Sunset spent the next several hours practically on autopilot. She was writing equations and studying facts simply to keep herself busy. However, preoccupying her mind did not make the heavy weight on her heart disappear. She was grateful that Dean Cadence was willing to share the burden, but she could still feel her fears and anxieties gnawing away at her.
Focus on your schoolwork; be a good friend, she kept reminding herself. That's all you have to do for now. You'll figure out the rest later.
The next morning, things didn't seem to get any easier. As Sunset got off the bus, she noticed that none of the Shadowbolts were there to greet her. Even Indigo Zap was surprisingly absent. However, she did notice Adagio marching briskly towards the school. Utilizing Dean Cadence's breathing technique, she took in a deep breath and let it out in a great sigh. She then waved at Adagio.
"Hey, Adagio! Wait up!" she called out.
Adagio said nothing, but instead quickened her pace. Sunset sighed again and followed suit. Adagio groaned.
"Can't you take a hint, Shimmer?" she growled.
"Well, sorry for trying to be friendly," Sunset grumbled. She quickly looked around a noticed something else was amiss. "Um, where are Sonata and Aria?"
"Adagio~!"
Sunset found her question was answered as soon as she asked it. They were barely inside the building when she saw Sonata and Aria running up behind them. Sonata's injuries were all patched up, though she still looked rather pale and sickly. Aria didn't seem to fair much better. Adagio palmed her face.
"Girls, I thought I told you to stay home," she scolded, turning to face her compatriots. "What do I have to do, chain you both to bed?"
Aria folded her arms. "You didn't tell us anything, Adagio. You just ditched us."
"I left you a note!"
"Yeah, we didn't read that," said Sonata sheepishly. "But seriously, Dagi. We're fine. Stop overreacting."
"You two are not 'fine,'" Adagio snarled. "In fact, I'm very worried."
"Oh, is that why you spent all day yesterday in the nurse's office with Sonata?" asked Aria, raising an eyebrow.
"As opposed to what?"
Aria shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe going to class; taking a few notes; making sure she doesn't miss anything. Something that would actually help."
Adagio shook her head and pointed at Aria. "See, this is what I'm talking about. Are you listening to yourself right now? Since when do either of you care about this school stuff? You're not acting like yourselves, and you won't tell me why."
"People change, Adagio," said Aria, narrowing her eyes. "And the sooner you figure that out, the better."
She and Sonata made their way towards the turnstiles. With a heavy sigh, Adagio stood in their way.
"You are going home, right now," she stated plainly.
Sonata blinked. "Dagi, what's gotten into you?"
"What's gotten into me? What's gotten into you?" Adagio snapped. "Don't either of you remember what happened yesterday? I'm not letting you go through that again."
Aria bit her lip and averted her eyes. "C'mon, Adagio. Y-you're making a scene."
"I don't care. I'm putting my foot down," Adagio proclaimed. "Either you two tell me what's wrong, or go home so you can rest up."
Sonata began to tremble. "B-but our classes. W-we need to work hard and get—"
"And another thing. Stop spouting off this 'school's the only thing that matters' nonsense. It's getting on my nerves."
Sunset cleared her throat and ventured forward. "I'm gonna have to—"
"Shove off, Shimmer. This doesn't concern you," Adagio snarled, cutting across her. "You don't know these idiots like I do."
"W-well, maybe we don't wanna be called idiots anymore," said Sonata, her eyes looking every which way. "Maybe that's why we think school is important now. Ever think of that, Dagi?"
Adagio sighed, her expression softening slightly. "Sonata, I can tell you're lying. Something's bothering you two; I know it. But I don't understand why you won't tell me. Don't you trust me?"
"O-of course we do, Adagio," said Aria, hiding her face. "B-but, nothing's wrong. Honest. And we're not leaving."
Adagio crossed her arms. "Look me right in the eye and say that, Aria Blaze."
Aria scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Adagio, please. Stop being like this. W-we're gonna get in trouble."
"Why do you care about that?"
"I-I just do, alright?! Get off my back!"
"No! I'm not going to stand here and watch you two suffer needlessly!"
Sonata and Aria flinched. They saw that tears were forming in the corners of Adagio's eyes. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Sunset herself wanted desperately to intervene, but she knew Adagio would bar her from the conversation again. Instead, she simply watched, fixated on the drama that was unfolding.
"D-Dagi, y-you're scaring us," Sonata whimpered.
"How do you think I feel?" Adagio countered. She sighed. "Look, if you're not going to go home, at least go to the nurse's office."
"But what about—?"
"I'll cover for you guys. It's not like you're going to get in trouble for being sick." Adagio looked at Sonata and Aria with pleading eyes. "Please, just do this for me. It's for your own good."
Sonata and Aria looked at each other for a while. Finally, Aria let out a sigh.
"Alright, fine," she conceded begrudgingly. "But if the nurse doesn't find anything wrong with us, you have to shut up about it for the rest of the day, deal?"
"We'll see," said Adagio simply. "Again, I'm just worried about you."
"W-we know," said Aria, blushing slightly. She and Sonata shuffled off past the turnstile. Adagio followed suit, humming a random collection of notes. As Sunset brought up the rear, she noticed a golden aura radiating from Adagio's body. She wasn't sure whether to feel excited or frightened of this emerging development. Before she could inform Adagio, however, a familiar voice sounded over the loudspeaker.
"Adagio Dazzle, please come to the principal's office. Adagio Dazzle, to the principal's office, please."
Adagio froze in her tracks. She clenched her fists, and her eye began to twitch. She noticed Sunset out of her peripheral vision, and her knuckles turned completely white.
"Discord~!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.
As if on cue, Discord appeared on Sunset's phone, wearing a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
"What'd I do, what'd I do?!" he sputtered frantically.
Adagio turned to Sunset savagely. "You summon that troublesome draconequess right now, Shimmer! This is all his fault!"
"Adagio, it's not him!" Sunset insisted. "I saw what happened! You—"
"I don't wanna hear it!" Adagio interrupted. She jabbed her finger into Sunset's chest. "Stop standing up for him! You know he can't be trusted! He's the reason Sonata and Aria are acting like this!"
Discord scowled. "Okay, that's about all I can take."
A beam of light leapt from Sunset's phone. But instead of Discord, the shape of Adagio Dazzle manifested itself. The clone looked over at Adagio and winked. Adagio's face turned bright red as she glared at her doppelgänger.
"Don't. You. Dare," she said darkly. "You're just going to make me look even worse. I-I didn't even do anything!"
"Obviously, Cinch disagrees," said the Adagio clone with a shrug. "And I'm going to take this one for you and get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all. You don't mind, do you, Smitty?"
It didn't take long for Sunset to figure out what was going on herself. She looked down and rubbed her arm. "Discord, are you sure this is smart?"
The Adagio clone chortled. "Smitty, look who you're talking to. How could this possibly go wrong? Besides, I remember pulling some pretty crazy stops to finally get you to trust me. This isn't any different."
Sunset thought about this for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.
"Well, it's not like we can do anything to stop you," she said. "Just, try to be careful, okay?"
Discord smirked. "That's an even ten, Smitty. And really, you have nothing to worry about. I got this."
He then snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light. Adagio scowled at Sunset.
"If he ends up making things worse, I'm sending you straight to the moon," she warned, shaking her fist.
"H-hey, don't take this out on me," said Sunset. "I told you, Discord's—"
She was interrupted by an app on her phone opening on its own accord. Curious, she took it out and looked at it. On the screen was an image of Principal Cinch's door. On the top right corner was a small REC symbol flashing on and off, and the top left corner read "Unregistered DiscordCam 2 (patent pending)." A yellow hand entered the frame and performed the "shave and a haircut" knock on the door.
"Come in," came a voice from inside.
The door opened, revealing Principal Cinch's office. The camera moved forward, taking a seat before the great wooden desk. There was a slam as the door closed behind the camera. Cinch swiveled around in her chair, looking straight into the lens.
"Adagio Dazzle, I presume?" she said.
"You presume correctly," Adagio's voice responded.
Cinch nodded and took out a file from her drawer. "I suppose you're wondering why you're here."
"Well, why wouldn't I be?" asked Adagio's voice. The camera tilted slightly, as if the cameraman was shrugging their shoulders. "I mean, all I was doing was talking to my friends. That shouldn't be a crime."
"It, isn't," said Cinch. "But, tell me. What were you talking about?"
"I don't see how that's your business."
Cinch narrowed her eyes. "Let me decide that, Ms. Dazzle. Because after your little tete-a-tete, I noticed something peculiar."
"Oh?"
"A magical signature, coming straight from your body."
There was a scoff from behind the camera. "And just how do you know that, Principal Cinch?"
Cinch pressed her fingers together. "Tell me, Ms. Dazzle. Were you able to participate in this year's Friendship Games?"
"Afraid not," said Adagio's voice. "I was out sick on that day. Good thing my two best friends in the whole wide world were there to take care of me."
Adagio's eyes went wide. "H-how did he know about—?"
"Shh," Sunset hissed, her eyes glued to the video.
"Yes, quite," said Cinch. She got up from her desk and began pacing. "Well, during the Games, there was an, incident with magic. A rather devastating incident. One that cost Crystal Prep victory as well as a sizable amount of our prestige."
Another scoff was heard from behind the camera. "Is that all you care about?"
Cinch gave the camera a disapproving glare. "As a matter of fact, no. That magic incident also put several people in harm's way, including my own students. What's more, the psychological effects of this phenomenon have been rather troubling. Which is why I have decided to resort to preventative measures."
She reached behind her desk and pulled out an all-too-familiar device. Sunset felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end, and she swallowed.
"Ms. Dazzle, for the safety of this school, I'm going to have to confiscate your magic for the rest of your tenure here," said Cinch. "Now, do not fret. You will be getting it back when you return to Canterlot High. But, there is something you should know."
"And what might that be?"
Cinch's face darkened. "I will admit that this policy can be seen as controversial, which is why I want to keep this classified for the time being. What happens in this room stays in this room. Don't even tell Dean Cadence, because I will know. And if that happens, none of you will get your magic back. Do I make myself clear?"
Sunset gasped, placing a hand to her mouth. Her eyes remained fixated on the screen, and she stood as still as a statue. She heard a slight chuckle from behind the camera.
"I just want to clear up a couple of things first," said Adagio's voice. "Did you do this to my friends, too?"
"I'm afraid so," said Cinch with a nod. "But like I said, you all will get your magic back as long as you keep quiet about all this."
"I see," mused Adagio's voice. "Just, one more question."
"What is it, Ms. Dazzle?"
"Have you ever tried to drink an ocean?"
Before Cinch could respond, the camera started panning upwards. Sunset and Adagio watched as Cinch's jaw dropped open. She removed her glasses and stared up in disbelief. The camera stared back down at her, and a familiar silhouette overshadowed Cinch's body.
"Wh-who are you?" Cinch sputtered. "How are you doing this?"
"I'm the Master of Chaos, and I'm the Master of Chaos," Discord replied. He then snapped his fingers, reversing Cinch's personal gravity and causing her to slam against the ceiling.
"You see, I've been watching you for quite some time, Principal Cinch," Discord continued. "You and your little lackey, Slitherquick. It's quite apparent that you both have been hurting my friends. And just between us, I don't take that sort of thing very well."
He snapped his fingers again, causing Cinch to fall back down to earth. Cinch got up and snorted, leering at Discord.
"So, you are the source of Canterlot High's power," she said.
There was a buzzing sound.
"Not even close," said Discord with a chuckle. "However, I am one of the most powerful beings in Equestria. And suffice to say, you do not want to be on my bad side."
If Cinch was intimidated by Discord's demeanor, she didn't show it. She walked over behind her desk.
"I will not have a repeat of the Friendship Games," she vowed. "If you seek to ruin my school, I'll have to take your magic as well."
Discord laughed. "With that puny device? Trust me, Cinch. I've had my magic stolen before. That thing can't possibly have the same capacity as Lord Tirek. Go ahead, I'll give you a free shot. Right here."
Cinch said nothing, but instead tapped the device. It snapped open, glowing and sparking. A photo-negative aura wafted its way from behind the camera and towards the device, collecting in a small pearl. After a few seconds, the device began to spark and shake. Deftly, Cinch slammed it shut, stopping the transfer. Discord looked at his wrist, which suddenly displayed what looked like a Fitbit.
"Hmm. One twenty-five percent. Pathetic," he said, shaking his head. "As I understand it, that's not exactly a passing grade. I can still make your life quite miserable."
Cinch nodded off to the side. "Mr. Lockdown, if you would."
The camera suddenly shuddered. Surprised, Discord whipped around. There was the security guard Lockdown, holding a device of his own. The camera suddenly flashed yellow, and the word "Danger!" scrolled over the top of the screen.
"B-but how?!" Discord sputtered.
Cinch calmly reached behind her desk, taking out another device. "Like I said, I'm not having a repeat of what happened at the Friendship Games," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "Professor Flypaper discovered that Twilight's device could only hold so much energy, and he couldn't increase the capacity in such a short window of time. So, he made up for quality with quantity. Eight devices, one for each of our Canterlot High guests."
Discord snorted. "Clever girl. But you haven't beaten me yet!"
He snapped his fingers, only for a dove to spring from his paw and fly away. With a frustrated growl, he snapped again, only to change the camera setting to a sepia tone.
"Oh, come on! Not now!" he groaned, snapping his fingers repeatedly. While each snap caused something random and unexpected to happen, nothing was enough to save him from his predicament. "Do you wish to be taken?! Do you want to go through this again?! Cooperate with me, you stupid chaos powers!"
Cinch couldn't help but scoff. "I don't know what exactly your game is, but suffice to say, it ends now. Mr. Lockdown, help me restrain this, thing."
"You got it, boss."
More photo-negative auras rushed away from Discord's body. The camera was now flashing red. The Danger sign was replaced with "Help, SOS, Mayday, Ketchup!"
"S-Smitty, I-I'm sorry!" Discord rasped. "Th-this is the end for me! Tell Fluttershy... Ack! She, burnt the lasagna..."
And with that, the video cut out. Sunset stared blankly at the screen, not moving a single inch. Adagio started walking around, shaking her head.
"N-no. No way that's real," she muttered. "It can't be. There's no way any human in this pathetic world is like this. Not a chance." She let out an insincere chuckle. "I-it has to be a trick. Yeah. I-it's just Discord messing with me, like always. H-he's probably in cahoots with that, woman. Yeah. And he's been corrupting Sonata and Aria behind my back. Th-that has to be it. Just another trick. Another one of his pranks. No big—"
"Really? That's all you have to say?"
Adagio paused and looked over at Sunset. A dark shadow was cast over Sunset's face. As she turned to face Adagio, a roaring fire burned in her eyes.
"Listen, I get it, Adagio. I really do," said Sunset. "It's not easy trusting Discord; especially after how he treated you the first time." She jabbed her phone with her finger. "But look at this! He just sacrificed himself for you! I don't think he wanted to do that! But he felt that he had to, just to show you that he's on your side. And what's your response to that? 'Oh, it's just another trick?!' Are you kidding me?!"
Adagio instinctively backed away, only for Sunset to follow her and maintain her disapproving glare.
"I'm trying my hardest to be patient with you, but that patience is really starting to wear thin, Adagio Dazzle," Sunset growled, getting right in Adagio's face. "I mean, what's it going to take?! Do you like being angry and bitter all the time?! Do you plan on holding onto this meaningless grudge forever?! Do you honestly believe that if you're not the center of attention and profiting from other people's misery, your life has no meaning?! Because if all that's true, then frankly, you, are, pathetic!"
A heavy pause hung in the air as Sunset stared down Adagio, panting heavily. Adagio stared back, entirely dumbstruck. Slowly, Sunset began to come to her senses. Once she did, she palmed her face.
"Oh, geez. Not again," she muttered. She looked up at Adagio and sighed. "Adagio, I-I'm sorry. That all came out wrong. I-I didn't mean to lash out. It's just, I'm under a lot of stress right now, and this isn't helping."
She turned her attention back to the video on her phone. "I-I really don't know what to say about this. I mean, I knew Cinch was bad before, but this... Th-this is unbelievable. Does she actually think what she's doing is right? And what's she going to do with Discord?"
Adagio looked down at hands, thinking for a moment. After a pause, she clenched her fists.
"Well, none of that matters," she said darkly. She began to march off. Sunset blinked.
"Um, where are you going?" she asked.
Adagio cracked her neck. "I'm going to give that Principal Cinch a piece of my mind."
Before she could get any farther, Sunset rushed in and grabbed her wrist. Adagio grunted, trying to wrench herself free.
"Let go of me, Shimmer," she growled.
"No. I'm not letting you do this," said Sunset. She gave Adagio a stern look. "Didn't you see what happened to Discord? Cinch is just going to take your magic, too!"
"I'm warning you right now, Shimmer! Let go of me! She has to pay!"
"I agree, but we shouldn't just rush in blindly like this!"
"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do! You're not the boss of me!"
"Adagio, I'm not trying to boss you around! I'm trying to help!"
"Well, I don't want your help!"
"Why not?!"
Adagio yanked her hand away from Sunset, giving her a cold glare. "Let me make this a simple as possible for you, Sunset Shimmer. I hate you. I hate you and everything you stand for. I hate how you defeated me at the Battle of the Bands! I hate not having my magic! I hate your stupid band! I hate your stupid face! I hate your friendship with Discord! I hate that you're taking Sonata and Aria away from me! I hate—"
"Whoa, whoa! Back up, time out!" Sunset interrupted, motioning with her hands. "I'm not taking Sonata and Aria away from you."
"Then why are they listening to you instead of me?!"
Sunset folded her arms. "Because I'm offering to help them, and they accepted my help. I want to help you, too, Adagio. But I can't if you keep fighting me like this."
Adagio huffed. "Well, like I said, I don't want your help."
"Okay then. What do you want?"
Adagio did a double take. She gave Sunset a blank stare before turning her back to her. "I-I don't have to tell you that."
Sunset clenched her fist, ready to browbeat Adagio again. But this time, she stopped to reflect on what Dean Cadence discussed with her before. She then placed a hand to her chest, inhaled, and extended her arm as she exhaled.
"You're right. You don't have to tell me," said Sunset. She circled around Adagio, blocking her way. "But that's not going to stop me from being there for you." She sighed. "See, that's what really gets me the most. I'll be the first to admit that friendship is not easy. That's why I've been reaching out to you guys. I know what this is like, and I can guide you through it. Sonata seems to understand that, and Aria is at least willing to give things a try."
She shook her head and gave Adagio a chiding look. "But not you. The rest of us are moving forward, and you're stuck. Instead of finding solutions, you just want to stay mad at me. I understand that we weren't friends when we first met, but, well, I wasn't exactly a perfect little angel when I first came to this world. Neither were Discord, Sonata, or Aria. But life gave us all a second chance, and we're making the most of it. Why do you feel that you should be exempt from that?"
Adagio averted her gaze from Sunset. "I don't have time for this," she mumbled, trying to push past her. Sunset, however, grabbed her wrist again.
"Adagio, listen to me. I'm trying to stop you from doing something incredibly stupid here," said Sunset firmly. "Aria keeps saying that you're the smart one; act like it."
Adagio let out an aggravated grunt as she yanked herself free again. "You are so annoying. As if you know anything about me."
"I know enough to understand what you're going through," said Sunset.
Adagio shook her head. "No, you don't. We're nothing alike, Sunset Shimmer."
"I said the same thing to Discord, but it turned out I was wrong," Sunset said with a shrug. "But please, enlighten me. How are we not alike?"
Adagio looked at Sunset warily for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "Do you really wish to know what I want?"
"Well, yeah."
"I want things to go back to the way they were, before the Battle of the Bands."
Sunset arched an eyebrow. "So, you want to be a demonic sea pony forcing the world to adore you?"
"It's more than just that, but yes," said Adagio, rubbing her arm. "I used to be the leader of the Sirens, Shimmer. Sonata and Aria, they looked up to me. Even when we fought, they recognized that I always knew what was best for us. They trusted me to guide us to glory and adoration; they respected my judgement. They, well, followed my lead."
She turned to face Sunset, her eyes beginning to water. "But now? Now they want me to follow their lead. They want me to take orders from you. You! The same person who defeated us and ruined our lives! How is that normal?! How is that fair?!"
Sunset sighed. "Adagio, let's get something straight here. I never ordered Sonata and Aria to do anything. They wanted this. I offered to help them, and they accepted." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Does it really bother you so much that your cohorts are thinking for themselves and making their own decisions?"
"Well, of course it bothers me! They're idiots!" Adagio blurted out.
"Is that really all you see them as, Adagio? Idiots?"
Adagio's face turned bright red. "I, well... Th-that's a loaded question! You wouldn't understand!"
"I understand more than you think I do," said Sunset sagely. "Adagio, I've seen how much you care about Sonata and Aria. You want what's best for them. Well, have you ever stopped to think that they want what's best for you, too? Friendship is not a one-way street."
Adagio crossed her arms and pouted. "Th-that's not how we work. They're my responsibility. I look after them, not the other way around. Besides, they might be comfortable going against who they are, but that's because they're idiots. The Sirens are not supposed to be nice, Shimmer."
"See, I'm having a hard time believing that," said Sunset. She place a hand on Adagio's shoulder. "I've been paying attention to how you've been acting around Sonata and Aria. There is good in you. And I can prove it."
Adagio glanced at Sunset and raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Well, you were just about to Pony Up not ten minutes ago," said Sunset simply. "That's how the magic sensors caught you."
Adagio shook her head as she brushed Sunset off. "Ridiculous."
"Let me ask you this," said Sunset. "When you finally managed to convince Sonata and Aria to take care of themselves, how did it make you feel?"
Adagio gave Sunset a curious look. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question, Adagio. How did it make you feel?"
Adagio chewed on her lip and thought for a moment. "W-well, it felt, good, actually. Marvelous, even. They were, finally starting to respect me again. I laid down the law and showed them that this was for their own good. It was just like back when, I was the, leader..."
She trailed off as she felt a massive epiphany hit her like an oncoming train. She turned to Sunset. "Wait a second. Does that mean my 'true self' was to be a leader this whole time?"
Sunset shrugged. "Don't look at me; this is your journey of self-discovery."
Adagio cast her gaze downward, trying to piece things together. "So, that means when Aria protected us, that's what her true self was. And Sonata, she wanted to see us both happy. But then, wouldn't Aria have been undermining my potential by saying I had to follow her?"
"I know, it sounds counterintuitive," said Sunset. "But being a leader is more than just telling other people what to do." She then looked at her phone, and her brow furrowed. "And it looks like you're not the only one who has to learn that."
Adagio tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Sunset looked up at Adagio, determination sparkling in her eyes. "You want to get Sonata and Aria back to normal, don't you? Well, so do I. They're my friends, too, whether you like it or not. And I think our chances are better if we work together."
Adagio gave Sunset a blank stare. "Wh-what? But, won't Cinch steal your magic, too?"
"That's not the 'we' I'm referring to," said Sunset. "Dean Cadence needs to hear about this, and so do the Shadowbolts. Problem is, they're having their own problems right now. But I think I have a plan."
"Am I going to like this plan?"
"I'll show this footage to Dean Cadence. Meanwhile, you convince the Shadowbolts to stop fighting and come together so that we all can put a stop to this."
Adagio deadpanned. "I've spent several moons dividing and conquering, and you're asking me to bring people together? Either you have too much faith in me, or you're really desperate."
"It's a little of both," said Sunset with a shrug. She then smiled and placed a hand on Adagio's shoulder. "I know it might be difficult for you. Believe me, I was in your horseshoes once. However, I think it's time you became unstuck and actually gave friendship a try. And if you need help, it's okay to ask."
Adagio paused to think for a moment. Just as the bell rang, she sighed.
"Okay, fine," she relented. "But this does not mean we're friends, Shimmer. I'm only doing this for Sonata and Aria."
"Fair enough," said Sunset. She then gave Adagio a final pat on the shoulder before heading off. Adagio sighed.
"The things I do for those two idiots," she grumbled. She started to head for class, but took a quick detour to swing by the nurse's office. Sure enough, Sonata and Aria were right outside, waiting for her.
"Oh! Dagi!" Sonata squeaked. "Um, uh, the nurse just let us go. So, yeah. Turns out nothing's wrong."
Adagio folded her arms. "I'm not buying that for a second. I know what's going on here."
Aria and Sonata shared a look before turning back to Adagio. "Y-you do?"
Adagio nodded. "I know you've both been through a lot, and I'm going to make this right. But I can't do it alone."
"What're you talking about, Adagio?" asked Aria.
Adagio gave her sisters a serious look. "Look alive, Sirens. Magic or no magic, we've got work to do."