Chapters Let The Chips Fall Where They May
ACT ONE: A Siren Without A Song
Since the defeat and humiliation at The Battle of the Bands where the sirens had lost their magic, the three had been as direction-less as a ship without a rudder.
The first night without their magic, Aria blamed the overbearing Adagio Dazzle and the ‘clueless’ Sonata Dusk for their plight.
Aria was slightly less belligerent to Sonata. And for good reason. Despite Sonata being the shortest and smallest build; her type of siren meant Sonata could take down both Aria and Adagio at the same time if really angered. Luckily she didn’t have the temper of Adagio!
It was several weeks later. They were struggling and failing to come to terms with their new situation, Adagio and Aria’s tempers came to full boil.
After an extended shouting match, Aria turned to walk away. She didn’t want to listen to Adagio tonight.
“Aria! Get your arse back here when I’m talking to you!” Yelled Adagio.The Battle of the Bands was just the straw that broke the camel’s back!”
Give me one example.”
“That’s easy! How about that incident with the Spanish Inquisition.”
Aria was sick of Adagio, and she’d had enough of her. She felt she didn’t need her as much as she had before. At the time, Aria blamed Adagio for her plight, so she decided to leave.almost . Not fisticuffs but hair pulling, plenty of slaps and a couple finger nail scratches. All while Sonata Dusk cowered crying, begging them to stop.
“Fuck you both! You’ll never see me again!” Yelled Aria leaving.
Aria wasn’t sure she actually meant that last part.
After that, she quickly grabbed what little was hers from out in their van. Just a hoodie, a jacket, a couple changes of underwear and two changes of clothing. She was glad the other two didn’t see the tears streaming down her face.
Not for past misdeeds, which were many, but there were none alive that could bring charges against her or her fellow sirens, with the possible exceptions of Princesses Celestia and Luna.
Few knew that sirens didn’t ‘procreate’ like ponies or humans. When they’d been banished to this human world, they discovered that in spite of sex being something they couldn’t do in their siren form, they could ‘do it’ as humans do. It was still unclear if they could actually become pregnant. But after all this time, they never had. So sex had been both recreation and a tool to control men and women.
In Equestria, sirens were formed when a ‘Brood Mother’ had collected and concentrated enough negative energy, and if successful, the child would appear whole from the sea foam. A siren gem was the only physical thing the brood mother need to complete this. This rare gem naturally occurs on the ocean floor, or gems from past sirens which had died in battles, duels, accidents or the rare case of them taking their own life (by removing the gem) when they were too old and tired of the daily struggle.
The differences in sirens depended on the race of the brood mother. Usually there were up to three brood mothers in a pod, one of each race, but not always.
The races are as follows:
Common (Aria ): This is the siren breed everyone is familiar with. The common siren is versatile in both magic and physique, making them a sort of “jack of all trades”. They make up the majority of all sirens in Equus, so they are simply known as “sirens” as a result.
Hunter (Sonata ): If there was ever a siren more terrifying than the common, it was the hunter. What they lack in magic, they make up for with incredible strength and brutality. While a single dragon, their natural predator, can take on up to three common sirens at most, a hunter is the only one to be able to handle a fully-grown dragon on her own.
Courtesan (Adagio ): Aptly named for their beauty, the courtesans possess fins similar to beta fish, giving them a very graceful appearance. The courtesans are the rarest of sirens to the point of being endangered as they are favored among dragons as the easiest prey, and their lack of physical strength makes it difficult for them to defend themselves.
So it was that after a year, and if the infant was deemed worthy of life, it was welcomed fully into the pod. But if the siren was judged to be weak or lacking in ferocity or magic, at the end of the first year, the pod would remove (as in, viciously tear out) the siren gem and the young one would dissolve back into the sea in agony.
That yearling who comforted Aria was named Sonata.
So it was another reminder what would happen if she and the others returned to Equestria.
That was the reason for the panic at the defeat at The Battle of the Bands . If a siren’s stone would be destroyed, the siren would starve to death within a week, then they would painfully dissolve into nothing. So Aria and her fellow sirens were afraid that they’d dissolve painfully into nothing.
But by the end of the first week, following their defeat at The Battle of the Bands , they were sure that they’d survive. However, they were sure if they’d ever return to Equestria, they would most certainly die most unpleasantly.
That was now just over two years ago.
Late one evening, Aria Blaze was walking home from work through the dimly lit portions of the ‘red light district’ of Canterlot. She’d gravitated here due to her unfortunate circumstances.
Truthfully, it wasn’t the first time she’d given herself for money, but at that time it was just another form of fun.
Though she could make more bits in a night than what she was getting now at her waitress job in a week, she’d had enough. Her pride finally gave her enough dignity not to turn fun into work. So she’d taken a waitress job at a greasy spoon. It was some bits, tips and a free meal every day.
She arrived at the seedy boardinghouse/bordello where her room was located. She tossed the lit butt she’d been smoking into the wet gutter, then entered the rundown building and climbed the three flight of stairs to the floor where her room was located.
When she reached her room, she saw that there was a notice taped to the door. A warning that her rent was overdue and was needed by the end of the week or she’d be evicted.
‘Like that last part will ever happen again!’ Aria mused, but she was almost afraid it might have to happen. She tore the notice off the door, unlocked it and went in.
“I hate this fuckin’ world!” said Aria out loud and to no one.
She went to the fridge and took out a can of beer and guzzled down the entire thing in one breath. She then took out another. The empty was tossed into the recycle bin. The deposit was a way of saving some of her meager income.
She knew she had enough bits to pay the rent, but that’d mean she’d have to do without food, smokes and beer for two weeks at least.
Just too tired to care, she put down the half drank beer, undressed and walked to the bed. She did pass an open window, curtain-less but she could care less if anyone saw her naked. She always thought clothing, like most things in this world, was stupid, even after a thousand years. She climbed into the bed, put out the almost finished butt and lay back hoping to at least dream of a better life.
This night her dreams were different. There was the usual cheering and applause she so craved. But she wasn’t singing, and the applause wasn’t for her. She was sitting at a table covered with green and sitting next to some guy she didn’t know but looked familiar. He wasn’t much to look at but he was making her truly happy. A feeling she’d not felt in a while, if ever. But even asleep, she smiled as she kissed the guy an honest kiss.
The sun showed through the dirty curtain-less window. The dream had put her in a rare good mood. She sat up bare-chested and unashamed. There was no one here to see her, and again, she didn’t care.
‘Who brings a fuckin’ timer to the WC?’ she chuckled to herself.
Back in her flat, she threw her robe on the unmade bed, sat naked in her chair, turned on the TV and ate the leftover cold pizza and drank the warm flat beer from last night, for her breakfast.
Later, she went to the closet and took out her waitress uniform, got dressed and left the flat for the day.
Author's Note
1 Being a sea creature, deep down, the water temperature didn’t bother her. The water could’ve been ice cold without any real reaction. But Aria liked her comfort.
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
Aria couldn’t believe she put up with this crap for twelve measly bits an hour! Having to put up with all the leering down her blouse and indecent offers.
But word had somehow gotten out not to try to touch her arse. The last guy who did, she seductively invited out back where she grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted his approximately 140 kilogram arse three feet off the ground while she explained she’d snap his neck like a twig if he ever tried that again. Then still with only one hand, she tossed him in a dumpster across the alley.
Aria still felt the embarrassment every time she remembered how a drunk Sonata, on a bet, lifted and body slammed an elephant at a circus.
So much for keeping a low profile.
As the evening wore on, she kept noticing a geeky looking guy sitting by himself in a back booth for most of the evening. He was reminding her of her dream. He’d finished his burger and chips and was on his third refill of cola.
Principles of Blackjack
“You a gambler?” asked Aria, not sure why she was interested. But it was slow and she needed to past the time.
Looking around, there were no tables that needed to be tended to, and she was due a break so she sat across from the guy.
“You mean counting cards?”mundane .” Interest in what he was saying kicked him into a more confident way of talking, “I’m talking probability and the Uncertainty Principle of Chaos Theory.”
“Have you ever tried out your ideas at the casino?” asked Aria.
The guy started to laugh an empty laugh.
“I’m sorry, I’ve never had a girlfriend. Outside the chess club and science club, no girls will even talk to me.”
Micro closed his book and put it and the writing pad and tablet into a book bag. There was no way he could continue to think. He just had a very pretty girl talking to him and showing some interest in what he was saying. And she even touched his hand! He left the bits for his meal and a generous tip.
Later, Micro Chips walked home, just thinking of Aria, the girl he recognized from The Battle of the Bands . But she wasn’t what he remembered.
At home, he climbed the stair to the ‘mother-in-law flat’ above his parent’s garage. He’d been allowed to stay here after he graduated from CHS. As long as he continued his college studies. It was a bit of freedom; freedom from living directly under his parents supervision and freedom financially because he didn’t have any rent or utilities. He made some bits by making himself available as a tutor to high school kids who needed help in math and science.
Micro lay down his book bag and took out the blackjack book and his statistical studies that had got Aria’s notice. The figures and equations were perfect. They spun in his head like cogs in a well oiled machine, but the equations kept getting interrupted by the face of a certain longhaired girl who’s mulberry eyes and smile were more of a puzzle than any of the blackjack problems.
He took out his cards and put all 8 decks in the shuffler twice, then played a dealer’s hand and 6 dummy hands and his own to round out the traditional 7 spot table in casinos.
Then Micro took out a single deck and played pitch blackjack. At the end of four hours, the card counting computer had increased its money by 150%.
He went to bed after a shower and dreamt of hands of cards. But there was a girl with long purple hair with aquamarine stripes and beautiful mulberry coloured eyes sitting by him, urging him on.
The next day, he was in the advanced calculus class. It was if his hand were on autopilot. He was accurately taking down the lecture notes. But his mind was still trying to analyze what had happened the evening before. How out of nowhere, Aria Blaze sat at his table and talked to him as if she was actually interested in him, or at least what he was talking about. But no girl had ever just touched his hand in a friendly gesture before.
About a month later , Micro Chips had been at the café almost everyday. Aria would often sit with him at her break or lunch and she was even becoming disappointed the days he didn’t show up
Now Aria was sitting in the café. Her shift was over and she was enjoying some coffee and a slice of apple pie. It’d been decades if not centuries since her mind had been captured by a man or woman.
“Micro Chips,” mused Aria out loud, “why’d I never notice him at CHS? I guess my mind was on other things. Other things that really didn’t mean anything. Why’d I ever put up with such shit?”
A voice interrupted. It was Alice, a coworker. She sat across from Aria. In the not to distant past, she’d have been upset or even angered to be disturbed. But now she probably needed a friendly ear.
Back at the flat, Aria was starting to realize she really had been less grumpy, as Alice had said. She was even singing in the shower. It was kind of funny, when she finished there would be several of her neighbors outside the WC listening to her. In the past she might have been irked that there were people hanging outside the bathroom, just to hear her. But now, she was happy that there were people that appreciated her. She’d even stop and talk with them. Yes, she still wouldn’t completely cover herself, but the others didn’t mind or were doing the same.
Micro was sitting in the family room of his parent’s house. They were talking but Micro could tell they wanted to ask questions.
The parents looked at him expectantly.
“No,” said Micro, “she’s a girl and she’s a friend, but not a girlfriend . I doubt a pretty girl like her would want me as a boyfriend.
Micro blushed even more. He took out his phone and showed it to his parents. His ‘wallpaper’ was a picture that Aria allowed him to take while sitting across from himself. She had an honest smile and her eyes had a look that Micro missed but the parents did not.
The parents smiled at each other because the son was missing an obvious sign.
“Honey,” said the mother, “just be careful.”
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
ACT THREE: An Opportunity
Aria sat at home, she didn’t care much for television or radio. It was just too artificial; she was a siren for Faust’s sake. An expert singer and musician, her taste in music transcended the bourgeois artist of today. She picked up the guitar that she’d purchased cheep at a pawnshop. Her voice may not have been what it once was, but she still had her ear for music.
Maybe she was close.
When she played with the window open, the sounds of the alleyway would often go quiet, even silent.
She didn’t intend it, but she started playing a tune that inspired love. She thought of Micro and chuckled. Truthfully, if the old definition of a generation is 38 years, she could be his Great26 Grandmother since coming to this world. But for some reason, it pleased her to think like this. It’d been a long time since she’d anything in her heart other than anger, rage, hate, hurt, strife and a hopeless homesickness.
“Don’t think such stupid crap Aria! Do you really want to go through all that mess again? You remember all the past pain of mortal lovers and mates!”
Aria put the guitar down and lit a smoke as she went to retrieve a beer. She sat back in her chair, looking out of the window at what sky she could see. It amazed her when she first got here that the stars were exactly as in Equestria. She could try to figure what this meant. After all, living here over a thousand years, you pick up a thing or two. But for now, the stars she could see through the city haze were probably for the first time…
Beautiful.
Aria sat and thought about the nerd she couldn’t get off her mind. If that system of his really worked, and if she could spot him some money then they could stand to make a lot of money. It would benefit him and it could get her arse out of living above a whorehouse. Not having to share a bathroom with anyone, except Micro…
Where the hell did that last part come from?
“Stop it Aria! Don’t be such a fool!” Aria scolded herself. She tried to get her mind back on what she had been thinking.
Two problems with the blackjack thing:
1. Would he actually want to go to the casino and play?
2. Where could she get money to give him to play?
She looked around at the few possessions she still had. Nothing of worth jumped out at her. Even the guitar she was playing wasn’t worth very much. Then her eyes saw something glinting on her dresser.
“No, I couldn’t do that,” said Aria out loud to herself, and not too convincingly. “Could I?”
It’d been a couple of weeks since his talk with his parents. This only made his mind think of Aria most of the time. Being inexperienced with relationships, he didn’t understand it.
Now Micro sat at the café. He hadn’t gone out to eat much in the past. But for the last month and a half he was here almost every day. It was obvious to Aria and she didn’t appear to mind it at all. He’d even come early for the shift change.beside him.
Out of the corner of Aria’s eye, a couple of Aria’s coworkers had over heard this and were smiling at Aria. Alice was giving thumbs up!
“Are you serious,” said Micro not believing this was happening to him.
Aria was also trying to figure why she’s kissed him, twice. The first she’d planned. But the second came out of no where. But it felt so nice and Aria was sure it wasn’t just the ‘dry spell’ of no boy or girl friends in the last several decades. And not prey, but an actual romantic relationship.
The other girls at the diner would giggle and kid her, Aria would just smile.
Several days later, Micro and Aria were walking to Micro’s home. Aria wasn’t ready to have Micro see what part of town she lived in… If ever.
Since the middle of the movie, they’d been holding hands, Micro had actually made the move.
Contact with and in the company of Micro was a real new experience. In her long life (she’d actually lost count of her age before she was exiled to this world over a thousand years ago) she’d never felt this way. This certified geek, whom she may’ve never taken notice of or even would’ve berated, was doing something to her. She didn’t know if it were herself becoming more human or if she was just discovering something sirens never experienced.
Perhaps it were both.
But something happened that made Aria afraid that Micro might fear her or even hate her altogether:
“Micro,” said Aria, then she paused thoughtfully, “would you mind if I called you Mike? It’s easier and doesn’t sound… Diminutive .”
Unfortunately, they were rudely interrupted. A large, muscle bound man grabbed Micro and shoved him aside.
“Doll, is this dweeb really the best you can do? Why don’t you try a real man instead?”
‘A hero is a coward who has said his prayers.’
“Leave her alone mister!” said Micro, not allowing any fear to sound in his voice.
But the laughing was cut short.
The car was on their breaks but it was obvious it wouldn’t stop in time. Micro’s arm was over his eyes, but it’d only hide the sight of the impact.
For Aria, what followed was that adrenaline induce hyper awareness that appears to put time into slow motion.
Aria grabbed the man’s wrist so hard that she could hear and feel bones snap. He let go of her immediately howling. Then with the speed of a cheetah, Aria ran in front of the oncoming car.
The driver, Micro and the bully were stunned. Aria dropped the front of the car, picked up Micro and sat him on the sidewalk, then she turned her attention to the brute.boyfriend isn’t hurt. If he were, I’d pull your dick off and shove it down your throat!”
“Sssssss!” Aria hissed as she snarled, the fool could see fangs!
“You have exactly two seconds to be completely out of my sight!” Aria threatened.
But Aria had already bend down and picked up a respectable fragment of concrete.
The next thing he knew, he was waking up on the sidewalk with a splitting headache and blood running down his face.
“I fell down,” was all he would say.
The couple were sitting on the porch swing at Micro’s house. Micro had been very quiet since the incident. But he still held Aria’s hand.
Finally Micro broke the silence.
“Is it true what you said earlier, am I really your boyfriend ?”
Aria was, for the first time, embarrassed about her origin. She drew a deep breath and started:
“I know you know that Sunset Shimmer and Princess Twilight Sparkle aren’t from this world. That they’re actually ponies. Not like the ponies here. Ponies are the dominate intelligent species of their world of Equus.”The Battle of the Bands the magic gems that allowed us to have such magical voices and was the means of us feeding on emotions, were shattered.
Over a thousand years ago.”
“You’re a thousand years old!”
Micro sat silent, taking this all in.
“May I ask something,” asked Micro.monster like me.”
“But my past…”
“Have you killed anyone since coming to this world?”
At her flat, Aria got ready for bed. The evening kept replaying in her mind. She snickered remembering feeling his crotch. Aria was certain she knew what Micro was NOT named for.
Micro had thought that Aria had asked him out to find out about his blackjack strategy. But nothing was even said about the subject. Not that he would’ve minded. And he was amazed that she was into the documentary they’d gone to see. Some of her comments were very deep. Her age was a puzzle, but her strength was amazing! He snickered thinking that a hug could probably crush him if she wanted.
Author's Note
2 Sister was not entirely accurate, but when sirens grow up in the pod, they have to depend on the others to survive. So the bond of ‘Sister’ was a close as Sirens could come.
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
It was a couple days later on one of Aria’s days off. Aria decided to go early to a shop she’d passed by many times before.
After Aria had came back to her flat, she was just playing the guitar to herself. But she was interrupted by her phone ringing, it was Micro.
“Hi Mike!” said Aria happily, “I’m so glad to hear you as well. I was just thinking of calling you, I was wondering if we could meet somewhere for coffee. I have something I need to talk to you about.”
Aria thought, ‘this is it’. It was an opening that she was waiting for. She looked at the clock. A half hour until noon. She changed into her best clothing and put on a minor bit of makeup. Never had she done this for anyone in the past. When finished, she left the room and was soon on her way to meet her boyfriend.
Micro sat at an outdoor table. He’d ordered coffee for himself and the coffee he’d learned that Aria preferred. He saw Aria approaching and stood.
Aria sat, took a drink of her coffee and then took Micro’s hand.
Micro looked pale, more than usual. His mouth hung open.
“Where…”
“I’m so happy you feel that way. And I’m happy that it is I that has done that for you. But…”
The two kissed again and got up to spend a day about the town just holding hands, kissing once in a while and mostly just being together.
Saturday came, the money she’d given Micro wasn’t all the money from the gem. Aria had enough to buy herself some nice clothing, shoes and a purse. Plus she’d paid all her past due bills.
The cab stopped at the local casino. The bright lights and atmosphere were overwhelming. The couple strolled around just taking in the sights and getting a lay of the place. There were several shops for souvenirs so people could remember their visit, or at least have something so they weren’t going home empty handed.
Finally, they were full of hope and food plus a couple of drinks. They made their way to the “High Rollers” room.
Micro was a little overwhelmed, it was all new to him. Whereas Aria had been in casinos many times, she’d never been around tables that had so many black, blue, gold and brown3 chips ever.
8 DECK BLACKJACK
They stayed back with some other “spectators”. Some people did this when they were seriously card counting and could jump in when they were sure. Many professional gamblers thought this was tacky and a bit inappropriate. Micro was just waiting for them to bring out a fresh shoe4.
Micro was nervous as he placed a black chip on the table, his starting bet. As they were dealing out the cards, Aria’s siren senses could feel his unease. She put her hands on his shoulders and whispered in his ear.
The first hand, Micro lost. This wasn’t anything bad, at this point it was only luck. He did have to get into the flow of the numbers to get his system going. For the first half hour, Micro held his own and was even a little ahead.
They, along with the other 3 employees with the bags of their winnings, rode a private elevator to the top, 5th, floor. There were several offices, but the one they were led to was the manager/owner’s office.
Author's Note
3) Common chip values, in Bits:https://upswingpoker.com/poker-chip-values-colors/
4) A dealing shoe or dealer's shoe is a gaming device, mainly used in casinos, to hold multiple decks of playing cards. The shoe allows for more games to be played by reducing the time between shuffles and less chance of dealer cheating. It did make it harder for card counters.
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
The large man, the employees with the bags, Micro and Aria went in. The bags of chips were placed on the large desk and they employees left.
Big Joe took Aria through a door to an open stairwell, obviously a fire escape. It went down the 5 floors, you could look down and see that there was a clear square that the stairs went around. There was no obstacle to stop a person if they went over the rail until they hit the floor, about 15 meters below them.little lady?”
What happened next, it took several days in the hospital for his memory to clear up enough to remember what transpired next.
Aria hissed at him, fangs bared.
Back in the office, the boss was tired of hearing what this geek had been spewing.
“Big Joe, I said we weren’t to be disturbed…” His voice trailed off when he saw it was only the woman who walked in by herself.
The boss looked down at the mangled pistol. He was beginning to realize that he wasn’t in as much control as he assumed. Then he sat quiet for a moment looking at the woman and the man. Suddenly he let out a long, hard and honest laugh. He respected people who could handle themselves and didn’t take shit off anyone.
“Okay, tell me this system of yours, and make it simple for me,” said the boss still chuckling.
Aria was led to the front doors. There was an ambulance carting off Big Joe. She snickered at this. Soon she was riding in the back of the casino’s limousine. It was taking her to Micro’s home. She was thinking of the proposal the casino had made Micro. It was a great opportunity for him. And maybe soon it could be for her, but she dared not think like that.
Aria arrived at Micro’s home. The parents let her in and had her wait in the front sitting room. Micro had called them and asked for Aria to stay there while he did something.
It took a couple hours.
The parents had left her alone, for the most part. But Micro’s mother stopped by often to offer soft drinks, a snack and some occasional small talk.
But soon enough Micro walked through the door with a worried look on his face, the mother left the room.
“Well, did you take the job?” asked Aria excited.
“I’ll take the job Aria, but only if you’ll marry me.”
Aria was stunned, in all her many relationships, this had never happened to her in her long life.
“Mike!” said Aria shocked, “we’ve only known each other for just over a couple of months. Are you sure about it, this soon?”
Tears started to flow on Aria’s face. She’d cried many times in the past with hurt, betrayal, hate and pain. But never had she cried like this out of joy!
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
LAST ACT: Fifteen Years Later
The two women stood in front of the nondescript house on the corner of the block. The sun was just going down, but they could see well enough to give them an impression of the place.
The only thing that may’ve suggested this was the right place was a statue in the flowerbed of a mermaid playing a harp seated upon a rock.
“Are you sure this is the address?” asked the first incredulously.she be visiting her?”
The two opened the little gate, entered and it swung closed behind them, then walked the little path, up the two steps, across the porch and to the front door.
CHIPS FAMILY
They first rang the bell and waited, then a second time, but the door opened as the first moved her hand away from the bell.
The two visitors were shocked. The woman who answered the door was wearing a pastel, unpretentious and modest dress with a frilly white apron. A pair of glasses hung from a gold chain around her neck.
The woman’s face lit up in recognition.
“Dodgy!” cried the woman, “Nat!”
“Was that Aria?” asked Sonata confused.Ms Grumpy-Arse ever calling us sisters.”
They looked around them at the meticulously clean and tidy home. There were pictures on the wall. Several were scenes of a family on holiday at the beach and in the mountains.The Battle of the Bands . It was portraits of Adagio and Sonata.
There was a desk with a computer in a corner with some certificates and diplomas above.
Aria came in the room, she was wearing the glasses and she’d removed the apron. Aria was smiling a smile the other two had never seen on their sister . Aria was carrying a tray with a pitcher of lemonade, three glasses with ice and a plate of homemade cookies.
“I hope it isn’t too sour for you,” said Aria, “Mike likes it this way.”Aria Blaze, right?”Aria Chips now.”
“Speaking of the gems,” said Adagio, glad to change this uncomfortable and unbelievable turn of fortune, “we’ve been scouring libraries from Vanhoover to Saddle Arabia. But we finally found an old tome in the royal library in Canterlot.
Adagio and Sonata looked excitedly at Aria.
Then after an uncomfortable pause…
“Don’t you get it?” asked Sonata. “We can go home away from this world that’s been the worst!”
Aria sat there shocked, there was the start of tears in her eyes.
“I find you girls,” said Aria, “or you’ve found me. The only family I’ve had for over a thousand years. And you show up just to tell me I’ll lose you two forever.”
Aria picked up a napkin and wiped the tears from her eyes. Adagio and Sonata, looked confused at each other.
“You don’t have to lose us,” said Adagio, “you’re coming with us!”
There was an uneasy silence.
“I can’t go with you.”
“What?” the other two almost shouted.
At that moment there was the sound of the front door opening, and feet quickly approaching. Two young girls ran to Aria and hugged her, then let go.
“This is why.”
“Girls, I want you to meet your aunts,” said Aria.
Probably for the first time in years if not centuries, Adagio didn’t know what to say.
“Now girls,” said a man coming in the room, “get washed up for dinner.”
Aria’s face lit up as she got up and rushed to the man. He wasn’t much to look at. He had thick glasses straight dark blue hair but the look on his face was that of a man that was completely happy. They realized that Aria had the same look. Something the guests had never felt and immediately envied.
“How were the girls, Mike” asked Aria
At the meal, the girls insisted to sit with their aunts. Adagio was still a little hesitant about interacting with children. She’d never had that much time around the young of humans or any other species.
After dinner, Micro, Aria and Adagio went in the living room sharing pie and coffee. Adagio actually asked for seconds. Sonata had went with the children.
“It’s okay, Dodgy,” said Aria, “Mike knows all about us. We can talk freely.”
It was quiet for a moment, with the exception of laughing from the children and Sonata in another room.
Aria was sitting with her husband on the sofa. She was clinging tightly to Micro’s arm and hand, Micro could feel the fear.
“Honey, Dodgy and Nat came here looking for me because they discovered that we could actually return to Equestria."only opportunity.neither can you .” Then looking at his wife, “it’s entirely up to you. I love you and will stand behind anything you decide. Your happiness is always first with me.”
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
EPILOGUE: A change in the Winds
Adagio was acting mad, but she was really disappointed and painfully jealous. Sonata, didn’t want to leave but Adagio was pulling her by the hand.
She was thinking how happy Aria was. She felt the joy of being with the children. Not just playing with them but they looking to her as family and an adult that they loved.
“Dodgy,” there were tears in her eyes as she reached to her neck then handed her choker with her gem to Adagio, “I’m not going either.”
Sonata quickly kissed Adagio and hugged her before Adagio could react. However, before Adagio could say anything, Sonata ran to the still unlocked door and went into Aria’s house, closing the door behind herself. There was excited noise from within.
Adagio stomped off madder than she’d ever been, which was saying something. She went straight to CHS where she went through the portal and was determined she’d never return to this world that’d taken everything from her.
As she went to step through the portal, she realized she hadn’t moved from the spot in front of Aria’s house.
It’d all had played out in her mind.
Adagio was looking down at Sonata’s gem. There were tears pouring down on her hand and onto the gem. In her long life, she’d never been this sad and lonely as she felt now. Nor had she ever cried this hard.
But Sonata was right, she realized that she’d always felt sad, incomplete, angry and hungry.
Try as she might, she couldn’t get her feet to take her out the gate and into the street.
She just stood there crying a paroxysm of sobs. Looking at the door and hearing sounds of joy from within.
As Micro, Aria and the girls were hugging and welcoming Sonata. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the front door opened.
Adagio was standing in the doorway still crying. In her hand was a bit of red crystalline dust which she poured out then wiped her hand clean. Aria and Sonata realized what it was. A breeze blew it away before it touched the porch.
Aria and Sonata noticed Adagio’s choker was gone.
“May I come in?” said Adagio, tears pouring down her cheeks. “I really don’t have anywhere I can go now. And I don’t want to be without any of my sisters again!”
The sisters hugged Adagio with tears of joy. Two little girls hugged the Aunts and Micro put his hands on the newcomer’s shoulders in welcome.
Adagio had never felt such joy in her long life!
Let The Chips Fall Where They May
This is set in the EQG universe. The time: Several years after The Battle of the Bands , and Twilight and her friend’s graduation. Most are through college and some like Micro Chips are in post grad work.
Aria Blaze will discover that Micro Chips has skills that might lift her out of her current dilemma, and it will change her mind and perhaps her heart on some other things.
It is rated Teen for some drinking, smoking, mild language and implied sexual situations.loosely based on parts of:
https://ariasarchives.tumblr.com/tagged/archive/chrono
https://dusk-oceanos.tumblr.com/page/8
Both by same author.
Artistic license has been taken.
Sometimes what we want is not what we need. And what we need can be more than we ever wanted.
