//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: While One Lost, The Other Gained // by Newtimestonight //------------------------------// As the rainbow light pierced through the air, Sunset Shimmer watched as the three sirens fell to the stage bellow them, their red pendants shattering before them. She watched as their siren forms were washed away and the girls regained consciousness in their human bodies. As she slowly lowered herself back to the cliff the Rainbooms were performing on mere moments ago, Sunset couldn’t help but smirk as she saw the former sirens trembling and standing weakly on the stage. As Sunset stood there, she felt the all too familiar sense of power wash over her. The same sensations and feelings she felt at the Fall Formal. She felt powerful, like she was above everyone else, like no one could reach her level. Sunset wanted so badly to not go back to the person she used to be, but at the same time…she missed the sense of freedom she felt when she would walk the school halls as if she owned the place. Back when she could walk over everyone with no more than a few glares which were quickly returned, making people cower away and bend to her will. Sunset didn’t want to admit it but, she missed those days. Sure, she had friends now, but that didn’t even compare to making people do whatever she wanted, merely because they were scared of her. Bringing her attention back to the weakly standing girls on the stage, she watched as they picked up the shards of red glass and held them tightly in the palms of their hands, not caring about the scrapes they caused. Sunset turned around to the Rainbooms, who were sharing a group hug and cheering. She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. She couldn’t bare being ‘Nice little Sunset Shimmer’ any longer. She wanted to go back to her old ways…no. She needed to. Walking down hill of the cliff she quickly pushed past the now quiet audience and climbed up onto the stage. The sound of her boots clacking against the platform reverberated off of the walls. Much to Sunset’s surprise, there were tears in Adagio’s eyes. For the first time in her life, she was truly terrified. Her only purpose in life was to sing, and now not having that power made her practically a pawn in the game Sunset was about to play. The crowd watched closely with confused faces, Sunset had the same expression painted over her face as she used to when she was the school bully. Some of the crowd even backed away from the stage as they saw Sunset’s hands ball up into tight fists. Sunset aggressively pushed past Aria and Sonata and walked over to Adagio. She saw blood leaking through Adagio’s clenched fists as the shards of red lifeless glass slashed her skin. The whole audience was silent at this point, watching intently as Sunset Shimmer kneeled before Adagio Dazzle. Adagio clenched her jaw as she felt Sunset’s presence beside her. She could feel a few tears run down her cheeks and sink into the platform beneath her. “Look at me.” Sunset said in a nonchalant tone, almost sending shivers through Adagio’s spine. Aria and Sonata watched from a few feet away, shooting each other confused glances every once in a while. When Adagio did not comply to Sunset’s demand, Sunset waisted no time in taking ahold of Adagio’s wrist aggressively and forcing her gaze onto Sunset. “LOOK AT ME.” Sunset said through gritted teeth. Adagio flinched as she felt Sunset’s grip on her wrist and she began to tremble from the intensity of anger in Sunset’s tone. Adagio’s eyes widened as she looked up at Sunset Shimmer. Adagio dropped the shards of her pendant to the ground but didn’t dare to try to release herself from Sunset’s grasp. As Sunset looked into Adagio’s eyes, her expression changed from one of anger to one of amusement. An evil smirk appeared across her lips and she tilted her head slightly, her gaze never leaving Adagio’s. “Oh, look…the ‘fearless siren leader’…shaking in her boots.” Sunset said with an evil and somewhat sarcastic chuckle. Adagio’s mouth gaped as if she was going to say something, but nothing came out. She turned her head slowly to look at her two companions behind Sunset Shimmer but jumped as she felt a hand forcefully hold onto her jaw and mouth, forcing her gaze back to Sunset Shimmer. Sunset tightened her grip on Adagio’s wrist and dug her nails into her flesh hard enough to draw blood. Adagio tried her best to put on a brave face but without her siren powers to defend her, she was completely helpless. “Did you really think you could overpower me?” Sunset asked, her smirk leaving as fast as it came. Sunset found immense amusement in Adagio’s current state. She looked scared, tired, and bit confused. Adagio couldn’t form any words at that moment, she just stared back into Sunset’s eyes as she shook. She didn’t know what to do, she couldn’t do anything. Adagio was so weak at the moment that she came to a conclusion that if Sunset Shimmers new found power escalated any, she wouldn’t be able to do much to stop her actions. After a few moments of silence, that’s when Adagio saw it. She saw a familiar ring of glowing green light in Sunset’s eyes, the same glow that radiated from the arguing humans when the sirens would feed off of their negative energy. Adagio’s breath caught in her throat as she finally came up to speed and she tried to take her wrist back from Sunset, only resulting in Sunset digging her nails deeper into her skin. “You gave me this power, Adagio…I thank you for that. But now you are of no importance to me.” Sunset smirked as she finished the last part of her sentence. Adagio gulped and her breath became ragged and heavy. ‘No…she couldn’t mean that…right?’ It then came to Adagio’s attention that the Rainbooms were standing not so far behind Sunset Shimmer, and it surprised her even more to see that Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk were standing behind them. Adagio began to tremble once again and her eyes widened as she met Sunset’s eyes of which were now blacked out completely, glowing with only a turquoise light. Sunset towered over Adagio and grinned. “You still have some magic in you, Adagio.” Sunset began as she leaned in closer. “I want it.” Adagio’s breath hitched as she saw the glow in Sunset’s eyes grow brighter, illuminating the dark of the night. She struggled against Sunset’s grip, desperately trying to get away but to no avail, her grip was like iron. “Please…” Adagio begged under her breath as blood began to leak down her wrist as Sunset’s nails dug deeper into her flesh. As this scene unfolded in front of them, the Rainbooms made sure to keep Aria and Sonata behind them. Tears fell from Sonata’s chin and Aria tried to push past the girls. “Y-you can’t just let her do this to her!” Sonata begged as two girls held her back. Rarity and AppleJack did not release their hold on both of Sonata’s forearms, but backed up slightly, Sonata still in their grasp. Twilight clenched her fists and looked to the stage below her. “We wouldn’t be able to stop her even if we tried,” She began as she lifted her gaze to Sunset Shimmer and Adagio Dazzle. “One cannot be reformed twice.” Sonata and Aria’s heart sank as they heard this. “S-so…we can’t stop her?” Sonata asked as she stopped kicking her legs against Rarity and Apple Jack, who were still holding her down. Twilight turned around to Sonata who was looking back at her with terrified eyes. Tears streamed freely down her face as Twilight placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” Twilight said in a quiet tone. After a few moments of silence, a loud scream was heard from behind them along with an evil chuckle. The girls quickly lifted their heads and turned around to see Sunset Shimmer standing over Adagio. Adagio was laying on the stage and Sunset was looking down at her. The cold night breeze swept through Sunset’s hair as she stood over Adagio’s seemingly lifeless body, pocket knife in hand. “No…” Sonata whispered under her breath, her voice shaky and her body trembling. Sunset smirked and picked up the shards of Adagio’s shattered pendant and watched as it pulsated with small glows of red magic. “Finally…The power I deserve…is all mine.”