Saving the Sirens.

by SkyeSilverwing

The Cost of Friendship

“What is taking her so long?”

Rainbow Dash’s exclamation was echoed by several of the others as they stood waiting by the portal.

They had headed straight back to the portal after meeting up with the Sirens, but Sunset Shimmer had excused herself, claiming that she needed to go retrieve something. She had yet to return, so the others had little to do but stand around and wait.

Adagio poked the portal experimentally. “So you are telling me that this thing was open nearly the whole time leading up to the battle of the bands?” she asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes.” She replied, “I opened the portal after Sunset sent me a message through her magic book warning us that you had used your magic to take over the school.” Seeing Adagio’s face fall, she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have brought that up.”

Adagio offered her a small smile. “It’s alright.” She said, “I have had several days to reflect on my greed, and where it got us. I just… don’t know that I deserve forgiveness. I just want to make sure my sisters are alright.”

Twilight smiled at her. “That is why you deserve forgiveness.” She said, “If your first concern is for those you love, you can’t be all bad.”

Adagio smiled at her. “Thank you for that.” She said.

Next to the side of the statue where the portal was located, Rainbow Dash and Aria both sat, looking bored. “If she doesn’t show up soon,” Aria grumbled, “I’m going to starve to death.”

Rainbow looked at the girl. “She is taking forever, whatever she is doing.” She said, “But I am sure she will be here soon. Sunset won’t leave us hanging.”

“You got that right.” Said Pinkie Pie, who was standing next to Sonata. “I am sure she is doing something important.”

Sonata looked at her. “You really think so?” she asked.

Pinkie grinned back at her. “I know so.” She said, pointing, “Check it out!”

Sunset Shimmer walked up, carrying several bags, each emblazoned with the words “Taco Loco” the name of the best taco shop in the Area.

Sunset smiled as Sonata squealed in glee. “I figured you girls might be hungry when we fix you up, so I swung by Taco Loco for some provisions.” She said, “Now is everyone here? Are we ready to go?”

Twilight nodded. “I’ve already sent Spike back through the portal with orders to explain what’s going on and send a letter to the Princesses requesting their presence as soon as possible.” She said, “I am not sure how high we should get our hopes up, though. This could be a very complicated procedure.”

Sonata got to her feet and shot Twilight a smile. “Are you kidding?” she said, “Three hours ago, we were certain that we were all going to die. No hope, no light at the end of the Tunnel, just three washed-up musicians dead in an alley. Not even worth a news spot. Now, we not only have a chance, but for the first time ever, we have people who could actually be our friends for us, instead of just for our next meal. You have saved our lives, even if you can’t prevent our deaths.”

Twilight and her friends all teared up and drew the three Dazzelings into a big group hug.

Sunset looked around at the girls. “That’s it.” She said, holding up a fist, “There is no way we can afford to fail. We’ve got to make this work for our friends.”

“YEAH!” everyone agreed.

Twilight nodded and turned to the portal. “Alright.” she said, “Let’s go.”

Twilight waited for last, and Sunset hesitated as well. “Will… Princess Celestia be there?” she asked in a small voice, “I… don’t know if I am ready to ask for her forgiveness for all I did. All my betrayals.”

Twilight placed a hand on her shoulder. “I had a lot of time to get to know Princess Celestia during my years as her Student,” she said, “and it was really only in the time after I moved to Ponyville that I really began to understand her. All she really wants is for those she cares about to be happy. And from the look in her eyes when she talks about you, I think she cares about you very much.”

Sunset looked at Twilight, tears welling up in her eyes. “Y-you think she will be able to forgive me?” she asked.

Twilight’s smile deepened. “I know she will.” She said, and together, they stepped through the portal.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

The other side of the portal was a flurry of activity.

Twilight’s Pony friends were helping their counterparts to get used to four legs and hooves, while the Sirens, now returned to their natural form, were being tended to by Zecora and spike. They had collapsed into unconsciousness upon arriving. They looked like they had not eaten in months, but the Zebra was keeping them stable.

“Their life force will more swiftly drain, unless they can be made whole again.” The Zebra said.

Twilight and Sunset had barely had enough time to see to it that everyone and everypony settled before the Princesses arrived.

When Princess Celestia saw Sunset Shimmer, both of them stopped, and they held each other’s eyes for a long while, and then Sunset shifted her hooves and looked at the floor. “Princess…” she said, “I…”

That was as far as she got before Celestia’s great white wings wrapped around her. The Princess leaned into the hug. “I know.” she said, “I missed you, too.”

Princess Luna looked at Twilight. “I take it from the urgency of your summons that time is of the essence?” she said primly.

Twilight nodded. “If we can’t find a way to modify the transformation spell to make it permanent and complete…” she said, and looked up at the Princess of the Night, “Those three creatures are going to die, and it will be all our fault.”

Princess Cadence set a large book down on the table nearby with a loud thump and gave Twilight a grin. “Then we had better get to work.”

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

What followed was a session of research, study, and math equations that would make a Physics Professor cry out for mercy.

The Four Princesses and Sunset Shimmer took the original spell and broke it down to its basic components, and then began to modify it on its most fundamental level. Hours of work, and no small amount of Princess Luna’s private stock of Coffee, finally resulted in a complex equation, spanning five large blackboards lined up on one end of the room.

The five of them stared at the board, each working out the Equation in her head. It was Twilight who finally voiced the result. “Well… It looks like if we use the magic of Friendship from the Canterlot High Girls, along with the our Rainbow Powers, plus four Princesses Alicorn magic, with the Tree of Harmony as a focus, we should be able to transform the Sirens permanently and fully into ponies and save their lives.” She said.

Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder. “Twilight, you are aware that you are included in this Equation Three times?” she said, “Four, if you count being the strongest connection to the Tree of Harmony. You are literally the focus of all four loci. Are you certain you can handle it?”

Twilight nodded. “I am the only one who is truly connected with everypony involved.” She said, “These are all my friends. With all of them at my side, I can handle anything.”

Sunset raised a hoof. “How are we going to access the Rainbooms’ magic?” she asked, “They only know how to bring it out when they are playing, which isn’t going to be very easy for them with hooves.”

Twilight smiled. “That’s easy.” She said, “I can use the original form of the transformation spell to put them back in their human forms, so that they can play their music. You and I can sing in our pony forms. We can access our magic easier that way.”

Cadence looked over the Equation. “This variable over here…” she said, “It’s the last thing, isn’t it? Connection to the subjects? We are using the Mirror for that, aren’t we?”

Twilight nodded. “It is the only thing that makes sense as a connection.” She said, “It was meant to serve as a conduit for a lot of power, so it can take it.”

Celestia nodded. “Alright.” She said, “If we all agree that this is ready, we should begin as soon as possible. Those girls don’t have much time.”

Sunset stared at the Equation a bit longer. “Will the Tree go along with it?” she asked, “Everything I have read about it suggests that it would not take action lightly.”

Twilight nodded. “The Tree is a focal point of the Unity and Harmony of those around it.” She said, “If we all work in concert, it should be willing to assist.”

Sunset looked doubtful, but she nodded. “All right.” She said, “For Adagio and the others, let’s do this.”

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

“As fun as it was to be a pony, it is nice to be my awesome self again.”

The rest of the Rainbooms agreed with Rainbow’s sentiment. Being a Pony was… interesting but weird.

Rarity looked at Sunset. “Darling, I simply don’t know how you could stand to stay in a form that isn’t your own for such a long time.” She said, “It felt so alien to be out of my own body for even a few minutes.”

Sunset smiled at her. “I have been in the human world for nearly three years, Rarity.” She said, “My human body is as much mine as this one.” She shrugged. “Though it does feel good to be in my natural form again. Not nearly as good as the fusion I get when we play, though… When we do that, it feels like the two parts of me being merged into one.”

Twilight turned and looked at the girls and ponies assembled around her, and then she looked at the prone forms of the Sirens. “Alright, girls,” she said, “Rainbooms, start playing. Music in our hearts. Just like the Battle of the bands.”

The Rainbooms, along with pony Sunset Shimmer, began to play the song Twilight had indicated, with Twilight joining in as she and her five pony friends powered up to their Rainbow Powered forms. The Other Princesses took up their positions, and Twilight took up her position at the center of the formation, facing the Tree, with the Mirror and the Sirens in front of her. She closed her eyes, singing along with her friends as she directed the intricate flows of magic.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

The magic swirled around them all, shining in all of the colors of the rainbow. She watched and did her part, as planned. It was near the end of the spell that she saw the power of the tree reaching out. She could feel the call. More was needed. And she knew, she was the only one who had more to give.

As the power of the tree touched her horn, she thought of the three Sirens, who they all sought to save. She thought of her friends, as they stood around her, and she knew what the cost would be.

Tears fell from her eyes, but she gave the tree her assent. Its magic wrapped around her horn, and all went white.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

As the light faded, all of those who had acted to save the Sirens were rewarded with the sight of three Earth Ponies where they had lay. Adagio, Aria and Sonata began to stir, and in a few moments, were ravenously assaulting the bag of tacos that Sunset Shimmer had brought.

Twilight’s Pony friends let go of their Rainbow Powers, and returned to their normal forms and they watched the former Sirens eat. The Princesses talked amongst themselves animatedly, discussing how fun it is to actually be out solving problems and considering ways that the magic could be used in the future.

When Twilight’s gaze shifted to her human friends, however, her heart dropped into her hooves.

Fluttershy looked up at Twilight pleadingly from the center of a circle of concerned friends. “Twilight!” she cried, “She won’t wake up! Why won’t she wake up?!”

Twilight was at her friend’s side in a flash, taking in the burnt and smoldering horn, the vanished cutie mark, and the limp and un-moving body of Sunset Shimmer cradled in her arms.

.o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o. .o0o.

Author's Note:

Oh, the feels. I cannot tell you how hard it was to write this chapter, knowing where it was going... There will be one more chapter after this one.
Tell me what you think, if you would.

Comments

[Imperator Knoedel]

Oh don't you dare kill off Sunset!

[Zael]

Oh dear Celestia... please NOT Sunset

[00RaiserGundam]

5340402 5340481 I am with both of them. Sunset can't die. She is not supposed to.

[Pegasisterforever]

I'm not a big fan of Sunset but, she is a very good character. Don't let her die please.

[ShadowPony12]

Well, that was sudden.

[shadow dawn]

not sunset shes my fave human/pony

[seventeen]

"You have saved our lives, even if you can’t prevent our deaths.” this is a beautifully crafted sentiment
Twilight said “With all five of us working on it, we should be able to figure it out.” why would the 5 humans come along? that doesn't add up at all... and why would she think Sunset could help (when Sunset might not have even considered herself invited?) ...also, she says 'all five' after she said gathering the princesses, this feels like she means there's a total of 5 princesses... which isn't the case, right?

holy crap, twist! I dig that ending, I expected Twilight to be the one not moving - being the focus of the spell and all! that's absolutely genius. Looking back, I should've seen it coming when you said "And she knew, she was the only one who had more to give." but it was just SO unexpected for me, it just... omg wow good scenery for that closing scene though

[Witchrblizzad]

[Pete100]

So the sirens are now ponies? Interesting