//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Aria Ablaze // by mouch30 //------------------------------// Aria Blaze. With the suitable requirements, a being capable of wielding unimaginable power. Strong, cunning, resilient. She sniffed hard and put one foot in front of the other. Makeup streaked her cheeks, and the hem of her dress was sodden after being dragged through the streets of Canterlot. Fierce, vicious. She gasped and fell heavily on her hands, scattering the broken shards of stone. The rough ground scraped her palms and knees, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. Unbreakable. She bent her head and looked behind, scowling at the uneven pavement that brought her to her knees. “Hey, are you okay?” A blurry figure stood in front of her, a hand stretched out. “Do you need a—” “Get away from me! I don’t need help from anyone!” She picked herself up from the floor and stalked off, leaving her broken pendant behind. The clean, tidy streets of the Upper Canterlot district were slowly dying out. Instead, mud-streaked roads and litter dotted the area. This was the Lower Canterlot district, the less refined counterpart to the Upper suburbs. Aria had never actually been here; Adagio was the only one who frequented the seedy clubs and mingled with the menagerie of strange folk. She heard rumours, of course. Stories passed on by Adagio, curled up next to her on their saggy couch, listening intently to her wild tales. “It’s filthy down there, even dirtier than this shit hole,” Adagio would say, stretching like a lazy cat. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I keep going back.” “Let me go instead,” Aria would eagerly plead. “You don’t have to go if I’m the one preparing our meals.” “It’s too dangerous,” Adagio would always, always, always say. “You wouldn’t know what to do there.” Well, here she was. She was there. And she loved it. The greasy plates and empty cans that were strewn on the streets, the people with hunched up shoulders and shifting eyes, the alleyways that housed secret doors that led to secret clubs… Aria never felt more at home than in the midst of the muck and mire. Here, she was free to do whatever she wanted! No more Adagio to hound her about safety, no more Sonata to take care of in the middle of the night, no more...no more sisters to keep her company. She dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, and leaned against a building. The cold bricks pushed into her back, poking through her thin dress. “Hey...how much?” “Excuse me?” A group of teens, not much younger than she was (well, in ‘human’ years), stood in front of her. The one who spoke had a cheeky grin on his face, with spiked hair and sly eyes. “I asked you, how much?” “How much for...what?” The other boys snickered behind their leader. “How much for one night? Do you charge extra for swallowing?” Aria stared at teen, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think I...oh. My. Fucking. God.” She lifted her hand and slapped him across the face, leaving a bright pink mark behind her. “How dare you!” She cried, new tears streaming down her face. She turned and began to run again, a small part of her already regretting her new-found freedom. She walked straight into the gaping maw of an alleyway, relishing in the darkness it provided. When she was sure that no one else was around, she huddled next to the dumpster, clinging to her shaking knees. She bowed her head and began to sob. Her sobs were loud and wretched, laden with all those years of hatred and pain that she kept inside of her. She let out all the emotion she had locked down, pouring them out in form of tears, snot, and shaking breaths. The frustration of being the middle child, the neglect she felt when Adagio ignored her, the envy that grew inside of her whenever she was left out of the spotlight. The sheer force of her anger hurt as she retched out her feelings. People would occasionally pop their heads in, curious to see what could be making such noise. They quickly lost their interest when they saw a little girl, crying her heart out. “I...I hate them,” she gasped, trying desperately to breathe. “I hate Adagio...and I hate Sonata...and I hate those boys and I hate the Rainbooms and I hate everyone in this world.” In time, her sobs ceased and she was able to relax. Her muscles tensed up whenever she heard footsteps, but she immediately loosened them when she thought they were gone. Now that she was...less hysterical, she began to think about her situation. “Okay,” Aria whispered to herself. “I need shelter...a place to stay. Sleep. New clothes. A shower. Food.” She placed a hand on her stomach, and another on her throat. “How.” She pushed herself off the floor, standing on trembling legs. Very slowly, she took her first steps out of the alleyway and continued down the street. It was dark, with the roads lit up by streetlights, casting shadows across the pavement. The town was still alive, with people choking the entrances to clubs and bars. They gave her interested stares, with roving eyes and miniscule smirks. They probably thought she was lost. Lost and afraid, like a little stray dog. “Hey.” Aria whipped around, coming face to face with a shorter girl, with stringy hair and a dusty face. “Are you homeless?” she asked, tilting her head and taking in Aria’s appearance. “Those are some nice clothes...did you get kicked out of your house or something?” “What makes you say that?” The girl shrugged. “No need to get so defensive. I’m Dew Drop. Nice to meet you…?” “...Twilight,” the Siren replied stiffly. “What do you want?” “I’m heading to ‘Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls’,” Dew said. “Do you want to come with me?” “I don’t need your pity,” Aria spat. She clenched her teeth to stop herself from screaming. “I’m not a charity case!” Dew raised her hands in a meek surrender. “I...I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just a safe house, a place to rest while you get your life back on track. Food, shelter, friends...a shower. If you don’t wanna come, then, whatever.” She pushed past Aria and continued walking. She paused, body twitching, but decided not to bother and pressed on. Aria stared at the ground, tears stinging the backs of her eyes. She had allowed her emotions to get the better of her, as usual. “Wait. Dew Drop?” She stopped. “Yes, Twilight?” Aria turned around to face the younger girl. “I would like to come with you.” A smile peeked through clumps of hair. “Follow me.” They walked together, Aria lagging behind. Her shoes were killing her, the leather straps rubbing blisters on her skin. She sighed and bent down, hooking her finger into the back of her shoe and pulling it off. The shock of cool air stung the sore skin, and the pavement was filthy with who knows what, but the instant relief was totally worth it. “That’s the idea!” Dew Drop laughed. “You get used to bare feet in time.” She didn’t want to get used to this. “Are we there yet?” She asked, swinging her heels in one hand. “We’ve been walking for, like, a year.” “We’re here.” The building was squat, with peeling plaster and scraggly weeds in the front garden. “Wow. What a great place,” Aria scoffed. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” scolded Dew Drop, frowning slightly. “This place is the home to many young girls like me and you. If you’re not pleased with it, then you can leave.” “No. No, whatever. It’s fine.” Dew Drop knocked on the door, bits of paint flaking off from the impact. “Coming!” came a faint reply. The door opened. “Dew Drop, how nice to see you!” A tall, very fair woman greeted them. She was dressed all in cream, with her white hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes were eerie — the same pale gray as her skin. “And you’ve brought a friend!” “My name is...Twilight. I’m...new here.” Aria bit her lip, praying that Twilight Sparkle had never visited this part of town. “Can I...stay here for tonight?” “Of course you can. Please, come in.” Ms. Feather stepped back and let the two girls in. Aria inhaled deeply, relishing the delicious warmth that enveloped her. She stood on a plush carpet, wriggling her bruised toes in the wool. “Dinner is starting soon. Dew, you know what to do. Twilight, let me show you to your room.” The air was filled with the chatter of girls. Aria watched as two toddlers stumbled about, their young mother frantically trying to catch them. Another girl — dark and brooding — sat in a wheelchair, while her friend combed her hair and nattered about their plans for the future. “We always keep a few rooms open in case we get a new girl,” Ms. Feather explained. Her voice was light and breathy, and really bugged Aria for some reason. They walked past a closed door, where they could hear sobbing. “That’s poor Sparrow,” Ms. Feather whispered. “Not her real name, we call her that because she’s just so small. Never lets anyone see her, never lets anyone help her. She comes in and cries for hours, then just leaves. What I would give to take care of her. Ah, here’s your room.” The woman pushed the door, revealing a sagging bed, and whitewashed walls. The lights flickered on, turning the whole room a dingy yellow. “The bathroom is just down the hall, there are fresh towels in the cupboard near the showers. You’ll find a robe and some...necessities in your drawers, right there.” She pointed to the chest on the other side of the room. “As I said, dinner starts soon. Get cracking, chicky.” She left, her own robe flying behind her. Aria jiggled the knob open, peering into the drawers. Every article of clothing was either white or beige. She found a soft cotton bra and underwear set, along with pale shorts and a tank top. She grabbed them and walked towards the bathrooms. The showers had hairs draped on the walls, and bits of mold gathering in the corners. Aria spread a smaller towel on the floor of one of the showers, clenching her toes together. The water was lukewarm, but rejuvenated her as it washed away the dust and dried tears that had settled on her face. She scrubbed herself hard, turning her delicate pink skin an angry magenta. Once washed and dried, she put on her clothes, and slipped her feet into squishy slippers. Her dress lay crumpled on the floor, ripped and filthy. Aria scooped it up, remembering the excitement she felt when she first tried it on. Long, flowing skirt, a velvety corset; It was the perfect dress for her. She stuffed it in the garbage on her way to the dinner hall. Long tables lined the hall, teeming with girls and women of all ages and sizes. Bowls filled with rice and stew were being handed out by Ms. Feather herself, standing behind a counter. “Twilight! Over here!” Aria turned to the girl who called her. Dew was sitting at a table by herself, guarding two bowls of stew. She stomped over and plopped on the bench, silently accepting the meal. She dug her spoon it and sniffed, her mouth watering. The rice was brown and soft, the meat tender, and the sauce savory. “I’m so glad we made it for Stew Night,” Dew mumbled, sticking spoonful after spoonful in her mouth. “You clean up nice, Twilight.” Aria nodded, mouth full. “Not as nice as you, Dew.” A shower helped show Dew’s natural brightness. Her hair was a light cyan and no longer greasy, and her skin a pastel green. She blushed, her cheeks turning dark. “Thanks,” she replied. “So,” she began, “What’s your story?” Aria slowed down, twirling her spoon in the grains. “I don’t have a story.” “Come on,” Dew pushed. “Tell me what happened to you!” She sighed, and didn’t say anything. “Twilight,” Dew whined. “You can’t show up looking like a bedraggled pop star and not tell me what happened! Are you a party animal, staying up ‘till the break of dawn, spending Mommy and Daddy’s money all night? Is this a punishment?” “I was betrayed, okay?” She snapped. “I was fighting alongside my sisters, and just when I thought we were going to win, we lost. We were badly hurt, and I was angry. My sisters let me leave without a second thought. I lost everything in the span of a few hours. Is that what you wanted to hear?” That shut her up. They finished their meal in silence. “My mother died when I was young,” Dew suddenly said. “My father was so distraught, he couldn’t take care of me anymore. He tried, but…” She lifted a finger and wiped the corner of her eye. “He eventually took his own life. I’ve been on my own ever since. Ms. Feather saved me.” Aria said nothing. “She helped me. She said I was free to live here forever, and help out with the other girls, but I didn’t want to be tied down. I like to wander. Her home is open to any girl.” Aria pressed her lips together. “She accepts everyone. She’s so nice and calm, and she cares about every—” “Why don’t you marry her if you think she’s so great?” Aria snapped, cringing at her lame insult. Not my best, she thought to herself. Dew stared at Aria with her big blue eyes, and stood up. She grabbed their empty bowls and took them to the counter, then walked off to her room without a glance back. Aria followed suit, and gently closed the door to her room. She slipped into bed, grateful that they were cool and soft. The pillow was so squishy...the sheets so heavy and warm...She felt her eyelids closing slowly. Her head was filled with muddled scenes of the day. Bright lights danced around, and faces melted into one another. What was she going to do now? Would she stay? Leave? She couldn’t keep thinking about it, she was so tired. She closed her eyes and sighed, surrendering herself to the dark embrace of slumber.