“We don’t really know what happens when we pass on. Will it be oblivion? Why should we fear death anyway? Were we afraid before conception or before birth? Wherever we return to is just going to be going back whatever that was.” – T. Sparkle
— “Reflections”, Autobiography by Starlight Glimmer
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah
Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ha, ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
She had lain on soft cat bird feathers and awoken. Three voices were singing. The sound was incredibly enchanting. The voices were like a beautiful ocean. It was welcoming, enlightening, frightening and a warning all at once. There might have been words, but they didn't matter.
The sound broke like waves crashing down. It was impossible not to listen, impossible to turn away. She wanted to listen to the singers forever. Hear their song, adore them, worship them, obey them….
But she couldn’t. She was now falling, falling from the sky like the earth pony Icarus who had gotten too close to the sun to be with his pegasus love and whose wax wings had melted. But she was soon gently diverted from her plummeting fall and soaring back up into the sky...
“Woah there, didn’t see you with those griffons. Hmm. what are you?” She opened her eyes. A purple dragon fish horse was holding her. It was so pretty. She said so.
“You are very beautiful.”
“Sonata, I caught something?” the pretty purple fish horse said.
“What is it Aria?” A pretty blue fish horse dragon asked. She flew through the sky, around and around. She was so graceful.
“I don’t know,” Aria said.
“You are graceful and pretty,” Rizi said to Sonata.
“Aww that’s sweet. Ever seen one of these?” Aria said.
“No, that’s new. Adagio, stop playing with the stupid cat birds on that cloud, and look at this thing Aria caught” Sonata called
“♫I am coming♪. ♫Pay attention♪. ♫You need to stay right here♪. ♫Don’t ignore me♪. ♫Listen to my words and obey♪.” the third voice sang/said. “♫You stay right there♪. ♫Till I tell you♪. Got it?”
A pale-yellow horse dragon fish came over. It looked at Rizi. Rizi looked back at her.
“Is it a baby dragon?” asked Aria.
“The griffons had her. Maybe she’s adopted?” said Sonata.
The pale-yellow horse dragon fish looked at her companions “You'll have to excuse them. They're idiots.”
Rizi smiled at her. “You have the most beautiful singing voice. I think I’m in love with you.” Rizi said deliriously.
Adagio looked at Aria “Ok, what, did you fry her brains with your singing? I told you not to overdo it. Now that we’re back, in Equestria we have more power. You have to keep it reined in.”
Aria looked hurt. “No Adagio. I haven’t even sung to her at all, at least not specifically. Maybe she overheard us singing to the cat birds?”
“Griffons Aria. They’re called Griffons.” Said Adagio.
“Well maybe she’s just a fan? She doesn’t have any wings.” Sonata observed.
“Well, how did she get all the way up here?” Sonata asked.
“I smelled her on the Griffons. I was wondering what that dragon smell was. I guess they were carrying her?”
“What do you mean, like as a snack?” Sonata asked.
“Not everything everyone does is for a snack Sonata.” Adagio said, “Though, as much blood as I’m smelling, maybe you’re right.”
“I didn’t think griffons ate baby dragons; it seems dangerous.” Aria said. “What if the parents showed up?”
“Adagio. Look, our little fan, she's hurt. She has a big bandage on her front and back and it's soaked with blood,” said Sonata.
“Oh hey, you’re right.” Adagio flew back to the griffons. “Hey, you two, how'd the dragon-whelp get hurt? And how’d you hurt your own paw there? And where were you taking her?”
“I shot her with an arrow,” said a dazed voice that sounded like Gwen but wasn’t. “I shot myself first. We’re taking her to Griffonstone to try and save her, to get her help.”
“What? Why’d you shoot yourself? That’s stupid. I don’t believe you.”
“I thought she was a monster. I thought she was going to eat me. So, I shot her. But I missed her twice first. Then I shot myself. Then I shot her.”
“I think you are an idiot, and you shouldn’t play with arrows.” Adagio turned to her companions. “Hey Sonata, this griffon is way dumber than you are.”
“Thanks Adagio.”
“Don’t thank her for that, Sonata. That was an insult. You are the worst Adagio,” said Aria who had flown closer with Adagio. “So why were you helping her if you shot her?” asked Aria.
“She’s my friend,” said Gwendolyn. “The idiot who shot her is my brother.”
“A likely story,'' said Sonata. If you like her so much, what's her name?”
“Rizi” said Gwendolyn.
Aria looked at the kobold she was holding gently. “Hey, misses dragon fan what is your name?”
“Rizi is Rizi pretty dragon horse lady.” said Rizi who snuggled deeper into Aria’s warm scaley purple hooves and passed out again.
“Lucky guess,” said Sonata.
“Well, she’s not going to make it that far. At least not with you two idiots.” Adagio said matter-of-factly.
“Why not?” said Aria, snuggling the kobold sweetly.
“We’ll she’ll die Aria” said Adagio. “They’re too slow, and it's too far. I’m surprised she’s not dead already. Can’t you smell her?”
“Well sure, but I’d hate to lose a fan, she’s our first since we got back Adagio!” Sonata exclaimed “It can be our what did that Tag-A-Long scout girl call it? Good deed for the day.”
“That’s true, we do need fans… and it’s not too far for us I don’t think. Not like we had anywhere to be,” Aria agreed.
“Plus, it's sort of bad luck to start off on the wrong foot now that we’re back.” Adagio said. “I don’t want to end up as a pincushion though. When we get there, you two birdbrains are going to give us an escort to a doctor or a hospital or whatever you have and make sure nobody tries anything funny ok? Like shooting at *monsters* mmhmm?”
The two griffons nodded. Sonata grabbed Gwen and Adagio grabbed Gerrard and the trio of sirens set out at a far faster pace to the north, swimming through the air as readily as they did the sea. Adagio and Sonata began to sing carrying the griffons effortlessly as they orbited and spun around Aria who was cradling the unconscious kobold.
Where do we go? Every day's the same
Did we lose the magic, magic, magic?
So ordinary, stuck on repeat
Gotta find the passion, passion, passion
The days go round and round, round and round
Gotta break away, find a great escape
Round and round and round
Round and round and round
Ohhh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find the magic
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, let's find the magic