Secondo

by Lil Penpusher


Sotto voce

Canterford. One of the larger cities of Hippogriffia. Located on the coast neatly to the northeast of Mount Aris itself, it was still a comparatively 'unimportant' urban hub. It didn't have a large naval port like Howlington in the west did, nor did it have the immediate vicinity to the Zebrican mainland to facilitate a lot of commotion and trade. Not that trade was really happening much, right now, with the takeover and all.

The shutters were fully lowered on all the windows, shrouding the room in near pitch black darkness with the exception of small rays of light piercing through the slits. Skystar sometimes would peak just for a second before backing away from the windows once again. She knew she was a 'most wanted' now, so to speak, and she had found this makeshift refuge thanks to somegriff who, like her, had avoided the Sirens' charm and was still loyal to her and her mother. Pure happenchance, really, but she obviously found no reason to object to shelter.

The past days had been... difficult for the Princess. She had initially been invited to observe and take part in the deliberations about the Siren's cult when it was in its infancy, back when they had no idea what the afflicted ponies were doing, and why. Violet Facade had repeatedly given assurances that, yes, they were keeping the cult under observation and that, yes, it was all under control.

She shivered a little at the thought that, just perhaps, Violet had already become apart of the Cult herself by then, but nopony had realised. Had she been under the influence of the sirens all along? Was that why she lied to her mother for so long?

She didn't know. All she knew was that eventually the situation around Seaquestria, and therefore the Royal Palace, became... uncomfortable. Ponies began banging against the palace gates in anger at... them. But why? Mother had pulled in guards to ward away these troublemakers, but found that at some point even the guards were furious at her. Skystar knew it was a deep blow politically and even more of a deep blow to her personally, but that was when she was told that they would be fleeing Seaquestria.

Flee Seaquestria. That had made Skystar perk up in both shock and fear, but also confusion. How did everything spin out of control so fast? So unnoticed by everypony in charge? Why was everypony mad at her mother and... her? She never even did much of note, at best visiting schools and shaking claws or hooves with teachers and principals for media to take photos of them in the stead of her mother. That was usually the extent of responsibilites she was entrusted with. So what was the big deal with these ponies?

But there had been little time. She was urged to pack her things, and quickly, and get moving. Together with her mum, and a small company of guards that, at least seemingly, were still acting normal, they rose from the waves and flew all the way to Mount Aris, to their 'second capital' so to speak. But even there, she was not involved in what was clearly a grave matter. They had just had to flee their own capital, their home! And her mother was... sending her away elsewhere!?

She paced the room, looking over towards the shuttered windows again. That had been the last time she saw her mother.

Furious at the time by her decision, the Princess now gradually realised, or at least tried to make sense of the decision of her mother to send her away from Aris when clearly the country at large was turning against them for unknown reasons. Skystar was told by her mum that the latter would take care of it, and deal with the security issues and the AHAC. She, meanwhile, was meant to scout the countryside and see how bad things were there. To her surprise, it was indeed pretty untouched by the cult, but even so every town, village or singular farmstead had at least one member whom she judged to be apart of the cult.

That's when she realised her mother had wanted her to be away from her not because she didn't trust her, but because the last time they were together, in Seaquestria, they had almost both fallen to the mercy of those odd seaponies. Sure her task wasn't unimportant, but had she not been sent out there purely so that, if the same thing happened in Aris as it did in Seaquestria, but her mother was unable to flee, that she, at the very least, would remain free and on the loose? A strategy to not put all eggs in one basket by her mother, just in case?

She could only really sigh at all that now. To be honest, as depressing as those thoughts were, they were perhaps the most upbeat ones she had right now. She knew the sirens had come and taken over, and ever since there had been no sign of her mother, so she could only assume the worst. She had ran away and been taken in, secretly, here in Canterford, but knew that basically the entire city was against her. Using a greatcoat she had snuck through some of the less populated alleys and streets, but even so, everywhere she went she saw and heard arguing, yelling and frowning faces. All of them were deep under the influence and spell of the sirens. She felt a bit embarassed, actually, that she didn't know what the sirens even looked like. All she'd learned was that they were monsters from the sea that controlled people using their singing, and that said magic made people not only obedient but also filled with hate and anger, which in turn the sirens fed on. All of that was only second-hand intel too, though, told to her by Silverstream who, in turn, had once or twice met Starswirl the Bearded back in Equestria, and apparently he had recalled that tale to her. So was even this totally accurate?

Knock, knock, knock.

Her heart almost skipped a beat as somegriff knocked on the door. She'd been expecting visitors, of course, but every visit could be the last right now.

She quickly threw on the makeshift cloak that her host had given her to hide her face and most of her frame, and made her way over to the door. It creaked quietly as she pulled it open, leaning forward very slightly just enough to see who was outside.

"Come in," she said quietly. opening the door in a wider arc, just enough for the three Hippogriffs outside to enter. As soon as they were through, she slammed the door shut, once again.

"Where's Raft Wood?" Skystar asked the three new arrivals, removing the hood to show her face to them. "Did he...?"

"He... he didn't make it. I managed to blend in and escape from our party headquarters, but... I guess he was caught."

The second griff to remove his hood was a green-feathered Hippogriff with a red, slightly spikey-looking mane sticking up from his head and running along the back of it. A pair of small glasses was stuck to his beak.

"Typical for the famous Crack Lightning. Famous aviator and veteran in the fight against the Storm King."

The second arrival revealed herself to be none other than Posada, the red-feathered leader of the Communist Party in Hippogriffia. Few times had the radical leftist imagined she would ever be side-by-side with the leader of the nationalists, who to her were Fascists, though his party Aris First would never call themselves as much.

"You probably sold him out to buy time, knowing you folks."

"Say that again, one more time, to my face, red pig."

Crack Lightning turned to face Posada directly, but the latter only countered his frowning, growling glare.

"You heard me, fascist dog."

"Uuuuh, heyyy~!"

The two both broke eye contact and looked to the third person that had come along with them. Or rather, the one that had informed and led them here to begin with.

"I don't wanna bother or anything, but I thiiink we have bigger issues right now?" said Silverstream as she, too, lowered her hood.

"She's right," Skystar agreed, coming closer now to the feuding radicals. "I asked you both here because... well, for one, hoping you were still of sound and free mind, but second, to help."

"Help you? With what?" Crack retorted.

"Not me. Help Hippogriffia. Our people." She gestured further into the building, towards where the living room was. Their host was currently out of the house, so nopony else was there besides the group of theirs. "Please come and sit, would you?"

Silverstream and her walked ahead, setting an example. The two political opponents shot another glare at one another before also following along. Silverstream sat down first upon a green sofa chair, while the other two took up seats on opposing sides of the sofa - making sure to keep their distance as such. There was a medium-sized coffee table in front of the sofa and the two sofa chairs oriented around it, while to the front, there was a TV. The lights remained off, and the shutters were still completely shut. Skystar quickly made sure no one else had followed or noticed the trio enter, before also coming along and taking her seat on the remaining chair, closest to where Posada sat.

"So, you want us to help you? With what?" Crack asked.

"Oh, I don't know mister Lightning, the bad weather perchance?" Posada retorted, causing Crack to growl at her.

"I meant what exactly we were meant to help with. Obviously I know this is about the sirens, dog."

"Hmph," was Posada's only reply.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you two were already on the side of the sirens, you know..." Silverstream remarked, getting the attention of both.

"Sorry, but I agree. Silverstream assured me you two were alright, and... well, I guess now it's too late anyway if you really were on the side of the sirens already. But this infighting has to stop. I know you two don't see eye to eye a lot, but we have to make this count and hold together. We need everygriff and everypony we can find and save. That includes those whom you were at odds with in the past."

The two guests remained silent, but looked at one another for a moment with questioning frowns before looking back to the Princess.

"Our home is in peril, and... I am to believe that my own mother, whatever your stance may formerly have been on her rule, is not well. But we can't just sit around and hold out now. The Sirens know there will be ponies and griffs they missed, and they'll be looking for us. We have to push back, fight for Hippogriffia!"

She did her best trying to sound bold and collected, like the leader these people probably needed now. But the two political extremists seemed skeptical.

"Boldly said, but that brings us no closer to defeating the sirens, princess," Crack Lightning retorted.

"We need a plan, and more so than even that, we need hooves and claws to go along with us. We won't do anything on our own."

"Exactly!" Skystar replied to Posada. "That's why you two are here, right? A lot of ponies and griffs know you, and trust you. They looked up to you and know they can follow you. The same way that many trusted me and my mother. They need to know we're all alive and well, and we need to organise-"

"A Resistance?" Posada cut her off, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-Yes." Skystar gulped.

"I... don't know, princess. I love Hippogriffia and its people, it's what I fought for on the streets and in the party debates we've had after all, but this... may be beyond my reach."

"For once I agree with the red devil here," Crack chimed in. "We don't even know what we're dealing with exactly beyond the obvious, and as if that weren't enough, we're going to be fighting against our fellow countrygriffs. I don't wanna be the one to pull the trigger fighting back against anygriff who isn't in charge of their own mind."

For once, Posada and Crack Lightning looked at one another, but not with the pure disdain from before, but a shared, discouraged frown.

"But if you do nothing, you're dooming all these Hippogriffs forever!" Silverstream argued, as all heads turned towards her. "Sure I'm afraid, but I can't just leave friends and family here while they're mind-controlled by some scary, evil magic, can I?"

"I know, Silverstream," Posada agreed, "and I don't want to leave my own friends behind either. But things are too dangerous here, now, and we would all be best server if... we..."

The red hippogriff's speech trailed off and fell silent as she looked towards Skystar, as did the other two guests present. The former princess had her face buried in her claws, as soft, muffled sobbing was heard.

"P-princess, I-" Posada stuttered, holding out a claw towards the royal but retracting it haphazardly, unsure of how to react.

Silverstream took action instead, jumping off her seat and rushing over to the aid of her friend in need. Skystar felt her friend pat her on the shoulder, while the other claw gently caressed the other.

"There, there," Silverstream said quietly. "Let it all out, alright?"

Skystar could only nod weakly as she did as was asked, continuing to sob and cry. These were tears she'd been keeping to herself for a few days now. It felt good letting them all out now, even if the situation she was in was anything but good. She had tried her best. She had asked Silverstream to endanger herself to fetch both Posada and Crack, both of which were in hiding, and she had actually done it... but what Silverstream had never returned? Or worse, what if she did, but brought the sirens with her? In her quest to embolden herself and act like a true leader, had she perhaps already acted like an irresponsible tyrant?

"I... I... I'm sorry."

Posada blinked, then looked back towards Crack Lightning on the other end of the couch, who looked slightly less touched by the royal's emotional breakdown, but only slightly.

"I just... just wanted to help everygriff..."

Silverstream's right claw began passing along through Skystar's mane as she stroked it gently.

"I just... I'm sorry..."

Posada took heart and reached out for the princess, gently laying a claw of hers over that of the lost royal.

"It's alright, princess. Let it all out."

Using her remaining, free claw, the usually so cheerful heir to the throne tired to wipe away her tears, but more came to replace them.

"Sorry... I thought that with you... t-together, we..." she sniffed, "that maybe we could defeat the sirens. Free our friends and... my mother..."

Posada listened, his eyes turning to Silverstream who had a mixed sort-of frown on her face, split between feeling sad for her friend and showing disappointment towards Posada and Crack. Even Crack felt sorry for the still young griff. She was royalty and had enjoyed luxury all life, sure, but this was not a fate he'd wished upon anyone.

"It's alright, Skystar. We're all here for you, see?" Silverstream encouraged. "We've all come here, together, to work things out! So don't cry, ok?"

The lost royal's sobbing continued for some time, but it was at least dying down now. Silverstream moved over to the couch table and picked up a handkerchief to give her friend. She moved it across her eyes, then blew her nose into it. The former friendship student smiled again when Skystar gave her a weak smile, and a nod.

"Look, I... I really am sorry that I'm not like my mum. I know you may not have approved of how she ruled fully, but she was always so confident and adamant about her decisions and always knew what to do. I'm not like that... maybe I never will be, but I'm willing to try for the sake of all of us, and all those the sirens have already swayed. This isn't for me, or my mother, it's for everygriff and everypony we know and love."

Posada pulled back her calming claw from Skystar's, and scratched the side of her face along with a low hum.

"It will take a lot of effort, precautions and... luck," the green-feathered griff on the far-end of the couch spoke up, though his voice was far less condescending and doubtful, now.

"And even then, all odds are stacked against us. And we don't even know where, or if, there are others holding out like us." Posada sighed, but then looked over towards Crack. For once, not with intent to insult or otherwise clash, but with a held out claw. Almost like for a clawshake. "However, if there really are other 'survivors' like us, then the three of us-"

"Four! Hello!" Silverstream joined in.

"-Four, yes, we will be the last icons and idols any Hippogriff has left. I know fleeing to Zebrica or, heck, even Stalliongrad would be far safer than this... but to tartarus with it."

Crack's eyes darted up and down, switching between staring at Posada as she spoke, her stretched out claw, her face again, and so forth.

"You... really are gonna stick around, huh?" he asked, Posada remaining undeterred.

"If not us, nogriff will. We've got to play hero now, I suppose."

Skystar smiled, and looked to Crack also now. "I know we're all a very... colourful bunch, and we might not totally see eye-to-eye. But this isn't about politics. It's about our home, the one you always spoke so boldly about wanting to defend, Crack. We need you. All of us need you."

"Mmmmnnrgh..." grumbled Crack, slowly getting over himself as his right claw reached out for Posada's. "Fine then," he finally concluded, shaking claws firmly with his former rival. "If the reds are staying, I am too."

"Always looking to imitate our successes, are you?" Posada returned, but with a chuckle to lighten the mood.

"Well we can't let you have all the fun and glory now, can we?" Crack responded, smiling. Posada did also.

Silverstream and Skystar turned to give one another a brief look, before embracing one another. A single tear, this time a hopeful one, escaped the princess's eyes. Maybe everything would work out, after all. Maybe she would see her mother again, soon, and she could help her fix everything.

Maybe, just maybe, Aris was not yet lost.


The Royal Palace, deep under the waves amidst Seaquestria. One of the royal suites, formerly Queen Novo's own bedroom, had been repurposed for Adagio personally. She enjoyed especially the new and enlarged mirror on the wall, but also a large table she had ordered for. It was actually two, long tables placed right next to each other, but they served their purpose.

A large, spanning map of special, water-proof material was laid out across the surface of the tables. Adagio brooded and pondered, a hint of her usual looming anger still floating about on her frown as she stroked her chin.

The map, specifically a political map, was a map of the world. The de-facto leader of the sirens had taken it and requisitioned the tables to study it properly, and upon first viewing found herself a little... shocked, though she would never have admitted to it. Back in their days, the world was so much smaller. Local, one might call it. Their feeding grounds were Equestria, specifically the eastern coast, though they had moved further and further inland to feed more and increase their magical powers ever further. Until the pillars made their move, anyway. Grrr... she shook off a flash of anger at that thought.

This... 'new world', as Aria had already dubbed it, was far more expansive. Three huge continents were laid out in front of her, each with its own... peculiar? Yes, peculiar people and statehoods. And there were many states indeed. Equestria was obviously the first to match the eye, by far the largest entity on the continent of Equus, but there was also the Changeling lands to their northwest, perhaps large enough in size to even threaten Equestria. Already she had heard of their Queen posturing and swearing 'vengeance' for something that happened in the past. She smirked a little, and thought that perhaps she might one day shake hooves with that Queen for a common cause. There was also the famed Crystal Empire, likewise renown but on more 'positive' notes, which is to say they were probably run by incompetent ponies as Equestria was. The rest of that continent she paid little heed to.

Her eyes wandered south, across the 'Canteribbean' and the many small, splintered islands that encompassed them. Moving east from there, she finally found Zebrica, a vast but mostly splintered and pointless continent. She was lucky, in a way. The Hippogriffs were positioned in Northern Zebrica, closest to Equestria by sea, but Maregypt, which was most likely going to be their first order of business due to Somnambula, was a little ways south of them, situated east of Abysinnia, running south along a large river. Budging their way in-between her and her revenge on one of the pillars were a number of small bothers. The Kingdoms of Zumidia and Warzena, both Zebra-led nations, and finally the...

She forced herself to read the print on the map twice over, leaning forward.

Aha... a... Batpony colony, of sorts? Or, some sort of rump state or empire? If it was the most former, then she was unsure where to find its overlord on the map, and if it was the latter, then this 'empire' of theirs was certainly rather pathetic, indeed. But oh well. She shrugged, and moved on. What were a bunch of thestrals against her spell when they were as vulnerable to it as anypony else. Their submission was not in question, but only a matter of time, reliant on when she demanded for it. This 'Chiropterra' as they called it was going to be little more than a stepping stone towards their goal further south. That was the extent of their utility.

The rest of the continent? Eh. She gave it a brief glance and skimmed over, finding a particularly sizeable Realm of the Kirin to the far east of it, but beyond that, nothing seemed to strike her fancy. Her eyes moved steadily north, inspecting the third and final continent: Griffonia.

Wow, she figured. Zebrica had already been a mess but... this was certainly adding insult to injury in that regard. A Pony colony of Equestria in the southwest, labelled 'New Mareland'? Part of her wondered if those mistutored Princesses had actually showed some expansionist ambition at some point in the past, looking at that. Another, bigger part of herself figured it was ponies trying to paddle as far away from Celestia and Luna as possible.

Right to the east of that was the Kingdom of Wingbardy, with at least a dozen splintered client states. Northwest from them? Aquileia with... more vassal states of its own. And northeast of them? The Griffonian Empire, or... what was left of it, anyway. Looked rather limp and fragile, but alas - more vassal states.

There were at least 3 different civil wars denoted on this map alone, and there were so many tiny fiefdoms, republics, kingdoms and further that the print describing some of them was absolutely microscopic, which probably also denoted their political importance overall which, she could only assume, was non-existent. To her, anyway.

There was a final 'blob' of nations, indicated with a green outline on the map which collectively referred to the area or alliance as the 'River Federation'. Whatever that meant.

She grumbled and sighed. For a world that was so much more vast than she had given it credit for, it surely was... disappointing. Had they not been gone for over a thousand years now? Where were all the mighty realms? Equestria had stagnated evidently, as it was sure to do with rulers tutored by Starswirl himself. But the others? The Griffons were notoriously incompetent, their greed and the suspicion of others that resulted from said greed always toppling regime after regime. She was theorising, of course, and actually had not a single clue what had happened on Griffonia, but knowing the Griffons, it was all to easy to make that assumption.

She put a fin down on where Hippogriffia was on the map. A large island off the coast, with Seaquestria laying in a deep, trenched channel that seperated it from the mainland of Zebrica. From there, the fin ran across the open ocean, through the equestrian east coast, and stopped at Canterlot.

Adagio's other, free fin moved to touch and cover the red, shining gem embedded into her chest. She looked down upon it. Even now it was passively absorbing magic, gathering power.

"Adagio!"

The siren gasped, grasping her gem tight as she snapped around the other way. Just as she came to face towards the door, it bursted open, and in came her slightly younger companion.

"Adagio, we've got a problem," Aria began, her fast breathing from the dash to the room betraying her otherwise monotonous frown which she so often kept.

"I am busy, you know, so this better be worth my time. What is it?" Adagio countered, letting go of her gem and crossing her fins expectingly.

"Apparently we didn't sweep the towns and cities entirely when we made our rounds," the purple one explained. "I'm told there's some kind of 'resistance' forming."

Adagio blinked. "You realise we are sirens, yes?"

"Ugh," Aria responded, facepalming with her right fin. "This is not a joke, Adagio. Do you remember what I said about this new, modern world? There are ponies and griffons out there still not under our spell, and they're ready and willing to depose us just as we deposed their little queen."

"So what?" the yellow siren countered, boldly pointing a fin to the gem in her chest with a smile. "We will enthrall them as all the others. We're sirens, we sing and make people dance around like our little puppets. That's what we do, Aria, have you forgotten after all these years?"

"You still don't get it!" the usually calm and monotone siren shouted back, finally portraying a true sense of urgency in her voice. "This isn't a thousand years ago! This is not Equestria! And this isn't a time in which magic reigned supreme as it did way back then!"

Shocked, her 'superior' leaned forward, frowning. "Magic has always been our fount of power, and continues to be. Mortals fall to our song as much as they did back then, and all the others will, too! Magic has ruled in the past, rules in the present, and will for all times!" She dashed the short way over towards her opposite, and poked her in the chest, seeing deeply eye to eye. "That's how it has always been, Aria. And I don't want you saying our magic is no longer what makes us who we are."

Aria herself grimaced, using both her own fins to push Adagio off of her. Now even she frowned as much as only Adagio usually did.

"I'm not saying our magic is pointless, Adagio, and never have. Our spell is the same, but the risks of casting it are now so much higher than before, and having this army of goons under our command isn't an insurance policy either."

Though Adagio seemed unbothered by her words, she continued.

"Of course we can sing as we always did and control people. But unlike thousands of years ago, common ponies have the means to just... click, and end somepony else. Guns, Adagio. Guns and all their varying forms, that's what I'm worried about."

"Guns?"

"Yes, that's what they call those weapons we saw. I mean, you literally saw Sonata fire one. Imagine if that thing hit you? You would be dead, Adagio, or at least out of action. And given how singing is usually not the most sneaky of things to do? I already had time to do some research, and given how easy they are to produce in high numbers, there are going to be those not under our spell lurking to try and get a shot on us in any public area, I bet."

"You really are pathetic, you know, but I never thought you were such a scaredy cat. I figured that was Sonata's thing."

"This isn't about fear. This is about making sure we don't die, or get removed and banished again. When we could so easily get shot down by a single resistance fighter as we pass by, the nation we've conquered becomes a whole less safe overall."

Aria sighed deeply and put her fins up against the sides of her scaley torso.

"Look, we both know you want revenge more than anything. I do too and, though she doesn't show it much, I think so does Sonata even," Aria began anew, "but we will never get that far if we don't make absolutely, 100% sure we think about every step along the way. This is one of those steps. This is no longer a world where creatures like us can just travel back and forth on a whim, show up to a town and bewitch them, and then disappear again. That's not how the world works anymore."

"So what? You ran all the way here, crashed through my door and rant at me to tell me that... what, I can't go outside anymore? Pfft hahaha!" The lead siren burst into a fit of laughter, much to the dismay of her visitor. "Again, we're sirens, Aria. I don't think pathetic mortals have any right intimidating us and forcing us to go anywhere."

"If you want your revenge, Adagio, if you really, really want it, then believe me. This is not a joke, and I'm not making this up, either. I'm on your team, as is Sonata, but we need to stick this through together, and not die while we're at it. We'll wrap all those fools up in time, as we always have, but it'll take longer now. The world is a much more dangerous place now that anypony can enforce their views with gadgets that have the potential to kill on the spot. And unlike a sword back then, these things aren't always immediately visible, either."

"Do you really think that mortals could pose a threat to us? Really? We are-"

"YES, Adagio," the purple siren quickly intervened. "Yes, I am aware we are sirens, thank you. But we aren't invincible, and definitely not so to these things. I'm not saying we should all three hole up in here and let our minions do the job for us, because that probably won'd do the job, but I am saying we need to be careful, something you aren't even so much as considering."

A little taken aback by the sudden snap from her usually so monotonous and, admitteld, held back partner, Adagio straightened herself out and regained her composure.

"Hmph. You really are as stubborn as you ever were."

"I was going to say the same about you," was the logical counter from Aria.

"Fine then. We'll do it your way. But I won't let the mortals restrict where I go or when I go. I will put that task in your hands. Organise us a, well, I suppose guard or the like, as it were, if that keeps you happy."

"Hardly. I think you're missing the point I've made, but whatever." She could only sigh at the continued ignorance of her ally. "That still leaves us with the issue of this resistance, however."

"Ah, of course, the puny, mortal resistance," Adagio gave out. "Well, what do we know about them?"

"Well, not all too much, yet. We know that the Princess of this place, Skystar, is still on the run obviously. We also know that the leading figures of the most influential Hippogriffian political parties are likewise unaccounted for - Posada for the 'marksists' and a certain Crack Lightning for the nationalists."

"Marksist? What is-"

"Later. I'll... explain later. Argh," complained Aria. She was gonna be explaining a lot of modern things to Adagio, and she knew it. Just as she thought that was gonna be annoying, though, she realised... she'd probably be having to explain the same things twice over for Sonata, as well.

"Anyway, what matters is that these are renown and important figures, and the fact they are all missing and not under our spell is no coincidence with the sudden, anonymous announcement of a resistance. They're most likely part of it, or leading it. Probably the latter."

"So to summarise," Adagio started, "we can't just go out and confront these mortals because, supposedly, that's too dangerous. At the same time, we know that the resistance is a blend of various views and preferences."

Surprised, almost, Aria answered with a nod.

"Well, I see little issue, then. Remember, even without our magic, we can still manipulate the masses to our desire. We just have to pull some... strings, push people the wrong way, make them blame each other for their own short-comings."

"You really think they'll fall for manipulative tactics like that?" Aria wondered somewhat unfaithfully. "They know we'll be coming for them, so... I doubt it."

"Don't worry, mortals are always such petty, helpless creatures. They know we're coming for them, which means they're all afraid of us - as they should be. And where there is fear, there is always a notion of mistrust." The yellow creature let out a joyous chuckle. Turning her back to Aria, she began to swim back towards the map spread out across the tables. Aria, curious as ever, joined her, and looked amazed if not a little frightened at the big, wide world she now took in for the first time.

"Claiming to be bold, they all look at one another twice over, wondering if perhaps they already have a spy among their ranks. And with all that paranoia mounting... who can you trust, really? Why trust anypony but yourself?"