The Trick to Success

Chapters

1- Appearance
2- Menace
3- Influence
4- Acquiescence
5. Reconnaissance
6. Affluence
7. Entice
8. Forbearance
10. Rejoice
11- Temperance
12- Indulgence
13- Abduce
14- Alliance
9. Happenstance

1- Appearance

Chapter 1. Appearance.

The February wind breezed through Sunset Shimmer’s fiery hair, cold enough to be acknowledged, but not so much as to make her shiver. Winter was coming to an end, and the days were becoming a little warmer, so she didn’t need to wear a scarf anymore.

“Where is your scarf?” Trixie asked as Sunset opened her apartment door.

“I don’t need a scarf,” Sunset said, rolling her eyes.

Trixie put her hands on her hips. “Yes, yes you do.” She reached for her backpack and produced a gray scarf. “Put it on,” she ordered. “I don’t want you getting sick again.”

“Trixie…”

“We’re not going over this again, Sunset!” Trixie insisted. “You got really bad last time! I don’t want you to end up with pneumonia or something!” When Sunset didn’t answer, she continued with a softer voice. “Please? For me?”

It was the most cliché phrase ever told, and yet, Sunset just couldn’t say no. After all, she didn’t want Trixie to worry.

Her life had also settled down into a calm passing of the days. With school starting again for the year, and graduation looming closer by the day, Trixie had to concentrate for her final exams and projects, as did the rest of her friends. Sunset thought she’d be dead bored half of her days, being able to see the girls only on weekends, but the universe smiled at her, and she somehow managed to get a second job as an assistant mechanic.

But not any mechanic, no. She was now a dirtbikes mechanic. Ever since she first watched a motocross race a few months back, she had immediately loved the sport. She didn’t have money to get the equipment necessary to try it, but now she was close to the bikes, and she could study them and fix them and tune them, and she loved every second of it.

She had always been the experimental kind, after all, and she enjoyed working physically for a change.

Not that she wasn’t proud of her intellect, of course, as she quickly learned how dirt bikes worked in the few weeks it took her to go from assistant to mechanic. The previous one had to leave due to a personal problem, in which Sunset didn’t have anything to do, for once!

And after her second week as a real mechanic, Sunset was recognized by both co-workers and racers as a semi-competent mechanic, and she quickly used this to her advantage by convincing her bosses to lend her an old bike they were about to throw out. “A write-off,” they had called it, but to Sunset, it was an opportunity to get her own bike for free.

If only she could make the damned thing work.

“I’m telling you, Sunset,” a dark blue skinned man with pale green hair told her. He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his face. “That thing’s done for. Stop wasting your time.”

Sunset harrumphed angrily. She was squatting next to the old dirt bike. She had thoroughly cleaned it, she had replaced the damaged parts with some spares she got at great discounts, she had even managed to unstick that uberly annoying clutch and make it feel new again. And yet, the bike just wouldn’t start.

It was starting to get on her nerves.

“I’m not wasting my time,” Sunset answered between clenched teeth. “I’m getting a free bike.”

The man snorted, his thick brows frowning upwards.

“With the money you’ve spent on those parts, you might as well have gotten a new bike. Have you ever even ridden one?” He asked. “You’re the only person in this field I’ve yet to see run a few laps to test the bikes.”

Sunset sighed heavily and turned to glare at him. “Don’t you have anything better to do than to annoy me, Stinger?”

“Oh, don’t be like that, hot stuff,” Stinger said. “It was an honest question. Everyone goes on and on about how much potential you have and shit, but, you see, I can’t trust a mechanic that doesn’t know how bikes feel.”

Sunset stood up and looked at him with an interested frown. “What are you trying to say?” She asked while wiping her hands with a cloth.

Stinger shrugged. “The beginner’s field is empty until four and my bike could use some tinkering.”

“You’re lending me your bike?” Sunset asked, more to confirm to herself than to him. She then frowned and crossed her arms. “Wait, this isn’t just an attempt to get my number, is it?”

Stinger gave a hearty laugh. “No, no. I mean, you’re smoking hot, and I’d totally try to hit on you, but I’m also loyal to my girl, get me? We’re getting married next month, and I’m not about to screw up just because.”

“Huh,” Sunset said. “Well, congratulations, then. And thanks, I do want to try riding a bike.”

“Cool.” Stinger motioned her to follow him, and led her just a few meters from the workshop, where his bike was.

It was a beautiful metallic blue with arguably unnecessary green lightnings painted on the sides. Sunset didn’t hesitate and climbed onto it.

“I’m sure I don’t hafta tell you how to operate it,” Stinger began, helping Sunset stabilize. “But I still feel the need to warn you: don’t underestimate a bike. Make a few slow laps till you get the hang of it or you can get seriously injured,” he paused to offer her his blue helmet, “even if you use this.”

“Right,” Sunset said. She grabbed the helmet and put it on. It provided a welcome warmth against the cold breeze. She took a deep breath and started the engine.

The bike roared to life, and Sunset felt a thrill run through her spine. She could feel her limbs shaking with excitement. She had turned many engines on for the past two weeks, but this was the first time she was on the bike and about to ride it. She shifted in her place and shifted to neutral, and carefully, but decidedly, started to advance to the beginner’s field.

“Well, it does look like you’ve got potential,” Stinger noted as he followed her. “Most people fall off or crash on their first try.”

“I’m not most people,” Sunset said. She liked being praised for her obvious superiority, but she was too concentrated on keeping balanced to make better retorts. It didn’t help that she was going so slow that she still needed to use her feet to stabilize herself.

They arrived to the field, and true to Stinger’s words, it was empty. Sunset took a deep breath.

“Ready?” Stinger asked, and Sunset nodded. “Alright. You wanna go fast, but not too fast, get me? Just enough for the bike to balance itself, but not so much that you get sent flyin’ away.”

Normally, Sunset would have replied with a snarky comment, but she was too focused on getting it right. She didn’t want to ruin the bike and having to pay for it… She also didn’t want to get hurt.

She shifted to get more comfortable and pulled the throttle.

Sunset knew, instantly, that she had used too much force, as the bike gained speed way too quickly, and she started hearing a beep in her ears. That, or she was screaming at the stop of her lungs. She certainly hoped it was the first option.

Fortunately, instead of panicking, she remained calm and recalled all she had learned in the past weeks, and as she approached the first turn, she had managed to release the throttle enough to go at a comfortable speed. She shifted her weight, just like the manuals said she should, and accelerated at the right time.

Her heart bumped furiously inside her chest, and she knew it was out of excitement, as her high pitched scream had quickly turned into a cheerful giggle. She approached the first hill, and although she almost lost balance, she managed to keep steady. It was exhilarating, feeling the bumps and the air and the speed.

And sooner than she thought, she had already given a whole lap, returning to the beginning, where Stinger waited for her. When she closed the distance, she pulled the brake too much, and she bumped against the handlebar, but thankfully, she didn’t fall.

“How’d it feel?” He asked as she helped Sunset get off the bike.

“It was so awesome!” She answered, unable to stop smiling from ear to ear. “It’s like flying on a carriage but you’re steering!”

“A carriage?”

Sunset blushed slightly and cleared her throat.

“Never mind that…” She took off the helmet, feeling a particularly cold breeze on the back of her neck. She passed a hand through her hair and realized she was sweating quite a lot. “Ew.”

“Yeah, I know,” Stinger said, taking the helmet from her. “You get used to it.”

“Hey, Sunset,” a tall girl of light green skin and electric yellow hair called as she walked up to Sunset.

“‘Sup, Lightning?”

Lightning Dust stopped a few meters away, standing in a carefree pose, with her back arched and her hands hidden in the pockets of her red and black jacket. “There’s a girl at the workshop, says she wants to meet you ASAP.”

“A girl? Who is it?”

Lightning shrugged. “Dunno. She didn’t tell.”

“You could try being less descriptive,” Stinger joked. “Them girls like it.”

“What if I stick my boot up your a-”

“Alright, I’mma meet this mysterious girl before you two start having a weird BDSM session here,” Sunset said with a chuckle.

“Do you want company?” Lightning offered. “That girl… she gave me the creeps.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow, but shook her head. “Nah, I’ll be fine. It’s just probably one of my weird friends.” Maybe Pinkie Pie, she thought.

The thrill of her ride was still present in her body, and her legs remained shaking even as she returned to her workplace. She could certainly get used to this, and, who knew?, once she repaired that old bike, she could start a career as a pro motocrosser.

Her thoughts dissipated when she entered the small office in the workshop, and her eyes fell upon the hooded figure sitting on one of the chairs.

“Hello,” She greeted. She decided to stay by the door, just in case. “How can I help you?”

The girl gasped slightly. An awkward silence followed, and just as Sunset was about to break it, the girl stood up and ever so slowly turned around. Sunset couldn’t make her features, sans a shadowed yellow skin and some red locks.

“Eerie,” the girl said in a low voice, and Sunset thought it sounded awfully familiar. “Well, the universe isn’t imploding, so I think we’re safe.” She slid the hood from her head, revealing her face.

Sunset’s heart stopped as she stared at her human doppelganger. A turmoil of thoughts swarmed her mind, like the knowledge that this girl had almost killed Twilight and Trixie, and her first reaction thought was to hit her in the face. But she then noticed that, unlike the clichéd sci-fi phrase, it wasn’t quite like looking in a mirror.

While Sunset’s skin was a vibrant yellowish orange, Shimmer’s was pale and darkened, and her cheekbones, unlike Sunset’s round ones, were sharp and thin. There were very pronounced bags under her eyes, and her hair had a serious lack of shine.

She looked like a lifeless husk of her previous self, and Sunset wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad sign. Especially with Shimmer smirking at her.

“What are you doing here?” Sunset asked, and she noticed the trembling of her own voice, but if it was out of fear, nervousness, or something else, she didn’t know.

“Straight to the point,” Shimmer noted, leaning over the desk and resting on it. “You know, this whole meeting your doppelganger is strange. I know of a lot of people have been through this, but…” She cracked a chuckle. “You gotta admit, this is uncanny. Same physical appearance? Same name? Same age? And… no, wait…” She tapped a finger on her lips, faking a thoughtful expression. “There’s one thing we don’t have in common…” She looked straight at Sunset’s eyes and grinned. “Your papers are all false.”

Sunset managed to maintain a very convincing poker face, but she knew that the very little twitch in her left eye had betrayed her.

“How is it possible, hm?” Shimmer asked. “At first I thought you were trying to impersonate me or something. But you- you just stayed here in this hick ville town doing nothing. That had to mean something, no?”

Sunset could feel Shimmer staring deeply into her eyes, and her wicked glare was making her feel very uncomfortable.

“Since when do you know about me?” Sunset asked, still trying to remain calm, even when her stomach was becoming upset.

“Since after I stabbed your pretty girlfriend,” Shimmer answered, and the nerve and boldness made Sunset feel really sick. “I was investigating the lawyer leading the case against me to see if I could find something against him instead. Spoiler alert: I didn’t. But, I did find out about you, although I couldn’t do anything with that information… Until now, that is.”

Sunset decided to let her dimensional twin keep taking, lest she throw up the moment she opened her mouth.

“You see, I have a bit of a… situation,” Shimmer continued. “And I thought that you could give me some answers.”

At that, Sunset crossed her arms and frowned. “And what makes you think I’ll tell you anything? In fact, I want you to give me a reason why I shouldn’t call the police. I’m pretty sure you should be rotting away in prison right now.”

“Wow, harsh,” Shimmer said without any trace of hurt in her face, instead, she looked quite amused. “I’d say it was good behavior, but no. I made a deal.” She grimaced and looked away. “I’m going to therapy. A psychiatrist, to be exact. And I’ve made enough progress that he deemed appropriate that I return to society, under certain conditions, of course…”

Sunset raised an eyebrow.

“One of those conditions,” Shimmer continued, looking back at Sunset again, “is to apologize to those whom I’ve wronged. But, like, truly apologize and not fake it. And I wanted to start with the girls back at Manhattan Academy…” She trailed off and gave a frown of confusion. “But, they were acting strange, like they didn’t know who I was.”

“They were ignoring you,” Sunset found herself saying without giving it much thought. “It tends to happen when you’re a major bitch. Trust me, I know from experience.”

“I thought so, too,” Shimmer replied. “But they weren’t acting like one would normally do when ignoring someone, and I know them well enough to know that they weren’t acting like themselves, either… And, I also thought that they were just pretending or something, but…” She reached for the right pocket of her jeans and took out her cellphone. “Then I noticed that I had a message in my voice mail, which is strange because nobody uses it anymore, right? But, anyway, this is it.” She pressed play.

“Sunset,” A girl said with an innocent sounding voice. ”I know you’re busy with the trial and stuff, but… I-I need your help. I called the police but they didn’t believe me and I don’t know what else to do! I swear I’m not crazy! Adagi- No! Wait!” There was a thud, and the recording ended.

During the recording, Shimmer kept her eyes on Sunset.

“This was sent after I was found guilty and sent to prison, so I only heard it just two days ago.” She put her phone away and groaned. “Normally, I’d think she’s exaggerating, but as I said, I had already talked to “her” and she was acting strange. At first I thought of calling the police, but then I remembered that you exist.”

“If you have a doppelganger, your friends might as well have been abducted by doppelgangers,” Sunset said, finishing Shimmer’s thought.

Shimmer nodded. “So, question is: What’s up with that?” she asked. “Why do we have doppelgangers?”

Sunset stared at Shimmer, pondering her options. She frowned and snorted. “I’ll only tell you that, if you are telling the truth, I might know your friend’s impersonators’ origin. And if they are capable of kidnapping, then they’re not exactly people to be trifled with…”

“So cryptic,” Shimmer mocked. “I like it. It’s so me. But I still want a proper answer.”

“Pft, yeah, like I’m going to tell you anything.”

“And you also can hold grudges, like me.”

“I’m nothing like you!” Sunset snapped. “I did many bad things in the past, but I never tried to kill someone!”

Shimmer made a face, and Sunset wasn’t sure how to interpret it. “Speaking of that,” Shimmer started. “I’m pretty sure I can’t get near your girlfriend without getting thrown to jail again. Could you tell her I’m sorry?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Shimmer frowned.

“Because you don’t feel it.”

“Hmph, and I thought my good counterpart would be more understanding,” Shimmer said with a pout. “But I suppose there’ll be time for that. Right now I want you to take the doppelgangers that kidnapped my friends back to where they belong.”

Sunset sighed heavily. “I’ll only do it because I’m interested in meeting them, not because you want to.”

“Whatever you say,” Shimmer answered. “You’re a D-cup, right?”

Sunset was so taken aback from the question that she blushed and gaped for a moment. “Why the heck do you ask that all of a sudden?”

“Because it’ll be easier if you fit in my clothes,” Shimmer replied nonchalantly. “I don’t want to buy special ones for you.”

“And why do you want me to fit in your clothes?!”

Shimmer stared at her for a moment with her eyes slightly narrowed. “We know nothing about these kidnappers, except for the fact that they’re, for some reason, hanging out at the academy,” she explained. “If you dress up like me, you can go in, talk to them, do whatever you need to do to get my friends back, and leave.”

Sunset pondered for a moment, humming. “Listen, I don’t think I’ll be able to do much, especially if they are evil,” Sunset said. “But… I don’t think they can do much damage, so it can be safe to just call the police.”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t it be safe to call the police?”

“Oh, come on,” Sunset answered with an exasperated sigh. “If you thought it was safe from the start, you wouldn’t have come all the way to meet me.”

At that, and to Sunset’s surprise, Shimmer chuckled. “Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to meet my other self,” Shimmer said with a smirk. “I kind of thought we would make out or something.”

Sunset only deadpanned.

2- Menace

Chapter 2. Menace

Sunset woke up with a tiny gasp. Her eyes darted up and down, scanning the room. It was dark and silent, but otherwise, it was perfectly normal. Not even a second after, her alarm clock went off, loudly breaking the nice stillness.

There was some shifting behind her, a gentle moan and a yawn.

“Turn it off already,” Trixie said groggily, turning to the other side of the bed.

Sunset realized she had been listening to the alarm for way too long, and reached for it to stop it. She sat up and stretched her arms, feeling a few pops here and there. Letting her arms drop at her sides, she noticed that she was tired and remembered she hadn’t really had a proper sleep.

She lazily got off the bed and walked up to the bathroom. There, she opened the water tap and washed her face in an attempt to get the tiredness away. She looked in the mirror at herself, and for brief moment, she thought she saw Shimmer’s gaunt face staring back at her. She had hoped, when she went to sleep last night, that their meeting could be just part of a bad dream. But it wasn’t.

It didn’t matter that it was her dimensional twin, that it was practically herself; Shimmer had stabbed Trixie, and Sunset couldn’t see her as anything but a ruthless criminal. And yet, she had agreed to help her gather information in order to help her friends.

The rest of the day since Shimmer left the motocross field, Sunset had been trying to convince herself that she was doing it merely for the sake of meeting other Equestrians. But she knew, deep down, that no matter how spiteful Shimmer had been, if she was willing, she deserved the opportunity to prove she could change.

That feeling would be stronger if Shimmer hadn’t fondled her to confirm her breast size, though.

“Morning,” Trixie said, snapping Sunset out of her thoughts.

Sunset looked at her through the mirror, and a warmth formed in her chest. Trixie looked positively cute with the pajamas Sunset had gift her the day after Christmas; a suspiciously oversized set of light blue shirt and pants with little drawings of witches all over it. Trixie had been so mad at the time; Sunset couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

“Good morning, Trix,” Sunset replied, turning around and walking up to her to give her a quick peck. “Slept well?”

“Mhm.” Trixie walked to the kitchen, failing to stifle a yawn.

Sunset watched her go, thanking the universe that, as livid as Trixie had been, she had accepted the pajamas in the end.

~~~~~~~~

Breakfast had been served. A dish of ham and cheese strata, something Sunset didn’t even know existed. Apparently, aside from being super athletic, super cunning and astute, and super cute, Trixie was also an incredible cook, and every time she’d spend the night at Sunset’s, she’d treat her to a fancy breakfast.

Sometimes, Sunset thought she didn’t deserve having such an amazing girlfriend. But then she ate her food and forgot about it.

“... and then Twilight said she’d rather eat a sewer rat than date him,” Trixie finished her story before taking another bite of her food.

“Must’ve been really pushy if Twilight said something like that,” Sunset replied. She knew for a fact that Twilight would never say things like that, but Trixie was so into storytelling that she didn’t mind the added ‘details’.

“Some guys just don’t give up. Did you know he also tried to hit on me?”

“Really now?” Sunset asked absentmindedly.

“He did!” Trixie answered, hitting the table with her palm. “Trixie had to kick him in the groin to leave her alone!”

“Have you told Principal Celestia? That guy doesn’t only sound nasty, he sounds like trouble.”

“Oh, we all told her alright, and he got expelled yesterday,” Trixie said with a shrug.

“Oh, cool.”

“As did Trixie. On account of the whole kicking him thing.” She held up a letter. “I even have a note I’m supposed to show my parents, what a joke, right?”

“That’s nice.”

Trixie dropped her fork and frowned, leaning over to take a closer look at Sunset. “Alright, what’s up?” she asked.

Sunset looked at her for a moment and sighed in defeat. She leaned back and crossed her arms, pondering how to start. She took a sharp breath through her nose. In the end, she decided to be straightforward.

“I met Shimmer yesterday.”

Trixie bleached, and Sunset could see sweat forming on her forehead.

“She made a deal to get out of prison,” Sunset urged, answering the unspoken question. “And, by the looks of it, she’s genuinely trying to be a better person… If only to avoid being locked away again.”

“A-And what did she want?”

Sunset shifted in her place, looking up for just a moment.

“She thinks her friends were kidnapped by evil doppelgangers,” she said, realizing how ludicrous that had sounded, “and since she knows about me, she wants me to meet them and tell her if they really are a threat or not,” she held her hand in front of her. “I know, I know. Kidnapping is a serious crime, but since she just came out of prison, she doesn’t want the police to think she just went mad and throw her in a mental hospital.”

“I- She should be in a mental hospital!” Trixie yelled. She realized she had stood up from her chair and slumped back, her lips trembling as she forced herself to calm down. “And what did you do?”

“I…” Sunset scratched the back of her head and looked away. “I agreed to help her.”

“What?!” Trixie’s voice went several pitches high. “Why would you do something like that?! She’s a criminal! She-She stabbed me!”

“I know! And I wasn’t going to help her, but-” She paused and leaned over, resting her forehead on her palm. “She didn’t want to show it, but it was impossible to hide she was very sick… Maybe sleep and food deprived for several days, maybe something else, I don’t know, but… She’s my dimensional twin. I felt a level of empathy I’ve never felt for anyone in my entire life… Or maybe it wasn’t empathy, maybe it was something else, but-”

“I can understand that,” Trixie interrupted her in a much calmer voice. “But you do realize it can be a trap, right?”

Sunset closed her eyes. “I know the possibility is there. It’s just…” She shook her head and looked at Trixie again. “Unbeknownst to her, she offered me the possibility to meet other Equestrians… They may be evil, but… They can also know of another gateway to Equestria…”

Trixie’s glare softened, and she reached for the hand Sunset had on the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Sunset, if you’re going to walk straight into the lion’s den, I’ll go with you.”

“What?” Sunset retrieved her hand and leaned back. “I won’t let you do that! She’s going to be there!”

“Exactly,” Trixie answered. “I’m pretty sure she’s legally forbidden to be near me, so with any luck I’ll get her back to prison.”

Sunset went silent for a moment, staring wide-eyed at Trixie and realizing, after two very long seconds, that she was being completely serious.

“You really hate her, don’t you?”

Trixie huffed. “She tried to seduce me to betray Twilight, then just stabbed me. Not the best first impression, if you ask me.”

Sunset hummed for a moment. “You know what? Fine. Come with me,” she finally said. “She’s very aware that meeting you is dangerous for her freedom, so it’ll hinder her chances to do something... let’s say unexpected.”

Trixie nodded confidently and resumed eating. Meanwhile, Sunset couldn’t help but wonder just what she was getting herself into.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset and Trixie walked down the street towards the bus stop.

Sunset was wearing dark red winter jacket, black pants and sneakers; Trixie, on her part, decided for a soft blue coat upon a turtleneck sweater of the same color, jeans and high-heeled boots. Both of them had matching scarves the color of the other’s hair.

They walked holding hands and squeezing them from time to time, trying to help the gloves keep the warmth in them. And as they approached the bus stop, Trixie’s grip on Sunset’s hand tightened.

As they rounded the corner, they spotted Shimmer, wearing a pitch black winter coat that reached her calves, black winter boots, and a dark gray winter hat that concealed most of her hair, with only a couple of red locks sneaking from underneath. She was lazily resting on a very expensive looking gray car with the flashers on, holding a cigarette to her mouth.

Upon getting a closer look, Trixie noticed that what Sunset had told her was true. Shimmer looked terrible. Her skin was a sad opaque hue of what she remembered, her cheekbones were sharp, and the bags beneath her eyes were dangerously pronounced.

“We’re here,” Sunset announced as they got within hearing distance.

Shimmer turned around, and her pupils shrank when she noticed Trixie.

“Wha-” she coughed, smoke escaping her mouth and nose. She brought a fist to her mouth, waiting for her coughing fit to subside. When she finally calmed, she took a deep breath and turned to look at Sunset. “What’s she doing here?!”

“She’s coming with us,” Sunset answered dismissively.

“No, she’s-”

“Yes, I am,” Trixie interrupted her, glaring daggers at her.

Shimmer looked at Sunset with a frown. “This wasn’t part of the deal.”

“What deal?” Sunset asked, crossing her arms. “You want me to go to your school and act like I’m you to know about the girls that possibly kidnapped your friends. We didn’t say anything about Trixie.”

Shimmer stepped closer to Sunset. “You just want me back to prison, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Trixie answered immediately.

“Trixie, please,” Sunset said and then turned to Shimmer. “I’m sure you understand that she’s not exactly going to trust you won’t try to do me wrong.”

Shimmer held her glare for a few seconds before huffing and stepping back. She looked at Trixie, then at Sunset, and alternated between them a few times before smirking.

“Alright.” She turned to the car and opened the driver’s door. “Hop on in. We barely have enough time to get there and have goodie-patootie here change into my uniform before classes start.” She got in and closed the door.

Sunset circled the car and go in the codriver's seat, while Trixie got in the back seat. Once they secured their seat belts, Shimmer accelerated.

“There’s something I’ve been wondering,” Trixie said as they got on the highway. “Why didn’t you just hire some private investigators? Why come for Sunset?”

Shimmer gave her a look through the rear-view mirror. “That’s none of your business.”

“Ok, rule number one,” Sunset said harshly. “You will show Trixie the respect she deserves, or I swear those three doppelgangers won’t be the ones you need to worry about.”

“And you’re the good one?” Shimmer asked with a weirdly amused tone. “Fine.” She looked through the mirror again to signal that she was now addressing Trixie. “My family is very comprehensive. Even after my little run-in with the law, they took me in again when I got out of prison. But even they have a limit, and they’re now pestering about everything I do. ‘Why do you dress in black?’, ‘Why do you not eat like before?’, ‘Why do you write with pencils instead of pens?’...” She sighed. “Don’t want to imagine how much they’ll bug me if I dare hire an investigator.”

Trixie and Sunset crossed looks for a second.

“What about using more gas than usual?” Trixie asked. “Or bringing your doppelganger home and giving her your clothes?”

Shimmer snorted. “We’re not going to my house to get her changed,” she answered. “A public restroom will do.”

“Yeah, that’s not creepy at all,” Trixie snarked.

After that, the three girls fell in an uncomfortable silence for the rest of the ride. Shimmer even ignored their requests of playing music to help pass the time. Trixie thought it was her way of getting revenge for putting her freedom at risk by tagging Trixie along with them.

An hour and a half later, Shimmer turned right from the highway and pulled into a mall’s parking lot. She turned off the engine and unlocked her seat belt.

“My uniform’s in the trunk,” she said, looking at Sunset. “Take it, go get dressed, then return.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Shimmer asked.

“You’re coming in with me.”

At that, Shimmer’s expression quickly morphed from surprised to lewdly amused. “Oh, so you do want to make out with me,” she purred with a low voice. “But we can do it here, you know? I bet Trixie’d love to watch us doing it.”

Trixie blushed at that.

“Say what you want,” Sunset deadpanned. “I’m not leaving you alone with Trixie.”

“Oh? Are you afraid I might hurt her again?” Shimmer’s smirk widened. “Or maybe you’re afraid I might kiss her?”

“Shut up and get out,” Sunset said, unbuckling her belt and getting off the car.

“Ptch, party pooper,” Shimmer muttered as she followed Sunset to the back of the car.

Shimmer opened the trunk and grabbed a wine colored backpack, offering it to Sunset, who took it grudgingly. Trixie got out of the car too, and the three of them went inside the mall and to the restroom. Trixie and Shimmer stayed by the sinks while Sunset, after giving Shimmer one or two more warnings, went inside a stall to get changed.

Trixie made sure to be as far from Shimmer as possible, while also keeping an eye on her so she wouldn’t try to do anything evil. But the only thing Shimmer did was light up another cigarette and just smoke idly. This time Trixie didn’t feel any kind of attraction for Shimmer, at all. Not only because of her physical appearance, or because of what she had done to her. No, there was something else to her, or maybe, there was something lacking; Trixie wasn’t sure, nor did she want to find out.

Finally, Sunset went out the stall, fully dressed in the uniform of Manhattan’s Academy. A wine colored sweater, a grayish white shirt, a gray knee-length skirt, wine socks and black shoes.

Trixie blushed.

“Seriously?” Shimmer said. “Are you really going to wear the skirt like that?”

“I don’t like skirts to begin with,” Sunset replied. “I used to wear them, but only to show.”

“And that’s exactly what you’re going to do!” Shimmer insisted, throwing her arms to her sides. “I’ve spent my entire adolescence building an image, and you’re not going to ruin it! Pull it up above mid thigh!”

Sunset was about to argue, but then caught a glimpse of Trixie, who was staring at her with reddened cheeks and a stupid smile. Sunset supposed she could give her girlfriend a show, after making her skip school and dragging her all the way to Manhattan with the girl that had stabbed her.

She sighed and pulled the skirt up, using some hidden hooks to keep it in place.

“Good,” Shimmer said. “Now, I’ll teach you how I walk.”

“I know how to walk, thank you very much.”

“Yeah,” Trixie agreed. “And it’s so much better than you.”

Shimmer snorted. “Yeah, right. That’s why you were drooling over me when you met me.”

Trixie crossed her arms and huffed, giving a smile of her own. “And I thought you were smart,” she said. “My girlfriend in a school uniform. You only served as a model.”

“Will you stop arguing?” Sunset intervened. “Let’s go already. The sooner we get there, the sooner it’ll be over.”

“You’re right,” Trixie said. “I really don’t want to be with this poor attempt of cosplay any more than strictly necessary.”

“You know,” Shimmer said, angrily stubbing out her cigarette against the sink, then letting it fall down the pipe. “You’re making it very difficult to keep my promise of not doing anything illegal again.” She glared from Trixie to Sunset, then to Trixie again.

“So what?” Trixie said, putting her hands on her hips. “If you dare lay a single finger on me, my father will make sure you rot in prison, forever this time.”

At that, Shimmer flashed a cynical grin. “Oh, really? The same father that kicked you out because you’re gay?” Her grin widened when Trixie’s expression faltered. “You should get your facts right, smurfette. I may be above being a criminal now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t deal a lot of damage.”

Trixie began to step back when Sunset filled her vision, moving like a thunder and pushing Shimmer against the wall, painfully digging her elbow between Shimmer’s clavicles. “And you should stop throwing empty threats, whore,” Sunset hissed, injecting hatred into every word. “If you ever dare hurt Trixie, in any way, I’m not above being a criminal. Get it?”

Shimmer held Sunset’s glare for what felt like an eternity. Trixie thought they were going to start fighting, and she wasn’t sure it was going to be like in her fantasies.

At last, Shimmer held her hands in front of her and lowered her head. “I know when I’m beat,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Let’s make a deal. If your girlfriend stops being so passive-aggressive, I’ll stop threatening her.”

“You’re in no position to bargain.”

“Au contraire,” Shimmer retorted. “I am in the perfect position. You see, your girlfriend is dead scared right now, and I’m certain you don’t want her to be worried all the time for a possible retaliation, do you?”

Sunset looked back to Trixie; Her knees were turned a bit to each other, her back was bent forward, making it easier for her arms to cover her entire torso, especially, Sunset noticed, her stomach. She was ready, or at least she looked like it, to block any blows that could be thrown at her. And her brows were furrowed upwards, and her stare was fixed on Shimmer, unconsciously waiting for any sudden movements. Sunset turned back to Shimmer, grunted, and stepped back.

“Fine,” she said. “We’ll try to act like civilized adults.”

“Good,” Shimmer replied. She took a hand to her collarbone and gave a tiny hiss. “That’s gonna leave a bruise.”

“I’m not apologizing for that,” Sunset warned.

Shimmer buffed and crossed her arms. “No one asked.” She then walked past the girls and to the exit, feeling great satisfaction at Trixie’s flinching. “Let’s get this over with, shall we? Meeting you has only turned out to be a headache.”

“Can’t agree more,” Sunset said as she followed her.

~~~~~~~~

Once again, the girls fell in a very uncomfortable silence, and Shimmer still didn’t let them play any music. Sunset thought Shimmer just liked the silence.

It wasn’t long before Trixie started to recognize the surroundings. She had been here before, when she was looking for high schools. They turned a corner, and Manhattan’s Academy appeared, standing majestically with two tower-like buildings pointing to the sky, proudly presenting the school’s insignia, an intertwined M and A of gold and wine, in large dark blue flags that undulated over the towers.

The terrain was surrounded by a tall metal fence that ended in sharp spears, as if protecting the beautiful garden that spread around the castle looking school.

Sunset had to admit, a part of her wished she would’ve gone to this school instead of CHS.

Shimmer pulled towards the parking lot. A drop-arm barrier stood in their way, but Shimmer just pulled her window down, took a card from her wallet, and passed said card over an infrared reader. The barrier opened, and she closed the window before she advanced a few rows of cars, pulling right next to the back entrance.

Trixie noticed that all the people there eyed the car with a mix of curiosity, anger, and dread.

“Aren’t you afraid they’ll notice two Sunset’s walking about?” Sunset asked.

Shimmer seemed to have ignored her, until she answered a few seconds later. “I’m not going to leave the car. The windows are polarized, so they’ll just think I’m the chauffeur.”

“Ok…” Sunset sighed. “So, what’s the plan? Do I randomly wander the halls until I find the doppelgangers?”

“Pretty much, yes,” Shimmer answered. She reached for the passenger compartment, opening it, and taking a blue folder, opening it for Sunset to see. There were a few photographs and a sketched map, which Sunset believed was the school’s layout. “These are my friends. Look for them, talk to them, and then tell me whatever they say to you.”

“And how are we supposed to know if they really are them or not?” Trixie asked. “For all we know, they could just be trying to ignore you, or something.”

Shimmer sighed irritated. “Sonata,” she said, pointing to the blue skinned girl. “is cheerful and stupid. She’s absent-minded and sometimes gives the impression that she’s actually retarded.” She then pointed to the dark pink skinned girl. “Aria is a cliché tsundere. I believe that’s enough information about her.” Finally, she pointed to the light yellow skinned girl with massive hair. “And Adagio is a wannabe bee queen. She’s smart, but doesn’t really have the guts to step on people. She’s quite alluring, though, and she knows how to use it to her advantage.”

Sunset hummed. “If the doppelgangers are from the same place I am, they might act very similar to your friends.”

“And yet, the impostors act like they own the place. Even Sonata, and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t even understand the concept of being in control.”

“Ok…” Sunset sighed heavily. “So I go in and search for them. What if a teacher or some other authority wants me to go to my class?”

Shimmer grinned at her. “Just smile deviously and tell them you still have your cards. They’ll know better than to try to go against you.” She chuckled a little bit. “After all, it is me who owns the place.”

“Whatever,” Sunset said. “Trixie, get out of the car and stay in plain sight.”

“You wound me,” Shimmer said with faked sadness. “I thought you trusted me already.”

Sunset and Trixie rolled their eyes, doing their best to ignore her as they got out the car.

Upon exiting, Sunset immediately noticed that the students were glaring at her. She took a deep breath and did her best to stay in her old mindset. Trixie gave her a reassuring smile, and Sunset felt a warmth in her chest. She could do this.

Feeling reinvigorated with the powerful fuel of love, as cheesy as that sounded, Sunset walked around the car, taking her time to readjust to her old walking way, lifting her chin, swinging an arm and swaying her hips seductively. She walked past some students and quickly disappeared in the crowd.

Meanwhile, Trixie rested her body on the car, next to the driver’s door, and crossed her arms.

Shimmer opened the window just enough to speak comfortably. “Not a bad sashay,” she admitted. “Could have more sass, though.”

“She’s doing her best,” Trixie said. “It’s been awhile since she owned CHS like you do with this school.”

“Yeah, I read that she was the bee queen there.” Shimmer said. “What happened?”

Trixie sighed through her nose. “If you ever get to know that, it’ll only be through Sunset herself. I’m not betraying her trust.”

Shimmer clicked her tongue but didn’t answer. Instead, she took a cigarette and lit it. “Well, we have some time before she comes back. Do you want to spend it in silence, or do you want to chit-chat for a bit? I’ll be a good girl and won’t try to seduce or threaten you this time.” She took a drag of her cigarette, waiting for a moment, and when Trixie didn’t answer, she blew out the smoke through the opening of the window. “Silence it is, then.”

~~~~~~~~

Upon entering the school, Sunset quickly realized that, even though the students gave her weird looks, they weren’t exactly out of hatred. Most of them were jealousy, some were pathetic frustration, and one or two were admiration. It was similar, but different from where she ruled CHS.

Not that she particularly cared. She was there only to find three girls, and by the look of the hurried students, she was sure she didn’t have much time until classes started, and far from being a good thing, it’d just make it more difficult, since she’d have to peek through the door windows of each classroom.

As she turned a corner, she noticed a shift in the ambiance, as if the air had thickened. She was about to attribute it to the swarm of teenagers in the hall, but there was something different, something that felt both familiar and foreign, and as she kept walking, the feeling only grew.

Suddenly, it hit her like a train. She had been away for so long that she had almost forgotten, but this feeling was impossible to ignore. Hear heart raced as she realized that Manhattan’s Academy was full of Equestrian magic.

She looked around hastily. Where was it coming from? It was hard to tell with all the students going on and about, unknowingly spreading the magic throughout the place. She struggled to keep her composure as she tried to find the source of the magic. If anything, she looked like a new student trying to find her way on the first day, which wasn’t completely incorrect.

Frustration started building up, and she was about to hit something when she heard it: a trio of voices, singing in a perfect sync. But it wasn’t normal human music, no. Sunset could feel the magic emanating from it, and she could feel the darkness within.

She didn’t know what just yet, but she was a hundred percent sure that the singers weren’t ponies.

Just as she was going to follow the voices, she noticed that the students had stopped moving to their own destinations, and were now walking in the same direction towards the music. They looked pretty excited, as if it meant classes were off or something. Sunset couldn’t understand a word they said, as if her ears were being covered, and yet, she could still hear the music perfectly.

She decided to follow the crowd, trying the blend in. She wanted to know the source of this magic, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to be discovered just yet. After all, they had to be pretty strong if they could retain some of their magic in the human world.

After a few minutes of walking uncomfortably, stepping on people and being stepped on, Sunset arrived at the gym, which was easily twice as big as the one in CHS. She could walk better there, but people still pushed her to get as close as possible to the stage.

The exact same girls from the photos Shimmer had shown her were there, singing in perfect synchrony and dancing with slow, seductive movements. Sunset had to admit, the music wasn’t half bad. It actually sounded pretty nice.

The stage, Sunset realized, had been raised recently, if the difference in color with the rest of the gym was any indication. Two giant speakers sat comfortably at the back, blasting some weird trance/pop mix. Almost out of sight, a green-haired girl operated as a disk jockey. And finally, up front were the authors of the singing and the music.

She felt a chill run down her spine as the trio reached a crescendo, and the air thickened even more. For a moment, Sunset could swear she saw a green mist surrounding the gym.

She heard yelling, and turned to her left just in time to see two boys, literally at each other’s throats, pushing and pulling, disturbing the other students, who also got mad and joined the struggle. Sunset’s heart raced as she carefully stepped back. She looked around, and noticed that the rest of the crowd and the singers weren’t fazed at all. It didn’t take a genius to understand that there was something going on, something bad.

She turned around, ready to leave, but she noticed that even more students had arrived, and she was now in the middle of the crowd. She frowned and started making her way out, careful not to push or step on anyone.

Sadly, nobody moved out of her way, and at some point she ended accidentally brushing her elbow with someone. That someone, a purple skinned boy with light blue hair, turned to her and plunged to push her back. She moved out of the way, and he lost his balance, falling on another guy, who was tall and beefy. They both started arguing and pushing the other around. Sunset took her opportunity to flee, not wanting to get caught in the middle of the fights.

Finally, she got out of the gym. She took a deep breath, taking her time to get her bearings. She already had some theories about those girls’ identity, but decided to think more deeply about them once she was far, far away.

By the time she returned to the parking lot, her heart was in her throat, beating furiously and making her head feel light and dizzy.

“You ok there?” Trixie asked, walking up to Sunset.

Sunset panted and huffed, but instead of answering, she grabbed Trixie by the hand and took her to the car. “Let’s go,” she said to Shimmer before she rounded the car, opening the door for Trixie, then getting in the codriver's seat.

“What happened?” Shimmer asked with genuine curiosity.

“I’ll explain later, just go!”

Shimmer huffed, but did as was told, starting the engine and driving out of school’s terrains.

Sunset took the time to recover her breath, placing a hand on her forehead and feeling it a little warmer than usual.

“Are you ok?” Trixie asked, more concerned than before.

“Yeah, I just…” Sunset sighed. “Just needed some air…”

Shimmer pulled on the highway. “You gonna tell us what happened or not?”

Sunset straightened up. “I… I need to think more deeply into it, but… They are Equestrian alright.”

“Equestrian?” Shimmer asked, raising an eyebrow.

“But their magic was dark…” Sunset continued.

“Magic?”

Sunset took a deep breath. “It’s hard to tell with them having human bodies, but… I-I think I saw enough. And if my knowledge in ancient Equestria is any indication… They are sirens.”

“Sirens?” Trixie asked. “Aren’t those the ones on police cars?”

Shimmer snorted at that

“No,” Sunset answered immediately. “I studied human mythology, and I think their counterparts are mermaids... Sirens, however, are corrupted seaponies. They use hypnotizing magic through songs to make people fight against each other, generating negative energy and absorbing it. They can get pretty strong, and…”

“And what?” Shimmer asked, trying not to roll her eyes at the ludicrous things her doppelganger was saying.

Sunset gulped. “Legend says that if a siren isn’t stopped before getting too strong, they transform into Windigos… And unlike Equestria, there’s no way this world can survive a windigo attack…”

In that moment, Shimmer erupted in laughter, smacking the steering wheel with a hand. “You can’t be serious! Are you sure you don’t do drugs?!” Sunset and Trixie both frowned at her, waiting for her laughing fit to die down. When she finished, she looked at Sunset’s still furrowed brow. “Oh shit, you’re serious. Let me laugh even harder.”

“I think it’s normal you think I’m crazy,” Sunset said slowly. “But I’m dead serious right now. If we don’t stop the sirens now, they’ll just grow stronger, and this whole world will be done for by Summer.”

Shimmer tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Damn I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel now,” she said, still mockingly. “Say I believe you. How are you going to stop them?”

“That’s the problem,” Sunset replied, looking down. “Sirens get very powerful very quick, and we don’t have magic to even protect ourselves…”

“Wait, hold on,” Trixie intervened. “Can’t we use the magic crown thingy against them?”

Sunset shook her head. “It’s back in Equestria, and our friends lost connection to it the moment the portal closed.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Shimmer said. “You two are either high on drugs, or just plain crazy.”

“Fine,” Sunset said with a sigh. “I’ll tell you everything. It’ll be up to you to believe me or not, I don’t care. But you really have to trust me when I say: No matter what you decide, if we don’t succeed in stopping the sirens, everyone in this planet will share the same destiny: Death.”

Shimmer hummed. “Ok, I’m listening.”

“I’m not going to tell you right now,” Sunset said. “I need to organize my ideas…” She turned back to Trixie. “Can you call our friends and ask them to meet us at Sugarcube Corner? Tell them it’s urgent… And that my evil twin is with us, too.”

Shimmer snickered at that. “You really don’t want to say my name, do you?”

Sunset didn’t answer, she just rested her head on her seat and closed her eyes. “Shut up and get us to Canterlot.”

“I’m starting to get angry at you bossing me around, you know?”

Sunset groaned. “If you’re expecting a “please”, forget it. I’m still mad at you.”

“Oh, you’re mad at me?!”

“Will you two can it?!” Trixie yelled, and both Sunsets went silent. “The world’s at stake and you’re arguing like a pair of rascals!”

Shimmer made a face, and after a while, she turned to Sunset with a questioning look. “Where did you find her? I want two.”

Sunset rolled her eyes while Trixie kept frowning, but her cheeks reddened as she pouted.

3- Influence

Chapter 3. Influence.

“You gotta be kidding me,” Shimmer said with an incredulous glare.

After their little trip, the girls had gotten back to Canterlot and went directly to Sugarcube Corner, where they’d wait for the rest of Sunset and Trixie’s friends to show up. Sunset had changed out of the Manhattan uniform, not wanting her friends to confuse her with Shimmer.

Since they still had some time left, Sunset deemed appropriate to fill Shimmer in on Equestria and magic, intentionally omitting certain details, like the reason why she was in the human world and everything that happened during the Fall Formal.

“I mean, ponies?” Shimmer grabbed her cup of black coffee and leaned back. “You could have said, I dunno, horse furries, and it’d still be more believable.” She sipped from her cup.

“Horse furries?” Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow. “That sounds even more ludicrous.”

“As I said,” Sunset continued. “I don’t expect you to believe me.”

“Yes, you do,” Shimmer replied. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have told me all of this. But don’t worry, I do believe you.”

Sunset blinked. “You do?”

“Sure, why not?” Shimmer answered with a shrug. “It somehow is more believable than you and those three impostors being part of a secret organization that creates clones of people and wants to dominate the world.” She sipped more coffee.

Trixie hummed. “For some reason, I thought you’d be harder to convince.”

“I’m a girl of science, but I also love cool fantasy. Not those crappy tales for kids, though, no, but real fantasy novels, mythology, all of that.”

“So you’re just rolling with it because you want to believe,” Sunset said, nodding in understanding. “Ok. It saves us the whole “Oh god it was true after all!” crap a month later.”

The front door of the locale opened, and six girls entered cautiously, looking around until they found the trio sitting at the largest table.

Rainbow and Applejack hurried to them and crossed their arms as they lay eyes on Shimmer.

“So, it was true,” Applejack said, scowling at Shimmer with all the anger she could muster. “Y’all outta prison!”

“Oh, please, yell a little louder,” Shimmer said, not really looking at her. “I don’t think they heard you two blocks over.”

“Girls,” Sunset said, standing up and walking to Applejack. “I didn’t call you to fight, I really need you calm and focused.”

Rarity looked at Sunset, frowning in surprise. “Must be pretty big if it got you this worked up,” she said, then looked at Shimmer. “Does it have to do with her?”

“No,” Sunset answered. “Please, take a seat.” She watched her friends slowly accommodate around the table, giving Shimmer all kinds of stares. Twilight, however, remained standing, her eyes glued to Shimmer with an unreadable expression. “Twili-”

“I know what you want,” Shimmer interrupted her doppelganger, still looking at her cup, but clearly addressing Twilight. “There’s no point in denying it now, is there? I pushed you out the window and mocked you at the hospital.” She then looked at Twilight, and it was impossible to discern the feelings in her eyes. “I think it’s fair that you want me to apologize, but… Will it change anything?” She shook her head, and her voice was calmer than usual. “No… No, it won’t. I served my sentence, and am still doing it, in a way… The only thing you can be sure about is that I’ll never hurt you again.”

Silence followed as everyone looked at Shimmer. Sunset remembered that Shimmer had told her that one of the reasons they let her out was that she had to apologize to all those she wronged. She knew it was a commitment, but she couldn’t brush off the feeling that there was something behind Shimmer’s words. Maybe she did feel guilty, after all.

“I can’t be sure about anything you say,” Twilight answered. She passed her hands through her shirt, as if trying to warm them up. She looked like there was more she wanted to say, but she just looked away and went to sit in the farthest seat from Shimmer available.

“Well,” Shimmer said after an uncomfortable five second silence. “That went better than expected.”

Rainbow snorted. “We all expected a real apology.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

There were gasps of various levels of volume, being Fluttershy’s the highest. Rarity cleared her throat and leaned forward.

“Uhm, excuse me, darling,” she said, looking for a moment at poor Fluttershy, who looked like she was about to faint. “Some of us are a little sensitive, so we’d appreciate it if you try not to cuss.”

Shimmer snorted. “Not a chance, sweetcheeks.”

Rarity’s pristine white skin turned a furious red for many reasons, the most notorious one was anger. “What did you just call me?!”

“Girls, please!” Sunset intervened. She looked at Shimmer. “Stop antagonizing my friends. You’re not making it any easier.”

Shimmer crossed her legs and got comfortable in her seat. “Fine… I’ll try not to scar your naîve little friends for life.”

“Anyway...” Sunset said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She sat beside Trixie. “I called you all because we have a situation.” When the girls looked at her, Sunset proceeded to explain everything that happened; from Shimmer’s friends being kidnapped, to the possible identity of their doppelgangers. Their faces morphed from worried to terrified as Sunset explained that with no magic whatsoever, a fight with the sirens was a futile one.

“And there’s nothing anyone can do?” Rarity asked, who had somehow managed to pale. “Nothing at all?”

Pinkie raised her hand. “Not even calling the police?” She asked. “Or the army? I’m sure they can take them down in a moment!”

“The problem is that we don’t have any proof that they are criminals,” Sunset replied. “And besides, sirens can hypnotize people through their voices. It only takes a hum from them and you’re done for.”

“But, didn’t you say you heard them sing?” Trixie asked. “The crowd was getting violent. Why didn’t they affect you?”

“Well…”

“Maybe it just takes time?” Twilight offered. “Then again, you said they could be heard all throughout the school. The amount of time you were inside should’ve been enough to affect you to some degree.”

“Maybe she’s immune!” Pinkie said. “You know, ‘cuz she’s from Equestria!”

“I doubt it,” Sunset replied with a shake of her head. “Sirens are extremely powerful. Only equally powerful ponies can face them without being affected… And while I am considered a naturally talented unicorn, right now I’m just a human.”

Fluttershy looked at Sunset. “Uhm… I-”

“What if it’s because you know they’re evil?” Rainbow asked. “You know, like, they can only control you if you don’t know you’re being controlled?”

“Ah don’t think it works like that,” Applejack replied, crossing her arms. “If they’re as powerful as Sunset says, their magic’d be stronger than that, right?”

Fluttershy raised a finger. “Well, I-I think…”

“Then again,” Shimmer spoke up, and everyone looked at her immediately. “Magic or not, hypnosis often only works when you’re distracted or emotionally unstable, which is a notoriously insistent treat in teenagers.” She then looked at Sunset. “You weren’t neither of those, so maybe that’s the key to defeating them.”

“But this isn’t human hypnosis,” Sunset insisted. “It’s magic. It doesn’t matter how focused we are, they can still break us like a twig.”

“Then why weren’t you affected?!” Rainbow yelled. “Are you a Mary Sue?!”

“A what?”

“Girls!” Fluttershy finally yelled. Although, to everyone else, it just seemed like she had whispered loudly. “Can I, uhm, say something?”

Rarity smiled at her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Of course, darling. What is it?”

“Uhm… well…” Being suddenly in the spotlight, even by her own choice, was not easy for her, especially with Shimmer’s glare, sharp as a knife, digging into her. She decided to look at Sunset instead, whose gaze was much calmer and understanding. “Maybe… the sirens aren’t as powerful?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Not as powerful?”

“I-I mean, I’m sure you know everything about them. I-It’s just that, well…” She looked at her friends for more supportive glares, then back at Sunset again. “You always say you were a powerful unicorn, but you’re now just another human… What if the sirens are going through something similar?”

That earned a long hum from Sunset. “That’s… actually pretty good reasoning… Can someone lend me a pen and something to write on?” Twilight was the first one to offer her a pen and a small notebook. Sunset took them and began scribbling down some numbers. As time passed, numbers and strange symbols made way to what certainly looked like math equations.

“That pony math?” Shimmer asked, trying to fake her disinterest.

“More or less,” Sunset replied, still writing numbers and symbols. “This is magic theory…” She crossed an equation and started doing it again down below. “I’m trying to figure out if what Fluttershy said can be true… But it doesn’t make sense…”

“Wanna fill us in?” Applejack asked, looking at the notebook with the same eyes she’d look at a pink apple.

Sunset huffed. “If the portal decreases the amount of latent magic an Equestrian has upon crossing it, then I should have at least some magic left. But I don’t.” She tore the page and dropped it to one side, beginning to work in a new one. “And if the portal does take away all your magic, or if it’s a condition our bodies assume just by being turned into humans, then why do the sirens get to retain their ma-” She stopped for a few seconds, then leaned back and placed a hand on her mouth, lost in thought.

Shimmer stood up, went to get some treats for her own, returned to the table, and bit on a cupcake, all before Sunset reacted again.

“I’m looking at it wrong,” Sunset finally said.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.

“The sirens, they… The legend doesn’t say anything about a portal. It says that Starswirl the Bearded banished them, but it never- I just assumed…”

“Hey,” Shimmer called, her mouth still full of cupcake. “Can you speak like a person?”

Rarity looked at her with disgust, making a gagging gesture.

Sunset’s eyes widened and her heart stopped at the realization. “The portal from where I came through, and the portal that Starswirl used to banish the sirens aren’t the same…” She placed a hand on her neck. “That means the characteristics of the other portal are different…”

“I don’t want to sound rude,” Twilight said. “But that doesn’t answer the question of why you aren’t affected by their magic.”

Sunset sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I mean, I-” She held her breath, then looked at Shimmer. “Wait, that message, when did you receive it?”

Shimmer hummed for a moment. “The date is from my first day in prison, about two months ago.”

“So, it’s been two months since the sirens have been impersonating your friends, which means…” She looked at Twilight, then at Fluttershy, then at the rest of her friends. “The sirens might have retained their magic, but there’s the possibility that it’s just a minor part of what it should be, so, like Fluttershy said, they’re not as powerful… And, like Twilight said, it must just take time… I mean, when I listened to them, I thought their music was decent… Maybe they start off with just that.”

“Progressive mind control,” Shimmer added.

Sunset nodded. “According to the legend, the sirens hypnotised an entire city and forced them all to go to war with their own country in just two days. If it’s taking them this long to control one school, then we may have a chance of defeating them.”

“Ya mean, like, fighting ‘em?” Applejack asked.

“Well, we have to do something,” Sunset said. “We’re the only people that know the truth. And if the sirens get away with their plans-”

“Yeah, yeah, apocalypse, death, Coloratura,” Shimmer interrupted her dismissively. “Now, how are you planning on rescuing my friends? I bet two months being kidnapped are just as bad as being in prison.”

Rainbow snorted. “And why do you think we’ll help you?”

“Because you’re all a bunch of goodie-patooties and won’t turn your back on three poor innocent girls,” Shimmer replied, letting the following silence stretch for a few moments. “... Will you?”

“And what are you going to do to help them?” Rainbow asked in return. “You’re rich, aren’t you? Can’t you just hire a private army or something?”

Shimmer huffed irritated. “Not gonna explain the same thing to you. So, short answer: no.”

“Then what the heck are you even doing here?!”

“For fun.”

Rainbow’s face was red, and the veins at the sides of her head could easily be seen. “If you’re not gonna help then go away! Nobody wants you here!”

“Whoa, so salty.”

“Why, you!” Rainbow lifted her fist, but Applejack grabbed her by the arm. “What are you doing?! Are you going to be on her side?!”

“There are no sides, Dash!” Applejack said. She looked at Shimmer, who had a smug grin on her face. “If you hit ‘er, she has the resources to send you to prison. Y’all want that?”

As Rainbow considered Applejack’s words, her anger evaporated. In the end, she huffed and sat down.

“Ok…” Sunset said after the long silence that followed. “I think it’ll be better if we all go home. I’ll try to think of a way to rescue the sirens’ hostages and to defeat them. I’ll call you when I come up with something.”

“We’ll also try to think of something,” Rarity offered. “Right, girls?”

There was a round of agreements, some chirpy, like Pinkie’s, some bitter, like Rainbow’s, and some silent, like Twilight’s. They all ordered a round of light snacks and smoothies to take and, after a few minutes of convincing them they were going to be alright, the girls left Sunset and Trixie alone with Shimmer.

“Well, aren’t your friends the nice bunch?” Shimmer said mockingly as she approached her car. “Especially the gay haired one.”

“Why do you like antagonizing people so much?” Trixie asked. She had her arms crossed and a disapproving frown.

Shimmer shrugged. “It’s what us bitches do, surely you can relate.” She reached for the door of her car, but stopped, looking back at Sunset. “I didn’t give you my phone number, did I?”

“No,” Sunset answered. “Why would I even want it?”

“Because you’re going to text me when you know how to rescue my friends,” Shimmer said, reaching for a pocket in her hoodie and producing a folded piece of paper. She offered it to Sunset. “Here, it’s my number.”

Sunset reached for it, but Trixie snatched it from Shimmer’s hand, earning a surprised glare. “I’ll take it.”

When Shimmer recovered, she smiled and snorted. “Well, I’ll be expecting your text. That, or I’ll contact you if something weird happens with the sirens.”

“Wait, you’re still going to attend school?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah, what’s the worst that can happen?” Shimmer said with a shrug. “If all the other students survived for two months, I think I can do so, too.”

Sunset and Trixie exchanged glares for a moment.

“Alright, but…” Sunset took a sharp breath. “Listen, dark magic is no laughing matter. If you feel like the sirens are starting to get in your head, leave and tell us.”

Shimmer looked at Sunset for a few seconds and then nodded. “Duly noted, hot stuff.”

“Narcissist,” Trixie muttered under her breath.

“Always,” Shimmer replied. She then got in her car and left without any other word.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset had called in sick to both her jobs, since she wasn’t sure at what time she was going to be free again. That gave her the opportunity to spend the rest of the day with Trixie.

They decided to go straight to Sunset’s apartment and relax, watching some movies and snuggling closer together as the temperature slowly dropped. By the time Sunset realized, night had already fallen upon them, and her hand had somehow found her way on Trixie’s thigh.

Trixie rested her head on Sunset’s shoulder and sighed. “I don’t think you want to do it knowing I’ll be thinking about Shimmer the whole time.”

Sunset made a weird noise, something between a snort and a gag. “Well, that certainly kills the mood,” she said, retrieving her hand and straightening up. “Want to tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

“It’s just…” Trixie shook her head, taking her time to organize her ideas. “You were right, she looked awful… She totally deserves whatever’s happening to her, but…”

“I know, hun,” Sunset said, circling Trixie with an arm and pulling her closer. She began stroking Trixie’s arm. “Who knows what she went through in prison; I don’t think what movies or series depict even get to the reality…” She gritted her teeth. “And I’m… really conflicted…”

Trixie turned her head to look at Sunset. “You have all the right to feel how you feel.” She placed a hand on Sunset’s cheek, waiting for their eyes to meet. “She represents everything you could’ve turned into. You feel glad that you didn’t, that you took another path. And you feel angry, because she didn’t.”

“I’m…” Sunset sighed heavily. “I’m mad at her for hurting you, and I’m glad she was punished… But when I look at her, remember her… I feel like we are like family, you know?” Her breath became erratic and she felt as if her heart was being crushed. “It hurts me to see her like that and I hate it! And I don’t know if it’s because she’s not me, or because she is!”

“I think I’m getting lost here.”

Sunset rubbed her temples, taking long breaths, trying to calm down. “I could’ve ended like her. I was this close to invading Equestria, and, being honest, I would never stand a chance, not even with the Element of Magic on my head… I wouldn’t have been killed, but imprisoned…” She passed her hands through her face. “I’m looking at my reflection. That’s what’s happening. I mean, I think being dimensional twins is creating a deeper connection than normal twins, you know? I think… I think that, aside from this whole siren situation, we should also help her come around.”

“Like, be friends with her?” Trixie asked with a pitch higher than her normal voice.

“I know it sounds ludicrous-”

“That’s one way to put it,” Trixie interrupted her. “Because unlike you, she actually tried to kill people. Unlike you, she’s mentally unstable. Unlike you, she isn’t even interested in being a good person.”

Sunset moved her head from side to side. “I’m just saying it took me transforming into a demon, experiencing a merciless pain, and being shot with a rainbow laser to become good. I think she’s already two thirds in; she just needs the laser, and that laser can be us.”

Trixie blew out through her nose, pondering Sunset’s words for a while. “If it makes you happy, then go for it. It won’t be easy, if possible at all.”

“I know.”

“But you know the moment she steps out of line…” Trixie left the rest of the sentence in the air, knowing full well that Sunset would get it.

They fell silent for a moment, letting their talk sink in and slowly evaporate from their minds, leaving just each other and the muted T.V.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Trixie turned to Sunset and placed a hand on her thigh. “Now, if you want to continue with this…” She began caressing.

“I want!” Sunset said and tackled Trixie with a tight hug, earning a silly giggle in response, which made her giggle too.

And so they kissed, finding comfort in each other’s touch. An erratic turmoil of emotions went through their bodies, like a rapids river, drowning everything but the passionate love they felt for one another. Sunset could feel all her worries evaporate as her hands danced all throughout Trixie’s body.

She wished she could stay like this forever.

~~~~~~~~

Trixie traced slow circles on Sunset’s chest, right below her clavicle, with her finger. She liked doing it because it was both a show of affection, and a means to keep her entertained in the long silences that followed their lovemaking. Not that she minded the silence, no. She actually liked listening to Sunset’s steady breathing, feeling her arm around her and her fingers gently caressing her arm.

Sunset’s phone started ringing, and they both groaned.

Sunset did her best to move her arm towards her night stand without disrupting Trixie. Rarity’s name appeared on her screen, and after taking a calming breath, she answered.

“It’s almost midnight on a Friday,” Sunset said, trying really hard not to sound annoyed. “So I’ll assume this isn’t a fashion accident, because if so I’ll get very angry.”

“The sirens are on the radio,” Rarity’s voice sounded weird, both calm and trembling.

“What?” Sunset sat up and went to her alarm clock, which also served as a radio transmissor. She followed Rarity’s instructions and tuned in the station.

She immediately heard them. They were playing the exact same song they played earlier that day at Manhattan’s Academy, only that this time, it was a clearer sound, probably due to the lack of a crowd. The music was a weird mix of pop and trance with lots of computer generated notes, but their voices were nice, and Sunset had to admit they blended well with the music.

“You’re right,” Trixie said, snapping Sunset out of her trance. “They do sound nice.”

Sunset smacked the power button, turning the radio off. She held her phone tightly against her ear. “Rarity, stop listening to them.”

“Why? It’s just music.”

“Rarity!” Sunset yelled, startling Trixie. She passed her free hand through her forehead. “Sorry, just… Please turn it off.”

“Alright,” Rarity answered. Suddenly the background music disappeared, and Rarity went silent for a few seconds before speaking again. “I… I was being hypnotized, right?”

Sunset sighed heavily. “So were we...” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “If we want to stop them, we first need to find a way to defend ourselves… Call our friends, tell them to meet at Sugarcube Corner. We need to come up with something as soon as possible.”

“Sure thing, darling.”

They hung up, and Sunset stared at her phone for a whole minute before looking at Trixie. “Do you have her phone number?”

Trixie blinked. “Oh, yeah. It’s in my coat.”

“I know nobody’s going to like it,” Sunset said as she stood up and walked to a corner, where all their clothes lay messily. She squatted in front of the little mountain and started searching for Trixie’s coat. At last, she found the piece of paper that had Shimmer’s phone number. “But I want to help her see that she can redeem herself and be happy.”

Trixie gave her a reassuring smile. “And I support you, Sunny.”

Author's Note

So, like, I'm tots not dead.

4- Acquiescence

Chapter 4. Acquiescence

Mrs. Cake, the proud co-owner of Sugarcube Corner, knew her business was successful. There were always enough people on a daily basis to comfortably sustain all expenses and leave very good profits. And she loved it when big groups of people arrived to the arguably small space, as it meant more sales. Not only that, but the group that occupied her biggest table today was a recurrent one, and among them was her very best part-timer.

That’s why, with a bright and cheerful smile on her face, she added some extra ounces in the smoothies of the eight girls there, and sneaked some extra cookies or cupcakes in the orders.

“Thank you, Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie said as the older woman placed the cupcake orders on the center of the table. She winked at her boss, knowing full well of the extra pastries and why they were there.

Mrs. Cake smiled at Pinkie and returned to attend more clients. When she was out of earshot, the girls continued to talk.

“So,” Rainbow started, looking at Rarity with a raised eyebrow. “How did you know the ones in the radio were the sirens?”

Rarity places her hands on her knees, straightening her back. “Because they weren’t exactly subtle. Words like ‘spell’ and ‘controlled’ were the first things they said, and then I started…” She bit her lower lip. “... I started singing along, even if it was the first time I was listening to that song. When I noticed, the first thing I did was call Sunset.”

“Ah dunno,” Applejack said, her arms crossed. “That don’t exactly sound like magic.”

“But it does,” Sunset said. She was taking notes about whatever Rarity said. “Music is a form of magic. At least in Equestria, when you sing from the bottom of your heart, depending on the circumstances, the whole town can join in.”

There was a moment of silence before Fluttershy spoke up. “That sounds scary.”

Sunset nodded. “When used for evil purposes, it is scary. Since ponies are a peaceful race, town-wide sing-a-longs are normally fun, or mildly annoying if you have a headache. But from time to time, there’ll be a not-so-peaceful pony that will sing against harmony… Records of Ancient Equestria speak of evil ponies that started singing while having breakfast and ended up conquering entire kingdoms by the end of their musical number.”

The girls looked at each other for a moment.

“So…” Rainbow raised her hand. “In Equestria you can start singing at the drop of a hat and everyone can join in just because?”

“That’s how the magic of music works,” Sunset answered, having stopped writing and just looking at her pen in a thoughtful expression.

Rainbow tilted her head. “So… did you use to sing?”

Sunset tensed visibly and looked up at Rainbow with a frown. “I was a pony, yes.”

A grin slipped through Rainbow’s mouth. “And were they evil songs?”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Sunset rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I don’t want to have this conversation right now, Rainbow Dash. I’m more concerned about the matter at hand.”

Before Rainbow could reply, Twilight chimed in.“You said evil ponies could enslave kingdoms with one song… Are you saying the sirens are trying to do the same?,” she asked, scratching her chin.

“Yes, but their magic is taking longer that it would’ve in Equestria,” Sunset answered tiredly. “But I’m still worried. We just learned about them yesterday, and they’re already on the radio…”

“Not only the radio,” an extra voice said. The girls turned around to look at Shimmer, who was already beside them. She was wearing the same winter clothes as the day prior, concealing everything but her face. Sunset noticed she had deemed appropriate to put on a little bit of makeup to brighten up her skin to a more vivid tone, but the eyebags were still visible.

“What are you doing here?” Rainbow asked, glaring daggers at Shimmer.

“I called her,” Sunset said, and everyone but Trixie looked at her with widened eyes. “I know you don’t like her. I don’t like her. But the more people willing to fight the sirens, the better.” She looked at Rainbow, frowning. “This isn’t a school rivalry or some crap like that. This is a serious matter of life and death.”

The girls fell silent, especially Twilight, who wouldn’t take her eyes off Shimmer, analyzing her every movement and facial expressions.

“Nice speech,” Shimmer said, amused. “I would’ve used the word “apocalyptic” at some point, but that’s just me.” She grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat down in the only place available: between Sunset and Twilight, much to the latter’s vexation, who quite visibly recoiled away.

Rarity cleared her throat, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen upon the table. “So, Shimmer. What do you mean by ‘not only the radio’?”

Shimmer looked at Rarity, then at Sunset, then at Rarity again. “Ohhh, I get it. She’s Sunset and I’m Shimmer. Clever.” She said the last word with as much sarcasm as she could muster. She produced a small notebook from her coat and put it on the table, opening it on the first page. “They’re on YouTale, too. At six in the morning of today, exactly twenty four hours since published, the video already has five million views, and it’s increasing exponentially.”

“So what?” Rainbow asked, faking a bored expression. “Cat videos have more views.”

“Yes, but,” Twilight began, raising a finger. “You have to think in the future. Five million views means several thousand subscriptions, probably, which means even more views and shares in future videos.”

“Smart as ever, aren’t you?” Shimmer said as she reached for Twilight.

Twilight slapped her hand away and recoiled back. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”

Slowly, Shimmer retrieved her hand, her expression stoic as she returned to her notebook. “Anyway,” she said, and her mouth was a little tense, but it was so faint that only Sunset seemed to notice. “I also found out a few other things. First, they call themselves “the Dazzlings”.”

“The Dazzlings?” Rarity asked. “Well, they really aren’t subtle.”

“Second,” Shimmer continued, blatantly ignoring Rarity. “They managed to get their songs into not one, but several radio stations.” That got her more than a couple surprised stares. “They’re trying to cover as much ground as possible. And with the aid of the video, people will start asking the radio broadcasters for their songs. It’s only a matter of time…”

Applejack leaned back and closed her eyes, letting out an angry sigh. Rainbow cursed under her breath, and Fluttershy tried to hide behind her.

Pinkie was the first to speak up. “What are we gonna do? I don’t wanna lose my mind!”

Shimmer shot her a glare, but since Pinkie was oblivious to it, she only shook her head and turned the page of her notebook. “I did some experimenting, and I found out a way to minimize their hypnosis.”

At that, Sunset leaned over the notebook to read. “By muffling?”

“Yes,” Shimmer said, sliding the notebook away from Sunset. “I played their video a couple of times, and found that that was the best-.”

“Wait,” Trixie interrupted her. “A couple of times? How are you not their number one fan by now?”

Shimmer snorted. “Because I’m not an idiot. I wrote down whatever I was feeling, going from “This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard”, to “This is actually not crap”, and ending with “I wish there were more videos”.” She shuddered at her own words. “Then, I had set up a very loud and annoying alarm that snapped me out of it, and I wrote down how I felt until I thought their music was crap again.”

The girls looked at each other for a moment.

“So,” Sunset said. “How exactly do you muffle their music?”

“Oh, come on, like you don’t know the answer,” Shimmer said. When Sunset didn’t reply, she huffed annoyingly. “Earplugs, damn it! They reduce sound and distort noise to some degree!” She reached for the right pocket in her hood and produced a pack of musician’s earplugs. “In normal circumstances, one song is enough to make you drool over the sirens’ music. But with these you can maintain your sanity for up to three songs. But even then, this is only with recorded music. I don’t know how well they can work if you hear them live.”

Sunset grabbed the earplugs and carefully put them on before Shimmer could protest. “Well, this feels weird.”

“You’re paying for those,” Shimmer said.

The sound had indeed decreased quite a lot. Sunset could still hear what Shimmer said, but it was so faint that if she hummed, she’d be unable to hear anything else. “Alright,” she took the earplugs off and put them on a napkin. “From now on, we all should carry these, just in case. If anyone asks, just say you suffer from headaches or something.”

“Then what?” Rainbow asked. “We gotta strike at some point, right?”

“Not everything is solved with violence, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity reprimanded her. “I believe this situation calls for some finesse.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and was about to reply, but Shimmer beat her to it. “I agree with Sweetcheeks,” she said, ignoring the subsequent death glare. “I know that the sirens aren’t staying at my friends’ house, but at an apartment complex around Manhattan’s uptown.” She looked at each girl slowly right in the eyes before speaking up again. “I’m sure they have some documents there that could tell us their next moves. We can be a step ahead.”

The girls looked at each other for a moment.

“Whaddaya mean?” Applejack asked.

Shimmer huffed. “I mean sneaking in their apartment when they’re not there, search for whatever that can be useful, take photos, and leave.”

“That’s breaking and entering,” Trixie said sternly. “I’m sure you know it’s a crime.”

“Are you asking us to commit a crime?” Rarity asked, placing a hand over her chest, looking flabbergasted.

“Hey, it’s for a good cause,” Shimmer replied with an annoyed voice. “Besides, it’s not a crime if you do it to a criminal.”

A single laugh was the only response, and everyone looked at the source: Twilight.

“You really believe what you say, don’t you?” Twilight asked, not really looking at Shimmer, not waiting for an answer.

But she got an answer anyway. “Yes,” Shimmer said. “You heard goodie-goodie me over there: If the sirens get too powerful, they transform into Wendigos.”

“Windigos,” Sunset corrected, and Shimmer looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “They’re different.”

“Whatever,” Shimmer said. “I don’t know about you,” she continued, facing everyone again. “but I’d rather deal with the police again than with magical world-destroying monsters.”

There was silence as the girls looked down, considering Shimmer’s words. Fluttershy was the one that seemed more against the idea of being a criminal, but if she wanted to voice her thoughts, or if she had already done so, no one noticed.

It was Sunset who broke the silence. “I’m in.”

“What?” Applejack was the first to react. “Y’all agree with ‘er?”

“Unless you can think of a better way to fight the sirens without magic, we have to resort to these kind of things.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I… I won’t ask you to risk yourselves, so, if you don’t want to get involved, you can leave now. I won’t think less of you if you do.”

“I don’t think that’s what Applejack meant,” Rarity said. “I understand that it’s important to fight the sirens-”

“It’s not only important,” Sunset interrupted her, her voice cracking a little bit. “The sirens are deadly! Don’t you get it? If we let them do as they please, the whole world will be plunged into a barren land of snow and ice!” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry…”

Trixie placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She looked at the rest of the girls. “I’m with Sunset,” she said with a stern frown, inciting the girls to give a straight answer.

“I don’t… want to commit crimes,” Twilight said, crossing her arms and leaning back on her chair. “But there are certain holes in the law I can work my way around to help you…”

“I suppose…” Rarity said, placing a finger on her lips. “As long as it’s not directly a crime, I can help you too.”

“I never thought I’d join a gang!” Pinkie said cheerily. “This can be fun!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes at her. “Fun or not, this is to save the world, right? And if my friends are going to risk themselves, then I’m not gonna abandon them!”

Applejack huffed out her frustration. “Ah can help too, as long as y’all don’t tell me what yer up to. Y’all can tell me to do things, but not what they’re for, ya hear?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s fair,” Trixie said. “You can easily be found innocent that way… Maybe...”

“Well, it’s decided then,” Shimmer said, earning everyone’s attention again. “I’ll be surveilling the sirens until I find a window of time we can work with.” She turned her head to Sunset. “I’ll call you then.” And without waiting for a response, she grabbed her notebook, stood up, and left.

Twilight leaned back and crossed her arms. “I know I said I’d help you, but I don’t think we should trust her this much.”

“Me neither,” Rainbow said. “But do we really have a choice? I mean, let’s play the devil’s avocado and consider that-”

“Advocate,” Rarity interrupted her. “The devil’s advocate.”

“That’s what I said, don’t interrupt me!” Rainbow huffed. “Anyway, she’s willing to do the dirty work, right? And if she gets arrested again, if she tries to take us down with her, we can just say she was blackmailing us or something. With her criminal record, no one will believe her.”

Rarity let out a sigh. “I hate to say this, but… Rainbow’s right.”

“Thank you girls,” Sunset said with an honest smile. “I know it must be hard for you having to deal with her, specially you, Twilight.”

Twilight stared at her for a moment. “I know what you’re trying to do.” Sunset blinked surprised, but didn’t reply. “You want her to see the light like you did and become a better person, right?” She shook her head and stood up. “I sincerely hope she does, if only just so she never hurts anyone again. But the biggest part of me knows she won’t.” She looked at the girls with gloomy eyes. “No matter how “good” you think she gets, never forget what she did to me and to Trixie. She could’ve killed both of us, and she isn’t even a little bit guilty.” When she stopped talking, she noticed that her jaw was stiff and her hands were tight fists. She took a deep breath and sat down again. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Sunset said. “You have every right to feel the way you do. And don’t worry, even if I do want her to change, I won’t let her hurt Trixie, or any of you, for that matter.”

“We’ll also keep an eye on you, Twilight!” Rainbow said, raising a fist.

Twilight didn’t reply, she just stared at her half empty smoothie in silence and with a deep frown.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset lifted her leg and quickly pushed the kick starter. There was a groan and a rumble, but the dirt bike didn’t come to life. She tried a few more times, but it just didn’t work. The need to scream and throw the damned thing away boiled in her, but instead, she took a deep, long breath, sucking up all that unnecessary rage and letting out with a long sigh.

She was calmer, but still very angry. She had been a mechanic for a month now, she had repaired at least thirty bikes, from small to big fixes, she had even ridden one! And yet, she was utterly unable to even start the engine of this specific one.

With another heavy sigh, she leaned over the handle. She’d have to disassemble it. Again.

“Hey, Sunset!” Lightning Dust called from the workshop’s entrance. She walked in and gave Sunset a look. “Still haven’t given up, eh?”

Sunset huffed as she got off the bike. “Not my style,” she replied before walking to a work table and sat down on the old and screeching swivel chair. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” Lightning replied, crossing her arms in front of her. “The racers are having a party tomorrow night. Wanna come?”

Sunset considered the offer. She was worried about the sirens, and that she hadn’t heard from Shimmer. She wasn’t one to listen to the radio, but according to Trixie, the students at CHS were starting to talk about “The Dazzlings” and how they wanted them to release official records. What if Shimmer had been discovered and abducted, too?

She pondered, and she realized that, maybe, she was just being paranoid. Sure, the sirens were a threat, but she supposed one day of forgetting her worries wouldn’t hurt anyone. Besides, she could take Trixie with her, and they could have lots of fun.

But just as she was about to answer, her phone started ringing. She shot an apologetic glance at Lightning and picked up her phone. The screen flashed the word “Shrew”. Sunset sighed and answered.

“Tomorrow,” Shimmer’s voice spoke up with haste. “Canterlot Library. Seven in the morning. Bring up to three people. Don’t be late.” The sound was cut off as she hung up.

Sunset placed her phone on the desk and massaged her temples as she huffed.

“Bad news?” Lightning asked.

“No, it’s just…” She looked up at Lightning. “Where’s the party?”

“At Stinger’s. He wants to celebrate his upcoming wedding,” Lightning replied with a shrug.

Sunset sighed again, feeling a little sick. “I might get there late, if at all.”

“Why? Is your bf the jealous kind?” Lightning joked. “He can come, too.”

That made Sunset snort amusedly. “First of all, my girlfriend would love to go. Second, the call I just got is about something else. A “job”, so to speak.”

Lightning made a face and tilted her head. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you were gay. Ehm, of course she’s invited, too.” She laughed nervously. “Just don’t be too late, or everyone will already have drunk all the beer.”

Sunset smirked. “Don’t sweat it. And yeah, we’ll try to be there.”

~~~~~~~~

Rainbow Dash was leaning against a street lamp, with her arms crossed in such a way that, she hoped, would make anyone passing by think that she was totally oblivious to the cold, especially with her very thin jacket and sideways cap, when, in reality, it was the exact opposite, and she was using every ounce of willpower she had to keep herself from shivering uncontrollably and rubbing the cold away.

Rarity, on her part, was very comfortably sitting at one side of the stairs leading to the library, wearing a beige coat that covered almost her entire body, making her long black boots stand out more.

The morning sun, while illuminating the sky with a vibrant blue, did nothing to increase the temperature, and even Rarity in her thick garment felt chills every now and then. She couldn’t understand how Rainbow could endure it, or better said, how she could not complain.

She thought of telling Rainbow how she should’ve brought at least a jacket, but before she opened her mouth, a car pulled over right next to them. It was gray, and to Rarity, its design looked like a bullet with blades, or a massive drill used to tunnel. She had always been the kind to appreciate both fancy and humble belongings, but this car certainly seemed way too expensive; she knew that even if, hypothetically speaking, she sold her boutique and every dress she’d make from then and in ten years, she wouldn’t be able to pay for even half that car.

The engine stopped, and not much after, the pilot door opened, and out came Shimmer. Her full-body concealing winter clothes were now a snow white, painfully clashing with the car’s color, and had she not been wearing makeup, it would clash with the gray of her eye bags too.

“Ah, Gayhair and Sweetcheeks,” Shimmer said, leaning over the roof of her car and grinning at the angry stares they were shooting at her. “I suppose Sunshine and Lollipop thought bringing brute force and drama along can help in any way.”

Rainbow groaned, gritting her teeth, as she stomped closer, but before she could do or say anything, Rarity grabbed her by the shoulder. She shook her head and then looked at Shimmer. “You know, Shimmer, all that bitterness will certainly ruin your cheveux.”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Cheveux?” She repeated, blinking, then grinned and spoke with an almost flawless french accent. “Alors, tu parle Francais? Es-ce que tu veux avoir un ménàge a trois avec moi et ma soeur dimensionelle?”

Rarity raised a finger, mouthing silently for a couple of seconds before looking away.

“Huh?” Shimmer faked disappointment. “Oh, you don’t actually speak French. You’re just a groupie in search of her sugar daddy, after all.”

Rarity gritted her teeth and turned her hands into fists, pressing with enough force to turn her knuckles white. She took a long, deep breath through her nose and let it out loudly. “I’m not falling for your wicked game,” she said as calm as she could.

Shimmer faked a hurt expression. “And here I thought you liked fooling around.”

But Rarity just ignored her, turning around and claiming her previous sitting spot. Rainbow wanted nothing more than to punch Shimmer in the face and erase that annoying grin from her face, but she controlled herself. Shimmer was provoking them, she thought, and they weren’t stupid enough to act like she wanted.

Realizing that she wasn’t going to get any further reactions from the girls, Shimmer closed the door of her car and sat on the hood, lighting a cigarette. She was halfway done with it when she caught the glimpse of a very familiar hair in the distance; fiery red and golden locks dancing with the morning wind and glimmering against the soft sunrays. Shimmer clicked her tongue and stood up.

Sunset and Trixie approached the girls, both wearing thick winter coats and scarves, Sunset’s being a dark shade of red, and Trixie’s her usual dark blue.

“Morning,” Sunset said, looking at Rainbow and Rarity, then at Shimmer. “So, why did you call us here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Shimmer asked, taking a deep blow to her cigarette. “Today we’re sneaking in the sirens’ apartment,” she blew out the smoke and motioned to her car. “Hop in, I’ll explain inside.” And without waiting for a response, she got in her car.

The girls followed, Sunset sitting at the co-pilot’s seat, while Trixie, Rainbow and Rarity were in the backseat. Sunset noticed Shimmer didn’t have her cigarette anymore.

“So, what is this about?” Rainbow asked.

“I do recall saying I am not doing anything directly criminal,” Rarity said, waving her hand.

Shimmer buckled her seatbelt and started the engine. “You’re not. Only Sunshine and I are doing it.” She caught the sight of Trixie’s raising eyebrow through the rearview mirror and flashed a wide grin. “Yes, exactly what you’re thinking, Lollipop.”

Sunset sighed tiredly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Just tell us your plan already.”

“Fine,” Shimmer said, still very proud of herself. “I’ve been taking notes on the siren’s activities the best I could. First, the most important thing to note is that the earplugs are pretty efficient if you hum softly. They can get very uncomfortable after a while, but the sirens couldn’t hypnotise me… I did have to act like the rest of the mindless crowd to avoid them suspecting anything though.”

She steered left and swiftly pulled the car to the freeway. “That helped when I followed them to their apartment complex. They just thought I was a stupid teenager and ignored me.”

“Which you are,” Trixie mumbled, eliciting a chuckle from Rainbow Dash.

“In any case,” Shimmer continued. “I noticed that every day after school they get to their apartment, they get changed, and then they leave somewhere else for about one hour. I believe that’s more than enough time to sneak in and photograph anything that can be of use.”

“And what if they take less time? Or if they don’t even leave?” Rarity asked.

“If they don’t leave, then we try again tomorrow,” Shimmer answered, “but if they do, then it won’t really matter how long they take. That’s why you’re here.” She motioned Sunset to open the compartment in front of her, then take the black box inside. “I bought some short-wave radio transmitters,” she explained. “Sunshine and I will wear the headsets, and you three will tell us when the sirens return so we have time to get out.”

Sunset grabbed the two headsets, which were pretty small and could easily be concealed beneath her hair and scarf. She passed the box to Trixie, which had a very professional looking battery powered radio inside.

“You bought this only for this?” Rainbow asked, eyeing the radio with surprise.

“Yes,” Shimmer answered nonchalantly. She took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “Now, it’s important that you do warn us when the sirens return. When they reach the building’s main entrance at the latest. That’ll give us about three minutes to get away. If you do not, we’ll be done for.”

Rainbow huffed. “That’s why you’re taking Sunset with you, right? So we don’t purposely leave you there.”

“So you do have a brain!” Shimmer mocked her. “I suppose Hickbilly is the stupid one, after all.”

“Stop insulting my friends!” Sunset yelled at her. “Why are you purposely making it unbearable to be with you?!”

Shimmer shrugged, giving her an uninterested look. “I’m a bitch, that’s why.”

“So, Shimmer,” Rainbow quickly said with a small grin. “What’s being a prison bitch like?”

The instant silence that followed made Rainbow feel a little unsettled. She was obnoxious, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew her question was maybe a little too much, but she figured Shimmer deserved it, so instead of backing off, she just stared at Shimmer through the rearview mirror.

Rarity saw Shimmer’s hands tightening and loosening their grip on the steering wheel for a few moments, and her eyes frozen with a stern glare straight to the road. For a moment, she feared Shimmer would react violently; she had been there at Everton’s, and she had seen firsthand what she was capable of.

But such retaliation never occurred, and Shimmer just kept driving. No one, not even Rainbow, dared say another word for the remainder of the trip. And after a very uncomfortable hour, they finally got to their destination.

Manhattan was certainly a sight to behold, especially the uptown area, where antique buildings clashed with newer ones, towering to the sky as if trying to scratch it. The streets weren’t the cleanest, but they certainly had a unique feel of organization that Canterlot certainly hadn’t, as if every empty bottle or squeezed bag had been carefully placed to give that big city look it had.

Shimmer pulled next to an expensive looking coffee shop; it’s entrance sign read Straddlebucks with red and white colors and a very simple yet striking font.

“Going for coffee,” Shimmer announced as she turned off the engine and unlocked her seatbelt. “Wait here.” And with that, she got out, slammed the door, rounded the car, put a few coins in the parking meter, and disappeared inside the coffee shop.

The four girls still inside the car simultaneously let out a heavy and prolonged breath.

“Rainbow, I know she deserved it,” Sunset said, looking at the roof of the car. “But please save those kinds of comments for when she can’t crash the car and kill us all.”

“Noted,” was the only thing Rainbow said.

A few minutes of a silence that once sometimes interrupted by the occasional huff and sigh followed, and it was Rarity who broke it.

“So… I think we all should address the elephant in the room,” she said and shifted in her place. “We’re about to become criminals. Even if it’s ‘just breaking and entering’,” she emphasized making air quotes with her fingers. “it’s still very much illegal.”

“Sunset already said it’s for the greater good,” Trixie replied with a frown.

“I understand that,” Rarity said. “And I do believe Sunset when she says the sirens are a serious threat. I’m just saying we should consider that, given the scenario that the sirens catch us in fraganti, we won’t have many chances to survive either way.”

Sunset rubbed the bridge of her nose and looked back. “That’s why I told you; if you don’t want to participate, don’t do it. I know what I’m getting myself into, and I want you to understand that as well.”

“I do!” Rainbow said with her usual overconfidence. “Not every day we get to kick some evil magical creatures’ asses!” Sunset raised an eyebrow, and Rainbow coughed sheepishly. “Besides you- I mean-!”

“Just shut up,” Trixie said, and Rainbow just facepalmed.

“And here comes the devil,” Sunset said, looking towards the entrance of the coffee shop.

Rarity looked, and she noticed that something was different with Shimmer. When she stormed out of the car, she had been mad, ready to hit the next person that so much as looked her way, but now she just had a bored expression.

She realized as well, it was the first time she actually paid attention to her gait, and she noticed that it was different from back at Everton. Whilst she had looked like a predator, with her oscillatory hip-swing, she now looked like just about any normal girl. Rarity would’ve related it to her wearing a thick winter coat if she didn’t know her like she did.

Shimmer got in, closing the door behind her, and sighed at the welcoming warmth of the car.

“That was pretty fast,” Sunset pointed out.

“There wasn’t much of a crowd.,” Shimmer replied, making a dismissive shrug with her hand, she grabbed her cup and placed it on the cup holder.

And she sounded different than a few minutes ago, too, Rarity noticed. As if Rainbow’s comment hadn’t affected her at all.

Rarity cleared her throat. “So… Where’s the sirens’ apartment?”

Shimmer pointed outside a building across the street, and everyone followed.

More than a street, they were parked at one side of a very wide avenue, the first thing Rarity noticed was a white building, easily the size of a football stadium, but square and with a huge parking lot entrance at the side. Big platinum letters read “Manhattan’s Conference Centre”.

At the side, a dark gray building, occupying about the same area as the centre, rose three times taller. Its columns, placed at the four corners, were designed to stick out into sharp points, giving them a design of blades. And at the very top, above even the satellite dishes, Rarity could barely make out the edge of what she could only guess was a penthouse.

“They live in the penthouse,” Shimmer answered the unspoken question. “They should be back in a couple of hours, so go grab something to eat…” She then looked at Rarity through the rearview mirror. “Unless you’re “on a diet”.” She added making air quotes with her fingers.

Rarity frowned.

“Wait, hours? Are they at school or what?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes.”

“Then why don’t we go now instead of waiting?”

“Simple,” Shimmer replied. “The guard right now is an old woman, and she won’t let anyone go to the elevators without showing their ID at least. And I don’t want to leave any registry of my presence there. And about ten minutes before the sirens return, they shift guards, and then it’s a young guy that can be easily persuaded by the feminine charm.”

“So that’s why you’re using makeup,” Trixie pointed out.

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “What, did you think I’d do it for you?”

Sunset furrowed her brow for a moment, then looked back to Rarity. Rarity looked at her, blinking in confusion. Sunset quickly darted her eyes to Shimmer, then back at Rarity. Rarity slowly looked at Shimmer, then back at Sunset and slightly shook her head. Sunset frowned, then raised an eyebrow to point to Shimmer and darted her eyes a little more forcefully. Rarity bit her lower lip and swallowed a sigh, looking defeated.

“Shimmer, darling,” Rarity said, and for the first time in her life, she mildly disliked saying “darling” every three words. “I noticed your mascara is not… accentuating your natural allure. Will you, uh, allow me to help you with that?”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow at that. “Why?”

“Yeah, why would you help her?” Rainbow asked, frowning.

Rarity had to take a deep breath to stop herself from screaming. “B-Because I can’t stand by when a girl is making such a horrible mistake!” She pointed at Shimmer’s face. “You don’t just apply concealer and that’s it! There’s much more to do if you want to deal with those pronounced eye bags!”

Not expecting that, Shimmer tilted her head in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Your face looks horribly glossy! Like you’re sweating and standing directly under a spotlight!” Rarity produced an arguably big, purple box from her purse and opened it. “I can’t let it be! You just have to let me fix it!”

“Why would you want to help me?” Shimmer asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

“Because she’s generous like that,” Sunset said simply.

Shimmer eyed warily at Sunset, then at Rarity, then at Sunset again. “Alright…” she said slowly. “Let’s go inside the coffee shop.”

Author's Note

Fair Warning: This fic might get a lil darker than the first one =D

5. Reconnaissance

Chapter 5. Reconnaissance

Rarity had worked with many girls, and some boys, in the past. She had come to know that many people would move around, talk, glance at their phones, or do anything that would force her to be extra careful when applying makeup, lest she make a mistake and have to restart.

Sunset Shimmer was not like that. If Rarity had to describe her, she’d use the words “demonic statue”. Shimmer wouldn’t move except to blink and breath, and her eyes, at first untrusting, progressively turned bored and uninterested, and only stared right back at Rarity.

Of course, Rarity was thankful that Shimmer wasn’t speaking at all, since she slipped insults into every sentence, but the more she looked at Shimmer’s stare, the more uncomfortable she got, and the more she wanted to at least have small chit-chat with her, as much as the mere thought sent a chill throughout her body

Fortunately, she had only started to apply some cream to Shimmer’s face when the thankfully obnoxious and impatient Rainbow Dash addressed her model.

“So, you’ve been on full stalker mode on the sirens for the past week,” she said, nibbling on a chocolate donut. “and you bought some top notch spy gear. You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Partly, yes,” Shimmer answered without even trying to look at Rainbow.

“She’s also trying to rescue her friends,” Trixie noted, sipping on her mug of coffee.

“Whatever the reason,” Sunset said, adding some sugar to her smoothie, “at least she’s on our side, and not theirs.”

At that, Shimmer flashed a grin. “Afraid of playing against the big kids?”

“As if,” Rainbow said. “Sunset just doesn’t want to hit herself, but I’m up for hitting two Sunsets!”

Shimmer could help but raise an eyebrow, much to Rarity’s discontent.

“You hit her?” Shimmer asked, stifling a chuckle. “Now there’s a story I want to hear.”

Rainbow was about to refuse, but Sunset spoke up first. “It was just a misunderstanding that escalated too quickly,” she said. Rainbow shot her a confused look, and Sunset shrugged.

Shimmer clicked her tongue. “That’s it? How childish.”

“Look who’s talking,” Rainbow said, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Oh yeah, I was childish alright,” Shimmer said, and her voice was two parts sarcasm, one part honesty. “But hitting people over misunderstandings is just plain stupid.”

“It was more than just a misunderstanding!” Rainbow said between gritted teeth. “But you wouldn’t understand.”

“If you tell me, I can tell you whether I understand or not,” Shimmer replied.

“Why do you want to know so badly? You don’t even care that much!”

Shimmer closed her right eye as Rarity started applying some more makeup on it. “Amuse me.”

Rainbow looked at Sunset, who only shrugged, then at Shimmer again. “Fine, if you want to know so bad, I’ll tell you. But only if you tell us something about you first. It’s a fair trade.”

“Alright. I’m a D-cup.”

Trixie coughed in her cup of coffee, spitting some over the table. Sunset groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. Rarity shook her head and sighed through her nose.

Rainbow only deadpanned. “I meant something we care about.”

“Lollipop cares about it,” Shimmer said amusedly at Trixie’s beet-red face.

“The rest of us don’t!” Rainbow groaned. “Tell us what’s up with you not wanting to spend money even if you’re rich.”

Shimmer huffed and rolled her eyes. “If you don’t remember correctly, I was sent to prison. Now that I’m out, my family’s checking up on me a lot. So, for the little things I’m buying, like the transmitters, I’m using my personal savings in cash, so they don’t know.”

“And they don’t care about you skipping school?” Rainbow asked.

“I already told you one thing about me,” Shimmer said, closing now her left eye to let Rarity work. “It’s your turn.”

Rainbow frowned. “Sunset was a major bitch, I was an even bigger bitch. We argued, I hit her, we made up, we’re friends now.”

Shimmer shot her a look that said ‘are you serious?’ for a few seconds before speaking up. “Well, wasn’t that thrilling? You almost lost me with all the drama.”

“As much as I dislike it,” Trixie said as she finished cleaning the table with a napkin, “I have to agree with Rainbow here. That’s actually the best way to describe what happened.”

Shimmer looked at Sunset, finding a single nod headed her way. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Please don’t move that much,” Rarity said, holding a folded napkin with two fingers.

“You’re taking too long,” Shimmer grumbled. “You’d better not be messing my face with some ugly makeup!”

At that, Rarity managed to pale, gasping loudly and recoiling back. “Why I would NEVER!” Shimmer raised an eyebrow, and Rarity cleared her throat. “Ok, I’m not going to deny the thought crossed my mind, but if that were the case, I think you would’ve noticed.”

Shimmer crooked her mouth to the side to give Rarity an unamused glare.

“In any case, I’m almost done,” Rarity assured her. “So, if you stop moving, I can finish.” She then continued working.

“I think you just like touching me,” Shimmer said, grinning sideways. “Not that I’m complaining, but I’d rather you touch my-”

“Anyway,” Sunset interrupted her a little too loud. “What are you expecting to find in the sirens’ apartment? And how are we going to use it against them?”

Shimmer hummed. “Well, we can try sabotaging them by making them miss concert dates or business meetings. You know, so we hinder their chances to spread their hypnosis.” She sighed through her nose. “But that’s going to be meaningless on the long run, unless we step up and actually try confronting them.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Trixie asked with, frowning. “Last I checked, we don’t have magic like they do.”

“But we have an advantage,” Shimmer replied, eyeing Trixie by the corner of her eyes. “They don’t know we know about them. They won’t expect anyone trying to get near them with a purpose other than praising them.”

Rainbow huffed. “Does anyone other than me hate it that she’s being reasonable?”

“Sometimes, the craziest people get the most sensible ideas,” Rarity muttered as she gave Shimmer the last touches. She leaned back and narrowed her eyes, analyzing her job, and when she was satisfied, she nodded to herself and held up a mirror in front of Shimmer.

“I’m not crazy,” Shimmer said, leaning over to look at herself on the mirror. “I’m just mentally unstable.” She stared at her reflection, and couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth going up, morphing it into an honest smile. “Not bad, Sweetcheeks.”

“Will you stop calling me that?” Rarity said with a frown, angrily putting away her makeup.

“No,” Shimmer said simply. She leaned back on her chair and sipped on her own cup of coffee.

“You still haven’t answered,” Rainbow said. “Say we get close enough to them with their guard down. What then?”

Shimmer raised a hand in front of her and started using her fingers to count. “We could poison their food, ‘accidentally’ push them down the stairs, trick them into drinking bleach…”

The girls paled as Shimmer went on her list.

“I’m pretty sure rat poison can be hidden in brownies, but we’d have to make sure no one else eats them, right?” Shimmer raised her thumb and looked at the girls. “I was thinking, but it might not be a good idea to push them from their penthouse.”

Before Shimmer could continue, Trixie addressed her. “You’re kidding, right?” Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Ok, just- What the heck?”

“What?” Shimmer asked. “I only mentioned indirect ways!”

“You’re asking us to commit murder!” Rarity had to use every drop of willpower she had to not yell at the top of her lungs.

Shimmer raised her arms in a confused manner. “Well yeah! How else do you want to defeat them? If what Sunshine says it’s true, then we can’t afford to let them get more powerful, right? And we don’t exactly have magic to counter them.”

“Listen,” Sunset said, rubbing the bridge of her nose and forcing herself to look at Shimmer. “We aren’t killing the sirens, and that’s final.”

“And I suppose you have a better plan to beat them, then?”

“No, I don’t!” Sunset replied, and she stopped a few seconds to consider. She felt a void in her stomach when she realized, right there and then, that she had been thinking about beating the sirens, but she hadn’t given a single thought to how to beat them. “But there must be something we can do!”

Shimmer snorted impatiently. “Yeah, well, when you have a better idea, let me know.”

“Why is it that you want to kill people so easily?” Rainbow asked, and immediately after shut her mouth as she realized she could’ve angered Shimmer.

But Shimmer only looked at her with an annoyed expression. “Because fuck you.”

Sunset sighed heavily. “Ok, look. You’ve been stalking the sirens for a while,” she said, looking at Shimmer tiredly. “Have you noticed anything strange? Something that greatly differs from your friends? Aside from the obvious evilness, that is.”

“Aside from them dressing like they’re stuck in the 80’s? Not really, no.”

The girls looked at Shimmer, then at each other, and Sunset noticed that even if there was silence, there was an awkward feeling around the table. Shimmer wasn’t making insulting remarks since she was distracted with looking at herself in the mirror, but she still made everyone uncomfortable.

Sunset felt a small tug in her chest. She wanted to help Shimmer, but she always made it difficult; but Sunset had to try, she had to heed her own need to see herself, and any version of herself, not destroying their lives. She was conflicted with the fact that Shimmer was, even now, a serious threat to go against, and at the same time, a sad and miserable husk of a human being.

It was difficult to see Shimmer as a normal girl, but Sunset wasn’t going to give up until she had tried everything.

“So… I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Sunset said, addressing Shimmer as much casual as she could sound, while sneaking a hand around Trixie’s. “You know, since we’re technically speaking the same person, but very different at the same time.”

“Ah, finally some real conversation!” Shimmer said, putting the mirror down and looking curiously at Rarity quickly snatching it away from her reach. She dismissed the action and turned to Sunset. “Ask away, Sunshine.”

“Obviating the fact that we’re from completely different realities, I want to know just how our lives differ from each other, and how they are similar.” She shifted a little. “For example, a similitude might be that we both were born in wealthy families, and a difference is that, at some point, I was taken under the wing of my country’s sovereign ruler as apprentice of magic, whilst you’re still in High School.”

“What do you mean with “still”?” Shimmer asked. “As far as I know, you were attending High School not long ago.”

“Well, I, uh…” She looked at Rarity and Rainbow, then at Trixie, then at Shimmer again, and swallowed. “I’ve only told Trixie… and Principal Celestia, too, about this, but…” Her eyes darted from side to side as she smiled nervously. “I… I’m quite a bit older than you guys.”

“What?” Rainbow asked while tilting her head.

“I’m twenty-five years old, but when I came to this world, the portal gave me a younger body,” Sunset explained. “Since Twilight told me about you,” she addressed Shimmer. “I’ve been theorizing that the portal created a human body for me, taking into account an already existing one, that better matched my existence.”

Shimmer blinked twice and mouthed silent words for a moment. “So you’re saying that we’re the same person, physically and causally, but not metaphysically?”

“More or less,” Sunset replied. “If I think of the portal as a physical plane of existence, I’d say my original body is there, aging along with this borrowed body… Or more precisely, with me.” She pointed at herself with her free hand. “I was given an exact copy of what you looked like five years ago, but that’s it. Our lives, while similar, diverted due to the differences of our own worlds.”

“Like the existence or inexistence of magic,” Shimmer said with a nod.

“Yes,” Sunset said, and couldn’t help but grin. She had managed to make Shimmer talk without her insulting or making bad taste jokes!

“Is our sexual preference also the same?” Shimmer asked, and Sunset’s grin faltered. She shot an appraising look at Trixie. “Hmm, yeah we share that. This one’s a little dim for my tastes, though.”

Trixie scooted a little farther from Shimmer.

Maybe, Sunset thought, if she played her cards well, she could deviate the current subject to something more meaningful. “I’m pansexual, actually,” she replied. “Maybe that difference has to do with our upbringing. Are your parents as easygoing as mine?”

“Probably,” Shimmer answered with no real intention of following Sunset’s plan. “So you can bed anything that moves? That’s neat, I guess. I don’t really care for boys, I prefer the female anatomy, if you catch my drift.”

Shimmer sighed heavily. “You’re making me regret ever wanting to talk to you.”

“Oh, come on, like you’re not interested in these trivial things,” Shimmer said, amusedly shaking her hand. “For example, I think Lollipop is cute, yes, but I prefer girls like, say, Sweetcheeks over here.” She turned to Rarity and winked.

“I’m straight,” Rarity said, trying her hardest to hold her frown.

“So is spaghetti until it gets hot and wet,” Shimmer said, wiggling her eyebrows as Rarity only looked away in an attempt to ignore her. She looked at Rainbow, and then immediately at Sunset. “In any case, the most insignificant variables are normally the most valuable. That’s why today’s expedition to the lion’s den is so important.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve visited my friends’ house several times in the past,” Shimmer continued. “Today I’ll see how different and similar they are from the sirens. That way we’ll be able to get closer to beating them up.”

That sparked an idea in Sunset’s mind. “Hey why don’t you describe their house? That’ll help me notice anything astray that you might miss.”

Shimmer gave Sunset a curious look before shrugging. “Sure, why not?”

And that was Sunset’s first win over Shimmer’s antics. For the following hours, Shimmer went on and on about how the sirens’ human counterparts used to act and react, how they organized their rooms and how they would interact with others and each other. It was a very thorough explanation, to an extent that made Sunset remember how she used to keep records of students at CHS.

It seemed like the need of controlling everything and everyone for stupid reasons was also something they had in common.

~~~~~~~~

By the time Shimmer had said everything Sunset asked for, even answering all follow-up questions, it was already time to put their plan into motion. They exited the coffee shop and got into Shimmer’s car, and just as Sunset was taking the earphones from the box, Rarity spoke up.

“Girls, the sirens are here.”

Everyone turned around, and true to her words, the three girls were walking next to the conference center.

Sunset remembered the first time she had seen them, up on a stage, singing and dancing, pouring magic and absorbing energy. Now, from far away, they almost looked like normal girls, but there was still something uncanny around them. Sunset couldn’t put her finger on it, but at that moment, she thought they looked different somehow, even though they were wearing the same wine colored uniforms of Manhattan’s Academy.

“There they are,” Shimmer said, almost hissing. She turned to Sunset. “Get ready, Sunshine, once they get out, we’re going in.”

“So, those are the sirens?” Rainbow asked. “They don’t look that strong. Come on, we can beat ‘em up right now!”

But before Rainbow could open the door, Rarity grabbed her by the ear and pulled her away. “Rainbow Dash! Will you stop being so reckless?!”

“Ouch! That hurts!”

“Rainbow, please,” Sunset said, making sure to hide the earphones below her hair. “I need you, Rarity, and Trixie to be on watch, so please act like a sensible person for once.”

Rainbow frowned and stroked her ear, but said nothing.

“Alright, listen up,” Shimmer said, pulling her hoodie around her head. Sunset thought she sounded more serious than before, and she wasn’t sure how to interpret it. Shimmer put on her own pair of earphones, making sure to hide them with her hair. “Five minutes after the sirens get out and disappear around the corner, Sunshine and I’ll go in.” She turned around and gave Trixie the transmitter, pushing a button that made a little lightbulb shine a friendly green. “Now, we’ll hear everything you say.”

Sunset made a weird face, having heard what Shimmer said from two different sources. “That’s so creepy,” she said, and cringed a bit more at her own voice.

Trixie turned off the transmitter, and Sunset gave her a thankful look.

“Ok, let’s wait for them to get out so you two can do your thing,” Rainbow said, crossing her arms and looking annoyed. Sunset thought it was because she had been denied the opportunity to hit the sirens.

The girls fell silent, with the exception of Trixie and Rarity, who were fiddling with the transmitter, since it had many more buttons and dials than just a turn on/off button. Rainbow was just huffing to herself, and Sunset was carefully eyeing Shimmer, curiously noting how she was fixed on the entrance to the sirens’ building. She clearly was very focused on this, but although Sunset knew the reasons behind that, she thought that maybe there was something else.

But she had no time to dwell on it, as the sirens reappeared from the entrance of the building.

And they looked very different now. While the wine colored uniforms gave them a certain vibe of normality, their current attires made them stand out much more, with intricate and flamboyant costumes that accentuated their eccentric hairstyles. They certainly looked like they belonged to the past, and anyone passing by would at least steal a glance at them, even without any magic involved.

Sunset tried to make out their features, but they were far enough that she could barely see their faces, especially since they were moving as they talked and walked to the corner. And finally, they made a turn and disappeared behind the building.

A few minutes passed in utter silence inside the car; only their breathing could be heard. And then they were startled by Shimmer, who suddenly opened the door and got out. She turned around and looked at Sunset.

“Move, Sunshine!” She barked, then shut the door.

Sunset turned to Trixie. “Turn it on,” she said before getting off the car. By the time she caught up with Shimmer, she could hear a small buzz as the transmitter was activated.

“Let’s go over the plan again,” Shimmer said as Sunset got to her side. “We go inside, find anything useful, take pictures, and leave.”

“I thought you wanted to poison their food and set explosives,” Sunset said sarcastically.

Shimmer grinned sideways. “I still do, but not before we rescue my friends.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow and eyed Shimmer curiously. Rarity’s makeup work on Shimmer had made a great change on her semblance, making her look much more lively, much more similar to her.

And Sunset didn’t exactly know how to feel about it.

They entered the apartment complex, and it was every bit as elegant and fancy as she had pictured it to be. Shiny dark gray walls, marble pillars, and shiny black tiles on the floor decorated the lobby. A dark brown mahogany desk stood proudly as a reception, with a single lady of pale lavender skin and brown hair that was focused on what Sunset assumed were reports and schedules.

At the immediate sides of the reception there were staircases that were wide enough to fit four people using them at the same time. And a little further from the reception, to the left, there were four elevators placed inside what looked like a room of glass walls, and at the front center of them, a single tall desk the color of the walls, were a single guard was sitting and looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

Shimmer approached him, moving her hips in wide circles that made the guard immediately notice her and produce a smile on his face.

“Excuse me,” Shimmer said, using a slightly higher pitch in her voice and a cadence that made her sound like a needy bimbo girl. Sunset had to admit she was impressed at how Shimmer could convey that image on herself with only a short sashay and a couple of words.

The guard, a young looking boy, not much older than Sunset herself, with a light brown skin and bluish white hair, smiled at Shimmer and straightened up. “Good afternoon, miss,” he said, audibly swallowing before continuing. “How may I help you?”

Shimmer bent over on the desk, having casually opened her coat just enough so, in her current position, her cleavage was very pronounced. “My sister and I lost our ID cards,” she motioned to Sunset, and the guard’s smile widened even more. “Can you make an exception and let us in? Just this once?”

The guard looked nervous, and he started to sweat. “I-I’m sorry, b-but I can’t…”

Shimmer frowned, and Sunset felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. She hadn’t even formed a thought when her body had already moved to Shimmer’s side.

“Are you serious, Sunstroke?” Sunset told Shimmer. “Did you lose the card just so you could get in someone’s pants, again?” She scoffed and crossed her arms. “This is why people think I’m the harlot!” She then visibly eyed the guard and faked a smirk. “I can see the appeal to this one, though.”

That did it. The poor inexperienced boy couldn’t stand it anymore. He blushed and flushed and looked like was about to faint right then and there. “I-I-I s-suppose I c-can let you i-in just t-this once… I-I just need y-you to r-register… Y-Your p-phone numbers s-should suffice!”

In the time it took the stuttering guard to stop talking, Shimmer had already caught on on what Sunset had done, and she only got a little closer to him, making the most seductive bed eyes she could produce.

“My, aren’t you a smart one,” Shimmer said, casually reaching for one of the pens that were lying on the desk, then began writing a phone number. “Call me, and I’ll repay this favor… tenfold.” Her voice was like a purr, and almost a whisper, as she was so close to his face that, had he moved just an inch closer, he could’ve stolen a kiss from her.

When the guard nodded, Shimmer and Sunset entered the glass doors and went straight to the elevators without looking back. Once inside one of them and on their way to the penthouse, Sunset leaned on the wall and sighed heavily.

“Not bad, Sunshine,” Shimmer said amusedly. “You avoided me hurting someone, gave me a nickname, and also called me a whore. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Just shut up.”

Just being in the same building as Shimmer made Sunset have contradicting feelings about her, but being in such a small place like the elevator, even if it was bigger than a normal one, made Sunset feel uncomfortable. Shimmer was overbold, looking at her with a smile that she couldn’t quite discern, and the fact that she wasn’t able to know what Shimmer was thinking made Sunset feel both very excited for the scientific connotations, and very scared because of Shimmer’s volatile nature.

Fortunately, the elevator proved to be much faster than what Sunset had thought, and they were in the highest floor possible in no time. The bell rang and the doors opened.

They were met with a hallway that went all the way across the area of the building, with other three hallways crossing it in a perpendicular way, giving the floor a tiled appearance. But, as Sunset soon noticed, the many apartments marked with expensive looking doors that lined up were not, by any means, a penthouse.

“This isn’t the penthouse,” Sunset noticed with such obviousness that she felt stupid just for saying it.

“Well, no,” Shimmer answered as she got off the elevator. “There’s a video camera in the elevator, and I don’t want them to see us going all the way to the penthouse.”

Sunset looked up, and true enough, a single black orb attached to the small space that was the left upper corner was recording her every movement. She suddenly felt observed and exposed, and her heart skipped a beat as she quickly stepped into the hallway.

“Why didn’t you tell me there were cameras?!” Sunset hissed.

“Relax, the elevators’ are the only ones,” Shimmer said with a shrug and walked up to the stairs.

Sunset huffed and followed her. Shimmer really seemed like knowing what she was doing, but Sunset couldn’t brush off the feeling that everything was going to go wrong so fast she wouldn’t be able to see it until it was too late.

She tried to ignore those pessimistic thoughts, and shaking her head, climbed up the stairs with Shimmer.

It wasn’t long before they arrived to their destination. At first glance, it looked like a single square that only housed a single elevator door, the staircase, and in front of them, a wall and a lone door just in front.

“Welcome to the sirens’ evil lair,” Shimmer said as she approached the door.

Sunset looked at the it. It seemed like any other normal door, but upon closer inspection, she noticed it was pretty heavy, and it probably had a very modern locking mechanism.

“So, how are we supposed to go in?” Sunset asked. “I don’t suppose you know how to pick locks.”

“Even if I knew, it wouldn’t help,” Shimmer replied, reaching inside her coat. “This door has a magnetic lock, so no amount of lockpicks or bump keys are going to be of any use.” She produced a small black box with wires and levers attached to it. “So we’re going to need a special kind of key.”

Sunset eyed the object with curiosity. It looked dangerous. Then again, anything in Shimmer’s hands was potentially dangerous.

“What is it, and how does it work?” Sunset couldn’t help her inner scholar.

Shimmer flaunted the object. “It’s a jammer, and what it does is opening this door.” Sunset raised an eyebrow, and Shimmer huffed exasperatedly. “Look, I’m not going to give you a full presentation. Just know that it will act like an electronic key.” She placed the jammer over what looked like an infrared card reader. “You see, the door is locked because it’s energized. A key card disrupts the energy current, the lock opens, the door moves, and the energy returns. The process lasts only a second, but it’s enough to open the door.”

She pulled a few levers, the jammer vibrated, and after a few seconds, there was an electronic beep, and the door opened.

“And voilá!” Shimmer exclaimed, pulling her jammer close to her. “I knew it’d come in handy some time!”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “I don’t even want to know.”

“Yes you do,” Shimmer said with a halfway grin. “This jammer is Twilight and I’s first project ever. She wasn’t very sure about it at first, but once we got to it, she was giddy and vibrating out of excitement.”

Sunset hummed in acknowledgement and crossed the door.

She was immediately met with what could only be described as an oasis. Just one look was enough to tell Sunset that the penthouse was the size of the whole building’s area. The first thing she saw was a large living room consisting of three large black couches that looked as expensive as her whole apartment building, surrounding a glass coffee table with a single white leg that supported it, and a gigantic flat TV that reminded her of a movie theater’s screen.

To the right, a single step that gave view to a turned off fireplace, and next to it, covered only by an eccentric bar, a kitchen that looked too small for the size of the whole place.

To the left of the living room, a single hallway that gave way to what she assumed were the bedrooms.

And in front of the living room, separated only by a wall made entirely of glass, was an open place that had access through glass doors and another set of stairs. Beach chairs and umbrellas told Sunset that there was a pool there.

“Well, isn’t this pretty?” Shimmer’s voice snapped Sunset out of her reverie. “Kind of disappointing, really. I thought we’d see torture victims or something alike.”

Sunset decided to ignore her and grabbed her cellphone, dialing Trixie’s number. She heard Trixie’s ringtone through the earphones. “Hey, Trix. We’re in.” Sunset could hear herself talking, but fortunately, it was too faint that she could ignore it.

“How is it?!” Rainbow asked a bit too excited.

“It’s… expensive looking.” Sunset didn’t really know a better way to describe it.

“Hey, Sunshine!” Shimmer yelled from the hallway. “Move your bubble butt here and help me search this place!”

“Tell Shimmer to shut up!” Rainbow barked.

Shimmer laughed. “Gayhair is such an idiot!” She said as she opened one of the doors.

“She can hear you just fine, Rainbow,” Trixie said. “So just tell her yourself.”

“Shut up, Shimmer!”

Sunset scoffed and walked to the hallway. On her way there, she noticed that the white walls were very bare. Maybe the sirens had been there for so little time that they hadn’t had time to decorate, or maybe they just didn’t feel like it.

She entered the room Shimmer had gotten into, and saw her searching on a wooden drawer.

The room itself, whilst incredibly big, reminded Sunset of one of Fluttershy’s pictures she’d sometimes share where a lot of colors blended together in an hypnotic rainbow that made her feel like she was going too fast. But unlike those pretty pictures, this room was an utter disaster.

Furniture of all colors, sizes and shapes sent the room in a decor mess, and all kinds of clothes like blouses, socks, skirts, pants and other unidentifiable pieces of garments were scattered everywhere, making everything unidentifiable. And the wall sized window was covered by a thick curtain that didn’t let much light pass through. It reminded Sunset to Flash’s room, but if a whole football team shared it and were messier than the average male teenager.

On the simple bed, whose crimson bedsheets were tossed into a ball on a corner, there was one of the wine colored uniforms, also piled up carelessly.

“These sirens sure are pigs,” Shimmer commented as she closed the drawer. “I wouldn’t be surprised if a spider suddenly jumps on us.” She opened another drawer and a small smile appeared on her face. “Oh, found the underwear drawer!”

“You disgust me,” Trixie said, and Shimmer only snickered.

Sunset roller her eyes. “I’m going to search another room,” was all she said before stepping out of the room and going to the immediate one.

Sunset almost wished she hadn’t, because it was so pink that it put Pinkie’s own to shame. A bright pink bed with pastel pink pillows and dark pink diamond patterns. A soft pink carpet, fuchsia walls and a pale pink ceiling. The two night tables, also pink, sat comfortably at the bedsides. To the far left, a wall sized closet of pink doors; to the far right, a pink desk that looked like a triangle, occupying a corner and space of two walls, with a pink chair right in front of it. Over to the wall that separated the room from the hallway, there were two pink shelves with various objects placed at random.

“At least Pinkie uses some blue and yellow,” Sunset muttered as she entered. It was also pretty well organized and clean, sans the wine colored uniform carefully folded on the bed being the only non pink object in the vicinity.

“What was that?” Trixie’s voice came from her earphones.

“Nothing,” Sunset said pulling her phone close to her. “It’s just that one of the sirens is trying to beat Pinkie in the pinkiness contest.” She sighed. “I’ll start searching. I’ll call you if we find something and we get out.” She then hung up and looked at the bedroom again.

The desk was the perfect place to start, Sunset reckoned. When she got closer, she noticed a small pink laptop and a couple of DVDs carefully organized by color to the side. Upon closer inspection, Sunset realized they were various film genres, going from romance to action to horror. Sunset thought this particular siren was trying to understand human culture by watching and reading pieces of every genre imaginable.

She sat down and opened the laptop. It wasn’t locked by password, so she could easily access. Just like the room, everything was perfectly organized and labeled, and Sunset couldn’t help but smile at how easy it was.

But after a couple of minutes, she found nothing but movies, T.V. series, cartoons, and other stuff related with pure entertainment. Sunset thought of looking over the internet history, but not only was it completely clear, but the browser was very bare, as if it had never been used before.

Sunset closed the laptop and sighed. It wasn’t going to be that easy.

She stood up and began searching the night tables. She found lots of pink notebooks full with scribbles and what looked like words in pink tint. The sirens were clearly just adjusting to having fingers. Sunset quickly looked them up, but she just found more and more garbage.

She then walked to the shelves, and where she first thought were objects placed at random, she found that each shelf had a theme. A shelf with books, a shelf with board games, a shelf with movies, a shelf with videogames, a shelf with empty photograph frames, and a shelf with more pink notebooks.

Sunset started searching the notebooks, finding that all of them were completely new and unused. She had just begun taking out the books when Shimmer entered the room.

“Whoa this is so garish!” She exclaimed. “It looks like a toddler lives here!”

Sunset read the book title, “Quantum Physics”, it said. She raised an eyebrow and opened it. “It looks like whoever lives here doesn’t quite understand what’s going on.” She closed the book and grabbed another, this one read “Chooga chooga choo-choo and other children’s stories”. “These books were picked at random.”

“So it seems,” Shimmer eyed the laptop. “I’m assuming you already searched this?”

Sunset turned to see what Shimmer was talking about, then to the bookshelf again. “Yes. There’s nothing there, or in the night tables.”

“Did you search the bed?”

“The bed?” Sunset asked confused. “Why would I?”

Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Children sometimes keep important things under their pillows.” She pulled the pillows and placed them away, finding a quite thick pink book with a small magnetic belt. “Voilá un journal!” She grabbed the book and opened it.

Sunset put the book away and walked to Shimmer. “What is it?”

Shimmer frowned. “I thought it was a diary, but this is just gibberish.”

“Let me see,” Sunset said, and Shimmer gave her the book. Sunset opened it and started reading. At first, it struck her as just gibberish, but the more she looked at it, the more she understood some words. Her eyes widened in realization. “This isn’t gibberish! This is old Ponish!”

“What?”

“Old Ponish!” Sunset repeated as she paid closer attention to the words. “The penmanship is horrible, but I can make out some words!”

Shimmer moved closer to take a look. “Can you really read that?”

“I… I think so,” Sunset replied. “I’m a little rusty, but give me time and I’m pretty sure I can translate this.”

“Well, we don’t have all day, so take pictures and put it back,” Shimmer said. She huffed and walked up to the closet. “Let’s see if we can find more pony shit over here.”

Sunset hummed as she recognized a few words, but without the whole picture, and being rushed, she wasn’t going to do anything. She decided to do as Shimmer said and took photos to all the diary. When she finished, she sent all the photos to Trixie’s phone and a message urging her to save them. She heard Trixie’s phone and the subsequent chatter through her earphones.

“Alright, i finished,” she said as she turned to her doppelganger. Shimmer nodded in acknowledgement and kept searching the underwear area. Sunset rolled her eyes, opting to ignore her, and went to the next room.

This one was, to her surprise, a recording studio. Or what looked like one, according to her knowledge. The room was divided in two parts: The first half had machines Sunset barely recognized as recording equipment and that stuff; and the second half, being separated by a single glass wall with a door, had a trio of professional looking microphones, and the three other walls had those panels that reduced sound.

Sunset had no idea of how to use any of those things, let alone retrieve information, so she decided to leave it to Shimmer. As she got to the hallway, she told Shimmer to search the recording studio. Shimmer answered with a grunt, but that sounded like a yes.

Deciding it was enough, Sunset got into the last and farthest room.

She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but she certainly hadn’t thought it would be so bare. White walls and ceiling and the same tiled floor as the rest of the common area of the penthouse. A single king size bed with gray brass frame and yellowish-white sheets. White night tables to its sides, a white dresser to the far right, and a dark gray desk to the far left. The closet’s doors were white, and the wall sized window was covered by white blinders.

It looked like this siren had no particular interest in decor, but still wanted to be tidy. Or at least that’s what Sunset thought, since, unlike the other two sirens, this one hadn’t left her uniform anywhere visible.

Sunset began searching the place. There was no diary under the pillows, or scribbles in the night tables’ drawers; she did find some documents in the dresser with what she assumed was falsified information about the sirens, just like her own. She took photos and sent them to Trixie before putting them away.

On the desk, there was a desktop computer, which Sunset tried to use, but it was blocked by a password, so she searched the desk to see if the siren had wrote it down. She found random office supplies in the first two drawers, but the third and last one proved to be more interesting; It had contracts with radio stations and one for an official recording. She took her phone and began taking pictures.

When she was halfway done, Shimmer came in.

“The recording studio is there just to show, I think,” Shimmer said as she sat down on the bed. “They haven’t used it.”

“Maybe they’re just practicing,” Sunset replied as she kept taking pictures.

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “What did you find, Bubbles?”

“Bubbles?” Sunset asked with a confused voice.

“Cuz you have a bubble butt.”

Sunset stared blankly at her for a moment. “That sounds like you’re jealous,” she scoffed.

There was a slight glimmer in Shimmer’s eyes that told Sunset she wasn’t far from the truth.

“Would you rather I call you ‘Impersonating whore’?” Shimmer asked a little too harshly.

Sunset decided not to play with fire and returned to taking photos. “These are contracts. You know about these things, right? You can tell us exactly what are the sirens next steps.”

Shimmer hummed, and Sunset could feel she was more relaxed.

“Yeah I can,” Shimmer replied. She got up and went to the closet, where she started rummaging through the clothes. “Anything else?”

Sunset took the last photos and put the papers away. “I found their personal documents. They may be falsified, but I think they can be helpful.”

“Interesting.”

Sunset and Shimmer kept searching for a few more minutes, hearing Rainbow, Rarity, and Trixie talking and discussing about what Sunset had sent them. Most of it was Rainbow wanting to get physical with the sirens whilst Rarity and Trixie ignored her and actually commented on the information.

At the end, Sunset felt bad she couldn’t find the password to the PC, but at least they had found what they had been looking and a little more. Contracts, ID Documentation, and a Journal in Old Ponish. And feeling like they had finished, they made sure to leave everything exactly like they found it, and get out.

Shimmer was very insistent in walking down the same amount of floors through the stairs they had used when they came in, saying something about police T.V. shows or something. Sunset didn’t quite understand, but she didn’t want to upset Shimmer, so she did as was told.

They got to the lobby, where the guard waved them goodbye, and they quickly crossed the avenue and got into the car.

“That’s it?” Rainbow asked once both Sunset and Shimmer had gotten in. “I really thought the sirens would show up before time and you’d have to get out all sneaky and stuff!”

“Shut up, Gayhair,” Shimmer said.

But before Rainbow could start arguing with Shimmer, Trixie intervened. “So, what was all that gibberish you sent me, Sunny?”

Sunset turned around, unable to keep her excitement out of her grin.

“That’s Old Ponish!”

Author's Note

I'm struggling to write less than 8k words =|

6. Affluence

Chapter 6. Affluence.

The morning sunlight sneaked through the thinly layered blindfolds that covered the worn down window which gave way to an easy view of the bus stop right at the edge of Hollow Shades. The room would be normally dimly illuminated with the rising sun, with some thicker rays that filtered through served as spotlights for the tiny dust particles dancing in the air, but instead, the light bulbs were bathing the entire place with yellow light.

The sound of scribbling and paper shifting was the only thing that could be heard; one could say it was almost relaxing, and a good selection of ambiance jazz music would’ve turned the place zen for some.

“Morning,” Trixie interrupted the silence with a dizzy voice that dragged all the way to a yawn.

Sunset turned from her work to look at her girlfriend. Her darkened eyes softened and a mirthy smile drew itself on her face at the sight. Every single time Trixie woke up, she looked just so adorable, Sunset only wanted to snuggle her. Sunset had to use every ounce of willpower not to tackle Trixie into a cuddle.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Sunset replied, her voice a little raspy.

Trixie raised an eyebrow as she walked closer. She eyed the scattered papers and pens upon the table, the semi empty cup of lukewarm coffee, and then at Sunset’s slightly reddened eyes.

A long, deep sigh overcame Trixie. She closed her eyes for a moment as she took the seat left to Sunset.

“How long have you been up?” Trixie asked tiredly, slumping on her chair and throwing back her head to look at the ceiling.

Sunset smiled sheepishly. “I… I didn’t go to sleep at all.” She heard another long sigh from Trixie, and it made her lower her head a little more in shame. “I waited until you fell asleep and started working. I-I just couldn’t help myself! I-”

Trixie put a hand on her shoulder, effectively silencing her. “I’m not mad you pulled an all nighter. Just don’t do it often, ok?”

Warmth wrapped around Sunset’s chest. She placed a hand upon Trixie’s and smiled.

“So,” Trixie began, straightening up and shaking away the topor that still lingered in her body. “I’ll grab something quick to eat. You tell me what you’ve done so far and how can I help you.”

Trixie leaned in for a quick peck and then made her way to the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~

After fixing herself some scrambled eggs with ham and some coffee, Trixie took a seat in front of Sunset and began eating as her girlfriend started explaining.

“So I got caught up in the first pages for several reasons,” Sunset began as she grabbed her phone and showed it to Trixie. A picture of the siren’s diary was displayed on the screen. “The first pages are almost entirely written in chicken scratch. It was a titanic effort just to make out the symbols. But after comparing them with the latest pages, I think I managed.”

“And what’s it say?” Trixie asked after getting another bite of her breakfast.

Sunset grabbed a sheet of paper. “Log entry number 1,” she read aloud. “I have made myself in possession of a parchment.”

“Parchment?”

“There isn’t a word for notebook in Old Ponish,” Sunset answered, then continued.

”For one sun we have been stranded in this foreign place, in these foreign bodies. By happenstance we have not starved. Feeding is difficult, nearly impossible. Our magic is feeble, nigh inexistent. I have expressed my concerns openly, but my sistren insist we can overcome this plight still.

I am not entirely convinced, but they are much more shrewd than I am.”

Trixie stared at Sunset as she finished the entry with narrowed eyes.

“I understand it’s an old language, but do you really have to use old words?”

Sunset chuckled at that. “Fair enough.” She put the paper away. “It took me way too long to decipher the handwriting, but once I did, I sped up a lot and translated another two pages.”

“Are they in archaic too?” Trixie snickered.

“Yes,” Sunset answered, shifting some papers. “But, I will try to use common vocabulary for you from now forth.”

“Thank you.”

Sunset chuckled.

”Log entry number 2.

Two suns have cycled since our arrival. I begin to understand this body. It feels so distant and yet so familiar. I experienced the same sensation when feeding. The energy is thin and comes in droplets, as opposed to the constant stream that was in Equus, but it is enough to keep us fed.

I have grown curious about this world. These creatures around us call themselves humans. They are a fun sight, with those tiny noses. I oftentimes find myself looking at the mirror and laughing at how ridiculous I look.

My sistren find not amusement in this fact. I exposed my concerns once more. Aria sided with me. She must be desperate.”

“That’s it?” Trixie asked, placing down her cup. “Those entries were awfully short.”

Sunset forced out a sigh. “Just keep listening.”

”Log entry number 3.

Three suns have cycled. I believe Adagio’s words, she is always correct, but I still find it hard to believe.

We have been singing all day. I feel tired. It is the first time I feel tired from singing. It must be the lackluster energy on which we have fed these past days.

My sistren were growing restless, but tonight, a humongous multi colored tornado rose from the ground and into the skies. I felt a warmth I have not felt since we arrived in this place. Adagio claims it be Equestrian magic.

Adagio is already forming a plan to get it..”

“A multi colored tornado? Does that mean...” Trixie said, lifting her cup in a toast manner and sipped on it.

“Yes,” Sunset replied, staring at the paper. “They arrived right before the fall formal.”

“That sounds like an important piece of information,” Trixie said, taking a finger to her lips in a thoughtful manner.

“Because it is,” Sunset replied. “It tells us that they’ve been here for months. I’m sure one of these pages will tell me why exactly they didn’t come for the magic right away. That will help us a whole lot.”

Trixie hummed an agreement, poking what remained of her breakfast with a fork. “Do you think it will help us defeat them?”

Sunset breathed noisily, staring at the last paper she had been working on before Trixie came in. “I hope so. As of now, we were right in assuming their magic is not as strong as it is supposed to be. Hopefully, this siren is stupid enough to have written even more relevant information about them.”

“Why don’t you take a break?” Trixie asked. She got up from her seat and grabbed her now empty dishes. “You need to be well rested.”

Sunset watched her enter the kitchen. “I have to translate this journal as soon as possible, Trixie.”

“That’s a shame,” Trixie said, casually strolling out the kitchen. Her pajama top was completely unbuttoned. “Trixie’s taking a shower and was kind of expecting you’d join.” She walked past Sunset, taking off her top and lazily throwing it towards the lone couch.

Trixie hadn’t walked too far into the hallway when Sunset wrapped her arms around her.

“You’re an evil person, Trixie Lulamoon,” Sunset said with a low, raspy voice, taking into Trixie’s sweet and slightly salty scent as she lowered her head to kiss her girlfriend’s neck. “You know I can’t reject an offer like that.” Her hands caressed Trixie’s flat stomach for a moment before lowering to the hem of her pajama bottoms.

Sunset’s phone went off, blasting music and loudly vibrating against the wooden table.

The girls stood there for a while, immobile, waiting for the phone to get silent again. It did, but just five seconds later, it rang again.

“Pick it up,” Trixie said, lifting one of Sunset’s arms and kissing the back of her hand. “I’ll get the shower ready.”

Sunset grunted as Trixie stepped into the bathroom. She turned on her heel and picked her phone. She rolled her eyes and threw her head back in exasperation before answering.

“What do you want?” She asked with as much annoyance as she could muster.

“And good morning to you, too,” Shimmer replied amusedly. “You know, I’m getting a lot of bad vibes coming from you. Maybe I should call at three in the morning, when you’re the most relaxed.”

Sunset rubbed the bridge of her nose, slumping down on her couch. “I know you didn’t call just to annoy me, so spill it out already or I’m gonna hang up on you.”

“Yeah, like you’d ever do that,” Shimmer snickered. “In any case, I read the documents you found, and just like I thought, they’re contracts.”

“I told you that when I found them.”

“Listen, I can’t work with all this negativity coming from you. Ever heard of the concept of “unhealthy work environment”?”

Sunset sighed heavily. “Just get to the point.” A small headache started building in her forehead.

Shimmer snorted with a tiny chuckle. “Not much can I say about them. Except that the dates a little bit worrying. They have their very first concert at Manhattan’s Central Arena in about two weeks.”

“Two weeks?!” Sunset said a little too loud, feeling her heart beat faster. “That’s way too soon! I haven’t even seen advertisement yet!”

“Because it’s been advertised through the radio, and we are kind of completely avoiding it, remember?” Shimmer raised a good point, but it still left Sunset with a horrible emptiness in her stomach. “In any case, I’ve done a little bit of research. Even though the sirens have gathered quite an amount of followers, they’re still not popular enough to have sold out.”

“That’s reassuring alright,” Sunset replied humorlessly.

Shimmer clicked her tongue. “Listen, Bubbles, if you want to defeat them, you have to stop being so negative.”

“I can’t believe you’re being the sensible person here,” Sunset said before a forced sigh. “But you’re right. Alright, what else have you got?”

“I bought two tickets for the concert.”

“What?!” Sunset yelled.

“Shut up and listen to me!” Shimmer said loudly.

“No, you listen to me!” Sunset replied angrily, walking in circles in front of her couch. “Going to the concert is a suicide mission, no matter how you look at it!”

“Not if we don’t actually go.”

Sunset paused for a moment. “What do you mean?”

“I’d like to tell you everything on the phone, but it’ll be better if we meet up,” Shimmer answered with such a calm that made Sunset’s blood boil. “I’ll text you the address. Now, I want to warn you before anything else: You better make sure your friends understand what they’re getting into. Because once they hear my plan, they can’t back out, you hear?”

Sunset considered it for a moment. “I know.”

“Good.” Shimmer made a pause. “Be at the address in four hours. I’ll be waiting.”

Shimmer hung up, and Sunset just sat down, staring at her phone.

“That was one hell of a call,” Trixie said, stepping out of the hallway. Her body covered by a yellow towel.

“Tell me about it,” Sunset replied. Her phone beeped, and she quickly opened the message. Sure enough it was an address in Manhattan, but that was just as much as Sunset knew about it. She looked up at Trixie and smiled. “Let’s take that shower, I’ll tell you everything afterwards.”

~~~~~~~~

Applejack pulled her truck over to what looked like a drive. Half the houses looked empty, the other half were still under construction. Even what she supposed would be the green areas were used to store various construction resources and equipment. Trees decorated the horizon behind the buildings and fences.

“Ah don’t know ‘bout y’all,” Applejack said as she made a turn to the right. “But this here place sure looks like a possible crime scene .”

“We’re eight against one,” Rainbow replied with a shrug. “As long as we stick together, Shimmer can’t overpower us.”

Rarity cleared her throat. “But just in case, we all should carry pepper spray.”

“I think she’s just messing with us,” Trixie said. “I bet she called us here just to make us go to the other side of town because it was funny.”

“That certainly sounds like her,” Rainbow said with a quick nod.

“I, uhm, I second the pepper spray, uhm, suggestion?” Fluttershy chimed in quietly.

“I started carrying a taser,” Twilight said, intently observing and studying her surroundings. “We can’t afford a crazy and enraged ex-convict blindingly swinging a knife with killing intent, can we?”

The girls exchanged looks for a moment.

“Anyway,” Sunset said a little too loud. “Before we get there, I just want to make sure you guys are ok with this.”

“For the last time, Sunset,” Rainbow said with a roll of her eyes. “We’re together in this.”

“I know you are into it, but what about the rest?” Sunset turned back to the girls. “We might have to start doing things we might not feel proud of. Heck, I already committed a crime by breaking into the sirens’ apartment!”

“Sunset!” Applejack yelled wide eyed.

Sunset huffed. “Applejack, please! You’re a grown up girl! If you don’t want to take part of this, I will understand and won’t hold it against you! But if you’re going to be here, then you’ll have to buckle up and put up with it!” She passed a hand through her hair, then looked back again. “Fluttershy, we’ll obviously never make you straight up commit crimes, but are you really sure you want to take part on this?”

Fluttershy curved her body in a futile attempt to make herself look even smaller. “I-I mean, I don’t want the world to be ruled by evil creatures, and I also don’t want to lose my friends…”

Sunset nodded and turned to Twilight. “What about you? You have a bright future ahead of you.”

“Which can disappear if the sirens do take over,” Twilight answered. Her voice was calm, but there was a tremble that gave away she wasn’t entirely sure. It also didn’t help that she was avoiding eye contact with everyone. “We just have to be careful not to get carried away.”

“Well said, Twily!” Pinkie said. “We’re all a team against the forces of evil! We shall prevail above the hardships and lead the world to a brighter future!”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “You heard that in a cartoon, didntcha?”

“Yep!”

Sunset smiled, then laid her eyes upon Trixie.

“We already had this conversation, Sunny,” Trixie said as she tried to avoid Pinkie’s excited wiggling.

“Yeah… I guess we did…” Sunset turned around and slumped on her seat with a sigh. “Well… Let’s go then.”

“An’ just in time,” Applejack said as she slowed down to a halt. The girls looked to the front and easily spotted Shimmer, leaning against her car that was parked on one of the finished houses’ driveway. Once more, her black thick winter clothes clashed painfully against her pale skin and fiery red and yellow her. “Let’s see what missy boss wants this time around.”

Shimmer straightened up as she saw the group approach. “Finally! I’ve been waiting for thirty minutes!”

“Good!” Rainbow said.

Before Shimmer and Rainbow could start bickering, Sunset stepped between them. “So, why did you call us to the middle of nowhere?”

Shimmer smiled and turned around, using her arms to show the whole place. “This is a new neighborhood they’re making. Once they finish ninety percent of the houses and people start moving in, they’ll build a small supermarket. It’s a forty minutes drive from the city, but in a couple years they’ll even build a school nearby.”

Trixie crossed her arms. “And we care because…”

Shimmer turned back to the girls with a raised brow. “Because this house is our new base of operations,” she said as she turned to the house her car was parked at.

It was a single story high building with a white facade and brownish red roof. A garage attached to the side, a small front lawn and what appeared to be a small wooden gate that led to a backyard.

“I want to be the first one to say this,” Rarity said with a raised hand. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Shimmer frowned and huffed through her nose. “Come in and I’ll explain everything.” And with that, she walked up inside the house.

The girls followed her begrudgingly.

The interior was as barren as the exterior. White walls, gray floor and ceiling, and little to no furniture around. Only a couple of chairs laying here and there, and a step ladder on a corner.

“C’est ma maison, ici,” Shimmer said. “It’s quite cheap now, but with the supermarket and school in a few years the added value will go through the roof.”

“You bought a house?!” Rainbow asked, watching Fluttershy visibly shudder at the answering echo.

“You could say that, yeah,” Shimmer answered nonchalantly. “I’m not keeping it, though. Once I finish paying it and the value has gone up enough, I’ll sell it and get a better one.”

“Oh! We should totally throw a “Congratulations for buying a house” party!” Pinkie yelled excitedly.

“No,” Shimmer said, then looked at Sunset. “Now, take a seat, we have important matters to discuss.”

With only four chairs left after Shimmer had taken one, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash had to sit on the floor.

“So, what’s this big thing you have to tell us?” Rainbow asked.

Shimmer leaned back.

“After reading the sirens’ contracts, I devised a plan to take them down. Let me start by saying it’s risky, but it’s also our best chance to defeat them.” She stood up, taking a marker from her pocket, and began scribbling on a wall. “In two weeks, they have their very first concert at Manhattan’s Central Arena. Don’t be fooled by the fact that barely half the seats have been sold. This may not feel like a success to them, but it’ll be a stepping stone to get country-wide attention, not only localized radio.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Applejack asked.

“I’m getting there,” Shimmer answered through her teeth. “I bought two VIP backstage access tickets.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sunset interrupted her. “Backstage?! Are you nuts?!”

Shimmer turned around and shot Sunset an annoyed glare. “What part of mentally unstable do you not understand? Now shut up and let me finish!”

Sunset covered her face with her hands and sighed heavily.

“As I was saying,” Shimmer continued. “Two of us will attend the concert wearing earplugs. We’ll wait till the concert is over and go backstage. Now, this next part is going to be the most difficult.” She took a deep breath. “We’ll have to single out one of the sirens, overpower her, tie her up, and force her to give us information.”

“And how will you have her give us information when she can easily mind control people with her voice?” Trixie said.

Shimmer stopped scribbling, but didn’t turn around. “That’s why you’re here. Brainstorm your ideas.”

Sunset grabbed her phone and began swapping some photos.

“Let’s say we do get information from the siren,” Rarity said. “What will happen next?”

“Yeah! She’ll tell the others we know about them!” Rainbow agreed.

“Ah hope y’all ain’t plannin’ on kidnappin’ ‘er!” Applejack said with a deep frown.

“Good idea, Hillbilly!” Shimmer said, writing down the word Kidnap on the wall. “What else?”

“I can’t believe this,” Rarity muttered. “There must be something else we can do!”

“Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!” Pinkie said excitedly, raising a hand. Rarity signaled her with a hand, and she stood up. “We could throw them a big party! That way they’ll see that being meanies is not cool!”

Shimmer shot her a flat look. “No. Anyone else?”

“What are you doing, Sunny?” Trixie asked Sunset, leaning over to take a look at her phone.

“I’m trying to find something we can use against them.”

Twilight looked closer. “That’s the diary you found, right?”

“Yes,” Sunset replied, zooming in the picture.

Trixie placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Honey, it took you all night to translate three short pages. Don’t strain yourself.”

“Correction,” Sunset said with a sideways smile. “It took me all night to decipher the chicken scratch. Sure translating Old Ponish is a challenge, especially considering I haven’t practiced it in years, but it’s not that hard.”

“What do you have so far?” Shimmer asked.

“Basically, we were right to assume that the sirens aren’t as powerful as they should be,” Trixie replied. “With any luck, the journal will give us all the information we need to stop them.”

“Just give me a couple of hours,” Sunset said as she stood up, then turned to Shimmer. “Do you have something I can use to write on?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll use the walls,” Sunset replied as she lifted her hand in front of Shimmer, who rolled her eyes and gave her the marker. “This siren doesn’t write much, but she’s quick to put her most relevant thoughts in paper.” She drew a few symbols, then some words besides them. “Just in the first entry she said their magic was really weak three days after they came to this world.”

Shimmer tilted her head for a moment. “Be right back.”

“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?!” Rainbow asked as she stood up.

“I have to buy some furniture. A base isn’t a base when it’s as empty as this one.”

“Do you really think we’ll let you go alone wherever you want while we’re in an unknown place far from anything?!”

Shimmer rolled her eyes and groaned. “Seriously now. I’m gay, just not for you.”

“What?!”

“Shimmer, darling,” Rarity intervened before a brawl erupted in the room. “I’m sure you understand we are weary of you. Being in this place where only you know how to move around is not exactly something that puts us at ease.”

Shimmer stared at her for what felt like the longest ten seconds Rarity had ever experienced. “So what? I already said I won’t hurt any of you.”

“Y’all hafta understand we don’t exactly trust ya,” Applejack said, standing up from her seat. “Rainbow and Ah’ll go withcha.” She took her phone and dialed Pinkie’s number. “Pinks, if you hear anything weird, call the police.”

“Roger!” Pinkie replied with a salute and a puffed out chest.

Shimmer huffed through her nose. “Whatever.” She turned around and walked to the exit.

“Applejack,” Twilight called her. “Take it, just in case,” she said, offering Applejack her taser.

Applejack accepted it with a slow nod and hid it under her jacket. “Be right back, girls.”

And with that, Applejack and Rainbow followed Shimmer to her car.

“Does anyone else feel like Shimmer’s taking this situation too lightly?” Rarity asked, watching through the window Shimmer’s car leave. “Or maybe too seriously. I can’t really tell.”

“Whatever the case might be,” Sunset replied, still scribbling on the wall. “As long as she’s on our side, I don’t really care.”

“Are we just going to gloss over the fact that she bought a house just for this?” Rarity asked. “Didn’t she say she had to be careful with money?”

“It’s evident she lied,” Twilight answered, looking at the symbols Sunset had written. “Or she’s stealing.”

“She is a criminal,” Fluttershy muttered under her breath.

Sunset sighed and turned to the girls. “Listen, we only have to play along until we manage to defeat the sirens. After that, we don’t have to associate ourselves with her anymore.”

Twilight stared at her for a moment, then just turned her attention back to the symbols.

~~~~~~~~

Days passed, and true to her words, Shimmer had bought some furniture, if not to decorate, just to have something to sit on, like a couple of dark gray couches, a large wooden table with a glass center and eight chairs, and a few standing lamps.

Shimmer had also arranged for two matrimonial beds, two night tables, two chiffoniers, and a single mirror in each two of the three rooms. When asked about it, she mentioned that she wanted to cover the possibility that things might go south and they needed a place to stay.

Pinkie had wanted to throw a slumber party, but no one actually wanted to be there for more than a couple hours.

At some point, no one went there for several days, since everyone was busy with either school projects or work, and they had agreed not to go in teams of less than four girls.

When the weekend came, Sunset, Trixie, Rainbow, and Applejack were called to go. They had expected Shimmer to come up with another plan, or have bought more stuff.

They didn’t expect her to turn the third room into what looked like a prison cell.

A rectangular hole was cut in the wall that was shared with the living room, and a one way mirror was installed in that space. The inner walls, floor, and ceiling had been covered with soundproof material. A single mattress was pressed against a corner, and one wooden chair had been carefully placed right in the middle, facing the mirror.

Sunset felt a chill run through her whole body.

“So, how exactly did you get people to do this in a residential building?” Trixie asked, feeling her hands shaking. “Don’t these things raise questions?”

“Where did you even find people to do this kind of thing?!” Rainbow inquired. She was fighting back a smile.

Shimmer crossed her arms, giving them a satisfied smirk. “There are dark corners on the internet.”

“For pete’s sake, Shimmer,” Applejack said, pulling her hat over her eyes. “How many more laws y’all gotta break?”

Shimmer barked a laugh. “Oh, don’t worry your hypocritical heart, country girl. This isn’t illegal at all!”

“But Ah thought-”

“It was a fetish website!” Shimmer interrupted her. “Apparently, people get off to this!”

There was heavy silence as the girls stared at her.

“Anyway,” Rainbow said after clearing her throat. “Sunset, have you finished translating the journal?”

Sunset looked at her, and immediately slumped down on the couch. “Yeah…”

The girls sat down next to her; Shimmer decided to remain standing next to the mirror.

“What’s wrong, Sunset?” Rainbow asked.

Sunset looked at Trixie for a moment with a pleading look.

“She discovered very interesting information,” Trixie said with a sigh. She grabbed Sunset’s hand and gently squeezed it. With her free hand, she took a folded sheet of paper from her pocket and showed it to the girls. It was the sirens’ concert advertisement, and the thing that stood out the most was a photo of the three girls in suggestive poses, still wearing 80’s themed clothes. “Focus on their necks,” Trixie instructed them as she pointed to their collars. “They aren’t just decorative, they work like a… uh…”

“Dam,” Sunset muttered.

“Nice, you’re finally swearing,” Shimmer noted.

“No, idiot,” Trixie replied with a glare. “It’s an analogy.” She closed her eyes thoughtfully. “The gems act like floodgates, letting the magic go through the sirens, who act as the water reserves. The sirens control the floodgates, so they decide when and how much magic they gather or use.”

Shimmer hummed. “Yeah, see, the problem here is that you’re making it seem like the water is the magic, the energy.”

“And isn’t that how it works?” Rainbow asked with an annoyed tone.

“If Twilight were here she’d smack you for your ignorance.” Shimmer said casually. “No. What generates the energy is a bunch of turbines that spin thanks to the water, and this is only possible because it’s falling. So you could say that the energy actually comes from gravity, in its most primal form.”

Trixie glared at her. “Anyway,” she cleared her throat. “If we take the gems from them, they’ll be completely powerless.”

Shimmer smiled and crossed her arms. “Perfect! We just have to cover all the possibilities in our plan in order to capture at least one of them!” She turned around. “I’ll revise the plan,” she said before walking to a room.

Applejack waited until Shimmer was out of sight to address Sunset. “That ain’t everything you learned from the journal, right?”

“No…” Sunset sighed. “I already told you that the sirens arrived just a few days prior to the Fall Formal, right? Well… According to my calculations, it was around the same time I came back after stealing Princess Twilight’s crown…”

Applejack and Rainbow looked at each other, then back at Sunset.

“I have a theory…” Sunset continued, still refusing to look at anyone. “When Starswirl banished them, he didn’t just send them to this world, he actually sealed them in a kind of limbo, a timeless space between dimensions. That would explain why the sirens think they fought him just a couple of months ago…”

“That’s interesting, but-” Rainbow began.

“So I thought...” Sunset interrupted her, and forced a chuckle out of her. “Something had to create a significative unbalance in this dimension in order to rip the fabric of space-time continuum of the siren’s prison that set them free…” She made a long pause before looking back at her friends. “Something like a powerful magical artifact...”

Rainbow raised her hand. “I just want to say if you start depressing over it, I’ll break your nose again.”

Applejack smiled. “And Ah’ll help.”

“What?” Sunset stared at them with wide eyes.

“Sunset, it doesn’t matter how or why they’re here,” Rainbow said with a grin. “What matters is how we’ll deal with ‘em! It’s like scoring a goal against your own team. Sure, it sucks, but then you gotta fix it by scoring another five to the right goal!”

“Ah don’t think that analogy works, Dash,” Applejack said with a deadpan voice.

“Actually,” Trixie intervened. “It does.” She turned to Sunset. “It’s exactly what I told you last night, Sunny. You either cry over spilled milk or move on and do something to fix it!”

Sunset smiled and let out a long sigh before giving Trixie a quick peck. “You’re right, beautiful.”

“How is the sirens’ situation Bubbles’ fault?” Shimmer asked, startling the girls. She was leaning against the corner of the hallway with an unreadable look in her eyes.

Sunset stood up, facing Shimmer’s intense look. “You already heard everything.”

“Only since you mentioned a magical object and Gayhair threatening you.”

Sunset closed her eyes for a moment. “I stole a crown. Its only gemstone was actually one of the most powerful artifacts in Equestria. I brought it here, thinking it’d give me the power to attempt a coup against them.”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “That’s stupid. Why wouldn’t you use it the moment you got it?”

“Because it’s linked to its bearer, P- The princess,” she replied, deciding to leave the name out of the equation. “By bringing it here, I accounted for that link to be broken so I could wear it. But the princess followed me, the link was restored, and I was punished.”

“Kinky.”

“Grow up,” Trixie said with a tired look.

With a deep sigh, Sunset walked around the small coffee table in front of her and to the dining table, where her backpack was. “Apparently, just bringing the crown to this side inadvertently freed the sirens from their dimensional prison.”

“So it’s your fault my friends got kidnapped and the whole world is at stake,” Shimmer said with frightening calm.

“Gee, way to rub the wound,” Rainbow muttered out loud.

“Listen, I’m not happy with it either,” Sunset said quickly. “But I’ll do my best to fix it.”

Shimmer eyed her from bottom to top. “Right. Then, about my original plan…”

Sunset passed both hands through her hair as she breathed noisily. “Fine, we’ll do it your way. Let’s just try to be more careful and actually try to get out alive.”

At that, Shimmer smiled. “I knew you’d play along. Come then, we have much to plan.”

~~~~~~~~

Leaning against Shimmer’s car, Sunset was fiddling with her earphones while staring at her watch, counting every single second pass. Deep down, she hoped would help time go slower. She jumped a little when Shimmer’s hand quickly tapped her shoulder.

“Come on, Bubbles,” she said, making sure the small microphone attached to the collar of her shirt was well hidden beneath her thick coat. “It’s showtime.”

Author's Note

It's alive! It's aliiiiiiive!

And I'll let you know chapter 7 is already in editing process AND chapter 8 is almost finished writing! So... yeah.

I think another warning is in order: Things will get darker in the next chapters, so reader discretion is very much advised!

7. Entice

Chapter 7. Entice.

Rainbow eyed the wall wearily. It was completely covered, from floor to ceiling, corner to corner, with meticulously placed sheets of different colors. Yellow, blue, green, and pink adorned the once white wall with several red strings attached to some sheets, connected to others, turning and swirling in what looked like a chaotic turmoil of craziness.

It wasn’t the only wall, though, the rest of the living room, dining room, and part of the kitchen were in a similar state. And each of the sections, that were separated for easier inspection, though some strings connected them here and there, was supervised by one of the remaining seven girls of the group.

“Seriously though,” Rainbow said, looking at one of the sheets near the upper right side corner. “A massive shooting? Do they really expect that to happen?”

Rarity scoffed. She was sitting on the couch, looking at the next wall. “Don’t complain, Rainbow Dash. You’re not looking at the ‘Natural Disasters’ wall.”

“Evil magical transformations here,” Applejack said, looking at her section.

“I’m sure most of this was just to appease Shimmer,” Trixie said, trying not to laugh at a sheet that described a contingency plan in case the sirens turned out to be minions of some greater evil. “You know what they say, if you can’t beat them…”

Twilight huffed and leaned back on her chair. “I still can’t believe they’re still planning on kidnapping one of them.”

“That is pretty serious,” Fluttershy agreed meekly.

“What are we even supposed to do then?” Applejack asked. “The other two sirens will notice right away, right?” She sighed heavily. “We fell deep into the well…”

“I mean, as long as we take the gems from them, they can’t do anything, right?” Rarity offered with a nervous smile. “So, no real point on keeping them as hostages once we make sure they can’t do anything evil... right?”

“While I’m afraid Shimmer might take things even further,” Trixie said. “I can’t think of a better way to deal with this situation.” She lazily threw her head back. “Trust me, I tried.”

“Surprise muffins!” Pinkie yelled excitedly, barging into the living room with a tray full of treats. She placed it upon the table and went back to the kitchen.

Applejack was the first to take one as she looked at the kitchen door closing behind Pinkie. “Poor gal,” she said under her breath.

“She’s taking it even worse than Fluttershy,” Rainbow noted.

Fluttershy had been sitting on a corner, her knees up her chin and attempting to use her hair to hide her entire body. She looked at Rainbow for a moment, then back at the floor.

“I just hope everything turns out alright,” Trixie said as she looked at her phone. “The concert is about to end... “ The air around the room thickened as she pronounced those words, and she saw the girls slowly turning to their respective sections of Sunset and Shimmer’s multiple plans.

“So this is it,” Applejack sighed. “There’s no turning back now.”

Twilight shook her head. “If everything goes according to Sunset’s plan, we won’t have to do this for much longer than strictly necessary.”

~~~~~~~~

“Knave,” Shimmer said. Her voice resonated into Sunset’s ears, muffled and distorted, as if it was coming from a pair of walkie-talkies. Once again, Sunset noted, even if Shimmer was three feet away, she could only hear her voice through the earphones.

They had been hiding in one of the many bathrooms within the arena, and just like Sunset had accounted for, not a single soul had left the concert area since it started. Even the guards had left their stations to attend.

“Espousal,” Sunset replied. She could hear her own voice, too, if a little faint and distant. She was sitting on the sinks, staring at Shimmer’s phone, which was zooming in to the platform where the sirens were singing. Sunset noted they barely danced, sticking to slow, seductive movements.

“Laver,” Shimmer said. She was leaning against one of the separations of the stalls, also looking at her phone, slightly fidgeting with her feet.

“Can we stop now?” Sunset asked with a tired sigh. “We’ve been doing this for two hours. The concert’s about to end, and we need to focus.”

“So you’re giving up,” Shimmer replied with a grin. “I knew the only thing you could beat me at was chess.”

Sunset stared at her for a moment. “Ruth. And I could beat you at any game any time.”

“Hither,” Shimmer continued with a satisfied smirk. “I bet you a thousand dollars we can keep this up even while putting the plan into motion.”

“Recreant. And no deal,” Sunset added quickly. “As much as I could use the money, we need to stay focused. This is no laughing matter.”

“Tithe,” Shimmer said after rolling her eyes. “And you’re a chicken.”

Sunset opened her mouth, but closed it when the stage suddenly went dark. “Crap, they finished early! We have to begin!”

Shimmer quickly gathered her bearings as Sunset grabbed the phone and dialed Trixie’s number. Since it was somehow connected to the receptor in both their gears, both of them heard the tone and Trixie’s answer.

“Hey, Sunny!”

“Concert’s finished,” Sunset said hastily, getting off the sinks. “Phase one is on.”

“Hah! I win!” Shimmer celebrated as she walked to the bathroom’s exit.

“Expiry,” Sunset said. Shimmer looked back at her with a surprised look. “Bet’s on, bitch.”

Shimmer’s grin widened as she got out.

“What?” Trixie asked after a pause.

“Nothing, baby, I was talking to her,” she replied.

“Still not wanting to say my name, huh?” Sunset heard Shimmer through her earphones. “Yclept.”

“I think I’ll win some much needed money,” Sunset told Trixie. “Don’t get weirded out if I say random words, I need you to put me on speaker so we can concentrate on the plan.”

Trixie made a small pause. “Sure…”

Sunset sighed heavily and smiled to herself. “Timbrel.”

~~~~~~~~

Shimmer walked down the aisle, her backstage pass bumping against her hip with every step. She eyed the open doors that gave way to the arena. People were still fighting even though the sirens had already left. Still, she made sure to remain in the opposite part of the aisle, just in case.

“Laud,” she said. Sunset had been talking to Trixie and the rest of the girls, making sure everyone knew what to do in case anything went south.

“Drab,” Sunset replied.

Shimmer made a turn. A pair of big muscular goons dressed with barely fitting tuxedos stood in her way, each guarding an end of a red band that served as reminder that not everyone was allowed.

She casually showed them her pass. One of them, the biggest one, leaned in to look at it a little closer, then nodded and lifted the bar so she could pass.

With a nod, she strutted her way in. “Baseborn,” she muttered.

According to the small croquis she had received when she bought the backstage pass, the lounge where the sirens currently were was at the far corner. She had thought at first she was lucky; she could make a lot of noise and none would be the wiser.

But as she got nearer, her heart started to bump faster and faster as she realized that it would also make it harder for her to escape in case the sirens saw through her plan. She swallowed a knot in her throat.

“Numbles,” she heard Sunset say. “How’s it going?”

“Almost there,” she replied under her breath. She noticed how shaky her voice sounded, and she bit her lip in an attempt to stop it.

She was barely a few meters away when the door labeled “backstage” suddenly opened. Shimmer felt her mouth dry up, chills running down her spine, and sweat beginning to form in her forehead. She hated feeling like this. “Sciolist,” she said quickly before taking a deep breath.

The sirens stepped out the room, dressed not with their flamboyant costumes, but with surprisingly normal jackets and jeans. Adagio, whose massive hair almost entirely covered the other two sirens, was the first to lay eyes on Shimmer.

“Taiga,” Sunset said. “Be careful, ok?”

“Look what we have here,” Adagio said with a sultry voice.

Shimmer forced a stupid smile, one she’d seen many people make when listening to the sirens, and made a herculean effort to step forward.

“O. M. G!” She said loudly. “I can’t believe I’m in front of you! I’m, like, super excited!” She prayed to all conceived deities in any number of worlds that her nasal voice, sweaty body, and acting skills were enough to fool the sirens.

Aria walked past Adagio’s hair and curiously eyed Shimmer from top to bottom. “Great, another ‘groupie’?” She asked lazily.

Shimmer could barely hear what they said since her earphones were both blocking and distorting sound. But she couldn’t risk them noticing.

She offered a wide smile. “I’ve been waiting, like, a long time for this!” She took out the poster of the concert, which she had neatly folded and kept inside her hoodie, and showed it to the sirens. “Can I get your autographs?! Oh my god can I touch your hair?!”

Adagio gave her a disgusted look and was about to answer when Sonata stepped forth and took a good look at Shimmer.

“Hey, she’s pretty!” She said with such a high pitched voice Shimmer could perfectly hear her. “Can I keep her? Pretty please?”

“No!” Adagio answered angrily. “I don’t want to have to throw away another corpse!”

Shimmer’s heart stopped for a moment. Were they seriously talking about it so lightly and so in the open like that? Even she had tried to keep her crimes away from public knowledge as much as possible.

“How was I supposed to know I had to tell him to eat?”

“A no is a no, Sonata,” Adagio said. “If you want to play with her that’s fine, but I want her away from the house.” And with that, she walked past a stunned Shimmer, not even bothering to look her way.

“But I can still have her tonight, right?!” Sonata yelled, but Adagio was already gone.

Aria rolled her eyes. “You know what? Don’t even bother coming home until you’re done with this human.” She then followed Adagio.

To say Shimmer was shocked was a serious understatement. None of her plans or ideas had accounted for this to be so easy! Here she was, virtually alone with only one siren, wanting to spend some private time with her, and she hadn’t even had to suggest it! It was too perfect to be real.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Sonata asked. Shimmer thought she had never heard her friend, the real Sonata, use such a seductive voice before. “If you’re half as a good as my last pet, I’ll make an effort to keep you well fed.”

It took every bit of willpower Shimmer had to keep smiling. She stepped closer, actually looking down at Sonata, and quickly engaged her in a deep kiss. Suddenly, Sonata clinged to her, literally, encircling her arms and legs around Shimmer, forcing her to carry her.

Shimmer knew she had to act quick, so she made her way, as quickly as possible, into the backstage room. She used a foot to slam the door close. She had to turn and look sideways to see where she was going, and after spotting a couch, she walked over and let Sonata fall on it.

“You’re a good kisser,” Sonata complimented her. Without wasting another second, she grabbed Shimmer’s hoodie and unzipped it. For a moment, Shimmer feared Sonata would notice the microphone attached to the collar of her shirt, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Sonata grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her into another kiss.

Shimmer decided to play along for a bit. Even though she looked and sounded exactly like her human counterpart, this Sonata acted very differently, so she had to be extra careful to help lower her guard. And so, she climbed upon the siren, deepening the kiss, and began caressing her curves with her hands.
Sonata moaned, and suddenly Shimmer’s whole body trembled as it exploded with passion. Sonata was, surprisingly, a very good kisser. Her hands were all over Shimmer’s body, making her shiver and moan as pleasure spread over her like a fire.

~~~~~~~~

Breaking the kiss, Shimmer leaned back. Her body was hot, she looked down, both of them were completely naked, covered in sweat, and panting heavily. Their clothes were scattered across the room.
When did that happen? Last Shimmer remembered, she was leading Sonata on and then... A kiss? But that shouldn’t have done anything like this.

Realization hit Shimmer like a train.

A moan.

It had taken one single moan to make Shimmer completely lose her mind. For a moment, she had completely forgotten about the situation she was in. She had forgotten about her mission, the threat, and everything else; for a moment, all that had mattered to her was the siren.

For a moment, she had completely fallen under her spell.

She tried to look around, but it only made the world spin, forcing her to look down at Sonata again. She was gorgeous. Her smooth skin, her cute messy hair, her green eyes. Everything about her was a wonder. Shimmer felt lucky to be where she was, to be nothing but Sonata’s precious pet. She felt grateful when Sonata grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her into another kiss.

It was everything she had ever wanted in her life.

~~~~~~~~

Sonata pushed her away again, making her stare once more into those beautiful eyes, magenta, like the color of the clouds during those ephemeral minutes of a summer sunset. Sonata blinked, and her eyes were green again, like the grass of a beautiful day upon a hill.

Shimmer blinked. She felt like waking up after a nightmare as her own breathing startled her.

For a split second, she came back to her senses. She spotted the red gemstone resting on the middle of Sonata’s collarbone. It shone brightly, and Shimmer felt a primal need to let go of all her worries, of everything she thought she cared about. After all, Sonata was the only thing that truly made her happy.

But then again, something else, deep inside her brain, told her she was wrong. Shimmer wanted to ignore it, to let herself fall into Sonata’s embrace again. She wanted to make love to her once more, and many more times. And yet, that little voice in the back of her mind screamed at her, desperately demanding her attention.

Shimmer brushed a finger against the gem, and it felt hot, like a sharp knife that was left for hours into a bonfire. Her mind barely registered the pain, but it did. And it made her wake up.

She leaned over again, smiling to the siren, then, as fast as she could, she wrapped her hand around the gemstone and, with as much strength as she was physically capable of, she pulled.

There was a ripping sound. Sonata’s eyes widened in horror and her pupils shrank. Shimmer managed to jump out of her way before she could hit her with her flailing arms. The world had finally stopped spinning, and Shimmer was ready to run away, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the writhing siren.

Sonata looked like she was having a seizure as her body had violent spasms. She barely turned to her side before she barfed, still convulsing.

When she stopped, Sonata simply laid there, seemingly unconscious.

After what felt like an eternity, Shimmer finally managed to gather enough strength to stand up. A cold breeze reminded her she was still naked, so she went to grab her hoodie. As she bent to pick it up, she heard a small buzzing sound. She looked around and found her earphones and microphone.

“Please!” Sunset’s voice came out of the earphones. “Answer! Yell! Anything!”

“Hey,” Shimmer said into the microphone. Her voice was raspy, and she noticed a piercing pain at the base of her throat. “I’m… I’m here.”

“Oh thank goodness you’re ok,” Sunset said with a sigh of relief. That’s when Shimmer noticed the voice sounded oddly clear. “What the…”

Shimmer turned around. Sunset was standing by the door, gazing at everything inside the room. Shimmer hugged her clothes closer, remembering, once again, she was completely naked.

“What the heck happened here?” Sunset asked before noticing the unmoving siren. “What-”

“Less questions, Bubbles,” Shimmer said, noticing she was still quite out of breath. “Tie her up while I get dressed. I’ll explain everything later.” And with that, she began dressing up.

As seconds passed, Shimmer began to notice the heat radiating from the gem. It was hot, but not unbearably so, thus she kept it in a tight grip within her hand. She still felt dizzy, and her balance was very much off, but she managed to at least put on her hoodie and jeans.

By the time she finished, Sunset had already dressed Sonata up and tied her hands under the hoodie. She also stuck a sock into the siren’s mouth and threw her hair over her face so it would be nearly impossible to spot. She carried her on her arms and looked at Shimmer.

“Coast is clear,” Sunset said, walking to the door.

Shimmer followed her, noticing her legs were weak and numb, her body felt heavy and a piercing headache was drilling away at her skull. But she paid it no mind, she had to get out of there before she could rest.

Carrying another person didn’t allow Sunset to walk fast, and yet, Shimmer couldn’t keep up. The floor felt like it was made of rubber, the walls constantly tried to escape her hand, at some point she could swear Sunset was walking on the ceiling. Fortunately, she still managed not to fall down.

When the exit was just coming into view, they were intercepted by a pair of guards, who looked a little beat up, with scratches, dirt, and some red spots all over their bodies, and their uniforms were a little ragged. Sunset stopped and looked up at them.

“What are you two doing here?” One of them asked while hovering his right hand over his club.

“We have backstage passes!” Sunset said a little too loudly. She turned around to let them see her pass hanging by the hem of her jeans. “Our friend here had too much beer and she passed out.”

The other guard looked past her and to Shimmer. “She drunk, too?”

Sunset turned around just in time to see Shimmer flail, barely catching herself on a column. “No, she got run over by the crowd. I’m surprised she avoided being hit on her face.”

The guard took another look at the passed out girl. Sunset’s heart sped up and hoped the mass of hair on her face was enough to hide the sock sticking out of her mouth. “Huh, she kinda looks like one of them Dazzlings.”

“I know right?!” Sunset said, forcing out a laugh. “She could earn good money as an impersonator if only she could sing half as good!”

The guards looked at each other for a moment, then shrugged. “Alright. Be careful, ladies. I’ve never seen a concert get this violent since Sapphire Shoes called the crowd a bunch of peasants.”

“Ain’t that a stupid thing to say?” The other guard agreed with a chuckle.

Both men walked away, talking and laughing as if their injuries were just minor nuisances.

Sunset and Shimmer seamlessly made their way to Shimmer’s car. Sunset struggled to get Sonata onto the back seats, but she managed. When she closed the door, she saw Shimmer leaning against the car and holding the keys in front of her.

“You know how to drive, right?”

“What?!” Sunset yelled. “No, I don’t! It’s your car! You drive!”

Shimmer huffed. “Listen, Bubbles. I can barely stand up. If I drive, I’ll crash. You want that?” Sunset only looked at her. “I thought so. You know how to drive bikes, right? A car is not much different, I’m sure you can figure it out.”

Sunset grabbed the keys and Shimmer clumsily got into the co-pilot’s seat. Sunset got into the driver’s seat and turned on the car. “What if I get pulled over?”

“For fuck’s sake…” Shimmer groaned. She took her wallet out and practically threw it to Sunset’s face. “I don’t care if you get a fine or two, just go!”

With a confident nod, Sunset put into practice everything she knew about cars, which wasn’t much, really. Flash had taught her a thing or two, but she never got interested enough. Yes, the car turned off a couple of times, and the gearbox made loud and definitely not normal noises every now and then, but by the time she reached the highway, Sunset felt like she could get them back without crashing.

All the while, Shimmer remained silent, lazily looking out the window, letting her whole body move and sway with the car’s movements. At first, Sunset thanked she wasn’t pestering her and making her learning process more difficult, but as minutes passed, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

“Hey, what happened there in the backstage room?”

Shimmer turned her head to look at Sunset, taking her time to adjust her sight and focus on the girl. She wanted to say something sarcastic, or make a joke. But she had no energy to think of anything smart to say.

So she told the truth.

“Turns out…” She began, and her voice was low, raspy and devote of all her usual sassiness. “The sirens are… a lot more powerful than we thought…” Sunset looked at her for a second with a questioning gaze. “I thought… the earplugs would give me at least a few seconds to react if they tried to hypnotize me, but…” She looked back at the passed out girl on the backseat and closed her eyes. “When I kissed her, she moaned…” Her voice became shaky and her jaw stiffened. “Next thing I know… We’re both…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

Sunset cussed under her breath. “I knew ten minutes was too much time… I should’ve barged in after five.”

Shimmer shook her head. “Hey, at least we got what we wanted…” She lifted her hand, barely above her chest. The torn choker sneaked past her fingers, and a dim red light pulsed like a heartbeat. “She can’t hypnotize us anymore… We’ve got… the upper…”

“Whoa, hey! Hey!” Sunset yelled. “Don’t fall asleep! We’re almost there!”

Shimmer fought back the urge to close her eyes, but her body felt heavy and stiff, her migraine was like an overly tight helmet, and she couldn’t shake off the overall feeling of filthiness she had over her entire body. The only thing she wanted right that moment was to get a good night’s sleep, but her head kept bumping back every time Sunset pressed the brake too much, and she never could quite pass out like she wanted.

At some point, Sunset had called Trixie, put her on speaker, and started talking to her. Shimmer thought they talked about her and actually addressed her a few times, but she just couldn’t make out any of the words they said. Everything around her, sounds and light and colors, were just an incoherent buzz to her.

A sudden turn and halt made Shimmer’s head almost hit the side compartment. She looked up and realized they had arrived to her house. A look to her left and she noticed Sunset was gone. Her door opened, and sure enough, Sunset was pulling her by the arm. Shimmer felt too weak to even begin to dislike the idea of being helped to walk, so she just let her doppelganger practically drag her inside.

She thought it looked darker than she remembered, but maybe the girls just liked to play in the dark. She felt her legs about to give up, and she was about to ask Sunset to get her to the couch, only to realize she was already sitting there.

Silhouettes lined up in her field of view, and she took almost a whole minute to realize that it was some of the girls, looking at her and seemingly moving her. One of them grabbed her hand, and she remembered she was still holding the siren’s gem. She heard them say things, and another minute later she realized they were telling her to drop it.

She leaned over and stretched her arm towards the coffee table, where a plastic bowl sat comfortably in the middle. After opening her hand above it, she heard a clunk, followed immediately by a splash.

A round of gasps and screams followed, but Shimmer barely registered it before she collapsed.

Author's Note

Do you know about the three B's?

8. Forbearance

Chapter 8. Forbearance.

Rainbow Dash had thought she knew very well what she was getting herself into. She thought everything was going to go more or less like the Fall Formal. A few cheesy lines here, a huge rainbow laser of awesomeness there, and the sirens would be defeated, reformed, or something else that would mean they were no longer a threat.

But, as she looked through the one way mirror, she couldn’t help but think that she had been terribly, horribly wrong.

The siren was sitting in the middle of the room, tied to a chair. And even though, according to Sunset and Shimmer, she wasn’t able to see anything past the walls of the room she was in or use her creepy hypnotizing magic without her gemstone, she had still been blindfolded and gagged.

And to make it worse, she hadn’t moved a single inch in all the time she’d been there. Rainbow barely knew she was alive because her breathing movements gave it away.

It only took a glance to the rest of the girls to realize that everyone else felt the same.

“Ah’m back,” Applejack announced as she stepped into the living room, carrying a couple of plastic bags. “Any news?”

“Still as a statue,” Rainbow replied with a sigh. “Is all that really necessary?” She asked Sunset, who was idly poking her pancake with her fork.

“I don’t want to risk you guys going through the same thing she went through,” Sunset answered without looking away from her plate.

Rarity lowered the napkin she had been using to clean her mouth for the past five minutes. “She deserved it,” she said, even though her shaky and raspy voice gave away she wasn’t very sure about her out words.

“She could’ve died,” Fluttershy said with a louder voice than usual. “I mean, she lost quite a lot of blood…”

Sunset dropped her fork and let out a long huff. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice it. The car looks like a crime scene for crying out loud!”

“No one blames you, Sunny,” Trixie said, placing a hand on Sunset’s shoulder and gently squeezing it. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“Especially because she did deserve it!” Rainbow added. An alarm set by the window went off, and Rainbow breathed out in relief. “Finally! Who’s next?”

“That would be me,” Trixie said unenthusiastically. She stood up and walked up to the spot Rainbow had been mere moments ago. “How long are we going to be doing this?”

“Until we know she can’t hurt us,” Twilight answered.

“She’s tied up and gagged,” Trixie insisted.

Twilight looked up at her with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes. “And your point is?”

Trixie was about to reply, but Rarity beat her to it. “I’m afraid I have to side with Twilight here, darling. Shimmer got hurt badly even though she and Sunset here did everything in their power to avoid exactly that. I don’t want to even think of what the siren could do to us if we let our guards down now!”

“Rarity’s right, baby,” Sunset said, looking at Trixie with pleading eyes. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Closing her eyes for a moment, Trixie sighed in defeat. “Fine.”

In that moment, Pinkie Pie stepped from the hallway. Her normally puffy and bouncy hair had somehow managed to flatten, as if she had spent an entire day under the rain. Even her voice, normally high pitched, was low and paced.

“Girls,” she said almost in a whisper. “Shimmer’s waking up.”

Sunset pushed herself away from the table. “I-”

“I’ll go,” Twilight said as she stood up. She ignored the stares as she walked up to Pinkie. “You get yourself something to eat.”

Pinkie kept her her gaze to the floor. “I’m not hungry.”

Twilight looked at Rarity, who immediately got to Pinkie’s side and gently grabbed her by the arm. “Now don’t speak such nonsense, darling! You need to eat something! How else are you going to have the energy for our trip to the mall?!”

At that, Pinkie looked up to Rarity and offered her the tiniest smile Rarity had ever seen on her. “Can we play in the arcades?”

Rarity felt her stomach fall at how sad Pinkie sounded. Nonetheless, she offered her friend a warm smile. “Of course, darling.”

~~~~~~~~

The world slowly came into view as Shimmer gradually regained consciousness. She was half aware she was on a bed when a sudden aching made itself known in her right hand. It took just a couple of seconds to go from mild annoyance to excruciating burning pain. She sat up, feeling the word spin wildly as she did so, but she ignored it as she took a look at her hand. It was covered in blood stained bandages.

She forced herself to breath deep and slow in a failed attempt to tolerate the pain. Then she remembered the events of last night, and a cold chill spread out through her entire body.

In that moment, the door opened and Twilight stepped in. Shimmer looked at her with widen eyes. Twilight said nothing as she closed the door behind her and got closer, observing the bandaged arm.

“On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?” she asked, and Shimmer thought she sounded just like a doctor: cold and professional.

Twilight stood by the foot of the bed, crossing her arms and staring at Shimmer’s arm. Shimmer felt weak and out of breath, and her migraine was still there, if a lot more bearable. She stared at Twilight for what felt like a whole minute, in which their breathing was the only thing that could be heard.

Shimmer was taken aback by Twilight’s willingness to be alone with her in the same room. She looked at her own hand again and sighed.

“Nine,” she said. Her voice was raspy, and she realized her mouth was uncomfortably dry.

Twilight nodded and walked up to Shimmer’s side as she took a small box from her pocket. “Take two,” she ordered, taking a couple of pills from the box and placing them on the night table, where a glass of water stood, covered with a napkin.

Glancing at the box, Shimmer learned they were painkillers. Not enough to take all the pain away, she reckoned, but she supposed they wouldn’t risk it by taking her to the hospital for some real medicine. She grabbed the pills and with a strong swing, she drank them and all the water in just a few gulps.

When she was done, she looked down at the glass and sighed.

“What happened to my hand?” She asked.

Twilight turned around and looked at the window.

“Even Sunset isn’t sure, but...” Twilight replied with a calm voice. “Her best guess is that the gem was actively trying to stop you from holding it. It somehow broke through your skin and flesh.” Shimmer looked at the dried out blood on her bandages. Why hadn’t she felt any pain? Was it because she was still hypnotized? “You lost a ridiculous amount of blood, so you should be in bed rest until tomorrow, at least.”

Shimmer tried to move her fingers, but it only made pain come in sharp waves, so she stopped and threw her head back.

“Twi-”

“What happened with the siren?” Twilight interrupted her, still looking at the window. “Sunset said you somehow broke free from the siren’s spell just enough to capture the gem. I need to know how you did it so we can try to be more prepared, just in case.”

Shimmer closed her eyes, and images from last night came flashing. She couldn’t remember many things, but the things she did were enough to tell her what happened while she was hypnotized. She shuddered, trying to think of how she had realized she was being mind controlled before snatching the gem, but no matter how much she tried, her memories were still pretty fuzzy.

“I…” Shimmer took a deep breath. “I’m not sure…” Twilight huffed and walked to the door. “W-Wait!”

Twilight stopped mere feet from the door and looked at Shimmer with a frown. “What?”

Shimmer said silent words. Her hand and her head pulsed with the beat of her heart, and last night still played in her mind. She wanted to say something, but she wasn’t sure what exactly.

Twilight rolled her eyes and went for the door knob.

“Everything was going according to the plan,” Shimmer said, making Twilight stop once more and look at her with a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. “The sirens left one of them behind because she wanted to play with me… It would only take a few minutes for Bubbles to tell me they were out of the arena for me to make my move… It was going to be so easy…”

“But…” She continued, and for reasons unknown to her, she couldn’t keep looking at Twilight. “We… We-I… I underestimated them…” She took a deep breath. “I had to keep her mouth shut for just a couple of minutes, but… By the time I came to my senses she…” Her voice cut off with a hic, and suddenly, her vision went blurry and her headache returned with a vengeance.

Twilight gave a step closer to Shimmer. “What happened?” She asked wearily.

“It… felt like… waking up from a nightmare…” Shimmer said. She couldn’t see them, but she knew her arms were shaking. “But instead of finding myself on my bed I… I…” She felt her chest heavy and unbearably hot. Memories of last night were progressively coming to her more clearly, and she could see herself reliving them.

Shimmer opened her mouth several times, but she just couldn’t bring herself to explain what happened. So she opted to tell Twilight was she should’ve said a long time ago.

“I’m sorry…”

Twilight visibly flinched. Shimmer would have smiled at her expression if she wasn’t feeling an oppressive tightness on her chest.

“What did she do?” Twilight asked.

Shimmer shook her head and stared down at the bedsheets. “When I…” She took a deep breath that almost sounded like a hiss. “When I say I didn’t know the window would break… I swear it’s the truth…”

Twilight’s mouth was a thin line, and her hands turned into fists, but she kept listening.

“Twilight, I…” Shimmer darted her eyes left and right nervously. “When I say I’m mentally unstable… I’m not joking…” She took in a breath that sounded more like a hiss. “After my first week in prison I… I started going to a psychiatrist…” She sucked in a breath and gripped the bedsheet with her good hand as tight as she could. “There I realized many things, and after I began the treatment, I…”

There was a pause as Shimmer’s jaw tightened and tears began running down her cheeks. She could feel the pain a lot clearer, and her migraine got more piercing.

“Twilight…” Her voice cracked. “Twilight, I’m so sorry…” she almost whispered the last word. “Twilight… You were my best friend and I almost killed you!” She yelled, and she couldn’t keep holding back. She bent forward and pulled on the bed sheet.

Twilight wasn’t sure what to think, she was at a loss of words as she saw Shimmer like she had never seen her before. So she just stood there, watching Shimmer whimper and mutter apologizes for what felt like an eternity.

When she seemed to calm down, Shimmer straightened up and used the sleeve of her hoodie to try and clean her tears.

“I’m sorry…”

Twilight let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. She walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. “Do you mean it?” Shimmer gave a slow nod. Twilight waited until Shimmer looked up at her to ask the question she’s asked herself for the longest time. “Why did you do it?”

Shimmer looked away again.

“I’m not clear about the correct name of my… condition,” she said slowly. “But on short words… My anger and anxiety made me do and say the things people normally keep deep within the darkest pits of their minds… When I pushed you, I-I freaked out and these feelings were just adding up and…” She sighed. “You know the rest…”

“Why didn’t you just say so?”

Shimmer shook her head. “I don’t know… I guess I just didn’t want anyone to pity me… Especially not you…” She pulled her legs closer to her chest and hugged them. “I thought I deserved you hating me, and in certain degree, that’s still true… I still hate myself, after all…” She lifted her right hand. “But after last night… I can’t stand it anymore, Twilight. I don’t want you to hate me anymore!” Tears formed in the corner of her eyes again, but she managed to hold them back. “Please forgive me!”

Twilight looked down.

“I know I don’t deserve it!” Shimmer continued and her voice cracked once more. “B-but… I want to deserve it… Please, Twilight. Please… I’ll do anything…”

Twilight looked at her with an unreadable face and placed a hand on Shimmer’s shoulder. “Listen, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think I can forgive you just yet,” she said. “What you did isn’t something one can just look past.”

“I understand, but-”

“That being said,” Twilight interrupted her. “I’m willing to give you a second chance. But only if you prove to me that you mean every single word you just said.”

Shimmer’s face lit up, and Twilight swore that it looked more colorful. “Anything! You name it, I do it!”

~~~~~~~~

Trixie tried to spot any kind of movement that wasn’t just normal breathing from the siren, but after ten whole minutes, she just had to admit defeat.

“Rainbow Dash is right, she’s like a statue!” She said. “Is she even awake?”

“That’s why I’ve been telling you guys we should stop looking at her and start making her talk!” Rainbow suggested. “The other two sirens must already know something’s up, and the more time we take, the more difficult it’ll be to defeat them!”

“Ah’m afraid Rainbow’s right,” Applejack agreed as she poured some juice into her glass. “It’s time we get that gal talkin’”

Rarity hummed as she leaned back on her seat. “We still need to be careful. You all saw Shimmer’s hand…” Fluttershy whimpered at that.

“But that was the gemstone!” Rainbow replied. “We just have to not touch it!”

Rarity turned to Sunset, who was idly playing with her fingers. “What do you think, darling?” She asked.

Sunset didn’t seem to hear her. Rarity was about to address her once more, but Sunset stood up at walked over to Trixie.

“Hey, Trix,” Sunset called her. “I need to talk to you.”

Trixie turned her head to look at Sunset and raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

Sunset hid her hands in the pockets of her jeans and took a deep breath. “A lot of things have been going on lately, and I’ve kind of had this in mind for a while, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to feel like I was rushing too much…”

“Like we haven’t rushed before,” Trixie said with a smirk.

“Trixie…” Sunset said, staring directly into her girlfriend’s eyes. “After what happened last night, I realized that… I’m scared…” Trixie’s expression shifted, but before she could say anything, Sunset continued. “Rainbow raises a good point. Now that we captured one siren, the other two won’t be as easy to deal with… I can even imagine them switching to the offense side, and… I’m scared they’ll know it was us and will start attacking and…”

She paced back and forth for a few seconds as she passed her hands through her hair. She then stopped in front of Trixie again.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is… We all should try to stick together until everything is sorted out…” She put a hand inside her jacket, clearly searching for something. “More precisely, I want you and me to be together all the time, so…” She took her hand from her jacket and showed Trixie a small white box. She didn’t wait a single second before she opened it, revealing a lone silver key resting in the middle of the box’s black interior. “Trixie, I want you to move in with me.”

Trixie covered her mouth with her hands as she eyed the key. She looked up at Sunset and quite literally jumped up and, hugging Sunset by the neck, clung to her. Sunset caught her and spun her around once. They both laughed and kissed several times, as if they were alone in the room.

“Aren’t you two already living together?” Rainbow asked, reminding them that they were, in fact, not alone.

Trixie glared at her, but couldn’t stay mad for longer than a couple of seconds. “I do stay with Sunset almost every night,” she giggled. “But now it’s official, and I can finally stop inconveniencing Rarity’s family.”

“Darling, you know we don’t mind you there,” Rarity said with a smile. “But, I’m happy for you both!”

Trixie’s smile widened as she looked back at Sunset again. “I love you,” she whispered before leaning in for a kiss.

Suddenly, the room became oddly silent. Trixie leaned back and looked past Sunset.

Shimmer was standing at the hallway’s edge, leaning against a wall, weakly supporting herself and barely managing to remain standing. Her skin was so pale it was almost as white as Rarity’s, and it did nothing but make her eyebags much more noticeable.

“Great,” Shimmer said, and it almost sounded like a whisper. “Another nice moment for me to ruin.”

Sunset looked at her, then at the bandaged hand, and finally at her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“Like sh-” Shimmer closed her mouth as she quickly glanced over Fluttershy. “I mean, like, uh, like… I’m barely alive, what do you think?!”

Twilight appeared from behind Shimmer. She quietly and slowly made her way to the couch, where she sat down, and after a few seconds of silence in which she ignored all the questioning stares, she nodded towards Shimmer.

Shimmer took a deep shaky breath. “Listen, I’m going to say something, and I’m going to say it only once…” She looked around, waiting to be interrupted, but when all they did was stare at her, she continued. “I… apologize for everything I’ve done and said to you…” She turned to Trixie. “I’m sorry I stabbed you…”

The girls looked at Shimmer with surprised stares. After a couple of seconds, they looked at each other, then back at Shimmer.

After a while, Rarity slowly stood up, drawing everyone’s attention. “Uhm, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are completely at a loss of words… Just, what made you have this change of heart?”

“My near death experience,” Shimmer answered flatly.

“Well, we… appreciate you apologizing,” Rarity said. “And while I believe most of us could forgive you, I don’t think one apology is enough for some…” she not-so-subtly pointed to Trixie and Twilight with her head.

Shimmer looked over at Twilight, who only shrugged, then looked at Applejack and sighed. “Hey, can… Can you take me to the hospital?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Ah thought y’all didn’t want-”

“I know what I said,” Shimmer interrupted her. “I can just say I had an accident while boiling water.”

“A-Alright, then,” Applejack said, then turned to Rarity. “Y’all comin’?”

Rarity shook her head. “Sorry, darling. I already promised Pinkie to go to the mall.”

“It’s ok,” Pinkie said as she looked at Shimmer’s hand. “She needs medical attention.”

“Uhm, I can go with you, Applejack,” Fluttershy offered, then looked at Shimmer. “If that’s ok.”

Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Hey I know you don’t trust me, but can we speed things up? I really don’t want to lose my hand.”

“I’ll go,” Rainbow said. “That way, it’ll be my turn to smash your face against something if you try anything.”

“Yeah, ok, whatever,” Shimmer said as she practically stumbled through the room and to the front door. “Let’s just go.”

Applejack and Rainbow followed her.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset stared at the door in front of her, overanalyzing all its little details, like the rhomboid shapes carved into the wood and how the lower ones were slightly shorter than the upper ones, or how the knob had a single scratch along the right side of its circumference, probably due to an accident while maneuvering with it through the narrow hallway.

She was carrying a tray with a bowl of warm soup and some toasted bread. It was already evening, and as evil as she was, none of the girls wanted the siren to starve, so they had decided to bring her something, and try to start interrogating her in the meantime.

She knew she had to come inside, but her body refused to move.

Who could blame her? She had underestimated the sirens, and it ended up with Shimmer having to go to E.R. after spending ten minutes with one of them. Neither Applejack nor Rainbow had been able to properly repeat what the doctor had told them, but Sunset still gathered that Shimmer’s wound was just as bad as it had seemed when they first saw it.

After waking up from the surgery, Shimmer hadn’t spoken a single word on the way back. Upon arriving home she dropped herself on the couch and fell asleep.

To say that Sunset was afraid that the siren could do just about anything to her as soon as she let down her guard was a serious understatement.

But she had to do it. She was responsible for whatever the sirens’ did and would do in this world, despite her friends contradicting her, so she had to own up to it. And so, with one final shaky breath, she opened the door.

As soon as she stepped inside the room, Sunset could already feel the air was thick, so much so she thought she could cut it with a butter knife. The tray felt heavier, too, and she noticed that the closer she got to the siren, the colder the air felt. She gulped as she got near the mattress, carefully placing down the tray on it while intently looking at the siren.

Ever since she was locked up and completely bound, the siren had only moved a single inch to her right, according to Trixie. But looking at her from this close, Sunset could see that the siren was actively shaking her head, but it was so slow and weak that even then she had to really pay attention to notice.

“Hey,” she said. The siren stopped moving her head, and Sunset decided to interpret it as a good sign. “You must be starving, so I brought you some food.” She straightened up and looked at the mirror. She knew the girls were watching her, but the thought didn’t help her with the feeling that she was alone in the same room as a potentially deadly siren.

She turned to the siren again. “I’m going to remove the gag from your mouth,” she began, trying to sound as authoritative and commanding as possible. “Don’t try to do anything stupid, or else.” She had prepared a full on script to sound like a bad cop in one of those detective T.V. series Trixie loved to watch, but she had completely forgotten about it the moment she began talking. At least she thought she had sounded threatening, so there was that.

With her threat in place, she got closer to the siren, and with a gulp, she slowly removed the makeshift gag from the siren’s mouth. She had half expected the siren to start singing in an attempt to control her, or at the very least, start screaming. But none of those things happened, instead, the siren remained as silent as ever, as the only sound that came from her was her own breathing.

Still, Sunset waited for a few seconds before she picked up the bowl and ever so slowly, she took a spoonful of soup and did her best to feed the siren. To say it was an awkward ordeal was an understatement. At first, the siren didn’t make an effort to keep the liquid in her mouth, and it just spilled down from the corners of her mouth. Sunset wasn’t sure what to think of it, but before she could even get mad, the siren swallowed what little had reached her throat.

“Huh,” was all Sunset said before she carefully tilted the siren’s head back, then, another spoonful went into her mouth. This time, and for the next minutes, the siren drank everything, albeit so slowly Sunset began to think she was messing with her.

Sunset put the now empty bowl away and let out a long sigh.

“Listen,” she told the siren. “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t want to do this any more than you do. I just want to know where are the girls you’re impersonating. If you tell me this much, I may be able to help you.”

But the only thing Sunset got as an answer was the siren’s breathing. Her lips did move a bit, but no sound came from her.

Sunset sighed. “Fine.” She pulled the gag back in place and tightened it up a little bit more than necessary. She picked up the tray and walked to the door. “See you in the morning,” she said before she got out.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning, all the girls had wanted to talk to the siren, even Fluttershy! But Sunset argued against it. While it was almost a hundred percent sure she couldn’t use magic, the less the siren knew about her captors, the better, and that included knowing how many people were there. If anything, Sunset would rather the siren thought it was only her, since as far as the siren reckoned, Sunset concluded, it was the same person that both snatched the gem away from her and was giving her food.

Breakfast for the siren had been almost exactly the same as last time. Sunset had thought the tomato cream had been a little too hot, but the siren didn’t seem to notice.

This time, however, when the bowl was empty and Sunset had put it away, she decided to remove the blindfold from the siren’s face. The girls have been reluctant to let Sunset do this, but she concluded it would do more good than bad. After all, the siren already knew her face and voice, since it was the same as Shimmer’s, and the siren wouldn’t be able to see anything beyond her room anyway.

And so she stood right between the girl and the mirror and slowly took off the blindfold.

Sunset had expected the siren to give her several looks. From anger to sadness, from desperation to hopelessness, but she certainly did not expect to find a completely blank and unfocused gaze. It was as if half of the siren’s brain had passed out, and the other half was running on autopilot. Sunset tried talking to her, yelling, she even slapped her once, but the siren didn’t seem to notice, and worse of all, she had not produced a single sound that was not breathing.

It was as if the siren’s mind had gone on vacation and left the body running with barely the primary functions, which were basically breathing and swallowing just about anything that went too far into her throat.

That last part had been an unpleasant discovery when Sunset had tried to give her a small piece of toast.

Sunset gagged the siren again, but took the blindfold away. She made sure the siren was still well tied up, and left the room.

A few hours passed, and according to the girls, the siren’s gaze never changed, even when Rainbow repeatedly tapped on the mirror. Shimmer had also told Sunset she should’ve slapped the siren harder, to which Fluttershy muttered something that might have sounded like a disagreement before Shimmer raised an eyebrow at her and she just excused herself to the kitchen.

By the time Pinkie had finished preparing lunch, Sunset had come up with an idea to make the siren talk.

“No way,” Trixie told her a little too loudly.

They all had finished eating. Pinkie was in a special good mood now that Shimmer had stopped insulting everyone at every opportunity she got, she was even sitting besides Twilight, who wasn’t actively trying to avoid sharing the same general space. Sunset had waited until everyone had finished their respective meal to share her idea, just to avoid anyone choking on their food.

“Sunset, I love you, but that’s probably the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”

“Just think about it,” Sunset insisted. “I’ve read her diary several times. I know I’m no psychologist, but I’m pretty sure she’s on the gullible side. If we make her believe that we can always beat her, no matter how strong she is, she won’t even dare think she can actually overpower us.”

Surprisingly, it was Shimmer who spoke next. Even more surprisingly, she didn’t look giddy and ready to play along. “It took her just about half a second to obliterate all the defenses I’ve set up. Say we agree with your plan. If by chance, for only one single moment, she realizes she’s literally worlds apart from us in terms of power, your plan will most likely get us all killed.”

Sunset spread her arms. “That’s why I’ve thought of contingency plans!”

“Sunset, darling, I… I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I have to agree with Shimmer here,” Rarity said.

“I know how it sounds,” Sunset replied.

“It sure don’t look like it,” Applejack told her as she crossed her arms.

“Just listen to me,” Sunset asked them. She then took a deep breath before explaining her idea once again. “The sirens are magical creatures, even in this world, even with those bodies. I have reasons to believe that the gemstones are not just mere artifacts, but actually an essential part of themselves.”

“That’s why she barely responds to physical contact. It’s as if the gemstone was part of her soul,” Sunset continued. “So, if we give her the gem back, while making her believe we are stronger than her, and taking the gem back after interrogating her, we’ll be able to get the information we need to rescue those poor girls.” She sighed. “I know it’s not ideal, but the longer we take, the more the sirens are likely to attack us, or worse…”

The girls looked at her with such facial expressions, Sunset felt like she had said liquid fire existed. She couldn’t blame them, of course, since she had actually said something equally ludicrous.

Fortunately, Twilight broke the silence. “And what’s exactly this contingency plan of yours?” She asked.

Rarity gasped, but it was Rainbow who talked next. “Wait, you’re not actually considering that as something we should do, are you?”

“I’m just saying all of you are right,” Twilight said. “And we need to cover all our bases!”

“Ok, so,” Sunset quickly replied. “Two of us enter the room. One with the gemstone, and the other with very thick earplugs and headphones and whatever else to protect their hearing, and two airhorns. The one with the gemstone gives it back to the siren, and the other stays behind, so if the siren starts mind controlling the other girl, she just activates the airhorns.”

The girls looked at each other for a while, then back at Sunset.

“What if that fails?” Trixie asked. “What then?”

“Then, the rest will lock the door, wait until the siren inevitably passes out from hunger, and enter to tie her up again,” Sunset replied. “Then, I suppose, will be a good time to think of a plan to capture the other two sirens on our own.”

“That’s if we even know those two are mind controlled,” Rainbow said. “How are we supposed to tell?”

“Well, when she first controlled you, it was overwhelming, right?" Sunset asked Shimmer, who silently nodded. Sunset turned to the group again. "She wasn’t focused anymore on any of the things she originally was. So, I think if we try to focus on maintaining a physical sign, like raising an arm, then if we do get mind controlled, we’ll forget to focus on that too and that’ll be the sign to the others.”

Rarity huffed. “You think.”

“Yes...”

Sunset was aware it wasn’t the best plan, but they had already let a lot of time pass by. No one wanted to talk about it, but she at least was worried about the three innocent human girls that were kidnapped by the sirens. Who knows what they’ve been going through all this time.

Apparently, Sunset said all of that out loud without knowing, because everyone had suddenly found their empty plates much more interesting.

“I volunteer as the one to give back the gemstone,” Sunset said after five uncomfortable seconds. “My face is the only one she’s seen, so maybe familiarity will help.” She then looked at Shimmer. “But I don’t think it’d be a good idea for both of us to be there. We may be able to use the fact that we’re almost the same person against them later.”

“In that case,” Trixie began with a confident grin. “Trixie will be the one carrying the airhorns!” She anticipated Sunset trying to oppose, so she quickly spoke up a little louder. “You’re not making me change my mind. Just yesterday you asked me to live with you so we can always be together. Well, I’m abiding to that by being with you even if things go wrong.”

As much as she tried, Sunset couldn’t find a single way to refute that statement, so she decided to stop trying. She grabbed Trixie’s hand and smiled.

“I love you, Trix,” she said before leaning in for a kiss.

“Get a room,” Rainbow joked, and the girls burst in laughter.

Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle a bit too. Then she noticed Shimmer’s glare, which was blank and with a spark she had never seen in the girl’s eyes. But the moment she blinked, it was gone, and Shimmer had already looked away.

~~~~~~~~

Trixie and Sunset nodded to each other before going in. It was a very smart idea from Twilight’s part to use Trixie’s hoodie to cover all the gear she had put on to nullify all sound. She also hid the airhorns behind her back to avoid the siren noticing them through the mirror. Meanwhile, Sunset was carrying the small safe box they had used to keep the siren’s gem.

The moment she stepped inside the room, Sunset took notice of the siren actually moving her head up on her own. She gulped and clutched the safe closer to her.

When Trixie closed the door behind them, Sunset walked to the siren, and by the time she was in front of her, Sunset noticed that the siren’s eyes were, for the very first time, completely focused, transfixed on the small beige box. Sunset put on her most authoritative frown and knelt down.

“I see you’re pretty interested in this,” she said calmly, paying attention to all the new movements the siren was making. From her slow, silent mouthings, to her actual attempts to lean over. Sunset had to fight back a smile. “You can sense it, can’t you? You know what this is.” The siren moved her head in what could hardly be interpreted as a nod, but it was enough to Sunset. “And something tells me you want it back.”

The siren tried to lean in again, making her bindings painfully dig into her skin, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Sunset looked at Trixie for a second, then back at the siren. She lifted her index finger in front of the siren. “You know, I could give it back to you.” At that, the siren finally looked up at her, and Sunset couldn’t see anything in her eyes but sheer desperation, so she decided to continue. “But you didn’t answer any of my questions before, so why would I?”

The siren moved her mouth, and yet again, not a single sound came out, but for the look on her face, it was apparent she was actually trying to speak.

With that in mind, Sunset gave her a knowing smile. “Well, we could come to an agreement. I give you the gemstone back, and you will not use your magic against anyone ever again, for any purpose whatsoever, and you will also answer truthfully to every question that is asked to you.” The siren, although slow in her movements, was eager to nod in agreement to Sunset’s demands, which made her frown. “Just remember, I took the gem from you once, even while hypnotized,” she lied, but the siren didn’t know that. “If you make me take it away again, I’ll shatter it, get it?”

Defying all expectations once more, the siren didn’t even stop to consider that as she gave Sunset another slow nod.

Sunset looked at Trixie again, with her finger still up in the air as an agreed sign of consciousness, then back at the siren. She opened the box, and the siren’s pale skin seemed to shine as she looked at the perfect hexagon shaped gem inside. The choker it was originally attached to had been carefully replaced with a collar of similar proportions, but instead of a flat piece of cloth, it was a kind of plastic tube that snapped in the back of the neck and could just as easily be unfastened.

How Rarity had managed to make such a thing in such short notice and without getting herself burned by the gem was a real wonder.

Placing the box down on the floor, Sunset carefully grabbed the ends of the new choker while the siren had literally started drooling at the sight of it. Sunset placed it on the siren’s neck and the snaps locked together with a loud click.

Immediately after, the siren took such a deep breath that it made her look like she had been holding it the whole time. Then, she began coughing, and between that and the deep gasps she made, Sunset thought she looked like she had just been saved from drowning. But above all that, Sunset could actually hear the siren’s voice, and knew she had to be extremely careful from that point on.

“By the-”

“No, no, no,” Sunset interrupted the siren, who gave her a surprised look. “You’re not talking unless told otherwise, you hear?” She asked. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared, but she sure as hell was not going to let the siren know that. “If you do, I’ll just take your gem back again, and I already told you what will happen next.”

To Sunset’s surprise, the siren actually looked very much horrified at the mere thought of it, so she just nodded.

“Good, it seems we’re on the same page, then,” Sunset continued. “First things first. What’s your name?”

“Sonata Dusk,” the siren answered.

Not that Sunset didn’t already know, but she wanted to make sure the siren wasn’t trying to use magic right away, and judging by her still stretched finger, she was pretty sure it wasn’t the case, at least, for the moment.

“Well, Sonata Dusk, let’s just cut down to the main point,” Sunset said, looking deeply into Sonata’s eyes. “You and your siren partners kidnapped three young human girls that looked exactly like you. Where are they?”

“In a house,” Sonata replied simply.

Sunset frowned some more. “I’m not in the mood for games. Give me the address.”

“Uh-dress? I don’t know what that means,” Sonata said.

“The state, city, street and exterior number!” Sunset yelled angrily.

Sonata’s eyes darted from side to side for a moment before locking up to Sunset’s again. “I… Adagio told me not to write about it.” Her eyes widened in horror as Sunset’s hand got dangerously closer to her neck. “B-B-But she didn’t say anything about telling people!” She visibly relaxed as Sunset retrieved her hand. “I-I don’t know the exact uh-dress, but I remember we took them to an empty house outside of Manhattan. There’s a lake called Trotting Syrup nearby.”

Sunset supposed that was good enough information to begin searching, but she still had a few questions she needed answered.

“What did you do to them?” She asked, already preparing herself for the worst. “What have you been doing to them all this time?”

Sonata looked away. “They’re just locked up. We take turns bringing them food every week. We only use our magic on them whenever they try to escape.”

So they’re alive, Sunset thought as she felt a huge weight being left from her shoulders. “Well, thank you for complying,” she said as she reached for the back of the choker.

“Wait!” Sonata screamed as she failed to get away. “Don’t do it! I beg you!” Tears quickly flowed down her cheeks before she closed her eyes. “I’d rather you kill me!”

Sunset looked at her, surprised. She breathed in as she looked at Trixie for a couple seconds before nodding. She then returned her gaze to Sonata and waited for her to open her eyes.

“Relax, Sonata Dusk,” she said as calmly as she could. “I was just testing you.” When the siren looked up at her, she continued. “I told you not to use magic, and you didn’t. So, since you kept your end of the bargain, I’ll keep mine.” She then forced herself to produce a kind smile as she gently stroke Sonata’s cheek. “And since you seem like a good girl too, would you like some real food?”

Sonata’s eyes glimmered at the mention of food, and it was in that moment that she felt a horrible gurgling sensation in her stomach. She didn’t say anything, but her exited nods was all Sunset needed as confirmation.

As Sunset stood up to signal Trixie everything was ok, she couldn’t help but think that the sirens, or at least this one, was probably not as evil as she might have seemed. She needed to gather a lot more information about how their magic worked, but she supposed she could wait until Sonata had stopped starving.

It wasn’t the most ethical thing, this whole ordeal with the siren, Sunset reckoned. But she had to force herself to believe that she couldn’t afford to let herself drown in moral absolutisms. Not when the world was still in danger.

Author's Note

What will happen next?!

10. Rejoice

Chapter 10. Rejoice.

Adagio was comfortable. Her pillow was soft yet firm, and the quilt that covered her provided her with such a nice warmth and smell of lavender, she wanted to remain like this forever.

And that’s when she noticed she wasn’t dreaming anymore.

Her eyes shot open and her brain began working on high alert, and the first thing she saw was a white ceiling. Where am I? She wondered.

She turned her head to the right, and was relieved to see the sleeping form of her sisters. She also noticed that the three of them were sharing the same bed, and were covered with the same blue quilt. Gazing a little beyond, Adagio could see the rest of a large bedroom, wherein another bed paralleled hers, and various generic paintings adorned the pristine white walls.

Slowly she sat up, taking in her surroundings. She saw the window and the sunlight that easily made its way through the swiftly waving white curtains that seemed to greet her with the kindness of a friendly hug. Adagio felt herself smiling at such a sight, since, for the first time in her life, she could wholeheartedly appreciate the beauty of a late winter morning.

“I see you’re awake,” a soft voice interrupted her train of thought, and Adagio would be lying if she said it hadn’t startled her.

Adagio turned to her left to the source of the voice, and she found a purple skinned girl sitting in what could only be described as a blue bean, with a closed book on her lap. The girl looked back at her with a kind smile. Adagio was sure she knew the girl, she had seen her somewhere, but she couldn’t remember as of now.

“Who are you?” She finally asked. Her voice was hoarse and dry, but she paid it no mind. “What… What’s going on?”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle,” the girl replied. “We met at Everton’s Science Fair.” Adagio nodded as she remembered that day. “As for the second question, it’s kind of a long story, but I’d like to ask you a few questions just to put us on the same page, if you don’t mind.”

Adagio lowered her head cautiously, but didn’t get her eyes off Twilight. “Sure…”

Twilight’s smile widened a little bit just to disappear a second later. “Alright… Do you remember where have you been for the past months?”

The question struck Adagio’s chest like a spear as memories flooded her mind, and she felt her arms trembling. “Yes…” she answered. “Well, more or less… I know my sisters and I were kidnapped and trapped somewhere, but… That’s all I know…”

“So you don’t know who kidnapped you?”

“Not really, no…” Adagio remembered the dark place she had been in just the day before, where she could hardly see her own body. “Well I… I just know there was a woman, she was responsible of this,” she said as she raised her hand to touch her hair which had been cut almost from the base, the same had happened to her sisters. “But I didn’t see her.” She then turned to her sisters for a moment. “Well… Sonata swears our captors looked exactly like us… But I don’t know what to think.”

Twilight sighed, making Adagio look at her again. “In that case, this is going to be a little difficult to explain…” She hummed for a moment. “Well, if you come with me, I can actually show you, unless you want to wake up your sisters…”

Adagio looked at her sisters again. They looked so peaceful and lost in slumber, she decided to let them rest a bit more. “I don’t want to leave them alone…”

“Oh, that can be arranged,” Twilight said as she stood up and walked to the door. “Hey, Rarity!” She said out loud upon opening the door, but not too loud. After but a minute, another girl walked inside, and Adagio recognized her too. Was she at Everton as well?

“Good morning, darling,” Rarity greeted Adagio as soon as she saw her. “Did you sleep well?”

“I… guess?”

Twilight snorted softly. “Rarity, can you keep an eye on the girls? I’ll show Adagio around to explain everything to her.”

“Of course, dear,” Rarity said and walked up to the empty bed. “I’ll send them to you as soon as they wake up.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said before she turned to Adagio. “Follow me, please.”

Twilight and Adagio got to the hallway and quickly found themselves in the living room.

“Adagio, I’d like to introduce you to my friends,” Twilight said as she prepared herself. She named Pinkie, who appeared from what looked like a kitchen just to go back after a second. Then Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, sitting at the dining table, and finally to Applejack, who was standing in front of what looked like a window.

Adagio couldn’t quite see what was at the other side of the window from the place she was standing, but she decided not ask for now.

“Now, Adagio, I’m about to tell you something that might seem ludicrous, but I swear it’s the truth,” Twilight said, giving Adagio the most serious gaze she could. “Tell me, what would you say if I told you there’s another world full of magic that is parallel to this one, and wherein we all have a counterpart?”

“I’d say you’re nuts,” Adagio replied calmly. “But I’m going to assume you’re being serious, to which I’m going to refrain myself from giving my opinion of you.”

Twilight giggled. “Yeah, I reacted more or less the same way.” Her expression then returned back to serious as she took a deep breath. “But I can prove to you that what I said is the very truth.”

Adagio looked around, the girls were looking at her with looks that varied from understanding to odd resignation. “And how would you do that?” Adagio asked.

“If you look through that glass,” Twilight said as she pointed to where Applejack was looking. “You’ll see what I mean. Just keep in mind that what you’ll see is someone from that other world.”

Adagio frowned unconvinced, but decided to play along. She walked up to the window-like glass and looked, and immediately felt every hair in her body stand up as her skin seemed to freeze. Inside the room, her sister, Sonata, dressed in jeans and a white tank top, was kneeling down in front of a chair and using it as a table, writing what looked like gibberish with a pink crayon.

“Wha-” Adagio pressed her hand on the glass. “Sonata?!” She then noticed that Sonata’s hair was still long, just enough to reach right above her knees if she were standing up. Adagio turned to Twilight, wearing a heavy frown and feeling a boiling anger building up in her stomach. “What the hell is going on?!”

Twilight resisted the urge to step back. “That Sonata isn’t your sister,” she explained as calm as she could. “She comes from another world. See the necklace she’s wearing?” Adagio turned back to the girl inside that weird room, and quickly spotted what Twilight mentioned. “That gemstone is the source of her magic. With it, she can hypnotize anyone through her voice, and she and her partners did exactly that to you and your sisters.”

Adagio didn’t reply. She just stood there, observing the scribblings scattered through the floor.

“But, Sunset convinced her that we’re kind of immune to her magic, so she hasn’t tried to break free,” Twilight explained.

“Wait,” Adagio said, slowly turning to Twilight. “Sunset? Sunset Shimmer?”

Twilight forced out a laugh. “Ah, I’m talking about the Sunset from the other world…” Adagio frowned. “But, the Sunset from this world is with us, too.”

“Sunset’s in prison,” Adagio said a little too loud.

“Not anymore,” Twilight replied. “She got out, and she’s been helping us…” she said, then she looked away for a moment. “Apparently, prison changed her, and…” she took a deep breath and looked at Adagio again. “She helped rescuing you.”

Adagio’s frown deepened.

But, through the corner of her eye, Adagio saw Applejack raising her hand. “That’s true, sugarcube. She carried ya outta that place. Me and Rainbow over there carried your sisters.”

Applejack looked trustworthy, maybe too much. Adagio didn’t even know what to think. On one hand, she and her sisters were no longer in that dark, rotten place, hopeless and miserable. But, on the other hand, these girls were spouting nonsense, and they had her sister’s doppelganger locked up like some overrated villain.

They were then interrupted by the sound of a car parking right outside.

Twilight beamed. “Well, they’re here. If you don’t trust us, which is understandable, then you may trust them.”

Adagio wanted to ask, but decided it’d be best to save her questions to the people that had just arrived. She crossed her arms and looked towards the front door, and in just a few seconds, it opened.

Sunset Shimmer entered the house, and Adagio quickly noticed a million differences in her from the last time she had seen her. Like the badly covered bags under her eyes, or the lack of that natural shine in her skin so characteristically of her, or the fact that she didn’t look like she was about to start beating everyone up.

“... just wish they-” Shimmer was saying, but cut off herself when she saw Adagio, standing next to Twilight and looking at her.

Adagio remembered the last time she had spoken to her, right before the jury had declared her guilty. She remembered everything they both had said, things that had been too hurtful to even remember. But, for some reason, instead of feeling the heated headache of anger, she felt the oppressive clench of guilt in her stomach, followed by a flutter of relief.

Before she could think, she found herself literally tackling Shimmer into an embrace.

“Sunset!” Adagio cried out. Tears running down her cheeks.

Shimmer managed to remain balanced, but otherwise didn’t move much. Her widened eyes and tense mouth the only indicators of her surprise at such welcome.

“Well this is… awkward…” Another voice came from the door, a very familiar one, and Adagio looked up to see another Sunset Shimmer looking back at her.

Adagio broke the hug and stepped back. “What the…”

“Just to avoid confusion,” the new Sunset said quickly. “We decided that I’m Sunset, and she’s Shimmer. Easiest way to differentiate us when talking and all that.”

Adagio eyed both Sunsets carefully, and sooner she noticed the physical differences between them. The new Sunset looked much more lively, her hair shone brighter and her eyes were kinder, whilst Shimmer looked like a decolored version of herself, sad and dull.

Then, her train of thought was interrupted when a third girl got inside. She was short, blue skinned and with silver hair. Adagio immediately recognized her as the memory of her, fainted and pale and bleeding, played in her mind like a movie. The girl introduced herself as Trixie just as a fourth person entered the house.

This one was a taller woman of pinkish white skin and a flowy rainbow hair that reached her hips.

“You must be Adagio,” the woman said with a voice full of kindness with just the right amount of authority. “My name is Celestia,” she continued as she offered Adagio a hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Adagio said slowly as she shook hands with the taller woman. Then, her stomach groaned so hard, everyone in the room heard. She couldn’t mutter a coherent word as embarrassment took over, and she felt her cheeks get hot.

“Come sit down,” Shimmer told her, taking a chair from the dining table, and turned to Fluttershy. “Where’s the pink one?”

“In here!” Pinkie yelled from the kitchen. “I’m making pancakes for everyone!”

Shimmer smiled a little as Adagio sat down. “Even I must admit that girl makes the best food when it comes to sweet things,” she said before she turned to the living room, where Sunset, Twilight, and Celestia were talking while looking at the siren. She tried to go to them, but Adagio quickly grabbed her by the hand; the good one, fortunately.

“Wait,” Adagio said quietly. “Don’t go.”

Shimmer looked at her, then at Fluttershy and Rainbow, who had conveniently left the table to join the group in the living room. Shimmer sighed and pulled another chair to sit up next to Adagio.

“How did you get out of prison?” Adagio asked suddenly.

Shimmer looked away and leaned back. “I was offered a deal. See a psychiatrist and good behavior…” She sighed heavily. “Apparently, I have a mental illness… My family used that in my favor, and here I am…”

“A mental... “ Adagio began. “Is that why you did those things?” Shimmer only nodded. “Then…” She saw Shimmer raise her arm and place it on the table, and she noticed the bandages and the slight bloodstain by the palm. “What happened to you?!”

“Oh,” Shimmer said as she looked at her hand. “This… I had an accident while cooking...”

Adagio reached out, brushing her fingers with Shimmer’s with care, trying her best not to hurt her. She remained silent as she observed the hand and the bandages, the rolled up sleeve and up to Shimmer’s face.

Her eyes were not like Adagio remembered. Where normally there would be conviction and pride, was now doubt and guilt. Adagio used her thumb to caress the tips of Shimmer’s fingers, and shot her a small smile when she looked her way.

“I was told it was you who rescued me,” Adagio said, and could see the tiniest smile tugging from the corners of Shimmer’s mouth. “Carried me like a caped hero.”

Shimmer snorted. “Capes are for fags.”

Adagio barked a laugh and shot her free hand to her mouth in a vain attempt to keep quiet. She realized then that she hadn’t truly laughed so carefreely since she was a kid. And she enjoyed her little moment of letting go of everything. There was nothing to worry about anymore; she was safe, her sisters were safe, and Shimmer was with her.

She was relaxed and calm, like she hadn’t been in over a year, and Shimmer, too, seemed to be enjoying it, since she had come so close to her.

Blinking, Adagio noticed it was the other way around. She had gotten closer to Shimmer, mere centimeters away. She could feel the gentle breeze of Shimmer’s breathing stroke her lips, all while her eyes, glimmering, stared down at her, making her feel a billion butterflies swarming in her stomach, and it was a feeling she had grown to love and crave.

She didn’t hesitate in shortening the distance, gently pressing her lips against Shimmer’s. Sparks jolted through Adagio, traveling down her skin with the fiercing speed of a thunder. She wanted more, she needed it. So she pressed on, but instead of meeting a reciprocal reaction, Adagio felt Shimmer lean away from the kiss, away from her.

“Sunset?” Adagio asked, confused. She looked up at Shimmer’s eyes and found them looking away, refusing to meet her.

Shimmer opened and closed her mouth several times as she searched for words. “Being in prison…” She began with a calm voice, and yet, Adagio could hear a tremble that was so uncharacteristic of Shimmer she thought she had imagined it. “It made me realize some things about myself… That’s why I accepted going to therapy… But…” Shimmer looked at her wounded hand and tried to make a fist, but only managed to clumsily move the tips of her fingers. “But… Getting this close to dying… It made me reconsider all my life choices…”

“I almost killed two people,” she continued. Her voice quivered, but Adagio noticed a titanic effort to hide it. “And… the things I said to you at the courthouse…”

“But you changed, didn’t you?” Adagio said as she gently placed her free hand on Shimmer’s cheek. “I know you didn’t mean those things… Did you?”

“No! Of course not!” Shimmer replied. “But I…” She looked back down and gritted her teeth. “Adagio, please, don’t do this…”

Adagio felt her stomach fall. “Do what?” She asked cautiously after a pause.

“This!” Shimmer insisted. She looked at Adagio again, and her eyes screamed a plead Adagio did not quite understand. “You don’t know me, you don’t want to know me! All the things I said to you, all the things I did to you…”

“But that’s all in the past,” Adagio said hastily. “The Sunset I know would’ve never gone out of her way to help anyone, and yet you rescued me and my sisters. You’re a new person, and I want to know that person.” She used her hand to avoid Shimmer looking away again. “Please, Sunset…”

But Shimmer leaned away from Adagio’s reach. “I’m sorry…” was all she said before she stood up and walked away.

Adagio saw Shimmer disappear into the hallway. She wasn’t sure what to think of what had just happened, she only knew Shimmer had never fled a conversation before.

She then looked towards the people at the living room. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed what happened, and that fact helped Adagio feel at ease. And just a few minutes later, Pinkie Pie appeared from the kitchen with a plate full of pancakes, reminding Adagio just how famished she was.

In the end, Adagio decided to play along and help herself some food. She still had to take care of her sisters and get some more answers, and that wasn’t even considering going back home and getting their lives back.

She could worry about Sunset Shimmer later.

~~~~~~~~

“Just look at her,” Sunset insisted.

Principal Celestia had taken a lot of convincing just to get her to come all the way to Manhattan. Shimmer being with her and sporting a still-recent wound had helped a great deal, but Celestia’s reluctance to get involved in anything had forced Sunset to explain every single thing that had happened in the last month or so, and only then had she agreed to accompany the girls.

But, as it seemed, even though both Sunsets and Trixie had still been explaining things on their way to the house, and even though Celestia was looking at living proof of their claims, she was still refusing to just believe.

And it was making Sunset’s head throb out of anger.

“She’s been captive for days,” Sunset continued, trying to keep her cool. “Do you think a normal person would be happily writing a diary with a crayon while humming a happy tune if they were in her place?”

Celestia had her arms crossed as she stared at the siren with a heavy frown. “I’m just saying, Sunset, that you have to understand the position you put me in,” she said without looking away from the hostage. “I need proof that this girl is the threat you tell me she is, because as far as I’m concerned, you just admitted to have kidnapped a person.”

“Seriously?” Trixie asked after a huff. “Wasn’t looking at Shimmer’s wound proof enough?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at her, and Trixie answered with another raised eyebrow and a pout.

“Ah know it’s mighty hard to believe, Principal,” Applejack said. “But you gotta agree some girls here wouldn’t ever do something like this without good reason.”

That much was true, Celestia had to agree. Twilight had won Everton’s Science Fair last year and was still the best student at CHS. Rarity owned and managed her own boutique while keeping really good grades. Applejack had earned the title of “most honest” in the yearbook thrice in a row. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie would never hurt a fly for all the money in the world.

Celestia considered the rest of the girls, being both Sunsets the only ones who had caused major trouble in the past, but even then, she thought they wouldn’t be able to drag this many people into such actions without good reason.

“You could always ask Adagio,” Twilight offered, pointing towards the dining room. “I barely told her the general idea, but she was a hostage victim not too long ago.”

Celestia turned to look at Adagio. Pinkie had just brought her a stack of pancakes with lots of butter and maple syrup, and just after the first bite, Adagio’s expression quickly morphed into one of pure bliss, and was now wolfing it down.

“I think I will,” Celestia said as she approached the dining table and sat down. She noticed Adagio’s total lack of interest in good manners as she shoved a bit too much pancake into her mouth. “Hello again,” she said. Adagio grunted an acknowledgement. “Is it ok for you if I ask a few questions?”

Adagio took her sweet, sweet time chewing her mouthful as she glared at Celestia. Once she swallowed, she started cutting more manageable slices. “Are you the police?” She asked. “Because if you are, then I’m afraid I don’t know who kidnapped me, nor where I was.” She then had another bite. “Heck, I don’t even know where I am right now,” she added, trying not to disgust the woman too much.

“What do you know, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Aside from that ridiculous story about parallel dimensions and whatnot?” Adagio asked humorlessly. She then sighed and leaned back. “The last thing I remember is changing in the locker room after my cheerleader practice,” she said. “The very next moment I’m in a dark, cold room along with my sisters.” She eyed her half finished pancakes with a sad look. “What’s going to happen now?”

Celestia rested her chin on her hands thoughtfully. “We’re yet to figure that out,” she replied slowly, looking back at the girls in the living room. “But first, I think both you and me need the complete version.”

Adagio forced a half smile and returned to her food.

~~~~~~~~

Some time later, Sonata and Aria woke up and joined Adagio in a long embrace, then in breakfast. Sunset couldn’t help but notice how thin the three of them were. Their cheekbones were sharp and pronounced, their eyes were sunken, and their fingers were long and bony.

At least, the three of them hadn’t lost their appetite, and ate the impressive banquet Pinkie prepared for them: Pancakes with butter and maple syrup, fruit salad, french toast, scrambled eggs with ham, and carrot juice. Pinkie, too, looked a lot livelier after they finished eating.

Once breakfast was over, Sunset and the rest of the girls sat Principal Celestia, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata on the couch and explained everything they knew. They talked about Equestria and magic, about the sirens and how their magic worked -as far as they knew-, and about everything that had transpired the past weeks up to last afternoon, when Shimmer, AJ, and Rainbow had gone and rescued the sisters.

Silence befell the room the moment the last word was spoken. Not that Sunset could blame anyone, she was aware of how everything sounded, and she hoped they’d at least believe them.

Finally, Sonata, who was a stark contrast of her currently captive counterpart, sporting a thoughtful look in her eyes, spoke up.

“Can I talk to evil-me?”

Sunset blinked a few times. “You what?”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Adagio yelled, grabbing Sonata by the shoulders. “If what they said is true, she’s the one who did this to us!”

But Sonata just frowned back at her sister. “And she’s also me,” she replied simply. “I just want to talk.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Twilight said. “I mean, Sunset’s been talking to her, and so far nothing’s happened. But we don’t know how she’ll react when she sees you. What if she starts singing?”

Aria raised an eyebrow at that. “That sounds pretty stupid,” she muttered.

“Please,” Sonata said, turning to Sunset. “I just… I just want to talk to her.”

Sunset looked down and sighed.

“You’re not actually considering it, are you?” Adagio asked with an incredulous expression. “No matter,” she said before turning to Sonata again. “You’re not putting yourself in danger again!”

“I’m not! If magic-Sunset can talk to evil-me without problems, so can I!”

“She raises a good point,” Twilight said.

“No!” Adagio yelled as she tightened her grip on Sonata’s shoulders. “I’m still wrapping my head around all this siren business, but if there’s something I’m certain is that you will not put yourself in danger for no good reason!” Sonata opened her mouth to reply, but Adagio beat her to it. “And that’s final!”

Sonata looked away as Adagio turned her gaze towards Aria, who was trying her best to look like she wasn’t paying attention.

Sunset broke the awkward silence by clearing her throat. “Well, I suggest we get to the second topic, and the one I believe is more important right now.”

Adagio dropped Sonata, and felt her fingers a little stiff. Maybe she had used a little too much strength. She straightened up, rolling her shoulders, and looked at Sunset. The uncanny way this girl mirrored Shimmer still unnerved her quite a bit.

“We already explained what’s going on,” Sunset said, looking from the sisters to Celestia. “And I already told you this, so…” she turned to the girls again. “Girls, there’s no other way to say this, but as long as the other two sirens are roaming free, you three aren’t safe. We don’t know yet why they kidnapped you, or why they kept you alive, as morbid as that sounds…” she paused for a breath when the sisters’ eyes darkened. “I know it’s been really hard for you, and I know you just want to return to your old lives… But as much as I loathe to, I’ll have to ask you to bear with it for a while longer…”

While Sonata and Aria kept looking at empty space, Adagio looked up at her, and her gaze alone was enough to make Sunset’s heart feel like it was being pistoned against her chest.

“We’re doing what we can to bring the sirens down,” Sunset continued after a quick, shivery breath. “And until we do, you’ll be safer if you stay with Principal Celestia.”

Aria quickly joined Adagio to stare at Sunset with deep frowns and widened eyes. “What?” Adagio asked dumbfounded.

“We already talked to Celestia about this, but it is entirely your decision,” Sunset hurried to say. “She’s the only responsible person we trust to keep you safe while this is going on. Of course, you can decide to go back home, and we’ll respect your choice and give you advice… But we won’t be able to protect you…”

“Wait, hold the phone,” Aria said as she massaged the side of her forehead. “I appreciate not being kidnapped, really. But are you seriously saying we can’t move on just yet? No, not only that, but that we should go live with a woman we don’t even know?”

Sunset held her hands in front of her. “Listen, I know how it sounds, but-”

“You clearly don’t!” Aria interrupted her, raising her voice a bit more with each word. “You have no idea of what we just went through! We just want to go home, and you’re telling us not to?!”

“Of course not!” Sunset replied. She desperately looked at Celestia in hopes to find some kind of support, but the fidgety movements of the principal’s eyes told Sunset she still wasn’t convinced about the whole idea yet.

Fortunately, any further yelling was stopped when Shimmer casually walked up to Sunset’s side and looked at Aria.

“I get that you don’t trust these people,” she began. “I get even more that you don’t trust me. Heck, I’ve thought exactly the same thing you’re thinking right now. But you have to understand that this situation is very real, and very serious.” She briefly looked down at her hand. “But, once again, you’re the ones who decide. You can go take shelter in a stranger’s house that knows what’s going on and will be in constant communication with us, or...” she paused just enough to direct her eyes straight to Adagio’s. “Or, you can go home and wait for the sirens to come back for you again.”

Shimmer’s little speech helped cool off Aria, who slowly leaned back on her couch. Adagio, on the other hand, just stared at her with a deep frown, as if she expected her to continue. But Shimmer didn’t say another word, and instead just walked back to the dining room.

Right then, Sunset let out a long sigh. “Ok, how about this?” She asked the sisters while also looking at Celestia. “Stay here overnight, sleep on it. If tomorrow you still want to go home, no one will even try to convince you.”

Adagio made a face as she turned to her sisters. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other for a while, and for a moment, Sunset thought they were just stalling. “Are we safe here, though?” Aria finally asked. “That thing’s still in the other room.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty safe,” Sunset replied with a smile. “The room’s walls are completely soundproof, even the one-way mirror, and the door has a heavy security lock; it can’t be opened without a key, no matter how skilled one can be at lockpicking.”

Once more, the sisters looked at each other silently.

“Fine,” Adagio said after a few seconds. She eyed Shimmer for just a moment before looking back at Sunset. “We’ll stay today.”

Author's Note

Sorry it took this long!

Please tell me your honest opinion so I can get better!

11- Temperance

Author's Note

First of all, I think apologies will not redeem the absurd amount of time it's taken me to get back to this, so... I hope you're at least still interested enough to want to read this.

If it's been so long you already forgot what the hell is going on, I could write a quick blog update to put you up to speed, but I don't know how counterproductive that might be... In any case, please thank my good friend and amazing editor Crow for still wanting to help my sorry ass continue... And you know, for correcting all, and I mean ALL, of my errors.

ANYWAY, enough prologue, get to readin cuz it's almost 9K words long!

11- Temperance

Chapter 11. Temperance.

Trixie sighed as she closed the front door behind her. It was barely past midday and already she was exhausted.

Principal Celestia could be truly stubborn when she wanted. Even after agreeing to put the sisters up should they accept, she still bombarded both Sunsets with tons of questions, demanding extra explanations about magic and whatnot. Trixie was beginning to think the principal just wanted to find excuses to refuse helping.

But even then, Trixie was sure the principal wouldn’t tell the police or something. There was a spark in her eyes that reminded Trixie of the time she performed her magic at the school. Maybe, Trixie thought, Principal Celestia had truly understood the stakes and was actually having fun, in a very twisted way.

Those thoughts vanished when Trixie looked up. Sonata was sitting by the sidewalk, using a long stick to doodle in the dirt. Trixie took special notice on Sonata’s furrowed brow and slight pout.

Trixie cocked her head.

“Hey,” she said. “How are you?”

Sonata startled and looked up. “H-Hi... I’m fine... I guess.”

Trixie sat down next to her. “Say, I’ve been wondering. Why do you want to talk to the siren?”

Sonata lowered her head, staring down at her doodles. “I don’t know…”

“You don’t know?”

Sonata shook her head. “I just saw her and got this feeling… I think…” she pursed her lips. “I just want to understand…” Trixie gave her a confused look. “I want to understand her… She’s me, after all…”

Trixie hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t think Sunset’d be against you just talking to the siren…”

“But Adagio won’t let me,” Sonata replied as she hugged her legs.

“But she’s just your sister, right?” Trixie asked. “Even if she’s the oldest, it’s not like she can forbid you things.”

Sonata lowered her head a bit more. “She’s… more than just a sister to us… Our parents are always away for work, so Adagio’s been looking out for Aria and me ever since we were children.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “She can get really bossy and mean, but I know she cares for us… And whenever she gets in her protective mode, she won’t change her mind.”

Trixie frowned as she felt a lump in her throat. She looked up to the sky, observing the gray clouds lazily coming together to obscure the day. She thought about the last time she saw her mom. It’s been a while, she thought.

Then a more recent memory played in her mind, and she couldn’t help but smile as she quickly formulated a plan.

“I don’t know you or your sisters,” Trixie began. “so I can’t promise anything, but I may be able to convince Adagio to let you talk to the siren.”

That made Sonata suddenly look at her with shimmering eyes. “Really?!”

Trixie gave her a thumbs up. “I’ll do my best! Just wait here, I’ll go talk to her.” And with that, she stood up and got back inside the house.

Principal Celestia had left just a few minutes ago, accompanied by both Sunsets and Twilight, leaving Applejack and Rarity in charge of supervising the siren. In the kitchen, Pinkie was teaching Fluttershy how to bake or something. Rainbow and Aria were in the backyard tossing a baseball at each other and talking things Trixie wasn’t particularly interested in.

That left Adagio, who was sitting at the dining table. Since the moment they had agreed to stay, she had been scribbling something down, refusing to let anyone see what it was. Trixie didn’t think much of it, but was glad to see she was a good distance away from everyone, just enough to have a private conversation if they minded their volume.

“Hey,” Trixie announced herself to Adagio. “Can I sit here?”

Adagio casually covered her notes with an arm and turned to Trixie. “Sure.”

Trixie smiled as she sat down next to Adagio. “So I was wondering… How on earth did you three become friends with Sunset Shimmer?”

After a short pause, Adagio only raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask that?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure she’s never been an easy person to deal with, right?”

Adagio shrugged. “She’s always been an odd one, but she helped me and my sisters settle in when we transferred to Manhattan’s Academy.” Her eyes darkened a bit. “Of course I knew about the rumor that she had pushed someone from a window, but I always thought they made it up out of spite because she was popular…”

“Until you saw her stabbing me.”

Adagio cringed. “I’m sorry about that… I-”

“You didn’t know she’d do that,” Trixie agreed. “I never thought about it, so you don’t need to apologize.” She gave Adagio a tiny smile. “Besides, she apologized.”

That grabbed Adagio’s attention. “Now that you mention it, she changed a lot. I guess prisons do work.” Trixie chuckled at that. Adagio let out a long sigh. “I wonder… in what other ways she changed…”

It was barely a whisper, but Trixie heard it nonetheless. She straightened up and shot Adagio a knowing smile. “I want to make a deal with you,” she said and waited for Adagio to look up at her. “I can help you get back with Shimmer.”

Adagio blushed. “How did-”

“I saw you earlier. You weren’t exactly subtle about it,” Trixie explained. “I need to know for sure, though. You two were an item, weren’t you?”

Adagio nodded slowly. “We began dating about a week after we met…” She looked away, focusing on her covered scribbles. “But… When I last spoke to her, right before her last trial… She said she just dated me to avoid me stealing her spotlight.”

Trixie bit the inside of her mouth as she watched Adagio slump. “Well, I won’t say it’s not true. I didn’t know her back then.” She placed a hand on Adagio’s shoulder and smiled. “But for what it’s worth, I’m pretty confident she regrets even thinking that. If you really want to, I can help you two get together again!”

“I’m not sure,” Adagio replied simply. “Even if she changed, I don’t think she ever had feelings for me. Why bother?”

“But you do have feelings for her, don’t you?” Trixie asked.

Adagio furrowed her brow. “Why do you insist?”

At that, Trixie shot her a wide smile. “Because I understand what it feels like to be head over heels for Sunset Shimmer,” she said after she grabbed Adagio by both her shoulders and forced her to face her completely.

“You’re dating the other Sunset?” Adagio asked.

Trixie nodded eagerly. “We also went through a kind of break up last year. They may be different people, but if this time interacting with Shimmer has taught me anything, is that they tend to react in similar ways.”

“What do you mean?”

Trixie’s smile turned into devious grin. “Oh, I’d be glad to tell you everything I’ve gathered…”

Adagio frowned. “You want a deal,” she said, and Trixie’s Cheshire Cat Grin alone was enough an answer. “What do you want from me?”

“Let Sonata talk to the siren.” Before Adagio could start arguing, Trixie lifted both hands in front of her. “Just hear me out. I know why you feel apprehensive about it, trust me, I get it. But think about it this way.” She briefly looked towards the front door. “Sonata, and you two as well, need closure. You might find it in writing whatever it is you are in that notebook, and Aria seems to be enjoying some exercise, but Sonata? She’s outside doodling with a stick. She told me she has an itch for talking to the siren, and to me that sounds like it’s the closure she needs that she’s looking for.”

Adagio looked down at the table.

“I know what you’re gonna say,” Trixie continued. “It’s too dangerous. That thing’s the reason you three suffered so much.” She placed a hand on Adagio’s shoulder and gave her a small smile. “But for what it’s worth, even if she hasn’t tried to use her magic on us yet, we have several safety protocols against her. And the more we learn about her, the more we can defend from her power.”

Raising a finger and pressing it against her brow, Adagio huffed. “I can’t believe I’m taking you seriously.” Trixie only beamed at the comment. Adagio turned to look at Aria, who seemed to be laughing with Rainbow Dash, then back at Trixie. “Why do you want to convince me to do this so bad?”

Trixie leaned back and hummed for a moment.

“I hate what’s going on,” Trixie began. “I’m a girl of magic, you see? My goal in life is to be the world’s greatest magician. And yet, this whole situation goes beyond me. Sirens? Hypnosis? A fight for the fate of the world? I want nothing to do with it!”

Trixie drummed her fingers on the table. “If it were for me, I would ignore everything and just pretend everything’s fine. But I can’t.” She looked down at the table. “Sunset feels responsible for this whole debacle, you know? She thinks it’s her responsibility to defeat the sirens. And I know she will try with or without me.”

Losing focus a little, Trixie’s lips pursed upwards. “And, you know, I love her to pieces. And if she’s willing to go to the end of the world and back, I will be by her side…”

Trixie cleared her throat and looked up to Adagio. “What I’m trying to say is, if you think about it, Sonata talking to the siren might give us some information about them, some facts we can use to defeat them.” She leaned forward. “And if we defeat the sirens, you and your sisters can go back to your lives. And you, my dear, will have all the time in the world to court Shimmer.”

Adagio’s cheeks heated up as she leaned back and crossed her arms.

“Just give it some thought,” Trixie added. “I’m going to see what Pinkamena is doing in the kitchen.” She winked at Adagio and left.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset had been dumbfounded when Twilight volunteered to accompany her and Shimmer to drop Celestia off at Canterlot. As far as she had known, Twilight hated Shimmer’s guts.

But when they bid Celestia farewell and were on their way back, Sunset started to understand why.

Shimmer was still sarcastic, mean and ill-spirited, but she had not spouted a single insult towards anyone within the car, instead taking all her fury with the other drivers. Every now and then she would glance to the rearview mirror, and more than once, Sunset noticed, it wasn’t to look out for other cars.

She had noticed that Shimmer had mellowed some since she got her wound, but she was starting to think that maybe Twilight had something to do with it too.

Either way, she wasn’t going to complain.

After an hour or so, they finally returned to the house. It hadn’t been an excruciatingly slow experience like the other times, so Sunset’s mood was still high enough to tackle Trixie into a hug after entering the house.

“So, how was it?” Rarity asked. She and Applejack had traded places with Rainbow and Pinkie, and were now sitting at the dining table with Fluttershy and Aria. Adagio and Sonata were probably in one of the rooms.

“We managed to convince her not to turn us over to the police,” Sunset replied. “So there’s that.”

“I’m still worried Principal Celestia might change her mind,” Twilight said as she took a seat at the table. “Was it really a good idea?”

Sunset sighed, “Trust me when I say… I don’t know.”

Trixie gave her a deadpan look, and Sunset couldn’t help but smile and answer with a quick peck.

Shimmer walked up to the one-way mirror. “What’s she been doing?”

Rainbow crossed her arms and looked away. “Eh, the usual. Just doodling.”

Pinkie smiled. “I think she’s a good artist! Look! That there is a leprechaun!”

Shimmer rolled her eyes, but decided to give a good look at the siren.

Sonata, the siren, was always wearing the same clothes she was given. She often cleaned them, but she never asked for more. But the most puzzling thing about her was that she spent most of her time drawing those weird symbols on paper sheets. They had given her a pink crayon so she wouldn’t have a possible weapon, but the siren had not complained.

Since Sunset was the only one that ever interacted with Sonata, she was also the one to give her the paper, and thus, she was able to read whatever was written every time she got in the room. She had told the group that most of it was just a diary, with some memories of the past months mixed in there. Sadly, nothing relevant had come up yet.

“So I was thinking,” Pinkie started.

“That’s a bad sign,” Shimmer replied, not looking at her.

Pinkie wasn’t fazed by her rudeness anymore, so she continued with a higher volume. “We should do with the sirens the same we did with you and Sunset!” When Shimmer only raised an eyebrow, she continued. “You know, we should be on a first name basis with the good ones, and last name basis with the evil ones!”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.

Rainbow placed a finger on her mouth in a thoughtful expression. “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

“Why would we need to do that?” Shimmer asked angrily. “The girls are leaving tomorrow, there’s no point.”

“But there is,” Adagio said as she crossed the hallway’s threshold. She smiled at Shimmer’s slightly startled face. “We may be leaving, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to be in contact with you guys.”

“I think that’s for the best,” Sunset agreed. “You’ll be able to return to your lives as soon as we’re done here.”

Shimmer frowned, but before she could say anything, Sonata appeared from behind Adagio, wearing a faint grin on her face.

Adagio let out a heavy sigh. “So, Sonata and I talked, and…” she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes for a moment. “I agreed to let her talk to… that thing.”

“Really?” Sunset asked surprised. “What made you change your mind?” Her answer came in the form of Adagio’s intense stare at Trixie. Sunset turned to her. “You?”

Trixie shrugged. “I think it will help us, somehow.”

“Maybe,” Adagio replied, slowly getting closer to Trixie. She stopped when she was but a foot away and dug her index finger in Trixie’s left shoulder. “But I swear, Trixie Lulamoon. If something, anything happens to my sister, I will have your head.”

Trixie smiled sheepishly, but said nothing. She turned to Shimmer, who, for just a fraction of a second, was smiling at the scene. Trixie turned back to Adagio. “Sounds fair.”

~~~~~~~~

Some thirty minutes later, Trixie was once again wearing her heavy getup, hidden by a thick hoodie, and holding a pair of air horns. She was besides the door of the siren’s room, waiting for Adagio to stop nagging her sister.

Sunset leaned to Trixie before she could activate the noise cancelling headphones. “Say, how did you get her to agree with this?”

Trixie grinned, mostly to herself. “Let’s just say us pure-hearted maidens think alike.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow, but before she could ask for an explanation, Sonata walked up to her. “Ok, I’m ready.”

Trixie nodded and activated her headphones, making herself virtually deaf. Sunset gave Sonata a reassuring smile and then signaled to Rarity, who knocked on the one-way mirror.

After a few seconds, Sunset unlocked the door and opened it.

The room was covered with paper sheets, scribbled on with pink. The siren had tried to organize them in piles, but apparently, she had hurried to her mattress so fast, they all had scattered. Sunset made a mental note to try and read the new ones.

She entered, and the siren was sitting cross-legged on the mattress at the far corner of the room, smiling expectantly to Sunset. Behind her, Trixie positioned herself in her usual spot.

“Hello,” Sunset said. “There’s something I have to tell you. We decided to start calling you Dusk. You don’t mind, do you?”

The siren, now Dusk, cocked her head for a moment, her smile never leaving her face. “Of course not!” It’s my name, anyway!”

Sunset nodded in understanding. “Good. Now, you have a guest. I expect you will behave as promised.” She stepped to the side, and sure enough, Sonata entered the room. Trixie used a foot to slam the door shut behind her.

Dusk stared at her, first with genuine surprise, then with fear, but didn’t say a thing as Sonata slowly closed the distance and sat down on the lonely chair.

The contrast between them was too big, Sunset thought. Dusk had her hair untied, long enough to reach her calves when standing and shone healthily. Her skin was a vibrant shade of blue, smooth and nice. Sonata, on the other hand, had her hair barely long enough to reach her shoulders, and it was opaque and messy. Her skin was pale and sickly, and one could easily notice the sharpness of her cheekbones and the heavy bags under her eyes.

They were, in essence, the same person, but they looked nothing alike.

Sonata, ever since waking up, had struck Sunset as apprehensive and a bit curious. But now, when face to face with the girl responsible of her suffering, her apprehension turned into fear, but her curiosity did nothing if not skyrocket through the roof, and the mix of these two things made such an odd contrast in her facial expressions, Sunset would’ve laughed if she wasn’t wary of the siren herself.

After a while of staring, Sonata spoke up first.

“Why did you cut our hair?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow at that.

Dusk didn’t seem surprised by the question, but rather, she looked like she had expected it.

“Adagio ordered it,” the siren replied, casting her eyes down.

“Do you hate us?”

She’s not pulling any punches, Sunset thought surprised.

“No.”

“Then why did you do all that to us?” Sonata insisted, her voice was even, but there was a faint quiver in it as she spoke. “We didn’t know why we sometimes woke up with bruises and cuts… We didn’t know why food sometimes appeared on the floor…” She took a deep breath. “We didn’t know why we were still alive…” She hiccuped and sniffed. “If you don’t hate us… Then why would you do that to us? What did we do to you?”

Dusk cocked her head, a frown of confusion on her face. “I… Adagio never told me,” she replied. “I always thought she had a plan for you, so I just did what she ordered me to do.” She started playing with her fingers, interlocking them and rubbing her thumbs together. “I didn’t know you were sad.”

Sonata gasped loudly, and she looked like she had been slapped. “H-How?!” She leaned forward, and her voice barely turned up in volume, but tears were now running down her cheeks. “How could you not see we were sad?! How can you be me if you don’t understand me?! I don’t…” Her eyes darted from side to side as she looked down for just a second. “How can you do that to another person?!”

The siren’s confused frow never left her face, and her mouth was a thin line. Sunset thought she looked like a grade schooler trying to understand advanced High School math.

“Is… I….” Dusk fumbled with her words, her eyebrows moving up and down as she thought. “Is that bad?” She finally asked. “I… Adagio says whatever we do is good. I don’t understand…”

Sunset thought Sonata would stand up and yell. She tensed up at the idea of having to stop a fight between an infuriated girl and an uberly powerful magical creature.

But such a reaction didn’t happen. Sonata only stared at Dusk for the longest time, regarding her in a way reminiscent of a linguist trying to figure out an ancient text written in a dead tongue.

Sonata leaned closer, staring right into Dusk’s eyes. Sporting a deep frown of her own and pursing her lips in a thoughtful manner. Her tears had subsided, replaced by a slight redness. And after a long pause, she did something that made both Sunset and Trixie flinch in utter surprise.

She flicked a finger on the siren’s forehead.

“Ow!” Dusk complained as she placed a hand on her forehead. “Why did you do that?!”

“Did it hurt?”

“Of course it did!”

“Would you do the same to me, now that you know it hurts?”

There was silence as Dusk processed the question. She pouted and glared at Sonata, but much to Sunset’s relief, she didn’t retaliate. Instead, she lowered her hands and looked down at her legs.

“Have you never stopped to consider that you’re hurting others?” Sonata continued. “Have you been living your whole life disregarding others’ wellbeing? How can you be proud of yourself knowing you almost killed me and my sisters?!”

Every question made Dusk’s frown deepen in concentration and confusion.

“I don’t get it,” Dusk said. “Adagio said…” She made a face and cocked her head. “She says the only thing that matters is us and everyone else is our plaything, and the world is our playground.”

“And what do you think?” Sonata insisted. “Surely you have your own view of the world.”

“I…” Dusk hesitated, the grabbed her head with both hands and groaned. “I don’t know! My head hurts! This is why I only do what Adagio tells me to do! It’s so much easier that way!”

Sonata gently grabbed Dusk’s hands, making her look at her, then slowly brought them down. “I know,” she whispered. “Thinking is for geniuses like our sisters,” she continued, earning a slow nod from the siren. “Why bother deciding what to have for dinner or where to go on a weekend? Food is always good, and places are always fun, right?” Dusk nodded again and a small smile appeared on her face. “When it comes to things like that, it’s better to leave it to the people that know.”

Then, Sonata’s smile faltered. “But, you know, there are things that we have to think about, even if it hurts our head. Things that even geniuses don’t have the answers to.” She leaned down a little and looked upward to the siren. “Things like good and evil. Things like empathy or sympathy. Things like friends and family and yourself. Things like life and death.”

Dusk made another face.

“I know it’s hard to understand,” Sonata continued. “But, the moment you come up with your own answer, you won’t have to think about it anymore.” She offered the siren another smile. “Just ask yourself, do you feel sad when others are sad? Do you feel happy when others are happy? Is it correct to hurt people? Should you ask for something, or just take it? What are the consequences of something you are about to do?”

“That’s a lot of questions.”

“Yes,” Sonata replied. “But if you really want to understand, you’ll have to answer all of them.”

Dusk’s face suddenly filled with worry. “B-But I’m not used to this! Adagio’s the one that tells me what to think! What to do!”

“If your sister loves you, she’ll want you to think for yourself,” Sonata said simply. “If she doesn’t want you to think for yourself, then she doesn’t love you. I think you should think about that first.”

And with that, Sonata stood up and simply walked up to the door, next to Trixie.

Dusk looked up, and Sunset knew she had to say something. “What she said is true,” she said. “We’ll leave and let you think. I’ll come back with your meal in a few hours.” And with that, she signaled the girls to leave.

Once alone, the siren remained sitting on the mattress, looking up at the ceiling and hugging her legs.

~~~~~~~~

The following hours were spent in heated discussions.

Sonata had done something incredibly dangerous, confronting the siren and confusing her and whatnot. Everything could’ve gone wrong. The fact that it hadn’t was used to fuel the arguments even further.

That is, until Rarity proposed an idea.

“The siren clearly doesn’t know the difference between good or bad,” she had said. “We could try to teach her that. I mean, she looked quite puzzled.”

That single idea had sparked a round of proposals, plans, and counter arguments. They had been closely observing and documenting all of the siren’s actions since they had captured her, and so far, she hadn’t attempted to use her magic once.

The only reason they all agreed was because they had no idea how to get to the other two sirens.

And, of course, it was Sunset who would try first.

She stood in front of the door, holding a tray with a bowl of vegetable soup and some fried fish with mash potatoes on the side. Trixie, as always, stood by her side, wearing her getup and looking at her with a confident grin.

A knock on the mirror later, she entered and waited for Trixie to close the door.

Dusk was still looking up at the ceiling, having moved just to lie down. “I got your food,” Sunset announced as she walked up to the chair where she placed the tray.

The siren sat up and looked at the food, then up to Sunset, wearing a worried frown.

“Uhm… can I have more food?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “You eat three complete meals a day, how are you still hungry?”

Dusk seemed to hunch, almost guiltily. “I… The food is enough to satisfy me, I guess… but…” she looked away, trying to make herself look smaller. “I-I haven’t fed in a while…”

She left the words there, not wanting to say more. Sunset stared at her for the longest time.

The siren was odd. Very odd.

As far as Sunset had known, the sirens were as powerful as they were evil. Creatures that relished on hatred and suffering. Their only purpose in life was supposed to be creating misery wherever they went, starting wars and then watching them unfold.

The siren in front of her did not seem to have done those things, even if Sunset knew she had.

Dusk had been utterly terrified to have her gem taken away from her again, then she had spent days confined in a tiny room with the bare minimum to survive, and she hadn’t complained once. She had been confronted by a girl she herself had kidnapped and tortured, but she hadn’t shown any other emotion other than complete confusion.

Indeed, she was an odd one, and Sunset had to agree, they could try to exploit that.

“Tell me again,” Sunset said. “When you feed, what happens around you?”

Dusk perked up at that. “Uhm… Nothing?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Well, I mean, there’s energy around, you know? But I think only me and my sisters can truly sense it. No one else knows it’s even there, and no one ever notices it’s gone. It’s like… Like myst.”

“Myst?”

“Yeah!” Dusk replied happily. “Myst! Well, people can see myst, and if it’s thick, they can also feel it, but… Well imagine it’s myst that people can’t see or feel. So, if they can’t see it or feel it, and they don’t even notice it’s there or not, so… Yeah, nothing happens!”

Sunset hummed. “Eat your food, I need to think of something,” she said and walked up to Trixie.

As the siren started to wolf the food down, Sunset took a small notebook and a pen from her jacket pockets and wrote a message to Trixie. Trixie read it once, and her eyes widened in horror as she furiously shook her head. Sunset scribbled some more and showed it to Trixie.

Trixie made a face, still shaking her head, but Sunset insisted with her notebook. Trixie cocked her head to look at the siren, who was still eating, then she looked back at Sunset and, once more, shook her head.

Sunset scribbled once more, but Trixie nudged her with a foot to stop it. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment. Sunset didn’t need Trixie to speak in order to understand. She could see fear, worry, and a little bit of anger, but there was also something else, a spark that was beginning to shine brighter every passing second.

After a while, Trixie sighed and nodded. Sunset didn’t celebrate, but gave Trixie an appreciative smile nonetheless.

She turned around and waited for Dusk to finish her food.

“So, are you still hungry?” Sunset asked just as Dusk finished the last portion of fish.

The siren looked up at her with widened eyes. “Yes. Can I really have another fish?”

Sunset snorted at that. “Actually, I wanted to make a deal with you.” That got Dusk’s full attention. “But first, have you thought about what Sonata told you earlier?”

Dusk frowned, but didn’t stop looking at Sunset. “Yes… But I still don’t understand…”

“Do you enjoy seeing other people fight each other?”

“Uhmm… I mean, I don’t really care?”

“That’s not what I asked,” Sunset insisted. “Do you enjoy it?”

Dusk looked down for a moment. “I… I guess not?”

“Why not?”

“Uh… Because... “ Dusk’s frown deepened so much, Sunset thought her face was going to break. “I don’t know.”

Sunset nodded softly. “Well, I for one don’t like seeing people trying to kill each other. So, of course, I don’t like that you guys are making people do that.” Dusk looked away. “Your hypnosis magic doesn’t help either. Free will is the most basic right of every sentient being, and you taking it away… Well, I hope you can see why it’s a bad thing.”

With a heavy sigh, Sunset gently grabbed Dusk’s chin with her fingers and lifted up her head, offering a smile. “So, the deal I want to make with you? You have to think, really think about what we tell you about these things. Try to understand that you can do so much good with your skills, and you don’t need hypnosis to have people like you.”

“I don’t?”

Sunset actually chuckled at that. “No, you don’t. But you do need to change your mind state. You have to care for other people even if you don’t know them. You have to really answer the questions Sonata asked you.”

Dusk looked away, then back at Sunset. “And… if I do that…”

“If you promise to at least try to do all those things…” Sunset swallowed nervously. “If you do that, and don’t try to use your magic against us, I will let you feed off of our energy.”

Sunset then witnessed the fastest reaction she had seen from the siren yet. Not a second had passed since she said the last word before Dusk leant forward with big, hopeful eyes and a wide, painful-looking smile.

“Really?! You mean it?!”

Sunset did her best to hide she was startled. “Yes, I mean it.” She got up, grabbed her notebook and quickly scribbled something in there, then she walked up to the mirror, where she placed the text against it. A few seconds later, she closed the notebook and turned to the siren.

“So, what are you going to do from now on?” Sunset asked.

Dusk straightened up. “I have to think, even if it hurts my head!”

“It’s a good first step, I think,” Sunset muttered to herself. Then she addressed the siren. “Well, here’s your first lesson: Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Dusk nodded. She grabbed a paper sheet and her crayon, and started writing what Sunset said.

With that, Sunset took a deep, shaky breath, and walked up to Trixie. “Just because you are willing to listen and change, I will give you a little reward,” she said, earning Dusk’s total attention.

Sunset stopped mere inches from Trixie, staring deeply into those beautiful, shimmering amethyst eyes of hers. Trixie looked back at her, nervousness showing in a little tick of her right eyebrow and a small bead of sweat rolling down her face. Sunset had always found Trixie to be a gorgeous girl, but ever since she started dating her, Sunset thought she got more and more beautiful as days passed.

She truly loved Trixie, and she tried to express that love every chance she got.

This time, a simple kiss would do.

And so she gently grabbed Trixie’s cheeks and closed the distance, locking their lips together. Sunset loved those smooth lips, moist and sweet with strawberry gloss.

Some days, all Sunset wanted to do was kiss those perfect lips all day.

When she finally parted, the first thing she noticed was the furious hammering of her heart; she could almost hear it. One glance at Trixie told her she felt the same way.

Sunset pinched herself, the sting of pain told her she was still very much in control, so, after another deep breath, she turned to look at the siren.

Dusk was sitting there, still as a statue and with her eyes closed. Nothing seemed to be happening, and in other circumstances, Sunset would’ve thought she was just meditating. But the red gemstone had the faintest glimmer it, and in any other circumstance, Sunset would’ve thought it was just reflecting the light bulb's light.

Five full seconds later, Dusk opened her eyes and sighed contently, a pleased look in her face, as if she had drank water after hours of walking in the desert.

“Finally…” she said in such a low voice it was almost a whisper.

“Glad you enjoyed it,” Sunset said evenly. “Now, you do what I told you, and we may allow you to feed again.”

Deal in place, Sunset ushered Trixie out the room, her heart still in her throat.

Not a second after the door closed, Sunset leaned back on it and sighed heavily. She saw Trixie taking off the headphones and braced herself for the scolding of a lifetime.

She just hadn’t expected it to come from somewhere else.

“What the living fuck did you do?!” Shimmer howled from the other side of the hallway, a furious look in her eyes and her fists clenched so tight her knuckles were already white.

Sunset took a deep breath. Her heart was still hammering in her chest and this yelling wasn’t making it better.

“I implemented the reward system Twilight proposed days ago,” she said simply.

“Reward system?!” Shimmer yelled as she walked closer. The girls behind her were already on high alert and circling her. “You’re giving her the magic she needs to kill us all! How do we know she didn’t get to you already?!”

As much as Sunset loathed to admit it, Shimmer had a good point.

“She’s right,” Adagio said as she got to Shimmer’s side. Her voice, however calm, cracked and quivered. “You are putting us all in danger.” She looked from Sunset to Trixie and narrowed her eyes.

“Even so,” Twilight intervened, standing between both Sunset and Shimmer and extending her arms to both girls. “The siren seems to be following orders. She hasn’t tried to hypnotize Sunset, and she didn’t try to do a thing to Sonata.”

“Yet,” Adagio said.

“Look, girls,” Trixie said, walking up to Twilight’s side. “We could argue about this right outside the siren’s room and actually give her a reason to attack us, or we could all sit down and talk about it.”

Everyone looked at each other before silently agreeing to do just that.

Sunset, once more, let out a long sigh of relief. One, for the girls not eating her alive, and two, because they managing to stay calm was a sign that they weren’t being mind control. Or at least, that’s what she wanted to think.

The girls made their way to the living room, some bringing chairs from the dining table. Shimmer never stopped glaring at both Sunset and Trixie, as if she was waiting for just the tiniest excuse to get violent. Sunset couldn’t really blame her.

When they all were sitting, Shimmer spoke up. “You have three seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t lock you and Lollipop to make sure you’re not magicked up.”

Sunset interlocked her fingers and brought her hands to her mouth. “I realize I did something very stupid.”

“You don’t say,” Rainbow said.

“But there’s something I’ve noticed about the siren,” Sunset continued, ignoring Rainbow. “She doesn’t seem to be evil, heck I don’t think she even understands the concept yet.” She lowered her hands and started nervously playing with her thumbs. “I believe we can turn her to our side if we teach her the difference between good and evil.”

“Or you could actually turn her evil,” Shimmer replied coldly. “Did you stop to think about that?”

Sunset glared at her tiredly. “Yes, I did. That’s why I’m using Twilight’s idea for the reward system.”

“I did suggest it,” Twilight said, her arms crossed on her lap. “But my idea was more about giving her better food or a better bed. Things like that.”

“And while that’s a lovely idea,” Sunset said. “If you’ve been paying attention, the siren doesn’t seem to care about any of that. She didn’t ask for clean clothes everyday or products to clean herself, we just gave them to her.” She then looked at the girls, one by one. “She hasn’t even asked to be let out. The one and only thing she has asked for is food.”

“Since she’s a siren, the only thing she cares about it feeding on energy. I’m actually surprised it took her this long to ask for it.” Sunset leaned back on her chair, resting her hands on her lap. “Besides, as I already told you, they don’t need to hypnotize in order to feed. That’s just a means to an end.”

Shimmer clicked her tongue. “Yeah, and who told you that? Oh, right. It was that damned siren!” She stood up. “Who’s to say she hasn’t been hypnotizing you?”

Sunset only looked up at her. “You already told us what it feels like to be under her spell,” she said evenly. “I haven’t lost track of time, or control over my movements. I’m always giving Trixie a physical sign I’m still in control.”

“You were hypnotized by the siren?” Adagio asked Shimmer with both surprise and concern.

Shimmer didn’t reply right away and just sat back down, crossing her arms. “Who’s to say she isn’t being more subtle with you? I told you she doesn’t even need to open her mouth. A hum is all she needs.”

Sunset nodded. “Still, I don’t think that’s the case. I haven’t been feeling any different about her or the situation overall. And the more I think about it, the less I see this siren capable of being subtle or smart enough to come up with such a long term plan.”

“Excuse me, darling,” Rarity chirped in. “I don’t even want to dare think you’re being controlled, but… We all saw you giving her exactly what she wants.”

“And I told you beforehand!” Sunset insisted. “I wrote it on my notebook, see?” She grabbed and opened her notebook in the exact place she had scribbled her little plan. “And before you say anything, I still think she’s not capable of making me do this. I specifically wrote the word “girls” because there’s no way the siren knows all of us are girls.”

“That proves nothing,” Shimmer said. “You’re implying the sirens’ hypnosis is a complete mindwipe. As if they can just puppeteer and make us do exactly what they want.”

“And ain’t that exactly what hypnosis mean?” Applejack asked.

Shimmer shook her head, never looking away from Sunset. “I already proved that, didn’t I? When I listened to their music, it progressively and subtly made me like it. But I was always writing and I stopped the moment I thought it was good. Their music, ergo, makes you a willing slave for them, but it doesn’t turn you into a mindless minion.”

“Who says ‘ergo’?” Rainbow asked, but was thankfully ignored.

Trixie glared daggers at Shimmer. “You’re now just searching for excuses to take it out on Sunset!”

Twilight cleared her throat as she shifted in her place. “Sunset, we trust you have good intentions, and out of all of us, you’re the one that knows the most about magic. But you could’ve told us your plan, discussed it, and then, if we all agreed, let the siren feed. You doing it on your own is a huge red flag.” She turned to Trixie. “And you agreeing with her on the spot doesn’t help her case, either.”

Trixie wanted to glare at Twilight, but she knew she was speaking the truth, so she looked down for a moment before gazing up. “I trust Sunset with my life,” she said simply. “If she thinks this is the best course of action, I will support her, no matter what.”

“Even if she’s being controlled?” Pinkie asked suddenly during a gasp, which was a strange thing to hear.

Trixie frowned.

“There’s no need to interrogate Trixie,” Sunset said, bringing the spotlight back to her. “I recognize I did something reckless, but I still think I am in full control of my body.”

“That’s another thing,” Shimmer said in a less accusatory tone than before. “I think you’ve been warming up to the siren lately. Suspiciously so. Who’s to say she hasn’t been doing that to you from the day you got her the gem back?”

That wasn’t right, she’s been in complete control all this time! She just sympathized with the siren because they both were from Equestria, and the siren was just confused and…

Sunset paled. Were these her real thoughts, or was she being subtly mind controlled after all? She lowered her head thoughtfully.

“Let’s say you’re right,” she began.

“Sunset!” Trixie yelled horrorized.

But Sunset only looked up at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not saying I am, in fact, hypnotized,” she continued, then turned to Shimmer. “But let’s just say that, hypothetically, I am.” She nervously gulped, feeling her lips a bit dry. “What’s going to take for you, all of you, to erase all your suspicions on me?”

Shimmer leaned back. “I think you being the only one to interact with the siren has been a mistake. In fact, I think you shouldn’t come here for about a week.”

“What?!” Trixie yelled as she stood up, but Sunset gently grabbed her by the hand and shook her head. “But Sunset! This bitch is trying to alienate you!”

“No, I think she’s right,” Sunset said calmly.

Everyone, including Shimmer herself, looked at her with various degrees of surprise.

“However, I still think she shouldn’t get much more information on us.”

Shimmer buffed. “That’s no problem. As far as we know, the siren thinks you and I are the same person. I’ll just take your place. And uhh,” she looked around for a moment. “And Gayhair can dress up as Lollipop.”

“What?!” Rainbow yelled.

“Whoa hold yer horses there,” Applejack intervened. “Are y’all saying Trixie should leave too?”

“Well no,” Shimmer said with a wave of her hand. “But I believe Lollipop won’t want Bubbles to feel alienated,” she punctuated that last word with a bit of mockery.

Trixie tensed up, but Sunset only grabbed her a bit harder and guided her back to sit down. Trixie stopped trying to pounce at Shimmer, but did not sit.

“As long as you have everything under control, I’ll comply with being away,” Sunset said with a shaky voice. “However, I don’t want to be completely left out. If something happens, I want to know.”

“I guess that’s ok,” Twilight agreed. “We’ll have to figure something out to keep the siren out of the loop, but I think that can wait.”

Sunset nodded a thanks to her and stood up, walking up to the front door.

“Where are you going?” Shimmer asked.

“Where do you think?” Sunset replied tiredly. “I’m going home. I’ll take this time to clear my mind and, I dunno, do something else.” And with that, she left, being closely followed by Trixie.

~~~~~~~~

It was a painfully long ride, sitting at the back of the bus that would take them to Canterlot. They didn’t talk for half the ride, choosing to just silently contemplate the scenery pass by.

“Why did you agree, Sunset?” Trixie finally asked.

Sunset sighed and gave Trixie’s hand a squeeze, but didn’t turn to look at her. “I think they may be right. That I may have been influenced by the siren… I don’t want to think it’s true, but…” She shook her head and closed her eyes for just a moment. “If it is, then this is the best course of action.”

“You can’t be serious…”

“I don’t want to risk it, Trix,” she said, and finally turned to Trixie, giving her hand yet another squeeze. “I did something reckless, and it could’ve turned out really bad. I wouldn’t forgive myself it you had gotten hurt because of me. This is also to help me clear my head, see if my ideas were really mine, you know?”

Trixie gave her a small grin. “Well, in hindsight, this is a good thing.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Well,” Trixie leaned in. “We’ll have our house for ourselves all week.”

Sunset couldn’t help but smile and that, and closed the distance to kiss those taunting lips. Trixie was right, even if Sunset could potentially be controlled by the siren, she was still herself, and there was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to being with Trixie.

And so they arrived home in high spirits, already kissing, eager to kick off their lives together with a great start. And in just a matter of seconds, they were already on Sunset’s bed, having already took off their jacket and sweater.

Sunset’s worries always seemed unimportant when she was with Trixie, and as she kissed her, she couldn’t think of anything else but the now and then.

She loved those moments where Trixie lay there, on top of her, as they kissed. Sunset liked Trixie’s weight, lite as it was, against her own torso. This was probably the moment Sunset loved the most, caressing Trixie’s back and feeling both the warm and firm muscles, and the cold and soft fabric of Trixie’s clothes.

Trixie, on her part, seemed to love digging her fingers in Sunset’s hair, twirling and tangling them, caressing Sunset’s head and neck, then her face and back to her hair.

These were the moments Sunset had come to love the most, and if it depended on her, she would easily stay like this all night, doing nothing but kissing Trixie and tracing the shape of her body again and again.

This night, however, even Sunset couldn’t stay this for too long. They hadn’t had time for themselves like this in a long while, and they both needed it. They needed to feel the other as close as they could, they needed to let loose their desire for one another.

Then, a loud melody rang painfully in their ears. They looked at each other for a moment then toward Sunset’s discarded jeans, buzzing with a barely muffled ringtone. The one set for Sunset’s Great and Powerful Agent phone.

“Let it ring,” Trixie whispered. She grabbed her shirt from the hem and, in a quick motion, removed it from her body and threw it somewhere. She then fell onto Sunset again.

They didn’t know when the phone had stopped ringing, but just as Sunset released the clasp of Trixie’s bra, it started obnoxiously blasting music again.

This time, it was Sunset who quickly snatched the phone and, without a second thought, hung it up before setting it on the nightstand.

It didn’t stay silent, however, and Trixie groaned quite loudly. She sat up, beads of sweat running down the sides of her face.

“You have two minutes,” Trixie said with heavy breathing. She then stood up beside the bed and started undressing herself.

Sunset frowned and gave the phone a death glare before snatching it again and answering.

“Hi!” She said, remembering her script, but unable to hide the anger in her voice. “This is Sun-” She stopped.

On the other side of the phone, she could hear sobbing. “Don’t hang up, please,” the ragged voice said. “I beg you…”

Sunset looked at Trixie, who was barely done taking off her jeans. She stopped when she saw Sunset’s expression. “What?”

“I’ll do anything...” The voice begged between sobs and hiccups. “Please, Sunset, I beg you…”

Trixie slowly straightened up, a confused frown on her face. Sunset bit her lower lip and looked down. Her anger had left her body, replaced by a very inopportune set of conflicting emotions.

Trixie leaned over, worry written on her face. “Sunset?”

“Please…” the voice continued. “Let me talk to Trixie…”

Sunset looked up at Trixie, staring into those gorgeous eyes of hers. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

“I’ll see what I can do,” was her only answer before she hung up.

“Sunset, what’s going on?”

Sunset placed her phone back on the night table and looked up at Trixie.

“Trust me when I say I’m as frustrated as you, but…” She shook her head. “This call was… I think it’s important for you.”

Trixie leaned back and gave Sunset a very concerned look. “Because…?”

For the umpteenth time, Sunset sighed. “It was your mother,” she said. “And she wants to talk with you.”

12- Indulgence

Chapter 12. Indulgence.

Sunset Shimmer had been nervous that morning, fidgeting and drumming her fingers everywhere and all the time. Being away from the house had been the sensible thing to do, for sure, but once she woke up she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something bad could happen at any moment.

And so, once she got to the motocross field, she channeled all her energy into her job. Trixie had asked her to take it easy, but Sunset had already made her mind to work her worries off, and once she made her mind about something, it would be betraying her own beliefs to stop half way in. And the object of her obsession was currently the damned motocross bike she had been trying to fix for the past month.

At first, everyone at the field would often take pity on her futile attempt, some would even mock her, but Sunset never gave up. Every day she did her usual mechanic labor, cleaning, fixing and giving maintenance to the bikes, and when everyone was ready to wrap up, she would work on her personal project.

Sometimes, Lightning Dust or Stinger would stop by to give her company and tell her to just throw the thing away. They weren’t the best cheering crowd, but they at least had a spark in their eyes every time Sunset worked on the bike, like they actually wanted her to fix it.

Today, once she had finished all her obligations and it was just half an hour before the field closed down, Sunset began working on the bike. She cleaned it and tweaked the motor and tried her usually futile first attempt at turning on the engine.

To her surprise, the bike actually started up for a second before it died again. Sunset grinned and began to thoroughly examine it. At some point she noticed quite the crowd surrounding her. Apparently, Stinger had given word that today might be the day Sunset fixed the damned thing, and some of the mechanics and drivers had come to cheer for her.

Sunset didn’t really need to be cheered, but she appreciated it nonetheless. She had been working on it for quite a lot of time now, and the good wishes helped her keep focused.

She finished tightening yet another piece near the front wheel. Her back hurt a little from her awkward position, so she suppressed a moan when she threw her arms up and stretched, feeling quite a good amount of pops all throughout her back.

With a huff she stood up and climbed on the bike. The crowd got silent, and she could actually feel the expectation. She braced herself, introduced the keys and turned.

The bike vibrated and coughed, but didn’t do much more. Sunset felt a sting of disappointment, but decided to try again.

This time, the bike roared to life.

“Yes!” Sunset yelled at the top of her lungs before facing the crowd. “You’re all my bitches!” She told them with an accusatory finger. “All of you!”

The crowd applauded and cheered, if a little bit unsettled by those words.

Lightning Dust approached her, whistling in surprise. “I can hardly believe you made this piece of trash work, Sunset.”

Sunset’s was high on adrenaline, mirth taking over her broad smile. Her legs were shaking like crazy. “But I did! And she’s purring like a kitten! Ain’t that right you beautiful thing?” She asked the bike, gently patting the handle. She briefly considered kissing it.

Lightning chuckled. “Hey, want some advice? Take it to the flat field first. Don’t want it breaking down in the middle of a jump ey?”

Sunset rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. “Thanks, Dust.” She grabbed the throttled and pulled, eliciting a high pitched roar that made Sunset’s arms shiver. “Oh how I want to taste this baby…” She said as she looked toward the crowd. “But, I have to do something first.”

Turning the key, the bike quickly fell silent and inert. It almost made Sunset’s heart sink. She got off the bike and faced the crowd. “Alright, time to scatter,” she said. Disappointed, the people turned around and little by little the garage was left with only three people.

Sunset, Lightning Dust, and a middle aged woman of pale blue skin and long emerald hair. It was Selene, Trixie’s mother.

“Hey, Dust,” Sunset called. “Do me a favor and go away for a few minutes.”

Lightning frowned, then looked at the woman and back to Sunset. She shrugged and left the garage.

Selene looked exactly like the last time Sunset had seen her. The only difference was the longing look on her face, and she somehow seemed… smaller.

“Hello, Sunset,” Selene said.

Sunset used a thumb to point to the office before turning and walking there while she wiped her blackened hands on a dirty piece of cloth. Selene only followed her inside. Once there, Sunset motioned her to close the door and sat on her boss’s chair.

“Let’s cut the chase, shall we?” Sunset said as she crossed her arms. “Why the change of heart?”

Selene didn’t answer right away. She instead grabbed the only other chair available, in front of Sunset, and slowly sat down. Her expensive-looking clothes, a nice dark green sweater and jeans, didn’t help hide her shame and exhaustion.

“I’m not going to think of excuses,” Selene said, her head hanging low and eyes staring at her own knees. “I said… I did a horrible thing to Trixie… I thought I was in the right but… But…” Tears were already forming in the corners of her eyes, but she managed to contain her cry, and even her voice didn’t crack that much. “Trixie’s my only daughter. I may not agree with… her preferences… But I love her…” She sniffed and turned her hands into fists. “I love my daughter, Sunset. I just want to tell her that... and apologize…”

Sunset did her best to keep a serious face, but Selene’s sobbings made it quite difficult.

“Why wait until now?” Sunset asked as calm as she could.

“You think I haven’t tried?!” Selene refuted, finally looking up at Sunset. Tears cascading down her cheeks, eyes reddened. “I’ve gone to Canterlot High practically every day, but somehow she’s never there! I know she’s avoiding me like a plague, but how am I supposed to apologize if I can’t even see her?”

That came as a surprise to Sunset. It did sound strange. Had Trixie been actively avoiding Selene? But then again, why had she never told Sunset?

Is that why she was so livid last night? Sunset thought.

“Then I came across these flyers advertising her,” Selene said, taking out a small piece of paper. On it was a picture Pinkie had made of Trixie in a flamboyant pose, with her name above in shiny, almost obnoxious letters, and her contact information below. “When I first called a few days ago I was so surprised that you answered… I panicked and played it off as a wrong number… I thought you’d hang up the moment you knew it was me, so I tried to find another way…”

“Until you realized there isn’t another way,” Sunset agreed. “But you called pretty late, Trixie and I were… Fast asleep.”

“I’m sorry…” Selene said, lowering her head again. “I had a… bad day yesterday, and I decided that I had to at least try… I didn’t even glance at the clock…”

“That’s… ok,” Sunset said, glad that Selene wasn’t looking at her blush.

“So where is she?” Selene asked. “What else do I have to say for you to call her?”

Sunset leaned back. “She’s not here,” she said evenly. “She’s at home, doing a research paper.”

Selene looked up at her and mouthed silently for a moment. “Then why did you tell me to come here?”

“Because I wanted to talk to you first,” Sunset replied, a bit too quickly. “I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t hurt her, again.”

“H-How dare you?”

“How dare I?!” Sunset said, standing up. “Do you have any idea how broken Trixie was after her own father kicked her out and her own mother told her to apologize to him?! She and I were going through some serious stuff back then and I still was there to collect the pieces!” She huffed angrily, glaring down at Selene. “And where were you? In the comfort of your house, feeling like it was totally ok to do that to your daughter.” She snorted. “And it only took you, what? four months to finally put on your big girl pants and recognize you fucked up?”

Selene could only look at Sunset, eyes widen and mouth slightly agape. When Sunset had finished, she was looking down at her own knees.

“You’re right,” she finally said, barely above a whisper. “You’re right, I get it.” She sniffed and pursed her trembling lips as she looked up, tears running down her reddened cheeks.

“Do you, though?” Sunset asked, unable to contain herself. “Do you really understand she’s gay and she won’t change just because you say so?”

Selene cringed slightly, but held Sunset’s gaze. “Yes, I do. I may not agree, but she’s my daughter, and I love her.”

“I love her, too,” Sunset said, then sat back down. “I love her just enough to yell at her mother, mind you.”

Selene chuckled, taken by surprise by the sudden joke.

“I want to trust you, Selene,” Sunset said, leaning forward a little. “I want to believe you really want to put aside your prejudices and just hug Trixie and tell her you love her no matter what. Just because that’s how it should be.” She regarded Selene for a moment, trying to study her facial expressions and body language.

After a long while, she nodded. “I can take a day off tomorrow. I’ll see you at Canterlot Mall’s food court at this hour. Trixie’ll be there, of course.”

Selene breathed out, as if she had been holding back her breath, and smiled from ear to ear. “Thank you, Sunset.”

“But,” Sunset said as she raised a finger. “If you hurt Trixie, I’ll make sure you never see her again.”

Without even thinking it over, Selene nodded.

~~~~~~~~

“Why did I even agree to this?” Trixie asked to herself after she nervously sipped on her chocolate milkshake.

Sunset had told Trixie what had happened the day before, and how Selene seemed truly apologetic. It had taken a lot of convincing, but Trixie had agreed to see her mother in the end.

They were now in the center of the food court at Canterlot Mall. There were so many people they had been lucky to find a free table. While they waited, Sunset had brought a pair of milkshakes, chocolate for Trixie and strawberry for herself.

“Because you want to see your mom,” Sunset replied softly.

Trixie rolled her eyes. “You know, I’m still mad at you,” she said before sipping on her milkshake again. “You know how hard it is to avoid someone that is actively looking for you? And you just go and tell her you’ll help her!”

“We already talked about it, Trix,” Sunset replied. “Besides, you never told me she had been going to CHS. I can’t read minds, you know?”

“Well you should!”

Sunset breathed out heavily through her nose. “Trixie, honey,” she began, taking Trixie’s hands and wrapping them with her own. “If you really don’t want to do this, we can just leave.” She gazed into Trixie’s eyes and gave her hands a soft squeeze. “But I still think you should at least try to talk to her. If she acts like an idiot again, then we know it was just a charade, but if she really is sorry and willing to apologize and accept you for who you are, then you’ll have your mom back. And I think that’s worth the risk.”

Trixie pursed her lips for a moment before offering her a half smile.

“Fine, but if this whole thing fails horribly, you will regret it,” Trixie said.

Sunset offered her a tiny smile. She looked around, seeing people talking and walking by. She noticed some people had t-shirts with designs that reminisced her to a certain red gemstone. Some of them were listening to some music on their phones, although Sunset couldn’t quite recognize it.

She considered telling Trixie, but right then she spotted Selene among the crowd and raised an arm to get her attention. She felt Trixie tense up so she squeezed her hand in an attempt to give her some confidence.

Trixie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with,” she said before standing up.

She barely got the chance to turn around before Selene quite literally tackled her and trapped her in a tight hug. Trixie’s first reaction was to squirm away, but then she felt her mom’s body spasm in short hiccups and heard her soft and quivery gasps, and stopped.

“Oh Trixie, I missed you so much,” Selene whispered through ragged breathing. “I’m sorry for what I did and said the last time we met. I’m sorry, Trixie.” She tightened the hug as if she was holding on to Trixie for dear life.

Trixie didn’t move, she wanted to hug her back, but they had been in this exact situation the last time they met, and it hadn’t ended well. Last time, Trixie had let her mom decide the duration of the embrace, this time, Trixie was the first one to step away.

Trixie regarded her mom in silence, looking her up and down a few times over. “Hi,” she said, and let the silence become as uncomfortable as possible.

“I-I…” Selene stuttered. “T-Trixie, I don’t know what to say, what to do… I…”

“Hey,” Sunset chimed in, getting both of them to turn to her. “Why don’t you sit down and talk?”

Trixie frowned and obliged, sitting next at Sunset’s right. Selene sat down right in front of Trixie, at Sunset’s left.

Sunset felt like she was being used as a sort of wall.

“Sunset says you had a sudden change of heart,” Trixie finally spoke up, crossing her arms and leaning back. “And for some strange reason she’s under the delusion that I should give a damn.”

It was an interesting sight, Sunset thought, how Selene’s whole body struggled to contain an explosive need to scold Trixie for how she was talking to her. She had to give credit where credit was due, though, as Selene remained silent, prepared to let Trixie vent.

“I want to make it clear now, mother,” Trixie continued, trying her very best to make an annoyed voice. “I won’t talk to that poor excuse of a father until he fully compensates my friend and her family for letting me stay with them for so long, and is ready to kneel at my feet begging forgiveness.”

Selene mouthed silent words for a moment. “I… I think that’s fair…” she said.

Trixie frowned. “And I want you to know I’m gay,” she said, emphasising that last word with a lower speed. “I’m gay and I love Sunset, and it’s not a phase, and if you ever dare even look at me wrong because of it, I swear not even Sunset will convince me to give you another chance.”

With her threat in place, Trixie fell silent, cautiously observing Selene’s reactions. According to Sunset, Selene seemed truly guilty, but Trixie still needed to confirm it herself.

Selene placed both hands on the table and looked down. “Sunset told me more or less the same thing, and I had all night to think about it.” She then looked up at Trixie and gave her a tiny smile. “Do you think I’d be here if I’m not willing to accept you for who you are?”

“I don’t know you anymore,” Trixie replied instantly. “I always knew my father would act like a complete asshole, but I had my doubts about you, and last time we met, for a very brief moment I thought I...” Her voice softened and almost became a whisper in the last words. “I thought you’d support me…”

“I’m sorry, Trixie…”

Trixie sniffed loudly and pursed her lips. “You know, it was a good thing in hindsight. Had you acted like a sensible human being back then, you would’ve convinced me to come back to live with you again and I’d be miserable again.” She then extended an arm and side hugged Sunset. “But instead I’m living with Sunset, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Selene looked at Sunset with widened eyes.

“Yep,” Sunset replied the unasked question. “I asked her to move in with me a few days ago. It isn’t the biggest place, but it’s enough for the two of us.”

“The… two of you?” Selene asked. “Oh, that’s right. You said you live alone.”

Sunset snickered slightly. “Well, not anymore.”

Selene did her best not to cringe at that. “Right.”

Trixie gave Sunset a very slow kiss on her cheek, dangerously close to her lips, and leaned back.

Clearing her throat in an attempt to hide her blush, Sunset spoke up. “So, Selene, I think you’d like to know Trixie’s career as a magician has been having pretty good results. I’m confident by the moment she finishes High School she’ll be able to start performing professionally in big stages.”

Selene looked from Sunset to Trixie, and gave a slight chuckle. “Of course…” she muttered to herself before giving Trixie a warm smile. “So you’re following your dream after all. I always thought it was a risky choice, but if it’s working out, then you have all my support.”

Trixie frowned. “Wow, you really are trying hard. I clearly remember you agreeing with my father that being a magician was a stupid little girl’s dream.”

“I’m allowed to change my mind,” Selene replied, straightening up. She then cleared her throat. “I mean, I’d still like you to go to college, call it a mother’s nature if you will…”

With a roll of her eyes and a loud huff, Trixie crossed her arms again. “If I ever want or need to, I will do what I must. Right now, I’m dead set on my goal of becoming the world’s best magician.”

Selene made a face she quickly tried to hide. “Trixie, I know you’re now just trying to get me to say something that’ll give you a reason to leave. I already told you I’m sorry, and I already said I accept and respect you and your choices, even if I don’t agree quite yet. But above all that, I love you, and I don’t want to disappear from your life.” She inhaled sharply and leaned over, intertwining her fingers in a sort of pleading way. “Please, tell me what do I have to do to convince you of that?”

Trixie snorted. “Well, if you really want to know. You could pay off all the clothes Rarity made for me. I remind you I was kicked out with nothing but my pajamas. And yeah I also ate their food and overall made them spend extra money.” She leaned in, placing her still crossed arms on the table, and narrowed her eyes. “And you know who else is been spending money because of me? Sunset. Do you have any idea how much it costs to do all the things she does in order to get me performances? She won’t tell me, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

Selene inhaled sharply and closed her eyes.

“Yeah, thought so,” Trixie said as she leaned back and looked away.

“It’s not that I don’t want to do that,” Selene quickly said. “It’s just… I-It’ll take me a while.” She saw Trixie raise an eyebrow and let out a deep sigh. “The truth is… Your father and I are… taking a break.”

Caught by surprise, Trixie straightened up. “What?”

Selene looked away. “He is really stubborn. I tried, many times, to convince him that what we did to you was just not right…” She hung her head and closed her eyes, furrowing her brow before continuing. “We argued day in and day out, and… I decided I needed time to think. So I’m currently living with your Aunt Merrymoon.”

“Of course I still have money,” Selene continued. “But you know pretty well I don’t earn nearly as much as your father. I have to save it up in case things never get better.” She then quickly looked up at Trixie again and offered her a nervous smile. “But I still want to repay your friend, and you as well, Sunset!” She quickly looked at Sunset before turning back to Trixie. “Just tell me how much and we can work on a monthly payment and-”

“No need,” Trixie interrupted her, and Sunset noticed she sounded quite annoyed. “I don’t want your money.”

Selene cocked her head. “But you said-”

“I was testing you,” Trixie said evenly and looked away, crossing her arms again. “I think… I can give you a second chance, after all…” A huge smile formed in Selene’s face and tears started to appear in the corners of her eyes as her cheeks reddened. “Yeah, well, we’re busy.” She stood up. “We got things to do. See you around.” And with that, she quickly walked away.

Sunset stood up and looked at Selene. “We’ll uh… We’ll keep in touch,” she said before going to catch up with Trixie.

“Hey, Trix!” Sunset called her out. “Trix, wait up!” She finally caught Trixie, placing a hand on her shoulder to make her stop. “That went better than expected ey?”

Trixie turned around, having to lift her face to look at Sunset. Her face was rigid and her lips trembling. She didn’t let Sunset react before she hugged her and tried to bury her face in Sunset’s chest.

“Trix?” Sunset asked as she hugged Trixie back, and for some reason, Trixie felt smaller, more delicate, as if she would break if she hugged her any harder. Then she heard Trixie sobbing. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I was so scared…” Trixie whimpered. “I just kept giving her reasons to snap and I thought she would yell at me o-or she would say something humiliating or-”

Sunset gently placed a hand on the back of Trixie’s head and quietly shushed. “It’s ok, Trix. Everything’s alright.” She heard Trixie’s ragged breathing and caressed her head. “I’m sorry I put you through this, but I knew it was for the best. She is sorry, and she wants to make it up to you. Even if your dad is still an asshole, this is a victory in my book.”

That got a chuckle from Trixie, who leaned back just enough to look up at her. “Thank you, Sunny,” she said and started to stand on her toes.

With a small smile, Sunset leaned down and kissed Trixie, never ending the hug, never wanting to get away.

~~~~~~~~

It had been three days since Sunset and Trixie had last gone to Shimmer’s house. Fortunately, Twilight kept constant communication with Sunset, always updating on the situation. Apparently, the siren hadn’t noticed their absence, and was talking with Shimmer like she always did with Sunset.

That gave them both peace of mind, knowing that everything was still going well. And it helped them relax; they both knew they needed it.

And like so, they were now sitting on Sunset’s couch, watching some random action movie on Sunset’s laptop, which sat neatly on the coffee table. Sunset was resting on the armrest, and Trixie was leaning on Sunset, resting her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Why do they always run in front of whatever’s chasing them instead of out of the way?” Trixie asked with a bored tone.

“He’s in an alley, Trix,” Sunset replied softly. “There is no out of the way.”

Trixie huffed. “You know what I mean.” Sunset chuckled, but said nothing else. Trixie hummed as a car nearby the protagonist exploded and quite miraculously did not kill him. “Hey, Sunny?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you stop teasing me?”

Sunset groaned slightly, her left hand had been spending the past twenty minutes or so idly caressing Trixie’s bossom. “Do I have to?” Trixie hummed affirmatively. “Oh come on, Trix, you know this is my favorite thing to do in the world.”

Trixie grabbed Sunset’s hand and gently took it away from underneath her t-shirt. “Yes, I know, but I can’t concentrate on the movie. Afterward, well...”

“Party pooper,” Sunset muttered as she relocated her hand around Trixie’s waist. There was an explosion on the laptop screen and some more shootings. Sunset hadn’t really been paying much attention to the movie, and now Trixie had taken away her only entertainment. “Say, how’s your little project going on?”

Rolling her eyes, Trixie shifted to look up at Sunset. “You’re not going to let me watch the movie, are you?” Sunset shook her head mischievously. Trixie sighed, then leaned forward to pause the movie and back to Sunset. “So, Adagio says Shimmer is opening up.”

“Really now?”

“Mhm.” Trixie shifted to take her phone from a pocket and tapped on it a couple times. “‘Sunset didn’t flee today’,” she read. “‘And she gave me a compliment without me giving her one first’.” Trixie giggled and looked up at Sunset again. “Give it two weeks before they become a couple again.”

Sunset smiled but retained a curious look in her eyes. “Why are you doing this again? I mean, I get helping a friend is good and all, but…”

“Because I promised her,” Trixie replied. “Besides, Shimmer may still be a massive bitch, but she’s been changing. Her injury humbled her down some, and who knows? Maybe some TLC is just what she needs.”

Sunset puffed. “If you say so.”

Trixie snuggled Sunset. “Can we go back to watching the movie?”

“But you know how it’ll end,” Sunset whined. “Good guy wins and gets the lady.”

“Yes, but if the story is good, it’s worth knowing the end,” Trixie replied as she leaned in to unpause the video. “Besides,” she said, looking back at Sunset. “When it ends, we can continue what you started.”

As Trixie leaned back again, Sunset couldn’t help but smile.

~~~~~~~~

It was the last day Sunset had been told to leave Shimmer’s house. Tomorrow they’d return and get back to work. According to Twilight, Dusk had started to act a bit weirder than usual. She hadn’t given more information, saying it was probably just her imagination, but Sunset was now anxious to return.

Fortunately, the constant purr of her bike made her feel at ease. She had managed to make it work at last, and she had even taken it to a few laps around the flat field. Sure it wobbled a bit and the suspension was stiff, but the bike worked, and it was hers.

Today, after some tinkering, the bike felt much better, and Sunset decided to take it to the beginner’s field.

“Sunset, please reconsider,” Lightning Dust told her worriedly. “That thing was literal trash last week. Sure it worked fine yesterday, but it doesn’t look solid enough to handle the jumps. You’ll hurt yourself.”

As Lightning talked, Sunset was donning a borrowed suit, green with black stripes and white sides. She grabbed the helmet, also borrowed, put it on, and lifted the visor. “Chill, Dust. It’ll be alright. Besides, my girlfriend and her mom will be watching, and this’ll be the best spectacle I can give them.”

Lightning groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Geez you sound just like Stinger when he met that girl Vapor Trail.” She shook her head. “Listen, hot stuff, if you really want to do this, then at least try not to overdo it. One strange noise, and you stop the bike, ok?”

“Sure thing, Dust,” Sunset said and kicked turned on the engine. The bike roared with no coughs, which made Sunset smile behind the helmet. She began walking in wide steps, slowly moving the bike towards the start of the beginners’ field.

Turning her head a bit to her right, she saw Trixie sitting on the bleachers with Selene sitting an arm away. Sunset smiled, kicked her bike and accelerated.

“And she just fixed it?” Selene asked, looking worriedly at Sunset as she approached the first jump. “Why not buy a new one?”

Trixie shrugged, never looking directly at her mom. “She likes challenges.”

“But you said the bike was basically just broken down parts, right?” Selene continued. “And it took her months, as well.”

“Yeah, well, once Sunset sets her mind on something, she won’t stop until it’s firing on all cylinders,” Trixie replied evenly, then added on a much softer voice. “I should know…”

Selene gave Trixie a side look, then turned just in time to see Sunset land roughly and wobble for a second before speeding up again. “She is… quite determined, I see.”

Trixie hummed with a bit of annoyance. “People saw junk and trash, she saw a treasure,” she said as she crossed her arms.

Selene kept looking at Sunset, who was started her second lap. She was idly twirling and intertwining her fingers, only stopping when Trixie spoke up. She turned several times to look at Trixie, but could never really meet her eyes.

“Trixie,” she started, mouthing silent words as she organized her thoughts. “I’m glad that you had Sunset to support you. She really is a nice girl, responsible and kind. I… I think she’ll do you a lot of good.”

Trixie didn’t look at her.

“And of course, you can do her a lot of good, as well,” Selene added. “You’re smart, proactive, and decisive. You, too, make an effort to see things to completion, and I’m proud of you.”

And yet, Trixie still didn’t look at her.

Selene looked at Trixie nervously, then at Sunset’s wobbling form, and back at Trixie. “H-Hey, do you remember my friend Jubilee from poker night? Her daughter’s birthday is coming up soon and she’s looking for a good magician…”

Trixie finally looked at her, if only for a second. “Talk to my manager.” Selene opened her mouth to keep talking, but Trixie stood up and walked down the bleachers, reaching the field’s finish line just as Sunset pulled over.

“Hey,” she said after Sunset stopped and took off her helmet. “How’s the bike working?”

Sunset smiled broadly. “Just perfect,” she replied as she patted the handle. “I turned this lion into a tamed kitten. I’m even considering naming her, any ideas?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Really? Name a bike?” Sunset nodded furiously, making Trixie laugh a bit. “I don’t know, Sunny. I’m bad at naming inanimate objects.”

Sunset shrugged and turned of the engine, then put the bike on neutral. “So, how’re things going with Selene?” She asked as she got off the bike, placing the helmet on the handle.

“Good, I guess,” Trixie replied with a shrug. “She’s really trying, and I appreciate it, but… I don’t think I’m ready to forgive her just yet.”

Sunset gently placed a hand on Trixie’s cheek and caressed her with her thumb. “You go at your own speed. She can wait.”

Trixie smiled, then narrowed her eyes. “Sunset Shimmer, I hope you’re actually not smearing my face with oil and grease.”

At that, Sunset bleached and her smile disappeared as she retrieved her hand. “H-Hey, Dust?” She yelled.

“What?!” Lightning Dust yelled back.

“I want to be buried with my bike!”

“... What?!”

Trixie snorted and quickly stepped on her toes to give Sunset a quick peck. “You’re such a dork.”

Sunset hugged Trixie by the waist. “But really, I must say you look positively beautiful with a black smudge in your left cheek. Is that a new trend? Very in season.”

“Shut up,” Trixie said giggling. She opened her mouth, but closed it when she saw, through the corner of her eye, her mom approaching, and instead circled her hands around Sunset’s neck and turned to Selene with a frown.

Selene regarded them with curiosity for a moment. “Thank you for inviting me,” she said. “I’ve never been interested in sports of any sort, but I can see why people like them.” She looked at Sunset from top to bottom and smiled. “Those colors don’t suit you, I’m afraid, but you still look like a racer.”

Sunset smiled. “Thanks. I’m still debating whether to become a racer or stay a mechanic, though. I like doing both, after all.”

With a loud huff, Trixie stepped back and passed a hand through her hair. “So I have to finish my paper for science class,” she told Sunset. “Can we go home now?”

“S-Sure…” Sunset said as she looked between Trixie and Selene. “Just let me change back into my clothes, ok?” She said, then grabbed her bike and took it to the garage, leaving Selene and Trixie alone once more.

“She’s very down to earth,” Selene noted.

Finally, Trixie turned to her, sporting a scowl. “Can you stop trying so hard? I get that you’re sorry, but worshipping me and my girlfriend is not really helping.”

Selene’s mouth was a thin line, and her eyes were widened in surprise.

“This whole thing is weird, ok?” Trixie continued. “Being able to freely say the things I always thought in front of you, act the way I really am…” She sighed. “I just need time.”

“I’m sorry,” Selene replied. “I’ll try not to be so insistent in the future.”

Trixie nodded, but before she could answer, she saw that girl Lightning Dust approach her.

“Hey,” Lightning said. “Your name’s Trixie, right? Listen, I gotta go, got some stuff to do, so can you give Sunset a message?”

“Sure, I guess.”

Lightning smiled. “So, we’re all going to the Dazzling’s concert next month, and we thought you and Sunset could come with us,” she explained. “Afterwards we could go grab a beer or somethin’.”

Trixie blanched and stepped back, feeling cold sweat running down her face.

“Trixie?” Selene called her. “Are you feeling alright?”

Trixie looked at her mom, then at Lighting Dust, who had a concerned frown. “Y-Yeah…” she lied. “Just got a little dizzy…” She then looked at Lightning. “Sure, I’ll tell her…”

“Cool,” Lightning said. “See you then!” And with that, she left.

It had been a week of distractions, Trixie realized. Playing matchmaker with Adagio and Shimmer, her mom wanting to meet her, school projects… She had almost forgotten what was going on!

The Dazzlings had not been wasting time, and they had to stop them somehow. She and Sunset had to return to Shimmer’s house and start moving.

Otherwise, nothing that happened during the week would matter anymore.

“Trixie?” Selene called her. “Are you ok?”

Trixie blinked and turned to her mom. “Yeah I… I need to go get Sunset,” she said and ran towards the garage.

They had to start planning, stat.

Author's Note

A much needed chapter, where things take a turn away from the the whole siren business... Except it doesn't! Dun dun duuuun!

13- Abduce

Chapter 13. Abduce.

Sunset and Trixie had discussed all night about their next plan of action, and as the hours went by, they even got the rest of the girls in a video conference through Sunset’s laptop. It was frightening how quickly and seamlessly the sirens were influencing everyone.

It took a lot of time, and some of the girls got scolded for staying up so late, but they finally got to a series of agreements and compromises.

First, their test of having Sunset out of the house for a week had cleared her from suspicion, so she was allowed back.

Second, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Twilight couldn’t keep going to the house every day, so they would be taking turns to visit during the week, and planning ‘sleepovers’ during the weekends.

Sunset took the opportunity to suggest that she’d stay full time at the house, only leaving in the afternoons for her mechanic job. She’d ask Flim and Flam to send her the documents via e-mail so she could do home office.

It took a while, but everyone agreed.

“Alright, here’s the copy,” Shimmer said, giving Sunset a key. “Just remember, feeding that thing without us agreeing-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sunset said, snatching the key.. “Let’s go inside already,” she said as she walked to the front door of Shimmer’s house. “I want to see what the siren’s been writing.”

“I thought Twilight sent you pictures?” Shimmer asked.

“Yes, but there’s a lot more written that I want to take a look at.”

Trixie closed the trunk of Shimmer’s car and grabbed the handle of a big blue wheeled traveling case. Of course Trixie had insisted on staying at the house with Sunset.

That part was a little trickier, though. Transportation from Shimmer’s house to Canterlot was scarce, and more so in the mornings. After some consideration, they had deemed it appropriate to call Principal Celestia and ask.

It had been another one-hour long argument, but the circumstances were exceptional, so Principal Celestia had finally agreed to let Trixie stop coming to school with some excuse about an accident or something, as long as she turned in her homework and projects through the girls, and she’d have to go to take the exams.

“Why the fascination with the diary?” Shimmer asked as Sunset opened the door.

Sunset shrugged. “You never know what will be useful in the future.”

Once inside, the first thing Sunset saw was Adagio. The three sisters had been refusing to go to Principal Celestia’s place, and they had been staying at Shimmer’s house. They wanted to take an active part in defeating their doppelgangers and take their lives back. So one of the compromises had been to let them stay and help.

Adagio was sitting on a chair right in front of the one-way mirror, observing the siren. She had a notebook on her lap and a bored expression, but the thing that struck Sunset the most was that Adagio’s hair had been given a complete rework.

Before, it was just a mess; a direct result of the sirens’ actions and her time in captivity. But now, it looked fresh out of the stylist parlor. It wasn’t very long, and her natural curls made it look even shorter, barely reaching below her ears, but it still had quite a lot of volume, so she still looked pretty feminine.

“Hey,” Sunset said, getting Adagio’s attention. “How’s our prisoner behaving?”

Adagio regarded her for a moment, then looked a bit to the side at Shimmer, then back at Sunset. “I think she has a few loose screws,” she replied as Sunset got closer to the mirror. “She does nothing but write those odd symbols.”

Sunset looked closer. There were literal piles of paper sheets everywhere. Sure, writing with a crayon forced a bigger handwriting from the siren, but it still was a bit too much. It almost looked like Dusk was trying to write a novel.

“Tell me again why do you think your plan will work,” Adagio said.

“I’m not sure it will,” Sunset replied. “But I think it’s worth a try. It’ll bring some familiarity to the siren, and it might help in lowering her defenses. And in the worst-case scenario, she’ll think nothing of it and I’ll just have to work harder.”

Sunset had pushed her argument further, and they all had agreed, albeit begrudgingly; They would try to get Dusk to help them stop the sirens from enslaving everyone and potentially ending the world. And the way they would do it was to teach her about morals, good, evil, and whatnot.

It was going to be a challenge, but it was their best shot. And they were running out of time, with the Dazzling’s second concert looming closer each passing day. And even if turning Dusk to the good side failed, they were going to think of alternatives that wouldn’t risk anyone getting hurt again.

Adagio sighed through her nose, pursing her lips. “Just be careful.”

Sunset nodded, then turned around to face Trixie. “You ready?” When Trixie nodded, she looked at Shimmer. “Alright, let’s do it then.”

After a few minutes of getting Trixie ready with the heavy getup, both of them were just outside the siren’s room, with Sunset holding a tray with a few sandwiches on it. Adagio knocked on the mirror, and after five seconds, they entered.

The siren, as always, had hurried to her mattress, waiting patiently for them to close the door. Once Trixie did so, Dusk looked up at them.

Dusk’s contempt smile widened and her eyes seemed to sparkle. “You’re back!”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Of course I am,” she replied instantly. “Here’s your food,” she said, laying the tray down on the chair for Dusk.

The siren nodded, her smile disappearing as she began eating. Sunset took this opportunity to grab a small stack of paper from one of the piles, and began reading.

Everything was in Old Ponish, and even though Sunset had been remembering her classes, it was still quite a challenge to decipher everything. Some words were completely foreign, and more than one sentence needed a few readings before Sunset could begin to understand what it was being said, but in the end, she managed to get the general idea.

Sure enough, the first few pages of every day were just a diary, mundane events like waking up with a sore neck, complaining and praising her own hair for being such a hassle to take care of and a marvel to look at at the same time, or just how bored she sometimes got with nothing better to do.

The rest of the pages were used to reminisce about what Sonata and Sunset had told her last week, and how she was still struggling to understand. A particular paragraph near the end told Sunset about how the siren was starting to consider that maybe the other sirens were in the wrong.

A smile almost formed in Sunset’s face, until she read the last paragraph. This one was a bit smaller than the rest, and it was cramped in the last page as a sort of after-thought ‘hungry’. Sunset read it carefully, and quickly remembered the plan she had shared with the girls.

She brought down the papers and looked at Dusk, who was munching with the same enthusiasm a child has when doing chores.

Sunset took a deep breath before she spoke up.

“Vi yu ar?” Sunset asked, noticing her pronunciation was quite slow and rusty.

“Grazenvol” Dusk replied absentmindedly, then stopped and perked up, looking at Sunset with widened eyes. “Ponish naeg yu ar?”

Sunset nodded. She had thought that speaking Old Ponish with the siren could help in lowering her defenses, and she had shared this idea with the girls last night. And, so far, it was working as Dusk hadn’t even registered the language switch until she had already answered.

Hungry, the siren had replied. It was the same thing that was written in that last paragraph, and Sunset couldn’t ignore the slight pressure in her chest.

“But I don’t speak very well,” Sunset continued in slow and robotic stammers.

Dusk lowered her half-eaten sandwich, still looking at Sunset with surprise and mild curiosity. “I thought Equestrians didn’t speak Ponish anymore.”

Sunset made a face, concentrating as much as she could in order to understand the words Dusk pronounced with natural speed and flow. Old Ponish was a rough and guttural language, completely different from normal English, and even if she could read the siren’s writing with relative ease, her listening skill fell short. None of her teachers pronounced it as naturally as Dusk did.

“We don’t,” Sunset replied. “but some of us study it.”

Dusk acknowledged it and turned to her sandwich, giving it another apathetic bite.

Sunset pursed her lips as she struggled to remember the correct pronunciation of the words that floated in her mind. “I think… I thought about what you say, Sunset began slowly, getting Dusk’s attention once again. “I kn- want to…” She sighed in defeat and switched back to English. “About what you said last week…”

Licking her lips nervously, Sunset took a deep breath. “I don’t quite understand how it works. Can you survive solely on food or not?”

For a moment, Dusk just remained there, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a bitten piece of bread on a hand. She scrunched her face and cocked her head a little. “I like food, but nothing beats feeding.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “So you don’t… usually eat?”

Dusk narrowed her eyes, looking at Sunset like she was some strange abstract painting. “I do, but, like, just because food is tasty.” She then looked at the bread in her fingers. “But… I don’t know…”

“So even you’re not sure how it works?”

“I…” Dusk moved her head from side to side, inspecting the sandwich as if it were some kind of old artifact. “I’ve been feeding forever, so I don’t know, but… These days I’ve been hungry all the time. Food helps a little but I just can’t get enough…” She then turned to Sunset with a confused glare. “But when you let me feed… I was satisfied… I didn’t really need it again until maybe yesterday...”

Sunset leaned forward a bit. “So… you could go some time without food if you only fed on energy?”

At that, Dusk let out a tiny chuckle. “Well, yeah. I mean, Aria and I like to eat, she especially. But Adagio never eats. She says it’s a waste of time.”

“So you don’t need to eat? You only need to feed?”

“I guess?”

Sunset resisted the urge to face palm. “Well I guess you do need to feed after all…” she muttered barely loud enough to elicit a questioning stare from the siren. “Never mind,” she said. “Say, you said your plan is to return to Equestria, but… What then?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Sunset insisted. “If you manage to return, what is your plan? Keep feeding off negative energy? I believe you’ll only get another banishment if you try to pull that stunt again.”

Dusk pursed her lips. “What else is there?” She dropped the sandwich and leaned back, placing her hands on the floor a bit behind her. “I’m a siren. I’m supposed to make people fight and get stronger and make more people fight.”

“Then what?” Sunset asked tentatively.

“Then turn into a Windigo!” Dusk replied cheerily.

Color drained from Sunset as she heard those words. So the stories are true… she thought. She had been hoping that there was something fake about them, and the way Dusk acted added fuel to that hope. But now…

“W-Why though?” She asked.

Dusk, once again, regarded Sunset as if she had asked a difficult to understand philosophical question. “Because that’s what I’m supposed to do?” she replied slowly. “I am born, I feed and then I turn into a Windigo.”

“And then what?” Sunset urged, feeling cold sweat running down the sides of her face.

“And then…” Dusk frowned. “I don’t know. Then keep feeding?”

There was clear uncertainty in the siren’s answer, mixed with just a pinch of hesitance. Sunset picked on it and brought a hand to her mouth thoughtfully.

“Tell me something,” Sunset began, staring into space as she formulated questions in her mind. “Have you ever met other Windigos? What are they like?”

Dusk hummed for a moment. “They’re jerks,” she said simply. “They just go and hoard all the good places to feed!” She crossed her arms and pouted with a loud harrumph.

Sunset had not expected such a reaction. She mouthed silent words for a moment. “Care to elaborate?”

Making a face, Dusk huffed angrily. “Just because they’re strong they think they can take whatever they want. We always have to go somewhere else.” She mused for a moment, pursing her lips and looking away. “They don’t even talk. They just come and we leave. That’s how it is. And that’s why I gotta be one, so I can join them!”

“They don’t talk to you even though they were sirens before?” Sunset asked. Despite the growing void she was feeling in her stomach, she knew she had to keep inquiring about it. She was getting somewhere important, she reckoned.

Dusk hunched forward, still looking away, her frown softening a notch. “No…”

“Do you know why?”

Finally, Dusk looked back at Sunset again. “Uhm… Because they don’t want to?”

“Have you asked the other sirens about it?”

“Well…” Dusk bit her lower lip. “Not really. I never thought about it. Adagio says we have to focus on becoming Windigos and nothing else.”

Sunset let out a sigh. “So you don’t really know what will happen when you become a Windigo.”

“Yeah I know!” Dusk replied defensively. “We get to feed as much as we want!”

Shaking her head, Sunset decided to sit down on the floor, mirroring Dusk’s cross-legged posture. “Nowadays, Windigos are considered myths or tales by most,” she said with an even voice, looking straight into Dusk’s eyes. “No matter how well documented they are… Modern Equestrian history began with the advent of Windigos…”

“Really?” Dusk asked, her foul mood quickly replaced by sheer curiosity.

Sunset nodded slowly. “Millennia ago, the old pony land suffered a Windigo attack. Half the population fled to what today is known as Equestria.”

“And the other half?” Dusk asked with nothing but interest in her voice. “Are they still feeding the Windigos?”

“No,” Sunset replied as she closed her eyes. “None of them survived a week.”

Dusk cocked her head and frowned in confusion. “That doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t they survive? The whole point of feeding is having someone around to give us energy!”

“That’s because Windigos don’t feed,” Sunset replied. She then opened her eyes and regarded the siren. “They just arrive, attracted by negative energy, and bring with them blizzards that lay waste to the land until everything is gone.”

Dusk only stared at Sunset with a frown for a whole ten seconds. “That doesn’t make sense!” She repeated.

“I know,” Sunset replied. “Why would complex creatures such as yourself lose the thing that makes them different when they reach the next evolution level? And why would you strive to become mindless creatures that do nothing but circle around an area and fill it with snow?” Sunset covered her mouth thoughtfully. “And what’s even more mysterious, Windigos are basically all-powerful spirits, but according to the records, it only took three ponies sharing stories to fend against a Windigo attack. It’s too inconsistent.”

She regarded Dusk, who was glaring at her with rapt attention. “If I have to take a guess,” Sunset continued. “I’d say that the goal of becoming Windigos is more of an impulse. Like, a caterpillar knows it has to become a butterfly. But in your case, your final form is just a mindless force of nature, and you have the choice not to become one.” She stared right into Dusks eyes. “Tell me, Dusk, do you really want to be a brainless spirit that kills everything?”

Dusk cocked her head. “Well, Adagio always says I’m brainless. But if I don’t have a brain, how can I think?”

Sunset deadpanned.

“But I don’t understand,” Dusk continued. “Adagio says that we have to become Windigos, but you say Windigos are stupid, and Adagio is not stupid…”

“Well, I already told you,” Sunset replied hurriedly. “I think it’s just a natural impulse because it technically is a part of who you are. Maybe she doesn’t know either.”

“Maybe…” Dusk said, not sounding very convinced.”

Sunset made a face. “Hey, have you been thinking about what we discussed last week?”

Dusk looked up at Sunset. “Yeah…”

“And have you come up with an answer?”

Dusk cocked her head and looked up, humming. “Well… I don’t really like how my sisters call me stupid all the time…”

Sunset perked up. “How does that make you feel?”

“I…” Dusk bit her lower lip. “I feel sad.”

“Do you like being sad?”

“Of course not!” Dusk replied with a frown.

Sunset leaned forward. “You know, when you make people fight each other, they feel sad afterward.”

Dusk blinked in surprise. “They do?”

Sunset nodded. “Sure they’re angry and fight and produce all that energy that you feed on. But when you leave and the hypnosis wears off, those people start feeling sad precisely because they argued and fought with their friends. Do you understand?”

“I think…”

“Just think about that,” Sunset continued. “For example, your human versions.” That made Dusk look straight at Sunset. “As Sonata told you last time, she and her sisters were really sad when they were in that basement. Tell me, how would you feel if it had been you back there?”

Dusk made a face and hunched. “Uhm… I would feel bad. That place was scary…”

“So, would you send Sonata and her sisters back there again?”

“Uhm…” Dusk looked away, humming, and after ten full seconds, she looked back at Sunset. “No…”

“Why not?” Sunset insisted.

“Because…” Dusk bit her lower lip. “Because they would feel sad…”

Sunset noticed Dusk still sounded hesitant, but there was a spark of understanding in her voice she couldn’t ignore. She had to try a little more.

With a nod, Sunset continued. “What about the other sirens?”

Dusk cocked her head. “Uhm… Well, Adagio said we had to keep them there, so maybe she doesn’t know they get… sad…” She frowned. “But… Adagio is smart, she knows everything. She has to know they get sad, right?” She crossed her arms and leaned a little to her left, looking at Sunset with her head hanging to the side. “But that doesn’t make sense…”

Dusk hummed and kept leaning to either side, and as seconds passed, she looked more troubled. Sunset decided she had to let the siren consider the ideas that now flooded her head and check back on her later.

So she stood up and regarded Dusk one last time. “I’ll let you think, I’ll be back for dinner time.” Dusk barely acknowledged her, and Sunset smiled to herself. “Luzen yu,” she said and turned around to leave.

~~~~~~~~

“I thought you were crazy,” Aria said. She was standing in front of the one-way mirror, looking at the siren with a frown. Much like Adagio, she had gotten a haircut, but unlike her, she had decided to try a new look. Her right side had been machine-shaved, and the rest had been left long enough to reach her cheekbones. “But your plan might be working alright.”

Sunset was sitting on a couch, a laptop on her lap as she worked on the documents Flim and Flam had sent her. She looked up to Aria. “What makes you say so?”

“Well, she’s always drawing those symbols, but since you spoke that weird language to her, she has been there, sitting and thinking.”

“I don’t think it was because of me speaking Old Ponish to her,” Sunset admitted. “But I’m glad to know she’s considering what we discussed.”

“Yeah!” Sonata said. She was sitting at the dining table with Trixie, both were eating some sandwiches. Much like her sisters, she had gotten her hair fixed, and on her part, she had decided to get bangs and just leave her hair to grow again. “I told you evil-me would understand!”

Trixie giggled. “Well, if she understands, then she won’t be so evil anymore.”

“We can only hope,” Sunset said.

Sonata stopped mid chew. “... Wait, if she’s not evil anymore, will we both be Sonata again?”

“I think it’ll be better to leave things as they are,” Adagio replied as she walked from the hallway, rubbing a towel on her wet hair. “Shower’s free, if anyone wants to use it,” she said, looking around the place. “Did Sunset say when she was coming back?”

“Why won’t you call her ‘Shimmer’?” Trixie asked. “It gets confusing with Sunset here.”

“Because you understand who I’m referring to,” Adagio replied simply.

Trixie rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. “She’s supposed to come back any minute, why don’t you go wait for her in the bedroom?”

Adagio heated up, and her cheeks became a soft shade of red. The girls laughed heartily, Aria being the loudest. “I swear I’ll get you for this, Lulamoon,” she hissed, and Trixie replied by blowing a raspberry at her.

The sound of a car parking grabbed the girls’ attention. Adagio inhaled sharply by reflex, eliciting another round of laughter, to which she could only blush. A moment later, the front door opened, and in came Shimmer.

“Hey, Sunset!” Aria called her with a big smirk on her face. “Adagio wants to tell you somethin’!”

“Shut your mouth!” Adagio barked, making Aria laugh a lot more in response. She turned to Shimmer sheepishly. “Ignore her. How was your… trip?” She said, noticing that Shimmer wasn’t looking at her. In fact, she wasn’t looking at anything.

Sonata cocked her head. “Are you alright? You look kinda pale.”

But Shimmer didn’t even acknowledge her. Adagio was about to ask again, when a familiar voice sounded from behind Shimmer.

“Well, ain’t this a cozy place to hide?” the raspy voice said.

Sunset quickly stood up, feeling a freezing chill run down her entire body. She looked around, and saw Adagio frozen in place, having dropped the towel, and staring horrified at the uninvited guest. Sunset barely managed to straighten up when a young, terribly familiar girl entered the house.

Aria Blaze, the siren.

The siren pushed Shimmer aside and casually walked to the middle of the room, looking down at each and every one of the girls. Her grin was small and toothy, and she stood with the same confidence as a lion in her den.

Sunset tried to move, to get to the airhorns that were sitting at the coffee table right in front of her, but her body refused to obey her, she couldn’t even stop looking at the siren, who regarded her with a curious look. And before Sunset could even begin to think of a plan, the siren opened her mouth.

And everything was fine.

14- Alliance

Chapter 14. Alliance.

Everything around Sunset felt like a dream, an illusion cast by her subconscious mind to help her rest and recover. Her actions and everything around her happened at a hastened pace, yet at the same time, it felt like time was moving slower than usual. Her vision seemed to be blurry by the edges, but she could never quite be sure if it was because her eyes were always narrowed, or if it was something else.

Light, shadows, and colors all moved in front of her, and even though she could understand everything that went on in front of her, she also had the impression that something was off. It was as if a part of her mind, foggy and dense, was trying to tell her that whatever she was seeing was not right. But for some reason, Sunset saw no reason to listen to that part of her. Why would she? Everything was fine.

And then she woke up, startled, feeling as if she had been sleeping for a whole day and suddenly someone had screamed her name right in her ear. She took a deep breath, her lungs feeling heavy and oppressed, and leaned back, suddenly aware that she was standing, instead of laying.

As she recovered from her stupor and her eyes cleared from the groggy myst of slumber, Sunset was met with the face of Sonata Dusk, who was looking at her with slightly widened eyes.

“What-” Sunset said, feeling her throat hoarse and lips dry. She took a careful, defensive step back as she cleared her throat, glaring cautiously at Dusk. She looked beyond the siren and around, and she quickly realized that she was in the siren’s very pink room, although it was messy. Clothes and books and other objects were all randomly scattered throughout the whole place, as if a tornado had gone through it.

A look to her left let her see the other girls, Trixie, Shimmer, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, all standing in a perfect line, all of them staring into space with narrowed eyes.

Sunset’s heart was racing in her chest as she turned back to look at Dusk. “What’s going on?” She asked in a low, cautious voice.

Dusk made a face. “I need your help,” she said, then quickly looked at her open door and back to Sunset. “I’m hungry and I’ve been trying to convince Aria that becoming Windigos is not a good idea, but she won’t listen to me!”

Sunset blinked, confused. “What?”

“She says we just have to obey Adagio, and, like, yeah that’s what we’re supposed to do,” Dusk continued. “But I got to thinking. Maybe even though Adagio is the smartest girl ever, even she doesn’t know everything, right? And maybe she doesn’t know Windigos are stupid, right? So I’ve been trying to convince Aria to help me convince Adagio, but Aria says I’m too stupid to know what I’m talking about, so I want you to tell her!”

Once again, Sunset blinked. “... What?”

Dusk regarded Sunset for a moment. “Tell Aria Windigos are stupid!”

Sunset brought her hands to her face and took a deep breath. She looked up for a moment and, as she breathed out, she looked at Dusk again. “Dusk, the last thing I remember is Aria Blaze coming to the house, and now we’re here. Could you please explain what happened?” She asked, trying to sound calm and composed.

“Sure!” Dusk said happily. “Aria cast an obedience spell on you all and made you let me out. She was going to leave you there until you either starved or the spell wore off, but I told her I wanted you all to be with me, so here you are!”

“Alright…” Sunset said slowly. She was unnerved by how casually Dusk talked about things like death, but she had to push that thought away and concentrate on the here and now. “Now answer me this: why do you think Blaze is going to listen to me?”

Dusk cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t she? You know a lot more about Windigos than us!”

Sunset resisted the urge to facepalm. “I don’t think that’s how it’ll work out, Dusk. In fact, I believe the moment she notices you undid her spell, she’ll just recast it.”

“But I didn’t undo it,” Dusk said. “I gave you a charm.”

“A charm?”

Dusk nodded and pointed to Sunset’s chest. Sunset looked down and used a hand to inspect herself. Sure enough, she was wearing some sort of intricate necklace that consisted on several tiny seashells, all carefully placed at an even distance from each other, with a slightly bigger one in the center. They all were laced with braided seaweed.

If Sunset focused on it, she could almost feel a hum coming from the whole thing.

She looked at Dusk. “What… is this?”

At that, Dusk grinned toothily. “Teehee!” She said with a childish mischievous giggle. “Adagio is the smartest and strongest and beautifulest, and Aria is the best at casting spells, but moi am the best at enchantments! Charms are my specialty!” She placed a fist on her chest proudly. “My charms will protect you from anything!”

Sunset glared at Dusk for a moment. “I have one question,” she said, noticing her voice trembling. “Do you think the other sirens will be ok with me having a charm?”

Dusk paused and looked up with a hum. “Well…”

Hesitance, not a good sign.

Sunset stepped forward and placed her hands on Dusk’s shoulders. “Listen, I want to help you,” she said almost in a whisper. “But not here, not now.”

“How?” Dusk asked, suddenly looking apprehensive. “You’re right, when Aria sees the charm-”

“Then we have to make sure she doesn’t,” Sunset said quickly. “Unless… Can she feel it?”

Dusk shook her head. “Charms negate our magic. To us they don’t even exist.”

Weird way to put it, Sunset thought. She stepped back and hid the charm under her shirt, turning upwards the collar of her jacket for a better effect. “Alright, now… If we want a chance of convincing Blaze, we’ll need to take her in like we did with you.”

“No!” Dusk yelled and stepped back, covering her gem with both hands. She hunched over and began turning away in a protective way.

Sunset paused, surprised by such a sudden change in Dusk’s demeanor. “I-I didn’t mean it like that!” She quickly said. “I know how much you hated it, so I won’t do it to them too.” She was relieved to see Dusk visibly relax and turn her body back to her. “But we do need a way to take her there…” She absentmindedly placed a hand on the hidden necklace, and an idea occurred to her. “Say, where are the other sirens right now?”

“Oh, Aria’s out to grab something to eat. I think she’ll be back soon,” Dusk replied. “And Aria told me Adagio’s in Fillydelphia for something about our concert? I didn’t get it, but Aria said she’ll be back tomorrow.”

“So, right now, it’s just us,” Sunset said, and Dusk nodded. “Can you make more charms for my friends?”

Dusk smiled proudly. “Of course I can!”

Sunset smiled as well. “How long does it take?”

“Well…” Dusk replied, placing a finger on her lips and looking up. “Yours took me about three hours. Fingers are really convenient!” She added happily.

Sunset’s smile faded and she bit her lower lip. Three hours was a lot of time, and if that had taken Dusk just to make one charm… Just how much time had it been since Blaze hypnotized them? She shook her head, she could think about it later, right now she needed a plan.

“Say,” Sunset said, pausing as ideas kept popping up in her mind. “Can you undo the spell from my friends? Or override it, or something?”

Dusk simply shook her head. “Nope. Aria is waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than me at spells, and Obedience Spells are the most difficult to cast, but also the most stable and difficult to dispel.” She placed her arms behind her and swiftly swayed her body. “That’s why I had to make a charm. It takes a lot of time, but it’s the only way to negate Aria’s spells.”

Sunset hummed. “Negate, huh? So, I can just take the charm off and give it to my friends, and we’d all be free from the spell?”

At that, Dusk scratched the side of her head. “Hmm, not immediately, no,” she admitted. “You’d have to wear it for at least an hour before Aria’s spell completely disappears. If you take it off now, the spell would return, weaker, but effective.”

That was discouraging, but Sunset was already formulating a plan. She just needed to confirm a few more things. “Ok, you can’t do anything about the spell, but… Can you give them orders while they’re like that?”

Dusk smiled again. “Sure can! That’s how I got you lot here!” She said. “Aria wants nothing to do with humans, so she let me have you here until tomorrow because Adagio doesn’t like me having humans in my room.”

Sunset didn’t know whether to feel relieved or offended by that. “Alright,” she said, deciding to deal with that later. “So, convincing Blaze will be difficult. But if we work together, I think it’s possible.” She saw Dusk smile broadly, and felt a surge of confidence that warmed her. “You said she likes to eat a lot, right? Well, we’ll use that to our advantage.”

“How?”

“With some sleeping pills,” Sunset said simply. “We ground a pair, put them in her food, and she’ll be asleep and won’t wake up until much later. That’s when we’ll take her to your room.”

Dusk nodded.

“For the moment, though,” Sunset added. “I’ll be acting as if I was still under her spell, just so she doesn’t suspect.” Dusk nodded again, and Sunset took a sharp breath. “Alright, let’s go to a pharmacy and get some.”

She began to walk, but stopped as she turned to the hypnotized girls and her eyes fell upon Trixie. She hesitated and swayed indecisively for a moment. After some consideration, she walked up to Trixie and placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’re taking her with us,” she told Dusk, then gave Trixie a soft squeeze.

Dusk nodded. “Follow us,” she said, and Sunset noticed a faint breeze in her ears. Immediately after, Trixie shifted, as if acknowledging the command.

Sunset pursed her lips, trying to keep herself from screaming out her anger. She forced herself to calm down and turned around, leading both Dusk and Trixie out the room and into the apartment.

The place was just as she remembered it, every bit as elegant, expensive, and empty-looking. She saw Dusk approach the front door, and just as she reached for the electronic reader, the door beeped and opened.

Sunset quickly adopted a zombie-like posture and waited, feeling her heart race and cold sweat running down the sides of her face, and casually stepped in front of Trixie. Aria Blaze entered the apartment, stopping suddenly at the sight of Dusk. She glanced at Sunset, and back at Dusk.

“What are you doing?” she asked, and Sunset felt relieved that she sounded more annoyed than suspicious.

“We’re going to the pharmacy!” Dusk replied chirpily. “I don’t know what that means, but it sounds like fun!”

Sunset felt a huge need to smack the girl all the way back to Equestria.

Fortunately, Blaze didn’t start suspecting her sister, and instead just stared at Dusk for the longest time. “I swear you get weirder by the day,” she finally said and started walking to the hallway. “I’ll be in my room, and I don’t want you to bother me with your stupid ideas.”

“But it’s the truth!” Dusk insisted, but Blaze just ignored her.

Once Blaze was out of sight, Sunset grabbed Dusk by the arm and urged her outside. She counted three whole seconds after the door closed behind her before she let out a heavy sigh.

“Let’s try to hurry,” Sunset said barely above a whisper. “I’m not comfortable with leaving my friends alone with Blaze.”

“Pfft, don’t worry, Aria won’t do anything to ‘em,” Dusk replied with a wave of her hand. “She doesn’t like getting near my room. She says it’s too pink,” she said, then added with a harrumph. “That’s probably why she thrashed it.”

“I see…” Sunset said.

As they took the elevator, Sunset started to muse about the situation. Everyone in the house had been hypnotized by Aria Blaze and taken to the sirens’ penthouse. It hadn’t felt like what Shimmer had described when she helped capturing Dusk, or when she had listened to the Dazzlings’ music. No, this had been much stronger; an Obedience Spell, Dusk had called it.

Sunset had many questions roaming her mind, but one took priority: How had Blaze gotten to them? She had gone for Shimmer first, that much was clear, but how? Shimmer had gone to her parents’ house to, in her own words, ‘sort some things with them’. and Blaze had intercepted her at some point. But how had she learned where Shimmer lived?

And then she remembered the concert she and Shimmer had attended. Of course! The sirens had seen Shimmer! How had it not occurred to them? Of course they’d start investigating as soon as Dusk didn’t show up! It would’ve been so easy for them to demand the CCTV footage from outside the concert, recognize Shimmer and compare her face to any kind of record, including criminal records.

From there, it might’ve been just a matter of time before Shimmer decided to show up at her registered home and attack.

This time, Sunset didn’t resist the urge to face-palm.

We’re lucky they didn’t decide to straight-up murder us, Sunset thought. Of course they had gone covered for the most part, but they hadn’t exactly covered their faces. How could they have been so careless? Sunset looked at Trixie, and her stomach fell at the thought of having put her in danger.

She hugged Trixie and hiccuped. She knew it really wasn’t her fault, logic told her so, but her heart betrayed reason. Blaze had, for some reason, decided not to kill all of them the very moment she saw them. Maybe Blaze had been more focused on saving Dusk, and before she could actually decide to get rid of them, Dusk had asked her to let her have them.

But, had it been Dazzle… The one that Dusk had called ‘the strongest of the three’, the leader of the sirens… Would she have been as merciful? Or, instead, she would’ve been ruthless? The sole thought of her friends, of Trixie, murdered, because of her one single mistake made Sunset nauseous.

She tightened the embrace, noticing how Trixie had remained completely still, and it broke her heart. She had to make things right, she had to stop the sirens before they went too far, and she was going to do so even if it was the last thing she’d do.

With one last squeeze, Sunset stepped back and turned to Dusk, who was looking at her with a troubled face, biting her lower lip. There was something in her eyes that made Sunset stop.

She noticed just then that Dusk looked kind of tired, but it wasn’t sleep she was lacking. No, Sunset knew what the siren needed was energy. ‘I’m hungry’, had been pretty much the first thing Dusk had told her the moment the charm broke the obedience spell. Sunset still didn’t know how long had it been since Blaze had arrived, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Dusk hadn’t fed, even if she had free reign to do so.

And the look she was giving Sunset was one of a famished person.

Sunset narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Dusk seemed to genuinely want to stop her sisters from becoming Windigos, and she sounded honest about wanting to change her way of thinking. If Sunset played her cards well, she was sure she could even convince her to side with them.

Taking a short breath in, Sunset flashed Dusk a smile. “You can feed off my energy,” she said.

Dusk’s eyes widened. “Really?” She asked happily and, not a moment after, her gem glowed faintly as she closed her eyes and smiled. A few seconds later, she sighed, satisfied, then looked at Sunset. “Thanks.”

Sunset nodded. “What are friends for?”

That took the siren by surprise. “Friends?”

“Yes,” Sunset replied simply. In that moment, the elevator stopped, having reached the first floor. As Sunset stepped outside, she continued. “I know you need to feed, so I’m not taking that away from you,” she explained as they passed the mildly annoyed guard lady and crossed the foyer. “Just be careful, wouldn’t want to feed too often and become a Windigo, now would you?”

Dusk shook her head as she got to Sunset’s side.

“So, I think you should only feed when you’re hungry,” Sunset explained. “And only energy that you see it’s already there. Don’t force people to produce energy, much less with your magic.”

Dusk cocked her head. “Why not?”

They stopped as they reached the sidewalk, and Sunset made sure Trixie was nearby and out of danger. She grabbed Trixie’s hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Because,” she replied, making sure it was safe to cross the street. “It’s not nice to force people to have emotions they don’t want to experience. Why would I want to argue with my friends or hug a person I dislike?”

“For example,” she continued as they got to the other side, taking notice on how Trixie could evade other people even in her dazed state. “If I ever argued with Trixie for no apparent reason, I would feel terrible afterward.” She shuddered as she remembered a certain event a few months back. “And, if I somehow knew I argued with her because of someone’s magic, I would be really angry at that someone. Do you understand?”

Dusk nodded and lowered her head. “So, do you hate us?”

Sunset took a shaky breath as she considered the question. “I’m angry, but I don’t hate you.” She looked at Trixie once more, feeling her emotions almost betraying her words. Almost. “I believe you three don’t know better. As far as I’m concerned, you act in the way you were taught to, so I can’t really hate you for not knowing. But now you know how I… How we feel, so if you keep forcing us with your magic, then…”

The threat wasn’t exactly terrifying, Sunset reckoned, but it did seem to have an effect on Dusk. The girl seemed to have lost her childish happy-go-lucky naivety, for now. It didn’t quite feel like a win to Sunset, but she had to make the siren differentiate between good and bad, and she had to do it fast.

It took just a few minutes of asking around for Sunset to locate the pharmacy. And as they entered the small locale, she couldn’t help but glare in awe. Sure, she had been in the human world for 3 years, and she had visited a pharmacy once or twice, but it was still an incredible achievement these humans had made with medicine. Back in Equestria, only hospitals had medicine, and if one wanted a more-or-less successful heal, they had to go to their local herbalist.

Sunset made an effort not to look like an addict, and made her way to the countertop, noticing the lack of clients. It probably was a slow day. “Hi,” she greeted the grumpy-looking clerk, who just now had seemed to notice her presence. “Do you have some sleeping pills?”

The clerk, a middle-aged man of grayish blue skin and short brown hair, regarded her for a moment, then looked at Dusk, and finally at Trixie. A few seconds later he turned back to Sunset. “Show me your ID.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. “Ah, excuse me, do I look like a child?”

“Yes,” he replied with a grunt. “You lot do. Now show me your ID, or no pills for you.”

She was about to give him a piece of her mind, but Sunset deduced that would be pretty stupid. She huffed and reached for her pocket, only to find it empty. She paused and searched all her pockets, four in her jeans and two in her jacket, but no wallet. “Crap,” she said as she turned to Dusk. “I don’t suppose you have one, do you?”

Dusk shook her head.

Sunset turned to Trixie, and was about to tell Dusk to ‘ask’ her to show hers, but she remembered that Trixie kept her ID in a small coin purse she always hid within her jeans or skirt, and right now, there was nothing resembling a purse sticking out of her.

Her thoughts and ideas coming and going at frightening speeds in her mind, Sunset quickly devised a plan she did not like, but was her fastest choice. She excused herself to a very amused pharmacist and ushered both Dusk and Trixie near the entrance, where she believed a hushed conversation would not be heard by the annoying man.

“Alright, Dusk,” she whispered just loud enough for the siren to hear her. “I will need you to do something for me.”

“Sure!” Dusk replied happily and loudly.

Sunset frowned. “Don’t speak so loud!” she hissed, and Dusk only nodded. “Listen, we’ll go back to the counter, and you will use your magic to make him give us a box of sleeping pills.”

Dusk made a face. “But you just said I shouldn’t hypnotize people.”

“I know,” Sunset said between her teeth. “But… ok, here’s the thing.” She took a deep breath as she came up with a convincing and not-so-hypocritical explanation. “It’s not ok to hypnotize people for personal gain, much less to force them to have emotions they don’t have or want to have. That still remains true. Here, however, is an exception to that rule.”

“An exception?”

“Yes,” Sunset replied. “See, we don’t want the sleeping pills for ourselves, we want them just so we can take Blaze to your room safely, so we can convince her that being a Windigo is a bad idea, and also tell her all the things about magic misuse we’ve been telling you. So, you won’t be making him have any emotion he doesn’t already have, and you won’t be feeding from it. You only want something to help your sister, and this is a one-time thing, because in any other circumstance, I would’ve have everything I need to get the pills without the magic.” She paused for a moment. “Do you understand?”

Dusk cocked her head for a moment. “I think so…”

“Basically,” Sunset continued, “You’re doing it because you want to help others, not yourself. And it’s just this one time, and if you can help it, you will avoid doing it again.”

“Ok…” Dusk replied, and Sunset thought she’d need to have a long talk with the siren to make sure she understood.

They walked up to the counter, where the pharmacist waited for them, having observed them the whole time. He was frowning.

“Listen, kid. Why don’t we make this easier for everyone and you just leave? You’re certainly not the first teenager that thinks they can-”

In that moment, Dusk hummed softly, and the man quickly fell in a dazed state, very similar to Trixie’s. Once again, Sunset could feel a soft breeze in her ears.

“Outs… mart…” the man slurred, and a stupid smile appeared on his face. “I’s dos… se phee…”

Dusk opened her mouth, and Sunset noticed that, somehow, even as the siren spoke, the hum remained in her voice. “Would you kindly give me a box of sleeping pills?” She asked, and Sunset thought her voice sounded sweeter, more inviting, as if she were speaking to a child.

The pharmacist regarded Dusk with a look that made Sunset think he was inebriated. “Sure…” He turned around, and walked up to one of the shelves. He moved with ease and confidence, painfully contrasting with the ‘I’m totally wasted’ expression he had in his face. It took him only a moment to find the box and return to the counter, offering it to Dusk.

“Thank you,” Dusk said, accepting the box and giving it to Sunset.

“Let’s go,” Sunset said, and quickly took the girls outside, making a mental note to make Dusk come back and pay for the medicine.

Once outside, Sunset stopped feeling the breeze in her ears, and a look to her right confirmed that Dusk had stopped using magic.

“Was that an Obedience spell?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

Dusk blinked at her. “Of course not, silly!” She replied with a giggle. “That was just a Lull spell.”

Sunset began walking, making the girls follow her. “What’s the difference?”

“Well, Lull spells are, like, the easiest spells. We use them for everything!” Dusk explained excitedly. “They’re very easy to cast, and people always do what we tell them to do… Well, almost always. Some are more resistant, and the tee-bee and the telephones and that weird human stuff lower the effect… And yeah they are, like, super easy to counter. A loud noise is enough to snap someone out of it.”

“I see,” Sunset said. She couldn’t help but feel excited about this information, not just because it was essential in fighting the sirens, but because a big part of herself, her inner scholar, was giddy at the prospect of learning of such ancient, unknown magic. And so, as they traveled through the streets, Sunset decided to ask more. “What are all the spells you can use, and how do they work?”

Dusk hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I don’t really know a lot. Aria’s the one that knows everything about it…” She then gave Sunset a happy smile. “But I will tell you what I do know!”

Sunset smiled giddily.

“So, I told you already about Lull spells,” Dusk said. “And Obedience spells, which are, like, the strongest and hardest to break. But they also need a lot of magic…” She placed a finger on her mouth. “I wonder why Aria used Obedience spells on all of you. She must’ve spent like half her magic on the six of you.”

Half her magic?!, Sunset thought. If the sirens always used their weakest spells, and could control hundreds, if not thousands of people at once, then these Obedience Spells had to be pretty much an absolute binding of the mind for them to require so much magic for so few people. The implications were enormous.

“We can also enchant things!” Dusk continued happily. “Like the charm you have, that negates our magic. Adagio says enchantments are pointless, but they’re so much fun! I once enchanted a bell that, when tolled, made anyone who heard it quack!” She giggled.

Sunset smiled, despite herself, at such a silly idea. “So, everything you enchant has to do with sound?”

“Yep!” Dusk replied. “There are so many things I can do with my enchantments!” She paused, and all her mirth vanished as she glanced down. “But Adagio says it’s stupid and impractical…”

“That’s not a nice thing to say,” Sunset said, honestly surprised. She herself had favored enchantments back when she was a magic student, and she knew very well the incredible potential in them. “I mean, you can make an object that gives anyone who wears it complete immunity to your spells. I, for one, think that’s worth some praise.”

Dusk smiled weakly. “Thanks.”

They returned to the huge apartment complex and quickly made their way to the elevators.

“What else can you do with your voices?” Sunset asked.

“Well, we can use sound waves for our spells, too,” Dusk replied, placing a finger on her lips. “They’re a lot more powerful and effective, and we could use them to attack, but they depend a lot on our magical output. Aria and I can break glass and stuff, but Adagio… She can do anything. She’s so strong she can defeat anyone in a one-on-one!”

Sunset hummed thoughtfully. The more Dusk talked about the other sirens, the more Sunset was convinced that, more than creatures of pure evil, the sirens were just confused by their natural need of becoming Windigos. That still was a big mystery to Sunset. It just didn’t make any sense that any given creature would want to just mindlessly turn into a force of nature willingly.

According to the history books Sunset had read from the forbidden wing of the Royal Archives, bad guys always had motivations like world domination, revenge, race superiority, etc. It was only sirens that seemed to ‘naturally’ become spirits that were less evil and more instinct-driven calamities.

And yet, Dusk had claimed that they consciously wanted that, even if they didn’t really know why or what happened next. Sunset wanted to know badly, but first she had to stop them from turning this world into a white wasteland.

As the elevator raised them to the top floor, Sunset focused on the task at hand.

“Alright, Dusk, this is what we’ll do,” she explained. “I will put a pill or two into a drink that you will give Blaze. What does she like most? Soda? Tea?”

“Oh, she loves chocolate milk!” Dusk replied. “She says it’s the only, uh… ‘redeemable quality humans have’, or something like that.”

“... Right,” Sunset said, then cleared her throat. “So, you give it to her. Make sure she drinks all of it, and then we wait for her to fall asleep. Once she does, we’ll take her, and my friends, to your room. There, we will help you convince her to stop pursuing the goal of becoming a Windigo. In exchange, you will help us teach her about not hypnotizing people, and making friends and everything else we’ve been telling you. Deal?”

“Deal!”

Sunset gave her a half smile. She was really hoping this wouldn’t blow up in her face later.

There was a ding, and the elevator’s doors opened right in front of the penthouse’s entrance. Sunset took a deep breath. “Remember, Dusk, I’ll be acting as if I’m still hypnotized, so we don’t have any problems, alright?”

“Yep!”

They entered the house, and Sunset quickly adopted her zombie-like postures and actions. She still tried to get a good look at the house. Finding the main area empty, she made her way to the kitchen, sending Trixie to Dusk’s room, and began preparing her little concoction.

It was ironic, Sunset thought. When she was Canterlot’s Bee Queen, she had done many bad things. She had lied, manipulated, stolen, blackmailed, and overall been a massive bitch to everyone. And now, as she tried to save her friends, and the whole world by proxy, she had done even worse things; Breaking and entering, kidnapping, stealing, and now, drugging someone.

Ironic, indeed.

Once she was finished, Sunset carefully tucked the medicine box inside her jacket, grabbed the glass and exited the kitchen. She almost dropped said glass as she saw Aria Blaze, carelessly lounging on the huge five-seat couch, doing her best to ignore Dusk as she grabbed a TV remote and turned on a monstrosity of a TV that had so far blended with the black wall it had been placed on.

Thankfully, Blaze had yet to realize Sunset’s presence, so she had time to recover from her surprise and adopt the hypnotized daze she hoped would fool the siren.

“I told you not to bother me, Sonata,” Blaze said as she changed channels.

“But this is important!” Dusk insisted, leaning on the couch from behind. “If we become Windigos, we’ll be super stupid!”

Blaze rolled her eyes. “You’re already ahead of us.”

Steadying herself and taking a deep breath, Sunset walked up to Blaze and, doing her best to glare at nothing in particular, offered her the drink.

Blaze turned to Sunset and glared, not at the glass of chocolate milk, but at her. If Sunset hadn’t had her eyes half narrowed, forcing a blurry vision, and consciously staring into space, she would’ve noticed that Blaze was actually looking straight into her eyes with a huge frown.

Had Sunset noticed, she would probably have started panicking hard.

“Why is she bringing me this?” Blaze asked as she finally looked down at the glass.

“She wants you to drink it, duh!” Dusk replied.

Sunset felt her heartbeat quicken. Just how dumb is that girl?!, she thought.

Blaze sighed heavily and massaged the bridge of her nose. “I’m not in the mood for your stupid games, Sonata. And bribing me won’t get you anywhere.” She made no attempt to take the glass, instead focusing again on the T.V.

“I’m not bribing!” Dusk retorted, stomping her foot angrily.

“Where did you get that idea from, anyway?” Blaze asked, still lazily changing channels.

Dusk opened her mouth, but then caught a glance of Sunset, who was looking at her with a panicked and intense glare. An impressive feat, considering she was still trying to appear hypnotized. And for all her childish ignorance of the world, Dusk actually picked up on it, and nodded an understanding to Sunset.

“It’s common sense!” She finally replied.

Blaze stopped, shocked, and slowly turned back to regard Dusk with such a distrusting expression, Sunset feared she would attack any moment. “What?”

“Common sense!” Dusk repeated, placing her hands on her hips and raising up her chin. She looked quite pleased with herself, in Sunset’s opinion. “Have you seen a Windigo talk or feed or anything, like, ever?”

“Windigos are superior,” Blaze argued. “They won’t bother themselves with mere sirens like us.” She shifted in her place to take a better look at Dusk. “Do you ever listen to Adagio? Do you even listen to yourself?”

Dusk frowned and leaned forward, closing the distance with Blaze. “I do! And I also think, even if you say I don’t!”

“Then you should stop thinking,” Blaze replied angrily, raising her voice. Sunset felt a soft breeze in her ears. “Because now you’re spitting out more nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense!” Dusk said, and her voice also produced the breeze Sunset was becoming all too familiar with. “Just think about it! Windigos only go places to cause blizzards! They don’t talk, or sing, or feed… They don’t even eat!”

Blaze’s eyes widened, but Sunset couldn’t discern if it was out of surprise, horror, or something else.

With a quick movement, Blaze stood up and rounded to couch to meet Dusk. She got uncomfortably close to Dusk, leaning her upper body forward, trying to make herself look taller, bigger, and glared down at Dusk. She looked quite astonished when Dusk did the same, and their foreheads met.

Sunset looked between the sirens, dropping her act for just a moment, amazed by the display. She was no expert, but she was pretty sure they were trying to subdue each other and impose their superiority in a sort of primal herd hierarchy.

Suddenly, Sunset was thankful she had paid attention whenever Fluttershy talked about her animals.

Finally, Blaze huffed, stepped back, and flicked a finger on Dusk’s forehead.

“Hey!” Dusk complained as she took a hand to her face. Sunset noticed the breeze had stopped at some point.

Blaze ignored her and circled the couch again. She snatched the glass from Sunset’s hand and sat down. “Go away, I want to be alone,” she said as she took a big swig of the chocolaty goodness, drinking at least half in one go.

Sunset looked at Dusk, waited for her to notice, and nodded towards the room. Dusk cocked her head for a moment, then opened her mouth in realization. “Fine, be stupid if you want,” she told Blaze. “Come with me,” she ordered Sunset, and walked up to her room.

Suppressing a relieved sigh, Sunset simply followed Dusk, making a titanic effort not to glance back to make sure Blaze finished the drink.

Once inside Dusk’s room, Sunset closed the door and quickly scanned the surroundings.

The rest of the girls had remained there, standing and unmoving. Were it not for them blinking, she would’ve thought they were wax figures. She grabbed her charm through her shirt and glanced at Trixie, then at Shimmer.

Once they captured Blaze, they’d need to come up with a way to convince her to help them stop the third siren from hypnotizing people and stuff. She made a face as a thought occurred to her. Would it be a good idea to have both Blaze and Dusk in the same place? It could be counterproductive if Blaze tried to undo all they’ve been doing to get Dusk to turn to the good side.

Shimmer had turned that whole room into a hostage room, but Sunset wasn’t sure she’d do the same for a second room, at least, not fast enough. And even then, how much of a good idea would it be to take Dusk back into captivity? The siren had gone out of her way to create a charm for Sunset so they could help her stop Blaze from trying to become a Windigo. Even if it was just to help her sister and not really for the greater good, she was helping them.

Sunset pressed one of the seashells a little harder. This was going to lead to yet another long argument. She could feel it, and she was certainly not looking forward to it.

Dusk smiled mischievously at Sunset. “She drank it!” She announced in a loud whisper. She was enjoying this a bit too much, Sunset thought. She probably was thinking about it as a sort of game.

“Not all of it, but it should be enough,” Sunset replied. “According to the instructions, the pills will kick in in fifteen to twenty minutes. So we’ll just wait.”

“Ok!” Dusk said, then sat on her bed. “So, I was thinking…”

Sunset turned to her. “About?”

Dusk kicked the air with her legs repeatedly, excitedly. “You said I can’t use my magic to force people to produce energy to feed, but I can feed on energy that is already there, right?”

“Yes…”

“But, can I still make people produce energy without my magic?”

Sunset bit her lower lip. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she replied. “You see, that’s called manipulation, and people don’t like to be around someone that tricks them into fighting each other.”

“Oh…” Dusk pursed her lips. “But what if the energy is directed to me?”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Yeah, like, I make people love me or hate me, but without my magic!”

“Well… I believe that’s still called manipulation, and it’s a bad thing,” Sunset said. “Though, if you’re just yourself around people, if you just make friends and interact with people, they all will have different feelings towards you, and they will produce different kinds of energy.”

Dusk scrunched her face.

Sunset sighed and sat down besides her. “For example, once these girls stop being hypnotized, they’ll have different feelings towards you, but that won’t be enough, right?” Dusk nodded. “So, you just need to interact with them, and whatever they do, they’ll show you how they feel, producing energy as a result. You won’t need to use your magic or force them or anything, you just have to be yourself.”

Dusk hummed. “So, if I’m craving some hate energy, I just go with someone that hates me, right?”

That made Sunset stop a little. “Well, I don’t think you’ll enjoy interacting with someone that hates you, but sure, that’s the idea.”

“Cool!” Dusk replied, then pointed towards Shimmer. “Cuz I know she hates me, like a lot!”

Sunset looked between Shimmer and Dusk a few times, then back at Dusk. “Oh, uh… Yeah…” She cleared her throat. “So, uh… I suppose you already know we’re two people. Sorry for keeping it secret…”

Dusk blinked. “It was a secret?”

Sunset paused and slowly turned her torso to Dusk. “You knew?” She asked apprehensively.

“Well, yeah!” Dusk replied as if she had been asked if she could talk. “You two produce different kinds of energy all the time, and you act super different from each other.”

“I see…” Sunset said as she brought her hands to her mouth. She considered this new information, and realized she didn’t feel unnerved or afraid, but relieved. The more she talked with Dusk, the more she came to the conclusion that the siren was so much smarter than she looked, and knew a lot more than she let on.

And the fact that Dusk hadn’t even considered to easily overpower them and escape, but instead had complied to all their demands. Sure, she had been threatened with the destruction of her gem, but if Blaze easily beating them told Sunset anything, it was that Dusk had just been tagging along the other sirens, enjoying the ride, and had no real ill intentions.

She was just a child that couldn’t differentiate between good and bad. And Sunset didn’t know how to feel about it.

Sunset took a deep breath. “I think you already understand, more or less, what I’ve been trying to teach you,” she said, and saw Dusk looking expectantly at her. “Let’s get to the next step, shall we?”

Dusk cocked her head, still smiling. “And what’s that?”

“Well, I’d like to know you better,” Sunset replied. “You know, what you like, what you dislike, your hobbies…”

“Oh, that’s easy!” Dusk said happily, using her fingers to count as she went. “I like humans, I dislike birds, and my hobby is writing!”

Sunset looked blankly at the siren. These were probably going to be the longest fifteen to twenty minutes ever.

Author's Note

My dear editor and friend Crow pointed out this chapter was a bit too fast on the "resolution", so we tweaked it a bit and added a scene or two. I hope you like it nonetheless!

9. Happenstance

Chapter 9. Happenstance.

Sonata barely chewed whatever Sunset fed her before gulping it down. She didn’t care she was still tied up, or that she was making a mess of herself, and Sunset couldn’t really blame her since, prior to this point, the girl had barely eaten anything in over a day.

Trixie remained near the door, ready to press the airhorns the very second Sunset lowered her index finger.

Once the bowl had been emptied, Sunset placed it away and looked at Sonata with her brow a little furrowed. “Now that you ate, I think it’s time we set some ground rules, alright?” She said as calm as she could. The siren only looked at her expectantly, so she continued. “You’re going to be living in this room for a while. The more you behave like a good girl, the sooner you’ll be out. But what does it entail to be a good girl, you may wonder. Well, the answer is pretty simple.”

Sunset walked behind Sonata and placed her hands on the siren’s shoulders. She waited until Sonata looked at her through the mirror. Sunset gave her a smile. “As long as you’re alone in this room, you can do whatever you want, except use your magic.” With her raised finger she pointed twice to the mirror, and after just a second, three knocks from the other side made it shake a little bit. “But, the moment you hear that, you will stop whatever you’re doing and go sit down on your mattress,” she said as she pointed to the mattress, which had been placed at the farthest corner from the door. “Because it means I or somebody else will visit you, and our previous agreement will start counting again: No talking unless told otherwise or asked a question, to which you will answer truthfully.” She made a pause. “Is all that understood?”

Sonata didn’t respond right away, instead she eyed the room, being the first time she really noticed the place she was in. Assisting herself with the mirror, she noticed the strange rhomboid-like pattern of the walls, which was a funny sight to her. The mattress Sunset had pointed to was white with just one gray blanket and pillow. The rest of the room was practically empty, where it not for the very chair she was sat on, or the piece of wall that jutted out from what looked like a former window frame, even the lone lightbulb right in the center of the ceiling was dull and boring.

Once she finished taking in her surroundings, Sonata nodded. “Yes,” she said with an oddly calm voice.

“Good,” Sunset said. She then proceeded to untie Sonata’s hands. She took notice of the slight burns the rope had made on the siren’s wrists, and a wave of guilt washed over her, but she reminded herself it was justified. Once she finished, she grabbed the tray of food and stood up. “You can untie your feet yourself once we leave,” she began before pointing to the wall Sonata noticed earlier. “That’s a small bathroom. A toilet, a sink, and some toiletries for you to clean yourself.” Sunset signaled Trixie to open the door. “That will be all for now. I’ll be back later,” she said as she made her way to the door.

Trixie followed her and closed the door behind her. She took off the quite heavy headset and sighed. “Are you sure this isn’t going to come back and bite us later?” She asked.

Sunset idly scratched her head. “I certainly hope not. I mean, she seemed pretty convinced that she’s actually not a white shark between a bunch of goldfish, and also very scared when I threatened to break her gem.”

“She did look scared,” Rainbow said as they got into the living room. Everyone was looking at the siren except Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who were sitting at the dining table.

“Well, judgin’ by how she looked like a zombie, Ah don’t think it was a pleasant experience to have her gem taken away,” Applejack agreed with a nod.

Rarity hummed. “I do think her reaction was quite strange. A normal person would’ve asked a lot of questions or begged to be let out or something.”

“She’s not a normal person,” Twilight replied as she crossed her arms. “I mean, just look at her!”

Twilight pointed, and Sunset finally got to a spot where she could see the siren.

Sonata had just finished untying herself, and was looking at herself in the mirror, inspecting her face like a girl would do before applying makeup and passing her hands through her hair time and time again in an attempt to comb it. What struck most to Sunset was that the siren looked tired, but not particularly concerned about her situation, almost as if she didn’t really care.

Once the siren seemed comfortable with her appearance, she took another look at her surroundings with a spark of mild curiosity that sent a shiver down Sunset’s spine, it was almost childish.

At some point, Sonata began inspecting her own clothes, she even sniffed the collar of her hoodie and made a slightly disgusted face. She walked to the small square Sunset had called a bathroom and, after rummaging through a small box, she produced a small plastic bowl, a cloth, and a bar of soap. She filled up the bowl with water and walked back to the chair, where she placed the objects, careful not to spill the water.

And then, as if she wasn’t in a completely unknown place and held against her will, but in the privacy and comfort of her own room, Sonata took off her clothes and threw them on the mattress.

The girls blushed and turned around.

“Hey!” Shimmer called them angrily. “Are you all seriously going to stop making sure she doesn’t try anything evil just because she’s naked?!”

Rainbow crossed her arms. “Yeah, I bet you just want to go all voyeurist on her, you freaking perv!”

Shimmer looked at Sonata for a mere second before she huffed and turned to Rainbow again. She was about to say something, but a quick glance to Twilight stopped her, then let out another huff. “I’m out,” she said before she walked to the front door, ignoring all protests from the girls.

As soon as she was outside, she lit up a cigarette, using only her good hand, and took a deep, slow drag, blowing it out after a few seconds. She heard the door open behind her, and decided to walk to her car.

“Hey,” Rarity said, taking Shimmer by surprise; she had expected it would be one of the usual suspects to come yelling at her.

“What do you want?”

Rarity cleared her throat. “I’m just going to go straight to the point,” she said. “Everyone here, without exception, is dealing with heavy and very contradictory feelings. No matter how evil she might be, we kidnapped a person, and that’s not something we can just gloss over. And yet, we’ve been trying to convince ourselves that it’s for the greater good…”

Shimmer snorted as she took another drag of her cigarette. “That’s going straight to the point?”

“Nevertheless,” Rarity continued. “I can’t help but notice that you’ve been acting… stranger than usual.”

Shimmer rolled her eyes and blew out smoke. “Gee what a find, Sherlock,” she said unamused.

“Listen,” Rarity said tiredly. “All of us are together in this, even you. And as much as I hate to admit it, without you, we would have already lost by the time we noticed something was amiss…” She shook her head and took a deep breath. “We may not like each other, but we’re a team, and as such, we need to know everyone is doing ok… That includes you.”

“I’m ok,” Shimmer replied before taking a drag on her cigarette. She eyed her bandaged hand for a moment and blew out the smoke with a sigh. “All things considered.”

Rarity’s eyes softened at that. “You took a huge blow for the team, and I believe we didn’t really thank you for that, so… Thank you.”

Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Now that is strange.” She crossed her arms. “What’s going on?”

Rarity fidgeted a little as she gathered enough courage to speak up. “Ever since you brought the siren and Twilight woke you up, you’ve been acting… odd. And at first I, like the rest of the girls, thought it had to do with your wound, but… I was beginning to think there’s something else. And how you refused to make everyone uncomfortable back there kind of confirmed it… So I just have to ask…” She took a deep breath. “What happened at the concert?”

Shimmer looked down for a moment as she played with her cigarette with two fingers. She then turned around and walked up to her car. “What makes you think anything else happened?”

“That reaction just now,” Rarity answered while Shimmer opened the co-pilot door. “Sunset did say she thinks the siren did something to you when she hypnotized you, but you refused to tell her…” She opened and closed her mouth more times than she would’ve liked before speaking up again. “But I understand if you don’t want to tell me. We’re not friends, after all.”

“Something we can agree on,” Shimmer muttered as she eyed the interior of her car. “Damn it, it’ll cost a lot to get this cleaned.”

“But it doesn’t have to be this way,” Rarity continued. “You apologizing took everyone by surprise, and I don’t think some of us fully grasp the importance there… But I think I know why you suddenly want to change for good.”

Shimmer gave another drag to her cigarette. “It’s cuz I want in your pants, Sweetcheeks.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes, and they almost seemed to sparkle. “I don’t think that’s the case, Sunset Shimmer,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “I think it’s Twilight you have a crush on.”

The smoke came out from Shimmer’s mouth through her breathing alone. She stared at the dried up blood in her car, but she didn’t move a single muscle for what felt like the longest five seconds of her life. She mentally cursed herself for taking so long to come up with something.

Very slowly she straightened up and looked at Rarity, taking a hold of her cigarette and carelessly tossing it away. She felt her blood boil when she saw a knowing smirk on Rarity’s face.

“I’ll take your silence as a yes,” Rarity said, trying her hardest not to sound smug.

“Take it however you want,” Shimmer replied as she slammed close the door.

“Don’t try to act like you don’t care,” Rarity continued. “But don’t worry, I believe I’m the only one that noticed, so your, ahem, secret is safe with me. And, you see, I’ll always be open to hear you out.”

Shimmer huffed through her nose but didn’t say a word as she walked past Rarity and inside the house.

“... can’t leave her like that!” Shimmer heard Applejack say as she got into the living room. “She ain’t no animal!”

“I’m just saying we should stick to the reward system,” Twilight replied as she pointed to her notebook.

“Is it a reward to her, though?” Fluttershy asked meekly. “She seems pretty comfortable being, uhm... without clothes…”

Rainbow huffed. “Guys, she’s just cleaning herself. She’ll get dressed whenever it gets too cold!”

“I’ll have to side with Rainbow here,” Sunset said with a raised hand. “That room is pretty cold.”

Shimmer rolled her eyes and walked to a room.

“But it’s still not right!” Applejack insisted. “Everything here is messed up so we’ll just forget we’re humans?!” She saw Sunset raise her hand again. “Y’all know what Ah mean!”

Before anyone else could reply, they saw the door to the siren’s room open. They barely had time to look when Shimmer stepped in and threw something to a shocked siren. “No nudity unless you’re cleaning yourself!” She shouted before slamming the door closed and locking it up again.

Sonata looked to her side and saw a pair of panties and a sleeveless tank top. She looked between the door and the clothes several times before continuing cleaning herself.

Shimmer stepped into the living room again and looked at the girls. “You’re welcome.”

~~~~~~~~

Apparently, the siren’s room wasn’t nearly as cold as Sunset had thought initially. Maybe it had been the dreadful feeling of uncertainty creeping up her spine that made her shiver before releasing Sonata, because, though certainly more fresh than the rest of the house, the room was at a very comfortable temperature.

That didn’t stop Sonata from putting on the underwear and jeans, but ditching the hoodie on a corner.

Trixie, still wearing a heavy deafening headset and hiding the airhorns behind her, muttered something to herself at the sight of Sonata’s insulting cleavage. Sunset decided to ignore both distractions.

“So, what’s your goal?” Sunset asked. She sat on the chair while the siren remained on her mattress cross legged. “Why are you hypnotizing people? What are you trying to achieve?”

Sonata blinked a few times. “Return to Equestria,” she replied simply. “I mean, you humans are a lot of fun to play with and all, but you’re still a small burnt dorito compared to the royal banquet any Equestrian is!”

Sunset felt her stomach fall at the look on the siren’s face. “That’s how you see every living thing? As just food?”

“Of course not!” Sonata replied with a giggle. “I eat food like everyone else. That was a me-ta-phor!” Sunset couldn’t avoid her right eye twitching in anger at how slow Sonata pronounced the last word. “I’m talking about the energy we feed off you.”

“Tell me more about this energy,” Sunset demanded. “How does it work?”

Sonata’s face brightened up. “It’s emotional energy. All living, sentient things capable of complex feelings can produce it at any given time. That’s what we feed on.” She swiftly looked towards Trixie for a moment, then at Sunset. “For example, I can sense a huge amount of love coming from you two.” She giggled when Sunset’s eyes widened in horror. “Don’t worry, it’s not like I can just go and take it. You’d have to be actively showing it.”

Sunset frowned slightly. “Actively? So that’s why you hypnotize people…”

“Yep!” Sonata admitted.

“But why though?” Sunset asked. “Can’t you just walk down the street? I’m sure there are tons of people showing all kinds of emotions.”

Sonata shook her head. “It’s not the same that someone hates someone else, they have to be showing it, they have to be pouring all their own energy into those feelings.” She crossed her arms and pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Let’s use you and your friend as example,” she said after a few seconds, nudging towards Trixie. “If you say you love each other, it’s cool, but it won’t produce that much energy, no matter how much you mean it. You’d have to be doing something that goes beyond mere words for it to be worthwhile. Like a hug or a kiss!”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “And you’d be able to feed,” she said. Sonata nodded, and Sunset hummed. “What are all the kinds of energy you can feed off?”

“Anything that can be shown to others, really,” Sonata answered without any hesitation. “Hate, love, pity, compassion… I think you get the idea.”

“I see,” Sunset said. “And what exactly happens to people when you feed on their energy?”

Sonata tilted her head and gave Sunset a confused look. “Why would something happen to them?”

“Because it’s energy that you’re stealing,” Sunset replied slowly.

“Stealing?” Sonata repeated. “Sirens are the only ones that can make any use of that energy. You guys just produce it, but you can’t take any advantage of it.” She hummed for a moment. “Well, I think some Equestrians can, but not nearly as efficiently as sirens… In any case, the energy you produce with these emotions is so irrelevant to your body that it just ends up dispersing in the air.”

Sunset hummed for a moment. “So there really is no negative setback for people when you take that energy?”

“Nope!”

In that moment, Sunset felt her blood boil. She stood up, towering over Sonata. “So let me get this straight. Not only does you feeding on our energy not cause us any harm, but you could also feed on any given kind of energy?!”

Sonata leaned back, startled, and looked up at Sunset with widened eyes. “Uhm… yes.”

“Then why the heck do you make us fight with each other?! Why do you even need to hypnotize when there are people showing all kinds of emotions all the time?!”

“Because…” Sonata said, taking very long seconds to consider her answer. “It’s much easier to get hate energy from anyone, you yourself are pouring it right now.”

That made Sunset make a pause and could imagine steam coming out from her. She took a deep breath as she sat back down on the chair. She passed her hands over her face and through her hair. “Ok…” she muttered with a sigh. “One last question. How necessary it is for you to feed?”

Sonata hummed thoughtfully. “I’ve been feeding for as long as I’ve been alive, so I don’t really know… But if I can, it must be because I need it, right?”

“I see,” Sunset said more to herself than to Sonata. She then stood up. “Well, I’ll be leaving now, see you later.” And with that, she turned to the door.

“Wait,” Sonata called her. “Can I ask you questions too?”

Sunset stopped to consider it. She looked at Trixie for a moment and shot her a confident smile, then turned around again to look at Sonata. She placed both hands behind her and raised a finger.

“You answered my questions truthfully, right?” Sunset asked, to which Sonata nodded. “Then yeah, you can ask questions too.”

Sonata gave her a wide smile. She straightened up and began excitedly moving her legs up and down. “You’re Equestrian too, right?”

Sunset felt a chill running down her spine and every hair in her body stood to up. And judging by Sonata’s toothy grin, she knew she hadn’t hidden her surprise at all. She thought about lying, but if the siren, as dense looking as she was, had figured her out, she concluded that it would be counterproductive.

So she just sighed in defeat. “How did you know?” She asked as calmly as her shaky voice could allow her to.

“Just a hunch,” Sonata said simply. “Did beardo also send you here?”

“Beardo?” Sunset asked. “You mean Starswirl the Bearded?” Sonata nodded. Sunset hummed for a moment, recalling that according to the diary, the sirens still weren’t aware of their imprisonment in limbo. Sunset thought she shouldn’t tell her that. “No, I came from my own means, for my own goals.”

“So you know a way out,” Sonata stated, staring straight up at Sunset’s eyes. “I don’t suppose…”

Sunset huffed, but managed a smile. “Oh I’ll gladly tell you how I came here…” She saw Sonata’s face practically glow, and felt a wave of guilt for making such a dramatic pause. “If you promise to never use your magic to hypnotize people, or make them fight against each other, and you’ll never feed off negative energy again.”

Sonata pursed her lips and made a sound that was half a groan, half a moan. “I mean… Adagio’s the one that enjoys the fights, but… Hate energy is so addictive… Like salty snacks! You just can’t get enough of them!”

At that, Sunset furrowed her brow in curiosity. “Do different kinds of energy… taste different to you?”

“Now that you put it that way…” Sonata hummed for a moment. “I don’t think they have a taste, but they do feel different.”

“You said hate is addictive to you, but… What’s your favorite kind of energy?”

Sonata looked up to the ceiling for a couple of seconds. “Lust!” She answered so chirpily that Sunset almost jumped from the surprise. “It’s like spiced food! Makes your mouth water just to the thought of it…” She demonstrated her point by slurping in her own drool.

A series of thoughts crossed Sunset’s mind, but only one stayed. She remembered herself, entering the backstage room, and the scene she found. Her stomach became upset and cold sweat ran down her forehead. “I see… Think about my proposal,” was all she said before she turned around, signaled Trixie that the conversation was over, and, ignoring the siren’s confused questions, got out of the room.

~~~~~~~~

Sunset, Trixie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight were all sitting at the dining table.

“I still think it’s too rushed,” Twilight said, breaking the silence.

“We can’t wait any longer,” Sunset replied. She felt Trixie’s hand upon hers, gently rubbing her thumb across.

Twilight had been focusing on her laptop for the past twenty minutes, just pressing a couple of keys every now and then. “I’m just saying you two had a very thorough plan after two weeks of thinking, and Shimmer still got seriously hurt. Maybe this second mission needs more than ten seconds.”

“But we can’t let any more time pass,” Rarity said, nervously tapping her fingers on the table.

“I know that,” Twilight said through her teeth. She covered her nose and mouth with both hands and took a deep breath. “Let’s just hope nothing happens…”

Trixie tilted her head towards Twilight. “Unless they have goons on surveillance twenty-four seven, it should go off without a hitch.”

“Sonata said there aren’t,” Sunset offered.

“Why do you trust her so much?” Twilight asked as she leaned back on her chair. “For all we know, the girls are going straight into a trap right now.”

Before Sunset could reply, Trixie straightened up and cleared her mouth. “We did confirm on Doodle maps that there’s a cabin near Trotting Syrup Lake. The siren was telling the truth.” She squeezed Sunset’s hand and gave her a small smile. “Besides, if there’s anyone there, they’re most likely hypnotized, so a pair of air horns, or in the worst case scenario, your taser, will suffice.”

Twilight crossed her arms and hummed for a moment. “I just can’t help but feel uneasy,” she said as she turned her laptop so everyone could look at the screen. “I’ve been reading their MyStable profile, and the sirens haven’t said a single word about the sudden disappearance of one of them. They even uploaded a video five minutes ago. I didn’t watch it, of course, but according to the description and the comments, it’s just one of them advertising their concert next month.”

“Wait, ain’t that bad?” Pinkie asked a little too loud. “Shouldn’t they be worried one of their friends went missing?

“I don’t think they’re friends,” Fluttershy admitted meekly.

“It doesn’t matter what they are to each other,” Rarity said. “They are monsters that need to be defeated.”

Sunset hummed, but otherwise didn’t reply. Twilight turned her laptop to herself once more, and silence fell between the girls again.

Shimmer, Applejack, and Rainbow had gone to the cabin in the outskirts of Manhattan to rescue the three kidnapped girls. There had been some discussion and some arguing about whether or not to call the police, but Twilight, though regretting it later, pointed out that if the police rescued them, the human versions of the Dazzlings would be sent home with their parents, and once the sirens noticed, they’d target them again.

In order to protect them, the girls had agreed to rescue them themselves and discuss what to do afterwards.

Applejack and Rainbow had gone in the former’s truck, and Shimmer in her own car. Supposedly, according to Shimmer, her friends should go in the truck, where there was more space, and her car would be a just in case resource. Not that anyone complained, since her presence would indeed help the hostages trust their saviors, as Rarity so eloquently put it.

Meanwhile, the girls back at the house had to patiently wait for the phone call that would let them know it was time to begin.

A loud melody startled everyone, but they quickly noticed it wasn’t the melody of anyone’s phone. Sunset apologized as she took out a cellphone that was easy to describe as old and outdated.

“That’s not your phone,” Twilight noted.

Sunset nodded as she read the number flashing on the screen. “It’s uh… hold on,” she said, then took a deep breath and answered. “Hi! This is Sunset Shimmer!” She said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Her face began turning a light shade of red as she looked at her friends. “I’m The Great and Powerful Trixie’s manager! How may she make your day?”

Rarity snorted a bit, and Pinkie could barely hold back her laughter.

Then, as seconds passed, Sunset’s happy expression faded away. “Oh,” she said. She looked at Trixie for a moment, then down at the table. “Don’t worry, ma’am!” She said a little too loudly before she hung up. “Wrong number…”

The clear disappointment in Sunset’s voice made the girls give pause.

“Oh, don’t make that face, Sun-sun!” Pinkie said happily as Sunset pressed some buttons on her phone. “I bet you’ll start getting tons of customers soon!”

Rarity looked at Sunset. “You bought a new phone just for people to call you about Trixie’s performances? That’s so sweet!”

Trixie giggled and kissed Sunset on the cheek before hugging her. “Isn’t she the best?”

Sunset put the phone in her pocket and hugged Trixie back.

Fortunately for the girls, they didn’t have time to start a make out session since Twilight’s phone rang loudly. She placed it on the table and answered on speaker.

Shimmer’s voice came out from the phone. “We’re here.”

~~~~~~~~

Applejack parked her truck in reverse, facing it towards the now barely visible highway. High bushes and unkept trees surrounded the area, and even though it was the middle of winter, the forest located south of Manhattan was as green as could be. The sun shone a little brighter than normally, but the air was still cold.

Shimmer was second to park, and as she got out, Applejack could see she had already called the girls, since she was holding her phone in front of her.

“So, what now?” Rainbow asked as she got out of the truck. Unlike Applejack, who decided to wear a thick brown jacket, or Shimmer and her usual winter clothes, she only had a thin purple hoodie.

Shimmer looked at her. “Cowgirl and I will go. You stay here.”

“What?!”

“Exactly,” Shimmer said. “You’re too loud and reckless. It’s better if you serve as distraction in case anyone notices the cars.” She looked at Applejack, then at Rainbow again. “And you’ll call the police in case something happens.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Ah thought y’all said-”

“No police, yes,” Shimmer interrupted her. “And if everything goes smoothly, there won’t be need. But if Cowgirl and I fall into a trap, one way or another, the police will help us get out, even if it means my friends will still be in danger.”

Rainbow crossed her arms. “Let’s say that happens. What are you gonna tell ‘em when-”

“It’s a lake, bird brain,” Shimmer said with a huff. “A bunch of teenagers went to have fun by the lake, stumbled upon an abandoned cabin, thought it would be fun to investigate, and found three hostages by chance.” She scratched the back of her head. “It’s not the best alibi, but it’s something.”

Applejack placed her hands on her hips and smiled. “Is good enough for me.”

“Fine,” Rainbow said through her teeth as she leaned against the truck.

Shimmer nodded. “The cabin is not far. If we don’t call you in an hour, call the police.”

“An hour, got it.”

“Come on, Cowgirl,” Shimmer said, walking towards the woods.

Applejack shrugged, she gave Rainbow a confidant smile and followed Shimmer. “So, how are we gonna go ‘bout it?”

Shimmer pushed a branch away. “Best case scenario, we go in, rescue my friends, we go out. Fast and simple. We’ll think what to do with them once we get back.”

“Uh-huh.” Applejack hummed. She noticed Shimmer had stopped calling her insulting nicknames. “Worst case scenario?”

“The sirens are there,” Shimmer replied immediately. “They capture us. And best case scenario for that, they just kill us.”

Applejack also noticed Shimmer’s lack of snarky comments, passive aggressiveness, and everything else that might’ve made that last sentence any less shocking. “Are y’all doing alright?” She found herself asking before the thought crossed her mind.

“Yes,” Shimmer answered simply. “The Ibuprofen is working wonders. I might get addicted.”

Applejack pressed her lips together as she didn’t know how to interpret Shimmer’s snarky comments coming back. “Ah mean-”

“I know what you mean,” Shimmer said hastily. She stopped and turned back, her heavy frown enough to give Applejack pause. “You lot are quite nosy, and I don’t like that. You may think you’re being a goodie-two-shoes by worrying about even your enemies, but that only makes you a naïve, gullible, and delusional nuisance.” She huffed and turned again to where she had been going. “Sometimes, not annoying people is the best way to help them.”

“Ah won’t pry no more if y’all don’t want me to,” Applejack said. “But keep in mind Ah’ll hear ya out if y’all ever want to talk to someone.”

Shimmer didn’t answer and just kept walking. Applejack chose to keep silent as well.

As they walked further, Applejack began to notice the tree tops twirling together and closing up, letting fewer parts of the grayish sky be seen. Looking behind her, Applejack saw the small path they were making, or more specifically, that Shimmer was forcefully carving, breaking branches and sliding her heels to the sides.

The foliage became thicker and darker as they walked, and Applejack started fearing they might have gotten lost, but suddenly, Shimmer stopped.

“We’re here,” Shimmer said as she ducked a little near a rock. Applejack only saw more trees, but Shimmer signaled her to come closer, and as she did, Applejack caught the sight of their goal.

It was a big, highly unkempt clearing. The grass was high enough to reach just below Applejack’s knees. Very few, paled colored flowers fought a losing fight to give some decor to the burnt tips of the grass. To the right, Applejack could see the edge of the lake that glimmered a faded grayish blue. And in the middle of the clearing stood the building they were searching for.

A single story high log cabin stood depressing under the shadow of an ancient looking willow that rained down its leaves upon the rotting ceiling. Yellow moss painted the stone foundation and branched up through the walls and sneaked through the grayed out windows.

Overall, it was a fairly big, rustic house, abandoned in the middle of the woods. Applejack felt a shiver run through her body at the sight.

“There aren’t any people in the vicinity,” Shimmer said with a low voice. “Let’s go.”

But before she could stand up, Applejack pulled from her hoodie. “Whoa, hold yer horses!” She tried her best not to yell. “What if there’s people in the house?!”

Shimmer glared at her for a moment. Her jaw moved several times without her lips actually parting. “We say we got lost. Now shut up and follow me.” And with that, she stood up and and walked towards the cabin.

Applejack groaned but did as was told.

Aside from the constant rattling of the trees and the soft whistling of the wind, Applejack couldn’t hear more than their steps through the overgrown grass. She felt the hair at the back of her neck stand up the closer they got to the cabin. The small set of wooden stairs that sat at the porch looked about to collapse, and the front door was barely hanging from its hinges.

But she didn’t have time to think about it, since Shimmer stopped and lifted a hand in front of her.

“What-”

“Hey, look!” Shimmer said, loud enough to be heard in the vicinity. “An abandoned cabin! Ain’t it creepy?!”

Applejack felt her heart pound furiously, and a freezing chill ran down her spine. “What the heck, Shimmer?!” She asked with a hushed yell.

Shimmer stayed silent for a few seconds, her gaze transfixed on the cabin. Finally, she let out a sigh. “There doesn’t appear to be people inside,” she whispered. “That, or they’re asleep or distracted. Just follow my lead, Cowgirl.” And with that, she walked to the cabin again.

“I think we should wait inside and wait for our boyfriends,” Shimmer said, and Applejack thought she sounded very convincing. It probably was due to being a former manipulative bitch, she reckoned. “I just hope it’s not haunted!” Shimmer’s voice came out both excited and nervous.

Maybe she was still very manipulative.

Shimmer took her sweet time walking up the stairs, letting the steps creak and groan under her weight, and when she reached the door, she opened it slowly, partly to let it squeak, and partly because she was afraid the hinges would give up and drop the heavy door upon her. She slowly poked her head inside, and after a few seconds, she looked back at Applejack.

“Get the taser ready, just in case.”

Applejack’s eyes widened and her brows furrowed at the same time. “How did ya-”

“Twilight underestimates me if she thinks I wouldn’t notice,” Shimmer hurried in a hushed voice. “Now shut up and get it ready.”

Applejack huffed and did just that, taking the taser from the hidden pocket in her jacket, but keeping it underneath, and followed Shimmer inside.

To her surprise, the cabin was completely empty. A gray layer of dust painted every surface, with moss decorating the walls from outside. A crumbled down pile of rocks resembled what could’ve been a fireplace some time ago, and a few flat pieces of wood scattered around told a tale of former shelves. But aside that, there was nothing that made Applejack think that humans would have been there in years.

But Shimmer didn’t seem convinced. She entered cautiously, looking around as if someone would materialize and jump to her any time.

The first area was just a big empty space, but there were three other rooms. Shimmer and Applejack checked each of them together. First, a lone sink and a broken table showed what was left of a kitchen. Second, a tiny bathroom that lacked a W.C. And finally, a bedroom with only an unassembled bed frame of wooden planks, and an obnoxiously large wooden chest.

“Well,” Applejack said with a sigh. “There’s no one here. No goons, and…” She paused to put the taser in her pocket again. “No hostages…”

Shimmer walked up to the chest and opened it. It was full to the brim with dirt.

“Let’s go home,” Applejack said.

“Why’s there a chest filled to the brim with dirt?” Shimmer said to herself.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “‘Cuz it’s a cabin in the middle of the woods.”

“Help me move it,” Shimmer ordered as she closed the chest and got into position. “Move your ass!”

“When are y’all gonna stop insulting people?” Applejack asked as she crossed her arms.

Shimmer huffed and straightened up. She turned to Applejack, placing her good hand on her hip. “When you start being useful for a change.”

Applejack chuckled faintly. “Ah knew all that apologizin’ was too good ta be true.” She forced out another chuckle as she shook her head. “But y’all just can’t stop bossin’ us around, callin’ us names and makin’ everyone uncomfortable.”

“And you just decided to get offended right now,” Shimmer said flatly. “Right when we’re about to save my friends.”

“There’s no one here, Shimmer,” Applejack said. “This place’s as empty as that rotten heart of yours.”

“Oh, you want to do this right now?” Shimmer walked up to her, but Applejack quickly took the taser out and pointed it towards Shimmer. “Come on, Cowgirl,” Shimmer taunted her with a smile, stopping just a foot away. “I know you’ve been dying to use it on me. But you better not miss, it takes a minute to recharge.”

Applejack didn’t smile. She didn’t feel like it. Instead, she just glared at Shimmer as her thumb rubbed the power button. “Ah should just go n’ do it. You deserve it.”

Shimmer leaned closer. “Then, why don’t you do it? You chicken?”

“Y’all do nothing but insult and provoke!” Applejack said. “Ah really thought y’all changed when ya were out apologizin’! But Ah guess that was just an act, huh? Was it?!”

“It probably was, it probably wasn’t,” Shimmer replied evenly just as the tip of the taser came in contact with her upper belly. “But that doesn’t matter to any of you, so why did I even bother, right? That’s what you’re thinking. So you should just activate the fucking taser and make me pay for everything I’ve done, right?”

Applejack could feel her heart pounding, her head was aching, and tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. “Ah saw you stabbin’ Trixie! Y’all could’ve killed ‘er but you don’t care!” She pressed the taser against Shimmer. “And y’all think y’all just earn our sympathy ‘cuz you got yer hand hurt?! Ah ain’t buyin’ it!”

“Then activate it,” Shimmer said. Any trace of her smile was gone, and she too pressed against the taser. She could feel it digging into her skin. “Come on, stupid Hillbilly. Do it.”

“Why can’t you just act nice?” Applejack asked, hearing her voice cracking. “Why do ya think y’all have ta get hurt to get even?”

That got Shimmer by surprise. “What?”

“Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Applejack could feel the tears running down her cheeks. “Sunset thought she could atone for her misdeeds by lettin’ everyone step on ‘er,” she said. “And you think you can do so by gettin’ hurt. Why do y’all Sunset’s hafta be such masochists?”

Shimmer didn’t answer right away. She leaned back and looked down to her hand. She had seen the damage behind her bandages, and she could still feel the aching throbbing even under the effects of painkillers.

“Why can’t y’all just be nice?”

“Because I don’t deserve it,” Shimmer said in a whisper. “Because I almost killed my best friend, and I mocked her afterwards. Because I almost killed Trixie, and I was angry you stopped me…” She closed her eyes and turned around. “Do you think someone like me can just say sorry and start over?”

“Of course not!” Applejack answered. “That’s why you have to act like you mean it! Stop wantin’ to get hurt and actually show people you changed!”

Shimmer walked to the chest and placed her good hand on it. “Help me move this chest.”

Applejack huffed. “Are y’all even listening?”

“I’m acting like I care!” Shimmer yelled. “There’s a trapdoor underneath! Help me move the stupid chest!”

Applejack panted as she looked down to the floor. Sure enough, there was an irregular set of planks under the chest. She hurried to Shimmer’s side and pushed. The thing was incredibly heavy, but somehow, they managed to push it all the way to the other side of the room.

Marked with the rectangular area that lacked dust, a trapdoor was easily seen. The handle looked pretty clean, compared to the rest of the house. Shimmer opened it, revealing a worn down ladder. She grabbed her phone and activated the flashlight, illuminating the dirt floor below.

“Stay here in case someone shows up,” was the only thing Shimmer said before she began climbing down, which proved easier said than done with just one hand available.

“Scream if ya need me there,” Applejack said before Shimmer disappeared amidst the darkness.

Even with the aid of her phone, Shimmer could barely see anything. She wondered why there was a basement under a normal-looking abandoned cabin, but she was even more curious about the reason why it was connected by a trapdoor in one of the rooms. Nevertheless, she decided to put those thoughts to the back of her mind and focus on trying not to trip.

The basement, if someone could really call it that, was basically just empty space under the cabin with a few columns here and there and a single wall that divided it in halves. The air reeked of humidity, wet dirt, and what Shimmer hoped was just dead animals. There was a door in the wall, swollen and literally balancing on its lower hinge.

Shimmer swallowed as she pushed the door. It didn’t creak, but it seemed about to collapse. Fortunately, Shimmer crossed without a hitch. She stopped when she heard a soft shuffling, but the sound had ceased, so she pointed her phone to the source of the sound.

And she almost dropped it.

Covered with a single, ragged and dirty blanket, three girls laid sleeping against the wall, huddled up together in a vain attempt to maintain warmth. Shimmer felt her heart pound and her legs shake as a small smile formed in her face.

“I found you…”

Author's Note

I remember the times where I struggled to reach 2K words per chapter. Now I struggle to keep it under 7k.

The plot will thicken soon!