//------------------------------//
// Uninvited Guests 
// Story: Tell Us That You Want Us 
// by Summer Knight 
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	They're following us, Adagio thought to herself as she led the way down the sidewalk. She wasn't surprised, and she couldn't work up the energy to care, either. No doubt Rainbow Dash thought she was being stealthy, but Adagio had caught sight of her multicolored hair just a few minutes after leaving the school. The prissy one who'd taken her knife and the farmgirl were somewhere behind her too. 
Fluttershy, who was preoccupied with making sure Aria didn't collapse again, hadn't noticed, and neither had the other siren. Fluttershy darted forward when Aria stumbled on a stone, only to retreat with a squeaky apology as Aria angrily waved her away. This went on for about half an hour, until Adagio finally gestured to one of the buildings. "Here we are."
Fluttershy looked up, and up, and up. The house Adagio had indicated was absolutely massive, and was right in the middle of one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city. Fluttershy, with her plain clothes and old backpack, looked and felt distinctly out of place here. "Wow," she whispered. 
"Home sweet home," Adagio said dryly. She reached the front door and keyed a combination into a keypad. The latch unlocked with an audible click. "The realtor was very generous," she said smugly as she let the others in. "Why, he practically gave us this place for a song!" This got a chuckle from Aria, perhaps the first happy sound that Fluttershy had ever heard that girl make. 
"I see," Fluttershy said quietly. "That was nice of him." She carefully hid her feelings about the sirens stealing a house for their own use.
The interior of the house was as impressive as the outside. It was decorated quite tastefully, with paintings and tapestries adorning the walls and what she suspected might be an actual Ming vase on display. Rarity would know for sure. The floor here in the entrance was polished hardwood, and she could see plush carpeting in most of the other rooms. A massive television set was visible through one door, with a collection of video games and systems that would make Rainbow Dash's jaw drop. No doubt they'd gotten all of it for "a song," as Adagio put it. 
It doesn't matter, Fluttershy reminded herself firmly. What the sirens had done in the past wasn't the issue. She just needed to make sure they would do the right thing in the future.
"I'm going to bed," Aria grumbled as she made her way across the foyer to a large wooden staircase leading up. "Wake me if something interesting happens." 
"Can I get you anything?" Fluttershy called after her. 
"Yeah, a new heart and a whole lot of negative energy," Aria snapped back. Fluttershy whimpered.
Adagio spread her hands out in an oh, well sort of gesture. "Make yourself at home, I guess," she said. "Don't break anything and don't talk to me, and we'll be fine."
"I... I see," Fluttershy whispered. 
Adagio walked into the next room and flipped on the television to a local news channel, leaving Fluttershy standing uncertainly in the foyer. After a long, awkward moment, she followed Adagio into the other room and sat in a chair in the corner, as far from the siren as she could get. She sat there silently, unsure what to do and trying simply not to annoy the other girl. 
Several minutes passed and Fluttershy's phone vibrated. She hastily switched it to silent and looked at the text she'd received:
From: Rainbow Dash. Everything cool? 
Everything's fine, Fluttershy texted back. Aria went to lie down, Adagio's watching television. I told you they wouldn't try anything. She left out anything about their general unpleasantness. Adagio's warning not to talk to her would make it difficult to forge any real connection, but earning the sirens' trust began with respecting their wishes.
Alright, came the reply, just let me know if it starts looking dicey in there.
I will, Fluttershy promised. She put her phone away again and settled in for what promised to be a long, uncomfortable day. 

Sunset's book buzzed again, and she picked it up to read Twilight's latest message.
You're definitely on the right track, the page said. I'm designing a metamagic array to convert our magic into dark magic for the sirens to feed on. Keep working on ways to actually put the hearts back together, and I'll take care of the rest.
Sunset gulped. Converting magic from one type to another could be incredibly risky, but she'd just have to trust her friend's judgment. Since they couldn't use their own magic, this might be the only option, and it was good to feel like they were finally getting somewhere.
"What is it?" Sonata asked, trotting over to take a look at the page.
"Twilight's working on a way to make it so you three can use our magic of friendship," Sunset explained. "That should take care of recharging your hearts, now we just need to figure out how to physically repair them."
"Well, it certainly took you long enough," a masculine voice echoed through the library, causing Sunset and Sonata to gasp and look around themselves. With a flash of light and a sound like keys jangling, a patchwork being of many different animal parts appeared in front of them. "Honestly, what did you think I meant by somewhere else to be?" the newcomer demanded.
Sonata screamed, and Sunset's ears flattened against her head. She recognized this creature from the Canterlot gardens, where he was supposedly imprisoned in stone for eternity. The Discord of the human world was an eccentric science teacher; the Discord of Equestria was a monster.
"It's Discord!" Sonata shrieked. She tried to run away, only to find herself somehow turned around and running back toward Sunset. She tried again with the same result.
"How did you get free?" Sunset demanded, powering up her horn. There was no way she stood a chance against the god of chaos, but she was determined to go down fighting.
"How did I get free?" Discord repeated. "Where in Equestria have you been?" He chuckled to himself. "Oh, right. My dear, I've been free for a long time. Don't worry, I'm quite reformed now. Why, I haven't turned the sun into cake or anything!"
Sunset hesitantly let the charge leak out of her horn. It was true that he hadn't done anything harmful yet, and if he decided to turn on them it wasn't like she would be able to stop him anyway. If he really had been free for a long time, and Equestria was still in one piece, then he must be telling the truth. With her mind clearing of its fight-or-flight response, something he'd said before suddenly registered.
"Wait," Sunset said, "you never told us we had somewhere else to be. I've never even met you before!"
"Well, sure, obviously I didn't tell you that." Discord replied.
"You're not making any sense," Sonata protested.
"I am making perfect sense, you're just not keeping up. Now then, I understand you're having an issue with some manner of dark artifact?" He steepled his fingers—talons and a paw, Sunset mentally corrected herself—together and gazed down at them.
"My heart. Can... can you fix it?" Sonata asked hesitantly. She seemed to be terrified of Discord, yet desperation drove her to ask.
"Well, you must be the source that fascinating magic I sensed." Discord said. "Unfortunately, no. That thing is absolutely overflowing with Harmony right now. My magic can't touch it."
Sonata's ears drooped.
"Then why are you here?" Sunset asked.
"Just because I can't directly fix it doesn't mean I can't help," Discord retorted. "And I'll admit that I was looking forward to chatting with a fellow creature of chaos. One does long for the company of one's own sort after a few eons. Of course, if you don't want the assistance of a nearly-omnipotent immortal..."
Sunset looked over to Sonata. The poor siren was practically shaking, staring up at Discord with wide eyes and shrunken pupils. Why was she so afraid? 
Discord apparently noticed as well. "Oh, yes, now I remember you! You're not still worked up about that little incident, are you?" he asked dryly.
"Incident?" Sunset questioned.
Discord gestured to the frightened siren. "This one and her sisters once tried to put me under their spell," he explained. "Something about controlling and absorbing my magic to make themselves all-powerful. I don't know, I didn't really pay attention to the details."
Sonata squeaked something that was likely intended to be an apology. 
"What did you do to them?" Sunset asked, feeling a bit queasy. 
"Oh, don't look at me like that," Discord huffed. "All I did was make it so they'd be affected by their own magic for a little while."
"A little while?" Sonata exclaimed. "It took weeks to wear off!"
"Well, yes, but the days were only a few minutes each," Discord replied. "You should have seen them! Hypnotizing themselves as soon as they started singing, falling in love with each other, arguing over every little thing..." The draconequus doubled over with hysterical laughter, and it took him a moment to realize that he was the only one laughing. "Oh well, maybe you had to be there," he said as he wiped a tear of mirth from his eye. "Now then."
Discord snapped the fingers of his lion's paw and vanished, only to spring out of Sonata's saddlebag with her book in his talons. He sat there impossibly, far more of him still out of sight than could ever have fit in the pack, as he flipped through the pages. 
"Hey!" Sunset protested. 
"Ah, so you've already realized that this all goes back to dear old Starswirl," Discord said, ignoring her. "Good. Now, where is our local princess?" He started looking around, then somehow managed to lift Sunset Shimmer while still inside her saddlebag, as if expecting to find Twilight crouched beneath her.
"Put me down!" Sunset demanded. When Discord was too slow in complying, she teleported out of his claws and reappeared a few feet away. "Twilight's in Canterlot doing research."
"Ugh, of course she is," Discord facepalmed. "Something goes wrong and she just goes running straight to Princess Sun Flank." 
"Don't you ever talk about Princess Celestia like that!" Sunset snapped. She was surprised to realize that she had stomped a hoof in challenge and lowered her head as if to charge. At Discord. What was wrong with her? 
"Please don't make him angry," Sonata whimpered. 
"I've known Celestia much longer than you have, and I will give her endearing pet names if I like," Discord retorted. "Anyway, Twilight Sparkle should be back soon, and then we can get to work."
"Twilight won't be back until this evening," Sunset said, confused.
"Oh, I expect she'll show up soon. I took the liberty of sending her a message of my own." Discord's body stretched and warped impossibly as he reached over to place the book back into Sonata's saddlebag. 
When did he do that? Sunset wondered. She was starting to think that, much like when dealing with Pinkie Pie, it was best not to ask.
A few seconds passed, then a chill ran visibly up Discord's body. "And here she comes now!" 
Indeed, Twilight suddenly appeared back in the middle of the room. She didn't appear in a blinding flash of purple magic, as before, but blinked into existence in a similar manner to how Discord had arrived. She was reading whatever he'd written for her, and it took her a moment to even notice that she'd teleported. 
"What the hay?" Twilight shouted when she realized where she was. "Oh, no, nonononono, my notes! Discord, all my notes are still back in Canterlot!" 
"Oh, how careless of me." Discord's eagle-clawed arm stretched out of sight, only to snap back a moment later with a dark blue notebook in it. "Is this them?"
"Um. Yes." Twilight answered sheepishly. "Thanks, I think."
"Twilight, is he telling the truth?" Sunset asked. "Is Discord really reformed?" 
Twilight sighed. "Yes, it's true. He can be a bit annoying at times," she grated out, "but overall he's mostly good."
Discord tapped his chin. "Well, I think there was a compliment in there somewhere, so thank you." 
"Not that I don't enjoy our talks," Twilight said sarcastically, "but why did you bring me here, anyway? I was doing very important research." She was very much not looking forward to teleporting to Canterlot again. 
"Well, I know that you're looking into Starswirl the Bearded's magic, and I thought it might help you to hear from someone who was alive when he was. You could get it straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak."
"Celestia and Luna were both alive then, too," Twilight answered flatly. "I could just ask them." Indeed, she'd discussed her idol with them more than once. 
"Well, perhaps, but Starswirl always did keep some secrets from them," Discord replied. "I guess he feared they wouldn't approve of what he was doing."
"Why woudn't they approve of his work?" Twilight asked. "He was one of the most important unicorns of all time!"
"Oh, sure, now you're interested," Discord said slyly. Sunset and Sonata found themselves listening intently as well. "Well, just because somepony is important doesn't mean that he never makes mistakes. Starswirl created a lot of different spells, and not all of them turned out entirely, shall we say, wholesome." 
"What does this have to do with fixing our hearts?" Sonata asked quietly.
Discord shrugged. "Very little, really. I was just making a point, and the point is that I know more about Starswirl's magic than anypony alive. You're on the right track with his shaping spells, and I'm here to make sure you have what you need."
"Why?" Twilight asked. "Why do you even care?" 
"Yeesh, the suspicion!" Discord threw his arms up dramatically. "Is it so hard to believe that I don't have an ulterior motive here?" The stares he received answered his question plainly enough. "Well, if you must know, I'd rather not see other creatures of chaos suffer and die. That's all." Twilight, Sunset, and Sonata shared uncertain looks.
"I think he's telling the truth," Sonata whispered.
"I do that quite a lot, and yet you ponies are always shocked by it," Discord replied, folding his arms.
"It's true that we need all the help we can get," Twilight finally said to him. "I'm sorry for being so suspicious of you. I'd really appreciate you working with us on this."
"Now we're getting somewhere!" Discord exclaimed. He gestured to Sonata's saddlebag, and the shattered artifact he could sense inside it. "So, let's have a look-see, shall we?"
At an encouraging nod from Twilight, Sonata opened the bag with her teeth and removed the small black pouch from it. She spread the shattered pieces of the jewel on the  ground for Discord to examine.
"My, you girls certainly did a number on this, didn't you?" Discord picked up one of the shards and brought it to his eye. A monocle appeared on his face and he adjusted it, looking at the piece of stone as if through a magnifying glass. With another snap of his talons, he conjured a wooden pipe that produced bubbles when he blew thoughtfully into it. "Well, let's get started." 

The buzz of a doorbell rang through the sirens' house. Fluttershy, who had been nearly dozing off in her chair, looked up to see what was happening. Adagio hadn't moved from her spot on the couch, and just as Fluttershy was wondering whether she ought to go answer the door herself, a well-dressed middle-aged man passed by in the hallway. 
A butler, Fluttershy thought to herself. Of course they have a butler to handle this sort of thing. No doubt some mistreated, unpaid man whom they'd enchanted to serve them.The good news, she supposed, was that if they had a human servant then they must also have human food and drinks in the house. She was getting rather hungry. 
"Excuse me, Miss Adagio," the man said after a minute's muffled conversation with whomever was at the door, "it seems some girls were found loitering outside. Are they friends of yours?" He sounded rather skeptical about that.
"No," Adagio replied without looking. She did give Fluttershy a rather pointed stare, however. 
They wouldn't! Fluttershy thought to herself. Her friends had followed them, even after she'd explained why it was so important that she do this alone? "Um," she spoke up for the first time in over an hour, "I'm sorry, I think I might know who they are. May I speak to them?"
"If you wish. With Miss Adagio's permission, of course?" 
Adagio waved a hand carelessly. "Be my guest."
Feeling something very much like anger starting to burn in her stomach, Fluttershy approached the door. Indeed, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity all stood on the porch looking incredibly uncomfortable, along with a man who looked to be in his thirties and who was wearing a Neighborhood Watch cap. 
"It seems that they're friends of this young lady," the butler explained to the man outside. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention."
The man outside tipped his cap and departed, and the butler politely excused himself as well, leaving the three girls to Fluttershy's care. 
"Uh. Hey, Flutters," Rainbow said awkwardly, catching on that Fluttershy was not at all pleased to see them. 
"What were you girls thinking?" Fluttershy demanded. 
"Look, we ain't the bad guys here," Applejack protested. "We needed to make sure ya were safe." 
"Well, I am safe, which is more than I can say for my chances of actually befriending the sirens!" Fluttershy spat back. "How can I earn their trust or their respect when you three are sneaking around behind our backs? And where's Pinkie Pie, is she with you too?"
"No, Pinkie stayed behind to cover for us at school," Rarity answered. "Fluttershy, I know you're upset, but you have to understand that we were worried about you."
"And you have to understand that I know what I'm doing!" Fluttershy retorted. 
Though the girls outside were unaware of it, Adagio had muted the television to listen in on their argument. She was practically salivating at the thought of the negative energy the girls must be putting out—which she felt was a disgusting and pointless reaction, considering that she didn't eat with her mouth—and the knowledge that she was so close to a potential source of food only served to sharpen her ever-present hunger pains. Still, after long centuries of habit, she took a certain pleasure in listening to friends falling apart. 
"Listen," Fluttershy said more quietly, her anger apparently spent, "I know that the Dazzlings are dangerous, and I really do appreciate you girls looking out for me, but I'm alright. It's more important right now that we show them genuine friendship, or this could all just lead to more problems."
There was a long moment of silence, accompanied by a great deal of foot-shuffling and uncomfortable looks at each other. 
"Sorry, Flutters." To everyone's surprise, Rainbow Dash was the first to apologize. "I guess we goofed, huh?"
Fluttershy sighed. "That's alright, Rainbow Dash. Hopefully I can still make this work." 
"Sorry, Fluttershy," Applejack added, adjusting her hat nervously. "And, uh, I guess tell Aria and Adagio we said sorry, too." 
"I'm sure they'll appreciate that," Fluttershy replied. 
"Come on girls, I think we've done quite enough damage here," Rarity prompted the others. With another round of apologies, and a final promise from Fluttershy to call if she needed anything, the three of them departed. 
"Oh dear," Fluttershy whispered to herself as she went back inside. 
"Well well well," Adagio purred from the other room. To Fluttershy's amazement, she actually sounded pleased. "Who knew you had it in you?"
"I'm really sorry about them," Fluttershy said. "They were honestly just trying to help."
"You're actually serious about this, aren't you?" Adagio replied. "You really do want to be our friend."
"Um, yes, please," Fluttershy stammered awkwardly. "I mean, if you'd like."
"Hmm." Adagio tapped her chin. "Silver Breeze," she called.
"Yes, Miss Adagio?" the butler answered from the doorway. Fluttershy supposed that she knew his name now.
"Bring our guest a glass of water and a snack. You must be hungry," she said to Fluttershy. 
"Oh, um, a bit, thank you very much." Fluttershy was blown away at the unexpected act of kindness, however small. 
"Very good, Miss Adagio." Silver Breeze inclined his head. "Will there be anything else?" 
"No." 
With that simple word, Silver Breeze apparently considered himself dismissed. He left to fulfill Adagio's order.
"So." Adagio languidly stretched herself out on the couch and looked up at Fluttershy. "Let's chat."