Of Sirens and Feathered Serpents

Chapters

Ch. 1 Override
Ch. 2 New Slate
Ch. 3 Floundering
Ch. 4 How Short Life Can Be
Ch. 5 Adagio's Bargin

Ch. 1 Override

The sound of passing vehicles rumbling with their loud tires scraping the course street surface occasionally stirred the quiet landscape. A few pedestrians were walking their pets or exercising before twilight set in and the night claimed the sky. Street lamps flickered on and began to warm up their bulbs, casting illumination upon the darkening roadway with store display lights. By now, people were filtering out of restaurants and shops to head home for rest and sleep in time for a grueling Monday. Though not all were fortunate to have such a routine or a home for that matter, the less desirables often trudged the sidewalks with little to nothing else left in life to do beyond walking and talking to themselves.

It was Sunday, and the new week ahead and few were ever energetic enough to comprehend the start after such a relaxing weekend. Mesmerized before a huge window of a classy cafe who showcased their food and sweets at the front window, the infamous Dazzlings pressed their faces against the glass as their stomachs rumbled and churned painfully. The wafting scent of cooking grills and wood smoked cuisine had attracted them once again to the entertainment district of the city, lacking the bits to get even a sample of the goods that taunted them on the other side of the barrier.

Wearing their last remaining hoodies and jeans worn and stained from their homelessness, they were rather unkempt since their last job floored when it was bought out and new management decided to flush out every roster for new staff. Simple packaging and mailing for a small business had been their prior employment, and even Sonata could handle that rather well. They were on the verge of actually saving bits when the rug had pulled from under them. Now they were on their second day broke, dirty, and hungry to which none of the trio enjoyed in the slightest. They had already been a bit peckish before they were laid off, saving bits was Adagio's plan and that put them with eating cheap canned meals before that and their rent depleted it. Considering they had one can per girl for two meals of the day, they were already stretching their resources thin. That luxury seemed heavenly compared to their current situation.

"Ohhhh! My tummy hurts." Sonata whined as she smudged the glass with hungry eyes and salivating lips.

"By the gods what I'd do for that sandwich about now..." Aria's stomach gurgled by the temptation two feet away.

Adagio maintained her demeanor and simply looked longingly at the attraction before them, she was still a proud siren even now that their gems were shattered. She couldn't bring herself to the same level as the other two, even if they were now technically human down to a fault.

"Aaarrghhh!! I can't believe those pencil pushers got rid of all of us! We knew how to run our tasks and we weren't even being paid all that much either. What bright idea was it to do away for kids who'd need training!" the frustration in Blaze could only simmer as weak as she were from lacking real food for a few days.

"Such is the way of humanity, inefficient and greedy that exceeds even the dragons. At least they burned you to ashes before leaving to their horde of gold and gems." Adagio answered at the one way they wished to have gone.

"Mrs Frazzle Gleam always use to say I was the best taper upper she'd ever seen. No one could tape up boxes better than me... I miss her." the cerulean girl pouted as she slid down the glass to her knees with fatigue setting in.

"I was impressed with how well we were doing, but like everything else it all comes to an end. In our current state, we'd have to probably get jobs as janitors as low paying as that is. Cleaning up after human waste and toilets... but it's all we have left to do with no bits left to leave this miserable city." Adagio growled for a moment before turning away from the glass.

"Without our gems, we actually need food the humans eat to survive. Heck I'm tempted to eat my own fingers if this goes on any longer!" Aria shouted out as she departed from the window in fury and stood close to the black road.

Dazzle frowned at the notion, knowing full well that the agitated siren would likely attempt that unless they resorted to crime. That last ditch way to make a living was appalling to her, but the hunger made her resilience weak and prone to such consideration. If it came down to it, they could attempt a couple vehicular thefts and steal a radio or two, but the threat of authorities on their backs was the hurdle that solely kept her from agreeing with that method to attain bits.

In their fermenting mood, they hadn't notice a group of three young men chatting up their day's adventure heading their way from down the road. It was Flash Sentry with his band mates flanking him, Ringo and Brawley Beats who seemed to be enjoying the enthusiasm of the latest sport to come to the city just outside the city limits. They were freshly clothed from the day's exercise and rigors, bags under their arms containing paint stained clothing from the battles.

"Man, who would have thought paintball would have been so freak'n awesome dude! Way ta go Flash! I've never felt so pumped to make some new tunes in my life until now!!" Beats jeered and pumped a fist in the air.

"True man, I would have never thought such an intense experience could make the fingers ache to play the bass as if the notes flowed off the very tips." the prime dressed boy with ice blue gunners added as he played his favorite instrument in the air.

"See guys! I told you Sunset was right to try new things, I mean sure the sports teams at school are nice. You can't really connect the sport to those ones, its just too much of a rush. We ought to thank her tomorrow when we show up, I'm sure she'll enjoy the kindness." Sentry chuckled as the few welts underneath his jacket and jeans still stung the nerves from the impacts.

Brawley winced as a particularly swollen mark on his back flared up, "Gotta admit, the battle scars are worth it. I bet those Crystal Prep snobs wouldn't even step foot on a paintball field and we'd win without even... trying." the strap of his duffle bag scrapped over a reddened area.

As Flash soon added to the remark, his eyes came across three familiar figures that were just finishing their admiration of Tito's Cafe. While the two boys that flanked him still continued the conversation, the hair styles and faces of the pedestrians soon pin pointed who exactly they were. He could not be any more sure of himself, they were the evil sirens who nearly enslaved the school to be their personal feeding ground. No one had seen them since that competition though no one really cared about them to consider keeping tabs anyways. Flash had a few pieces of his mind to say to them, even though the words were cold by now. They lacked the emotional backing they once had as the last few weeks numbed them. Each step closer, his heart beat harder as adrenaline pumped back into his system, they had hurt Twilight and her friends during the showdown that he remembered well. The fight between two magical entities and he no longer cared to shout at them anymore, the thought he tried to shake away and draw upon the grievances he had upon them kept failing him. More less the state the three singers were in denied the righteous justice, they were essentially bums who inhabited the drainage tunnels in the south side by the way they looked.

'I must be too tired from today to do anything, heck we played since ten in the morning and its already night. Though why do I feel so deflated? Shouldn't I have something still left to shove into their faces? After what they did?' he thought to himself as they drew ever closer to the girls.

As his band mates slapped together for a high five after recanting the moment the three of them performed a base capture with the odds against them. Sentry still found himself placated and dull, the liveliness sapped away for an odd reason he couldn't pin point behind its occurrence. Their steady pace soon put them a few feet away from the singers, and their presence did not go unnoticed.

Adagio being the first to caste her gaze upon them, though he was the only one to catch it being focused on the environment around them. He felt compelled to at least acknowledge them to an extent, maybe force the words he desired to say. Those entrancing magenta eyes locked onto his and he stopped mid step before turning to the once proud conquerors of Equestria.

The other two stopped abruptly as Flash answered her wordless inquiry, "You three... your the ones that tried to cause trouble at the competition of the bands right? At Canterlot High?" he narrowed his eyes upon her.

Instantly, all three sets of eyes were upon him with their still unworldly intimidation, "I'm tempted to say your the Flash Sentry, am I right?" the thick curly haired one asked with a stern grimy face showing no emotion other than her eyes studying him and his friends.

"That's right, your... Adagio... Aria... and Sonata? Would have thought you three would have left the town by now." he answered with suppressed enthusiasm.

He took note of their unclean and rather distraught state which meant they were under hard times by the looks of it, "Yes, but what we do is none of anyone's business, so be on your way boy... not like we're wanted anywhere anyways."

"Whoa dude, ain't those the magical singing mermaids?" Brawley blurted out which earned a snarl from Aria that shut his mouth from further speaking and backed a step away.

"What happened to you three? You look like your sleeping on the streets for the last week?" Ringo asked tilting his head as he examined them while still playing the air bass with his hands.

Sonata rose to her feet and pouted in the most innocent way possible, "We lost our jobs, we have no home... and worst of all... we haven't even eaten for the last few days!" the defeat in her became palpable as well as the smell from their worn attires when she took a step towards them before her leader pulled her back.

"Wow...." Brawley muttered.

Ringo ceased his little act and brought himself to Flash's ear, "Dude, that's totally harsh even after what they've done. Starving man can you believe it?"

Sentry whispered back, "I'd say they're lying but... I think we can all see and smell that they're telling the truth. What do I do?"

Ringo shrugged with no offer to give, Beats however placed a hand on his shoulder as if he too knew exactly what he knew. He tipped his head to the cafe and padded the wallet in his pants pockets before pointing to his. The three boys had grown up together in rather peaceful homes, good morals and very intelligent parents who ensured they would know what to do for the less fortunate no matter who they were. For Flash, his mother had been the kind who vowed to haunt him in the afterlife if he ever left a woman in the rain without an umbrella so much as go without the basics of life. Though were there not places the three could go and seek shelter or had they truly been so vain as to not take the help?

As much as he hated the notion, there was only one thing he had to do and he hated it. He just hoped it would be the only thing they did for the witches, and then be done with it so their lives would go on like normal.

Just as the Dazzlings were trying to leave he spoke up with an offer, "Look Adagio! We may be at... odds here but no matter what someone does they don't deserve to go without food or water. Let us buy you guys some food at least, no strings attached and if I have to I'll recite to the manager that we're paying with no take backs."

The girls froze on the step and snapped to the band as if they were a deer in a headlight, "Really!? Just like that? You humans are so predictable, you just..." Adagio nearly shouted before Brawley intervened.

Using himself to stand in front of Flash, "Look, I have family in other states and just like you, they've done some stuff they regret. But does it seem so wrong to I don't know, give you guys some help at least? Its just not right man! Just not right..."

The three girls looked to each other with hunger overriding their logical thought, making it hard to rally against the humans who were likely trying to deceive them in their disgrace. If the circumstances hadn't drained them of resistance, they'd have walked away and never looked back. They needed to eat soon or they'd suffer sickness with the accumulated mess that made them nothing more than mere beggars.

"We have no other choice, we run and go on to steal for bits. Or get some food and let us think of what next to do. Its a long shot, but there are three of us and this world tends to trust the words of their females over males. I say we do it." Dazzle mumbled quietly to the others.

A heavy fuel truck passed by as Aria wore the most surprised face she'd ever had since they had their gems destroyed, "Your kidding right..." her stare of disbelief stoned any emotion she once had.

"I'm hungry! Come one!" Dusk complained holding her closed fists close to her face as she bounced in place.

"No no no no... we don't and we can't trust them! They're Canterlot losers for crying out loud! Now all of the sudden they forgive us and want to buy our food for the night!" the ponytails she had were frayed and in disarray, the once brilliant stars that held them were tarnished and barely shimmered under the restaurant lights.

"I lead this pod first off, but I'm being gracious enough to see what you two think. Worst comes to worse we take the bait and turn it upon them. Simple as that." the frizzy haired dominator weakly grabbed the collar of Aria's hoodie and did as much as she could to impress her rank upon her.

For a moment, the reluctant siren seemed to resist before giving way and brushing off the clenched hand on her jacket. It was her way of casting a neutral vote as she turned away the a sour face of hate. That was all Adagio needed to stand and persevere what was to come, sauntering up to Flash and Brawley in as much of a sultry way as possible.

Flipping her hair, "The generosity won't be taken at face value, remember that boy. We'll take you up on your offer and no more. So if we're done here, go ahead and take the lead. I'm curious as to what you'll allow for us to eat on your... budget." she held the air of superiority as they watched the boys nod and head out.

"This is a big mistake I just know it." Aria mentioned before going into a silent mode.

"We'll find out then won't we, but we need to eat because we don't have the bits for doctors visit so keep that in mind. With a little bit of food I can think clearly and find us a way to get some bits." the trio soon fell in tow at a relatively safe distance away.

The Canterlot students journeyed to a place with a weird name that seemed appear as a mechanics shop, but the scent of fresh bread and spices was unmistakable. Gear and cog motifs decorated the western style exterior, rustic wood framed windows and doors gave the vanilla colored stone surface a pleasing contrast. The Dazzlings could see inside the warmly lit interior filled with clean tables and chairs hosting common condiments with adverts of specials. Black uniformed servers were busily cleaning up the slightly empty establishment as they neared closing time.

"We'll get the food if you have no preferences, I'm not sure the owner would accept you three inside unless you... wash up first." Flash noted at the homeless girls to which Dazzle took no offense.

"We're aware, now go and procure the meals. I'd like to still be alive and awake before you bring it out." she kept up her sassy attitude even though it could have caused the boys to cancel their charity.

As they stepped inside, the sirens took the moment to sit in the outside tables the eatery provided. Their stomachs were at an all time ruckus and began to pull at the body to push the topic of hunger. Sonata rocked in her seat, licking her lips as she awaited patiently for the warm cooked meal they were promised. She cared not if it were tacos or a piece of bread, even a bag of chips would do for her. While Aria folded her arms across her chest still protesting Adagio's gambit, her right leg bouncing up and down as the heel of her shoe tapped annoyingly on the concrete. Adagio had been too exhausted to care anymore, though her brain was sluggish she still worked out where they'd try to apply for jobs.

For the time being, they'd have to find a river and bath before any interview, use the land at the western side of the city where a popular place to frolic could serve their hygienic needs. Without their gems to give them their powers, their bodies were now flesh and blood that if left unattended essentially fermented. For a once illustrious creature of dark magic and talent, it was akin to being a rust proof aluminum ingot to an oxidized copper coin. How low they fell from taking over Equestria, then this human world, and now floundering in the mud like a mud cat.

Her musings were taken away when the sound of the doors opening, and soon the scent of fresh sustenance still sizzling hazily passing over the girls. Each of them held a very large white plate of different dishes that ranged from artistic sandwiches to hearty burgers and a decent sized wrap, all served with a heaping portion of fried root vegetables and dipping sauces. It was everything their bodies needed and craved since they went on their forced fast, there was no hesitation as soon as the food had been placed before them. Though Sonata gave a very teary eyed gaze of unmitigated happiness and gratitude to Flash when he gave her the plump vegetable and chicken stuffed tortilla. In an instant before the forks and napkins could be given, the Dazzlings all dived into with savage eagerness.

Fries and sauce flew through the air around the girls, "This place use to be a pretty popular mexican restaurant, but it suddenly closed and has been bought out twice since then. Old Bard here came here fresh out of college with a culinary degree and is trying to bring this place back to life, he knows how to price his food and portions pretty well." Flash explained.

"Dude, I've never seen anyone eat like that..." Ringo commented quietly.

The sirens ignored him as they feasted ravenously on the plates, seemingly inhaling the edibles without chewing much and drinking down the dips. Brawley carefully and meekly placed bottles of water for the three, earning a few snarls and hisses when he got to close to Aria or the others. It had been a rather interesting and disturbing scene to observe, Ringo could have sworn that the cerulean girl even bit her fingers a couple times in her haste through a few yelps mingling with sounds of ecstasy of eating. It left them speechless until not even two minutes later the girls were licking the plates clean, free of any food particles or smears of greasy juice. The girls sat back after placing the dinnerware suddenly and let out glorified moans of satisfaction, just in time for Bard to open the doors and inquire of the food.

Seeing in such a short time the resturant specials were devoured, "Wow, you weren't joking... glad they liked the specials."

"Ya, two days, guess they probably used public water fountains to drink. Thanks again for helping us, I'll make sure my parents send their friends over."

The head chef chuckled, "Hey, I almost came close to where they are now so a little discount won't hurt this one time. Well you six have a good night, we'll be closing soon."

With that Flash waved away man who soon disappeared back into the restaurant, leaving them to deal with the content sirens alone.

"Dude, they need a place to stay. Doing this won't solve their problem. Don't you have that place in your backyard?" Ringo whispered to Flash as he insinuated the unused workshop shed his father built but never used after a horrible knee accident that left him wheelchair bound.

If it were anyone else he'd agree and tell his parents to expect guests, though these were former tyrants of two worlds. Only now they were as vulnerable as he or a lone child with needs and care. Who was he to hold a grudge anyways, surely a few days couldn't hurt with powerless creatures of fables

"Adagio, if you... if you guys need a place to stay. There's an air conditioned room back at my place in the back, you can stay there if you wish and leave when you want? I'm not sure where you guys were going to go after this, but just throwing it out there." the tragic case just seemed to yank at the three boys.

With a loud unlady-like belch, "We were going to sleep under the highway again. But you humans tend to be predatory over defenseless females in isolated areas. Seems strange you'd be so nice to us all of the sudden, but we're not in any condition to refuse at the moment." she yawned as the meal began to kick in.

Kicking himself at going this far for the former villains though something willed him to continue, "My fathers wood working shed in my backyard, use to make tables there and everything. There was an accident and it doesn't see any use since then, if it can get some use out of it then all the better right?" he chuckled nervously.

The sirens relished in the warm afterglow of satiation, "Sounds lovely, we've slept in worse places for the last two nights anyways, certainly won't be assaulted while we sleep on your property will we?" Dazzle calmly stated as she reluctantly rose from the metal chair with the other two lazily following.

"Then follow us, I'm going to be late for home anyways so I don't want to get grounded." he said with a sad tone as his crew rose as well.

Both groups trekked for a time before they neared the familiar neighborhoods under the shining stars. For a moment, Flash found it nice to be out so late and not be distracted with upcoming tests and homework. The wide sky had its own little charm that he and the lads both appreciated, tiny white dots flickering and forming constellations he didn't know other than the more famously used ones in movies. Though his joy of stargazing had been thrown aside very rudely when a body pressed up against his speaking quiet words he couldn't understand. Though the smell of halitosis meant a certain someone took him for a convenient bed. Shortly the others soon found themselves as mobile carriages even as Aria simply fell softly to the concrete and tried to sleep. Though they were young men, it was an incredibly uncomfortably situation to handle even as they neared his backyard gate. They all kept their hands as far away from personal areas as humanly possible while supporting the knocked out girls.

"Hey, over there quickly before my folks find us! I don't want to have to explain this to them just yet if I can help it" Flash whispered loudly as he quietly unlatched the lock.

The two boys stumbled on the uncut grass which snagged their shoes occasionally, since his father had been incapable of walking properly Flash had been the designated lawn serviceman. Though the Friendship Games had distracted him from mowing and weed eating for the last week which he got off the hook for when Canterlot High had been declared the winner. Flash's home appeared as any quaint little family home with a second story for the bedrooms, only a few lights were one for security or where his parents were settling in for the night. The brick house still retained the clean freshly built exterior from proper care, and so far the front lawn was just as bad as the back. A tall wooden fence bordered their property having been recently built within the last year, obscuring the neighbors from watching the boys lug dozing women into a finely constructed workshop house. A dog or two heard them and began barking for a moment before giving up when nothing came towards their side of the fence to challenge their defensive nature.

Sentry opened the lock and flipped on the lights, "Here, let me get the cloth out." as he gently set Adagio down.

Ringo watched him withdraw a huge blue quilt from a large plastic bin, and than proceeded to lay the orange curled woman down onto the soft padding. The others were set down as well, all the while as the blue haired guitarist procured old rags to use as pillows and set them beneath the Dazzling's heads. Thankfully, his father never had the time to buy the machinery for his hobby or else the place would be crowded with potentially dangerous equipment which would land him in greater trouble if the girls were discovered. For now the rectangular shed hosted a long worktable mounted into the wall by the door that stood atop the storage bins his family had relegated the sheds new purpose for. Other than that, the place was rather barren with three windows and a work torch light over the table casting a dim yellow light for the three to see.

"Man I'm going to need a wash after that, you sure you'll be fine? I didn't expect this to actually happen, kinda feel bad about it." Brawley asked subtly as their generosity became something all the more involved.

"Ya, it was Ringo's idea." Flash answered annoyed.

Shrugging his shoulders, "What kind of men would we be to leave such poor souls out on the streets as young as they are? You know that would follow us if we signed up with a record deal. I can see it now, 'Famous band left three young women found dead under I thirty five pass'." the British sounding student waved his hands in the air as if the headlines were above him.

"The things we do for our future... well you guys can go on I'm heading inside for the scolding of a life time. Mom hates when I'm late and I can't just say, 'Oh I helped a group of girls down in the dumps, so they'll be staying in the shed for a while.'."

"I'll help whenever I can, its the least I can do since my aunts who lead the same lives like them after their marriages gave out and their husbands took everything. Those pricks..." Brawley proclaimed as he firmly gripped Flash on the bicep to drive the point home.

Shaking his head, "Guys look I'm tired from all this, we can discuss everything tomorrow that is if they're still here. Now lets go before we're even in more trouble than we are." Sentry walked out with the rest and turned off the lights for the snoring sirens.

When the door closed, Adagio opened an eye and looked to the entrance which hadn't been locked. It was then that she wondered about who they had just trusted, people for the first time they were vulnerable without powers to defend themselves and no harm ever came. Here they were safe on someone's property and under surveillance likely, her pod actually bedding without worry of some stranger abducting them. The conundrum of the humans they gave in to were now something to analyze tomorrow when they awoke. Assuming the police were not called on them for trespassing, though such an idea seemed far too farfetched to believe.

"What have I done..." she whispered softly before closing her eyes.

Ch. 2 New Slate

Morning came and with it the dull sound of the air conditioning unit almost quietly operating in the room with the sound of red cardinal birds chirping outside. The sun had since risen enough to pour into the shed with its golden white light and begin to stir the sirens from their slumber in the new lair. Oddly enough they slept on the most comfortable bedding they'd had since they lost the apartment, even then it wasn't furnished and they had only the carpet and what blankets they could afford. Though what little they had went fast with the last cans of food they took and immediately consumed that very day.

Adagio had been the first to rise and rub the crust from her eyes, her hair in none the better state as she never removed the old dingy hairband from it which had a few spikes missing. Yawning loudly as her ears popped and joints following, she slowly started to realize where they were. In the safe confines of private property away from creepy men that roamed the night. The aroma of pinewood and glue of the workshop wasn't the best scent, but it was a far cry from sewer breeze where they last spent the night nearby. Not to mention no vehicles loudly startling them as they sped off to work or nearly cut one another off and honked their horns wildly.

Aria soon arose and yanked her star hair bands off with force as she rubbed her head where they imprinted into her skin. Oddly enough the pony tails sort of still remained loosely from oils and debris, akin to the witches and druids of the everfree forest and its subsequent family forests around Equis. She grumbled loudly at having to wake up in the world she so hated with her very soul, even if they were in better conditions.

Still snoozing if lightly by now was the every clueless Sonata, the sun's light had already startled her into a half awaken state. Refusing to get up she merely turned in the other way where the room was darker, and she would have kept dozing on if Aria hadn't kicked her in the back repeatedly lightly enough to persuaded her otherwise.

"Owwie! Stop! I'm up. What's that for meanie!" she protested and stumbled to sit up as the cloth sheet slipped under her hands trying to erect her body position into sitting.

"We're at some human's home, it's morning, and Adagio is already awake. Time to leave, not stay and find out how long their hospitality goes before we're smeared into the dirt again." the purple haired girl spat as she rose to her feet to stretch.

"Could have just shaken me..." Dusk pouted as she rolled over to her knees to stand as well, except she stretched much like any feline would in her own unique way.

"Already you two are getting on my nerves and we're not five minutes up... By the gods this is ever mortifying than ever." Dazzle scoffed as she rose to look out the nearest window to get their bearings.

Arching her back as the blood in her body began to give her a rush to the head, she maintained herself and viewed the scene around them. A tall tan wood fence bordered the yard they were in, tall grass mired the land as it lead to the back porch where a few chairs and a spit were organized for group use. The exits were the home and the left side of the house where the door in the fense remained latched closed but no signs of a lock. Glass sliding doors with blinds led the way inside and were likely locked, smart of that Flash to ensure they didn't just waltz in and use the goodies inside before vanishing off the grid.

Snorting at the idea of the precautions taken and the likelihood of mistrust in them was warranted from her standpoint, she stepped away to the door and motioned for them to leave. Aria shut off the fan that kept the room nice and cool, hoping to cover their tracks. Upon opening the door she nearly tripped on a haphazardly placed supply crate and a note on it hidden by the grass, with fresh signs in the morning dew of someone having walked up to the door. Assuming as to who made it, she picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it to discover the reasoning.

"Wow, did the boy leave that? What's his game?" Aria asked taking a few peeks at the items in the gray egg crate.

"Ohhh! I knew he was nice, last night he even gave me the burrito!" the unkempt pony tailed girl hopped until Adagio shot a hand up to silence both of them.

'Adagio Dazzle, Flash Sentry, I'm not sure if you remember anything from last night so this is sort of a way to not set off any alarms. My band treated you to some dinner and you agreed to sleep inside my family's shed for one night, though your welcome to stay as needed. I don't know how to say this, but I can't say I've forgotten or forgiven what has happened in the past. Needless to say your like me, and to that I give you some things and basic necessities as well as a key to the house. My parents are gone for the day and I'll be at school, but be aware we will know if anything is missing and I told my parents that I might have lost my wallet last night so to watch the bank account. That said, use the stuff in the crate to clean up and grab some and I mean 'some' eats from the cabinet, make sure your out of the house before four pm and don't turn on any electronics. They'll notice the meter spike when no one's home. Beyond that no lights so the neighbors won't see anything by the windows, but the bathroom and water is all yours. I hope you find jobs and a place to stay soon, this won't last long that I want to warn you. Sincerely Flash Sentry, P.S. my numbers on the other side if you have problems or anything comes up.'

The other two came up to her and looked over her shoulder to see what she had frozen in the way for, only to barely read much before Adagio flipped the paper over and then bend down to inspect the goods. Sonata shrugged her shoulders when Aria gave her a wordless question about it, seeing no answer they just watched as their leader pulled up items.

First was wrapped in a towelette, an old and used toothbrush that still could be serviceable for their needs. A semi used floss container had some of its wax coated mint flavored wire securing the toothbrush in its cozy. She handed that to Aria who inspected it as best as she could for poisons or anything of a prank to which nothing came up to her senses. Next a half bottle of shampoo and conditioner that showed the signs of having been tossed in a waste bin from the few flecks of shaved hair which Adagio wished it was facial hair from the father. That and several bits of a soap bar that were enough for all three to use for a day or two were handed to Sonata who relished in the scent of lavender and cherry. A strange candy like thing held in a plastic wrapper had a note taped to it explaining how to use the washer and dryer with a small load. That was a decent gesture by the boy to see, even more so the key they were promised inside glimmering in the morning light like a precious coin.

"So the human actually trusts us enough with his house!?" Blaze laughed with a hint of evil intent.

"Yes, but so do the police unless we steal anything. He likely took the caution to take a picture of this and the note and where he left it. Not to mention we're still guests here so everything is off limits until I say its okay, goes double for you Sonata." the hiss at the blue teen jarring her from her sniffs of the soap fragments to shake her head nervously in agreement.

"Even so, at least we know we can't stay here for long. Made that pretty clear in the note." Aria retorted as her leader rose up with the crate and the goods being placed back inside it.

"Doesn't matter, we planned to leave anyways. Lets get cleaned up and get ourselves our jobs back. The more we acquaint ourselves with these heathens the less of a chance we still have a future. As the old saying goes, stay with the devil you know, and we know ourselves more than them." Adagio began to walk to the house.

In no time they unlocked the sliding door and into a very nice smelling home with the hints of cooked food lingering, they entered the entertainment area or living room near the dinning area to the left. Light red carpet softened their entrance into the heavily furnished house that showed signs of what those sports bars modeled themselves after. Adagio could tell the family had been big with music and sports by the hanging shirts and posters that surrounded the huge obsidian screen. If they judged right, the amount of seating meant many humans congregated near the device which sapped them away from reality like a talented magician and their tricks. Pictures of the family decorated their route to the bathroom in the short hallway down, from the age of the parents as youth to their older age.

The mother a cream yellow skinned female with ice blue hair and green eyes who seemed to grow up a rather tomboyish kind of filly before her older years. The father a dull gray blue haired man of the law had photos depicting him in what amounted to the pony royal guard. Dazzle assumed he dreamed of the soldier life and ended up as little more than a cop with less glamor in the service. A thick chin and hard eyes with a thick build for the job he took, and the present time pictures having him less bulky in the assisted mechanical chair. Perhaps that was why Flash had been willing to let them inside, knowing that the connections his father had would nail them on the spot. Happiness is all the sirens saw, a family doing their best to lead exemplary lives and loving it, the source of the generosity most likely.

They reached what they assumed had to be the restroom, the musk of shaving cream and perfume were strong from the closed door. Beyond it were the signs of a gym of some type to the left farthest door and the end of the hall had been some kind of office. Taking the hint, Adagio nodded to the likely one for their purpose and pushed the entrance open. Once the light had been flipped on, the girls looked into a rather moderately sized bathroom big enough for all three to fit in at once. The counter had been cleaned regularly and appeared spacious enough for them to work with and not leave a trace. Seeing the toilet and the large bath tube and shower area, the girls went about doing their business.

Clothing neatly stacked on the floor as they were all three primed and ready to cleanse their bodies of the filth they gathered since they lost their water at the apartment before losing it too. Through Adagio's orders, they didn't waste the supplies and indulge but merely used enough for them to be happy with. The three of them shared the one bath to avoid being detected by draining the hot water if left individually used. Unlike like how they use to clean themselves in their siren bodies back in Equis using crystal clear ponds and rivers, with mountain runoff smoothed stones were perfect to make their scales shine under the sun. Sandy rocky shores removed parasites or other hard to clean blemishes until they were as beautiful as their voices. The glory days of their existence they pinned for.

Human bodies were not the same, they had to clean off the dead skin instead of shed it. The membranes of their dorsal crests were easily cleaned by washing off the old mucus coating, their hair on the other hand as monkeys needed proper cleaning and washing down to the scalp and usually required the help of all three working together in a circle. Scrubbing everything spotless, they eventually took a rest in the hot water shower before Adagio called it. She knew they needed the relaxing hot water to really loosen up the knots in their muscles and just let them have a sliver of peace where nothing else mattered. Ten minutes of the sauna treatment and the girls exited with the water shut off, fresh colorful towels in the hamper closet were extracted for drying.

"Wow... I don't think I'd ever feel that clean again..." Aria sighed squeezing her hair before wrapping it dry.

"I smell so clean and fresh! Like those perfume stores we always passed by!" Sonata cheered nearly slipping on the tile floor before grabbing the door knob to stabilize herself.

Adagio scoffed not giving the moment its just laugh, "Floss and brush your teeth first, then draw that conclusion, everything gets cleaned or we don't get jobs."

The comment ruined the other two's joyous high as the realized they had to take turns with the brush. Though as they locked gazes and began to fight a silent battle over who would use the tooth brush first through death glares and snarling, it verged on an outright finger nail and biting fight. Adagio noticed a brown bottle tagged with something from Flash. She at first ignored the tension between the other sirens naturally being themselves to read.

'I know you probably think like I would and not want to share a single brush between you three, so use this bottle of peroxide to clean it. Its also ingested for throat sores so no need to be afraid to use it and swallow a bit of it.'

"I want to use brushie first, I'm the cutest!" Dusk shouted as the two locked hands trying to push the other away on the slick floor.

"And I'm more stronger than you, give up!" Aria outright growled.

"At least the guys like me the most! You just scare them away!" the wet hair that still dripped over her forehead gave her a savage look as her magenta eyes dared the other girl to press even more.

"Like I care about the monkeys here, I'd never touch them even if it saved our gems!" the reply came with a minor roar of defiance over the resistance being met, but to the point where things might get rough there came the intervention.

Adagio pinched their ears and yanked them apart forcefully, eliciting yelps of pain and cries which iced their infighting, "If you two so much as break anything in this house other than yourselves I'm going to drown one of you in the toilet so help me! Now stop acting like hatchlings!"

Letting them go she went back to the counter and presented the mewling sirens with the note, "We can clean the blasted tool after each use with this, kills anything on it and safe to swallow. So calm your nerves or I will." she dared them to keep fighting only to receive down castes of their eyes feeling shame, "Good, now it is I who uses it first, you can dry yourselves off and floss in the meantime. I'm going to assume we use their toothpaste but only a dab."

After the circus in the bathroom, they wrapped themselves with towels and proceeded to get their stinking cloths washed. Adagio and Sonata handled the task while she ordered Aria to clean up the tub and any signs of their presence. Begrudgingly the other one complied and took to her job, and in short order they all amassed in the kitchen where a bounty of options awaited their choosing. With the washing machine going in the background, Adagio picked the most supplied item that would suffice for a morning meal given the quantity of it in supply their use would go unnoticed. Buckwheat meal for porridge, easy to microwave a bowl for each of them and plenty of milk to sub the water with. Giving the prep work to the other two, Adagio had been able to notice the oven showed the time to be close to noon. They had plenty to get their tasks done and feed before skulking to the shed to work out a plan with their fresh start.

The food eventually cooked without an explosion or smoke alarm being set off. It went silently as they enjoyed the quaint little home and its dainty atmosphere, it was by all means a perfect place to hunker down with all the creature comforts that bits could buy. By the time they filled their stomachs and cleaned up after themselves, they were able switch out their load into the dryer and set it up for the final phase. Still draped and wrapped in moist white towels they'd inconspicuously deposit in the hamper once their cloths were ready, the sound of the door unlocking went unnoticed by them even as it slowly opened.

"Sonata, did you remember to put the butter up before closing the fridge?" Dazzle asked as she left the laundry room.

"Ya, I put it on the top of the door as I opened the shelf thing to put the bar in we didn't use." she answered happily.

"There were two bars of butter dimwit, geez your going to give us up before its too soon." Aria grumbled holding the towel closer to herself as it threatened to fall off her body.

As they rounded corner that lead to the hallway to the main door outside, they came into view of Flash who had arrived to ensure the house hadn't been robbed or burned to the ground. Unfortunately, as he entered without looking where he stepped, just as he saw the three girls basically barely covered before him a few feet away did his shoe land on the butter. He tried to greet them as his foot went forward and the other stayed planted in back from the destabilized momentum, and to his surprise he performed the splits at the awkward moment to which even the sirens winced in pain.

In a high pitched squeal, "AAAAaaaaaaaaaghhhhhh!!" as the hamstrings and groin sharply stung from the new position they were stretched to, even the girls covered their ears.

"Your not helping with breakfast ever again." Aria huffed at the guilty siren who could only sheepishly grin.

The Dazzlings walked up to the boy without second though of their dress and assisted him up on his shaky legs, though it soon became apparent that both sides had questions. First of which Adagio asked seeing as she had a better state from which to bring it up. As they lead him to the dinner table to sit him down she popped her query.

"Mind telling us why you just meandered into your home at this hour of the day?" she knew school didn't let out just yet and he was taking a big risk traveling out now.

"Had to... check out and see if you were... alright." he answered knowing it was his house after all.

"We're fine, might need more butter but other than that nothing's been done to your precious dwelling." she responded as she removed the towel from her hair and let the draping natural curls swing behind her.

Seeing a bit of Carrot Top's irish hair in Adagio, "Good, um... well... why are you three in just... that?" he blushed and looked away still massaging the stretched muscles of his inner thighs as they throbbed.

The embarrassment the young male felt was easily sensed and the amused girls were quick to prey upon it, "Kid we're several thousand years old, we're old enough to be ancestors to your bloodline. I think we have enough right to strut our stuff if we so demand. So be glad we're not nude, or would that be the opposite since you are of that age? Then again I suppose without our gems we'll begin to age?" Adagio sneered at the reality of mortality that now befell their once long lived lives.

Aria picked up on that detail and tried to excuse it from her mind, "Please, this monkey wouldn't even know true beauty, we're still in these flesh bags and not our more amazing forms.".

"Mr. Kind Guy feeling flustered?" Sonata grinned with the fresh smell of mint wafting off her pearly whites a nice change from the night before into his face.

"Still my home I'm allowing you three to use, so please just don't risk doing this past two. High chance my folks will show up by then." he stuttered looking away respectively, "But... you have my empathy now that your... human."

"Smart boy, we'll be back in our old clothing soon, and we don't need your pity. Sirens eventually go to Poseidon's kingdom whether from a sea monster eating us or we just live long enough another of our kind bests us." the sunny yellow skinned girl sighed before taking a seat next to him with deflated eyes.

"I'd rather do splits for a month like he did then lose our gems." the cerulean girl joined in the mopey mood as she knelled on the tile floor behind Flash.

He whined as the pain came back, but through his kneading the soreness started to become a thought in the back of his mind. Here he had been privy to a little insight to the girls and sort of saw what could be akin to the news as of late with the orcas held in captivity. People protesting and the big aquarium company starting to lose customers and profit when research showed how sad the animals were in such a small world. Were the sirens really deserving to have their lives cut short in a world they were not meant to be in?

Sunset never told him much about the Dazzlings origins, in fact he spent most of the time hanging out with Twilight after they defeated them and chatted about other things. No one really discussed the sirens in dept or at all beyond labeling creatures of disharmony that needed to be dealt with as Rainbow Dash often put it. It was an easy attempt to actually see them as cancer patients with a moratorium on their lives, not being able to truly age as they should. At that moment something tugged at him once again, that tug of the heart he felt sympathy for them in all honesty.

Dazzle eyed him looking for another quip to taunt the poor lad in order to dispel the rather droll train of thought that fouled their spirits, "Three beautiful sirens of myth in your home alone and here you sit injured before us in our state. My how fate seems to detest you does it not?" snickering all the while.

The young man simple seemed too involved in thinking about their fates to give no indication of hearing the first comment. Perturbed at being ignored the siren simple drew closer to him and spoke into his hear.

"How shameful would it be for a man of your stature to be in the presence of such lascivious young women, oh the shame of walking in on a lady in such a vulnerable state." she continued to goad.

Sentry simply kept his eyes glued to his legs as he assuaged them of the soreness they felt, he knew not to feed them any ammunition if possible now that the tug left him to their joke. Of all the things to happen he merely wished to see the house intact and than dash off to school before he was missed, now he had been cornered and likely blackmailed.

Seeing his squirming, Dazzle drank in his emotional distraught and ran her fingertips under his chin in a sensuous manner, "Parry the thought, we're sirens to the core, not human women. Just love messing with you is all and giving a little back for the hospitality. Trust me we wouldn't ruin the help we've been given merely out of whim. So relax and leave when you wish."

"Thanks, I guess?" he answered her explanation.

The Dazzlings relented and gave him his space before plopping down on the nearest sofa in the living room giggling to themselves at his expense. He rather preferred that to what he feared had become of the house, at least he'd take a hit to his pride and not to his life with this parents raging over a destroyed or ransacked home.

"Thank you though, for respecting my home. You guys aren't all that bad are you?" he said loud enough.

For a terse moment, the giggling stopped as the girls heard him and out of sight he assumed they said some words to one another. He could here faint whispers as they shifted on the leather couch, taking that moment to check the time and notice he had to leave immediately. The TV had not been activated and nothing else messed with by the way it was positioned as he moved off to leave.

"Why help us?" he heard out of the blue.

"I'm sorry?" he replied stopping by the front door.

Aria resumed the topic, "We're the same ones who ruined the competition, yet you offer us sanctuary? No strings attached as you said before, no nothing from us? Why?"

Her simple questions rang with him, and yet it felt like a broken record of himself to recite what he had told them before. Then again, he'd probably behave the same way considering everything so pushing his spiked hair back he answered calmly.

"Your like me, you breath, you feel, you think, and you care even if its for your own. That makes you just like us doesn't it if not the shorter life you have because of what happened? So I offer the help because it's the right thing to do." he twisted in his seat to look to the back of their heads poking out the top of the crimson sofa.

"If we were our siren selves then what?" Sonata asked blatantly as she poked her head over the sofa so he could see her inquisitive eyes from his distance.

Without pause, "Than like the killer whales and dolphins held captive at aquariums I'd still say the same. Your not in your natural environment, you can't be happy being confined and so you do things to make you happy even if it harms others. Now that your human there's little to... sorta think about I guess."

The creatures he spoke of were not familiar, but they ascertained the gesture and took it to heart, "Your an odd human that's for sure, not like the nineteen twenties. Man were those creeps controlling." Aria spoke up with a spat.

"Speak for yourself I hated the seventeen hundreds." Adagio admitted.

"I don't know, the Titanic was a pretty great swim when we had our powers back then. That ice water was sooo good on the skin again!" Sonata commented as she shivered by the visible shaking of her head.

'How long have they been here? Jeez!!' Sentry shouted in his head as the urgent need to evac alerted him to move.

"I gotta go, you three seem in control and know what's what. I'll be back by six at the latest to bring dinner to the shed. The others are paying for it." he noted loudly as he struggled to rise.

Adagio noted the service the boys were providing and it welcomed her plans to spend the rest of the day finding new jobs, especially since their issue now was communication and attending the interviews. Having meals brought to them would be a god send and ease their process. With a nod to herself, she waved her hand over the furniture to signal confirmation before Flash left and locked the door behind him trying to walk properly. Leaving the girls to await their cloths in the machine, and more than enough time for them to fall into a short nap against each other. Their bodies were still adjusting to food on a regular basis and for now it would send them into a nap, at least they had time on their side with three hours remaining.

"So, I guess we just head to some recruitment center and try our luck there?" Aria asked as she let Sonata nestle into her like a pillow.

"Ya, pretty much since we lack a higher educational degree for better paying jobs. These human caste systems are deplorable to say the least, but if you can push and pull more than your weight it shouldn't be a problem anyways." she answered as she leaned into the arm of the couch with the other two gently resting on top of her like a fallen stack of dominoes.

"I like it here, he's nice and cute." Dusk yawned before the group fell into slumber.

Canterlot High: noon time

Sunset Shimmer stood waiting in the cafeteria line with the girls due to the death of the second register, leaving one lunch lady to handle the payment. Fluttershy and Pinkie had been talking about the next picnic with the human world Twilight that they'd been planning for the last week. Wondering how well she'd continue to do with the group as she started to go back into her reclusive habits with new sciences being brought to the science community. Applejack insisted they should take it slow to avoid spooking her after she met with her Equestrian counterpart, thinking that moment may not have been easy for her to process. Shimmer and Rarity were the other half who agreed to ease the girl into the circle of magic while Rainbow seemed preoccupied with her future career as an athlete.

"She might be as jittery as a grasshopper, so I'm glad ya'll are taking this with a lot more caution. You all saw how nervous she was when she met Princess Twilight, she nearly ran off until we found her nearly fainted like Rarity does during her moments." the farm girl earned a look from the one in reference.

"I may have a moment or two but I'm fully aware of where I fall thank you very much! Besides, this world's Twilight nearly bumped her head on that nasty little corner of that door handle. It's a good think Vice Principle Luna was there to catch her." the others visibly showed their recollection of that unfortunate meet.

"Magic is just so new to her, we shouldn't have pushed her to meet her other self. Heck I'm still expecting to meet my human version on this world." Sunset added as they finally reached the cashier to pay.

"Perhaps they should pen pal first and get to know one another before they meet again? You know like how you do when she's back in her world?" Pinkie nodded to the timid girl in agreement.

"Ya! Then once she feels all comfortable with the idea I can throw my super 'Hello My Other Universe Self Party'! Then she'll be super duper happy and not want to freak out, hyperventilate, run away, and nearly crash into another schools principle." though her idea was not met with much enthusiasm, they were in agreement about the party for her social life's sake.

Still unsure if the idea worked, they all agreed to a little luncheon on the coming Saturday after the victory over the Friendship Games needed some closure. The celebration would ease the little abrasion of the Sparkle incident and open up dialogue for friendship to take further root for the skittish girl, though the oddest part had been how Flash was acting earlier in the morning. He seemed jittery and worried, quick answers whenever she greeted him, leaving for class to dodge questions. His sudden disappearance for lunch period had her even more concerned, though she attested it to something else related to his music band. To distract herself, she focused on the girls and their idle chatter to calm her worries. What did she have to worry over anyways?

As of the moment of the Friendship Games, life as they knew it became easier and less tormented by magical beings bent on conquest of worlds. Even now the school had begun to accept her after she fought Midnight Twilight in front of both schools, no one since had ever given her the stink eye or dismissed her help. No longer the succubus they once saw, she had become the friend to seek and all forgave her past transgression even if it were long listed. She really had a fresh start now, but she just hoped there would be no more magical terrors coming forth anytime soon. There was only so much crazy that could happen before things got out and the curious like the human Twilight would seek to investigate.

"Darling are you alright there, we're holding up the line?" Rarity asked as they were next in line to pay.

Sunset shook her head and smiled, "Fine, just fine, kind of wondering where Flash is? He usually should be with his band by now and they're sitting alone over there without him." she pointed to the table as she handed the cash over.

Indeed the two boys were feasting without a care in the world with their third man was missing, "I'm sure he had a good reason, boys will be boys after all. He can handle himself, or... are you worried about him for other reasons?" the fashionista flicked an eyebrow to insinuate what she meant.

"What! No! I.. whatever the case is I'm still a bit concerned even if I shouldn't." she replied flustered and tried to avoid turning a bit red.

"Deary, one off day isn't the end of the world. Why if Applejack never had a moment of feeling ill she would act just like him if it became too much. Those lads are in the music field as much as Rainbow Dash has been trying to get into those high end universities to play for the Golden Mustangs and the like. Cut him some slack, its not like the sirens are coming back for revenge right?" Rarity bolstered at the idea as the two strolled past a few students to their table.

Taking their seats with the others who were taking their first bites of their trays, "Ya those girls probably left for a new life somewhere, though I wished they could have stayed. We could have helped them and maybe at least become acquaintances. I for one know what it's like to be reformed and have no one at first to trust and learn from, even though that only lasted for a barely a minute before Princess Twilight put her neck out for me."

Gently laying sheets of napkins over her lap so as to avoid staining her skirt, "Yes it was a tad shame they vanished, but they were not, pony like you, they were dark magic since they were born if I remember right. It may have been a losing battle to try and hope for anything meaningful out of them. I mean we could have tried if they were around, but really it was a long shot."

Pour her beverage in a clear plastic cup with ice, "Still tears me up about it though, I really wanted to help them like you guys did for me. They must feel loneliness after losing their powers, Canterlot knows so little of their kind I wouldn't be surprised if there were more on Equis that live in the farthest reaches beyond even Celestia's sun."

Rarity could only shrug her shoulders before confiding into her healthy appetite, as the others did the same. Sunset played with her meal as the options she could have taken with the Dazzlings flopped around her mind. Could she have done more?

'Was it right to turn a lion into a vegetarian? To make a sea hawk eat berries when it grew up on fish and rabbits? Was it right what we did and not just send them back to Equestria?' she muddled the thought sitting down and looking to the doors of the lunchroom where Flash Sentry soon appeared walking a little funny and a look of slight pain in his face.

Ch. 3 Floundering

Amidst the final quarter of the lunch period, Flash had tried his best to walk properly as he entered through the double doors into the delicious smelling lunch room. Having never been into sports with his band at the forefront of his teenage life. Performing that little accidental move left him with pins and needles on top of the slight burn with each use of the legs. Thankfully, most of the students in the cafeteria were far too occupied with themselves to notice his wincing occasionally. Except his band mates, both of which were eyeing him with curiosity though keeping their words to themselves for the moment. Waving him over Brawley began to chuckle when he figured out as to why his buddy even sat down awkwardly with signs of pain in his eyes.

"Before I say anything, would that hitch in your giddy up of yours be because of a certain group of young women?" he laughed a bit more as he passed a wrapped burger across the table in front of Sentry.

"Must of been a very merry way of expressing gratitude." Ringo's humor did not go unnoticed with a slight curve in the corner of his lips.

Snatching meal and grimacing before taking a bite of the chicken filled sandwich, "I did the splits because I slipped on a stick of butter that Sonata dropped... that's all that happened." he dead panned a stoic look at the two whose expressions turned upside down.

Both of them winced at the thought, for boys or men accidentally performing that move had been as nearly as painful as a groin injury. The memory of that one game back at the paintball field where a shot found itself on some unlucky kid, the lone downside if you did not possess a cup guard. The fun in the moment had been dashed, letting the guitarist eat peacefully as his legs thanked him for the rest. A few tables away the hysterical jokes from the one and only Pinkie Pie filled the already noisy dining area, somewhere a joke on someone went perfectly.

"Dude, really? Did you... you know? Smash the berries there? Might want to visit the nurses office for a bag of ice or something." Sentry shook his head at Ringo who generally seemed a tad concerned.

"Maybe, I'll see how well I can go without bringing this to Nurse Redheart. Aside from all that, what are we going to get them for supper tonight? I have ten bits on me I can help with." he switched the topic away from himself to the girls to steer away from the aforementioned.

"You didn't ask?" a raised eye brow from Beats had him stop chewing a mouthfull as he realized the fault.

"I don't think we need to worry, doubt they'll have preference at this point. From what we gave them I think its safe to say we can choose a place and they won't hate it." Ringo said threw a pinch of fries in his mouth.

"Right, well there's that asian bistro cafe not far from your house? We can stop by there, foods cheap and pretty good. Went there for fathers day to surprise my dad." Beats passed his half full can of fizzling soda water to Sentry who consumed it heartily.

Nodding in agreement, "Looks like we got ourselves a plan, just hope your folks don't discover them before they get back on their toes. Hey speaking of which, what are we going to do about the audition at the Executive Equestrian Club? Remember that place, they're hosting the open mic night before the big barbecue festival. Are we still going to attend this friday or we scrapping it to take care of those girls?" he brushed away a lone tuft of his sky blue hair from his eyes.

"I'm all for helping those less fortunate, but we did have that gig planned for the last month. If we win, we'll get to perform at the festival. It'll have to be your call Flash, you are the leader after all." Ringo said as he continued to sip away at his apple cider tea.

It dawned on him that the Dazzlings had shown up right as they had lined up for events to get their names out to the public. He wanted to keep an eye on them and of course feed them so they wouldn't eat too much out of the pantry. Possibly giving them some bits, but that could put them at risk of being caught by a neighbor going in and out of the backyard much less his parents. If he'd trust them enough to handle themselves and not cause strife, they could still go out for that night and the coming festival. It would be a huge gamble however, even if they didn't have their stones or their voices they were still the same people that plotted.

"I'll need to think on it and talk to them, kinda want to gauge their reaction. I mean my father was a cop and that knee of his won't stop him from protecting the house. Really couldn't fathom those three to actually do anything to stir up trouble and throw them back on the road." he held a bit of hope things would work out as he finished his small meal.

All around them students began to get up to leave for the next class in groups, with the lunch ladies back in the kitchen lines removing the left overs. If Beats hadn't taken the thought bought the extra item and saved him from going hungry, Sentry would be less prepared for the pop quiz everyone expected in Chemistry of the day. Student life, the band, and now three former mythological creatures were on their plate and not making life any easier to handle.

Ringo began to bring order to his tray, folding wrapping paper and bags to organizing his tray neatly for ease of dumping. The others followed suit and discussed the songs they'd play for the restaurant considering the demographic they'd be facing. So consumed were they about age groups and timing that none had notice Sunset trailing them after she excused herself from the Rainbooms. She waited for the band to head to their separate classes before eventually catching Flash as he found his locker. Having made sure her approach was heard to avoid startling the boy and taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"Hey, how's it going Flash? I saw you showed up a little late to lunch, kinda glad one of your friends got you something at least right?" she introduced herself hoping learn something and quell her curiosity.

"Oh ya, Sunset, had something to do during the break." he opened the lock and pulled out a textbook and notes trying to make the little social call as short as possible to avoid anything about the Dazzlings from slipping out of his mouth.

Nodding even as he avoided looking at her in the eyes, "Kinda noticed you had a uh, hitch in your walk. Did you hurt yourself or something? You were fine this morning. Is everything alright?" using her nicest voice possible.

Slinging the material under his arm and closing the locker, "Slipped and sorta pulled a hamstring I think, gotta watch those bathroom floors haha." he forced a chuckle as he started to walk to class with Sunset next to him.

"Well if you need any help, I'm sure Nurse Redheart could offer muscle relaxant. Just be sure to watch yourself! We're always on the look out for any strange things or evil trying to take over the world and all." Flash gave her a slight wave to dismiss himself.

"See ya." as he turned the corner to head upstairs, it was sheer luck she stopped being persistent as he felt beads of sweat rolling down his neck.

Shimmer stood in place, a few students walking by either on their phones or simple walking to their next destination. The odd aloof boy set off a few red flags for her to keep watch on, but overall he showed nothing else concrete. Though she felt bad about what happened to him, a quick mental note was taken to remind the janitors to be wary of wet floors in the restrooms or leaky pipes.

'Usually he's easy to talk to, now he acted like he didn't want to talk to me. Sure he said why he moved a little off, but he streamlined out of talking with me and he's never done that before. There's got to be something up with him, that or he's hiding something?' she thought before making her way to her next class as well.

Sentry's Home

Adagio yawned as the haze of their nap started to lift away, the dryer having long since finished its job as the house sported no heavy mechanical noise what so ever. Just the gentle hum of the air conditioner keeping them at a nice temperature even as they were still wrapped in towels from their shower and under the sunlight that bounced off the windows of another house. To wake up in such a nice environment had been heaven for her, this was luxury for them at its finest since they lost themselves to the forces of harmony. The human food had taken a huge chunk of their time as the nearest digital clock displayed the time just shy of four in the afternoon.

Looking around the house as Aria still dozed on her stomach and Sonata twitching in her sleep on her lap, 'Wasn't there a reason we had to be back in the shed soon?'

She took a deep breath and wondered about life, about their lives now that fate seemed to think they needed the help. Being able to eat again had been a savory moment they'd never forget, such a troublesome requirement to function biologically. Having a fresh clean feel about them was also a huge plus, their beautiful hair free of debris and smelled wonderful. She had to hand it to those boys, they saved them from dying of disease most likely given the rate they were heading into. Perhaps they could work out a way to thank them once they found work which would have to be tomorrow since they burned so much of their time already.

Aria's arms moved around her waist as she cuddled the dominate siren, this had her looking at the usually irate one of their band with intrigue. Ever since they came to this world, she displayed ever increasing aggressive behavior especially towards Sonata. Their exile had removed them from the world of magic, and that somehow put some kind of strain upon her mind. The proof in that was the scene before her or hugging her to be precise, she use to be a more pleasant siren to be around. If she had to guess, like any other being deprived of its food source or given scraps instead they would suffer inevitably. Without magic she likely sustained mana withdrawal that made her the cranky pissy person she was now. She lacked the strong will to endure, but made up for it as the muscle for the group when they needed it. The silver lining had been in her dark magic emaciation, there were those few humans who tried to take advantage of them over the decades they'd spent in this world. Sonata very well couldn't even be counted for defense and she herself had been the brains of the pod and their powers were weak before that fateful event. Aria was the attack dog of the group, but in her weaker moments like now she displayed the needs and security she kept buried under her perpetual dour mood.

Dazzle lifted a hand and gently stroked the unbridled purple and aquamarine hair lovingly like any relative would for a child of the family. She remembered asking the siren to join her on her quest to take over Equestria during a fated meet with her pod. There had been a dispute between her unit and a migrating mermare school over territory, she managed to get close enough to encourage the then young Aria to come with her. Promises of never ending negative energy to feast upon and the whole world of fans who'd never cease adoring them. Back then she'd been no different than any other siren, full of life and hope with a very colorful personality focused on bettering her songs and voice. How much things changed since then, she had no such aspirations and seemed content to go with the flow.

As the leader of the trio, creator of the Dazzlings, it was her job to provide for them while they carried their weight in the act of feeding. Even without the gems to channel the negative emotions or their need of them anymore, she still upheld her duty to be the conductor of their tiny orchestra. They were stuck in this human world, a venerable desert for magic where they'd die like any other monkey around them as they themselves were now. She could at least make their borrowed time painless, her pod wouldn't suffer again and if she could somehow find a way back home. They could at least pass on like proper sirens in the fatherly grace of Poseidon in his vast oceans to all water born creatures. As much of a pipe dream as that were.

Suddenly, the sound of a vehicle pulling up near by had her lifting her head as much as she could. It was then that she heard the engine shut off and doors opening that everything came back to her, Flash's parents were home and they would be found out soon if they didn't get out quickly.

Sitting up abruptly without care of the other two, "UP! UP!! They're here! Need to get back into the shed!" she shouted as she dashed to the restroom to ensure everything was cleaned up right.

"Whaa? Why can't we sleep a bit more?!" Sonata cried as she rubbed her eyes trying to sit up.

"Crap! Why didn't you wake us up sooner!" Aria tripped and banged her shin on the coffee table positioned before the sofa that led her to curse and hop to the dryer.

"No time! Get your things and get to the shed! I'll lock the door behind us!" Adagio ran out of the room and grabbed their empty bowls from the meal they made and threw them in the dishwasher.

Aria had to grab Dusk by the arm as she darted for the backyard, "Hey, what gives! Ari..." the cerulean girl tried to speak before a hand covered her mouth.

"The people who own this place are home and they can't find us! Keep your lips shut until we're inside the shed again." Blaze growled at having to spend the moment to get the girl up to speed.

Making for the door of their temporary home, Adagio rushed onto the back deck and locked the glass sliding door before high tailing it to safety. Fortunately she could breath relief when she heard the sound of a machine and hydraulics in operation, which meant their great fear hadn't even made it to the door yet. Wiping away orange curls from her face, she made it inside the workshop unit and closed the door. Aria had thankfully grabbed the supply crate and put their fresh cloths inside it in her hurry, which saved them from having to go back inside for it. Sonata seemed to still be trying to wake up, her loose towel on her body threatened to slip off.

"Get dressed, if they for whatever reason need to come in her I think it would be less offensive to be so revealing." Adagio ordered as she started to make herself proper.

"Guess we can't even nap without being rushed out." Aria mumbled while dressing up.

"I'm kinda hungry, when's pretty boy going to come by with food?" the slight noise of the air headed teens stomach made itself obvious.

In the distance the sound of a lawn mower rumbled away, dogs barking up a storm at the new ruckus they found as a threat to their territory. By now schools were letting out with the sound of whistles being blown by crossing guards. Other vehicles were pulling into their homes as well, some pumping deep bass through their stereos as they passed by.

"Looks like we'll do the job circus tomorrow then?" Blaze quipped as she fixed her scrubbed hair clips that were back into their shiny pristine state.

"Unfortunately yes, but this does let us know we must be careful what we eat if we're still adjusting like this. Can't imagine what it would have been like being caught on their furniture without that boy there to vouch for us." Dazzle huffed and she corralled her thick mess of hair into a pony tail once again.

"Well i guess that was our little vacation, probably the last one for a while. Kinda glad we got even a moment to pamper ourselves like that." the girl with the silver stars in her hair had mentioned in a dreamy kind of way.

Sonata paused and tilted her head, she'd never heard Aria speak in such a way and it felt a little wrong to her. However, a quick glare from Adagio shut her mouth from commenting on the likely rare little mood. She withdrew and finished throwing on her hoodie before her hair was next, all the while stealing glances at the siren she wished she could say something to.

"We can hope to have more in the future, once we land jobs and get back to supporting ourselves. Hell, there are those island getaways just like home, crystal clear waters and plenty of tropical life and fish to partake in. Let that be a goal for you two to set when we get a job so you don't mess up. This world may not be full of magic or even remotely like Equis, but we can enjoy what natural treasures still exist here before we..." she couldn't bring herself to finish her words.

Aria leaned into the work table and for once did not frown nor scowl, "Ya... not immortal anymore... we'll have to... definitely go to some of those places. See the oceans again, swim above white sands, and... bath in the sun without some loud traffic jam to muck it up. Just... one last look at home before it all... ends."

"What can I say, we've lead a productive life as our siren selves. We can hold our heads up high and remember we brought many city states to the ground and fed on Canterlot, something no siren has done in our race's history. Even almost took over another world... I guess I can understand how ponies can be so happy with their short miserable little lives like the humans. Time makes things seem... I don't know more valuable than before?" Adagio giggled to herself as she looked out one of the windows where the sun came in.

"I... I don't want to go after a few more years. It's not fair." Sonata pouted as she caught up with the depressing conversation.

"Same here kiddo, same here..." Blaze gave her a friendly grin she'd never done before for her.

"We're the Dazzlings, cream of the crop and top sharks of Equestria. And we'll be darn sure to enjoy life and make it fun from here on out! Come Tartarus or high water! We'll see this world and spend our last years wondering the waters and coasts just like our parents did in their youths. Live as sirens till our last breaths. Dazzling for life... Dazzling forever!" their leader held a fist out for the others to bump.

"Ya!!" Dusk started to cry as she put her hand out.

"To the core and nothing more, look'n forward to retirement!" Aria held her choked tears trying to maintain her courage.

Before they could withdraw their arms, Adagio embraced them in one huge bear hug that caught them off guard. She spoke no words, but a few drops from her eyes felt warm on both the girls shoulders as they realized the moment they were sharing. Mortality really was a thing for them now, having been so busy trying to survive before they overlooked it. But they would not go down like crying hatchlings, they may have been beaten by the Rainbooms but their lives were still theirs to control. They'd work themselves out of the gutters and be able to go out and live life to the fullest even if it were not in pursuit of adoring masses and dark magic. They'd show those harmony loving freaks that they couldn't beat the souls of sirens, doing more with their lives than those girls couldn't possible fathom for their own.

"I love you guys!" Sonata cried out as she reciprocated the hug.

"I couldn't hate anyone like you two, now... now I hate you for making me feel like this." the purple haired girl stuttered as she too added to the circle.

"And I will do everything in my power to make sure you two are happy, a pod leader still has her duties with or without the rubies." Dazzle let the little stream flow feeling the power of their cooperative union invigorate her as well as let out pent up emotions go freely.

For a few moments longer they would share the touching feelings before parting, with all three in agreement of where to go in life. They now had to take the first steps, but of course a little dinner could help them venture into different sectors to seek rather than some small business and a dead end job. There was a whole world out there for them to explore and take advantage of, where they lacked in higher education there were plenty of employment opportunities they heard of where one could advance. Attaining high level positions would allow them to earn many bits and save that for the journey of a life time. They just needed to find the perfect place to begin, and Flash Sentry and his gang would be the corner stone of their revival.

After all was said and done, they awaited patiently for the promise of food which lent them to simply wait in the desolate shed till then. For Sonata, she found interest in whatever crawled up near the windows whether it were a spider or a lizard, she was intrigued all the same. Especially for a little grass snake which seemed to take an interest in her like a child seeing a puppy for the first time. Its little forked tongue flickering at her moving finger on the other side of the glass pane. Its big eyes keeping a focus on her for the time they interacted, and she wanted to go outside and grab it too. However, she knew that wasn't allowed and it made her all the more anxious to keep playing with the little serpent until a familiar group of boys arrived through the left side gate with plastic bags in tow.

Ch. 4 How Short Life Can Be

Laid out on the unused workbench, Adagio surveyed the meal brought to them still steaming hot fresh from the kitchen. The Dazzlings were awed at the savory dishes that were said to be of asian cuisine, flavorful and filling. Even if they were in white styrofoam containers, the chefs who produced the food carried the presentation through their takeout.

Amazingly, beyond the mouth watering smells and the interesting packets of sauces and condiments. The sirens never tried this type of human food having sustained themselves at chain stores or simple things from grocery stores. Of course, back then they needed no real physical food to survive, and a regret surfaced at having spent so long on the new world without attempting a taste of what it had to offer. She made a mental note to fix that with what time they had left.

The two lackies of Sentry had left without a word, somehow they knew they were thanked by the look of awe and lip licking by the girls who looked ready to pounce. Flash was the only one to remain, having had questions to ask but feared announcing them too soon would not bold well for him. And so he waited, watching the sirens taste and sample the extra goods that would enhance their dinners before either tossing them aside or lopping them into the bounties. Soon following, their ate with the same wild vigor as they had when they first ate after a few days, and it made him shiver at their ferocity. Thankfully the moment was as fast as their mouths and in a few minutes they were cleaning themselves up with the provided napkins and sighing contently.

Hovering in their culinary induced euphoria, Flash jumped on the chance, "So uh... how's everything been?"

Adagio smacked her lips as she sat on the large comforter they were given to sleep on, "Good, very good."

"Were you able to do everything you needed to do today?" he asked.

"Ya?!" Aria scoffed, "Finally got all that grim off us if you didn't notice."

"Totally cool for realzies! It was sooo awesome to feel a hot shower again!" Sonata nearly shouted in joy.

"Yes, we've met our more basic needs and the food you brought was very satisfactory. Thank you for asking." Dazzle smiled at him in a weird way.

He locked up at the way her eyes fell upon him, "GOOD! Good... like I said you girls have use of this place till your back on your feet." the feeling of sweat starting to peak out of the pores tingled his skin.

The golden siren nodded, "Another thanks from us, we'll be looking for jobs tomorrow. We don't plan on hunkering down here for too long."

He wanted to ask what he stayed for to get a reaction to, but something kept pressing him to stall as he leaned against the wall, "For as long as you have been here, I don't think you'll have a problem. But best of luck to you anyways."

Dazzle leered at him curiously, his odd way of trying to strike up a conversation perplexed her for a time. She half expected him to be in and out, having little to really do with them with whatever busy little life he thought he had. While the other girls basked in the feeling of satiation, she took the chance to investigate.

"I hate to beat the dead tree trunk, but why are you still here?" she asked playing with a curly lock of orange yellow hair.

He tensed up, feeling the desire to evacuate the shed if something hadn't still nailed his body into place and seemingly answered for him, "I'm... not sure? Guess I feel like I must know my new neighbors for the safety of my home and parents."

She scoffed, "Really? You actually consider us a threat still? You were there, we're powerless and unable to feed off of negative energies without the rubies your little lover girl happily destroyed. But seeing as your such a prying eye I'll give you a bit of a fact to ease that mind of yours."

"And that is?" he tilted his head and crossed his arms over his chest to act strong.

The lead girl drew closer to him till they were nearly face to face, her eyes possessing a sense of control and fear inducing air about her. When she spoke, it came as whispers to let only his ears hear and only once as it seemed she'd say the words.

Her hot breath flowing over his ears, "We were immortal before, and now that our gems are gone. We'll die soon... but we won't let your little Equestrian girlfriend break us. We will live life to the fullest, we will live like sirens back home, we will out do each and every one of you with your pathetic little lives of glamor and friendship. So fear not the walking corpses before you, we will be gone soon enough."

As she pulled away, a look of absolute dread mixed with sadness painted upon Sentry's face. He could not even form words of which to respond, their eyes just glued to each other as the facts redid all he knew about them. Unless she lied to him, had the girls sentenced them to their graves? He had to know about the subject to confirm it and maybe have Sunset help them before their time came, a group of girls his band helped out and soon they would expire!

Adagio watched the boy leave with a shaken spirit and a lost look about him, "I hear the Bahamas are a great place to start, once we get situated how about we make that our first place to enjoy?"

Sonata cried out to the ceiling with a hoop and a holler, "Alright! I don't know what that is but sounds like fun!"

"So long as they got fish and good booze, I hear that humans have a higher tolerance to alcohol than ponies due. Laying on a beach with their finest stuff and feeling the buzz we see humans sleep to seems like a good first go at this whole thing." Aria laughed having never drank before.

"Yes... maybe japan too? I saw an advert for their airlines and the place looks plentiful and rich." Dazzle giggled as the three formed together on the comforter for a little nap their meal brought on.

Flash's Room

After hearing the latest news of their well being, Flash forewent asking them about the show dates and instead dived into his computer in the room. A slight mix of panic had him searching every site he could about immortality and its lore, his drive to seek the truth lead him to ignore his folks and miss dinner. They of which assumed he had a test coming up and had to prepare for, leaving him be to his research.

Several hours after he began which nailed the clock at just short of midnight, a lone thunderstorm passed through. Distant crackles became frequent and louder as the little cell blew through. He could see the lightning through the blinds in his window to the backyard, but it did little to draw him away from his research. Rain poured in droves once the cloud system finally reached his home, an orchestra of cascading water off the roof and into the various surfaces around the house acted as the music for the work he took upon himself.

How he wished the rain washed away the sinking feeling he had for the Dazzlings after everything narrowed down. All the supposed stories spoke the same language Adagio had told him not long ago. Immortals were beings sustained by some kind of source of power, regardless of the type if it were, suddenly removed from their bodies would essentially collapse their true age to the point it had naturally gone to sand and dust. Depending on the type of power, the befallen either suffered like a vampire thrown into open sun, others held on enough to last a month or so, and the lucky few just faded away from the world like a light bulb turned off. No sign or evidence of them even being there beyond their possessions they had, their physical bodies were beyond material remnants.

The impossible couldn't be avoided anymore, they were killing the sirens. He had no such hatred in himself to allow such a thing to occur, no matter how bad someone was they did not deserve to die. Flash leapt from his room and stealthily escaped the house, exiting the back door and quietly going through the tall grass. He needed to see them again as the visions of dried up corpses or worse had come to mind ever since he looked up immortals and magic. Of course it had been sources of the human world, but they had to have some similarities given that the Dazzlings were Equestrians and in a magicless place like his home planet.

After he gave a gander through the shed's window, he would shoot to Sunset even if he had to wake her. His pants and shoes long since soaked and retaining water as he hobbled through the rain. This was important, no one needed to be made murders for their ignorance, nor was his discomfort even a concern as the rain bit into his body heat fast. Then again he wondered why Sunset or Twilight ever thought of what fighting the sirens would really do to them other than stopping their ascent to power? It would be similar to a guy who went to martial arts classes and used those skills to defend himself, only to severely maim the poor thug into a coma?

As he drew to the window his mind never stopped, ‘There’s no way they’re going to die. They can’t die! No one’s suppose to die!’

His heart thumped to the intensity of the circumstances, the horror that might await his virgin eyes. Reaching the shed wall quietly as possible even with soggy shoes making noise, pausing to catch his breath. Feeling as if the heart would jettison out of his throat, and quivering as the will to see the girls finally won out after the struggle. He was rewarded with sleeping teenage girls, all three of them huddled side by side as they dreampt in deep REM. A laugh would have escaped him had he not known the girls would have awoken from it, so instead he left the window and pumped a fist while his legs carried him out to see Sunset and wake her up in the middle of the night. Trying his best to not trip through the tall grass with the minor flooding going on.

In the rush, what he did not see was the little snake resting on Sonata’s forehead coiled into a little ball under the bangs of her hair. The same serpent which she played with before the food had arrived, she had found it again after they ate their fill as it somehow gotten inside. She always enjoyed playing around with critters, and for sirens back home sea snakes were the best pets to have if you kept them fed enough. Their venom served as a great deterrent for monsters and hungry predators of the water. She successfully hid the snake in her clothing until night time came, and she brought it out to play with it some more once Adagio and Aria were sleeping soundly.

Having let it work itself around her thin fingers while its tongue tasting their air, Sonata had a field day with her new friend as it offered her spontaneous interactions. Though eventually even her meal forced the rest they had to take, someone about this world's food which brought on the sandman. After setting the little snake on the floor near their impromptu bed, the cerulean siren soon slipped into a dream of Equestria right before Starswirl banished them into the mirror. They had just won the next to the last match with the old geezer, and the judges called for a break before the final event. Adagio and Aria were patting themselves on the back at the way they held the crowd sway, Sonata joining in as they relished in the negative emotions they’d been absorbing.

“I can’t believe it, they still cry out for us! I haven’t felt this full since Aquestria!” Adagio shivered in ecstasy from the power coursing through them.

“Worthless unicorn mage, no matter what he threw they loved us all the more. All those fans… mmhmmm so delicious!” Aria licked her teeth.

“What are we going to do next Adagio? After we like stomp him and win?” Dusk inquired.

“Aria, did you see the way he almost cried?! I could of sworn that one tomato that was thrown really hit his pride.” Dazzle laughed.

Sonata tried again and again to say something to add to the after battle chat, but each time she did there was never any reciprocation. They ignored her and though it took a few more tries to really get the message across, eventually she stopped and went up to shake Aria into acknowledging her.

“Blaze it’s not funny anymoreeeeeEORRR!!” she cried as her forelimbs went through her fellow siren as if she were nothing but a cloud of smoke.

Plopping on the hard granite surface of the waiting room, Dusk picked herself up and studied what just happened. She used her tail to go through Adagio and the same thing happened and it all made sense soon enough as the gears in her mind went to work.

“Ohhhhh I’m dreaming, right…” she pouted seeing that even in her dreams those two were still on a level above her.

“Why the long face? Surely someone as talented as you should be living in some grand palace catered to by your adoring fans?” a voice hissed in the background behind the red curtain to the stage.

“Wh…whose there?” she called out as she spun in place, her bulky length scrapping the rock floor after not activating the levitation spell they always used on land.

“Meee? Oh I’m just someone like you! Someone with greatness and loving adoration rightly decreed by nature to thee, only to be stolen by another who wanted it for themselves!!” the hissing picked up its volume and soured the tone of the voice.

“Like me? Are you another siren?!” she gasped.

There was a pause at first and then a grumble, “No, but I am familiar with the defeat you and your kind have suffered. To cut to the chase, very soon the one known as Sunset Shimmer will be notified about you three and something will be done about it. So you need to trust me to get you out of this before a problem happens and they blast you again!” it warned, echoing all around the enchanted singer.

“What’s she going to do? We’re already human?” Sonata whimpered hoping there was not a more horrible punishment than they already endured.

“The fact that your without your gems is bad enough, you’re dying and she’s going to speed it up. So I suggest you side with me so you may live and get revenge!” the being of power spoke.

“Uhhh… that’s kinda Adagio’s job? I just sing and support, I like tacos more than vengeance!” she quipped happily at the topic of food.

“Fascinating…. Really….” The voice a sarcastic tone though Sonata failed to notice.

“Uh so why can’t I see you? You some kind of ghost?” Dusk gasps, “YOUR like Casper the friendly ghost right! Come to see my dreams be good and get rid of the evil doers like the time the Rainbooms destroyed our gems?! She said exuberantly enough that even the voice had a pause before saying anything.

“No... well sort of, look stay with me here.” Soon the world of the coltesseum vanished in a quick wash of dreamscape where the two soon hovered over open grassy plains and a coastline not far from them.

The sounds of rolling waves crashing into the steep cliffs of what reminded Sonata of the Corish north, it made her giggle when their unique accents always brought out the best moods out of the trio. Save for Aria who hated most of everything and never buckled to even the most quiet of places. Why the being chose this place of all to talk to her was strange, but even more stranger when she actually looked around and found it.

“Let me get into something more comfortable and then we’ll really talk. I hope you like this place, as it seemed to be one of the many parts of Equestria you liked the most.” The voice became a mixture of feminine and masculine tones talking as one, with a source of bright light manifesting to Sonata’s left not a few feet away.

What appeared to be like a star that had fallen into her dreams shined with the might of the moon, and soon started to elongate. It reminded Sonata of those cooking shows where they chefs had made their own noodles out of wads of things called dough. The twisting writhing light of eye burning power reached an impressive fifteen feet if she guessed right, as if all three sirens were lined up together by any comparison.

Cracks of black formed along the mutating oval until the webs reached the ends. It reminded Dusk of the worms in the mud when Aria once pushed her into a puddle after a previous failed attempt to get their magic back. They thankfully turned what would have been a hurtful act into a glorious day with the wriggling fleshy things she'd never seen before other than what lived in the ocean.These were harmless and not itchy things that liked to get in between the scales to suck out blood. She hated those worms as they were difficult to remove, Adagio forcing her to go see the cleaning wrasse in the reefs they passed often.

Yet an earthworm was far from what was in her own dream, as the shell of light finally gave out under the stress that seemed to be exerted under it. With a sound of glass exploding, fragments shot in all directions, harmlessly passing through the siren as they disappeared into nothing but fuzzy dust balls. That was when it became clear who had invaded her nightmare as it felt. To her utter shock, it was not ghost or casper, not even a banshee of some kind with the sight of a green scaly body with golden belly scales leading up to a feathered head. Almost as if it were made of jade, the stone she remembered seeing in Neighpon once, gave of a magnificent jewel like appearance to the being. They reflected the surroundings like a dull mirror, commanding Sonata to awe in its impressiveness it rightly deserved. Of course the end of the other end appeared to be some kind of rattle or many gold ringlet’s attached to the tip of the hovering lengthy body. The face of her visitor finally put two and two together, with the huge ornaments adorning the golden accessories it was no mistaking who this was.

“You’re a GARGOYLE!!” she innocently jeered.

Having maintained a prime posture to compliment their mesmerizing stature, it crumbled at the misidentification stupendously. Which left the giant serpent to sag in disappointment much like how Adagio would.

“Oh for the love of… NO you peon! Before you is a mighty god! One who once ruled over Mezzotech, the god of life, the light and wisdom of the Equeztec Empire, Lord of the Winds, and Ruler of the West!! We are Coatl, Quetzalcoatl! One who vowed to return to the Equeztecs and lead them to a new golden age!” the serpent hissed in fury at the indignity it suffered from the siren.

“Opps, my bad, so sorry.” she grinned under the hateful glare of the coatl.

“Not that I’d expect You to know anyways, I’ve been stuck here with my kind ever since that blasted blue monkey tricked me! Now I’ve been trying to get back and take what was rightfully mine from the egotistical toad who wants to ruin everything!” the god swirled around Sonata rapidly gaining speed and wind.

Dusk tried to shield her eyes and ears from the vortex growing around her, but it was becoming very difficult as the eye of the tornado had started to pull at her. She didn’t understand what was going on and quickly tried to call out for the snake thing to stop.

“PLEASE!! DON’T HURT ME! I’LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT JUST STOP!” yelling as soon as her tail had been grasped by the whirlwind and began to drag her into the current.

With one last breath, she felt neither tug nor gust which assaulted her a second ago, she could feel the grass beneath her and the sun shining on her scaly body. Her dorsal crest fluttering with her scared state, but with no sound of the horror that nearly consumed her it felt safe to open her eyes. Lifting her forelimbs off her head, she peered out as her eyes trailed up the serpent form hovering above her.

A few inches from her snout was the viper itself, the red sclera and black pupil leading into nothingness bore into her mind. At this distance, the siren could make out the polished gold plates of armor and the stone guards covering the cheeks. She could see herself in the reflection, but her own fear ceased any attempt to have fun with it. The feathers seemed to be apart of the snake, which seemed weird to the former singer as she’d never seen even serpent dragons have any back in Equestria. It definitely looked the part of a deity, but the fangs it host gave it an all more sinister feel that even she wanted to back away cautiously. There was no telling what kind of poisons or venom it had to inject.

“You… we are quite the same we are. I watched what happened to your group not long ago, just like me you were tricked. Losing your power to another, and banished into nothingness or at least before I intervened.” The coatl backed away winding in on itself like a rattlesnake.

“You what?” she smiled while asking cluelessly.

“I said I helped you, keep up with the conversation or forget the help then! Anyways, you realize what happens when immortals lose the power that sustains them do you not?!” it commanded an answer with the forked tongue flicking out in frustration.

“Yes, Adagio said something about it and that we were going to go on a trip around the world to be happy! Something about showing up the ones who took away our magic.” She replied rubbing her head with a taloned forelimb.

“Yes indeed, but she did not know that the effect was instantaneous with the removal of the source. When you ran away from the stage, did you not feel suddenly tired for a moment? Like the you would soon be heading to the golden city of Tenochtitlan as the other Equeztecs near death? Or whatever you call the afterlife?” it waved its rattler like a had to dismiss the likely wrong name for the siren’s grave heaven.

Swishing her tail from side to side meekly, Sonata nodded to confirm the assumption. They did feel like sleeping when they left the Battle of the Bands, but nearly in an instant they were rejuvenated like a shot of human coffee Aria seemed to like every now and then regardless of them not really needing food or drink when they had the gems.

“You would have turned into the sands of time had I not given you some of my power, and I have much to spare so long as you keep in my good grace.” A more female tone superseded the male pitch.

“You mean… we… we would…” she stammered as a few tears started to signal a bout of crying.

“Now now, Quetzalcoatl saved you so no tears my little one, you lived since and still do. Now as to the reason I’ve done so, your Equestrian are you not?” the coatl lowered itself to eye level with the hippocampi and used her thin tongue to remove the tears on her face before they fell.

Sniffling and doing her best to not act on her emotions, “Y…yes that’s true.”

“Good, then I still sense that magic in you three, it’s how I was able to give you life before it vaporized into this barren world. I managed to seal some away that latched onto it, so for now you’ll remain alive. There is a price for my kindness, you and your band of enchanted performers will serve me and get us back to Equestria. I’ve been stuck here for far too long and I need to see to my subjects… that is if the blue menace didn’t destroy what I and my kin created… the glorious city...” it sighed and mourned over its missing home.

“You mean there’s a way back?! Can we get our gems too!” she floated towards the Coatl’s coils and stood on the lengthy muscle pile which did not seem to offend the god.

“If you do not ruin the attempt I give you three, I will use my powers to restore your gems. All you need to do is find the portal those Equestrians seem to use to visit this world, find out if its guarded on the other side by protective spells of any kind. I don’t believe the ruling power on the other side would just let a portal exist without security of some kind.” It proposed using the end of its tail to wrap around Sonata and lift her with it as it rose up.

“Once you have proof that the way through is clear, call for me and I will appear. Then we will go through and be free of the shackles of our exile to become what we were meant to be. So long as you stay clear of my lands of course.” Her tongue tickled Sonata’s muzzle as she giggled.

“Well, I think Adagio would do anything to have power back, Aria wouldn’t care how we’d get them. How will I convince them though? They’ll think I’m just saying stuff and ignore me.” She pondered about all the other times she talked and how little they took her seriously most of the time.

“I expected that, so I will show myself for a brief moment. Just make sure they’re paying attention. I can only use my power so much with the pressure of this world trying to suck it from my very being. I call this place a desert of magic for a reason. Now awaken…”

“Awaken…”

“…awaken…”

Sunset’s Dormroom

She awoke with a grueling haze of sleep that had been disturbed by the loud doorbell being assaulted by someone outside. Shooting off her bed and assuming a combat stance as if she were about to be attacked, a line of drool she had going that spotted her pillow she had slept on dribbled off her jaw. Her hands were ready to chop into windpipes of assailants and legs primed to buck anyone in the gut. The doorbell continued to howl, which it soon enough lifted the grogginess just enough she could open her eyes to see reality.

“Huh?! Whaaa…?” she cracked the fleshy lids that exposed the dark room of her bedroom.

Something kept crying out in the entire dorm, a ringing of some kind she couldn’t figure out what it was even as she stumbled to the door, jamming her pinkie toe into the door itself. Cursing in Equestrian, she limped over through the hallway and into the living room as tiny as it was before meeting the front door with her forehead. The thud surprisingly stopped the person that had continuously been calling on the house enough for her to respond to the dull pain and sensitive spot of impact.

Sunset unlocked the latches and revealed herself, the pain from the outside lights flooding into the nocturnal state of the interior forced her eyes closed again. Some guy began chatting up a storm towards her with out stopping for a breath. Oddly enough it seemed familiar to her, but her mind couldn’t process it until her photo receptors adjusted to the artificial illumination. To which she soon made out the figure of a very wet Flash Sentry still chatting in panic.

“… and that’s when I looked to the internet and found out that immortals die when they lose their power! Sunset, I think you’re going to be the cause of the Dazzlings death!” he bemoaned and grabbed her shoulders shaking the poor lass into alertness.

“Calm down Flash! What’s going on with the sirens?” she groaned as it was too early for any hijinks for her.

“Sunset, listen very carefully, I believe when you took their powers away, their immortality went with it. And if what I looked up is correct, without magic their age quickly catches up with them. You and the Rainbooms may very well be labeled as… murderers!!!” his seriousness seemed comical the way he spoke of it.

“WHAT?!!? That can’t be, they should have just turned human! The transformation from siren to human form should have buffered the aging process into a standard human lifespan. Unless… they were that old… and I don’t know anything about siren magic either.” She stared through him as she thought about the graveness of the mistake to their reforming magical laser.

She’d been the only other one that had been touched by the cleansing magic, but she wasn’t immortal. A regular unicorn with a standard set of expected years to live, of course she couldn’t compare herself to them how stupid were they to just assume they saved the world and not harmed magical beings who lived off dark magic? Why had Twilight not seen this coming?

Five minutes of waiting and Sentry couldn’t take it anymore, “Shimmer snap out of it! We need to help them! Maybe send them back home? At least they could live maybe longer I don’t know! A world of magic for them, like fish to water or something?” he spouted desperately.

“I need to talk to Twilight, come inside!” she yanked him in and slammed the door.

She immediately flipped on the light and gestured for him to take a seat on the leather sofa while she disappeared into her room to acquire the magical tome she talked with the princess through. Flash removed most of his wet garments before he himself sat down and worried greatly. Worried even more that the pony Twilight would be counted as a possible culprit to their demise, was that possible? What kind of laws existed in Equestria that might find even heroes subject to law when even an evil creature is inadvertently killed?

Sunset arrived and sat next to him, the air conditioning system kicked on as she opened the book to the latest page. He watched as she sent an urgent contact message first, to get her on the line. Much like how he texted with his band mates whenever either of them would be running late to a show or practice.

It did not take long for the response to come, which read, ‘Sunset, I’m here, what’s the problem? You realize how late it is?’

“Good she’s awake! Now tell me everything you know so I can send it over.” She asked of him that he gladly obeyed.

For the next ten minutes they spent sending a condensed form of his experience, right down to the way Adagio told him about their future in the human world. Whether this was a ploy of some kind, it did not seem to have any kind of a lead other than to gain trust of some kind. Yet with their source of power gone, what could they do technically? They were regular seaponies at best, maybe a kelpie at best without their magic of course just a possible talent for singing.

Shimmer sent the options she thought of that included sending them back so they’d have a little longer to live and possible among their own kind. The rubies they sported were one of a kind and couldn’t be remade or so in theory, and they had no real knowledge of sirens to begin with. For all Twilight admitted, they were as unique as Discord possibly made by Grogar or some other fell caster who tried to make super weapons to combat the forces of good and harmony. With all the guesswork laid on the table, the Princess of Friendship fell back on the only thing she knew was right. She had to ask Princess Celestia about this incident and see what the crown deemed safe and permissible.

‘I’ll contact you soon once I get any response. If you can try to befriend them and keep them close. Notice any changes in their age or bodies, I don’t know how fast the process is taking upon them. But if it comes down to it… give them a little magic in anyway you can. Equestrian magic should be enough to prolong their lives. Your friend, Twilight Sparkle.’

Sighing heavily, “So there’s a possibility then… at least you’re in a loop with them. Go to the Dazzlings and try to do anything to keep them at your house. Better we can try to have them easy to get to rather than anywhere in this place.” Shimmer put a hand on his own, “I never expected this to actually happen, for the magic of friendship to be capable of… guess that shows how little I know about magic still.”

Flash shook his head, “Even Twilight was unaware, don’t blame yourself because we at least caught it before it was too late. I’ll head over and make them breakfast, see if I can’t butter them up into staying.”

“Go ahead, I’ll try to do some research myself, but… ahhhaaaaaaa… after I get a little more sleep. I don’t want to make a mistake again while I’m half tired. I’ll warn the girls, if we do make some kind of friendship with the sirens it’ll be best they’re ready and willing.” The two sat up as she set the magical book aside.

“Right, goodnight then.” He said with a sullen tone, knowing the depth of the situation was not making anything any easier.

Ch. 5 Adagio's Bargin

Sunset groggily rubbed her forehead, feeling the ache of waking up in the middle of the night round about only then when Flash left. Locking her door, she trudged back to her room with the intent of snuggling back into the soft fluffy comforter that called for her. It was not to be, the dream realm would have to wait however. As each step her bare feet took herald worry and regret over the sirens and what Twilight told her. Nothing of her desire to sleep again could shake off the encroaching sense of responsibility she had banging warning bells against the innards of her skull, the racket getting louder as she reached her bedroom.

A hand gently rested on the surface of the door itself, she stopped moving and stood to ponder, "What if... I'm too late? They could leave now and we'd be the reason they... why am I feeling like this towards former evil beings?"

She crouches down, the hand sliding down with her as the other clutches around her legs, the skin on painted wood squeaking from friction. The aching came with visions of the battle between the two bands, flashes of memories from how they treated her and manipulated everyone to harvest their source of power. Adagio's wits that nearly fractured the friendship her friends had, even with Princess Twilight there and under extreme duress. How they nearly won and would have likely gone out to take over the globe.

With a pounding heart filled to the brim with worry, "They're human... like I am." she brought her other arm around her body as the thoughts were barely making any sense in her state, "I'm not them, that's why I want... no. Need to help them or else I'm no better than they were. Celestia would have... she'd do the same wouldn't she?"

She gripped herself tighter and harder as the bursting need to go into action blossomed into something beyond reason. Having barely still able to learn much about the reason for magic in this world, with much more to research for the safety of the girls and the school. It was not as if life currently were any easier on her, with school work in the back of everything and then to fight against the Dazzlings. She'd hoped for a break of some kind before anything crazy happened, to practice in the band with the Rainbooms. Enjoy the new found respect she earned with the school's student body after she helped save them from slavery. Now it was all turned upside down, all of that would amount to nothing if they really would become the killers with blood on their hands.

With a deep sigh she stood up and rushed to the bathroom, flicking on the light switch and hitting the cold water faucet. Immediately, her hands pulled up the icy liquid and splashed it upon her face a few times before supporting her upper body on the counter with outstretched arms. Curls and locks of red and yellow hair draped down to the sink, some strands sticking to her dripping face. The cold water still ran and emptied into the drain, swirling a little loudly as the flow from the nozzle filled her ears.

She soon looked up, staring herself in the eyes with conviction, "No matter who they are, they don't deserve this. Just like me... they have a right to a second chance!"

Shimmer quickly shut off the stream, and assembled something to dress herself for heading out. All the while, her mind and thoughts screaming at her to hurry up and get there in time, to give them some of her magic before it was beyond the bar of return. She could perhaps catch up to Flash who was still heading home still, she'd need to know the layout of approach so as not to spook the sirens or instigate a fight. She was their aid, their life line now and she couldn't just go barging in.

Slapping on her boots and leather jacket for warmth, she exited her place and locked up fast. Adrenaline serving as her wake up cup of coffee and the shame of potentially ending lives the sanity to keep her motivated. Flash wouldn't be far away now.

The Shed

Sonata's eyes opened as she yawned from waking up, her limbs and back contorting to stretch. Every muscle tensing up, popping a few joints in the act as she prepared herself to sit up. It was dark outside, still nighttime for them and a ways to go before morning breakfast. The first thing to mind came pastries of sugary goodness, breakfast tacos, several cartons of milk, and eggs as her body went into its normal waking procedure. Her still awakening awareness guided her eyes around the fabricated building that was their temporary home, looking for nothing in particular until her fellows came into view.

Adagio and Aria were snoring away, cozier than a moray eel in his little rocky den. She tilted her head as her thoughts strayed away from food and to a beckoning question as to why she felt a need to wake them up. It felt important like a nagging need to eat or drink now that they were human, or the lazy sleepiness that came with the act of consuming. Whatever she dreamed of before waking up had trouble coming to the fore thoughts, but it was still there and trying like a desperate dog attempting to escape its leash.

Her long blue hued hair moved and tickled her as something moved about within, enough to cause her hands to go through the hair for whatever was disturbing it. It felt long and cool to the touch as it grazed the back of her neck, like a wet noodle from what Aria had gotten so mad that she threw a pasta dish at her long ago because she said her hair style was weird. A long forgotten fight that was one of many, though now this noodle was alive and working towards the scalp of her head. Whatever it was, it kept evading her fingers even when it should have been easy to have nipped it by then. Yanking free one of her hands while the other was tangled and pulling hairs, she dove at it again and attempted to smash the squirming thing against her head to pin it. It abruptly turned towards her left ear and avoided the attempt which only earned her a jarring slap from herself.

She could feel something tiny and cold flicking her ear, immediately ceasing her movements as the sensation reminded her of something. The voice would later confirm it, it was the little garden snake no doubt and she had let it fall asleep on her. She yelped realizing she almost harmed the little thing and with the overwhelming sense of guilt she put away her hands as the dream came back to her.

"If you were not so unique, I'd have removed my proposal for attempting to smash me like a troublesome fly. Now quiet down and awaken your group, we have little time before that other shows up." the coatl sounded tired and miffed at the same time.

"Oh right! Well here goes nothing?" Sonata shrugged and proceeded to crawl over to Blaze as she slept away.

Using her usual method to either annoy or wake up the particular siren from their nap if Adagio wanted them up and active. It was her flick of the finger to the nose, and of course serving two purposes for the time being. One would startle the ancient being, second which she'd then scream at her or commence fighting to attain revenge for breaking the restful nights sleep. The plan did as she'd expected, as she hovered over and primed her fingers for maximum sensation and pain to a minor degree.

'Flick'

'Pat'

Aria's face scowled from its peaceful and beautiful serene state with a hand coming up to feel and swipe away what caused her dreams to jolt. Groaning with vicious venom, she awkwardly sat up and rubbed the dust from her eyes. Her hair loose like Sonata's had a few stray ends curling everywhere complimenting the lines under her eyes, she was far from her normal state but nothing anyone could lay blame on. Unless it was the pain soon to come to Dusk who sat nearby with a lovable smile as she followed the order given to her by the god of some land.

Making herself obvious as to the source of the rude wake up call, Aria soon turned her head to the siren and gave a long very inactive stare. The kind she only gave when she was far gone from brushing away what the aloof girl did that she tolerated. This time it would do exactly as things flowed into as it had been done so many times in the past, to teach the girl a lesson through fighting her. To that, Blaze launched an arm and grabbed hold of the collar of the shirt and brought Sonata into a choke hold. Using her other hand she roughly knuckled the scalp cursing to Tartarus all the way for being stirred up as she was. Her victim yelping and moaning in pain, no matter how much she struggled the strength of her fellow siren was beyond her ability to escape.

"OWWW OWWIEEEE!!!"

"YOU gonna wake me up again like that! AGAIN!?!!"

"NOOOOooooooo I was told tooooo!!"

"Like Tartarus you were you pleb!"

"PLEASE!!!! It hurts...."

Adagio's luscious thick hair jiggled as she too was forced from rest by the shouting nearby, sighing heavily as she knew what was to be done to eradicate the problem. Bashing two skulls together and going back to sleep usually fixed the issue, even if they were going at it as bad as they were then. The warmth of their makeshift bed left her as the task that had to be done led her body to rise and twist around, as expected the two former singers were embroiled in a struggle of submission. Dazzle's magenta eyes locked onto the targets, wearing a look of hate and exhaustion she brought her hands up and prepared to do the job. They'd cry out and let go of each other, reeling from the pain with little reason to continue warring anymore.

"STOP!! I just did what Quetalzwhodal asked me to do!!" Sonata whined under the assault, the very garden snake she mentioned coiled on her pillow who had been watching the ordeal took the moment to announce herself.

"I don't care! Don't WAKE me up like this again! Or so help me..." Blaze shouted as she dug her knuckles a little deeper in her agitation.

The little garter snake began to glow dimly at first, summoning her powers for the few moments she'd need to convey her message and earn her lapdogs. The scaly head rose upwards slowly just as the illumination grew ever more intense, the sun eclipsed by the moon eyes with radiating fire from the pupil in its intensity. Flowed outwards into a cloud of energy whisping out above that would soon give form to her great majesty. True to her word, the serpent body she inhabited was the only way to keep alive in a realm which literally sucked away any magic unless you were a Rainboom or a pony princess. Having arrived long ago, she came as a human at first with her power still intact but without a recharging to the source from. For the first time the god felt mortal as everything about her that made Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent deity to Equeztecs was finite. She chose to possess instead with what powers were still at her disposal and in doing so, trapped her remaining might to maintain its potency. Yet whenever it was summoned, it would bleed off like a severe puncture wound to the neck and there was little she could do.

This was a vital important task the coatl had to carry out herself, everything rode on the proper method to gaining help. Adagio held firm just inches away from slamming craniums together when she noticed the rising blaring sun in their little shed. Her eyes winced in pain at first, her hands withdrawing to shield them from the painful sensation light adjustment. Aria and Sonata followed suit very soon as they noticed the odd occurrence that did the same onto them and their vision.

The god taking form burst from the skin of primordial energy, its lengthy body escaping the light as if it were shedding its skin. Twisting and turning above the sirens in a scaled down version of its proper self, though none of the details Sonata then remembered were left out. The gold armor, colorful feathers, and the fangs were all still there upon the coatl as it soon swam through the air and amassed itself at the other end of the shed. Her red eyes and black slits contracting, instantly locking onto the Dazzlings with forked tongue tasting the air every other ten seconds. The green scaly form far longer than any bus, hovered in the air in defiance of gravity as the birth of magical light faded away. Half of the new comer was shrouded in shadow from the little sources of visibility available to the sirens, they only saw what the god wanted them to.

Recovered from the painful experience from the little show, Sonata wormed her way from Aria and crawled towards Quetzalcoatl on her hands and knees over the blanket base that served as their bedding. The very sight of the powerful being had shaken the siren's strong grip enough for an escape to happen. She managed to get to the serpents side before turning back to her comrade with an oblivious grin and a casual wave.

"I kind of had to wake you guys up because she wanted to save us?! Isn't that cool!!" Dusk beamed with joy as she finally reached her pain threshold and was able to ignore the aching of her head.

Aria and Adagio were a chaotic mix of fear, curiosity, and utter shock swirling through their heads as they eyed their dullard of a siren and the obvious threat before them. If it were not for locked up muscles, the two would have done two things with post haste and pride. To have escaped the shed with the possibility of Sonata in tow, or perhaps attacked seeing as they still had the world to see and a monster would not deny them the proper end to their now short little lives.

All that until the creature spoke as it hovered menacingly in the air, "Greetings... little hippocampi, I am here in this very desolate wasteland the same way you were. I shall say my peace and you will listen, it is in your best interest after all for we are kindred spirits in that we are unjustly imprisoned here. I know a way out and I offer you your previous lives back... gems and all." the serpent god spoke with such might and softness, rivaling Adagio's own illustrious voice.

Aria was far beyond the ability to speak, she simply wanted to leave or fight as per her instinct. Confused by how Dusk was somehow implicated in the situation, her limbs were stayed from action hoping Adagio would wrangle some kind of silver lining out of the trouble. The golden siren unfortunately would not deliver on what was expected of her, deep down she hated having to give into mortal life even with the hope to up show the Rainbooms. It was a petty little thing to her, but it was the best way to comfort the others in the circumstances thrusted upon them as it were. Whatever being Sonata had made contact with it was saturated in magic and not just any kind, it was pure Equestrian mana in all its glory shining like a lighthouse on a coast assailed by a horrendous storm letting passing ships know of dangerous land ahead. She had to hear the proposition if it meant living, the threat of death was pure evil to a siren and this was the key to escape even if there was a catch.

Dazzle nodded in agreement, the coatl took the silence as consent and resumed, "I am Quetzalcoatl, ruler over Mezzotech, the god of life, the light and wisdom of the Equeztec Empire, Lord of the Winds, and Ruler of the West. But here... I am by a dying savior in need of access back to our home. I cannot act on my behalf for long and thus I need help. I promise you your precious gems you've so lost to those who broke them in exchange for finding the portal to Equestria and ensure safe passage for us. I must get back to my loyal subjects before a certain blue monkey spirit either ruins what is left of it or he destroys the world for his own fun!" a short hiss of aggravation escaped the serpent as her feathers rustled.

Adagio took a moment to weigh her responses, figuring an evasive way was probably the best. Their pendants and a way back home because this so called deity had no way of doing it herself gave them much leverage to get their dues. She'd need to secure a true promise to hold any deal solid, as it was true that upon their return the overgrown reptile could easily disappear like a freed jin from a lamp. Nothing left for them to scrap from, all except for having some kind of magic to sustain on for a little longer life span. They'd still perish nonetheless, this being her new drive and problem to solve with this deal with the infamous Grogar as the humans might have put it with their fallen spirits.

"Your offer is tempting, but what makes us so sure you won't leave us empty handed once we leave back? I mean you could simply vanish with whatever mighty magic you have at your beck and call right? A rival to Celestia and we just simple little pawns to get your way. Give me a reason to agree if you will..." she shivered in thought, though her physical body held firm and confident.

Sonata gazed at her leader and the god unsure of what was going on, surely they had to take the chance. They'd get their powers and immortal lives back, what was wrong with the god and her needs? Such a being couldn't turn back on their word would they?

Aria snapped a stare of unmitigated fury to Dazzle, hearing nothing close to what she hoped would have been a response. She would have berated her for even considering the deal, no matter if she took the path of least resistance. They could trust no one to bring back what was their golden days or even the sliver they lived with before that cursed battle of the bands. She could feel her fists clenching so hard it began to hurt, teeth grinding, arms quivering in righteous anger.

Quetzalcoatl did not appear fazed by the response, "That is the reason I trust you'll live up to my expectations young siren. Smart and cunning... no matter how close you are to salvation you will question the hand that gives. Or in the least the tail. Very well... I offer one gemstone in return for your service, one gemstone born from my blood that will be forever yours. I know you need all three to function, but this will goad you best. It will do your bidding as your old ones had, but the rest will come when I am free. How is this?"

Aria could take no more with the baited hook in front of them, "ONE!?!! You expect us to just dally up to you like dogs and serve you for a measly bone!? You could still take off and leave us with one gem only Adagio could use!"

"Settle down Aria. Let the big girls talk." Adagio scorned her suborindate before clearing her throat, "You are suggesting still a deal with a hole in it, I ask that this be changed to include a little something more to avoid... complications." Adagio asked calmly, giving no respite to the serpent who simply huffed before slithering in the air to get closer to the leader.

Her red sclera and black viper eyes locked in on the teenager, "You tempt a painful fate young fry, do you know this? It will take much of my current magic to create you your gemstone, I cannot will much else beyond that. I ask that you trust me in my word, I am no pony nor mere silver tongued salesman selling their snake oil." the coatl shifted to twirl around Adagio without touching her, "How about this? I know of a trio just like you... a group of mermaids not like mermares who were banished to this world and refused my offer. They possess power and magic unique to them as yours were, I can help steal that and give a seed to germinate into the other two gemstones only after I have passed through the portal? Doesn't that sound concrete? Set in stone as it were?"

Aria growled, "Those fish demons..."

"Mermaids? Adagio didn't we run into a group of them like sooo long ago in Aquestria?" Sonata asked since no one bothered to explain why they hadn't run into the rival singers since they'd been in the human world.

Adagio grinned wide, "A worse enemy than the Kelpie... a lone group in this world too?! Now this I've got to see. First we make this happen and then we help you. No other changes or alterations, I've long since wanted revenge on those puffer fish and their drab singing acts!"

Sensing a new found willingness, the god smiled as hope became palpable, "Good then, I shall be with the one you call Sonata Dusk and speak to her from this point on. I will guide you to the three and set this in motion, besides... I too want them to suffer for denying me my rightful escape! I went as far as to promise them a spot among my defenders, to sing to their hearts content and drain my enemies of their will to live. They'd have been as happy as a fat tick... no... they were too good to aid one such as I."

The powerful emotions coming from the deity was unrefined and red hot in its honesty, Adagio was sure this new chance was true to the bone. Mermaids had long since given her a headache in the beginning of their tour throughout Equestria, there was much pain to inflict upon them and nothing better than turning mortal would suffice. The long drawn out punishment would be agonizingly slow and methodical, and for them it would be a mere few seconds of their unending lives. Mere knock-offs of what true music was, not to mention their methods of attaining power often met with harvesting lives. To Adagio, they were reapers of the wheat fields, taking all and leaving no seeds behind, leaving barren soil behind unlike sirens.

Sonata looked again at Adagio still lost to the bit after the mermaids, though if both parties had a grudge to settle and a peace could be made what better to agree upon?

Sure as the sun rose each morning in this human world without magic to will it, the god herself pulled away and coiled next to Sonata. With an outstretched yawn in a gaping fanged maw, the coatl exhaled a red mist as a dragon would breath fire which sunk to the ground as a foggy haze. The cobalt rattle at the end of the serpents tail shook and chimed in a short burst, affecting the mist as it then began to compact and take form. Concentrating into a rough shape no larger than the desired object of the Dazzlings. The feathers around the coatl's head shivered for the duration of the act as they sparkled with magic like they were coated with glitter, the promised gemstone was really coming forward.

Aria lost her defensive behavior to the sight of a real pendant that they once had. Still standing in place as she had been since the start, down on the floor not a few feet away formed their immortality begging to be claimed as the last of the crimson cloud disappeared into it. It was as beautiful as it was mind breaking, their way out and more had been true all along and not some twisted scheme to undo the three for anothers fortune. They'd receive their voices again and live, a chance to return the favor to those who harmed them with compounded interest. The Rainbooms to start and then all of Equestria who were blood relatives of the infamous wizard, she could find a way to send them to the human world with no chance of returning. Though was it worth a promise, she pondered in thought knowing Adagio would never let a sly deal go without truly putting every consideration into effect?

The very siren fell to her knees and crawled to the ruby, its many faceted sides shined as it called to her. Her breath shallow, eyes affixed to the stone as it drew closer and closer till it was within reach. A hand went to feel it, hesitating at the last second as if it were fire coral that could send her fingers into Tartarus's inferno. The wait ceased when an all too familiar glow came shone out like a beacon, the lingering mana was unmistakably theirs though she failed to wonder how it was all possible. Bringing both hands, Dazzle cupped the newly forged pendant stone and gentle as a loving mother to an infant she brought it to her eyes as they too sparkled with brimming tears of happiness.

"I... I agree to your terms." Adagio finally answered before something loud hit the door to the shed.

The god laughed deviously, "Make sure Suvanna, Thessa, and Gatis all know what darkness and helplessness feels like! Make them cry till they can't no more..." her voice faded away as her form vanished in the blink of an eye once the bang upon the wooden entrance resounded again.