//------------------------------//
// The REAL Legend Of Medusa - The Past Is Not Today 
// Story: 🐍 Medusa 
// by Phantom-Dragon 
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A long, long time ago....


Once upon a time, the primordial sea god named Phorcys and his wife, the primordial sea goddess named Ceto, were feared across all of ancient Greece, for they are the personification of dangers, and their children were all monsters. Horrible, grotesque, and fiendish creatures that have plagued the sea of mankind for centuries. But the most feared of them all were the gorgons – nightmarish, gargoyle-like she-demons, with snakes for hairs, sharp claws, wings of a bat, and coats of scales, and penetrating eyes that stare into the souls of the living – not even the gods would dare to confront these demonic beings.

However, not all children of Phorcys and Ceto were monsters. One fateful day, a daughter was born; a black sheep of the herd. Unlike the rest of her brothers and sisters, she was born human. The gods believed this to be a sign that this daughter would make a difference between beauty and beasts.

She was named Medusa – Greek for "guardian," or "protectress," – and was sent to live among the humans, with her two gorgon sisters, Stheno and Euryale, to watch over her.

Although Medusa was born human, she was not well accepted by the human races, for she had come from a long lineage of monsters, and was disgusted for most of her distinguishing features. Eyes that are vibrant of unnatural green, muddy brown hairs unkempt and untamed as the wild Mares of Diomedes, and a mess of dark spots that decorated across her face as if they were splotches of mud. Furthermore, while most people would shun and live in fear of snakes, Medusa, however, would frolic and play with them, as if they were children. For these abnormality, Medusa was deemed an outcast.

Nevertheless, her two sisters have treated her well. They looked after her and protected her from the dangers and the humans who would dare try to harm her. In spite of their fearsome appearances, Stheno and Euryale both loved their sister very dearly. Unlike most stories of gorgons, Stheno and Euryale do not possess the power to turn the livings into stone. Instead, Stheno was given the power of hypnosis with her eyes, while Euryale was given the power to enchant with her songs, like those of a siren – infamous sea creatures that lure sailors to their doom with their enchanting songs. And so, the two sisters have used their gifted powers to protect themselves and their beloved younger sister. Stheno used her hypnosis to misguide and misdirect invaders away from their home, with Euryale stopping offenders in their tracks with her songs of sorrow and shame.

For the rest of her childhood, Medusa was happy enough to live with her two monstrous, yet loving sisters. They were a family. However, it was never meant to last forever.

One day, after years of being rejected by the outside world, Medusa longs for acceptance from the humans. To be welcomed to the world, with open arms, without fear, and without hesitations.

I, Athena, was one of the few gods who have been watching over, Medusa. I took pity on Medusa. And so, I invited her into my temple, in my city, Athens, as my protege. I taught Medusa everything she knew, such as the practice of a herbalist in the making of medicines, passing most of my wisdoms onto her.

Medusa was my most prized pupil, until I had given her the most difficult challenge of all. Friendship.

It was a difficult task at first, because in the people’s eyes, Medusa was still different. She was still an outcast. The people continued to treat both Medusa and her sisters, as if they were animals.

One day, Medusa was approached by a stranger who gave her a rose. In an instant, Medusa was changed into a different woman. Her unnaturally brown hair was turned gold as the sun, her face was cleared of the splotches and was clear as snow. She was beloved by many, the envy of many women in my city, and the eye of obsession for many suitors. This enchantment had also passed onto Medusa's sisters, Stheno and Euryale, whom both had became human and were enchanted to be just as beautiful as their sister.

The three sisters were loved by all. But this was not what I had tasked them to achieve, for the love they had received was all based on a false beauty. So I took the rose from Medusa, to restore her back to the way she truly was. And then I instructed her to again find true companionship.





Present


"Hold on!" Rainbow Dash interrupted the story. "Sorry for interrupting, your goddessness, but let me get this straight then. So, the story about Perseus killing Medusa, or you cursing Medusa, it was all false?"

Athena shook her head, "No. The story was half-true. I have indeed aided the hero, Perseus, in his quest to slay a gorgon, but it was not Medusa. And Medusa's curse was not of my own doing."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flabbergasted as she and friends turned to Maddie, "B-But...but Maddie! She said...you said she...I thought you said she took your beauty away from you, and turned you into...into this!"

"No...I ssssaid sssshe took away my beauty," Medusa corrected. "My falsssse beauty, that isssss..."

"It was to teach her a lesson," Athena explained. "I wanted for her to find true acceptance by being true to herself, and not for being someone she isn't."

"Oh I see," Twilight nodded in understanding. "You were trying to teach Medusa to be herself."

"Precisely."

"And yer sisters have always been monsters?" Applejack asked the cursed gorgon. "I thought you said they were... humans, when you described them to be beautiful."

"I...I...I musssst've forgotten they were born monssssterssss," Maddie hissed. "But they were beautiful to me," Both Stheno and Euryale both put their claws over their hearts, touched by their sister's thought.

"But then, if Maddie's curse wasn't from you, then who did?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning to Athena. "Who hexed her? Or how did she became...well, who she is now."

Athena looked solemn, before she answered, "The cause of this enchantment, I do not know. But I do sense this enchantment upon her was from the work of another as powerful as I and my fellow divinities. The same enchantment that had befallen on both Euryale and Stheno."

"You mean that another god/goddess might've done this?" Twilight asked, to which Athena nodded.

"So, what about you two then?" Rainbow asked the two sisters. "We know what happened to Maddie, but what's your story?"

Stheno and Euryale both exchanged uncertain glances, "Our memories are rather foggy," Euryale began. "But I remember...chaos, destruction, and sorrow."

"But it's hard to recall, like..." Stheno hesitated, looking trouble.

"A dream?" Medusa guessed.

"A nightmare!" Stheno confirmed, to which Medusa nodded in agreement, sharing her sister's trouble.

"If it is alright with you," Athena began. "I believe I can answer on your behalves." The three gorgons all nodded, though Medusa looked rather troubled. "After I had sent Medusa to again find true friendship, she had somehow came across a dark magic that no humans were ever meant to tamper with. She was transformed into a gorgon, like her sisters, but not like any the world has ever seen." See Chapter 3: Looking Through a One-Way Mirror.

“Soon after Medusa was cursed, her sisters followed,” Athena added. “Their gifted humanity was taken away, and their true forms were revealed. But they had become statues. And until today, I have kept them close, within my temple as a reminder of Medusa, awaiting for the day when the truth would at last be revealed.”

“Wow, that must’ve been deep,” Rainbow Dash commented.

At that moment, Medusa broke down crying, after recalling the truth behind her curse.

“I’m sssssorry!” She apologized frantically. “I’m ssssso sorry for the sssssins I have done! I’m ssssorry for all the livessss I’ve ruined! I’m sssssorry for what I’ve done to you, my sisssstersssss!!!”

Fluttershy quickly ran over to embrace the distraught gorgon, “Shhhh, there there,” Fluttershy cooed. “It’s alright.”

“C’mon, Maddie,” Rainbow Dash said, as she and the rest of the friends joined in to console the gorgon. “You gotta pull yourself together!”

Let It Rain – Sunset Shimmer

“But it’ssss all my fault!” Medusa sobbed. “I only wanted to be loved! I never meant to be sssselfisssh and to let my sisssstersss be cursssed in sssstonessss, becausssse of me! I never meant for Sunssset Shimmer to be taken away! I... I... I don’t know anymore!” With that, Medusa broke down into tears and cried, releasing all the sadness and grievances she had pent up for millennia.

With that, the friends all tightened their embrace around Maddie, "Why are you doing thissss?" Maddie sobbed. "Why? I don't undersssstand. I've killed sssso many innoccccent creaturessss. I'm a monsssster. Why are you sssstill giving me your friendsssship?"

"Don't talk down on yourself, Maddie," Rainbow advised. "We're your friends. We know you never meant for all that to happen. So stop beating yourself up about it. It's not gonna make anything better."

"How can I not?" Medusa whimpered. "I think that everyday becaussssse of what I do to the world. What I contribute. What my desssstiny isssss. It'ssss a terrible, terrible destiny. I have to live everyday. Kill people acccccidentally, hurt them in an indirect way. How doesssss that not make me a monssssster?"

"Just because you think you're a monster, doesn't exactly make you a monster," Applejack reminded. "Because a real monster never regrets its actions to kill, right? But you regret, so that's definitely saying you still have a heart, right?"

"Perhapssss. I ssssupposssse it'ssss true," Still, the gorgon remained uncertain. "I don't know. Everyday, I regret my actionsssss. I regret my choicccesss. I regret who I am. I feel terrible for any life I take. Any misssstakesss I've made. Any ssstonesss I've created."

"But what about us?" Pinkie Pie beamed. "We're still here! And we're your friends! Now and forever!"

Medusa whimpered, shaking in short breathes, as a smile formed on her face, "You....you all are very sssspecial....you have beautiful ssssmilessss..."

"And they're all for you, Maddie!" Pinkie chirped.

Just then, a gentle finger reaches down and tilted Medusa to look up into the misty gray eyes of Athena.

“You have changed, Medusa,” Athena began. “From the moment I took you under my wings, I have always known you were destined to make a difference, to the world. My only sorrow was that it took you a millennium to learn your lesson, for now, you have succeeded in winning eight friends, each with their own uniqueness akin to yours.” Medusa’s sobbing slowly came to a steady pace as the goddess of wisdom continued, “You can not change the past, but you have succeeded in changing your fate.”

"Speaking of change,” Applejack began. “Now that we all know the truth and everything. With all due respect your....uh, goddess, or greatness, or whatever respectful term you prefer. If it's not too much to ask. Can ya do us all the favor of changing her back?"

The goddess looked dismal for a moment, before she shook her head, "I'm afraid it's not that simple," She frowned. "I regret to inform you that I can't undo this enchantment. We the gods have great powers that are far beyond any of you can understand. You see, once we've cast our spells, it's final. We do not have the power to undo them, nor can we lift the spells casted by one of our own brethren."

Medusa looked down and frowned, with the Rainbooms and Spike consoling her.

“Sorry, Maddie,” Applejack apologized sadly. “But, at least we tried...”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Maddie hissed, as she held up the Geode of Empathy around her neck. “It’s no longer about me anymore. We have come here for answers. And right now, we need know how to sssssave SSSSunsssset SSSSShimmer.”

"Ah, yes," Athena nodded. "Sunset Shimmer. One of your dearest friends, no doubt. She is the reason you have come to my temple. You seek my aid to point you in the right direction then."

"So you know where she is?" Twilight asked, which Athena nodded. "Is she alright?"

"You can be rest assured that your friend is still alive," Athena confirmed. "And that she is close. But she needs your help, and that there's not much time left."

"Then where is sssshe?" Medusa asked. "Where can we find SSSSunsssset SSSShimmer?"

In response, Athena looked off into the distance and pointed off to the horizon, across the sea, "Follow the trails of the monsters," Athena pointed. "Your friend is trapped on their island."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Rainbow asked. "Let's go!"

"Not so hasty, Rainbow Dash," Athena said, stopping the girl. "The monsters will be waiting for you. You will be overwhelmed. You will need help," Athena turned to Stheno and Euryale, "Stheno, Euryale, as Medusa's sisters, it has been your duty as family to protect and watch over your sister as she grows. Now, I call on you both to once again lend your guardianships to aid your sister and her friends in their quest to rescue their beloved, Sunset Shimmer."

"Yes, my goddess," Stheno said as both she and Euryale bowed their heads in respect.

"It will be our honor," Euryale added.

"But, how do we get to the island?" Applejack asked. "Do we have to catch another boat?"

"Well, we still have Maud's boat, down by the docks," Pinkie Pie stated.

"Actually," Athena spoke. "I have something for all of you, from my friend and messenger of the gods, Hermes," She began. "They will take you to the island, much faster."





Later, the Rainbooms find themselves flying across the sea, courtesy of the winged sandals that were given to them, by Athena. Flying by their sides are the gorgons, Stheno and Euryale carrying Medusa by the arms.

"I had forgotten how much I enjoyed flying," Stheno commented.

"Though, I remember Medusa was much lighter back then," Euryale grumbled, struggling to keep their sister aloft.

"Forgive me for being cursssssed with sssssssuch a drag," Medusa huffed, looking back at her serpentine lower half that was waving in the air.

"WHOO-HOOOOO!!!" Rainbow Dash whooped and hollered, as she spins and did aerial flips with her winged footwear. "I'M NEVER TAKING THESE OFF!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!!"

"Too bad you're gonna have to give them back to Athena, eventually, Dash," Applejack said to the enthusiastic athletic girl. "Remember, they're only lent to us to save Sunset Shimmer."

"WHO CARES?!" Rainbow Dash replied. "I LOVE THESE SANDALS! EXCELSIOR!!!"

Rolling her eyes, Applejack shook her head, incredulous at her friend's reckless and high abundance for adventure. The farm girl turned her attention towards Maddie, noticing the troubled look on the cursed gorgon's face.

Thinking the gorgon might like some consultancy, Applejack flew over and began, "How are ya holding up, Maddie?"

Startled, the gorgon turned her head to the country girl, "Holding up?" She asked. "I...SSSStheno and Euryale are–"

"No, no, not like that," Applejack reassured. "I meant, how are ya feeling? Any better?"

Medusa turned away and hissed, "I'm...I'm nervoussss," She admitted. "I...I never thought I'd be going to an island of monstersssss, to resssscue a friend. I never thought I'd even care thissss much for another perssssson."

"Well, you've always wanted to have a friend, Maddie," Applejack replied. "So it's only natural for ya to feel this strongly for someone like Sunset Shimmer," The country girl looked nervous. "I just hope we're not too late."

"Assss do I," Maddie frowned nervously. "Applejack? When thissss issss done. And after we resued Sunset," Medusa began to ask nervously, "If it'ssss not too late, could I be... a part of your... friendsssship again?" She weeped pleadingly. "I would like to be... loved again. I would like to remember what it meanssss to live..."

Applejack simply smirked as she held Maddie's claws tightly, "You didn't have to ask, Maddie," She replied. "You're still our friend, and yer already a part of our friendship. Sunset Shimmer would've wanted you to move on, Maddie," Applejack lectured. "And right now, she's in trouble, and we need your help to rescue her."

Feeling pressured, Maddie asked, "How do you know for ccccertain I can help? What if I messssed up like I did agessss ago?"

"I wouldn't go worrying about the past, Maddie," Applejack replied. "Like Sunset Shimmer would say, the past is not today."

"The passsst isss not today..." Maddie repeated, feeling a surge of renewed confidence. "The passssst issss not today."


My Past Is Not Today – Sunset Shimmer