Shelter from the (muscial) storm. (Sunny, Closed)

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

In the distance, it was possible to hear the noises that were coming from Maretime Bay. The new musical genre called 'Metal' was generally not a subtle genre of so called music and even miles away from the source it was easy to hear on the wind. For someone who enjoyed it, this likely was a benefit; For Allegro, it just made him grumble further. Granted at this distance the noise had diluted enough that he wasn't wincing in pain at every tortuously loud chord, but the fact that he had been forced to leave his shelter behind for any length of time because of it was frustrating.

 

A pang of sadness shot through Allegro's chest as he slowed his trot a little, the need to think about something carefully causing him to slow himself so as not to accidentally bump into someone or something. The cave... wasn't home. It was just a shelter he had taken because, Metal Concerts aside, it generally was a good place to bunker down and be protected from the elements. But it wasn't home. He couldn't go home...

 

Stamping his hoof against the ground harder then normal in order to try and jolt himself out of the dark road of thought his mind was traveling down, he shook his head as if it would cast off the darkness and sorrow for a time in order to focus on the lighthouse that would hopefully lead him through the storm he had found himself in. The fact that it was a literal lighthouse was somewhat ironic... he thought. Maybe he was using the word wrong?

 

Either way, he tried to calm himself as he walked towards its front door. Pausing at the step, he carefully wiped his hooves before he reached up to knock.

[SteelEagle]

Sunny Starscout loved a good storm. She supposed she had to, for the stormy days had taken much from her and given her so much more. The heart and the soul grew through pain and sorrow and they grew thicker and firmer through hopes and dreams. She was happy enough to have found for herself the idealized world she dreamt of as a filly was not something so intangible as she had feared it to be when the storm clouds threatened angrily her peace with claps of thunder. Rather, the ideal was laid out before her in sparkling images drawn with brushes made from the efforts made on behalf of Equestria by not only herself, but her staunch friends. A world written about in fables was far more real than any could have believed, and all it took was a little rain and thunder to help remind her that it took the continued efforts of those in Equestria to make Equestria a real place.

 

She sat staring out, watching the waves as they battered themselves fruitlessly against the cliff face below. Back in the day, Equestrians controlled their weather. Pegasi made weather patterns and if her reading was accurate they had schedules and everything! How much better was that? You would know when and where what storms and to what intensity, and where they would be to boot. Could pegasi still do that? Was it hidden inside of them still, waiting to be unlocked? Or had the passage of time changed them? Pegasi wings were certainly different than they used to be, Was that tied into it somehow? She would have to ask for blood samples from her friends to make sure. Well, maybe not. She didn't really know what she was looking for after all.

 

As she pondered how and why she would need to run tests on her best friends in order to further the science of Friendship, her eyes caught a figure on the approach. Through the storm and distance she could not really make it out, but she knew it was heading for her home. She bounded from the top to the bottom of the lighthouse, alone in the Brighthouse as her friends were out and about at a metal concert. The figure knocked moments after before she got to the door and threw it open.

 

"Allegro!" She said happily, beckoning him in. "Come on in!" She said with a smile before pulling him in and closing the door. "I've been storm watching. The winds have reached us but I think the rain should be here in a few minutes. And then the thunder and lightning! Very very frightening things," she said with a giggle. "What brings you out here?"

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

Truth be told, Allegro hadn't even noticed the presence of storm clouds or even the wind; Such weather had honestly never really been a bother for him in the slightest. However, if the presence of such weather made Sunny more inclined to invite him in, who was he was complain? Granted, he went somewhat stiff with surprise as she physically pulled him inside and closed the door behind him, but despite his heart suddenly pounding and a deep blush on his face there wasn't a whole lot to say against it.

 

Needing a moment in order to center himself again before he spoke, he offered a gentle smile as he countered "Well rainbows can't light up the sky unless you let it rain." before clearing his throat. "Truth be told, I was driven out of cover by the metal mu... mus..." he paused, closing his eyes for a moment before forcing out "..music. Sorry, it's hard to call something that seems to exist solely to give me a headache music." He joked a little before sighing.

 

"It's more they've set up their concert close enough that the acrostics of where I stay work against me... and it's either declaring a one pony war against the combined army of all three tribes with terrible taste in music or simply find somewhere to stay until the concert is wrapped up." He... actually reached up to rub the back of his head bashfully as he softly added "...It seemed like coming to see your sunny face and brighten up my day a bit seemed like the mature, logical thing to do."

 

Leaving that note hanging in the air, he glanced around before asking "I thought you lived with a few mares. They around?" 

[SteelEagle]

Sunny laughed. "Well, I can't claim to like metal music too much myself. Way too loud! Izzy likes it though. Of course, Izzy likes so many things that my previous 'ask a unicorn' notebook has been completely filled. I just ordered two more. Gotta catalogue everything, even when the answer is 'really, really loud and really, really hard to understand'," Sunny laughed as she wandered into the kitchen, starting to pour herself some water. She wasn't a fan of that sort of in your face style music. She liked more of the poppy sound, which she guessed was at least partially influenced by living with a popstar. Maybe she would be sent to the royal dungeons if she started listening to some heavy metal and ruined the vibe of the house. Izzy couldn't get into similar trouble- she could use her horn to escape, now that they knew the tennis ball trick didn't work. Beware pegasi! "Want something to drink, Allegro?" She asked as sgot out another glass. Best to be prepared!

 

"I'm glad you decided to come visit instead of destroying the show. We've had one too many of those sorts of concerts lately," she smiled as she poured some water in the cup, before taking both and sitting down. "Here ya go," she said leaning back. "Everypony else who lives here is out and about. I know Izzy wanted to drag them out to the metal concert. Whether they all went, I just know they're out. I know, kind of a letdown to not have the full ensemble greeting you. I suppose you'll have to make do with the sunny disposition you came to me for!" She winked before sitting back, "sorry to hear that the concert is upsetting you, though. Did you try speaking with the event organizers? Maybe they could have had the event indoors."

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

Allegro blinked slightly as he clearly tried to think back on the various ponies he had encountered and met since he had found himself able to walk among Maretime Bay, trying to recall if the names she was using where ponies he might have met before. Memories of the ship in which he had originally met Sunny came to mind, alongside an attempt to celebrate... it had been called Hearth's Warming? But truth be told the only pony that he remembered with certainty from those events were Sunny. Frustrating but there was little he could do about it at the moment.

 

Following Sunny, he smiled bashfully as he answered her original question for a drink with "Yes please." because despite all evidence, his parents had taught him how to be a polite young gentlecolt... even if those social skills were somewhat rusty and rarely used until recently.

 

Accepting the glass of water and taking a quite sip, through her pun about her sunny disposition caused him to snort, water going down the wrong pipe as he thumped his chest a few times to clear it. Afterwards he was fast to answer "Might be for the best really. I... had something of a panic attack earlier while I was investigating the concert. A combination of all the loud noise and so many ponies..." He shuddered slightly, but relaxed a moment latter as he said "Jazz was there and she and some of her friends helped me through it. As for talking to the organizers... it's not really their fault. I honestly didn't know about it until the nails of their sound checks started hammering themselves into my brain via my ears."

 

There was... a moment. Where he took a deep breath and looked... somewhat uneasy. "Sunny... I want to show you something. I don't think you would find it upsetting or anything, b-but..." the nerves were clearly growing a little as he fidgeted "... the last time somepony saw what I want to show you, it went badly." His face actually grew ashen, with a brief mixture of dark emotions "Really badly."

 

Snapping himself out of his dark place as the sound of rain started to patter against the lighthouse, he took a deep breath before finishing "I just... can you promise me that you won't do anything rash and at least hear me out?"

 

 

[SteelEagle]

At first Sunny was worried, dropping her cup on the table and getting up to help him as he seemed to choke a bit on the water. Luckily, he seemed to immediately move past. She knew she was funny, but not so funny as to almost choke somepony out! She'd need to tell Pipp. She was sure Izzy would want to put her up on an open mic night and she didn't think she was ready for that. "Well, I'm happy to hear that Jazz was there. She is a very kind pony. I am sure she was a great help, though I wish there was something we could do for the future. We really don't want you to feel driven from your home in the future, right?" She said, her mind already trying to work on ideas. There had to be better places to hold such a concert, right? Maybe a compromise? She didn't know. She'd need to think on it.

 

Drink.
Her thoughts were turned towards something else as he started to nervously and anxiously tell her that he had something to show her. She didn't know who or what was making him feel so nervous, but she was confident that she would be able to support him. He seemed to think she might not- and even asked her to promise to hear him out. "Allegro, you can tell me anything. I promise I won't tell anyone, freak out, or throw plates at you. You can talk to me about anything!" She said positively as she started taking another drink.

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

The nerves remained. The anxiety of dropping the mask in front of somepony rose from the depths, as it was something that he had never intended to do. But... But there was a part of him that needed to be accepted for who he was, scales and all. If Sunny of all ponies couldn't accept Allegro, then there truly was no hope for him among the tribes of ponies and it was time for him to leave.

 

Despite shaking like a leaf and closing his eyes, there was a resolve to him that would have surprised many as he opened his mouth and started to sing. It wasn't a song of words, but of themes and emotion; Of masks removed, of the fear and need to be seen for who one is... of the tide pulling back to reveal what was hidden underneath. There seemed to be an element of magic in his voice... and that magic seemed to rippled across his body. The illusion around him faded away, leaving... well some of the fur of his coat remained, but it stood out as patches along scaled skin. He was still equine in body, but the smell of salt water that always seemed to linger around him seemed to grow in strength as he took on what was clearly a more aquatic form.

 

This wasn't the first time that Sunny had seen this form before, through the last time it had been around Nightmare Night and had been claimed as a costume. Now through... Allegro opened yellow eyes that had a diamond iris as he gazed at her, nervously swallowing (and causing what seemed to be a gem of some kind that was embedded in his chest to shift a little from the motion) before he softly said "This... isn't a costume. This is me."

 

The die was cast. What happened next was on Sunny herself.

[SteelEagle]

Allegro's determination was palpable, his voice wavering but carrying a resolute tone. And then he began to sing – a wordless melody that resonated with the depths of his being. It was as if the very essence of his soul was pouring out through his voice, weaving a tale of masks discarded and the desire to be seen for who he truly was.The magic in his voice seemed to shimmer and swirl, and Sunny felt a tingle in the air, like a current of energy passing through the room. She didn't know if there were words or if he was speaking in a language she could not hear, all she knew was that the intent was clear.

 

As his form shifted, Sunny's eyes widened further. The illusion that had concealed Allegro's true nature faded away, revealing his unique appearance. The patches of scaled skin and the lingering scent of saltwater seemed to tell a story of his aquatic heritage. Her gaze met his, those yellow eyes now holding a mix of apprehension and hope. Sunny felt her own heart beat once, twice, and then stopped for but a moment, a rush of emotions flooding through her. She blinked in awe, momentarily speechless as she took in the sight before her. The kitchen seemed to fade into the background, her focus solely on Allegro and the courage it took for him to reveal this side of himself. She put the drink down, and then gulped it down- no spit take, as she felt had almost happened.

 

She stepped over and started looking him over, her eyes glistening with...excitement. "This is...amazing. You're a..." she searched for the words..."a...CHANGELING!" She said, eyes sparkling wide and not at all aware that she was quite wrong.

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

To say that Allegro was nervous for the moments of silence that followed him dropping the mask was an understatement. The urge to run as fast as he could, going through the door or a window if need be and vanishing into the storm was there but... he trusted Sunny. At least, he trusted her enough to wait and see.

 

That faith, as it turned out, was rewarded. Rather then panic or distrust, Sunny... Sunny looked excited. There was something about being the center of her attention as she looked at him with that glint in her eye that... honestly made his scales seem warm as underneath them, he blushed darkly. However, her announcement of what she believed him to be caught him completely off guard. "Wh... What? No. No I'm not a Changeling! What's a changeling?" He answered, clearly slightly off balance by the accusation.

 

He needed a moment to breath deep to collect himself somewhat, but he recovered somewhat quickly. "I'm happy to tell the long story, but the short version is that my father was an earth pony and my mother was a siren. I'm not sure if what I am has an actual official name or anything, but at the core I'm a pony siren hybrid." 

[SteelEagle]

Her ears pared back a bit when she realized she was off-base. She was so excited to discover one of the old, supposedly extinct species discussed by Twilight Sparkle that she had allowed her imagination to run incredibly wild incredibly quickly. She felt a little bit foalish but was quick to hide it, not wanting to make Allegro feel any more awkward than he already must have. "Ohh...oh! Sorry. I'm really- I didn't mean anything by it! It's just that back in ancient Equestria, there existed a species that could shapeshift and take the form of all sorts of creatures. They vanished eons ago, but I thought..." she looked down and blushed, "oh, that was stupid. Umm, okay. I'll reset, hahaha," she said, rubbing the back of her neck before she took a deep breath and started walking around and looking at hime some more.

Sirens were mentioned only rarely in the ancient texts that she knew of, and even then in mostly vague terms. There was a lot about them she could only infer, at best, with regard to 'Pillars of Equestria' and something called the Dazzlings. A lot of it didn't make sense, even to Sunny, and the mentions of the Sirens were rare enough that she wasn't even sure if they were still around in Equestria in Twilight's reign, let alone now. She didn't know really what to expect, so any fear she could have had was left in the dustbin of history where such biases best deserved to die.

"A siren and a pony, huh? That's so cool. Forbidden love! Where did she live? Where was he from? What was his name? What was her name? Where did this all happen? When did it happen?" She asked as she started trotting around excitedly, locking the door and getting a notebook out with eyes half-past hungry,

[StrongCopper]

Accidental Allegro

 

Allegro blinked slightly as he learned something new about the world today. "Huh... You know what, under the circumstances I could see why you would think I might be... yeah, not offended or anything." He tried to reassure her, but happy to 'reset' the conversation as it were at her request.

 

There was always something about the look in Sunny's eyes that made Allegro feel warm, but in this moment when she was getting out her notebook after locking the door and started asking her questions... he didn't really know how to describe the feelings he was experiencing, but he found himself liking it. Shifting himself in the seat he had taken, he seemed to sit up a little taller and more sure of himself then before. He offered her a small, warm smile, canines revealed to her by the gesture. Still, he took a deep breath before he started talking because... this was going to be a lot more talking then he was generally used to.

 

"My mother is called Da Capo Cadenza. As for where she came from..." he paused, a thoughtful look appearing on his features before a frustrated sigh escaped him "I don't actually know. From what she told me about sirens in general, they're are somewhat nomadic. They swim along ocean currents and coastlines, often alone or in small groups, through there are apparently locations where such groups travel to in order to gather or meet other sirens. I... don't know where they are because I've never been." He paused again, through this time with a sigh. "In part, this was out of concern. My mother didn't really know how her people would respond to me, since I wasn't a full siren. Mostly through, it's because if I physically tried to go to one of these places, I would most likely drown in the attempt."  

 

A deep sorrow seemed to take him, the confidence he briefly had before fading for a moment as he muttered aloud "To siren to live on land with other earth ponies... to earth pony to live in the sea with other sirens." The dark, vicious tide of loneliness threatened to consume him for a moment... before he cleared his throat and shook his head, refocusing on the brightness that was Sunny and letting it guide him to safety. 

 

"Where was I? Oh right... You might have known my father actually. Captain North Star." Truth be told, he wasn't sure if Sunny had ever met his father, but it was possible; Those few ponies that took to sailing on the sea almost certainly had some kind of soft spot for those that made sure the lighthouse continued to function properly. "Then again, maybe you didn't. When dad talked about the lighthouse keeper, he was talking about a stallion named Argyle... through he did once mention that Argyle had a beautiful daughter." This was true, through Allegro hadn't been meant to overhear it at the time. "Mum and Dad actually discussed bringing Argyle into the know but..." he stopped again, this features pained for a second before he finished "...He disappeared out at sea before they made a decision on that."

[SteelEagle]

His mother's name sounded beautiful. She couldn't really tell what language it was, though she could only assume it was some siren language. It certainly had a musical quality to it and music seemed to mean a lot to sirens, based on her admittedly near zero knowledge on the subject. She would like to believe she could stop herself fromreading too much into sany and all small tidbits she could gleam, but even by the time that thought was formed her curiosity had shot ahead and started forming a strong alliance with deep love of ancient Equestria to connect dots that didn't exist. 

 

While her mind raced excitedly trying to learn, her heart bled for him. She knew better than most the heartache and sorrow that came with your parent(s) no longer being in your life. It was kind of strange how similar it was, at least in some ways. She hadn't given herself over to sorrow for many years regarding her father. Indeed, she had redoubled her efforts to follow in his hooftseps, and the actualization of theory into history that had happened recently had laid to rest any lingering pangs of sadness that had dug into her over the years. She was at peace, but she knew that was because of what they had endeavored to learn. He was gone, but they had grown together with what she had learned, she was sure of that. 

 

Of course, for Allegro it went a step further. While Sunny had been ostracized for years on account oif her radical beliefs, she always knew in the back of her mind that it was her own actions that made it so. She lived with the knowledge that if she could only 'shape up and trot right' that she could find her place in society free of conflict, just like every other stallion and mare. Allegro was robbed of even that sense of societal normalcy. She couldn't really place the name North Star that much. Her father wasn't as consumed by the sea as often as other Bay-Side ponies were. Her mother? She studied the ocean and if she had spent time with her then she would likely have a better chance of knowing the name. But she could recall a famed captain of some kind. That meant Allegro came from good stock. She didn't know his mother very well, but she knew that her love shone through him.

 

"We really are the products of our parents, aren't we?" She answered with a smile and then a hug, gently patting him on his back. "So you've been hiding your true self this whole time? Where do you live?"

[StrongCopper]

Allegro couldn't help but offer Sunny a small, understanding but bashful smile... even as he felt himself warm up as she gave him a hug. The physical sensation of touching him would have been... weird. Fish like scales, but much warmer to the touch then a fish with some patches of fur that were cooler then a normal pony would be. He also seemed to be somewhat damp.

 

When he talked, he made a point of not looking directly at her; His breath stank of fish and he didn't want to breath that into her face. "If that is true, then you came from wonderful parents." He answered as he shyly gave her a hug in return. It had been... so long.

 

Still, he reluctantly pulled back as she asked her follow up question, reaching up to rub at the back of his head. "...Not exactly. I've only really been able to do the whole illusion thing since... well..." he fumbled with his wording for a moment, before shrugging and finishing "...Well, since magic returned. Mum told me that Sirens were able to use magic at some point in the past, but then..." He paused this time because of the awkward truth of the matter but Sunny was clearly interested in answers "...There is a few different stories about the why or the how, but fundamentally they all share the same root of 'Once everyone had magic and it was great, then some stupid ponies ruined it for everyone else and now there isn't any magic anymore'. Story flavors range from earnest accident to someone having a tamper tantrum because they couldn't have all the magic so they broke it and now no one gets it, but everyone agrees that it was something one or more ponies did."

 

Letting that sink in for a moment, Allegro continued with the actual answer "So generally, I stayed at home. My family used to have a house that was out on the outskirts of the city, by the beach. Close enough that dad could go into the city to do things, but isolated and far enough out that ponies rarely bothered to go out that far and risk running into me or mum." It was... hard to pin point when the change happened. When Allegro had started talking about his childhood home, he had sounded and looked happy... but quickly that happiness faded as the pain of loss entered his eyes... and a dark, icy fury crept into the edges of his voice.

 

"...Then, about two years after dad went missing, some ponies from the city came to the house and forced their way inside. They saw me because I hadn't been expecting them and... I remember their surprise turning into yells as they not only chased me out of my childhood home for being a 'monster', but burned it down to make sure I didn't come back." He... needed a moment to calm down. What happened back then was not Sunny's fault and while he wasn't sure if he was going to rant or cry, he didn't want to do it in front of her right now.

 

Slipping off the couch in order to just... physically move around as he took deep breaths, finishing the answer off as he tried to keep the spite in his voice to a minimum "Since then, I've been spending the last few years living in a number of caves along the shoreline, often in hard to reach places for 'normal' ponies." He may have spat the word 'normal', but while he might have stamped his hooves against the ground a bit heavier then normal as he started to pace a bit, he was clearly trying to calm down.

[SteelEagle]

Sunny could only listen as Allegro's story continued, bringing him closer and closer to the present in details that kept on unsettling her. His story was one of tragedy, and a tragedy that evolved from the same sin of intolerance that had so led Equestrians astray over the years. Allegro wouldn't have been the first non-Earth Pony that the citizens of her *fair town* had managed to crush beneath their misguided hooves. Her blood boiled beneath her pelt, causing the orange in her to have a reddish tint. She was absolutely furious and beyond horrified. Her mind raced-when had that been exactly? It wasn't as if she kept a running tally of all such incidents and actions in her head, but she could swear that she was vaguely aware of it. It frustrated her, but she moved on. She would find justice for Allegro's past.

 

He was clearly emotional- and duh, why wouldn't he be. But she needed to help him in the present. "A series of caves? Well, that won't do. You need something better, for sure. What sort of environments do you prefer? I assume you live a little moisture. How much? Do you need to be near the sea?" She asked as she put one arm on him. "Relax and breathe. You're safe now. And you're safe now not just here, but in Equestria. If you don't want to hold this secret in any longer, we can work on ways to allow you to grow more comfortable with being your true self," she said with a smile. "Though for now, you may just need some place to eat, or just rest. When was the last time you were able to sleep with all the outside noise?"

[StrongCopper]

For a moment, Allegro paused as something... happened. A sensation that he had never felt before and yet... felt strangely natural to him as well. Almost to the point of being instinctive, if it wasn't for the fact that he had complete control over if he acted on it or not. As his head turned towards his friend, despite the lingering rage within himself he could feel the anger coming off of Sunny in a manner that had nothing to do with the fact that her mane seemed to pick up a shade of red. It was as if he could literally feel the volatile emotion that was churning beneath coat and understood that it was directed towards those earth ponies that had driven him from his home and burned it...

 

...And that all it would take is a little bit of effort on his part to stroke that anger into a righteous fury, securing himself an ally that would aid him without question to punish those who had wronged him. It wouldn't take much; A few normal, well placed words would do it. Through if he wanted to be absolutely sure he could weave a small song that would tug on the right threads. Not only would he have her unquestioning support, there was something telling him that her anger would by itself serve as a great source of personal power for him as well. All he needed to do was reach out and-

 

Sunny's touch as her hoof was placed on him snapped him out of... whatever mindset he had just been in. He blinked several times, forgetting the last time he had done so even as he shook his head to refocus himself on the here and now. He didn't know what in the eternal darkness of the depths that was but... no. After all the kindness and compassion that Sunny had shown to him, returning it by betraying her trust and using her as a pawn or... some kind of emotional power source? No. No he refused to consider the idea further.

 

"S-Sorry but..." He started, trying to find the words to try and describe what had just happened in a way that wouldn't make Sunny freak out. He didn't really understand it himself and... well, he couldn't really think of a good way of saying that some kind of innate instinct had tried to get him to mess with her emotions and mind, either in a magical or mundane fashion for his own personal gain. She had accepted him... and he didn't want her to think he was some kind of monster. Not now. "S-Sorry. My thoughts kind of got away from me for a moment there." It wasn't a lie, but there was a part of him that couldn't help but feel like it wasn't exactly the truth either.

 

"I... honestly don't know if I have to stay by the sea or bodies of water. Physically, I mean. But I want to stay by the sea because if I leave, then my mother wouldn't know where in Equestia I've disappeared to and won't be able to find me." He considered what he had mentioned to Sunny so far, before his eyes went wide. "Right, didn't mention what Mum has been up to this whole time. When Dad went missing, she went out to look for him. She would come back to check on me, but the more I was able to look after myself, the further out and more indepth she could search. It's been a while since I last saw her, but she'll be back." 

 

The look on Allegro's face was that of somepony who was clinging to an idea so tightly because the alternative simply wasn't thinkable to them... or more precisely, any thought to the contrary was kept as suppressed as possible, because entertaining it anywhere outside of nightmares might risk it actually being something that might happen. "...She'll be back." was muttered more to himself, as if he was trying to buff up his resolve.   

[SteelEagle]

Something seemed to come over Allegro if only briefly, his demeanor taking on a subdued yet charged atmosphere that she could feel reflected somehow in herself. She didn't know whether it was honest anger or deep frustration, but she felt something would need to be done. That, as they said, was a job for tomorrow, for today they had a wounded friend to heal and help in a secure path forward. That would not require vengeance or a righting of wrongs, but an expression and acceptance of self and the community that stood waiting to love him more than he could love himself. 

 

"It's okay. There is a lot going on. Your mind must be racing a thousand knots an hour, and that is simply from coming to terms with the past, let alone trying to decide what comes next. I can't know what that's like, but for what it is worth you have my sympathies and my support," she offered with a friendly nudge, thinking to herself the myriad ways she could try to help him adapt with his true self in Maretime Bay. What scant history existed of the Sirens wasn't kind, but then again, a lot of the history they had wasn't kind in the first place. She imagined it would be easy enough to help others adjust to him, once the initial shock wore off.

 

He spoke about his need to stay close to the water, in case his mother came back. When his mother came back, she corrected herself. Hope was a powerful thing and she would never deny it to anycreature else, even if the obvious conclusion was risible and sorrowful. She could sustain the dream long enough and allow him to make it a reality, or come to terms with what else may have happened. It wasn't her place to push it. only her place to support him as he moved through it himself. 

"Well, whatever it is you choose to do, you'll have support from myself and others. We're here to help you, Allegro. If you wish to stay near the water, we can help you with that."

[StrongCopper]

Allegro... didn't know how long he found himself leaning against Sunny for. The moment she nudged him he just... he didn't flop, but it was as if he was drawn to her warmth like a lizard on a sunny rock and didn't want to pull away again. His eyes were closed and he just... enjoyed this moment. This moment of warmth and acceptance and... he didn't know what other words would even come close to explaining what he was feeling with proper justice.

 

Still, all moments must pass in time. He took a deep breath and pulled away, before offering her a small, shy little smile. "T-Thank you. You have no idea... no idea at all about how terrified I was that you wouldn't accept who I was." Another deep breath was required, but he seemed a little more at ease as he offered "I'm sorry... I've been rather selfish during this conversation. Just been about me, me me..." He chuckled softly as he glanced away, still feeling the warmth from where his body had been in contact with hers. "...I would love to hear more about the beautiful, kind mare that lives in the lighthouse. Because I don't really know that much about you."

[SteelEagle]

Sunny smiled softly. "Well, those worries are now in the past. The future is yours to make, and you will make it alongside new friends and allies who will be willing to life you up when you feel down," she offered, allowing him to finish his leaning. Sometimes, physical support and comfort was just as necessary as emotional or mental support. A lot of creatures could become rather unnerved by that, but it was true- a hug, a lean, a friendly pat and smile could help somecreature no matter what they were going through. It was one of many ways you could show them that you cared. "As part of that, let's just start focusing on what you need to do next, what you want to do next," she asked, hauling out a piece of paper and some pens for the two of them to work.

 

He said something that started to get her mind racing. Sunny gave some thought to this description of a kind, beautiful mare who lived in the brighthouse. There were a few standout choices. "Oh, you mean Izzy? She is very friendly. Almost too friendly! I guess there is no such thing though, right?" She laughed, then sighed happily. "She can be the best friend a pony- anycreature really- could ask for," then she cocked an eyebrow. "And I'll make sure to tell her that somesiren thinks she's beautiful," she winked, giggling. She could see it. Izzy was a rather beautiful mare, wasn't she?

[StrongCopper]

It was almost physically possible to hear the sound of the record skipping in Allegro mind. As he suddenly delved deep into the files of his memories in order to try and uncover a face to go with the name 'Izzy'. It was an older one, connected with the ship in which he had originally met Sunny... possibly. He had to admit that of the various ponies he had encountered that day, Sunny had kind of blotted them out. Much like how the sun overshadowed the stars.

 

Taking a deep breath, he was quick to speak up. "No... No I wasn't talking about her." There was a part of him that considered seeing how long Sunny would dance around the oblivious, listing off various names until she was literally the only one left... but he decided against it. Today was a day to be bold after all. Walking over to Sunny as she fiddled with paper and pens, he reached out and pressed his hoof against her side in order to get her attention. "I was talking about you Sunny. To me, you are the beautiful mare that lives in the lighthouse." Was he getting the name of the Brighthouse wrong? Yes... but considering he came from a sailing family it could hopefully be overlooked and forgiven. Hopefully Sunny wouldn't be able to do some mental gymnastics to misunderstand what he had said through. 

[SteelEagle]

It took Sunny Starscout, Alicorn of Equestria and Smoothie expert, a few full seconds to react to what Allegro said. She wasn't somepony was used to being complimented like that, so forward. Usually if ponies wanted to say she was cute they would be a little more...circular about it. But he just said it. And she didn't really know how to respond. It put her in an awkward position, to be honest. "Oh. Oh. Ooooooh!" She blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, umm. Thank you for the very kind compliment. I don't think I'm all that beautiful, but I appreciate the- appreciate the sentiment," she smiled, taking a deep gulp and smiling.

 

"There isn't that much to say...I mean, not much to say that everypony, everycreature, doesn't know. My dad was obsessed with the past, proving that all kinds lived together. I followed in his hoofsteps. The only real difference between him and I is that I lived long enough to see our dream come true. Oh, and I'm a magical alicorn sometimes. And we beat an evil Alicorn. And one time my cutie mark was switched," she listed off quickly, deciding to cut the list off short. There was a book she was trying to write about it, after all, and she wanted to make sure the lessons were fresh! "Eventful, right?" She said with a friendly laugh, trying to think about what they were talking about beforehoof. 

 

She looked back at the papers and pencils, which looked small and almost childish compared to what was being discussed, but at that moment she needed it more than anything. "But...umm, we should...focus on helping you reveal yourself in a way you feel comfortable with. We need to make sure that you are able to get Maretime Bay to understand just how special and amazing you and your kind are!"

[StrongCopper]

Allegro had never really been in a situation like this before. It wasn't like he had much in the way of practice with having crushes or talking to a mare that he had feelings for about said feelings. Upfront, blunt and honest was all he really had because he didn't trust anything else to work correctly. But it seemed like he needed to employ such things for other subjects as well.

 

"Sunny, the only thing you just said that I have context or understanding of is your father and the kind of stallion he was. What is an alicorn?" He needed a moment, clearly floundering as he tried to come up with the correct words to help her understand his point of view. "...I think you're viewing me as someone who was apart of the herd. Somepony who was in the background or hanging around the Bay, talking to ponies and watching events happen even if I wasn't apart of those things. I wasn't through. Being able to interact with ponies or enter the city without ponies panicking at the sight of me is a very recent development. The only event in Maretime Bay I really noticed from where I could see things before then was the day that the lighthouse got wrecked and the rebuilding process. Anything smaller or more inland was practically unknown to me."

 

Hoping that at least gave her a better understanding of where he was coming from, he couldn't help but tilt his head as he pondered her question. "What did you have in mind?"

[SteelEagle]

She felt a little silly as the reality of his situation slammed down on her. So many of the things that she took for granted- heck, equestrians of all stripes and types took for granted- were not necessarily pieces of knowledge he held. Pony types, the basics of their civilization, so much of the customary introductory steps- mysteries, or at least, not something he onboarded with all the ease of the ponyfolk. And that was before she got into any of the subjects that by their very nature had been obscured from Equestrians for so long. And of all those manyfold things, it was the existence or understanding of Alicorns, what she was in part, that would be most necessary for him. Because how could you know the history of this world and not know about its former rulers, most recent villain, and Sunny herself?

 

Sunny kept the smile and took a deep breath, taking a few steps, her back to Allegro. She closed her eyes and thought of her friends, thought of her goals, her reason for being and all that mattered to her and Equestria. An energy seemed to shoot through her body as she resolved to be the symbol of unity, the symbol of what they should be, not better but as a torchbearer in the darkness. She felt briefly another, deeper, stranger energy that she could not so readily identify. A moment later, her wings and horn appeared in a brief flash of orange energy, her wings spreading out around her and trailing energy off. She turned around, keeping him assured with her positive energy. 

 

"An Alicorn is a combination of all three pony types. I'm not a real alicorn- those don't exist anymore, it looks like- but back in Equestria's golden era, Alicorns ruled Equestria. I have so much I could tell you about them!" She said, hoping around and taking flight briefly, landing next to him. "But, umm, some of it isn't relevant except to say that there was one evil Alicorn named Opaline who still existed into the modern day. She was trying to steal all the magic in Equestria. Luckily, my friends and I defeated her. Go team!" She said brightly before her wings and horn disappeared. "As for my plan, it is the best plan I have ever had. We're going to make you...a HERO!"

[StrongCopper]

Allegro... was captivated.

 

Sunny had always been able to take and hold his attention under normal circumstances, but watching as wings and a horn seemed to manifest around her like that... it was the most beautiful thing he had ever been witness too since meeting Sunny herself. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her, including if it was rude if he asked if he could touch her wings... but right now there were other things that needed to be addressed. 

 

First and foremost:

 

"When did this whole 'magic stealing' thing happen with the evil alicorn?" He asked, clearly trying to think about it. "I mean, was this before I met you the first time? Because if it happened recently and I missed it..." He just... started to frown. "...That's actually kind of upsetting." He blinked as he considered how that might be taken. "Look, I'm happy not to have some power mad, old horny winged mare stealing my magic or anything. It's just... It would have been nice to have been included! Be acknowledged as worth taking the magic from instead of just being skipped over. I feel insulted!" It was a weird thing to get hung up over and it was clear that Allegro knew that, but it was simply what it was.

 

Grumbling a little about how siren magic was just as good, if not better then pony magic and Opaline was a tasteless hag, Allegro refocused on the second topic of discussion. "...You want to make me a hero? How?" He paused, before brightening up "Is that hag Opaline still around? Because I would love the chance to show her why she was an idiot to ignore me!"

[SteelEagle]

"Follow me," she said as she listened to him. He was really upset. It was an upsetting thing that happened of course, but the real quirky thing about his reaction was that he seemed more upset by the fact that Opaline hadn't considered Siren magic worth stealing! Which, ya know. It was probably really powerful and stuff! She led him near a clost, talking when he was done. "When she first tried to steal it ages ago, during the Time of Twilight. Then more recently, I think before we first met and certainly after. She didn't seem to know as much about the world as she thought she did, though. She wanted dragon fire, but couldn't find dragons. She knew pony magic, though the development of Earth pony magic caught her off-guard."

 

She tapped her hoof to her chin, deep in thought. Why would she ignore the sirens? The simplest answer was probably the best. "Sorry. if I had to guess, she didn't know there were any sirens left. If she did, I am sure she would have tried really, really hard to take away your magic too!" She said, more focused on making him seem big and strong than wondering why anypony should be excited about the prospect of having one's magic gobbled up!

 

A pat on the shoulder and she leaned on the door. "Without her, we need to convince everypony you're a hero, but you're not going to go and fight something real dangerous," she said as she opened it and leaned in, throwing out boxes and various bits and baubles as she looked for something, cutie mark and tail flailing behind her. She then stopped and leaped in. A few seconds of chaos followed. "You're going to fight...-" she said, her voice lowering in anticipation as she jumped back out in her best Moon Alicorn outfit from Nightmare Night on. Well, best was an overstatement. The black wing covering had been torn and the horn shine had faded and broken itself, and the helmet was more than a little dented. 

 

"-Moonlit Starscowl! Mwahahahahaha!" She gave her best evil laugh, which was somehow higher and less threatening than when she chipped her hoofwall jumping into her smoothie stand late for her self-imposed work day. As she did so, one wing covering fell off. "Okay, the costume might need some work. Nightmare Night costume! Pretty neat, right?" Then the helmet's glue sealing started to fail, and the silver top popped off as half-inch. "Well, was pretty neat, anyway. But the idea is sound, trust me!"
 

[StrongCopper]

The idea that the magic crazed leech didn't know about Sirens... it did provide a bit of a balm to Allegro's wounded pride. However, he could tell that Sunny was trying to appease him... or at least cheer him up. "Look, I'm not really upset that she missed me. It's more..." He paused, trying to word it right. "...Imagine that somepony was throwing a party and they were inviting everyone to it. Now, you don't really like the host and big gatherings like that aren't your thing... but either due to going out of their way or simply not knowing you exist, they don't invite you. Everyone else gets an invite and you don't... even if you didn't care about going in the first place. It just feels like a personal slight, you know?"

 

Though as irrational as Allegro knew he was being in the moment, he had followed and listened to what Sunny suggested... and suddenly he didn't feel like the insane one of their friendship anymore. "Sunny, please don't take this the wrong way but... I don't think masked villainy is the way to go here." Despite his poor grasp on social situations, for some reason the idea of telling Sunny that he didn't think she would be able to play the role properly seemed like a bad idea. "I mean, you have other friends right? The first sign of you going evil, they would naturally leap in to try and redeem or defeat you. Things could get complicated really quickly if they did..." 

 

Aware that he hadn't put down the idea for good, he decided to push on as he added "At any rate... isn't staging something like a rescue or a villain attack in order to make me look good kind of... dishonest?"