Luna had decided to take Raven out to a Japanese Steakhouse. The two women were enjoying their sushi, when Luna's phone began to ring. Looking at the screen she saw that it was Printing Press.
"Sorry Raven," Luna sighed, "I have to take this call."
She hit the accept call button and answered.
"Printing Press, you have the most annoying habit of calling at the most inopportune times," Luna said into her phone, "apologies only get you so far."
Luna listened to what Printing Press had to tell her before she spoke.
"Look I don't care if it's 1138 Studios, Griffinsgate Films or some other Hollywood studio, right now my answer is no," Luna said, "I won't have those vultures butchering my work."
Luna then turned off her phone and looked at Raven.
"Sorry about that," Luna said, "I keep telling him no and he keeps insisting."
"Well, that's what I get with you being world famous," Raven answered, "as long as at the end of the day I get you all to myself."
"Nightmare Moon is famous," Luna countered switching to a southern accent, "Ah'm just ah simple high school Vice-Principal."
"Are you sure you aren't an actress," Raven laughed.
"Tia was the drama queen when we were kids, remember," Luna laughed.
*****
Aria and Sonata were both staring at Adagio when she entered the place they called home.
"What," Adagio asked.
"Dagi," Sonata said, "you look cute."
"What are you wearing," Aria laughed, "you look like you just walked off the set of a Japanese anime!"
"It's my uniform," Adagio growled, "all the girls at Crystal Prep dress this way."
"Please put your hair in ponytails," Aria said trying and failing to keep a straight face, "I want a picture of this!"
"I am going to kill you," Adagio answered.
Sonata soon joined Aria in fits of laughter.
"Both of you are dead to me," Adagio growled.
Later that evening, after Adagio had changed out of her uniform, she and her sisters went for a walk. They found themselves sitting in the park next to the bandshell. Adagio looked over at the stage.
"We were so close," Adagio said.
"Drop it Adagio," Aria answered, "I feel more alive now than I have felt I years."
"Don't you ever wonder how things could have been," Adagio said, "we could have ruled Equestria by mother's side."
"Mother used us Adagio," Aria said, "we were nothing but disposable pawns to her, she used us and then discarded us like yesterday's trash."
"I never want to go back to her or Equestria," Sonata said.
"You girls don't really mean that do you?" Adagio said shocked by what her sisters were saying.
"I absolutely mean it," Aria said.
"Equestria doesn't have tacos," Sonata answered. Both Adagio and Aria couldn't help but face palm at Sonata's comment.
"Sonata do me a favor," Adagio said after moment, "never grow up."
The three sisters enjoyed the rest of their evening and when they returned to their home Sonata went straight to sleep. Aria pulled out her sketch pad and a pencil.
"Aria," Adagio said quietly so that she would wake their sleeping sister, "did you mean what you said earlier about mom?"
Aria looked at Adagio for a moment before closing her sketch pad and then resting her chin on her knees.
"Yeah," Aria said, "I didn't realize it until today, but she was just using us."
"Why," Adagio said, "why would she treat her own daughters that way."
"She was sick Adagio," Aria said, "she saw enemies where none existed."
"I guess you're right," Adagio said.
"At least we have each other," Aria said.
*****
Adagio had trouble sleeping that night. She saw herself standing victorious over the Rainbooms. Even her sisters bowed before her. Mother would be so proud! She had proven herself worthy of being...
"QUEEN," voice echoed, "YOU WILL NEVER BE QUEEN ADAGIO!"
"Mother," Adagio gasped, "I have beaten our enemies, surely I am worthy of being your successor."
"ONLY I WILL EVER RULE," the voice of Queen Harmony said, "YOU AND YOUR SISTERS ARE NOTHING! HEAR ME YOU ARE NOTHING! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Adagio bolted upright and looked around the room. Sonata was sprawled out in one corner snoring softly. Aria was asleep leaning with her back against the wall. Adagio silently wept into her hands.
*****
Adagio was beginning to hate her decision to attend a separate school away from her sisters. She realized that she was the new girl, but someone should have At least said hi to her. Instead she sat alone at a table in the corner of the cafeteria not enjoying her lunch.
"Um, would it be ok with you if I sat here," Adagio heard a voice say, "if that's ok with you I guess."
Adagio looked up and found herself looking at the semi-familiar form of Twilight Sparkle.
"It's just that this is where I normally sit," Twilight said nervously, "no one else ever does."
"Go ahead," Adagio said, "my name is Adagio and I'm new here, what's your name?"
"I'm Twilight," Twilight answered, as she fumbled with her hair, "Twilight Sparkle."
"Are things at Crystal Prep always this tense," Adagio asked, waving her arm around indicating the student filled cafeteria.
"Yes," Twilight answered, "were things different at your old school?"
"Lets just say that people had a habit of breaking out into spontaneous musical numbers during lunch," Adagio smiled.
"Weird," Twilight said.
"Yes it was," Adagio replied, "my sisters still go there."
Adagio spent the rest of her lunch talking Twilight, she felt like she had made a connection with somebody other than her sisters. All too quickly the bell signifying the end of lunch rang.
"Hey Twilight," Adagio said, "would you like to hang out sometime, you know, outside of lunch?"
"Yes," Twilight answered, I'd like that."
Adagio smiled and headed off towards her next class. She was stopped by a group of three girls, she recognized one of them as being in her trigonometry class. Adagio thought her name was Sugarcube or Sugarbowl, something like that.
"Let's get something straight new girl," the girl with long straight hair said as she pointed over Adagio's shoulder, "if you want to get anywhere in this school, stay away from her!"
Adagio looked over her should and saw that she was pointing at Twilight. Adagio couldn't help but smirk.
"Really, and who is going stop me," Adagio asked, "you and your pathetic little group of friends? As if!"