//------------------------------// // July 18: Again and Again // Story: Seven Days in Sunny June, Book III // by Shinzakura //------------------------------// Casa Picante was an “authentic” Mexican restaurant, the word in this case meaning “so obviously not associated with anyone even remotely Hispanic that Taco Bell was brutally realistic by comparison”. Still, it was a strangely popular restaurant despite its kitsch image and goofy ¡Fiesta! theme, complete with eye-searing colors, badly-warbled mariachi music and more piñatas than an XBox game. And at the middlemost table, as though they were in the eye of the pseudo-Mexican storm, sat four girls, each of them in various states of “enjoyment” of their breakfasts: from Octavia and her Cinnamon Churrolicious Stuffed Waffles to Champagne and her surprisingly – and actually – authentic menudo. Rarity, eating lightly, simply settled for a small breakfast burrito, while Twilight, wanting to be a little more “adventurious” (as the menu said), went for the huevos con chorizo. “Thanks for coming, girls,” Champagne said, the look in her eyes determined, “though…I hadn’t expected you to bring someone extra.” “Chammie, this is Rarity,” Twilight said, giving the introduction. “She was also a victim, and she’s a friend of mine. I thought she would be of help with this.” “Victim? You don’t mean….” Rarity said, the look on her face surprised. Twilight nodded. “Yeah. It’s happening again. And we think that we know who’s really behind it.” “How much does she know, Twily?” Champagne asked. “More than she probably wants to,” Octavia commented. “She was almost a victim of Blueblood himself.” Champagne took a drink of her non-alcoholic mimosa. Setting the glass down, she commented, “I’m not very pleased to say it, but that’s more than enough, as far as qualifications are concerned. Ms. Rarity, here’s the situation….” “You want to pay how much for this warehouse complex?” the man gasped over the phone. “Sight unseen, no less?” “That’s correct, Mr. Values,” Piano Bliss said over the phone, trying to affect a Scottish accent. Fortunately, she was originally from Nova Scotia, where just about everyone spoke with a brogue that Americans identified as “Scottish”. “His Highness, Prince Divine Right, is offering twenty million euros – around twenty-seven million of your dollars – for the whole complex. And according to our company’s research, your facility has been sitting there unused for quite some time.” “Tell me about it. Folks here in Canterlot are so damn NIMBY at times that a set of warehouses designed to deliver stuff closer never gets used, while the ones down in the south part of town are practically filled to capacity. Stupid world we live in, I swear.” She heard him sigh on the other end before he continued with, “Well, at least you’re offering me more than those dolts at Walmart. They’re only offering me twelve; you’d think that for a company that’s afraid of the new Barnyard Bargains Supercenter going up just blocks away they’d be willing to offer real money.” “Well, sir, my lord Prince truly desires the property and is willing to recompense you for such. Plus, if I may be so bold…he’s not much one for Barnyard Bargains or its ilk.” “Hrm, so what does he have in mind?” “My lord Prince has petitioned the American football federation – sorry, I forget they call it ‘soccer’ in the States – to create a football club in Canterlot. The complex downtown is large enough for a stadium and its needed environs, and such a complex provide plenty of jobs for the region.” “Well, if you ask me, he needs to build another NFL team out here, ‘cause the Stallions ain’t worth a damn. Still, it’s his money, and the price is right…sure, you have a deal.” “Wonderful. Please send a copy of our contract to our attorney’s office in Los Angeles, and she’ll look it over – strictly a formality, as you know. Once that’s done, we’ll be in town in a few days to sign the necessary contracts. Will that be sufficient?” “That’ll be great. I’ll talk to you in a few days then, Ms. Line.” “As will I, good sir. Have a pleasant day.” With that, “Dotted Line” hung up the phone, and Piano shook her head, laughing at the idiocy of the man. He doesn’t even realize he signed his own death warrant. Not that she’d kill him, of course, but “an interested party” would get word to the FBI that a SIREN sympathizer was in their midst, and sooner or later that would filter to CSIS. Mr. Property Values wouldn’t have much longer to live after that. “So, any luck?” Divine Right asked his secretary/bodyguard/lover as he looked up from a book. For a rare change since she’d met him, he was not reading a grimoire or any sort of magical book, but instead an everyday, average book: The Prince. She’d heard it was a fairly nasty piece of work – or at least what she’d been told by her grande sœur – so she wondered why he was reading it. Probably for the irony, or maybe it’s just something princes read, she thought. She giggled softly. She regularly bedded a prince. That got her quite on the way to being a princess, at least more than the average girl. Yes, she was a combat-ready SIREN, but…a girl had dreams, right? Besides, he chose her. Sure, he was probably double her age – his ID said he was about 52, though his weirdly youthful looks implied he was no older than his late twenties – but hey, he chose her and that was all that mattered. “Very much so, dearest,” she told him, and he looked at her oddly. May as well stake my claim now. Once we beat Les Scars, who knows what will happen next, and personally, being a princess is not a bad idea. He closed his book and gave her that smile that she knew was just for her. “In a few days, head to Canterlot to finalize the details. I still have a few more things to attend to, and then I’ll be along shortly, okay?” He looked at the nearby grandfather clock. “In the meanwhile, I must meditate and expand my skills. We’ll do something tonight for dinner, okay?” Piano gave him her most winning smile, determined to win him. With a grin, he walked off. As he left the library for his private chambers, he ran into his secretary – his true secretary. “I have a missive for you, sir,” the man said, handing him a sheaf of paper. “Additionally, your appointment has arrived and has been escorted to the map room.” “Thank you,” Divine replied. “Please, make sure that Ms. Bliss is kept…busy until I return from my appointment. The last thing I need is some heavily-armed, love-sick puppy following me around while I’m trying to attend to important business!” “As you say, sire,” the secretary said, bowing as Divine walked past, not giving the issue further thought. Walking up to the third floor, he opened the door to find his appointment lounging in a chair, swishing a glass of wine. “Ah, yes. Chateau Quilicot, 1986. A wonderful year. I’m glad you approve.” He sat down and looked at the attendee, then poured himself a glass. “So, have you given any thought to my offer?” he asked. “I…have, and I’d like to know what’s in it for me,” the other person voiced. “Ah, yes. I’m presuming you mean beyond the obvious trappings of wealth and power?” he asked, and received a nod in reply. “Well, you will be able to take the Director of the CSIS and quite literally squash him or her like a bug. You will taste immortality and experience things that others cannot even begin to dream of. Your desires and demands will be capable to the ends of the Earth and beyond.” “And all I have to do is agree to your demands?” “Think of it as…an offer from someone suitably impressed,” Divine commented, raising a glass to his lips. “You intrigue me. And unlike that young thing downstairs, I can tell that you are more than just your chest and your thighs.” Cantata Blast sat there, a scowl marring her features, until she commented, “That ‘young thing’ you referred to is dear to me, dearer than most. She is my petite sœur, and I have raised Piano since she was a baby. And I am not pleased that you chose to bed her…and now you want to throw her away as if she was nothing.” “As you can imagine, in my line of work, we cherish much…but I’ve learned that sometimes, you must sacrifice what is dear to you to succeed.” He smiled. “Let me tell you a little story: once, I was a man in love. I wooed a woman of incredible beauty and stature, one who I wished to be at my side and in my bed more than anything. But she spurned me – me, a prince!” “I can’t imagine why,” Cantata drolled. Divine ignored her. “Instead, she ran off to America, married some dolt and bore that man a child. I wanted to make her mine – I still do.” He poured himself another glass of wine, then said, “But I could sit here all day and tell you about how much I would treat her as my own personal little porn star…or I could do something much more productive and offer the position to someone more…suited, shall we say.” “In short, for warming your bed and murdering your enemies, I become your wife?” Cantata said bluntly, holding her glass out for a refill. “Close.” He refilled her glass, and clarified: “No, in return for keeping me company throughout all of time and destroying our enemies, you become my wife and empress.” He leaned back in the chair and said, “Come now, don’t think small – you have a keener mind than that.” “And what of Piano?” “I have something in mind for her – and no, it does not involve murder. But, I will be honest: she will be a footnote in our rise to power.” “I see.” Cantata took the glass and drank again. “And you’re sure of this ‘immortality’, or do you speak merely metaphorically?” “I’ve shown you my secrets since I started my interests in you and you know that.” He held his hand out, and as it glowed with a sulfurous violet hue, he plucked a book out of nowhere, as if willing it into creation. “My father of fathers created this tome, and many of its spells have been of grand use. Did you know that there’s one that I could use to make you my slave?” Cantata’s hand started going for her pistol and Divine shook his head. “I tell you this because I want it clear: I want your mind. If I wanted, I could have every nubile little girl in the world whoring for me this very second, but what would that get me? Frankly, Piano may be a great diversion…but she’s not one for stimulating conversation.” “I never focused on her standard education as I should have,” Cantata said by way of apology. “But I appreciate the candor.” “I will give you time to consider the offer, of course,” Divine commented, “but don’t think of it too long: I will have need soon of a great general for my armies.” “Admiral – I’m no mere army woman,” Cantata mused with a hint of a smile. “Does that mean you’ll accept?” Divine asked. “Yes, I think I will,” Cantata said, rising from her seat. Divine rose from his seat as well. “Good, good. I will send Piano on duties to America in a few days. Then you and I will have all the time in the world to get to know each other. Will time in Monaco suffice?” “That’s sufficient,” Cantata commented drily, then added, “But I warn you now: I’m not some love sick child to be wooed with flowers and trinkets. If you truly want me body and soul, then you’d best be prepared to earn it as much as you wanted that other woman.” “I see,” Divine commented. “Then consider this my first gift to you, then: in the next room over, you’ll find something you’ll truly appreciate. Oh, and the room is soundproofed. Now, I must attend to my business, and I’ll leave you to yours, my betrothed to be.” With that, he walked out, and she walked towards the door. He then stopped, watching her frame and her tight body, his eyes leering over every curve that he very much intended to know personally. “A marvelous woman,” he mused as he walked out. Cantata opened the door to a room that reeked of various body smells; clearly someone had been living in their own filth for the past few days. She heard a muffled voice and the clink of chains. Ignoring the smell, she reached over to turn on a light switch and see what was there. “Oh, my – he does have a way with gifts,” she cooed with a smile. Perhaps it will be worth it after all. Sitting before her, bloodied and clearly having not been fed or allowed to use the facilities for a few days, was a man in a soiled suit. He was chained down to the floor, his balding blue-and-orange hair a mess. He looked at the woman who entered, and his eyes went wide with terror. “Well, well, well – Assistant Director Far North. Pleasure to meet you here.” Cantata’s eyes boiled with rage. “Y-you can’t get away with this,” North commented. “A-A-ARROWHEAD—” “Doesn’t know you’re here,” she said, crouching down in front of him like a panther eyeing its next meal. “In fact, I doubt you know where here is – for the record, it’s a small mansion in Valcluse, France.” His eyes widened. She smiled at that before looking at him straight in the eye. “I’m going to kill you painfully. You took the Admiral from us. He was our lone family, the one who wanted us all to be free from an illegal program Parliament knows nothing about.” “We couldn’t risk Poutine telling them. The SIRENs have been too effective a deterrent against our enemies,” he admitted. “And so you had him assassinated and posthumously disgraced. That was a mistake.” She took out her gun and pointed it right between his eyes. “So we rebelled, and then you tried to have all of us killed. Well, this is the point where we bite back. Pity you won’t live to see it.” She holstered her gun. “A quick death is too good for you.” “W-What are you planning to do?” Cantata got up, and walked over to the nearby table. Sitting on a silk pillow were brand-new surgical steel knives, all still in their wrapping. Picking one off the pillow, she removed it sheath and then looked at him. “Let’s just say that this is a war between the SIRENs and CSIS. And I’m about to commit a war crime.” Aria’s fist was stopped mere fractions of an inch away from Sunset’s face. “Are you actually paying attention?” the pigtailed girl asked. “Hey, give her a break, Ari,” Applejack said from her seat. “Yer leagues better than her – and me – and Ah think y’ need to realize that.” “AJ, I teach martial arts classes at the Y,” Aria reminded her, “so I keep that in mind. But Sunny, you really don’t strike me as the kind of girl interested in it.” “Well….” The awkward smile on Sunset’s face was more than enough to answer. Before Aria could blow a fuse, Applejack told her, “Look, let me talk to Sunny in private, okay?” She pointed to Rainbow. “Spar with Lazy over there fer a few and let me talk to her, ‘kay?” “Yeah, sure.” Aria glared at Sunset, then walked over to Rainbow, who was boxing with a training bag. “An’ Ah thought mah sah-bu-nim was tough,” Applejack said with a chuckle. “Look, Sunny, Ah’m gonna be honest: Ah know we covered the basics so you could fake knowin’ somethin’ after the incident months ago, but Ah’d be surprised t’ hear you say that yer serious about all this. So, you want to tell me what’s goin’ on?” “You’d laugh,” Sunset told her. “Try me.” “Okay. You obviously know that my magic was unlocked. But here’s the thing: on Equus, there’s magic everywhere, so a mage can pull from other sources aside from herself; pulling from her own reserves for major spells is a desperation move. However, here on Earth, everything’s pretty much magically dead, with the exception of you and the others – and I’m not about to do that. So I have to draw from my own reserves, and even though – and not to brag – I’m probably the most powerful unicorn living, even I’ll exhaust myself. That means I have to increase my wellspring and to do that, I need to be in better shape, better meditation and better reaction capable. Since I’m really not one for sitting in yoga class, I had two options – take those modern dance classes that Pinkie’s taking over the summer, or well, martial arts.” “Really?” Sunset nodded. “Yeah. I know it doesn’t seem it from when Twilight was here, but remember, she didn’t use any magic, because she didn’t think to. And as an alicorn, she’s a lot more in shape than you’d think.” “Ah wouldn’t know what the comparisons were ‘tween an alicorn and a unicorn, sugarcube,” Applejack admitted. “Heck, until Ah met Twilight, Ah didn’t even know what an alicorn was.” Applejack crossed her arms and added, “Well, and all this time Ah thought it was ‘cause y’ wanted to protect Twily.” Sunset blushed. “Well…that too. I mean, Twily and Tavi – they’re my family, and I nearly blew that once. I can’t afford to do that again.” “Well, y’know we’re always here for ya.” “I know, but what if something magical happens?” Applejack pondered on that for a second. “Last time we had a magical problem around here, you took care of it. Time before that? No offense, but….” “Yeah, I get the point. But they’re my family, AJ. If the situation was reversed, I’m sure you’d want to do the same, right?” The blonde nodded, giving her friend a laconic smile. “Yeah. Let me talk to Ari and see if she can go easier on ya. Ah think she thinks you know more than you do, and that’s probably mah fault.” She patted Sunset on the shoulder. “Practice a kata while Ah chat with her, ‘kay?” “Got it.” On time, Coco arrived at Blueblood’s home. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked around the side path, away from the main house and towards the guest house where Blueblood and Suri lived. She thought that was pretty cool, that both her parents and his realized how much they were in love, so much so that the adults let the two choose their future even though both were technically not old enough yet to do so. She hoped that she could find someone like that someday. Finally arriving at the bungalow, she knocked on the door. Seems quiet, she mused. I hope they’re at home. Sure enough the door opened, revealing Blueblood. Coco swooned a little when she saw him, and if truth was to be told, she felt a little jealous for Suri: Blueblood was a gentleman and a handsome guy, kind and debonair. If he was single, maybe she would have tried to catch his attention, but given that he was four years older than her, he would probably never see her as anything other than a kid sister type. But maybe someday she would meet someone as cool as he was. He did mention he had a cousin who went to Canterlot High, and maybe she’d get to meet – Flash? or something like that – in the near future. “Oh, hello, Coco!” Blueblood said with a warm grin. “Come in! May I take your bag?” “Thanks,” she said, handing it over as she stepped in. “So, where’s Suri?” “She was unfortunately tied up with other affairs,” Blueblood said sardonically. “She’ll be home later tonight, so, my apologies, dear lady, but you’ll have to tolerate my poor presence as recompense.” Coco giggled. “Don’t say that – you know I like being around you!” “I know. Care to play some chess while we wait? And would you care for some champagne?” She nodded eagerly as she made her way to the parlor table. Another thing she liked about him: he was a chess player, something that she’d learned from her grandmother; also, he treated her like an adult and let her drink, something she knew she’d be in trouble for at home. “That would be wonderful, thanks!” Coco said as she sat over by the chess set. As she did, she watched Blueblood as he walked into the kitchen, wearing that form-fitting cornflower-blue t-shirt that accented his muscles from tennis and his other hobbies. She couldn’t help but wonder why she was so focused on him. For starters, he was Suri’s boyfriend, and he treated Coco herself like a little sister. And yet all I can think of is him right now, she thought as her eyes went over every line of his body. “Like what you see?” he asked suddenly, and that snapped her out of her reverie. “I-I’m sorry?” she asked, flustered. He set the bottle of champagne in the chilling bucket, then gave her a smile. “I presume you were looking at the cake I baked. I’m not the best at that sort of pursuit, but based on the hungry look in your eyes…would you care for a slice?” “Oh! The cake! Uh, sure! I’d love to try it, thanks!” Blueblood walked over and set the glasses of champagne down, then wandered over and grabbed a plate and a knife. Cutting Coco a generous slice, he then placed that in front of her, then sat at his seat at the chess table and gazed at her. “Please, I’m interested in knowing what you think of it.” “Aren’t you going to have some?” “I’ll wait for Suri to return home before I do,” he said, turning his attention to the chessboard. “But I couldn’t possibly turn down the request of a sweet young lady, could I?” Coco hid her blush behind a drink of her champagne, then reached over and made her opening gambit, B2 to B4. “Your move,” she said, slurring her words slightly. She thought about it for a second and wondered if she was getting drunk, but then again, neither he nor Suri would ever let it get that far. He was about to make his own move when the phone rang. “Excuse me for a second, if you please.” She nodded and he got up, making a beeline for the phone. “Hello, dear, I suppose I should ask if she’s arrived yet?” The voice was unmistakably Suri’s, though she was affecting an obviously badly-done Jersey accent in case Coco had been nearby. “Yes, the package arrived this morning,” Blueblood said breezily. “Everything is just as planned, thank you for asking.” “So, do you have anything planned for her when I get home, or do you need more time?” “Oh, I have a few extras that are in play – I’m sure my dearest would very much appreciate the Dutch chocolate and German liquors I’ve planned for later on. But thank you for your services, I’m sure she’ll very much appreciate the gifts.” Suri, currently shopping in an intimates store, understood immediately what Blueblood had just told her via code: “Dutch chocolate” was a general term for any chocolate extremely high in PEA, phenylethylamines, which was one of the known confirmed aphrodisiacs that was effective on humans. As for the “German liquor”, that was clearly the Vibe. Suri picked out something special for herself, and based on her measurements, for Coco. Tonight would be special, both for the fact that she would remove a problem from her sister for once and for all, and she would have a little fun. And besides, if Coco did check out, perhaps she could be persuaded to stick around on a more permanent basis. After all, Suri did reward her underlings, friends and personal assistants, and what she had in mind was as personal as things could get. Coco Pommel, tonight I will break you, Suri said with a nasty gleam in her eye, and whether I rebuild you or destroy you entirely depends on what you plan for my sister. Sunset had just arrived home as she saw Twilight and Octavia, dressed as though they were headed out. She looked at both and asked, “Going somewhere?” “Yeah,” Twilight nodded. “Champagne Dreams invited us to something school related. I know you’ve been out all day, and plus, I think our parents want you to babysit Spike, or else I would invite you.” A weary Sunset gave a tired grin and said, “That’s okay, sis. I’m wiped out from working out all day with the other girls, so I could use the breather.” “Working out?” Octavia asked. “Yeah. I was just BSing with AJ, Rainbow and Bonnie, when Ari decides she’s going to show the three of them her moves. And seriously, she’s in a class all of her own. She then insisted that I learn something, since whatever AJ taught me ‘wasn’t worth a damn.’” Sunset chuckled and added, “As you can imagine, AJ did not take that well.” “Yeah, I can imagine,” Twilight commented, giggling. “But Ari thinks that because I have two girls at home, that as the oldest, I need to protect you both. In her words, ‘They’re probably not as trained as Soni and Dagi are.’ Heck, I didn’t even know they knew martial arts – I thought it was just Ari.” The look on Twilight’s face was one of sweet admiration, while Octavia’s was unreadable. Finally, Twilight smiled and said, “That’s so sweet of you, sis! I mean, we haven’t really needed anyone looking out for us since we were kids and Shiny was in high school, but—” “Who says we need it?” Octavia asked in cold fury, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Tavi?” Sunset asked, suddenly wondering what was going on – that had not been the answer she expected. As if a switch were flicked, Octavia calmed down and said, “Sorry – tonight’s going to be stressful and I’m already on edge.” “Boy troubles?” Sunset asked sincerely. “Look, can we not talk about this now?” Octavia groaned, before turning to Twilight. “Rarity’s going to be here in a couple of minutes.” “Rarity’s going with you two?” Twilight nodded. “Yeah, she knows Chammie. Look, sis, everything’s going to be fine, okay? We’re going with Rarity, we’ll be there for a few hours, hopefully, and then we’ll be back home by midnight. Everything’s going to be just fine.” Sunset looked at both her sister and cousin critically. “You’re saying that as if I should be concerned. Do Mom and Dad know about this?” “Yeah,” Octavia told her. She would have said more, save for a horn honking outside. “Well, that’s Rares. You and Spike try not to kill each other, okay?” “Yeah, yeah,” Sunset groaned. “Think I’m going to take a shower.” Twilight gave her sister a kiss on the cheek, and Octavia gave Sunset a quick hug and both were off. As Sunset walked up stairs, she couldn’t help feel that something was off. She wasn’t sure what, only that her instincts were screaming at her to do something. “Hey, Sunny?” Spike called from his room. “That you?” “Yeah, it’s me, squirt, what’s up?” “Hey, can we have pizza tonight? Mom and Dad said to ask you.” She walked over to his room and said, “Tell you what: let me go hit the shower, and I’ll think about it.” “I’ll behave,” he bargained. “I expected you to anyway,” she rejoindered. “I won’t bother you all night.” “Deal. Call the pizza place and order the usual,” she told him. “Now I have a hot date with some hot water.” Thirty minutes later, the four were parked just outside of Crackle’s house. “You sure this is the address?” Twilight asked Champagne. “This looks rather…pedestrian for someone of Suri’s stature.” The four were seated in Rarity’s car, across the street from the house in question. It was clearly a stakeout, but for what reasons, Twilight wasn’t sure. “In case you didn’t know, Suri and Crackle are half-sisters,” Champagne explained. “Crackle’s the daughter of Suri’s father’s mistress. There’s a rumor going around that Suri’s father actually loves his mistress and not Suri’s mom, and that the latter’s a marriage of convenience. Even still, it’s clear that Suri and Crackle love each other dearly and that the older would do anything for the younger – that’s probably how we got into this mess, now that I think of it.” “So, dear, what are we waiting for?” Rarity asked. “Apparently Crackle went out for the day with some ‘friends’ – though turns out that they’re actually just younger sisters of Suri’s clique. Apparently they’re keeping a tight lid on her and don’t want her to realize what’s going on. Even still, she’s the only chance we have of stopping this once and for all,” Champagne told the group. “We just have to convince Crackle.” A few minutes later, a Mercedes Benz pulled up to the house with Crackle getting out of the passenger seat and Vanity out of the driver’s; a girl with blazing white hair and soft gray eyes got out of the back seat. “Okay, don’t forget about tomorrow,” Vanity told the younger girl. “We have a whole bunch of things planned.” “But I had plans with my friend Coco,” Crackle told her. “I’m sure she won’t mind if you cancel,” Vanity told her. “Given all the stuff that she’s doing today with your sister, she’ll probably be too tired to do anything tomorrow. Trust me, she’s not going to mind.” “You’re sure?” “Yes, very sure.” Vanity gave her a smile. The other girl then spoke up. “Well, I hate to tell tales, Crackle, but my brother? He kinda likes you and he was hoping that you’d be there tomorrow.” “Really, Windy?” “Yeah. He told me that when I get home I have to give him your phone number, if that’s okay with you.” Vanity snickered. “See? That’s how you do things, girl! You’ll have yourself a boyfriend by the beginning of the year a—” “Okay, Vanity, that’s enough.” The doors on Rarity’s car opened, and four women stepped out. “You done stalling for time?” Vanity crossed her arms. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Ms. ‘I Graduated and Now School Business is None of My Business’. Why don’t you head on off to college like a good girl, Champagne? Plenty of boys there to ride you, since from what I hear you do more of that than studying.” “Classy as always, Vanity. Tell me, how does it feel to be Suri’s little toady? Especially now, helping her destroy someone’s life?” “You’re lying!” That came from Crackle. “My sister’s a wonderful person – she would never harm anyone!” “You’re wrong,” Champagne told her. “Your supposedly-saintly sister is about to have her boyfriend seduce your friend. Hell, knowing that bitch, wouldn’t surprise me if she tried to do it herself!” The new girl spoke up. “Okay, I don’t know who you are, but I don’t like your tone. You don't speak to my friends like that, so you and your little slut buddies get back in your car and go fuck yourselves, got that?” At this point, Twilight realized she needed to get involved before it was too late. Pulling her diva pin from her pocket, she said, “Ms. Crackle, I need to talk to you. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m the senior diva for Zacherle.” Vanity’s eyes narrowed at Twilight’s words. “You dumb cunt – you actually think that you’re the diva?” “She’s lying,” Crackle shouted. She ran behind Vanity. “I know she is, Vanity!” “So do I,” Vanity said firmly. “Last chance, Dreams. Get you and your lesbo orgy out of here or else something not so nice is going to happen.” “Like what?” The platinum-haired girl snarled. “You don’t want to find out, trust me.” “Please,” Twilight asked, calling over the increasing din. “Ms. Crackle, you have to believe me! Your friend Coco’s in danger!” “What?” Crackle asked. “I’m not going to lie – your friend’s in danger, and we think Blueblood and Suri are behind it!” Twilight cried. “Even if you don’t believe us, think about your friend!” Octavia spoke up. “I was nearly sexually assaulted by Blueblood once,” and then she pointed to Rarity, adding, “and so was she. Blueblood is not the guy you think he is, and even if you believe your sister’s innocent…she might be in danger from Blueblood, too. Both her and Coco.” “Don’t believe a word either of them are saying, Crackle!” Vanity shouted. “They’re doing this to humiliate Suri!” “But what if she’s telling the truth about Blueblood?” Crackle asked. A thought came to her head, more than once, of Blueblood looking at her in an unusual way. She thought at first it was because of some of the facial features she shared with her older sister. But if he’s really that way…. The girl suppressed a shudder. “Okay, I’ve had enough of your shit, Faire,” Champagne said, reaching over and grabbing Crackle’s arm. “They’re here to stall you, Crackle. They’re not your friends.” “Sharp Wind!” Vanity shouted. “Roger that,” the girl said, changing her tone from friendly to obedient, and moved with a speed that bordered on the impossible. The next second almost seemed like the world was moving at a quarter of its normal speed. The white-haired girl rushed forward, leapt into the air, spun and lashed out with a vicious kick that caught Champagne straight across the face. Champagne’s nose exploded in blood and the girl was staggered back by the blow, crumpling to the ground, screaming in pain. Sharp Wind, meanwhile, moved in front of Vanity and Crackle, the latter’s face filled with shock. “Meet Sharp Wind, a girl who’s kinda like a little sister to me…oh, and my bodyguard, too. You see, I was kidnapped when I was a child, and my parents wanted to make sure that it never happened again. So in return for a lifelong scholarship for the family, Father fixed me up with a lifelong friend who also serves as my bodyguard. And she knows every martial art there is out there.” Vanity shrugged. “Apparently some girls are trained as ninjas or something for some reason. Who knew?” “Shall I take care of them?” Sharp Wind asked, never taking her eyes from her quarry. “If you would, please,” Vanity said affably. “Break the two divas wannabes first, and then whoever the extra loser is.” “On it,” Sharp Wind said, rushing off and heading straight towards Twilight, fist cocked. The teenage fighter was moving so fast, Twilight knew there was no time to escape. Octavia rushed towards her cousin’s aid, but knew she wouldn’t make it in time. A panicked thought went through Twilight’s mind: Sunny, save me! Fractions of inches before fist collided with face, an indigo storm intervened. Sharp Wind felt her feet kicked out from under her, a painful slam to her chest, and then an even fiercer hit to her face, splitting her lip and drawing blood from her nose. She crashed painfully against a neighborhood streetlight, dazed. “Don’t. Even. Move,” Sonata Dusk snarled. Her raspberry-hued eyes raged with angry fire, and her stance clearly showed that it was just the first round in the fight – and that she would finish it. Sharp Wind thought otherwise, rocketing off from her downed position. She saw the newcomer’s moves, and while it was clear that she was good, there was no way she was going to beat a heavily-trained bodyguard. She never even reached Sonata, who ended it by plucking the girl out of the air as if she was standing still, elbowing her in the chest, following up with a backfist, and then a brutal uppercut that ended it. The snap of Sharp Wind’s nose was heard as it cracked and she went down for good this time, felled by an opponent who, to Vanity’s shock, wasn’t even winded. “Touch them,” Sonata warned, “and I hurt you.” “Soni?” Twilight gasped, shocked. Without removing her eyes from Vanity, Sonata said, “I was out for a jog – yeah, I know it’s a few miles away from my place – and I saw the crowd. Thought something was going on and I’m glad I got here in time. Wouldn’t want to see you hurt, Twily.” “Thanks,” Octavia replied, not even asking where Sonata got the Fist of Angry Triplet skills from. Vanity wasted no time. “My father will pay your parents whatever you want – just get rid of those idiots behi—” “Those ‘idiots’ are my friends,” Sonata seethed. “Say one more thing about them, and you lose your teeth.” Rarity, meanwhile, had enough presence of mind to bend down by the fallen Champagne. “Girls, she’s hurt.” “Rares, let’s get her to the hospital,” Sonata responded. “Wait – you guys are really telling the truth about Suri?” Crackle asked, shocked. “Don’t believe them!” Vanity warned. “You just had someone beat up, Vanity! And your friend’s hurt too! Why should I believe you?” Crackle countered. “Soni, we have a problem,” Twilight told her friend, explaining as much as she could as they tried to ease Champagne in the car. “I see,” Sonata said a second later. “Ari’s at work today, but Dagi’s home. Let me call her and have her bring my car, and then we’ll go.” She then fixed her eyes on Vanity and said, “This isn’t over, got that? You just made a big mistake.” Twilight called to Crackle. “Crackle – please. I’m not lying and Coco’s in danger. Please, trust me.” “No! They’re ly—” Vanity’s words were suddenly cut off by an unexpected punch to the gut by Crackle. “You’re lying,” Crackle said in the girl’s ear, “and if I find out that Coco and Suri are hurt? You’ll pay.” Crackle immediately rushed towards Twilight, asking, “Room for one more in the car?” Rarity smiled awkwardly. “We can manage, dear.” “Dagi, go with them. Something weird’s happening, and I don’t like it,” Sonata said to her older sister a few minutes later. “Soni, we shouldn’t be involved. We’re SIRENs. This could seriously blow our cover,” Adagio reminded her. “Please? Someone innocent’s being hurt, and isn’t that we’re supposed to do? Protect the innocent?” “No, actually, if you want to get technical, it’s defending the Crown, Canada and its citizens, followed by prosecuting the war against our enemies,” Adagio commented. “At least, that was the old rules. No current rules, but I suspect of Captain Blast wrote them, they’d go along the lines of ‘Take out CSIS with no quarter given.’ In any case, there’s nothing there about protecting the innocent.” “Dagi – it’s Twily, Tavi and Rares,” Sonata explained. “You’re closest to them and Flutters, just like I’m closest to Sunny and Pinkie and Ari’s to AJ and Rainbow. It’s the natural result of having friends.” “Of HUMINT assets, you mean.” “No, of friends. And they need us right now – and honestly? We need them to need us, because we need friends.” She looked at her sister. “I…I want to quit. I’m not cut out for the lifestyle of the Sisterhood; neither are you and you know that. And for all the claims that Ari’s the least bothered by it, it’s obvious she’s struggling, too.” “Let’s not talk about this right now,” Adagio commented. “No, you’re right, sis: You need to act, not talk. Forget being Seaman Adagio Dazzle – just be Adagio Dazzle, the girl whose friends need her right now.” Adagio sighed and nodded. “You’re…you’re right. Fuck, you’re right. Okay, I’m in. But you, me and Ari need to talk about this later. If we’re going, someone has to tell our sœurs.” “Understood. Now, I’ll stay here with Rarity – that girl might come back and she might take another shot at that Champagne girl. But in case she’s not: you need to protect Twily and Tavi. Please.” “On it,” Adagio commented. “By the way, I really don’t like driving your car.” “Can we talk about this later?” Sonata groaned. “You have a job to do.” “Blue, do you mind if I lie down?” Coco asked. She felt dizzy all of a sudden, and it couldn’t have been due to the champagne, which she’d stopped drinking a while ago. Maybe dinner disagreed with her. She made a point that as soon as Suri arrived she’d ask to be taken home. “Sure, can you make it to my bed?” Without bothering to ask her, he went over and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her towards the bed. “There. So, shall we make our way to my bed?” Her inhibitions raced through her head, and without anything to stop them. “Blue?” “Yes?” he said softly, looking at her with eyes that seemed to be just for her. Coco leaned forward and kissed him. Not as she would her brother, but as someone she wanted to be hers. Something in the back of her mind was telling her this was wrong, and that Suri would be furious, but it was soon drowned out as she tasted his lips, his tongue. She pressed harder, making up for her inexperience with enthusiasm. Both collapsed on the bed, not stopping. Finally, Blueblood broke off. “Coco, dear, you know you shouldn’t do that.” Coco blushed, but said, “Blue? I…I want to be your girl.” He leaned forward and kissed her, gently tugging at her shirt; a second later, she helped him with it. A second after that, it was off. “What now?” she breathed. He kissed her on her neck, planting tiny touches from his lips down the ridge of her jaw. “You want to be my girl? I think you’ll want to be a woman, instead.” With a gentle stroke, he undid her bra, the clasps springing free. A second later, the lock to the door clicked, and it opened, revealing Suri. “Oh, Coco,” she said in a mock-pout. “You didn’t.” Coco’s eyes went wide with shock. “No, it’s not….” Suri walked over, opened a drawer, then pulled out a small green bottle. “I know it’s not, Coco,” she told her. “Drink this, it’ll make you feel better.” “Okay,” Coco nodded, then imbibed as instructed. It only took a few seconds for the concentrated vibrasnopam to take effect, and a second later where there was a dizzy but amorous girl was a glassy-eyed robot. “Coco?” Suri said. “Take off the rest of your clothes.” Without even giving a second thought, she started to do so. “Was that wise?” Blueblood hissed. “You just gave her a dozen doses. She might just overdose.” Suri looked at him with a wolfish smile. “Dear? When I’m done with her, all she’ll be good for is a fleshlight we feed and wash.” She looked at Coco, sitting there, nude and as still as a doll, ready to be controlled; the look in Suri’s eyes was blazing. “She will never come near Crackle again.” She then pulled off her own top, then started to help Blue with his own. “You love me, don’t you, Blue?” “Of course, love. I don’t trust you – but you know I love you,” he said. “Then will you be a dear and break her for me?” Suri asked. “I’ll give you a night you’ll never forget.” She then turned to Coco and said, “Kiss me. You and I are going to have fun with Blueblood tonight.” “I said, Mr. Blueblood gave strict instructions not to have visitors tonight,” the guard told Twilight. “He and Ms. Polomare are enjoying a quiet evening at home, and that’s what I intend to do.” “Sir, someone in that house is in danger,” Twilight told him. “You need to let us in!” “No, I don’t need to do anything,” the guard said. “I take my paycheck and my orders from the Senator, and when he’s not around, then it’s his wife or Mr. Blueblood. And since the Senator and his wife are back on the East Coast right now, guess who’s in charge? And his orders are final.” The second guard laughed. “Yeah, go home, little girl. It’s a school night.” “It’s summer,” Twilight countered. “Then you’d better go get ready for school, it’s not that far away. Now get out of here before I have to call your mommies and daddies for trespassing.” Twilight walked back to the car, leaning over by the driver’s side. “They’re not going to listen, Dagi,” Twilight told her, “and I don’t know what else to do.” “Don’t worry,” Adagio said, undoing her seatbelt and getting out of the car. “I’ll take care of it. You just keep the car running, Twily. I’ll be right back.” Twilight got into the driver’s seat, and from the back of the car, Octavia asked, “What’s going on?” “Dagi said she’ll take care of it,” Twilight replied. Adagio went over to talk to the two men. Within seconds, she moved like lightning, leaping over the ten-foot gate as if it wasn’t there. She then attacked the first guard and took him down in less than a second, and as the other one pulled out a stun gun, Adagio kicked it out of his hands, caught it, and jabbed it right between his legs. As he fell back, she delivered a spin kick to his head, slamming him against the guardhouse. Twilight, Octavia and Crackle all watched, completely stunned at Adagio’s moves as she dusted herself off, then went over to the guard tower and opened the gates. “You think you know someone….” Octavia voiced, still surprised. Adagio climbed into the passenger seat. “Think you can get us in, Twily?” “I…I don’t have a driver’s license, Dagi,” Twilight responded. “It’s really not hard to drive – if you’ve done it in an arcade, you can do it in real life. Just think of this as practice.” Twilight nodded and as she moved the car forward, Adagio leaned back in her seat and voiced, “So, which one of you is going to ask?” “I figured you’d just tell us when the time was right,” Twilight told her. “Thanks. But, I suppose I can tell you guys the truth,” Adagio commented with a smile. “My dad’s Special Forces,” she said, lying through her teeth. “That’s why he’s overseas. He wanted to make sure that we could all protect ourselves, so he taught us a variety of styles. And while we all regularly practice and spar with each other to keep it up – he did ingrain it into us, after all – only Ari wants to pursue it as a career. The rest of us are just happy to be able to protect ourselves when need be.” “Against what?” Octavia asked. “If Russia declares war on you directly?” “Maybe,” Adagio said flippantly. “Trust me, I’ve seen worse.” The car moved silently down the roadway, around the main part of the house and past the garage, then headed towards the guest house. “That’s Suri’s car,” Crackle told them. “I really hope you’re wrong, Ms. Sparkle.” “Trust me, I wish I was,” Twilight commented. “Twily, park here,” Adagio told her. “We’re going the rest of the way on foot.” Suri and Coco were kissing and Blueblood felt like a kid in a candy shop. His cousin might have been able to score some hotties, but Blueblood was sure that Flash never had his hands on two girls like this before – and a new one, just for the breaking. Suri stopped kissing Coco and said, “Well, what are you waiting for? You have two of us to please, Blue.” He leered at both girls. “And right now, there’s not a thing in the world that could stop me.” He had cause to rethink that a second later as the expensive oak door cracked at its hinges and swung open, breaking in two. Blueblood and Suri looked at the door in shock and the redhead standing there, anger in her eyes. “Hi,” the girl said. “I’m here from the Anti-Asshole Committee. You two have been proudly selected as assclowns of…well, forever is a good term.” “Who the fuck are you?” Blueblood screamed. “Get the hell out of my house, now!” Adagio instead plopped onto his sofa. “No, actually I think I’ll just watch you comically attempt to get it up—” she said, raising a single finger to symbolize her thoughts, “—while realizing that your plan to ruin that girl’s life just got as fucked as you were hoping to get yourself.” “You have less than seconds to get out of here before my guards make short work of you,” Blueblood snarled. To answer him, Adagio pulled a couple of revolvers out of her hoodie’s pocket. “Oh, they dropped these. Probably when I bashed their brains in, I’m guessing.” Blue looked at Suri. “Call 911.” “Yes, call them,” a voice called out, righteously angry. “It’ll be the last thing you ever do as a Zacherle student, Suri Polomare.” Suri turned to look at the door, and standing there was… “Twilight Sparkle,” Suri seethed. “So, the little girl thinks her tits got big enough to make her a woman. Go home, Sparkle. You’re out of your league.” “And you’re one step away from being kicked out of Zacherle,” Twilight warned, crossing her arms and giving Suri a look somewhere between defiance and authority. “Shall I quote the regulation for you, or will you just realize that you’re doomed?” “Oh, please, do you think I’m that stupid?” Suri laughed. “To invoke that, you need both divas and a third-party witness from the school. Oh, and there has to be a formal investigation by the student council and ultimately by the faculty and school board. You’re bluffing.” “No, she’s not,” a second voice said, as Octavia entered the room. “Two divas,” she said, holding up two fingers. “Oh, and a Zacherle student there,” Octavia added, pointing to Adagio. “And who are you?” Suri asked. “My name is either ‘none of your damn business’ or ‘Ms. Not Appearing in This Location’, take your pick,” Adagio taunted. “Well, I’m almost impressed, Sparkle. You stopped sucking your cousin’s tits long enough to come up with a plan – a pointless, useless plan, but one nonetheless.” “Don’t make me break you, Suri,” Twilight said, her eyes narrowing. “You’ll regret it.” Out of the corner of her eye, Octavia looked at Twilight – and tried not to lose her composure. Standing to her right wasn’t Twilight Sparkle, not anymore. From the glint in her eyes to the tone of her voice, from the stance of her body to the cocksure attitude she wore like a suit of armor, it was clearly Sunset Shimmer that challenged Suri. She’s her bitch now, body and soul, the voice at the back of Octavia’s mind called out. How much longer until you’re nothing but a footnote in Twily’s life? Octavia’s eyes narrowed at that, and she couldn’t help but snarl. And then she saw Blueblood, as he was getting off the bed. “Okay, I think I’ve had enough of this; my fiancée has asked you to leave, and you haven’t; I’ll just have to have you arrested,” Blueblood snarled, walking towards the phone. A second later, he saw an inhuman face in front of him, someone that seemed to be from his past. “You tried to break me,” Octavia said in a sing-song, girlish voice that was nothing less than eerie. “I was probably the first. It’s time to return the favor!” And with that, as if it were nothing, she grabbed him by the nape of the neck and in one quick move, slammed him against the glass of the coffee table, shattering it – and his face – in one fell swoop. “How! Do! You! Like! That! NOW?!” Octavia roared, stomping on the back of his head in a manner unlike anything would have expected out of the normally placid musician. The whole thing had happened so fast, it had barely dawned on anyone that if someone didn’t corral Octavia, she would end up killing him. Fortunately, Adagio grabbed her from behind. “Tavi! Snap out of it!” She pulled the snarling girl away from the room and towards the opposite end of the bungalow. “This isn’t you, Tav! Get a grip!” A second later, Octavia did, turning from an insanely enraged girl to one crying on her friend’s shoulder. Twilight had briefly watched everything that had just happened. “This is your fault, Polomare. I will have you removed from the school,” Twilight ordered as she pointed an accusatory finger at the would-be female rapist. Suri gasped, moving towards Blue’s side. He was unconscious and bleeding from several cuts in his face; by a small miracle, his face was a bloodied wreck but no serious damage appeared to happen. Suri then rushed to the kitchen, grabbing a butcher knife. “Get the fuck out or I’ll kill you!” she roared. “It’ll be self-defense, no one will dare to say otherwise!” “I trusted you.” The words, and particularly the voice, shook Suri to the core. She turned to look at Twilight, to instead see a young girl standing there, her eyes pools of shame, sorrow and anger. “I trusted you to take care of my friend,” Crackle told her sister, “and this is how you do it?” She moved to Coco’s side, who was still naked and sitting there, posed as a porn star. “C’mon, Coco, we’re getting you out of here.” Crackle then looked at her friend in horror as Coco robotically said, “Do you want to love me too, Crackle?” Coco raised a hand to caress her friend’s cheek as she said, “I want you to make it special, Crackle.” “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?” Crackle roared at her sister, tears streaming down her face. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BEST FRIEND?” Suri was at a loss for words. “Crackle,” she said, reaching out to her sister. “I did this for you, little one. I wanted to keep this…gold digger from hurting you!” “Hurting me? Gold digger?” Crackle laughed, but there was no mirth or warmth behind it as she started to dress Coco. “Suri, you stupid bitch. Coco’s family has more money than your mom! Her family owns the Four Seasons – not just the hotel, the whole damn company!” Suri gasped as she did the math in her head; to Suri’s horror, she realized if it was true, it was Coco’s family that were the wealthy ones…and Suri’s in penury, by comparison. “You talk about lawyers, Suri,” Twilight commented. “I did the research: Coco’s late grandfather was the district attorney for Equestria County in his time…and the current DA was mentored by him. That means Coco and I have connections, and you know what that means.” Suri had the uncomfortable feeling for the first time since babyhood of wetting herself. And it didn’t help that she was naked, with everyone to see the display. “Classy,” Adagio drolled. She then looked at Octavia to see if she was okay; the raven-haired girl sadly nodded. “Crackle,” Suri began. “I…I’m….” Crackle slipped Coco’s pants on her and handed her the phone. “Call 911 for your boyfriend. He needs medical attention.” Helping Coco to her feet, she said, “Now we’re getting out of here. And Suri? I never want to speak to you again.” Suri reacted as if slapped. “Crackle!” “Don’t you ever call me your sister, ever again! The sister I knew and loved would have protected Coco like her own flesh and blood, because she would have known how important she is to me. You, on the other hand, tried to ruin her!” “Well, that’s not going to happen,” Adagio said, opening a closet; a second later, she held what looked like a small computer. “Looks like they were going to make their own blackmail tape using the video on this RAID drive. Too bad it just failed. Oh, and look! I just found a new RAID drive that Soni can use for our MP3 collection. Twily, can I keep it?” “Knock yourself out,” Twilight said with a laugh. “Well, no, not gonna, but point taken,” Adagio giggled. Let’s get out of here, girls.” “Ms. Sparkle?” Crackle asked Twilight as she struggled to carry Coco. Adagio handed Twilight the RAID drive then picked up Coco, much to Crackle’s relief. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” “Just call me Twily,” Twilight said with a smile. “And don’t worry, we’ll make sure she’s safe. Let’s get out of here.” The five then left, leaving behind a shell-shocked, urine-soaked Suri and a bleeding, unconscious Blueblood. The sunlight shone on Coco’s face, bringing her to wakefulness. “You feeling okay, miss?” Coco looked up and saw a girl her age sitting there, as if watching over her. She had beautiful cerulean eyes and curly pink and lavender hair. “No, I feel sore, and I don’t remember anything,” Coco told her. The girl passed her a glass of water. “Here, drink this. My sister said that you and your friend accidentally got alcohol at the restaurant you were at.” “I really…I really don’t remember anything,” Coco told her. “I remember that I was supposed to meet up with my sister’s friend and her boyfriend, but…everything’s blurry.” “Yeah. Alcohol will do that sometimes,” the girl said. “Trust me: my dad gave me some by mistake once; don’t think I’ll ever be drinking again. Anyway, my sister’s friends brought you and your friend here, because you’re going to the same school as she is so you’d be safe.” “Thanks. I’m Coco Pommel, by the way,” Coco said, offering her a hand. “Nice to meet you, Coco. I’m Sweetie Belle,” the other girl said, offering hers to shake. “Well, they’re downstairs now. You hungry? I can get you some food if you don’t think you’re well enough to get out of bed.” Downstairs, Crackle hung up the phone. “Suri wants me to forgive her, Twily. But…I can’t. And yet….” The girl’s eyes looked haunted. “Take your time, Crackle, dear,” Rarity said. To her side, both Twilight and Octavia nodded. They’d all spent the night over at Rarity’s place and updated her on everything. By the time explanations were over, Rarity had administered a near-whole bottle of Robotussin to Coco to neutralize the vibe…and Rarity was beginning to feel grateful that she didn’t attend Zacherle. “Suri says that she talked to the guards and everything will be reported as a break in, that Blueblood was attacked by people who didn’t believe him to be innocent from whatever happened earlier in the year and there will be no indicator that we were ever there. But in turn, we can’t tell anyone what happened…and we can’t ever let Coco know what happened to her.” Crackle looked at the girls and said, “I have to make nice with my sister, now that I know what she’s really like and I can’t ever tell my best friend that my own sister tried to rape her.” Fresh tears marred her face. “I have to lie every day to my best friend from now on. How can I live with that?” “Let that be my problem, Crackle,” Twilight told her. “It won’t be easy, but that’s why Tavi and I are there – divas enforce the school rules, and we’re there to help. And you’ll never have to deal with it ever again, if you don’t want to.” Octavia added, “And yes, it won’t be easy to make up with your sister, especially now that your image of her has been shattered. But maybe this is a chance for you to help her change her ways, because otherwise, it won’t be a very bright future for her.” Rarity then chimed in with, “And you’re not alone, Crackle, dear. You have us. And…I think you should talk to my sister and her friends. They’re about your age, will be attending CHS in the fall and trust me when I say have a circle of friends you can rely on is worth more than anything you can imagine.” “Thanks,” Crackle said with a tone of appreciation. “It’s funny – all this time, I wanted to be just like Suri, because she was my older sister, and I love her. But now…I think I want to be more like you, Twily.” “Thanks,” Twilight said, blushing. “I can only hope to be the kind of role model to you that my own sister is to me.” “I thought you and Tavi were sisters!” “No, while Tavi’s as dear to me as one, she’s my cousin, not a sister,” Twilight said, squeezing her cousin’s hand gently to let her know she cared. “Hopefully sometime soon, I’ll introduce you to my sister. Sunny’s a great girl to know and if there’s anyone who knows what it’s like to rebuild her life, it’s her.” “I’ll agree to that,” Rarity said, “But only because she has loving sisters like you and Octavia.” Twilight just grinned. Octavia, on the other hand, didn’t know how to answer that.