• Published 3rd Nov 2021
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Family Begins With You - Jmaster49



The Sirens devote themselves to protecting Canterlot City and each other as they come to understand human holidays and traditions.

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Arc V Episode III: Forced Change

Later, about thirty minutes before school started, Aidon would be called into Celestia’s office to speak with her.

“That’s odd,” he thought to himself as he walked through the halls, “I wonder what she could want.”

The man stepped into the office and took a seat. There, both Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were sitting behind the desk, waiting.

“Thank you for coming to see us in a timely manner,” Celestia began, “There’s...something that has come to our attention.”

“...What is it?” Aidon asked with an uncertain tone of voice.

Luna would speak next. “It’s...regarding the way you interact with the students. Apparently some of the parents have submitted some...interesting takes on the subject.”

“Oh no...did Goetia manage to submit those photographs and warp the context of the situation?!” While he panicked mentally, he did his best to keep up a relaxed, neutral expression. “...’Interesting’ how exactly?”

Celestia turned her computer towards Aidon. There he could see the email that Spoiled Rich forwarded to them so that they could see the proof and the concerned questions that the parents had in regards to the pictures.

This left Aidon troubled, gritting his teeth as he stared at the screen with widened eyes. “W-what?!”

“Don’t worry,” Luna assured him, “We’re aware that these claims are rather unfounded. We also don’t believe that you’re trying to do anything sinister.”

Celestia would add her take on the situation next. “However, we also think it’s a good idea if you...keep it less casual for a while. Keep your lessons straightforward, ease up on the terms of endearment, and try not to engage with them before and after school hours.”

“Just for a little while,” Luna spoke up again, “Just until these comments blow over. But what I’d like to know is just who took those pictures in the first place…”

While Aidon did know who was responsible, merely stating it wouldn’t look very good on its own. At the very least, he needed hard evidence to back up the fact that “Wendy Goetia” was responsible. Her sudden absence from school was also very damning, as he didn’t want that thrown back on him as well. “...I have to be smart. If I ever see her again, I’ll be sure to get her to fess up. But for the moment...I need to follow what they say so I can keep my job.”

For now, he simply agreed to their terms. “Understood. I’ll make sure to keep things under control.” And with that, he left the room.

“You know he’s innocent,” Luna said, “Don’t you, sister?”

“Yeeck. Of course I do,” Celestia replied with an annoyed roll of her eyes, “But you made a point. Those pictures are downright ridiculous attempts at incriminating an innocent man.”

While that was true, Luna was still at a loss for what they could manage on their own. “But...what can we do to help the situation? It’s not like we have free time to study photographs.”

A confident smirk appeared on the principal’s face. “We don’t...but I know who does, Luna.”


Outside of the office, in the hallways…

As school got started, Twilight and Sunset were making their way down the halls as usual.

“...and she just disappeared!” Twilight finished up her explanation, “I don’t even know what to think of it.”

“Sounds like aether,” Sunset commented, “I suppose that wendigo had her own special ‘Wendigo Aether’ or whatever that allowed her to maintain use of her powers. And the fact that she’s an actual demon from hell is something I never would’ve expected. And you said Aidon was a Demon King?”

“Overlord,” Twilight corrected her as she adjusted her glasses, “This is entirely conjecture, but I believe the distinction means he had control over all demons in his circle regardless of rank. Or it could mean an indication of power…”

“Pssh--yeah well, that ‘power’ he has is completely nonexistent in Equestria,” Sunset explained as they stopped at their lockers. “Only two ponies have ever been known to utilize it: King Sombra, and Stygian--the Pony of Shadows.”

“And it’s because dark magic has been known to corrupt the users 99.25% of the time, right?” Twilight asked.

To which Sunset replied with a slow nod. “Er...something like that. The fact that he isn’t corrupted by his dark magic and actually used it to save you is...well, it’s freakin’ legendary is what it is. Dark magic can only be countered by light magic so it’s safe to say that if we have him on our side, we’ll--”

Twilight cut her friend off with a stoic eyebrow raise. “You know he’s more than just a tool to keep us safe, right? He’s a man with his own time and his own life.”

“Oh--well of course,” Sunset fumbled over her words for a moment and quickly brought herself together. “Ahem...what I mean is, I hope that he’ll be able to have the safe and quiet life that he wants. And with Thanksgiving on the horizon, that’s the last thing I wanna be worried about.”

“Agreed. Speaking of which, I wonder where the sirens are and how Adagio is holding up…”

“Same for Octavia,” Sunset added, “You have a class with them in Aidon’s room, right? Hopefully you see them there.”

Twilight nodded. “I hope so too. Even if they’re home sick, I’d at least like to know how they’re doing…”

“Well, we’ll find out soon,” Sunset shut her locker once she had grabbed a power drill from within. “I’ve got shop class switch Vinyl so she’ll be able to tell me what’s up with Octavia. See you at lunch?”

“Indeed. Good luck, and I’ll see you then also.” Twilight grabbed her homework and a few paper airplanes from her locker. “I have to admit, I’m more used to Aidon’s style of teaching now. Can’t wait to see what he does for us today.”

Well...they were in for a shock.

As soon as Twilight arrived at her Projective Geometry class and took her seat along with everyone else, Aidon would enter the room with a stoic look on his face.

“Good morning,” he said plainly, “Turn your textbooks to page 142.”

The class started to murmur words of confusion to each other. Was this the same Aidon that usually gave fun, memorable lessons?

But he quickly stomped it out. “No talking unless you raise your hand. Please do not be disruptive.”

Everyone fell silent, but were still perplexed at the professor’s sudden change in behavior. Lyra was the first to comment on this--she raised her hand and was called upon.

“Yes, Ms. Heartstrings?”

“Sir? Is everything alright?” the green girl asked with a concerned expression, “You don’t sound like yourself.”

Once again, everyone started to mumble in agreement. Especially Twilight who gingerly put her paper airplanes away. “I don’t get it. What happened between then and now? Did...did Goetia still manage to perform her act of spite?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Aidon replied coldly, and quickly moved onto the subject at hand, “Now. As I was saying…”

“This is not normal at all,” Twilight thought to herself, “Something must have happened…”

The class resumed in traditional, boring fashion. The students were unable to focus and had to listen to Aidon drone on constantly about numbers in a way that didn’t register in their minds. All the while, the professor was mentally kicking himself for forcing himself to change so readily.

“...This isn’t fun at all. They hate this...but what can I do…”


After class was over, everyone silently left the room either hunched over or barely able to keep their eyes open. In essence, their proverbial souls had been sucked out from how monotonous the class was.

Once it was time for lunch, Twilight would approach Aria and Sonata to check on their eldest sister since she wasn’t present at all in their usual class. “Hey there, you two. How’s your sister doing?” she asked as she took a seat at the table with them.

“She’s fine,” Aria replied, “A bit of a cold and needs to stay home for a few days. Which sucks because she was planning a whole buncha stuff for Thanksgiving but probably won’t be able to do any of it…she probably feels like shit.”

“Yeah…” Sonata agreed with a dejected sigh, “I just hope my job application gets accepted in time.”

Twilight paused through opening one of her books and replied, “Oh right. She was the only one working, wasn’t she?”

Aria rolled her eyes. “Something like that. But that’s about to change. Sonata and I are gonna clock in some hard overtime so we can get the extra money we need to finish the preparations ourselves.”

“...Once I figure out how to cut up a turkey--” Sonata said with an innocent giggle, then asked, “What about you?”

“I’m gonna spend it with my family as usual,” Twilight replied, not looking up from her notes, “But the strangest thing happened in class earlier…”

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