//------------------------------// // Thoughts and Promises // Story: Sirens of the Night // by The Crazed Werewolf //------------------------------// Aria sat down next to her sister and her friends. It seemed to be a typical Taco Tuesday at CHS. Sonata and Pinkie were having an impromptu taco eating contest, and from the horrified look on Rarity's face it was tied as both girls tried to stuff more tacos than other into their mouths. Fluttershy sat at the end of the table trying to clandestinely brush her pet bunny's coat. Applejack and Rainbow were arguing about the ending of some video game, and lastly Sunset sat with her magical journal, busily writing away to the Princess. Aria sighed absentmindedly as her hand went to play with the pendent around her neck. As was her daily custom, Luna walked through the school cafeteria, speaking to various students and whichever teachers were watching the cafeteria that day. Aria watched as the Vice-Principal made herself busy stopping an argument between Derpy's younger sister Ditzy, and Diamond Tiara. "It can't be easy," Aria heard Rarity say. "What was that Rares," Aria asked. "I said that it can't be easy," Rarity explained, "you and your sisters live with Miss Luna and at home she treats you like her own family, but here you and Sonata are just two more students." "Sunset has to deal with the same thing," Aria said. "Not really," Sunset said, "mom doesn't tend to leave her office unless there is a problem." "Sunset where is your mom now," Aria asked. "Should be in her office," Sunset said, "she has a meeting with the Holiday Formal and New Years Formal planning commitees after school today." Aria got up from the table and gathered her stuff. "See you in class," she called out as she walked out of the cafeteria. "Wherissegoingsh," Sonata asked with a mouthful of taco. Aria walked into the school's administration office. For the first time that Aria could remember, Raven wasn't seated at her desk outside Celestia's and Luna's offices. She found Celestia's door open, but the woman was reading a novel and eating a salad. Aria knocked on the door frame. "Aria," Celestia said after swallowing and wiping her mouth with a napkin, "come on in." As she entered, she took the time to look around the office. The last time she had been here had been before the Battle of the Bands, and the three sisters had been so focused on causing disharmony, that Aria hadn't taken in her surroundings. The first thing Aria noticed was the number of photographs. Some showed both Celestia and Luna as children. In one Celestia was wearing a CHS cheerleading outfit, and Luna was wearing a CHS soccer jersey. There were also many pictures of Sunset. In one Sunset appeared to be cuddling a leopard gecko. Another one looked like a family portrait, showing Celestia, Luna Cadence and Sunset. In all the pictures everyone looked so happy. She picked up one of the family pictures. "I want that," Aria said, not realizing that she had said it aloud. "The photograph?" Celestia asked confused. "Huh, oh, no a family," Aria said as she snapped out of her trance like state and put the photo back down. "Aria are you ok," Celestia asked with growing concern. "Um yes," Aria said, "I just wanted to apologize to you for what my sisters and I did before the Battle of the Bands. While our actions affected everybody at the this school, we tore your family apart with our actions, and for that I am sorry." "Aria," Celestia said as she embraced the girl, "Sunset Luna, and I have already forgiven you, that's what family does." "But I'm not a member of your family," Aria said. "Aria, sweetie, you are a member of my family, I haven't seen my sister this happy in a long time," Celestia explained, "and it is because of you and your sisters. Luna loves you three so much, she wants to make it permanent." Aria stood back and looked at Celestia. "Does this mean I get to call you Aunt Celestia," Aria asked after a moment. Celestia could help but laugh. ***** "Ah Miss Dazzle," Principal Cinch said, "do you have a moment." "Sure," Adagio said, she looked at Cadence, the older woman signaled that she would wait. After following Cinch to her office she patiently waited for the principal to take a seat before she did. "Miss Dazzle, you have two sisters over at CHS do you not," Cinch asked. "Yes," Adagio answered, she was curious where this line of questioning was headed. "And you live with Vice-Principal Luna," Cinch asked. "She is my guardian," Adagio answered, "why do you ask?" "You are aware that the Friendship Games are coming up after the break," Cinch said, "you are a brilliant student, and had you been here at the start of the year you would have made the team," Adagio sat quietly and listened. She wasn't yet sure what Cinch wanted. "Unfortunately, by the time you had enrolled, the roster had been finalized," Cinch went on, "but there is still a way you can help guarantee Crystal Prep's victory in the upcoming games." "How," Adagio asked. "You see my dear, Crystal Prep has a reputation. We will win because we are expected to win," Cinch said, "all I need you to do is spy on CHS." "Spy on them," Adagio asked, "how?" "Find out who is on their team, I want names and any other information that you can provide. Do this for me, and I can guarantee that your time here a Crystal Prep will be a pleasant one." Adagio gulped. ***** Celestia closed the door to her office after she ushered Pinkie and the rest of the dance committees out, she then looked at Luna who stood there leaning against Celestia's desk. "Pinkie is going all out this year," Luna said with a laugh, "it's like she knows something that we don't." "Aria came by to see today," Celestia said calmly as she took a seat on the sofa in her office. "She didn't say anything to me," Luna said, what did she want?" "That," Celestia answered as she pointed to a picture on her book shelf. "I remember that night," Luna said as she looked at the picture, "that was the night that Cadence told us that she was engaged. Why does Aria want that picture?" "She doesn't want the picture," Celestia said, "she wants what the picture represents, a family." "Oh," Luna said. Now she knew what she had to do.