Rainbow Dash was never so excited yet disappointed at the same time. She was about to go through the portal to quench her absolute curiosity, however now she didn’t have an excuse anymore: She had just found one of the three sirens! She couldn’t believe her eyes; there Sonata was. Sonata was looking quite anxious, but still she proceeded to walk out of the front door of the school.
When she completely emerged from behind the doors, Rainbow noticed Sonata wearing plastic gloves and held a big black trash bag in one hand. Sonata didn’t notice Rainbow Dash; she proceeded to pick up the trash and food left from the food fight just a few minutes prior. She wasn’t a janitor; the way she dress almost suggested she worked in the kitchen. She was wearing the apron, which was white but dirty, most likely from baking and cooking. Sonata must have been whom she slightly saw in the kitchen earlier! The hair in Flash’s salad was Sonata’s. 'Why hadn't Granny Smith told Applejack,' Rainbow thought.
“Oh boy, they are never going to believe me.” Rainbow said to herself. She was a little smug at that moment, for if she weren’t so curious, they would have never found Sonata. She was also ecstatic though, because she can surprise all her friends the next day with who she found.
Rainbow Dash yelled from a distance to catch Sonata’s attention. “Hey Sonata! It’s me Rainbow Dash.” That seemed to only get Sonata to pick up her speed, as if she wanted to get the task done before getting confronted by Dash.
Rainbow decided it was her duty to approach Sonata. “Sonata, how are you doing?”
“U—um—hey,” Sonata softly spoke. She didn’t know how to react to Rainbow’s unexpected greeting. She only ever talked to others with Aria and Adagio present, and they usually did all the talking; she was never often confronted alone.
“You’re not going to believe this,” Rainbow started, “but my friends and I need your help.” Rainbow decided to cut the story short and ask directly. She didn't want to possibly scare Sonata off by asking her about how life's going, and why she's working at Canterlot High School.
“M-my help?” Sonata had no idea why Rainbow Dash—a member of the Rainbooms—was asking for her help.
“Um, it’s a long story. We are… cursed, by Enmity Swap?” Rainbow hoped Sonata recognized the name of the spell, so things could move on from there.
“*Snicker* Swapping what now?” Sonata asked, on the verge of laughing from such nerdy terms, which had just left Rainbow’s mouth.
“Huh, I guess someone else named the curse,” Rainbow mumbled, “We are infected by one of your curses.”
“What! Did Adagio or Aria do something?” Sonata asked in a worried tone. For the first time since the curse was casted, someone other than Trixie or her friends was taking with her. The book did say that the sirens aren't affected by their own curse, so it made sense why Sonata was willing to talk with Rainbow.
“Well, you see… Trixie played some guitar solo a week ago, and now my friends and I have a curse where, pretty much everyone hates us.”
Sonata was a little doubtful about what Rainbow had said, “I pretty sure that’s not the reason, you can only cast that with—wait, no… That can’t be it. How’s that possible? She didn’t! She wouldn’t.”
“Yeah?” Rainbow Dash asked, excited she is actually in a conversation with someone new.
“That’s a curse which can only be casted with our pendants.” Sonata claimed. “Which means–”
“There she is!” a male student yelled. Sonata was cut off by a student who had just located Rainbow Dash. Soon after his yell, the mob of students came from behind a corner of CHS.
“Get her!” another yelled.
Rainbow wished she could have stayed longer, but she had to escape once again. This time, however, she decided to simply run home. She assumed that’s what all her friends did. She later confirmed her assumption by checking the group chat on her phone:
SunsetShimmer– Sorry everyone, had to run home. No way am I staying at school after that.
Fluttershy– It’s okay, I did the same.
SunsetShimmer– alright, hope the others did too.
Applejack– Yup, but I gotta stay away from my family.
Rarity– My dress! It's ruined :(
PinkiePie– Okie dokie lokie
Applejack– is that all you ever say?
PinkiePie– nope
SunsetShimmer– Rainbow Dash?
Applejack– She’s probably okay, faster than all of us after all.
Rainbow was safe at her house, so she then had the opportunity to text the others about how she had actually ran into Sonata.
You won’t believe it. I found Sonata, and she works in the kitchen at CHS! –You
It only took about ten second flat for her to get multiple replies:
Applejack– Really?
SunsetShimmer– you’re not joking are you?
Rarity– You went back to school after the food fight?
I’m honest, she works at CHS –You
Fluttershy– That’s great news!
I didn’t have enough time to talk to her. We should visit her tomorrow –You
SunsetShimmer– Good idea.
Rainbow Dash told them all she knew about what Sonata had said and acted. They agreed to visit school after the first bell to avoid any human contact, and find Sonata; hopefully in the kitchen if Rainbow was correct.
The next day Rainbow Dash and her friends met up by the statue after the first bell had rung. By this point, missing school was the least of their concern. When confronted about returning to CHS the day before, Rainbow tried her best to bend the story so they didn’t suspect her attempt to go to Equestria.
The six were so exited to know that someone could finally help them. Together they walked up the front stairs and into the school that morning.
They took the respective turns leading into the school kitchen. When they opened the door the first to appear in site was Granny Smith. But right beside her was Sonata. To all the girls surprise besides Rainbow Dash, but there Sonata was: helping Granny Smith prepare the lunch for the day. It wasn’t Tuesday, unfortunately.
“Sonata Dusk?” Sunset Shimmer asked. Sonata took one look at them, then simply kept preparing the food.
“Um, we’ll help you with that if you tell us how Trixie obtained magic.” There was still no response from Sonata.
“Maybe she’s too overwhelmed, it being all of us Rainboom’s,” Pinkie said to her friends.
Applejack then tried a different approach: Ask Sonata about herself, “Well then, you can then maybe tell us about your self. How you got to workin’ here and all?”
Apparently that was the trigger for Sonata Dusk to turn around. “You want to know about stupid–old me?" The six looked at each other, surprised that they caught her attention. They decided to go along with what ever was working.
“Of course we do, we want to know how you are,” Sunset Shimmer added.
“Wow, you girls aren’t going to insult me for working in a cafeteria? Or call me any names?” Sonata Dusk said. Her eyes slightly dilated too while she spoke. The six turned towards each other, then realized Sonata probably didn’t talk to many people other than the other sirens, and they were always teasing her when the Rainbooms watched.
“Can Ah help you folks?” Granny Smith asked as she pointed her wooden spoon towards Applejack.
“Granny, you know us?”
“Yeah well, ya’ll shouldn’t be here and I gotta finish the sauce and the sandwiches and…” Granny Smith's sentence trailed of as she walked away to the other side of the kitchen.
“Sonata, please tell us everything which happened since the battle of the bands,” Sunset said.
“Well,” Sonata started. “After the battle of the bands, we couldn’t use our powers to get things for free anymore. So I guess out of rage both Adagio and Aria left the apartment we were living in.” Sonata looked down to the ground, her eyes started dampening.
“Then our manager came and kicked me out of the apartment. I tried singing as a last attempt, but it didn’t work.”
“Where did you go?” Fluttershy asked.
Sonata looked back up at the Rainbooms. “With nowhere to go and no food to eat, I took my belongings and went to the only person who might help: Principal Celestia. Late at night I rang her doorbell and, well, asked for help.” She paused as if she was about to tell the embarrassing facts, but didn't. “Principal Celestia didn’t just want to leave me out on the streets, so she let me stay with her. Surprisingly she was in a great mood to see me, as if I were her best friend. I felt bad to live under her roof without helping though, so I suggested that I work to help pay for my cost. That’s how I ended up working as an assistant in the kitchen.”
“Well that’s really great to hear that you are safe.” Sunset Shimmer said.
“So, what are you here for?” Sonata asked, suddenly becoming interested in them.
“We’re here to ask for your help,” Rarity spoke up.
“My help, Rainbow Dash said the same thing; I thought it was maybe a joke?” Sonata replied.
Sunset Shimmer shook her head while closing her eyes, “Well as far as we know from Rainbow Dash, you couldn’t finish telling her what you knew about the curse.”
“Do you know how to destroy the curse?” Pinkie asked. She had cut to the chase pretty quickly.
“Well duh, of course I know how, I was a siren after all.”
“Great, can you get rid of it for us?” Rainbow asked excitingly.
“Well hello? Was a siren I said. I would need my pendant back or would need to be in Equestria to use magic. Also, Aria and Dagi need to be with me to even do it.”
“Where would we get a pendant,” Fluttershy asked.
“Duh, if Trixie is using siren spells, then of course she must have a pendant of some sort.” Pinkie Pie stated.
“Okay, enough with the ‘duhs’!” Rainbow yelled as she covered her ears. “I can only withstand one Pinkie Pie at a time.
Sonata continued, disregarding Rainbow statement; mostly likely because she didn’t understand how Rainbow was suggesting she was like Pinkie. “I’d like to help. Really I would, but without Dagi or Aria, I can’t do anything about the curse. I do really miss Dagi and Aria; though we do get into fights, we went through so much together.”
“Tell you what,” Sunset proposed, “if we find Aria and Adagio, then bring them back here, will you convince them to get rid of our curse?”
“If you do that, and also get me a pendant, Then sure.”
Rarity leaned over to Rainbow Dash and murmured, “We can’t fully trust her can we?”
“Well, do you want to stay like this forever?” Rainbow muttered back.
“We don’t even know where the other two are though?” Rarity quickly replied.
Sonata overheard the side conversation and had the perfect gift for them. “Well, Before Aria left, she did leave a note.” Sonata took a note out from her pocket and handed it to the girls. “Here, I kept it as a memento, but it will do more good for you than for me. That’s all I know but maybe Aria knows where Adagio is.” Sonata lastly stated before she turned back to the table to prepare the food.
The girls looked down at the paper. It read:
Dear Adagio and Sonata,
We had our good times in the past,
However, without our pendants there is no drive
any more. Recently we have only been arguing.
It hasn’t always been this way, but I don’t see a
change in the future. So I have decided to leave
and hope for a better one. When I left earlier, to
blow off some stream, I came across a group of
people in the forest who were also sentenced here
by Star Swirl the Bearded or other ponies. If you
ever need me, or find a way back to Equestria,
I’ll be located in the forest near town with the
other refugees.
-Aria Blaze
“Well, thank you Sonata Dusk, we really appreciate the help.” Sunset Shimmer said before they were about to leave the kitchen.
“Wait!” Sonata quickly yelled before they were out the door.
“If you girls are really serious about this, I do have one story, which may help.”
“Really?” Fluttershy asked.
“For realzies.” Sonata replied.
“Why didn’t you tell us earlier then?” Rainbow Dash asked suspiciously.
“I wanted to know if you girls were really being truthful, before I told anything which would put Adagio, in risk.” Sonata said, getting slower and quieter as she spoke.
Rainbow Dash now felt there was something Sonata was keeping a secret. “Risk? What is she talking abo–”
“We would love to know about it.” Sunset Shimmer stated.
Sonata started telling the girls about how Trixie came knocking on their door three weeks ago.
knock—knock—knock
“Who could that be?” Sonata asked. It had only been the day after the battle of the bands, and so they weren’t keen on leaving the apartment that day, as Aria did the night before.
“How would I know? I can’t see through doors!” Adagio replied. She got up off the couch she was sitting on to check the door. Sonata made no effort to stand up; she was much too comfortable to move a muscle from her slouch on the sofa.
“Sorry,” Sonata said in a sarcastic tone.
“Actually,” Adagio realized, “I know who it is. It’s probably Aria, wanting to come back and apologize. I knew she couldn’t even handle one night.”
Adagio got to the door. She was confident Aria was on the other side. She could rub it in Aria’s face how she was right. As Adagio opened the door, her smile quickly faded into a frown as she saw who it was in front of her. There stood Trixie, still in her dress from the night before. She reeked of plants and dirt, which Adagio slightly backed up after seeing the dirty condition Trixie was in.
“What do you want Trixie? I’m not in the mood today, okay?” Adagio said. She quickly understood by the smile on Trixie’s face that she was here for another reason. A grin that large didn’t simply suggest a ‘rant’ from Trixie.
“Hello, Adagio.” Trixie said in a menacing voice. “You may think I’m here to scold you for what you have done. No—no—no, I’m here because we both hate the Rainbooms.” Trixie quickly peered behind Adagio to find a slightly curious Sonata trying to listen in. Adagio noticed it too and decided to have the talk away from her. If it were something Trixie wanted them both to hear, she would have spoken up by then.
Adagio decided to make it less suspicious, “You must leave Trixie. Why don’t I show you out?” Adagio said as she winked at Trixie. Adagio gave a shove to Trixie and she then closed the door behind her, to leave Sonata alone in the apartment. Sonata didn’t think much of it until she started hearing faint noises through the wall. She decided to get up and press her ear against the door to listen in on the conversation.
At first she had little clue of what they were talking about, but when she gained her orientation in the conversation, she heard them semi clearly.
“What are you trying to tell me?” Adagio asked.
“Look, you have something I want, and I have something you want.” Trixie answered.
“What can you possibly have that I want.”
“Oh, I’m not telling until you first reassure me that you are willing to listen farther.” Trixie stated.
“Okay, what do I have that you want then?” Adagio asked.
“I saw you take your broken pendant after the battle of the bands.” Trixie relied.
“What? That’s what you want? What can you possibly do with it? It’s broken now. Yeah it is fixable but I don’t know how, and I certainly know you don’t either.” Adagio said, uneasy to the request of her broken pendant shards.
“What I do with the pendant is none of your concern, but I’m quite sure you will be giving it away after you hear what I just found out today.”
“Well, what is it?” Adagio said in a hurry, worrying Sonata might suspect things if she stayed too long. Trixie decided to whisper her reveal, making it incomprehensible for Sonata to understand.
“I happen … know … back to Eque… and I wouldn’t mind sharing its location for the shards you have.” Trixie said.
“You do?” Adagio asked. It was almost too good to be true. “You’re bluffing.”
“Oh, not at all. Why would I travel all this way if I was simply bluffing?” Trixie said.
“So you can steal my pendant shards!” Adagio answered.
“Now—now, you said yourself, the pendant wouldn’t do me any good broken. So why would I want them if I weren’t bluffing. However, If I were to take it to someone in Equ–”
Adagio interrupted. “And why would I let you do that?”
“Well okay then, have it your way.” Trixie said as she started to leave. Trixie was very strategic, and knew Adagio wouldn't let this offer pass.
“Wait! Okay, I’ll give the shards to you, but only after you show me how to get back.”
“One last thing,” Trixie announced.
“Yes?” Adagio asked.
“You go, only by yourself.”
“What? Never. I’m going to this… portal, to see if you are right. Then I will return for Sonata and Aria,” Adagio spoke.
"Alright, just come with me then," Trixie lastly stated, as far as Sonata could hear.
Adagio was quite ready to return to Equestria. She didn’t care what Trixie would do with the pendant; Trixie could rule this world for all she cared; She will be in Equestria. Sonata quickly ran back to the couch where she was sitting as Adagio entered the apartment again.
“What are you looking at?” Adagio asked.
“Nothing; the conversation.” Sonata slapped herself in the fore head after her dumb response. She didn’t know why she just hinted how she knew about the conversation, but Adagio didn’t seem to care.
Adagio went into the bedroom to grab her keys and a small box she kept the shards in, and returned to a curious looking Sonata. “I’ll be back by 6:00. Just got to do some… things.” Adagio said as she headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Sonata asked with a worried look on her face.
“I’m… just going out for a walk.”
Sonata was sitting down in the kitchen with the girls. She stared at the floor before continuing on with the story. “She never did come back at 6:00.” Sonata said quietly.
“Are you saying she went back to Equestria, darling? Rarity asked.
“I don’t know, I didn’t even know there was a way back.” Sonata said, which made the girls relieved Adagio didn’t tell Sonata about the portal. Having only one siren back in Equestria was better than her and Sonata too.
“Well I better get back to work.” Sonata stated. “Just, please don’t harm either of them.”
“How can we? We don’t have any magic to use.” Applejack jokingly replied as they headed out the kitchen.
The girls left for real this time. Sonata was one to be cheerful, but without her fellow sirens, she was more down about things than usual. They had something more important on their minds, however. They couldn’t believe they actually had actually made a deal with an enemy. Though they weren’t so sure how they were going to do everything they promised Sonata. What they did know was where Aria and Adagio generally were.
“Ah can’t believe Adagio got back to Equestria! Some how Trixie must have found out about the portal.” Applejack said.
“So lets go find Adagio then!” Rainbow Dash excitingly said.
“Now hold on Rainbow Dash,” Sunset said, “I think it’s a better plan to do what we did last time. You girls look for Aria while I go find Adagio in Equestria.” Sunset suggested.
“Fine, you win again, Sunset.” Rainbow Dash said angrily.
The six agreed to the plan and Sunset Shimmer split off from the group to go find Adagio in Equestria, while the rest of the girls were about to see what the note Aria wrote was really about; if there were others like the Dazzlings who were banished here, this trip could yield some dangerous results.