Adagio stepped out of the rain and into a familiar diner.
The downpour had begun mere minutes after she had left Twilight’s house and showed no signs of letting up any time soon. She wasn’t surprised—no, if anything she’d have been surprised if it didn’t rain, given the situation. Things had happened as they were always going to: the villain had betrayed the hero, and the tragedy of Twilight Sparkle was nearing its conclusion. All she had to do now was take a bow and wait for the curtains to close. She’d won, after all…
Hadn’t she?
No, not yet. Her hands still trembled beneath her hoodie (though whether it was from the cold or the apprehension she couldn’t tell), tightly grasping her prize. A waitress took a dismayed look at the puddles Adagio was leaving in her wake, but the Siren paid her no mind. She shuffled over to a booth and slid inside, ignoring the unpleasant sensation of sitting in wet jeans as she withdrew the amulet from beneath her shirt and placed it on the table before her.
Miraculously, the device had managed to remain relatively dry—a sacrifice she had paid for dearly—but as she looked down on it droplets of water dripped from her nose and hair down onto its polished surface.
Adagio cursed, wiping her hands on the the fabric of her seat before grabbing a handful of napkins from the dispenser to dry her face. There was too much water for it to have any real impact, but one small mountain of soggy, discarded napkins later, and at least she wasn’t dripping anymore.
“Can I get you a menu?”
The waitress had returned, and was tapping a small clipboard with the end of a pen while eyeing the growing stain beneath Adagio as the moisture from her jeans leached into the seat beneath her.
“No.”
“Coffee?”
“No.”
The waitress sighed and put a hand on her hip. “Look, honey, I don’t want to turn you back out into the rain, but if you don’t order anything the boss is going to make me.”
“Fine,” hissed Adagio, “coffee.”
The waitress nodded and sauntered over to the counter.
“Hey, Dark Roast, one black coffee!”
A man’s voice responded. “One black coffee, coming right up!”
Adagio turned her attention back to the device before her. Carefully she opened the clasp and, mimicking what she’d seen Twilight do just hours before, wedged her nail into a groove. It was harder than Twilight had made it look, and for a moment Adagio was afraid she was going to break the thing (perhaps, if there was any justice in the world, she would have), but in the end she managed to pry it open.
Inside was the gemstone… or what remained of it, anyway. The shard had been drained of its magic and its lustre, and what was left was nothing more than a withered shell—an empty facsimile of what once was.
Adagio could relate.
Slowly, and without daring even to breathe, Adagio reached inside and took hold of the shard. She’d barely managed to get it out when it crumbled into ash, blackening the tips of her fingers and spilling between them onto the table below. It seemed that Twilight Sparkle’s amulet was all that had been holding it together.
Adagio shook her head. There was still work to be done. She reached behind her, fumbling with the clasp of her necklace for a moment before finally managing to remove it. She held it out before her, watching as the flourescent light of the diner danced and twinkled within the little red gem. She remembered thinking that this piece of the gem was flawed and dull, but if that had indeed been the case there was no evidence of it now.
But that wasn’t the only memory she had of the necklace. The chain had been given to her by Sugarcoat, and while at the time Adagio hadn’t understood why she had done such a thing, now the answer seemed incredibly obvious.
In her own way, Sugarcoat had wanted to be her friend.
She scowled. If tonight had taught anyone anything, it was that being friends with Adagio Dazzle was a grave mistake. She took the chain in one hand and the gem in the other and pulled. The shard came free with an audible snap.
The next step was deceptively complex. She had to maneuver the gem into place and reconnect the electrodes, making sure not to miss any or risk catastrophe. For all she knew, one out-of-place wire could fry the whole device, rendering all the work Adagio had put in, everything she’d sacrificed (and everyone) completely worthless. It didn’t help that while Twilight Sparkle had almost assuredly assembled the device with cutting edge equipment, Adagio was forced to perform the operation with her fingernails and a set of cheap diner cutlery.
But somehow, against all odds, she did it.
She must have examined the device for ten minutes ensuring that nothing was out of place. In that time the waitress had returned with her coffee, and though she’d given the device a curious look she hadn’t asked any questions before returning to the counter, whistling as she wiped it down with a rag. Eventually, Adagio decided that if there was anything wrong with the circuitry now she was either too blind, stupid, or tired to see it, and closed the little compartment, before snapping the amulet itself shut. She then stared at the amulet and, for ten agonizing seconds, nothing happened.
And then: light.
Adagio couldn’t believe it. It hadn’t exploded or electrocuted her, it had just… worked. A wicked smile tugged at her lips and she couldn’t help but gaze at it in awe and disbelief for what could have been hours. The device had worked, and now there was only one thing left to do.
She picked the chain up off the table and laced it through the loop at the top of the amulet. It felt somehow wrong to use the chain Sugarcoat had gifted her in this way, but it was somehow fitting: another piece of a fractured friendship bound up into the instrument of Adagio’s triumph. Not that it mattered, anyway, the chain (like the friendship that had bore it) was but a temporary measure, dainty, weak, and prime to be replaced once something better came along.
Adagio frowned, forcing the unpleasant thoughts from her mind as she prepared for the final test. She picked the amulet up by the chain and placed it around her neck. It was heavy—much heavier than her pendant, which had practically weighed nothing—and seemed to thrum with power and hunger, the same hunger that had haunted Adagio long before she’d ever stepped foot into this cursed world. Yes, this was her magic alright, and all that was left was to see if she could still wield it.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to sing.
“Ahh, ah-ah ahh...”
The notes flowed with practiced ease from her lips. She could feel the ravenous magic surround and envelope her, before extending outwards like tendrils, probing blindly in search of unsuspecting prey.
Across the diner, Adagio heard the waitress cry out.
“Gosh darn it, Roast, you left the burner on again!”
“Excuse me? After all the times I’ve wiped down the counter after you forgot?! Why I—”
The bickering was drowned out by a flood of ecstasy. The amulet acted like a valve, funneling the magic from the outside in. She could feel her toes curling and her back arching—oh, how she had missed this!—and she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to laugh, cry, or simply bask in her victory.
The flood began to slow into a trickle. For a second Adagio felt like an addict, desperate to get another fix, but she forced herself to calm down. There was only so much magic to be had in this world, she recalled, and while it seemed that more and more was finding its way here from Equestria, it was still a resource too valuable to be squandered. That meant staying away from her enemies (Twilight now counting amongst them) until she was confident enough that she could defeat them, and that meant moving quickly. She’d return to Crystal Prep, gather Sonata and Aria (who, upon seeing that Adagio’s plan had come to fruition, would finally fall in line) and, together once more, the three Sirens would leave Canterlot and…
And what?
Adagio shook her head again. It didn’t matter—she had the amulet, she had the magic, and everything else was just details. With the power she now wielded there was nothing that could stand in her way.
She stood up, not bothering to pay for the untouched coffee she left behind. Dark Roast and the waitress were too caught up in their bickering to notice her leave, and for the second time in her life, Adagio Dazzle walked out of that Canterlot diner with visions of glory dancing in her head.
It was almost enough to make her forget about the rain.
It may have been morning when Adagio returned to Crystal Prep Academy for what would (hopefully) be the final time, but the endless sea of dark clouds that loomed on the horizon kept any light from reaching the accursed campus.
Her first stop was the dormitories. Though she had no interest in running into Sugarcoat or anyone else who might be lurking in the halls at this hour, the waterlogged state of her clothes made the risk an unpleasant necessity. But fortune smiled once again on Adagio, and the door to the building was unlocked and, when she returned to her room, Sugarcoat was nowhere to be found.
Adagio let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, and felt silly for doing so. Sugarcoat posed no threat to her—even if the girl had noticed the amulet while Adagio got changed she could merely charm her (magically, of course) into believing whatever Adagio wished. This thought brought with it a feeling of uneasiness in the pit of Adagio’s stomach, similar to how she’d felt when she’d imagined Twilight as a thrall to her power, and she quickly dismissed it. These feelings were remnants of her former self, weak and powerless—a self she had left behind the moment she had stolen the amulet.
With her casual clothes not an option, Adagio had no other choice than to change into one of her Crystal Prep uniforms. The irony that her ultimate betrayal of Abacus Cinch and reneging on their deal while dressed in the very outfit that Cinch had used to try to strip away her identity was almost enough to bring a smile to the Siren’s face. She dumped out the contents of her backpack, allowing Twilight’s notes and books leftover from their study sessions to spill out onto the floor before stuffing her soggy clothes (her only other possessions that she cared even a little for) into the bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
As she turned to leave the dorm room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Dark bags hung under her eyes just as the heavy amulet hung from her neck. The amulet seemed to have taken on an ominous (and familiar) red glow that hadn’t been there previously, though whether this was some indication that there was magic stored within it, or some interaction with her own Siren physiology (if such a thing existed in this world) she didn’t know. Whatever the case, the combination of the glowing and her own dark features cast her in a sinister light befitting the villainy that had brought her, and that which was still to come.
She had the sudden urge to break the mirror. Without thinking she picked a textbook up off the floor and hurled it at the offending object. Shards of glass exploded outward and Adagio instinctively held her arms up to shield her face. After a moment she lowered them and surveilled the results of her outburst: cracks spiraled out from where the book had impacted the mirror, segmenting it into long slivers that each reflected a pair of angry, distorted eyes back at her. Below it, covered in hundreds of razor sharp glass shards, sat the book, opened to a page sporting one of Twilight’s numerous annotations.
‘This is really important,’ read the note, ‘don’t forget it!’
Anger boiled up within Adagio’s chest and she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Across the hallway was the room belonging to Aria and Sonata, and while it would be easy to simply knock on their door and enlist them right now, Adagio felt herself hesitate. Knocking at their door, allowing them to watch her through their little peephole and consider whether or not they wanted to speak with her… no, it felt too much like groveling. Adagio Dazzle did not grovel, and her victory would be on her terms.
She took one last look back at her own room, and saw something that she’d been too preoccupied to notice on her way in: that someone had, once again, vandalized their whiteboard.
‘TRAITOR,’ it said, scrawled crudely in thick, black letters.
She didn’t bother to erase it.
The door to Twilight Sparkle’s lab creaked open, the light from the hall casting a narrow beam onto the dusty equipment within. Adagio reached into the darkness and flipped the switch, filling the room with the steady hum of fluorescent bulbs as she stepped inside.
Yes, it had to be here. The very place that Twilight had created the amulet would now serve as the spot where Adagio would use it to get back everything that had been taken from her—yet another one of destiny’s little jokes. She crossed the room, dropping down into her usual chair which greeted her with a familiar squeak. The motion must have bumped the desk, as the computer monitor flickered to life and, before she could move to stop it, Adagio found herself face-to-face with the static image of Spike.
She stared at it for a moment, her eyes drawn to the little box prompting her for a password. She was tempted to see if she could guess her way into the system but, knowing Twilight, the password was probably some incomprehensible string of characters or some impossibly long chemical compound that Adagio had never heard of. But even if she did get in, what then? It wouldn’t matter if the computer had schematics for the amulet since she already had it, and hadn’t Adagio hurt Twilight enough already without access to whatever secrets she had locked away in there?
Adagio scowled and pressed a finger to the monitor’s power button, turning it off. All this thinking was distracting her from her victory. She spun her chair around to face away from the desk and pulled her phone from her backpack. It was a bit damp but, after wiping the screen on her skirt, Adagio was glad to see that it still worked.
The first thing she noticed was the multitude of texts from Twilight. Adagio swiped past them, forcing herself not to read any as she pulled up her contact list and tapped on Sonata’s name. There, too, were a legion of unread messages, though containing much less punctuation and a liberal use of emojis, which Adagio ignored as she composed a text of her own.
‘I’m in the lab and I have our magic.’
She thought for a moment.
‘Bring Aria.’
Satisfied, she hit ‘send’ and stuffed the phone back into her bag. Now it was up to them to come crawling back to her, and all she had to do was wait.
And so she did.
A sudden banging on the door made Adagio start. She snapped to attention, blinking her bleary eyes to focus them and forcing herself to stand. She hadn’t fallen asleep—not quite, anyway—but if the idiots had taken any longer she certainly might have.
She took a second to compose herself. Yes, she was tired, hungry, and felt like she’d been hit by an emotional bulldozer, but there was still one last hurdle she had to cross before she reached the finish line.
She took a deep breath, put her hand on the doorknob and opened the door, ready to assert her dominance once and for all.
“You did it.”
Sonata spoke in barely more than a whisper. She stood in the doorway, staring not at Adagio but at the amulet that hung around her neck, its red glow reflecting in her eyes.
“You did it, you did it, you did it!”
Each word that left her mouth was louder than the last, and by the end Sonata was practically screaming with excitement. She surged forward and Adagio stepped quickly out of the way, unsure whether the girl planned to hug her or make a grab for the amulet.
“I could feel it in the hallway. I knew you’d do it, ‘Dagi, Aria didn’t think you could do it, but I told her, ‘Dagi, I told her you—”
Adagio tuned out Sonata’s excitement, looking instead to the empty hallway behind her.
“Where’s Aria?” she snapped. “I told you to bring her.”
That shut Sonata up. She adopted a nervous expression and turned away, though not so much as to take her eyes off the amulet.
“She didn’t want to come,” said Sonata.
“What?”
Sonata winced at Adagio’s harsh tone. “I told her what you said, that you had our magic back, but…” Sonata’s brow furrowed, and she finally managed to tear her eyes from the amulet to give Adagio a look of confusion and the beginnings of panic. “She said she didn’t care and told me to come alone. It doesn’t make any sense, ‘Dagi, how can she not care? It’s our magic, it’s…it’s—”
“Where is she?” hissed Adagio.
“She’s in the gym. I told her she could play basketball whenever she wanted and that this was, like, super important but—where are you going?”
Adagio had stepped past Sonata on her way to the hall. “I’m going to talk to her.”
The color drained from Sonata’s face and she leapt to put herself between Adagio and the door.
“Wait!” she cried. “I, uh, don’t think that’s a good idea right now. She’s still really mad about the Rainboom-bed thing—even though I told her that it had to be part of ‘the plan’—but maybe if we waited a couple days for her to cool down—”
“A couple days? Sonata, we’re not waiting for anything. We’re leaving.”
“Leaving?” Sonata’s panic was now in full effect. “But what about Aria? What about getting revenge on the Rainbooms with Principal Cinch?”
Adagio scoffed. “Cinch? You didn’t really believe any of that, did you?”
Sonata gave her an uncertain nod.
“We were using her, Sonata!” shouted Adagio, her patience having finally reached its limit. “We were using her just like I used Twilight Sparkle!”
“Who?”
“The Rainboom!” Adagio tried to move around Sonata, only for the other girl to block her.
“Wait!”
Adagio focused all of the loathing and fury she was feeling into a baleful glare. “Get out of my way, Sonata.”
“Just listen for a second, please! Aria doesn’t want to talk to you, but maybe if I bring her the amulet, let her feel the magic…” Sonata reached hand tentatively towards the amulet, only to have it viciously slapped away by Adagio. She flinched back, clutching her hand to her chest and looking pleadingly at Adagio.
“’Dagi—”
“I will talk to Aria,” snarled Adagio. She’d had enough of this nonsense. There was no chance that she would send Sonata to grovel for Aria’s return, and even less than no chance that she’d allow her to lay so much as a finger on the amulet. This was her moment, and she would be the one grasp it.
“But what if she won’t talk to you?”
“Then we leave her behind.”
Sonata’s eyes went wide, and the first of the tears that had been threatening to fall since the slap began running down her cheek.
“But we can’t—”
“We can and we will,” said Adagio coldly. She shoved past Sonata and, without looking back, stepped into the hallway.
“Wait here,” she said, “we’re leaving when I get back—with or without Aria.”
“Please, ‘Dagi!” begged Sonata, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to do this!”
Adagio let the door slam closed behind her.
The halls were empty as Adagio stormed towards the gym. It wasn’t surprising, despite everything that had happened it was still the weekend after exams, so everyone (teachers included) were probably staying as far away from school as they could manage.
Except for Aria, anyway, and Adagio and Sonata… Cinch was probably around, too—Adagio had her doubts whether she ever left the school—but failed to show her wrinkled face before Adagio reached the gym. A pity, really, she wouldn’t have minded tearing a strip off of her before she got to the main course.
Adagio threw open the door. There was Aria, shooting free throws on the other side of the gymnasium, dressed in the same stupid jersey she’d worn at the basketball game Sonata had dragged Adagio to two long weeks ago. She stopped mid-shot, tucking the ball under her arm and turning to face Adagio.
She didn’t look surprised, nor did she make any effort to approach. Normally, the insolence of making Adagio go to her would have made Adagio’s blood boil, but this was different. Adagio closed the distance between them with a slow, confident stride, each step accompanied by a sway of her hips and the echo of her flats connecting with the wooden floor. The amulet hung tantalizingly from her neck, swinging ever so slightly in a manner that must have been simply hypnotic to watch. Aria may have made Adagio come to her, but rather than a walk of shame, Adagio had turned it into a victory parade.
For her part, Aria did better than Sonata—managing to cast only the occasional glance at the amulet while otherwise keeping her eyes firmly planted on Adagio. If Sonata had felt the magic from through door and into the hallway then there was no question of whether Aria could feel it now, and knowing that she had just turned down the chance to to have that power for herself…
Adagio allowed herself a cruel smile. It must have been unbearable.
She came to a stop a few feet away from Aria, and several seconds passed as the two Sirens stared at one another, daring the other to make the first move. Aria broke first.
“So,” she said, her voice not betraying any hint of emotion, “looks like your plan worked.”
“Yes,” said Adagio, “it did.”
They lapsed into silence once again. Adagio was a little disappointed, there had been none of the crying or apologizing she had hoped for, but then again Aria did always like to make things difficult. She waited a little longer, but when it became increasingly obvious that Aria had no intention of moving the conversation towards its inevitable conclusion, Adagio decided to move things along herself.
“Do you know why I’m here?”
Aria nodded. “I think I have an idea.”
“Then I’ll cut to the chase. After much thought, and despite the little temper tantrum you threw last week, I’ve decided to be the bigger Siren and forgive you.”
“You forgive me,” Aria parroted back to her.
“That’s right,” said Adagio.
“You forgive me.”
“Yes, and believe me it wasn’t easy. See, Aria, you might be an arrogant, entitled brat who doesn’t think about anyone but themselves, but for some reason Sonata likes you. And, since I’m going to take her with me now that I’ve retrieved our magic, having you around to make her slightly less intolerable seemed like a prudent choice.”
Aria didn’t respond.
Adagio bristled. “You need me to spell this out for you? Fine. Aria, I am making you a once in a lifetime offer—to conveniently forget all your scheming and treachery, and to give you the opportunity to let things go back to the way they used to be: the three of us, together, with our magic.”
She held out her hand.
“What do you say?”
Aria looked at her hand, then at the amulet, then into Adagio’s eyes.
“No,” she said.
Adagio’s arm dropped limply to her side. “What?”
“No,” repeated Aria.
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
Aria sighed. “Are you going to make me say it again?”
Adagio couldn’t believe her ears. This was not how things were supposed to happen! She was supposed to get her magic back, get Sonata and Aria, then leave. That was the plan. There was not, and had not been, any room in those calculations for this.
“You’ve lost your mind,” said Adagio. “This is magic, Aria, our magic. Remember? After everything we’ve been through in this wretched world, how can you say ‘no’ to that?”
“I’m not saying ‘no’ to our magic, Adagio, I’m saying ‘no’ to you.”
Adagio sputtered. “So... what? You’re just going to throw away your future because you’re still angry over a stupid photo?”
“Future?” scoffed Aria. “What future? One where I get to go back to being your lackey? You didn’t even make amulets for Sonata and I, did you? What, were you planning to keep all the magic for yourself, siphoning off just enough to keep the two of us in line?”
Adagio barred her teeth. Aria continued.
“I meant what I said, Adagio: I’m done with you. Sonata might not realize what a horrible, toxic person you are, but she will. I mean look at you!” She made a sweeping gesture at Adagio. “Sunken eyes, unkempt hair… what happened to you?”
“I won,” spat Adagio.
“Did you?” asked Aria. “Well, congratulations, here’s your prize: a lifetime supply of loneliness.”
“I already got my prize,” said Adagio, clutching the amulet in her hand and holding it out towards Aria.
“Magic,” said Aria. “Right. Tell me, does it fill that frigid hole where your heart should be?”
Adagio’s hands balled into fists. She could her blood pumping in her ears, and feel the thrum of magic from the amulet, compounding her anger with every pulse.
“I never liked you, Adagio, but there was a time that I trusted you. But after last week… well, I thought I hated you, but seeing you now I realize that there’s nothing there to hate. You’re just an empty shell that sucks the life out of everything it touches, and never again will I make the mistake of thinking that you could ever change.”
Every inch of Adagio’s body was shaking with rage. She wanted to rip into Aria, tell her just how worthless and insignificant she was, but when she couldn’t find the words to express just how truly and deeply she despised Aria, she settled instead on a threat.
“You’ll regret this.”
“No,” said Aria, “I don’t think I will.”
Adagio opened her mouth to respond, but Aria held up a hand to cut her off. “Just go, Adagio. I have nothing left to say to you.”
With that, Aria turned her back on Adagio and began lining up a shot. Adagio watched her, wanting desperately to say something—anything—but couldn’t. Words had failed her… in more ways than one.
She turned on her heel and made for the exit. She didn’t run (though running was exactly what she wanted to do right now) but instead forced herself to keep an even pace. As she stepped the toward door she heard the whooshing sound of a basketball sailing through the air and into the net.
Adagio slammed the door shut behind her and, blinded as she was by her fury, nearly missed the three figures that awaited her in the hall.
Flanking her on either side of the doorway were Nurse Tough Love and her gym teacher, and standing in the center of the hallway with her arms tucked neatly behind her back was Principal Abacus Cinch.
“Adagio Dazzle,” she said, “I see you have something that belongs to me.”
“I’m not in the mood, Cinch,” growled Adagio. As fired up as she’d been earlier to take on the principal, now all she wanted to do was go.
“That’s Principal Cinch, Miss Dazzle, though despite your insolence I must say I am pleasantly surprised. I wouldn’t have taken you in if I didn’t believe there was some possibility of you succeeding at your task, but I must say I had my doubts. But here you are, and there it is.” She narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Now, hand it over.”
“Not a chance,” said Adagio. Cinch sighed.
“A pity,” she said. “I am a woman of my word, Miss Dazzle, and while I would have offered you all the rewards you were promised, I will not suffer this treachery.”
Adagio had heard enough. It was time to show Abacus Cinch exactly how terrible a mistake she had made in allowing a Siren to reacquire her magic. Adagio closed her eyes and opened her mouth, beginning the first few notes of a magically infused melody. It wasn’t much—she might have had some magic, but it was still nothing compared to what she’d had at the height of her power—but it was enough to lull Cinch and her cronies into a stupor for just long enough for Adagio to grab Sonata and get out of there.
Or, at least, it should have been. When Adagio opened her eyes she was not faced with the stupefied principal she’d been expecting, but a fully cognisant Abacus Cinch.
Adagio took a step back. “What is this? What’s going on?” Desperation had found root in her voice, and she placed a hand on the amulet, shielding it from Cinch’s view. She could still feel the magic thrumming within it, within her, so what had gone wrong?
Abacus Cinch nodded to Tough Love, and Adagio felt a meaty hand come down on her shoulder. Tried to pull out of its grip but to no avail—with one hand the burly nurse had effectively pinned her in place.
“You seem to be having trouble understanding what has happened here, Miss Dazzle, so allow me to explain. You have spent your entire time at Crystal Prep Academy underestimating myself and the influence I hold, while I have never once underestimated you.”
She turned her head, and poking out of her ear was the end of what Adagio immediately recognized as being an earplug. She glanced to her left and right, confirming her suspicion that both Tough Love and the gym teacher were similarly equipped. She cursed herself for not having noticed earlier.
“Yes, reading lips is a talent that I’ve found particularly useful in my profession. Picking out the words of students in crowded cafeteria or their whispering during assemblies… though I must say this is a particularly novel use.”
Adagio lurched forward, hoping that the sudden movement would surprise her captor, but earned herself only a jolt of pain.
“There’s no need for that,” chastised Cinch. “You are beaten, Adagio, your little act of treason itself undone by an act of betrayal much closer to home.”
Adagio’s struggling ceased as her eyes fixed on Cinch. ‘Much closer to home’ could only mean—
“She set me up,” breathed Adagio. It all suddenly made sense. It hadn’t just been a power play to have Adagio come all the way to the gym to confront Aria, it had been to lure Adagio into this little ambush! Aria hadn’t begged for Adagio’s forgiveness not because she was strong willed enough to resist the call of their magic, but because she was already planning to steal it all for herself!
“Yes,” said Cinch, “she did, and she will be handsomely rewarded for her loyalty. But if it comes as any consolation, Miss Dazzle, I assure you that the revenge against Canterlot High will go ahead as planned. You have served as a vital component to your vengeance, but have given up the opportunity to see it play out firsthand.”
“Wait!” said Adagio. “Let’s talk about this, we can—”
“I’m afraid the time for talking is over,” said Cinch, and she nodded to the gym teacher who began closing in on Adagio. Adagio swiped at her with her nails, keeping her at bay for a moment until Tough Love readjusted his grip, grabbing her by the arms and pinning them at her side. She felt the teacher’s hands fumbling for the clasp around her neck, and began shaking her head wildly like an animal caught in a trap, but it was no use. The gym teacher finally succeeded in undoing the clasp, removing the amulet from Adagio’s neck.
It was worse than the Battle of the Bands. At least there it had been quick, like ripping off a bandaid her magic had been there one moment and gone the next. But this was different. It was slow, like someone had something within her and began to pull, dragging it out of her inch by inch as her entire body fought to keep it where it belonged. The gym teacher turned and made her way over to Cinch, and with each step the agony grew worse and worse.
“Stop!” shouted Adagio. “Please!”
Cinch accepted the amulet, giving it a quick once-over before tucking it into a pocket and out of Adagio’s sight.
“Now then, I believe our business together has come to an end.” Cinch looked at Tough Love and tapped her ear, indicating for him to remove his earplugs. One of Adagio’s arms was suddenly freed as he let go to perform the deed, prompting Adagio to immediately throw herself at Cinch.
It didn’t work, of course. Tough Love was more than capable of restraining her with one hand, as she’d already experienced, and Abacus Cinch didn’t so much as flinch at the feeble attempt.
“Please escort Miss Dazzle off the premises. Security will meet you at the gate and ensure she does not find her way back inside.”
“You won’t get away with this!” Shouted Adagio as Tough Love began marching her past the principal.
“I already have,” said Cinch, dismissively. Adagio took another swing at her, failing miserably as her attempts became more erratic. Desperation had taken over completely and she began flailing violently, forcing Tough Love to drag her down the hallway. Abacus Cinch gave her one last look before she disappeared around the corner, not of arrogance or smugness, but of boredom. To her, Adagio had not been a nemesis to outplay but an obstacle to overcome on her own quest for vengeance, and now that she’d done it she was simply going through the motions.
Adagio went limp. She stared at the ground, watching tile turn to wet pavement as Tough Love effortlessly moved her out of the school and into the parking lot. Wind and rain buffeted her, the storm having somehow gotten worse since she’d arrived at Crystal Prep, and before long Adagio was deposited unceremoniously on the ground on the side of the road.
She lay there, stunned by the sheer magnitude of what had happened. She’d had it all, and in the blink of an eye it was all gone.
She had nothing.
No one.
Nowhere to go, no plan to fall back on.
Behind her, Adagio heard Crystal Prep’s magnificent gate slam shut.
It was over.
This was one brutal gut-punch after the other. Talk about tragedy, which for some reason is not a tag here.
I can't get mad at Aria.
Everything she called out Adagio for is completely true. Last chapter Adagio had it going great with Twilight, but the second she sees that amulet, she decides to take it and run without even really thinking about what she's gonna do next. Aria is making something of herself at Crystal Prep and Adagio would have ruined that in an instant if she sided with her. Aria's not a traitor, she's just avoiding a really bad idea.
Man, oh man.
Adagio has hit rock bottom at this point.
One her minions has betrayed her, she was played by someone with less magic than her, and she lost Twilight's trust.
This was one hell of a kick in the throat. I can't wait to see how Adagio makes amends.
Fuck you Cinch. Just fuck you. Not Aria though, she's got a point. Adagio had a great thing going, but as soon as that Amulet came along old instincts came back and she came very close to ruining Aria's new life.
Well, that was even more of a let-down than expected. I was hoping she'd at least blast someone or call Aria on her behavior (which now includes selling Adagio down the river, most likely for something Cinch offered her. Honestly, I almost hope they both burn together by the end), but she gears up to start her rampage and it just goes nowhere, ending before it's really started. I wasn't particularly looking forward to this inevitably bleak chapter (as was mentioned it would be some time ago!), but it'd have been nice if she could at least enjoy a little catharsis before losing everything again.
Ohhhhh shit! Cinch with the mean double cross and Aria with a betrayal of her own?! DAYUM! I have a feeling Sonata is gonna have to be the one to go to Twilight and the others though. Damn this was good!
9205634
I am very sorry to have let you down. You’ve been here for the long haul—heck, the conversation referenced here was over a year ago!—so believe me when I say your opinion really matters to me.
That being said, we’re here. This was the moment I was talking about back in May of 2017. I hope that, now that we’ve passed it, you’ll like the next chapter more.
9205716
Oh, don't worry, this chapter was nothing new or out of the left field (as was also mentioned ages ago, Adagio tends to get the short end of the stick ridiculously often, which is why it annoys me as much as it does), just a bit disappointing in the sense that, if we're going for bleak/tragic, I was hoping she'd at least burn the bridges that weren't going to be crossed again anyway by the time the ending rolls around. At the very least, it would be nice if someone had called Aria on her hypocrisy.
I'll still be here for the next one, and hopefully all the rest up until the end.
Go Cinch!
I mean, uh... poor Adagio?
9205456
Silver linings though, once you hit rock bottom there's nowhere to go but up
I'm impressed. After lurking here since 2013, I've finally found a fic that's so damn good I can't help but personally give a compliment to the author.
Seeing as this is my first comment in, oh... 5 years of reading things on here, I feel I aught to make it somewhat special. How does one make something like this special, you ask?
Bullet points.
So, basically. You broke a 5 and a half year long silence by sheer virtue of having me read this latest chapter and say 'how is this going to end up a happy ending now?' Are you happy? Proud of yourself, you monster?
/sI don't know how it's going to get to a happy ending, I don't even know if it is (please don't my heart can't handle it have mercy on this poor soul), but I will be savoring every word from here on until it's complete.
9205360
I suspect this is because it will (hopefully) end happily. I, at least, would like to see reconciliation at the end between Adagio and Twilight, and Adagio and Aria (I can sympathise with both of the sirens here, which is a testament to the how well the author has written them both, as characters and as narrative agents).
However, I would like agree in that this, thus far, has been tragedy of the highest order - not just in terms of quality, but in the manner of that tragedy. There are, generally, two broad categories of tragedy: tragedy of circumstance and tragedy of character. Now these can overlap significantly, but it is telling that some of the greatest tragedies are essentially tragedies of character, e.g. Oedipus Rex, Macbeth, etc.
Nothing, to me at least, is more tragic, pathetic (as in pathos), or dramatic than a character who has, through her own faults, wittingly or unwittingly, caused her own downfall. It's what makes any of Shakespeare's tragic protagonists so compelling - they are imperfect individuals who have pursued their goals with determination - ruthless and single-minded though it may be - to the very end, and discovered that their own faults have transformed the promised fruit of victory into poison. This is what we have here with Adagio, and this is what makes this an incredibly effective story.
From the moment Adagio stepped into Crystal Prep to the events of this chapter, we have watch her narrative, her emotions, her trials and tribulations. We have seen the sum total of her choices and, now, what they have led to. Cinch and her situation may have been the catalyst for her actions, but her choices are entirely her own. She has shown great agency as a character, but she has also shown a severe lack of emotional introspection as an individual. What this translates into is that she actively works for what she wants, but does not actually know what it is she wants. We have seen this throughout the story, and it is only now that it all comes tumbling down.
Dramatically, the lowest point for a character is also the highest point for the audience. We, the readers, have thus reached a narrative peak by staring down at the proverbial wasteland of a character’s hopes and dreams and desires. Nothing beside remains.
It is at this point of the narrative that a proud character like Adagio - if she were to remain by herself - is left with one of two choices: to wither in despair into nothingness (like King Lear), or to end herself through more abrupt means (like Brutus and Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar). Having been ruined by her own faults, she forfeits her own narrative agency. The only light that may be at the end of the tunnel must therefore come from external forces - and even that is unlikely given her own betrayals of trust in the last few chapters.
Having followed this narrative from its premise down its very compelling path, we are, as readers, entirely at the hands of the author at this point. This has been a phenomenal character-driven story thus far, and I for one am looking forward to seeing more.
9206051
I read this comment this morning, but I felt it deserved a better response than what I could manage with bleary eyes and before I'd even eaten breakfast. And now that I'm here...
Dang.
I am not eloquent enough to express how much this comment means to me. Seriously, I've been staring at this little textbox for longer than I'm willing to admit trying to figure out the right words, but since I have been unable to find them, these will have to do.
Thank you so, so much. I can't begin to explain how cool it is that you broke a silence longer than I've been on this site to comment on this story, and what a great comment! It has absolutely made my day to read such nice things about something I wrote, and I'm sorry that this lame response can't fully capture how I feel.
Again, thank you!
9206833
Well, one external force would be Sci-Twilight finding her in the street, an Adagio tearfully confessing she had been under Cinch's thumb.
Sci-Twilight, also have been driven to doing something horrible by being under Cinch's thumb, would most likely forgive Adagio.
Yeah, this feels kinda unneccessary. Adagio moving against Twilight was already bad, and now Cinch out of the blue just kicks her down just like that. The whole "things are going to look up" is arguably true, since I can't really imagine a way for the situation to get much worse within the confines of the tone set so far. But considering that Adagio betrayed Twilight, , I am not sure if she even deserves redemption on that front. If the amulet had just exploded when Adagio tried to use it on Cinch, and killed everyone in that hallway, that might have been an improvement to the situation. (Except for Sonata, but she doesn't really do much in the story either.
I am surprised Adagio remembers Sugarcoat, though.
9208612
Given that I've talked with Cyrano for months and pre-read this story for a long time, I can say this:
I brought up that the situation he's written himself into is difficult to get out of, however, he has assured me that it's intentional and he has a plan. I'm inclined to believe that whatever he has planned is definitely going to work. You haven't seen the confidence he shows in his plans, but I have and I can say that it looks like it's going to be something truly special.
If anything, difficult writing scenarios are sort of what writers should stride for. It takes more skill to write your way out of a difficult case like this, and thus the payoff is usually better.
9215678
Well, yes. I mean, this is not un-out-write-able, but I just think it might be difficult to compensate in the ending. I mean, for the ending to be satisfying, I think a certain amount of karmic payback is needed. Characters who did good things should end the story satisfied. The more, the happier. And characters who did bad things should get their comeuppance as well. The more, the unhappier.
If a character like Cinch, who is very clearly set up to be hated as much as possible with no noticable redeeming features, gets off too easy at the end, the story might leave people with unhappy memories. Similarly, Adagio burned the bridge of redemption she built over the course of the story so far. Just in my personal opinion, I can't really see how she can rebuild this. She lost all her sympathy she managed to recover to my eyes, so I am not really rooting for her to end this story happy. And making the main heroine lose the audience's sympathy isn't really a good place for a story to go. Far beyond "sympathetic, but wrong".
I mean, how should Twilight take Adagio back, knowing she chose magic over her and might possibly do so again if the chance presented itself? Unless Dagi turned around herself (which does not really work, since she lost her magic before she could really use it, so her coming back to Twilight at this point could just be seen as calculating, since the "better" option was lost to her), there's really no way for her to mend that bridge, except for abusing Twilight's trust.
She did not just slip into this. She spent the whole story clawing herself towards redemption, and with the goal in sight, she turned around and jumped off the mountain. So when she tries to climb it again later, I'm not gonna sympathize with her, because she was the clutz who jumped off by her own choice in the first place.
9215910
I would like to start by apologizing for not replying to your comments sooner. I am put in a difficult place in knowing where things are going and why things have happened yet unable to point to them for any explanation. That being said, this knowledge is a far too convenient crutch to fall back on, and can often be an excuse for writers to wave off criticism due to relying on this foresight. I don't want to fall into that trap, nor do I want to come across like I am ignoring criticism by letting it go unanswered, so keeping those things in mind I will try my best to respond to the things you've brought up without ruining anything in the process.
Your opinion is one that I value and respect. You have been with this story for a long time, your name and avatar have become immediately recognizable to me and I am always eager to hear what you have to say, so the notion that Adagio might have become irredeemable in your eyes is something I take very seriously. It is a risk that I have taken knowing full well that, if not carefully written, things might stray into the unbelievable or frustrating. It is my hope that I am capable enough in my writing to return Adagio to your sympathies and, when the ending does come, the characters will have found their way to an ending they deserve.
Now, in regards to your analogy in the final paragraph, I would like to quickly say something. It delves rather deeply into Death of the Author as it's my own personal interpretation of what you've said, so I'll wrap it in a spoiler tag just in case. Up to this point in the story, Adagio's goal has not been redemption. The goals she has set for herself have been vindictive and toxic—trick, betray, steal—and her willingness to to use and abuse those around her has been omnipresent. This is a cliff Adagio has been approaching for some time.
But that's not the full story, either. It may be conceited to say this, but I think it would be difficult to argue that Adagio hasn't grown. The attachments she has made, primarily to Twilight but also to Cadance and others, have provided her with another path—a path up the mountain. For a while Adagio straddled the divide between the two paths, making it all the more heartbreaking (again, conceit) when she chose the wrong one.
But did Adagio ever deserve to walk that path? She'd come to it dishonestly, her intentions misaligned and the trust afforded to her based on lies. Would it be fair to anyone involved if she was unjustly enriched from this? That's a point that can certainly be debated, but in my eyes the fall is the equalizer. Ambitions have been laid bare, secrets exposed, and everyone has had their eyes opened. People have the opportunity to make a choice about Adagio given all the facts, and Adagio will have to decide what she truly wants. This is the beginning of the true climb.
Sorry, I'm writing all this on a tablet at a relative's house so I hope it's not too incoherent. And take all of it with a grain of salt; just because I mean to do something a certain way doesn't mean I have or will succeed, and the final result is all that matters in the end.
But that's just my opinion. Forgiveness is something characters and readers alike have to struggle with in a story like this. It's possible I've gone too far and that the story will suffer for it, but I hope and believe that is not the case. I am doing my best, and I sincerely hope I don't let you down. You and everyone else who have expressed opinions (good and bad) about this project mean the world to me.
EDIT: That was a lot longer than I had intended. I got a bit carried away, and I hope it didn't come off like I was trying to lecture your or anything like that. Very sorry
9216103
Well, my opinion on this is rather emotionally-charged, so it should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Mostly I just scream about shipping
The only point I would contend is that Adagio starting on her path for dishonest reasons had disqualified her from "earning" redemption. I spent a lot of time on Adagio ships, and her going into it initially for selfish reasons is nearly required, since she was never redeemed in canon.
9207358
Sorry about the delayed response. Been a bit of a busy couple of weeks for me. But, seeing as I already broke my silence, why stop now?
Don't go thinking your response was lame. There's only so much that can be said in return of praise-- And sometimes, 'thank you' just doesn't feel genuine enough.
Y'know, I kinda like it here, in this comment section. I think I might stick around. Toss in my two cents on this chapter and that now and then. I do love how much you interact with your readers-- I first binge-read this chapters 1-14, and going down and reading the comments, you interacting with each given person, hearing how other peoples' opinions on the story were shaping as it ran was almost as fun as reading the story itself.
Almost.
So, yeah. I think I'll stick... Around...
...My god, what have you done. First I never spoke, and soon I'll never stop speaking. You've broken the floodgates, you fool! You've doomed us all!
Well, I'll be damned. Literally been binge reading for a couple of days now and this is by far the best chapter. Ever!!
Will Adagio ever get her revenge. Will Twilight and co be there in time to stop a new threat, looming. Is there any hope for Adagio left or is this the end as a grave calls her name. Find out next time on 'Second Chances'.
A story written for those faint, lovable, Siren lovers. By Cyrano.
9218383
Well I'm certainly glad to hear from you as much as you'd like to comment. And if I'm being perfectly honest, most of the time I don't reply to a comment it isn't because I have nothing it say, it's because I get self conscious about how much I do reply to comments here, so it's actually kind of a relief to hear that it isn't too much
Is this gonna be a Sci-Twi x Adagio?
When I watched the movie, I had thought that the amulets almost had changed their thoughts. Some examples would be Juniper, who did want revenge, but she did envision things, Wallflower Blush, who took the Memory Stone and began abusing it. Also, there’s Gloriousa (if I spelled it correctly), who became eager for magic and it changed her thoughts, from protecting it from Filthy Rich to trapping the whole camp. Twilight Sparkle from the human world, who was usually timid and shy tried to strip down the human universe. Point is, there’s a bunch of villains like that and to add more, the Siren’s eyes glew red at their full power. Even if that’s for animation purposes, they were able to mind control and grew in power.
Instead, your story described her appearance as more messy and such, but instead of falling into power, she had felt guilt instead.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure that she never really had a friend before (in the movies) but she would definitely feel some guilt for snapping at Aria prior about hanging out with Twilight.
Apart from that, I have several questions:
1. Why didn’t Adagio just charm Cinch?
She clearly showed that her power was fully returned by charming those workers at the cafe but she didn’t even try to charm Cinch.
2. Why did Aria not want to have power?
In the story, Aria clearly showed the want/need for magic and when the opportunity was handed to her, she decided not to. I have to admit that I didn’t read this story for some time, but from what I remember, most of it was about being friends with the ‘opposing side’ and it strikes me strange to see Aria not accept it. What I could infer is that Aria maybe saw how being a regular person is better? I honestly doubt it though, it’s very strange.
3. Would the amulet work for Cinch?
I know that this would probably be reviewed further on in the story but from what I remember from magical items, it didn’t work properly unless it was with it’s true owner. For example, in the first EQ movie, Twilight ONLY beat Sunset because the crown was hers. Same with Gloriousa. Even though her power was big in plants, the gems weren’t hers and returned to their owners. If Cinch knows that, then it would be a little strange to see why she would take it immediately.
As someone who used to read only sci-twi x Sunset stories, this one got a fav.
I wish Adagio can give a proper apology to the sirens and Rainbooms (Especially Sci-Twi)
Has anypony here written a story with Sunset, Sugarcoat and Adagio falling in love with Sci-Twi?
I NEED more of this Story. Anything, editor, money, anything. Message me your info I'll send a check, I'm not kidding, this story is like crack I NEED more!
Enjoying the story, im at chapter 15 (lastest chapter yet) I wonder what would happen next and i hope we get to read a lil bit more of interactions between characters besides the main plot line or after the main plot line .
Never expected an Adagio x Sci Twi, I love it!!!
9305318
ikr? I'm more of a Sunset x Adagio guy, but this is pretty damn good!
9205423
That's what I like about this chapter. Human douchiness kicks in and, well, everything goes to shit.
People are like that, though; they do shit on impulse without thinking ahead. bit.ly/2KoYjZP Amirite or amirite?
Fuck
Edit;
*somehow
btw, you missed this one
9476404
Good catch! Fixed now
Well shit :p
Hard to know what to say. I had considered for a moment that Aria was somehow being noble, but It's just as likely that Adagio is right, and she was just trying to get magic for herself, though I doubt that Cinch would trust her enough for that. And as for Sonata, she was most likely just a pawn in this whole nasty game. Looking forward to the next chapter.