During the weekend, you were wandering the local shopping plaza by yourself, as Sunset had gone to the rehearsal of the Rainbooms, the name of the band that the girls had put together. You were passing through the food court when you heard a commotion. You slipped through the gathering crowd to find a couple of guys about your age surrounding a girl with light blue skin, who was looking rather scared.
??? 1: "Hey pretty, I heard that your sister enjoys the company of men. What about you?"
???: "I-uh-umm..."
??? 2: "No reason to panic, honey. We're just here to have a bit of fun. You could join us if you wanted.~"
???: "I'm just waiting for my family..."
Volt: 'This doesn't look good. Technically, it's none of my business, but this won't sit well with me if I ignore it...' You step out out of the crowd, heading for the conflict. "Ahem! Excuse me, but I believe that you're bugging my sister."
The guys turn to look at you, while the girl is giving off a confused aura.
??? 1: "Does it look like we were talking to you, pal?"
??? 2: "My friend's right, buddy. You'd better start making tracks. Besides, you and her look nothing alike."
???: "We're family in every way but blood. My parents are gone."
Volt: "As are mine. We look out for each other, so unless you want things to become personal, you should take your own advice and move along."
??? 1: "That's it!" The shorter, wider guy swung at you, and you instinctively catch his fist. "How did-" His question was cut off as you spun him around with his wrist in your hand, and pinned him against the wall with his arm behind his back.
Volt: "Will someone get some security staff, please?!" A few adults scramble off to do so.
??? 2: "Why you sneaky little..." His friend hit you in the back of your head, causing it to hit the pinned guy's head on the wall. He dropped to his knees on the floor, moaning in pain. You shook your head, clearing out the irritation.
This guy was apparently brighter than his companion, thinner, and taller. He backed up, making room. Still, he charged you and you stepped aside, knowing that he'd be desperate to hit you. He swung around and you dodged his fist again as you grabbed his arm, swung him over your shoulder, and onto the ground, stunning him with a mild thud from the impact.
Volt: "Don't go blaming me for neutralizing you two; you swung first, so that was self defense." You dust off the front of your shirt and sleeveless jacket, and approach the girl. "Come on, you're probably going to need something to soothe your nerves after that." The girl nods, and follows you closely.
* * *
The two of you sit at a table opposite the incident so you can explain yourself.
Volt: "I do apologize for getting involved, but I think that the siblings cover story was bought by the crowd. I wasn't lying about my parents being dead, though. I'm Voltage Mainspring. May I know your name?"
???: "I'm Sonata Dusk. Thank you so much for saving me back there. My sisters tend to concentrate too much on our primary objective, and when I'm trying to enjoy some time to myself, those things tend to happen."
Volt: "Do they happen often?"
Sonata: "Very much so..." She notices your pendant hanging from your neck. "What is that?"
Volt: "This? This is the the only inherited item I have left from my family." You sigh as you remove it to take a proper look at it. "Being the lone survivor of your entire family is really painful, but it holds some kind of important information to who my mother was and who I am."
Sonata: "I know that feeling. Our mother gave us these pendants as a farewell gift before ... before she went to avenge our family." The way she explained the situation, and the way she held the said pendant gave you a feeling of familiar circumstances.
Volt: "For what it's worth, you're not alone in the larger situation. I can tell that you didn't originate from this world." Sonata's eyes widen as you explain your story. "I can sympathize with those, like you, who've lost everything."
Sonata: "You're right, I'm not from this world. Because I'm here, I don't want to be around people more than I need to. I think that you're an exception. You know that I'm a foreign person, and don't shun me."
Volt: "What species were you before... you know."
Sonata: "The more developed species in Equestria were afraid of our kind... my sisters and I are Sirens."
Volt: "Equine from the waist up, sea oriented from the waist down?" She was surprised by your hypothetical guess. "I've heard of Equestria, and one of my few friends was a citizen there."
Sonata: "Was?"
Volt: "It's complicated. You want something to eat?" When she nodded, you bring her to a Tex-Mex hub in the food court after you both pocket your respective pendants. When she gives you a confused look, you explain. "I don't exactly know how your biology works, but I find that a reasonably full stomach helps me calm down."
You order a double taco, double burrito combo with meat, sauce, cheese, and lettuce on the tacos, and the former three in the burritos.
Sonata: "Is there some way I can pay you back?" She looked somewhat guilty for you getting her food without contributing. A further Pathos Detection Scan (P.D.S.) showed her sincere guilt with a childlike hope of a reliable person.
Volt: "Don't worry. You need this as much as I do." Once you paid for the meal, you take it to where the two of you were sitting earlier. You hand her the tacos while unwrapping one of your burritos.
Sonata: "Volt, I really can't thank you enough for all this." She takes a bite of a partially unwrapped taco and goes to town on it while her eyes lit up. "This is so good! I can't believe I was missing out on things like this!"
You smile as you and Sonata finish your meal, then stroll around the mall, until you see two other girls about Sonata's age beelining for you. One had a lavender skin tone and a grumpy expression while the other had a light yellow skin tone and a look of rage on her face.
Volt: "Uh, Sonata? Are those girls coming towards us your sisters?" Sonata turned to look.
Sonata: "Yep..."
???: "SONATA DUSK! Where have you been?! We couldn't get any proper energy because of your ditzy mind sidetracking you!!"
Sonata: "C'mon Adagio; even we need to relax once in a while!"
Adagio: "And where does relaxing get our progress for avenging our kind?!"
???: "Who's this with you, anyways?" The lavender girl yanks your glasses off your face. "If he didn't have the glasses, I'd say he'd be a pretty good O.N.S. partner." She drops your glasses down to the floor, and they landed lens first.
Volt: "Oh, come on! You're lucky that you don't even need contacts!"
Sonata: "Stop, Aria! This guy saved me from a couple of nasty guys!" She picked up your glasses with care by the lens' frames and handed them to you.
Aria: "Oh? What's his name, then?"
Sonata: "Voltage! Voltage... something-spring."
Volt: "Close enough, Sonata. My last name is Mainspring." You clean your glasses before turning to Sonata's sisters. "Since you've given me Sonata's last name, what about yours'? Adagio? Aria?"
Sonata: (Whispers to your ear) "Aria Blaze and Adagio Dazzle." You nod as you lean in towards the girls.
Volt: "Listen up, Miss Dazzle, Miss Blaze. There are a few things I'm not happy about. First, you two are Sonata's sisters. You're family, and should be lucky to have her. I know because I was given a new life here by forces beyond a world's ruler. I've suffered without any family for the past three years. Two, your attitudes towards others just because of your magical pendants is not acceptable." You pull out yours as an example. The other sirens gasped in surprise.
Adagio: "An Equestrian artifact lost to time!" Aria also was wide-eyed in viewing your pendant. "Shortly before Sonata's birth, seven of eight pendants went missing from some Canterlot vault with no known explanation!"
Volt: "Finally, you're overworking yourselves too much. You're going to fall to pieces, metaphorically, if you keep this up." You turn to Sonata with a smile. "I'm glad we met, Sonata. If you see me, don't hesitate to come chat."