15. Canterlot Chronicles
“Because love’s in bloom!
“A beautiful bride, a handsome groom!
“I said love’s in bloom!
“You’re starting a life and making room
“For us!”
“For us!” six voices echoed after Sunset. Rainbow’s guitar and Twilight’s violin faded out, and the girls gave a celebratory cheer.
Sunset lowered her microphone and breathed deep to refill her lungs, taking in the rustic scent of hay and animal feed. “That was great, girls! I think we’re ready for the wedding.”
“Heck yeah, we are!” Rainbow cheered, pumping a fist.
Rarity fanned herself. “I still can’t believe we get to play at a wedding! What a way to officially start summer! I can’t wait to show you all the designs I’ve made for your outfits!”
Sunset took a seat on a hay bale, fidgeting to get comfortable against the straw. With the Sirens occupying the factory, the girls had to fall back to Sweet Apple Acres to practice. Sunset also had to put in a few calls to get a hold of Principal Celestia so they could borrow the keytar and bass guitar for their band. Despite not having played for months, everyone fell back into good form pretty quick, even more impressive with their new additions of Sunset on vocals and Twilight playing her violin.
Rainbow pulled her guitar over her head and adjusted her red scarf, then plopped down onto a hay bale. “I can’t wait for all the food! Weddings always have awesome stuff to eat. Plus, we get to stay at a fancy hotel for free!”
“Make sure you thank Cadence for getting us rooms,” Sunset said. “She could have just as easily made us carpool there. And don’t do anything dumb, Dash.”
“Why are you singling me out?”
“You know why.”
Rainbow huffed and crossed her arms. She hadn’t told anyone else what had transpired at Six Pillar Park a few days ago, so Sunset had kept her peace as well. But not even Sunset was privy to what happened between Rainbow and Fluttershy afterward. Judging by the new scarf Rainbow wore and the familiar look she and Fluttershy had shared when Applejack asked if Rainbow was too hot wearing it, Sunset suspected it had gone as well as it could have. Ultimately, she was just glad there weren’t any rifts in their friendship circle.
Pinkie slouched over her drums, twirling her drumstick around her fingers. “So, what now?”
“Well, we’ve gone through our set, practiced the bridal chorus.” Sunset shrugged. “I think we’re good until the rehearsal.”
“Sounds good to me,” Applejack said, shaking out her hand. “Ah forgot how much sweat you can work up playin’ an instrument. Y’all sit tight, Ah’ll get us some ciders to cool off.”
“You’re the best, A.J.!” Rainbow shouted as Applejack left the barn.
She returned in short order with a box of cold Sweet Apple Cider and handed one out to everyone before relaxing on a hay bale and taking a long sip of her own. “Ahh, now this is what Ah imagined our summer being like.”
“It has been pretty crazy so far, huh?” Pinkie said before finishing her drink in one gulp.
Sunset turned her face from the group and took a long sip of her cider.
Rarity cleared her throat. “Crazy or not, we’ve all had a good time for the most part. And we’ve done the right thing by helping the Sirens.”
Pinkie jumped up from her seat. “Abso-posi-lutely! Me and Sonata have a whole day of funnerifc things planned out for tomorrow!”
Rainbow shrugged. “I guess it hasn’t been the most egregious thing to happen to us.”
Twilight straightened up and beamed at Rainbow. “You’ve been using my word of the day calendar!”
“You can’t prove that!”
“Umm,” Fluttershy’s soft voice broke over the girls' amused snorts and snickers. She kept her eyes on her bottle and rolled it between her hands. “I’m happy the Sirens are starting to become our friends, but… I, um… I ran into Moondancer the other day.”
Twilight dropped her bottle onto the ground, the amber liquid spilling out onto the dirt. “You saw her?”
Rainbow was on her feet. “Did she hurt you?”
“No, no, she didn’t,” Fluttershy said hastily. “We just talked. I met her at the local flower shop I go to. She was buying seeds for her garden.”
Sunset watched Twilight’s throat constrict as she no doubt fought the urge to shout a thousand questions at once. She took a quivering breath and asked, “How is she?”
Fluttershy moved her eyes to the floor. “I don’t know. She seems… sad.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Please, it’s just more of her acting.”
“I don’t think it is,” Fluttershy said with a little more confidence. “She… she told me something. She said…” Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut. “There used to be a lot of magic in the world. Then, it all disappeared, and now, we have the most magic. Every time we do something, the world creates more magic, too.”
Applejack tilted her head. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. But she also said if someone could harness the world’s magic or take ours, they could do really bad things with it.”
“She’s trying to warn us!” Twilight said, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Yeah, real helpful warning that was,” Rainbow said, crossing her arms. “We already know the bad guys wanna resurrect that Tirek dude. Obviously, they need magic for it. How else do you bring back a dead guy?”
Sunset was up from her seat now, making short paces between her friends. “Yes, we knew what they wanted, but we didn’t know how they were going to get it.”
“There was the Archon Amulet though,” Twilight pointed out. “Trixie said it gave the user dangerous amounts of magic.”
“Maybe.” Sunset pressed a hand to her chin. “But we’re talking about resurrection. Even back in Equestria, that kind of magic doesn’t exist. Although, Tirek’s soul is still on the mortal plane, it’s just in the Soul Lock.”
Rainbow held her hands up. “So, what, they just want to bring back his body?”
“That would be less difficult. But if the Archon Amulet was so powerful, why isn’t Tirek walking around yet?”
Twilight stood up and began pacing opposite of Sunset. “You’re thinking it wasn’t enough magic?”
“Something along those lines,” Sunset said. “It was strong, but I beat Moondancer with that phoenix form. It stands to reason Tempest would want the strongest magic she could possibly get, i.e., us.”
“She wants to take your magic to bring back Tirek!”
“Yes, but the question is how? You can’t just drain someone’s magic.”
“But what if you could? What if there was an artifact that did that?”
“You’re thinking about that staff?”
“Artemis said Tempest wanted it—”
“And Selena hasn’t figured out what it does yet—”
“But what if it can somehow take someone’s magic—”
“It would be Tempest’s weapon of choice in attacking us—”
“Only if our hypothesis is true—”
“It’s not something I’m sure I want to test though—”
“Oi!” Rainbow shouted. “Would the two nerds care to fill the rest of us in?”
Sunset blinked. She and Twilight were a foot apart, Twilight’s hands clenched in eagerness from their brain meld. The two of them blushed and faced the rest of the group, all of them looking bemused save for Rainbow who stared at them flatly.
“Sorry,” Twilight said sheepishly.
“Artemis sent over a staff he and Trixie found and rescued from Tempest. If Moondancer really is giving us a hint and Tempest wants to steal our magic, there’s a high chance this might be how she wants to do it,” Sunset said.
“So then, should we test it?” Applejack asked.
Sunset shook her head. “Too risky. If it does absorb magic in some capacity, we don’t know if it’ll take a little or all of it, or if there’s a possibility to get it back.”
“Well, it’s a good thing it’s in our possession then,” Rarity said.
Twilight folded an arm and rested her elbow on it, pressing her cheek into her hand. “I wish there was some way we could test our hypothesis though.”
“Either way, we should tell Selena,” Sunset said, pulling her phone out for a text. “I don’t think Tempest is dumb enough to come after her in the middle of the suburbs, but better safe than sorry.”
The mood slowly alleviated into lighter topics as the afternoon wore on. Sunset noted that the seven of them hadn’t had a normal, jovial session like this since their movie night when the Sirens first showed up. Sunset remembered when she avowed she didn’t care about making friends beyond her core group. While that stance had eroded a bit, and Sunset was glad to help others like her reform themselves, she enjoyed the close-knit circle the seven of them shared.
The sun melted into the horizon, bleeding shades of oranges and pinks across the sky. Packing up their instruments and sharing their goodbyes, the girls parted ways. Sunset and Twilight trudged down the dirt road to where Sunset had left her bike.
Twilight took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, a wistful smile on her face. “Moondancer tried to help us. Maybe she’s still good after all. Maybe she…” She trailed off.
Sunset made herself busy by fishing their helmets from under the seat. Letting vague information slip didn’t exactly absolve Moondancer of her crimes of conspiring to steal their souls and attempted murder. Sunset’s shoulder gave a slight twitch.
Still, for the precarious situation Moondancer could be in, Sunset couldn’t deny she had proven to be of some help. And in no way did she want to take away any belief Twilight still had in her friend.
Sunset held a helmet out to Twilight. “As much as I dislike her, I hope you’re right.”
Twilight continued to smile as she took the helmet and looked at her reflection. “Me too.”
*******
Sunset was relieved to find that not all of Twilight’s family was as belligerent as Golden Light. Picking Twilight up the next morning so they could spend the day together, Sunset met her maternal grandparents, Twilight Jazz and Orion.
Twilight Jazz was a faded gray with silver hair and highlights like Twilight’s that had managed to keep most of their pink coloring despite her aging. Orion was a dull gold and balding, though he sported an impressive silver beard.
“Grandma, Grandpa, this is Sunset,” Twilight said, leading Sunset into the living room.
Orion stood from the couch and gave Sunset a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you, Sunset.”
Jazz followed suit, shaking with both hands. “It’s nice to meet you!” She added in a whisper, “We know Twilight has a hard time making friends.”
Twilight cupped a hand over her eyes.
“Nice to meet you both as well,” Sunset said, smiling at Twilight’s expense.
“I hear you and your little friends are going to be the wedding band?” Jazz asked.
Sunset nodded. “The old band dropped out last second, so we’re here to help out.”
“Aww, how sweet. Twilight and Cadence are lucky to have friends like you.”
Orion sat down again. “So, what are you girls up to today?”
Twilight smiled brightly. “We’re just going to hang out today. Get some ice cream, talk, stuff like that.”
Jazz smiled, though to Sunset it looked more like a sly smirk. “Well, you girls have fun and enjoy yourselves.”
“Thanks, Nana, we will!” Twilight gave a wave and ushered Sunset out of the room and back toward the front door. The second it closed behind them, she took Sunset’s hand and gave it a warm squeeze. “I’m sorry—”
“Stop,” Sunset cut over, squeezing back. “I already told you, go at your own pace. Besides, you can make it up by buying the ice cream today.”
Twilight leaned against her. “Deal. Do you think we can walk there today? It’s nice out.”
Indeed, it was a picturesque day with not a cloud to be found. With the summer solstice only days away, it also meant the heat had turned up, forcing Sunset to finally retire her leather jacket to the closet. It had been a sad parting, placing it on a hanger and leaving it behind in the dark, but Sunset couldn’t stand sweating through her clothes. Still, her arms felt bare and exposed without the comfort of leather embracing them.
She and Twilight walked down the block, hand in hand, dappled in leaf-shaped shadows from the flourishing trees overhead. The strong scent of pollen wafted through the air, tickling Sunset’s nose. In between their chatter and tousle of leaves, birds made themselves known with a chorus of chirps.
Even with the threat of Tirek and Tempest hanging over their heads, Sunset walked with a content smile on her face. Fleeting as she knew it was, all of her friends were happy, and Twilight was beside her on a beautiful day. Things were as perfect as they could be.
Twilight gestured emphatically with her free hand as she spoke, her expression oscillating between excitement and frustration. “I keep running comparisons between the laws of magic you’ve explained to me from Equestria and the observations of magic I’ve seen here. While some things line up, others don’t. The biggest example is yours and Rarity’s magic. You said unicorns can be versed in various kinds of spells like levitation or even weather manipulation. But Rarity can only manifest hard-light force fields, and you… I’m still not sure if there’s a technical term for what you can do.”
“Some form of empathic soul connection,” Sunset said breezily, relaxed by the warm air.
“And you told me that’s pretty unheard of back in Equestria.”
“From what I remember, yeah. I don’t recall any unicorn tapping into another pony’s soul. Not for positive reasons anyway.”
“And then there’s Artemis and Trixie who seemingly have magic in their veins as a genetic inheritance. They can cast a whole range of spells, but you’re all limited to one ability. It doesn’t make any sense! Equestrian magic seems to at least have laws it abides by! The magic here is wildly inconsistent!”
“Maybe there is a consistency, you just haven’t found the pattern yet?”
Twilight pushed her hand against her chin. “Maybe. I am still short on sufficient data from this world’s magic. If only Artemis or Trixie was still here.”
Sunset reached over with her free hand and gave Twilight’s hair a gentle stroke. “In the meantime, why don’t you keep focusing on things that do make sense. I know you’ve still got some science projects to work on.”
Twilight gave a giddy hop. “Actually yes! I’m currently developing code for a mobile hydraulic arm. It’ll be like an extra assistant in the lab and can handle some of the more dangerous objects I could potentially be working with.”
“Wow,” Sunset said, eyes wide. “That sounds impressive.”
“Thanks. It’ll probably take a while though. The code is pretty complex. Plus, even with my dad’s connections, it’ll take forever to get all the parts I need.”
“You know, there is the junkyard. Plenty of good finds there. It’s where I got my bike.”
Twilight stuck her tongue out. “I’m not going dumpster diving for machine parts… yet.” She sighed wistfully. “Imagine if I had a professional lab to work in! With top of the line technology and equipment! The things I could build! Maybe then I could make some sort of magic reader, just to see the output of magic you girls release every time you pony up.”
They approached familiar ground as they crossed the street and stepped onto Canterlot High’s campus. Coming near the horse statue, both of them slowed their gait, their eyes drawn toward the marble base. Sunset stopped, eyes moving from the statue to the building itself.
“It’s weird knowing I don’t have to come back here anymore,” Sunset said. “My entire time in this world revolved around this school.”
“I think that’s how a lot of teenagers feel when they graduate,” Twilight said, half-joking.
Sunset cracked a smile, even as she slid her hand out from Twilight’s. She walked around the statue to the front of its base and stared at her reflection, squinting her eyes to try and see past it. She pressed her hand against the cold, polished surface and closed her eyes. She could feel the magic the statue held; small, pulsing tingles that ran up her fingertips. Allowing that magic to flow through her, Sunset concentrated and tried to pierce the veil between dimensions.
Just the smallest peek. Just to know it’s still there.
Try as she might, she couldn’t see anything, not even the swirling rainbow vortex that served as the bridge. It made sense, she supposed. When she used to spy on Princess Celestia, it had always been at night on this side of the portal. Sunset opened her eyes, keeping her palm pressed to the marble. She wondered if there was even the smallest chance that Celestia was right on the other side, looking back at her.
A warm hand touched her shoulder, and Sunset looked back at Twilight. She pulled away from the statue and took Twilight’s hand. “Sorry.”
“You’re homesick, I get it. I mean, I don’t get it, but… you know what I mean,” Twilight finished with a mumble, cheeks turning pink.
Sunset giggled. “I do.” Her mirth evaporated just as quick as it came. Her eyes darted to the portal again. “I don’t know why. I have everything I could want right here. But… I keep dreaming about Equestria. I keep thinking about my parents and Princess Celestia. It’s still a long time before I’ll even have a chance to see them again.”
“You’ll see them again,” Twilight said, squeezing Sunset’s hand before moving her arms down and hugging Sunset’s waist. “Then, you can tell them everything you’ve accomplished here.”
Sunset looked at the back of her hand. Had her accomplishments outweighed her failures yet? She had certainly come a very long way. And even if they didn’t, her parents would at least be proud of the road she was on now.
She returned Twilight’s hug, resting her chin on her girlfriend’s forehead. “When I do, I hope you’re there with me.”
“Do you think they’d like me?”
“Trust me, they’d love you.” Sunset kissed her on the nose. “Enough ruminating for the day. You still owe me ice cream.”
Twilight broke their embrace and took her hand again, leading them away from the statue and the school. “You sure you’re okay?” she asked, casting that caring and inquisitive look Sunset loved so much.
Sunset squeezed her hand. “When you’re around, I’m always okay.”
*******
Rarity waited with bated breath, clutching her fists near her chest and bobbing up and down on her toes.
Aria flipped through the sketchbook, her face locked in her usual disinterested gaze. Her eyes roved over the designs, the corners of her lips occasionally twitching, from approval or mockery, Rarity couldn’t tell. Aria took her time, stretching the minutes into a painful eternity.
Finally, as Rarity was about to burst, Aria flipped the book shut and handed it back to her. “Not bad. You know, for frilly dresses.”
Rarity took the sketchbook and squeezed it against her chest, squeeing in delight and relief. She had quickly learned that a ‘not bad’ from Aria translated to ‘I like it, good job.’
Walking across her workshop to her desk, Rarity stored the notebook away. “I can’t wait to get started on these Victorian-style dresses! They’ll be all the rage here in Canterlot, I just know it! But first, I need to finish up all of our wedding dresses.”
Aria took a seat on the fitting stage. “Right. So, why am I still here then?”
Rarity moved to the back of the room and pulled out a coat rack of half-finished gowns. “Well, I would still love to have your input. You have a very keen sense of fashion. Plus, I love having company while I work. And don’t tell me you’d rather be sitting in that dank, dusty factory. Lord knows we tried our hardest to keep Sunset out of there.”
Aria gave a noncommittal shrug. “I guess. It does beat having to put up with Sonata’s blathering.”
“You gave me some insight on why you have a… contentious relationship with Adagio, but you also don’t seem to care much for Sonata either. I get she can be a little… spacy, but if I didn’t know better, I would think you didn’t like her.”
“I only don’t like her when she does and says stupid stuff… which is most of the time.” Aria crossed her arms and kicked her boots against the stage. “Look, being stuck between the megalomaniac and the ditz leaves you with really little patience. But we’re the last of our kind, so we kinda have to stick together.”
Rarity had set Rainbow’s wedding gown on her workbench, needle in hand, when she paused and looked over her shoulder. “You’re the last of the Sirens?”
“Unfortunately. Though, you can barely call us Sirens since we can’t even sing anymore.”
Rarity winced at the acrid tone in Aria’s voice. Part of her wanted to inquire more, but they were already in dangerous waters. She fit the needle through a seam and began to stitch it closed. “I know what it’s like to deal with bothersome sisters. I can’t tell you how many times Sweetie Belle has gotten under my skin. But at the end of the day, you’re still family. Sonata was worried sick about you when you disappeared that night in the forest. So was Adagio, even if she tried to hide it.”
She heard Aria huff. “It’s not like I don’t… you know… care about them. They just make it really hard sometimes. Especially Adagio. As annoying as Sonata is, at least she doesn’t talk down to me.”
“You know…” Rarity set her needle down and turned her chair to face Aria. “When I think I’ve gone too long being mad at Sweetie, I make a list of all the positive things she’s done for me, or all the good times we’ve had together. It helps reaffirm the bond we share as sisters.”
Aria rolled her eyes. “You guys really lean hard into this friendship and love stuff, don’t you?”
“Perhaps because we don’t feed off negativity and spite,” Rarity said dryly.
“Hey, it’s not like we want to, we just do. And Sirens aren’t exactly the nurturing type.”
“That doesn’t mean you don’t have it in you to try.”
Aria pursed her lips. “Watch it, Rarity; you’re starting to slide into the annoying category.”
Rarity held her hands up. “All I’m trying to do is make life easier for you. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. And honestly, it takes more energy to hate something than to love it.”
“I told you, I don’t hate my sisters. Their existence just irritates me.” Aria paused and furrowed her brow. “Okay fine, maybe you have a point. But you try living with the same two people for over six hundred years—twenty of those spent on a deserted island with no escape.”
“That does sound challenging, yes.” Rarity tugged at her collar. “But, consider this another benefit of making friends: you can spend time away from Sonata and Adagio and get to meet new people, change up your routine. It’ll make you appreciate them more when you do spend time with them.”
“Yeah, we’ll see,” Aria said, unconvinced.
The conversation lulled for a while as Rarity put the finishing touches on Rainbow’s dress. She held it aloft and examined it, squinting her eyes with critical focus and turning it over several times. When it passed her inspection, she turned to Aria and held it out to her. “What do you think? I started with Rainbow’s because I think you and her have similar tastes when it comes to desiring minimum frou-frou in your outfits.”
Aria stood and crossed the room to get a better look. Rainbow’s dress was a midnight blue, one-shoulder, form-fitting gown with sharp, angular ruffles that started from the midriff and moved down to the knees.
“I went for a more simplistic design and tried to keep it from looking too ‘soft’. I think the ruffles compliment her sharp bangs. What do you think?”
Keeping one hand on her chin, Aria circled around it, showing a bit more active interest than when she had looked at the sketches. “You should add a black sash around the middle. Gives it another layer of boldness.”
Rarity nodded, already envisioning the new addition. “She does like to be bold. Thank you, Aria. Once again, your eye for fashion is impeccable.”
Aria flashed her an aloof smile. She coughed and said, “You think I could… I dunno, maybe add the sash in?”
An excited gleam in her eye, Rarity handed the dress over. “I would be delighted if you did!”
*******
Fluttershy inhaled one last time to calm the butterflies in her stomach. She tried to put on a smile, but couldn’t muster the energy. Her eyes wandered to Rainbow walking beside her, wearing her own nervous smile.
Best behavior, Fluttershy. You’re doing this for Rainbow.
She had meant what she said to Moondancer: she was happy for Rainbow. She only wanted the best for her oldest and closest friend. That didn’t stop the unpleasant twists her stomach gave when she thought about Soarin. Jealousy didn’t disappear overnight, she knew that. But the lingering feelings made it harder to do what she was about to do.
She and Rainbow walked down the street to the local movie theater. Rounding the corner, Fluttershy’s eyes locked onto Soarin immediately. He leaned against a large stone planter, hands in his pockets, looking as cool and calm as he always did. Fluttershy puckered then quickly unpuckered her lips before Soarin noticed them and waved, hesitating a fraction when he spotted Fluttershy.
She stopped a good three feet away, while Rainbow marched forward sucking in a deep breath and coming to a halt half-a-foot from Soarin’s face.
“Uh, hey,” Soarin said, looking nervous. “I thought—”
“We are,” Rainbow cut in. “But we need to, like, talk talk. First, I’m sorry I… you know, double-dipped, I guess. I shouldn’t have tried to go on a date with you and hang out with Fluttershy at the same time. Neither of you deserved that. Just wanted to say it in person.”
“I mean, it’s cool, I guess, but—”
“Not done. Second, I really want to date you. I’ll even call it dating from here on in. Boyfriend and girlfriend. But, you have to be cool with Fluttershy, too. We’re like, a package deal.” Rainbow sounded out of breath, and beads of sweat gathered on her forehead.
“I’m willing to do that, yeah, but…” Soarin’s eye darted in Fluttershy’s direction.
Fluttershy squared her shoulders and stepped forward. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. And was mean to you. It’s really not like me. I was just… jealous.” She exhaled and dropped her shoulders, gazing down at her boots. “And I didn’t know how to express my feelings.”
Soarin put a hand up. “Listen, you two are tight, I can see that. The last thing I want to do is come between you—”
“No,” Fluttershy said firmly, lifting her head again. “The last thing I want to do is come between the two of you. Rainbow really likes you. And she’s never liked any boy before. I don’t want to be the reason that’s taken away from her. So, while I maybe don’t particularly enjoy spending time with you, I promise to not be mean or malicious. And I would like to try and become friends.”
Her heart hammered in her chest, and her stomach clenched uncomfortably, but she didn’t look away from Soarin. He, in turn, looked at her with awe that slowly shifted to admiration. Rainbow looked between them, visibly wound tight, lips pressed together.
Soarin reached into his back pocket and pulled out the silver bracelet he had purchased at the fair. “I got this for you as a sort of peace treaty ‘cause I had a feeling you didn’t like me a whole lot. I was gonna give it to Rainbow to give to you, but since you’re here… maybe we can use this to symbolize starting over?”
Fluttershy took the bracelet in her hands, gingerly turning it over and admiring the vines and butterflies. “Thank you, Soarin,” she said earnestly. “It’s lovely.”
She slid it on her wrist and raised it up to the sunlight. It even gave off a faint prismatic shimmer. A warm heat replaced the twisting knots in her stomach, and she beamed at Rainbow and Soarin.
Rainbow let out the breath she had been holding, her body loosening up. She then punched the air with a triumphant smile and wrapped her arms around Soarin and Fluttershy’s shoulders. “Awesome! Totally awesome! Max awesomeness!”
Soarin chuckled. “One step at a time. You guys still up for a movie?”
“That sounds nice,” Fluttershy said.
“Cool, I’ll get the tickets. My treat.” Soarin slid out from under Rainbow’s embrace and made for the ticket line.
One arm still around Fluttershy’s shoulder, Rainbow asked, “How are you feeling?”
“I’ll be fine, I promise,” Fluttershy said. “You and Soarin are happy; that’s what matters.”
“Stop that,” Rainbow said, hugging her tighter. “Your happiness is just as important, I told you that. And you’ll find someone. Whoever it is, they’ll be lucky to have you.”
“Thanks, Dashie.”
“And when you do start dating someone, I’m gonna scrutinize the heck out of them.”
Fluttershy first blinked at Rainbow’s correct use of the word ‘scrutinize’, then giggled. “That’s fair.”
Soarin walked back over, waving the tickets. “All set. Shall we head in?”
Rainbow grinned and reached for his hand, grasping it tightly. “Totally!” She then looped her other arm through Fluttershy’s and pulled her close.
Fluttershy’s pulse quickened and heat rose to her cheeks. She tried to stare at the floor, but a gentle shake made her meet Rainbow’s eyes and see the familial love within them. Her cheeks cooled and her heart returned to its normal speed.
The three of them walked toward the lobby, Rainbow talking excitedly about their upcoming movie. Soarin and Fluttershy shared a laugh at her excitement, exchanging their first mutually friendly glance.
Yes, Fluttershy thought, I think I’ll be okay.
*******
Pinkie squinted through her binoculars, casting her gaze over the park from her treetop vantage point. Everything seemed peaceful and innocent. Children played on the playset while their parents watched from the nearby benches. A family of ducks made laps around the little pond. Pinkie watched them for a while, the smallest one struggling to keep up with its family. The momma always doubled-back for it though.
Super cute! No, Focus! Pinkie snapped her gaze back to the fields of grass and tall pine trees. Wherever there was laughter and merriment, they were surely somewhere nearby.
Focusing her center of balance so she didn’t tumble off the branch again, Pinkie raised a walkie-talkie to her mouth. “This is Pink Ranger, suspect is still not found. How is your search going? Over.”
A crackle of static came from the speaker. “This is Blue Ranger. Nothing on my end. Over… wait, why do we always have to say ‘over’? Over.”
Pinkie’s eyebrows knit together. “You know, I don’t know. It’s what they do in all the movies. Over.”
“Roger copy! Over.”
Pinkie returned to her stakeout. It was a lot more fun now that she had someone to talk to. And it finally gave her an excuse to use her walkie-talkies! She guessed since everyone had a phone, they were kinda pointless, but they were so retro and spy-like! And since Sonata didn’t have a phone—
“Oh, oh! Pinkie, code L! Over!”
“What, where?” Pinkie twisted and turned, wildly snapping her head trying to find their target. “I don’t—whoa!” Her excited rocking sent her tumbling out of the tree. The fall wasn’t too long, and her poofy hair stopped a possible concussion, but the impact still left her stunned.
“Pinkie, are you okay? What happened? …Over!”
She rolled to her feet and shook herself out. “I’m fine! Where’s code L? Over.”
“On the park bench next to the pound! On your right… wait… my right? Uhh… hang on…” There came muffled rustling from over the speaker before Sonata returned. “My right!”
Pinkie lifted her binoculars in the appropriate direction. Sitting on a bench not far from the little duckies was a portly man with a short but bushy black beard and a bowler hat. She could see him speaking on his phone, waving a hand enthusiastically. Pinkie pressed her tongue between her lips as she appraised the man. Maaayybee… buuuut…
“I’m going in for a closer look,” Pinkie whispered into her talkie. “Watch my six, over.”
“Umm… what does that mean?”
“I think it means keep an eye on my booty.”
“...Okay, if you say so!”
Stealth mode, activate! Pinkie dove and rolled across the grass, tumbling over herself until she infiltrated a thick bush. She poked her head out, spotting a child staring at her with wonder. She raised a finger to her lips and winked before ducking back into the bush and sprinting out, keeping low to the ground. With a slide, she took refuge behind a thick tree behind the bench where the man still sat. The hope in Pinkie's chest immediately dimmed when she heard him speak into his phone.
“Yeah, I told the man, I says to him, I says, buddy, ya work with me, and you’ll get everything ya want an’ more. Badda bing, he signs the deal.”
Pinkie stuck her tongue out and lifted her walkie-talkie. “False alarm, Blue Ranger. He’s from New York. No way he’s a leprechaun.”
“Awwww.”
Leaving the ranting New Yorker behind, Pinkie walked around the pond and approached the bush Sonata was staked out in. She poked her head up and started pulling leaves from her hair.
Pinkie pulled her from the bush and assisted her. “Thanks for coming leprechaun hunting with me, Sonnie. Sunset never wants to help me, no matter how much I ask.”
“But it’s so much fun! Even if we didn’t find one this time.”
A low rumble interrupted their conversation, followed by another one… then another. Both girls looked down at their stomachs, Pinkie becoming acutely aware of how empty it was.
Sonata giggled. “They’re talking to each other!”
Pinkie put her hands on her stomach and squished her belly button. “Pinkie, feeeeed meeee!” she said in a gravelly growl.
Sonata mimicked her, giving her tummy a slightly higher pitch. “We demand tribute! Bring us sushi!”
“Oooh, sushi sounds good! But there’s no good sushi places around Canterlot.”
“Awwww.”
Pinkie tapped a finger to her lip. “Hmmm… I know a good taco place though!”
Sonata frowned. “I’ve never had a taco before. Are they good?”
A loud gasp jumped from Pinkie’s throat. “You’ve never had a taco before?”
“Nope. We almost went one time, but the smell made Adagio nauseous, so we left before we even ordered.”
Pinkie grabbed Sonata by the shoulders. “It’s a life-changing experience! Imagine beef or chicken, dusted with spices that make your mouth tingle with flavor! Then, add lettuce and tomatoes freshly cut! The savory taste of pico de gallo! Sour cream, guacamole, topped off with a light layer of cheese! All stacked between a crunchy, hardshell tortilla! Or even a soft tortilla! Or even rolled into a burrito!”
Stars danced in Sonata’s eyes and a thin line of drool hung from her lower lip. She grabbed Pinkie’s shoulders in turn and shook them. “I want it, Pinkie! I want it so bad!”
“Then we’re going to Taco Town!”
Both of them jumped in the air and screamed in delight before racing across the field, catching the eye of every other park-goer as they continued to laugh and squee. They made it back to Pinkie’s car, buckled up, and peeled out of the parking lot.
“Taco Town! Taco Town!
“We got the best Mex all around!
“When you’re here, you’ll never frown!
“Come on down to Taco Town!” Pinkie sang, having memorized their commercial jingle. She switched on the radio, just in time to hear Coloratura start her newest single. Pinkie sang along, watching Sonata quietly bob her head from the corner of her eye.
Pinkie stopped singing halfway through the song. Was she being insensitive, belting out a pop song when Sonata couldn’t sing at all anymore? She fell into a hum instead, trying not to think too hard about it. They were supposed to be having fun!
The sight of Taco Town a block ahead kept Pinkie in high spirits. It was a simple box with a large taco on top. Pinkie zoomed into the parking lot and screeched to a quick stop, lining up perfectly in the parking stall.
“I hope you’re hungry, Sonnie, ‘cause I’m thinking grande fiesta platter!” Pinkie hopped out of the car and shut the door with her hip. “It’s got everything you need! Tacos, burritos, nachos!”
She bent her knees to spring for the door and was halfway through her jump when a thought dawned on her. With her momentum cut short, Pinkie flailed her arms to keep from falling onto her face. Saving herself from an embarrassing dive, Pinkie shoved her hands into her skirt pockets.
“Uh oh…”
She moved a hand to her wild mass of hair and rooted around, feeling many things, including Gummy who was snacking on some crackers, but nothing that felt like her wallet.
Sonata walked up beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“I… maaay have forgotten my money at home.” Pinkie gave her a sheepish grin.
Sonata shrugged. “It’s okay. We can just take money from someone else.”
Pinkie gasped. “Sonnie! That’s bad! You can’t just steal money from people!”
“But, like, we do it all the time.”
“You can’t! That’s mean! And illegal!”
Sonata blinked at her like the idea had never crossed her mind. “I mean, I guess? But, Adagio said it’s not really stealing since humans have so much of it anyway.”
Pinkie flailed her arms. “Not everyone does! And that doesn’t make it okay!” She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. “Sonnie, stealing is wrong and you shouldn’t do it. You wouldn’t like it if someone did that to you.”
She cocked her head to the side. “I guess. You stole our voices and we weren’t happy about that. But now, we steal money from people so we can survive, so it’s kinda fair, right?” She said all of it with such casual air, like she was discussing the weather.
A cold sweat coated the back of Pinkie’s neck. Her left shoulder pinched, and she felt slightly queasy: signs that only occurred when she was entering an uncomfortable conversation. She felt bad messing up Sonata’s voice, but if they hadn’t, the Sirens were going to take over the world! But she didn’t want to drag that up again like they had with Sunset and her mean demon side. Plus, the Sirens were homeless and poor now, and it was kinda their fault...
Pinkie shook her head. “Two wrongs don’t make a right,” she said, gentle but firm.
Sonata rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll just use plan B, then.”
“What’s plan—?” But Sonata was already strolling into the fast-food joint. Pinkie lagged for a moment, feeling an odd tingle at the base of her spine. She followed after Sonata but lurked by the door, just in case they would need to make a quick escape.
With only a smattering of customers around, there was no line to wait in, allowing Sonata to saunter straight to the counter. The young man behind the register gave her a placid smile. “Welcome to Taco Town.”
“Hi!” Sonata said, returning to her bubbly demeanor. “Can I have the grande fiesta platter? And a side of fish tacos! And a shrimp burrito!”
The cashier chuckled as he hit the buttons on the register. “That’s a lot of food for one person.”
“Are you saying someone like me can’t finish it?” Sonata asked, a sudden edge to her voice.
“N-no,” the young man said, his smile slipping. “I’ve seen plenty of girls your size eat that much.”
“Girls of my size?” Sonata said louder, turning a few heads.
The boy was sweating now. “Y-you know, just… nice, slim, pretty girls.”
Sonata gasped. “That’s sexual harassment!”
He was red now. Pinkie felt her own cheeks blush from second-hand embarrassment. “N-no it isn’t! I’ve seen… uhh… bigger girls eat that much, too!”
“And I bet you made mean comments to them!”
“I didn’t it, I swear!”
Sonata leaned in close. “Maybe I should talk to your manager about how you treat your girl customers.”
The cashier put his hands together. “Please don’t!” he said in a desperate whisper. “I really need to keep this job! Uhh, here, the meal’s free!”
Sonata immediately straightened up and said in her chipper voice, “Aww, really? Thank you! Make it a to-go order!”
After a money-less transaction and picking up the large bag of food, Sonata turned to Pinkie with a bright smile and headed out the door. Pinkie walked after her, mouth slightly ajar.
“Sonata, what was that?” she asked, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“I learned it from Adagio! I didn’t think it would be that easy though!” She reached into the greasy bag and pulled out her first taco, licking her lips as she unwrapped it.
Pinkie snatched it and the bag, a heavy frown weighing down her face. “Sonata, good people aren’t supposed to do things like that.”
“Why not?” Sonata asked, looking genuinely confused. “You told me not to steal, so I didn’t. He gave it to me.”
“After you lied and made him feel bad!”
“Well, duh!” Sonata splayed her arms out. “That’s what we do. We’re good at manipulating people to get stuff even without our magic. We have to be whenever our powers aren’t strong enough to put people fully under our spell. Especially now since they’re gone.”
Pinkie’s frown deepened as her nausea increased. Not even the alluring smell of tacos could settle her stomach. She tapped a finger against the side of her noggin. Sunset was better at these conversations. Any of her friends would be better here. Pinkie never had to scold people; her sisters were always well-behaved.
Looking at the steering wheel, Pinkie said slowly, “That was a really mean thing you did, Sonnie.”
“But, like, we do it all the time,” Sonata protested.
“That doesn’t make it okay! You’re supposed to be nice to people, not make them feel bad! How would you like it if someone said lies about you and made you feel bad?”
Sonata looked down at her lap, her nonchalant gaze dissolving into a thoughtful frown. Pinkie’s heart sank in turn. She opened her mouth to say sorry but caught herself. This was supposed to be a teaching lesson.
The Siren inhaled and scrunched her nose before her frown deepened. “Aria and Adagio make me feel bad.”
Pinkie turned her whole body toward Sonata. “They do?”
Sonata nodded. “Me and Aria fight all the time, and I think it’s usually playful? But sometimes, she’s really just mean to me. And both of them always call me stupid and yell at me. I know I’m not super smart, but I really don’t like being called dumb. They’re not as bad when we’re all teaming up on someone else though.”
Pinkie rubbed the tears from her eyes. “Sonnie, family isn’t supposed to make you feel bad. Ever. They’re supposed to encourage you and compliment you and make you laugh and feel safe and happy!”
“I guess.” Sonata rubbed her arm. “But it’s the only place I belong. Adagio says I would die on the street if I tried to leave. And they’re still my family.”
“They might be your family…” Pinkie reached over and pulled Sonata into a tight hug, mentally apologizing for the tears she spilled onto her back. “But you have friends now, too. And I won’t treat you that way.”
Warm tears slipped down the back of Pinkie’s neck. Sonata made a soft hiccup. “Really?”
“Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.”
Sonata wrapped her arms around Pinkie and squeezed back. “I don’t get it. You were mad at me. But you’re still being nice to me.”
Pinkie smiled, mostly to herself. “That’s what friends do. Just because I was mad doesn’t mean I should be mean to you.”
“Even after all that stuff we did to you and your friends?”
“Even after all that,” Pinkie said, her chipper tone returning. “I believe in second chances.”
Sonata gave a short sob and hugged Pinkie tighter. “Friends are really nice!”
They sat in each other’s embrace until Sonata got all her tears out and pulled away. She wiped her eyes and looked at the bag of food still sitting in Pinkie’s lap. “I should… go give that back, shouldn’t I? Is that something good friends do?”
“Not just good friends, good people.” Pinkie held the bag up. “But, uhh, I don’t think fast-food people are allowed to take back the food.”
“Soooo, does that mean we can keep it?” Sonata asked, flashing Pinkie large puppy-dog eyes.
“Nope,” she said with a shake of her head. “It would only taste like guilt.”
Sonata slowly reached a hand for the food. “But we can’t just throw it away.”
Pinkie hummed in thought. It would be an awful waste of food to just toss it. She snapped her fingers and set the bag on the back seat. “We’ll take it to the homeless shelter! I’m sure someone there will appreciate it a whole bunch!”
Sonata sighed and slumped in her seat. “I guess that’s the nice thing to do. But now, we don’t get to have any tacos.”
“Not exactly.” Pinkie held out the partially unwrapped taco she had confiscated. “I don’t think anyone will notice one taco missing. And being a good friend means doing small things to make another friend happy. Especially when they’ve learned a lesson.”
Sonata’s eyes sparkled. She sat up and took the taco, cradling it in her hands before taking a bite. She chewed slowly and methodically, filling the car with the sounds of a crunching tortilla. When she finished the first bite, Sonata turned to Pinkie, crumbs decorating her lips.
“Pinkie,” she said in the most serious tone Pinkie had heard, “this is the greatest thing I have ever tasted.”
Pinkie let out a small squee. “I knew you would love them! Oh, oh! I might have some taco supplies at my house! We can go and make them! Homemade tacos taste even better!”
“For realsies? Then what are we waiting for!”
Pinkie started her car and peeled out the parking lot. “Let’s go make friendship tacos!”
“Friendship tacos!” Sonata cheered.
*******
The drive back to the farm was uncomfortable to say the least. Applejack wanted to play music but felt that would be a perfect opening for Adagio to bring up the Battle of the Bands again. Applejack was trying hard not to open old wounds. She thought maybe playing country music would be a happy medium, but quickly figured Adagio would just assault her with snarky comments. She got enough of that from Sunset.
So, the two women sat in silence from the factory all the way to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack had no idea what kind of small talk to engage in. Between the three Sirens, she felt like she had drawn the short stick in trying to help Adagio.
“Remind me what the point of this excursion is?” Adagio asked. She had an elbow propped up on the open window and stared at the dirt road before them, absolute boredom in her eyes.
“It’s to get you outta that dusty factory. Gives you a chance to socialize more. You can spend some time with me and mah family.”
“Joy. A day with the hillbillies.”
Applejack pressed her lips together but said nothing. It was just another comment from a long line of people who loved to make fun of her family. Just because they owned a farm and had a little southern drawl. She wasn’t going to let it get under her skin, especially when she had a feeling Adagio was doing it on purpose.
The truck turned onto the long stretch of road leading up to the farm. Applejack slowed to a stop near the house. “This’ll go a lot smoother if you come out here with an open mind,” she said, setting the breaks.
“Yeah, sure,” Adagio said, opening the door.
“Ah mean it,” Applejack warned. “Ah want to help you and your sisters, but Ah ain’t afraid to kick you to the curb, neither.”
“Fine, fine.” Adagio put one hand over her heart and raised the other. “I promise to be a good little girl and stay on my best behavior.”
Applejack couldn’t help but be reminded of Sunset when she first tried to turn over a new leaf. Every other sentence the girl said dripped with sarcasm, and everything she did was done with reluctance. Applejack had had her doubts, but kept pursuing Sunset’s friendship out of respect for the princess, and because she saw a decent person buried real deep in there.
The whole situation was an odd case of déjà vu. Sunset had vouched on the Siren’s behalf, and as Sunset had pointed out, they had come to them for help. Still, Applejack wasn’t quite sure if she could see a good person beneath Adagio’s aloof exterior. She cared for her sisters to some extent, something Applejack could certainly respect. Whether that care was driven from love or a need to have someone to control was still up in the air.
Applejack got out of the truck and stretched her arms over her head, taking in the warm sunlight. With all of the trees in bloom across the orchard, the entire farm smelled fragrant and floral. It made Applejack want to dance.
“So, what’s on the agenda, Apple Bumpkin?" Adagio asked, fanning herself. “Please tell me it involves shade.”
Ignoring the bumpkin comment, Applejack said, “Ah was thinkin’ at the very least, we could go down to the pond and do some fishin’. Nice chance to just relax and talk.”
“Fishing?” Adagio asked, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
“Yeah.” Applejack tugged on her ponytail. “Uuhhh, that ain’t offensive or anythin’ to you, is it?”
Adagio snorted. “Just because we lived in the water doesn’t make us fish. Fishing just sounds like a waste of time.”
Applejack huffed and moved her hands to her hips. “Don’t knock it 'til you’ve tried it. ‘Sides, whatever we catch, Granny Smith can fry it up for some good old fashioned home cooking.”
At the mention of fish fry, the briefest flash of interest shone in Adagio’s eyes. She covered it up with a blink and a lazy roll of her shoulders. “Fine. I guess it barely beats out sitting in a dark room alone.”
Lord almighty, she sounds just like Sunset used to. Applejack hoped the similarities between the two would make this easier. “Let me get the fishin’ poles and tackle box from the house and we can skedaddle.”
“Please never use the word ‘skedaddle’ ever again,” Adagio grumbled, following Applejack up the patio steps and into the house.
The homely scent of old leather couches and wood polish hung in the air as Applejack led Adagio to the living room. The green walls were occupied by pictures of the Apple Family, interspersed with oil paintings of orchards and vineyards.
Apple Bloom was strewn out across the couch, holding her handheld gaming system over her face. Her eyes glanced over to the newcomers before shifting back to her game… before she scrambled up from the couch and pointed to Adagio.
“You’re Adagio Dazzle!” she shouted. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Ah don’t know if Ah like or hate you.”
“If I had my way, you’d be adoring me right now.”
Apple Bloom looked at her older sister. “Didn’t you say her and her sisters were using some black magic to make people do whatever they wanted for them? Why is she in our house?”
Applejack rustled through the closest, pulling out an old box that had mud crusted into it. “Because, she and her sisters came to us lookin’ for help, and we don’t turn people away who are tryin’ to change for the better.”
“So, she’s another charity case?”
Adagio flared her nostrils. “Excuse me?”
Applejack ran over and covered Apple Bloom’s mouth. “What have Ah told you about usin’ that term?” She looked at Adagio with an apologetic smile. “You’re not a charity case. We honestly want to help you out.”
“Mhmm.” Adagio leaned against the door, eyes narrowed in Apple Bloom’s direction.
When Apple Bloom had control of her mouth again, she asked, “So, is it true then? Y’all have freaky voodoo powers like Sunset Shimmer?”
Applejack facepalmed.
“Sunset has freaky voodoo powers?” Adagio asked, the corner of her lips lifting into a smile.
“Yeah, she turned into this demon-thing and brainwashed everyone at the school before mah sister and her friends stopped her. Most of the students try to just pretend it was a bad dream or someone spiked the punch at the dance.” Apple Bloom noticed the furious glare Applejack leveled in her direction. “What?”
“That answers so many questions and yet raises a dozen more,” Adagio said, her smile widening. Maybe it was because anytime she smiled, it looked like she was up to something, but Applejack founded it unnerving nonetheless.
“Sunset doesn’t have those powers anymore and is a much better person,” Applejack said pointedly. “Just like the Dazzlings don’t have their powers anymore and are trying to be better people, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, friendship and magic and whatever,” Adagio said, returning to her sour countenance.
As Applejack pulled two fishing poles from the closet, Apple Bloom took notice and said, “Hey, Ah wanna go fishin’, too!”
“Are you gonna behave instead of runnin’ your mouth the entire time?”
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Yes.”
“Roll those eyes again and Ah’ll change mah mind. Go find your pole.”
Apple Bloom marched into the closet and started to rummage. Applejack was positive she had rolled her eyes again anyway, but let it slide. Once Apple Bloom had her pole, the three girls headed out, Adagio carrying the remaining two fishing poles while Applejack carried the tacklebox.
The sun’s heat increased as they approached mid-afternoon, but once the group reached the winding path that led through the orchard, they found relief under the eaves of the blossoming apple trees. Applejack led the way, carrying the old tackle box on one shoulder while she hummed a country tune.
“So, your family owns this entire farm?” Adagio asked.
“Yep!” Applejack said proudly. “Fifty acres that’s been in the family for five generations countin’ me, A.B., and Big Mac.”
“Sounds surprisingly lucrative for an apple farm.”
“We grow more than just apples,” Apple Bloom said in a far kinder tone than Applejack would have given. “That’s just our main product. We got lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins around Halloween! But our apple cider is what we’re really known for!”
“I see. And who’s next in line to inherit such a profitable business?”
If Applejack didn’t know any better, she would have sworn there was actual oil dripping from Adagio’s voice. “Big Mac’s the eldest, so he’s in charge. But we’re a family. We run it together.”
“How sweet. Is that what you want to do, Apple Bloom? Be a farmer like your siblings?”
“Ah dunno yet. It’s fun and all, but Ah’m not sure if Ah want to be here mah whole life.”
“And that’s fine,” Applejack said. She glanced over her shoulder and gave Adagio a smug smile. “You can be whatever you want, s’long as you remember your roots. And it ain’t illegal.”
Adagio clicked her tongue but said nothing.
The dirt path rose and fell with the hills the trees planted themselves on. Eventually, it flattened out and wound into a cozy glade where the fishing pond took up most of the empty space. It looked wide enough to engulf the house and the main barn and deep enough to submerge them, too. A gap in the trees above cast a shaft of sunlight onto the water, making the ripples sparkle. A large, flat boulder sat on the banks closest to them, the perfect spot to sit and cast their lines.
Applejack walked up and set the box in the damp grass next to the rock. She heard insects buzzing nearby, tempting her to spring for live bait instead of just using the leftovers and lures in the tackle box. Perhaps if one came closer on its own. She didn’t feel like expending the extra energy today.
They got their fishing poles set up and took a seat on the flat rock, Adagio trying to distance herself as much as she could. Applejack drew her arm back and cast her line, satisfied with how far she managed to fling it. The bobber bounced near the middle of the pond, riding the tiny waves its impact had created.
Apple Bloom and Adagio followed suit, the former getting close to Applejack while the latter landed closer to the shore. Adagio grunted and reeled her line back in before trying again, getting a little more distance.
Applejack kept a thumb on the reel and leaned back on her other hand, letting out a content sigh.
“So now what?” Adagio asked.
“Now, we just sit and talk until the fish bites.”
“Absolutely riveting.”
“C’mon, it ain’t that bad,” Apple Bloom said cheerily. “Lots of excitin’ things happen while we’re out here. Remember that one time a deer came up to us?”
Applejack smiled fondly. “We all stood so still, it came up and licked Big Mac’s cheek.”
“And then there was the time you almost caught Otto!”
“Who’s Otto?” Adagio asked.
Applejack gave her line a little tug. “He’s the biggest, oldest fish in this pond. Always seen, never caught. Broken our lines more times then we care to count.”
Adagio rested an elbow on her knee and dropped her cheek into her palm. “So is this really all you guys do for fun?”
Apple Bloom shook her head. “We got horseback ridin’, square dancin’ hikin’, archery…”
“Archery?”
Applejack snorted. “No offense, but Ah don’t trust you enough yet to be around any sort of weapon.”
“Probably wise. Although I think I’d shoot myself first out of boredom.”
“Why is it so hard for you to just enjoy the simple things?”
“If by ‘simple’ you mean scraping to make a living or sitting and doing nothing, I’d say it’s very hard.” Adagio turned her head and fixed Applejack with an intense glare. “In case you forgot, I used to actually be somebody.”
“Well, maybe you need this to teach you some humility.”
Adagio hunched her shoulders. Her knuckles turned white from her grip on the fishing pole. “Don’t talk to me about humility. I’ve been laid low more times than you can imagine. I was promised a kingdom, only to see it wiped out. I intended to have a feast, and instead, I get banished to a magicless dimension where I have to suck on scraps to survive.”
She looked at Applejack again, fury blazing in her eyes. “I finally find a meal ticket that could sate the stabbing hunger I’ve felt for centuries, only to have it snatched away by three human morons, and then get stuck on an island with two bigger morons for two decades! And when the Crystal Heart is finally in our grasp, when I’m on the cusp of triumph, you girls pull off the biggest upset I’ve ever seen and beat us at our best!”
Now on her feet, Adagio looked down at Applejack, lips pulled back to bare all of her teeth. “I don’t need these constant losses to be humble! Not when what should have been mine in the first place was ripped away from me! You may be content to wallow in the mud, but I have actual aspirations! Unlike most of your kind, I refuse to settle for second place!”
Applejack raised her voice. “Just because you think yourself so high and mighty doesn’t mean the rest of us have to act like you are! Maybe if you actually showed a bit of respect and kindness instead of trying to rile everyone up, people might help you instead of havin’ to knock you down a peg!”
Apple Bloom put a hand on Applejack’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “Listen, Ah don’t understand everythin’ that’s goin’ on here, but—”
“No, you don’t!” Adagio shouted. “So do me a favor, and keep your trap shut!”
“No one yells at mah little sister that way!” Applejack shouted, jumping to her feet.
Adagio’s line gave a sharp tug, jerking her arm toward the pond. She cried in alarm, grabbing her pole with both hands and digging her shoes into the grass. Whatever she had caught gave another vicious tug, yanking her off her feet and down into the bank. She slid across the mud before having the sense to let go.
The pole flew into the water, vanishing below the surface. In its place rose the backside of large gray fish, spraying flecks of pond water everywhere as it breached before diving back into the depths.
Applejack reeled in her own line and set her pole aside. She kept her eyes on Adagio, still lying face-first in the mud. Applejack knew she should have felt bad, but seeing Adagio faceplant after her tirade was more cathartic than anything.
Apple Bloom, being the better person, stepped gingerly toward Adagio and knelt beside her. “Umm… are you all right? We got some towels back at the house if you wanna clean off.”
Adagio pushed herself out of the mud and grass. Her glare was strong enough to send Apple Bloom peddling back behind her big sister. With the back of her hands, Adagio wiped as much mud off her face as she could, then walked past the two Apples.
“Adagio—” Apple Bloom began.
“Shut up!” she roared. “I don’t want to hear another word from either of you two country hicks!” She stomped away, dripping mud with every step.
Applejack bit her tongue to stop herself from making any remark whatsoever. She was positive Adagio would come back swinging if she said something, and Applejack didn’t want to expose her sister to any violence. She was also too enamored by the feeling of déjà vu running through her from Adagio storming off. Applejack remembered when Sunset had stormed off at the street fair after the goat had eaten part of her jacket. If Sunset could still be friends with them after that, hopefully history would repeat itself with Adagio.
“Did we mess somethin’ up?” Apple Bloom asked.
“No.” Applejack sighed. “She just has a lot of pride to let go of before she’s ready to make some friends.”
*******
Sonata shut the factory door behind her and skipped down the hall, humming a merry tune she and Pinkie had made up. Today had been one of the funnest days she had ever had! And she had only been mean to one person this time!
She hopped up the stairs, hearing her sisters’ loud voices at the top. Her happy song petered out as she drew near, recognizing the serious, angry tones being used.
“—told you this wouldn’t work, Adagio, but like always, you never listen!”
“It was working just fine until you had to start actually being friends with them!”
Sonata poked her head into their shared bedroom. It was just two sleeping bags and an old mattress, one wardrobe, and a desk. Adagio and Aria stood facing off under the only light bulb the room had to offer. Aria was scowling, Adagio was snarling, and Sonata could feel her stomach dropping.
“Well, the alternative was to do what you did and completely blow up at them! Now, we’ll be lucky if they actually want to spend time with us again! Not that it matters!”
“Umm…” Sonata stepped into the room, flinching when both her sisters snapped their heads toward her, eyes narrowed in annoyance. “What’s going on?”
“Oh nothing,” Aria said with a wave of her hand. “Adagio just managed to botch her own plan!”
“It’s not my fault I got stuck with the worst of those seven idiots!”
“Of course, because nothing is ever your fault.”
Adagio bared her teeth. “Watch it, Aria.”
Aria threw her hands up. “No! Don’t get mad at me because your plan sucks! You want us to put on this balancing act of pretending to be friends with them and then feed off whatever negativity we can stir up, and then you go and screw yourself over!”
“Like you’re doing a better job, making stupid dresses with that fashion has-been!”
“It doesn’t matter anyway if I am doing a better job! We’re feeding off the barest scraps of magic from them, and I’m freaking starving!”
“And you think I’m not?”
Sonata tilted her head and put a hand to her stomach. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but the constant ache that accompanied her wherever she went was gone. "I think I’m full,” she said softly.
“Maybe you’d get some more magic out of them if you stopped playing nice with Rarity!” Adagio yelled.
Aria balled her fists. “I’m not ‘playing nice’ with her! It’s not my fault their blood is literally filled with rainbows and puppies! It’s hard to actually get them to stay mad at anything! Then again, you managed to do that pretty well!”
“Guys?” Sonata said, watching her sisters close the already thin gap between them until there was only an inch of space between their foreheads.
“I don’t see you coming up with a better plan!” Adagio snapped.
“Because you never ask me for one!”
“Well then, here you go, Aria! Wow me with your brilliant scheme!”
“Guys!” Sonata yelled, stepping in the middle of them.
“What?” they yelled back, their glares fixed on her again.
Sonata flinched, and raised her hands, just in case one of them tried to thump her. When the open palm never came, she eased from her defensive stance. “I… um… I’m not hungry.”
Aria stared blankly at her. “What?”
“Like, I’m not full full. But, I’m not starving anymore. And not just the physical hunger, ‘cause me and Pinkie made tacos which were totally amazing! But, like, the magic hunger is really small now.”
Adagio narrowed her eyes. “That’s impossible.”
“Unless she royally pissed off the dumb one,” Aria said.
“Pinkie isn’t dumb,” Sonata said, stamping her foot. “And I only made her a little mad earlier. But, that tasted really bad. But now, I’m not hungry.”
Aria flicked her on the forehead. It didn’t hurt, but Sonata still recoiled. “You’re just too dumb to realize you’re hungry.”
Sonata swatted Aria’s hand away. “Stop calling me dumb!”
“Then stop acting like it! There’s no way you’re actually full!”
“How would you know?”
“If we’re still starving of magic, there’s no way you’ve found enough to be full,” Adagio said heatedly.
Thump thump thump!
All three Sirens jumped at the pounding coming from downstairs. None of them made any noise. The sun had well set, and Sonata doubted any of the Spectacular Seven would visit them at night. The thumping came again, loud and demanding.
Adagio reached behind the mattress and drew out a metal pipe. She looked at the others and pressed a finger to her lips before gesturing for them to follow her down the stairs. Sonata stopped on the bottom step while Aria and Adagio continued to the door. Holding the pipe behind her back, Adagio wrenched it open.
Standing in the shadow of the doorway was a lean woman dressed in a blue suit with a dark coat draped over her shoulders. Her purple mohawk took up most of the space on her head. There was a bemused look in her hard blue eyes. As curious as the woman was, Sonata’s gaze was drawn toward the golden triangular amulet around her neck.
“Good evening,” the woman said in the same silky voice Sonata heard Adagio use when she wanted something from a stranger. “You must be the Sirens Sisters.”
Sonata saw Adagio squeeze the pipe and say, “Who’s asking?”
The woman gave a smirk that sent a chill down Sonata’s spine. “My name is Tempest Shadow. I have it on good authority that the three of you are very hungry.”
“What’s it to you?” Aria spat.
Tempest continued to smirk. “What if I told you I could help you get your powers back and sate your magical hunger?”
Adagio gave a derisive snort. “And why the hell should we listen to some random cretin?”
“Because this 'cretin' has something that might interest you.”
Sonata heard Tempest’s cloak rustle, but from her position on the stairs, she couldn’t see what was produced. Whatever it was, it got a sharp gasp from Aria, and Adagio dropped the pipe to the floor with a loud clatter.
Adagio reached a hand out, but Tempest snatched her arm away and stepped back. “Easy there. The magic of my lord can ensure you each get one. All I need from you are a few small favors.”
Sonata stepped up to Adagio’s shoulder and looked at whatever had captivated her sister’s attention. She in turn sharply inhaled, holding a hand to the base of her neck.
Floating in Tempest’s palm, flickering in and out like a projection, was a replica of their gemstones.
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Oops.
*sigh* ...the Dazzlings was pretending to be friends with Spectacular Seven from the start, just to steal their magic. Why am I not surprised?
Not the worst taco advertising I've ever seen. Taco Bueno use to paint a hand like a face and call it Senor Bueno.
Also I'm picturing Tony Stark's one robot in what Twilight has planned. Thanks for the chapter!
New chapter and boy did we have a lot to unpack and it was spectacular!
Seeing the Spectacular Seven go through their problems was nice and really showed how they are trying to be better and grow, like Sunset talking over how she misses Equestria with Sci-Twi or Fluttershy making peace with Soarin and possibly getting her own key in the process. Meanwhile, everyone else with the Sirens is really offering a lot. Rarity is doing well in making a connection with Aria, even if the latter isn't ready, while Sonata actually learned something from Pinkie and we got to see Pinkie tested and pushed to places that are uncomfortable for her but she pulled through. And that seems to be paying off as it somehow made Sonata not starving for negatively fueled magic.
Adagio, on the other hand, is not so easy. Doesn't help that she is indeed trying to only get magic and thus is ready to jump at the amulet offered by Tempest. Her time with Applejack could have gone better, as it would be easy to hope the similarities to Sunset would repeat, but Adagio is not Sunset. The callbacks were fun, though. It's gonna be tense to see how Adagio shall work with Tempest and how Sonata and Aria will act in turn, given how Sonata is starting to understand friendship and Aria is on the fence.
This chapter was filled with all sorts of goodies from the song at the start, to Sci-Twi's maternal grandparents being good and possibly knowing and approving of her and Sunset, to the child amazed by Pinkie before Pinkie motioned her to be quiet. Such small things that really make the story feel alive. Spectacular chapter and I can't wait for the next one!
Well, interesting developments all around. I'm almost starting to think that the leprichauns are going to be a Chevok's gun of some sort, but that could just be Pinkie's enthusiasm rubbing off on me.
And of course Adagio was plotting something.
On top of that, the devil shows up and offers our three darklings a deal. This can't end well. At all. And of course, the one who actually got enough to eat gets ignored because "she's the ditzy one." Well, hopefully the whole friendship thing actually helps turn Sonna around.
Empathy cocoa for everyone.
...shame. It was never going to work, Adagio...the Spectacular Seven would just beat you again no matter what. They're becoming more powerful than they were at the Battle of the Bands. Sonata's actually on to something here. It seems genuine friendship can significantly sate their hunger. But I suppose they wouldn't think of it because it runs contrary to how they've been operating and what they've known themselves to be for centuries. Sonata may be part of something big here. Also...we're doing the keys? Is this the first one to show up this arc?
Loved the Sonata taco experience. Lot of life lessons taught real fast. And that lack of hunger is telling....
Wonder if she'll go with this scheme or drop the other two.
10317319
The scarf Fluttershy gave Rainbow is also believed to be one.
Oh god dammit tempest you fucking temptress bitch!
Whoa.
100% worth the wait. Great job as always, Albie.
On the edge of my seat already. I guess, someone to crash a wedding very soon...
Sonata's not dumb. She doesn't know how to phrase it that they don't need to feed off of just bad emotions.
Unfortunate. Not unexpected. There's still a window here though.
Adagio and AJ reminded me of Zuko there (I mean largely from watching ATLA literally yesterday but still valid) when Iroh was trying to explain humility to him. It's more than just having humbling things happen and resenting them; that resentment is the overblown pride that is the enemy here. Now... I wonder if she'll manage to do any better than he did, given what's in front of her...
Great chapter, *lovely* cliffhanger *grumbles vague obscenities*, and as always thanks for writing!
Sonata is defo not going to join them.. Aria and Adiago though? Aria would easily heel turn when she realize Tempest's is bad news but Dagi? Shes going to stay ..
I get some Monsters, Inc. vibes with this alternative method of sating siren's hunger. I hope they will realize this before doing anything dumb and dangerous.
Thank you for the work on this chapter! I have never posted any comments here, but I really love this story and I highly appreciate all the time and effort you put into making this masterpiece.
10317724
I was thinking something similar with Adagio. Specifically, my thoughts were "She needs an Uncle Iroh." I believe I wouldn't be mistaken if I presumed we were both thinking of when Uncle speaks of shame, humility, and pride? From when Zuko's trying to learn lightning?
10317910
Exactly what I was thinking of, and Zuko talks about knowing humility because so many humbling things have happened to him... missing the point he wasn't ready to hear. Adagio's saying the same thing... and frankly she's got a lot further to go than Zuko did at that point.
And you're right... I think pretty much everyone could use an Uncle Iroh.
Soarin:This is my girlfriend Rainbow Dash, and this is Rainbow Dash's girlfriend Flutter Shy.
Joke's aside, this was an amazing chapter as both character study and plot furthering chapter.
Because you have a habit of doing things without thinking.
I'm sure.
I SWEAR I've seen this joke done before.
Ah. That.
As best she can.
Something to that effect.
Ahaha...
Nerds.
But how?
Let's hope you're right.
She regrets many things, but she can't turn back now. Tempest has her in a no win situation and she's burned practically all her bridges. She can only go forward.
GOOD. I don't think I could have stood her for very long.
She's figured it out.
That's as best I can figure out. Different world, different laws of magic? Besides. You have VERY little actual information to work with.
Hm. Some rejoice in it though.
You have a LOT of guilt to work through.
Quite.
That makes sense. Makes me wonder, what happened to the rest of your kind?
You'd be surprised.
Ah,good. She's apologizing.
Wow. That, had to take a lot of courage. Go Fluttershy.
Consider Chekhov's Gun cocked.
Oi, that's my line.
Yeah, I'm not surprised.
... Huh.
Pinkie has a car?
How?
...
I have a bad feeling about this.
Ah. That's where we're going with this.
... Why am I not surprised?
How so?
Because she's Pinkie Pie.
Quite.
She gets that a lot.
That's Adagio's default.
I see.
Fair.
I imagine.
Huh, that's interesting. Hm, magic of friendship freely given is more sating than magic forcibly taken?
And yet.
The hell?
Tempest Shadow.
I sense a trap.
Their gems?
Called it.
I remember that fic. Lots of fun.
10317449
Temptress Shadow?
10318527
You get 10 points for that pun you bastard xD
10318560
I will take it!
I really like how you let the sirens stumble into reformation and that you let them find new perspectives by meeting Rarity, Pinkie and AJ individually.
Pinkie and Sonata are sooo shipped x3
Ah, the Sirens are like Cannon!Changelings, they can take or they can feed on what is freely given (which currently seems to be more "nutritious")
10318527 It might just be that they are the only sirens in the human reality ... I don't really see any species back in Equestria being willing to perform full genocide ....
Come on Sonnie drag at least Aria out of this trap.
Why do I get the feeling that Adagio is going to be the one who fucks up the hardest?
Aaah, I was gonna do a plot point like this in Last Bow. Ah well, I guess it's a common enough thread.
Sonata, good people don't rip other people's arms off! (could be the Spongebob and Patrick vibes I'm getting from Pinkie and Sonata, but I couldn't stop thinking about these goodness lessons).
For real though, these adventures in Siren-sitting were delightful and well-worth any wait. I'm hyped to get to the wedding now, too, whenever we do. That Love is in Bloom!
Sonata and Aria might have actually been making progress!
But... they will probably backslide into being evil again.
Hmmmmm. A staff that can take magic, Twilight getting dangerously curious about magic, Sunset and the others getting more powerful, I’m getting Daydream Shimmer vibes
WHAT KIND OF TWISTED PARALLEL UNIVERSE IS THIS?!!!!
*sarcasm*
Oh sweet Celestia, I love your interactions between the sirens and the spectacular seven!
I think Aria and Rarity finding common ground is my favourite, I feel its very in-character of her to pick up on extremely subtle cues like Aria would give.
Although poor Sonnie! I freaking love her version of still being mean! I'm gonna die from the cuteness... but it'll be a good death!
She really is using the word of the day calendar!
Is the site acting up? Because in the sentence
there are some huge empty spaces in between "Not" and "done." and "Second" and "I" and "really".
10600773
Hmm, looks fine on my end as far as I can tell.
That's good, I guess......
Awkward
Same
She's likely gonna have to have that talk with Sci twi sooner than later about their future once they head their seperate ways.
Dang
Oofity
Not entirely.
How thoughtful of you pinkie pie
Out of the three sirens, I doubt the most adagio would want to change.
It's not that bad til you give it a try, I did it once and caught several fish, and boy it was fun.
Figured Apple Bloom was gonna say that.
It's more important than you realize adagio
I do hope so as well.
Yeah, they still don't want to change nor want help.
This is not gonna end well.
A New Yorker!? In Canterlot!?
Now get back in your god-damned-forsaken hell-hole you call a city.
No, I'm not biased just because I'm from Jersey.