Day: Tuesday
Weather: Sunny
Time: 3:55pmAfter almost having a nervous breakdown, my friends began to make me feel more relaxed when they played a song. They called it "Better Than Ever", a reference to how school morale had improved, thanks in part to Princess Twilight. As they played, I began thinking about my own place in this world. I mean, I do live here, even if the circumstances of my living here could be described as unusual, yet what could my purpose be? Would I find true happiness? Would I be condemned because of my past? Would I simply just fade away and be forgotten by history? Such thoughts I chose to keep to myself. My friends wouldn't understand. These are thoughts I've had since first becoming Princess Celestia's protégé. After experiencing a brief distraction in the form of Flash Sentry, who inquired indiscreetly about Princess Twilight, I left to greet some new students who had transferred to CHS that very morning. Hopefully, I could give them a good first impression, as I really needed to prove that I was different now. Surely, nothing could possibly go wrong here, right?
The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
December 12, 2015
Chapter 26: Dazzlings.
" How do you suppose they discovered who you were?" Twilight asked.
" The Sirens existed in Equestria long before I was born, so they had no knowledge of my existence. They had, in fact, overheard some of the students talking about me and quickly figured out what I had done. In case you were wondering, Twilight, the Sirens didn't go to the library in order to look up my information, which had since been added to the school's archive. To them, they had more important things to do. All they did was listen to the right people, and they learned all they needed to know. My best guess is that they learned about me during the Battle of the Bands, as before that, I wasn't even on their radar." I answered.
" Battle of the Bands?" Twilight asked.
" It's what the students competed in." I answered.
" I thought it was the Canterlot High Musical Showcase?" Twilight asked.
" It was, but I think you can deduce the reason behind the name change." I answered. Had the Sirens never come to CHS in the first place, the musical showcase would have been exactly that; a talent show where everyone could showcase their musical skills without feeling any pressure to do well. Instead, it was turned into a competition orchestrated by the Sirens, who needed all of that negative energy to grow stronger until they could achieve their goal. They never would have come had I not brought magic into this world when I stole Princess Twilight's crown. That act alone, even now, continues to gnaw away at me like a starving beaver on a particularly firm tree. It was too late to think about what might have happened had I chosen to remain in Equestria and waited patiently to become a princess instead of striking out on my own. In another time, in another place, my life would be different. Yet, this world would also be different. There would be no magic, no Sirens, no presence of yours truly. Just an ordinary world.
" It makes sense that the Sirens would want to make the event more competitive, I suppose." Twilight said. She then waited for me to respond, yet I had completely ignored her. I was in my own little world, thinking about what could have been instead of what is. Twilight then waved her hand in front of my face, exactly what I did to her earlier. I didn't even twitch, which had her concerned, but rather than attempt to splash me with fizzy apple cider, she decided to simply shout in my left ear. " SUNSET!" That sudden burst of decibels was enough to snap me out of my trance.
" Yeow!" I shouted.
" Okay, so you are still with me." Twilight said.
" Why did you have to shout in my ear like that? And what do you mean 'I'm still with you'?" I asked.
" You were ignoring me and I thought something bad had happened to you. I'm relieved that you're okay, Sunset. I was thinking of splashing cider all over you, but I thought a more direct approach was in order." Twilight answered. That was the direct approach? Am I glad that I don't have my actual pony ears out right now! If she had yelled into one of those instead, I'd be on the floor right now, rolling around in agonizing pain. One good thing about being a human is that human ears aren't as sensitive to sounds as other creatures'. Twilight then apologized to me for her actions, while I used my pinkie to try and clean out my ear before continuing on. " As I was saying, it makes sense they would want to change the nature of the event. They needed negative energy to maintain their strength, so having the students compete with one another would allow them to achieve their goal."
" In addition to wanting everyone to adore them." I added.
" Yes, even that. I still find that goal doesn't make much sense. I can understand, in theory, why they would want to do that. They're Sirens, and it's in their nature to want to use sex appeal and allure in order to lull men and women to their doom so that they could get their energy. I know I'm using the Greek interpretation to describe their actions, but it is a similar concept, right?" Twilight asked.
" Luring the students wasn't their intention, but you hit the nail regarding their sex appeal. I would find that out for myself the hard way." I answered.
" Yes, you said that they had transferred to Canterlot High." Twilight said.
" I've seen a lot of females during my time in this world worrying about their looks, but the Sirens took it to extremes; they loved to flaunt what they had. It sounds vulgar when you think about it, but they were experts in using it to their advantage alongside their magic." I said. Turning to the next page of the journal, another photo greeted Twilight and me, yet it was much smaller than previous ones. It was one of those micro-photos that have become all the rage recently, and this one in particular had been given to me by the one who originally took it. Twilight looked at the photo, then at me, then back at the photo, and finally back at me again. She smiled smugly, and I blushed before turning my eyes away from her. " It's not what it looks like!" I said.
" Is that Flash Sentry? The one I bumped into when I came here for the Friendship Games?" Twilight asked.
" He gave me that photo as a sign of friendship, but I never meant to put into this journal." I answered. I quickly grabbed the photo, which was just hanging loose before reaching into my backpack and taking out my wallet, where I placed the photo inside before putting it back into my backpack. " Like I said before, Flash and I were never really a couple, as I was just using him more than anything else--" I cut myself off when I realized what Twilight had just said, so it was my turn to smile smugly at her, and she didn't know what to make of this. " You bumped into Flash? You never told me that happened!"
" I didn't say anything because it wasn't that big of a deal." Twilight answered.
" Fair enough. Anyway, before my first encounter with the Sirens, I had to deal with Flash, who would enter the music room just after the Rainbooms had finished playing their song." I said.
" I'm feeling much better now." I said.
" So glad to hear that, darling." Rarity said.
" Still, you can't blame me for having such feelings to begin with. I know turning everyone into zombies and using them to invade another world was horrible, and actually rather pathetic, now that I really think about it. Ahem! It will take time for them to finally move on with their lives and forgive me for my actions. Hopefully, it doesn't take until the end of our time here at CHS for them to accept me into their hearts." I said.
" To be honest, I'd say the experience has been a blessing for all of us. It's brought everyone at Canterlot High closer than ever before for the first time in such a long time, so I reckon they all owe you some kind of gratitude, Sunset Shimmer." Applejack said. I never actually thought about it that way. If I hadn't decided to take such a huge gamble, I would never have gotten my hands on Princess Twilight's crown. Everyone would still be driven apart by what I did throughout these past three years, and the status quo would mostly have remained intact. My defeat had brought about a change in attitudes--mostly against me--where everyone was now friends again, and even new friendships had been forged. I guess Applejack was right after all. What I did had a positive outcome, but what did it mean for me now? Before I could start to think about it further, my friends, began to start playing.
" Ready everyone?" Pinkie Pie asked.
" Ready!" the rest answered.
" One, two, three, four!" Pinkie Pie shouted.
" There was a time we were apart,
but that's behind us now.
See how we've made a brand new start,
and the future's lookin' up (ah-oh, ah-oh)!"
I had to admit that their song was pretty catchy, and for a moment, I even tapped my foot to the music while clapping along to the lyrics. What they sung about had to do with the power of friendship having affected every last portion of the entire student body, and how before, everyone kept to themselves, as trust was something which I had personally taken away from them. I was glad that everyone was getting along again, even though they treated me like an outsider, which was technically correct, I guess. Then I started thinking about something else which had slowly entered my subconscious since the Fall Formal. After the gardener returned from his vacation, I no longer had a place to call my own. I could have crashed at Flash Sentry's place, but I knew he wouldn't have accepted because of everything I did. It was by sheer luck that Principal Celestia had made the appropriate arrangements, yet I did feel somewhat uneasy because of where exactly my "place of residence" was located.
I was told that Princess Twilight had spent a night in the recesses of the CHS Library where no one ever went. When Principal Celestia said that I was to be given the same general location to act as my "home", I felt dejected a little. It's not like I was offended by her kind gesture. Rather, it was because I could have applied to the local government and eventually gotten myself a place to live. The only ones who knew about this, aside from Principal Celestia, were my friends and Vice Principal Luna. None of them liked to talk about such an arrangement, as I insisted on it because it made me feel embarrassed that I had to live at the school. At the very least, I was given a special key that would allow me access to the school, yet it only worked on the front door, and the library door. It was kind of like a skeleton key, but more restrictive in use.
That was the least of my concerns when compared to the harsh reality that had now sunken itself into my subconscious. Throughout my time here, I had been fixated on one thing: ruling this school as a temporary measure until I could truly become a ruler. Now that I no longer had such thoughts in my mind, what exactly was my purpose? If I had gone back to Equestria, I would surely be wandering about the desolate wastelands by now after I stole an ancient artefact. I know that I'm learning all that I can about friendship, yet that was merely a hobby. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't use magic; it had been taken away from me so that I couldn't become corrupted again. I had no musical talent, although Rainbow Dash might be willing to teach me how to play the guitar since I asked her while we were making our way to the music room.
And I couldn't forget about the proverbial elephant in the room; the one thing that still haunted me. The other students might not forgive me for my actions. If they chose to remain committed to making me miserable, I could be condemned forever with no chance at finding true happiness. While it seemed like I could do whatever I wanted with my life from this point onward, there were numerous restrictions that kept me from doing certain things. If anything, I had one, maybe two options to consider. Not the most comforting of thoughts, but it was better than having nothing at all. One thing was certain. My friends couldn't be allowed to know about this. They had their own futures to think about, and didn't need to be dragged down to my level by choosing to assist me with my problems. Speaking of my friends...
" Yeah, we're the Wondercolts forever, ah-oh, yeah!"
As they were performing, their pony ears and pony tails appeared, a reminder that the magic from Princess Twilight's crown was still within them. I had been so caught up with my own problems, that I had completely forgotten about theirs. While they didn't see it as being an issue, it meant something to me because my actions resulted in these transformations in the first place. They had to pony up in order to defeat me after I became a demon, yet seeing them change in this kind of setting, with nothing on the line, made me feel sad.
" Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!
Oh yeah, we're better than ever!
Whoa-oh, oh-whoa-oh!
Oh yeah, we're better than ever!"
Once they stopped playing, my friend's pony extensions disappeared, and I clapped in response to their performance. While I had a lot on my mind during their singing, I made sure to continue listening because I needed something to serve as a distraction. And I needed to show my support, because this would be one of the songs they were going to perform for the musical showcase. If I knew how to play an instrument or sing, I'd be there with them instead of over here, watching. Also, I'd lack the ears and tail.
" You know, I was thinking of perhaps adding some accessories to further extenuate the pony look we all achieve. I could wear some nice clip-on earrings for the ears, and something that could extend the ponytail down a little further." Rarity said.
" None of you think it's weird that it happens?" I asked.
" It will still take time for us to get used to it, darling, but I think it's absolutely divine that we're capable of doing it!" Rarity answered.
" Have you figured out any other reasons as to why it happens?" Applejack asked.
" Not yet. I've had my mind on other things." I answered.
" I didn't meant to add any more pressure than what you've already got on yer plate. I was wonderin' if maybe Princess Twilight would know somethin' about this. No disrespect to your magical knowledge, Sunset Shimmer, but I reckon she knows a lot more about those Elements of Harmony y'all mentioned a while ago." Applejack said.
" No, I get what you're saying. All I studied about the Elements was how they used to work back in the ancient days of Equestria. Princess Twilight would be the right pony--person, whatever--who would have the answers we're looking for." I said.
" It sure would be nice to get a proper explanation as to why this is happening to us." Applejack said. I did feel slightly upset over how Applejack viewed my knowledge of magic as inferior to Princess Twilight's, but she was telling me the honest truth. I don't know much about how the Elements of Harmony work now. That's something Princess Twilight would know, as she and her friends had been using them to deal with threats against Equestria.
" Who cares why it happens!" Rainbow Dash said.
" We should." Applejack said.
" I know we all agreed not to use our pony-ups during the musical showcase, and I'm not backing down from that decision. I just think that it makes my band even more awesome than it already is. And before you say anything, Rarity, let me remind you that I'm the lead singer and guitarist, and this band was my idea from the beginning." Rainbow Dash said, leaving Rarity feeling miffed that she had been silenced without warning. I would have spoken to Rainbow about showing some humility, but I didn't want to make her upset and risk ruining our friendship. Besides, I knew next to nothing about humility. Princess Celestia tried her best to teach it to me, but I never viewed it as important. That changed, of course.
At that moment, the door to the music room opened, and Flash Sentry was standing there, a meek expression appearing on his face. He had certainly changed a lot since the Fall Formal. While he still maintained his popularity, he wasn't as cool or suave as before. Instead, he had developed a nervous habit of having trouble talking about his feelings. He would muddle up his words, or do something that would completely embarrass him. He was also clumsy, accidentally knocking things over and struggling to prevent anything from smashing to pieces. While it did make him a little more attractive, instead of being bland and generic, for lack of a better word, his new mannerisms didn't really affect me on an emotional level. My love for him was never genuine.
" I was walking by when I heard you playing that song, so I thought I'd come in and check it out for myself." Flash Sentry said.
" Y'all 're a bit too late, Flash. We just finished." Applejack said.
" Guess I wasn't fast enough, huh?" Flash Sentry asked, scratching his head while looking away from us. Like I said, he had trouble talking about his feelings. He could have easily said whatever was on his mind, but he chose to hold back. Maybe he was afraid of offending someone. I don't know if his change in attitude had to do with me, but I doubted it, as he moved on from me a while ago. Then again, he could still have feelings towards Princess Twilight. Wait! Could he!? That certainly made things more awkward! I mean, they're already awkward; he's a human, and she's a pony. Not to mention that they both come from different worlds, and the connection between them only opens for a short period of time. Perhaps I was just taking too big of a look into this, and nothing serious was going on. " From the several seconds that I heard, you all sound pretty tight. If this were a competition, you'd definitely be one of the top bands to beat."
" We're pretty good, but we're not quite there yet. I could tell during the song that there were some problems. Rarity's still coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack's bass solo could use a little work. But we can get those fixed in time for the showcase. I'm positive that they'll be awesome parts of my band." Rainbow Dash said.
" That's good to hear." Flash Sentry said. Judging from the cold expressions coming from Applejack and Rarity, they didn't take too kindly to Rainbow Dash calling them out like that. Personally, I thought everyone performed really well, so maybe Rainbow Dash had just made an honest mistake? Then again, her ego had clearly resurfaced. I hoped she doesn't get a swelled head by the end of the showcase. Flash then turned his attention towards me, and I remained silent, as I didn't really know what to say to him especially after what happened at the Fall Formal. " Here! I want you to have this."
" What is it?" I asked.
" Think of it as a small memento of our time together, and a symbol that we're still friends." Flash Sentry answered. He then asked me to hold out my hand and close my eyes, which I thought sounded ridiculous, yet I did it anyway because he was showing me a lot of kindness, a stark contrast from the other students. Flash then took two steps forward before dropping something soft into my palm. I opened my eyes, and I found myself looking at a small photo of his upper body. He had such a sincere smile on his face that it brought a tear to my eye.
" It's so beautiful. What's the occasion?" I asked.
" No matter what you may have done in the past, I'll always be your friend." Flash Sentry answered.
" I'll be sure to carry this photo around with me at all times." I said, blushing slightly, which made everyone else giggle slightly.
" Um, I was wondering if I could ask you girls something." Flash Sentry said, his nerves clearly getting the best of him.
" What is it?" Applejack asked.
" Um, do you suppose some of our friends from, um, out of town are going to be attending the showcase? It's a special charity event, after all, and they were the ones who did make all of this possible by bringing the students back together after they were apart for so long." Flash Sentry answered. It was pretty obvious that he was referring to Princess Twilight, but he wasn't aware of how the portal to Equestria worked. I was thinking of explaining it to him, but it was a bit complicated. I don't mean to say that Flash isn't bright--he actually is intelligent--but talking about magical portals to someone who doesn't understand magic would be difficult.
" I'm sorry, Flash, but I don't think Princess Twilight is gonna be comin' back here anytime soon. It's nice that y'all still think about her, even if it has only been several weeks since the Fall Formal, but you might want to set your sights on another gal." Applejack said.
" I just, you know, thought I'd ask just in case she did show up." Flash Sentry said. He began blushing slightly before he walked backwards until his back collided with the wall. He then brushed himself off and quickly slipped out of the room before closing the door. I could tell that he was disappointed about not being able to see Princess Twilight, even though he tried to save face by pretending to laugh about it. Again, I had no romantic feelings towards him, so I wasn't about to swoop in on the rebound because Princess Twilight wasn't around. I know he feels that way towards me as well, so the best thing for both of us would be to remain friends.
" Why don't you go after him?" Rarity asked.
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" You don't still have any romantic feelings towards him? I mean, you two used to be an item for a long time, and judging from how he was being a smitten kitten with regards to Twilight, I assumed you would be jealous." Rarity answered.
" I never loved Flash. I mean, he did love me, but I merely used his popularity to become popular myself. He was just a tool for me to use in whatever way I saw fit. Ugh! The old me really was just awful, wasn't she?" I asked. That was something I recently started to do in order to further distance myself from the person I used to be. I wanted everyone to look at me as the "new" Sunset Shimmer, and the old one was just a horrible individual who no longer existed. I didn't know if this idea would prove effective over time, but it was something I felt needed to be done.
" Mm-hmm." Everyone else said.
" You've proven to us that you've turned yourself around, though." Applejack said.
" Thanks Applejack, but I still have the rest of the student body who need to be shown the same way. I don't care how long it's going to take! I will prove to them that I've changed for the better, and I'll start with those new girls who just transferred to CHS earlier today." I said. The looks on my friend's faces told me that they had no idea what I was talking about, so I decided to explain it to them. " I'm meeting three new students to give them a tour of the school. I volunteered to show newcomers that CHS is a fantastic school to attend, and hopefully, they appreciate me helping to get them used to things around here. I also want them to see me for who I am now, and not who I was. To be honest, these new girls are very mysterious. According to Vice Principal Luna, not much is known about where they attended before coming here. But maybe they'd be willing to share if they feel comfortable enough."
Little did I know just what I was actually getting myself into. I assumed that these three girls were just ordinary students who wanted to attend CHS for whatever reason. That assumption quickly got thrown out the window once I saw them with my own eyes.
" That explains the photo of Flash you showed me." Twilight said.
" It was a very nice gesture, but like I said to the others, I never loved him at all. If Princess Twilight wants to have him, or vice versa, it wouldn't bother me in any way. In fact, I think the two of them make for a cute couple." I said.
" So now you were going to meet the Sirens?" Twilight asked.
" I wasn't prepared for what I was about to encounter." I answered.
" What were your first impressions of them?" Twilight asked.
" How were they able to walk around in those outfits without two of them being asked to go home and change for violating school regulations? I mean, their outfits were gaudy but, at the same time, made them look sexy. I personally think other girls would have thrown temper tantrums, had they been given the chance." I answered.
" That bad?" Twilight asked.
" Sometimes, I wished that I could have had our friends with me." I answered. It's not like I was afraid of the Sirens. Rather, I was nervous about introducing new students to the school because if they found out how I used to act, they could easily have turned on me like the other students had done. The Sirens didn't seem to care about my past with regards to CHS, so I considered myself lucky. But, I now know that it was a ruse. They found out about me by listening in on conversations from those they had manipulated into unleashing their negative feelings. Had they been detected sooner, what transpired throughout those few days wouldn't have happened. At the same time, I would never have discovered the truth about myself.
" Sunset? Are you alright?" Twilight asked, worried that something was bothering me.
" I was just thinking about what happened when I first met them." I answered.
As I left the music room in order to greet the new students, a slew of emotions raced through my head. These new girls had never been to CHS before, so they were unaware of what happened here during the last month. To be frank, I wanted them to remain unaware because it would mean they would get a chance to know the new me and not have to be guided around by the old me. One thing that was nagging at my brain was what Principal Celestia said about their backgrounds. There was no information about where they had previously attended. It was as though these girls just showed up out of nowhere. What convinced them to come to this school in particular? Other schools existed throughout Canterlot. What was it about CHS that appealed to them? I could ask that question during the orientation, but they might not be willing to share. Not everyone was open about their personal lives. If they don't want me to know of such details, I'll accept that.
Also concerning was their behaviour. They could be the sweetest girls imaginable, or they could be bullies. I'm hoping it's not the latter. Otherwise, they could wind up just like me, the other students making their lives miserable as a result.
According to the P.A. announcement Vice Principal Luna gave me, I was to meet with the new students at the foyer and, from there, give them a tour of the school. I actually was expecting to meet them in Principal Celestia's office, but I guess she must have been too busy. Upon arriving at the foyer, I began to look around to see if I could spot the new girls. It didn't take long for me to notice them standing in the shadows. They certainly appeared friendly based on their silhouettes, but I'd find out for certain once things got underway.
" Hi! Welcome to Canterlot High!" I announced.
" Thank you!" The middle girl, the yellow-skinned one, said in response.
" Sorry if I kept you three waiting. I was busy dealing with something else that distracted me far longer than I thought." I said.
" That's okay. We actually just arrived here ourselves. We figured we'd have time to get a bite to eat before coming. To be honest, we weren't expecting someone like you to be giving us an orientation of the school. I don't mean that as an insult. It's just that we were told that our guide was someone who would be able to give us the best experience we could ask for." The middle girl said.
" I'm not offended, but I am the one who will be giving you the tour. I take it that you're the ones I'm supposed to show around?" I asked.
" We are!" The middle girl said as she and her two companions walked forward out of the shadows. My first reaction was one of shock. Their choice of clothes were certainly interesting. Or rather, I should say striking! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they were being sexy for the sake of it. Wait! Did I just seriously think that!? I must be losing my mind to have such thoughts. I mean, they were attractive, what with their clothes and how they swayed back and forth every now and then as they walked toward me. What has this world come to by having students like this!? Either way, there's nothing I could do about it. It's a choice they made.
" Um, you three certainly have quite the flair." I said.
" We do pride ourselves on our appearances, after all." The middle girl said.
" Oh?" I asked.
" We know what people want when it comes to sex, so we appeal to their curiosity whenever possible. While we know that doing such things in a place like this would be... inappropriate, some people just can't seem to get enough of us." The middle girl said.
" Um... My name is Sunset Shimmer." I said.
" I am Adagio Dazzle and these are my two sisters, Aria Blaze to my right, and Sonata Dusk to my left." The middle girl said. Her hand gestures were mesmerizing. I found myself following them along like I were a kitten enraptured by a penlight. When I realized what I was doing, I shook my head to snap myself out of the trance. This girl wasn't kidding when she said that they pride themselves on their appearances.
" So, shall we get started with the tour?" I asked.
" By all means." Adagio answered.
" Is there any particular place you would like the tour to start? Or would you prefer me to just give you a general overview?" I asked.
" That is quite a tough choice, but I think we would like to begin where all the action is. You know, where our fellow students tend to hang out the most. We figure that getting to know such places would allow us to get a better understanding of this school's dynamic." Adagio answered. I could tell that she was being sarcastic about it being a difficult choice, and I bet she was aware of that fact. So, I decided to just let it pass. Otherwise, I could find myself trying to talk my way out of something awkward. One thing I did notice straight away was that only this Adagio Dazzle did all of the talking. Her two companions had yet to say anything, but their facial expressions told me their opinions. While it would have been nice to hear what those two had to say, I suppose it wasn't all that important.
" I can already tell that you three are going to enjoy being here." I said.
" Oh, yes, we really sense there's something... magical about this place." Adagio said. The way she said "magical"... It sounded strange to me. It was as though these three girls knew something and were keeping it to themselves. Hopefully, that was just an isolated incident, and the orientation will go smoothly. I really wanted to make a good first impression on these girls, so I had to do my best to make this a memorable experience. I then beckoned them to follow me, leading them to the library, which was where most students tended to hang out. Despite it being close to the end of the school day, there were plenty of students in the library, studying or otherwise. On occasion, I would watch the expressions of Adagio and her companions to see if they were impressed with what they saw. Their smiles told me that they were enjoying themselves, but perhaps they were enjoying it too much.
" The library is right through those double-doors, and there's a computer lab in there, as well, in case you feel the need to surf the web or something. The science lab is down the hallway to my left, and if you go down that hallway over there, you'll reach the gym." I said.
" So this is the hot spot of the school?" Adagio asked.
" I guess you could call it that." I answered.
" Sounds like the kind of place the three of us would frequently visit. Oh! What do we have over here?" Adagio asked. She had taken notice of a poster hanging on the nearby wall, and walked over to see what it was all about. It was one of the posters advertising the Musical Showcase. It sounded like Adagio was interested in wanting to participate, but I didn't know if they could because they didn't have any instruments. Then again, Principal Celestia did also mention that you could just sing, if you preferred.
" We're having a big musical showcase this weekend from Friday to Sunday! The entire school has been talking about it non-stop for the past few days, and the hype has been pretty intense. It's a charity event where we'll be raising money to provide funding towards extracurricular activities. All you have to do is either sing, play an instrument, or both." I answered.
" A musical showcase?" Adagio asked.
" I know you three have only just transferred to our school, but if you asked Principal Celestia, I'm sure she would allow you to take part as well." I answered.
" We have been known to sing from time to time." Aria said.
" Oh!" I exclaimed.
" Is there a problem?" Aria asked.
" It's just, you startled me. So far, it's only been Adagio who's been doing all of the talking, so hearing you suddenly say something caught me off guard." I answered.
" Pfft, whatever. Doesn't change the fact that we sing very well." Aria said. Based on those few words alone, I knew that she was someone who had a bad attitude and probably didn't like talking to anyone unless they were on equal footing with her. While her words weren't malicious, she might want to change her attitude before the other students got wind of it. I then turned my attention towards the final girl. Sonata, I believed her name was. What kind of personality would she have? Negative? Sultry? A mixture of the two? Or something completely different?
" Hello? We sing, like, all the time." Sonata said. I couldn't tell straight away as to what kind of personality she had, aside from being sarcastic, but I would quickly discover that she got on the nerves of the other two, especially Adagio. " It's how we get people to do what we want." The moment Sonata said that, Adagio turned toward her with a growling motion, and all I could do was watch her reaction. Did Sonata say something Adagio didn't want her to say? And what did she mean by getting people to do what they wanted? Before I could attempt to figure out the meaning behind her words, Sonata spoke again. " Wha-what did I say? Seriously, what did I say that got you so riled up? That's what we do, right? I was just saying what we usually do." She was acting like she were completely clueless! This Sonata could be best described as not being all there. As Applejack would put it, she was a few apples short of a basketful.
" Now, why would you go and say such a ridiculous thing?" Adagio asked.
" Ridiculous? It didn't sound that way to me." Sonata answered.
" Perhaps I should explain things to Sunset Shimmer here. Your choice of words have left her feeling confused." Adagio said.
" Sorry about that." Sonata said.
" What my friend meant to say is that we believe that this musical showcase would be a perfect chance for us to meet other students and get to know them better. I know you suggested that we try the library, the computer room, and the science lab, but those are places we wouldn't normally frequent because it would cramp our style. The three of us would be thrilled to take part in this showcase. While playing instruments isn't exactly our forté, our singing is beyond compare! No one can beat us when it comes to singing." Adagio said.
" It's true! We're really good at what we do!" Sonata said.
" So, what she said about making people do what we want? Completely ridiculous and baseless! Sonata here was just confused because I usually do all of the talking for her. She can get a little too excited, especially when she meets new people for the very first time. Please, Sunset Shimmer! Pay no attention to what she just said." Adagio said. While I nodded my head, I felt uncomfortable with the whole ordeal. They really wanted to drop the subject, so I decided to play along with it for the time being. Yet, it felt like they were hiding something, but what it was, I didn't know. This wasn't the kind of first impression I was thinking of. I mean, I've shown them that I could be someone that they would want to have as a friend. But their behaviour had me thinking otherwise. " So, we are all clear about this confusion, yes?" Adagio asked.
" Ohhhh, yeah. What she said I meant to say. That's what I meant. To say." Sonata answered.
" Smooth move, Sonata." Aria said, sarcastically.
" What do you mean?" Sonata asked.
" We haven't even been here for thirty minutes, and already you're acting as dumb as usual. Why do you think Adagio and I constantly tell you to keep quiet? You constantly spout out nonsense!" Aria answered.
" Can I help it if I like to be expressive?" Sonata asked.
" That's my point entirely! What you think is expression is actually just annoying! If you had any idea of what you're talking about, you would have said what Adagio said, rather than just standing there, staring off into space and having her explain your actions to a complete stranger. You're just the worst." Aria answered.
" No! You are!" Sonata shouted.
" Nice comeback." Aria said.
" Why do you have to be like that, Aria?" Sonata asked.
" Because someone has to constantly remind you that you don't think before you speak. Unfortunately, that someone is me, and it just keeps on grating me that I have to do it." Aria answered. Both girls then literally butted heads, their noses touching. Each were baring her teeth, clearly angry. It looked as though they were about to fight, but then Adagio raised her hands which caused them to stop before they looked in her direction. No wonder Adagio is so calm. She had to deal with this on a regular basis. It became second-nature to her.
" That's enough from you two!" Adagio announced.
" But--" Aria and Sonata said.
" Don't make me repeat myself!"
" Fine!"
" I am so, so sorry for their sudden outburst, Sunset Shimmer. They're both usually much better than this, but I guess they're still idiots! Canterlot High is a place where friendships abound, and arguing like children is the worst thing that we could do. I'm hoping that their idiocy doesn't make you think any less of them, or myself, of course, as I usually have to put them in their place." Adagio said. As the other two girls huffed at one another before looking away, noses turned up, I began to think about what I had just witnessed. I had assumed that these three girls were really close, but it seemed there were some issues they had to work out between them. Aria was negative, and Sonata was oblivious to everything around her. Adagio, on the other hand, had her hands full, yet she desired for all three of them to strut their stuff. As I continued to stare at them, Aria and Sonata turned back to face each other before begrudgingly hugging at the behest of Adagio.
Surprisinly, throughout that little moment, the three girls constantly swayed their bodies around in a sensual fashion, and it was difficult for me to look away. Were they trying to seduce me? I thought such expressions were meant to be performed on guys. But I guess it didn't matter to them the sex of their audience, so long as they got attention. I shook my head to get their sexual messages out of my mind, and that's when I noticed each of them were wearing a jewelled pendant around their necks. There was something alluring about them, it made me want to get a closer look. I began to step forward slowly, towards Adagio, my eyes fixated on those jewels. I couldn't help myself. The gems were so beautiful! I tried to stop my legs from continuing their movement, but it was in vain, as I kept taking step after step. Once I was close enough to Adagio, I reached out to touch her pendant, and she suddenly turned around, making this entire situation more awkward than ever.
" Oh! Um, I know this looks weird, but I have a very good explanation." I said.
" I should hope so." Adagio said, taken aback by my sudden approach.
" Those are very pretty jewelled pendants you're wearing around your necks. Where did you--" I said, reaching out for it again. Adagio suddenly grabbed my wrist, and I winced slightly. She had a powerful grip. Her sudden action also snapped me out of my little trance. Had I seriously tried to go for that pendant again? What in the world was wrong with me? Why was I trying to stoop to such a low level? My heart began to beat at a rapid pace. I was becoming fearful that I had just blown my chances of making a good first impression with such a pathetic display.
" Sorry about that." Adagio said, releasing her grip on my wrist. I clutched it with my other hand to soothe the pain.
" No, it was my fault for doing that and making you uncomfortable." I said.
" You were mesmerized by my pendant, weren't you?" Adagio asked.
" I've never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life. Where did you get them?" I answered.
" These pendants mean an awful lot to us. We received them a long time ago and became attached to them ever since. In fact, you could say that we would be nothing without them. We'd just hate for anything to happen to them. That's why I reacted the way I did. I thought that you were trying to take it from me when you reached out with your hand." Adagio said.
" Um, right." I said.
" Well, I think we've seen everything that we needed to see on this tour." Adagio said.
" But, we haven't even covered a quarter of the school." I said, protesting.
" We all appreciate you giving us this little orientation, Sunset Shimmer, but I think we will take our leave of you now. I'm certain the three of us will quickly figure out where everything is, so if you'll excuse us." Adagio said. She and Aria then started to walk away, yet Sonata kept on staring at me, and I was expecting her to actually do something other than stare with that blank expression. Adagio suddenly walked back, grabbed Sonata by the arm, and pulled her away, which was a huge relief. This had been the strangest thing I've experienced, and I'm even including what I've seen back in Equestria. They seemed to be rather defensive when it came to anyone wanting to get close to those pendants, so perhaps they will warn others about it in the future? There was also something else that I had sensed throughout the whole ordeal. I could sense a strange aura that surrounded each of them, but it was very faint. I couldn't tell what it was.
As the three girls walked out of sight, I began to think about what I had just witnessed. They seemed harmless, despite their erratic behaviour. Surely they wouldn't cause problems here at CHS. Another thought then raced through my mind. They acted as though they didn't know who I was, but what if someone out on the front lawn warned them about my past? That meant they could have been pretending to act so irrational so as to not be taken advantage of, were they to suspect me of being trouble. I really wanted to make a good first impression, but it looked like I failed. Maybe my desire to prove that I had reformed was merely a waste of time? I was expecting some kind of forgiveness by now, yet I still remained isolated and scorned by my peers. Perhaps this was just meant to be my fate after all.
" Those Sirens raised a bunch of red flags." I said.
" No wonder you wanted our friends to be by your side. They must have been really difficult to talk to, huh?" Twilight asked.
" The weirdest part was how Adagio reacted to my attempt at reaching out for her pendant. As I mentioned, those jewels were the source of their power, but I didn't know that at the time. I assumed they were just accessories, which prompted me to lose control of my inhibitions for only just a moment." I answered.
" It makes sense she would be so defensive." Twilight said.
" They were trying to protect their true nature from me." I said.
" What really had me questioning your sanity, Sunset, was when you became mesmerized by their movements. How could you be seduced like that? I mean, I know they're hot. Really, really hot. But come on!" Twilight said. She suddenly gasped, and covered her mouth with both hands when she realized what she had admitted. Quickly turning her head towards me, she was blushing a bright red before looking down at the ground. " Now I feel like they have seduced me! And through a photo of them, no less! Gah! This is truly embarrassing!" I would have laughed at her little freak-out, but I refrained from doing so. The Sirens ability to make people succumb to their charms was one of their many powers, yet it wasn't the worst that they were capable of. No, they had far greater powers that they could access, once their power had grown strong enough.
" Twilight..." I began.
" What is it?" Twilight asked.
" I was one of the lucky ones." I answered.
" What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
" I still ultimately resisted their charms. During lunch period the next day, the other students... They weren't as fortunate." I answered.