Siren Duty

Sunset couldn’t help but laugh at her strange, yet, amusing encounter with Rainbow Dash. The look on the, normally, overly confident girl’s face was one that she would always savor.

She had managed to reduced Rainbow Dash down to nothing but a blushing pile of embarrassment and had every intention of keeping that momentum going. Cupping her chin as she walked down the hall, Sunset thought of ways to capitalize on the can of worms Rainbow Dash had opened up on herself.

Suddenly, Sunset felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her leather jacket. Pulling her phone out, she looked at who was calling. “Ugh,” she groaned upon seeing who it was. With a heavy sigh, she hit the ‘answer’ button and put the phone to her ear. “Yes, Ada-”

“Where are you?” Adagio demanded to know.

“I’m-”

“We’ve been waiting outside for you for over a half an hour. Do you know that?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. She should have known better than to keep the queen bee waiting. “Look, I’m on my way out. Just relax.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Adagio snapped. “And you need to hurry up. I’m hungry, and so are Sonata and Aria. So, be prepared to stop somewhere before we head back to the house. You’re buying.”

“What do you mean ‘I'm buying’? Why should I have to pay for the three of you?”

“Because I don’t feel like it, and you owe us. You kept us waiting, remember?”

Sunset was about to protest but quickly reminded herself that it was pointless. Adagio’s word was basically law, and as much as she hated to admit it, Adagio had a point. She did keep them waiting so, in a way, this was fair. “Fine," she begrudgingly agreed. “BUT, I’m only paying for ONE meal for each of you. So, make sure you pass that along to the human garbage disposal.”

“Very well. Now, hurry up, my patience is wearing thin.”

*Click*

Sunset pushed open the double doors leading out to the school’s parking lot. Rummaging through her purse, she looked for her car keys as she walked to the end of the fourth row. “Sorry to keep you guys waiting,” she said. “Rainbow Dash and I got to…talking and – why are you guys sitting on my car?”

“Because we got tired of standing, duh,” Aria replied from her perch on the roof of Sunset’s black Jeep Rubicon.

“And you didn’t think to get, I don’t know, maybe, in the car?”

“Strike two, genius." Adagio answered, sliding off the hood. "The doors are locked.”

Sunset slapped her forehead, then threw her hands up. “Fine whatever, let’s just go,” she said, unlocking the car doors. “Aria, get off the roof and…” Sunset looked around briefly, “Where is Sonata?”

“Under here, Sunny.”

Sunset gave Adagio a puzzled look, then bent down beside the vehicle to find Sonata lying on the ground. “Sonata, why are you under the car?”

“Because I needed to protect myself from the sun’s harmful UV rays.” Sonata replied.

“……okaaayyy, well, can you come out please, so that we can leave.”

Sonata tapped her index finger to her chin and thought about Sunset’s request. “Hmmm, only if I can get two meals, instead of one when we go out to eat.”

“Seriously? No.” Sunset replied.

“Then, I'm not coming out.” Sonata whipped her phone and began playing a game.

“Well, looks like we're going to be here for awhile,” Aria said as she climbed back on the roof. She, too, took out her phone and began tapping away.

“C'mon, Sonata. We all want to go eat.” Sunset whined.

Sonata looked up from her game and turned toward Sunset. “I've already stated my terms, however long it takes for you to agree with them, is up to you. But, I can assure you, we are not leaving until they are met.”

Sunset sighed in disgust and stood up. “Can you handle this please?!” She asked, looking to Adagio for support.

“Why me?” Adagio crossed her arms over her chest.

“Because you're their “leader” and they listen to you.”

Adagio inspected the back of her hand and chuckled, “Hardly,” she said. “But because I'm starving, I'll help you this once.” She waved a hand at Sunset, motioning for her to step aside. Then, bent down to address Sonata. “Sonata, if you come out, Sunset will buy you two meals, okay?”

“WHAT?!”

“YAAAAAYYY!!” Sonata shrieked as she bolted from under the car and hopped in the backseat.

Sunset glared evilly at Adagio, who just smiled and shrugged. “Wh-”

“Ah-ah” Adagio held up a hand. “Leadership 101, Sunny. Sometimes, to appease the people, a good leader must give them that which they desire. In this case, Sonata gets her meals, you get to leave, and we all get to eat. It’s a win-win-win for everyone. So, you’re welcome.”

Sunset raised a finger to argue but then realized the logic in Adagio’s words. “That…makes a surprising amount of sense,” she said, opening the driver door.

“Of course it does,” Adagio replied. “How do you think I’ve managed to keep these two idiots under my thumb for all these centuries.” She winked as rounded the front of the car and got into the passenger seat.

Genius, Sunset thought. She, too, was about to get in when Aria jumped off the roof and landed beside her.

“So, do this mean I get two meals too or-”

“JUST GET IN THE CAR!”

Adagio tapped her foot impatiently. She, along with Sunset, had been standing in line for almost ten minutes, waiting to place their order. “This is ridiculous!” She exclaimed.

“Calm down, Adagio.” Sunset put a hand on the irritable girl’s shoulder. “It’s almost our turn.”

“Is it?” Adagio barked as she shrugged off Sunset’s hand. “Because she’s been ordering since before we even got here.” Adagio pointed to the elderly woman in front of them. “There are only so many options on the menu, half of them, I’m sure she can’t even eat. So, I can’t possibly image what the hold up is.” Adagio continued her rant, placing both hands on her hips as she tapped her foot more rapidly.

Sunset couldn’t help but giggle. She had never seen a hangry Adagio before, and it was quite a sight. “You know, it’s not like the restaurant’s going anywhere,” she smirked.

“The restaurant may not be, but she is.” Adagio snapped.

Sunset reached out to grab Adagio by the wrist but just missed. “You’re going to get us kicked out!” She said as she watched the vexed siren stroll up to the counter.

But Adagio had already made up her mind. Slamming her hand on the ordering counter, she addressed the woman, who was prolonging her starvation. “Listen, lady, if you aren’t going to order something, step aside. There are other people in line beside you," she said, pointing a thumb over her shoulder.

The elderly woman slowly looked over her shoulder and saw Sunset with a hand over her face and shaking her head.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but you can’t talk to our customers like that,” said the worker, who was taking the woman's order, to Adagio.

“Excuse me, but I don’t believe I was talking to you,” Adagio growled at the worker. She then turned back to the elderly woman. “So what’s it going to be?” she inquired. “Order or getting to the back of the line?”

Sunset was mortified. She couldn’t believe this was happening. In her mind, scenes, like the one playing out before her, only occurred in those videos people posted on social media websites. But this was actually happening, and to her nonetheless. I should just walk out, she thought. Yep, just walk out and completely avoid the inevitable lawsuit that is bound to come of this. I’ll just-

"Listen here, you little hussy-" The women addressed Adagio.

“HUSSY!” Adagio shouted, causing Sunset to look up. “WHO ARE YOU CALLING A ‘HUSSY'?!”

In the moment that followed, Sunset could only describe it as ‘surprisingly horrific.' She watched in slow motion as Adagio cocked her fist back and prepared to hit the woman when something ‘surprising’ happened. The elderly woman, seeing the fist coming toward her, nimbly stepped to the side, much to Sunset and Adagio’s astonishment, and with all her might, caught Adagio with a vicious sucker-punch to the stomach.

“Holy shit…!” Sunset gasped, covering her mouth.

But it didn't stop there. Sunset saw Adagio doubled over and hit the ground. She was about to rush over and help her, but the elder woman beat her to the punch. Literally. The elderly woman, start kicking and punching Adagio as she writhed on the ground, yelling and cursing about how ‘today's youth needed to learn some respect.’

“Ahhhh! Sunset! – QUIT IT LADY!! – Sunset, help me!” Adagio yelled as she tried to thwart the woman’s onslaught.

Sunset sprinted over to the scene and placed both hands on the woman’s shoulders. “I think she’s had enough, ma’am,” she said, pulling the elderly woman back while trying to suppress her own laughter.

The older woman pushed Sunset away and exited the restaurant, grumbling as she went. “Prissy little bitch, that’ll teach ya!”

Sunset followed the woman until she disappeared, then turned her attention to Adagio, who was still on the ground, moaning and holding her stomach. “Well, that was something,” she smirked. Pretending to be a reporter, Sunset held an invisible microphone to her lips, “So, can you tell us how it felt having your ass handed to you by someone three times your age?” She held the ‘mic’ down to Adagio.

“Fuck. You.” Adagio moaned.

“And there you have it, folks. Looks like the only thing this siren will eating today is a hefty plate of deep regret, with a side of embarrassment and shame.”

Adagio stared daggers at Sunset. “When I get up, I’m going to kill you.”

Sunset merely smiled and stepped over Adagio. “I think you mean if you get up, Adagio, if…you get up.”

Meanwhile outside

Aria and Sonata opted to wait in the car, rather than join Sunset and Adagio inside. They figured it was kind of pointless to go into any fast-food restaurant that didn’t have a playroom, which this one didn’t. So, they just gave their orders to the two girls and waited for them to return. But, after a good fifteen to twenty minutes went by, they started to get a little antsy.

“Ugh, where are they?” Aria asked, tossing her phone aside. She had used up all her battery life playing games and was now reduced to absolute boredom in the form of simply waiting for Adagio and Sunset to return with their food.

“Maybe they got lost,” Sonata said, staring at her phone. Unlike Aria, she had bought one of those expensive phone cases that charged your phone, at the flick of a switch, when the battery got low. Allowing her to play games to her heart’s content.

Aria looked at Sonata enviously. “They’re not lost, you idiot,” she said, snatching Sonata’s phone.

“HEY! That’s mine!” Sonata exclaimed.

“Yeah, well, it's mine now!”

“Give it back or-”

“Or what, Sonata.” Aria sneered, looking up from the screen. She was dying to see what Sonata could possibly come up with that would be even remotely threatening to her. As far as Aria was concerned, she outmatched Sonata both physically and mentally, so for Sonata to think of something that could actually hurt her was highly unlikely. “I’m waiting, dumb-dumb.” Aria teased. “Let’s see what you can – OW!” Without warning, she felt two sharp objects spear her eyes.

Sonata held up two fingers and smiled triumphantly “Now, who’s the dumb-dumb,” she mocked, grabbing her phone off Aria’s lap.

Aria blinked several times and wiped the water from her eyes as her vision slowly returned. “You are so dead!” she snarled, removing her seatbelt. She was about to pounce on Sonata when, out of the corner of her red eyes, she saw Adagio and Sunset emerge from the restaurant.

She and Sonata exchanged perplexed glances as they watched the two girls make their way back to the car. In one arm, Sunset carried two handle bags and a drink carrier in her hand, while the other, helped support a battered Adagio.

Sonata opened the back door as the girls approached and accepted the drinks and bags of food that were handed to her.

“Do we even want to know?” Aria asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Sunset opened the passenger door and helped Adagio inside.“I don’t know, would you like to tell them, Adagio, or should I?” She laughed.

“It is not funny,” Adagio hissed.

“It kind of is, actually.” Sunset shut the door, made her way to the driver's side and got in.

Aria looked between Sunset and Adagio. “Do either of you plan on sharing what is or isn't so funny with the rest of us?”

Adagio shot a quick glance at Sunset. “I swear, if you say a word, I will murder you in your sleep,” she warned.

“In your state? I highly doubt that.” Sunset cackled as she started the car and drove off the lot.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!?!” Aria shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in the car.

Sunset smiled wickedly and looked right at Adagio. “Your fearless leader got her ass kicked by an old lady.”

Aria and Sonata looked at one another then erupted into fits of laughter.

“Are you serious?!” Aria asked incredulously.

“Like a heart attack.” Sunset replied. “Isn't that right?” She looked over to her passenger.

Adagio blushed profusely as she sank into her seat. The amount of pain coursing through her body was nothing compared to the pain of her bruised ego. Being taken out by an old woman was humiliating enough, but now she had to listen to Aria and Sonata’s snide remarks for the rest of forever.

“Heyyy, Dagi.” Aria said, leaning forward into the front seat area. “I've got something for you.”

And so it begins...Adagio thought. She listened to Aria rummage around in her backpack for a moment then present her with two cards. “What are these?” She asked.

“Oh, I just figured you could make better use of them than me, at the moment.” Aria snickered.

Adagio felt her face turn red with anger as she read the cards. The first was a business card for ‘Iron Will’s School of Self-Defense’ and the second, a hotline number for ‘Abused Anonymous.’ Adagio growled as she crumbled up the two cards and whipped them back at Aria. “You better keeps those handy ‘cause after I'm done killing Sunset, you're next!” She said through gritted teeth.

“I wonder if the restaurant’s security cameras caught any of it on tape…” Sonata chimed.

Aria’s face immediately lit up. “We have to go back!”

“Absolutely not!!” Adagio shouted. “We're going home!”

Aria and Sonata suddenly began chanting in the background. “Turn-a-round! Turn-a-round!” They sang, getting louder with each chant.

“Sunset, please…” Adagio begged.

Sunset just shook her head and smiled. “Leadership 101, Dag. ‘Sometimes, to appease the people, a good leader must give them that which they desire,'" she recited Adagio’s lesson back to her word-for-word. Then, giving the people what they wanted, she turned the car around and headed back to the restaurant.

Adagio just scowled and crossed her arms. “I hate all of you…”