The Dulling Effect

by Remedyfortheheart

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Sonata Dusk, Human, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Equestria Girls, Aria Blaze, Adagio Dazzle, Discord
Length: 1322

Gems. Within their lifetime they are discovered, unearthed, polished, cut against a grinding stone, and then sold. Though it may take a while some gemstones end up dulling in their luster. This is the Dazzling's story after their defeat.

Defeat keeps a lingering taste at the back of your throat. Everything feels tense and the frustrations only add to it. Mentally and physically. It's a feeling that we've never come to know. Now we have to be reminded everyday about it.

It feels like I'm being provoked. That someone is laughing at me somewhere. Always smiling in glee that we no longer pose a threat to others. I am not one to be pushed around. I am a Goddess! I refuse to be humiliated in this manner! So how dare they! I'll find a way. You won't get away with this! My name is Adagio Dazzle and you will respect my name!

-This is how the Dazzlings continued their lives after the experience of their defeat at the hands of the Rainbooms in the Canterlot High School Music Festival. Will they learn their lesson? Will they survive? Or is their struggle only beginning? Every gem in time loses its luster and its features dull out, yet can these hidden gems shine again? Let's find out.

Published 2018-03-10 12:20:07 UTC
Last updated 2018-03-10 12:20:07 UTC

Prologue - Collected Thoughts and Family

We had lost.

Our only safety was that of the streets. Exactly like we were before, we had nothing. No one to exploit, no one to trust, no one to fall back on.

“What do we do, Adagio?” Sonata huffed out, looking to me for a clear answer. I could barely think, let alone order these two weaklings shuffling behind me at the moment. Aria was the last to enter the dirty alleyway. Adding her own insight to the current problem.

“Adagio, our gems…they’re-”

“I know!” it was a scream and a growl bursting out from my mouth. Aria didn’t need to say it and both imbeciles were looking for some kind of solution. This was a much bigger issue than I had ever anticipated. Being attacked and losing our chance for ultimate power was one thing, but losing our ability to sustain ourselves? To completely lose our ticket of decent living? This meant much more than hypnotizing people to our control. It meant that shelter, food, clothing, and so much more were now out of our reach.

“How are we gonna-? Are we supposed to-?”

“I don’t KNOW! Arrrrg!” cold pavement. That is what my knees came into contact with at the acknowledgement of our downfall. The Rainbooms didn’t just defeat us. They sent us to our doom.

My fist felt warm. Slowly I opened it to glance at the trickling blood lacing my palm. Our precious gemstones, shattered. A small shard, the last remaining trace, laid along my palm and had cut into my skin. All my power brought down by a powerful force we had underestimated from the beginning. I watched a slice of pepperoni fall to the ground from my hair and then my cheeks felt that same warm sensation. Tears were flowing from the corners of my eyes and I turned to see my bandmates in turn weeping. Aria leaned on a dumpster for support with her hand clutched to her face and Sonata was faced against the brick wall sniffling the loudest. What was I supposed to do? We were as broken as our necklaces.

“Girls?” a voice called out and immediately my only allies ran towards me in an attempt to protect themselves. Right when we had thought we lost them, we had been found once again.

“L-leave us alone!” a sad attempt at defense, yet it held the stranger back.

“Ladies, please! Don’t panic! I’m here to help.” this voice was calm and clearly belonged to one of the faculty’s staff. I recognized him, only from small moments when we had wandered Canterlot High.

“You can’t help us!” I spat out laying claim to the despair.

“I saw what happened to you during your performance. Such a tragedy!” Discord pulled something away from his pockets tossing them into the nearby dumpster. It was a pair of earplugs. Seems he had a distaste for goddess’s voice. In turn he had become witness to the events that unfolded moments ago.

“You three deserve something better than that. For having the courage to be able to perform in front of such a rude audience. Trust me, I know how hard it is to get accepted at school!” his words were rough but sincere. Of course no one trusted the man. He was cooky, always ranted on and on about pointless things, and to top it all off, was obnoxious towards other people. “I don’t know you, but I know this. No one has to put up with what you went through tonight!”

“You can’t help us.” a sniffle followed as I refused to look at Discord. He watched the other two cowering girls and determined that I was speaking for the three of us. He rubbed his goatee and sighed out.

“Fine then! But my offer stands.” the moments afterwards were strange. Discord left us with nothing, but the effect of his words lingered and as if he had planted a string to our hands we followed. Curious to see something. Anything. Several seconds passed before I found him again turning down the road. Sonata and Aria grabbed onto my arms in tow with my movements.

Why was I following him? I had no reason to and I had shown him nothing but anger. Still I followed like a lost puppy. Did he know we were right behind him? He never shown any signs of spotting us or put up any sort of regards for his three stalkers. Several blocks away he took to some stone steps and entered a door. Unlocking it and turning on a light. I could see it now. The entrance left wide open. With it’s warm glow inviting us in. Salvation.

Determined I ignore Sonata’s shake of her head and stood by the steps. Watching as the kind man held out his hand while two more clenched my ruined dress. Home.

The rest of the night we spent hovering around a trash can while claw like fingers picked at the various bits of junk food that riddled our outfits and hair.

“Hey! Watch it creep!” Aria slapped away Discord’s hand with a heavy huff. He gave a weak little sneer back and didn’t mind the obvious distrust. He proceeded to hold a tomato slice up to Aria’s face. Flung it into the trash can and then quickly picked at three more pieces regardless of her discomfort. Cheese, bread, and a leaf of lettuce. Just as Aria was about ready to punch him I had to take her shoulder to calm her. The old man turned his attention towards Sonata while I took a cloth and siped away the smears of sauces on Aria.

“Deal with it.” I whispered to her. I was rewarded with an uglier sneer from Aria, yet she allowed me to clean her. Not our best moment, but a moment nonetheless. Once cleaned from all the loose food the old man walked towards a door and waved his arm out.

“Feel free to wash up. I’ll gather some clothes and prepare a place for you to sleep.” Discord held a hand to his chest and offered a gracious smile as host.

“This means nothing.” I hissed out. Pushing Sonata into the bathroom that smells of wood polish and some type of cleaner. I could hear Discord’s footsteps leave the doorway and I placed the thought to the back of my head. I began undressing Sonata and Aria in a rush. Pushing them both into the tub and turning the showerhead on. The pair yelped in surprise as the cold water rushed over their bodies. “Shut IT!” a heavy huff left my lips as I shoved some shampoo into a random chest. Leaving them to their own bodies. As for me, I remained in my own dress a tad bit longer. Leaning against the cold tiles that made a wall. I brushed my hand along my curls getting it out of my eyesight, trying to wrap my mind around this.

My thoughts felt silent compared to the pitter patter of the shower ringing in my head. Our hero? Our new home? Home….

This could be our new home. My palm opened wide and I peeked down at the red shard that had cut into my skin. Then all my hatred and pain seeped back into my being all at once. We, no ME! I'm destined for something greater! Not Celestia nor the Rainbooms or this silly old coot was going to ever take that away from me! There’s no way this was my home.

Or was it? No! Of course not. This feeble abode would act merely as a temporary shelter. This man this ‘Discord’ would only be a crutch until we get back on our feet. This wasn’t over and not by a long shot. Rainbooms. Arrg! Rainbooms! Even that school will pay for everything they’ve done to us. I swear it.