//------------------------------// // Arc VI Episode III: Family Isn't Always Blood // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// Soon enough, the girls would arrive at the professor’s home and notice him lying down on a lawn chair. “Yo, prof!” Vinyl shouted loud enough to make her voice echo off of the building, “Gotcha somethin’!” “Ah!” he gasped as he was called out to, and fell off his chair onto the grass. “Huh? Oh…” Upon realizing that he was being approached by some of the students from school, he cleared his throat and spoke cautiously. “...Hello.” Vinyl was puzzled for a second. “Uh…” she raised a brow. Since she didn’t take his class and only heard about him from Octavia, she was surprised to find that he was rather stoic. “...Hi? But Aria could tell what the problem was right away. “Listen, sir. We know that you’re worried about those incriminating pictures, but don’t let that get to you. It’s just baseless rumor mill bullshit.” “...Ohhh…” Derpy came to a realization. “So that’s what you were upset about last week. Right, mister?” “...” Aidon avoided eye contact with them for a moment. Sunset stepped forward with her hand on Aria’s shoulder. “What she means is that we know who you are and that you wouldn’t hurt us. I’m sorry that you’re being put through this--it wouldn’t happen like this in Equestria.” ‘Equestria’? That stole the man’s attention right away. He looked up and in her direction. “Wait a minute...you’re from Equestria also?” “Yup,” Sunset replied, “I used to be a unicorn who studied under Princess Celestia. But...long story short--things didn’t work out but I found my place here.” “Same here,” Aria added, “Not sure if we told you or not, but my sisters and I are sirens from Equestria. You know, the sea monsters that sing and cause conflict among the general population…” She rolled her eyes and huffed, “And are depicted horribly inaccurately in human movies. We don’t seduce sailors--we aren’t succubusses--succubi--whatever.” “...I had a feeling,” Aidon mused while thoughtfully staring at the ground, “I could feel the presence of Equestrian mana on you and your sisters--though I didn’t question it because it felt out of place. But now I know for sure.” “The Goetia bitch is too,” Aria went on, “But she screwed herself as soon as she decided to turn against the humans. Look--the point is, you’re a good guy. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.” Aidon paused--unsure of exactly what she meant. “...Excuse me?” “You went out of your way to keep my sister safe,” Aria explained, “I can’t just ignore that.” Vinyl would then follow up with her own input. “Yeah--and the fact that you kept Tavey safe is--I’m hella grateful for it. Thank you.” “...Your gratitude is acknowledged,” Aidon said with a nod, and turned away. “But even so...forming a bond with you all could prove damning to my reputation and possibly land me in a similar situation as before. It’s probably better off if I remain alone...as I did before I came here.” Sunset took a step forward. “But that’s not true. You’re no different than Aria and her sisters or myself,” she said, pointing to the purple siren and then placed a hand on her chest, “We all left Equestria for one reason or another and ended up here, feeling out of place. It’s the same for you. You don’t have to force yourself to be alone. I’ve seen what isolation can do to a person--hell, I’ve lived through it…” “...That’s right…” Aidon muttered, recalling the incident that Sunset caused a long time ago when she became a demon. “But regardless...I’m still no one. I have no friends--no family. All I have is...regret.” Sunset had only heard a bit of Aidon’s story from Twilight. But now? She wanted to hear it straight from the horse--man’s mouth. Or at least visualize it. “...Hold out your arm, please?” “Hm? What for?” “Just...for a sec.” Aidon sighed and held up his left arm. “Like this?” And as soon as he did, Sunset placed her hand on his arm and her eyes became a shade of solid silver, glistening as her powers activated. There, she was able to see the full story regarding Aidon’s past… She’d witness an angry Starswirl in the act of banishing the Shadowpony. With dozens of other corpses lying around the open field. “Your kind is unwelcome! You have no right to enter this realm and claim to be a mortal! You’re a monster. A beast. An untamed creature hellbent on destruction.” “N-no I’m not!” the shadow pony cried as he was being pulled into an abyss of darkness, “My family! If you just let me explain--” “I don’t need to listen to some vile cretin’s explanation,” the pony wizard spat back, “Someone such as yourself could never have nor understand the concept of family. You’re just like Stygian and the others.” Surrounding them were dozens of other unicorns who were all pooling their magic together to assist with the spell. These were Starswirl’s companions and followers who hunted down and banished any and all creatures who were deemed unfit to live in Equestria. “You...” With his fate sealed, Aidoneous fell into a state of rage as he was dragged into the magical pit of nothingness. “I hate you….I HATE ALL OF YOU!!” “...So that’s what happened…” Sunset’s eyes reverted to normal as she let go. “Starswirl banished you on nothing more than an assumption…” “...Yikes,” Aria commented, “That’s...that’s just uncool. You didn’t even do anything.” Aidon didn’t say a word. He simply folded his arms once Sunset let go. Both Sunset and Aria exchanged an uncomfortable look with each other for a moment. Then Sunset asked… “...Your family. Were they among the…?” “The bodies that littered the soil that Swirl and his followers scorched in their usual act of witch hunting?” Aidon snarled just thinking about it. “Yes. They’re dead. I have no one left in that world, this one, or any other…even now. Rumors about me continue to work their magic even here. I...I can’t escape it.” There was an awkward silence around the man’s front yard. That is, until Derpy came forward. “Th-that’s not true, sir!’ she cried, “We all accept you for who you are--no matter what the rumors say. I know just how you feel.” “...?” he raised an eyebrow as he looked in her direction. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was slightly dubious. “...do you?” “Yeah--everyone thought I was unintelligent just because my eyes look funny,” she explained as she pointed to the side of her head, “But I proved everyone wrong and nobody takes me for a fool anymore!” “...I see…” Sunset bounced off of this with a supportive claim of her own. “When I first arrived here and became a demon, everyone still thought I was mean even after I calmed down. But...I didn’t let that stop me.” “You didn’t…” Not one to show much emotion, Aria made her piece whilst looking at her nails. “People thought my sisters and I were stuck-up bitches--which may have been true at one point. But who gives a shit what people think? Just focus on the ones who care about you?” She shrugged. “Or something like that, I dunno.” “...As wordy as ever, hm.” The girls then looked in Vinyl’s direction. With all eyes on her, she stumbled over her words as she shuffled her foot against the ground. “Huh? Who? Me? Uhhhhh….” she scratched the side of her head, “Everything thinks I’m a stoner or something. I don’t even smoke. Except for this one time at a party but that was a wild time that I’d rather not get into--” Aidon couldn’t help but chuckle from Vinyl’s testament and smile from their words. Maybe they had a point. It’s usually better to focus on those who care about you. But in this case...who was that for the professor? “It’s quite alright,” he said with a smile, “I think I understand what you mean…” “We’re here for you, sir,” Sunset replied, “As a fellow Equestrian, you’re like family to us. Right, Aria?” Caught off-guard by the statement, Aira looked up and stuttered. “H-huh? Oh...yeah…” She cleared her throat and repeated herself. “That’s right. Equestrians take care of their own. Anyone screws with you, they’re screwing with my sisters and I. Adagio would be dead if it weren’t for you. So...here,” she offered him the box of cookies with one hand, “Take these. Please.” Aidon accepted them without hesitation. “Thank you...thank you very much.” “And even though we aren’t Equestrian,” Derpy chimed in, “We’ll still support you too. Right, Vinyl?” “Hey--he rescued Tavey and she likes his class. No qualms from me.” Vinyl placed the box of peach treats in his hands--on top of the previous one. “And trust me, if I see that Goetia chick again, I’ll waste her ass.” “What’re you gonna do?” Sunset said with a sassy grin, “Hit her with your wubstep bazooka?” “Yes actually.” “...What?” “Don’t ask questions you aren’t ready to know the answers to,” Vinyl replied while sticking her tongue out, and turning to walk off, “C’mon, Muffin-Top. See ya, Prof! Happy Thanksgiving?” “Oh, coming!” Derpy nearly tripped and continued walking slowly, “Bye, Mr. Professor!” Aidon stared down the street as Vinyl left. “...Ms. Scratch is quite the character, isn’t she?” “So long as you don’t get burnt out dealing with her musical taste,” Sunset snarkily quipped, “Then sure.” Aria’s eyes shot open once Sunset finished talking. “...Burn? Burn! We need to get back to the house!” “Uh...I don’t think Pinkie’s capable of burning a turk--eeek!” she shrieked as Aria suddenly tugged upon her arm. “See you later, Professor. C’mon, Sunset--don’t make me carry you.” Aidon chuckled to himself as they left. “...What a crazy world I’ve found myself in.” And taped to the bottom of the box of pastries that Vinyl had given him was a letter...from Derpy? "Hm?"