//------------------------------//
// Revealing Her Past 
// Story: Return to Equestria 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

After getting finished at the library, Aria and Colgate headed to a hotel to get a room for the week.  Aria was very happy that Colgate wanted to spend that much time helping her with her magic but knowing that Colgate wanted to know more about Adagio and Sonata frightened her yet she knew that things may wind up much worse if she keeps up with the lies and it is discovered later on than it would be if she just let her know now. 

Revealing Her Past

After they checked in they headed up to their room and plopped on their beds.  The relaxation would not last long as Colgate wanted to know the truth about Sonata's funeral and why it sounded like there were plenty of ponies in attendance.  She asked, "Aria, back to where we were, why did you make it sound like a lot of ponies went to Sonata's funeral yet you claim you hardly met anypony until after you left home?"

Aria replied, "Colgate, I have to admit something to you.  The things I have told you are a lie, I didn't come from some remote town."

Colgate sat up with a scowl and snapped, "What?  You lied to me?"  Her glare deepened and her voice became angrier, "Tell me then, what is your REAL story?"

Aria replied, "Well it is a rather long story."

Colgate sighed, "I'm listening." 

Aria began, "Well like I told you, my name is Aria Blaze.  Long, long ago my sisters and I were sirens here in Equestria...."

Colgate interrupted, "You're joking, right?"

Aria continued, "No, I am not joking.  Given that you went to Celestia's school I'm sure you studied history and know how Starswirl banished three sirens to a different world through some sort of mirror."

Colgate sighed, "Yes, I along with every other unicorn who has been in Celestia's school knows about that.  We all know how the sirens tried to destroy the world with their hate creating singing."

Aria continued, "Well I was one of those sirens that were banished.  The other two were Adagio Dazzle and Sonata Dusk."

Colgate took a much closer look at her and replied, "I knew that manestyle you have looked familiar, that is the same manestyle the purple siren that was banished wore."

Aria continued, "Yes, that was me.  Once my sisters and I were banished I kept the same style."

Colgate asked, "Tell me, where were you banished and what was the place you were banished to like?  Was it like Tartarus, was it some sort of void where there is nothing or what?"

Aria continued, "No, he banished us to the world of humans...."

Colgate broke down laughing, "Ok Aria, enough with this.  You know just as well as I do that there are no such things as humans."

Aria replied, "Actually Colgate, there is.  We were banished there and it was believed that in that world we would not be able to harm anyone but since we still had our red pendants we still had our singing voices and we were able to."

Colgate laughed, "Oh and if you were banished there, how the hay did you get back?"

Aria replied, "Well Twilight Sparkle is in possession of that mirror and fixed it to where she can open it when she wants.  She had been there before and I knew where she came from so when she returned for one of her friend's graduation, I knew the portal was open and I came home."

Colgate's scowl returned as she asked, "You're joking, right?  You mean to tell me that Twilight has this mirror and is basically using it like a toy?"  Her voice became more intense as she continued, "I find that very hard to believe."

Aria replied, "Well if Twilight hasn't returned from the human world yet and we can get into her castle, I'll prove it!"

One part of Colgate wanted to believe her but the other part knew that she couldn't just go into Twilight's castle and show her.  She sighed, "Well let's go to Ponyville and see if Twilight is home.  If she isn't, I can unlock her door and you can show me this thing."

Aria got up and said, "Well let's go."

Proving Her Case

As Aria and Colgate headed to the train station, Aria was nervous.  She knew she was right but couldn't help but wonder if Twilight was already home and she would not be able to show it to Colgate.  Colgate however, was pretty sure that Aria was simply telling her a tall tale knowing that her claim could never be proven true.

When they arrived in Ponyville all seemed to be normal, the market was set up and ponies were out doing their regular business.  The two headed to Twilight's castle to see if she was home.  Colgate knocked and asked, "Twilight, are you home?"

There was no answer and after a couple of minutes, Colgate attempted to unlock the door and much to her surprise, the door was unlocked.  She asked, "Aria, was it unlocked when you left this place after you allegedly returned to Equestria?"

Aria replied, "No, I unlocked it on my way out."

The two headed in and Aria led Colgate up to Twilight's chambers.  Colgate was shocked by what she saw.  Sure enough, there was the mirror but it looked vastly different than it did in the history books as it was connected to all sorts of devices.  Aria pointed at it and continued, "Just walk through it and you'll see that I'm not lying." 

Colgate sighed, "Very well, follow me."

The two walked through the mirror and when they arrived on the other side, both stumbled forward onto their hands and knees.  Colgate looked at herself and asked, "What the hay?  Other than my skin color I look like those hideous things in my sister's comic books."

Aria gave her an intense look and asked, "Do you believe me now?  Do you believe me when I say I was a siren that was banished to the human world?"

Colgate sighed, "Yes Aria, I believe you."

As they were trying to get up they heard voices heading towards the portal.  Aria yelled, "It's Twilight, Starlight, Sunset and my sister Adagio!  We have to get back through the portal before they see us!  We have to get out of here, get out of Twilight's castle and get back up to Canterlot!"

Colgate nodded and while Aria had got up on her feet and ran through, Colgate crawled through on her hands and knees.  Once they returned to Equestria they knew that they likely didn't have much time to get out so they galloped out of Twilight's castle and off to the train station.  Some of the ponies in town were curious as to why they would be galloping through the center of town but luckily for them, nopony saw them come out of Twilight's castle. 

When they arrived at the train station Aria was beginning to speak when Colgate whispered into her ear, "Not a word until we are back in our hotel room, got it?"

Aria nodded and the two boarded the train.  They were very quiet on the ride up there and did not say much of anything until they got back to their hotel room.  Once they got back to their room Colgate apologized, "I'm sorry for doubting you Aria.  I never imagined that Twilight had that thing and I'll be honest, I always questioned whether the whole thing involving Starswirl and banishing sirens was even real, one part of me thought it was just an old mare's tale."  She plopped back on her bed and asked, "So what all happened while you were in that world?"

Aria replied, "Well like I said, while for quite some time we weren't able to cause many problems with our singing, once we got to Canterlot High where there was actually Equestrian magic, we were able to create a lot of hate through our singing and had it not been for Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer, my sisters and I could have not only conquered that high school, but that world."

Colgate said, "Well perhaps it is best you didn't.  If the humans there are anything like the ones in my sister's comic books, they have no magic and that would be a horrible way to live, not having magic." 

Aria replied, "I'll admit, it wasn't the most pleasant place for us but eventually, after a thousand years, we finally adjusted and after we were defeated at the battle of the bands, they finally began to tolerate the place but my hatred for it and my desire to come home never died."

Colgate asked, "This battle of the bands, what was it anyway?"

Aria replied, "Well it was this contest at that high school to see which students had the best band.  In the end it was my sisters and I going up against Twilight and her loser friends."

Colgate gasped, "What, she has been there before?"

Aria replied, "Yes, she has.  I don't know how she knew but after my sisters and I began to really have an impact on that place, she shows up and using her freaky magic they not only defeated us, but they shattered our red pendants that helped us not only sing well and stir up hate, but to live for as long as we did."

Colgate asked, "So what happened to those pendants anyway?"

Aria began to become agitated, "Well like I said, it was Twilight and her loser friends that used a freaky spell to not only defeat us but they destroyed our pendants!  After that, we lost our immortality over there and began to age normally."  She began angrier and snapped, "And without them we couldn't sing anymore!  We went from having beautiful voices to sounding horrible!"  She eventually snapped, "Ugh, I swear, they are the worst!"

Colgate gave her a smile and this angered Aria, "Why are you smiling over that?  Are you amused that I can't sing anymore?"

Colgate replied, "No, that is not the case.  It seems as though those pendants allowed you three to cause a lot of problems but without it, you can't stir up hate by singing nor can you cause any problems.  I am smiling because this way you are just an ordinary unicorn who means nopony any harm and that could help you get your citizenship."

Aria asked, "Regarding the whole citizenship thing, what am I going to tell Celestia about my past?  She just can't know that at one time I was a siren, can she?"

Colgate replied, "Aria, the best thing to do with Celestia is to be honest.  If I were you I would open up about everything.  If she sees that you are not afraid to share your past despite what could happen, that will gain you her respect.  Also, when she sees that you can not harm anypony and by having me there to vouch for you, I think you'll be able to get your citizenship and after that, a job as my receptionist."

Despite what Colgate said, Aria became nervous.  She asked, "But what if she wants to banish me to Tartarus or even worse, throw me back into that stupid place I escaped from.  I don't want to get thrown back there!"

Colgate put her hoof around her and replied, "Aria, just be truthful with her.  Honesty is a virtue in her eyes and like I said, with me there to vouch for you, you should be fine."

Aria asked, "So when will we go see Celestia about this?"

Colgate replied, "Like I said not too long after I offered to help you with everything, we will go see her on Monday morning."  Colgate yawned and saw that it was getting late.  She continued, "I don't know about you but I'm getting really tired.  How about we get some sleep and tomorrow I'll help you with your magic more?"

Aria said, "Sounds good."

Colgate replied, "Ok, well good night."

Aria returned, "Good night." 

As she laid there trying to get to sleep, Aria still couldn't believe it.  She still couldn't believe that a pony who was once in Celestia's school would do so much for her.  She was ecstatic that she was helping her with her magic but she was even happier that despite learning that she was one of the sirens that was banished, that Colgate still wanted to help her get Equestrian citizenship.