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Reforming the sirens part 2

By dontvoreme1
Created: 2025-01-17 03:24:44
Expiry: Never
slavesiren

  1. I have changed."
  2. >Don't get mad...
  3. >That's what she wants
  4. "We're doing things in a COMPLETELY different way. Ask Aria."
  5. >There's her smug smile again
  6. >"Aren't you representing her?"
  7. "...Yes?"
  8. >"So talk."
  9. >Fine
  10. >You were going to detail this anyway
  11. "Everyone's on equal terms now. There are no prisoners."
  12. >"Except for me."
  13. >That's... her fault...
  14. "The girls are my employees. They're paid for their work."
  15. >"A cute little fraction of your overall wealth, I'm sure."
  16. >It's all you can manage...
  17. "I give them a home and a bed. That's more than reasonable."
  18. >"How generous! What a kind, noble man! Taking two girls with no home, no chance of finding work, and offering both to them. For their sake, of course!"
  19. "It IS."
  20. >"Fooling them is one thing, but yourself?"
  21. >She moves closer
  22. >Your faces are little more than a foot apart
  23. >"At some point you realized that Aria craves respect from people she thinks are above her. So after you violated her to stir her feelings, turning a new leaf was the perfect way to build her loyalty."
  24. "That's not what happened!"
  25. >"Maybe you didn't realize it, but this is just another step towards getting the obedient slaves you want so badly. Nothing else needs to be said. Human."
  26. >The table flips into your legs, then falls back in place as you stand with Adagio hanging from your hands
  27. >You grit your teeth and squeeze her upper arms
  28. "Anonymous. My name is Anonymous. Go ahead and start using it."
  29. >"Aw!"
  30. >Her laugh makes your blood boil
  31. >"He's mad that he can't force me to respect him."
  32. "Don't I deserve it? Where the fuck would you three be without me?"
  33. >...
  34. "Twilight would've caught you after the festival. She's obsessed with criminals like you."
  35. >You're lightheaded
  36. "I'm trying to make a life for you and you're too fucking stupid to take advantage of it!"
  37. >Every part of you wants to piss her off
  38. >To share your anger
  39. >She smiles wide and shakes her head
  40. "Do you even understand how weak you are? It's not just that you're a human."
  41. >...
  42. "You're a woman. A short, petite woman. I could... I could-"
  43. >"You could what?"
  44. >Her weight increases rapidly
  45. >That or the life drains from your arms
  46. >In the face of your threat, she looks even happier with herself
  47. >Your beating heart, slipping hands and frustration take their toll. The shrimp falls from your grasp onto the table
  48. >Need...
  49. >Need to get out of here
  50. >You pull open the door
  51. >That same bright, happy, cheery pop song blares from downstairs
  52. >Loud enough to let you slam the door and force the chair back in place
  53. >Your hurried steps down the stairs slow midway and come to a stop
  54. >Aria's waiting in the other room. Eager to hear the results...
  55. >You rest a shaking hand on your forehead and hold the handrail tight
  56. ___
  57. >Music forces its way through the pitch-black door, muffled into little more than vibrations beneath your feet
  58. >This chair is too short
  59. >The carpet smells like garbage
  60. >Best of all, it's darker in here than usual. The single light bulb above your head flickers on and off as it slowly dies
  61. >This was a good fit for your "punishment room"
  62. >Now that there's no need for one, it's as useless as you are
  63. "...Aria?"
  64. >She's been laying on her side near the door for about five minutes
  65. "Hey. Are you asleep?"
  66. >"How's someone supposed to sleep with all this noise?"
  67. >She rolls over, and sits up
  68. "Good point."
  69. >"Ready to tell me what Adagio said?"
  70. >You involuntarily scowl, as you tug at a torn edge of the box in your lap
  71. >Nearly a dozen cans move around inside
  72. >"I promise on Sonata's LIFE that they can't hear you in here. If they could, we'd already be fucked."
  73. >Aria jumps to her feet and cups both hands around her mouth
  74. >"PLAY A SONG THAT DOESN'T SUCK."
  75. >She needs a few seconds to quietly laugh at herself before continuing:
  76. >"GET OFF THE STAGE! BOO!"
  77. >She knocks as loud as she can
  78. "Aria. Please."
  79. >"OUTLAW SPEAKING! I'M BEHIND LIKE, OVER TEN THOUSAND CRIMINAL MISUSES OF MAGIC!"
  80. >Each time she bangs on the door Rainbow and Sonata's singing voices come in more clearly, for a moment
  81. >If you were closer you might hear the piece of shit tearing off of the wall
  82. >"HELP, I'M TRAPPED WITH A PERVERT!"
  83. "Would you shut up already?"
  84. >"I'M... huh?"
  85. >She looks over her shoulder
  86. "Knock it off. It's not funny."
  87. >The already tense atmosphere becomes so uncomfortable that you take to staring at the floor
  88. >Just have to wait it out...
  89. >Once Rainbow goes home, you'll have the peace and quiet you need to think about your next move
  90. >...
  91. >"Someone's in a bad mood."
  92. >Aria falls to her knees in front of you and tilts the box up toward the dim light
  93. "You're always in a bad mood."
  94. >"Well, cheer up."
  95. >She squints, either struggling to see the words in these conditions, or trying to remember a brand she's never heard of
  96. >"And at least tell me whether Adagio said yes or no."
  97. >Aria tears the top off the box, revealing eleven silver cans
  98. "It was a no. A very clear no."
  99. >You take one and open it
  100. >Been a while since you tasted this stuff
  101. >Aria seems to look down on your decision to drink it as quickly as you can
  102. >"I bet you didn't even taste it. What a waste."
  103. "Yeah. Hey, I'll talk to the hairball again later. Let's drop it for now."
  104. >She inspects a can of her own
  105. >Crrrrrack
  106. >"Fine. What is this?"
  107. >Sigh...
  108. >You drop your emptied can into the floor, beside Twilight's communications book, and grab another
  109. "Beer. Should have saved it, but-"
  110. >"Are you SERIOUS?"
  111. >With a covered mouth she brings the can to her nose
  112. "Yeah. I'm serious."
  113. >"How?! You said you weren't old enough to buy it!"
  114. "I'm not."
  115. >After an experimental sip, she really goes at it
  116. >"Ahhh... I haven't been drunk in-"
  117. >Aria's fingers pop up one at a time
  118. >At four she shrugs
  119. >"Fucking forever."
  120. "Don't go crazy. We do have a visitor."
  121. >Her emptied can joins yours in under a minute
  122. >"This stuff is terrible... hand me another."
  123. >Nervous about serving as a bad influence, you slow your pace and insist she does the same
  124. >Still, by the time you're halfway through your second can, she's finished a fourth and started the next
  125. >"I'm telling you, it's okay!"
  126. "Your real body is different, remember?"
  127. >"And?"
  128. "Bigger, right?"
  129. >"So?"
  130. "Let it set in. Your limits have changed."
  131. >"Whatever, iiiiidiot."
  132. >Her can is dug into the carpet, and her arms cross
  133. >"If it was Sonata you wouldn't say that."
  134. "I'd say it twice as loud..."
  135. >"No."
  136. "Yes."
  137. >"No."
  138. "I promise I would."
  139. >"Nooo!"
  140. >You stand and lift Aria to her feet
  141. "Walk to the wall and back for me."
  142. >Your words are serious business for a moment
  143. >Then, with her tongue stuck out, she waddles away
  144. >Thankfully this room is mostly empty. Her attempt at a strut sends her stumbling right into the door
  145. >"Whoa."
  146. >Her elbow scrapes the frame as she turns around
  147. >The strut is attempted a second time, and goes much more smoothly
  148. >"What d'you know, stupid, I did it."
  149. "Barely."
  150. >On the floor again, she reaches for her can
  151. >You snatch it up
  152. "Five minutes. If you can do that again in five minutes, I'll give it back."
  153. >"For fuck's sake!"
  154. >Sitting with her hands planted beside her hips, she frowns
  155. ___
  156. >Maybe four minutes in, Aria's at her limit, impatiently rubbing her hands around the carpet and kicking the legs of your chair
  157. >Every sip you take of your drink risks triggering another World War
  158. >"How'd you get it, anyway? Can we get more?"
  159. "Probably not. A little girl gave it to me."
  160. >"Bullshit."
  161. "Seriously!"
  162. >"Buuuull. You didn't steal it right?"
  163. "No."
  164. >"You didn't find it outside?"
  165. "Nope."
  166. >"So how?"
  167. "A little girl showed up and gave it away."
  168. >"ANONYMOUS."
  169. >The massive forward sway as she stands startles you, but she catches herself...
  170. >...in time to fall flat on her back instead
  171. >This time she gets up very slowly
  172. >Once on her feet, she grabs your shoulders for support
  173. >"You need a girl like me, right? So be honest with me."
  174. "Haha, what are you talking about..."
  175. >"Do you trust me or not?"
  176. "Yeah."
  177. >"Where'd you find the beer?"
  178. >A moment of complete silence follows, as Rainbow navigates her game's menu to the replay option
  179. >Your playful expression strongly contrasts Aria's "police interrogation" mask
  180. "It was given to me."
  181. >The same damn pop song starts all over again
  182. "...By a little-"
  183. >Aria sits in your lap, her legs hanging off to your left
  184. >The cans that were there pile up beside the chair
  185. "Hey!"
  186. >If you hadn't raised your right arm to support her back she'd have fallen again
  187. "Are you crazy?"
  188. >She snatches up your wrist with one hand
  189. >Using the other, she desperately claws at the can
  190. >"Just give it to meeee."
  191. >Better than dropping it, you suppose
  192. >You let go
  193. >"Yessss!"
  194. >Aria chugs away, perfectly confident that you'll hold on to her
  195. >"Ahhhh!"
  196. >...
  197. "What are you doing?"
  198. >"Hmmmmm, nothing."
  199. >Her rocking legs shift her around in your lap
  200. >She's wearing some new clothes. Gray shorts and a loose-fitting, black T-shirt
  201. >The shower she took last night left her hair looking smooth and silky, and smelling a lot more delicate than she tends to be
  202. >Having her so close feels better than the drinks would
  203. >But...
  204. "Hey. You should get down."
  205. >"Ha! Fuck you."
  206. >She's got a hostile tone, and a playful grin
  207. "Not joking, Aria."
  208. >"Neither am I."
  209. "I swear to whatever gods Equestria has that I told the truth about the beer."
  210. >"You won't even tell me what 'Dagio said. You think I'm a fuckin' idiot."
  211. >You shake your head, and she nods hers
  212. "She said a lot of things."
  213. >"Like what?"
  214. "...That I haven't changed."
  215. >She blinks
  216. "And that she won't work with me because of my actions. It's about you, so I don't feel comfortable-"
  217. >"What about me?!"
  218. >Her urgency is followed up with a lazy swig of her drink that leaves a trail of beer running from the side of her mouth
  219. >Maybe Aria won't even remember this?
  220. >You carefully lower her to the floor
  221. >"Hey..."
  222. "The way I treated you. Saying terrible things, touching you, and acting like no guy would want you."
  223. >Her face had been lively ever since the first sip, but suddenly goes blank
  224. "Adagio thinks that my 'change of heart' was a trick to win you guys over, and that I'll go back to doing things like before. After all, if Mercy Quartet works out, what's the difference? I get you guys where I wanted you."
  225. >You bring your can to your lips
  226. >...
  227. >It ends up standing on the carpet instead
  228. "Even though I told her she was wrong, the more I think about it... when I offered you the job, what I wanted most was for you to stay with me."
  229. >Aria's eyes are gentle and attentive
  230. >Every time she gets this way, you fight the urge to stare at them
  231. "You know that those things I told you were lies, right?"
  232. >"Hm?"
  233. "Every insult I threw at you was either made up or really exaggerated."
  234. >Her eyebrow jumps up
  235. "You're not ugly. In fact, you're very pretty."
  236. >Air shoots through her nose
  237. "You don't smell abnormally bad. If you have any trouble with guys, I bet it's because they're intimidated is all."
  238. >So awkward...
  239. "Lately I can't stop thinking about the damage I've done to everyone around me. And what Adagio said feels so true. There are plenty of selfish things I've done without thinking about it-"
  240. >A faint chime to your left catches your attention
  241. >Twilight's book. The feather emblem on its cover glows
  242. >You crack it open to the bookmark
  243. >"Anonymous, are you awake?"
  244. >Aria's head hovers above your lap so she can watch you write back "Yes"
  245. >The book is shut and dropped back into the floor
  246. >"...Are you stupid? No shit you wanted this."
  247. >She sets her drink aside and rests her hands on your stomach
  248. >"That's how the world works. Everyone's kinda selfish no matter what. And if you think you aren't..."
  249. >Her index finger jabs into your forehead
  250. >"...you're retarded. And if you think you shouldn't be selfish ever..."
  251. >Then it moves down to your cheek
  252. >"...you're retarded. Why do you say nice things to your friends, huh?"
  253. "Um. To make them happy?"
  254. >"YEAH. But also 'cause you want them to keep being yoUR friend. Get it?"
  255. "...I do."
  256. >"I see right into your head, Anonymous. You're not one hundred percent selfish. You never were."
  257. >Her eyes roll back
  258. >"Adagio ran that garbage by me, too. About you 'tricking' me into having 'feelings'."
  259. >She climbs on top of you again
  260. >This time her legs wrap around the chair, and her arms around your neck
  261. >"This feeling didn't even appear until super reshently."
  262. "What?"
  263. >"I'm shellfish."
  264. >...
  265. >Aria traces shapes into your hair
  266. >"All the time lately. I think stuff like, 'forget the couch. Forget Sonata. Stay in my room.'"
  267. >Her arms tighten
  268. >"Like that time... in here... remember? I think about it a lot."
  269. >Twilight's book chimes again
  270. >You glance at it, and Aria hangs off to your side to keep your eyes on her
  271. >"It makes my heart beat so fuckin' fast I almost die. Seriously."
  272. "You've... had too much to drink."
  273. >"Fuck Sonata."
  274. >She flinches
  275. >"Not... like that. I'd kill you. Just, fuck Sonata, y'know?"
  276. "You should probably stop talking."
  277. >Picking her up wins you a merciless pinch on the back of your neck, sending you down into the chair again
  278. >"I'm trying to TALK TO YOU so STOP!"
  279. >She hasn't pulled, but you can feel her grip on your hair as well
  280. >All this moving around has gotten her backside well acquainted with your lap
  281. >You've never been so nervous and excited at the same time
  282. "These are things you might regret saying. And you'll take it out on me later."
  283. >"I want to say it constantly! Because I know things aren't gonna change. You'll still look at her, and give her the easy jobs, and give her your stuff, in different ways BECAUSE I can't say anything."
  284. "...What?"
  285. >She scoots closer
  286. >There's that hair tug you were afraid of
  287. >"And..."
  288. >The book chimes once again
  289. >"Heart feelings and body feelings are different, y'know? I've had the former-"
  290. >Blink, blink
  291. >"I mean the latter since the beginning, and now the heart feelings are making the body ones so much shtronger..."
  292. "Ariaaa-"
  293. >She tilts the both of you so far that you have to reach back to keep the chair off of the floor
  294. >"...I'm not a words person... more like an actions person..."
  295. >Her eyes slowly close
  296. >"...so..."
  297. "Hey."
  298. >The closer she gets to your face, the harder it is to support the weight
  299. "Hold on."
  300. >She doesn't
  301. "Aria."
  302. >Her little nose brushes against yours
  303. >On instinct, you shut your eyes
  304. >Your heart beats so fast that you can't think straight
  305. "St-stop. Seriously-"
  306. >Anticipation holds your tongue as you focus on nothing but the barrage of sound coming from the living room, another message from Twilight Sparkle, and the uncomfortable shift of weight pushing you closer to your back
  307. >...
  308. >Something warm hits you between the eyes
  309. >It's quick to run down past your nose
  310. >When it touches your mouth you retreat into the sleeve on your free arm
  311. "What the fuck-"
  312. >The hand balancing the chair slips, crashing both of you into the floor
  313. >The cruel, immature delight on her face...
  314. "Did you- seriously?"
  315. >You wipe away spit with the other arm, too
  316. >She snickers
  317. >And chuckles
  318. >Then bursts into laughter, resting her head on your chest
  319. "Ha, ha."
  320. >Your attempt at sitting up is denied by two wobbly hands pressed into your shoulders
  321. "What? Was there more?"
  322. >"Hahaha."
  323. "Damn drunk."
  324. >"Haha, I. Haha-"
  325. "You what?"
  326. >Aria wipes the back of her hand across your mouth
  327. >Then leans in and forces her lips onto yours
  328. >Your entire body tenses up
  329. >Her fingers find their way to your hair again, and gently burrow in near your ear
  330. >Anxious bursts of air from her nose tickle your face
  331. >After the kiss breaks, her eyes quickly open so she can gauge your reaction
  332. >Whatever look the shock left on your face must be satisfactory...
  333. ...as she shows off the most genuine smile you've ever seen on her
  334. >"Next time, we'll talk to Adagio."
  335. >The tip of her index finger presses into your palm
  336. >"Together."
  337. >A white flash illuminates both of you
  338. >Twilight must have something important to say. Of all the times she could have chosen...
  339. >Aria sighs, sits up and opens it
  340. >"Would she fuck off already?"
  341. >A cheaper book would fall apart from the force of her page turning
  342. >She scans over all the messages she hasn't seen
  343. >On the newest, she frowns
  344. >"How? How's that possible?"
  345. "What is it?"
  346. >The book's stood up and flipped around
  347. >You start back at the end of the last conversation you had:
  348. "It works like that here, too."
  349. >"That's true. I imagine our worlds have many more things in common."
  350. "Something you can study, in the future."
  351. >"Indeed."
  352. >"Anonymous, are you awake?"
  353. "Yes"
  354. >"I have incredible news!"
  355. >"Want to guess what it is?"
  356. >"Anonymous?"
  357. >"I can't wait! Too excited! The examination was just completed. The necklace is, without a doubt... enchanted!"
  358. ___
  359. "Sorry again."
  360. >"It's cool!"
  361. >Dash tucks her karaoke game under her arm and cracks the front door
  362. >"Listen to your big cousin, Bella."
  363. >Sonata shrinks away at the pointed finger
  364. >"If you get grounded I won't have anyone to sing with!"
  365. >"O-Okay!"
  366. >The door is shut
  367. >'Bella' rushes to the window and watches her friend go
  368. >"...Anon I do NOT have summer homework and I am NOT behind!"
  369. "I know. Lock the door."
  370. >You reach through the kitchen doorway and take Twilight's book from the counter
  371. >"Aria. It's clear."
  372. >With it opened on the living room coffee table, you sit down on the couch and read over your last message:
  373. "Really??"
  374. >Two question marks felt right, in the moment
  375. >Just like hunching over and fidgeting feels right in this one
  376. >Twenty minutes...
  377. >It's been at least twenty fucking minutes since you received that message in the punishment room
  378. >What is Twilight doing?
  379. >Aria's arms pop into your peripheral vision from behind the couch
  380. >"What's she said now?"
  381. "Nothing."
  382. >"Really?"
  383. >Sonata nearly falls over tugging the blonde wig off of her head
  384. >After she shakes her head to get her real hair in order, you're joined on the couch
  385. >"What's happening?"
  386. >"Shut up Sonata..."
  387. >"You shut up!"
  388. >"YOU shud up!"
  389. >"No, you-"
  390. >She invades Aria's personal space and sniffs
  391. >"Anonymous! Aria is DRUNK!"
  392. >Your fingernails dig into your cheek
  393. >"Sooo?"
  394. >"Where did you get alcohol? How come no one told me?"
  395. >"That's the last thing you should be mad about. There's something else..."
  396. >"Huh?"
  397. "Quiet, guys. I can't think."
  398. >They go silent. You can feel them both staring
  399. >...
  400. >It HAS been nearly two weeks since Twilight went back to Equestria
  401. >Though early, the examination could have completed by now
  402. >But this necklace has been in your family since childhood
  403. >It originates from THIS world
  404. >How could it possibly be infused with magic?
  405. >Five more minutes pass
  406. >Then ten, twenty, half an hour...
  407. >You've added five more messages in this time:
  408. "Twilight?"
  409. "Are you there?"
  410. "Congratulations!"
  411. "What kind of enchantment is it?"
  412. "Twilight?"
  413. >Pulling your hair out is appealing right now
  414. "Aria. Come with me. Just in case."
  415. >"Oookay."
  416. >She does her best to follow you up the nearby stairs
  417. >Better hold her hand... just in case
  418. ___
  419. "How could that happen?"
  420. >Adagio refuses to even look at the book held open before her
  421. >You drop it onto her coffee table instead
  422. "It's just a normal necklace. I was there when my mom bought it."
  423. >Aria hides behind you, with hand rested on your back
  424. >She nods after everything you say
  425. "You have to know something, Adagio."
  426. >The shrimp looks you up and down
  427. >"It sounds to me like you've made a monumental mistake."
  428. "What kind?"
  429. >"Where, exactly, were you keeping our necklaces?"
  430. "Across the-"
  431. >Slow down...
  432. "The real necklaces are hidden well. If someone found them, trust me, I'd know. Not to mention they look different. Mixing them up is impossible."
  433. >"For most. But for you?"
  434. "Adagio. Listen to me. This could end in disaster. You need to tell me anything you know about enchantments. Not just for me, but for Sonata, Aria and yourself!"
  435. >You slide Twilight's book closer
  436. "That message comes from a member of the Equestrian government who is dedicated to finding you."
  437. >Finally, she bothers to look over its text
  438. "Now, I'm asking again: how could this happen?"
  439. >Sonata peeks into the room from the hallway
  440. >She and Aria wait in silence
  441. >...
  442. >"Human."
  443. >With a light laugh, Adagio scratches her chin and says,
  444. >"I know no more about enchantments than those two do."
  445. >Of course not
  446. >Adagio, contributing?
  447. >What a fucking joke
  448. >You pace back and forth
  449. >"...You seem to be confused about the nature of our necklaces. We didn't forge them. They're as strange to us as these bodies are."
  450. "What? What do you mean?"
  451. >"You must have learned enough about Equestria to know that Unicorns don't go around teaching their secrets to anyone who asks."
  452. "Then how did you get your hands on the necklaces?"
  453. >"They've always been ours. A part of us-"
  454. >She raises a hand and separates her fingers
  455. >"-that was ruined by this world. Just like these bodies."
  456. >...You carefully consider her words, but in the end, what do they matter?
  457. >Twilight still has an enchanted necklace
  458. >Is the LAND... enchanted?
  459. >Could the magical necklaces have infected a normal one?
  460. >Why would that happen?
  461. >Are you supposed to believe anything in the house could be enchanted?
  462. >"I do know one thing you'll want to hear, though."
  463. "I'm sure. Spit it out."
  464. >The book slides back across the table
  465. >"Words are writing themselves out as we speak."
  466. "What?!"
  467. >"Enjoy."
  468. >You drop down and read:
  469. >"I'm very sorry Anonymous. Unscheduled meeting with the Princess."
  470. >"It was scary, but went better than expected!"
  471. >"This type of enchantment is somewhat rare. Though I'm unsure of its exact use in this case, I can say it is potentially dangerous. Illegal too, naturally."
  472. >"More good news: this class of magic is easily tracked. The other necklaces, and even any person who has worn the necklace before, can be located from up to four miles away!"
  473. >You raise a shaking hand and press your pen to the book
  474. "That's
  475. great
  476. when are you
  477. coming back?"
  478. >...
  479. >...
  480. >...
  481. >"Three hours, hopefully!"
  482. ___
  483. >In the kitchen, you let Adagio down beside the microwave
  484. >With a hand on her arm of course
  485. >Aria goes through her designated cabinets, pulling every kind of junk food she owns down into your dad's large duffel bag
  486. >Sonata fiddles with her fingers as she waits for direction
  487. "Find your money. All of it."
  488. >"O-Okay."
  489. >You start on a mental checklist as you watch her run off
  490. >Keys from the kitchen counter, check
  491. >Phone, check
  492. >Wallet from the living room's entertainment center, check
  493. >Aria's got the box full of cash Gilda returned sitting on the couch
  494. >All the clothes have been stuffed into garbage bags, plus a few blankets and pillows
  495. >And the laptop and desktop computers were the first things to be loaded into the car
  496. >"What in the world are you doing, human?"
  497. "Getting ready to go."
  498. >You double-check a nearby drawer
  499. >Should you take the things in the fridge?
  500. >"Where will you go?"
  501. "Uh... not sure."
  502. >Not much in here anyway
  503. >You can buy food on the road
  504. "At least five miles away, I guess?"
  505. >Aria slowly disappears through the kitchen doorway, stuffed duffle bag in tow
  506. >"I'm... ready, Anon..."
  507. "Okay. Once Sonata's done we're out of-"
  508. >"What will you do after you leave?"
  509. >Good question
  510. "We'll figure it out, Adagio."
  511. >"She'll find you. Don't be a fool. Five miles?"
  512. "So we'll go ten. Twenty. Fuck it, we'll leave the state. What else can I do?"
  513. >"The necklaces."
  514. >She rests a hand on her chest
  515. "...Not going to happen."
  516. >"You wouldn't leave them behind. As I said before, with my necklace I could solve this situation in a single day. Retrieve it."
  517. >Even if she could, confronting Equestria in that way would not end well
  518. >It's not worth it
  519. "Just shut up and hope there's room in the car. You might be laying in the floor, once again."
  520. >"Human. Where are they at?"
  521. >Keys into pocket
  522. >Wallet as well
  523. >"Buried? You buried them, right?"
  524. >Sonata runs by the kitchen doorway again, with a ball of cash in her hands
  525. >Her footsteps transition from carpet to the wood of the front porch
  526. >Looks like it's time
  527. >"You CAN NOT be stupid enough to abandon them. At least relocate-"
  528. "Shut up."
  529. >"They'll take them! SHE'LL take them! You have no choice!"
  530. "So I'll drop you off, drive back and do it alone!"
  531. >You feel her body stiffen, and her breathing slow
  532. >Looking back at her, you find that her eyes are on the rows of trees visible outside the kitchen window
  533. >Barely lit by the midnight moon, brushing together in the wind
  534. >It's a beautiful place to have grown up
  535. >To think this could be the last time you see it...
  536. "Listen. Forget about the necklaces. This is it for you. Either leave them behind, or get left behind by Sonata and Aria."
  537. >Slowly, she lowers her head
  538. >A frustrated, exhausted sigh escapes her lips
  539. >Your grip tightens around her wrist
  540. "They care about you a lot. Coming with them, on our terms, is as good as it's getting for you."
  541. >For the first time since you've met her it feels like Adagio is genuinely worried about her future
  542. "Believe me. If not for those two, I doubt you'd have much to look forward to anymore."
  543. >"Anon, I found all of the money! Come on!"
  544. >Sonata calls out from the living room
  545. "Good job! Don't forget your disguise!"
  546. >"Already got it!"She runs off again
  547. >Well, can't afford to stall if you're coming back to dig up the necklaces
  548. >You pull the girl behind you around the counter, past the open cabinets and drawers
  549. >Then stop beside the fridge. A foot from the doorway
  550. >You nearly fall back at the sudden change in weight
  551. >She's latched onto something, probably
  552. >You turn
  553. >In one moment, just a fraction of a second, a sound and image register in your mind
  554. >Of metal scratching against plastic
  555. >Of a glimmer that disappears as it leaves the moonlight
  556. >Ducking, raising your free arm to your face and shutting your eyes all take equal priority
  557. >You fall into the floor
  558. "A-Adagio-"
  559. >Its cold tiles send waves of irritation to the stinging skin on your left arm
  560. >As you sit up, Adagio's bare foot comes crashing down into your chest
  561. >Your words mix into a strained cough
  562. >Seen through cracked eyes, the white tiles blur into your arm and the warm, red streaks it leaves as you try to force out from underneath Adagio
  563. >Her weight shifts. The heel of her foot slides down to your stomach, and becomes far heavier
  564. >Fully, but cautiously opening your eyes, you see her staring down at you
  565. >She carelessly lowers the knife to your face
  566. >Its tip digs into your cheek
  567. >"I'm going to ask you a very simple question."
  568. >She's... calm
  569. >Controlled breathing, a steady grip on the knife...
  570. >What little of her face isn't hidden by hanging hair is cold and focused
  571. "Hey-"
  572. >"I'll know if you're lying."
  573. "Hold on. Hold on..."
  574. >"Where is my necklace?"
  575. "It's-"
  576. >You take as deep a breath as the pressure on your gut will allow
  577. "It's too dangerous to give it back to you. I'd be betraying my entire-"
  578. >The metal slices its way to your jawline
  579. >A moment later, the sting sets in
  580. >Before you can so much as gasp in pain the tip presses into the same starting position
  581. >"Where. Is. My necklace?"
  582. >...
  583. "Think about the girls. You'll ruin their chances at-"
  584. >This time it drags angled to the right, just missing your mouth, and stopping at your chin
  585. >Visited by the tip of the knife, your right eye shuts and refuses to open
  586. >"Do you value your vision, human?"
  587. >Can't breathe
  588. >"Is Sonata's body and Aria's loyalty worth one eye, or two?"
  589. >Can't think
  590. >"Well?"
  591. >This knife
  592. >It's the only reason
  593. >The paralyzing fear of it resting so close
  594. >The thought of struggling and suffering a terrible injury
  595. >If not for that, what power could she have over you?
  596. >Your left eye struggles to leave the blade pressed into the side of your right
  597. >...but it does
  598. >Something catches your attention, up behind Adagio's back, in the doorway:
  599. >Absolutely nothing
  600. "Aria, DON'T!"
  601. >The mountain of hair moves toward you
  602. >Her free arm raises up to serve as a shield
  603. >With both hands, you take hold of her wrist and push
  604. >Once the metal is far enough away she comes tumbling into a cabinet door under as much force as your arms can provide
  605. >Even with one losing blood and both shaking wildly, it's enough to knock the knife out of her hand
  606. >You kick it across the room and push Adagio to the floor
  607. >For a while, you stare at her pinned below, blood dripping onto her chest, hair and face as she thrashes around
  608. "...So stupid. You're so fucking stupid."
  609. >A shaking, bleeding human talking down to her
  610. >Surely that's enough to piss her off?
  611. >The struggling slows
  612. "Why can't you just listen to what I say?"
  613. >Her eyes switch between your own, and the cuts running down your face
  614. >Then, she looks away. To the bottom of the fridge
  615. >You raise her up by the arm and slap her hard across the face
  616. "Fucking... idiot."
  617. >Apart from shutting her eyes a bit, she doesn't react
  618. >So you slap her again
  619. >And again
  620. >Harder each time, ending with so much force that she can't help but flinch
  621. >So much pain that her body won't LET her ignore you
  622. >Twitching fingers rush to her face and she rolls onto her side
  623. >One last time, you sit her up and run the palm of your hand across her now guarded face
  624. >At first, it's blissful
  625. >You imagine the frustration and humiliation she must feel
  626. >But in a familiar way, your stomach sours, and you stop
  627. "...Adagio."
  628. >She twists her torso further away from you
  629. "What is it going to take for us to work together?"
  630. >Slowly, her hands pull down far enough for her to look over your now less violent posture
  631. >She cautiously pulls her hands away from her reddened face and teary eyes
  632. >Her mouth opens to display gritted teeth
  633. >When she's ready to speak, she says:
  634. >"A necklace."
  635. >Even after all that?
  636. >Unbelievable
  637. "...You know what? Alright."
  638. ___
  639. >You drop the shovel beside the porch steps and head back into the living room
  640. >Sonata comes stumbling in behind you, covering her ears to escape the rant outside
  641. >Pausing, you squeeze the three black bands in your hand and turn around
  642. >"Stop fucking ignoring me, Anon!"
  643. >Aria trips on the second step to the top
  644. >She lands on a knee and her palms
  645. >"I'm not-"
  646. >Sonata moves aside as Aria stands again and stomps through the doorway
  647. >Poorly balanced on her tiptoes, waving outstretched arms, she shouts:
  648. >"I'm not going to let you DO this!"
  649. "It'll happen no matter how long you argue."
  650. >"Why does it have to? Why just give up?"
  651. >You point to the triangular mess of blood-soaked, hastily-applied gauze and medical tape on your cheek
  652. "She forced my hand."
  653. >"But-"
  654. "Look at this, Aria."
  655. >She tries, but quickly averts her eyes
  656. "Adagio wanted to do far worse."
  657. >"Still, we could trying something else..."
  658. >Her voice fades as you shake your head
  659. "There's no time. I'm sorry, but I've made my decision."
  660. >You give her a moment to get in one last thought
  661. >She uses it merely to glare
  662. "Let's go."
  663. >You gesture to the stairs and Sonata sheepishly climbs them
  664. >As you follow behind, Aria fires off one last time:
  665. >"You're unbelievable. Fucking UNBELIEVABLE! What was any of this for, huh?"
  666. >...
  667. >"How about you go back to calling me twin-tails? Why not start doing YOU-KNOW-WHAT again!"
  668. >...
  669. >"Anon!"
  670. >By the time you reach the second floor, she's given up
  671. >The conversation officially ends with a slam of the front door. One hard enough to shake the framed family portrait hanging beside your head
  672. "She'll understand. Later."
  673. >"I hope so."
  674. >From the moment you told Sonata your new intentions, she's been visibly anxious
  675. >It's most obvious here in front of the cracked guest bedroom door, as she squeezes the skin around her wrist and takes deep breaths
  676. "Don't worry. I'll do the talking."
  677. >"Okay."
  678. >You guide her inside to greet her former leader, who was left here with wrists and ankles sloppily tied up
  679. >When she notices you two, her violent attempt at pulling an arm or leg free of their binds comes to an end
  680. >Right away, they catch her eye:
  681. >the three necklaces dangling at your side
  682. "Hello again."
  683. >Her mouth hangs open in disbelief. Probably assumed you were bluffing
  684. >She sits against the wall as usual, while you and Sonata take a seat on the hard, wooden floor
  685. "Take a look."
  686. >You place the necklaces on Adagio's little table and slide them forward
  687. >She leans in to inspect them
  688. >It doesn't take long to convince her
  689. "Go ahead and count them. Maybe our totals will be different, but I doubt it."
  690. >"Why did-"
  691. >Her shaky voice gains strength as she clears her throat and sits up straight
  692. >"Why did you tie me up, then? Conditions?"
  693. "You'd never accept conditions, we both know that."
  694. >Her suspicious eyes move on to inspect you for several seconds
  695. >Then Sonata, who groans and hides behind your back
  696. "Just needed time to deal with the cuts you gave me."
  697. >"Really."
  698. "Yeah."
  699. >You run a finger down your arm, crossing over another first aid disaster and ending at your lightly bruised hand
  700. >Speaking of which...
  701. >Fresh, light red marks cover Adagio's face
  702. >Dried specks of your blood decorate her from the chest of the shirt to her spiked hairband
  703. >And that wall of hair is in more of a mess than you've seen prior
  704. >Having to sit here in that state, in front of Sonata...
  705. >You do what you can to suppress a smile
  706. "So. Does seeing all three necklaces with your own eyes make you any more curious about the messages I received?"
  707. >"...It's strange, yes."
  708. "Can you think of any explanation?"
  709. >She lightly nibbles her bottom lip in deep thought
  710. >You don't mind waiting. It's relaxing sitting around without being blasted by Rainbow's favorite songs
  711. >So you sit quietly
  712. >If only this floor weren't so exhausting. Not even two minutes in and your ass kind of hurts
  713. >"Sonata?"
  714. >The girl hiding behind you sticks her head up past your right shoulder, at least far enough to see
  715. >"...Hm?"
  716. >"Did he ever give you or Aria your necklaces?"
  717. >Her lips and nose rub against your back as she shakes her head
  718. >"Think hard, Sonata. If you sang in this house with the necklace on I need to know."
  719. "They had no idea where to find them, until a few minutes ago. What do you have in mind?"
  720. >With a sigh of frustration, Adagio lays her bound hands beside a necklace
  721. >She feels along the band to meet with the red gem on the end and, fingers spread as far as the rope comfortably allows, she holds it tight
  722. >"Like I told you, we know little about enchantments. I thought using them might leave evidence behind that a Unicorn would mistake for an enchantment."
  723. >The gem is dropped, and the next necklace is held in the same way
  724. >"Then again, you shouldn't underestimate a Unicorn. Their wisdom is matched only by their arrogance."
  725. >Again, the gem falls from her hands
  726. >Adagio takes the final necklace by the band and slowly, awkwardly raises it, so that it hangs inches away from her eyes
  727. >"It doesn't really matter. The messenger said she doesn't know the specific way we use our magic. You three will set up a trap, while I clean this... mess you made."
  728. "Trap?"
  729. >You lean forward and rest your chin in your hands
  730. "What kind of trap?"
  731. >"Something so simple that even you could pull it off. Write the Equestrian, asking her to hurry to this house to review more clues you've found for the 'investigation'. Lead her into this room and lock her inside with Aria, Sonata and myself."
  732. "Interesting. What will you do to her?"
  733. >"Put her to work."
  734. >A smile creeps onto Adagio's face
  735. >"Government official, huh? Who knows what I could accomplish with someone like that?"
  736. >Sonata pulls on the back of your shirt collar
  737. >...
  738. >You ARE sidetracked, but you can't resist:
  739. "Adagio. I of course need to ask you how I'll be treated, once you've got the necklace."
  740. >Apparently a very troubling question
  741. >She stiffens up, frowning and twisting the necklace band in her fingers
  742. >The conflict of being so close to regaining her authority, but being afraid to lose it with a rude remark?
  743. >"I'm not going to promise you anything. But giving me this necklace, and doing exactly what I tell you to, will go a long way."
  744. "Wouldn't I do what you tell me to either way?"
  745. >"Ha."
  746. >The necklace comes crashing down into the table with Adagio's hands
  747. >Sonata jumps, and tugs on your shirt twice as hard
  748. >"Have we become that distant, Sonata?"
  749. >The question is left wide open for a response. The only one Sonata gives is an impatient tap on your back
  750. >This leaves her former leader looking more than a little disheartened
  751. >"...There's your answer. They trust you more than they trust me at the moment, and wouldn't forgive me for taking away your free will. Your job for now will be keeping these two in line. This government girl is a big opportunity, and I won't have it stalled by arguments over... weight, or sharing beds, or which restaurants to wait outside..."
  752. >She stuffs nine of her fingers away, leaving an index finger bent your way
  753. >"Speaking of which, my help is going to cost you. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I'll be taking control of this hideout."
  754. "Oh, of course."
  755. >"You'll continue to stock up on food with your funds."
  756. "A girl's got to eat."
  757. >"And that human Sonata's been spending time with will stay away from now on. Take Sonata out to meet her if you have to."
  758. "Right."
  759. >A fire lights in Adagio's eyes as she lists off conditions, and you continue to accept
  760. >"You'll teach me everything there is to know about this world's technology."
  761. "I can show you how to use a computer and a TV..."
  762. >"The equipment in the music shop, too."
  763. "Hey, I'm no musician, but I'll look it up."
  764. >"Good. You own one of the machines on the roads, correct?"
  765. "A car? Yes."
  766. >"Getting around will be simple then."
  767. >She takes notice of the dark, splattered mess staining her shirt
  768. >"I can see you bought my companions new clothes. Did you think to do the same for me?"
  769. "We got you a little something."
  770. >"Then prepare a bath. Quickly. Three hours is not a lot of time."
  771. >She lowers her head to the table
  772. >"And... I can't put this on with bound hands. Go ahead and do it. Then, get rid of these ungodly ropes."
  773. "Sorry. I forgot! Haha!"
  774. >You stand and take the necklace Adagio had seemed most interested in
  775. "Guess I'm used to seeing girls all tied up."
  776. >Closing it tight in your palms, you focus your attention as she did
  777. >There's no tingling, burning, or other sensations as far as you can tell
  778. >With a shrug you take it by the band and dangle it in front of Adagio, who is little more than orange curls and tangles from this angle
  779. "This one is yours?"
  780. >"...Yes."
  781. "Looks just like the others to me."
  782. >Sonata crawls to your right side and pinches the skin on her arm
  783. >"Anonnnn..."
  784. "Alright. Alright. So, Adagio, what if you put on the wrong necklace? Would it still work?"
  785. >"Yes. But you're holding the correct one. Don't waste time."
  786. "You're sure? This is DEFINITELY, for sure, Adagio Dazzle's very own necklace?"
  787. >Adagio jerks up. A large group of hair lags behind and covers her face
  788. >It's quickly swept away, revealing the impatient death-stare your long, drawn-out words sparked
  789. >As she takes note of the smug smile on your face, her anger gradually gives way to wide-eyed realization
  790. >Then, as the dangling gem makes its way to Sonata's chest, and the necklace is slipped over her head, Adagio's shoulders fall
  791. "That's just great. Sonata, this WILL work, right?"
  792. >"What do you mean?"
  793. "Have you ever done this before?"
  794. >"Of course not."
  795. "But you said it should work."
  796. >Adagio's eyes shift between you two as you casually discuss
  797. >"Yeah. When we're not wearing a necklace, for all intensive purposes, we're just... humans."
  798. "Hm. You mean intents and purposes, dork."
  799. >"Oh. Whatever."
  800. >She gives you a weak smile
  801. >The remaining two necklaces are swept up and stuffed into your pocket
  802. >You give Sonata a pat on the back, and make for the door
  803. >"H-Hold on. You, you can't be serious."
  804. >Oh?
  805. >Did that pathetic, stuttering voice actually come from Adagio?
  806. >You can't help but delay things a bit longer by watching from outside the bedroom
  807. >"You wouldn't. You would never."
  808. >Sonata looks away. Toward the room's window, on their left
  809. >"...Come on-"
  810. >Your prisoner's arms stretch out across the table
  811. >"This-"
  812. >Her fingers force their way open against the constricting rope, left shaking in pain, inviting either Sonata's hands or the enchanted item hanging above
  813. >"This is a mistake. The biggest mistake of your life. I know you wouldn't."
  814. >Sonata's eyes stay glued to what little of the night sky can be seen, through the half-drawn blinds
  815. >"You would never be so reckless-"
  816. >Adagio shuts her eyes for a moment, forcing air into her lungs and releasing it into a shaky sigh
  817. >"We've been through everything together. I've always been there for you and Aria."
  818. >It works out perfectly. You didn't even ask Sonata to give her the cold shoulder
  819. >Now that it's happening, it's difficult to pull away
  820. >The satisfaction you exude briefly catches the hairball's attention
  821. >She slams her closed fists into the table and uses them to lift up as high as possible
  822. >"Do you think he cares about you, Sonata?"
  823. >...
  824. >"He's USING you. He was ALWAYS using you. This is what he wanted for all three of us. Don't you get that?"
  825. >...
  826. >"What has he done to deserve your loyalty?!"
  827. >Her voice cracks, and her arms tremble under her weight
  828. >"So he gave you a comfortable home. Don't you think I would do the same if I could?! What of the abuse? Have you forgotten about it? Can my lifetime of companionship really be outdone by this abusive, selfish human?"
  829. >As she pleads, her face goes a bit pale
  830. >"Sonata, you CAN'T. Listen. Listen to me! I'm the only one who can get us out of this. If you leave it to him, we'll end up in an Equestrian Dungeon... or worse."
  831. >...
  832. >"Give mine to me... and we'll retrieve yours... and Aria's. It's okay. I forgive you."
  833. >Her knuckles slip, and her shoulder slams into the table
  834. >"...You'd..."
  835. >She straightens out the best she can and shakes her head, sending her hair into hefty sways
  836. >"You'd NEVER DO THAT TO ME, Sonata!"
  837. "Please. This was practically her idea!"
  838. >Though she doesn't look at you, your voice has an immediate, powerful effect on Adagio
  839. >Her eyes shut tight, and she bites into her bottom lip
  840. "Sonata, why not count to sixty instead of thirty? To be safe. Who knows where Aria went."
  841. >"Okay."
  842. "Let's get this show on the road."
  843. >Just before the door clicks shut, Adagio's strained shout stops you
  844. >"ANONYMOUS!"
  845. >It's like... the satisfaction of scratching an itch
  846. >At the same time you feel butterflies scatter in your stomach
  847. >It's your move
  848. >After allowing things to sink in for ten or so seconds, the door is swung open
  849. "Yes?"
  850. >Sonata looks over her shoulder with both hands covering her mouth
  851. >Adagio sits in her original position
  852. >Trails of fresh blood run down her chin
  853. "...Jesus."
  854. >With you startled by the teeth marks in her flesh, and with her left gasping for air, the conversation halts
  855. >Droplets hitting Adagio's shirt form even more dark stains
  856. >Messy strands of hair hang over her face in every direction
  857. >The struggle against the ropes have left her wrists and ankles a painful bright red
  858. >All on top of the bruises the floor has given her frail body...
  859. >...and the hunger she's built up from her frequent refusal to eat
  860. >The joy you felt seconds ago begins to fade
  861. >That high from besting her proves to be a fleeting emotion, as it always is
  862. >"I'll-"
  863. >Her brow trembles, exhausted by a frown more hateful than humanly possible
  864. >"Co... Co-operate... with you."
  865. >She goes right back to chewing into her bottom lip
  866. >Sonata looks up at you again, hands clasped, her uncovered mouth open in a relieved smile
  867. >You stare back in discomfort
  868. >When she reaches beneath her neck for the necklace you hold out your hand, and she stops
  869. "...Co-operate?"
  870. >It doesn't have to be a fleeting emotion
  871. >The anger and satisfaction fades, why? Because she's a girl?
  872. "You know what I think?"
  873. >Because she's weak?
  874. >Because she's pretty?
  875. >No, none of that
  876. >It fades because you let it
  877. "I think you'll 'co-operate' yourself to the nearest sharp object."
  878. >You offered this girl a comfortable, honest life, and she spat on it
  879. >The moment she had the upper-hand she threatened to blind you
  880. >Compared to that, you've treated her as a welcomed guest
  881. >"I said... I'll... co-operate."
  882. "It's too late for that."
  883. >You ignore Sonata's shock and focus entirely on Adagio's growing anger and confusion
  884. "This-"
  885. >A sting runs through the cuts on your face as you rest fingertips against the gauze
  886. "-tells me everything I need to know."
  887. >"Are you joking?"
  888. >Your stern expression surely suggests otherwise
  889. >"What about these ropes, biting into my skin?"
  890. >She presents her hands
  891. >"What about leaving me on the floor for endless days... what do you think that tells me?"
  892. "You poor soul."
  893. >She takes a sharp breath upon seeing you grab the doorknob again
  894. "You chose to sit tied up like a slave. It was a long time ago that I offered to release you as my equal. Your companions have made progress with me, while you've sat here, clinging to your pride. You're different from them."
  895. >"Do not. Close. The door."
  896. >She practically growls out the command
  897. >How can you not smile at that?
  898. "They've tried to accept their fate, while you've fought against me to the very last second."
  899. >Your heart pounds against your chest, and your fingers refuse to stay still
  900. "So I'm giving up. Adagio... you don't deserve to be reformed."
  901. >With the door shut halfway, you take one last look at the trembling, filthy mess of a former-leader
  902. "Sonata. Start counting."
  903. >"But. But, Anon, she said-"
  904. "Sixty seconds. Go."
  905. >The door clicks shut
  906. >Force of habit compels you to reach for the chair to the left
  907. >However, it's not needed anymore
  908. >This will be the last time
  909. "That's right."
  910. >You let that thought stick as you head down the stairs
  911. >You'll never have to lock anyone up again
  912. >And with Adagio working with the group, her companions should be even happier to adopt this new lifestyle
  913. >Maybe... you should have done this a long time ago?
  914. >In the living room, something shines against the arm of your couch
  915. >You reach over the back and retrieve Twilight's book
  916. "Close one."
  917. >It was nearly left behind
  918. >Seconds after it's tucked beneath your arm, it chimes again
  919. >And by the time you've opened the front door it chimes a third time
  920. >Not the best moment, Twilight
  921. >You shut the door
  922. >The woods and most of the sky are smothered in darkness, from below the powerful porch light
  923. >As you cross the tidy yard the front line of trees reveals itself
  924. >Stars above shine brighter. Your car, and the bags stuffed into the open trunk, slip into view on the right as you pass the hedges
  925. >Pressing up against the window confirms that Aria's run off somewhere else
  926. >...Again, the book bathes its surroundings with gentle light, almost seeming to pulsate in your hand
  927. "Aria?"
  928. >The ground in front of the car is unoccupied
  929. >What little you can see down the road is clear as well
  930. >Orderly, trimmed hedge leaves which fade into an unruly mess all reflect another burst of light
  931. "Ar-"
  932. >You rush back into the yard
  933. >The door to the small shed (tucked away in the left corner of the yard), nearly overtaken by the hedges at this point, is pulled open
  934. >Buckets of weeds, boxes of parts, your dad's revolver, no Aria
  935. "Hey!"
  936. >It chimes again
  937. "Where are you?"
  938. >How many seconds has it been since you left the bedroom?
  939. >...
  940. >You tighten your grip on Twilight's book as you sprint into the narrow passage formed by the side of the house and the hedges
  941. >The back yard leaves you nearly blind
  942. >All you can do as you walk past the empty pool and abandoned garden is call her name and watch for movement
  943. "She didn't..."
  944. >Another chime draws your attention
  945. "Damn it!"
  946. >The other side of the house is free of hedges, letting you scan the woods as you run. Nothing
  947. >As soon as your feet enter the moonlit grass of the front yard again you freeze
  948. >The...
  949. >...guest bedroom window is directly above you, on the next floor
  950. >You do what you can to cover your ears
  951. >Stuffed against the side of your head, the book's next chime is painful
  952. >Running through the front yard and onto the dirt road again, beyond it and past a freshly dug hole, through a couple of trees and into the woods you shout:
  953. "Where are you?!"
  954. >...
  955. >There's a bit of an echo
  956. >Other than that, the chirping of bugs and your beating heart, it's completely silent
  957. >...
  958. >Until-
  959. >"What the hell is wrong with you?"
  960. >The relief weakens your legs, leaving you latched onto a tree
  961. >Just a few feet away you find Aria. Sitting on the ground
  962. "Thank God."
  963. >You, too, lower onto the blanket of leaves and branches
  964. "I thought you ran again."
  965. >"Are you seriously panting? That's sad."
  966. >Though you disagree, you try to slow your breathing
  967. >It felt so much like last time is all
  968. "...Thank God you didn't go."
  969. >Aria's face is hidden by shadows, so you give up on reading her expression
  970. >Not that you needed to. She returns a cold silence
  971. "Look, about Adagio."
  972. >...
  973. "Um."
  974. >Yet another chime and flash of light
  975. >You anxiously open up the book and head for your bookmark
  976. "I..."
  977. >The turning stops suddenly, your finger stuck bending the next page as you focus your hearing on the house
  978. >It seems like Sonata's voice can just barely be heard in the distance
  979. >...
  980. >Time slips by as you try to decide if it's just in your head, and if this really is enough distance
  981. >By the time you return to your conversation you can't even remember what you were going to say
  982. >You pull the pages into little hills, lazily slapping them to the left
  983. >Inefficient use of page space has left you at nearly the middle of the book
  984. >Once the construction paper bookmark comes into your limited view, you dig out your phone and lay it on its side
  985. >With a click its lock screen lights up and reveals a long stretch of tightly-packed but neatly-written lines:
  986. >"Three hours, hopefully!"
  987. >"I can't wait to put all of this behind me."
  988. >"Can we meet up at your house?"
  989. >"Hey, you could take me to that book store again to celebrate. Wouldn't that be nice?"
  990. >"In fact I'm very excited to see you."
  991. >"Actually, could I stay at your house for the rest of the night?"
  992. >"Are you busy?"
  993. >"Please let me know when you get this."
  994. >"Anonymous?"
  995. >"Hello?"
  996. >"Anonymous"
  997. >"Are you there?"
  998. >"APRIL FOOLS!"
  999. >"The necklace ISN'T enchanted!"
  1000. >"I mean it is but I haven't proven it yet."
  1001. >"Were you convinced?"
  1002. >"It's my first time pulling a prank. Oh! It's not April"
  1003. >"Oh no"
  1004. >"cultural confusion"
  1005. >"Anonymous?"
  1006. >"Anon"
  1007. >"I'm a bit worried."
  1008. >"anon"
  1009. >"please pick up the book"
  1010. >"anon"
  1011. >"anonymous"
  1012. >"anon"
  1013. >"hello?"
  1014. >"Anon"
  1015. >"hey"
  1016. >"don't do anything you'll regret"
  1017. >"."
  1018. >"."
  1019. >"."
  1020. >"."
  1021. >"."
  1022. >"."
  1023. >"."
  1024. >"."
  1025. >"."
  1026. >The trail of dots continues down to the very bottom of the page
  1027. ___
  1028. File size limit reached.
  1029. VEXxWWR2
  1030. Twilight's book drops onto the kitchen table, shaking nearby cups and plates
  1031. >You clear enough space to open it to the most recent messages and take the pen from your pocket
  1032. "Aria, will you go upstairs and check on Sonata and Adagio?"
  1033. >Your focus is split as you listen for her reply, and brainstorm possible responses to Twilight
  1034. >Straightforward?
  1035. >Cryptic?
  1036. >Hostile?
  1037. >Not TOO hostile. What if you're wrong about this?
  1038. "Hey, I know you heard me."
  1039. >You turn to Aria. She stands just outside of the kitchen
  1040. >A powerful, spiteful glare takes you by surprise
  1041. "...Something strange is happening and I have to look into it. You're mad at me, I know, but could you please... do what..."
  1042. >She walks to the counter beside you, takes a forgotten bag of tortilla chips, and marches through the living room, to her bedroom
  1043. >The sinking feeling in your stomach sets in with the slam of her door
  1044. "Wait!"
  1045. >You lunge forward, then come to a sliding stop on the tiles
  1046. >There are other things that need to be addressed first
  1047. "God... damn it..."
  1048. >With your free hand mashed into your mouth, you return to the book
  1049. >It's been several minutes since the last messages
  1050. >Most of which have been sloppily placed periods, in an attempt to draw your attention (with the flash and chime the book emits when it's closed)
  1051. >Your hand can do little more than shake in anticipation
  1052. >Better bite the bullet
  1053. >You jab the page, leaving a dot of your own. Text appears below in just seconds
  1054. >"Anonymous why didn't you respond?"
  1055. "I was busy. Sorry.'
  1056. >"No worries. What are you up to?"
  1057. "Cleaning up. You're coming over right? By the way yes I would love to go back to the book store. Twilight."
  1058. >"Yeah I'm coming over"
  1059. >"to your house. Soon. I hope you'll be there"
  1060. >Your eyes narrow
  1061. "Why are you coming to my house?"
  1062. >"To celebrate"
  1063. "To celebrate confirming that the necklace was enchanted?"
  1064. "You're coming to my house to celebrate that thing that didn't happen?"
  1065. >"I just want to see you."
  1066. "Why are you leaving Equestria?"
  1067. >"huh?"
  1068. "the examination isn't over right?"
  1069. >"no"
  1070. "So what are you doing?"
  1071. "is there something I should know?"
  1072. >"no"
  1073. "We're partners. If there's something going on you can tell me."
  1074. >"I'll tell you in person."
  1075. "Twilight."
  1076. "Either you think I'm an idiot, or lying just isn't one of your talents."
  1077. >There it is. No more beating around the bush
  1078. >You cross your arms and wait
  1079. >The silence previously warded off by the hum of the refrigerator alone is pushed further away, by muffled yells upstairs
  1080. >What could be wrong?
  1081. >How do you argue with an obedient slave?
  1082. >Unwilling to leave the book, you lean in, with the empty page space below your blunt accusation in your sights
  1083. >...
  1084. >"Aren't you one, though?"
  1085. >Your jaw drops
  1086. >Surely you misunderstood. So you read it again. And again
  1087. "?"
  1088. >"An idiot. I'm calling you an idiot."
  1089. >The unintelligible argument on the second floor gets louder, while you become more passive, choosing to stare dumbfounded at the response
  1090. >Nearly a minute passes by
  1091. >"What's wrong? No more questions, Anonymous?"
  1092. >"Go ahead, send some."
  1093. >"Ask me anything you want."
  1094. >"There are some things I KNOW you should ask."
  1095. "like what?"
  1096. >Larger, lopsided letters appear:
  1097. >"If a human being"
  1098. >"and an equestrian creature"
  1099. >"fall in love..."
  1100. >Your heart skips a beat
  1101. >"and decide they want to"
  1102. >"start a family, what happens?"
  1103. >"Can the creature get pregnant?"
  1104. "What are you talking about?"
  1105. >"No good? How about this:"
  1106. >"In Equestria, what is the punishment"
  1107. >"for sheltering criminals?"
  1108. >You can barely keep from dropping your pen in-between the pages
  1109. >"What is an Equestrian dungeon like?"
  1110. "Wh"
  1111. >Her writing overlaps yours:
  1112. >"Are prisoners ever executed in Equestria?"
  1113. >You start again below...
  1114. "Who are"
  1115. >...and are interrupted
  1116. >"Are inter-species relationships"
  1117. >"illegal in Equestria?"
  1118. >...
  1119. >"Am I going to shame"
  1120. >"the entire human race"
  1121. >"with my crimes?"
  1122. >"Am I a liar and a pervert?"
  1123. >"Do I deserve my easy life?"
  1124. >"What is wrong with me?"
  1125. >On the next page over, you too write in large text:
  1126. "who are you?"
  1127. >Hers returns to its original tidy form
  1128. >"Twilight Sparkle, at your service!"
  1129. "She wouldn't say any of that"
  1130. >"Are you kidding? Criminals are a blight on society. You can burn in hell for all I care!"
  1131. "Who is this? How do you know so much?"
  1132. >"How do you know so little?"
  1133. >"Oh, right, because you're an idiot."
  1134. "Why do you want me to stay at my house so badly?"
  1135. >"Oooh, you better do that."
  1136. "Why?"
  1137. >":)"
  1138. >You repeat your question several times, with no response
  1139. >Hearing a slammed door and feet stomping down the stairs, you shut the book and pull away to the living room in time to meet Sonata
  1140. >Her face is stuffed into her arms
  1141. "What in the hell is going on up there?"
  1142. >Her right hand flies from the handrail to your chest
  1143. >You stumble backwards into the couch
  1144. "Hey!"
  1145. >"Shut UP!"
  1146. >She runs into your bedroom on the left and shuts the door
  1147. >Before you can go after her, a figure emerges from the unlit hallway upstairs
  1148. >A wall of hair drags behind timid footsteps. Two hands cling to the handrail in terror
  1149. >She carefully tests each step with the ball of her foot before committing, and her balance is secured and double-checked before taking on the next
  1150. >You reach out a hand as she passes the middle step
  1151. >Not entirely sure what happened in your absence, you brace yourself for anything
  1152. >"Anon-"
  1153. >She cautiously extends her left arm
  1154. >Her hand hangs limp
  1155. >"Anonymous?"
  1156. >You take it and guide her onto the carpet
  1157. >The living room's various lights give you a clear view of her face:
  1158. >Sweat. Pale skin. Big eyes. An open mouth. Lips plastered with dried blood. All accompanied by bright red marks on both cheeks
  1159. >A delicate smile appears, one quickly replaced with shock
  1160. >"Your face!"
  1161. "It's fine. Don't worry about that."
  1162. >Her hand approaches the bandages
  1163. >"I... but, I ruined..."
  1164. >Fingertips brush against you. Hard enough to revive the stinging pain
  1165. >You back away, and so does she, before frowning and fighting off tears
  1166. >"You were perfect, and I ruined you."
  1167. >Time seems to slow as the two of you exchange stares
  1168. >Hers is of disgust and regret. You... can't believe what you see
  1169. >Having been absent from school during the Sunset Shimmer incident, Twilight's book that writes itself before the reader's eyes was the most magical thing you'd ever seen
  1170. >Even that is nothing compared to this girl crying over you, when she has every reason not to
  1171. >"You still look perfect though!"
  1172. >She switches to the other side of your face - perfectly fine, aside from hints of bruises Aria once left there - and caresses it
  1173. >"With or without cuts, no one can compare. It will heal. Don't you think scars are attractive?"
  1174. >Not really
  1175. >It hadn't occurred to you until now that your face will probably be permanently marked
  1176. >You shut your eyes and sigh
  1177. >"What did I say? What's wrong? Do you not believe me? I love scars, Anonymous. I LOVE them. I love them, I love you, I-"
  1178. "What?"
  1179. >She jumps at your unintentionally loud voice
  1180. >Amid all the confusion, that phrase still packs a punch
  1181. >To think the first girl who'd say it to you would be her... the necklaces are no joke. So then why-
  1182. "Adagio, who was yelling?"
  1183. >"That was Sonata."
  1184. "Why? You seem to be..."
  1185. >You gesture toward her
  1186. "...agreeable, right now. How did she get mad when you're her biggest fan, so to speak?"
  1187. >"There's a misunderstanding. I am your 'fan', and no one else's."
  1188. "But she sang, right?"
  1189. >"Yes."
  1190. "How can you be sweet on me but not her?"
  1191. >Adagio looks more and more uncomfortable as she formulates a response
  1192. >"My affections for you are... uh... they're... um... when it comes to magic spells, I know slightly more than I claimed. They can be open-ended."
  1193. "What does that mean?"
  1194. >"They can change in small and big ways."
  1195. "Your magic seems straightforward to me: sing and everyone close enough is captured by it."
  1196. >Adagio rests a hand on her chest
  1197. >"That makes it sound so primitive and ugly, Anonymous. The magic is in the composition of the song, as well as the nuances of our performance. Emphasizing certain notes or changing the timing is almost like writing a new spell. In this case, Sonata wrote a spell to..."
  1198. >She squints
  1199. >"...to..."
  1200. "Make you adore me, but not her? Why?"
  1201. >After shaking her head to get rid of the discomfort, she smiles sweetly
  1202. >"The spell has a cost, one that rises when fewer sirens are contributing. That's one of the reasons we were a group in the first place."
  1203. "So Sonata-"
  1204. >"Is a worthless idiot, lacking both the intelligence and the strength to control both of us. Don't think this is the first time she's let someone down. And the reason she was yelling? It's silly."
  1205. "...Tell me."
  1206. >"I hope you won't get upset."
  1207. >Twilight's book chimes from the kitchen
  1208. "Adagio. Spit it out."
  1209. >She lightly bites her damaged lip
  1210. >"I told her about your feelings for Aria, as well as the true nature of your punishment sessions with her. I've meant to make these things clear to her for a while, and what better time?"
  1211. >You grip your hair and hold your breath
  1212. >"It's embarrassing to admit this, but I assumed she would find out on her own. Surely Aria would mention it to hurt her, causing a big fight between them. But that never happened, did it?"
  1213. "...No..."
  1214. >The book chimes a second time
  1215. >"Aria's feelings for you must be stronger than I thought."
  1216. >Adagio frowns
  1217. >"Your feelings for her aren't genuine, are they? You just want her body."
  1218. >She rests a hand on your shoulder
  1219. >"And she's just a confused girl. It would be a disaster of a romance."
  1220. "Shut... up..."
  1221. >You drag your feet into the kitchen, not bothering to avoid the drying blood on the tiles
  1222. >With the book pulled open, you read:
  1223. >"Interesting! Are you in charge of her?"
  1224. >"Does she do whatever you tell her to?"
  1225. >Your vision nearly blurs as you slump over the book, reading the messages over and over
  1226. >An urge to go outside and investigate comes, and goes
  1227. >The pen in your shaking fingers produces ugly writing:
  1228. "where are you"
  1229. >...
  1230. "who are you"
  1231. >...
  1232. >":)"
  1233. >"Bad news!"
  1234. >"Someone is speeding to your house right now and they intend to search the place."
  1235. ___
  1236. >"Fucking LET! GO!"
  1237. >Aria's pulled through the kitchen, into the hallway and toward the punishment room door
  1238. >The paintings she latches onto fall one by one
  1239. >"LET GO OF ME!"
  1240. "Calm down!"
  1241. >She's like a wild animal dragged by its tail
  1242. >A bit earlier on trip number one, you scooped up a sobbing Sonata and placed her on the punishment room's single chair
  1243. >Now on trip two the door creaks open to reveal Adagio relaxing in that chair, with both feet planted on Sonata's back
  1244. "What the hell..."
  1245. >"LET! GO!"
  1246. "For fuck's sake, Aria, I told you!"
  1247. >You drop her onto the floor, then hold her tight by both shoulders until the struggling stops
  1248. "S-Something weird is going on. Someone is... f-fucking with me."
  1249. >"Huh?"
  1250. "I don't know what to do."
  1251. >Your hands tremble so badly that Aria is easily able to slip from your grasp and stand up, pushing you back onto your ass
  1252. >"What's going on?"
  1253. "Do you think it's someone dangerous? They know about... everything."
  1254. >Aria looks to Adagio for an explanation, but the glare she gets turns her back around
  1255. "They can hear me."
  1256. >"What? Who?"
  1257. "They can hear what we say."
  1258. >You hide your face
  1259. "If I go outside, should I bring a weapon, or is it pointless? If it's an Equestrian..."
  1260. >Adagio raises her hand
  1261. >"I will go if it's dangerous."
  1262. >After a moment of silence, Aria leans in close to you and whispers:
  1263. >"If it's dangerous and you send her..."
  1264. "I wouldn't-"
  1265. >"Don't even think for a second I'll let you get away with that."
  1266. >You stand and shake your head
  1267. "I wouldn't do that, God damn it!"
  1268. >Adagio raises her hand again
  1269. >"Is this man bothering you, Anonymous? Looks like he's a poor companion to all... not just me."
  1270. >Aria spins around and, still pretty tipsy, falls into your arms
  1271. >"You're one to talk. What kind of leader can't resist SONATA? Unbelievable."
  1272. >"If it upsets you, perhaps you should have rushed into the guest bedroom and stopped her. Worthless as ever, twin-tails."
  1273. >"...Shut up."
  1274. >Sonata looks anxiously between the two, then crawls over to the wall on the right
  1275. "Guys..."
  1276. >"Did I hit a nerve? Sorry about that, twin-tails."
  1277. >"Shut! Up!"
  1278. >"Be thankful to Anonymous for that nickname. The real one is bland, and easily forgotten. Much like yourself."
  1279. >Aria steps toward Adagio. Before she can take hold of her shirt, Adagio has slid off of the chair... and raised it overhead
  1280. "ADAGIO!"
  1281. >They both freeze
  1282. "Drop it!"
  1283. >...
  1284. >Some part of it cracks when it hits the floor behind her
  1285. "Jesus! You don't hurt your friends. Understand?"
  1286. >You rest a hand on Aria's back
  1287. >Her lowered head and defensively raised arms remain, even after Adagio sits down on the carpet and nods
  1288. >Catching the chair would have been easy. Aria must be more shocked than afraid
  1289. >The room falls into a deeply uncomfortable silence. And thanks to that, something catches your attention:
  1290. >The faint thump of a car door thrown closed
  1291. ___
  1292. >"Anonymous!?"
  1293. >You stand in the living room, staring at the front door
  1294. >"Your car is here. Don't try to hide!"
  1295. >It shakes as she knocks full-force
  1296. >Every hit sends another wave of anxiety. Turning your stomach, pricking your entire body with pins and needles...
  1297. >"Let me talk to her!"
  1298. >You take a deep breath
  1299. "...Talk to who, Rarity?"
  1300. >She gasps
  1301. >"Open the door!"
  1302. >The knob rattles
  1303. "Talk to WHO?"
  1304. >"Sweetie Belle!"
  1305. >...What?
  1306. >"I know she's here!"
  1307. >What!?
  1308. >"Open! The! Door!"
  1309. >You turn the lock, open it up, pull her inside by the wrist and lock it again
  1310. >A corner of her large, blue book bag is caught by the door
  1311. >She's quick to pull it out and back to her side
  1312. "Sweetie Belle is NOT here. Go home."
  1313. >"She IS here. I'm going to find her."
  1314. >She takes off, and you pull her to a stop by the back of the shirt
  1315. "Did someone tell you that?"
  1316. >"Anonymous, watch where you put your hand..."
  1317. "Answer the fucking question."
  1318. >Her face would make someone believe you'd just threatened her life
  1319. >"It's none of your business."
  1320. "Who said it? Did they say it in person, or send you some kind of message?"
  1321. >"Let go of my shirt!"
  1322. "This is serious! Start talking!"
  1323. >As she twists in an attempt to pull the fabric from your fingers, the book bag swings into your leg
  1324. >Your reaching for it gives Rarity all the strength she needs to break free and escape to the other side of the living room
  1325. >"Boundaries, Anonymous. Goodness. If you MUST know, Sweetie told me that she came here once before, when she was upset. She's upset right now, so there!"
  1326. >...Why would Sweetie tell her that?
  1327. >You watch Rarity march into Aria's bedroom
  1328. >The closet, beneath the bed and under its blankets are checked
  1329. >"SWEETIE!"
  1330. >She hurries out, around the couch and into your bedroom on the left
  1331. >Women's clothing is probably laying around somewhere...
  1332. >...but suddenly, you're not too worried
  1333. >With crossed arms you step inside and watch her rummage through the closet
  1334. >"Sweetie Belle!"
  1335. >Each time she calls out she gets a bit more quiet
  1336. >Opening the bathroom door leaves her stunned
  1337. >"You have a..."
  1338. >She shakes her head and shuts it, before pushing past you
  1339. >"Sweeeeetie!"
  1340. >Her black boot hovers over the first step leading upstairs
  1341. >A moment later, she walks a bit further right to inspect the kitchen, instead
  1342. >"Beeeelle!"
  1343. >That's... enough
  1344. >You follow her into the hall beyond the kitchen, turn her by the arm and pull on the front of her shirt
  1345. >"H-Hey!"
  1346. >Her arm flies to the stretched neck hole to block any potential sneak-peeks
  1347. >"What in the world are you doing!"
  1348. "Rarity."
  1349. >She's pulled a little closer
  1350. >Probably too close
  1351. >Thoughts thrash about so wildly in your head that it takes time to sort out another sentence:
  1352. "...I've got a question for you. And it's a real fuckin' burning one."
  1353. >"I-Is this the best time? Our parents are fighting, and they'll be very upset if I don't-"
  1354. "Rarity."
  1355. >You pull her even closer
  1356. >A flowery perfume overpowers your sense of smell
  1357. >"What? What, Anonymous..."
  1358. >The color in her face slowly warms to a pretty red
  1359. >"I n-need to find my sister."
  1360. "Rarity."
  1361. >She shuts her eyes tight
  1362. "There's something different about me. It feels terrible, and it LOOKS a lot worse. I find it hard to believe that you of all people could overlook it."
  1363. >You let go. She holds onto the wall to keep from falling down
  1364. "I'm going to ask you again. Did you receive some kind of message? Because otherwise, I'm going to draw some conclusions you don't want me to."
  1365. >Rarity holds her book bag close, and stares at the floor
  1366. >The hair she loves to parade around so much hangs limp and messy
  1367. >On top of that, she's not wearing a bit of makeup
  1368. >Is that how she'll play it off?
  1369. >Darling, presenting myself in this state left me flustered!
  1370. >It'd be an adorable defense
  1371. >...
  1372. "Rarity."
  1373. >She plays with the flap on her bag
  1374. "You're going to have to say something."
  1375. >...
  1376. >"I'm going to open the door."
  1377. >She stands up straight, and gradually, her eyes meet yours
  1378. "That's a four on one fight, you know."
  1379. >She smiles
  1380. >"I'll take my chances."
  1381. >Rarity cautiously backs away from you
  1382. >When the punishment room door is directly behind her, she takes two tiny, bright orange items from her pocket and stuffs them into her ears
  1383. >All three of the girls jump at the flimsy wood cracking against the doorstop
  1384. >Sonata then continues lying on her side and moping
  1385. >Aria assumes a hunched, drunken version of her usual aggressive posture
  1386. >Adagio raises her eyebrows and watches closely
  1387. >You follow the wannabe fashionista inside
  1388. >"Do I even want to know what you do in here, Anonymous? Goodness. Well, line up! Let me take a look at you."
  1389. >Aria steps forward with her fist raised
  1390. >"What is going on?"
  1391. >"Hello! It's been a VERY long time since I've seen those purple twin-tails of yours."
  1392. >"...Twilight's friend?"
  1393. >Rarity fans the air in front of her face
  1394. >"Breath as off-putting as her appearance. I'll never understand why you've gone to so much trouble for these three, Anonymous."
  1395. >"Wh- you know what?!"
  1396. >"I'll get right to the point. You girls are criminals!"
  1397. >They each look to each other, as if they needed confirmation
  1398. >"Say it with me now, tomboy! Cri-mi-nals. Bad guys. Creeps. People like you deserve to be locked up in jail, yet for weeks you've gotten off easy playing... house, with Anonymous. I hate to burst your bubble, but-"
  1399. >A sudden slap of her hands startles you
  1400. >"Pop!"
  1401. >She hums and taps her chin
  1402. >"Did I say people? You'll have to excuse me. I meant creatures."
  1403. >Aria throws a punch, grazing Rarity's side in her frantic sidestep
  1404. >"Whoa! Down, boy! Down!"
  1405. >Rarity digs into her bag
  1406. >What looks to be a notebook is flicked open
  1407. >"Want to try again? You're clearly under the influence, so I'll stand still."
  1408. >She hums in the face of Aria's long wind up. Something is taken from between the book's pages, tucked between her thumb and index finger, and held up toward the attacker
  1409. >"This isn't a ball game, sweetheart. Throw it or don't."
  1410. >Aria rolls her eyes and puts all of her strength into the next hit... but it stops short, doing little more than pushing Rarity's arm back an inch
  1411. >"Goodness!"
  1412. >Rarity looks a bit like a child, hopping away and exaggerating her pain with a waving hand
  1413. >Aria on the other hand, freezes. Arm outstretched, body bent forward in the middle of a punch that would have ended the fight
  1414. >Her eyes go wide
  1415. >She mouths words that can't be heard
  1416. >Relaxing her fingers happens one at a time in painful spasms
  1417. "Aria?"
  1418. >Forcing the arm back against her stomach jolts her entire body
  1419. >She gasps and collapses onto her side
  1420. "Aria! What's wrong?"
  1421. >Rarity once again flicks open the notebook and reaches inside
  1422. >"Now then... I'd give you a fighting chance, too, but let's be realistic. Girls like you get boys to do everything for them."
  1423. >"...What?"
  1424. >She pulls on Sonata's arm until she's sitting up straight against the wall
  1425. >"Never mind."
  1426. >You're startled by a second slap: this time Rarity's palm against Sonata's forehead
  1427. >Her eyes close. She grits her teeth so hard you think they might shatter
  1428. >"Yeah, I bet that hurts."
  1429. >As you move toward the girls, Adagio finally stands
  1430. >She runs through the room (keeping plenty of distance from the others) and pushes on your chest with both hands
  1431. >"How about making our exit, Anonymous?"
  1432. "Would you fucking move?!"
  1433. >You push past, and she circles around to stop you again
  1434. >"My guess is that she's a second agent from Equestria."
  1435. "She's not! I can deal with her!"
  1436. >Adagio rises on her tiptoes and whispers:
  1437. >"We'll take care of her later. Don't forget about the items in your pocket. I would hate to lose them, almost as much as I would hate to lose you."
  1438. >You look up to see Rarity rush forward, book bag and notebook tucked under an arm, and another of the strange objects raised into the air
  1439. >Just before she's in range of Adagio you shove her away
  1440. >"Anonymous! No!"
  1441. "Shit!"
  1442. >You hold your breath
  1443. >Having just missed her target, Rarity's wide swing pins something to your wrist
  1444. >Fuck...
  1445. >Fuck!
  1446. >It-
  1447. >It!
  1448. "It doesn't hurt..."
  1449. >She digs out the notebook again and sighs
  1450. >...
  1451. >You slap it out of her hand and push her to the floor
  1452. >"Ow! Hey!"
  1453. >With a knee on either side of her, and a hand pressed firmly into her chest, you pin her down
  1454. "What is this, Rarity?"
  1455. >"Ow! Ow! Don't touch me there!"
  1456. >She squirms around
  1457. >"Anonymous, you're hurting me!"
  1458. >One at a time, you pluck the orange plugs from her ears
  1459. >The complaints immediately stop
  1460. "What did you do to them?"
  1461. >She watches you slide the notebook to her side
  1462. "...Twilight's."
  1463. >One of the thin and square objects, half-fallen from the notebook, marks a page
  1464. >Upon turning to it you find about a dozen of these "stamps" resting in pockets, formed with construction paper and tape
  1465. >Glued onto the top left corner is a card, filled with tiny print but headed with a large warning:
  1466. >DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE FROM TARGET WHILE DEVICE IS ACTIVATED.
  1467. >DO NOT LEAVE ACTIVATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
  1468. >USE AS A LAST RESORT.
  1469. "What ARE these?"
  1470. >...
  1471. "How do I deactivate it?"
  1472. >You scan over the small print on the card and find what appears to be legal information
  1473. "If you don't start talking, I swear to God-"
  1474. >"Careful about manhandling me Anonymous. I don't appreciate it. It might convince me to leave them like this forever. And let me nip this in the bud: the notebook doesn't have any instructions inside of it."
  1475. >...Shit
  1476. >You look up to Adagio, who hovers beside you
  1477. >Then you force yourself to look back at the girls
  1478. >Aria lies with the stamped arm tucked close, staring into space and shaking with every weak breath she takes
  1479. >Sonata's eyes have yet to open. Her tears stopped the instant the stamp was applied, yet she looks more miserable than ever
  1480. "...Adagio's bruises are my handiwork, you know..."
  1481. >Rarity shoves the side of her face into the carpet and squints
  1482. "I bet she's a lot tougher than you are. If she couldn't handle it-"
  1483. >"Y-You w-wouldn't hit me."
  1484. "Oh yeah?"
  1485. >"Y-Yeah. Besides... delaying things is a b-bad idea. They'll probably die."
  1486. "What?!"
  1487. >"Having one of those things stuck on you looks p-pretty intense. What if they both have a heart attack? We can't know for sure until it happens. But what I DO know f-for sure is that I'm used to a lot worse than some... slaps."
  1488. >She looks at you from the corner of her eye
  1489. >"So go ahead. Waste our time. It's their funeral."
  1490. >You stand and scoop up the notebook and book bag. Adagio is quick to take your place on top of Rarity
  1491. "Rarity... just..."
  1492. >Next to Aria and Sonata, you drop to your knees and let everything scatter onto the floor
  1493. >Several unmarked books. Papers with familiar handwriting on them...
  1494. >If the instructions are even in here, it'd take so long to find them
  1495. "Please. Make it stop."
  1496. >For the most part the two girls haven't changed a bit, barely bothering to even breathe. But one change sticks out: two short trails of blood running from Sonata's nose
  1497. "Oh God."
  1498. >You run the bottom of your shirt across her lips a few times, smearing and then cleaning it up
  1499. "Adagio... the necklaces."
  1500. >"What?"
  1501. "Put on a necklace and make her reverse this."
  1502. >"That would grant me... im... immunity. Which means-"
  1503. "Right. That's right."
  1504. >...
  1505. "Run then!"
  1506. >She frowns
  1507. >"I can't do that."
  1508. "Go!"
  1509. >She hops to her feet and backs away to the door
  1510. >Rarity, clearly nervous, looks between Adagio and the book bag beside you
  1511. "Do you want this to happen to you? Go already!"
  1512. >"Take her things and come with me. She can't stop you by force."
  1513. "I can't leave the girls."
  1514. >"Forget them, Anonymous! They would have been nothing but a burden to us anyway!"
  1515. "Adagio! They're your friends!"
  1516. >She shakes her head
  1517. "Your ONLY friends. I'm staying here, and you're running until you can't run anymore. Pick a direction and avoid the road."
  1518. >"But Anon-"
  1519. "That's an order!"
  1520. >She bites her lip, and takes off through the doorway
  1521. >"Wait! Wait!"
  1522. >Rarity nearly falls over trying standing up
  1523. >Her pursuit only lasts a few steps
  1524. >"...crying out loud... ridiculous..."
  1525. >She stomps on the carpet
  1526. >"Fine! Run! Two is more than enough! Besides, you won't make it on your own!"
  1527. >With cupped hands around her mouth, she yells:
  1528. >"When you come crawling back it's all OVER!"
  1529. >The front door slams
  1530. >...
  1531. "Rarity."
  1532. >You reach out to Aria's side, but hesitate to make contact in fear of causing more pain
  1533. "You win. Just make it stop."
  1534. >She steps over Aria and stands in front of you
  1535. >With one foot forward, she bows as far as she can. Hair falls over her face
  1536. >She raises her left hand, fingers prepared for a snap, and as she returns from the bow, her right hand wipes the hair out of her eyes and holds it tightly in place
  1537. >She ends up in a pose straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon
  1538. >"Okay."
  1539. >A loud snap breaths air into the girls' lungs
  1540. >Sonata falls to her side
  1541. >Aria feels along every inch of her arm
  1542. "Guys! Are you alright?"
  1543. >They don't respond. They don't even look at you
  1544. >"Anonymous."
  1545. >Rarity holds out her hand
  1546. >"I'll take my bag, and my notebook, please."
  1547. >You reluctantly hand over both
  1548. >"Thank you."
  1549. >Her boots track mud in Aria's sprawled hair as she walks by
  1550. >She pauses at the door
  1551. >"I'll give them a few minutes to stop overreacting. When they're ready, pile everyone into the kitchen."
  1552. ___
  1553. >For the past ten minutes, you, Aria and Sonata have sat around the dinner table
  1554. >Not a word has been spoken between the three of you
  1555. >In fact, only two things have distracted you from dwelling on the situation
  1556. >First: the occasional cough from Sonata, followed by specks of blood raining onto the tablecloth
  1557. >Second: questions from Rarity each time she's popped back into the room
  1558. >"Is that a POOL in the backyard?"
  1559. >"Does it stay warm here in the winter?"
  1560. >"Where is the closest store?"
  1561. >You've mumbled out halfhearted responses, watched her nod and walk away, then ignored the urge to say something - anything - to the girls, over and over
  1562. >Every second that goes by makes it seem more pointless
  1563. >What must they think of you?
  1564. >"...Anonymous!"
  1565. >This time Rarity returns with one of the fuzzy blue pillows you bought for Sonata some time ago
  1566. >She runs fingers from its top to its bottom
  1567. >"Why do you own so many pillows?"
  1568. "...Mom."
  1569. >"Oh. Well, she has very good taste.
  1570. >This time you stop her
  1571. "Rarity, hold on."
  1572. >"Yes?"
  1573. >She steps inside and rests the pillow on the counter
  1574. "...Why are you searching my house?"
  1575. >"Hmmm!"
  1576. >She taps her chin
  1577. >"I'm only looking around."
  1578. "But why?"
  1579. >Her strange smile leaves you unsettled
  1580. >"Would you prefer for us to start our meeting?"
  1581. >Neither of the sirens look at Rarity as she walks around the table, stopping at the fridge
  1582. >She takes note of the blank whiteboard and feels along its top for the marker
  1583. >"After all, I have a lot to explain. Bimbo? Tomboy? Pay close attention."
  1584. >Only Sonata looks her way, and reluctantly at that
  1585. >"My name is Rarity. I am a human being. We're known for our intelligence and compassion! What-"
  1586. >She points to Aria
  1587. >"are you, tomboy?"
  1588. >...
  1589. "She's a-"
  1590. >Rarity stamps her foot
  1591. >"I didn't ASK you, Anonymous!"
  1592. >You swallow, and beg in your mind for Aria to cooperate
  1593. >...
  1594. >"Aria."
  1595. >"Aria?"
  1596. >"Yeah."
  1597. >"You're AN Aria? Are you AN idiot, too? Do I need to repeat the question?"
  1598. >Rarity loudly taps the whiteboard with the end of the marker
  1599. >"WHAT are you, Aria?"
  1600. >...
  1601. >"A siren."
  1602. >"That's wrong."
  1603. >A long, confusing silence compels Aria to look up from the table
  1604. >"You're a monster. Nothing more, nothing less."
  1605. >Aria seems more confused than angry, so far
  1606. >The cap comes off the marker
  1607. >Rarity writes out "AND MONSTERS ARE:"
  1608. >Each of the following are added as they're declared:
  1609. >"Dangerous. Ugly. Immoral. Evil! Stupid! Disgusting!"
  1610. >That last one is underlined
  1611. >"Dis-gus-ting! That's what you are. Before this meeting goes anywhere else, I'm going to need you to agree."
  1612. >The two of them lock eyes for what feels like an eternity. Then, Aria looks down at her lap
  1613. >"Repeat after me. Yes, Rarity, I AM a stupid, disgusting monster."
  1614. >Aria shakes her head
  1615. >"Fine."
  1616. >Rarity raises her hand up over the center of the table, fingers prepped for a snap
  1617. >"You're only hurting yourselves by being stubborn."
  1618. "She agrees! Okay? Don't do it!"
  1619. >Aria slams a fist against the table
  1620. >"You don't SPEAK for me anymore, Anonymous, so shut the fuck up!"
  1621. >Her scrunched nose and misty eyes leave your lip trembling, as you fight back tears of your own
  1622. >"I am NOT disgusting! I am NOT stupid! Sirens are leagues ahead of humans. You're horrible. Fucking horrible!"
  1623. >"What?"
  1624. >You tense up as Rarity leans in, stopping inches away from Aria's face
  1625. >"Did you call Anonymous horrible?"
  1626. >"...Yeah."
  1627. >"What do you mean he doesn't speak for you? Was the argument earlier that bad?"
  1628. >"Anonymous is a traitor."
  1629. "...I'm not..."
  1630. >"I don't ever want to speak to him again."
  1631. "I didn't betray you. What are you talking about?"
  1632. >She stands and yells:
  1633. >"Adagio!"
  1634. >Rarity chooses to back away, and listen close
  1635. >"How could you do that to her? She'll never forgive you! She'll never forgive US!"
  1636. >Tears come rolling down her face
  1637. >"She's protected Sonata and I our entire lives. And you do this?!"
  1638. "I had to do it!"
  1639. >"Bullshit!"
  1640. "I had to, Aria! She tried to BLIND me! How could I work with someone like that?"
  1641. >She slaps both hands onto the table
  1642. >"Did you ever think maybe it was because she was SCARED, Anon?"
  1643. "...What?"
  1644. >She's paused here and there by stifled sobs
  1645. >"You tie us up, you treat us like garbage, you torment us... we can't even fight back thanks to these fucking bodies. OF COURSE we're scared of you! ...At least Equestria would give us a trial first."
  1646. "A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL is hunting you down!"
  1647. >Thoughts race through your mind, most of them gut-wrenching
  1648. "Government... official. She has meetings with your world's LEADER. What if they put you to death?"
  1649. >You do everything you can to avoid crying in front of these three
  1650. >"That sounds great right now!"
  1651. "Aria, come on!"
  1652. >"Compared to falling for a lonely, scheming human's tricks? Compared to betraying my leader for a fucking-"
  1653. >She grabs a tea cup and throws it as hard as she can, shattering it against the wall behind her
  1654. >"-BEDROOM? For a JOB? Do you have any idea how I feel right now, Anonymous?!"
  1655. >She forcefully wipes the back of her hand across her mouth, and spits into the floor
  1656. >"...Adagio was right about you."
  1657. "We can't turn on each other now. I had to get Adagio on our side... this was the only way I could do it."
  1658. >Sonata stands
  1659. >"That's a LIE!"
  1660. >Her... too?
  1661. >You... sink into the table...
  1662. >"Adagio said she'd cooperate. But Anon told me to sing anyway!"
  1663. >Aria's shocked expression presses for an explanation
  1664. "She-"
  1665. >You... feel sick...
  1666. "She didn't deserve to be-"
  1667. >"He said she didn't deserve to be reformed!"
  1668. >Please stop...
  1669. >"She was ready to switch sides and he STILL MADE me-"
  1670. >"This is your fault too, Sonata! Don't try to get out of it!"
  1671. >"What?!"
  1672. >"Why did you go through with it? Huh?"
  1673. >"...Um-"
  1674. >"How could you do that to Adagio?"
  1675. >"...Why didn't you STOP me, instead of running away like a coward?"
  1676. >Aria hits the table again
  1677. >"Why did you DO IT?"
  1678. >Rarity waves her hands, and then points at the girls' chairs
  1679. >"Calm down. Take a seat."
  1680. >Eventually, they do
  1681. >"I... didn't realize things were so bad between you three. Interesting. This should be a lot faster, then, since you checked that off the list for me."
  1682. >She pulls up a chair of her own and rests the book bag on the table
  1683. >Before sitting down, she takes the communications book Twilight left with you from the countertop and presents it
  1684. >"Let's skip ahead. You three can argue all you want later. Besides, I think Anonymous is curious about this."
  1685. >You bring yourself to lift your face off of the table, though you can't help but slouch
  1686. "I am."
  1687. >"Good!"
  1688. >She drops it
  1689. >The table shakes under its weight
  1690. >"Because I was, too. So curious that I couldn't sleep. It drove me up the wall, I dare say. Do you know why?"
  1691. >You have an idea
  1692. >Too anxious to risk saying the wrong thing, though, so you shrug
  1693. >"Because unlike you, I understand how big a deal this book is."
  1694. >From the bag, Rarity retrieves a similarly large and well-built book
  1695. >Its cover wears a sun emblem, colored with red and yellow
  1696. >"Do you remember the name Sunset Shimmer?"
  1697. >Of course you do
  1698. >"How could you not? She made quite a scene at our high school, not so long ago. Sunset is a unicorn, once trained by the ruler of all of Equestria. Yet even with that training she was defeated... by Twilight Sparkle and I."
  1699. >She pauses, apparently waiting for Sonata and Aria to react
  1700. >They don't
  1701. >You wouldn't dare correct her by mentioning Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and the shy one
  1702. >"A unicorn trained by the most powerful. Pony. In Equestria. This was in her possession, but Twilight was ordered to inspect it for anything sinister."
  1703. >The book is slid in front of you
  1704. >"Turns out it's clean. Soon, it was to be returned to the criminal in question. Thanks to your actions, I was forced to... borrow it, from Twilight's bedroom. Go ahead and open it up."
  1705. >You turn to a page near the middle marked by a No. 2 pencil
  1706. >In the corner of the left page, in small box, "Loans and Hesitant Travels" is written. Below it:
  1707. >"where are you"
  1708. >"who are you"
  1709. ":)"
  1710. "Bad news!"
  1711. "Someone is speeding to your house right now and they intend to search the place."
  1712. >You turn to the previous page and find additional familiar messages, and back further, even more
  1713. >Upon finally locating something you don't remember reading or writing, you check this page's corner and see "Hidden By Shadow Yet Endorsed By Light"
  1714. >Below it:
  1715. "Another meeting with the princess?"
  1716. >"I'm afraid so. Things slow down this time of year, making it harder to hide things from her."
  1717. "Does she know about the girls?"
  1718. >"No. Only that I've been stressed lately."
  1719. "Good. Keep it a secret no matter what."
  1720. >"Obviously, Anonymous. I'm not a filly."
  1721. "I know."
  1722. >...
  1723. "Rarity, what the hell am I looking at?"
  1724. >"It's simple. If you bothered to read the instructions at the beginning of the book, anyway. The day Twilight returned to her world, she told me the code 'Hidden By Shadow Yet Endorsed By Light', which is the one she wrote down in her own book."
  1725. "But..."
  1726. >"Yes, I told a tiny little white lie."
  1727. >She measures the air with her fingers so conservatively that they could just as easily be pressed together
  1728. >"The code I relayed to you was made up on the spot. From then on, I wrote Twilight's code and spoke to her as if I were you. Then I turned around and wrote my code to speak to you as if I were her. Can... can you imagine the rush?"
  1729. >You rest your forehead against your palm
  1730. >"You didn't suspect a thing, and neither does she."
  1731. "What all did you say?"
  1732. >Another creepy smile appears on her face
  1733. >"A lot of things."
  1734. "Like... like what?"
  1735. >"Things like, 'Twilight, did you drop your notebook? I found it outside of the school!'"
  1736. >She clasps her hands together
  1737. >"And I reassured her. 'Don't worry. I'll keep it safe. I just want you to relax.'"
  1738. "You stole it too?"
  1739. >"'Oh thank you, Anonymous. I can always count on you!' That led to a lot of interesting discussions, about Equestria, about magic, and about those cute little stamps Twilight had smuggled in early on."
  1740. >The sirens sink into their chairs a bit, seeing Rarity dig one out
  1741. >"These were for protection. Just in case. Using magic in this world is tricky, after all."
  1742. "What do they do? Is Sonata alright? She's been bleeding-"
  1743. >Rarity flicks the stamp
  1744. >It flutters forward, landing in front of Sonata, who practically ducks beneath the table
  1745. >"They force a monster to remember her true form."
  1746. "Is that all...?"
  1747. >"Don't underestimate what I said. Tomboy and Bimbo are wearing human costumes. They walk like us, talk like us, and feel like us. With these stamps we can force their brains to revert to their gross, original states."
  1748. >With pretend tremors, Rarity raises her hands and grimaces
  1749. >"Suddenly their little human arms are five sizes too small. The space between their fingers are like knives, cutting into their flesh. Their bones are too weak to support their repugnant, hulking bodies. That's what the stamps make you feel."
  1750. >Jesus...
  1751. "It's all in the mind though, right? They'll be okay?"
  1752. >"I don't know. I don't really care."
  1753. >She shrugs it off as though it were nothing
  1754. >"Twilight says that the stamps can cause extreme stress on the mind and body, and because of that, she's too afraid to actually use them. Take your answer from that."
  1755. >You eye the floor and try not to let your imagination run wild
  1756. >"I know you have more questions, Anonymous, and I'm dying to answer them!"
  1757. >...
  1758. "Yeah."
  1759. >"Well, don't sit there and mumble. Ask me loudly and clearly!"
  1760. >...
  1761. "How..."
  1762. >You clear your throat
  1763. "How could you hear me earlier..."
  1764. >"Are you shaking? Oh dear, I hope you're not THAT upset. You and I are humans. To us, the stamps are just pieces of paper with strange symbols."
  1765. >She walks around the table, rests a hand on your shoulder, and whispers:
  1766. >"I really am sorry."
  1767. >After a quick trip into the living room, Rarity places something at her spot at the table
  1768. >A brown bear, in a black suit. Wearing a smile and a wink
  1769. >She sits back down holding a small kitchen knife and carefully cuts through the back of its head
  1770. "Are you s-serious?"
  1771. >Its eyes grow closer and its snout sinks
  1772. >Cotton pushes out of the back as she digs in with two fingers
  1773. >"Here we go."
  1774. >Out comes a bright pink device, resembling a cheap smartphone
  1775. >Something round has been taped onto the "accept call" button
  1776. >A cord running from its bottom, down into the bear, pulls out a second device. Some kind of portable battery?
  1777. "Is that your cell phone?"
  1778. >"No, it's my sister's."
  1779. >She presses the "end call" button and lazily drops it onto the table
  1780. >"If you think I'd be lucky enough to be given something as expensive as that, you're naive."
  1781. "So, what? You called it with your phone and spied on me?"
  1782. >"I was only gathering evidence. All I needed was a single clip with the slut, or twin-tails over here, speaking. I got that right away. Muffled, but more than enough. However-"
  1783. "You stole Belle's phone..."
  1784. >"-it became clear that there was something bigger going on here than I originally thought. Your tall tale about a magical attack got a lot shorter-"
  1785. "Twilight's notebook. Sunset's book..."
  1786. >"-and I decided I simply HAD to take action-"
  1787. "Did you steal my mail? How in the hell did you get my parent's address?"
  1788. >"...Anonymous."
  1789. "Is that all you are? A nosy thief? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
  1790. >From the bag, a small black book is taken and thrown against your chest
  1791. >You barely manage to catch it
  1792. >"That's VERY funny coming from the man who sent my baby sister to steal this!"
  1793. >Its cover is blank
  1794. >The lock hangs open
  1795. >"I'll have you know she checked inside my pillow, and when she didn't find it, went through my closet, my drawers, everything. What an example you are, kidnapping people, hitting women, manipulating my sister, telling me lies-"
  1796. >She claps
  1797. >"-bravo! Bravo! Meanwhile, everything I've done has been for the greater good, and if you want to hear more about it I suggest you be quiet."
  1798. >Seething with anger, you grip the diary tight and lower your head
  1799. >"As I was saying, something strange was going on. Figuring out what kind of relationship you four had was terribly hard. One day twin-tails is begging for your attention with a mile-long report on her finished chores. Then the next, she's reminding the slut about how you kidnapped them, and mistreated them. It's a mess. To make things worse, Rainbow's little music class has made it hard to listen in. That's why I messaged you tonight, you know."
  1800. "...To get me to send her home?"
  1801. >"I won't lie. I wanted to frighten you a bit, too. A little bit of payback. If I'd known you would try to run away like that... and to think they used to call you leader!"
  1802. >Sonata jumps at the pointed finger
  1803. >"Remind me. What is the name of Anonymous' group?"
  1804. >"...Um..."
  1805. >She fiddles with her thumbs
  1806. >"It was... M-M-Mer... M..."
  1807. >"Mer-Mer-Mer? Excuse me? Can't you even speak right?"
  1808. >"...m-m-m-"
  1809. >The stuttering gets worse as Sonata's entire body begins to shake
  1810. >She pulls on her hair
  1811. >"...er-ercy Q-Qua-"
  1812. "It's Mercy Quartet."
  1813. >"Incredible. The sirens, who are 'leagues ahead of humans', depend on a human to answer a simple question."
  1814. >Rarity stands at the whiteboard again and claps a single time
  1815. >"Here's an even easier question for the village idiot."
  1816. >She writes "MERCY QUARTET", followed by "BELONGS TO:" down below
  1817. >"Well? What's the answer?"
  1818. >Sonata looks to you before giving a reply:
  1819. >"A-An-Anonymous."
  1820. >"Ooh..."
  1821. >For a third time, that unnerving smile appears
  1822. >"...you're wrong."
  1823. >At an agonizingly slow pace - but with beautiful, swirling letters - she writes out her own name
  1824. >"Being Twilight Sparkle's closest friend, I feel it's my duty to take over for her while she's gone. I've got some big plans for you."
  1825. "...Like what?"
  1826. >"Let's just say... we're going to make sure Twilight catches the big scary criminals she thinks she's hunting down."
  1827. "What the hell does that mean?"
  1828. >She winks
  1829. >"It means we're going to put that thing hanging around the bimbo's neck to use."
  1830. >You can't be serious
  1831. "Don't mess with things you don't understand!"
  1832. >"And you understand it? I heard you ask Adagio how her magic works, after you'd already gone and used it!"
  1833. "Rarity..."
  1834. >"Besides, these two can and WILL tell me everything I need to know."
  1835. >Your weakened legs put up a fight, but you manage to stand
  1836. "You're going to have them, what, use their necklaces to steal? Then pin it on them when Twilight comes back?"
  1837. >"Not exactly!"
  1838. >She stands too, with abundant energy and her hands on her hips
  1839. >"You don't realize how miserable Twilight has been for the last month, worrying endlessly about these three. Do you honestly believe that catching some petty thieves is going to satisfy her?"
  1840. "...Then, what?"
  1841. >"When she comes back, she'll have a deeply personal fight on her hands. When it's over, she'll be a savior again. And I'll be right there by her side."
  1842. >Her hand trails up her shirt, and she rests it over her heart
  1843. >"Where I should have been when this started. As for the monsters in the room-"
  1844. >The sound of MIDI classical music fills the room
  1845. >"Hold on."
  1846. >Rarity pulls a flip phone out of her pocket and rolls her eyes at whatever the caller ID displays
  1847. >Click
  1848. >"Is this an emergency? It had better be an emergency."
  1849. >...
  1850. >"For the love of-"
  1851. >...
  1852. >"Yeah! Okay! Fine! I don't need your life story, do I? If you're still crying when I get out there so help me-"
  1853. >The phone is snapped shut and stuffed into the bag
  1854. >"...Well girls, use your imagination. I have to go."
  1855. "What? You're just going to leave?"
  1856. >She takes Sweetie's phone, Twilight and Sunset's books as well as the notebook, and stuffs it all into the bag
  1857. >"My, uh, 'assistant' needs to go home right away. They're waiting in the car."
  1858. >An entire night left to dwell on this?
  1859. >Left to argue with Sonata and Aria?
  1860. "I-"
  1861. >There are no more excuses you can give them
  1862. "I think we should discuss things more. I still have questions-"
  1863. >Rarity leans in close from behind
  1864. >"Don't worry," she whispers, "I'll be back tomorrow. Do what you can to keep the sirens here, Anonymous. Because if I show up in the morning and either one of them have disappeared... I'll snap my fingers and take a nice, long nap on that giant bed of yours."
  1865. >She pats your shoulder a couple of times and leaves
  1866. >You're left sitting alone with Sonata, who resumes her pitiful sobbing, and Aria, who refuses to so much as look at you
  1867. ___

Broken bluebird (does anybody have more or the original link)

by dontvoreme1

Reforming the sirens, part 1

by dontvoreme1

Reforming the sirens part 2

by dontvoreme1