“Do we seriously have to do this, Adagio?”

“We don’t have a choice, Aria! We don’t have any way of going back to Equestria, and now we need to find a way just to survive in this hellhole!”

“Heyyyyy, isn’t that what we were doing before anyway?”

“Sonata… You’re the worst…”

“What did I say this time?!”

“ENOUGH!”

Both Aria and Sonata stopped their arguing long enough to turn to Adagio, who was almost foaming at the mouth in rage from their predicament. “Listen,” she began again, “I understand how much neither of you want to be back at this school, but what are our other options?” The two girls then dropped their gaze to the floor, their hearts shattered into as many pieces as the pendants they once wore.

“I know this is going to be tough,” Adagio continued on, “but we’ll make it through this. Just because we don’t hold the power we once had doesn’t mean we’re powerless. We can still conquer this place the old fashioned way.”

“You mean with bombs?” Aria scoffed. “It'd definitely be an exciting change of pace for once.”

“I mean by rising through the ranks! We’ll just have to go through school like all the other kids, only this time…” Adagio frowned at her hand, which grasped at air at the base of her neck, “...without our pendants.”

“Do you think we can really get the world to follow us without hypnotizing everyone?”

Adagio’s frown held true, which only hurt the spirits of the other two girls even more. “I don’t know, Sonata… but we have to try.”

The doors to the cafeteria swung open, and as the Dazzlings walked into the lunchroom, their gaze was soon met by the dozens of fiery eyes burning from the Canterlot High students. The three girls all gave them awkward smiles, but it seemed as though the students weren’t as eager to forget about the musical showcase as they were. Quietly and solemnly, the three girls got their lunch trays, picked out their lunch and made their way to an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria, the perfect place to feel scowls no matter which way they looked.

“Well, this is going great so far,” Aria said, picking up a fry and flicking it to the floor. Instead of responding, though, Adagio’s face fell into her hand while the other ran a fork in circles around her mushy mashed potatoes.

Just as they had all fallen into despair, though, a girl arrived at their table, and without another thought, she sat across from them and said, “Hey, girls. How are you holding up?”

The three sirens all swapped confused expressions before flipping befuddled faces back to the flame-haired girl sitting at their table. “Uhhh… we’re good?” Sonata said, looking back to the other girls for confirmation. “I think?”

“Sorry for looking a little less than enthusiastic,” Adagio said cautiously, “but we weren't exactly expecting such a warm welcome so soon.”

“Or from you,” Sonata chimed in again. “Cause, you know. We tried to ruin your life and all.” Aria grunted, covering her face in her hands. “What did I say this time?!”

“Hey, listen!” Sunset interrupted, waving her hands before she inadvertently started a fight. “I think if anyone knows what it’s like to be hated by everyone at school, it'd probably be me. Well… anyway… I just wanted to let you know that I’ll always be here in case you need someone to talk to.”

Adagio began to smile, but just as soon as she felt like things had finally turned around, she began hearing the commentary coming from the other tables.

“Do you think Sunset is teaming up with them?”

“And just when I thought we could finally trust her.”

“Once a hussy, always a hussy.”

“Why was she even allowed back here? She’s nothing but trouble!”

Sunset, now beginning to hear the hurtful words and realizing that they were about her, suddenly jumped out of her chair and faced the glares coming at her from all angles. “Hang on, guys,” she said. “I know what you guys may be thinking, but just give me a chance to explain."

“How many chances do we have to give you?!” a boy in the back shouted, followed by clamors of agreement from his peers.

Adagio stared down at her lunch plate, trying to wrap her head around this new life she was about to have, but here was Sunset, now risking her own social standings in order to make things a little easier for the three of them. She debated whether she should come to her aid, unsure as to whether or not that would even help her cause. Adagio then looked to her sisters, who mirrored the same concerned faces, and then, as she stared into their timid expressions, she knew exactly what she had to do.

“Don’t get us wrapped up in your plans!” Adagio said, standing up and taking the stage for everyone to hear.

“What?!” Sunset exclaimed, turning back to Adagio.

“Listen, dear. We’re not interested in any plans you have to brainwash the school. We’d prefer to have a clean slate and start over from the beginning, so if you’re looking for someone to make you queen bee again, you can look somewhere else.”

“I knew it!” a voice shouted in a new wave of anger.

“That whole stunt at the showcase was just so she could take over again!”

“Everyone! Listen to me!” Sunset said, holding her hands up to calm down the angry mob. “It’s not what you think!” The roaring voices in the lunchroom, though, just grew louder and angrier with each passing second. Turning back around, she didn't see the sad girl who had lost all hope. Instead, she saw a conniving brat with her hands on her hips and a smug smile gleaming across her face. “You… stupid… ungrateful… backstabbing… WITCH!”

Without even thinking, she grabbed the mashed potatoes on Adagio's tray with her bare hands and threw it onto her smug face. The loud cafeteria suddenly went silent, waiting to see how Adagio would react. The blonde-haired siren, though, simply wiped the mush from her eyes and gave Sunset an icy glare in return, causing her to flinch from her stance.

“Oh, you wanna play this game, huh?” Adagio said, grabbing some fries off of Aria’s tray and casually making her way to Sunset Shimmer. “Let’s play.”

“FOOOOOOD FIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!”

Aria and Sonata ducked under the table as food began flying through the air in every direction. Tater tots landed in girls’ hair, pudding splashed against a boy’s shirt, and the floor was beginning to get covered in milk cartons. As Adagio tried shoving fries into Sunset’s face, the flame-haired girl reached her arm around her and began pulling Adagio by her poofy curls. The siren then let go of the fries so she could pull Sunset to the ground by her stupid purple shirt.

Just as they had gotten a good grip of each other’s extremities, however, a large shadow encompassed them, freezing them both on the spot. Without releasing the other from her grip, they both hesitatedly turned their heads to see two figures standing over them, glaring at them with menacing, disappointed scowls.

Sunset, still holding onto Adagio as if they wouldn’t notice, giggled awkwardly before saying, “Hi, Principal Celestia. Hi, Vice Principal Luna...”

To be continued in Sunsets and Moonlight 2!

Author's Note

Thank you all for being a part of my most successful story ever!