//------------------------------// // Chapter 103 - A nice talk, followed by an unsettling argue, and an uncertain future. // Story: The normal life of Nitpick Bittersweet // by Ryusun //------------------------------// Under the shroud of the night, a deep hunger threatened Sunset Shimmer with an embarrassing groan coming from her belly. As she was returning home after a busy day of school activities and helping Pinkie Pie in a express sell in Sugarcube Corner, her mind also asked of her some rest. Mindless fun watching nonsensical comedies on the web should do the trick, she hoped. She thought about going to her frequented café, but she wasn’t in the mood for a sandwich or coffee. If only Pinkie didn’t eat the last slice of carrot cake during their selling spree, she may had gone straight to bed. “Maybe I’ll eat the fruit I still have in my fridge.” She told to herself a bit disappointed. During her walk, she noticed that some people from varying ages were running across the streets with colorful sport suits or wearing a practical set of shirt and shorts. One old couple in particular looked cute to her, making herself the question if she would ever reach that age. Could she still be in the human world at that time, deciding that she found her true home in Ponyville? Or maybe this would become just another experience and she would go back to Equestria after she solved the magical issues she had in her current town. She barely could picture it; an old mare with some wrinkles here and there, trying to live her daily life at peace in Canterlot’s streets. She vaguely could imagine it; an old woman with greyed hair, teaching children inside a cozy and colorful school, sharing her knowledge and experiences of friendship to future generations to come. Whatever path she choose, will she able to find love, a purpose, or a hobby, to make her last days a pleasant living dream in whatever world she decides to call home? Perhaps not even Princess Celestia could tell. Her reflection was interrupted by a particular black hooded figure that appeared out of nowhere on the corner of the street that immediately picked her interest. Sunset noticed that he was about to continue his jogging onward, but the hooded figure noticed her and stopped his motion. Suddenly, he began jogging to her direction, and Sunset grew a bit wary of his presence. As the hooded figure’s size increased in her vision, Shimmer noticed that it wasn’t a he, but a she. That didn’t stop her from slowly falling to a state of panic. The face wasn’t visible, the texture hidden in the shadow of cloth, but the figure’s eyes were shinning with an aura of cold, silent passion. Like a hunter finally cornering its defenseless prey. Her legs urged her to run, her heart raced with adrenaline. The hooded figure ran faster, flying like a nocturne hunter ready to unleash its claws at its squishy victim. The menacing individual… just casually passed by her side like she didn’t give a care… huh. Sunset sighed in relief as she noticed that the stranger started shadow boxing and performed some acrobatic, controlled kicks in the corner of the street. Perhaps the hooded figure was training for a local boxing match and Sunset was just unlucky enough to get caught in her imposing aura. “My minds was just playing me a trick.” She chuckled as she continued her way home while rubbing her belly. “I need to eat something or else I’ll imagine more crazy stuff!” As her steps became quieter, she saw the stars above her head, beautifully shining in a coat of luminous deep blue and silver light. One of the starry lights above her reminded the mare of Princess Twilight's radiance; a mellow star, shining brightly and surrounded by six gorgeous dots of light blue and gold, dancing in harmony across the Milky Way. As her admiration of the stars continued, a melodious voice slowly but surely began to take flight in the vicinity. At first, she thought it was the ambiance that the park she ended walking in was bestowing to her, but she soon realized that a person was the artist behind it. Enchanted by the lively echoes of her song, Sunset got closer to the source. Surrounded by breathtaking fireflies that looked like glimmering dust floating in the air, and asleep stray animals comfortably laying on the floor, a foreigner with a slim figure, prismatic blond long hair and green eyes was dancing and rejoicing with an aura of freedom and bliss. The girl stopped her private concert when she looked at her new audience, a curious expression formed on her face. “Greetings, fair miss.” The girl said in a strange but familiar speech. ‘A foreigner?’ The mare thought. “I’m sorry if I interrupted you. It’s just that I liked a lot the way you sang.” “I appreciate your compliment, Miss Shimmer.” She said in kind. “No problem. Wait a minute, how do you know my name?” “How I should not? We are rivals in the Thanksgiving event, of course!” “Oh, I see. You are from Crystal Prep.” “Indeed I am, Miss.” Then, Sunset’s belly groaned loudly, embarrassing her deeply. “I see you are hungry. Come, I will invite you dinner.” “What? No, I’m fine.” “Please, I must insist. I need to talk with you for a moment and your timing could not have been more perfect. My beloved friend respects you deeply so maybe you could lend me an ear tonight.” “My beloved friend? … …Wait a minute! Your voice, that way of speech! But no, it’s impossible… Are you -!?” “Excuse me?” She touched her hair and she came to a realization. “But of course! How could I forget about this?” The woman removed the wig from her head and the green contacts from her eyes, revealing a long and silky brownish hair and a set of blue aquamarine eyes that could be mistaken by the deepest of pristine oceans. “Reem Oakwood!” “At your service!” …. …. “This… is a restaurant?” Sunset asked a bit baffled. “Yes, Miss Shimmer. Do not let the shady exterior fool you, for this is indeed an exquisite haven for those who seek refuge from the media. There is enough privacy here that I can stop using my disguise.” She removed her accessories again and safeguarded them in her small bag. “Well, then. Let us enjoy ourselves for a moment.” Reem opened the door for her, and once inside, the family restaurant was a completely different beast from its peculiar exterior. Alluring walls, enchanting adornments, seductive candles pronouncing their lights and aromas across the locale served by beautiful, dignified, and well-dressed bar maidens. For Sunset, it felt like a scene straight from one of the drama series that Rarity likes to watch. “Miss Oakwood, such a pleasant surprise to see you again!” “Fair Butterheart, is there a V.I.P. room available for two?” “Please follow me, my patrons.” She opened the door to one of the exclusive mini rooms for private reunions. “Feel at home and I’ll come back to take your order when you ring the bell.” She winked at them in a flirtatious way before leaving. “That is one of the things that I like about here. They do not care about who I am as long as I have the money to pay.” She sighed in relief while taking a seat. “Word of advice, never aspire to become royalty. People expects of you unrealistic behavior and the media is so horrible when trying to get a scoop out of your privacy.” “I can imagine that.” Sunset said with empathy, remembering the Anon-A-Miss incident. “In any case, why the disguise?” “Let me answer that question by telling you a recent event in my life. There is a certain pair of twins I am acquaintance with, one of them loved to disguise as the other one. She caused a lot of misunderstandings and problems to certain people near my social circle but when it was my turn to be pranked by her, however, she thought I would not know right away who was who, so my friends and I pranked her back instead to teach her a lesson.” “Did the lesson work?” “My instincts tell me that it was a success. We even managed to make her fight against Gilda in a boxing training match. The regular twin had fought with my mighty friend several times before, but the other one, well, she saw the stars that evening.” She giggled rather impishly. “I don’t think that is nice but as long as she doesn’t do that kind of stuff again, then it’s worth it, I think.” “Indeed. Even Miss Heartstring was amused with the way we dealt with her.” “Lyra was with you?” “And young Soarin, Miss Bon Bon, Miss Melody, and young Thunderbass as well.” Sunset thought for a moment, praying that what she was talking about wasn’t about Princess Twilight’s undercover mission. “Of course, Twilight did not like what she saw so we decided to stop. Such a good girl she is.” The mare exhaled in relief when she understood that the Princess of Friendship didn’t receive a beating. “She is a nice girl.” “With that explained, I will answer your question now. I took a liking to her idea of disguising as another person. It has been a while since I sang outside my house alone, thanks to my disguise.” “What do you mean by that?” “As you have seen before, I have a maid. Rarely does she leave my side.” “Rosaline, wasn’t it?” “Yes. And I have other maids and butlers as well.” “You and Blueblood have a lot of those. It’s like every day you have at least a new face working for you.” “Not exactly. At least for me. My silly brother, by the petition of our ‘glorious’ Father gave him special security personnel. Among them there is your standard bodyguard, who is Tobias Star, who is also his main butler. He also has one weapon specialist, one martial artists… let me see…” She took out from her pocket a tidy and cute looking notebook and opened it in a particular page. “He also has one Nipponese assassin.” “Assassin!?” “Do not worry. He does not abuse of his power and has not sent him to kill someone. He may have his stubborn character, but he is not that vengeful or stupid. He also has a stunt driver, an electrician, a royal plumber, and… well, you get the picture.” “So… You two are protected twenty-four seven.” “Far more than I would like. For example, ask yourself this question. If we are royalty, and if we are ‘famous’, why there is never a reporter or another kind of beast from the news stalking us or trying to get close to us?” “Because they respect you…?” Reem laughed softly. “You are so innocent. No, they usually die before they come at my sight.” Sunset’s face became a painting of horror. “It was a joke.” “Ahahahaha… aha… heh…” She cleared her throat and continued. “Sounds harsh.” “Yeah, especially for them when they fail.” “What do you mean?” “I just ran away!” She smiled rather impishly. “They must be looking for me like crazy.” “May I ask why are you giving such hard time to your own people?” “My people? Oh, I could never do such a thing like put at risk the job of my faithful employees bestowed upon me. I am talking about the rats and harpies from the news.” “Oh.” “It does not mean I am completely free from them. Even in my home I feel suffocated. Well, that house is not even mine, technically. Father bought it, not I.” She said a bit frustrated and sighed. “As you know, royalty in the countries were they hold power and influence are usually common targets for mobs, terrorists and other extremists groups that want to take advantage of certain situations. You know, kidnaps and similar threats to ask for a ransom of sorts. It takes a toll on me, living in a golden cage. I want to be free, not become a target of a bothersome issues. I want to be alone for a while walking on the streets without anyone pointing fingers at me. My subordinates barely manage to put weird people away on my surrounding areas.” “Now your disguise makes more sense.” “It is still in the phase of improvement. I believe we were followed by some unwanted girl.” “Unwanted girl?” Sunset was reminded of the black hooded woman. Trying to change the subject to calm herself, she said, “Your disguise is pretty good if you ask me.” “Thanks. Rosaline made it.” “If you are planning to use it again, I’ll not say a word if I see you on the street again.” Reem looked at her for a second, and with a satisfied smirk, she kindly commented, “You are a good listener, thank you for hearing my words.” “Well…” Sunset’s eyes became tender, realizing that Reem wasn’t an oddball like most students told her before. She wished for something normal in her life. “Anytime. Say, I’ve always wondered something. If you and Blueblood are so rich, why are you studying in a normal school? I mean, I know that Crystal Prep is a very recognized institution, but…” “You think that with our current backgrounds, we should be having private and more specialized tutoring. Am I correct?” “Imagine the possibilities of having dedicated educators at your service. Exclusive equipment, rare and invaluable research material ready to bestow you theories and other fascinating theories! All the experiments one can dream of researching at the reach of your hands!” Sunset’s eyes fired up in fantasy as her hands trembled with desire for knowledge. “You are more passionate than I imagined. Just like Miss Twilight.” Reem praised. “Well, Father and Mother believe that having normal relationships with the common folk will give us a better idea on how to become better rulers. Experiencing the struggles of the people, their regrets, their sorrows, and the things that makes them move forward. I share the sentiment and thanks to my friends, I think I have grown a bit.” “I see. Reem… I have another question.” “Go ahead. I am beginning to like your ‘cut to the chase’ interrogation.” “I didn’t mean to sound forceful.” “It was a joke.” “Oh.” “Nitpick would have understood it right away.” “Well, I’m not him.” “And I am thankful for that.” “… …Why are you talking to me?” “Because I can, cannot I?” “No, what I mean is… I thank you for inviting me dinner, even if I can’t help you with paying for it.” “I do not mind.” “Well… I thought Sugarcoat and the others forbids the Crystal students to talk with CHS ones. I don’t want you to get caught in a fight because of me.” “Ah, such a fantastic question with a simple answer.” “…Which is?” “I love my intellectual friend. I care for her, I worry for her, and right now she is passing through an existential problem of self that requires time to heal. But her pride does not let her see that sometimes she overreacts with her methods. She was way worse before, but she is growing, and we are just waiting for her to calm down again.” “I still think her motives to blame CHS are wrong.” “Truth has many faces, and ideals have many interpretations.” “That somehow sounded like Nitpick.” “I know, right? He is the one I match with the most. But my friends are not that far behind, our future linked by our core essences. When we became a guild, a company, a fellowship, our feelings and goals united, becoming dependent of our motives, our ambitions, and our faith in each of us. Without the power of believing in our own uniqueness, and at the same time, not opening our mind to new wisdom, we would be just pointless wanderers in this world of brimming with life. I must wait until Sugarcoat remembers that, and for the meantime, I will continue giving her my piece of mind. Her real truth, not the one instilled on her by Principal Cinch, is something she must find for herself. But alas, it is time to order our meal. Your motions are weaker now, and your eyes dreamy.” “Not at all. You were so romantic with your words. I like this kind of conversations, to be honest.” “I am glad to hear that, and I thank thee for it.” The noble’s cheeks took a slight crimson tint. “Now, do you wish to eat some tacos?” Sunset chuckled. “I never thought you would invite me that of all things.” “You expected caviar from me? I do not like the standards that my bloodline imposes on me. But I cannot deny that I like tea. Recently, I have taken a likening to the black rose petal.” “Maybe you can educate me a bit about the best teas they have here and have a drink from one of them.” Reem’s face shimmered. “I would be honored to share with thee such entertaining knowledge.” They ordered a salad for two with a jar of lemonade as beverage. Two cup of peppermint teas before that was their appetizer. Their conversation continued, and as the time passed, Sunset felt unrestricted when speaking with her. Like Nitpick, she loved to read in abundance, the only difference being that Reem liked more obscure works. It was a pleasant surprise for her to talk about these kind of topics with someone new. Her hunger was being sated by the food, and her mind was being healed by their exchanges of tender wisdom. “I must say that it’s so easy to talk with you. Thanks for inviting me dinner.” “It is I who I must be thankful for the time you are giving me. I needed to talk to someone about anything who was not my loyal Rosaline or my friends. They are still battling their own stress regarding my intellectual friend, so I do not wish to disturb their rest.” “Why the nicknames? Beloved, mighty, intellectual.” “Do not forget about my stupid brother.” “Yeah… Anyway, why?” “Because it is my selfish way to say that they are mine, and they let me be, so I am happy for it.” “You are so different but you get along with Nitpick and the others so nicely that it makes me wonder why you and Rarity can’t get along. She was excited the first day she met you and you... You were just weird all this time, to be honest.” “I do not want to invite someone to my life who I clearly do not have a lot in common.” “But you both are stylish and have refined tastes. I can’t see the reason why you don’t get along.”  “Those who have more than one master are destined to suffer the regret of backstabbing one. I already have the responsibility to appease the people of my country as much as I can through my actions, my school performance, and especially when I am forced to join the bimonthly speeches of my Mother to the citizens back in Great Equine. I do not want to pretend to be someone else or bond with people who will simply stress me out in the long run. In my private life, at least I want to have friends that will simply make me feel at home, no matter how different we may seem at the surface. Miss Rarity does not make me feel at home. The only reason she was interested in me was because of my regal status, not me as a person.” “That’s not true. I know that she wished to know you sincerely.” Reem giggled. “Really now? Let us see if what you say is true. Oh, he will do. Look through the window of the door. See that young man over there? Do not worry, for this door has a privacy glass. Tell me, physically, how do you find him?” “Hmm… A bit attractive, I guess.” “Look closely at his outfit. A black leather jacket, ripped jeans, work boots. It seems that he loves rock music with that kind of shirt he is wearing.” “Yeah. That t-shirt belongs to the Arms and Roses’ band! Only true fans of the band have that shirt!” “Oh!?” “That shirt was only sold in a bundle of their recent album. No normal fan would invest three hundred bucks in that kind of thing. See that golden pattern? The imitations have a cheaper yellow strip.” “You wanted that bundle, it seems.” “I’m poor…” She said a bit gloomy. “We have no idea what poverty is really like. But here is the test. Go talk to him.” “What!?” “Yes! Go talk to him!” “Why should I do that?” “His appearance is nice for your tastes, he apparently likes the same band you like, dresses similarly like you, he must even like to be alone and think about important issues. Look at his face. He gives this aura of melancholy and longing. Either he misses someone, or is waiting for someone who will not come back. Or maybe he had a bad time today.” “Now that you mention it, he looks like he is in trouble.” “Go, then. Talk to him.” “I don’t know.” “Why? He interests you, doesn’t he?” “But I don’t have a real reason to…” Sunset quickly realized what the point of her questions and words were. “You are saying that if you weren’t a royal, Rarity wouldn’t even think about talking to you like she did before. You would be a simple bystander to her.” “Correct. You understood my point of view, the tales of your brilliant mind are well deserved. And you see? You never paid him attention because we were just here talking in private. It was until I mentioned him that he became part of your consciousness. If I were not a royal but I was still a Crystal Student, Miss Rarity would not have approached to me because of the bias she has about the population of the school. You know, we being a group of insufferable elitists.” Sunset blushed a bit, once sharing that sentiment with the others. “I still believe she would have talked to you.” “Not immediately, at least. Perhaps I would have never came in contact with her, because I would be another person, with another ideology, another life style.” “Or perhaps you would have become fast friends because you would be a different person, with a different background, and a different destiny.” “Tee-hee-hee! Right, right! Now I see why he took an interest in you at first sight.” “At first sight? Who?” “Nitpick, my beloved friend, my second friend in my life.” “Who is your first friend?” “Rosaline, who is standing behind the door right now.” Reem pointed at the window and Sunset noticed the grim black hooded figure looking at them with fervor. The door was opened and the figure unhooded herself, revealing a pretty young woman with an expression of dedication and fierce loyalty. Realizing that she was indeed Rosaline, she calmed down again, noticing that she was a bit taller than the menacing hooded woman was. “What is wrong?” The noble casually asked. “Your Mother called. She wanted to know if you were doing fine.” “What did you tell her?” “That you were having dinner here with an acquaintance. She says that you must call her before you go to sleep. Do you wish of me to remind you to call her later?” “See that you do.” “Very well, if you excuse me.” “Wait.” “Yes, My Lady?” “Have you eaten yet? The five of you.” She knew that her other disguised maids and butlers were always near Rosaline. “No.” Reem rang the service bell and Butterheart came in a minute. “This is my friend, there are other four outside. Please give them fresh lemonade and the best pasta you can serve them.” “Right away, Miss.” The barmaid said. “Rosaline, tell the others to stay a while and rest.” The Loyal Maid excused herself with a sweet little smile on her face and went away to enjoy her meal, leaving the duo alone. The young students stayed quiet for a bit while they finished their dinner. Sunset thought for a moment about the way Reem treated her people. Somehow, it reminded her of Princess Celestia. “You really treat your servants nicely.” She commented. “I dislike the term servant. They are my loyal employees or subjects. But if you think that I am nice, you should really see Blueblood. Tobias and the others always feel overwhelmed when he spoils them. You could say we hit jackpot when they decided to work for us. Loyal, dedicated, and all of them very discrete. And well, I want to talk with you about something else, if you still have time.” “Of course! What do you want to talk about?” “As you may remember, Miss Twilight and I spent time together with our respective friends in the Maximus Plaza not long ago.” Sunset didn’t want to touch the matter again. Nervously, she asked, “W-what about it?” “I already told you my experience but, what did she thought about her time with us?” “She told us that she had a good time in the end. She didn’t mention that part you said about the troublemaker, perhaps that was the part she mentioned that was a bit rough near the end but everything was funny for her.” Reem saw truth in her words. “So the other one hid the truth...” She mumbled. “What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.” “It is nothing. Please keep nurturing her so we can have more fun times together.” “Of course I will. I’ll protect her as long as I am able to!” “In Crystal Prep, I had heard that Miss Sparkle was an oddball, but I always thought that she was meant to be much more. I am glad that she is doing fine now. But…” “But what?” “Nothing, Miss.” Reem closed her eyes, crossed her leg, and rested her hands on her knee. “This one single thought I shall keep for myself for now.” There were two knocks coming from the door, and then, a sensual presence was felt in the vicinity, saying, “Do you have everything you need, Miss Oakwood?” Sunset immediately recognized that face. A voracious curiosity consuming her thoughts. “Yes, Miss Dazzle. The dinner was spotless.” “Thank you, my patron. Ring the bell if you need anything else and we’ll come in a swift.” “I want a dessert.” Sunset quickly said, wanting to grab her attention. The door opened, and a fantastic looking barmaid with puffy hair entered the room. “I recommend…” Her voice was silenced when her sight dawned on her new unexpected client. Sunset could feel it, no words needed to be spoken to understand what Adagio Dazzle was experiencing in her heart. The hate, the agony… the cold shadow of vengeance clearly manifesting below her eyelids. The elder Siren sister quickly closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and then, a welcoming smile manifested on her face. “It’s been a while.” “Yeah.” Sunset reluctantly said. “It seems you know each other.” Reem calmly said while drinking her beverage. “Indeed, Miss.” Adagio forcefully replied with kindness. “You could say that.” Sunset followed. “I see.” “I gotta say that was a great dinner.” Sunset reluctantly said to Adagio. “My pleasure!” The Siren forced a grin. “I have excellent personnel working under my lead, willing to please you at their best capabilities!” “… …Miss Adagio, I see that you wish to talk with Sunset on your own, and the same can be said about her. I shall leave you alone so you can have a private conversation.” “What!? N-no! Good service and happy experiences are the foundation of the brand of this restaurant. I cannot possibly allow you to ruin your stay because of my petty desires!” “Desires? More reason to do so. You always treat us nicely, I shall do the same today.” “It’s not necessary!” “I know when I am in the way.” “N-no!! You don’t need-!” “I will come back another time. I will also pay for both of us at the cashier. Have a good evening, the both of you!” She made a curtsy and excused herself. “Wait for me in the counter over there. We’ll close soon.” Adagio said to the mare once they were alone. “Very well.” Sunset said sternly. …. …. One hour later, after the building was emptied and the exits were closed with the exception of the main door, Adagio stood behind the counter and relaxed her arms on the wooden surface, both former Equestrian citizens facing each other in a now unsettling environment. Sunset was serious with a calm but stern frown, Adagio had her prideful and cocky smile backing her up. “Nobody is here now so enough with the pleasantries. Cut to the chase, how did you find me?” Her tone was aggressive. “Reem invited me. This was just a coincidence.” “Hard to believe that.” “It’s the truth, Adagio, and I’m glad that I came here. This must be fate.” “Fate? We are too old to believe in that.” “All this time, Adagio, all this time Princess Twilight and I wanted to know if you were reformed as me and haven’t committed any evil schemes or casted any kind of spell to promote people’s anger with others.” “Ooooh, I get it! You think we’re still on the loose enchanting people with our melodious and unsurpassable voices around town, don’t you?” “I’m not gonna lie, a small part of me believes so.” Sunset said a bit ashamed. “But I hope that’s not the case anymore.” “I wish that small part of yours was right. Everything that defined us was destroyed that night because of you, Sunset.” The Siren Leader began to clean some glasses with her towel, like if it was a ritual to calm her rage. “One thousand year of ancient power turned into dust. Now, here I am, a powerless service provider, working every day to make a humble living.” “Where are your sisters?” “They took the day off.” “I see. Well, even so, I don’t think you do a lot of heavy lifting around here. Come to think of it, something tells me that you are the manager of this place.” “The manager, you say?” Adagio then laughed amused, her smile widening and eyes shining with passion. “I am the Dazzles, and here I am a God! All that lies in your field of vision is mine, all what you see, all what you feel, all what you experience, this is the Dazzles! It’s not my birth magic, but it IS still my magic!! I have come a long way to make this place with my own hands… some help from Aria and Sonata here and there, but most of it was my triumph! My own ambition taking us forward and survive yet again!!” “You have changed very little. I hoped that the Elements of Harmony would make you less power-hungry.” “Ambitious people don’t change, Sunset Shimmer. Nobody truly changes. Once the powerful find their calling, their ambition guides them through all the ordeals that life throws at them. Only the strong can see an unstoppable power on the horizon, and seize it for themselves, one way or another! My ambition is that all of this pathetic little world adore us, if not by music, it will be by food! A restaurant that even the famous and powerful would strive and kill for a seat and a single fried chip! This would be far easier if certain someone didn’t strip away what defined us! But, there are other ways to achieve what someone wants, if I strive for it hard enough.” “I know that you must still be angry with me for the loss of your magic, but-!” “Angry!?” Adagio felt that she would explode at her, but found instead the strength to calm down. “Perhaps.” “Maybe Princess Twilight and I can restore your gems through a magic spell, if you prove yourself redeemed.” “Even if you restore them physically, their essence has been lost. As I said, one thousand years of Siren power turned into dust, never to come back as it was. But who cares about us? You should be happy that you have Equestrian magic again at full power now. Must be nice that the judges of Equestria, The Elements of Harmony, go on rampage with things they don’t like.” “The Elements of Harmony at that time must have deemed you too evil for you to continue to have your pendants, so they destroyed them instead. My offer still stands, we have a repairing spell that could fix your amulets. If you show us your good will, we can use it and give it a shot. You won’t lose anything.” “Those weren’t simple magic trinkets, they were practically part of our bodies in our true form! Every Siren is born with one! But you, on the other hand, were spared of the same fate because there was still hope for ‘redemption’ in you? And now you mock us with your ridiculous new sense of friendship and justice?” Adagio asked with fervent disgust. “Please, tell that story to a street foal. As you may remember, Shimmer, I asked around the school about you. You know, gathering information about the tough cookies that could annoy us in our path. You weren’t a saint at all, either.” “I know I wasn’t the best pony to be around with. But I changed! And I know you can change as well! Please, give the Magic of Friendship a chance!” “Friendship!? Hehehe! Oh, boy, you must be thirsty. Here. Let me give you something!” Adagio prepared with the last batch of ingredients she had at hand a special beverage for Sunset. As she created the drink, the mare looked at her hands dancing in front of her chest. A forbidden ritual used to summon a beverage beyond Sunset’s understanding took place before her eyes, and Adagio Dazzle loved the attention she was giving to her. As she finished her earthly spell, the Elder Siren poured the contents on a small, beautiful glass, smiling confidently about her creation. The redheaded woman became wary when the Siren put the glass in front of her. She didn’t release the glass from her fingertips, as if waiting for the mare to grab it herself. They stared at each other for a good couple of long, indifferent seconds. “I don’t drink alcohol.” “You would be surprised of what will you experience in this tiny glass. Normally I would charge you thirty five dollars for it, but for you? Oh, Sunset Shimmer, these ones are for us alone.” “These ones?” She served the second glass and waited for the mare to take her destined beverage. Trusting that she wouldn’t harm her, she risked everything and took the whole glass at the same time as the barmaid. Sunset experienced heaven, and Adagio smiled triumphantly as the mare acknowledged her creation. “Good, wasn’t it?” “Yes.” Sunset couldn’t deny it. “Now that we are refreshed, I want to point out an interesting fact of what were we were talking about. You see, as you know, I lived during the days when Starswirl the Bearded roamed in Equestria as a master wizard. Before facing him off during a band battle, my sisters and I knew of him, but we didn’t consider him famous and flashy to bother with him until he sent us here. Then we realized that his feats of magic were real. As you know, he was the teacher of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and through him, they learned what they needed to use to defeat a series of threats that were dooming Equestria like King Sombra, and Discord. They were all imprisoned, right? Even the Princess of the Night became distant of her people, I believe.” “King Sombra was resurrected and defeated last year again, then came back and was transformed into a normal unicorn a few months ago. And Discord is now reformed as well, just like Princess Luna, who became corrupted by dark magic in the past.” “By the blessing of the elements, I guess.” “Indeed.” “Did they lose their magic?” “What?” “Did they lose their magic?” Adagio asked more profoundly. “No. All of them still have it. Sombra lost his dark magic but Twilight says that he is still a rather powerful unicorn. Discord being the embodiment of chaos wasn’t affected by it, and Princess Luna continues her vigilance across the dreamscape.” “So, it fits in the equation, right?” “What do you want to say with all of this?” “If you notice the pattern, the Elements of Harmony play a great role in Equestria’s history. Six elements there are, six traits, six bearers; Kindness, loyalty, honesty, optimism-!” “It’s called Laughter.” Sunset politely corrected. “What a stupid name. Where was I…? Ah, yes. There is generosity, and finally, the main lead, Magic! Whether they all became imprisoned or teleported to the moon, the Elements of Harmony always manage to restrict what they consider evildoers and, let’s say, they give them some time to reflect and reform, if they choose to. Then, I must ask, why that didn’t happen to us?” “What do you mean?” “When Princess Twilight came to take her element back, you turned into a demon using the corrupted magic from the crown, or should I say, your heart, didn’t you? Then you were defeated, and eventually became what you are now. A ghost who abandoned her real self to become another servant of the Princesses.” “I have drawn my power to the light by my own volition. If I am their servant, it’s because I choose to follow my real destiny to help others.” “Destiny? Hahahahaha! Charming, that’s what makes you sleep every night, right? Is that what you really think happened? Your destiny is being a bootlicker of the Princess of Friendship? Tell me then, what did you experience when you were ‘purified’ by the magic?” “The same thing that you should have experienced. A chance came before me, another shot to make things right. Perhaps that’s why your magic really disappeared from existence! It’s a test to make you realize that hard and honest work together with your sisters is the true path to happiness! I’m certain that you are more united than ever, even if you have your quirks here and there.” “We experienced a relentless and painful burn from the inside as our power were ripped apart. And a crushing reality that can’t be fixed by any apology you can give us.” “…At least you have all of this now. It’s really pretty… I don’t want to know where you got the money to build this, though.” “If I told you that someone on the street gave me a lotto ticket, and my sisters and I happened to win the big prize, would you believe me?” Sunset blushed for a second and coughed a bit. “Y-yeah! Of course that could happen to anyone!” She then cleared her throat. “You don’t believe me.” Adagio put her hands on her waists, her face spelling skepticism. “No-no-no! It can happen, I swear!” “…Anyway, the point is that every time the elements were used, there were only six forces working together to seal evil. But when you defeated us, you were seven. We got blasted away and got stripped of our power, but the other villains didn’t.” “Are you implying that I was the reason you lost your powers? You are talking nonsense! In the past, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were the only Element Bearers and they managed to control their power just fine! Another fact is that most of the enemies were dealt with in Equestria, where magic is stable!” “Yes, but one, they were all Alicorns! With the exception of Princess Twilight, five were normal humans here and barely managed to stop you! And two, through the pages of history that I have lived in this world, there was no real Equestrian magic here… until your arrival! And when the elements activated under Princess Twilight’s will the second time, they worked like in Equestria for a fleeting moment, right?” “…!!” “Now you get it, don’t you? When Princess Twilight came to this world chasing you, I know that you managed to have in your hands the crown before she defeated you. But it didn’t activate, did it? No, I think not! Its power awakened when you were near her! So you could say that only strong sources of magic can hold and summon their power, no matter how limited it may be in this world. And an Alicorn is a strong source of power as it is, no matter how young or inexperienced she may be. This is why the Princesses were able to use the elements by themselves, and this is why Twilight was able to awaken the magic in this world. Without the host of the magic, such things wouldn’t be anything but rocks. At least, that is what my knowledge of the old Equestria tells me. So, please answer me, am I right or wrong?” “No… I have a similar hypothesis. Also, the magic of the Elements of Harmony inside my friends and I are activated when we have a certain state of mind. The purer is the conviction with the element, the stronger is the magic. If Pinkie becomes super happy, she… transforms.” “When you entered in the equation to defeat us, you must have altered something unconsciously in the elements and instead of petrifying us, make us feel remorse, or something worse like sending us to Tartarus, you destroyed our power instead. You perverted the will of the elements!” “No…” “You were jealous that we could freely use magic like your friends when they played their music, and you just were left behind! Then, insidiously, your will entered the pure magic of the elements and you defeated us with secret ambition!” “No!” “When your chance arrived, you wanted to crush us! Show to the world that you were the only people that were worthy of using magic in this world!! You haven’t shared it, have you? All such delicious power to enforce your will is better left in the hands of the few, right? Why have competition when you can have all the power like a true monarch rightfully deserves? Your color of the rainbow was as crimson as the blood that the devil craves to satisfy his thirst!” “NO!! I, no, WE did it to stop you! Perhaps it was the only way to save you! The Elements guided me as well when saving… saving…” She couldn’t mention Twilight to her, dreading to let her know that the human counterpart was near her. “Save us!? Do I need to remind you that those gems were part of us? Not separated from these hands and legs! Not this gravity forcing us to walk on the dirt! Not this alluring waist and chest – although I know that I look spectacular in any form! But… what would happen to us if we wished to go back? Would we be able to regain our lives without our birth magic? If our gems were part of our life force back there… would we die if we go back magic-less? Even I… Even I…!” Sunset then saw it. The Elder Siren was watching her hands with disgust, rage… and fear. Like if she had thought about it many times before. Like if the dream of simply banishing when going back home could be the certain reality. In a way, Sunset Shimmer felt pity, and empathy. “Adagio…” “I fervently believe that you had something to do with it. It’s no strange that you decided to save this world’s Twilight’s magic instead of stripping it away from her during the Friendship Games. You unconsciously sealed her powers instead of stripping them away. She reminds you of the Princess, doesn’t she? No, in a way, her ambition reminded you of your old persona! And her being the living image of the Princess was a chance for you to help her in any shape or form. Your own twisted way to say that you saved Twilight Sparkle. A kind of an alternate reality were you finally defeat the one you admire and worship now.” “How… how do you know about the Twilight of this world?” Sunset’s fears ate her from the inside. “Well, people from CHS, and even Crystal Prep come here to share the sporadic gossips to me. You could say they gave me some entertaining versions of what happened back then. One of them admires you from the bottom of his heart, others don’t give a care about you. But some of them hate you deeply, you know?” “Crystal Prep… CHS… Nitpick comes here as well!?” “Yes. Miss Reem celebrated her birthday here with them.” She proudly said. “We have our long talks from time to time.” In her own thoughts and with her current information, Sunset soon realized something. “You… It wasn’t Sugarcoat that was dividing Nitpick’s group with her Crystal Prep duty! It was you all along!!” She became enraged, standing firmly and pointing her finger at her. “You were the one who orchestrated their fight with each other! You must have told them many deceptions and lured them to do bad things to other people. No wonder they have been at edge all this time with us! With me! No wonder Princess Twilight’s teachings doesn’t reach them!” Adagio didn’t know what she meant with that, worrying that her favorite clients were in bad terms and wouldn’t come together to make her working days livelier, but she decided to nurture the fires of anger in her by saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” “If you think you will shatter me, I already had my lowest point before when I betrayed Princess Celestia. I won’t fall again. And more importantly, I won’t allow you to divide the Bonds of Friendship of my school and Crystal Prep anymore!” “Let’s see if you can keep your fire of hope burning bright at the end of Thanksgiving Day. Just a friendly advice before you leave, it would be unfair if I just warned you without a tip to share, you know. Be careful with who you trust your grief outside your little group of divinities chosen by the Elements of Harmony.  You don’t know who can be scheming right now your demise.” “I won’t be deceived by your words. My friends and I will stop you if you try to harm us again.” “So much for redemption and giving people second chances. If people still hate you, you’re at fault, not me. You were the one who cheated using magic after all during the games. But, how can I blame you? Magical creatures like us have the need to use magic naturally, for we were born with it! Why should we below ourselves to lesser creatures’ capabilities? But alas, I no longer have my essence, nor my sisters either. But you… Oh! You have power! And only you seven in this whole world can enforce it. Still, there are things that magic can’t counter! There are words so powerful that can truly kill the spirit of a warrior!” “I won’t give up on you… One day, I’ll make sure that all that hate disappears. I will make your pendants and your magic come back to you. Until that day arrives, don’t do evil things behind my back. I’ll come back to check on you later.” “If you don’t bother me, I will not annoy you unless you force my hand! I’m a business-siren now and I have a busy schedule.” “I can’t let that happen now… The place is great, if that means something to you.” “It has more meaning if you bring more customers. I can’t have enough of them.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” Sunset leaved the Sirens’ domain and Adagio began safeguarding her cleansing tools. After she finished, she began to turn off the lights with the master switch she had below her counter, preparing to finally leave her castle and grab some rest in her home. She noticed that her impeccable shoes had a small bothersome stain of filth and she crouched to clean them. When she stood up, there was now a black hooded figure sitting in one of the chairs, her arms relaxed on the surface of the table. Adagio noticed that the eyes of the mysterious figure were cold and suffocating. The Siren Leader stood mightily and fearless in front of the figure, nonetheless, and with a straight face, she commented, “You are not one of the people from Miss Oakwood. Who are you?” The hooded woman laughed, unsurprised that Adagio found out her deception. “I assumed that I could drink your last Mocktail of the day, just like the one that redheaded girl had.” Her tone was deepened and shrouded in mystery, the Siren realizing that she was a master in the art of voice alteration. “Thirty five dollars, isn’t it?” The stranger showed her the money and laid it on the table, Adagio meticulously slipping it away from her hands. “You must be thirsty, and you came to the right place.” She smiled seductively. “I’m glad to hear that.” Adagio poured in a glass the last drink of the day and the stranger took it in one go. “Oh, my. This has a pinch of blueberry juice. It gives strength to the drink.” “Perhaps there is blueberry in there. In any case, who are you? Why all this secrecy? Let me see those threatening eyes of yours with more detail. It’s of bad education to hide your face like that while talking with someone.” “I’m just someone who wants to crush Shimmer and sent her back to her world in defeat. More I can’t tell or reveal.” “Oooh!? Tell me this master plan of yours, CHS gal.” “My, my! How do you know I am from there?” The figure asked with genuine curiosity. “You said very assertively, ‘to her world’, so you must know what she is, and what I am for you to come to me.” “Indeed. Thanks for this opportunity to improve my speeches and delivery for future scenarios. In any case, you already played your part. For today, at least.” “I don’t like being used freely, you know? Why should I do what you desire free of charge? In what do I benefit?” “You will know sooner than you expect. For now, I’ll go. Thank you for making her talk. I learned a lot of interesting things about your world.” “Where were you all this time? I didn’t see you around here.” The stranger showed her a key that leaded to a V.I.P. room and put it on the table. “I snatched it from one of your workers. Don’t blame them, though. One of the early customers was too rude for her to pay any attention to my pickpocketing. The ‘good’ looking guy that complained that her girlfriend ditched him for another woman.” “Oh, yeah, I remember. Poor guy.” “You should consider installing some security cameras facing the main door and your two back exits as well. Also, a better infrared alarm would work wonders in your safe room.” “I could call the police and turn you in for invading and trying to steal from my property.” “I’m not interested in money. I just want information from Equestria and destroy magic in this world.” Something about the part of destroying magic didn’t sit well with the Siren. Adagio casually rubbed her nails on her vest while swiftly pointing at her a gun that was hidden below her counter. “I know how to use this thing and put a hole in your head, I also have authorization to have one of these, so don’t try something funny.” She released the safety lock with her thumb. “I’ll call the police so give me a minute to reach my phone.” The stranger widened her lips, saw that Adagio held the weapon decently, and with a snarky tone she laughed, “That could only happen if I ever existed here, amateur.” The Siren closed her eyes with amusement and said, “Please, you are no ghost to avoid a bullet in-! What the hell!?” When she opened them up, the stranger wasn’t there anymore. In a moment of doubt, and fear, Adagio quickly looked around to see if she was still inside, her handgun firmly held like her authorized instructor told her to. The stranger wasn’t in the building anymore. The black hooded girl disappeared without leaving a trace, a cold breeze of silent demise coming from the opened main door. “Perhaps I should listen to her advice.” The Elder Siren began closing her restaurant and went home quickly. …. …. After calling her Mother and having a three minute chat with her, Reem was resting on her limo on her way home, Rosaline’s legs serving as a lap pillow. The Faithful Maid caressed her hair up and down, a common gesture that incited drowsiness in her. “So Miss Twilight omitted the part where we humiliated her cousin. Intriguing, and unfortunate…” “She may have a reason, My Lady.” “Doubtful. The Miss has been acting strange lately. Ominous, and cold, her eyes were odd today. No bright of purity. Like if she was another woman. Possessed. Usurped by something else.” “My Lady… there is another, more immediate problem we wanted to share with you a while ago.” “There was an unwelcomed guest in the room next to us.” “So you were aware of her.” “Black-hooded, the same design you all used, physically fit. She was chasing Miss Shimmer from afar. I thought it was my imagination but I caught a glimpse of her during our walk to The Dazzles. I should have said something but I did not think we talked about something harmful or incriminating.” “Your disguise, My Lady.” “Doubtful. But perhaps I should wear something else in the future.” “I bought generic sweaters and I was careless in our first time disguising ourselves as normal people. More importantly, the way she perfectly blended with us during our watch was worrisome. If it weren’t for Sergeant Matrix who joined us at the last minute, we would have never noticed her.” “Her target must have been the Miss. Whatever her motives were, she must had taken the chance to follow us when she noticed you were wearing black as well.” “Will you tell Miss Shimmer about this?” “I rather not. Paranoia is a horrible feeling to bear in a night of rest. I noticed that she was scared of you until she saw your face. Then the hooded one must have intercepted her before we met in the park. Besides, I assume that you sent Sergeant Matrix to investigate more about her.” “Yes.” “I hate it when you do that without my consent. It makes me no different from the media I want to avoid.” “Our job and duty is to protect and serve you, no matter the measures we must take. Even if you don’t like it, we must make sure that this woman is not a threat to you.” “You know that sending a veteran from the Shadow Wars is too much, right?” Reem sighed with tiresomeness and continued, “But very well, for the sake of Miss Shimmer, I will trust your judgment. What did he find about her?” “He just reported that she was very elusive after she escaped from the restaurant after talking with Miss Dazzle.” “So the Sergeant finally found his match? Interesting.” “My Lady…” Rosaline’s voice was of scolding and thoughtfulness. “What? He said he craved for a challenge three years ago and onward.” A small LCD screen soon came down from the limo’s roof, then only the voice transmission from the old Sergeant went live. “Rosaline, I finally found the hooded woman who was following our Lady. She quickly caught with young Sunset Shimmer after her departure from The Dazzles.” “So she is indeed after Miss Shimmer.” “My Lady Oakwood?” “Yes. Tell me what do you think is the best course of action. She is an important person for one of my friends.” “We should focus on her protection first. Do you wish of me to escort the girl safely to her destination? She’ll be protected under my supervision from the shadows.” “If you please, but I would like for you to observe and focus more on the actions of the hooded woman. I do not think she will harm her yet.” “As you command!” The transmission ended. “This is the fifth time that I am supervising a stalking operation.” She said with a bit of disgust. “I don’t know how Blueblood does it all the time when something is wrong in his home or with the neighbors.” “The second time at least was one of the best moment of your life.” “Indeed… My friendships were born that day… My beloved friend…” She shut down her eyes and breathed deeply. “He is having a harsh time now. I can feel his regrets so deeply in my heart even from afar. I want to call him now… But I cannot. Not today, at least. My intellectual friend is in agony as well, my stubborn fool. My mighty friend is asleep now, just like my brother. You were worried that I was being targeted by an assassin again, and now you are glad that perhaps this is not the case.” Rosaline blushed while having a straight face. “You read my thought perfectly once again.” The transmission came back live. “The subject arrived to her home. The hooded woman took a direction backwards.” “Pursue.” “Of course, my- Lord Bittersweet is at sight!” “Kill her if she tries something on him!!!” Reem aggressively stood up from her maid’s lap and grabbed the monitor. “My Lady, no!! You’re gonna break the screen!” She managed to sit her back. “Sometimes that attitude of yours worries me, Princess! Your vengeful and overprotective nature is similar to Prince Blueblood.” “Hush!” The screen began transmitting an image this time, Nitpick looked that he was barely able to walk. Reem’s heart jumped with suspense, this being the second time she has ever stalked him. The first time, she wanted to make him suffer and gain a moment of laughter during her birthday celebration, now she had a feeling of filthiness rubbing on her eyes as she was doing something that she hated from the media. Her feelings intensified when he saw his tired expression, her instincts about his state of mind once again being correct. He needed to be alone, for she knew that he always grew through adversity, but it didn’t mean that she wanted to be apart from him. If she could become a normal girl of society, she would be at his side forever with the rest of her spiritual siblings. When the hooded woman intercepted him, a rare and sudden anger engulfed her heart and strengthened her fingers. She could perceive a bad omen coming from her, and somehow she knew she had felt her presence before. That mysterious aura, and those artic eyes met somewhere in the past. The girl passed beside him, Nitpick being so tired to even do an action and just got inside his home. Then, the subject in question sprinted through the bushes of the third house of the block, giving an unexpected slide and finally jumping over a palisade. The Sergeant pursed but he lost sight of her. The mysterious black hooded woman had escaped from the veteran. “I failed, My Lady.” Sergeant Matrix said with deep shame. “I do not mind. We will pick you up now and go home. Thank you for trying to fulfill my selfish request.” “I’ll catch her next time for you.” His voice sounded livelier than before. The transmission ended. The Noble asked of Rosaline to freeze the image were the hooded figure was at its best detail. She meticulously analyzed her until she could memorize her measures. When she had enough, she menacingly got comfortable on her seat with a darkened expression. “So… We have a troublemaker annoying indirectly one of my loved ones.” Reem hissed, taking a sip from the tea that Rosaline just served to her. “I will find you… I will make you suffer a thousand deaths…” …. …. The hooded figure sprinted swifter than before, an enormous source of energy coming from deep within her spirit. Inside her mind, she was overwhelmed with delight that her plans were going as smoothly as she wanted. Even dumb causalities were helping her motives. What began as a simple training routine became a chance to get invaluable information about the mirror world of her home, and that made her happy. Although nothing useful regarding a way to neutralize magic was spoken of, a lot of examples and standard history from Sunset’s realm would come in handy as her hypothesis on how to stop the magic develops further each passing day. “Soon.” She mumbled. “Soon I will stop this madness.” As she continued her jogging, she noticed that she finally eluded the old man who was masterfully following her ever since she escaped from the Dazzles. She smirked at him, noticing that in the past he must have been a very resourceful and impeccable spy. “You have done well to match my speed and my ever changing routes this far.” She was panting a bit exhausted. “If I was your average Jane I wouldn’t have escaped from you, but your prime has long gone, respectable old sir.” She whispered as she gave a respectful bow towards his direction. She opened the door to the place where her Grandmother awaited in a sitting position. Mrs. Leafshard had in her lap a bamboo sword, and with a speed that not even she could outmaneuver, an aching pain manifested on her head.  “Welcome home, my problematic grandchild. Tell me what you were doing so late outside, Bon Bon.” She unhooded herself as a sign of respect. “Eavesdropping.” She stayed still in the front door, awaiting permission to go inside while bearing the punishment she just received. “At least you are honest about it.” The kind old lady sternly said. “Are you still executing your pointless revenge on that now sweet child?” “It’s not pointless, for it has a purpose. My plan will work. It will.” “You’ll hurt the people you love with your actions. Leave this Sunset girl at peace and find a new, more rewarding leisure in life.” “After what she did? Never. I’ll give her a taste of the despair she suffered! I will not rest until her sins are paid with the same coin she was forced to deliver. I will grant her revenge, justice, equality, and more importantly, I will grant us release!” “Reckless grandchild of mine, you will lose someone important again if you continue this path, but it seems that only your failure will grant you wisdom at this point as it happened with your parents. Come inside, my foolish child, take a shower and get ready for dinner. Tomorrow will be a new day to strip out that rotten and useless need of vengeance from you.” Bon Bon looked at her phone and laid her sight on the picture she took with Nitpick, Lyra, and friends during her date in the Maximus Plaza, and with a deep sigh filled with hope, she said, “Of course, Grandma. There shall be a new opportunity to discover truth tomorrow.” The night howled with a chilling whir of uncertainty, and undying expectations.