//------------------------------// // Song Module // Story: One in the Same Thing // by Snowflake Dissonance //------------------------------// Adagio swam quickly through the water, glancing back every now and then to make sure her pursuer wasn’t gaining. Not spotting her in sight, the small guppy continued her retreat, looking for a sufficient place to hide herself. If she was out of sight, she couldn’t be caught by them. Fins flapping as hard as her little body could make them, Adagio hurried through the water. It had been a beautiful day under the sea. The Equestrian waters were calm at the moment, hardly moving as the sun began its descent below the horizon. Of course, even if things were calm on the surface, the underwater life was always abuzz with activity. Adagio sped passed schools of fish and other marine life as she rushed through her liquid home world. All of them waved to her before going about their day, unaware that the little siren was being chased. Adagio spotted her home not too far ahead. They wouldn’t dare chase her all the way inside, right? All she had to do was get home. Forcing her fins against the water, Adagio pushed herself. She just needed to get home. Getting home meant not being caught. She just needed to-. Suddenly, she stopped. With a pout, Adagio huffed, “That’s not fair, Sonata, you always catch me!” A giggle could be heard. “Of course I do! This is my favorite game!” A rough grunt penetrated the air. “I don’t see why you two even play this. It’s just a waste of time. Sonata will catch you every time, Adagio.” Adagio crossed her hooves and huffed, “I’ll beat her one day, Aria. Just you wait.” Aria snorted. “Yeah, okay. Whatever you say.” Adagio swam a little closer to her home and settled on the coral in front of it. “I will. And Mother says that my leadership training is getting better as well. So, one day, I’ll be in charge of you two.” Aria rolled her eyes. “You’re already in charge of us, Dag,” she pointed out. “We follow you everywhere, remember?” “But a leader has to be the best at everything!” Adagio told her emphatically. “I need to get better at everything, so I can lead you. Which is why I’m gonna beat Sona one day. Then I’ll be ready to be your leader!” Aria simply shook her head. Sonata smiled and chirped, “Then I’ll keep being the best so that you have a fair chance, Dagi! Then you’ll know you’re really the best when you beat me!” Adagio’s chest swelled happily. “See? Sonata believes in me.” Aria merely snorted once more. Just then, a voice broke into their banter. “Adagio?” a high melodic voice called. “Adagio, sweetie, come on inside.” “Coming, Mother!” Adagio lifted up and floated through the doorway of their home. It was once a wrecked ship, but only parts of the… what had her mother called it? Parts of the hull remained and it created a nice cozy place for them to live. Her mother was in the main area, lounging on a bed of kelp when Adagio entered. Fioritura Gloss had a lavender hide, with darker violet patches of scales on her back. Her large dorsal fin spanned the majority of her back and was highlighted with zaffire blue. She held herself with an imposing, confident posture and commanded attention the moment she swam by. Fioritura turned to her daughter as Adagio settled on the wood below them. Her shrewd tyrian eyes surveyed the flaxen form before turning back to the drawings she was creating on the sand before her. “What were you doing out there, dear?” She knew the answer, of course. Adagio always gave the same answer every time Fioritura asked. “I was playing with Aria and Sonata,” Adagio responded. Her mother hummed for a moment. “And who are they?” she inquired calmly. “My friends,” her daughter replied. Fioritura sighed. “Adagio, you must let go of these delusions. I know you wish not to be alone, but you never spend your time with anyone. All you do is swim quickly through the water, day after day.” “But that’s because Sonata is chasing me!” Adagio piped up. “She wants me to pass my leadership lessons, so she’s helping me be the fastest swimmer in Equestria!” “And what of when you’re swimming through the most dangerous areas of the ocean?” her mother pressed. “Aria wants me to be brave and not be afraid of anything,” Adagio explained. “So she dares me to go through the scary parts of the water. She’s a hypocrite, though, cause she always clownies out.” Her mother simply shook her head. Looking to the water outside, Fioritura murmured, “You should be heading to bed, dear.” “But-!” “Adagio, you don’t want to be tired for tomorrow’s ceremony, do you? It’s a big day for you.” Fioritura gave her a pointed look and her daughter sighed. “Yes, Mother.” Adagio slowly picked herself up and floated toward her room. Glancing back, she whispered, “Good night.” Drifting into her room, Adagio settled beside one of the holes and gazed out into the water. “Hey, Adagio,” Sonata whispered. They must have been listening to the whole thing, but Adagio didn’t take her eyes from the darkening surface. “Don’t be sad. I’m sure your mom will believe you.” “No she won’t,” Adagio grumbled, laying her head on her hooves. “She hasn’t yet, why would she ever?” “That’s no way for a leader to talk, doofus,” Aria growled. “How are you gonna keep the m-mor-the spirits of your followers up if you get down over something like this?” Adagio simply sighed. There was silence for a moment before Sonata said, “Your mom’s right, though, Dagi. Tomorrow’s a big day for you.” “Get some rest, Dag,” Aria agreed. “We’ll be here in the morning to wish you good luck at your ceremony.” “Thanks, you two.” Adagio drifted to her bed of seaweed and sand, settling down before closing her eyes. She was asleep within moments. The next morning, Adagio swam with her mother to the largest reef in the area. Even though, the Great Reef was on the other side of the Equestrian continent, this reef still served as the place for any marine life this side of the ocean to hold their celebrations. It was also where Sirens received their Song Modules once they reached maturity. That was the reason for Adagio’s visit. She was now old enough to get her Module. As Adagio swam into the reef with her mother, she stared around in excitement. The marine life here was so much more exotic than where she lived. All of the animals went about their business without a care, stopping briefly to wave before continuing on their way. Adagio smiled before flapping quickly to rejoin her mother. Fioritura stopped in front of one of the larger enclosures in the reef and cleared her throat. Inside, an older siren with a cerise pink hide and crimson dorsal fin turned her head. She smiled when she spotted them and swam over. She rubbed her head along Fioritura’s briefly and the two smiled at one another. “Serenata, you look well,” Fioritura murmured. “I take it immortality is serving you nicely?” “Indeed,” the older siren chuckled, her voice sounding like the gentlest melody Adagio had ever heard. “And so it will you, as it does every siren that receives her Module.” Fioritura hummed. “I do feel sorry for those who choose not to partake in the ceremony. Regardless, it is their choice to age.” “What brings you here on this beautiful day?” Serenata inquired, drifting back toward what appeared to be an altar in the middle of the enclosure. One end of it was raised slightly, looking like a platform on the structure and Adagio was curious about why it looked such a way. “My little Adagio is here to get her Module,” Fioritura answered. She used a hoof to usher Adagio forward and the youngest siren looked up at Serenata apprehensively. “Ah, your little one has finally grown up!” The elder siren leaned closer to examine Adagio before nodding. “She’s definitely ready for the Module. Though, I sense a strange energy about her.” Adagio blinked in confusion, but neither adult commented on this ‘strange energy’. Could they sense Sonata and Aria nearby? Did they know? That thought brought a small wave of hope. Did her mother believe her now, that she had friends? Serenata had moved to the altar and appeared to be covering it with kelp. “Alright, dear,” she called to Adagio, waving one of her hooves at the altar. “Come over this way and settle on the altar.” Adagio did as instructed, and then shivered as Serenata used her tail to spread sand over her body. A crab claw was placed in front of her and Adagio stared at it in bemusement. “Alright,” Serenata began, all seriousness. “This is very simple, dear. I’m going to go and check to see if a new ruby has formed. When I come back, if I have one, I’m going to prick your hide and let the blood flow to the stone. Then, you’re going to sing until I tell you to stop. Is that clear?” “Yes,” Adagio responded. She was beginning to feel uneasy about this. She didn’t like the idea of being pricked with a crab claw. A hoof landed on her shoulder and Adagio glanced up to find her mother smiling at her soothingly. “Don’t worry, Adagio,” Fioritura cooed. “This will be over quickly. Then we can go home and you can sing me a song, okay?” “Okay,” Adagio agreed, turning as Serenata returned with a bright red jewel clamped gingerly but firmly between her teeth. Placing the ruby on the raised end of the altar, Serenata looked to Adagio. “Are you ready?” she asked. “Ready,” the youngest siren stated. “Do you, Adagio Dazzle, vow to uphold the pride and honor of the Siren Nation throughout the rest of your immortal life?” Adagio lifted her chin. “I do.” “Do you vow to lead your Orchestra with a fair mind and kind heart, doing what is in the best interest of the Orchestra first and foremost?” “I do.” “Do you accept the burden of your immortality and any Orchestra you acquire, and the responsibility of being an upstanding member of Siren Society?” “I do.” Amethyst eyes gazed levelly at the elder siren as Serenata nodded. “Then let us commence the Song Module Ceremony of Adagio Dazzle.” Carefully, Serenata lifted the crab claw in her teeth. She moved closer slowly so that Adagio wasn’t startled. The pink siren positioned the claw over the place she wanted to prick and carefully moved her head the appropriate distance away. Since siren hide was very thick to protect them against the sharp rocks near the mainland, a lot of force had to be put behind cutting into a siren's scales. With a practiced flick of her head, Serenata slashed into Adagio’s chest, eliciting a gasp from the shocked initiate. “Now,” Serenata said, dropping the crab claw to the sand below them. “When you allow the blood to touch the ruby, begin a song.” “W-wait.” Adagio looked down before asking, “Can I… can I have my friends sing with me? We’re always together, so-.” “Adagio, now is not the time!” Fioritura snarled, tyrian eyes narrowing sharply. “We can discuss this after you’ve simulated your jewel.” “But they like being with me when I sing!” Adagio pleaded. “We sing together all the time!” Fioritura growled low in her throat. “We will have a serious talk about your nonexistent friends once we return home. Your Module, now!” Adagio’s eyes turned to slits and she drew herself up, glaring at her mother. “They do exist!” she snapped, her voice taking on a deep tone as her blood finally settled onto the ruby beside her. “I’ll prove it to you. They always come when I sing, so their fear of you won’t stop them from showing up this time.” Opening her lips, Adagio began a song. A simple melody always helped to draw out the others. Serenata’s ears flattened at this. If the girl’s emotions were so negatively focused when the Module was ready, her song type would be ingrained into the jewel. There would be no way to reverse it and the poor siren would be forced to sing of her negativity for the rest of eternity. Unfortunately, to stop her now would be to seal her fate. As Adagio continued her song, two more voices slowly began to fill the air around them. Fioritura and Serenata perked up in confusion, looking around for where the voices were coming from. A triumphant smirk slid onto Adagio’s lips as she continued harmonizing, her friends following her lead perfectly. The ruby in front of her began to glow, slowly lifting from the platform and hovering in front of the young siren. As Serenata and Fioritura watched in awe, the ruby began to spin, moving faster and faster until the edges were blurred and it appeared round. The jewel spiraled for a few moments as Adagio, Aria and Sonata continued to sing. Then, the ruby suddenly cracked, shocking the two adult sirens. Three cracks lined the surface of the gem, but it didn’t stop its spiral, allowing two of the pieces to break off as the third remained in front of Adagio. “This is… phenomenal,” Serenata whispered as the three jewels spun quickly around Adagio. Enveloping the yellow siren in a swirl of golden light as she and her friends kept up their song, the rubies glowed with white light for a moment, forcing the two onlookers to turn away. When the light cleared, Fioritura and Serenata stared as two other sirens floated down to join Adagio in finishing the song, the rubies settling on all three’s chests, fully formed. Fioritura gaped at the two sirens now rubbing their heads along her daughter’s flanks. She knew both of them from Adagio’s descriptions of them, but she had never seen them herself. They were always effective in hiding from her. Yet, here they were, floating beside her little Adagio and congratulating each other on earning their jewels with her. Adagio turned to her mother with a grin, placing her hooves around the shoulders of her friends. In a voice slightly deeper than what Fioritura was used to hearing from her little guppy, Adagio declared, “Mother, these are my friends, Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze. They’re the first members of my new Orchestra, the Dazzlings.”