I don't care if he's a psychiatrist. I'm not letting him tell me not to follow my dream to gain worldwide recognition and power. I wouldn't be surprised if he was just an accountant or something.
Adagio had finished engaging a lengthy discussion with her new little friend, Dr. Wolf, and wasn't happy with how they ended it. With all of the problems Adagio had to endure during her stay in Equestria, she was offered the idea that continuing to achieve the goals she had as a siren was not one she should've been pursuing. It was bad enough that a psychiatrist told her that, but the bag of breadcrumbs she was eating began to tell her that too.
Even with all of the stressful thinking, she stayed smart. She avoided eye-contact from other ponies and swiped any wanted posters she could find without getting caught, but from her perspective, it was all in vain. She kept spotting the red police pony that chased after her earlier, and because of how she narrowly avoided him the last time, she didn't want to risk running into him again.
"Don't you have a murder to investigate or something? Why chase after me?" Adagio asked herself.
"It's because you're not thinking you're thoughts like you usually do."
"AAHH!"
As startled as Adagio was, she was relieved to find that the one who snuck up on her was Aria, who managed to find Adagio before the cop could. Adagio would've raised her voice for being snuck up on, but her mouth covered up by Aria before she could say anything.
"Shhh!" Aria hushed, who then signaled Adagio to follow her. "Do you really want to risk spending a night in the slammer?"
Well, it would at there would be a roof over my head, but she makes a good point.
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After following Aria like she asked, Adagio was carefully and silently led to a large red barn that was located outside of the town. There was a familiar looking orange pony working out in the fields, but fortunately, she didn't see Adagio or Aria. After making sure one last time that no pony was watching them, they snuck inside.
As soon as they arrived, Sonata emerged from out of a large pile of hay, who had been waiting for Aria to return with Adagio. The hungry siren couldn't help but to have a taste. "Hey, this stuff is actually pretty good. I wonder if any other ponies tried eating this stuff."
"Squatting. Good idea." Adagio said sarcastically, but after saying it out loud, the idea really didn't sound that bad. "How did you find this place?"
"We stole these really good apples from this huge guy, so we followed after him." Sonata explained. "They're not tacos, but they're yummy. Want one?"
"No thanks. I filled up on bread." Adagio answered. "That's not important anyway. Why are we here?"
Aria and Sonata gave each other a concerned look. They spent a long time with each other without Adagio being around, which was something they rarely did without trying to kill each other. They typically had an immature relationship, but during Adagio's absence...
"Me and Sonata had a very serious talk, Adagio." Aria said.
"That's impossible!" Adagio argued.
Sonata then took her turn to speak up. "But we did. For realsies! We talked about our future and how we're better off without you."
After making a very blunt and mean sounding comment, Adagio gave her fellow Dazzlings an enraged stare. Aria turned to Sonata with a scared look, swiping her hoof across her neck to signal her to be quiet. The blue pegasus still didn't quite get the hint.
"Wh-what did I say?"
"I'll tell you what you said." Adagio said. "You said: Please Adagio. Kill us. Kill us brutally. THAT'S I heard!!!"
"Was it? Wow, you must be going deaf or--" Before Sonata could finish her sentence, Aria gave her a shove out of the way. She had said way too much.
"Look Adagio. I hate to say it, but it's over. It's been over for months." Aria explained. "When the Rainbombs defeated us at the CHS showcase. From that moment on, we were no longer sirens."
"We're homeless, hungry, and ponies." Sonata said. "Sure, these wings are awesome, but I don't think they're worth it. I especially feel bad for Aria because she doesn't have wings OR a horn."
This was not the conversation Adagio wanted after having a similarly depressing one with Dr. Wolf. She was not in the mood to hear it. "I've heard enough. At least you two did a good job finding shelter for the night. Let's see if we can make hidden beds or something in here."
Adagio had given her next order, but neither Aria or Sonata wanted to follow it. It didn't take her very long to see that her band mates chose to be disobedient.
"Well well. Two girls seem to want to sleep in the park tonight."
"We're not going to any park, Adagio." Aria spoke up. "We want to go back home."
She couldn't believe what she had heard. Aria and Sonata, the only two allies Adagio had in her quest for power and fame, had given up. She started to think that the entire world was trying to tell her to give up as well, but Adagio stayed undeterred. Undeterred and very annoyed.
"Such foolishness. How could so easily give up on a goal you two had for all these years?" Adagio asked. "Stupid things like this is why I'm the leader."
"our goals? You lead?" Aria asked. It was her turn to get angry, which was made apparent by the mumbling and stuttering sounds she made. After deciding on what to say, she snapped. 'THOSE ARE YOUR GOALS!!!"
"Yes, because I'm the only one out of the three of us who wants fame and power." Adagio said sarcastically. "Let me guess? All you really wanted was to lead a song for once?"
"Yes! YES! That's what I really want! For once in my life, I would like to be the center of attention!" Aria explained with passion. She then proceeded with a rant that she had been wanting to say for a long time. "All these years, I've been stuck in your shadow because my voice and Sonata's have always been meant to enhance your own. I've had to play second fiddle to you when I had ideas and thoughts that I wanted to share, but can't because of you! I just want to lead for once! I'll scream to the stars! I want to lead! At the very least, let someone acknowledge me!"
Aria had said more than just a mouth full. She released years of pent-up rage because of Adagio and fired every drop of it at her. Adagio, in return, viewed it as nothing more than an act of betrayal.
"And what about you, Sonata? Did you want my position as leader as well?" Adagio asked.
Surprisingly, Sonata was quiet for a long time. She stood still while Adagio and Aria went at it with each other, scared by their raised voices. Sonata looked like a terrified little filly watching her parents fight. She was afraid to say anything, but she gathered just enough courage to answer Adagio's question.
"I...I just want to be happy."
A very, very simple, but strong answer. Adagio wanted power, Aria wanted to lead, but all Sonata wanted was to be happy. They all wanted to be happy, but it appeared that Sonata didn't care how that would get accomplished, whether it meant trying to regain their former glory or not.
Adagio didn't feel the same way. Just like before, she wanted nothing less than absolute power and admiration, but she eventually accepted the fact that neither Aria or Sonata wanted that anymore.
"So you two have decided?" Adagio asked. She waited for the two nod together in agreement. Once they did, Adagio made a most unfortunate announcement. "Then neither of you are of any worth to me any longer. As of Today The Dazzlings are finished! You can both do what you wish, but whatever it will be, I won't have any part of it."
As it became obvious that Aria and Sonata would no longer follow her and help achieve her goals, Adagio made her cold decree. The three were no longer a team. Refusing to waste any more of her time, the former leader of the Dazzling exited the barn with haste.
Sonata tried to chase after Adagio, but Aria reached her hoof out and stopped her. The blue, ditzy pegasus was the most upset about the idea of the three splitting up, and it was made worse because she wasn't allowed to do anything about it. She tried to break from Aria's hold, but the earth pony was too strong.
"Let's go, Sonata. We got to Equestria, so I'm sure we can get to...wherever the human place is."
"But we can't leave Adagio. She's our only friend." Sonata argued. "I know that's pretty pathetic of us, but it's still better than just the two of us."
"I doubt it. You're the worst, so anything will be better. I'm out of here." Aria stated. As she quickly grew tired of Sonata, she was prepared to leave, whether Sonata planned to follow her or not.
"Wait! We can't leave!" Sonata cried out. "Just because Adagio would leave us, that doesn't mean we should leave her too."
Aria grunted, annoyed by Sonata's innocence. "Fine. Just give me one good reason to go get her, and we'll go get her."
"Fine then. It would...uhh...it would..." Sonata thought about it carefully, which was not something she was used to doing.
As Sonata spent more and more time trying to think of a way to keep Aria from leaving, the latter lost what little patience she had left. She opened up the barn door and peaked outside, making sure that she wouldn't be seen upon leaving. As Aria was ready to take a step outside, Sonata, without thinking, said her mind.
"For someone who didn't want Adagio to lead, you sure are copying her really well!"
Aria paused. It didn't take long at all before Sonata's word struck a nerve, freezing her from where she stood. Curious, she took a step back into the barn to hear Sonata out.
"Everything Adagio did was a mistake. Her leaving us was a mistake. Doesn't that mean that us leaving her would be a mistake too? She's like our sister or something!"
For the first time in her entire life, Sonata said something enlightening. Aria tried to think of something in response, but she couldn't think of anything that could counter Sonata's argument. After getting mad at Sonata and herself, she finally came up with a retort.
"I hate you, Sonata."
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Adagio had spent a long time alone after she left the barn the Dazzlings were hiding in. She even made sure that no pony could spot her at all. Since the cop pony she ran into had been around all day and placed posters all around town, it would've made no difference if she kept ripping them down. It was clear that the whole town knew she was a wanted criminal. Therefore, she couldn't stay in Ponyville any longer.
On top of that, the sun was beginning to set. She didn't have long until Princess Luna would raise the moon and it became night, and this time, she wouldn't have a place to stay. Wherever she planned to go though, it couldn't be Ponyville. As such, she stood at the edge of the town, stood next to a lake, and was getting ready to leave for good.
Alright, Adagio. Let's take a look at your position. You're singing solo, you're homeless, empty on breadcrumbs, and have... After taking out and look at what she had left on her, she remembered that she had something she didn't want to have. "Three...BITS!? AAAAGHHH!"
In a fit of anger, she slammed her coin-filled hoof into the ground, ignoring the pain she felt when she did it. She completely forgot that she wanted to give the bits Dr. Wolf gave to her back. She was still bothered by the fact that she still had money that she saw as an act of pit and began hating Dr. Wolf more than ever before.
"Curse that stupid dog! He won't let me forget this! Not only that, but I actually need this too, so it would be stupid to give it back now!" Adagio screamed even louder. "Why can't my life just be easy for once?"
Adagio thought about her next course of action carefully. Her options were very scarce, as she had almost no money, didn't know her way around the modern day Equestria, and predicted that a cold night was coming her way. She may or may not have figured something out, but with all of the anger she had from thinking about Aria, Sonata, and Dr. Wolf, she drew nothing but blanks. She once again punched the ground in frustration, but with enough foresight to use the other hoof.
"What on earth am I going to do? Am I really going to have to bear with all of this nonsense again? I was homeless once already and I have no intentions of being homeless again!"
"Then don't be. You have a home."
Adagio jumped when she heard the sound of Sonata's voice. She turned and saw that both Sonata and Aria had followed after her after having the band disbanded. It didn't take her long to accept the idea of leaving them, so Adagio got even angrier when they went after her.
"Already realized how dumb you girls were?" Adagio asked.
"Yes. I mean, no." Sonata answered, then quickly rephrased.
Before Sonata could say anything else that would make her sound stupid, Aria spoke up. "Actually, you're half right. We've all been dumb during these past two days."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I think I've been making all of the right moves." Adagio argued.
"And that is why you are homeless and have a cold night to look forward to." Aria rebutted. "Me and Sonata will be heading back to our nice warm apartment that we still have for another month, and if you're smart, you'll come with us."
"And miss this opportunity? Never! Only in Equestria can I get my power."
"And only as a siren, which we aren't anymore. "
Aria made a good point, but Adagio didn't want to admit it. The more time she spent talking with Aria and Sonata, the harder it became for Adagio to look at them. To feint disinterest, Adagio turned her attention toward the lake, hoping that the others would leave her alone. It didn't work.
"This will be the only time you'll ever hear me say this, so listen carefully." Aria ordered. "We care about you."
"Yeah, just because we hate each other, doesn't mean we can't care about each other too." Sonata added. "You can't sing solo. Not because you suck, but because you need us, and because Aria is so dumb, she needs you too. And I'm not going to lie. I need both of you."
"We've always needed each other." Aria added, who felt a sense of disbelief by the fact that she actually said it. "What makes it different now is that we need each other more than ever before. With two worlds against us, we have no one else to turn to but ourselves. At the very least, we can go to a world where we have an actual home."
Sonata continued to contribute to conversation. "And since we can't become all powerful anymore, we have no choice but to start over."
"Me and Sonata realize that. Why can't you?"
During the whole speech made by Aria and Sonata, Adagio was unusually quiet. Normally, she would've snapped at Aria she questioned her leadership and choices. She sad still and without saying a word. It seemed as though their words didn't reach.
"Maybe we should go back now, Aria." Sonata suggested.
Although it seemed that Adagio had ignored them, Aria knew otherwise. Looking at the lake that Adagio stared out at, Aria saw the reflection of the yellow unicorn, as well as her face. She was hiding her true feelings and keeping the look of her face a secret, but with the water's reflection, Aria, and eventually Sonata, could see it all.
Widen eyes, tears dripping down her cheek, and a mortified frown. Adagio had finally realized that everything that she was told that day, from her talk with Dr. Wolf to her second meeting with the other Dazzlings, was all true. It took a lot out of many people to convince her, but it all finally sunk in.
Adagio Dazzle, after fighting for it for so many years, had to let her dream go. It was her only hope.
That's it. It's over. The tearful pony thought to herself. Years of patients...months of suffering...days of delusions...and all I have to show for it are three pony coins. Three useless pony coins.
The more she thought about the money she had, the harder it became for Adagio to hold back her tears. However, as she thought about the money, she began to think back to how she got it. She thought about Dr. Wolf.
He was a kind soul, willing to help in her time of need. He was generous enough to give her the three bits in the first place. His sense of humor made him approachable, but he wasn't afraid to stray away from the truth. He even promised that he would always be willing to listen to her if she needed him. For the first time in her life, she was given five things from a person that no other had ever given her.
And then, during the instance in her life where she needed it all the most, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk, were showing Adagio those same elements. She didn't know what exactly it was, but she could feel it sparking a magic she had never felt before, both metaphorically and literally. She didn't notice it at the time, but the three bits under her hoof began to glow, and so did her cutie mark. Adagio didn't know what caused this phenomenon, but whatever it was, it felt good.
At long last, Adagio made her decision. "Aria. I will now let you decide what we should do next. I will do what you think is best."
It didn't take Aria even a millisecond to decide, but she did hesitate at first since she had never given out any orders before. "We should go home. Back to Canterlot City in the human world, where we have a future."
"And a place where we can be happy." Sonata said.
Adagio, after hearing Aria and Sonata out and knowing fully well that her dreams couldn't be reached in Equestria, agreed. He stubbornness made her the last of the Dazzlings to reach the conclusion, she knew then that if she kept things up, she would completely destroy herself. This realization made her cry more than ever, enough that she didn't even bother holding them back any longer.
Sonata, as she started to feel sad as well, sat next to Adagio and gently placed one of her wings and one of her hooves around Adagio to comfort her. Aria, feeling unusually sympathetic for Adagio, likely due to seeing Sonata helping her, decided that she needed to help Adagio too, so she sat on Adagio's other side and gently place her hoof around her as well.
"Aria...Sonata..."
While she was broken down, Adagio felt a bit more whole again after having the others next to her when she needed them the most. She suddenly felt the need to hide her tears again, but even if she wanted to, she couldn't. She remembered Dr. Wolf saying how she could still find happiness with or without fulfilling her dreams. While Adagio didn't think much of it at first, she finally understood how that could be true. For that reason, she decided it was time to say the kindest words she had ever said to Aria and Sonata. Her friends.
"Thank you."