The Setting of the Peaceful Sun

“Well someone’s rather feisty this morning.” Aria smirked as she flipped on the lights in the basement.

“I, er, brought breakfast?” Sonata’s forced smile was overly wide as she held up a tray with plates of food and a tall, sweating glass of water resting upon it.

“Still growling like a beast, I see…” Adagio’s smirk contained a mere fraction of the self confidence that exuded from her body as she made her way across the floor. “My my, whatever shall we do?”

“Um, wh-where should I leave the tray?” Sonata looked around the room, more for an exit than a play to deposit the item she held onto.

“Why don’t we ask her ourselves?” a soft clicking sound followed Adagio’s gentle purr as she walked around the back of the chair. “Is that better?”

“Fuck. You.” spat Sunset Shimmer as she continued to struggle, bound helplessly in the chair as her body groaned in agony.

“Now is that any way to thank the people that saved your life?” a condescending smile worked its way across Aria’s face as she peered down at their prisoner.

“Fuck. You.” Sunset repeated.

“What were you doing in that river anyways?” Sonata asked, a look of confusion spreading across her face. “You know it's the middle of the winter right?”

“Fuck-”

The air radiated with the echoes of the sound of Aria’s fist connecting with the amber girl’s jaw. “You, yeah yeah, whatever ya want to say, Shimmer.”

“Aria! Would you be careful with her?” Adagio’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she slowly ran a finger across the girl’s body. “We don’t want to lose her too quickly after just finding her…”

“Are you serious? You three whores already ruined my life with Anon-A-Miss!” Sunset spat at the trio, blood mixing with the spit that hit the floor.

“Anonymous? What are talking about?” Adagio chuckled as she tilted her head.

“Aw, go get bent ya-” Sunset’s head ricocheted off the back of the chair as Aria’s fist connected with her stomach, leaving Sunset a coughing, gagging mess.

“I assure you, darling, that we know nothing about this… Anonymous, was it?” Adagio paused again in front of Sunset. “Sonata? Would you get us a mirror?”

“Um… Okies.” the blue Siren nodded as she started walking off.

“Fuck you…” Sunset managed out between dry heaves, the burning agony in her body increasing.

“I appreciate the interest, dear, but you should find someone more… your level.” the corner of Adagio’s mouth picked up slightly as Aria started cackling.

“I would, but it’s pretty hard to find other gods in this world, ya know?” Sunset smirked as she watched Adagio fail to hold back a bark of laughter. “Besides, I doubt even dung beetles would try to court you.”

Sunset felt her cheek explode with heat, her vision being replaced by stars as her neck swiveled to the side rapidly.

“And here I thought you actually had a brain in that empty head…” Sunset swore she heard the air sizzle from the venom coming from Adagio.

“Are you trying to die or something, Shimmer?” Aria asked between laughs, the sound of her slapping her leg bouncing off the walls.

“Are you really that stupid, Siren?” Sunset chuckled as she watched as Adagio stopped the purple Siren from charging her with an outstretched arm. “Why do you think I jumped off of a bridge in the middle of the goddamn winter?”

“...We didn’t know that you had jumped.” Adagio said slowly as she studied Sunset now scowling in the chair.

“As if.” the girl rolled her aquamarine eyes as she looked away from the Sirens.

“Well it’s up to you if you choose to believe us or not.” Adagio said as she turned around towards the footsteps pattering down the stairway. “Ah, Sonata.”

“Took ya long enough.” Aria crossed her arms as she growled in annoyance at the Siren handing the mirror to Adagio.

“Well if you would ever put the mirror back where it was supposed to-”

“Sonata? Shut up.” Adagio commanded simply as she turned back to Sunset, holding a large hand mirror out for the girl to look at.

Sunset remained quiet as she studied herself in the mirror. She stared defiantly back at herself as she took in her bruised, battered, and bandage ridden form. Her clothes had been replaced, a simple white shirt and grey sweatpants adorned her frame, but she could feel all the bandages wrapped around various parts of her body.

“Where’s my clothes?” Sunset asked coldly.

“Why don’t you tell us about what happened.”

Sunset erupted into laughter after hearing Adagio’s question, her torso burning as it tried to break free from its bindings. “You fucking what!? Even if you three aren’t Anon-A-Miss, what makes you think I’d tell you chucklefucks a damn thing!?”

“...Sonata. Feed her and then head back upstairs. Leave the ball gag out.” Adagio turned on her heel before heading back up the stairs, before pausing on the bottom step. “Be careful how much you try to move. You were pretty banged up when we fished you up.”

“Are you seriously gonna- Adagio!” Aria snarled as she charged after the lead Siren, leaving Sunset and Sonata alone in the basement.

“Um…” Sonata shifted around uneasily before grabbing the tray and holding it towards Sunset. “Would you like some food?”

“Is it poisoned?” Sunset asked in annoyance, to which the blue Siren shook her head. “Then no. Do you really think I’m gonna prolong my life so you three monsters could torture me more?”

“...What happened to you?” Sunset started to chuckle, her face tilting up as Sonata sat in place.

“I already told you…” Sunset glared at the Siren, fire pouring from her eyes as hatred dripped from her whispers. “I’m not telling any of you a damn thing.”

“C-Cross my h-heart, and hope to… to fly?” Sonata started as she stood up, obviously searching for the words.

“Shut. Up.” came the bestial growl from Sunset.

“Stick a… a cupcake in my eye?” Sonata paused as she finished the motion, watching carefully as Sunset started to try to break free from her bindings.

“You shut the fuck up right this instant!!!” she screamed as she rattled the chair and her manacles. “You shut the fuck up before I tear your fucking throat out!!!”

“I promise not to tell them, so-” Sonata started, only to be once again interrupted by Sunset.

“No! I’m not telling you a damn thing!” Sunset raged helplessly against her bindings, her motions slowing down as her fury was replaced by sorrow. “You three ruined my life! I’d rather choke on my tongue than give you the pleasure…!”

“Wo-Would you like some water? I-i-I brought you a straw!” Sunset grabbed the tall glass of water as Sunset started coughing loudly, holding out a long, plastic straw that had no less than thirty seven small circles and bends.

“Unless you want to kill me quickly, I don’t want any of your supposed help…” Sunset muttered as tears started to build at the corners of her eyes.

Sonata’s lips drew thin as she slowly stood up with the tray of food, the Siren looking down at the amber girl with a sad glimmer in her eyes as she turned to depart.

“Yeah, that’s right! Run back to your masters!” Sunset yelled at the back of the retreating girl. “You always seemed like the hanger on! Were you even a real Siren?”

Sonata seemed to freeze on the bottom step before quickly scurrying up the stairs after flicking off the light switch, leaving Sunset alone and in the dark.

Alone to ruminate over how her already ruined life could get even worse…

~

“Would you hurry the fuck up!?” Aria shouted halfway up the stairs from the basement. “A fucking newborn moves faster than you!”

“Well I doubt many newborns get slapped in manacles!” shot back Sunset as she hopped up another stair. “These things don’t give me any room to properly step up the stairs in case you’re blind.”

“Not my problem, bitch. Now hurry up!” Aria grumbled as she left Sunset at the bottom of the stairs.

Sunset wasn’t sure how much time had passed since the Sirens had left her in the basement, nor how much had passed since she had jumped at the bridge. She would have been fine stewing in the basement, but then she got that familiar feeling in her bladder, and while she would have loved to leave the mess for the Sirens to clean up, she was also too proud to soil herself.

As a result she started making a racket until Aria eventually made her way down the stairs, swinging around a set of keys.

Now Sunset had been somewhat freed of her bindings, enough that she could shuffle along as she made her way to the stairs. Those were a completely different hurdle, as the manacles around her feet didn’t have enough chain to let her properly step up the stairs, so she was left to hop up them, step by step.

“Washroom’s this way…” Aria grumbled as Sunset finally reached the top floor, the girl freezing as closing her eyes as the brightness of natural light flooded her poot, deprived eyes.

“Woah…” Sunset was honestly shocked at just how immaculate everything around her was. “This place is huge…”

“Right here.” Aria said as she opened the door to the washroom, pushing Sunset in before standing and crossing her arms in the doorway.

“Aren’t you gonna close the door?” Sunset asked as she turned around.

“You think I’m gonna enjoy watching this?” the Siren growled in return.

“You? Most likely.” Sunset chuckled as she started to fiddle with her sweatpants.

~

Was it five days that had passed, or only four? Sunset couldn’t concentrate enough to think about it, the agonizing hunger in her stomach reminding her of her early childhood. Thirst had gotten the better of her, and she emptied the entire glass that Sonata had brought the other day in a mad frenzied, the Equestrian leaving with a happy smile.

But her desire for food had yet to break. Yet. Last night, maybe morning, it nearly did when Sonata brought down a salad, the aroma of fresh fruits wafting through the air. She almost broke then. Almost.

“Oof…” Adagio grunted as she dropped the rather large looking wooden table onto the ground in front of Sunset, before pulling up her own seat and sitting down, resting her arms on the table’s surface. “Merry Christmas, Sunset.”

Sunset gave as angry of a groan as she could muster as she attempted to glare at the Siren through half shut eyes.

“I have some presents for you.” the Siren’s face was unreadable as she moved down to the red sack that sat beside the table, Aria scowling and Sonata trying to smile as they stood behind their leader.

“Here.” Adagio dropped Sunset’s journal onto the table, opening to the last entries. “The Equestrian Magic in it kept it safe from the water, though it seems like Princess Twilight never answered.”

Sunset had started to get more active when Adagio pulled out her journal, she started to rattle at her chains for the first time in days, only to die down when the Siren flipped to the last entries from Sunset, the page still blank of the Princess’ responses.

Sunset seemed to wither before the Sirens as she slumped in her chair, silently admitting a final defeat, the loss of the last bit of hope that she didn’t know she had.

“...” Adagio flipped the journal shut, stashing it on the ground before withdrawing a laptop from the confines of the bag, powering it on and facing it towards the bound girl as it booted up, loading up from its sleep and loading a familiar blue and white screen.

“We know what you meant now by Anon-A-Miss.” Adagio explained as she scrolled through the comments on the page before shifting to another page.

Sunset’s own.

“It seems like your… former friends were eager to comment on the matter on your own page…” Adagio frowned as she watched Sunset remain silent. “We have an offer for you Sunset, one that we hope you would enjoy.”

Sunset’s brow twitched, ever so slightly, but it twitched, downwards as her eyes slowly rolled towards the now standing Adagio Dazzle, and the other Sirens standing with her.

“Help us in our plans for revenge on the students of Canterlot High School, and we’ll help you get revenge on the Rainbooms.”