Blaze
…As Aria stepped into the hall, she was just in time to notice Fluttershy headed up the stairs. Aria ignored this, and continued towards the kitchen. Sunset Shimmer, following close behind Aria, didn't notice Fluttershy, so followed Aria to the kitchen instead.
When Aria reached the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of Pinkie Pie constructing a second meal for herself, from the leftovers of the girls' protracted breakfast feast. Applejack was working on the washing-up, while Rarity, not content with simply putting the groceries away, had apparently set herself the task of reorganizing Fluttershy's entire kitchen.
Making a beeline for the fridge, Aria shoved Rarity aside, and began digging through the assorted bottles in the top shelf.
“Well excuse me, I'm sure,” Rarity muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Buzz off,” responded Aria, without looking up.
“I do beg your pardon,” said Rarity, in a tone suggesting anything but.
“I said: ” Aria turned to face Rarity, “Buzz. Off.”
“Oh really now, there is no call to be rude.”
Aria straightened, having lifted a bottle of soda from the fridge, and rounded on Rarity, not even glancing around at Sunset and Applejack as they closed in on her. “You wanna start something?”
“Not at all, but —”
“You think I don't know what you girls are up to, with your little schemes and mind-games? Well I'm not falling for it, and it pisses me off, seeing you all act so concerned, like none of this is your fault.”
“Our fault? I don't mean to be rude, but I hardly see how this has anything to do with us.”
“Nothing to do with you, huh? So you aren't trying to make Adagio into one of your 'friends'?”
“Uh…”
“… and I guess you think this is just about me 'n Sonata.”
“Well…”
“It wasn't enough for you, was it? Smashing our pendants? You're not gonna be happy until you've dragged us all into your little cult. Well forget it — you may have gotten your claws into Adagio, but you won't get me and Sonata so easily.”
“Aria,” interjected Sunset, drawing the girl's attention away from the cornered Rarity, “I think you've got the wrong idea. Adagio came to us for help, because she was upset.”
“Yeah, ” piped up Pinkie Pie, “and friendship isn't some freaky brainwashing cult, it's about people who like each other and trust each other spending time together and having fun, because they enjoy each other's company.”
“Oh sure, play innocent, like you don't…” Aria paused, mid sentence, her gaze sweeping across Sunset and Pinkie, “… you don't get it, do you?
“Do you have any idea how long we've been stuck in this dump? How long we — how long Adagio's been looking for a way to get our powers back, to get us back to Equestria? She's been obsessed. I don't have the patience, Sonata never had the brains, but Adagio? She made us believe. For centuries, she never shut up about it. Week after week, she had us trying every crackpot mumbo-jumbo, searching after every fairy story, trying anything just for a chance.
“Can you imagine what it felt like, seeing your big rainbow-light-show? Me and Sonata always believed we'd find a way back, one day, but when the time really came, we weren't ready, we weren't expecting it.
“But Adagio? She knew it right away. For her, it wasn't 'one day', it was always 'any day now', you know? It been, what, eighteen centuries, I guess? And she still jumped on it, right away.”
Sunset frowned. “I… didn't realise it meant so much to her.”
Aria slouched over to the table, and dropped herself into a chair.
“She hasn't mentioned any of it since then. Magic, Equestria, nothing. Six months, she's just…” Aria glared across the girls, “… you gave her hope. We really thought we'd made it, that we'd get our power back, that…
“And then you went and snatched it all away. And now Adagio's finally given up, so, congratulations —” Aria took a swig of her soda, “you broke her, and now you're gonna humiliate her with your silly make-overs and fru-fru friendship clubs.
“Heh. I don't even know if she really cares about this — 'thing' — with me and Sonata. Maybe she just needed something to freak out over.”
The long pause that followed, was interrupted by a buzzing sound coming from Sunset's bag.
“Oh, um, excuse me, I have to take this…” Sunset hurried out of the room, bag in hand. Once she was gone, Rarity gave a small cough, and approached Aria.
“I, uh, realise this is none of our business, but if you don't mind me asking, how serious is this 'thing' with Sonata, as you put it?”
“I guess you must be pretty disgusted by the idea, huh?”
“Well… no, actually. I'll admit,” Rarity held up a hand, “I was quite… shocked, when I first heard. Having thought on it more, though, I can't really say that you're harming anyone, and I don't feel like it's our place to judge you.”
“How very generous of you,” Aria intoned.
“More to the point,” Rarity continued, “I feel that it would be a shame if the three of you fell out over this, so perhaps there is something we can do, to help you 'patch things up', with Adagio?”
Aria blinked in surprise, then narrowed her eyes at Rarity. “Uh-huh. And why would you be so helpful?”
“Darling,” smiled Rarity, reaching a hand across the table to Aria's own, causing Aria to recoil, “it's what we do. Helping others — it's simply what we enjoy.”
Aria looked Rarity up and down, apparently unnerved by this concept.
“Ah guess I should warn ya, ” piped up Applejack, “it's kind of a 'friendship' thing. We ain't gonna ask for anything back from y'all, but if y'like havin' us help ya, maybe ya'll feel more like makin' friends with somebody, on account of friends tend to help each other out.”
“So it's… like a 'friendship' free sample?”
“Yep,” said Pinkie, “and if you think a patch-things-up-between-sisters party would help, we could make it a party free sample, too!”
“Although,” interrupted Rarity, “I rather suspect that on this particular occasion, a quiet conversation might be more… constructive. And we could probably be more helpful if we understood your feelings. I don't wish to presume, but I get the feeling you really do care, quite deeply, about Sonata?”
Aria's gaze drifted over the table, her expression thoughtful as she gently swung the bottle of soda around in small circles. Her expression slowly softened, and a small smile crept in to the corners of her mouth.
“She's… yeah.” Aria chuckled. “She's a total moron, but just so cheerful all the time, like nothing ever really drags her down. The way she smiles,” Aria closed her eyes, “the way she thinks, she's just so different, like she could never get boring, because she's always coming up with something new. She sees so much beauty, everywhere, and just being around her makes me feel so… awake, like nothing else ever has.”
Aria opened her eyes again, and gazed up at the ceiling. “I know it's stupid, but yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her. I don't wanna imagine what living would be like, without her. I get all these… feelings, whenever she's happy, or sad, or angry, or… anything, really. I'm pretty sure she could break me, if she really wanted to, and the weirdest part is, I think I'd be okay with that.”
Aria took another sip of her soda, oblivious to the way the girls were hanging on her words, or Rarity's knowing smile. Aria's concept of romance seemed somewhat… emo, but Rarity didn't doubt the sincerity behind her words.
Aria sighed, and continued her monologue.
“She's just too damn cute, y'know? Like, she does this thing were she has the most adorable puppy-dog eyes, or that silly little giggle, it just… breaks me down inside, like I can't even help myself. I just wanna wrench her arm 'round, make her scream. It's like music. Or stick a bunch of needles in her butt, get some tears going. She's just so freakin' hot when she's crying.”
Aria was still gazing off into the ceiling, and so didn't notice the suddenly very fixed smiles on the three girls gathered around her, or their sideways glances towards each other.
“She knows just how to get me worked up, too.” Aria's grin was devilish. “Keeps saying just the right thing to piss me off. And then there's the way she squeals when I shove my fingers right up her—”
“WEGETTHEPICTURE!” blurted Rarity, perhaps a tad too loud.
Regardless, this seemed to break Aria out of a form of reverie. She straightened, and turned to face Rarity, completely unabashed.
“Guess you're still a little squeamish, huh?” Aria grinned.
“R-regardless,” stammered Rarity, her face rapidly reddening, “I gather you also care about Adagio, just in a different way.”
“I guess.” Aria shrugged. “Anyway, Sonata's not gonna be happy 'till we're all 'sisters' again, which won't be easy. I don't think I've ever heard Adagio really apologise for anything, and she doesn't often go back on her word, either.”
Applejack spoke up next. “Well, Fluttershy's gone to check on Adagio, I don't reckon she wants to see you girls fighting, either. Maybe we should go talk to Sonata, an' wait to see what happens.”
Aria shrugged, and rose from her chair, headed for the door. Rarity and Applejack both rose to follow her, but Pinkie remained seated, looking thoughtful. Just before the trio reached the door, Pinkie Pie spoke.
“Applejack?”
Applejack turned, to see Pinkie Pie gesturing for her to come over. Aria continued out into the hallway, with Rarity close behind. Applejack headed back towards Pinkie Pie, but the pink-haired girl rose and slipped past Applejack, closing the door so that the two of them were alone in the kitchen.
Pinkie Pie's face had a most uncharacteristically worried expression.
“Um, are we sure about this?”
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This might be the most sympathetic handling of the sirens' situation I've ever seen. It doesn't make the Rainbooms out to be bad guys, but definitely doesn't skim over anything, no punches pulled on exactly what the sirens have lost, possibly made worse by the fact that no lasting harm was (evidently) caused by their scheme. With how insanely disproportionate their punishment looks, I'm amazed stories like this are so rare.
Also; I don't think Aria and Sonata's relationship really is abusive. Unconventional, certainly, and in dire need of a safeword if they don't have one yet, but I can see loving everything about someone the way I think Aria might be describing, "I get all these… feelings, whenever she's happy, or sad, or angry, or… anything, really." even their screaming/crying/rage.
7187442 in other words, angry sex is their fetish.
7187774
It sounds like what they have goes a little deeper than that, but they do wear that part on their sleeves. With witnesses.
420 BLAZE IT
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7187442 It's funny; I don't normally consider myself sympathetic towards the Sirens at all, in fact it annoys me when I see people making excuses for them. They basically mind-raped the whole school, with the stated intention of enslaving the entire human race through mind-control. Their background lore suggests that they've been responsible for entire wars, making it very possible that ponies have killed each other, all because of their control.
Don't get me wrong — I love them as villains, and the idea of "reforming" them holds a lot of appeal for me. It's just that when you consider their "punishment" has basically left them with the same quality of life, the same freedom, and the same opportunities as all the other teenage girls around them, it's hard to argue that, from a strictly objective perspective, their punishment is disproportionate.
And yet… I don't know exactly where the idea of them trying to get home came from. I'm pretty sure there was no mention of it in the movie. But it strikes me as a very natural extension of everything we already know about them. And somehow, when you add this in, and start trying to see things from their perspective, even with the assumption that they are evil, arrogant, sadistic villains (and proud of it!), it does make them a whole lot more sympathetic. Especially now that they aren't a threat any more — I think that's a big part of it.
Also; I very much agree with your assessment of their relationship. Especially the safeword part.
Not to nitpick but should that not be Adagio since it is Aria talking to the Rainbooms?
That aside, this story is really captivating. The weird, pretty much abusive love-hate thing Aria and Sonata have going on, Adagio´s understandable freak-out and the Rainbooms whole palette of emotions and reactions so far. The background delivered to us by either Dagi or Aria in this chapter really paints a interessting picture of the Sirens and breaths a good bit of life in your story here.
Now I am curious if we ever get Sonata´s view in this and if we do, how you would picture her personality since there are many ranging from the bubbly airhead over the bubbly psychopath to the secretly intelectual of sorts.
7188816
It kinda depends on how you interpret it. Was what they did mind-rape in forcing everyone to dance to their tune, or were they just waking up what was already there? They definitely directed those that heard them, but I don't know about it being full-on control. As humans can be bastards with little provocation (note the hate they were happy to sling at Sunset months after she'd stopped hurting them), I'll admit I'm a little biased toward that explanation. If they were all such good, loving people that the sirens definitely forced them to do that, I don't think Sunset would have broken them all up so easily a few years prior, nevermind the (not strictly canon) Anon-A-Miss Incident. Given that Twilight turned them all to her side with one little song, I think it's safe to say that CHS is just ridiculously easy to influence.
Plus, even at their worst, even if they have started wars and racked up a body-count (something else that you kind of have to assume is true or not), wasn't it the same for Discord, Luna, and pretty much what Sunset was going to do if she succeeded? Look at where they are now, no life-long penance to be found. Luna actually gave herself one, but it was deemed a bad thing and had to be disposed of, and not strictly because it threatened the safety of everypony else again. Sci-Twi (who was either mad with power, or corrupted by friendly magic she'd stolen, unless that portal is evil) receives no punishment whatsoever for nearly destroying a plane of existence. Starlight Glimmer had something similar in mind regarding her time-travel revenge scheme, entirely malicious in the intent, and now she's one of the gang.
That in mind, I'm not sure if it's fair that the sirens alone should suffer (having what might be the equivalent of their cutie marks destroyed on top of everything else, something extremely heinous in pony culture) for doing what others have gotten off scot-free for. Tirek and Chrysalis were at least no worse off than when they'd started for their transgressions. The sirens' punishment might not be disproportionate by itself if you make the right assumptions, but in the context of the rest of the show? It looks pretty damn harsh.
While I feel this story is a fitting interpretation of it, I don't actually subscribe to the idea that they've been in the human world for centuries, as it seems iffy that they'd be there that long and not running their own nation (if not the world), dead, or tiredly resigned to their eternal sentence. Still, Adagio says at the diner scene that they'd "make everyone in this pathetic little world do our bidding," so it's possible they'd given up hope of ever going home no matter how much they disliked the human world. That they'd have wanted to at all is another assumption, but it'd be a pretty rational one.
And, yes, the defanged aspect makes it marginally harder to condemn them for some of us.
7188883 Fixed, thanks. Please don't be afraid to nitpick my stories - the more mistakes people point out, the fewer mistakes there'll be after I fix them.
(The next chapter will be Sonata-focussed, whenever I get around to writing it).
7189018 Yes, a lot of villains have done worse and gone unpunished. One of the things I like about MLP is that they don't really "punish" villains, in the sense of retribution. Tirek gets locked up for the saftey of all Equestria, because otherwise he'd still be a threat. Sunset Shimmer shows she's willing to reform, making her no longer a threat, so she gets forgiveness and hugs instead. I don't think Starswirl or the Rainbooms ever really meant to "punish" the Dazzlings, just to, well, stop them. I guess that mindset would make it pretty pointless to talk about what the Dazzlings "deserve".
One could also argue that the pendants aren't equivalent to cutie marks, but are merely weapons, so if the Dazzlings aren't interested in going home, their "punishment" essentially boils down to them being disarmed, then sent on their way. It's very open to interpretation.
The whole "centuries" thing is largely down to it being Starswirl who banished them — and he was apparently alive in the days when Equestria was founded, before Nightmare Moon's banishment. So either he lived a really long time, or the Dazzlings have been there for centuries, or there's some kind of time-travel involved.
7189128
I would say that no matter what proves to be true, they at least deserve a chance. If they come back, are offered friendship, and pretty much go Tirek with it, then at least the good guys have tried to live up to their mantra.
As time goes by, I really would like to think that the gems were nothing but a means to an end for them, that they'd shrug it off and move on, whether that meant going straight or just finding something else to empower themselves with, but we won't know until they show up in canon again. Assuming the question is addressed, I mean.
Most likely time-travel.
The Fiendship is Magic comic (granted, the comics aren't strictly canon to anything but the comics) shows them doing their thing in Canterlot when it looked like ancient Rome, mention made of the princesses, but they're never seen. We don't actually see the sirens do more than sing at a crowd that cheers for them and Starswirl condemning this as them using dangerous magic (that he was totally immune to, natch), blindsiding them with the vacuum-powered mirror portal when he can't stop them.
When they get to the other side, it looks like the modern age, maybe a few decades ago at best. They're even wearing hoodies and jeans, though that might have been because it was easier to draw than their dance outfits.
I was thinking that they were flung forward in time (Starswirl got his wing in the library for time magic, I think) even before the comic, that they may not even know that a thousand years have passed in Equestria. Whether or not they'd care is pretty open-ended too.
Sorry for all the text walls, but the sirens provide a lot of food for thought.
Yeah, there are lots of issues there. Ultimately... Oddly enough, ultimately, I can see the Princesses rescinding the Sirens' exile and letting them back to Equestria now that they've lost their powers. If they want to go home, then home they will go. However, if they want to go home to start making trouble...? Well, then they already know the price for such ambitions and they're paying it now.
As for the nature of Aria and Sonata's relationship...? Well, I don't understand BDSM at the best of times; hurting someone in the name of 'love' seems to be missing the point somehow to my mind. However, ultimately, if it is consensual and Sonata isn't at risk of lasting injury (and recognising that, as Aria pointed out, Sonata is of impaired intelligence and may not be able to give informed consent) then our heroines have no business to interfere. A lot of the problem seems to be in Aria's aggressive personality. I wonder how she'd react if someone were to make her realise that she was doing wrong by Sonata?
That said, yeah, Pinkie has a point. It is very possible that this is abuse and Sonata is just too... well... Sonata to realise it. That would suck to have to deal with but they may have to. Send Sonata and Adagio off together and send Aria to Equestria for rehabilitation of some kind.
7189170 I feel I should point out: There's more to "informed consent" than just straight-up intelligence. There are 9-year olds out there who can run mental circles around most adults when it comes to maths, science, memory, and creativity, it doesn't make them ready for sex. The reverse also holds — simply being "stupid" doesn't make an adult incapable of giving consent, they would have to be mentally impaired to the point of being incapable of making the decision for themselves.
Which isn't to say that Sonata's making a smart decision here — just that, assuming she is an adult with the ability to make decisions for herself. it is, at the end of the day, her decision. Two adults can be in a very unhealthy relationship, and other people can try to offer them helpful advice, but ultimately if they are both mentally competent and willing participants, no-one else really has the right to intervene.
I also want to point out that I'm trying to keep track of every character's point of view, what they have and haven't seen, and what opinion they might form as a result. In other words, even if Pinkie is totally convinced that the Aria/Sonata relationship is abusive, that doesn't necessarily mean that I, as the author, agree with her.
In any case, I'm hoping to provide more insight into Sonata in the next chapter (whenever I get around to writing that), so hopefully that will clear things up.
I just hope I don't get too many people who end up hating the story because they interpret the situation very differently to how I intend it.
This has been an interesting read so far. I'm not sure how I feel about all of this, but it's certainly interesting.
Awesome!
You say you don’t know how to write Aria- which is fair, she’s basically a fanon character- but what you have here is fantastic. I was grinning like an idiot through her explanation of her feelings about Sonata.
This story is just so cute and so funny and so hot and I love it so much.