The usual hustle and bustle of the lunch hour of Canterlot High was in full swing, and every student was there in the cafeteria, hanging out with their friends or simply enjoying whatever dish Granny Smith had prepared for them today. In the midst of it all were the school’s local heroines; the Rainbooms. Or, alternatively, the Wondercolts, as most weren’t quite sure which to call them these days. Regardless, this group, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy Pinkie Pie, and their newest member, Twilight Sparkle of Crystal Prep, were all sitting together and enjoying each other’s company. However, as they got on with their talks and their lunches, Sunset looked up from hers as the sound of footsteps approached their table. When she saw who was causing it, she smiled.
“Hey there, Adagio.”
Adagio Dazzle, eldest of the Siren sisters, and one-time enemy of Sunset and the others, regarded the former unicorn with a small smile, before sitting herself down opposite her. However, as she did this, Sunset noted that, just for a moment, the elder Siren looked, of all things, quite tired, though why, she didn’t know. Now, it was well known that Adagio did not usually enjoy people prying into her business, but even so, Sunset, being a friend, felt there she should at least ask what was bothering her.
“So…everything okay?”
Adagio looked up from her own meal, raising an eyebrow at Sunset before letting out a sigh.
“It could be better, my dear.”
Her tone of voice told everything, and Sunset, after looking to her friends, gave Adagio a concerned expression.
“Wanna talk about it?”
Adagio seemed hesitant for a few moments, but, after being continually stared at by Sunset, she reclined into her chair a bit before starting to explain things.
“Well, I was coming here from home this morning when I bumped into probably the rudest guy I’d ever met. It was a simple mistake, but he acted like I was practically the Devil for doing it. It was a simple bump, so there’s little cause for acting the way he did!”
Sunset nodded to that.
“Well, those kinds of guys are just out there, Adagio. I’m sorry you had to put up with it, but there’s nothing we can really do.”
Adagio sighed before resting her chin on her hand.
“Indeed. I’ve been in this world long enough to know that is very true.”
Briefly, a look of anger crossed her eyes as she glanced away.
“Although…there was a time when I could have done something about it.”
Hearing that, Sunset raised an eyebrow.
“I assume you’re talking about your magic?”
Looking back to her, Adagio nodded.
“I am. Back then, nobody would have dared said a bad word to us. Our influence made it nigh impossible for them to do so. And even if they had…well…a few notes here and there. And they’d be on their knees apologizing.”
Seeing the almost-nostalgic look on Adagio’s face as she said that, Sunset frowned slightly.
“Adagio…” she started.
The elder Siren noted the concerned look she had, leading to a slight chuckle on her part before she gave a brief wave of her hand.
“Oh, don’t mind me, Sunset. I’m not planning any lapses into world domination or anything. Just…reminiscing.”
Sunset looked to her for a while before eventually giving a nod, accepting her answer. As for Adagio, however, her look of thoughtfulness continued long afterwards, leading to a sly smile on her part.
“Although…I do often wonder how things would be if my sisters and I had won our little skirmish.”
Stopping her own meal, Rarity looked to the Siren with curiosity.
“I suppose you had some big plan in mind? Perhaps temples erected in your honour?”
To that, Adagio let out a hearty chuckle.
“Nothing as grand as that, Rarity. At least, not right away. No, my plans didn’t really go beyond having every man, woman and child in this world view the three of us with adoration.”
Looking at the students in the rest of the cafeteria, Adagio developed a little bit of a smirk before continuing.
“I can see it now. People fighting over who loved us more, crowds of people flocking to call out our names. Oh, it would have been glorious.”
Sweeping aside some of her hair, Rarity let out a brief huff.
“Well, I can certainly understand the desire for attention, but I’d hardly call such goals all that special. Not when there’s so much more that could have been done.”
Turning to her, Adagio developed a curious look herself.
“Oh? You’ve had thoughts of world domination yourself, have you?”
Realising she’d been caught, Rarity, to her embarrassment, looked around to find that the eyes of all of her friends were suddenly on her. After fumbling with her words a little bit, she finally got something out.
“Well…I suppose I might have, possibly…considered it?”
Smirking in triumph, Adagio replied.
“I thought so. So, pray tell, Rarity…what would your world have been like?”
Needleless to say, Rarity was not exactly enamoured with the idea of letting such thoughts of hers just out in the open. However, after looking around and seeing that her companions seemed to be just as intrigued as Adagio, she relented, sighing and slumping her shoulders before giving the latter the answer she sought.
“Well…I think the first thing I would do is make sure that everybody had a good sense of aesthetics about them. I mean…I’m all for letting people have their own tastes, but some of the looks people go for are positively atrocious! And some of the buildings around here could certainly do with a touch of class every once in a while.”
Hearing all that, Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Really, Rarity? Ya rule the world and all ya wanna do with it is pretty it up a little?”
Looking to her farming friend, Rarity folded her arms and frowned.
“Well, what would you do that’s so much more important?”
Leaning back into her chair, Applejack considered that for a moment.
“Well…ah reckon ah’d get people ta respect farmers more. Ah know mah family are doin alright, but so many others are just ignored, never makin enough ta make ends meet. Somethin’s gotta be done.”
Leaning forward, Rarity raised an eyebrow.
“And what would you do to make that happen? Just…I don’t know…demand that people treat farmers better or spend more money on them?”
Applejack looked to her and shrugged her shoulders.
“Ah don’t know the details exactly, but if we’re talking about worlds where we’re in charge, then…ah don’t know…maybe?”
The two stared at each other after that, but soon turned to look at another member of the group, Rainbow, when she started to speak up herself.
“Well, I know exactly what I'd do! First day in power, I’d get all the best athletes in the world all in one place and have them all competing against each other! The best runners, wrestlers, soccer players, you name it! It’d be awesome! The best and biggest sporting event in history!”
Sunset, looking over to get a better look at her, bore an incredulous look.
“And…what else?”
Rainbow looked to her with a degree of confusion.
“Um…I don’t know…ruler stuff, I guess?”
As one would expect, Sunset placed a hand to her forehead with frustration after hearing that, and in the silence that followed, a meek yellow hand raised up, catching everybody else’s attention.
“Um…I think I know what I would do.”
All of the group turned to her with curiosity, and while Fluttershy was, at first, nervous about having so many eyes on her, she nevertheless worked past it, clearing her throat a little before speaking up in that hushed manner of hers.
“Well…I think I’d ask everybody to try and look after their animals more. There are so many down at the shelter that need a home, it would really do a world of good if they got somebody to care for them.”
Hearing that, Sunset looked to her with a soft expression.
“That’s beautiful, Fluttershy. But, the world needs more than just care of animals. As Rainbow’s plans proved, it’ll need a lot more than just having its ruler enact whatever personal cause they hope for.”
Fluttershy nervously poked her index fingers together, blushing slightly before looking up to Sunset once more.
“I know, but…it’s a start, right?”
And to that, Sunset couldn’t think of anything to respond with, instead looking to her with a smile and a nod. Next up, as one would expect, was Twilight, who had a look of deep thought upon her face, her hand to her chin, as she considered her options.
“As for me…I think it’d be a good idea to channel funds into more scientific research. There are just so many areas that are under-funded these days. Just think of all the progress that could be made if scientists and researchers didn’t have to worry about a lack of funding or enthusiasm for their projects!”
Looking to her, Sunset nodded.
“That’s a much better start, but what areas would you divert funds from? Military? Foreign aid? Housing?”
Twilight considered that carefully for a moment.
“Well…if this is indeed a world we’re fully in charge of…”
Briefly, confusion became her expression.
“Actually…if we’re in full control, does that mean a military would no longer be needed? I mean, if everyone was under one ruler, then wouldn’t that technically mean that…”
Naturally, she went on like this for some time, asking many hypothetical questions to nobody in particular, to the point where she was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she failed to notice that everybody else was rolling their eyes at her words. As for Adagio, who’d been sitting quietly through most of this, she regarded Sunset for a moment before speaking up.
“I’ve already asked about your plans once before, so I shan’t enquire further.”
Sunset looked to her with an appreciative smile at that, and when that was done, Adagio glanced at each and every one of the Rainbooms, before eventually settling on the one who had yet to speak up; Pinkie.
“Let me guess, you’d want everybody to throw one big party twenty-four-seven?”
Looking to her, Pinkie frowned slightly.
“Of course not, silly! People would get way too tired partying all the time! And if that happened, then parties wouldn’t be special, would they?”
Needless to say, many of Pinkie’s friends looked rather taken aback by her words, with Sunset especially looking surprised.
“Wow, Pinkie…I’m impressed.”
Pinkie looked to her with a massive smile before speaking up.
“Sure! I mean, there’s tonnes of super-important stuff that needs doing before I even think about parties. Like trying to look over and reform judicial practises, improving infrastructure, as well as giving a severe overhaul of our national electoral systems. Those things are simply not up to scratch these days.”
With her piece said, all of the girls, Adagio included, looked to her with mouths hanging open, leading to her raising an eyebrow and shrugging her shoulders.
“…What?”
Shaking herself out of this almost trance-like state, Sunset looked over to Adagio.
“Well…I hope this satisfied your curiosity.”
Adagio nodded to that.
“And then some.”
Looking away, her expression became one of thoughtfulness once more.
“Although…I do sometimes wonder if ruling the world isn’t more trouble than it’s worth, even with mind-control powers.”
To that, Sunset chuckled briefly.
“Agreed. Makes you wonder why world leaders even want the job.”
