Aria Ablazeby mouch30ChaptersChapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1Chapter 2The curtains in Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls don’t fucking work. A slip of sunlight found its way upon Aria’s eyes, burning through her eyelids and waking her up. She yawned and stretched, her feet still tender from the previous day. She relaxed, her joints aching with pleasure. Memories from last night began to hound her once more, now that she was awake. She saw her sisters in everything. A girl with massive curls turned into Adagio, the toothpaste she was provided with was the same color as Sonata’s hair… She didn’t bother changing out of her sleeping clothes, opting to just throw her robe on her body and get some breakfast. She was able to eat physical food to sustain some strength, which was fine, but she could feel her magic reserves decreasing. She need a meal — a real meal. Standing in line to get a plate of milky scrambled eggs and pale bacon allowed Aria some time to observe her surroundings. Most of the girls here were as young as she looked, with wide eyes and distant dreams. Some of the women were old; their hands were shaking but their smiles were strong. All the women in this house helped one another with whatever they could, sharing stories about their pasts and comforting those still haunted by the memories. She had to get out of here. She spotted Dew Drop at a table alone, drinking nothing but a large cup of hot chocolate. “Hey,” Aria said, placing her tray on the table. “Good morning.” Dew Drop slowly lifted her eyes towards Aria’s face, stared for a moment, before her gaze dropped back down to her mug. “Hey.” Aria swallowed a mouthful of eggs. “Where do you go when you’re not here?” Dew shrugged. “Around.” “Anywhere cool?” Aria asked. “Do you go to clubs, or secret parties? Get hammered and party until it’s time to go home?” “No.” Dew suddenly stood up. “See ya,” she muttered, leaving Aria all alone. “Psh, whatever,” Aria seethed to herself. “I didn’t wanna be your friend anyways.” What little flavour her meal had before was gone now. The eggs were too slithery, the bacon too chewy. She wanted to get out. The first thing she needed was a new outfit. She couldn’t just saunter out in her thin top and shorts, could she? “Dew Drop, my lovely little dear, I’ve got a surprise for you!” Ms. Feather’s light voice carried its way to Aria’s ears. “A friend of mine is quite skilled with fabric, and I wanted to show my appreciation for you...oh, open it and see for yourself.” Aria twisted her head slightly to watch Ms. Feather hand Dew a paper bag. The young girl dipped her hand inside and pulled out a patterned sweater dress. “Oh, Ms. Feather, it’s beautiful!” she cried, wrapping her arms around the older woman. “I’m gonna put it in my room and try it on later, is that okay?” Aria’s eyes followed the girl, and before she knew it, her feet were following as well. Dew’s room was not too far from Aria’s. She pretended to fiddle with her own door knob, waiting for Dew to come back out. As Drew walked past her, Aria opened her own door and stepped inside. Leaning back, she bided her time once more until Dew’s shiny hair had disappeared. There was no time to waste. Aria casually walked to Dew’s room, and pushed the door open. Huh. Her room was a lot nicer than Aria’s. So unfair. She picked up the dress that was laying on the bed, and held it against her body. The shape was nice, fit for a slender girl...like her. The pattern was a mix of pastel shades, pink and blue and white dots. Perfect. She slipped out of her own clothes and put the dress on. Perfect. Oh, and she needed some shoes as well. A rummage through the closet rewarded her with a pair of slip on sneakers. Perfect. She turned to leave the room. Oh, wait! She smiled and gently slapped her forehead. How was she going to survive the outside world without any money? With Dew’s purse slung on her shoulder, full of Dew’s measly savings, Aria sauntered into the hall, Dew’s dress snug on her body, Dew’s shoes making thwacking noises on the thin carpet. No one paid too much attention to her retreating figure, and thankfully, Dew was nowhere to be found. She stepped onto the pavement, the morning breeze ruffling her hair. Which way to go? She looked left and right. Well, she came from the left, so let’s continue forward. Without a single glance back, she bid Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls farewell. During the day, the Lower Canterlot District is just as hectic as it is during the night. Cars blared their horns, belching smoke from their exhaust pipes. Vendors on the street hassled her, selling frozen treats, sandwiches, sunglasses, tiny key chains, homemade jewelry, and pirated movies in plastic sleeves. Aria stopped to buy a soggy hot dog, piled with caramelized onions and pink sauce. She ate it slowly, careful not to spill anything on her new dress. Now that she was fed and happy, she began to ponder about her future. Aria was always a party animal. She loved the nightlife, the gritty underground scene. When she and her sisters still lived in Equestria, she would always wander off to the shore and watch as the ponies and other Sirens reveled in song and laughter. The night would always be lit up with paper lanterns and will-o-wisps, and they would be merry until Celestia’s sun came up. But after being banished to the human world, Aria’s craving for adrenaline and fun grew more intense. Humans found so many ways to have fun! Colorful drinks that tasted of fruits and sparkles, tiny pills and vials of powder, dark rooms and bright lights and sweat and blood...Aria wanted to taste it all. That would have to wait until nighttime, though. It wasn’t even noon yet. She began to walk. Maybe she could go on a shopping spree! No, Dew didn’t have a lot of money, and Aria knew that it wouldn’t be wise to spend it all on clothes. She drifted in and out of stores, determined to at least pretend she was on a shopping spree. She tried on new dresses, razor sharp heels, dozens of different lipsticks and eye-shadows, and permitted herself to buy just one tiny bottle of cheap perfume. It smelled musky and thick, dark and enticing. Just like me, she thought smugly to herself. She sat in an empty cafe, sipping at a small cup of tea. While Adagio drank coffee and Sonata preferred fizzy sodas, Aria was always a tea girl. This tea was thin and bitter, though. Just like me, she thought angrily to herself. Every time her dress came into her field of view, she felt a harsh pang of guilt. It was quickly diminished when she remembered that she wasn’t doing it out of spite; she had to survive. And if that meant one little girl would lose her pretty dress, Aria was okay with it. At least she didn’t kill the girl. Aria waited in that cafe until the sun slowly sank behind the buildings, and the sky turned from blue to pink to red. The velvet ropes would be coming out soon, as well as the people, crawling their way through the streets like termites emerging from rotting wood. The bustling sounds of work were replaced with the bustling sounds of the night owls, ready to play. Aria threw some loose change onto the table and stood up, discreetly following a crowd of girls. They had big hair, short skirts, and shiny skin. They moved with the sort of confidence that came with the knowledge of one’s beauty, grace, and power. I remember walking like that, thought Aria, watching as they swayed towards a writhing line of people. She made her way to stand at the end of the line, watching the girls head straight to the entrance of the club, say their names, and enter. A name was clearly what she needed to get into this place. Every time the door opened, she could hear snatches of loud dance music, pounding gently. The line moved slowly, as other patrons argued with the bouncer. The gears in her mind turned non-stop, trying to figure out a way to be let in. A name, a name. She wondered if Twilight would work — probably not. Her heart began beating faster as she approached the front of the line. “Name?” the bouncer asked, eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She swallowed hard. “T-Twilight Sparkle...the Third.” “The Third?” His eyebrow cocked up. “Yes. I come from a long line of...Sparkles. I’m practically royalty.” She flipped her hair to really sell it. He glanced at the list for a second. “Not on the list. And I’ve never heard of you Sparkles before. Get out of line.” He reached out and pushed her, not ungently. “You’ll pay for that!” she cried, stomping away. She sighed. It was never going to work anyways. The streets were growing more and more crowded by the second. Aria decided to keep trying, stopping at every club she could find. It was the same story with each one, though: her name was not on the list. “This sucks,” she grumbled, turning away from the door. “What happened to just letting people in?” She glared at the other party-goers, envious of their carefree lives. Why wasn’t she let into those places? She turned a corner and found herself on another street of bars and clubs — except these places didn’t have velvet ropes or bouncers. She turned to the first one she saw, and knocked on the closed door; the sign said they were open. A clang was heard, and a pair of eyes appeared through the metal slit in the door. “Name?” they asked. Aria thought for a second. She had been using the wrong name all this time. “Adagio Dazzle.” She heard a soft gasp, murmurs, the ‘hmm’s of approval. “The Adagio Dazzle?” they asked, excitement rearing in their voice. “Is there another one?” Aria scoffed, her brittle smile about to come undone. The eyes vanished, leaving a metallic crash floating in the air. Locks were opened and the door yawned, revealing a dark hallway. “We’ve heard so much about you,” the person whispered. “You haven’t been before, we’re so honored!” “It’s my pleasure,” Aria replied, suddenly feeling nauseous. This was it. This was the kind of place that Adagio would frequent, the places she told Aria to never ever visit. She walked towards the end of the hall, green light spilling onto the floor in front of her. A beaded curtain hung in the doorway, and pushing it aside created a small symphony of clinking beads. The room looked hazy from the smoke hanging near the ceiling. People lounged about on chairs, sofas, and each other, eyes glazed and mouths split into smiles. Music was thumping through the speakers — loud, grainy, and dark. A small stage sat in the center of the room, holding a microphone in place. “Wow,” Aria gasped to herself. This was weird, like totally weird. But she liked it, somehow. It had a calming effect on her. “Hey there. Would you like a drink?” Someone had come up from behind her. He was a smiling, handsome young man, but his pallor looked sickly in the jade lights. “Sure. I’m Adagio Dazzle.” Aria batted her eyelashes. This was going to be fun. “Really? Well, welcome to our little piece of heaven. I’m Ocean Beat.” He handed her a drink and steered her towards the bar. “Thank you for gracing us with your presence.” Aria smiled and took a sip. It was bitter, but she gradually got used to the taste. “Well, I’m a busy girl. You know, so busy these days. Nice place.” “Yeah, I come here every week,” he replied. “So, you gonna sing for us tonight?” Aria sputtered, her drink dribbling out of her nostrils. “Mm?” she coughed. “Yeah, we’ve been waiting for you to sing at this club ever since you got such good reviews down at ‘Mysteria’. Will you be performing tonight?” “Um...my...throat’s kinda sore today…” “Aw, that’s not fair. I was really looking forwards to it, Adagio.” “Wait, Adagio?” “Is that Adagio Dazzle?” “Is she singing for us? Oh my gosh, she is, isn’t she!” Aria was surrounded by eager patrons, all hounding her with song requests and pleads. “Enough!” she snapped. “Fine, I’ll...sing. Yay.” She was quickly ushered to the stage, and gripped the microphone hard. Her mouth was filled with sour spit, which she tried to swallow. “H-hello, my name is Adagio Dazzle and I’ll be singing for you...no music? Okay. Okay. “Welcome to the show… I’m here to let you know… M-my time is now… Your time is running out…” Aria cringed at the sound of her voice — thin, flat, and shaking like a leaf. The crowd exchanged looks of confusion and disappointment. “That’s not what Adagio sounds like,” a young girl piped up. “I don’t even think that’s Adagio!” “Imposter!” “Get off the stage!” The crowd went wild with ‘boos’ and insults. Aria’s cheeks caught on fire, and her hands began to tremble. “Shut up!” she squeaked into the mic. “Shut up!” The jeers grew louder. Their faces loomed above her, dark eyes and gaping mouths. They screamed, they laughed, their expressions twisted into monsters. They hated her. They hated her, but they loved Adagio, Adagio the leader, the main attraction, and they hated Aria, weak, scared, bad, bad, bad, useless, they’re screaming, I’m screaming… “Enough!” she shrieked, grinding her teeth together. She felt a crackle of electricity run through her. “You want to Adagio to sing for you? Do you even know what she would have done to you?” She exhaled angrily through her nose, fighting to keep tears from falling. “You wanna know? I’ll show you!” She brought the microphone closer to her lips and hummed softly, closing her eyes. She swayed to her own melody, alternating between the different notes and repeating the same line over and over again. Her fingers trailed lazily in front of her, dancing to their own accord. “Bitch!” A man yelled, turning to a girl next to him and punching her in the face. She yelped, falling to her knees and cradling her stinging cheek. “Fuck you,” she snarled, leaping up at him, using her nails to gouge trenches in his cheek. More and more people began to fight; kicks were thrown around, friends that had come together were screaming and hollering at each other, eager to hurt and maim whoever they could. Aria didn’t notice. She just kept humming, enjoying the pleasant murmur of her voice. She inhaled deeply, a small smile on her face. Her melody sounded so...peaceful... It was strange, hypnotizing...Just like me. *** “Look at them fight, Sister.” Everyone in the club had begun punching each other, as if they were being manipulated by someone. Seconds ago, they had been booing the girl on stage — now they were spilling their own blood. He moved to the side as soon as two men fell onto their table, breaking the flimsy furniture. “Indeed, Brother. But I’m looking at someone else right now.” The purple girl stood on stage, her arm outstretched, fingers moving lazily in the air. Tendrils of green magic twisted their way out of the audience, snaking around her fingers, up her arm, and into her throat. She was smiling, this girl. She knew what she was doing. “How exciting,” he murmured. “How much longer should we wait?” she asked, tilting her head towards her brother. “Let her enjoy herself. We need to see how strong she can get.” “Of course. I simply can’t wait to talk to her.” Chapter 3The spotlight always lingered a few steps away from Aria. Instead, it would hover on Adagio, with her confident voice, swaying movements and oodles of charisma. If the number called for it, Aria would get a few fleeting seconds of fame, her voice adding to the richness of her sister's. She didn't mind that much. Scratch that; she never let her sisters see how much she minded. She knew that it was for their own good. Adagio knows best. Adagio won't let you down. With eyes closed, Aria moved her body in a slow, sensual motion. She played with tendrils of her hair as she continued crooning into the microphone, relishing in the magic emanating from her audience. This is where she was meant to be, not in the background like a secondary character. She was deaf to the cries and screams of the brawling boys and girls below her. They were below her. She was an angel of arias, a soul sucking soulful saint, a musical magician… A true Siren. She opened her eyes, lidded with pleasure, and gazed at her adoring fans. Her stare swung from person to person, landing on two strange figures in the back. They stood close together, drinks in hand, casually surveying the scene around them. Even from here, she could make out their glowing pendants, sending a pang of wistfulness for the weight on her throat. She was singing, right? She glanced at the microphone in her hand and heard the melody she was making. So why weren't they being affected? As her brow furrowed in confusion, the two figures began to move. They split up, weaving their way through the crowd, gradually approaching the stage from opposite directions. They were cornering her. Aria continued, not willing to give up the focus on her so easily. Maybe they were just going backstage; they didn't want anything to do with her. Then why were they getting closer, intent eyes glued to her? Bzzzt. Aria lost her voice. Or rather, someone had disconnected her microphone, silencing her. "What the hell?" she snapped, whipping around to find a slender girl smiling at her, aux cord in hand. "In a few minutes, your spell is going to break," the stranger warned, her voice soft and sweet. "I suggest you get off that stage and follow us." Aria felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we won't harm you," purred a male voice. "We want to protect you. Now, go on." Aria glanced longingly at the microphone, at the stage, at the bright lights. The darkness she had brought to this club was evaporating, and the partygoers were regaining their senses. "Now," urged the girl. Aria dropped the mic and scurried off, staying close the strange girl. "Where are we going?" she asked. "To the back of the club. It’s safe," the girl replied. She looked back and gave Aria a gentle smile. "Who are you?" The girl's smile widened. "Your biggest fans." *** Aria smiled gratefully, wrapping her hands around the glass of water. She took a sip, and took that time to drink in her new friends. First, they were twins. They shared the same height, the same willowy figure, the same large eyes. Inky black hair hung in front of their faces, casting shadows on their steely chrome skin. The girl called herself Venus. The boy called himself Mercury. They were...weird. “So,” Aria broke the silence between them, “What do you want with me?” Venus chuckled, causing Aria to raise an eyebrow. “Sorry, I’m just so excited to be near you. You see, my brother and I are very...interested in the world’s unknowns. Supernatural phenomenons, miracles, magical anomalies…” “We’ve become quite attuned with exposing magical strains in our little dimension,” Mercury spoke up. “We’re of sort the resident magical experts. So, when you were performing tonight...well…” “Naturally, we were intrigued by you! It was such an honor to be experiencing such strong magic up close!” Aria raised a hand. “But you weren’t affected by my magic. Neither of you were fighting.” Venus giggled again. It was becoming a little annoying. “Well, we wouldn’t have ventured out without a few protective spells,” she tittered. “We may be hedge witches, but we’re not stupid.” “Hedge witches?” “We weren’t born with magic,” Mercury explained. “We had to grab it with our own hands and force it to bend to our will.” “That sounds...violent. Wait, so, humans know about magic? Adagio said we had to keep magic to ourselves because it would cause a huge panic!” “Not everyone knows about magic,” answered Mercury. “The majority of people here don’t believe in that. That is, until that little fiasco at Canterlot High. More and more people started hearing about that giant demon, but magic is still a fantasy to most people. Some of us, the ones who live on the cusp of the impossible, we know there’s something more out there. For example, how did you make a whole club of people beat one another up?” Aria’s gaze dropped. “W-well, that was…” “Magic. Exactly.” “Okay, yes, that was magic. So what do you want with me?” “When people are faced with a question, they will do whatever it takes to get an answer,” Mercury continued, ignoring Aria’s question. “After photos and videos emerged on the internet of the event at Canterlot High, people got curious. What is this, they asked. Will it happen again? The internet can only tell you so much about what it doesn’t know. That’s where we come in.” “When people started to wonder, we reached out to help answer some questions,” Venus began. “Some people were satisfied with the answer, laughed it off even and complimented the CGI in the video. But others, others like my brother and I, weren’t satisfied with one answer, and demanded more. That’s when we decided to form our little...club. A safe place where people can freely discuss the possibilities of magic and...perhaps learn to tame it in a practical and cautious manner.” “But alas, there is only so much we as mortals can do,” sighed Mercury, a forlorn expression settling on his features. “We’re just ordinary flesh and blood.” “But you!” Venus’s eyes lit up with perverse excitement. “You’re something more than that, aren’t you? That magic you were using, it was powerful, we felt it!” “That’s why…” “That’s why…” Mercury and Venus stood in front of Aria, grasping each other’s hands tightly, their free arms extending towards Aria. “We want you to join our club,” they said simultaneously. Aria stared at them, and slowly placed a hand in each open palm. “You want...me?” “Of course,” Mercury gushed, pulling Aria in a standing position. “You...are the epitome of what we are trying to achieve. Power.” “Strength!” “The ability to wield magic as effortlessly as you.” “Control over the weaker mind!” “What do you say?” Mercury pulled her closer, gazing intently at the trembling Siren. “Would you join my sister and I on our quest to gain magic?” This is crazy, Aria thought. Adagio always said to stay away from humans looking to use magic. She said that there was no way a human could learn how to, anyways. But these guys weren’t affected by my magic, so surely they must know some magic, otherwise how would they have protected themselves against my magic? Anyways, Adagio didn’t want me to mingle with these people, she said they were crazy, that they were unsafe. “Yes,” Aria replied, surprising herself. “I...I don’t know much I can teach you, but I’ll try.” The twins let out peals of mirth. “How fantastic!” Venus cried, enveloping her brother and Aria in a hug. “This is going to be so much fun!” “My sister and I are eager students,” Mercury murmured, smiling at his sister’s excitement. “We have every confidence that you’ll be a wonderful teacher.” Aria’s own smile was strained. “Thanks.” *** Venus flicked the switch, bathing the room in a dingy white. “Home sweet home,” she said, ushering Aria indoors. Aria took a careful step, eyes wandering over her new living quarters. “This is the dining room, that’s the kitchen. Down the hallway is the bathroom, and to the left are the bedrooms.” “How many people live here?” Aria asked, wrinkling her nose at the mouldering dishes in the sink. “We’re a small and selective group. Currently, we have fourteen members in total, but only five of us live here. That’s me, my brother, Dusky Haze, Fissure, and Summer Spice. Six, now that you’re here.” “You’ll be sharing a room with everyone,” Mercury interjected, reaching into the fridge and grabbing an almost empty bottle of water. “My sister and I share a room alone. Leadership perks.” “I don’t want to share a room with three others,” Aria muttered, crossing her arms. “Doesn’t having powerful magic mean I get a room to myself?” Venus tsked, waggling a finger. “You have to contribute to the team and prove you are a valuable asset to us before you can get rewards.” She knocked on the first door on the left. “Hey, everyone! We’ve got a new member we want you to meet!” The door opened, and out stalked the remaining members. “Aria, meet your new family!” “Hello,” the shortest one said. He had long green locks of hair, and his brown skin was speckled with light green freckles. He extended a friendly hand. Aria took it, internally gagging at the sight of his missing fingers. “Well met,” one of the girls murmured. It had to be Summer Spice, with her fiery crimson hair and golden skin. “We needed some fresh blood here.” The last one, Fissure, hid behind soft layers of dark brown hair. She peeked at the newcomer, exposing the scars on her face, dark against the baby blue skin. Aria nodded at her, a silent greeting. Fissure nodded back, her gaze casting downwards. “Well” — Venus clapped her hands — “Everyone, Aria here is very special. She has shown us some wonderfully intense magic, and we are pleased to announce that she will be teaching us how to use it!” “However,” Mercury said, “Since we aren’t too sure what kind of magic it is, she will only be teaching my sister and I. We will pass down the knowledge once we are ready.” The trio nodded sagely, accepting what was said. “Why don’t you three show Aria where she can put her stuff?” Mercury asked. “Sure,” Dusky Haze piped, wrapping his fingers around Aria’s wrist and pulling. “You’re gonna love it here!” Aria gasped when she entered the bedroom. The floor was filthy, with takeout cartons and tissues scattered around the place. The walls were caked with mold, and a foul stench burned her eyes. There were no beds; instead, thin mattress draped with holey sheets were the only options. A dresser stood in the back, with a few scant possessions on the top. Aria counted three empty bottles with no labels, a bowl of...something, and what appeared to be small bones. “You can sleep there,” Summer Spice said, pointing to a dark corner. “But honestly, we share beds and sheets and everything else. Be warned, Fissure wets the bed sometimes.” “Only when I’m nervous,” Fissure whispered. “Which is usually always,” she mouthed. Aria snorted in disgust. “You really expect me to put with this?” she snapped, turning to face Venus, who was watching from the doorway. “This is a joke, right?” “Whatever do you mean?” Venus asked, the slightest hint of a smile on her lips. “The most important thing right now is that you have a place to sleep, and friends to hang with. My brother and I will be waiting in the dining room for our first lesson.” “You want a lesson now?” Aria was already growing sick of this gang. “I...I don’t know if I have the strength to do any strong magic right now. Can I get something to eat first?” The meal at the club filled her magic reserves well, but Aria had always liked eating physical food from time to time. Venus made a small sound. “I’ll see if we have any food.” She hopped away. “You don’t like it here?” asked Dusky. “Am I the only one with working senses here?” Aria growled, throwing her hands out. “Look at this place! It’s disgusting!” “It’s our home,” snapped Summer, eyes narrowing. “If you don’t like, leave.” “You can’t leave,” Dusky protested. “You just got here!” “You smell like you’re powerful,” whispered Fissure, discreetly sniffing Aria’s arm. “Don’t come near me,” Aria seethed, running out of the room. She watched Venus opening and closing all the cabinets in the kitchen, a blank look on the leader’s face. “Well? Got any food?” “Hmm, not at the moment,” Venus replied. “As usual. We’ll get something tomorrow.” She turned to face Aria. “If you’re really tired, you should go to sleep now. We’ll talk more in the morning.” She left Aria alone in the kitchen. “I’m literally going to have a stroke,” Aria said to herself. She sighed, and walked back to her new room. Her roommates were already in bed, muttering to one another about their plans for the next day. Aria silently removed her shoes, toes curling inwards in fear. She didn’t have any night clothes, so she stayed in Dew’s dress. A stray thread peeked out from under the hem; she picked it until it came loose. It was a white strand, soft to the touch. She twirled it around her little finger and tied it securely, as if it was a little ring. Holding back tears, she fell into a fitful sleep. Author's Note ¯\_ツ_/¯ everyone waited so long and this is what you got lmao did u know ive eaten mcdonalds every week Chapter 4Aria felt a weight on her chest. “Wha…?” she mumbled, before letting out an enraged shriek. Fissure yawned loudly, adjusting her grip to Aria’s torso. “Why are you yelling?” she muttered. “Get off!” Fissure leapt up and ran towards her own corner, eyes wide with fear. “Sorry,” she whispered. “You were muttering in your sleep and thought you needed some comfort.” “If you ever touch me like that, in my sleep nonetheless, I’ll make sure you never have the means to touch anything else ever again!” “Can you calm down?” Summer spoke up, rolling over to stare at the girls. “Fissure isn’t that great with personal space, and your whimpering was annoying everyone.” “What time is it?” Aria asked, looking around for a clock. There wasn’t one, of course, since standard pieces of useful technology were clearly forbidden here. “Look out the window.” Summer rolled over and went back to sleep. Aria sighed and stood up. Her dress was all bunched up at the hips, and she felt a crust of drool on her chin. She hadn’t seen any windows in this house when she came in. Her mouth felt dry; she needed a glass of water. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Aria tiptoed to the kitchen. The neon blue clock on the oven told her it was currently 09:39, which was obviously wrong. She hunted for a clean glass, and was more or less successful – as long as she didn’t put her mouth near the strange lip imprint. As she gulped down lukewarm tap water, she walked towards the front door. Opening it revealed the first few signs of dawn. The sky was still dim, and she could make out a few stars here and there, but the edge of the horizon was turning red, signalling the rising sun. Grrrrrrr. Aria placed a hand on her stomach. “Soon,” she mouthed. She’d get some grub in a while. After all, breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Surely her roommates would agree and then the leaders would go shopping and get some, like, chips or something. She sat on the sagging couch to the side of the dining room and waited for the rest of her world to wake up. She heard someone shuffling to the bathroom, and the sound of running water. Hushed murmurs ensued, and the twins stepped out of their room. “Good morning,” chirped Venus, rushing over to give Aria a quick peck on the cheek. “My brother and I could barely sleep from excitement!” “Hmm? Oh, yeah, the lessons…” “You don’t seem to be so confident,” Mercury observed. “I’m just really hungry. Like, what do you do for meals here?” “Well, we don’t usually eat breakfast. Or lunch. My brother and I, we’re trying to watch our figures.” Venus giggled. “Also, a spell we’re working on forbids any consumption.” “But the others still eat every day,” Mercury said. “Sometimes they’ll beg, or other times, they scrounge in the dumpsters nearby.” “But we usually steal.” Summer appeared before them, scratching her scalp. “We stop by the corner shops and pinch a bag of peanuts, some gum, whatever we can get. Fissure doesn’t risk it, so Dusky and I are the main providers. You a filcher?” Aria shook her head. “I might have stolen once or twice when my sisters and I were tight on money, but Adagio always made sure that we never wanted too badly.” Her stomach growled once more. “But I’m willing to try anything to get something right now.” “It’s too early for that,” Summer noted. “We’ll have to wait for the mid-morning rush hour.” “In the meantime, perhaps we can show you around,” offered Mercury. “Venus already gave me a great tour, thanks.” “No, not of the house. Of what we do. Wait here.” He walked off to his room, and came back with an armful of papers, folders, and scrolls. “This is what we’ve collected so far,” he explained. “We might have...borrowed a few pages from various locations, but I have a gut feeling that everything written on these papers is real. I would like some confirmation though. Could you read these with me and see if I’m right?” Aria plucked a loose page and inspected it. It was filled to the brim with strange symbols; Aria spotted a crying eye and a mass of shoddily drawn birds. Words like “augury” and “eating patterns of chickens” jumped out at her. “Wow,” she said, leafing through the other similar pages. “These look legit. I mean, the only magic I’ve really been exposed to is...Siren magic, and Equestrian magic.” “Equestrian magic?” Mercury asked. “I don’t believe I’ve heard of that. Do elaborate.” “Well, as you probably know, I’m not a...regular mortal.” She took a deep breath. “I’m a Siren.” Mercury stared at her. “Well, that’s cool. And obvious. Music spell-casting, your beauty, mind control...I’m ashamed I didn’t recognize the signs sooner.” “Yeah, well, I obviously don’t look like one since my magic reserves are a bit empty, and showing my true form is a huge pain, but I am. Equestria is this other dimension. My sisters and I were born there, and we...did some things that got us banished for all eternity. We ended up here.” “Interesting,” Mercury mused. “Tell me more about your magic. The Siren’s magic.” “My voice is my primary weapon. We had these pendants…” Fluttering fingers once more touched the base of her throat. “Like yours. They would absorb the negative energy we bring out with our voices. The energy served as our food, but it’s usually never enough. I have to ‘feed’ at least once every two days, but I can sustain my strength on physical food. Which is why I really need a fucking burger right now or something.” “So how did you absorb magic with that pendant?” “I don’t know.” “You were being booed off the stage when your singing was going downhill, and then something seemed to snap. What was it?” “I was angry? Hurt?” Aria waved her arms in the air, trying to her best to describe the slew of emotions she had encountered that night. “Everyone was expecting the queen herself, but they got me instead. And I was already worn out from that awful fight…” “What fight?” “Um...see, a few nights ago...you know Canterlot High? Yeah, these six girls...kinda powerful. They defeated the demon there. There was a battle...and...my sisters and I lost. Badly. I might have lost that special Siren touch, but I don’t know if I got it back.” Mercury nodded, pursing his lips. She hadn’t noticed him taking notes on a plain piece of paper. “I see. And, you haven’t been able to tap into this magic until you were overcome with such emotion?” Aria shrugged. “I only tried recently. I have no idea if I can do it again, especially without my pendant.” “Intense...emotions…” he murmured, noting it down. “So, say that you were overwhelmed with negative emotions right now. Would you be able to cast a spell on me?” Aria shrugged once more. All the questions were making it sound like an interview and she was super hungry. “I don’t know, dude. Haven’t you been listening?” “What about positive emotions?” “I don’t know,” she snapped, standing up. “I need a break from this. I need some food!” she shouted, stalking off to the bathroom. She splashed some cold water on her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her lips were cracked, and her hair was a mess of tangles. Plus, she smelled. “Wonderful. Hey, Summer?” she called out. “Um, you know how you told me everyone shares everything here?” “Yes?” Summer replied, poking her head out of their room. “Got any clothes that fit me?” Summer hummed, and turned to search through the drawers. “Here,” she said, shoving a bundle of clothes towards Aria. “These should fit you.” Aria shook the clothes out and inspected them with a close eye. It was a shirt and short combination; the top was a flimsy white strappy thing, and the shorts were black denim. They seemed clean. She sniffed them. Cigarette smoke. “I’m taking a shower,” she notified anyone who was listening. She felt calmer and cleaner after a few minutes of watery solitude. She wrung her hair out and brushed it with her fingers, wishing for a bottle of detangling mousse. The clothes did fit her, and nicely too. She had to squirm back into her old underwear, though, but besides that, she felt like a new girl. “So, is it gonna be brunch? ‘Cuz I think we missed the breakfast train.” Aria sat down on the couch, looking at everyone’s face in succession. “Yeah, I’m feeling peckish,” Dusky commented. “Where should we pay a visit?” “I’ve seen that restaurant four blocks from here, um, Aunt Josie’s, throwing out some perfectly good buns and sausages,” Summer responded. “Bet their mornings are full of people biting off more than they can chew.” “Alright, Summer and Aria, you two go there,” Venus ordered. “Dusky, Fissure, we have some materials that we need you to gather. Sadly, these need to be bought. Here’s a list…” “Stick with me, kid,” Summer said. She gestured to Aria to follow her and they both exited the house. The street they were on was lined with similar looking buildings, along with a few corner shops. “This way.” Aria followed the taller girl, taking two steps for every one Summer took. “So how’d you get mixed with the twins?” Aria asked. “I’ve always been fascinated by alchemy. I got fired from my last job as a line cook because I was ‘contaminating’ the dishes. All I did was add a few extra herbs. I guess I should have realized a plant called snakeshead was poisonous, but, whatever. Anyways, I made my money selling little bags of ‘summer spice’, as I like to call them. Got people real high, but was just a mix of some special berries and whatnot. They found me, said my craft was magic, and now I can experiment all I want with the fancy shit they give me.” “Cool.” They walked towards the restaurant in a comfortable silence. “Alright, so, just walk up the alley and wait for a bit. Get people to look at you, see you’re not a threat, and move on. Wait until we’re invisible, then I’ll search the dumpster while you keep an ear at that door. If anyone comes out and sees us, they’ll run us out. Dumpster diving isn’t illegal here, but no one wants to have their trash messed with, for some reason. Ready?” Aria casually stood by the door, pretending she was waiting for a friend to come by. Summer carefully lifted the dumpster lid, and began rooting inside. “Gross, gross, ooh, that looks good! Take that, and that...that’s...mmm...Aria, come take this.” Aria scampered over and scrunched her nose up as the smell of garbage hit her. “Eugh, hurry up!” Summer chuckled and handed her a plastic bag, now stuffed with cold sausages, damp waffles, and an assortment of other breakfast foods. “Score,” she whispered. “Now let’s get the heck outta here.” They made their way back home in no time, stomachs aching at the prospect of finally being filled. Aria pushed the front door open and ran towards the kitchen, flinging their ‘groceries’ into the various pans and sticking them in the oven and microwave. “Soup’s on!” Summer laughed, setting the table with cracked plates. The rest of the gang wandered in, noses twitching, plastic bags in their hands. “Smells good,” Dusky said, handing Fissure the rest of his bags and sitting down at the table. “Thanks for bringing us some food.” Fissure nodded energetically and smiled at Aria. “I love consuming,” she murmured, gazing at the food being placed on the table. With feverish excitement, everyone began piling their plates high. “I cannot express to you guys how hungry I was,” Aria moaned, mouth full of warm food. She didn’t even care that everything she was putting in her mouth was found in a dumpster, she was just thankful that she was consuming something. “Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Summer muttered, glancing at the twins; they hadn’t joined the others at the table, but were instead huddled together on the couch. “We’re only allowed to leave when they let us, and their priorities aren’t always their club members.” Fissure and Dusky both coughed at the same time, as if they were trying to mask Summer’s voice. “Shut up, Summer,” Dusky hissed. “Aria? Ah, glad to see you eating so well.” Mercury suddenly appeared before them, placing a hand on Aria’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come to us after you finish, hmm? We’re eager to start our lessons.” Aria smiled, waffle stuck to her teeth. “‘Kay,” she mumbled. She slowed down, trying to make every bite she took take longer than it should. She could feel Mercury’s eyes boring into her from where he sat, but she kept her own eyes on her food. She finally cleared her plate, and pushed it away from her. “Aria.” The Siren stood up and walked towards the twins. “You called?” “Let’s not waste any more time!” Venus said, clapping her hands excitedly. “So, Mercury and I have been reviewing what you told us earlier, and we want to try a few things with you. Dusky, Fissure, Summer? If you could all gather around us as well, please.” The three other humans sat down on the floor, cross legged and curious. “Aria, if you could stand between us? Facing them? Thank you,” Venus continued. “Please, sing for us.” Aria coughed. “Well, okay, here’s a song I know...we never got to sing it: “Bright lights shining down, Eyes upon the stage. Ready for my crown, Enter the golden age…” She heard someone snicker. “Shut up!” she snapped, glaring at the trio beneath her. “No, no, Aria, you’re doing so well!” Venus gushed. “You’ve got such a beautiful voice, don’t stop!” “The time has to accept my rule, I won’t be overthrown. My heart can be both kind and cruel, My necklace pearls and bone.” Aria cringed when she heard her voice. It was squeaky and weak, not at all the strong and seductive tone she had used at the club. She stopped, biting her lip and digging her nails into her palms. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t sing, I can’t just...do magic anymore. It’s not the same without my pendant.” “But you did it last time without your pendant,” Mercury pointed out. “So why can’t you do it now?” Aria shrugged. “I’m sorry…” “You should be. You’ve been wasting our time here,” Mercury said, his voice taking a dark turn. “You’re just a worthless, good for nothing waste of space. It’s no wonder your sisters left you to walk away. You’ve only been with us for two days and we’re already sick of you. Imagine how your sisters felt after all those years.” “What? How dare you speak to me that way!” Aria cried, curling her fingers into fists. “I have the ability to kill you where you stand!” Venus burst into laughter. “Oh, Aria, didn’t you hear yourself? You’re an awful singer, are you really even a Siren? You’re useless, pathetic! Maybe you should kill yourself right now and spare the rest of the world the chance to hear that mewling you call ‘singing’!” “Shut up, shut up!” Aria knew what was going on. They were purposely goading her into feeling anger and sadness, therefore tapping into her powers. Damn it, she knew it was happening, and she was still falling for it. “You don’t know, you don’t know what it’s like to be me! To be shunned by your family! To be lost!” “They hated you, you know. Your sisters? I bet they dreamed about slitting your throat in your sleep, or maybe one day, they would just leave you alone in that shitty apartment, leaving you behind some pills or a noose, so that they wouldn’t get their hands dirty,” Mercury purred, dragging his fingers on Aria’s bare arm. “You struggled for money, didn’t you? You could have sold yourself on the streets, that’s all you’re good for,” Venus added. Aria let out a scream, stamping her foot on the ground. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and she snapped. She couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t bear to hear those words. She opened her mouth and sang, feeling the magic inside of her boiling and churning, aching to be let out upon her enemies. Her voice was dark and rough, and she sang in a strange language. She kept her furious stare on the twins, hoping to ensnare them. “You little fucker, you’re going to pay for all those times you stole my shit!” Aria turned around to find her roommates brawling. Fissure was lying down, eyes rolling back into her head as blood dripped from her broken nose. Summer and Dusky were tangled up, kicking and screaming obscenities. Dusky grabbed hold of Summer’s hair and pulled out a sizable clump, causing Summer to shriek and dig her sharp nails into his cheek. Green mist poured from their bodies, and swam towards Aria’s throat. She could taste the negativity - strong and sour. She used to like that. Now, she wanted to throw up. “Stop! Stop!” Aria cried, trying to drag the two apart. They didn’t listen. “Venus, Mercury!” She glanced at the twins, and gasped. They were smiling. Smiling, like the sadistic beings they were. They didn’t care that their members were about to kill one another. They just wanted to know what triggered the magic inside of Aria. And now they knew. “Excellent work, Aria,” Mercury murmured. “You’ve been so good today...How about you join me tonight?” Aria shook her head slowly, and got up from the floor. “No...no,” she choked. “I’m…” She rushed to the door and stepped out, taking a deep breath. Then, she ran. She ran, and didn’t stop until her lungs screamed for a break. With shaking legs, she wandered to a grassy patch and sat down. She put her face in her hands and wept. She wept for Fissure’s nose, for Summer’s hair, for the new scars on Dusky’s face. She wept for the club goers who didn’t understand why there was blood everywhere, who only wanted to see Adagio perform. She wept for her sisters, and how awful she treated them. She wept for herself, cursing her selfish ways for putting her in the mess she was in. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, nose and mouth dribbling. She heard rustling. Her eyes shot up to the bushes next to her. Out of the leaves, a petal pink nose appeared, followed by the tiny head of a kitten. “Oh, just you,” Aria mumbled. The kitten gazed at her with yellow eyes. It opened its mouth and let out a tiny mew. With cautious steps, it padded towards her and nuzzled her knee. “Aw, baby,” Aria cooed, reaching down to scratch at the kitten’s ears. It purred in response, and snuggled deeper into Aria’s skin as she lifted it and placed it on her lap. “Little baby, little baby,” she said, petting the soft fur. “Dear little kitten, you’re so sweet, dear little kitten, with your little nose and feet,” she began to sing. “Dear little kitten, I love you so much, dear little kitten- Hey!” The kitten snarled and swiped at her hand, claws digging into her skin. She pushed it off her lap, but the kitten just came back, lips drawn back in a vicious smile. She grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and pushed it to the ground, trying to control its flailing limbs. “Stop, you bitch,” Aria pleaded, pressing down harder and harder as the kitten struggled beneath her palms. It began screeching and yowling, so Aria placed a hand on its face in an attempt to get the kitten to calm down. Eventually, it stopped. “Now that you’ve calmed down...oh.” Aria stared at the lifeless cat in front of her. She tasted something sour in her mouth. Chapter 5Aria slinked back to them, tail tucked between her legs as tears trickled down her cheeks. “Hush, you did so well,” purred Mercury, taking Aria into his arms. He stroked her back, grinning wildly at his sister. “We are very proud of you, and we’ve learnt quite a bit.” Aria sagged forward, and Mercury carefully cradled her, maneuvering her towards her room. He placed her on the mattress, her body sinking into it like a brick in water. She felt exhausted, like she had just run a thousand miles without stopping. Her eyes stung with salt but she fell asleep quickly, dreams filled with green mist and crimson on her hands. The next morning greeted her gently. She woke to soft murmurs, and sat up to find the twins staring at her. “Good morning,” Venus said, smiling softly. “How are you feeling?” Aria placed a hand on her throat. “Thirsty,” she croaked. “I don’t feel that great, actually.” As Mercury went to get her some water, Venus helped her stand up. “That’s understandable,” the taller girl replied. “You used a lot of strong magic last night. Why, your friends here are still feeling the effects!” Aria looked at the other mattress to find the three other members sleeping the pain away. Fissure’s nose was dark and crooked, Summer’s hair was parted strangely (probably to hide that bald spot..), and Dusky’s cheek was crusted with dried blood. Aria felt a pit grow in her stomach. She did that. “You did do that,” Venus whispered, peering at Aria. “But don’t feel bad about it. You should be proud of your strength. When you show us again, we can help you control it.” “I don’t want to do that again,” Aria said. “It felt awful.” “Oh yeah? How are you going to feed then? How are you going to teach us?” Venus’s grip on her arm tightened. “Have you forgotten what you promised us?” “S-stop,” Aria ordered, voice wavering. “That hurts.” “Yeah, well we can hurt you even more,” Venus hissed viciously. “Welcome to our family, Aria, where we keep our promises.” She dragged Aria out of the room and shoved her towards the couch, where Mercury was waiting with her glass of water. Aria took the glass and sipped slowly, wondering what she had gotten herself into. “Okay..” Aria began. “So...now what?” “Well, first, we want to document what happened yesterday,” Mercury said, bringing out paper and a pen. “Can you explain in full detail what you were feeling?” Aria sat down and crossed her legs. “Well, you two were being real dickheads...and it made me really angry to hear you say those things. Like, I wanted to kill you.” “Good, good. And how did you feel taking in that energy from the others?” “At first, it felt good. Like all the other times I had taken negative energy. But then...it started to feel wrong.” “Wrong?” “Like, they were my friends. Like I was harming them, and I was, they were fighting and bleeding, and Fissure, her nose…” “You weren’t wrong,” Mercury interrupted her. “You were just following your instincts. Don’t forget, you’re a Siren. Isn’t this what you’re made to do? Isn’t this the only way you can survive?” “Y-yeah...you’re right about that. But...still...you know?” “No, we don’t know,” Venus interjected. “We’re not weak like you. We don’t shy from our work.” “I’m not weak,” Aria snapped. “It’s just getting harder for me to enjoy causing harm to people.” Mercury stopped writing to stare at Aria. “Come now, you love this! You love feeling strong and powerful. You love feeling like Adagio, don’t you?” Aria looked at him. “Excuse me?” “You’re finally in the spotlight, Aria. It’s your voice that’s doing this, it’s all you. Not your sisters...you. For once, you are the sole Siren that we’re focused on. You’re the leader.” “The...leader? Really?” Mercury smiled, showing too much teeth. “Yes. You’re the main character in this study we’re doing. You’re the star! And we’re sorry that we have to be so mean to you, but it’s the only way, isn’t it?” Aria’s lips curled slightly. “Yeah...yeah, it is...and I am the star! Adagio could never make humans fight like this! I’ve got a gift, haven’t I? Venus sat down next to her. “You sure do,” she said, patting Aria’s knee. “And we want you to share it with everyone!” *** It took almost all day to get Aria ready for her next feeding. She sat in Venus’s room, getting pampered by her. Aria’s hair felt soft on her back, freshly washed and brushed. She was wearing one of Venus’s outfits: a short, breezy black dress with sparkles dusting the bodice. Her face was painted expertly, and Venus was putting the finishing touches on her lips. “Perfect,” Venus said. “You know, you really should have been the leader of the Dazzlings. Sure, Adagio is tall and curvy, but you’ve got that whole brooding, sexy goth thing going on.” “Thanks,” Aria murmured, staring at herself in the mirror. She did look good. “So,” Mercury called out as he opened the door, “I’ve compiled a list of places we’re hitting tonight...woah, Aria, you look amazing.” Aria blushed at the compliment. “Shut up, I know,” she retorted playfully. “Where are we tonight?” Mercury glanced at his list. “Okay, so yesterday’s feeding didn’t really go as we planned, so we’re gonna visit ‘Mesmerize’ again, then we’ve got a gig at ‘Blue Bottle’, great place, and then finally we’ve got a spot at ‘512’. Sound good?” Aria smiled. “Great. We’re done here. Let’s paint the town Aria.” Venus chuckled and gave Aria’s dress one last tug. “All set.” The trio walked towards their first club of the night. They had been going out for ‘feedings’ for three days now, and Aria was loving this new routine. They would go to some clubs, they’d get her drunk, dish out some awful words, and then she’d sing, causing chaos everywhere she went. The patrons never remembered what happened of course, so they were never blamed for this. Aria loved hopping from place to place, leaving her mark in every club, even though they wouldn’t remember her in the morning. Plus, it was helping Mercury and Venus with their own work. While Aria sang, they would fiddle with old books and strange objects, muttering under their breath, staring at glowing balls or whatever. As long as Aria was able to drink, dance, and sing, she was happy. The night passed quickly, in the usual jade haze that surrounded her. She felt herself getting stronger, her emotions fizzling thanks to the alcohol in her blood. “I’m so ready for this,” she slurred, swaying back and forth on her heels. “Hit me with your best shot!” “Adagio was right to keep you on backing vocals,” sneered Venus. “When even stupid Sonata gets more lines than you, you know you’re an untalented, unwanted pile of shit.” “Why do you think Adagio never listens to your plans?” asked Mercury. “Probably because they’re bound to be failures, just like you.” “You don’t know me at all!” seethed Aria, memory clouded with drink. She was getting angry, and she did not like it. “I’m just as good as fucking Adagio!” She staggered onto the stage and pulled on the microphone, unleashing a torrent of notes that left her last audience shaking and rioting. She stepped off and immediately fell into Mercury’s arms. “That was amazing,” he said, smiling widely. “The way you just...made everyone fight. I think someone deserves a treat.” “More drinks?” Aria asked, clapping her hands. “I’m down for that!” They headed out, looking for a bar that didn’t have blood on the floor. Aria ordered something fruity, and gulped it down eagerly. A young woman sat next to her, lilac skin covered in brightly colored tattoos. “Nice skin,” Aria blurted out. The girl looked at Aria and giggled. “My ink? Thanks. Worked hard for these babies.” She flexed her bicep, making the pin-up on the muscle move to the beat of the music. “Pretty cool, eh?” “I want one,” Aria demanded. “Venus, Mercs, whaddya say? Let’s all get matching tattoos!” “Oh, we require virgin skin for most of our rituals,” Venus said. “But maybe you can get one, if you really want.” “Yeah! Yeah!” Aria let out a loud whoop and spun off the bar stool, hitting the ground hard. “Ink me!” When they finally found a tattoo shop that would work on a drunk girl, Aria hesitated. “What should I get?” Venus pondered for a second. “What about a Siren?” “Like...a police siren?” asked the artist. “No, you fucking idiot,” Aria chirped. “Like...a sea monster. With boobs. And hair. And...hooves. Sea woman with horse wings.” “So...like a mermaid?” “Yeah, yeah, that. Loud noise. It’s...is this gonna hurt? Um...ow. Ow. Ow! Ow!” *** Aria hissed as she spread the cream on her healing tattoo. It was stinging and itching like crazy, which made it harder to put the soothing gel on it. At least the pain helped her get angrier. She stared at the misshapen tail and face. Oh well. That’s what she gets for being an idiot. They were taking a break from feeding today. Mercury and Venus left to do some shopping, while the other three members stayed as far away from Aria as they could. She wandered around the house, whistling tunelessly to herself. She nibbled on some cold nuggets they got from a nearby fast food place, practiced her pouts and poses in the bathroom, brushed her hair for a few minutes… She walked into the twins’ room with the intent on applying some makeup on herself. Their room was honestly so much nicer than the shit she had to sleep in. The bed was an actual bed, with a headboard and legs and everything. The walls were fresh, it didn’t smell like piss, and at least the bones were set up nicely. In the closet, behind the rows of clothes, was a small secret area that Aria had seen the twins come in and out every so often. “Wonder what’s in there,” she said to herself. So, like the smart girl she was, she decided to have a look. She pushed gently on the closet wall, feeling it give way and reveal the secret room. It was windowless and stuffy, with candle smoke lingering in the air. Cabinets lined the walls, and a desk piled with papers stood in the center. She walked closer, peering at the pictures on the wall. They looked familiar...a girl with orange hair, a blue girl with a dopey grin, a purple girl with a scowl on her face… Wait a minute. She looked down at the desk, and gasped. Each page was filled with elaborate observations of Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk, and Aria Blaze. She rifled through them, reading about her past life. Here was a page about that time they all went to the mall, and there’s a page about their first day at Canterlot High. Page after page, each going into excruciating detail about every aspect of their day. There was even a few pages about the Battle of the Bands. More and more pictures surfaced, with strange words scribbled on their faces. There were more pictures of Aria, though, as if they were particularly interested in her. A picture of Adagio at a club, smiling smugly at the camera, her pendant glowing bright red. Aria dropped the papers, and took a step back. Were these people stalking her and her sisters? That would explain why they could hit deep with the personal insults...because they knew exactly what she was going through. After all, they wrote it all down. Her curiosity got the better of her and she continued to look through the papers. She grabbed one and began to read: “14/7/2014 Dazzlings meeting at coffee shop down from Canterlot High. Wearing dark hoodies and jeans, hoods down low. Aria arguing about meals. Not getting enough energy. Fight ensues. Adagio insults. Aria retaliates, gets caught up with Sonata. Adagio notices strange magic in the air, goes outside. Sisters follow.” She stopped reading, and took a deep breath. They’ve been watching her from the very beginning, haven’t they? There were more journal entries just like this, and by skimming them, she realized that they had been everywhere. How did they even get into the school? How were they able to follow her so closely? To the side of the entries were books. Dark, thick books with bleeding eyes and mouths on the covers. She raised a trembling hand and opened the closest book to what seemed to be a dog-eared page. “Hair of fire, Eyes of thorn, Blood of scorned Child middle-born To control the mind of the person you seek, a ritual performed with the one whom you speak, When liquid life merge with the essence of death, Only then do you hold control over their breath.” Mind control? Did they want to hypnotize and control her? She slowly backed away, clutching her chest. Her heart was beating fast — she had to get out of here. She turned and ran out, banging her shoulder on the way, sending shocks of pain on her sensitive skin. “Aria? What are you doing in here?” she heard as soon as she closed the closet door. “O-oh, Venus, I was just...looking at your clothes. You have such n-nice ones…” Aria stammered, heart beating wildly. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit! “Oh, okay.” Venus walked closer. “You know, Aria, I’d appreciate it if you kept the closet diving when I’m with you. Don’t you unveiling any skeletons in the closet, you get me?” Aria swallowed. “I...didn’t see any skeletons in there.” “I think you did see something in there, Aria,” Venus said, her voice growing darker. “You’re just not telling me. Well, congratulations on finding out. You must be real proud of yourself.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” “Please, Aria...guess we can’t hide it anymore. It’s time.” “Time for what?” “Time to die.” Aria froze. “Y-you’re not serious,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and weak. “N-no, please…” Venus stalked towards her, and opened the closet. She stood on her toes and pulled out a box from the upper shelf. “Our hair is naturally pink. Not that sinister, eh?” Venus chuckled as she pulled out a bottle of hair dye. “That’s why we went out. To buy some more hair dye. My roots were showing and this bottle only has enough for a small retouch. Well, see you in a bit.” Aria slumped against the closet door and sighed. Okay, so she was safe...for now. *** She sat on the couch, the events of today boiling in her mind. She had to leave, and soon. These people were crazy, right? Stalking someone with the intent of using them in a freaking dark magic ritual wasn’t cool, right? She twisted her fingers together, breathing deeply. Maybe she could go back to Ms Feather’s...they’d accept her, right? No, not after what she did to Dew Drop. She could go back to her family...no, they didn’t want her. One of the clubs? She needed to start writing down the names, formulate a plan, get out, get out of here before they — “Hey, Aria.” “Oh, h-hey, Mercury. What’s up?” He sat down next to her, knee bumping against hers. “Heard you discovered our secret.” Aria giggled nervously. “Oh yeah, the dye? Sorry about that. I won’t tell anyone.” “I’m not worried about that,” he murmured, leaning in closer. “In fact, that’s not really the secret I was talking about.” “O-oh? There’s another?” “I have...let’s say, a hunch about what you got up to this afternoon while we were gone. You say you were in our room looking at clothes, eh? You didn’t happen to...wander into any private areas of the house, did you?” There was an audible gulp. “N-no…” Aria said. “I would never. I know the rules.” Mercury leaned in closer, reaching into his pocket to pull out a slim blade. “Are you sure about that? What if I told you some very important papers were shuffled out of place? As if someone who didn’t know my organizing method was messing around in my office?” He ran the cold blade down Aria’s neck, feather light, careful not to break the skin. “And someone left my book open to a very important page?” “It could have been Venus,” Aria whispered, sweat beading on her forehead. “O-or maybe Fissure, she loves to explore, doesn’t she?” “Maybe.” He flashed her a smile. “You’ve got lovely skin. You look flushed though, like you’ve got too much blood in your body. Should we let some of it out?” Aria felt her blush leave her cheeks, turning from dark to pale in a few seconds. “Ah, all gone.” Mercury chuckled, and stood up. “Good night, Aria. Sleep well. Don’t let anything bite you.” Aria stayed on the couch, wringing her hands together. She was scared. Very, very scared. Chapter 1Aria Blaze. With the suitable requirements, a being capable of wielding unimaginable power. Strong, cunning, resilient. She sniffed hard and put one foot in front of the other. Makeup streaked her cheeks, and the hem of her dress was sodden after being dragged through the streets of Canterlot. Fierce, vicious. She gasped and fell heavily on her hands, scattering the broken shards of stone. The rough ground scraped her palms and knees, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. Unbreakable. She bent her head and looked behind, scowling at the uneven pavement that brought her to her knees. “Hey, are you okay?” A blurry figure stood in front of her, a hand stretched out. “Do you need a—” “Get away from me! I don’t need help from anyone!” She picked herself up from the floor and stalked off, leaving her broken pendant behind. The clean, tidy streets of the Upper Canterlot district were slowly dying out. Instead, mud-streaked roads and litter dotted the area. This was the Lower Canterlot district, the less refined counterpart to the Upper suburbs. Aria had never actually been here; Adagio was the only one who frequented the seedy clubs and mingled with the menagerie of strange folk. She heard rumours, of course. Stories passed on by Adagio, curled up next to her on their saggy couch, listening intently to her wild tales. “It’s filthy down there, even dirtier than this shit hole,” Adagio would say, stretching like a lazy cat. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I keep going back.” “Let me go instead,” Aria would eagerly plead. “You don’t have to go if I’m the one preparing our meals.” “It’s too dangerous,” Adagio would always, always, always say. “You wouldn’t know what to do there.” Well, here she was. She was there. And she loved it. The greasy plates and empty cans that were strewn on the streets, the people with hunched up shoulders and shifting eyes, the alleyways that housed secret doors that led to secret clubs… Aria never felt more at home than in the midst of the muck and mire. Here, she was free to do whatever she wanted! No more Adagio to hound her about safety, no more Sonata to take care of in the middle of the night, no more...no more sisters to keep her company. She dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, and leaned against a building. The cold bricks pushed into her back, poking through her thin dress. “Hey...how much?” “Excuse me?” A group of teens, not much younger than she was (well, in ‘human’ years), stood in front of her. The one who spoke had a cheeky grin on his face, with spiked hair and sly eyes. “I asked you, how much?” “How much for...what?” The other boys snickered behind their leader. “How much for one night? Do you charge extra for swallowing?” Aria stared at teen, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think I...oh. My. Fucking. God.” She lifted her hand and slapped him across the face, leaving a bright pink mark behind her. “How dare you!” She cried, new tears streaming down her face. She turned and began to run again, a small part of her already regretting her new-found freedom. She walked straight into the gaping maw of an alleyway, relishing in the darkness it provided. When she was sure that no one else was around, she huddled next to the dumpster, clinging to her shaking knees. She bowed her head and began to sob. Her sobs were loud and wretched, laden with all those years of hatred and pain that she kept inside of her. She let out all the emotion she had locked down, pouring them out in form of tears, snot, and shaking breaths. The frustration of being the middle child, the neglect she felt when Adagio ignored her, the envy that grew inside of her whenever she was left out of the spotlight. The sheer force of her anger hurt as she retched out her feelings. People would occasionally pop their heads in, curious to see what could be making such noise. They quickly lost their interest when they saw a little girl, crying her heart out. “I...I hate them,” she gasped, trying desperately to breathe. “I hate Adagio...and I hate Sonata...and I hate those boys and I hate the Rainbooms and I hate everyone in this world.” In time, her sobs ceased and she was able to relax. Her muscles tensed up whenever she heard footsteps, but she immediately loosened them when she thought they were gone. Now that she was...less hysterical, she began to think about her situation. “Okay,” Aria whispered to herself. “I need shelter...a place to stay. Sleep. New clothes. A shower. Food.” She placed a hand on her stomach, and another on her throat. “How.” She pushed herself off the floor, standing on trembling legs. Very slowly, she took her first steps out of the alleyway and continued down the street. It was dark, with the roads lit up by streetlights, casting shadows across the pavement. The town was still alive, with people choking the entrances to clubs and bars. They gave her interested stares, with roving eyes and miniscule smirks. They probably thought she was lost. Lost and afraid, like a little stray dog. “Hey.” Aria whipped around, coming face to face with a shorter girl, with stringy hair and a dusty face. “Are you homeless?” she asked, tilting her head and taking in Aria’s appearance. “Those are some nice clothes...did you get kicked out of your house or something?” “What makes you say that?” The girl shrugged. “No need to get so defensive. I’m Dew Drop. Nice to meet you…?” “...Twilight,” the Siren replied stiffly. “What do you want?” “I’m heading to ‘Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls’,” Dew said. “Do you want to come with me?” “I don’t need your pity,” Aria spat. She clenched her teeth to stop herself from screaming. “I’m not a charity case!” Dew raised her hands in a meek surrender. “I...I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just a safe house, a place to rest while you get your life back on track. Food, shelter, friends...a shower. If you don’t wanna come, then, whatever.” She pushed past Aria and continued walking. She paused, body twitching, but decided not to bother and pressed on. Aria stared at the ground, tears stinging the backs of her eyes. She had allowed her emotions to get the better of her, as usual. “Wait. Dew Drop?” She stopped. “Yes, Twilight?” Aria turned around to face the younger girl. “I would like to come with you.” A smile peeked through clumps of hair. “Follow me.” They walked together, Aria lagging behind. Her shoes were killing her, the leather straps rubbing blisters on her skin. She sighed and bent down, hooking her finger into the back of her shoe and pulling it off. The shock of cool air stung the sore skin, and the pavement was filthy with who knows what, but the instant relief was totally worth it. “That’s the idea!” Dew Drop laughed. “You get used to bare feet in time.” She didn’t want to get used to this. “Are we there yet?” She asked, swinging her heels in one hand. “We’ve been walking for, like, a year.” “We’re here.” The building was squat, with peeling plaster and scraggly weeds in the front garden. “Wow. What a great place,” Aria scoffed. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” scolded Dew Drop, frowning slightly. “This place is the home to many young girls like me and you. If you’re not pleased with it, then you can leave.” “No. No, whatever. It’s fine.” Dew Drop knocked on the door, bits of paint flaking off from the impact. “Coming!” came a faint reply. The door opened. “Dew Drop, how nice to see you!” A tall, very fair woman greeted them. She was dressed all in cream, with her white hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes were eerie — the same pale gray as her skin. “And you’ve brought a friend!” “My name is...Twilight. I’m...new here.” Aria bit her lip, praying that Twilight Sparkle had never visited this part of town. “Can I...stay here for tonight?” “Of course you can. Please, come in.” Ms. Feather stepped back and let the two girls in. Aria inhaled deeply, relishing the delicious warmth that enveloped her. She stood on a plush carpet, wriggling her bruised toes in the wool. “Dinner is starting soon. Dew, you know what to do. Twilight, let me show you to your room.” The air was filled with the chatter of girls. Aria watched as two toddlers stumbled about, their young mother frantically trying to catch them. Another girl — dark and brooding — sat in a wheelchair, while her friend combed her hair and nattered about their plans for the future. “We always keep a few rooms open in case we get a new girl,” Ms. Feather explained. Her voice was light and breathy, and really bugged Aria for some reason. They walked past a closed door, where they could hear sobbing. “That’s poor Sparrow,” Ms. Feather whispered. “Not her real name, we call her that because she’s just so small. Never lets anyone see her, never lets anyone help her. She comes in and cries for hours, then just leaves. What I would give to take care of her. Ah, here’s your room.” The woman pushed the door, revealing a sagging bed, and whitewashed walls. The lights flickered on, turning the whole room a dingy yellow. “The bathroom is just down the hall, there are fresh towels in the cupboard near the showers. You’ll find a robe and some...necessities in your drawers, right there.” She pointed to the chest on the other side of the room. “As I said, dinner starts soon. Get cracking, chicky.” She left, her own robe flying behind her. Aria jiggled the knob open, peering into the drawers. Every article of clothing was either white or beige. She found a soft cotton bra and underwear set, along with pale shorts and a tank top. She grabbed them and walked towards the bathrooms. The showers had hairs draped on the walls, and bits of mold gathering in the corners. Aria spread a smaller towel on the floor of one of the showers, clenching her toes together. The water was lukewarm, but rejuvenated her as it washed away the dust and dried tears that had settled on her face. She scrubbed herself hard, turning her delicate pink skin an angry magenta. Once washed and dried, she put on her clothes, and slipped her feet into squishy slippers. Her dress lay crumpled on the floor, ripped and filthy. Aria scooped it up, remembering the excitement she felt when she first tried it on. Long, flowing skirt, a velvety corset; It was the perfect dress for her. She stuffed it in the garbage on her way to the dinner hall. Long tables lined the hall, teeming with girls and women of all ages and sizes. Bowls filled with rice and stew were being handed out by Ms. Feather herself, standing behind a counter. “Twilight! Over here!” Aria turned to the girl who called her. Dew was sitting at a table by herself, guarding two bowls of stew. She stomped over and plopped on the bench, silently accepting the meal. She dug her spoon it and sniffed, her mouth watering. The rice was brown and soft, the meat tender, and the sauce savory. “I’m so glad we made it for Stew Night,” Dew mumbled, sticking spoonful after spoonful in her mouth. “You clean up nice, Twilight.” Aria nodded, mouth full. “Not as nice as you, Dew.” A shower helped show Dew’s natural brightness. Her hair was a light cyan and no longer greasy, and her skin a pastel green. She blushed, her cheeks turning dark. “Thanks,” she replied. “So,” she began, “What’s your story?” Aria slowed down, twirling her spoon in the grains. “I don’t have a story.” “Come on,” Dew pushed. “Tell me what happened to you!” She sighed, and didn’t say anything. “Twilight,” Dew whined. “You can’t show up looking like a bedraggled pop star and not tell me what happened! Are you a party animal, staying up ‘till the break of dawn, spending Mommy and Daddy’s money all night? Is this a punishment?” “I was betrayed, okay?” She snapped. “I was fighting alongside my sisters, and just when I thought we were going to win, we lost. We were badly hurt, and I was angry. My sisters let me leave without a second thought. I lost everything in the span of a few hours. Is that what you wanted to hear?” That shut her up. They finished their meal in silence. “My mother died when I was young,” Dew suddenly said. “My father was so distraught, he couldn’t take care of me anymore. He tried, but…” She lifted a finger and wiped the corner of her eye. “He eventually took his own life. I’ve been on my own ever since. Ms. Feather saved me.” Aria said nothing. “She helped me. She said I was free to live here forever, and help out with the other girls, but I didn’t want to be tied down. I like to wander. Her home is open to any girl.” Aria pressed her lips together. “She accepts everyone. She’s so nice and calm, and she cares about every—” “Why don’t you marry her if you think she’s so great?” Aria snapped, cringing at her lame insult. Not my best, she thought to herself. Dew stared at Aria with her big blue eyes, and stood up. She grabbed their empty bowls and took them to the counter, then walked off to her room without a glance back. Aria followed suit, and gently closed the door to her room. She slipped into bed, grateful that they were cool and soft. The pillow was so squishy...the sheets so heavy and warm...She felt her eyelids closing slowly. Her head was filled with muddled scenes of the day. Bright lights danced around, and faces melted into one another. What was she going to do now? Would she stay? Leave? She couldn’t keep thinking about it, she was so tired. She closed her eyes and sighed, surrendering herself to the dark embrace of slumber.
Chapter 2The curtains in Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls don’t fucking work. A slip of sunlight found its way upon Aria’s eyes, burning through her eyelids and waking her up. She yawned and stretched, her feet still tender from the previous day. She relaxed, her joints aching with pleasure. Memories from last night began to hound her once more, now that she was awake. She saw her sisters in everything. A girl with massive curls turned into Adagio, the toothpaste she was provided with was the same color as Sonata’s hair… She didn’t bother changing out of her sleeping clothes, opting to just throw her robe on her body and get some breakfast. She was able to eat physical food to sustain some strength, which was fine, but she could feel her magic reserves decreasing. She need a meal — a real meal. Standing in line to get a plate of milky scrambled eggs and pale bacon allowed Aria some time to observe her surroundings. Most of the girls here were as young as she looked, with wide eyes and distant dreams. Some of the women were old; their hands were shaking but their smiles were strong. All the women in this house helped one another with whatever they could, sharing stories about their pasts and comforting those still haunted by the memories. She had to get out of here. She spotted Dew Drop at a table alone, drinking nothing but a large cup of hot chocolate. “Hey,” Aria said, placing her tray on the table. “Good morning.” Dew Drop slowly lifted her eyes towards Aria’s face, stared for a moment, before her gaze dropped back down to her mug. “Hey.” Aria swallowed a mouthful of eggs. “Where do you go when you’re not here?” Dew shrugged. “Around.” “Anywhere cool?” Aria asked. “Do you go to clubs, or secret parties? Get hammered and party until it’s time to go home?” “No.” Dew suddenly stood up. “See ya,” she muttered, leaving Aria all alone. “Psh, whatever,” Aria seethed to herself. “I didn’t wanna be your friend anyways.” What little flavour her meal had before was gone now. The eggs were too slithery, the bacon too chewy. She wanted to get out. The first thing she needed was a new outfit. She couldn’t just saunter out in her thin top and shorts, could she? “Dew Drop, my lovely little dear, I’ve got a surprise for you!” Ms. Feather’s light voice carried its way to Aria’s ears. “A friend of mine is quite skilled with fabric, and I wanted to show my appreciation for you...oh, open it and see for yourself.” Aria twisted her head slightly to watch Ms. Feather hand Dew a paper bag. The young girl dipped her hand inside and pulled out a patterned sweater dress. “Oh, Ms. Feather, it’s beautiful!” she cried, wrapping her arms around the older woman. “I’m gonna put it in my room and try it on later, is that okay?” Aria’s eyes followed the girl, and before she knew it, her feet were following as well. Dew’s room was not too far from Aria’s. She pretended to fiddle with her own door knob, waiting for Dew to come back out. As Drew walked past her, Aria opened her own door and stepped inside. Leaning back, she bided her time once more until Dew’s shiny hair had disappeared. There was no time to waste. Aria casually walked to Dew’s room, and pushed the door open. Huh. Her room was a lot nicer than Aria’s. So unfair. She picked up the dress that was laying on the bed, and held it against her body. The shape was nice, fit for a slender girl...like her. The pattern was a mix of pastel shades, pink and blue and white dots. Perfect. She slipped out of her own clothes and put the dress on. Perfect. Oh, and she needed some shoes as well. A rummage through the closet rewarded her with a pair of slip on sneakers. Perfect. She turned to leave the room. Oh, wait! She smiled and gently slapped her forehead. How was she going to survive the outside world without any money? With Dew’s purse slung on her shoulder, full of Dew’s measly savings, Aria sauntered into the hall, Dew’s dress snug on her body, Dew’s shoes making thwacking noises on the thin carpet. No one paid too much attention to her retreating figure, and thankfully, Dew was nowhere to be found. She stepped onto the pavement, the morning breeze ruffling her hair. Which way to go? She looked left and right. Well, she came from the left, so let’s continue forward. Without a single glance back, she bid Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls farewell. During the day, the Lower Canterlot District is just as hectic as it is during the night. Cars blared their horns, belching smoke from their exhaust pipes. Vendors on the street hassled her, selling frozen treats, sandwiches, sunglasses, tiny key chains, homemade jewelry, and pirated movies in plastic sleeves. Aria stopped to buy a soggy hot dog, piled with caramelized onions and pink sauce. She ate it slowly, careful not to spill anything on her new dress. Now that she was fed and happy, she began to ponder about her future. Aria was always a party animal. She loved the nightlife, the gritty underground scene. When she and her sisters still lived in Equestria, she would always wander off to the shore and watch as the ponies and other Sirens reveled in song and laughter. The night would always be lit up with paper lanterns and will-o-wisps, and they would be merry until Celestia’s sun came up. But after being banished to the human world, Aria’s craving for adrenaline and fun grew more intense. Humans found so many ways to have fun! Colorful drinks that tasted of fruits and sparkles, tiny pills and vials of powder, dark rooms and bright lights and sweat and blood...Aria wanted to taste it all. That would have to wait until nighttime, though. It wasn’t even noon yet. She began to walk. Maybe she could go on a shopping spree! No, Dew didn’t have a lot of money, and Aria knew that it wouldn’t be wise to spend it all on clothes. She drifted in and out of stores, determined to at least pretend she was on a shopping spree. She tried on new dresses, razor sharp heels, dozens of different lipsticks and eye-shadows, and permitted herself to buy just one tiny bottle of cheap perfume. It smelled musky and thick, dark and enticing. Just like me, she thought smugly to herself. She sat in an empty cafe, sipping at a small cup of tea. While Adagio drank coffee and Sonata preferred fizzy sodas, Aria was always a tea girl. This tea was thin and bitter, though. Just like me, she thought angrily to herself. Every time her dress came into her field of view, she felt a harsh pang of guilt. It was quickly diminished when she remembered that she wasn’t doing it out of spite; she had to survive. And if that meant one little girl would lose her pretty dress, Aria was okay with it. At least she didn’t kill the girl. Aria waited in that cafe until the sun slowly sank behind the buildings, and the sky turned from blue to pink to red. The velvet ropes would be coming out soon, as well as the people, crawling their way through the streets like termites emerging from rotting wood. The bustling sounds of work were replaced with the bustling sounds of the night owls, ready to play. Aria threw some loose change onto the table and stood up, discreetly following a crowd of girls. They had big hair, short skirts, and shiny skin. They moved with the sort of confidence that came with the knowledge of one’s beauty, grace, and power. I remember walking like that, thought Aria, watching as they swayed towards a writhing line of people. She made her way to stand at the end of the line, watching the girls head straight to the entrance of the club, say their names, and enter. A name was clearly what she needed to get into this place. Every time the door opened, she could hear snatches of loud dance music, pounding gently. The line moved slowly, as other patrons argued with the bouncer. The gears in her mind turned non-stop, trying to figure out a way to be let in. A name, a name. She wondered if Twilight would work — probably not. Her heart began beating faster as she approached the front of the line. “Name?” the bouncer asked, eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. She swallowed hard. “T-Twilight Sparkle...the Third.” “The Third?” His eyebrow cocked up. “Yes. I come from a long line of...Sparkles. I’m practically royalty.” She flipped her hair to really sell it. He glanced at the list for a second. “Not on the list. And I’ve never heard of you Sparkles before. Get out of line.” He reached out and pushed her, not ungently. “You’ll pay for that!” she cried, stomping away. She sighed. It was never going to work anyways. The streets were growing more and more crowded by the second. Aria decided to keep trying, stopping at every club she could find. It was the same story with each one, though: her name was not on the list. “This sucks,” she grumbled, turning away from the door. “What happened to just letting people in?” She glared at the other party-goers, envious of their carefree lives. Why wasn’t she let into those places? She turned a corner and found herself on another street of bars and clubs — except these places didn’t have velvet ropes or bouncers. She turned to the first one she saw, and knocked on the closed door; the sign said they were open. A clang was heard, and a pair of eyes appeared through the metal slit in the door. “Name?” they asked. Aria thought for a second. She had been using the wrong name all this time. “Adagio Dazzle.” She heard a soft gasp, murmurs, the ‘hmm’s of approval. “The Adagio Dazzle?” they asked, excitement rearing in their voice. “Is there another one?” Aria scoffed, her brittle smile about to come undone. The eyes vanished, leaving a metallic crash floating in the air. Locks were opened and the door yawned, revealing a dark hallway. “We’ve heard so much about you,” the person whispered. “You haven’t been before, we’re so honored!” “It’s my pleasure,” Aria replied, suddenly feeling nauseous. This was it. This was the kind of place that Adagio would frequent, the places she told Aria to never ever visit. She walked towards the end of the hall, green light spilling onto the floor in front of her. A beaded curtain hung in the doorway, and pushing it aside created a small symphony of clinking beads. The room looked hazy from the smoke hanging near the ceiling. People lounged about on chairs, sofas, and each other, eyes glazed and mouths split into smiles. Music was thumping through the speakers — loud, grainy, and dark. A small stage sat in the center of the room, holding a microphone in place. “Wow,” Aria gasped to herself. This was weird, like totally weird. But she liked it, somehow. It had a calming effect on her. “Hey there. Would you like a drink?” Someone had come up from behind her. He was a smiling, handsome young man, but his pallor looked sickly in the jade lights. “Sure. I’m Adagio Dazzle.” Aria batted her eyelashes. This was going to be fun. “Really? Well, welcome to our little piece of heaven. I’m Ocean Beat.” He handed her a drink and steered her towards the bar. “Thank you for gracing us with your presence.” Aria smiled and took a sip. It was bitter, but she gradually got used to the taste. “Well, I’m a busy girl. You know, so busy these days. Nice place.” “Yeah, I come here every week,” he replied. “So, you gonna sing for us tonight?” Aria sputtered, her drink dribbling out of her nostrils. “Mm?” she coughed. “Yeah, we’ve been waiting for you to sing at this club ever since you got such good reviews down at ‘Mysteria’. Will you be performing tonight?” “Um...my...throat’s kinda sore today…” “Aw, that’s not fair. I was really looking forwards to it, Adagio.” “Wait, Adagio?” “Is that Adagio Dazzle?” “Is she singing for us? Oh my gosh, she is, isn’t she!” Aria was surrounded by eager patrons, all hounding her with song requests and pleads. “Enough!” she snapped. “Fine, I’ll...sing. Yay.” She was quickly ushered to the stage, and gripped the microphone hard. Her mouth was filled with sour spit, which she tried to swallow. “H-hello, my name is Adagio Dazzle and I’ll be singing for you...no music? Okay. Okay. “Welcome to the show… I’m here to let you know… M-my time is now… Your time is running out…” Aria cringed at the sound of her voice — thin, flat, and shaking like a leaf. The crowd exchanged looks of confusion and disappointment. “That’s not what Adagio sounds like,” a young girl piped up. “I don’t even think that’s Adagio!” “Imposter!” “Get off the stage!” The crowd went wild with ‘boos’ and insults. Aria’s cheeks caught on fire, and her hands began to tremble. “Shut up!” she squeaked into the mic. “Shut up!” The jeers grew louder. Their faces loomed above her, dark eyes and gaping mouths. They screamed, they laughed, their expressions twisted into monsters. They hated her. They hated her, but they loved Adagio, Adagio the leader, the main attraction, and they hated Aria, weak, scared, bad, bad, bad, useless, they’re screaming, I’m screaming… “Enough!” she shrieked, grinding her teeth together. She felt a crackle of electricity run through her. “You want to Adagio to sing for you? Do you even know what she would have done to you?” She exhaled angrily through her nose, fighting to keep tears from falling. “You wanna know? I’ll show you!” She brought the microphone closer to her lips and hummed softly, closing her eyes. She swayed to her own melody, alternating between the different notes and repeating the same line over and over again. Her fingers trailed lazily in front of her, dancing to their own accord. “Bitch!” A man yelled, turning to a girl next to him and punching her in the face. She yelped, falling to her knees and cradling her stinging cheek. “Fuck you,” she snarled, leaping up at him, using her nails to gouge trenches in his cheek. More and more people began to fight; kicks were thrown around, friends that had come together were screaming and hollering at each other, eager to hurt and maim whoever they could. Aria didn’t notice. She just kept humming, enjoying the pleasant murmur of her voice. She inhaled deeply, a small smile on her face. Her melody sounded so...peaceful... It was strange, hypnotizing...Just like me. *** “Look at them fight, Sister.” Everyone in the club had begun punching each other, as if they were being manipulated by someone. Seconds ago, they had been booing the girl on stage — now they were spilling their own blood. He moved to the side as soon as two men fell onto their table, breaking the flimsy furniture. “Indeed, Brother. But I’m looking at someone else right now.” The purple girl stood on stage, her arm outstretched, fingers moving lazily in the air. Tendrils of green magic twisted their way out of the audience, snaking around her fingers, up her arm, and into her throat. She was smiling, this girl. She knew what she was doing. “How exciting,” he murmured. “How much longer should we wait?” she asked, tilting her head towards her brother. “Let her enjoy herself. We need to see how strong she can get.” “Of course. I simply can’t wait to talk to her.”
Chapter 3The spotlight always lingered a few steps away from Aria. Instead, it would hover on Adagio, with her confident voice, swaying movements and oodles of charisma. If the number called for it, Aria would get a few fleeting seconds of fame, her voice adding to the richness of her sister's. She didn't mind that much. Scratch that; she never let her sisters see how much she minded. She knew that it was for their own good. Adagio knows best. Adagio won't let you down. With eyes closed, Aria moved her body in a slow, sensual motion. She played with tendrils of her hair as she continued crooning into the microphone, relishing in the magic emanating from her audience. This is where she was meant to be, not in the background like a secondary character. She was deaf to the cries and screams of the brawling boys and girls below her. They were below her. She was an angel of arias, a soul sucking soulful saint, a musical magician… A true Siren. She opened her eyes, lidded with pleasure, and gazed at her adoring fans. Her stare swung from person to person, landing on two strange figures in the back. They stood close together, drinks in hand, casually surveying the scene around them. Even from here, she could make out their glowing pendants, sending a pang of wistfulness for the weight on her throat. She was singing, right? She glanced at the microphone in her hand and heard the melody she was making. So why weren't they being affected? As her brow furrowed in confusion, the two figures began to move. They split up, weaving their way through the crowd, gradually approaching the stage from opposite directions. They were cornering her. Aria continued, not willing to give up the focus on her so easily. Maybe they were just going backstage; they didn't want anything to do with her. Then why were they getting closer, intent eyes glued to her? Bzzzt. Aria lost her voice. Or rather, someone had disconnected her microphone, silencing her. "What the hell?" she snapped, whipping around to find a slender girl smiling at her, aux cord in hand. "In a few minutes, your spell is going to break," the stranger warned, her voice soft and sweet. "I suggest you get off that stage and follow us." Aria felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we won't harm you," purred a male voice. "We want to protect you. Now, go on." Aria glanced longingly at the microphone, at the stage, at the bright lights. The darkness she had brought to this club was evaporating, and the partygoers were regaining their senses. "Now," urged the girl. Aria dropped the mic and scurried off, staying close the strange girl. "Where are we going?" she asked. "To the back of the club. It’s safe," the girl replied. She looked back and gave Aria a gentle smile. "Who are you?" The girl's smile widened. "Your biggest fans." *** Aria smiled gratefully, wrapping her hands around the glass of water. She took a sip, and took that time to drink in her new friends. First, they were twins. They shared the same height, the same willowy figure, the same large eyes. Inky black hair hung in front of their faces, casting shadows on their steely chrome skin. The girl called herself Venus. The boy called himself Mercury. They were...weird. “So,” Aria broke the silence between them, “What do you want with me?” Venus chuckled, causing Aria to raise an eyebrow. “Sorry, I’m just so excited to be near you. You see, my brother and I are very...interested in the world’s unknowns. Supernatural phenomenons, miracles, magical anomalies…” “We’ve become quite attuned with exposing magical strains in our little dimension,” Mercury spoke up. “We’re of sort the resident magical experts. So, when you were performing tonight...well…” “Naturally, we were intrigued by you! It was such an honor to be experiencing such strong magic up close!” Aria raised a hand. “But you weren’t affected by my magic. Neither of you were fighting.” Venus giggled again. It was becoming a little annoying. “Well, we wouldn’t have ventured out without a few protective spells,” she tittered. “We may be hedge witches, but we’re not stupid.” “Hedge witches?” “We weren’t born with magic,” Mercury explained. “We had to grab it with our own hands and force it to bend to our will.” “That sounds...violent. Wait, so, humans know about magic? Adagio said we had to keep magic to ourselves because it would cause a huge panic!” “Not everyone knows about magic,” answered Mercury. “The majority of people here don’t believe in that. That is, until that little fiasco at Canterlot High. More and more people started hearing about that giant demon, but magic is still a fantasy to most people. Some of us, the ones who live on the cusp of the impossible, we know there’s something more out there. For example, how did you make a whole club of people beat one another up?” Aria’s gaze dropped. “W-well, that was…” “Magic. Exactly.” “Okay, yes, that was magic. So what do you want with me?” “When people are faced with a question, they will do whatever it takes to get an answer,” Mercury continued, ignoring Aria’s question. “After photos and videos emerged on the internet of the event at Canterlot High, people got curious. What is this, they asked. Will it happen again? The internet can only tell you so much about what it doesn’t know. That’s where we come in.” “When people started to wonder, we reached out to help answer some questions,” Venus began. “Some people were satisfied with the answer, laughed it off even and complimented the CGI in the video. But others, others like my brother and I, weren’t satisfied with one answer, and demanded more. That’s when we decided to form our little...club. A safe place where people can freely discuss the possibilities of magic and...perhaps learn to tame it in a practical and cautious manner.” “But alas, there is only so much we as mortals can do,” sighed Mercury, a forlorn expression settling on his features. “We’re just ordinary flesh and blood.” “But you!” Venus’s eyes lit up with perverse excitement. “You’re something more than that, aren’t you? That magic you were using, it was powerful, we felt it!” “That’s why…” “That’s why…” Mercury and Venus stood in front of Aria, grasping each other’s hands tightly, their free arms extending towards Aria. “We want you to join our club,” they said simultaneously. Aria stared at them, and slowly placed a hand in each open palm. “You want...me?” “Of course,” Mercury gushed, pulling Aria in a standing position. “You...are the epitome of what we are trying to achieve. Power.” “Strength!” “The ability to wield magic as effortlessly as you.” “Control over the weaker mind!” “What do you say?” Mercury pulled her closer, gazing intently at the trembling Siren. “Would you join my sister and I on our quest to gain magic?” This is crazy, Aria thought. Adagio always said to stay away from humans looking to use magic. She said that there was no way a human could learn how to, anyways. But these guys weren’t affected by my magic, so surely they must know some magic, otherwise how would they have protected themselves against my magic? Anyways, Adagio didn’t want me to mingle with these people, she said they were crazy, that they were unsafe. “Yes,” Aria replied, surprising herself. “I...I don’t know much I can teach you, but I’ll try.” The twins let out peals of mirth. “How fantastic!” Venus cried, enveloping her brother and Aria in a hug. “This is going to be so much fun!” “My sister and I are eager students,” Mercury murmured, smiling at his sister’s excitement. “We have every confidence that you’ll be a wonderful teacher.” Aria’s own smile was strained. “Thanks.” *** Venus flicked the switch, bathing the room in a dingy white. “Home sweet home,” she said, ushering Aria indoors. Aria took a careful step, eyes wandering over her new living quarters. “This is the dining room, that’s the kitchen. Down the hallway is the bathroom, and to the left are the bedrooms.” “How many people live here?” Aria asked, wrinkling her nose at the mouldering dishes in the sink. “We’re a small and selective group. Currently, we have fourteen members in total, but only five of us live here. That’s me, my brother, Dusky Haze, Fissure, and Summer Spice. Six, now that you’re here.” “You’ll be sharing a room with everyone,” Mercury interjected, reaching into the fridge and grabbing an almost empty bottle of water. “My sister and I share a room alone. Leadership perks.” “I don’t want to share a room with three others,” Aria muttered, crossing her arms. “Doesn’t having powerful magic mean I get a room to myself?” Venus tsked, waggling a finger. “You have to contribute to the team and prove you are a valuable asset to us before you can get rewards.” She knocked on the first door on the left. “Hey, everyone! We’ve got a new member we want you to meet!” The door opened, and out stalked the remaining members. “Aria, meet your new family!” “Hello,” the shortest one said. He had long green locks of hair, and his brown skin was speckled with light green freckles. He extended a friendly hand. Aria took it, internally gagging at the sight of his missing fingers. “Well met,” one of the girls murmured. It had to be Summer Spice, with her fiery crimson hair and golden skin. “We needed some fresh blood here.” The last one, Fissure, hid behind soft layers of dark brown hair. She peeked at the newcomer, exposing the scars on her face, dark against the baby blue skin. Aria nodded at her, a silent greeting. Fissure nodded back, her gaze casting downwards. “Well” — Venus clapped her hands — “Everyone, Aria here is very special. She has shown us some wonderfully intense magic, and we are pleased to announce that she will be teaching us how to use it!” “However,” Mercury said, “Since we aren’t too sure what kind of magic it is, she will only be teaching my sister and I. We will pass down the knowledge once we are ready.” The trio nodded sagely, accepting what was said. “Why don’t you three show Aria where she can put her stuff?” Mercury asked. “Sure,” Dusky Haze piped, wrapping his fingers around Aria’s wrist and pulling. “You’re gonna love it here!” Aria gasped when she entered the bedroom. The floor was filthy, with takeout cartons and tissues scattered around the place. The walls were caked with mold, and a foul stench burned her eyes. There were no beds; instead, thin mattress draped with holey sheets were the only options. A dresser stood in the back, with a few scant possessions on the top. Aria counted three empty bottles with no labels, a bowl of...something, and what appeared to be small bones. “You can sleep there,” Summer Spice said, pointing to a dark corner. “But honestly, we share beds and sheets and everything else. Be warned, Fissure wets the bed sometimes.” “Only when I’m nervous,” Fissure whispered. “Which is usually always,” she mouthed. Aria snorted in disgust. “You really expect me to put with this?” she snapped, turning to face Venus, who was watching from the doorway. “This is a joke, right?” “Whatever do you mean?” Venus asked, the slightest hint of a smile on her lips. “The most important thing right now is that you have a place to sleep, and friends to hang with. My brother and I will be waiting in the dining room for our first lesson.” “You want a lesson now?” Aria was already growing sick of this gang. “I...I don’t know if I have the strength to do any strong magic right now. Can I get something to eat first?” The meal at the club filled her magic reserves well, but Aria had always liked eating physical food from time to time. Venus made a small sound. “I’ll see if we have any food.” She hopped away. “You don’t like it here?” asked Dusky. “Am I the only one with working senses here?” Aria growled, throwing her hands out. “Look at this place! It’s disgusting!” “It’s our home,” snapped Summer, eyes narrowing. “If you don’t like, leave.” “You can’t leave,” Dusky protested. “You just got here!” “You smell like you’re powerful,” whispered Fissure, discreetly sniffing Aria’s arm. “Don’t come near me,” Aria seethed, running out of the room. She watched Venus opening and closing all the cabinets in the kitchen, a blank look on the leader’s face. “Well? Got any food?” “Hmm, not at the moment,” Venus replied. “As usual. We’ll get something tomorrow.” She turned to face Aria. “If you’re really tired, you should go to sleep now. We’ll talk more in the morning.” She left Aria alone in the kitchen. “I’m literally going to have a stroke,” Aria said to herself. She sighed, and walked back to her new room. Her roommates were already in bed, muttering to one another about their plans for the next day. Aria silently removed her shoes, toes curling inwards in fear. She didn’t have any night clothes, so she stayed in Dew’s dress. A stray thread peeked out from under the hem; she picked it until it came loose. It was a white strand, soft to the touch. She twirled it around her little finger and tied it securely, as if it was a little ring. Holding back tears, she fell into a fitful sleep. Author's Note ¯\_ツ_/¯ everyone waited so long and this is what you got lmao did u know ive eaten mcdonalds every week
Chapter 4Aria felt a weight on her chest. “Wha…?” she mumbled, before letting out an enraged shriek. Fissure yawned loudly, adjusting her grip to Aria’s torso. “Why are you yelling?” she muttered. “Get off!” Fissure leapt up and ran towards her own corner, eyes wide with fear. “Sorry,” she whispered. “You were muttering in your sleep and thought you needed some comfort.” “If you ever touch me like that, in my sleep nonetheless, I’ll make sure you never have the means to touch anything else ever again!” “Can you calm down?” Summer spoke up, rolling over to stare at the girls. “Fissure isn’t that great with personal space, and your whimpering was annoying everyone.” “What time is it?” Aria asked, looking around for a clock. There wasn’t one, of course, since standard pieces of useful technology were clearly forbidden here. “Look out the window.” Summer rolled over and went back to sleep. Aria sighed and stood up. Her dress was all bunched up at the hips, and she felt a crust of drool on her chin. She hadn’t seen any windows in this house when she came in. Her mouth felt dry; she needed a glass of water. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Aria tiptoed to the kitchen. The neon blue clock on the oven told her it was currently 09:39, which was obviously wrong. She hunted for a clean glass, and was more or less successful – as long as she didn’t put her mouth near the strange lip imprint. As she gulped down lukewarm tap water, she walked towards the front door. Opening it revealed the first few signs of dawn. The sky was still dim, and she could make out a few stars here and there, but the edge of the horizon was turning red, signalling the rising sun. Grrrrrrr. Aria placed a hand on her stomach. “Soon,” she mouthed. She’d get some grub in a while. After all, breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Surely her roommates would agree and then the leaders would go shopping and get some, like, chips or something. She sat on the sagging couch to the side of the dining room and waited for the rest of her world to wake up. She heard someone shuffling to the bathroom, and the sound of running water. Hushed murmurs ensued, and the twins stepped out of their room. “Good morning,” chirped Venus, rushing over to give Aria a quick peck on the cheek. “My brother and I could barely sleep from excitement!” “Hmm? Oh, yeah, the lessons…” “You don’t seem to be so confident,” Mercury observed. “I’m just really hungry. Like, what do you do for meals here?” “Well, we don’t usually eat breakfast. Or lunch. My brother and I, we’re trying to watch our figures.” Venus giggled. “Also, a spell we’re working on forbids any consumption.” “But the others still eat every day,” Mercury said. “Sometimes they’ll beg, or other times, they scrounge in the dumpsters nearby.” “But we usually steal.” Summer appeared before them, scratching her scalp. “We stop by the corner shops and pinch a bag of peanuts, some gum, whatever we can get. Fissure doesn’t risk it, so Dusky and I are the main providers. You a filcher?” Aria shook her head. “I might have stolen once or twice when my sisters and I were tight on money, but Adagio always made sure that we never wanted too badly.” Her stomach growled once more. “But I’m willing to try anything to get something right now.” “It’s too early for that,” Summer noted. “We’ll have to wait for the mid-morning rush hour.” “In the meantime, perhaps we can show you around,” offered Mercury. “Venus already gave me a great tour, thanks.” “No, not of the house. Of what we do. Wait here.” He walked off to his room, and came back with an armful of papers, folders, and scrolls. “This is what we’ve collected so far,” he explained. “We might have...borrowed a few pages from various locations, but I have a gut feeling that everything written on these papers is real. I would like some confirmation though. Could you read these with me and see if I’m right?” Aria plucked a loose page and inspected it. It was filled to the brim with strange symbols; Aria spotted a crying eye and a mass of shoddily drawn birds. Words like “augury” and “eating patterns of chickens” jumped out at her. “Wow,” she said, leafing through the other similar pages. “These look legit. I mean, the only magic I’ve really been exposed to is...Siren magic, and Equestrian magic.” “Equestrian magic?” Mercury asked. “I don’t believe I’ve heard of that. Do elaborate.” “Well, as you probably know, I’m not a...regular mortal.” She took a deep breath. “I’m a Siren.” Mercury stared at her. “Well, that’s cool. And obvious. Music spell-casting, your beauty, mind control...I’m ashamed I didn’t recognize the signs sooner.” “Yeah, well, I obviously don’t look like one since my magic reserves are a bit empty, and showing my true form is a huge pain, but I am. Equestria is this other dimension. My sisters and I were born there, and we...did some things that got us banished for all eternity. We ended up here.” “Interesting,” Mercury mused. “Tell me more about your magic. The Siren’s magic.” “My voice is my primary weapon. We had these pendants…” Fluttering fingers once more touched the base of her throat. “Like yours. They would absorb the negative energy we bring out with our voices. The energy served as our food, but it’s usually never enough. I have to ‘feed’ at least once every two days, but I can sustain my strength on physical food. Which is why I really need a fucking burger right now or something.” “So how did you absorb magic with that pendant?” “I don’t know.” “You were being booed off the stage when your singing was going downhill, and then something seemed to snap. What was it?” “I was angry? Hurt?” Aria waved her arms in the air, trying to her best to describe the slew of emotions she had encountered that night. “Everyone was expecting the queen herself, but they got me instead. And I was already worn out from that awful fight…” “What fight?” “Um...see, a few nights ago...you know Canterlot High? Yeah, these six girls...kinda powerful. They defeated the demon there. There was a battle...and...my sisters and I lost. Badly. I might have lost that special Siren touch, but I don’t know if I got it back.” Mercury nodded, pursing his lips. She hadn’t noticed him taking notes on a plain piece of paper. “I see. And, you haven’t been able to tap into this magic until you were overcome with such emotion?” Aria shrugged. “I only tried recently. I have no idea if I can do it again, especially without my pendant.” “Intense...emotions…” he murmured, noting it down. “So, say that you were overwhelmed with negative emotions right now. Would you be able to cast a spell on me?” Aria shrugged once more. All the questions were making it sound like an interview and she was super hungry. “I don’t know, dude. Haven’t you been listening?” “What about positive emotions?” “I don’t know,” she snapped, standing up. “I need a break from this. I need some food!” she shouted, stalking off to the bathroom. She splashed some cold water on her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her lips were cracked, and her hair was a mess of tangles. Plus, she smelled. “Wonderful. Hey, Summer?” she called out. “Um, you know how you told me everyone shares everything here?” “Yes?” Summer replied, poking her head out of their room. “Got any clothes that fit me?” Summer hummed, and turned to search through the drawers. “Here,” she said, shoving a bundle of clothes towards Aria. “These should fit you.” Aria shook the clothes out and inspected them with a close eye. It was a shirt and short combination; the top was a flimsy white strappy thing, and the shorts were black denim. They seemed clean. She sniffed them. Cigarette smoke. “I’m taking a shower,” she notified anyone who was listening. She felt calmer and cleaner after a few minutes of watery solitude. She wrung her hair out and brushed it with her fingers, wishing for a bottle of detangling mousse. The clothes did fit her, and nicely too. She had to squirm back into her old underwear, though, but besides that, she felt like a new girl. “So, is it gonna be brunch? ‘Cuz I think we missed the breakfast train.” Aria sat down on the couch, looking at everyone’s face in succession. “Yeah, I’m feeling peckish,” Dusky commented. “Where should we pay a visit?” “I’ve seen that restaurant four blocks from here, um, Aunt Josie’s, throwing out some perfectly good buns and sausages,” Summer responded. “Bet their mornings are full of people biting off more than they can chew.” “Alright, Summer and Aria, you two go there,” Venus ordered. “Dusky, Fissure, we have some materials that we need you to gather. Sadly, these need to be bought. Here’s a list…” “Stick with me, kid,” Summer said. She gestured to Aria to follow her and they both exited the house. The street they were on was lined with similar looking buildings, along with a few corner shops. “This way.” Aria followed the taller girl, taking two steps for every one Summer took. “So how’d you get mixed with the twins?” Aria asked. “I’ve always been fascinated by alchemy. I got fired from my last job as a line cook because I was ‘contaminating’ the dishes. All I did was add a few extra herbs. I guess I should have realized a plant called snakeshead was poisonous, but, whatever. Anyways, I made my money selling little bags of ‘summer spice’, as I like to call them. Got people real high, but was just a mix of some special berries and whatnot. They found me, said my craft was magic, and now I can experiment all I want with the fancy shit they give me.” “Cool.” They walked towards the restaurant in a comfortable silence. “Alright, so, just walk up the alley and wait for a bit. Get people to look at you, see you’re not a threat, and move on. Wait until we’re invisible, then I’ll search the dumpster while you keep an ear at that door. If anyone comes out and sees us, they’ll run us out. Dumpster diving isn’t illegal here, but no one wants to have their trash messed with, for some reason. Ready?” Aria casually stood by the door, pretending she was waiting for a friend to come by. Summer carefully lifted the dumpster lid, and began rooting inside. “Gross, gross, ooh, that looks good! Take that, and that...that’s...mmm...Aria, come take this.” Aria scampered over and scrunched her nose up as the smell of garbage hit her. “Eugh, hurry up!” Summer chuckled and handed her a plastic bag, now stuffed with cold sausages, damp waffles, and an assortment of other breakfast foods. “Score,” she whispered. “Now let’s get the heck outta here.” They made their way back home in no time, stomachs aching at the prospect of finally being filled. Aria pushed the front door open and ran towards the kitchen, flinging their ‘groceries’ into the various pans and sticking them in the oven and microwave. “Soup’s on!” Summer laughed, setting the table with cracked plates. The rest of the gang wandered in, noses twitching, plastic bags in their hands. “Smells good,” Dusky said, handing Fissure the rest of his bags and sitting down at the table. “Thanks for bringing us some food.” Fissure nodded energetically and smiled at Aria. “I love consuming,” she murmured, gazing at the food being placed on the table. With feverish excitement, everyone began piling their plates high. “I cannot express to you guys how hungry I was,” Aria moaned, mouth full of warm food. She didn’t even care that everything she was putting in her mouth was found in a dumpster, she was just thankful that she was consuming something. “Yeah, don’t get used to it,” Summer muttered, glancing at the twins; they hadn’t joined the others at the table, but were instead huddled together on the couch. “We’re only allowed to leave when they let us, and their priorities aren’t always their club members.” Fissure and Dusky both coughed at the same time, as if they were trying to mask Summer’s voice. “Shut up, Summer,” Dusky hissed. “Aria? Ah, glad to see you eating so well.” Mercury suddenly appeared before them, placing a hand on Aria’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come to us after you finish, hmm? We’re eager to start our lessons.” Aria smiled, waffle stuck to her teeth. “‘Kay,” she mumbled. She slowed down, trying to make every bite she took take longer than it should. She could feel Mercury’s eyes boring into her from where he sat, but she kept her own eyes on her food. She finally cleared her plate, and pushed it away from her. “Aria.” The Siren stood up and walked towards the twins. “You called?” “Let’s not waste any more time!” Venus said, clapping her hands excitedly. “So, Mercury and I have been reviewing what you told us earlier, and we want to try a few things with you. Dusky, Fissure, Summer? If you could all gather around us as well, please.” The three other humans sat down on the floor, cross legged and curious. “Aria, if you could stand between us? Facing them? Thank you,” Venus continued. “Please, sing for us.” Aria coughed. “Well, okay, here’s a song I know...we never got to sing it: “Bright lights shining down, Eyes upon the stage. Ready for my crown, Enter the golden age…” She heard someone snicker. “Shut up!” she snapped, glaring at the trio beneath her. “No, no, Aria, you’re doing so well!” Venus gushed. “You’ve got such a beautiful voice, don’t stop!” “The time has to accept my rule, I won’t be overthrown. My heart can be both kind and cruel, My necklace pearls and bone.” Aria cringed when she heard her voice. It was squeaky and weak, not at all the strong and seductive tone she had used at the club. She stopped, biting her lip and digging her nails into her palms. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t sing, I can’t just...do magic anymore. It’s not the same without my pendant.” “But you did it last time without your pendant,” Mercury pointed out. “So why can’t you do it now?” Aria shrugged. “I’m sorry…” “You should be. You’ve been wasting our time here,” Mercury said, his voice taking a dark turn. “You’re just a worthless, good for nothing waste of space. It’s no wonder your sisters left you to walk away. You’ve only been with us for two days and we’re already sick of you. Imagine how your sisters felt after all those years.” “What? How dare you speak to me that way!” Aria cried, curling her fingers into fists. “I have the ability to kill you where you stand!” Venus burst into laughter. “Oh, Aria, didn’t you hear yourself? You’re an awful singer, are you really even a Siren? You’re useless, pathetic! Maybe you should kill yourself right now and spare the rest of the world the chance to hear that mewling you call ‘singing’!” “Shut up, shut up!” Aria knew what was going on. They were purposely goading her into feeling anger and sadness, therefore tapping into her powers. Damn it, she knew it was happening, and she was still falling for it. “You don’t know, you don’t know what it’s like to be me! To be shunned by your family! To be lost!” “They hated you, you know. Your sisters? I bet they dreamed about slitting your throat in your sleep, or maybe one day, they would just leave you alone in that shitty apartment, leaving you behind some pills or a noose, so that they wouldn’t get their hands dirty,” Mercury purred, dragging his fingers on Aria’s bare arm. “You struggled for money, didn’t you? You could have sold yourself on the streets, that’s all you’re good for,” Venus added. Aria let out a scream, stamping her foot on the ground. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and she snapped. She couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t bear to hear those words. She opened her mouth and sang, feeling the magic inside of her boiling and churning, aching to be let out upon her enemies. Her voice was dark and rough, and she sang in a strange language. She kept her furious stare on the twins, hoping to ensnare them. “You little fucker, you’re going to pay for all those times you stole my shit!” Aria turned around to find her roommates brawling. Fissure was lying down, eyes rolling back into her head as blood dripped from her broken nose. Summer and Dusky were tangled up, kicking and screaming obscenities. Dusky grabbed hold of Summer’s hair and pulled out a sizable clump, causing Summer to shriek and dig her sharp nails into his cheek. Green mist poured from their bodies, and swam towards Aria’s throat. She could taste the negativity - strong and sour. She used to like that. Now, she wanted to throw up. “Stop! Stop!” Aria cried, trying to drag the two apart. They didn’t listen. “Venus, Mercury!” She glanced at the twins, and gasped. They were smiling. Smiling, like the sadistic beings they were. They didn’t care that their members were about to kill one another. They just wanted to know what triggered the magic inside of Aria. And now they knew. “Excellent work, Aria,” Mercury murmured. “You’ve been so good today...How about you join me tonight?” Aria shook her head slowly, and got up from the floor. “No...no,” she choked. “I’m…” She rushed to the door and stepped out, taking a deep breath. Then, she ran. She ran, and didn’t stop until her lungs screamed for a break. With shaking legs, she wandered to a grassy patch and sat down. She put her face in her hands and wept. She wept for Fissure’s nose, for Summer’s hair, for the new scars on Dusky’s face. She wept for the club goers who didn’t understand why there was blood everywhere, who only wanted to see Adagio perform. She wept for her sisters, and how awful she treated them. She wept for herself, cursing her selfish ways for putting her in the mess she was in. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, nose and mouth dribbling. She heard rustling. Her eyes shot up to the bushes next to her. Out of the leaves, a petal pink nose appeared, followed by the tiny head of a kitten. “Oh, just you,” Aria mumbled. The kitten gazed at her with yellow eyes. It opened its mouth and let out a tiny mew. With cautious steps, it padded towards her and nuzzled her knee. “Aw, baby,” Aria cooed, reaching down to scratch at the kitten’s ears. It purred in response, and snuggled deeper into Aria’s skin as she lifted it and placed it on her lap. “Little baby, little baby,” she said, petting the soft fur. “Dear little kitten, you’re so sweet, dear little kitten, with your little nose and feet,” she began to sing. “Dear little kitten, I love you so much, dear little kitten- Hey!” The kitten snarled and swiped at her hand, claws digging into her skin. She pushed it off her lap, but the kitten just came back, lips drawn back in a vicious smile. She grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and pushed it to the ground, trying to control its flailing limbs. “Stop, you bitch,” Aria pleaded, pressing down harder and harder as the kitten struggled beneath her palms. It began screeching and yowling, so Aria placed a hand on its face in an attempt to get the kitten to calm down. Eventually, it stopped. “Now that you’ve calmed down...oh.” Aria stared at the lifeless cat in front of her. She tasted something sour in her mouth.
Chapter 5Aria slinked back to them, tail tucked between her legs as tears trickled down her cheeks. “Hush, you did so well,” purred Mercury, taking Aria into his arms. He stroked her back, grinning wildly at his sister. “We are very proud of you, and we’ve learnt quite a bit.” Aria sagged forward, and Mercury carefully cradled her, maneuvering her towards her room. He placed her on the mattress, her body sinking into it like a brick in water. She felt exhausted, like she had just run a thousand miles without stopping. Her eyes stung with salt but she fell asleep quickly, dreams filled with green mist and crimson on her hands. The next morning greeted her gently. She woke to soft murmurs, and sat up to find the twins staring at her. “Good morning,” Venus said, smiling softly. “How are you feeling?” Aria placed a hand on her throat. “Thirsty,” she croaked. “I don’t feel that great, actually.” As Mercury went to get her some water, Venus helped her stand up. “That’s understandable,” the taller girl replied. “You used a lot of strong magic last night. Why, your friends here are still feeling the effects!” Aria looked at the other mattress to find the three other members sleeping the pain away. Fissure’s nose was dark and crooked, Summer’s hair was parted strangely (probably to hide that bald spot..), and Dusky’s cheek was crusted with dried blood. Aria felt a pit grow in her stomach. She did that. “You did do that,” Venus whispered, peering at Aria. “But don’t feel bad about it. You should be proud of your strength. When you show us again, we can help you control it.” “I don’t want to do that again,” Aria said. “It felt awful.” “Oh yeah? How are you going to feed then? How are you going to teach us?” Venus’s grip on her arm tightened. “Have you forgotten what you promised us?” “S-stop,” Aria ordered, voice wavering. “That hurts.” “Yeah, well we can hurt you even more,” Venus hissed viciously. “Welcome to our family, Aria, where we keep our promises.” She dragged Aria out of the room and shoved her towards the couch, where Mercury was waiting with her glass of water. Aria took the glass and sipped slowly, wondering what she had gotten herself into. “Okay..” Aria began. “So...now what?” “Well, first, we want to document what happened yesterday,” Mercury said, bringing out paper and a pen. “Can you explain in full detail what you were feeling?” Aria sat down and crossed her legs. “Well, you two were being real dickheads...and it made me really angry to hear you say those things. Like, I wanted to kill you.” “Good, good. And how did you feel taking in that energy from the others?” “At first, it felt good. Like all the other times I had taken negative energy. But then...it started to feel wrong.” “Wrong?” “Like, they were my friends. Like I was harming them, and I was, they were fighting and bleeding, and Fissure, her nose…” “You weren’t wrong,” Mercury interrupted her. “You were just following your instincts. Don’t forget, you’re a Siren. Isn’t this what you’re made to do? Isn’t this the only way you can survive?” “Y-yeah...you’re right about that. But...still...you know?” “No, we don’t know,” Venus interjected. “We’re not weak like you. We don’t shy from our work.” “I’m not weak,” Aria snapped. “It’s just getting harder for me to enjoy causing harm to people.” Mercury stopped writing to stare at Aria. “Come now, you love this! You love feeling strong and powerful. You love feeling like Adagio, don’t you?” Aria looked at him. “Excuse me?” “You’re finally in the spotlight, Aria. It’s your voice that’s doing this, it’s all you. Not your sisters...you. For once, you are the sole Siren that we’re focused on. You’re the leader.” “The...leader? Really?” Mercury smiled, showing too much teeth. “Yes. You’re the main character in this study we’re doing. You’re the star! And we’re sorry that we have to be so mean to you, but it’s the only way, isn’t it?” Aria’s lips curled slightly. “Yeah...yeah, it is...and I am the star! Adagio could never make humans fight like this! I’ve got a gift, haven’t I? Venus sat down next to her. “You sure do,” she said, patting Aria’s knee. “And we want you to share it with everyone!” *** It took almost all day to get Aria ready for her next feeding. She sat in Venus’s room, getting pampered by her. Aria’s hair felt soft on her back, freshly washed and brushed. She was wearing one of Venus’s outfits: a short, breezy black dress with sparkles dusting the bodice. Her face was painted expertly, and Venus was putting the finishing touches on her lips. “Perfect,” Venus said. “You know, you really should have been the leader of the Dazzlings. Sure, Adagio is tall and curvy, but you’ve got that whole brooding, sexy goth thing going on.” “Thanks,” Aria murmured, staring at herself in the mirror. She did look good. “So,” Mercury called out as he opened the door, “I’ve compiled a list of places we’re hitting tonight...woah, Aria, you look amazing.” Aria blushed at the compliment. “Shut up, I know,” she retorted playfully. “Where are we tonight?” Mercury glanced at his list. “Okay, so yesterday’s feeding didn’t really go as we planned, so we’re gonna visit ‘Mesmerize’ again, then we’ve got a gig at ‘Blue Bottle’, great place, and then finally we’ve got a spot at ‘512’. Sound good?” Aria smiled. “Great. We’re done here. Let’s paint the town Aria.” Venus chuckled and gave Aria’s dress one last tug. “All set.” The trio walked towards their first club of the night. They had been going out for ‘feedings’ for three days now, and Aria was loving this new routine. They would go to some clubs, they’d get her drunk, dish out some awful words, and then she’d sing, causing chaos everywhere she went. The patrons never remembered what happened of course, so they were never blamed for this. Aria loved hopping from place to place, leaving her mark in every club, even though they wouldn’t remember her in the morning. Plus, it was helping Mercury and Venus with their own work. While Aria sang, they would fiddle with old books and strange objects, muttering under their breath, staring at glowing balls or whatever. As long as Aria was able to drink, dance, and sing, she was happy. The night passed quickly, in the usual jade haze that surrounded her. She felt herself getting stronger, her emotions fizzling thanks to the alcohol in her blood. “I’m so ready for this,” she slurred, swaying back and forth on her heels. “Hit me with your best shot!” “Adagio was right to keep you on backing vocals,” sneered Venus. “When even stupid Sonata gets more lines than you, you know you’re an untalented, unwanted pile of shit.” “Why do you think Adagio never listens to your plans?” asked Mercury. “Probably because they’re bound to be failures, just like you.” “You don’t know me at all!” seethed Aria, memory clouded with drink. She was getting angry, and she did not like it. “I’m just as good as fucking Adagio!” She staggered onto the stage and pulled on the microphone, unleashing a torrent of notes that left her last audience shaking and rioting. She stepped off and immediately fell into Mercury’s arms. “That was amazing,” he said, smiling widely. “The way you just...made everyone fight. I think someone deserves a treat.” “More drinks?” Aria asked, clapping her hands. “I’m down for that!” They headed out, looking for a bar that didn’t have blood on the floor. Aria ordered something fruity, and gulped it down eagerly. A young woman sat next to her, lilac skin covered in brightly colored tattoos. “Nice skin,” Aria blurted out. The girl looked at Aria and giggled. “My ink? Thanks. Worked hard for these babies.” She flexed her bicep, making the pin-up on the muscle move to the beat of the music. “Pretty cool, eh?” “I want one,” Aria demanded. “Venus, Mercs, whaddya say? Let’s all get matching tattoos!” “Oh, we require virgin skin for most of our rituals,” Venus said. “But maybe you can get one, if you really want.” “Yeah! Yeah!” Aria let out a loud whoop and spun off the bar stool, hitting the ground hard. “Ink me!” When they finally found a tattoo shop that would work on a drunk girl, Aria hesitated. “What should I get?” Venus pondered for a second. “What about a Siren?” “Like...a police siren?” asked the artist. “No, you fucking idiot,” Aria chirped. “Like...a sea monster. With boobs. And hair. And...hooves. Sea woman with horse wings.” “So...like a mermaid?” “Yeah, yeah, that. Loud noise. It’s...is this gonna hurt? Um...ow. Ow. Ow! Ow!” *** Aria hissed as she spread the cream on her healing tattoo. It was stinging and itching like crazy, which made it harder to put the soothing gel on it. At least the pain helped her get angrier. She stared at the misshapen tail and face. Oh well. That’s what she gets for being an idiot. They were taking a break from feeding today. Mercury and Venus left to do some shopping, while the other three members stayed as far away from Aria as they could. She wandered around the house, whistling tunelessly to herself. She nibbled on some cold nuggets they got from a nearby fast food place, practiced her pouts and poses in the bathroom, brushed her hair for a few minutes… She walked into the twins’ room with the intent on applying some makeup on herself. Their room was honestly so much nicer than the shit she had to sleep in. The bed was an actual bed, with a headboard and legs and everything. The walls were fresh, it didn’t smell like piss, and at least the bones were set up nicely. In the closet, behind the rows of clothes, was a small secret area that Aria had seen the twins come in and out every so often. “Wonder what’s in there,” she said to herself. So, like the smart girl she was, she decided to have a look. She pushed gently on the closet wall, feeling it give way and reveal the secret room. It was windowless and stuffy, with candle smoke lingering in the air. Cabinets lined the walls, and a desk piled with papers stood in the center. She walked closer, peering at the pictures on the wall. They looked familiar...a girl with orange hair, a blue girl with a dopey grin, a purple girl with a scowl on her face… Wait a minute. She looked down at the desk, and gasped. Each page was filled with elaborate observations of Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk, and Aria Blaze. She rifled through them, reading about her past life. Here was a page about that time they all went to the mall, and there’s a page about their first day at Canterlot High. Page after page, each going into excruciating detail about every aspect of their day. There was even a few pages about the Battle of the Bands. More and more pictures surfaced, with strange words scribbled on their faces. There were more pictures of Aria, though, as if they were particularly interested in her. A picture of Adagio at a club, smiling smugly at the camera, her pendant glowing bright red. Aria dropped the papers, and took a step back. Were these people stalking her and her sisters? That would explain why they could hit deep with the personal insults...because they knew exactly what she was going through. After all, they wrote it all down. Her curiosity got the better of her and she continued to look through the papers. She grabbed one and began to read: “14/7/2014 Dazzlings meeting at coffee shop down from Canterlot High. Wearing dark hoodies and jeans, hoods down low. Aria arguing about meals. Not getting enough energy. Fight ensues. Adagio insults. Aria retaliates, gets caught up with Sonata. Adagio notices strange magic in the air, goes outside. Sisters follow.” She stopped reading, and took a deep breath. They’ve been watching her from the very beginning, haven’t they? There were more journal entries just like this, and by skimming them, she realized that they had been everywhere. How did they even get into the school? How were they able to follow her so closely? To the side of the entries were books. Dark, thick books with bleeding eyes and mouths on the covers. She raised a trembling hand and opened the closest book to what seemed to be a dog-eared page. “Hair of fire, Eyes of thorn, Blood of scorned Child middle-born To control the mind of the person you seek, a ritual performed with the one whom you speak, When liquid life merge with the essence of death, Only then do you hold control over their breath.” Mind control? Did they want to hypnotize and control her? She slowly backed away, clutching her chest. Her heart was beating fast — she had to get out of here. She turned and ran out, banging her shoulder on the way, sending shocks of pain on her sensitive skin. “Aria? What are you doing in here?” she heard as soon as she closed the closet door. “O-oh, Venus, I was just...looking at your clothes. You have such n-nice ones…” Aria stammered, heart beating wildly. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit! “Oh, okay.” Venus walked closer. “You know, Aria, I’d appreciate it if you kept the closet diving when I’m with you. Don’t you unveiling any skeletons in the closet, you get me?” Aria swallowed. “I...didn’t see any skeletons in there.” “I think you did see something in there, Aria,” Venus said, her voice growing darker. “You’re just not telling me. Well, congratulations on finding out. You must be real proud of yourself.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” “Please, Aria...guess we can’t hide it anymore. It’s time.” “Time for what?” “Time to die.” Aria froze. “Y-you’re not serious,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and weak. “N-no, please…” Venus stalked towards her, and opened the closet. She stood on her toes and pulled out a box from the upper shelf. “Our hair is naturally pink. Not that sinister, eh?” Venus chuckled as she pulled out a bottle of hair dye. “That’s why we went out. To buy some more hair dye. My roots were showing and this bottle only has enough for a small retouch. Well, see you in a bit.” Aria slumped against the closet door and sighed. Okay, so she was safe...for now. *** She sat on the couch, the events of today boiling in her mind. She had to leave, and soon. These people were crazy, right? Stalking someone with the intent of using them in a freaking dark magic ritual wasn’t cool, right? She twisted her fingers together, breathing deeply. Maybe she could go back to Ms Feather’s...they’d accept her, right? No, not after what she did to Dew Drop. She could go back to her family...no, they didn’t want her. One of the clubs? She needed to start writing down the names, formulate a plan, get out, get out of here before they — “Hey, Aria.” “Oh, h-hey, Mercury. What’s up?” He sat down next to her, knee bumping against hers. “Heard you discovered our secret.” Aria giggled nervously. “Oh yeah, the dye? Sorry about that. I won’t tell anyone.” “I’m not worried about that,” he murmured, leaning in closer. “In fact, that’s not really the secret I was talking about.” “O-oh? There’s another?” “I have...let’s say, a hunch about what you got up to this afternoon while we were gone. You say you were in our room looking at clothes, eh? You didn’t happen to...wander into any private areas of the house, did you?” There was an audible gulp. “N-no…” Aria said. “I would never. I know the rules.” Mercury leaned in closer, reaching into his pocket to pull out a slim blade. “Are you sure about that? What if I told you some very important papers were shuffled out of place? As if someone who didn’t know my organizing method was messing around in my office?” He ran the cold blade down Aria’s neck, feather light, careful not to break the skin. “And someone left my book open to a very important page?” “It could have been Venus,” Aria whispered, sweat beading on her forehead. “O-or maybe Fissure, she loves to explore, doesn’t she?” “Maybe.” He flashed her a smile. “You’ve got lovely skin. You look flushed though, like you’ve got too much blood in your body. Should we let some of it out?” Aria felt her blush leave her cheeks, turning from dark to pale in a few seconds. “Ah, all gone.” Mercury chuckled, and stood up. “Good night, Aria. Sleep well. Don’t let anything bite you.” Aria stayed on the couch, wringing her hands together. She was scared. Very, very scared.
Chapter 1Aria Blaze. With the suitable requirements, a being capable of wielding unimaginable power. Strong, cunning, resilient. She sniffed hard and put one foot in front of the other. Makeup streaked her cheeks, and the hem of her dress was sodden after being dragged through the streets of Canterlot. Fierce, vicious. She gasped and fell heavily on her hands, scattering the broken shards of stone. The rough ground scraped her palms and knees, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. Unbreakable. She bent her head and looked behind, scowling at the uneven pavement that brought her to her knees. “Hey, are you okay?” A blurry figure stood in front of her, a hand stretched out. “Do you need a—” “Get away from me! I don’t need help from anyone!” She picked herself up from the floor and stalked off, leaving her broken pendant behind. The clean, tidy streets of the Upper Canterlot district were slowly dying out. Instead, mud-streaked roads and litter dotted the area. This was the Lower Canterlot district, the less refined counterpart to the Upper suburbs. Aria had never actually been here; Adagio was the only one who frequented the seedy clubs and mingled with the menagerie of strange folk. She heard rumours, of course. Stories passed on by Adagio, curled up next to her on their saggy couch, listening intently to her wild tales. “It’s filthy down there, even dirtier than this shit hole,” Adagio would say, stretching like a lazy cat. “Honestly, I don’t even know why I keep going back.” “Let me go instead,” Aria would eagerly plead. “You don’t have to go if I’m the one preparing our meals.” “It’s too dangerous,” Adagio would always, always, always say. “You wouldn’t know what to do there.” Well, here she was. She was there. And she loved it. The greasy plates and empty cans that were strewn on the streets, the people with hunched up shoulders and shifting eyes, the alleyways that housed secret doors that led to secret clubs… Aria never felt more at home than in the midst of the muck and mire. Here, she was free to do whatever she wanted! No more Adagio to hound her about safety, no more Sonata to take care of in the middle of the night, no more...no more sisters to keep her company. She dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, and leaned against a building. The cold bricks pushed into her back, poking through her thin dress. “Hey...how much?” “Excuse me?” A group of teens, not much younger than she was (well, in ‘human’ years), stood in front of her. The one who spoke had a cheeky grin on his face, with spiked hair and sly eyes. “I asked you, how much?” “How much for...what?” The other boys snickered behind their leader. “How much for one night? Do you charge extra for swallowing?” Aria stared at teen, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think I...oh. My. Fucking. God.” She lifted her hand and slapped him across the face, leaving a bright pink mark behind her. “How dare you!” She cried, new tears streaming down her face. She turned and began to run again, a small part of her already regretting her new-found freedom. She walked straight into the gaping maw of an alleyway, relishing in the darkness it provided. When she was sure that no one else was around, she huddled next to the dumpster, clinging to her shaking knees. She bowed her head and began to sob. Her sobs were loud and wretched, laden with all those years of hatred and pain that she kept inside of her. She let out all the emotion she had locked down, pouring them out in form of tears, snot, and shaking breaths. The frustration of being the middle child, the neglect she felt when Adagio ignored her, the envy that grew inside of her whenever she was left out of the spotlight. The sheer force of her anger hurt as she retched out her feelings. People would occasionally pop their heads in, curious to see what could be making such noise. They quickly lost their interest when they saw a little girl, crying her heart out. “I...I hate them,” she gasped, trying desperately to breathe. “I hate Adagio...and I hate Sonata...and I hate those boys and I hate the Rainbooms and I hate everyone in this world.” In time, her sobs ceased and she was able to relax. Her muscles tensed up whenever she heard footsteps, but she immediately loosened them when she thought they were gone. Now that she was...less hysterical, she began to think about her situation. “Okay,” Aria whispered to herself. “I need shelter...a place to stay. Sleep. New clothes. A shower. Food.” She placed a hand on her stomach, and another on her throat. “How.” She pushed herself off the floor, standing on trembling legs. Very slowly, she took her first steps out of the alleyway and continued down the street. It was dark, with the roads lit up by streetlights, casting shadows across the pavement. The town was still alive, with people choking the entrances to clubs and bars. They gave her interested stares, with roving eyes and miniscule smirks. They probably thought she was lost. Lost and afraid, like a little stray dog. “Hey.” Aria whipped around, coming face to face with a shorter girl, with stringy hair and a dusty face. “Are you homeless?” she asked, tilting her head and taking in Aria’s appearance. “Those are some nice clothes...did you get kicked out of your house or something?” “What makes you say that?” The girl shrugged. “No need to get so defensive. I’m Dew Drop. Nice to meet you…?” “...Twilight,” the Siren replied stiffly. “What do you want?” “I’m heading to ‘Ms. Feather’s Home for At Risk Girls’,” Dew said. “Do you want to come with me?” “I don’t need your pity,” Aria spat. She clenched her teeth to stop herself from screaming. “I’m not a charity case!” Dew raised her hands in a meek surrender. “I...I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just a safe house, a place to rest while you get your life back on track. Food, shelter, friends...a shower. If you don’t wanna come, then, whatever.” She pushed past Aria and continued walking. She paused, body twitching, but decided not to bother and pressed on. Aria stared at the ground, tears stinging the backs of her eyes. She had allowed her emotions to get the better of her, as usual. “Wait. Dew Drop?” She stopped. “Yes, Twilight?” Aria turned around to face the younger girl. “I would like to come with you.” A smile peeked through clumps of hair. “Follow me.” They walked together, Aria lagging behind. Her shoes were killing her, the leather straps rubbing blisters on her skin. She sighed and bent down, hooking her finger into the back of her shoe and pulling it off. The shock of cool air stung the sore skin, and the pavement was filthy with who knows what, but the instant relief was totally worth it. “That’s the idea!” Dew Drop laughed. “You get used to bare feet in time.” She didn’t want to get used to this. “Are we there yet?” She asked, swinging her heels in one hand. “We’ve been walking for, like, a year.” “We’re here.” The building was squat, with peeling plaster and scraggly weeds in the front garden. “Wow. What a great place,” Aria scoffed. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” scolded Dew Drop, frowning slightly. “This place is the home to many young girls like me and you. If you’re not pleased with it, then you can leave.” “No. No, whatever. It’s fine.” Dew Drop knocked on the door, bits of paint flaking off from the impact. “Coming!” came a faint reply. The door opened. “Dew Drop, how nice to see you!” A tall, very fair woman greeted them. She was dressed all in cream, with her white hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes were eerie — the same pale gray as her skin. “And you’ve brought a friend!” “My name is...Twilight. I’m...new here.” Aria bit her lip, praying that Twilight Sparkle had never visited this part of town. “Can I...stay here for tonight?” “Of course you can. Please, come in.” Ms. Feather stepped back and let the two girls in. Aria inhaled deeply, relishing the delicious warmth that enveloped her. She stood on a plush carpet, wriggling her bruised toes in the wool. “Dinner is starting soon. Dew, you know what to do. Twilight, let me show you to your room.” The air was filled with the chatter of girls. Aria watched as two toddlers stumbled about, their young mother frantically trying to catch them. Another girl — dark and brooding — sat in a wheelchair, while her friend combed her hair and nattered about their plans for the future. “We always keep a few rooms open in case we get a new girl,” Ms. Feather explained. Her voice was light and breathy, and really bugged Aria for some reason. They walked past a closed door, where they could hear sobbing. “That’s poor Sparrow,” Ms. Feather whispered. “Not her real name, we call her that because she’s just so small. Never lets anyone see her, never lets anyone help her. She comes in and cries for hours, then just leaves. What I would give to take care of her. Ah, here’s your room.” The woman pushed the door, revealing a sagging bed, and whitewashed walls. The lights flickered on, turning the whole room a dingy yellow. “The bathroom is just down the hall, there are fresh towels in the cupboard near the showers. You’ll find a robe and some...necessities in your drawers, right there.” She pointed to the chest on the other side of the room. “As I said, dinner starts soon. Get cracking, chicky.” She left, her own robe flying behind her. Aria jiggled the knob open, peering into the drawers. Every article of clothing was either white or beige. She found a soft cotton bra and underwear set, along with pale shorts and a tank top. She grabbed them and walked towards the bathrooms. The showers had hairs draped on the walls, and bits of mold gathering in the corners. Aria spread a smaller towel on the floor of one of the showers, clenching her toes together. The water was lukewarm, but rejuvenated her as it washed away the dust and dried tears that had settled on her face. She scrubbed herself hard, turning her delicate pink skin an angry magenta. Once washed and dried, she put on her clothes, and slipped her feet into squishy slippers. Her dress lay crumpled on the floor, ripped and filthy. Aria scooped it up, remembering the excitement she felt when she first tried it on. Long, flowing skirt, a velvety corset; It was the perfect dress for her. She stuffed it in the garbage on her way to the dinner hall. Long tables lined the hall, teeming with girls and women of all ages and sizes. Bowls filled with rice and stew were being handed out by Ms. Feather herself, standing behind a counter. “Twilight! Over here!” Aria turned to the girl who called her. Dew was sitting at a table by herself, guarding two bowls of stew. She stomped over and plopped on the bench, silently accepting the meal. She dug her spoon it and sniffed, her mouth watering. The rice was brown and soft, the meat tender, and the sauce savory. “I’m so glad we made it for Stew Night,” Dew mumbled, sticking spoonful after spoonful in her mouth. “You clean up nice, Twilight.” Aria nodded, mouth full. “Not as nice as you, Dew.” A shower helped show Dew’s natural brightness. Her hair was a light cyan and no longer greasy, and her skin a pastel green. She blushed, her cheeks turning dark. “Thanks,” she replied. “So,” she began, “What’s your story?” Aria slowed down, twirling her spoon in the grains. “I don’t have a story.” “Come on,” Dew pushed. “Tell me what happened to you!” She sighed, and didn’t say anything. “Twilight,” Dew whined. “You can’t show up looking like a bedraggled pop star and not tell me what happened! Are you a party animal, staying up ‘till the break of dawn, spending Mommy and Daddy’s money all night? Is this a punishment?” “I was betrayed, okay?” She snapped. “I was fighting alongside my sisters, and just when I thought we were going to win, we lost. We were badly hurt, and I was angry. My sisters let me leave without a second thought. I lost everything in the span of a few hours. Is that what you wanted to hear?” That shut her up. They finished their meal in silence. “My mother died when I was young,” Dew suddenly said. “My father was so distraught, he couldn’t take care of me anymore. He tried, but…” She lifted a finger and wiped the corner of her eye. “He eventually took his own life. I’ve been on my own ever since. Ms. Feather saved me.” Aria said nothing. “She helped me. She said I was free to live here forever, and help out with the other girls, but I didn’t want to be tied down. I like to wander. Her home is open to any girl.” Aria pressed her lips together. “She accepts everyone. She’s so nice and calm, and she cares about every—” “Why don’t you marry her if you think she’s so great?” Aria snapped, cringing at her lame insult. Not my best, she thought to herself. Dew stared at Aria with her big blue eyes, and stood up. She grabbed their empty bowls and took them to the counter, then walked off to her room without a glance back. Aria followed suit, and gently closed the door to her room. She slipped into bed, grateful that they were cool and soft. The pillow was so squishy...the sheets so heavy and warm...She felt her eyelids closing slowly. Her head was filled with muddled scenes of the day. Bright lights danced around, and faces melted into one another. What was she going to do now? Would she stay? Leave? She couldn’t keep thinking about it, she was so tired. She closed her eyes and sighed, surrendering herself to the dark embrace of slumber.
