled in place as she attempted to shield herself from the apparition of the twisted version that was Midnight Sparkle, in ghastly clothing looking scary as a lion ready to charge. Yet a light of hope came in a very underestimated method just as she was beset by the very evil thing, a loud growl grew from nothing and into a very rumble which quaked the two entities even as Midnight hovered in the air. Twilight herself looked around unsure of what was happening, thankfully pulling enough breathing room to take a moment to indulge in. Even she could not see where the source came from, something very wrong was intruding other than Midnight into the sanctity of her mind. Her violet purple eyes looking everywhere for the source of the growl until they beheld a long scaly arm large enough to crush a bus come out of thin air several meeters from their position and slam into the lawn nearby with such density. Twilight bounced into the air impacting the ground hard with a grunt. Another winged limb came out of anything but a body a good forty feet away from the other arm and repeating the same action. Midnight Sparkle appeared fearful of what was coming, unable to do much other than to witness the formation of the intrusion and scowl at it with a glare that could burn through steel. White eyes appeared in the sky far above the two girls with the intensity of a star, the anchor of an elongated skull they were attached to slowly manifested and spread to paint the picture of an enormous reptilian head with a fanged maw and scales over the skin befitting of a nightmare made manifest. To Twilight, she could have akinned it to a over emphasized bearded dragon crossed with an iguana who stood far taller than the girls by a milestone, large in size and girth as the head soon connected to a long leathery armored neck with wrinkles of the dense skin and scales painted in a caution yellow with stripes of mute moss green and festering orange. A thick heavy scaled chest glowed brightly resulted in the image of the very creature which was deemed a very dangerous beast on Equis and in human mythology that Sparkle knew of. Midnight and her had barely a moment before the beast still taking form in its lower ends and tail began to take in a deep breath as loud as a passing freight train to the ears, taking seconds to inhale as a bright white seeped through the armor of the neck and chest of the monstrocity. Midnight snarled at the thing as Twilight tried to scramble away on her knees and hands. The intruder did not give her respite, not even to Twilight as she innocently attempted to evade. A breath of purifying flame wrapped both the girls vision and cleansed everything. It was a terrible experience to alone even though there was no pain, as the girl screamed in utter fear as the world around her cracked and smoldered back into utter nothingness. She could not help but soon feel a comforting quiet, the licking inferno around her had done much to bring peace to mind. The other her disappeared and thankfully ceased calling to her for action, it was as if she wasn't there anymore. The loud roar of immolation silenced anything else, pulling Twilight from the dream realm. She was ripped her from subconsciousness until she awoke feeling something cool upon her cheeks like a drying wet spot from Sonata when she surprisingly licked her face jokingly that one time at breakfast at another cafe. Yellow Tail looked over her and Adagio Dazzle as he hovered over her, the golden siren who was holding her left hand with such worry beyond anything she'd seen since that one time in the restroom of a restaurant. The smell of metal entered her nose, oddly enough with a copper or iron hint as she felt the feeling of the sensation of Yellow's calused yet smoothed fingers upon her skin. Her heavy body refusing to move or act, she felt like she had been studying for a week without sleep, where it came back to slap her in the face with the pressure force of a crocodile's jaw strenght. It was then she heard Adagio speak, it was the most soothing thing she'd heard that put her at ease almost instantly. "Your back..." Adagio whispered with a smile as a lone tear appeared at the edge of her eyes, daring to drop the glistening saline.