Sonata Dusk sighed as she waited outside Appleloosa High School. This was the eighth time in a thousand years that she’d been to school, though this time was different than the other times. She didn't have her magic or her sisters. While she wanted to finish getting caught up on the new stuff they’d been teaching after the 70’s, like apparently Ven Grow or whatever that artist name was didn't cut off his own ear and that Pluto wasn't actually a planet. Adagio and Aria were still too upset after what happened at Canterlot High to even pretend to enjoy school, even for Sonata's sake, so they stayed home to avoid people.

Sonata did have some good stuff without her sisters. For instance, she watched as her boyfriend spoke to another student. If she remembered right the other guy’s name was Bareback or something. Her boyfriend, Strum Rhythm, wasn't like Adagio or Aria, always making fun of her or making her feel bad always calling her the worst or never letting her do anything because they think she'd just screw up. In fact, that was the biggest reason why she loved him.

Well that and because he was great at tying her up.

“What was that about Strummy?” Sonata asked as she kissed her boyfriend’s cheek. It was no secret Bumburn didn't like her for some reason (something about Sonata knowing his cousin or something) and when Strum started dating her, the country boy spent less time with her boyfriend too.

“Well, Braeburn just told me about a club he knows with… like minded people,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows, causing the siren to blush. “I was thinking we could go check it out tonight. If you’re able to, my little song.”

She shivered in excitement at the pet name as she smirked back.

“Yes master,” she whispered loud enough for only him to hear. “B-but I have to go home first. You know, let my sisters know I'll be out and stuff,” she quickly added, rubbing the back of her head. Strum just laughed then pressed his lips against her cheek.

“So, is this a ride home day or a walking day?” he asked.

Sonata took a moment to think. “Would I be punished more for walking today?” she asked playfully.

“Maybe~. Then again, you might get punished for other things anyways, little miss taco-thief,” he stated matter of factly, causing the blue-haired girl to gasp. She was about to reply when her phone vibrated, making the pair frown.

“Adagio or Aria?” he asked with a sigh.

Sonata unlocked her screen.

“Get home now!” -Aria

Sonata sighed. “It's Aria. I guess it ‘is’ a ride day,” Sonata said as she held his hand. “You weren't thinking of going straight there, right?”

“Sweetie, we don't need to go today if you can't,” Strum consoled, holding her close.

“No, I want to go, I just hate dealing with Aria,” Sonata nuzzled into his chest for comfort as she tried to convince herself to go. “Whatever it is, I'll try to make it short. Then you and I can get some food and go to this place,” she encouraged, pulling him to his car, a classic Colt 93 painted green. Once the duo entered the car, Strum smiled as he started the car.

“Just imagine this. You and I in a nice room, silk ropes binding your body as I kiss your neck,” Strum said. His breath washed over her ear as he leaned close to say that before nibblingnibbleing on her ear, the siren moaning in response.

“Unless you have the ability to freeze time, you gotta stop teasing me,” she whined, crossing her legs. Strum stopped his kisses as he began to pull out. “And unless you want those neighbors to hear, I better have a gag,” she stated matter of factly. For the last three minutes of their trip the two talked about the latest episode of “My Adventurer Scholastic”, until they pulled up to her home, a brown Victorian house with a large tree in the front.

“Text me when you're free,” he said with a kiss before she walked away from his car. He watched her walk along the path to her house, until she opened the door.
As she opened it, she heard someone in the kitchen, smoke wafting toward her as well. Sonata followed the smoke and sounds to find Aria messing with ingredients, mixing them inside a large pot.

“Good, you’re here,” Aria said, actually less than happy to have Sonata before her. “Drink this,” Aria ordered as she passed a mug of liquid before her. Sonata gave it a sniff then gagged.

“What is it? It smells like a sweaty manticore armpit,” Sonata asked as she pulled away from the offending sludge.

“It's supposed to give us our powers back. Now, shut the fuck up and drink it,” Aria yelled as Adagio entered the room.

“Give it up Aria. We need to get our magic back with magic, and since those goodie goodies have all the magic in this world, we might as well give up,” Adagio stated as she went to the refrigerator. “We lost and we're stuck here.” This seemed to piss off the purple haired siren.

“Give up?! Like hell I will!” she screamed at Adagio. She then turned from Adagio to Sonata, pointing toward the mug. “Now drink the fucking potion!”

Sonata looked uncomfortable between the two but picked up the mug and took a drink. The foul liquid burned her throat as it tasted far worse than it smelled, causing Sonata to cough.

“Well, did it work?” Aria asked as Adagio also looked.

Sonata gulped as she took a deep breath. At first, Sonata was able to sing beautifully.

“I was fine, with the men. Who would come into your life now and again~” A smile grew on her face as Adagio and Aria were both dumbfounded. Sonata, excitedly decided to skip to the chorus of the song. “It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it ohVer.” She covered her mouth at the voice break, looking between the other two, Aria getting angry while Adagio merely shook her head, leaving the room.

“What? But-it- damn it! What did you do, you idiot!” Aria screamed, getting in Sonata’s face. The siren backed away as Aria threw a fit. “Just get out!” she said as she walked over to the pot she was cooking in.

Sonata ran upstairs to her room, locking her door and lying on her bed, crying into a pillow. Sonata wished she could just move out and live with her boyfriend but how could she tell Strum Rhythm the truth? How could she tell him she was a 3000-year-old siren who tried to take over this world and her home world of talking magical ponies? Along with sounding insane it could drive him away.

Sonata entertained a naughty thought. What if she still had her powers? If she did, she could just order him to just ignore that fact. She then sighed and turned over, letting the thought consume her, brining a memory to the surface…

Sonata was alone as she grabbed the sports equipment from the last period of P.E. since the school day had ended someone needed to get the field ready for the football team's practice, and today she drew the short straw.
She didn't change out of her P.E. uniform yet since that would make her regular clothes smelly too, a point she proved to herself as she wiped her brow with her shirt.

“Hey. You!” a southern voice called out. Sonata looked up to see Strum’s friend walking over, a look of angry purpose etched on his face.

“Oh, hi… You.” Sonata said weakly, not remembering the name of her new boyfriend’s friend. The blonde merely crossed his arms as he studied the girl. “Um, is there anything I can help you with?” Sonata questioned, trying to continue with her chore.

“I want to know what your plannin’ wiv’ my best friend, Siren.” He stated matter of factly, surprising the blue haired Siren to the point she lost a grip on the cones in her hands.

“How- I mean, I don't know what your talking about.” Sonata bent down as she spoke, both to pick up the fallen cones and to avoid his eyes as she began to freak out.

“My cousin told me what you did at Canterlot High. I sent her a picture of ya'll and she warned me abou’ your voice who-do and I want you to fix whatever it was you did to him.” Sonata stopped as she listened to his demands, her eyes on the ground as he got closer. “Strum's been through enough already without some freaky magic monster tryin’ to use him to take over the world. I won't let another two faced, no good hussy-”

Braeburn was pushed to the ground as Strum Rhythm was now standing above the two.

“What the hell Brae?” The tone in Strum's voice wasn't his normal calm tone but one of frustration and irritation. Sonata looked up to the two as the cowboy fixed his hat.

“Strum she's plannin’ somethin’ awful and I just don't want you to get hurt.” Braeburn replied, pointing at Sonata. Said Siren stayed where she was, resigning herself to losing the brand new relationship and being once again alone in this school as her head turned back to the equipment on the ground.

“You don't have proof, Brae!” Sonata's head shot to look over at the now angry Strum Rhythm. “You told me your cousin said there were three of them and they acted in three days. Dude it's been one month and she's alone, if she was was gonna do something, she'd of done it.” Sonata was dumbfounded by Strum's defense of her. This was his best friend and he was defending her? It had only been a few days since they started dating.

“Strum, you gotta trust me one this, that girl is gonna get ya hurt again.” Braeburn warned, glaring at Sonata. Strum saw this and stepped in the way.

“And I'm telling you, I don't think so. So I'm asking you, as my friend, please trust me.” Strum turned to the shocked Sonata. “She isn't going to to hurt me.” Braeburn looked at the two then gave a defeated sigh.

“Strum, I do trust ya, but not her. I'm not sayin’ I ain't gonna hang out with ya’ no more, but I won't when your wiv’ her.” Braeburn said, pointing at Sonata. The cowboy then walked away, leaving the couple alone. Strum turned to Sonata, the Siren already on her way to hold him, tears in her eyes.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make your friend… Why did you do that? Why didn't you just let him yell at me?” Sonata didn't understand why he would defend her from his friend, after all, he knew him longer than her. Sonata felt a reassuring kiss on her forehead.

“You don't deserve that.” Sonata met her boyfriend’s eyes, feeling only support and love behind them. “Hey, how about I help you take this stuff in and then we go out for pizza?” He asked, rubbing her back. Sonata was crying even more as she broke the hug.

“Y-yeah, sure.” Sonata stood still for a moment, feeling both very fragile, yet also safe. “Strum? Thank you. No one's ever done that for me before.” She hated admitting that. Adagio and Aria would have been so angry to hear her thank a human so helping her, but she didn't care. She loved how she felt with him.

As she worked through the thoughts and memories she quickly found an hour had passed, regret growing from how long she focused on the dark thought and especially after the memory, because that wasn't how she wanted her boyfriend. With that in mind, she sat up then sent Strum a text.

“Strummy, I can go now. Can you get here fast?”

Sonata didn't have to wait long before she got a reply.

“Almost done helping mom, give me 15 or 20 minutes.”-Strum

Sonata put the phone down and began to strip, changing into something special.

The last time she had worn this outfit she and the other sirens had lost their powers. She paused halfway through and decided to change it up, switching out her fingerless gloves for her spiked bracelets while also wearing her pink and maroon striped tights. Sonata looked at the last two items on her vanity. She decided not to tie her hair up then she picked up her collar.

Before when she wore this, it was to fulfill a voyeuristic need since it would commonly be mistaken as a mere choker. Now however, she put it on slowly, because it was no longer a fashion statement, but a symbol. It was to show that her master owned her.

Sonata walked out of her room and rushed down the stairs, trying her best to avoid her sisters. She froze as Adagio left the living room, glaring at Sonata before marching upstairs. She ran out of the house before Aria could see her, knowing if she had she would berate Sonata for wearing that outfit. She turned to see Strum’s car and ran to it.

“Woah, Sonata, everything okay?” he asked as she took in a few breaths. She gave him a thumbs up as she took in a few more breaths.

“Sorry baby. I'm just really excited to head out to this club. What did you say it was called again?” she asked, taking hold of his hand as he pulled her in. Once she was inside he pulled a card out of his pocket with a smirk.

“It's called the Clocktower Society.”

In the next chapter, Sonata and Strum meet with the group in charge of the CTS, more of the past coming to light.

Shout out to Winter Thorn, Axôlú and Javarod for the help