Chapters The day was coming to an end, but the sun was still far above the horizon. The water surface almost like a mirror with a light breeze pulling only smallest waves. Without looking around nopony would suspect that they were far into the ocean, only clouds above the shore barely visible to the west.
A tall ship just docked to the huge barge, anchored seemingly in the middle of nowhere. A minute later gangway dropped on the deck and dozen of ponies descended, forming a crowd before barge’s bridge. There, above the newcomers a yew-colored earth colt with a dark green mane pulled into a tail was meeting them.
“My fellow ponies!” started he after everypony was on board. “My name is Yew Draft. Or you can call me just Draft. And I’m glad that all of you decided to undertake a journey to see our unique and aspiring commune. This is the last stop before you could see the Delight in all its beauty and prosperity. And I humbly hope that after experiencing our way of life many of you would like to stay and make it a new home.”
“If everything is as good as you and your pamphlets say, who wouldn’t like to stay!” there was a voice in the crowd.
“But some ponies, who returned, told rather different things about life here.” another pony from the crowd voiced her concern.
“Well, everypony is entitled to have their own opinion,” parried the spokescolt. “Especially in our enlightened community. But you know like somepony just can’t embrace something, only searching for an excuse to complain. Anyway, very soon you will be able to see everything for yourselves. After all, wouldn’t it be more suspicious if nopony returned from us?”
A colt chuckled at his joke, but nopony has laughed. In awkward silence, they heard something made rather loud splashes overboard.
“And it looks like our escort has already arrived,” said Draft. “Let me introduce you one pony, without whose efforts and magic everything you will see in the next three days would be impossible. My business partner, best friend, and simply a sister – Wild Card!”
After the last word, a part of the barge side near the bridge moved and everypony saw how in the water graceful silhouettes were moving fast. One by one they approached the surface and jumped out showing themselves to the crowd. Of course newcomers already knew that they were seaponies – half-pony and half sea creature with gills, tail, and fins. But to see that marvel with own eyes was indeed breathtaking.
Meanwhile one of the seaponies jumped especially high and forward. She had a horn and used telekinetic power to hold a large pearl before her. When she was in midair the pearl glowed and before seaunicorn landed a shining aura shrouded her. Then aura was gone and everypony saw that mare standing on the deck was seahorse no more, but a white unicorn with a gorgeous cyan mane.
Wild Card made a short bow to the audience and smiled. Meanwhile, her brother descended from the bridge.
“My sister is one of the top students in School for the Gifted Unicorns and she studied magic under Star Swirl the Bearded himself. But even for her, it took half a year to make this Pearl of Transfiguration,” announced Draft after joining Wild Card. “With its power we have founded an absolutely new kind of settlement. Beyond the borders of Equestria. Beyond the ordinary and mundane life. Beyond even the wildest dreams of modern mages. Everypony, who is bold enough to reach for one’s aspirations can begin life anew with a new body of a seapony. Just make a step forward!”
There was some commotion as some ponies were too eager to try “new life”, but Draft quickly organized them into line. One by one twelve colts and mares came to Wild Card and as they jumped into the water Pearl’s power transformed each into a seapony. The last ones who turned into seaponies were Draft and Card themselves.
After that, it took a couple of minutes for newcomers to adjust for new bodies and abilities. Especially breathing underwater.
“Now, to the brave new world under the sea!” exclaimed Draft and everypony dived.
Wild Card was swimming ahead and her brother dragged behind to watch over new quests on their way to Delight. Three seamares of their escort kept themselves at the sides. As they descended the waters around were becoming darker and darker. The only remaining light was Wild Card’s horn.
And suddenly a glow started to show from below. At first, it was barely visible, but becoming more distinct every second. And then all of a sudden new ponies realized that under them there was a whole pattern of lights. Different in color and intensity, some of them even moved. Without noticing everypony was descending quicker and quicker. And in less than a minute fabulous Delight had spread before their eyes.
It was built on a vast plateau. Several huge cliffs were protruding through the whole city. Yes, it was a city. Maybe smaller than Canterlot or Manehatten, but nopony could have the heart to call it just a town. There were the whole roads, made distinct by lights and the cliffs were also illuminated. The moving lights were mounted on some sort of vessels that were made so they would hang in the water, not rising, but not going down either.
Following Wild Card everypony flew to the center of Delight. It was easy to notice as most lights were concentrated in that area. Rays of light, definitely magical, were piercing the blackness of the water. Most of them made a circle around the Central Plaza.
The Plaza was decorated with bushes of seaweed wrapped in luminescent garlands. Some seaponies were there, talking to each other and pointing up. A few waved their hooves to newcomers. Draft smiled – so far so good. The first impression was very important.
Then a song began without being noticed at first. But soon it became very clear. New ponies started to turn their heads in search for it’s source.
Only after second verse guest ponies realized that it were those three mares, who escorted them. They had rather charming voices. Though if one looked thoroughly, would notice that purple one looked somewhat cranky, not really into the song. And yellow mare was tired. Only the blue one was actually enjoying the singing.
Meanwhile, everypony descended to the Plaza. Draft floated to his sister and slightly shoved her as her attention was at the newcomers.
“They really improved their singing after the last time,” he said.
“You wouldn’t believe what it cost me,” grumbled Wild Card.
“But results are great. That’s what important,” Draft’s tone became serious. “Damn! Only a dozen now. And it’s after a month of waiting. Remember, we need to persuade this dozen no matter what.”
“Sh-h!” Wild Card interrupted him. “Song is almost over. Get ready to lead them straight to cantina.”
There were a few more refrains. But Draft was already leading newcomers to the dining hall – a large tent, supported by large natural rocks. As all other “buildings” it was wrapped in luminescent garlands. Inside there was already prepared a welcoming feast of most delicious and exotic “fruits of the sea”. Only Wild Card stayed at the plaza with the dazzling singers.
“Are we done?” yellow seamare asked and sighed.
“If you don’t want the bonus, Adagio,” replied Wild Card.
“No, I don’t,” Adagio looked towards cantina where the guest ponies went. “I am so tired.”
“And I don’t want to entertain those suckers not a bit more!” said the purple mare. “Even for twice pay, you promised. Especially that red jerk, who tried to put his hooves on me during the whole time we were in the dark!”
“You are so picky Aria,” laughed the blue mare. “Then I will accompany them and have all your jewels and gold sand.”
“You can only have your own share, Sonata,” answered Wild Card almost too hastily, but then checked herself. “But if you manage to get some tips from our guest they are all yours.”
Sonata made a dreamy smile.
“After deduction of the tax, of course,” Wild Card made Sonata’s smile to darken a bit, but not gone completely.
“Ugh,” Aria made a wry face. “By all means! I better go to sleep.”
“Me too,” added Adagio. “I don’t understand how you even have so much energy left! You pendant must not be working.” she turned to Wild Card. “You said that you checked your inventions right before we went up.”
“Yes, I’ve checked,” answered mare with a hint of annoyance in her voice. “All are in order. In fact, you could notice that Sonata’s charm had the most power output. As I’ve said before, they work on emotions. Your emotions. And you should allow yourself be attuned to the flow of charms’ power, not being distracted by mental processes.”
“What did Card lady said?” Sonata turned to Aria.
“She said that your stone works best because you are so dumb,” threw Aria. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I will go to that greasy spoon. Maybe that red jerk will pay for my meal there. I’m sick of the ordinary seaweed.”
“Well,” Adagio made an effort to shake off her weariness. “It looks like I also not that tired. And the more jewels I get, the quicker I get out of this hole below the sea,” she stretched again.
“Wonderful!” Wild Card made a happy face. “Remember, that you need to convince these ponies that life here is marvelous.”
“Yeah-yeah, we know.” Adagio brushed Card aside and all three went into the cantina.
There, guest ponies were already feasting on the best seafood, workers of Delight could provide.
“I’ve heard that a lot of creatures in the ocean look like plants,” one of the ponies was talking to a hostess. “Are these really not animals?”
“It’s weed mostly.” cautiously answered mare. “It’s just have flavoring – that’s how we make them so tasty. Just take a bite. Sure, we get some condiment...”
“Don’t you worry ma’am,” Draft appeared out of nowhere and interrupted hostess’ explaination. “We are not so unorthodox as to become carnivores. And don’t you eat cakes on land from time to time?”
“Well, yes. But what have cakes to do with meat?”
“Not meat exactly. But do you know that to make a dough they use chicken eggs? So basically you eat chickens.”
“Oh. Uew,” mare made a face. “I think that I lost my appetite altogether. Where is a bathroom here? Come to think of it, how do you use a bathroom underwater?”
“Our hostess will help you,” answered Draft and threw a glance at her.
After a brief moment of hesitation, the hostess took concerned veggie mare’s hoof and lead her to one of the doorways at the far side of the cantina. Meanwhile, Draft’s gloomy glance followed them. He should’ve foreseen that reaction. Each mistake means one chance lost. Gotta keep it together. He spotted the red colt, who seemed to enjoy the food. And a company of Aria Blaze.
“Mr. Draft!” exclaimed colt upon noticing Draft. “Nice dishes you have here.”
“Yes,” Draft came to the red newcomer. “Mr. Fountain, is it?”
Of all the group Fountain worried him the most. Other ponies were open book to Yew Draft. He knew that even that lady he messed up with could be easily turned around. In ten minutes she will forget all her food reservations. But that red one, there was something under. Behaving like a simpleminded ruffian on the face of it, he had shown more knowledge about Delight than anyone would expect.
“It was definitely not the food that drew all those ponies from here.”
“What are you talking about?” Draft asked in a surprised tone, but he perfectly knew what that was about.
“Ponies that have returned from here,” answered Fountain while moving on a bench a bit closer to Aria. “I’ve met a couple of them. But I heard there were far more.”
“Oh, how many?”
“I don’t know for sure. For the sound of it, returnees make like double of you populace.”
“Pfff! That would be ridiculous. You know that rumors always exaggerate.” Draft’s laugh sounded completely genuine. “Ponies here would notice if our city would shrink three times. Right, Aria?”
“Yes,” answered mare in absent voice, clearly paying more attention at brushing off another Fountain’s hoof from inappropriate place. “You know, how ponies come and go. All those returnees probably were just guests like you. Nopony who settled here ever wanted to leave. At least ones I know of.”
“And I suspect, you three know a lot of ponies her,” Fountain winked at Aria. “Such graceful ponies with such a charming voices.”
Aria nearly choked on her snack. Fountain patted her on the back. Meanwhile, Sonata started singing, but she was at the other end of the dining hall and three ponies couldn’t make the words.
“Yes, really charming voices. You really know, how to organize a good welcome committee, Mr. Draft.”
“Indeed, I know,” answered Draft. “In fact, Sirens give performance quite regularly. So if you decide to stay in our city...”
Fountain belched.
“Sorry,” he said casually. “Sirens?”
“You know mythical voices that lure ponies into the ocean,” explained Draft. “We thought that name fits our stars well.”
“Ah, I see,” said red colt and put his hoof into Aria’s mane.
“What are you doing?!” said Siren in an icy voice.
“Just admiring your hair slide. What is it made of?”
Only at that moment, Draft noticed that Aria’s hair slide was one of those whalebone carvings they used to make. And now he was really wishing that Fountain’s claim had indeed been just an excuse to get together with a pretty mare.
“Are you well up in jewelry, Mr. Fountain?” Draft looked him straight into the eye.
“You can say that,” answered Fountain and then quickly added. “Don’t worry! I’m not one of those nature protecting zealots.”
“This whalebone we took from their last resting place. We never hunted those leviathans.” said Draft firmly, already suspecting that Fountain knows all about it.
“Hunting or robbing the final resting place. For stooges in Equestria ruling council, who passed whalebone ban it’s all the same. But,” Fountain tilted his head. “One small thing can make a big difference.”
“Aria, could you check upon your sister?” asked Draft, making glance in the direction of Sonata who now was dancing above the table.
“Ugh. Fine!” answered Aria.
She raised from the bench and before anypony could say a word took the whole plate with salad and swam away.
“If you want to buy whalebone, you should know that it’s illegal,” said Draft, when seamare was far enough.
“My friends can make it legal,” answered Fountain. “But I want to be sure that we will become exclusive buyers of all your stock.”
“Ah, I see. You want to buy everything cheap, before everypony else get their hooves on the market.”
“I see, they weren’t exaggerating. You are quick.”
“Maybe we live on the bottom of the sea, but we know, what happens in Equestria all the same.”
“How?”
“It’s magic,” laughed Draft, then became serious again. “We heard all about your friends...”
“We?”
“I and Wild Card. After all, it was she, who discovered magical properties of the whalebone. And when the ban was passed that ruined all her hopes to become more than just a star student. And I dedicated my life to exploration. This was to be my legacy. So before all things you should know that we won’t give away our greatest wealth!”
Fountain looked at Draft closely. Then ate some dessert. At last he said:
“Your sister probably was devastated. I imagine, you too. Having your dreams of independent colony so close and then just lose it all. Ponies, I’ve talked to said that your gold and gem mines were almost depleted in about a year ago.”
“But your citizen need. Let’s be honest with us, Mr. Draft. Your cheap tricks, like those Siren band, won’t work forever. I, on the other hand, can help you to achieve that glory you nearly missed.”
Draft hemmed. He knew a shady business when he saw one. But now he and Wild Card had no choice but to go along with this proposition. This was the chance that they were hoping for. But if Fountain thinks he and his associates just suck Delight, Draft’s dream, easily, they are making a grave mistake.
“It’s a deal then,” answered Delight’s leader at last. “We will work with you. And you help our city become the underwater marvel it was planned to be.”
To be continued...
Author's Note
The song that Sirens were singing is based on "Somewhere beyond the sea", but with some lyrics changed accordingly. Here is a link to lyrics
Three months have passed since Yew Draft and Wild Card had accepted Fountain’s offer. He hasn’t lied to them, saying he can lift the whalebone ban. In fact, it was done in less than two weeks after Fountain departed to Canterlot. And when the red colt returned he brought not only the proper papers, but a whole team of specialist ponies to start collecting whalebone almost immediately.
“That is amazing!” Wild Card almost cried, when she saw all the equipment. “It’s like dream came true!”
Draft, however, was less excited. In fact, he had a lot of things on his mind, not the least of them “how?”. For that Fountain should have someone on Equestria Ruling Council, who was interested in whalebone. But that was easy to understand – Wild Card literally wrote a dozen of articles on whalebone magical properties and potential to make magic enhancing amulets. Even earth ponies could use those to do basic spells. That is until Card’s initiative was not banned due to those sanctimonious “protect leviathans” zealots.
Seriously, half of them just threw baseless accusations about Delight citizens hunting beasts without any proof. And the other half was saying that ponies don’t have a right to desecrate “final resting place”. Right, they wouldn’t even call graveyard a graveyard. And who even cares about leviathan remains?! It’s not like those creatures visit their deceased relatives or something. Seaponies, who live underwater and watch great beasts activities daily would know better than anyone, wouldn’t they? Not according to those hot shots, hiding behind Royal Sisters' backs!
Fountain’s associates obviously were ponies of a more reasonable kind. They understood the perspectives of Wild Card’s work. But preparing the whole team in less than half a moon? With all the bureaucratic drivel on Equestria Ruling Council that was impossible! Unless of course, they started preparations in advance. That would mean that whoever those ponies were, they knew or at least counted on Fountain to persuade leading siblings of Delight city. If they were so well prepared, why all those delays? Delight city needs to grow and many demands of its citizens can’t be fulfilled without supplies Fountain promised.
“Brother?” Wild Card’s voice pulled Draft from his thoughts.
As usual, he was sitting in the club that was on the low floor of City Hall. Very convenient for seaponies to relax after the workday and meet Delight’s management in nonformal surroundings. And of course, many ponies came here to listen to Sirens sing. Their charming voices somehow soothed any anguish and lifted any visitor’s spirit.
Everypony thought that to be just natural talent, but Draft suspected that it was his sister’s magical charms. Though he didn’t much care – the result was more important. In fact Draft, himself came down to the club from time to time.
“What?”
“Yes. Fountain says that they aren’t as high as he hoped. And that’s the reason he couldn’t buy all the supplies he promised. But I don’t believe him.”
“Well, sales are indeed rather low. But the reason is not low demand.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is simply not enough whalebone. Shops keep running out of stock.”
“Wait, wait, wait. How can they be low on whalebone if we get… Ah, I see.” Draft grimly stomped hoof.
“Yes, Fountain is cheating. He keeps most part of the bone to himself, for whatever reason.”
“I know the reason. He wants its price to get higher. But at our expense.”
“So you better talk to him. Before our supplies run low. We are not running low on supplies already, are we?”
“Good for you to care at last. We are OK for now, just so you know.”
The bickering between Draft and Card continued as they were floating through the city. As high as Card’s skill in magic was and as valuable were her studies of charms creation, Draft didn’t like that she dedicated to them ALL the time.
“I know that you would like to live in some sort of Ivory Tower not worrying about anything else, but I’m just one pony. You can’t put all the stuff on me!”
“And can’t you find someone else to help? Seriously, if you are now officially called the mayor of Delight, you should have ponies for the economy, farm, and other management. Especially now, as the city is filled with work again.”
Delight has indeed become more lively since that first Fountain’s visit months ago. More floating carriages and construction all over the place. The City Hall itself was built on the occasion to receive the Equestrian delegation, but after that, it unexpectedly became the center of city’s life.
Draft ad his sister found Fountain in his “office”. Actually, it was a cave in one of the undersea cliffs, but it was high above the Delight plateau. A few windows were gouged in the rock and with a multitude of lights below one could imagine being on the top floor of one of Manehattan tall buildings.
“Is it something urgent?” asked Fountain after Wild Card practically pushed some ponies out.
“Yes. It’s about whalebone,” started Draft right away.
“Listen,” said Fountain annoyingly “I’ve already told you that we hadn’t sold enough...”
“But how were you going to if the most part of the shipment hadn’t reached the store?”
“What are you talking about?” red seacolt seemed surprised, though Draft knew that it was not about the whalebone, but about the news reaching the Delight.
“Don’t play games with us! We know that you still holding most of the whalebone in your warehouses.”
For some reason, it looked like Fountain looked relieved.
“Listen. It’s all about commerce. If we sell all whalebone at once, the price will drop. And you won’t get enough bits anyway.”
“And for some reason, you’ve forgotten to mention your sales strategy, when we made an agreement!” Draft pushed at Fountain. “Now you listen. Delight WILL grow as we planned. And if you won’t hold your end of the bargain, we will distribute whalebone amulets ourselves.”
“Oh really?” Fountain smirked. “How will you find your buyers sitting under the ocean? Not to mention the carving and enchanting the amulets. I doubt that your airhead sister will agree to spend night and day to do the job.”
“I am an accomplished mage! One of the best… The best student of Star Swirl the Bearded!” Wild Card angrily lounged at Fountain.
“Yeah, right,” red colt’s grinned again. “You were so good, that after a year he kicked you out. So now you sitting here in the ocean, writing about bones of dead leviathans!”
“You! You know nothing. Magical properties of the whalebone are just one of my many discoveries. All my research was so far ahead that no one could understand it’s implications. Only Star Swirl knew that and granted me an assignment in the field. And when this project is complete, everyone including that upstart Clover will recognize the true value of my ideas.”
“Tell yourself all you want. I know for a fact that right now you and your brother both totally dependent on me. Without my connections, you would and you WILL be sitting on the bottom of the sea for the rest of your days. And no one will remember you.” Fountain took some documents from the pile on his desk. “Now go to your jobs. I will notify you if there when the new shipment of supplies arrives.”
“You insolent...” before Wild Card continued, Yew Draft grabbed her and they left the cave.
“How could he dismissed us just like that?”
“Because he can.” Draft’s voice was unusually calm. “Obviously now he thinks that he owns everything – there is no point in arguing.”
“And you are OK with us being at his mercy?”
“We are not at his mercy, sister. And I’m going to prove that to this clown. Come. We should talk, but not with Fountain. Let’s rally our citizens. And see, what he will do when they just refuse to dig whalebone for him.”
The mayor of the Delight and his sister went to their faithful supporters. Or so they thought.
“So, you ask me to cancel all our scheduled digging?” asked a grumpy dark green sea-colt. “Su-ure. I just tell my guys that we stop working.”
That seapony was a manager of the primary whalebone collecting team. The first link in a chain of production. It was Draft who personally put him in such high position. And yet the gratitude was shortlived.
“Are you out of your minds?!” at last grumpy finished with sarcasm. “It’s Fountain, who pays us, not you!”
It was much worse than Draft feared. Apparently Fountain used quite a large part of the whalebone sales revenue to bribe Draft’s own workers. Not only that, red swindler also used the very amulets that were supposed to bestow magical abilities to earth ponies as barraging chips – after all, what seapony would turn down an opportunity to gain superpony speed or strength. How could Draft not see that coming?!
Sure, Fountain didn’t buy every single citizen of Delight, after all, he had to ship at least some whalebone on land to get supplies HE needed. But so far about half of the management ponies were on his side. Even if everypony who stuck with Draft and Card agree to stop working, it wouldn’t be a blow to Fountain strong enough to force him to cooperate.
“What are we gonna do?! That swindler you brought to our sweet Delight made us!”
“Oh, now you put everything on me again.” Draft was really annoyed with his sister’s attitude. “And who was so excited about the lift of whalebone ban, so she jumped to her research shifting all responsibilities to Fountain’s ponies?” And now they are out of our control.”
“Gh-hh.” Wild Card was gritting her teeth.
“OK, sis. Let’s not lose ourselves just yet. Some ponies are still on our side and they promised to come here towards evening. And when they gather here, we should have a plan.”
“Hey! What’s happening?” that was Aria.
She approached to arguing siblings with other two Sirens at her side.
“I mean with Fountain’s whalebone production. I’ve heard that you want to shut him down?”
“Fountain’s production?!” raged Card. “It’s MINE. My life’s work on whalebone charms!”
“Whatever. So you shut him down or not?” Aria had little regard for tact.
Draft quickly pushed his sister aside.
“Why are you asking? Wait. Aren’t you on Fountain’s payroll?”
“Ha! He is such a skinflint, refuses to pay us with whalebone, only usual gems.” Adagio shoved her slightly and Aria corrected herself. “I mean we won’t be bought like that. And since you are in charge of the city why would we ever side with him?”
“Ah, I see,” Draft squinted at his club’s stars. “And why do you think that we are trying to shut whalebone gathering?”
“Face it, brother,” Card answered instead. “It’s those ponies, whom we asked to stop. I can bet at least a few of them had run to Fountain immediately.”
“Yeah, too bad that we haven’t our own among his ponies.” Draft looked Sirens straight in the eye. “Or have we?”
Sirens left the club to spy on Fountain. Card promised them some exclusive magical charms and simply insane amount of raw whalebone. At first Draft was going to scold her, but than changed his mind. Those sisters were their best shot to learn at least some weakness in Fountain’s plan.
Then Draft and Card went upstairs where was Draft’s office. Unlike Fountain’s it was real room, since the City Hall was real building, not just some cave in the cliff side. There was even separate room for Wild Card and her magical artifacts.
However they still couldn’t come up with anything. It appeared that Fountain had all his bases covered. But the worst was yet to come. Just when evening came and all ponies loyal to their mayor came at last, Adagio, Aria and Sonata stormed into City Hall looking like they had to fight of a pack of sharks.
“They are coming!” Adagio breathed out.
“Who?”
“Fountain and his henchponies!”
“What?!”
“And that’s not the worst of it.” said Aria. “Fountain goons crushed several rocks to block access to whalebone deposits. And framed you for it.”
Everyseapony had jaw dropped.
“How do you know all of this?”
“Sonata saw it with her own eyes,” answered Adagio.
“And as usual she screwed up – they caught her.” added Aria.
“Almost caught.”
“Yeah, right. Such a big difference. They chased us right to City Hall, crying “Pitchfork those spies!”. Now, I hope that you have some plan. Otherwise...”
“Otherwise what?” asked some seamare with her voice trembling.
“Otherwise our story won’t end well,” answered Aria.
“And won’t have E rating for sure,” added Sonata.
And then they heard Fountain and the angry mob, he was leading.
“Listen to me, everypony of Delight! As you know whalebone mining became our crucial source of income and magical amulets for the past months. But it appears that you so-called benefactors – mayor and his sister didn’t give a thing about you. When I couldn’t satisfy their insane demands they just blew the site and buried your future!”
“How ponies could believe this fraud?!” stomped Yew Draft.
“It would be great if someone has a plan.” interrupted Adagio.
“Actually, I think I have one.” suddenly exclaimed Wild Card. “You and your sisters can use their charms to stop the mob.”
“How?!” exclaimed Adagio. “This crowd is half of the Delight! We barely stand after singing to a dozen of ponies.”
“And not that we could affect them much anyway.”
“What do you mean by “affect”?” asked one of the seaponies, but his inquiry was ignored.
“Of course I know all that!” snapped Wild Card. “But there is a way to fix this. I just modify you pendants, so they would use emotions of the crowd.”
“Huh. And don’t they need like to be into that flow or something? I remember you told my sisters that if they resist, pendants won’t work at all.”
“Yeah, if even Sonata sees that it’s really stupid idea.” noted Aria.
“Have you heard of Windigo?”
“That’s just a tale for fillies.”
“No. Windigo were real. In fact among my magical ingredients there is their essence.”
“Essence? What is that? Don’t tell me that you’ve squeezed those into the jar or something.”
“Listen, Adagio. I have no time to explain every little detail. Windigo created cold, literally froze the whole land. And they used ponies negative energy to gain strength. And if I could make you pendants work the same way, you can use all that aggression from Fountain’s goons. And the angrier they become, the stronger your call will be. Of course, there can be side effects.”
“For us or for them?” asked Aria.
“I think that at this point we don’t have a choice,” Draft looked through the window.
The angry mob of seaponies with luminescent lights on sticks and pitchforks filled the plaza in front of City Hall.
“Now let those charlatans pay for what they did to you!” shouted Fountain. “They promised you delightful and exotic life and what you get in return? Just more work! Mining precious whalebone for mere bits while they use it to make all sorts of magical stuff. And when you finally would get your entitled reward they just blew the same mine to pieces! Now it’s time for them to pay!”
And just when the crowd was ready to storm it they heard a music from inside. Then it became stronger and to their surprise Fountain’s ponies realized that sound comes from above – through magical loudspeakers usually used to make announcements. Than a song started.
You have come here on the say
Who wants take all what is yours?
Just look what you are really doing
Now you gathered here to blame
Who would ever do such thing?
Trust us, this is Fountain’s doing.
Don’t let him win, just try to think!
Will you stand with us or him?
“What is travesty?! You think that if you make your accusations in the song it will become more believable?” Fountain chuckled. “Take them!”
“Now,” said Wild Card to Sirens. “Try to stop the crowd!”
“Stop!” commanded the sisters and at once all the seaponies, who surrounded Fountain froze.
“What?!” the head of the insurrection was frustrated finding himself among the crowd that was completely out of his control.
“What is happening?!”
“No one will listen to you anymore!” cried Wild Card. “You lost.”
“I never lose. Listen to me, everyone! I promise you twice as payment. And remember who had given you the amulets and other valuable stuff.” the further Fountain talked the more unsure he became as no one around him paid any attention to what he was saying.
“Listen to me! You idiots. Snap out of it!” his frustration now turned into anger. “I won’t allow some magic trick to ruin months, years of preparation. No one outplays Fountain!”
“Now, Adagio!” shouted Wild Card. “While he is angry.”
“Speak the truth!” commanded the Siren. “Fountain, tell everyone who is responsible for the whalebone dig collapse.”
“What if I am?! I made all the preparations. I bought those greedy counselors. I assembled the teams and organized the whole ordeal! It’s my right to get most of the profit and leave you with just my leftovers. You have no idea, how much I will ultimately gain!”
“I think that’s all that we needed to hear,” said Adagio. “Now fellow ponies, what shall you do with someone, who tricked you like that.”
The mob around Fountain as by command turned towards him. Seastallion froze in horror.
“Wait! Stop.” that was the voice of Yew Draft. “Let’s not descend to his level. We should show that in our Delight everyone has a chance for redemption. Mr. Fountain, you will grant me, I mean us all information about stocks of whalebone and your associates.”
“Yes, yes. Of course.” it wasn’t clear if Fountain was compelled by the Siren’s spell or fear of his former followers turning on him, but ultimately there was no difference.
“Good. Thank you brother for reminding us about our values,” said Wild Card. “I promise everypony that from now on each of Delight citizens will get a fair share of our income and support. I know, that what happened today could jeopardize everything we had built here. But the city is in our hooves again. And nothing will threaten our bright future anymore!”
To be continued.
Author's Note
Song lyrics is based on "We Will Stand for Everfree"
This link is to remix by KevinOK. As I understand it's still ok with the rules.
The original song melody is somewhat creepy. So remix is closer to what the Sirens' "Stopping the mob" song should sound like. After all, they are not villains, but good guys. ~~Yet.~~
The whole city celebrated victory over Fountain. Yew Draft insisted on throwing the grand feast. Something to help seaponies of Delight forget how they nearly have torn the city apart. And what was better than delicious food and beautiful distraction? A week of preparation for the feast itself also helped to keep minds occupied.
Adagio, Aria, and Sonata were very eager to perform and for the whole week were rehearsing their new song. However, Wild Card had reservations.
“Listen. It was experimental spell and you have to go through more tests,” she explained.
“Why?” asked Aria. “We feel totally fine.”
“How would you know?” countered Card. “In fact Aria, you are more energetic and lively than you ever were.”
“Wow! You say that I’m not ok because for once I’m trying not to spoil your celebration with my usual attitude, you so much complain about.”
“Ha!” laughed Sonata. “Didn’t see that coming, sis?”
“You were feeding on emotions of an angry mob. That was bound to affect you in some way.” tried Card again. “Just look at your pendants. The whalebone frame is practically melted into the core. They look like some sort of crystals now. And why red? It’s all because of that negative energy. Who knows what changed inside?!”
“Ok.” suddenly said Adagio. “We will go through your tests after the celebration.”
“I’m glad that you see reason.”
“But we still want to perform now. It will be just one or two songs.” she made a pause like considering something. “And of course we won’t use any magic.”
“We won’t?” asked Sonata.
“No more than usual at least.” Adagio turned to Card. “You don’t think that just one song will change anything?”
“Fine.” Card exhaled, realizing that this was the only compromise she would achieve without real quarrel.
The preparations meanwhile were finished and celebration of a “Fountain free” era of the Delight city began. Despite Wild Card worries “Sirens” made it through without incidents. They sang their best songs without even being exhausted as usual.
Still, on the next day, Wild Card was worried when three sisters haven’t shown up as they promised. So she asked around and learned that The Sirens went to the surface. Not that it was really unusual, many ponies often made a trip to see the sunrise. Also, they could have some business with the barge crew. The last shift missed celebration – maybe they decided to order a performance and Adagio seized the opportunity?
But there was a nagging feeling that something wasn’t right. Card hurried up to the barge. And when she reached there she was struck in astonishment by what she saw. Three seamares were dancing in front of the barge. In the air!
“Look! We can fly,” said Sonata Dusk to Wild Card with her usual ditsy innocence.
“Do you understand what that means?” lashed Card.
“That we don’t need to change into ponies to go on land anymore?”
Adagio and Aria stared at Sonata, trying to figure out if there was more to her answer than on the face of it. Or maybe she just said first that would come to mind. As usual.
“When did you learn to do that?” demanded Card.
“A few days back, when Draft had sent us to practice our song and dance away from Delight,” answered Adagio after a prolonged pause. “We went to the surface and during practice, Sonata was carried away and flew into the air.”
“Like literally,” added Sonata. “That was so fun. Who knew that our charms would allow us to fly?”
“And that was exactly what I was talking you about!” lashed Card again. “These pendants are so overcharged now that they exhibit totally new effects. You should take them off immediately.”
“Imagine that,” sighed Aria. “Good that we decided to make our farewell number for the barge crew.”
“But how we will perform without them?” Sonata tried to persuade Wild Card. “Maybe we wear them a bit more. Ple-ease.”
“Have you heard what I said? Your charms behave in a totally unpredicted manner,” started Card.
“Fine!” suddenly said Adagio. “We will doff our pendants.”
Her sisters glanced at her in disbelief.
“Though are you sure that you shouldn’t make extensive testing first?” continued the Siren. “You said that granting us this ability is something that you haven’t thought of. Maybe there is more to it. What if it’s unknown property of the whalebone? You obviously wouldn’t want ponies on the mainland to discover that themselves.”
In silence, Aria and Sonata looked at their sister again. She truly knew how to push somepony’s buttons.
“You probably right, Adagio,” said Card at last. “I mean what if there are other effects. I should study your connection with pendants thoroughly so I wouldn’t miss any affection for your well-being. And let’s not waste time and go to my lab immediately. After all, you were supposed to do those tests in the first place.”
Tests took practically the rest of the day and even night. Results were astonishing. Apparently, energy that three sisters consumed have boosted their vigor and even nourished them. It was still to be determined if such nourishment could sustain their organism instead of regular food, but that wouldn’t be too surprising since Wild Card charms were derived from windigo magic.
The most puzzling was new abilities Sirens apparently received. The flight was one of them, energy beams were another. Wild Card was shocked by the sheer power of Aria’s blast, when she shattered a ship-sized rock into pieces. Sisters also could modulate their voices to make another dangerous weapon out of them. And of course their singing was irresistible – after all, that’s what pendants were originally designed for.
The last part was worried Wild Card for some reason. Not that she was afraid to fall under Sirens’ spell – it was her who designed it after all. But still, this kind of power being in the hooves of three flighty mares has been uneasy. And Yew Draft definitely wasn’t helping by asking Adagio and her sisters to “smooth certain tensions between the citizens”.
Despite trying to provide for everypony, Draft still wasn’t able to get all supplies. Fountain really made a mess of all accounting and probably didn’t expect to deliver those in the first place. Though that didn’t change the fact that before the next shipment would arrive, many Delight citizens would have to restrain themselves. And of course, it was impossible to make share so everyone would be happy.
Wild Card understood all that her brother was explaining but still was opposed to using such magic. Especially without ponies knowing that the very same spell that calmed down an angry mob, could easily be used to sway anypony to do whatever bidding Sirens would want. What if that trick would be discovered?
Card agreed to let Adagio and her sisters keep the pendants. She still wanted more tests to make and try to replicate new artifact powers. Yew Draft also was for Sirens keeping their powers – in case of more tensions, as he said.
Still, Card’s worries only grew as over time tensions increased more and more. During next week there were several minor outbursts, the last of them nearly grew to riot. But the worst was yet to come. On the day that main shipment was due to arrive a storm broke out. And cargo vessel sank several leagues from Delight.
In the end, it turned out not as bad as it seemed. Yew Draft as Delight’s mayor quickly organized an expedition. Seaponies recovered most of the cargo, but still, some things were badly damaged. And nopony was happy to carry them through the rough and dangerous ocean floor.
The last straw came as several accusations about the unreliable magic that Wild Card used to keep weather calm in the vicinity above Delight. For her, an accomplished mage who saw herself worthy to be Star Swirl the Bearded’s protegee, it was personal. Even she was exhausted by the trip (Wild Card was helping to load most heavy cargo on sub-carriages) seaunicorn immediately dug herself into her books to find proof that she was not responsible.
And to her horror, she couldn’t find the weather control spellbook. The feeling about something wrong that nagged Card for a while now manifested in all its power. She couldn’t just lose that book. Someone ought to take it. And it all started to click into place. Those incidents increasing tensions, outbursts of anger, and now this crash that will raise even more stir for sure. Everything provided more and more negative energy for Sirens to charge their amulets.
Still, Wild Card had to be sure. She couldn’t make anypony to confront Sirens having the only suspicion. On another hoof, could she make anypony to confront Sirens at all? But Card decided to deal with problems one by one. First, she had to be sure.
There was one spell that could help her. She started to work on it the very night they had the confrontation with Fountain. Since they couldn’t know if Adagio and her sisters bring anything about Fountain’s plans, she tried to make an eavesdropping spell. In the end, they weren’t needing it, so she had left it in “half-baked” state. It just granted caster extremely sensitive hearing. Not much but it had to do.
She kept her spell drafts in a locked part of the lab. No one was allowed there, nor anypony have seen Card’s most impressive artifacts and works. She made this shelter just as a precaution but never thought that she actually would need one.
It took her a few minutes to re-check the incantation and then cast it. It sharpened her hearing so Wild Card could discern even a whispered conversation from hundred meters away. Now all she had to do is to find Sirens. Where could they be? Certainly not around, as Card’s superhearing didn’t pick up anything except some disconcerting noise.
Maybe somepony would talk about three sisters? Wild Card went outside to pick up what other ponies of Delight were talking about. Being focused on the task at hand, she had never even thought if it was appropriate to listen to all the private conversations. Not that there were many to listen to.
In fact, Wild Card quickly realized that for such a big city as Delight there was too little talking. Most ponies were silent, some were just humming a melody, the few squabbles was all she heard. If Sirens were trying to make everypony angry again, they definitely were taking their time.
Card floated over the city. She made her way towards the whalebone quarry and marketplace – during Fountain’s enterprise, those parts of Delight became most populated. Also, it was the quarry, where Card’s brother conducted many negotiations, since many ponies were reluctant to come at city hall.
Here the noise became stronger. And Wild Card suddenly realized that it wasn’t just a noise but a song. It was the same melody that everypony was humming. She rushed further to the quarry and soon could discern the words.
Oh-whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh
Blindsided by the beat
That was unbelievable! Right under her nose, three sisters swayed the whole Delight into becoming their personal army. And this probably hasn’t started just today. Wild Card stopped, floating above the Market Street. For half a minute she couldn’t decide what to do.
Card was immune to the charms of her own design and she could probably make others resistant too. But if seaponies were already under control, there was no counterspell in her possession.
However, there was one way to get help. A long time ago Wild Card promised to herself that she will never resort to it, but now she had no choice. No amount of shame and humiliation could be worse than losing the city of her and her brother’s dream to the monsters she created.
She had to hurry. In fact, as Card was floating above the market she could be easily spotted by anypony. What if Sirens already set up some to watch over her and her brother? Actually, where was Yew Draft? Wild Card forced herself to focus. In her vault was the only thing that could help her now.
Wild Card entered her vault and shut the door. There was little time, so she rushed to the far corner of the room and opened safe as quickly as possible. Inside there was one of her points of pride – the communication crystal. One of the ones she and Star Swirl the Bearded were working on before that Clover came and messed things up. Still, even now it was a connection to the School for the Gifted Unicorns. Literally. Despite their differences Star Swirl still kept another crystal in his study and Wild Card talked to him from time to time.
She cast an activation spell. To establish a connection was to take about half a minute. Card talked to Star Swirl on a regular basis, last time boasting about her recent success with establishing whalebone trading network. She made even subtle reminder that maybe Clover was not his best choice after all…
So much for Wild Card’s successful career. Now she will certainly get all her claims back at her. Seapony made a series of relaxing breaths. Saving Delight was more important than any amount of shame and accusations of incompetence.
“You?!” exclaimed Wild Card. “What are you doing in Star Swirl’s study?”
“I’m his assistant, just so you know!” retorted Clover the Clever. “And you… Wait. Wild Card, is it?”
There was some commotion in the laboratory.
“Dear sister are you here?” that was the voice of Yew Draft, but something in his voice stopped Card just as she was ready to rush to the door.
“Are you sure, she is here?” Aria’s voice made Card freeze.
“Hello?” asked Clover from the crystal.
That returned Wild Card to reality.
“Damn! I have no time. Call Star Swirl. I need his help to counter mind control spell. Without it, Sirens will sway anypony who is angry or upset. They can feed on any negative energy and now have the power...”
“Sirens? Are they real?” Clover was excited.
“No. I mean,” Wild Card started to explain, but suddenly image in the crystal flicked.
“Repeat please,” asked Clover. “There was some glitch in connection.”
At that moment Card realized that everything around her is vibrating. And then there was a blast that shook the whole room. Sirens tried to use their abilities to find her – Card’s time was running out.
“Listen,” said Clover after she hasn’t got the answer form Wild Card, who desperately tried to think of something. “I was in similar kind of situation when I have faced windigos.”
“Windigos? You were the one who drove them off?!” if Wild Card wasn’t in the seapony form, hanging in the water, she would have jumped in astonishment. How could she forget about that?
“Well, duh.” waved aside Clover, with only a glimmer of pride in her glance, but immediately became serious “But I did it with the help of other ponies. You know that our magical power draws it’s strength from emotions, right?”
Seaunicorn sniffed as it was so basic that she considered herself way past that now.
“What I understand now, it is our connection to others, our relations that make the strongest passion and become most powerful magic.”
Clover hesitated a bit, not sure if to tell Wild Card that Star Swirl himself was quite doubtful about her theory.
“But I said, I AM alone. Everypony else is under Sirens’ spell. Even my brother and no “connection” will help unless I free them!”
“Are you sure? Maybe it’s still there, deep inside. And you can reach it with a memory spell or something.”
Before she finished another, more powerful blast shattered the door. Three sisters swam into the room.
“Oh, look whom we have here,” grinned Aria. “And I was always curious how you can get news from the mainland before anyone arrives.”
“What is that?” asked Clover, as communication spell was faltering again. “The sirens?”
Before Wild Card could answer Adagio blasted the communication crystal to pieces with her sonic wave attack.
“Now we got you,” she said. “Submit to our will.”
“Never!”
“Maybe you need to sing it,” told Sonata to her sister. “So the magic will be more powerful.”
“I will never be controlled by you,” lashed Wild Card. “I’ve created you. And how are you repaying me? By taking everything away?”
“It was you who wanted to take everything away,” retorted all three Sirens.
Adagio came right on Wild Card.
“You used us,” she said into mare’s face. “And when we did all your dirty work, made your and your brother’s underwater city safe, you decided to toss away all we got!”
Than Adagio flew back to her sisters.
“But now we don’t need to stay at your whim. We have you precious city under our hooves.”
“Uhm,” cut in Sonata. “Do we? You said we needed access to loudspeakers.”
The angry glare from her sisters told her that telling this in front of the only mare not controlled by the spell was not the best idea.
“All right,” said Adagio at last. “Come with us, Card. After all, you made our amulets, so you at least deserve to see our triumph. When we will sing our song at full power, spreading through the whole city, we, at last, get respect and adoration we deserve!”
“And don’t try anything funny,” added Aria. “Or we will make your brother here to do something you both will regret.”
“Draft, follow us,” said Adagio flowing out of the Wild Card’s vault and seacolt obediently followed.
Access to citywide loudspeakers was in Yew Draft’s study. It was just a couple of weeks ago, thought Wild Card when Sirens used them to stop the crowd from tearing them down. And now this device will seal the fate of the citizens as slaves to her magic. The very same magic that was supposed to help Wild Card and Yew Draft to make their dream come true. Their most ambitious and at the same time most sacred dream, that united them from their time as fillies. Even before Card entered The School for the Gifted Unicorns and met Star Swirl and Clover.
Card remembered Clover’s advice. What if…
“Where are the controls?” asked Adagio, turning to Draft.
“I hid them, just in case,” he answered with an absent voice.
“Than unhide them!” suddenly squealed Sonata. “I want all this to get over with.”
Seacolt swam behind his desk and after a few manipulations, a panel with a map of Delight slid aside. Impatiently blue Siren swam to the nozzle.
“Listen to me, citizen of Delight!” she cried, than stopped. “Is it on?”
“Oh!” Wild Card put hoof to her face. “Let me attune it for you. Waiting for you taking our city is more unbearable than to actually getting through it.”
All three Sirens laughted.
“Ha-ha. Ok, make it work.” said Aria.
That was Card chance. Now she had only to enchant the loudspeakers with the same spell, Sirens used. And without them noticing.
“What’s taking so long,” asked Adagio after a while. “You’re stalling, aren’t you? Finish this instant or...”
“It’s done,” answered Wild Card.
“Really?” Sonata dashed to speaking nozzle again.
“Unless she put some spell to strip you of your power,” threw Aria and her sister stopped.
“And you had to say that,” said Adagio accusingly.
“I am not the one who would like my sister to lose her powers,” Aria tried to sound really caring, but of course failed.
Sonata was looking from one of her sisters to another and back.
“Can someone explain to me what is going on?”
“It’s simple,” sighed Aria. “Adagio wanted to get rid of you.”
“You saying like you are not!” countered Adagio. “The only reason you decided to warn her is to join with her against me.”
“Ha-ha-ha” Wild Card’s laugh interrupted the argument and all three Sirens looked at her.
“Just look at yourselves! You haven’t even got the city yet, but already turn on one another.” she pointed her hoof at each of the sisters. “I don’t even know if it’s windigo magic from my amulets affecting you or you just were this selfish and quarrelsome from the start.”
“Ease off, will you?” snarled back Adagio. “It’s our private matter.”
“Yeah, right. Dividing up the city that is not your own yet.” Card turned to her brother. “Are you going to let them just take our dream away? You wanted to create something great since you were a filly. And now you have the whole city, made by your vision and my magic. We have built this whole new community together. How can you stand and just watch as some greedy mares deciding its fate, like it’s their own?!”
“You know that you can’t turn him to your side, right?” asked Adagio turning away from her sisters, like their grievances against her wouldn’t matter. “He is under our control. By the spell that you yourself created. And will do all that I and my sisters will command.”
“And what if you don’t agree? Whose orders you think he will listen to?” Card made one step towards her brother. “Tell me who of these three seamares is your favorite? Or...”
“Stop stalling!” lunged Adagio at her, the threw a look at her sisters. “We will sort our personal problems later. Now remove the spell that you put on loudspeakers.”
“As if you could figure out if I do that,” smirked Wild Card. “You were so full of yourselves that didn’t even think that I’m the only one who knows all the magic here.”
“That’s it!” cried Adagio. “Draft! Make your sister lift the spell!”
Seacolt swam to Card and put his hooves on her shoulders.
“Dear sister,” his voice was very calm and soothing, but with his absent face that just made it creepier. “Please, remove the magic you put on the speakers.”
Draft’s hooves pushed Card further and she finally stuck on the wall.
“Don’t be so stubborn as usual. And I wouldn’t need to hurt you.”
“Drft,” coughed out Wild Card as her brother’s hooves clasped her throat. “Stop. Remember it’s me.”
That was no use. Wild Card was starting to lose consciousness. In her desperation, she couldn’t think straight and in the last effort to at least free herself seaunicorn just swung her head and hit Draft’s forehead.
“Auch!” suddenly he let her loose and was rubbing his face. “That was uncalled for, sis. For crying out loud, you could put my eye out with your horn!”
“You...” that was the only thing Wild Card was able to produce.
It worked! It actually worked! That swelled head Clover was right! Now she had only to keep him free long enough.
“Does it matter?” answered Adagio, her anger starting to rise. “She made our charms after all. Shouldn’t have underestimated her in the first place.”
“I’ll say,” cut in Sonata.
“Enough!” cried Adagio, the whole room shaking as her voice was enhanced by pendant power. “DO AS I SAY!”
“Never!” Yew Draft and Wild Card answered almost simultaneously.
Brother and sister turned to The Sirens, floating inches above the floor side by side. And if somepony would pay attention, this pony would see a heart-shaped aura above their heads. It wasn’t exactly Fire of Friendship that once helped to drive windigo away. After all most of the siblings' emotions were anger and resentment directed at three seamares who dared to take their sweet dream away. However, those feelings were mutual and they united them as tight as an aspiring idealist and a proud mage could be united against a common foe.
“Never again!” cried Wild Card and not even knowing where she drew strength from she filled the entire room with freezing aura.
Now three sisters were in ice cases. Ironically, that was the very same fate that awaited most victims of the windigos whose powers The Sirens used.
“Now we must break their spell over OUR city,” said Draft to his sister. “You know how to do that, right?”
“I think so,” she answered, weaving another spell. “We use Siren’s, I mean my, spell against them. Now their own energy will make that even easier.”
She waved her horn. Three rays of magic coming from Sirens to the loudspeaker mouthpiece nozzle were barely visible.
“So, how does this work? Should we just tell ponies to break free or we require to sing?” asked Draft and not even waiting for answer sang into the nozzle, that glowed green. “Open up your eyes. Make the Sirens’ spell to end.”
“Well,” said Wild Card hearkening to magical energies. “I think you did it. After all, they had only spread subtle influence. You were the only pony who they got complete hold of. Right?”
“I think so,” Yew Draft rubbed his forehead. “Wait! There were a couple of ponies, whom they left on the watch. I remember how one of them rushed in and told that he spotted you. Damn! That moment I became so angry at you for some reason. It was definitely their spell – I could never hate you so much. I mean, sometimes you really behave like everypony is beneath you.”
He looked into sister's eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he said abashedly.
“We will have time to discuss our differences later. Now we have to destroy those amulets quickly and for good,” she said almost without any regret. “This magic proved to be too dangerous.”
“Sis,” said Draft very timidly. “What if we keep the magic a little bit longer. I mean that we don’t even know if we affected everypony enough. Or what if there are some effects that we need to remove.”
“Listen,” Wild Card made a long sigh as she was thinking about the same, however, she also knew the truth. “There can be some effects and that’s why we should end using this spell right now. I don’t know if we could explain what happened to all our citizens. And if they will forgive us. But this kind of magic is too dangerous.”
Before Draft could reply a loud crack sounded in the room. Then another one. A subtle vibration started, gradually growing in power. It was them. Three frozen seamares appeared not so frozen after all.
“They gonna get free!” cried Draft. “Do something!”
“I can’t until they go out of ice casing!” cried Card back as the noise became louder and louder. “And I don’t even sure if I could freeze them again.”
“YOU WON’T STOP US ANYMORE!” the voices were in vibration itself.
“What are you doing?” cried Wild Card, seeing Yew Draft returning to nozzle again.
“Run away! Run away from this city, before Sirens get you under their spell!” cried Draft into the nozzle not even bothering to rime.
Then pieces of shattering ice were all over the room. Wild Card shielded herself and her brother with telekinesis than used it to pull Draft from the nozzle to the window. Just when both seaponies made it outside the three ice rocks finally broken and Sirens were free.
“Sorry sis, but I just had to warn them.”
“Shut up and hold on!” cried Wild Card creating another spell.
She hugded Draft and a vortex formed around them. This spell Card used to fly in a whirlwind to annoy pegasi. She could only hope that in the water it will work the same way.
“Nice work sister!” said Draft looking how the cocoon of swirling water carries them from angry Sirens at incredible speed. “Wait. Where are we going?”
“Good thing that I keep Transfiguration Pearl aboard the barge. With it we could go anywhere.”
“But where can we go now? How could we look in Equestria with our failure?”
“I said anywhere! We don’t need return to Equestria. Any other nation would welcome us with our talents. In fact, I heard that Hippogriff Kingdom is in search of powerful magicians. Maybe we can start from there.”
Author's Note
As you could probably have recognized, Sirens sing the very same song they used in bands competition:
Three seamares were laying idly on the ocean surface.
“I’m bored,” said Sonata and used her powers to fetch an apple from the raft, floating nearby.
“Tfff” spat she after taking a bite. “It’s sour.”
“Quit complaining!” Adagio rose her head. “You should be glad that we have these fruits at all.”
“Yeah, without us you wouldn’t even think to get a raft and store provisions there,” added Aria.
“What?” jerked up Sonata. “Do you think I’m an idiot?!”
She hasn’t risen into the air, but even standing up made her tower over the raft with provisions. All three Sirens were now at least twice their original size. Obviously, it was another side effect of their charms. Though it never bothered them even a bit. All that they cared about were their voices and negative energy to feed them up.
“Certainly looks like it,” answered Aria without even raising.
“You… you...” Sonata stuck in trying to come up with insult, her sisters grinning anticipating her failure. “You think that your plan is so brilliant! To lie and wait for ships passing by, make everyone on board fight each other to charge us than take everything valuable and command them to flee.”
Adagio and Aria exchanged glances.
“But you know what?” continued Sonata. “If you were really smart, we wouldn’t have to wait for passing ships in the first place. It was your fault that all seaponies have run away from the city. Just as Card and her brother told them! If you haven’t allowed those two to mess with the loudspeakers...”
“Shut up!” now Aria raised from the water. “Without us, you wouldn’t have gained power at all. The plan to sing on the edge of hearing and slowly turn the whole Delight on each other worked perfectly.”
“And actually it was I, who came up with it,” Adagio joined her sister above the surface.
“But in the end, you let everypony slip away,” finished Sonata while also jumping up in the air.
Now all three Sirens were floating above the ocean, each of them trying to get above the others.
“We managed to get a dozen of them later,” tried to argue Aria.
“So what? After a month their negative energy became as sour as these apples.” countered Sonata. “Admit it! You can not stand that aftertaste too. So now we pass time here watching for any ship, instead of comfortable apartments under the sea. And there are fewer ships every month.”
“Can’t imagine why” sarcastically added Aria.
“Obviously because crews of the ships we sack get to tell everyone to steer away from these parts,” Sonata stopped, realizing her mistake. “But you already know this, don’t you? You are making fool of me again!”
“And not with much effort.”
“Enough!” cried Adagio. “I can put up with hunger, with having to look further and further for somepony to feed on. But I had enough of you bickering. If you are so bored, go down to the city and eat seaweed. And if that dozen seaponies are still there make them fight each other or do something else to get you entertained.”
“Why wouldn’t you go down there yourself?” asked Sonata.
“Because I’m the only one focused enough to watch for anything important.” after getting off some steam Adagio became calmer, a little. “And I am sick of seaweed and that stale negative energy.”
“And I’m sick of waiting. Why can’t we just go and find some other city? Or at least a village?” obviously Sonata wasn’t going to quit complaining anytime soon.
“Because...” Adagio stopped trying to remember. “If we go to the shore, ponies will report about us and we would have all sorts of trouble on our hooves. Remember that Card was trying to call somepony when we’ve found her?”
“I don’t know, Adagio,” cut in Aria. “Wild Card and her brother could’ve already told everything about us to Equestrian Ruling Council or those fancy alicorns. What're their names?”
“Celestia and Luna, but it doesn’t matter. Until we are beyond Equestrian borders they won’t bother us. In fact, last crew was telling that there was some rift Ruling Council and those sisters.”
“What?” said Adagio to her sisters, who were staring at her, after another pause. “Unlike you two I’m actually trying to think ahead.”
“But haven’t it come to you that this is exactly the perfect opportunity? After all, many of the ships we sack have pony crews,” reflected Aria. “What if this split is the only thing that’s stopping them to go against us? Personally, I’m starting to think that confining ourselves to Delight whereabouts is becoming less and less reasonable. We should use our advantage to gain more power.”
“Wait,” clicked in Sonata. “So am I right? We don’t have to sit here and get by with the passing cargo, do we? We can go and seize some fresh juicy pony anger and frustration?”
“Ok, fine!” growled Adagio after a long pause. “Let’s go and see if we can find some remote village. Maybe it’s indeed the time to expand our influence.”
