//------------------------------// // Waking Nightmares // Story: Sirens of the Night II // by The Crazed Werewolf //------------------------------// "What are you going to do to stop me Runt," Incognito laughed, "you are the least magical one here!" "I may be small," Scootaloo said, "but I'll find some way to stop you." "You don't stand a chance against me," Incognito countered. "All I need are my family," Scootaloo said looking at her three cousins, "and my friends!" No one but Adagio noticed that Scootaloo was wearing the necklace that their grandmother had given each of them the day they had left their grandparents house. What drew Adagio's eye to it was the fact that the necklace was glowing! Could their grandmother have a way to tap into the human world's lost and dormant magic? Everyone present was surprised and amazed when some mystical force lifted Scootaloo into the air and she sprouted wings, a long pony tail and her human ears were replaced with pony ears. Scootaloo discovered that she now has much more speed than she normally did and she began to run circles around Incognito in an effort to distract the demon. Let go of the past, Adagio heard her mother say again, accept who you are today. Adagio looked around. Sonata and Scootaloo were putting up a valiant fight against Incognito. Pinkie was doing her best to keep the demon distracted. She glanced over to where a weakened Sunset lay watching helplessly as her cousins and her sister flight her demon. "Accept who I am today," Adagio said looking at the two necklaces when wore. One was the replacement pendent that their mother had given them on the day of her death, the other was the restored pendent that Luna, no, her true mother, had given her a few days before. Adagio gripped the replacement pendent on her hand and pulled it from her neck before throwing it down hard onto the side walk, allowing it to shatter into thousands of tiny shards. Suddenly Adagio felt a surge of power that she hadn't felt since the night of the Battle of the Bands. "STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY," Adagio roared as thrust her hands forward and electric fireworks shot forth, hitting Incognito in the back. Adagio looked at her hands and watched as sparks danced between her fingertips. Aria managed to extinguish the flames that had attempted to consume her. Most of her clothing had been burned away, leaving little to the imagination. However the first thing she noticed was Scootaloo. "When did Scootaloo grow wings," Aria said. "THIS IS AWESOME," Scootaloo shouted in reply as she continued to fly circles around Incognito. Adagio walked up to her sisters and stood next to them. They both nodded at her. "This chick is toast," Adagio said, "Pinkie, Scootaloo, keep her distracted. Sonata grab her. Aria, let's blast her!" Each girl carried out their part in Adagio's plan, and quickly they were able to wear the demon down. "What are you," Incognito asked, fear beginning to seep into it's voice. Adagio looked at her sisters and her younger cousin. "We are the Dazzlings," she stated. "And Pinkie Pie," Pinkie Pie laughed. "You may have defeated me today, but I'll return," Incognito snarled as a smokey black hole opened in the ground beneath it and a large skeletal hand pulled it in before the hole sealed itself back up as if nothing had happened. "That was amazing," Fluttershy said as she and the rest of their friends came out of hiding. Rainbow and Applejack were supporting the weakened Sunset between them. "Sunset doesn't look so good," Apple Bloom said, "we should probably get her indoors." "Our house is the closest," Aria said, "which is a good thing, because I could really use some clothes right now, it's freezing out here." "Why don't Aria, Sunset and Applejack ride in my car, the rest of you can meet us there," Fluttershy said, other than Applejack, she lived the furthest from the school, everyone else lived within walking distance to the school. "Sounds like a plan," Adagio said, we'll meet you there." Scootaloo watched as Applejack and Aria helped Sunset over to Fluttershy's car and the gently helped her in. She had never seen Sunset so helpless before. She was worried that the demon had done serious damage to Sunset when it had ripped itself out of her. "I hope my sister is okay," Scootaloo said quietly. "Me too, Scootaloo," Adagio said as she wrapped her arm around her cousin, "me too." In a not-so-secret-broom-closet-turned-laboratory, a series of different instruments began to suddenly detect strange readings. The seismograph began to detect strange seismic activity. Other instruments began to detect power surges, all centered around Canterlot High. Luna and Raven were cuddled up on the couch enjoying a nice quiet New Year's Eve together when they both heard the sound of keys in the front door. "Celestia went out on a date," Luna said, "must be one of the girls." The two of them watched as Aria (sans any clothes) and Applejack helped Sunset into the house followed by Fluttershy. Aria didn't say anything to her mom as she went up to her room to put on fresh clothes that weren't charred. Luna watched as Aria went upstairs and then disentangled herself from Raven before walking over to where Applejack and Fluttershy now sat with Sunset. She looked Sunset over before asking any questions. "Let me guess," Luna said, "Gilda?" "No ma'am," Applejack answered, "any one of us could have handled Gilda, this is the handiwork of Incognito. It took all three of the Dazzlings plus Scootaloo to fight her off, though I don't think that she's been defeated for good." "Scootaloo may not be a siren," Aria said, now fully clothed and tying her hair back in a ponytail, "but she definitely earned her place as a Dazzling." "Okay," Luna said, getting flustered by the situation, "start from the beginning and tell me what happened. NOW!" It took nearly an hour to relate what had happened, since part way through her explanation, the rest of the girls arrived and Sonata, Pinkie, Scootaloo and Rainbow kept interrupting to add in their own details. "Is Sunset going to be alright," Luna said as she watched her niece sit in a nearly catatonic state. "That's why we brought her here," Adagio said, "the last place she needs to be is alone in a hospital. Suddenly Pinkie shot up and stormed into the kitchen. When she returned she had a large glass of orange juice in her hands. With amazing calm, Pinkie knelt down to Sunset and moved the glass to her lips. "Sunset," Pinkie said calmly, "I want you to drink this glass of orange juice." The whole room was silent as Sunset drank the whole glass down. "Pinkie," Sunset said hoarsely as she looked around her for the first time, "where are we? What happened to CHS?" "We managed to beat Incognito for now, but I have a feeling that she will be back," Adagio said looking at her family and friends, "and something tells me that it will take all of us to beat her." "Then we'll be ready," Rainbow said confidently. "I don't think that it will be that easy," Sonata said, "it took five of us to fight her to a standstill and then she let us win." "When she comes back, she'll be ready for us," Aria added, "plus she now knows that all of us have magic. We have to assume that she knows everything that Sunset knew up to the point where she ripped herself from Sunset." "Ok, that is worrisome," Rainbow said, "our enemy is a demon and an egghead?" "We need to come up with a way to get rid of Incognito for good," Fluttershy said. "I could write Princess Twilight and see if she has any way we can defeat a demon," Sunset said, the orange juice that Pinkie had given her was really helping her regain her strength and composure. "Incognito most likely expects us to do just that," Rarity said, "what can we do that isn't expected." An idea suddenly came to Adagio and she thought it over before mentioning it. "I know someone that might be just as smart as the Princess," Adagio said, "perhaps she could help." If it will keep Incognito off balance, then I'm all for it," Sunset said with a big yawn, "now if you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when it's time for the ball to drop."