Slumber Party with the Fishes
All was quiet in Queen Nymph’s room save for the loud clicks of typewriter keys. Lying comfortably on her bed, Nymph magically wrote the next exciting and arousing chapter for her upcoming book. She was over halfway done with it the whole thing and realized she had yet to come up with a title for her project. She thought of some ideas such as “Change of Heart” or “True Love Never Changes” but she would worry about that after it was finished. Once she had the whole thing written out, it would be easier to come up with something that would eloquently summarize the whole love story.
Nymph was on her back with her head hanging over the edge of the bed and kept a large martini mixed with love magically by her. Whenever she choose to drink, she would rotate her head entirely upright to help herself. Good alcohol such as this and wine often put her in a more romantic mood as well as act as fuel for inspiration. Being this far into the book, she felt she needed something very erotic to surprise her readers and a bit of booze would help her mind wander into such territory. She justified this sort of activity early in the day due to the fact she felt she needed a bit of a break from her duties. Whether carrying out her role as queen or dealing with Adagio, Nymph felt most of her days were putting too much stress on her.
Normally she would have gone to Chrysalis as her first choice to unwind, but her sister had declined. She came up with some excuse about setting something up, but would not tell her what it was. She didn’t feel comfortable with Chrysalis keeping a secret from her (while also ignoring the total irony of this thought), but Nymph was sure she had her reasons. On the bright side, it gave her a day to work on something that would soon rock the world of literature.
As well as beds if this went as well as she hoped.
“Hmm. Maybe this isn’t what I was looking for. This feels awfully...crude.” The Changeling Queen took a sip of her drink. “I mean, I’m not even sure I would like this. Unless Shiney was willing to try…” She seductively chuckled in a low tone. “But what if Cicada did that to Glistening instead? Now that would be interesting for certain, but would mares want to read that? What to do. What to do.” After taking another sip, the keys began clicking once more. “Well you got to have lust to balance out love sometimes. I’ll just write it out and see how it looks.” Nymph hummed to herself as she played by ear, hoping this would suffice for her pre-readers. Just as the chapter came close to its end, she saw a pink envelope come in from under the door. “Oh? What have we here?”
Carrying it in the green glow of her magic, she ripped it open to find a bright pink card inside. Nymph had a good feeling of who sent it and opened it. Her guess was confirmed to be true as confetti sprinkled out and she read what was inside.
Dear Queen Nymph,
You are invited to Princess Twilight’s castle this evening for a special slumber party! We would be honored to have you here to bring us your unmatchable charm (And magic for security) during this important event! See you tonight!
-Pinkie Pie
This day just got better and better. A party just for her and her friends. No doubt this was what Chrysalis was working on, so they would be spending time together after all. Even better was that Rarity would be present to give her helpful advice in writing out this chapter. Best of all, there would be no sirens for her to worry about. It was true Sonata was doing much better in proving she was trustworthy, but she was like alcohol: Better in small doses as too much could lead to pain, confusion, and anger.
As Nymph placed the finishing touches on the final page on her chapter, the next words she typed were an absolute jumbled mess and her mostly empty glass fell onto the rug as her concentration was utterly broken by a loud scream. Rather than dwell on what she had done, she leapt up and stepped out into the hallway to find Celestia running past her. Nymph took to the air and pursued as she braced for the worst.
The fact it was Sonata who screamed brought about so many possibilites.
Many of the palace guards and staff watched in confusion as the monarchs went by them. Nymph was sure being a siren was how Sonata was able to scream loud enough for them to hear her from so far away and no doubt much of the castle was on high alert. Celestia arrived at the door first and immediately barged inside. “Is everypony okay!?” Nymph arrived next to look inside, but it was not what she was expecting at all. Aria, Adagio, and even Thorax watched Sonata doing somersaults on her bed with each of them covering their ears. “Sonata!” The siren landed on the bed and quickly sat on the edge. “Why did you just scream?”
“Sorry! I was just so excited!”
“From a letter?” Adagio rubbed both of her ears while still cringing. “Did you win the lottery or something?”
“Please tell me it’s about a certain pony’s funeral,” Aria added dryly.
“Better!” Sonata held out the card in her hoof and the five of them gathered around it.
Upon reading it, Nymph’s heart dropped like a stone and crushed her other organs.
It was an invitation to a slumber party.
“A slumber party?” Aria asked in disbelief. “You got that excited for a party from your dumb pony friends?”
“Hey, they aren’t dumb!” Sonata puffed her cheeks and Aria merely rolled her eyes. Seeing Sonata react this way caused Celestia to smile as feelings of warmth and pride toward the bubbly siren grew. “The dumb ones are the ponies I’m not friends with like Twilight!”
Celestia’s frown was immense.
“But that’s not the point! I’ve always wanted to go to a slumber party! Ever since I saw them on TV!” She jumped onto the floor and pulled her two friends in for a bone crushing hug. “We’re going to have so much fun tonight!”
The first one to break off from Sonata was Adagio, who went to the dresser to continue adding lyrics to the neatly placed pile of paper on the side. “Sonata. I like you, really, but there’s some things I cannot bring myself to do. Going to a party hosted by Twilight is one of them.”
“Same.” Aria had already slipped away and flopped herself on her bed. “We weren’t even invited anyway. Like what are they even going to do that’s so great? I don’t know what people do in a slumber party.”
“That’s depressing,” commented Thorax.
Sitting up, the siren gave him a dirty look. “I’m from a thousand years ago and was banished to another dimension. Sorry for not catching up on every little thing like slumber parties.”
With the potential crisis averted, Nymph felt at ease. Sonata alone should not be a burden to any of them, allowing Nymph to spend time with Chrysalis and everypony else without worry or headache. No doubt Pinkie wanted Nymph to attend as a precaution for all of them spending a night with a loveable yet extremely dangerous beast. It was somewhat of a shame the other two Dazzlings did not want to attend as she felt certain a party by Pinkie could sway any heart, but perhaps leaving them out was for the best.
Before she left the room, the idea of them going to the party clung to her mind. Adagio was still entirely uncooperative with her plan and Nymph had yet found a way to convince her to do things her way, but maybe this was what she was looking for. It was worth a try, but she hoped her idea didn’t ruin the evening for her friends. “Parties hosted by Pinkie are absolutely the best,” Nymph boasted as convincingly as she could. “There’s music, dancing, food, games, and everything else you could imagine. You two would certainly enjoy it.” Adagio and Aria glanced at each other and then resumed to what they were doing. “I know you girls aren’t entirely thrilled with the thought of going, but could you do it for Sonata?”
“Excuse me?” questioned Adagio. “You actually want us to go?”
“Only for her sake. What do you plan on doing tonight? Sit around in here?” Nymph waved her hoof around to emphasize her point. “You girls love to party, yes? Dance and get wild? When was the last time any of you got to do that? Maybe cutting loose would be good for you. So what if Twilight is hosting the party? It’s only for one evening and you three can be together.”
Adagio appeared to be lost in thought as looked down at her music. A moment later, she loudly sighed and set everything aside. “Fine.” Hearing this caused Sonata to squeal and pounce her, sending the two of them to the floor. The golden siren didn’t seem to mind it at all and warmly patted her friend on the back.
“In that case, I’m going too.” Aria came over and picked Sonata off of Adagio. Once she set down her friend on the bed, she helped her leader get up. “I don’t like the idea of leaving you two alone with them.”
“I did not think you were so protective, Aria,” Celestia teased. In response, Aria grunted and tried to ignore Sonata’s giggling as a small blush appeared. “Twilight will be surprised to see all of you attend, but I’m certain she will be glad to have you. All that I ask is that you be respectful and, most importantly, have fun.”
“Don't worry about them.” With a quick flash if green, Nymph showed her invitation. “Pinkie has invited me to ensure everypony’s safety during Sonata’s visit.” She felt a powerful tinge of annoyance as all the sirens loudly groaned.
“Let me guess. You’re going to be there, too,” said Aria as she stared at Celestia. “You two seem a little old for this kind of party.”
The princess chuckled while the queen tried very hard to keep a straight face. “I’m afraid I won’t be attending. Other than the fact I am often too busy for most of Pinkie’s parties, I think my attendance would put poor Twilight under extreme stress. My former student tends to go above and beyond to please me.” She turned to the door while holding in a laugh. “Since there is no emergency, I’ll be on my way. Have fun, girls.” Celestia exited from the room and they could hear her giggle a little in the hall.
“I’ll come by in the evening and take us there. See you soon.” Nymph left the Dazzlings’ bedroom with a feeling of excitement. Surely a fun party would help the sirens see their foes in a better light and just maybe she could get Adagio to hold up her end of the deal. Sonata was certainly being swayed by the Elements of Harmony and just maybe she could get Aria as well given she was far more reasonable than Adagio. If she did just that, Nymph could use the two of them to make Adagio fall back into line. Picturing the look on Adagio’s face made her feel as giddy as a grub with nectar in its sights.
“Where’s my invitation?”
The small voice that asked this question stopped Nymph like a stare from a cockatrice. Turning around she found Thorax standing there with her ears pinned to his head and his eyes watering slightly. “Thorax, I don’t think Pinkie has forgotten about you!” Hastily rushing to his side, Nymph knelt down beside him. "I’m sure your invitation is on its way! Pinkie wouldn’t dream of having this party without you!”
“I’m okay. Really.” Thorax’s loud sniffing betrayed him. “I don’t care that my old friends invited a siren over me. It’s fine.” Nymph retrieved a hoofkerchief from her cloak as she waited for the inevitable. “Sure they write to me sometimes, but I’m sure this party is only for important people. Like Spike must be doing heroic stuff every day. Why would such important ponies remember a normal, boring changeling like me? I was actually dumb enough to spend so much of my savings on a useless, dumb, ordinary rock!” Judging from the crack in his voice, it was a mere matter of seconds until he made a scene. “Maybe if I was actually talented in something, they-”
A pegasus guard with a brown satchel on his side flew up to them. “Thorax?”
“That’s me.” He was given a letter as the guard flew off down the hall and the changeling quickly tore it apart for its contents. His eyes quickly scanned across the card inside before he fell on his side, stiff as a board with an enormous grin on his face.
Nymph waved her hoof in front of him and giggled when she got no response. “Oh my. If an invitation causes him to react like this, I can’t imagine what would happen if he were to read my book.” She magically lifted Thorax behind her and made her way back to her room, thinking about what awaited her tonight.
When Nymph returned to the Dazzlings’ room that evening, she found Sonata and Thorax happily discussing all they fun things they wanted to do while Adagio and Aria seemed bored and impatient with getting the night over with. Once the Changeling Queen’s fire cleared around them, they appeared right outside Twilight’s castle and were greeted with loud music muffled by the crystal walls. Nymph could even feel the subtle vibrations under her hooves. “And here we are. Can I trust you three to be on your best behavior?” Sonata nodded excitedly while the other two ignored her. “Splendid. We’re going to have so much fun together! Don’t you agree?” Nymph grinned as she waited for any of the sirens to respond, but her face fell when none did. Defeated, she approached the main doors with her company and entered. Following the music, they arrived at one of the many rooms within Twilight’s castle.
Nymph knocked on the door and almost immediately Pinkie answered. “You made it! Oh! You even brought more friends!” The party pony turned to the other room. “Hey, everypony! Queen Nymph is here!” They could hear the others cheer from behind Pinkie. Sonata had ran ahead and jumped onto Pinkie, who caught her as they spun around in a hug. “There’s also Sonata Dusk, our favorite siren!” This time, only half of them cheered. “And guess what? Turns out Aria and Adagio came too!” The record scratched and Nymph and Thorax could feel the explosion of emotions inside.
Adagio simply ignored everypony staring at her as she walked past Pinkie and Nymph followed, likely also sensing every negative feeling directed at her. In the dimly lit room that flashed with colorful strobe lights, streamers and ribbons hung on the walls along with many balloon floating over their heads. There were a few tables by walls and decorated glass windows that were covered with blue cloth and streamers with music notes on them. Each of these tables were set up with a large assortment of food and drinks that made Adagio lick her lips. At the other end of the room was a table up a short flight of stairs with a record player on it, somehow capable of playing music at impossible volumes. “You should all feel blessed by our arrival!” Adagio bragged as she laughed at everypony’s stunned reactions. “With us here, your party is going to be dazzling!”
“More like dreadful!” countered Rarity as Adagio strolled by her. “Pinkie, why in the world did you invite them!?”
“She didn’t, but I wanted to bring them!” Sonata happily trotted inside before noticing the looks the ponies were giving her. “What?”
“This party is kinda invite only,” stated Rainbow Dash aggressively while hovering over Sonata with her forelegs crossed. “Those two need to hit the road.”
“Now, now, Rainbow Dash.” Nymph stood in between them. “I thought that since Sonata has been doing so well it would only be fair to allow her to bring her own friends. She’s quite attached to them and begged for them to come.”
“I thought they would like it!” Sonata added to her defense. “We’ve never been to a party before!”
Pinkie practically teleported from the door to Sonata’s side, leaving behind a trail of flame that Nymph and Chrysalis quickly stamped out. “WHAT!?” She lifted the siren over her head and their eyes were practically touching. “YOU GIRLS NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER BEEN TO A PARTY BEFORE!?”
“Not since our days in Chantlantis.” Adagio had already made her way to one table and was helping herself to a brownie flooded with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. “Kinda hard to get invited to parties in another dimension when you don’t know anybody. We were never in the mood to really throw our own, either.”
Pinkie dashed over to Twilight, slamming Sonata down and getting on her knees. “Twilight, we gotta let them stay! I know more about parties than anypony and I am telling you they need a party! Years without a party is...is...pretty much the definition of torture!”
The siren joined Pinkie by kneeling before the princess. “Please don’t kick them out! We promise to be good!” She quickly glanced at Aria. “Make that mostly good!” Sonata looked at Adagio. “Lukewarm good?”
Twilight carefully analyzed Adagio and Aria, both of whom didn’t look very invested in the situation. Considering they were here at all, Nymph was certain that they truly wished to attend the party but were too proud to admit it to those they considered their mortal enemies. After reading the faces of all her friends, which consisted of worry, fear, and disagreement, Twilight cleared her throat. “You can all stay.”
Shrieking with delight, Sonata got up and ran to her friends’ sides. “Thank you!”
“A wise decision,” Adagio gloated as tossed aside the empty paper plate. “I guarantee everypony will be talking about us all night lo-”
“Thorax!” Twilight flew up into the air and landed right before him while the rest of her friends quickly joined her. The changeling was so startled by the sudden attention he was getting that he struggled to breathe. Maybe she was seeing things, but Nymph swore she saw Adagio’s eye twitch. “It’s been a while since you’ve been in Ponyville! How’s your book coming along? Did you learn something new about sirens!?”
“Happy to see ya’re still in one piece.” Applejack realized he was still hyperventilating and she gave him a powerful pat on the back, allowing him to catch his breath.
“I can’t believe you’re still hanging around them,” said Spike before giving the Dazzlings a dirty look. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
“His resilience impresses even me,” Chrysalis complimented. “If I was in his position, it would have been less than week until I snapped.”
“It’s not that bad.” Although he tried to act humble, Thorax was obviously enjoying the utter amount of attention he was getting. “I’m just doing what any changeling would do to protect Equestria. It’s probably not that amazing compared to what someone like Spike usually does.”
“Speaking of Spike, he was very insistent that you were invited tonight,” said Twilight.
Thorax gasped. “R-really!? Me!?”
“He misses his number one fan,” Rarity giggled.
“That little pet of yours has a fan, Twilight?” sneered Adagio as she glared at Spike. “What exactly has he done worthy of any fame?”
“He’s Spike the Brave and Glorious!” Thorax lifted Spike onto his back and showed him off to the sirens, prancing around them nonstop. “He’s the hero of the Crystal Empire and beloved by all of Equestria! They even have a giant statue of him dedicated to his heroic deeds!”
“What the heck did he do? Save a cat from a tree? Kiss somepony’s boo-boo? Win first place at a dog show?” questioned Aria, causing her and Adagio to snicker.
“He retrieved an ancient artifact used to defeat an all-consuming darkness and nearly died in doing so, saving Equestria from a future of enslavement and torment where any chance of you three being here right now or at any point in the future would be essentially zero,” Nymph answered proudly. This was enough to silence them and the queen wished she had a camera to capture their expressions of shock.
“Wow! He’s so brave for a doggie!” Sonata rubbed the top of Spike’s head tenderly. “Who’s a good boy? You are!”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not a pet!” No matter how much he protested, Spike could not escape Sonata’s affectionate petting. Eventually, he gave up and just let her do what she wanted as any struggle was futile. “You know, this actually feels nice.”
Thorax was gushing as he watched Sonata pet his hero. “Spike’s fame is even greater than I thought. He’s completely irresistible to even a siren!”
They were interrupted by Chrysalis loudly clearing her throat. “As amusing as this is, I believe we all came here for a reason. I reopen tomorrow and want to make the most of what’s left of my time off. May we please resume the party?”
“Good idea!” Sonata leapt into the air and landed in the middle of the dance floor. “Hit it, Pinkie!” The pony got the record player going again and the loud beats of party music resumed. Sonata immediately began dancing with moves that were rather impressive for someone who had not been a pony for long and shortly after, the others felt comfortable to dance alongside her.
Nymph still wasn’t used to the music that Pinkie played for her parties, but it was still nice to experience something different once in a while. To her side, she noticed Aria lightly bobbing her head to the beat until she realized the queen was watching, prompting her to stop. Adagio was not as eager as Sonata and seemed to be studying the dance floor, whether to learn how to dance properly to fit in or how to best destroy her enemies.
“You girls better not get any bright ideas.” Chrysalis approached the group with a half eaten cupcake in her magic. “I can’t think of any other reason why you two would want to be here.”
“I wasn’t planning on coming, but Sonata was desperate and Nymph convinced us that maybe a night here wouldn’t be so bad,” Adagio answered. “Not the greatest party I've seen, but I guess it will suffice.”
“Did she now?” Chrysalis stared at her younger sister with a look that seemed irritated and yet curious. “I can’t imagine why she would do such a thing.”
“The Dazzlings need more exposure to our friends,” answered Nymph confidently. “It’s true last time did not go as planned, but I think a party would be the perfect way for them to get to know each other. It’s better to have them here than in Canterlot where they might spend the night brooding over the past or coming up with some sort of scheme.”
“I’ll just have to trust you on this one.” Nymph couldn’t help but feel like her sister had some devious intent in mind just from the way she was looking at her. Chrysalis’s eyes kept running across Nymph and in the dim light of the room, she swore she saw a smile. “By the way, I think you should of thought more on this party before coming like that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your appearance is too formal for a party like this.” Before the queen could react, Chrysalis magically stripped her sister bare. “There we go!”
Instincts kicked in and Queen Nymph immediately covered herself. “C-C-C-Cherub! I can’t be seen naked in public!” As Adagio and Aria stared perplexed at her, Thorax’s jaw almost hit the floor and his wings were at full attention.
“Everyone’s naked. That’s just how we are.” This did nothing to ease Nymph’s embarrassment as she continued hiding her body with her face as green as her mane. Although Chrysalis was highly entertained by Nymph’s reaction, she quickly turned her attention to Adagio. “Twilight’s a generous host to allow you here, so behave yourself or else you won’t ever wake up from this slumber party.” Adagio loudly harrumphed in response. “And Aria.” The other siren cocked an eyebrow at her. “Glad you could make it.”
For a moment, Aria looked to be surprised and had her guard down, but she quickly reverted to her default mood. “I just hope I don’t regret this.”
With a bit of deep breathing, Nymph felt comfortable enough to let her hooves down. No one seemed to be paying her much attention, so perhaps there was no need to worry. “Nonsense! Parties are all about fun, so go have some! Just dance with everypony else!” Nymph waited for either siren to go on and do so before noticing Thorax still standing with them. “Aren’t you going to go dance, Thorax?”
He jumped when she called his name. “I don’t really know how to dance. I’ve never done anything like this before and I don’t want to look dumb.” Thorax anxiously tapped his hooves together. “Nymph, I’m sure you’ve done a lot of dancing from royal balls and stuff, so could you teach me?”
Nymph batted her eyelashes. and giggled. “Oh? Is my faithful subject requesting a dance with his beloved queen?” Blushing intensely and struggling to keep eye contact, Thorax nodded. “Such a daring little changeling. Most do not have the courage to ask me or Chrysalis for such a thing. Are you sure you don’t wish to ask Princess Twilight? I think the two of you could teach each other a few things.”
“Twilight desperately needs the help,” Chrysalis said with a smirk, which made Adagio look at her and then to Twilight, who was carelessly kicking her legs around in what was supposed to be considered a pony dancing. It was only seconds until Adagio’s face reflected a combination of humor and disgust. “Maybe you two could learn from each other.”
“I’m sure. If-if you don’t mind.”
Smiling, Nymph took his hoof and brought his worries to an ease. “Not at all.”
Before they could take a single step to the dance floor, Sonata suddenly appeared and took Adagio by the hoof. “Come on and dance with me, Dagi!”
“Hey! I was going to…” Aria loudly sighed as the two of them quickly went out of earshot. “Guess I’m dancing by myself at a party. What a great way start.”
“You could just join them,” suggested Chrysalis while patting her back sympathetically. “You three came together and seem pretty tight at the hip.”
“No. Three’s a little crowded on the dance floor.”
Chrysalis chuckled loudly. “I completely understand. Maybe it is not ideal for you, but there are plenty of ponies you could ask. It would be a good chance to warm up to them.” Aria appeared to be greatly agitated by the suggestion as she stared hatefully at the dancing ponies.
“Perhaps you would feel more comfortable dancing with someone you are more familiar with.” Nymph extended her hoof and gave her warmest smile. “Shall we? The two of us could have a good time.”
Aria eyed the hoof and then the queen herself. She then looked at Thorax and grabbed his hoof. “Come on. Let me show you how to really dance.”
“H-huh!? But I-” Thorax had no chance of escape as she took him away.
Nymph couldn’t help but pout as she watched them go until Chrysalis spoke. “Don’t get hung over it. At least they’ll have fun.”
“I suppose.” She looked at Chrysalis. “You couldn’t even tell me why you were so busy today?”
“Pinkie loves her surprises and I wouldn’t dare ruin any of them, but clearly you had one of your own. I’m sure Pinkie is loving how this is turning out.”
Turning back to the crowd, Nymph spotted Pinkie floated above the others with several balloons tied around her as she danced with Fluttershy. “Now what is the reason for this party? The invitation mentioned that this was for a special occasion.”
“Pinkie knew Sonata has had a rough few years and thought she would like it. It’s sort of a way to celebrate their new friendship.” Judging from Sonata’s face and energetic dancing that created a small danger zone around her as she often swung Adagio around, she seemed to be having the time of her life. “Sorry I had to blow you off today, but I think this party should make up for that.”
“You’re absolutely right. Shall we?” Chrysalis nodded and they joined the rest of the partygoers. Out on the dance floor, Nymph felt out of her comfort zone as she watched everypony else and did her best to mimic their movements. It was no question that she could dance, just not the way that went along with the music. Maybe she didn’t need to worry if everypony was keeping an eye on the sirens. As for Chrysalis, she was completely letting loose, lost in the rhythm as she often got on her hind legs and swung her mane around or shook her flank in a provocative manner.
Just what had Pinkie done to the former Changeling Queen?
Whenever she could, Nymph danced closer to the Dazzlings to observe them. As expected, Sonata was full of life while dancing with Adagio and also often moving over to Pinkie, Fluttershy, or Applejack to get a brief dance with them. However, what shocked the queen was Adagio mirroring Sonata’s expression as she was just beaming with joy. The idea of making a comment crossed her mind, but she chose not to spoil her mood. Nearby were Aria and Thorax with the siren dancing in her own little world with Thorax looking comfortable to be stuck with her. He did his best to imitate her moves, but struggled as she carried a high amount of skill that made it difficult for him to keep up. Since the two of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, she didn’t feel the need to steal Thorax back.
After over an hour of dancing, everyone was beginning to slow down due to exhaustion. Many parties Nymph attended back home had her dancing for hours, but the increased paced here made it far too difficult to stay on her hooves. Once the current song came to an end, Pinkie replaced the record with more relaxed but still energetic music to keep the mood going. “Okay, everypony! That’s enough for now! I didn’t send an invite to the paramedics, so cool down before we crank it up again!”
”My oh my. Our parties were never this intense.” The Changeling Queen conjured a magic fan to cool herself as she took a seat in one of the chairs by a table. “Ponies are very energetic with their dancing. I’m surprised ponies don’t often pass out at this sort of parties.”
“Ponies throw all kinds of parties and they are better than anything we’ve had in Bugartha,” said Chrysalis as she sat beside her, drinking a soda and looking nowhere as tired. “You really need to learn how to live, Nymphie. There’s so much Equestria has to offer.”
“See, Dagi? I told you this would be fun!” Both changelings turned their heads to see Adagio seat herself at a table nearby with Sonata getting up and close with her. “I just wish we did this in the other world. I think I look better dancing with two legs.”
“I don’t know if I can keep going,” the lead singer panted. “I haven’t done anything like this in a long time.” She glanced up at Aria as she walked by, looking the same as she did as when she first arrived. “I can understand why Sonata isn’t slowing down, but how are you keeping up?”
“I work out and eat healthy.” Aria smiled slightly as sat beside her. “If you want some advice, I would highly recommend laying off the junk food. Living on land is going to make it harder to burn those extra calories.”
Adagio made a dismissive gesture with her hoof. “I am taking a night off. I am allowed to spoil myself.” She ate a brownie from the platter in one bite and let out a satisfied gasp when it went down. “These are addicting. They’re better than anything you’ve baked, Aria.”
“Pinkie’s baking skills are legendary.” Nymph moved to another seat closer to the Dazzlings. “If you get on her good side, I’m sure she would be more than willing to supply with all the sweets you desire. Believe me when I saw her goods are something fit for royalty.” Her eye caught faint traces of drool dropping from Adagio’s lips. “She would be a great friend for you, Adagio. Pinkie would gladly be your personal baker and give you whatever you desire.”
“A-as if!” Aria nabbed a brownie and inhaled it. Her eyes bulged for a moment when she chewed and swallowed, but she tried to keep her calm. “Okay. I admit that these are probably the best brownies I have ever tasted, but I can learn! I just need some time to practice.”
“What fun would that be.” Nymph leaned closer to Aria. “I happen to know a wide assortment of fabulous dishes. Perhaps we could find time for me to teach you? Having a queen as your teacher is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Just a few lessons and your skills will be unmatched.”
“Pass.”
Nymph nearly fell out of her chair from the instant reply. “Are you sure? I assure you that I would be a great teacher.”
“I liked learning on my own. Feels nicer when you figure out something yourself rather than have somepony run you through step by step.” Nymph lightly huffed as Aria walked off to the other ponies, who were talking, eating, and often giving Sonata glances. “Hey. What exactly are we going to do now? I thought parties were about doing a whole bunch of stuff.”
“Do we do anything else besides dancing?” Adagio visibly shuttered. “If we’re moving onto the grand finale, then I would like to be taken home at once.”
Everypony looked at each other. They then looked at Chrysalis and Nymph, who both shrugged in return. “Grand finale?” asked Rarity. “Whatever does that mean?”
“Seriously? You don’t end your parties with...you know?” Everyone stared silently at her and the whole situation became very awkward for her. “Oh.” The blush on Adagio’s face was immense, which fueled everyone’s curiosity. “Well, I should have known better than to expect ponies to partake in such things.”
“Tell us!” Pinkie bounced like wild in front of her. “I wanna know how sirens party! Do you sing!? Do you go surfing!? Tell me!”
“No. You really don’t want to know.” Every time Adagio tried to walk away, Pinkie zipped in front of her with an excited grin. “I suggest you get out of my way.”
“But you can’t just not tell me!” Pinkie leaned in far too close for Adagio’s comfort. “How do sirens like to party!? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!”
“We had orgies,” Aria answered bluntly as she ate from a bag of chips.
Shocked did not come close to describing the reaction everyone had. The whole castle practically echoed with the crunching coming from Aria as she chewed on her snack. The first to break their trance was Twilight as she quickly conjured a barrier around Spike’s head. “Did you really have to just blurt it out!? We have young ears present, you know!”
Pinkie’s smile shriveled up and she backed away, catching her fainting marefriend without even looking. “Good heavens!” Nymph cried out before magically catching Thorax as he fell over. “Sirens committed this sort of debauchery on a regular basis!?”
“Heck yeah! You just find a cute guy or several and you just twist tails all night long!” Sonata loudly giggled as she blushed intensely. “That was always the best part of parties! First you find who and then you do!”
“I’m sorry you ponies are too sensitive to even talk about what’s only natural,” taunted Adagio, “but now I’m even more curious what you plan on doing for this little party. I can’t imagine it will be so exciting.”
“W-well,” stammered Rarity while desperately brushing her mane as it was becoming undone before their eyes, “we do things that aren’t as...lewd.”
“Like what?” Adagio smugly smirked at the unicorn. “Do go on.”
“We could watch a movie, do karaoke, makeovers, pin the tail on the pony, and other sorts of activities,” Twilight answered as she tried to keep calm. “We can figure it out after a break, so why don’t you three just relax and enjoy yourselves?”
Looking rather annoyed, the siren turned her back to Twilight. “Fine, but you better have something good, Sparkle.” Adagio returned to one of the buffet tables while everyone in the room dispersed and some met up to make conversation save for a few individual as they tried to forget what they had just learned.
Filling two cups with punch, Nymph drank both at the same time and took a deep breath. At last, the shock wore off and she sat down. “Chrysalis, please help me ensure my parties never evolve into something like that.”
“That’s a promise.” Chrysalis shivered. “We should stop talking about that before Luna visits my nightmare tonight with questions I would be far too uncomfortable answering. What do you want to do while we’re here, Nymph?”
“I don’t know. I suppose just enjoy ourselves like everyone else is.” From behind her, Nymph heard the laughter of the ponies as were discussing something amusing. Looking at them made her feel happy as she was glad to see them all again during something that wasn’t royal business. “I would like to catch up with everypony tonight for one.” Just then she remembered the other reason she came here and looked at Adagio, who was sitting alone and picking out delicies from the center of her table. “But I also want to use this party as a way to encourage friendship for the sirens. We should take advantage of this moment.”
“Might as well do both.” Chrysalis got onto her hooves. “And I’ll be sure to act as your wingmare.” She once more looked toward the back of the room. “Why don’t we start with her?” Looking behind her, Nymph saw Aria standing all by herself against a wall. She couldn't think of a reason of why she would break away from her two friends, but perhaps being alone with her had its advantages.
The two royal changelings approached the siren, who didn’t notice them until they were close and she quickly grew agitated. “Aria, you certainly stand out all by yourself,” Nymph commented with concern. “Is something that matter?”
“Just keeping an eye on my friends.” Aria narrowed her eyes at the ponies sitting around Sonata. “I don’t trust anypony here.”
“But do you trust me?” She looked up at Chrysalis but didn’t bother giving her a response. “I hear you and Adagio are getting along quite well.”
“Yeah. Never thought I’d see the day the two of us could on for this long with ripping each other’s throats out. You had good advice, so thanks.”
“It’s all from experience.” Chrysalis leaned closer to her to speak in more of a whisper. “I used to absolutely disdain Luna and only pretended to be her friend for my own gain.”
Aria’s eyes grew wide. “You hated her? Why?”
“Personal reasons. Perhaps one day I will share them with you. Let’s just say I used to fantasize of her suffering.”
Nymph could tell Aria was disappointed from the answer, but the singer nodded to show she understood. “So how the heck did you two end up dating? I don’t understand how you go from hating her to being all sappy with her.”
“Oh, we do much more than act sappy.” Chrysalis bounced her eyebrows, which caused Aria’s pink face to turn crimson. “The things we do...I’m getting off topic. I was a cruel mare back then, but deep down I needed a friend. One who would help through my struggles and put me on the right path. Despite my behavior, Luna was always there for me and the two of us grew closer. She’s...one of the best things that’s ever happened to me and sometimes I’m not sure I deserve her.” Despite all the ambience, Nymph was certain she heard Chrysalis sniffle slightly. “I apologize for getting too touchy feely for you. Luna means so much to me and I can’t help it when I think about back then. Just try to have fun with Adagio tonight.”
“Yeah. About that.” The three mares looked at Adagio as she filled up another plate with baked goods.
“Then you’ll just need a substitute.” After looking around the room, Chrysalis magically moved Aria slightly in Rainbow Dash’s direction. “Why don’t you go and give her another chance? I feel confident that the two of you have more in common than you think.” Aria gave her a look that questioned if she was being serious. “I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I? Just make conversation unless you want to be that poor siren who sits by herself during a party.” Despite her groan of protest, Aria slowly trudged herself to the pegasus. Nymph waited until she was far enough before rejoining her sister. “She still needs time.”
“Chrysalis, you seem to really connect with her. Maybe I should have left them in your care from the start.”
“I would have turned them into chum if you had.”
The two sisters laughed quietly to themselves as they watched what would happen. It seemed like something what started between the two mares, so Nymph decided to creep closer to Aria and Rainbow Dash in order to listen in. “So what do you do?” asked Aria as she fiddled with a cup of punch. She tried to act uninterested, but Nymph could tell she felt a bit awkward just from how stared at the floor and couldn’t keep still.
“I do weather work here in Ponyville and sometimes I work for Cherub. My two favorite jobs.”
“Yeah I heard you all work for her dating service thing. What do you exactly because it sounds kinda...lame.”
Rainbow Dash smirked at her. “I beat up ponies when she asks me to.”
Aria’s attention was immediately grabbed. “Seriously? She lets you do that?”
“She even lets me use her stun gun. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve used it,” the pegasus bragged casually. “Cupid’s Arrow would fall apart if I didn’t keep everypony in order. A celebrity like her needs constant protection from all sorts of creeps. Just think about what Princess Luna would do if something happened to her.”
“Makes sense. You wouldn’t believe how crazy people got over famous people in the other world.” Aria looked back at Chrysalis and Nymph quickly turned her head another direction to avoid suspicion. “You probably know a lot about her. Just who the heck is she because I can’t help but think something’s off about her.”
“Y-y-you’re just being paranoid. Cherub’s just a normal, not secretive pony like me. So how about you?” Rainbow Dash quickly asked before Aria could say anything. “What are your hobbies? I’m sure sirens are very interesting.”
Aria looked to the side. “Singing. Swimming. Cooking. Mostly singing really. It’s pretty much my life”
“So do you listen to any music at all or are you just too good for Equestrian music?” the pegasus finished sarcastically.
“Judging just how you ponies love to preach the glory of friendship, I feel like most of your songs are something little children listen to all the time in the other world. So yeah, I think I am too good for your music.”
Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground and got in her face. “Oh yeah? I bet I could find something that’d make you eat those words!”
Rolling her eyes, Aria put her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s face and pushed her back. “Please. As if any singalong is going to make me change my mind.”
“Wanna bet on it? I have plenty of records back at my place and I bet I can find just one band you would like! Just pick the date and time and I will make you eat those words!”
Aria smirked and shook hooves with the pegasus. “Sounds like fun.”
Satisfied, the changeling sisters moved out of earshot. “That went far better than I expected. Maybe this will lead to something good.” Pressing her luck, Nymph turned her attention to one particular siren sitting alone. “What about her? Think we can do something for our most problematic singer?”
Chrysalis watched in disgust as Adagio stuffed her face with more of Pinkie’s baked goods. “Must we? I’m supposed to to relax tonight, not get a migraine.” With pleading eyes, Nymph nodded and Chrysalis sighed. “If I get cranky with my clients tomorrow, I’ll blame you.” They approached Adagio and she gave them an unpleasant glance. “It’s not like you to hide from a crowd.”
“I’m not hiding,” she answered with a mouth full of sweets before swallowing. “I know speaking with those ponies is a complete waste of my time and I will enjoy this party my own way.”
“Come now, Adagio. Surely getting to know them would be more enjoyable than this,” encouraged Nymph. She quickly moved the plate away before Adagio could go for another bite. “You’d be better off befriending these kind ponies rather than cling to any desperate plot you may have.”
“Ha! I will not lower myself by making friends with prey.”
“And what of Sonata?” asked Nymph as she looked across the room. Currently Sonata was seated in between Fluttershy and Applejack and the three of them were sharing a laugh. “She’s getting along with them just fine.”
“She’s had a rough life in Chantlantis that has made her desperate for the acceptance of others. As long as I’m her number one, she can do what she likes.” Adagio quickly snatched her snacks. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to enjoy myself.” The changelings looked at each other, nodded, and Chrysalis took her by the shoulder to drag her off. “Hey! Get your filthy hooves off of me!”
“Sorry, but consider this a friendship lesson,” Nymph happily chimed in response to her torment. She didn’t even need to think of what to do when she spotted Twilight nearby. “I think you and Twilight are long overdue for a decent conversation. Twilight!” The princess looked as they came to her. “I must thank you for allowing Adagio to stay at your party. She’s having a great time. Isn’t that right?” Adagio loudly snorted. “At least Sonata is enjoying this party you threw for her.”
“Is that how you plan on indoctrinating your foes?” questioned Adagio bitterly. “Through parties?”
“It’s not like that. We just thought it would be a fun way for us to get to know each other.” Twilight’s head sunk slightly. “To be honest, I was kind of hoping this would help make up for what I did. For forgetting about you three.”
Nymph waited for some snappy comeback from Adagio, but it appeared the siren had given pause before responding. “So you do not have the spine to crush your enemies? The fact you try to make friends with them is ridiculous if not tragic.”
“Watch your tongue, girl,” Chrysalis hissed. “If Twilight was more like you, you would eating out of a dumpster rather than off the buffet table.”
The two mares stared down each other and Nymph swore she could see a glint of red in Adagio’s eyes. Soon Adagio backed off and returned her attention to Twilight. “I have to know. After what Sunset Shimmer did to you and your friends, why would you ever want to take her in?”
“I’ve spent my time here in Ponyville learning about the importance of friendship and I know that it can reach anyone. I also know that even the purest hearts like Princess Luna’s can be turned to darkness. I could of left Sunset back then, but what good would it do to any of us to have her suffer for what she did? Sunset has become a great friend of mine and I know we can be friends someday too!” Twilight grinned at Adagio’s unconvinced expression before looking bashful. “Well...sometimes it takes a little longer for people to come around.”
“So do you talk to her often?” Adagio didn’t even seemed interested in the subject given her tone.
“Almost every day!”
“I’m surprised a princess like you has so much time for a measly former pony.”
“She may be a princess, but she does not possess as much royal responsibilities like myself or Celestia,” Nymph answered. “Luckily for her she has plenty of free time to herself.”
“And what does the special little princess like to do? Like when you aren’t with your friends.”
“Reading!”
Adagio nearly choked. “Really? I didn’t take you for the type.”
“I could open my own library just from all the books I have already read! And I don’t just read literature. I enjoy reading textbooks, magical studies, biographies, spellbo-” Her words were cut off by Adagio’s powerful laughter. Some of the ponies looked over to see her struggling to stand as she clutched her stomach. “W-what?”
“Oh this explains so much! I wasn’t sure why you were given friendship lessons at all until now! You had to be taught how to make friends because you are too much of nerd to make any!” She gave a mocking pat to Twilight’s flushed cheek. “Great party so far! I look forward to the rest of it!” The siren then walked off, her laughter still drowning out the music.
“Do you ever get the feeling that she was tossed out of Chantlantis for reasons she’s too embarrassed to say?” Chrysalis spat hatefully. “She claims to be such a great siren, but I strongly doubt a single tear was shed over her absence.”
Nymph didn’t even need her changeling sense to understand how Twilight felt. “Twilight, I am so sorry about that.”
With a loud huff, Twilight replied, “It’s not your fault.”
“But it is. I encouraged her and Aria to come tonight with Sonata and hope they could make up for their last visit. I should have known better than to bring her to a party hosted by you.”
“I wish I knew what to do with her. It doesn’t seem like anypony can get through to her.” Twilight gulped down her punch and set the cup on the table. “I’ll try talking to her.”
Chrysalis stopped her with her hoof. “Are you sure that is wise? She’ll just make you suffer in any way she can think of.”
“I do. I’m not giving up on her and I have no reason not to try now.” Twilight moved past Chrysalis before giving them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about us. Go and have fun.” The princess went over to Adagio’s side and she attempted to get another conversation started with her.
“Brave girl,” complimented Chrysalis.
“Celestia would be proud.”
“As great as this all is we should see Pinkie if she has anything else planned because I’m ready for more fun.” While looking for the party planner herself, Chrysalis stopped and pointed at something.
Nearby, they found Aria talking with Applejack and, surprisingly, it seemed to have been going well considering what the siren had done to her property during her last visit to Ponyville. Feeling very curious, they went over to the mares. “Applejack,” Nymph greeted warmly. “It’s been too long.”
“Has it?” the earth pony laughed. “Ya’re dropping off Sonata by my place almost every other day.”
“I still don’t get what she sees in you,” said Aria as she carefully studied the earth pony. “Maybe she’s seen too many westerns.”
“I can give ya two reasons,” Applejack answered confidently. “The first is the apple pie.”
“I’d like to see you stay away if you tried some,” teased Chrysalis while giving Aria a nudge.
Rolling her eyes, Aria asked, “What’s the second reason?”
“She likes givin’ my lil sister singin’ lessons. Ah think she loves havin’ a fan all to herself.”
“Oh yeah. She keeps talking about some kid named Bloomy.”
“It’s Apple Bloom and they adore each other,” said Applejack. “She just gets so excited whenever Sonata comes by and Ah know Sonata thinks she’s the cutest lil filly in all of Equestria.”
“Of course she does. She thinks everything is cute,” muttered Aria, obviously unconvinced.
Nymph transformed herself into Apple Bloom right in front of them. Smiling at Aria, she said in Apple Bloom’s voice, “Ah think ya’re such a big and strong siren, Aria. Will ya teach me how to be tough and cool like ya so Ah can get my cutie mark? Ah wanna beat up everypony and be amazin’ just like ya!”
Aria stood dumbfounded as she stared at the queen. “Crud, that is adorable,” she muttered loudly, which caused everyone else to laugh.
“So what were you talking about before we interrupted?” asked Chrysalis as Nymph returned to her original form.
“Just saying it’s a bit weird that we’re enemies and yet we have some of our own making friends with each other.” Aria turned her head across the room to see Sonata and Pinkie in the middle of a hug.
“How exactly am Ah yar enemy?” questioned Applejack defensively. “Ah hardly know ya.”
“Your Twilight’s friend.” Aria gave her a dirty look. “That’s all the reason I need.”
Chrysalis gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder to break the tension. “I am her friend as well and yet you don’t seem to mind my company.”
“You’re different.”
“How can ya hate Princess Celestia?” Applejack asked in astonishment. “She’s the most benevolent pony in all of Equestria. There’s no way ya see Adagio as bein’ better than her.”
“If you have something against Luna, you and I are going to have some problems,” seethed Chrysalis. “I like to stomp out my problems.”
Aria didn’t seem phased by the threat. “Okay, honestly? I don’t hate them. They’re nice and I really appreciate what they’ve done for us, but they’re so...corny. Maybe fake is the right word.” She shot the queen a quick glance. “Preaching about friendship and stuff. Like does this really fly in the real world? It sounds too stupid to be true. On the other hoof, Cherub, when you talk to me about stuff, it feels real. Like you get it because you’ve lived your life like a normal person.”
“I am hardly normal,” Chrysalis laughed, “but I still appreciate it.”
“Aria, I believe the issue is that you live in a whole new world,” said Nymph. “And I don’t mean the one you were trapped in. I am certain Equestria and Chantlantis are very different places with their own set of morals, culture, and so on. Equestria may seem so strange to you, but bare in mind Celestia has kept this kingdom thriving for over a thousand years despite the many, many threats that come to conquer it and friendship has been the key to her success. Just try to keep an open mind.”
The four mares stood in silence as three of them waited for Aria to say something. Nymph wished she could sense what Aria was feeling so she could determine with certainty whether or not she had two sirens under her hoof. “I’m getting more punch.” Quickly turning around, the siren left without giving anyone the chance to speak.
“She alright?” asked Applejack. “She ain’t anythin’ like the last time Ah dealt with her.”
“I think her eyes are really starting to open,” Nymph answered happily. “Applejack, I really must thank you. You have been instrumental opening Sonata’s heart to friendship and this party is because of it.”
Applejack rubbed the back of her head, laughing bashfully. “Aw shucks. Ah didn’t do anythin’ special. Just bein’ myself and doin’ what Ah can. Besides, it was Pinkie and Fluttershy who did most of the work.”
“I think that’s accurate,” said Chrysalis. “Speaking of Pinkie, we better go see her. Come on, Nymph.”
Applejack tipped her hat to them as they left her to find the party planner. On their way, Nymph decided to observe what else was going on in the room. Looking toward Adagio, she found the siren going on and on with Fluttershy about something while looking entirely smug. Knowing her, the only subject she was proud enough to ramble on was herself. As for Fluttershy, she didn’t seem to be enjoying the conversation in any way, often glancing at the floor and trying to creep away whenever Adagio wasn’t looking. At least Adagio wasn’t intentionally tormenting her friends.
Nymph then noticed someone she almost completely forget about and when he saw her, he and his company quickly came to them. “Hey, Nymph!” Thorax greeted with Spike beside him. “This is easily the biggest party I’ve ever been to! I feel honored to have Spike the Brave and Glorious invite me!”
“If you think this is exciting, wait until you see the Grand Galloping Gala. It is a party on a much grander scale!” Nymph replied.
“It has a stronger emphasis on ‘slumber’ than this slumber party,” Spike added with a laugh before helping himself to some cake.
“Spike, you may be Twilight’s closest companion and a hero to the Crystal Empire, but I will not allow you to insult such an important event.” Nymph loudly sighed. “Who even raised you to speak like that?”
“Celestia.”
“What!?” Thorax pressed his energetic face against Spike’s, knocking the cake out of his claws. “Princess Celestia raised you to be a hero!? Is it true!? Is it really, really true!?”
Playing it cool, Spike shrugged as if it was nothing. “It sure is. She knew from the day I was hatched that I was special. Why else would she pair me with Equestria’s greatest defender?” Thorax bounced with glee as he hung on every word. “Like she even made my breath magically connect to her so we can exchange letters. Twilight would be so lost without me. Heck I even helped her escaped from a deadly trap set up by the Dazzlings. Time was running out for them as the spiked walls were closing in-”
“Save the stories for another time,” Nymph chuckled. “So what have you been up to as of late?”
“Regular stuff. Work for Cherub, write for Twilight, clean for Twilight, cook for Twilight. You know the deal.” He scowled. “Still cleaning the mess left by those yaks.”
All of a sudden, Thorax’s excess excitement fell and was replaced by confusion. “Spike, how come you do so much housework when you’re a hero? No offense, but you seem kinda like Twilight’s butler.”
“Yes. Do tell us,” Chrysalis added tauntingly as she leaned in. “Thorax is simply dying to know.”
Spike quickly broke out into sweat as his eyes shifted between the three changelings. Nymph felt a bit annoyed with Chrysalis, but she couldn’t deny she wasn’t getting some enjoyment out of this. “Because...uh...who else do you trust to clean this very big, magical castle? Who can keep track of where all the books go and what chores need to be done? Like some evil pony could work for Twilight and bam! Turn on the magic portal to take over the world or ponynap Twilight while she’s sleeping! Twilight’s so lucky to have me take care of everything for her.” Spike looked around before whispering, “Twilight sometimes goes a little coo-coo if things aren’t perfect.”
His answer clearly won Thorax over as he was rumbling with admiration for his hero. “Spike, you just seem more and more heroic every time I see you! Isn’t he just amazing, Nymph?”
“Something like that. Thorax, why don’t you go get your hero some more cake?”
“On it!” Thorax flew away without hesitation.
Once he was far enough, Nymph started laughing. “What’s so funny?” Spike asked worriedly.
“I think it’s cute how much you like having a fan, saying whatever you can think of to impress him.”
“He’ll make Thorax build a shrine to honor him at this rate,” Chrysalis chuckled.
“I-I-I’m just telling him about my heroic deeds like he wants! There’s nothing wrong with that!”
“If you say so.” Nymph stepped closer to Spike. “You know, Princess Celestia does talk about you time to time and I think she’s right about you.”
The dragon’s eyes grew in awe. “She talks about me? R-really? What does she say?”
Bending down, Nymph pulled on both of Spike’s cheeks. “That you are so absolutely precious!”
Furiously thrashing to no avail, Spike cried “S-s-s-s-stop! Don’t let Thorax see me like this!”
Giggling, Nymph held on a little longer before freeing him. “You may go have your fun with Thorax. By the way, you should try writing to Celestia on your own time. She really misses you and Twilight.” Rather than say anything, Spike retreated to Thorax just as he came back with a huge slice of cake. “I wonder if he is right about Twilight being lost without him.”
“Speaking of lost, I need to talk to him about his filing system because he’s making my job difficult.” Chrysalis loudly sighed. “I don’t want to think about tomorrow. Let’s just go find Pinkie.”
“You act like you hate your job.”
“Only because the Gala is coming, so ponies are desperate for a date. Too desperate for my taste. Now excuse me while I talk to my star employee.” Chrysalis took one step forward before quickly trotting in the other direction. “After a stop in the little queen’s room.”
Once Chrysalis had exited, Nymph found this to be the perfect opportunity to carry out her other task tonight. Fortunately for her, Rarity was alone. After scanning her eyes across the room, she slowly approached the unicorn as she was enjoying a cup of punch. When Rarity saw her, her face lit up with delight. “Rarity.”
“Nymph.” The two mares exchanged friendly pecks on each other’s cheeks. “It must be nice for royalty to get a night off.”
“You have no idea. How about you? You must be toiling over that sewing machine with the Gala closing in.”
Rarity huffed. “It’s only just starting. I’m getting a few orders for the most extravagant designs, but it will go up soon.”
“I think you will be able to handle it.” A feeling of nervousness grew and Nymph looked around to make absolutely sure no one else could hear them. “Rarity, I could use some advice regarding our special project.”
In an instant Rarity’s interest was heightened. “Oh? What seems to be the trouble?”
Suddenly feeling self conscious, Nymph lowered her head and spoke quietly. “I’m trying to write a rather explicit love scene.”
“O-oh my!” Rarity stammered. She quickly made sure no one in the party was paying them any attention. “Well I hope to see it soon!”
“That is my hope as well, but I have a bit of difficulty in choosing something suitable for their special moment of passion.”
“But aren’t you experienced in…” Rarity sheepishly looked around, “love making?”
“I am, but I want to make sure what I have is both stimulating to the audience and not too vulgar. There are so many things they could do behind closed doors and I wish to pick something that won’t drive away too many readers.”
“I see. What did you choose to have them do?”
Nymph felt a lump in her throat, but she needed all the feedback she could get. “So during the night, Cicada and Glistening Hauberk…”
“Man, how am I still hungry?” muttered Aria as she browsed the buffet table. “Maybe Adagio is right. It doesn’t hurt to take a night off.” Grabbing a paper plate, she helped herself to a donut and decided to add a little flavor. She grabbed a bottle of chocolate syrup and held it upside down, only to get nothing out of it. “Stupid syrup.” Aria slammed her hoof against the bottom, being mindful of her own strength, but she still came up empty. She gritted her teeth as she continued pounding it with her hoof, desperate for the payoff.
When Nymph finished, Rarity’s eyes were about the same size as the queen’s and her face was dark red. “My goodness. That is...certainly extreme.” Rarity used her hoof to quickly fan her face drenched with sweat. “Now I see what you are trying to do and don’t get me wrong, I think it is very stimulating. It’s just that I think you should be more ladylike with your scene. We want love, not lust.”
“Yes, you’re right. This is supposed to be a love story, not cheap smut.” Once more checking if the coast was clear, Nymph asked, “Any ideas?”
Biting her lip, Rarity hesitated before answering. “I have one as a matter of fact. What you have them do instead is…”
“No way!” Sonata’s eyes practically bulged out of her head as she placed her head on the table. “Is that chocolate pudding!?”
“Uh-huh! Can’t be a party without pudding!” Pinkie tossed a cup into Sonata’s hooves. “Go help yourself!”
“Puuuudddding…” Sonata licked her lips as she tore the lid off and locked around. “Got any spoons?”
Pinkie did a double take of the entire buffet table. “Oops. I brought plastics forks but not spoons! Oh well! You can just eat without one!”
Without wasting any time, Sonata dug her muzzle into the pudding cup, using her tongue to wildly scoop up any of the delicious treat it could reach. Her whole body quivered as she scarfed down the delicious desert. When the cup was completely clean, she wiped her muzzle and sighed happily. “This is the greatest party in my whole life.”
“Rarity, I think that would be perfect.” Nymph placed her hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder. “What would I do without you?”
“I thought you might like it. I am an artist, so I do have a vivid imagination. And then finally, you end it with…”
She knew she could never say it, but this was a great night. Easily one of the greatest nights in recent memory. When was the last time she had danced like she had? Adagio didn’t even want to think about it given how miserable the last few years of her life were. It was true this party contained most of her greatest obstacles, but having her friends with her as well as taking advantage of Twilight’s generosity helped her feel comfortable. Since becoming homeless, Adagio had developed a far greater appreciation for food and could not stop herself from devouring every tasty morsel she could reach.
After downing yet another cookie, she loudly coughed and patted her chest. “I hope the drinks are just as good.” Before she could even begin looking, a soda can was held out to her.
“Here, Adagio.” Rainbow Dash held hints of a grin on her lips. “On the house.”
“Finally. A pony who knows who to serve.” Adagio took it and looked over the brand while getting a good feel for the can. “I didn’t think you would do such a thing for me. You seemed very upset when Pinkie said I was here.”
“What can I say? I got over it.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her hooves together and leaned a little closer. “So you gonna drink up or what?”
“Absolutely. I need this more than anything right now.” She slowly lifted the can to her face. “I can’t imagine how much I am going to enjoy this.”
“Me neither,” Dash replied as she desperately tried to get a hold of herself.
With her hoof on the tab on top, Adagio said, “Cheers.” She quickly pointed the can at Rainbow Dash and popped it open. The pegasus’s face was assaulted by a sudden rush of cold liquid and quickly stumbled over, only to fall on her rear with more soft drink pouring on her. Once she poured the entire drink onto her victim, Adagio tossed the can aside and broke into laughter. “Did you really think I am that stupid!? You couldn’t be more obvious if you just told me what you were planing!” Much to Rainbow Dash’s embarrassment, Aria and Sonata had caught what just happened and were also laughing. Without any way to save face, Rainbow Dash got up and walked away with her tail between her legs.
Taking another can and opening it, Adagio finally helped herself to the cool relief of soda. “Now this is my kind of party.”
“Oh, Rarity,” Queen Nymph panted. “This is so much better than what I had. I’ll get to work right away as soon as I get back to Canterlot tomorrow.”
Rarity giggled. “I look forward to reading it.” She spotted Chrysalis returning and said, “Let me know as soon as it’s ready.”
The two mares parted and Nymph reunited with her sister. With no more distractions, they finally reached the party pony herself by one of the tables where she was with some of her friends. However, Twilight seemed to have been writing something on paper. “Twilight? What are you doing?”
“Making notes before I forget. I can’t believe I didn’t see this before.” Twilight looked up to see Sonata nuzzling Spike, who seemed far less than pleased with the situation. “I remembered Sonata saying Spike was like a small siren to her, so I wonder if there’s any truth to that. I didn’t think about it before with the little information I had and the fact sirens live in the ocean, but I have a theory that dragons and sirens are related!” The alicorn squealed as she likely thought about all the experiments she would perform and papers she would write.
“No way!” Spike argued. “Dragons are brave and noble while sirens are devious and evil! We are not related!” He grabbed Sonata’s head and made her look at them while she was in the middle of gushing over him. “See this? This is pure evil!”
“Hey, that’s not nice!” Sonata pouted. “I think she’s onto something, though. I’m big and scaly like a dragon!”
Spike, having none of it, crossed his arms and turned his head away. “Dragons and sirens are completely different! End of story!”
“Are they?” questioned Applejack, studying the two of them with great intensity. “Both are big, scaly, and got sharp teeth. Like what about that water dragon we saw that one time in the Everfree Forest? He was kinda a mix of the two, right?”
Twilight gasped loudly. “That raises even more questions, which is great!” She hastily scrawled down more notes. “We don’t know much about dragons or sirens to start with, so it’s going to be a challenge. Could a water dragon be a link between them? Is mating between the two possible? Would that make something entirely new!? Would I have three creatures to research!? I think we need to find them a dragon mate and study their offspring!” Somehow, the needle of the record flew off of the record, leaving in the room in dead silence. All eyes were wide and focused on Twilight with some party guests dropping their food and drinks. “What?” In a matter of seconds, the cold touch of realization stuck her.
“You want to have us...mate with a dragon?” Aria asked in horror. “Just for you to study?”
“I do, but...no! I mean, if you want to! Not right away! Just if it happens! Naturally! Romantically! I don’t see why we can’t investigate it scientifically! After all, we can’t find any other sirens and we may never see one come to Equestria, so maybe give it some consideration?” Twilight finished weak and timidly.
“No,” Aria answered immediately.
“Maybe if you know good looking ones...I mean no!” Sonata followed up.
The sudden silence caused everyone to stare at Adagio as she bit her lip. Nymph couldn’t believe it was possible she was actually giving it some thought rather than rake her enemy over the coals for such an embarrassing outburst. Then again, what Twilight said was something she had not considered before. There was a very small chance they would encounter another siren as none of them knew where Chantlantis was. For all she knew they could of went extinct somehow during their thousand years absence. Despite their love for chaos and destruction, surely sirens were capable of love. Nymph had the thought of mentioning that sirens held a bit similarity to ponies had they possessed hooves to possibly expand their options, but she kept it to herself as she didn’t wish to overload Twilight’s brain.
“If I really must, I’ll consider it. For my benefit, mind you. Not yours.” Twilight hastily nodded and the rest quickly dispersed from the awkward scene. However, Nymph couldn’t help but notice that Sonata and Aria did not seem too thrilled with Adagio’s answer. Perhaps they too were realizing that the chance of running into another of their kind was almost zero and the thought was weighing heavily on them.
Aria was in the middle of walking away before she stopped and turned around. She suddenly galloped and leapt onto the table that Twilight sat out, startling everyone with the loud bang she made upon landing. “Okay! Enough is enough! Please tell me we’re actually going to do something fun tonight! I gave up my whole night for this, so we better do something fun other than stand around and talk about our feelings or dragon mating!” She stuck her hoof at Pinkie. “You better have something good because this is really putting the emphasis on ‘slumber’ in ‘slumber party’!”
“Hey, she stole my joke!” Spike complained.
“Sorry! I got so distracted with Sonny that I got a bit side tracked!” Pinkie reached her mane and pulled out an incredibly long list that didn’t seem to have an end. “There’s all sorts of fun things to do and since you’re out guest, you can pick! We could make s’mores, play spin the bottle, tell scary stories-”
“Scary stories?” interrupted Aria, showing intrigue as she climbed down. “Ponies actually do that at a slumber party?”
“Heck yeah! We got the best stories you’ll ever hear!” Rainbow Dash bragged. “You like that sort of stuff?
Aria quickly realized how excited she was becoming and changed back to her more relaxed expression. “I kinda have a fascination with horror. I think I want to hear what kind of stories you pansy ponies tell.”
“No!” Sonata leapt onto the floor and grabbed Aria’s leg. “I don’t wanna hear scary stuff before going to sleep! I still have nightmares about Luna’s nightmare! I wanna make s’mores instead!”
“I propose we do both,” said Nymph. “We can sit around the fire to make s’mores and tell stories while they cook. That should be fun for all of us, yes?” Everyone in the room murmured in agreement save for Sonata and Fluttershy.
“Sounds like a plan,” Aria answered, satisfied. Twilight walked out of the room with all of her guests following. Upon taking her first step, Aria realized her friend was still tightly attached to her. “Don’t tell me you’re too tuna for pony stories?”
Sonata stood straight up, her face pink with her mouth scrunching. “I am not a tuna!” She reached out and held Adagio against herself. “I just need Dagi to sit with me for...reasons!” Rolling her eyes, Aria walked off to follow everyone else outside.
As hard as she tried, Adagio could not get Sonata off of her. “Sonata,” she grunted, “I hope you know there’s a difference between being a friend and being clingy.” With great effort, she also managed to break free, but Sonata snapped back and reclaimed her grip. Defeated, Adagio went ahead to follow the others.
“Which one will make you hold me?”
Out on one of the many balconies of the castle, everyone rested on an assortment pillows and wearing blankets around the large hearth. Being near the fire in the middle of the night reminded Nymph of the many nights she spent in the wilderness as she tracked down dangerous prey for sport. It took her awhile to understand how to properly make a s'mores with Chrysalis teaching her. Upon her first success, Nymph not only learned not only how amazing these treats were, but they were another food Chrysalis could prepare without the risk of death.
Chrysalis’s old recipes would have made the perfect horror stories.
“And then the Olden Pony asked, ‘Who's got my rusty horseshoe?’” Rainbow Dash took a bow as her friends applauded her except for Fluttershy, Spike, and the Dazzlings. “Always a classic.”
“I hate that story!” cried Spike, barely able to hold the stick carrying his marshmallow as it rattled in his claw. “I’ll never trust an old lady again!”
“You’ll think twice once you get a taste of Granny’s pies,” Applejack laughed.
“Actually isn’t Nymph technically an old-” Sonata could say no more when the queen magically shoved a pillow into her mouth.
“Very eerie,” complemented Chrysalis as she leaned against Nymph. “You are quite the story teller, Rainbow Dash.”
“I aim to please.” Dash flew over the fire to see the Dazzlings. “So what did you think? Creepy? Heart racing? Nightmare fuel?”
“Boring,” Aria and Adagio answered at the same time.
“That was the scariest story I ever heard in my whole life! I don’t know if I can ever look at Granny Smith the same way again! ” Sonata quaked with fear as she clung to Adagio, who had long given up on doing anything about her. “So are we done!?”
“That was just one story!” Pinkie pulled her multiended marshmallow stick out of the fire and created many s’mores, which she immediately devoured all at once. “We’re supposed to tell a whole bunch of them! Nothing helps you stay up late in a slumber party other than fearing for your own life!” Sonata and Fluttershy both loudly whimpered.
“Sonata, ya do realize ya could probably just blast her away with that crazy voice ya got, right?” reminded Applejack while scooting closer to her. “To me, it looks like she should be afraid of ya since sirens are so dang powerful.”
Opening one eye, Sonata took a moment to process the argument before she grinned. “You’re right! I’m way scarier than that old lady! You’re so smart, Applejack.” The farmer chuckled as Sonata jumped onto her hooves. “I guess these stories aren’t so scary now!”
“Well I find them to be fascinating,” spoke Nymph. “A mix of intriguing folklore mixed with the feeling of terror. It astounds me just how many great stories are out there in the world that still grips listeners even after hundreds of years.” She noticed Thorax still shaking and whimpered right beside her, so she pulled him against her. Almost immediately did his quivering cease. “Well go on. Tell us the next tale!”
Rarity stood up. “May I have the honors?” Rainbow Dash nodded, although she looked reluctant to share the spotlight. “Splendid. Since we have many new faces tonight, my story shall be...the Headless Horse!”
“And those poor unfortunate ponies were never heard of again.” Rarity took a bow as all of her friends applauded. “How was that?”
“Ya’re really good at this, Rarity!” complemented Applejack. “Ah was gettin’ chills just from how ya told it, even though Ah’ve heard it about a thousand times.”
“Sometime I wonder if these tales hold any truth,” spoke Nymph. “Equestria never knew about changelings for so long that it makes you wonder if anything else lurks out in the world.”
“A good point.” Chrysalis grinned as she looked at her friends. “You never know what monsters could be lurking around at this very moment…”
“T-t-t-t-t-there’s not really a Headless Horse, right?” Thorax had chosen to hide under his blanket and he was shaking so hard that Nymph nearly mistaken him for something similar to a massage chair. “Tell me it was just completely made up!” Chuckling, Nymph rubbed her hoof across his head.
Rainbow Dash flew over the sirens looking much more smug. “Tell me the truth. You girls were totally scared.”
“Totally!” Sonata cried as she hid her face in Adagio’s mane. Nymph and Chrysalis exchanged confused glances as they watched the powerful siren who was ready to take on the world minutes ago quiver like a grub.
“Not even the slightest,” Aria said boredly as she roasted another marshmallow. “How is a pony scarier when they’re missing a body part? Should I be scared of the Legless Changeling as well? The Tailless Dragon? Let’s not forget the Brainless Alicorn.” She glanced at Twilight, who looked extremely annoyed with her.
“I have to agree. That story was...stupid.” The brief hesitation prompted Nymph to closely study Adagio’s face and voice. “It’s a pony without a head. Why should I be afraid? It’s not even real. It’s just a dumb legend made up by even dumber ponies.”
“How do you know, Dagi?” asked Sonata as she poked her face out from the blanket. “Books say we’re a legend and we’re totally real!”
“Because I said so!” In the midst of Adagio’s outburst, Nymph got up from her spot. “There’s no such thing as a Headless Horse! It’s a dumb story told to children because they’re the only ones who would fall for it!” Creeping behind Adagio, Nymph made a shushing gesture to everypony else as she changed her form. “And so help me, Sonata, if you start having nightmares, I will-” Nymph tapped her shoulder and Adagio angrily turned around.
The color immediately drained from her face.
As the Headless Horse, Nymph reared back and neighed over them. Adagio and Sonata shrieked at deafening levels and held each other. Aria, however, backed away and stared in awe at the mythical monster brought to life before her eyes. Once Nymph finished, she reverted back to her true form and burst out laughing. “Got you!”
Everyone around them laughed and Adagio was as red as she could possibly be. “I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!”
“Why? I’m just having fun. Besides, your sins are far worse.” It was wrong, but seeing Adagio shiver like that was absolutely satisfying to Nymph. However, Sonata actually crying complete undid that. Nymph held out her hoof, but Sonata turned away. Applejack motioned the siren to her and she curled up under the blanket as the farmer shushed her. “Come on. It was just a harmless prank. There’s no need to overreact.”
“I thought that was awesome. You have slightly earned some respect from me.” Adagio glared hatefully at Aria. “What?” The golden siren turned away and began eating the chocolate bars directly. Sighing, Aria laid down next to her and began making more s’mores.
“Are you okay, Adagio?” asked Fluttershy, poking her head out from under Pinkie.
“If anypony mentions this again, I will show you all something to really scream about.”
“Maybe we should stop telling scary stories?” suggested Spike. “We…” He looked at Thorax. “I mean they are getting too freaked out and I’d hate to make Luna busy tonight.”
“Heck no. This is great.” Aria finished her s’more and handed it to Adagio, who ate it as if she would die without it. “You know that’s going straight to your butt, right?”
“Shut up and make me more.”
“Gladly.” Aria began roasting another puffy treat. “But seriously, that story sucked. Do you ponies have anything good? Like I wanna hear something that will make me sweat and fear the dark. Something that will make me jump at any noise in the middle of the night.”
“Guess I’m bringing out the big guns.” Rainbow Dash stood in front of the hearth. “This story is about...The Killer Cloud!”
“Are you serious!?” Aria gave her stick to Adagio and stood up, enraged. “That’s supposed to be scary!? A bucking cloud!? I should have known better that you ponies would be afraid of just about anything to the point you think clouds are scary! What a great waste of my time!”
“Well, Aria, if you feel that way, then perhaps you have a story to share with us?” Twilight suggested. “You said you had an interest in this subject, so you must have something. Maybe something siren related?”
“Actually, I do. And it’s a good one. Maybe you ponies could learn something from me.” Rainbow Dash huffed as she sat on her pillow. “My story is over a thousand years old and it's still better than anything you ponies got. It’s the story of the Burial Sea.”
“Aria, no!” Sonata wrapped both legs around Applejack’s neck, who quickly turned blue. “I hate that story!”
“I’m already looking forward to this one,” said Chrysalis as she used her magic to save Applejack. “Please go on.”
“Okay.” Aria spoke in a lower tone to set up the mood. “In Chantlantis, there was this very mysterious place many miles away from the kingdom. No one knew much about it, not even King Met Tune.”
“King Met Tune!?” Twilight interrupted excitedly, much to Aria’s annoyance. “He was the ruler of the sirens!? Tell me everything about him!”
Sighing, Aria replied, “His full name is King Metronome Tune and he was a loud, annoying moron. Ever see a movie where people suddenly get together to sing and dance for a big music number despite it not making any sense in the story? He did that all the time. All. The. Time. With his gem and that stupid sound his tail makes when he swings it around, he can get any siren into the rhythm for...dang it! Don’t interrupt! You’re killing the mood!”
Twilight just finished writing down the last piece of information on a piece of paper before sending it off. “Sorry. Continue.”
“Anyway, the place I am talking about was something we all called the Burial Sea. Every siren knew about it because we all had a tradition. Any siren who had passed away would be sent to the Burial Sea for their final rest.”
“Y-y-y-y-y-you mean it’s like…” Fluttershy gulped. “A graveyard?”
“Kind of. Out at the Burial Sea was a massive chasm that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was just this big hole that reached out for miles just sitting in the middle of nowhere. You haven’t seen anything like it. So with the dead bodies, we would wrap them up in seaweed, tie some stones to them, say their last rites, and drop them in. They slowly sink down until the darkness takes them forever.” Aria chuckled. “Can you imagine it? If Chantlantis is still around and holding up old traditions, they must have dumped in millions of bodies by now. A million corpses all brought to the same place.”
“Why?” asked Twilight, shaking slightly. “Why would sirens take their deceased and send them off like that?”
“Who knows? Maybe the king knew something we didn’t.” With a malevolent grin, Aria stepped closer to the fire and Nymph’s heart began to race. “Do you know what was down the deep, dark chasm?”
“W...what was down there?” Applejack suddenly held onto Sonata.
“Well, no one knew for sure, but we had our guesses. Any siren foolish enough to swim down into the eternal darkness...well, let’s say it’s a good thing we bury our dead there.” Without realizing it, Nymph held Thorax against her chest. “Some say there was nothing down there. Just mountains of bones from all the sirens dropped there. Could you imagine such a sight? Bones as far as the eye can see.” Twilight was trembling, but she couldn’t get enough. “Some say the chasm was an opening straight to the underworld. Makes sense for a chasm that big to exist. It never did look natural to me.” Over the crackling flame, Nymph heard Fluttershy whimper. “Me? My favorite theory is that down below is a terrible beast that desires blood and if we did not offer our dead to sate its hunger, it would come out and feed on the living.” She casually shrugged. “We will never know for certain because the dead like to keep their secrets.”
Everyone around Aria looked to be mortified and Nymph felt that everyone, Sonata and Adagio included, was trying to relax now that it was over.. “C...cool story, Aria,” said Rainbow Dash. She tried to sound calm, but Nymph felt the pegasus was on the verge of fainting. “I mean, it was simple and straightforward, but…” Rainbow turned pale when the siren turned her head to her, grinning.
“I didn’t say I was finished.” Now both Fluttershy and Pinkie were quivering. “If you thought what was down below was scary, then you should try above the surface. I’ve been to the Burial Sea a few times, but one thing me and every other siren have noticed is the sky is always covered in clouds. No sunlight comes through there. It’s as if Celestia herself is afraid of that place. But even stranger is what happens at night.”
“G-good heavens!” Rarity and Spike hid under the same blanket, only showing their faces.
“One time, I went out on a dare to go to the Burial Sea at night. It was totally dark save for the light of an angler fish I borrowed. You ever try swimming in the middle of the ocean underwater at night? Nothing but blackness all around me. When I went up to the surface, it was colder than anything I have felt. I think there might have been a bit of snow, which we never get. There were legends that said that if you go there late at night and watch the sky, you might see something.” Aria paused to look over her audience. “And I saw something.”
Terror gripped Nymphs heart as she wondered if Aria’s tale would have some sort of monster in it after all. She didn’t want any more of it, but without a proper conclusion, her mind would torment itself trying to guess the answer. “What...what did you see?”
“Up in the clouds, I saw strange lights flying around. They were just moving around and I could just barely make out singing. But that song...it wasn’t a happy one. There wasn’t any words, but I just felt so miserable from how it was sung. The more they sang, the more it snowed. I don’t know why.” Even in the warmth of the hearth, Twilight felt as if she was thrown into an ice bath. “Not long after I saw those lights, they just faded away and all I could hear was the sound of the waves and the wind. That was the only time I came to the Burial Sea at night and I never dared myself to do it again, or else I may have disappeared too. That’s all I know of the Burial Sea and someday, I hope to go back to Chantlantis to see if anyone has answers by now.”
Even the crickets were silent when Aria Blaze sat down. All Nymph could sense around her was the saturation of fear coming from her friends, but she was no different. She had long dreamed of venturing out across the sea to explore other lands, but now she dared not to if some place like the Burial Sea truly existed. What would she have done if she came across such a thing? What if there really was a gigantic, carnivorous beast lurking in the ocean floor? Such a thought left the queen trembling.
Thorax was on the verge of passing out as her struggled to breath. Looking around, her friends weren’t holding up much better. Fluttershy and Pinkie were completely hidden under their blanket as they continued to shake. Rarity’s mane completely undid itself, leaving a terrible mess, while she and Spike held each other, not daring to open their eyes. Rainbow Dash, as tough as she was, had fainted on her pillow. Applejack was trying her best to keep Sonata calm, but she looked ready to have a breakdown as well. Twilight Sparkle, the pony who once faced Tirek alone, was absolutely petrified. As for Chrysalis, she held her head in her hooves, but just from her eyes, Nymph knew she was being tormented by whatever terrible thoughts that had been brought about by the tale.
“So looks like I win.” Aria chuckled before biting into a candy bar. “Told you I had better stories.”
“Aria…” Twilight gulped as she turned to her. “Have you ever heard of a windigo?”
The siren raised her eyebrow. “Is this another scary story?”
“No. They’re from the story of how Equestria was first founded and why we celebrate Hearth’s Warming. You said there was snow when you saw those lights? And singing?”
“A little bit, but yeah.”
“Windigos were creatures that caused powerful blizzards by feeding off the strife of the three pony tribes. No pony knows what they were, but I think you just described them perfectly.” Twilight took a deep breath. “I think you saw windigos that night and I am led to believe that they aren’t just some mythical creature, but actually...ghosts of sirens...”
Everyone around the hearth was completely silent as the fire crackled. Even Aria looked as all the courage she had left her as she tried to take in what she heard. Looking around, it just occurred to Nymph how truly dark it was outside. While there were lights from Ponyville in the distance, everything save for the night sky was pitch black, causing her great discomfort. Eventually, Pinkie sprang to her hooves with a smile that did not look quite mentally stable. “Okay, who wants to go inside and party away our therapy bills!?”
No one bothered answering as they immediately rushed past her in a stampede.