"Ugh, that was humiliating."
"I didn't know rainbows could hurt so much."
"Is anyone else hungry?"
Adagio sighed. She glanced back at the stage they had just run from. Bright lights were flashing in the air and the sound of happy singing could just be heard over the strumming of two guitars and a bass, the playing of a keytar, the banging of a drum-set and the audible jangle of a tambourine, accompanied by the voices of seven females. It was those girls who had defeated Adagio and her friends in the Battle of the Bands, destroying their Siren pendants with a musical variation of the magic of friendship and embarrassing them in front of the students of Canterlot High. Now, without their ability to sing their Siren's song, they were helpless.
"So, what do we do now?" Aria asked, her eyes trained on the ground.
"Can we pleeeeeeeease go get something to eat?" Sonata whined. "I get hungry after being blasted by friendship!"
"We have some money left," Adagio mumbled, feeling around in the pocket of her hoodie. "That should get us through the night."
"YAY!" Sonata leapt into the air, then made a beeline for the nearest café.
Aria shook her head. "What are we gonna do when what we have runs out?" she asked Adagio. "My only ever skill was singing."
"We'll just have to hope for the best," Adagio told her purple-haired friend. The two of them followed Sonata into the café and seated themselves at a table at the far end of the room, away from the eyes of anyone familiar with their recent deeds. Luckily for them, the café owners had not yet heard of the newest CHS fiasco so the Dazzlings were safe for now. While they ate, they continued to discuss their future.
"What do you girls want to do now?" Adagio asked her bandmates.
"I don't know," Aria moped, flicking her empty cup. "I had a limited skill set, nothing beyond flying, singing and spellbinding. Now we've lost our stuff."
"Don't look at me!" Sonata yelped, glancing around wildly. "I didn't touch your stuff."
Aria ignored her. She was too tired and upset to insult Sonata when she was being...... well, Sonata. "What about you Adagio? You've asked us, but what do you want?"
Adagio crossed her arms and put her head down on the table. "Ever since Starswirl banished us from Equestria, all we've tried to do here is strew disharmony and gain power. That's all we've ever known, nothing else beyond it. Now we've got nothing." Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.
"There there," Sonata murmured, wrapping her arm around Adagio's shoulder. "We'll figure something out. We always do."
"I admire your confidence Sonata, I'll give you that," Aria grumbled, "but what can we possibly do? We're marked as troublemakers, villains. No doubt the CHS students will be spreading the news by tomorrow morning and we won't be welcome anywhere in town."
"We could always leave!" Sonata said brightly. "Go look for another place to stay!"
"But what could we do?" Adagio mumbled through her hands. "We're not good at anything! Everything we had, all our abilities, are gone. Smashed with the pendants of our true selves!" She started sobbing. Aria and Sonata exchanged confused looks. Adagio was never so easily shattered to the point where she broke down emotionally. It was a new feeling for them all: a feeling of weakness.
The café door opening caught Aria's attention. She leaned to the left to get a better view and saw a tall man with dark-grey skin and long black hair enter. He wore a coat over a black shirt and dark pants, with a long red scarf circling his neck and trailing down his back. His head was adorned with a shining band with several horn-like spikes sticking up, one of them a shimmering red. Aria immediately decided this man wasn't some guy playing dress-up in public.
The man walked over to the counter and ordered. Aria didn't take her eyes off of him for a second. After the man left the counter, he took a detour around the café and stopped when he reached the Dazzlings' table. The man turned. "May I sit with you?" he asked. His voice was very deep.
Aria glanced at her friends. Sonata was wearing a goofy smile, oblivious to the problems associated with their current situation, but Adagio looked up at the man's face, her eyes streaked with tears. The man faltered for a moment, shifting on his feet as he stared into Adagio's red-tinged raspberry eyes. "I'm sorry," he said apologetically. "I can see you've been through something quite drastic." He turned to leave.
"No, wait!" Adagio cried out suddenly. The man turned about-face, his expression surprised. Adagio gestured to the seat beside Aria. "Please, sit."
The man smiled. "Thank you." He dropped his food on the table and seated himself beside Aria, who watched him with curiosity. The man took out his sandwich and took a bite before speaking. "I've been living here for a while, but you girls are probably the most interesting trio I've seen in this café."
"Really?" Sonata exclaimed.
"Hmm." The man's eyes moved from Sonata to Aria before resting on Adagio. She caught sight of the man looking at her and stared back. His eyes were a startling dark red and the white of his eyes had a greenish tinge to them. She guessed it was merely a birth defect. "Would you care to share with me your troubles? I may be able to offer you some comforting words."
Adagio eyed the man suspiciously. Aside from his clothes and eyes, he was completely normal. But the normality is what bothered Adagio. Why would any normal person ask to be seated at a table with three girls wearing hoodies? "Well, you see...... we kind of........ We had a........" Adagio couldn't get herself to say anything. Her words just got caught in her throat.
"I'm sorry," the man said, leaning forwards. "I didn't catch that."
"We're students from Canterlot High who participated in the musical showcase but we hypnotized the whole school into making the showcase a battle of the bands and we made it to the finals but the other band that we were up against found out what we were up to and used the magic of friendship which saved the school last year to break our spell and win the competition and they also broke our pendants so now whenever we sing it sounds awful and we were so embarrassed we ran away," Sonata said descriptively.
Aria facepalmed at Sonata's revealing but the man simply stared at the blue haired Dazzling in silent bewilderment. Adagio scrutinized his reaction carefully, wondering why he wasn't treating it like a joke. "I see," he said plainly. "Would you please tell me some more details? This all sounds quite fascinating and I would like to know more."
Adagio glanced at her friends. Aria frowned and shrugged, a sign for Adagio to make the decision. Sonata was still beaming around the table, blissfully unaware of the silent code the other Dazzlings were using, but she managed an open hand in Adagio's direction. Nodding, the orange-haired girl faced the man and said, "Sir, I'm afraid we're not being honest with you." she sighed again. "You see, we're-"
The man raised a hand, silencing Adagio. He leaned forward, his strangely-colored eyes locked onto hers. "Not possible," he muttered. His face a blank mask, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a black six-sided quartz crystal. Laying it on the table standing upright, the man contemplated the dark crystal for a minute, glancing every now and then at the Dazzlings. Aria and Sonata watched his activity with moderate interest, but Adagio was getting a bad feeling from the crystal, as if it were radiating fear the kind of which she never knew. She was about to tell the others to get up and leave when the man shook his head, picked up the crystal and put it away. "I never would've guessed," he said in disbelief, tapping his fingers on the tabletop. "I knew the old fool had done it, but still......" His voice drifted off and he looked at the Dazzlings. "Do you have a place to stay?"
Adagio stared blankly at the grey-skinned man. She could've sworn she saw a wisp of purple smoke appear around his eyes, but was became more concerned about what he was trying to do. "I don't understand," she stammered.
"Do you have a place to stay?" the man said again, slowly and clearly.
"Uh, nope!" Sonata said, earning a weak glare from Aria.
The man stood up. "I live on the edge of town. Why don't you girls come over for a spell?"
"What kind of spell?" Aria asked curiously.
"Not a magic spell, my dear," he replied with a smile. "A period. Some time."
Adagio considered his offer. "Could yo give us some time alone?" she asked, then added, "Please?"
"Of course." The man got up and, without looking back, walked over to the counter and began to discuss the menu with the café owner.
"Let's go for it!" Sonata squealed. "No," she added when she saw Aria about to object. "We don't have our Siren powers so we can't go around getting what we want anymore. This guy's giving us a chance to gather our thoughts and plan a new strategy. We should take it!"
Aria gaped at the blue-skinned girl. "That's the first time you've ever said something half-reasonable."
Sonata blushed. "Aw, thanks!"
"But you're not considering the problems associated with accepting invitations from people we don't know," Aria added.
"Oh right. Silly me"
Aria turned to the third ex-Siren. "Adagio, what say you? Should we do it?"
Adagio breathed in, then exhaled to calm herself. "We have no resources and no way to survive. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but going with this man is our best bet. He's giving us a chance to get back on our feet and we need to take it. We should accept his offer."
"That's good enough for me," Aria affirmed.
"Me too!" Sonata agreed.
As if he sensed their unanimous agreement, the man returned to the table. "Have you come to a decision?"
"Yes," Adagio said, getting up from her seat. "We would like to come with you to your house."
The man smiled. "Thank you. It will be a pleasure to be hosting you in my home. Come along." He turned away from the table and walked to the door, waiting for the Dazzlings to join him. They did so, albeit in a slow careful manner. They left the café and made their way to the edge of town. Adagio and Aria folowed behind the man in silence but Soanta made an attempt to strike up a conversation.
"Soooooooo, how long have you been living here?" she asked the man.
"Nearly two years now," he replied pleasantly. "And what a wonderful two years it's been. Before that, I barely knew happiness. Only hate and tyranny."
I can sympathize with that, Adagio said to herself.
"It was not an easy life for me," the man continued, his face expressing depression. "I spent a great deal of time locked up in a cold prison before being released. Not long after that, I learned that true happiness could be found in even the darkest of times. Even with nightmares."
"What does that mean?" Aria asked quizzically.
The man turned and smiled at her, but if he was about to say anything it was lost, for something interrupted their march to his house. Across the street, a group of boys were stamping their feet and jeering at them. Adagio recognized some of them from the Canterlot High Battle of the Bands.
"Hey, look guys! It's the Dazzlings!" yelled one boy with black-and-white striped hair.
"And they're with old crazy-eyes!" shouted a bulky youth with turquoise hair.
"Let's get 'em boys!" roared the leader, a rather handsome young man who looked less gentleman-like than he should have because he was scowling. The students started picking up rocks and throwing them across the street. The Dazzlings pulled their hands over their heads to protect themselves from the rocks but the man just stood there, staring at the group of boys disappointingly, as if he were expecting better of them. Angry at the lack of reaction from the adult, the good-looking kid picked up an entire paving stone and lobbed it in the man's direction.
Adagio cried out, but before the rock hit the man it froze in mid-air inches from his face. The stone changed color from cement grey to ash black and then it crumbled to dust. Now the man looked angry. He raised his hand and pointed it at the boys arranged on the other side of the street. At once, black crystals began to break through the concrete pavement, shining sinisterly in the lamplight. The boys yelled as they hopped away from the sharp tips of the crystals. Adagio and the other Dazzlings looked on in amazement. Once more, Adagio noticed purple wisps curling out of their guide's eyes, while the green whites were more prominent than before. His red irises glinted.
The band of boys were now retreating, the crystals cracking the sidewalk behind them. The blue haired boy looked back once more, aiming a vicious but frightened sneer at the Dazzlings and the man. "You just get as far away as you can!" he hollered, throwing one more stone but missing his target. "You're all just a bunch of freaks!" And he disappeared up the road with his buddies.
Adagio shivered and glanced over at her friends. Aria was standing stock-still, her face a mask of shock. Sonata was shaking from her ponytail to her boots, her raspberry eyes wide. Their new friend, however, had his strangely-colored eyes trained on the corner where the students had run to. His mouth slashed across his face in a grim frown but he didn't seem angry. "Some things never change," he muttered. He shook his head and looked around at the Dazzlings. "Come on, girls. We're almost there." He began to walk down the street again.
Aria quickly ran in front of him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" she exclaimed, waving her hands. "What was that all about?"
The man raised his eyebrows. "What was what all about?" he asked nonchalantly.
The purple-haired Dazzling pointed at the pavement where the glowing black crystal still stood. "How did those get there?" Aria demanded.
The man gave her a confused look. "I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean, Ms. Blaze," he said calmly. "Now come along. We don't want to keep her worried." And with that vague reply, he continued down the sidewalk.
Adagio and Sonata ran over to Aria, who just stood there with her mouth hanging open. "You both saw that, right?" she asked the other girls. "Those crystals which appeared and scared the boys off?"
"One would have to be blind to not see it," Adagio told her reassuringly. She squinted at their guide, who had stopped and turned to wait for them. "I'm not sure what he's playing at."
"I just hope we get there soon," Sonata said, not paying attention to the conversation. "My feet are getting — hey, what's going on over there?"
The other Dazzlings spun around to see what Sonata was yelling about. The crystals on the other side of the street were receding into the pavement, the cracks sealing up behind them. In just a few seconds the sidewalk was whole, as if it had never been pierced by magical minerals.
"I don't believe it," Aria muttered, staring at the perfect stretch of stone across the road. "Like it never happened."
"Maybe it's for the better," Adagio said. She picked up Sonata's and Aria's hands and pulled them along. "Let's catch up."
"How did he know your name, Blazey?" Sonata asked Aria, allowing Adagio to drag her along like a skier.
Aria looked shocked at Sonata's question, but then realized it was true. The man had refereed to her by name and yet she'd never mentioned it to him. "We might want to tread more carefully around this guy," she whispered to her friends.
"You mean beside him," Adagio grunted, pulling the two Dazzlings up as she stopped in front of the man.
"Are we all set?" he asked, looking from Sonata to Adagio to Aria. When they all nodded, he smiled. "Great. We're almost there."
The four of them walked to the end of the road and turned onto a dirt path between some trees. After walking for about a minute, a house came into view. It was a relatively simple two-story house with shimmering midnight-blue curtains pulled over the windows. Inside, the lights were on and calming music could be heard.
The man walked over to the door with the Dazzlings in tow. "Home sweet home," he said quietly. He smiled again, as though he just heard some great news. "It does sound nice," he added non-sequentially.
"Huh?" Adagio spluttered but before she could approach the topic further, the man took a key out of his coat pocket, stuck it into the door and turned. The door swung open smoothly.
"Honey, I'm home!" the man called out. "And I brought some guests!"
"Welcome back, dear!" someone replied. It was a woman with a powerful voice. "Bring them into the lounge and I'll be right there."
The Dazzlings walked into the house after the man. The inside was very much like every other house they'd ever been in (which wasn't saying a lot) and the walls hosted a number of interesting pictures: a night sky full of stars, a beautiful countryside and a tall castle composed of shining crystals among them. The lounge contained one three-seater sofa and two armchairs, all arranged around a carpet by a lit fireplace. A transparent grandfather clock stood in the corner, with a moon-shaped pendulum swinging beneath a face with quartz-like hands.
"Just make yourselves at home," the man said, gesturing towards the couch. He walked into the kitchen.
"Sweet!" Sonata leapt into the air and landed squarely on the middle of the couch. Aria and Adagio followed more cautiously and sat down on either side of her.
"Nice place," Aria mumbled, leaning back to enjoy the couch to its fullest.
Adagio let her eyes wander about the room, finally resting on a picture on the mantelpiece: it was a photograph of the grey man in his long coat, his red scarf fluttering in the wind, standing beside and a woman with midnight-blue skin and a cloud of brilliant phthalo-blue hair billowing around her. Her face wore an expression of calm and caring but, even in the picture, Adagio could see her cyan eyes betrayed a dark past wished to be left behind. It was rather confusing.
A sharp clap made Adagio jump and brought her back into the living room. The man had left the kitchen with a tray of six-sided cookies in his hand. Beside him was the same woman Adagio had seen in the mantelpiece photograph, wearing a long sapphire-blue dress and holding a tea tray with five cups. For some reason, looking at the two strangers together made the ex-Siren shiver.
"Hello girls," the woman said. Her voice was strong. "Welcome to our humble home." She smiled as though she'd just gotten an amazing present and looked up lovingly at the man. "It does sound good."
"Indeed it does," he said, nodding in agreement. The two adults laid their trays on the small table on the carpet and each sat down in an armchair. When none of the Dazzlings reacted, the man waved a hand at the trays. "Go ahead. Take what you wish."
Sonata immediately dove for the cookies, shoving three into her mouth before resurfacing and chewing. Aria cautiously leaned forward, picked up a cup of tea and sipped. It wasn't too bad. "Th-th-thank you," she said with difficulty, not being used to feeling gratitude. "For your hospitality."
"You're very welcome," the woman said. "We don't get too many visitors. Most everyone tries to steer clear of us for some reason."
"We're not so different from them," the man said dejectedly, taking a cup. "We've just been through some hard times."
"Awww!" Sonata uttered through her cookies. "That's so unfair!"
"It's the way things are, Ms. Dusk," the woman said. "Some people are just unwilling to forgive and forget."
"Wait," Adagio said, raising her hands. "Forgive and forget? What exactly did you do?"
The woman looked shocked. She glanced at the man helplessly, waving her hand back and forth in some private sign-language. He shrugged then nodded. The woman swallowed and faced the Dazzlings. "We have had a..... difficult past. If you want, we will tell you about it."
Adagio responded by taking a cookie. It was shaped like a crescent moon and ringed with dark-blue icing. "Sonata? Aria? Are you prepared?" she asked her bandmates.
"Alright," Aria replied. "I'm ready."
"Yesh pwease!" Sonata yelled with her mouth full.
Leaning back, the woman closed her eyes so she could reminisce. "It was long ago, in another land. The rulers of the land were powerful and were charged with important duties. But then came the day when the younger of the two rulers became resentful. She was jealous of her sister's literal day shift when their subjects would work and play, but then they would sleep during the night when she came along. This did not sit well with the young ruler. So I came to her to help."
Aria listened carefully to her words. I think I've heard this story before. But before she could give it any more thought, Sonata begged, "Please continue! What happened then?"
The woman smiled. "Very well. It feels good, sharing my history with others." The man reached over and held her hand while she resumed. "The young ruler and I combined our power, which together was formidable. We were prepared to seize the throne from the eldest sister." Her voice had gained a bitter tone and she sat up. "But we were outmatched. She harnessed the power of the ancient artifacts and banished us to the moon for one thousand years!" By this time, the woman's eyes had gone wide and her speech had grown to a shout: a loud, echoing sound that seemed to be from multiple voices.
"Calm yourself, Nightmare," the man said curtly, stroking her hand. "We know it wasn't an easy millennium for you or Luna, but you mustn't go shouting about it. The neighbors wold then have a reason to complain."
The woman leaned back in her armchair and let her eyelids fall. "I'm sorry," she sighed, sounding as though she might burst into tears. "It was just so hard, but only now do I realize just how much."
The Dazzlings were staring at their hosts with a mixture of shock, amazement and fear. If they'd understood the facts correctly, then they were sitting in a room with one of the most powerful entities in Equestrian history. Adagio needed only one more thing to confirm this. "What did the ponies have to say on the matter?" she asked slightly hesitantly, gripping the edge of the couch.
Nightmare sniffed. "They forgot about us. Luna and I. Now that we were gone, it didn't matter. They built a new castle for Celestia in Canterlot and when we returned, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, using the same magic that defeated us before, separated us from Luna and banished us to this world."
"You did it again," the man told Nightmare with a smile.
"Did I? I'm sorry." Then to the Dazzlings, she said, "I still speak with majestic plurals. It's an old habit of mine."
Aria put her head on her fists. "Okay, so let me get this straight..... you're Nightmare Moon?"
"You were banished to here?" Adagio added.
"You're habits are one thousand-years old?" Sonata put in seriously.
The dark-blue-skinned woman smiled. "Yes, yes and, surprisingly enough, yes."
Sonata grinned madly. "Mind BLOWN!" she shrieked joyfully.
"I don't believe it," Aria muttered, aghast.
"You'd better believe it, because it's the truth," the man said. "In comparison to me, Nightmare had it easy. Not pleasant, but still easy." He wringed his hands as he recounted his past. "I captured an entire kingdom with nothing more than the brute force of my mineral strength. I enslaved the ponies of the Empire on my own, growing great black crystals all over the place."
"So it was you who made those crystals that chased the students!" Adagio realized.
"I don't know why I didn't at first," he admitted, shaking his head, "but something stopped me from telling you right then and there. Anyways, once word had gotten out that I'd taken over the Crystal Empire, Celestia and Luna came to free the Crystal ponies. They fought hard but I got the last laugh." He suddenly sounded ashamed. "Well, at the time it seemed like a laugh. They locked me away in the North ice, but the Empire had vanished, only to return a millennium later."
"I'm beginning to see a pattern in the historical disasters of Equestria," Aria commented with a rare smirk.
The man inclined his head. "With the Empire's return, my escape was guaranteed as both our prisons were tied together. I, of course, made it my only aim to recapture the Crystal Kingdom and rule it again, but it wasn't to be. With the help of the bearers of the Elements, the Crystal Heart was found and the Crystal ponies fired up a concentrated field of love and unity, which destroyed my power and sent me here. They probably all think I'm dead though."
Adagio looked at the grey-skinned man. She looked at the picture on the wall, the framed image of a kingdom comprised entirely of crystals located in the northern sector of the land they'd all hailed from. In the man's strange eyes, she could see the faces of frightened ponies and black crystals rising from the earth, of skies turning dark and houses becoming old and scary. The strange band on his forehead shimmered so that it looked like a rough crown. His red scarf cast a shadow, forming the silhouette of a flowing cape and his coat seemed more regal for a moment.
"I was despicable," he said angrily. "I deserve to be dead."
"There there, Sombra," Nightmare said soothingly, putting a hand on his arm. "If you deserved such a fate, you wouldn't be here."
"So you two are actually two of the most evil beings from Equestria?" Aria asked inconsiderately. She still wasn't good with compassion.
"Indeed," Sombra replied disappointedly. "We've caused our own share of fear and chaos." He pulled his crystal from his pocket and placed it on the table. Light began to shine through it and passed over the Dazzlings. The three girls were shocked to see transparent images of familiar creatures floating in front of them: their Siren forms.
Nightmare and Sombra didn't look the least bit surprised. "It would appear that we're not the only ones who've had a bad run-in with Equestrian heroes," Nightmare said quietly.
"Crystals are strange objects," Sombra said, somewhat disinterestedly, "but I understand them better than anyone and use them for various purposes: enslaving, strewing fear, battle, furniture and stripping away identities."
Adagio realized that the last one was referring to her and the others. "So what are you doing here?" she asked, in an attempt to steer the topic.
"Trying to start a new and better life," Nightmare replied. "We got a home at the edge of town, as no one is willing to live anywhere near us. I've learned to cook and Sombra tutors history and geology in a small building several blocks away from Canterlot High. Sometimes I visit to give a lesson or two in selenography. We live peacefully, with only a few disturbances from the locals."
"Disturbances?" Aria protested. "They tried to stone us and Sombra!"
"But they didn't manage, did they?" Sombra pointed out.
"Well.... no, but...." Aria spluttered.
"The hardships we're forced to face in this world only make us stronger," Nightmare explained calmly. "We trudge on, despite the negativity, in hopes that one day we will be accepted and our sins will be a thing of the past." Stars twinkled in her eyes. "Don't you think that is something to strive for?"
Adagio leaned back and sighed. She'd never really considered trying a new way of life. Up until now, all she'd been thinking about was how they could get their Siren powers back so that things could return to the way they were. "I never thought..." she mumbled. "Never thought that maybe...."
"Would you like to stay with us?"
The offer came out of nowhere, like a flash flood on a clear day. Adagio looked as though the Rainbooms were firing their magic again. Aria's eyes shot open to their limits and Sonata smiled like she'd just got her first ever Hearth's Warming gift. "For realsies?" she gasped. "Stay here?"
"Yes," Nightmare Moon confirmed. "We know you relied on your Siren song to gain what you needed and wanted, whether it was food or shelter, but if you'd like, you can stay here and we will make sure you get what you need."
"You mean like a family?" Aria asked, very curiously.
"Hmm," Sombra mused. "Yes, I suppose."
Aria frowned awkwardly. It was clear from the start what Sonata's answer was, but Adagio... "Dagi," Aria said quietly. "What do you want?"
"A chance for all of us to reclaim what was our," came Adagio's automatic reply, rather hurriedly.
"No," the purple-haired girl said sternly. "What do you want?"
Adagio suddenly stood up, looking as though she were about to leave the house, which frightened Sonata and Aria. She slowly raised her arms and put her head in her hands. Then, quite unexpectedly, she began to cry. She sobbed and whimpered as warm tears slipped along her arms, down her boots and onto the floor. She wept like no Siren had ever wept before. Sonata and Aria were even more amazed than before. Adagio had cried earlier, but that was right after being shown that she was no longer the top dog, all her status and strength stripped away. This was a display of emotion that neither of them had ever seen nor felt before: belonging.
"Yes!" Adagio gasped, her eyes streaked with tears. "Yes, please! There's nothing left out there, not for me or my friends. Please let us stay!" Her sobs became louder and the tears ran faster.
Nightmare rose up and embraced Adagio, wrapping her dark arms around the pale-gold girl. "We would be happy to accept you into our home, Adagio Dazzle."
"If you truly want it," Sombra agreed.
"Yes," Adagio whimpered, her heart finally in the right place. "Yes, I do."
Aria sighed contentedly and Sonata cheered. Sombra reached forward and pulled the other Dazzlings into a hug. The entire atmosphere seemed to be charged with positive energy as the five ex-villains pledged themselves in a way words could not.
Nightmare held Adagio at arm's length. "Now sing," she said.
Adagio gasped. "What?"
"But Nightmare," Aria objected. "We can't sing."
"Yeah, the Rainbooms blaster our pendants!" Sonata reminded.
"SING!" Nightmare demanded, her voice as loud as thunder.
Adagio gulped. Sombra gently pushed the other Dazzlings towards her. "You might want to sing," he advised. "Before Nightmare gets overexcited."
Adagio glanced at her friends. What could they do? Nightmare knew that they could no longer sing together, their voices were useless without their Siren pendants, which allowed them to feed off of negativity and fighting. Why would she ask the Dazzlings to sing if she knew they can't. But Aria nodded encouragingly and Sonata beamed. So, feeling rather embarrassed, Adagio opened her mouth and-
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
She almost couldn't believe it! Just a few hours ago, she couldn't sing a note. Now her voice sounded just like it did before, if not better. Adagio was so surprised, she almost lost the beat. And a good thing she didn't because Aria and Sonata joined in, vocalizing along.
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh
It's time for a change (ah-ahh)
There are things to rearrange (ah-ahh)
What once would bring you down (ah-ahh)
Will now let your joy abound (ah-ahh)
Nightmare sat down and tapped her feet along to the Dazzlings' voices. Sombra laced his fingers together.
Ah, ah-ahh!
No more is there a need for fear
Ah, ah-ahh!
The time for friendship's drawing near
Ah, ah-ahh! No please don't slam the door
We're just here to be your friends, no need to fear us...
Anymore
The Dazzlings fell silent and their voices echoed into nothing. Nightmare looked content and proud and Sombra was grinning broadly. Then they both began to applaud. "Well done, girls!" Nightmare cheered.
"Absolutely outstanding!" Sombra agreed.
Adagio smiled shyly. She held Sonata and Aria's hand and the three of them bowed. "I don't believe it," Adagio muttered in wonderment, sitting back on the couch. "Our voices have returned."
"Yeah, but without our pendants, we can't feed off of negative energy," Sonata said, reaching for another cookie.
Aria looked thoughtful. "Maybe that's a good thing."
"If the words of your song are anything to judge by," Sombra informed, "then yes, it is for the better."
"I'm so proud of you," Nightmare told the Dazzlings. "Not only have you embraced your new lifestyle, but you've also regained your musical talents and learned that only together, in harmony, can your singing sound pleasing and beautiful. Otherwise, it will sound like birds of prey attempting to tweet."
Adagio smiled. Not an evil smile, but a nice happy smile. Nightmare and Sombra stood up and they all gathered together for a hug, purging themselves of the evils they had committed and bringing about a new life for them with an ultimate action of friendship. After that, they spent a good amount of time conversing of their previous lives, the details of their present and their plans for the future
"We'd best tidy up," Nightmare said after they had finished.
"We've got it," Aria told her. Nightmare sat back down while Aria and Sonata gathered up the now-empty trays and took them to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Sombra led Adagio upstairs. The walls of the stairwell were covered with glow-in-the dark stars that shined without absorbing light and the banister was made of crystal. Sombra showed Adagio where he and Nightmare slept and then opened a door on the other end of the corridor. Inside were three beds, already set up.
"This is where you will be sleeping," Sombra said. "What do you think?"
Adagio stepped into the room. The walls were a light cobalt-blue color and the bedsheets were patterned with comforting shapes. The old-looking bookshelf and wardrobe gave off an air of ancient calm. To her, it felt like the most peaceful room in the world. In fact, the entire house felt that way: a place she could always go to whenever she was sad, angry or distressed. A home.
"It's beautiful," Adagio breathed.
"Then it's yours. You, Sonata and Aria. The three of you will sleep here."
Adagio threw her arms around Sombra. "Thank you. Thank you!" she cried, tears of joy glinting in the corners of her eyes. Sombra smiled and hugged her back.
The sound of footsteps alerted them of Aria and Sonata before they arrived on the second floor. "The kitchen is awesome!" Sonata exclaimed.
"The bathrooms aren't half bad either," Aria said plainly, although she too seemed elated.
"Girls! Sombra!" Nightmare called from below. "Dinner's ready!"
"Dinner?" Adagio repeated, glancing at Sombra.
The ex-king shrugged. "Why not? We were planning to eat tonight anyway. And now that you will be living with us, you'll be dining with us too."
"Alright!" Sonata cheered. "Last one downstairs is a bale of moldy hay!" She leapt onto the crystal banister and slid down.
Aria shook her head but grinned in spite of herself, electing to take the stairs one at a time instead, with Sombra and Adagio close behind. They entered the dining room next to the kitchen and found a table set for five, where Sonata was already tucking in to a generous helping of burgers, broccoli and tacos.
Nightmare was standing beside the table, putting out two pitchers. "Sit down," she requested, pointing to the empty seats. "Dig in."
They all sat down and began to eat. Somehow, Sombra and Aria ended up getting into a food-fight and Nightmare made them clean up the mess that resulted. Adagio ate with an enthusiasm she never knew she had, devouring more food than she thought she could hold. Sonata being Sonata managed to pull the same feat with no trouble at all. Nightmare Moon enjoyed watching the Siren girls appreciating her food, each in their own special way.
After they'd finished eating, washed up and shared a few more memories, Nightmare told the Dazzlings it was time for bed. Of course, they objected, said they weren't tired and yawned, but Sombra insisted. So the Dazzlings went to their new bedroom. On each bed was a set of pajamas for each of them: Adagio had a white shirt and amber pants patterned with gems, Aria got a dark-purple top with green leggings and Sonata's pajamas were dark magenta trimmed with blue. Picking up her new pajamas, Aria went to take a shower to get the spaghetti and meatballs out of her hair.
Adagio changed and sat down on her bed. She felt happier than she could ever remember feeling before, even when she was at the height of her powers. Before her was a new life and she intended to make it count. She looked over at Sonata who was stretching out on her bed. "Hey Sonata," she called over.
"Yeah, Dagi?"
"Do you think.... Do you think we'll enjoy our new lives?"
Sonata looked thoughtfully out the window. "I dunno. I guess it all depends on what we choose to do. Like if we try to make everything we do fun than yeah, it will be."
"Or," Aria said, leaving the bathroom, her hair clean and shiny, "if we choose to be helpful, than we'll probably start feeling better about ourselves."
"Or," Nightmare said from the doorway, Sombra behind her, "if you choose to go to bed before midnight, the Mare in the Moon won't gobble you up for Nightmare Night dinner."
The Dazzlings laughed. "I don't remember ever being afraid on Nightmare Night," Aria chuckled. "Looks like I'll have to watch my step every night now."
"I wouldn't worry," Sombra said. He strode into the room and plucked three crystals out of his pocket, standing one on top of each of the three bedside tables in the room. "We haven't had a bad dream for a year, thanks to our little invention. I grew these small but strong crystals and Nightmare imbued it with the dream powers she and Luna once shared. When the crystals feel a dark thought passing through a sleeping mind, they will glow within that person's subconscious and drive out the troublesome dream."
Aria lay down on her bed and stared in awe at her crystal. "Wow. That's amazing."
"It never wold have worked if we didn't combine our strengths," Nightmare said, holding Sombra's arm and leaning against his shoulder. "The Dream Wardens were one of our first steps to our self-reforming. It taught us that when you work together to fight against something, your chances of success are higher."
"I guess our past accomplishments of causing fighting between others was because of our group effort," Adagio said thoughtfully, coming to a fascinating conclusion. "It wasn't just our raw ability that hypnotized ponies and humans alike: it was our musical harmonies."
"Wowie!" Sonata exclaimed.
"That actually makes a lot of sense," Aria agreed.
Sombra smiled. "Understanding past mistakes and learning from them was another step we took in our amendment. You're that much closer to becoming better and you've barely been at it for a few hours."
"At this rate, you'll be good people in no time," Nightmare informed. The clock on the bookshelf struck eleven and the sound echoed in time with the chimes of the downstairs grandfather clock. "But now it's time you all went to sleep."
Adagio, Sonata and Aria got under their covers. Sombra walked over to the window and pulled it down, blocking out the moon's reflected light. As soon as darkness fell upon the room, the three Dream Wardens began to glow softly, allowing the Dazzlings to see their new friends.
Nightmare walked over to Adagio and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight Adagio," she said warmly. Nightmare repeated this with Aria and Sonata before walking to the door.
Sombra joined Nightmare. "May the moon guide you and the crystals grow smooth beneath your feet," he chanted. They backed out of the room, closing the door but leaving it open a crack. The Dazzlings heard their retreating footsteps as the princess of the night and the crystal king returned to the room below.
Adagio sighed and leaned her head against her soft pillow. It was the first time she'd ever felt comfortable when resting. All the other times were ruined by plotting and grumping, but now she was free of all that, her mind focused solely on rest. To Adagio's right, Sonata was already asleep and snoring but on her left, she could see Aria's eyes reflecting the light of her Dream Warden. "Aria," Adagio called to her quietly.
"Hm?"
"Do you think we could really become better people then we were?"
Aria rolled sideways so that she was facing Adagio. "We're still talented. Our singing is our strength, but before it was also our weakness. Our being different drove us to do the wrong things, but now we have a chance to put all that behind us and change our ways. Look at Nightmare and Sombra. They both led evil lives, filled with hate and destruction, but now they're the kindest people we know."
"We never knew kind people," Adagio said, smirking.
Aria smiled in agreement. "Yeah, we always did suck at that kind of thing." She rolled over again so that she was looking up. "But like them, we too chose to be bad and now we're being given the opportunity to make up for it. We're good at what we do. Now we just have to make what we're good at the right thing to do."
"Maybe we could sing for people in the hospital or old-age home," Sonata offered, clearly not asleep.
"Sonata!" Adagio exclaimed, bur Aria continued. "Were you listening the whole time, Sonata?
"Uh huh. So what d'you think? Was my idea good?"
Adagio smiled and gazed into her Dream Warden. The Equestrian magic swirling inside it made her feel warm and protected. "It was amazing, Sonata. It's going on our 'list of things to do to make us better people'."
Sonata giggled. "That's a bit of a mouthful, isn't it? Can I come up with something shorter?"
"Tomorrow, please," Aria mumbled, closing her eyes. "Right now, let's get some sleep."
"Okay!"
Adagio smiled at her friend once more. "Goodnight, Sonata. Goodnight, Aria."
"'Night, Dagi."
"Goodnight, Adagio."
The Dazzlings turned under their covers, punched their pillows and closed their eyes. Adaio's head, still filled with the past day's events, kept her awake for a few minutes, which she spent pondering for things they could now do. I did always want to teach singing, she thought to herself, but never had the chance back in Equestria. Maybe now it's not to late.
Sleep, Adagio, said a voice in her head.
Adagio's eyes cracked open and she looked hurriedly around. Relax, the voice said again. It is only me.
Adagio now recognized the voice. Nightmare? she thought as loud as she could.
Come now. Do you not think that an ex-Princess of the Night wouldn't be able to see other's thoughts when they are so nearly asleep?
Oh right, sorry.
It' quite alright, Nightmare told her gently, but now you must let go of thought and allow your mind to rest. There will be plenty of time for that later.
Okay. Goodnight Nightmare Moon. Wish Sombra 'goodnight' from me.
I will.
Good night, my little Siren.