Throughout the rest of the school day, Sunset couldn't get Adagio's words out of her mind. Could the Demon's power really be harnessed for good? She wracked her brain to come up with answer but found herself going in circles.
First came the knee-jerk reaction.
No way. That's not possible. There's no way I could do that.
It was a reasonable choice. Such an idea went against everything she was ever taught about magic. The power Princess Twilight had used with the girls had been used to protect themselves, to restore the students' minds, to repair the damage that she had inflicted. The Demon's power was corrupt and subversive, only suitable for destruction and suffering. Wasn't the fact that they'd won and she'd lost proof enough of its impotence? Even if there was something of value to be found, did that really warrant running back into a burning building? Of course not. It just wasn't meant to be.
But that note of resolution would soon be undermined by a little thing called curiosity.
But what...just what if I could?
Fire powers and mind control didn't offer much in terms of direct aid. But maybe she could help people indirectly. Like a superhero in a comic book, she could hunt down lawbreakers and bring them to justice. A quick flash of her green spirals would accomplish in seconds what paperwork and interrogation would need hours to complete. Sure, she wouldn't undermine the legal system, she'd just use it to her advantage. And as pretty as Canterlot looked to outside eyes, there were plenty of problematic people lurking in its underbelly. From the level street gangs like the Diamond Dogs and Gilda's Griffons to unsavory businesses like Storm King Enterprises, they'd be completely unprepared for any sort of supernatural attack. Yes, criminal deterrent would be a perfect job for her. She would be the city's new symbol of fear and justice.
But just as soon as the possibilities started they'd be stopped when she reminded herself of the consequences of losing control. She could see the Demon now, laughing maniacally over a smoldering pile of ashes that used to be the city before turning its sights on the rest of the world. If things got out of hand, people would die, and it would be all her fault.
But as soon as she'd completed that revolution, Adagio's words would come right back.
"It's YOUR power isn't it? If you could learn to harness it, then couldn't you use it for good?"
And so it was that when the last bell rang for dismissal that Sunset walked out of the school no closer to the truth than when she started and with only a pounding headache to show for her struggles. So she stopped for a moment to rest in front of the school mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, rippling slightly when she touched the sealed portal.
Sunset sighed and addressed the mirror. "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. And since the portal's closed, I can't do any research." She crossed her arms over herself. "I just wish there was a way to know for sure before I put it to the test."
"Funny. I thought wishing was what got you into this mess to begin with."
Her reflection changed shape. And in a moment, Sunset found herself staring into a familiar twisted face.
"Somehow, I knew you'd show up eventually." She tapped the mirror again. "So what is this, hallucination, daydream, manifestation of my inner doubts? Come on. Spill it."
It glared at her. "Now come on, Sunny. If we're gonna do this, at least go all the way."
"All right. What do you want?"
It put a hand to its ear. "Use my name please. Don't worry, there's no one else around."
"Fine. What do you want Searing?"
At that, It smiled and began rattling its claws on the mirror. "That's better. And don't worry Sunny. If you're expecting a 'Turn to the Dark Side' speech, you've got the wrong idea. If anything, I'm just as curious about Adagio's idea as you are."
"What?" Sunset cocked her head. "No no no. You're not supposed to be like this. You're supposed to try and get me to bathe in a fountain of human blood, devour their souls, set the world on fire. You're not supposed to want to be used for good."
"Ah, but you see that's where you're wrong." It shrugged its shoulders and held up a claw. "I don't want any of that. I want what you want, and I give you what you need to get it. You wanted power at the Fall Formal. I gave it to you. You wanted to conquer Equestria. I helped you do so. You wanted to dispose of Twilight Twinkle--"
"Sparkle."
"Whatever. I helped you do that too. I even helped you get revenge on all those students who made you their punching bag, since that was what you wanted. Because like I just said, you've got the wrong idea." It leered at her with a grin. "I'm not the devil on your shoulder trying to get you to step off the straight and narrow. I'm just enhancing what's already there. The burden of choice has always been with you."
Sunset smacked her forehead. "Then why appear to me at all if you're basically a neutral party?"
Its appearance shifted, the claws and fire vanishing, the orange skin reverting back to its usual amber. When it was done, Sunset stared into her reflection once again. It leaned closer to her.
"Why am I doing this? Simple. It's so you can't turn around and say the Devil made you do it." And before she could say anything else, it vanished, leaving poor Sunset even more confused than she already was.
"Great. Well that settles it. I guess the only options now are either do nothing at all and avoid the risk or take a chance and test these powers out for myself. Ugh what to do? What to do?"
While Sunset stood lost in thought in front of the school, a hooded Adagio Dazzle was weaving her silver tongue amidst a pair of unsuspecting students. Judging by their appearances and behavior, Octavia Melody and Lyra Heartstrings carried significant influence among Canterlot's student body, one the very image of grace and poise while the other too curious for her own good. Even now, they stood before her with mouths agape, drinking in her every word.
"Is it really true?" Octavia put a hand over her mouth.
Adagio nodded. "I saw them kneeling before her with my own eyes. Sunset Shimmer has brainwashed the principals!"
Lyra smacked her hands together. "I knew it! I knew there was a reason she got off so easily after what she did. There was no way she could have really changed. And now she has the school's highest authority under her spell. Anyone one of us could be next."
Octavia crossed her arms. "And we can't do anything about it. If we try and confront her about it, we'll get our minds captured just like them. If only we could use magic too."
Adagio cocked her head. "And why can't you?"
"What are you crazy?" Lyra held up her arms. "The only students here that have magic are the ones that hung around Princess Twilight. None of the rest of us got anything."
"Oh how unfortunate." Adagio sighed. "I mean, if I were Princess Twilight, I would have made sure to share my magic with everyone in the school, not just five girls. That doesn't seem very fair, does it?"
"No it most certainly does not. But what can we do about it?"
Adagio jerked her head around before leaning in close. "Well don't quote me on this, but I heard that--what was her name again--Trixie managed to get some magic of her own. Maybe she could help you get some too. And then you could find a way to protect yourself from that horrible winged Demon. Just don't tell her I told you. I don't want to get brainwashed either."
"Don't worry. We won't." The two girls thanked her for the information, and ran off to find Trixie. Adagio watched them go with a grin on her face. While Trixie's ego had provided her an adequate opening, the rest of the students were so scared of Sunset's demon that they'd do anything to be free of her. To the point where she'd barely had to use magic at all. Sure, a unified force against one girl didn't make for much of a meal at first; but so long as they kept focused on their target, she'd gain herself a proper feast later. Chuckling to herself, she turned and walked to the very back of the school's parking lot, where the two enthralled principals were waiting inside a minivan for her.
"One by one. They all go down. The siren drags them off to drown."