From a Shimmer to a Shine

Chapters

Dusk
Shimmer
Dazzled
Rock Bottom
Eclipsed
Dazzle's Dirty Tricks
The Burden of Choice

Dusk

Chapter 1: Dusk

Lost.

Sunset Shimmer had lost everything. Her reputation was ruined, her power over the students was broken, and her self-worth was shattered. The crown's magic had brought out the fiend within her, and once unleashed, it had nearly killed Twilight. But she'd been defeated. Twilight's new friends, five of Sunset's previous targets, had joined together in defiance of the would-be queen. And after she'd lied, cheated, and manipulated for days to get to that one moment, what was the result? A few minutes of absolute power before the rug got pulled out from under her. That was all it had taken. Before, they'd all trembled whenever she walked by. A gaze in their direction brought forth hasty excuses and pleas for safety. A few angry words and the tears would start flowing. But now, the only one crying was her. Humiliated in front of everyone and blasted into a crater, she didn't think things could possibly get any worse.

Not for the first time, she was wrong.

Monster.

The word echoed over and over in her mind. That was what she was now; a nightmarish creature that parents warned their children about. At least before, she could pretend. A plastic crown and her picture on the wall each year had let her forget, just for a moment, her failure as Celestia's student. But like Twilight had said, everyone had seen the real her that night; now she had nowhere to hide.

I'm so sorry. I never wanted this.

It was true. She didn't know what she'd expected to happen when she'd put on the crown, but becoming a demon certainly wasn't part of it. Neither was the pain. With how badly the transformation had torn her body apart, she shuddered to think what would have happened if they'd taken too long to save her.

As damaged as her body was, it was nothing compared to her mind. Because below the surface, that monster had still been her. It had still had her goals, her ambition, and her anger against Twilight. The magic had just amplified them. Popularity had become adoration. Power lust had became domination. Resentment had became contempt. And that was what horrified her beyond all else.

Is that how I would have ended up? Was I turning into that all along?

It wasn't hard to imagine. By pressing just the right buttons, student and staff alike had became putty in her hands. Manipulating their miserable lives to her whim had been all too easy. Physical force was just another step up, and she wouldn't put it past herself. That didn't qualify her as a demon per say, but delinquent wasn't much of an improvement.

She'd nearly found that out the hard way.

"Do you understand what you've done?" A few days after the Fall Formal found Sunset Shimmer in the main office facing a very angry pair of principals.

"I, um, made Fall Formal more exiting?" She gave the lamest grin she could, but the usual tactics no longer bore fruit.

Luna began listing the offenses on her fingers. "Destruction of property, endangering the lives of the other students, framing another student, assaulting another student, and I don't even know how to classify your little harpy stunt."

She continued. "We've been going crazy trying to keep the authorities from shutting down the school. Had to tell them some wild story about an exploding gas main. Though perhaps I am wondering if we should have told them about you."

"What? No, you can't do that." Risk of expulsion was one thing. Getting the police involved was another. The law was a lot stricter here than in Equestria, and she wasn't ready to deal with that yet.

"Give. Us. One. Good. Reason. Why. Not." The vice-principal ground her teeth together. "The way I see it, this is more than enough to send you straight to the juvenile detention center. Hopefully far enough away that you can't do any more damage."

"N-n-no. No-no-no-no please. I can't go to jail. I won't survive past the first day. Please don't send me there."

But she had no defense. During the past three years she'd spent at CHS, not once had she ever cared about someone besides herself. Instead, she'd forced her way to the top of the school and cut down everyone around her to stay there. They'd never believe that she was anything more than a blight on humankind. And that knowledge humbled her more than anything they could say.

Celestia spoke up. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

She bowed her head. "Nothing."

The two adults exchanged glances before turning back towards her. Luna snapped her fingers.

"Then, it's settled. Pack up your things and get ready. You're going to prison."

The words slammed down like a judge's gavel. All other thoughts and feelings drained out of her body. It was all over. Unable to believe it, she trudged back to her locker. Eyes downcast, she avoided people passing by. Shame slowed her steps and made her drag herself against the lockers.

I'm going to jail. Not just detention, but an actual jail. I'm a criminal. Criminal. Criminal. Criminal. Criminal.

During her tenure as Celestia's student, she'd spent a few occasions walking through the castle dungeon. Her teacher had thought it prudent to show her the fate of those who defied Equestrian law in the hopes that Sunset would avoid the same fate. The consequences there weren't as severe as a sentence in Tartarus, but the effect was the same. But to Sunset's ever-growing regret, most of her time there had been spent imagining torments upon those she'd disliked. She never considered she'd be the one behind bars, until now.

Her musings finished, she arrived at her locker. Mechanically, she input the combination, pulled open the door, and gathered up the few possessions she could call her own: some uniforms, a collection of papers, three plastic crowns, and a dusty journal. Stuffing them into her backpack, she returned to the principal's office. When she got there, she found Twilight's five friends waiting for her.

The words "Juvenile Detention" were all it took for them to understand everything. Before she could stop them, they opened the door to the office.

Upon seeing the newcomers, both women did double-takes. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Principal Celestia, ma'm. Please don't send Sunset Shimmer away. She shouldn't have to go to jail no matter what sort of bad and awful things she might have done."

That called forth a raised eyebrow. "You're defending her? But didn't she drive you all apart?"

"Yes she did." Rainbow Dash stepped forward. "But after the Fall Formal, Princess Twilight decided to leave Sunset in our care before she left."

Applejack took over. "Sure, we had our doubts. But if Twilight's willing to give her a chance, then we should too. She brought us back together and saved the school. Don't that count for something?"

"I suppose it does." Luna grumbled. "So are you taking responsibility for her then?"

"Absolutely." They all said at once.

"Very well then," Celestia passed down her verdict. "Sunset Shimmer is hereby on academic probation until further notice. And I want you five to notify me immediately of any future incidents. Understand?"

They all nodded, and the six of them headed into the hallway. Feeling both grateful and guilty, Sunset muttered a 'thank you' to the girls before running off.

Gee, I've been saved by Twilight, how swell.

She'd thought that would be the end of it; and at first, it seemed to be. Things seemed to be, well no, normal wasn't the right word at all. Things weren't normal. They could never be normal again. The glares she got from people around her were proof enough of that. But despite that, a fragile calm hung over the school. She walked too and from her classes each day, trying to blend in as much as possible. At lunch, she'd sit in the very back of the cafeteria. And once the last bell rang, she'd bolt out the door as fast as possible, not stopping until she reached her home. It was a day by day basis, doing what she needed to in order to survive and numbing herself to anything else. Things didn't improve. In fact, they got worse.

Now that the Fall Formal was no longer recent, the last of the influence she'd once commanded was gone. And it didn't take long after that for fear to turn to anger.

(One week later.)

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Sunset opened the door to the school and let it close behind her. Every head in the hallway slowly turned towards her. Smiles became sneers. Glances became glares. She wilted under the force of so many eyes and directed her gaze into the ground. With a quiet sniffle, she slouched her way to her locker. The sticky notes plastered to it made it hard to miss.

~~Get out.~~

~~Piece of garbage.~~

~~Worthless~~

~~Go away.~~

If she were able, she'd have gone to the Principals, but that would only be an exercise in futility. Celestia treated her with all of the courtesy of three-day old sushi, which meant acting like she didn't exist most of the time, quickly changing the subject whenever Sunset sought aid, and doing all of nothing against her harassers. And Luna?

"You're not getting anything you don't deserve. After what you did, it's either this or jail. You decide."

Yeah, that door was slammed, locked, bolted, and welded shut. Putting the notes in the nearest trash can was all she could do. Thankfully, the rest of the day passed without incident, so she did her best to put it out of her mind. After all, a few nasty notes meant nothing compared to the Damocles Sword over her head. She could handle it. She had to.

(Two weeks later)

Her entire locker was covered in notes, to the point where she had to pry it open. And try as she might, she couldn't keep a few sniffles from escaping. It was only for a second, but she knew they'd heard her. There wasn't any other sound in the room. The moment she'd walked through the school doors, everyone had stopped what they were doing to glare at her. They never did anything else. She should have been relieved; after all, a few scowls didn't mean much in the big scheme of things. But...

Please just say something. ANYTHING. I feel like I'm invisible.

Taking a chance, she approached the nearest student and bumped into her as she walked by. And she wasn't even given the dignity of a disgruntled grunt. She tried again with someone else and bumped harder. Again, no response. It wasn't just the students either. Celestia's avoidance had seeped to the rest of the teachers as well. No one called on her in class, no one reacted to her raised hand, and no one said anything to her. When lunch rolled around, she found herself sitting in the back once again. She was all alone, and no one cared.

Well, no one except Twilight's friends.

Ah yes, those girls. Her five biggest targets were now her five sole supporters. Weeks of breaking them down and setting them at each others throats and it had all been undone in a single weekend. All thanks to Princess...Twilight.

The word was a single drop of water pushing her dam of emotions towards overflow.

You. So it wasn't enough for you to replace me in Equestria and blot out everything I ever did. Oh no, you had to go and pull the rug out from under me too. You took my title, my crown, and my friends underlings. And then you left me here at everyone's mercy. I may have been a selfish jerk before, but at least I had something. Now, I'm just a maggot crawling in the pile. And it's all...BECAUSE...of YOU.

"OUCH!" A sharp piercing in her clenched fist cut into her thoughts. Her eyes popped open as she smelled something burning. Tiny wisps of smoke rose up from her left hand. It had turned red and swollen to twice its usual size. Tiny little claws poked out of her fingertips.

No. NO! Don't do this. Not here. Not now. Revert. Revert. Revert. Revert!

After a few tense seconds and some deep breathing, her hand shrank back down. She moved to massage it with her other hand and hissed at how burnt it felt. Closing her eyes again, she slammed her head down on the table.

Please. Not again. Once was more than enough.

After that scare, the rest of the day was uneventful so she tried to forget about it. Besides, a few notes and the silent treatment still didn't match up to prison. She could handle it. She had to.

(Three weeks later)

Sunset stepped through the doors of the school, arms huddled around her. As was becoming routine, the students all turned to glare. There was so much paper on her locker that she couldn't open it at all. With slumped shoulders and bowed head, she trudged her way to the locker room. Today, she had to go to gym class, a prospect which gave her mixed feelings. On one hand, that meant the other students would be too busy doing their own work to mess with her; but on the other hand, that meant spending time in the locker room, away from what little protection the adults had to offer.

Oh listen to yourself, Sunny. You act like they're gonna attack you. Doesn't matter what you did in the past, they'd never be that blatant.

Even so, she changed her clothes as fast as she could and hurried into the gymnasium.

Ms. Harshwhinny was right through the doorway, directing students to the jogging track. Twilight's friends were there too: Rarity and Rainbow were already jogging, Fluttershy was gulping down a bottle of water, Applejack was doing warm-up exercises next to her, and Pinkie Pie....

"Eeeeeeeee-HUHHHHHHHHHHH. Eeeeeeeeee-HUHHHHHHHHHH. Eeeeeeee-HUHHHHHHHHHH." ...was lying on the floor and desperately trying to rejuvenate her poor, burning lungs.

Eesh, you really need to work on your endurance.

"Goodbye cruel world." Pinkie flopped around like a fish on dry land. "Tell Maud that I've always loved her. Poor Marble will have to find the strength to carry on without me. Dear sweet Gummy, do you remember the way to the--ohhiSunsetShimmer!" Her death throes forgotten, she jumped up at the sight of the new arrival. Sunset, in turn, blushed a bit at the call and scurried over beside them. "How are you doing today?"

"Fine." The word came out sharp and curt. Pinkie took a step back.

"Ya sure about that?" AJ joined the conversation. "Ah mean. Ah saw you sitting all by yourself yesterday and--"

"Yes, I'm sure." Sunset suddenly found herself taking great interest in studying the floorboards. The other two waited for her to continue but she didn't. Silence held their tongues as courtesy battled concern.

"Uh, no offense Sugarcube," Applejack began rubbing her arm. "But we're not stupid. Do ya really expect us ta believe you're not bothered by everything that's happened?"

"Of course I'm not bothered," huffed Sunset, raking her fingernails across her left arm. "Why should I be bothered? Sure, I'm the school pariah, but it's nothing I didn't expect. It's just like Princess Twilight said. Everyone saw me at my absolute worst, and they're not going to look beyond it. So it doesn't really matter if I'm bothered or not."

Pinkie jumped in quickly. "Don't say that. Everyone else may think that, but we don't. We can help you."

"With what? Sleepovers? Hugs? A party? Friendship can't solve this problem. Nothing can." Snapping her head up, Sunset accidentally caught the girl's eyes. Bereft of their usual sparkle, they contained only sorrow.

"S-S-Sunset. How do you know friendship won't help if...if...." Pinkie choked on her words.

"If what?"

"...If you won't even give it a chance?"

The words were a knife stabbing through Sunset's heart. All her thoughts and feelings faded away as they sunk in. So without a response, all she could do was turn away. The jogging track was still there, so she threw herself into it. She ran and she ran and she ran and she ran. She felt her shoes pounding the floor, her heart beating in her chest, and the sweat forming on her skin. She ran nonstop for a full half-hour before the bell rang. While everyone else headed to the locker room, she stayed behind.

'Give friendship a chance?' How can I? Why would anyone want to be friends with me?

The locker room was almost empty when she returned. Just a few scattered girls changing or chatting. So she decided to take a refreshing shower. Without a second thought, she stripped naked and let the water flow over her. How good it felt: warm, soothing, and comforting after everything she'd been through. Grabbing a nearby bar of soap, she lathered herself and washed up thoroughly. Even after she was clean, she stayed under the stream with her eyes closed, allowing herself to finally relax.

Her relief lasted approximately ten seconds.

"Hello Sunset Shimmer."

The warmth of the shower instantly vanished as the Great and Powerful Trixie entered the room. Herself equally undressed, she sneered at her like a cobra about to strike.

"Hey Trixie." Sunset pursed her lips shut and tried not to make eye contact.

The sneer turned into a scowl. "Don't 'hey Trixie' me. Did you get my little presents this morning?"

"Presents? You mean the notes? Those were you?"

"Only today's. Trixie just wanted to add her personal touch to the rest."

"And yet, you wrote more notes today than anyone else has in a week. What did I ever do to you?"

Trixie crossed her arms. "You stole my place as the school's Princess, left me stuck in a locker last month, and turned me into your mindless slave. And those are just the most recent offenses. And yet thanks to Princess Twilight, you got off without so much as a slap on the wrist."

"That's not true!" Sunset bolted up. "Luna threatened to--" She smacked a hand over her mouth. The LAST thing anyone needed to know about was juvie. "She threatened to expel me."

"But that's the thing." Trixie moved closer. "Even expulsion would be too good for you. You'd be out of our hair sure, but you'd also be free to spread your disease somewhere else. Though I'm sure you'd fit right in at Crystal Prep. But regardless, nothing those two could think up would ever match your crimes."

"So what then?"

By now, Trixie was inches away. Sunset felt a shudder pass through her exposed body.

"Since the principals didn't punish you, we will instead. If you thought the silent treatment was as bad as it got, you have no idea what we're capable of." She raised her arm, and Sunset blanched back. But instead of punching her, Trixie just plucked her forehead.

"Ow."

"See you around, Sunny." With that, Trixie left the room. Sunset waited a few minutes until she was completely gone and went to the changing area.

Only to find her storage locker was open.

Oh no. No no no no no no no.

Her heart sank when she looked inside. Her duffel bag was gone. She peeled her eyes and looked through every unlocked locker she could, but came up fruitless. Her bag was gone and so were her clothes.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!"

Wrapping herself in a soggy towel, she fled the school and ran straight home. Passers by stopped to either laugh or gawk. Her face a mixture of shame and anger, she avoided them as best she could. Utterly humiliated, she finally made it to back, dressed herself, and spent the rest of the evening in a funk.

Stealing her clothes was a big step up, but it still wasn't the worst they could do. And as long as it was better than prison, she'd keep going. It didn't matter what they did. She could handle it.

Right?

Things didn't improve. In fact, they escalated just like Trixie had said. Week four found Sunset with her lunch ruined, bike vandalized, locker welded shut, and herself spray painted. Week five saw her hair set on fire, homework sabotaged, wallet stolen, and a death threat sent. Twilight's friends offered their support, but she refused, not wanting to drag them down with her. Even so, she pressed on, but it was becoming apparent that she couldn't handle it.

She found that out for certain on week six.

The students had been unusually quiet that day. Some of them had smiled at her while they walked past. Sunset even got a note from Lyra and Bon-Bon asking her to sit with them at lunch. Twilight's friends had been relieved, taking comfort in the fact that maybe the worst was behind them. Feeling a little more confident, Sunset decided to head to lunch early that day.

"But don't you remember? We were going to eat outside today." Fluttershy had reminded her.

"You can still do that. Don't stop on my account."

"But what if something bad happens again? How will we know if you need help?"

Sunset wondered if Fluttershy knew the difference between concern and paranoia. "If I need help, I'll give a high-pitched scream. Sheesh."

"But what if--"

"No more what ifs. They're finally starting to accept me. I just can't say no now."

Flutters was about to speak again, but held her tongue at the sight of her friend. Sunset's entire body trembled. Her hair was a mess of disheveled, stringy strands. Dark circles had appeared around her eyes. Her fingernails were chipped and uneven. Her teeth were stained with last night's dinner; she hadn't bothered to brush. Tiny patches of dirt had appeared on her skin. Even her breathing was shallow and quick.

"Y-Y-You don't understand, Fluttershy. You don't know what it's like having everyone at the school wishing you were dead. Every time they glare at me, I just want to crawl under a rock somewhere. There are some days where I have to pry myself out of bed, because I don't want to deal them again. I can't even retaliate or Miss Luna will send me away. It's been a constant slog of pain." she clutched the note to her chest like it was her firstborn child. "But now, things are finally looking up. That's why I have to go." And without another word, Sunset headed to the cafeteria. Fluttershy watched her go, a frown on her face, before returning to the others outside.

Rather than sit in the back like she usually did, Sunset decided to buy the cafeteria lunch instead. It was a little odd that no one was in line, but she just chalked that up to being early. Yet when she got to the front, she found that the food was almost gone. She wrinkled her nose.

That's weird. The school only serves vegetarian food on Friday. Since when does everyone want to chow down on health food?

Still, there was just enough left for her to scrape up a meal, so she wasn't complaining. Glancing around the room, she saw Lyra and Bon-Bon sitting at the appointed table in the very center of the room. They turned towards her and waved, beckoning her to join them. Grinning, she walked over to them and sat down.

"Hey girls. How's it going?"

And then the room erupted.

The two grabbed their plates and ran to the other side of the room. A confused Sunset turned to watch them flee, just in time to get smacked by a gooey tomato.

"Hey! What?"

Before she could do anything, half a grapefruit hit her back. Then, some orange slices smashed into her face. Blinded by the citrus, she tried to wipe her eyes only for a banana to splatter over the seat of her pants. The students converged on her from all sides, pelting her with more and more fruit. Trapped in the center, she had nowhere to hide.

"C-cut it out!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as an apple struck one of them. Clutching it, she felt several pieces of pineapple seep all over her socks. Her hair was already covered in juice, and the rest of her quickly followed suit.

"Ow! Stop it! Enough with the fruit!"

"Oh, so she doesn't like the fruit then?" One of them turned to the others. "Well, let's give her the vegetables instead."

"Wait. No. Aaaugh!" But they didn't stop. The pelting continued relentlessly. Whenever she tried to run, the angry teens would simply shove her back to the center and keep throwing. Tossed back and forth like a pinball, she lost her balance and fell on the floor. She just lay there, unable to do anything else. "Please. S-stop it." Where were the adults or the staff? Why weren't they coming to help? Were they just going to sit back and watch the attack?

No longer content with just food, they starting hurling insults as well.

"No one wants you here anymore."

"Good luck getting anyone to vote for you ever again."

"Demon begone! Demon begone! Demon begone!"

"Why don't you just crawl in a hole and die?"

Blinded, soaked, and covered in food, she was struggling not to cry. She tried to stand up, but they knocked her down again. She could feel bruises and welts forming from the endless bombardment. Little stings of pain pulsed through her body like a swarm of bees. Her clothes had soaked through completely and now clung to her body in a sweaty, sticky, mess. Finally managing to get the orange out of her eyes, she risked a moment to look around the room. The girls were nowhere in sight. All she could see were students, throwing produce and spewing bile. Her head ached from the constant strikes. And still, no one helped her. No one showed her any pity. No one stepped up to defend her from these brutes.

It wasn't fair! They hadn't laid a finger on her before the Fall Formal. They'd all been too scared to stand up for themselves. But now, now that she was actually trying to change, now that she wasn't a bully anymore, now that she no longer posed a threat, now they converged in force. They didn't listen. They wouldn't even give her a chance. She might as well have never changed at all.

As the last of their ammo was finally depleted, the students' produce pelting petered out. Taking a few steps back, they all stared at Sunset. She just lay there, shuddering on the floor, while they continued to stare. Now that the heat of the moment was over, they waited for her response. Would it be anger? A childish temper tantrum born from the bitter taste of her own medicine? Or maybe it would be fear? The frightened whimpers of the former bully would be a beautiful sound indeed. Or maybe, just maybe, she'd make the best sound of all. Maybe she'd cry. Yes, the symbol of a broken spirit. At best, she would never live it down, forever known throughout the halls of Canterlot High as "Crybaby Sunset." At worst, it would stand as a monument to her humiliation for the rest of her life. Even her precious friends wouldn't be able to save her from that. Yes, yes, that would be perfect. So as Sunset finally stopped shuddering and stood up, each member of the student body tuned their ears in her direction, waiting for the first sobs to escape.

They didn't. Sunset's eyes snapped open. And they glowed bright green.

"You." Her voice had dropped several octaves and came out as a raspy hiss. "You think this is FUNNY? Turning me into your little CHEW TOY?"

"Oh no."

With a gesture of her arm, the scattered food rose into the air and circled overhead. Through the cafeteria windows, they saw that the weather outside was changing too. Large, black clouds covered the sun and filled the sky. The sound of thunder boomed nearby. Visibility lowered with the loss of the sun, although the lights remained on. A few scared students ran for the door only for it to jam itself shut.

Sunset gave another hiss from a mouthful of fangs. Her skin was turning orange. "Is this all just a GAME to you? 'Let's all attack the girl who won't fight BACK? Let's give her grief and torment her nonstop'? I get it. Maybe you want a little payback. Maybe Sunset Shimmer deserves a little retribution after what she did. But SIX. BLASTED. WEEKS? Don't you have anything better to do?"

A bolt of lightning briefly lit up the room, illuminating a sea of sweaty faces. Her ears turned pointed. Her fingers grew longer. The air in the room became very hot.

"Apparently not." She sneered. "Sunset's just too juicy a target for your greedy little hands to pass up. What a shame. Because there are SO MANY different ways I can return the favor." The green glow in her eyes briefly changed into a spiral before switching back. "With a flick of a finger, you'd be mine once again." She strolled up to Lyra, the closest student, and tapped the center of her forehead. Quickly, Lyra's limbs went limp and her face glazed over as the green spiral appeared in her eyes too. "I could take a page from the Ancient Romans and turn you all into my gladiators." Sunset snapped her fingers, now fully formed claws, and chuckled as a small flame appeared in her palm. "Or maybe I could finish what I started at the Fall Formal and burn this whole school to the ground. It would be easy now that Princess Twilight's not here to save you."

A series of gasps swept over the room. Those who hadn't braced themselves against the walls or curled up on the floor just stood there frozen. The zombified Lyra tipped over onto the ground. A small trickle of drool slipped out of her mouth.

"I know." Sunset clasped her claws together as her hair caught on fire. "It would be a shame to let all this good food go to waste. So I think I'll share it with you. The fruit and veggies stopped circling. Now, they hung precariously overhead. "But wait." She paused. "That wouldn't be right. That wouldn't be right at all."

A few sighs of relief made themselves heard.

"You were only going to give these to Sunset Shimmer, right? So instead, I think I'll give these to one of you too? But which one would it be?" Her glowing green eyes swept over the room, searching for the right target. Which one of you had this brilliant idea in the first place? Who is the ringleader of this little operation?"

By now, the transformation was nearly complete. Her lack of wings was the only thing separating human from demon. The entire student body trembled and whimpered. Some of them tried the door again with no result. Seconds passed. A downpour started outside. A few cracks appeared on the windows. Sunset stopped smiling and tapped her foot instead. Her mouth opened again, the fangs inside clenched together.

"So. Nobody knows? Is it loyalty or cowardice that keeps your tongues silent? Doesn't matter. One of you is eating their fill regardless. You just control which one it is." The food above them dived downwards, forcing them flat on their backs to avoid it. "I'll ask you one more time before I pick someone at random. WHOSE. IDEA. WAS THIS?"

All of them crawled backwards, as far back as they could possibly go. All except one girl, who got to her feet and stepped forward.

"It w-w-was m-me. I started it." Her skin was dark blue. Her hair was white. And the outfit she wore would not have looked out of place at a circus.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie? Of course. Now it all makes sense. The minor attacks against Sunset weren't enough, so you went big to appease the demands of your own ego. You know that thing's gonna squish you one day, right?"

Trixie's voice continued to quiver. "You w-wanted the l-leader of this nasty p-p-plot, and here I am. Do with me as you will."

Sunset pretended to gag. "Oh please. You act like I'm going to kill you. I'm not."

"You're not? But you said--"

"Yes, I could burn the school to the ground. But I won't. Don't mistake that for kindness though. It's just that there are pains far worse than mere death. For example, I can set you on fire and make it so you don't die. EVER. It's nothing less than what you and your little cohorts deserve. But right now, you'll just have to settle for all this food." Another gesture and the produce clustered around Trixie. "Let's start with this smashed banana. Do you like bananas?"

"Well actually, I'm not too partial to--MMUMPH!" Trixie wasn't able to finish before the banana shot into her mouth, peel and all. The girl immediately started hacking and choking as she tried to hoark it down. Sunset laughed at the sight and added more to the mix. Oranges, apples, pineapples, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, celery, and even Lima beans. She crammed them all into Trixie's mouth, far more than the girl could ever hope to swallow in time. By the time she'd finished, Trixie's face was fit to bursting. She could barely breathe, and her cheeks hurt so much that she couldn't even chew.

All right then. So which one of you is NEXT?"

She turned around to select her next victim. But just as she was about to do so, a loud banging noise rang through the room. At first, everyone thought it was the thunder outside. But no, the noise came again.

"What's going on here?" Sunset growled. The rest of the students were equally confused. They all looked up as the noise rang out a third time, and the jammed cafeteria doors finally gave way.

WHAM!

"What?"

While everyone else ran out of the new opening, Twilight's five friends entered the room. One look at the situation was all it took.

"Sunset Shimmer, what do you think you're DOING?!"

Seeing the looks on their faces, Sunset took a step back and growled. Don't patronize me, Fluttershy. It's no less than what they deserve."

The wind outside whipped and howled. They could all hear the windows groaning from the onslaught.

Rarity stepped forward. "You have to stop this. What they've done to you isn't right but lashing out like this won't make it better."

"Neither will being a punching bag." Sunset clenched one of her claws. "I'm done getting pushed around, you understand? Six weeks is more than enough time. If they're never going to accept me, then I'm not wasting my time trying. Might as well write myself off as insane."

"That's a lie, and you know it." It was Rainbow Dash's turn. "If you really didn't care," she pointed at Trixie, "then why did you only go after her instead of everyone else too? Before, you would have targeted the students all at once, but you're not doing it now."

"S-Shut up! You don't know what you're saying."

"Yes we do." Pinkie added. "You're upset that they lied to you, and you've lost hope. But it's not over, Sunset. We're still here for you just like Twilight was."

"NO!" A pair of wings tore out of her back. "Twilight's not here now. And I'm tired of waiting." Raising her hands, she poured her energy upwards, forming it into a giant fireball.

"Sunset please don't do this."

"My NAME is SEARING!" The charge reached its maximum. Grabbing it with both hands, she prepared to throw it. There was no way to dodge. She pulled her arms back...

"Sunset."

And shot them forward.

"Don't be the monster they think you are!" The girls all grouped together, shielding themselves as best they could.

Sunset slammed on the brakes, tightened her grip on the fireball before it could leave her hands, and brought all of her forward momentum to a halt. She stared at first the frightened girls and then at herself. The storm outside vanished as fast as flicking a light switch. The sunshine returned. Both Lyra's and Trixie's ailments magically vanished, and the two of them fled the scene. Sunset dismissed the fireball and stood down. Her transformation reverted back almost instantly. The girls looked at her; relief battled with fear.

"I...I..."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm so sorry." Then before they could stop her, she turned and bolted.

"Sunset!"

"Sunny WAIT!"

"We're not mad at you!"

"Come back!"

Jamming her hands in her ears, she kept running. She ran out the front door, past the statue, and to the sidewalk. She ran past shocked drivers and scared pedestrians, not caring if she nearly got hit in the process. She ran all the way back to her home, collapsed on her bed, and finally let the tears flow.

It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. I'm a--I'm a--MONSTER!

Author's Note

And here we are. Rewriting this for the...Fourth time.

A lot of people commented that the cafeteria scene was "too climactic" for so early in the story; but after some debate, I decided to keep it in because it helps establish Sunset's conflict from the get-go. I also decided to explain why she isn't just rushing to the Humane 5 for protection. As someone who's been bullied myself, the idea of a bully seeking comfort from those they've once abused is absurd to think about and certainly wouldn't happen overnight even if she is remorseful.

Another thing I changed was the build-up. By having three escalating incidents in the school, we can see her gradual breakdown as it happens rather than just conveying it to you secondhand.

On another note, GEEZ

The more I told instead of showed, the sadder this story became. I'll admit that writing these incidents made me flash back to my own days of depression. It's just a neverending slog of sadness that drags down you and everyone around you. The feeling of worthlessness is so great that some end up taking their own lives. And yet, I keep going, pushing Sunset further and further towards her absolute lowest point. For as I can attest, it is only at that point that true change can begin.

Shimmer

Sunset half expected to find an angry mob outside her door the next morning. Or at least the principals telling her she was out of second chances. Or even Celestia herself expressing her disappointment. But nobody came. From when the afternoon sun sank beneath the horizon and ushered in the starry curtain of night to the warm, orange glow of a brand new day, her only companion was herself. Around her, all was quiet and peaceful. There was no noise but the whir of her bedroom fan and the chirping of birds outside. But as beautiful as this serenity was, Sunset noticed none of it. Her body was deaf to everything but her screaming mind.

Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.

One chance left and she'd blown it. At least before, there had been a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe that if she'd waited long enough, they'd get tired of hurting her and move on to other things. But now, with a second transformation behind her and possibly more on the way, it would be foolish for the principals to let her stay any longer. Who knew what horrors would be unleashed if the Demon returned for a third time? And what would happen if she wasn't able to change back again? There was just no taking that risk.

I wouldn't even trust me anymore.

Staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes, Sunset mulled over her options. There weren't many. She could stay at CHS. That meant going to jail. She could run away. That just delayed the inevitable. And with no knowledge of the world beyond Canterlot's city limits and no other place to stay, she had no idea where she'd be running to. Well, not exactly....

There's always Equestria.

Just the word was all it took. The dank, white walls around her melted away to be replaced by a world filled with color. To her left and right, grassy fields stretched as far as the eye could see. Above her, pegasi moved clouds around the sky while the shining sun reached from above to bathe her in its warmth. She took a breath and felt fresh air rush into her lungs. Another sniff brought forth carrot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, and other street wares nearby. The brick road beneath her felt firm to her ~~feet~~ hooves. The city of Canterlot stretched out as far as the eye could see; its familiar hustle and bustle rang in her ears.

This was my home.

The world shifted once again. Now she was standing in a classroom. A cool afternoon breeze swirled through an open window, alighting briefly on the two other ponies on the room. A small, orange filly scribbled answers on a test while a taller, white alicorn looked on. After a few minutes, the filly let out a loud sigh and put her pen down, shoving the test away from her. The alicorn then walked over to her and examined the paper. Her eyes briefly darted across the pages before the corners of her mouth extended upward into a wide smile.

"A perfect score. Well done Sunset Shimmer."

"Really? Wow!" The filly's eyes lit up and she ran over to hug the alicorn's leg. "It was you. You did it all."

"I most certainly did not. I merely gave you suggestions on how to study better. You were the one who put forth the effort. And this grade is the proof of it. I am quite proud of you."

Beaming widely, young Sunset laughed and buzzed around the room in her glee. The alicorn watched her young protege's celebration and felt a warm glow spread through her own body. The older Sunset watching them however, did not share their enthusiasm.

I remember this. It was back when I'd first started as Celestia's student. Why? Why did I throw it all away?

Arrogance was the answer. Arrogance and impatience had cost her everything. And if she went back, she'd only be dooming herself to their consequences. Defying Equestrian sovereignty wouldn't be taken lightly. And the sheer number of punishments for such an offense made imprisonment in the Human World look like a simple time-out. No. No matter how much she wanted to, she could never go back.

As the finality of the thought lingered overhead, Sunset returned to reality. The bright colors of Equestria reverted back to the dull hues of her loft apartment. And once more, she was alone. She had just resigned herself to a full day of wallowing in self-pity when the loud thunk of a knock on her door startled her out of her memories.

"Hello?" Came a prim and proper voice on the other side. "Sunset Shimmer? Are you in there?"

Another voice spoke. This one was rough and raspy. "We wanted to make sure you were okay. So open up."

Sunset sat up with a groan. The loyal subjects of Princess Twilight had come to perform their royal duty. How touching. Well knowing them, they weren't going to get off of her case until she'd let them in. So with another groan, she forced herself upright and hobbled her way to the door. The five girls pushed their way in as soon as the lock opened, only to gasp in shock as they caught sight of her.

"Hey girls." Sunset croaked out with a rueful grin. "What's up?"

They all just stared at her for a moment. Then Applejack spoke up.

"Sunset. What the hay HAPPENED to you?"

"What are you talking about?"

Rarity pulled out a hand mirror. "Just look at yourself, Darling."

Sunset knew that she hadn't bothered to change clothes since the day before yesterday, but it was only as she caught sight of her own reflection that she realized how badly the Demon had damaged her. The skin on her fingertips had flaked and peeled off where the claws had poked through. Two ugly gashes on her back stood out from where the wings had ripped through her shirt. The hair directly on top of her head was gone, scorched away by the fire. And the sheer heat from the fireball she'd conjured had left burn marks all over her body.

"Oh that?" Sunset tried to shrug and winced. "I barely noticed."

All of them crossed their arms, but it was Fluttershy who had the strongest reaction. "You're lying. How long were you going to let yourself go untreated? You should have called us so we could help you."

"I don't need anything." Sunset hissed. "Especially not from you."

"Why do you keep pushing us away?" Pinkie Pie frowned. "We're the only ones that care about you."

"No you DON'T!" Sunset's explosion of anger took everyone by surprise, including herself. "I turned you all against each other and made your lives awful. How could you possibly care about me?" Her hands began to shake. "Do you seriously expect me to believe that one speech from Princess Twilight means everything from the last three years is suddenly hunky dory? Please. You're not my friends. You're my babysitters. Just watching over me so she doesn't have to. Well I don't want your pity, and I don't want your friendship. So just get out. GET OUT!"

It was only when she had to reach up to wipe her eyes that she realized she'd been crying throughout the whole tirade. A moment later, her composure broke completely, leaving her unable to do anything but stand there and sob.

As one, the girls joined hands and wrapped around her in a group hug. Warmth and energy flowed from their bodies to hers. She felt the familiar aura of Equestrian magic around her. The burns on her skin stopped hurting and shrank away, replaced by fresh, new skin. The gashes faded and her back stopped hurting. Even her fingers felt better. A few seconds later, the girls backed away with their work complete.

Sunset Shimmer stood before them, completely healed. Overwhelmed, she dropped to her knees, her sobbing became full-on bawling.

"W-W-Why? Why w-would you d-d-do this for me?"

Rarity smiled. "You don't want our friendship? Too bad. You're stuck with us whether you like it or not."

"Yeah," Dashie kept going. "And you got it all wrong. Princess Twilight's not making us do anything. We're not here for you because we have to be. We're here for you because we want to be. So stop beating yourself up and let yourself start healing."

Sunset couldn't speak anymore. All she could do was cry. And as they came together for another embrace, the one thought that came to her mind was that after six straight weeks of nothing but hate, was how much she missed being loved.

Author's Note

Takes a deep breath

It's good to be back.

Just so you know, there's a lot of reality subtext here. After living in a bad relationship for so long and finally getting out, you gain a much bigger appreciation for the good ones you DO have.

A relevant song

Dazzled

The next day, Sunset felt brave enough to return to Canterlot High. Twilight's--no that wasn't right--her friends accompanied her through the doorway. Unlike before, the school hallways were relatively peaceful. The students were simply going about their business like a normal day. A few even waved as she passed by. Had they finally grown tired of their punching bag or were they simply afraid of a reappearance from Searing?

"What do you think?" She looked at the others.

They exchanged looks with each other before Applejack shrugged. "Honestly, ah think ya shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth." It took a few seconds before the words sunk in. "Uh, no pun intended. Just enjoy the peace while it lasts."

"Point taken." Sunset put her hands in her pockets before walking to her locker. This time, there was only one note. The words were tiny, but she could just barely make them out.

Sunset Shimmer. Please come find me as soon as you read this. We need to talk. Principal Celestia.

Though her stomach pinched slightly at the message, Sunset only allowed herself the outward concern of a single sharp breath. It appeared her peace wouldn't last very long. But that was to be expected. After a second appearance from Searing, she was out of warnings. And no matter how much the girls would protest, Sunset knew it wouldn't help a second time. So all she could do, was walk silently towards the principals' office.

Thunk. Thunk.

"It's open." Came a voice from inside. The door slowly creaked open, revealing the student behind it. "Oh. Hello Sunset Shimmer. Please sit down."

Sunset obeyed, sitting down across from the elder woman's desk. "Where's vice-principal Luna?

"She's finalizing the paperwork for a new student. But that's not important right now. Did you read my note?"

She nodded.

"I'd planned on simply calling you over the loudspeaker, but you were absent for the past two days. And after everything that happened, I had my doubts as to whether you'd return."

That makes two of us.

The principal continued. "I seem to recall warning you that the only reason you weren't sent away after the Fall Formal was the intervention of Princess Twilight and her friends. Is that correct?"

"Y-yes."

"And is it also correct that a few days ago, you transformed again and endangered the school a second time?"

The word was a mere whisper. "Yes."

She stood up from her desk and walked over to Sunset. "Then bearing those facts in mind, I have just one thing to say to you."

Here it comes. Sunset closed her eyes and braced herself.

Principal Celestia leaned down so that the two could make eye contact, then put a hand on Sunset's shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"Look, I know you're upset, and I know nothing I say will change that. But you need to know...." The sentence came to a halt as the wrong words reached her brain. "Did you just say 'I'm sorry'?"

Celestia nodded. "I did. As much as it pains me to admit this, your second transformation was partially my own fault." She put her hand in her hands. "In actuality, I was scared. Luna and I have seen many things during our tenure over the school, but nothing could have possibly prepared us for an attack from a demon. So when Princess Twilight left you in our care, my sister and I wanted to send you away just so we wouldn't have to deal with something like that again."

Sunset had to pause to digest each new word. The principal had been afraid? Of her? Inconceivable.

"But in doing so, I was unfaithful in my duty as the school's leader. More importantly, I neglected the safety and well-being of a student under my care." She paused for a brief shudder. "I knew you were being bullied by everyone and did nothing to stop them. Tell me, if I look the other way out of nothing more than fear, what kind of principal does that make me?"

Sunset had no response to that.

"I know this isn't going to mean much." She returned to eye contact. "But I hope you can forgive me."

Sunset's eyes shot down as memories of her previous time in the office stormed into her mind. "Nothing to forgive. I deserved it."

Celestia squeezed her shoulder. "No. No one deserves to be treated like that. What you did wasn't right, but neither was what we did in response. And at the end of the day, our retribution only led to another transformation and another step in an endless cycle of revenge."

Sunset took another deep breath. "Let's forgive each other, okay?"

"I'd be willing to accept that." The principal nodded. "And as of this moment, you are no longer on probation. So long as you're willing to work to repair the damage to the school, you may continue your classes unabated."

"It's a deal. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." She paused to take a look at her phone. "That was my sister. Apparently, she wanted to give the new student a tour, but had to rush in to break up a popcorn fight between Trixie and Photo Finish. So do you think you could help the student while we try to restore order? She's in the library sitting in the history section."

"Sure."

With nothing more to say, Sunset exited the office and headed to the vending machine for a well-deserved snack. Principal Celestia sat back down again and watched her leave. A supportive smile stretched across her face, and a green glow flashed in her eyes.

Unlike Princess Twilight, Sunset had never really given the library much thought. A bunch of musty old books could hardly compare to hands-on experimentation, and her old evil self had lacked the patience for anything but achieving Princesshood. But that being said, there was one subject that did peak her interest, and that subject was history.

Despite or perhaps because of their lack of magic and inability to control the world around them, human beings had still managed to achieve so much. And since for all intents and purpose, she was human now, she ate it all up. Without wings, they had learned how to fly and even explored their planet's moon. Wouldn't Nightmare Moon have been surprised to find two-legged creatures walking around on her heavenly prison?

How do we have spells to send a pony to the moon, but we don't have space travel?

She supposed it was because they didn't need it. In Equestria, ponies controlled everything from the weather to the passage of time. So why would they want to leave?

And yet, that didn't stop me. Or whoever it was that made the portal to begin with.

She supposed it all evened out eventually. After all, the human world didn't have random mood swings transforming people into horrifying monsters bent on taking over/destroying it. Or at least not until she'd shown up.

wonder what humans would do if they could use magic.

Her musings stopped as she reached her destination. And it appeared that the new student was just as interested in history as she was. Whoever it was was sitting at a table, sweeping her eyes over a historical figure book while several others lay scattered around her. Walking closer, Sunset cleared her throat slightly.

The stranger looked up from the book and in her direction; then took off their jacket and stood up.

"Hello there." She greeted with a warm smile. "I was told to wait for you. Are you Sunset Shimmer?"

Sunset found herself smiling back without warning. "Yes I am. Welcome to Canterlot High."

"It's really nice to meet you. My name is Adagio Dazzle."

Author's Note

And here's where we go off rails. I admit, part of the reason, I'm making this divergence is to avoid this thing getting flagged...again.

One of the complaints of the original Shine was that certain plot points like Twilight's arrival or Aria going behind Adagio's back just sort of...happened without any buildup. The problem is that unlike a movie or tv show, you guys can't see what's happening, so between the author and the readers, information gets lost in translation. Here, I'm going to work on that to make the story more coherent.

For a while, I was stumped as to how to incorporate the Sirens without the band competition, as there didn't seem to be enough conflict in the story to fuel their rise to power. But after a period of thinking, I realized that it wasn't the venom I needed to change but the prey.

I always imagined that both Sunset and Twilight would be fascinated by humans. Both because Earth works so differently than Equestria and because humans have done so much without magic.

Rose: There's religion too, but that's another story.

Rock Bottom

(Two days earlier.)

Dirt. The human world had a lot of expressions involving dirt. There was being dirt poor. There was being dragged through the dirt. There was taking a dirt nap. But as Adagio Dazzle wrenched a mouthful of grass out of the grounds of Canterlot Park and choked it down with a drink from a nearby fountain, she truly realized what it meant to eat dirt. She winced at the taste. Humans didn't bother to cultivate their greenery; so a couple of times, she'd ended up biting down on earthworms. Some of them stared at her. A few even snickered. She didn't blame them. A human with a mouthful of grass made for a diverting spectacle. She should have been angry or at least embarrassed, but she wasn't. That would require energy she wasn't willing to waste. Instead, she glanced upward at the rising sun, stood up, and checked the gem around her neck. Its usual red glow had faded to a barely-there burgundy. Not much left. So with this new info, her first stop was a fast food place across the street. She pulled up her hoodie around her head before entering, cutting herself off from prying eyes.

She lingered outside a few minutes before going in. There was only one employee up front and one other customer sitting at the far window. Perfect. She opened the door and made her way to the register. The cashier smiled and waved at her.

"Welcome to the Tasty Treat. My name is Saffron. What can I get you?"

Adagio scanned the menu, looking for something big enough to be filling but not big enough to be a big deal. Finally success. "I'll have the breakfast for two."

"Excellent choice." Saffron punched in the order and the price appeared on the back of the register. "That'll be 14.50."

Adagio emptied her pockets. There was five dollars from a generous donor from singing on the street, three more dollars pick-pocketed from a fundraiser, and a ton of change still wet from the fountain. Saffron raised an eyebrow but added it all up without saying a word. When she'd finished, she pushed the money back towards Adagio and shook her head.

"You're three dollars short."

Adagio went through her pockets a second time but found nothing. "Can we haggle for it?"

Saffron put her hands on her hips. "It's food. It's not like you can give it back after you eat it. Besides, I don't set the prices, I just sell the merchandise."

"Then maybe I could--"

"Nope." She crossed her arms. "You either have the money or you don't. And in your case, you don't. You still have enough for a different meal, but you can't have the breakfast for two."

That was all Adagio needed to hear as her hand went to her gem. The other customer had glanced up from his food at them, but she didn't care. Stroking the necklace, she began to hum softly, just loud enough for her and Saffron to hear. Saffron's hand froze in midair, her finger hovering above the cancel button. Adagio kept humming, swaying back and forth with her eyes closed.

" Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh. Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh."

Saffron put a hand to her forehead and shuddered as her body took in that something was off. But by then, it was too late. Adagio opened her eyes, her pupils devoured by a bright green glow. A small cloud of green mist appeared around Saffron and began to flow into her gem. Saffron, swaying on her feet as well, turned her head towards Adagio's face. That was her final mistake. The green glow quickly overtook her own eyes as the Siren's spell claimed her mind. Her head fell forward. Her hands dropped.

Adagio allowed herself a small smirk before returning to the business at hand.

"You will give me this meal on the house."

Saffron's hand shook in a final act of resistance. But it was not to be. "I will...give you this meal on the house." The order went through.

"Excellent." Adagio tapped her chin. On one hand, she really didn't want to push her luck. But on the other hand, letting the spell go to waste would be just as bad. "And you will give me twenty dollars from the register."

Saffron pushed another button. ""I will give you twenty dollars."

"That's a good girl." The two stood in silence while the meal was prepared. Then once the bag of food arrived, Adagio finished the spell. "As soon as I walk out of that door, you're going to forget I was ever here. Do you understand?"

Saffron shook herself; her eyes flashed back and forth between green and purple. "S-stop. You're a...you're a t-thief." Her hand slowly stretched towards the underside of the counter.

The Siren groaned, reached up to her head to quell a growing ache, and then went back to her gem. "I SAID, you're going to forget I was ever here. Do you UNDERSTAND?"

Once more, Saffron's hand stopped inches away from the button. The green glow in her eyes retook control. "I understand."

Adagio checked the gem again. Burgundy had become borderline black. So with her food, and ill-gotten money, she darted out the door, ignoring the stare from the eatery's other occupant. He started to get up before stopping and sitting down again, writing something in a book. Adagio only briefly noted his presence; her mind was already racing toward her next stop.

Please be okay. Please be okay.

(Canterlot General Hospital)

"May I help you?" The receptionist stared at her as she walked in the door.

"Yes." Adagio straightened herself and put her hands in plain sight. "I'm here to visit one of the patients. My name's Adagio Dazzle?"

"Ah right." She rubbed her glasses. "I remember you. You were here last week and the week before. Well, your friend is available to visit, but I don't think she's gotten any better. Room 2714."

"Thank you." Heading in to the wards, the Siren cringed at the number. It was the intensive care unit, the same as last time. As she walked down the hall, she caught bits and pieces of conversation between staff members and patients. But the area in front of her destination was relatively unoccupied. The door was slightly ajar. With a deep breath, she tapped on the wood.

"Come in." A cheerful voice flowed from the other side.

Putting on the best smile she could, Adagio entered the room.

"Hey Sonata."

"Dagi!" The blue-haired girl perked up immediately upon seeing her. Adagio tried to avoid looking at the IV in her arm or the heart monitor next to her. "You came to visit again!"

"I sure did." Adagio held up the bag. "And I brought your favorite."

"Breakfast from the Tasty Treat?" Sonata got starry-eyed. "You're the best sister ever!" To Adagio's everlasting relief, she set her sights and stomach on the food, allowing a brief lull in the conversation. She ended up eating both helpings, as Adagio's appetite had gone south for the winter. "Mmm, I LOVE these waffles. Thanks so much. All they have here are soups, salads, and sushi. Aria would probably hate it. Speaking of Aria, have you seen her recently? I figured she'd come visit with you."

Her sister's voice quivered ever so slightly. "S-she wanted to. B-but she's busy trying to find us a place to live when you get out of here."

"Awww," Sonata hugged herself and swayed back and forth. "That's so sweet of her."

Another crack in the composure was barely hidden with a napkin to the eyes. "Y-yeah. I'm actually going to check up on her next." Adagio checked Sonata's gem. Unlike her own, it wasn't just faded but cracked. Tiny wisps of magic were leaking out. She reached forward for a closer look only for Sonata to suddenly start coughing. Her cheeks turned red and her body shook. The heart monitor turned erratic. Adagio jolted up and backwards.

No please! Not yet. I need more time!

She was on the verge of screaming for help when the coughs subsided with a final loud hack. Sonata leaned back against her pillow as the monitor returned to normal, her energy consumed by the coughs.

"Don't worry, Dagi." Her grin never wavered even as her voice rasped. "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Having heard the commotion, a nurse entered the room. Adagio, grateful for any excuse to leave, followed her coaxing immediately and headed to the bathroom. Bracing herself against the sink to keep from falling, she let the shudders begin.

"Oh Sonata." A few tears slipped by her carefully crafted expression. "Oh S-S-Sonata."

Banishment had been hard on all of them, but the youngest Siren had taken it the hardest. Whether the problem was her magic or her immune system, they didn't know, but Sonata seemed to be consistently sick. And the more times she got sick, the more magic she needed to heal, and the quicker she'd fall ill again. It was a vicious cycle with only one end. Yet it wasn't the only one. With her first task complete, there still laid the second. And it was where she headed next.

Hold on Sonata. I just need a little more time.

Canterlot Penitentiary.

"It's about time you showed up. My visiting hours are almost over."

"I'm sorry Aria." Adagio cupped one hand around the phone receiver and put the other on the glass pane between them. No one else was visiting at the moment, but she didn't want to take any chances. "It took longer to get breakfast for Sonata than I thought."

The purple-haired girl crossed her arms over her orange jumpsuit. "So I have to play second-fiddle while you tend to Dusk's every little hiccup? Why'd you go bring her food and not me?"

"Because unlike her, you aren't dying." Adagio slapped her forehead. "And you know perfectly well, they don't allow outside food in here."

"Then why are you wasting time like this?" Aria jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the security camera. "They took my pendant when they put me in here. Just use your magic and get them to let me out. Or at least get bail."

"I can't." Adagio pointed at her own pendant. "I'm too weak. But even if I wasn't, law enforcement officials are much more difficult to enthrall than ordinary people. Getting a free lunch is one thing, but letting a prisoner walk is another."

Aria banged a fist on her desk. "I wouldn't be in here if it wasn't for you. You know that?"

"Yes I do. You tell me that every time I see you. I admit, trying to pull that heist was a bad idea. But with or without our magic, we still needed the money. We still need it now: Sonata's hospital bill, your bail, a down payment on a house."

"Don't forget funeral arrangements." Aria sighed and slumped down on the desk. "I'm sorry, Adagio. I know you're trying to keep us afloat, but you're going to have to face it at some point. We can't survive on just normal humans. We need Equestrian magic. Without it, I'm stuck here for the next 20 years, you'll be eating dirt for the rest of your life, and Sonata will be going the way of Tiny Tim."

"I won't let that happen." Adagio put her hand on the glass. "I'll find a way to get you out of here and save Sonata. I promise."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Aria finished, hanging up the receiver and walking away. Adagio lingered a few seconds in the empty booth before heading outside again.

As she listened to the sound of her footsteps on the concrete sidewalk, Adagio wracked her brain to figure out what to do next. Getting a job was out of the question. Without birth certificates, identification, or work experience, the payment would be minimum wage at best, and they risked deportation. Leaving Canterlot wasn't possible either; and even if it was, they wouldn't have better luck anywhere else.

Which means our only hope is our magic.

But that was impossible. The Human world, or at least Canterlot, didn't have enough negativity to keep them sustained. So they were stuck. By now, she'd meandered here way from the prison to the Sugarcube Corner Cafe just outside the town square. By now, it was late afternoon.

"That's it then. We're finished." She slammed her head down on a table as her hard-fought twenty dollars slipped away on a single brunch. "I've got nothing. We have no magic, no money, and no method to our madness. I mean, it's not like a whole bunch of Equestrian magic is just going to fall out of the sky."

Craaack-Craack BOOOOOOOOM!

A sudden thunderclap startled her out of her seat. She glanced out the window to see a massive storm cloud spewing down rain.

What? But it's not supposed to rain today.

Even stranger, the cloud wasn't moving. It hung in place over a single building. A schoolhouse? As she kept watching, the wind around the school seemed to rev up, making the building groan from the pressure. Her curiosity piqued, she exited the cafe, pulled up her hoodie and ran towards the school.

The front entrance was a close as she could get without turning any heads. But from what it seemed, that was as close as she needed. Even from several yards away, she could hear an utter commotion going on inside. Students were screaming, the windows were cracked, and despite the rain, the air smelled of smoke.

What's going on in there?

She took a step forward and grabbed the bottom of the banister ready to enter in spite of suspicion. But to her absolute astonishment, the storm vanished. It didn't just stop raining or move away. It completely disappeared as if it had never been there to begin with. The water vanished too, including the droplets clinging to her jacket. The clouds were gone and the sun restored like nothing had happened.

How did that happen?

She felt herself over. No water. If it wasn't for the cracks on the windows, she could have sworn she'd hallucinated the whole thing.

What? How? Why?

The door banged open, cutting her off. Before she could turn to see who it was, someone slammed into her.

"Oof!"

Whoever it wasn't didn't even slow down but kept running as Adagio fell flat on her rump. She shook herself and got up, ready to give the stranger a piece of her mind, but stopped when she happened to glance down at her gem. Its color was completely restored back to its usual red. Her eyes swept across the area around her, as if seeing it for the first time. She folded and unfolded her fingers before leaning against the banister. After a few seconds of straining, the metal gave way and bent, twisting itself into a noticeable dip.

Magic. The word put a sneer on her face. Someone here has magic.

With that single stroke of good fortune, the wheels were already turning as she walked away. The rest of the day was spent revisiting her sisters and coming up with a plan. A plan that would take them from rags and rubble to riches and royalty.

(One day earlier.)

"So, you want to apply here as a student?" Principal Celestia was going over some paperwork in her office. "Any particular reason why?"

"Nothing too important." Adagio had replaced her hoodie with a dark purple shirt and light purple leggings. "Compared to everywhere else, I just sense there's something...magical about this place."

Celestia groaned and put her head in her hands. "You have Sunset Shimmer to thank for that."

"Sunset Shimmer? Who is that?"

The principal thumbed a hand over her shoulder at the three Fall Formal pictures in the hallway. "That is Sunset Shimmer. An arrogant troublemaker who has caused our school a lot of pain and suffering."

Adagio leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. "Pain and suffering? What was she a bully or something?"

"I wish. You should have been here yesterday. She turned into a giant demon and nearly destroyed the school for the second time in six weeks. And that's only the most severe of her offenses."

A demon. That sounds about right.

"Well," the siren tapped her head. "If you don't mind me asking, how are you all still alive?"

Celestia turned her head towards the side wall, and another Fall Formal picture. This one depicted a purple-skinned girl with multicolored hair, a pair of wings on her back, and a horn on her head. "She is why. Princess Twilight managed to defeat Sunset Shimmer and change her back to normal. Without her, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Is Princess Twilight here now?"

"I'm afraid not. You see, she actually lives in another dimension as crazy as that sounds. And according to some of the students she befriended while she was here, the portal to that dimension isn't open at the moment."

I can work with that.

"And what about Sunset Shimmer?"

The principal's eyebrows narrowed. "SHE will not be returning to Canterlot High. Even as we speak, I'm beginning transfer preparations to send her straight to the juvenile detention center."

"What?" Adagio jerked back and nearly fell out of her chair. "Isn't that a little excessive for a high school student?"

"It's far less than what she deserves." Celestia clenched her fist. "You'd understand if you were there. We're just lucky no one got hurt and the school didn't get sued. Worst case scenario and the school would have ended up as a crater."

"Okay," Adagio held up her hands. "I think you need to take a deep breath."

"What for? My decision is made."

"I understand that. But take it from someone who knows, you shouldn't make decisions while angry."

Unclenching her fist, Celestia allowed herself a single deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she nearly jumped back. Adagio had moved a lot closer and was now staring at her with glowing green eyes.

"What?" As much as she tried to pry her head away, she couldn't. "What are you...d-doing?"

With a good chuck of her power restored, the process was much smoother. Adagio grinned as wave after wave of magic washed over the hapless principal. "Just relax and let it happen. It'll be over soon."

""Aaaaahhhh." Celestia's eyes rolled back in her head as her arms fell to her sides. A moment later, they too turned green.

"Now then principal Celestia. Here's what you're going to do. Hear the words of your Mistress and obey."

"My Mistress." The entranced woman's tongue lolled out of her mouth. "I shall...obey."

Adagio chuckled to herself. Now this was more like it. "That's it. Listen to your Mistress. You will not send Sunset Shimmer away. She does not deserve to be imprisoned like that."

"I will," the only resistance Celestia could offer was a pause in her sentence. "I will not send Sunset Shimmer away."

"That's right. Instead you will forgive her." Adagio opened her eyes wider, drawing her slave even further under her spell. "You will tell her the true reason why you fear her power so greatly, and you will let her off with the bare minimum of punishment."

"I will."

"That's a good girl. Finally, you're going to find a reason for her to give me a tour around the school tomorrow."

"I will."

"Excellent." Adagio stepped back for a better look. Unlike Saffron, Celestia was drenched with sweat, either from trying to resist or the sheer number of commands to obey. A few lines of drool trickled out of her mouth. "Oh look at you. You're all wet." She leaned in closer. "Since you're the highest authority in the school, I think," she paused for a moment and sneered, "I think I'll keep you like this." She put her hands on Celestia's shoulders. "With this kiss, my spell shall be sealed, binding you as my slave as long as the tides strike the sand.

When the Siren's lips touched her forehead, Celestia shuddered, sighed, and slumped against her desk. A few moments later, she was sound asleep. Adagio carefully placed a "do not disturb" sign on the door and exited the room, shaking with excitement. Despite the large amount of magic she'd used, her pendant hadn't dropped a single shade. She clenched it and laughed to herself before heading to the rest of the day's events. Step one was complete.

(Present Day)

Adagio had always found human history to be fascinating. Despite their lack of magic, they had accomplished so much in so little time. Part of her envied their success. Dictators, monarchs, and politicians could demand the respect and servitude of entire nations without using mind control. All it took was a bribe here, a blackmail there, a rewritten story somewhere else, and few "convenient" disappearances. She'd have to take notes on that. But it would have to be later, as someone cleared her throat behind her.

The Siren looked up from the book and in her direction; then took off her jacket and stood up.

"Hello there." She greeted with a warm smile. "I was told to wait for you. Are you Sunset Shimmer?"

The girl smiled back. "Yes I am. Welcome to Canterlot High."

Adagio took her hand and shook it. "It's really nice to meet you. My name is Adagio Dazzle."

Author's Note

So after seeing their cameo in the season 7 finale, I started thinking about the Sirens once again. For what it's worth, the flashback showed just how much weaker they were at the beginning of RR: in the human world, they could barely start an argument, the ponies weren't just fighting verbally but physically too.

Splitting up the Sirens was a two-fold choice. This way, Aria and Sonata can still contribute to the story without dragging down the conflict between Adagio and Sunset. Getting rid of them completely would be something a lesser writer would do. And I am not a lesser writer.

Last time I tried to introduce the Sirens to Neo-Shine, I got complaints that I was telling too much instead of showing. So I went out of my way to be more indirect with the set-up, giving just enough information to explain the situation without lingering too long.

The idea here was to make them more sympathetic while still keeping them (or at least Adagio) malevolent. It's a hard line to tow because you don't want to make them TOO sympathetic. The best inspiration I could think of was the Dark Archer from season 1 of Arrow. Where he wants to destroy a crime-filled area of his city (and kill over a thousand people) because one of them shot his wife and no one helped her while she bled out on the street. Sympathetic backstory...unsympathetic goals.

Eclipsed

As she took hold of Adagio's hand and shook it, Sunset Shimmer suddenly felt the need for a long, cold shower. Breaking the handshake after a few seconds, she rubbed it against her pant leg like she'd just touched something nasty. Adagio didn't seem to notice.

"So, what brings you to our illustrious school?"

Adagio sat back down again and beckoned for Sunset to join her. "See, I recently just moved here from..." she paused to clear her throat, "out of town. And I was looking for a place to finish my education. This seemed like a good spot."

"I see." Sunset sized up the newcomer, but her appearance made it hard to formulate coherent thoughts. The lion's mane of hair on her head put even Pinkie Pie's poofs to shame. Her ankle high boots only needed a pair of spurs to fit right in in a western movie. Her top and leggings were a mix and match of two gaudy shades of purple. They made her eyes ache just from looking at him. But most captivating of all was the tiny red pendant hanging from her neck. As Adagio kept talking, Sunset found her own gaze locked on the gem.

"Hmm." Glancing over at Sunset, Adagio followed her eyes to the gem and chuckled. "I see you have an eye for jewelry." She pointed at the pendant. "Yeah. This thing is an old family heirloom. One of those 'my mother gave it to me as her mother gave it to her and her mother before her,' things. Legend says that the original gem this one was cut from was so beautiful that it would get people to stop what they were doing and stare at it for hours on end, basking in its glory." She began twirling it around her finger. "Kind of like what you're doing right now."

"Huh? What?" Sunset shook herself and snapped back to the present. "Oh sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"It's fine." Adagio chuckled again. "You're hardly the first to be awestruck by its grandeur. But enough about me. Tell me about you. From what the students and principal tell me, you're pretty popular around this place."

Sunset groaned and put her head in her hands. "Popular? More like infamous. If it was up to the students, I would have been drawn and quartered a long time ago."

"Oh come on. You're exaggerating just a tad."

"Maybe. But Celestia and Luna did threaten to kick me out of the school. That's no exaggeration."

"Expulsion?" Adagio's eyes widened. "Isn't that a little extreme? What on earth did you do that was so bad?"

Sunset clenched her fist. "I turned into a monster and nearly burned down the school. Twice."

"Monster?" By now the other girl was staring. "What, are you some kind of arsonist or something?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean a literal monster. I put on a magical crown and was overwhelmed by the magic it contained. So it turned me into a giant demon with wings, fangs, and fire. If it wasn't for Princess Twilight and her friends, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation."

Adagio went silent. So did Sunset. The latter could see her mulling the words over in her head. Then she stared at Sunset, leaning forward to let her eyes lap up every inch of the girl in front of her. Finally, she opened her mouth.

"You're kidding right?"

Sunset sighed and shook her head again. "As much as I wish I was, I'm not."

Adagio's eyes shone as a smile appeared on her face. "That's amazing."

"Yes, I know. It's terrib--WHAT?" Sunset gawked at her. "No. NO! It wasn't amazing. It was the exact opposite of amazing. I nearly destroyed the whole school. I nearly enslaved everyone. I nearly killed six students. How is anything of that amazing?"

Adagio caught herself. "Well yes, that would have been rather unfortunate. But just think about it." She tapped her index finger on Sunset's shoulder. "You can do something that no one else here can. Why should that be something to be feared?"

"Because it's DANGEROUS! I don't have the authority to use that kind of power." Sunset began counting on her fingers. "Brainwashing, fire manipulation, forcible transformations, and everything else. If the Demon came back, I'd destroy the entire city in two days max when I lost control."

Adagio held up two fingers. "You mean if you lost control. But what if you don't?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just think about it." Adagio pointed at her again. "It's YOUR power, isn't it? If you could learn to harness that power, to reign it in, to make sure that you own it and not the other way around. If you did that, then couldn't you use those powers for good?"

"Wha-what?" Sunset was struck dumb once again. Searing's power...used for good? That had never even occurred to her. Was that even possible? No, no it couldn't be. Searing represented all of her built-up anger, pride, resentment, and power lust. How could any of those be used to help people?

Before she could ask further, Adagio got up. "It's just something to think about. Now that I think about it, I should be able to find my way around the school. You seem a bit preoccupied, and I'd hate to distract you." With that, she left the room and her would-be guide behind. Sunset barely noticed her leave, for her mind was overflowing. Grabbing a nearby notepad, she sat down and began to write.

Was I? Was I thinking about this all wrong?

Adagio allowed herself a smirk as the library door closed behind her. The seeds of doubt had been successfully planted. But there was still so much more to do.

Let's see. What should be my next step?

She hadn't seen any sort of crown on Sunset's person or in the principal's office. And something that powerful probably wouldn't just be left lying around. So unless Sunset or Celestia was keeping it at home, then odds were that the relic was back in the hooves of this Princess Twilight. And as inviting a prospect as that felt, she'd be better off securing her hold here before setting her sights on Equestria.

But if she started setting the students against each other right off the bat, she'd be immediately suspected for their change in behavior. 'Everything was fine until she arrived,' they'd say. And with or without proof, she couldn't risk losing access to the school.

I need a diversion. Something or someone to take the attention off me until I'm strong enough to handle them. But where am I going to find someone like that?

"Urrgh. Just who does she think she is?!"

A vindictive growl brought her back to the present. She searched for the source of the commotion, and found herself back at the main hallway. A blue-skinned girl stood in front of Celestia's office, alternating between glaring at the closed door and tugging on the pictures of Sunset on the wall.

"What is Principal Celestia thinking, letting that girl off so easily? It's like she wants that demon to come back and kill us all. And those girls. How can they still support her after everything she did? Morons, all of them." One of the pictures came off with a loud snap, but the door remained closed. "That girl has sunk her hooks into everyone here, so the price of freedom falls upon me to pay." The next two pictures came off, and the girl slapped them down on the ground and stood atop them triumphantly. "The Great and Powerful TRIXIE shall subjugate the Demon Queen of Canterlot High and send her back to the fiery depths from hence she came!"

Adagio had seen the entire performance, and her face held an odd combination of humor and perplexity. Still, an opportunity was an opportunity. So without further ado, she walked up towards Trixie and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Huh? What?" Trixie spun around. "Who are you, how much did you see, and what do you want to keep quiet about it?"

"Adagio Dazzle, I saw enough, and your secret's safe with me." The siren moved closer to the office and out of range of prying eyes. "So I take it from that performance, that you're not a big fan of Sunset Shimmer?"

"Don't even speak her name!" Trixie ground her teeth together. "That ingrate stole from me what was rightfully mine, and turned the school into her own private barbecue. But because of Twilight and those other girls, she got off with barely a slap on the wrist." Her fists shook as she continued. "It is a travesty of justice. A travesty!"

"It really is." Adagio put a hand on her back. "But surely there's a way to take back what you're owed? I mean, sitting her and stewing about it isn't going to accomplish anything."

"Trixie knows that. But Trixie can't do anything more than that. Not while she has the Principal and those other girls on her side." She was so worked up by this point, that Adagio feared for her blood pressure. "Even Trixie can't take on six girls at once."

Adagio moved closer but Trixie was too angry to notice. "But what if I told you, there was a way that you could?"

She quickly snapped to attention. "How do you figure?"

Once again, Adagio opened her glowing, green eyes. "Like this."

Wisps of green fog seeped out of the pendant and engulfed Trixie, lifting her off the ground. Her magician's attire changed from purple to black, the stars engraved upon it changed to shimmering red gems. Her hair lengthened and turned snow white. Two tiny fangs appeared in her mouth. And her eyes glowed the same sickly green as Adagio's. When the transformation was complete, the simple stage magician stood transformed into a mystical mistress of the dark arts.

Adagio checked her gem. Transformations took a bit more power than simple enthrallment, and that coupled with the seal she'd put on Celestia had reverted the crystal to its slightly faded state. But even so, it was a necessary risk that would pay off nicely.

Trixie looked herself over and her face twisted into a malevolent grin. Rather than turn her into a mindless drone like the others, Adagio had left her will intact. The prospect of revenge and the thrill of her new power would be more than enough to keep her in line.

"This is amazing. I feel like I just had a thousand energy drinks all at once! Where did you get this kind of power?"

"The same place Sunset got it." Adagio pointed at her gem. "Magic. And that's just the beginning. You can get even stronger if you take their magic too. Play your cards right, and you can rule the whole school."

Trixie started to walk away, but then stopped and put her hands on her hips. "Wait a minute. You're not just giving this to me out of the kindness of your heart. What do you want in return?"

"Me?" Adagio touched a hand to her chest. "I just want the simple things in life. A roof over my head, food in my stomach, health for my future, and pleasures to indulge myself. And right now, it would give me great pleasure to help you get what you deserve...just so long as no one else finds out about it."

Trixie needed no further convincing, and walked off snickering to herself. Adagio watched her leave with a chuckle before turning back towards the Principal's office. Celestia was still there, along with a new arrival.

"Sister? Sister what are you doing, sleeping on the job like this? It is most unprofessional. Wake up." Vice-principal Luna stood by her snoozing sibling, trying in vain to rouse her. "Did you not hear me? Wake up before someone sees you like this."

"Oh my." Adagio put her hands to her cheeks. "What happened to her?"

Luna merely glanced in her direction before returning to shaking Celestia. "It's the oddest thing. She's never fallen asleep on school grounds before. Yet, when I came in here for my lunch break, I found her like this. It's not like her at all. Wake up Celestia. Wake up!" But try as she might, her sister would not rise. After a while, Luna put her head in her hands. "I had no idea she was so exhausted. I mean, I knew the Fall Formal and the Cafeteria incidents had taken their toll on everyone, but I never would have guessed that the burden had grown too great even for her. Normally, I am the one who falls apart first." She gave a heavy sigh. "Oh my dear sister, please forgive me for not noticing your plight."

Adagio had to cover her mouth to stifle a laugh but quickly returned to a solemn expression. "I'm sure she forgives you. But maybe I can help."

"You?" Luna stared at her. "What can you do to help her?" But she backed away nonetheless.

Adagio moved in close to the sleeping Principal and leaned forward until her mouth was right next to the woman's ear.

"So long as the tides strike the sand...."

"I am sealed as a slave under your spell." Celestia droned as her eyes opened and she sat up.

"Thank goodness you're all right!" Luna rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her elder, but her relieved face only lasted two seconds as Celestia lurched free from her grasp. "Sister? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is the matter, Dear Sister." The Principal's hands slumped to their sides. "I have never been better in my life."

"Then why does your voice sound so dead?" Luna took a few steps back. "And why are your eyes the wrong color? And why has your skin paled?"

"That's enough out of you." Adagio clicked her teeth. "Grab her."

Luna turned and bolted for the door but only made it two steps before Celestia tackled her, pinning her against the floor. "Oomph! Sister, what are you doing? Come to your senses!" She struggled valiantly, but her attacker's grip stood firm like a steel trap. Even a punch to the chest did nothing to loosen her grasp. An attempt to scream for help only got her smacked in the throat.

"You're wasting your time." Adagio walked over to lock the door before crossing her arms. "Mere pain cannot stop her from completing my orders. But don't worry. You'll be joining her soon."

Luna's writhing weakened as her pleas went unanswered. "Why are you doing this? What crime have we committed?"

Adagio pointed at her and her sister. "You haven't done anything. You just remind me of someone I don't like. And that alone is more than enough."

Celestia's eyes locked with Luna's. "Don't fight, Dear Sister. Join us. Join me."

As the green glow washed over her, Luna's resistance finally subsided. After a moment, her eyes turned green as well. Celestia released her grip and the two knelt down before their new mistress. Adagio looked them over with a single, satisfied smirk.

"Two down and two to go."

Author's Note

Zero here. With your obligatory reminder that even though the Sirens are more sympathetic in this incarnation, they're still evil.

So it took me a while to figure out what Adagio's plan would be in this scenario. She certainly has plenty of options to choose from, and we see in Rainbow Rocks that she's perfectly capable of playing the long game.

This was going to be another Sunset chapter until I realized that we needed a bit more preparation before the conflict can properly begin.

Using Trixie as a secondary antagonist seemed the most natural since she already has that role in Rainbow Rocks and her ego rivals Rainbow Dash's. Throw in a little magic, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Dazzle's Dirty Tricks

The ride back to the principals' house was slow and nondescript, though Adagio did note that keeping her driver spellbound made for some slightly wobbly steering. Their house was standard too, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. But for the Siren, anything was an improvement over a wet bench in the park.

She clicked her teeth. "Tsk tsk tsk. Yet again, the two of you fail to measure up to your counterparts. How disappointing."

Getting out of the car, Celestia craned her head towards her. "How so?"

As she walked towards the front door, Adagio picked at her fingernails. "Where I come from, the two of you are full-fledged royalty, and you command the love and respect of an entire nation. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned of your positions here. You're not Queen Celestia, you're not Prime Minister Celestia, you're not President Celestia, you're not even Mayor Celestia. You're just Principal Celestia." She shrugged her shoulders. "Isn't that kind of beneath you?"

Celestia shuddered but managed to clamp her lips shut. Adagio noticed but didn't bother pressing further.

"Ah well. I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. Princess or Principal, all are equal under me."

"Why?" Luna struggled to speak after unlocking the door. "Why are you doing this?"

"Really? You asked me that already. I told you before, I don't have any quarrel with you or your sister. You just remind me of someone I don't like."

Luna managed to look Adagio in the eyes. "And that justifies you enslaving us both?"

"Ahhh." Adagio chuckled. "That's it. You humans and your moralities."

By this point, the three had entered the house. The Siren promptly plopped herself down on a nearby sofa and continued.

"Fun fact about morals, Kiddies. They're nothing without power. That's where you get your laws and rules from. Your President delegates the role to Congress and the Senate while we Equestrians have our Sovereign Princesses. They decide the rules, and the peasants follow suit. But unfortunately for you two," she pointed at herself, " since I have the power, that means I AM the law. No cops will arrest me. No court will try me. No jury will convict me." She clenched her fist. "And most certainly, no prison will hold me. So why should I change myself to suit you; when with my powers, I can change this world to suit me?"

Luna began to sweat. "You're insane. We're not just dolls for you to play with. We're living, breathing people with our own lives and goals. You can't just take that away!"

Adagio stood up and approached her. "My my my. You're so full of fire, aren't you? Seems even my spell couldn't snuff it out. You know, it's funny. I didn't really have much of a role in mind for you. I mean, your sister practically runs the school, but you're just the Vice President, an easily dismissed position with the illusion of actual importance. With or without you, the school is already mine. So with that in mind, I have a different role for you to play. See, I'm not exactly alone in my goals. My two sisters will soon be joining me in power. And I thought what better way to celebrate our reunion than to give them something they'll love." With each word, she closed in on her target. "And I think they'll really enjoy their very own, loving, fully trained...." She leered at Luna. "Pet."

Celestia tried to step forward as her sister's back hit the wall. But as she did so, the lipstick mark from Adagio's kiss flared into pain on her forehead. With a strained grunt, she clutched at the seal.

"Stop it! Leave her alone! I won't let you--" Her clutches turned to scratches. The pain increased. "W-won't let y-y-you--I am sealed as a slave under your spell."

The green glow in her eyes retook control just as Adagio knew it would. The siren simply shook her head.

"A feeble attempt at best, Celestia. I wouldn't even bother if I were you." She gave a hard poke to Luna's neck and smiled at the woman's gasps. "My seal is a boa constrictor wrapped around your neck." She twirled her finger in circles. "The more you try to resist, the tighter its grip will become."

Luna managed to regain enough air to speak. "What do you get out of this? Do you get some kind of kick from our enslavement?"

Adagio scoffed. "Pheh. Don't flatter yourself. You two are just dinner mints at best. And even every student at the school combined would barely rank above appetizer." Grabbing Luna's face in her hand, she pulled her in close. "No. I'm after a much bigger prize. A prize that will help my sisters and me reclaim the power we rightfully deserve."

Luna's eyes widened when Adagio's tongue lolled out of her mouth. But all she could do was blanch as the siren slathered it over her cheeks. "S-S-Stop. St-Stop it."

Adagio finished her facial taste test with a single, satisfied slurp. "Quiet, little doll. Pets don't speak. They merely listen and obey. And a proper pet must be disciplined whether she's asleep or awake. And besides," she licked her lips. "If I'm going to lay low for a bit while Trixie does my dirty work, I might as well have a little fun, right?

She knocked Luna down to the floor and stood over her. "It's time for one of the most important parts of having a pet. Housebreaking it."

Back at her apartment, Sunset lurched over her kitchen sink and emptied the contents of her stomach. She only barely had time for a single breath afterward before vomiting a second time. Only when she'd finally exhausted her food supply did she managed to regain control. Propping herself with her arms, she stared down the drain.

"What on--urp!--what on earth was that?" She stared at her reflection. "What gives?"

It shifted into the demon once more, but Sunset noticed that Searing was lacking her cocky grin from before. Instead, she looked just as concerned as Sunset was. "Don't look at me, I'm not doing this."

"Then who is?" Turning on the sink, Sunset took a few gulps of water. "I haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary all day."

"I don't think that's it." Searing tapped her claws against her chin. Because I'm not feeling good either." She stared at Sunset. "Do you ever get the feeling that--"

"--something really bad is about to happen?" Sunset finished. "Yes, I do. But I don't know what. I mean considering we've been tormented by the students, nearly expelled, and then unexpelled in just a few days, what could be worse than that?"

Searing's face shifted once again into a genuinely pained expression. "I don't know, Sunset. And I hope we don't find out."

Author's Note

Uhhhgh. I've created a monster.

Believe it or not, it wasn't my intent to turn Adagio into Kilgrave. But the more research I did on Sirens, the more unsavory things I learned about them. For example, that they would normally use their songs to either lure people (of both genders mind you) to drown or just outright eat them. So couple that with their seductive behavior and incredible power, and you get this as a result.

I always imagined Adagio would try and go as far as she could with as little magic she had. Not to the extent of jeopardizing the long-term plan like I feel Aria would, but she'd certainly enjoy throwing her weight around after being powerless for so long. The more resistance offered, the more tantalizing the broken spirit would become.

If this is pushing the T-rating a bit, let me know. Taking influence from an MA series might not be the best idea I've ever had.

The Burden of Choice

Throughout the rest of the school day, Sunset couldn't get Adagio's words out of her mind. Could the Demon's power really be harnessed for good? She wracked her brain to come up with answer but found herself going in circles.

First came the knee-jerk reaction.

No way. That's not possible. There's no way I could do that.

It was a reasonable choice. Such an idea went against everything she was ever taught about magic. The power Princess Twilight had used with the girls had been used to protect themselves, to restore the students' minds, to repair the damage that she had inflicted. The Demon's power was corrupt and subversive, only suitable for destruction and suffering. Wasn't the fact that they'd won and she'd lost proof enough of its impotence? Even if there was something of value to be found, did that really warrant running back into a burning building? Of course not. It just wasn't meant to be.

But that note of resolution would soon be undermined by a little thing called curiosity.

But what...just what if I could?

Fire powers and mind control didn't offer much in terms of direct aid. But maybe she could help people indirectly. Like a superhero in a comic book, she could hunt down lawbreakers and bring them to justice. A quick flash of her green spirals would accomplish in seconds what paperwork and interrogation would need hours to complete. Sure, she wouldn't undermine the legal system, she'd just use it to her advantage. And as pretty as Canterlot looked to outside eyes, there were plenty of problematic people lurking in its underbelly. From the level street gangs like the Diamond Dogs and Gilda's Griffons to unsavory businesses like Storm King Enterprises, they'd be completely unprepared for any sort of supernatural attack. Yes, criminal deterrent would be a perfect job for her. She would be the city's new symbol of fear and justice.

But just as soon as the possibilities started they'd be stopped when she reminded herself of the consequences of losing control. She could see the Demon now, laughing maniacally over a smoldering pile of ashes that used to be the city before turning its sights on the rest of the world. If things got out of hand, people would die, and it would be all her fault.

But as soon as she'd completed that revolution, Adagio's words would come right back.

"It's YOUR power isn't it? If you could learn to harness it, then couldn't you use it for good?"

And so it was that when the last bell rang for dismissal that Sunset walked out of the school no closer to the truth than when she started and with only a pounding headache to show for her struggles. So she stopped for a moment to rest in front of the school mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, rippling slightly when she touched the sealed portal.

Sunset sighed and addressed the mirror. "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. And since the portal's closed, I can't do any research." She crossed her arms over herself. "I just wish there was a way to know for sure before I put it to the test."

"Funny. I thought wishing was what got you into this mess to begin with."

Her reflection changed shape. And in a moment, Sunset found herself staring into a familiar twisted face.

"Somehow, I knew you'd show up eventually." She tapped the mirror again. "So what is this, hallucination, daydream, manifestation of my inner doubts? Come on. Spill it."

It glared at her. "Now come on, Sunny. If we're gonna do this, at least go all the way."

"All right. What do you want?"

It put a hand to its ear. "Use my name please. Don't worry, there's no one else around."

"Fine. What do you want Searing?"

At that, It smiled and began rattling its claws on the mirror. "That's better. And don't worry Sunny. If you're expecting a 'Turn to the Dark Side' speech, you've got the wrong idea. If anything, I'm just as curious about Adagio's idea as you are."

"What?" Sunset cocked her head. "No no no. You're not supposed to be like this. You're supposed to try and get me to bathe in a fountain of human blood, devour their souls, set the world on fire. You're not supposed to want to be used for good."

"Ah, but you see that's where you're wrong." It shrugged its shoulders and held up a claw. "I don't want any of that. I want what you want, and I give you what you need to get it. You wanted power at the Fall Formal. I gave it to you. You wanted to conquer Equestria. I helped you do so. You wanted to dispose of Twilight Twinkle--"

"Sparkle."

"Whatever. I helped you do that too. I even helped you get revenge on all those students who made you their punching bag, since that was what you wanted. Because like I just said, you've got the wrong idea." It leered at her with a grin. "I'm not the devil on your shoulder trying to get you to step off the straight and narrow. I'm just enhancing what's already there. The burden of choice has always been with you."

Sunset smacked her forehead. "Then why appear to me at all if you're basically a neutral party?"

Its appearance shifted, the claws and fire vanishing, the orange skin reverting back to its usual amber. When it was done, Sunset stared into her reflection once again. It leaned closer to her.

"Why am I doing this? Simple. It's so you can't turn around and say the Devil made you do it." And before she could say anything else, it vanished, leaving poor Sunset even more confused than she already was.

"Great. Well that settles it. I guess the only options now are either do nothing at all and avoid the risk or take a chance and test these powers out for myself. Ugh what to do? What to do?"

While Sunset stood lost in thought in front of the school, a hooded Adagio Dazzle was weaving her silver tongue amidst a pair of unsuspecting students. Judging by their appearances and behavior, Octavia Melody and Lyra Heartstrings carried significant influence among Canterlot's student body, one the very image of grace and poise while the other too curious for her own good. Even now, they stood before her with mouths agape, drinking in her every word.

"Is it really true?" Octavia put a hand over her mouth.

Adagio nodded. "I saw them kneeling before her with my own eyes. Sunset Shimmer has brainwashed the principals!"

Lyra smacked her hands together. "I knew it! I knew there was a reason she got off so easily after what she did. There was no way she could have really changed. And now she has the school's highest authority under her spell. Anyone one of us could be next."

Octavia crossed her arms. "And we can't do anything about it. If we try and confront her about it, we'll get our minds captured just like them. If only we could use magic too."

Adagio cocked her head. "And why can't you?"

"What are you crazy?" Lyra held up her arms. "The only students here that have magic are the ones that hung around Princess Twilight. None of the rest of us got anything."

"Oh how unfortunate." Adagio sighed. "I mean, if I were Princess Twilight, I would have made sure to share my magic with everyone in the school, not just five girls. That doesn't seem very fair, does it?"

"No it most certainly does not. But what can we do about it?"

Adagio jerked her head around before leaning in close. "Well don't quote me on this, but I heard that--what was her name again--Trixie managed to get some magic of her own. Maybe she could help you get some too. And then you could find a way to protect yourself from that horrible winged Demon. Just don't tell her I told you. I don't want to get brainwashed either."

"Don't worry. We won't." The two girls thanked her for the information, and ran off to find Trixie. Adagio watched them go with a grin on her face. While Trixie's ego had provided her an adequate opening, the rest of the students were so scared of Sunset's demon that they'd do anything to be free of her. To the point where she'd barely had to use magic at all. Sure, a unified force against one girl didn't make for much of a meal at first; but so long as they kept focused on their target, she'd gain herself a proper feast later. Chuckling to herself, she turned and walked to the very back of the school's parking lot, where the two enthralled principals were waiting inside a minivan for her.

"One by one. They all go down. The siren drags them off to drown."

Author's Note

The goal of this chapter was basically to get rid of Sunset's safety net. Even if Searing's POWERS are malevolent, that doesn't necessarily mean that she is. I mean, just look at Raven, Ghost Rider, Cat Noir, Black Bolt, Nightcrawler, and even Etrigan. All of their powers are inherently destructive in nature and two of them are actual DEMONS, but they're all on the side of good. Sure, there's always going to be a risk with that kind of power; but then again, there are also people with "good" powers that use them for evil like Poison Ivy or Zaheer.

Also, ugh. Adagio wasn't originally going to be in this chapter, but the word count wasn't where I wanted it to be, so I added her here. Writing this character is like drinking a Monster Energy drink, tasty to the lips but nasty to the body. It feels like the more I write her, the more perverted she becomes, especially if you guys remember her in the first story. Here, she uses a tactic found in The Last Battle in the Chronicles of Narnia: By mixing a bit of truth with it, they had made their lie far stronger.