Aria and Sonata were unnerved by the sight of this strange creature calling himself "The Darkness" but after all they had been through Adagio refused to be intimidated by anything as she moved closer to him saying, "Alright Mr. Darkness what exactly do you mean when you say you can make those idiotic ponies bow before us?"
The Darkness then smiled as it said, "Ah good right to the point, I was worried this may take some time when I sensed fear emanating from those two but you... well you seem to be to overflowing with anger to have room for fear."
"Well I've had a rough day today so again, how can you make them bow before us?" said Adagio as her anger began to show on her face.
"Why girls it's simply really. I have power beyond any you have ever seen before, enough to change this entire world into a place where those pathetic creatures will be forced to serve the strong like us," said The Darkness.
Aria was the first of the two to get over her fear as she suddenly moved along side Adagio and started sarcastically saying, "If you're as powerful as that then why don't you just go up there and do it right now?"
"Unfortunately with my great power there comes limits, the main one being that I would be destroyed if I ever set hoof in the light.... unless," said The Darkness as it's began expanding its eyes as if it were trying to get a better look at them.
Sonata then overcame most of her fears as wearily floated forward and asked, "Unless what?"
"Unless I have a host with which to hold me together," said The Darkness.
"A host," repeated Adagio without letting any of her anger melt away.
"Yes a host. You see it's rather simple if one of you agrees to bound with me I will be able to go out there and as my way of saying thank you I shall allow you to use my power for whatever you so choose. Sounds fair to me especially considering that our goals are so similar," said The Darkness as a smirk formed on his face letting everyone know how confident he was that they would accept his deal.
As Aria and Sonata looked at each other trying to fully contemplate what this creature had said to them Adagio floated forward simply saying, "No deal."
The Darkness then looked at her and with a look of pure disbelief as he said, "Excuse me whaaaaat?"
"I said no deal. Look I've had enough of trusting me and my partners fates to others so there is no way I'm letting you possess any of us. I don't know how I'll do it but I'm going to make them bow to us with my own hooves and I don't need some little smoke cloud ordering me around," said Adagio as she turned to fly away from him as Aria and Sonata got ready to follow her.
The Darkness simply looked at her and said, "Of all the countless years I have existed and of all the creatures I met you are the first to ever speak to me in such a manner."
Adagio then looked back at him as she angrily said, "Yeah, so what?"
The Darkness then did something none of them could have expected as it smiled and said, "I like that. You are far more clever then I gave you credit for... I may not have a way to make them bow to you with your own hooves but how about... with your voices."
"Our voices," said Sonata in confusion.
The Darkness them formed some sort of tentacle like arm from his side and resting on said arm were three red gemstones. It then said, "These gemstones were created by disciples of mine many years ago in order for them to be able help me since only one of them could actually be my host."
"What do they do?" said Adagio as part of her anger turned to curiosity at this unexpected new offer.
"You simply attach them to your throats and they will allow to sing in a way that frees all the negative emotions any creatures who hear it have bottled up inside, and once you absorb enough of these negative emotions you will be able to sing in a way that allows you to completely bend these creatures to your will," said The Darkness.
"Wait seriously? Singing?" said Aria in annoyed disbelief.
"Yes singing. Turning a simple activity that even a child can do into a weapon of total supremacy. What could be better than that," said The Darkness as a look of joy overtook it.
"Can we feed the jewels anything besides negatively?" asked the innocent Sonata who, even despite what the ponies had done to them, didn't fully like the sound of this.
"Why would you ever want to? After all when one leads with fear and intimidation their subjects will never speak against them," said The Darkness.
Sonata and Aria then moved in front of Adagio as they could tell from her body language that she was on the verge of agreeing to this deal.
"Adagio I don't think this is right. I mean I know those ponies were mean to us but I'm not sure we should make them so angry like this guy is talking about," said Sonata.
"Yeah and I still think it's weird that this power he is offering comes from singing. I mean why singing?" said Aria.
At hearing this Adagio did something she had never done before and unleashed some of her anger at her partners as she simply said, "QUITE," before she turned to Sonata and said, "Look after what they did to us they deserve way more than what this guy is talking about," she then turned to Aria and said, "and I don't care if we have to spin around like ballerinas, if it means making those fools bow to us like he promises than I'd do it and you should to right," she then looked at them both as she said, "After all I think I know what's best for us right." It hurt her somewhat to speak to them in such a way but after what happened with Neighsay she realized that sometimes she's going to have to put their happiness aside for their safety.
Aria and Sonata where a little unnerved by this sudden change in Adagio's personality but they decided that despite how she said it she was right so they both nodded in agreement.
Adagio then looked at The Darkness as she said, "Hear that smokey we got a deal, there's just one more thing I want to ask before we do this."
"Oh and what would that be?" said The Darkness.
"Just so we are clear here I still don't trust you so I need to know what is that your gaining from giving us this power," said Adagio as she gazed flatly at him.
"Oh it's nothing you need to worry about really. It's just I sense someone up their who has a large amount of jealousy and anger hidden just beneath the surface and perhaps if you use these gemstones to give them a little push in the wrong direction-" began The Darkness before Adagio interrupted him.
"They'll become foolish enough to be your willing host right," said Adagio.
"Well... Yes," said The Darkness clearly annoyed that Adagio had not only interrupted his speech but had correctly guessed his plan.
"Well if that's all you want then I think we have a deal. Right girls," said Adagio looking back at her partners annoyed to which they then nodded.
The Darkness then smiled as he said, "Very well then." Just then the three gemstones rocketed to the girls as each one began borrowing into their necks. They all winched in pain before being blinded by a flash of light from the gems.
When they opened their eyes again they looked down to see that the gems where now attached to them and that the skin around them looked unhealthy with visible veins.
"Sorry about the little change in appearance. Dark magic tends to do that to organic matter. Now then," He then retreated back into the well before a hole opened in the ceiling above them revealing daylight, "Go forth and use your new gifts to make both your and my desires come true."
Adagio then looked at her partners before saying, "Follow my lead," as she flew up and they followed behind her.
When they emerged they found themselves on the hill overlooking Neighsay's village that this had all started at. Aria looked at Adagio as she said, " So we're supposed to sing right.. well I don't really know any songs and I don't think any of us are creative enough to come up with one on the spot."
Before Adagio could respond to this they all began hearing a tune and lyrics being whispered into their heads from the gemstones. Adagio then had a sadistic smile as she said, "Looks like we don't need to come up with any songs since these things will do it for us. Again follow my lead," she then flew down into the village as the others began following her.
It didn't take long for ponies to notice them as they once again formed into a mob as the lead stallion from before said, "HEY I THOUGHT WE TOLD YOU FREAKS TO GET OUT OF HERE!"
As the crowd got ready to once again pelt them with rocks the girls opened their mouths and began singing the song they heard
After their work was done Adagio grinned as she saw these ponies turn their rage, and their rocks, on each other. "Looks like it really does work," she said to her partners as she could feel the power of their rage seeping into her.
"Yeah on most of them anyway but look," said Aria who then pointed her hoof towards a skinny gray pony with blue hair and a brown cloak who was running out of town, "I don't know if that one's out of range or something but he doesn't seem to be affected right now."
Adagio simply shrugged this off as she looked at the other ponies who were making her more powerful by the second as she said, "Mhh who cares, what can that little runt do against us. Soon he and everyone else will bow to our absolutely dazzling new powers," she then thought for a moment before saying, "Hmm Dazzling I like the sound of that."
Just after the battle of the bands
Adagio, Sonata, and Aria walked down the street picking food off of themselves as they walked away in defeat.
"Uhhh I can't believe they beat us. It's all your fault Sonata you were late on the back up vocals," said Aria as she looked over at Sonata annoyed.
"My fault! What about you putting your angsty attitude in your voice the entire time. Were supposed to make them think we're amazing so they'll serve us, not that we're a bunch of teenagers trying to get back at our parents," said Sonata who was equally annoyed at Aria.
This bickering continued on for a few more minutes before Adagio interrupted yelling, "BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO'S FAULT THIS IS!" She then calmed herself as she gestured forward with her hand and said, "Look our favorite diner is right there. Let's just have some coffee and think this through alright... not that either of you is that good at thinking."
The three girls then walked into the diner in total silence before Adagio turned to the man at the counter and said, "Hey Joe, three usual's please, and hurry it up it's been a long night."
Joe then looked over at them annoyed as he said, "Yeah about that. I'm afraid I can't serve you three anymore."
"What but why?" said Aria as she ran up to the counter, clearly disappointed that she wouldn't be getting her coffee or as she called it her "tolerating you idiots juice."
"Look ladies I was looking at your tab and saw that you owe me over a thousand dollars for all the coffee and food I've served you over the years. Honestly I don't know why I haven't asked for it sooner but I can't serve you again until I get my money," said Joe as he gestured to a huge bill that the Dazzlings apparently had.
Adagio then looked annoyed as she said, "FINE! We'll just eat somewhere else then!" and then stormed out with Aria and Sonata following behind her.
"This isn't good Adagio. Our spell over Joe has been broken and he wasn't even at the battle of the bands. What if all of our spells have been broken," said Aria concerned.
"OH NO!" said Sonata in a panic before continuing saying, "That means it would be broken over the people at the Taco Shack too!"
Aria simply grunted as she said, "I don't know if I can deal with your nonsense without coffee."
Adagio then turned to them as she angrily said, "BE QUITE!" before calming herself once again and saying, "Look for all we know it was just coincidence that our spell over Joe wore off when it did. Let's just go back home and sleep this off alright."
Once again they walked to their destination in complete silence but once they got close to their building they say the land lord locking the door and putting up an eviction notice.
Adagio ran up to him and said, "Mr. Rich what's the heck are you doing?"
"I'm sorry ladies but I was looking at my papers and I just noticed that you haven't paid your rent once since moving in here," said Filthy Rich as he looked over at her.
"SO YOU'RE JUST THROWING US OUT ON THE STREETS!" yelled Adagio in front of him.
"Well normally their would be a one month grace period to give you time to make other arrangements but Spoiled was saying how much money we lost and how I need to start making it back so I didn't have much of a choice here ladies," said Filthy Rich.
"UHHH FINE!" said Adagio before turning and saying, "Come on girls let's go."
They then followed behind as Sonata said, "Um Adagio where are we going?"
But Adagio didn't answer because she honestly didn't know and all she could think was, "I already sacrificed their happiness once to that Darkness thing to keep them safe and now just when it looks like I might be able to make them truly happy again those pathetic Rainbooms step in and ruin it all. I swear no matter what it takes and no matter how long it takes they will pay!"
It was at that point that Sunset came back to herself as she wiped the tears from her eyes at seeing how horribly the Dazzlings where mistreated and at learning the aftermath of what she and her friends had done to them and thought to herself, "These poor girls all they needed was someone to be kind to them... just like what I needed." It was at that point that she realized what she had to do as she picked them all up in her magic field and carried them into her apartment.