> I stole your boyfriend, what are you gonna do about it?
>  by ultronquake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter one - Covered in rotten fruit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It had just not been the Dazzling's night.  On the very cusp of regaining their full power and preparing to use it to spread unrest throughout the world they had been stopped.  It would have been one thing if it was by ultra-powerful warriors or a military force.  But no, it was at the hands of seven high school girls using music.  Music!  That was the Dazzling's shtick and the self-named Rainbooms had used it against them.

As if that wasn't embarrassing enough the final attack by the Rainbooms had shattered their pendants that gave them hypnotic powers in the first place.  And when the crowd of several hundred students came out of their control, to say they were angry would be an understatement.

"Dagi?  I think they might be a little bit angry."  

"No s#@* Sonata, I never could have guessed."

"Adagio I think they're really angry."

"Again no s#@*, let's stop talking girls and get these puppets back under our control."  Quickly the three sirens lined up next to each other, preparing to unleash their song.  "We will be adored - Tell us that you want us - We won’t be ignored - It's time for our reward."  Not only was their singing off key it seemed to carry the opposite effect of the vocal magic they were trying to use.

"Get off the stage!"  "You suck!"  "You're the artistic equivalent of herpes!"  Were some of the foul comments coming from the audience.  They too had munitions to back up their negative sentiments.  Flying food came at them in droves, hot dogs with tangy mustard, apples grapes and halves of grapefruit.  Then there were less conventional things like a vegetarian sandwich with a bite taken out of it, a wobbly jello mold and most worrisome of all, an unidentifiable mass of red slimy gunk.

"What kind of audience brings food like this to a rock concert?!'  Aria cried as she tried to shield her face from the onslaught.

"A*#holes that's who!" Adagio was probably the worst suited for the assault, her behemoth of a hairdo was collecting more than her fair share of the ballistic foodstuffs.  "Come on sisters, let's get out of here!"

"Dagi wait!  I think I see a taco inbound."  Only Sonata Dusk would be willing to stand there center stage, mouth agape for the prospect of a free taco.

"We're leaving with or without you Sonata!"  Adagio called out as she left right stage, Aria slung across her back after taking a particularly unripe pear to the head.

"Coming Dagi!  Turns out it wasn't a taco, it was a gordita."  

"Do you see this face Sonata?  This is my 'I could care less face.'  We need to get away from this school before the police show up."  Not that the girls had any real means of escape, they may have been one thousand year old sirens but they still looked like teenage girls.  Teen girls with no passports, no driver's licenses and no hypnotic powers to alleviate those problems.

Still they had to try, there would be no telling what would happen if they were captured, images of secret government vivisection labs sprung to mind.  "Adagio look, that's a fast looking car, let's steal that one."  Aria was pointing to a blue mustang with a lighting bolt decal.  

The three ran over and were delighted to discover the door unlocked, "What an idiot, who leaves their car unlocked, don't they know there are unscrupulous people with no morals about?"  Adagio said as she opened the door and climbed into the driver's seat.  "Alright keys, keys, keys?  Argh, there's no keys."

"No problamo Dagi, I'll just hot wire it like on the TV.  All you have to do is touch these two wires and-"  Once her blue fingertips connected the two wires the car's alarm started blaring, the flashing headlights lit up the parking lot revealing the approaching angry mob.

"Nice going Sonata, now we don't have a car AND they know right where to find us."  Aria said grumpily, she would have normally tried to escape the car and try to hop the wall but all the locks on the doors had jammed down.

"Sorry." Sonata sheepishly stated.

Sorry held very little meaning to the mob outside, one with violent intention in mind.  Somewhere between the amphitheater and the parking lot they had acquired torches and pitchforks, it was just like an old fashioned witch hunt.  With each step closer the ill intent in their eyes became clearer and clearer.  Coming up from the rear of the pack were the Rainbooms, principle Celestia and vice principle Luna as well as a very upset looking blue haired boy.

"That- That's my car!  Get out of my car you monsters!" Looking again he was one of the contestants in the elimination round.  Standing beside him was the lynch pin of the Rainbooms, Twilight Sparkle.

"Flash it's okay, I don't think they've hurt your horseless carriage." she was hanging off his arm like a handbag.

They might have been stuck inside but Aria could think of one way to get back at the victors, carefully she undid the star pin from her hair and started using the needle to prick at the leather on the dashboard.  When the other sirens saw what she was doing they were appalled, "Any particular reason you're aggravating the already furious crowd outside?"

"Yeah Ari, this is nice leather, I'd be pissed off too if I saw somebody ruining it."  Sonata said as she was shaking the globs of food from her hair, smooshing them into the seats.

Outside the school's leaders were busy trying to subside the crowd, "Please students, stop this behavior at once."  appealed Celestia.

"Doth thou knoweth what thou art doing?"  Luna appealed to the theater club.  When that didn't work, out came the party cannon.

*BOOOM*

"Alright everybody, you've had your fun with your implements of mob violence.  So why don't you all set them down and go home or I'll have to use my implement of party violence."  Pinkie Pie was grasping the rip cord on the cannon in a very threatening manor, the students got the message and were out of the parking lot within the minute.

"While I appreciate the effectiveness of your method miss Pie, I do not appreciate you pointing artillery at my students."  Celestia was wagging a disapproving finger at the hyperactive girl.

"Are you loco in the coco?  This is a cannon, one shot.  I'd never point a loaded party cannon at another person.  All that confetti would really hurt."  Everyone around her was staring blankly, not sure if she was serious or not.

Against her better judgement Adagio decided to speak up, "Hi, just wanted to say sorry for trying to enslave everyone in the school and concur the world.  So how about my sisters and I just get out of your hair and everything can go back to normal."  A big hopeful smile was plastered across her and Sonata's faces, Aria was still busy tearing up the dashboard.

"Mr. Sentry, would you be so kind as to unlock your vehicle?" asked Luna, through the tears over his ruined leather he clicked the disarm button on his keys.  "Please step outside the car."

Cautiously they emerged and approached the faculty.  "I suppose you have some sort of lecture in mind?"  Aria said snidely.  

"Girls, if you'd be so kind."  Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie rushed up and grabbed hold of Sonata, Applejack and Sunset had hold over Adagio, while Rarity kept Aria bound up with a overly long scarf.

"What the hell?!" screamed Adagio.

"Get off me you creeps!" Aria shouted.

Sonata was the least offended by the restraint, "Hey!  Your the one who shot at the crowd, did you create that party cannon yourself?"

"I DID!  You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find the weapons grade party supplies to make one."  Pinkie was exuberant.

"Sonata!  Stop making small talk with the psychos who are holding us against our will." Adagio demanded.

"Whoops, sorry Dagi.  Rarr I'm angry!" Sonata said with a smile on her face.

While they were distracted with argument Celestia and Luna prepared a different kind of restraint.  In their hands they held three bracelets that looked like an electronic shackle.  "What the hell are those?" asked Aria.

"It's nothing much, just a tracking device.  Principle Celestia made me wear one after I wrecked the school at the fall formal."  Sunset rolled up her pant leg to reveal the tracker on her ankle.  "Just think of it like a fashion accessory that you’re not allowed to remove."

"Each of you will be equipped with one so we can make sure you’re not getting into trouble."  She and Luna began attaching the trackers.  "In addition to these you'll have a fellow student acting as a handler while you are at Canterlot High."

"That part was my idea," said the princess of friendship.  "Equestria has a history of reforming those who would threaten it and I think this world could benefit from that strategy as well.  Sunset Shimmer is living proof."  Twilight smiled at the former villain and she smiled back.

The sirens shared a concerned look, "What kind of a school is this?" asked Adagio.

"Wait, let me use my psychic powers, is the answer... a school full of a*#holes?" Aria was massaging her temples with her fingertips like a stereotypical fortune teller.

"Not funny Aria."

Sonata was still barely fazed by any of this, "So who's going to be our parole officers?"

"Think less parole officer and more new best buddy." said Twilight.

Luna looked around, "Any volunteers?"

Two hands shot up, "Oooh pick me!  Pick me!"  

"I'm still very grateful for the chance my friends gave me, I know if it weren't for their friendship I'd still be the raging she-demon from the fall formal."

"Alright, Sunset Shimmer I'll have you keep watch over miss Dazzle.  And Pinkie Pie?"  The little ball of energy perked up at the mention of her name.  "I'll have you work with miss Dusk since you already seem to get along."

"Wahoo!"  Pinkie bounded over to Sonata and wrapped her in gigantic bear hug.  "We're going to be the bestest friends forever!"

"Can I use your party cannon?" Sonata asked with a deceptive innocent look on her face.

"Eh, maybe not that good of friends."

Sunset's approach was much less ... energetic.  "So I guess we'll be spending allot of time together from now on, which doesn't have to be a bad thing.  I mean already we have a couple of things in common, I'm from Equestria, your from Equestria.  My hairs orange, your hairs orange.  I tried to take over the world, you tried to take over the world."  Adagio didn't have any words in response, only a loose collection of muffled groans and profanity.

"Sister we still need someone to keep watch over miss Blaze."  Luna commented.

"You are right.  What about it girls, will one of you volunteer?" asked Celestia.

All those unaccounted for shared a glance, "I'm already captain of the soccer team.  I suppose I could if she'd be willing to try out."  

"Do I look like the kind of girl who plays soccer?  I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those ugly jerseys."  Aria said with an upturned nose.

"Rarity, what about you?  You have a boutique you manage do you not?" asked Luna.

"I do, but I'm not sure having someone who dresses herself like that working at the Carousel would be good for business.  No offence dearie."  Under her breath Rarity said something to the like of her looking like a wannabee goth.

"Applejack?" 

"Sorry principle Celestia, it's just about apple pickin' season.  Much as we always appreciate a helpin' hand round the farm, I doubt she could lift even a bushel."  Applejack was eyeing her positively scrawny arms.

"Shows what you know.  I could lift a bushel easy."  Aria boasted.

"Yeah?  How many apples are in a bushel?"

"It's like five, right?"

"Well that means we're running out of options, I doubt any of the students we shoo'd away would be willing to help.  Flash Sentry, would you be willing to-"  He didn't even let the vice principle finish.

"Hell no!  She's the one who wrecked the upholstery in my car.  In what backwards world would I ever want to spend time with her?"  Aria was amused at just how upset she had made this guy.

"Dude, chill out, it's just a car."  She didn't feel sorry for damaging it, it was just her way of dealing with the stress of the moment.  "If it makes you feel better I'll pay someone to fix it."

"Flash, please."  Twilight was looking at her love interest with her pretty violet eyes.  "I would help her out myself but I have to go home to Equestria soon.  It's nothing too much, you just have to be there when she needs a friend, like you were for me when I first came to CHS."

Memories of that first day they had met flooded back into Flash's mind, Twilight was such a fish out of water and no one was taking the time to help her.  "Alright Twilight, I'll do it.  But it's a shame you have to leave so soon, we haven't gotten any time to spend together where I wasn't being mind controlled."

"It's not so bad Flash, now that we have Sunset's journal we can keep in contact without me having to travel through the mirror."  

"I thought it was so I could make friendship reports to you." said Sunset.

"Yeah, that too."  Twilight said while blushing.

As the two held hands and stared intently at each other, Aria's mind was racing.  It was at times like these she wished she had actual psychic powers, so that she could know what her sisters were thinking.  Though even without powers she could hazard a guess, Sonata would be either thinking about food or those annoying children's shows she would get angry at.  Adagio would be thinking about herself, that's about all she had room for up there.

As for Aria, she had a seething hatred starting to boil.  They had been on the cusp, it was in their grasps.  Power, the same power that they used to send all of Equestria into chaos one thousand years ago.  And it had been stripped from them, all because of the stupid little purple bimbo standing in front of her.  She wanted them to play nice, to be friends.  'We'll see how happy you are when I become much more than friends with your little boy toy Flash.'

"Alright students, it seems we have everything dealt with that needs done immediately.  Try and get some sleep, tomorrows a brand new day after all."  Celestia and Luna bid the group good night and drove off in their own car, Twilight took her dog and left for the statue in front of the school.  One by one the other girls departed, Flash, Sunset and Pinkie making arrangements for where to meet in the morning before they too left.

Now only the sirens three were alone in the empty parking lot, left without a ride to the hotel room they had rented.  It would be a long walk through the streets.
> Chapter two - Back to school special
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	The room that Aria found herself waking up in was a sty.  All of their costumes from the performance were strewn about on the couch and the floor, sticky sweet stains covering their entirety.  Other discarded articles of clothing abounded, stockings, bras and panties, long overdue for a trip to the laundry mat.  

In a daze Aria stirred from her slumber, she had been relegated to the hide-a-bed while Sonata and Adagio had gotten use of the queen bed.  She was greatly regretting leaving the sleeping arrangements up to drawing straws, especially now that she'd spent a rough night on the mattress full of pointy coil springs.

Both her sisters were already up, Sonata was still in her P.J.'s and watching some educational programming.  Adagio she could hear was in the bathroom, still trying to sing in the shower despite their wrecked voices.  For a second she could sympathize with the audience from last night, then she remembered the rotten fruit and the torches and pitchforks, she went straight back to despising every last one of them.

"Adagio, how long are you going to be in there?  I have to go."  Aria grumbled.

"Do you know how long it takes to wash this hair?"  

"I don't know, ten minutes, like any normal person."

Adagio scoffed at her ignorance, "I wish."  Just then there was a knock at the door, when she looked through the peep hole she could see it was the hotel manager impatiently standing there.  

"Adagio, we did pay for the room right?"

"With what?  We've been homeless for years.  I just used a little siren song to persuade the clerk to let us stay for free."  Adagio proclaimed proudly.

"Well he's here now and we don't have our powers anymore.  I think he may be here for his money."  The bathroom door flung open, Adagio's modesty barely covered by a towel.  

"S*#@, Aria can you and Sonata start getting our stuff packed and out the window?  I'll throw something on and distract him."  The knocking came again, this time louder.

"Wait, don't bother."  Aria said as she began stuffing loose garments into her duffle.

"What?"

"You're naked." Aria stated flatly.

"Oh, oh right!"  Adagio checked the towel to make sure it was indeed covering her enough then opened the door.  "Yes, can I help you?"

"Good morning miss, I- I I I."  The manager had caught sight of the half exposed beauty in front of him, he then had to remind himself of the equally stunning age gap between them.  "Sorry to interrupt you shower miss, but there seems to be a problem with the payment for the room.  Namely that there is none."

Adagio put on a false shyness with a side of naiveté "Oh dear, but I gave the desk clerk my credit card when we first arrived.  He said he'd have to hold onto it until we checked out.  I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

"Kevin did what?!  *Ahem*  I apologize miss, I know our worker out front has always been poorly motivated but I'd never have suspected him of taking advantage of our valued customer's trust.  Rest assured the hotel will compensate you for any fraudulent charges he made using your card."

She may not have had siren magic any longer but Adagio Dazzle still knew how to play a sucker.  "If I may sir, can I put some clothes on and join you while you talk with this Kevin?"

"Yes of course, I want him to look you in the eye when he tries to weasel out of what he did.  I'll um, be waiting outside."  The door closed behind him and Adagio went back inside.

"Alright girls, I bought us a couple of minutes, can one of you hand me my pants?"  There was an eerie lack of response as well as a cold breeze flowing through the room.  "Aria?  Sonata?"  A quick look out the window revealed her worst fears, both her siblings were running full bore down the street in their PJ's.  Carefully Adagio edged out the window and started chasing after them, "I know I said get our stuff packed but do you think you could have at least left me my underwear?"

"Sorry Dagi, here's your bag if you want it."  Sonata tossed the duffle making her sister nearly trip once she caught it.  "Ari texted our handlers letting them know we'll be at the bus stop."

"We wouldn't want them thinking we're off doing illegal things, like bailing out on our hotel bill." Aria said with a smirk.

"Shut up Aria."

Thankfully the sidewalks were nearly empty save for the occasional dog walker, apart from second glances at the half naked girls running down the road nothing stopped them on their way to a public restroom.  One quick change in the stalls later and they were prepared as they could be for school, all their earthly belongings carried in their two pieces of luggage.

Soon enough the big yellow bus rolled up to the stop and opened its doors.  In each seat were student's they recognized, some from the cafeteria others from the tryouts and some still from the angry mob the night before.  In the back was Pinkie Pie eagerly waving her arms and bouncing in her seat.  "Hey there new best buddy!  I saved some seats for us!"

The long walk down the length of the bus was covered by angry glares and suspicious eyes, finally the three sirens took their seats in the back.  Pinkie had the window seat and Sunset Shimmer was in the next row up, Flash Sentry was sitting slouched on the row opposite of them.  Sup pretty boy, I'm surprised you’re not off cruising the roads in your car."  Aria ignored the open seat for her by Pinkie and instead forced her way next to Flash.

"Yeah, I would be driving my car but it's in the body shop because of some damage caused by a certain someone." he clearly was still feeling raw over the incident. 

"I said I'll pay for any repairs."

"Yeah, I'll believe it when I see a check in my hands."

"I'm good for it, but it might take a while."  Aria gave a subtle eye signal to her sisters, now was the time to start the con.

Adagio was first to catch on, "We were evicted from our apartment this morning.  Everything we own is in these bags we're caring with us."

"Yeah, we're like hobos now.  Hopefully we can find a derailed box car somewhere, if not we'll have to share a refrigerator box."  Sonata said, never breaking from her happy grin.

"That's awful!"  Pinkie cried out.

"Gosh, I know living on the street feels, I didn't have any place to stay or anyone to care for me when I first came through the portal.  And that was back when I was only fourteen, at least you have each other to lean on."  Sunset placed a hand on Adagio's shoulder in comfort, "And me too if you ever need me."

"I know, somehow we'll make it through.  But this only makes things harder for us, without a place of residence getting jobs will be that much harder."  Adagio turned to Sonata to pour on the charm.

"Hey best buddy, you don't happen to know anyone who could put us up for a night or two, do ya?"  She was nervously clutching onto her ponytail and biting her lip.

"Well we have plenty of room at my place, two of my sisters are away at college.  I'm sure if I text them they wouldn't mind sharing their rooms.  If nothing else you can stay the night, it'll be just like a sleepover!  Strange, that'll be the second one I've hosted in a week."  Pinkie whipped out her cellphone and began clicking away at the keypad.

Aria smugly smiled to herself, goodie goodie types like these were oh so easy to manipulate.  Speaking of manipulation, "So Flash, I take it we'll be in the same classes right?  It'd be pretty hard to keep an eye on me if we weren't."

"Yeah, Principle Celestia emailed me our class schedules last night.  We all have homeroom together then we're in pre-calc, literature, home ec and American history."  He stuffed the list back into his backpack, "Did you get the other's schedules last night Pinkie?"

Before she could answer Aria interjected, "Wait, she split us up?  Why would she do that?"

"I think she might think you’re a bad influence on each other…that or it's because CHS is overcrowded as is and she had to place you where she could."  Sunset hypothesized.

"It's fine Aria, we have homeroom and then the lunch hour as well." Adagio assured her.  

She was having a hard time admitting it to herself, but Aria didn't want to face the school without her sisters by her side.  "Fine."


*****


Before being allowed into class they had to stop into the principal’s office to pick up their collection of textbooks, ones that Aria would swear up and down weighed at least eighty pounds.  Thankfully their escorts were outside waiting for them and gladly shared the load.  "So what lockers did they give you all?" asked Pinkie.

"I'm in four thirty five, Sonata's in four thirty seven and she put Aria at two thousand five."

"OOH!  I'm in four hundred thirty six!  That means we're locker buddies as well!" Pinkie was ecstatic.

"Flash do you know where my locker is?" asked Aria.

"Two thousand five?  Um, that's in the dark hallway right Sunset?"

"Right, you should already know how to get there, it's where you all were mocking me the other day." Sunset said with notable resentment in her voice.

"Sorry about that, new best buddy."  The words were forced and unnatural coming out of Adagio.

"Anyways Aria, I'd be careful walking there alone.  There's no light and allot of the school's rougher characters like to hang around there." 

"Why Flash, I didn't know that you cared." Aria said sweetly as she inched closer, "I'll just have to stick close so you can protect me from the 'rougher characters.'"   


*****


The entire homeroom class Aria was trying her darnedest to catch Flash's wandering eye, using all her skills of seduction she had picked up in her thousand years on earth.  The fluttering eyelashes, the alluring stare, hell even the kissey faces weren't working.  Either he was completely oblivious or that Twilight Sparkle had a greater hold on his heart than she had anticipated.  Eventually she grew tired of failing and actually started to pay attention to the class, right as the lesson was concluding.

The first bell rang notifying everyone to get ready for their next classes, "Do you want me to help you get your books?"  Flash asked as he got up from his seat.

A thought occurred to her, it could work but he couldn't be there from the start.  "No I should be fine, besides you have to get your own books too."  Aria gathered up her bag, "I'll meet you outside the classroom at the next bell."

Second bell was in five minuets so she would have to act fast, step one was to get back to her locker and find one of the ruffians who hung around there.  Thankfully she found one right away, a junior puffing away at a cigarette he must have smuggled inside the building, he would do.  With book in hand she casually walked past and dropped the hefty text book on his foot.

"Gah!  What the hell!" the teen shrieked.

"Oops, clumsy me."  Aria knelt down and picked the book up, then proceeded to drop it onto his crotch.  "My aim was a bit off last time."

Fury filled his nostrils, he began seeing red.  "You b*#@%!  Wait I know you, your one of those monsters who was controlling everyone's minds.  Because of you me and my girlfriend got in an argument and she broke up with me."

"I think that has less to do with me and more with you looking like a shaved chimp." Aria goaded him on, she only had to wait for the second bell and-

*BRRIINNGGGGG*

Bingo.  "Mind giving that back?  I have pre-calculus to get to."

"Oh I'll give you something alright," in a flash the boy was on his feet, impressive for someone who'd just sustained a groin injury.  Less impressive but certainly more scary was him grabbing hold of Aria and placing her in a choke hold.  "Everyone will thank me for getting rid of a monster like you."

Aria soon found that he was serious, she could feel his arm crushing her windpipe.  Things went black for a while, all she could recall was the sound of a struggle then her head hitting something hard.  The next thing she knew Aria was on the linoleum floor gasping for air and coughing up little specks of blood.

Standing above her illuminated in florescent white was the object of her interest, Flash was saying something but she couldn't hear, the whole world was ringing.  "*IIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG*  Aria!  Aria focus on the sound of my voice.  Can you see my hand?  How many fingers am I holding up?"  Flash wasn't quite sure what to do in this kind of situation, he'd never saved someone from being strangled before.

Once Aria's eyes stopped lolling about inside her skull she could focus enough to see the look of sheer terror on Flash's face.  "I was going to get my books when he attacked me.  Oh god Flash, if you hadn't come I'd be dead.  What did you do with that brute?"

He pointed over to the slumped over body laying against the wall, his eye was already growing swollen and purple.  "I can't believe what I saw, I was joking about the rough characters."  It was clear adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, "I know everyone is still upset from the concert but I had no idea anyone at CHS was capable of this."

"He mentioned something about his girlfriend breaking up with him, he blamed me and my sisters."

"I can at least understand that, you three screwed with my head so much I nearly wrecked things with Twilight."  Now was the time, to start planting doubt.

"Flash, you may not know this but our powers, when we had them that is.  We could only make people more cooperative with our desires.  We can't make anyone do or say anything that they didn't have room for in their hearts."  This wasn't strictly true, if they had succeeded in draining the magic from every last CHS student then their powers would have had much more potent effects.  

"What are you saying, that deep down I don't trust Twilight or-"

"I'm not saying anything Flash, just that whatever you said or did before the battle of the bands was your own desire.  All we did was remove your inhibitions."  Aria let the point stew inside him for a time, then she remembered that she'd just survived an attempt at her life.  "Do you think you can save the deep thought for later?  I'd like to get to the nurses office as soon as possible."

"Oh right, I'll get you there right away.  Are you alright to walk?"

Aria thought on it for a second, she could feel the shortness of breath leaving her but then again, "No, I don't think so.  Can you carry me there Flash?"  

"No problem, just hold on tight and I'll have you there in no time."  Flash hunkered down and gently slipped is arms underneath her.  Once he lifted Aria's dainty frame off the floor he held her close to his chest, one arm supporting her back, his other hand ended up being on her thigh.  She could feel his touch right through the maroon pants she was wearing.

"Whoa, that's pretty forward of you Mr. Sentry."

Hot blood rushed through his cheeks, "Sorry, I don't know how to carry a girl."

"Flash."  Aria placed her hand on his and slid it back, "I didn't say stop."

Aria felt pleased with herself, she'd achieved the first step of her plan and the seeds of doubt had been planted.  Admittedly the road to get to that first step was not one she would have taken by choice, but it was success nonetheless.  The Dazzlings had a place to stay, their handlers seemed to have fallen for their whiles and now Aria had Twilight Sparkle's little boyfriend groping her in the hallway, a rousing success all around.
> Chapter three - Date night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	To Flash's credit he had Aria to the nurse's office in a matter of minutes and he waited beside her bed the whole time like a true gentleman.  The nurse, Miss Redheart looked almost in worse condition than the patients she was treating.  Her skin was pale and devoid of color, almost as if she were anemic.  She wore her pink hair in a top knot to keep it out of her eyes.  "You say you lost consciousness for a time?  How long would you say that was?"

Aria had the standard diagnostic tools attached to her, a blood pressure cuff around her arm and the stethoscope placed above her heart. "I'm not really sure, I think I heard the bell ringing when I came to." 

"It must have been about fifteen minutes I stayed with her.  I wasn't sure what to do so I didn't move her at all." Flash said.

"No you did good, she might have gone into shock.  But should such an event ever occur again it would be best to notify someone with medical training as soon as possible."  Redheart took off the cuff and jotted down the results on her clipboard, "You should be fine but at the first sign of difficulty breathing or loosing consciousness I want you to seek medical attention."

"Oh yes nurse, I will." 

"Good girl.  If I were you I'd be thanking my lucky stars, if your boyfriend hadn't been there than there could have been some very bad consequences."  Flash's was quick to dispel her misconception.

"N-No, A-Aria's n-not my gu-girlfriend." he stammered.

Redheart wasn't fazed by his unease, "My mistake, I just assumed that was the case by the way you had her hand on her a#@ when you came into my office."  Flash's face went even brighter red, "I suppose boyfriend and girlfriend is too 'restrictive' for you kids.  All I ask is you use condoms, god knows we already have too many teen mothers at this school."

By now Flash was so upset he had to leave the room, Aria couldn't help but laugh at his misery.  "Don't worry nurse, we'll be sure to take your advice.  Right now I'd better catch up to my 'boyfriend,' we have Ms. Cheerilee's  literature class to get to."  Redheart waved her off and wished her a healthy rest of the day.

When Aria left the nurse's office she found Flash not too far away, jammed in between two sets of lockers as if he were trying to blend into the bland decor of the hallway.  "Why didn't you let her know we're not a couple?"  

"Because I like you Mr. Sentry, would it be so bad if we were a couple?"  Aria asked in a playful way.

"Don't even joke about that, I'm with Twilight, end of story." Flash said while crossing his arms.

"Whatever you say Mr. Sentry."


*****


After a boring lecture about classical literature that was outdated when Aria first read it three hundred years ago came lunch period.  That blessed time when students could congregate and graze with people of like mind.  The lunches at CHS also were known for their frequent interruption by well-choreographed impromptu musical numbers.  But there was none of that today, just students sitting with their cliques with a small amount of intermingling.  

It didn't take long for Aria to find her sisters, they had already gone through the line.  Sonata was unhappily prodding at an unidentifiable blob of brown goop.  Adagio had something more sensible, a salad of pathetic looking greens drowning in ranch.  "I don't suppose there's anything better, is there?"

"I asked if they had any tacos left over from Tuesday, this is what she gave me!" Sonata held out her tray as if to show off how disappointed she was.  "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"So how was your first day of hell?" Adagio asked casually, she popped a crouton in her mouth and began crunching on it.  "Mine sucked a*@."

Aria shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing much, calculus is boring as hell, and literature is the same old garbage.  Some kid tried strangling me to death though." she mentioned as a side note.

"For realzies?  How long did he try before he gave up?  My money's on five minutes!"  Sonata asked excitedly.

Adagio didn't wait to swallow, "No way, the kids here aren't that motivated.  It was two minutes tops!"  Immortality, it does strange things to people.  When the icy sting of a knife plunged into your gut or a hangman's noose has no consequence things like mortal peril become mundane.  For the siren sisters it had become a game, something to place bets over, anything to keep eternity interesting.

"Actually I don't know how long he was choking me.  It was strange, after a few seconds everything went black."  Sonata and Adagio shared a concerned glance.  

"That's ... Weird."  Sonata bit on her thumb nervously.

Adagio was quick to come up with a theory, "Maybe you fell asleep, you were up really late last night.  What were you doing anyway?"

"Glad you asked, so you know my handler is in a relationship with the ringleader of the Rainbooms right?"

"Sunset Shimmer?  No she let me know they broke up months ago." Adagio corrected her.

Sonata shook her head, "No Ari means Rainbow Dash, she's the band leader."

"Wow I had no idea, I wouldn't have pegged him for being into athletic girls.  Personally I thought he'd be all over that nerd Twilight Sparkle."  Adagio was fully aware of what she was doing and seeing Aria's frustration made it all the more worthwhile.

"GRR!  Yes, he's dating the friendship princess.  And I stayed up all last night thinking of ways to get revenge against her."  Aria was comically rubbing her hands together like a cartoon villain.

"Ooh I get it, you’re going to use him to get back at her."  Aria was about to answer with 'exactly' but Sonata continued.  "Like, you could handcuff her to the wall and force her to watch as you disembowel her boyfriend right in front of her."

Both Aria and Adagio looked at the sister with shock and disgust.  "Jezzus Crist Sonata!"

"What the f#@*?!"

"What?  Too much?" Sonata's expression never changed from her innocent smile.

Aria shook of her sister's disturbed nature and continued, "Anyway, no, I'm not doing any of your F'ed up stuff you've got in your head.  I'm going to seduce him away from her and really make it hurt.  Then to top it off, once he's mine to do with as I please I'm going to dump him in the gutter.

"I don't know Aria that's almost as f*#@ed up as what Sonata was talking about.  I love it!"  Adagio took a big fork full of salad in celebration.  "Maybe we can't hurt that smug b#$@* physically anymore, but she can’t do anything to prevent grand theft boyfriend."

"Hey speaking of."  Sonata pointed to the end of the food line, the whole Rainbooms group plus Flash Sentry were coming out with their lunches.  "Hey there Pinkalicious!"

"Pinka- what now?" Aria asked with raised eyebrow.

"She thought we should come up with nicknames for each other."

Pinkie waived back, "Hay there Sonnet!"  

"I see you girls have some open seats, mind if we all join you?"  Sunset asked politely.

Adagio rolled her eyes, "I doubt there's anything we could do to stop you.  Go right ahead."  One by one every member of Sunset's posse found a seat, now the once abandoned lunch table was filled to the brim.  

"So how was your first day back at CHS?" Fluttershy asked in a near whisper.  None of the Dazzlings even bothered to respond, only glowering at her.  "Sorry."

"You remember my first day back after my failed coup, I wasn't exactly in a friendly mood either Fluttershy."  Sunset had a look of understanding on her face, she'd been through exactly what they were dealing with.  "Oh, that reminds me.  Principal Celestia wanted us to do something to help your transition into everyday life here smoother, so she asked if Pinkie, Flash and I would take you out on the town."

"Mmhhmm," Pinkie hummed with her mouth full of the reconstituted leftovers, "She gave us fifty bucks a piece!"

"I figured we could use that to go catch a movie at the Cineplex, if you wanted to that is." Sunset looked to Adagio hopefully.

"What's playing?  Nothing that would appeal to my sophisticate palette I suppose." Adagio said in a dismissive manner.

"Well, there's a screening of the unexpected virtue of ignorance, or the art theater is showing Bernie, the movie about the guy who murdered an old lady but no one wanted to convict him." Sunset posed the options, to Adagio's surprise they weren't that bad.  "And if none of that sounds appealing I've got the box set of Twin Peaks, it's a bizarre mystery show set in the Pacific Northwest."

"Alright, I'll take you up on your offer."  'Eh what the hell,' Adagio thought out loud.

Sunset and the others seemed pleased with that, next up the ever energetic Pinkie Pie.  "Soo, I was thinking and call me crazy if I am-"

"Alright you're crazy." Sonata said with a giggle.

"We could use the money and go out for some expensive dinner that's barely enough to feed an ant.  Or, we could do this!"  Pinkie held out her cell phone, on the little LED screen was an ad for Taco Gong.  "They’re running a midnight deal for one dollar tacos!  I figure if we hold out for that long then we can each get twenty five a piece!"  Pinkie looked expectantly to her ward, "Sonnet?"

Sonata's eyes were filled to the brim with tears, her mouth was overflowing with drool.  "You-  You, understand me."

"It's not that hard to understand you have a taco fetish considering how much you talk about them Sonata."  Aria turned to her handler, "Well Flash, what do you have planned for us?"

"I dunno, actually the dollar taco's sound pretty good to me." Flash didn't have a very sophisticated pallet.

Now was the time for Aria to further her goals, "Really now Flash, you went and felt me up in the school hallways in front of everyone and you want to take me out to fast food?  The least you could do is treat a girl to a nice dinner."

The reaction from the table was quick and volatile.  "I can't believe you Flash!  Taking advantage of a vulnerable woman like that, shame on you!" shrieked Rarity.

"Wow dude, I had no idea you were such a perv."  Rainbow Dash seemed less upset, more indifferent to the whole thing.

Sunset seemed to be the most disappointed having been in a relationship with the man in question in the past.  "Really Flash?  I know I was a b*#@$ to you back then but you never touched me like that."  All eyes were on bacon hair, "Uh, I mean- What's wrong with you, filthy man animal!"

"But I didn't do anything honest!"  As much as he would plead his case none of them would have any of it, in the end he had to hang his head in resignation.  "Fine, where do you want to eat?" Flash asked in a defeated tone.

"I'm feeling like spending big tonight, how about sashimi?"  Under pressure from every girl at the table Flash Sentry had no choice but to accept.  "See you tonight."


*****


After school the Dazzlings got off the bus with Pinkie Pie, having to tote their luggage the few blocks to her home.  In the intervening time her sisters had responded to her texts asking if their rooms could be lent out.  "You're really going to like it at my place!  There's plenty of empty space, Inky and Blinky aren't really the decorating types so feel free to put up whatever you need to make this feel more like a home."

"Your sister's names are Inky and Blinky?" Sonata asked confusedly.

"No silly, there just nicknames we gave each other.  They call me Pinkie but my legal name is Pinkamina, and my oldest sister Maud we call Clyde.  She's already graduated and still lives here so you'll have to meet her, just keep out of her room okay?  She doesn't like people touching her rocks."  Sonata was nodding in understanding but in reality she was milling over the familiar naming convention of the Pie sisters.

The rest of the way was spent in annoying banter between Sonata and Pinkie, made all the more unbearable by the nicknames they insisted on using.  Finally when it seemed stepping in front of traffic would be a better option they arrived, it was a modest looking two story house with no lawn to speak of.  Their host was all too happy to show them in, "Hey Maud!  We have company!"

Not a sound was heard and no one was there to greet them.   "Is your sister out at the moment?" Aria asked as she set down her overstuffed luggage on the floor.

"No silly, that's Maud right behind you."  

Once Aria wheeled herself around she was greeted by the blank face of a statuesque woman in her early twenties, her skin was like smooth marble, her hair worn strait down.  "Boulder says hello."  Perched in her right hand was a small pebble, she was cradling it like you would a small dog.

Not wanting to seem rude Adagio stepped forward,"Hello Maud, I guess we'll be living here for a time."  She only blinked, "It's awfully nice of you and Pinkie to take us in."  Still she only blinked, "We'll try and stay out of your hair as much as we can."  

"Okay."  The grayscale woman walked away, grabbed a box of crackers off the counter and started pouring them on her rock.

Pinkie looked somewhat embarrassed, "S-sorry about that.  Maud isn't quite all there if you know what I mean."  

"Oh, so is she like a total psycho or just has some social disorders?" asked Sonata.

"Maud has problems communicating with other people, so if you see her talking through her pet rock, she's not crazy."  The pink one drew silent, it was obvious she'd been living with her sister's condition for some time.  "Anyway I'm sure she'll warm up to you once you've been here a while.  Let me show you the rooms you'll all be staying in!"

The rooms themselves weren't anything to write home about, though seeing as this would be the Dazzling's home for the foreseeable future they would have to do something about that.  Once again they had to draw lots as to who would get what, there were two bedrooms and three sirens.  Once again Aria drew the short end of the stick, this time being forced to share a bed with Sonata while Adagio got an entire bedroom to herself.  Maybe she was just lucky that way, but it seemed anytime chance was involved Aria would end up on bottom while Adagio would take the top.

After unpacking her belongings Aria spent some time getting ready for her date, it might have been by force but it was a date nonetheless.  She was confident in her abilities enough to say by the end of the night she would have Flash Sentry for herself, not that she particularly wanted him in the first place.  

As she ordained her jewelry in its rightful place, hair pins, ear rings and what remained of her broken siren charm, memories of the day flooded back.  It had been so odd, Aria had lost all control, she could feel herself slipping away.  Nothing like that had ever happened in her thousand years, nothing.  Maybe Adagio was right, she would have to get some real sleep on the weekend.

While she was still getting dressed Aria heard the doorbell chime, it was Sunset here to collect Adagio.  'I can't believe she just going along with her.  Adagio's usually too uptight to hang out with anyone.’  She would have kept on wondering but then Aria remembered she didn't care.

Downstairs she could hear Pinkie Pie and Sonata mashing on buttons and chugging over caffeinated beverages, likely to sustain them through the wait.  'No surprise there,'Aria thought.  After applying a modest amount of makeup she was ready, she was garbed in her nicest getup, which happened to be the outfit she wore to the battle of the bands.  Rather than wait inside Aria decided to step out, she would rather face the cold than be subjected to her sister's squealing.

There wasn't much going on outside, the street was barren, devoid of cars.  Maybe that was just the kind of town Canterlot was, Aria suspected she'd get to know this place very well as time went on, weather she wanted too or not.  At least the stars were out, none of them obscured by the city smog like in Detrot, there had been no starlight over that city.

While she was absorbed in stargazing she completely missed her date arriving, "You see some U.F.O.'s up there?"

"Wha-  Oh Flash, I didn't hear you drive up." 

"That's cause I didn't, my car's in the shop, from the damage you caused it, remember?" he asked in a deadpan tone.

"Eh no," Maybe minor property damage wasn't the best way to start of this relationship.  "Anyway no flying saucers tonight, just watching the stars."

Flash held out a hand to help her stand up, "What do you use it for inspiration for your songs?"

"No, most of our songs were just done on the fly.  Half of them were just hypnotic commands set to acappella vocals."  Aria dusted off the rear of her skirt before taking hold of his hand.  "I like watching the stars because they’re the same ones from back home.  Every night when I was just a little guppy in the big ocean I would peek my head past the surface to watch them.  Even though this is a completely different world than the one I come from, the stars are the same.  It's just about the only thing that's a constant in my life."

"Wait ... guppy?  Are you saying-"

"That I'm an aquatic being by nature?  Yes."

"But if you're a fish then, why sushi?"  Flash was somewhat horrified that he might be standing next to a cannibal.  

Aria just had to roll her eyes.  "It's sashimi, sushi is the art of preparing the food.  And maybe you didn't notice the huge chompers on our siren forms, those aren't for show.  Back in Equestria we were alpha predators, we didn't start out that way but- never mind."  Aria hadn't intended to bring back those painful memories, or to even share them with a stranger.  "Anyway just because you're a born land dweller doesn't mean you’re a cannibal for eating cows or pigs."

"I guess that makes sense, jeez it's pretty strange though.  You’re actually a fish creature and the only two girls I've ever dated are magical horses from another dimension.  Kind of calls into question my preferences doesn't it?"  Flash let out a laugh, he didn't really care too much.  Sunset Shimmer had always been a regular B#@**y girl, and Twilight Sparkle was a regular awkward girl.  The spontaneously appearing wings were kind of odd though.

With her arm intertwined with his Aria turned to ask Flash a question, "What's so great about Twilight Sparkle anyway?  Why do you want to be with her?"

"Well... She's really nice, the first time we met it was like an instant connection you know?  And the time we spent together dancing at the fall formal was ... Magic!" his eyes were lit up like a hearths warming tree.

"So you had a cool date at the school dance, anything else?"

"I just know she's the one because ever since she had to leave I kept on waiting and hoping she'd come back or I'd hear something from her.  Every single day my thoughts were on her alone."

"Wait, are you saying yesterday was the second time you've ever met her?  What kind of a basis for a relationship is that?  One dance and a few dozen words shared.  I've had a deeper and more meaningful relationship with a turkey sandwich!"  Aria wasn't exaggerating, you'd be surprised at how much you can love food when you haven't had eaten in weeks.  "I bet she's never even kissed you."

Flash's temperament was flaring up, "J-Just because we haven't kissed doesn't mean we're not right for each other."

"Oh I'd never say that Flash, it's just that I'm surprised she's not even willing to give you a sign of affection as meaningful as a kiss.  I know if you were my boyfriend I wouldn't hesitate to give you all the sugar.  As a matter of fact,"  Aria swooped in and planted her lips on his, they stayed there for a good three seconds before he pulled away.   'With this kiss I do thee steal.'

"Wha- what the hell!"

"I'm sorry Flashy, I just couldn't help myself.  I don't regret it though."  Aria licked her lips seductively as she stared into his eyes.  It was having the desired effect, she could see the want in his eyes.

"J-J-J- Just p-pu-promise you won't do that again."  he stammared out.  

"Scouts honor, not that I was in the girl scouts but you get the idea."  She would hold that promise, she didn't need to kiss him again to make him hers.  Flash had been given a taste and soon he would crave it.  "Come on Flashy, let's get some dinner."

The whole walk to the Japanese restaurant Flash was half jittery half trying to mask his arousal.  Once there he didn't get much better so Aria ended up ordering for the both of them.  Spicy tuna, Ahi, and crunchy crab, tried and true favorites.  She learned once the food came that Flash had never tried sahimi before.  As a reward for being such a brave boy Aria fed him with the chopsticks he was struggling with, all the while playing a little game of footsie under the table.

All was going as planned.
> Chapter four - Date night aftermath
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Dinner had been pleasant, much better than Aria had expected.  Unfortunately Flash didn't take well to the raw fish and it ended up coming back with a vengeance.  About halfway back home he had to stick his head inside some bushes to perform the bile rite, the whole time she stayed with him, rubbing his back and letting him know everything would be alright.  

It was strange, but Aria felt a twinge of an unfamiliar emotion, almost like a bit of herself was going out to the boy.  "I'm sorry Flash, I guess I kinda ruined your night didn't I?"  

Through the gag reflexes and sour saliva in his mouth he replied, "Its *UrG* nothing.  You never learn *ULP* if you'll like something if you don't try it first."  Flash gave her a reassuring smile before turning green in the cheeks once more.

Aria was thinking about further pursuing her goal of seducing him but decided to refrain, partially due to the ungodly smell he was producing but mostly Aria didn't want to disturb him anymore than she already had.  In the end she just went on massaging his back until he had expelled all the unwanted food.  "You okay?"

"*Guh*  Yeah, I'll be fine."  He would be but for the moment he felt like death warmed over.

"If you want you could come inside for a bit, I'm sure there's some saltines you could nibble on."  Aria had seen them first hand, only problem was Pinkie's psycho sister was using them to feed her pet rock.  "And there's probably some soda in the fridge, that might ease your stomach."

"Thanks."  Flash mumbled before his muscles went limp, "Can you help me walk?"

"Jeez Flash, if this is how you handle fish remind me never to give you alcohol."  Aria placed an arm under his armpits and propped him upright, helping him walk along.  "Come on you lug, let's get you sitting down." 


*****


Inside the house was unlit, everyone was still out on the town.  Surprising, Sonata was a given, that girl would do anything if her favorite food was promised.  But Aria would have bet real money she didn't have that Adagio would have ditched that Sunset girl ASAP, she'd have to ask about what was going on later.  For the moment she had a patient to care for.

After rummaging around the fridge the only thing she could find were cans of whipped cream and nothing else.  The rest of the kitchen was a bust, nothing but baking supplies.  The bathroom medicine cabinet yielded better results, a half empty box of pink bismuth tablets, that was something at least.  

That left the crackers and that would mean getting them from Maud.  Quietly Aria approached the door and knocked, "Hey Maud, this is Aria, we met earlier."  There was no answer, "I know it's late but I need a small favor, my date got sick on the way back here and he needs something to quell his stomach."  Again not so much as a whisper, "Would it be alright if I borrowed those crackers you had before?"  Once more not an answer to be found.

With empty hands she turned away, Flash would just have to sustain himself off of Pepto.  About halfway down the hall she heard a door swing open and shut rapidly, when Aria returned she found the half eaten box of saltines sitting on the floor.  A little sticky note written in beautiful cursive said, 'Boulder says you can have the rest.'  

Aria took the crackers and the medicine over to the couch he was laying on and sat down on the floor beside his head.  He still looked ghastly, a sickening emerald tinge covered his cheeks.  "I got you some stuff for your tummy, here eat some crackers and you can have the Pepto-Bismo."  She took the box and set it where he could reach.  

"Thanks Aria, I'm pretty pathetic aren't I?  Can't handle a bit of sashimi."  The ill teen wallowed in self pity.

Aria continued to run her fingers through his wild blue hair, "You're not pathetic, you've just never tried anything like that before.  I'll even let you in a secret if you promise not to tell."  Weakly Flash made a little cross motion over his heart, "When my sisters and I were first exiled here we didn't have anything to eat.  Every day we had to scavenge for food, being picky was not an option.  So when we first found wild mushrooms that's what we had to eat, unfortunately they were the variety that turn your liver to goo."

A fresh wave of queasiness came over Flash, "You ate what?"

"It's true, even now I can't eat a mushroom without losing it."  Aria paused to reflect, those had been dark times indeed.  Left to wander uninhabited forests without an inkling of how to survive, cursed never to die, stuck with the drive to bring strife to all they met.

"But shouldn't you have died?"

"I suppose a normal person would Flashy, good thing I'm anything but.  Keep eating your crackers."  Aria demanded by booping his nose.  "Anyway, it's just one of the few perks immortality gives.  After a few weeks without a functioning liver my body regenerated it, not saying it didn't hurt though."

"At least starving won't ever be a problem here in Canterlot, right?" Flash asked naively.

"You've never been homeless have you?"  Flash shook his head no, while by no means wealthy his family was well set financially.  "You'd be surprised how fast 'good people' will turn their backs on someone.  A day or two without bathing, no access to clean clothes and you’re labeled as a drifter, or worse."

He was silent, she couldn't see what he was thinking from down on the floor so she let it drop.  "So Flash?"

"Yeah Aria?" Flash stifled a yawn.

"What do we have going on tomorrow?"

"I dunno, more classes, principle Celestia's probably going to address the school about you girls.  And ... oh crap!"  Flash reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, "Is it, dam it.  I totally forgot I have practice with my band after class tomorrow.  I'll just have to text them that I'm canceling."

"Why do you have to cancel?"  Aria tried to recall the group he had performed with, she hadn't really been paying attention.

"Well we'd be jamming for hours and I already have that time dedicated to you whether I want to or not."  The bitter note was still there but far less notable considering Aria was the girl tending to him.  

"There's no need to mess up your schedule on my account, I'll just work on my homework while you play."  She wasn't sure why she was being so nice to him, in the end she rationalized it by saying she could more easily coerce him when he was at ease.

"Really?  You'd do that for me?!  You’re the best Aria!"  He rolled over on the couch so that he was facing her, the look of genuine appreciation was clearly evident.  "I bet Ringo and Brawly are gonna like you."

A joke occurred to Aria that she couldn't resist telling, "What's your band named, the All Starr Band?  Eh, get it?"

"Um no, am I supposed to get it?"  

"You-  bu- wha-  Ugh, kids."  Aria hung her head in shame, the lack of musical education in this generation saddened her greatly.  "Go back to sleep Flash, you're making my head hurt."

"But I don't live here."

"Do you want to walk home right now?"

"Not really."

"Go back to sleep Flash."

Aria handed him two of the Pepto's and found a loose blanket for him, she draped it over his huddled body and went upstairs.  She was feeling physically drained, once again she reminded herself of the weekend, come Saturday she would stay in bed for the whole day.  Until then she would have to sustain herself on the few hours of shut eye before sunrise.  That was the plan, unfortunately the plan didn't account for four rowdy teenage girls barging into the house being loud as all hell.  

With all the strength she could muster Aria buried her head under the pillows.  Tomorrow would be rough.
> Chapter five - 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"So then I said 'Oatmeal, are you crazy?!'"

The group downstairs erupted into laughter, unavoidable, obnoxious, intrusive laughter.  This is how the last hour had gone, every time Aria was nearing a place where she could fall asleep, Sonata or Pinkie and once even Adagio would crack some joke and the cycle would repeat.

She was getting to her edge, the smallest fraction of self-restraint stood between normal sane Aria Blaze and an Aria Blaze committing mass murder with kitchen implements.  Thankfully the ruckus ended before she went overboard, Sunset Shimmer said she had to get back to the public housing before curfew so the long night ended.  She even took Flash along with her, offering to drop him off at his home.  Aria wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Soon afterwards her sister's came upstairs and noisily plopped on their beds in the adjacent room.  "Wow, I haven't had that much fun in decades!"

"What did you even do?"

"I got to eat a metric ton of tacos."

"Is that all?"

"Eh, what can I say, I'm a cheap date."

Aria could hear her older sister facepalm even through the wall.  "I must admit, my night wasn't completely unenjoyable either."

"For realzies?"

"Urgh, yes Sonata, for 'realzies.'  We had a nice time at the theater and an intelligent discussion about the meaning about the ending.  Although she's completely wrong, when the daughter looks out the window she's seeing her father taking flight, not that she's insane and hallucinating it."

"Okay ... So you had a boring talk about a weirdo art film, is that all?"

"N-No!  She's also a nice conversationalist, a skill that you lack sister.  And it turns out quite an interesting pony, or person, whatever.  Turns out, before she left Equestria in a huff, Sunset was actually Princess Celestia's-"  

By now Aria was getting upset once more, cursing the thin walls with no sound insulation.  "Would you two just shut up!  I'm trying to sleep!"

"Oh hai Ari, I didn't know you were still awake.  How'd your date with Mr. Tall, Blue and Pasty go?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!" Aria screamed through the walls.

"Just answer the question Aria, you know Sonata is just going to keep asking until you do.  Besides I want to know as well."

Angrily Aria pried herself from her bed and went into her sibling's room.  "If I tell you will you promise to keep it down?"

"No promises, so did you two have a snog in the bushes behind the restaurant?  I want all the icky details."  Sonata pulled out a ruled notebook, the contents of which Aria never wanted to see.  

"Sorry to disappoint, the only thing that happened in the bushes was Flash losing his dinner.  Poor guy couldn't handle the spicy tuna."  Adagio and Sonata looked at each other with puzzlement written on their faces.

"Poor guy?"

Quickly she tried to cover herself, "I mean stupid oaf!  He pretty much ruined the night."

Sonata looked disappointed, "Oh that's too bad, I guess that means you didn't even get to first base with him then." 

"No no, I stole a kiss."

"Really?  What's he taste like, besides vomit I mean." Adagio leaned in.

"What the hell kind of question is that?  I don't know, saliva."  She was trying her darnedest not to convey that she'd actually enjoyed that stolen kiss.  "There I told you what you wanted will you just let me get to sleep?"

Sonata and Adagio shared a glance, "Not quite, we have one more question."

"Yeah, when we first got back poor little guy was dozing away on the couch, all cozy and tucked in with a blanket.  Now I wonder who could have done that?" Sonata had the smuggest smirk on her face, a look Aria wished she could wipe off.

Aria's cheeks were flushing red, not that you could tell since her skin was already a light shade of violet.  "W-well, it wasn't me.  Must have been that creep sister of Pinkie Pie."  

"Oh.  I actually hadn't thought about that.  Here me and Dagi were thinking you had some actual human emotions for this guy and selflessly took care of him while he was sick.  I'm so sorry I ever doubted you Ari."

She wasn't sure if she should be insulted or not, it was hard understanding her sister sometimes.  Scratch that, all the time.  "Well just so long as it never happens again.  Anyway tomorrow I'll be hanging around him while he's practicing with his band, which should give me plenty of opportunities."

"I feel sorry for you Aria, I had to sit through their performance at the tryouts.  I'll just say they make 'Dragon Sound' sound like gods of rock in comparison."  

"Who are Dragon Sound?" Sonata asked with a tilt of her head.

"Exactly."

Aria hadn't been there at the time, a bathroom trip became necessary after drinking too much of the grape juice that looked like apple juice.  "Come on Adagio, they can’t be that bad."

"Well I suppose you'll find out for yourself tomorrow won't you?"  Adagio undid the schrunchie in the back of her hair, letting it all go wild.  "I'm feeling pretty tired myself so you won't hear a peep out of me."

"Are you kidding?  I'm hopped up on so much caffeine I could stay up for weeks!"  Sonata looked like it too.

"Sonata if you wake me up once while I'm sleeping I'm going to stuff your stockings so far down your throat that you'll-"

"Alright, alright.  I'll just keep it inside."  In a flash she began erecting a little wall between her and Adagio out of pillows and blankets.  "This side will be SonatalandTM and your side will be Adagiopolis, the cruel military dictatorship."

"Just as long as you let me get a good night’s sleep, good night Aria.  Hope you have some luck swaying his affections tomorrow."

"Yeah good luck Ari."  For however much verbal abuse they spouted at each other, the Dazzlings still were a family.  A highly dysfunctional and irregular family, but a loving one nonetheless.

Aria took their kindness in stride and left the room, ending the night on a positive note.  As she slipped away from consciousness Aria Blaze's dreams began to fill with thoughts of her upcoming conquest.  Though, even in the dreams after she had gotten her revenge, Flash Sentry was still there. Odd.

> Chapter six - 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Good morning students of Canterlot High, this is your principle speaking."  The outdated speaker system popped and crackled with each syllable.  "Most likely everyone has already heard about the events that transpired in these very halls yesterday.  For those unaware one of your fellow students who shall remain unnamed was viciously attacked by another student."

Ms. Cheerilee's class room was silent but all eyes were on the purple skinned girl sitting in the corner.  No one had to say her name, they all knew it was her.  "*Psst* Flash.  You know I'm still grateful for you saving me right?"

"Yes I know, but I'm trying to hear."  Satisfied Aria went back to listening.

"-wait are you serious?  That's his real name?  *Ahem*  The reason I'm addressing the school today is not only to denounce such vile actions but also to address the reactions of the student body itself."  There was a audible sigh behind the microphone, as if Celestia was not quite ready to talk about what was next.  "Shortly after the incident occurred social media exploded with line after line of what I can only describe as disgusting hatred."

A little electric buzz indicated a second microphone turning on.  "I was shocked to see many accounts of students I know personally praising the unnamed assailants actions and blaming his victim.  I've even seen threats spelled out that they would finish what he started.  Principle Celestia and I have come to a unanimous decision, there will be a zero tolerance policy for such online behavior.  Any student partaking in this hateful behavior will have their parents or guardians contacted as well as face possible suspension."  It was a touchy subject for VP Luna, the sheer amount of bile thrown her way after her return to CHS almost drove her away once more.

"By no means are you required to like every student here, but treating your fellow humans with basic respect and dignity is a requirement.  That is all, you may now return to your classes."  The hum of the intercom faded and the textbook pages started flipping once more. 

She hadn't realized just how much she and her sisters had riled up the school against them.  Aria had made a conscious choice not to use any social media at all, no Facebook, no Twitter.  Why would she want to waste her time looking at pictures of food or reading what boring mortals were thinking of while on the toilet?

"So Flashy, you weren't among those nasty little trolls saying such mean things about me, were you?"

"What, hell no!  I don't even have an account, my parents won't let me."  At the mention of parents Flash clutched at his shoulder, almost like he were in pain.

Aria was feeling uncharacteristically outgoing, "You okay there Flashy?" 

"Y-Yeah it's nothing."  With that the subject was swept under the rug, though a troubled relationship with family was something she could use to her advantage.

The rest of school that day was a blast, at every class it was apparent all the students wanted to get in some kind of altercation.  But the warning from Celestia and her knight in shining armor standing beside her was like a invisible force field keeping everyone she didn't want at bay.  


*****


Once the final bell rang Adagio and Sonata were there at the door to wave her off, "Good luck Ari!"

"Here, I got you some earplugs."  Adagio handed over two little foam beans, "Your going to need them."

"You're really serious about them sucking?" 

"Think 'Disaster Area' but on a smaller scale."

"Still large enough to create deadly earthquakes?"

"Smaller than that but about equal in quality."

"Damn."  Aria slipped the godsend earplugs into her pocket and headed outside to where Flash was waiting.  "Sorry to keep you waiting, so where are we heading?  Your place?"

"Naw, my dad is completely tone deaf and can't understand our genius.  Instead we have to practice in Brawly's basement, it's alright but it's kind of dingy."  He gave a little shudder, "If you see any rats just, just don't mess with them."

"Ooh rats, you sure know the most romantic places to take a girl don't you Flashy?"

"Wait, romantic?"

"It's a joke numb skull, jeezus you can be pretty dense sometimes."  The look on Flash's face backed up her assertion, much akin to that of a confused little puppy.  "Let's just get going already."

Rather than walk all the way to Brawly's home the two just took the city bus.  It was near the outskirts of town in a run down shack, the windows busted out and covered over with a sheet of clear visqueen so as to keep natural light coming in.  The T1:11 siding had seen better days and desperately needed a new coat of stain.  Otherwise the only notable thing about the home was what remained of a brick chimney, long since toppled over, the gaping hole of the flume filled in with cement.

"Well it's certainly ... charming." Aria said with a snicker.

"Yeah I know it's nothing to look at, they're not exactly rolling in the Benjamin's."  Flash walked up to the metal screen door and peered inside, "Mrs. Beats?  It's me Flash, is it alright if we come inside?"

A gruff and vaguely female voice replied, "Come on in, just make sure you shut the door behind ya."  Once they entered Aria was blessed with a clearer view of the Beats residence that she really didn't want.  Huge sections of the house lacked any flooring to speak of and what it did have was nearing the end of it's life.  Mrs. Beats was reclined in an old Lazy Boy watching Mexican soap operas on a tube tv still wearing the Goodwill sticker.  

"Are Brawly and Ringo already downstairs?"

"Yeah, they said they've been waitin' for ya to get here.  Say who's you're new gal pal?"

"Glad to meet you Mrs. Beats, my name's Aria."

"Oh no need to be formal with me Aria, you can call me Bethany.  It's only the boys that insist on calling me Mrs."  Bethany took a sip from the large glass of sweet tea on the side table.  "You kids let me know once you're gettin' hungry and I'll make some nuggets for ya'll."

Flash was quick to turn her down, "Really Mrs. Beats, that's not necessary.  We ate plenty at school."

"Nonsense, Flashy here is skinny as a twig.  We'd be glad to eat here Bethany."  She took hold of Flash's hand and pulled him towards the stairs.

"What the heck Aria, these guys are dirt poor and we don't need to be taking food out of their mouths."

"Did you know in many cultures it's considered very rude to refuse an offer of food, in reality you're denying them the opportunity to be a good host.  It's a matter of pride, even if it's just chicken nuggets."  It was a universal theory Aria kept to herself that all humans were like that, whether it was to show off who had the bigger coin purse or in want to benefit others.  "Besides, I'm actually hungry.  That slop the lunch lady was serving was appalling."

Flash didn't have anything to counter with, Granny Smith's mystery surprise had been a particularly bad stench of awful today.   So rather than argue he led her downstairs into the basement.  When the rounded down the last creaky step Aria was greeted by a particularly large and bold rat, he stood on his hind legs and stared at the two newcomers with his milky red eyes.  

"Shoo vermin."  Aria demanded with a kick in the rat's general direction.  He merely dodged and went back to staring with hungry intensity.

"Aw that's just Buster, he's wondering if you have any scraps on ya."  A muscled arm popped up over the edge of the couch.  "Hey Buster, go get it boy!"  The arm tossed a handful of tortilla chips into the corner of the room causing Buster to run off after them.

"Hey Brawly, won't feeding those things just encourage them to stay?"

"That's the idea bro, Buster and the other rats keep the cockroaches and other bugs away.  Plus they're super cute."  The arm was followed by Brawly's head, his hair was a minty shade of blue though by no means did he smell of it.  He was dressed modestly in a dull orange V-neck that had gone out of style in the late seventies along with a pair of those red fingerless gloves that serve no real purpose.

"Look mate I don't care what you have running around down here, just so long as it stays out of my hair and out of my food."  The other teen lazing about down in the subterranean lair was dressed much more elaborately.  He had a pair of tight black jeans, a red short sleeve dress shirt, a white vest lifted from a rental tuxedo all accented by a blue necktie, arm bands and tinted shades.  As a crown to top it all off he had two streaks of white running through his black mop of a hairstyle.

"So guys, I wanted you to meet my new friend Aria.  We kinda gotta stick together so I hope you don't mind her being here while we practice."

"S' alright with me bro." Brawly said with little conviction.

"Wait Aria?  I thought your girlfriend's name was Twilight or something like that."

"What?  N-No, I mean yes!  Aria was one of the Dazzlings from the Battle of the Bands."

"Oh, whatever.  Everyone looks the same when I got these shades on."

Flash rolled his eyes at that remark, the obvious solution would be to take the shades off.  "So yeah this is Ringo and you already met Brawly."

"Charmed."  Aria said as she slipped the earplugs inside.  From then on everything was a nice tone of mute, in between segments of trying to accomplish her homework she could see Flash and the others tuning their instruments, attempting to jam, complaining at each other when said jam didn't happen and devolving into an argument.  Wisely she waited until her homework was done before intervening.

"- And where would this band be without me huh?!"

"Probably being picked up by a record label that's where!"

"Oh yeah, that's rich mate."

"Guys I think we should all just chill out, your filling this space with negative vibes."

"Oh give the hippy surfer crap a break Brawly."

"Why don't you give the fake British accent a rest, 'Clarence.'"  

"I told you not to call me that, my name is Ringo now!"

"Boys..."

"You know what, this band is over.  I'm going solo, and when your stuck flipping burgers I'll be on stage shredding like Axl."

"Boys..."

"Fine then if this band is over you can the the fark out of my basement."

"BOYS!"  All three quarrelers drew silent and turned their attention to the woman in the room.  "Thank you.  While normally I'd be overjoyed to see three friends at each others throats because that would mean a free dose of magic for me.  At the moment however I've lost my powers, that means I gain nothing from you fighting and in fact it's quite annoying."

"Whoa that's cold she-bra."

"Thank you, also what?"  Aria took a moment to compose herself, "Now what seems to be the issue between you guys?"  No one was eager to speak up so she spoke up for them.  "Let me guess, you're all pretty new at music and are having trouble gelling together.  You want to play like your favorite bands but are finding it much harder then they make it look.  How was that?"

Young Sentry was stunned, "Yeah!  How'd you know?"  

"I have allot more wisdom than my youthful appearance would suggest."  Aria tossed around her pigtails as if to accentuate her statement.  "I've also been singing with my sisters for quite some time so I know a bit about artistic struggles.  So first off why don't you let me know what kinds of music you enjoy."

Ringo (don't call me Clarence) was first to volunteer, eagerly blurting out his preferences.  "I really like 'The Monkees'!"

"Alright The Monkees, that's a great inspiration.  Can you play me the drum beat to 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'?"

Though he had obscuring shades on it was clear he was confused.  "Uh no, I'm not a drummer I'm a bassist and keyboardist when we need it.  Brawly's our drummer."

"Oh, sorry.  I just assumed cause your calling yourself Ringo..."

"Yeah?"

"You know, Ringo Starr, drummer in the greatest group ever.  Great artist in his own right, you aren't serious right?"  To her shock and eternal disappointment he was serious in his ignorance.  "Oh-kay, Brawly how about you.  What musicians do you listen to?"

"Pretty much anything that's survived the test of time, so 'Beach Boys', 'Frankie Valli'.  If it was on the soundtrack to 'American Graffiti' then odds are I'm down with it."  He seemed quite proud of his eclectic tastes in music and he showed it with his yellowed smile.

"Alright early rock, those are some great influences too.  What about you lover boy?"

"Me?"  

"Is there anyone else I've been hitting on for the last two days?"  As the words left her lips something occurred to the siren, in the last few days her attention had been solely on this one boy.  In years past she would do the same manipulation and conniving on a dozen men at the same time.  'Could it be because he's... No it can't be.'

Flash Sentry who by this time was getting used to the flirtation handed out the curt reply of, 'Not your boyfriend' before answering the question.  "I dunno, all the greats.  'Guns and Roses,'  'Queen,' 'Led Zeppelin,' I'm a rocker it's everything you'd expect."

She had a pretty good idea of what the problem was, but fixing it would mean something she wasn't sure she was willing to do.  "So you all like various forms of rock from different periods of time.  Do you know what they all have but you're group is missing?"

"Hard work and determination?"  Said Ringo.

"Actual talent?"  Said Brawly.

"Addiction to narcotics, alcohol and or sexually transmitted diseases?"  Said Flash

"Jezzus, I was going to say a vocalist.  All the groups you enjoy have very strong singers, maybe not the best of lyrical content but memorable singers."  Aria Looked each of them in the eye individually.  "Think about 'The Beach Boys' Brawly, would anyone remember them without their harmonies?"

"Probably not."

"What about the 'Monkees' Ringo?  Where would they be without Davy Jones?"  Ringo seemed to give it a thought then shuddered in fear.  "And Flash do I even have to ask what 'Queen' would be without Freddy?"

"No."

"So, what I'm suggesting is you need someone who can sing for your group.  Can any of you guys sing?"

"Nope." Ringo said with a smirk.

"Sorry bra, god blessed me with the rhythm in my hands and nowhere else."

Flash seemed reluctant to answer, "I, I'm not that good at it."

In turn Aria rolled her eyes, her reasoning for what she was about to do was shaky at best.  "Well as you know I'm a pretty good singer myself.  I may have lost a bit of my touch when the Rainbloomers hit me with their 'friendship magic.'  But I'm still experienced."

"Aria, are you saying you want to be in the band?"  Flash looked genuinely touched.

"Maybe, why don't you give me a test drive first."  She walked over to the amp siting idle in the corner and plugged in a mike, "And Flash, I mean that both ways."  She gave him a seductive wink then turned to the rest of the group.  "How about 'Rhiannon'?  You guys think you could play that for me?"

Unsure shrugs were shared between them all, but if attempting a song they weren't practiced in meant possibly gaining an experienced vocalist then, well to quote herself.  'When we say jump, you say how high?'

"I'll give it a shot, the bass line isn't too complicated on that one."  Ringo picked up his bass guitar and strapped it on.  

Brawly followed suit by taking his seat behind the drum kit.  "Did I forget to mention I love 'Fleetwood Mac'?  Cause I totally love them too."

Flash was last once more strapping on his bright red and white guitar, "Alright, Aria.  One, two, a one two three-"


*****


Well by no means did these three teens and one immortal masquerading as a teen sound anywhere as good as 'Fleetwood Mac' they still sounded decent.  More importantly the addition of a voice was enough to keep them from trying to outperform each other.  Aria's rendition of Stevie Nicks' moving melody was ... unique.  Not bad but, not quite as good as the original. 

"God you sound like eff'in Yoko Ono!"  Ringo stated in an out of turn remark.

Aria didn't mind the insult but she had an important question.  "How do you know who Yoko Ono is and not Ringo Starr?!?"

"Naw man, that's harsh.  If anything I'd say she sound more like whatshername, you know the 'Bette Davis Eyes' lady."  Brawly parted the hair from his eyes and looked her over, "Yeah she's definitely got that vibe goin' on."

"Come on mate, Kim Carnes?"

"Are you saying there's something wrong with sounding like Kim?"

"No, but how old is she?  Eighteen?"

"One thousand eighteen-"  Aria held out her had as if to appreciate her fingernails, if her curse of immortality had one upside it was the eternal youth.  "-but who's counting?"

"Damn Flash, your new girlfriend is awesome!"

"You hear that 'boyfriend'?  Sounds like your friends like me.  So am I in the band?"

He'd remained mostly silent since the song had ended, he wasn't prepared for what he was feeling.  When she sang those words, 'Taken by, taken by the sky.'  And how she moved, it was stirring something inside him, not like when he first bumped into Twilight.  That was like, well he didn't know how to explain it.  They'd shared the fall formal and that was about it, after that it was just assumed they would be in a relationship together and he hadn't bothered to question why.

But now, this new girl had come into his life, Aria Blaze.  Wise beyond her appearance, with a beautiful if not raspy singing voice and to top it all off quite beautiful herself.  His feelings were summed up nicely by the lyrics, 'Is this love that I'm feeling?'  "Yeah, your in."  What he was agreeing to even he didn't know, but somehow the decision seemed right.  "Well, 'Flash in the pan' can't just be a cover band.  If we're really gonna get big then we're going to need some original songs for our repertoire."

"Wait, you're band is named Flash in the pan?  Really?"

"Whats wrong with that?  I thought it was clever."

Aria suppressed a snicker, "No-no, nothing wrong with that.  It's definitely not a statement about the longevity of your high school garage band."  When she saw how upset that was making him she stopped, "Hey now, it's a good name.  At the very least everyone's going to remember it."

Just then the friendly face of Mrs. Beats poked her head through the doorway of the basement.  "Hey Brawly your father is home so it's time for dinner.  Set aside your toys and clean up."

"Coming mom!"  Brawly tossed his drumstick aside and they landed somewhere in the pile of dirty sweat shirts.  "You guys wanna stay?  We're having nuggets tonight."

"Sorry mate, my dad's already got a huge spread set out at home.  I'll give a ring tomorrow, see when we're getting together again."  Ringo placed his bass into the hard plastic case and walked up the stairs, waving goodbye before leaving.

"What about you two?  We even got the real ones this time and not the mystery meat nuggets shaped like clowns."

Aria gave Flash a look, subtly trying to remind him of the conversation they'd had earlier.  "Yeah, sure Brawly.  We can stay."  She smiled, the plan was going good, he was already following her wishes.  Before long he'd be wrapped around her little finger.

The rest of the night was shared in good company with genuine chicken nuggets, tater tots, barbecue sauce and sweet tea.  The conversation was somewhat unsophisticated but pleasant nonetheless.  To occupy her mind Aria began thinking up new lyrics, a skill set she hadn't used for quite sometime.  Even if joining the band was just so she could more easily sway Flash's affections, it didn't mean she couldn't have some fun along the way.
> Chapter seven: A letter to a friend
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	For the last week or so things with 'Flash in the pan' were pretty touch and go.  Ringo was being temperamental, Brawly tripped and knocked a hole in his bass drum and Flash showed up late for practice each time.  Aria, for her part still couldn't sing for s*#@, whatever magic had stripped her of her powers had wreaked havoc on her once beautiful voice.

On the plus side however, with some gentle persuasion and persistence Aria managed to talk the group into renaming.  The consensus being to re-brand the group as Flashdrive, a bit too tech-y for a rock group in Aria's opinion but a definite improvement.  As far as schooling went the wild anger of the student body had cooled greatly, once a week had passed most students had returned to the normal daily grind as if nothing extra-ordinary magical had happened.

The other Sirens were keeping busy as well, Sonata and Pinkie were practically joined at the hip.  Not in a sexy way either, more like a mad scientist taking two hyperactive caffeine fiends and surgically attaching them together.  Sonata joined forces with Pinkie Pie to, as she put it "Radically alter the ratio of taco/non taco days on the lunch schedule."  In reality that meant the both of them volunteering in the school cafeteria in return for getting some say so in the menu.

Adagio for her part had taken up debate club, a decision that puzzled most around her.  To her it was a way of maintaining her favorite pastime, manipulating mortals into doing what she wanted.  While much harder without the abilities granted by her siren song, she still gained no end of pleasure from convincing weak minded teenagers that getting a piercing on every square inch of your body was just what you needed to catch the eye of your beloved.

To her debate club was an extension of that hobby.  The only difference being that she couldn't pick her own topics and the forum tended to react negatively to arguing in favor of abolishing all social structure in favor of a 'Road Warrior'-esk society.  In one way or another all the sirens were beginning to ease there way into life at Canterlot High and it was Sunset Shimmer's job to report it all.

She was just settling into a comfy armchair in the school library, the final bell had been rung and the great hall of learning was being emptied.  In her hands she held the magical tome gifted to her by Celestia on an occasion when she had to leave for a diplomatic conference.  The magic was simple, write something on your book and it would appear in it's counterpart.  A very swords and sorcery version of instant messaging.

While Celestia had only meant it as a way for Sunset to submit her test answers while she was away, the book embossed with her cutie mark now served a grander purpose.  Serving as the only means of communication and guaranteeing passage between the two worlds anytime.  It made her all the more glad she hadn't hawked it at the Flim Flam brothers pawn shop as soon as she'd arrived.

After reflecting on the week prior and mentally arranging her thoughts Sunset began writing down her friendship report.


Dear Princess Twilight,


This is your friend Sunset writing.  It's been an interesting week here at Canterlot High since the battle of the bands.  Your idea about trying to reform the sirens seems to be working out.  Adagio and me are having fun watching movies together after school.  We're doing a marathon of Hitchcock films and we're just getting to 'The Manxman.'  

Sorry I totally forgot you wouldn't have any idea who I'm talking about.  It's weird having to deal with this cultural disconnect between our worlds.  I bet there's stuff on the Equestria side that I'd be completely oblivious too as well.  Allot can change in five years.  Anyway it's awesome getting to talk with Adagio about these kinds of things, not only is she witty but she was alive when these films were made.  The only pony I know even remotely as old as her is Celestia!  (Don't let her know I said that;)

Sonata and Pinkie Pie are hitting it off really well, but everybody saw that coming from the first moment they interacted.  They've taken it upon themselves to plan out the upcoming Nightmare Nights dance.  Maybe you could come by, if you're not too busy with royal duties that is.  Fingers crossed there won't be any crazy magical occurrences this time!

Aria and Flash -

Sunset Shimmer set down her pen, this was the part she was dreading writing.  She'd seen it, her friends had seen it, heck everyone at CHS had seen it.  That look in Flash Sentry's eyes anytime he was in the same room as Aria, he was in love.  Which presented quite the problem for Sunset, what to do about it?

While she and Flash were no longer dating, Sunset still liked to think of him as a friend with his best interests at heart.  And that was the hard part, was he going headfirst into trouble?  Even if she fully believed that the sirens were fully reformed and all the way good, the fact of the matter was nobody really knew them all to well.  

"Alright Sunset this can't be too hard to figure out," she said to herself.  "Twilight's your friend and Flash is your friend.  Twilight is dating Flash so it's only right that you tell her what's going on."  She went back to the journal that connected their worlds then paused again.  There was something nagging at her, a primal angry little emotion that Sunset claimed to be beyond, jealousy.  Even if she wasn't aware of it herself Sunset Shimmer had held onto some jealousy of her friend.

Twilight Sparkle had grown up in a very kush environment, a set of loving parents, being friends with Princess Cadence, and a strong brother always at her side.  Sunset had none of that, she'd lived in the orphanage without an inkling of who her parents were.  She had to study for years to get into the school for gifted unicorns, not to have her cutie mark conveniently appear just when she needed it most.  Another point of contention was the fact that Twilight was the pony Celestia had replaced her with.

Rather than stay silent Sunset decided to work out her feelings aloud.  "It's not like I ever wanted to stay here on Earth.  I was just ... upset.  And can you blame me?!"  She asked to the thin air as a proxy for her former mentor.  "I was thirteen for Christ's sake!  I was going through puberty and I thought you were holding me back intentionally and...  I was only gone a month and you replaced me.  You never wrote to me or came through the mirror to try and find me, you just replaced me."

She'd never really tried working through these feelings before, only channeling them into bitterness that shaped her into the person she was before Twilight helped her.  So even if Twilight had only ever been a true friend to her, on some level she would always hold that against her, regardless of fault.  Now with resolve Sunset reached for the pen, she was startled to realize how much her hands were trembling.  As she dried her eyes on her magenta blouse she finished writing the letter, her newly developed conscious stinging her with every lie printed.

With the last period placed the door to the room creaked open, Adagio was there, her great orange bouffant to greet her.  "Hey girl, I've been looking all over for you.  Why are you still in the library?  There just about to lock the school up."

"*Sniff*  Really?  It's that late already?"  She supposed it was well within the lines of reason.  School security was shite and never checked in the library.  Sunset had even gotten away with sleeping in the library for a whole month on a makeshift bed of books before this world's Celestia found out.  She at least was kind enough to arrange housing for the teen.  "Sorry, I was busy writing to Princess Twilight and I must have lost track of time."

"You alright Sunset?  You look like you've been crying."

"Y-yeah I'm fine.  Just feeling a bit raw, you know?"  She quickly stuffed the journal into her bag and rose to her friendship protege, "You wanna get something to eat before we start the marathon?"

Adagio had to admit she was feeling a bit peckish.  "Sure, why not?  I don't know if I'm ready for 'The Manxman' on an empty stomach."  

"Oh, so you've seen it before?"  Sunset asked, her curiosity peaked.

"Yes, well not really.  It was about eighty five years ago so I couldn't remember it if I tried."

"Oh come on now, I bet you could quote the film verbatim if you wanted to."  That put a smile on Adagio's face.  "How about we make this into a game.  You tell me now what you remember the plot being and then we'll compare it once we're done?"

"Alright your on!  Just keep in mind I may have been slightly intoxicated at the time so I want a bit of leeway with the judgement on it."  Adagio placed her fingers to her temples as if to force concentration.  "Um, it was about a love triangle between two friends and this dame they both liked.  She promises to marry the one then he dies at sea or something like that.  Then the other guy steps in and they start making whoopie-"  Sunset couldn't help but laugh at her outdated terminology.  "Oh sorry, I should have said they start f#@*ing."

"Sorry sorry, go on."

"Then the dead guy shows up and it turns out he didn't die.  He comes in like nothings changed and he and the girl get married even though she loves the other guy.  She's pregnant with other guy's baby, dead guy doesn't know it's not his.  It's all like a big soap opera, I think nobody was happy in the end."  She felt that was pretty good recollection for a film she'd only seen once nearly a century ago.

"So it was a tragedy?"

"Yeah, that describes it pretty well."  With that done Adagio set aside thoughts of black and white silent stories for thoughts of greasy cheese and sardines on a fire baked crust.  "Come on we'd better get out of here soon.  I'd much rather leave via the front door than the window."

"Your right, let's get going."  As Sunset rounded the empty hallways of CHS with Adagio by her side the twinges of guilt were now in association with fear.  Fear that Adagio's vague retelling of tonight's film would somehow prove prophetic of her friend's lives.  As she well knew, when magic was involved stranger things could happen.  She could only hope and pray her actions wouldn't lead to that misery, only hope and pray.

> Chapter eight - Boyfriend stolen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a day later and everyone was gathered around the lunch table to hear Sunset share what Princess Twilight had said in her letter.  "-And Rainbow Dash, Twilight says it's probably not such a good idea to keep 'pony up' ing in public.  You never know who might be watching."

"Aw come on!  All the little squirts get so excited when I do."

"You know you really should take her advice Dash, just imagine getting hauled off to some secret government lab where they'd perform all sorts of horrible experiments on the freakish pony human hybrid."  Aria said with false concern, "All because you wanted to show off your wing boners in public, 'tis a shame really."

"Aria's right Rainbow Dash, learn to suppress those urges like the rest of us." said Flash.

Rainbow was flustered to say the least, "But I-  That's not what-  I didn't-  Urwargh!"  Underneath the table Flash gave Aria a fist bump, her fascination with verbally knocking people off balance was rubbing off on him.

"You have to admit deary, it is rather uncouth.  In public and all."  All the other hu-mane teens nodded in agreement with Rarity.

"Well that's about everything girls, except for you Pinkie," the pink blur perked up at the mention of her name.  "Twilight said she's going to try and make it to your Nightmare Ni-  I mean Halloween party."

"Well ah'll be, havin' the princess back in our little town again."

"Hey Applejack, why do you insist on calling her the princess?"  Adagio said crassly.

"Cause it's her profession, bein' royalty an al'."

"Oh okay, I'll just start calling you the apple farmer from now on.  Glad we cleared that up."  Applejack was about to appeal to Sunset for help but Flash interrupted her.

"Are you sure that was it?  There wasn't anything in her letter for me?"

"Sorry Flash," Sunset said with all genuineness.  "I was kind of surprised too but there was nothing in there.  Maybe she's just waiting to talk to you in person, this is a public letter sent through me after all, I'm sure she wants to save it for when she's here."

"Yeah, that must be it."  There was no vote of confidence in his words, only glum disappointment.  "I'm not that hungry girls, anyone want the rest of my lunch?"

"Ooh Ooh, MEMEMEME!!!"  Pinky was eagerly waving her arms about, something completely unnecessary since no one else was in any hurry to get at Flash Sentry's half eaten meatloaf.  He pushed the tray across the table and trudged off to parts unknown.

"Jeez what a wiener!"  Rainbow exclaimed once he was out of earshot.  "You don't see me moping around like that when Soarin is away."  Everyone still at the table glared at their cyan friend, "What?  What I say?"

"Hey girls I hope you don't mind, I'm going to see how Flash is doing."  Aria rose from her seat and walked off in the general direction of her lanky love interest.  He was moping on the front steps of the school, cradling his head in the cups of his hands.  "Hey their lonely boy."  She sang in a falsetto. 

"It's 'Hey there lonely girl'."  

"I'm surprised you know that one.  What's the matter?  Horse princess troubles?"

"*Ugh*  You know it.  I mean, how hard is it to write your own boyfriend a letter, even to mention him at all!?  It's friggin ridiculous."

Aria took a seat beside him, "I know, completely ridiculous.  It almost calls into question if she even thinks of you as her boyfriend anymore."  Her words dripped with ice and cunning and conniving.  They had their desired effect.

"And where does she get off on this anyway?!  Leading me on like she actually cares and then jetting back to her easy street in magical pony princess land.  Well I'm done, finished, finito, I'm, I'm-"

"Angry?"

Flash hadn't realized but he was breathing very heavy, his brow had become covered in sweat and his normally calm eyes were like something plucked from the socket of a wild beast.  "Yeah, I'm angry."

Aria got in closer and wrapped her arms around the boy, though he quickly threw them off, not wanting the affections of a girl so soon after being burned by another.  "Look Flashy, there's a simple motto I live my life by.  Never get mad, get even.  If Twilight's hurt you then why don't you show her exactly what happens to people who disrespect Flash Sentry."  Each sentence had it's own pantomime action to emphasize her words.

"Alright, how do I get even then?  I'm not a monster, I'd never hurt a girl."

"No no no Flashy you misunderstand.  She hurt you in love so the only recourse is to do the same back.  What you need to do is burn her in love.  She'll be coming to CHS for the Halloween party right?  Imagine how she'll react when she finds you with another, infinitely prettier girl."

"Yeah, you're right.  I should get back together with Sunset Shimmer!  That'll really show her!" Flash said with glee.

Aria was stunned, "No doofus!  ME!  You're supposed to get with me-"  She stopped herself when she saw the smug grin on Flash's lips.

"I'm not an idiot Aria, it was just a little thing called a joke, maybe you've heard of them?"  He quite enjoyed that little exchange, "So then, why you in particular?  If it's just to upset Twilight then wouldn't getting caught with anybody work?"

"Well it's..."  She hadn't actually thought that through and he raised a good point.  Being caught in bed with you're best friend would have allot more sting than the random girl you've spent a collective five minutes around.  "-It's because I like you Flashy.  There is no one here at CHS I trust more than you."  Upon reflection latter that night she was surprised to find that statement was true.

"For what it's worth Aria, I think if I wasn't already dating I would have tried going out with you.  I've never met someone like you before."  There was a brief moment of genuine warmth and connection between the two before the mood switched back into scheming.  "So do we let our friends know what we're doing?"

"Erm- no.  We'll keep it a little secret between the two of us, until Halloween that is."  This was it, the plan reaching fruition, only a few more weeks and her opponent Twilight Sparkle would be a humiliated pile of misery.  Somehow though the prospect seemed less glorious than before.  While she was lost in thought the reality of Flash standing beside her with eyes closed and lips puckered whizzed right by.  "Uh Flashy?  What'r ya doing?"

"Well if we're going to be dating is a kiss out of the question?  From the way you were talking on our dinner together it sounded like I'd be getting plenty.  But if you're not then I-"  He was oh so rudely interrupted by the girl forcefully shoving her tongue down his throat, a surprising and quite pleasant situation.  She was doing it mostly to shut up his sass, but also to fulfill a desire she'd been fostering for a while.  

"What were you saying Flash?"

"N-Nothing."  He wasn't quite sure how to react, "Lunch is about over, should probably get back to everyone before they start wondering what's going on."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise would we?"  Aria let her new boyfriend walk in ahead of her, as she did she let her mind wander once more.  She didn't know what had led to this fortuitous event, why Ms. Pretty pony neglected to say even an edgewise word to Flash, but she'd take it nonetheless.  Her mind raced too and fro, coming up with so many ways she could gloat and tout it over her any way she could pour salt in the wound.

That was just the way her mind operated, Aria Blaze was a creature of spite, one thousand years of hardship did that to her and she was going to repay it, whether the target was deserving or not.
> Chapter nine- The one where Sonata Dusk knows
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	For a certainty Sonata Dusk was flustered.  "What'ya mean I can't tell anyone Ari?  You know I can't keep secrets!"  

"She does have a point Aria, shocking though that is.  Have you ever known our little sister to be able to keep a secret?  Ever?" Adagio asked the middle child.

Aria had to admit, "No... but I had to tell someone."

"I mean really, why would you trust her with any secrets?  Did you forget the time she got us arrested for espionage?"

"Hey!  That wasn't my fault!  They made my kiss of death look just like my regular lipstick, how was I supposed to know it was the wrong one?"

"How am I supposed to rationalize that my sister was dumb enough to shoot herself in the head on accident?!"

"Okay Ms. Smarty Pants, who was it who seduced the guards and got you out of prison?"  

"That was me doofus.  I had to let those pervs feel me up and everything, then we had to go to the morgue and rescue you're still regenerating corpse."

"Oh yeah, that was you wasn't it....  Sorry."  She felt like an idiot, again.  But that was hardly a new sensation, Ari and Dagi were always reminding her of every little mistake she'd made over the past millennia.  "Well what does it even matter if it's a secret or not?  It'll be public knowledge in a week anyway, right?" 

"Just cooperate with me, please?"  If her plan was to go off without a hitch it would require zero interference from siblings, thankfully Sonata wasn't so obtuse that she wouldn't help.

"Okay Ari, I'll do my best."

A wash of calm came over Aria, and a wave of coming anxiety crashed down on Sonata.  'It's just one week girl, you can keep a secret for one week!'


*****


Though Sonata had lived for over ten centuries, the week before Halloween at Canterlot high seemed like the longest of them all.  Ten incidents where she nearly announced to everyone her secret.  The saddest thing was it wasn't even to people trying to pry the truth out of her, it was to employees of the local Taco Gong just trying to eek by their meager existence.  Somehow by some miraculous intervention the truth didn't escape, but it still took a toll.

Trying so hard was leading to sleepless nights and nightmares of her siblings being disappointed in her, leaving her alone in the cold unforgiving world.  Even her normal perky face had sunken in with a depressed pallor and Pinkie Pie couldn't ignore it.

"Hey there Sonet, why ya lookin' so glum?"

"Oh, hi Pinkie.  My sisters were being jerks to me again, all cause I cant keep a stupid secret."

"Aw, you poor thing.  I'm no good at secrets either, my biggest fear is that someone is going to trust me with some really important secret.  Like that your friend's brother and wife are having a baby but you cant tell that friend because they want it to be a surprise. Also because it's metaphysically impossible for you to have known that fact beforehandbecausetheyresideinanalternatedimensionthatyou've nevertraveledto."  After her massive run on sentence Pinkie bit her lip and looked apprehensively around the room, as if she were seeing judging eyes that no one else could.

"Yeah that's the worst isn't it?  I cant tell anyone that my stupid sister is dating stupid...  Well, I'm not really at liberty to say."

"Oh My God!  Adagio is going out with Sunset Shimmer!"  Pinkie exclaimed.

"What?  No, at least I don't think so.  Then again they do seem to take bathroom breaks at the same time allot."  Sonata entertained the thought of the eldest and bacon hair doing naughty things together in an unsanitary stall but shook it off as nothing else than idle fantasy.  Then again, idle fantasy was half of her life.  "No it's not Dagi, it's Ari."

"Oooh, Aria's got a boyfriend, or girlfriend, I'm not really biased.  So come on Sonet, out with it, who's she going out with?"  Pinkie was staring at her with those big blue expecting eyes, Sonata really didn't want to disappoint them.

"Well...  I suppose I could tell you, but only if you promise not to tell another soul."  Sonata looked around to make sure to other prying ears were here to listen and double checked for Aria.  "Well you know how Aria spends most of her time around Flash Sentry?"

"Yeah."

"And how she's been flirting with him at just about every opportunity for the past month."

"Yeah."  It was clear that one and one was not equaling two to poor Pinkie Pie.

"And you remember how put out Flash was when Twilight didn't write him in her letter?"

"Yeah."

"And how you totally spaced out and are on auto-pilot."

"Yeah."

Sonata pinched her cheek snapping her out of the stupor.  "Earth to Pinkie, my sister is dating Flash Sentry behind Twilight Sparkle's back.  She's dumb enough to think tearing apart some puppy love high school romance that's spanned a total of three days will be enough to emotionally cripple our enemy.  I'm half tempted to to sabotage it myself just because she's been a royal ass these past few days, but if I do then it'll be decades before she'll talk to me again."

All the while Pinkie's black hole of a mouth was open slack jawed.  It took a while for her to speak, though when she did it was piercing.  "She's what?!?  He's what?!?  How could?!  Why would?!  Oh my god!"

"I know right?  Stupid as crap."

"I have to tell Sunset Shimmer so she can write Twilight right now!"  Her fingers were clacking away on the number pad on her cell phone, hastily typing out an exposing message at lighting speed.  Sonata grabbed the phone and tossed it into the nearby fountain.

"What the heck Pinkie?!  I said you couldn't tell anyone."

"I can't sit back and not tell my best friend that she's being cheated on!"

"Oh yeah right, best friend.  How long have you even known her huh?  Let's count, one two three four, wow best friends at only four days."

"Even if she wasn't my friend I'd still tell her, it would be wrong to hide it."

"And it's not wrong to betray something told to you in confidence?"

"Well... no.  But I cant just not say anything, I'll explode!"

"And now you know how I feel.  Please Pinkie just help me keep it a secret for a week, after that it wont matter."

"What happens in a week?"

Sonata cringed, she'd almost revealed too much.  "N-nothing, I just mean Twilight will be in town then, you can tell her in person.  But in the meantime you can't tell anybody, not Sunset, not Rarity, not Maud, not even Boulder!"

There was a radical shift in the hyperactive teen's disposition, from nervewracked to bouncy.  "Whoa, I cant even tell a rock, this is serious.  Okay dokey lokey then. 'Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.'

"Nuh-uh, that won't cut it.  Especially since you get off on shoving pastries into your eye sockets-"  Sonata shuddered as she remembered the time she found Pinkie in the back room of the bakery she worked at, doing unspeakable things to a baked good effigy in the shape of a well endowed man.  "-I need something serious.  I need...  If you tell anyone then I wont be you're friend anymore!"

"Wha-  But, you cant not be my friend!  Everyone is my friend, Everyone!"  

"I mean it Pinkie, if you tell anyone then I'll never speak to you for forever and unlike you I know what forever feels like.  It's cold and lonely and sad with nobody by your side.  I don't want to live forever without you ... Please don't make me, you're like the only friend I've had in hundreds of years."

"For realzies?"  Pinkie asked copying Sonata's adored phrase.

"Yeah, the last friend I had who was as fun as you-  I had to leave him behind and I never saw him again, I don't want to do that with you Pinkie."  Sonata took hold of her hand and held on tight, with her eyes she expressed a kind of love reserved only for people who understand each other on a deep level.

"If it means that much to you then okay, I won't tell.  I don't feel good about it though."

"I don't think you're supposed too, but whatever.  How about we design a 'You're boyfriend is cheating on you' consolation party for the princess.  Maybe that'll help?"  Though that whole week was hell, it was hell with a friend to lean on.  Anytime either of them felt like crumbling and spilling the beans they had the other to confide in.  Somehow they both made it to Halloween, to the moment of truth and the fruition of the plan.