"I've had ENOUGH!"
Adagio and Aria looked at Sonata, who had her fists clenched and was huffing with rage they never suspected her of. Tears were visible in her eyes and her knees were shaking, but she still stood defiantly.
"All you two do is ridicule me! All the time! And you know what? I'll be better off alone!" she turned away and ran off, forcing herself not to burst into tears until she was far enough for them not to hear her.
"Sonata, wait...!" Adagio tried to stop her, but Aria shook her head.
"Leave her be. She will come crawling back to us when she realizes what she did... and if not, we'll be better off without this airhead" she scoffed. Adagio eventually nodded.
"Yeah. I guess you're right. For a change."
Sonata ran and ran. She didn't think of any destination other than being away from the other two. She only slowed down after she barely escaped being hit by a car; she leaned against a building wall and panted heavily. No, she couldn't just run in any direction. She had to make a plan. She searched her pockets; it wasn't like she had many belongings in general, even less now in exile. Packet of chewing gum, spare key, crumpled-up bus ticket, some change... more of her things were in the cellar she used to live with Adagio and Aria, but she didn't want to return there as long as she was alive. She slumped down to the ground, sobbing. She had no one to turn to, nowhere to go. All the stress accumulated since her exile overwhelmed her.
A clink of a falling coin snapped Sonata from her self-pity. She looked up, but whoever took her for a beggar was already gone. She picked up the coin and stood up. She slapped herself for good measure. It was high time for her to grasp her life firmly and lead it her own way. She walked to bus stop and checked her options. Very soon, she boarded a bus taking her to another city, leaving her past behind. Humans could live without magic and so could she, with enough determination. She popped a piece of gum into her mouth. It felt like forever since she first chewed gum, still in Equestria, before along with Adagio and Aria she invented multiple new styles of music, before their battle against Star Swirl...
It would be hard. Even in Equestria, they hardly ever were apart. But enough was enough, and she had to live her own life, with magic or not.
Meanwhile Adagio and Aria returned to their hideout, not bothering much about Sonata. They had bigger problems, such as loss of their necklaces and voices. Sonata never did anything useful anyway, being a distraction far more often than any help.
Adagio carefully placed all pieces of necklaces she could collect on table. She tried to put them together, fully focused. It should be possible. It shouldn't be a harder task than creating the jewels in first place. It should be easy for her... so why were her hands shaking all the time? Why didn't the pieces seem to match? It made no sense; from all the pieces, she should be able to remake at least one...
"Waaa-aaaa-AAAA-AAAaaah..." Aria tried once again to produce a somewhat pleasant tune, failing miserably.
"Stop it, Aria! IT WON'T WORK!" Adagio roared.
"At least I'm TRYING!" Aria snapped. "While you cling to these old TRINKETS!"
"They are all that kept our MAGIC in this WORLD!" Adagio screamed. It was the only thing that anchored her sanity somehow.
"They WERE!" Aria corrected her furiously.
That was enough. Adagio launched at Aria, knocking her to the ground, while the other siren struggled against her. The two girls fought, and eventually, Aria managed to throw Adagio off herself - right into the table.
The pieces of jewels scattered onto floor, breaking even further. Adagio screamed in horror and scurried to pick up every tiniest piece. She was shaking whole; the repair seemed even further away from them. Even if she managed to somehow collect them all. Even if she found the right materials. Even then, there was no saying if the jewels were possible to be fixed outside of Equestria.
"Nothing of this would have happened if not for YOU!" Aria snapped.
"Me?! You pushed me into this!" Adagio clenched fists again. Aria stepped towards her, ready to strike. Adagio paled in sudden realization. Had Sonata been with them, she would surely say something silly, causing the other two to tell her off and continue with their plans. All this time she was their safety vent and when she was gone, they could only lash out on each other.
"That wouldn't happen if you didn't attack me!" Aria snapped. "Go play jigsaw puzzle for all you want. I'll just do my best to get my voice back."
Adagio picked up most of jewel pieces. She hoped she could put together at least one necklace. Maybe then she would show Aria her method was just better. Instead of magic, she had craft glue and clear resin; barely substitutes. Still, there was a glimmer of hope that it could work.
Aria went outside and tried to hum a simple gamut. She had done it before without the jewel. It was always in her. Maybe with some exercise, with taking the baby steps from the very beginning, she could start over and regain her voice and magic would follow. Then she would show Adagio her method was just better. Instead of her normal mouth and throat, she had this human substitute. Still, there was a glimmer of hope that it could work.
It was hours later when Sonata stepped down from the bus. There was very slim chance the other sirens could find her. They would need to know which bus she was on, and she was surely out of their sight when she boarded.
She wouldn't miss them. She could be on her own.
It didn't perish.
It was somewhere unfamiliar.
It crawled towards shadows, where it could bid its time.
It sniffed the air. It noticed a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar scents.
It felt presence of many.
It crawled, searching for a new host. It felt many emotions around.
It felt a presence with some familiar powers. It crawled towards it.
It made a stop, waiting for bright lights to fade.
It made its way further and further, closer to the presence. It felt the presence move.
It followed the presence closely. It hid in the shadows.
Until the presence fell asleep.
Beginning a new life was easier said than done. Without her powers, Sonata couldn't just "convince" anyone that she did have some address or necessary qualifications to do any job; and even if she still had her powers, she could hardly use them when she was so hungry.
The change she had in her pockets wasn't enough for a meal. Even if she somehow got a job this very evening, first paycheck wouldn't come until next week or so. She didn't know anyone in this city to ask for food. Sonata sighed and walked towards a supermarket, where she could count on a five-finger discount. After all, shoplifting was nothing new to her; the three of them used to get food this way at the beginning of their exile.
...the three of them...
Sonata frowned. She couldn't help but remember how they first fed themselves after being banished; as they had gathered food, Adagio squeezed their arms and told them at least they still had each other and leftover magic...
Not anymore. Sonata shook her head and soon managed to get some food, mostly junk food, but at least it would fill her up quickly. She ate while looking around, trying to find a shelter for the night. It didn't have to be anything big or fancy; just something to hide from eventual rain.
Just like years before with the other two, she wandered towards the outskirts. It took her some time until she found a run-down shack she could break into. At least it was dry. Covering herself with her hoodie, she curled on floor and slept.
The next morning she looked around, confused for a while. Only after recalling yesterday's events she stood up, brushed off her hoodie and went out to seek a job.
Shopping mall seemed like a good start. Sonata wandered around, looking for "help wanted" or "now hiring" signs. There were a few, and Sonata left her contact information in all places she saw them. After that was done, she sat on bench and thought. What next?
Hood over head, hands in pockets, Aria wandered down street. There had to be some way to regain her music, but she couldn't do it with Adagio's constant snapping at her. How did she even plan to fix the pendants? They were completely shattered. And their powers were most probably all gone...
It had been a few weeks since Sonata was gone. While Adagio thought the youngest of them would be back within days, it surely wasn't so. Aria kicked some can off street. Despite all he harrdships they had, Sonata was still... someone close. A friend. Why wasn't she back? Did she really not need the two of them?
Or did she need them, and they weren't there for her when she needed them most?
Aria couldn't help but wonder if Sonata was okay, or even if she was still alive. There were plenty of dangers around, and Sonata sure could be guillible. Maybe she could go to police and file a missing person report. But then they would ask her why she waited so long until the report...
Aria clenched her fists. Of course they would ask that, but it didn't matter. She wanted to find Sonata no matter what. Or at least, to find out whether she was okay. She made her way towards police station.
"...we had a bad fight... but I expected her to return on her own... b-but she didn't, and frankly I can't blame her... I just... I need to know..." she eventually broke down in tears. The police officer offered her a tissue.
"There, there. Everyone makes mistakes. Now, we will do our best to locate her, however we cannot force her to move back in with you. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes" Aria swallowed hard. "M-may I have a piece of paper...?"
Once Aria finished writing a letter to Sonata, the police officer folded it and put into an envelope.
"We will deliver it when we locate your sister."
Aria nodded and left the police station. She smiled as she felt a great relief and hope.
She even began to hum.
