> Adagio for a Sunset
>  by Hubris Von Ego
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> What do songless sirens do?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





Adagio sat at a small round table outside of a bakery in Canterlot, eyes closed and fingers tapping furiously to an unheard tempo. Her expression only betraying her intense focus on the notes of her violent symphony.

“Dagi!” came the shrill cry of Adagio’s sister right in her ears. “Your break is up, Mr. Joe wants you to come back in and help on register.” Adagio hadn’t heard her sister come outside, she had been so focused on her song.

The final keys of the invisible keyboard were struck as Adagio opened her eyes. “Okay, Sonata…” she sighed, “are you on break or were you just sent to fetch me?” she asked as she stood up discarding a cup and napkin that had held her coffee and bagel at the start of her break.

“I can’t take a break yet,” Sonata, responded. “Mr. Joe said I need to make several more batches of glazed sandwiches and start on muffins and cupcakes before he can move back and take over for me. He expects a busy lunch rush.” As Sonata finished she turned and pranced back to work. Even without their siren magic Adagio still had an air of command about her, and Sonata still looked to her for guidance.

After the Battle of the Bands, the three sirens-turned-human panicked, without their pendants they would no longer be able to feed on negative emotional energy. They thought they would starve, and while not entirely helpless they had no identification, which meant they couldn’t technically work.  With no way to pay rent and no magic to manipulate the landlord they started to panic.

The sirens had soon learned that even if they couldn’t feed of negative energy, they could in fact eat regular food to ease their hunger. They were not entirely sure, but figured with that revelation that they were just regular humans without their pendants. Even though they could eat food they still didn’t have money.

Fortunately they wandered into Mr. Joe’s place, it was a donut shop then, he had since expanded to compete with that bakery across town by CHS. Joe had overheard the girls arguing about losing their home, and offered them a job, to help. They all accepted and started to work immediately, as they couldn’t pay for what they had eaten that night.

Adagio had started out working counter while Sonata and Aria washed dishes. It had been about a month since then and Joe had made Sonata learn how to prepare almost everything they made, but she wasn’t allowed to decorate the cakes after the icing incident, and Adagio was his new shift manager. The previous one had quit the week before the girls had shown up, something about needing to practice piano. Aria was still washing dishes, since she had the least hours of the three she often took care of their house, cleaning and organizing the messes the girls made, and taking out the trash.

Joe had taken the girls to see a friend of his at an office supply store to get some identification, Adagio could not be a manager without this and he couldn’t approve any overtime for Sonata either. After that was taken care of he started to train Adagio in other parts of  the shop, besides the front, to make management easier.

Adagio had made her way back into the shop. Once clocked in she put on her apron and visor, she didn’t like what the hat did to her hair.

“Hey, Joe I am back. Do you have the morning leftovers moved into the discount basket?” she yelled into the back. The shop was empty at the moment, though in twenty minutes or so it would be crawling with business people on break and some of the Crystal Prep students grabbing lunch off campus.

“Dagi, Welcome back! I haven’t done that yet, can you take care of it for me? I had to jump in back to help Sonata get ahead for the rush,” came a male voice from the back. Joe didn’t sound much older than the girls but he definitely looked the part as he came out from the back. His tall slender build made him look like a professional basketball player. His neatly trimmed goatee stood out as you could see his hair under the hat and the colors did not match, the goatee dark while his hair was sandy. His green eyes stood out against his skin that was several shades lighter than his hair almost yellow, but not quite.

As Adagio transferred the older confections to the discount baskets, she started to hum a tune, the fast paced tempo was just a small part of a larger song, but Adagio only cared about that small piece of the song.

Joe looked over at her as she worked away while humming the same few seconds of a song to herself, “I get pieces of songs stuck in my head too,” he smirked at her.

She paused, looking up at him, “What?” she asked, a slight blush on her cheeks that went overlooked. She had just added the last of the morning leftovers to the discount baskets, as he had commented. She focused on his face trying to figure out what he meant.

“I mean you have been humming the same few measures of music over and over again, I figured you had a piece of a song stuck in your head. Though I haven’t heard anything like that on the radio recently. I guess it could be pop, I don’t listen to pop music, and you girls probably listen to pop, except maybe Aria,” he rattled on oblivious to Adagio’s flustered expression as she realized what she had been humming. A certain autumn evening flashed through Adagio’s mind.

Adagio winced. She set the donuts that she had been sorting down and took a breath. As she calmed down she regained her composure. “S-sorry if I am being distracting,” she stammered. “I didn’t realize I had been humming. I will keep it down while I bring out the pastries for the display.” She turned and rushed into the back.

While Joe didn’t notice her blush, he did notice how quick she dodged the conversation. Wondering if he hit a nerve, he slid over to the discount basket and snagged a donut from that morning. Upon taking a bite he immediately ran to the trashcan and spit out what could not have ever been a donut with a loud, “Bleh!” After getting something to drink to wash away the deceivingly spicy pastry he ran to the kitchen, “better let me back here, one of Sonata’s made it into the batch up front. I need to check to make sure she is not getting her experiments mixed in again.”





“We should'a known better than to give YOU a chance,” the venom in the orange girl's words unmasked. “Sure 'nuff soon as you weasel your way in, you immediately try to break us up again.”

“But Applejack, I didn’t do it, I am not Anon-A-Miss,” the amber girl pleaded. Her hair was a mess, her flowing red and gold locks tangled, her eyes puffy and red. Her clothes looked wrinkled as if she hadn’t done laundry recently. Her leather jacket hung off her hiding how thin she had become over recent months, but the girl in front of her, Applejack, didn’t see all of this. She could only see the bacon haired girl as a snake. They brought her in, took care of her, protected her, and now after all they had done she was ready to turn around and bite them.

Another girl with porcelain white skin and fabulous purple hair spoke up, “Sunset, darling, you can not possibly think us this foolish. You said it yourself, that your phone has not left you, and the photos on the MyStable could not have come from anywhere else. We want to believe you, we really do, but the evidence to the otherwise is staggering.”

Sunset didn’t know what to do here, her friends were all gathered and telling her they wanted nothing more to do with her. Just as she had started to fit in at the school, just as people began to forget all the years she had terrorized the school, just as she had become happy, someone came in and began to cause chaos by leaking other students secrets on the social network site MyStable. The first secret was Applejack’s childhood nickname, piggly wiggly, that she had told her friends at a sleepover, the school ridiculed her, making pig noises at the girl. The group had brushed it off but after another sleepover some pictures that had been taken on Sunset’s phone had been leaked on the site. Pictures of her friends from the next sleepover wearing outfits from Rarity’s faux pas closet. They were outfits that the porcelain girl had regretted making. They had held a joke fashion show that Sunset had taken pictures of, the same pictures that the whole of the school was laughing at the next day. After those incidents the girls had put space between themselves and Sunset. After the first two incidents other students had their secrets leaked on the MyStable page and that had sealed the deal, the whole school had turned on her.

Leading up to now where they unceremoniously abandoned the girl in the hallway. Telling her they knew she was guilty and that they never should have given her a chance to be their friend after the fall formal.

“Girls, it wasn’t me.” Sunset was in tears, she had worked so hard to be a better person in the last few months, and this Anon-A-Miss had swept in and ruined it all. All her work, protecting the school during the Battle of the Bands, all the community service, and rebuilding the damage she had caused the school, none of it mattered. Her friends were turning on her, the whole of the school wanted her to pay for leaking their secrets on top of still holding her accountable as the villain that dominated the school at any means, no one would talk to her, and even the teachers showed no sympathy. “I-”

“NO! Sunset you don’t get to sit here and lie to us,” a yellow girl interrupted Sunset’s pleas. Her face stern, she was quaking as she held her ground against her former bully. “With everything you have done, you expect us to sit her and let you manipulate and abuse us? We won’t have anything more to do with your lies.”

“Yeah, you meanie secret stealer!” a pink, poofy girl added in.

Sunset collapsed to her knees, despite not actually being Anon-A-Miss she felt lower than even the fall formal. Her friends words cut deep. Her tears were freely flowing now as four sets of footsteps echoed down the hall away from her. Even Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were deceived by the ruse. No one would believe her if even those two would not give her a chance. Sunset didn’t know what to do. She just sat there, confused and-

“Don’t try to fake it. If something was wrong, why didn’t you talk to us? This is just a scheme to break the rest of us up. You did it before, but it won’t work this time.” A blue skinned girl with polychromatic hair looked down on Sunset. “Look if you really didn’t do it then why not find a way to prove it?” the girl whispered in Sunsets ear, “I'm not certain it’s you, and if you prove it then the other girls will come around.” Standing up she turned around, “You won’t hurt us again Sunset Shimmer.” With that the girl turned and jogged to catch up with the other girls.

Sunset froze, the words from the normally blunt girl surprised her. If Rainbow Dash was giving her a chance then all Sunset needed to do was prove she wasn’t Anon-A-Miss. She still didn’t know what to do, but she now had an idea where to start. Sunset gathered herself, wiped her tears away, picked up her bag and stood up.

Only to be knocked back down with an aggressive shove.

Her eyes flew up as she scanned the crowd trying to figure out who knocked her down. It was near impossible the the crowds going to and from classes hid the would be perpetrator. Sunset dusted herself off and got back up. She only had a small bit of hope from Rainbow’s words, and everything was still pretty bleak. Pulling her jacket around herself she took off to her third class of the day.





Aria had vacuumed the floors, mopped the kitchen, dusted, and taken out the trash. Her days off were usually spent cleaning, or at least the mornings of those days. After all of that was out of the way, she usually headed to the store to pick up drinks and snacks, she liked shopping, it gave her time to get out like nothing was wrong. On her way out she checked the fridge and cabinets: They didn’t need drinks this week. Sonata had picked up some drink mix the previous week and kept mixing them pitchers of Joos-ade™, so they only needed snacks. Aria figured she would get herself a large container of trail mix, and Sonata would be happy with the stuff to make nachos. Adagio was a little harder to shop for since she never really seemed to like anything, Aria had tried getting her chips, crackers, rice cakes, pastries, cookies, even vegetables, but nothing seemed to impress Adagio.

The trip to the store would take a while, so she locked the door to their apartment as she left. The noon sun above causing the sidewalk to radiate heat, in contrast the chilly breeze kept her cool. These elements made for a comfortable day. She walked along in jeans and a hoodie, as she expected to be out for several hours and she knew it would cool off after the sun dropped below the horizon.

She was about a block from the store when her phone vibrated. At first she ignored it, but after her phone buzzed several more times in succession she decided to see what had set it off. In the notification bar the MyStable app marked twenty seven unread notifications, after opening the app she saw a picture of a school paper with a very low grade on it, shared by Anon-A-Miss. The other twenty six notifications were all comments, mostly aimed at the Rainboom front girl, Rainbow Dash, whose name was on the test. Aria had followed Anon-A-Miss in case there was something she could use from it against the Rainbooms, but with all of the account being publicly displayed it was all useless information. The comments about some of the CHS students did make her smile though, memories of the negativity they had conjured during the Battle of the Bands passing through her thoughts, she took pleasure in the cold feeling that came over her with the memory. Though she could no longer feed on that negativity, it made her feel powerful to know that the Dazzlings could cause that. Of course that was while they had their pendants, which they didn’t, since the Rainbooms shattered them.

Her mood now soured after the completion of that train of thought led her to put her phone away and finish her trip to the store, a scowl on her face. Between her arguments with Sonata and the sting from the Battle of the Bands, she was used to being upset.

She quickly made her way to the back of the store after grabbing a hand basket by the door. Tossing in a large bag of trail mix she proceeded over to the aisle with chips to get some restaurant tortilla chips for Sonata’s nachos, she paused to think if they had lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. She knew she had bought cheese last week, but wasn’t sure if they had the vegetables, she grabbed a bag of chips, and circled around to the next aisle. After browsing all the colorful boxes she settled on two bags of bacon crisps for Adagio. After that she left the snack food section of the store to go and get the vegetables for the nachos before checking out.

Aria ended up circling the store a couple times deciding if they needed anything else, with all of them working at Joe’s place they brought back enough to have actual meals from the leftovers everyday, so they didn’t really need much. Satisfied with her basket she checked out and left the store.

On her way back she stopped by Joe’s to get a drink, and let the other two girls know what she got them on her outing today. She dropped the vegetables in a fridge and put the bags in a shelf in back and sat at the outdoor table Adagio had used on her break, while drinking her FizziePop™ Twisted Berry flavor soda pop. She watched as the afternoon sky slowly changed from hues of blue and white to the evening reds and oranges, the cool afternoon breeze chilled, and streetlights started to light up. When she was ready to go she threw the glass bottle in the trash and turned to go back in for the groceries, but stopped when she caught sight of a familiar girl across the street.

Sunset Shimmer walked along looking quite dejected, a detail that Aria did not miss. Curious as to why the Rainboom was shuffling along seemingly oblivious to the world around her Aria decided to follow her.

As Aria followed Sunset, the early winter winds howled through the streets of Canterlot.
> The best laid plans.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





As the winter winds howled through Canterlot, Sunset Shimmer shambled through the streets on her way home after the day her world came crashing down on her. Despair gnawed at her thoughts, as the innocent girl marched ever onwards towards the safe solitude of her home. The words of her former friends playing in her mind, distracting her from all else. It was for this reason she didn’t notice the fuschia girl following her.

There wasn’t even any challenge in this, Aria didn’t even have to hide. She only had to follow her prey from a few feet back. Sunset was so absorbed in her thoughts that Aria suspected she might actually be able to walk alongside her and go unnoticed. Sunsets phone had buzzed and rang several times which drew no reaction, she crossed streets without checking for traffic, she even tripped over a busker banging on bongos on Borden Street. None of this caused her to deviate from her path as if she were only moving out of habit. Aria was still wary of this opportunity, but the potential brought a spiteful grin to her face.

Eventually, Sunset turned down an alley in the old industrial district. Aria hugged the corner in case her quarry came out of her stupor, and then peeked around the corner. She held her breath, her quarry had stopped. Sunset stood several feet away, just in front of a door on the side of the building opposite to her. Graffiti covered the walls, from gang signs to murals in many colors, some newer, and some faded with age. It took a bit of effort to see the door just in front of Sunset, almost hidden in the back alley artwork. 

As Aria waited for Sunset to do something she noticed that the girl was sobbing gently, tears falling freely to the ground. She smirked at the sight, it served the bitch right after the battle of the bands. 

Finally Sunset went into the decrepit old factory, leaving Aria to follow her further still. Upon entering, the first thing Aria noticed was that there was power in the old building, the second and less noticeable, was that she had been caught. Her eyes met Sunset’s, in that moment, the hopeless girl’s eyes went wide in a mix of terror and surprise. As panic consumed the girl in front of her, Aria froze. 

She then quickly took in everything she could. This was an old employee’s entrance and there were piles of old newspapers near the door. There was a cactus on a shelf, neatly planted in a dog bowel labeled Kevin. There was also a newish coat rack with a couple leather jackets on it, including the one Sunset had just taken off. She also saw a picture of the Rainbooms sitting on a table by the coat rack. Finally, Aria saw a generic hallway with doors on both sides leading further in, but she couldn’t make out any details past that. After analyzing everything she could, she immediately turned and ran back out into the alley. 

She bolted back down the alley and out onto the sidewalk. As she ran, the crisp fall air felt notably warmer. She started to sweat. Her breaths came as ragged gasps. 

She didn’t slow until she was at least halfway to Joe’s.When she did stop a realization dawned on her. Sunset lived in that old factory.

Sunset Shimmer, the girl responsible for the Sirens loss of magic, for their loss, was a hobo. 

As her panic faded, a smirk slowly formed on her lips. 

Things were about to get interesting.





Back at Joe’s, Adagio was just finishing counting the drawer so that she could leave for the evening when the bell that hung above the door rang violently. Adagio looked up at the sound as Aria burst through the front door. Aria was gasping for breath as she doubled over with her hands on her knees. She was also covered in a layer of sweat as if she had just finished sprinting from San Fransiscolt. 

“Aria?” Adagio asked, her tone betraying her surprise. “Are you alright?” 

“I-,” Aria inhaled to steady her breathing, “I found that Sunset Shimmer bitch, and you will never guess what I found out.”

Adagio’s eyes lit up, a passion burning in her, her emotions did a flip, her feelings tumbled in her midsection. She quickly hid anything but the anger at the loss of their magic before responding to Aria’s question. “I have no idea, but do tell,” she drew out the last syllable predatorily. 

Aria had walked up to the counter from her sister. She paused at Adagio’s demand, “Woah Dagi, I haven’t seen you this fired up since the battle o-… well, you know, anyway. So I found bacon bits walking along, she looked like someone killed her dog or something, and I decided to follow her. She never noticed, I mean I literally followed her for like thirty minutes and for most of that nobody else was even around, I mean who the hell is that oblivious.” 

Aria didn’t notice the slight agitation on Adagio’s face as she went off on her tangent. Aria was not usually the one for tirades of useless information, but after almost bringing up the battle of the bands directly, Adagio was annoyed with the reminder of her greatest failure, and she just wanted Aria to get to the point. “As much as I like to be reminded about how a bumbling and oblivious teenager prevented us from going home or from getting everything we deserved during the moment that was meant to be our greatest success, please, just get on with whatever you are trying to tell me,” Adagio’s aggravation audible.

Aria paused, then resumed to report to Adagio. “Well, when I followed her she was totally out of it, and she didn’t notice not even when I watched her walk straight into her home,” Aria looked so smug as she revealed this.

Adagio’s jaw dropped. The girl who defeated the sirens, the girl who entranced her. She now knew where to find her. As her face normalized, a catlike grin developed. Her inner turmoil balanced out, whether she wanted revenge or… she wasn’t sure what else she wanted, but the option was there. “Aria, you magnificent fool! You have stumbled into something absolutely perfect.”

“There is just one catch,” Aria said as she looked towards the ground.

Adagio’s grin faltered. “What do you mean a catch?” she asked as the volume of her voice rose. Adagio was not one for surprises, which usually disappointed Sonata.

“Well, I kinda walked into her ‘home’ right behind her, not knowing that it was where she crashed. Before you say anything, I didn’t realize that she lived there because it was an old factory. I figured she was just looking for a place to smoke or something when she walked in,” Aria explained. “Anyway I followed her in, and there she was. She had just hung up that ridiculous jacket she always wears. There was a framed picture of her loser band, and some other home decor items. Then she saw me, and I didn’t want to hang around so I ran.”

She was amazed at what Aria had done, not only following the girl that had defeated the trio, but also going all the way to her home. Adagio gawked at Aria, she wondered if those bubbly, goody-goody sisters in charge of CHS knew that Sunset Shimmer was more a vagabond than even the Dazzlings. Her thoughts were torn between revenge and the fact that she could now see the girl who haunted her waking thoughts, and danced in her dreams. 

The bell on the front door jingled, causing Aria and Adagio to turn their heads to a would be intruder. Instead, Sonata walked in, a huge grin on her face. 

As the door closed behind her she turned to her sisters. “You guys will… uh wha-” the blue girl broke off mid sentence. Frozen in the twin gazes of her sisters. “Whaaaat?” Sonata asked as Aria face palmed. 

“Sonata, dear, you have absolutely terrible timing.” Adagio deadpanned.

Sonata leaned on the front counter outside of Aria’s reach, “what like interrupting you making a thirty-seven year plan to get back at Twilight Turner? You might be a bit late, I think H.P. started on that fifteen years ago.” 

Aria could never keep up with Sonata, something that Adagio related to. Even so, in this one sentence Adagio realized that while she didn’t understand what Sonata was talking about, it sounded suspiciously close to truth. “You were listening at the door, weren’t you?”

“Yepperoni sisteroni!” Sonata chirped as she pulled a tupperware bowl out of a messenger bag that was slung over her shoulder. “Anyway, I was in the kitchen at the house, and I have combined the magnificence of tacos and nachos.” She said as she opened up the container revealing her strange culinary creation, “I call my new creation the Tacho.

Adagio’s face scrunched up at the smell of Sonata’s latest antics.

“Why didn’t you just call it the naco?” Aria asked with a bored expression.

“Because Disney has the rights to that, I mean, duh.” Sonata rolled her eyes.

Aria snapped as she lunged for her younger sister. “Look here you littl-!” only to be cut off by Adagio.

“Girls! If you don’t mind, I am tired and would like finish closing the store. So take your ridiculous squabbles elsewhere,” she snapped at them. Then she turned, “Aria we will talk later,” she said, as the two left Aria glaring at Sonata.





Adagio stepped gently through the apartment, so as not to disturb Sonata. She didn’t want Sonata involved in whatever Aria believed they were doing. Her earlier conversation echoed in her mind. She found it difficult to believe that she could now find the muse that subjugated her imagination.

As she passed through their abode small imperfections in the otherwise spotless decor brought moments with her sisters to mind. 

A stain on the carpet where Sonata spilled grape juice, Aria had been furious for weeks.

A series of cracks on the coffee table, courtesy of Aria losing a bet on some televised sporting event or another. They really should have replaced that table, the cracks were very noticeable, which made it look tacky.

Then passing Sonata’s room she flinched at the sheer amount of colorful ‘oddaments’ that covered the door. From cartoon characters to confetti, it was all there screaming Sonata. On a whiteboard around eye-level Adagio read in childish scrawl ‘blue fish gurl, don’t poke the glass!’. She made sure not to make any noise as she made her way further down the hallway.

She finally came to Aria’s door, a simple ‘KEEP OUT’ sign the only adornment. Adagio knocked quietly, still not wanting to disturb her sister in the previous room.

“Go Away!” Aria shouted. 

Adagio massaged her temples before opening the door. “It’s me,” she sighed. 

Whompf. A pillow engulfed Adagio’s face.

“To be fair, I did tell you to go away,” Aria smirked from her chair. 

She sat in front of a computer, the web browser pulled up to some Mystable page or another. Aria herself was facing Adagio with a proud smirk on her face. She wore a white tank top and a pair of loose black shorts.

Adagio took in the room for a minute, closed the door behind her, and proceeded to sit on the bed. She wasn’t really comfortable in Aria’s room, something about all the random band posters with more than thirty musical groups staring down at her, and no less than fifteen looked like they were some kind of cult.

Adagio sighed, “Look. About earlier, I don’t want Sonata involved. She isn’t the brightest and to be honest she probably wouldn’t want anything to do with this.”

Aria had moved away from her computer to retrieve the pillow that had pomfed into Adagio upon entering her room. “Yeah, I agree that she isn’t very bright.”

“But?” Adagio arched her eyebrows.

“No but, well except maybe yours, that is a big butt. You might wanna lay off the snacks,” Aria remarked with a chuckle.

Adagio’s eyes narrowed, “Really? Butt jokes, is that what you want to contribute?”

“Uh, in case you forgot I am the one who found her. Without me you wouldn’t even get this chance. What about you? What are you going to contribute?” 

Adagio stopped herself and took a breath before continuing, “for now just keep an eye on her. We can figure out what to do later, we just need to know more about her.” As she finished she turned and left Aria’s room, closing the door behind her. 

Her heart was beating fiercely as she marched down the hall to her room, her hands shaking as she tried to hold herself together. Every step she took she felt further away from the sanctity of her room. Her legs were heavy, and they got heavier with every step she took. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her vision blurry. As the tears fought to flow, her emotions grabbed at her to pull her back down into a well of guilt.

And then, she was there. At the end of the hall, right in front of her simple wooden door. She took the doorknob in her hand and pulled the door open.

She took a step as everything she had been holding in started to overpower her. She took another step into her haven. She then reached back to hide her shame, to prevent her sisters from seeing the weakness that held her. She closed herself off from the world in the most literal way she knew how to.

As she shut her door she fell back against it, sliding down into a sitting position, her head in her hands. Her breathing was erratic and tears flowed from her eyes. Every dam she had built up burst all at once. The tears flowed freely down her face onto her skirt and passed that onto the carpet. She sat for what felt like hours awash in the emotions.

Adagio couldn’t keep up the mask in her room. She closed herself off as soon as she got there, she cried and vented out all of her weakness. Her tears and sobs seemed unending.

She abhorred the guilt and feelings of regret. Her weakness angered her. She sat against her door shaking and crying, unable to muster the drive to escape her self imposed isolation. 

She grabbed two handfuls of her hair, pulling just hard enough to induce a small amount of pain. The pain told her that it was all real, that she brought everything on her and her sisters. It told her she was mortal, and reminded her that she had imposed at least this on many an individual on the path she had lived.

She herself would have been an excellent target for a siren to feed on, the irony of the situation was not lost on her. It had take several years of habit before Adagio had been curious as to the fallout of what the sirens did to feed. Once after a particularly large feeding frenzy Adagio had gone back to see what happened with the villagers they had pushed to the absolute furthest. She had to use her song to escape being burned as a witch. At the time she had thought the mortals overreacted, but now she truly understood the darkness which she had championed into the lives of those around her.

A flash of light caught her attention. She looked up and dried her eyes. She noticed the last fading ray of sunlight through her bedroom window, reflecting off her closet mirror. The ray slowly slid down the wall as the sun worked its way down below the horizon. 

She stood up and walked over to the mirror. The moment she looked at the reflection, all she could see was a mess. From the room to the girl, her life was a hollow shell of what it had been. Her hair lacked the luster it was known for, her eyes lacked their former sheen, and she had in fact gained weight. Despite the new chance that her and her sisters had gained from Joe, and the life they had built she still missed her former majesty. 

As she continued to inspect her reflection she paused at where the ray of sunlight sat, making her posterior glow slightly. She smirked and struck a pose.

“It is getting big,” she said with faux astonishment. As she stuck her nose up at her new physique she realized that she felt a little better. She proceeded to pick up the clothed scattered around the room.

The sun set over the horizon, and the ray vanished leaving Adagio alone in her room cleaning.
> Prelude to Adagietto
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was hard to believe the girl who had bolted out Sunset’s parlor, that’s what she called it, had once been a fish. Like, she ran really fast. Sunset stood frozen, eyes locked on the doorway, morbid dread plastered on her face. She stepped back, bumping into her coat rack and spilling her leather jackets across the room.

“No.” She whispered to herself. “No, no, nononono!” 

She locked the door and ran to her makeshift bedroom. Her stride echoed in the halls with every step. Ragged breaths echoed off hollow walls, and her legs burned from the sudden exertion.

She arrived at her room and opened the door in a panicked exaggerated shove. The door whipped around on its hinges slamming into a stack of cardboard boxes, with a muted THUD! knocking the topmost box off the stack. She scrambled across the room not looking at the mess now adorning her living space. Her heart raced, each beat echoing louder as she searched her desk frantically. 

Books, stationary, an old handheld gaming system, and more flew off the desk. Her arms moving almost faster than her thoughts, she tore through every nook and drawer on her old writing desk. After a few exasperated moments she collapsed down onto her floor, pupils shrunk to pinpricks.

Her room was a mess, between what she had thrown in her frantic search and the preexisting clutter the particular object she needed evaded her. Wrapping her arms tightly around her nails dug into her skin, an all consuming panic enveloped her like the last rays of sun over the horizon.

A small noise from above her pulled her from her stupor. There was a tiny buzzing noise coming from above her. Sunset lunged upwards, only to trip as her feet got tangled. She braced herself on the chair at her desk and got her feet under her, before scrambling up the ladder onto the bed up above her formerly organized desk.

When she dug through the blankets on the bed she found her journal, the one that allowed her to communicate with Princess Twilight, vibrating and glowing wildly. She flipped the journal open to the message from her last friend. 

-

My Faithful Friend Sunset Shimmer,

I know things at CHS have been rough lately, but I take it you talked with the girls today. I am sure you are probably busy with them at the moment, so I will keep this brief. I know times get tough, and you are having a hard time adjusting what with the opinions of the school constantly changing. I just wanted to let you know I am proud of all the effort you have made. I am happy that you have embraced friendship and are now on a better path. This Anon-A-Miss thing sound kind of familiar, if I think of anything that will help I will write back to you as soon as I can. That being said, I am going to Canterlot for the Hearth's Warming Play, and will not be back for several days. Don’t forget to bundle up, I assume it's winter there now and you are probably cold.

Your Friend, Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Pinkie wanted me to tell you to be careful when it snows, I am not quite sure what she is on about. Anyway just take her advice just in case.

-

Sunset sat on the bed after having read the entire message. Shame Twilight would be out of touch for a bit. She felt the last bit of friendly warmth fade away, a chill raced down her spine. She reached for a pillow, only to just gently fall across her bed. The room had already been cold, but now she felt as if ice were forming across her skin. She curled up into a ball to fight the cold, but nonetheless, color drained from her sight. Everything in the room seemed to grow, towering over her lone, pitiful form.

She was annoyed by the fact that her meeting with the girls didn’t go as Twilight presumed.
She was scared to not have any friends, that was sure. She ran a hand through her hair. She was angry at the girls, they should know better. Why would she be Anon-A-Miss? 

The thought of losing her friends left her reeling, but the idea of what the sirens could do downright terrified her. She shivered at the thought them showing up for revenge, or worse leaking her living arrangements to the students or staff at CHS. Sunset had barely gotten by with the Principals before, if they knew she was homeless she definitely would not be able to clear her name.
 
“I mean, at least Rainbow considered that I didn’t do it,” she mumbled into her old pillow.

Tears started to well up in her eyes. She didn’t want to bother Twilight with the news of the day yet, that would possibly ruin her trip. She didn’t have anywhere besides this old abandoned factory to go, and the sirens could return to enact some sort of revenge scheme at any time.

She wrapped the pillow tightly around her face and screamed, cold wet spots forming on the pillow as she vented all the air in her lungs into the pillow as loud as she could with the feathered bag on her face. Finally removing the downy muzzle from her face she sprawled out on the bed. 

Her tears fell, streaks of liquid crystal fell from her eyes down her face. She wanted something to do to distract her, someone to tell her it would be okay. Sunset continued to cry, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket of her bed for comfort. All she had to do at the moment was attempting to figure out who Anon-A-Miss was, sadly, she didn’t have wifi at the factory. Not that she was very good with a computer anyway.

She cocooned herself in the blanket, its embrace doing little against the cold inside. Sunset had no distractions, only the remnants of her own choices to live with. She knew the only reason that she could be blamed for Anon-A-Miss was that she was at least that horrible before. She embraced the blame, accusing herself, sinking deeper into her despair. Her friends left her because she had been terrible, Christmas was coming up and they needed family. She wanted a family.

She cried until she was worn out. She cried until there were no more tears, she was still sad, she was still scared, but she didn’t know what to do.

After several moments Sunset got off her bed and set her packed bag beside the door with her journal in it. She then shuffled back to her bed and collapsed into a fitful sleep.





“Anyways! That was when Black Snooty told the Crusaders that Sunset probably wasn’t Anon-A-Miss, because you know, she is too smart to incriminate herself. Apparently she thinks Sunset wouldn’t make herself obvious just because she was overconfident.” Pinkie Pie prattled perplexing pastel people perfectly. 

“Pinkie dear, we have told you to stop calling the Vice Principal that dreadful nickname for years,” Rarity said. “Just because she doesn’t approve of your methodology as the premier party planner of Canterlot High,” Rarity paused to check her makeup in a small compact, “I still cannot believe you had that title approved by the student council, it doesn’t mean she is going to turn into an evil dictator principal bent on upstaging her sister,” Rarity chided her friend as she touched up her mascara. 

Pinkie frowned.

The two girls had gone out with Fluttershy to get donuts from a place Octavia had recommended to Rarity. They had got off the public bus a few stops from Crystal Preparatory Academy and immediately started to traverse the inner city following Fluttershy, who had gotten directions from her phone.

“I don’t know if I believe Sunset is guilty. I mean, she did do this kind of thing before the Fall Formal, regularly.” Fluttershy spoke barely above a whisper. Of course she never spoke any louder, except when cheering at sporting events. 

Pinkie’s smile grew three times that moment, a grin of cartoonish proportions covered her face, much to the displeasure of her companions. “Well, my duly appointed Watsons!” she exclaimed. “I smell a mystery! And—” she raised her head and started to sniff the air “— donuts!?” 

She pondered this clue about as long as it took Fluttershy to tell them they had arrived at Joe’s Donut and Pastry. “Shall we?” She held the door for her friends.

As the trio entered, they took in the diner theme to the inside of the shop, checkered floors, matching booths, and a magnificent display of sugary goodness spanning the far end of the room. 

“Then their eyes shrank to pinpricks, one of Rarity’s eyes may even have twitched.” Pinkie narrated, “the smell of sugar and tension filled the air.”

“Pinkie, darling,” whispered Rarity,”I know you have…unique quirks, but this is most definitely not the time.” Pinke quieted at the suggestion from her friend.

Meanwhile, Sonata cowered behind the counter, watching the girls through the display glass, oblivious to the fact that they could see her. 

Aria, as it happened, was working today, not Adagio. After her semi-successful espionage the day before, Aria was feeling particularly brave. Smirking she just put a hand on her hip and waited for the girls who just entered to make the first move.

Sparks ignited between the gazes of Aria and Rarity. The standoff lasted many seconds longer than was comfortable for the rest of the patrons.

Rarity looked back over her shoulder at Fluttershy, when their eyes met the timid girl gave a slight nod. Rarity, then, in an attempt to stop drawing attention to the trio, proceeded to the counter to confront Aria.  Fluttershy followed in tow while Pinkie bounced along behind the couple.

The shy yellow girl hid behind her two friends, shaking, but took comfort in the Rarity and Pinkie’s confidence. 

Rarity faced the siren, “we will have 3 donuts, one with sprinkles and chocolate frosting, two chai teas and a chocolate milkshake.” She struggled to keep her tone even and even bit back a scathing remark about sucking out their souls or some other ploy. 

“Okay, so I have two plains, one sugar rush special, with two sides of spice and a cold chocolate milk, did you want anything for the other two?” A smirk worthy of a shark materialized on Aria’s face, her eyes surveying Rarity’s body. “Might I also suggest a diet? Your skirt and blouse are looking a bit tight.”

“Uh-bu-whaa!” Rarity proclaimed, her face rapidly flashing various shades of red in surprise, offence, and irritation. She was not angry; she was a lady. Ladies did not get angry. She repeated that in her mind several times, in a vain attempt to maintain her image.

“Alright, the total will be-” Rarity slammed some money down on the counter, cutting off whatever Aria was going to say.

“Keep the change,” Rarity said, a thin, forced smile on her face. Fluttershy was practically crushing Rarity’s hand, and was nuzzled right between her shoulder blades. Rarity didn’t know where in the establishment that Pinkie had gotten off to. She waited as a receipt printed, took it, turned on her heel, and stormed over to a booth out of the way to wait for their order.

Meanwhile, Sonata still hid behind the glass display counter, terrified of the Rainbooms. “Here, have some popcorn and enjoy the show,” someone chirped next to Sonata.

Sonata smiled and reached over toward the voice. “Thank you, but this isn’t really a show I want to see–” 

There, crouched next to her was the pink poofy, though not as poofy as Adagio, Rainboom. Sonata’s eyes shrank to pin pricks. A high pitched quiet squeal escaped her lips. “EEEEEEEEP.”

“Hey, you sound just like Fluttershy!” Pinkie declared in a still-hushed tone. “She makes that same noise when she’s scared…which is, like, eighty one point two five percent of the time.” Pinkie finally caught up to what was happening. 

Sonata for her part didn’t scream or jump or run away. Instead she quickly called on the words of a movie she had once watched and stayed perfectly still. One itty bitty movement, and the pink one would see her. That, or it was dinosaurs that couldn’t see you when you didn’t move. 

Sonata really hoped the first one was correct.

Pinkie had put her hand up to her face and tapped her chin quizzically. “She also freezes up like that! I thought it was because she had mixed humans up with certain giant lizard bird things, but as it turned out she just does that as a natural reaction.” Pinkie clapped a reassuring hand on Sonata’s back. She bounced off to join Rarity and Fluttershy at their table.

After a few minutes, Aria brought their order over and continued her smug taunting. “How is Sun-bitch? She must really be hectic right now.”

The three girls looked up at her with various expressions of confusion. 

PING! Six phones went off at once.

Rarity pulled out her phone and looked at the notification, her eyes narrowing at Aria. “Unless there is a ridiculous coincidence I believe you follow Anon-A-Miss.”

Aria smiled back at her and crossed her arms. “Yeah, the crap they post is hilarious. Much better than the memes on my regular feed.” 

Pinkie spoke up, “I mean it would be funny if it weren’t so mean. The posts from Sunset are terrible.” 

Fluttershy leaned further into Rarity, letting her hair hide her face. She didn’t want to let her fear of the siren make her leave her friends.

Aria frowned. “Wait, you actually believe Sunset Shimmer is-” 

“Sunset Shimmer is Anon-A-Miss??” Sonata leaped in. “How awful! Isn’t she supposed to be your friend? Someone should go all sugar, spice, everything nice, and chemical X on her.” Sonata was absolutely livid. “She tried to play all nice when we came to CHS before all the battle of the bands. Oooh, I can’t stand anyone being so fake.”

Aria raised an eyebrow, Sonata seemed pretty peeved, and the friendship patrol seemed equally surprised by this.

Fluttershy, finally at her limit got up and looked at Aria. “C-could we just g-go?” she asked Rarity and Pinkie, while awkwardly playing with her hair. They both nodded, still momentarily stunned by the siren’s outburst, and got up to follow the shy girl out of the shop.

After the Rainbooms had left, Sonata turned to Aria. “I heard you two, I know you know where she is. Tell me.” Sonata was serious, and Aria wasn’t sure why that mattered to her.

“Sure, she is in an abandoned factory on the old industrial side of town. Over a few blocks passed Borden. Just check the alleys, there is one with partially hidden door just a few feet in, probably the most graffitied one.” Aria acted put out telling Sonata this, but something in her mind was saying this was a bad idea. 

Eh, it was probably nothing anyway.





After her shift Sonata went home and got a bit of rest, she had plans for that evening. She was going to go and put that Anon-A-Miss in her place. Adagio had been out when Sonata got home, and she was supposed to work that evening so she would more than likely not get a chance to dissuade Sonata from going to give Shimmer a stern talking to. The stuff Sonata had seen leaked on the MyStable page upset her, they were on par with Adagio’s meanest plans. That afternoon’s post about the colorful rainbooms low grades was actually a bit lame compared to some of the other posts. For example the post about Vapor Trail’s cheating to get Sky Stinger onto the soccer team, or the post accusing Saffron Masala of using out of date ingredients at her's and her father’s restaurant. 

These targeted posts risked ruining people’s livelihoods and destroying their dreams. Both instances were unacceptable to Sonata. After showering and changing into some street clothes, specifically jeans and a hoodie, she ate a light snack before setting out.

It was getting colder, the light breezes of autumn had turned to harsh winds ready to sheppard in the freezing snows of winter. She expected a blizzard really late at night, courtesy of the weather woman Sunshower. Glad that she watched the news that morning, Sonata knew she had to get this done and be back before night fell.

She walked all the way to Borden where she tipped a busker for his entertaining performance on the bongos. Then she went over to the industrial district, and started to check the alley ways for one matching Aria’s description. She only got distracted by kitties like twenty times, she was proud of her progress. She regretted not asking for more details. Her eyes crossed every time she tried to find a door hidden behind the copious amounts of graffiti. 

After a few excursions she finally found a building with leather jackets spilled and a picture of the Rainbooms on a table by the door. There was also a cactus. In a bowl. Named Kevin.  

She proceeded into the building, making sure to tiptoe so as not to get caught before she had the chance to tell the girl off for her actions. Small creaks sounded as she snuck along, causing her to wince with every step. She checked the first few doors, but got nothing but the factory floor, broom closets, and a break room. She kept going until she found an intersection. On one side the path wrapped around the factory floor, and down the other, it went on to what looked like a business office with big windows facing the street. She turned to go further in the factory. As she progressed down the hallway she paused at a door that read Supervisor’s Office.

She gently opened the door to reveal the object of her irritation pacing lounging and reading a book, her brow furrowed in deep thought.

Honestly, now that she was here, she realized that she was terrified. Before her stood the girl who had lead the Rainbooms in defeating her and her sisters, before her was an object from her nightmares. 

Before her was someone who looked completely ragged, and honestly a bit malnourished. 

Sonata frowned, this girl would have nothing to gain from spreading rumors about all the people at CHS, she didn’t even look like she would be capable of beating Sonata in at arm wrestling. Nonetheless, Sonata took a brave step forward and cleared her throat to get the girl’s attention.





Sunset had woken up from her sleep early, before the sun had come up, and was freezing. Without her leather jacket she only had her blue blouse and some jeans on. She had become unwrapped from the covers on her bed at some point in the night, and as such was still very tired when waking from her slumber. 

After getting a spare set of clothes, a sweater with her cutie mark on it and some maroon sweatpants that matched, she left her bedroom. Her bare feet smacking the floor with each step on the hard floor. She walked down a few doors until she reached the factory’s old communal shower room. Once inside she turned on a shower head to warm up and proceeded to disrobe. Occasionally the shower head would sputter, spreading water ever chaotically across the room. 

After a minute Sunset reached into the stream of water only to be disappointed. “Oh, just great,” she grumbled slapping her dry hand palm down on the polystyrene wall. 

“Looks like I am gonna freeze my ass off in a cold shower!”

Afterward she dressed, opting to not brush her hair, instead she left the shower to go to her kitchenette to get some coffee. 

Having cleaned up and gotten her coffee she headed back to her room. She spent a few hours at her desk drafting a plan in case she had to relocate, followed by just doodling in an old sketchbook. Eventually she stopped that and started to try and calm herself, which just ended with her pacing away the afternoon. Eventually having tired her legs out she just sprawled on bed with a Daring Do novel, Spectrum of Lightning, to escape the ever present woes of her life.

That was until, an angry childlike voice pulled her back from fulgurite fiction “Ah-HEM!”

Sunset froze.

She was terrified, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and turned to face whoever was with her.

Fearing the worst, she opened her eyes, only to reveal a blue girl: Sonata, the youngest of the sirens to be precise. Scared, Sunset grabbed something to use as a weapon. Unfortunately she had only grabbed a black snap back off of her desk, which she decided would make a terrible weapon. 

She tossed the black snap back onto her couch dejectedly, and in a most defeated tone acknowledged the girl. 

“Go on with it, I expect the other two are in the hall ready to jump in and join in on your revenge?”

Sonata continued to be puzzled, she addressed that momentarily before starting her tirade about Sunset’s blatant betrayal of her friends. “R-revenge? For what?” Sonata asked, still slightly scared of the girl in front of her. “I am only here because of what you are doing to your school. I mean, how could you just go online and start posting all that stuff? Why would you subject them to that? Why are you ruining the lives of the others at CHS? I mean, I know that my sisters and I did that whole magic-y thing and that was horrible, but that was our chance to go home. We had to do that so we could stop starving. What you are doing is the absolute worst. There is nothing to be gained from just ruining people’s lives. So why are you doing it?”

Sonata’s outburst surprised Sunset. She had gotten a bit excited and had blurted all of that out without taking any breaths, so it left her breathing hard. Sunset was taken aback. What had she meant starving? Why was she so upset at this? Sunset had thought that maybe the sirens had done Anon-A-Miss to get back at the students of CHS, this definitely debunked that idea. 

“Look, since you seem to be of the same mind as everyone else, just leave. I am tired of being accused.” Sunset said as she looked at the floor, the tone of surrender clear in her voice. She turned away from the girl, and away from the scorn she presented. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if to hug herself. The action helped to calm her and kept her from slipping into a panic attack, though it didn’t prevent her from starting to shake. 

This gave Sonata a pause. She shifted her weight between her feet, her eyes going between the floor the tormented form before her. 

The girl in front of her reminded her of a time before her sisters had found equestrian magic. This was a sort of attitude that Sonata was very familiar with. The girl in front of her had given up, she was tired, and did not seem to have much in the way of fight left in her. She raised her hand out in front of her, as if she could grab the words she needed in this situation.

Sonata was not sure how to take this. She did not know people like Adagio did, and could not tell when people were pretending like Aria. Though she could feel the depression of the girl in front of her, she did not know what to do with it. Her plan had been to come and confront the girl, then expose her and maybe stop her tyranny before it got too far out of hand. What she had not expected was that she would find someone so utterly defeated. The last time she had seen this was from Adagio, in the days following the battle of the band. 

Sonata felt like the girl was not faking, the sincerity was almost tangible. “I-I should not have come,” she whispered to herself shuffling her feet as she turned to leave. “Look, I guess I m-might have been wrong. Just um… I will see you around I guess,” she said as she turned to leave, more confused than before.

As Sonata left, closing doors echoing throughout the empty halls, Sunset collapsed on the couch. A knot formed in her stomach and worked its way up, as if uncorking her emotions once more. She finally put her face in her hands, and cried as panic overtook her.

As Sonata stepped out of the factory and proceeded to trudge back home, as she reached Borden street again she felt the cold sting of a snowflake hit her nose. Instead of the joy of getting to play in the snow the next morning all she felt was worry over what had just happened.

She wrapped her arms around herself, hands in armpits, as the snow grew heavier. She continued her trudge all the way home. Occasionally casting a glance over her shoulder, wondering exactly what was going on.

When she got into the shared apartment she went immediately to her room, ignoring her sisters, shut the door, and lay on the bed thinking about what all had transpired.
> Adagietto
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adagio was in a fairly good mood as she stretched her legs off the edge of her bed. She had started to turn herself around, less moping, and more productivity. She wasn’t at the top of her game, but she was ready to take on her life. She definitely was happier than she had been in a while, as shown by a sleek grin on her freshly awoken face. 

She grabbed some shorts and small loose top then proceeded to the shower, the warm water washing her leftover weariness away. After she dressed, she took in the solitary early morning. The chilled air was cut with the smell of PineSol and bacon. Both of her sisters had left for work that morning, Sonata had left her breakfast and a note. Her stomach growled alerting her to her hunger, a light blush graced her cheeks as she slid into a chair at the table. She had enjoyed the bacon and eggs, she opted for orange juice to drink. 

-

Hey Dagi!

We are off to work, hope you have a good day! 

Sonata and Aria

P.S. Aria wouldn’t sign this so I signed for her, but she also wants you to have a good day!

-

After reading the little note, Adagio took a deep breath and smiled at the little gift. She gathered the plate and glass and rinsed them in the sink, the tell tale flow of water and clink of dishes the only sound in the apartment.

She grabbed her shoes and immediately took to the streets for a brief jog. She had put in her earbuds and set up a playlist consisting of bubbly feel good pop music to listen to on her trek. As she passed the strangers on the street she gave most of them a brief wave, which earned her a nod or wave with a smile from everyone. 

Her morning had been plain but enjoyable. She had watched the sunrise over a pond as she caught her breath on her jog, she had got to hear birds singing as she went through the park, there was a marvelous mural on the side of a toy store on her way back, probably the work of one of the artists going by the name of Flanksy. She had wondered why there were two artists with the same pseudonym in one area, but that wasn’t too strange to be honest.

She could feel every rhythmic step on the hard sidewalk, the early morning chill nipped at her skin. After she had gotten warmed up from her run a chilled breeze blew through, biting at her midriff and legs, signaling her to finish up her jaunt.

Upon returning to the apartment she went to her room and gathered some of her work uniforms and ran a hot bubble bath. While the tub filled she lit a couple sticks of ocean breeze incense, and retrieved her special soaps from their hiding place under the sink. She then let the warm water and bubbles engulf her, the smell in the room taking her back to tropical waters from her memories.

She didn’t go into work until that afternoon, and she wanted to make the most of her morning. She had cleaned a lot more of her room and had done several loads of laundry after her bath. 

Currently she was humming while organizing her laundry. Every few outfits she would stop to admire her choice in clothing. She was not completely over everything but she and her sisters had done magnificently without their magic, the constant hunger pangs from the dark siren magic were gone, thus the need to constantly cause trouble was gone as well. She missed her melodious voice, but it was a small price to pay. 

Adagio was still upset, but she chose to embrace her life. She had a job, she had her sisters, as irksome as they could be, she had a place to stay that was brimming with various things they had acquired here in this world. Honestly she was proud of how well she was doing. Now if only she could figure out what to do with her feelings toward a certain meddlesome girl.

She frowned, she didn’t know Sunset Shimmer that well, and honestly was more than a little curious about how she had let herself develop a crush. Perhaps it was an effect of the rainbow beam that had hit her, or maybe she was just a hopeless romantic caught up on the fact that she saw so much of herself in Sunset. She had heard what Sunset was like before, and had taken notice of how she acted in the days leading up to the Battle of the Bands. Before finding out about her and her sisters, Sunset had tried so hard to be their friend. It had been adorable, but Adagio had tried to corrupt the bright girl they had met.

She grimaced. She definitely didn’t want to go back to that. The life with siren powers let her have anything except someone special. She had always just sang someone into being with her and it left her jaded. “No more!” she declared to the empty apartment. 

She had surprised herself with the declaration, blushing to no one she finished with her laundry.





When the afternoon rolled around she left early for work, wanting to get something special for her lunch. Joe’s was great and all, but a girl had to eat a balanced diet if she wanted to keep a figure.

She stopped at a place she had heard about, Johnny Coltinio’s, to get a salad with almonds in it and herb soup to go. It didn’t take long to get her food, but during her few minutes there she heard a couple of teenagers talking. 

“Did you hear?” the hushed youths gossiped.

“About Sunset? Yeah.”

“She deserves it, I mean, like, if she hadn’t been lying this whole time.”

“Can you believe she actually did it though?”

“Anon-A-Miss? Yeah I mean she was just waiting to ruin the school again.”

“She was so bold about it though, I mean a MyStable page with her silhouette, colored like her hair, and that symbol she has on all of her clothes?”

“No one else would do it, I mean who else could it be?”

“Yeah, I guess you're right.”

Adagio was confused, her last impression of Sunset Shimmer was that she was too good to turn on CHS, but those girls made her sound like some kind of monster.

She let the idea go as she left the restaurant with her lunch to go. She walked to work carrying the positivity from her jog that morning. When she got to Joe’s she sat outside and ate her lunch while she waited for time to clock in, the early winter day chilling her. She ate the salad rapidly, but she took her time with the soup, letting it warm her up before she started her shift. 

Finally it was time for her to go in, she expected to see Sonata hanging about. That wasn’t the case. It was slow, the evening crowds having not come in yet. A pair of teens sat in the corner and there was a middle aged man by the window enjoying a coffee. Adagio strolled through the store until she got to the counter and went around behind it only to run into Aria as she came from the back. “Unf!” was all that could be heard between the two.

“Watch it,” Aria complained.

“Oh, yes. Because I can see around a blind corner.” Adagio retorted. “Where is Sonata?”

The two girls got up and dusted off, “she left right after her shift, some of the Rainjerks were in here and they said some stuff that set her off on one of her generic after school special moods.”

Adagio clocked in, and paused. She turned her head to her sister. “Which Rainbooms?”

Aria went about organizing and cleaning the counter, “the fashionista, pink Sonata, and the scaredy cat.”

Adagio frowned, no Sunset then. “What set her off then?”

“That MyStable page that everyone is up in arms about, Anon-A-Miss. They said it was Bitchset, and Sonata got all pissy about it.” She snickered as she moved old baked goods to the discount baskets.

Adagio paled slightly at the news, what she had heard getting lunch was… right? “Wait, how do you know so much about this?” she asked.

Aria finished her task and turned to Adagio. “I started following that page after the second post. I was hoping for someone to give me something I could use against the Rainbooms, sadly since all of the info on Anon-A-Miss is public and just about everyone from CHS follows it, they are determined to blame Sunshit.” She glanced at the front door, “It is pretty funny though.”

This gave Adagio a bit to think about as she clocked in and worked. She went through most of the night considering everything she knew, Aria had sounded like she doubted Sunset’s guilt. On top of that, the girl that initially tried to befriend the sisters definitely wouldn’t do this.

With that thought in her mind she finished work without any problems, she was working with Joe that night, so he did the close and she got to go home a little early. 

When she got home Aria was watching a new web series about an alcoholic princess. Adagio joined her after getting a warm cup of tea. Aria shared some popcorn from a large bowl, both sisters leaned in opposite corners of the couch. The tension in the room was the almost non-existent, they were relaxed on the couch smirks on their faces, only disturbed by small chuckles at the television. 

After a couple episodes Sonata came in the front door, a light layer of snow on her work clothes. Her nose was visibly red and runny. She also looked distracted and not with her normal whimsy. She didn’t normally look so down, nor did she tend to think that hard on things. Sonata stalked surreptitiously to her room without so much as looking up when Adagio and Aria greeted her.

Adagio was curious as to what happened to make Sonata look so dejected.

She would just have to talk to her in the morning, and with that she continued to watch the ridiculous animation with Aria.
> Fanfare into Crescendo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adagio woke up early on her day off, Sonata had been acting strange the night before and she wanted to find out some why. After getting ready to face the day she stepped out of her room to find Sonata in the kitchen making breakfast as usual. What was unusual is that she looked terrible, her nose was bright red, and she was only half dressed. “Sonata, hun, why don’t you go put on some pants. I will watch the bacon.”

“Oh, hey-ACHOO! ‘Dagi, did you sleep well?” Sonata let out a ridiculous nasally sounding attempt at speech. Adagio crossed the room swiftly placing one hand around her sister’s shoulders, and using her free hand to check for a fever. Sonata was very warm.

“You are burning up, forget pants, let's get you back in bed.” Adagio said. Sonata must have heard the worry in Adagio’s voice because she passed her spatula to her and headed for her room. Adagio quickly finished the bacon and left it out on a plate with some paper towels for later, and then got a thermometer from the bathroom before heading into Sonata’s room.

“Can you call Mr. Joe for me? Please ‘Dagi, I was supposed to work this morning.” Sonata pleaded with her. Adagio would have no problem doing that, but it would have to wait. First came getting her temperature, and seeing how bad this would be. 

“Sure, honey, now here. Put this under your tongue and give it a minute,” she instructed. She was worried about her sister, back while they had their powers she didn’t need to worry about her sisters. Now that they were mortal she was almost motherly when something happened. She pondered why she took up the role while she waited for the thermometer to do its job.

Finally she removed the device from Sonata’s mouth and checked the reading, the digital face read 99.7 F in blocky print. This let Adagio know that it could be much worse, but Sonata would also need to rest and drink plenty of water today and probably tomorrow also. 

After letting Sonata know as much and getting her back to sleep, Adagio went back out to finish breakfast in her place. Which meant no eggs for Aria, she always burnt those, so she made some toast and got an orange for them to split. After peeling the orange and separating the slices she went to wake Aria up. She wasn’t sure if they had the stuff to make any soup, but she wasn’t going to leave the sick girl alone if they needed anything.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

A muffled response came from Aria’s room, “whaaaaat! I’m trying to sleep in.”

Adagio opened the door and walked into the dark room. “Aria, get up. Sonata is sick, and I need to go get the stuff to make her soup. Unless you want to go to the store instead.” She glanced back through the door and saw that the sun had risen at some point during the eventful morning.

“Alright, alright. Gimme like five minutes and I will get dressed. Use that time to make a list.” Without waiting for Aria to actually get out of bed Adagio went back to the kitchen found a pen and paper and started to look through the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

After about fifteen minutes Aria walked out in a fleece lined military jacket, jeans and boots with one of those really warm hats that cover the ears. “You got the list ready, and is there anything else you can think of that we need?” Aria asked.

“I went ahead and made a full list, here is my card. Is your phone charged?” Adagio harped. After she gave the card and list to Aria she sat on the couch and crossed her arms, as if to imply she would be waiting for Aria to return.

Aria moved over to the front door, grabbed her keys off the hook on the wall and opened the door. “I will be back in about half an hour if nothing happens, and yes, mom, my phone is charged. Jeez.” Aria shut the door behind her as she left.



 

After about twenty minutes Aria realized that the snow from the night before was going to cause her problems so she texted Adagio not to worry about how late she would be. As she walked she continued to wake up, apparently cold worked like coffee. Exposure equaled awareness. 

She had gotten almost all the way to the store when she stopped. Sonata had come in really late, and she had told her how to find Sunset’s place yesterday. As she put the pieces together her eyes widened. “Dammit.”

Judging by how Sonata came in the previous night she probably got told off by little red. Now Aria had to go see if Sunset had been scared off.

She turned toward the other side of town and proceeded to trudge through the first snow of the year in Canterlot.

It took a bit of extra time, but Aria made it all the way to the factory. She checked her phone it was still fairly early, about nine in the morning. Hopefully little miss sunshine and rainbows slept in like a normal high school student.

Aria worked the door open against the snow and crept inside the entryway. Once inside she shut the door behind her, and proceeded down the hallway, floorboards creaking eerily. The coat rack was knocked over and the jackets that had been on it littered the floor. She proceeded further into the building, much the same way Sonata had the previous day. The dull roar of the outside world concealed any noise she would make in her exploration.

Unlike Sonata, when she happened upon the break room that served as Sunset Shimmer’s kitchen, she found the girl sipping from an old coffee cup that read #1 DAD.





Sunset had spent a large portion of her night crying and fighting off the panic of the second siren visiting her. She had rationalized that the blue girl didn’t mean to harm her, but apparently even uninvolved individuals were getting caught up in the Anon-A-Miss incident. She needed to do something about it, but the she had no clues except that Applejack was the first target, and it was a secret that Sunset had found out the previous day, and that the second incident was the pictures from her phone. She had eventually fallen into a fitful sleep, only to wake up in the early morning. She thought about why it was she couldn’t sleep in like Rainbow Dash. 

The thought of her former friends sent a wave of sadness through her, and sitting up in bed sent a chill down her spine. The mattress springs moaned as she made her way out of bed. 

“Ah!” she yelped as her feet touched the frozen concrete that was her floor.  

She proceeded to get ready for the day, making sure to dress warmly. She had checked outside through a window on her way to the shower, only to confirm her suspicions, it had snowed. The factory didn’t have an active heating system in it, and as such the temperature difference with the outside world was minimal. 

Sunset wasn’t comfortable in the cold, so the weather brought her mood down even more.

After doing some chores, mostly cleaning and organizing, Sunset set off down the hall to her kitchenette to make coffee. She was still tired and had a feeling it was going to be a long day, so she would need her miracle elixir. She set the machine to brew a full extra strong pot. She turned and took a deep breath , leaning back on the counter surface as she thought about the last few days. The siren incident, Anon-A-Miss, and even the weather seemed to be out to challenge her. The coffee machine behind her let out a wheeze as it started to fill the glass pot. Sunset took a minute to reflect, specifically on the events of the night before.

The smell of dust filled Sunset’s nostrils as the image of an angry Sonata formed, the siren had shown up to berate her for being Anon-A-Miss. The mental picture grew confused as Sunset ran through the conversation. The factory creaked around her, causing her to open her eyes. A final moan from the coffee machine let her know that the first pot of the day was ready. She retrieved a cream colored mug from a drying rack beside the sink. She put a spoonful of sugar followed by two of powdered cream in the cup before pouring the magical molten miracle juice in the cup. Steam rose as the spoon clinked against the inside of the ceramic mug. Outside there was some large vehicles clearing the road creating quite the ruckus in the small kitchenette, the noise pollution echoed around the small room, making some of her dishes and silverware rattle in their respective drawers or cabinets.

After the drink was properly mixed and had cooled enough for Sunset to drink she closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and took a long pull of the hot brown morning potion. As her head leveled back out and her arm came back to resting position she opened her eyes. There in the center of her vision the door to the kitchenette stood open and in the doorway her fear materialized again. Aria stood, one hand on the door handle, her intense glare focused right on Sunset. 

Sunset set her mug down on the counter, other than that nothing seemed to happen. The air was frozen, similar to the window sills. Sound vanished, the factory’s old structure seemed to stop creaking to as if to pay full attention to this exact moment. 

Aria blinked.

Sunset blinked, all her internal alarms long shorted out from the last few days.

Aria took a step into the room, closing the door behind her.

Sunset slid over to a chair beside the large cable spool she used as a table, never taking her eyes off of Aria as she sat down.

Aria kept her gaze on Sunset as she crossed her arms. Something seemed off about the girl. Aria knew that Sunset had apparently had it tough from the Rainbooms, if the encounter at Joe’s was anything to go by. Presumably the Anon-A-Miss thing had been going on for about a week, and Aria had burst up in here a couple days ago. She paused to wonder what all the teen had endured. Aria didn’t normally do the whole empathy thing, but the first few days after the Battle of three Bands jumped to the forefront of her mind.

Sunset for her part thought she was holding up an excellent poker face. During the previous nights the only places she could think to run away to weren't exactly ideal. Her options of a new abode were limited to the school library which she had stayed in for a while when she first arrived in this world, and a construction project at Sweet Apple Acres. She decided that was a bad idea with all of the Anon-A-Miss heat she was getting. She didn’t need anymore time at school or near the girls.

Tch. Aria didn’t like what she figured was going on here, obviously someone was going out of their way to ruin Sunset’s life. A series of fights, arguments, and other conflicts briefly passed through Aria’s mind. She couldn’t let someone suffer like that, not after everything she knew she had been responsible for.

Aria took a few steps over to an empty chair, unfolded her arms, and gestured with an open hand at the empty seat. Sunset’s mask broke, confusion overtaking her features. “I am asking if I can sit down, c’mon smart one, keep up.”

Sunset slowly nodded. The chair drug on the floor slightly, making a loud scraping noise, which brought back all other sound. The loud trucks out on the street, now around the block, the old building creaking and groaning with age, a drip in the sink from a faucet that could never be fixed. 

“Look Red, I’m sorry I let the dunce know where you were at. I didn’t think much of it after I mouthed off to the marshmallow, the scaredy cat, and the obnoxious one. Anyway, I know a little bit of what is going on now. I assume no one besides me and Sonata know you live here?” she would cover Adagio eventually, but first she had to calm the former Rainboom. 

“Y-yeah, nobody else knows.” Sunset’s chair kept clicking as the uneven legs shifted on the ground. Though she spoke she was still unsure of what was going on, which reflected in her inability to sit still.

“Okay, so I told Adagio roughly where you live and the situation, but she didn't seem too eager to get involved directly. That is beside the point, from what I got from the Rainjerks, they think you are Anon-A-Miss.” Sunset raised a hand as if to interject. “You don’t have to deny it, just listen. I looked at the page again on my way here, it’s legit hell to travel in all this snow by the way. Anyway, definitely a frame job, and a pretty shitty one at that. I don’t remember all of CHS being that stupid.”

Sunset sat a moment, pure shock on her face. Aria’s fingers drummed on the table in rapid succession over and over again while she waited for the teen to absorb everything. As Sunset processed everything Aria had said, one thought kept repeating in her mind over and over again, someone actually believed her. That echoed in her head several times before she muttered a single sentence. “Did you just call my friends ‘Rainjerks’?” her fingers forming quotes in the air to emphasize the last word.

“Ha! One of your former nemesi comes out and says they have your back, and all you can focus on is a really shitty insult?” Aria grinned, she had learned a long time ago about the joys of spontaneity, but this was well beyond what she expected out of the day. “Look, we disproved that idiots never get sick, and as much as I torment Sonata, I need to get back to check on her. Also, I work this afternoon so if you want to swing by Joe’s place I will treat you, and we can figure out what you need to do.” She got up out of the chair and patted Sunset on the back, “you know where Joe’s is right?”

Sunset nodded slowly, mouth agape. 

Aria stood, her chair grinding on the tile. She placed her hand on Sunset’s shoulder, “hey.” Sunset closed her mouth and met Aria’s gaze. “I originally came over here to make sure the dunce didn’t scare you off, but what you are going through...” Aria frowned and looked away. 

The moment passed and Aria turned to leave, footsteps echoing through empty halls.





Sonata awoke to her door being kicked open. 

In the doorway Aria glared at her, holding a tray with a bowl and glass on it. “Listen up!” she yelled over at the sick girl. “I am bringing you food this once, don’t go getting sick again just to have me take care of you. This is a one time thing.” Sonata weakly smiled at her sister, and shoved her stuffed animals, and plush cartoon characters aside to make room for the tray.

The warm fragrance of chicken noodle soup filled the room as Aria made her way to the bed. “You said that last time too,” Sonata commented as the tray was gently placed across her lap. “Thank you,” she said in a nasally voice. 

“You won’t be thanking me here in a minute. First, you went to Shimmer’s place last night.” That definitely was not a question. “Second, you owe her an apology when you get better.” Sonata looked up at her sister in confusion. “Third, you have to take some medicine.” Aria held out two capsules and a glass of orange juice to her sister.

Sonata, paused. She finally took the capsules and chased them with the orange juice. “You want me to apologize to the girl who took away our magic?” Sonata could not believe what she was hearing from Aria, after so long of being mean she was the one to ask Sonata to be nice. “I thought you would be mad because I ruined you and Adagio’s revenge plan thingy.”

“Nah, I paid her a visit, and after the Rainbitches made it clear they weren’t in her corner yesterday, I figured she needed someone on her side. Now, you get some rest and get better. I don’t want to have to change our whole schedule for the week because you stayed sick.” Aria patted her sister head and left closing the door behind her. Sonata ate in silence at first, but after a few moments the gentle bass from Aria’s music lulled through the walls. Sonata smiled, she was happy for her sister, she hoped Aria and SunShimmy could be friends. She slurped the rest of her soup, and curled back up. Falling asleep surrounded by plushies, and listening to the muted tunes from Aria’s room.





Adagio had definitely had better mornings. Without Sonata at the shop, and Aria not showing up until much later, the workflow was rather strenuous on the lone girl. Joe said he would help when he could, but due to the high volume of business that day he remained in back preparing ever more product as the day went on.

It was quickly approaching the end of normal lunch rush, with Adagio efficiently cashing out orders and customers flowing in and out of the small shop. The clamor was just above a dull roar, making it difficult to communicate with some of the quieter or shyer patrons. Every now and then someone would drag a chair, causing a great scraping noise to silence the room for a split second. Adagio was having trouble hearing a regular, her Prench accent and ladylike demeanor kept her from speaking too loudly. The girl wore a uniform from Canterlot University’s affiliate private school, Crystal Preparatory Academy. The dark colors of the uniform fit the girls attitude, but not her bright pink hair or ivory skin. 

After the regular customer was dealt with Adagio sighed. She was worried about Sonata, and concerned that Aria would not take proper care of her. The stomp of boots told Adagio that someone was walking up to the counter, so she smiled as she looked up to the would be customer. “Welcome to Joe’s, best donuts in Canterlot City! What can we get for you today?” 

Adagio’s smile dulled a little at seeing Aria before her. “Yeah, yeah. I am not here to order, just wanted to let you know Sonata had some soup and juice and went back to sleep. Checked on her right before heading down. I am gonna ask Joe if I can clock in early so you can go back and dote on the dunce,” Aria explained with a grin as she turned to circle to the business side of the counter. “Be right back.” 

Adagio continued her vigil, though she was slightly annoyed by the fact that her sister had only come in now that business had slowed down. The dull roar had lightened significantly, and the clatter of bodies in the shop was noticeably lessened. Adagio made a pass around the dining room cleaning tables, throwing away trash, and asking the remaining clientele if they needed anything. She came back out and topped of some coffee cups, glad that no one really wanted anything else. Finally she resumed station at the counter, the bright displays in the counter calling to her. All of the work that day had left her quite famished. 

Aria came out of the back of the store, now dressed in her uniform. “Joe says that you can go, but he said to go see him before you head out.”

“Thank you, Aria.” Adagio was glad that she would be able to go check on Sonata. With business slowed down she took a moment to grab a croissant, from a discount basket, and sneak into the back. 

As she passed the curtain of beads separating the kitchen from the lobby she could hear Joe bouncing back and forth between projects, the rhythmic tapping of his old shoes squeaking with every step on the tile. “Joe!” she called out before taking a big bite out of her snack.

For his part Joe was working much slower than during the long and arduous lunch rush, he paused in his dance around the kitchen. “What’cha need, more eclairs?” he asked. The sound of an oven roared filling the room and almost drowning out the conversation. 

Adagio smiled, “nah, we have enough of everything for now with what you have coming up currently.” She admired his work ethic, Joe didn’t slow down and it reflected in his business. “Aria said you wanted to talk to me and I saw an opportunity to slip back really quick.” She placed her free hand on her hip, and took a bite of the croissant in her other hand.

Joe’s eyes lit up as he clapped his hands together. “Right! I told Aria to send you back because we finished all the paperwork for your promotion. You are officially a manager, with that comes a significant raise. Your promotion lined up with your first regular raise so all three of you are getting raises, but yours is the biggest since you got promoted too.” He beamed at his young protege, his smile as bright as the morning sun. 

Adagio was speechless, she wasn’t aware of a ‘regular’ raise, but she definitely was not going to complain about it. Her face was frozen from the sheer shock of the news, croissant paused midway to her next bite. The beads behind her rattled, “Yo, Joe!” Aria called, “slow down on production a bit. We are caught up.” Aria noticed her sister and her surprised state. “You finally told her? Man I have been sitting on that one for days.”

That stirred Adagio out of her surprise, “you knew?” was all she managed.

“Oh yeah, Joe had to push all the paperwork and I caught him last time I worked. I noticed mine and Sonata’s raises on paper right behind yours.” Aria patted Adagio on the back with a genuine smile. “Also, Joe, let Dagi get something to eat and send her on. I figure she held it down all morning, so she deserves a rest.” Adagio flinched at the end of that statement, but quickly started to nibble on her croissant.

Joe nodded, and turned to continue his task. “I figure I can finish this batch and I can help out there, so there isn’t any problem if you want to go home to take care of Sonata. Tell her I said get well soon.” Joe waved over his shoulder gesturing that he was done with the conversation.





Sonata awoke to an empty apartment, something was wrong. It wasn’t anything major just something a tiny bit off, she went to take a deep breath. There it was! As the haze lifted from her thoughts a sudden clarity took over and, it happened.

“ACHOO!” 

Bedding flew in every direction from the violent motions her sneeze generated. Her nose cleared and her ears rang, and with her newfound clarity came a certain realization. “I. Am. starving.” 

She took in the room around her, open door, really bright light reflecting in from outside, and she could feel warm air from the heater. Her morning and her illness came rushing back. As she remembered that she was sick and that her sisters had taken care of her. “That’s just silly why would I be si-,” the image of a very sad girl flashed briefly in her mind. 

Suddenly Sonata heard the door to their apartment open then close. “I swear if Aria doesn’t start to lock this damn door,” came Adagio’s voice in one of her old harmless threats.

“Dagi!” Sonata exclaimed as she dove out of bed to run to her sister. The bedding again flying everywhere disturbed by her sudden motion. The sheets however had gotten tangled with her feet and when she went to land she instead twisted and fell face first right into an over-sized plush of a cartoon character, Cannonball, that normally served as a beanbag chair.

“And the sickly spaz decendeth,” Adagio chuckled from where she had leaned up against the door frame. One of those typical anime poses, with her hand held over her head and forearm actually propped on said frame. 

“Eh, what’s up, Dag?” Sonata grinned up at her sister from her ridiculous resting place. After she untangled her feet Sonata got up and made her way out of her room. Looking over at the sliding glass door she noticed the snow, and by association the blinding glare from the sun reflecting off said snow. “Aren’t you home early?” she asked, slightly baffled. Not that her confusion was anything new.

Adagio turned on her heel, facing away from the living catastrophe that was her younger sister. “Joe let me come back early for covering your shift, he also told me to tell you to get better,” she proceeded to walk away as the words left her lips. 

“Awww, you and Aria took care of me, and
Mr. Joe was worried.” Sonata looked down at the floor, suddenly very interested in her carpet. Then as suddenly as she became downtrodden she gasped! “Dagi! Will you come with me to thank Ari and to apologize to Mr. Joe for missing work.” She also had another idea, but Dagi wasn’t privy to that idea.