The tiny diner was still open for business as the sun started to set and the darkness of night took over. However, the only customers there were three very unusual girls dressed in flashy outfits. The interior of the diner was booming with the sounds of their voices, which the owner decided to tolerate due to the establishment being otherwise empty of customers. They're paying customers, the owner simply thought as he was preparing smoothies for them.
"Blast those Rainbooms!" Adagio slammed the table with her fist. "If it weren't for them we could have taken over Equestria once more! We were so close to victory I could taste it!"
"The only thing we're now tasting is these smoothies," Sonata said and sipped her grape smoothie with a straw. "I'm already starting to miss those tacos..."
"Sonata, just shut up already," Aria grumbled, her arms crossed. "Those tacos tasted like the worst."
"Well you are even more worst, for realzies!" Sonata countered, and smiled a bit as she thought she pulled off a brilliant quip.
"Oh, I'm gonna-" Aria managed to say before she was interrupted by Adagio. "Quiet, you two! I'm thinking of a new plan on how to conquer Equestria. This time we'll get our revenge on the Rainbooms, and then-"
"Adagio, we're through," Aria said as she placed her arms on the table as a new tray of drinks were delivered. She grabbed the chocolate smoothie. "Your plan failed, like they always do. It's about time I take charge, and I'm gonna decide we-"
"Hey girls, aren't we, like, done?" Sonata abruptly asked as she continued sipping. "I mean, all our schemes always ends in us either being banished or having our gems destroyed. I'm tired of having my butt whooped."
"What are you saying, Sonata?" Adagio said in an inquisitive tone as she grabbed the banana smoothie. She then crushed it in her hand. "Are you thinking of betraying us?" She leaned over the table towards Sonata and leered at her. She giggled awkwardly.
"Well, it's just, all you think is revenge this and conquer that, and frankly, I'd rather we just forgot that stuff."
"You had your chance already, Adagio," Aria spoke up. "I'm gonna take over now."
"No! I won't stand for this insolence!" Adagio slammed both her fists on the table. "Who was the one with all the ideas? Me! Who was the one who set all our plans in motion? Me! "
"Ugh, I've had enough," Aria said, and stepped off the table, taking the smoothie with her. "I'm gonna go it alone, like I should have in the first place." She walked away from the diner, and disappeared into the streets.
"Yeah, I think I've had my filling of the smoothies," Sonata held her stomach as she also rose up. She burped as she was also stepping out. "Wow, that cola's got some kick!"
"Wait, what do you two think you're doing?" Adagio asked in disbelief as the two of them stepped outside. She shook her fists in the air as she stood up. "Come back here at once!"
"Okay," Sonata said joyfully, and quickly went inside. She dropped a couple of dollars on the table.
"There, payed my bill," she said, before leaving Adagio, confused and alone, in the diner.
***
"Wow, that trigonometry class was boring," Rainbow Dash said as she waved her hand around, holding a soccer ball with the other hand. "I fell asleep like five times!" The Humane 6 were walking through one the corridors of Canterlot High, and were on their way to the statue, which was their hang-out spot.
"Don't you mind how Miss Harshwhinny always scolds you during class?" Fluttershy asked in a meek voice, holding her notebooks close to her chest. "I wouldn't even dream of sleeping in her classes. She's such a strict teacher."
"Oh Fluttershy, Miss Harshwhinny is just doing her best to keep the class in order," Rarity said. "A rowdy bunch like that is hard to keep focused, you know."
"You're one to talk, Rarity," Applejack said with a grin. "You pester Harshwhinny every day with your questions about her fashion choices."
"Well I can't help but help that poor woman and her absolutely dreadful choice in jackets. I mean, did you see what she was wearing?"
"It was pretty funny how she woke Dashie up," Pinkie Pie said as she was skipping. They stepped out of the front door. "You made a face like THIS," Pinkie said, and demonstrated with a hilarious face.
"That was funny," Sunset Shimmer commented. "So, what do you think we should do next week? I have no idea what friends do outside of school," she added after everyone looked at her in confusion, and blushed in embarrassment at the words. They arrived at the statue.
"Oh Sunset, there's plenty of stuff that we could do," Pinkie said, and started to excitedly list off stuff. "We could go swimming in the ocean, skiing in the mountains, wandering through the desert, blasting out of..." she continued to babble incoherently.
"Hey Pinkie, you're going a bit overboard," Applejack said as she flipped her hat up, causing others to laugh playfully.
Suddenly, Principal Celestia's voice could be heard through the loudspeakers: "The following students, please report to the principal's office: Sunset Shimmer, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie."
"I wonder why Principal Celestia wants to speak with us," Sunset wondered.
"She's surely gonna congratulate me for pulling off that insane guitar solo," Rainbow Dash boasted. The others looked at her seriously.
"Or she congratulates us for saving the school or something," she hastily backtracked on her words. The six of them headed back inside and entered the office. Celestia was sitting at her desk, going through paperwork. However, what really surprised the Humane 6 was a certain person who was standing at the corner of the room, nervously holding her arm.
"This is a matter of utmost importance, and you're the only ones I could ask. I request that you keep company to Sonata Dusk and accommodate her during next week's vacation."
Sonata grinned nervously, and waved a bit at the Humane 6, who had their jaws drop so hard they almost hit the floor.
Chapter 2: Old Dogs and New Tricks
The cafeteria was bustling with students of Canterlot High as they were enjoying their lunch. Sonata was also there, sitting next to the Humane 6. She found their silence unnerving, and tried to strike up a conversation. "So, seen any movies lately?" She made an awkward grin to the empty response, until Rainbow Dash turned her eyes towards the others.
"So why exactly are we letting one of the Dazzlings hang out with us?"
"You remember what principal Celestia said, right?" Rarity responded as she was stirring up her tea with a spoon. "Sonata left the Dazzlings, and thus has no home to call her own anymore."
"Isn't that her problem, though? Why are we dragged into this?" Rainbow took a bite from her towering sandwich.
"She did have a big stack of papers, right?" Pinkie Pie joined in. "A lot of important decision-making is afoot," she said in a dramatic way.
Applejack paused her eating, and added: "Someone like her who's from another world must be hard to explain to people in charge of stuff like that. I reckon the principal trusts in us to provide her with a home until that's all sorted out."
"But how are we going to choose who will take her in?" Fluttershy asked, placing her fork on her plate full of salad.
"We'll just each take turns housing her," Sunset said. "I think that's fair. What do you think, Sonata?"
The Humane 6 turned towards Sonata, all of them fixated on her. She smiled nervously in response. "Umm, works for me...I guess?"
"I think Princess Twilight should know about this," Rarity suddenly said. "Sunset, do you still have that book with you?"
"Of course," Sunset answered. "I always carry it in my bag. You never know when another world-threatening crisis caused by a power-hungry villain may happen," Sunset said. She immediately realized what she said from the expressions of the others, and added: "No offence, Dusk," causing everyone, including Dusk, to laugh out loud. "It's funny, because you were a power-hungry villain, too," she then said, and left the table silent again. She lifted her hands. "What did I say?"
***
Meanwhile, Aria was walking down the corridors of Canterlot High, on her way to lunch in the cafeteria. She was late, but she didn't care in the least: it didn't matter to her whether she was late for class or not, and she certainly wouldn't care if she got scolded or detention for it.
After her break-up with Adagio and Sonata, she decided she wanted nothing to do with either them or the Rainbooms, who ruined her last chance at ruling this world. However, she realized in retrospect that she cared less about world domination than Adagio, and was simply along for the ride. Now that the ride ended, she wanted to try something different: maybe join rock band or something; while she was no longer able to sing, she had a lot of knowledge about songwriting. As a Siren she had a natural talent for music, and Aria decided she could try to apply it in a manner that wouldn't result in extreme embarrassment like the last two times.
I could ask Flash Sentry if he could let me into their band, she thouht to herself. He seems to be the most open-minded out of all the Rockers.
However, just as she turned a corner she spotted a very familiar figure peeking through the door to the cafeteria: Adagio.
"Spying, huh?" Adagio dryly said, causing Adagio to startle. "That's pretty pathetic of you."
"It is reconnaissance Aria," Adagio responded, continuing to look through the glass door while occasionally holding her ear against it.
"Besides, nobody is more pathetic than a traitor who quits at the first signs of trouble."
"Yeah, the years we spent here banished and then having our gems destroyed are 'first signs'," Aria said in sarcasm. "Whatever, keep chasing your pointless dreams. You're going to be stuck like here, like the rest of us." She opened the glass door, and entered the cafeteria.
"Oh, contrary, Aria," Adagio kept talking to herself after Aria left. "I just found out something very interesting by eavesdropping on the Rainboom's babbling. And that something is the key to my newest plan..."
