The sun in late October in Canterlot city always had a soft warmth to it. This was the fact that Sunset Shimmer ruminated upon as she assisted Aria Blaze in making seasonal preparations for their vehicles. The last few weeks had been a blur of routine, not even broken up by any of the typical parties, as the lives of the ladies had been thrown into the chaos of their work.

“Well looks like the gals are ready for Nut and Bolt to pick them up. What are Sona and Dagi up to?” Sunset asked Aria, wiping sweat from her brow despite the slight chill of the late year’s air. The weekends before this had seen the group of lovers often hanging out with each other and enjoying the few moments of calm a young life offered.

“The two of ‘em are gonna swing by and pick us up, apparently Rarity has requested our presence,” Aria shook her head, “I swear if this is some way to get me into a dress I’m gonna sock her one.” Aria turned to Sunset, and found her chuckling softly. To Aria there really was something hot about Sunset in that moment, standing there covered in sweat and grease, and having just fixed a bike, “We should totally shower, together, now.”

Sunset’s grin grew into something akin to Adagio’s infamous smirk, an act that had the desired effect of causing the most brash of the Siren to blush. “Oh but Aria,” Sunset whispered, walking slowly, swaying her hips, and not breaking eye contact with her lover, “I thought you preferred me dirty?” Aria gulped as Sunset came within arm’s reach, now running a single finger under Aria’s chin. This action caused a smear of black grime to spread under Aria’s chin, and a deep red blush to spread all over her face.

“Aww how adorable, and refreshing to know I’m not the only one that can use terrible puns,” came the voice of Adagio from behind the two filthy mechanically inclined women. Behind Adagio was a giggling Sonata, and as the two clean women approached the two dirty Aria and Sunset shot one and other a look. “Now, come on you two, go get a b-AH!” Adagio screamed as she was tackled by her two filthy lovers.

“Wow, she’s gonna kill you guy,” Sonata noted, walking past the rolling catfight that her lovers had become, and opening the door to their house. “Course no more than Rarity will kill all of us if we’re late, she was totally serious about our costumes,” Sonata left that to hang in the air, and walked inside their house.

Sunset, the most in control during the catfight, paled at the mention of Rarity’s ire. As Aria and Adagio beat beat on one and other, they became aware of a somewhat weightless feeling. “Uh Sunset?” Aria asked, looking up to Sunset, now holding both of the still fighting women in her arms.

“I will NOT be the evil fashion woman’s pin cushion again!” Sunset yelled, bolting to the door, and startling all three of her lover, stripping wildly, and sprinting into the washroom. In her rush Sunset had left Adagio, Aria, and Sonata just outside the door, all dumbstruck.
“Ladies, I suspect that if a person’s wrath can inspire that kind of reaction from our Sunny, then we may want to hurry and wash up, I did tell Rarity we’d be there ten minutes ago after all,” Adagio said, causing Aria and Sonata to pale themselves. More than the ever pale skin of her lovers, Adagio became concerned with the very slow fashion in which the door to the grand bathroom had just opened.

In the doorway to said washroom there stood a fiery eyed, somewhat insane looking, and very nude Sunset Shimmer. Her muscles rippled from obvious stress, and her skin gleamed in an overly clean fashion. “You told Rarity what now Adagio?”

From outside the house screaming could be heard. After a matter of seconds three women were seen to be drug by a fourth outside. They would then be seen to be thrown into a car, and driven across town speeds that caused a rainbow haired horse in another world to become aroused. However that is a story for another day.

* * * * *

“Honestly Sunset, you act as though I would hand out reprisals for just a few moments of tardiness, I’m not a monster,” Rarity tutted shaking her head as she took Adagio’s measurements. Aria and Sonata sat with a curled up shaking Sunset, who had not stopped muttering about sewing needles since Rarity answered the door with a pair of them in her teeth.

“I’m just curious as to how you managed to traumatize someone that volunteers to get kicked in the head on a regular basis,” Adagio asked, her heart having finally climbed down from heart attack levels.

Rarity smiled up at the eldest siren and gave a cheeky wink, “pray I never have to show you Darling,” her voice sounded just as dangerous as, well, Adagio’s could. This caused the quivering form of Sunset to begin shaking a bit more violently, and even caused a tiny bit of color to drain from her.

“Ah, so you do hand out reprisals then darling,” Adagio whispered icily, just as Rarity rose to finish measurements around her neck. It was at this moment that the fashionista noticed the light breeze that seemed to be moving through Adagio’s hair, and the intense bright red of the siren’s eyes. “Just so you know, if I ever have to deal with Sunset’s little bout of PTSD, especially is my vehicle is implicated,” Adagio’s hair seemed to whip around her, making movements as dangerous as the terrifically low voice of the old sea witch, “I will extract my own pound of flesh.”

Rarity made a sound somewhere in between a squeak and a scream, and backed away from Adagio. Now contented with instilling terror in the fashionista, seemingly returned to normal. “Yay me next!” Sonata chirped running to take Adagio’s place, and after a moment all women in the room had regained their normal composure.

“So,” Aria said, as Rarity finished the last details of their measurements, and set to work at her computer, “How are you gonna design our entire costume in just uh,” Aria checked her phone, and shook her head, “Like a day?”

Rarity smiled, peaking her head out from behind the monitors on her desk. “Well darling, everyone has a talent or two, I just happen to be the mistress of working on a timeline,” Rarity said, entering the information she had collected into her design program. “Now, the theme of the party, as per Pinkie, is high fantasy. So we can expect an inordinate amount of princesses and knights, all too pedestrian for my design,” Rarity began clicking at a speed faster than most would have thought for her.

“Wait, high fantasy? Oh goodness, I remember when that genre was born. Brings me back to the days when we’d sit around and tell tall tales to little Johnny,” Sonata said with a smile.

“Johnny?” Rarity and Sunset asked with slightly incredulous tones in their voices. “Whoa hold on a sec, you’re not talking about an author or something are you?” Sunset asked, now looking to all three Sirens for an answer.

“She is actually, he became a good man, despite the pit of a country he was born into, though we may have had something to do with that, all the galavanting about the continent and sowing strife.” Adagio reminisced sadly, a far away look in her eyes.

“Yeah, but that Ferdinand prick deserved it, bastard tried to drug Sonata!” Aria chimed in angrily, shaking her fist at the notion of the long gone historical figure.

“Wait, wait just one second. You guys mean to tell me, not only were you in this world for, what centuries, but more over you played a pivotal role in the creation of an entire genre of fiction, and may have ignited one of the most deadly conflicts in human history?” Sunset asked, absolute shock written on her face.

“Several genres, in our less malicious days in Equestria we were said to have been muses, and honestly Sunset Starwirl didn’t banish any of the hell-beasts to a world bereft of magic, what exactly do you think we did to deserve that? Create awful genres of music or prank the old stallion?” Adagio gave Sunset her most evil grin, indicating that, whatever the three of them had done was well above standard acts of evil, even by equestrian standard.

“In some ways I find that hot, horrifying yes, but hot nonetheless,” Sunset stammered, and surprisingly Rarity agreed. This elicited sighs from the three Siren, each one giving a sad look, even Aria despite her typical cruel nature.

“We did lots of bad stuff, and in the case of the worst stuff, we actually feel pretty bad,” Sonata said sadly, Adagio and Aria nodding at the simple sentiment.
Rarity chimed in first, “Well dear, while your past actions were… Deplorable? Cataclysmic? Near apocalyptic-”

“Rarity!” Sunset growled as the fashionista listed off yet more terrible, yet appropo adjectives. “What I think Rares is trying to say is, yeah you were bad, but your past isn’t who you are. I turned into a demon if you’ll remember, and if it hadn’t been for Twilight I’d have likely done worse than you three did,” Sunset finished with a smile, and was immediately enveloped in a large group hug.

“As adorable, and strange, as this whole scene is darlings, I do believe I have an idea for the four of you, a group costume if you will…” Rarity’s gaze returned to her design screen as the four lovers all shared a collective look of fear. Judging by the speed at which Rarity had begun typing, and switched to a tablet for details, it was going to be a long day of fittings.

“Uh Rarity, how does armor made of cloth work?” Sunset asked, earning not but a cackle from the fashionista. This increased the worry of the four women, almost as much as the fact that they had promised her the entire day.

* * * * * *

“So Rarity put them through her ringer eh?” Rainbow Dash asked, hanging a few of Pinkie’s gothic themed decorations in the newly termed Sweet Dragon pub. The level of effort put into making Sugar Cube Corner look as much like a fantasy tavern as possible. Rainbow’s interpretation of a knight helped, her armor seemed to gleam in the dim light of the tavern.

“From what I heard it took almost nine hours, and Adagio actually threatened violence at one point,” Fluttershy said, calmly sipping from a gem encrusted goblet, her red leather outfit seemed far too bold for Fluttershy’s conservative nature, accentuating her generous curves, while still giving the roughish thief look she’d clearly been trying for.

“Babe, the rogue costume is hot, but you’re killing me with the fake fangs and red contacts,” Rainbow said with a nervous chuckle. Fluttershy smiled devilishly, a gesture that was well accentuated by her fangs, and ran her hand over Rainbow’s cheek.

“Oh dear, do I steal your heart?” Fluttershy cooed softly, bringing her fangs closer to her lover’s neck.

“Such perversion in the presence of the great and powerful trixie will not be accepted!” came the shrill voice of Trixie Lulamoon. “But uh, nice costumes ladies, I really rather like them,” Trixie’s tone dropped nervously, the usually brash girl actually came off as sincere.

“Aw jeez Trix, ya act like you’ve never seen us make out, cool your jets or your robes will catch flame,” Rainbow said earning an incredulous look from the robe clad woman. Fluttershy gave her lover a soft smack on the forehead and smiled kindly at Trixie.

“Don’t mind her, have a seat with us, or are you looking for someone else?” Fluttershy said softly, moving to allow Trixie to sit. Trixie moved to accept the invitation into the booth and Sipped from a plain goblet befitting her mage robes.

“Well, Trixie, how to say, Trixie has a bone to pick with the poofy orange haired one, and she knows that you’re her friend,” Trixie said confidently, draining her drink as a figure moved behind her.

“Sugarcube, ya may not wanna take on Adagio, she’s a tough lady,” AJ said, placing a hand firmly on the wizard’s shoulder. The action caused her to choke on her drink and as she coughed a bar wench Pinkie approached.

“Oh wowzies! Your costumes all look super duper great, oh and Trixie is turning blue...er,” Pinkie said, prompting AJ and Dash to pat the wizard wannabe till she calmed down.

“No no, you misunderstand Trixie, she wishes to thank the woman with the evil hair, because of her Trixie made a good friend that gives her free coffee drinks,” Trixie said, waving bashfully to a man across the tavern in a cleverly designed bard costume. The attendant from Stare Bucks waved back, winking at the blue woman.

“Oh that’s a lovely sentiment darling, but I fear the ladies four will need just a few more moments, their costumes are… Complex,” Rarity’s voice came, as she sauntered beside AJ, her perfectly tailored dress of resplendent royal purples striking against the furs of her lover. “Oh, and dearest Applejack you make my concept of Beauty and the Beast just perfect! I do so love you for this,” Rarity cooed, pulling close the muscular frame of Applejack.

All present giggled as Applejack groaned audibly at the sentiment of being the beast in the relationship. The party had begun in force, people filing about, conversing or enjoying a drink. People from all walks and ages participated in the fun from professors at the university to high school students. Games were played, drinks snuck by the underage students, and reprimands handed out by the slightly tipsy teachers present.

“Hey, do you guys smell brimstone?” Pinkie asked, sniffing the air, as the other ladies looked up from their drinks.

“Oh good they’ve arrived,” Rarity said, calmly sipping her glass of wine, “Now the party will be complete.”

Rather suddenly the door to the shop slammed open, 4 shadowy figures darkening the doorstep. Each of the four shadowy stood tall and broad, jagged edges of armor visible all about them. The figures strode in single file, the first clad in fiery red armor was Sunset Shimmer, her face bearing red markings, and her armor by far the largest of the trio, looking for all intents and purposes to be some kind of monstrous warrior, to this end her hair had been pulled back, and a hood lay over her eyes, now fully red. Most striking was the word “War” adorning her head in charcoal.

After Sunset came Sonata, or what looked to be Sonata, a white plate mask covering her face, her hair seemingly stuffed under a short green wig. Her armor was much lighter than Sunset’s all green cut sexily about her body accentuating her curves and the length of her legs. For her the most striking aspects were the large green scarf, and the twin crossbows on her side that had the words “Strife, and Pestilence” on them.

Following Sonata’s lead Adagio strode in, face fully revealed, hair somehow straigtened fully, but colored into a much more fiery tint. Her armor was the least conservative of the girls, consisting of an upper cuirass that exposed her midriff, which seemed to have had the word “Fury” carved into it. Her outfit ended in a set of armoured greeves that were glorified stilettos, making her effectively half a foot taller. Her costume bore an even more striking feature than the others, as the eldest siren’s hands had been turned into long claws, seemingly covered in blood, and her eyes literally aglow like fire.

Finally in stomped Aria, her skin fully covered by ebony armor that rivaled Sunset’s in mass, but out did it in design, seeming to possess screaming skeletal figures all over its surface. Only Aria’s hands remained unarmoured, and by a feat of theatrical magic they looked to be not but bone. The most eye-catching aspects of her costume were, first the tremendous scythe she clutched, the handle of what looked like iron bone, and the blade protruding from a screaming skull made of something black, but bearing in pale white the word “death”. However it was her face, her entire head, painted into a detailed skull, eyes fully hollow seemingly non-existent, and hair billowing eerily being her, totally pale.

“Holy shit,” came the collective voices of the girls at the table, sans Rarity who simply smiled at the appreciation of her costuming.

“We are the four Horse-mares of the apocalypse, tremble before us mortals!” Boomed the voices of all four women in unison as Sunset raised, from seemingly nowhere a massive flamberge sword with the word “Ruin” clawed into the blade. The entire room, filled with fairly well made costumes of knights, princesses, bards, monks, rangers, hobbits, and in one case a cheshire cat grew silent. Then all four of the “horse-mares” broke down into a giggle fit, and the entire room erupted into applause.

After a few moments of settling, and a number of cellphone pictures the four lovers made their way over to their friends. “Alright Rarity, you win, that was totally awesome,” Aria said,passing Rarity a crisp five dollar bill.

“Yes, and such an entrance, oh it makes me yearn to be on stage again, oh Rarity I take back 75% of those death threats from earlier,” Adagio said, her voice positively overjoyed. It had always been clear that Adagio enjoyed theatrics, but even Aria and Sonata hadn’t seen their lover this excited in a long time.

“Ok these costumes, are just totally epic, but I got a question,” Rainbow said, slamming down the last of a beer and pointing to Adagio, “How the fuck are her eyes glowing?!” Rainbows tone was completely incredulous. Indeed Adagio’s eyes bore an actual glow, not some trick of the light, or contacts.

“Stage magic dear, have to kill you if I told you,” Adagio and Rarity said at the same time, eyes meeting as the two women shared a good laugh and a high five at the expense of the flabbergasted rainbow-knight.

The rest of the party went off with few hitches, songs were played far too loudly, too much alcohol was consumed, and bad decisions were made publicly. Sunset was happy to see her girlfriends getting along with her entire group of friends, and amazed that Adagio had managed to gain another friend in Trixie. “Well Sunny, the whole attempted murder strategy worked for your acquisition of friends,” Adagio had explained in passing, chuckling at the face palm the statement earned.

As the party had pushed into the later hours the younger crowd was escorted politely home, and the of age crowd grew yet more rowdy. Sunset had taken to talking to Luna about techniques, which were being demonstrated on a very unhappy Discord, all while Celestia filmed the event. Aria and Sonata had decided to Karaoke some modern dirty rock song, which culminated in the two women making out to the cheers of many new fans. Adagio had taken to drinking with Rarity and Trixie, and discussing something in hushed whispers, much to the desperate fear of all that knew the devious stage women.

“So Sunny, having funny?!” Pinkie asked, appearing beside Luna, and smiling that huge infectious smile that had charmed so many. Luna had been demonstrating a standing variant of her infamous Python choke, fortunately for Discord she’d taken to empty demos, but when Pinkie popped up even the stone faced instructor had to crack a smile.

“Miss Pie, I had not gotten the chance to thank you for the invitation, and for not making us leave when I started beating on Discord. Thus far we’ve had a glorious night,” Luna said, now noticing her sister and Discord had disappeared, “However I fear that I may soon have to retire, something tells me there’s a party of equal ferocity raging at my abode as we speak, and I’d not miss it.”

Luna winked at the pink haired woman, who stood mouth agape at the obviously intoxicated suggestion. Sunset simply shook her head, the most noble house of sun and moon in Equestria had always been victim of the same kind of gossip, that Celestia and Luna might have been some manner of item. To this end both world’s iteration of the sisters had seen fit to either ignore the gossip, or in situations where it made people uncomfortable, exacerbate the ever loving hell out of it.

“Always with the twincest with those two, but hey, who am I to judge,” Sunset said with a shrug, and turning to Pinkie smiled. The party queen of Canterlot was only just recovering from her minor bout with shock, and in the time it took her to close her mouth Sunset had leapt upon her and given her a massive and passionate kiss. Their bodies entangled, as though the tremendous armoured form was enveloping the slight and soft form of a lover, a feat considering that Pinkie was not a tiny woman. “And yes Pinks, this was an awesome idea. You helped make the girls feel way more welcome, and seeing them happy makes me happy,” Sunset kissed her favorite pink woman on the cheek and gave her winning smile.

“Aww Sunny, I’m just glad I could make everybody smile,” Pinkie said, with an uncharacteristically sheepish tone to her voice. “Next year’s gonna be even bigger though! I’m totally setting up a costume contest, I bet that’d make Rarity start prepping, like tomorrow!” Pinkie began scheming aloud about how there’d be even more people, perhaps an even bigger venue next time. Sunset simply smiled and shook her head at the antics of her pink party crazed friend.

“No worries Sunny, we’ll calm her down tonight,” came the voice of Lyra, who was sporting a courtesan outfit, and flanked by Bon Bon in similar garb. Sunset just stood chuckling as the two mildly intoxicated women drug the third woman to the back room of Sugar Cube, said pink woman never halting her stream of consciousness babble until the door closed and she disappeared from view.

At this point Sunset took a sweep of the remaining party-goers. Many had paired off, and were making their way somewhere for alone time, or had long since departed to get some sleep. Adagio sat towards the back exit of the building, and motioned for Sunset to join her. Sunset, obliging, took note of the fact that Aria and Sonata were long since gone, and her other friends had gone of to corners, and were likely having private time.

“You know Sunset, nights like these give me pause to wonder just how through all the centuries we never took time to enjoy any of this,” Adagio mused, sipping on a glass of red wine. Sunset admired Adagio for a great many things, but none came anywhere close to the appreciation she felt for the level of sheer intelligence Adagio possessed. While each of her girlfriends were intelligent, only Adagio displayed that level of overall intelligence, and grace with words, to really shock a person.

“Well I can really understand the feeling. When I was defeated, the weeks after I kinda felt, well, lame hanging out like some teen with the ladies, but then I discovered just how nice it was to actually have people to make you laugh,” Sunset placed a hand over Adagio’s, and noted just how strange it looked to have two massively armoured hands touching as though they were lovers.

Adagio no doubt noticed as much, and wrinkling her nose finished her glass, “Come Sunset, let’s have a walk, I have something I wish to show you,” Sunset rose with Adagio, following her out the back. The alley beside the cafe smelled of passion and alcohol, Sunset chuckled as the two of them did their best to step over the few people that had chosen the cool alleyway for a little private time, most notably Rarity and Applejack whom had taken to making out right beside the exit.

“I swear,” Sunset said as they exited the alleyway,”those two are as incorrigible as the four of us!” Adagio gave a smile at the sentiment, her eyes still glowing from whatever odd machination she and Rarity had dreamt up.

“Well, then I suspect I’ll have to try and keep up with them,” Adagio said, an evil grin crossing her features, giving Sunset’s internal modesty reason to panic further. Fortunately Sunset was too intoxicated to pay that side any mind, and as the two walked Sunset noticed just how beautiful the moon shone in the clear cool evening air.

“So are we hiking far? I wouldn’t want you to get blisters from the costume,” Sunset giggled as the constant stomping sound of Adagio rang out across the near empty street. There was something intoxicating about the way Adagio could work those heels, all through the party she’d muffled the sound that they made, but now she strode with supreme confidence, stomping on the concrete and rolling her voluptuous hips in the same way an apex predator might strut its muscles against a foe.

“Oh not too terribly far, and as for the heels I’ve made walking distances in the things an art,” Adagio gave a passive look to the street they were on. Sunset took note, and gave the little stretch of street a look. It was the more suburban part of town, yards were large, buildings became more sparse, and farmland owned either by the University or the Apple family stretched out as the road went on. “Now for walking up that,” Adagio said raising her left hand to point towards one of the hills that rolled across the skyline, “I may need to lose the heels, but I’ve made preparations.”

Sunset gave Adagio a curious look as the older woman approached a house that seemed sleepy and unassuming to all. Adagio placed her hand on the door, and said a few words. With a number of soft clicks, and a gentle hum the door pushed open. Adagio stood to the side, and motioned for a stunned Sunset to enter.

“Adagio, just how much magic do you still have?” Sunset asked, slightly perturbed by the idea that Adagio might be hiding something very important.

“Dearest Sunset, I have a great many secrets, being centuries old I have secrets I’ve even forgotten about. Magic is something which, in this world, exists in a very small, but very real way. However I personally have no magic, much like you I must pull it to even make basic spells, but our power has long since diminished without our strife gathering,” Adagio explained, as Sunset entered the building. Inside the walls were lined with pictures, places all over the world that the Dazzlings had been, a large number of them black and white, but all taken beautifully.

“I’m guessing this was some kind of house that you used to hold a bunch of those old memories?” Sunset asked, some of her distrust ebbed away by the numerous beautiful scenes before her.

“Oh slightly more than that, but we’ll need to change before I show you exactly what I mean,” Adagio whispered, pointing to a pile of their clothes in the small foyer to their right. After a number of minutes struggling to remove the stage armour so as not to damage the wire that supported its cloth frame, both women stood dressed in considerably more comfortable garb.

“Ok, so clearly you planned this, but you know I wanna know what’s up with this place,” Sunset said, her worry not fully abating from Adagio’s simple reassurances. Sunset did indeed adore her girlfriend, but it was a truth that Adagio was no good girl, and while Sunset didn’t mind her being bad, the idea that she might be evil had always been at the back of her mind.

“Oh I know Sunset, trust me I watch you when you dream, I see the ever present lack of total trust in me. We’ve spoken little about the past before, but today’s discussion on our lives before you were even born, well it certainly doesn’t inspire trust in my reformation,” Adagio smiled at Sunset, grasping her hand, and letting the feeling of warmth spread all through her.

“Yeah, I know it shouldn’t I honestly believe in you, but I can’t help what I feel sometimes. Sometimes I still feel that pull to power, and it scares me, and then I consider that you might feel the pull to,” Sunset explained, breaking away from Adagio’s gaze.

“Ah ah ah,” Adagio tutted, bringing her free hand to Sunset’s chin, and elevating her gaze till their eyes met. Those eyes always possessed an air of supreme confidence, but tonight she noticed just how powerful they seemed to be. Adagio’s gaze commanded attention, “I will never slight you for questioning me Sunset, I do not expect you to be some all trusting princess. You’re a part of my family now, and as such I demand you question everything.”

Sunset searched Adagio’s eyes, she found nothing but understanding, love, and something else. Beyond any erotic portion of Adagio’s body it was the eye’s Sunset had most fallen for, they revealed so much, but never told the full story. It was as though her wine colored eyes were a mystery novel, giving just enough to always compel one to read on.

“Now, prepare yourself, because we have a short walk to that hill, and I know what you see will likely shock you,” Adagio gave Sunset the briefest of kisses, but in the meeting of their lips Sunset felt the warmth and strength of her lover flood through her body. indecision was replaced by curiosity, fear by the desire for answers.As they made the walk to the back door of the house Sunset was struck by just how much Adagio’s presence could change her.

“One day I’m gonna figure out how you do that,” Sunset remarked causing Adagio to giggle and shake her head.

“Oh no dearest, I fear there are some secrets which I must keep even from you,” Adagio said, running her hands along the trees that had formed up along the summit of the hill. The walk had taken little time, the hill being unremarkable in every way, yet Sunset could feel the difference in the air.

“Magic,” Sunset remarked, raising her hand and concentrating, little sparks jumping off her fingers. Adagio smiled at the wide eyes of her lover, and took the hand which had just made sparks.

“Yes, much like your spot this one has a curious amount of magic in it,” Adagio waved a hand, and all at once the thick grove of trees that had blocked their path moved aside, revealing a large crater in the earth. As the moonlight bathed the hole the earth around it teemed with a glow, every pebble obviously emitting massive amount of magical energy, “This is the place we fell all those moons ago,” Adagio whispered leading an awe-struck Sunset to the crater itself.

The glow was powerful, Sunset could feel the raw, untethered magical force plainly, and marvelled at the level of sheer power that, before, had been barely hidden by some trees. “What, but how?” Sunset stammered, barely able to process the raw force before her. It was like the elements of Harmony a thousand times over.

“Starswirl was a wise wizard, but even he couldn’t have foreseen the effect of tossing three massively powerful magical beings into a world that barely had any magic,” Adagio explained, walking to the core of the crater, and placing her hand on a pebble. “ Our gems didn’t have a tenth this power, and they were artifacts of Equestria, but in tossing us out Starswirl made these, all our power, and all the energy he used had to go somewhere after all,” Adagio took a deep breath, and let a single soft note leave her lips.

The voice was hers, but more, after the defeat the Dazzlings were thought to be incapable of song, but this was not fully true, their music was imperfect, but they could still sing. Adagio’s voice always had a certain gravity to it, but as she channeled the power from that pebble the voice became layered with magic.

“Now Sunset, I will tell you my whole story, the only way I know how,” Adagio began to float, her voice not amplified as some demonic entity, rather softened to the tone of a lullaby, “With my song.”

With that Adagio began to sing, not quite saying anything, rather making sounds in a language Sunset could little comprehend. In those sounds, in the music Sunset could see, and feel all that was the life of Adagio. She knew the warm waters of Equestria, the untapped power, the lust for strife, and the evil deeds given by a figure that was cloaked in darkness. It all played in Sunset’s mind, as her eyes beheld the moonlit vision that was her singing lover.

The music strung thousands of years into melody, and Sunset was made aware of all that the Siren’s experienced, she met Aria and Sonata as Adagio had, she felt the sting of Starswirl’s magic, knew the life that the ladies lead quietly feeding of the magic of the crater. Then all at once the music turned, Sunset felt the presence of hollow desire in her core, as Adagio made her aware of just what the hunger for strife and negativity had been, she felt the madness that followed it in the first hundred years, the focus it brought in the next, the events of the world that is shaped.

In time Sunset was made privy to the feeling of emptiness, the desire to return to Equestria, to sleep forever, and then the hope that came from the magical eruption that fate had led them to. She felt the returned hunger for strife, the plan to return, and the failure, as SUnset’s voice rang out and single handedly broke the magic and silenced the hunger. Next came the fear, the indecision, and then a surprising sense of relief. As if some curse had been lifted Sunset felt the hollow need for strife disappear. What came next was a soft melody, her mind felt the warmth, and in those moments her eyes became wet, as she felt what Adagio felt when first they kissed.

It took a moment, and the moment was gone, as Adagio descended and fel to a knee, clearly exhausted from the strain of such a spell. Sunset ran to her, grasping Adagio and sobbing gently into the older woman’s shoulder. “I… I’m,” Sunset was silenced by a gentle kiss.

“No Sunset, there is no reason for you to apologize. This is my explanation to you. I wanted you to see, first hand, the curse that you, and only you, were able to lift. You may have stood with friendship that night, but it was your desire to protect that finally freed us, and for that I can never repay you,” Adagio finished smiling at Sunset. Her true smile, a smile of wise happiness, and of relief.

Sunset couldn’t help but cry softly in the arms of her lover, the moonlight bathing their bodies in a magical iridescent glow. “Thank you Adagio, I never thought…” Adagio shook her head.

“As I said Sunset, this is just an explanation. Now, it’s been a very long night, let’s get back to the old house,” Adagio rose, with the assistance of Sunset, and as the two made it back to the old house Sunset had to look one last time to the moon and smile. She had many questions, and numerous concerns, but for tonight she’d settle with the beauty of the song, and the chance to collapse in exhaustion with one of the most beautiful women ever.

As the two lay down in a clean soft bed, moonlight coming through the window of the old house. Adagio turned to Sunset, passionately kissing her, and Sunset returned in kind. That night saw the two exhausted women fall asleep together still engaged in the wordless kiss, as dreams of Adagio’s life played all through Sunset’s mind. Only one thing marred the beauty of the dreams, the constant unceasing return to that shadowy figure, the being of strife, and the wonder at just what it was...

Author's Notes:

After what feels like a long hiatus, vacation and work and stuff, I'm back! This chapter pretty much opens our second act, hope you guys enjoyed it, and the tiny little cliff hanger there