Each month we will be spotlighting one pairing, or suggesting a writing prompt. As you may have seen on the main page, this month's area of focus is Aria x Starlight.

The thing that makes Starlight stand out, for me, is her continuing connection to her past. She doesn't act like she used to be a different person ("The old me was just awful, wasn't she?") or suggest her transgressions aren't forgiven and warrant further punishment, like Luna with the Tantabus. She's a bit embarrassed about it when it comes up, but she's accepted it as something she did, and part of who she is. Embracing it shapes her in a very different way to how fleeing from it might have. I always remember Starlight's face in Fame and Misfortune when she goes off to have a 'chat' with the two ponies badmouthing Rarity. That's something none of the rest of the mane cast could have pulled off, because they're too firmly 'good.'

So imagine Starlight being the reformation template being matched with Aria, rather than the more common suggestion of Sunset. Think how Starlight might approach being a moral compass. And then consider the way she smiles adorably, even when others might consider what she's doing to be hideous.

What would someone who twice avoided redemption think of someone who voluntarily backed down when the world was within her grasp? How would someone who built a cult on the notion of equality react to the sirens' central belief of 'We're better than you'? Here's a well-regarded sample of the ship (and I feel ok suggesting it, because it's a collab and none of the Staria bits were written by me), but we need you to write more! Maybe Aria fronts the punk band hired to open Starlight's commune, and they make the mistake of talking about politics when drinking together afterwards. Maybe Aria needs a reformation sponsor or parole officer to be allowed back to Equestria, and Twilight knows the super-nice approach of someone like Fluttershy hasn't a chance of getting through to Aria. Maybe Trixie accidentally locks Starlight in a chest for eight hours during a botched magic trick and has to beg Aria to impersonate Starlight and run the School of Friendship for a day, hoping no one will notice the mistake. Maybe they're like Armistice and Hanaryo...

Artwork provided by fiona brown. The piece further up is by nadairead, and one of the prettiest I've ever seen!

If this is a ship you like the sound of, this thread is probably a good place to discuss it. I joined this group not just to see all the unusual siren ships in one place, but to encourage others to write more of them, so if you're thinking of writing an Aria x Starlight story or have one in the works already, by all means let us know in the thread below. Or just discuss the ship: what you like about it and why, what problems you've encountered with it before, what scenarios you can envision for the two of them. Just talking about it like that can inspire others with new story ideas, some of which might get written down, at which point we all benefit

My favorite thing about comparing Starlight (villain) to the Dazzlings is that they have the exact same MO- controlling people with tenptation, brainwashing, and the power of song- but their goals are polar opposites. Or rather, their goals are similar (be in charge of everyine else) but the realization of that goal is opposite.

7165932 That's an interesting point! I could see Aria being Starlight's image consultant behind the scenes, making sure she presents herself a certain way, projects her authority in her public appearances, that sort of thing. One of the things I liked most about Starlight as a villain was that she had proto-political idealisms and drives, and hers were so selfless, compared to siren principles, so the clash there could be explosive. If they met in an EG setting, rather than FIM, the showdown might be an interesting exchange of ideas rather than blasts of magic. Especially if it's this Starlight.