Snapping his clawed fingers in front of Twilight's unflinching face, Salem turned around to the others surrounding him.

They were all fine, physically, at least.

But mentally?

No one was home.

Looking around music blasted in his skull blocking out the source of what he believed caused this mess to happen.

Whatever it was, the event caused his implants to kick in with 'Doctor Bright anti-memetic's going for a walk mix' good thing too otherwise he would have been like the rest.

A mindless blank...

Good thing that was something he was allowed to do.

The music still blasted to drown out whatever was causing Salem's eyes to dart across the room before noticing the ground was covered in a cloud of purple smoke. Reaching for the smoke, Salem was pulled forward as a familiar hand reached out and pulled him to the floor; quickly, another hand grabbed his muzzle, not allowing him to make a single sound.

"/Don't make a sound!/" Malo signed once she let go of her partner's wrist.

Glad to see his other alright, Salem held out his hands to sign back.

"/What happened?/"

"/Dunno we were dancing together then you sessed up for a moment. I thought something happened to you until I noticed whatever was causing this affected the others/" Malo answered. "/I 'shifted' the moment the green smoke started to pour in so whatever is causing this wouldn't be able to see me after I shook off the powder/"

"/How are you not affected/," Salem asked which caused Malo to 'smile' at his question.

"/I'm here but I'm not here. Haven't you forgotten?/"

"/Or is it because you had Ms. J teach you to resist high-level memetic hazards while I was working on the portal back on Earth?/" Salem countered to which Malo's smile dropped with her tapping her forefingers together nervously followed by her signing back.

"/May-be/"

"/I'm not mad... actually I'm kinda proud of you for going above and beyond/" Salem's reaction caused her tail to wag while her smile returned. "/But first tell me what can you hear?"

"/Singing. It sounded like it was coming from the stage at first now it sounds like it's echoing through the entire castle/"

"/Alright so the source either moved or this is some magic nonsense/" Salem reached into his pocket pulling out a tactical pad about the size of a smartphone.

Tapping on it he attempted to have the device wirelessly connect to his armor back to his room, but whatever was causing the ponies to be 'blank' it was also disrupting his connections. Silently cursing under his breath Salem placed the device back in his pocket before holding his chin in thought while still crouched in the purple smoke.

Thinking of a plan Salem sat while Malo sat beside him, watching him for a moment Malo slowly mirrored Salem's posture while also trying to brainstorm any ideas. Until either one could speak up someone bumped into Salem causing him to stumble forward but quickly recovered raising his fists for a fight.

A pair of orange hands made him stop in place when Salem recognized the face of Celestia's former student.

"\Salem\?" Sunset's mouthed as his fists opened up glad to see another friendly face.

Nodding to sunset the two looked at one another.

"\You okay?\" Sunset asked without a word while Salem read her lips.

Nodding Salem looked at her pointing to her before pointing at the affected ponies behind above, not sure if she knew sign language.

Sunset pointed to the napkins in her ears causing Salem to give an impressed nod while her horn began to glow with a pair of small glowing words appearing in front of her.

"-I'm going to cast a telepath spell this might feel a bit weird-" Sunset's horn glowed red before the sound in his ears dulled by the sound of a voice in his head.

"That's better... alright look I know you have questions but we can't be here," Sunset told through a mental link causing Salem to nod.

"Alright, lead on," The three began to crawl under the smoke while avoiding the frozen crowd.

"Keep down in the smoke they can be anywhere,"

"They?"

"Long story. But let's just say I recognized those voices before they dropped the second verse,"

"Let me another of your guy's rogue gallery?"

"You've been reading comics with Spike haven't you?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter right now, Sunset. Who are these guys?"

Making it to one of the side entrances to the ballroom Sunset quietly and carefully opened the door.

"They're called the Sirens but the last time I met them was a while back but they weren't able to do anything like this before," Sunset spoke through the spell, passing into the hallway noticing that even the guards outside were affected.

The three reached full height and carefully sank away from the ballroom.

"I assume you know how to beat them?"

"Yeah... last time I had my 'other' friends but seeing how the girls are frozen stiff there is one other pony I know that might give us the edge we need. Let's pray to Faust that she is still unaffected," Sunset slowly turned to Salem while they crept past a few more mentally blank guards. "How are you not under the influence of their song though?"

"Long story there but in a nutshell: Malo and I kind of had special training for this kind of thing,"[/u

"That doesn't answer- Wait Malo is here too?"

"Yep can't see her can you?"

Stopping for a moment looking over Salem's shoulder Sunset shook her head.

"No... I don't. Twilight wasn't kidding about that whole deal you two have,"

"Hey it's what makes us special," The two turned a corner to a room that wasn't so far from the ballroom and stopped. "What now?"

"This is the equipment area. Knowing my friend, She usually follows Octavia to events like this,"

"Who?"

"She was the leading cello player during the ball," Sunset gave a sign. "For once I hope she has her headphones on,"

"Wait- what?"

Upon opening the door Salem's question was answered but was also followed by more questions about Equestria's state of technology. In the back of what looked to be a storage room for events filled with spare chairs and tables was a single mare with a crazy blue mane wearing a pair of red headphones and pink sunglasses.

Unlike the rest of the ponies, this mare was nodding her head to the beat that was being played over the headphones she worked. Salem right away noticed the soundboard and equipment that a DJ would use but what confused him was how serious the tech was despite the low-level technology that Equestria had from what he had seen beforehand.

Sunset walked behind the pony who was still jamming out before tapping the mare's shoulder.

The Dj pony noticed her but while reaching for her headphones Sunset stopped her and put a hand over her mouth.

"Vinyl no!"

'Vinyl' was taken aback by Sunset's sudden use of the telepath spell that she used on Salem a few minutes ago.

"Oi! What's the big idea here sunset?!"

"Vinyl listen were kind of in trouble here alright just listen to me for a moment,"

"Alright this better be good for the whole dropping a spell on me without fair warning,"

"It is lady," Salem's inner voice spoke causing the pony to turn to him.

"Hey, you're that Salem guy I've been hearing about... love the mask bro,"

"Vinyl seriously!"

"Alright alright! What's going on?"

"The Sirens Vinyl. They have the entire castle under their spell from their singing," Sunset warned causing the pony to back up.

"The sirens? Like the ones from the old stories about their whole deal being-"

"Yes. We don't have time for a history lesson Vinyl. Look we don't know what they are planning but we got to stop them before they do anything alright. You're the only pony I know who is an expert in sound-based magic you think you can help out here?"

"Hey, as long as it's got a beat I can mix it," Vinyl answered with a smile on her face. "Just give me a second to-"

Before she could finish her train of thought, the door to the storage room broke open. Turning to the door, the four watched as a small crowd of nobles and royal guards stumbled towards them like a bunch of string puppets.

"That's new,"

Salem looked up at the wall behind them.

"Window now!"

Turning back to the seemly mindless group Salem was jumped by a noble pony but his improved body allowed him to react and push back the noble into the ground still under the siren's spell.

"Salem! Don't hurt them they aren't in control!" Sunset spoke through the mental link while she helped Vinyl up through the window.

Malo used her unique nature to trip up a few of the unaware brainwashed ponies trying to help Salem buy the two mares time to escape. Seeing Sunset pull Vinyl up to the window the Chimera took this chance to throw down some of the storage crates to block the coming horde. However, one of the musical zombies surprised Salem by lunging at him; quickly, Salem grabbed the wrists of the pony, where he then recognized who he was holding back.

Prince Blueblood...

*THUGH!*

Although he was brainwashed the blood nephew of the princesses could still feel pain especially when it was his family jewels being kicked in. Giving a whizzing cry the prince grabbed his groan with a faceplant on the floor from Salem's defensive attack, where the Terrian rushed for the wall digging his claws into the brick wall and climbing up following the ladies.

Getting outside in the castle garden, the Chimera lept down, landing on his feet, where Malo followed suit, landing on his back and catching Salem off guard slightly. Smiling at her prank, he didn't need to say anything, knowing his partner's actions well; letting her down off his back, the duo caught up with the mares, who were in the middle of talking about something.

"So what are you saying?"

"I can basically throw counter noise over the Siren's song freeing though who aren't directly exposed to the Siren's magic,"

"What did we miss?" Salem poked through the link, Sunset looked over to him while the group hid behind some bushes.

"Vinyl might have a plan that could help us stop the Siren's and free some of their victims,"

"By throwing 'counter noise'?" Salem stared at the two confused.

"Sound magic is a bit more complicated than what most ponies think let me put it this way... the Siren's magic has a frequency that if I can match with my own magic I could turn up a counter-frequency to block out their song,"

"Like a radio jammer,"

"What's a radio jammer?"

"Later, what do we need to do this whole 'magic jammer' deal?"

"Well, that's the thing. I kinda need my stuff to use as a conduit to broadcast the frequency but all my stuff is that storage room I was hanging out in,"

"The same one we just left right?"

"Right,"

Salem cursed for a moment while holding his chin.

"Does it have to have that same equipment you had in there?"

"No, it can be anything that produces sound... although my magic works better if it can play music," Vinyl explained, causing Malo's ears to perk up.

Reaching into Salem's pocket she pulled out his tactical pad which grabbed the attention of the Terrian who saw what he was doing and knew exactly what she was going for.

"Will this work?" Holding out his data pad to the two, Vinyl looked confused but Sunset's eyes widened at the sight of the earth device.

"I don't know. Can it play music?"

"Yes, ma'am almost every song under the sun back home,"

"Sweet! But how does it work?"

Salem quickly showed Vinyl how to power on the device and pulled up the music player function of the device while Sunset took a glace to look out but froze at what was before her.

"Guys, we got company?"

The two looked up to see what Sunset was pointing to, one of the Sirens gave a high note while a large group of pony guards walked forward weapons at the ready.

"It's Aria," Sunset warned while Salem handed the device to Vinyl.

"Anything I should know?"

"Don't really know her that well but out of her sisters, she is the weakest but is more level-headed than her younger sister but not as smart as her eldest sibling," Sunset informed while Vinyl got to work on the spell with the tactical pad.

"Better than nothing," Salem pulled off his suit jacket and pulled his dress gloves tighter. "Vinyl?"

The DJ looked up at him.

"Pick us a good one to work with,"

Stand up he walked forward to the half circle of pony guards that took up half of the garden, 'Aria' stared him down green smoke trailing from the ground around the brainwashed guards to the ruby around her neck. Popping his neck Salem took a standard CQC stance readied for anything but the Chimera, the anomaly, and even the Siren were taken back by the sound of music coming from behind them.

It was so loud that the impact in Salem's head stopped the blaring music, causing him to finally 'hear', for lack of better terms. Then he saw some of the guards flinch, with some life returning to their eyes, only for them to return to their traced states. Aria also noticed this and pointed to Vinyl and shouted.

"SHUT THAT NOISE OFF!"

Like an opened flood gate, the guards ran forward, spears pointed at the ponies behind the Chimera, but Salem wasn't going to allow them to get close. Grabbing one of the guards' spears, he pulled it away from the zombie, breaking the sharp end with his hand. Salem twirled it around, smacking it into the heads of two brainwashed guards until standing at the ready in a stance that martial artists would use a bo staff.

"Let's rock lady,"

More guards ran at him, causing Salem to swiftly counter-attack them, careful not to harm them, and choosing to incapacitate by knocking with such force to their heads that it wouldn't cause them any brain damage. Twist his body to avoid spear thrusts the improved framework of his cyber hex frame allowed him to contort his body in ways a normal human couldn't. He didn't like how it felt but seeing he was outside his armor, dodging was key here also he didn't want to damage this nice suit Rarity made for him it was the only piece of clothing he had outside his exo-shell.

His makeshift staff snapped causing Salem to throw the two pieces of his broken spear at two guards while being forced to return back to hand-to-hand combat. The terrian punched one of the guards into the air for Malo who took out a few guards from Aria's attention and somersaulted through the air kicking the guard back down into a flowerbed. Sweep-kicking more guards Salem's eyes quickly darted to the ruby around Aria's neck, a quick sign from his hand to Malo caused the impossible partner to understand Salem's silent plan.

While Salem was distracted, Aria didn't notice a flower pot come rushing at her head, breaking upon impact with the Siren hissed in pain, holding her head.

"Who-?"

Like quicksilver Malo shifted into a guard knocking the magical zombie into the air while Salem shoulder-tackled the guard into Aria. Taking the Siren down Salem lept into the air on top of both the guard and Aria, using the guard as a gold-clad weight to pinning Aira to the ground. Not wasting a second Salem ripped the ruby around the Siren's neck and slammed it hard against the ground neck to the purple-furred beast's head.

Wide-eyed at what happened the Terrian leaned forward staring into the eyes of the subdued threat, Even with Vinyl playing music loudly Aira could hear Salem's voice.

"You seem like a smart lady. You are not going to cause any more trouble right?" Salem asked to which Aria hesitantly nodded noticing the guards around Salem who moments ago were about to stab him were breaking free of her trace over them. "Good now... where are your fellow sirens at?"

(Not long after)

Tied up and gag, the Siren couldn't do anything but sit with guards around her while loud music still blared around them. Some guards held defensive passions around the doors, ready for any brainwashed ponies to come at them. Salem, Sunset, Malo, Vinyl, and one of the guards stood in a circle using the link Sunset established to talk through the music.

"How long will it take you to amp up the magical range on that counter-frequency?" Salem asked to which Vinyl shrugged.

"Dunno it could take me a close to an hour for it to be powerful enough to cover the entire castle,"

"Well try to make it shorter than that Aria told me they've planned on using the princesses for something," Salem explained causing the ponies to stare at him.

"For what?"

"She told me her older sister didn't tell her or her younger sister anything of the plan but it requires both princesses for it... lucky for us Luna did some spell to knock herself out," Salem recalled.

"Well, I don't need to say how we need to stop them right? Who knows what Adagio is planning with the combined power of the sisters,"

"Think they're going for the bell?"

Sunset shook her head.

"No they would have moved it somewhere else but there are more dangerous things than that bell. Celestia and Luna have been around for a long time the things they know could be bad for the entire world if the Sirens were to get their hands on any of what they wanted,"

"Almost like how the chaos insurgency would do with any of the SCP items,"

"Who with the what?"

"Again later. So we need to buy Vinyl some time for that spell before Luna wakes up right?"

"Right,"

"Sir Salem if there anything me and the lads can help you with let us know sir!"

Salem looked at the guard next to him.

"Flash right?"

"Yes sir!"

"Buddy first off I told you I'm not your commanding officer there is no need for 'sir', second what I need you to do is to stick here in the garden and defend Vinyl as she works on her spell,"

"But sir-"

"Buddy trust me this is important,"

"Salem going after the rest of Sirens is dangerous especially. If they have a brainwashed Celestia you'll be going against someone who controls a being with the power of the sun at their fingertips,"

"Perhaps but some of my peers have gone against god-like beings before without enchantments like what I have," Salem turned to the guard next to him.

"Be careful boss,"

"We will," With that Salem went over to the garden wall to climb over it.

"What does he mean by 'we'?"

"Long story,"

After careful sneaking through the castle Salem sat on top of an exposed support beam within the stained glass hallway outside the throne room with his ever-faithful companion leaning on his back her head on his shoulder. Getting his armor would be incredibly helpful but due to the severity of current events he had to act fast and stop the remaining sirens. Reaching into his pocket Salem pulled out three temporary containment foam capsules.

'I knew I should have brought my freeze ray'

Pocketing the capsules the Chimera stared at the door, while deep in thought he felt something tap his shoulder the changed human looked to his partner who held something in her hand.

"/You little sneak/"

-

"So uh... what's the thing do again?" Sonata asked for what seemed like the millionth time.

"By the old gods. The melody harp can amplify any music-based magic, increasing the power of any spell song tenfold, and if we get it, we can use it to blanket all of Equestria in our song where we can never be hungry again," Adagio explained while standing next to a brainwashed Celestia. "Our ocean cousins used it back before equestria's whole unification,"

"Oh, I always wondered what happened to them. Tala was always so nice to me," Adagio sighed at her sister's comment while turning to poisoned Luna.

She had to give it to Luna, Adagio didn't think the night princess had it in her when they attempted to lure her with their song Luna quickly casted a minor poison spell upon herself to render her unconscious but nothing to truly harm her. It worked. Although this would delay her plans, it wouldn't stop her. By the time Luna awakened, everything would fall into place; she already had the elements under her control along with Celestia and the entire solar guard. Now it was all a matter of time.

Upon their return, Equestria was already weakened after an attack on the capital and of course, the nobles attempted to cover up the whole thing with a party or whatever. Adagio decided to strike the hot iron right away even with such short planning and brush with that dark mare, her sisters and herself would move in to take their prize.

"Hey, sis when do you think Aria would be back? It's been a SUPER long time now," Sonata asked to which Adagio shrugged.

"How should I know? She's probably out feasting on the magic of the ponies throughout the castle,"

"But I thought you told her not to,"

"I did, but again she couldn't help herself," Adagio hissed turning to the door to the throne room, where she noticed the door to the throne room was opened slightly.

Confused, the Siren leader thought that Aria had slammed the door after the two yet again disagreed on the plan. However, while trying to call the events, something was thrown forward, hitting Sonata. Yellow foam ensnared the youngest Siren, causing her to yelp in shock. It hardened, trapping her on the floor, and encasing her entire body, including her mouth, preventing her from singing.

Not wasting a second, Adagio ordered Celestia to cast a shield around her, which the controlled princess did right as another object was thrown, this time at her. The foam spread over the shield, then hard as it did with her sister, ordering Celestia once again to the magical shield around Adagio, which disbanded and caused the foam to break apart around her. Her pawn at her side, Siren's eyes darted around the room, looking for the unseen attacker, while her sister's muffled pleas to free her were ignored.

"Show yourself!"

"I prefer to stay out of your sight, lady," a voice called back while the sirens' eyes scanned the upper level of the throne room. Taking a breath, she began to sing, letting her magic spill out to snare the one hiding in the darkness above.

However, nothing seemed to happen, causing the Siren to look around, not seeing a certain terrian hiding behind a pillar using the room to echo his voice, throwing her off.

"That trick wouldn't work on me, Siren,"

"Who are you?"

"A considered friend of the family," Adagio snapped to look at the pillar where she thought the voice came from but Salem had already moved. "I already dealt with your sister and a few of my friends are cleaning up your mess doubt you will get that harp of yours,"

Adagio snarled, her plan for the harb being figured out causing her to stare at the ceiling supports while trying to think of something fast, her sister's muffled pleas caused her to snap at the youngest Siren.

"SHUT UP SONATA! I'LL FREE YOU IN A MINUTE!"

"Damn, and I thought Cain had a temper toward his brother,"

Growling she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye.

"THERE BLAST HIM!" Adagio ordered Celestia where the controlled princess did what she was told and fired at where the oldest Siren pointed at.

"Hey! They just finished painting in her lady show some respect for the guys that finally repaired this place after the last guests trashed the place,"

"Then come on out! I wouldn't have to destroy any more of this throne room if I knew where you were!"

"That or you can give up,"

"I've waited centuries for this moment! I will not surrender when I'm so close,"

"Or you can and we can avoid more property damage and pain," Salem spoke distracting Adagio to get a clean shot to throw his containment foam capsule.

"Enough games! Show yourself, coward!"

Readying his throwing arm Salem was about to throw his last capsule but Celestia noticed him and fired another beam this time hitting the beam with Salem on it.

"AGH-! Mother of heaven!" Hitting the ground Adagio spotted Salem whose left sleeve was on fire causing the Chimera to rip it off and throw the burning piece of clothing aside. "Not cool lady Rarity made me this suit!"

Adagio stared at her attacker before smiling recognizing the one who had been causing so many rumors.

"You must be Salem Grey am I right?" Adagio asked while Celestia aimed her horn down.

"That's my name,"

"The same who beat Sombra?"

"The very same,"

"Well then I would say it's nice to meet you but it's not nice to lie," Adagio stated crossing her arms.

"Could say the same for you too, Adagio,"

"You know of me?"

"From a certain friend of mine yes," Salem answered holding something behind him while his sleeveless arm was forward. "But I gotta say you weren't what I was expecting,"

Adagio huffed at the comment.

"Then what were you expecting?"

"I dunno an ice queen?" Salem stalled causing Adagio to snort at his words.

"Funny. Anything else you wish to say before I have Celestia reduce you to ashes?"

"Yeah, I do why is it that all people like you want to play god? I can tell you this it never ends well for people like you,"

"Playing god?! Child I will be GOD!" She pointed at Salem causing Celestia's horn to glow. "KILL HIM!"

Pulling the item from his back, Salem threw it forward, tossing a tube-like item forward with a glass item on top and something small in it.

"It's hard for you to be god when I have an angel by my side!"

Pulling a piece of string attached to the device, Adagio and Celestia were blinded by a flash of light. Lowering her arm, the Siren still couldn't see anything, for a cloud of smoke had consumed the room. Laughing, Adagio was ready to have Celestia throw the entire roof down onto the smoke to crush Salem, wherever he might be hiding, thinking the device he used was some sort of smoke bomb.

It wasn't...

A blue armored leg stepped from the smoke followed by a hulking armor frame of what seemed to be a massive blue and gold golem of some kind. It's red eyes stared at her while holding a massive weapon in it's hands, awestruck at what she was seeing the Siren didn't notice the smoke disapparate around the giant.

Salem stood up to his full height causing the giant to turn to him.

"Titus?" Salem's voice asked with slight worry in it.

"Inquisitor," Titus greeted warmly while turning to the Siren. "A fine welcome you have given me, lord Salem. Permission to return the greeting in kind,"

"Granted... but do no harm the white one she is a friend non-lethal only," Salem ordered.

"What of the yellow one?"

"I gave her a chance to end this peacefully. She made her choice," Adagio snapped out of it as the giant raised it's barreled weapon towards her, realizing what the weapon was she had Celestia form a shield around her.

The weapon's projectile cracked the shield with a single shot only to be hammered more by twenty-four more slamming into the magical shield. Breaking apart by the second to last shot, one of the rounds completely missed her exposed form, but it caused her to scream in pain by the sound and force. Holding her ears she looked up seeing the blue giant rush at her, temporarily deafening Adagio's scream at Celestia to kill the creature.

Changing his attention to the princess the giant dodged an energy beam at almost point-blank range then Titus put his empty weapon around the mind-controlled princess neck. Putting her into a hold Celestia clawed at the face plate of Titus's helm but it was proven fruitlessly as all her nails did was scrap against the marine's impossibly strong armor. Adagio quickly gathered herself and opened her mouth ready to give Celestia another order but the giant had distracted her enough to forget Salem's presence.

Throwing a small at her mouth, yellow foam roared out into her throat and quickly hardened, causing the Siren who was in the middle of taking a breath to gag on the blockage in her throat.

"That's enough talking lady," Salem walked forward and grabbed her ruby from around her neck. "And enough of this,"

Dropping it on the ground Salem crushed it under his boot, reaching for the broken remains with one of her hands while the other held her throat. She turned to her sister, who no longer handed her ruby, for it had seemingly vanished until pieces of ruby were dropped right onto her own remains.

Celestia slowly came around while Salem ordered Titus to release the princess. Adagio slowly began to turn blue at the lack of oxygen while falling to her side, this time reaching for Salem. He, in turn, stared back down at her, watching her blackout at his feet before speaking one last time as her world went dark around her.

"Shows over,"

Author's Note

Holy cow... that was a lot.

Then again I've been stump on this thinking about how to do this chapter and to make it one big or not and split it into two parts but I decided hey since I had you guys wait so long why not make it a big one to show I appreciate your patience with me getting though my writer's block.

Oh boy! This chapter was something else, a bit of a pain to write the telepath parts with color coating who is who and making sure they're underlined. Man, this chapter is one of my most painful to complete but worth it in the end to have it ready for you guys to read.

And with Titus finally reformed into flesh along with a slight reference to certain things here and there. Not to mention having to make sure I spelled the Siren's name's correctly and not mixing Aira and Sonata up like that one time WAY back when.

Hope I didn't and I do hope you guys enjoyed this!

It's good to be back with ITD... though this chapter might take awhile till I can get someone to edit this long ass chapter.

Also a bonus for you guys and a certain someone:

(Yep never going to let this down Fire you brought this upon yourself! AHHHHHHH!)
(This is a joke guys don't bully him or anything I'm simply giving him a hard time since one of his discord mods basically said something about it being a 200th episode or something not naming names... but a certain someone, but seriously guys go and to youtube and watch this Fire Hearth's channel already he's awesome!)