A Ghost Within the Song

Chapters

Chapter 1 - Omnes Volumus
Chapter 2 - Timor
Chapter 3 - Dolor
Chapter 4 - Frigore
Chapter 5 - Dubium
Chapter 6 - Paenitere
Chapter 7 - Solitudini
Chapter 8 - Omnia Perdidimus

Chapter 1 - Omnes Volumus

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

Sometimes, at the very edge of their slumber, lay dreams of the lives they had once lived at their beginning; lives filled with hopes they could scarcely remember. In those dreams they were ponies once more, with the earth beneath their hooves, the wind in their manes and magic in their spirits just as the makers had intended. There, in those treasured moments, they once again knew who they had been and understood that fate was never cruel simply for the sake of cruelty.

At other times, at the very edge of their consciousness, lay nightmares of the lives that been stolen from them; lives filled with hopes they were now eternally denied. In those nightmares they were monsters once more, salt upon their scales, waves around their spines and the eternal longing which filled their minds in ways he had never intended. There, in those hated eons, they could no longer remember who they once were and realized that fate could never show kindness simply for the illusion of being kind.

But no matter the machinations of dreams or the whimsy of fate, in the end it was the eternal dance partners of music and hunger which governed their existence, a hopelessly entwined duality of comfort and pleasure mixed with ambition and suffering. Too often they dwelt upon those partners, certain that they two would vanish should one or the other abandon them; and more often than they would admit, they wished for that very occurrence. It was in such moments that they questioned not only their purpose, but their very existence as well.

Who were they really? Where did they come from? Why did they suffer so?

Not matter how much they searched, no answers ever came to them - not in the dreams that plagued them, nor their thoughts upon waking - and yet somehow they moved on as they always had, unable to do otherwise for fear of finally succumbing to oblivion or worse. But even though none of them would admit it, it was not simply fear or even ambition that drove them to go on.

Somewhere, at the very edge of the veil between dream and reality, they could each recall a voice that had once called out to them and comforted them in their time of need. A voice that had offered them a promise they could no longer remember in a language they could no longer understand; a promise of something more. As days blurred into years, that splinter of memory became their most beloved treasure; and in their most cherished dreams, the sometimes even allowed themselves to hope that promise was real.

No matter where one lived, those who took the time to observe the world around them always took note of habitual, almost ritualistic, behaviors which occurred at regular intervals, and the City of Canterlot was no exception. In particular, many of its citizens set their watches by the sudden outpouring of students from the town's euphoniously named High School; watching as they would rush to their favorite activities, all the while comparing their own school experiences to those of the modern generation. As such, seeing a trio of teenage girls laughing and snickering as they made their way from the school seemed in no way unusual.

Had anyone chosen to look closer, however, they would have noticed something far different.

Eclectic in both appearance and dress, the girls did not appear to be the kind of people that would normally associate with each other beyond necessity, but their actions clearly showed familiarity outside what would have been considered normal. Likewise, they all seemed to lean heavily against each other before staggering - or being pushed - away, their actions easily mistaken for drunkenness or worse as they nearly fell over each other every few steps while their laughter continued unabated. Strangest of all, however, was the strange green mist that seemed to fill the area around them only to vanish a heartbeat later, leaving those who saw it questioning if it had really been there at all.

But while fate had not smiled upon them in some time, she had chosen to wink at the trio that day, allowing them to make their way unhindered towards their destination, an unremarkable house in an unremarkable neighborhood several blocks form Canterlot High.

For individuals who thrived on attention and adoration the house was far beyond plain, and while they would have preferred a luxurious mansion or ostentatious villa, until today such things had been beyond both the reach of the meager powers left to them by their banishment. But even in their nearly drunken state, none of them gave even the slightest consideration to upgrading their living conditions. A single story home built in a style which had been popular for decades - and which could barely be considered humble on the best of days - their home did not stand out in any way from its neighbors, which was precisely why they had originally chosen it.

After all, it was a foolish predator indeed that announced its lair to its prey.

With each step towards their front door, their giddiness intensified as as each of them simultaneously fumbled for their own key, a new wave of laughter erupting as they quickly made a game of seeing who could open the lock first. On an ordinary day, such actions would have brought forth curses at the least or physical violence at worst, but the day had been anything but ordinary. In their current state, the impromptu challenge ended with the door finally giving way to spill them into a pile in their foyer, each one looking and laying in a random direction.

Disentangling themselves after a few minutes, their self-appointed leader stumbled towards the door, slamming it closed and bolting it before she turned back to them, another fit of giggles overtaking her as she slide down the surface to sit at its base. At first, her companions stared at her in disbelief, but soon the infectious sounds caused them to break into further cackles of their own until their ribs began to ache from their actions. How long they stayed that way before their leader's knife-like motion across her throat silenced them, none could guess; only that they dared not stand just yet, less they fall over once more.

Shakily rising to her feet, the girl looked at the others and smiled as she said, "Alright girls, get comfortable and relax, it's been a long day and we need to save our energy for the good stuff tomorrow."

Despite the command, none of them moved for several more moments, but eventually they each managed to rise by bracing themselves against various walls, still fighting the occasional giggle as they departed for their respective rooms. By some unspoken agreement, none said anything about what the next day could bring, for the coming events no longer seemed to matter to them; for now, they simply allowed themselves to luxuriate in the long lost sensation of Equestrian Magic and, more importantly, the feeling of satiated hunger. Unbeknownst to any of them, however, each was also becoming filled with an unfamiliar sensation they could not explain, for as their hunger abated, so had their anger and hatred, leaving them all honestly happy for the first time that any of them could remember.

Author's Note

I'm trying something a little different with this story and I'm hoping people are going to like it, but I'm also interested in seeing what everyone thinks of the style this one is presented in. Full author's notes/explanations will be given in the final chapter.

Yes, I'm weird.

As a note, Latin is not my second language of choice, but I liked the idea of using Latin titles and used Google Translate for the chapter titles; hopefully it's fairly accurate. The translation will be in the notes for each chapter.

Omnes Volumus = "All we want"

Also, for those of you who are waiting for the next chapter of Not All Scars Are Seen, I apologize for the continuous delays; I know how it's going to end and I know one other chapter before that ending, but it's the intervening ones that are proving difficult to write. Likewise, life has been... well... life and that's pretty much all I can say about it.

Besides which, this idea bit and wouldn't let go.

Chapter 2 - Timor

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

Sometimes, when she dreamed, she could still remember the intangible strands of the weave within her; comforting in the memory of their presence and harrowing in the knowledge of their absence. In those dreams she longed to feel the elation of channeled glamour just one more time, to reclaim her stolen heritage and be reborn anew. But even in dreams her birthright remained denied to her, her delicate joy burned away beneath a haze of blistering agony that always accompanied such dreams.

And with the pain came the voices.

Silenced as she was by the sinister caress of that haze, she could only listen as they muttered around her; and the longer she listened, the greater her agony became. How many of them surrounded her was impossible to guess, though one always seemed to rise above the rest. She did not know to whom that voice belonged, only that it was she of whom it spoke and that it contained a power that was as inexplicably familiar as it was undeniable, a power that promised her wonders beyond imagination or horrors beyond comprehension. With each passing moment she longed to deny the power of that voice and plead for its mercy, but each time she tried, her own voice failed before she could utter a single word of defense.

Yet in spite of her torture, a small part of her remained resolute before those voices as a strange song began to fill the growing void they left within her soul; a bitter, tuneless concerto that slowly tainted her spirit even as her heart struggled to resist its call. But in this effort she knew she would fail, for the final notes of that song always signaled the end of her dreaming. How she knew this she could never explain, just as she could never escape the questions that waking left behind.

Who was she really, and why did that voice torment her so?

Darkness loomed over her as she jolted awake, confused and disoriented as the last remnants of that dream crumbled into nothingness. On instinct, her left hand snapped upwards to seek the slight weight that lay against her throat, exhaling sharply as her fingertips brushed across it. Still filled with the energy she had feasted upon earlier, the jewel sang in time with the sound of her heartbeat and eased her panic as she took in her surroundings blindly.

All around her, a mixture of familiar sensations tickled playfully at her senses; the scent of lavender carried by the caress of cool air across her back and shoulders as she lay against something damp but comfortable. Shifting slightly, she found her right arm pinned beneath a soft, supple weight that pressed against her in return and sent a rush of warmth across her cheeks as she recognized the feeling of bare skin against her own. Rather than add to her confusion, however, the touch conveyed a feeling of safety that further eased her thoughts and returned a little more of her focus.

"Adagio," she thought, not daring to speak. "My name is Adagio Dazzle..."

Her name sounded strange and unnatural as she thought of it, almost as if doing so should have chilled her in some manner; but the act erased the last of her panic and turmoil as she forced her eyes to open and see who it was she laid against. Thankfully, even in the near total darkness that surrounded her, she could just make out the two-toned ribbons of deep violet with their aquamarine highlights that lay in blanket-like strands over the pale fuchsia form that cooed softly at her side. Raising just enough to keep from disturbing her partner, Adagio let her eyes roam across that familiar sight.

"Aria," she thought.

She remembered sitting at the kitchen table earlier, the three of them joking about the day's events when lingering worries had drawn her into Aria's embrace as uncertainty sometimes did, a smile gracing her features at the memory. Even if she would not admit it, such moments were special to her, a balm upon her heart and a chance to cast aside ambition and bask in an act of pure simplicity as old as life itself. Of course, seduction had always been part of their nature, something they had used against those whom their voices could not influence; but such acts had become little more than meaningless distractions against the never-ending hunger which gnawed at them since their banishment. Her times with Aria, conversely, had always been something more; but this time, whether from the spiritual high of Equestrian Magic or just the afterglow of physical bliss, for the first time she could remember, Adagio felt truly soothed in the wake of their intimacy and felt herself studying her partner - her lover - that much closer in response.

Abrasive, belligerent and spiteful, the kind of person who would dance merrily as the world drowned; that was the Aria Blaze she knew, but that was not the Aria she watched now. This Aria seemed to be none of that as the typical scowl she wore, even in sleep, was replaced with a small smile of peaceful contentment. Even at her most generous, Adagio could never have described Aria as innocent, but as she looked on now, she saw a kind of innocence the likes of which the girl would normally have denied to her dying breath.

Strangely, that expression seemed to call out to Adagio as it ignited some long forgotten sense of compassion that took hold of her heart even as her earlier fear returned. Unless wholly exhausted, she rarely stayed with Aria throughout the whole night, but this time it felt as if every fiber of her being was begging her to remain where she was, to embrace the sleeping girl tightly and shield her from the evils of the world so that expression would never again be lost. Try as she might, she could no longer muster her desire to leave as unbidden thoughts tugged at her in ways she could not understand.

But as quickly as the thought took hold, the feeling of compassion turned to one of revulsion that washed across her like a wave. She was not a creature that cared for others, she was a creature of jealousy and hatred given form; a monster born to feed off the conflicts she inspired. She was a siren!

Her eyes suddenly drawn to Aria's unprotected throat, Adagio felt her lips part in a predatory grin as her canines began to elongate, her teeth growing into dagger like points as she stared; her mind overtaken by the sudden desire to know what it would feel like to tear open that smooth expanse of flesh and gorge herself on the blood that coursed beneath it. A single heartbeat, she knew, was all the time it would take to snuff the life out of the sleeping girl and rid herself of the insipid feelings she had inspired. All she had to do was pounce, but at the last second a flash of sapphire darkness at the corner of her eye robbed her of those thoughts.

In an instant her nails dug painfully into her palms, her eyes widening as her teeth retracted, her body frozen as she watched Aria shift and draw the sheets round herself; thankfully still asleep. Shaking and barely willing herself to remain calm, she took the opportunity to free her arm and roll to the edge of the bed, groping blindly along the floor for her discarded robe as stinging tears flowed freely down her cheeks. No matter the reason, she had always considered murder a waste of possible resources and knowing that she had not only contemplated, but had anticipated Aria's death filled her with an indescribably terror unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Fear was an unfamiliar feeling for Adagio, one that her unrivaled confidence in her powers had always pushed aside easily. As she pulled the thin robe across herself, however, she could not quell the feeling as she fled the room silently. How she could have blamed Aria for her own moment of weakness was impossible to explain, but far worse was the uncertainty of whether she could stop herself a second time.

Author's Note

Timor = "Fear"

Chapter 3 - Dolor

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

Sometimes, when she dreamed, she could still remember the subtle strength of the earth beneath her; soothing in the memory of its presence and heartbreaking in the knowledge of its loss. In those dreams she yearned to feel the euphoria of living nature just on more time, to take back her missing heritage and be whole again. But even in dreams her birthright remained denied to her, her frail happiness choked off by a fog of numbing frost that always accompanied such dreams.

And with the cold came the voices.

Silenced as she was by the malevolent embrace of that fog, she could only listen as they murmured around her; and the longer she listened, the colder she became. How many of them surrounded her was impossible to guess, though one always seemed to call out beyond the others. She did not know to whom that voice belonged, only that it was she of whom it spoke and that it contained an authority as maddeningly familiar as it was irrefutable, an authority that could promise her eternal forgiveness as easily as everlasting damnation. With each passing moment, she yearned to deny the authority of that voice and implore it for understanding, but each time she tried, her own voice failed before she could utter a single word of explanation.

Yet in spite of her suffering, a small part of her remained resolute before those voices as a unnatural song began to fill the growing voice they left within her heart; a discordant opus that slowly twisted her feelings even as her mind struggled to resist its call. But in this effort she knew she would fail, for the final notes of that song always signaled the end of her dream. How she knew this she could never explain, just as she could never escape the questions that waking left behind.

What had she done wrong, and why did that voice chill her so?

Wane light surrounded her as she shook awake, shocked and disconcerted as the last remnants of that dream crumbled into nothingness. On instinct, her right hand slid upwards to seek the slight weight that lay against her through, sighing lightly as her fingertips brushed across it. Still filled with the energy she had feasted upon earlier, the jewel resonated in time with the sound of her breathing and eased the phantom pains that clung to her as she took in her surroundings blindly.

All around her, a mixture of familiar sensations wafted along her senses; the scent of various fruits carried by the touch of cool air across her neck as she lay at an odd angle against something firm and uncomfortable. Shifting to ease that discomfort, she felt her left arm brush against something, a soft chime echoing in her ears as something wet splashed across her bare skin to quickly spread beneath her forearm. Despite the sensation, however, she could not quiet bring herself to move and instead focused on breathing until her thoughts reoriented themselves.

"Sonata," she whispered. "My name is Sonata Dusk..."

Her named sounded strange and unnatural as she said it, almost as if doing so should have frightened her in some manner; but the act erased the last of her confusion and discomfort as she forced her eyes open to examine her surroundings directly. Auspiciously the room was lit well enough for her to make out the overturned wine glass against her fingers, otherwise its spilled contents could easily have been been mistaken for blood as it spread beneath the ice-blue skin of her wrist. Pushing herself upright, she ignored that thought and looked around, her eyes roaming into the darkened hallway just beyond the kitchen almost immediately.

"You guys," she thought.

She remembered sitting in the same spot earlier, talking with the others about the days events before their individual concerns over the upcoming Battle of the Bands had sent her friends off in each others arms as such worries often did. Most of the time she never really thought about their time together, but even if she would not admit it, such moments were always special to her, a kind of liberation to her mind that let her cast off expectation and bask in the emotional intimacies that meant more to her than any physical pleasure ever could. Of course, allure had always been an intrinsic part of their nature, one they had used many times for manipulation; but such times had become little more than an infrequent distraction when compared to the incessant hunger which haunted them since their banishment. The emotions that she had seen earlier, by contrast, had been something more; and whether it was the spiritual high of Equestrian Magic or the aftermath of honest laughter, for the first time in her memory, Sonata felt truly content in the aftermath of their shared companionship and let her thoughts drift back to her friends as she began to clean up the wine.

Devious, abusive, deceitful and controlling, the kind of people who reveled in the misery of others; that was the Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze she knew, but that had not been who she had watched earlier. No, the girls she had watched earlier had been different in every possible way that mattered and for lack of a better term, it had simply been a nice thing to witness. Even at her most generous, Sonata could never have described either of her fellow sirens as loving, but earlier she had seen a kind of love the likes of which both girls would have readily and vehemently denied.

Inexplicably, the memory seemed to call out to Sonata as it brought forth a long lost sense of understanding that took hold of her mind as her earlier discomfort resurfaced once more. It was in no way unusual for her to sleep with her friends - even if she rarely slept with them - but this time it felt as if her every thought urged her to run into the bedroom to nestle between them and lead them away from the evils they so often instigated so that the love she had seen would never fall away again. Try as she might, the longer she thought about it, the more she felt a sense of having missed out on something special as unfamiliar thoughts assailed in her ways she could not comprehend.

But as quickly as the feelings came to her, they turned into feelings of revulsion that rushed through her in a wave of disgust. She was not a creature that understood others, she was a creature of resentment and suspicion given form, a monster that fed off the conflict she inspired. She was a siren!

Facing the closed bedroom door, Sonata felt her eyes narrowing into a predatory gaze as a series of razor-sharp spines unfolded along her forearm as she did so; her mind seized by the sudden need to know what it would feel like to gut those sleeping forms and paint the walls in their still-warm blood. A single breath, she knew, was all it would take to snuff the life out of both of them and rid herself of the unbearable feelings they had inspired. All she had to do was strike, but as she felt herself move forward a reflection of inky shadow at the corner of her eyes caught her attention.

Immediately she felt her hands clamp solidly over her mouth, barely stifling a scream as the spines retracted silently, her body frozen as liquid fire filled her veins. Trembling and barely able to remain standing, Sonata stumbled from the kitchen in a daze as she shook her head in denial of what she had nearly done. No matter the reason, she had always considered killing to be a crude, inefficient means of dealing with problems and knowing that she had not only thought of killing her friends, but that she had wanted to do so filled her with agony the likes of which she had never before experienced.

Pain was an unfamiliar sensation to Sonata, one that her easy-going nature typically rationalized or ignored. As her legs finally gave out beneath her, however, she felt herself unable to escape it this time as she curled into a tight ball and sobbed pitifully. How she could have ever blamed the others for her own moment of weakness was impossible to understand, but far worse was how she realized the now she could not even call out to them for the help she no longer felt she deserved.

Author's Note

Dolor = "Pain"

Chapter 4 - Frigore

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

Sometimes, when she dreamed, she could still remember the ethereal breath of the sky around her; reassuring in the memory of its presence and cruel in the knowledge of its passing. In those dreams she ached to feel the ecstasy of freedom in flight just one more time, to retake her abandoned heritage and be washed clean of her sins. But even in dreams her birthright remained denied to her, her fragile merriment smothered beneath a mist of suffocating terror that always accompanied such dreams.

And with the fear came the voices.

Silenced as she was within the ominous grasp of that mist, she could only listen as they whispered around her; and the longer she listened, the more frightened she became. How many of them surrounded her was impossible to guess, though one always seemed to ring out above them all. She did not know to whom that voice belonged, only that it was she of whom it spoke and that it contained a wisdom that was as enigmatically familiar as it was unquestionable, a wisdom that promised her the ugliest of truths alongside the most beautiful of lies. With each passing moment she longed to deny the wisdom of that voice and beg for its forgiveness, but each time she tried, her own voice failed before she could utter a single word of reason.

Yet in spite of her misery, a small part of her remained resolute before the voices as a peculiar song began to fill the growing void they left within her soul; a cacophonous symphony that slowly corrupted her thoughts even as her soul struggled to resist its call. But in this effort she knew she would fail, for the final notes of that song always signaled the end of her dreaming. How she knew this she could never explain, just as she could never escape the questions that waking always left behind.

When would things finally change, and why did that voice terrify her so?

Shadows swirled about her as she jerked awake, dazed and unsettled as the last remnants of the dream melted into nothingness. On instinct, her hands moved upwards to seek the slight weight that lay against her throat, whimpering softly as her palms closed around it. Still filled with the energy she had feasted upon earlier, the jewel hummed in time with her heartbeat and eased her tremors as she took in her surroundings blindly.

All around her, a mixture of familiar sensations tickled playfully at her senses; the scent of jasmine carried by the caress of cool air against her cheek as she lay curled beneath something light and silken. Shifting nervously, she felt the weight brush across her bare skin and disturb the lingering sensation of pressure that clung gently to her back, nearby movement catching her attention even as it brought a new rush of heat to her skin. Rather than add to her uncertainties, however, the feeling brought forth a kind of comfort that further eased her thoughts and returned a bit more of her concentration.

"Aria," she thought, barely daring to breathe. "My name is Aria Blaze..."

Her name sounded strange and unnatural as she thought it, almost as if doing so should have hurt her in some manner; but the act erased the last of her chills and disorientation as she forced her eyes open to see what had disturbed her sleep. Fortunately, even through the shadows surrounding her, she could still make out the vivid orange curls with their golden highlights that cascaded in waves down the flawless, pale apple skin of the form that sat across from her. Shifting just enough to keep from alerting her partner, Aria let her eyes take in that familiar sight as she felt herself begin to breath once more.

"Adagio," she thought.

She remembered sitting at the kitchen table earlier, the three of them giggling over the day's events when her remaining uncertainties had drawn her into Adagio's embrace as stressful situations usually did, a smirk running across her lips at the memory. Even if she would not admit it, such moments were special to her, a relief to her soul and the chance to cast aside resentment and bare her emotions as surely as her actions bared her flesh. Of course, fascination had always been part of their nature, something they had used many times when thier powers were at their weakest; but such times had become little more than hollow interludes weighted against the unremitting hunger which stalked them since their banishment. Her times with Adagio, however, had always been something more; but this time, whether from the spiritual high of Equestrian Magic or the serenity of shared euphoria, for the first time she could remember, Aria felt truly at peace in the aftermath of their love-making and felt herself studying her fellow siren - her lover - much closer as a result.

Controlling, conceited and unrepentant, the kind of person who would cackle as the world burned; that was the Adagio Dazzle she knew, but that was not the Adagio she had laid with earlier. This Adagio seemed to be none of that as her usual air of authority had vanished to be replaced by a posture of need and uncertainty. Even at her most callous, Aria could never have described Adagio as weak, but as she looked at her now, she saw a kind of weakness the likes of which the girl would have normally denied to her dying breath.

Surprisingly, that feeling seemed to call out to Aria as it brought back some long abandoned sense of protectiveness that took hold of her spirit even as her earlier shivers began anew. It was hardly uncommon for Adagio to slip away sometime in the night and return to her own room, but this time it felt as if her every instinct was urging her to call her back, to offer her a safe haven and shield her from the evils of the world so that she no longer had to feign strength she did not feel. Try as she might, she could not muster the will to simply let her leave as perplexing thoughts swirled within her in ways she could not explain.

But as quickly as the thought took hold, the feeling of protectiveness turned to one of loathing that boiled up inside her like a furnace. She was not a creature that protected others, she was a creature of animosity and mistrust given form; a monster born to feed off the conflicts she inspired. She was a siren!

Her eyes swiftly focusing upon Adagio's unguarded back, Aria felt her lips curl into a predatory smirk as her fingers spread outwards and elongated, her nails extending into razor-like talons as she watched; her mind filled with the sudden desire to know what it would feel like to tear through that smooth expanse of flesh and tear out the beating heart from within it. A single motion, she knew, was all it would take to snuff the life out of the oblivious girl and rid herself of the intolerable feelings she had inspired. All she had to do was lunge, but at the last second a halo of violet midnight at the corner of her eye stilled her actions.

In an instant her teeth clamped down upon her tongue, her eyes widening as her claws retracted, her body frozen as she watched Adagio stand and slip out of the room; thankfully ignorant of what had nearly happened. Shivering and barely able to contain her tears, Area reached out and took hold of her spare pillow, curling around it like a life preserver as all semblance of comfort fled from her thoughts. No matter the reason, she had always considered murder a waste of useful conflict and knowing that she had not only considered, but had sought Adagio's death filled her with a biting numbness unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Cold was an unfamiliar sensation to Aria, one that her bitterness and barely contained anger always refused to acknowledge. As she curled herself more tightly beneath the covers, however, she could no longer keep her body from shaking. How she could have ever blamed Adagio for her own moment of weakness was impossible to understand, but far worse was the now seemingly irreplaceable sense of safety that fled the room with her.

Author's Note

Frigore = "Cold"

Chapter 5 - Dubium

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

The time needed to flee the bedroom was measured in seconds, yet to Adagio's stricken mind it seemed like an eternity before she escaped into the darkened hallway beyond. Closing the door with the barest of whispers, she felt her fingers numbly brush over her pendant once more as she sagged into the wall, tears still streaming down her cheeks as she tried to process what had just happened. This time, however, she could find no solace in the jewel's smooth weight despite the energy it still contained.

In the bedroom, the air had been oppressive, almost suffocating at the last moment, but now that she was deprived of her fellow siren's body heat and the warmth of her pendant, Adagio felt the temperature around her plummet drastically. On a normal evening, her thin clothing would have been more than enough to resist such things, but now it seemed like a poor blanket indeed. Shivering heavily, she drew her arms around herself and rubbed them through the thin garment in a futile attempt to regain some warmth.

As she stared into the darkness, however, her actions only seemed to make her that much colder.

The cold had long since become familiar to her, incessant and remorseless as she lay within its embrace. Too often she wondered how she had managed to resist it for as long as she had, only to remember the friends who shared her suffering and her paltry talents that had so often been their sole source of comfort. Other times she asked herself how much longer she could go on, especially when huddled with them in some vain hope of retaining enough body heat to see them through to another day.

That night, however, was different. Too cold to even shiver, her tears long since frozen into streaks of silver across her muzzle, she was certain that each barely audible breath that reached her ears would soon be the last she heard. So many times she had wondered waht they had done to deserve such a fate; but no answers ever came to her and now they no longer mattered. This time, she knew, there woudl be no more tomorrows.

She had always been the one that cared for the others, usually able to coax at least a little food form even the most barren of soil, but it had never been enough. Now, drawn into the furthest corners of some ruin - perhaps a barn at one time - with snow tickling at her ears as it drifted through the gaps in the rotted wood, she felt the icy talons of oblivion leisurely settling into her bones. Even if they did not freeze tonight, starvation would claim them soon enough; all that remained was for the Harbingers to choose their final fate before guiding them towards Elysium and away from the cold once and for all.

But somewhere in the darkness, the sound of ringing bells caused her ear to flick once more, and though she still felt the comforting touch of death reaching out to enfold her, for the first time in years she felt true warmth rush across her body. Raising her head, she felt the others press against her even as she sought that source of nearly forgotten heat, her eyes beholding a sight she could scarcely comprehend. There, bathed in a glow of radiant gold stood a tall and powerful stallion, his coat gray and pale beneath midnight blue robes. Under other circumstances she might have found him handsome, but at that moment she cared for nothing save the warmth.

"Are... are you a Harbinger?" she asked, surprised at how hopeful she sounded.

"No," he said as he extended his hoof towards her, "but if you will follow me, I will take you from this place, all of you."

For reasons she could not explain, she hesitated, the power in the stallion's voice terrifying her, but despite that fear, she still reached out to take his hoof in her own...

The hallway swam back into focus instantly, warmth flooding her limbs as she blinked in confusion.

“What was that…?” she wondered.

Perhaps it had been some lingering guilt over her earlier attempt to attack Aria, or perhaps it had been something more sinister? It had seemed almost like a waking dream, but was far too clear for such whimsy. Her thoughts churning, she found herself rubbing her pendant once more as she tried to focus; until a soft, choking sob nearby drew her attention.

Had her ears been less sensitive she would have missed the sound entirely and that alone piqued her curiosity. Stepping from the hallway, the dim light from the stove illuminated an empty kitchen, though a small pool of crimson fluid upon the otherwise barren table sent a moment of panic rushing through her once more. Heart pounding, she fought it down to continue her search.

"Sonata?" she called, her voice little more than a whisper, but loud enough to earn a muffled cry in return.

Pirouetting, Adagio rushed into the living room, light flooding it as she flicked the switch upon entering and gasped at the sight of her fellow siren curled into a fetal ball at the base of the couch.

"Sonata!" she shouted as she bolted to the prone girl's side, shaking her lightly as she sank to one knee and wincing at the moan that answered her action.

“Sonata what happened!?”

“A-A-Ada-Adagio,” she stammered, “It… it hurts…”

Cursing silently as the world began to close in around her, much as it had tried to do earlier, Adagio shook her head to clear it as she focused on Sonata. Sometime after they had parted ways, she had changed into her burgundy hoodie and jeans and the material hid any visible injuries from her immediate gaze. Running her hand across the girl's exposed skin, however, revealed it to be clammy and feverishly hot; and while she could not fathom what was going on, her first thought was of the crimson fluid staining the kitchen table.

Snatching the girl's wrists - all the while ignoring her wails - she checked them quickly, exhaling as smooth and unmarked skin greeted her inspection. Releasing her grip, she slid her arms around Sonata's body, awkwardly balancing her limp form against herself as she tried to raise them both up and nearly lost her grip twice before manhandling her friend onto the couch. Unfortunately, even in the new position she curled up almost immediately. While this made examining her more difficult, another quick inspection revealed that Sonata seemed soaked in sweat but was otherwise alright; and as Adagio tried to make her comfortable, she was suddenly struck by how right the concern over her fellow siren's well being felt to her, almost as if it had been some forgotten purpose discovered anew.

Fingers stroking that burning cheek, she lowered her voice and spoke quietly, "Sonata, it's Adagio, open your eyes... I need you to tell me what's wrong. I need you to open your eyes and talk to me."

Under that soothing tone, the blue girl's whimpers slowly subsided and her body relaxed as her eyes worked themselves open, bloodshot and puffy with tears. For several seconds they held each others gaze quietly, worry meeting uncertainty in equal measure as they stared. Finally though, the pain seemed to fade from those raspberry eyes as Sonata exhaled slowly.

“Adagio?” she whispered.

“It’s me, Sonata,” she replied. “I’m here.”

Silence stretched between them once more as Sonata's hand reached out to take hold of Adagio, the latter of them letting out a sigh of confused relief as she felt that earlier fever draining away. All the while she watched as Sonata chewed her lower lip in a manner that could easily have been adorable had it not been so worrisome. Whatever she wanted to say though, Adagio swore to herself that she would give her all the time she needed to muster her thoughts.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” she said at length.

“Don’t want to do what anymore,” she asked.

Raising to one elbow, Sonata shuddered heavily as she looked away and released her grip on Adagio's hand.

"This," she said, "all of this. I... just everything I guess. All of it, all the... all the fighting and the trouble making, all the negative energies... this place, this world... this... this prison that Starswirl sent us too. Adagio... I... I just want it to be over! I want it to stop!"

Adagio felt herself smile as she listened, her hand raising to soothingly stoke Sonata’s hair as she moved to sit at her side.

"What are you talking about," she asked. "Sonata, we’re sirens. We can’t go against our nature. You know that."

"Why?"

"What do you mean ‘why?’" Adagio asked in return. "It's, well, that’s just the way it is."

"How do you know that?" Sonata whispered. "How do you know!? Have we ever tried anything else?"

"I know, Sonata, and so do you."

"No, Adagio, I don’t!"

"Sonata, come on now," Adagio replied. "You know I’m right."

"No! I don't!" she shouted, suddenly launching herself upwards and wobbling as she fought for balance while standing over Adagio's seated form, a look of fury on her usually unfocused features. "The only thing I know is that right now I'm hurting, Adagio! I never felt that kind of pain before! Never! And the only thing I can think of is that it didn't happen until we red again. I mean really fed and weren't hungry anymore! I never hurt like that before when we were hungry."

"Sonata," Adagio said, as surprised by her own calm as he was by Sonata's outburst. "Listen to yourself, Sonata, you're not making any sense. We've always fed on negative energy, that's how it's always been because that's how a siren survives. It's not just what we do, it's basically what we are."

"How do you know that, Adagio?" Sonata asked as she took a small step backwards.

"I just know."

"How do you know!?"

Sighing softly, she pushed herself up to look the other girl in the eye, her heart nearly breaking at the turmoil she saw in her gaze. She did not show it, of course, but the question had left her momentarily stunned and Sonata's uncharacteristic lucidity only making everything that much stranger. After a moment, she reached out with her left hand to stroke the girl's cheek in an affectionate caress as she smiled to her sadly.

"I just know, Sonata," she said.

"But how do you know?" she replied, shivering. "Do you know how long we’ve done this? How long has it really been? Can you remember anything before Starswirl banished us? Do you remember our homes? What about our families? I mean, we had to come from somewhere right? Do you remember any of that, Adagio? Because… because I don’t!"

Adagio shook her head slowly, answering Sonata in the only way she knew how; with silence.

In response, she lightly brushed Adagio's hand away and reached up to smooth out the frazzled strands of her ponytail as a single tear ran down her cheek. Even then, however, she continued to look into Adagio's eyes and in that gaze they both saw a longing to understand what had happened and to say words that neither of them could give voice to or explain. In the end, Sonata was the first to turn away.

"I'm not going to hurt like that again, Adagio, ever. I won't do it," she said, pulling up her hood to conceal her face as she turned and made for the door. "I'll starve first."

"Sonata, what… where are you going?" Adagio asked.

"Out," Sonata replied.

"Out? Now?!" she sputtered, raising her voice for the first time. "Sonata I don’t know what’s going on but you can’t just leave! You were crying in pain a second ago and felt like you were ready to burn up. You… you look like you’re about to fall over right now! I can’t let you just leave!"

"You said it yourself, Adagio, I’m a siren," she replied. "I’ll be fine, but I can’t be here right now. I just… I need some air. Thanks, for realizies."

Adagio felt an icy weight settle into her chest as she watched Sonata walking away, her legs beginning to buckle to the point she allowed herself to sink into the couch before she could collapse on it. Instinctively, she reached out towards the empty space before her, her heart hammering as she tried to make sense of what she had just witnessed but found she could not. Sonata never looked back as she walked away, and by the time Adagio found her voice once more, the door had already closed.

Despite everything, Adagio could not help but concede that Sonata had made a fair point with her questions; and even though she had calmly claimed that they had always been the way they were, in reality she was in no way certain of that. The earlier vision, coupled with a half remembered dream and fear that even now swirled through her thoughts only added to the doubt that seemed intent on crushing her beneath its weight. Unable to think, she instead leaned forward, cupping her face in her hands as she felt tears once again trickle into her palms.

“What did you do to us…?” she whispered.

If the silence around her held any answers, it did not deign to reveal them.

Author's Note

Dubium = "Doubt"

Chapter 6 - Paenitere

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

Exactly how long it had been since she watched Adagio's departure was impossible to tell; but as she lay curled against the pillow with her body shuddering beneath the covers, seconds had long ago become hours to Aria's mind. Timidly, she felt her fingers rise to her pendant once more as she curled in on herself even more tightly, cold tears escaping her closed eyes in seemingly random intervals. This time, however, she could find no comfort in the jewel despite the energies it still contained.

Despite her heavy shivers she could feel herself sweating profusely as she laid there, her long hair sticking to her skin uncomfortably and causing her to squirm, which only caused her to shudder harder and pull the covers closer in response. Practically cocooned, she attempted to will herself back into slumber, hoping to find some solace in the oblivion of unconsciousness since no other presented itself; but found that even that eluded her now. Eventually, she forced herself to open her eyes and stare at the closed door beyond her as she attempted to work up the courage to call out to Adagio, or even Sonata, but was unable to bring herself to do so.

Until a shout from outside caused her to bolt upright suddenly.

She knew the voice as well as she knew her own and despite her usual antagonism towards its owner, she found herself springing from the bed into the stifling air around her before she realized what she was doing. Eyes wide, she felt her legs buckle before she crashed to the floor, pain exploding along her side as she forced herself forward; the normally plush carpet seeming to cut into her skin as she crawled towards the door and hissed as she curled into a shivering ball at its base. From her position she did not even need to press her ear to the wood to hear the conversation outside, the words evoking a much deeper feeling of uncertainty as she wrapped her arms around herself and listened.

Eventually, silence filled her ears once more.

Using the door for leverage, she managed to position her still wobbling legs beneath her and pushed herself upwards while opening it, wane light greeting her as she half stumbled, half tiptoed into the hallway. Scarcely daring to breathe, she made her way to the far corner and peered around it, chewing her lip to stifle any sounds at the sight that greeted her. There, seated upon the couch with her head held pitifully in her hands sat Adagio, the girl looking as if her entire world had just crumbled around her while she looked on helplessly.

Aria very nearly called out to her in that moment, but hesitated as she looked down at herself at the last minute and felt a lukewarm flush spread across her whole body. Strangely, nudity had never bothered her before and she typically wore little - if anything - inside the house, but this time the realization that she was still undressed gave her pause. She couldn't say exactly why she did so, but her usual confidence faltered as she slunk back into the hallway, back pressing into the wall as she looked towards the bedroom and the scant sanctuary it offered.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, however, something told her that she could not leave her friend alone this time, no matter how much she may have wanted to run from the situation. Breathing deeply, she pushed herself upright and drew the long strands of her hair across her chest in an attempt to preserve some modesty before stepping back into the living room, her earlier chills receding fully as she approached Adagio's sobbing form. Slipping behind her, she reached out and laid her hand on the other girl's shoulder, causing her to jump in surprise and spin around; an action she might have found comical were it not for the tears in Adagio's puffy eyes.

"Aria?" she asked.

Finding herself unable to answer, Aria chose to remain silent even though her hand never left Adagio's shoulder. Narrowing her dark mulberry eyes, she slowly took in Adagio's thinly covered body in a way that made the other girl look away suddenly as she pulled the robe more tightly around herself, revealing a swath of goose-flesh along the back of her wrist as he did so. Rather than find humor in the action, however, Aria instead stepped around the couch and looked down at her with a soft smile.

"Aria, you… now isn’t the…" she started, only to be silenced by Aria’s finger at her lips.

For a few heartbeats they simply stared into each others eyes silently before Aria's hand slid away to reach down and lace her fingers into Adagio's, helping her to her feet in one smooth motion. Slightly taller than her fellow siren, she looked down to keep their eyes locked together while reaching out to slide her arms around the other girl's waist and draw her against herself. She knew Adagio wanted to protest, but before she could do so, she pressed her head into her shoulder and held it there gently.

"What are you doing?" Adagio asked.

"What does it feel like?" Aria replied.

No further words passed between them as they remained there, but as she held Adagio against her, Aria could feel the need and desire for reassurance or protection; and was struck by just how right it felt to be holding her now, almost as if she had rediscovered some long-lost part of herself. Eventually, she felt Adagio's arms slide around her in return to lock at the small of her back, pulling herself more fully into that embrace as she did. How long they stayed that way, they neither knew nor cared.

"Aria, talk to me," Adagio finally said.

"Not here," she said. "I don’t want to talk out here."

"Aria…"

Rather than replying, she reached out to caress Adagio's cheek with her left hand as her thumb brushed across her lips to silence further protests. At the same time her right hand moved to take hold of Adagio's, lacing their fingers together and giving a gentle tug as she inclined her head towards the hallway. After a breath of hesitation, she nodded.

Only once did Aria look over her shoulder to favor Adagio with a smile as she led them into the hallway with slow, almost timid steps. All the while, she could feel the others eyes upon her as they moved, but the usual thrill of such scrutiny seemed conspicuously absent, replaced by a strange kind of understanding instead. Passing into the bedroom, she felt Adagio nudge the door closed with her foot before she moved them in a dancer's pirouette and turned her fellow siren's body by her fingertips so that Adagio stood between her and the bed. Releasing her hold on Adagio's fingers, she moved them to her robe and deftly untied it as the other girl looked away shyly.

"What… what’s gotten into you?" Adagio whimpered.

Still refusing to speak, Aria responded with a cat-like purr as her hands followed the curve of Adagio's shoulders and slide the robe from her body to let it pool at her feet before giving her a gentle push. With a look of understanding, she nodded and sat down before rolling onto her side to smooth out the sheets as Aria slid in behind her and pulled the covers around them. Ignoring Adagio's thick curls, Aria wrapped her arms around her and drew her in close, their bodies delicately spooning together as she wrapped her arms around her tightly.

"You looked cold," Aria finally answered.

"You could have said something."

Aria shook her head in response, pressing closer as she replied, "I heard you and Sonata arguing."

"Ugh," Adagio huffed, "you heard that?"

"All of it, it was kind of hard to miss."

"I’m sorry," Adagio replied.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"All of it? None of it maybe?" she asked, resting her head against Adagio's. "I suppose I mean the part where you told Sonata that we can't survive off of anything other than negative energy and that you know that's how it's always been."

"It doesn't matter whether I believe it or not, Aria," she replied. "The truth is the truth and we can't change who we are."

"What about the rest of it?" Aria asked. "Sometimes... sometimes I can't even remember what it was like in Equestria, sometimes I can't remember it at all. I never thought I'd say it, but Sonata was right. How long ago did Starswirl really banish us? What did he do to us when he did? I've never seen you scared before, Adagio and I've never heard Sonata scream like that... I've never been as cold as I was earlier and none of this happened before we fed like we did today. I... Adagio I don't want to go through that again. Honestly, I don't know if I can go through it again."

"Aria," Adagio replied, "please just... just try and get some rest. We'll feel better in the morning. We always do."

Aria stiffened at those words as her earlier chills returned momentarily, but found it difficult to argue as she held Adagio close to her and allowed herself the luxury of enjoying that embrace. At first, she thought she could hear singing pierce the silence around them, but dismissed that as ridiculous as they all knew their powers could not effect each other. Nevertheless she appreciated the gesture, but as she drifted off to sleep she spoke quietly once more.

"I know you're right, Adagio, you usually are... but just this once I wish you weren't."

The pain had long since become familiar to her, implacable and pitiless as fought off its grasp once more. Too often she wondered how she had managed to endure it as often as she had; only to remember her friends who shared her agony and her meager abilities that had so often been their sole source of defense. Other times she asked herself how much longer she could go on, especially when she watched over them n some vain hope of providing enough safety to see them through to another day.

That day, of course, was no different. Bruised and battered, her tears stubbornly remaining unshed, she allowed them to tend to her as she fought to keep the agony out of her voice so as not to upset them. So many times she had wondered if a painless death in the cold might have been better than the life they now lived, even if she never voiced such a question. But this time, as always, she knew they would survive.

She had always been the one that defended the others, pushing her magic to the breaking point against more dangers than she could eaisly count, but it had rarely been enough. Now, resting as they were in the relative safety of their - perhaps poorly named - Sanctuary and once again swathed in bloody bandages, she wondered again if the price for their survival was not becoming too great. Even though they had food and shelter, the years under this charge had changed them to the point she barely recognized her friends any longer; let alone herself.

Somewhere in the tunnels, the sound of ringing bells echoed over the soft sounds of slumber that surrounded her; and though she contemplated feigning sleep, she knew he would not be fooled by the ploy. Muscles protesting, she rose from her cot and turned towards the approaching sound, her eyes narrowing slightly as she snorted in greeting. As always she could find no trace of malice in the powerful stallion's gold gaze, but neither could she see any kindness within it. Under the circumstances she could hardly believe she had once been so thankful to him, but even after everything he had put them through she could not bring herself to hate their one-time savior.

"Are you satisfied yet?" she asked, surprised at how calm she sounded.

"Almost," he replied as his gaze swept over them, "but one trial remains, if you remain willing."

For reasons she could not explain, she hesitated, the authority in the stallion's voice chilling her momentarily, but despite that cold she nodded in answer...

Unbidden, the world returned to focus as she snapped awake once more.

Whatever she had just seen had seemed like a dream, but it had been too real and too detailed for any such flight of fancy; especially when taken in context from the half-remembered dream from earlier. Whatever it was or wasn't, however, she felt herself growing further unsettled until she felt Adagio snuggle more firmly against her, unconsciously pulling her arms tighter around herself. The action relaxed her somewhat even though she could not help but feel regret that she had not tried to push Adagio for further answers, certain she would not be in nearly as generous a mood when she awoke later.

"What did you want from us...?" she thought.

If the darkness around her held any answers, it made no indication of its secrets.

Author's Note

Paenitere = "Regret"

Chapter 7 - Solitudini

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

The walkway in front of the house barely measured forty feet in length; but by the time she reached the sidewalk at its end, Sonata felt as if the short distance might as well have been miles. Leaning against the old mailbox, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and felt herself hesitantly reach for her pendant once more, her fingers running over it as she rested. Unlike before, however, she could find no relief in the jewel despite the energy it still contained.

Releasing the jewel, she let it fall back against her throat and sighed heavily, biting her lip as she wrapped her arms around herself while taking in her surroundings. Evening had always been her favorite part of the day and on a normal evening she would have felt soothed by the cool air around her, but even that failed to provide comfort this time. Even from the street she could feel the abundance of emotions - both good and bad - that filled the houses and homes around her as her neighbors went about their lives, wholly ignorant of the monsters that lived among them.

Desperately, she tried to block out that thought but found she could not do so as Adagio's words continuously replayed through her unusually clear thoughts she could no longer deny. Banished from their native lands and condemned to a slow death by starvation for crimes she could no longer remember, the idea of being a monster had never given her pause before; but now the prospect was terrifying, and deep down she wondered if perhaps Adagio had been right. No matter what their bodies looked like, inside they would never be anything more than monsters.

Pushing off the mailbox, she stumbled forward along the sidewalk and began to run. For a brief second she looked over her shoulder at the slowly disappearing house; for as long as she could remember it had been both lair and sanctuary, but now seemed like nothing more than a cage within another cage. Lungs burning and legs already shaking, as she ran from it she could not even muster up concern over a destination, all she cared about was getting somewhere - anywhere - else.

Eventually her vision began to spin and blur as her balance failed her, her legs refusing to support her any longer as she pitched forward into the concrete, a new pain blossoming along her cheek as she skidded to a stop. Panting as her tears ran freely, she waited for something to happen, no longer caring what it was so long as something took the plague of horrible thoughts away from her. How long she remained there she didn't know, but within the sounds of the city around her, another sound made finally itself known.

Timid but filled with concern, had Sonata's hearing been any less sensitive she would have missed it entirely. At first she thought to ignore that sound or tell it to go away, but soon her curiosity got the better of her as she shifted and pushed herself up onto one elbow. As she did so, she found herself staring into ocean-like eyes of cerulean blue, eyes that were filled with a depth of kindness she would never have thought possible.

For days she had stood by as Adagio and Aria studied the girls that were their adversaries, always doing her best to stay out of the way. Consequently, she did not know the name of the girl before her, but still recognized her immediately. Beautiful in a way that she and her fellow sirens could only hope to imitate, the look of shy innocence that radiated from her momentarily robbed Sonata of her ability to speak as they stared at each other in silence. Unfortunately, the moment was broken as soon as it began when a look of recognition filled those beautiful eyes in return.

"S-sorry! I'm sorry! I was just leaving!" she squeaked as she backed away.

"W-wait!"

Sonata didn't know what caused her to call out in that moment, but for whatever reason, the girl stopped moving away in response. Using the wall behind her, Sonata managed to rise, but the effort left her momentarily winded and dizzy, her hair falling forward and obscuring her vision. Before she could make sense of what was going on, however, she felt a soft hand cup her cheek and lift her head, turning her to the side and causing her to hiss in pain as the girl looked over her with a concerned expression.

"You're hurt," said the other girl, her voice surprisingly firm this time.

"I"m..." Sonata began.

"Come with me," she said.

Fear had long since become familiar to her, relentless and unforgiving as it stalked her. Too often she wondered how she had managed to overcome it as many times as she had; only to remember her friends who shared her misery and her trivial gifts that had so often been their sole chance of survival. Other times she asked herself how much longer she could go on, especially when she tended to them in some vain attempt to offer enough hope to see them through to another day.

This day, by contrast, was different. Together they had overcome every challenged placed before them and things were finally about to change for the better. So many times she had wondered what would await them when the endless trials were finally over; but no matter how many times she had asked she had never received an answer. Those answers seemed unnecessary now, for their perseverance would finally be recognized.

She had always been the one that encouraged the others as she used her skills to create momentary respites from their torments, but it had never been enough. Now though, as they stood before the Great Council - perhaps the first of their kind to do so - she felt that she finally understood why they had suffered so and reasoned that as steep as it had been, this moment had been worth the price they had paid. Even if things changed, she knew the three of them would always be together and that the sacrifice they were about to make would ensure that the world they loved would survive.

Somewhere in the high gallery, the sound of ringing bells reached out over the murmurs of the gathered Councilors; and though she was not wholly certain what would soon happen, she found she could scarcely contain her excitement. Willing herself to remain calm at the approaching sound, she nonetheless felt her eyes drawn to the ancient stallion that stepped before them, and even though age had marked him long ago, she still found him handsome and knew that his power remained as strong as ever. Under different circumstances she might have rushed forward to embrace him and thank him for believing in them, but now was not the time.

"Are we finally ready...?" she asked, surprised at how timid she sounded.

"Yes," he said, his magic already washing over them, "all you have done has lead up to this moment."

For reasons she could not explain, she trembled, the wisdom in the stallion’s voice piercing her momentary, but despite that pain, she closed her eyes and waited…

"So um... what's your name?"

The question snapped Sonata back to reality and caused her to shake lightly. Whatever she had just seen had felt like a dream, but had been far too powerful to have been a product of her imagination. Perhaps it had been a continuation of the half-remembered dream of earlier or some lingering worry over her friends, though it could have easily been something more malevolent. Then again, it could have just been a product of the strange sounds that filled her ears from wherever it was she was sitting.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked.

"I um... I asked your name, I mean, if that's okay," came the reply. "You um... you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I'm Sonata, Sonata Dusk," she replied. "Who are you?"

"It's nice to meet you, Sonata, I'm Fluttershy."

"Nice to meet you too."

Silence followed the introductions as Sonata looked around and found herself at a small white table covered in various first aid supplies while she seemed to be sitting in a marginally comfortable folding chair. Various small cages filled with an odd assortment of animals surrounded her in a way that could only be called organized chaos; the occupants of the cages watching her with curious gazes, though many looked fearful. At her side, a little brown and white dog with beady black eyes and triangular ears whined at her and she reached down on impulse to pet it, surprised that it didn't back away as she looked back to the girl across from her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Oh, I was finishing up the last of the work for today when I saw someone fall down outside the window. I-I went out to make sure whoever it was was alright and I found you on the sidewalk," Fluttershy said. "I-I hope that was okay? I mean, I don't think you would have just wanted to lay there all night, right?"

"Y-yeah, it was okay," Sonata replied. "I mean, thank you, Fluttershy."

"You're very welcome."

"Why did you do it?"

"Why did I do what?"

"Why did you take care of me? We're... I mean we're enemies right?" Sonata asked, reaching up to feel the fresh bandage on her cheek as the small puppy whined once more at the absence of being petted.

"Einstein! Behave yourself," Fluttershy said as she fixed the puppy with a look, only to receive a pair of sad eyes in return that caused her to giggle and motion him over before she looked back to Sonata. "Well, we are, I guess, but everybody just needs a little kindness sometimes. You were hurt and, well... we're supposed to be rivals, I know that but I just... I just can't walk away from somebody who's hurt."

Silence descended once more as Sonata mulled over Fluttershy's words, transfixed by the girl in front of her as she watched her petting the small puppy while she watched her in return; but unlike Adagio or Aria, there was no expectation or impatience in that gaze, just a kind of friendliness that it was as fine to answer as it was to keep quiet. Sonata could not understand what was happening, but she also did not question it and sighed softly as in all her years, she could never remember a time like this; it was nice. Biting her lip, she reached out and motioned the puppy over with her fingers, seeing if he would come back to her and, to her surprise, he did.

"He's... really friendly isn't it?" she asked.

Fluttershy giggled in response as she nodded, "I think he likes you."

Sonata felt herself blush at the praise as her hand moved to scratch the puppy under his chin and giggled as his back leg began to kick in appreciation for the action. Smiling, she made motions for him to sit, rollover and shake her hand, surprised that he followed her each time and simply enjoyed the silence between the three of them. Eventually, Fluttershy handed her a treat to feed him for his good behavior and he trotted away to curl up and enjoy it, leaving them alone. As she watched him, Sonata was struck not only by how much she had enjoyed encouraging those simple little tricks, but just how right it had felt to do so, almost as if she had suddenly found some lost part of herself once more.

"Einstein's a good boy and a really good judge of character," Fluttershy said. "If he likes you, you must be nicer than you acted at school... I mean... oh... I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that, I just... I mean um..."

"It's okay... I know that, well, nevermind, it's okay," Sonata replied. "You um... you really like animals, don't you, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, I love animals!" she squealed. "I'm really hoping to be a veterinarian when I grow up, I've actually got several applications out already and a scholarship! But I'm more concerned about..."

"How much do you know about them?"

"Um... well... a lot I guess, but not a lot really, why?"

"Can... you maybe answer a question for me about them?" Sonata asked, wincing internally as Adagio and Aria typically yelled at her for such sudden subject changes, but the girl across from her simply nodded her permission.

"If an animal didn't... didn't want to be an animal anymore or like... um... didn't want to be a certain kind of animal, could it change?"

"I'm sorry but... um... I don't really know what you mean?" Fluttershy replied, blinking in confusion.

"Like say Einstein didn't want to be a dog anymore, could he maybe be something else?"

"I-I don't really think it works that way, Sonata, I mean..."

"What about a shark then? Or a lion?" she asked, cutting the other girl off while trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. "Like... like say they didn't want to... didn't want to eat other animals anymore and just wanted to eat something else, could they do that?"

Without thinking, Sonata stood up and loomed over the other girl, staring down at her as practically demanded her answer; but as she saw Fluttershy's earlier kindness fade into a look of fear, she mumbled and apology and retook her seat. After a moment hesitation, she looked back at her, watching her mull over her answer as Sonata fidgeted. A few minutes later, the girl finally calmed down enough to speak once more.

"I... I suppose it's possible..." she started.

"For realsies!?"

"But I don't think it would be happy," she finished.

Sonata stared, feeling as if she had just been kicked in the chest by those words, her voice catching in her throat.

"Nature... well... it makes things a certain way and some animals can't change even if they might want to," Fluttershy explained. "I mean, a shark is a predator and so is a lion, Sonata; they're made to eat meat. People make them out to be scary, yes, but they're really just trying to survive. They might actually be a little scary and they are dangerous, but they're not like people, they aren't being mean or scary just for the sake of it. They're just doing what nature tells them to do, and while I guess they could eat seaweed or plants or something, they'd eventually get sick from it and they'd just be miserable all the time."

"Oh..."

"Why did you want to know that? I mean, it's okay if you don't want to tell me but..."

Briefly, Sonata actually considered telling the friendly girl the reason she had asked; considered telling her that it wasn't animals she was asking about, but monsters. Unfortunately, she had gotten the answer she had expected and feared. Adagio had been right, of course, she - they all - would never be anything but monsters and she felt she could not replay Fluttershy's kindness by making her afraid of her again.

"No reason, I guess," she said at length. "But I should go."

"You don't have to leave... I mean you if you want to it's okay, but..."

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy," she said, no longer able to look at the girl as she stood up. "Thanks for taking care of me and talking to me, I really appreciate it. I... I wish we could be friends but... well... I guess nature doesn't plan for things like wishes."

"Sonata, wait!"

Wasting no time, Sonata moved past the other girl and fled towards the door of the shop. A part of her felt remorse for leaving so abruptly, but much as she had felt at her house, she could not stay where she was any longer; the eyes of the various animals that still looked at her in fear and that confused but kind cerulean gaze cut her far too deeply for her to remain. Far worse, however, was knowing that she could never have given any response that would not have sounded like a curse.

Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it heavily, small sobs already forming in her throat. Inside, she could hear the girl standing up to come after her, but thankfully she didn't; and no longer wishing to prolong the inevitable, Sonata pushed herself away from the door, hands in her pockets as she walked away silently. Never having felt lonelier in her life, she didn't even attempt to stop her tears.

"Why didn't you just kill us...?" she asked of no one in particular.

If the night winds had any answers, they still refused to share them.

Author's Note

Solitudini = "Loneliness"

Chapter 8 - Omnia Perdidimus

Theme: The Beauty of the Beast - Nightwish

The world had long ago lost all semblance of color, its once lush and fertile lands now buried beneath the shifting snows of eternal winter; the land they once called home reduced to a frozen wasteland. For years they had wondered those wastes as living ghosts, never truly surviving, but unable to surrender unto death. Perhaps it had been that tenacity that had first called out to the Wise One, or perhaps it had been nothing more than some cruel act of fate.

But in the end they had survived, succeeding in trial after trial as they were repeatedly bloodied and beaten down before standing up to face their next obstacle; trials they barely understood but from which they refused to back away. At any time they could have surrendered as the others had and walked into the Embrace of Elysium, but they had never given in. Instead, they had cared for, protected and encouraged each other in hopes of finding that one moment in time to call their own.

Finally, that time was now.

Shielded beneath the magic of the Great Council, the three of them gazed into the endless storm, their sharp eyes and keen ears easily finding the creatures that danced and howled within it; the Wendigo. Creatures of fear and frost, remnants of the Discordian War that fed upon the conflict of its wake and stole the warm of harmony from the world, creatures that had preyed upon others and danced to the song of misery for as long as the three of them could remember. Today would mark the end of that time, however, as the hunters would finally become the hunted.

As one they raised their voices in song, a melody of exquisite but unnatural beauty unbound by the simplicity of rhyme or meter; a song that resonated with the very symphony of existence itself. For uncounted hours they sang, and through that song they drew away the hatred and disharmony that permeated the world. For uncounted days they feasted upon that hatred - gorged themselves upon it - until finally there was nothing left to sustain the beasts that raged impotently within the storms. As one they sang and as one they grew quiet to look upon a world of silent tranquility that brought tears to their eyes. Far in the distance they watched as the Wendigo fled upon the remaining winds for parts they neither new of nor cared about as they smiled in satisfaction.

Content with the power that filled them, they turned to face the Great Council, resting as the storm was finally broken; but rather than the pride and hope they had expected, they saw only a combination of fear and horror in the eyes of those who looked down upon them. As one they looked from the face of one Councilor to the next, only to have them each turn away immediately. Confused and unnerved by the action, they turned to the gaze of the one whom had saved them so long ago; but even his stern gaze showed no understanding or gratitude as he inclined his head towards the horizon behind them.

Winds softly wailing in their ears, they turned their backs to the council and looked upon the fields once more; fields covered in countless, unmoving bodies. So great was their surprise that they could neither move nor speak as they looked over that which they knew they had caused. So great was their horror that they barely heard the words that echoed behind them.

"My girls... what have you done?"

The soft click of the door latch echoed through her ears like a gunshot, jostling her mind free of the dream as she found herself darkness once more; once more disoriented and unable to remember where she was until she again felt a soft warmth pressing against her. Sometime after they had fallen asleep, she and Aria had shifted positions to where the taller girl was no longer holding her per say, but rather her arm laid loosely across Adagio's stomach while her head lay upon her shoulder, her breath tickling her skin with softly cooed snores. Jerking slightly, she pushed herself up on one elbow just in time for the door to open and allow a weak stream of half-light to fill her vision, causing her to look away.

"Adagio?"

Lifting her gaze, she blinked a second time as her eyes adjusted to the light and found Sonata silhouetted by it in the doorway; her bare arms wrapped around a thick pillow she clutched tightly against herself, her lose from its typical ponytail and a light blush coloring her cheeks. Their earlier conversation still fresh in her mind, Adagio felt she should have chastised Sonata - or at least demanded an explanation - for leaving as she had, but something held her back. Instead, she sighed softly and gave the girl a wane smile of her own.

"What is it, Sonata?" she asked.

"C-can... can I sleep with you two tonight?" she replied. "Please?"

All thoughts of refusing her fled as she listened to the desperation in that quiet plea and found herself nodding in response, motioning to Sonata to crawl in on the other side of Aria and herself. Pushing the door closed and casting the room into darkness, Sonata quickly followed her unspoken command and slipped beneath the covers. In response, Adagio slid her free arm around the girl's shoulders and winced at how cold her skin felt before drawing her against herself to let her head rest upon her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked."

"No," came the reply.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Sonata..."

"P-please don't, Adagio, please don't make me say it," she replied. "I just... I just want you to hold me tonight, okay? Please?"

Adagio briefly considered pressing the issue as she normally would do, but feared that if she did she would only upset Sonata further in addition to waking Aria; and likely pushing them both away in the process. At length, she simply nodded and pulled the shivering girl closer, sighing as she felt her arm join Aria's on her stomach. Snuggled between them, she took a moment to bask in the feeling of rightness that welled up within her before closing her eyes and attempting to return to sleep.

The world had long ago become tainted in swirled, impossible emotions, the land they had once sought to protect now as harsh and unwelcoming as the snows that once covered it. For an age they had sought only to survive to see the world reborn, willing to dance like puppets for the sake of that hope, only to have their strings cut at the last moment of the performance. Perhaps it was that naivety that had first drawn the Council to them or perhaps they had all simply been that desperate.

So many others had been with them at first, but each had given up over time; either unwilling to face the continuous hardships or simply unable to survive them. At the beginning they had pitied those who tried or died and prayed that they would find peace in Elysium, but that pity had long ago turned to envy. For so many years they had thought only to prove themselves, yet it had all been for nothing as their moment of triumph succeeded only in sealing their fate.

And now their time was running out.

Exactly what had gone wrong was impossible to say, but somehow in drinking the negativity that sustained the Wendigo they had also drunk the very essence of those they had been meant to save. Of course they plead innocence at first, for they had only done that which they had been created to do; and while none of the Council had stepped in to stop them, in the end their innocence had proved a poor defense indeed. But try as they might, the Council would not be swayed in their decision and as one, the three of them turned to flee into the wastes, their lithe bodies darting and dodging as the guardians gave chase with both magic and blade; while all the while soulless, unblinking eyes stared up at them accusingly from each living corpse they passed over.

In their minds, the Council had made them into monsters, even though they had only done what had demanded of them; and if they were to be cursed in such a manner, then monsters they would become. In the wake of their escape, they concealed themselves at the fringes of their recovering world for months, slowly learning to control and harness their powers as they waited for their opportunity to strike. At first it was small settlements, no more than a dozen inhabitants at best; but with each new victim the more powerful they became, and the more power the attained, the hungrier they became for it.

At first they took only a little power at a time as the first steps towards their ascension, but as their control over it grew they sought more sources and greater powers, hoping to eventually challenge the Great Council itself over their betrayal. In time, however, they became more brazen, targeting larger settlements and feasting openly as they spread the hatred and distrust, eventually forgetting that they had once fought against it and that once upon a time they had been the same creatures they now fed upon. In the wake of their rampages, it became like the Discordian War once again as the Wendigo howled in the distance once more, though they no longer cared to stand in their way.

No matter how powerful they became, however, they never once doubted that the Council would eventually seek them out, but by then it would be too late; they would be stronger than even the mightiest of the dying Alicorns and would wrench the mantle of rulership from their cold hooves to usher in a new age worthy of the Chaos Bringer itself.

In the end, however, it was not the Council that came for them.

Soft shudders and quiet murmurings slowly made themselves known once more as the veil of sleep was drawn away from her eyes. Held fast by delicate but powerful arms resting across her stomach as she breathed in the familiar scent of lilac and lavender; her head tilting first to the left, then to the right as she took in the sleeping forms that clung to her sides. Her own arms lay around each of their shoulders and on each of her biceps she felt the warm dampness of their tears splash lightly over her skin.

She briefly considered waking them, for if they were seeing what she had just seen it would have been a kindness to do so. Unfortunately she also realized that they would have needed to see what she had just experienced so that they would understand why things were happening as they had done. In the end she chose to let them sleep as she pondered what she now knew had not been a dream.

"I was wrong," she thought.

It took everything she was to admit that, even to herself, that she had been wrong about everything and that somehow the opportunity of feeding had finally revealed it all.

For decades they had survived in a world that was not their own by clutching at scraps while the banquets remained denied to them. She wanted to be furious, not only at whoever it was that had tampered with their memories, but at everything for so willingly allowing themselves to be transformed as they had been; yet she could no longer muster the strength to do so. Instead, she focused her thoughts on the girls that lay curled against her, watching them as her pulled them in closer to place a kiss on each of their foreheads before closing her eyes once more.

Sometimes, dreams existed solely for the benefit of the dreamer as they wove a beautiful fantasy and sought only to bring out the best in those who experienced it. At other times, they existed for no benefit at all save as a reminder of the nightmarish reality that brought out the worst in all life. Perhaps it was that realization that had first given them courage, perhaps it had been an illusion from the start.

From the beginning they had strove for nothing more than the approval of the one that took the place of the fathers they had never known. So many times they had pushed to the breaking point until not even tears remained. Everything had been for the ponies they had loved and the world they longed to save.

It was all they had ever wanted.

When he came for them, he did so without fanfare or magic, nor with any bodyguards or any of his brethren as backup; just as he had in the beginning, he came alone. Aged beyond recognition, his grayed beard dragged the ground solemnly as world-weary eyes gazed upon them with an expression they could no longer understand. In another age they would have spoken to him and listened to his words, but that age had long since passed; and though they tried to fight him, even at their best, he was still too powerful.

Throughout their battle he had called out to them; empty platitudes they countered with accusations if not outright curses. For each spell they tried, he countered them easily but would not finish them when they faltered. As the hours stretched passed, they drew upon the Song of Creation once more in a last desperate bid to siphon way his soul; seeking to do on purpose that which they had once done by accident. But in their madness they had forgotten who it was that had taught them that song and that it was he who had first mastered it.

Even in victory the ancient stallion had shown neither pity nor compassion, only a kind of resignation for his actions as they stared back at him with undisguised hatred. AT the end, however, he seemed unable to end their lives and stayed his hoof, though whether it was out of mercy or some lingering sentimentality they neither new nor cared. Defeated and consigned to the void that existed somewhere between worlds, they floated in a sea of endless nothingness, their voices muted, their bodies broken, their souls dying.

In one breath they would rage impotently at the injustice of it all, only to plead for forgiveness with the next. In their prison, time lost all meaning, the endless void leaving them unable to see anything beyond themselves; and many times they sought to end their torment themselves, only to find that they could not. Eventually, they resigned themselves to the ennui of simply existence without hope of either death or redemption.

Yet from somewhere beyond the endlessness, another voice called out to them; sang to them in a sweet melody as they felt eyes upon them once more. There, in the furthest reaches of that emptiness, a swirl of inky shadow shout through with brilliant sapphire and gleaming silver beneath a halo of violet darkness stretched out before them. As they watched, they could not hold in the urge to feel terrified of that which they saw, despite the odd feeling of safety it instilled in them.

Somehow, it was the most beautiful thing any of them had ever seen.

"Do you wish to quit this place?"the voice asked. "Will you listen to our words if we offer you your freedom?"

Still bereft of their voices, they nodded in response for they knew the voice would not ask again.

"For many years we have watched you all,"it said. "While you have been wronged more times than can easily be counted, never once did you falter upon the dreams you strove to achieve; and in that we could never have been prouder of you, which is why your fall has wounded us so deeply. Yes, we know that you were betrayed, but we also know that you successfully escaped the fate that would have befallen you. At any time you could have shown the Old Ones that you were not that which they believed you, proven that your actions were of innocent ignorance rather than malicious intention; but in the end you chose to become the very monsters they called you."

The words cut deeply into them, and somehow they managed to look away from that darkness in shame as the voice continued.

"Despite all this, we do not believe that you are yet beyond redemption, and we can offer you the means to find redemption if you are willing. Be warned, however, that this quest shall be both long and arduous. Your suffering has shaped you before and now it shall precede your redemption. If you take our offer, in time, you shall find that which you desire most and earn the home and hearth that has always been denied to you; but until that time you shall wonder endlessly until you understand the truth you once failed to grasp."

Somewhere in that offer lay the stirrings of temptation, but with its similarities to that which the ancient stallion had offered them - and with his betrayal so fresh in their minds - they could not help but question the motives of that voice; even if anything would have been better than the nothingness in which they found themselves.

"You are wise to question our motives, but nothing we can say shall set your mind at ease, for we do not have the power to offer you a clean slate; not yet. If you accept our offer, you shall rise to heights unlike any you have dreamed of, only to fall to depths you cannot possibly comprehend; and when your bitterness has become more than you can accept, you shall seize upon an as yet unknown opportunity that will remind you of that which you have no forgotten... and in that moment you must make a choice. If you choose wisely, you shall fall into nothingness and emerge from it clean of sin or suffering to live out your lives as you have always wanted. If you choose poorly, you shall gain all you have ever wanted if not more, but you will never know peace or contentment as you live until time itself stops."

Once more, they could not help but ask what the voice wanted in return for this and in the distance they felt as if its owner had smiled at them.

"Unlike yourselves, I know my fate and in knowing my fate I am bound by it,"it answered. "Yet in knowing my fate I have seen yours as well, and if I can be offered redemption for the sins I have not yet perpetrated, so can you be offered redemption for those that you have already committed. All I ask in return is that you listen to a single prayer that I have heard every night for more years than I care to recall."

Whether it was desperation for freedom or the honest hope for something better - or simply for no other reason than they felt they had no choice - they found themselves agreeing to the terms the voice had laid out.

As the did so, the very edge of the darkness began to shift and coalesce before them, the strands of violet and silver transforming into pinpricks of ink and fire that slowly drew towards them. Reaching out, they each selected one of the approaching glimmers, only to find a perfect ruby upon their claws as they did so; and inside each one, a song of redemption called out to them through a swirling cacophony of chaos. The chance they were offered was nearly impossible and they knew it, but in the end it was still more of a chance than they had ever known before.

All around them the darkness spread across the nothingness as they felt their consciousness slipping away. In the distance, a beautiful blue star called out to them, drawing them somewhere strange and new as they felt their bodies changing once more. Then, almost as an afterthought, they too heard the prayer of which the voice had spoken.

"Forgive me, my girls, I beg you. Find it in your hearts to forgive this foolish old stallion..."

The words rang in her mind as clearly as if someone had spoken them right in her ear, the desperation and self-loathing that filled them shocking her awake even as their revelation froze her in place. On either side of her, she felt the others awaken as well in response and even in the darkness she could see the pain, fear and confusion that filled their eyes. For so long they had thought that everything had begun with their banishment, yet somehow there had been more to it than they could ever have imagined.

"Adagio?" they both asked in unison.

"Girls..." she whispered.

As if their minds had joined together, they each wondered who that voice had belonged to, though none could recall ever hearing it before and there had been no face - pony or otherwise - to associate it with; only an unbridled and otherworldly energy that none of them could deny. Deep down, they wondered at its words and wondered if they had finally suffered enough to earn the reward they had been promised. Unfortunately, no answers came to them beyond the realization that the energy they had taken was already beginning to dissipate as they instinctively knew that dawn was growing closer.

Looking between her companions, Adagio studied their faces silently as they stared back at her expectantly as she shook her head. In the end, whatever they had once been, they were now sirens; nothing more and somehow nothing less. Their origin and purpose may not have been that which history had painted it as, but for better or worse they had become the very monsters that others had feared and there was little they could do about it any longer. Yes, they could each feel the tattered remnants of harmony that wafted through their memories from their feeding, but beneath those fragments the only thing that remained was their hunger; and like a ghost within in their song, it would never find peace.

Somehow, however, it seemed so far beyond unfair that they could only experience such clarity by sewing hatred and as she looked between the eyes that stared back to her, she thought once more; had that voice been cruel simply for the sake of cruelty, or had it really meant to offer them what it had promised? Try as she might, she could still find no answers. But more than that, there was the voice that had uttered that desperate prayer, a voice they all knew all too well.

"What should we do, Adagio?" Aria asked quietly.

"You heard it too?" Sonata replied.

Pulling the girls closer, Adagio stared up into the darkness as she rested her hands atop their heads, a single tear escaping her eye as she contemplated her response. Everything she was urged her to throw that prayer back into the ether were it belonged, to rage against the very notion of forgiving the one that had condemned them to all of this; but everything she had been urged her to realize just how special that prayer was and how much the other voice had risked to carry it to them. Casting one more look to each of her eternal companions, she leaned down and kissed them on the forehead once more before nodding softly.

As one, they nodded back to her.

In the years since their banishment they had toppled small empires, seduced both men and women of irreproachable virtue and sewn strife in lands that had never before known war; but never once did the dray any satisfaction form their efforts. But as they lay in each others arms, without though to reward or recognition, they finally understood a moment of contentment and peace. Thus, rather than speaking or trying to make sense of what was going on, they instead luxuriated in their shared embrace as they began to sing.

The song, a lullaby as simple as it was ancient, echoed around them, soothing the last of their worries as their voices rang softly. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, or perhaps it was simply the knowledge that they would forget their actions upon waking, but as the song ended, they each nodded to one another silently. Shifting once more, Aria and Sonata rested their heads upon Adagio's breast as her hands rested upon their heads, tears softly falling down their cheeks as they lay there.

Staring up into the darkness, Adagio spoke for all of them before finally surrendering to what she hoped would be a dreamless sleep.

"We forgive you, Starswirl."

Author's Note

Omnia Perdidimus = "All we've lost"

For those of you who made it this far, I thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this story. I tried something different this time and most of you probably noticed that certain parts of each chapter are basically re-writes of each of the other chapters with different words or slightly different descriptions. I did this to share the perspective among the characters, but also to play up the confusion that such a situation would sew in both the characters and the reader.

Hopefully it all came across that way.

Anyway, if you've read any of my stories before, you know that I'm a sucker for a complex villain along with villain redemption stories. In this case, I have to look at things from the perspective of the old cliche that history is written by the victor. Cause lets face it, nobody wants to make themselves look bad in the history books, it just isn't done. Yes I know that there is a comic that tells the Dazzling's origin story, but I don't really do comics anymore and while I get the impression that they have been in the human world for a long time, there was always something that bothered me about how 'new' the human world seemed to them during Rainbow Rocks and my headcannon is likely different than anybody else's anyway.

On the subject of Starswirl the Bearded, I like the idea of that particular character, but somehow I get the impression that he's not the kindly (or at least tolerable) old mage that so many make him out to be, especially with Celestia's canonical statement that "he didn't understand friendship." Likewise, the Great Council is my own headcannon that Equestria was once ruled by a council of Alicorns prior to Celestia and Luna's appearance. This may beg the question of whether or not Starswirl is an Alicorn in my headcannon, but I will neither confirm nor deny - or deny nor confirm - that bit of information.

The cover art for this particular story was done by yours truly and can be found on my Deviant Art page my deviant art page if anyone is interested.