I was relieved when the stunning view of the Crystal Empire came into view when my eyes opened. Just like the previous night, the pale pink and blue tower had returned to its former glory and the sky was sunny and clear once again. I looked over to where Spark was sitting in his usual chair. His eyes were closed while he faced the sun hanging over the empire.
He spoke without looking in my direction or opening his eyes. “Hello Silver.”
I felt a prickle of worry when I heard the flat tone in his voice. “Hey. Are you ok Spark?”
“What am I to you Silver?”
That was a question I could answer without hesitation. “You’re my brother.”
His mouth twitched but he didn’t look my way and continued to face the sun with his eyes closed. I was worried but I waited for him to speak.
“You know I've never felt the sun on my muzzle?” he said. “It's always your face that feels the sun. I just use your memories to try and connect to reality. I appreciate the sentiment but I fear it is misplaced.”
“Spark, please talk to me. What is bothering you?”
He opened his eyes and turned to face me with his large golden cat eyes. It was striking how similar and yet how different our faces were. He was recognizably me even with the alien and I knew that expression of sadness as if I was looking in a mirror.
“When I was trapped by the Siren’s magic yesterday, I thought you were trapped at the same time. But you weren’t Silver. I remember now that you were free and clear to save me from the attack. Why do you think that is?”
“Bad luck?” I guessed. “It was only looking for one personality to control and once it had you it stopped looking.”
“No, I don’t think that’s it,” he replied. “It was looking for your magic Silver. You only have magic when I give you my help. When it found me, it ignored you because it already found what it was looking for. I’m nothing but a wisp of magic with an echo of your personality grafted on.”
“Spark, please don’t say that,” I pleaded. “It can't possibly be that simple. We don’t even think the same way anymore. If we did, our chess games wouldn't be such a challenge.”
He sighed and stared at the view. “I wish I could believe that. ‘Cogito ergo sum’ isn’t really a comfort either. A different question is more important: Sed quid sum ego?”
“I think, but what am I?” I said, translating the Latin from our shared memory. “You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you? You know there's another saying that fits our situation: We cannot doubt our existence while we doubt.”
He let out a long sigh with a snort at the end. “That is true Silver but it is my significance, not my existence that I doubt. I wish we knew more about what I really am and yet I fear what the answer will be.”
“Maybe we can find out more with Twilight's help. She's back now and I don’t know where else we can turn Spark.”
“Let them go! Don't hurt them!”
Spark’s ears twitched. “Did you hear something Silver?”
“Nothing unusual,” I replied confused. “What did you hear?”
His ears twitched around as if searching for the source of the mysterious sound. “I guess it was nothing. I thought I heard another voice.”
“Please just let me know what you need. We are in here together and as far as I’m concerned your needs are just as important as mine. It doesn’t matter if you’re my brother, a wisp of magic or something else we haven’t even imagined. You are here and you matter to me.”
He laughed out loud at my reaction. “Wow, when did you actually become an optimist, Silver?”
“I blame our friends.”
“I think that’s fair. I’ll try not to be too gloomy but it's not easy after what happened on Tuesday.”
“Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. We’re in this together.”
“I will.”
Thursday, November 17, 2016
I wish I could say the day was going smoothly but that would be a horrible lie. It was just about morning break but the day already felt like it had lasted an eternity. This morning Sunset sent me a text to let me know she was with the girls over at Applejack's farm working on the counter-spell.
I couldn’t risk skipping school to join them. I had been warned by several teachers on Monday about serious consequences if I missed any more classes without a doctor’s note before the fall term ended. Besides, the girls didn’t really need me underfoot and they weren’t going to arrive until noon. That would get them here just barely in time for the Battle of the Bands. It was frustrating because I really wanted to talk to Twilight but I had to accept that I was not a priority while the world was potentially in danger.
Unfortunately, their absence left me alone to witness the collapsing social fabric of the school. When Sunset had driven the school apart she simply focused on isolating social groups so she could maintain control. It was clear the Sirens wanted far more than that. People were jostling each other in the halls, shouting matches were breaking out and people were pulling nasty pranks. The only reason things hadn’t descended into fights was because everyone was focused on the competition.
When the bell for morning break sounded I didn't rush towards the door with everyone else. I was on the second floor in my English class. I looked over at the window and gave serious consideration to opening one of them and jumping down rather than braving the hallway. However, Miss Harshwhinny gave me a vicious glare that promised serious punishment if I even touched that window.
I gave up and walked out the door a few minutes later, hoping the hallway would be empty. Unfortunately, Flash Sentry and his two band mates were waiting outside my classroom leaning on the lockers across the hall. I wanted to just walk past them but they quickly blocked my path. Their eyes glinted green, warning me that they were under the Siren's spell.
“Where do you think you're going?” Flash demanded. His face was twisted with anger.
“That is none of your business,” I said flatly. “Good day.”
I started to step around him but he blocked my path again. “Twilight is back in town,” he growled, poking me in the chest with a finger. “Where is she? You have to stay away from her, you understand? She's mine!”
I pushed his hand away from me. “She is not a possession that you control. You have no right to stop me from talking to her.”
“She's no friend of yours, I could tell when I saw her at the party last night,” he replied defensively, his eyes flashing green again. "You didn't even bother to show up, just like the fall formal."
I rolled my eyes at him. “Right, because parties and dances are the most important aspect of friendships. Twilight said those exact words to you did she?”
“Well no, but I could tell she didn't even care you were absent. She is going to be mine!”
The Siren's had him well under their control and he sounded like he was just a push away from muttering to himself in a cave about his precious Twilight. I should have just walked away but I was just getting tired of his behavior and this treatment. I was dangerously close to losing my temper when I poked my finger into his chest and began to question him.
“She's going to be yours,” I said in a mocking voice. "A girl you've barely spent two hours of your life with. So you can tell me where she's from? Why she's back here in Canterlot now? Do you know why she couldn’t contact you while she was gone? Heck, can you even tell me her dog's name?”
I knew I was poking an angry bear who wasn't in his right mind but his attitude had me weary. The anger grew on his face and I could tell he was trying to answer my questions. His mouth kept opening like he was trying to find words but nothing came out. I was certain he didn't know any of the answers and his growing discomfort confirmed that.
“You don’t know anything do you?” I hissed. “I doubt you even care. You're just a stalker chasing after the first vulnerable girl that bumped into you?”
Flash's face contorted with fury and his fist lashed out at my face. I easily blocked and ducked to the side, grappling his wrist and twisting it down behind his back. He gasped with pain, but I was being very careful to not hurt him. His band mates started to move to push me off but I glared at them, stopping them in their tracks.
“Nobody in this Luna forsaken school seems to understand,” I snarled into his ear. “By some miracle, the slime that attacked my friends on Halloween only needed relatively minor treatment. I keep telling you are all pushing me to my limit. Did you know, it would be trivial to dislocate your shoulder right now Flash? Just a quick twist, pull and pop; you'd be done with the musical showcase. Count yourself lucky I'm not a sadistic individual. Enchantment or not, don’t you dare try to push me around again, understood?”
Even though he was still under the influence of the Siren’s spell, he didn't struggle. The threat of missing the Battle of the Bands was a sufficient threat thanks to the Sirens. He nodded in response as did the two members of his band.
“Good. I'm going to let you go now and you are going to walk away to prepare for your performance.”
I let him go and stepped back, waiting to see what he would do. Flash was absolutely furious but discretion still had a place in his mind. He turned and walked away, followed by the members of his band.
Silver, what the buck was that?
I don't know. I guess I'm just getting tired of this.
Still, that wasn't like you.
He just got me so damn mad this time.
I let out a frustrated breath of air, to try and calm myself down. When I looked back to ensure Flash was really leaving, I noticed something very wrong. There was a cloud of green fog swirling around his feet as he stalked away. I looked down and saw the same fog pooling around my feet. The fog began to eddy and flowed; traveling up the corridor to a point behind me. I turned around to see where it was going and spotted the three Sirens standing in the hall. The fog was flowing up into their gems, making them glow slightly red. When the fog finally disappeared, they looked at me with a grin on their faces and began to clap their hands.
“Another fine performance by Silver Spark, the most hated boy at Canterlot High,” said the girl with the orange hair. “Bravo!”
My body tensed as I prepared to run but I stood my ground for the moment. If they started singing I would be in serious trouble long before I could get away. I stared at them silently, waiting to see what they would do. The girl with the orange hair grinned and put her hand over her chest with mock embarrassment.
“Of course, how rude of me, I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Adagio and these two are Aria and Sonata."
I glared at them. "So how much of that business with Flash was your doing?"
"Oooh, you're a smart one," said Sonata, circling around me. "He hardly needed a push to come after you."
"Interesting that you're resisting. To answer your question, we don't create emotions," said Aria as a predatory grin crossed her face. "I couldn't believe how much these students hate you."
"We just remove a few restraints and let the true emotions flow free," said Adagio. "I must say, I’m surprised to see you without your keepers.”
“Keepers?” I said blankly, starting to feel a bit like a cornered animal.
“Well yeah,” said Aria in a predatory tone. “From what we've heard, those six girls have you on a short chain. I've heard Sunset Shimmer is lucky to have an attack dog of your caliber under her thumb.”
“No kidding!” Sonata added. “You're the talk of the school.”
I was having flashbacks to the day Sunset threatened me and it was pushing me quickly off balance. I tried to keep a calm expression on my face while my fear began to grow. Sonata and Aria seemed dangerous enough but it was absolutely clear Adagio was their leader. Adagio was looking right through me as she evaluated my posture with predatory eyes.
“Indeed,” Adagio purred. “Not in a good way mind you but the talk of the school none the less. I've never seen such a magnet for anger and distrust in all my years. How you’ve survived the focus of such anger is beyond me.”
“Just lucky I guess,” I muttered even though I knew I should stay silent.
“Perhaps, perhaps not,” said Adagio, looking me over. “You can only stay lucky for so long when you are standing between predators and their prey.”
The double meaning of her statement was quite clear. I was threatening to get between them and their prey and at the same time, I kept standing between my fellow students and Sunset Shimmer. I just crossed my arms, waiting for her to get to a point.
“It’s really a shame,” she continued thoughtfully. “You waste so much effort fighting your fellow students and for what exactly? Hoping for a few bones from those so-called friends of yours? The same friends that ignore you once you are no longer useful to them?”
“That’s not true,” I replied defensively. “They’ve been good to me.”
“Hah!” said Aria with a smirk on her face. “Those girls have you wrapped around their fingers so tightly you haven’t even noticed! Face it, you’re just their doormat, a tool to be used and discarded.”
“They only keep you around if they think you’re useful to them,” Sonata mocked. “Otherwise you’d be with them right now.”
I didn’t let it show but this was starting to hurt. Somehow they were hitting me right in my worst fears. I should have stayed quiet but I couldn’t help trying to counter these accusations. “I’m at risk of being suspended if I miss more school without a doctor’s note.”
“And not one of those ‘friends’ of yours could help prevent that from happening?” Adagio said mockingly. “What excuse are they using to skip half the day today? Face it, you're not their priority.”
I didn’t actually know the answer to that question. I was fighting off my doubts as best I could but these three were relentless. It didn’t help that my confidence was suffering since my conversation with Spark and I was legitimately scared of what these girls could do to me if they started singing.
Adagio smirked at me, fully aware she had hit a nerve. “As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, we have a performance to prepare for. Perhaps we’ll see you there.”
“Unlikely,” Aria chuckled as she followed Adagio. “I heard he was completely overwhelmed by our singing a few days ago.”
“If you ever want some proper comfort, you just come find us cutie,” Sonata said as she skipped past behind the other two.
In my mind, I knew they were just trying to hurt me. It was what they did but the fact that they were succeeding at getting under my skin was really bothering me. The slim possibility they were right about my friends terrified me right down to my core. The girls were the best friends I had ever had in my life by far and without them what did I have? My secret fear ever since the Fall Formal had always been they were just doing their best to tolerate me and my weirdness.”
No, that can’t be true. Can it Spark?
We can talk to them when they get here and find out.
You're right. That's probably the only way to sort this out.
With that limited reassurance, I headed off to my next class.
I spent my lunch break sitting in the lobby reading a book. The halls were completely empty since everyone was gathering in the gym for the competition. I couldn't help but shake my head at the insanity the Sirens had brought to our school. Sixteen bands were performing in the preliminary rounds this afternoon. By the end of the school day, two finalists would be selected to perform at a special concert that had been scheduled for this evening. The winner of that contest would be the main performer at Friday night's public fundraiser.
For my part, I was staying as far away from the gym as possible to avoid the Siren’s song. Now I was just waiting for the girls to show up. I knew I had to talk to them about what was bothering me as soon as possible. The book helped distract me while I waited. As the end of lunch approached I began to wonder if they had come in through a different door when my friends finally burst in. They ran past where I was sitting with hardly a word of greeting and shot off towards the gym.
The expression on their faces as they went past wiped out any plans I had to sort out my insecurities. The confidence I had seen the day before had given way to uncertainty. They dashed down the hall towards the gym. I watched them go with a pit of worry growing in my stomach. Sunset only slowed down for a moment
“Sorry Silver!” She gasped. “They’re running late and the counterspell isn’t ready. I need to help them but you’d better wait out here.”
Then she took off down the hall after the girls. They were just running late. That’s the only reason they ignored me, wasn’t it?
I kept my distance from the gym; fearing the sirens next song since I didn't know the order the bands were playing in. I could just barely make out the music playing which was already closer than I wanted to be. If I transformed, I would be able to hear it easily but that would defeat the purpose of sitting so far away. I strained my hearing and relaxed when I recognized the familiar beats of the Rainbooms playing one of their songs. When the song wrapped up I knew it was time to catch up with the girls and find out what was going on. Hopefully, they had just sorted the Sirens out.
I packed away my books and started walking towards the gym. The hallways were completely barren since everyone was in the gym watching the performances. Then, an angry voice reached my ears as I approached the gym and I picked up my pace when I recognized the person yelling.
“. . . I want this, Twilight and you’re trying to take it from me!” Flash yelled. "You were just using me!"
Twilight’s voice was frightened and sad. “That’s not why –”
"You girls are all alike, leading me on. At least that blue skinned jerk will find out the hard way just like I did!"
“We’ve got things to do Twilight,” Applejack interrupted, “Let’s go.”
I looked around the corner and saw Flash and his band confronting Twilight and the other Rainbooms. She turned to walk away, following Applejack's lead. I felt that familiar defensive rage threatening to overtake me when I saw Twilight’s tear filled eyes
“You really think you’re gonna help them?!” Flash called after her as she retreated. It was the most derisive tone I had ever heard from him. “I'll bet you have no idea what you're doing!”
Twilight wiped her eyes as she walked away. I pushed the urge to go over to Flash and snap his arm aside. It was reasonable to assume the Siren’s spell was still in force and I doubted the girls would appreciate me applying a violent punishment to Flash Sentry under the circumstances. The tense expressions on the faces of my friends were making me quite worried. Sunset was absent from the group and I hoped everything was ok. Twilight’s teary expression worried me but she still managed a small smile when she saw me.
“Are you ok, Twilight?” I asked.
“I’m managing Silver,” she said sadly.
“Is there –”
I opened my mouth to respond but I wasn't given a chance to speak before Applejack hook her arm around Twilight's and herded her past me towards the band room.
“Ah’m sorry,” Applejack said tersely. “We can’t afford any more distractions right now, Silver. Sunset’s keepin’ an eye on things for us and we've gotta practice.”
“But -“
Rainbow Dash’s expression became one of irritation and she interrupted me. “As much as I'd love to chat, we don’t have time Silver. Unless you have something to say that'll boost our chances of winning this competition, you’d better just go.”
I was speechless as the other girls filed past, their faces filled with frustration and irritation. Twilight glanced over her shoulder at me briefly before I lost sight of her. A moment later they disappeared into the music room and I was left standing in the empty hallway. My heart was racing and aching as their dismissal echoed in my ears. It occurred to me that the Sirens didn’t need to lie when the truth was just as effective.
Spark . . .
I don't even know anymore Silver.
Neither do I.
My heart was heavy while I struggled to move my feet and begin walking. I turned around and walked to the front door of the school. I could dimly hear another song starting in the gym but I didn't really care at this point. Given the state of the school, I doubted anyone would notice I was missing. Not even the girls I called friends. With a heavy heart, I walked out the front door to my car. I briefly considered trying to contact Sunset but I discarded that plan. At least she had something useful she could do to contribute to the situation. I really was useless right now.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and gazed at the plain black background. I hadn't thought to put a background image on my phone. I guess I was hoping inspiration would strike or an idea would appear. All day and not a single word from my friends since Sunset texted me this morning. I put my finger on the power button and held it down until I felt the telltale buzz of it turning completely off. Then I started the car and drove away from school towards my house.
The next hour drifted by while I sat in the recliner in my living room trying come to grips with the day's events. I had some quiet music playing in the background and I had unplugged my land line phone. My confidence was badly shaken and I was trying to decide what to do. As soon I had walked through the door, I snagged the twin of the short sword dad had wielded against the Scorpions off the wall. Now I was holding that sword up in one hand, looking at my reflection in the metallic sheen. With a twist of my wrist, I flicked it around, feeling the comfort of the weapon in my grip.
“You're not the same without your partner are you?” I said to the sword absently before putting it down on the crate beside my chair.
I let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling again, thinking about the past year. So much had changed so quickly I was struggling to keep my equilibrium. My year was filled with regrets and what if decisions. When my parents died at the hands of a gang I had provoked, I ran like a coward at their urging and still nearly died from a stab wound. If I had stayed, maybe I could have saved them. Maybe I could have done something to not be useless.
The day Sunset Shimmer fell into darkness, I was nearly incinerated trying to protect the girls. They had wound up in a glowing force field and I was starting to get a sinking feeling my suicidal attempt to help had been completely worthless. On the other hand, at least I had acted in defense of others. I had made an effort instead of running away.
Now the Sirens were here and I was completely sidelined. Just thinking about what the Sirens were doing to my friends was making me terribly angry. Theoretically, Spark and I could resist it now but there was no way to know for sure. The girls didn't even want me around while they saved the world since I would be a distraction if I had another seizure. I was pretty much useless to their efforts and they knew it.
For a brief moment, I considered locking my doors and waiting for the world to end. I quickly discarded that idea because if the Sirens won, two worlds or possibly more would be in grave danger. There were exactly eight people on this planet that I knew had a chance to stop what was coming. Seven of them were together working on a magical solution at the school right now. By some bizarre twist of fate, I was the final person on that list but I wouldn't be any help to the girls and they knew it. Why else would they send me away?
As I thought, a realization dawned on me. There was one thing I could do to stop this growing disaster. One way I could help but it would cross a moral and ethical line I thought I would never even contemplate approaching.
I'm not sure I like where this is going.
Spark, what more can we do?
Yeah, I know. Still not sure it's right.
Do you think we can hold up against a song?
Maybe? I hope so.
Then we'd better gather what we'll need.
I got up to my feet, grabbed the short sword off the table and put it into its sheath. I looked around my house one last time, knowing this could very well be my last time here. Then I headed out to the metal shop to gather some gear before heading back to the school. I had to do something to protect the girls I called my friends, even if they really didn’t care about me. It was necessary to stop the Sirens from winning tonight and I would do my part. No matter the cost.
I managed to get back to Canterlot High just before the final bell signaling the end of the school day and watched everyone leave for the day through a pair of binoculars from across the street. I knew the final Battle of the Bands concert would be at the park amphitheater just after sundown. I watched the behavior of the students as they left the school and wandered home. Their yelling, hate-filled expressions and general body language made it quite apparent that the girls hadn't succeeded in breaking the spell.
Finally, I spotted the Sirens leaving the school and heading off towards town. I got out of my car and followed behind them. When they turned to go down an alleyway I had to hurry to catch up. I clenched my hands into fists and prepared for my chance to act. There was a pit in my stomach I was doing my best to ignore as I slipped into the alley, intent on ending this nightmare.
I was planning to knock the three of them out to either buy more time or end this mess. That meant I had to corner and attack the Sirens. The plan was risky and I wouldn’t be able to pull any punches which could seriously injure them. If things went really badly, I had a dagger sheathed at my hip but I prayed I wouldn’t have to use it. My heart was barely in it and I was struggling to keep my confidence up but I just kept trying to remind myself that this was to protect my friends and the world.
The alley was cluttered with dumpsters and garbage cans so I couldn't see the Sirens immediately but I could hear them talking quietly to each other, though I couldn't make out the words. They weren't leaving the alleyway so I would take these three monsters down one way or another. With a deep breath, I stepped out from behind the last garbage can and began to run at them with my fists raised, ready to strike.
I barely had a second to realize the three Sirens were standing in the middle of the alley looking right at me. There was a pricking sensation in my chest and suddenly my entire body lit on fire. My muscles locked up and I barely managed to squeak out a gasp of agony as I collapsed to the ground into a green misty fog I hadn't noticed. There was a pair of small spikes stuck right through my shirt. Aria was holding a small gun-shaped object.
The fog flowed up into the Siren's amulets and the three of them grinned with satisfaction when it dissipated. Adagio walked over, put her boot on my chest and knelt down. I gasped with silent pain at the pressure from her heels digging into me.
“Foolish child,” she gloated. “Did you really think you would be able to sneak up on us with murder on your mind?"
“I do love these Tasers,” Aria said while laughing. “They’re a wonderful way to handle monsters like you.”
I didn't have a chance to speak before Aria squeezed the trigger again. My heart skipped a beat and my limbs flailed involuntarily. I kept seeing sparks of light in front of my eyes but then the pain stopped. Adagio was rifling through my pockets and after a moment pulled out my phone. She tossed it over to Sonata who stomped on it.
“Hunting down three innocent girls?” Sonata gasped in horror. “What a terribly evil idea! Evil!”
“I'm afraid you don't understand what you are facing, child,” Adagio whispered in my ear. “You are a worthless piece of scum; barely a stain under our shoes but we will put your anger to good use. Your former friends will be just as broken as you and soon their magic will be ours. After a thousand years, we are finally going to reclaim our power and there is nothing that a pitiful human like you can do to stop us.”
“I can’t believe you actually fell as low as the stories and rumors about you,” said Sonata in a bizarrely cheerful voice. "Even I thought they were just exaggerations. Guess I was wrong."
“Once our full power returns we might be able to make use of your limited abilities,” said Adagio with satisfaction as she stood back up. “You won't be able to resist our song after we win tonight. Aria, just zap him until he's unconscious to keep him out of the way. We'll recruit him after we have our power back.”
“With pleasure,” said Aria.
She pulled the trigger again and held it down sending a continuous charge across my heart. My body bucked and twisted involuntarily as the electricity coursed through me. This time the agony went on and on until the world went black.