Chapter Four: Sleepless nights can't be Healthy...

I looked. I looked at it some more, and then I kept looking. At first I didn't understand what I was seeing. But then it clicked.

I saw Me.

I was looking at my own self. It wasn't just my memories, that were laid out in front of me. I was looking at everything that made me.

My emotions and instincts formed my subconscious, while the memories and thoughts were my consciousness. It's the thoughts, that were confusing at first. When I thought anything, it would instantly 'write' it down on my memory just like on a hard drive. Usually I don't think what I'm thinking, but now I was both remembering and thinking about what I though a moment ago.

This was creating a lot of copies, so I decided to not at least focus on my thoughts. I tried 'looking' somewhere else and try to 'see' something besides myself. I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried, it appeared as though I was the only 'truly' existing thing here, and everyone and everything I ever met and interacted with, are only in my memories. My anger spiked at this and then I saw it instantly become nonexistent. I couldn't interact with any of my memories, so I did the only thing I could, beside thinking.

I looked.

More carefully this time, because as soon as I arrived, I had rewatched my life tens of times at such a speed, that I would have blacked out, if I wasn't asleep already. I remembered the first five years of my life. I saw my pleasure levels rise out of the corner of my 'vision'. I was such an excitable child back then. Although always more subdued then others.

Smarter as well, I understood elders better than my peers, so I figured out on my own, that most things parents tell children are lies. Santa Claus for example. My grandparents were mad at me for spoiling the magic of 'New Year' for my cousins. I could also read and speak Chinese pretty fluently by the time I was three. I forgot it later in my life.

Ah my first school year. That is when I started being sarcastic, however I didn't often voice my thoughts as a child. Even then, I already realized that the opening ceremony was a joke. A bit of anger. All those people coming out of the rows and saying that school is a place of joy and happiness. I, of course, made remarks on almost every single sentence of theirs, making the school sound like one of the circles of hell.

I had no brother, or sister and I didn't bother with friends, since we were always on the move. My fathers job required that. He was a smart man my father, practically genius. He excelled in many, more important, aspects of life. One of them being socialization. He could convince a person to agree to the deal, despite that person wanting more out of it. He has made many friendships and partnerships with various people all across the world. Companies wanted him to work for them.

I wasn't exactly the polar opposite. I still knew how to socialize and how to make everything go smoothly for everyone involved. I just preferred not to.

Ah yes. The Netherlands, I remember them quite well. They were one of the more enjoyable parts of my life, in a sense that it was a new experience living there. Most people were genuinely friendly, I could read jack, it often rained, the seagulls on the streets would swarm you for food and the friendly people spoke in the unreadable language, while I was just smiling and nodding, and after they finished talking and asked me something that sounds like 'did you get all that?' I, still smiling, would just shake my head and say no.

It wasn't all bad though. The streets were clean and the architecture was nice. Holland is one of the very few places, where a person can find the old world and modern colliding so well: you'd see gothic-like houses on one corner of the street and modern looking buildings on the other. Plenty of entertainment establishments and multiple restaurants of almost every single cuisine scattered around in one city. People as well.

Netherlands is a country of variety. So it's no surprise that, at one point three kids decided, that it would be a good idea to beat me up. It wasn't. They got their asses handed to them. Never bothered me again. Fear does wonders, especially if you were destroyed by a guy at least three times skinnier than you.

After Holland, I came to Russia for better education. I got much better education, however some teachers were unbearable. Quite a bit of anger. If enough students cared, then there would have been a riot. I had to change multiple schools, because of that. Everything was fine for a while. Until...

Ah yes. That moment. And that moment as well. The moment it all went to shit and the moment it all became worse. Rage. No. Frustration. That year felt as if I have lived multiple lifetimes. My mind aged by decades. I know that there is always a solution to everything. However...The most optimal solution at the time was to leave. I wasn't surprised when they did that. I suppose it wasn't really betrayal, it didn't even seem like they were ever really on our side.

If I were to meet them again. Well...It won't be pleasant. Pleasure peaks. Sadly that will never happen... Oh well!

I look at my most recent memories: my arrival at the university of bioengineering and computer science, meeting my roommate, the first half of the year spent studying like there is no tomorrow...It was calm.
Serene almost.

Didn't like it.

Equestria? A whole 'nother story. So much stuff happened in less than a single day: got sent to another world, got captured by an anthropomorphic species of ponies from a cartoon show, got my 'innocence' stolen away, found out that I might be able to do magic and apparently: seeing my own mind at the moment. What a day!

As 'interesting' as my life is, I decide to see if I can change anything in my subconscious. Maybe get rid of some of the few instincts that remain. Fear is nonexistent in me. I legitimately don't fear anything. I may not want things, but I don't fear them. Stopped doing so a while ago. Wait...what is that?

Those are...my vitals? No. My...condition at the moment? I-I think so, yeah.

After 'looking' at the level of chemicals in my body, my heartbeat and breathing rate, I somehow realize, that I wasn't simply hungry. I was starving. I went to my memories and checked my condition right after I arrived to Equestria: slightly better, but not by much.

I went back before I was sent, before I met the merchant. I was perfectly fine. I wouldn't even need to eat for at least six more hours and even then it wouldn't be so bad. So then: what happened? I start to compare every single detail, about the state of my body when I was at the Convention and when I got to Ponyland...

The differences were staggering. It looks like during the trip through the Void, my metabolism was increased tenfold, without causing any visible changes to my body. Oh my nails and hair grew a bit, yes. Normally, I wouldn't have noticed. But thanks to this place, I'm able to see that they grew only by a couple of millimeters. I'm not concerned about my nails or hair though, it's everything else.

My brain is barely working with so little glucose in it, which explains the occasional pains I was having, my stomach shrunk considerably and a hole or two are going to start forming soon. Before the convention I used the restroom, but even still: small stones have formed in my kidneys and my liver is about to fail. Why am I not in pain?

...

Oh...oh well that's just fucking fantastic. I want to facepalm at my own ignorance, but I can't really do that at the moment, so inste- I can't groan either...Damn it. Anyway: I know why I lost my coordination earlier today: it's because my nerves are being repressed. I can still feel, it's just that everything doesn't feel as intense, as it would usually. Which means that all the information might be incorrect...

How did I not notice?! How do I wake up? I need to wake up! Wake U-

I wake up.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Aria Blaze

I couldn't sleep again.

I turned left, then right. I looked at Sonatas smiling muzzle and let out a sigh. She was probably dreaming about tacos again. She has taken a huge liking to them since Nacho Picchu. Those lizards, if anything else, sure knew how to cook. When we asked her to make us dinner, she returned with at least two dozen tacos. We still don't know where, or how she got the ingredients for them. It's not like you can just find shops or markets that sell meat here on every corner.

I sighed once more, while looking up at the ceiling. I sat up on my bed to stare at Adagio. Was she a bit too harsh with him? It's not like her fears were unfound. After losing everything and everyone you held dear, then being thrust into a world where you can't trust anyone... I think Adagio is justified, but she could've handled that better. Much better actually, despite this whole situation being a little nu-

All of a sudden I start coughing, so I cover my mouth as to not wake the other two in the room. My throat's parched. I quietly get out of my bed and put on the slippers. I head out into the corridor, that's illuminated by street light coming through the balcony. I walk over to Sunsets room to check on her. As per usual, her door's not locked and I find an adorable sight of a drooling Sunset passed out on her table over some tomes. I have a small urge to get the books from under her, but she was warned multiple times to not overwork herself. Her ruined books are her own problem.

After silently closing the door, I head downstairs to get some water. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I look up from my thoughts and see... Vadon illuminated by the few remaining street lamps outside and chewing on something while leaning on a window sill, with his right leg behind the other. I was confused as to how he was able to stand like that. I looked at my own legs and decide to try the same, which results in almost immediate failure making me start falling. "E-e-e!" I begin flailing my arms widely and eventually manage to get my balance back by standing in a more comfortable position. I look at Vadon and see him staring at me with a humored eyebrow raised.

"What? Forgot I existed already?.." He asks still smirking.

"I-What? No, I just... wanted to know how you were standing like that." His eyebrows raise and he glances at his...what are they? He raises one of his legs up and wiggles the extension.

"I guess it's because I got feet and you got-"His gaze falls on my hooves."-...hooves. I like the sharks by the way." He tells me as he looks back out the window. I hear the grin in his voice

"I-Cool. I like them as well." I rasp at him. "I'm going to go get some water." He waves the hand holding one of our snack-bars at me and then lifts it up to his mouth.

I enter the gloomy kitchen, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dark. After I can see the cupboards relatively clearly, I walk up to the one containing cups and search inside it. Wait...where's my cup? The room is dark, but there is some light entering through the single window, however I still can't see my cup anywhere. Where is it?! I exhale in frustration and instead pick one of the see-through glasses we had for guests. I pour a glass-full of warm water from the crane and gulp it all down, releasing a pleased sigh.

Putting the now empty glass back in the cupboard, I walk back into the living room and notice Vadon slowly drinking some water of his own. From my cup. Why does he...

"...Hey Vadon, where'd you get that cup?"

"Hm? Oh, Sunset gave it to me. I don't think Sonata will be pleased with it, but I'm sure I can explain." He replies and instantly goes back to sipping from my cup.

Of course it'd be you Sunset. I now don't feel so bad about not letting her unknowingly ruin the books.
It's not my fault that Sunset is trying to make me admit that that's my cup. So it's her fault. Yeah. I can't do anything about it though, unless I admit that my cup has a smiling pink flower on it with pink hearts... Ye-ah, no. I'll just wait until he gives it back.

Finishing the blueberry nut bar, he puts the wrapper in his pocket and just stands there, staring into the street.
I take a look at the clock on the wall, which shows that it's half past midnight. Is he nocturnal?

"Why are you awake so early?" He doesn't turn to me.

"I noticed I was starving. So I decided to get a little snack." What?..

"You are starving and you chose to eat an energy bar?" I ask incredulously.

"That was the second one. If what Sunset told me about the situation with the storm is true, then you don't have much food to last, if no one finds a way to get rid of this soon. I'm trying to be as conservative as possible, without letting myself die of liver failure." I want to believe that he's joking, but I don't hear any humour in his voice.

"I still don't think, that small snacks are the way to go about this..." He looks at me, a smile on his lips, but not his eyes.

"Don't worry. This is just enough for my optimal functionality." He keeps staring at me for a while longer. "Can-Do you know why Adagio hates me?" I was expecting that question.

"She doesn't trust strangers. I can understand why." My gaze meets with his. "Can you keep a secret?"

"I can." He says, turning to me.

"My sisters and I aren't ponies." His face reels back and the skin between his lips and nose swells.

"I think you're being a bit to harsh on yourselves... Not Adagio of course." He tells me with that weird smile.

"I mean: we literally aren't even 'Earth' Ponies." His amused expression leaves immediately. I have his full attention.

"We are actually Sirens, an omnivore half Pony, half...Mermaid. Our race was born and lives in the Ocean of Serpents. We have many cities and towns located on the ocean floor, or in underwater caves. We are a mostly peaceful race.
However recently...there have been reports from the east coast of Sirens sinking trade ships. And to tell you the truth? I'm not surprised. Our race has become desperate. "

"Around twelve years ago, stories started to spread over our nation like some plague. Stories of entire towns turning into rubble and all the villagers disappearing overnight. We lived in one such village. Me, Adagio and Sonata. It was a tranquil life in our little town. Someone would occasionally break into a song, frys would play with a pod of passing dolphins and when sailors from the continents arrived, we'd swim up to the surface for an exchange of stories and various different trinkets." I realize I have a small smile and I notice Vadon looking at me with a sad one. He knows... I take a deep breath.

"When the news of other towns turning to ruins reached our quaint little place, my mother, believing the stories suggested sending me and my twin brother to the capital for our protection. My parents were in the Marine guard you see. It was their duty to stay behind and protect the civilians. After discussing the matter, we decided to leave the next morning." I look the strange biped in the eyes.

"Our home was attacked that night. When the screams started, my brother was told to take care of me and get us both to safety. Of course I disagreed and tried to go with my parents, but my brother didn't let me. We went out of the back entrance and started to r-swim as fast as possible. We had to get to the outskirts of the village, but it difficult with all the bloodshed happening around us. We didn't even see what the invaders looked like, just bodies of our neighbours littering the streets. We were swimming around, almost aimlessly, lost in the town we lived our whole life. Then we bumped into Sonata and Adagio. They seemed to already know each other and Adagio was comforting Sonata near a collapse house at the time."

"We asked them if they know any good hiding spot nearby. After calming down, Sonata said that she knows a pretty good one, since she played a lot of hide and seek with her friends. It was a small cave, big enough to fit us all in. Sonata lead us out on a nearby reef. She disappeared into a completely unseen hole in the coral, unless you knew that it was there."

"Adagio entered next and I followed after. When I got inside the 'cave' I turned around to look at my brother.
I was confused when I saw him hiding behind a rock, looking at me with what I realized was sorrow. He mouthed two words to me and rose up. A harpoon tip instantly came out of his chest. I opened my mouth to scream but someones hand clamped over it. I started surging forwards, trying to get to him, but Adagio and Sonata held my arms. All I could do was watch as blood flowed out of his open mouth." Vadon was still looking at me with the same emotion, but he was no longer smiling.

"After waiting for the sounds of slaughter to cease, we came out of our hidey-hole. None of us made a sound. I reached my brothers body, the harpoon no longer in him. It was teleported somewhere, soon after he stopped breathing." I want to cry, but my voice doesn't crack and no tears fall. They ran out that night. "I found my father dead later and my mother was gone." Sonata lost her younger sister and Adagios adopted parents were brutally impaled upon each other. She said she lost her birth parents to a natural disaster when she was five.

"That is...I don't think saying 'I'm sorry to hear that' will do anything will it?" No, no it won't.

"If you feel like you should apologize already, you most certainly won't like the next part." I give a humourless smirk.

"I want to hear the rest." No hesitation. Sunset was much more affected by the story than him. Maybe he's just good at hiding his feelings, or he knows what it's like. I doubt it.

"You see when we went out into the ocean, we were on our own. We couldn't even trust some of our own kind. In the next nine and half years or so, I became friends with the two of them and then practically sisters. Our little family was surviving in the wilderness of the waters and quite effectively too. Besides physical food, Sirens also require excitement from other creatures once in a while, or we begin to get ill. At first we received it by just playing around with the fish, but the older we got the more we required, so we started singing with sailors that we came across, while they played on various instruments. It was working, and kept us alive and healthy, however one day: some of the ships crews became hostile as soon as they saw us. They either fled in terror, or started throwing sharp things at us."

"Later on we found out from a crew that didn't start immediately screaming bloody murder, that some ships have gone missing lately and that Sirens have been openly attacking sailors. We found this confusing at first, because we couldn't understand, why they would be doing this. "

"But after we met one such Siren and demanded answers from him, we were told, that he was apparently starving and that the fear the sailors exuded right before their death was delicious. He asked us, if we would like to help him with his next meal. When we refused, he just shrugged and said: 'Suit yourself' and just left with that same crazed smile. Both Sonata and I wanted to prevent more deaths, but before we could do anything, Adagio pointed out more Sirens hiding in the nearby corals staring at us with the same deranged look in their eyes, so we left. Another ship sunk that night." I take a moment to rearrange my thoughts and take another deep breath.

"About two and a half years ago we were captured by an expedition sent from Equestria by Queen Celestia Kosm herself. We were all placed in separate water tanks and brought before her majesty. After listening to her accusations of us being part of the cause of loss of very valuable cargo and diplomatic Equestrian ships, we pleaded non guilty, which greatly surprised the Queen and piqued her interest. We were given a chance to explain what we meant."

"After listening to what we had to say, she told us that she believed us and had summoned someone named Twilight Sparkle. We instantly felt something wrong about her, but didn't want to enter the frying pan by suggesting something the Queens personal student and acknowledged 'master' of magic. Her highness told Professor Sparkle these exact words: 'Please Twilight, find out everything about our guests race, if you would?'" I mock the queens voice.

"Sparkle bowed and told the guards carrying our tanks to bring us into her personal laboratory. After locking her doors and activating some sort of spell, she swiveled to us with a look that send shivers down our spines." I take a moment to form my next words. "We were subjects to a demon Vadon. She was a demon. No more, no less. She was messing with us: our bodies, or minds, souls probably as well. Our screams for help were unheard and pleads for mercy ignored."

His eyes...they don't hold any sorrow, or pity. They hold pure pain. It's like he's reliving what we lived through. The rest of his muzzle remains unmoving as if made of stone.

"After a week of torture, no sane mind could conceive, we were saved. We were almost on a brink of death, our bodies lacking their tails and fins after a multitude of transformation spells cast on us, when Sunset entered the chamber. When she saw our conditions, Sunset all, but exploded at the mad 'scientist'..."

-What are you doing Twilight?!

-I am gathering data about the Sirens. They are such a marvelous race! I have made so many notes!

-Twilight, you're torturing them! They look like they haven't ate in a week!

-Of course they have not. I must gather as much data as possible on the tests subjects, including: how long it takes for a Siren to starve!

-Please...help...

-Twilight! How could you?! They're our guests!

-Of course. And I am supposed to entertain my guests am I not? I am sure, that their experience in Canterlot has not been dull.

-Twilight you're hurting them! You were supposed to find out more about their race! Not subject them to this tartarus! They aren't prisoners!

-Oh pish posh. They are monsters Sunset, why should I care if they hurt a bit?

"After Twilight said that, Adagio had somehow regained enough strength to swear almost every profanity possible at Twilight. You'll pick something up from hanging out with sailors. After Adagio was done promising an incredibly painful death, Sparkle simply turned to Sunset and said two words: 'See? Monsters.'" Vadons mouth is closed, but his jaw hangs slack. "After Sunset reported to the Queen, our dear professor was given, what was called: 'a much need vacation' for a year. Celestia has apologized to us for everything and has given us recompensation in 'bits'. We were also given a year to rehabilitate from our trauma, but did it much faster. We got our money and bought this house." His face finally shows some emotion: it's confusion.

"I just don't understand one thing: why would you stay here?"

"We wanted to leave at first, but then we found out how much music is appreciated here on land. So we came to the Queen, who already has read the notes, and asked her if there was something that we could do about it. She proposed us the idea of becoming musicians. We started learning to play different instruments day and night, until finally we picked what we liked. We met with Celestia again and she asked us if we wanted to be an independent group, or have a manager."

"We decided to be on our own, Adagio and I didn't want to rely on Equestrians. Then another problem came up, we couldn't decide on the genre of music, because the ship crews didn't really play in any actual genre. But once again, Sunset came to the rescue and suggested 'Hard Rock' and 'Metal'. We actually took a liking to 'Rock', so we became Rock Stars. Not instantly of course. We travelled the world around for a bit, before we reached where we are now." I finish with a small smile.

"I see. Thank you for sharing this with me, Aria... By the way: who knows that you're Sirens?" He's smiling as well, but his voice sounds dead.

"The Queen, Sunset, Sparkle and a couple others. Just don't tell anyone about this and we'll be fine." He nods getting the message.

"Of course. Just one more question: why is Sunset living with you?" Wrinkles appear on his forehead.

"I don't know all the details, but half a year ago Sunset came to us in tears. We tried to get more details, but all we got was that she has left the Castle and wants to live with us instead. She moved what little belongings she had from her tower and settled with us. She's been helping us with the house and volunteered to maintain our equipment for the shows. We've been living together ever since." I look at the time: one twenty.

"I will try my best to not stay angry at Adagio."

"Thank you."-yawn-"it's quite late, so I'm gonna get another drink and then head off to bed."

"Alright, good night." He replies as he lifts the cup to his lips. I smile.

"Alright you too. But hey, Vadon?" He hums in acknowledgment through the cup. "That's my cup." He freezes. Then slowly lowers it and looks at me.

"...I like it." I snort and raise an eyebrow. "Alright I suppose it's more embarrassing for a male to have such a cup, than a woman, or mare in this case." I smile. "Too bad I have almost zero pride." He says, but hands me my cup nevertheless.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Me

After wishing each other goodnight one last time, I get a different glass of water, the metal chair with a cushion and return to my basement. I nearly fall down the stairs, but manage to keep my balance. Once I reach the bottom, I place the chair down and open the metal door, and hold it only slightly open. When the light comes on, I can see the room beyond the crack and once my eyes adjust to the light I pick up the seat and enter. Walking over to the metal table I set the glass on the table, and take a seat in front of my armor.

I pick up the book, which lights up again and start searching through the index. After finding what I want I turn over to the corresponding page and start reading.

Author's Note

Greetings reader!

I hope that while reading this chapter you have shed at least a tear.
If not, then that either means, that you're a cold, heartless person, or I'm a bad writer.

Important stuff:
The POV changes are the bits of others experience, that Vadon found out from them.

QUESTIONS! Are important. Mail me your thoughts, and I'll try to respond to them as soon as possible.

THEORIES! Are not as important, but pretty fun to read. Post you theories in the comments below, but make sure to add the 'spoiler' effect, just in case they're correct.

I rhymed? Yay!

This chapter has been presented in two-dimensional form by the Megalomanic Inter-dimensional Hypercube.