Hopelessness. That was the word that resonated within her mind as she slept. Melody could see all the things in Trixie’s life that she wanted to forget. She could feel every emotion she felt as she lived the memories. She could feel every stab of pain within herself as she relived all of Trixie’s torment.

Melody screamed as she felt the wave of hopelessness once more wash over her, and she briefly wondered to herself how one human could live in such agony for so long. Several memories passed through her that seemed almost pleasant. They were few, but Melody found herself holding on to those memories as they passed, treasuring every piece of her existence that wasn’t tainted with pain.

As she watched Trixie’s life pass her by, their minds melding together with experiences that both now knew, Melody noticed a trend. For every dark memory, her mother was there. Always bringing pain and torment to the daughter she never wanted. Several memories were so hopeless, Melody watched as Trixie nearly escaped only to be pulled back.

Instead of comfort for a daughter who nearly faded away, Star only delivered more punishment. Who was she to attempt escape of Star’s therapeutic activities? Once, as Trixie sat herself in the tub, crying to herself as she watched the waters around her darken crimson, she whispered a name.

Wake up.

Another memory, this one of a pet, beaten as savagely as her owner by Star’s hands.

Wake up.

Trixie slid the dog under their fence and begged it to run away. At least the dog could escape.

I said, WAKE UP!

Melody lurched upwards in her bed as her screams died out in her throat. She knew where she was now, safe from harm in Trixie’s bed, sweating slightly beneath the sheets.

Are you okay? Trixie asked. I’m sorry… I didn’t know you’d feel that… I never meant for you to see those.

“What the hell was that, Trixie?” Melody asked in a hushed voice.

I didn’t sleep when you did. Trixie explained slowly. I couldn’t take control of my body either, so I just started thinking about the things that I think about at night… and I guess because you were sleeping… you saw it all too.

“I did more than see it.” Melody whispered. “I felt it.”

I know. Trixie said. I didn’t know you would, but… when I felt you crying… that’s when I tried to wake you up…

“How…” Melody breathed. “How did you live like that for so long?”

Trixie mentally shrugged. I didn’t really have a choice.

“Are you okay?” A voice from the door asked quietly.

Melody was unfamiliar with the voice, but something about it was so gentle and warm that she felt herself washed with an unnatural calm.

“Who’s there?” she asked, her voice betraying her recent tears with an obvious tremor.

Her door clicked open as a tall slender woman entered the room. “It’s me.” The woman said as she crossed the room to sit on the edge of the small bed.

Mythic? Trixie asked.

“Who’s Mythic?” Melody asked in a whispered, ignoring the strange look the woman was giving her.

Mythic is my sister… Trixie explained.

Melody felt her heart drop. “You mean the one you cried for when your mom was beating you?” she asked. “The one who could have saved you from all of that if she had just cared enough to come back?”

Please don’t be so hard on her, Melody. I’m sure she did all she could.

“I guess you wouldn’t remember after all this time, huh?” The woman asked as she attempted to ignore the girl’s quiet mumbling. “It’s me, your big sister… Mythic.”

I’ve missed her so much… Trixie said.

“Where have you been?” Melody said as she scooted away from the larger woman. She made no attempt to keep the accusation from her tone.

“I’ve been busy…” Mythic said quietly.

Melody? Trixie asked.

“Do you know how long she’s been waiting on you to come back?” Melody asked loudly, her voice wavering slightly as her emotions rose. “Do you know how much she’s been hurt waiting on you?”

“What are you talking about, Trixie?” Mythic asked.

Melody… what are you-

“I’m talking about how ten years ago, you sentenced your little sister to hell!” Melody shouted.

“Trixie…”

“Don’t call me that!” Melody snapped. “This is all your fault!”

Melody, please…

“It’s your fault she’s been so hurt! It’s your fault that Star was able to control her for so long! It’s your fault that I’m stuck in this body! And to top it off, it’s your fault that she’s had to feel this way for so long…” Melody sucked in a sob. “And, now, I have to feel her pain…”

“Please, tell me what’s going on, Trixie…” Mythic said as she placed a hand on Melody’s shoulder.

“That’s not my name.” Melody grunted as she slapped the woman’s hand away. “My name is Melody!”

Please, Melody, calm down. It’s okay.

“No, it’s not.” Melody said sternly. “She abandoned you and let you get hurt. She doesn’t deserve you!” Melody winced as her voice broke on the final word and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. “You don’t deserve to feel the way I feel right now, Trixie… nobody does.”

“What are you talking about? Are you okay?” Mythic asked quickly.

“Shut up!” Melody yelled. “Why are you even here?”

“I came to take my little sister away from her abusive mother.” Mythic said as she stood defiantly.

“Ten years too late, bitch!” Melody spat even as she felt another tear fall. “She doesn’t need you to protect her anymore, she has me!”

Melody... what do you mean?

"What I mean, is that I'm going to make sure that nothing ever hurts us like that again." Melody declared as she stood and faced Mythic. "You should have been here for her. If you had, neither of us would be living with this pain."

"Please, wait." Mythic reached forward and placed a hand on Melody's shoulder once more. "At least come to my new house and hear me out..."

She does love me, Melody... Trixie pleaded.

Melody was quiet for a moment before placing her hand atop Mythic's own and pushing it away. "Not as much as I do now." she said quietly.

What?

"We'll talk about this later, Trixie." Melody said. "Suffice it to say, I obviously want to protect you more than she does."

"That's not true." Mythic said quietly. "I wanted to come back, you just don't understand-"

"Understand what?" Melody snapped. "That you've spent the past ten years running from your mother while Trixie's been here surviving every day? Or do you mean that we don't understand that you only came back when she didn't need you anymore?"

"Look," Mythic said, her voice growing dark and stern, "I don't know what's going on with you right now, Trixie, but you need to snap out of it!"

"Shut up." Melody said, her own voice betraying her fury. "I'm not Trixie. If I have my way, you won't get a chance to abandon Trixie again. So just leave now. I'll keep her safe."

"I'm not leaving here without my little sister." Mythic said.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere with you, and neither is Trixie." Melody said as she crossed her arms.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mythic pleaded. "I just want my little sister back."

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you ran off." Melody snapped. "Do you have any idea what the past ten years has been like for her? Because I do. I've spent the past night sifting through her memories and emotions and in all that time, the only thing she wanted, was for you to come save her."

"I didn't have a choice." Mythic said quietly.

"We always have a choice." Melody said as she headed for the door. "We just don't always like the consequences."

"Don't leave." Mythic pleaded quietly. "I just want my sister back..."

"I want her back too..." Melody said softly as she closed the door.

Melody...

"C-can we talk later... please?" Melody asked as the tears fell down her face. "We just need to be alone for a minute..."

...Of course... but we will talk about this? Trixie asked.

Melody merely nodded as she ran out the door to Trixie's house. She ran down the quiet streets, numbly noticing that it was still the middle of the night. She didn't care. She still held the memories of Trixie, crying to herself, begging for some form of release. The memories hurt, especially since she didn't just see them, Melody lived all of the worst moments of Trixie's entire life in a single night.

The tears were falling freely as she found an abandoned alley and she stopped to rest. She allowed small squeaks and sobs to escape as her tears fell to the pavement beneath her. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered quietly.

For what?

"For everything..." Melody gasped. "I wish I could take back everything my magic did to you and everyone else..."

You didn't have a choice. Adagio made you...

"And I killed her..." Melody sobbed. "I took her life, and I don't even remember how... I wish that I had never been born..."

Melody... Even in her mind, Trixie's voice quivered with impossible tears. I know better than anyone what you're feeling right now, but please... don't say that...

"Why not?" Melody demanded loudly, her tears growing more fierce and her sobbing wracking her entire body as she spoke. "What good have I done... what have I accomplished?"

You protected me from my mom...

"And?" Melody demanded. "That was more for me than you anyways..."

Trixie was quiet for several moments, but Melody could sense her need to say something. You said you love me...

Melody froze for a moment before sinking further to the ground. "I do..." she whispered. "In the span of a few short hours... I saw every painful thing that's ever happened to you and lived it myself... after seeing that... how could I not love you?"

I didn't think anybody would ever love me... Trixie sniffled, which for some reason hurt Melody's head. I've never had any friends... My mom never acted like she loved me... and nobody has ever even kissed me... I think Mythic loves me, but she ran away ten years ago and she didn't take me with her...

"This is probably the weirdest conversation ever... isn't it?" Melody chuckled slightly as she wiped her eyes.

I don't mind. Trixie said. Still, I think we should hear Mythic out...

"I don't want to." Melody said.

Why not?

"Cause... I don't want her to abandon us again..." Melody sighed. "I felt how much it hurt when she left you, I don't want you to go through that again, and I definitely don't want to experience it first hand."

Trixie sighed as Melody continued crying. Alright, take your time. she said. We'll figure everything out together, okay?

"I just want us to be together..." Melody sighed. "I want to know how to give you your body back and us still be together." Melody sobbed again. "I want to be the heroic friend that you always pictured having when you were a kid..."

You already are my heroic friend, Melody. Trixie said. We'll figure out how to fix us, and we'll be friends forever, okay?

"You promise you'll always be my friend?" Melody asked.

I promise.

"TRIXIE!" A loud raspy voice yelled from the entrance to the alleyway.

Melody jumped as she turned to face the owner of the voice, her mind filling with dread as Trixie recognized her. It's Dash... she whispered.

Rainbow stood in the entrance to the alley, the pale moonlight giving her a powerful and ominous presence. "We need to talk." she declared in a hushed voice.

Melody laughed slightly as she rose to her feet and attempted to clear her face of tears. "You w-would find us right now..." she sniffled.

"Trixie?" Rainbow asked, her rage subsiding at the sight of the girl crying.

"Aren't you going to beat our face in or something?" Melody asked with a wry grin.

"I want to..." Rainbow said bluntly. "but, I've learned... maybe I should start hearing people out before I throw punches..." she smiled slightly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm furious... but... you're crying..."

"I am?" Melody asked sarcastically.

"Are you okay?" Rainbow asked as she ignored the question.

"No." Melody said quietly. "I'm not..."

"C'mon." Rainbow said as she pulled on Melody's wrist. "Let's go talk to the others. You can have a chance to explain yourself and maybe help us save Adagio..."

"She's still alive?" Melody asked, even as she felt Rainbow's grip on her wrist tighten.

"Barely..." Rainbow sighed. "That's half the reason I'm not kicking your ass up and down this alley." she explained. "The other half is... after everything that happened with Adagio... if I had just heard her out and forgiven her from the beginning... half of this would never have happened."

Adagio smiled as she finished her song, singing to her two best friends in the whole world. Marey smiled down at the young pair of fillies and gave her pretend sermon. Adagio sighed happily at the moment. Sure, she didn't have her parents anymore, but as far as she was concerned this was her family now, and her family was perfect. Marey was like a mother to her, and Aria and Sonata were like two of the best sisters in the world.

"You may now kiss the bride." Marey declared loudly, breaking Adagio from her train of thought.

"I am not kissing Sonata." Aria declared hotly as a blush spread across her muzzle.

"That's okay." Sonata said. She quickly stretched her neck to plant her lips on the side of Aria's face. "I'll kiss you." she giggled as she pulled away.

"Ugh." Aria groaned as she wiped her face and stomped away from the laughing mare and filly behind her. "You're the worst."

"I thought it was sweet." Adagio said as she approached Sonata and Marey.

"That was fun." Sonata nodded. "What are we gonna play next?"

"Well," Marey began as she tapped a hoof to her chin in thought. "Since you did just finish playing wedding, it would make sense to play house, wouldn't it?"

Sonata beamed and with a quick nod dashed off to grab her 'wife'.

"Do you think I'll ever find anypony to care about me as much as she cares about Aria?" Adagio asked quietly.

Marey smiled and ruffled the young filly's mane. "Believe me," she said quietly. "I know there is someone out there for you."

Sunset squeezed the hand of her comatose lover and smiled weakly. "She's gonna wake up." she whispered to herself. "Stop worrying so much and get some sleep."

As the clock struck one, the only sound in the room was the gentle beeping of Adagio's heart monitor.

"You're going to be okay, Adagio." Sunset whispered. "Grant is gonna cure you, and then we're going to go home... together."

Sunset's eyes flicked quickly to Rarity to make sure the younger girl was still asleep. She had declared an hour before that she would give Adagio a manicure, something she would no doubt appreciate when she woke up. Rarity had finished the hand that Sunset now held, before falling asleep halfway through the other hand. She now slept with her head on Adagio's shoulder and her hand wrapped around Adagio's.

Sunset smiled at the sight. "I guess you two really bonded these past weeks, haven't you?" she asked quietly. "I don't mind." she added quickly. "I'm just glad to see that you're all getting along so well. We'll have to make a point to spend more time with the others when you wake up..."

A click signaled the opening of the door.

"How's she doing?" Grant asked, as the young girl ignored his entrance to stare at her lover.

"Heart monitor's sounded the same since she fell asleep." Sunset answered. She turned to face the doctor. "Rumor is the other hospital staff are all leaving us alone about coming and going because of you..."

"You shouldn't be away from her." he answered as he examined Adagio's charts and the nurses notes. "None of you girls should be away from her... I can tell from her blood-work and overheard conversations, that none of you girls are exactly normal..."

"You could say that." Sunset said with a shrug. "Really, we're all just worried about her, and that's all that matters to us..."

"Be that as it may..." Grant sighed. "Adagio's test results are only being viewed by me... just in case..."

"In case of what?" Sunset asked.

"In case somebody should realize the subtle differences in her anatomy." Grant suggested. "I don't know what exactly you girls are, but I assume it's better for everyone, if only a few people know just how different you truly are..."

"Doctor Grant, I-" Sunset was interrupted by the sound of a shout and a loud slamming noise outside the room.

The girl immediately leaped to her feet to investigate.

In the hallway, she was greeted by the sight of Trixie, held against the wall by her shirt while Applejack scowled at her. "The hell do you mean, you don't know?"

Trixie scowled at the larger girl that held her in place. "Look, I only came here because Trixie wanted me to help, why would I lie?"

Applejack yelled as she slammed the girl into the wall again. "Because, Melody, you're made of dark magic. I'm not quick to believe that since you came to life you've had a sudden change of heart. Helping Adagio is the only way you're gonna prove it to anybody. Now, tell me how we can save Adagio!"

"I don't know." Trixie said. "I don't remember much from when I was feral. I just remember that I was absolutely sure she was going to die soon."

"What is going on out here?" Sunset asked, forcing Trixie and Applejack both to face her.

Trixie's scowl softened at the sight of Sunset, and Applejack had the decency to look ashamed as she sat Trixie back on her own two feet.

"It's a cluster-fuck." she mumbled.

"That's a very poetic way to put it." Trixie said. She turned to face Sunset and held out her hand. "We haven't been properly introduced." she said. "My name is Melody."

Sunset shook Trixie's hand numbly as she pondered the situation.

"Don't worry, Sunset." Applejack said as Trixie turned away from them both. "The others are all on their way, we're gonna meet in the cafeteria and fill everyone in..."

"It's going to be a long damn night, isn't it?" Sunset asked.

"You have no idea."

Adagio turned to face the large unicorn that just entered the orphanage. Marey had looked scared as she had spoken to him moments before, but she still asked Adagio to come speak with him.

This stallion scared the filly. He stood much taller than Marey, with a charcoal grey coat, midnight black mane, and crimson eyes. His horn was tinged red and purple, with a point sharp enough that Adagio was reasonably sure it could cut his bed open at night.

"Adagio, come over here for a minute please." Marey commanded in her usual polite way.

"Okay..." Adagio mumbled as she approached the unicorn with a shark's smile. "H-hello..."

"Adagio, sweetie," Marey said, "this is our nation's king..."

"You're King Sombra?" Adagio asked quietly.

The unicorn chuckled, his voice low and booming. "I am." he said, his words punctuated by a slight hiss. "But, after today, you can call me 'Father'."

"What?"

Marey sighed and attempted a smile that even Adagio could see through. "King Sombra here is interested in adopting you three." she said. "He was asking about the paper work, but he wanted to meet you all first."

"Why would you want to adopt the three of us?" Adagio asked with a tilt of her head. "We're just normal fillies..."

"Well, young one," King Sombra said. "I've heard tales from some of the citizens of this kingdom about the three voices that could be heard singing from this orphanage." he explained. "I actually heard it first-hoof today, and I decided that voices such as yours, and the other two, were worthy of royalty."

"You mean... we're going to be princesses?" Adagio asked hopefully.

Sombra smiled widely, his teeth sharp and pointed. "Oh, my little pony, the three of you are going to be so much more than that."

Adagio smiled, even as the unicorn chuckled darkly.

Rainbow sat at Adagio's side, and simply watched as the siren slept. The others had all gathered in the cafeteria to both decide on what to do about the whole Melody/Trixie situation, and to work together to find a magical cure for their comatose friend. She had opted to stay with Adagio as the other's conversed. She knew that if she had spent any more time around Melody, she might not have been able to control herself.

She sat at the edge of the bed and stared at Adagio's face. "You better wake up." she said. "After we find the cure, I mean." she added. "We're friends now, so I can't leave you hangin' but that goes double for you, okay?" Rainbow sighed. "What am I doing?" she asked herself quietly as she took the siren's hand. "It's not like one of those crappy movies where you here my voice and squeeze my hand, is it?" she asked.

A quiet part of Dash's mind was silently hoping that Adagio would have that exact reaction, and she couldn't help but stare at the hand she now held, hoping that she felt even the slightest squeeze. After ten minutes of stillness, Dash released the hand, gently placing it on Adagio's stomach.

"I'm sorry." she whispered. "I just can't believe that we might lose you." she explained. "After Dad died... I didn't ever want to lose anyone again... it wouldn't be fair to lose you, or any of the other girls..."

Dash wept silently after her confession. She knew that no one would know, so she felt better just releasing her built-up frustrations and fears as silent sobs and streams of tears. "I love all of my friends..." she whispered to the siren once more. "I don't say it a lot, and I don't get sappy or sentimental, but... I love you Adagio... just as much as I love Twilight, and Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, and-" she choked on a sob once more before burying her head into Adagio's shoulder. "Just please... once we find the cure, and we will, please... come back to us... okay?"

Dash did not realize just how important those words had been. Nor did she notice the single tear that fell down the siren's motionless face.

Author's Notes:

Hey everybody. Sorry for the long update period, but I just wanted to get this chapter right. I still feel like it was missing something, or that something had gone wrong, but unless you guys noticed anything like that, I'm just going to chalk it up to writer's paranoia.

Also, there is no better or worse feeling than one of the people who knows you IRL cornering you and Wal-Mart and asking about a new chapter. Haha, just kidding, but seriously, she knows who she is.

The next chapter is going to our climax, and it's going to be long enough, that it's a two-parter. Each part will release one day apart, so prepare yourselves for that. After the climax, all we have left are a few fluff chapters, the explanations of where Adagio is during the Friendship Games, how the group reacts to Human Twilight, and then... a special surprise that a lot of you have been asking for.

So, stay tuned.

I regret nothing.