> Reformation Brigade
>  by Metool Bard
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: Different Lessons Learned
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

*tap tap tap*

"It's open."

Dean Cadence nodded and opened the door with a ghastly creak.  Though her heart was filled with determination, she couldn't help but feel a trifle intimidated by Principal Abacus Cinch's choice of decor.  Everything from the Victorian-era carpeting to the shadowy walls and the single lamp above Cinch's desk made it all feel as though she was walking through the bowels of a supervillain's lair.  She could never remember the room looking any different, and upon reflection, she could only guess as to why Cinch preferred it this way.  But in her mind, the decor was but a minor part of a more major problem.  She cleared her throat.

"I suppose you're wondering why I asked to meet with you, Principal Cinch," she said.

Cinch swiveled around in her chair to face Cadence, her fingers pressed together as she arched an eyebrow. "I will confess that this is rather, unprecedented, Dean Cadence," she stated. "Usually, I'm the one summoning you here."

Cadence shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose we all have to prepare for the unexpected.  We don't exactly live in a stagnant world."

"Spare me the platitudes, Cadence," Cinch said cooly. "What do you want?"

Cadence sighed. "Right to the point as always.  Some things never change, Abacus."

Cinch narrowed her eyes. "That's Principal Cinch to you, Mi Amore."

Cadence ground her teeth, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Right, Principal Cinch.  My apologies."  Marching up to Cinch's desk, she brandished a single document and placed it before her superior.  Cinch adjusted her reading glasses and looked over the document thoroughly.  All was silent for a time, apart from the ambient ticking of the clock on the wall.  Despite the tension, Cadence didn't waver and waited patiently for Cinch to finish.  After a few minutes, Cinch lowered her glasses and gave Cadence a perplexed look.

"What exactly is the meaning of this, Dean Cadence?" she inquired.

Cadence swallowed a large lump, covering it up with a cough. "As the Dean of Students at Crystal Prep Academy, I felt it necessary to ask students about their reaction to our last Friendship Games with Canterlot High.  You see—"

Cinch cut across Cadence with an intense glare. "I thought we agreed never to bring up that travesty ever again," she snapped.

"Still sore about having to share a victory this time around?" Cadence asked, folding her arms. "Come now, Abacus—"

"Principal Cinch, Dean Cadence," Cinch corrected. "Remember your place here."

Cadence let out a muffled groan. "Right, of course," she grumbled. No use arguing with a stubborn old hag, she added mentally.

Cinch snorted. "I do apologize, Cadence.  I didn't mean to come off as rude," she said coldly. "Even so, you must admit that ever since this year's Games, the students have gotten a lot more restless."

Cadence blinked. "Restless?" she parroted.

"Don't act like you haven't noticed," Cinch snipped haughtily. "Crystal Prep has always had a reputation of being one of the top schools in the district.  People always expect us to come out on top."

"And, we haven't?" Cadence asked, tilting her head. "I certainly haven't seen much of a change in student performance."

Cinch's brow crinkled. "Now you're just playing dumb.  Look around, Mi Amore.  Several faculty members have reported that students have been congregating in cliques after school hours.  The lunch staff has taken special notice to how there's a lot more noise in the cafeteria as of late.  Why, just yesterday, Professor Flypaper told me that he caught Jet Set and Upper Crust passing notes!"

Cadence deadpanned. "Upper Crust was sick the day before, and Jet Set copied down notes for her.  That's not in violation of any school rules."

"That's besides the point," Cinch growled.

How? Cadence wondered.

"The point is the student body has become a lot more unruly these past few weeks, and it's all because of what happened at this year's games," Cinch proclaimed, gripping the document in her hand. "And as the Dean of Students, it's your job to keep this kind of behavior under control!  Not waste my time with these worthless petitions!"

Cadence glared back at Cinch. "See, this right here is the problem that 'worthless petition' is trying to address.  My job as Dean of Students is to look after these students and make sure they're getting what they need to succeed."

"And how, pray tell, will this Student-Exchange Program help them succeed?"

Cadence cast her eyes upward. "Well, for one, you might learn a thing or two," she muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said for one, it would give the students at Crystal Prep a chance to experience other forms of education."

Cinch scoffed. "Why would they need any other form of education, Cadence?  We're already the best."

"You never know," Cadence said with a shrug. "You said yourself that Canterlot High has been going through a renaissance."

"Canterlot High does not count," Cinch stated coldly. "They've been using their magic to succeed.  Crystal Prep has no need for such things."

"You clearly didn't think that at the Games," Cadence muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Cinch gave Cadence a suspicious look before turning back to the petition. "The point is that there is no way that I will allow this program to be implemented.  It serves no practical purpose for Crystal Prep."

Cadence's lips curled into a wry smile.  She had been expecting this sort of resistance.

"What of our reputation, Principal Cinch?" she asked coyly. "If we're the best school there is, we ought to showcase just how good we are, shouldn't we?"

Cinch blinked in confusion. "We already do that, Dean Cadence."

"How?  By only letting the best of the best have the privilege of experiencing our superior system?"  Cadence began pacing back and forth, as if in deep thought. "Think about it like this, Principal Cinch.  If students from Canterlot High saw how much they could succeed if they were to follow our example, that would lead to them singing our school's praises instead of the complete hostility we had to endure for so long.  And who knows?  If it turns out Canterlot High does do something better than we do—"

"They don't," Cinch interrupted bluntly.

"Yes, but if they do, the students can take that information and use it to make Crystal Prep better.  And that means we have a better reputation.  After all, that's all it comes down to, right?  Reputation?"

Cinch took a moment to process this. "You, do have a point," she mused. "After the setback from this year's games, we need to show Canterlot High now more than ever that we're still the best.  And what better way to do that than to have them see this school for themselves?"

She paused. "But, they already have seen the school for themselves.  They've played the Friendship Games here before."

"Yes, but they don't know what school life is like here," Cadence corrected. "That was a special event.  If we treat them as friends rather than opponents..."

"Then they will recognize how much Crystal Prep has over them," said Cinch. "Hmm.  Now that you put it like that, it does sound more appealing."

Cadence sighed in exasperation. "Okay, not exactly what I was going to say, but sure.  Let's roll with that."

If Cinch heard this comment, she didn't pay it any heed. "There is but one more thing, Cadence."

"What?"

"You saw how those Canterlot High students infected everyone with their magic at the Games.  How do you account for that?"

Cadence gave Cinch a blank stare. Are you serious right now? she wanted to scream. You sound like a paranoid lunatic!  Magic wasn't the problem at this year's Games; you were!  You pushed Twilight Sparkle into nearly destroying the world!  That's why everyone turned against you, you obtuse, stubborn—

Instead, she put a hand to her chest, took in a deep breath, and let it out in a cleansing sigh. "A-as Dean of Students, I'll make sure any form of magic is kept under control," she said.

Cinch nodded. "Alright.  As long as you agree to that, you can have your little school-exchange program.  I'll send a bulletin around tomorrow."

"N-no need, Principal Cinch.  I'll do it," said Cadence. "I already had one prepared."

Cinch raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure whether to praise you for your initiative or scold you for your presumptions, Dean Cadence."

"Let's just say we've gotten to know each other pretty well by now," said Cadence with a shrug. "Thank you for your approval, Principal Cinch.  I'm sure the students will be very happy."

"Right, of course," said Cinch. "You're dismissed."

Cadence gave Cinch a nod before exiting the office.  Once she was gone, Cinch tapped a button on her desk, activating the intercom.

"Slitherquick?" she said.

"Y-yes, Principal Cinch," came a raspy voice from the other end.

"Has Professor Flypaper found any notes from Twilight Sparkle's previous work here?"

"There are a few on record, Principal Cinch."

"Any blueprints for that magic-stealing device?"

There was a pause. "Ma'am?"

"Blueprints for the device, Slitherquick.  Does Flypaper have them?"

"J-just some rough sketches, Principal Cinch."

Cinch nodded thoughtfully. "Have Professor Flypaper meet me in my office tomorrow, with these sketches.  I need to discuss next week's lesson plan with him."

"Y-yes, ma'am," said Slitherquick.

With that, the call was disconnected.  Cinch stood up, looking over at the trophy case and placing her hands behind her back.

If Dean Cadence insists on playing with fire, then it's only sensible for me to call the fire department, she mused. This is still my school, and I'll make sure she and everyone else remembers that.

As she made her way back to her desk, a mysterious shadow on the wall remained.  It was shaped like a bizarre creature, sharing traits with a whole menagerie of different animals.  A lion's paw seemed to stroke a goatee in thought.  Cinch saw this out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to get a better look, the shadow vanished.  She scoffed.

"Must be my glasses," she muttered, turning back to her paperwork.


***


Outside the principal's office, five Crystal Prep students stood impatiently.  They could hear moments of yelling and argument, but no one could make out what was being said.  Sugarcoat leaned against a wall and folded her arms.

"She's not going to agree to it," she stated matter-of-factly. "Why would she?  She hates what happened at the Friendship Games."

"She has to agree to it.  She just has to," said Indigo Zap, patting Sugarcoat on the shoulder. "C'mon, Sugarcoat.  We're the Shadowbolts!  And the Shadowbolts never say die!"

"I didn't say 'die,'" Sugarcoat said flatly.

Lemon Zest giggled. "Dude, you just did."

"Oh, ha ha ha~!  Such witty banter!" Sour Sweet chirped, a faux smile spread across her face. "Never mind the fact that we all could be expelled for doing this!"

"For what?  Passing around a petition?" Sunny Flare asked incredulously. "There's no rule against that."

"No, but there is a rule against loitering outside the principal's office without an appointment," said Sugarcoat bluntly. "We should get to our next classes before the bell rings."

"Dude, chillax.  We got time," said Lemon Zest. "'Sides, ain't you the least bit curious about how this'll play out?"

"I already know how this'll play out," said Sugarcoat. "Cinch will say no, Cadence will tell us just that, and we go on with our miserable lives."

Indigo deadpanned. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, Sugarcoat.  Seriously, what's wrong with you?  This isn't what being a Shadowbolt is all about."

"Actually, that's something that bothers me," said Sunny Flare. "Why are we calling ourselves the Shadowbolts?  That's the name of the school's team, isn't it?"

Indigo sighed. "We've been over this, Sunny.  It's because after all these years of feuding with Canterlot High, the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts has only meant one thing.  We're just the rival team that stomps all over the competition."

"And this is just dawning on you now?" said Sour Sweet, rolling her eyes.

Indigo gave Sour Sweet a look. "Don't you start."

Sour Sweet beamed. "What I mean is you didn't have a problem with the Shadowbolts before; isn't it a bit weird that you're having problems now?" she asked in a syrupy tone.

"No, it isn't.  And don't act like you don't get it," said Indigo.  She began pacing around, looking at her fellow students as if they were a sports team in dire need of a pep talk. "We all saw what happened at this year's games.  We pressured Twilight into almost destroying the world, all so that we could win.  For so long, that's what the name Shadowbolts represented.  Well, I say we change that.  We have to show Principal Cinch and Canterlot High that the name Shadowbolts doesn't just represent a desire to win at all costs.  We want things to be better.  For us, for the school, for everything."

"So, basically, we're calling ourselves the Shadowbolts because you've made yourself our leader and decided to name it after our sports team," said Sugarcoat frankly.

Indigo scowled. "Why are you guys being so difficult about this?  We all want the same thing, right?  We want to change things at this school."

"No one's disputing that, dearie," said Sunny Flare, striking a dramatic pose. "For alas, the corridors of Crystal Preparatory Academy are dark and dismal, while Canterlot High School is so warm and inviting.  I daresay I envy Twilight for transferring.  At least she gets to escape this oppressive prison of academia."

Sour Sweet scoffed. "Ugh, you are such a drama queen, Sunny."

Lemon Zest was about to respond, but instead shook her head. "Too easy."

"Look, the point is sure, we could just transfer schools," said Indigo. "We could just run away from this place and not deal with Cinch's nonsense ever again.  We could do that.  Or instead of just running away, we could stay and fight!  We could make this place better for everyone!  Think about someone other than ourselves for a change!  That's what I took away from this year's games; what about you guys?"

Sugarcoat shrugged. "That's true."

"Of course it's true.  Like I said, there's no disagreement here," said Sunny Flare.

"Yeah, you're right!  We have to fight the system~!"  Sour Sweet's expression deflated. "Besides, my dad's working three jobs to send me here.  If he found out that I transferred, he'd kill me."

"I'm not touching that one," said Sugarcoat.

Indigo nodded slowly. "Right.  Um, what about you, Lemon Ze— are you listening to music right now?!"

Indeed, Lemon Zest was lost in her tunes and bobbing her head to the beat.  When she noticed Indigo getting in her face, she took off her headphones. "Sorry, dude.  Zoned out for a second there.  Hey, you wanna listen to this new CD I got?"

Indigo blanched, knowing full well what was coming. "Wait, wait wait...  Nonononono—"

Unfortunately, Lemon Zest had already strapped the headphones to her ears.  The blaring mess of noise at full volume almost caused Indigo to faint.  Sour Sweet quickly rescued her from the contraption, shooting Lemon Zest a glare.

"Why does 'wait wait wait' never mean anything to you?" she scolded.

Lemon Zest hung her head sheepishly. "Sorry."

Just then, Dean Cadence emerged from Cinch's office.  Quickly, the Shadowbolts stood at attention.  Cadence raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't you five be in class?" she asked.

"I tried to warn them," Sugarcoat said with a shrug.

"Please forgive us, Dean Cadence," said Sunny Flare with a curtsy. "We were just wondering about our petition.  Don't worry, we're ready for the bad news."

"It didn't sound like it from where I was standing," said Sugarcoat.

Cadence smiled. "Well, you'll be happy to know that Principal Cinch has agreed to implement the student-exchange program, starting tomorrow."

Sugarcoat blinked. "Wait, what?"

Indigo shook herself, cleaning out her ears. "Sorry, I missed that.  What happened?"

"Cinch gave us the A-OK, dude!" Lemon Zest cheered, patting Indigo on the back.

Indigo's expression immediately lit up. "For real?"

"It did take some coaxing, but she relented in the end," said Cadence. "I'll be sure to call Vice Principal Luna and tell her the good news.  We can organize everything from there."

Indigo pumped her fist and gave Sugarcoat a sneer. "YES~!  In your face, Sugarcoat!  The Shadowbolts are gonna make a difference!"

A small smile appeared on Sugarcoat's face. "I'm allowed to be wrong.  I'm only human."

Just then, the bell rang.

"Oh, horror of horrors!  We're late for classes!" Sunny Flare wailed. "Someone, please fetch me a chair.  I-I might faint."

"Drop the act, you ham," said Indigo. "Let's just hurry.  Thanks so much, Dean Cadence!  Shadowbolts, break!"

With that, the five students darted off in every direction.  Cadence snickered and shook her head.

"No need to thank me," she mused. "You five are the ones who really wanted change.  I'm just here to help."

As she went back to her own office, the mysterious shadow from Cinch's office appeared on the wall.  It glanced about, as if processing everything that was going on.  The silhouette of a lightbulb appeared above the shadow's head, making a distinct chime.  It then snapped its fingers and vanished without a trace.
> The Call to Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Attention Students:

In cooperation with Dean Cadence of Crystal Prep Academy, Canterlot High is proud to announce our new Student Exchange Program.  Students from both schools will volunteer to visit the other's campus for one full week.  We hope that this will not only strengthen our relationship with Crystal Prep, but it will also enrich the education of our students and provide them with the best experience possible.  After what happened at this year's Friendship Games, I'm sure we can all agree that Crystal Prep can learn a thing or two from us, and vice versa.

Students who are interested in the program, please meet with me during my office hours.  I look forward to seeing you.

~Vice Principal Luna


The Rainbooms crowded around the bulletin board, studying the freshly-posted bulletin intently.

"So, um, anybody have any idea what to make of this?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Well, I remember there being talk about this sort of thing after the Friendship Games," said Sunset Shimmer. "I can't say I'm all that surprised."

"I am," said Twilight Sparkle, adjusting her glasses. "Well, I'm surprised that Dean Cadence convinced Principal Cinch to agree to this.  After all the trouble I caused at the Friendship Games—"

"Now you just hold on one minute there, Twi," Applejack interrupted, shaking her head. "That wasn't really your fault.  And even if it was, we all forgive ya.  So stop beatin' yourself up over what happened."

"I-I know, I know," Twilight said meekly, averting her eyes. "I-it's just hard."

"Oh dear.  I hope seeing your former peers from Crystal Prep doesn't make it harder," said Fluttershy.

Twilight mustered up a small smile. "I-it's fine.  I have you guys, after all.  Besides, maybe they'll feel more comfortable here if they saw a familiar face."

"How very gallant of you, darling," said Rarity. "I certainly wouldn't mind giving Crystal Prep some fashion tips.  Seriously, who designed those uniforms?  At least some people like that Sunny Flare girl had the right idea to accessorize."

"Well, I don't care what any of you say.  I think this is great!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "Y'know, those Crystal Prep guys aren't that bad once you get to know 'em, and now I'm gonna get to know 'em even more!  It's so exciting!"

"So, I take it you're signing up, then?" Rainbow asked.

Pinkie blinked. "What?  Are you crazy?  No no no!  I'm gonna be the CHS Welcome Wagon!  Someone here has to make those Crystal Prep guys feel at home!"

Sunset couldn't help but giggle. "That's just like you, Pinkie Pie."

"Yes.  I actually couldn't imagine you studying at Crystal Prep, Pinkie," Twilight chimed in. "Honestly, besides Dean Cadence, the faculty over there are quite, intense."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Like, how intense is intense?"

"Like Professor Flypaper called a parent-teacher conference because I got an A- on my physics test."

There was a collection of gasps.

"Let me get this straight.  Your teacher called up your parents and wasted their time, just 'cause you didn't get a perfect score on a test?" asked Applejack.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Twilight, blushing profusely. "Looking back, it is kinda silly, isn't it?"

"Silly?!  No, birthday clowns are silly!  Saturday morning cartoons are silly!  I'm silly!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. "That—  That is just insane!"

Fluttershy hid her face behind her bangs. "Well, now I'm scared to sign up.  How could anyone survive under that much pressure?"

"I can only speak for myself, but it was just a matter of keeping focused on the end goal and little else," said Twilight.

Sunset furrowed her brow. "Well, I just hope whoever signs up for this program knows what they're getting into.  In the meantime, we should make sure any students that come here feel welcome, yeah?"

"That goes without saying," said Rainbow Dash. "Sure, we might not be as strict, but those Crystal Prep guys could stand to loosen up a bit."  She then snapped her fingers. "Hey, I know!  Why don't we put on a concert for them?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I agree."

"Oh, that sounds lovely."

"Of course!"

Sunset was about to concur when she noticed a familiar trio of girls marching through the halls, bickering amongst themselves and causing a ruckus.

"For the last time, Sonata, I am not playing that, thing!"

"C'mon, Dagi!  It's the perfect instrument for you!  You can't say we aren't trying!"

"I have to side with Adagio here, Sonata.  You really do have terrible taste in music."

"Oh, shut up!  Like you can think of a better instrument!"

"That wouldn't be too hard, considering your first idea was the freaking bagpipes!"

"What's wrong with bagpipes?"

"I cannot believe you're asking that right now."

"Well, believe it!  'Cause unless you can come up with a better idea, I say Adagio should play the bagpipes!"

"Um, don't I get a say in this?"

Rainbow Dash winced. "Yeesh.  Those three still haven't gotten their acts together?"

"It sure sounds like it," whimpered Fluttershy, hiding behind Applejack.

"Um, do you know those girls?" asked Twilight.

Sunset sighed. "Let's just say you aren't exactly the first magical threat we had to deal with at this school."  Suddenly, her face lit up. "Wait a second.  I don't think I showed them my findings on Equestrian magic yet.  They might want to hear this."

"I thought you said they were a threat," said Twilight.

"Oh, yeah.  Like a big, big one," said Pinkie. "Those three are the Sirens.  See, they were a bunch of meanies who were banished from Equestria for being too mean, and they were trying to make us fight so that they could steal our magic and use it to take over the world, but then Sunset snapped us out of it, and then we beat them with our own magic, and now they're just normal teenage girls like us!  Well, normal teenage girls who can use magic like us."

"Except they're having trouble with that part, from the sound of it," Sunset mused. "I think I'm going to have lunch with them today.  I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Sure, no prob," said Rainbow Dash. "You reformed guys have to stick together, amiright?"

Sunset gave Rainbow a self-mocking smirk. "Something like that."

With one last exchange of farewells, she marched off after the Sirens.


***


"Seriously, Sonata.  Just give it up.  I'm not playing the bagpipes, and that's final."

Sonata sulked. "Phooey.  I was just trying to help."

"You can help by thinking of a different instrument," said Aria, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, why do you think the bagpipes would be good for Adagio?"

"'Cause they're really complicated, and Adagio's really smart.  So there," said Sonata, sticking her tongue at Aria.

Adagio deadpanned. "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Sonata smugly, snagging a taco shell for her lunch tray. "Now, what kind of taco do I want on this lovely Taco Tuesday...?"

"Don't take too long this time," said Aria. "The rest of us kinda want to eat, too."

Adagio scowled. "We should be feasting on negative energy right now."

"Seriously, Adagio.  Drop it," Aria snapped. "That was months ago, and Sonata and I have moved on.  Why can't you?"

Adagio's only response was an aggravated grunt as she gathered her own food.  As the three of them finally got around to sitting down, a fourth tray made itself known.

"Hey.  Anyone sitting here?" Sunset asked.

Adagio gave Sunset a wary look. "Yes.  We are," she stated cooly.

"But, you're welcome to join us," Sonata added.

Adagio shot Sonata an angry glare.

"What?" asked Sonata obliviously.

Aria sighed. "Just let her sit with us, Adagio.  She's not gonna hurt you."

Adagio huffed and folded her arms. "Fine.  But I don't have to like it."

Sunset sighed as she sat down. "I take it Adagio hasn't found the magic of friendship yet, huh?"

"Well, it's better than it was before," said Aria, shrugging her shoulders. "At least she knows Sonata and I have her back, even if she still calls us idiots."

"And trust me, you don't wanna know what it was like before," said Sonata with a shiver. "She was soooooo mad at us."

"I still am," Adagio grumbled.

"Yeah, but now it's not like you hate us or anything."

Sunset cleared her throat. "Um, anyway, I couldn't help but overhear your, discussion before."

"Oh, that whole thing?" said Sonata. "Yeah, Aria and I are still trying to find an instrument for Adagio so she can tap into her Equestrian magic.  Problem is, we're flat broke."

"I think the problem is your taste is music, but that's just me," said Aria plainly, taking a bite out of her sloppy joe.

Sunset smiled. "Well, what if I tell you girls that you don't need musical instruments?"

Sonata did a spit take, spraying ground beef, lettuce, and bits of taco shell all over the table. "You for realsies?!  But that's how you Rainbooms beat us!"

"Well, yes," said Sunset sheepishly. "But listen, I've been doing some more research on the subject, and I found something that could really help you."

"Not interested."

Aria gave Adagio a bemused look. "You're really gonna do this, Adagio?  And here I thought I was stubborn about letting the Rainbooms help us."

"Don't tell me you forgot what happened at the Battle of the Bands," Adagio snarled.

"Trust me, we haven't forgotten that," said Aria. "But here's the thing.  We moved on.  Sonata's happy, and, well, I don't mind this friendship stuff.  Stop acting like a stubborn foal and just hear her out, alright?"

Adagio's face darkened. "Is this about me not following your lead?"

"Yeah, doesn't feel too good when the shoe's on the other foot, does it?" Aria said with a sneer. "You may be smarter than me, but that doesn't mean you're right about everything."

Adagio let out a defeated sign. "Alright, alright.  What do you have in mind?"

"Well, first of all, were you three at this year's Friendship Games?" Sunset asked.

"Nope.  Afraid not," said Sonata glumly. "Adagio here got the Blue Flu, so we had to take care of her."

Sunset blinked. "The what?"

"Long story.  We'll tell you later," said Aria. "Just FYI, though, one of the symptoms of that disease is that it turns you into the most bossy person in the world.  Pray that none of the Rainbooms catch it."

"Um, noted," said Sunset, clearing her throat. "Anyway, during the Games, we managed to tap into our Equestrian magic without using music.  It took a while for me to figure out why, but at the final event, I discovered something that was staring me in the face this whole time."

"Whazzat?" asked Sonata.

"Equestrian magic surfaces when you are true to yourself."

The Sirens looked at each other for a moment before turning back to Sunset.

"Uh, okay.  What does that have to do with us?" asked Aria.

"Well, think about it," said Sunset. "What makes you guys who you are?"

"We used to hypnotize others to do our bidding and feed off of negative energy, but you kind of took that away from us," Adagio grumbled.

Sunset let out an awkward chuckle. "I, see she still holds a grudge."

"You're telling me," said Aria, massaging her temples.

"I still don't get it," said Sonata, tilting her head. "How are we not being true to ourselves?  I'm not pretending to be someone else right now.  This is who I am.  I am, was, and always will be Sonata Dusk.  So why can't I pony up whenever I want?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that," said Sunset, taking a sip of water. "Let me ask you this.  What would you say makes you special?"

"You don't want me to answer that," Aria jeered.

Sonata gave Aria a dirty look. "I could say the same about you, y'know."

"You cannot."

"Can too."

"Can not."

"Can too!"

Adagio cast her gaze upward. "Well, I can say what makes these two special.  They're both idiots."

"Hey!" Sonata and Aria exclaimed in unison.

Sunset palmed her face. "Okay, this is getting nowhere.  If you girls can't figure this out, you're not going to be using your magic anytime soon."

"Well, how are we supposed to figure it out, then?" asked Sonata. "It's too hard for me and Aria, and Dagi won't help us because she doesn't like you."

Sunset furrowed her brow and stroked her chin. "That's actually a good question.  It's not like I can figure this stuff out for you.  But how can I get you three to—?"

She was soon interrupted by her phone vibrating.  Raising an eyebrow, she reached into her pocket and pulled it out.  Oddly enough, the caller ID said it was an unlisted number.  With a shrug, Sunset answered it.  Before she could ask who it was, she was greeted by an automated message.

"You have a collect call from: ∂ˆßçø®∂."

Sunset gave her phone a blank stare. "Who?"

"You have a collect call from: Vzzbkx."

"That was different from what you said before.  Who is this?"

There was a sigh from the other end. "Come now, Sunny.  Don't you know chaos when you hear it?"

Sunset's eyes went wide. "Discord?!"

Sure enough, a small hologram of the draconequus shot from her phone and onto the cafeteria table.  For some bizarre reason (or more appropriately, no reason at all), he was wearing an eyepatch and a camo jacket.

"Kept you waiting, huh?" he said in a raspy voice.

Sunset blinked. "Um, no.  I wasn't even expecting you," she said, dipping her voice so that other students wouldn't overhear. "What are you doing here?"

Discord frowned. "What, no 'long time no see?'  No 'how have you been?'  Come now, Sunny.  It's been so long!"

Adagio leered at the hologram. "No one invited you here, you traitorous snake."

"Hey, I only happen to be one-fifth snake," Discord spat indignantly.

Aria groaned. "Just get to the point, Discord."

"And I'm glad to see you, too," Discord sighed. "Listen, I thought we've gotten past all this.  You all know I'm reformed now; there's no need for such hostility."

"I know.  I'm sorry," said Sunset. "This is just a bit, surprising, is all."

Discord gave Sunset and incredulous look. "Well, I wouldn't exactly be the Master of Chaos if I was predictable, now would I?"

"What if we predicted that you would do something completely random like run around in circles while eating a three-way sub?" asked Sonata.

Discord smirked. "Close, but no cigar.  No, a three-way sub just isn't my cup of tea.  Now a five-way sub, well.  You haven't lived to you sank your teeth into one of those babies."

"Shucks.  Thought I had you that time," Sonata said with a pout.

Sunset couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, Discord.  It is good to see you, even if it is a surprise.  Although I have a sneaking suspicion that this isn't just some random social call."

"Sharp as ever, Sunny ol' girl," said Discord with a bow.

Sonata's eyes widened as she stared at Sunset. "Ooh, you're good."

Discord gave Sonata a smirk before clearing his throat. "Anyway, I just flew in from Crystal Prep Academy, and boy, are my arms tired."

The sound of a rimshot played from Sunset's phone, though the joke was met with blank stares.

"Don't you have wings?" asked Sonata.

"Yes, but where's the fun in using these things?" Discord replied.  As if to demonstrate his point, his bat wing was holding a beard trimmer which he was using to trim his goatee. "Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yes.  Crystal Prep Academy.  One of the most dull and boring places you'll ever experience.  Seriously, everyone is just so serious and strict and 'we have to be the best at everything we do.'  Honestly, don't they know that perfection is not only unobtainable, it's uninteresting?  I'd rather be stuck in an elevator with a potato."

"If you hate it so much, why were you there in the first place?" inquired Aira.

Discord shrugged. "Sometimes, my magic has a mind of its own.  It's not exactly chaos if you have control over it."

In a flash, he teleported from the table into Adagio's hair.

"Ack~!  Get out of there!" Adagio shrieked, desperately clawing at Discord

"Case in point, this is not where I wanted to end up," Discord stated nonchalantly, barely paying any mind to Adagio's panicking.  In a flash, he teleported himself to Sunset's shoulder. "There.  Much better."

"So, your magic just randomly teleported you to Crystal Prep," said Sunset. "You, didn't cause any trouble there, did you?"

Discord gasped. "Sunny!  I am surprised at you!  How can you accuse me of doing a rotten thing like that?"

"Maybe she has good reason to," Adagio mumbled bitterly.

Discord gave Adagio a look. "You stay out of this."

"No, she's right," said Sunset firmly. "Even if you are reformed, you can still be quite a troublemaker.  What did you do?"

"Nothing, honest," said Discord, raising his paw. "Scout's honor.  All I did was a bit of scouting."

"Scouting."

"Yes, scouting."  A sinister smile crept onto Discord's face. "Because between you and me, I'd love nothing more than to add some color to that drab place.  Problem is, I think I'm being expected."

Sonata massaged her temples. "Okay, my head's starting to hurt.  You said your whole schtick was that no one ever expects you."

"I know.  That's what has me concerned," said Discord, furrowing his brow. "See, that Principal Cinch has some vendetta against magic, and I cannot possibly fathom why.  I thought Equestrian magic only came from people who are from, you know, Equestria."

It didn't take long for Sunset to connect the dots. "The Friendship Games."

Aria blinked. "What about 'em?"

"During the games, Twilight Sparkle, rather this world's Twilight Sparkle, was trying to figure out Equestrian magic," Sunset explained. "She had some sort of device that stole magic from us, and she didn't fully understand why.  At the last event, Principal Cinch pressured her into unleashing that magic just so Crystal Prep could win.  It drove her to almost destroy this reality."

"And let me guess.  You and the Rainbooms stopped her with the magic of friendship," said Aria.

"Yes, actually," said Sunset.

Adagio huffed, but said nothing else.  Sunset shook her head and continued.

"Anyway, once it was discovered that Cinch pressured Twilight, everyone turned against her, including her own students.  She claimed that it was our magic that infected them or something, but I didn't think she actually believed it."

"Wow.  And I thought we were bad," said Sonata.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Adagio growled.

Discord frowned. "What's wrong, Adagio?  You still haven't discovered the magic of friendship?"

"Buzz off," Adagio spat. "You're clearly up to no good.  That's all you've ever been."

Discord shook his head. "Tsk tsk.  Someone holds a grudge."

As soon as those words left his lips, he suddenly turned into a black tea kettle.  His eyes narrowed.

"Oh, ha ha," he grumbled, shifting back to his original shape.

Before Sunset could respond, the gears in her mind went into overdrive.

"Wait a minute.  Oh no!  The student exchange program!" she exclaimed.

Aria blinked. "What?"

"Vice Principal Luna has organized a student exchange program with Crystal Prep," said Sunset. "Didn't you see the bulletin?"

Aria deadpanned and folded her arms. "Does it honestly look like we care?"

Sunset sighed. "Right.  Listen, some of my friends are interested in that program.  If they sign up for it, and Cinch has this strong position against magic, they might be in trouble."

"Sucks for them," said Aria with a shrug. "What does this have to do with us?"

Sunset blinked. "You know, for someone willing to give friendship a shot, you can be really cold sometimes."

"Hey, I'm just doing this for Sonata," said Aria.

"She has a point," said Sonata. "We can't let the Rainbooms get hurt by that Cinch lady.  They're our friends, and friends don't let that kind of stuff happen."

Aria sputtered before letting out and exasperated groan. "You're the worst, Sonata."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," said Sonata smugly.

Sunset thought for a moment. "Hang on.  I think I have an idea."

"Am I gonna like it?" asked Aria.

"It might help you girls discover your true selves so you can use your magic whenever you want."

Aria leaned forward. "I'm listening."

"Vice Principal Luna is still looking for volunteers for the program," said Sunset. "So, how about I sign us up?  It'll only be for a week, and in that time, we can figure out just what Principal Cinch has in store for magic users."

"And potentially take down her operation in the process.  I like the way you think, Sunny," said Discord, stroking his chin.  Suddenly, a lightbulb appeared above his head. "Just a moment.  This Crystal Prep place.  Would you say they were formerly your enemies?"

Sunset scratched her head. "Um, kinda?  They have been Canterlot High's rivals for quite some time, but from what I saw at this year's games, a lot of them are pretty nice."

Discord snatched the lightbulb from the air and turned it into a calculator. "So, let's see.  That means, um, factor in the three, divide by Theta, and...  Oh yes!  New friends for me!  Fluttershy has been saying I should expand my social circle lately."

"Wait, but won't you get us in trouble and junk?" asked Sonata. "I don't think having an all-powerful draconequus with us is a good idea."

"I hate to say this, but I'm with her on this one, Discord," Aria agreed. "You're a regular wild card, and that's not something we need."

Discord turned to Sonata and smiled. "I implore you to reconsider."

Sonata blinked. "Well, okay!"

Aira did a double take. "Bu-but you just—"

"He has a point," Sonata said with a shrug.

Adagio simply sighed. "Swing and a miss."

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose and took in a deep, cleansing breath. "Okay, fine.  But I want you to be on your best behavior, Discord."

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," said Discord solemnly. "Free use of magic has been something of a hot button issue for me ever since me tete-a-tete with Tirek.  My chaos shall only be used when appropriate."

In a flash, he turned into a rubber chicken.

"Assuming it's willing to cooperate," he sighed. "I'll do my best, Sunny.  Be sure to keep me in the loop.  You have my number."

After transforming into a random set of objects, Discord disappeared.  Sunset sighed.

"I know this won't be easy, girls.  But I think it'll help you get just what you need," she said with a smile. "And don't worry.  I'll be with you every step of the way.  Now, I'm going to go sign us up.  I'll get all the details from Vice Principal Luna."

"Sure.  Seeya later," said Aria with a half-hearted wave.

Sunset nodded and left the table, taking her apple with her.  Once she was gone, Adagio gave Sonata and Aria a dark look.

"Don't tell me you girls are really going to go along with this," she said.

"Why not?  What've we got to lose at this point?" said Aria.

"I'm telling you right now, I'm not putting my faith in Discord or the Rainbooms," Adagio growled. "Not after what they've done to us."

Sonata blinked and tilted her head. "But, Discord helped Aria and me get our magic back."

Adagio let out a low growl, causing Sonata to squeak in terror.  Aria sighed.

"Look, I get it.  Discord thought you were sabotaging his attempts to befriend Sunset Shimmer, so he messed with you," she said. "But if you're just going to continue sulking like this, you're never gonna be happy.  Now, I don't know about you, but I'm willing to give this a shot, and so is Sonata.  And we want what's best for you.  So just get over this stuff with the Rainbooms, ignore Discord, and try following our lead for a change."

Adagio grunted. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"I will when you do," Aria retorted.

Another grunt from Adagio. "If you think that I'm going to trust Discord after what he put me through, you're just as dumb as I thought.  This will not end well for any of us.  Just you wait."

"Well, not with that attitude," said Sonata.

Adagio palmed her face and sighed. I just hope I live to regret this, she thought. Discord is going to doom us all, I just know it...
> Sirens, Meet Shadowbolts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"I want to thank you all again for volunteering for this student-exchange program.  I understand that some of you may feel a bit nervous about Crystal Prep's high standards, but I firmly believe that you all can succeed if you put your minds to it.  You've proven that to me time and time again.  Now, before we arrive, there are a few things I'd like to mention..."

Adagio drowned out the rest of Vice Principal Luna's lecture as she stared out the bus window, sulking all the while.

"Still being a grump about this?" Aria asked half-teasingly.

"This is a bad idea," Adagio grumbled. "We're putting our livelihoods in the hands of our mortal enemies!"

"Dagi!  Sunset's right there!" Sonata scolded.

"No, it's fine," said Sunset with a wave of her hand. "I'm used to it."

Sonata blinked. "You're used to people calling you their mortal enemy?"

"Something like that," Sunset said with a shrug. "What?  Doesn't it happen to you guys, too?"

"Kinda," Sonata admitted, slumping down in her seat. "I guess some people are still mad at us about the whole Battle of the Bands thing, even after we became friends with you and the Rainbooms."

Sunset gave Sonata a warm smile. "Trust me, being friends with the Rainbooms does not protect you from the past.  Just don't let who you were define who you are right now."

"Easy for you to say," Adagio spat, her gaze still firmly fixed on the suburban neighborhoods passing by. "I liked who I was, and you took that away from me.  Now I have nothing."

"Hey, you think Sonata and I didn't feel the same way when we first lost our powers?" said Aria.

Adagio scoffed. "You're one to talk.  Discord gave you back your powers.  Lousy two-timing snake."

There was suddenly a buzz from Sunset's phone.  She opened it up and saw a text.

"'I heard that, Dagi,'" she read aloud.  She sighed. "This better not become a thing again.  It was annoying enough the first time."

"I still don't understand why you're allowing him to come along," Adagio groused. "Who knows what he's going to do?  That precious friendship of yours could very well be shattered in an instant."

"I'll admit, I'm not exactly thrilled about him being here, either," said Sunset frankly. "But if he's right about Principal Cinch's anti-magic stance, we might end up needing his help."

"Yeah, but what's this Cinch gonna do to stop us from using magic?" asked Aria. "It's not like anyone outside of Canterlot High knows about this stuff like we do."

"I don't know, Aria," said Sunset. "But I intend to find out."

"Oh, and there's one last thing.  Sunset Shimmer?"

Sunset perked up as Vice Principal Luna addressed her directly. "Y-yes, ma'am?"

"I understand that you and the Dazzlings have your own, special circumstances," said Vice Principal Luna, looking over the quartet of inter-dimensional ambassadors. "Now, do you have a better understanding of this magic phenomenon?"

"I feel like I do, ma'am," said Sunset with a nod.

"Think you can keep it under control?"

Sunset looked over at the Sirens.  While Adagio didn't even look up, Sonata gave Sunset a big thumbs-up.  Aria, meanwhile, simply shrugged.

"I'll do my best, Vice Principal Luna," said Sunset.

"Let's hope that's good enough," said Luna sternly. "Dean Cadence and I both agree that we shouldn't have a repeat of what happened at the Friendship Games.  Or the Battle of the Bands, for that matter."

"Sheesh, try to take over the world one time, and all of a sudden, you're marked for life," said Aria, rolling her eyes.

The sarcastic barb was met with an intense glare from Luna.  Sunset chuckled nervously.

"Sh-she didn't mean it, ma'am," she said. "Look, I'll look after them personally.  It'll be fine."

Luna nodded. "Right.  I'm holding you to that, Sunset Shimmer," she said. "While we're on the subject, perhaps it's best if you don't talk so openly about magic during your tenure here.  I've heard that Principal Cinch has some, strong feelings about the subject."

"Understood," said Sunset.  She took a glance out the window.  The suburban lawns were replaced by city streets and bustling crowds. "Looks like we're almost there."

"Ooh, I'm so nervous," Sonata whimpered.

"Oh, suck it up, Sonata.  You're the one that wanted this," Aria stated flatly. "Think of it like this.  It's a new place, and I'm pretty sure these guys haven't heard about the Battle of the Bands.  This is our chance to make a fresh start and discover that true self stuff Sunset was telling us about last week."

Sonata took a moment to process this before perking up. "Yeah, you're right.  This is gonna be great!"  She then gave Aria a big hug. "Thanks, Aria!  You're the best!"

Aria grunted as she tried to shove Sonata off. "Okay, if there's one thing I don't like about this new direction for our lives, it's that you've become way too clingy."

Sunset couldn't help but chuckle.  However, she stopped herself when she noticed that Adagio was still sulking.  She reached into her backpack and took out her special diary which she used to maintain contact with Equestria.  She sighed inwardly.

I don't think Pony Twilight would be able to reach us this far away from CHS, she mused. Man, I really hope that I'm not in over my head...


***


Outside Crystal Prep's parking lot, several students were lined up and standing at attention.  Dean Cadence made her way down the line, listing off the names of all the volunteers who signed up for the school-exchange program the week before.  Way in the back, however, Indigo Zap had others plans.  She turned to the rest of the Shadowbolts intently, a passionate fire in her eyes.

"Alright, you guys.  This is where we need to give it our all," she said. "We're gonna be taking classes with Canterlot High students, so we have to give them the best welcome Crystal Prep has to offer."

"Oh, I know how that goes," said Sugarcoat, folding her arms. "'Welcome to Crystal Prep Academy.  Here are ten assignments due by the end of the week.  You're expected to pass all of them.'"

Indigo blinked before awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "Okay, not exactly the tone we're going for here."

"What?  It's true," said Sugarcoat with a shrug.

"Yeah but—"  Indigo sighed. "Listen, we're trying to make these guys feel welcome, not scare them off."

"Oh, is that what we're doing?  No problem~!" Sour Sweet trilled sweetly. "Welcome to Crystal Prep Academy, guys!  Now you get to be just as miserable as the rest of us.  Yay~!"

Indigo palmed her face. "Sour, you're not helping.  Do you even know why we wanted this program in the first place?"

"Of course we know why.  We're the ones who came up with the petition in the first place," Sugarcoat stated frankly. "We want to make Crystal Prep a better place, and the best idea we came up with is to invite Canterlot High students over here hoping they brought some of that magic stuff with them.  Granted, there are a lot of ways this plan can go bust, but we're high school students.  There's not much else we can do."

Indigo frowned. "See, that's the kind of thing we don't want to say.  None of this Negative Nancy nonsense.  If we want to change this school, we have to believe in ourselves and believe that this'll work!"

"Oh, I'm not saying it won't work," said Sugarcoat. "I'm just saying the probability of it working is not in our favor."

"Screw the probability!  I'm not giving up, and neither should any of you!" Indigo barked.

"Who said anything about giving up?" asked Sour Sweet indignantly. "Don't put words in our mouths, Indigo."

"Well, you guys certainly aren't acting like it," said Indigo with a pout.

"I'm sure this is just stage fright talking," said Sunny Flare. "We're all a bit nervous.  This is not something any of us have dealt with before."  She turned away, staring into space and cupping her hands together. "For lo, we live in a world that is ever-changing.  The change we seek will benefit us and everyone else for semesters to come.  But change, much like the tests at our fine institution, is never easy."

Indigo scoffed. "So you're all scared.  Is that what I'm hearing?"

"Nervous is not the same thing as scared, Indigo," Sunny Flare stated frankly.

"Well, sorry for not speaking dramatic prose," Indigo said with a snort. "Listen, we put this thing in motion, and we're gonna see it through.  No stupid nerves are going to get in my way, and if we're gonna do this together, I expect the rest of you to—"

At that moment, she noticed that Lemon Zest had her headphones on and was playing some sort of handheld game.  Indigo smacked her forehead.

"Oh, for crying out loud," she muttered. "Lemon Zest!  Yo, Earth to Lemon!  Hello?!"

She snapped her fingers right in front of Lemon Zest's eyes, causing her to flinch.  Lemon Zest scowled.

"Dude.  I was just about to beat my high score," she growled.

"Would it kill you to pay attention?!  This is important!" Indigo scolded.

"No need to put me on blast, Indy.  I know what you're sayin'," said Lemon Zest. "You were talking about our whole plan to loosen things up at Crystal Prep, yeah?"

"She's not wrong," said Sugarcoat.

Indigo growled, but before she could say anything else, Dean Cadence came up behind them.

"Is everything okay here, girls?" she asked.

Indigo cleared her throat. "Fine, Dean Cadence.  Just fine."  This was followed by a stern glare over at Sugarcoat, who simply cast her gaze upward.

Cadence sighed. "I'm glad you five have volunteered to help the exchange students.  I just hope you're up for it."

"The Shadowbolts never give up, ma'am!" said Indigo proudly. "We won't let you down!"

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "You aren't nervous at all, are you?"

"What, us?  Nah, of course not!" said Indigo.

"Speak for yourself," Sour Sweet muttered under her breath.

Indigo shot Sour Sweet a look. "What was that?"

"Nothing~.  Nothing at all~!" Sour Sweet chirped.

Cadence sighed. "Girls, it's okay if you're nervous.  This is new for all of us.  Just keep in mind that if you need any help, I'm always approachable."

Just then, the familiar honking of a bus horn echoed across the parking lot.

"That must be them," said Cadence. "Okay, everyone!  Let the Canterlot High students off the bus first!"

The volunteers formed an orderly line outside the bus door, which opened with a hiss.  One by one, the students of Canterlot High disembarked.  Awkward waves and friendly smiles were exchanged as the two groups passed each other.  Last off the bus was Vice Principal Luna, who smiled at Cadence.

"I think they're ready," said she. "All Crystal Prep volunteers, please follow me onto the bus for your orientation."

The volunteers complied, marching in single file.  While this was going on, Cadence looked over her clipboard. "Okay, let's make sure everyone's here.  Diamond Tiara?"

"Present."

"Silver Spoon?"

"Here."

"Lyra Heartstrings?"

"Yo."

"Sweetie Drops?"

"Please, call me Bon-Bon.  Everyone else does."

"Oh.  Um, sure."  Cadence cleared her throat. "Sunset Shimmer?"

"Here."

"Adagio Dazzle?"

Adagio said nothing, but simply continued to sulk.  Aria nudged her elbow.

"Here," Adagio growled.

Cadence blinked. "Um, okay then.  Sonata Dusk?"

"Hi!" Sonata cheered, waving her arms.

Cadence couldn't help but laugh. "Well.  Someone's excited."

"Of course I'm excited!  I'm gonna find out about my true self so I can use my Equestrian magic whenever I want!"

Aria smacked Sonata upside the head while Sunset gave her a stern look.

"Ow!  Whaddisay, whaddisay?!" Sonata whined.

Sunset groaned and turned back to Cadence. "What she meant by that is she feels that coming to study at Crystal Prep will surely help her figure out her path in life," she clarified.

It took a moment for Sonata to connect the dots. "Oh, right.  Yeah, what she said I meant to say.  Th-that's what I meant.  To say."

"Anyone else getting déjà vu over here?" asked Aria.

Sunset sighed. "I'm going to have to have a talk with you about them later, Dean Cadence.  In private."

Cadence nodded. "I'll be sure to make a note of that.  Alright, moving on.  Aria Blaze?"

"Yo."

"And that appears to be everyone."  Cadence smiled. "Welcome everyone, to Crystal Prep Academy.  I'm Cadence.  Most of you know me as the Dean of Students here at Crystal Prep, and it's my job to look out for all of your needs.  Now, I know we don't do things quite the same as Canterlot High, but as long as you put in the effort, you're all going to do wonderfully.  Today, several of our students have volunteered to give you a tour of our facilities.  Tomorrow, you will receive your own school uniforms and class schedules.  If you ever need any advice or assistance, my door will always be open.  I now turn things over to Indigo Zap, who will show you around.  I hope you enjoy your time here."

With a bow, she marched back to the school.  Indigo Zap walked up to the Canterlot High students, rubbing her arm sheepishly.

"Um, hey," she said. "I'm Indigo Zap.  And this here is my crew.  We call ourselves the Shadowbolts."

"Isn't that the name of your sports team?" asked Diamond Tiara.

Indigo blushed. "Um, yeah.  But, we want it to mean something more than just, that."  She looked up and did a double take when she saw Sunset Shimmer. "Wait a sec!  I remember you!  You're that magic girl from the Friendship Games!"

Sunset smiled. "Most of my friends are magical girls.  You'll have to be more specific."

Indigo blinked before bursting out laughing. "Oh, hah!  Right, yeah.  Um, cool!"  She then cleared her throat. "I mean, you're the one that fixed everything."

Now it was Sunset's turn to blush. "Yeah, something like that.  I'm starting to get a knack for it, honestly."

Indigo beamed. "Well, glad to have you aboard.  It's Sunset, yeah?"

"Yes," said Sunset.  She then looked over at the Sirens. "I don't know if you overheard Sonata's little outburst, but we have a few more guests from *ahem* out of town."

"Wait, we're not from another town.  We're from another dimen— mmph!"

Sonata was about to run her mouth again, but Aria stopped her just in time.

"You'll have to excuse her.  She's an idiot," said Adagio.

"Oh, well that's fine.  We have plenty of idiots here~!" said Sour Sweet.  Her cheerful facade soon vanished. "Oh, wait.  No we don't.  That would be silly."

"Not helping," Indigo growled.  She sighed and turned back to Sunset. "Sorry 'bout that.  I should probably introduce you to the rest of the crew."

"Allow me, dearie," said Sunny Flare, stepping forward and giving a curtsey. "I am Sunny Flare, one of the top actors in Crystal Prep Academy's drama club.  It is an honor to meet you all."

"I'm Sour Sweet!  It's nice to meet you all~!" said Sour Sweet.  Once again, her good mood seemed to vanish with a sigh. "I just hope you guys can survive."

"Academically, to be precise," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses. "We don't expect anyone to fall through an inter-dimensional chasm to their doom here."

Sonata let out an awkward chuckle, which was muffled by Aria's hand.

"Let's not go down that road," said Sunset. "We're all just students trying to find our way in the world, just like you."

A ghost of a smile formed on Sugarcoat's face. "I guess that's one thing we all have in common.  I'm Sugarcoat, by the way."

After a brief pause, Indigo looked over at Lemon Zest, who was back to playing her video game.  Indigo palmed her face.

"I guess this shows that Crystal Prep isn't exactly perfect," she said. "Yo, Lemon!"

Lemon Zest flinched. "What, dude?"

Indigo gestured to the Canterlot High students angrily.

"Oh, right.  Sorry, kinda spaced there," said Lemon Zest, putting her game away. "Trust me, this isn't normal.  If I was like this in class, I wouldn't be at Crystal Prep for long.  The name's Lemon Zest, and consider that Rule Numero Uno around here.  When the professors speak, you listen."

"Nice save," said Sugarcoat.

Indigo simply rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "So, yeah.  I know Crystal Prep has a harsh reputation, but it's like Dean Cadence said.  Just give it your all, and you'll be fine.  So, are you guys gonna succeed?!"

"Not likely," Adagio muttered.

"I can't hear you~!" Indigo yelled.

Adagio gave Indigo a dark look. "I said it's not likely."

Indigo shook her head. "Wrong answer; try again!  Are you guys gonna succeed, or what?!"

"Whoa.  Now I'm getting déjà vu," said Lemon Zest.

Adagio made a face. "I'm still convinced that this is a waste of time, and you all are going to be sorry you let this happen."

Without any form of explanation, she marched towards the school.  Indigo scratched her head.

"Yeesh.  What flew up her butt?" she wondered.

"Long story," said Aria. "Let's just see this place already."

"O-oh yeah!  Right!" said Indigo. "C'mon, we'll give you the grand tour."

The Shadowbolts headed towards the school, ushering the Canterlot High volunteers to follow.  They complied, though Aria forced Sonata to lag behind.

"Just so we're clear, Vice Principal Luna said no magic talk," she scolded. "We're not exactly in control anymore, so we have to be careful.  You got me?"

Sonata blinked. "But, I thought the whole reason we're here is to find out how to tap into our magic.  How are we gonna do that if we don't talk about it?"

"I-I don't know!  Just, don't get us in trouble!"

Sonata cast her gaze downward. "I don't mean to."

Aria sighed. "Oh, don't give me that look.  Let's just follow Sunset's lead here.  She's the expert on this friendship stuff."

Sonata nodded and swallowed. "O-okay."

Meanwhile, Sunset walked up next to Indigo. "Your friends seem nice," she said.

Indigo shrugged. "Yeah, they might be a bunch of characters, but we all want the same thing here.  That's what brought us together."

"Oh, is that what happened?" asked Sour Sweet. "I thought it had more to do with the whole reality breaking thing."

"Both of you are wrong," said Sugarcoat bluntly. "We were friends long before this year's Friendship Games.  We were just too focused on our studies to show it."

"By the by, your performance back there was, adequate," said Sunny Flare. "I will admit, I expected a bit more from a motivational speaker like you, but with every awkward fumble, you managed to pick things up."

Indigo gave Sunny Flare a pointed look. "I didn't ask for your opinion, Sunny."

Sunset's phone suddenly vibrated.  When she looked down, she saw a text from Discord.

"Is someone giving you trouble?"

Indigo arched an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Sunset swallowed and deleted the text. "N-nothing.  Must've been a wrong number."

"Rule Numero Dos: No outside distractions," quipped Lemon Zest. "I suggest shutting that thing off."

"Y-yeah.  Of course," said Sunset, fumbling with her phone.

"It's cool," said Lemon Zest. "Hey, your friends are kinda neat, too.  Except for that Adagio girl.  She seemed grouchy."

"Again, it's a long story," said Sunset. "Let's just get on with the tour."

"Right, sure.  No prob," said Indigo.  As she led everyone up the steps to Crystal Prep, she let out a sharp sigh.

This is what we wanted.  These Canterlot guys are gonna use their magic to make this place better, she thought. We can do this.  We're going to do this.  We have to do this.  So, let's do this!
> Lukewarm Reception
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why must I be surrounded by these idiots and lunatics?  Why did I agree to this nonsense?  I should be the one calling the shots, not them."

Adagio continued to grumble and growl to herself as she marched far ahead of Indigo's tour group.  She pushed her way past other students and faculty without even a glance or acknowledgement.  Only when her forward momentum was halted by a metal beam sticking against her stomach did she snap out of her trance and take stock of her surroundings.  The shimmering halls of Crystal Prep Academy were blocked off by a string of turnstiles and a security desk.  Before she could find a way around, a tall, burly security guard with a blue goatee and a shaved head stepped forward.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" he asked in a low, rumbling voice.

Adagio's heart managed to skip a beat, although she cleared her throat and stood her ground. "Well, unless you can somehow reset time and have me defeat the Rainbooms, I highly doubt there's anything you could possibly do for me."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "Ma'am, I don't have time for this.  Are you a student here, or not?"

"Well, technically.  But it wasn't my idea."

"Then why aren't you in uniform?  Crystal Prep has a very strict dress code."

"And what are you going to do about it?  Kick me out?  It's not like I want to be here."

The guard folded his arms. "Listen, lady.  I really don't appreciate your tone."

"Well, I don't appreciate having my powers stripped from me and having to listen to a bunch of idiots.  How do you think I feel?"

The guard let out an angry snort, glaring down at Adagio. "Okay, you're gonna need to start making sense, and start making sense now," he warned. "This kind of behavior is not acceptable."

"Does it look like I care?" Adagio asked flippantly.  Her defiant facade started to shatter when the security guard cracked his neck.

"No, but I'm gonna show you why you should care," he stated coldly.

"Whoa, hey!  Easy there, Mr. Lockdown!"

Before the guard could do anything, Indigo Zap arrived on the scene with the rest of the Canterlot High students and the Shadowbolts.  The guard gave Indigo a look.

"Just move along, Zap.  This doesn't concern you," he said.

"It does, actually," said Indigo. "That girl's with me.  She's part of our new student-exchange program with Canterlot High."

Lockdown looked at Adagio, and then over at Indigo. "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Well, of course.  Dean Cadence herself asked us to give these CHS students the grand tour," said Sugarcoat. "You can ask her yourself."

Lockdown nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if you can vouch for this hooligan, there must be some truth to it.  Alright, go on through."  He then gave Adagio a look. "But let this be a lesson to you, missy.  People like me don't take kindly to rotten attitudes."

He then went back to his desk and took out several stickers, handing them to Adagio. "Here, you Canterlot students better wear these.  This'll let everyone know you're visiting."

Adagio merely huffed and swiped the stickers from Lockdown.  When she made it back to the group, she thrust the stickers into Sunset's hands.

"You deal with this," she growled. "It's not my business."

Sunset sighed and handed the stickers out to the rest of her peers. "I'm terribly sorry about this, sir."

Lockdown sighed and waved his hand, shifting his attention over to his work.

"Well, that's one way to learn about how we do things around here," said Lemon Zest with a shrug. "I'll be the first to admit that Crystal Prep ain't as cozy as you guys might be used to.  Case in point, the security."

"Isn't this a bit extreme for a high school, though?" asked Lyra.

"Oh, it's not that bad," said Sour Sweet, swiping her ID card at one of the turnstiles. "You just have to watch everything you say and do."

Sonata gulped, squeezing Aria's hand tightly. "Aria..."

"She's exaggerating," Indigo assured everyone. "Really, this isn't too much different to what you'll experience once you guys get to college."

"If you guys get to college," Sugarcoat corrected.

Indigo gave Sugarcoat a look. "I thought we were done with the whole rivalry thing."

"Oh, we are.  I'm just stating that the pursuit of higher education is a complicated subject that you should discuss with your guidance counselor or parents.  It's not guaranteed," Sugarcoat stated plainly. "Especially if you write 'I have magical powers' on your application.  That might raise some eyebrows."

Sunset and the Sirens looked at each other awkwardly, while Adagio simply huffed and folded her arms.

"Maybe now's not the best time to bring that up," said Sunset.

Sugarcoat shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just stating the facts.  But I agree, we should move on with the tour."

"Right, yeah!" said Indigo, clearing her throat. "Guys, welcome to Crystal Prep Academy!"

As she gestured to the decorative halls of the school, Sunset couldn't help but feel strange.  Just as Lemon Zest said, this was nothing like the warm, inviting nature of Canterlot High.  Everything from the crystal blue walls to the bustling students absorbed in their studies gave off a cold aura that made her shiver.  But as she followed Indigo around the school, she noticed a few subtleties that somewhat offset the rigid atmosphere.  Every so often, she would notice students exchanging brief, stiff pleasantries as they passed by each other in the hallway.  A few students even waved to her, wearing shy, awkward smiles.  All of this sparked quite a few questions in Sunset's mind, but she decided to hold onto those questions for later.

"And this here is Principal Cinch's office," said Indigo, gesturing to a rather imposing green door. "Don't worry, you guys won't find yourselves here unless you really make someone mad."

"Kinda like Adagio did earlier?" inquired Aria.

Adagio growled. "I had everything under control," she said, glaring at Sunset. "Or I would have, if someone didn't take away my magic!"

Sunset made a slashing motion across her throat. "Adagio!  Ix-nay on the agic-may," she hissed.

"Ake-may ee-may," Adagio snapped back. "I have no reason to listen to you."

Sour Sweet made a face and fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh, you're just gonna be a delight~," she cooed. "We're gonna be best friends~!  Assuming, y'know, you don't get thrown out on your butt like you almost did with Mr. Lockdown!"

"Is there a problem, ladies?"

A sharp, raspy voice made itself known.  All eyes turned to see a tall, stern-looking gentleman with piercing green eyes and a sharp crewcut.  He was wearing a navy blue blazer along with a plaid tie and a pair of reading glasses.  His face was old and wrinkled, but he maintained a great air of importance as he towered over the students.  Indigo Zap cleared her throat.

"N-nothing, Professor Flypaper," she said. "We were just giving these Canterlot High students a tour of the school."

The professor arched an eyebrow. "Canterlot High students?"

"Yeah.  They'll be attending classes with us for a week," said Sugarcoat. "I'm sure Dean Cadence already told you."

"Oh.  Yes.  That," said Flypaper, clearing his throat. "Well, I suppose you lot will finally get a taste of what true education is like.  Especially if you end up taking my classes."

Sunset tried to look Flypaper in the eye, but she was distracted by a bizarre shadow in the wall.  The shadow held up a sign that said "Warning Bell in Sunny's head."  Sunset flinched as a loud ringing came from the shadow, though no one else seemed to hear it.  Flypaper was quick to notice this and stared at Sunset intently.

"Is something the matter, miss?" he inquired.

Sunset shook herself. "N-nothing, professor.  I-I was just under the impression that Crystal Prep was going to be more, welcoming after what happened at the Friendship Games."

Flypaper scoffed and polished his glasses. "Well, these are not the Friendship Games, now are they?  Make no mistake, there will be no hand-holding in this establishment.  If you plan on taking classes among the best of the best, you're expected to put in just as much work as everyone else."

"We understand that perfectly, professor," said Sunset with a nod.

Flypaper's lips curled into a sly smile. "Let's hope for your sake that what you say is true," he said coldly. "Now, I have a meeting with Principal Cinch to discuss the new lesson plan, so if you'll excuse me..."

With that, he brushed past Sunset and made his way into Cinch's office.  Indigo breathed a deep sigh.

"Sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "Professor Flypaper is notorious for being really tough on students."

"Which could also describe most of the faculty," Sugarcoat added.

Indigo shot Sugarcoat a look. "I thought we agreed not to talk about that," she growled.

Sugarcoat huffed. "I'm not going to lie to them, Indigo.  They deserve to know exactly what they're getting into."

Sonata gulped. "Um, you said that Dean Cadence lady would help us if we ever had trouble, right?"

"She'll do what she can, but it's not a guarantee," said Sunny Flare somberly. "'Tis true that our dean is a singular ray of sunshine in these dark, bleak corridors.  And ye, she does have significant standing within the ranks of the faculty.  Nevertheless, there is only so much she can do for us mewling peasants.  And once her resources are dried up, well, you will have to face your problems alone."  She sighed and placed a hand to her chest. "Such is the fate of many of us here.  Isolated in our own little worlds, focusing on the destination, rather than the journey.  For as long as I can remember, that is how it has always been."

Sonata teared up, dabbing her eyes with Aria's pigtail. "Th-that's so sad~."

"H-hey!  I'm not your handkerchief!" Aria exclaimed, pulling away from Sonata.

Adagio, however, remained unmoved. "I fail to see how this is my problem."

Indigo smirked. "Y'know, if you came to us before the Friendship Games, we'd be asking the same thing," she said. "But now, well, we've got you guys.  And I feel like we can learn a lot from how you guys do things over at CHS."

Sunset scratched her head. "But, I thought the exchange students from Crystal Prep would be learning how we do things at CHS.  We're here to learn how you do things here at Crystal Prep, aren't we?"

"Things ain't so black-and-white, dude," said Lemon Zest. "We could use guys like you to liven up this place."  She then winked at Sunset. "Especially since you've got, well, you know."

Sonata blinked. "Know what?"

"You know.  What you've got."  Lemon Zest continued to make several exaggerated gestures. "That stuff from the Games?  The special stuff that convinced us to do this?  Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more?"

"If you're trying to be subtle, you're failing miserably," Sugarcoat pointed out.

Sunset frowned. "Wait, are you interested in Equestrian magic?"

Adagio gasped. "Oh dear, Sunset.  I thought we were supposed to ix-nay on the agic-may," she teased.

Sunset gave Adagio a bemused look.  Before she could respond, she noticed a shadow moving unnaturally out of the corner of her eye.  She then felt a tickling in her ear as the shadow's forked tongue brushed against her own shadow.

"You know, maybe Vice Principal Luna is wrong about how to approach this," Discord's voice echoed in her head. "These people already know about magic, so what's the point of keeping all hush-hush about it?"

"To prevent people from getting suspicious," Sunset hissed through gritted teeth.  She desperately dipped her voice, trying to make it sound like she was grumbling incoherently. "You said it yourself.  Principal Cinch has something against magic.  If we talk about it openly, we're going to get in trouble."

"Then don't talk about it openly," said Discord simply. "But that's not the same thing as ignoring the elephant in the room altogether."

Sunset felt the forked tongue tickling her ear thicken and breathe hot air at her.  Frantically, she turned around, seeing that Discord's shadow had transformed to that of an elephant.

"Um, you okay?" asked Indigo.

Sunset blinked and shook herself. "F-fine, fine.  Just, thought I saw something."

"So much for preventing people from getting suspicious," Discord joked.

Sunset sighed and palmed her face.

"Hey, you don't look so good," said Lemon Zest, tilting her head. "Need to stop by the nurse or something?  We can show you where the infirmary is."

"That won't be necessary.  I'm okay," Sunset insisted. "I'm sorry.  I guess I was just caught off-guard by you guys asking about Equestrian magic of all things."

"Well, why wouldn't we be interested?" asked Sour Sweet. "It seems to have done wonders for Canterlot High, and we're looking to make our school better, as strange as that sounds."  Her expression soon deflated. "I just hope the rumors aren't true."

Sunset blinked. "Wait, what rumors?  This is the first time we're hearing about any rumors."

Sour Sweet gasped and immediately donned her biggest smile. "Oh, nothing~!  Probably just thinking about something else~!  Ha ha..."

Indigo growled. "Shut up, Sour.  We're trying not to scare them," she snarled.

"No, Sour Sweet's right, Indigo," said Sugarcoat firmly. "We can't hide this from them."

"It's probably just nothing."

"What happened at the Friendship Games was not 'nothing,' Indigo."

"Dude, just 'cause Cinch may be paranoid doesn't mean we have to be, too."

"Then why were you trying to be subtle back there?"

"What?  I thought it'd be funny."

"Can you guys try to take this seriously?"

"We are taking this seriously.  Which is why I propose we tell them everything."

"But then they might not want to help!"

"Do my ears deceive me?  Is Indigo Zap, afraid?"

"Don't you start, Sour Sweet!  Don't you dare start!"

As the Shadowbolts continued to bicker, Sunset felt a forked tongue tickle her ear once again.

"Methinks we're not the only ones with stuff to hide," Discord mused. "Listen, you already plan on telling Dean Cadence everything.  Why not these poor souls?  Trust is a key ingredient to friendship, you know."

Sunset pondered on Discord's words for a moment before giving a firm nod. "Indigo?"

Indigo perked up and cleared her throat. "Um, yeah?"

"There's obviously a lot we have to talk about," said Sunset. "But if you're talking about what I think you're talking about, we can't discuss it here."

Indigo arched an eyebrow. "Um, okay?  So, what?"

"Is there a place we can meet after school?"

"Oh, sure dude!" Lemon Zest chirped. "There's a diner just on the corner.  They've got, like, the best fries."

"And salad," Sunny Flare interjected. "A performer like myself needs to watch her figure, after all."

Sugarcoat nodded. "So, it's settled then?  We meet at the diner after school?"

"Sounds like a plan," said Sunset, extending her hand.

Indigo accepted the handshake. "Looking forward to it.  Now, let's continue on with the tour, shall we?  There's still a lot to see."

"Sure, whatever," said Aria absently.  She seemed to be preoccupied by Sonata, who was looking around nervously.  Adagio ignored them both and continued to sulk.  Sunset breathed out a deep sigh, noticing that a slithering shadow was following her.

"Okay, I know you're trying to help, and I appreciate it.  But could you please be a little more discreet?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

The shadow placed its hands on its hips. "Do you think it's easy for me to maintain this level of restraint, Sunny?  I'm doing the best I can over here."

"A likely story," Adagio muttered.

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. "Discord, could you please apologize to Adagio?  This is starting to give me a headache."

Discord sighed. "Adagio Dazzle, I am sorry for what happened during our first encounter.  I have a habit of being rather, shall we say, vindictive when it comes to people interfering with my friends.  But I'm willing to put all that behind us if you'll forgive me."

Adagio scoffed. "As if I'd put my trust in you or Shimmer."

Discord shrugged. "Well, I tried."

Before any protest could be made, Discord's shadow vanished into the wall.  Sunset shook her head.

"Adagio, I know it's hard to trust Discord," she whispered. "But you don't have a reason to distrust me.  I've been where you are.  I can help."

Adagio simply ignored Sunset and marched onward.  Sonata placed a hand on Sunset's shoulder.

"She's just being a grump.  You'll get through to her if you keep trying," she said.

"I don't want to get your hopes up, Sunset, but I don't think you have it in you to give up," Aria chimed in. "Not after you've come this far.  Still, I've got a feeling this won't be easy."

Sunset closed her eyes and nodded. "You girls are going to join me and the Shadowbolts at the diner after class.  And that includes Adagio."

"Um, sure.  Not like we've got anything better to do," said Aria. "But, isn't this going against what Vice Principal Luna said?"

"Not entirely," said Sunset. "She said she didn't want this to be a repeat of the Friendship Games, and I agree with that.  But part of what went wrong at the Friendship Games is that none of us really knew what was going on.  If we're going to get to the bottom of this, we all have to be on the same page..."
> Cards on the Table
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Listen, Dean Cadence.  There's no need to get annoyed at me for this.  It was Principal Cinch's decision, after all."

"I would've preferred it if Cinch told me about this directly instead of sending you to tell me after the fact."

"Principal Cinch is a very busy woman, Dean Cadence."

"What, and I'm not?  I'll have you know that I'm expecting to meet with someone any minute now."

"Oh?  Who's in trouble this time?"

"There you go again.  Why must you always assume that someone's in trouble?"

Indigo flinched as she approached Dean Cadence's office.  Although the crystal blue door and friendly font in the window made the room seem inviting, it was offset by the sound of a heated debate going on inside.  She turned to Sunset and shrugged.

"Um, maybe we should come back later," she said. "W-we can swing around here at the end of the tour."

"Indigo?  We are at the end of the tour," Sugarcoat pointed out. "There's nothing else to see."

Indigo blushed. "Oh, really?  Sheesh, where did the time go?"

"Um, Ms. Indigo?" asked Sonata, raising her hand.

Indigo laughed. "Right attitude, wrong person.  Please, just call me Indigo."

"Right, sorry," said Sonata. "Um, didn't Dean Cadence say her door would always be open?"

"Oh here we go," Aria groaned.

Indigo blinked. "Uh, yeah.  She's always working hard to help out all the students here."

"So, why's her door closed?"

"And there it is," sighed Aria, rolling her eyes.

Lemon Zest stifled a giggle. "Nice one."

"It's so cute that you think she's joking," Adagio scoffed.

Lemon Zest gave Adagio a blank stare. "Wait, she was serious?  Hoo boy..."

Sunset cleared her throat. "Let's not focus on that right now.  I still need to meet with Dean Cadence."

"Are you sure you want to wait around here?" asked Sour Sweet. "It sounds like she might be a while."

"I'll need to speak to her before the end of the day," Sunset insisted, looking over at the Sirens. "It's important."

Sour Sweet shrugged. "Suit yourself.  We should really be getting to our classes anyway."  She beamed at the Canterlot High students. "You guys get to sit in and see just what you're going to be dealing with for the next week.  Won't that be fun~?  Of course it'll be fun!  This school is nothing but gumdrops and ice cream~!"

"Where?!" Sonata exclaimed, looking every which way.

Sour Sweet's smile vanished instantly. "You are not lasting a day here if you keep that up."

Sonata's eyes went wide. "Keep what up?  Am I doing something wrong?  Are they going to take away my magic?!"  She darted behind Aria. "Aria, hide me!"

"She means stop being a moron, you moron," Aria scolded.

Before Sunset could defuse the situation, the door to Cadence's office opened.  Dean Cadence poked her head out.

"Oh.  Hello, girls," she said pleasantly. "How's the tour going, Indigo?"

"Uh, great!  Just swell," said Indigo. "I think our Canterlot High ambassadors know what they're getting into now.  We're just about to have them sit in on our classes."

Sunset cleared her throat. "Um, Dean Cadence?  Are you busy right now?"

"Oh, not at all," said Cadence, turning her head. "In fact, Ms. Slitherquick was just leaving."

From behind Cadence, a frumpy old woman emerged.  She wore a smart black business suit, and she supported herself with a cane.  Her grey hair was done up in a bun, and she looked over the students with steely silver eyes.

"Hmm.  Is this the person you said you'd be meeting?" she asked Cadence.

"It is," said Cadence firmly. "Sunset Shimmer, this is Fanny Slitherquick.  You won't be seeing much of her; she's Principal Cinch's personal secretary.  She was just bringing me some news."

Slitherquick looked over Sunset and scowled. "It boggles my mind that you continue to waste your time on such things, Dean Cadence."

"Well, it's kind of my job," Cadence retorted, folding her arms. "Not that you or Cinch would know anything about that."

Slitherquick raised an eyebrow. "Apropos of nothing, did you tell Principal Cinch you would be having this meeting?"

"No, it just came up this morning," said Cadence. "Why?  It's none of Cinch's business."

"If it's about the school, it is Cinch's business," Slitherquick huffed, looking over at Sunset. "So, why did you decide to meet with the Dean?"

Sunset was more baffled than intimidated as she stood her ground. "I asked to meet with Dean Cadence in private to discuss our visit."

Slitherquick's brow furrowed. "Young lady, I don't know how you do things at Canterlot High, but I expect a much better answer than that.  Principal Cinch needs to be on top of everything that goes on around here."

"Ms. Slitherquick, as Dean of Students, I must advise you against putting undue pressure on Ms. Shimmer," Cadence admonished. "She asked to meet with me in private, and that means Principal Cinch doesn't need to know the details."

"Anything she can say to you, she can say to me," Slitherquick squawked, rapping her cane against the tile floor. "You cannot keep this secret, Dean Cadence.  Principal Cinch will not allow—"

She was interrupted by the loud feedback of a microphone.  A distorted voice echoed through the halls.

"Will Ms. Slitherquick please report to Room 10?  Ms. Slitherquick to Room 10, please."

Lemon Zest scratched her head. "Um, isn't that the supply closet?"

Slitherquick scoffed. "Must be some kind of practical joke.  Already, you Canterlot High hooligans are—"

"Room 10 isn't going to attend itself, Ms. Slitherquick.  There's cake and bunnies flying everywhere.  You'll love it."

"Okay, now I know this is a joke," Slitherquick growled, leering at Sunset. "Which one of your clique decided to—"

"Ms. Slitherquick, I'd listen to that page."

All eyes turned to a most bewildered janitor.  Pieces of birthday cake decorated his uniform, and several rabbits were crawling out of his sleeves.  Slitherquick's jaw dropped.

"I, um...  I-I should probably...  Excuse me, Dean Cadence.  W-we'll pick this up later."

Slitherquick followed the janitor away, muttering to herself all the while.  Cadence gave Sunset a look.

"Let me guess.  Equestrian magic?" she asked knowingly.

Sunset blushed and rubbed her arm. "You could say that."  She looked over at a shadow on the wall, which was a silhouette of Discord giving her the thumbs-up. "Look, we have a lot to talk about."

"Clearly," said Cadence. "Please, come right in."

Sunset waved to Indigo sheepishly as she entered the Dean's office.  Already, she took note of the sharp contrast between the office and the rest of the school.  Cool colors decorated the walls and carpet, and a sweet citrus smell wafted throughout the room.  On Cadence's desk was a modest collection of nicknacks and a small candy bowl.

"Have a seat, Sunset," said Cadence, moving behind her desk and motioning to the candy bowl. "Crystal berry?"

"Um, I'm okay, thanks," said Sunset, taking a seat.  She then let out a deep sigh. "Listen, I want to apologize for, well, what just happened."

"Yes, well.  Maybe next time, try to find a more subtle way to cause a distraction," Cadence said with a wink.

Sunset let out an insincere chuckle. "Subtle.  Right.  Noted."  She cleared her throat. "I think you know by now that some of us from Canterlot High are not like other students."

"That should go without saying, considering what happened at the Friendship Games," said Cadence.  She leaned back in her chair and folded her hands together. "And from what Vice Principal Luna has told me, you aren't really from around here."

"That's true," said Sunset with a nod. "In fact, I think you deserve to know everything I know.  But here's the thing.  I don't want Principal Cinch knowing about all this."

"You have my word," Cadence promised. "Nothing will leave this room."

"Thank you," said Sunset. "Now, it's a bit of a long story, so I'll try to summarize the best I can."

She then launched right into explaining everything.  Equestria, the Fall Formal, the Battle of the Bands, Discord's friendship quest; everything was out in the open.  At any moment, she expected Cadence to be shocked or befuddled by this new and strange information that shook the very foundations of reality.  Nevertheless, the dean remained calm and attentive, hanging on to Sunset's every word.  Not even the explanation behind Discord caused Cadence to so much as bat an eyelash.  When Sunset was done, Cadence took a moment to process all this.

"So, let me see if I have this straight," she said. "Adagio Dazzle, Sonata Dusk, and Aria Blaze are also from your pony dimension?"

"That's correct."

"And you're trying to help them discover this magic of friendship so that they'll get their powers back."

"Yes, Dean Cadence."

Cadence nodded and knitted her brow. "I don't suppose you have a plan to do this."

"I'm, working on it," Sunset muttered sheepishly.

"Need help brainstorming?" Cadence inquired. "I don't know much about magic, but I do know about helping students succeed and realize their potential."

"I just want to know one thing," said Sunset. "If the Sirens do discover their true selves here, and they do tap into their magic, will they get in trouble?"

Cadence frowned. "Now that is a difficult question," she mused.  She got up from her desk and looked out the window. "It's true that Principal Cinch has some pretty strong views regarding magic due to what happened at the Friendship Games.  She was actually quite reluctant about letting Canterlot High students here for that very reason."

"So, she actually believes that our magic caused her students to turn against her?" Sunset asked. "That's insane."

Cadence sighed and shook her head. "I don't know.  All I know is that for as long as I can remember, Principal Cinch has been in control here at Crystal Prep.  That moment at the Games was the first time I ever saw her lose control of the situation.  I can only guess, but I think that's why she's been demanding more student oversight and tighter security measures as of late."

Sunset was about to respond when a scribbling sound echoed directly in her ear.  When she cast her gaze over to the right, she was surprised to see one of the crimson streaks in her hair had turned into Discord, who was wearing a porkpie hat and scribbling in a notebook.  She made quick silent gestures to tell him to leave, but Discord paid her little mind.

"Sounds like a clue to me," Discord mused. "Perhaps you should press her on the subject, Sunny."

"Discord, if I need your help, I'll ask for it, okay?" Sunset hissed. "I promise."

"Well, what happens when you need my help and you don't ask for it?" Discord asked cheekily. "I did manage to get that Slitherquick hag out of your hair, after all."

"Yes, and I appreciate that.  But please, try to be more discreet."

"That's two."

"Two what?"

"I'm keeping track of how many times you tell me to be discreet.  That's probably going to be a thing in our little venture."

Sunset suppressed the urge to scream. "Discord, I wouldn't tell you to be discreet if I didn't mean it.  Now please, make yourself scarce before Dean Cadence sees you."

"Why are you so concerned about that?" asked Discord indignantly. "You already told her about me."

"I didn't tell her you'd be here, though," Sunset argued. "And if she knew that an all-powerful Master of Chaos was roaming the school, I don't think that would look good for any of us."

Discord massaged his temples. "Okay, I'm getting a lot of mixed signals here, Sunny.  Do you want my help or not?"

"I do, but be more discreet, please."

"That's three."

"And cut that out!"

"Is something wrong, Sunset?"

Cadence turned her head from the window, giving Sunset a look.  Sunset blinked and shook herself.

"N-nothing!  Just, you sound very, concerned," she said.  She took a quick peek at her own hair and sighed with relief when she found that Discord had disappeared.

Cadence smiled. "There's no need to worry about me, Sunset.  It's my job to worry about you," she said frankly.  She then sat down and gave Sunset a serious look. "Listen, I promised Principal Cinch that I would keep any form of magic under control here.  However, she didn't say anything about abolishing it outright.  So as long as we don't open any more dimensional portals or things like that, you and your friends should be fine."

Sunset nodded. "Thank you, Dean Cadence.  I'll do what I can."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Cadence. "And if you ever feel like the burden is too much, my door is always open.  This is as much my responsibility as it is yours."

"I'll keep that in mind, Dean Cadence," said Sunset, getting up from her seat. "So, um, what class should I sit in on?"

Cadence took a moment to check the schedule on her computer. "Well, if you hurry, you should be just in time for Zesty Gourmand's home economics class.  It's in Room 609."

"Right, thank you," said Sunset with a bow.  With that, she marched out the door.  As she made her way down the hall, her phone vibrated.  With a groan, she took it out and read a text from Discord.

"You aren't planning on hiding me from the Shadowbolts, are you?"

Sunset felt a small twinge of guilt form in the pit of her stomach.  With a sigh, she texted Discord back.

"Try to be discreet for the rest of the day.  Then I'll consider it."

The response was instantaneous.

"No promises, but not for a lack of trying.  That's four, by the way."

Sunset sighed in defeat. "Good enough, I suppose," she muttered, putting her phone away.


***


"I hope you have a good explanation for this, Slitherquick."

Slitherquick swallowed as she cowered before Principal Cinch.  Her pristine suit was all but ruined, with cake frosting and scratches everywhere.

"A-a thousand pardons, ma'am.  I-I honestly have no explanation for this, atrocity," she said. "Suffice to say, I have nothing to report regarding Dean Cadence's meeting with the Canterlot High student."

Cinch furrowed her brow. "Do you think it's possible that she used her magic as a distraction?"

Slitherquick shrugged. "I can think of no other explanation, ma'am."

"Nor can I," said Cinch thoughtfully. "And, how did Cadence react to my new security protocol?"

"Not positively."

Cinch nodded. "To be expected.  Anyway, be certain that Professor Flypaper's lesson plan is ready by tomorrow, will you?  That will be all."

"Of course, Principal Cinch," said Slitherquick with a bow.  She then hobbled out of the office, leaving Cinch alone with her thoughts.

I'm sorry it has come down to this, Mi Amore, she mused. We both want what's best for this school.  I can respect that.  But as long as you allow these dangerous elements to enter my school, don't be surprised when I take the necessary precautions...
> So You Say You Want a Revolution
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bell rang, indicating the end of the school day.  While the Crystal Prep students started for home, the Canterlot High volunteers made their way to the bus stop.

"Well.  That wasn't so bad," said Lyra, placing her hands behind her head. "A lot better than when we came here for that soccer match."

"Yeah, I've always heard rumors that Crystal Prep was full of jerks, but they're actually kinda nice," said Silver Spoon. "Though I'm still gonna study my butt off when I get home.  Those teachers mean business."

"No kidding.  Did you see those equations they had to memorize?" said Bon-Bon. "That felt like calculus-level stuff."

Sunset shrugged. "It didn't look that difficult, to be honest.  If anything, I'm more baffled by Professor Gourmand's home economics class."

"Yeah, I'm pretty convinced that old hag has no taste buds to speak of," said Sonata, looking a bit green. "I mean, didn't those guys used to brag that they were better than your school in every way?  Why is their food so bland and mushy?"

"No one was asking you to eat the whole thing, Sonata," Aria sighed, rolling her eyes.

"She looked like she'd kill me if I didn't!  What was I supposed to do?!" Sonata whined, clutching her stomach. "Ooh, I feel so sick~.  I need tacos, stat!"

"How is eating more going to make you less sick?" Aria inquired incredulously.

"Because I need to remind myself of what good food actually tastes like, that's why."

"C'mon, I doubt it was that bad."

"How do you know?!  You didn't eat it!"

"Oh, will you two just shut up?" Adagio snarled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

"What, you mean besides trying to take over the world and hypnotize us into being your slaves?" asked Diamond Tiara.

Adagio shot Diamond Tiara a look. "That's what should have happened, you little—"

"Hey, hey.  Easy," said Sunset, stepping between Adagio and Diamond. "Adagio, trust me.  I've faced this kind of thing before.  You can't let it consume you like this."

"I don't take orders from you," Adagio growled.  She made a move to shove Sunset out of the way, but Aria and Sonata held her back.  Sunset sighed.

"Listen, you guys go on ahead," she told the others. "I promised the Shadowbolts that we'd meet with them after school."

"We?" asked Lyra.

"Me and the Dazzlings."

The other students looked over at Adagio still struggling within the grip of her cohorts.  After a pause, they all shared a shrug.

"If you say so," said Bon-Bon. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, seeya," said Sunset with a smile and a wave.

As the two groups parted ways, Adagio finally calmed herself down, even though her sour mood did not change one iota.

"This is still a bad idea," she grumbled. "And you two are idiots for taking marching orders from her."

"Well, you've always called us idiots.  I don't see how this changes anything," said Sonata blankly.

Aria snickered. "Oh man.  You just got burned by Sonata."

Adagio huffed, folding her arms and pouting. "So, I suppose we should just let you do the talking?" she asked Sunset. "Y'know, seeing as someone died and apparently made you boss."

Sunset ignored the jab and simply shook her head. "Actually, no.  This isn't just going to be an interrogation.  This is a chance for you guys to make new friends."

"She's right, you know."

A familiar voice echoed around the girls as a beam of light shot from Sunset's phone, revealing Discord messing around with a gaming app.

"And why exactly should we trust you?" said Adagio, leering at Discord.

"You know, Sunny actually asked me the very same question when we first met," said Discord absently, his eyes transfixed on what appeared to be a digital map of the parking lot. "The point is you three are still relatively new to this friendship business.  It wouldn't hurt to get some practice in."

"I think the same could be said about you, Discord," said Sunset with a smirk.

"Hey, I'm learning," said Discord defensively. "I-it's just difficult sometimes.  So many intricate nuances to keep track of, and—  Oh my goodness!  I haven't caught that one yet!"

"Wait, caught what one?" asked Sonata.

"Oh, nothing," said Discord, his eyes transfixed to the game. "By the way, Adagio, I'd duck if I were you."

Adagio scoffed. "Oh, please.  You honestly think I'd—"

She was interrupted by a ball sailing through the air and beaning her in the face.

"Drat.  I missed," Discord grumbled. "Oh, good.  It hasn't run away yet."

Before anyone could ask what he meant, there was a loud squawk from behind Adagio.  All eyes turned to see a bizarre creature that appeared to be a cross between a platypus and a bunny rabbit.  Another ball whizzed through the air, barely grazing Adagio's cheek as it struck the creature and sucked it inside.  The ball shook three times before letting out a satisfying click.

"Yes!" Discord cheered, pumping his arm.  He then looked at Sunset and shrugged. "What?  You said you'd introduce me to the Shadowbolts if I didn't cause any more trouble today.  How do you think I've been keeping myself occupied?"

Sunset breathed out a small laugh and shook her head. "Okay, fair's fair.  Just, try to be—"

"Discreet.  I know, I know," said Discord. "That's five, by the by.  I suggest you look into a thesaurus."

With that, he disappeared back into Sunset's phone.  Sonata blinked.

"Okay, how are we gonna explain him to the Shadowbolts?" she asked.

Sunset sighed and shrugged. "I'm sure we'll think of something.  C'mon, I think the diner's over here."


***


The distinct chime of a bell sounded above as Sunset and the Sirens walked into a modest-looking diner just across the street from the school.  Though the place seemed mostly empty, delicious smells wafted from the kitchen.  Sunset couldn't help but be reminded of the café run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake where she usually hung out with the Rainbooms.

"Yo, Sunset Shimmer!  Over here!"

She looked over to a large booth near the end of the diner.  Sitting there were all five of the Shadowbolts, with Indigo Zap waving her over.  Sunset waved back and led the Sirens over to the booth.

"So, I presume we should get down to business," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses.

Lemon Zest rolled her eyes. "No need to be such a stiff, Sugarcoat.  We want them to help us, yeah?  So let's, like, try to have a good time here."

"Oh, yes~!  That's a great idea~!" Sour Sweet trilled innocently. "We should definitely just sit around shooting the breeze instead of, I don't know, discussing everything that's wrong with our school!"

Aria blinked. "Okay, I have to know.  Is she always like this?"

"Yes, actually," said Sugarcoat bluntly. "The fact that she has managed to succeed here despite her, shall we say, quirks is a testament to her work ethic as well as Dean Cadence's guidance."

Sour Sweet narrowed her eyes. "I can't tell if you were complimenting me or insulting me."

"The truth has no bias," Sugarcoat quipped, looking down at her menu.

Lemon Zest shrugged and looked over at Sonata. "So, you girls are all from another dimension, right?  That's pretty rad."

"Yeah.  We were kinda banished here for trying to take over Equestria," said Sonata sheepishly.

"That's, what our dimension is called," Sunset clarified. "There's a lot to unpack here, so I'll summarize the best I can."

Like with Dean Cadence, she explained everything about the Fall Formal and the Battle of the Bands.  As she spoke, she could feel Adagio's piercing gaze bore into her.  When she was finished, Sugarcoat was the first to speak up.

"So, let me see if I have this straight.  These three Sirens were banished here so that they couldn't steal magic, and then you introduced magic into this world just to get revenge against your former teacher?"

Sunset's face turned bright red as she sank in her seat. "Well, yeah."

"So everything that happened in the Friendship Games is technically your fault."

"I-I guess.  Look, I'm not proud of what I did.  The best I can do is learn from it and become a better person."

"That's the right way to go about it, if you ask me," said Indigo.  She then looked over at the Sirens. "I'm guessing you three feel the same way."

Aria shrugged. "Something like that.  See, after we lost to Sunset, we thought our powers were gone for good.  Turns out they're not."

"Speak for yourselves," huffed Adagio, folding her arms. "I haven't gotten my powers back yet."

"Well, you're not getting them back with that attitude," Aria retorted. "Unless it turns out that your 'true self' is a total jerk."

"Well, I'm lost," said Sour Sweet. "Did you get your powers back, or didn't you?"

Sunset cleared her throat. "Well, about that.  See, there's actually someone else I'd like you all to meet.  Just, promise me you won't freak out."

Sugarcoat deadpanned. "We're talking to four pony people from another dimension who can shoot rainbows to vanquish evil.  I think we've seen just about everything."

"Oh, how wrong you are."

A jovial yet sinister laugh resonated around the diner, though only Sunset, the Sirens, and the Shadowbolts seemed to notice.  Glasses and plates clinked, and the ground rumbled.  The Shadowbolts exchanged worried looks as the rumbling became more and more intense.  Just at the tip of the crescendo, there was a quick, anticlimactic pop.  Everything was as it was before, except at the far end of the booth stood a creature none of the Shadowbolts had ever seen before.

"Dude."

"I-I-Ay yi yi..."

"Okay, now we've seen just about everything."

"Oh, hey!  Yeah, that's fine!  Just, appear in the middle of this diner, where everyone can see you.  Nothing unusual here!  By the way, what the heck is that thing?!"

"I was just getting around to that," said Sunset.

"Allow me, Sunny," said Discord with a bow. "Salutations, Shadowbolts.  I am Discord, Master of Chaos and something of a former enemy of Equestria.  Much like these lovely ladies here, I have changed my ways, and I seek to learn all I can about the magic of friendship."

"Oh my giddy aunt, it talks," Sunny Flare stated blankly. "Sour, be a dear and catch me, will you?"

She then swooned right into Sour Sweet's lap.  Indigo shook herself.

"Okay, back up here," she said, shaking her head. "You girls used to be ponies, right?  But you changed shape when you came here."

"That's correct," said Sunset with a nod.

Indigo looked over at Discord again. "So, what's his excuse?"

"Remember when he said that he's the Master of Chaos?  That's actually true," said Sunset. "Discord's chaos magic allows him to do pretty much whatever he wants."

"Well, more or less," said Discord. "I should mention that my magic sometimes acts on its own accord.  Wouldn't exactly be chaos if I had control over it, know what I mean?"

"Okay, that explains how you're here," said Sugarcoat. "What about why?"

Discord shrugged. "Why not?  Sunny's my friend, and there's nothing wrong with spending time with your friend."

Sour Sweet blinked, looking down at Sunny Flare passed out in her lap. "Wait, Sunny?  I don't think she knows you."

Discord gave Sour Sweet a curious look. "Whatever do you mean?"

Sour Sweet smiled. "I'm just saying that if you were really friends with someone, they wouldn't, you know, faint at the very sight of you."

Discord turned to Sunset. "Do you know what she's talking about?"

It didn't take Indigo long to figure out what was going on. "Maybe we should introduce ourselves," she said. "I'm Indigo Zap.  These here are Sugarcoat, Lemon Zest, Sour Sweet, and Sunny Flare."

Discord looked at Sunny Flare, then back over to Sunset. "Hang on, so her name is Sunny?  But, Sunny was the nickname I gave to Sunset when we became friends."

"There's no use complaining about it," said Sugarcoat with a shrug. "How's she holding up, Sour?"

"I think she's coming to," said Sour Sweet.  Slowly but surely, she helped Sunny Flare regain her upright posture.

Discord frowned. "Well, this certainly will not do.  I will admit, the idea of two Sunnys can lead to some interesting moments.  Nevertheless, I promised that I would be on my best behavior and not cause my good friend any undue stress.  Intentionally."

"Likely story," Adagio grumbled under her breath.

Discord ignored Adagio and looked between Sunset Shimmer and Sunny Flare. "Okay, how about this?  I'll call you Smitty, and I'll call you Burbligun."

Sunny Flare's eyes went wide. "Wh-what?  What madness would possess you to refer to me by such an asinine, undignified moniker?!  I'd be insulted if I wasn't so utterly perplexed!  I mean, it simply does not—"

"Make any sense?" said Sunset, finishing Sunny Flare's thought. "Yeah, that's a bit of a theme with Discord.  He likes it when things don't make sense.  That's why he was such a threat to Equestria for so long."

"Well said, Smittywernerjäegermanjepson," said Discord.

Adagio scowled. "I still think he's a threat," she muttered under her breath. "You're all just too stupid to realize it."

"I feel like we got a bit sidetracked," said Sunset, clearing her throat. "See, after the Battle of the Bands, Discord heard about me and wanted to become my friend.  The only problem was I didn't know that he turned over a new leaf.  So, he had to prove himself to me."

"And it wasn't easy," Discord chimed in. "Smitty was so sure that I was going to make things worse for her, even though I was being sincere in my efforts.  It was touch-and-go for a while, but I soon discovered the best way to prove that I was no longer an enemy of friendship was to help create friendship."

"And that led to Aria and me getting our magic back!" said Sonata.  Her expression drooped as she turned to Adagio. "Unfortunately, Adagio here made a mistake.  She though he was still evil, so she tried to make Sunset evil again.  That didn't turn out well."

Discord sighed. "I admit, I can be rather vindictive when it comes to people interfering with my friendships.  But, as I've learned from Tree Hugger, it is a habit that I have to overcome should I wish to continue pursuing the magic of friendship.  I'm justing waiting on Adagio to accept my apology."  He then looked at Adagio, who was still sulking. "Which might be some considerable time."

Aria suddenly perked up and took a look around the diner. "Um, Discord?  Not to be a buzzkill, but are you sure it's okay for you to just be like, well, this right now?  Anyone could see you."

"Oh, can they?" asked Discord with a sly grin. "Maybe they're not seeing me.  Maybe this is all just a mirage."

As soon as he said that, his image became blurry before vanishing entirely.  Before anyone could say anything else, a waitress appeared with notepad in hand.

"Can I get you girls anything?" she asked.

The Shadowbolts looked at Sunset, as if to ask her how the wait staff missed Discord entirely.  Sunset simply shrugged and turned back to the waitress.

"I think we're ready," she said.

"I'd like the barbecued house special, please," said Lemon Zest.

"Meatloaf sandwich for me," said Sour Sweet.

Sunny Flare shook herself, still recovering from her odd experience with Discord. "Um, I guess I'll have two hard boiled eggs."

"Right, two hard boiled eggs," said the waitress, writing down the order.

There was the honk of a clown horn blasting from the seat which Discord previously occupied.  When the waitress looked up in confusion, Sunset let out a cough.

"B-better make that three hard boiled eggs," she said hastily.

The waitress shrugged and jotted down the order. "So, the rest of you?"

"Do you have any tacos?" asked Sonata, prompting a smack from Aria. "Ow, what?"

The waitress arched an eyebrow. "Miss, this is a diner.  We don't serve tacos here."

"Oh.  Phooey," Sonata sighed. "Well, I guess I'll have two hard boiled eggs, too."

"Right, two hard boiled eggs."

Another honk from the empty seat.

"Make that three hard boiled eggs," said Aria, giving the vacant seat a glare.

Thoroughly befuddled, the waitress shook herself. "Um, okay.  And you, miss?"

Adagio snorted. "This is the point where I would be feeding off of negative energy, but thanks to Sunset Shimmer, I can't do that."

"Will you just drop it?" Aria groaned. "Get her two hard boiled eggs, too."

"Right, two hard boiled eggs."

Yet another honk from the empty seat.

"Make that three hard boiled eggs," said Sonata quickly.

There was one more honk.

"And one duck egg."

Sunset averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing bright red. "I am truly sorry about this, ma'am."

"Um, okay," said the waitress, nodding slowly.  She jotted down the rest of the orders without incident and marched back into the kitchen without even collecting the menus.  Sugarcoat gave Sonata an incredulous look.

"One duck egg?  Really?"

Sonata flailed her arms. "He sounded like a duck, and I panicked.  Get off my back."

"Yeah, that's usually my job," said Aria with a sneer.

Indigo sighed. "Okay.  Hopefully, we got all that out of our system."

"If you truly think that, you don't know me very well," Discord stated frankly.  He slithered from underneath the booth's cushions and wrapped his arm around Sonata, pulling her in close. "But hey, we're all friends here!  Or at least, I would like it if we were all friends.  Anything I can do to help, consider it done!"

Indigo furrowed her brow. "Well, I hate to say this, but we might actually need your help."  She turned to Sunset. "That goes for you and the Sirens, too.  I don't know if you've noticed, but our school's in big trouble."

"I've gathered that much from what I heard from Dean Cadence," said Sunset. "But, what kind of trouble are we talking about?"

"We think Principal Cinch has become paranoid," said Sugarcoat in a matter-of-fact tone. "Ever since the Friendship Games, the rules and guidelines at Crystal Prep have become a lot more strict.  Sometimes to a ludicrous degree."

"Remember those turnstiles at the entrance?" Indigo continued. "Those weren't always there.  Cinch had 'em installed about a week after the Games."

"I wasn't exaggerating about the security cameras, either," Sour Sweet added. "The only thing the staff can't see is in Dean Cadence's office, and that's because she fought tooth and nail to keep them out."

"Hmm.  Are you sure this Principal Cinch was not named Sombra at one point?" asked Discord, stroking his goatee. "This sounds more like his MO."

Lemon Zest shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, dude.  No clue who that is."

"Oh.  Huh," said Discord thoughtfully. "Something of a missed opportunity there."

"What?"

"Nothing.  Just an aside."  He then waved to a seemingly blank space, as though he were looking into a camera. "Hello."

Sunset let out a small cough. "Well, that all sounds pretty rough."

"Rough does not even begin to describe it, my dear," Sunny Flare said darkly, dipping her voice into a low whisper.  She leaned in, a harsh shadow cast upon her face. "For rumor has it that Principal Cinch has gone so far as to outlaw the very concept of your magic in our school.  Of course, there is no proof of this, nor do we have any idea of how such a rule would be enforced.  But before the last Friendship Games, no student has ever stood up to Cinch the way we did.  And how could we not?  Her actions caused our comrade to drive herself insane and nearly tear the fabric of reality asunder.  True, it is hypocritical for a sheep to criticize her shepherd, but that is precisely the reason behind our actions."

She sighed and placed a hand to her chest. "For lo, 'twas us five, sitting right before you, who have orchestrated the student-exchange program.  We always thought that Crystal Prep was the better school.  We were trained to think that for years.  But after the events of this year's Friendship Games, the blinders have fallen away.  We see now that our school is not perfect, and it never was.  And because we dare to consider such a prospect, our dear principal believes that our minds have been tainted by your otherworldly magic.  Well, I say if this is her best remedy, I would rather not be cured.  Instead, we have sought an alternate treatment.  You."

She bowed her head and scrunched her eyes shut, as though trying to hold back tears. "Introducing magic to this world may have been folly on your part, Sunset Shimmer.  But verily, it led to the birth of your school's glorious renaissance.  We only ask that you share your experiences with us, so that we in turn may better ourselves.  Help us free our principal from the grips of paranoia and force her to swallow her pride.  For ye, the time has come for us to rid ourselves of our delusions and actually learn from those we have once deemed inferior.  There is so much we can learn from one another; so much we can teach one another.  The nuances of this world must be brought to light!  ¡Viva la revolución!"

She concluded her speech by slamming her hand on the table with all her might.  A long pause hung in the air as all eyes stood transfixed at the overly dramatic display.  The silence was broken by Aria.

"So, basically, your principal has gone crazy, your school sucks, and you want us to use our magic to fix everything," she said.

Sunny Flare pouted. "That's a rather broad generalization."

"Not an incorrect one, though," Sugarcoat pointed out.

Sunny Flare sighed and shook her head. "Philistines."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that magic is a little more complicated than that," said Sunset. "We can't just zap your school and make everything okay."

"Can't he do it?" asked Lemon Zest, jerking her thumb over at Discord.

Discord sighed. "If I had a bit for every time I was asked that question..."

As if on cue, several golden coins rained from the ceiling and into Discord's lap.

"Oh, hey.  Neat," he said, scooping up the coins. "I guess dinner's on me, girls."

Sugarcoat blinked at the odd display before shaking herself. "Look, we had a feeling that it wouldn't be that easy.  Which is why I propose that we work together.  If Cinch truly wants to make a No Magic rule for Crystal Prep, we have to expose it for what it is: A draconian measure being taken by a paranoid tyrant of a principal trying to keep her subjects in line."

"Sounds to me like you're planning to stage some sort of coup," said Discord, donning a red bandana. "I'm all for it, but isn't that a bit too ambitious for a bunch of high school students such as yourselves?"

Indigo snickered. "What can I say?  Our professors always taught us to be ambitious.  We're just following their example."

"In all seriousness, though.  Simply getting Cinch to acknowledge her faults and not punish us for disagreeing with her is reward enough," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses.

Sunset nodded. "Alright, I think I get the gist.  We'll do whatever we can to help."  She then looked over at the Sirens. "At the same time, however, maybe you guys can help us."

"We don't know anything about magic," said Sugarcoat bluntly. "If we did, why would we ask you to do this in the first place?"

"Oh, it's not really about that," said Sunset, rubbing her arm sheepishly. "Well, it kind of is.  See, my research has determined that Equestrian magic is triggered when the wielder is true to themselves and makes full use of what makes them special."

"The problem is, we don't really know what that means," said Aria. "So Sunset figured if we help you guys out, it'll also help us discover our true selves.  Or, something.  I don't know; I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this.  Adagio usually does most of the thinking, but she doesn't exactly want to be helpful right now."

"Hmm.  That's pretty deep," said Indigo thoughtfully. "You girls need to discover yourselves, huh?  Well, I don't know much about magic, but if there's one thing I learned from Crystal Prep, it's how to dig down and really show the world what I'm made of.  That's how all of us got to where we are, and if nothing else, I'm sure we can do the same for you.  Isn't that right, team?"

"It's certainly within the realm of possibility."

"I'd say so."

"Yeah, let's help them discover themselves and get them in trouble with Cinch for using magic!"

Indigo deadpanned. "Sour, try to be a bit more positive, yeah?  Anyway, what about you, Lemon—?  Oh, for Pete's sake!"

Lemon Zest was off in her own little world, thumping beats blaring on her headphones.  Sunny Flare sighed and nudged Lemon Zest with her elbow.

"Huh, what?  Oh, yeahyeahyeah.  Totally.  Whatever you said," she stammered, giving Indigo a thumbs up.

Indigo sighed and shook her head. "Sometimes, you guys just drive me crazy."

"How do you think we feel?" Sugarcoat retorted.

Discord looked over the Shadowbolts, twirling his goatee around his finger.

"Is something wrong?" Sonata asked.

"Let's just say I've seen this sort of thing before," Discord mused. "Alright, that settles it.  I'm helping, too.  But keep in mind that I don't take well to orders.  If I'm doing this, I'm doing it my way."

"Which means you plan to doom us all," Adagio grumbled.

Discord smirked. "It will be so satisfying to prove you wrong, Adagio Dazzle."

Just then, the waitress returned with several plates of food.  Discord conveniently vanished as everyone was served.  Indigo smiled and raised her water glass.

"Alright then.  Here's to our new friendships and the betterment of Crystal Prep Academy!" she cheered. "Shadowbolts and Wondercolts unite!"

There was several clinks of glasses as everyone toasted, with the exception of Adagio.  Before Sunset could dig in herself, she got a text from Discord.

"The Shadowbolts might need more help than they realize.  Be vigilant, Smitty."

Sunset smirked as she texted Discord back.

"Duly noted.  Though I think I liked Sunny better."

Discord responded.

"Sorry, the name's already taken by Burbligun, apparently."

Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes before putting her phone away and starting in on her salad.  She watched as the Sirens and the Shadowbolts mingled, with only Adagio opting out of the festivities.  She couldn't help but stare at Adagio, a concerned frown on her face.

"Hey, don't worry," said Indigo with a warm smile. "We already saw you do some pretty amazing things at the Games.  You helped Twilight out of a really dark place.  Surely, you can help her, too."

Sunset smiled back at Indigo. "Thanks.  It's nice to know that I have friends to support me, even so far away from Canterlot High."

Indigo nodded. "It's like that Discord guy said.  We're all friends here.  That means we're all in this together."

"Indeed we are, Indigo Zap," said Sunset sagely. "Indeed we are."
> Chaos Control
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The next morning, Dean Cadence greeted the Canterlot High volunteers with a warm, welcoming smile.  Standing beside her were the Shadowbolts, each of them holding a Crystal Prep uniform and a small card.

"Welcome back, all of you," Cadence said cheerfully. "Today is your first day actively participating in our program.  Each of you will receive a uniform and a class schedule.  I personally made sure that the gym's locker rooms were free so that you all could get changed.  Oh, and please feel free to keep the uniforms."

Aria shrugged. "Meh, why not?  It'll save us money on clothes."

Adagio gave Aria a look. "I don't recall leaving you in charge of our financial decisions."

"Just playing with the cards I was dealt, Adagio," Aria retorted. "Try it sometime."

"Okay, settle down, you guys," said Sunset firmly. "Let's just see what our first classes are."

One by one, each of the students collected their uniform and schedules from the Shadowbolts.  Each of them looked over their cards expectantly.

"Hmm.  Looks like my first class is an engineering workshop with Professor Flypaper," Sunset mused. "Shouldn't be too difficult.  What about you guys?"

"Looks like I'm with you," said Aria.

"Me, too.  I mean, three," Sonata added. "What about you, Dagi?"

Adagio pouted and folded her arms. "Does it look like I care?"

"No, it does not.  And that attitude is not going to do you any favors," Sugarcoat replied candidly.

Adagio groaned and looked at her schedule. "Oh.  Of course.  I'm stuck with you morons.  Why am I not surprised?"

Sunset looked over at Dean Cadence, who winked at her.  Sunset smiled back, but a loud moan of despair caught her attention.

"No~!  Not Professor Gourmand!" Sonata wailed. "And right before lunch, too!"

Lemon Zest winced. "Yeesh.  Tough break.  I can't think of anyone who likes that class."

"Oh, Lemon~!  How could you say such a thing?  Of course that class is great!" Sour Sweet purred. "It's a perfect example of how not to cook!"

"Not that you should say that to Professor Gourmand's face," Indigo warned. "Seriously, Sugarcoat tried that, and she nearly got suspended."

Sugarcoat blushed and scowled. "Is it my fault that she specifically tailors her recipes in order to appeal to stuck-up food critics?  Some people just can't handle the truth."

"Hold on.  You guys have always beaten us in the baking competition during the Friendship Games," said Bon-Bon. "How did you manage that if her cooking is so terrible?"

"Simple.  We made it a point to do the opposite of what we learned in that class," said Lemon Zest with a shrug.  She looked over at the Sirens. "Look, I have that class at the same time.  Just stick with me, and you'll survive."

"That goes for the rest of the classes," said Indigo.  She locked eyes with Sunset Shimmer and the rest of the Canterlot High students. "We can tell you firsthand that these courses are not gonna be what you're used to back at CHS.  That's not me bragging that we're somehow better; it's just a plain fact.  But I believe that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness, and we're here to help you do just that!  So let's give it our all, people!"

"Yay!  Go us!" Sonata cheered.

Aria couldn't help but chuckle at Sonata's glee. "Alright, I'm in."

Adagio scowled. "As if I have a choice."

The rest of the Canterlot High students responded to Indigo's pep talk with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

"Great.  I'm sure you'll all be just fine," said Cadence. "Remember, if you have any difficulties, my door is always open.  Now, I suggest you girls get changed.  The first class starts in half an hour."

"I'll take you guys to the locker rooms," said Indigo. "This way."

She led the Canterlot High students into the halls of Crystal Prep.  As Sunset followed, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.  When she opened it, she saw a picture of Discord wearing the Crystal Prep uniform upside-down with the caption "How do I look?"  Sunset gave Discord a bemused smirk.

"You look like someone who's not taking this seriously," she texted.

She got a reply in a matter of seconds.

"Looks can be deceiving, Smitty."

Sunset was about to text a reply to end the banter, but instead, she found herself mulling over those words in her mind.  Though Discord had made the comment in jest, she couldn't help but feel that this was very relevant advice to the current situation.  After a pause, she turned back to her phone.

"I'll keep that in mind."

She then put away her phone and took in a deep breath.  Between looking after the Sirens, figuring out Cinch's policy on magic, regulating Discord's antics, and keeping up with the academic rigors that awaited her, she was already feeling an immense pressure on her shoulders.  She looked up at Indigo, who gave her a bright smile full of passion and determination.  Sunset couldn't help but smile back.

I'm just glad I'm not alone, she mused.


***


"Sonata, will you hurry it up?!  We're going to be late!"

"Hold your horses, Aria!  I'm just trying to button this right!"

"You don't need to button every button, Sonata."

"But I wanna look my best!"

"You both look like dorks, so I don't think it matters either way."

"You stay out of this, Dagi!"

Sunset groaned as she tapped her foot impatiently.  While the other Canterlot High students were already changed and off to their classes, the Sirens were caught up in yet another petty quarrel.  Indigo looked at her watch.

"Okay, I'm thinking if we book it, we should make it to Professor Flypaper's class on time," she said. "Assuming those three will be done in the next three minutes."

"And if they're not?" Sunset asked.

Indigo drew in a sharp breath through her teeth. "Then we might have a problem."

Sunset knitted her brow and pondered for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "I hope I don't regret this."

She took out her phone and dialed a series of random numbers.  Before Indigo could ask, a large portal with a jagged border opened up behind Sunset.  Inside the portal, Discord was standing in a phone booth, still dressed in his upside-down Crystal Prep uniform.

"444-4444, Discord speaking," he said, brushing his knuckles against his chest.

"Discord, remember when I said that when I needed your help, I'd ask for it?"

"I believe so."

"Well, I'm asking for it."

Discord stifled a snicker. "Sorry, Smitty.  That was a poor choice of words on your part."  He then cleared his throat. "So, what can I do you for?"

Sunset sighed. "Well, long story short, we're gonna be late for class.  We can't make a bad first impression on the faculty here."

Discord nodded. "I see.  Apropos of nothing, which class is this, exactly?"

"Engineering with Professor Flypaper."

"Oh, yes.  That charming fellow.  My condolences."

"We don't exactly have time for banter, Discord.  Just get us there on time and try to be inconspicuous about it."

Discord's lips curled into a sly grin. "Glad to hear you using that thesaurus, Smitty, but I'm still counting that in the tally.  That's six.  One moment, please."

He then hung up, although the portal did not disappear.  Instead, he redialed and waited patiently.  Right before Indigo's eyes, a trap door beneath the phone booth opened up, swallowing Discord up.  A screen wipe flashed across the portal, revealing a hallway within Crystal Prep.  Discord reappeared, this time holding a cellphone.

"Can you hear me now?" he inquired.

Sunset blinked. "Um, yes?"

"Good.  Anyway, I'm on the other end of the telephone line.  Just fax yourselves over when you're ready.  Best of luck, Smitty."

He then placed the cellphone on the ground and vanished in a spiral.  Indigo stared at the bizarre display for a while, her mouth agape.  Finally, she shook herself.

"Just to clarify, not everyone in your dimension is like that, right?" she asked.

Sunset smirked. "Nope.  Discord's one-of-a-kind.  And I think the multiverse is grateful for that."

"Okay, we're read—  What the heck is that?"

Sunset looked over at the Sirens, all of whom were now full dressed in their Crystal Prep uniforms.  Sunset gave the Sirens a stern look.

"Because you girls took so long, I had Discord give us a shortcut so that we wouldn't be late for class," she explained.

Sonata rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Whoops."

"Wait, you had Discord do this?" Adagio asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is it safe?"

"If it isn't, he'll have to answer to me," Sunset replied. "Look, we don't exactly have time to argue, so let's just go."

She turned to face the portal and took in a deep breath.  After a pause, she climbed into the portal.  Sure enough, the other side was right outside the classroom.  She beckoned the Sirens to follow.

"I'm not going in there," Adagio grumbled.

Sonata gulped. "I'll go if you go, Aria."

Aria sighed. "You are such a baby.  Here."

She held Sonata's hand and helped her through the portal.  Indigo watched as Adagio remained where she was.

"Well?  Aren't you going to join them?" she asked.

"And risk Discord screwing me over even more?  No thank you," Adagio replied bluntly.

Indigo frowned. "If you don't get to class on time, Professor Flypaper's gonna screw you over.  And trust me, you don't want that.  Now c'mon."

Adagio opened her mouth to protest, but she was cut off by Indigo seizing her hand and pulling her through the portal.  Once they were on the other side, the gateway closed.  Indigo blinked.

"Huh.  That was a lot less painful than I thought it would be," she said, scratching her head.  She then checked her watch. "Phew!  Only a minute to spare.  We'd better get ourselves situated."

The five of them filed into the classroom, where many other students had already taken their seats in front of two long tables.  Professor Flypaper himself was standing at the head of the room, giving the newcomers a steely-eyed glare.  Sunset tried her best to ignore it as she found an empty seat near the front.  Seeing this, Adagio marched all the way to the back of the class.  Once everyone was seated, the first bell finally rang.

"Welcome to Engineering 101, students," said Flypaper gruffly. "I'm glad all of you managed to be punctual.  Life does not wait for you, after all."

He looked over the sea of faces, pausing at each student from Canterlot High. "Now, as I understand it, we have a few guests here today who have a different approach to education.  Allow me to dispel any illusions you may have about our institution.  There is no hand-holding here.  Either you can succeed on your own merits, or you will not be prepared for what the world has in store for you.  That is what education is all about, and you will do well to remember it."

Sunset cringed.  It wasn't that she entirely disagreed with Flypaper's statements, but if he was trying to dispel illusions Canterlot High students had about Crystal Prep, he wasn't doing a particularly good job.  She looked over at Indigo, who shrugged.

"Get used to hearing that a lot," she whispered.

"Is there something you wish to share with the class, Ms. Zap?" Flypaper asked.

Indigo cleared her throat. "N-nothing, Professor Flypaper."

Flypaper snorted and began writing on the whiteboard. "Today, we will be studying energy conversion and conservation.  We'll start with the first law of thermodynamics..."

As he spoke, Sunset noticed something odd about Flypaper's marker.  While it left the trail of ink she was expecting, another trail snaked out of the tip.  The trail then transformed into a doodle of Discord, once again donning his upside-down Crystal Prep uniform.  Sunset made a slashing motion across her throat, trying to get Discord to leave.  Discord, however, was content to simply wander around the board, mimicking Flypaper as he delivered his lecture.  Sunset took a quick look around the room, and she saw that most of the students were simply baffled by the odd display.  She suppressed the urge to groan.

"Now, can anyone tell me what the third law of thermodynamics is?  What about you, Ms. Dusk?"

Sunset's eyes went wide.  She looked over at Sonata, who had completely spaced out.

"Huh, what?" she said. "Sorry, I was looking at Di— mmph!"

Her explanation was interrupted by Aria clamping down on her mouth.

"It's that, um, energy cannot be created or destroyed.  But it can be, diminished," she answered.

Sunset took another look at the whiteboard, where Discord was waving two flags wildly as if communicating through semaphore.  She gave Discord a stern look, to which he simply shrugged his shoulder.

"Very good, Ms. Blaze.  But I was asking Ms. Dusk," Flypaper scolded. "Life will not always appreciate the sacrifices you make for others."

He then turned back to the whiteboard, where Discord had all but disappeared.  He proceeded to draw up a diagram.

"Now, to demonstrate these laws, I have prepared this in-class assignment for you," he explained. "As you can see, you've all been given the necessary equipment to create an energy-siphoning module, able to transfer energy from one source to another.  I will divide you into groups of two, and I expect each group to have a completed, functioning device by the end of class.  This will serve as ten percent of your grade, and that includes you lot from Canterlot High."

He then towered over Sunset. "Oh, and if you believe you can just use your magic to cheat, you are sorely mistaken.  This is a sanctuary of science, where things make sense.  Such tomfoolery will not be tolerated in my classroom.  Is that understood?"

Sunset swallowed, looking over Flypaper's shoulder.  Discord had reappeared, casting his gaze upward and whistling innocently.  Sunset simply sighed.

"It's understood, Professor Flypaper," she said.

Flypaper nodded and turned back to the whiteboard.  Discord had transformed himself into one of the equations.  With a snort, Flypaper looked over his attendance sheet.

"Must be the light in here," he muttered. "Okay, Ms. Blaze, you will be working with Ms. de Lis.  Ms. Dusk, work with Mr. Lights.  Ms. Shimmer, you're with—"

"Um, Professor?"

Flypaper looked over at Indigo, who was raising her hand. "What is it, Ms. Zap?"

"I volunteer to work with Sunset, Professor Flypaper," said Indigo.

Flypaper arched an eyebrow. "Are you certain about this, Ms. Zap?  This is rather unlike you."

"I don't think so, Professor.  I love a good challenge," Indigo boasted.

Flypaper sighed. "That recklessness will get you in trouble, Ms. Zap.  Fine, you can work with Ms. Shimmer.  Now, Ms. Dazzle, I want you to work with Ms. Polomare..."

As he continued splitting students into groups, Indigo leaned in and offered Sunset to do the same.

"Okay, first of all, you need to rein that Discord guy in," she whispered.

"Yes, I am well aware," Sunset sighed. "Listen, Discord may be a wild card, but he really does want to help.  I just need to talk to him."

"Yeah, try and convince him not to help students cheat, will you?" said Indigo. "That doesn't fly here at Crystal Prep.  It's a one-way ticket to getting your keister expelled."

"Noted," said Sunset with a firm nod.

"Good.  Just making sure we're on the same page," said Indigo. "Now, second thing.  Does that device look familiar to you?"

Sunset studied the whiteboard for a time.  The diagram on the board was a circular object with a smaller circle within it, as well as several lines decorating the outer edges.  Further blueprints suggested that the device could be opened.  Sunset gasped.

"Th-that's Twilight's pendant!" she exclaimed, trying her best to keep her voice low. "The same one she used in the Friendship Games!"

"So it's not just me," said Indigo, knitting her brow. "What the heck is Professor Flypaper doing, making us build that?  It's not like any of us can replicate Twilight's work.  She was a real prodigy."

"I can't say I know for sure, but I have a theory," Sunset pondered aloud. "During the Games, Twilight's device siphoned the magic away from me and my friends.  If Principal Cinch wants to make magic against the rules..."

"That could be a way to enforce those rules," Indigo said darkly. "We gotta warn the others."

"Let's not be hasty," Sunset cautioned. "This may be evidence, but it isn't proof of anything.  I don't suppose I can take a picture of the diagram on my phone, can I?"

"Not unless you want Flypaper to confiscate it for the rest of the week," Indigo muttered glumly.

A sudden flash caught Sunset's attention, and she turned back to the whiteboard.  The Discord doodle was back, brandishing a polaroid camera and photographing the blueprints.  He gave Sunset a thumbs-up before picking up an eraser and erasing himself from the board.  Indigo blinked.

"Okay.  That solves that problem then," she said, scratching her head. "Man, I'm glad he's on our side."

"Feeling's mutual, believe me," said Sunset. "Now, pass me that soldering iron, will you?  We still need to get a good grade in this class."

"Huh?  Oh, right.  Gotcha," said Indigo. "Let's see, soldering iron, soldering iron..."

"No no no!  That crystal comes in later!  We don't want to make this thing unstable, mmkay?"

Sunset turned to see Suri Polomare struggling to get Adagio to cooperate.  Adagio groaned.

"It's not like any of this matters," she grumbled. "You saw Discord up there; the writing's on the wall."

"What's a Discord?"

"Discord!  You know, that thing on the board!"

"That thing on the board is an energy-siphoning device.  Professor Flypaper just said as much, mmkay?"

Adagio buried her hands into her face. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Is there a problem, ladies?"

Suri gulped. "N-no problem, Professor Flypaper.  Just, working through some issues.  Canterlot High students, right, mmkay?"

Flypaper snorted. "I suggest you put a bit more effort into this project, Ms. Dazzle.  Remember, you're in Crystal Prep now.  And here, we strive for excellence."

He marched around the room, inspecting each group's progress.  Sunset turned back to Indigo.

"I'm surprised the other students are taking Discord's antics this well," she said.

"It's out of fear," Indigo said gravely. "You don't want to mess around with any of the teachers here, but that goes double for Flypaper.  We should count ourselves lucky that he didn't catch Discord doing, whatever he was doing."

Sunset sighed. "Get ready to say that a lot.  Because I know Discord, and even when he wants to help, he'll find the craziest ways to do it."  She shifted her attention back to the device. "But, first thing first.  Let me see that crystal."
> A Moment with Dean Cadence
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Now remember, class.  You are not cooking for any old restaurant.  If you wish for good reviews, and a good grade from me, you must create only the subtlest hint of flavor.  That is true culinary craftsmanship.  That is art."

Sunset found herself tuning out most of Professor Gourmand's lecture, not only because she disagreed with her methodology, but due to mental exhaustion.  From Professor Flypaper's engineering class onward, it was nothing but dry lectures followed by pop quizzes and in-class assignments.  While she normally wouldn't have minded the increased workload, coupling it with keeping her eyes on the Sirens and Discord was getting to be too much for her to juggle at once.

"You gonna be okay, dude?" asked Lemon Zest.

Sunset nodded. "Yeah.  I just have a lot on my plate, that's all."

Sonata looked over at the wok Sunset was using to sauté onions and red peppers.   She tilted her head in confusion. "That's not a plate, you silly," she said simply.

Sugarcoat deadpanned. "Do you even know what a metaphor is?"

Sonata blinked. "Why are you asking me that now?  This isn't Language Arts."

Sugarcoat opened her mouth to retort, but found herself unable to refute Sonata's point. "Let's just focus on our work, shall we?  The onions should be almost done."

Aria couldn't help but snicker as she overheard the conversation. "If you think she's bad now, try living with her," she jeered.

"Eyes on your own work, students," Professor Gourmand snapped brusquely. "This is not Canterlot High."

"We're painfully aware," said Adagio, rolling her eyes.

Professor Gourmand turned her attention to Adagio. "Is there something you wish to share, Ms. Dazzle?"

Adagio snorted, ignoring Professor Gourmand as she added a few sprinkles of pepper to her dish.  Gourmand's eyes narrowed.

"I asked you a question, Ms. Dazzle," she stated coldly.

"And if I take time to answer it, I won't get this done," Adagio replied. "Not that it matters.  Not with Discord having free reign to do whatever he wants."

"Way to go, Adagio~!" Sour Sweet cheered. "That was the correct response.  Too bad you had to go and mess it all up by bringing up Discord again!"

"Um, who's Discord?" Fleur de Lis asked, scratching her head.

Sour Sweet did a double take, shifting back to her cheerful demeanor. "Nothing~!  J-just skip it."

Gourmand gave Sour Sweet a stern look. "I suggest you save whatever you were discussing for after class, Ms. Sweet.  I understand you and your little group have volunteered to assist our guests, but try not to drag their private matters into our affairs."

"Y-yes, Professor Gourmand," Sour Sweet muttered meekly.

"And as for you, Ms. Dazzle.  While I appreciate your work ethic, I cannot say the same for your attitude," Gourmand scolded.  Her tone then softened. "Let's see if you can prepare a dish that is truly worthy of a five-star restaurant.  If your hard work pays off, I might just decide not to report your behavior to Dean Cadence."

Adagio scoffed. "Oh, please.  Is that the best you've got?"

There was a series of clatters as all eyes locked on Adagio.  No one in the room could believe she had just said that.  Professor Gourmand bristled.

"Your dish better be perfect, or you're going straight to the principal's office," she warned. "And that goes for the rest of your group, too."

"Thanks a lot, Adagio," Aria growled.

"Yeah, great job!  Y'know, I didn't think this class was stressful enough!  Thanks so much~!" Sour Sweet trilled facetiously.

Adagio didn't respond.  She simply let out a grunt before getting right back to work.  Sunset sighed and palmed her face.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about her," she muttered.

"Don't stress over it too much.  Sour Sweet and Fleur de Lis will make sure she passes with flying colors," said Lemon Zest.

"Mainly because there is no other way to pass at this school," Sugarcoat chimed in bluntly.

Lemon Zest sighed. "Just, let this be a lesson to you all, yeah?  The size of your mouth is directly proportionate to how much trouble you're gonna end up in."

Sonata pursed her lips, shrinking the size of her mouth down as much as possible.  Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, now I'm convinced that she has no idea what a metaphor is," she stated.

Just as Sunset was about to turn back to her work, there was an announcement over the intercom.

"Sonata Dusk, please report to the Dean's office.  Sonata Dusk to the Dean's office, please."

Sonata yelped, almost cutting her finger as her knife fell to the floor with a loud clang. "What'd I do?!  I don't have a big mouth!" she cried.

"That's debatable," said Aria, rolling her eyes.

Sunset suppressed the urge to groan before flashing Sonata her warmest smile. "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about, Sonata.  Dean Cadence is here to help us.  She told me herself."

Sonata blinked. "F-for realsies?" she whimpered.

"I promise," Sunset assured her, patting Sonata on the back. "You'll be alright, Sonata."

"It's not like there's any use arguing about it," said Sugarcoat.

Lemon Zest sighed and shook her head. "Dude, you really gotta work on your bedside manner."

Sonata gulped. "O-okay.  I-I'll see you guys later, I guess."

She quietly shuffled out of the classroom, her head hanging low the whole while.  As Sunset watched her leave, she noticed that her ponytail had taken on a life of its own.  The hair twisted and unfurled, revealing Discord's shape.  Discord winked at Sunset, who simply sighed.

"Just don't go overboard," she muttered under her breath.

The ponytail changed shape, depicting the number seven before disappearing out the door entirely.  Sunset let out a groan.

"And I thought 'I heard that, Sunny' was annoying," she mumbled, turning back to her cooking.


***


"Dean Cadence, if one of those Canterlot High hooligans have done something wrong, Principal Cinch has a right to know."

"Yes, and if there is such a problem, I will be the one to tell her.  That's my job, not yours."

Sonata blinked as she saw Cadence standing outside her office door.  Just like yesterday, she was in the middle of a heated argument with Slitherquick.  Sonata shuffled her feet, unsure of what to say or where to jump in.

"Now, Cadence.  Be reasonable here," said Slitherquick. "You can't expect to keep these secrets from Principal Cinch forever."

"What happens in my office is between me and the students, unless there is a dire threat to the school or the student's safety," Cadence responded.

"And you don't believe there is a dire threat to the school?" Slitherquick inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"I told Abacus I would have the magic situation under control," said Cadence firmly. "She has no reason to distrust me."

"Need I remind you of what happened yesterday?" Slitherquick hissed. "There was no explanation for that catastrophe other than those Canterlot High students abusing their magic powers!  And you're willing to just ignore that?!"

Cadence deadpanned. "To be fair, your presence wasn't required at my meeting with Sunset Shimmer, either."

"You have a clear bias towards those ruffians, Mi Amore," Slitherquick snarled, pointing her cane accusingly. "You've always had."

"Yet Abacus keeps me around despite that," Cadence retorted. "Face it, Fanny.  You don't have a leg to stand on here.  Now stop wasting my time and let me meet with Ms. Dusk in private.  She should be here any minute now."

"Um, excuse me..."

Cadence and Slitherquick turned to see Sonata Dusk, standing awkwardly in the corner.  Cadence blushed and cleared her throat.

"Oh, Sonata.  Thanks for responding to my page," she said. "Don't mind Ms. Slitherquick.  She was just leaving."

"I am doing nothing of the kind," Slitherquick proclaimed. "Not this time.  You're not keeping any more secrets from Principal Cinch, Cadence.  You may have opted out of installing security cameras in your office, but that won't prevent me from—"

She suddenly flinched as one of the floor tiles suddenly sank into the ground.  There was a series of rumbles and shakes that stopped as suddenly as they came.  With a snort, Slitherquick moved to pull her cane from the ground.  Much to her surprise, the cane would not budge.  Slitherquick yanked on the cane again and again, but it remained anchored in place.  During her struggle, she was unaware that the tile itself was starting to hover a few inches off the ground.  When the change in height did register, the floor tile sped off down the hall, carrying a screeching Slitherquick with it.  Cadence blinked before turning to Sonata.

"Did you do that?" she asked.

Sonata swallowed. "N-no, ma'am.  Honest.  Please don't take away my magic."

Cadence's expression softened when she noticed Sonata's fear. "It's alright.  I'll just have to have a word with Sunset later.  Please, come in."

Sonata nodded and followed Cadence into her office.  She sat down across from the Dean, fidgeting all the while.  Cadence smiled.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble," she said. "I just want to get to know you better."  She gestured to her candy dish. "Crystal berry?"

Sonata smacked her lips, eagerly taking a handful of treats. "Thankies.  I needed real food after that last class."

Cadence let out a small chuckle before leaning back in her chair. "So, tell me, Sonata Dusk.  What do you think about Crystal Prep?"

Sonata blinked and scratched her head. "Um, it's weird.  Not a bad weird, but not really a good weird, either.  All the kids seem so nice, but the teachers are just so scary."  She flinched. "N-not you, of course."

"It's fine.  I understand what you mean," said Cadence. "You have to keep in mind that above all else, our goal at Crystal Prep is to help students succeed.  For many teachers, that means sacrificing the students' comfort.  And that's usually where I come in."

Sonata blinked before popping a crystal berry into her mouth. "So, what?  You want to make me feel better?"

Cadence couldn't help but grin at Sonata's childlike choice of words. "That's a bit of an oversimplification, Sonata."  Her smile slowly faded, but it didn't disappear entirely. "See, I've been speaking with the teachers of the classes you were taking.  They all told me that you were struggling to grasp the material."

Sonata swallowed the crystal berry involuntarily. "I-I thought you said I wasn't in trouble."

"You're not, I promise," said Cadence. "I simply want to hear what you think."

Sonata furrowed her brow. "Well, yeah.  A lot of the stuff is kinda hard.  Much harder than at Canterlot High.  I don't think I'd be able to grasp half that stuff without Aria and Sunset helping me figure things out."

Cadence arched an eyebrow. "What about that other girl?  Adagio Dazzle."

"Oh, she's just being a big grump about stuff," said Sonata with a sigh. "I wish she wasn't, though.  She doesn't know what she's missing, y'know?"

"I think I can hazard a guess," said Cadence thoughtfully. "So, your friends have been helping you keep up with the work."

"Yeah, I just said that," said Sonata.

"Would you be surprised to hear that this behavior used to be unheard of at Crystal Prep?"

Sonata shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno.  Should I be?  I mean, I've never really heard of this place until the Friendship Games."

Cadence nodded slowly. "Hmm.  Fair enough."  She sighed. "The fact of the matter is that for the longest time, all of the students at Crystal Prep were focused only on their own success.  None of them even really cared about the school's reputation that Principal Cinch likes to go on about.  All they knew is that if the school succeeded, they succeeded."

"But, it's not like that now," said Sonata, scarfing down another crystal berry. "Those Shadowbolt guys are really friendly.  They've been helping me, too."

"And that above all else is a sign that things are changing at this school," said Cadence.

Sonata tilted her head. "And, that's a good thing, right?"

"It depends on who you ask," said Cadence, averting her eyes.  After a pause, she turned back to Sonata. "But, let's not get sidetracked here.  I want to help you succeed and live up to your true potential, Sonata.  And that goes for your friends, too."

Sonata's eyes sparkled. "You mean, you're gonna help us find our true selves so we can use our magic whenever we want?"

"Something like that," said Cadence with a small smirk.


***


As the meeting continued, Slitherquick made the long march from where the rogue floor tile left her back to Cadence's office.  When she saw that the door was closed, she let out a snort.  Ever so quietly, she shuffled up to the door, placing her ear against it.

"So, you guys don't have a No Magic rule," said Sonata, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Don't relax just yet, Sonata," Cadence cautioned. "While I don't know of any such rule being put in place, Principal Cinch doesn't exactly have a positive view of magic."

Sonata's expression deflated. "Oh."

"But I promised her that I would make sure that your magic would be kept under control," Cadence continued. "So as long as you don't try to hypnotize the school or open any holes in the fabric of reality, you should be—"

Slitherquick flinched as a tap on her shoulder broke her concentration.  She spun around to see what appeared to be Twilight Sparkle, but instead of glasses and a Crystal Prep uniform, she wore a blue shirt with purple boots.  Her long hair was also flowing freely, rather than being tied up in a bun.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop," Twilight scolded.

Slitherquick's face went white. "Y-you.  Wh-what are you doing here?!"

"I'm telling you that it's not nice to eavesdrop," Twilight repeated.

Slitherquick sputtered. "No.  I know what you did at the Friendship Games.  Y-you won't infect our school with your witchcraft."

Twilight's face contorted into a thin smile, a dark aura radiating from her back. "Oh, really?  What are you going to do to stop me?"

In a flash, a feathered wing and a bat wing sprouted from her back, and a horn and an antler emerged from her head.  Slitherquick was about to shriek, but Twilight placed an eagle's claw to her lips.

"This is the part where you leave and never come back," she said, her voice sounding a lot more masculine and demonic.

Thoroughly intimidated, Slitherquick fumbled with her cane and lumbered off as fast as her legs could carry her.  When she was gone, Twilight Sparkle had reverted entirely back into Discord.  He thrust his paw and talon into the air, forming two V symbols as he snickered and sank into the floor.


***


"Let me ask you this, Sonata.  What are you passionate about?  What motivates you?"

Sonata munched on another crystal berry, mulling over Cadence's question. "Um, I care about Aria and Adagio.  And music, I guess.  Ooh, and tacos.  And Sunset's nice, too.  And also Discord, though he can be kinda weird.  Oh, and friendship.  That's a big one.  That's what my magic runs on, y'know.  Oh, and I like swimming, too.  Though Rainbow Dash says I'll get in trouble if I swim without my bathing suit.  Y'know, I've been in this world for so long, but I will never understand why—"

"Okay, I get the point," said Cadence, raising her hand. "Let's focus on music for a second.  Why do you like music?"

"Huh?  Oh, well, back when I was evil, I would sing, and my songs would convince people to do what I wanted," said Sonata. "Stick with what you know, y'know."

"Can you sing now?"

Sonata sighed. "I wish.  After the Battle of the Bands, the Rainbooms took away our singing voices.  I mean, it's fine now, because Discord gave me a trumpet, but none of us can sing anymore."

Cadence knitted her brow. "Well, what if you learned to sing without using magic?"

Sonata gave Cadence a blank stare. "That's crazy.  You're crazy."

"It's how it works here in the human world," said Cadence with a shrug. "We aren't born with magical talents here.  We develop those talents over time.  If you truly feel passionate about music, maybe that can be an avenue we pursue."

She turned to her desktop and started typing. "The Crystal Prep Drama Club is meeting tomorrow in the auditorium.  They're still holding auditions for parts, if I'm not mistaken.  I suggest asking Sunny Flare about signing up."

Sonata scratched her head. "But, what about my other classes?"

"Oh, don't worry about that," said Cadence. "The schedules aren't set in stone.  I can shift things around if need be."

Sonata thought for a moment. "And, you think this'll help me get my magic back."

"It's worth a shot."

Sonata beamed. "Sunset was right.  You are here to help us.  Thank you so much, Dean Cadence!  I can't wait to tell the others!  We're gonna get our magic back!  Hurray~!"

Cadence chuckled. "Okay, calm down, Sonata.  Bear in mind you still have plenty of work to keep up with.  You can't let that slide.  I'm glad your friends are supporting you, but if you need additional help, you know where to find me."

"You got it!" said Sonata with a nod. "Thanks again!"

"Take care, Sonata Dusk."

Sonata pranced out of Cadence's office in incredibly high spirits.  Cadence watched her leave, a small sigh escaping her lips.

"It never hurts to help," she said.  Before she could close the door, Sonata stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Um, Dean Cadence?  I forgot where my next class is," she said.

Cadence couldn't help but laugh. "It's lunchtime, Sonata.  You should be heading to the cafeteria."

"Oh yeah.  Doy~!" Sonata chirped, slapping herself in the forehead.  She then continued on her merry way.  Cadence let out a small chuckle before closing the door to her office.


***


"If this is a joke, Slitherquick, it is in very poor taste."

Slitherquick shivered, bowing her head before Principal Cinch.

"I-it's true.  Twilight Sparkle has returned," she said.

Cinch shook her head. "I already checked the records Dean Cadence provided for me.  Twilight Sparkle has no desire to return to Crystal Prep; she would certainly not take part in the student-exchange program."

"I know what I saw, Abacus!" Slitherquick insisted. "That demon has snuck in and is planning to ruin us all!  What's worse, Dean Cadence refuses to do a thing about it!"

Cinch's face darkened. "Dean Cadence has her own priorities, Slitherquick.  Perhaps you should let her tend to them."

Slitherquick blinked. "But, I thought you wanted to keep tabs on those Canterlot High hooligans."

"I can do that just fine without interfering with Dean Cadence's job, Slitherquick," Cinch said sternly. "I applaud you for taking initiative, but please, don't overstep your bounds."

She then turned to Professor Flypaper. "And how was the workshop, Professor Flypaper?"

Flypaper shook his head. "I'm afraid none of the students could replicate Twilight Sparkle's groundbreaking work.  Though that Sunset Shimmer girl did come close."

"Do the other devices still work?"

"They can detect energy sources, but they cannot extract them."

Cinch nodded. "Have Lockdown install the devices around the school.  Keep the one made by Sunset Shimmer.  I want you to use that as a foundation for replicating the real thing."

"Of course, Principal Cinch," said Flypaper with a bow.

"Both of you, dismissed."

Slitherquick and Flypaper shuffled out of Cinch's room, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

Even my own secretary won't follow directions, she mused.  She clenched her fist. The sooner these precautions are put in place, the better.  I'm still in control...
> A Dazzling Rebirth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, that's pretty much what Dean Cadence wanted to see me about.  Pretty cool, huh?"

Sonata's explanation was met with a collection of blank stares from all around the cafeteria table.  Sugarcoat took a long, deliberate sip from her apple juice, adding to the awkward tension.

"Sonata, I understand you're excited, but could you try to slow down, please?" asked Sunset.

"And try not to talk with your mouth full," Aria added.

Sonata nodded and took in a deep breath, oblivious to the fact that there was still food in her mouth.  She let out a violent cough.

"Ah, sheesh," Aria groaned.  She got up from her seat, walked up behind Sonata, and smacked her back forcefully.  With one loud cough, Sonata managed to dislodge the food from her windpipe.

"Th-thanks, Aria," Sonata gasped, patting her chest.

"And you wonder why I call you two idiots so much," Adagio snarked.

"To be fair, having food and air travel down the same pipe is highly inconvenient," Sugarcoat stated plainly. "I find myself choking once or twice a year.  It's not a matter of intelligence; it's the fault of our flawed anatomy."

"I think we're getting off-topic," said Indigo. "So, I take it your meaning with Cadence went well?"

Sonata took a moment to recover before responding. "Oh, totally.  She was happy that I'm getting help from my friends, and she even said that if we try singing, we could discover our true selves and tap into our magic!"

Adagio raised an eyebrow. "Singing?  Sonata, our singing voices were destroyed.  That's not going to work."

"Oh, ye of little faith," Sunny Flare chastised. "Barely on the stage, yet already you have cold feet.  It's perfectly natural, of course.  Even a star like myself is not immune to the pressures of stage fright."  Her face suddenly lit up as she bowed her head in reverence. "But if you three were truly meant to be in the spotlight, then ye, 'twould be my honor to sign all of you up for auditions tomorrow."

"Yay!  You Shadowbolt guys are the best!" Sonata cheered.

Aria smirked. "You know, she might have a point, Adagio.  Wasn't our original goal to make everyone adore us with our music?  Maybe this is the way to go."

Adagio simply continued to sulk, mumbling something under her breath.

"There really is no pleasing you, is there?" asked Sour Sweet.

Indigo gave Sour Sweet a pointed look. "Sour..."

Sour Sweet's expression brightened as she fluttered her eyelashes at Adagio. "What I mean is that we're trying so very hard to help you.  Would it be so bad if you showed us some appreciation~?"

Adagio gave Sour Sweet a quick glance before letting out a huff.  Sour Sweet's cheerful demeanor vanished in an instant.

"Let it go, Sour," said Indigo. "I'm sure she'll come around eventually."

"I certainly hope so," said Sunset, poking at her salad with her fork. "It would give me one less thing to worry about."

Sonata blinked as something suddenly struck her. "Oh, yeah!  Forgot to mention.  Dean Cadence might want to have a word with you later, Sunset."

Sunset looked up. "Really?  Did she say what it was about?"

"Well, you remember that Slitherquick woman?"

"Yeah."

"She was trying to sit in on our meeting, so Discord kinda sorta made her go away."

Sunset frowned and took out her phone. "Discord..."

"The number you are dialing is not in service," came an automated response. "Please take a deep breath, count to ten, and try again later."

Sunset massaged the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Discord, I promise I'm not mad at you.  I just want to know what you did."

One of the beets in Sunset's salad started to rock back and forth on its own accord.  It then sprang into the air, sprouting several limbs and Discord's face.

"I assure you, Smitty.  Fanny Slitherquick still has her health," he said. "Though maybe now she'll think twice before eavesdropping on my friends."

Sugarcoat's brow crinkled. "Now this is peculiar.  That's two days in a row that Slitherquick has been trying to stick her nose where it doesn't belong."

Sonata gulped, eyes darting every which way. "You don't think she's, spying on us, do you?"

Sugarcoat shook her head. "I don't know.  It just raises too many questions.  Crystal Prep already has cameras installed all over the building.  If Principal Cinch wanted to monitor us, she already has the means to do so.  Why interfere with Dean Cadence's duties as well?"

"Who cares?" Lemon Zest said with a shrug. "It's not like Slitherquick can get anything useful out of Dean Cadence.  Not with this chill dude on our side."  She gestured to Discord.

Discord twirled his goatee around his finger for a while before shrugging his shoulders. "Food for thought, I suppose.  I can do some reconnaissance and dig up some more dirt, if you want."

Sunset sighed. "Seeing as you're probably just going to do it anyway, I don't see the point of saying no.  Just be careful, okay?"

"That's eight, Smitty.  But thanks for your concern."

With that, the beet reverted to its original shape and landed back in Sunset's salad bowl.  Adagio scoffed.

"You really think he'll listen to you?" she asked incredulously.

Sunset shrugged. "You can't say he's not trying."  She then smiled. "Let me worry about Discord, Adagio.  You just focus on finding your true self."

Adagio huffed. "You're not the boss of me."

"Dagi, she's trying to be nice to you," Sonata scolded.

"Besides, she's right," Aria added.

Adagio merely growled in response.  Lemon Zest shrugged.

"Maybe she'll change her tune once you guys nail that big audition tomorrow," she said.

"You say that as if it's an inevitability," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses.

"You can't fault Lemon for being optimistic, Sugarcoat," said Indigo. "I'm sure you guys will do great."

"Wanna bet?" Adagio asked.

Indigo smirked. "Tempting.  But I don't make sucker's bets like that.  After all, if you wanted to win the bet, you'd have to fail.  So either way, you'd lose.  That simply isn't fair."

"She's got you there, Adagio," said Aria smugly.

Adagio let out another growl in response.  Sugarcoat sighed.

"Confidence is an amazing thing, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves," she cautioned. "Let's wait and see what happens tomorrow before we make any judgements."

"Agreed," said Sunny Flare.

With that, the Sirens and Shadowbolts continued with their lunch, mentally preparing themselves for the rest of the day.  Sunset continued to pick at her food, a torrent of thoughts and worries swirling around in her head.

You were right, Twilight.  This place is pretty intense, she mused. I don't know how you managed to survive here without friends.  I need mine now more than ever...


***


The next morning, Sonata was skipping down the halls of Crystal Prep and humming to herself.

"See, Adagio?  She doesn't sound that bad," said Aria. "We can do this."

"She's just humming, Aria.  Anyone can hum," Adagio muttered.  She then gave Sonata a stern look. "And stop acting like that.  People are staring at us."

"Maybe they're weirded out by the fact that someone's in such a good mood at this school, amiright?" Lemon Zest joked, raising her hand. "C'mon, up top!"

Adagio groaned and stormed off ahead.  Lemon Zest blinked before rubbing the back of her head.

"Dude.  Harsh," she said.

"Ah, don't mind Dagi.  Once she sees that she can use her magic again, she'll be happy as a clam!" Sonata chirped.

"So you do know what metaphors are," said Sugarcoat, arching an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't look into it that much," said Aria with a shrug. "This is just how Sonata is."

"I think that's a good sign," said Sunset with a nod. "C'mon, let's get to the auditorium."

"Catch you guys on the flip," said Lemon Zest, giving the Sirens a thumbs-up. "You're gonna be awesome."

"I remain, cautiously optimistic," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses. "We should get to our classes.  Let us know how it goes."

"Sure thing," said Sunset with a wave.  She and the Sirens then parted way with Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat as they stepped into the auditorium.  Once inside, Sunset couldn't help but be awestruck.  Unlike Canterlot High's gymnasium, walking down the aisles of Crystal Prep's auditorium was like walking down the aisles of an actual theater.  Rows upon rows of cushioned seats stretched all the way down the hall, and the floors were lined with velvet carpeting.  Even the stage itself was professionally designed, complete with riggings and scaffolds.  Standing on stage was none other than Sunny Flare, who waved at the Sirens happily.  Next to her was a stuffy-looking gentleman with curly peach hair, wearing a blue blazer and a pair of glasses fit over his eyes.  He held a small clipboard under his arm.

"I bid all of you welcome to our fine stage," said Sunny Flare with a curtesy. "Allow me to introduce you to Professor Svengallop.  He's the drama club's director."

"Sunny Flare tells me you three are interested in singing roles," said Svengallop, looking over his clipboard. "I must say, it is rather strange for Canterlot High students to audition for parts in Crystal Prep's theater troupe."

"Dean Cadence said that it would help us find out our true selves!" Sonata cheered. "And that means—"

She trailed off as Sunset and Aria gave her a stern look.  Svengallop coughed.

"Well, I'm glad to see your enthusiasm," he said. "However, enthusiasm does not always have talent behind it.  I'm counting on you three to really impress me."

"This is a bad idea," Adagio hissed in Aria's ear.

"We don't know that," Aria hissed back.

Svengallop turned his attention to Sunset. "Are you auditioning as well?"

Sunset blinked. "Oh, me?  N-no, sir.  I just came to watch."

"At the expense of missing your other classes?" Svengallop inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Sunset stood her ground. "Dean Cadence knows that I've taken it upon myself to look after these three.  You can ask her yourself."

Svengallop looked at Sunny Flare, who simply shrugged.

"Very well.  I'll get confirmation from the dean later," said Svengallop, looking down at his clipboard. "For now, let's see what you girls have got.  Sonata Dusk, you're first."

He descended from the stage and took a seat in the front row.  Sunset, Adagio, and Aria made sure to find seats as well.  Sonata gulped and nervously made her way up the stage.  Sunny Flare smiled at her.

"You'll be fine," she said, patting Sonata on the shoulder. "Just remember.  It's through the diaphragm, not the nose.  Don't let your nerves get the better of you.  And speak with conviction and passion."

"Sunny Flare?"

"Coming, Professor Svengallop!" Sunny Flare called out.  She gave Sonata a wink. "As we say in the trade, break a leg."

Sonata blinked. "But, I don't wanna break my legs."

Sunny Flare sighed. "Seriously?  Okay, just, do your best."

She marched down the stage, leaving Sonata all alone.  Sonata stared off into the rows upon rows of empty seats, swallowing hard.  She then looked over at Adagio and Aria.

"Anytime you're ready, Ms. Dusk," said Svengallop, jotting down notes in his clipboard.

Sonata took in a deep breath and nodded.  She closed her eyes and began to sing:


"Ahh ah ah, ahh ah,
Ahh ah ah, ahh ah~..."


Soon enough, the entire room was filled with the sound of Sonata's haunting, hypnotic melody.  It didn't take long for Sunset to recognize the tune.  It was the very same notes the Sirens used to hypnotize their prey all those months ago.  But unlike before, she couldn't detect any malice in the melody.  If anything, it sounded rather somber and gentle.  Inviting, even.  Almost as though Sonata was but a lonely little maiden out at sea, singing out to those who would hear her, hoping to find a friend.

"Astounding," Svengallop whispered. "Such control, such elegance.  She should be on the road!"

Sunset perked up as she heard a slight whimper from a few seats away.  She turned her head and gasped.  For the first time, Adagio Dazzle was not sulking.  She was staring up at Sonata, eyes wide with wonder.  A single tear trickled down her cheek.

"You okay, Adagio?" Aria asked.

Adagio sniffled. "I-it's been so long.  But, she's singing it so beautifully.  H-how?  I-I thought that—"

Aria smirked. "Now's the part where I say 'I told you so.'"

Adagio let out a small chuckle. "I suppose you're right, for once."

Sonata's face lit up as she saw Aria and Adagio's smiling faces.  A great warmth began to form deep within her chest.  The warmth spread throughout her body, reaching from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.  She began to tremble, giddy with anticipation as the warm feeling built up to a crescendo.  And just as it reached its peak, it happened.

A blue glow emanated from Sonata's being.  She began to levitate into the air.  Her ponytail shot forth, growing several feet longer.  Silky fins sprouted from her back.  Two glowing nubs poked out of her forehead, giving way to two blue pony ears.  And all the while, Sonata just kept singing.  Not even Svengallop's clipboard falling to the ground with a clack was enough to break her concentration.

Sunset was absolutely stunned.  She wasn't sure how to feel.  She was proud of Sonata to be sure, but she was also deathly afraid of how Svengallop was taking this sudden development.  Fearing the worst, she glanced over at her peers.  Aria was laughing merrily, hugging Adagio and pointing at Sonata.

"Way to go, Sonata!  That's our girl!" she cheered.

Adagio let out a laugh of her own, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks.  Sunny Flare was completely awestruck, her eyes shimmering in the light of Sonata's transformation.  Svengallop's mouth was hanging wide open, his clipboard and pen resting at his feet.  Sunset could feel a smile forming on her face.  Perhaps things weren't so bleak after all.

"Sonata Dusk, please report to the principal's office.  Sonata Dusk, to the principal's office, please."

And just like that, the spell was broken.  Sonata's unbridled joy was replaced by a wave of fear and panic.  Her pony form vanished in a shower of sparkles.  Aria scowled.

"Hey, what gives?" she snarled, as if expecting an answer from the intercom. "Sonata didn't do anything wrong!"

Sunny Flare wasn't fairing much better.  She began hyperventilating, pacing up and down the aisle and muttering to herself.

"Th-this cannot be so.  Ye, she was not the best student, but we helped her.  All of us.  How can she be in trouble?  Were all our efforts for naught?!  Were our fears correct all along?!  Oh heavens.  Oh woe.  I-I feel faint..."

Sunset watched as Sunny Flare swooned right into her lap.  By this time, Professor Svengallop had recovered from his shock.

"Um, I-I'm truly sorry, Ms. Dusk.  Y-you were quite wonderful, honestly," he stammered. "But, if Principal Cinch needs you for something, I would suggest you go see her.  I'm sure it's nothing serious."

"B-but, what'd I do?" Sonata squeaked.

"You're just going to be in more trouble if you ignore it," said Svengallop sternly.

Unable to argue, Sonata heaved a great sigh and descended from the stage.  She gave Aria a pleading look.  Aria sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, fine," she said, getting up from her seat.  She took Sonata's hand and led her out of the auditorium.  Adagio gave Sunset a dark look.

"If I find out that Discord is behind this, it's your head," she threatened.

"I-it wasn't him.  It couldn't have been," Sunset insisted. "Sonata's his friend."

Adagio huffed and marched out of the auditorium.  Sunny Flare slowly came to.

"S-Sunset?  Prithee, why are you holding me so?" she asked.  After a pause, she bolted upright. "Oh heavens above!  Sonata!"  She turned to Svengallop. "Professor, you didn't let her leave, did you?!"

Svengallop snorted. "What choice did I have?  I can't go against Principal Cinch; you know that."

Sunny Flare gasped and struck a dramatic pose. "Oh, alas!  Alas, poor Sonata!  What did she ever do to deserve such a fate?!  How will we tell the others?!  I-I just might faint again."

"Don't, do that," said Sunset, holding Sunny Flare steady. "Look, best-case scenario, it's nothing.  Worst-case scenario, we'll figure something out."

"And prithee, what do we do now?" Sunny Flare inquired.

Sunset bit her lip. "Now, we go see Dean Cadence."

Sunny Flare nodded. "Indeed.  She can fix this, surely."  She then curtsied to Svengallop. "My humblest apologies, Professor Svengallop."

"N-no need, Sunny Flare.  You did nothing wrong," said Svengallop, although even he didn't sound so sure.

With little more than a nod, Sunset escorted Sunny Flare out of the auditorium.  So many emotions ran through Sunset's mind, it was hard for her to keep track of them all.

This isn't right, she thought. One thing at a time, though.  I just hope we're not too late...
> Alarming Interference
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Look, ma'am.  I'm under strict orders from Principal Cinch."

"I don't care who you're under orders from; I already made this as clear as I possibly can!  No surveillance is necessary in my office!"

When Sunset and Sunny Flare arrived at Dean Cadence's office, they were treated with a familiar scene.  Once again, Cadence's usual composure had been discarded as she was engaged in another heated debate.  This time, she was engaged with Lockdown and Professor Flypaper.  Lockdown was wearing a utility belt with all sorts of tools, and he held a small device in his hand.

"Dean Cadence, you must understand," said Flypaper, adjusting his glasses. "This is a matter of the safety of our school.  Besides, this device is completely unobtrusive.  You won't even know it's there."

"Let me reiterate: I.  Don't.  Care," Cadence snarled, folding her arms. "I'd like to think that I'm entitled to my privacy."

Flypaper shook his head. "Tut tut, my dear dean.  Such resistance only serves as proof that you have something to hide."

"Or maybe it's proof that what goes on in this office is confidential unless I say otherwise," Cadence fired back, getting right in Flypaper's face. "I'm really getting fed up with this.  First Cinch, then Slitherquick, now you.  Stop telling me how to do my job!"

Sunset blankly stared at the argument before turning to Sunny Flare. "I'm not the only one who finds this weird, am I?"

"No, you're not.  And before you ask, don't ask me what's going on.  I have no idea."

Both Sunset and Sunny Flare did a double take.  From seemingly nowhere, Indigo Zap appeared right beside them.

"Indigo!  Heavens, do not scare me in such a manner!" Sunny Flare scolded. "My constitution is already waning!  And prithee, should you not be in class?"

"I heard about Sonata getting sent to the principal's office," Indigo said darkly. "I had to excuse myself and ask Dean Cadence what the heck is going on.  But it turns out she's a bit occupied at the moment."

The three of them turned back to Cadence and Flypaper arguing back and forth.  Finally, Lockdown intervened.

"Listen, I have better things to do around here," he said gruffly. "Let's just drop the matter and ask Cinch about it later."

Flypaper snorted. "Very well.  I should be attending to my next class, anyway.  But mind you, Dean Cadence.  This is far from over."

He and Lockdown marched off.  Cadence let out a sigh and shook her head.

"What exactly are you trying to do, Abacus?" she muttered. "This is just, absurd."

A brief pause hung in the air as Sunset, Indigo, and Sunny Flare looked at one another.  Finally, Indigo broke the silence with a cough.  Cadence perked up.

"O-oh.  Hello, girls," she said, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry.  I'm afraid you caught me at a bad time."

"We do apologize for intruding, o fair dean," said Sunny Flare with a curtsey. "But verily, this is an emergency that must be rectified, posthaste!"

Cadence furrowed her brow. "Does this have to do with Sonata Dusk being called in to see Principal Cinch?"

"Yes, actually," said Sunset with a nod. "We were thinking you could help us."

"Well, I'll certainly do what I can, but I need to know what happened first," said Cadence. "I take it she was auditioning for the drama club at the time."

"Indeed," said Sunny Flare.  She bowed her head and placed a hand to her chest. "There we were, sitting in the audience and watching Sonata's audition.  She was rather nervous at first, but once she started to sing, it was, if you'll pardon the parlance, like magic."

Her tone became more whimsical as she stared off into space, hands clasped together. "Truth be told, I have never heard such elegant melodies before.  It was such a raw display of emotion and passion that I myself couldn't help but be hypnotized.  Ye, I could feel the melancholic tones dripping from her smooth tongue like dewdrops off of blades of grass.  I had to stop myself from rushing the stage and pulling her into my embrace.  Even Professor Svengallop was impressed, and I know firsthand how difficult of a feat that is."

Her eyes seemed to sparkle. "And then, it happened.  Lo and behold, Sonata Dusk transformed right before our eyes.  It was just like at the Friendship Games, but this time, it was benign.  No holes were torn through our reality; no plant demons sprang forth to consume us; we even remained in full control of our faculties.  Ye, she had accomplished what she came here to do.  It should have been a joyous moment for us all."

Suddenly, Sunny Flare tossed her head back and averted her eyes in distress. "But alas and alack, 'twas not meant to be.  For mere moments after her transcendence, Sonata Dusk was summoned to appear before Principal Cinch.  For what reason, I could not even begin to tell you.  Not a soul was being hurt.  Her powers were not used in any nefarious manner.  And while 'tis true that she has been struggling with her academics, we made sure she kept up."  She looked up at Dean Cadence, tears rolling down her cheeks. "For what reason has this poor young maiden been punished just at her moment of triumph?!  Why must this dove's wings be clipped just as it took flight?!  It is unjust!  A travesty!  An affront to everything Crystal Preparatory Academy stands for!  What is the method behind this madness, I ask you?!  Oh, woe!  Oh, cruel fate~!"

"Oh, brother," Indigo groaned, rolling her eyes. "Y'know, there was an easier way to say that.  We don't exactly have time to waste on your stupid soliloquies."

Sunny Flare huffed. "Well, pardon me for electing to convey the rich emotions of this momentous yet tragic scene.  I do believe Dean Cadence deserves to know how this whole scenario made us feel, don't you?"

"I think she can gather that without you hamming it up," Indigo said plainly.

"Girls, let's not get distracted," said Cadence.  She placed a hand on Sunny Flare's shoulder, a warm smile crossing her face. "I'll be sure to have a word with Principal Cinch about this.  It does seem rather arbitrary."

Sunny Flare sniffled and dried her eyes. "Verily?  Can we trust Sonata's fate to your capable hands, o dean?"

"I'll certainly do what I can," Cadence replied. "You girls just head off to your next class."

Sunset smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Dean Cadence.  Let us know how it goes."

Cadence was about to respond when the sound of hands clapping caught everyone's attention.  Cadence turned and scowled, watching Slitherquick applaud sarcastically.

"Bravo, Ms. Flare.  Such a stirring performance," she said with a sneer. "Your propensity for over-exaggeration has truly won over Dean Cadence."

"Do you mind, Fanny?" Cadence said pointedly. "This is none of your business."

"I suppose not," said Slitherquick with a shrug. "I was just seeing how the Dean of Students manages to deal with such an exaggerated fairy tale such as this.  So, let's see.  Your tactic is: 'Take the student's word at face value and waste precious resources trying to placate her.'  Well, why didn't I think of that?"

"I don't criticize how you organize Principal Cinch's meetings, Ms. Slitherquick," Cadence responded cooly. "I will thank you not to criticize how I do my job."

Indigo let out an impressed whistle. "Shots fired."

Slitherquick's eyes narrowed. "You stay out of this, you little whelp.  If I were Dean of Students, perhaps you wouldn't be so cocky."

Cadence arched an eyebrow. "Is that why you've been poking your nose into my affairs for the past three days, Fanny Slitherquick?  You want my job?"

Slitherquick shrugged and shook her head. "You clearly have a wild imagination, Cadence.  Why would I want your job?  Dealing with this miscreants is obviously your territory, not mine.  I'm merely stating for the record that I don't think you have this school's best interests at heart."

Sunset's hands balled into fists. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she growled. "I oughta—"

"Sunset, please," said Cadence, raising her hand. "I can handle this."

Slitherquick sneered. "I'm afraid this isn't Canterlot High, you barbarous little troublemaker.  And it appears you and all of your friends are going to be learning that the hard way.  Now, clear off.  The grown-ups need to have a little chat."

"I have nothing to discuss with you, Slitherquick," said Cadence firmly.

"I beg to differ," Slitherquick insisted. "I just spoke with Professor Flypaper.  You still stand in defiance of Principal Cinch's security measures.  I think it's high time she learned wh—"

Suddenly, there was a beeping sound coming from above Slitherquick's head.  When she looked up, an explosion of popcorn rained down upon her.  After blinking for a moment, she leered at Sunset.

"Perhaps you would like to join Ms. Dusk in the principal's office," she threatened.

Sunset gulped. "I, uh, wouldn't say that, if I were you."

"Don't play dumb with me," Slitherquick admonished, pointing her cane at Sunset. "I know this is your doing.  You and your accursed magic.  Do you think you're still in Canterlot High, my girl?  Do you think you can honestly get away with—?"

She was interrupted by her cane suddenly transforming before her eyes.  It was now made of solid gold, and the head was molded into the shape of Twilight Sparkle's head.  Slitherquick dropped the cane in surprise.

"S-stop this foolishness!" she demanded.

"Then you stop harassing Dean Cadence," Indigo countered.

Slitherquick gasped. "How dare you talk back to your superiors!  Principal Cinch will hear of this!"

"You mean she'll hear about how you insist on making my life more difficult than it needs to be?" Cadence asked rhetorically.

Slitherquick's face darkened. "Principal Cinch is not on your side, Mi Amore Cadenza.  Not as long as you stand in opposition to her vision.  I have half a mind to report you to—"

She was distracted by a mysterious shadow on the wall tap-dancing.  The shadow held a large pole with a hook at the end.  With one swift yank, it ensnared Slitherquick's shadow and dragged it out of sight.  Much to her surprise, Slitherquick followed suit, letting out a horrified screech as she was flung down the hall.  Cadence gave Sunset a look.

"I thought I told you to let me handle it," she said sternly. "Don't get me wrong; I appreciate the thought of getting Slitherquick out of my hair.  But I doubt Principal Cinch would approve of this reckless abuse of your powers."

Sunset glared over at the shadow, which simply tipped its hat to her before vanishing.  She then sighed.

"I understand, Dean Cadence," she said somberly. "Don't worry, I'll keep everything under control."

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?  I understand you've done some amazing things, but I'd hate to see you try and tackle everything alone."

Sunset smiled weakly. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not alone, then."

Cadence sighed and smiled back. "If you ever need a break, you know where to find me.  Now, I should probably go see Principal Cinch about Sonata.  You girls should hurry to your next class."

With that, she marched down the hall.  Sunset let out another sigh.

"Okay, that stuff couldn't have been you," said Indigo frankly. "Why didn't you just be honest?"

Sunset blushed and hung her head. "I-I haven't told Cadence about Discord.  I mean, she knows that we're friends, but I haven't told her that he's here."

"Tsk tsk.  Applejack would be so disappointed in you, Smitty."

Sunset let out a strained groan as she pulled out her phone.  Sure enough, Discord was there, crossing his arms and tapping his goat hoof.  Sunset sighed.

"Do you think I want to lie to her?" she said. "This is a lot more complicated than you think.  In fact, it wouldn't be such a problem if you made more of an effort to—"

"Be discreet.  I know.  That's nine," Discord interrupted.  He then sighed. "I do apologize, Smitty.  I'm trying my best, but this has just not been my day."

Sunset blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know how I said I was going to shadow that Slitherquick woman and find out her story?"

"Yeah."

"Well, turns out that's going to be an issue."  Discord then flinched. "Oh, Princess Celestia on a bicycle, there it is again!"

Sunset looked around, finding nothing out of the ordinary. "There what is?"

Discord gave Sunset a blank look. "You mean you seriously don't hear that?  Eep~!  Eep~!  The beeps!  Those stupid beeps!  They've been following me around this entire darn school, and it's driving me completely batty!"

In a puff of smoke, Discord transformed into a bat and flew out of Sunset's phone, flittering about in erratic patterns.  Indigo scratched her head.

"Um, hate to break it to you, but I don't hear anything," she said.

Discord looked down at Indigo in disbelief. "Are you joshing me right now?  Please tell me you're joshing me."

"Discord, we can't hear anything," said Sunset.

"If you're joshing me, you have to tell me!  It's a rule!"

"I'm being honest with you, Discord."

Discord sulked. "You know what?"

With a snap of his fingers, he managed to swap ears with Sunset.  Before she could protest, a piercing beeping sound echoed all around her, as though an alarm was triggered.  It only took a few seconds of the droning sound to strain Sunset's patience to its breaking point.  Just as she was about to scream in agony, Discord swapped their ears back to their rightful places.

"There.  You see?" he said.  He then sighed. "I'm terribly sorry about that, Smitty.  I didn't mean to hurt you.  It's just—"

"Y-yeah, I can see why that would put you in a bad mood," Sunset mumbled, shaking herself from the odd experience. "And, this has been going on throughout the day?"

"Ever since I got here," said Discord with a shrug. "I have no idea what's going on.  It never was like this before."

Sunset knitted her brow and tapped her chin in thought. "Do you think you can point out the source?"

Discord nodded.  His snake tail stiffened, and the powder puff at the end transformed into an arrow.  However, the arrow soon started moving on its own, rotating like a broken gyroscope.

"Oh, sheesh!  Cooperate, will you?!" Discord groused, pulling at his ears. "I-I can't work like this!  I-I have to drown it out!  I have to drown it out!"

He yanked his antler and horn from his head and stuck them in his ears.  After a pause, he took in a deep breath.

"Okay.  That helps.  Kind of," he said.  The arrow on the end of his tail soon pointed at the ceiling.

"Oh.  Great," Indigo sighed. "How are we supposed to reach that without drawing attention?"

Discord groaned and snapped his fingers.  In an instant, the three girls were wearing coveralls while Discord himself had transformed into a ladder.  Indigo and Sunny Flare stared blankly at Sunset, who shrugged.

"Just roll with it," she said, climbing up the Discord ladder.  She removed the ceiling tile Discord had pointed to, and indeed, a pulsating glow emanated from above.  When she got a closer look at it, she gasped in horror.

"What?  What is it?" asked Indigo.

Slowly and deliberately, Sunset reached in, grabbed the glowing object, and pulled it out.  Sunny Flare let out a gasp of her own.

"Zounds!  D-do my eyes deceive me?  Is that what I think it is?"

Indigo stared blankly for a moment before shaking her head and pacing back and forth. "No way.  N-no way that's what I think it is.  I-it can't be."

"I'm afraid so," said Sunset glumly. "This is the same device Twilight used at the Games.  Except, it doesn't appear to be draining magic.  It's just, pulsing."

"And beeping," Discord chimed in.

Sunset sighed. "Yes, and beeping.  And for some reason, only you can hear it."

Indigo frowned. "Is this why Professor Flypaper had us recreate that thing in class?"

"Prithee, you had to do that, too?" Sunny Flare asked, tossing her head back dramatically. "That class was a nightmare.  Forsooth, what folly, having us recreate the work of an esteemed prodigy.  Methinks Professor Flypaper's expectations of our abilities are far too high."  She then gasped. "My word.  Sunset, you don't think this explains what happened to Sonata, do you?"

Sunset furrowed her brow. "It does seem suspicious.  I'd take it with me so that I can dismantle it later, but I wouldn't want to get in trouble for defacing school property."

There was a flash, and Sunset suddenly found herself back on the ground.  The ceiling tile was replaced, and Discord had all but vanished.  He reappeared on Sunset's phone.

"Check your pocket, Smitty."

Sunset reached into her pocket, and sure enough, the device was right there.  She raised an eyebrow at Discord.

"Okay, I have to ask.  What did you replace it with?"

"Something that doesn't beep, thankfully," said Discord. "Can't get much more specific.  As in, I actually don't know what I replaced it with.  Again, chaos is not something that can be controlled easily."

Sunset sighed. "Well, hopefully, it doesn't blow up the school or anything."

"It shouldn't, though part of me wishes that it would," Discord growled. "Burbligun, do you think Lemon Zest has a spare pair of headphones I can borrow?  I really can't work like this."

Sunny Flare made a face. "I do wish you hadn't elected to refer to me by that absurd title."

"Maybe it's best if you stayed off of campus for a while," said Sunset. "I can't imagine how much more crazy this would get with those devices constantly annoying you."

Discord did a double take. "But Smitty!  How can I help you if I'm not here?"  He then frowned. "Unless, of course, you think I'm causing more problems than I'm fixing."

"I-it's not that," Sunset sputtered. "Well, i-it kind of is, but it kind of isn't.  I-I don't know how to explain this."

Discord snorted indignantly. "Well, if you can't explain it, how am I supposed to know what to do?"

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. "Listen, I'm sorry.  I-I'm just having trouble thinking straight right now.  H-how about this?  You can monitor stuff from my phone, and if we really need you, I'll give you a call."

Discord twirled his goatee around his finger before nodding. "Sounds fair, Smitty.  It would provide me an escape from that incessant beeping, if nothing else.  Though if you want my opinion, maybe you should mention me to Dean Cadence.  It can't be easy for you, taking the fall for my actions."

Sunset smiled. "I'll think about it.  Take it easy, Discord."

"Thank you, Smitty.  I'll keep in touch."

The screen went dark just as the bell started to ring.

"And not a moment too soon," said Sunny Flare. "Come, we must make haste!  We do not want to keep our professors waiting."

She took Sunset by the hand and dashed down the hall, with Indigo not far behind.  All the while, Sunset looked down at the device in her pocket.  Several thoughts swam through her head at once, but one stood out among the others:

What does this mean?


***


"It's not fair.  She didn't do anything wrong.  She doesn't deserve this."

Dean Cadence arrived at the door to Cinch's office, only to be greeted by a strange sight.  Aria Blaze was outside, pacing back and forth while muttering bitterly to herself.  Cadence cleared her throat.

"Aria Blaze?  Shouldn't you be in class?"

Aria looked up and let out an aggravated sigh. "Sorry, Dean.  But if you think I'm just gonna leave Sonata out to dry, you're crazy."

Cadence breathed out a small chuckle. "You really care about her, huh?"

Aria blushed and averted her eyes. "S-so what if I do?  What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing," said Cadence. "It's just not something I'm used to seeing from students at Crystal Prep."

Aria slowly turned her head, her eyebrow arched. "What exactly does that mean?"

"Well, students here are usually so fixated on their own work that they barely have time for others," Cadence explained. "At least, that's how it used to be, before this year's Friendship Games."

Aria scoffed. "Is that right?  Maybe we should've tried to take over this school instead of Canterlot High.  Would've been way easier."

Cadence gave Aria a serious look. "Aria Blaze, I don't want any trouble..."

"Kidding.  I'm kidding," said Aria, raising her hands defensively. "That path is pretty much closed to us forever, anyway.  If only I could get Adagio to see tha—"

A creak from the door interrupted Aria's train of thought.  Sonata emerged, and it appeared as though she had seen better days.  Her eyes were red and puffy, and her skin appeared to be paler than usually.  Even her movements seemed lethargic and sluggish.  Aria's face clouded over with concern.

"Hey, Sonata.  You alright?"

Sonata looked up and forced a smile. "Wha?  Yeah, I'm fine."

Aria folded her arms. "You don't sound fine.  What did Principal Cinch want?"

"Oh, y'know.  This and that," said Sonata with a shrug. "Really boring stuff.  You wouldn't be interested."

Aria frowned. "Okay, what's wrong?"

"What?  Who said anything about something being wrong?" Sonata asked, as though appalled Aria would suggest such a thing. "I didn't say anything about something being wrong.  Nothing's wrong!  I just need to work harder."

"Sonata, I can tell when you're lying to me," said Aria firmly.

"Lying?  I—  Ha ha~."  Sonata shook her head. "As if I would lie to you.  That's a silly thing to say."  She pinched Aria's cheeks and shook her back and forth. "You're such a silly head."

"Is it weird that this is the most normal thing you did since coming out of that room?" Aria asked, shoving herself away from Sonata. "Seriously, you're freaking me out.  What's going on?"

"Nothing.  Nothing at all," Sonata insisted. "Nothing bad happened.  I-I'm fine, really.  Just, need to get to class.  And study.  And work hard.  All that, fun stuff we do here at Crystal Prep."

Aria deadpanned. "Alright, now I know something's wrong with you."

"M-maybe there's something wrong with you," Sonata shot back. "As in we should be in class right now.  Which we are not.  So we should go.  And never speak of this again."

"Sonata, I—"

But Sonata didn't hear her.  She had already left to her next class.  Aria stared into space for a while before shaking her head and looking up at Cadence.

"She's messing with me, right?  She has to be."

Cadence shrugged. "I wouldn't know.  But I plan to find out."

She knocked on Cinch's door, only to be greeted by Slitherquick.

"Dean Cadence.  Well, this is unexpected," she said. "Unfortunately, Principal Cinch is occupied with other matters."

Cadence did not back down. "I need to speak with her about Sonata Dusk.  Why did she get sent here?"

"There's nothing to discuss," Slitherquick replied bluntly. "That matter is between Ms. Dusk and Principal Cinch."

"So, it's okay for you to keep meetings like this confidential, but not me?" Cadence asked rhetorically. "Talk about blatant hypocrisy."

"Slitherquick?  Who is it?"

Slitherquick blanched. "I-it's just Dean Cadence and one of those Canterlot High hooligans, ma'am.  I was just sending them on their way."

"No need, Slitherquick."

After a pause, Slitherquick shuffled out of the way, allowing Cinch to pass.  Cadence cleared her throat.

"Principal Cinch, I have to know why Sonata Dusk was called into your office," she said. "Some of her friends are worried about her."

Cinch shook her head. "There's no cause for alarm, Dean Cadence.  Ms. Dusk and I just had a bit of a chat regarding school policy, that's all."

"Likely story," Aria muttered under her breath.

Cadence stood firm. "Well, I just had a chat with her yesterday, and nothing seemed to be wrong with her.  What exactly did she do?"

"It was a minor infraction.  Barely worth noting," said Cinch dismissively. "I'm sure she will elect to tell you about it herself should she need your counsel."

Cadence gave Cinch a wary look before letting out a resigned sigh.

"Very well.  Just two more things," she said. "First of all, I thought I made it clear that I did not want any surveillance in my office, yet Professor Flypaper and Lockdown were insistent about installing some new device."

"Oh, I had forgotten to mention," said Cinch. "It's a new protocol.  Slitherquick should have handed out a bulletin about it."

"Yes, about Slitherquick," said Cadence pointedly. "She's been harassing me for three days now, and I'm getting quite sick of it."

Cinch raised an eyebrow and turned to Slitherquick. "Is this true?"

Slitherquick swallowed. "I-I was just curious about Dean Cadence's performance, Principal Cinch."

Cinch snorted. "We talked about this, Slitherquick.  Dean Cadence has a very important job here at Crystal Prep, and she certainly does not need your help."

"B-but, Principal—"

"I don't want to hear excuses," Cinch interrupted. "Remember who's in control here."  She sighed and turned back to Cadence. "I do apologize for this.  Please, do let me know if she gives you any more trouble."

"Y-yes.  Of course," said Cadence.

Cinch nodded and closed the door.  Aria scowled.

"Well, that didn't answer anything," she grumbled.

"I'll probably speak to Sonata later," Cadence mused.  She looked over at Aria, who was still sulking. "Are you going to be okay?"

Aria shook her head. "It's not fair.  Sonata finally found her true self, whatever that is, and she gets punished for it.  I-I don't understand."

"Neither do I," Cadence confessed.  She then smiled. "But I think that's why she needs her friends now more than ever."

"Y-yeah," Aria muttered as her cheeks turned red. "I just—  I can't help her if she doesn't tell me what's wrong."

"Believe me, I know what that feels like," said Cadence.

Aria gave Cadence a quizzical look. "You do?"

"Well, of course.  My job is to make sure students here get what they need to succeed, but sometimes, they're too proud and stubborn to admit that they need help to begin with."

"And, how do you deal with that?"

Cadence placed a hand to her chest, breathed in, and let out a long sigh as she extended her arm. "Patience, mainly.  Lots of patience.  Also, I make it clear that whenever the students need me, I'll do whatever I can."  She looked over at Aria. "Does Sonata know that about you?"

Aria blinked and shrugged. "Um, kinda?  I mean, she's like my little sister, y'know?  Sure, she's an annoying little sister, but c'mon.  Whose little sister isn't annoying, amiright?"  She laughed at her own joke before transitioning into a sad sigh. "I just don't like seeing her like this.  Or Adagio, for that matter."

Cadence nodded. "Well, just be there for them.  I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

Aria let out a small scoff. "Y-yeah.  Sure.  I'd better get to class.  Later."

She then marched off after Sonata.  Cadence sighed and shook her head.

If I find out that you hurt any of these students, Abacus, you'll have to answer to me, she vowed, marching back to her office.


***


"I don't understand, Principal Cinch.  Why give Cadence such deference?  She's clearly not on our side."

"Need I remind you that she is the Dean of Students while you are merely my secretary?" Cinch snapped. "If I have any criticisms about Cadence's methods, I'll level them against her myself, as her boss.  I don't need you to speak on my behalf.  The only thing you've accomplished is that you're making her suspicious."

"And why is that of concern to you?" inquired Slitherquick. "You're not frightened of her, are you?"

"Don't be daft, Slitherquick.  I'm just being sensible," said Cinch, walking over to her desk. "I know Dean Cadence.  She would not agree to what we're doing here, even if it is necessary to maintain order at this school."

"And what happens when she finds out?" said Slitherquick, leaning on her cane. "You're being too soft on her, Abacus."

Cinch sat down at her desk and pressed her fingers together. "Dean Cadence is not the enemy, Slitherquick.  This is merely a battle between our ideologies; one that I will win.  Besides, she won't find out as long as you don't give her a reason to suspect me of anything."

Slitherquick sighed. "If you say so, Principal Cinch.  Just, be mindful of her."

She got up and hobbled out of Cinch's office.  Cinch then opened her desk drawer, revealing an eerie blue light.

You worry too much, Slitherquick, she mused, her lips curling into a thin smile. As long as I have this, no one will undermine my authority again.  Even if Cadence becomes corrupted by all of the magic Canterlot High has to offer, she won't be able to oppose me.  This is still my school, and I am in control...
> Divisive Déjà Vu
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Sunset was barely conscious.  She lumbered off of the bus, nearly tripping as she misjudged the steps.  It was a struggle for her to even keep her eyes open.  This didn't go unnoticed by Indigo Zap, who was outside waiting for her.

"Sheesh.  I know that look," said Indigo. "Let me guess.  Long night studying?"

"S-something like that," Sunset murmured, stifling a yawn. "I-I also looked into the device we found yesterday."

"Oh.  Right.  That thing," said Indigo. "Um, you find anything useful?"

Sunset took a moment to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Well, I think so.  H-hang on, I'll check my bag for my notes."

She slung her bag from her shoulder and began rummaging around.  Indigo sighed.

"Maybe you can show me later," she said. "Y'know, when you're actually awake."

"I-I got it, I got it," Sunset insisted. "Just, give me a minute.  Where did I—?"

"Looking for this?"

Sunset blinked and noticed a lion's paw poking out of her bag, holding a bunch of papers.

"Oh.  Thanks," she said, taking the papers from the paw.  After a few seconds, a realization dawned on her. "Discord's in my backpack, isn't he?"

Indigo took a quick peek inside, only to be showered by a spray of confetti.  She soon shared Sunset's deadpan expression. "Yep."

Discord emerged from the backpack, though this time, he was wearing the Crystal Prep uniform inside-out. "Just doing what I can to help, seeing as I can't go in the school without being annoyed to death and back," he said simply.

Sunset didn't even bother to question Discord's bizarre use of hyperbole.  She instead stretched herself out and gave her notes a once-over.

"Okay, right.  I-I remember this," she said groggily. "Apparently, this device was specifically designed not to syphon energy from anything.  It's just meant to detect it."

"And if they're all over the school, Cinch can clamp down on anyone using magic," Indigo mused, knitting her brow.

"It also explains the noises Discord's been hearing," Sunset continued. "Seeing as he's been using his magic all the time, he's been setting off the devices left and right.  I don't know why only he can hear it, though."

"I don't think that matters at this point," said Indigo darkly. "All that matters is we have proof that Cinch has a No Magic rule."

"Evidence, not proof," Sunset corrected. "We still don't know the extent of Cinch's plans.  All this device does is detect magic.  What is Cinch supposed to do with that information, exactly?"

Indigo thought for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "Okay, you've got a point.  Still, it's something, right?  We're making progress.  We know what happened with Sonata yesterday.  Those devices caught her using magic, and Cinch brought the hammer down on her for basically nothing."

Discord looked around and scratched his head. "Curious.  Where is Sonata Dusk?  Don't you all take the same bus?"

Sunset blinked and took stock of her surroundings. "Geez, you're right.  I-I must be more out of it than I thought.  I didn't notice."

"Need a cold shower, Smitty?" asked Discord, taking out a smartphone.

Sunset blanched and shook her head. "N-no, that's fine.  I-I can manage."

Indigo raised an eyebrow. "I'm not even gonna ask."

"Hey, guys!  S-sorry we're late."

Sunset spun around to see the Sirens.  Sonata sprang out in front, waving at Sunset and wearing a big smile.  However, Sunset couldn't help but notice that something was off.

"Sonata?  Are you alright?" she asked. "You look, pale."

Beads of sweat formed on Sonata's brow as she averted her eyes. "What?  What're you talking about?  I always look like this.  I'm fine, really."

"She's been saying that ever since she saw Principal Cinch yesterday," Aria explained, folding her arms. "It's really starting to annoy me, actually."

"Same," Adagio concurred.  When she noticed Discord around and about, her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"

Discord circled Sonata a few times, observing her from every angle. "Well, now that you mention it, this does look familiar."

"Aha!  So you admit it!" Adagio exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Discord. "You're the reason she's like this!"

Discord sighed. "Adagio, do you know what this is?"

He stood upright and turned his nose upward, turning completely away from Adagio.  Adagio gave him a bemused look.

"Unpleasant?" she guessed.

"No," Discord responded cooly.

"Infantile, then?"

"Nope."

"I got it," said Adagio, pounding her fist into her palm. "It's the moment before your nose was broken."

Discord scoffed. "As if you could.  No, my dear Adagio.  This—"  He repeated the pose. "—is me not rising to the bait."

Aria tilted her head. "Huh?"

"I've learned my lesson from trying to befriend Smitty," said Discord plainly. "When she threw these sorts of accusations at me, I took them personally, and that led to a fight.  Here, I'm deciding to ignore it and not get riled up."

Adagio shot a glare and Sunset, who shrugged.

"Like I said, he's trying," she stated simply. "And I really doubt that he's the one responsible for this."

"Well, of course I'm not," said Discord.  He reached into Sunset's backpack and pulled out a black medical bag.  From that bag, he produced a stethoscope. "Sonata Dusk is just as much my friend as Smitty and Fluttershy.  I wouldn't dare hurt her."  He paused. "Intentionally, that is.  Always have to add that caveat."

"Um, what are you doing?" Indigo inquired.

Discord snapped his fingers.  Sonata let out a yelp as a metal table sprang out from under her.

"What does it look like?  I'm helping my friend," Discord replied.  He rummaged through his medical bag and pulled out a small mallet.  With a curt nod, he floated over to Sonata. "Now, tell me, Ms. Dusk.  How do you feel?"

"Wh-what, me?  I'm fine," said Sonata. "No problem here.  Nope.  Just ready for another fun day of hard work at school."

Discord furrowed his brow and stroked his chin. "Hmm.  I see."  He then brandished the mallet. "Alright, Ms. Dusk.  Let's test your reflexes."

He tapped Sonata's left knee, causing her to kick it into the air.

"Good.  Now this one."

He did the same with Sonata's right knee, producing the same result.

"Now that one."

The left knee was struck again, triggering Sonata's reflexes.

"Now this one.  Now that one.  This, that, this, that, thisthatthisthatthisthatthisthat..."

Over and over again, Discord tapped Sonata's knees in quick succession.  As the tempo of his strikes increased, a mysterious force overtook Sonata.  With little provocation, she leapt off the table, folding her arms and performing a strange dance.  After a few seconds of this, Discord floated up behind her, wearing a black fur cap and red coat.

"Hey!" he proclaimed.

Soon, the two were dancing back-to-back.  Sunset couldn't decide what amazed her more: the bizarre display taking place before her very eyes, or the fact that it didn't draw anyone else's attention.  Suddenly, Discord and Sonata sprang into the air.

"Hey!  I, actually feel a lot better," Sonata chirped.  Still floating in midair, she extended her hand. "Thanks a bunch, Discord!"

Discord accepted the handshake. "Always a pleasure to help a friend."

The two landed on the ground and began dancing again.  Sunset stifled a giggle despite herself, while the other girls just gave the two blank stares of disbelief.  Sonata leapt into the air again.

"Heeeyoooooo~..."

Without much warning, she landed on the ground, almost falling over.  Her sunny demeanor had vanished once again, leaving her a husk of her former self.  Discord noticed this and frowned.

"Oh dear.  This is worse than I thought," he muttered.

Sonata looked up and forced a smile. "Huh?  I'm fine.  Nothing wrong here."

"And, back to square one," Aria sighed.  She gave Discord a look. "You doing alright there, Discord?  You seem to be off your game today."

"Yes, but I shouldn't be.  That's what has me worried," Discord mused, scratching his head.

"Are you sure it's not your powers refusing to cooperate?" asked Sunset.

Discord shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly couldn't say.  If it is, I'm going to have to have a very stern talk with them later."

Just then, the school bell began to chime.

"Whoops!  That's my cue," Discord said.  He bowed to Sunset. "Do keep me in the loop, Smitty.  And I hope Sonata gets well soon."

He then dove into his medical bag, which disappeared in a pop.  Adagio scowled.

"He's messing with us," she said. "He has to be messing with us."

Aria arched an eyebrow at Adagio. "In case you didn't notice, he just tried to help Sonata.  Why would he do that if he wanted to mess with us?"

"Because he's Discord.  Nothing he does makes sense," Adagio growled.

Sunset sighed. "Let's forget about Discord for now.  He's decided to stay out of the school, anyway.  C'mon, let's get to our next class."

"Yeah, let's do that," said Sonata. "Go to our next class, I mean.  That's more important than anything else, right?"

Indigo's face darkened. "Okay, now I'm getting suspicious.  You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard those words during my time here.  What did Cinch do to you?"

"Nothing!  Absolutely nothing!" Sonata insisted.  Without another word, she marched off towards the school.  Aria and Adagio quickly followed suit, with Sunset and Indigo fast on their heels.


***


Just like the last few days, the morning classes were absolutely rigorous and brutal.  Sunset did her best to pay attention and keep up with everything, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was on the brink of burnout.  Sonata wasn't faring much better.  She was struggling with the material a lot more than usual, even though she kept insisting that everything was fine.  With so much stress and worry plaguing her mind, Sunset felt the day go by in a blur.  Up until, that is, gym class.

A sharp whistle snapped Sunset out of her dazed trance.  Shaking herself, she looked over at the coach.  He was a tall fellow with blue skin and wavy grey hair.  He wore a beige jacket and an ivory-colored ascot.  He took a quick look at his clipboard.

"Alright, ladies.  Listen up," he said, pacing back and forth.

"Professor Wind Rider?"

The coach turned to Sugarcoat, who was raising her hand calmly.  He let out a snort.

"This better be important, Sugarcoat," he warned.

"I just wanted to point out that if you were using the term 'ladies' as an insult, then it doesn't work in this context.  Most of this particular class is female."

Wind Rider scowled. "Don't get smart with me, Sugarcoat," he admonished, shaking his pencil at her.  With a sigh, he continued his lecture. "Alright, now listen up and listen good.  As you may know, I'm the one who trains Crystal Prep to win.  Been doing that for years now."  His gaze shifted over to the Canterlot High students. "Which means you lot shouldn't get a swelled head just 'cause you won this year's Friendship Games."

"Actually, it was a draw," Sugarcoat pointed out, prompting an elbow jab from Sour Sweet.

Wind Rider sighed and rolled his eyes. "Smart aleck," he grumbled, clearing his throat. "Anyway, I think it's time we took you Canterlot High girls down a peg."

He took out a red rubber ball. "The game is dodgeball.  Canterlot High against Crystal Prep; just like old times.  And if I see so much as a hint of cheating, all of you are going straight to Principal Cinch.  Do I make myself clear?"

No one missed the fact that he was addressing the Canterlot High students when he said that.  Despite her fatigue, Sunset managed to stand her ground.

"It's clear, Professor Rider," she stated firmly.

"Good.  I sure hope so," said Wind Rider. "Everyone, to your positions!"

Both sides shuffled to other ends of the gymnasium.  Sunset and Indigo met in the middle, leaning in close to give off the appearance of staring each other down.

"You sure you're up for this?" Indigo whispered. "You and Sonata look kinda out of it."

Sunset sighed. "Well, I can't speak for Sonata, but I think I can manage."

Indigo nodded. "Alright, if you say so."  She then smirked. "Just fair warning.  We're not planning on going easy on you just because we're friends."

Sunset smiled back. "I don't expect you to.  May the best team win."

The two of them shook hands.

"Let's keep this moving, people!" Wind Rider barked. "On your mark, get set..."

He blew on his whistle and tossed the ball over to Sugarcoat.  Her motions a blur, she caught the ball and threw it with all her might.  Lyra barely managed to catch it.  Wind Rider sneered.

"Not bad, missy," he said. "But try this!"

He threw another ball into the arena, this one at Lyra.  Before Lyra could react, Bon-Bon dove in and snatched the ball from the air.  She flung it clear across the room, and it came close to grazing Upper Crust's thigh.  Aria made a face.

"Well, I guess we know what side his bread is buttered on," she grumbled.

"Don't let it get to you," said Sunset.  She then noticed Lemon Zest winding up through her peripheral vision. "Heads up!"

Aria snapped to attention and swiftly dodged Lemon Zest's projectile.  She smirked at Sunset and gave her a thumbs-up, which in turn prompted a scowl from Adagio.  Sunset let out a sigh and tried her best to focus on the match.

Back and forth, both teams exchanged fire and held their ground.  For a time, it appeared both sides were evenly matched.  Every time the Canterlot High side lost a player, they managed to retaliate and get one person from Crystal Prep out.  All the while, Wind Rider watched both sides intently, his face nondescript.

However, even though both sides were holding their own, it was painfully obvious that Canterlot High had a slight handicap.  All throughout the match, Sonata was in poor form.  Her throws barely made it into the opponent's territory, and more often than not, she had to be saved by her teammates.  As both sides whittled down their players, Sunset became more and more aware that Sonata was not herself.  After managing to hit Suri with a ball and getting her out, she rushed to Sonata's side.

"Hey, take it easy, alright?" she said, keeping an eye out for incoming projectiles.

Sonata panted and gave Sunset a look. "I already told you.  I'm fine."

"Sonata, you're not—"

"She said she's fine, Shimmer," Adagio snarled. "Leave her alone."

Aria smacked her forehead. "You were just complaining this morning that Discord did something to her!  Stop being so stubborn and—"

Sunset's eyes went wide as she saw Sour Sweet taking aim. "Heads up!"

While she and the Sirens scattered, Sonata was too slow to the draw.  The ball flew across the room, bashing her right in the face and causing her to spin around.  She fell to the ground, scraping her knees and elbows.  Aria gasped in horror.

"Sonata!" she exclaimed.  She rushed to her side and gestured with her hands. "Time out!"

Wind Rider sighed and blew on his whistle.  The flurry of projectiles had stopped.  Aria hefted Sonata up and cradled her in her arms.

"C-C'mon, Sonata.  Speak to me," she whimpered.

Sonata didn't say a word.  All she could do was cry.  Aria sighed and bit her lip.

"This is the worst," she muttered. "I-it's gonna be okay, Sonata.  Y-you'll be fine.  You gotta be."  She looked up at Adagio. "Hey, give me a hand here, will you?"

Adagio blinked. "Huh?  Oh, yeah.  Sure."

"We don't have time for this, Adagio.  Stop being so—"  Aria stopped herself mid-rant when she realized what Adagio said. "Wait, what?"

Adagio gave Aria an incredulous look as she walked over. "Come on now, Aria.  After everything we've been through, do you really think I'd leave Sonata like that?  You two might be idiots, but you're still my idiots."  She then leered at Sunset. "Despite what others might say."

Aria was about to respond, but she thought better of it. "Whatever.  C'mon, help me get her up."

Slowly but surely, she and Adagio dragged Sonata to her feet.  Sunset watched Adagio intently, her tired mind trying to make sense of her last comment.  But her train of thought was derailed by Wind Rider's whistle.

"Alright, time in!" he announced.

Sunset took a quick glance at Sonata.  She was clearly in no condition to keep playing.  It was apparent that Indigo thought the same thing.

"Hold up!  What're you talking about?!" she barked.

Wind Rider snorted and gestured to Sonata. "She's back on her feet, isn't she?"

"She can barely stand," Sugarcoat observed.

Wind Rider turned to Sonata and scoffed. "Just go walk it off, Dusk.  You'll be fine."  He tossed a ball at Indigo. "Now let's keep this going!  Show these Wondercolts who's boss!"

Indigo looked down at the ball in her hand, a dark shadow cast over her face.  After a pause, she looked up and dropped the ball to the floor.

"No."

Wind Rider raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not doing this," said Indigo, crossing her arms. "We can continue the game once Sonata's off the field, but not before."

Wind Rider's eyes narrowed. "What's gotten into you, Zap?  You of all people should know that the Shadowbolts do whatever it takes to win."

"That's the mentality we had back at the Friendship Games.  It led to Twilight nearly destroying all of reality," Indigo stated frankly. "You see where I'm going with this, coach?  I'm not taking the Shadowbolts down that road again.  I refuse."

Wind Rider scowled. "Not smart, Zap.  You'd better believe that I'm going to be reporting this to Principal Cinch."

He then tossed another ball over to Sunny Flare. "Flare, show Zap how a true Shadowbolt clinches the win."

Sunny Flare swallowed, her eyes darting every which way. "I—"

"Sunny, don't listen to him!" Indigo snapped. "You know this isn't right!"

"It also isn't wise to go against the professor," Sugarcoat pointed out.

"Not helping!" Indigo growled.

Sunny Flare trembled, looking between Wind Rider and Indigo like a dog being summoned by two masters.

"Quit stalling, Flare!" Wind Rider boomed. "Unless you want to join Zap in the principal's office!"

"Sunny, don't you dare throw that ball!" Indigo commanded. "If you do, we're no longer friends!"

"Oh, great job, Indy!  Threatening her will surely get her on your side~!" Sour Sweet purred. "You're such a good leader~!"

"You shut up, too!" Indigo barked.

Sunny Flare let out a strained sigh and closed her eyes, holding the ball aloft. "To throw, or not to throw.  That is the question.  Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to take a stand for what you truly believe in, or recognize that this is a battle you cannot win.  Shall I suffer the slings and arrows of arbitrary punishment, or shall I keep myself out of trouble's treacherous jaws?  And while I keep myself afloat, my friend dives in headfirst, and I lose her forever.  Aye, there's the rub."

Indigo palmed her face. "For crying out loud, Sunny!  Why are you even thinking about this?!"

"Well, at least she's not throwing the ball," Sugarcoat said with a shrug.

Wind Rider growled. "This isn't drama class, Flare!  Quit holding things up!"

"Sunny, think for a second!  Is winning really more important here?!"

"Who're you gonna listen to, Flare?  This punk, or your professor?"

"You're better than this, Sunny!  I know you are!"

Sunny Flare scrunched her eyes shut as both sides went back and forth.  The pressure on her shoulders mounted astronomically, and her grip on the ball tightened.  But through all the screaming, Sunset managed to pick up on a very different sound.  She turned to see Aria carrying Sonata away, stroking her back and humming a familiar tune.  Adagio glanced over at Aria and gasped.

"A-Aria.  Y-you're glowing," she stammered.

Before Aria could react to this development, Sunny Flare let out a wail.  She slammed the ball against the ground with all her might, causing it to ricochet up into the air.  Everyone watched as it arched down right for Sonata.  Sunset was about to dive in and protect the Sirens, but she was stopped by a bright flash.

When she had recovered her vision, her jaw dropped.  Aria was now levitating off the ground, holding the ball with one hand.  Silky fins sprouted from her back, and pony ears appeared on her forehead.  Her pigtails also increased in length.  She turned to Sonata and Adagio.

"You two alright?" she asked.

Adagio stared blankly at Aria. "Um, y-yeah.  We're fine."

Aria smirked. "Good.  I'm not letting you guys get hurt again."

Her smile faded into a scowl as she turned towards the Shadowbolts.  Sunny Flare squeaked in terror, hiding behind Sour Sweet.  After staring the two girls down for a moment, Aria shrugged.

"Meh, you're not worth it," she said. "I know you didn't really want to hurt Sonata."

Her gaze shifted over to Wind Rider. "In fact, I should probably focus on the real problem!"

Wind Rider tried to remain firm while backing away slowly. "N-now listen, Blaze.  A-all I said was that Dusk would be fine.  I-it's your fault for not being tough enough to—"

"Tough?  You think I'm not tough?!"  Aria pulled back as far as she could, taking careful aim. "I'll show you tough!"

"Aria Blaze, please report to the principal's office.  Aria Blaze, to the principal's office, please."

Aira blinked in confusion, staring up at the speakers as her pony form disappeared.

"Hey!  No fair!" she protested. "I didn't do anything!"

"Except for threaten a professor with violence in the middle of class while security cameras are watching," said Sugarcoat, adjusting her glasses.

Aria let out a frustrated roar as she slammed the ball into the ground and stormed off.

"Aria—"  Adagio let out a sigh. "C'mon, Sonata.  I'm taking you to the nurse."

Sunset shook herself from her daze and approached Adagio. "Need some help?"

Adagio responded with a cold glare. "I can do this myself, Shimmer.  Back off."

With that, she led Sonata away.  Wind Rider snorted.

"Hit the showers," he said, turning to Indigo. "As for you, Zap.  I'm very disappointed in your behavior today.  I would think my star athlete would know better than to act out like you did.  Consider yourself suspended from the Shadowbolts until further notice."

Indigo let out an angry grunt and marched into the locker room.  Sunset followed, and she had a sinking suspicion of what would happen next.


***


Once inside the locker room, Indigo slammed her fist against one of the lockers, immediately grabbing everyone's attention.  She turned savagely to Sunny Flare.

"What was that?!" she screamed. "I told you not to throw that ball!"

Sunny Flare threw her hands into the air. "Prithee, what did you expect me to do?!  Did you not hear my inner turmoil?!"

"You knew exactly what you were signing up for when we started this, Sunny!" Indigo snarled.

"Actually, she didn't," Sugarcoat stated flatly. "None of us could've known that this is what you had in mind.  Indigo, our movement is not going to gain much traction if Principal Cinch ends up punishing us for going against our teachers."

Indigo shook her head. "You saw how Professor Rider reacted to Sonata getting hurt, Sugarcoat.  He wanted us to keep playing before she even got off the field!  It's as if he didn't even care!"

"Probably because he doesn't care," said Sugarcoat with a sigh. "It's true, I take great issue with how he handled the situation.  But the stunt you pulled wasn't the solution."

"Okay then, Ms. Smarty Pants!  What do you think we should've done?!"

"We should've reported his behavior to Dean Cadence and let her sort it out."

"And before then?!"

Sugarcoat gave Indigo a blank look before casting her gaze downward. "I-I don't know."

Indigo sneered. "See?  It's not that easy, is it?"

"Verily, 'tis not," said Sunny Flare, slowly advancing towards Indigo. "But that right there is precisely the point!  Have you forgotten our place in the hierarchy, Indigo Zap?!  We are but students, and we are subject to the whims of the teachers!  The egregious actions of the faculty matter not; we still get punished for disobeying their edicts!  Has that thought crossed your mind?!  Or have the flames of rebellion reduced your rational cognition to ash?!"

Indigo stared down Sunny Flare. "It sounds like you've forgotten why we're going through all this trouble in the first place.  We're taking a stand against this stuff!  We can't do that if we just go along with whatever the professors say!"

"If I recall, you've been warning our Canterlot High guests against this very course of action, Indigo," said Sugarcoat, crossing her arms. "Yet here you are, failing to practice what you preach.  Remind me, why exactly are you our leader?"

"Well, duh!  It's 'cause she can make tough decisions," said Sour Sweet, beaming at Indigo. "Isn't that right, Indy?  You're good at making tough decisions for us~.  I don't know what we'd do without you~."

Indigo glowered at Sour Sweet. "Oh, don't play this stupid game, Sour.  This was all your fault."

Sour Sweet blinked. "Wh-what?"

"If you didn't get Sonata hurt in the first place, none of this would've happened!"

Sour Sweet gnashed her teeth and balled her hands into fists. "That was an accident."

"Well, I didn't hear an apology."

Sour Sweet fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh my.  How terribly rude of me~.  Though I must confess, it's hard to give an apology when you're rendered speechless from what you just did!"

"I noticed that you weren't in shock when you criticized me!"

"Hey, I was on your side!"

"Sour, I never know what side you're on!  You keep changing your mind!"

Sugarcoat sighed. "Indigo, you're letting your temper get the better of you.  Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!  If anything, you should be more upset!" Indigo roared. "Did you not see what Professor Rider was doing?!"

"We all saw what he was doing, Indigo.  There's no dispute here," said Sugarcoat. "What I don't understand is how going rogue and acting in direct defiance of the teacher is going to solve anything."

"Because we're making a stand and fighting for what we believe in!"

"And then we all subsequently get expelled by Principal Cinch.  Indigo, Sunny's hesitation was not merely out of fear.  It's just pragmatism."

Indigo let out a snort. "Lemon, back me up here.  You know what I'm—"

She trailed off and palmed her face.  Lemon Zest was engrossed in her music, just like always.  But instead of a cheery grin, she had a solemn frown on her face.  Indigo groaned.

"Of course you're listening to music.  Of course you're not paying attention!  I can't count on you guys for anything, can I?!  Well, fine!  I don't need you guys!  I'll do this all on my own if I have to!"

She stormed off, punching another locker as she left.  Lemon Zest perked up, looking around the room.

"What'd I miss?" she asked.

Sugarcoat deadpanned. "Let's just say I'm astounded that you haven't been kicked out of this school yet."

"H-hey!  Low blow, dude!  You know I'm trying!"

"Actions speak louder than words, young Lemon Zest."

"Oh, you mean like your action of throwing the ball at an injured girl?!"

"I-I threw it against the ground!  If you must blame anyone, blame the wheels of fate who have seen fit to trample me into submission!"

"Dudes, can we just chill for a sec?"

"Oh, so now you wish to contribute?  You could've said something before Indigo stormed off in a huff."

"Oh, Sugarcoat~.  I doubt she has anything productive to say.  After all, she's the reason Indigo stormed off in the first place!"

"So, you think this is all my fault?  Dude, not cool."

The Shadowbolts continued to bicker and argue.  Sunset listened with a heavy heart, wanting desperately to intervene.  Unfortunately, she found herself unable to focus, as her weary mind was preoccupied with piecing together everything that had just transpired.  What's more, the adrenaline rush from gym class had subsided, bringing her back to the brink of burnout.

The bell rang, and the Shadowbolts filed out without saying another word to one another.  As Sunset followed, she received a text from Discord.

"I did warn you.  It's painful to relive such an experience, isn't it?"

Sunset sighed and responded.

"You have no idea."

Discord replied with a picture of Dean Cadence hanging from a tree, with the caption "Hang in there" underneath it.  Sunset managed to crack a small smirk.

"Thanks.  I needed that."

She paused.

"Also, good call."

She then put her phone away and left the gym.
> Lean on Mi Amore
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset spent the walk to Dean Cadence's office trying to mentally prepare herself for the meeting.  As she rounded the corner, she braced herself for the onslaught of angry banter.  However, this time around, things were quite peaceful.  Not a peep was heard from Cadence's office, and Slitherquick was nowhere to be seen.  Sunset breathed out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness for small favors, she thought. The last thing I need is Ms. Slitherquick getting on my case again.

She sauntered up to the door and raised her hand to knock.

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

Sunset froze, her eye twitching involuntarily.  She didn't even bother to turn around to address Professor Flypaper, who was now standing behind her.

"With all due respect, Professor Flypaper, I am not in the mood for this," she grumbled. "I need to speak to Dean Cadence about something."

"Does your professor know about this?" Flypaper inquired.

"I just came here from my last class, so no," said Sunset frankly. "I'll tell her later."  She then shot Flypaper a dark look. "And before you ask, no, I'm not going to tell you why I'm meeting with the Dean.  It's none of your business."

Flypaper flinched slightly. "I wasn't going to ask, Ms. Shimmer."

Sunset blinked and turned around. "Huh?"

"You're absolutely right, Ms. Shimmer.  Whatever you discuss with Dean Cadence is solely your prerogative," Flypaper stated simply. "Trust me, I may be harsh, but I'm not like Ms. Slitherquick."

"But, what about yesterday?" asked Sunset. "You were getting on Dean Cadence's case about security protocol."

Flypaper sighed. "That was a mistake on my part.  I was under the impression that she knew about the new protocol, and for whatever reason, she didn't go through the official channels to request exemption.  But as it turns out, she simply did not get the memo."

Sunset stared blankly at Flypaper, unsure of how to respond to that. "Huh."  She scratched her head. "Well, what is Ms. Slitherquick's problem with Dean Cadence, anyway?"

Flypaper narrowed his eyes. "I am a man of science, Ms. Shimmer.  It is not my place to exchange idle gossip, especially when it's frankly none of your concern.  Besides, I really should be going to my next class.  Take care, Ms. Shimmer."

With a nod, he walked away.  Sunset watched him leave, baffled by the surprisingly civil exchange she just had with him.  After shrugging it off, she turned back to the door and raised her hand to knock.

"And just what do you think you're doing here, young lady?"

Sunset let out a groan, slamming her head against the door with a dull thud.

"I just can't get a break, can I?" she growled.

"That implies you deserve one," said Slitherquick, leaning on her cane. "You should be in class right now."

Sunset's face darkened as she turned to look at Slitherquick. "I just got through telling Professor Flypaper that I wanted to meet with Dean Cadence first," she said plainly. "And guess what?  He was kind enough not to lecture me about it.  So, if you could just follow his example and go somewhere else, that'd be great, thanks."

Slitherquick gasped. "Such insolence!  Didn't anyone at Canterlot High teach you to respect your elders?"

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ms. Slitherquick, I am at a very low ebb right now.  Please don't push me."

"I'm not afraid of you, witch," Slitherquick said with a sneer. "I'm on to your little game.  You and Cadence are conspiring to destroy everything Principal Cinch has built.  And one way or another, I will expose you two for what you truly are."

Sunset let out an angry snort. "I don't need this," she stated, turning around.  Slitherquick scowled, maneuvering around Sunset and blocking the entrance to Cadence's office.

"There's no escape for you, girl," she said coldly. "It's only a matter of time before your entire scheme unravels.  And when it does, I will be there to watch you—"

A distinct chime sounded from Sunset's pocket.  She took out her cellphone.  There was a button marked "Nope!" on the screen, with a doodle of Discord decorating the edges.  Sunset sighed.

"Excuse me, Ms. Slitherquick.  I have to take this."

With only a moment's hesitation, she tapped the button.  Straight away, a trapdoor opened from beneath Slitherquick's feet.  With a shriek, she fell through, landing with a large splash.  The door to Cadence's office swung open, and Cadence took a quick look around.  Once she saw the trapdoor and Sunset standing before it, she deadpanned.

"Slitherquick?" she asked.

Sunset sighed. "Slitherquick."

Dean Cadence let out a sigh of her own, giving Sunset a chiding look. "Sunset, we talked about this.  It's not that I'm ungrateful or anything; I don't want Slitherquick poking her nose where it doesn't belong any more than you do.  Nevertheless, you can't keep abusing your magic like this.  This isn't just about Cinch, mind you.  You of all people should know that your powers are too dangerous to be used willy-nilly."

At that moment, Sunset received a text from Discord.

"Just tell her the truth."

Sunset looked down at her phone for a moment, then up at Cadence.  Finally, she let out a defeated sigh and hung her head.

"Dean Cadence, that wasn't me," she said.

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I-I mean I haven't been telling you everything," Sunset murmured.  At that moment, a dam inside her broke, and everything simply rushed out at once. "I-I didn't mean to lie to you.  I wanted to tell you everything, honest.  But I kept getting preoccupied, and I wasn't sure if you'd understand anyway, and looking back it was actually kinda dumb of me to hide this, but—"

Cadence cut across Sunset by holding up her hand.  Her stern expression had softened into a concerned frown.

"Sunset, do as I do," she said calmly. "Deep breath in..."

She took in a deep breath, placing a hand to her chest.  Sunset did the same.

"And let it out."

She exhaled, extending her arm as she did so.  Sunset followed her movements exactly.

"Now, why don't you come inside and tell me what's on your mind?" Cadence offered.

After a pause, Sunset nodded and complied. "O-okay."


***


Once she sat down, Sunset told Cadence all about her experience the past few days.  Discord's assistance, the magic sensors, the changes in Sonata's behavior, and especially what happened during Wind Rider's gym class.  She poured her heart out, making sure not to leave out a single detail.  All the while, Cadence listened intently, and she didn't interrupt her once.  Once Sunset was finished, Cadence cleared her throat.

"Well, first of all, if your friend Discord really is helping, I suppose that explains what's been happening to Ms. Slitherquick," she mused. "But what I don't understand is why you felt the need to hide this from me."

"Precisely because of what's been happening to Ms. Slitherquick," said Sunset sheepishly, rubbing her arm. "I don't doubt that Discord's heart is in the right place, but you've probably figured out that his idea of helping is, well, controversial to say the least.  Even when I talk to him and ask him to be subtle, he just does whatever he wants.  And seeing as you already have so much to worry about, I didn't want to worry you further."

Cadence shook her head. "Sunset, I appreciate your concern, but you shouldn't feel the need to lie to me in order to protect me.  I already told you; this is my burden just as much as it is yours."  A small smirk appeared on her face. "Besides, it seems to me that you have plenty of worries of your own.  There's no need for you to make this harder on yourself."

Sunset blushed and cast her gaze downward. "Yeah, you're right about that.  I-I'm sorry.  I probably should've told you sooner, but I just didn't know how you'd take it.  Plus, well, I've been pretty busy staying on top of everything."

"I've gathered," said Cadence. "Just promise me that there will be no more secrets between us, okay?  Remember, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Sunset let out a sad scoff. "I'm afraid Discord is well out of anyone's control, Dean Cadence.  But, I understand what you mean."  She laughed again. "Honestly, I'm surprised I'm saying this, but Discord is actually the least of my problems right now."

"Indeed," said Cadence solemnly.  She knitted her brow. "I'm very sorry to hear about what happened in Gym Class.  Rest assured, I will have some words for Professor Rider later.  His response to Sonata's injury was simply unacceptable."

"I'm more worried about the Shadowbolts," said Sunset.  She sniffled, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I should've said something to them.  I was in that situation before with my own friends back at Canterlot High.  I knew exactly what to say to get them to stop fighting.  But, I was just in complete shock over what happened to Aria, and I simply couldn't think straight.  Even if I could, these past few days have just been so, stressful."

"Is the schoolwork too difficult for you?" asked Cadence.

"That's just it.  I can handle the schoolwork," said Sunset frankly. "I was a very studious pony back in Equestria; this kind of workload isn't exactly new to me.  But you know it's not just the workload I'm concerned about.  I'm also looking after the Sirens, and trying to keep Discord from blowing up the school, and trying to figure out Principal Cinch's agenda for the Shadowbolts.  I mean, I'm not doing all this by myself, thank goodness, but just trying to keep track of everything has left me drained."

She heaved a great sigh, allowing a few more tears to escape her eyes. "And now, well, I almost feel like I have to go it alone.  Discord can't enter the school without setting off those sensors, Sonata isn't herself, the Shadowbolts are fighting amongst themselves, Adagio still doesn't trust me, and I don't even know what's going to happen to Aria.  I-I don't know what I'm going to do."

After a brief pause, Cadence reached over to a box of tissues on her desk.  She deftly plucked one from the box and offered it to Sunset.

"You don't have to do this alone, Sunset," she said warmly. "I can see how your experience here has been exhausting.  You should probably take some time to recharge and clear your head.  Now, I'm not asking you to stop altogether.  You don't strike me as the kind of person to give up, anyway.  However, I'm sure ponies need breaks just as much as humans do."

Sunset took a moment to dry her face before giving Cadence a quizzical look. "Then, what should I do?"

"How about you let me take over for the rest of the day?" Cadence offered. "I'll speak to Principal Cinch about Aria and Professor Rider.  For now, you just focus on your studies and keep being a good friend.  Do you think you can do that?"

Sunset sniffled and nodded. "I-I'll try.  By the way, did you talk to Principal Cinch about Sonata?"

Cadence's face darkened as she shook her head. "I tried, but she just blew me off.  She said it was only a minor infraction, but after hearing what you've just told me, I'm not so sure."

Sunset frowned. "And you're saying that I shouldn't be worried about this?"

"Not at all," Cadence assured her. "It's perfectly natural for you to be worried.  All I'm asking is that you take some comfort in the knowledge that I'll be handling this, at least for the rest of the day.  That way, you don't overwhelm yourself trying to stay on top of everything at once."

Sunset paused to think for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I think I get it."  She then smiled. "Thanks for listening, Dean Cadence.  I really needed to get all that off my chest."

"That's what I'm here for," said Cadence, smiling back.  She quickly checked the schedule on her computer. "Be sure to let Professor Hemline know that you were here to see me.  She shouldn't ask too many questions."

"I will," said Sunset. "And please, let me know if you find out anything, okay?"

"Certainly," said Cadence, giving Sunset a sly wink. "After all, no more secrets between us, right?"

Sunset chuckled despite herself. "Right.  Again, I'm really sorry about that."

"You're forgiven," said Cadence. "Take it easy, Sunset."

Sunset got up and went for the door.  Before she left, she turned her head.

"Dean Cadence?"

"Yes?"

Sunset bit her lip. "What do you think I should do about Adagio?  I keep trying to be nice to her, but she just won't trust me."

Cadence shrugged. "Well, you know what they say.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make her drink.  Um, no offense."

"None taken," said Sunset.  She then sighed. "Even so, it just bothers me to see her being so hostile towards me when all I want to do is help."

"I know that feeling all too well," said Cadence sagely. "Just let her know that whenever she is ready to walk through that door, you'll be there for her.  That's really all you can do.  Heck, that's basically my job description."

Sunset let out another laugh. "Right.  I'll keep that in mind.  Thanks again, Dean Cadence."

"Anytime," said Cadence with a warm smile.

As soon as Sunset left, Cadence's smile faded.

"Right.  Now, hopefully, I can get some real answers from Abacus," she mused.  She got up from her desk and swiftly left her office.


***


"I guess it's only fair.  I'm the only one who cares about them, so it's my job to go get them.  So much for us being in this together."

Indigo Zap marched through the corridors of Crystal Prep, grumbling and muttering to herself.  She was so caught up in her bitterness, she didn't pay any mind to passers-by or where she was going.  Only when she managed to catch sight of Principal Cinch's door in her peripheral vision did she stop in her tracks.

"Wait.  Sh-she couldn't have," she said, brow furrowing. "Could she?  I mean, there was no announcement or anything, but..."

After pondering for a while, she tentatively shuffled over to Cinch's door and raised her hand to knock.  Before she could, however, she heard a sweet, familiar voice.

"Indigo?  Is everything okay?"

Indigo jumped slightly. "O-oh!  Dean Cadence.  H-hey."  She cleared her throat and took out her hall pass. "Just looking for a couple of students playing hooky.  You wouldn't happen to know where Sunset and Adagio are, would you?"

"Well, I just met with Sunset a few minutes ago.  She needed to speak with me about some concerns she's been having," said Cadence.  She then knitted her brow. "However, I haven't seen Adagio Dazzle all day."

Indigo sighed. "Figures.  I really hope she didn't just decide to up and leave.  Professor Hemline would not be happy about that, and knowing my luck, she'll probably take it out on me."

Cadence tilted her head. "Indigo, is something wrong?"

"Wh-what?  Nah, it's nothing," said Indigo.  She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall. "Just having a crummy day, that's all."

Cadence walked over next to Indigo. "Do you want to talk about it?  It looks to me like you could use a friend."

Indigo scoffed. "Well, at least you seem to get that.  Unlike some other people I could mention."

Cadence frowned. "Did you get into a fight with your friends?"

Indigo looked up at Cadence. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"You never were good at hiding things," Cadence replied.

Indigo let out another sigh and stared at the ground for a while. "Did Sunset tell you about what happened in Gym Class?"

"She might have," said Cadence ambiguously.

Indigo's face darkened as the grip around her folded arms tightened. "Well, here's basically what happened.  We were playing dodgeball, and Sonata ended up getting hurt.  We stopped the game to give her some breathing room, but as soon as she got to her feet, Professor Rider says we have to keep playing."

"Oh dear," said Cadence, genuinely concerned. "That sounds horrible."

"It gets worse," Indigo growled. "See, I didn't want to put her in danger, right?  So I said, 'Hey, how about we don't turn into heartless monsters and let Sonata get to safety before we start the game again?'  But Professor Rider wasn't having it.  And then, everyone else started getting on my case like I was the bad guy!  'Oh, we shouldn't disobey the teachers!  I don't wanna get in trouble!'  Seriously, did no one learn anything from the Friendship Games?!"

Cadence sighed. "I'm pretty sure that isn't the case, Indigo.  After all, I remember a time when you would simply soldier on without concern for others.  But look at you now."

"Yeah, but I feel like I'm the only one," Indigo griped. "I mean, everyone else keeps telling me they're on my side, but they certainly don't act like it.  Sugarcoat never has anything positive to say, Sour Sweet is always either sarcastic or constantly changing her mind, Sunny Flare feels the need to say everything in over-the-top dramatic prose, and Lemon Zest never says anything 'cause apparently, she thinks her music is more important than us trying to fix our school!  I can't rely on any of them!"

"Yes, I can certainly see how that would be frustrating," Cadence mused. "But answer me this, Indigo.  Out of all the Shadowbolts, which one was the first to say that Crystal Prep needed to change for the better?"

Indigo shrugged. "I-I dunno.  We were just talking about it one day, and suddenly, we all agreed that something had to be done."

"And do you think that would've happened if the others didn't care about the well-being of the school?"

Indigo bit her lip. "I-I guess not."

Cadence smiled before staring off into space. "You have to understand something Indigo.  When you five first came to me with that petition for the school-exchange program, it was quite a pleasant surprise.  I've been Dean of Students at this school for quite some time, but I had never seen a collaborative effort quite like that."

"Y-yeah," Indigo said sheepishly. "I mean, I know what it was like before the Games.  We all had to keep our eyes on the ball, y'know?  There was nothing else.  We didn't think about anyone else because we felt we couldn't afford to."

"But now, things are changing," Cadence said sagely. "And you five are trying to accomplish something that has never been done at this school before."  She looked over at Indigo, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you think that would make anyone anxious?  Just a little bit?"

Indigo made a face. "No.  I refuse to accept that my friends are a bunch of cowards.  I-it's just not in them."

"Things aren't so black-and-white, Indigo," said Cadence. "Being scared doesn't make you a coward.  Everyone has their own fears and anxieties, and ignoring them doesn't make them go away."

Indigo scoffed. "Yeah, right.  Like you're afraid of anything."

Cadence chuckled. "You'd be surprised, Indigo.  Look, the point is that you certainly hear a lot when your friends talk.  Why not actually try listening to what they're saying?  Understand where they're coming from."

Indigo sucked in a breath through her teeth as she took a moment to mull over Cadence's words. "Well..."

Just then, the door to Cinch's office opened.  Aria emerged, a dark scowl emblazoned on her face.  Like Sonata, her skin was paler than usual, and her eyes were glazed.  Her arms were crossed, and she was gripping at them intensely.

"Oh.  Aria," said Indigo, clearing her throat. "Um, you doing okay?"

Aria mumbled something incoherent.

"Uh, what?"

Aria mumbled again.

"Didn't quite catch that."

Aria looked up at Indigo and snorted. "I said m'fine," she growled.

Already, Indigo felt as though warning bells were going off in her head. "Uh, you told Cinch about Professor Rider, right?"

"Sure," Aria grumbled, averting her eyes.

"And, is she gonna do anything about it?"

Aria shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, don't care."

Cadence sighed. "Aria, didn't you complain to me yesterday about how Sonata wouldn't open up to you?  Why are you doing this?"

Aria scrunched her eyes shut, her knuckles turning white as she clutched at her arms. "J-just leave me alone.  I don't have time for this; I need to get to class."

She started marching off.  Indigo scratched her head.

"Um, Aria?  You're heading for the nurse's office," she said. "Class is the other way."

Aria grunted and did an about-face. "I-I knew that," she murmured.

Cadence paused to think for a moment. "Aria, if you're worried about Sonata, I can go check on her if you want."

Aria's shoulders became tense as she vigorously shook her head. "Sh-she'll be fine.  She was always f-fine.  I'm fine."

Indigo frowned. "Aria, what's going on?"

Aria shot Indigo a glare. "Mind your own business," she snarled.  And with that, she marched off to class.  Indigo clenched her fist.

"Okay, that's it."  She rapped her knuckle against the door.  Slitherquick answered her, droplets of water dripping from her hair and clothes.  She glowered at Dean Cadence.

"I'm afraid Principal Cinch is preoccupied," she stated bluntly. "Come back later.  Or never."

She was about to close the door when Indigo stopped her.

"No dice, Ms. Slitherquick," she said darkly. "We need to speak to Cinch now."

Slitherquick leered at Indigo. "I don't take instructions from you, punk.  Now clear—"

"It's alright, Slitherquick.  I can meet with Cadence briefly."

Slitherquick blinked before shuffling out of the way, allowing Cinch to emerge.  Dean Cadence folded her arms.

"I take it Aria has told you about what happened in Gym Class?" she asked rhetorically.

"She has," Cinch replied. "I will be sure to speak to Professor Rider about proper safety procedure."

Indigo's eyes went wide. "What, that's it?  You're just going to give him a slap on the wrist?!"

"I do not approve of his actions any more than you do, Indigo Zap," said Cinch plainly. "However, I feel that Ms. Blaze's response was out of line."

"She was trying to protect her friends."

"And that somehow makes it permissible for her to threaten violence against the faculty?"

Indigo balled up her hands into fists and began to tremble. "What did you do to her?"

Cinch raised an eyebrow. "I, beg your pardon?"

"You did something to Aria!  I know you did something to her!" Indigo roared. "Just like you did something to Sonata yesterday!  What did you do?!"

Cinch stood her ground, towering over Indigo. "I don't know where you're getting these bizarre fantasies, Indigo Zap, but I assure you, Ms. Dusk and Ms. Blaze have merely been reprimanded for their actions.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Besides which, it isn't your business."

"They're my friends!  I'm making it my business!" Indigo barked, pounding her fist into her palm. "Now either you tell me what you did to them, or I'll—"

"Indigo, stop."

Indigo flinched as a hand gently grabbed her shoulder.  She looked up at Dean Cadence, who shook her head.

"This isn't the way," she admonished. "In fact, this is exactly what got Aria in trouble."

"How do you know that?!" Indigo screamed, tears streaming down her face. "Cinch just wanted an excuse to punish her for using magic!  It's not fair!"

Cadence sighed and looked up at Cinch. "I'm sorry about this, Principal Cinch.  Indigo has been having a rough day.  I'll straighten this out."

Cinch nodded. "Understood, Dean Cadence."  She then gave Indigo a stern look. "Count yourself lucky that Dean Cadence is far more forgiving than I am, Indigo Zap.  I see now why Professor Rider was so disappointed in your behavior."

She walked back into her office and closed the door.  Indigo let out a yell and punched the door with all her might.  Cadence gently squeezed Indigo's shoulder.

"I share your frustrations, Indigo.  Believe me, I do," she said somberly. "Do you need to take some time to decompress?"

Indigo sniffled, brushing her nose before letting out a sigh. "I-I still need to find Adagio for Professor Hemline."

"Why don't we look for her together?" Cadence suggested. "In fact, I'd bet anything that she's still looking after Sonata in the nurse's office."

Indigo paused for a moment before nodding. "Th-that actually sounds good.  I-I could really use someone right now."

Cadence gave Indigo a warm smile. "That's why I'm here."

With that, the two of them made their way down the hall.


***


"She's onto us, Principal Cinch.  You should've used the device to strip her of that corrupting magic right then and there!"

Cinch shook her head. "She was just letting her emotions get the better of her, Slitherquick."

"Besides, if she was corrupted by magic, my devices would've spotted it," Flypaper added.

Slitherquick scowled. "I notice they didn't spot when Sunset Shimmer cast that hex on me."

Flypaper crossed his arms. "I'm looking into that, alright?  It's not like I have a lot of free time to dedicate to this project."

"You're absolutely right, Professor Flypaper," said Cinch circling to her desk. "Which is why I greatly appreciate you being a good sport about all this."

Flypaper cleared his throat. "Well, thank you, Principal Cinch.  I'm certainly glad that you appreciate all the hard work I've done to meet your, shall we say, interesting requests."

Slitherquick arched an eyebrow. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Flypaper sighed. "I am a man of science, Ms. Slitherquick.  These matters of the arcane are well outside my area of expertise.  But, a true scientist doesn't reach a conclusion until the experiment is done.  Though I hypothesize that as long as you keep poking your nose where it doesn't belong, all of our efforts will be undone."

Slitherquick clutched at her cane. "Why you—"

"He's right, Slitherquick," said Cinch, pressing her fingers together. "Your actions are only prompting Dean Cadence and our Canterlot High guests to ask more questions.  We can't reveal our hand just yet.  Not until I'm fully certain that I can without causing an incident.  Is that understood?"

Slitherquick growled. "Yes, Principal Cinch."

"Both of you, dismissed."

Slitherquick and Flypaper left Cinch alone in her office.  She reached under her desk and opened the drawer.  This time, there were two glowing lights inside; one blue and one magenta.

If this truly is an experiment to you, Professor Flypaper, then I am quite satisfied with the results so far, she mused. And there is but one foregone conclusion: This is my school, and I am in control...
> Scandalous Revelations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset spent the next several hours practically on autopilot.  She was writing equations and studying facts simply to keep herself busy.  However, preoccupying her mind did not make the heavy weight on her heart disappear.  She was grateful that Dean Cadence was willing to share the burden, but she could still feel her fears and anxieties gnawing away at her.

Focus on your schoolwork; be a good friend, she kept reminding herself. That's all you have to do for now.  You'll figure out the rest later.

The next morning, things didn't seem to get any easier.  As Sunset got off the bus, she noticed that none of the Shadowbolts were there to greet her.  Even Indigo Zap was surprisingly absent.  However, she did notice Adagio marching briskly towards the school.  Utilizing Dean Cadence's breathing technique, she took in a deep breath and let it out in a great sigh.  She then waved at Adagio.

"Hey, Adagio!  Wait up!" she called out.

Adagio said nothing, but instead quickened her pace.  Sunset sighed again and followed suit.  Adagio groaned.

"Can't you take a hint, Shimmer?" she growled.

"Well, sorry for trying to be friendly," Sunset grumbled.  She quickly looked around a noticed something else was amiss. "Um, where are Sonata and Aria?"

"Adagio~!"

Sunset found her question was answered as soon as she asked it.  They were barely inside the building when she saw Sonata and Aria running up behind them.  Sonata's injuries were all patched up, though she still looked rather pale and sickly.  Aria didn't seem to fair much better.  Adagio palmed her face.

"Girls, I thought I told you to stay home," she scolded, turning to face her compatriots. "What do I have to do, chain you both to bed?"

Aria folded her arms. "You didn't tell us anything, Adagio.  You just ditched us."

"I left you a note!"

"Yeah, we didn't read that," said Sonata sheepishly. "But seriously, Dagi.  We're fine.  Stop overreacting."

"You two are not 'fine,'" Adagio snarled. "In fact, I'm very worried."

"Oh, is that why you spent all day yesterday in the nurse's office with Sonata?" asked Aria, raising an eyebrow.

"As opposed to what?"

Aria shrugged. "Oh, I don't know.  Maybe going to class; taking a few notes; making sure she doesn't miss anything.  Something that would actually help."

Adagio shook her head and pointed at Aria. "See, this is what I'm talking about.  Are you listening to yourself right now?  Since when do either of you care about this school stuff?  You're not acting like yourselves, and you won't tell me why."

"People change, Adagio," said Aria, narrowing her eyes. "And the sooner you figure that out, the better."

She and Sonata made their way towards the turnstiles.  With a heavy sigh, Adagio stood in their way.

"You are going home, right now," she stated plainly.

Sonata blinked. "Dagi, what's gotten into you?"

"What's gotten into me?  What's gotten into you?" Adagio snapped. "Don't either of you remember what happened yesterday?  I'm not letting you go through that again."

Aria bit her lip and averted her eyes. "C'mon, Adagio.  Y-you're making a scene."

"I don't care.  I'm putting my foot down," Adagio proclaimed. "Either you two tell me what's wrong, or go home so you can rest up."

Sonata began to tremble. "B-but our classes.  W-we need to work hard and get—"

"And another thing.  Stop spouting off this 'school's the only thing that matters' nonsense.  It's getting on my nerves."

Sunset cleared her throat and ventured forward. "I'm gonna have to—"

"Shove off, Shimmer.  This doesn't concern you," Adagio snarled, cutting across her. "You don't know these idiots like I do."

"W-well, maybe we don't wanna be called idiots anymore," said Sonata, her eyes looking every which way. "Maybe that's why we think school is important now.  Ever think of that, Dagi?"

Adagio sighed, her expression softening slightly. "Sonata, I can tell you're lying.  Something's bothering you two; I know it.  But I don't understand why you won't tell me.  Don't you trust me?"

"O-of course we do, Adagio," said Aria, hiding her face. "B-but, nothing's wrong.  Honest.  And we're not leaving."

Adagio crossed her arms. "Look me right in the eye and say that, Aria Blaze."

Aria scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head. "Adagio, please.  Stop being like this.  W-we're gonna get in trouble."

"Why do you care about that?"

"I-I just do, alright?!  Get off my back!"

"No!  I'm not going to stand here and watch you two suffer needlessly!"

Sonata and Aria flinched.  They saw that tears were forming in the corners of Adagio's eyes.  They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.  Sunset herself wanted desperately to intervene, but she knew Adagio would bar her from the conversation again.  Instead, she simply watched, fixated on the drama that was unfolding.

"D-Dagi, y-you're scaring us," Sonata whimpered.

"How do you think I feel?" Adagio countered.  She sighed. "Look, if you're not going to go home, at least go to the nurse's office."

"But what about—?"

"I'll cover for you guys.  It's not like you're going to get in trouble for being sick."  Adagio looked at Sonata and Aria with pleading eyes. "Please, just do this for me.  It's for your own good."

Sonata and Aria looked at each other for a while.  Finally, Aria let out a sigh.

"Alright, fine," she conceded begrudgingly. "But if the nurse doesn't find anything wrong with us, you have to shut up about it for the rest of the day, deal?"

"We'll see," said Adagio simply. "Again, I'm just worried about you."

"W-we know," said Aria, blushing slightly.  She and Sonata shuffled off past the turnstile.  Adagio followed suit, humming a random collection of notes.  As Sunset brought up the rear, she noticed a golden aura radiating from Adagio's body.  She wasn't sure whether to feel excited or frightened of this emerging development.  Before she could inform Adagio, however, a familiar voice sounded over the loudspeaker.

"Adagio Dazzle, please come to the principal's office.  Adagio Dazzle, to the principal's office, please."

Adagio froze in her tracks.  She clenched her fists, and her eye began to twitch.  She noticed Sunset out of her peripheral vision, and her knuckles turned completely white.

"Discord~!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

As if on cue, Discord appeared on Sunset's phone, wearing a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

"What'd I do, what'd I do?!" he sputtered frantically.

Adagio turned to Sunset savagely. "You summon that troublesome draconequess right now, Shimmer!  This is all his fault!"

"Adagio, it's not him!" Sunset insisted. "I saw what happened!  You—"

"I don't wanna hear it!" Adagio interrupted.  She jabbed her finger into Sunset's chest. "Stop standing up for him!  You know he can't be trusted!  He's the reason Sonata and Aria are acting like this!"

Discord scowled. "Okay, that's about all I can take."

A beam of light leapt from Sunset's phone.  But instead of Discord, the shape of Adagio Dazzle manifested itself.  The clone looked over at Adagio and winked.  Adagio's face turned bright red as she glared at her doppelgänger.

"Don't.  You.  Dare," she said darkly. "You're just going to make me look even worse.  I-I didn't even do anything!"

"Obviously, Cinch disagrees," said the Adagio clone with a shrug. "And I'm going to take this one for you and get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all.  You don't mind, do you, Smitty?"

It didn't take long for Sunset to figure out what was going on herself.  She looked down and rubbed her arm. "Discord, are you sure this is smart?"

The Adagio clone chortled. "Smitty, look who you're talking to.  How could this possibly go wrong?  Besides, I remember pulling some pretty crazy stops to finally get you to trust me.  This isn't any different."

Sunset thought about this for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, it's not like we can do anything to stop you," she said. "Just, try to be careful, okay?"

Discord smirked. "That's an even ten, Smitty.  And really, you have nothing to worry about.  I got this."

He then snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.  Adagio scowled at Sunset.

"If he ends up making things worse, I'm sending you straight to the moon," she warned, shaking her fist.

"H-hey, don't take this out on me," said Sunset. "I told you, Discord's—"

She was interrupted by an app on her phone opening on its own accord.  Curious, she took it out and looked at it.  On the screen was an image of Principal Cinch's door.  On the top right corner was a small REC symbol flashing on and off, and the top left corner read "Unregistered DiscordCam 2 (patent pending)."  A yellow hand entered the frame and performed the "shave and a haircut" knock on the door.

"Come in," came a voice from inside.

The door opened, revealing Principal Cinch's office.  The camera moved forward, taking a seat before the great wooden desk.  There was a slam as the door closed behind the camera.  Cinch swiveled around in her chair, looking straight into the lens.

"Adagio Dazzle, I presume?" she said.

"You presume correctly," Adagio's voice responded.

Cinch nodded and took out a file from her drawer. "I suppose you're wondering why you're here."

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" asked Adagio's voice.  The camera tilted slightly, as if the cameraman was shrugging their shoulders. "I mean, all I was doing was talking to my friends.  That shouldn't be a crime."

"It, isn't," said Cinch. "But, tell me.  What were you talking about?"

"I don't see how that's your business."

Cinch narrowed her eyes. "Let me decide that, Ms. Dazzle.  Because after your little tete-a-tete, I noticed something peculiar."

"Oh?"

"A magical signature, coming straight from your body."

There was a scoff from behind the camera. "And just how do you know that, Principal Cinch?"

Cinch pressed her fingers together. "Tell me, Ms. Dazzle.  Were you able to participate in this year's Friendship Games?"

"Afraid not," said Adagio's voice. "I was out sick on that day.  Good thing my two best friends in the whole wide world were there to take care of me."

Adagio's eyes went wide. "H-how did he know about—?"

"Shh," Sunset hissed, her eyes glued to the video.

"Yes, quite," said Cinch.  She got up from her desk and began pacing. "Well, during the Games, there was an, incident with magic.  A rather devastating incident.  One that cost Crystal Prep victory as well as a sizable amount of our prestige."

Another scoff was heard from behind the camera. "Is that all you care about?"

Cinch gave the camera a disapproving glare. "As a matter of fact, no.  That magic incident also put several people in harm's way, including my own students.  What's more, the psychological effects of this phenomenon have been rather troubling.  Which is why I have decided to resort to preventative measures."

She reached behind her desk and pulled out an all-too-familiar device.  Sunset felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end, and she swallowed.

"Ms. Dazzle, for the safety of this school, I'm going to have to confiscate your magic for the rest of your tenure here," said Cinch. "Now, do not fret.  You will be getting it back when you return to Canterlot High.  But, there is something you should know."

"And what might that be?"

Cinch's face darkened. "I will admit that this policy can be seen as controversial, which is why I want to keep this classified for the time being.  What happens in this room stays in this room.  Don't even tell Dean Cadence, because I will know.  And if that happens, none of you will get your magic back.  Do I make myself clear?"

Sunset gasped, placing a hand to her mouth.  Her eyes remained fixated on the screen, and she stood as still as a statue.  She heard a slight chuckle from behind the camera.

"I just want to clear up a couple of things first," said Adagio's voice. "Did you do this to my friends, too?"

"I'm afraid so," said Cinch with a nod. "But like I said, you all will get your magic back as long as you keep quiet about all this."

"I see," mused Adagio's voice. "Just, one more question."

"What is it, Ms. Dazzle?"

"Have you ever tried to drink an ocean?"

Before Cinch could respond, the camera started panning upwards.  Sunset and Adagio watched as Cinch's jaw dropped open.  She removed her glasses and stared up in disbelief.  The camera stared back down at her, and a familiar silhouette overshadowed Cinch's body.

"Wh-who are you?" Cinch sputtered. "How are you doing this?"

"I'm the Master of Chaos, and I'm the Master of Chaos," Discord replied.  He then snapped his fingers, reversing Cinch's personal gravity and causing her to slam against the ceiling.

"You see, I've been watching you for quite some time, Principal Cinch," Discord continued. "You and your little lackey, Slitherquick.  It's quite apparent that you both have been hurting my friends.  And just between us, I don't take that sort of thing very well."

He snapped his fingers again, causing Cinch to fall back down to earth.  Cinch got up and snorted, leering at Discord.

"So, you are the source of Canterlot High's power," she said.

There was a buzzing sound.

"Not even close," said Discord with a chuckle. "However, I am one of the most powerful beings in Equestria.  And suffice to say, you do not want to be on my bad side."

If Cinch was intimidated by Discord's demeanor, she didn't show it.  She walked over behind her desk.

"I will not have a repeat of the Friendship Games," she vowed. "If you seek to ruin my school, I'll have to take your magic as well."

Discord laughed. "With that puny device?  Trust me, Cinch.  I've had my magic stolen before.  That thing can't possibly have the same capacity as Lord Tirek.  Go ahead, I'll give you a free shot.  Right here."

Cinch said nothing, but instead tapped the device.  It snapped open, glowing and sparking.  A photo-negative aura wafted its way from behind the camera and towards the device, collecting in a small pearl.  After a few seconds, the device began to spark and shake.  Deftly, Cinch slammed it shut, stopping the transfer.  Discord looked at his wrist, which suddenly displayed what looked like a Fitbit.

"Hmm.  One twenty-five percent.  Pathetic," he said, shaking his head. "As I understand it, that's not exactly a passing grade.  I can still make your life quite miserable."

Cinch nodded off to the side. "Mr. Lockdown, if you would."

The camera suddenly shuddered.  Surprised, Discord whipped around.  There was the security guard Lockdown, holding a device of his own.  The camera suddenly flashed yellow, and the word "Danger!" scrolled over the top of the screen.

"B-but how?!" Discord sputtered.

Cinch calmly reached behind her desk, taking out another device. "Like I said, I'm not having a repeat of what happened at the Friendship Games," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "Professor Flypaper discovered that Twilight's device could only hold so much energy, and he couldn't increase the capacity in such a short window of time.  So, he made up for quality with quantity.  Eight devices, one for each of our Canterlot High guests."

Discord snorted. "Clever girl.  But you haven't beaten me yet!"

He snapped his fingers, only for a dove to spring from his paw and fly away.  With a frustrated growl, he snapped again, only to change the camera setting to a sepia tone.

"Oh, come on!  Not now!" he groaned, snapping his fingers repeatedly.  While each snap caused something random and unexpected to happen, nothing was enough to save him from his predicament. "Do you wish to be taken?!  Do you want to go through this again?!  Cooperate with me, you stupid chaos powers!"

Cinch couldn't help but scoff. "I don't know what exactly your game is, but suffice to say, it ends now.  Mr. Lockdown, help me restrain this, thing."

"You got it, boss."

More photo-negative auras rushed away from Discord's body.  The camera was now flashing red.  The Danger sign was replaced with "Help, SOS, Mayday, Ketchup!"

"S-Smitty, I-I'm sorry!" Discord rasped. "Th-this is the end for me!  Tell Fluttershy...  Ack!  She, burnt the lasagna..."

And with that, the video cut out.  Sunset stared blankly at the screen, not moving a single inch.  Adagio started walking around, shaking her head.

"N-no.  No way that's real," she muttered. "It can't be.  There's no way any human in this pathetic world is like this.  Not a chance."  She let out an insincere chuckle. "I-it has to be a trick.  Yeah.  I-it's just Discord messing with me, like always.  H-he's probably in cahoots with that, woman.  Yeah.  And he's been corrupting Sonata and Aria behind my back.  Th-that has to be it.  Just another trick.  Another one of his pranks.  No big—"

"Really?  That's all you have to say?"

Adagio paused and looked over at Sunset.  A dark shadow was cast over Sunset's face.  As she turned to face Adagio, a roaring fire burned in her eyes.

"Listen, I get it, Adagio.  I really do," said Sunset. "It's not easy trusting Discord; especially after how he treated you the first time."  She jabbed her phone with her finger. "But look at this!  He just sacrificed himself for you!  I don't think he wanted to do that!  But he felt that he had to, just to show you that he's on your side.  And what's your response to that?  'Oh, it's just another trick?!'  Are you kidding me?!"

Adagio instinctively backed away, only for Sunset to follow her and maintain her disapproving glare.

"I'm trying my hardest to be patient with you, but that patience is really starting to wear thin, Adagio Dazzle," Sunset growled, getting right in Adagio's face. "I mean, what's it going to take?!  Do you like being angry and bitter all the time?!  Do you plan on holding onto this meaningless grudge forever?!  Do you honestly believe that if you're not the center of attention and profiting from other people's misery, your life has no meaning?!  Because if all that's true, then frankly, you, are, pathetic!"

A heavy pause hung in the air as Sunset stared down Adagio, panting heavily.  Adagio stared back, entirely dumbstruck.  Slowly, Sunset began to come to her senses.  Once she did, she palmed her face.

"Oh, geez.  Not again," she muttered.  She looked up at Adagio and sighed. "Adagio, I-I'm sorry.  That all came out wrong.  I-I didn't mean to lash out.  It's just, I'm under a lot of stress right now, and this isn't helping."

She turned her attention back to the video on her phone. "I-I really don't know what to say about this.  I mean, I knew Cinch was bad before, but this...  Th-this is unbelievable.  Does she actually think what she's doing is right?  And what's she going to do with Discord?"

Adagio looked down at hands, thinking for a moment.  After a pause, she clenched her fists.

"Well, none of that matters," she said darkly.  She began to march off.  Sunset blinked.

"Um, where are you going?" she asked.

Adagio cracked her neck. "I'm going to give that Principal Cinch a piece of my mind."

Before she could get any farther, Sunset rushed in and grabbed her wrist.  Adagio grunted, trying to wrench herself free.

"Let go of me, Shimmer," she growled.

"No.  I'm not letting you do this," said Sunset.  She gave Adagio a stern look. "Didn't you see what happened to Discord?  Cinch is just going to take your magic, too!"

"I'm warning you right now, Shimmer!  Let go of me!  She has to pay!"

"I agree, but we shouldn't just rush in blindly like this!"

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do!  You're not the boss of me!"

"Adagio, I'm not trying to boss you around!  I'm trying to help!"

"Well, I don't want your help!"

"Why not?!"

Adagio yanked her hand away from Sunset, giving her a cold glare. "Let me make this a simple as possible for you, Sunset Shimmer.  I hate you.  I hate you and everything you stand for.  I hate how you defeated me at the Battle of the Bands!  I hate not having my magic!  I hate your stupid band!  I hate your stupid face!  I hate your friendship with Discord!  I hate that you're taking Sonata and Aria away from me!  I hate—"

"Whoa, whoa!  Back up, time out!" Sunset interrupted, motioning with her hands. "I'm not taking Sonata and Aria away from you."

"Then why are they listening to you instead of me?!"

Sunset folded her arms. "Because I'm offering to help them, and they accepted my help.  I want to help you, too, Adagio.  But I can't if you keep fighting me like this."

Adagio huffed. "Well, like I said, I don't want your help."

"Okay then.  What do you want?"

Adagio did a double take.  She gave Sunset a blank stare before turning her back to her. "I-I don't have to tell you that."

Sunset clenched her fist, ready to browbeat Adagio again.  But this time, she stopped to reflect on what Dean Cadence discussed with her before.  She then placed a hand to her chest, inhaled, and extended her arm as she exhaled.

"You're right.  You don't have to tell me," said Sunset.  She circled around Adagio, blocking her way. "But that's not going to stop me from being there for you."  She sighed. "See, that's what really gets me the most.  I'll be the first to admit that friendship is not easy.  That's why I've been reaching out to you guys.  I know what this is like, and I can guide you through it.  Sonata seems to understand that, and Aria is at least willing to give things a try."

She shook her head and gave Adagio a chiding look. "But not you.  The rest of us are moving forward, and you're stuck.  Instead of finding solutions, you just want to stay mad at me.  I understand that we weren't friends when we first met, but, well, I wasn't exactly a perfect little angel when I first came to this world.  Neither were Discord, Sonata, or Aria.  But life gave us all a second chance, and we're making the most of it.  Why do you feel that you should be exempt from that?"

Adagio averted her gaze from Sunset. "I don't have time for this," she mumbled, trying to push past her.  Sunset, however, grabbed her wrist again.

"Adagio, listen to me.  I'm trying to stop you from doing something incredibly stupid here," said Sunset firmly. "Aria keeps saying that you're the smart one; act like it."

Adagio let out an aggravated grunt as she yanked herself free again. "You are so annoying.  As if you know anything about me."

"I know enough to understand what you're going through," said Sunset.

Adagio shook her head. "No, you don't.  We're nothing alike, Sunset Shimmer."

"I said the same thing to Discord, but it turned out I was wrong," Sunset said with a shrug. "But please, enlighten me.  How are we not alike?"

Adagio looked at Sunset warily for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "Do you really wish to know what I want?"

"Well, yeah."

"I want things to go back to the way they were, before the Battle of the Bands."

Sunset arched an eyebrow. "So, you want to be a demonic sea pony forcing the world to adore you?"

"It's more than just that, but yes," said Adagio, rubbing her arm. "I used to be the leader of the Sirens, Shimmer.  Sonata and Aria, they looked up to me.  Even when we fought, they recognized that I always knew what was best for us.  They trusted me to guide us to glory and adoration; they respected my judgement.  They, well, followed my lead."

She turned to face Sunset, her eyes beginning to water. "But now?  Now they want me to follow their lead.  They want me to take orders from you.  You!  The same person who defeated us and ruined our lives!  How is that normal?!  How is that fair?!"

Sunset sighed. "Adagio, let's get something straight here.  I never ordered Sonata and Aria to do anything.  They wanted this.  I offered to help them, and they accepted."  She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Does it really bother you so much that your cohorts are thinking for themselves and making their own decisions?"

"Well, of course it bothers me!  They're idiots!" Adagio blurted out.

"Is that really all you see them as, Adagio?  Idiots?"

Adagio's face turned bright red. "I, well...  Th-that's a loaded question!  You wouldn't understand!"

"I understand more than you think I do," said Sunset sagely. "Adagio, I've seen how much you care about Sonata and Aria.  You want what's best for them.  Well, have you ever stopped to think that they want what's best for you, too?  Friendship is not a one-way street."

Adagio crossed her arms and pouted. "Th-that's not how we work.  They're my responsibility.  I look after them, not the other way around.  Besides, they might be comfortable going against who they are, but that's because they're idiots.  The Sirens are not supposed to be nice, Shimmer."

"See, I'm having a hard time believing that," said Sunset.  She place a hand on Adagio's shoulder. "I've been paying attention to how you've been acting around Sonata and Aria.  There is good in you.  And I can prove it."

Adagio glanced at Sunset and raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Well, you were just about to Pony Up not ten minutes ago," said Sunset simply. "That's how the magic sensors caught you."

Adagio shook her head as she brushed Sunset off. "Ridiculous."

"Let me ask you this," said Sunset. "When you finally managed to convince Sonata and Aria to take care of themselves, how did it make you feel?"

Adagio gave Sunset a curious look. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question, Adagio.  How did it make you feel?"

Adagio chewed on her lip and thought for a moment. "W-well, it felt, good, actually.  Marvelous, even.  They were, finally starting to respect me again.  I laid down the law and showed them that this was for their own good.  It was just like back when, I was the, leader..."

She trailed off as she felt a massive epiphany hit her like an oncoming train.  She turned to Sunset. "Wait a second.  Does that mean my 'true self' was to be a leader this whole time?"

Sunset shrugged. "Don't look at me; this is your journey of self-discovery."

Adagio cast her gaze downward, trying to piece things together. "So, that means when Aria protected us, that's what her true self was.  And Sonata, she wanted to see us both happy.  But then, wouldn't Aria have been undermining my potential by saying I had to follow her?"

"I know, it sounds counterintuitive," said Sunset. "But being a leader is more than just telling other people what to do."  She then looked at her phone, and her brow furrowed. "And it looks like you're not the only one who has to learn that."

Adagio tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Sunset looked up at Adagio, determination sparkling in her eyes. "You want to get Sonata and Aria back to normal, don't you?  Well, so do I.  They're my friends, too, whether you like it or not.  And I think our chances are better if we work together."

Adagio gave Sunset a blank stare. "Wh-what?  But, won't Cinch steal your magic, too?"

"That's not the 'we' I'm referring to," said Sunset. "Dean Cadence needs to hear about this, and so do the Shadowbolts.  Problem is, they're having their own problems right now.  But I think I have a plan."

"Am I going to like this plan?"

"I'll show this footage to Dean Cadence.  Meanwhile, you convince the Shadowbolts to stop fighting and come together so that we all can put a stop to this."

Adagio deadpanned. "I've spent several moons dividing and conquering, and you're asking me to bring people together?  Either you have too much faith in me, or you're really desperate."

"It's a little of both," said Sunset with a shrug.  She then smiled and placed a hand on Adagio's shoulder. "I know it might be difficult for you.  Believe me, I was in your horseshoes once.  However, I think it's time you became unstuck and actually gave friendship a try.  And if you need help, it's okay to ask."

Adagio paused to think for a moment.  Just as the bell rang, she sighed.

"Okay, fine," she relented. "But this does not mean we're friends, Shimmer.  I'm only doing this for Sonata and Aria."

"Fair enough," said Sunset.  She then gave Adagio a final pat on the shoulder before heading off.  Adagio sighed.

"The things I do for those two idiots," she grumbled.  She started to head for class, but took a quick detour to swing by the nurse's office.  Sure enough, Sonata and Aria were right outside, waiting for her.

"Oh!  Dagi!" Sonata squeaked. "Um, uh, the nurse just let us go.  So, yeah.  Turns out nothing's wrong."

Adagio folded her arms. "I'm not buying that for a second.  I know what's going on here."

Aria and Sonata shared a look before turning back to Adagio. "Y-you do?"

Adagio nodded. "I know you've both been through a lot, and I'm going to make this right.  But I can't do it alone."

"What're you talking about, Adagio?" asked Aria.

Adagio gave her sisters a serious look. "Look alive, Sirens.  Magic or no magic, we've got work to do."
> Learning from Experience
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, let me see if I've got this straight.  The reason you were called to the principal's office is because you happened to discover your true self after sending me and Sonata to the nurse."

"Yep."

"And the reason you didn't end up like us is because Discord went in your place and got himself captured."

"Pretty much."

Aria frowned. "Well, this went from bad to worse in a hurry."

"How very observant of you," Adagio spat.  She didn't even bother to turn and face her comrades as she led them down the hallway.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Dagi," Sonata whimpered. "W-we really wanted to, honest.  But Principal Cinch said we wouldn't get our magic back if we tattled, and we didn't want you to lose your magic, too."

Adagio sighed and shook her head. "I don't appreciate that you two lied to me, but it doesn't matter now.  All that matters is that I'm going to fix this."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" asked Aria, raising an eyebrow. "Furthermore, why do you need us?  This isn't like the Battle of the Bands where we just lost our dark powers; Sonata and I have nothing.  That witch Cinch drained us both dry."

"Look, it's complicated, alright?" Adagio grumbled. "T-trust me.  I know what I'm doing.  Just follow my lead."

She clenched her fist, ready for Aria to make a snide remark about her not sounding confident.  However, all she heard was a soft sigh.

"Yeah, sure.  Whatever you say," Aria mumbled.

The complete lack of sarcasm in Aria's voice was enough to make Adagio's heart feel heavy.  She forced herself to look at Sonata and Aria.  Both of them were shuffling along behind her, uncharacteristically submissive and sheepish.  Adagio shook herself.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but the sooner I get you two back to normal, the better," she said. "Now c'mon."

The three of them made their way through the gymnasium, deliberately ignoring Professor Wind Rider's disapproving glare.  When they entered the locker room, the Shadowbolts were inside getting ready.  They were all spaced apart in separate areas of the room.  None of them were even facing each other.

"Yeesh.  What happened to them?" Aria inquired, scratching her head.

Sour Sweet perked up.  When she saw Sonata, her eyes went wide. "O-oh!  Sonata.  Um, are you okay?"

Sonata blinked. "Huh, what?  Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?  I mean, I hit you pretty hard yesterday."

"No, it's fine, really.  Don't worry about it."

Sour Sweet's eyes narrowed as she marched up to Sonata and jabbed a finger into her chest. "You'd better not be saying that just to make me feel better.  If you hate me for what I did, say it to my face."

"If you're trying to apologize to Sonata Dusk, that's not a good way to go about it," Sugarcoat stated flatly.

Sour Sweet beamed a faux smile at Sugarcoat. "Oh, pardon me, Sugarcoat~.  I didn't realize this was any of your business."

"Sour, could you not do this right now?" Indigo groaned. "It's way too early in the morning for your nonsense."

Sour Sweet pouted. "What is this, Pick on Sour Day?"

"Sour, no one's picking on you.  It's all in your head," said Indigo brusquely. "Now chill, alright?"

"Maybe you should follow your own advice," said Sugarcoat. "Though as we found out yesterday, you're not really good at doing that, are you?"

Indigo clenched her fist. "I don't need your commentary, Sugarcoat."

"Yeah, if you could kindly butt out, that would be greeeeeat~," Sour Sweet purred.

"Will all of you just take a chill pill already?  Sheesh," Lemon Zest growled. "Indy's right; it's way too early for this."

Sugarcoat scoffed. "I'm surprised you even heard us talking, what with your head constantly being in the clouds."

Lemon Zest gave Sugarcoat a curt look. "Not dignifying that," she grumbled, putting her headphones on.

Indigo folded her arms. "Okay, that one was uncalled for, Sugarcoat."

"Are you denying that Lemon Zest is prone to spacing out?"

"Well, no.  But—"

"Then why would I say otherwise?"

Indigo groaned and palmed her face. "Guys, just stop, would you?  I don't need this."

"Oh?  Is that a command from the leader I hear?" Sunny Flare inquired, her voice dripping with venom and vitriol. "I was under the impression that you had no use for us anymore.  Why not simply ignore us and go about your day like we don't exist?"

Indigo flinched. "C-c'mon, Sunny.  You really think I'm that cold?"

Sunny Flare's face darkened. "You terminated our friendship when I failed to comply with your unreasonable demands.  You tell me."

Indigo snorted. "Is that how it is, Sunny?  Is that how you wanna spin this?!"

"Prithee, what is there to spin?!  We all know what happened yesterday!"

"Guys, if we keep yelling like that, Professor Rider is going to send someone in here."

"Oh, goody~!  Then we can get into more trouble!  Which should be fine, 'cause that's exactly what Indigo wants!"

"Of course I don't want that!  How stupid do you think I am?!"

"Your words say one thing, but your actions say another."

"Sunny, I can tell you're deliberately provoking her.  Kindly stop."

"Maybe you should stop butting into other people's business.  Ever think of that, Sugarcoat?"

The Shadowbolts went around and around, bickering and arguing all the while.  The only one who was silent was Lemon Zest, though this was due to the fact that she was listening to music.  The Sirens stared blankly as the drama unfolded.

"Holy guacamole.  What happened to these guys yesterday?" asked Sonata. "Is there another Siren we don't know about?"

"You know there isn't, you dunce," Aria stated, rolling her eyes.  Her brow then furrowed. "But, you're right.  This does feel very familiar."

Adagio trembled.  In her mind's eye, she could see the negative energy oozing from the Shadowbolts, waiting to be swallowed up and converted into power.  She instinctively put a hand to her neck, only to remind herself that her pendant wasn't there.  Her mind raced furiously as the argument built to a deafening crescendo.  Finally, she simply couldn't take it anymore.  She took in a large lungful of air and belted it out in one single note.

"LAAAAAA~!"

The chatter ceased.  Lemon Zest flinched and removed her headphones.  Very soon, all eyes were on Adagio.  Adagio folded her arms and gave the Shadowbolts a chiding look.

"Look at you fools.  Standing around, squabbling over nothing," she scolded. "Why, if I still had my dark powers, I'd be able to feed off of your negative energy for weeks."

Indigo deadpanned. "Well, I'm glad this amuses you."

"Oh, I wish it did," Adagio said with a bitter scoff. "Alas, I don't have those powers anymore.  So instead of gullible morsels, all I see are a bunch of idiots."

Sunny Flare arched an eyebrow. "Seriously?  You interrupted our quarrel merely to insult us?"

Adagio sighed and shook her head. "You don't get it, do you?  Fine.  I'll paint you a picture.  Back when my sisters and I had our dark powers, we were untouchable.  No one could stand up to us."

"Weren't you banished here by some kind of famous unicorn wizard?" asked Sugarcoat.

Adagio gave Sugarcoat a bemused look. "Very few could stand up to us," she clarified. "Do you know why?"

"Of course we know why.  You used your magic to hypnotize people and fed off the negative energy," said Indigo, folding her arms. "What does that have to do with anything?  Heck, why do you even care?"

"I care because I know what's going on here," Adagio snapped. "We've done this countless times before.  We hypnotized people into fighting one another, yes.  But it wasn't just to absorb their negative energy.  It was a distraction."

Sunny Flare blinked. "A, distraction, you say?"

"Yes.  A distraction," said Adagio frankly. "Our prey was always so busy fighting amongst themselves, we could get away with anything.  And that's what's happening right here."

She marched around the locker room, staring down each Shadowbolt in turn. "Cinch may not be a Siren, but she is benefiting from this just as much as we were back when we had our dark magic.  Every second you spend bickering with one another is a second you're not using to stand against her.  If you really want to take her down, you need to pull yourselves together and stand as one."

The Shadowbolts looked at each other for a moment.  It was Sugarcoat who broke the silence.

"You're not exactly wrong," she said, adjusting her glasses. "However, I wouldn't call our argument trivial.  You saw what happened yesterday.  Indigo's defiance got her suspended from the sports team.  She's lucky she wasn't expelled."

Indigo sulked. "Way to throw me under the bus, Sugarcoat."

Sugarcoat ignored Indigo's comment and continued. "Now, let me ask you something, Ms. Dazzle.  Don't you think that sort of action warrants a thorough discussion of what happened?  And considering how much the events affected us, do you expect us to keep such a sensitive discussion civil throughout?"

Adagio stared blankly at Sugarcoat.  As far as she knew, the Shadowbolts were fighting over nothing.  It never occurred to her that this actually mattered to them.  Beads of sweat poured down her face as she struggled to form a response.

"Well, I, umm..." she hemmed and hawed.

"Adagio, what're you doing?" asked Aria.

"I don't know, help me!" Adagio hissed, frantically waving her arms.

Aria sighed and pondered for a moment.  She then looked up at the Shadowbolts. "Look, guys.  We're not saying you can't fight ever.  Even without our dark magic influencing things, it's gonna happen.  Heck, Sonata and I fight all the time."

Sonata arched an eyebrow. "C'mon, Aria.  We don't fight that much."

Aria scoffed. "Um, yeah.  We kinda do."

"No, we don't."

"Yeah, we do."

"No, we don't."

"We're fighting right now, Sonata."

"No, we're not."

Aria sputtered. "Ack, pff—  What the heck do you call this, then?!"

Lemon Zest snorted, trying to stifle a laugh.  The Shadowbolts gave her curious looks.

"Wh-what?  It's funny," she said with a shrug.

Adagio sighed and cleared her throat. "I, think I can gather what Aria's trying to say here.  Listen, the three of us have been together for a long time.  And sure, we've had more than our fair share of disagreements.  But despite all that, we don't forget what's important.  And that's the key."

"The key?" parroted Sour Sweet.

"By hypnotizing others into fighting each other, we made them forget what's important," said Adagio darkly. "And the same thing is happening to you."

Sunny Flare huffed. "As if you could comprehend the damage you have inflicted upon others.  From what Sunset told us, you actually enjoyed it.  So why, pray tell, do you desire to caution us against the actions that have been a great boon to you?"

"Well, duh.  I can answer that," Sonata pipped up. "It's because she forgot what's important once."

Adagio's face turned bright red. "S-Sonata?!  Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" said Sonata. "After Discord gave Aria and me our powers back, you thought we didn't care about you anymore.  And then you got sick, and we took care of you, even though we missed the Friendship Games, and—"

"I think she gets the point, Sonata," said Aria.

Adagio sputtered, her face turning even redder.  Finally, she accepted that there was no other recourse.  She let out a sigh and swallowed her pride.

"It's, true," she said. "I went through that as well.  Which is all the more reason why I know what I'm talking about.  These two might be the biggest idiots I've ever known—"

"Hey!" Sonata and Aria exclaimed in unison.

"—but I wouldn't trade them for all the negative energy in the world."

Sonata and Aria blinked. "Huh?"

Adagio turned to her fellow Sirens and smiled. "I know I've been rough on you guys in the past, but it's only because I care.  And, well, why do you think I'm even talking to these morons right now?"  She gestured to the Shadowbolts.

Sonata and Aria looked at one another and scratched their heads.  They then turned back to Adagio and shrugged.  Adagio palmed her face.

"Of course you don't get it," she said dryly. "Look, this is my best chance of getting you two back to normal.  Just like you were willing to miss out on the Friendship Games to take care of me, I'm willing to jump through as many hoops as it takes to help you guys."  She teared up and hugged them both. "Y-you're all I have.  I-I can't just watch you suffer."

The Shadowbolts watched as Sonata and Aria hugged Adagio back.  No one said a word for a good few seconds.  Finally, Lemon Zest let out a sigh.

"They make it look so easy," she mused.

Indigo turned her head. "What do you mean?"

"They fight all the time, but they just accept that it happens."  Lemon Zest bit her lip. "I don't know why.  I hate it when we fight."

Sunny Flare tilted her head. "I'm afraid your words still lack context, dearie."

Lemon Zest sheepishly rubbed her arm. "Dudes, I've got a confession to make.  You all know I can be a bit of a space cadet.  It's not that I don't care about stuff; I just have trouble focusing.  If it wasn't for Dean Cadence helping me, I wouldn't last a day at this freaking school."

She looked up, tears rolling down her cheeks. "But yesterday?  After what happened in gym class?  I intentionally tuned you guys out.  I-I just couldn't deal with it.  You all were just slinging mud at each other, and I couldn't think of anything to say to make you stop.  So I just, turned up my jams and zoned out."

She turned her head away from Indigo. "Go ahead, Indy.  Call me a coward for running away.  I know you want to.  I deserve it."

Indigo sighed, placing a hand on Lemon Zest's shoulder. "Lemon, you're not a coward.  In fact, that's part of my problem.  I've really been too hard on you guys."

"Gee, you have?  Golly.  I didn't notice~," Sour Sweet chirped.

Indigo shot Sour Sweet a glare. "Sour, do you mind?  I'm trying to be real here."

Sour Sweet's smile faded, but instead of a dark scowl, she had an apologetic look.

"I-I know.  I'm sorry," she muttered. "That just, came out.  Y'know how I am; always just trying hard to be nice and failing miserably.  You don't have to take anything I say seriously."

Indigo shook her head. "You're wrong, Sour.  If anything, I should do a better job of opening my freaking ears."  She sighed and faced all of the Shadowbolts. "I took up the role of leading you guys because, well, I felt like I was the only one motivated to do something.  I know you guys wanted to change the school, too, but I didn't see that.  I thought that I could just rally you guys around me and we'd make a difference together."

She sniffled and brushed her face with her sleeve. "But instead of rallying you guys together, I ended up pushing you all away.  You guys all had real concerns about what we were doing, and I just didn't wanna hear it.  I didn't want to admit that you guys were scared, because I refused to see my friends as cowards."

Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow. "You know there's a difference between being scared and being a coward, right?"

"I was too stubborn to see it," Indigo admitted. "I really should've listened to you guys, instead of just bossing you around.  Some leader I turned out to be."

Indigo's words caused Adagio to perk up.  She and the other Sirens slowly turned and watched as Sugarcoat knitted her brow and adjusted her glasses.

"You're right, Indigo.  You're not a perfect leader," she said bluntly. "You're impulsive, you're overbearing, and as you so eloquently put it, you don't listen."  She then sighed. "But the fact is, we need someone like you as leader.  You're idealistic and passionate, Indigo.  Those are great traits for a leader to have.  By the same token, however, someone has to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Indigo scoffed. "Yeah, well.  Maybe you should be leader, then.  You never do anything stupid."

Sugarcoat shook her head. "I'm the opposite of you, Indigo.  I'm far too pragmatic and plain-spoken to motivate anyone.  You know how I feel about hyperbole, after all.  But that's what makes us a team.  You keep us moving forward, and the rest of us remind you of your limits.  It's just that, like you said, you have to listen."

Indigo nodded. "Y-yeah.  I guess you're right."  She then looked over at Sunny Flare who had her back turned.  With a sigh, Indigo approached her.

"Hey, Sunny?  I-I'm really sorry about yesterday," she said.

Sunny Flare slowly turned her head. "How curious.  I feel like I should say the same to you."

Indigo blinked. "Sunny, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Nay, you are wrong, Indigo Zap," said Sunny Flare.  She bowed her head and placed a hand on her chest. "'Tis true, when Professor Rider placed the burden of continuing the game onto me, I was frightened.  However, you must understand the true source of my trepidation.  It wasn't merely a fear of getting in trouble with Principal Cinch.  Rather, it was that two roads stretched out before me, and they both led to darkness.  No matter what I did, I knew it would end in tragedy.  I would either be reprimanded for doing what I felt was just, or I would end up shunning my own reflection for days to come, perhaps weeks."

Her hand clenched into a fist as she trembled. "I-it was agony, standing up there.  The weight of the entire world was placed on my shoulders.  I felt my heart would surely burst forth from my chest.  I wanted to escape that nightmare, but alas, there was no way out.  I was trapped underneath Fate's cruel wheel."

She looked up at Indigo, tears marring her vision. "And then, you said it.  You told me in no uncertain terms that should I cave and throw the ball just as Professor Rider demanded, you would sever all ties with me forever.  The weight upon my shoulders doubled, nay, tripled the moment those words left your lips."  She sniffled, a waterfall of tears trickling down her face. "I-I tried to convey my dilemma as best I could, but my words did not reach you.  I understand I can be rather long-winded, but lo, I felt you needed to fully understand my plight.  But it was not to be.  You remained steadfast, and I could not."

She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I failed you, Indigo Zap.  I-I should've stood by you when you needed me most, but alas, my fears broke me.  I-I am such a horrible friend."

Indigo let out a sad chuckle as she pulled Sunny Flare into a hug.

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic, you ham," she snickered. "When I said that I wouldn't be your friend if you didn't stand with me, I didn't really mean it.  I was just so frustrated with everything, I lost my cool, and that led to me saying stuff I really shouldn't have."

Sunny Flare slowly smiled through her tears. "Deep down, I felt that was the case, young Indigo.  Forsooth, you are many things, but petty and cold-hearted don't come close to being on that list."

"Y'know, I think I'm starting to see what Adagio was trying to say," said Lemon Zest. "We were so busy getting all worked up, we didn't take the time to think about if it was worth it."

"To err is human; to forgive divine," Sugarcoat quipped, adjusting her glasses. "None of us are perfect, but we should cover for each other's flaws and help each other grow."

Sour Sweet wiped a tear from her eye. "You guys are the best," she said. "Even if you are pains in the neck sometimes."

"Word," Lemon Zest concurred. "So, we cool?"

Indigo looked up and nodded. "Better than cool.  We're the Shadowbolts."

The five of them converged together in a big group hug.  Adagio watched the display of affection, unsure of what to think.  Her pondering was interrupted by a distinct hum in her right ear.  She turned to see Sonata, humming a little tune and bobbing her head.

"Um, Sonata?  What're you singing?" she asked.

"Huh?  Oh," said Sonata. "Well, remember that song Rainbow Dash sang at the Friendship Games rally?"

"Kinda."

"This is kinda reminding me of that."

Aria blinked. "How?  We're not at Canterlot High."

Sonata shrugged. "I dunno, it just is."

Adagio rolled her eyes. "Sonata, you are sometimes so—"  She trailed off as something struck her. "Wait a minute.  If we changed around some of the lyrics..."

Aria tilted her head. "What's up, Adagio?"

Adagio smiled. "Just follow my lead."

She then started clapping her hands in a rhythmic manner.  Once again, all eyes were on her.  After a few claps, Adagio began to sing.


"Nah nah nah nah nah nah-ah
Bolt and Colts united together,
Nah nah nah nah nah nah-ah,
Bolts and Colts united forever..."


Her melody was infectious.  Soon, the Sirens and Shadowbolts were singing along, clapping their hands and stomping their feet.  A powerful warmth built up within Adagio's chest, and she found herself singing aloud.


"We'll always be Bolts and Colts forever,
And now our time has finally arrived,
'Cause we believe in the magic of friendship,
And you know, at the end, of the day, it is we who survive,
At the end, of the day, it is we who survive,
At the end, of the day, it is we who survive~!"


As the last words of the chorus built to a crescendo, Adagio's body changed.  She levitated into the air, becoming cloaked in a bright golden aura.  Silky fins sprouted from her back.  Her hair lengthened into a ponytail.  Small nubs poked out of her forehead, revealing themselves to be pony ears.  Gasps of awe and wonder surrounded her from all sides.

"Most intriguing."

"Zounds!"

"Holy guacamole!"

"Heh, wow."

Adagio found herself basking in the praise as warmth radiated through her body.  Not even her dark magic made her feel like this.  It was so much to take in, but before she could process it all, a familiar voice rang over the loudspeaker.

"Adagio Dazzle, please come to the principal's office.  Adagio Dazzle, to the principal's office, please.  And it had better be the real you this time."

Sonata gulped. "Uh-oh."

"Busted," Aria growled.

"Hang on, real you?" asked Indigo, scratching her head. "What's Cinch talking about?"

"I think I can explain."

All eyes turned to the locker room entrance.  There stood Sunset Shimmer and Dean Cadence.  Both of them looked rather serious, though Sunset managed to give Adagio a quick smile.  Adagio blushed and hid her face.

"Don't you dare gloat, Shimmer," she sputtered. "W-we're still not friends."

"Okay, time out," said Indigo. "What's going on?"

Sunset's smiled faded. "The No Magic rule is real, guys," she said, taking out her phone. "Discord managed to record this before Cinch stole his magic.  It's reasonable to presume that the same happened to Sonata and Aria when they were called in."

Indigo's face darkened as she punched a locker. "That witch.  And now she's gonna do the same to Adagio."

"No, she isn't," Cadence said firmly. "Because we're going to put a stop to this.  If Abacus thinks she can hurt students behind my back, she is sorely mistaken."

"And as you guys know, this goes well beyond the No Magic rule," Sunset added, turning to the Shadowbolts. "Which is why we all need to confront Principal Cinch together.  If she sees that her actions aren't just affecting me and my fellow students from Canterlot High, she won't be able to dismiss us quite as easily."

Indigo looked up at Adagio. "Is that why you...?"

Adagio pouted. "Trust me, if this wasn't the only way, I-I wouldn't have bothered."

Indigo chuckled. "You're alright, Adagio.  Thanks for talking some sense into us."  She then gave Sunset a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Sunset!  The Shadowbolts have your back all the way!  Isn't that right, gang?!"

"You bet!  Time to stick it to Cinch~!  And, hopefully not get in trouble."

"Verily, the time for action is upon us.  O Fates above, turn thy wheel so that it may smile in our favor!"

"We do indeed have better chances if we confront her as a group.  I'd say the reward far outweighs the risks."

"Nah nah nah nah nah nah-ah, Bolts and Colts united together..."

Everyone turned to look at Lemon Zest, who was still singing Adagio's chant from before.  When she opened her eyes and noticed the stares, she blushed and chuckled.

"I-it's a good song," she said meekly before giving Indigo a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, I heard everything this time.  Count me in, too."

"Right.  Then there's no time to lose," said Dean Cadence.  She then looked over at Indigo. "Oh, by the way.  I managed to have a little chat with Professor Rider.  Your suspension has been lifted."

Indigo blinked. "For real?  Aw, geez.  Y-you didn't need to do that, Dean Cadence."

"You were the one in the right.  It's only fair," said Cadence with a wink. "Besides, it is my job to make sure students get what they need to succeed."

She then marched ahead while Sunset, the Sirens, and the Shadowbolts followed suit.  Adagio leaned towards Sunset's ear.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she whispered.

Sunset smiled. "Trust me, Adagio.  By the time this is over, you're going to understand just how powerful the magic of friendship really is..."
> Let's Go, Bolts and Colts!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Principal Cinch, are you certain this man is who, or rather what, you say he is?"

Professor Flypaper stroked his chin in thought, looking over an odd gentleman he had never met before.  The mysterious gentleman was a lanky fellow with beige skin, messy grey hair, bushy eyebrows and goatee, and inexplicable red eyes.  He wore a dark scowl, which he directed at Principal Cinch.

"You can check the security footage for yourself, Professor Flypaper," said Cinch. "Lockdown can vouch for me as well.  This monster took the guise of Ms. Dazzle and tried to attack me.  When we stripped it of its magic, it turned into what you see now."

"How curious," Flypaper mused. "If I had the right credentials, there's quite a bit of research I could do into this phenomenon."

"Oh, sure.  Just go ahead and keep acting like you're going to get away with this," snarked the mysterious gentleman. "Because y'know, that's never been a bad idea in the history of, well, ever."

"You shut your mouth, demon," Slitherquick hissed. "It's your witchcraft that has been causing Crystal Prep so much trouble."

"Correction: It's my chaos powers that have been causing you so much trouble," the gentleman corrected. "Or did you think I'd just stand by while you tried to spy on my friends, Fanny?"

Slitherquick bristled. "Why you—"

"Calm yourself, Slitherquick.  It isn't worth it," said Cinch. "We'll deal with our troublemaking friend soon enough."

"Oh, no.  I'm so scared," the gentleman said dryly.

Flypaper raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you know that we don't?"

"If you have to ask, then you don't know."

Flypaper blinked. "I, understand that.  That's why I asked."

"Ah, I see you're the smart one here.  Good for you."

Flypaper was about to retort when there was a knock at the door.

"That must be Ms. Dazzle," said Cinch. "Let her in, Slitherquick."

Slitherquick hobbled over to the door and turned the knob.  She barely moved it before it swung open on its own accord, causing her to stumble in shock.  Dean Cadence marched in, a stern look on her face.

"Abacus, we need to talk," she said.

Principal Cinch folded her hands and stared at Cadence. "First of all, that's Principal Cinch to you.  Let's not forget our place here, Mi Amore," she admonished. "Secondly, can this wait?  I'm expecting to meet with Adagio Dazzle soon."

"Oh, don't worry, Principal Cinch.  We can still have our meeting."

Cinch blinked in surprise as she heard an unfamiliar voice from behind Cadence.  On Cadence's left, Sunset and the Sirens appeared.  On her right, the Shadowbolts made themselves known.  None of them looked particularly happy.

"Oh, joy of joys!  The cavalry's here," the gentleman cheered dryly. "What took you so long, Smitty?"

Sunset recognized the nickname right away and scoffed. "I see Cinch didn't manage to drain your rapier wit, Discord.  By the way, nice look."

Discord shrugged. "Eh, seven out of ten.  Too much symmetry."

Principal Cinch shook herself from her stunned silence and tried desperately to get her bearings. "Wh-what is the meaning of this, Dean Cadence?"

"I think you know," said Cadence, folding her arms.  She looked over at Discord. "First thing first, though.  Who's this?"

Cinch looked over at Discord, sweat forming on her brow. "W-well, um..."

"That is just a new custodian!" Slitherquick interrupted. "A-after that incident a few days ago, Principal Cinch decided we needed a new, janitorial staff.  Don't question it."

Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow. "And she was planning to interview this new custodian and discipline Adagio Dazzle at the same time?  Do you really expect us to believe that?"

"Believe what you want; it's none of your concern, anyway," Slitherquick growled.  She waved her cane. "Now go on.  Shoo.  Get back to your classes."

"Oh, we're not going anywhere," said Adagio, leering at Cinch. "Not until we get what we came for."

"And what exactly have you come for?" asked Flypaper, adjusting his glasses.

"For starters, the truth," said Indigo, pointing an accusatory finger at Cinch. "We wanna know why you've been stealing magic from the Canterlot High exchange students."

Cinch let out an insincere snicker. "My my.  You do have an impressive imagination, Indigo Zap.  I have no earthly idea what you're talking about."

"Then how do you respond to this?"

Sunset took out her phone and played the video Discord had recorded.  Cinch's face lost all color, and she shot Discord a glare.  Discord merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know why you expected anything different," he said. "Why do you think I've been so calm about all this?"

Cinch scrunched her eyes shut and clenched her fists, turning her knuckles white.  She looked like she would explode at any second, but instead, she calmly turned back to Cadence.  However, her commanding presence was undermined by the sweat trickling from her brow.

"Cadence, listen," she said in a strained tone. "I-I can explain..."

"Don't bother, Principal Cinch.  We're not stupid," said Indigo. "This all has to do with what happened at the Friendship Games, doesn't it?"

Cinch looked over at Indigo. "So what if it does?"

"So you freaking admit it!" Indigo barked. "You punished Sonata and Aria just for having magic, and you plan to do the same to Adagio!"

"I punished Ms. Blaze for threatening violence against a teacher, Indigo Zap," Cinch retorted, gesturing to Discord. "Plus, you neglected to mention this fellow, who intended to do me harm."

Indigo snorted. "O-oh yeah?!  Well, what did Sonata and Adagio do wrong then, huh?!  What've you got to say to that?!"

Cinch's eyes narrowed. "It is none of your concern, Indigo Zap."

"Like fun it's not!" Indigo snapped, pounding her fist into her palm. "You tell me right now what you did to my friends, or I'll—"

She was interrupted by a hand squeezing her shoulder.  She turned to see Sugarcoat shaking her head.

"We're all upset with Cinch, Indigo," she said plainly. "But if we fly off the handle, it'll just make things worse."

After a pause, Indigo let out a sigh and nodded. "Y-you're right.  I'm sorry."

Slitherquick snickered. "My my.  It seems the leader of your little clique has lost her bite."

"I will thank you not to misconstrue my actions, Ms. Slitherquick," Sugarcoat stated darkly. "After all, I do share my friend's sentiments.  Even if a case could be made for Aria and Discord's punishment, that still doesn't explain why Sonata and Adagio are getting the same treatment."  She pressed her glasses against her face, causing them to shine. "Although if you will indulge me, Principal Cinch, I do have a theory."

Cinch arched an eyebrow. "A theory, you say?"

"Indeed," said Sugarcoat. "I think that you're afraid of us."

Cinch did a double take.  Before she could get a chance to respond, Slitherquick scoffed.

"And here I thought you could never tell a lie to save your life, Sugarcoat," she chided. "Honestly, anyone could see through that bluff.  Why on Earth would Principal Cinch ever be afraid of you?"

Sugarcoat let out a scoff of her own. "First of all, I said this was merely a theory.  Second of all, you weren't at the Friendship Games, so I can only assume that you don't have an unbiased account of what happened."

She turned back to Cinch, a stern look on her face. "But you know what happened, don't you?  After Twilight unleashed the magic and nearly destroyed everything?"

Cinch pressed her fingers together. "Of course I remember what happened.  There's no need to recap."

"Then I'll keep this brief," said Sugarcoat. "Once things returned to normal, you wanted Canterlot High to forfeit for using magic.  Noticing your blatant hypocrisy, we called you out on it.  You then said that Canterlot High's magic had corrupted our minds."  Her face darkened. "At first, it just sounded like a desperate grasping at straws, as you had no substantial rebuttal to our claims.  But you actually think that, don't you?  You honestly believe that we were corrupted by magic, which in turn caused us to oppose you.  Why else would you go through all this trouble?"

Cinch leered back at Sugarcoat. "I am doing what is best for this school," she growled through gritted teeth. "These measures are for your benefit."

"Oh, you mean like the security cameras you placed everywhere?" asked Sour Sweet, fluttering her eyelashes.

Cinch nodded. "Exactly correct, Sour Sweet.  I'm glad one of you under—"

"'Cause y'know, I love those things~!" Sour Sweet trilled, cutting across Cinch. "They were just such a good idea, weren't they~?  I feel so much safer with them around~.  I honestly don't know about you, but I can't imagine how my life would be without several eyes watching every move I make and silently judging me!"

Slitherquick scowled. "I don't think Principal Cinch appreciates your tone, young lady."

"I can speak for myself, Slitherquick," said Cinch.  She then sighed. "Sour Sweet, I don't expect you to understand.  In fact, I don't expect any of you to understand.  All you need to know is that implementing these measures was necessary for maintaining order in Crystal Prep."

"Oh, sure~!  That'll get us off your back~!" Sour Sweet chirped facetiously. "Just go ahead and patronize us like a bunch of toddlers who don't know any better!"

Slitherquick huffed. "Considering you're all acting like a bunch of entitled brats right now, I don't see any reason for Principal Cinch to treat you differently."

Sour Sweet gnashed her teeth, forcing herself to smile as her eye twitched. "Y-yeah.  Entitled brats.  Th-that's what we are!  We don't know nothing about nothing!"

"That's a triple negative," Sugarcoat pointed out.

Sour Sweet's eye twitched even more as she struggled to contain her rage.

"Um, maybe not the best time to correct her grammar, Sugarcoat," said Indigo.

Lemon Zest sighed and took off her headphones.  She then placed them on Sour Sweet's head and turned up the volume.  Sour Sweet was about to protest when her disposition slowly changed.  She closed her eyes and took in a few deep, meditative breaths.  Indigo stared blankly at Lemon Zest, who simply shrugged.

"What?  I like ASMR," she said. "You don't think I just listen to rocking jams all day, do you?"

"I do believe we're getting off-track," said Cadence, clearing her throat. "Principal Cinch, Sour Sweet has every right to be upset, as do the rest of us.  You can't just dismiss our concerns like this."

Cinch gave Cadence a cold glare. "To be frank, Dean Cadence.  We wouldn't be having this discussion if you hadn't invited Canterlot High to our school in the first place.  It was because of this student-exchange program of yours that I had to resort to these measures.  You forced my hand."

Indigo scoffed. "First of all, credit where credit is due, Principal Cinch.  Dean Cadence isn't the one who made that petition.  It was us."  She gestured to her fellow Shadowbolts.

"Indeed," said Sugarcoat. "And part of the reason we came up with this proposal was that we noticed the increased security measures you implemented after the Friendship Games.  Even Lemon Zest was not blind to it, and you know how hard it is for her to pay attention."  She cleared her throat. "N-no offense."

"It's cool," said Lemon Zest with a shrug.

Sugarcoat nodded and continued. "Anyway, we felt as though we were being punished simply because we didn't stand by your unsportsmanlike behavior once it was revealed."

Dean Cadence stepped forward. "You like to go on about how reputation is everything, Abacus.  Well, here's your reputation on full display.  The students at this school view you as a paranoid tyrant trying to quell an uprising that isn't happening.  Is that what you want?"

Cinch closed her eyes and let out a great sigh.  When she raised her head, she was still as stoic as ever.  However, her commanding presence began to diminish even more as she trembled ever so slightly.

"It's not about what I want, Mi Amore.  It's never been about what I want," she said hoarsely. "This is what I have to do to keep my school safe and orderly.  Besides, you're blowing my actions out of proportion.  I didn't steal Ms. Dusk and Ms. Blaze's magic with the intention of keeping it.  I merely confiscated it from them so that it wouldn't be a threat to others.  My actions are no different than taking away a student's toy gun or headphones.  They'll get it back once they leave, I promise.  It's not like I'm hurting them."

"Wanna bet?"

Sunset's face darkened as she stepped forward.  She looked Cinch right in the eye.

"I'll be the first to admit that magic can be dangerous.  I should know; I'm the one who brought it into this world in the first place," she said firmly. "But you have to understand something, Principal Cinch.  Stripping it away from us is a horrible solution to that problem.  Equestrian magic isn't just some performance enhancer.  It's part of who we are.  You're not just taking away someone's headphones.  You're taking away someone's personality; their true self."

"Plus, everything you said is a load of baloney," Aria added. "You told us we'd only get our magic back if we kept our mouths shut."

"And also, it does hurt.  Like, a lot," Sonata chimed in.

Cadence gave Cinch a chiding look. "Principal Cinch, I told you that I would have the magic situation under control.  Why go behind my back with all this?  Don't you trust me?"

Cinch grew pale, wringing her hands and averting her eyes.  Before she could answer, a sinister laugh came from Slitherquick.

"Now why on Earth would she trust you, Mi Amore Cadenza?"

Aria deadpanned at Slitherquick. "Okay, why are you even here?  You haven't been contributing anything to this conversation."

Slitherquick sighed. "And here I thought losing your corrupting magic would teach you some manners.  Oh well.  It's not like any of this matters."

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Excuse you?"

Slitherquick scoffed. "You're all wasting your breath.  Cinch doesn't have to listen to anything you say.  We have the advantage."

She hobbled over to the desk and gestured to Discord. "We have your magic, and we managed to apprehend your demonic friend here.  All we have to do is take this evidence to the school board, and Canterlot High will be ruined!  And it'll serve you right, for thinking that you thugs could ever hold a candle to us!"

Discord blinked. "Are we absolutely certain Cinch is the villain here?  I'm starting to have my doubts."

Cadence deadpanned. "Fanny, you can't threaten us into silence like this.  Principal Cinch has to hear us out."

"She doesn't have to hear anything, Cadence," Slitherquick snarled. "She's already won.  Your conspiracy to have these petulant children overthrow her has been unraveled.  Don't try to deny it."

She marched up to Cadence and jabbed at her with her cane. "These unruly cliques only lead to trouble.  Canterlot High is full of them, and you foster that mentality here by coddling these hooligans.  But now, the cameras have seen everything.  And when Canterlot High falls, you'll lose your tenure as well.  Maybe then, we'll have a Dean of Students who can actually keep these punks in line."

Cadence wasn't the least bit intimidated. "And here I thought you didn't want my job.  Though I think even Abacus would have the good sense to see that you're far from qualified."

"You're in no position to sass me, Mi Amore!" Slitherquick roared. "In fact, this conversation is over!"  She marched towards Sunset. "You.  Give me your phone."

Sunset crossed her arms. "And why should I?"

"Because if you don't, I'll take your magic!  How's that for a reason?!"

Flypaper groaned and palmed his face. "Ms. Slitherquick, disposing of evidence is a felony.  Your behavior is most uncalled for."

Slitherquick whipped around. "D-don't take their side, Flypaper!  We don't have to play their game!"

There was a fit of giggles from the corner of the room.  All eyes turned to Adagio, who was laughing haughtily.

"And just what is so funny, Ms. Dazzle?" Slitherquick snarled.

Adagio continued to laugh. "Aw~.  You think this is a game!"

In an instant, her cheery demeanor vanished.  A pulse of magic burst forth from her body, causing everyone to flinch.  She was back in her pony form and leering at Slitherquick.

"I feel like I've been pretty patient up to this point, but it appears mere words aren't going to cut it," she said. "So let's just cut to the chase, shall we?  You either return what you stole from my friends, or I'm going to take it back by force.  And if you honestly believe that I'm just playing around, try me."

Slitherquick cackled. "You don't scare me, witch.  I'll just take your magic, too!"

Without even asking for Cinch's permission, she went behind the desk and pulled out the dreaded device.  Adagio stood her ground, but suddenly, she found five figures standing in her way.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," said Indigo, folding her arms.

Slitherquick's eyes narrowed. "You nosy little brats.  Out of the way!"

"No dice, dude," said Lemon Zest. "Adagio's our friend, and you ain't hurting her."

Slitherquick's lips curled into a crooked smile. "Fine then.  See what happens when you disrespect your superiors!"

Flypaper blanched. "Ms. Slitherquick, I highly advise against this!  The device hasn't been tested for this specific circumstance!  If non-magic individuals are caught in the crossfire, they might get hurt!"

Slitherquick shrugged. "They made their choice, Flypaper.  It's their own fault for being disobedient troublemakers!"

She continued to stare down Adagio and the Shadowbolts, each side waiting for the other to make a move.  Sonata hid herself behind Aria, who in turn hid behind Sunset.  Sunset herself couldn't decide whether to rein Adagio in or punch Slitherquick in the face.  Cadence, however, was distracted by Cinch.  The proud, commanding principal was now visibly shaking.  Her eyes were scrunched shut, and her knuckles had turned white.  Before either side budged, she slammed her desk hard.

"That is enough, Slitherquick!" she bellowed.

Slitherquick turned to Cinch, more than a bit confused. "P-Principal Cinch?"

"I thought I told you that I do not need you to speak for me!" Cinch snapped. "Taking initiative is one thing, but this has gone too far!  I don't want to constantly remind you of your place, Slitherquick!  Remember who's in charge here!  This is my school, not yours!  I am in control!"

Sunny Flare suddenly smiled. "And lo, the final light has been shed."

Cinch turned her attention to Sunny Flare. "Excuse you?!"

"Do pardon my musings, o troubled principal," said Sunny Flare with a curtsy. "I merely believe that we've come to the root of your problem.  It is not the students that you fear per se.  Rather, it is change."

She placed one hand behind her back and started gesturing with the other. "Verily, Canterlot High has changed us, Principal Cinch.  But not in the way you think it has.  This paradigm shift did not come about through any form of mind control.  All we did was open our eyes to the world around us.  We saw you, a manipulative coward fleeing the scene when your plans went pear-shaped.  We saw people suffering at the hands of our poor intoxicated colleague.  We understood that our actions caused that mess.  And ye, we tried to fix it."

A shadow cast over her face as she looked straight at Cinch. "When all was said and done, we took what happened to heart.  We found that there was more to this life than being victorious.  More than our own selfish desires.  But because we act on that new philosophy, you see us as a threatening conundrum.  For lo, if we are not drones fixated on our own personal glory, then surely, there is something wrong with us.  Something vile and sinister that needs to be stamped out, lest you lose everything you have obtained."

She sighed and bowed her head. "Allow me to put your fears to rest, Principal Cinch.  We started this student-exchange program not because we were seeking a coup d'état.  All we ask is that you see what we see.  What's more, we wish not to be treated as potential criminals simply because we no longer tow your line.  It isn't that we hate Crystal Prep; far from it.  Just like you, we want what is best for our school."

Cinch took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Th-that's all well and good, Sunny Flare.  But you don't get to make that decision.  This is my responsibility.  I know what's best for Crystal Prep.  I'm the one in control.  I have to be.  Otherwise, everything we built here; all that we accomplished...  I-I can't lose any of it."

Something about Cinch's words caused something to stir within Adagio.  She couldn't quite put this feeling into words, but for whatever reason, it compelled her to speak to Cinch.  She floated over to the principal and sat on her desk.

"Th-this might sound a bit, strange.  But, I actually know how you feel," she murmured.

Cinch gave Adagio an odd look. "What do you mean, Ms. Dazzle?"

Adagio sighed. "For a long time, I had a lot of power and control, too.  I was responsible for leading my group to glory and adoration.  But a few months ago, I lost that power."  She sniffled. "It hurt.  I won't deny that it hurt me so bad.  I tried desperately to reclaim what I had lost; to make things go back to the way they were.  However, all of my efforts were in vain.  All I managed to do was become bitter and withdrawn, clinging to the past while everyone else, moved on."

She shook her head. "But today, I discovered that I can't live my life like that.  Not if I really want to help the people I care about.  Which is why I'm standing here right now, willing to do whatever it takes to stop you from making my mistake."

Cinch arched an eyebrow. "Well, what would you have me do, then?  Let this school fall to anarchy?  Undermine myself as a leader by giving into these demands?"

"I wouldn't mind the anarchy thing," Discord interjected.

"Shush, you.  She's having a moment," Sunset whispered.

Adagio breathed out a sad snicker. "You misunderstand.  You want to be the leader of this place?  Fine.  But being a leader isn't just about telling other people what to do."

She smiled at Indigo. "In fact, it was your own students that taught me that listening to your followers, can sometimes be worthwhile.  You need that kind of information if you have any hope of making the right decisions for everyone."  She then gave Slitherquick a bemused look. "Of course, there are exceptions."

"Hey!" Sonata snapped.

"She's not talking about us, you idiot," Aria sighed.

Slitherquick snorted. "I won't have you corrupt Principal Cinch with your lies, demon!  This school's legacy will be preserved, while yours will fall!"

Adagio smirked. "Oh, you want to dance?  Then let's dance."

She sang out a haunting tune.  A golden construct of energy sprang forth from her body, depicting a golden sea pony with blazing red eyes.  Slitherquick scowled and readied the device.

"At your ready," Adagio taunted. "I'll do whatever it takes to save my friends."

"There is no hope for your kind," Slitherquick spat. "Your magic will corrupt this school no longer!"

All the while, Cinch furrowed her brow, mulling over Adagio's words.  She looked up at Dean Cadence, who had a concerned frown on her face.

"Remember your reputation, Abacus?  Well, here's your chance to change it," she said. "We're all waiting on you."

Cinch sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.  Adagio and Slitherquick stared each other down.  The device opened ever so slowly, and Adagio's sea pony construct reared back.  Before either could strike, Cinch held up her hand.

"Stand down.  Both of you."

Slitherquick complied, while Adagio remained cautious.  Cinch gave Adagio a look.

"Relax, Ms. Dazzle.  I do not want a fight," she said. "Merely a truce."

Adagio blinked. "A, truce?"

Cinch nodded and stood from her seat.  She then approached Dean Cadence.

"I never wanted things to come down to this, Mi Amore," she said.

"You should've thought of that before you tried hiding this from me," Cadence scolded. "What were you thinking?"

Cinch shook her head. "I knew you'd fight me on this, Mi Amore.  I had to keep everything a secret until I could convince you that I was right.  But Slitherquick, she either misunderstood or chose not to understand."  She shot Slitherquick a glare. "I always knew you never liked Dean Cadence or her methods, Slitherquick.  Never did I ever think you had the nerve to try and take her job."

Slitherquick squeaked. "B-but Principal—"

"Don't but me, Slitherquick," Cinch interrupted. "At this point, I trust Dean Cadence far more than I trust you."  She turned back to Cadence. "After all, I never had a doubt in my mind that you wanted what was best for this school, too."

Cadence blinked. "Really?  Well, this is a surprise, coming from you."

Cinch chuckled. "Don't be so shocked, Mi Amore.  In the end, we both want the same thing.  We just have different ideas of what that thing is.  You wish for a more comfortable environment; I wish for order and stability.  I was hoping my ideology would win out against yours, but after hearing everything today, I don't think a compromise is out of the question."

Slitherquick sputtered. "C-compromise?!  Have you gone mad?!"

"Funny.  I was going to ask you the same thing," said Flypaper.

Cadence ignored Slitherquick and smiled. "That feels very reassuring, Principal Cinch.  I'd be willing to accept a compromise."

"Good," said Cinch with a nod.  She then looked over at Aria. "Ms. Blaze?"

Aria tilted her head. "Yeah?"

"Do you understand why threatening violence against a teacher is against the rules?"

Aria scratched her head for a moment. "I thought this had to do with my magic."

"Don't be dense," Sugarcoat admonished. "You would've gotten in trouble even if you didn't use your magic, because threatening violence against anyone is generally wrong."

"Even if you feel he deserves punishment, it's not your job to dole it out," Dean Cadence added. "Next time you encounter that sort of trouble, you should come to me or Principal Cinch.  We'll do everything in our power to handle it."

Aria rubbed her arm sheepishly. "Um, yeah.  Okay.  That makes sense, I guess."

Sugarcoat gave Indigo a smug grin, to which Indigo groaned.

"Yeah, right.  I get it.  Screw me for being a reckless idiot," she grumbled.

"At least you took a stand for what you believed was right," said Sunset with a smile. "I don't think anyone can fault you for that."

"Verily," Sunny Flare concurred.

Cinch nodded. "Well, as long as you understand that, Ms. Blaze, we can get right to business."

She went to her drawer and took out six devices, each of them pulsing with magic.

"Ms. Dusk, Ms. Blaze.  I will be returning your magic to you earlier than I have promised," she stated.

"Hey, what am I?  Chopped liver?" Discord inquired.  After a pause, he sulked. "It feels so weird, not being able to actually turn into chopped liver after saying that."

Cinch tilted her head. "Why would you—?"  She shook herself. "N-never mind.  I suppose I can grant you your powers back as well.  However, I have one condition."

Adagio raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Are we going to like this condition?"

Cinch's face turned serious, but it didn't feel as intense as before. "We all agree that this power is dangerous when misused.  Which is why I'm trusting all of you to be responsible with it.  You cannot use it to hurt anyone, and you certainly can't use it to cheat.  If I find out that any of you are abusing your gifts, there will be harsh penalties.  I don't believe this is unreasonable, do you?"

Sunset paused for a moment, slightly stunned by Cinch's change of heart.  Finally, she shook herself.

"N-not at all, actually.  I can abide by that," she said. "What about you, Adagio?"

Adagio knitted her brow, looking over at her fellow Sirens.  She then sighed.

"This is what's best for all of us," she said solemnly. "On behalf of the Sirens, I accept these terms."

Cinch arched an eyebrow. "And the Sirens are...?"

"O-oh, Sonata, Aria, and myself," said Adagio. "L-long story."

"I see," said Cinch. "And what of you, Mr. Discord, was it?"

Discord chuckled sheepishly. "Well see, that's a bit of a problem.  I'm the Master of Chaos, and you can't really control that easily.  On the other hand, though, I don't exactly plan to stick around for much longer."

Sunset shrugged. "That's the best you're gonna get out of him, I'm afraid."

Cinch sighed. "Well, I suppose it'll have to do."

She tapped each device in turn, and they all sprung open.  The magic flowed out of them and back into their rightful owners.  In a flash, Discord was back in his old body.  Sonata and Aria cheered and hugged each other.

"I'll be sure to inform your professors about our little meeting here," said Cinch. "In the meantime, you've all given me quite a bit to think about.  I wish not to be disturbed for the rest of the day.  I trust you'll be able to handle things in my absence, Dean Cadence."

"Certainly, Principal Cinch," said Cadence with a bow.

"Good," said Cinch.  She then smiled. "I look forward to having further discussions with you about Crystal Prep's future, Mi Amore."

Cadence smiled back. "I do as well, Principal Cinch."

Cinch chuckled. "No need to be so formal, Mi Amore.  We both have the same goal, after all."

Cadence let out a chuckle of her own. "Very well, Abacus.  And, thank you.  For listening."

"Indeed," said Cinch. "All of you are dismissed.  Except for you, Slitherquick."

Slitherquick gulped.  She watched as Cadence and her entourage filed out, while Discord disappeared in a flash of light.  Flypaper gave Slitherquick one last knowing look before exiting the room, leaving her alone with Cinch.

"Slitherquick, take a letter," said Cinch.

Slitherquick fumbled with a notepad. "Y-yes?"

Cinch cleared her throat. "It has come to my attention that the security of Crystal Prep Academy has become far too, extensive.  As such, I'll be having Lockdown remove most of the cameras, save for a few select areas.  Also, the magic detectors are to be stripped out and demolished."

Slitherquick scribbled furiously. "A-anything else?"

Cinch gave Slitherquick a dark look. "Yes, as a matter of fact.  I may soon be in the market for a new secretary.  One who actually follows directions, understands her role, and doesn't try to undermine one of my most trusted faculty members just because she disagrees with her approach."

Slitherquick froze before letting out a groan of despair and fainting dead away.  Cinch sighed and shook her head.

"Good help is so hard to find these days," she muttered.


***


"Alright!  We did it!" Indigo cheered. "Who's awesome?  We're awesome!  The Shadowbolts are making a difference!"

"Yes, this was no small victory," Sugarcoat confessed. "I have to admit, it felt a bit, anticlimactic."

Lemon Zest laughed. "Dude, don't tell me you actually wanted Cinch to turn into some raging she-demon that we had to blast with rainbows."

"N-nothing like that," Sugarcoat muttered, blushing profusely. "If anything, I think it's better this way.  I-I'm just surprised Cinch was so, open to us."

"I think I can explain that," said Cadence sagely. "I've known Abacus for a long time.  She never felt like she had to listen to anyone, because she always felt that she was the one in the right.  But this time, she was forced to listen.  She had to hear our side because she knew we wouldn't let it go.  You'll notice that convincing her wasn't easy, even if she didn't resort to threats like Ms. Slitherquick did."

"Yeah, she did fight us quite a bit.  Always having an excuse for everything," said Sunset.  She then looked over at Adagio. "In fact, I think you were the one who was finally able to reach her."

Adagio let out a cough. "Um, yes.  I-I guess so."  She turned to Sunset. "I don't know why I did that, by the way.  I mean, I know I was doing this for Sonata and Aria, but there was, something else.  Once Cinch started talking about needing to be in control, and how this school was her responsibility, i-it kinda, I don't know, struck a chord with me.  Like, I understood why she felt the way she did, and I had to share my experience with her.  For some reason."

Sunset giggled. "That's called empathy, Adagio.  It's pretty much a key aspect of friendship.  It's what drew Discord to me in the first place, and it's the same reason why I wanted to help you guys so much."

Adagio blushed. "I-is that right?  Huh.  I-I never felt this way before.  I mean, it wasn't exactly pleasant, reliving all those bad memories.  But after everything was said and done..."

After a pause, she let out a snicker. "Okay, Shimmer.  You win.  This is going to take some getting used to, but I suppose it's better than being miserable for the rest of my—"

She was interrupted by a strong force clamping around her waist from both sides.  Looking down, she saw that Sonata and Aria were hugging her, nuzzling against her stomach.  Adagio's face turned even redder.

"Um, girls?  What exactly are you doing?" she inquired.

"Hugging you, silly," Sonata chirped.

"B-but why?"

"'Cause you're a great leader," said Aria.

"And an amazing friend," Sonata cooed.

Adagio looked around at the Shadowbolts and Sunset, completely at a loss. "I-is this a nightmare, or a dream?"

Sunset laughed. "You'll get used to it after a while."  She then fell into a powerful embrace herself. "Whoa.  C-case in point."

Discord squeezed Sunset tightly. "I knew you'd come for me, Smitty.  You really are a true friend."

Sunset chuckled. "Yeah, well.  Now do you see why I kept telling you to be discreet?"

Discord's smiled faded as he gave Sunset a curious look. "I'm afraid you've lost me."

Sunset let out a small sigh. "Discord, I was worried about you causing trouble; I'm not gonna lie and say that didn't bother me.  But when things started to get deeper, I wasn't just worried about you causing trouble.  I was worried about you getting in trouble."

Lemon Zest looked up at Discord, and then at Sunset. "Seriously, dude?  You were worried about this guy getting in trouble?  The guy who could pretty much do anything?"

"I know, I know.  I'm not saying Discord can't take care of himself.  Of course he can," said Sunset.  She then gave Discord an apologetic look. "But I also know you're not invincible.  What's more, I wasn't sure how far Principal Cinch's plans went.  I didn't want you to end up, well, how you ended up."

"Aw~!  That's really sweet~!" Sour Sweet purred.  She then frowned. "Why didn't you tell him about this earlier?  He probably deserved to know how you felt."

Sunset shook her head. "I know.  Part of it was, I was just too stressed out by everything.  I couldn't really get my thoughts together.  Besides, I felt if I told him, he'd just laugh at me and brush me off."

Discord scoffed. "To be fair, I probably would've done that," he said.  He then stroked Sunset's chin with his paw. "Still, it's nice to hear that you care about me so much.  I'm very happy to be your friend, Smitty."

"Same here, big guy," said Sunset, giving Discord another hug.

Just then, the bell rang.

"Figures.  Just when I was moved to tears," Sunny Flare said with a sniffle.

"Believe me, I'd stay longer if I could, Burbligun," said Discord. "But it appears my work here is done.  Farewell, new friends!  I'll be sure to keep in touch!"

With that, he took out a pair of golden scissors and cut a hole in reality.  After slipping through the portal, it closed behind him.  Sunny Flare pouted.

"It's not like I knew he used my given name as a nickname for his best friend," she grumbled.

"Just drop it, Sunny," said Indigo. "Right now, all we've got to worry about is classes, and that's fine by me!  Shadowbolts, break!"

"Let's go, guys," said Sunset. "And thanks for everything, Dean Cadence."

With that, the students all rushed off to their classes.  Dean Cadence chuckled to herself.

"I must say, this has been most intriguing," said Flypaper, adjusting his glasses. "Quite the opposite of my methods, yet it does seem to work for them.  Then again, humans are social animals."

"Ponies, too," Cadence added.

Flypaper raised an eyebrow. "I fail to see how equines factor into any of this, Dean Cadence."

Cadence let out another laugh and shook her head. "More than you know, Professor Flypaper.  More than you know."
> Old Grind with New Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	After the intervention with Principal Cinch, the rest of the week was a breeze for Sunset.  Without a mystery to solve or chaos spirits to rein in, everything became a lot more manageable.  Even the Sirens seemed to be improving in their academics, if only slightly.  And even when they struggled, Sunset and the Shadowbolts were more than happy to help.

Finally, on the last day of the program, the Canterlot High students stood out in the parking lot, waiting for the bus to take them back to Canterlot High.  Dean Cadence stood with them, along with the Shadowbolts.  Cadence smiled.

"Well, I'll have to get a report from Vice Principal Luna on how our ambassadors managed over at Canterlot High," she said. "But from our end, I think the student-exchange program was a rousing success."

"And it's all thanks to you guys," Indigo chimed in. "I've got a feeling that things are gonna be looking up around here."

"Happy we could help," said Sunset warmly.

"Yeah, and things are gonna be looking up for us, too!" Sonata squealed, quivering from giddiness. "We learned so much, and we can use our magic whenever we want, and Dagi's not a big grump anymore, and—"

"Sonata, chill.  You are way too happy right now," Aria groaned, massaging her temples. "Ugh, seriously.  Why did that last test have to be so brutal?"

"Because despite everything that happened this week, Crystal Prep still has very high academic standards," answered Sugarcoat. "I doubt any amount of friendship or magic is going to change that."

"Aw, cheer up, Aria," said Sonata, placing an arm around her comrade. "It wasn't that bad.  I'm sure we did alright.  I mean, we worked super hard."

"Why do you think I'm so tired right now?" said Aria. "I don't think I had to study that much in my entire life."

"Mainly because this is the first time we ever had to take schoolwork seriously," mused Adagio.  She then smirked. "Maybe once we get those grades, I'll find out if you two really are as dumb as you appear."

Aria narrowed her eyes. "I can't tell if that was a compliment or a shot."

"Wouldn't we have to get the grades to figure that out?" asked Sonata.

Aria let out another groan. "You're the worst, Sonata."

"Not if I get a better grade than you," Sonata teased.

Aria scoffed. "Yeah, right.  Like you did better than me."

"Hey, it could happen!"

"Could not."

"Could too!"

Lemon Zest laughed. "Alright, dudes.  Calm down," she said. "I'm sure you all did great.  And hey, even if you didn't, that just means you have to do better next time."

Adagio raised an eyebrow. "What next time?  This is the last day of the student-exchange program."

Lemon Zest blushed and let out a sheepish chuckle. "I-I mean next time in life.  Or something."

"Oh, Lemon~!  You really should think before you speak~," Sour Sweet chided playfully. "You really don't want to try and give good advice only to sound like a complete moron."

"Or a two-faced weasel," Sugarcoat added.

Sour Sweet glared at Sugarcoat. "What was that?"

"Just making sure you practice what you preach," said Sugarcoat absently.

"Okay, that's enough, guys," said Indigo. "Let's try to keep things positive, yeah?"

Sugarcoat nodded. "That's fair."

"Yeah, sure," said Sour Sweet, rubbing her arm. "I-I'll try.  Just, know that I do actually try, okay?  This isn't easy for me."

Adagio smirked. "It seems you girls are taking my words to heart.  Usually, I have to hypnotize people in order to get them to listen to me."

"Well, consider this proof that you don't have to do that," said Sunset with a wry smile.

Adagio blushed and pouted. "M-must you continue to gloat like that, Shimmer?"

Sunset giggled. "Sorry, Adagio.  It's just, I'm glad that you're finally unstuck.  Honestly, I think you and the Sirens know a lot more about friendship than you think you do."

"She's right," said Indigo. "I mean, you really taught us a thing or two when we almost fell apart.  We can't thank you enough for that."

Adagio shrugged. "Well, you guys helped me see what being an effective leader really meant.  Indirectly, anyway.  So, I guess we're even."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Indigo said with a snarky grin. "After all, it's just what friends do."

Adagio's face turned even redder. "Seriously, you too?"

Aria raised an incredulous eyebrow at Adagio. "Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Adagio?" she joked.

Adagio scrunched her eyes shut and growled. "Cut it out already!  Didn't I say this was going to take some getting used to?!"

"Alright, I think she's had enough," Sunset laughed.

"Forsooth.  For there is still one cloud that mars this joyous occasion," Sunny Flare said somberly. "For lo, it has only been five days, and already, I feel such strong bonds with all of you.  'Tis a pity that you cannot stay with us, for verily, Canterlot High is where you truly belong."

Sunset gave Sunny Flare a warm smile. "I know.  But I don't think this has to be the last time we talk to each other."  She took out her phone. "How about I get your numbers?  I'd love to stay in touch."

Indigo beamed. "We are so in sync, Sunset.  I was just about to suggest that," she said, taking out her own phone.  The other Shadowbolts followed suit. "Hey, um, what about your crew, Adagio?"

The Sirens looked at one another before shrugging sheepishly at the Shadowbolts.

"Um, normally, I'd say that's not entirely out of the question," Adagio muttered.

"But, we don't have any phones.  Or a lot of money, for that matter," Sonata said glumly.

Indigo blinked in confusion before looking over at Sunset, who merely shrugged her shoulders.

"One of the perils of coming here from another dimension," she said. "You don't want to know how I managed to get my phone.  I'm sure the Sirens will think of something now that they've gotten their acts together.  I'll keep you guys posted."

"Uh, sure.  That's cool," said Indigo, though she still didn't seem to fully comprehend it.

After the Shadowbolts and Sunset exchanged numbers, a familiar yellow school bus pulled up.

"Just in time," said Cadence. "Well, I'll be sure to send Vice Principal Luna your transcripts as soon as possible.  I'm sure you all did wonderfully."

"Heh, yeah.  If anything, CHS is gonna feel like a cakewalk for you guys now that you see what we have to deal with," Lemon Zest laughed, raising her hand into the air. "C'mon, up top!"

Sonata gave Lemon Zest a high five. "Yeah!  Now nothing's gonna stop the Sirens!"

"That all comes down to information retention," said Sugarcoat bluntly.  She then smiled. "But as long as you have that, I think you'll all have bright futures ahead.  I wish you all well."

"Yeah, later dudes.  It's been real."

"Bye, new friends~!  Don't forget to keep in touch~!  'Cause I will know if you don't."

"Adieu, new comrades.  Adieu.  Parting is such sweet sorrow~!"

Indigo approached Sunset. "Thanks again for everything."

"I couldn't have done it without your help," said Sunset modestly.  She smiled at Cadence, and then the Sirens. "And everyone else."

"Whatever you say," said Indigo with a snicker. "Oh, just one last thing before you go."

"What's up?"

Indigo cast her gaze downward and rubbed her arm sheepishly. "Give Twilight our best, would you?  I know she's not coming back to Crystal Prep, but I want her to know that we're all thinking about her, and we hope she does well at CHS."

Sunset grinned. "I'll be sure to relay the message."

"Awesome," said Indigo, smiling back.

She then clasped hands with Sunset, followed by pulling her into a small embrace.  Sunset only hesitated for a moment before returning Indigo's affection in kind.

"Take it easy, Sunset Shimmer," said Indigo.

Sunset chuckled. "After what I went through, that's exactly what I plan to do.  I'll see you around."

With one final round of goodbyes, the Canterlot High students boarded the bus, where Vice Principal Luna was waiting.  Once both schools had traded their students back fully, the bus rolled off into the sunset.  Sunny Flare let out a sniffle.

"Dude.  You okay?" Lemon Zest asked.

Sunny Flare dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "Th-they barely left, and I already miss them," she whimpered. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry."

"There's no need to be so dramatic," Sugarcoat said plainly. "Sure, Canterlot High isn't right across the street or anything, but it isn't that far away.  We can go and visit them whenever we have the time.  Plus, thanks to the exchange program's success, we have the opportunity to take classes over there as well.  I hardly qualify that as goodbye forever."

Sunny Flare looked over at Sugarcoat and tilted her head. "Prithee, Sugarcoat.  D-did you just try to console me?"

Sugarcoat breathed out a small scoff. "Don't act so surprised.  The truth doesn't always have to hurt."

"Aw, isn't that ironic~?" Sour Sweet purred. "Sugarcoat always tells the truth, except when it comes to her own feelings."

Sugarcoat's face turned bright red. "Is the taunting really necessary?  I wouldn't have said all that if it wasn't true.  I respect you guys too much to lie simply to make you feel better."

"Sheesh, no need to be such a stiff, dude," said Lemon Zest, patting Sugarcoat on the back. "You have to admit, it's very rare to hear anything encouraging coming from you."

"Th-that doesn't make it impossible," Sugarcoat sputtered.

Indigo let out a small laugh and shook her head.  Dean Cadence placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"You really do have some great friends, Indigo," she said.

Indigo smiled back. "Yeah, they are a bunch of characters," she said, looking back at her fellow Shadowbolts. "But honestly, I wouldn't change a single thing about them.  It might've taken me a while to realize it, but I couldn't ask for a better team."


***


The school bus returned to Canterlot High just as school was letting out.  Hoards of Canterlot High students crowded around, catching up with their colleagues and asking about their experience.  Sunset was no exception to this.  As soon as she set foot off of the bus, she heard a telltale shriek of joy followed by footsteps running up to her.

"Sunset~!"

The next thing she knew, she was tackled into a tight embrace by none other than Pinkie Pie.  The other Rainbooms followed suit, with Twilight bringing up the rear.

"Ooh, did you miss us?!  'Cause we missed you so much!" Pinkie chirped, speaking a mile a minute as she squeezed Sunset tighter. "What was Crystal Prep like?!  Was it hard?!  Was it fun?!  You didn't get lonely, did you?!"

"Cool your jets there, Pink," Applejack scolded. "Sunset just got back."

"Oh.  Whoops," said Pinkie, finally releasing Sunset.

"I-it's fine, girls.  I shouldn't have expected anything different," said Sunset, dusting herself off. "But, yeah.  It was quite an experience, to say the least."

"Oh, I hope it wasn't a bad experience," Fluttershy whimpered.

Sunset shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't exactly say that, but it was tough for a while.  I'll tell you guys all about it later."  She then looked over at Twilight. "Oh, and I have a message for you."

Twilight adjusted her glasses. "F-for me?"

"Yeah.  The Shadowbolts wanna give you their best."

Twilight blinked. "The Shadowbolts?  As in, the entire school team?  I was unaware they actually cared about me."

"Well, not the entire team," said Sunset with a knowing smile. "Again, long story."

Just then, the Sirens began to disembark.  When no one came to greet them, Pinkie Pie waved them over.

"Hello, Sirens!" she hollered.

"Hiya~!" Sonata chirped, waving back.

"'Sup?" said Aria with a small wave.

Adagio didn't respond.  She simply looked over to the side before Sonata elbowed her in the ribs.

"Oof.  U-um, hi," she said.

Rarity arched an eyebrow. "Is everything alright, darling?"

"Uh, yeah.  Kinda," Adagio said ambiguously.

"Better than alright!  We are awesome!" Sonata cheered. "Sunset told us how we can use our magic whenever we want!  Isn't that cool?!"

"Uh, yeah.  She did mention that she wanted to share that with you guys," said Rainbow Dash, scratching her head. "So, you manage to figure it out while over at Crystal Prep or something?"

Suddenly, a small smile formed on Adagio's lips.  She turned to her fellow Sirens. "What do you say, girls?  Shall we show them?"

"Ooh~!  Yes yes yes!" Sonata exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Aria shrugged. "Meh, why not?"

Adagio nodded. "Alright then.  Follow my lead."

"Or my lead."

Adagio shot Aria a glare, to which she just laughed.

"Kidding.  I'm kidding," she said. "You really have to learn how to take a joke, Adagio."

Adagio rolled her eyes before launching into a pleasant melody.  As the other Sirens joined in, they all began to glow and levitate off the ground.  In a matter of moments, all of them changed into their pony forms.  The Rainbooms watched in awe and wonder.

"Wowie zowie!"

"Would ya look at that?"

"Oh, my..."

"How fabulous!"

"Whoa."

When the transformation was complete, Rainbow Dash approached them.

"Huh.  So even you managed to see the magic of friendship, huh Adagio?" she said. "Took ya long enough."

"Don't tease her, Rainbow," said Sunset. "She, honestly had a lot going on."

Adagio hid her face. "I-I don't need you to defend me, Sunset Shimmer."

"Wait, hang on.  If you guys all have your magic now, does that mean we can all be friends?" inquired Pinkie Pie. "I mean, you were mad at us for destroying your evil magic at the Battle of the Bands, but you have good magic now, and that's way better."

Adagio chewed on her lip for a moment before looking over at her comrades.  After a pause, she sighed.

"This is what's best for us," she said, turning back to the Rainbooms. "I was just too blind to realize it before.  On behalf of the Sirens, I accept a truce with the Rainbooms.  Just, give me some time to get used to all this."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "No prob, Adagio.  If you need any help, just say the word, and we'll come running."

"Woohoo~!  Now all of us are friends!" Pinkie cheered, giving Adagio a tight squeeze.  Adagio's face turned bright red.

"Wh-what did I just say about giving me time to get used to this?!" she grunted, trying to shove Pinkie off.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle. "It seems they've had quite the paradigm shift from the last time I saw them."

"You have no idea," said Sunset with a smirk of her own.

Pinkie Pie suddenly let out a gasp. "Ooh!  Do you know what this calls for?!"

"A party?!" Sonata guessed.

Pinkie grinned from ear to ear. "It's like you read my mind!  I always knew you Sirens could be good if you really tried!  Slumber party at my house!"

"R-really?  Tonight?" Twilight asked. "I-I dunno if I can make it.  I have a lot of homework."

"You really need to learn how to loosen up, Twi," said Applejack with a laugh. "It ain't a school night or anythin'."

"I-if you say so," Twilight said meekly.  She then looked up at the Sirens. "Actually, I wouldn't mind getting to know you three better."

Adagio looked at Twilight for a moment. "When did you get glasses?"

"Wrong Twilight, Adagio," Sunset chuckled. "Anyway, I think a party's a great idea, Pinkie.  Especially after everything that happened this week."  An idea suddenly struck her. "Hey, do you mind if I invite a few more people to this thing?"

Pinkie deadpanned. "Sunset, what do you think I'm gonna say?"

Sunset shrugged her shoulders. "Um, yes?"

Pinkie's expression soon changed to a giddy smile. "Bingo~!  Of course you can invite more friends, Sunset!  I'd be insulted if you didn't!"

Sunset let out a laugh of her own. "Just thought I'd check."  She then dialed a number into her phone. "Hey, Indigo?  It's me, Sunset.  Yeah, sorry if this is a bit last-minute, but are you and the Shadowbolts doing anything tonight?"


***


"Heh, this'll be a piece of cake."

"Says you.  I happen to be a master at this game.  Just ask Sonata."

"Don't think I'll be going easy on you, either.  Shadowbolts never give up!"

"Let's see if y'all got the skills to back up that big talk.  Assumin' RD doesn't turn off the console just before she loses."

"Wh-why'd you have to bring that up?!  You were gonna lose, anyway!"

"Careful, guys.  I think Aria's up to her old Siren tricks again."

"Oh har har, Indigo.  C'mon, let's just play already!"

The slumber party was in full swing.  Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Indigo Zap, and Aria Blaze all sat in front of the TV, video game controllers in their hands.  Meanwhile, Sonata Dusk, Pinkie Pie, and Lemon Zest were swapping jokes and telling funny stories.  Over by the dresser, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Sunny Flare were giving Sour Sweet an impromptu makeover.  In the corner, Twilight Sparkle and Sugarcoat were having a private study session.  Sunset Shimmer looked around the room, wondering which activity to join in.

She then noticed Adagio Dazzle, who was simply sitting on Pinkie Pie's bed all by her lonesome.  With a soft smirk, Sunset sat down beside her.

"Hey," she said. "Cool party, huh?"

Adagio shrugged. "It's alright, I guess."

There was a slight pause punctuated by Sunset clearing her throat.

"So, uh, what're you doing over here?" she inquired.

"Just thinking," Adagio said absently.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Adagio turned her head and raised an eyebrow. "Tell me, Shimmer.  Is part of friendship really being this nosy?"

"Sorry," said Sunset. "It's just that, everyone's having a great time, and you're over here by yourself.  I thought you could use some company."

Adagio sighed before looking around at everyone. "They really do look happy, don't they?"

"You mean Sonata and Aria, right?"

"Yeah," said Adagio with a nod.  She sighed again. "Sometimes, I wish I was just as blissfully unaware as they are.  They were so quick to accept your friendship once you offered it to them.  They make it look so easy."

Sunset shook her head. "Don't get discouraged, Adagio.  Believe me, it's not easy.  At the same time, though, it's probably not as difficult as you think it is.  You managed to accomplish so much once you put your mind to it."

"I only did that to help Sonata and Aria," Adagio grumbled, folding her arms.

"Oh?  Then what was all that about thanking the Shadowbolts for teaching you how to be a good leader?" Sunset asked coyly.

Adagio let out a defeated groan. "Okay, okay.  You've made your point, Shimmer.  Maybe this is what's best for us.  I-it just feels weird, alright?"

"Believe me, I get the feeling," said Sunset.  She placed a hand on Adagio's shoulder. "You've taken a big first step, Adagio, but your journey is far from over.  And no matter what, always remember that your friends will be there for you, every step of the way."

Adagio's lips curled into a thin smile. "I-I'll be sure to keep that in mind," she said.  She then furrowed her brow. "Sunset?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Crystal Prep needs magic?"

Sunset pondered for a moment. "I'm afraid I can't answer that, Adagio.  But if you think it does, I'm sure the Shadowbolts would be happy to have you back."

Adagio nodded. "Perhaps," she said. "I may have to discuss it with Sonata and Aria later.  See what they think, y'know?"

"And here I thought you didn't care about what they thought.  You really have grown up, Adagio Dazzle."

A slick-sounding voice echoed around the room, catching everyone off-guard.  From underneath the bed, Discord slithered out, carrying a tray of cucumber sandwiches.

"Time to make this a real party!" he cheered. "Thanks so much for the invite, Smitty.  I do love spontaneous events like this."

Sunset chuckled. "No problem, Discord.  Just, uh, we did order a pizza, so..."

Discord looked down at the sandwiches and blinked. "Oh.  Right.  Not a tea party at Fluttershy's.  My bad."

He snapped his fingers, and they turned into ice cream sandwiches.  All except one, which turned into a parasprite.

"Oh, no you don't," said Discord, poking the parasprite.  The parasprite popped like a balloon, flying around the room before landing right in Adagio's hair.  Before Adagio could protest, the deflated parasprite turned into a squirrel, which darted out of her hair and into Fluttershy's lap.  Adagio shook herself from the odd display.

"Sorry about that.  Chaos magic and all," said Discord with a shrug.

"Believe me, I'm well aware by now," said Adagio.  She then gave Discord a half-smirk. "You know, I never did get a chance to thank you.  For covering for me when Cinch called me in.  Perhaps I was wrong about you."

Discord shook his head. "We were wrong about each other, Adagio.  All of us were.  I am truly sorry my vindictive nature barred your way to happiness and friendship."

Adagio's smile broadened. "Well, you made up for it in the end."

"Even if you were a tad reckless," said Sunset.

Discord sulked. "I know, I know.  It's just how I roll, Smitty."

Adagio giggled. "Discord, I accept your apology.  I really shouldn't have been bitter for so long, anyway."

Discord smiled and nodded. "Good.  I'm glad we can all be friends now, Adagio.  There's still so much we can learn together, and—"

He was soon distracted by a pair of eyes that remained glued to him, ever after everyone else continued going about their business.  Twilight stared up at Discord, her mouth agape.  Sunset blushed.

"Oh, yeah," she said, brushing the back of her head sheepishly. "I never told you about Discord, did I?"

Discord sniggered. "Maybe you shouldn't make a habit of hiding my existence like that, Smitty."

The Rainbooms, Sirens, and Shadowbolts all shared a laugh.  Twilight was about to protest when Pinkie Pie placed an arm around her.

"I'm sure Sunny will tell you all about it later," she said.

Sunny Flare blinked. "Prithee, why me?  I would not be opposed to explaining Discord's story, but I feel Sunset Shimmer would have vastly more knowledge than—"  She trailed off as an epiphany hit her. "Oh.  I-I see."

"Now you understand why I elected to use different nicknames, Burbligun?" Discord said slyly.

Another laugh was shared, and this time, Twilight joined in, too.


***



Dear Princess Twilight:

I'm sorry it's been a while since my last correspondence, but this past week has been very busy for me.  I managed to take part in a student-exchange program at Crystal Prep Academy.  You know, the school where this universe's version of you used to go to?  It was pretty tough, but we managed to spread the magic of friendship there, too.  I made lots of new friends, and we actually learned some important lessons.

Adagio Dazzle, Indigo Zap, and Principal Cinch all learned that leaders do more than just boss people around.  They also have to listen to their followers and understand that they're not infallible.

The Shadowbolts learned the same lesson we learned at the Battle of the Bands.  And it was actually Adagio Dazzle of all people who taught them that.  Pretty crazy, right?  They also learned that while friends do fight, those fights don't have to mark the end of their friendship.

Principal Cinch actually managed to learn one more thing.  If I may paraphrase from one of the Rainbooms' songs:

Things may come, and things may go,
Some go fast, and some go slow,
Few things last, that's all I know,
But friendship carries on through the ages.

Anyway, that's all from me.  Hope to hear from you soon.

Very truly yours,

Sunset Shimmer


Princess Twilight Sparkle read the latest entry from her magic book, a huge smile plastered on her face.  She soon noticed a small postcard nestled between the pages.  It was a large group shot selfie, with Discord's tail holding the camera as all of the Rainbooms, Sirens, and Shadowbolts smiled and posed.  She chuckled.

"I actually wouldn't mind if this became a thing," she mused. "It certainly explains why I haven't heard from Discord in a while.  Also, maybe there is something to be said for the hooves-off approach.  It's clearly working wonders for you, Sunset."

"What're you reading there, Twilight?"

Twilight looked up to see Starlight Glimmer trot into the throne room, saddlebags slung over her shoulder.  Twilight gave her a nod of salutation.

"Oh, hey Starlight," she said. "I was just catching up with a pen pal of mine before we head off to the Crystal Empire."

Starlight tilted her head. "A pen pal?  But, you're reading a book."

"Oh, this is a very special book," said Twilight, holding it aloft with her magic. "See, there's another book just like this one, and anything that's written in it appears in this one, and visa versa."

Starlight tapped her muzzle in thought. "Ah.  A symbiosis spell.  Very intriguing," she commented. "So, who is this pen pal of yours?  Anypony I know?"

"I doubt it," said Twilight. "She's actually been my friend for a while; ever since I became a princess.  It wasn't always like that, though."  She then smirked. "Actually, I'd like to take you to meet her someday.  You two have a lot in common."

Starlight gave Twilight a bemused look. "Last time I had something in common with somepony, you complained."

"I know, I know.  And I'm really sorry about how I acted," Twilight admitted. "You have to admit, I was at least half-right about Trixie."

"Yeah, I suppose," said Starlight. "So, what exactly do this pony and I have in common?"

Twilight let out a sly chuckle as she got up from her seat. "I'll probably tell you about it later, when you're a bit further in your studies on friendship.  For now, well, let's just say you're not exactly my first friendship student..."


The End