> Sweet Atonement
>  by mouch30
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The night air was filled with shaky breaths and fumbling footsteps. Hands were clenched into fists, pressed against chests in an attempt to stop them from trembling.

Voices once coated in seduction and trickery, now grating with fear.

"Are they...are they really gone?" whispered a blue haired girl, tears trickling down her cheeks. She slowly opened her fist to reveal shards of crimson stone. Blood beaded beneath them - she had squeezed her hand so tight that the sharp edges of broken ruby had dug into her skin. She gazed at her hand, then looked up to meet the eyes of her fellow sisters.

One of the other girl's’ hands fluttered to her neck, almost as if by instinct. Fingers clawed desperately at her throat, forgetting that the gem no longer hung on the delicate black string. She ached to have the warm, heavy weight of her pendant resting against her throat once more.

"I...I don't know," the girl finally replied, attempting to compose herself for the sake of her sisters. She was a natural leader - being the oldest and all -  and she needed to be strong for them.

"What are we going to do?" the youngest one babbled, knees buckling in exhaustion. "How are we going to survive without our voices? And magic! We’re going to starve!"

"Shut up, Sonata," spat the middle child. Her purple eyes were dark and full of disdain, her mouth pulled into a twisted grimace; she always lashed out when she felt scared. "We'll find a way. Right, Adagio?"

"We're going to need new necklaces," Adagio murmured, fingers still caressing the hollow of her throat. "We can't stay in this town any longer - they know who we are. But where, where would we go..." She pressed her knuckles on her chin, closing her tired eyes.

The three girls were exhausted, drained, and losing hope.

"Adagio? Don't fall asleep on us!"

"I'm not sleeping! I'm thinking..."

"Well? Where are we going to go? What are we going to do?"

"Just...just hold on. I'm trying to think."

"C-can we please not fight?" whimpered Sonata. Her bottom lip quivered when they paid no attention to her.

"It seems like every time you think of a plan, it fails."

"Well, I'd like to see you try to lead us! You never contribute to any of my plans, anyways! All you do is scowl and sulk around, never pulling your weight."

"W-what? I try so hard to help you, but you're the one who keeps turning me away!"

"That's because your ideas are always terrible!"

"Girls! Please!"

"You know what? I'm done."

Adagio's eyes widened in surprise. "What did you say?"

Aria smirked, pleased to have finally shocked her elder sister. "You heard me. I'm done. I can tell when I'm not wanted, and I haven't been wanted for a long time. You said so yourself - I don't contribute. You want to keep turning me away? Fine. I'll go away then."

With a sharp turn, Aria briskly stomped away from the group.

"Aria! Wait!" cried Sonata, running after her, stumbling in her heels. She reached out and grasped Aria’s arm, pulling her sister into an embrace. “We can fix this! Please, don’t leave. We’ve already lost our magic  - we...I can’t lose you either.”

“Then come with me,” Aria breathed, caressing Sonata’s tear stained cheek. “Adagio has pushed us around for too long. We don’t need her if we have each other.”

Adagio was staring at them, a strange expression on her face. What was it? Sadness? Worry? Fear?

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Sonata said, exasperated. “We don’t need to split up. We just need some sleep and then tomorrow morning we can work things out.”

“You mean go back to our dirty little flat and huddle together in the same bed?” muttered Aria, rolling her eyes. “No thanks. If you don’t want to come with me, then let me leave.”

“No!” wailed Sonata, starting to sob.

“If she wants to abandon us that badly, then let her go.” Adagio’s voice cut into the balmy night air, her tone frozen over with contempt.

Sonata’s grip loosened in surprise, and Aria took that chance to continue walking away.

“Good luck on your own out there,” Adagio said quietly, frowning menacingly at Aria’s back. “Feel free to come crawling back to us when you realize you can’t survive.”

Aria let out a small chuckle. “Don’t hold your breath. Or, actually, go ahead. Do something nice for once.”

Her hair swung back and forth as she walked away, her lean silhouette disappearing over the horizon.

“Adagio! Call her back! Just apologize, don’t let her go off alone!” begged Sonata, holding on to Adagio’s arm. “Please, Dagi, please just try to make it work, I can’t stand it when we’re apart!”

They didn’t see the slap coming.

Sonata’s pale cheek was quickly turning a deep red.

Adagio gasped, clasping her palm over her mouth. “Sonata...no, I didn’t mean to, please…” She reached out to her sister with a shaking hand, desperate to hold her and soothe the pain, but Sonata only shrunk away from her touch, her eyes wild with fear and hurt.

“We should head back,” Adagio said, her voice sounding far away. Sonata nodded wordlessly, and the two sirens began the walk to what never was their home.
> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 She gently placed her hand on her sleeping sister’s shoulder. She didn’t wake.

“I’ll be right back,” Adagio whispered, bending down to give Sonata a soft kiss on the cheek. “I promise.”

Sonata gave a small sigh and burrowed deeper into the sheets.

The elder sister walked out of their bedroom and carefully closed the door. She stood and stared at the grimy walls that encased the living room...and the dining room, and the kitchen. The flat they lived in only had 3 rooms - this, the bedroom, and the cupboard that served as a bathroom. It was the only place they could afford to keep, and even with the meager pay Adagio had gotten from performing at various bars, they still struggled to pay rent most of the time; but with their pendants broken and out of order, there was no way Adagio could continue singing for people. She was out of a job.

On the kitchen counter lay a newspaper, with large red circles drawn around various articles - job offers. Adagio had been searching for one ever since that night, and she needed one fast. However, what skills would an ancient siren have other than luring people to their doom with her voice? She couldn't send Sonata out to work, she would break down on the first day. It was up to her, Adagio, to get some sort of income for them. She held the newspaper and peered at the circles. Dishwasher? No, she wasn't one to clean. Waitress? Please. As if Adagio could go for more than one minute without making a cruel remark. Exotic dancer? Well, she could dance, but something told her they wanted more than just 'dancing'. It also didn't help that she looked like a 17 year old - how was she supposed to be taken seriously when she was still a kid? Maybe if she wore her best clothes, made her face up a little, could she pass for 18? Or even 21?

Adagio's mind wandered over to Aria. They hadn't seen each other since they split up - which was three days ago - and Adagio had no way of knowing if she was alright. Every so often, she would conjure up awful scenarios in her head, imagining Aria hurt, or in trouble, or even dead. She would wake up in a cold sweat, and grope in the darkness until she found Sonata's warm body. At least she was okay.

She turned her attention back to her current problem. Ah, here was something she could do. Sure, it was similar to being a waitress, but at least she didn't have to move. She would be standing behind a bar, pouring drinks, and a snarky attitude would be entertaining for anyone around. Being a bartender didn't seem so bad. Adagio smiled and jumped out of her seat. She had to hurry and snag the job before someone else did. She began shoving her house key, wallet and the newspaper in her weathered tote, and with a final glance at the closed bedroom door, made her way outside.

Drops of water hit her on the way out. Adagio lifted her face to the sky and sighed. Her hair was going to get so frizzy.

***

“And...how old are you?”

Adagio dug around in her bag. “I’m 18 years old. Here.” She handed him her identification card...fake, of course. “I don’t go to school either, so I can work as long as you need.”

The man - lanky and long haired - studied her card halfheartedly. He didn’t really care who he gave the job too, and this girl seemed eager to work. Pretty, too, with a mass of gold curls and fierce pink eyes. She stared at him, a determined look on her face. She needed this.

“When can you start?” he asked, sliding her ID back.

A smirk lit up her face. “Whenever you want me to.”

He mulled it over. “Tonight, then. Come on, I’ll show you the ropes.” He offered his hand. “Name’s High Spirits, just call me Spirit.”

Adagio shook his hand, her grip firm and stiff. “Okay, Spirit.”

He began to explain the way things went here. “Alright, so, uh, you don’t have to work all day. Like, the bar only opens at five PM, you can make that, right?” A nod prompted him to go on. “Yeah, so, you’d be working from five ‘till, like, 11. You’re still kinda young so I’m not gonna make you stay till the AM. You’re just gonna be serving beer, maybe a few mixers, nothing too serious. Uh, here’s the bar. That’s the cash register. You know how to use it?” He punched the buttons, showing her the basics. “That’s it, really. Well...yeah. So, five?”

“Five,” she said, nodding once more.

Spirits smiled at her. She grimaced back. “Say, you got some time off now...why not stay for a little while? We could get to know each other a lil’ better,” he murmured, inching closer to her.

Adagio sighed internally. Men. “No thanks. I’ve got other things to do. I’ll be back at five for my first shift. Thanks for giving me the job.” She nodded goodbye and headed off, desperate to get back to Sonata before she wakes up.

On her way home, she came across a small stall selling bouquets of flowers. On impulse, she bought one - blue irises nestled in lush leaves. She just got a job, she could afford to splurge. She also stopped by the local store, carefully counting out the change required to buy one of Sonata’s favorite candy bars.

“I’m home,” she called out when she arrived back at their flat, placing the candy on the counter and hunting for a jar or bottle or whatever to put the flowers in. “Sonata? Are you still sleeping?”

Adagio left everything and walked to the bedroom, frantic thoughts bouncing around in her head.

“Sonata! Answer me when I call you,” she snapped, throwing the door open.

On the bed lay her younger sister, hair plastered on her forehead with sweat, lips paler than usual, hands shaking. Adagio skidded to her side, placing a hand on her face. She felt cold.

“Sonata? Can you hear me?” Adagio cried, tapping her cheek softly. “Sonata!”

“Mm?” Her eyes fluttered open. “A...Adagio? Sorry, I’m just...so...tired.” She tried to sit up, but found herself too weak. “I feel so...sleepy…”

“Wait here.” Adagio came back with the chocolate bar. “Eat this. It’ll make you feel better.”

The rush of sugar did perk Sonata up a bit. Her eyes widened and a little color bloomed in her cheeks. “Thanks, Dagi. Where’d you go? I woke up and you weren’t here, so I just went back to sleep.”

Adagio laced her fingers through Sonata’s. “I got a new job. I start today at five.”

Sonata pouted. “Why didn’t you tell me? We could have worked together.”

“You’re clearly not feeling well. I think it’s…” Adagio pressed her lips together. “I think you should rest more. I don’t leave for another couple of hours...what do you want to do?”

Sonata’s face turned thoughtful. “Can we play cards again? Maybe you can beat me this time!”

Adagio smiled. “Sure. You stay here, I’ll get them.”

In the living room, Adagio’s expression turned sour. Her sister was getting weaker...sure, solid food could help them for a while, but it wouldn’t be long before Sonata was in trouble. She once again reached for her pendant, but her fingers only met the skin of her throat. She hummed, almost inaudibly, a few notes. She sounded a little better than before, but she was still flat. She needed more practice.

The playing cards were cool in her palm. She gripped tight, trying to focus on Sonata’s gleeful smile whenever she won, the way she comforted Adagio, who tried so hard to mask the fact she was losing on purpose. She took a deep breath and headed back to the bedroom.

She may lose this game of cards, but she was going to make sure she won in the end.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Gimme...uh..anoder one o’ dem...a glars…”

Adagio’s face contorted in disgust. “Sure.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she filled up a glass with water. He didn’t need anymore alcohol.

After close inspection of the liquid, he gulped it down, believing he was getting drunker and drunker. He burped, slammed the glass down, threw a bill on the counter and stumbled off.

Adagio plucked it up with her fingernails, hurriedly pushing it into the register. It was only 10 PM, and people were already passed out around the place. Bodies were tightly packed on the dance floor, bouncing up and down to the Top 40 blaring from the stereos. The loud noises and blaring lights annoyed Adagio to no end, and the counter was always sticky, no matter how many times she furiously lathered soap on the oak wood.

“How’re things over there?” Spirit called out, poking his head in from his office.

“At least three people threw up,” she replied, jerking her thumb into the general direction of the danger zone. “I’m not touching it.”

He shook his head and darted back in the room. Well, neither was he.

When the clock struck 11, Adagio gathered her things and knocked on Spirit’s door. “I’m leaving,” she yelled. “Give me money.”

She and Spirit had developed a casual camaraderie, built on the fact they both hated the place they worked at.

He swung open the door and handed her an envelope. She opened it and counted out the dollar bills inside.

“I’m not scamming you,” he sighed, stretching his arms above his head. “Get home safe, yeah?”

“Thanks.” Adagio smiled tightly, her icy exterior melting temporarily. “You stay safe here as well.” She turned to leave.

“H-hey, you know, I don’t think your sister would mind if you stayed behind a little longer, would she?” he called, biting his lip after the words spilled out of his mouth.

Adagio stopped. “But I would.”

The walk home always dragged. The echo of her heels on the pavement, the hoots of night owls hopping from bar to bar, calling out to one another, and the honking of cars all contributed to the soundtrack of her thoughts. The loss of her magic had left a dent in her vigor, leaving her feeling weaker than ever. She was older than both Aria and Sonata by at least half a century, so she was used to not getting enough energy for a long time. But Sonata...the smallest one, the one most inexperienced with suffering, the only siren she knew with a heart not completely corrupted by negative energy wouldn’t be able to hold herself together.

Adagio slowed her steps, coming to a complete stop in front of a shabby looking bookstore. She had always walked by it, but this time, she wanted to get a proper look. The windows were coated in dust, and a plastic skeleton was propped in the display. It was reading a cookbook and wearing a chef’s hat, but other than that, the windows were bare. Her eyes moved up to meet the sign.

‘Illumiducation…’ she mouthed. What a stupid name.

As she was about to continue, something caught her eye. In the depths of the shop, a glimmer of light peeped from the darkness. The door slammed open, catching Adagio in a rare moment of fright. A woman stood in the doorway, back stooped, toothless mouth gaping wide. “Hello, dear,” the woman rasped, placing a bony hand on Adagio’s arm. “Would you like to come in? I’ve got lots and lots of nice books! Books on witches, spells, oh yes! Books filled with magic!”

Adagio wrenched her arm away from the elder’s grip. “First of all, don’t ever touch me again,” she snapped, immediately feeling guilty at her rudeness.

Oh great, now she was feeling remorse.

The old woman wasn’t fazed. “My apologies, sweetie, but I just got so excited to see a young and beautiful girl like yourself show interest in my store! If they see you come in here, they’ll follow, oh yes they will! Good for business!”

Adagio peeked inside, surprised to find that the interior of the store actually looked clean and homey. From what she could see, candles illuminated the room with a warm glow, and bookshelves were loaded with tomes of all shapes.

Then...

Oh.

What.

Magic.

The familiar hum of magic resonated inside of her, sending shivers creeping down her spine. Goosebumps rose on her skin, and she shivered violently.

“You’re cold! You’re cold here in that little outfit,” cried the woman. “Come in, into the warm, and browse my collection!”

She was right. It was warmer, cosier. The store was dark, and the scent of incense, heavy and sweet, hung thickly in the air.

Ah. There it was again. It was faint, like the brush of a feather. It was only a whisper, but she felt it. There was magic in this store. Not Equestrian magic, but another kind.

“It’s nice, yes? Do you like my books? All my lovely books are waiting for you to read and buy!” The old woman wouldn’t stop babbling, dragging Adagio to the center of the store.

Adagio resisted the pulling, trying to inspect the titles of the books in front of her. The Hardships of a Nymph, Where, Oh Where have the Windigos Gone, Aren’t you Glad this is Ogre…

“Excuse me,” she said, trying to get the older woman’s attention. “Do you have any books about...sirens?”

The old woman smiled. “Ah, the siren! Beautiful, dangerous creatures. Voices so lovely, so poisonous. Let me see…let me see.” She bustled away, disappearing behind a curtain leading to another room. “Mmm! Aha! Here, here.” She came back, carrying a large, leather-bound book. “I remembered reading this sometime ago…” With a thud, she dropped the book on the counter, beckoning Adagio to come closer. The pages were thin and looked like they were about to crumble, but the woman flicked through each page with practiced delicacy.

She pointed to an illustration of an elegantly inked sea monster. Its eyes were dark holes, and it had a malicious grin on its otherwise beautiful face.

It..no, she was a siren.

“The temptress of the sea,” the woman whispered, reading the loopy script beneath the image. “A siren gains power by feeding off the energy brought to them by their singing. A long time ago, they were known as the musicians of hope, bringing serenity to the lands around them, before one siren, known only as the Maestro, discovered that she could become more powerful by feeding off negative energy, such as fear, anger, and jealousy. However, the other sirens believed that negative energy would bring them harm, and cast out the Maestro into the unknown. Hurt by their betrayal, and now filled with rage, the Maestro set out to get her revenge. First, she birthed three sisters. The eldest was brought forth slowly and gracefully, the middle brought forth in solitude, and the third surrounded by her sisters. She taught them the wonders of indulgence, and forged three stones to aid them in their conquest of the world. Alas, when her daughters were ready to take the power they thought they deserved, the Maestro had sung her last notes, and withered into an empty husk.”

It had started to rain. Adagio quickly wiped away her tears, sniffling hard. “G-go on.”

“Distraught, the three sisters decided to honor their mother and fulfill her wishes of revenge on the other sirens. In the midst of the musical massacre, a powerful magic cast the three sisters into the beyond, and they were never heard from again.”

The image blurred behind her tears. And turned to look directly into her eyes.

The old woman placed a hand on Adagio’s shoulder. “It is a sad story, isn’t it?” she murmured, handing the younger girl a tissue. “But it’s just a story.”

“Thank you, but I have to leave,” Adagio whispered, nodding her head and rushing out of the store.

She ran.

She ran, teetering in her heels, blinded by her tears. Her head was pounding, with the image of the Maestro seared in her brain.

Sonata was waiting for her. “Gee, you took longer than usual,” she pouted. Then, she instantly lit up. “Does that mean you bought me another present? Oh. You’re crying.”

Adagio gave her a sad smile. “Well...I’m sad.”

“Why?” Sonata nuzzled her face into Adagio’s curly hair. “Will you tell me?”

Adagio returned the hug, but didn’t say anything.

“Adagio, I was thinking. Where did we come from?” Sonata’s voice was muffled by the mass of hair. “In that book you bought me, they were talking about how people are made from the same things are stars. Is that true for us?”

Adagio pulled away from the embrace. “Yes. But you’re more than just stars, Sonata. You’re my whole universe.”

Sonata snorted and gently slapped Adagio’s shoulder. “Oh, Adagio, you’re so funny!”

She sat down, removing her shoes and massaging her sore feet. “Yeah,” she muttered. “Thanks.”

“Can we braid our hair tomorrow?” Sonata asked, sitting next to Adagio. “You’ve got the day off tomorrow right?”

Adagio placed her arm around Sonata, and began to stroke her hair. “Yeah, sure. But then I’ve got to do something, alone.”

“Okay,” Sonata said. “Then, can we get some more coloring books?”

“Sure.”

“What do you have to do?”

“There’s someone I need to talk to.”

> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Adagio was thankful that her hair was safely secured in a tight braid - if she had shown up with her infamous curls flying free, she would have drawn too much attention to herself.

She watched the students trickle out of the school doors, laughing and calling to their friends. Her eyes scanned the crowds, searching for a particular person. Through the throng of teenagers, she finally spotted her.

Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset was in the midst of a large group, consisting of those annoying magical girls that had defeated Adagio and her sisters not long ago. They were all smiling, having fun, tucked away in their own little happy bubbles. They had no idea what they had done, how they ruined the fragile relationship between the sisters, the damage they dealt to their health and well-being.

Adagio inhaled deeply, trying to keep her anger under control. It was no use getting so emotional; those girls were only trying to save their school, and if she needed their help, she had to act civil.

“I’ve gotta dash. Will I see you girls later?”

Adagio’s ears perked up when Sunset spoke.

“Of course, darling! We’ll meet you at the Sugar Cube Corner in a few,” replied the purple haired girl….what was her name? Whatever.

“Okay! Bye!” Sunset waved at her friends and walked the opposite direction, the traces of a content smile still lingering on her face.

Now was her chance. Adagio pulled on the strings of her hoodie, concealing her face even further, and started to follow Sunset. She kept a comfortable distance from her, which worked as Sunset still had no idea she was being followed.

“What do you want?” Sunset suddenly snapped, whipping around to stare at her stalker. “You’ve been following me since I left school.”

“How did you know?” Adagio couldn’t help herself from asking.

“You’re not that hard to spot,” Sunset said, gesturing to Adagio’s all black ensemble. “Plus you were breathing really heavily.” Something about the girl in front of her seemed familiar.

“Oh,” Adagio muttered. She had been thinking about how much she hated those six girls that destroyed everything she lived for. Guess anger made her breathe heavily.

“So?” Sunset raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall of a nearby building. “Who are you and what do you want?”

Adagio readied herself for the reveal. The hood slid off her head.

Sunset gasped, recoiling from her surprise. She quickly recovered, though, and adopted a much more threatening posture. “Adagio Dazzle. Should have recognized your voice. Here for a rematch?”

“Well, it wouldn’t exactly be a rematch since I don’t have my fucking magic,” retorted Adagio, letting her anger seep out a little. She composed herself. “Sorry...I’m not here to fight.”

“Oh? Then why are you here?”

Adagio’s eyes darted around. Her little outburst had attracted a few spectators. “Is there...somewhere more private we can talk?”

Sunset regarded the siren with steely eyes. “Where are the others?”

“Obviously not here.” Adagio spread her arms out. “I’m not hiding them in my hair, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Fine….we can go to my house. It’s just two more blocks from here.” She waited for Adagio to stand next to her before leading the way to her flat. The walk was silent, with both girls stealing quick glances at one another.

Sunset opened the door to her apartment. Charisma, a steady job, and the help of her friends allowed her to live in a comfortable 2-bedroom flat. Sure, it was decorated with secondhand furniture, but Rarity had given her cheerful pillows and curtains (“My own design,” she simpered as she hung the curtains.) and the whole place smelled like the inside of a bakery, thanks to Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s generous donations to her pantry. Fresh flowers were arranged artfully in clay vases, courtesy of Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash insisted on buying her a new guitar as well, (“Custom made, of course,” Rainbow had bragged, gesturing to the flame motifs and sharp edges.), which was placed neatly next to her amps and music sheets.

“Well, we’re here,” Sunset sighed, dropping her backpack to the floor. She moved around the kitchen cautiously, never turning her back to Adagio. “Do you want anything to eat...drink? Can you even consume solid food?”

“We can,” Adagio answered, hands in her pockets. She just stood there, rather awkwardly. “And no, I don’t want anything. Thanks.”

“You can sit down, if you want. Put your bag down as well. Looks heavy.” Sunset was placing a couple of pizza slices in the microwave.

Adagio delicately slid into the kitchen chair and removed her backpack. Sunset joined her, and began to eat the slices. “So, what’s up?”

This was it. This was the big moment.

“After that final show,” Adagio began. “You and your friends broke our pendants. Those pendants were actually a way to absorb the negative energy, which is basically our main source of food. But, now that they’re gone, we have no way of getting any nourishment, and we’re most likely going to die.”

Sunset finished her slice. “Oh. Uh, wow. Sorry.”

Bang!

“Sorry isn’t going to save Sonata!” Adagio yelled, her arms splayed on the table. Her face was mere inches from Sunset’s. The other girl flinched.

“Alright, just calm down,” Sunset said, gently pushing Adagio back into her seat. “I really am sorry that we broke your pendants, but you know we couldn’t have just let you go. You’re sirens, and you’re just going to keep spreading hate and negative feelings in this world. I can’t let you do that...but...what’s wrong with Sonata?”

Adagio rested her face in her palms. “She hasn’t been around as long as I have, so her powers aren’t as developed. I can survive for longer without energy, but she can’t. She’s...she’s getting weaker...and….I’m so…”

A heavy silence hung in the air, punctuated by Adagio’s sniffles. She swallowed, and wiped her eyes.

“I’m just so scared she’s going to die.”

“What about Aria? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know! She left us that night,” Adagio cried, her bottom lip quivering madly. Her eyes were continuously filling up, and she stopped trying to keep her tears in. “I’m so scared...she’s all alone, and Sonata’s just getting worse and worse….I’m going to be all alone soon...that’s why I’m here. I need your help. Trust me, I wouldn’t have come if I had another choice. I’m just so lost here.”

She lifted her head to stare at Sunset directly. Her enemy’s eyes were soft and wet.

Sunset reached over and placed her hand on Adagio’s. “Adagio...I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I’ll do my best to help you, I promise. But I can’t let you wreak havoc on this world, or any other world.”

“I understand. That’s why…” Adagio heaved a book onto the table. “I have this.”

She had gone back to actually buy the damn book, much to the old woman’s glee. A piece of paper marked the infamous chapter, and she braced herself to look upon the illustration again.

“What is this?” Sunset asked, getting up to sit next to Adagio. She leaned in close to read the text, getting way too close for Adagio’s comfort.

“It’s my origin story,” Adagio said, deadpanned.

Sunset’s lips moved slightly as she read. Her eyes grew wide at the mention of the Maestro, and her mouth formed a small ‘o’ of fear when the drawing ever so slightly turned to look at her. She caressed the pages, no doubt feeling the soft hum of magic woven in the book.

“Where did you get this?” she breathed.

“Some old lady was selling it in her book store,” Adagio replied.

“We’re gonna have to go back,” Sunset said, excitement creeping into her voice. “Tell me...do you remember any of this? How do you know it’s you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Adagio snapped. “Three sisters, feeding off negative energy, banished into a strange world?” Her tone of voice softened. “And...I do remember...snippets. All my memories are blurring together.” She began to rub her temples. “I feel like I’m trying to grab thin air. It could be just me growing weak, since, you know, I haven’t fed since that day.”

Sunset rubbed her chin, and reread the passage. “Well, it says here that sirens used to feed on positive energy. Have you ever tried that?”

“We can’t exactly absorb the energy without our pendants.” Adagio was getting increasingly annoyed. “Remember? You broke them?”

“Okay...I can always write to Twilight and ask her if she knows anything else about this,” Sunset offered, standing up to get her own enchanted book.

“Would she help?” Adagio asked worryingly, biting her lip.

“Adagio, she helped me when I threatened to kill her.” She chuckled, as if the memory of her brief brush with unimaginable power and her lust to destroy the world was an amusing anecdote. “I’m sure she’s going to help.”

Sunset sat back down and began to pen a letter. “Dear Twilight,” she read aloud as she wrote. “I was recently found by Adagio of the Dazzlings. Remember them? The sirens? Well, she brought me this book that’s got traces of strange magic. I can’t tell what kind, but it’s there. When I find out I’ll tell you. For now, could you search for any information about the Maestro? Apparently she’s the first siren to use negative energy as her source of power. Thanks.”

…

“Did she reply?”

“Adagio, I literally just finished this sentence.”

“When is she going to reply?”

“She’s a princess, okay? She’s got other things to deal with. She’ll reply when she can.”

Adagio threw her hands into the air. “Great. Guess we’ll just wither away into nothing until the princess can find time in her busy schedule to fix the lives she destroyed.”

“Don’t be so salty,” Sunset sighed. 

Adagio’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?” Sunset nodded at the slice of pizza left.

It stared at her, grease shining in the light. “I’ll try a bite,” Adagio mumbled.

The two girls sat in silence.

“Adagio,” Sunset started to say. “How’s your situation at home?”

She stopped eating. “What do you mean?”

“Like, do you and Sonata need any money? Food? A place to stay?”

Adagio’s eyes flashed. “We’re not helpless. We don’t need your charity.”

Sunset looked down and tapped the table with her fingers. “I’m just trying to help.”

“I have a job,” Adagio said, calming down once more. “I work as a bartender. Thanks, though.”

Suddenly, metallic beeps broke through the tense atmosphere. Sunset rushed to get her phone out of her bag and answered. “Hello? Oh! Guess I lost track of time…” She turned her head to look at the girl sitting at her table. “I’m gonna have to take a raincheck. Something came up. Yeah, I’ll tell you all about it. Thanks. Bye.”

“You’re going to tell them about us?” Adagio asked, eyes cast downwards. “How broken we’ve become? How we’re pleading to the very ones who sought to destroy us?”

“Okay, can you stop? Seriously, you’re just droning on and on about how we ruined you. What other choice did we have?”

Adagio pouted and crossed her arms. “You could have just let us win.”

“How do you expect me to help you when all you do is yell and blame us for your terrible life? You didn’t even apologize for trying to brainwash everyone. You just want my help to get your pendants back or whatever to spread more negative feelings! Why should I help you?” Sunset’s breath was ragged with emotion. Really, the nerve of this...this monster.

The siren sat there, a dumbfounded look on her face. “I-I...I’m sorry,” she barely murmured, her once powerful voice now a weak whimper. “I’m sorry that we tried to take over the world, I’m sorry that we’re evil...but...we don’t know how to be anything else.”

Sunset immediately regretted her outburst. “I’m sorry too,” she said. She tilted her head back and let out a loud groan. “Fuck,” she said at the end. She closed her eyes. “The Maestro forged your pendants, right?”

Adagio nodded.

“Adagio, use your words because my eyes are closed.”

“Yes, she did.”

“But the other sirens didn’t have pendants. So maybe those stones you have just absorbed negative energy. Maybe you don’t need pendants for positive energy.”

Adagio pondered on that. “Maybe,” she repeated. “But...we can’t even sing properly anymore.”

“You just need to find a reason to sing,” Sunset said, resuming a normal sitting position. “You and Sonata can come over to CHS and practice, if you want.”

Adagio twiddled her thumbs. “I don’t understand why you’re being so nice to me,” she whispered. “You could have just kicked me out when you were yelling. Why? Why did you decide to help me?”

She felt pressure of a comforting hand on her shoulder. Sunset was standing above her, pulling her up from the chair and into her arms.

“Because I understand,” Sunset murmured, squeezing Adagio tight. “I know what it’s like to feel like you’re all alone. But Twilight helped me see the light, and it’s my turn to help you.”

She held the sobbing girl for a while, stroking her hair and offering words of comfort.

When the waterworks were over, Sunset helped Adagio remove her constricting braid. “You’ve got such nice hair,” Sunset admired, fluffling up the curls.

“Thanks,” Adagio said, grateful for the relief. Sonata meant well, but really didn’t know how to braid properly.

“So, I was thinking. I want to see you and Sonata at least every other day, just so I can check up on you. If Sonata is as weak as you say, maybe she could stay here with me? I’ve got a TV so she won’t be bored.”

“She’d like that.” Adagio frowned. “But I haven’t told her I was coming to see you.”

“You should have. Communication is the most important thing between sisters and friends,” Sunset gently scolded. “You should go back to her and tell her what’s going on.”

“Okay,” Adagio agreed, and stood up. “Sunset.”

“Adagio.”

“Thank you for hearing me out...and helping me. I really appreciate it, and so will Sonata.”

“No prob, Bob.” Sunset smiled. “Need help getting home?”

Adagio shook her head, curls swaying madly. “Thanks. I can handle it. I need some time alone anyways.”

She turned the doorknob.

“Wait! Adagio, wait a minute….here.”

Sunset stood next to her, a coloring book in her hand. “Pinkie gives me one, like, every day. Take it for Sonata.”

Adagio chuckled. “Thanks. When will I see you again?”

Sunset thought for a minute. “Come over for brunch tomorrow. Bring Sonata. Trust me.”

“I will.”
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “Sonata! Hold my hand!”

 “Sorry, Dagi. It’s just been so long since I’ve been outside!” Sonata breathed in deeply, a cheerful smile on her face. Sure, her legs were shaking and her breath was short, but she was happy. She twirled around, her pigtails slapping Adagio in the face.

 “When you get better, I’ll take you to the park every so often,” Adagio offered, once again grabbing Sonata’s hand before the girl could run off. “But you have to promise to stay by my side now.”

 Sonata nodded, and started humming tunelessly.

 The two girls were well on their way to Sunset’s house. Sonata was only told that Adagio visited Sunset and they were invited to her house, and while she was shocked at first, she quickly accepted what Adagio had done and was looking forward to burying the hatchet. Plus, she never hated any those girls - in fact, she had wanted to get to know them, especially the pink one.

 “You ready?” Sonata whispered, squeezing Adagio’s hand tightly.

 “Not really.”

 Knock knock.

 “Hey girls! Come on in!” Sunset greeted them with a large smile and open arms. After a quick embrace and a squeaky ‘Hiya’ from Sonata, the sirens finally came face to face with the very girls that had defeated them.

 “I’ve already told them everything,” Sunset said. “But I think it would be better if they heard your apology coming from yourselves.”

 Adagio sighed and gritted her teeth, anger flaring inside of her. Don’t say anything mean, don’t be sassy, control your anger… “Did you bring me here to grovel at the feet of the ones who sought to bring us down?!”

 “Okay,” Sunset said. “Adagio, come here.” She grabbed Adagio’s hand and pulled her to the other side of the room. “Are you actually serious?” she asked, roughly shaking the other girl’s hand. “Unless you learn to stop being such a dramatic bitch, we’re not going to help you!”

 “I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” Adagio insisted, clenching her fists. “I don’t know what came over me...I’m still angry at them. Please, I’m sorry.”

 Sunset sighed. “Don’t apologize to me.”

 Adagio turned to see Sonata chatting to the girls. She was holding the hands of the yellow one, who was crying for some reason.

 “Ahem,” Adagio cleared her throat, catching the attention of everyone. She twiddled her thumbs. “Hello.”

 “Hi!” chirped Pinkie Pie, bouncing across the room and enveloping Adagio into a big hug. “Wow! You smell great!”

 “Don’t presume you can touch me so quickly!” screeched Adagio, losing her temper for a second. “Uh, please. Off.”

 Pinkie giggled and took a step back. “Sorry! I’m just super excited to get two new friends!”

 Adagio cast her eyes down and took a deep breath. She looked up, and opened her mouth.

 …

 “I don’t know your names,” she mumbled.

 “Well, we can fix that,” Sunset said. “My name is Sunset Shimmer.”

 “I’m Pinkie Pie!”

 “Rainbow Dash. Surprised you didn’t already know me!”

 “Um….I’m...F-Fluttershy.”

 “Rarity. Pleased to meet you.”

 “Ah’m Applejack.”

 “And I’m Sonata!”

 “And...my name is Adagio. It’s been a week since you defeated me and my sisters at the show of the Battle of the Bands.” Adagio stood ramrod straight, her hands clasped behind her back. “When you defeated us, our pendants broke. Those pendants were the only things keeping us alive, as we do not know how to absorb any energy without them.”

 Sonata’s eyes grew wide. “You never told me that,” she gasped, fingers barely brushing her pale blue throat.

 Adagio bent her head. “Without our pendants...without the energy...we’re going to die. I can handle it for some time, but Sonata here is too young...she doesn’t know how to save her own strength and in a short amount of time, will wither away. That is why I came to Sunset, and I come to you five girls.” She looked up and stared at every girl in turn. “I apologize for trying to harm you and your friends. I do not ask for complete forgiveness, but for pity, as I need your help to find a way to save Sonata and myself.”

 “Wasn’t there another one?” asked Applejack, eyes darting around the room. “Where’s the purple girl?”

 “Aria,” Adagio replied. “has decided to take things into her own hands and has been missing ever since that night. We don’t know where she is, or if she’s even alive.”

 “Dagi,” Sonata whined. “Is that true? Am...am I going to die?” Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 Adagio delicately brushed the tears off her sister’s face. “I don’t know,” she murmured. “I thought I was protecting you from the truth. I should have let you know. I’m sorry. And you're not going to die. I would never allow that.”

 “How do we know this isn’t just a trick to make us help them get their powers back?” Rainbow contorted into a challenging pose, ready for a fight. “They’re probably just trying to butter us up before dealing the final blow!”

 “Honestly, Rainbow, how could you think that?” Rarity shot her an angry look before softening her face. “Oh, you poor darlings! We’re ever so sorry for the misfortune we’ve caused, even though it was our only option at that time. Nevertheless, we would all be happy to help you. What do you say girls?”

 “But if we give them their power back, they’ll just spread negative feelings all over again!” Rainbow cried, earning a nod from Applejack.

 “Rainbow’s right,” the country girl added. “We can’t risk another ‘battle of the bands’ again.”

 Sunset smiled. “Well, we’ve got a solution for that. Why don’t we sit down and enjoy brunch while we talk about it?”

 Everyone sat at Sunset’s kitchen table, waiting for the explanation. Brunch was simple - a large bowl of scrambled eggs, salads of vegetables and fruits, jugs of fresh orange juice and other small delectable treats. Sonata piled her plate up with a little bit of everything; the home cooked goodness of lovingly prepared food substituting magical energy as a strengthener. Even Adagio couldn’t resist sampling everything, and let herself get lost in the tastes, letting Sunset do all the talking.

 “So, in conclusion, the sirens just need to learn how to sing for good.” Sunset punctuated her sentence with a nod.

 “Alright,” Rainbow drawled, picking at her teeth with her fingernails. Rarity silently rooted around in her bag and slid the toothpick she found over to her friend. Rainbow ignored it. “I believe you, and I accept your apologies. But…” Rainbow smirked. “You gotta prove to us that you’ve changed. That you really want to use your voices for good instead of evil stuff.”

 Adagio put down the glass she was drinking from. “And how exactly would we do that?”

 “After we get your voices back and whatever…” Rainbow leaned back in her chair. “You’re gonna host a concert at our school, apologize to everyone there, and sing your hearts out until every kid there is melting with positive feelings.”

 “That’s a wonderful idea!” Sunset chimed in. “It’s a way to redeem yourselves, and it’s a huge source of energy for you!”

 Sonata nodded her head enthusiastically. “Oh, Dagi, that sounds like so much fun! Singing was always our favorite thing to do and we never do it anymore!”

 Adagio smiled at Sonata. “Okay. That’s a nice idea. Fine. We’ll do it.”

 All the girls started chipping in ideas for the concert.

 “Dibs on lead guitar!”

 “I have to design you some outfits!”

 “I WANT TO DECORATE THE STAGE.”

 “Um...shouldn’t we try to find Aria…?”

 Everyone fell silent.

 “If she wanted to be with us, she would have come back home,” said Adagio, frost in her voice. “It was her choice to leave.”

 “O-okay, but, you girls are sisters. I mean, she could be hurt and scared. I could make some lost posters….I mean….if you want…”

 “Thank you.”

 “Oh..um...what?”

 Adagio reached over and placed a tentative hand over Fluttershy’s. “Thank you for your concern. Please do make some posters.”

 “She couldn’t have gone far,” said Fluttershy, offering Adagio a gentle smile.

 The rest of the morning fared well, with all the girls excited over the prospect of helping the sisters out, and the gathering traversed well into the afternoon. Adagio’s eyes flitted towards the clock hanging on the wall across her.

 “This was fun, but we’ve got to go.” Adagio stood up. “I have to get to work soon.”

 “Aw, do we have to?” Sonata pleaded.

 “Why doesn’t Sonata stay here?” Sunset offered. “I can take her home when she wants to.”

 “Well...is that what you want Sonata? Okay, fine.” Adagio gave each of the girls a tentative hug. “Thanks again….for helping.”

 “No problemerinerimo,” Pinkie piped. Applejack placed a hand on her shoulder, and whispered softly, “Don’t.”
 
 “We must do this again soon!” Rarity said, bringing Adagio in for one last hug. “And we’ll take good care of Sonata now, don’t you worry!”

 “So, a bar eh?” Rainbow asked. “They, uh, they card there?”

 “Well, I don’t,” Adagio replied, testing the waters by winking at Rainbow. She was pleased to see the rainbow haired girl wink back.

 “Oh, Adagio, actually…” Sunset was carrying a book in her hands. “You left this here.”

 “I can take it home,” Sonata offered, sitting on the couch. “Wow! You’ve got such a nice TV!”

 “Thanks. See you girls later. And Sonata? Sonata. Sonata! Behave. And say thank you. And…”

 “You’re gonna be late,” chuckled Applejack. “Now, go on and git, we can take care of her. Have fun!”

 Adagio waved at her friends and left, walking briskly to the bar.

***

 “Thank you again for bringing me…” Yawn. “Back home.”

 “Anytime. Here’s Adagio’s book.”

 “G…” Yawn. “Good night!”

 Click.

 Sonata placed the book on the kitchen counter. “What a heavy book,” she muttered to herself. She turned to go to the bedroom.

 Sssssss……….sssssssonnnnnaaaaatttttaaaaaa……..

 “What?” Sonata whipped around, goosebumps rising on her skin. “Who said that?”

 It’ssssss meeeee…...mmmooooommmmyyyyyyy…….

 The book on the counter moved.

 Gooooooo…..to sleeeeeepppp…...ssssweeeeeet dreamssssssss…...
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Sunset squeezed Sonata’s hand. “Hey. Hey, look at me. Everything’s going to be fine.”

They were sitting on Sunset’s couch. There were mugs of tea on the table in front of them, but neither had felt like drinking. Sonata’s hands shook, and her face was frozen in an expression of fear.

There was a loud thump at the door.

Sunset leapt up to answer. Adagio pushed her way through and headed straight for Sonata.

“Sonata, are you okay? Did she hurt you? What did she say?” she barked, grabbing Sonata by the shoulders and hugging her tightly. A piece of paper fluttered from her hand - the note that Sonata had left for her back in their apartment.

“I-I’m fine,” Sonata stammered, gently untangling herself from Adagio’s crushing arms. “Just...a little freaked out.” She gave her sister a smile. “You’re here now. I’m ok.”

“So, mind filling us in with the details?” Sunset asked, handing Adagio a fresh mug of tea. She took her place at Sonata’s side. “You just sorta stumbled here and repeated, ‘It spoke, it spoke’.”

“Okay,” Sonata murmured, taking a deep breath. “After Sunset left, I heard this weird voice. It sounded so familiar...I didn’t know where it was coming from. Then I looked back, and the book Adagio bought starting moving. Like...rocking back and forth. Then it stopped. Then I ran here.”

“What did she say?” Adagio pressed, slamming her empty mug on the table.

“She said...uh...my name. And called herself...mommy.”

“Wait, she? Who’s she supposed to be?” Sunset asked. “Oh gosh...you don’t mean…”

Adagio nodded stiffly. “The Maestro,” she whispered. “She’s in the book.”

“Wasn’t she…” Sonata swallowed hard. “Killed?” Snatches of Sunset’s talk at brunch came back to her. “Didn’t the birth of the three sirens kill her?”

“That’s what the problem is, Sonata,” Sunset said. “She is supposed to be dead...but clearly, there are still some traces of her in that book. I just can’t think of any ways as to how that might have happened.”

“I know someone who might,” Adagio piped through gritted teeth.

***

Minutes later, they were at the doorstep of the small shop that Adagio bought the book from. It was dark.

Adagio made a fist and pounded at the door. “Hey! Hey, anyone home? Open up!”

“Adagio, are you crazy?” Sunset hissed. “It’s like four in the morning!” She was hugging herself as a sharp breeze cut through her thin shirt. Adagio hadn’t let her change into more acceptable clothes, and insisted that they immediately run to the store so they could yell at the old lady.

“I don’t care!” She hit the door again. “I will break this door down if I have to!”

Suddenly, the door opened, and the old woman appeared, a stern look on her face. “What’s going on?” she snapped. She was in an old dusty pink robe and carried a metal lantern. “Why have you woken me?”

“Let us in,” Adagio demanded. “We need to have a little talk.”

The old woman scowled, flipped whatever hair she had left on her head and beckoned them in.

Sunset gasped, feeling the rush of ancient magic hit her. It was something she hadn’t felt in a long time...as if someone from her past life was standing next to her.

“You feel it too,” Sonata whispered, holding onto Sunset’s hand. “There’s magic here!”

“Magic?” The old woman smirked. “My, my, it seems that there’s more to you three girls than meets the eye.”

“Who are you?” Sunset blurted out. “How do you know about magic?”

The elder chuckled. “I could ask you all the same thing. Come. Sit. We seem to have much to talk about.”

She led them to the back of the store, and gestured towards the small sofa. “Sit. Tea?” Everyone shook their head. “Very well.” She took a seat. “What would you like to know?”

“How did you get this book?” asked Adagio, heaving the book out of her bag. She had brought it with her when she went to Sunset’s.

“It was given to me. Next question?”

“Wait, wait...don’t give us those stupid one sentence answers, like it’s that simple! Who gave you the book?” Adagio gave the woman a scowl.

She settled in her chair, and gave the three girls a gentle smile. “I was born in a poor family. My mother and father tried so hard to provide for their children, but sometimes, washing other people’s clothes and driving them around isn’t enough. My siblings and I, we had a knack for finding things. During those hard times, we found many, many things. Valuable things. Things people would pay a lot of money for.”

“So you stole?” Sonata asked, mouth agape. “That’s not very nice.”

“If I recall, I only stole possessions, I didn’t actually possess anyone, did I?” The old woman giggled when she saw the sirens’ faces. “Oh yes, word gets around quickly in this part of town. I know you’re sirens. I knew from the very moment you,” She pointed a gnarled finger at Adagio, “came into my store. Now, you can either sit there and judge me or you can sit there and listen to me.”

When everyone was silent, she continued.

“My siblings and I were never caught. We made enough so that our family could live comfortably from now on. Everyone else was happy with what they accomplished, but I wanted more. It was my special talent. I began to travel, and poke my nose into museums, libraries, palaces...Eventually that bored me as well. That’s when I turned my attention to artifacts. Rare, powerful objects said to contain ancient magic.”

She stopped, and closed her eyes.

“I can still remember those days. I would dress up in a little black catsuit, complete with tiny ears! Oh, how the boys loved me...girls as well! I was never picky…”

“Can you not,” Sunset said. “Please, just get on with the story.”

She opened her eyes. “I searched high and low for all sorts of magical artifacts. I had always believed in magic when I was a young girl. Why stop now? So, after a lot of research and...favors...a rumor made its way into my ears - a mirror, they said. What a delight it sounded! A portal to another dimension!”

She began to laugh, spittle flying from her mouth.
“Did you…”

“Oh yes. Of course I went through! I was transported to this beautiful land, so bright and colorful. And the inhabitants! They were just the most adorable things! What did I used to call them? My little…”

“Ponies,” Sunset whispered. She took a deep breath. “That portal led you to Equestria, didn’t it?”

“How did you know?”

“The magic...here...from the book. It’s Archaic Equestrian.”

“It can’t be Equestrian magic,” Adagio cut in. “It doesn’t feel like it.”

Sunset shook her head, a smile growing on her face. “No, it is! You may be centuries old, but this magic is even older! I remember how it felt because Celestia...showed me...once.” She stopped talking and looked down at her feet.

“You’re right,” the woman agreed. “It is Archaic Equestrian. This book,” she titled her chin towards it. “comes from Equestria itself. It’s an old history book written long, long ago. It doesn’t have all the details, though. If I recall, the powerful magic that banished those sirens was the Spectral Alicorn, but that wasn’t mentioned in the book. I only know because I was sweet with one the guards there…”

“The Spectral Alicorn? Oh my god, that giant horse that totally blasted us that one time!” Sonata chimed. “That’s, like, the second time it defeated us!”

“The Alicorn Sisters didn’t come into power until a couple hundred years after,” the woman said. “They had wanted to write down all the great historical events of the past, but most of the ponies who were there were dead! So, with a little bit of chronological magic, they tapped into the past and wrote down what they could find out. Just so happens they witnessed the death of the Maestro. As they watched, and wrote, well, the ink was still wet. And when she died, it must have been awfully dusty...you know where this is going, don’t you?”

The three girls nodded solemnly.

“The Maestro’s dust must have travelled through the portal the Sisters were looking through and settled onto the ink,” Sunset explained. “That explains why her spirit lingers in the book!”

“And you stole this book because...you wanted to?” Adagio questioned. “You stole a probably priceless and clearly magical, not to mention important part of history because you were bored?”

“Yeah.”

“Unbelievable,” grumbled Adagio, crossing her arms. “This is all your fault.”

“Wait...you stole that book…” Sunset gasped. “Oh. My. Celestia. You’re the Filching Filly?”

That brought a hearty laugh out of the old woman. “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time! You can call me Penny, dear. I’m glad you remember my nickname, though.”

“There are books written about you!” Sunset began to get excited. “You were the greatest thief in Equestria at that time! I’ve read all about how you broke into Royal Archives, and when Winter Ward was a guard back then! I can’t believe I’m meeting you in person!”

“Calm down, Sunset,” Adagio said, placing a hand on the amber girl’s shoulder.

“Sorry...you’re just so cool!”

Penny winked at Sunset. “I’m flattered you think so, honey.”

“But...there’s something I don’t understand,” Sunset interjected. “Proper time travel wasn’t safely conducted until Star Swirl became the Royal Wizard. How did the Sisters do that?”

Penny pondered, humming loudly. “Beats me,” she shrugged. “I just took the book. I didn’t really care about anything else, to be honest.”

“Then how do you know all those things?”

Penny clicked her tongue. “It’s called researching, girls. It’s not hard.”

Adagio held the book tightly on her lap. “I guess those were all our questions,” she said. She looked down and flipped through the pages of the book. The Maestro was still there, fins floating gently in water that wasn’t there.

She placed her hand on the image.

And ripped the page clean off.

“Adagio! What the fuck!” screamed Sunset. “That book is like, a bajillion years old! You can’t just rip it!”

“Hey, I’m the one who bought it. I can do what I want. But now she can’t bother us,” Adagio stated, smiling at the people around her. “Problem solved.”

“Augh!” groaned Sunset. “That beautiful book...marred! Spoiled! You ignoramus!”

“Hey! Don’t call my sister that!” snapped Sonata. “It’s just a book. Can’t they write another?”

“Penny! Don’t you care? Do something!”

Penny simply shrugged once more. “It is hers. I really don’t care anymore, sweetie. I’m too old to pay attention anymore. And it’s past my bedtime! Thanks for stopping by, but you should all probably leave. Now.”

The girls exchanged goodbyes and thank yous, leaving the bookstore with satisfied looks on their faces.

“I still can’t believe you ruined that book,” moaned Sunset. “Oh my gosh, I’m so glad Twilight wasn’t here to see this.”

“Stop whining,” Adagio said. “I won’t rip anymore pages out, okay?”

“The Maestro won’t be able to talk to us anymore, will she?” Sonata asked, punctuating her question with a yawn.

“I don’t know,” Adagio replied. “Look, I’ve got to get her home, Sunset. I’ll keep in touch.”

They parted ways.

Adagio still had the book in one hand, and the page in another. She crumpled the loose page and stuffed it in her pocket. Looping her free fingers through Sonata’s, the two sisters made their way home for a well-deserved rest.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Principal Celestia raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure about this?” she asked, glancing once more at the two girls standing behind Sunset.

 Sunset nodded enthusiastically. “I’m definitely sure,” she said, turning back to smile at her new friends. “Please, Principal Celestia. You gave me another chance. They deserve one, too.”

 Adagio cleared her throat. “Principal Celestia,” she began. “My sister and I have both seen the error in our ways. We understand if you don’t give us permission, but please believe us when we tell you that we have no more malicious intent.”

 Celestia sighed, and threw her hands into the air. “I’m putting all my trust in you, Sunset. Adagio, Sonata...I’m a very good judge of character. I know sincerity when I hear it.” She rose from her chair and walked towards the sirens. Placing a hand on both their shoulders, she gave them a gentle squeeze and smile. “And I heard it. Thank you for coming back to apologize to us. The concert is a wonderful idea. But…” her grip tightened. “You have to promise me that you will not succumb to any evil magic, alright? Can you do that for me, girls?”

 Their heads bobbed up and down.

 “Very well. You two can come and practice with your other friends here whenever you want. Let me know the date of the concert and I can ask Vice Principal Luna to help with the arrang- Oh.”

 Sonata had thrown her arms around the older woman. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried. “We’ll try our hardest to be good!”

 Celestia tenderly stroked Sonata’s hair. “You’re very welcome, Sonata. Come by anytime if you require my assistance. My door is always open.”

 “Isn’t this exciting?” Sunset gushed as the door closed behind them. “Come on, the practice rooms are this way!”

 She led them to a small classroom, where her other friends were patiently waiting. Rainbow was fiddling with her guitar, and Rarity was quickly plinking arpeggios on the piano.

 “She said yes!” Sunset pumped her fist in the air.
 
 “Aw yeah,” Rainbow drawled. “Can’t wait to shred it out with you guys. Not gonna lie, your voices are pretty good. Let’s get to singing!”

 “Oh….um...maybe...not yet?”

 “What’s wrong, Adagio?” Rarity asked, looking up from the keys. “Have you got sore throats today?”

 Adagio turned beet red. “N-no...it’s just…”

 “We kinda lost the ability to sing, like, good,” Sonata interjected. “We, like, really suck.”

 “Can’t be that bad,” Applejack said, her voice soothing and reassuring. “Why don’t ya sing a lil’? Let us know what we’re working with.”

 Adagio cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

 “Oh WOah, OH woAh, y-yOu diDn’t kNow t-thAT yoU fELL...o-oh woah….”

 “Oh. My. Gosh. No freaking way!” Rainbow burst into laughter. “You sound awful!”

 “That’s not a very nice thing to say,” snapped Fluttershy. She walked over to Adagio and took her hand. “We’ll help you learn how to sing again, and you’ll be better than before. Right girls?”

 “Why don’t we try some scales?” Rarity suggested, letting her fingers fall back onto the keys. “Let’s do C Major.” She pressed the keys in order, singing ‘ah’ very clearly. “Now you two try. Sonata?”

 Sonata breathed in. She sang the notes in a high, vibrant voice.

 “Very good!” Rarity said. “Although, you’re going a little flat on the B. Let’s try one more time.”

 This time, she nailed it.

 “Alright, Adagio, your turn. Repeat after me.” Rarity sung the notes; Adagio croaked them back.

 Rarity winced, but quickly regained her cheerful composure. “Girls, why don’t you all get some air?” She cast her friends a stern look. “Let me and the Dazzlings warm up our voices. Go on.”

 When the room was empty, Rarity sighed. “I understand how intimidating it must be for you both,” she said, momentarily forgetting the fact that Sonata hadn’t been intimidated at all. “It might be better to practice in private. Now, Adagio, listen to how Sonata sings. Sonata?”

 She opened her mouth, lips in a perfect circle, and sung the notes once more.

 Adagio tried to copy her, but instead of a smooth transition, her voice was choppy and she fell flat once more.

 “I can do this,” Adagio said after the fifth time, her eyebrows coming together. “Just let me try again!”

 “Adagio, you can take your time,” Rarity assured her. “There’s no rush. Relax, and try again.”

 Sonata sat on a spare stool, swinging her legs. She had sung the same scale so many times, and it was getting a bit boring to hear the same notes over and over again. “You can do it, Dagi!” she cheered. Maybe Adagio just needed some support.

 Adagio sang the scale once more. This time, she only messed up two of the notes.

 “Well done!” Rarity beamed. “See? You’re already improving! Let’s give that scale a rest, and try something else.” She flexed her fingers. “Ready, Sonata? You first.”

 “I’m going to get some water,” mumbled Adagio, slipping out of the room. As soon as she closed the door, she sighed loudly. Learning how to sing was a lot harder than she thought it was, and they barely scratched the surface! They were still on major scales, for crying out loud! She rested her head on the door of the room. Would she be able to actually sing soon?

 “Adagio? What’s up?”

 She whipped around to find Rainbow Dash standing beside her, with bottles of water cradled in her arms. “Bottle?”

 Adagio wordlessly took one and took generous gulps. “Thanks,” she said.

 “You’re lookin’ pretty beat,” Rainbow observed, leaning against the wall. “You feeling okay?”

 “Yeah,” huffed Adagio. “I’m totally fine.”

 “Look, I didn’t mean to sound so rude back there,” Rainbow started. “I was so used to hearing a great voice out of your body. Guess I wasn’t prepared to hear that.” She shrugged. “Anyways, I know you have the potential to get your totally amazing voice back. Keep at it, okay?” She gestured towards the door. “Mind getting that for me?”

 Adagio opened the door, and followed Rainbow in. “Rarity? Can we go over the C scale once more? I think I’ve got it this time.”

***

 “That was the worst day of my life!” seethed Adagio, stomping her way across the room. She frantically tied her hair up, and glared at the clock. She was late for work - first time, but still - and her hair was not cooperating. Not to mention that totally shitty practice session. “I don’t understand how your voice is still perfect,” she muttered.

 Sonata shrugged. “Beats me. You’re the better singer out of all us anyways. I don’t know why I’m better right now.” Her tongue peeked out from between her lips in concentration as she carefully shaded the hair of the princess she was coloring.

 Adagio rolled her eyes. The thing about Sonata was that there wasn’t a single trace of spite in that sentence. She was actually that nice...and naive. Adagio had an inkling as to why Sonata’s voice wasn’t terrible - Sonata was just too fucking pure. While the negative energy fed her and gave her strength, she was untainted by the darkness that came with it. On the other hand, Adagio was way older, and had depended on negative energy for so long that her voice was a complete disaster without a constant supply. They may have lost their pendants, but Sonata’s grip on magic was a lot stronger than Adagio’s; Sonata just didn’t know how to harness it properly.

 “I’m leaving,” she called out, giving Sonata a hug despite her sour feelings. “I’ll be back soon. Have you got everything you need? Do you want me to get anything for you?”

 Sonata tapped her chin. “I’ll be fine,” she said. “Thanks.” She took a wrapped candy out of her pocket and popped it in her mouth, chewing happily. Pinkie Pie had given them loads of cookies, cakes, and pies, and had even managed to sneak a few sweets into their pockets. “Bye!”

 Adagio’s footsteps were brisk on the concrete. She made it, and was abruptly prodded by Spirit.

 “You’re late,” he said gruffly. “Care to explain?”

 “I was busy.” She pushed past him and took her place behind the bar. “I’m here now. Isn’t that enough?”

 Spirit sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I guess,” he mumbled. He could never stay angry at a pretty girl. He took a seat at the bar. “What were you doing?”

 “Why do you care?” She nodded to a customer and began preparing their drink. “I was just busy.”

 Spirit chuckled, loving the way Adagio’s fingers nimbly flitted across the buttons of the register. “Why you gotta be so distant?” he asked. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

 “You’re my boss. Why don’t you go do your job and let me do mine?”

 “Is that anyway to talk to your boss, then? I could dock your pay for being rude.”

 “Go ahead. Not like you pay me that much anyways.”

 Spirit stood up. “If you keep acting like a bitch, I’ll fire you.”

 Adagio rolled her eyes. “Have fun trying to find someone else to work in this shithole.”

 He stomped off indignantly, and slammed the door of his office. What a loser, Adagio thought to herself. She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. Oh, how she loved being mean.

 The night was uneventful.

 Spirit came back out, wielding a large machine. It had a screen on top, and a microphone was connected by a long, curly wire. “Hey, Adagio,” he called. “Help me hook this up.”

 “What is that?” she grunted, helping him heave it onto a platform.

 “Karaoke machine,” he said, bending down to connect it to the wall. “Thought it might be fun to have karaoke nights. Wanna try?”

 Adagio paled at the sight of the microphone. “No.”

 “Come on,” Spirit nudged her, sensing something was amiss. “Don’t you like singing? You look like a singer to me.”

 “I said no!” Adagio turned to walk away.

 He grabbed her arm.

 “Let go.”

 “I want to hear you sing, Adagio.”

 “Let me go. I don’t like singing.”

 “I don’t believe you.”

 “Let me go, now!” She yelled, finally wrenching herself free.

 She didn’t care about her job anymore. She left.

 The night air was balmy, and clung to her bare skin. She gulped down deep breaths and just walked. She didn’t know where she was going, but she was going to get far away.

 She had been staring at the ground, and didn’t realize she was going to walk straight into a telephone pole. She stopped herself in time, and looked up.

 Coming face to face with Aria.

 No, that wasn’t Aria. That was just a very well drawn picture of Aria.

 ‘Missing, Aria Blaze. Please call…’

 She turned away, and crossed the street she was on. She still had about 45 minutes before her shift ended, and she didn’t want to go home yet. She walked and walked until she came to the local park. Everything was still.

 Picking her way carefully over the scattered toys and rocks, Adagio settled onto a lone park bench. She sighed, slumping over. Crickets hummed, providing a steady beat. She licked her lips, and began to hum the scales she had practiced with Rarity.

 Her face felt hot and wet. Ah, those were tears.

 Her voice, once rich and powerful, was as weak and soft as a newborn kitten. She stopped singing to take a breath. She tried again. She was still flat.

 She let out one angry sob. It echoed through the empty night. She had never felt this weak before. She was Adagio Dazzle! The leader of the Dazzlings! She was their rock, their protector, the lead singer…now she was barely a back-up vocalist.

 She reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled page. It was still in a tight ball - she never opened it. She clenched her fist, feeling the soft paper folds grow sharper. She loved the sensation of holding something tightly - like she was squeezing the life out of it. She bounced it softly from hand to hand, like she was tossing a tennis ball. Yeah, maybe she shouldn’t have kept it, because what if the Maestro started talking again and Sonata heard it? What if she had thrown it out but someone else opened it and became possessed? That’s why it’s with me, Adagio thought. So if that does happen, I can just yell at the Maestro. I love being smart.

 She smoothed the paper over her knee, never opening it.

 “I dare you to talk to me,” she whispered. “Just try it. If you ever come near my sister again, I will literally eat this page.”

 That should do it.

 She stuffed it back into her pockets, and spent the rest of her shift humming to the night sky.

 

> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “...got the music in our hearts, here to blow this thing apart...and together, we will never be afraid of the dark…”

“H-here to sing our song out loud…”

“Dagi, that wasn’t the right note.”

“I know, I know. Let me try again.”

She cleared her throat.

“Here to sing our sing...fuck.”

Sonata erupted into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth her a pillow. “Sing our sing?”

“Shut up,” Adagio smirked, playfully punching Sonata on the shoulder. “I’m tired. We’ve been singing all day.” She placed a hand on her throat. “I don’t remember ever having such a sore throat.”

“Well, you’re improving,” Sonata said, settling her pillow underneath her neck. “Why don’t we call it a day, then? Ooh, we can do each other’s nails! Rarity gave me a bottle of nail polish yesterday. It’s, like, super sparkly.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’m gonna get some water.” Adagio stood up and walked to the kitchen, bare feet tapping lightly on the cold tiles. She filled a clean glass with tepid water and took small sips, gazing out the window. The sky was dark - it was nearing midnight. Her shift today was uneventful, save for Spirit trying to rekindle their friendship. She had kept a frosty exterior, refusing to let herself be won over by his promises of increased pay if she would only look at him, talk to him, anything.

And Sonata was right - Adagio was improving. She was a heck of a lot better than the first time they practiced, and now they had moved on to singing the Rainbooms’ old songs. Sure, hearing them again caused her emotions to spike, but she wasn’t nearly as dramatic about it as she would have been.

“Dagi? You coming?”

Adagio smiled. “Coming.”
***

“Now, show me what you’ve written,” Fluttershy said, leaning over to study the scrawled words that Sonata had etched onto the paper. “Oh, uhm...what does this say?”

“It says ‘awesome’,” Sonata replied. “I sorta wrote it in a hurry.”

“You wrote a song, eh?” Rainbow asked, kicking her shoes off and sliding around the practice room, using her socks as skates. “Why don’t you just sing it to us?”

“That’s a wonderful idea, dear,” Rarity said. “I could help with the music, if you require.”

Sonata nodded, and sat down next to Rarity. “So, uh, here are the words. And I was thinking of…” She pressed a series of keys on the piano. “Just like that, until…” She pressed a few more. “And then the chorus is just this. Is that okay?”

Rarity repeated the sequences. “Yes, I’ve got it. Whenever you’re ready.”

Sonata took a deep breath. “Now.”

“I never knew having friends would so awesome,
Especially now that I’ve got the best of the best.
It’s been a tough road, and there’s more ahead of me,
But my friends have put my mind at rest…”

Sonata glanced around, stopping suddenly. Her wide eyes had hints of uncertainty.

“Dude, keep going!” whooped Rainbow Dash.

“And they said, and they said that they’ll be there for me!
And that I have got the strength,
To be the best that I can be!
And they said, and they said that they would try their hardest to stay by my side,
‘cuz our friendship has grown strong,
And I can feel the magic of friendship deep inside.”

Halfway through the chorus, a strange mist began to tug its way out of Fluttershy’s chest. She gasped, trying to contain it. It was a pearly white, pure and clear, and it slowly curled its way from Fluttershy to Sonata’s throat. She absorbed it, and her voice grew stronger.

“What was that?” Sonata asked after finishing the song, rushing to hold Fluttershy. “I’m so sorry! Did I just steal your soul?”

Fluttershy smiled broadly, a rare move for the shy girl. “N-no, that wasn’t my soul. I feel...so happy. I feel so light and...and good!”

“I too feel quite pleasant,” Rarity piped. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but did you just perform magic, Sonata?”

“...maybe? I...I think so?”

“That was magic.”

Everyone turned to look at Adagio, a dark look on her face. She sat with her legs and arms crossed, an angry glare directed straight at Sonata. “That mist coming out of Fluttershy was positive energy, generated by Sonata’s original song.” She tilted her head so that even though she was sitting, she was looking down at her younger sister. “Congratulations, Sonata. You can now absorb positive energy.”

She stood up.

“I’m going home. I’ve got work.”

The door slammed with a sharp bang, resonating in the still air.

“I... I didn’t mean to,” Sonata mumbled. “Why wasn’t she happy? Isn’t this what we’re trying to accomplish?”

Sunset put down the book she was reading and stared at the door. “That is what we’re trying to accomplish. And well done, Sonata. I’m really proud of you.” The blue girl smiled. “I’m guessing Adagio is just envious of your ability,” Sunset continued. “She’s happy for you, Sonata, believe me, but from what I know, Adagio isn’t very good at showing her positive feelings.”

She thought for a second. “If you have the ability, then Adagio does too. She just needs to find a way to trigger it...what was your trigger, Sonata?”

“Well, it started when I sang the chorus. I was just so happy to have you all around me, that I wanted to make you guys as happy as me.” Her cheeks flushed. “A-and, I was thinking about how nice Fluttershy has been to me, and how pretty she is...that I wanted to make her feel special. As a thank you.”

Fluttershy giggled. “Thank you, Sonata. Oh, and Sunset, at around the same time, I felt such a wonderful calmness come over me...like I was being wrapped in a giant, warm blanket. Then the magic came out. It didn’t hurt - I actually didn’t feel it come out. I just felt happy.”

“Interesting,” Sunset muttered, taking note of what just happened. “Sonata, you’ve already tapped into your magic, and in such a short time. I’m just wondering, if you’re younger than Adagio, how can you be more powerful?”

Sonata shrugged and sat down. “Adagio and Aria...they’re older than me, yeah, but...I think it might have to do with who they are.” A wistful expression settled on her features. “Dagi...took it upon herself to become the sole leader. She was the one who scoped out potential victims, wrote our songs...she’s the one who did all sorts of things to make sure we were safe.” Sonata looked down, her lower lip quivering dangerously. “S-sometimes she would surprise us. W-with rooms full of people to sing for and feed off. She never told us what she had to do to make that happen. I can’t even imagine what she had to do, and she doesn’t want to talk about it. If she hadn’t forced us to leave all those burdens to her, maybe...maybe she wouldn’t be so weak.”

Sonata took a deep breath.

“With Aria, well, she was always pretty jealous of Dagi. Dagi did everything for us, and I guess Aria got sick of not being allowed to branch out and get her own victims. I remember one time, Aria tried to get Dagi to let her tag along to some event, I don’t know what it was. Dagi kept refusing, and then Aria said horrible things.” A tear worked its way from Sonata’s eye to her clasped hands. “S-saying that D-dagi was just trying to make herself stronger a-and didn’t care about us...and she c-called her so many bad words...they didn’t speak for about a week until they suddenly got over it.”

Fluttershy had wrapped her arms around Sonata by this time, and even Rainbow had a somber expression on her face. The siren’s shoulders shuddered as she let out a shaky breath.

“I just want us to be together again,” she whispered.

Sunset sighed. “Sonata, I’m sorry you had to live in such a hostile environment. I’ll talk to Adagio tonight, see if I can make her see how wonderful your progress is. Good job, everyone. Let’s break for today.”

“Sonata, do you want to come to the animal shelter with me today?” Fluttershy asked. “I always find taking care of animals to calm me down.”

Sonata grinned, her sadness dissipating. “Yes please.”

“Sunset,” Applejack began as Fluttershy and Sonata left. “You’re the best suited gal to talk some sense in Adagio, but...be gentle. You probably know this already, but she’s a delicate one.”

“Thanks,” Sunset nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

***
“What can I get you?” Adagio asked, not bothering to look up at the newcomer. She continued methodically wiping the counter, eyes glazed over with her inner thoughts.

“I’ll have your strongest.”

Adagio’s head snapped up to see Sunset sitting in front of her.

“Woah,” she mumbled, surprised by Sunset’s appearance.

Her multi-colored waves were a sharp frame around her face , which was painted with dark eyeliner and a red lip. Her clothes, black and leather, were tight around her body. She smirked, tapping the counter with her nails.

“I was trying to make myself look older,” Sunset confessed, blushing slightly. “I didn’t want to get kicked or anything.”

“Why are you here?” Adagio finally mustered. “I didn’t know you drank.”

“I don’t. Well, not where I could get in trouble, anyways. I came to talk to you, Adagio. Do you know what happened today?”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Sonata got her magic back. Is that all?”

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to show her you’re proud,” Sunset said, fiddling with her fingers. “She was really upset because she thought you were angry with her.”

“Well, I’ll make it up to her," Adagio stated, placing a glass of water in front of Sunset. “Sorry, my boss hates it when a customer doesn’t have a drink in their hand.”

“That’s fine. Anyways, I’m here to find out how to get your magic back as well. Sonata said that her trigger was her desire to make us happy, Fluttershy more specifically. They’ve gotten real close lately... I think Sonata might have finally found a best friend.”

“Good for her.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Now they can go off and hold hands in the sunset while I’m stuck here with no friends and no magic.”

Sunset recoiled slightly. “I’m your friend,” she said, wounded. “How can you say that after everything me and the girls have done for you?”

“Then why don’t I have my magic back?” Adagio snapped. Her anger was increasing, and she didn’t want to cause a scene. “I don’t want to fight here. Just let me do my job, or I’ll get in trouble.”

Sunset didn’t leave her seat. She remained there, never moving, taking slow sips from her glass of water. Adagio promptly ignored her, chatting up the other customers with the kind of charisma that some people were just born with.

A loud screech permeated the air, caused by Spirit toying with a microphone. “How’s everyone doing?” he talked into the mic, grinning nervously.

No one really answered back.

He cleared his throat. “So, it’s open mic night! We’ve got a karaoke machine here, and an acoustic guitar for anyone who wants to take it slow. They’re, uh, here.” He shuffled off, ears red.

Sunset raised an eyebrow, a plan formulating in her brain. She stood up, keeping her eyes focused on the acoustic guitar.

“Sunset,” Adagio finally broke her silence. “Where are you going?”

The girl didn’t reply, and walked straight to the stage. She swung the guitar over her shoulder and tapped the microphone.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Sunset Shimmer, and I’ll be performing an original song for you all.” She tested out the guitar by plucking out a few chords.

“I’ve been down so many roads,
Each one harder than the last.
Scorned and taunted, left for worse,
Each memory a scar etched on my past.

But even though my wings were broken,
The fire in my heart no longer burned.
I dug around in the ashes and found
Something worth…

I found light and love and peace and hope,
An extra raft, some extra rope,
And I used those things together,
And I became a better person.

I found light and love and peace and hope,
I found friends to help me live and cope,
I found light and love and peace and hope,
and they were in me all along.”

Sunset’s gaze landed on Adagio, and held her stare for the rest of the song.

“I admit I’ve made mistakes,
I regret most everything.
There are things I cannot shake,
Things I’ve done still lingering.

But I can find it in myself,
To forgive the person I used to be,
For I know that now I can move on,
And change for the better…

I found light and love and peace and hope,
An extra raft, some extra rope,
And I used those things together,
And I became a better person.

I found light and love and peace and hope,
I found friends to help me live and cope,
I found light and love and peace and hope,
and they were in me all along.”

She gave the guitar one final strum and stepped away from the microphone, bowing deeply. She was met with enthusiastic applause, and even Spirit approached her to pat her on the back.

“Hey, if you ever wanna go big, I can hook you up with some gigs,” he said, turning into a businessman. “Here’s my card. Call me anytime.”

Sunset accepted it with a polite thank you, and returned to Adagio. She smiled. “How was I?” she asked.

Adagio struggled to answer for a little while. “Y-you were great. Really great. Nice song.”

Sunset ducked her head. “Thanks. I wrote that song a few weeks after I settled down with the girls.”

“It was a nice song,” Adagio repeated. She kept her eyes low. “I liked it.”

“Do...you want me to teach it to you?” Sunset suddenly asked.

“For real?” Adagio asked, the darkness in her expression turning into excitement. She quickly captured her emotions. “Like, I don’t really care. But, sure, I guess.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Sunset whispered, grabbing Adagio’s arm. “You hate this job, right? Let’s ditch. He won’t notice.”

Adagio bit her lip, then nodded. She pushed her way through the crowd, Sunset’s fingers still firm against her flesh. They ran out into the open air, giggling like kids.

“Follow me,” Sunset said, leading the way. Adagio began to recognize where they were going - the park. The same park Adagio had sat in and blubbered about her feelings.

They sat down heavily on a park bench, huddling close for warmth in the chilly breeze.

“Okay, so I’ll teach you the chorus,” Sunset started. She sang the first line.

“I found light and love and peace and hope.” 

Adagio licked her lips and tried to sing it.

“I found light and love and peace and hope.”

“One more time. Listen carefully...I found light and love and peace and hope.”

“I found light and love and peace and hope.”

“You got it! Let’s keep going…”

Adagio pressed on, trying her hardest to match the notes perfectly.

“Adagio, no,” Sunset said. “You’re trying too hard. You gotta...let the music flow in you. Don’t be scared to make mistakes. Just...sing.”

The siren took a deep breath, and was about to let it out before it caught in her throat. Sunset had placed her hands on top of Adagio’s, caressing her knuckles with the pads of her thumbs.

“I found light and love and peace and hope,
An extra raft, some extra rope,
And I used those things together,
And I became a better person.”

“Perfect,” Sunset whispered.

“And I’ve been through so many hoops,
And I’ve tried so hard to protect,
But no matter how often I fell,
I would always get up again.”

Sunset inhaled sharply, and the corners of her mouth turned up. “Keep going,” she mouthed, not wanting to speak.

“And I thought I’d spend my life alone,
Tortured by the sorrowful seeds I’ve sown.
Now I understand I should let them grow
And cut them where they stand. 

I have crossed the oceans, walked on clouds,
I have scaled the mountains and the underground.
I have been most everywhere,
But no place can compare,
here with you…

Because you gave me light and love and peace and hope,
You handed me the extra rope,
You helped me put those things together
And become the better person.”

Sunset’s smile widened until it stretched from ear to ear. She felt so calm, so free, so so happy...She glanced down just in time.

Pink mist peeked out from her chest and lazily danced towards Adagio. It made a wreath around her throat before it sunk into her skin. Adagio’s voice became richer as she finished her song.

“Adagio,” Sunset barely whispered. “You did it.”

Adagio squeezed Sunset’s hands. “Thank you,” she murmured, dipping her head. “I...I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Their head were mere inches from one another, so close that tendrils from their hair mingled together. Adagio breathed in deep, relishing the taste of Sunset’s magic. It had been so, so sweet. She looked up to see Sunset with her eyes closed. Her makeup had long been rubbed off, and her face was pale as she basked in the ivory moonlight. She looked happy.

Adagio wanted her to stay that way.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Sonata held her breath, kneeling down on the grass. She frowned in frustration as the bunny sniffed her outstretched fingers and scurried away. She let out a heavy sigh and plopped onto her backside. “Why don’t they like me?” she whined, staring glumly at the untouched carrot in her hand.

 Fluttershy folded her legs underneath her and joined Sonata on the ground. “You just have to be a little more patient. They’ll warm up to you. Look, there’s another one!”

 Sonata thrust her hand out, the carrot flying from her grasp. It bounced near the rabbit, who hurriedly picked it up and ran back into the bushes.

 “Well, that’s one way to feed them,” giggled Fluttershy. She ceased when she spotted Sonata’s disappointed expression. “But, uhm, you can always try again. You’re welcome to accompany me to all my animal shelter visits, if you want.”

 Sonata grinned, and placed her hand on Fluttershy’s. “Thanks,” she said, her previous plight forgotten.

 “So, how are things with you and Adagio now?” Fluttershy asked, careful to keep her tone light and casual.

 “They’re great, now that we can both do magic,” Sonata replied. “She apologized to me and everything, and then she bought me a surprise taco! We spent all of yesterday together.” Her voice turned wistful. “I just wish Aria was here to enjoy our fun day...”

 “Well, I’ve gotten a few calls about her, thanks to those posters. But they weren’t giving me any actual information...just calling to say that, uh, if they find her, they’re gonna...yell at her.”

 Sonata groaned, stretching her arms above her head and settling back to lay on the grass. “I hope she’s not in any real trouble,” she grumbled. “She never stays put...she never wants to stay safe.”

 “I’m sure she’s doing okay,” Fluttershy comforted her. “She seemed very strong and capable when we were, you know, battling.”

 “Yeah,” Sonata sighed. “She’s a fighter. Hey, check out that cloud! It looks like a bunny!”

 Fluttershy rested her head near Sonata’s and gazed at the sky. “You’re right! Aw, look at its little tail!”

 They lay there in silence, occasionally pointing out funny shaped clouds. The wind, a light breeze, ruffled their clothes and hair, and the sun beamed down on them.
 
 “Fluttershy?” Sonata said quietly. She turned to look at her friend, her delicate features forming a gentle profile.

 “Mm?” Fluttershy’s eyes were closed.

 “Thank you for being so nice to me,” Sonata whispered, hesitantly placing her hand on Fluttershy’s.

 The pink haired girl smiled, and - with eyes still closed - weaved her fingers through Sonata’s. “That’s what friends are for.”

***

 “I just realized something,” Sunset said, putting down her knife and fork.

 Applejack had invited all the girls to dinner at her house, and they were in the middle of polishing off yet another apple pie. Adagio herself had about three slices, murmuring sweet nothings to the spicy filling.

 “Too much cinnamon, eh?” Applejack mumbled. “GRANNY!” she suddenly yelled. “You put too much cinnamon again!”

 “Shut your trap!” screamed a voice from the kitchen. “Adagio liked it!”

 “No, no, not that,” Sunset giggled. “Your pie is perfect!” she called to the kitchen. “Don’t listen to Applejack, she’s just jealous!”

 Ignoring Applejack’s angry sputtering, she continued. “Well, we’ve got Adagio, and we’ve got Sonata, but we don’t have Aria.”

 “I’m telling you, no one is giving me any actual information,” said Fluttershy, her voice tinged with annoyance. “I’m doing everything I can, trust me.”

 “We’re not blaming you, don’t worry,” Sunset said. “Maybe we should actually go look for her.”

 “We don’t know how far away she is,” Rainbow interjected. “She could have taken a bus to the next city, or even state!”

 “She wouldn’t stray so far from home,” Adagio piped. “If I know her well enough, I’d say she’s still close.”

 “Then that’s settled,” Sunset lightly slapped the table. “Tomorrow, we go on a search. You have work, right? Can you bunk?”

 Adagio shook her head. “Spirit’s got a huge stick up his ass ever since we had an argument. Plus, if I see Aria out on the streets, I’d probably scream and chase her away.”

 “I’ll come with you guys,” Sonata said. “She likes me.”

 “Just be careful,” Adagio warned. “She’s...a little unstable when she’s stressed out.”

 “Don’t you worry, dear,” Rarity said. “We’ll make sure to approach her carefully and peacefully.”

 “In the meantime,” Rainbow drawled. “Any chance there’s another pie coming out of the oven?”

***

 “Ugh,” Adagio groaned, staring at the staircase in front of her. She bent down and removed her heels, sighing in relief as the pain was replaced with a wave of pleasure. She curled her toes and rolled her ankles around, the pressure of the tight shoes no longer hurting her. She began the trek up the stairs, swinging her boots in one hand, and getting her key ready in the other.

 She stood at the door of her flat.

 There was something wrong, though.

 A sliver of light cut its way into the darkness of the flat, let in through the door - that was slightly ajar.

 Someone had been in her flat; or where they still there?

 Taking a deep breath, Adagio slowly pushed the door, open, cringing as the creak of the door echoed in the silence. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she found herself staring at a dark figure. The slice of light grew as it fell into the room, illuminating the dark figure that was perched on the couch. 

 There was Aria, dressed in black from head to toe. Her eyes had dark circles underneath, and she couldn’t stop fiddling with a loose thread from her jacket. She had a grim expression on, her black lips in a tight line.

 “Aria,” Adagio said, all the anger and frustration evaporating from her mind.

 “Adagio,” came the reply.

 Oh, how she missed that husky, sour voice.

 “Where have you been?” Adagio whispered, her usual snarkiness replaced with a tender voice. “W-we’ve been so worried about you…”

 “Then why didn’t you come after me?” Aria snapped, wrapping her arms around herself. “Why did you just let me leave?”

 “I-I was angry...I wasn’t thinking…”

 “You’re our leader,” Aria spat out. Literally. She spat on the floor after she said ‘leader’. “You’re our protector.”

 Sniffles pierced the air.

 “Y-you...you’re my sister…” Aria began to sob. “A-and you didn’t even care.”

 Adagio dropped her things and ran towards Aria, wrapping her arms around her shivering sister.

 “You don’t know what I’ve been through,” cried Aria, clenching fistfuls of Adagio’s hair. Memories of playing with the curls tumbled into her head, and she began to cry harder. “I-I’ve done horrible things…”

 “Sh,” Adagio murmured. “It’s okay. You’re here, you’re safe. I promise to keep you safe, Aria. Look at me. Look at me.”

 Deep purple eyes, swimming in tears and filled with regret, met with Adagio’s.

 “None of that matters now,” Adagio said, stroking Aria’s tangled hair. “Everything you’ve done, we’ve already forgiven you for.”

 Aria closed her eyes. “I’m so tired,” she whined. “I feel so awful.”

 “Then sleep,” Adagio said. She steeled herself and pressed Aria against her body, hooking one arm underneath her legs. The younger siren was so light.

 She carried Aria to the bedroom, and placed her on the bed. Pausing only to take off her boots, Adagio tucked Aria into bed. Without hesitation, she gave Aria a gentle kiss on the forehead. “You’re home,” she whispered to the already slumbering girl. “And you’ll always be with us.”

 ***

 Aria woke up the smell of something burning. She opened her eyes and rubbed them, smudging the eyeliner and mascara she had caked on. Her head hurt, and her eyes were stinging furiously, a sure sign she’d been crying. Where was she? Only one way to find out.

 She screamed.

 “Aria!” shouted Adagio’s voice. “What the fuck?”

 Aria smirked. She was home.

 She swung her stockinged feet over to the floor and adjusted her wrinkled clothes just in time for Adagio to storm in.

 “Why are you screaming?” she scolded, a wooden spoon in her hand. There was flour on her clothes.

 “Why do you look like Suzy homemaker?” Aria grumbled, standing up. “I’m taking a shower. You guys better not have thrown all my clothes away.”

 “Hurry up, then,” Adagio said. “I’m making breakfast and I don’t want my hard work to get cold.”

 After a very hot and very refreshing shower, Aria felt more like herself than she had these past few days. She stared at her reflection, at the bags underneath her eyes, at the scar on her lip, at the...well...she didn’t want to look at it. She dressed in a simple gray turtleneck and her comfiest sweatpants, and got ready to face her sisters.

 “Good morning,” she said, standing in the doorway.

 “Aria!” cried Sonata, jumping up from her perch on the couch. She threw her arms around Aria and squeezed tight. “I missed you so much!” she said, happy tears glistening on her cheeks. “Adagio wouldn’t let me see you when I came home last night because you were sleeping.”

 Aria bit her lip in an effort to stop herself from crying as well. “Y-yeah, well, I missed you too, squirt.”

 “Breakfast!” Adagio whirled around and placed a stack of pancakes on the table. They looked very crispy.

 “Oh great, I love charred pancakes,” Aria said, rolling her eyes and pulling a funny face at Sonata.

 Sonata tried to hold in her laughter, resulting in a loud snort.

 “Really, Aria,” Adagio sighed. “You leave without a second thought, you disappear for practically years, then you come back without warning and make fun of my cooking like nothing happened?” Her tone was laced with humor.

 Aria shrugged and took her seat. “When did you start cooking?” she asked. “And what’s with all the frilly curtains and flowers?” She looked around the clean, charmingly decorated room, so different from the gray walls she was used to.

 “I’ll tell you later. First, we want to know where you’ve been.”

 “I’ll tell you later. First, I want to know what happened here.”

 “I’ll tell you later. First, I want to know...hey!”

 Sonata erupted in a fit of giggles. “Can we all talk later? I’m starving!”

 They tucked into their breakfast, the acrid taste of burnt pancakes smoothed over by generous amounts of syrup. Aria ate ravenously, stuffing bite after bite into her mouth.

 “You must have been hungrier than me,” Sonata noted.

 Aria leaned back in her chair. She licked the last remnants of syrup off her lips. “Some days...I wouldn’t find anything to eat.” She looked at her plate, eyes glazed over, shoulders slumped.

 “You don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Sonata beamed. “Applejack said she’ll invite us over for dinner when we find you, and her granny makes the best apple pie ever!”

 “Applejack?” Aria’s eyes snapped back into focus. “Who the fuck is that?”

 “Language,” Adagio said, her tone gentle. “Sonata, you should have waited.”

 “Oops,” Sonata mumbled, stuffing a syrup-drenched bite into her mouth. “I’ll be quiet.”

 “Aria,” Adagio began. “Sonata and I were both suffering from starvation. We lost our magic. We had no other choice but to turn to Sunset Shimmer and her friends to help us.”

 She waited for a reaction. There was none.

 “They taught us how to use our magic to absorb positive energy,” Adagio went on. “It’s so much better than the negative energy we used to consume, and it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

 Aria scoffed. “Since when did we care about hurting anyone?”

 “Since we got friends, Aria. They helped us when we were lost.”

 “Whatever,” Aria said. “I don’t want to be a part of it. I’ve got my own magic.”

 “What magic?” Adagio asked. “Actually, why don’t you just tell us the whole story?”

 “What if I don’t want to?” Aria challenged, raising an eyebrow.

 Adagio sighed, and stood up. She began clearing the plates. “We’re going to Sunset’s house for lunch,” she said, placing the dirty plates in the sink. She grabbed a sponge and began to wash the dishes, something Aria had never seen her do. “In the meantime, Sonata has been dying for a worthy opponent to play cards with.”

 The time to leave arrived, and with much coaxing, Aria followed, hands stuffed in jacket pockets. They still haven’t seen it.

 “Remember, Aria,” Adagio said, knocking on the door. “Be nice.”

 The door opened, and Sunset’s head popped out. “Adagio! Hey Sonata, come on...oh my gosh.”

 “Surprise,” Aria yelled, pulling an exaggerated smile and giving Sunset jazz hands. “Look who’s back!”

 Sunset closed her mouth, feeling very awkward. “C-come on in, Aria.”

 Aria was greeted by smiling faces. She hated those faces.

 “Aria! It’s so nice to see you again,” Rarity said, the first to stand and draw Aria into a hug. “We were all wondering where you’d run off to.”

 “Why do you care?” Aria asked. “Why do any of you guys care about what happened to me?”

 “Well, duh, you’re our friend!” Pinkie took hold of Aria’s hand. “We wanted to know if you were safe.”

 She wrenched her hand out of Pinkie’s hand, and roughly pushed Rarity out of her way. “You’re not my friends,” she barked, assuming a hostile stance. “I can kill you all with my magic.”

 “Aria,” cried Adagio. “Stop it! They are our friends, and we do not threaten our friends. Girls, I’m so, so sorry...she’s…”

 “It’s okay,” Fluttershy said. She stood up as well, and made her way to stand near Aria. She placed a hand on Aria’s shoulder. “Aria. I understand that you’re feeling scared. You think that your sisters abandoned you, but they haven’t. They’ve been worried sick about you. I know you don’t like us, and we’re not asking you to like us. We’re asking you to calm down, and make the effort to listen to what we have to say. We want to help.”

 Aria’s breathing slowed, and she looked at her feet. “I...I just...I’m sorry.”

 “That’s the first time I’ve heard you say that,” Adagio huffed. “Now, would you calm down and shut up? We really need to talk.”

 “I don’t want to talk,” Aria hissed, turning her back on the girls in front of her.

 “Then you don’t have to,” Applejack said. “You don’t have to tell us about these past two weeks if you don’t wanna. We aren’t making you.”

 “Why are you guys even helping us?” Aria asked. “Hello? We almost took over the world.”

 “We’ve forgiven you,” Sunset stated, as if it was that simple. “We know it was the negative energy that turned you all into pretty awful people. You just need to let go of that part of you.”

 “This is bullshit. I don’t have to stay here and listen you tell me to give up my magic.”

 “That’s not what we’re saying! God, Aria, are you even listening to us at all?” Adagio sighed loudly. “Why won’t you just shut up while we explain what’s going on?”

 “Fine. Fine! I’ll shut up, since that’s the only thing you ever want me to do.” Aria threw her hands in the hair. “Tell me.”

 Aria stayed true to her word as Adagio told her everything. The shop, Penny, the book, the Maestro, and (leaving out a few private details) how they got their magic back. “And in order to prove that we’ve reformed,” she said, taking a sip of water. “We’re holding a concert for Canterlot High in a few days. We’ve been practicing original songs now.”

 “Sounds like a fucking waste of time,” Aria mumbled. She picked lazily at her plate of food, ignoring her grumbling stomach. “I don’t care about Canterlot High.”

 “Why are you being so awful?” Sonata suddenly exploded. “Stop swearing! And stop being so close-minded. You’re just being mean for the sake of being mean, and we’re all just trying to make things better.”

 “You don’t get to chastise me,” Aria replied. “None of you do. If you’ve seen half of the things I have, maybe you’d understand why I’m being such a bitch. There’s no such thing as positive energy, there’s no way we can use our magic for good, there’s no way!”

 “Yes, there is,” Sunset said quietly. “Adagio…”

 She nodded, and turned to face Sonata. “Let’s do it.”

 The two sirens stood up and walked to the center of the room. Sunset placed a chair next to them and sat down, guitar in hand. She began strumming…

 “Cold, it was so cold without you,
 Fingers trembling for someone to hold.
 Lost, we couldn’t find it inside of us,
 To try anymore…

 You were gone,
 A ship without a crew,
 One without two,
 Us without you.

 The stars, they ceased to shine,
 They were no longer ours,
 But yours and mine.
 The sun had lost its warmth,
 And the moon her lustrous gleam,
 We played a losing game,
 Without you on our team…

You were gone,
 A ship without a crew,
 One without two,
 Us without you.”

 Adagio’s alto and Sonata’s soprano melded together into a thick tone, rich and warm and full of emotion. They kept their gaze on their sister, truly meaning every word that floated out of their mouths. An oozing mist coiled its way out of Aria’s chest, sickly green and viscous. She gasped, and tried to grab it, only to watch her fingers fail.

 It reached Sonata first, seeping into her throat. She suddenly stopped singing and coughed.

 “Oh my gosh,” she gasped as she keeled over. Saliva dripped from her open mouth as she continued her coughing fit.

 “Sonata!” Fluttershy ran to her, placing a hand on her back. “Someone get me some water!”

 Adagio stopped singing as well, and turned to face her younger sister. “Sonata, can you breathe?”

 “Adagio, keep singing!” Sunset never stopped strumming her guitar, and gestured towards Aria. She was standing up now, tears pouring from her eyes as all the negative energy was being pulled out of her. “You have to keep singing!”

 Adagio refocused her attention and continued, but as soon as Aria’s magic touched her, she gagged violently.

 “That taste’s disgusting,” she whined, sticking her tongue out. “Aria, what in the world have you been up to?”

 Through some miracle, Adagio finished the song, drawing out the last little bit of dark magic that had been stewing in Aria for the past two weeks. When the last chord lingered in the air, Aria fell to her knees, shoulders sagging, tears freely falling down her cheeks.

 “T-thank you,” she whispered, pressing her face against Adagio’s chest. “I...ugh, I don’t know what came over me.”

 “You’re alright now,” Adagio assured her. “These girls, they really do want to help. They helped us write that song, you know? They want us to be happy.”

 “But...but we were so horrible.” Aria shook her head. “I don’t understand…”

 “Neither did I, but they’ll help you understand. Can I trust you to be on your best behavior around them?”

 Aria nodded, and shakily stood up.

 “Now, apologize.”

 “I’m sorry...for being really rude...and threatening to kill you. I didn’t mean it. Well, I did, but not killing you. Being able to, yeah, but, you get it. Also, Sunset, your cooking looked really good. I’m sorry I didn’t eat any of it. Can I have more?”

 Sunset let out a chuckle. “Sure, let me warm something up for you.”

 The atmosphere in the room turned into friendly chatter. Aria was content to listen, lost in the calmness of her new friends. Sweat prickled down her neck, and without realizing, she shrugged her jacket off, exposing her bare collarbones.

 “Aria. What. The. Fuck. Is. That.”

 “What? Oh…” Aria looked down, and froze in terror. There, for everyone to see, was her giant tattoo. “Uh, it’s...a tattoo.”

 “What is that?” shrieked Adagio, inspecting it closer. “Is….oh my god is that a…”

 “No, no! It looks like that, but it’s not...it was supposed to be a mermaid, but...they botched the tail.”

 “Aria Blaze, I am extremely disappointed in you,” Adagio scolded her. “Why would you even do that?!”

 “Well, you weren’t around to tell me it was a bad idea!”

 Adagio let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re going to be the death of me…” she murmured. “I have to go to work. This is stressing me out.”

 Closing the door behind her, she heard a faint voice.

 “That’s so cool, Aria! Can you take me to get one as well?”

***

 “So how did you survive all that time?” Sunset asked, bringing Aria a can of soda. “Adagio and Sonata were pretty weak without their daily dose of energy.”

 “I found a way…” Aria said, nodding in thanks. She chugged the sweet liquid. “I don’t want to share it just yet...I’d rather wait until Adagio is back.”

 “Understood. In that case, I’d like to talk to you about your singing.”

 “What about it?” Aria set the can down. “Not good enough for you?”

 “N-no, not that...can you?”

 “Can I what?”

 “Sing. Didn’t you lose your voice when your pendants broke?”

 Her fingers lightly grazed the hollow of her throat. “For a little while. But then the Twins taught me how to sing again.”

 “The Twins?”

 She waved her hand. “I can sing, I can sing. But a few practice sessions wouldn’t hurt.”

 “We can arrange that,” Sunset said, grateful for Aria’s cooperation.

 They sat in comfortable silence.

 “Aria,” Sunset began. “I’m...thank you for trusting us. We really didn’t mean to have turned your lives upside down, and I’m sorry that you’ve been through some pretty bad times lately.”

 Aria moved her shoulders up and down in a listless shrug. “S’alright. It doesn’t matter to me anymore.”

 “It does to us,” Sunset insisted. “We want you and your sisters to have happy, healthy lives without the cost of your personalities being corrupted. It means a lot to us to have you accept our help.”

 Sunset smiled, and was rewarded with a tender embrace.

 “Thank you,” Aria whispered in Sunset’s ear. “It’s all I ever wanted.”

 

> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Aria took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of freshly laundered sheets. She opened her eyes to find all three of them snuggling in bed.

 They hadn’t slept like that for a long time.

 She closed her eyes again and burrowed deeper into the covers, feeling safe and happy for the first time in forever.

 “Aria? You awake?” Sonata whispered.

 “No.”

 “Oh, sorry.”

 Aria sighed. “What, Sonny?”

 “I was just thinking about what you told us yesterday,” Sonata said, her voice soft and sad. “It...it makes me really angry.”

 “Hey, don’t worry about it,” Aria said, wrapping an arm around Sonata’s shoulders. “That’s in the past. Besides, I promised to never run away again, didn’t I? That I would never get myself involved with those kinds of people.”

 “I know, but...it’s just...the thought of you getting hurt…”

 “Don’t cry.”

 “Who’s crying? Sonata? Aria? Are you girls ok?” Adagio suddenly shot up, curls flying everywhere.
 
 “No one’s crying. Come on, guys, back to sleep.”

 Adagio sighed and fell back into the pillows. Within minutes, she was asleep again.

 “Aria? Are you still awake?”

 “What?”

 “I feel like I don’t tell you how much I love you enough.”

 “You’ve told me literally everyday since I came back.”

 “Maybe...maybe if I told you before that battle, you wouldn’t have left us.”

 Aria began to stroke Sonata’s exposed arm. “I left because I let my anger and fear get the best of me. It wasn’t your fault.”

 Sonata sighed, nudging her sister. “Can you sing me to sleep?”

 Aria cleared her throat as quietly as she could and began to hum. Her voice, though thick with sleep, was level and soft. The practice sessions with Sunset had paid off.

 Within a few minutes, a delicate periwinkle strand of magic emerged from Sonata’s chest, coiling its way to Aria’s throat. She drank it in, and smiled. Sunset was right about her trigger: making others, especially her sisters, happy. She hadn’t been sure about it until today, even though she experienced it yesterday as well. Her desire to have everyone forgive her, her need to be integrated back into the group, it all boiled down to wanting to do them proud.

 She continued humming, even though she could tell that Sonata was asleep. She hummed to herself, as if she could lull herself back to sleep as well.

 Adagio shifted beside her, and tilted her head, staring at Aria directly. “Aria,” she began. “Could you please shut up?”

 Aria grinned, shaking her head. “Sorry, Dagi. You were the one who was so happy to hear me singing again. You asked for this.”

 The elder began to disentangle herself from the sheets. “Come with me for a second.”

 Aria followed her to the living room, where they both sat down on the couch.

 “Aria...I know you might still be thinking about what you’ve done the last two weeks. Memories...they can haunt for you a long time. I know how you feel.”

 Aria narrowed her eyes. “You might be able to relate to me a little. But you didn’t experience hell like I did.”

 She felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her close.

 “I did some questionable things as well. Do you remember that time we fought because I wouldn’t let you come with me?”

 Aria adjusted herself so she was curled up comfortably. “Yeah?”

 “Do you know what I was keeping you safe from?”

 She shrugged.

 “It was...something strange. I wanted to check it out.” She took a deep breath. “It was an underground society of people who believed they tapped into magic. Any magic. I wanted to see if they were serious.”

 “Were they?”

 “Yes and no. Yes, they had come across real magic, but they had no idea what to do with it. A part of me wanted to become their leader, but I was also scared and wanted to shut it down. It was dangerous.”

 “What were they called?” Aria asked, heart beating fast. “What did they call themselves?”

 Adagio didn’t answer for a minute. The next words that came out of her mouth gave Aria goosebumps on her arms.

 Adagio cleared her throat. “So, are you excited for the concert?”

 The younger sister shrugged. “Kinda. I’m almost looking forward to singing backup the whole time.”

 “What? Oh my gosh...didn’t you see the song Sonata and I have been writing? We’ve all got solos. You still need to write yours, by the way.”

 Aria titled her head up, a uncharacteristically happy look on her face. “Are you serious? Like, I get a solo?”

 That got a laugh out of Adagio. “Yeah, of course. I guess I’m tired of being in the spotlight all the time. I want to share it with you.”

 The two girls sat in silence, enjoying each other’s company. Aria allowed the gentle embrace of sleep to take her. She fell asleep with Adagio’s heartbeat pounding in her ears.

***

 Sunset stared at her phone in front of her. It had beeped no less than two seconds ago, displaying a notification from her planner app.

 The concert was today.

 There was so much to do. She looked up to see the Dazzlings huddled together, polishing their routine. They had run through the whole song thousands of times already, but Sunset’s ears never tired from hearing it. Even though they weren’t performing for real, they were still able to draw positive energy out of the girls. It was a vicious cycle of beautiful singing to happiness to even more beautiful singing to even more happiness…

 “I’m he~ere!” Rarity’s melodic voice wafted into the room. She threw the door open, three large bags swinging in her arms. “And I’ve got your dresses!”

 “Ooh! I can’t wait to see them,” said Sonata, jumping up to snatch the bag with her name on it. “I bet it looks amazing!”

 Rarity flipped her hair back and grinned. “I suppose you’ve won that bet, dear.” She dropped the bags on a table next to the other girls. “I know that you girls love being flashy and fabulous, but I was trying to go for a minimalistic design with these dresses. Simple and elegant to perfectly showcase your modesty and road to redemption.”

 “Aw, I was really looking forward to wearing my skin tight, neon green leopard print jumpsuit,” sighed Aria.

 “Don’t you ever say that phrase to me ever again.”

 Adagio chuckled and moved to sit next to Sunset. “How long before we have to be on stage?”

 Sunset checked her phone again. “About three hours. I can’t believe it’s finally here.”

 “Neither can I,” Adagio replied, slowly gazing at everyone in the room.

 Her sisters continued to describe outrageous costume designs to Rarity, in spite of her disgust. Rainbow and Applejack were subtly arguing about whether to have a flashy light show or just have humble spotlights. Pinkie and Fluttershy were presumed to be on stage, hanging banners and streamers on the scaffolding.

 Everyone was doing something productive (well, besides Aria and Sonata). Adagio’s chest hurt at the thought of the six girls who tried so hard to make this night possible. She stole a quick glance at Sunset, who was chewing her bottom lip and fiddling with her phone.

 “Hey, don’t be nervous,” Adagio said. “You’re not the one who’s going to be singing in front of a whole crowd.”

 “I just can’t help but fidget. There’s nothing for me to do.”

 Adagio hesitantly placed a hand on Sunset’s bouncing knee. “You’ve done enough for us,” she said. “You can relax until the concert starts. I’m sure there’ll be something to fix.”

 That got a giggle out of Sunset. “You’re right. I’m going to check on the stage. Catch you later.”

 She watched Sunset walk out of the room, eyes still trained on the doorway long after she had left.

 “Adagio! It’s time to try on our dresses!” Sonata said, pulling Adagio into a standing position. “Let’s get glamorous!”

***

 Aria glared at her reflection. “I look horrible.”

 “Oh hush, you,” Rarity lightly slapped Aria with the back of her hairbrush. “You look beautiful.”

 Aria’s hair hung in her usual pigtails. Rarity had washed, conditioned, carefully dried, brush, and straightened her multicolored tresses until they fell like two silky waterfalls over her shoulders. Her eyelids were dusted with silvery glitter, and pink lipstick had been applied to her lips. However, she still wore a sneer.

 “Look at me. I look like a five year old.” She gestured wildly to her dress: soft and white, with puffy sleeves and a high neckline, covering her atrocious ink. The hem flared out like petals, reaching just above her knee. “Why didn’t you give me, like, a thigh slit?”

 “You’re supposed to look pure,” hissed Rarity. “Not sexy.”

 Sonata laughed and twirled around. Her face was made up similarly, but her dress, with its cap sleeves and flowing hem hung loose on her slight frame and allowed her to move more freely. “I don’t why you’re complaining — these dresses are beautiful!” 

 “I have to agree.”

 Adagio stepped out of the supply closet, smoothing her long gown. Her dress was different in both length and shape. While the others had their shoulders covered, Adagio’s were bare, with thin straps holding the dress up. Her hem brushed the tips of her feet, swaying whenever she took a step. It hugged her figure and gave her a more womanly look, instead of young and innocent like her sisters.

 “Why does she get the sexy one?” cried Aria.

 There was a knock on the door.

 “Girls? You ready? I’ve got something for you.”

 Sunset opened the door, a plastic bag in her hand. “Hey everyo—...woah.”

 Adagio looked up to meet Sunset’s gaze. Her mouth and fallen open, and two pale roses bloomed on her cheeks. “What do you think?” Adagio asked as she slowly turned around, reveling in the smoothness of the dress against her legs.

 “You...girls look totally hot,” Sunset finally answered. She gave them a smirk. “Don’t break any hearts tonight.”

 “What do you have for us?” asked Aria, staring at the package. “It is dinner?”

 “No, it’s a gift. An apology gift.” Sunset reached in and took out three thick chokers. They were black, with a ruby stone in the shape of a heart dangling from the center. “Sorry for breaking those beautiful pendants.”

 The sirens gasped and rushed over, eagerly smiling at receiving the gift. Aria and Sonata immediately helped each other to put them on, squealing with delight. Adagio held hers in her hand, feeling the heavy weight of the pendant, the smooth surfaces of the gem.

 “Here, let me,” murmured Sunset, taking the necklace back. Adagio helped by sweeping her mass of curls to one side, exposing her neck. She felt the warmness of Sunset’s fingers on her back, delicately fastening the metal clasp. Did...did her fingers just linger on her skin for a second? Adagio snuck a look behind her, but Sunset had already moved away.

 “Where did you get these?” asked Adagio, stroking the stone. “They’re gorgeous.”

 Sunset shrugged. “Honestly, they’re just costume jewelry. Nothing that special.”

 “Well, they mean a lot to us,” said Adagio, her voice unnaturally soft and tender. She cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

 Sunset’s hand wavered in the air before it patted Adagio awkwardly on the back. “Ha, yeah. You’re welcome. I’m gonna...check up on some other stuff. See you.”

 Adagio turned to the other girls, smiling. “I’m gonna go for a walk. Feeling kinda nervous.”

 Rarity waved her hand. “You go on ahead, dear. Now, Aria….perhaps we can do something more with your face…”

 Adagio left her sisters in the clutches of Rarity and walked the opposite way that Sunset had left; in her fist, she gripped her backpack.

 She reached a pair of metal doors — an exit to the back of the school. Perfect.

 The night air was cool and sharp. She silently cursed Rarity for not giving her longer sleeves. Carefully, she set her backpack down and knelt (ever so carefully, as to not ruin her outfit), taking out the thick tome. Why she still had it, she had no idea. Some nights, she liked to flick through the pages and read about the fantastical creatures the author had known about. Deep in her bag was the ripped piece of paper. Adagio plucked it from the depths and smoothed it out.

 “Can you hear me?” she asked, shaking the paper. “I just want you to know that we’ve won. We’ve started absorbing positive energy again, and your spell has been broken. You’ll never hurt my sisters or anyone else again.” Very slowly, she opened the page. She was looking forward to gloating to the picture.

 She set the page down, her eyes travelling from the chunk of text...down...to nothing.

 Her blood ran cold.

 The Maestro was not there.

 She flipped the page over again and again, trying to find the picture. Nothing.

 “Where’d you go?” she whispered, hands starting to shake. Her heart felt heavy, her fingertips numb. She looked at the book in front of her. Of course.

 She threw the cover open, and there, on the front page, was the delicately drawn figure. Adagio slapped the page and ripped it. She heard ghostly laughter as the drawing swam from the front page to the next.

 “Catch meeeeeee…...if you caaaaannnnn…..”

 The chase began. Adagio would rip page after page from the book, always one step behind the Maestro. She didn’t even try to keep up anymore — she just tore the pages at a frantic pace. Her breathing felt tight and spots swam behind her eyes. Her head throbbed as she gritted her teeth, desperate to get rid of the foul beast. She should have burned that book. She should have let the flames take the Maestro, destroy her. She grabbed another page….

 “Ow! Fuck! Fuck!”

 A spot of blood welled up from the papercut across her finger, splattering against the paper. 

 The Maestro lingered on the next page, feeling the warmth and wetness of the blood seeping into the threads of pulp. She took a hesitant step towards the blood.

 Slap!

 Adagio’s hand came down hard, as if the force of her skin was enough to trap the Maestro. She swam harder, merging with the blood, clawing her way into Adagio’s wound, and into her bloodstream.

 The siren lifted her hand. The Maestro was gone.

 Her finger throbbed, hot and itchy all at once. She lifted her finger and stroked her pendant, pressing her pad hard against the smooth, cool surface. She stood up on wobbling legs. She needed someone, and fast.

 The book was left on the ground, pages fluttering in the breeze. They were blown across the floor and lifted into the air, never to be seen again.

***

 Sunset smiled to herself, and applied another layer of lip gloss to her lips. She wanted to look nice today.

 The bathroom door was smacked open, revealing a bright eyed Adagio. Her chest heaved and blood oozed from her finger.

 “Adagio, what the heck happened to you?” Sunset grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to the sinks. She washed the cut as carefully as she could and pressed a wet napkin to it. “That could have gotten infected,” she said, holding Adagio’s hand.

 “Sunset,” Adagio muttered, closing the distance between them. “You’re too kind to me.”

 Sunset laughed nervously, suddenly aware at how tall Adagio’s heels made her. “Th-that’s what friends are for.”

 “Friends,” Adagio repeated. She lifted her good arm and softly caressed Sunset’s cheek.

 Her fingers left a trail of fire.

 “There has to be a way to repay your kindness,” continued Adagio, fingers leaving her cheek and travelling to the nape of her neck. Her open palm slid towards the back of her neck, weaving her fingers into Sunset’s hair. “Let me know if there’s anything you want.”

 Sunset froze. She did not like where this was going. “H-hey, Adagio, w-what are you doing?”

 The siren’s eyes were lidded, and bore deep into Sunset’s. “I’m just letting you know how I feel,” she purred, pressing her body against hers. She was still breathing heavily, her passionate expression maimed by the fear that was coursing through her body. “I realize now...my trigger...my desires...they all stem from you, Sunset. You made me a better person. I owe you everything. Let’s be together, Sunset. I-I can make you happy.” She closed her eyes...she clenched them, and moved to kiss Sunset. She expected their bodies to meld together as their love took over…

 Instead, Sunset’s hand came in between their mouths. “No!” she squealed. “Adagio...get away from me!”

 Adagio let go of Sunset’s hair and stepped back, anger blazing on her face. “What?” she asked.

 “What are you trying to pull on me?” Sunset was visibly shaken from the interaction. “I-I...do you…”

 “I thought we had something,” snapped Adagio. “I thought that when we sang together, it meant we had a connection.”

 “I mean, sure...but,” mumbled Sunset. She sighed. “Adagio, you’re a great girl...I really like you...but...this...our friendship...”

 “You’re telling me you don’t feel anything for me except friendship?” she snarled. “Why the fuck were you leading me on?”

 “I wasn’t trying to lead you on!” Sunset pleaded. “When did I ever lead you on? Please, just calm down! I didn’t mean to hurt you…let me explain...”

 “Save it,” she spat, and turned to march out the door. “Guess I’ll just have to find someone else who’d appreciate me.”

 “Adagio! Wait! The concert’s in half an hour!”

 ***

 “...then she just left.”

 Applejack kept a comforting patting rhythm on Sunset’s back. “Now, don’t go blaming yourself,” she said, reading Sunset’s mind. “We’ll find her in time. Got any idea where she might be headed?”

 “I don’t know. Just to someone who’d appreciate her.”

 “I...I think I know who that might be,” Sonata said, raising her hand. “Um...her boss...High Spirits? Adagio’s always complaining that he’s hitting on her and stuff.”

 “I know where she works.” Sunset looked up. “Rainbow, you’re coming with me. Everyone else, try to keep the crowd happy. Play some instruments or something. We’ll be back with Adagio...hopefully.”

 The girls nodded and broke off, ready to do their part.

 “Think she’ll agree to calm down?” asked Rainbow as they ran towards the bar.

 “I have no idea.”

***

 High Spirits sat in his office, looking over strewn sheets of paper. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Adagio was more than an hour late.

 A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts of her.

 There she was, in a long white dress, one strap hanging off her shoulder.

 “Hey,” he said.

 “Hey,” she replied, her voice hard.

 “You’re late.”

 “Who cares?”

 “I...uh...why are you wearing that?”

 “I thought you liked it when I showed off my figure,” Adagio said, her eyes narrowing.

 Spirits shrugged. “Uh. Ok.”

 They stared at each other in silence.

 Adagio took a step towards his desk. “You seem frazzled, dear,” she said. “What were you doing before I came in? Were you thinking about me? Is that it? Do you think about me when you’re alone? Do you think about me when you’re in bed?”

 Spirits sighed once more. “Listen, Adagio. I know you’re only 17; I know a fake ID when I see one.”

 “That never stopped you from trying to ask me out.” Adagio perched herself on the edge of his desk, legs crossed. “It never stopped you from...wanting to get me alone.”

 His cheeks turned red. “H-hey, I was just humoring you. Trying to be friendly.”

 Adagio’s laugh was harsh and bitter. “Sure you were,” she sang, rolling her eyes. She lifted one leg and rested it between his legs, barely touching him. “Why don’t you humor me some more?”

 “Th-this is inappropriate behavior. If you don’t leave right now, I’ll fire you.”

 “So, Spirit, you were right. I do like to sing. Would you like to hear me sing a song?” she asked, leaning forward. Her dress strap slid down even more, exposing more of her chest.

 His eyes flickered to and fro, first on her eyes, then to the slight swell of her breasts. “Uh….”

 “Listen, one and all,
 Heed my Siren’s call,
 As you’re swept into the waves
 To meet your watery graves.

 Listen, my dear friend,
I’ll love you ‘till the end.
My desperate Siren’s song
Come to string you along…”

 Adagio twisted her body so that she was lying down on his desk, pushing all his papers to the floor.

 “I see it in your eyes,
 You crave my lullabies,
To take you in and under,
A desperate mortal’s song.

I understand your need,
For I too must feed
On your undenying love,
A desperate Siren song.

 I want to give you all you desire,
I want to share my pain and all my pleasure.
I understand your cravings, and your wants.
I understand the burning in your heart.”

 She sat up and placed her palms on Spirit’s thighs. Her eyes hinted red as she leaned in closer, breath hot on his neck.

 “I can hear your every wish.
 I can smell your every fear.
 I can tell when you want more,
I know when your fate is near.

I can sense your passion,
Coiling underneath
Those restricting fabrics,
A sword locked in its sheath.”

 She grimaced after that last line, tasting something familiar. Green mist poured out of Spirit’s chest, his eyes glowing green. Drool hung from his lower lip, swaying along with with his body. Adagio glanced down to see a bulge in his pants, and heard a yelp from him. She hadn’t realized she was digging her nails into his thighs. She closed her eyes and inhaled the noxious gas, tasting it as it wreathed around her tongue and trickled down her throat. It was foul, but it gave her the might to continue, milking every drop of lust from the man in front of her. He was growing pale.

 She was growing strong.

***

 The bar was loud, and sweat hung in the air like a disease. Bodies writhed and tinny music blared from the speakers.

 “Hey,” Sunset called to the bartender. “Did you see a tall girl wearing a long white dress come in here?”

 The woman at the bar shrugged. “Lotta girls come in wearing dresses, doll.”

 “She kinda looks like mustard,” Rainbow added. “Crazy, crazy hair. Probably looked ready to kill.”

 The bartender laughed. “Adagio? Yeah, she went into Spirit’s office way back. She’s great.”

 Sunset marched to the closed door and jiggled the handle, finding it locked. “Shit,” she muttered.

 “Allow me,” Rainbow said, pushing Sunset to the side. She lifted her leg and kicked the door, breaking the flimsy hinges.

 They poked their heads in to find Adagio straddling him, dress hitched to her hip. His hands listlessly roamed around her body, his face slack.

 “Adagio!” cried Sunset. She closed her eyes and turned, sickened by the display.

 The siren glanced up, frowning at the two girls. “What do you want?”

 She was roughly grabbed by Rainbow. “Okay, Adagio,” she began. “You’re gonna release this poor schmuck from your spell, you’re going to apologize to Sunset for being a total bitch, and then you’re going to get your ass on stage and be fucking positive.” She jerked her arm, pulling Adagio off Spirit and onto the floor.

 Adagio bowed her head and broke the spell. Spirit, now free, gasped and stood up, shaking his head.

 “What the hell?” he groaned, rubbing his eyes. He noticed his position and quickly sat down. “Out of my office now!” he hollered. “I don’t know what happened, but I want you gone, Adagio. You’re fucking fired. Get out.”

 She got up, brushed specks of dust from her dress, and turned to Spirit.

 Then she punched him in the face.

 Rainbow let out a loud guffaw, breaking her tough act.

 Adagio followed the two girls out of the bar and all the way back to the school.

 “Sunset,” she whispered, leaning towards her friend. “I’m so—”

 The redhead ducked her head and sped up, hugging herself tightly.

 “Where are the others?” Adagio asked.

 “They’re backstage.” Rainbow took Adagio by the upper arm. “Come on, this way.”

 “Wait, Sunset! Are you coming?” Adagio called, looking back...but Sunset was already gone.

 “No time for that now! You’re on!”

 Adagio stood next to her sisters.

 “Where have you been?” Aria hissed. “You almost missed our introduction!”

 “...and as a sign of their gratitude and new perspective, the Dazzlings have offered to put an apology concert on for us. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. Could this be trickery? I am a believer of second chances, which is why I am putting my trust in these girls. I only ask that you all do the same. Now, without further ado, I present the Dazzlings!”

 The curtains lifted, and warm lights spilled onto the stage, blinding Adagio.

 “Dagi!” Aria whispered. “Come on!”

 Adagio cleared her throat. “H-hello, students of Canterlot High. I am...Adagio Dazzle, and these are my sisters, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk. We...we want to apologize for our, ahem, behavior  a few weeks ago. We were lost without the...magic of friendship, but now we are ready to share what we have learned with you. Please, accept our apologies, and enjoy.”

 Rarity’s gentle piano playing filled the air, along with Applejack’s mellow acoustic.

 It was time.

 Sonata stepped forward, and, accompanied by her sisters’ humming, began to sing:

 “There were times when we thought our story over,
 Had to work to see through the chaos that we brought.
 And we waited for our troubles to spill over,
 In a suffocating web of shame, we were caught.

But we realized,
we realized that there was more
than telling lies,
than trying to hurt the world.
We realized,
That friendship could help us in so many ways,
So many ways…”

 Her voice was joined by her sisters.

 “And we’ve finally found what we’ve been searching for,
We’ve finally opened that one locked door.
And we have you to thank,
For helping us make things right,
And we hope to follow you
Into the light.”

 A miasma of mist rose from the crowd, slowly drifting towards the Dazzlings. Sonata closed her eyes and spun around, inhaling the fragrant magic. Aria smiled, and raised the microphone to her mouth:

 “Our journey has taken us
To places far and wide.
We left behind a trail of fear,
And terror in our stride.

 Our eyes were closed,
We couldn’t find our way,
But now we see that
The answer’s clear as day.

 And we realized,
We realized that there was more
Than telling lies,
Than trying to hurt the world.
We realized,
That friendship could help us in so many ways,
So many ways…”

 “And we’ve finally found what we’ve been searching for,
We’ve finally opened that one locked door.
And we have you to thank,
For helping us make things right,
And we hope to follow you
Into the light.”

 Aria’s grin grew, feeling the warmth and happiness from her audience. Her heart hurt, beating hard against her ribs. They...they loved her! They loved her voice, and they wanted more. Tears prickled in her eyes, spilling over the lids and onto her cheeks. She bit her lip to prevent herself from bawling, and instead bowed her head in appreciation. She snuck a peek at Sonata, who gave her an enthusiastic smile and a thumbs up. The crowd cheered, adoring the Dazzlings.

 Rainbow joined with a short guitar riff, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

 Adagio inhaled, the magic getting caught in her throat. She coughed on the sly, nervousness and fear settling in. If she wasn’t able to absorb all this positive energy, could she sing? It was her turn:

 “We admit we were wrong,
We have seen our faults,
And we understand now
What needs to be done.

With every single one of you,
Helping out,
We can...can…”

 Adagio began to cough.

 “Dagi?” Sonata whispered, placing a hand on Adagio’s quivering form. “You okay?”

 “My...my throat…” she wheezed, falling to her knees. “The...necklace...tight…”

 The crowd was lost in a wave of euphoria and didn’t react to the fallen girl. Her sisters rushed to her side, along with the rest of the Rainbooms.

 “Nngah,” Adagio cried, pushing everyone around her away. “Get...away! Aaah!”

 With a final scream, her necklace constricted around her throat, and the stone shattered. A plume of black smoke emerged, growing thicker and bigger by the second. It floated into the sky, above the entire stage. Slowly, it took shape. The head became more prominent — long and lean, with two piercing red eyes — and hoofed forelegs stretched out. The smoke whipped around, the trail of mist forming a sharp, finned tail.

 “What the heck is that?” screamed Pinkie.

 “You may not recognize me,” the smoke hissed. Its voice was warm and heavy, and strangely soothing. “But I know three girls who might.”

 “Mother,” whispered Adagio.

 “It’s the Maestro,” Applejack realized. “She’s...how?”

 The Maestro laughed and stared at the kneeling siren. “Why don’t you ask my favorite daughter?”

 Aria gripped Adagio’s shoulder. “Dagi...what is she talking about?”

 “I...kept...paper...must have...escaped...dunno…”

 “Oh, you don’t know why? Well, allow me to explain. You offered me a means of escape. That nasty little cut of yours turned out to be extremely useful, dear. Didn’t you feel me wriggling inside your skin when you oh so rudely smeared your blood on my page? Let’s not forget you graciously feeding me with that poor boy.”

 “Was this your plan all along?” Rainbow asked. “To bring your crazy mother back?”

 “No!” Adagio scratched at her throat. “P….lease…”

 “My, what beautiful young girls you’ve all become,” the Maestro cooed. “Aria, why the frown? You were always such an ungrateful little brat. Ah, Sonata. How’s my second favorite daughter? Still as naive and stupid as always? And who are your new friends? Will you introduce me? I’d love to get to know them…”

 “We’re never going to get to know you,” cried Rainbow. “And we’re the fucking Elements of Harmony, here to kick your sorry smokey ass back to hell!”

 The Maestro gave the illusion of cocking an eyebrow. “How crude. I don’t appreciate that tone, young lady.”

 With a flick of her tail, two chains burst from her body, racing towards Rainbow. They caught her wrists and melded into the floor, taking Rainbow down with them. She fell backwards and slammed her head on the stage, eyes rolling back and mouth agape.

 Fluttershy ran to her side. “Rainbow!” She gave a sigh of relief. “I feel a pulse. She’s just out cold.”

 “Listen here, you over-sized...piece of soot!” Applejack crossed her arms. “You’re messin’ with the wrong girls, y’hear? You’re gonna regret comin’ out of that book.”

 The Maestro regarded Applejack with a stern stare. “Are all of your friends this rude?” she asked, before baring her teeth. Tendrils of smoke snaked out of her form and shot towards Applejack, circling her and encasing her in a smokey cage. “I wonder, does anyone else have anything to say?” She twisted her head around, black pupils swiveling in red. The rest of the girls collectively shut up. “That’s better.”

 “Leave us alone,” Sonata cried. “We’re finally happy! We’re finally being accepted for who we are! Why do you have to come back and ruin everything?”

 The Maestro stared at Sonata. Her tail reached out and gently grabbed her, lifting her high into the air.

 “But we’re family,” the Maestro breathed. “Isn’t that the most important thing? Don’t worry, my dears. I’m not going to hurt you.” She brought Sonata forward until the girl was inches away from the monster’s black lips. They lightly touched her pale cheek, leaving a smear of bloody ashes. Sonata squirmed, then went limp as she fell unconscious. “I’m not going to hurt my daughters,” the Maestro continued. “I want us to be happy, together! Now that I’m free, we can take this world for ourselves and rule it together!”

 Aria stood up, face burning with tears and rage. “The only way we could be happy is with you dead!” she screamed. “You think you can just waltz into our lives and expect us to follow you and your evil schemes? We don’t want to rule this world. We want to be a part of it.”

 “Is that anyway to speak to your mother?” The Maestro snorted, sending plumes of smoke out of her nostrils. “I didn’t raise you like this.”

 “No, you raised us to be monsters like you!”

 A tentacle whipped across Aria’s face, leaving a bright red welt on her cheek. Blood beaded out of the wound.

 “S-stop!” Adagio gasped, pulling on her choker. The necklace continued to strangle her, squeezing every last breath of air out of her. “D-don’t...hurt…”

 “Oh? Do you have something to say as well, Adagio?”

 The necklace released its grip and Adagio coughed wildly, the sudden rush of air making her dizzy. She knelt and gagged, taking desperate breaths. She craned her head behind to find the Rainbooms huddling together, terror plastered on their faces. Sonata was hanging pressed against the Maestro’s chest, and Aria was on the floor, one side of her face ragged and red.

 “Well?” The Maestro chuckled. “I’m waiting.”

 “Adagio!”

 The siren looked at the crowd in front of her. The students were still in a trance, eyes glowing a variety of pastel shades, frozen in their places. They didn’t realize what was happening.

 “Adagio!”

 One of the students was running towards the stage.

 “Adagio, please! You have to get up!”

 Her eyes were wide and bright, brimming with tears.

 “Adagio!”

 Sunset reached the stage. She skidded to a stop, her chest heaving. “Adagio,” she said. “You can’t let this happen again. Get up! Sing, Adagio. You’re so much more powerful than you think you are. You can defeat her, Adagio.”

 “I...can’t...sing,” Adagio sobbed. “How…alone?”

 “You’re not alone, Adagio,” muttered Aria, lifting her head from the floor. “I’ll sing my fucking heart out if it means we can defeat her.”

 “And you’ve got us!” Applejack waved her hands in the air, still determined after being trapped. “We’re all behind you!”

 “And you’ve got me,” Sunset stated. “Isn’t...isn’t that all you need?”

 “Friendship.” Adagio smiled sadly. 

 She felt a hand on her shoulder. Sunset was looming over her. 

 “And love.”

 Sunset knelt and pressed her lips to Adagio’s forehead.

 She stood up, hair blowing in the wind.

 “Maestro!” she called out, her voice strong and powerful. “We refuse to let you take this world, and we refuse to live in fear! Your time has come now.” She gripped the microphone tightly.

 “We admit we were wrong,
We have seen our faults,
And we understand now
What needs to be done.

With every single one of you,
Helping out,
We can start to make some changes,
Inside and out.

 And we realized,
We realized that there was more
Than telling lies,
Than trying to hurt the world.
We realized,
That friendship could help us in so many ways,
So many ways…”

 The Maestro barked. “You think your silly little song is enough to defeat me?”

 Adagio paid no attention to her.

 “And we’ve finally found what we’ve been searching for,
We’ve finally opened that one locked door.
And we have you to thank,
For helping us make things right,
And we hope to follow you
Into the light.”

 They waited. Nothing happened.

 The Maestro laughed once more. “You really did think it could defeat me!”

 Adagio shut her eyes. She really did think that was enough.

 “We can see your spirit,
Your sorrow and your hope,
We understand you need our help,
An extra raft, some extra rope.

 And we are prepared,
To give you what you need.
We are all willing
To help you see….”

 Adagio turned to find Sunset next to her, holding the microphone to her lips. Her hands shook, but her voice was steady.

 “Sunset,” whispered Adagio.

 “Sing for me, Adagio,” she replied. “Take my energy.”

 “In the shadows of my soul,
In the corners where I couldn't hear a sound.
A part of me torn from the whole,
In my own madness I was bound.

 You reached out to me…
You called and now I listen.
You gave me something that’d been missing
All this time…

 You gave me light, and love, and peace and hope.
An extra raft, some extra rope.
And I’ll put those things together,
And I’ll become a better person
For you.”

 Sunset closed her eyes and sighed in bliss, rose smoke rising from her chest and surrounding Adagio. The siren drank in the magic, a smile spreading across her face. She turned to face the Maestro, who had a disgusted look on her face.

 “Disgusting,” she seethed. “Positive energy, I see. How...weak. Shall I show you how it’s actually done?” She opened her mouth and hummed, the melody haunting and dripping with malice. The students, with their smiling faces, suddenly convulsed as the spell from the Dazzlings broke. Cries and moans erupted from the crowd, filling the air with fear and sickly green mist.

 Adagio clenched her fists and exhaled. She felt the pools of collected positive energy bubbling inside her, waiting to be released as pure magic. She reached out and touched them, calling upon the energy to give her the strength she needed. Slowly, her eyes tingled and began to glow. Ribbons of magic wove out of her chest and around her, and leathery wings burst from her back. She hovered gently in the air, hair brushing the back of her calves.

 “Aria,” she called out, her voice as ethereal as her new form. “Look. They need you.” She extended a hand and a plume of magic shot out, heading straight for Aria’s wound. The magic closed it up.

 “Thanks, sis,” Aria said. She lifted the microphone to her mouth:

 “In times of trouble,
In moments of fear,
I could feel the danger
Growing near.

 I had no means of fighting,
Didn’t know why I was trying,
Couldn’t see a point
Any more.

 But with your friendship,
I can start to understand
That it’s okay
To take a helping hand.”

 Something inside Aria began to glow. She breathed in deep, the magic emanating from the students floating towards her. Strands of negative and positive energy mingled together. Aria took them all in, and exhaled the green mist. She gathered it between her hands and grasped the ends, pulling tight and shattering the magic.

 “Nice.”

 The glowing in her core brightened, and she too began to float. Magic surrounded her, soft and loving, and she burst through the light.

 Adagio smiled and flew towards her sister, holding a hand out. “You’ve never looked better.”

 Aria laughed, grabbing Adagio’s hand. “Gotta say, I think the color white is growing on me.”

 The Maestro loomed over them, mouth set in a hard frown. “Disgraceful,” she hissed. Her grip on Sonata tightened, bringing the girl back to reality. “I’m the one who gave up everything I was and had to bring you three into the world. Is this how you repay me? By turning against me?”

 “We never asked to be brought into this world,” Aria yelled.

 The Maestro frowned and started singing again. This time, her voice took a deeper tone, reaching into the depths of the humans’ souls to find their fears.

 “We have to help them,” Adagio said. “We need to break her spell, just like the Rainbooms did to us.”

 Aria smirked. “We need to get Sonata first — and I know just the way.” Her body crouched into an offensive stance. “We’re gonna use a little of that magic we’ve been collecting.”

 Adagio nodded and imitated her. “I’ll follow your lead.”

 They flew up, ready to face the Maestro head on. Aria let out a beam of white magic from her fingertips, slicing a few of the tendrils that were creeping out of the Maestro’s body. A tentacle was snaking its way behind her, but was quickly vaporized by Adagio’s own attack.

 “You’ll pay for that,” screeched the Maestro. Her body crumpled before expanding and exploding into bits of ashy bullets. The bullets grew wings and shot towards the girls.

 Adagio made a sweeping motion with her arm and a translucent shield of energy appeared in front of them. “How exactly are we going to get Sonata?” she asked, straining to keep the shield up.

 “You distract her, and I’ll make a grab for Sonata,” Aria replied. “After this wave, let down your shield. Get in front of her face, aim for her eyes, but be careful. I’ll try to cut Sonata loose.”

 “Well, that’s not the worst plan I’ve heard,” Adagio grunted. “Alright, get ready.”

 The banging on the shield subsided, and Adagio let the shield down. Her fingers wiggled, and two balls of magic gathered on her palms. Holding them out to the Maestro, she was able to continuously shoot orbs of magic. She let a volley of blasts free, dodging the Maestro’s own defences. The Maestro roared as one of Adagio’s blasts hit her in the face, thrashing her hooves and tentacles wildly.

 Aria ducked her head, trying not to get hit. She beat her wings furiously, soaring higher and higher until she was near Sonata. “Sonny!” she cried. “I’m gonna get you out!”

 The blue girl nodded. “That’d be cool.”

 Aria closed her eyes and pressed her palms flat against each other. She blew gently on her fingers, and out of the hollow of her hands, a long, glimmering sword of light grew. The grip wound around her hand and she lifted it high into the air, cutting the smoke around Sonata in one clean stroke.

 “Eep!” Sonata squealed. “Catchmecatchmecatchme!”

 Aria swooped down and grabbed her sister, pulling her close. “I got you, sis.”

 As soon as they landed, Fluttershy rushed to meet them. “Oh, I was so worried,” she gasped, wrapping her arms around Sonata. “They need you to help, Sonata. I believe in you!”

 Sonata blushed and returned the hug. “I’ll do my best for you!”

 She bent down and took hold of her microphone. “Is this thing on?” she asked tentatively.

 “Who knew that all we needed,
Was to be shown a bit love.
Your fingers around my hand,
They fit like a glove.

 I will never feel scared,
I will never feel lost
Because now I’ll protect you,
No matter the cost!”

 In a blinding flash, wings unfurled from Sonata’s back, and she joined her sisters in the air. “This is amazing!” she whooped, twirling around. She spread her arms out and let a barrage of missiles at the Maestro. They fizzled and left holes in her smoking body.

 “That’s enough!” The Maestro roared. She snorted and cracked the air with her tail. Black mist oozed from her body, coiling and contorting into crude versions of the Dazzlings. The clones sped forward, bodies poised to attack.

 Sonata wiped the air and a streak of magic glided out, slicing the Shadow Sonata in half. Aria followed suite, except she clapped her hands and let out bolts of lightning. Adagio held her arm out, and a spear of light formed between her fingers. She lifted the spear, getting ready to impale the monster wearing her face…

 ...Except that it looked exactly like Sunset.

 “What?” Adagio muttered, before being struck down. The Shadow Sunset collided into her, taking her out of the air. They fell down, wind whipping at their hair and clothes. Adagio struggled to break free, taking care not to hurt the monster clinging to her.

 The shadow grabbed Adagio’s face. “Don’t you want me?” it hissed. “The real Sunset doesn’t. Aren’t I just as good?”

 “No!” Adagio screamed, digging her hands into the shadow’s chest and ripping it in half. She regained her balance mere feet from the ground. “Alright girls,” she yelled. “Let’s get in formation!”

 The two sirens nodded and waited for Adagio to reach them. They hovered in a line in front of the Maestro, ready to strike.

 “It’s over now, Maestro,” Adagio called out. “Prepare to be defeated!”

 Adagio held out her hands and smiled when she felt her sisters holding on. She looked to her left to see Aria, face set in a determined frown. To her right, for the first time, Sonata looked serious. She met Adagio’s stare and nodded once.

 “So, you band together to betray me,” the Maestro said. “Where are the girls who murdered their own kind so long ago? Where are my daughters?”

 “They are gone,” Adagio replied. “And they will stay gone as long as we have our friends by our side.”

 “You may have power now, but you’re not as strong as us! We have something you’ll never have,” Sonata added.

 “And you’re never gonna guess what it is,” Aria sneered.

 “Yes, yes, I am aware you have positive energy,” the Maestro snarled.

 “It’s not just that,” Adagio said. “You see, it’s easy for sirens to feed off positive energy. We just need a reason to make others happy. Even you could do it. No, we don’t just have positive energy. We have magic.” She raised their hands high. “The magic of friendship!”

 With a loud boom, a three toned rainbow consisting of pastel shades of orange, purple and blue burst out of each of the Dazzlings’ chests. The rainbow shot up and fell back down in an elegant curve, engulfing the Maestro in all its bright glory.

 “Nnnoooo!” it shrieked, black body shrivelling into dust. “You can’t! I...created….”

 In a blinding flash, the Maestro was gone.

 The three girls slowly lowered themselves onto the stage, grateful to feel hard flooring underneath their feet.

 “We did it!” laughed Sonata, gathering her sisters’ in for a hug. “We defeated her!”

 “Well, we wouldn’t have had to if someone kept their blood to themselves,” muttered Aria.

 “I love you too,” Adagio sighed.

 “Wow! Amazing! That was great,” called Applejack. “Now how about you gals use your fancy magic weapons and free me?”

 Adagio sent a blade of light to cut through the bars. “Happy?” She was tackled by Applejack, who ran towards her and enveloped her into a giant hug. 

 “Happier than a horse in an apple orchard!”

 “Okay, sure.”

 “That was incredible!” Rarity hugged Aria tight. “And those wings! That hair! You defeated that dreadful monster and did it looking absolutely fabulous!”

 “I’m so proud of you,” Fluttershy whispered into Sonata’s neck. “I was so...scared…”

 “What, you thought I was going to die before we went on our picnic? Never!”

 Adagio felt a hand on her shoulder.

 “That was amazing,” Sunset said. She looked down at her shoes. “You were amazing.”

 “I couldn’t have done it without your help,” Adagio murmured, taking Sunset’s hand in hers. “Listen...about what happened earlier…”

 “Let’s not talk about that now,” Sunset interjected. “Let’s…celebrate.”

 Adagio pulled her into a gentle embrace. “Thank you.”

  A groan pierced the happy reunions.

 “What the fuck,” Rainbow moaned. “Did...did I just miss the whole fight? Help me!”

 Adagio giggled and broke the chains with a dash of magic.

 “What are we gonna do about the kids?” Aria asked, gesturing towards the audience.

 “We’ve got a few more songs in us,” Pinkie offered.

 “What do you say girls?” Adagio said. “Shall we give the crowd what they want?”
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Adagio took a sip of her drink. Fruity, with a slightly sour tone. She closed her eyes and fought the urge to spit it out; she wanted to be sober tonight.

 The room was packed with tons of people, all ready to congratulate the Dazzlings on another fabulous concert. It was going to be their last one in Canterlot before moving on.

 “Adagio, darling, I have to know who made your ensembles!” chirped a petite woman.

 “My good friend Rarity did,” Adagio replied. “She’s over there, in the gold dress.”

 Two more girls popped up.

 “This party rocks!” Sonata said, taking another swig of her drink. “Whoever made this punch sure knows how to mix their juices!”

 Aria sniggered. “Yeah, I do know a couple of things.”

 “Girls, girls, girls!” The voice belonged to their manager, Eagle Eye. “Wonderful show, just wonderful! The Crystal District is going to love you next week!”

 “Thanks, Eagle.” Adagio gave him a side hug. “What would we do without you?”

 Eagle blushed and chuckled. “Sing in the same old bars and clubs, probably. Stick with me, girls. I’m going to turn you into legends!”

 He danced away, pulling on Aria and Sonata. “Come! Come! You have to mingle!”

 Adagio giggled at the sight and turned away, desperate for some fresh air. Sure, she loved parties as much as the next kid, it was just a bit overwhelming all of a sudden. The venue they sang at offered to host the after party on the highest floor, giving them a gorgeous view of Canterlot. The suburbs looked so fragile from so high. It made Adagio feel so much bigger.

 “Come to enjoy the view as well?”

 Sunset was standing next to her, leaning against the railing of the balcony.

 “Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” Adagio said. “Yeah, it was getting kinda noisy in there.”

 They stood in silence.

 “Sunset,” Adagio hesitantly began. “I want to talk to you. After our first concert, I began to look at our friendship is a different way. I understand completely if you want to be nothing more, but I want you to know that I would have never approached you that way.”

 “Adagio…”

 “Wait. I was under the influence of the Maestro, and I firmly believe you deserve an apology for my behavior. You deserve nothing but my respect and admiration for your help.”

 “Seriously, Adagio…”

 “Sunset, please don’t interrupt me while I’m monologuing, it’s one of the few pleasures in my life. Furthermore…”

 A pair of lips stopped her from continuing. Sunset wrapped her arms around Adagio’s shoulders, pressing her mouth harder on Adagio’s.

 “Mm?”

 She pulled away, and smiled. “I know that wasn’t you, Adagio. And...I do want to be something more. Watching you grow into this new person...I admire you for all your hard work. I know it wasn’t easy, but you did it. And seeing you defeat the Maestro...well, it was kinda hot.”

 Adagio cradled Sunset’s face in her hands. “Huh.” She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Sunset’s lips. “Who knew all I had to do to impress you was kill my eons old, evil mother?”

 They embraced in the night air for a few more minutes.

 “So...what now?” Adagio murmured.

 “Well, you’re leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?”

 She nodded.

 “We have a few more hours before the party ends, yeah?”

 She nodded.

 “And this venue...has very comfortable, very private seating areas, right?”

 Her lips curled into a smile. “I like the way you think.”

 Sunset pulled away and softly dragged her fingers down Adagio’s face. “I’m so glad we reformed you girls,” she breathed.

 “Who knew atonement could taste so sweet?”


END