After The Song

by BioQuillFiction

Encore

We left Berry in Rainbow Dash’s care as she angerly volunteered to. I know that in the front of her mind she wants to knock out all of Adagio’s teeth but a new daughter and family managed to calm her fire. The rest of us had to make a major U-turn to get to the direction of the security office. We almost ran into a few of Adagio’s search parties but with a little stealth and our new wake up song it was rather easy.

I caught myself thinking about Berry and Dash several times while walking. I couldn’t tell if I was happy of nervous for them. On one hand Berry Berry is going to have a family again, on the other Rainbow Dash is going to be one of the mothers. I know it may seem rude but in all honesty who doesn’t have that one friend that when they become a parent you think back to how you acted together when you were younger and start fearing for the kid and your friend.

It’s too early for me to judge Sonic but she seemed nice enough so I’m gonna give her the benefit of the doubt.

I looked up at the clock, 8:15 PM, It’s getting late. We started approaching a pair of doors that were labeled ‘Identity Ward’ this is also where the security room is located. I wonder if this is the ward Adagio was placed in? Should have checked the manifest when we made that U-turn. I opened the doors a crack and the other side was clear, but I’m not saying it’s safe either. If Adagio is in the security office then she’s been watching our progress this whole time and knows we’re at her doorstep.

“Alright girls,” I whispered. “We need to keep our guards up, if Adagio is in the security office I wouldn’t find it hard to believe she’s got an ambush waiting for us.”

“Well if that’s the case then how are we going to go about this?” Rarity asked.

The doors behind us opened and Adagio stood there with a grin on her face. “Like civilized people. Do come in, I’ve got snacks.”

My mind drew a blank at what just happened. “So, what are you going to do with us?”

“Nothing… yet. Please come.”

Adagio walked down the hall and we followed, thirteen doors down we arrived at the security office. It was bigger than how the map had it, the room looks like it was meant for ten people to be in. Tied up in chairs were Aria and Sonata, sleeping. Adagio sat in a chair in front of a desk with dozens of monitors showing different parts of the building.

“Don’t be shy, sit.” She motioned towards a group of chairs across from her. We all took a nervous seat. “Now then, let me see.”

“See what?” I replied

“Don’t play dumb, I saw you use Sonata’s pendant on the monitors, let me see.”

I was grinding my teeth as I pulled it out. Adagio looked at with with fascination. It was odd considering she has her own around her neck right now. She started to reach out to grab it but I gripped it in my palm and pulled back.

“You only wanted to see it, remember?” I replied, with a hint of anger in my voice.

Adagio chuckled. “Smart girl. I’m not going to lie it took us over a thousand years; five hundred in Equestria and about six hundred here for us to fully figure out how to use them right and you Sunset, figure it out in just a few hours.”

“I’m a quick learner.”

“So it seems. Tell me, what did you do to the emotions I placed in your friends? Did you capture them?”

“I… I’m not sure.”

“Well whatever it was you did they’re no longer active so that means you either captured them or killed them. Besides the point so now it’s just you seven… no six? Where’s the loud mouth?”

“Rainbow,” Applejack said with rage. “Is watching over someone, we still outnumber you without her.”

“Maybe so but this facility is still under my control and has been for the past four years. So I outnumber you.”

Four years? “But Sonata said that her pendant and that letter came three years ago.”

“Yes, well I made an error after fixing my pendant.”

“Being?”

“I put everyone in this place under my control in one go. Turns out the pendants are like an empty mind, a blank continuous if you will. No personality or thought going through them but they can store so much information, better than a computer and far more reliable than the human and Equine mind. Memories, experiences, emotions, all of it can be stored in these little stones.” Sonata rubber her pendant.

“What about the negative energy then?”

“Even a mindless body requires food. It’s how they are able to keep all of their baggage in check.”

“And this singing activating spells?”

“You can blame our shared Equestrian heritage on that one dear. Despite all the different races, cultures, and species everything on Equestria can sing, and sing good most of the time.”

“Then explain your horrid voices after the battle of the bands.” Rarity said.

“They use our voices to activate spells that we write into music, the pendants and our voices were so closely tied that when you destroyed them it killed our singing voices.”

“You have something up your sleeve don’t you?” Twilight spoke. “No one it this comfortable around an enemy unless they have an ace up their sleeve.” I felt shocked when I heard Twilight say that, mostly because she had to be right.

“Yes, my ‘ace’ in an encore. But as a solo act this time, same goes for you Sunset. Your friends may have started that counterspell ten years ago but your voice helped activate it. This time it will just be the two of us.”

“But!... Why me?!”

“Didn’t you hear me? Your voice activated the counterspell you used against us ten years ago so your voice against mine in a long awaited encore.”

I haven’t really sung any real songs in like eight years! The little bit of practice I’ve had isn’t enough to go against her! “What are you going at with this?”

“Simple,” Adagio walked over to a desk in the back corner of the room, she came back holding the third pendant, Aria’s pendant. “Our stage will be within Aria’s pendant, our audience will be all the emotions we have stored in them. The emotions will fight and our songs will give them strength, the side that loses mind will become a permanent resident in the winners pendant.”

“That’s horrible!” Pinkie yelled out.

“If it helps I will only pull out the number of emotions Sunset Shimmer has, if she has any.”

“I’ll have you know I have one for sure… two maybe, but...”

“Then two emotions against each other it is.” Adagio placed out her hand with Aria’s pendant in it for a handshake, her other hand was gripping her pendant tightly. “Shall we start this battle duet?”

I looked back over to the others. This had completely caught everyone off guard, they were all as nervous as I was; if that’s possible.

“Sunset,” Twilight spoke, breaking the silence. “You can do this.”

I felt a burst of confidence flow over me as the others started adding to that. I gripped Sonata’s pendant and grabbed Adagio’s hand tight. “Let’s sta…” All went black.

* * *

When I woke up I was laying on a hard red crystal like floor. Am I in Aria’s pendant? I got up and gave a look around, on the other side of the landscape Adagio stood, looking impatient.

“Took you long enough.”

“I’m new at this.”

“Obviously.” Adagio’s pendant glowed with a crimson red as two green myst trails came out and formed bodied in front of her. “Meet Rage, and Envy, now then which emotions do you have?” Rage looked like something out of a comic book, all red and ridiculously muscular. Envy had hair that could put a porcupine to shame and was oozing a green slime.

“I, uh…” I looked at Sonata’s pendant, still in my hand. “Uhhh, can anyone please come out.” Adagio gave a snort that was quickly silenced at the sight of green mist coming out of Sonata’s pendant. Within a few seconds negative Pinkie came out, she looked battle ready.

“How!?” Adagio yelled. “How did you get a fuzed emotion!? I’ve been trying to find and/or make one for centuries and you pop one out like that!”

“Yeah… Dumb luck I guess.” Adagio did not look amused.

“What ever, just bring out your last emotions so we can start this fight.”

“Yeah but that’s the…” I was cut off when Sonata’s pendant started shaking violently. Seriously it was like an earthquake in my hand! I dropped in and I saw a little yellow finger make its way out, followed by a hand, then an arm. Gulp.

In a couple of seconds Psycoshy was out, and looking even more evil than before. Her pink hair became white and her skin had black lines like a circuit board tattoo. Before I could react chains came from Sonata’s pendant and wrapped themselves around Psycoshy’s wrists, neck, waist, and ankles. She was free but on a leash. Her eyes opened and they glowed a crimson red, adding to her already frightening presence.

“Okay now you’re bullshitting me!” Adagio yelled out. “That isn’t even an emotion, that’s a consciousness!” Adagio looked rather jealous. “How did you even get that person in the pendant!”

I pointed over to negative Pinkie. “All her work, not mine. By the way, what happened to her?”

“Apparently a consciousness has a different reaction to being placed into those things than emotions do.” Pinkie answered. “When I woke up in the pendant after dragging her in there she was in those exact same chains, unconscious.”

“Real funny.”

“I did come from Pinkie Pie.”

“Enough!” Adagio shouted, startling even her own two emotions. “A consciousness, and a fuzed emotion, this is an unfair fight! I should have eighty emotions just for the consciousness alone!”

“I… uh, well.”

“Do your worst.” Psycoshy said. Oh shit she’s awake! “These chains prevent me from killing Sunset Bitch over there, same for the pink one but I don’t think they’ll mind if I satisfy my blood lust with the screams of your army.”

I felt both a sub-zero chill run down my spine and a calming relief all at once. On the downside she still wants to kill me, upside looks like those chains are keeping her from doing so. I looked over to Adagio and she looked a little nervous. Don’t blame her, I’ve got the evil psychotic killing machine on my side and I’m scared shitless of her.

Adagio regained composure. “Very well then, have it your way.” At the snap of her fingers a flood of green mist flowed from her pendant, all forming bodies of emotions behind her. I couldn’t see the end of them. “Let the encore begin. Where was your love when it all burned down.”

With that first line all of her emotions charged, and Psycoshy laughed as her signature chainsaw came out of nowhere, again, and she ran towards them.

“Better start singing Sunset.” Pinkie said, charging alongside Psycoshy.

Alright then, time to end this. “Where were you when your home turned ash.”

“Where were you when your heart burned out.”

“Where were you when it all burned down.”

“Why did you let it all burn down!” I caught a glance a Psycoshy, looking like a blood soaked kid in a candy store. Pinkie was starting to glow with a grey aura as she punched and kicked the Adagio’s army of emotions.

“Where were they when my heart bleed out.”

“You left them all to burn like fire.”

“Let them burn, let them burn.”

“Will you fight till it all burns down.”

“Will you stand while I burn it down.”

“Will you hide when it’s all burned down.”

“Just let it all burn down!” That time Adagio’s voice let out a shockwave that shook the whole place for a good ten seconds. Pinkie and Psyco were still holding up strong.

“Who will you love when it all burns down.”

“I won’t love when they’ve all burned down.”

“How long can you stand that pain.”

“Let it burn, let them burn.”

“How long will you play this game.”

“How long until you fight or walk away.”

“I will fight and never walk away.”

“Then watch this city burn. This world is just a broken promise. They will all burn like fire. Let them all burn down.” Another shock wave went through the battlefield, only this time Adagio’s army seemed to have gotten stronger.

“Can you stand that pain. How long will you hide your face. These passions that your smoldering. Will you just let them all burn down!”

“Hide your face. You’ve never even felt true pain! You can’t ever match what I feel. So be afraid.”

“I won’t let you burn like fire. Your friends need you there. How long will you let this burn like fire. Just let it all burn to ashes. Will you just let it all burn away.” I held out my hand and saw that like in Rainbows mind I was on fire again. Just like before it didn’t burn, nor did I fear it. I embraced it this time. Adagio became speechless. In all honesty so am I. I started rising above the battlefield and moved forward until I was right in front of Adagio. Dream logic you can be on fire and fly. “Please don’t play this game any longer. The world's not a broken promise. So walk away and let your fears burn like fire. Let them all burn to ash now.”

There was an impregnable pause as Adagio and I stared at eachother. I was holding out my hand with a welcoming smile. Adagio looked scared and angry all at once, she didn’t physically show it but her eyes said it all. “..N… Never!” Adagio screamed out and the whole landscape shook. “I CAN’T GO BACK! I CAN NEVER BE WHO I WAS!!” Tears ran down Adagio’s face. “NEVER!!!”

Just then I took the oddest thing into notice, the battle behind us was quiet. When I turned to check all of Adagio’s emotions she summoned were behind us, each with a demonic smile. They started moving towards us, actually towards Adagio they weren’t even paying attention to me.

“Stay back! I control you!” Adagio screamed out at them but they didn’t seem to respond.

Rage, the first one she brought out emerged from the crowd and stood in front of Adagio. “You’re broken. You control nothing.” Rage’s voice was as menacing as his looks. He picked up Adagio with one hand. One hand! With the other he ripped her pendant right off her neck. Thank goodness it’s on a thin cloth necklace. Rage looked at it then tossed it to me.

I caught it as gave him a confused look. “Wha?”

“Like you sang. “Let them all burn to ash.””

“What!?” Adagio and I yelled in unison.

“But, but..”

“You idiots!” Adagio screamed. “If she destroys them then you’ll disappear! Do you want to die!”

“We know.” Envy said as he emerged from the horde. “And we will accept whatever death will give us; Heaven, Hell or Oblivion we will happily accept.”

“But why!” I barked. “You’re all part of someone! Why do you want to die?!”

Envy and Rage’s faces turned sorrowful.

“We’ve done nothing to our bodies and minds but cause them pain. We are too strong, too powerful to even be there. And now with what she’s done there is no hope for us.” Envy’s face looked so sad, all of them looked sad. “This is our last and only request, please burn us till only ash remains.”

“You fools!” Adagio’s bark caught everyone's attention. “If she burns all of you the energy the pendants share will disappear! And the pendants will fall apart!”

All the energy of these emotions are shared between the pendants? How…

“Miss.” Rage’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Will you do this, please.”

“I… uh…”

“Sunset.” I turned to see negative Pinkie with Psycoshy standing next to her, still in heavy chains. “We’re all okay with this, even Psycoshy.”

What!? “But isn’t it your dream to get out and kill me!?” I can’t believe I said that.

“Sunset… When Pinkie dragged me into the pendant I became bound to it. For me it’s the only body I’ll ever have. And every time someone does something like this or sings to cast a spell I’ll get used like a slave! I can’t explain how I know this but I just do. If I had to guess I’d say the pendant placed this info in me upon my imprisonment. I refuse to live as a slave, I’m more willing to accept death than an eternity of forced service.”

“I… I… Alright…” I was balling tears on the inside and outside tears were coming out, but nowhere near what I was holding in.

“NOOOOO!! Don’t!” I tried my best to block out Adagio’s screams.

I pressed the pendants against each other and concentrated. I started to feel them heat up.

“STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!” Adagio kept barking, still trapped by Rage’s oversized grip.

The heat the pendants gave off started to really and I mean really burn! I really hope I’m not melting these things in my hand.

“STOP IT! STOP IT! PLEASE DON’T! I CAN’T LIVE WITH THAT GUILT!” That caught my attention but is was too late, red ash fell between the cracks in my hands. As soon as the ash hit the floor the entire landscape erupted in flames.

Soon enough I started to white out. I was waking up. Before I lost all of my senses I heard Adagio curse me out one last time. “DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU SUNSET!”

Author's Note:

Yeah this I fell isn't by best. The song was inspired by RED's Let It Burn. Link. I can honestly say I failed at making a parody of it. I do normally and have made original songs for this but my muse was off (And by that I mean lazy) cause of life issues. Still I hope you enjoy this chapter. Spoilers only two chapters left

Comments

[darkwalker787]

Damn it i didn't want to stop reading this because i love the way you are handling these characters. I WANT MORE!!!

[BioQuillFiction]

6159187
Sorry but every story must come to an 'end.' Link. Don't feel to bad about it, I sometimes wish a story didn't have to end.

[shadowstar618]

THIS IS THE ONLY FANFIC WHERE I LIKED NEGATIVE PINKY, AND I DIDNT JUST LIKE HER, SHE WAS ONE OF THE BEST CHARACTERS