//-------------------------------------------------------// Guiding the Sirens' Song (Dazzlinglight) -by Potrillo de barro- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Shadows in Crystal Prep //-------------------------------------------------------// Shadows in Crystal Prep Chapter III Previous Chapter . . . The driver closed the door behind me and started the car. I turned around and could see how Sour Sweet cursed my existence. I walked a little looking for a place to sit, choosing one until the end where I sat down and finally I could breathe in peace. I walked until I reached the last row, took a seat, put on my headphones and disconnected. For today I would ignore everything, even the beautiful girls in the hallway. Current Chapter . . . Crystal School was a fairly large high school compared to Canterlot High. It was a four-story building and a single campus. The hallways, which were once in full swing, were covered by a deafening silence due to three mysterious figures making their way through the students. Three young men with thin builds and fine features glided with a disturbing elegance, stealing the attention of the students. “Remind me why we have to deal with a bunch of hormonal teenagers, Adagio,” said Aria, a purple-haired girl with turquoise highlights. “Because this is where we'll find the source of the magic we felt last time, Aria,” Adagio replied, visibly irritated by her companion's comment. “And then we can get revenge on the Rainbooms,” a third voice intervened, belonging to a girl with sky-blue hair. “See? Sonata understands,” Adagio murmured condescendingly, while Aria snorted, annoyed. “Anyway, I hope we find her soon. I don't think I can stand this place much longer,” Aria said in an impatient tone. I felt someone bump into me and turned around, annoyed, to find myself facing a girl with long hair, bangs, and glasses. You could say she had an adorable air, but what really caught my attention was her magical aura. It was much more powerful than any human I had ever seen before. There was no doubt: this was the person we were looking for, the source of the magical explosion. I reached out to help her up, feeling her energy so intense, so intoxicating. Too bad the feeling didn't last long. “Be more careful, sweetie. You don't want to hurt yourself, do you?” she said in a playful tone, using a bit of my power, though it had no effect, which is interesting. “Looks like you caught something, Adagio,” Aria commented, making it clear with her tone that she had noticed the girl's energy as well. “Looks like the mouse got your tongue, princess,” Sonata joked, mocking the poor girl, who had already gotten over her initial confusion. “You're dead, Twilight!” a female voice shouted from the distance. It was a pink-haired girl. “Thanks for the help, but I have to go,” the girl called Twilight replied, escaping before they could say anything else. As they watched her walk away, the pink-haired girl's annoyed voice rang out again, calling out to Twilight. Adagio, seeing the situation, cast an irritated look at the girl for chasing Twilight away. Without a word, she glared at Aria with an expression that clearly indicated a silent order. Aria instantly understood and proceeded to intentionally trip over the girl, giving Twilight more time to flee. Sour Sweet fell to the ground and glared at them angrily, only to be met with cold, contemptuous stares. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Aria said, her voice drenched in fake sweetness as she held out her hand. Sour Sweet, stunned and bewildered, accepted it. Without hesitation, Aria forcefully pulled her towards her, bringing her very close to her ear. "Be more careful, you might get hurt," she muttered in a threatening tone. Sour Sweet stood up in fright, but without wasting any more time, she resumed chasing Twilight. “Looks like we found what we were looking for, girls,” Adagio said with satisfaction. “What now?” Sonata asked, confused. Adagio slapped her forehead at the comment, while Aria snorted in annoyance. “Isn’t it obvious, Sonata? We’ll control her like everyone else,” Aria replied, irritated. Before Sonata could reply, Adagio interrupted her. “That won’t work,” she said, giving them a serious look. “What do you mean?” Aria asked, while Sonata stared at her without understanding. “When I held out my hand to her and tried to manipulate her emotions, nothing happened. She seems to be immune to direct emotional manipulation. Which makes me think she’s immune to the rest of our magic as well,” Adagio explained thoughtfully. Aria looked at her in surprise. No one, other than the Rainbooms, had ever been immune before. “It’s just a matter of time.” Just like the Rainbooms, she will fall too,” Sonata commented indifferently. “You don’t understand anything, do you?” Adagio said, annoyed. “Physical contact is our easiest way to exert power over someone. If that doesn’t work, then nothing else will.” Aria stared at Sonata in disbelief, as she opened her mouth to say something else, but Adagio interrupted her again. “Not another word. We have things to do,” Adagio concluded firmly. They walked through the practically deserted facilities, with only a few students in sight. At one point, Adagio stopped and noticed a student passing by. She approached him suggestively to get his attention. “Hello, excuse me,” she said softly. The student looked at her, almost hypnotized by her voice. “Could you tell me where the address is, please?” she asked, keeping her gaze fixed on him. “Yes, of course,” he replied, somewhat nervous, as he pointed the way and gave her directions to get there. “Thank you very much, you are very kind,” Adagio said as she said goodbye to the student with a flirtatious touch. Aria and Sonata watched her, bored. “What? Don’t look at me like that. We already got what we wanted, so let’s go.” They headed to the headmistress’s office and knocked on the door. “Come in,” an elegant voice sounded from inside. Adagio entered first, followed by Aria and Sonata. The headmistress’s office was impeccably tidy, with shelves filled with leather-bound books and framed diplomas adorning the walls. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, while the ticking of the wall clock set the pace for the conversation. “How may I help you, ladies?” the headmistress asked with professional courtesy, clasping her hands on the desk. Across from her, Adagio Dazzle flashed a calculated smile before answering in her usual superior tone. “We want to join your institution.” The headmistress arched an eyebrow, surprised by the unexpected request. She hadn’t received any notice about new students, let alone a group that, at first glance, exuded an unconventional attitude. “Have your parents already filled out the application and submitted the required documents?” she asked, trying to maintain her composure in the face of the peculiarity of the situation. Sonata and Aria stood silently on either side of Adagio, watching with impassive expressions as their leader bowed her head slightly, feigning patience. “I think you misunderstood me, Headmistress,” Adagio said with an air of condescension. With insolent grace, she dropped into the chair in front of the desk and, without the slightest consideration, put her feet up on the polished mahogany table. The brazen gesture caused the Headmistress to frown. Her tone turned stern as she rose from her seat. “I don’t know who you think you are, but this kind of behavior is unacceptable in this institution. If you have come to cause trouble, I will be forced to ask you to leave immediately.” Adagio sighed, as if the reprimand was a minor inconvenience, and then her gaze grew more intense. When she spoke again, her voice took on an ethereal, enveloping tone, charged with a subtle and ancient power. “Sit down.” The order echoed in the air like an irresistible melody. The headmistress barely had time to blink before her body obeyed against her will, letting her fall back into her chair. Her hands trembled slightly, but her expression was serene, empty, trapped in an invisible spell. Adagio smiled with satisfaction. “Now, be a good hostess and fill out all the paperwork to accept us.” Her tone was sweet as honey, but her smile had the edge of a well-sharpened dagger. The headmistress, her eyes lost in an illusory void, took a pen and began to write. Aria crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “You always have to do this so dramatic...” Sonata, on the other hand, smiled excitedly. “I love it when you do that!” Adagio simply leaned back in her seat, enjoying the show. The first phase of his plan had begun. Author's Note There is a new chapter I hope you like it. //-------------------------------------------------------// Failled Experiment //-------------------------------------------------------// Failled Experiment A week had passed since the Rainbooms defeated the Dazzlings. Though their once-pristine gems were shattered, the fragments were regenerating—painfully, yet steadily. The trio clung to the belief that in another week, they would be whole again and ready for their rematch. In the cramped apartment where they had taken refuge, a faint wave of magic swept through the air. Adagio, seated by the window, barely registered it. Though weak, it felt… significant. She was still processing the sensation when Aria barged into the room, her expression tense. “Tell me you felt that,” Aria demanded, her voice betraying her unease. Before Adagio could answer, Sonata’s frantic voice echoed from the hallway. “Girls, come here! You’ve gotta see this!” Adagio and Aria exchanged a quick glance before hurrying to Sonata’s side. “What’s wrong?” Adagio asked sharply. Sonata didn’t reply, only pointed to the window. The three leaned closer, and in that moment, a second magical wave—stronger, more vibrant—rippled through the air. From their vantage point, they saw a blinding flash erupt from one of the laboratories at Crystal Prep Academy. Minutes Earlier Crystal Prep Academy lay quiet beneath the cover of night. The stillness, however, was broken by two young women working diligently in one of the school’s labs. “Are you absolutely sure we won’t get in trouble for this, Twilight?” Moondancer asked, her tone laced with apprehension. Twilight Sparkle, focused on her equipment, responded with confidence. “We won’t. Principal Cinch gave me permission to use the lab after hours.” The rhythmic clatter of keys filled the room as Twilight finished fine-tuning the last parameters. Her excitement was palpable. “It’s almost ready,” she announced. “As soon as I finalize these settings, we’ll replicate the magical fluctuations we detected two months ago. Lately, they’ve been increasing in frequency—we can’t ignore them.” Moondancer frowned, still skeptical. “And you’re sure this is safe?” Twilight turned to her friend, her eyes sparkling with determination. “Of course! This could be the discovery of the century. Aren’t you curious about what’s causing these anomalies?” Moondancer sighed in resignation. She knew there was no dissuading Twilight when she was this driven. “Fine. What do you need me to do?” Twilight pointed to a lever on the side of the machine. “When I give the signal, pull that lever down.” With a nervous nod, Moondancer moved into position. As Twilight initiated the experiment, the machine whirred to life, its hum growing louder with each passing second. “Now!” Twilight called out. Moondancer hesitated briefly before pulling the lever. Almost instantly, the machinery began to spark and sputter. “Warning: System Overload,” a robotic voice announced. “No, no, no!” Twilight exclaimed, frantically typing commands into the console. “This isn’t supposed to happen!” “What do we do?!” Moondancer shouted, panic creeping into her voice. “Disconnect the power source! If we can cool the core, we can stop the overload!” Twilight instructed. Both scrambled to unplug the machine. Just as they managed to sever the power, the device exploded, releasing a massive surge of energy. Without thinking, Twilight shielded Moondancer from the blast. When the chaos subsided, Twilight staggered to her feet, grabbing a fire extinguisher to douse the smoldering machine. “Are you okay?” Moondancer asked, trembling. Before Twilight could answer, she collapsed to the floor. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Twilight awoke in a hospital room, her head pounding and her limbs heavy. She tried to sit up, but firm hands pressed her back down. “Easy there, sweetheart,” her father, Night Light, said. His voice was calm, but his expression betrayed his worry. “What happened?” Twilight asked groggily. “There was an explosion in the lab,” Night Light explained, his jaw tight. “You were caught in it and knocked unconscious.” The memories rushed back—the sparks, the overload, shielding Moondancer from the blast. Twilight’s stomach churned with guilt and dread. “You could’ve been seriously hurt,” Night Light continued, his voice growing sharper. “Do you have any idea how reckless that was?” Twilight sat up despite the ache in her body. “It wasn’t reckless! I knew what I was doing. The equipment just—” “Failed,” Night Light interrupted, his tone cutting. “And because of that, you ended up here. Do you think any discovery is worth risking your life over?” Twilight’s hands clenched the blanket tightly. “Dad, this research is important. We’re on the verge of something groundbreaking—” “Groundbreaking?” Night Light’s voice rose. “You think that matters to me? You could’ve died, Twilight! Is that groundbreaking enough for you?” Twilight bristled, meeting his glare. “I didn’t think it would end like this! I made one mistake—” “One mistake?” Night Light snapped. “One mistake was all it took for you to end up in a hospital bed. Do you even hear yourself?” “I’m not a child, Dad!” Twilight shot back, her frustration boiling over. “You can’t just stop me from doing what I love because you’re scared!” Night Light leaned closer, his expression stern. “I’m your father, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. From now on, you’re not allowed back in that lab unless someone supervises you. That’s final.” “You can’t do that!” Twilight’s voice cracked, her eyes stinging with tears. “Research is my life! I was so close to something incredible—” “And I’m telling you it’s not worth your life!” Night Light barked, his fists clenched. “If you can’t understand that, then you’re not as smart as I thought.” Twilight recoiled as if struck. Her father’s words cut deeper than she expected. She opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself, her lips trembling. “Enough, both of you,” a calm but firm voice interjected. Twilight Velvet stepped into the room, her eyes flicking between her husband and daughter. “Yelling isn’t solving anything.” “She doesn’t understand, Velvet,” Night Light said, his frustration evident. “She’s putting herself in danger for—” “For something she believes in,” Velvet interrupted, her tone soft but resolute. “And you need to understand that.” Night Light looked away, his jaw tight. Velvet approached Twilight, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Twilight, your father is only worried because he loves you,” she said gently. “But he has a point—you need to be more careful. We all want you to succeed, but not at the cost of your safety.” Twilight’s shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of her. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she whispered. Velvet smiled softly. “I know, sweetheart. Just promise us you’ll be more cautious.” Twilight nodded reluctantly. “I promise.” Night Light sighed, his stance softening. “We’re not trying to stop you from following your dreams, Twilight. We just don’t want to lose you.” The tension in the room eased, though the unspoken conflict lingered. Twilight knew her father wasn’t going to budge easily, but she resolved to continue her work—safely and carefully, if only to prove to him that she could. As Twilight absorbed her parents’ words, the door creaked open, drawing her attention. Shining Armor stepped inside, his expression a blend of relief and concern. Night Light and Velvet exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to give their children some privacy. Velvet offered Shining a small, reassuring smile, while Night Light gave him an approving nod. Shining returned their gestures with a grateful look, silently thanking them as they stepped out of the room and closed the door behind them. “Twily,” he said softly, crossing the room in a few strides. He pulled her into a gentle hug. “You scared the hay out of us.” “I didn’t mean to,” Twilight murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. Shining stepped back, his hands resting on her shoulders. “What were you even thinking? A lab explosion? You could’ve been seriously hurt—or worse.” “I was careful,” Twilight insisted, though her voice wavered. “Careful?” Shining raised an eyebrow. “You call ending up in the hospital ‘careful’?” Twilight looked away, guilt and frustration bubbling up. “I made a mistake. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.” Shining’s tone softened, but his concern remained. “Twilight, I get it. You’re passionate about your research, and I’m proud of you for that. But you have to be more careful. You can’t keep throwing yourself into dangerous situations.” “I wasn’t throwing myself into danger!” Twilight shot back, tears welling up. “This was important, Shining. I was so close to figuring out—” “Whatever it is you’re close to isn’t worth your safety,” Shining said firmly. “You’re my little sister, Twily. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.” Twilight’s resolve wavered, and she nodded reluctantly. “I’ll be more careful,” she said quietly. “You’d better be,” Shining replied with a small smile. “Or I’ll have to station a guard outside your lab.” Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “You’re ridiculous.” "Maybe," Shining said with a playful grin, ruffling her hair. "But you love me anyway." Twilight huffed, trying to smooth her hair back into place, but she couldn’t deny it. After their conversation, Shining Armor gave Twilight a reassuring pat on the shoulder before stepping out of the room to let her rest. Moments later, her parents returned, carrying her clothes and the completed discharge paperwork. Night Light’s stern demeanor had softened, though a hint of lingering concern remained in his eyes. Twilight noticed it and silently resolved to thank her mother later for diffusing the tension. She took her clothes and excused herself to change, determined to move forward without adding more stress to her family. Once they left the hospital, the journey home was uneventful. Twilight stared out the car window, her mind already drifting back to the lab incident. When they finally arrived, she went straight to her room, brushing off her mother’s suggestion to rest. Sitting at her desk, she powered on her computer and dove into the data she had collected. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she meticulously reviewed every parameter from the experiment. The numbers all seemed right, yet the explosion still haunted her thoughts. The failure hadn’t been random—it couldn’t have been. But no matter how deeply she analyzed the data, Twilight couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause of the chain reaction. Her frustration grew as she documented the destroyed components: the array antennas, the electromagnetic oscillator, the quantum physical oscillator, and the control system that modulated them both. Each piece had been integral to the experiment, and their destruction felt like a personal setback. Twilight leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples. She couldn’t solve this alone. “I’ll have to talk to Moondancer,” she muttered to herself. “Maybe together, we can figure out what went wrong.” Her resolve strengthened as she began drafting plans for the repairs, already envisioning how they might rebuild and improve the setup. Despite the setbacks, the spark of curiosity and determination within her refused to fade. Author's Note Hey this is a story that I was writting before Behind Scenes, I hope you like it! Another thing is that I am making some corrections, so Its no really perfect, but I will give my best!, and may be in the future for some old readers will be kinda different, an I will making most of my plibication on Thursday nights. //-------------------------------------------------------// First meeting //-------------------------------------------------------// First meeting The next few days were uneventful as Twilight rested and tried to piece together what might have gone wrong during the experiment. Conversations with Moondancer had been limited but productive—they agreed to investigate separately and regroup to discuss their findings. After three days of quiet recovery, her parents finally allowed her to return to school. On the morning of her return, Twilight got dressed, her thoughts lingering on Moondancer. She had tried reaching her friend multiple times without success and couldn’t help but worry. Heading downstairs, she exchanged brief words with her parents and Shining Armor, hurriedly ate some toast, and left for the bus stop. As she waited for the bus, her mind churned with thoughts about the experiment. How could she recreate it safely on a smaller scale? The lack of answers was frustrating, and by the time the bus arrived, she was thoroughly lost in her calculations. Stepping onto the nearly empty vehicle, she chose a seat in the back and spent the ride absorbed in her thoughts. When the bus arrived at Crystal Prep Academy, Twilight disembarked and made her way through the bustling crowd of students. Socializing had always been an unwelcome chore for her, and she avoided eye contact, hoping to slip past unnoticed. She had little patience for the predictable small talk and even less for running into Sour Sweet and her group of sycophants, who had made it their mission to torment her since the science fair. At her locker, Twilight began transferring her books when the door slammed shut unexpectedly. She turned, irritation flashing across her face, to find Sour Sweet standing there, flanked by Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat. “What do you want, Sour Sweet?” Twilight asked, her voice edged with annoyance. Sour Sweet inspected her nails as if the question barely registered before fixing Twilight with a disdainful smirk. “The Friendship Games are coming up soon,” she said nonchalantly. “And I don’t want you meddling. Let’s make that clear.” Twilight crossed her arms, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Afraid I’ll outshine you again?” “Afraid? Of you?” Sour Sweet scoffed, though the sharpness in her tone betrayed her confidence. “Hardly. But consider this your warning.” “Noted,” Twilight replied dryly, turning back to her locker. “Now, if you’re done, I have better things to do than waste my time on you.” Twilight walked away without waiting for a response, leaving Sour Sweet seething behind her. She made her way to arithmetic class, her mood already soured but determined to focus on her studies. Inside the classroom, Twilight spotted Moondancer sitting in the front row. Relieved, she approached her friend with a small smile. “Hey, Moondancer,” Twilight greeted. Moondancer returned the smile warmly. “Twilight! It’s so good to see you. Are you okay?” “I’m fine now,” Twilight said as she took her seat. “It was just a bruise. How’s your research coming along?” Moondancer pulled out her laptop, her tone thoughtful. “I’ve been analyzing the data we collected before the explosion. It seems there was a power overload in one of the antennas. That caused a cascade failure, which disrupted the directionality and shorted out the others.” Before they could delve deeper into the details, the teacher entered the room, calling the class to order. During recess, Twilight and Moondancer picked up their discussion, brainstorming ways to avoid similar issues in the future. The rest of the school day passed uneventfully until the final bell rang. As Twilight returned to her locker to pack up, she was met once again by Sour Sweet, who leaned against the locker door with a smug expression. “Sparkle,” she spat, her voice venomous. “Sour Sweet,” Twilight replied flatly. “What now?” “Disappear,” Sour Sweet said with a twisted smile. Twilight sighed. “If that’s what you want, perhaps stop seeking me out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need my bag.” Pushing past her, Twilight opened her locker. Sour Sweet, clearly annoyed, stepped back but wasn’t finished. “Who do you think you are?” “Someone better than you,” Twilight said without looking back, grabbing her backpack and closing the locker door. Sour Sweet’s anger boiled over. “Listen to me, brainiac—you’re nothing, and you’ll never be anything!” Twilight shot her a look of disdain. “If you’re done with your tantrum, I’ll be leaving now.” Without waiting for a response, she walked away, her temper barely in check. The day had begun like any other, calm and uneventful, so why couldn’t it have just stayed that way? Twilight’s mind churned with frustration as she navigated the bustling halls of Crystal Prep, her thoughts so consumed by Sour Sweet’s taunts that she hardly paid attention to her surroundings. That was, until she collided with someone. A silky voice, rich with amusement, broke through her haze. “Careful there, sweetie. You wouldn’t want to hurt yourself.” Twilight glanced up, startled, and found herself face-to-face with a vision of striking beauty. The girl before her had porcelain-pale skin that seemed to glow under the fluorescent lights and a cascade of voluminous orange curls streaked with gold, framing her face like a fiery halo. Her amber eyes were mesmerizing, sharp yet captivating, and they held a glimmer of something almost predatory. With an elegant smirk, the girl extended a perfectly manicured hand toward Twilight, her every movement fluid and deliberate, like a cat toying with its prey. “Th-thank you,” Twilight stammered as she accepted the help, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. Before she could say more, another voice chimed in, its tone laced with a cool detachment. “It seems you’ve caught something, Adagio.” The speaker was another girl, equally stunning but in a contrasting way. She had sleek, violet hair streaked with turquoise that fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and her sharp teal eyes carried an air of disdainful confidence. “Looks like the little mouse lost her tongue,” teased a third voice, this one carrying a playful, mischievous energy. Twilight turned to see yet another girl, whose vibrant turquoise hair was tied into a high ponytail. Her magenta eyes sparkled with mischief, and her wide grin gave her a look of unrestrained delight. Like the others, she was breathtakingly beautiful, her features almost too perfect, as if crafted by an artist’s hand. Twilight was completely overwhelmed. She could feel the weight of their gazes on her, their presence so commanding it seemed to warp the very atmosphere around them. She fumbled for words, but before she could respond, Sour Sweet’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “You’re dead, Twilight!” Panic seized her, snapping her out of her daze. “I-I have to go,” she blurted hastily, backing away from the three girls. Adagio arched an elegant brow, her smirk deepening. “Suit yourself, sweetie.” Twilight didn’t linger. She turned on her heel and hurried off, Sour Sweet’s angry shouts echoing behind her. “Come back here, Sparkle!” She darted through the hallways, her heart pounding, until she finally burst through the exit doors. The crisp air outside hit her like a splash of cold water, but she didn’t slow her pace until she reached the bus stop. There, she leaned against the signpost, trying to catch her breath. When the bus arrived, she climbed aboard, relief washing over her as the doors closed behind her, shutting out the chaos of the day. She made her way to the back, slumping into a seat by the window. As she put on her headphones and stared out at the passing scenery, Twilight couldn’t shake the image of those three girls—their flawless beauty, their piercing eyes, and the strange, magnetic aura that seemed to surround them. But for now, she decided, she would push it all aside: the drama with Sour Sweet, the chaos of Crystal Prep, and even the unsettling encounter with those mysterious strangers. Today, she needed the quiet. Author's Note Hey, here the author, I just here to let you know that I imprve the past chapter, so is all correct it, thank you for the constructive criticism, I have already adapted the narrative to match it completely, and I have made a separation in the paragraphs, so that it is easier to read. Once again, thank you for your support.