"Are they REALLY your friends?"
"You were showing them your magic. I-I didn't know what else to do!" Sunset said. Rarity gave a disgusted sigh.
"Close the curtains? Unplug the amp? Give us a chance to deal with the situation?"
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to help..." Meanwhile on the backstage, the Dazzlings were eavesdropping on the argument.
"I think we're getting closer to what we were looking for, girls," Adagio Dazzle said. Sonata Dusk stared blankly once again.
"Wait, it's magic again, right?" she asked. Aria Blaze put a hand to her forehead and stroked her whole face with it while Adagio gave an annoyed glare.
"Yes, Sonata... you're right..."
"Wow, I'm good, you guys have to admit that!"
"More like the worst...." Aria muttered under her breath. Instead of a "No, you are!", Sonata Dusk just grunted. Adagio Dazzle heard footsteps coming from the hallway.
"Everyone! The principals are coming! Quick!" As soon as Principal Celestia and Luna arrived, the Dazzlings began to sing their harmonious and chilling tune to them. The Dazzlings then stood at the corner of the stage as the two principals walked to the front of it.
"The band that will be joining the Dazzlings in tonight's finals are... the Rainbooms!" Every student became flabbergasted. Trixie stomped past the winning band while Aria Blaze looked closely at her.
"Adagio, I think I've got a plan," Aria said as Adagio Dazzle gave a skeptical look to her.
"I'm listening..."
"You see how that wizard girl who just stomped past the Rainbooms?" Adagio slowly nodded. "How about right before the finals, she can do the dirty work for us and trap that band in the hidden hole?" Sonata Dusk giggled when Aria Blaze mentioned the "hidden hole". But, Aria ignored her. "Then, when we perform, we can get all the Equestrian magic we need without even lifting a finger!" Adagio Dazzle put her hand to her chin and pondered. Then, after a few minutes, she shook her head.
"No, Aria," she said and took a glance at her siren pendant. "I have a better idea....." Adagio then turned around to face Sonata Dusk.
"Sonata, go catch Sunset Shimmer's attention," Sonata had another blank stare.
"Uh, who again?"
"Ugh. She's the girl with the red and yellow hair,"
"Oh, alright!" Sonata Dusk ran over to Sunset Shimmer, who was following the Rainbooms to the amphitheater's dressing room. Once she reached her, Sonata then grabbed Sunset's shoulders and wildly shook her whole body. Aria Blaze gave a an annoyed grunt.
"You could've just lightly tapped her shoulder or something!" she said.
"Well, Adagio said to catch her attention, so I did!" Sonata Dusk said with a sheepish smile and a shrug. Sunset Shimmer then realized what was going on and who were with her.
"What do you guys want now?" Sunset asked. Adagio Dazzle walked through the other sirens with a strut.
"Oh, nothing, really!" the leader of the sirens said. Sonata spontaneously became confused.
"But aren't we going to make her a sire-Ow!" she said and cried from Adagio's elbowing.
"Don't mind her. She's the most idiotic." Adagio Dazzle said to Sunset Shimmer. "Now, we just wanted to talk with you," Sunset had a concerned look upon her face.
"And what is it that you need to talk to me about? Also, how can I trust you all?"
"No worries. I'm sure you can after this. Follow me,"
Out the door, Sunset Shimmer tracked the Dazzlings to where the massive blue amphitheater was. The girls then stood behind the walls of the stone bleachers. Adagio turned to Sunset, who was still dubious about this situation.
"You see, Sunset Shimmer, it's about your 'friends',"
"Pfft, not this again. Whatever you say, it's not going to work!"
"Before you try to start a little catfight, let me just ask this one question: Are the Rainbooms really your friends?" Adagio Dazzle said with smirk. Sunset rubbed the back of her neck in cloudiness.
"Well, yeah... of course..."
"But they were kinda hard on you, don't-cha think?" Sonata said.
"No, they were just... um... they were just talking some sense into me!" Aria Blaze also joined in.
"Well, since they are your 'friends' and they wanted to 'talk some sense into you', I think they would have been a little calm and nicer about it. Also, if the Rainbooms were your friends, why are they ignoring and excluding you out of everything?"
"That's right, Aria, why would your so-called caring and loving friends keep you out of the band? I bet that before Aria, Sonata, and I even came here, your 'friends' didn't even try to defend other people and dispel the rumors that have been put upon you!" Adagio said as the pupils of Sunset Shimmer's eyes shook in realization and shock.
"If you ask me, they don't sound like good friends at all!" Sonata Dusk said. Adagio Dazzle leaned closer into Sunset's face and spoke.
"Admit it. You see them as friends, but in reality, the Rainbooms just see you as a joke. You, Sunset Shimmer, were pushed to the side as if you were a distraction to your little 'friends' while they had their fun!" After Adagio stated this, Sunset was left in silence. Her teal eyes looked like as if they were about to shed a few tears. Adagio Dazzle reached her hand into her back pocket and pulled out a pendant, a siren pendant. "You know what, it is truly such a shame that your friends are treating you like this. So, how about you join us instead? They don't care about you anyway, but we do," Adagio said as all the sirens stared at Sunset Shimmer for an answer with a mischievous grin. The Rainbooms ignored me... it was as if I wasn't really there... as if I was invisible... and that means they never cared about me in the first place, Sunset Shimmer thought to herself.
Sunset was reluctant at first, but in the next minute, she snatched the pendant out of Adagio's yellow hand and swiftly equipped the jewelry without having a look of the slightest concern. The gem glowed a crimson red aura, and it became brighter and brighter until Sunset Shimmer was eventually hovering over the ground while getting consumed by the light. Sonata Dusk had a wide smile and was almost fascinated while the other two Dazzlings had smug grins.
Finally, when the transformation is complete, the red aura that once surrounded Sunset Shimmer dimmed, and her hovering came to a stop as she landed on the ground. Adagio Dazzle put on her signature mischievous grin and looked to Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk.
"Girls, welcome our newest Dazzling, or more specifically, our newest siren, Sunset Shimmer! Now, I believe we are going to perform very soon for the Battle of the Bands. Let's go get ready, shall we?" Adagio said as they headed to the amphitheater.
"Alright, is everybody ready?" Twilight asked to all of the Rainbooms. They all nodded as they finished putting on their band clothes. Twilight Sparkle examined the dressing room and thought to herself, Hmm, I could have sworn we're missing somebody. She stroked her chin and pondered on what could be missing in the dressing room. But then, she realized it. Twilight barged right out of the dressing room, leaving the other Rainbooms to be utterly confused and shocked on why Twilight Sparkle did this.
"Darling, where are you going?" Rarity called out as the band stayed close to Twilight, who was urgently looking at the backstage. She noticed that her human friends were behind her. So, she took the opportunity and spoke to them.
"Girls, do you know where Sunset Shimmer is?" Twilight Sparkle asked. The Rainbooms all searched the backstage and in every hidden corner there is. But, there is no sign of where the red and yellow-haired girl is.
"Where could she be? I swear that Sunset was right behind us when we walked to this stage!" Rainbow Dash said, flabbergasted.
"Oh, I just hope she's all right..." Fluttershy said. Applejack took a peek at the audience, who was still brainwashed from the spell the Dazzlings casted. She looked to the left to see the Rainbooms' opponent band... and Applejack saw something very peculiar.
"Rainbooms! 'Git over here!" Applejack said as the band went to her command. They couldn't see the Dazzlings very well because of the green smoke. But eventually, a familiar harmonizing girl with red and yellow hair came to their field of vision.
"Sunset Shimmer?!" The rest of the band said at once.
"I don't understand, why is she with the Dazzlings? And why does she singing with them?" The almost distressed Twilight Sparkle said.
"Why that little... how could she leave us like that? This is totally uncool! Come on, Rainbooms! It's time to teach Sunset Shimmer a little lesson about bouncing out, especially on our friends!" Rainbow Dash said, flustered and determined.
"But wait, it's not our turn yet to perform! Isn't breaking the rules kind of uncool too, Rainbow?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Pinkie, I'm sure that a friend joining the dark side of evil creatures from Equestria is more important than breaking rules," Rainbow replied. "Now, let's go everybody! Let's go kick some Dazzling butt!" The Rainbooms responded with a "Yeah!", but Twilight Sparkle was very hesitant.
"Wait! Can't we just talk to them first and then 'kick their butts' after?" she asked. Rarity nodded in approval.
"Twilight is civilized indeed, I like it. Also, that sounds like a good idea to me. Right, ladies?" Rarity said as the rest of the band members nodded and agreed to the idea.
"Oh, alright, fine. I guess we can save the fun for later," Rainbow Dash said. "Now, enough talking, let's get down to teaching the Sunset a lesson! To the nearest hill girls!"
"Wait just a sec'," Applejack said as Rainbow made a light annoyed sigh. "If we're playin' up there, how are the Dazzlin's and Sunset Shimmer gonna here us from up there?" Pinkie Pie eyed down a person with electric-blue hair who was bobbing her head to the music coming out of her headphones.
"Don't worry, everybody! I think I just know the person!"
"Alright, now we go!" Rainbow said once more. "To the hill!"
Before the Rainbooms were reaching the peak of the hill, the Dazzlings takeover has begun. While they were singing, a red soundwave was being spread to the areas that were even farther from Canterlot High School and crashed down on to the still brainwashed audience of high school teenagers. Then, an explosion of red light came from each of the Dazzlings' pendants as they sing, making them hover above the ground and followed by another burst of red light.
The crimson glow consumed the sirens, then they were surrounded by dark light. Each of them transformed and grew pony ears, extended hair, and siren wings.
"Now you need us. Come and heed us! Nothing can stop us now!" But suddenly, their singing was interrupted by a banging noise that came from atop a hill. The Dazzlings looked straight ahead and saw nothing more than the Rainbooms and a blue care-like machine that had giant speakers and colorful lasers. The noise that came was from a microphone that was held by no one other than Twilight Sparkle, who spoke into it.
"Sunset Shimmer! Why are you doing this to us? Why are you joining them? Why can't you be with us, and be our friend?" she said. The Dazzlings stared in confusion at Sunset as she stepped forward to the stage and stared at Twilight Sparkle right in the eyes.
"Friend? Ha! You're just saying that, aren't you! I'm not your friend like you guys keep on telling me!"
"B-But, you are Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight said.
"Oh, really? If you guys were my friends, then why were you all just ignoring me, huh? Why did you all shove me to the side as if I was nothing at all?" There was silence for a few seconds, then Sunset continued. "Exactly. You guys don't care for me. You guys don't pay attention to me. You guys aren't my friends." Sunset Shimmer said, bitterly. "You know what? Maybe I did make the right choice to abandon my studies of friendship, because friendship is just nothing, nonexistent! So, how about we continue with this Battle of the Bands, shall we?"
"B-But Sunset-" Twilight Sparkle said before Rainbow Dash smacked the microphone out of her hands.
"It's too late, Twilight. Don't even bother," she said.
"I'm sorry ta say this Twi, but Rainbow is right. It looks like Sunset had made up her mind. So, all we gotta do now is try and defeat her and the Dazzlin's now," Applejack said. Twilight Sparkle made a very disappointed and sad sigh.
"Oh... alright. Come on, girls. I think even if we do lose a friend, the friendship of others will be by our side," she said as Pinkie Pie banged her drumsticks together and the Rainbooms started singing their song.
"Oh-oh, oh whoa oh! I've got the music in me! Oh-oh, oh whoa oh!" A few minutes later when the Rainbooms are in the middle of their song, they have began to transform. They all received their extended hair, pony ears, wings, and additional streaks of color in their hair. Then, after Twilight Sparkle was done with her transformation, all of the band members except Pinkie Pie were floating in mid-air.
After the Rainbooms were done singing, it was the Dazzlings' turn to sing.
"What we have in store, all we want and more. We will break on through! Now it's time to finish you!" Suddenly, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, and Sunset's turned to a glowing red and projections of the sirens appeared above them; Yellow for Adagio, purple for Aria, blue for Sonata, and a crimson red for Sunset. The projections flew at the Rainbooms, only to be hit by rainbow light.
With a stroke of the keytar, Rarity fired diamond projectiles at Aria's purple siren projection. Fluttershy did the same, except with a bang of her tambourine and projectiles of bright violet butterflies. Then, with her stunning voice, Twilight Sparkle sang and out came the projections of magenta stars that directly fired at the orange siren of Adagio Dazzle. But, with Adagio's strong voice, her singing counteracted that and even pushed Twilight backward.
Soon, the other two projections of the sirens came and sang along with Adagio Dazzle's orange siren. Their singing made the whole Rainbooms tumble to the ground. With a final blow, Sunset Shimmer's red siren came and sang. All of them grew weaker, and soon they all just lay steadily on the ground. The transforming blue car exploded, leaving some injury to the electric-blue haired girl and making her run away.
The Rainbooms soon began to lose their ears, 'tails', wings, and the streaks in their hair. Soon enough, they all stopped breathing. Twilight Sparkle said her final words.
"S-Sunset Shimmer... why?.... I t-thought.... you were my friend..." Twilight said as she closed her eyes and along with the defeated band, rested on the ground.
For a few seconds, the Dazzlings manically laughed in triumph, and Sunset Shimmer said her last words to the now defeated opponent band.
"And that's why, Twilight Sparkle, that friendship isn't magic!"
The End.
