The Heart of The Queen

by Pumpernickel Rye

Countdown

“Who wants more waffles!?” Over the loud sizzling of the waffle iron, many voices erupted while Pinkie poured on more batter. “Don’t worry! You batter believe there’s more coming!”

“Enough with the puns, Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves on the table, rattling the plates and silverware. “We want more hay bacon! Much more!”

“I’m working as fast as I can!” Spike struggled with the big bag and poured a large amount of hay bacon into the giant frying pan, unleashing it’s powerful aroma through all of Cupid’s Arrow and drowning out the smell of the roses. Chrysalis had chosen to decorate the tables of her speed dating section by placing one flower from her garden in a vase in the middle of each, where everyone was sitting for breakfast. “I’ve already gone through a whole bag of the stuff! How are you not full?”

“Because hay bacon is the greatest thing I have ever eaten in my life!” Thorax picked up the last piece of the greasy ambrosia before devouring it in an instant, crunching and slurping to Nymph’s disgust. “He saves Equestria and makes the ultimate breakfast! Is there anything Spike can’t do?” Nymph held out a napkin to him and pointed to his mouth. The smaller changeling blushed and cleaned himself as his mouth drooled for more.

“He can’t keep all my files and transactions entirely accurate.” Chrysalis took a sip of her coffee as she eyed the alicorn. “Twilight, have you considered coming back to Cupid’s Arrow? Just for old time’s sake?”

Twilight looked back at her old desk and felt a bit warm. “It would be nice to work with my friends again, but I think I should be doing more as the Princess of Friendship.”

“But it would be so nice to have you here.” Chrysalis got behind Twilight to tenderly massage her shoulders. “You just have this way of brightening up the room and making me feel-”

“I’m not doing your taxes, Chrysalis.”

While buttering up her waffles that were in the shape of Celestia’s cutie mark, Nymph could not keep herself from giggling. “Chrysalis, why would you of all changelings need help with taxes? You have written plenty yourself.”

“Because these are Equestrian taxes,” Chrysalis huffed as she sat back down next to her. “They have certain differences and I have to ensure I keep my fake identity consistent.”

“What about Luna?” suggested Rarity before she nibbled on a piece of hay bacon floating in front of her. “I’m sure your darling princess would be happy to help you.”

“Perhaps because she uses an abacus as opposed to a calculator.” Although everypony was laughing, Nymph could tell they were trying their best to hold back out of respect for their princess. “But in all seriousness, I believe Twilight has a better eye for getting down every little detail. I’m surprised none of you ever thought about asking her before.” She and Nymph felt the small rise of nervousness around them and Chrysalis chuckled. “Sorry, girls. I asked first.”

As Twilight looked at each of her friends in confusion, Pinkie hopped over to the tables with a towering plate of waffles on her head while Spike struggled to carry the load of hay bacon due to the immense weight. “Who wants waffles!?”

“Me!” Pinkie took one off the top with her spatula and tossed it onto Thorax’s plate. After drowning it in butter and syrup, he picked up his fork and knife, ready to chow down. However, he paused before looking up at Nymph. Thorax set down his silverware, placed his napkin on his lap, and then calmly cut into his breakfast. “Can we have breakfast like this everyday? It’s great to be eating with everyone.”

“Cupid’s Arrow is a matchmaking business, not a waffle house.” Chrysalis finished the last of her coffee and took the coffee pot for a refill. “Besides, the chefs in Canterlot would be more than happy to make you waffles.”

“How is Canterlot, Thorax?” asked Applejack as she took three entire waffles and a hoof full of hay bacon. Given how much she had already eaten, Nymph wondered if she truly was a pony and it was the one thing she was not honest about. “Can’t imagine what it’s like livin’ in a giant castle with so many ponies ‘round.”

Thorax’s wings buzzed. “Oh, it’s just the best! I love seeing so much of Equestria just from my window. It’s way better than just looking at stone walls underground. I still can’t believe I’m living in the same place as Princess Celestia and Luna. It’s like a dream come true! I can’t imagine how it could be any better.”

“Living there without the Dazzlings?” asked Spike with a mouth muffled by waffles.

Thorax gulped. “Yeah, there’s that.”

“Are they still a problem?” Fluttershy asked timidly while wiping off Pinkie’s mouth as the party pony devoured her syrup soaked meal. “They seem very mean.”

“Oh, they’re not that bad. Sonata’s almost always in a good mood and she just likes talking. She’s actually kinda nice and I don’t feel worried being around her. Aria’s...certainly something.”

“She’s not bullying you, is she?” asked Rarity, almost horrified. “From what I’ve heard, she is quite a brute.”

Thorax unconsciously rubbed his eye. “No, she’s not. All she ever does is argue with Sonata or Adagio and just sits around looking bored. I think she only tolerates me because they bother her more.”

“So she’s like the dark and brooding type?” asked Rainbow Dash. “She sounds kinda cool.”

Spike choked on his breakfast and Twilight smacked him on the back to allow him to properly swallow. “No way! She’s a monster! Hanging out with them would be the worst possible thing! She may look like a pony, but she’s big enough to eat you whole!”

“Spike, don’t say that,” scolded Nymph, despite sharing his fears about the siren’s true form. “You have to look at what’s beneath the surface.”

“A missing soul? A black heart?”

“Didn’t you use to think the same about me?” The harsh glare Chrysalis produced caused Spike to tremble in his chair.

“OH!” Pinkie flew high into the air, slammed into the ceiling, and landed back in her chair while never losing her grin. “I’ve got it! We should bring them to Cupid’s Arrow and find them true love! It’s the ultimate weapon against all the hate they wanna cause! If it worked for Chrysie, then it should work three more times!”

“It’s not a bad idea, Pinkie,” complimented Twilight, “but there are no other sirens around and they see ponies and changelings as a means to an end. I am curious of what siren courtship involves, however. There’s so much about them that I want to learn.”

“Darling, I think you should focus on pony courtship first.” Twilight became flustered as her friends laughed.

“W-what about Adagio?” the alicorn asked loudly over everyone else. “How is she?”

Thorax shrugged at her. “She’s been a little hard to get along with and makes me carry stuff for her whenever they wanna buy things. Whenever she actually wants to talk to me, she just talks about herself. A lot. Other times she complains about how Sonata and Aria are dragging her down and sometimes she and Aria go at it. I’ve tried breaking them up before, but I’ve learned it’s better to stay out of it.”

Applejack finished off the last of her massive breakfast and leaned back in her seat with her hooves on her stomach. “No wonder they have to make people like ‘em. They sound rotten to the core. Ah’d even go as far as call ‘em ungrateful. Ya think they left home cause no one wanted ‘em around?”

Nymph swallowed another strip of hay bacon. “I find that to be very likely, but I cannot say with certainty. They don’t seem fond about talking about their old lives.” When she reached for another piece, her eyes slowly met Pinkie’s, who now sat directly next to her with an even bigger grin on her face.

“Are you suuuure you don’t want me and Flutterbutter to see them?” Pinkie asked sweetly. “They really sound like they could use some of our friendship!”

“As I’ve said before, they still hold hard feelings against your counterparts. Besides, thanks to Chrysalis and Luna, they’re making some sort of effort with Celestia’s friendship lessons.”

Fluttershy came over and began pushing her sad marefriend’s seat back to her table. “I know they’ve done mean things, but I still feel so bad for them. How can they be happy when they’re always fighting? Why don’t they try to make things better?”

“Perhaps it is the very nature of the siren,” answered Chrysalis. “They cause strife and feed off the negative energy. Not even as a means of survival. I would not be surprised if a life of spreading misery has an effect on their own ability to even find joy for themselves.”

Pinkie poked her head over Fluttershy, who was giving her a tender hug. “But there must be something that keeps them happy. I mean they act like they hate each other, but maybe they really do care each other if they are sticking together.”

Chrysalis magically carried the coffee pot to refill Applejack’s mug. “Sonata’s dream suggested she and Adagio either were good friends at one time or that it’s something she strongly desires.”

Twilight’s ears perked up. “So she is interested in friendship after all.”

“So it seems,” said Nymph before giving Thorax a pat on the back. “It’s a shame that she’s still not willing to be Thorax’s friend for whatever reason. Aria and Adagio may be a bit more complicated, but I’m glad to have someone like Thorax who can handle them. As for Sonata, you would think she would be more open to Celestia’s friendship lessons and abandon the other two, yet she follows around Adagio like a lost puppy. I pity the poor girl.”

Pinkie finished taking a shot of whipped cream from the can before tossing it to Rainbow Dash, who did the same. “Well what we need to do is show them real friendship! They need to see how real friends act and get along so they learn!”

“I’ve tried, but the three of them together are difficult to break through. Maybe a visit with you and Fluttershy may be a good idea at this point.” Pinkie’s grin grew intense. “Don’t get too excited. Celestia and I would have to prepare something to ensure we can make an impact on them.”

Chrysalis looked at the clock at the wall and a quiet groan escaped her throat. “Well it’s that time of the day again. We better clean up before customers start mistaking this place for a restaurant.”

“Then Thorax and I shall be on our way.” Nymph magically took all of the dishes from her table and placed them in a neat pile next to the sink in the kitchen. “Thank you for having us over, Chrysie. This lovely breakfast will help me survive court today.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes as her friends walked by carrying their own plates and glasses. “Pff. Court is overrated. At least they know you’re in charge and you can put your hoof down whenever you please. Try running a business and see how long it takes until you feel the urge to throw somepony out your window.”

Nymph giggled. “Sometimes I feel the same way, but alas, my poor changelings need me.” She touched Chrysalis’s cheek. “Especially you.”

Smiling, Chrysalis gave her sister a hug. “I trust you will figure something out one day. There’s no other changeling I believe in more than you.”

“I suppose that’s true.” She looked over Chrysalis’s shoulder to see all their friends happily watch their tender moment. “I know what’s best for everybody.” When they parted, the queen motioned Thorax to her. “It was wonderful to see you all again. I wish you all a pleasant day.”

“Bye, everypony!” Thorax excited waved to them as the ring of flame surrounded the both of them and quickly vanished, placing them right outside Thorax’s room. “Thank you for bringing me, Nymph.”

“My pleasure. It would be nice to just stay with them a little longer, but we all have our responsibilities. Not exactly how I prefer to spend this lovely day, but what can you do?” The queen loudly sighed. “What about you, Thorax? What do you do whenever you aren’t grubsitting?”

“I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. Princess Twilight was kind enough to lend me several novels.”

“Reading is an excellent passtime.” For a brief moment, Nymph played with the idea of giving Thorax her novel once it was finished, but she did not believe he could withstand such explicit reading. “May I ask what you have read of late?”

“RIght now I’m reading this play that’s supposed to be super popular called ‘Poneo and Muliet’. I’ve just read-”

Gasping, Nymph pressed her hooves against Thorax’s cheeks and lifted him up to her eye level. “‘Poneo and Muliet’!? The greatest love story ever told in Equestrian history!? Oh, Thorax! I never took you as the romantic type!”

“R-romantic? I wouldn’t say that. I just wanted to…” After a pause, Thorax smiled confidently. “I mean, I’m more of a casual reader of romance. It’s not something I go out of my to read, but I do enjoy any good love story. I guess I am a romantic in a way.”

“I did not realize you had such exquisite tastes. I’ve been meaning to attend the play for so long, but I’ve been so busy with everything else and I haven’t seen any performances planned here in Canterlot.” Nymph set him down. “I’ve got it! We can simply get a film reel of the movie! It won’t be the same as going to the theater, but I am confident it will be a memorable experience.”

“We? You want to watch it with me?”

“Absolutely. I’m sure you must be such a fan of it that I couldn’t possibly deny you the chance to see it on film. We’ll just have to pick a day for us and maybe Chrysalis and Luna to get together to watch it.” Such a thought caused her to happily sigh. “Can you imagine it?” Nymph swooned. “The two of them witnessing this story of forbidden love? Perhaps they are living the story right now.”

Thorax shifted his hooves uncomfortably. “I don’t know about that. There’s this one part-”

“No no!” Nymph interrupted. “Please don’t spoil the story. All I know is that it’s a tale of forbidden love that had stood the test of the time, but I know that destiny will prevail and love will triumph in the end.” Without realizing it, she held her hoof against her chest as she wondered who would one day take the throne beside her. “Do you believe in destiny, Thorax?”

“I think I do. I mean, isn’t it destiny that I’ve met you and everypony else? I was just a nobody and now I get to see Princess Celestia, the oldest and most powerful pony, every day! I now guard over three of the most dangerous monsters the world has ever known!” Thorax was practically beaming with joy. “Maybe I’m meant for something great! I could be a hero or a famous writer or something!”

“The universe works in mysterious ways.” She placed her hoof under his chin. “I am ever curious of what it has in store for you.” She then gave Thorax a friendly boop on the nose. “Now promise me you won’t read any more. I want us to witness how this tale ends together.”

“A-a-absolutely! I’ll try to find something to keep me busy like another love story. Yep. I sure love those.”

“Splendid. Tell me if you find something worthwhile, but not today.” Nymph turned around after giving him one more sweet smile. “Make sure those Dazzlings sing after their shifts. I want the people talking about them by the end of today.”

“You can count on me!”

“I know I can.” Thorax bowed his head and went into his room as Nymph walked away. She couldn’t help but trot with quite the skip in her step while humming to herself. All she could think about was seeing ‘Poneo and Muliet’ with her own eyes. Cadance and Rarity talked about it all the time when they got together to work on Nymph’s untitled novel, so she was confident it would prove to be a great source of inspiration. Maybe she could find a way to use the play as a way to influence the ponies into accepting the love between Chrysalis and Luna and bring about a happy ending similar to the beloved story.

It was not long until Nymph noticed something in the air and her mood changed. She sensed a strong amount of fear and some anger coming from somewhere in the palace. She couldn’t imagine what could be going any, but if she had any guess, it would have something to do with the Dazzlings. With this is mind, she went to investigate the source of this negative aura.

The trail lead her toward the entrance of the palace and when she came down the stairs, Luna and Celestia turned to her as the many ponies and changelings below all erupted in many forms of questions while take many photos of her. “Excuse us for a moment.” Celestia retreated back up the stairs and took Nymph with her while Luna followed. “Your timing couldn’t be more perfect.”

The changeling rubbed her eyes, but she could still see spots. “Celestia, what is going on? Why are there so many people in the palace?”

“Canterlot has become very concerned with Chrysalis’s frequent visits and that worry is starting to spread through Equestria,” answered Luna. “Ponies are very paranoid of her often being in the palace and rumors are going around that she’s trying to influence me and Celestia. It doesn’t help that some of the guards here in the palace worked directly under Chrysalis before.”

“I should not be surprised your subjects have come to the worst conclusions about Chrysalis yet again.”

“It cannot be helped. Their beliefs are not entirely unreasonable. They are simply worried about their kingdom and loved ones, but they do not have all the facts.” Sighing, Celestia added, “For now, it would be best that Chrysalis only visits as Cherub.”

“So we’re just going to go back right to the start and pretend she doesn’t exist,” the queen spoke angrily. “What goes on in the mind of ponies? Doesn’t the fact that Chrysalis hasn’t done anything after all these visits suggest that perhaps she is not up to anything?”

“Ponies believe she is just biding her time for the right time to strike.” Nervous, Luna glanced to the side. “They even speculate you are up to no good since you have been in Equestria for some time.”

Nymph’s metal shoe pounded the rug beneath her as she released a threatening hiss. “Why am I not surprised? Your subjects are still cowering in fear of something they have no proof of. I think you two should feel insulted that they don’t even trust you to handle Chrysalis.”

Standing by her side, Celestia wrapped up the changeling with one of her wings. “I know they have been difficult, but we must treat this situation delicately. Ponies are afraid and we have to ensure them that there is no danger. We know this is sudden, but could you reassure them that there is no threat and dispel any rumors? I’m afraid I have many scheduled appointments today, Luna needs her sleep, and that it is you they really want to question.”

‘As if they would believe anything I would say.’ With great reluctance, Nymph nodded. “I will do what I can.”

“Thank you.” Luna loudly yawned as she walked away. “Wake me up when Chrysalis is here.”

“I’ll send your cuddlebug first thing.” Once Luna was gone, Nymph turned toward Celestia. “I worry for her and Chrysalis, especially now.”

“I do as well. They have both endured so much and they both deserve to be happy. I understand your frustration with my ponies, but please do what you can to ease their worries. If anything goes wrong, find me at once.” Celestia exited down the hall in the same direction as Luna while Nymph braced herself for the worst.

Upon returning down the stairs, Nymph’s eyes were assaulted by a barrage of flashes directed at her while the room was quickly filled with a disorganized swarm of questions. She stood on top of the stairway and raised her hoof up, gradually bringing the crowd to silence. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have asked that I personally answer your questions.” Nymph rolled her eyes when once more the crowd erupted into simultaneous babbling.

“Queen Nymph, what is it that Chrysalis does on her many visits here?”

“My sister is only here to have meals and spend time with us. We are doing everything we can to prepare her for her return to a normal life back home.”

“Your Highness, are you planning on unleashing Chrysalis outside of the castle like you have done before?”

“You make her sound like she’s some sort of beast! No, we won’t and because of all these outrageous rumors, Chrysalis will be not visiting the palace for the time being.” Nymph gritted her fangs when she heard collective sighs of relief across the room.

“Do you truly believe that Chrysalis is trustworthy enough to be let out of her current prison?”

“Absolutely. I know my sister better than anyone. And if you’re not convinced, perhaps you would like to speak with her yourself?” In an instant, all fell silent and the levels of fear erupted all around her. Ponies were sweating, tugging their collars, and whistling innocently with some trying to slip out of the castle. In a way, it was both satisfying and disappointing to Nymph. “I suppose not. Any other questions?”

“Queen Nymph, for what reason have you stayed in Equestria for so long? It is unusual for a ruler of a kingdom to spend so much time away from their own.”

“My changelings are scared. They live in an unfamiliar land with many ponies who do not feel they are trustworthy. I will admit my stay has gone on longer than I anticipated, but I must do my duty as queen. I will do all in my power to ensure my people feel safe and have all the love they can eat.” Nymph loudly chuckled. “By the time I’m done, let’s just say ponies and changelings will practically singing songs of friendship side by side.”

“Queen Nymph, rumors have been circulating around Canterlot that you have been secretly constructing a changeling base in the caverns where Princess Cadance was once held during her own wedding. Care to comment?”

“You ponies are absurd. What purpose would constructing a base underground serve if my changelings and I are free to walk around? This is just another baseless rumors pony spread around because they are bored and wish to make controversy.”

“Are the mines where Chrysalis is currently held for her sentencing?”

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving her in an abandoned mine.” Luna had already beaten her to the punch and no one wanted to repeat that mess. “Just because she did to Princess Cadance doesn’t mean we want to do the same to her. As I’ve said before, Chrysalis’s location is classified, so stop asking.”

“What? Ha! Ha ha! That’s ridiculous!” Now more than ever, Nymph needed to put on her best poker face. “How silly of you to think that Chrysalis is secretly feeding you her honey by slipping it into Equestrian food products. My sister wouldn’t dream of doing something like that! And mind controlling properties in the jelly? You have no proof of such thing. Besides, it was Cherub who first introduced changeling honey to Equestria, who absolutely has nothing to do with Chrysalis. At all. Ever. NEXT QUESTION!”

“With the Grand Galloping Gala coming soon, are you planning on letting Chrysalis attend?”

“Well, I don’t see why she shouldn’t. The Gala-” Nymph couldn’t hear herself speak once the ponies went into an uproar.

“Queen Chrysalis attending the Gala!? This is ridiculous! She invaded our city and assaulted our princess!”

“Why are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna treating Chrysalis like she’s their guest!? She almost conquered their kingdom!”

“Why should any changeling be allowed to attend? The Grand Galloping Gala celebrates the creation of Canterlot and they almost brought it to ruin! They should be kept out!”

“Has our princess at last gone senile? First Discord and now Chrysalis!? What happened to the good old days of a thousand years of imprisonment?”

Nymph cleared her throat and tried speaking over the crowd. “I know the news of Chrysalis attending is shocking, but…” It was clear her words were falling on deaf ears, so she raised her hoof to get their attention. “Citizens! Hear me!” Finally, they quieted down to allow her to speak. “I understand that my sister’s presence at the Gala is something most of you will find unsettling, but it is important to us changelings as well. It will be the first Gala that my people will be able to attend without the need of a disguise and will be a great stepping stone for the unity of ponies and changelings. Chrysalis has made monumental effort to atone for what she had done and I want her to be there with me for our first Gala.

“I promise you that she will be no threat to anypony. She just wants to go and have a good time with me and our friends. As a matter of fact, you can come and speak with Chrysalis so you can get to know the real her. Not this monstrous exaggeration of you all believe. Until then, I strongly suggest you all consider starting off with getting to know my subjects and stop treating them with suspicion. From what we were told, Equestria as supposed to be a kingdom filled with love.” Nymph turned towards the stairs on her right and walked off. “No more questions.” Once more the crowd exploded into a cacophony she could barely understand and she felt immense relief when they were out of earshot.

How long had she stood there answering ridiculous questions she and Celestia had answered before in court? She swore her legs were creaking with every step she made. It was almost a complete waste of her time and she felt she had done enough work as the queen for the day. With Celestia being busy, court would have to remain closed, which left her with plenty of free time to write. The thought of getting back behind the typewriter filled her with a tingle of excitement and relief.

Upon returning to her room, she was welcomed by the pleasing scents of clean linens and a hint of lemon from what was used to clean the wood and floors, which helped take some of the edge off. Nymph immediately pulled up her typewriter and loaded a fresh ink ribbon into it. She was over halfway done with her amazing tale of romance and she was eager to show Rarity and Cadance her next chapter where she would introduce the most intriguing part of the plot. In the middle of their long adventure across Equestria and beyond with all the twist and turns as they tried to clear Glistening Hauberk’s name for a crime he did not commit would be the true test of their romance. Something that made every tale of romance interesting and engaging from beginning to end and what her friends had been asking her about since they began this book.

The love triangle.

The clicking of the keys was almost music to her ears as Nymph rested her head on a purple pillow from her bed. She hadn’t put much thought into who this second mare would be, but the mare would be a pony who seduce the lovely Glistening for her own selfish desires. With the handsome stallion vulnerable after learning that the lady whose affection he sought for so long thought little of him, it was the perfect time for her to strike. Cicada would try to warn him of this terrible mare, but he would not believe her as she was a changeling, who were known for their deceit. This plot point would show that changelings are not the only ones who can be deceiving and this other pony would be symbolic or something.

It was a first draft. It wasn’t meant to be perfect.

It was not long until her first page was completed and she set it aside. As Nymph continued crafting her story, she thought back to the mention of the Grand Galloping Gala. She could only imagine what kind of magical night it would be. Celestia often described it as overrated and dull, but she was clearly exaggerating like she tended to do time to time, no doubt so she could blow her away when the night arrived. She could already see Chrysalis and Luna dancing under the moon’s light with all eyes on them. Such a setting would have been the perfect time for Chrysalis to get down and propose to Luna.

Unfortunately, she doubted there would be enough time to make ponies not only accept Chrysalis, but her relationship with their princess, so she would be forced to attend the Gala as Cherub. She would need to figure out how to have both Chrysalis and Cherub be present at the same time for her sister’s quick visit, but she had plenty of time to come up with something. It was history for her people and she wanted Chrysalis to be a part of it.

The clicking keys suddenly stopped. A horrible chill took hold of Nymph and suffocated her. Despite the unnatural cold she felt, she was sweating profusely. She envisioned the Gala where Chrysalis would make a brief appearance as her true self. She knew what exactly was going to happen. The ponies would act just as they did in the Crystal Empire. They would boo her, yell at her, throw things, and commit other horrible acts to show their disdain for her. Like before, changelings would come to the defense of the queen they understood and fall prey to their prejudice.

She could easily just keep Chrysalis in her disguise for the whole night and avoid the conflict all together, but it wasn’t enough. Ponies already voiced their disapproval of any changeling appearing in the Gala and ever since the Crystal Empire, it was certain much of Equestria would feel the same. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Obviously Celestia couldn’t bar any changelings from attending to keep her ponies happy. The changelings would retaliate and may no longer trust any pony if Celestia herself was willing to treat them this way for their first Gala.

Nymph’s mind kept replaying every possible scenario and they all ended the same way: catastrophe. Only now did she realize her physical state and got up from her seat. She tossed her moist cloak into the laundry hamper as she went into the bathroom to wipe the sweat off with a wet rag. What was she to do? How was she going to prevent the Grand Galloping Gala from becoming a historical disaster? If anything were to go wrong, it could set back all of her progress by so many years. Two months barely felt like enough time to change the minds of so many ponies just from her own words.

Realization struck her and the queen wasted no time running to her dresser.

Buried beneath more cloaks folded away in the drawer were the three pendants she had taken from Twilight. She knew this day would come, but she didn’t feel ready. The Dazzlings were still a threat and she was sure that if she gave them an inch, they would soon take Equestria. The gems would technically still prevent the mind control, but she could only imagine what Adagio would try to do with this. She held up the purple gems and gazed into them. Behind them, she noticed the flower vase holding a rose from Chrysalis’s garden that she had taken a few days ago. Looking between the gems and the flower, Nymph put on her saddlebag and tossed them inside.

“Do it for Chrysalis.”

She took the form of a mint green unicorn with a rose red mane before eying the clock on the wall. It was several minutes past when the Dazzlings’ shift would have ended for the day and she quickly teleported herself a short distance from the entrance of Canterlot. On the busy streets of the city, she found a wooden bench for her to sit on as she waited for them to arrive with Thorax as they normally did when they had free time. The sound of the wind brushing past her, hooves walking on stone, and the constant talking around her did little to ease her nerves as it all made it difficult to concentrate on the task at hoof.

After what seemed like hours, she saw the sirens and Thorax exiting the palace. When they came closer, she stood up and before intercepting them, she caught wind of a conversation. The fact that Thorax was involved only added to her curiosity as she followed behind them closely. “I honestly cannot believe you didn’t know what a pirate was until now,” said Adagio. “From what the other world taught me, they are quite popular.”

“It’s not my fault!” complained Thorax, sounding a bit abashed. “I lived underground! How can there be pirates without a sea or sky for them to sail their ships? And how can people like them? They sound like a bunch of brutes and thieves.”

“Being a pirate is about way more than that!” Sonata countered happily. “It’s about the adventure across the daring sea with your hearty crew to find unexplored lands and waters!”

“It’s about being free to do as you please and answering to no pony,” added Adagio.

“It’s about the booty,” Aria finished. “Looted quite a few ships myself back in the day. Would have loved to join them, but they liked to hunt sea monsters and I doubt I would have exactly been welcomed as a crew member.” She patted her chest. “Was nearly done in by one pirate, too.”

“Wait, really!?” Aria closed Thorax’s open mouth and gave him a nod. Without realizing it, Nymph increased her pace. “B-b-but you’re a giant and powerful sea monster! How did one pirate almost beat you!?”

“An ambush,” Aria answered while ignoring Adagio’s condescending chuckle. “One time I was out in open waters, I caught a pirate ship passing by and thought it would make for a nice payday. I came up from behind them and sang, making all of them knock the heck out of each other. Once they were down and I had my fill of magic, I made them toss their loot to me.”

“So what happened?”

“Don’t know. Think one of them came across a siren before. This one pony had something in his ears and was hiding below deck, so he resisted me and I didn't even know. Maybe he knew one of us was coming or he was just lucky. While I was at the side of the ship collecting my gold, he fired one of the cannons at my ribs.” Aria gritted her teeth as she stroked the side of her chest. “Knocked me back into the water and cracked some of my ribs, but I was lucky. He was so close to blasting my gem.”

“Wow! How come you never told us that story, Aria?” Sonata asked in awe.

She shrugged. “Not exactly a story I’m proud of, but I thought it was worth sharing right now.”

“W-what would have happened if he did get your gem?” Thorax gulped. “Would you have...died?”

“No, stupid!” Adagio spat. “Does a unicorn die when they lose their horn? No, so why would a siren be any different? We don’t need our gems to survive, but we need them to live. Understand?” Thorax nodded at her and then Adagio noticed Sonata was still taking a moment to think of answer. After sighing, Adagio said, “Maybe he missed on purpose, Aria. Probably wanted to claim your heart for himself and live like a king.”

“Her heart?” Thorax glanced at Aria’s pendant. “Is that what you call your gems?”

“Yep!” Sonata answered cheerfully. “Makes sense since they’re red and in our chests!”

“Sometimes ponies remember encountering a siren,” Aria continued. “Probably because the siren didn’t sing well enough to have them under their full control.”

“I would have never made that mistake,” Adagio gloated. She turned to Aria with a smirk on her face. “Sorry. Was I interrupting?”

“Point is that word of us spread around and our gems became a sort of mythical treasure. I know sailors sailed around looking for the legendary ‘Siren’s Heart’ treasure and what it did was always different. It gave you control of the seas, it supplied you with endless wealth, it granted you one wish, and so on. Never heard about a siren losing them gem to a bunch of sailors, but anything could of happened in the last thousand years.”

“That’s an incredible story, Aria.” Nymph was shocked by how close to her Thorax was willing to get. “Maybe you could tell me more about yourself and I could put it in a book!”

Before Aria even had a moment to consider his offer, Adagio stepped in between them. “Thorax, aren’t you forgetting something? I almost had a whole world wrapped around my finger. Maybe there’s someone else you should be asking for an interview?”

Now that anything of interest had passed, Nymph felt she could no longer waste any time and get to work. “Dazzlings.” They each looked confused as she came up to them. “There’s going to be a change of plans.”

Sonata gasped happily. “How do you know our band name? Are we already really famous!? Do you want an autograph?”

“It’s Nymph, you moron,” answered Aria. “Who else would dare boss us around?”

“And what change?” questioned the dazzling singer with immense agitation. “Are you perhaps planning to withhold us from singing today?”

“No, you are going to sing, but you will only be singing those songs I have given you. About unity and harmony as opposed to those that feed your ego. That won’t be a problem, I presume?”

It was clearly the universe wasn’t on Nymph’s side when Adagio frowned even more. “And why is that? Why those songs of all things?”

The queen took a deep breath and prayed she didn’t blow a blood vessel today. Why couldn’t Adagio just go along with her requests and keep things simple? “The situation between ponies and changelings is once more being challenged and now is the time to act.” She moved closer and gently moved Thorax aside with her magic. “It is time to uphold your end of the deal and unite them through song,” she whispered.

Aria loudly groaned. “Great. I’m stuck spending the day singing songs straight from a children’s show.”

“But people love those songs!” argued Sonata. “You just hate them because you hate almost anything!”

“Well I want to sing what I wrote,” protested Adagio in that narcissistic voice that made Nymph want to glue her mouth shut. “I am an artist, after all. You do not mess with art.”

Nymph rubbed her temples. “Follow me.” They traveled deeper into the city until Nymph spotted an alleyway for them to stay out of sight. “Thorax, please gives us some privacy and keep guard.” He nodded and slowly headed for the exit, often looking back with worry. “Adagio, you don’t get a say in this. This was the deal we made. The one that got you back in Equestria.” She magically opened her bag and retrieved the three pendants. “For now, you will be using these. It’s time for the songs I have given you to truly make their mark.” They were surprised when she magically kept their mouths shut while she put in great effort to remove the ones they had. With enough magic, they finally came free and she placed the others on their necks. Once she had put in enough magic to secure them on, she freed the trio from her hold.

Each siren looked at their new pendant excitedly. “It’s about time,” said Adagio, grinning as she stared into her reflection within the gem. “I wasn’t sure how much longer I could handle having my voice restrained.”

After admiring her accessory, Aria looked up at Nymph. “There’s something up. You suddenly coming out of nowhere to give these to us? I don’t buy it. Would you mind telling us what’s going on?”

“Let’s just say I’ve been put on a timetable and I need to get the people to stand together under harmony sooner than I planned.”

“Does this have something to do with all those ponies in the palace?” asked Aria. “Heard a lot of them complain about changelings being at a gala or something.”

“I heard that too!” added Sonata. “Well I kinda did. I heard ponies talk about Chrysalis a few times though.”

“And now you want us to clean up this mess,” finished Adagio, strangely smiling at the queen.

“Correct, but why do you care? You girls want to shine? Here’s your chance.” Nymph pointed to the entrance of the alleyway. “Go out there and dazzle them.”

“Way ahead of you!” Sonata was about to trot out of the alley before Adagio yanked her back by her tail. “Hey! Don’t you wanna go sing?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Sonata stared blankly at her, causing Adagio to roll her eyes. “Nymph. If you want us to sing those songs, we want something in return.”

“Is that so?” Nymph snorted with disdain. “And what is it you demand from me?”

The siren slowly grew a malevolent grin. “Energy to empower our voices.”

“You’re joking.”

“No, she isn’t,” said Aria. “If we sing about love and changelings and all that other sappy crud with things now being as bad as they might be, then our careers are going to drop dead in a heartbeat because ponies are gonna look at us like a bunch of annoying hippies or something. We need magic to make ponies love our songs.”

“I’m afraid just being good singers won’t cut it,” said Adagio in a rather flaunting manner. “We have been singing for some time, but only few recognize us on the street. If we are to shine to stardom in a situation like this with you forcing us to sing these atrocious songs, we have to be the best. We need magic.”

Nymph looked back towards the streets as ponies and changelings walked by with Thorax standing guard. “I suppose there’s no harm in siphoning some emotions. I can already feel plenty of negative energy for you to feed from. Just take only what you need.” Each siren smiled mischievously and looked toward one another as Nymph went toward the street. “Thorax.”

He jumped as he turned to her. “Is everything okay? You were all in there for a while.”

“We were just getting a few things straight. Right now, we need to find negative emotions.”

“W-why? What are we doing?”

“We’re gonna make our voices even better!” Sonata squealed. “You totally wanna hear us with more magic! We’re real show stoppers!”

“I don’t know.” The smaller changeling visibly shivered as he looked at each siren. “Is this really a good idea?”

“There’s no danger,” answered Nymph, masking her true feelings for his sake. “The pendants will keep them from controlling anyone and they are doing this for the greater good.” She quickly turned away before Thorax could voice any more of his concerns. “Now then. Let the feeding comence.”

“Sir! Sir!” Seated outside of a restaurant at one of many tables decorated with white cloth and small candle was a rather angry yellow unicorn mare as she waved down a changeling waiter, who quickly ran to her. “My soup is littered with flies! And it’s too hot! You call this service!?”

“Madam, the flies are part of the dish. If you would like them to have them on the side-”

The pony loudly gasped as well as gagged. “You intentionally serve bugs with your food!?” Her outburst had caught the ears of many citizens passing by or ponies already eating there, the latter choking, tossing their dishes aside, or hastily investigating their dish. “That is disgusting! I’m going to contact the health inspector and have this place shut down!”

Nymph could only watch with pity as the changeling waiter was forced to stand there and listen to the pony’s barrage of complaints and offensive remarks regarding changelings. Ponies were just too picky with what they ate and she saw no reason for them to make such a scene. “So changelings eat bugs?” Sonata asked as a faint green aura entered her chest. “That’s super gross! Like I almost wanna puke!”

“I can barely stand looking at a lot of them. Just the thought of biting into them…” Adagio shuttered.

“It’s disgusting and I’m pretty sure that counts as cannibalism,” added Aria. “It’s no wonder ponies have a hard time warming up to changelings.”

“Hey! I take offense to that!” complained Thorax. “You shouldn’t judge how we eat until you try it! I bet your girls would like cockroach crunchies! They go great with ketchup!” Each Dazzling slowly turned green like the magic they were absorbing. “And why is it weird for us to eat bugs? You’re fish who eat other fish!”

“It’s completely different!” argued Adagio. “It’s because...well sirens...er…”

“Bugs are just gross, okay!?” Sonata shrieked. “They have too many legs and eyes, they crawl everywhere, and they bite! They are the worst thing ever made! I miss living in the ocean because there were no bugs!”

“What about butterflies?” Nymph conjured a green one with her magic and had it flutter in front of them. “Are they not beautiful and majestic creatures?”

“What’s special about them?” Adagio swatted it out of existence and posed with one hoof behind her head. “I’m already beautiful, majestic, and even one of a kind.”

“Maybe on the outside.” Adagio snorted at her, but no one noticed Aria smiling just a little. Shortly after, the green flows of magic faded as the scene died down. “Let’s be off before one of you loses their lunch.”

“No way!” The large orange earth pony slammed his hoof down on the concrete outside the bookstore. “You’re completely delusional!”

“Says you!” The smaller red pegasus used his wing to hold out a comic book. “Look at this cover! Look at how close they are standing next to each other! Notice their eyes! It is clear as day that Mistress Mare-velous is interested in Zapp! They have always been best friends and that’s the easiest way for it to become something more!”

The other stallion laughed. “That’s what they want you to think. Only a true fan would notice the hidden subtext? Did you not read the issue where Radiance and Mare-velous were stuck together in the Maniac’s trap, opening up to each other about their insecurities and secrets as they wanted for their teammates to rescue them? It’s clear as day!”

Normally, Nymph would have walked by without giving them much of a glance, but soon many ponies exited the store and took a side, quickly turning a small argument into a public debate of yelling. Adagio couldn’t keep herself from laughing as they drained the energy presented to them. “How pathetic. What madness drives ponies to argue over fictional romance?”

“I thought people read Power Ponies to see them fight crime,” said Thorax, unsure of what to make of the situation across the street. “Isn’t that why they read superhero comics?”

“That’s why I read them. I love superheroes!” Sonata replied cheerfully, giving Thorax quite a bit of confusion. “Wait, how do superheroes work in Equestria? Pegasi can fly and unicorns pretty much have super powers. Wait! Does that mean Celestia and Luna are secretly superheroes who fight crime!?”

“No,” answered Thorax, “but I was told of one tale of a hero who went by the title of Mare Do Well who-”

“Don’t care,” Adagio interrupted as the green stream disappeared. “Well that was hardly filling. Let’s get out of here before I subject my eyes to these poor ponies fighting over their stupid books.” She took the lead this time as they quickly made their exit. “I mean, it’s fiction. They are not real characters and who they love doesn’t matter. How can anyone take it so seriously? It’s pathetic.”

“Adagio,” spoke up Aria. “I still remember when I had to deal with you and Sonata bawling for almost two days straight after watching the series finale of Stable Condition and for nearly a week after watching Taurtanic.”

Before Nymph could even blink, Adagio flew back and grabbed Aria by the shoulders. “THAT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!” Everyone backed away from her while many ponies and changelings on the street were staring at them. “And you swore to never speak of that again!”

“Adagio? Crying? I find that almost as unlikely as you crying, Aria,” commented Nymph with delight. “I don’t mean any offense. I mean you just don’t always...express yourself. Well you do, but just not...you know what I mean.”

“I’ve never seen Aria cry, either,” said Sonata as she trotted up to her. “Why not?”

“Because I learned how to deal with my emotions,” Aria answered bluntly. “Crying gets you nowhere. It’s not like it’s going to change any endings, am I right?”

“Low blow!” snapped Sonata puffing up her cheeks as faint traces of tears formed in her eyes.

“I thought you just act tough because you were really super sensitive on the inside or something,” said Thorax. Death’s sickle loomed over his head as Aria Blaze slowly turned and walked up to him, forcing him to back against a wall. “I-i-isn’t that why you don’t really show emotion?”

“No.” Once she felt her message was made clear, Aria turned away. “I just express myself however I feel like it.”

“Have you ever thought about smiling more?” Thorax suggested timidly. “It would make you less scary.”

“I like being scary.”

“Well at least smile around us!” Sonata complained. “We’re a team! You should be happy around us!”

Aria bounced her head between Sonata, Adagio, and Nymph. “I don’t exactly have anything to be happy about.”

Rather than let the subject drop and move on, Nymph’s curiosity got the better of her. “Well could you just show us a quick one?”

“No thanks.”

“Oh, come on, Aria,” complained Adagio. “We’ve been together for years and I’ve never seen you smile. Well, I have, but not in the way someone like Sonata does. Not even Hearth’s Warming Day has you act anything like her. Just shows us one. You know, like a sweet one or something.”

“I’ll pass.” Aria tried to brush them off, but she was losing her nerve as the four of them moved closer. “S-stop it. This is stupid.” They moved much closer and Aria was sweating. “You’re not letting me go until I do it, are you?” They all nodded. “Fine. Just one and then we go.” She stepped back and took a deep breath. Once ready, Aria wore her biggest, friendliest smile.

Somewhere nearby, a pony sitting in front of an organ fainted and fell forward, unleashing it’s deafening roar onto the city. Windows all around the street suddenly cracked. Birds from trees all around scattered into the sky with no direction. Foals and grubs suddenly erupted into crying before being comforted by their confused parents. An ordinary white cloud floating overheard cracked thunder, scaring many across Canterlot.

Thorax fell sideways onto the concrete, stiff as a board. Sonata slowly turned another direction and walked into a wall, but continued as if she was not currently facing an obstacle. All of Adagio’s hair had fallen flat, the utter amount of hair putting Pinkie’s mane to shame, but she had not even noticed. Nymph had not witnessed any of this as she was elsewhere. In a void of darkness, she could see two figures standing before a bright light. When she took a step forward, she discovered that they were Queen Locera and King Scarab, smiling and urging her to join them. When she blinked, everything was back to what it was as she stood out on the streets of Canterlot. Unable to withstand anymore, Nymph used her magic to force Aria’s face to lose its smile.

Once they had all regained their senses, they each stared at Aria, who looked both terrified and confused. None of them did or said anything as each of them struggled to take in the event. Eventually, Nymph found the strength to walk and shortly after, they followed.

“Ponies certainly act fast, don’t they?” Nymph could say she was shocked to see what they were doing, but she couldn’t say she was surprised. Several ponies had set up a stand on a street corner with signs asking to have Chrysalis and even changelings banned from the Grand Galloping Gala. Ponies who had not heard of the news were flocking over to learn more about the former queen’s potential appearance.

Sonata looked at Nymph as more green energy flowed into her. “What the heck is the Grand Galloping Gala anyway?”

“Just a little celebration important to Canterlot. You girls wouldn’t care much for it.”

“That I can believe,” said Adagio, focusing intensely on the magic provided for her.

Nymph rolled her eyes and then turned back to the large crowd emanating fear, shock, and anger. It was impossible to think of anything else but what the future could bring if she did not succeed. As anxiety once more began to grip her heart, she felt something. Looking to her side, she saw Thorax standing beside her with his hoof around hers as his eyes reflected concern. In the moment of comfort, Nymph then remembered the Dazzlings, who had just finished draining the crowd. “Well? Is that satisfactory?”

“I think so!” Sonata chimed as she looked her pendant, despite its function different from those they wore in the other world. “I’m just super excited to sing with power again!”

“It’s...nice to have all this magic again.” Nymph could have sworn she saw evidence of a blush on Aria’s face for just a moment. “I guess this won’t go as badly as I thought.”

Adagio looked at each of her cohorts before scoffing. “Hardly. We need much more than this.”

“You three seemed to have been absorbing quite a bit of emotions over the last hour,” snapped Nymph. “How could you possibly need more?”

“Look, I don’t know how love works for you changelings, but we need the real deal. We need anger. We need rage. The kind where two ponies are yelling at each other and ready to fight.”

“Adagio, aren’t you asking for a little much?” asked Aria in annoyance. “We have plenty of magic for one show.”

“No. We need enough magic to blow them away! We need every head in Canterlot watching us as we sing! This is going to be our big break, so every bit of magic counts if we are going to make a name for ourselves! First impressions count, especially with this climate.” Adagio, much to her follower’s annoyance, rubbed under her chin. “I’m putting a lot of thought into it just like you wanted. This is a make or break moment for us.”

Pulling her head away, the pink siren muttered something under her breath as she looked off in the distance. Sighing, she turned toward the queen. “For once, Adagio has the right idea. We’re going to need a lot of magic if this is what we’re up against. We need a big source of negative emotions to reach our full potential or else we’re gonna get booed off stage. Again.”

“We have been all over Canterlot and we have yet to come across such a thing, so it’s out of my hooves,” Nymph replied. “You will have to make do with what you have.”

Adagio pointed to the mob down the street. “Then make it happen.”

“...What?”

“You heard me. Maybe you can just show your face and have them throw a fit about your sister. Make these ponies really angry! Make them hate!”

“How about mind control?” suggested Sonata with unsettling glee. “Just use your magic to them fight and we will drain them dry so that our songs will be super amazing!”

Nymph stomped her hoof onto the ground. “No! I will not subject these ponies to such torment just so you can sing better! You will just have to sing with what you have and that is final!”

“I understand.” Adagio turned the other way and shrugged. “I should have known better than to have asked. You weren’t much of a risk taker during your first time as the queen, either. It seems some things never change.”

Every muscle in Nymph’s body locked up. Her eyes could not pry away from the siren and she had not noticed that her own horn was glowing with intense light. “What did you just say, Adagio?”

Adagio slowly turned to her with a devious smirk. “Oh, just how you were such a little coward back when your poor changelings were starving. I guess not even their pain was enough to move you to take action. Even now, they are crying out for you to help them, but you will sit and do nothing like before. Tsk tsk.” Her smile steadily became a grin. “Is what your mother trained you to do?”

Unconsciously, Nymph bore her fangs as she held Adagio dead in sights. Thorax tried reaching for her, but she quickly smacked his hoof away. Nymph then realized what she had done felt her fury snuff out like a candle in the wind when she saw Thorax cowering. Slowly, she knelt down and offered her hoof so that she could help him up. After that, she turned her attention back to Adagio. “I suppose we will be doing things your way. Let us find cover before we proceed.”

They entered another alleyway and Nymph poked her head out to get a good view of her targets. The crowd had grown in considerable size and were eager to get their hooves on picket signs. It was clear to the queen that they would be marching around outside the palace by the end of the day or tomorrow, giving her yet another headache to deal with. “Go on,” taunted Adagio. “You’ve got to make hatred to stop hatred.”

Nymph managed to pry her fiery eyes from Adagio to set her sights on the ponies. Just a little bit of magic and it would be a feeding frenzy for the Dazzlings. Her hooves were already soiled, so what was a little more dirt? They would be washed clean when she made up for all this with their songs. Her horn glowed as she prepared to take hold of the first pony’s mind, like knocking one domino over onto many in a line. However, no such thing occurred as the light of her horn died out. “I can’t.”

While Aria and Sonata were disappointed, Adagio was absolutely furious. “Are you braindead? What part of we need magic to sing did you not understand? Shall I speak slowly so you can understand me?”

“I understand you completely.” Nymph’s horn glowed once more as she marched up to the sirens. “However, I have a simpler solution in mind!”

“H-hey! Don’t you dare!” Adagio backed into the wall with the other two.

“Nymph, I swear if you do this, we will make you regret it!” threatened Aria, although she was clearly terrified. “You cannot do this to us!”

“Oh, that is rich! You girls thrive off of manipulating others, but when the tables have turned, you three cower like the little fish you are!” Nymph stepped closer and they were trembling. If only she had a camera to savor the moment. “Time for a new lesson. Today, you get to personally experience what it feels like to fall prey to the control of another!” Her magic glowed intensely bright and they covered their eyes as they awaited their fate. Nymph was about to cast the spell until Thorax flicked her horn and cancelled it completely. “Thorax! What are you doing!?”

“Nymph, you don’t have to do that.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll go.”

“Go?”

“I’ll go and...make a scene.”

The second he tried to leave, Nymph quickly grabbed him by the hoof. “Thorax, no! I forbid it! You should not be made to go through something so horrible!”

“It won’t be that bad. I’m used to...taking flak.” He gently pulled away from her. “Besides, I think you need to keep your hooves clean.” He stepped towards the entrance of the alley and disappeared around the corner.

The four mares exchanged shocked glances before running out to watch him march onward to the ponies. “Thorax…”

“He’s really doing it,” Aria said in awe. “I didn’t think he had it him, but he’s got guts.”

“Well, duh! Everything has guts!” Sonata playfully booped her nose. “I know somepony who hasn’t spent enough time watching the nature channel!” The siren cocked her head slightly as she watched Aria fight with all her might to hold back her screaming,

Adagio rubbed her hooves together. “This is going to be good. I’ve always wanted dinner and a show.”

Unable to stomach the inevitable, Nymph backed into the alley and sat herself against the stone wall. She pressed her hooves over her ears and waited. Shortly after, she felt the confusion in the air burn out from all of the anger that erupted. It was nowhere as powerful as the ponies from the Crystal Empire, but the thought of it being directed at Thorax was too much for her to bear. She cursed herself for allowing him to do this. For letting Adagio push her around.

As the rage swelled, she pressed her hooves harder against her ears. What she wanted more than anything was for it to stop. For the first time in her life, she cursed her sixth sense and would have traded it for anything else. It was impossible to keep track of how long Thorax was out there with her mind clouded from the sheer volume of anger. Looking to the side, she saw the Dazzlings relish in the fury and take in the magic surrounding them.

Eventually, the anger lessened and Thorax soon appeared in the alley. Nymph stood up and ran to his side. “What were you thinking!? I could of easily done it myself with this disguise and simply never use it again!”

“I-I-I know.” The stutter was enough to queel Nymph’s scolding. “I just thought they would feel more hate if I argued with them as a changeling. A-a-and I don’t think a good queen like you should need to do something like that.” He looked at the Dazzlings. “They have enough magic now, right?”

Adagio rubbed her throat and hummed happily. “My voice is begging for release. It’s nice to know at least one changeling is willing to put in effort.” She looked to her backup singers, both of them looking ecstatic. “However, we’re not quite ready yet.”

“Adagio,” Nymph said sternly, “I am not playing your game anymore. You have everything you could possibly need to perform. Instead, you continue to be a spoiled, ungrateful brat that insists on wasting our time. Go out and sing before I decide to take matters into my on hooves”

The siren shushed her by placing her hoof over Nymph’s lips. “Tsk tsk. Better watch that mouth of yours or else you might put us in a bad mood. Besides, throwing insults at us is not a very friendly thing to do. I could only imagine what Celestia would do if she found out what you’ve been doing.” Nymph’s stare became more intense. “But let’s not get her involved. Just this one last request and we will sing.”

“What in the world could you possibly want?”

“Outfits.”

“No.”

“What?” Adagio turned to her allies with a smirk. “Girls, did you hear that? Is she saying no to us? That simply will not do.”

“This is ridiculous! I am a queen and yet you treat me like a cow for you to milk! I have given you three so much and what have I gotten in return? Almost nothing. You’re not even grateful for what Thorax had to endure. You’re not even grateful for anything Celestia and Luna have done for you. You have been given constant care and charity, but it seems you cannot appreciate the generosity of others. I have had enough of this nonsense. If you don’t sing, then I will put an end to your music career here and now.”

“And what would your poor changelings do without us?” Adagio smiled tauntingly while Nymph continued with her glare. Neither mare was willing to break eye contact, both of them counting the seconds until the other submitted. Nymph would not let this vile creature hold another triumph over her head and was willing to do whatever it took to keep Adagio under her hoof.

“We’ll sing.”

Everyone turned toward Aria. “Excuse me?” questioned Adagio, her confidence blown to pieces in an instant. “What do you think you are doing?”

“Since when were you the leader?” Sonata glared at her. “Adagio always calls the shots!”

“And that’s the problem.” Aria lifted up her gem. “We have enough energy, but you’re just squandering the opportunity. Having them adore us was the one thing we wanted to do since coming back to this world and you now decide we would be better off wasting our time with a stupid list of demands. Not exactly what I call a good quality in a leader.”

“I am giving us what we deserve!” snapped Adagio. “Unlike you, I want to be more than a cheap street performer! We are goddesses of song with voices no pony or changeling can match!” She quickly ran her hoof through her mane and did a bit of a pose. “We need to bless our audience with a dazzling performance that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

“But you don’t even like your audience,” Thorax quietly interjected.

“In any case, I am still in charge, so be quiet and let me sweet talk Nymph into a good deal for us.” Adagio turned back to Nymph. “Now then. I-”

“I’ll walk.”

The last time Nymph had seen Adagio make that face was when she had her fingers wrapped around her throat. This should of been the highlight of her day, but she too was having a hard time comprehending what she just heard. Adagio slowly looked at Aria. “W...what?”

“You heard me.” Aria marched right up her, her face holding traces of anger. “I’ll walk.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“Try me.”

“You can’t just leave! You cannot be stupid enough to give up all the fame and riches that we can achieve! Would you prefer living life as a nobody!?”

“I have been stuck with you for years and I still am. We finally get a good opportunity and I am not letting you screw this up just for an ego trip. I have put up with you for a long, long time, but now I am putting my hoof down. Maybe if you had as much brains as hair, you would have realized that your plans aren’t exactly good ones. We almost got brainwashed because you keep acting like an idiot, so what’s the point of me staying?” Aria stood at the entrance of the alley. “You want a music career? Knock yourself out. You can be a duet with Sonata or something. Maybe I won’t be famous or whatever, but it would certainly beat risking another screw up from you.” She turned her head enough to glance back at Adagio. “So what’s it going to be?”

Adagio tried her best to look calm, but the fact she was sweating and barely able to control her breathing did little to help her. Nymph was almost breathless by what she had witnessed and could not predict how Adagio would respond. Their eyes kept shifting between the two sirens until the leader finally spoke. “You better bring your A-game.” She walked out of the alley holding her head high, but it was clear to everyone but Sonata how shaken and angry she was.

Sonata watched her leave and then looked at Aria, worried, before going after her. Both changelings stepped out to watch Adagio stomp off down the street with Sonata keep her distance from behind. Thorax suddenly yelped when Aria walked past him, giving him a pat on the back. “Thanks for the help.” Once she left, Thorax and Nymph looked at each other before quickly catching up.

For their grand debut, Adagio had chosen to return to the fountain where they had always performed. While she was going over last minute preparations with Sonata and Aria, the queen and her friend seated themselves outside one of the cafes. After all of the work she had been through since breakfast, Nymph thought about getting a small cup of coffee to recharge, but she felt on edge. This was the moment she had been waiting for, but anything was possible. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something would be defective with the new pendants, allowing the Dazzlings too much control, but Twilight herself said they would work, so there was some comfort.

Eventually, Adagio stood on the edge of the fountain with her backup singers taking position under her. The usual ambience of the street suddenly became lost as Aria and Sonata began singing, turning every head in the area toward them. Their voices sounded the same as before, but there was something that compelled Nymph to listen.

“The shining moon and sun,

They always rise above.

But what is the power,

Of the force that is love?”

Had she had been holding something at the moment, Nymph would have dropped it. Adagio wasn’t bluffing when she emphasized the importance of magic for them. Their voices were the very definition of perfect. Every single word, every single note, came out flawlessly from each girl. It was almost unbelievable that Twilight and her friends were able to overcome them.

“It’s found in everything.

From a pony to a changeling.

It brings us all together.

And it can last forever.”

Nymph felt for a just a moment her attention slipping away and jolted up. Was she truly falling under their spell? Perhaps she was just mesmerized by the way Adagio moved her hips. Either way, she shifted in her seat and remained alert. Taking a look at the crowd around her, she saw that everyone in sight was watching the performance. Such a sight was comforting as well as terrifying.

As soon as the song ended, about a hundred ponies and changelings roared with applause. Nymph clapped her hooves along with Thorax and she felt on top of the world. Was she really succumbing to their control? Or perhaps their voices were truly of legend? Whatever the case, this was exactly what she needed. There was no anger or confusion around her, but love and joy. Getting everything prepared for the Gala was going to be simple if their other performances went this well.

After two more songs, the Dazzlings had amassed a large audience that completely surrounded the fountain. Adagio hopped down and greeted as many of her fans as she possibly could while signing autographs. In the midst of the cheering, Sonata stole a stallion’s top hat to collect charitable donations, which did not take long to fill. It was some time before everything died down and the Dazzlings went over to Nymph and Thorax’s table. “Now do you see?” Adagio’s grin absolutely reeked of pride and for once Nymph was glad she could not sense her emotions. “Never doubt me when I say we need magic.”

“You were incredible!” complemented Thorax as he kept clapping. “You girls are easily the best singers I have heard in my whole life!”

“Everyone else thinks so, too!” Sonata effortlessly lifted up the hat flooding with bits and it slammed onto the table. “Does this mean we’re super famous now!?”

“Not yet, but I believe it won’t be long until everypony knows your name.” Nymph stood up from her chair. “If you girls keep it up, I may consider telling Celestia to relieve you of your duties as maids so that you may focus on becoming stars.”

“You serious?” Aria questioned quickly. “No more work?”

“Only if you three promise to be on your best behavior. Give Thorax or even Equestria any problems and I will revoke my generosity.” She casted a glance at Adagio behind her, who stuck up her nose and turned her head in response. “It is getting late. Let’s return to the castle and call it a day. I think we could all use some rest.”

Upon returning to the palace, Nymph was thankful that the ponies had long cleared out and the air around felt easier to breathe. Finally out of the public eye, Nymph shedded herself of her disguise and took a moment to stretch herself. “Well you two have fun draining ponies for food or whatever.” Adagio walked by with Sonata and Aria in tow. “These stars need their beauty sleep, so do not bother us.”

“As you wish. Have a good evening, girls.” Right before they were out of sight, Nymph called out. “Aria.” The Dazzlings turned around with Aria’s neutral face heavily contrasting Adagio’s look of aggravation and Sonata’s expression of confusion. “Thank you.” Aria only stared at her for a few seconds before walking away with her bandmates.

When they were gone, Nymph teleported the two of them inside Thorax’s darkened room with only some light coming through the window curtains. It looked similar to Nymph’s room given all the guest rooms in the palace were designed the same, but he had more books on his desk along with ink bottles and a quill, several picture frames of him and his friends from Ponyville and one of a purple eyed changeling Nymph did not recognize, and the wooden box sitting on the shelf that held his rock, which he had not thrown out for whatever reason. “I’m so glad that’s over. Today has been-” He couldn’t finish as Nymph wrapped him in an embrace.

“Thorax, don’t you ever do anything like that again!” Although the queen’s words were harsh, Thorax could sense her sorrow. “You’re not supposed to put yourself at risk like that!”

Thorax nervously returned the hug. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to help you. Besides, everypony loved them, so that makes it okay, right?”

“No, it’s not okay.” Nymph looked down at Thorax as her face softened. “I failed you as your queen. I am supposed to protect you from going through such a horrible experience. I should have done more to stand up to Adagio or come up with a better way for them to absorb magic.” She placed one hoof under his chin and used her other one to tenderly stroke the side of her face. “You are such a sweet changeling and do not deserve what you were forced to go through. Forgive me.”

Thorax looked to be upset as well, which made her feel worse. “No, I should be the one asking for forgiveness.” He timidly rubbed the side of his leg while facing the floor. “I made myself go. I stopped you from casting your spell. Had I known it would hurt you like this, I would have never done it. I’m sorry.”

Somehow, Nymph let out a faint chuckle. “I guess we’re both sorry for something.” Nymph got onto her knees and sat in the faint beam of sunlight with Thorax held against her before setting him down on the rug. “Is there anything I could do to help make up for today? Anything at all?”

With such a question presented, Thorax looked to be lost. Whatever he asked for, she would give it. Given Thorax, however, she knew he would never dream asking her for much, but she felt it was her duty to give him something in return. “Maybe tonight we could watch ‘Poneo and Muliet’? Maybe that will make you feel better?”

“A wonderful idea. I’ll have Celestia fetch us a reel and we can watch it with Luna and Chrysalis.” On the subject of her sister, her mind returned to the Dazzlings and she became alert. “I’m afraid there’s something I must tend to right away. Get some rest and thank you for everything, Thorax.” She quickly warped out of the room and into her own before he could form some form of reply.

Nymph wasted no time to activate her crystal ball to see into the sirens’ bedroom, which was currently empty. The few minutes she waited were almost agony as if felt time itself was coming to a crawl until she heard the door in their room open. “I cannot believe you.” Adagio stepped into view with Aria following and the leader turned around as the door closed. “Aria Blaze, would you care to tell me what in the world do you think you are doing!?”

“I’m getting a start on our music careers.” Even in the face of fury, Aria remained calm and looked bored with the situation. Nymph had toyed with the idea of making the Dazzlings spend a day with Pinkie and Fluttershy, but Maud may have been more ideal in Aria’s case. “Isn’t that what you wanted? It’s better than spending almost every day poking the sea lion with a stick.”

“That’s not the point!” Nymph flinched as what was earlier such a soothing voice was now clearly being strained. “You defied me! Right in front of her! We had her bending over for us and you ruined it! Why would you do this to me!?”

“Ruined it? Exactly how far were you going to push? Were you going to make her take off these pendants entirely? She was giving us exactly what we’ve wanted, but that’s never good enough for you. I’m surprised Nymph or Celestia have put up with you for so long.”

“I don’t care what they think. As long as the plan-”

“What plan? What are we doing? It would have been smart to play along with their dumb little friendship lessons so they think we’re trustworthy.”

“Oh really? Well I haven’t seen you putting much effort to being a friend!”

Aria snorted. “Maybe it’s because I’m always stuck with you two.”

“Well if you want to be someone’s friend, why don’t you go to your new pal Nymph? While you’re at it, be sure to put on lipstick when you plant your lips on her rear again!”

Aria scoffed. “Well at least she appreciates me.”

“Appreciates you? We are tools to her! And as if you’ve done anything worth appreciation.”

It looked like something snapped in Aria as her eyes subtly shifted from expressionless to furious. “Who cleaned the house while you wallowed in self pity? Who made you dinner that was far healthier than the garbage we ate most of the time? Which one of us was stuck doing laundry? Who ran the finances? Did I ever get thanks from you? No! Just because you’re the leader doesn’t mean you get to treat me like dirt!” Sonata stepped closer to get a word in, but Aria pressed her hoof in her face to push her back. “Honestly, I’m starting to like Celestia more than you because she doesn't keep getting me involved in stupid ideas and actually treats me well.”

“Adagio doesn’t have stupid ideas!” Sonata argued with her voice somewhat muffled. “She’s like the smartest siren ever!”

“Oh really? I have an idea!” Aria’s voice was nearly dead on for Adagio’s. “Let’s make everyone in the school fight and drain their power because that worked so well the last time! While we’re at it, let’s not have any failsafes because clearly being banished into another dimension wasn’t a big enough of a hint that failure was a possibility! Now that we’ve miraculously returned to our home dimension, let’s just keep pressing our luck on a daily basis and see how long it takes before Nymph and Celestia decide to send us back! I’m clearly incapable of learning about consequences, even after nearly being dropped into a pit of my worst nightmares come to life! Why should I bother thinking of better ideas when I am delusional enough to think I’m so perfect!?”

Although she was in another room, Nymph felt afraid of how livid Adagio looked. She was just about ready to get the guards to either break up the inevitable brawl or to send Adagio to the hospital for when she burst a blood vessel or had a heart attack. It was too quiet following such an outburst to her comfort. Even Aria looked to be steadily losing confidence as she looked directly into Adagio’s eyes. At last, Adagio did something.

She laughed.

Her sound of mockery was thunderous and Aria backed away. “W-what’s so funny?”

“Oh, Aria. You are simply pitiful.” Adagio managed to get a hold of herself, although a few chuckles still escaped her. “You think you know everything, don’t you?” She loudly sighed and gave Aria a condescending pat on the head. “Maybe if you were just a little smarter, you could make a somewhat decent leader.”

“What the heck are you talking about?”

“Of course I can push Nymph around. You saw it. Those ponies are furious with changelings right now and she cannot afford to lose us. We can do whatever we please because we’re her only hope. I actually happen to know what the Grand Galloping Gala is and let’s just say she needs it go perfectly or else things would not be well for her little changelings. To put it simply, she was desperate and was in no position to refuse me.” She then loudly sighed. “However, you just had to pull that little stunt of yours and ruin it for me. How could you have missed such a perfect opportunity to make her submit to us?”

“I...I…”

“A true leader waits for the right moment before coming up with a plan. I’m sure you came up with some useless idea weeks ago, telling yourself it would blow me away and have me submit to you leadership, but I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of hearing it.” Adagio turned to the mirror and filed her hoof. “You want to know why you will never be the leader? Your hindsight may be twenty-twenty, but you are blind to what’s right in front of your face.” She watched in the reflected as Aria took a bunch of bits from the hat and stormed off. “Where are you going?”

“Out.” Nymph jumped out of her seat from the massive bang caused by the door being slammed shut.

Adagio looked pleased with the outcome and laid on her bed as Sonata timidly approached her. “Shouldn’t we do something?”

“Leave her. I’m pretty sure she’s going out to become a drunken mess. I’ve seen the way she’s been eying the bars around here and I think she’ll feel better with a feel drinks in her.”

Sonata looked back at the door and then timidly approached her. “I know Aria can be a pain in the butt most of the time, but don’t you think you were just too mean to her?”

“She’s a tough siren. She will get over it. Besides, how else am I to deal with her when she has brashly defied me?” Adagio reached for Sonata, who flinched at first, but then relax as her leader gently rubbed her head. “It’s nice to know at least one of you knows who is in charge here. I don’t say it enough, but I appreciate you for that, Sonata.”

“Thanks, Dagi! I appreciate you for being such a great leader!”

“A great leader who doesn’t respect you, has yet to succeed in anything, and is anything but your friend,” Nymph said aloud.

“So you don’t have a plan yet?”

For a brief second, Adagio’s entire body flinched. “I’m afraid not. I’m taking my time with this one, but that will make victory all the sweeter.”

“Cool! Lemme know when it’s ready!” Sonata happily bounced back to her bed. Nymph was about to shut off her crystal ball when the siren spoke again. “You sure you don’t want to go find Aria?”

The question caught both Nymph and Adagio off guard. “You’re free to go after her if you want.”

“No thanks. I don’t think she’ll listen to me, but I hate seeing her mad. It just means she gonna pick a fight with one of us.” Sonata went over to Adagio’s side and laid her head against her shoulder. “Promise you’ll say something nice?”

“I’ll think about it.” Although she did not seem entirely convinced, Sonata nodded and laid back on her bed to oogle over the bits they made.

The crystal ball dimmed and Nymph set it aside. She sat against the back of her chair and tapped her hooves together. She continued replaying Aria’s argument in her head and considered seeking her out in hopes of beginning a bond between them. However, she could tell Aria was the type who preferred brooding alone and would most likely be unhappy with her showing up, so she would grant her the isolation she sought.

What could she do with this discovery? Even with her act of defiance, it was certain that Aria was still wrapped around Adagio’s hoof. Then there was Sonata, who sought domination like they all did, but she also seemed to desire a stronger bond between them. There was clearly weakness in the Dazzlings’ relationship, but they still stood together and refused to change. Why was it so difficult to change any of them when they clearly displayed dislike for each other? What could she do differently to sway them to her side?

The queen sat there as she reviewed each siren in her head one by one. Eventually, she realized something. A sudden idea popped in her head and she could not believe she had not thought of it before. It seemed so obvious now, but she supposed it was better late than never. Perhaps the time was actually perfect with Aria’s frustration with Adagio hitting its peak.

A knock on her door snapped her out of her euphoria and she quickly straightened her posture. “Enter.” The door opened and she felt at ease to see Chrysalis appear.

“Luna told me all about it.” In her disguise as Cherub, Chrysalis closed the door and and came over to hug her sister. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with that nonsense. I wish there was something I could have done to help.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Chrysie. It was just some extra work for me to do. Let’s hope I said enough to subside their silly worries.”

Chrysalis’s head tilted slightly. “You seem to be in a good mood. Did something happen?”

“Indeed. I have reached a revelation.”

The older changeling leaned over the desk, laying her head on her hooves and smiling at her. “Do tell.”

“It has now occurred to me that our approach to teaching the Dazzlings friendship is all wrong. What we need to do is implement a new strategy.”

“Oh? What exactly do you have in mind?”

“It’s a simple two step process.” Nymph grinned. “Divide and conquer.”