You know who’s backyard you’re in?” Sunset Shimmer said with acres of self-confidence and a mouth curved up in a high smirk.
Adagio guessed from the pause that an answer was being requested for the rhetorical question. She ducked under the water for a second to refresh herself and then gave it. “Yours?”
“Nope,” Sunset chuckled.
A giggle from her side let Adagio know who might in fact be the owner.
“Mine, of course,” Rarity waved her hand as if it were a trifle to mention. “Or perhaps I should clarify that it belongs to my parents. I only recently have begun looking at possible locations for a home and boutique of my own.”
“Bouti-” Aria squinted in disgust but was cut short.
“Aria, play with me,” Sonata grabbed her sister’s waist with her hooves and tugged backwards.
“No.”
“Pretty please?” Sonata tried her puppy dog eyes.
If there was a substance with less emotion than stone then that was what made up Aria’s face. “No.”
“Rarity’s was closest,” Fluttershy explained to Adagio. “And her parents had set this pool up just recently.”
“For Sweetie Belle and her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Rarity turned deadpan. She loathed to recall some of the trouble those three had caused her.
Applejack shook her head and sighed. Applebloom gave her more than a smidgeon of her own grief. “Cutie Mark Crusader Ocean Divers,” she groaned. “Never heard of scuba diving in a kiddie pool, though.”
“Anyways,” Sunset crossed her arms and sat on the edge of the lawn chair. “This isn’t going to be simple or easy. You’re not going to be able to live like regular human girls. We can’t just set you loose in the ocean either. If some shark came along and ate you, we’d never forgive ourselves. Besides, it’d be nothing but old-fashioned survival out there anyways.”
Twilight, who was clutching a thick notebook, hummed at her own thoughts. “We can’t give you to any other people or let others find out because they might experiment on you or even...dissect...”
“How about making us human again?” Adagio frowned. She saw where this was going.
“You were hit with the Rainbow Laser of Awesomeness,” Rainbow Dash splayed her hands out. “It’s not like getting a makeover.”
Rarity gave a miffed look to the blue girl’s scoffing.
“Besides,” Pinkie Pie squealed, “why would you want to stop being so adorable~!”
Adagio facehoofed.
“It would not be wise,” Twilight closed her notebook and put it under and arm. “In all the instances that the powers of Harmony were used in Equestria as well as this world, it was to right what was wrong. Undoing what has already happened would be sewing disharmony which is the very definition of creating problems. This form must be the one you were meant to have.”
“We were meant to be less than half your size?” Adagio followed Rainbow in scoffing, though for a different reason.
Sunset answered instead. “You were meant to take a form that would make you grow as individuals. Whether that be as a human or...small siren,” the orange girl tried to remain serious and stifle a laugh. “I’m originally a unicorn mare but I’m a human right now because that is where my path lies for now.”
Aria must have been paying attention in spite of Sonata’s persistence. She burst above the surface next to Adagio and practically barked. “We don’t want anything to do with your Equestrian destiny garbage!”
Adagio gave her sister a sideways look and held out a hoof to stop her from saying more.
Sunset’s surprised and confused face was shared by all the other girls besides Twilight.
“Wha-”
“You wouldn’t know,” Adagio put in before Rainbow could ask. She demonstrated once again her more carefully managed emotions and turned to Sunset. “We are much older than any of you and lived more of our lives in Equestria. Not here. Obviously both you and Twilight Sparkle are influenced by the land you came from. That land, Equestria, has certain myths and beliefs that everyone grows up in and believes so deeply that they never think to question it. We never believed in the philosophies of Harmonic Destiny that rule Equestrian culture.”
Twilight nodded to herself in confirmation of the contemporary and foreign philosophy books she had poured over back at her library – the same as any other topic. “Sometimes philosophical concepts can appear religious in nature when looked at from a foreign cultural perspective. Harmonic Destiny underlays every instance of the magic of Harmony itself-”
“Would somebody please speak normal?” Applejack put her hands on her hips with a deep frown.
Sunset exchanged a look with Twilight, who shrugged. “The sirens don’t believe in fate or destiny,” the redhead put more simply. “Or harmony.”
“But what about the Rainbow Laser?” the blue athlete insisted.
“We’re not denying your magical powers,” Aria spoke up as if she were having to painstakingly explain to someone far below her level of intelligence.
Adagio continued her previous train of thought. “It’s not something I expect any of you to understand. No offense,” she added while repeatedly reminding herself that these girls were their saviors. “We’d all rather figure out what we’re going to do now that we’re like this – not argue philosophy.”
Twilight bowed her head in agreement. Sunset looked sideways in thought but couldn’t come up with many good options. Thus it was Rarity who was next to speak since Pinkie Pie was busy once again playing with Sonata.
“The big question is: what do you want to do with your lives?” the fashionista proposed and went to take Sunset’s spot on the lawnchair.
Aria bit her lip and Adagio felt a weight on her even without all of the eyes of anticipation glued onto her. Sonata was likely unaware of the conversation to begin with.
SPLASH!
“Heheheh,” Pinkie and Sonata both giggled as they exchanged splashes of water at each other.
SPLASH! SPLASH!
Some of the spray hit the back of Adagio’s head.
“Power and control would have been nice,” Adagio said to herself more than anyone present. “But maybe I was just fooling myself before that we’d ever have it after we were banished to this world.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Aria grumped with tightly crossed hooves. “Even if we had some small amount of power before, there’s nothing left now. We have no song and no bodies either.”
“I know that!” the elder sister snapped back at Aria. Then she forced herself to calm down. Old habits would get them nowhere. She sighed and continued. “What do you do...with a powerless life?”
“I thought we weren’t going to be philosa...phila...” Rainbow tried to say.
“Philosophical,” Adagio grinned at the blue girl and then added, “dunce.”
“Hey, you enjoy picking on me or something?” Rainbow came right up to the edge of the pool.
Sunset facepalmed.
“I’m a two foot long siren who will likely be surviving on fish flakes,” Adagio deadpanned. “Words are all I’ve got, Rainbow Dash.”
Perhaps it was the realism in what Adagio said or perhaps it was the fact that she chose to use Rainbow’s real name, but that surprised the blue girl. She didn’t know what comeback to use or if she should try for a comeback at all.
“Crustacean-sourced food,” Fluttershy spoke up at last. She moved from where Sonata was to a spot next to Rainbow. “I’ve matched as much as I know about your biology to known species and it’s safest to say that your ideal food would be crustaceans such as crabs or lobsters.”
“Oh my,” Rarity said from her laying spot on the lawn chair. “Quite the refined taste, in my opinion.”
“Isn’t that kind of...sad?” Applejack couldn’t help but wonder as she looked around for a chair of her own to sit down on. “For the crabs, I mean.”
Fluttershy pursed her lips and her gaze fell a bit. “Well, yes. But it’s natural. All life depends on other life. Cats eat fish, owls eat mice, and wolves eat deer. It’s nature’s cycle.”
“Why would you even ask about that?” Adagio peaked a brow in honest curiosity.
Twilight was the one to reply after asking Applejack to bring them more chairs from inside. “Fluttershy cares a lot about animals. She does in both worlds. I mean, here and in Equestria.”
Aria asked the obvious before her sister could. She hooked her forelegs on the lip of the pool and stared at Fluttershy. “Are we animals to you? Is that why you wanted to save us?”
The yellow girl looked very frightened by the approach and Rainbow was about to say something to the effect of “cool off.” But Fluttershy overcame her feelings and replied anyways.
“No,” she said solidly. “I mean,” she turned soft again quickly, “humans are a variety of animal as well, so I don’t see you as different. That’s why I think we should all care about each other...”
“Totally!” Sonata finally burst back into the talk by jumping over Aria and landing in Fluttershy’s arms. The human girl almost fell back from the surprise but caught the siren all the same. “We should all get along. With crab cakes!”
That made Fluttershy’s serious expression soften and give her a giggle back.
“I’ll take the food but hold on the sap, please,” Aria made a gesture as if she were going to gag.
Sunset decided to wrap up their line of conversation, since she came to the same conclusion Adagio just had. “You three have to decide for the first time in maybe a hundred years what you want to do with your lives. And you have to think of it taking into consideration your new forms. Don’t rush it. Think about it. In the meantime, we’ll take care of your needs so you can get by.”
Rarity pulled the sunglasses down from the top of her head to cover her eyes. A nice rest was what she could use. “My parents were made aware of the situation,” she explained while fighting back a yawn. “Purely out of necessity, of course. However, they did not want me keeping more than two pets, so only one of you may stay here for a length of time.”
“Pets?” Adagio groaned.
“It was the best way to explain it,” Sunset defended.
“Fluttershy already has the equipment at her house to keep you,” Rainbow put in. “But she’s at the limit too with her parents, which means we need to set up one more pool for one of you. Since Tank is basically a totally self-sufficient tortoise, my parents had no problem agreeing to it. They’re pretty cool like that.”
“So we’re going to be split up?” Sonata turned teary in Fluttershy’s arms. Her eyes seemed big and more watery than usual.
“No, of course not,” Fluttershy assured and rocked the siren in her arms. “Just as soon as we graduate and one of us gets a place where all three of you can be together. If that’s what you want.”
Sonata eagerly nodded. Adagio’s lips shifted back and forth as she thought, but she nodded slowly all the same. Aria just rolled her eyes and shrugged.
“So that’s what you meant by adoption,” the purple siren commented.
“I adopt Fluttershy!” Sonata shouted out so fast she nearly spoke over Aria. The blue siren’s fish tail was wagging back and forth in joy as her equine muzzle nuzzled the human’s chest.
“Awww,” Fluttershy cooed and hugged Sonata back.
Adagio looked to her grumpy sister after dunking underwater for a second to refresh herself. “I guess that leaves us to decide between Rainbow Dash and Rarity.”
“I get Rainbow,” Aria glared back. “I’m not going to stay with some fashion police princess.”
Adagio grew an evil smirk at that. “Alright then,” she nodded in agreement and then looked to an expectant Rainbow Dash.
“So which of you guppies am I going to get stuck with?” Rainbow grinned, as if she got personal enjoyment from using such terms on them.
“I’m staying with Rainbow Dash,” Adagio declared loud enough for everyone to hear.
Aria’s jaw dropped.
Rainbow shrugged. “Well I suppose it’s the better option. I mean, I wasn’t exactly keen on getting stuck with Ms. Negative either.”
“No!” Aria shouted at her sister. “You agreed! I’m staying with her!”
“Sorry,” Adagio laughed. “But I think some quality time with different company would do you some good.”
Aria looked to Sunset in panic. “You! Why can’t you host me?”
Sunset sighed and shrugged. “I’ve got special housing arrangements. No pets allowed.”
“You!” Aria looked to the purple human who was now sitting on a chair that Applejack got out and set up. “You take me!”
Twilight looked up from her notes. “I don’t live in this world. I have to go back to Equestria this evening.”
Aria’s eyes were turning to swirls of hopelessness and she felt her body slipping down into the water of despair around her. Before she could ask, Applejack put a hand up from her own chair she was sitting in, arranged on the back patio.
“I don’t have the time o’ day to look after ya,” the farmgirl explained. “Too much work on top of school. Besides, don’t want Winona to find out whether or not she likes the taste of fish.”
The last remaining one was Pinkie, who stopped leaning over the pool’s edge to play with the water. She twiddled her thumbs and blushed. “My parents are still kind of upset I got Gummy without asking first. They won’t let me have anything else.”
Aria turned her head to find someone – anyone! But when her gaze turned around, there was Rarity right in front of her at the edge of the pool. She must have gotten up from her chair while Aria wasn’t looking. The siren’s face paled and she gulped.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, darling,” Rarity waved her hand and gave what she believed to be an assuring smile. “We will simply have the best of times. Perhaps I can even help you get in touch with your inner self by designing outfits for you. Oh, it will be divine!”
Aria poured all of her soul-wrenching despair into her shout.