Aftermath

by Rose Quill

Sonata

I was terrified.

Adagio was crying, Aria was looking lost, and all I could feel was numbing fear. And under that, a sinking feeling that sat where I was used to my hunger being. I felt like I could collapse at any moment.

I wasn’t the smart one. I wasn’t the strong one. I was the cheery one. But I couldn’t even muster the energy to try and get my sisters to bond together so we could figure out our next step. I kept looking back and forth from Adagio, who had her head tilted back against the wall as tears dripped down her face, to Aria, who had started pounding a fist against the pavement, anger and pain in her face. I could tell she was fighting back tears, and those alone were enough to panic me.

Aria never cried. Adagio never cried. That wasn’t their reactions. Adagio would convince prey of something they feared so deeply that they would believe it was happening. Aria would just beat them or make them fear of the same. Breaking down was not either of their methods.

I ran my hand through my hair, feeling the roostertail pulling free of the tie I had it up in. In moments, everything was breaking down. I felt my knees give out, and I collapsed to the sidewalk. I felt dizzy, all of a sudden, and the world swam in my vision.

I heard Adagio say my name, and I looked up. She was slowly walking towards me, concern in her face as she drew near. “Are you alright?” she asked, her voice dull, as though my ears were stuffed with cotton.

I think that more than anything else frightened me. We were Sirens, and concern was not a huge part of our makeup. While we were a group, it was always understood that if any of us fell behind, we would get cut loose. It was how we were raised, after all.

But Adagio was coming towards me, worried for my well-being. I felt her hand take mine and I squeezed weakly. The place where my hunger once rested began to feel more and more like an abcess, a weeping wound that would fester before it got any better.

I let Adagio pull me to my feet, supporting me somewhat as we slowly made our way back the way we had come. We crept back to the stage, now empty and the seating devoid of anyone. Up onto the stage we went, and sitting there in the debris of blown trash were the rubicund fragments of our pendents, our Songs.

I picked up a large piece of my pendent, seeing a faint glimmer flicker through the gem before it died again. I didn’t find all that many pieces before Adagio looked around.

“We need to move,” she whispered. “Get back to shelter and prepare whatever we have in the event something else goes wrong.”

And that was when I truly knew how bad things were for us.

Adagio was planning to run away.

And this was a first in the centuries we had been alive.

Comments

[TheKissoftheVoid]

Huh. I quite like this. It feels somewhat unfinished, but still a succinct and effective read. Thanks for writing it!

[chillbook1]

I like this idea conceptually, but I think you aimed too low. You definitely could've gotten a solid 1 to 2.5K out of each of these three. Currently, it just feels like nothing really goes on. I do like how you handled Aria. I like the idea that, in a way, she's weaker than the other two. It would've been a good use of her character if you explored the dichotomy between her rage and her weakness in more detail.

This definitely wasn't a bad fic, but a couple hundred words per chapter is what's keeping this as an alright story, rather than a good or a great one.

[Rose Quill]

8800940
Hmm.....

You make a good point. More on this later.

[Bookish Delight]

I, on the other hand, appreciate profoundness through brevity, and was pleasantly surprised here. Usually I'm rather unimpressed by drabbles (to be honest I can't stand them), but this one made the words count, I feel.

Opinions! (No, I didn't downvote that other comment, it was like that when I got here. :P)

Sonata is by far my favorite one. The other ones are good and all but I got what I expected with them. Didn't expect 'nata to be self-aware, however, so seeing her as such here sparks my own imagination with regards as to how to write her.

[chillbook1]

8800950
I feel the need to reiterate that I didn't dislike this story. I don't want that to be what people take away from what I said. I don't think this story is bad. I just think it didn't quite live up to its potential.

Just to be clear.

[Rose Quill]

8800987
I know. I intend to tie this into my story Raison d’Etre eventuality.

[Eroraf86]

I like it. I like it and I want more.

[Lightning_Striker]

Wow. Another grear one, Allykitty. Immediate reactions after Battle of the Bands too. Honestly, this feels like it could fit right into your Homecoming universe. Also glad you're off Hiatus. Now I can read more!

[Cotton Sweet]

8801031
I second this.

[fanreader999999]

Good concept.

[Tranquil Stone]

Really great story, I love how we see each of them react, keep up the great work!

[CapNTilfy]

Damn. Just. Damn. I wanna see what happens next!

[Rose Quill]

9251100
This ties loosely into Raison d’Etre. Sort of a spiritual predecessor in a way.

[CapNTilfy]

9251115
I'll give it a look-see. Thanks!

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

But Adagio was coming towards me, worried for my well-being. I felt her hand take mine and I squeezed weakly. The place where my hunger once rested began to feel more and more like an abcess, a weeping wound that would fester before it got any better.

She. Is the losing her energy and strength.

“We need to move,” she whispered. “Get back to shelter and prepare whatever we have in the event something else goes wrong.”

Yep, they're on their own now.