Chapter 19 - To Play
Sunday November 13, 2016
My boots made a hollow thumping noise on the damp soil as I ran through the knee high frost-coated grass attempting to evade my pursuers. Only a few birds were around to bear witness as I wove through the trees, trying to put more distances between us. I had to watch my footing on the uneven ground; if I tripped I would be caught for sure. My ears twisted on the top of my head in response to the thumping footsteps as they got closer. If I didn't make a move soon they were going to catch me.
“Stay on him Dash! Ah'll swing around to cut him off at the trail!”
Applejack's footsteps changed and began to quiet down as she swung away from me; heading towards the path I had worn around my farm during my morning jogs. They were driving me further and further away from the house. I needed to turn around soon or I was going to be taking a swim. There was a large tree on the property near the lake and that gave me an idea for how to evade them more effectively.
I need more time to reach the tree and Dash was right behind me. I spread my wings wide and gave one powerful beat. My feet briefly left the ground from the force and turned my body left more quickly that was humanly possible. I landed on the ground in a stumble but it was directly away from where Dash was heading.
“DANGIT SILVER!” Dash yelled as she careened past me at full speed, reaching her hand out to try and tag me. “That's got to be cheating!”
I didn’t have the breath to call back as I regained my footing and began to sprint again. By the time Dash recovered, I was halfway to the large tree. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Applejack swinging in to try and intercept me. I could hear Dash starting to catch up behind me again and I hoped she was going to try to cut me off beside the tree I was heading for. I steeled myself and started to sprint straight at the tree.
“We've got him cornered Dash!” Applejack yelled. “Pick up the pace!”
I ignored them and reached the tree just a moment before Applejack and Dash. They were both maneuvering to tag me as I slowed down to veer around the tree. Instead, I spread my wings and jumped at the tree. Flexing my wings I took the first two steps up the side of the tree with ease, just evading their hands. I coiled one wing while using the other to push me into a sharp twist and backward against the tree, leaving me facing the ground with my feet in a crouch. I pushed off the trunk of the tree with all my might and spread my wings to glide back to the ground at high speed. I landed in a full sprint leaving them both running in the wrong direction.
“How!?” Dash yelled. “He's heading back!”
“Less complaining, more running!” Applejack gasped.
I zigzagged through the meadow on the return trip and the house was in sight when I heard them both catching up again. It sounded like they were paralleling me so evasion was going to be more difficult this time. I took a chance and used another wingbeat to turn sharply left but a moment later I felt a hand slap my back sharply. I immediately slowed down and looked at my opponents with a weary grin on my face. Applejack was standing beside me looking equally exhausted.
“Finally! Gotcha you slippery varmint!” Applejack said as she gasped for breath.
Dash walked over to join us, shaking her head and breathing heavily. “I want to call you a cheater but you didn't break the rules. That move at the tree was pushing it.”
I was breathing heavily but I managed a small chuckle. “I made sure to head straight to the ground. That's more than I gave Lightning Dust that other day.”
“Fair enough,” said Dash with a small laugh while she leaned over to catch her breath. “I can't believe how quickly you've learned to use your wings.”
“I might have picked up some natural instinct when I was actually a pony.”
Or you could have brought back an equine cheat sheet.
That's also a possibility. How are you feeling?
I am so done Silver but that was totally awesome.
Way better than drills.
Agreed. We should do that again.
Yes, we should. Have a good rest Spark.
I sighed as my wings dissipated in a green shimmer and my senses returned to normal. The weight of the exertion fell on my shoulders as usual and I felt incredibly weary all of a sudden. I looked at my watch and noted the time before trudging down the hill towards the hot tub with Dash and Applejack by my side.
I could see a fiery red and gold mane of hair spread out on the deck beside the hot tub as I walked up. Sunset had her eyes closed and head leaned on the deck. She was floating in her modest swimsuit and didn't seem to notice our arrival. I reached down and ran my finger along her cheek to get her attention. She lazily opened her aquamarine eyes and smiled up at me.
“Hey there. How did the first game of tag go Silver?”
I was pulling off my shirt already; doing my best not to hesitate since I was among friends. I still felt self-conscious about my scarred body but I had promised Sunset I would try to move past that fear.
“Twelve minutes before my magic ran out,” I said. “Applejack tagged me about thirty seconds before I couldn’t hold the magic together any longer.”
Rainbow Dash slid into the pool in her dark blue bikini that she apparently wore under her clothes while Applejack went into the gazebo to change. I slipped off my shoes and track pants leaving just my trunks and slid into the pool near Sunset. She barely glanced in my direction and just kept floating and watching the sky with a thoughtful expression on her face.
“That's a significant increase in the amount of time you can maintain your magic Silver,” she finally said. “It seems like the exercise might be working for you. I don't know how long before you'll hit a plateau but it's a promising start.”
Applejack walked out of the gazebo in her green swimsuit and slide into the hot water next to Dash. She let out a content sigh, letting the heat relax her strains. “This was a great idea Sunset. Ah' haven't had that much fun in ages.”
I couldn't help but laugh. “It was a nice change of pace from being chased by people who wanted to hurt me, that's for sure. A game of tag was way more intense than just a simple jog.”
“Especially the way you play the game Silver,” said Dash. “That run up the tree before you flipped directions was insane. I didn't see that coming.”
“I can’t believe I actually pulled that off. There was no plan B if I screwed up.”
“Ah think we'll need more backup in the future at the rate you’re improving but I’m up for a rematch another time.”
“Yeah,” said Dash with a cocky grin on her face. “I’m on to your tricks now. Next time I'll get you sooner.”
I mirrored her grin and met her cocky grin with one of my own. “Bring it on Dash. I’ll just have to come up with some more surprises.”
We stared at each other for a moment and then started to laugh. It was another good morning to be alive as we rested up. All too soon, Rainbow Dash pulled herself out and beckoned to Applejack.
“Come on AJ,” she said. “We've got to meet the other girls for practice. There’s less than a week till the showcase and we've gotta tighten our performance up.”
Applejack rolled her eyes but climbed out. “Yer takin' this awful seriously Dash. It's just a talent show.”
“Yes and we are going to win!” she replied confidently. “See you two on Monday!”
We waved and watched them head down to the house to head out leaving Sunset and me alone. Sunset sat up in the hot tub, being careful to keep her hair dry and looked over at me with concern on her face.
“You're really finding your half-pony form easy to adapt to, aren't you Silver?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe how comfortable I am with those wings already.”
“What does it feel like when you're transformed?” she asked curiously.
I sighed and stared down at the water. “I don't know if I can properly describe the feeling. I suspect it would be like you trying to explain how it feels to use levitation as a unicorn.”
“I suppose that's true,” she replied sadly, but then she perked up. “I'd say it's been a productive week. I need to head out in about an hour so what do you want to do in the meantime?”
I smiled at her. “Want to do another round of our question and answer game?”
Sunset looked intrigued as she relaxed in the water. “Sure, I think we have time for one question each. I’ve got it one! What's an interesting skill you have that none of our friends know about yet?”
I thought for a moment and came up with an answer. “I know how to ballroom dance.”
“Seriously?” Sunset asked surprised. “How did that fit into your busy life?”
I smiled at the memory. “Dad broke his leg two years ago when Mom was going to attend a very formal event. She needed someone to escort her and I volunteered to go in Dad’s place. The dance lessons were an unexpected necessity but it turned out dancing came quite naturally to both of us. It’s a mixture of patterns and precision much like martial arts. The difference is working with a partner and moving in time to the music.”
“It must have been odd dancing with your mother,” she said with a chuckle.
“A bit but it was worth it in the end,” I said wistfully. “It was quite fun and I could probably pick it up again if I took some refresher lessons.”
“That sounds really fun, I've never seen those kinds of dances outside the movies,” she replied seriously before starting to laugh. “We'd blow everybody's mind if we learned that for a future school dance. Best I've ever seen at school is the 'don't get too close to your partner' shuffle.”
I laughed at the thought of using a formal ballroom style at a high school dance. “I imagine they'd be quite surprised. I never learned the Tango but that would really make some brains explode. How about the same question for you Sunset? What's your secret skill?”
She looked up and the sky and sighed. “I can play the guitar.”
“Really? I'm surprised you didn't mention it to Dash.”
She looked over at me with panic on her face. “Please don't tell our friends, I'd rather not barge into their band. It's their chance to reconnect after all the time I stole from them. Besides, I'd just ruin the reaction to their performance at the showcase.”
“Fair enough,” I replied, trying to avoid making her upset. “What lead to you to learn how to play the guitar?”
Sunset held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. “These things are a royal pain in the horn to use. I could barely hold a pen when I came through the portal. It turned out that learning guitar was a fun way to improve fine motor control in my hands.”
“I can imagine that would be disconcerting. So, shall we go make breakfast or float a bit longer?”
“Five more minutes Silver,” she whispered quietly. “This is really nice.”
We soaked in the hot tub for a bit longer in the cold morning sun before admitting our time was up. After a quick breakfast, Sunset left me to spend the rest of the day by myself. I put it to good use in my shop doing a full inventory of all the projects I inherited from Dad’s shop. There was a substantial amount of stock on hand and I got several ideas for future projects as I examined the materials and designs stored in the boxes and filing cabinets.
Tuesday November 15, 2016
“How exactly did you convince me to come here Pinkie?”
Pinkie giggled at my question. “It was easy Silver! I asked at the Sweet Shoppe this morning when we got our coffee. You said no and so I used my cute pouty sad expression like this!”
True to her word she scrunched her face up in the most adorable pitiful sad face, complete with sorrow filled puppy dog eyes. Then she stared at me with a slightly quivering lip. It was absurd and over the top but I was a bit of a pushover when it came to the girls so it really didn’t take much convincing. My token resistance was almost becoming a game between me and Pinkie now. I laughed quietly from my spot on the gym floor and nodded.
“Oh right,” I replied. “Yup, that would do it.”
Normal classes had been suspended this morning in favor of preparation for the musical showcase. Groups of students were making posters to advertise since it was going to be a fundraiser. They would be posted in several public places around town like the Sweet Shoppe to draw more people to the final performance. At the moment I was leaning against the folded up bleachers that lined the side of the gym trying to stay beneath the notice of everyone here. Everyone except Sunset was here already, working on painting their group poster.
“Don’t abuse that pout too much Pinkie darling,” admonished Rarity with a mock serious face as she placed a stencil of a music note down on the page. “Silver might get used to it and then how would we convince him to try new things?”
“I would be remiss to underestimate your powers of persuasion Lady Belle,” I replied. “I have no doubts the six of you would adapt.”
“Speaking of which, has anybody seen Sunset yet this morning?” asked Fluttershy while brushing some color on to the guitar. “I hope nothing bad happened to her.”
“Ah’ saw her for a minute. She said she’d be here later after she confirmed some volunteer work at the office. There she is now.”
We looked across the gym and saw Sunset Shimmer leaning over to talk with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo where they were working on their own poster. Sunset’s relationship with those three still wasn’t terribly good but they were at least polite with her. I suspect at least part of that was the simple fact that their siblings wouldn’t take full on rudeness kindly. She stood back up with a sad expression so Pinkie bounced up to her feet and started waving to get her attention.
“Sunset Shimmer!! Over here!” she shouted.
Sunset looked over in our direction and a small grateful smile crossed her face when she spotted us. Unfortunately, I also saw nearly every other student in the gym start glaring at her as she began to walk across the gym. The usual angry murmurs followed in her wake and her shoulders slumped while the small smile on her face was replaced by a regretful frown. We all stood up to meet her and she let out a deep sigh when she stopped next to us.
“I should have known the whole school would be here. I’m surprised you’re here already Silver.”
“Pinkie abused the power of guilt trips again,” I said with a wry smile at Pinkie who just winked at me.
Rarity coughed and held up the poster with Pinkies help to try and distract Sunset. “Quiet the eye-catching advisement, if I do say so myself.”
“And it smells like Cake!” Pinkie added enthusiastically, leaving all of us staring at her confused.
“It does?” asked Fluttershy with some surprise. She leaned in to sniff it but then Pinkie pushed it right against her face.
“I used frosting instead of paste!” she replied in a cheerful and enthusiastic voice.
When she pulled the poster away, Fluttershy had sparkles all over her face and a big blob of frosting glue on her nose. We all started to chuckle quietly at the sight.
“Fluttershy, you’ve got a little somethin’ . . .” said Applejack pointing at her nose.
She rubbed her hand on her cheek and got a bit but Fluttershy’s face was still a cute mess. Sunset quickly pulled out a handkerchief and helped her wipe the mess up. As we cleaned up, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna walked into the gym. They looked at the various posters before stopping in the middle of the gym. I still couldn’t get over these two administrators being mirror copies of the rulers of an entire nation.
“Good morning, students,” Principal Celestia said. “I just wanted to tell you all how pleased I am that so many of you are going to participate in our first ever Canterlot High School Musical Showcase!”
All the students around the room cheered and whistled enthusiastically. This event had been planned for months and it had really galvanized the students of our school. Based on the signup sheet there was a significant amount of musical talent at our school.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for all our after-school programs here at CHS,” Celestia continued. “So keep working on those signs and posters. I think it's going to be one of the most exciting events we've had at CHS since the Fall Formal.”
She didn't.
Yeah, she did Spark. That was cold.
I stared at Celestia in disbelief while every face in the room turned to stare at Sunset with total hostility yet again. The decision to bring up the formal was either thoughtless or petty of Principal Celestia's. I really hoped it was the former but either way, the result was a renewal of the hostility Sunset and I had faced over the past month.
Sunset’s face went red as she groaned and slumped to the ground against the bleachers. She covered her face with her hands and then wrapped her arms around her knees as if she was trying to disappear. I immediately sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. She was wound up as tight as a spring as I held her tight.
“Still here Sunset,” I whispered comfortingly. “You’re not alone.”
She nodded without lifting her head and leaned over against me. I looked up at our friends who were watching helplessly.
“I've booked the music room for the next hour,” said Dash. “How about we head there now and give everyone a chance to calm down again.”
I nodded and helped Sunset back up to her feet. I held my arm around her protectively as we turned our back on the furious students behind us and walked out of the gym with our friends.
Once we were in the music room I could relax again. Sunset sat on top of the grand piano in the room and I tucked myself against the wall facing the windows and where the girls would play. I watched as they prepared their instruments for a practice with silent excitement. It had been a while since I’d seen them play as a group and I was looking forward to seeing how much they had improved.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to live that day down,” said Sunset sadly.
“The Fall Formal was pretty bad,” said Fluttershy sympathetically. “I’m just glad you aren’t getting hurt anymore.”
She sighed bitterly. “I turned into a raging she-demon. I’m surprised they didn’t come after me with salt and silver bullets.”
“I can only imagine what would happen if someone saw my half-pony form now,” I added. “Between the bat wings and the fangs I’d be doused with holy water and staked through the heart before I can blink.”
“They'd have to catch you first Silver,” said Dash. “Since you started taking care of yourself properly those bullies don’t stand a chance.”
Sunset meanwhile grimaced and shook her head. “They would probably just direct more aggression at me. I’m pretty sure half the students still think you’re under my control as a thrall or something.”
“It’s just their petty interpretation of why I protect you,” I replied with a smile.
“You did try to turn everyone here into teenage zombies for your own personal army!” Pinkie said cheerfully while shuffling around like a zombie.
I winced and Sunset looked mildly hurt by Pinkie’s observation even though we both knew it was just Pinkie being Pinkie. Fortunately, Rarity quickly came to Pinkie's rescue before Sunset or I could respond.
“You do have us now Sunset,” she said. “We’ve forgiven your . . . ahem . . . booboos after all.”
Applejack shook her head sadly. “Ah hate to say it but those students out there are friendlier with each other than they ever were before you came here Sunset. The whole experience brought everyone at Canterlot High closer than ever before.”
Pinkie took that as her cue, raised her hands and started tapping her drumsticks together to count the song in. “ONE, TWO, THREE!”
They immediately launched into their first song. I was impressed as I realized it was an original piece and I wondered who wrote it. It was an appropriate song about how they had been brought back together as friends. I watched with interest as the group played watching for the moment their magic triggered.
Here it comes.
Yup, I can feel it too Spark.
It was interesting to watch as they ponied up one after another during the chorus of the song. Spark and I could almost feel their magic washing over us like a wild summer breeze. Sunset looked apprehensive about their magic as they ponied up one after another during the chorus of the song. At least she wasn’t diving for cover anymore. I think she finally accepted that there wasn’t going to be another adverse reaction from the magic but it was clear she was still wary.
The expressions on the girl’s faces were incredibly confident as they played the song without a single error that I could here. Even Fluttershy seemed amazingly comfortable as she sang loudly and confidently with her friends by her side. They even had choreographed movement and expression that fit perfectly. All too soon the song wrapped up and their pony features immediately vanished.
Sunset and I immediately applauded the performance and the girls looked pretty pleased with themselves.
“Very impressive,” I said. “You've really got some talent to put this together so quickly. Any plans for how to explain the transformation if someone asks?”
“Stage effects!” said Pinkie Pie with a giggle. “It's amazing what you can do with those these days!”
“I still can’t believe that happens when we play,” Rarity said with a cheerful laugh. “I wonder if I can make some accessories that will work in a longer ponytail! Ooh, or maybe some clip on earrings for those adorable pony ears!”
Applejack rolled her eyes before looking over at me and Sunset. “I still wonder why it happens. Twilight took her crown back to her world. I mean something was obviously left behind but why would that happen? At least Silver has his trip through the portal as an excuse.”
Sunset looked terribly frustrated at that question, “Studying how Silver’s body changes when he transforms still doesn’t really help me understand why or how it happens. I just don’t have the equipment to even begin to figure this out.”
“Aww, you'll come up with something,” said Rainbow Dash confidently. “But honestly, who cares why it happens? It makes my band totally awesome!”
“Oh! Your band?” Rarity asked sharply, glaring over at Rainbow Dash.
“It was my idea to start the Rainbooms so we could be in the showcase,” she said with an almost arrogant tone in her voice. “Plus I’m the lead singer and guitarist.”
The other girls looked a touch irritated at Dash’s attitude but before they got into an argument someone knocked on the band room door. We all looked over as the door was pushed opened revealing Flash Sentry.
“Uh, heard you outside,” he said as he walked in. “You guys are sounding really tight.”
“We're getting there,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Rarity's still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack's bass solo could use a little work. They'll get it together in time for the showcase.”
The subjects of Rainbow Dash's criticism looked a touch irritated but they refrained from speaking. Sunset was doing her best to look very small in the presence of her ex-boyfriend. It didn’t look like Flash had even registered I was in the room as he continued speaking.
Flash Sentry rubbed his head nervously. “Uh, I don't suppose any of our friends from, uh . . . out of town might come? This being a special event and all.”
I sighed at his question which had all the subtlety of a brick through a window. It confirmed my worry that he was still obsessing over Twilight. It was unfortunate she hadn’t told him where she was going since it probably would have made it easier for him to just let this go. He kept acting like she was a normal high school student when she was actually so much more than that.
“Sorry, Flash,” Applejack replied, answering his real question directly. “Ah don't think Twilight's gonna be back at Canterlot High anytime soon.”
He looked embarrassed as his eyes cast around the room around the room. His eyes fell on me leaning against the wall and an expression of anger and frustration crossed his face. I met his anger with a calm, neutral stare and his expression quickly dissolved into nervousness as he noticed the girls were also watching him. He backed into the door in his haste to leave and then sidestepped to back out of the room.
“Oh, yeah. Okay. I just, you know, thought I'd ask. Uh, k-keep on rockin' it,” he stuttered as he left.
“Flash really doesn’t seem to like you, Silver,” Fluttershy said quietly.
“He was indifferent before but his attitude got really bad after the Fall Formal,” I replied.
"The poor dear is jealous," said Rarity with a giggle. “He certainly is smitten with Twilight isn't he?”
“Totally obsessed like a stalker would be a more appropriate description,” I said in a grumpy voice. “I'm still pissed about how he tried to boss me around after the formal.”
“Oh Silver, don't be a spoilsport,” Rarity replied before looking over at Sunset and frowned. “I'm sorry. I always forget you and Flash used to be an item.”
“It's ok,” she said regretfully. “Flash was a great guy, but I never really liked him that way. He was a way to become more popular and to get things I needed.”
She put her face in her hands. “Ugh! I was just so horrible to everyone before the formal.”
The girls all nodded and quietly agreed with her.
Applejack smiled reassuringly. “The important thing is you're a better person now.”
“I wish that was all it took Applejack,” she replied morosely. "There's no end to what I have to do to make amends it seems."
The P.A system beeped and Vice Principal Luna's voice came on. “Sunset Shimmer, please report to the main foyer.”
“Time to go,” she said, sliding off the piano. “I volunteered to show some new students around the school. Thought it'd be good for them to get to know the new me before they heard all the stuff about the old me.
I smiled up at here as she walked past. “Stay safe Sunset. I'll grab some extra food so you don't have to line up when you join is in the cafeteria.”
She nodded gratefully before walking out of the room. I settled back while my friends started discussing what to do next.
“We've still got a few minutes before lunch starts,” said Dash enthusiastically. “What do you say we do a run through 'Awesome As I Wanna Be'?”
Fluttershy looked over at her friend with a hopeful expression on her face. “Um, Rainbow Dash? I was wondering if we could maybe play the song I wrote?”
Rainbow shook her head, “We'll get to it another time Shy.”
“Oh. Okay,” she replied softly.
Fluttershy looked crestfallen but she picked up her tambourine to play the next song anyways. I was finding the disagreements that were manifesting this morning a touch stressful but I was sure they would sort things out when I wasn't around. I settled in to watch the next performance before we walked off to lunch.
We settled in at our table in the cafeteria, ignoring the usual murmurs that followed my arrival. Nobody seemed to be willing to test me again and the rumors flew about what had happened on Halloween. None of the ideas I overheard were remotely close to the truth. Gilda and Lightning Dust were back at school but they weren't talking to anyone about what happened either. Even after the fall formal, magic was still alien to most of the students and it wasn't the first explanation that came to mind.
I was struck by the mix of students at the other tables as I looked around the room. The divisions between various cliques had been weakened by Twilight's actions and the conversation was quite excited. Our own conversation was pretty muted while we ate our lunches. It wasn’t long before Sunset walked into the cafeteria. She sat down next to me and I pushed the extra plate of food over to her which she accepted gratefully. Her expression was strained and worried.
“How'd the tour go Sunset?” asked Applejack. “Did you make some new friends?”
“I don't know,” she replied with genuine confusion and worry in her voice. “I mean, these girls, they were . . . There was something off about them.”
“Oh! Like, off like this?” Pinkie asked, making a mustache and beard with her hair.
“Or off like this?” she continued making huge fangs with her carrots and eyebrow out of her lettuce.
“Or... Oh, oh! Like—”
“Maybe we should just let her tell us,” Dash said, interrupting Pinkie as she was trying to figure out her next example.
Sunset's expression became more despondent s she tried to verbalize her worry. “That's just it. I can't put my finger on it. They just acted sort of . . . strange around me. Maybe someone already talked to them. Told them about what I did.”
She released a huge sigh and slumped in her chair. I put my hand on her shoulder and she reached up to grab it for reassurance. To a certain extent, both Sunset and I were both outsiders in this group which lead the two of us closer together. The other girls had fallen back into their friendship without hesitation while Sunset and I both needed to put extra effort forward to connect with them. It wasn’t that they weren’t including us in activities and conversation; we were just out on the edges.
“Well perhaps we will just have to ask them, darling,” said Rarity. “I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding.”
“I hope you're right,” Sunset replied. “I really hope I didn't miss a chance at a good first impression.”
Then the cafeteria doors were pushed open and the three new girls marched in. The leader of the trio had pale yellow skin, a massive mane of curly orange hair. The girl on the left had light pink skin with purple and teal hair done up in two huge ponytails and the girl on the right had teal skin and a long cyan and navy blue ponytail. All three of them had prominent red gemstones pendants around their necks. Their expressions were confident and as they walked into the room, they began to sing a strange harmony.
“Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh.”
“Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh.”
The instant they began their song I could feel something was wrong. The girls were watching silently and without any visible reactions. I felt a stab of pain through my head as the ethereal vocalizations instantly chilled me to the bone. As they began to sing actual words, my mind felt like it was catching on fire. The words became inaudible and all I could hear was a dim buzzing like someone had put a pillow around my head.
Obey Us . . .
What the buck is going on Spark?!
I have no idea but it hurts!
Unleash your anger . . .
Something is trying to get in Silver.
Not again! We have to push it out.
Unleash your rage . . .
A third voice was speaking in my mind in an eerie, malicious tone. It felt like it was oozing through my brain, chanting in time with the beat of a song I couldn't hear. Through my squinting aching eyes, I could see my friends staring at the deteriorating mood in the cafeteria. The other students were starting to argue with each other while the three new girls continued singing.
Obey us; unleash your hate.
Sweet Luna this hurts.
Obey us; release your envy.
I can’t hold together much longer. I'm coming apart.
We have to get out of here.
Obey us; release your magic.
The voice was filled with a slimy malice as it echoed through every corner of my mind. Spark and I fought against the growing urge to collapse or pony up right there in the cafeteria. I struggled up to my feet but I lurched over, slamming one hand down on the table to keep myself from falling. The eyes of my friends were suddenly all on me but Sunset was instantly on her feet next to me. She grabbed my arm to help me stay on my feet. When I looked at her I could see her mouth move to ask a question but I couldn't the words over the spikes of pain digging through my mind.
"I barely managed to hiss at Sunset through clenched teeth. “Nurse. Fast.”
Obey us NOW!
Help . . .
Spark?
. . .
Stay with me! Fight it!
. . .
The lonely silence echoed in my mind and my blood ran cold when Spark failed to respond. The fog was growing in my mind as I stumbled out of the cafeteria and down the hall towards the nurse station. Sunset was beside me every step of the way and caught me every time I started to lose my footing. Ruby was on her feet in seconds as we burst into her office. Sunset slammed the door shut behind us and I collapsed to my knees beside Ruby's desk. My body began to shake uncontrollably as I finally lost control.
Obey us . . . You have no choice.
Luna help me.
. . .
The commanding voice was still echoing in my head; persisting even in the absence of the song. My eyes felt like they were bulging out of my head as my vision blurred. The last thing I saw before my vision went black was a red and gold mane of hair framing terrified aquamarine eyes inches from my face.
Stats
Page generated in 0.023 seconds
Total duration
737 users online
1,096,180 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I've got a bad feeling about this
And so, we finally come across the mistress of mind control herself, Adagio Dazzle (and her two sisters-slash-minions, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk). Favorite villain hands-down. Let me explain why.
Adagio Dazzle plays the role of the master manipulator absolutely perfectly. I honestly don't think I've seen a villain this cunning and manipulative since Kreia. She never reveals her full hand, never plays every card right away. She has the deadly combination of being both dangerously cunning and incredibly patient. She's like a spider waiting in her web for her prey to come to her, and once she does she'll snatch it up with absolutely no remorse. This is where the manipulation and guile tends to fall flat with the other MLP villains, as many of them cease to function as villains once it's time for the planning itself to stop and the payoff to commence. Adagio's plan actually has some payoff, and that makes her and her sisters more threatening the more the movie continues to build up to its satisfying climax.
At the same time, even if you're the most oblivious knob in the room, you'll know right away something is off with this woman. The way she moves, holds herself, hypnotizes both the other characters and the audience, the way she can twist and warp the magic of friendship to her own twisted ends — she's a freaking machine of EVIL and she lets everybody know it while simultaneously keeping them in the dark. Adagio is a genuinely intimidating woman, and her magic is even more intimidating. Mind control is old school — nothing new there. But everybody mind controlled, pumping even more power into what is already walking nightmare fuel, doing the same thing with the magic of friendship and keeping everyone wrapped dangerously around her finger? You're often left wondering how much damage the Sirens could've done at full power. It's no wonder why they're the only ones to be banished to another world entirely.
The Sirens were running rampant in Equestria around a thousand years ago. Their magic involved sowing the seeds of conflict in order to feed off of the negative energies. And all the really bad things in Equestrian history all happened at around that same time…
…
…
…
…
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~, shit!
And now we know why Celestia, Luna and Cadence were guarding the portal mirror for the past thousand years in the first movie — SHE'S why! And the Sirens don't even use the negative energies for food — it's only so they can keep their voices enchanting so that they can continue to charm and control people! It's not about survival like the Changelings, it's about maintaining the power to dominate and control! I can think of no other word to describe Adagio than MONSTER, and for that, she's solidified her place as my favorite villain.
7873608 Ohhh, there's so much I want to say in response to this awesome analysis but *Spoilers*.
You've certainly matched some of my thinking and I agree that the sirens lead by Adagio are intriguing villains for exactly the reasons you mention. Their power is a fascinating feedback loop that's almost too perfect to be an accident. They would have been an incredible force to be reckoned with a thousand years ago. I think you might be right about why Celestia took such pains to guard the portal and even bring it to the Crystal Empire.
I'm going to leave it at that except for two more things. First, it is fascinating how many things happened around a thousand years ago in Equestria. Secondly, I have to counter your final observation about Adagio being a monster. Leaving aside her final goals of world domination which are obviously evil, I can't help but look at the odd relationship she has with Sonata and Aria. A thousand years and they're still taking care of each other as best they can. One can't help but wonder why . . .
Thanks for reading and for your insightful comments!
7872668 - Can't blame you for that. I think he's having a rough time as usual.
7876731 you my friend have earned a follow
Wow what a great chapter some pretty intense stuff right there. Now what will become of spark, is silver gonna Rage also will he be able to transform again and when will the ship finally set sail but whos on the S.S. silver ship is the true question is it sunset, shy, pinkie, Rarity maybe, AJ, RD or is it Twi hmmmmmm
anyways loved the chapter cant wait for more and i definitely cant wait to find out what happens in the next chapter cause this was very intresting especially the end keep up the great work
7876902 - Thank you!
7877445 - Welp, glad the chapter sparked such an enthusiastic response.
Fear not, the story is weaving a path toward answers to some of your questions. Thanks for reading!
7881635 In response to both your recent comments, thank you very much! As far as the promised romance goes, your patience will be rewarded soon although there have been a few hints seeded in. Life is rarely an easy path though.