“When I was under Princess Celestia’s tutelage,” Sunset Shimmer began. “I was always an ambitious student, always hungry for power yet never satisfied. I imagine that’s how you were banished, right?”
“To an extent,” Sonata nodded. “The Siren living in my gem told me.”
“Well, I came here to get some… Help, if you can call it that. To find something in this world I felt Equestria couldn’t give me. Probably wasn’t the smartest idea, I’d say I’ve been here for what feels like decades. I wanted so badly to get even with my teacher, to take ‘everything’ she built, but I needed power. The best place I figured to find what I need was to attend the school as a student, work my way to the top, and the rest plays itself out.”
The whole time Sonata silently looked at Sunset, with peak interest of Sunset’s story, of which she was reluctant to tell.
“Anyways… I did take over the school,” Sunset continued. “Everything was smooth sailing, whenever the Fall Formal came around, I was always the winner, I always had the crown, no matter who came my way. As the last girl who competed against me.”
“Huh?” Sonata asked, confused.
“Long story,” Sunset sighed. “My point is: I was unstoppable.”
“Then, how did you--?”
“As time passed, I started feeling powerless even as I controlled the entire school. I thought the only way to gain more control is taking Twilight Sparkle’s crown… In Equestria. I’ve spent years keeping track and hearing stories of all the power that one crown possessed. Luckily for me, thirty moons had come and gone, allowing me passage back to Equestria. I snuck into one of the castles, took the crown, and got away with it… Though I accidentally woke up Twilight herself.”
“What happened?”
“Twilight Sparkle, along with her friends, chased me. I almost escaped, but she managed to hit me with her magic, I could only watch as the crown flew towards the portal. When I got back… Fluttershy, the human Fluttershy, had found the crown and had it locked away. I knew I had to get it back, the first chance I could get. That was… Until Twilight Sparkle actually showed her face.”
“What did she do?”
“She dodged every curve ball I threw at her,” Sunset chuckled. “No matter what I planned, no matter what obstacle made, somehow she perseveres. I still don’t know how she does it!”
“Sounds like she’s very brave,” Sonata replied, silently.
“Brave isn’t exactly the word I’d choose; lucky is the more appropriate one,” Sunset clarified. “Anyways, I didn’t show it, but I was afraid Twilight would end up being more popular than me. I arranged to have Snips and Snails trash the auditorium, but they went too far and nearly wrecked it. Luckily, Twilight and her friends, along with everyone else, fixed up the decorations just in time for the Fall Formal.”
“Did you ever have second thoughts about it?” Sonata asked, curiously. “You know, about stealing the crown and whatever?”
“A little… The truth is it tore me up from the inside, even though I knew there was no going back. I worked too hard after everything else I accomplished; I wasn’t backing out on my plans. Eventually, I actually got my hands on the crown… But they still got in my way.”
“Who?”
“Twilight and her--, Are you even listening?”
“Uh… Yeah, sure I was.”
Sunset Shimmer studied her for a moment, making sure she wasn’t nodding off before continuing the story.
“Anyway, Twilight and her friends somehow managed to gather their magic of friendship and defeat me,” Sunset pressed on. “Ever since then, I’ve tried to keep a clean nose, but you know how that turned out during the Battle of the Bands. After that, we—”
Suddenly, Sunset felt her grip tighten, Sonata Dusk wrapping her arms around her body for a hug. Silence returned, though Sonata’s breathing was slower. Sunset lowered her head, noticing she had fallen asleep. She studied her face, so innocent for one seemingly evil, yet still it surprised her. Out of those three Sirens, how is it someone like Sonata could seem so nice? As weird as it was to say.
Carefully, Sunset Shimmer pried the sleeping Siren off her, gently laying her upon the sheets that had been forgotten. Sunset brushed a bit of hair away from her pale face, gazing at her as she slept… Not in a loving manner, but sympathy like a mother watching a sleeping child. Sunset couldn’t help but see how peaceful she slept, a complete contrast from someone once considered an enemy of the people.
As Sunset watched her, something did catch her eye: A red mark, just along the shoulder. Upon a closer inspection, slowly lifting the thin lavender t-shirt, a heavy bruise upon her thin torso was shown. It was a shocking sight; Sunset couldn’t imagine what she endured. As Sunset pulled the shirt up a bit, the material tracing along her back, Sonata’s body tensed but Sunset had to know. It was just as she suspected; bruises, not just on her sides and back, but all over her upper body.
“No more…” Sonata whispered, trembling. “Please… I’m sorry…”
Sonata was talking in her sleep, as Sunset could tell from her tone, she was scared… Scared of what? She didn’t know. Sunset looked down upon her as if she were a porcelain doll, so small… So fragile… So helpless. Sunset never thought in thirty moons she’d use such words to describe someone like Sonata. Especially her, of all people, one of her worst enemies.
“Wha…” Sonata shot up, rubbing her neck. “What happened? Ow!”
Sunset had just tended her wounds when Sonata woke up. There was no going back, something happened, and Sunset had to know. She had to find some sense to this precarious situation.
“I should be asking you the same thing,” Sunset replied. “What happened to you? How did you end up with these wounds?”
The more Sunset asked, the more Sonata tried to turn away, like they offended her to some degree. Sunset assumed this had something to do with her friends… Siblings… Or whatever their relationship was.
“… It’s-It’s nothing…” Sonata answered, brushing off. “I accidentally hurt myself, finding a place to stay. This was all I could find so… Here I am.”
“What about your friends? Why aren’t you—”
Sunset stopped herself, before she finished the sentence. She knew it would hit where it hurts, but Sunset needed to confirm her suspicions.
“Did they do this to you?”
Sonata looked away, reluctantly, afraid to answer the question. But Sunset was relentless: She would not be satisfied until she received what she needed to know. The real challenge was getting Sonata to confess to a sensitive subject.
“You mean this?” Sonata asked, feigning surprise. “No worries. I just hit myself a few times on the way. No biggie.”
“Is that the truth?”
“Sure. It’s not a—”
“Sonata, it’s okay. It’s just the two of us; you can tell me what happened.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s only a couple bumps, happens all the time.”
Sunset didn’t need magic to know she was lying through her teeth. Nobody gets these marks every time they are out and about, no matter how klutzy a person can be. Something was troubling her, instincts told Sunset there was something else.
“Sonata, you and I both know this is more than a couple bruises. Who did this to you?”
“Sunset, please! It’s nothing to fret over.”
“It is something to fret over. Whatever happened to you is no exception, so you have to talk to me.”
“Sunset—”
“It’s okay! Nobody’s here, just tell me what happened.
“I—”
“What’s the matter?”
“It was—”
“Why are you--?”
“I GOT BACK FROM A FIGHT! ARE YOU HAPPY?!”
Sunset finally got the answer, but it left her speechless.
“A fight?” Sunset asked, concerned.
“Yes… A fight,” Sonata mumbled. “No… More like a slaughter. What else is there to say?”
“Sonata… Who was the fight with?”
Deep down, Sunset Shimmer already knew the answer, but she wanted Sonata to be the one to answer. The siren took a deep breath, looking upon Sunset with the most sorrowful face she can give. Sunset carefully leaned forward, anxious to hear what came next.
“It was… With them.”
The moment Sunset Shimmer heard that final answer, to say she was flabbergasted was putting things simply. Exchanging verbal words was one thing; the Dazzlings have done it all the time. But still, after seeing all the injuries and Sonata all by herself, whatever Sunset imagined was sickening.
“Sonata, what did they do to you…?” Sunset asked.
“Where do I begin?” Sonata began, looking away.