Born Again

by Kickback

We Will Be Adored

Aria's hair fell free from her head, unkempt and unrestricted by the rain pouring down on her. Her clothes clung tight to her frame, craning her body to reach into the engine. The hood above her at least kept her head roughly safe, she supposed.

With wrench in hand, she gave the bolt a firm pull, twisting it tight. She wiped her forehead with her arm, gritting her teeth realising that was about as useful as tits on a bull. She was saturated. Aria poked her head and signalled Sonata behind the wind-shield. She sat in the driver's seat, awaiting the green light. Aria's eyes narrowed, she was all high and dry in there.

"Alright, try it now!"

At that, Sonata gave the keys a quick flick. The van rasped, struggling to come to life but nothing came of it. All that did was belch out another puff of smoke right in Aria's face. Sonata just looked at Aria sadly and shrugged, shaking her head.

Aria's eye twitched. She gave an exasperate roar and slammed the hood down, walking around the van and kicking the slowly deflating tyres the hardest kick she could manage. She looked up at the rain, heaving in rage.

Part of her deep down thought it would be okay to cry and just blame it on the rain.

But she couldn't. She wasn't allowed to. She had to be strong. Sonata and Adagio were counting on her to be strong. It was her responsibility to carry the team now so she just had to be strong. For them.

But damn did she not want to right there and then.

With an angry motion, she ripped open the door.

"Scoot."

Sonata obediently hopped back over to her seat, watching Aria with curious, concerned eyes. Aria took the smouldering cigarette laying in the ash tray and took a slow drag, leaning back in her seat. There they were, on the side of the highway, practically miles away from anything. Neither one them had a working phone, they were either broken, dead or just discarded. Aria took a long survey of the supplies they had with them. Enough cash to get them through the next six months if they weren't lenient. About three days worth of food and some spare clothes and Adagio. Along with their band equipment which was still unbelievably in good condition. They weren't really all that bad off but a working fucking car would be cool too.

Aria sighed, slamming her head against the wheel. It wasn't like they out here for nothing. She had spent months calling and calling different places that would set them up with a gig. If Sonata wanted to be a rock band, what did they have to lose? You know, besides most of their savings on the gear they needed. Finally, finally she found a place that would let them play but it was practically across the fucking country.

So here she was. Broken down, powerless with cancer quickly building in her lungs and she was pretty sure that one of those human women cycles that she was forced to go through was fast approaching.

Life was good.

"Do...do you..."

She supposed maybe they could hitch a ride. Maybe she could utilize Sonata's adorableness. There was no way Adagio was going to do that sexy thing she does or used to do, rather.

"Do you feel that..?"

No, there was no way she was going to use Sonata. Last thing she wanted was to have some grease-stained trucker try and have his way with her. She needed her fingers intact to play guitar...will, maybe a right hook would work. It was only her left she needed to take care of nowadays.

"I can...it's close..."

Aria perked up at that, was that Adagio?

She looked back behind the seat only to see her big sister reaching for the slide door and pulling it open, letting the rain in.

"Dagi'?" Sonata asked, confused. Aria was just even more baffled. Not once had she ever seen Adagio move quite on her accord like that since.

Oh wait, she was running away.

Off to the side of the road was a treeline as far as the eye could see. A thick forest barely kept at bay by the asphalt pavement.

And Adagio was damn near sprinting into that dark wood.

"Adagio!"

Without wasting any time, Aria kicked open the door, swinging it wide open as she took off after her sister. She looked back at Sonata just as the cute little airhead jumped out of the van herself and followed suit. They ran after Adagio as she weaved through the trees and vines. Aria was shocked, never had she ever seen her move quite like this in all her life. If it wasn't for the sheer brightness and volume of her hair, Aria was sure they'd lose her.

"What's wrong with her?!" Sonata shouted.

Aria glared ahead of her, running as fast as she could. "I don't know!"

"Could she be-AH!"

Aria skidded to a halt, turning back to see Sonata laying on her back, wincing as she held her head in pain.

"Sonata!"

She sat up, rubbing her forehead. Aria spotted a bit of blood falling from behind her hand. Above the cyan girl was a low-hanging branch. She must have hit it. There was slight glare in her eyes before she stood up and started running again.

"I'm fine! We have to get 'Dagi!"

Aria couldn't help but just smile. Sonata was tougher than she looked.

After what felt like hours of running through the woods, they finally caught up to Adagio. As she bent down to catch her breath, exhausted, Aria looked up at her big sister. She was standing stock still in front of some cave entrance. The mouth was enclosed slightly by large boulders but there was a gap between them that allowed passage. Aria couldn't see Adagio's face, all she saw was the poofy orange hair that hung from her head. She could swear that it had regained some colour.

Aria noticed that the rain had finally stopped.

"Dagi'...where...are we?" Sonata panted, looking over at her oldest sister with a slight flare of anger mixed in with her concern.

Wait...something was strange about this place..

"Can't you feel it?" Adagio asked them, slowly she turned to face them. Aria recoiled slightly. There was a manic, teary grin spread out across the once borderline catatonic girl.

"Feel what...?" Aria asked, cautiously taking a step towards Sonata, never looking away from Adagio.

"It's...it's...calling to us..."

Adagio slowly walked to the mouth of the cave, sliding her body between the two boulders and disappearing inside. Aria and Sonata looked at eachother with worry before they each gave a silent nod. Aria didn't care that Sonata had taken her hand as they approached and entered the cave. Part of her needed it too. For all they knew, their big sister had finally snapped.

She was scared but she had to be strong. If Adagio really has gone insane, well...they're in a cave in the middle of nowhere...

Aria gulped, squeezing tighter on Sonata's hand.

"Aria..."

She looked down at her baby sister, her eyes were wide and her mouth agape in awe as she looked around the walls of the cave. Confused, Aria looked more closely, finding the luminescent stones embedded in the ceiling and walls. There was something...familiar in the air. Something invisible but she swore she could almost taste it.

And it tasted so good.

That's when it hit her. She looked back down at Sonata, wide eyed as the cyan girl stared back up, absolutely speechless.

"I knew it!"

They both looked up, finding Adagio standing in front of something. Something glowing. Such a familiar light. All they could was her unkempt fluffy hair as she rummaged around in something. Aria could hear her giggling. Snickering lowly like she used to. Just what was this place? What had Adagio found?

Sonata and Aria walked up alongside her and now saw what she saw. On a naturally formed podium sat seven tiny geodes. The was no doubt about it now, that was Equestrian magic. Not even an arm's length away sat the very thing that they craved more than anything and was also their downfall.

The gems' blinding light danced in Aria's eyes as she stared down at them. She was stuck. Just what was she meant to do?

She watched Adagio take two of them, leaving only five sitting together.

They were so beautiful. She may have just been a human now but you never forget the feeling of being so close to tangible Equestrian magic. She had almost...almost forgotten what it tasted like. It was delicious. It stirred something primal in her, brought her back to the days when she was still a demon of the sea in Equestria.

She barely noticed Sonata reaching down to take another two geodes away, leaving only three. Three for her to take.

Aria's hand hovered over the glowing gems. It was as if they were pulling her towards them, begging to be taken. Slowly, she curled her fingers around them. They were so warm, almost feeling like electricity was softly arcing furiously but softly in her palm.

She looked over at Adagio and Sonata, both of whom were smiling brightly at her. Sonata started giggling childishly like she used to. Adagio developed that trademark cocky grin of hers, a look Aria hadn't seen in ages. There was something in their eyes. Something that stirred a wide grin to spread on her face. It was like for the first time in forever, their lust for power had been sated.

Aria toothy grinned widened still as she watched their eyes slowly be enveloped by a lovely, glowing red. Their respective geodes flew out of their grip, forming into necklaces that coiled around their necks much like their old pendants did. Soon, their bodies were hoisted off the ground, a blinding light taken over them.

It felt so good. It felt so familiar.

"I feel..." Sonata grinned manically.

"Yes..." Adagio said huskily.

It came to each of them as naturally as breathing.

"Ahhh ahhh~ Ahhh ahhhhh~"

It was different this time. Their singing was more haunting, louder and...madder.

Aria loved it.

The glow filled her to the core. She felt her clothes give way as the magic weaved her new garments that would trult bring out who she was. All at once, they lit up the cave and sang.

Aria felt like a new born Siren.

"Ahhh~ AAHHHHHH~ HAHAHAHHAAHA!!"

The light gave way. Each of them lowered to the ground, adorned in their new attire. Adagio sported a spiked heels and a provacative red dress. The hem coming down just below her knee as the tribal accents adorning it glowed a fiery orange. She gave her shining hair a thorough shake, smiling sinisterly. Sonata's hair now swung around braided around her figure, the magic had conjured a dark purple duster coat to wrap around her striped crop-top and red skirt. Aria felt her head, the left side of her hair had been buzzed off, leaving only the right side to hand freely over her shoulder, the green stripes flooding with ebony. A black, spiked leather jacket hugged her arms tight. Her jeans had been repaired and now tightened around her legs.

Aria, Adagio and Sonata and all shared a maniacal grin as their fingers came to their necks, finding their new found pendants.

Just like that, there was the hunger. The hunger for more power.

And revenge.

With these, they could have it. No slip-ups. No mistakes this time. They got their voices back.

This whole would adore them.

And Sunset Shimmer and her pathetic friends would pay. Dearly.

"Shall we, girls?" Adagio smiled slyly, red flashing her eyes as she walked towards the mouth of the cave. Sonata following suit, chuckling.

Aria grinned. She wasn't scared anymore.

She lifted her hand, a cigarette magically conjuring between her fingers. A small purple flame sprouted from her thumb. Bringing it up to the bud, she lit it and took a long drag.

She will never be scared again.

Author's Note:

It is implied that Adagio has a greater affinity for detecting magic.

Comments

[Eyeswirl the Weirded]

It is implied that Adagio has a greater affinity for detecting magic.

I was going to say that it's a good thing she still had her knack for feeling disturbances in the force!

I'm not sure the geodes would work like this, but if they did it for the Rainbooms, who were 'always meant to have' these magical rocks that just so happened to be in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the day they showed up, maybe something there's similar at play for these three. Or maybe it's less about magical 'destiny' or whatever, more that the things would merge with anyone, reforming accordingly when in contact with a pre-existing magic of any kind. The rocks could just as well grow back before Gloriosa finds/starts using them, if an entire crystal palace can pop up in about twelve seconds.

It was nice seeing the trio get their groove back, and even the magical girl moment was kept tastefully short. Nicely done!

[NaiadSagaIotaOar]

She lifted her hand, a cigarette magically conjuring between her fingers. A small purple flame sprouted from her thumb. Bringing it up to the bud, she lit it and took a long drag.

I don't know why, but this sentence and the accompanying image amused me to no end.

And I do like the idea of Adagio being better at sensing magic than the other two. I've always liked to think that they have subtly different capabilities, so that was a nice little detail. Aria not being a tsundere was nice too. What I also really liked, though, was that Adagio, even in her near-catatonic state, was thoughtful enough to only take two geodes and leave the rest for her sisters. It's a small thing, but that really stood out to me.

Just like Eyeswirl, I question whether the geodes would work that way, mostly since Gloriosa needed all seven to really do much. But if the Dazzlings still have a little residual magic in them, that probably explains it.

And darn it, I want to see more of this. If this were like, a prologue to a fifth movie or something, I would be banging my head against a wall waiting for it to come out.

[Lord Nopony]

This is so AWESOME!!! The Dazzlings are back in action baby! I wonder what shall happen now that they have the geode necklaces??? Especially when they once more confront the Humane 6?

All I know is this: magic will be tossed around like silly!!! Ha ha ha!

P.S. You think there are more geodes like the Sirens'? Because if you remember, Gloriosa needs them to cause chaos; similar how the Humane 6 need it for harmony. Just what do you have planned???

[MrAskAPirate]

A few hours later...

"... and then I said 'answer that without sounding like a total jerk!'" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, prompting her friends to burst into fits of laughter.

"Oh goodness!" Rarity laughed behind her hand. "I can't believe you actually let things go that far, Rainbow!"

"Are you kiddin'?" Applejack chimed in. "If'n it'd been me I'd've let him keep goin' until he figured it out on his own. Can ya imagine his face?"

The Rainbooms, along with CHS' newest transfer student, Twilight Sparkle, were enjoying another evening of relaxation and tasty treats at Sugercube Corner. As their laughter started to die down, the smile faded from Sunset Shimmer's face. Something tickled at the back of her mind; a tingling itch that she couldn't quite place.

"Sunset?" Fluttershy's sweet voice floated across the table. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure," she answered slowly, her head swiveling to glance around the bakery as a soft, distant sound found its way to her ears. "Do any of you hear that?"

"Hear what, darling?"

Sunset’s eyes widened in realization. She opened her mouth to reply as the front doors literally exploded inwards, showering them with shards of glass. She instinctively lifted her arms up to shield her face, but the force of the explosion still sent her tumbling from her seat. She landed hard on her back, breath knocked from her lungs. Fluttershy and Rarity screamed, though she barely heard them over the ringing in her ears.

She shook her head and slowly rose to her knees, trying to clear the sudden haze that had overcome her senses, and saw that her friends seemed none the worse for wear, albeit quite shaken. Applejack was asking a wide-eyed Rarity if she was okay while Rainbow did the same of a trembling Fluttershy and frowning Pinkie Pie. Sunset realized that Twilight, like her, had been pushed right out of her chair. She offered her hand to the dazed girl, pulling her up to a sitting position.

“Are you okay?” She received only a blank stare in response. “Twilight? Twilight!”

“Uh… y-yeah,” Twilight finally stammered, brushing a strand of hair that had fallen loose from her face. “M-my glasses…”

Sunset looked down, spotting the black frames among the fragments of glass easily.

“Here,” she slipped the glasses onto Twilight’s face, noting with some concern that a deep crack now ran through one of the lenses.

“What the heck was that?!” Rainbow voiced the question they were all wondering.

“Not what,” Sunset said ominously as she stood, turning to face the shattered front entrance of Sugarcube Corner with a grim scowl etched on her features. “Who.”

The Rainbooms let out a collective gasp as the Dazzlings, wreathed in the telltale glow of Equestrian magic, floated into sight. The trio glared down upon them, predators stalking their prey with blood-red eyes. The one in the center, with the voluminous orange hair, grew a wicked smile.

“Round two, bitches!”

s6.postimg.org/5pzpmopep/Pirate_Approved2.jpg

[cerealkiller78]

7599327 Can you PLEEEEEAAAAASE write the next chapter of this story??? I SOOO wanna see where that goes!

[Starlight Nova]

Will you be making a sequel?

[Lupus]

Someone who can art, please art their new look!

[Kickback]

7599281
Wouldn't it be crazy if the fifth movie did the same thing as the ending of Teen Titans?
Where every villain comes back for one final round

[NaiadSagaIotaOar]

7603821 I have no idea what that first sentence means, but the second one sounds amazing. Astronomically unlikely since Sunset was technically a villain that one time, but still a cool idea, provided the Dazzlings get to be all sexy and fantastic again.

[jaroslav]

7599327
Why would they risk again their newly found power? That would be stupid.

[PresentPerfect]

Doesn't actually feel finished, but this isn't bad for what it is.

[forbloodysummer]

7599327 Huh. If I'd read this story and comment five weeks ago, I wouldn't have needed to write my own along those lines. There's a night of my life I'd like back?

[King of Madness]

The only downside is this is all there is to the story. We wish for more!

[Pete100]

So anyone can get magic from the geodes?