//-------------------------------------------------------// A Dazzling New Life: High School -by Joshua the Dragonslayer- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// 2. A Dazzling First Day At Canterlot High //-------------------------------------------------------// 2. A Dazzling First Day At Canterlot High When morning shined on the Dazzlings' house, drama ensued. From waking up to getting into the car, the morning seemed to fly by before Sunset could even make out what had even occurred. But, Sunset couldn't help and smile as it reminded her of when she and her friends would get ready for school. Not soon after Sunset was driving three very excited girls to High-School. As the girls were happily talking in the back of the car about how their first day of school would go, Sunset was happily driving them to Canterlot. It wasn't long until they made it to Canterlot High. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata got out of the car and stood in front of Canterlot, staring at its glory. As the three waved goodbye to their mom they started making their way into the school. It had been a while since they had last been there, but this time it felt horrifying and scary. The girls already had gotten their schedule and had arrived early so they had some time to kill. As they walked around the school they noticed some of their friends from afar, they noticed friends like Gabby and Leon, and even Athena and Frizzle were around. It seemed as though the whole gang was back, just like in Elementary school. Adagio messed with her dress to make sure it was looking its best. "Well, girls we've made it. Our first day of High-School is about to begin. We don't share all of our classes but we do share some, so whenever we're not together don't start freaking out." Adagio and Aria then turned their head to Sonata who blushed from embarrassment. Sonata played with her hair as she let out a guilty chuckle. "It was only one time, and that was years ago. I'm older now and I can handle myself just fine. Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I need to be babied anymore, you should've realized that after all that went day at the Tag Team Tournament." Aria rolled her eyes but smiled. "Whatever you say Sonata." She then looked up and noticed a clock, there were only a few minutes left until school would start. "School's about to start, we better be heading to our class." Letting out a groan she started walking away to her class. "C'mon, Sonata. We gotta head to History." Aria sighed. "Why couldn't it of been something more interesting like P.E., or even Math? History is so boring, I'm going to fall asleep in that class." Sonata smiled and waved. "Right behind you Ari! See you later Dagi, we'll catch you later at lunch." Sonata then turned around and went to go catch up to Aria who was already ahead. Adagio smiled and waved back at her sisters. "Yeah! I'll see talk to you guys later. Don't get into trouble now, that goes for both of you, not just one." As Adagio watched her sisters walk away she headed to her class, Math what a class to start of High-School. Arriving at her class, Adagio put down her backpack and sat in a seat near the front. As she was waiting for class to begin she heard someone sit down next to her. "Guess we share the same class, huh, Adagio? This might not be as bad as I had thought. This'll be a good way to start off the year." Adagio didn't have to turn around to know who was talking and she couldn't help but smile. "To think my first class would be with you, Athena." Adagio turned to face Athena as the two faced each other and smiled. "Guess we can challenge each other some more to see who's the smartest." "You may have beaten me in the Tournament but that doesn't mean you're better than me just yet. I can still be the smartest, and that's exactly what I plan on doing." Athena smirked showing that she was serious about what she was saying. "Our rivalry continues." Adagio smiled. "We've got four years to figure out a true winner. Shame for you because that's plenty of time for me to prove myself." Athena smiled too as the two girls had a fire in their eyes. If you would ask anyone if they were enjoying High-School, you surely wouldn't want to ask Aria. To start off her day with History and then Math with the most annoying person on the planet, her sister, Sonata. After everything Aria was told she had thought High-School wasn't going to be that bad, heck she thought it was going to be fun. But to start with two boring classes with Sonata of all people was the worse way to begin her High-School experience. She kept looking at the clock every few seconds as she was waiting for class to be over, after Math was over she would finally have a class she was somewhat looking forward to that also didn't have with Sonata. Just one more minute, that's how much longer she had to survive in Math and then she would finally be free of Sonata. And it seemed as though her wish came true because finally, the bell rang signaling class was over. Aria jumped from her seat, grabbed her backpack, and left the room. "Ari! Wait for me!" Aria let out a groan, of course, Sonata would want to follow her still. "Nata, what do you want? I have to head to Science with Adagio, you need to be heading to English." Aria looked down at Sonata and Sonata looked back at her with puppy dog eyes. Oh no. "Can't I at least walk with you to your class?" Sonata was still doing the puppy dog eyes but Aria had a deadpan expression. "Pretty please with a cherry on top?" "Our classes are across the school from each other. If you walk with me to my class then you'll be late for your class. You don't want to make a bad impression on your teacher on the first day, do you?" Aria asked looking at Sonata with her arms crossed. Sonata sighed. "Fine..." Sonata looked down, sad that she couldn't walk with her sister. Aria was about to say something to make Sonata feel better but Sonata's mood quickly changed from sad to happy. "Have fun in Science with Dagi! I'll see you guys after this period and then we can have lunch together!" Aria smiled at her sister. "Yeah, we can, and maybe with some of our other friends. We can also talk about how our days have been going so far, while also eating some delicious food." Smiling with excitement, Sonata smiled and waved goodbye to Aria. "Ok, I guess I'll see you and Adagio after our third period. Byee!" Sonata waved and then started running to her next class, Aria smiled and waved back at Sonata and then started making her way to Science to meet up with Adagio. Although she was finally away from Sonata she had to admit she was starting to miss her, but only just a little bit. When Aria arrived at her Science class she noticed Adagio sitting down at a table with Bael sitting across from her. Aria smirked already telling that Science was going to be a lot of fun. She made her way over to the table and sat next to Bael. "Looks like all three of us have the same class together, this day just got better." Adagio looks over at Aria and smiles. "Aria, nice to have you here. How's your day been so far? I know having two classes back to back with Sonata can probably be a bit to start off High-School." Aria shrugged her shoulders. "Are you forgetting that I've known Sonata my whole life? I can handle her in two classes with no problem. History and Math are boring already, she actually makes them somewhat cool. How're your guy's days been going?" Bael shrugged. "It's been good, nothing too exciting." Bael then smiled. "But I have a feeling things are going to be a lot more fun now that you're here, along with Adagio too of course." Adagio noticed what Bael had said and raised an eyebrow toward Aria, who was blushing up a storm. "How has your day been Adagio?" Quickly turning her focus back to Bael, Adagio smiled. "It's been good. This first day has really been the best just like mom said it would. And to think the day isn't even halfway over. If things keep going how they have been, this year and all of our High-School years are going to be a lot of fun." Aria and Bael smiled and nodded at Adagio's statement. "Hello, class, it's time to begin!" Bael, Aria, and Adagio all turned to face the teacher who stood in front of the class. It seemed as though Science was about to begin. "That is all for today's class! I hope you enjoyed the lesson and enjoy the rest of your first day of High-School, no homework tonight so go enjoy your lunch." Getting up from their seats the three friends headed out of the Science room and started to make their way to lunch. "Finally!" Aria yelled throwing her hands into the air. "Lunchtime! My favorite time of the day. No classes, no school work, no annoying classmates, nothing to worry about but just enjoying time away from class and hanging out with our friends." "You're right about that." Adagio said. "And let's not forget about Applejack's grandma's cooking. She makes the best food ever, I can't wait to eat her food every day for five days a week." Bael nodded. "Yeah, let's go before all the best food is taken." Bael then let out a laugh. "Hey if Sonata's lucky they might be giving tacos for lunch. That'll really make today the best first day for her." Adagio and Aria laughed along with Bael. "And you can't enjoy those tacos without me." Bael, Aria, and Adagio turn around to see Sonata walking toward them with Frizzle, a smile on both of their faces. "Frizzle and I had English together and it was so much fun. But now since it's lunch we can all go enjoy it together." Aria and Adagio smiled at their sister and nodded as the five friends started to make their way to the cafeteria. As the three sisters started catching up, Bael and Frizzle talked up ahead. The first day of High-School had only just begun and things already seem to be taking a high note. The only thing the Dazzlings hoped for was that the rest of the day would be just as good as it has been going. //-------------------------------------------------------// 3. Highs And Lows Of High School //-------------------------------------------------------// 3. Highs And Lows Of High School After having an amazing lunch with their friends, the Dazzlings started making their way to their next class of the day. With only three more classes left in the day, the Dazzlings couldn't wait to see what their next class would bring them. As the girls made their way and took their seats in their respective classes they thought about how their first day had been so far. For Adagio and Sonata the first day couldn't have been going any better, for Sonata she thought that high school was fun, along with her classes and all the new people she was meeting. For Adagio, she was just like her mom, and she enjoyed going to school and learning new things. Aria, on the other hand, her day was a bit slow to start things off, especially since she had to share her first two classes with Sonata of all people. But now it was time for the fourth period and Aria was more than pleased to get away with Sonata again. So as the class went on, each of the girls happily paid attention to their teacher and what was to be expected through the year. With it being the first day of high school none of the teachers were giving out homework which the Dazzlings, along with all the other kids happily enjoyed. Things couldn't have been going better for the Dazzlings and even though school wasn't particularly the most enjoyable thing in the world, the Dazzlings had to admit that high school was going better than they thought. Even Sonata, who at first was scared about the idea of high school, was having a blast. And the more she thought about it, there was nothing to even be afraid of in the first place. She had her two sisters, along with all of her friends, and her aunt who worked at the school, along with her new teacher if she ever needed help or someone to talk to. Sonata silently giggled to herself so that no one around her could hear, and then looked back up to pay attention so that she didn't miss out on anything that was being said. She then let out a big smile, she was going to enjoy her next four years in high school. It was later on in the day and the Dazzlings were currently heading to their sixth and final class of the day. A class they were all looking forward to because they all shared it with one another with it being P.E. Now for Aria and Sonata they were looking forward to it as P.E. to them, and to many others was an easy A and a fun class to get out some energy. However, the opposite could be said for Adagio who wanted nothing more than to not do P.E. but it was mandatory that kids did it in order to pass high school. She didn't like the feeling of being sweaty and doing all those workouts and getting hot, ruining her perfectly done makeup and especially their hair. But she had to do it if she wanted to not only have a good grade but in the end, finish high school. So although Adagio didn't want to do it, she had to suck it up and not only finish but also pass the class. Before making it to the gymnasium, the Dazzlings had to take a quick locker stop and put some things away in their locker. So, now the girls were putting some books away in their lockers. However, as Aria unzipped her backpack to pull out some books and supplies she didn't need to keep in her backpack, she was then knocked from behind causing her to drop her books and supplies that then crashed onto the floor dispersing all through the hallway floor. Aria gasped as she saw her stuff all over the hallway floor. She growled and gritted her teeth as she turned to head to whoever knocked her from behind. "Hey!" Aria's yell echoed throughout the halls of Canterlot High. Adagio and Sonata whose lockers were a bit down from Aria's made their way to see what was the problem. When they got there they saw Aria glaring at someone with her stuff all on the ground. "Aria?" Aria turned around to see Adagio and Aria looking at her confused. "Is everything okay?" Aria rolled her eyes and turned back to the girl who had caused the accident to happen. "No, this girl knocked into me and made me drop my stuff! Now I want you to apologize! Who do you even think you are?" The girl just looked at Aria and smiled. She had dark purple hair and skin, wore a night sky color dress, and wore some black shoes. "My name's Dawnshine... not like you should care." The girl who was now known as Dawnshine word's only made Aria want to punch her even more. "I don't know why you're so mad, it wasn't like I did it on purpose. You were the one who wasn't paying attention, you caused the mess, now pick it up." The girl shrugged her shoulders and started walking away from Aria but she then stopped. "I know what you girls did a few years back, we all do. Don't think you're all that just because you three won the Tag Tournament. All of that means nothing here, so what if you won, no one cares. Just do me and everyone else here a favor and don't try to be in the spotlight." With that, Dawnshine walked away and off to her last class of the day. Aria who was still glaring at Dawnshine walking away turned her head when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Turning her head she sees Sonata with her hand on Aria's shoulder, the two made eye contact and Sonata gave Aria a weak smile. "C'mon, let's pick up your stuff and head to the gymnasium before we're late." Aria sighed and nodded her head as she and her two sisters helped pick up her things, put them in her locker, and made their way to their final class of the day. The girls made it to the gym and took their seats. Since it was only the first day of school, they didn't have to get dressed or do any workouts, which Adagio was very happy about. So for the whole class period, the gym teacher went over what kind of activities the class would be doing and what their workouts would look like. Sonata and Adagio paid attention to the teacher, and as the teacher showed on a screen what their workouts would look like, Adagio cringed seeing all the things she would have to do. 'I'm going to hate this class.' As everyone else paid attention to the teacher, Aria was still thinking about Dawnshine and what she had done. Her attitude, her voice, her face, everything was annoying to Aria. What played in her mind the most was what Dawnshine said at the end when she told her and her sisters that no one cared about them and what they did and to stay away from the spotlight. Who did she think they were? Even though Aria thought Sonata was annoying and a pain to be around, Dawnshine easily took the cake. 'This girl better not be the next Gabby. I have no problem dealing with her and showing her who's boss.' Sonata who was sitting near her saw her sister and couldn't help but feel bad for her. She wanted to say something, anything, but she didn't know what to say to make her sister feel better. Before the girls knew it the bell rang signaling the end of the first day of the school. The Dazzlings got their things and made their way out of the school. As the girls made their way out of the school and toward their mom's car they saw Dawnshine in front of the statue in front of the school looking at her phone. The Dazzlings walked past her and as they were passing by Aria and Dawnshine made eye contact glaring at one another. The girls got into Sunset's car and proceeded to tell Sunset all about their first day of school. The Dazzling's first day of high school had come to an end and to say it was a good one was an understatement. Even though the first day of high school was over and they still had the whole rest of the year along with the other three years, the Dazzlings were confident that their high school years were going to be amazing. Besides Dawnshine, everything seemed to be going well, and the Dazzlings could only hope that it would continue that way for the rest of the years to come. //-------------------------------------------------------// 4. Tryouts For The Soccer Team //-------------------------------------------------------// 4. Tryouts For The Soccer Team After having a good first day at Canterlot High, the Dazzlings happily told Sunset all about all the fun and excitement they had. Once getting home the girls enjoyed a few more hours of hanging out, eating dinner, taking a shower, or in Sonata's case a bath, and heading to bed for their second day of high school. And before the girls knew it, it was morning and it was time to get ready for their second day of school. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata quickly got ready for school and jumped into Sunset's car. They wanted to get to school as quickly as they could so that they could start yet another day of school. Fortunately for them, the drive from their house to the school wasn't a far one and in a matter of a few minutes, the girls had gotten to school and jumped out of the car while waving goodbye to Sunset who happily waved goodbye to her girls. Upon arriving inside of the school the girls went their own ways to their classes. Aria and Sonata walked to the right while Adagio headed to the left, the girls said their goodbyes and headed to class so that they weren't late. As Sonata and Aria were walking down a hallway to make it to their class they saw Dawnshine at her locker pulling out some books. Aria noticed her and glared, she still hadn't gotten over what she had done yesterday. 'I don't know who you think you are, but one way or another I'm going to knock you off your pedestal that you put yourself on. That I can promise!' Sonata, who was beside her sister, noticed where her glare was focused at. Sure enough, Dawnshine was in front of them getting out some books from her locker. After pulling out her books she then closed and locked her locker and walked away toward her class, completely unaware that Aria was glaring daggers at her from behind. Aria huffed and walked even faster to get to her class, as Sonata could only sigh and pick up her own speed to catch up with Aria. 'It's not even been a week and Aria already has an enemy. I just hope that she gets over Dawnshine soon so we can all have a good time in high school and not have to deal with any problems.' The day zoomed by and the Dazzlings were currently in their last period of the day. The day had been a good one, but since it was only the second day the girls were lucky to not be given any homework so far. And to Adagio's favor, their P.E. had just let the class know that they wouldn't be getting dressed or doing any physical activities until next week so that everyone could have time to get their gym clothes and time for the teacher to give their gym locker number. So, with only a few minutes left in their day, the girls were just hanging out and talking to each other and with some of their friends. "Are you serious?" Adagio asked as she looked at Phoebe with a surprised expression on her face. Aria and Sonata who were nearby talking with one another soon turned to Adagio to see what was going on. "Yeah, I saw a poster earlier today." Phoebe said confirming what she had said. Adagio and Phoebe smiled as Aria and Sonata looked at each other in confusion and then at the two girls. "Uh, Dagi?" Adagio and Phoebe turned their heads to see Sonata looking at them confused. "What were you guys talking about? Why are you two smiling? Did something good happen? If so, I want to know!" Sonata then let out a smile herself, making Adagio and Phoebe let out a small laugh. "Well, Sonata." Adagio started. "From what Phoebe told me, the school is having after-school soccer tryouts for the girls." Aria and Sonata gasped and then smiled, ever since they were first introduced to soccer the girls had fallen in love with the sport. If there was even a chance, they were going to join the soccer team no matter what. Adagio saw her sister's smiles and nodded her head with a big smile. "Yep, so, I was thinking that we go and give it a try. What do you girls say, wanna give it a try?" Adagio, however, already knew the answer. Aria and Sonata looked at one another and back at Adagio with huge grins. "Yes!" Just then the school bell rang signaling the end of the day as kids got up to go home and leave for the day, the Dazzlings had a different plan in mind. "I'm going to let Mom know that we're going to soccer tryouts, you girls can go ahead and head to the tryouts." Phoebe, Aria, and Sonata nodded their heads as they made their way with the two sisters following Phoebe as she knew the way. After quickly heading out of the school and letting Sunset know what their plan was, Sunset accepted and let Adagio know that she would come later to pick them up. So now Adagio was making her way to the field where the tryouts would be held. Seeing her sisters and Phoebe she made her way over to them. Aria who was talking with Phoebe and Sonata saw Adagio and put in hand in the air. "Yo! Adagio! Glad you could make it to junior varsity tryouts." "Yeah, I'm glad. Mom said that she would come and pick us up later after tryouts." Adagio turned her head and looked around to see not many girls as she thought there would be on the field. She did a quick count in her head and counted a total of twenty girls on the field. It was herself, Aria, Sonata, Phoebe, Gabby, Frizzle, Joy, Athena, Dawnshine, and a few other girls that the Dazzlings didn't know. Phoebe noticed Adagio's confused expression and let out a weak laugh but then sighed. "Yeah, Canterlot's girl's soccer team hasn't had much success since Rainbow Dash and her team led Canterlot to two consecutive championship titles... but that hasn't been in more than ten years ago." She then noticed a girl walking her way toward the girls on the field. "But that is soon to change, especially since we've got a new coach this year, and she just so happens to be here." Phoebe turned her head over in the direction of the coach and the Dazzlings turned their heads to see the coach. The Dazzlings turned their head and gasped, along with all the other girls. There, making her way toward them was none other than Rainbow Dash! All the girls soon started whispering and making small comments to one another seeing a Canterlot star making their way toward them. Once arriving at the girls, Rainbow blew her whistle getting the girl's attention and silencing them. Rainbow smiled. "Hello girls, if you may not know already, CHS has made me your new head coach. Now I know Canterlot's girl's soccer team hasn't seen victory since me and my amazing team." The Dazzlings snickered, even though Rainbow had gotten older she still had her same ego. "But with me being your coach, and with this team, I expect great things to happen! Now with such a small group this year, there's no need for anyone to get cut, so you've all officially joined the Canterlot girl's soccer team. But don't think that means you're getting out easy, if you truly want to be on this team, you have to show and earn your spot. If you want to go out and play you're going to have to prove it! To the ones who can do that you can have time out on the field during a game, but for the ones who don't, well... enjoy being a bench burning or backup for the year." All the girls nodded their heads, they all wanted to play and they were going to do whatever they had to do to be able to play for the team. This made Rainbow smile. "Now let's turn things around and show everyone just how great we are! Now who's with me!?" All the girls cheered at Rainbow's speech, there was a new fire burning inside of them and they were going to do whatever they could to make Canterlot's soccer team great once again. Rainbow smiled and blew her whistle once again silencing the girls. "Now let's begin! The girl's soccer team tryouts have now begun! Now I want all of you to run up and down the field five times each way! Now, go, go, go!" After Rainbow's yells all the girls then started their runs up and down the field. Each one of them fueled with wanting to not only do good for the team but to also be able to play. The Dazzlings especially wanted to show that they were worthy of being able to play. They wanted nothing more but to be able to help Canterlot, and the girl's soccer team win another championship and prove that Canterlot wasn't a school to be taken lightly. Rainbow watched as the girls run up and down the field and she couldn't but smile thinking back to her old days on the team. 'This year is going to be awesome!' //-------------------------------------------------------// 5. Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork //-------------------------------------------------------// 5. Teamwork Makes The Dreamwork Rainbow watched as the girls ran finishing the rest of their laps. She watched as the girls sweated yet they showed their tenacity and pushed through to finish. Before Rainbow knew it all the girls had finished, panting and drinking from their water bottles. Being the coach she was, she decided to give the girls a solid five-minute break to regain their energy so that they could continue the rest of the workout that was to come. Once the five minutes was over Rainbow blew her whistle signaling for the girls to head over to their coach. Once the girls got in front of Rainbow, they were then each given soccer balls. "Now here's what we're going to do. You all will first bounce the ball with both your left and right knees three times each for ten seconds. Then you and a partner will pass the ball to one another, I want to get a feel for how much you do or don't know. When all is set and done, the ones that I deem worthy will have a team game with each other. The ones I don't deem worthy will be with me and we're going to be doing some extra practice." Rainbow then blew her whistle. "Now begin!" "Yes, Coach!" And with that, the girls started their exercises. The Dazzlings happily bounced the soccer ball on both of their knees with ease. With already having experience in soccer they already knew a thing or two about what to do so they felt confident in their skills. The rest of the girls were either having just as good of luck or having a bit of difficulty. Rainbow walked around making sure the girls were doing the absolute best that they could do. Walking past Joy she smiled as she saw her easily bounce the ball from knee to knee and even with her head. "Not bad!" Joy smiled and continued doing her thing. Rainbow walked past Frizzle and Athena and smiled at what she was seeing. Gabby and a few of the other girls got the same amount of praise. Rainbow then walked past a few girls who were struggling to bounce the ball. "Uh, not bad, but you need to be 20% more awesome to be able to get time on the field." The girls frowned but then put on serious faces at Rainbow's words. Her words were the truth, if they wanted to play they needed to be better, and getting better was exactly what they were going to do! Rainbow then walked past the Dazzlings who were effortlessly bouncing the ball, almost like it was second nature. "Wow!" The girls then finished and started to work on their partner passes. "That... was... awesome! Good job girls! You keep that up and your sure to get lots of playtime this year!" The Dazzlings smiled at that, they wanted to play as much as they could to help the team. Dawnshine, who was a few feet away had seen and heard everything. She growled as she saw the Dazzlings get praised by Coach Rainbow. 'Why do they always get praised? Their nothing special, so what if they can bounce some measly soccer balls with their knees? Anyone can do that, I'm doing it right now without a problem! So why do they get all the praise and glory? Why?!' Being distracted by glaring at the Dazzlings, Dawnshine wasn't paying attention to what she was doing and accidentally dropped the soccer ball. She gasped as the soccer ball fell onto the ground. Rainbow walked by and shook her head. "Always keep your eye on the ball, never, for even a second, be distracted. If the opponent sees you distracted for even a second, they will capitalize on that moment before you know it." Rainbow then walked away to look at how the others were doing. Dawnshine gritted her teeth as she watched the Dazzlings pass the ball to one another with ease. 'One day Dazzlings... you'll be nothing, I'll make sure of it! I'll rule this school!' As time went by everyone eventually finished their exercise and now it was time to get word from Coach Rainbow on how well they did. The girls watched and waited as Rainbow was going over her notes. Some girls felt confident and felt as though they passed, others, however, didn't feel too good with how they did. The Dazzlings happily talked amongst their friends as Dawnshine continued to glare at the Dazzlings from afar. Just then a whistle went off, snapping Dawnshine out of her trance, and turned to face Rainbow. "If you hear your name you are free to play the team game." Everyone watched and waited, hoping to hear their name. "Joy, Frizzle, Athena, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Gabby, Dawnshine, Phoebe, and Arza. You may make your way to the main field, I'll be over there soon to make teams for you." The first ten girls nodded their heads and started walking over to the main soccer field where they would be playing. Rainbow then turned to the rest of the ten girls. "You ten will be with me, I'm going to be giving you some extra practice. Now don't be discouraged, you still did good. But we want you to be amazing! Awesome! And with my help, I'm going to do my best to make sure each of you shines on the field!" The rest of the girls smiled and nodded, encouraged by Rainbow's words. "Yes, Coach!" Rainbow smiled as she made her way over to the other ten girls who were waiting for her. Once they saw her, they made a circle to her what the teams were going to be. The Dazzlings were silently hoping they would all be put on the same team, but at the same time, playing against their sister would be just as fun. "Now these are the teams; A team will be Adagio, Frizzle, Arza, Athena, and Dawnshine. While B team will be Phoebe, Joy, Aria, Sonata, and Gabby." The girls smiled as they got into their teams happy with the people they were with. "Now I can't fully watch the match, so I want a clean game between both teams. Remember, this is a team game, and for a team to strive you need communication, team support, and strong teamwork. There's no I in team, this is a group effort, so no fighting. This is a team bonding exercise, show me that you can work as a team, if you can't do that, then there's no place for you on this team game." "Yes, Coach!" Rainbow nodded her head as all the girls got into their positions waiting to hear the call. Since it was just a practice game there was no real position, it was just them running up and down the field trying to score a goal. Rainbow then blew her whistle signaling the start of the game. With that, the girls started running up and down the field trying to get the ball. Adagio was lucky and was able to get the ball first. She run up the field trying to get to the goalpost, however, Joy quickly came out of nowhere and stole the ball away from Adagio. Adagio gasped and quickly raced after Joy to get the ball back. Joy who was running, kick the ball over to Phoebe but before the ball could get to her, Athena came out of nowhere and took the ball away from them. Trying to go for the kill shot she kicked the ball from half field as the ball shot over to the goal. Suddenly, Sonata raced over and deflected the ball just like a goalie would. Sonata's team raced over to her and gave her props for deflecting the ball. Rainbow who was helping the other girls couldn't help but watch as the rest of the girls played the game. All of them having fun running up and down the field trying to score a point. All of them playing exactly like a team would exactly like she wanted to. If they wanted a chance to win another championship, they needed to be a dream team! Because as they say, teamwork makes the dreamwork! //-------------------------------------------------------// 6. Gotta Believe To Achieve //-------------------------------------------------------// 6. Gotta Believe To Achieve It was the end to another day of school and the girls had finally made it home. With soccer practice being after school the girls didn't get home around five. Along with homework and eating dinner and taking a shower the girls were quite busy on most weekdays. Currently, it was a Tuesday afternoon and the girls were working on homework together, something they had done since the very beginning. Rainbow had let the girls know that although they were athletes they were also students and if they wanted to play and even be on the team, they needed to have good grades. They had a game this coming up Friday and if they wanted to play in it they needed to keep up with their grades. Adagio and Aria were working on typical homework such as science and history, while Sonata on the other side had already finished her homework and was working on her math assignment. Sonata unfortunately had a math test tomorrow and she had to work on the study guide that the teacher had given them. However, while working on the study guide, Sonata learned something very quickly, she knew absolutely nothing that was in the study guide. She had tried again and again but she didn't even know where to start. The worst part was if she failed this math test, she would most likely not be able to play in Friday's match and she did not want that. Looking over at her sisters, Sonata noticed that they were busy with their own homework and she didn't want to disturb them with their work. And sadly both Tom and Sunset were at work so she couldn't ask them for help. Doing a sneak peak over at her sisters and seeing them distracted, she quickly put her math homework in her folder and back into her backpack. With that being her only homework for the night, she no longer had nothing to do. Sonata wanted to do her homework but she didn't know how to, and she didn't want to be a problem to her sisters or parents so she did the only thing she could think of, not do it. Sure, her grade would go down but if she did good on the test it wouldn't matter... but that was only if she did good on the test. Thankfully for her, the test was multiple choice so she didn't have to show any work but that meant she would have a 25% on each question, and with the test being thirty problems... she would be putting her luck to the test. 'There's no way I'm going to pass this test...' Sonata got up from her seat and sadly made her way to her room, unknowingly both Adagio and Aria saw her. "She's hiding something, but what?" Aria asked, looking over at Adagio. Adagio could only sigh, she didn't know what was going on with Sonata. "I don't know, but we're going to have to figure it out." It was later on through the night and the Dazzlings had finished their dinner and already taken their baths. Adagio and Aria were currently in Adagio's room trying to think of a plan. Adagio had a towel over her head as she sat on her bed, as for Aria she already had her pajamas on sitting on a chair. "So what's our plan? Just go and talk to Sonata?" "It's the only plan we got, we're sisters, she's sure to tell us what's up." With that, Adagio stood up and walked out of her room with Aria right behind her. The two made their way to Sonata's room, whose door just so happen to be closed, something that it normally wasn't. Adagio was about to knock on the door but just then she heard talking. "Ugh! I don't know how to do this! Why do we have to learn about fractions!? What are we even going to use fractions for in our future!?" Sonata then slammed her hands into her deck. "Whoever created math I hope they go too-" Before Sonata could finish the door opened to her room, silencing her and making her turn to face the door. Walking in came both Adagio and Aria and they had worried expressions. "Adagio? Aria? What are you guys doing here?" Adagio and Aria looked over at each other and then back at Sonata. "We heard that you were upset about something, and earlier you looked pretty sad about something so we wanted to come and make sure you were okay." Sonata looked and saw that Aria nodded her head agreeing with Adagio's words. Sonata then looked down at her math homework, it was late but if she wanted to do good on her test tomorrow she was going to need her sister's help. Sonata sighed and then sat down on her chair. "Everything is but okay, I can't do my math homework to save my life and I have a big test tomorrow and if I don't do well I most likely won't be able to play on Friday and I don't want that to happen." Sonata put her hands to her face, the math homework was stressing her out and it was showing. Adagio and Aria looked at Sonata and then at one another and smiled. "Well, why didn't you just say so earlier? We would've gladly helped you, trust me math is hard for me too that's why I work with Adagio to get it done." Sonata looked up at her sisters and sighed. "I just didn't want to disturb you guys with your own homework. I'm sorry..." She then picked up her homework and showed her sisters. "Can you please help me with my homework?" Her sisters smiled and sat down on her bed looking at the homework. "We don't have long until we have to go to bed but if we work together we can get it done quicker." Aria and Sonata nodded their heads as the three sisters got to work. It took a while but eventually, the girls were able to get the work done. Adagio and Aria made sure that Sonata knew how to do the math equation and if she ever had a problem or question they made sure to help her figure it out and answered her question. Thanks to their work, Sonata was able to not only get the study guide done but also understand the math and hopefully be able to do good on the test tomorrow. She smiled as she went to bed that night, as she felt good that she would do great on the math test tomorrow. It was the next day and soccer practice had just ended for the girls. Adagio and Aria were in front of the statue outside of the school waiting for their other sister. Sonata had gone back into the school to her math class to ask to see her math test. So here they were, waiting for their sister, and as much as they wanted to go home and rest, they knew how badly Sonata wanted to know if she did well on the math test. "GUYS!!" Turning their heads, Adagio and Aria look to see Sonata racing out of the front doors to the school and toward her sisters with a big smile on her face waving around a piece of paper. She then made it over to her sisters panting from all the running she had done that day. "Look... at.... what... I... got..." Speaking through her breaths, she handed over the piece of paper to Adagio and Aria. When they opened up the piece of paper they couldn't help but smile themselves. On the piece of paper was Sonata's test, with a perfect 100% on the top of it. "Sonata, this is amazing!" Adagio smiled. "Mom's going to love this!" "Yeah!" Aria agreed. "Awesome job, Sonata!" Sonata blushed at her sisters words but she still held her big smile. "Yeah! If it wasn't for you guys I most likely would've failed the test, but it was thanks to you guys." Sonata then hugged her two sisters. "I love you guys!" Adagio and Aria noticed Sonata's big smile and they couldn't help but smile themselves. 'Love you too, Sonata.' The girls continued to hug for a while until they heard a honk of a car. They turned their heads to see their mom in her car waiting for the three of them. Aria slightly pushed Sonata forward. Sonata looked back to see Aria who had a smile on her face. "Time to go show Mom, your amazing test score." Sonata then turned over to look at Adagio who nodded her head with a smile of her own. Sonata smiled as she walked to Sunset's car with a big smile. "Yeah!" Adagio and Aria walked behind Sonata with smiles on their own. They were glad that Sonata had done well on her math test and they couldn't wait to see their mom's reaction. Laying down on her bed, Sonata couldn't help but smile. Once she had shown her mom her math test she was showered with praise from her mom. It was safe to say that Sunset was proud of Sonata for getting such an amazing test score and Sonata couldn't help but blush at her mom's words. But at the same time, she couldn't have done it without her sister's help. She had said it once but she would say it again, if it wasn't for Adagio and Aria she wouldn't have passed this test. She was happy that if she ever had a problem she could go to her sisters for help. Sonata was pleased to say that she had the best sisters that anyone could ever ask for. 'I love my sisters so much.' And with that, Sonata fell to sleep, with a big smile on her face as she slept. //-------------------------------------------------------// 7. The Dazzlings Soccer Kickoff //-------------------------------------------------------// 7. The Dazzlings Soccer Kickoff Friday, the day of the first soccer game and most importantly, the day the Dazzlings would get to make their debut. The whole school was looking forward, I mean, who wouldn't? The first game of the year was being held at Canterlot which was great because that meant the girls had home-field advantage which was always a good thing. The day had gone by before the Dazzlings knew it, and right now they were currently in the changing rooms getting changed and putting on their soccer uniforms. Another thing that the girls were happy about, it was the first time the girl's soccer team would get to wear their soccer uniforms. The girls got changed into their soccer uniforms and waited for Rainbow to come. All the girls were waiting in the changing rooms talking amongst each other. They were all looking forward to playing, but they were mostly hoping that they would come out of this game with a victory. Just then the door to the changing rooms opened up and in came Rainbow, the girls immediately became quiet and paid attention to what their Coach had to say. "Alright, listen up! This is our first game of the year and I'm hoping to start things off with a win! You guys have worked a lot to get to this moment! Now let's go out there and show everyone just what you guys are made of!" Rainbow yelled trying to hype up the team. "Yeah!" The whole team yelled. Rainbow smiled. "Alright then! Let's go out there then! Cmon!" The girls got up and followed Rainbow onto the field where people started cheering once they saw the team make their way to the field. Rainbow looked back at the girls and smiled. "Go on and get this crowd hype!" The girls smiled and then ran onto the field making the crowd go even more wild seeing their team hop onto the field. Adagio and a few other of the girls kept raising their arms up and down making the crowd scream and yell even louder. Aria and Sonata let out a battle cry showing off that they were ready to play some soccer! All the girls eventually went over to their bench and started making a game plan with Rainbow. They all huddled around each other, if they wanted to win they needed a good plan and with Rainbow's knowledge and prowess in the sport, they had a good chance of that happening. "Okay, I'm going to need all of you for this game. Adagio, I'm assigning you as team captain, make sure to lead the team well during the game. I want you eleven on the field to start things off, the other nine will be on standby. If you get tired, don't be afraid to ask for someone to take over, don't push yourself too hard, we don't want any injuries." The girls nodded their heads as Rainbow started pointing at people. Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Gabby, Phoebe, Joy, Frizzle, Arza, Athena, and Lunar Crescent. Dawnshine watched as the girls nodded and made their way away from the sidelines. 'Why do they get to play but I don't? I did everything just as good as them but yet I get put on the bench? Unbelievable!' The eleven girls then made their way onto the field and waited for the game to begin. The referee made their way toward the middle of the field with a soccer ball. Adagio and the other team's leader walked toward the center of the field. "Welcome ladies, since Canterlot has home-field advantage they will call heads or tails." The referee then turned his head to face Adagio. "Heads or tails." The referee threw tossed the coin into the air, as the coin started to fall, Adagio made the call. "Heads." The coin then hit the ground, looking down, Adagio smiled. "It is heads. Do you want to have the ball or kickoff?" Adagio looked back at Rainbow who smiled and nodded, Adagio smiled and nodded back. Turning back to the referee, Adagio smiled. "We'll start with the ball." The referee nodded as everyone on the field got into their positions. Adagio was the striker, with everyone else beings forwards, Sonata, however, was the goalie, and she was surprisingly good at defending the ball away. With the blow of the whistle, the game had begun. Adagio started off and kicked the ball over to Athena. Athena started pushing and making her way closer and closer to the goal. People however on the opposite side weren't going to let her get a goal so easily though as they started ganging up and trying to stop her. Athena kicked the ball back to Joy, but with no being able to make a clear shot, Joy kicked it over to Aria who had a speed advantage with who was trying to guard her. Joy kicked the ball as hard as she could as it flew over to Aria. Aria caught the ball and started kicking it over to the post while Gabby nearby trying to defend Aria and get her close. On the other side, Frizzle was running in case Aria needed some help with Adagio right behind her. Aria did a quick look around the field, and saw an opening, if she was fast enough... it just might work! She then quickly ran toward the goal and watched as the goalie got on the defensive, she then proceeded to kick the ball over to the left where Frizzle was. Frizzle started kicking it and then kicked it over to Adagio who headbutted it. With the ball going around the field in a matter of seconds the goalie was unable to stop it as the ball went into the goal. The crowd went wild as the ball went into the goalie. Rainbow who was on the sidelines cheered as she watched everyone run over to Adagio and give her props for getting a point. However, the game wasn't over and they weren't going to be cocky, they still had a game to finish. While they were getting ready, the opposite team kicked the ball off and started making their charge toward the goal. The opponent team was starting to make some ground and they were getting close to the goal at alarming speeds. Rainbow watched and bit her nails, she was hoping that one of her girls could stop them but things weren't looking good. Frizzle tried going for the ball but she missed as the ball went over to someone else and they kicked the ball toward the goal. Everyone watched as the ball went flying toward the goal but with quick reflexes Sonata was able to get in front of the ball, stopping it in its tracks. The crowd cheered as Sonata happily took the ball away and kicked it high into the air. Gabby who had trusted Sonata to stop the ball had went unnoticed and made her way to the opponent's side of the field wide open as the ball went flying over to her. With Gabby being wide open she took the ball and raced down the field, she then pulled a fast one on the goalie making it seem she was going to kick to the left but kicked to the right and scoring yet another point for her and her team. Gabby cheered as the rest of her day gave her applause for her goal. Rainbow smiled as she watched her team cheer for one another, as they were now up two to nothing. They were acting and playing like a team, and if they kept up that teamwork for the rest of the season, they would be sure to make the playoffs and maybe even win that championship that Canterlot had missed out on for the past few years. Rainbow watched as Gabby and Sonata high-fived and then hugged each other. 'That play would have never worked if it wasn't for their bond with one another. Gabby trusts Sonata and Sonata trusts Gabby, and with that trust, they made the plays that they did.' "C'mon, girls! Don't lose focus now! Make sure to keep up your lead and take this thing home!" Rainbow yelled to the girls. The girls nodded their heads as they then got back into their positions and awaited for the opponents to make their next move. They were up by two points and they were not going to let the opponent team make a comeback, they were going to win this game no matter what! It was currently halftime and there was a short break. The girls were taking sips of their water and sat on the bench as they tried to regain their energy. The score was still two to nothing and Canterlot was just killing the clock and playing defense while the opponents could do nothing but watch as they were slowly but surely running out of time to get some points. Rainbow was happy with the position her team was in, everything was going as planned and if they kept things up, they would win. Although she did like the fact that they were up by two, she was wanting to get some more points on the board but the opponent's team really started putting on some strong defense that was making it hard for Canterlot to get any more points. "Alright, we're doing good so far. We're up by two so let's try to keep it that way, I know the other team is making it hard to score any points so if they want to pull that card, let's just make sure they too don't get any points. I'm going to switch out some people so that the starters can catch their breath." Rainbow then turned to Dawnshine. "Dawnshine, you're the team leader, make sure the team wins this game!" Dawnshine smiled brightly as she stood up as she and the other girls made their way to the field. As Rainbow watched them make their way to the field she couldn't help but feel as though she had made a mistake. That feeling Rainbow was feeling before had punched her in the face before she knew it. The whole second half had been nothing but the opponent's ball, sure Canterlot was putting good defense but with most of their starters resting their team wasn't as good as before. And Dawnshine was anything but a leader, she kept the ball and wouldn't give the ball to any of her teammates and although Sonata was a good goalie she couldn't always stop the ball, and with her playing for the whole game she was getting tired and it showed. The score tied at three all, with the only point Canterlot getting from Dawnshine. There were only a few minutes left in the game and Rainbow had just called a timeout. Rainbow sighed as the girls came over to her. "Okay, things aren't going well. And that was my fault, and I take full responsibility, it's my fault we lost our lead, I made a mistake." Rainbow looked over at her starters and then at the girls in front of her. "Girls who started the game back on the field, Adagio your back as team captain." Rainbow then looked over at Dawnshine with a small glare. "You. Sit. You're done for the night, and when this game is over we're having a word." Dawnshine growled as she sat down and crossed her arms. Rainbow then looked over at Sonata with a small smile. "Sonata, you've played amazing all day, but you're tired, Arza will take your place as the goalie. You sit down, get some water, and rest, your hard work won't be for nothing. We'll make sure to win this thing." Sonata nodded and sat down on the bench, right next to Dawnshine. Dawnshine rolled her eyes as she watched the other girls get onto the field. Sonata watched as her team had the ball with only a few minutes left and they most likely had one chance to score to win the game. She watched as her team drove down the field with all of them working together in perfect harmony, she was starting to nod off with how tired she was but she pushed herself to watch how the game would end. Time was running out and if a shot wasn't made the two teams would have to go into overtime. But with great sister teamwork, Aria kicked the soccer ball over to Adagio who did a spin kick and kicked the ball into the goal ending the game for good! The crowd and team Canterlot cheered for Adagio, they had done it, they had won the game! Rainbow jumped for joy as she ran over to the opponent's coach and shook the coach's hand. Canterlot had token the victory as the Dazzlings hugged one another as Sunset and Tom made their way over to them and hugged them. Dawnshine watched as all the girls on her team were celebrating with one another as a team with their friends as family. But for her. She just watched as she tightened her fist as she started shaking in anger. She was supposed to lead the team to victory, but instead, she was benched for Adagio and watched as her team won the game without her. She especially glared at the Dazzlings who were in the middle of the celebrating with everyone around them, like always. Ever since the Team Tournament they had become stars in Canterlot, and Dawnshine could only grit her teeth as she watched as the girls got interviewed by the news on their victory. 'Dazzlings... I HATE YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING FOR ME!!' //-------------------------------------------------------// 8. Science Experimentation //-------------------------------------------------------// 8. Science Experimentation Yet again it was another day of school for the Dazzlings and they were currently in third period. Sonata was happily in English learning all about... English time things that she had no clue what they were. When she had heard about English she had thought she was actually going to learn English! Not the types of ways to make a sentence better or how to write a paragraph! She could only sigh and continue taking notes hoping that she would somehow be able to understand. As for Aria and Adagio, they were in Science and they were working on some sort of experimentation. The experiment was easy, nothing that the class shouldn't be able to handle. They were given five chemicals and a piece of paper that the kids were supposed to read to learn about the chemical and figure out which two chemical mix together and create the chemical that they were supposed to make. Their teacher had allowed people to pair up with one another and being the two sisters that they were, Adagio and Aria paired up with one another. So now, here they were looking at the five chemicals before them. Of the five in front of them, only two of them were the actual chemicals that were to be used for the experiment. Aria was currently putting on her safety gloves and goggles, something that their science teacher had taught them, safety first when doing an experimentation. Adagio, on the other hand, was reading the piece of paper reading all about the chemicals. Aria looked over at Adagio and sighed. "Adagio, why are you reading that? We have five chemicals and two of them are the correct ones, we have a two of out five chance of getting the chemicals correct, that's a forty percent chance of getting the chemicals right! Let's just choose two that we think are the correct ones." Aria then reached to grab a chemical but she was stopped by a hand. That hand happened to belong to Adagio. Aria looked up at Adagio who was glaring at Aria. "That's not how things are going to work here. Even though we may have a forty percent chance or a two out of five of getting the chemicals correct, that also means we have a three out of five or a sixty percent chance of getting the chemicals wrong! So the best thing to do is read the instructions and figure out what the correct chemicals are. You also have to think that this is for a grade, if we want to have a good grade we have to get this correct! So let's read the instructions together." Adagio then looked back down at the piece of paper and started reading it. Aria sighed and waited for Adagio, Aria wasn't one for reading so she wasn't exactly looking forward to reading with Adagio. So here she was just looking at how everyone else's experiments were going while she waited for Adagio to finish reading. She waited and waited... and waited... and now she was getting annoyed with the amount of time it was taking for Adagio to read. It was one page, not a whole book, what was taking so long? Grunting, Aria turned her head to face Adagio. "Adagio, what's taking so long? Can we get started on this experiment or what? Everyone else has started on their experiments and we've yet to even start." Adagio sighed looking away from the piece of paper and to her sister. "Ari, I know you want to get started on the experiment but just listen to me. So what if everyone else has started, it's best that we take our time and make sure we don't make a mistake. I'm almost done reading, just give me a few more minutes and then we can begin the experiment." Adagio smiled, hoping that it would make Aria feel better, but it didn't. If anything, it made her even angrier. For her whole life, Aria had always followed and listened to what Adagio would say. Since she was the oldest she felt as though she had the power to tell her sisters what to do. Sonata didn't mind because she was the youngest, but she also had her chance at telling them what to do during the Team Tournament. And even now Aria was proclaimed by Rainbow to be the team captain of the soccer team so Aria still had to listen to her! But she was done with listening, she was going to do things how she pleased. So, Aria first picked up a red liquid chemical and a blue liquid chemical. She smiled as she then started to get to work. Adagio who had just finished reading smiled to herself, it took a while but she now knew the answer, it was the purple and green chemicals that were supposed to mix. Adagio put the piece of paper down on the desk and turned around to let Aria know what she had found. When she turned around she gasped when she saw Aria about to mix the wrong chemical with one another and from what she read about those two chemicals if they mixed... "ARIA!! DON'T MIX THOS-" It was too late as once those chemicals made contact an explosion went off. People went down to the ground as smoke filled the air. Thankfully, no one was hurt, only the sounds of coughs could be heard throughout the room with a few classmates fanning away the smoke. Once the smoke cleared Aria looked to see her and Adagio's lab area destroyed from the explosion. Aria gasped, she couldn't that this had happened as she then put her head down. 'I should've listened... this is all my fault.' "Aria..." Aria flinched, she knew that voice all too well. Turning around she gulped, right in front of her was a very angry-looking Adagio in front of her. Adagio's face was red hot as she had her fist shaking and her teeth gritted against each other. Aria took a step back. "A-Adagio, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen! You were right I should've listened to you, cmon please I really am sorry!" Adagio looked at Aria, she was shaking in fear. Adagio felt her anger leave her, she was scaring her sister, and she didn't want that. Aria knew she was wrong and she learned what she had done. Adagio sighed. "It's okay, Aria. But now do you see why I asked you to listen to me?" Aria shook her head, making Adagio smile. "Well, that's good, now come on, we better clean up our mess." Adagio then started to pick up some of the equipment with her gloves. As she was making her way to the trash to dump them she walked past a mirror, she saw herself and smiled and walked away. She then stopped and quickly raced back to the mirror, what she saw scared her. Her hair, her perfectly made hair she worked so hard on earlier... was ruined, because of the explosion. Aria, who was helping clean the mess turned and saw Adagio looking at herself in the mirror, her face dropped into complete horror. "MY HAIR!!!!!!!" The yell echoed through the whole school and Sonata who was in English could hear the yell as clear as day. "Looks like something happened to Adagio." Sonata could only sigh, the rest of the day was going to be a long one. //-------------------------------------------------------// 10. Repeating The Horrid Past //-------------------------------------------------------// 10. Repeating The Horrid Past It was safe to say after the events of last night, the Dazzlings were upset, especially Aria. They had the chance to win the game last night but thanks to Dawnshine their perfect record of 4-0 was now over as they now stood at 4-1. Now although the girls knew that they would most likely lose a few games, it was the fact that they had the chance to win but Dawnshine ruined that. As the girls walked to their classes Aria always made sure to be in front of Adagio and Sonata, out of the three she was the maddest and obviously so. Adagio and Sonata could only sigh and look at each other sadly as they looked at Aria walk in front of them down the hall. In class all Aria could think about was what had happened yesterday night. She was so close, she had the ball, all she had to do was kick it and it would've gone it and her team would've won. But then Dawnshine had to come along and ruin everything and push into her making her lose her focus and missing the net. They would've won, they were going to win! But it was all Dawnshine's fault and they all knew it. Sure, Rainbow had given her a stern talking to but wasn't enough, not for Aria. Aria still felt the pain in her leg, Dawnshine had purposely fallen on her leg after slamming into her and the pain was still lingering. Aria could still walk sure, but not without limping and feeling the pain every time she took a step. And with an injury like that, she was a liability to the team and Rainbow would most likely not play in the next few games until her leg was fully healed. Knowing that information made Aria even more mad, she wanted to have time on the field to play but how could she do that now that she had to wait for her leg to heal? 'Just you wait and see Dawnshine, I will get my revenge one way or another! Just you watch!' It was lunchtime and the girls had just finished eating their lunch. As they ate with their friends, Aria was on high alert looking around for Dawnshine. She wanted to have some words with Dawnshine so she was looking around making sure that she wouldn't miss her. Adagio and Sonata who were sitting beside her knew what she was doing, they could only hope that when Aria did see Dawnshine, she wouldn't do anything drastic and try to resolve things with Dawnshine in an orderly fashion. Just then the two saw Aria get up from her seat and started walking out of the cafeteria. When they saw where she was going they noticed Dawnshine who had just opened the doors to the cafeteria and was walking to who knew where. Adagio and Sonata looked at one another and then quickly got up and followed Aria making sure she wouldn't do something she would regret. Aria continued to walk past Dawnshine, completely unaware that she was being followed by her two sisters. She saw Dawnshine turn a corner and decided to stop and see what was around the corner just to be safe. She wasn't sure if Dawnshine had picked up on Aria following her so just to make sure she wasn't about to get sneak attacked she decided to wait. Aria peeked behind the corner and saw that Dawnshine was in her locker taking out some things. She then saw Dawnshine pull out a small little piece of paper and smiled sadly as she stared at it. Aria looked closer and noticed that it was a photo of a family of three. Was it- "What are you doing here, Aria?" It took everything in her power to not scream but when she did eventually get a hold of herself and turn around, she saw that it was Adagio with her arms crossed along with Sonata who was trying to mimic her actions but failing miserably. "Yeah! Why are you looking at Dawnshine?" Sonata asked. Aria rolled her eyes. "What do you think?" Aria then started to turn around. "I'm going to make she-" Aria stopped when she came face to face with the person they were talking about. "Oh, hello, Dawnshine." Dawnshine just stared at Aria and then at her two sisters. "Charmed. Now, do you mind telling me why you're here?" Aria frowned. "You know why I'm here! Why did you slam into me last night? I had a perfect shot and would've made us win the game but instead, you ruined things and we lost because of you!" Dawnshine didn't like that. "We didn't lose the game because of me! We lost because you and your sisters were playing terribly all game! You missed two shots earlier that night, Adagio had gotten her shot blocked, and Sonata couldn't defend well enough and made them get two points! I was doing what was best for the team, if I had gotten the ball I would've been able to score but you got in my way!" "Not everything is about you!" Aria snapped, her yells echoing through the halls. "From day one you've been nothing but rude to us when we have done nothing to you! What have we done for you to hate us? We've tried to be nice to you but clearly you don't like us!" "You're annoying that's why!" Dawnshine's voice was louder than Aria's making her go quiet. Her voice was so loud that it made the Dazzlings scared as Sonata hid behind Adagio who stood in front of the startled girl in case Dawnshine tried doing something. "Ever since you three won the Team Tournament all I hear is nothing but nonsense about you three! Everything here things you guys are stars but you're not! You just won some measly Beyblade tournament, anyone could do that! So what about you three makes winning a tournament so amazing? And now you think you're going to amuse everyone here and become some sort of high school stars." Dawnshine rolled her eyes. "I hate you all!" Dawnshine first pointed to Adagio. "You're the oldest and supposedly the leader of these three but yet you can't even control yourself! Some leader you are." Adagio glared at Dawnshine's words as Dawnshine then pointed to Sonata. "The girl that led you three to the Team Tournament finals and won the whole thing but she can't handle someone yelling without getting scared and starting to cry like the little crybaby she is. We're in high school now, suck it up! No one cares about your emotions or you!" Hearing that made Sonata start to cry, although she didn't want to cry in front of Dawnshine, she couldn't help as tears fell. Aria turned and saw as Adagio patted Sonata on the back trying to make the crying girl feel better. She then turn and glared at Dawnshine who was finally pointing at her. "And you! The girl with the most ferocious attitude I've ever met. With anger issues like that, I'm surprised you have the number of friends that you do. No boy is ever going to like a girl with such a fierce temper. See so you're no special than any of us, you're not special, none of you!" After all of that, hearing Dawnshine talk so disrespectfully and rude... Aria was shaking in anger. She wasn't going to let her get away anymore, she got away with making her drop her things, and making them lose the game last night, but now. She had gone too far, Dawnshine could say all the things she wanted to about Aria, but not about her sisters like that. The smirk on Dawnshine's face wasn't making things any better, so when Dawnshine raised her arm as if to strike, Aria made her move her eyes shining green for a split second. Dawnshine had thought that she was going to get into Aria's head and when she was dealing with what Dawnshine had said, she would strike and get the edge over Aria, but that didn't happen. The exact opposite happened actually, as before Dawnshine knew it, she was on the ground and Aria started throwing fists at her. Dawnshine, however, wasn't going to let Aria get the best of her and started putting up a fight of her own to not look weak. Once the fight began Adagio and Sonata knew that they were going to have to do whatever they could to stop it. Sonata ran from behind and tried pulling Aria off of Dawnshine, but Aria wasn't going to let go so easily. Meanwhile, Adagio was trying to get in between the two girls to try and pry them off of each other but things were harder than they seemed. "Come on you two, no fighting! Let's just talk things out and maybe not beat each other up!" Adagio let out a scream as she was almost punched by Aria's fist as it then made contact with Dawnshine's eye as Dawnshine then punched Aria in the stomach. "C'mon, Aria! Let... go!" Sonata who was trying to pull Aria off of Dawnshine was showing to be more of a problem than she thought. Aria was stubborn and wasn't backing down from Dawnshine anytime soon. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" The four girls stopped what they were doing and turned around to see Luna staring at the four girls with an angry expression. "Come with me to my office, now!" Not wanting to anger Luna anymore, the four girls got up and started walking along with Luna to the front office. As they were walking Aria looked over at Dawnshine whose eye was starting to swell up from the punch it had received. The four girls made it to the office and Luna opened it making the girls walk in. When they got into the office they saw Celestia on her computer typing, but she soon immediately stopped when she heard the door open. When she looked up she was surprised to see the Dazzlings and another girl in her office. "Girls?" The three girls gulped as they took their seats. In front of them wasn't their aunt, it was the principal, and she looked mad. //-------------------------------------------------------// 11. Not So Dazzling Detention //-------------------------------------------------------// 11. Not So Dazzling Detention It didn't come as a surprise when Celestia, their own aunt gave them after-school detention. Not that they were surprised, they had gotten into a fight after all, how could they not get away with fighting someone? So now here they were walking with Luna toward the after-school detention along with Dawnshine. The Dazzlings hated it, they hated the fact that they were given detention and it didn't make things better that Rainbow had told the four girls that they were not to play in the next three games and it was safe to say, the Dazzlings were feeling all types of emotions. Adagio was mad, mad that she had gotten in trouble when she was trying to stop her sister from fighting Dawnshine. Sonata was sad, so sad that she felt that she was about to cry. She wasn't even in the fight, she was there trying to push Aria off of Dawnshine, but no, since she was there, she got in trouble. And with Celestia telling them that they were going to contact their mom, Sonata could only hope that Sunset wasn't too mad and would let Sonata be able to speak as to what happened. As for Aria, she didn't really care what was happening to her. Sure, it sucked that she couldn't play in the next three games and that it sucked that Sunset was going to hear about what she did, but she didn't care. Dawnshine deserved what she got and Aria was proud of what she did. Hearing Dawnshine talk all that talk that she did put only to be put to the ground by her, yeah she didn't care. Seeing that black eye on her face made Aria only more happier. Dawnshine could only continue walking forward with no emotions, she was furious that she had gotten beat by Aria, she had been cocky, but the next time it wouldn't be the same. The four girls made their way into the detention room and found their spots to sit. They were to be far away from each other so each one took a seat in each of the four corners of the room. Sonata is in the front left, Adagio is in the front right, Aria is in the back left, and Dawnshine is in the back right. Luna, who was to watch over the four of them, sat down at the teacher's desk and took out her Chromebook to work on some work she had to get done. The girls watched as Luna messed with her watch, most likely starting the timer for their detention. They had one hour's worth of detention and it seemed like it had just begun. So, now they had one hour to kill until their detention would be over, but even though it was an hour, it was going to be a lot longer than they thought. Not wanting to just sit around and do nothing, the four girls started taking out their homework and decided to get to work. Adagio had been working on her homework for who knew how long. She had gotten a good chunk of her homework done but her hand was starting to get tired from all of the writing she had done. Her English teacher had wanted them to write a paragraph on a book they had been reading, and after writing that big paragraph her hand was tired. Along with the History and Science homework she had done, it was tiring out of her hand. She was thankful that she only had Math left to do but... she still couldn't help but be angry with what had happened. She sighed as she looked down at the desk she was sitting in. 'I don't want to blame Aria for what this, but at the same time, we're in detention partially because of her fault.' Adagio looked over at Aria who was working on some of her homework. Adagio then turned her head over to Dawnshine who too was working on her homework. 'But... I can understand why Aria did what she did. Dawnshine was making it hard for her not to, and I know how easy it is for Aria to get mad. First Dawnshine made Aria drop her things and didn't apologize, then she ran into Aria making us lose the game all because she wanted the ball and finally she thought it was a good idea to bad mouth her to her face. Of course, Aria would get mad, who wouldn't?' Adagio looked at Dawnshine one more time before turning her head and moving on to her Math homework. 'Why do you hate us so much, Dawnshine? What have we done for you to hate us as much as you do?' Sonata was working on her Math homework, and like always she was having trouble with it. 'I still don't understand why we have to learn about math and all these dumb equations we most likely won't use in the future.' Sonata decided to save her Math homework for later when her sisters could help her and put it away. Now that she was done with all of her homework she decided to get some shut eye and close her eyes. However, since she wasn't in her comfortable bed, she wasn't able to fall asleep, so she decided to do the next best thing, close her eyes and just think. As much as Sonata wanted to think about fun things like unicorns and tacos, but she couldn't, all she could think about was everything that happened between Aria and Dawnshine. 'Things are getting out of hand with those two. Those two have been at each other's necks ever since Dawnshine first bumped into Aria on the first day of school. I just wish those two would make up and be friends...' Sonata could only hope that would happen. Aria and Dawnshine were mostly doing the same thing. They were both working on homework but as they were doing that they couldn't help but think of the fight. It was their first year here at high school and they had already gotten into a fight, but at the same time, they didn't care that it happened. Dawnshine didn't like Aria or any of the Dazzlings, and Aria didn't like Dawnshine ever since day one. Aria had finished her homework and looked over at Dawnshine and saw that the girl was looking down and working on some homework. 'I don't know why you don't like me or my sisters but I don't care. I've dealt with you already so you better think twice before doing it again. No one talks to me or my sisters like that, I don't know who you think you are, but whoever you think you are, you're not. You're not some queen you're just a student just like everyone else, you're not more special than anyone else.' Aria then glared at Dawnshine and tightened her fist. 'And if you ever try pulling something as you did again... I'll make sure you stay down for good!' Dawnshine had finished her homework for the day and as she looked at the clock to see that detention was almost over, she couldn't help but be glad. Detention sucked and what made it suck even more was that she had gotten her butt whopped by someone she despised. Dawnshine looked over at Aria who was looking out the window with her hand on her chin, most likely thinking about something to waste the time. Dawnshine tightened her fist as she glared at the back of Aria's head. 'This is all your fault! Ever since the beginning, you've made my life nothing but horrible! But... this is my fault, I thought that I could beat you easily and I doubted your strength. You got the better of me because of that, and now I not only have this black eye, I got detention and can't play for the next three games.' Dawnshine looked down at her desk sadly as she sighed. 'Maybe if mom and dad were still here maybe I wouldn't be so-' Just then Luna's watch went off, and the girls all turned their heads to see Luna getting up from her seat. "Detention is over, you are free to leave now." Luna watched as the four girls got up from their seats and walked out of the room, the Dazzlings heading one way and Dawnshine heading another. Luna sighed as she grabbed her things and walked out of the room and back to her office. She hated seeing the Dazzlings get a detention so early in their high school years, and as much as she or Celestia wanted to not give them detention, they deserved it. Sure, Adagio and Sonata didn't deserve detention but they still played a role in the situation. Luna could only hope that the Dazzlings would stay out of trouble and not get into any more fights in their future here at Canterlot. The Dazzlings continued to make their way out of the school, glad that detention was over. And the Dazzlings could all agree that they hoped that it would be the first and last detention they would have. //-------------------------------------------------------// 12. A Motherly Talking To //-------------------------------------------------------// 12. A Motherly Talking To When the girls entered their mom's car, they knew something was up. The whole drive from the school and back home was silent, as much as the girls wanted to break the silence, they couldn't. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, all knew what was up, Sunset was mad. They had learned throughout their years of being alive that whenever Sunset was upset she would stay quiet, silent but deadly as the girls would call it. And now, they couldn't help but be in fear, fear that their mom was going to yell at them, or worse, punish them for getting detention not even a month into the school year. When they got home things weren't any better. Upon arriving home the girls went their own ways and into their rooms to finish whatever activities they had left. The girls had taken their shower and gotten their things ready for bed, but when they smelt the sweet sensation of food hit their nose they couldn't help but come out of their rooms and see what was for dinner. When the girls came down they saw all sorts of food on the table. The Dazzlings quickly rushed to the table and took their seats as they started grabbing the food that they wanted. Sunset sat across from them as she too started grabbing the food she wanted. Tom wasn't there that night as he had to work late, but it was probably best that he wasn't there. The girls watched their mom from across the table, she had an unreadable expression on her face which made the girls nervous even more. But, as much as they wanted to know what was up with their mom, they were hungry and they wanted to eat. "So what is this I hear from Celestia that you three got into a fight with some girl at school?" The girls who hadn't even started eating for five seconds were immediately stopped by their mom's question. Adagio and Aria who had food in their mouths stopped chewing and looked at one another while Sonata on the other hand got a drink of water at the wrong time as she was now starting to choke. Quickly, Adagio patted Sonata on the back trying to help her out which thankfully helped. The Dazzlings then looked back at their mom as she stared at her three girls. "Well, do you have something to explain to me?" The three girls looked at one another with neither one knowing how to start. Aria and Sonata looked at Adagio, and Adagio looked down as she sighed knowing that she would have to speak. Adagio then looked back up and made eye contact with her mom. "Well, Mom, you see lately there has been this girl causing us some problems at school for quite some time. Her name is Dawnshine and she's caused us nothing but trouble since day one." She looked up at Sunset to see if she was paying attention and Sunset nodded her head to let Adagio know that she could continue. "On our first day of school she purposely pushed Aria making her drop her things, then last night she pushed Aria in our match making us lose, and then today she started saying all sorts of terrible things about us, and well..." Adagio looked over at Aria, she hated that she had to do this to her sister but their mom needed to know the truth. "You know how Aria can be, she wasn't going to let Dawnshine get away with everything she's done and said." Sunset sighed and looked at Aria who flinched from her mom's glare. However, she was lucky as Sunset there turned her attention to Adagio and Sonata who both flinched. "So then if Aria got into a fight with Dawnshine, and if you know how she can be what were you two doing? I don't understand how you two got in trouble if your sister was the one who got into a fight, answer me that. Adagio, you're smarter than that, and Sonata, out of all people I would less expect you of all people to get into trouble like that." Sonata was fiddling with her fingers, she was scared, her mom was mad and with one wrong move, both she and her sisters could be in massive trouble. She looked up when she saw that Adagio was about to speak again. "Well, you see Mom-" Adagio was about to start speaking again, but she was suddenly cut off by a voice she would've never guessed. "If it's okay with you, Adagio, I would like to tell Mom what happened." Sonata looked at Adagio and Adagio nodded her head letting Sonata know that she could speak. Sonata then turned to Sunset who let go of her glare and just looked at Sonata with full attention. Sunset gave Sonata a smile, she knew that Sonata was easy to scare and she didn't want Sonata to feel scared telling Sunset. The smile seemed to help as Sonata smiled back at her. "So tell me Sonata, why is it that you and Adagio got detention?" Sonata took a deep breath and began. "It's true that Aria was the one who fought with Dawnshine, and I promise that I and Adagio didn't get involved like with Gabby, but we did try stopping Aria. Adagio got in the middle of Dawnshine and Aria and was trying to speak some sense into the two of them but they didn't listen and they continued fighting with one another until Luna came. As for me, I was trying to pull Aria off of Dawnshine but Aria's stronger than me and when she gets mad, she loses control of herself. So while I was trying to help get Aria off of Dawnshine I couldn't and then Luna found us and took us to Auntie Celestia's office and that's when she gave us detention for fighting. She didn't say why me and Adagio got detention but if I had to guess it was because we were at the scene, they didn't really let us tell our story. Just that Aria and Dawnshine got into a fight because Dawnshine wanted to be a meanie and Aria hit her first." Sunset nodded her head, out of all the girls she knew she could rely on Sonata the best. Mostly because Sonata sucked when it came to lying and she couldn't hide something for long. She had learned that the hard way when she needed the Dazzling's help to surprise Tom with a gift and Sonata accidentally told Tom about the surprise. Now although Celestia putting them all in detention was confusing to Sunset, she knew that this would be a good learning opportunity for the three of them. "Thank you for telling me that, Sonata. Now I'm sorry that you and Adagio got detention even though you were only trying to help, but sometimes trying to help isn't the best thing to do. Yes, helping others is always the right thing to do but if something like this ever happens again, run and go find a teacher or Celestia." Sonata and Adagio nodded their heads, happy that their mom wasn't mad at them. Sunset smiled at the two of them, she was glad that they wanted to help but since they were at the sight of the fight they had unfortunately gotten in trouble. Sunset then turned and glared at Aria who had been eating but then stopped when her eyes made contact with her moms. "And you. Tell me why you thought it was a good idea to get into a fight with that girl? Aria, I know you have a bit of an anger issue but you really need to get a grip on your emotions, you need to think of what your actions might cause you." Sunset then sighed. "But, I want to hear your side before I decide to do something." Aria sighed and looked at her mom. "Look, Mom, I'm sorry for fighting, ok? But she pushed my hand! First, she makes me drop my stuff and doesn't even apologize and then she starts talking about how she doesn't want us to become popular in high school because we're already popular enough since we won the Team Tournament. Then, last night she ran into me making me miss my shot and making us lose the game. And then when I went to go talk to her about why she did that, she started saying it was all my fault that things happened. Then she had the audacity to start bad-mouthing the three of us saying how Adagio was a bad leader and a bad big sister, Sonata was a crybaby and she shouldn't have been the leader of our team in the Team Tournament, and then she started saying that I have anger issues and that I would never have friends or a boyfriend because of it! I'm not going to let her talk about us like that and not do something! And she was the one who raised her fist first, she was going to punch me so I used self-defense, something that you told us to use if someone tried fighting us." Sunset sighed, she knew how Aria was but doing what she did wasn't the way to handle things, especially not in the future. "Aria, I understand that you don't like it when someone talks badly about you or your sisters. But fighting them isn't the answer, I told you girls before the school year that if someone was giving you girls a hard time to go to a teacher or to Auntie Celestia, not fight them and go to Celestia because you got in trouble." Sunset watched as Aria put her head down sadly. "For future reference, please don't fight someone if this sort of thing happens again." Aria nodded her head which made Sunset smile. "Well, I'm glad that you learned from your mistakes." Sunset's smile then went away as she then frowned at Aria. "However, that doesn't mean you're getting away so easily with what you did. Dawnshine might have raised her fist first but you were the one who hit her first. So you're going to be grounded for a week." Aria frowned, she didn't like the fact that she got grounded but she knew what she had done was wrong. Now was she sorry for what she did to Dawnshine, no. But she wasn't going to tell Sunset that, she had been grounded for a week and she didn't want to be grounded for an even longer period of time. "Alright, that's fine." Aria grumpily continued to eat her food along with Adagio and Sonata. Adagio and Sonata couldn't help but feel bad for their sister, but it was her fault. If she didn't want to get grounded she shouldn't have gotten into a fight with Dawnshine. But being the sister that she was, Sonata didn't want Aria to suffer by herself. Although she hadn't been involved in the fight, she felt as though she could've done more to help and stop the fight. "It's okay Aria, I'll join you. I'll be grounded for a week as well." Sunset was shocked but then smiled seeing Sonata's big smile. Of course, Sonata would do something like that, that was just how she was. 'You have such a big heart Sonata, you put others before yourself and I couldn't be more proud of you and everything you've done. Never change Sonata, never change.' Aria and Adagio looked at Sonata in surprise, she was actually wanting to be grounded to make Aria feel better. Adagio couldn't help but laugh and smile at her sister. "Well, I can't just have you two being in trouble and I'm the only one who isn't. I'll feel bad seeing you guys grounded while I can do whatever I want. So, I'll be grounded as well with you two." Aria and Sonata looked at Adagio and smiled. It seems as though the girls would still be together as they were all going to be grounded for a week with one another. Sunset smiled seeing her three girls, even though they had gotten older they were still as close as they had been since the Team Tournament. If anything the three of them had gotten even closer since then, and now they were even sharing their punishments. It was like it was the other day when Tom had come to her and Celestia's house and gave her the baby Dazzlings to take care of them and give them their second chance at life. Those three girls would then grow up and become the girls they were now as they were now in high school. The girls had done so much in their second life and Sunset couldn't be more glad for them. She only hoped that they would continue doing amazing things in their lives and have the second chance in their life that Tom wanted them to have. //-------------------------------------------------------// 13. Heading To The Playoffs //-------------------------------------------------------// 13. Heading To The Playoffs It had been a tough season for the Dazzlings but they were finally here, their last game of the regular season. Throughout the whole season, Canterlot had been nothing but amazing, and it was all thanks to the girls. All the girls had shown nothing but amazing teamwork and tenacity, along with Coach Rainbow they were one of the hottest teams around. There were able to go 16-4 in their regular season at that moment and with only one match left in the season, it could very well be make or break for them to make the playoffs. There were only a few spots left available in the playoffs and even though their record was pretty good for the most part, they had still yet to earn their spot in the playoffs. So now, they could only hope that with a win tonight they would get their spot in the playoffs. The practice was silent for most of the day as all the girls were getting some last-second practice in. They needed to win, they wanted to win, just so they could get to the playoffs. They all wanted to finish their season with a win, and that was exactly what they were going to do. The Dazzlings ran around kicking the ball to one another, they didn't say a word but they knew, the silence was enough for them. They knew how the other was feeling, and what they were thinking, because they were all feeling and thinking the same thing, they could only hope that tonight went well. The night had come faster than any of the girls could imagine. They didn't even remember what had happened but before they knew it the game had started and their final game of the season was underway. It had been a tough battle so far, and the game wasn't even over yet. There were still ten minutes left in the game and neither team was able to get the edge over the other. The game was tied with one point each, with neither team able to score that next point that they needed to be in the lead. The opposite team had called for a timeout and Rainbow was using that moment to help her girls rest. They were all tired, they had been running around doing the best that they could, and because of that, they were exhausted. But all they had to do was push, push themselves to last just ten more minutes, and somehow manage to get another point, and it would all be over. Now, to some, it may sound easy but for the girls, it was going to be a struggle. Sure, they had the stamina to continue but with the opponent's team having one of the best defenses in the country, it was going to be a problem. But Canterlot having the home-field advantage and hearing their school cheer them on pushed them to continue on no matter how tired they were or how sore their legs felt. With the timeout being over the girls went back onto the field to finish this game and to win! So, once the whistle blew they took off. The opponent team had the ball and the girls needed a stop and fast if they wanted to have enough time to get the ball and run down the field and score a goal in time. So with their team of Frizzle, Joy, Gabby, Adagio, Aria, Arza, Sonata, Phoebe, Adagio, and Dawnshine, they were doing everything in their power to make sure the opposite team didn't score. Each one of them guarded their person, making it difficult for the other team to get even near their area, and just in case, Sonata made sure to keep her eye on the ball to make sure it didn't go in. Not seeing an opening, one of the members of the opponent team decided to go for it all and kick the ball hoping for a miracle. Everyone watched in anticipation to see if the ball would go in or not, but Sonata wasn't having any of it as she caught the ball and then kicked the ball high into the air. Once Sonata kicked it she quickly checked the timer, they only had less than three minutes to get a score, but Sonata had hope, she believed that her teammates could get the point they needed with the time that they had left. Seeing that the ball was coming her way Aria headbutted it and then started running up the field kicking the ball along with her. She knew that there wasn't much time left so she was using all the energy she had left in her to get to the goal. Aria looked and saw Adagio and her other teammates running across the field to help her out. She had gotten as far as she could but now she was getting double-teamed stopping her from moving any further ahead. "ARIA!" Aria looked over to see Adagio who was wide open waving her arms in the air. Aria nodded and then got some distance between her and the two girls defending her and kicked the ball over to Adagio. Adagio caught the ball and smiled, now that she was wide open she was about to make some ground as she was getting closer and closer to the goal. From the corner of her eye, she saw Dawnshine running over to her, bringing over the person who was guarding her as well! Adagio's eyes widened, she wasn't dumb, she knew what Dawnshine was trying to do. 'Sabotage. Of course, she's still upset with what happened last month, why wouldn't she?' Not having much time, Adagio had to think fast, she quickly looked over and saw Frizzle open with Aria coming up fast. Not wanting Dawnshine to ruin things she quickly kicked the ball over to Frizzle. Frizzle who had seen Aria coming, headbutted the ball over to Aria. Aria saw this and smiled as she jumped and then kicked the ball with all her might. The ball rocketed and slammed into the net of the goal. Aria couldn't help but smile as her teammates ran up to her cheering, they had done it. With only a few seconds left on the clock, the game was all but over, but until the timer was done, the game wasn't over. However, thanks to the girls now more motivated than ever, they were able to stop the opposite team from getting near the goal and once the sound of the ending buzzer, the girls could finally let out a deep breath that they had been holding. They had done it, they had won! The girls came together and cheered with one another as the crowd roared for them, Canterlot had finished with the best record they had ever had since Rainbow and her team. Rainbow couldn't help but smile, 17-4, now although the record could've been better, the fact that all these girls were able to do in just their Freshman year, was impressive enough, and Rainbow couldn't have been more happy for them. The girls were back in the locker room changing out of their uniforms and back into their normal clothes. As they were getting changed Rainbow walked in with a piece of paper. The girl looked at Rainbow as she gave the piece of paper to Adagio. Adagio looked at Rainbow and then at her two sisters, she then slowly looked at the piece of paper. After she finished reading it she looked at Rainbow with a shocked expression which Rainbow gave a smile too and a nod. Adagio then turned to the rest of her teammates with a smile on her face as she held the piece of paper Rainbow gave her high in the air waving it. "We made the playoffs!" Hearing their team captain make the announcement the girls cheered, after all their hard work, after such a hard-felt regular season, they had done it. They had made the playoffs! Rainbow watched as the girls celebrated with each other, this year had been a great one, but the job still wasn't over, and their first step was with the playoffs and then they still had a championship to win! //-------------------------------------------------------// 14. A Dazzling Homecoming //-------------------------------------------------------// 14. A Dazzling Homecoming It was the next day and the Dazzlings were at soccer practice, they and their teammates were practicing their hearts out. For the first time in years, Canterlot had made the playoffs and team Canterlot didn't want to just make the playoffs and then lose in the first round. As the girls were training Rainbow blew her whistle making the girls stop their training and head over to her. "Good work, girls. You've worked real hard all day and you're showing lots of potential to be a contender to win the championship this year!" The girls smiled upon hearing this from their coach. "Now tomorrow is Homecoming and as a way of saying a good job for such an amazing season, I've decided to give you girls the day off tomorrow. Go enjoy your first-ever Homecoming, you're Freshman so it's good for you guys to have some fun. No practice tomorrow, tomorrow night is all about having a complete blast at Homecoming, and that's an order!" Rainbow's smile made the girls smile as well. They had been looking forward to Homecoming since it was announced and they had hoped that Rainbow would give them the day off and thankfully she did, which made the girls happy. They had all worked so hard through the whole season and they even made the playoffs! Even though they never told Rainbow, all the girls had to admit they felt as though they deserved a break for everything they had done. "Yes, Coach!" The girls cheered. Tomorrow night would be a night for them to have fun and out of all of them, the Dazzlings were the most excited. They were going to have a blast at Homecoming and they couldn't wait! It was the night of Homecoming and the girls were all ready for the event. The girls had just finished doing their hair and makeup thanks to Sunset and they had gotten their dresses made thanks to Rarity. Adagio wore a nicely made purple dress with a diamond shape pattern that went around it. Sonata wore a beautiful pink dress that had little stars on it. And as for Aria she just wore a regular sleeveless grass green dress. They were excited the whole drive from their house to the school, and once they got to the school they got even more excited. The school had been decorated for the event, courtesy of Pinkie Pie, the party master. The Dazzlings excited their mom's car and walked into the school and to the gym where the festivities were being held. When the girls entered the gym they couldn't believe what they were seeing. The whole gym had been decked out with decorations, tables with food and drinks, a big disco ball that lit up the room, and a stage where music was playing by, surprisingly the Rainbooms. The Dazzlings smiled at one another knowing that tonight would be a night to remember as they then went their own ways to enjoy the night. Aria had decided to make her way to the dance floor, she was wanting to show off her dance moves. As she made her way to the dance floor, she had seen Dawnshine from afar in her red dress. Aria could only hope that there wouldn't be any problems with her tonight, she wanted to have a good time at Homecoming and not worry about Dawnshine. Once Aria found a spot on the dance floor she started getting down and start dancing to her content. However, she had only danced for a while until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Bael in his nice black suit with a smile on his face. "Bael! It's so good seeing you!" Aria smiled as the two of them smiled. Bael smiled himself as he hugged Aria back. "It's good seeing you too, I see that you're dancing, care to have a partner?" Aria looked at Bael in surprise as he put out his hand. Aria slightly blushed as she took his hand. "I'll gladly have this dance with you." The two then began to dance, Aria's hands around Bael's neck and Bael's hands near Aria's waist. The two of them started happily dancing with one another enjoying the music and being in each other's presence. Dawnshine who was near one of the food tables watched from across the room as she glared at Aria and Bael dancing with one another. "So she somehow was able to find someone to dance with. I wonder how much money she had to give the poor guy to dance with her. But then again he isn't much himself so I'm not surprised two idiots are dancing with one another." Dawnshine laughed to herself as she took a sip of her drink. She couldn't wait to see Bael leave Aria all by herself with no one to dance with. Sonata, who was nearby as she wanted to see what kinds of food they had, heard what Dawnshine had said. As Sonata ate one of the many cupcakes she had, she could only sigh at Dawnshine. 'Why is it that you hate me and my sisters, Dawnshine? Why can't we all just be friends? We already had something like this happen before, and I never wanted it to happen again, but now things are happening all over again just like with Gabby...' Sonata sadly looked down at the ground, not even wanting to finish her cupcake. "What's got you so blue?" Sonata turned around and immediately smiled when she saw who it was. "Arctic!" Sonata rushed over and hugged him making the poor boy lose his breath for a second. "It's been so long, I'm so glad to see you again." Sonata then thought about what he had said. "Wait, blue? That's the color of my skin?" Arctic couldn't help but laugh and roll his eyes at Sonata's comment. "Never change Sonata." Sonata was confused by that but smiled nonetheless. "I'm sorry we haven't been able to talk for so long. I've been so busy with school since the very start, being a junior is pretty tough, I still can't believe that I'm halfway done with high school." Even though Sonata had tried to pay attention, she couldn't help but look at Arctic and see how cute he was in his blue tuxedo. Sonata blushed but then snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm sorry to hear that. It's just a shame, we use to have so much fun back when you use to be our trainer for our Beyblade adventures. And, we would be lying if we said that we didn't miss your presence." Arctic smiled at Sonata. "Yeah, I promise whenever I get a break I'll be glad to hang out with you and your sisters again." Sonata smiled and nodded her head, that was all that she wanted to hear. "But now that we're here, why don't we hang out right now." Arctic then looked at the dance floor and then back at Sonata. "Care to have a dance?" Arctic put his hand out as he gave Sonata a to-die-for smile. Sonata's face flushed bright red as she smiled and nodded as she then took Arctic's hand, as he walked Sonata over to the dance floor. The two then started dancing happily to the music. Sonata listened to the music, she remembered the song, it was a song that she had heard Sunset and her friends sing one time. Shine Like Rainbows, was one of Sonata's favorite songs when she was younger. She remembered whenever she was sad or down, Sunset would start singing the song and it would immediately make Sonata feel better. Hearing that song along with dancing with Arctic, it was a magical moment for her as she got closer to Arctic putting her head on his chest. She smelt his nice cologne as she embraced the whole situation, she had a bright smile, even though the night was young she knew it was going to be a night that she would never forget. Adagio happily watched as her other two sisters danced with the people they liked. Being that they were sisters they told each other everything and with Adagio being the oldest she knew who and what her sisters liked. Seeing their sisters so happy dancing with Bael and Arctic made Adagio happy. She had been talking with some of their friends, as she had seen all of them at Homecoming. She had run into Dean, Derek, and Leon who all wore nice black tuxedos. They talked for a while until they went over to the food table because they were hungry, which made her laugh seeing them rush over to the table fighting with one another to see who could get there first almost making the other guys fall. Adagio had then walked over to the girls to talk with them and it was fun talking with them all, just girls talking about all the drama and boys they liked. Joy, Frizzle, Phoebe, Gabby, Arza, and Athena all looked amazing in their dresses. They had been talking for the past few minutes until their dates came and brought them over to dance. Phoebe and Leon, Frizzle and Valex, Athena, and Derek, and even Joy and Dean, they all went off and started dancing with one another. All except for Adagio... and now Adagio felt alone. She watched as all her friends were on the dance floor dancing with each other... all but her. Whenever one of her friends or sisters would look over in her direction she would give them a fake smile and wave at them. She sighed as she took a sip of her fruit punch, she wanted to dance with someone too, but she didn't have a date to dance with. But then again neither did her sisters but somehow they had found someone. Adagio decided to look away from the dance floor to stop making herself sad as she looked around the gym to look at everything else and what everyone else besides her friends was doing. As she looked to the left she saw Venus and Dawnshine talking with one another. That immediately made her peak up, what was Dawnshine doing talking to the guy she liked? It wasn't that she was possessive of him, she wasn't like that, it was just that she had never seen Dawnshine talk to Venus before and Venus never brought her up when the two of them would talk. Did they have a class together? Adagio didn't know, but she wasn't going to ask. Adagio was too far away to listen in on their conversation so she could only watch as Dawnshine tried to put her arms around Venus which made her almost stand up. However, Venus took a step back to make sure she didn't do that. Dawnshine then got mad and started saying things that Adagio couldn't hear, but Venus seemed to have enough as he then walked away from her and over to where Adagio was. Venus and Adagio then made eye contact as he smiled and walked over to her and sat down next to her. The two smiled at each other. "Hey, I... uh, saw what happened over there. Everything okay?" Adagio looked over at Venus who just sighed as he ruffled with his hair. "She wanted to dance with me but I wanted to dance with someone else. She then tried forcing herself on me but when I told her no she started throwing a fit so I left." Adagio could only look in surprise, she couldn't believe Dawnshine would do something like that. Adagio then looked over at the dance floor sadly. 'He said he wanted to dance with someone else, so he already has someone in mind.' Venus looked over at Adagio and saw that she was said, he looked and saw that she was looking at the dancing floor. "Yeah... so, I was wondering if you wanted to dance with me?" Adagio looked over at Venus in surprise. She looked at him and couldn't help but smile and blush. "I'd love to dance with you." So, with a pink blush on her cheeks, the two made their way over to the dance floor and started dancing with one another. Dawnshine watched from across the room as Adagio and Venus made their way onto the dance floor and start dancing with one another. Seeing that infuriated Dawnshine as she then crushed her drink cup. 'Why is he dancing with her and not me? Why must those pestering Dazzlings continue to get in the way of everything? They're ruining everything! He was supposed to dance with me and she ruined that!' The Dazzlings happily enjoyed the rest of their night as they danced with the guy they liked. It was a magical way to continue their night as they danced, talked with their friends, and had the best Homecoming they could've ever asked for. Later in the night Celestia and Luna had announced that the Homecoming king and queen were going to be chosen shortly. Everyone went quiet as Celestia and Luna walked up to the stage and took out a piece of paper in an envelope. Celestia looked at the paper and smiled as she then spoke into the mic. "Our Homecoming king and queen this year is... Aria and Arctic!" The crowd cheered as Aria and Arctic happily walked up on stage and took their crowns and had their picture token. Dawnshine stared at Aria with malicious intent. 'She stole my position! I was supposed to be the Homecoming queen, but she ruined everything!' Dawnshine growled as she watched Aria walk over to her sisters as the two of them smiled for her and the three hugged. She couldn't take it anymore and Dawnshine turned around and left the gym. 'There's no reason to be here anymore, it's not like my night was good, to begin with.' Dawnshine then turned and saw as they had already posted Aria's picture on the wall. 'I'll get my revenge, just you watch! You will not be forgiven for what you've done, you and this school will bow to me!' As she left the girls continued having the time of their life. When it came to the end of the night and it Homecoming had come to an end, the Dazzlings couldn't help but be a little sad. The night had been a fun one and they didn't want it to end, but unfortunately, all things had to end. When Sunset came the girls said goodbye to their friends and got into their mom's car. As they told their mom about their night and how amazing it was they couldn't help but all agree. It was a Dazzling Homecoming. //-------------------------------------------------------// 15. Practice Makes Champions //-------------------------------------------------------// 15. Practice Makes Champions It was the next day after homecoming and even though the Dazzlings had a good time, it was time to get back to work. The girls were currently on the soccer field practicing and doing all sorts of exercises that Coach Rainbow was telling them to do. Rainbow was nice enough to give the girls the day off and let them go to homecoming since it was their first one in high school but now that homecoming was over, it was time to practice for the playoffs and they had to make up for some lost time after missing all of yesterday. Rainbow walked around making sure everything was going well. She wanted the girls to be at the best of their game before the big game tomorrow. Rainbow watched as some girls run around as they worked on their stamina and speed, some worked on their passing or kicking, and Sonata who was a full-time goalie worked on blocking the ball as Aria tried kicking the ball inside of the goal. It was a little game the two were playing, but rest assured they were taking it seriously which Rainbow loved. Games like that always pushed out the competitive side of people. Rainbow then walked over to Adagio who was pretending to be in a group huddle, Adagio was a good leader but if they wanted a chance at winning she needed to be a great leader. Rainbow then walked over to Dawnshine who was working all alone kicking a ball to herself acting as if she was playing a real game, Rainbow then saw her then kicked the ball into the goal. Rainbow sighed, Dawnshine had still not learned to interact with her teammates and she hadn't taken Rainbow's advice at all. And the accident between her and the Dazzlings hadn't made things any better. 'Why are you so against working with the others? Why are you so against Sunset's kids? This is a team game.' The Dazzlings were working together, if they wanted to win their match tomorrow they were going to have to be ready for anything. The team they were going up against was a pretty strong team, as it had won a championship two years prior and they continued being a force to go up against. Going up against them in the first match of the playoffs was not ideal for the Dazzlings or for any of the girls. But with Coach Rainbow on their side, they were going to do the best that they could. For all of practice girls could be seen training their hearts out, all wanting to get better and to be at their best for tomorrow. Tomorrow's game would mean a lot to all of them, it'll be the first time Canterlot had made the playoffs in a while and they wanted to hype everyone up with a victory. The practice was coming closer to an end and the girls were sweating, they had worked hard all practice and it was showing. Even Adagio, who would've been disgusted with how much she and everyone else was, Adagio was too tired to say anything about it as she drank her water. But she also couldn't help but feel good, the sweat was showing just how much work she was putting into it. As the girls were drinking some water they heard a whistle come from their coach. The girls got up and made their way to their coach. "Good work girls, you've all worked very hard for the past few days. And now it's time to show how much that practice has paid off! We're going to have our first playoff game in a while, I know that the feelings might be high right now but don't worry. I've been there, whenever I had a big game my stomach would get all fuzzy and it felt like I had butterflies in it. But I stayed strong and confident that I and my team would make sure to do our best and win! The best thing to do is be confident, you've all worked hard and I couldn't be more proud of you all. Tomorrow, let's go out there, as a team." As Rainbow said that she made sure to look at Dawnshine who just rolled her eyes at the word team. "And do our best to have some fun." The Dazzlings looked at each other in surprise, Rainbow didn't say that she wanted them to win? Ever since they had known Rainbow, she was always one who wanted to win things, and having fun was always second, or she would only have fun if she won, she would make it seem she had fun but really, she wasn't. And from what Sunset had told them, she had been like that ever since high school. But now she was saying to just have some fun and not win? The girls couldn't help but smile, after all these years maybe Rainbow did change a bit. Sure, she kept her competitiveness after all these years, but she had learned that winning wasn't everything, and having fun was really what sports were all about. However, the Dazzlings also knew that some people weren't like that, and some kids only played sports to win. "Yes, winning is nice, and don't get me wrong, it would be so awesome if we won tomorrow." All the girls nodded their heads agreeing with Rainbow. "But this is a team sport, and the best thing to do is work together as a team and have fun together. This is what soccer is all about, working together and having some fun with one another as teammates." Rainbow then looked around at all of the twenty girls in front of her. "I'm going to need all of you tomorrow. All twenty of you will be put into the game, and all of you will have some play time tomorrow." All the girls cheered at that, and Rainbow couldn't help but smile. "Now let's go out there and show everyone who we are! Now who are we!" Rainbow yelled with her fist high in the air. "WONDERCOLTS!!" All the girls yelled with their fist high in the air. Rainbow smiled. "NOW, LET'S SHOW THE WORLD WHO WE ARE TOMORROW!!" "YEAHHHHH!" Everyone yelled in unison as they all had their fist in the air with smiles on everyone's faces. The Dazzlings looked at one another and smiled, they were ready! Tomorrow was a big day for not only them but for all of their teammates. Tomorrow would be the day that they showed everyone that Canterlot wasn't just a school that just played soccer because they wanted to, they were going to show them that they always played to win championships! And with them, their teammates, and their coach, they were going to do whatever it took to win tomorrow! Dawnshine who although cheered with her team didn't mean it. She stared at the Dazzlings as they smiled with one another, as they and everyone else were looking forward to tomorrow's game. But as for Dawnshine, sure she wanted the team to win, but at the same time, she didn't. She scoffed as she looked away from the Dazzlings, it was clear to say that she hated them. From the fight and even before when they had won the Team Tournament, she wanted nothing more for the three of them to disappear. 'If we win those three are going to be the stars again, like always.' Of course, Dawnshine was referring to the Dazzlings. Dawnshine tightened her fist as she started glaring at the Dazzlings. 'I'm going to make sure you three never shine ever again!' //-------------------------------------------------------// 16. Life Gives And Life Steals //-------------------------------------------------------// 16. Life Gives And Life Steals Putting on their uniforms, the Dazzlings and the rest of their team were ready. They had managed to get a spot in the playoffs and they were going to win. Rainbow had already given the team a team speech and they had gone over the gameplan one last time. All the girls were ready, after years of not being in the playoffs, and years of not winning a championship, today was the day that all of that changed. Today was the day that the girls changed that and won a playoff game after years of nothing. Before they knew it the doors opened and it was time to head out. So one by one the girls got up and walked out of the locker room and toward the soccer field where their long-awaited match would take place. "Facing them in the third match of the Quarter-Finals is a team that hasn't made the playoffs in years but with they're back and ready to prove they're in it to win it!" The girls stood in the locker tunnel ready for the announcer to announce their name. As the announcer spoke the girls prepared themselves, they were about to enter the most important game of their life, and if they wanted to advance to the second round they had to win. Most of the girls took deep breaths as they tried to calm their nerves, while others hugged and held each other's hands to calm down the stress that was rising in their chests. Rainbow looked down at her plans one last time, if the girls did exactly what they were told, they would win. Rainbow looked over at Dawnshine, if she tried pulling something off like she had previously, they would lose, and Rainbow did not intend for that to happen. Dawnshile looked ahead with a smirk, she had one plan and it was to make sure the Dazzlings didn't shine in this game. She was going to make sure she was the hero of this game and win the game for them all. As for the Dazzlings, they all held each other's hands and smiled, their team was ready, they were ready, and they were going to do whatever it would take to win this match! "Introducing a team that has done a total turnaround in just one year, the Canterlot Wondercolts!" The girls took that as their cue and ran out of the tunnel, screams and cheers could be heard as the girls ran out of the tunnel. The Dazzlings looked around to see the crowd cheering for them, after so long Canterlot was back in the playoffs and it seems that its fans were happy to see them back after such a long time. Hearing the cheers and screams only fueled the Dazzlings along with the rest of the girls to do their best to win this game, not for themselves, but for all the fans of Canterlot and the Wondercolts. All the girls walked over to the sidelines where Rainbow stood waiting for them, Rainbow and Adagio made eye contact and they nodded their heads. Adagio got in the middle of the team huddle as the rest of the girls circled around her. Dawnshine bit her tongue, as much as she hated seeing Adagio being the leader, she knew that sooner or later she would have her chance at getting back at her and her sisters so she too circled around Adagio, as much as she hated to do it. Adagio coughed, getting all of her teammates and her Coach's attention. "Today is the day we face our greatest match. Today we fight as a team, with the same goal in mind. To win! We got a school and a bunch of fans to win for as well. There are so many people cheering us on and we're not going to let them down! Let's show everyone that we're here to win this thing! We've been through so much together and we've played with one another for months, all for this very moment! This may not be the championship but pretend that this match is the championship game! Play this game with everything you have! Play with heart, with mind, and as a team! There's no team better than us when it comes to teamwork! Now who are we?!" Looking at one another the girls smiled and looked at Adagio with fierce expressions, each one of them having a fire in their eyes. "WONDERCOLTS!" They then shouted as they threw their hands into the air, together as a team. Rainbow smiled looking at her team of girls, she had a strong feeling that they were going to win. "Alright! I want to start this game off strong, so I want all my starters on the field now!" The starters nodded their heads and went onto the field. Rainbow watched as Adagio and the opponent's team captain walked into the middle of the field for the coin toss. She smiled when Adagio won the coin toss and not wanting their team to start off with the momentum she ordered them to start off with the ball. Rainbow watched as both teams members got into their positions and once the whistle of the referees rang throughout the field, everyone watched and waited as the game began. It had been a long-fought game and it was still yet to be done! Rainbow watched as she looked at the clock, as much as she looked the timer stayed the same. She had called a timeout to let her team be able to catch their breath and have a team huddle for a plan that she hoped would work. Adagio and the rest of the girls slurped the water out of their water bottles, they were exhausted but they had to keep pushing on. The starters had played for the whole game, and even though their bodies were telling them to stop, they wanted to continue hoping that by doing this they would be able to win. The game had been relatively close since the very start of the match. Canterlot struck first blood by scoring the first point with an assisting pass from Adagio to Aria who scored the first point of the game. The second point of the game went to the opponents when one of their defenders was able to take the ball away from Dawnshine who was back to her shenanigans and keeping the ball to herself and not kicking the ball to her teammates. Seeing this angered Rainbow but she had to keep her temper as the Coach. The third point went to the opponents once again when Dawnshine fouled one of the opponent's teammates out of anger and gave the team yet another point due to a mistake of hers. Her teammates and Rainbow hated that they were now losing because of her, and because she kept messing up, Rainbow put her off the field. Dawnshine wasn't happy about this but when she looked up at the timer to see that the game was just ten minutes from being over. She smiled, none of the Dazzlings had been able to shine besides Adagio and Aria's teamwork shot at the beginning but Dawnshine was proud that they hadn't been the stars that everyone thought they were. Dawnshine took a seat on her bench with a smirk, ten minutes and her team would lose, she didn't like that it was going to happen but she would gladly lose if that meant the Dazzlings would lose as well. However, her smile quickly went away as with a team effort of Frizzle, Athena, Phoebe, and Gabby were able to get another goal making the game tied at two all. So now, here the girls were taking a timeout catching their breaths. There were only a few minutes left on the field, and the opposite team had possession of the ball. However, if Canterlot was able to get a stop and run down with the ball before time expired they well very could win the game. And in the worst-case scenario, if the opponents did get another point, Rainbow had full trust that her team would be able to tie the game and force the game into overtime. Rainbow watched as her girls got up from the bench exhausted, but still pushing forward to finish the game and back onto the field where they would finish the last few minutes of the game. And once that whistle blew, the game commenced once again. Canterlot's fans watched as the opponents drove down the field getting through the Wondercolts defense. They watched as one girl kicked the ball over to her friend and her friend shot the ball toward the goal and slammed it in for the extra point. Her teammates cheered her on as Sonata slammed her hand on the ground, she had played all game and she was tired, and that had caused her to be a second too slow to be able to block the ball. However, Sonata's teammates went over here and assured her that it wasn't her fault and that they could still tie the game. But boy were they wrong. Unfortunately for them, the opponent's team's defense was too strong to crack and they were able to run down the clock ending the game for good. Adagio who had tried going for a miracle shot had her kick blocked ultimately ending the game for good. The opponent team cheered and ran around the field happy they won as Canterlot and its fans sighed at the loss, they had made the playoffs just to lose in the first round. The Dazzlings and their teammates hugged each other, although their season was over, they still loved every second of it. It was a shame that they lost but they would be back again one day and then they would win it all. As the team walked off the field and into the locker room, Sonata couldn't help but look back at the field. She couldn't help but feel as though the team had lost, and it was all her fault. Author's Note I apologize for the wait, I've been busy for the past few days but I'm back and I've got the rest of Act 1: Freshman year of the Dazzlings done! //-------------------------------------------------------// 17. Preparation To Success //-------------------------------------------------------// 17. Preparation To Success It had been a long year with many challenges that the Dazzlings overcame. They had gotten through every class and each day and now, they were finally at the finish line. The last week of school was upon the girls, it felt like a century but it was finally here. There had been good days and bad days, happy days with laughter and fun, and other days where there was sweat and tears, but now all the girl's hard work up until that point was about to be put to the test. Anyone who's been to high school would know that the end of the year, especially the last week of school was the most important, why you may ask? One word; Finals. Finals, a test or examination or projects, or whatever fancy word you wanna call it, that's administered at the end of the term. It has a series of questions or exercises evaluating one's skills or knowledge of the curriculum that they had learned throughout the year. However, Finals differed from each class, Math would most likely have a test of however many questions while in P.E. it would be exercises to see if they had gotten more fit, while in Theater it was to put on a performance and to see if their acting skills got better. The Final, just as the name states, is the final test that teachers give their students. Now to some that may sound amazing, just one more test and that would be it for the year, wrong. Since the Finals are, well, the Finals, it's worth more than regular tests. So just failing the test was a big no, if anything it meant to do your best and to study. Finals are worth a lot of points, so if you mess up or even worse, fail, you're sure to see a drop in your grade. But if you pass and do good, it might just help your grade and boost you to the grade you want. So, here the Dazzlings were on a Sunday afternoon on the kitchen table going over some notes and studying with one another. Sunset smiled watching the scene, the three girls were focused on writing and going over some notes. Their teachers had given them study guides to go over the weekend, and thankfully, their teachers were nice enough to let them use their notes during the tests, so any notes would be substantial if they wanted to do good on the tests. The worst part was that this was no longer Elementary, so instead of having one class where they would have one test, they now had six classes which meant they had to study and take notes for six classes! Math, Science, History, English, P.E, and Spanish. Six classes that all had to be studied for. Each class was different and each class had to be taken care of, so the Dazzlings did the smart thing and worked together to study. The good thing for the girls was that each one of them was good at one thing and bad at another. For Sonata, she was terrible at Math without some help from her sisters but she was a professional when it came to Spanish and History. For Aria, she was mostly average at everything, she didn't have anything she was really bad at but nothing that she was incredible in. She had kept up a solid 3.5 GPA and she was proud of it. Adagio, on the other hand, was good at everything, except for P.E. Now, she still had an A in the class, she did all the workouts as much as she hated it. She had argued with Aria earlier in the year, saying that she could do soccer workouts but not P.E. Adagio's response; she liked soccer and wanted to play while P.E she didn't see the need to do it if she was already playing a sport and why it was a class they had to accomplish. But the thing that worried her the most was that the Final in P.E. was a mile run, something she was not looking forward to, but hopefully with all her soccer practice she would do just fine and be able to not only get a good time but also a good grade. Aria was currently writing down some notes for Science when she looked over to Adagio who was working on her English study guide which she was quickly getting through without difficulty. She then looked over to Sonata who was working on her History study guide. Aria was impressed to see that Sonata was speeding through her study guides with ease, however, she saw that Sonata had yet to do her Math study guide, which didn't surprise Aria at all. Aria knew that Sonata was waiting so that her sisters could help her, and she wasn't upset, she was glad to help Sonata. Snapping out of her thoughts, Aria looked back down at the Science notes and all the papers she had surrounding her area and she sighed. She still had a lot more notes to take and it didn't seem like she was going to be done anytime soon, so without wasting any more time, she went back to taking her notes for the Finals. Adagio was happily working on her English study guide which wasn't a problem to her. Heck, none of the study guides were hard for her. Sure doing them and taking notes was a bunch of time to do, but she was getting them done pretty fast. And with Aria and Sonata yet to ask her any questions, she was able to get her work done. She quickly took her eyes away from her work to look at her sisters to see how they were doing. She noticed that Aria had just finished her Science study guide and was now working on her Spanish study guide, while Sonata was just about done with her History study guide and about to move on to her last study guide, Math. Adagio sighed but smiled, she knew that it was a matter of time before Sonata asked her and Aria for help with her Math study guide. But Adagio didn't mind, she liked helping Sonata and showing her the way to solve the equation. Since she was the oldest of the three it was her responsibility to help her younger siblings with the problems they had. Wanting to get as much done as she could before Sonata needed her help, Adagio went back to working on her study guide. Sonata had finally finished her study guide for History and was now moving over to her Math study guide, something she was dreading to do. She was hoping that Adagio and Aria would be done with their study guides so that they could help her but when she looked up she saw that they were both still hard at work. Sonata sighed and then looked down at her study guide, she wouldn't be able to get help from Adagio or Aria during the test so it was best that she at least try to get as much done as she could. Looking at the math equations on her paper Sonata gave a small smile, reading some of the equations she immediately knew what to do and how to solve them. As she began writing down the math to show her work Sonata was quickly realizing that she knew way more than she first thought. Before she knew it she was halfway done and seeing that she made her smile. It was thanks to her sisters that she had learned how to solve the math and now she was starting to click with it. Adagio and Aria looked up from their work and to their sister. They had expected to hear their sister ask for help by now but when they looked up to see Sonata smiling and working on her study guide without a problem they smiled. Both girls were happy for Sonata, it seemed she was finally understanding the math. Adagio and Aria could only hope that Sonata would be alright with the Finals but they had hope for Sonata, she had gotten through some difficult situations before and they were certain she could get through this one as well. As the day was coming to an end the Dazzlings wrapped up their studying and got everything ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow would be a big day for all of them. The start of Finals week. //-------------------------------------------------------// 18. Finals On The Horizon //-------------------------------------------------------// 18. Finals On The Horizon Sighing, the Dazzlings sat on the living room couch completely exhausted from the week they had just gone through. It was a Thursday afternoon and after four rough days of Finals testing, Finals were ironically over. After six Finals, it was over. From doing Math, Science, History, English, Spanish, and P.E., they had finished them all and now they could only hope that they had done well with all the studying all hard work they had put in. However, they were too tired to think about that as the three girls walked up to their rooms and into their comfy beds. Once their heads hit their pillows all the Dazzlings soon went into a deep slumber. When the girls arrived at school on Monday they immediately went to their first period. Each of the girl's schedules were different so they all had their Finals on different days. On day one the Dazzlings were lucky and they didn't have any tests on Monday, however, Monday was used as a day for everyone for a day to study for Finals that would take place the next three days. The Dazzlings had come across Arctic who had asked them for help as he needed a partner for his project, and with Adagio and Aria knowing about Sonata's little, or should they say, big crush on Arctic, pushed her into being his partner. Day one was a good day for all of them as they got a bit more studying in before Finals would officially happen tomorrow. They were glad they had more time to study, especially since it was with one another. The girls were accompanied by Arctic Ace who was a big help in helping them study for their Finals. Even though the Dazzlings said they didn't need his help Arctic had told him that he wanted to help Freshmen who needed help with studying and Finals, so they let him help them since he had two years of experience. Day two was the day that Finals began, and the Dazzlings to say the least were scared. For the next three days, they would be having two Finals each which they were fine with as it gave them time to study for their other Finals. Tuesday, Aria had Science and English, Adagio had Science and History, and Sonata had English and Spanish. And thankfully the first of Finals had gone fairly for the Dazzlings. Adagio and Aria had Science together and their teacher had allowed them to choose partners for the Final project. Aria learning from her past mistakes took her time and helped Adagio which led to, thankfully no explosions and a pretty good finished project if they said so themselves. The two smiled and high-fived they were certain they were going to get a good grade on their project. Later on, Aria had English which went alright, there was a lot to go over and she did get stuck on a bit of problems but more the most part she felt as though she did well. Adagio had History and she blew through the test without a problem, she did feel a bit embarrassed that she was the first one to finish but that just meant she had extra time to study. Sonata, meanwhile, had thankfully gotten through both her English and Spanish tests without difficulty and she was happy about it. She felt confident with all the Finals, except for Math, she was the most worried about that one but thankfully for her, the Math test wasn't until Thursday so she still had time to study. On day three, or Wednesday, the second day of Finals and the Dazzlings were ready. Aria had History and Spanish, Sonata too had History and Science, and Adagio had Spanish and Math. As the three girls went to their classes they hoped that their next few tests will be just as good as yesterday, but they could only hope. Just like with Sonata, Aria had no trouble getting her Finals for History and Spanish. She was even able to get some time to study a bit more for her last two Finals which she was very happy about. For Adagio, she once again had no trouble getting through her Finals in Math and Spanish, sure there were some times she needed to stop and go over an answer again but she had gotten through it without any challenges. She, just like yesterday, was able to finish pretty early and was able to study a bit more for tomorrow. However, the only test she had to study for was English, for P.E. all she had to do was do a bit of exercise and she would be good. She just hoped that she would be able to get through them, not only that but she also had a mile to run and she was not looking forward to that. As much as she hated to admit it, but she was a bit worried about the Final in P.E. but she had to do her best if she wanted to pass. And as for Sonata, just like yesterday, she was able to blast through the Finals for History and Science with ease. But tomorrow was the Math Final and she had to study hard if she wanted to do good. Finally, day four arrived, the last day of Finals, and the day the Dazzlings would finish the rest of their Finals. Aria and Sonata headed to their Math class, something that Sonata was not looking forward to but she had to get it done sometime soon. She was able to escape the Final until now but now it was time to take it, and she could only hope that she could do well on it. As for Adagio, she was going through the same issue as Sonata but for the Final in P.E., she could only hope that she did well on the exercises. She was not looking forward to failing the Final and then having to redo P.E. all over again. It was only Aria who was looking forward to both, she felt confident that she would do good on not only her Math but also her P.E. final. Aria and Sonata had gotten their Math tests and they began. Aria was about halfway done with hers so she decided to crack her neck, not that she wanted to she just wanted to see how Sonata was doing, but she didn't want to be accused of cheating. Everyone had been told what would happen if they cheated, automatic failure, a talk with the principal, and talking with your parent, and nobody wanted that. So as she cracked her neck she looked over and saw that Sonata was happily writing away at the equations. Sometimes she would stop and look at the equation worried but then she seemed to have it figured out and started working on it, and for the problems she wasn't sure about, she skipped them for last. Aria smiled as Sonata saw that she was doing good, but she still had a test of her own to finish so without wasting any more time, Aria got back to work on her Final. Adagio meanwhile, had finished her English test in a matter of minutes, the fastest she finished one of the Finals. However, come sixth period would be the test for P.E. and she was not looking forward to doing it, but she had to, unfortunately. After the girls had a good lunch with their friends one last time before their last Final, they arrived at P.E., gotten their P.E. clothes on, and were ready to start their Final, all expect for Adagio. The teacher had let them know that groups of around six kids would go do one workout while other groups did other workouts. The workouts were simple, a bit of jumping jacks, pushups, situps, and the mile run. Adagio sighed, four workouts and she was not excited to do them, to her it was four too many. The only good thing was that she was put in the same group as her sisters, but that still didn't change the fact that she had to do the workouts. Now Adagio knew that the first three workouts wouldn't be a problem, but the mile run was the one she was most worried about, even though she did a lot of running in soccer, doing a mile was different, mostly because she didn't want to do it. The moment had come, the girls had done all the other workouts and now it was their group's turn to do the mile run. As the girls lined up, Adagio looked around worried. Sonata and Aria looked determined to do their best, along with the rest of her classmates. She slowly got in line and into position before the teacher made the call, she knew that she was able to run fast, she was one of the fastest people at the school, not to brag. But when it came to mile runs she was never a fan of, but now, all she had to do was run four laps. Four laps were all she had to run and it would all be over, the mile would be over, and the Final would be over. Now she had done pretty well on the first three parts, she was able to do the max amount of jumping jacks, and almost all of the pushups but her hands had gotten tired holding her body up, and she could only do a bit more than half of the situps before submitting defeat. And now Adagio was worried, she wasn't sure what she had done already was enough to make her pass, so now she had to do well on the Final. Adagio looked around at the track and sighed before putting on a determined face as she got ready next to Aria and Sonata who both looked at Adagio and then at one another with smiles. Four laps, that's what Adagio kept telling herself, four laps and it would all be over. "Hey, Adagio!" Adagio was snapped out of her thoughts as she looked over at Aria and Sonata who had big smiles. "Race ya?" With that, the teacher blew her whistle and everyone started running with the Dazzlings in the lead with Adagio leading the pack. Sonata and Aria smiled at one another as they raced to catch up to Adagio, however, Adagio was determined to get the mile done as soon as possible as she was racing around the track as fast as Usain Bolt! After the mile was over, with Adagio finishing before everyone else, everyone got some water and then cheered, they had finished their Finals! But now here the girls were sitting on the living room couch exhausted but happy. The Finals were finally over and their work was done for the year. Tomorrow would be a new day, their last day of school and of their Freshman year. //-------------------------------------------------------// 19. Closing Out Freshman Year //-------------------------------------------------------// 19. Closing Out Freshman Year The Dazzlings smiled as they walked into the school, it was their last day of their Freshman year. The last day of school, a day that all kids loved. Just one more day, just a few more hours and they would be out for the summer and not have to come back to school for a few months. As the Dazzlings headed their way to their classes they couldn't help but wonder what they would be doing on the last day of school. When the girls got to their first class they wondered what they would be doing. They had finished all of their finals and their teachers had already let them know that they wouldn't be giving out homework for the rest of the year. And, they knew none of the teachers wanted to be that teacher and give homework on the last day of school or even worse, summer homework. The Dazzlings watched as their teachers walked up to the front of the class with a smile on their faces. "As this is the last day of school, we're free to do whatever you please. We'll be watching a movie for our last class of the year." The Dazzlings smiled as their teachers started up the movie and kids began talking or playing games with their friends. It was currently lunchtime and the girls were just halfway done with their day. So far the first three classes had been nothing but fun and good times. All their classes so far they had been watching movies or hanging out with their first to waste the time, they only hoped that the rest of their three classes would be the same and they would finish off their day with some fun. As they ate with their friends for one last time, Aria couldn't help but stare at Dawnshine. Things hadn't changed between the two of them for the rest of the year but after their little fight earlier, they were told to stay away from each other and if they couldn't do that they would be given detention for a week. Celestia had let them know if they even dared think about getting into another fight they might get expelled. But that didn't mean that Dawnshine and Aria had to be friends, no, the two still hated each other, well, Dawnshine hated all three of them. If they were to walk past each other in the halls the two would stare each other down, but they weren't about to get in trouble again so they stayed their distance. Adagio and Sonata could only sigh at their sister, they knew she hated Dawnshine but it was the last day of school, she could at least take a break for a day. The two could only keep reminding Aria that once the day was over she wouldn't see Dawnshine for a few months, which would make her feel a bit better. The bell then rang signaling the end of lunch, as kids got up and threw away their trash, the girls made their way to their fourth period. Sixth period, the last period of the day, and the last day of school would be over. The Dazzlings had said goodbye to their previous teachers and classmates, and now, they were one step closer to being finished with their last day of school. They had been known that they would be given a letter in sixth period on whether or not they passed their finals and if they would advance from Freshmen or have to, unfortunately, redo the year. After hearing that, the girls could only hope all that studying they did was enough and that they had passed their finals. During class, the kids cleaned out their lockers for the next class of next year. After they had done that the teacher had come back and started passing out the letters to all the students. Everyone watched as one by one she gave the letters to the kids as they would then hope that they did well before opening up their letter. The Dazzlings watched along with their friends as the teacher slowly but surely walked up to them last and gave the girls their letters. The Dazzlings held the letters in their hands before looking at one another. "Well... let's open these things, shall we?" Aria and Sonata nodded their heads as the three girls ripped open the envelope and started reading their letters. As the girls read their grades they couldn't help but smile. Aria's grades were; Math - B+, Science - A+, History - A+, English - A-, P.E. - A+, and Spanish - A+. Adagio's grades were perfect all A+'s with Science, Math, History, English, Spanish, and P.E. She was a bit surprised that she had an A in P.E. but at the same time, she didn't want to fail P.E. and do it all over again. Sonata was probably the most happy as she did better than she thought. Sonata's grades were; Math - B-, History - A+, English - A+, Spanish - A+, Science - A+, and P.E - A+. The Dazzlings then looked at one another with big smiles as they looked at all their friends who shared the same expression as them. "WE DID IT!" The girls cheered as they all smiled and hugged one another. After an amazing first year of high school and after all the studying they had done, they had passed their finals and classes with great results. Just then the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and the end of their first year of high school. As the girls made their way out of the school, they said goodbye to their friends one last time and headed out to their mom's car. Sunset smiled at them once they got into the car and had big smiles on their faces. "Hi, girls! How was your last day of school?" The Dazzlings smiled as they all told Sunset about their days and their grades on their finals. To say Sunset was proud would be an understatement, she was beyond belief and happy that the Dazzlings had done so well in their classes. But she wasn't surprised, they had all worked hard and put in a lot of time and studying to do the best that they could to get the grades they wanted. They had passed with very good grades and Sunset couldn't be more proud of them. The three girls smiled as they continued driving away from the school and back home. They hadn't thought about it until now they were out of school, but now that school was over, what would they be doing in their time? Sure, they were happy that school was over, but they were also sad. The girls looked out of the windows with mixed emotions, even though they had just gotten out of school, they were already missing it. But next year they would no longer be Freshmen, they would be Sophomore and they couldn't wait. //-------------------------------------------------------// 20. One Year Down Three To Go //-------------------------------------------------------// 20. One Year Down Three To Go The Dazzlings were in their own rooms looking up at the ceiling above. Ever since getting home, they had gone up to their rooms laying on their beds looking up above. Now that school was over they didn't know what to do. Sure, now that they were on summer vacation they were happy to get a break from school but school was what they had gotten accustomed to. The three girls thought about their times at school, they had some good times and bad times but they had gotten through all obstacles and finished their Freshman year and were heading into their Sophomore year. From meeting Dawnshine, from joining the soccer team and going all the way into the playoffs but unfortunately lost. To mee new people and new classmates and their teacher, eat with their friends at lunch, work with one another to finish their homework, from Homecoming, do detention with Dawnshine, all studying all day and night so that they could do their best on the Finals, but most importantly, doing all of this with one another. Thinking about the plethora of memories they had made in their first year made them smile, so much had happened to them in just a year. The three of them had all grown within the year, not only in their mind but also as people. They had learned valuable lessons not only from their teachers but also from their parents, Coach Rainbow, their Aunt Celestia and Luna, their classmates, and friends. Even Dawnshine, who they didn't even like, had taught them new things and made them better and smarter. As much as the girls hated to admit it, especially Aria, they were going to miss school. They were going to miss hanging out with their friends at lunch. They were going to miss going to their classes and learning new things from their teachers. They were going to miss talking to their classmates and working on assignments and projects with them. They were going to miss playing soccer with their team and playing games to the best of their ability, trying to win as a team. They were going to miss Coach Rainbow and her coaching, she really was the best Coach. They were going to miss coming home from a long day and finishing the rest of the homework they had to do with their sisters. Even Aria was going to miss glaring at Dawnshine from across the hall or during a soccer game. They were going to even miss the small things like waking up in the morning, even if they sometimes didn't want to and get ready for school. Even if sometimes Adagio and Aria had to use force to wake up Sonata by either pushing her off her bed, tickling her foot, and even sometimes splashing her with cold water which always got a good reaction from her. From doing their hair and makeup, eating breakfast with one another, and talking while their mom drove them to school and back home every day. Sonata stared up at her ceiling wiping away her dried-up tears. Out of all the girls, she was the most sad that school was over for the summer. She liked school, to her, it was her second home in a way. She had her friends there, and she enjoyed her classes and learning new things, she liked her teachers and her classmates. She liked playing soccer with her sisters and her amazing team. Sure they had lost but she didn't care, she had a lot of fun playing with her friends as a team and that was all that mattered. She had fun working on her homework with her sisters, even if most of the time it was them helping her with it, especially math. Math... thinking about it her Math class made Sonata sad all over again as she could feel the tears starting to come again. At the beginning of the year, she hated Math, it didn't make any sense to her as she didn't see any reasons why they needed to learn it which was leading her to fail. But it was thanks to her sisters that she was able to understand and started doing good in Math! She had passed with a B, which was way better than what she had before. And then there was Homecoming, dancing with Arctic... it was such a magical moment for her. She couldn't help but give a smile. "I hope... no, I know that this year will be even better!" Aria and Adagio, however, were thinking of other things. Sure they too were going to miss school, classes, soccer, working on homework together, and even the Homecoming where they danced with Bael and Venus which made them feel butterflies in their stomach and made them blush. But they had other things to think about, and that was what next year would bring for them. It wasn't that they were scared, if anything they were ready for school to begin again, heck, they sorta wished the next year would happen tomorrow! But the two of them couldn't help but think something was going to happen, something... magical? They couldn't put their finger on it but they had a gut feeling. Adagio thought and thought but she couldn't figure it out, maybe it was just a class that would be special, or maybe a new teacher or student would come, or maybe some sort of event would happen. "I guess whenever it happens then." Aria meanwhile was thinking the same thing, but she was mostly thinking about Dawnshine. She had a bad feeling that next year she would still have problems with her but she felt like things were only going to get worse. She had a bad gut feeling that their hatred for one another was only going to get worse. As much as she missed glaring at Dawnshine, she didn't want any more problems, it was starting to get old but Dawnshine wouldn't take no for an answer. They still continued having problems, and Dawnshine made it clear that she was going to do whatever she could to make the Dazzling's lives terrible in high school. However, Aria couldn't do anything, she couldn't fight Dawnshine or she'll get in trouble again and she didn't want that. She also couldn't tell Celestia or Luna because they weren't doing anything to make the situation any better, so she was at a standstill. But, Aria was going to make sure she was going to finish things. She still didn't exactly want to be friends with Dawnshine but she was going to make sure she finished fighting with Dawnshine. She was done with Dawnshine and her problems, and she was going to make sure Dawnshine didn't bully anyone ever again. "She caused too many problems for everyone, especially us! I'm going to make sure all of this ends before she does anything else." Aria continued to look up, her gut feeling being just as big as before, if not bigger. The three girls continued to look up at their ceilings, thinking about what their summer would bring and what the next year would be. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, individually were already special in their own ways, but together, they were a unit, a team, a team that was unstoppable when they worked together, as sisters. And as sisters, they would get through any challenges that came their way in the future to come, they would through them together! Author's Note And the first year of the Dazzling's high school adventures is over, but now they're about to enter year two of high school, Sophomore year. Will the Dazzlings continue to have a joyful high school experience? What is to come in their second year? //-------------------------------------------------------// 21. A New Year Means A New Us //-------------------------------------------------------// 21. A New Year Means A New Us Summer had went and gone, and before the Dazzlings knew it, it was time for the start of their second year of high school. No longer was the girls Freshman starting off in high school, they were now Sophomore! And the girls were glad that they were finally no longer newbies in a place they'd never been before, they were now more experienced and no longer afraid. The morning of the first day of their Sophomore year the girls started their morning routine. From doing their makeup and hair to eating some breakfast so that they started the day off right, brushed their teeth, and then put on their shoes, and headed off to school. As Sunset drove the girls to school, the Dazzlings started thinking about all the things that they did during their time off of school. The three girls had done so much during their summer break that it was too much to remember. Their family had gone on a vacation to the tropicals and it was super fun! From drinking coconut milk, swimming around, and seeing all the cool ocean animals, but for Adagio it was showing off her amazing bikini. Aria had built a big sandcastle which was later ruined by Sonata, who soon felt the full wrath of Aria. The girls had also helped Applejack on the Apple Farm which was a ton of hard work but in the end, super fun and a good exercise for them. They were at first weary of the work but Applejack showed the girls honest but letting them know that the work wasn't as hard as they thought. They had helped Pinkie Pie make delicious deserts which involved a bunch of laughter, and they even cooked some for themselves, and they had helped Fluttershy at the animal shelter. Working at the animal shelter and seeing all the cute animals and showing them love and kindness was sweet and a nice experience for the girls. Rarity had asked the girls for help making dresses and they had done a fabulous job. Rarity showed generosity by making three dresses for the girls. Rainbow had taken the girls out one day to show them how to skateboard and when Sonata was having trouble Rainbow showed her loyalty by staying by her side the whole time until she got the hang of it. Twilight had shown the girls a science experiment she was doing and with a bit of magic, the experiment was a success and it was very well a breakthrough in science itself which made the four of them very happy. And the night before the Dazzling's first day of Sophomore year, Sunset had a talk with the girls and told them that if things continued with Dawnshine then instead of fighting it would be better to show empathy for her. Even though Aria didn't like the idea of showing empathy to someone she didn't like, she decided to just nod her head even if she didn't really mean it. The Dazzlings had learned a lot of things during their summer break, and they were glad that they did. They had learned so many lessons from their mom and her friends, ones that they would never forget. From being honest to others from Applejack to having a bunch of laughter with their friends and family from Pinkie, showing kindness to others from Fluttershy, showing generosity from Rarity, being loyal to the ones they loved from Rainbow to believing in the element of magic, and showing empathy to others that you may not like from their mom, Sunset. They were glad that they had such amazing aunts and amazing parents. But they weren't the only ones who taught them a thing or two. Even Celestia and Luna had given the Dazzlings some valuable knowledge. Celestia had a girl's day with the girls where they went to the spa, had lunch together, watched a movie, and even played a few games. When all said was done Celestia had let the girls know that each day was valuable and that they shouldn't take any day for granted. Each day they woke up to see the sun was something that they were blessed to be given, and that life was the best gift that they could be given. And even if some days might be harder than others, they should still be happy that they were able to experience that day. The Dazzlings were in awe and had taken Celestia's words wisely, and from then on each day they woke up they made sure to make the most of the day. Luna, on the other hand, had taken the girls camping for the night. However, she didn't take them camping in the forest, so they did the next best thing, take them camping in the backyard. The four of them had made a tent and the four went in the tent and hung out. They talked, played card games, and told scary stories that made Sonata and Adagio scream in horror, but Aria listened with full attention amazed at the story. Sonata had tried to say that Aria was scared but Aria stood her ground saying that she didn't get scared which made Adagio and Luna laugh as the two sisters fought with one another. As the night was getting late the moon and the stars shined bright in the night and the four girls went out of their tent to do some star seeing where the girls were able to see star alignments like the little and big dipper. After doing that for a bit the girls went back into their tent and started to get ready for bed. As they lay down in their beds Luna then started to talk to the girls about how the night was a scary but a beautiful thing. The dark was scary, but it was because of what in the darkness that was scary, the unknown to be exact. But in the night there were stars that shined bright in the dark and that was what the Dazzlings and everyone were, stars. No matter how bad and dark things may be, no matter what trials may come their way, people should push forward and shine no matter what came their way. And when they did get through the challenges and obstacles that came their way, they would shine only brighter! The girls took Luna's word and slept well that night. As the girls got closer to Canterlot High School, they thought about what this new year would mean for them. People had helped them so much that they wanted to do the same. New Freshmen would be coming in and they would most likely not know where their classes were and would probably be a bit nervous since they would be starting high school, which was a new experience. And the Dazzlings were going to do their best to help the newcomers and make sure their first day of Freshman year and their time at high school started off well as it did for them. So the Dazzlings made a promise with one another that if they had seen a newcomer having trouble they would step in and help them out. As the girls got to Canterlot they got out of the car and waved goodbye to their mom who waved back and drove off. The three girls looked at one another with a determined smile and walked into the school together. After an amazing summer break, they were finally back at school and they were looking forward to what Sophomore year would bring them. The girls had learned a lot during their time away, they weren't the same girls they were in Freshman year. It was a new year and that meant a new them, and they were ready for everyone to see the new versions of themselves! //-------------------------------------------------------// 22. Helping The Next Generation //-------------------------------------------------------// 22. Helping The Next Generation When the Dazzlings walked into the school they immediately went over to get their schedules to see what classes they had for the year. As they were walking over they couldn't but watch as some teacher stood by just in case there was anyone who was confused and lost as to where to do. The girls smiled as teachers helped kids leading them in the right direction and how happy the kids looked when they were told. It made them glad that the new freshmen were able to get the help they needed, it reminded them of themselves on their first day last year. Once the Dazzlings got their schedule they looked at one another's schedules to see if they shared any of the same classes with each other. As they were looking at each other's schedules they smiled at what they had seen. "Seems like I have English and Science with you this year, Nata." Sonata smiled brightly and nodded her head viciously. "Yeah! It's going to be so much fun sharing those classes with you, Dagi! I'll be sure to pass those classes with you on my side! Oh! And it looks like I'm going to share Spanish 2 with Ari, fun!" Aria rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah, yeah. But the good thing for me, I have Math and History with Adagio. Two of the most boring classes with the smartest student at this school, yeah I'm going to be able to get a lot of sleep time, alright." Aria smiled as she crossed her arms but her face jolted forward as a hand hit the back of her head. "Ow!" She looked back at Adagio who was glaring at her with her hand raised, she didn't seem happy at what Aria had said. Aria looked at her and gulped and started to sweat a bit. "I-I was just messing around, cmon Adagio you know I wouldn't do that!" Adagio just let out a laugh, she knew Aria wasn't kidding about sleeping in class but the older sister had scared her little sister yet again making her second-guess her decisions. Just then something caught the corner of Adagio's eye. When Adagio turned she saw a girl looking down at her schedule looking very confused and worried, she looked as though she was about to cry. Adagio frowned, the poor girl was probably a Freshman and she was likely getting stressed out. Being the upperclassman that she was, Adagio started walking over to the girl hoping that she could help. Aria and Sonata saw this and were about to start walking over to the girl with their big sister but a voice behind them stopped them. "Um... excuse me?" The two girls turned around to see a boy behind them looking pretty nervous as he looked up at the two girls. "Can you please help me find my classes?" The two sisters looked at one another and smiled, the boy reminded them of themselves last year, and they weren't going to leave the poor boy all by himself. Aria looked at the kid and smiled. "Sure kid! Just show us your schedule and we'll be glad to help you!" The boy shyly nodded his head and gave his schedule over to Aria who started to look over it. It didn't take long for Aria to smile, she knew where all the boy's classes were and it wouldn't be a problem for the two girls to show the boy around his classes. "Alright I know where your classes are at, cmon, we'll show you around." Aria started walking with Sonata and the boy walking with her. "Thank you so much, this is my first year here and I don't want to be late on my first day of school." The boy said as he pushed up his glasses and nervously messed with his hair. Sonata smiled at the boy, he was acting just like she was acting on the first day. "Hey! There's no reason to be afraid, things are a lot of fun here! The classes, the teachers, and the students are all amazing here! It may be scary at first but trust me, you're going to love it after the first few days!" Something then snapped in Sonata's mind as she suddenly gasped getting the attention of the boy, Aria, and a few other students who were walking around before school started. "We never told you our names! My name is Sonata and this is my sister Aria." Sonata then pointed to herself and then to her sister. "We have another sister named Adagio but she's helping out another Freshman." The boy smiled at Sonata. "It's nice to meet you, Sonata and Aria. My name's Moonlight, a Freshman if you couldn't tell." Sonata and Aria smiled at the boy. The three of them proceeded to talk as they happily showed the boy around the school and show him where his classes were. Adagio walked over to the girls and smiled. "Hi, I couldn't but see that you seem a bit lost, do you need some help?" The girl looked up at Adagio and nodded her head. "Yes, I'm afraid that I don't know my way around this school and I've been walking around for ten minutes now trying to find my classes but I seem to keep walking around in circles." "Well, my name's Adagio, and I'll be glad to help show you around to help you out." Adagio smiled at the girl, she wanted to make sure that the girl could trust her and didn't get scared. "If you just show me your schedule, I'm sure I can show you around and help you." The girl blushed from embarrassment and gave her schedule to Adagio. Adagio looked at the schedule and what the classroom number was and smiled. She knew where the classes were so she could easily help the girl. "Okay then, let's get going so I can show you to your classes. Your first class isn't too far from here actually so I can take you there first and then show you the rest of your classes, and while we're doing that I can show you around the school as an extra bonus." The girls smiled and started walking with Adagio down the halls of Canterlot High. "Thank you for helping me, Adagio. Me and my family just moved here so I don't know where anything is." The girl then thought about something. "Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to tell you my name. My real name is Ruby Grande but you can just call me RG, I'm from the country so I'm a bit new to the city life, but I hope that I can make all kinds of new friends." Adagio smiled at Ruby. "I'm sure that you will, I'll be your first friend. And maybe later I'll introduce you to my sisters, Aria and Sonata, I'm sure they'll love to be your friends as well." The girl smiled at Adagio as the two started walking around with Adagio showing the girls around and telling the girl all about high school and what to expect. After the three girls finished showing the new kids around the school they split up with Ruby and Moonlight as they started making their way to their own classes. The three girls were happy that they were able to help some Freshmen around and show them around the school and to their classes. Sonata and Aria had been able to show Moonlight around and he thanked them as he walked into his first class which just so happened to be their old Spanish teacher's classes. The two both agreed that Moonlight was a nice kid and they hoped that Moonlight had a good first year at Canterlot. Adagio too, had helped Ruby around and took her to her classes, and when the bell rang Ruby smiled and waved goodbye to Adagio as she walked into her Science class. Adagio smiled as she thought about Ruby, she was a nice girl and she hoped that the new girl in the city would enjoy it there. She knew it was a huge change from moving from the country to the city, and to an entirely new school where she didn't know anything or anyone, so being her best friend was the first step in making sure that Ruby enjoyed her stay at Canterlot. As Adagio, Aria, and Sonata walked into their first-period classes and took their seats, they hoped that their second year of high school would be just as great as their first year. And they hoped that their first day would start off right and they could only wonder what the future would bring them in their Sophomore year at Canterlot High School. //-------------------------------------------------------// 23. A Dazzling Dream For All //-------------------------------------------------------// 23. A Dazzling Dream For All The Dazzlings were currently at home in the living room doing some work on their computers. Adagio and Aria were working hard so that they could go and hang out, but Sonata was getting distracted and was doing other things on her computer rather than doing her homework. As she was messing around on her computer doing other things instead of doing her homework, she ran into an ad for a test for what your future job should be. Sonata remembered when Sunset told the girls that they should start thinking about what job career they would want to pursue in the future, and just maybe this would be the answer or at least give them a clue about what they want to do. Sonata looked at the ad for the online test and smiled. "Dagi! Ari! Look what I found!" The two girls after hearing their names looked up and looked at Sonata's computer screen that had the test on it. Adagio and Aria looked at one another and smiled, stopping their work and looking up the test for themselves. "Okay, then girls." Aria and Sonata turned their heads over to Adagio who had a smirk on her face. "Let's take this test! And at the end of the test, we'll read our results and see what we get! And maybe, this test could help us figure out what we want to do." Aria rolled her eyes. "It's just an online test, it probably won't even give us good answers." Aria then turned and sighed as Adagio and Sonata just looked at her for a second and then started working on their career tests. "Alright fine, I'll take the dumb test as well. But if I get something that has to do with garbage so help me, I'm going to-" "Shush! I'm trying to focus Aria!" Aria looked over at Adagio as the two glared at one another. Aria rolled her eyes and went to work on her test as Adagio went back to doing hers. As much as she wanted to say something to Sonata she knew better and decided to keep her mouth shut and not to fight the battle. The test was fairly simple, just answer a few easy questions which would help give you your answer at the end of the test. Questions such as 'What do you like to do for hobbies?' or 'What do you like to do for fun?' and even questions like 'Would you say you're a good leader?' and 'Would you like to work indoors or outside?' The questions were easy so the Dazzlings were able to finish the test in only a matter of a few minutes. As the girls finished the final question, the test finished, and gave the girls their results. As the girls looked at their results they couldn't help but all feel as though their answers suited them. "Soo, who wants to start and say what they got?" Sonata asked as she looked up from her screen and to her two sisters. Adagio and Aria looked up and each other, Aria just shrugged her shoulders and Adagio sighed. "I guess I could go first." Adagio said as she looked back down at her screen. "So at first I didn't think that this was the job for me but the more I thought about it, this job fits me pretty well." Adagio smiled and showed her screen to her two sisters. "The test said that I would be a fashion designer, just like Rarity! It says that my love for fashion and clothes is a big reason behind it, and also because I have a big creative mind so my clothes would be ones that have never been seen before!" Aria and Sonata looked at her results and smiled at one another. "That's so cool, Dagi!" Sonata smiled. "Okay, okay, my turn!" Sonata then happily turned her computer over to their sister so that they could see her screen. "It says that I'm going to own my own restaurant and be a cook!" Adagio and Aria looked at one another and grimaced. All the times that Sonata had cooked before in the past had turned into a disaster and there had been one too many times where she almost burned down the house, but thankfully with Sunset and them there, they were able to defuse the situation. Adagio and Aria looked at one another, with Adagio visibly shaking with sweat running down her forehead. "T-That's great Sonata! I'm sure you'll be an amazing cook, and have an incredible restaurant!" Now even though Adagio didn't think Sonata wasn't a good cook now, she knew there was still enough time for Sonata to become a better cook, so she stayed positive. "I'm sure people from all over the world will want to come and try your food!" Sonata smiled at Adagio's kind words. "Thank you, Dagi!" Even though she may be a bit clueless at times, Sonata wasn't an idiot. She knew that she wasn't the best cook in the world, but she still messed up with making food, and the majority of the time she burned the food, and she may or may not have burned a few pots and pans. She vividly remembered a time that she had tried making soup and salad for Aria when she was sick but she had somehow managed to make the soup cold and the salad hot, which she and her family still questioned how she did. But she was confident that her cooking skills get better and maybe, just maybe, the test would be correct and she would be a cook and have a restaurant to herself. Adagio smiled and then turned her head over at Aria who was staring at her screen with an unreadable expression. Adagio's smile shifted over to a frown, she didn't like seeing her sister like that and she wanted to help her in any way she could. "Aria, what did your results say for your test? You don't seem so excited with what you got." Aria looked up from her screen and over to Adagio. "I knew that I was going to get an answer but I didn't think that this was going to be what my results would give me." Aria turned her computer over and showed the girls her computer screen. Adagio and Sonata looked at the screen and were quite impressed. "Wow, Ari! You got a police officer, that's so cool! You're going to be putting bad guys in jail and arresting people!" Sonata smiled, she imagined Aria being a police officer and making the world a better place, and it put a smile on her face seeing her sister doing good and making the world better. Adagio smiled and nodded her head agreeing with Sonata. "I agree! Aria you would be helping so many people and would not only make Canterlot, but all kinds of other places better! Helping others and stopping criminals, isn't that something that you would seem interested in doing? Possible car chases with bad guys, stopping a heist, and all sorts of other crazy adventures. Every day would be a new adventure without anything that you'll have to do! But..." Adagio then thought about it and started to think about all the things police officers had to do. "It's a dangerous job, and there's no way to tell what someone could have on them, one wrong day could be the end, and that wouldn't exactly be fun." Aria looked at Adagio's frown and Sonata's frown but she smiled. "Yeah, well, it's not like I've made any decisions just yet. Maybe I will become a police officer, it would be a pretty cool job! But it is a dangerous job, but I would be doing the right thing and helping people. But this was just an online test, but I will think about being a police officer, just like how you tell will think about being a cook and a fashion designer." Sonata and Adagio smiled and nodded their heads, they still had two years so they still had time with choosing a career they wanted to do. The three of them had taken an online career test and they had gotten their answer, and each one of them was okay with the answer they got. A cook, a fashion designer, and a police officer, each of them got some results and jobs that they were impressed with. Now, the Dazzlings knew that although it was an online test, that still didn't mean that they didn't have to keep the results on their minds. The jobs matched the girl's personalities perfectly and it wasn't that the girls were upset with the jobs they got. And whatever the future would bring for the girls, they were going to do whatever they could to make their dreams come true. Whether or not they did do the jobs that the test gave them or not. And no matter what road the girls went and took, they would get through the road together, because they were the Dazzlings, the ultimate team in the world! //-------------------------------------------------------// 24. Canterlot High Food Fight //-------------------------------------------------------// 24. Canterlot High Food Fight It was lunchtime at Canterlot High and many of the students were already sitting at their tables, eating and chatting away with their friends while some were still standing in line, waiting to get their food. Sonata was anxiously, yet eagerly, waiting in a line for what seemed like forever, but it had only been five minutes. She hoped that they still had that certain food available that she had wanted last week but she had sadly been too late and couldn't get her hands on it. She had sadly gotten held up in class as she had to finish an assignment for her teacher. Sonata, however, was determined to get her hands on that meaty, cheesy, crunchy goodness treat… tacos! And lucky enough for Sonata, today just so happened to be Taco Tuesday! So now she was currently in line right now, waiting for that delicious taco that she hungered for. She was determined to get what she came for and wouldn't leave the cafeteria empty-handed. If only the line didn't take so long! Minutes had gone by as Sonata slowly moved closer to her destination. The longer it took for Sonata to wait for her food, the more anxious and hungry she felt. She couldn’t help but watch helplessly as the other students took another taco from the big piles on the counter. She got more and more nervous as the big pile of tacos got smaller by the second. She was starting to lose hope of ever getting that taco that she desperately wanted. Sonata was tempted to just cut in line and ran off with dozens of tacos in her arms, but she didn't want to cause an angry mob of students chasing after her for stealing the tacos, especially the fact that she would most likely get in trouble for doing that and possibly get detention, something she did not want just because she wanted some tacos. And the last thing she needed was to get beat up by the students for stealing their food… and then get beat up again by her sisters for doing something so dumb, and on top of it all, get in trouble with the principal who was her aunt! Finally, after about a half hour of waiting in line, it was finally her turn. As Sonata approached the counter, she discovered to her horror that all of the trays where the tacos were supposed to be were empty… except for one, and it was all for her. The taco itself had rich meaty ground beef, lightly covered in sour cream with freshly chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on top, and finally, mixed cheddar and mozzarella cheese on top of the other ingredients. All packed in a U-shape crisp-fried corn tortilla… just as Sonata imagined. Sonata squeed at the sight of that taco and her mouth began to water. At last, after so many days of waiting, I can finally eat that taco! With a huge smile on her face, Sonata reached out to take that taco from the serving tray. As Sonata’s hand touched the taco, another hand touched the taco at the same time as hers. When Sonata looked up to see whose hand belonged, she saw another girl that looked very familiar to her, and that was because she was. This girl was none other than the girl who had given so many people, including her sisters, so many problems. Dawnshine who was standing before her didn't look too happy to see her. “Sonata.” Sonata looked at her and just smiled and waved trying to be nice to the girl. "Hi Dawnshine, hope you're having a good day. I'm just about to eat a taco! I've really been wanting this taco and I’ve been dying to get one since last week, but they were all out last week and I couldn't get one." “Oh no you don’t!” Dawnshine shouted at her but then thought of an idea. "Actually, you can have this taco.” Dawnshine said with a fake smile. Sonata smiled back at her. “For realsies?” “NO!!! YOU ARE NOT GETTING THAT TACO!” Dawnshine screamed. Sonata frowned. “Aw, come on! I’ve been waiting to get this taco all week! I’m not leaving without it! Besides, you were cutting in line!” Dawnshine smirked arrogantly. “I do not wait in lines! I can get food anytime I want to, no matter who I cut, especially you! You stupid, pathetic, failure!" The whole cafeteria was dead silent after Dawnshine's insulting rant and no one dared to make a sound, not even to breathe. Sonata stared at Dawnshine with a shocked expression, Adagio and Aria who had heard everything started making their way to the two of them. The two sisters had talked down on Sonata many times before, but even they would never say anything that cruel to her! Worse of all, everything Dawnshine had just said was true… and that hurts her. She may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but she still has feelings. Sonata’s eyes began to water. Dawnshine noticed Sonata’s sad state and decided to mock her. “Aw… what’s wrong? Did I hurt your widdle feelings?” Dawnshine laughed at her and then changed to a more serious expression. “Let’s face it, you're nothing! You don’t even deserve to eat this taco! Only the best of the best deserves the best-tasting taco in Canterlot High! And that person is me, now leave!” Sonata’s expression changed from sadness to anger at Dawnshine’s words. While Sonata wasn't one to fall into anger, she wasn't about to let Dawnshine talk down on her and take away her taco! So she said the first word that came to mind, one that rhymed with Mitch but started with a B. Everyone in the cafeteria gasped at what Sonata had called Dawnshine, even Adagio and Aria were surprised. No one had ever dared to insult Dawnshine’s pride, much less call her that word. Dawnshine had just reached her boiling point her face was red with anger as she then grabbed a piece of dessert from someone’s tray from behind her. “Eat this!” Dawnshine shouted as she threw the piece of the dessert at Sonata and it hits her squarely on Sonata’s face. Everyone gasped at what Dawnshine had done and then set their eyes on Sonata, waiting to see what would happen next. Sonata just stared at Dawnshine with a stunned expression, as the dessert dripped off of her face. Sonata slowly placed her pointer finger on the dessert and then placed her pointer finger in her mouth to taste it. But she then gagged in disgust, she wasn't a fan of blackberries and she narrowed her eyes at Dawnshine. “Of course, you know this means war!” said Sonata in a low voice. Without taking her eyes off Dawnshine, Sonata took the plate of mac and cheese and calmly walked up to Dawnshine, and then slammed the plate of mac and cheese on top of Dawnshine’s hair. The war between the two girls had truly begun and Adagio and Aria couldn't believe that their sister was going up against Dawnshine. Most of the students watched the two girls tensely while some others were already placing bets on who will win this "fight." Dawnshine screamed in horror as she looked up to the top of her head as mac and cheese was dripping from her hair. Dawnshine clenched her teeth in anger and glared at Sonata. “You really want to do this with me?" While her eyes locked on Sonata, Dawnshine took another food from another tray. The food appeared to be some kind of meatloaf and was very slimy and smelly and it was brown with green spots all over it. No one even wanted to know what it was or where it came from, but she figured that it was perfect for the job. Without hesitation, Dawnshine threw the meatloaf at Sonata, intending to hit Sonata right in her face. "Take this!" Sonata, who predicted the intention with the meatloaf, ducked down at the last second and the meatloaf flew over her head. “FOOD FIGHT!” One of the male students shouted out suddenly before he got hit in the face with that same meatloaf. Within seconds, the whole cafeteria was now in chaos as many different kinds of food were thrown everywhere across the room. While everyone was fighting each other with food, the two girls who started all of this were still staring each other down, the taco was on the ground but both girls still wanted to win and take the taco. They narrowed their eyes, bared their teeth, and raised their fists as if they dared one another to make their move first. Before one of the girls moved an inch, Adagio and Aria got in between them, grabbed Sonata, and ran off. Dawnshine who saw this was about to run off with them, decided to just let them run off. 'Coward.' The Dazzlings took cover behind and table and Adagio started to berate Sonata. "Sonata, what were you thinking! You just caused a food fight to break out!" "I wanted my taco!" Sonata yelled back at her and Adagio and Aria couldn't help but sigh they knew how Sonata was about her tacos. Just then the door to the cafeteria burst open causing the Dazzlings to flinch and see what was happening. In came walking in Luna, the Vice Principal, and she did not look happy. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!” she shouted in her strong voice. The whole cafeteria froze at the sound of an angry Vice Principal. They all stuck in their halfway throw or dump pose, not daring to make a sound, even as one of the students got hit in the face by a banana peel. Vice Principle Luna’s eyes hardened on every student in this cafeteria. As much as she wanted to lecture them all about their childish acts, her first priority was to find whoever was the one who started this mess. “Alright, who was responsible for this destruction? Tell me the students who did this or I swear I’ll have everyone in this cafeteria in detention every day including Saturdays with double the homework, cleaning up every single spot in this cafeteria, and banned from eating in this cafeteria for the rest of the school year!” Not wanting to face Vice Principle Luna’s wrath, they all pointed at Sonata and Dawnshine. Luna looked down at the two girls with a stern look and crossed her arms. “Alright you two, kindly explain to me how you both turned this cafeteria into a war zone and nearly destroyed half of this cafeteria?” Both girls tried to speak mostly sobbing in Sonata's case as she was scared she was going to get in trouble with the Vice Principle their side of the story over the other at the same time, increasing their voice volumes by the second. Luna was already getting a headache and starting to lose her patience with the two girls. “SILENCE!!!” Luna screamed. Both girls immediately stopped talking and with no time to deal with this ridiculousness, Vice Principle Luna turned towards Pinkie Pie who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Pinkie Pie, do you happen to know what those two did that caused the destruction of this cafeteria?” Pinkie saluted and took a deep breath before she started talking. “Well, Sonata was waiting in line to get her taco that she always wanted to get since last week until it was her turn, but Dawnshine cut in line and tried to take the last taco for herself, but then those two had an argument with each other until Dawnshine said something really mean to Sonata, which in turn caused Sonata to say something mean to Dawnshine, which also caused Dawnshine to throw a dessert at Sonata's face and then those two kept throwing at each other with food until Dawnshine tried to hit Sonata with that smelly meatloaf, but she missed and ended up hitting another student in the face, which then-" Pinkie paused for a moment and then gasped loudly. "Caused the whole cafeteria to start a food fight and it was in chaos until you arrived!” Pinkie concluded with a squee. Everyone was stunned by Pinkie’s long overly detailed rant until Dawnshine broke the silence. “Hey, wait a minute! How did you know what had happened? You weren't even here until now!” Dawnshine exclaimed. Sonata turned to Dawnshine. "Don't question it, no one knows." Dawnshine looked at Sonata confused but decided to go with her word, for once. Luna then turned back towards Sonata and Dawnshine. “Is what Pinkie Pie says true? You two caused the food fight, all because you both fought over the last taco?” Vice Principle Luna asked with disbelief, but at the same time not really because she knew Sonata got defensive over her tacos. Sonata nodded in shame, confirming Luna that it was true. Dawnshine however, rolled her eyes and tried to defend herself. “There wouldn't have been a fight if she just let me take that taco, which rightfully belonged to me!” Luna glared down at Dawnshine, causing the girl to take a step back in fear. “Wrong, it wouldn’t have been a fight if you haven’t cut in line and not tried to take the taco which was rightful to Sonata! As punishment, you will pay for her next taco and then the two of you will spend the whole evening cleaning up this cafeteria until the place is completely spotless!” Dawnshine groaned in defeat. “Whatever.” Luna heard her but didn't seem to mind her. “Sonata, do you also understand your pun-” Luna couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence as she watched Sonata eating the taco that had fallen on the floor. “Uh… Sonata? Are you eating the taco that was on the floor?” asked Luna with her perplexed expression. Sonata looked up at Vice Principle Luna. “There’s no way I’m leaving this cafeteria without that taco! So I’m eating it!” “But the floor could be dirty!” Luna exclaimed. “Worth it!” Sonata responded and then resumed eating the floor. She may have gotten in trouble, but at the end of the day, she got the taco and that was all that mattered to her. Meanwhile, Dawnshine glared at the girl eating the taco on the ground. 'Sonata... I will get my revenge on you! And with the rest of your sisters and this school! I promise!' //-------------------------------------------------------// 25. Sisterly Self Conscious //-------------------------------------------------------// 25. Sisterly Self Conscious It was the next day and Sonata was happily walking around the school. As she walked by kids acknowledged her and either smiled or waved at her. Being that she was the only one to stand up to Dawnshine, she had gained a lot of respect from others, which she was happy about. So now, here she was walking around the school trying to get to her next class. They had a quick ten-minute break but unfortunately for her, her class was across the school so she had to walk while others got to enjoy their little break. As Sonata was walking to her class, she was unaware of Dawnshine who was behind her ready to unleash her rage. She was still mad at Sonata and blamed her for what happened yesterday and causing the two of them to get into trouble, with her getting the worse of it since she started it. Seeing that no one was around or looking, Dawnshine saw her opportunity and pushed Sonata into an isolated hall where the lights just so happened to be dim. "Hey! What gives?" Sonata turned her head to see Dawnshine glaring at her with her arms crossed. "Oh, hey, Dawnshine." Sonata knew that Dawnshine was most likely still mad from yesterday's events, so not wanting to back down, she too crossed her arms and started glaring at Dawnshine. "You caused me a lot of problems yesterday, Sonata." Dawnshine said in a low yet angry tone. "Because of you, now I have detention for a month! This is all your fault you taco-obsessed freak!" "Hey! Tacos are good! And it's not my fault you were being a meanie and cut in line! And don't even think about asking for an apology for what I called you yesterday, I meant what I said." Sonata glared at Dawnshine, and Dawnshine smirked. Dawnshine could see that Sonata wasn't going to back down, if anything, she seemed like she wanted the fight, and that was exactly what Dawnshine was going to give her. Dawnshine smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, then I'm not sorry for what I said about you being an absolute failure!" Sonata flinched at that word again and Dawnshine took notice. "I mean you've gotta be the dumbest and ugliest one out of the three. I don't care if you were the leader of the Team Tournament, you guys winning was a fluke, pure luck." Dawnshine then pointed her finger at Sonata. "And let's not forget the real reason why we lost last year's playoff game! Once again, that was all your fault!" Sonata took a step back, surprised and in shock at Dawnshine’s words. Her words struck Sonata’s heart like a knife, but she had to stay strong. The voice she was using had fury inside of it, and the way she was yelling was making Sonata tremble in fear. Holding back tears, Sonata looked at Dawnshine, confused. "H-How did I make us lose the game? I-If anything it was your fault!" Finding newfound confidence, Sonata spoke her mind. Dawnshine widened her eyes, she was surprised at Sonata’s newly found confidence. "You were the reason the team got two extra points! You hold onto the ball and don't pass to your teammates! If anything, our loss is because of you! Heck, all of our games lost last year were because of you! You're not a team player, and everyone on the team knows it was your fault! Sure, yes we all made mistakes but it was you who made us lose last year!" Sonata panted, but she was proud that she stood up to Dawnshine. Dawnshine, however, didn't like how Sonata was talking to her. "Oh please, if you were better at being a goalie, we wouldn't have given them three unanswered points that you basically gave them!" Sonata flinched, she hated to admit it, but Dawnshine had a point. That game her nerves had gotten to her and she wasn't playing at the level she should've. "You make a bad name for your sisters, I hear so many good things about Adagio and Aria but never have I ever heard something good about you, besides that you're cute and nice. Even though I don't see where the cute comes in, I guess stupidity is the new cute!" Dawnshine laughed at her own joke while Sonata grimaced, she hated being called stupid. Not wanting to look weak, Sonata tried to counter. "Hey! I'm very smar-" Before she could finish Sonata was interrupted. "I WASN'T FINISHED!" Dawnshine's voice boomed through the bathroom scaring Sonata and making her take a step back. Before Sonata knew it she felt the wind get sucked out of her as she fell and hit the bathroom floor. "Ouchie..." Putting a hand to her head in pain, Sonata looked up to see Dawnshine looking down at her with her leg raised, she had kicked Sonata in the stomach. "Now listen up, you're a failure and you always will be! There's no question about that, you have, are, and always will be a failure!!" Sonata looked at Dawnshine, tears starting to run down her cheeks and hit the bathroom floor that she was still sitting on. "You're the worst of the three of your sisters, don't ever forget that! You're stupid, ugly, and the definition of a failure!" As Sonata continued to cry, Dawnshine started to walk out of the bathroom before she was late to close. Before opening the door to the bathroom, Dawnshine made one last finishing statement. "You should just kill yourself, no one loves you and no one would care if you were to die." Sonata’s eyes widened in shock at what Dawnshine had said. Her words pierced through Sonata’s heart like a gun bullet. She raised her head with tears running down her face, to see no one but an empty bathroom. Dawnshine had already left leaving the poor girl to herself. Sonata slowly picked herself off the ground and looked at herself in the mirror, she looked like a complete mess. Just then the bell rang, if she didn't get going she was going to be late for class. Not that she mattered though, class was the last thing on her mind. The words of Dawnshine replayed in Sonata's head like a broken record, to forever be ingrained in her head. Getting herself together, Sonata walked out of the bathroom, and to her next class, the thoughts of Dawnshine were fresh in her mind. Taking a seat at her lunch table, Sonata slowly started picking away at her food whole staying relatively quiet. The others at the table noticed the silence from Sonata and being the sisters that they were, Adagio and Aria decided to ask. "Hey, uh, Sonata?" Sonata looked up at Adagio with a blank stare. "Everything okay? You don't seem alright and you're not really eating or talking? Are you feeling okay or do I need to call Mom?" Sonata’s eyes widened, realizing she had been caught. Adagio and Aria noticed this and knew that something was up. "Yeah, you seemed like something was bothering you in History. You seemed totally out of it and it made the whole atmosphere of class different." Sonata turned her head over to Athena who had spoken up, Sonata started to sweat, and she was cornered. Now the whole table was looking over at Sonata, wondering what was wrong with her. Sonata was weighing her options on telling the girls about what had happened between her and Dawnshine in the bathroom or not. Sonata decided that it was the right idea to tell the girls the truth and tell them all about what Dawnshine had said. As she was about to talk she saw Dawnshine across the room looking at her with a smirk that made Sonata shut up. The two made contact, and it was obvious that Dawnshine was letting Sonata know that if she told her friends what had happened there would be more problems. Adagio looked over at where Sonata was looking at saw Dawnshine. 'Not her again, what is she looking at Sonata for? She's probably still mad at Sonata for yesterday. Shaking her head, Sonata looked back at her friends who were still looking at her worried. She gave them the best smile she could, but she knew it was fake and could only hope that they fell for it. "I'm fine, really. I just have a big math test coming up and it's worth a hundred points!" Sonata put exaggeration as she spoke to put emphasis on her words. Now, although she was telling the truth about her test and she was a bit stressed about it, she knew that wasn't the reason. However, luck seemed to be on Sonata’s side as all the girls nodded their heads and made agreeing grunts. Adagio looked over at Sonata, she didn't know why but she felt like there was more to the story. "Are you sure that's it Sonata?" Sonata looked at Adagio and nodded her head. Adagio looked at Sonata and nodded her head back and then smiled. "Well just know that if you ever need help studying you have me and Aria to help you!" Sonata nodded her head and smiled. "Yeah, thanks." Adagio smiled back at Sonata and went back to eating and talking with the others. Sonata watched as the others talked and laughed and although she tried to continue being her normal self, she couldn't muster it. As she continued to eat, she looked over to Dawnshine who was still looking over at her with a smug expression. Sighing, Sonata broke eye contact and looked away from her. The girl could only hope that Dawnshine would end her torment of the poor girl. Sonata could only hope that whatever happened today would just be a one-time thing and that Dawnshine would stop. However, Sonata had no idea what was to come her way in the next few days to come. Looking from across the room, Dawnshine looked at Sonata who was slowly eating her food and barely talking to her friends. She smiled at the sight as she ate her own food. 'I told you not to mess with me, but you chose otherwise. Now get ready, Sonata, because as I said, I will get my revenge on you and your sisters!' Sonata and Dawnshine made eye contact with each other yet again. Sonata looked at Dawnshine scared while Dawnshine looked at Sonata with a smirk, both knowing Dawnshine had control. The battle between the two may have just begun, but only one of them could be the winner, the only question was who? To be continued... Author's Note Wow, Dawnshine is going crazy! What does this mean for Sonata and the Dazzlings? //-------------------------------------------------------// 26. Caught In The Dangerous Act //-------------------------------------------------------// 26. Caught In The Dangerous Act Looking out her bedroom window, Sonata sighed to herself. It had been a month, a month since Dawnshine had started bullying her. It had been a tough month for her and she was done with it, done with Dawnshine, done with... living. Sonata thought back to when she had problems with Gabby, but this... this was far worse than what Gabby had done to her. Sure, Gabby had fought and given Sonata a blackeye but never did she ever anything like what Dawnshine had. Sonata looked out her window and thought back to everything that had happened in the past month. Things had not got better since Dawnshine first started harassing Sonata, if anything, things got even worse and worse by the day. Each day Dawnshine made it her goal to make sure Sonata's life at school was nothing but a living hell. Every day from beginning to end, Dawnshine would do all types of things to Sonata. From pushing or tripping Sonata, saying things to her so that she could hear, teasing her, and making every class they had, terrible for her. Everything she was doing was getting to Sonata and the more she bullied and harassed her, the more Sonata was getting more and more tired and depressed. She had tried mentioning it to her sisters or her mom or dad, or even a teacher or Principal Celestia or Luna, but every time Sonata had gotten close to telling someone, Dawnshine would either be around and when she saw her Sonata would get cold feet and stop in her tracks. Or Dawnshine's words would replay in Sonata's mind and stop her, she hadn't forgotten about what Dawnshine had told her if she were to ever tell someone what she was doing. Sonata knew better than to tell someone, but she was scared, scared of Dawnshine, scared of what she would do to her. She had told Sonata before what she could and would do to her and Sonata was afraid of what Dawnshine would do to her if she made her mad. And Dawnshine knew this, she knew that Sonata was scared of her, and she loved every second of it. Dawnshine watched from far away and watched Sonata walk around school sad and scared. She smiled whenever she got near and Sonata would get startled and start stressing out which would confuse her friends or sisters as to why Sonata was getting so jumpy. Dawnshine also noticed the change in Sonata's emotions, what was once a happy and full-of-energy teenage girl was now a depressed, sad, scared, and emotionless teenage girl. And that made Dawnshine all the happier seeing that everything she was doing was having that much of an effect on Sonata. Dawnshine would sit in class and watch as Sonata who sat in front of her would move around in her seat uncomfortably, and whenever she would be called on in class she would jump and always give a wrong answer which would make Dawnshine smile and giggle to herself. However, Dawnshine wasn't the only one who noticed the change of behavior in Sonata. From her sisters, friends, family, classmates, and teachers everyone could tell that something was up with Sonata. But no matter how much they asked if Sonata was okay, she would only smile and nod or give an excuse, but being the bad liar that she was, they knew there was more that meet the eye. Sonata knew that she had to tell someone, anyone, but Dawnshine would always be around making things harder on her. And every time Sonata had to lie she felt terrible, from saying that she was tired, to not feeling the best, or that she was stressed out about a test, it was all the same. Even Sonata had noticed her change, she was a mess and the more people asked if she was okay, the more she felt bad that she was lying to everyone. Sonata sighed and turned from her window and to her desk. She still had homework to do and she had to finish it before it got later. Another thing that had changed was that Sonata had started to distance herself from her other sisters. She felt bad that she was staying away from Adagio and Aria, they were her sisters after all and she loved them dearly, but she didn't want them to see her like how she was. So keeping her distance from them was the best thing that she could do. As she was working on an essay for her English class, she stared at her arms. Cuts were all over her arms, and Sonata couldn't help but feel awful every time she saw them. She knew what had caused her to do it, but she felt worse knowing that she was letting Dawnshine get to her and cause her to do this to herself. She had tried to get Dawnshine out of her head, she had tried to ignore and pretend that Dawnshine wasn't there, but she couldn't. Dawnshine had her in a hold that she couldn't get out of no matter how hard she tried to get out. 'You should just kill yourself, no one will care if you're gone.' Sonata stopped what she was doing, those words had come into her head. It hadn't been the first time this had happened either. Whether she was in class, at home, or out at a restaurant with her family, thoughts like that would pop up out of the blue and would shatter Sonata's mood for the rest of the day. 'Just kill yourself Sonata, you're a failure.' Sonata tried to shake her head to get the thoughts out of her head but the thoughts were stronger. Stopping from doing her homework once again Sonata sighed and looked up at the ceiling. The thoughts were getting stronger and she was starting to believe them. "Maybe I should just kill myself..." Sonata sighed as she looked out the window to her room once again. The stars were shining in the night sky, now that would normally make her smile, seeing all the pretty stars in the night sky, but today, it made her groan. She was nowhere near close to being finished with homework and she still had a bit left to do, along with taking a bath and getting her things ready for tomorrow. Sonata looked back at her homework and sighed, seems like she would be failing yet another assignment in another class. Not wanting to waste any more time she had wasted, Sonata got to work on her assignment most likely not doing a good job on it. Sonata slammed her bedroom door and jumped onto her bed after throwing her backpack off. Screaming and crying into her pillow Sonata kept thinking about all the things that Dawnshine had told her. It had been another long day of Dawnshine's torturing and today was the worst day so far. Things weren't getting any better and with being unable to tell anyone about what Dawnshine was doing to her, Sonata was starting to believe that things would never get better. Sonata was starting to lose hope and after further thinking, she had made a decision. Getting up from her bed and wiping away her tears, Sonata stood up and made her way to the bathroom. Arriving at the bathroom, Sonata closed the door and opened one of the cabinets. Opening the cabinet, Sonata saw a knife that she had stolen from the kitchen without anyone knowing and hid it in the bathroom. Sonata stared at the knife and sighed, she had used the knife so many times to hurt herself before, but every time she saw the knife it made her flinch in fear. She saw some dried-up blood, blood that was hers, blood that she had shed when she cut herself. Sonata's eyes wandered and looked around at her arms where all the cuts were. There were so many cuts, maybe a hundred? Sonata had lost count of how many times she had cut herself. She looked back down at the knife and sighed, it seemed that today would be the last time she would cut once and for all. Raising the knife Sonata sighed, she knew this was going to hurt but she was used to the pain by now. "Goodbye, mom, dad, Dagi, and Ari. Along with all my friends, amazing classmates, and teachers. It was nice knowing you, but this is goodbye." And with one quick slash, Sonata sliced the knife against her arm causing it to bleed. Sonata let out a yell of pain, tears running down her cheeks. She silently cursed to herself and hoped that no one heard her. Looking down at the blood Sonata started to get light-headed but she had to stay strong, she had to finish what she had started. Sonata raised the knife once again, about to slice her arm once again until just then the bathroom door slammed open. "Sonata! We heard you yell are you o-" Sunset, along with Adagio and Aria rushed into the bathroom and froze. Right in front of their eyes, was Sonata who was frozen like a deer in headlights, with a knife in her hand along with cuts and blood all around her arms. Just as quickly as she rushed in, Sunset quickly dropped to the ground and fainted. Adagio and Aria who had heard their mom fall were too in shock to care, their little sister was doing self-harm to herself, and the two could only gasp and look at their sister in horror. Sonata froze and stared at her sisters in the eyes, she had forgotten to lock the bathroom door and had been caught. Dropping the knife Sonata took a step back in fear. She had been caught, and there was nothing she could do. Tears started to run down like a river she felt like she was going to throw up, her head felt like someone was hitting her with a hammer, her vision was starting to get dizzy and she felt light-headed. "I-I... I'm so sorry... things happened a-and Dawnshine was saying all these things about me. S-She said that if I told anyone she would... she would..." Sonata covered her eyes with her hands. "I'M SO SORRY!" Sonata fell to the ground and started to scream and cry. Adagio and Aria quickly raced over and hugged their sister, and Sonata hugged back. Adagio rubbed Sonata's back as Aria hugged Sonata as tight as she could. "Shush... it's okay Sonata... it's okay." Adagio looked over at Aria and Aria nodded, with their dad being gone and their mom being... they looked back and saw their mom still out like a light, out of commission, they were the only ones who could be there for Sonata right now. "Tell us everything that happened." Sonata looked at Adagio in panic and Adagio gave the girl a warm smile. "Hey, it's okay, we're your family. You're safe here, Nata. Tell us what happened, please." Adagio started to cry herself which made Aria and Sonata cry. It took a while but Sonata had told Adagio and Aria everything that had happened. Midway through her explanation, Sunset had woken up and hugged Sonata so tightly that she thought her eyes were going to fly out of their sockets. Once Sunset stopped crying and gave Sonata a lecture on how to never do that again and to tell someone if something is going on. After hearing that and promising that she would if she ever felt that way again, Sonata told her sisters and her mom all about the abuse she had received from Dawnshine and how Dawnshine was bullying her and had even told Sonata to kill herself. To say that her family was mad would be an understatement, Aria looked like she she was going to kill Dawnshine. Sunset looked like she was about to faint from everything Sonata was telling her while Adagio stayed by her mom's side to make sure Sunset didn't pass out again but even she looked like she wanted to exchange a few words with Dawnshine. After Sonata had finished telling the three of them everything that had happened, they gave her a big warm hug that she took. Sonata cried in their embrace and apologized again and again to them. Sunset had gotten up and picked up the knife to not only wash but to also keep it away from Sonata. As the Dazzlings hugged one another, Adagio and Aria looked at each other and nodded. They had made a promise to themselves that they were going to do whatever it took for Sonata to get better. Author's Note Apologizes for being gone for about a week. I went on vacation with my family but I'm back with the rest of Arc Two for A Dazzling New Life: High School Edition, the Sophomore year! //-------------------------------------------------------// 27. A Time Between Sisters //-------------------------------------------------------// 27. A Time Between Sisters Just like how Adagio and Aria promised, when Saturday arrived they decided to hang out with Sonata. The girls, along with Sunset and Tom made the day just for Sonata. Whatever Sonata wanted to do they would do it and have fun with Sonata making her feel loved and making her smile and laugh. The day started with Sunset making the girls pancakes which were Sonata's favorite. The family of five ate their breakfast which was delicious. After they finished eating they started doing all the things that Sonata wanted to do. From playing board games and video games to watching Sonata's favorite movies, and playing all the fun games that she loved to play. It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed hanging out as one big family. And even though the things that Sonata liked weren't what Adagio or Aria liked, they decided to do them, because they loved Sonata, and if doing what she loved as a family showed her that she was loved then they would do them, too make the Sonata then knew and loved back. Sunset and Tom soon left around the afternoon to go get some lunch from the girls, which Sonata requested tacos and they happily went off to find the most tasty tacos that Canterlot had. The Dazzlings were then left alone with one another still watching one of Sonata's favorite movies. The three of them watched the movie in silence as the movie finally came to an end. When the movie ended Adagio stood up, she had been sitting for so long that she needed to stretch. She looked over at Sonata who was sad that the movie was over but was still happy about the movie. "That was such a good movie! Don't you guys think so!" Sonata turned to face her sisters with a smile on her face, making her two sisters smile. They were happy that their sister was finally acting back to normal. Adagio and Aria smiled at Sonata's contagious smile, it was something that they always loved seeing. Adagio thought back to when she and Aria ran into Sonata about to hurt herself with tears running down her cheeks. It was one of the scariest moments that Adagio and Aria had ever seen. Just seeing Sonata holding the knife in her hand with tears running down her cheeks, with a face of horror and utter depression. It was something that came from a horror movie and would most likely be something that Adagio and Aria would never forget. Just the other night Adagio had a nightmare about Sonata but this time she and Aria were too slow and had walked into the bathroom with Sonata's dead body in it. The nightmare had jolted Adagio awake, she was dripping in sweat as her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest with how fast it was beating. It was at that moment Adagio promised herself that she would do everything in her power to make sure that Sonata lived life to the fullest with a smile on her face the whole time. No longer would Sonata ever cry or have that face she had before, she would carry that smile she always had. "Yeah, it was a pretty nice movie! I like the part where the woman and the man got together in the end, it was a nice ending to an already good movie." Even though Aria didn't really pay much attention she made sure to give a basic answer so that Sonata didn't get upset that she wasn't watching the movie. Sonata nodded her head and smiled. "Yeah! It's my favorite movie in the entire world! I love romance movies! Seeing how the man and the women get together in the end! And watching how they have to go through all sorts of problems that are getting in the way of them being together, I love it!" All of a sudden Sonata's smile changed from the smile she once had to a frown as she started looking down at the ground. Adagio and Aria saw this and immediately went into action. Adagio and Aria quickly went over to Sonata's side. "Sonata? What's wrong? You were so happy just a second ago, so what happened?" Sonata looked up at her sisters and sighed. "It's just that..." Sonata looked down and then back up at Adagio and Aria. "This will be Arctic's last year in high school before he heads off to college and then I'll never be able to see him. I'm a Sophomore and he's a Senior, things won't work out between me and him anyways... and I really do like him." Aria and Adagio looked at one another, they wanted to help their little sister but they weren't sure how to. "Sonata... just because Arctic is leaving this year that doesn't mean that you guys still can't talk or see each other. You have his number so you can give him a call whenever you want, and he'll probably come back during his breaks like Christmas or Summer and then you guys will be able to hang out then. And it's not like you guys are bad, sure he may be a Senior and you're a Sophomore but that's only a two-year difference, it would be worse if let's say you were in the sixth grade, that would be way worse." Sonata laughed at Adagio's words, making Adagio and Aria happy seeing their sister smile and laugh once again. "Yeah, I guess you're right, it is better that it's only a two-year difference... but does he even like me? I've seen the Senior girls and they're all so pretty and smart, what if Arctic likes one of them? Or maybe even a Junior girl, why would he like a Sophomore like me?" Sonata once again frowned and looked down sadly, it seems that Dawnshine's bullying had gotten to the girls more than Aria and Adagio thought. They thought it would be easier to make Sonata feel better but it was becoming a challenge. "Sonata, I'm sure he likes you, you kissed him! You're funny and nice, you always help others, and you saved the world from Gabby! And you're really pretty! You have a nice face, beautiful colored eyes, and your ponytail is the cutest. So what if you're younger than him, that doesn't matter. What should matter is that you like him and he likes you for who you are as a person." Sonata looked at Adagio in surprise, the way she was talking, it was almost as if Adagio knew for a fact that Arctic liked her. "She's right you know." Sonata's attention turned to Aria. "You're a cool person and whoever would get with you would be a lucky person. You're full of fun and each day with you is full of excitement, I'm sure someone will like you if Arctic doesn't like you, but you don't have to worry about that. I'm sure Arctic like you, he just hasn't said it yet." Sonata smiled and blushed at her sister's words. "Thank you, both of you." Sonata then got up and hugged her two sisters. "You guys are the best, I love you." Adagio and Aria smiled as they hugged Sonata back. "Love you too, Sonata." The three girls continued to hug each other until they heard their mom and dad walk back into the room. When their parents walked into the room they had tacos and other sorts of Mexican food with them. The girls stopped hugging and went over to their parents where the five of them went over and started eating as a family. During lunch, the five talked and laughed as a family, something that was fun for the whole family, including Sonata. Everyone watched as Sonata happily ate her tacos with a smile on her face, it wasn't a surprise that she was happy, she was eating her favorite food in the entire world. Seeing that Sonata was eating her tacos with a smile on her face made the other four members of the family happy. After the family finished eating they cleaned up and all sat around in the living room wondering what Sonata wanted to do next. "Well Sonata, what do you want to do now?" Tom asked as he looked down at his daughter. Sonata thought about it and smiled as she looked at her family. "Let's go to the mall and go shopping!" Adagio, Aria, Sunset, and Tom looked at one another and smiled. The family of four went off to Tom's car and began their trip to the mall, and the family of five couldn't wait. //-------------------------------------------------------// 29. Helping A Friend In Need //-------------------------------------------------------// 29. Helping A Friend In Need It was another day of school and the Dazzlings had just left their third-period classes and were heading to lunch. The girls walked into the cafeteria, grabbed their lunch, and found a table where all their friends were eating. Thinking that this was going to be a normal day at lunch like always, the girls were about to be in for a surprise. As the girls ate and talked with their friends about their days, classes, or anything else that came into their minds, the girls were unaware of what was to come. "Hey guys, I'm going to use the restroom real quick." Midway through their conversation, Arza announced that she had to go to the bathroom, and thinking that everything was going to be okay, the girls let her go off to the bathroom. So as Arza got up from her seat and walked out of the cafeteria, the girls were unaware that Dawnshine had gotten up and followed Arza out of the cafeteria. Arza, who was walking to the bathrooms was unaware that she was being followed by Dawnshine. Dawnshine who was behind Arza smirked seeing that her prey hadn't noticed that she was being chased into a corner. So as Arza walked into the bathroom, Dawnshine followed behind and locked the door behind them. Hearing the door lock behind her, Arza turned around to see Dawnshine smiling before her. Startled, Arza took a step back, she didn't know that Dawnshine was behind her. Dawnshine smiled at Arza's reaction, everything was going to plan. She slowly started walking up to Arza, scaring the girl as she started to step back every step Dawnshine came forward. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you, I only wanted to... talk." The way Dawnshine had said talk made Arza worried, it wasn't like she disliked Dawnshine, but Dawnshine already had a bad rep for her at Canterlot. She was the one who made the girls lose in their playoff match last year in soccer, she had been bullying so many people that it was getting out of hand, she had gotten into a fight with the Dazzlings, and everyone knew that she was the reason behind why Sonata had been in a dump for so long, and what she almost made Sonata do to herself. So what could she possibly want to talk to Arza about? Just then, Arza felt her back hit something, she turned her head and saw that she had hit the wall to the bathroom, and with Dawnshine in front of her, she was now trapped. "W-What do you want to talk about?" Dawnshine smiled as she heard Arza's nervous tone in her voice, as she got closer to Arza who got scared as the shadow of Dawnshine covered her face. Dawnshine smirked and laughed to herself as she continued walking back to the cafeteria. "What a pathetic girl, and to think that she was one of my teammates on the soccer team. How did someone like her get a spot on the team? Shame, I was having so much fun messing around with her, but all fun comes to an end. Guess she couldn't handle the fun in our little game." Dawnshine let out a little laugh that soon turned into maniac laughter that echoed through the halls. She made her way back into the cafeteria and sat down at the seat she was originally sitting at. She looked across the room and saw that the Dazzlings and their friends were looking at the empty seat. They were probably most likely wondering what was taking Arza so long, making Dawnshine smile. 'Poor things, they have no clue that their friend won't be joining anytime soon.' The Dazzlings started looking around the cafeteria, they were wondering what was taking Arza so long in the bathroom. It had been twenty minutes and she still wasn't back. They didn't want to jump to conclusions and think that Arza was having "girl problems" but with how long it was taking her, it was best that someone checked up on her. "Hey guys, we're going to check up on Arza real quick. We want to make sure she is okay, we'll be real quick." The Dazzling's friends nodded their heads or made agreeing sounds. The Dazzlings got up from their seats and started walking over to the girl's bathroom. Dawnshine saw this and smiled as she decided to follow them and see if they were going to find Arza, but she knew that she was, so getting up from her seat and followed the Dazzlings. As they were walking over to the bathroom, they heard the sound of someone crying. The girls looked at each other as they changed their course and headed to where the crying was at. Turning the corner, they saw Arza sitting on the ground crying her eyes out. Quickly, the Dazzlings went over to Arza to see what was wrong. Dawnshine, who was hiding behind a corner and smiled as the Dazzlings tried to make Arza feel better but she only continued to cry. "Arza, what's wrong? Tell us so that we can help you! We want to help you feel better!" Adagio hugged her friend hoping that it would calm her down which did, but the poor girl was still crying. "Yeah, Arza. Tell them what's wrong and why you're crying like a little baby." The Dazzlings turned around and saw Dawnshine standing before them with a smile on her face. When Arza saw her she started crying all over again which made the Dazzlings worried. "Dawnshine! What are you doing here? Do you have something to do with this?!" Aria yelled as she stood up and walked up to Dawnshine's face. Dawnshine smiled at Aria and then turned to the other Dazzlings. "So what if I did? I only told her the truth! That she's just as much of a failure as your sister!" The Dazzlings flinched as Adagio and Aria turned around to see Sonata who was looking down at the ground sadly. Arza's crying only got louder as Dawnshine called her a failure like before. "Oh be quiet and go cry to your mommy, oh wait! You don't have one!" Dawnshine laughed as the Dazzlings gasped at how ruthless Dawnshine was being. To say something like that and to laugh afterward, she truly was a far worse person than Gabby was back then. Arza's cries only got louder as Adagio and Aria hugged her tighter trying to help her pain go away, but they knew that it most likely wasn't doing a thing. Dawnshine's laughter only got louder as Arza's cries got louder, Sonata who was hugging Arza stopped, she was shaking, not from fear but from anger. She was done with Dawnshine, she had done too much and was getting to people's heads. She had gotten to her and now Arza, but things ended, now! "Stop, Dawnshine!" Everyone watched as Sonata stood up and faced her ground against Dawnshine. Dawnshine smirked and smiled, the very person that she had bullied for so long was standing up to her, what a joke. She was about to say something but Sonata cut her off catching her off guard. "Why do you bully people so much? Why do you hate everyone? My sisters, the students who go to school here, and Arza! We've done nothing to you so stop bullying everyone! Why can't you be nice and treat everyone nicely? First, you bully me, and... you got to me, I'll admit that! But I won't let you get to Arza as well!" Dawnshine, Adagio, Aria, and Arza stared at Sonata in shock, she was standing up to Dawnshine. Sonata smiled to herself, she felt strong, strong that she was able to stand up for not only herself, Arza, and all the other students but also Dawnshine. Just then, however, Dawnshine started laughing again which made Sonata's smile go away. "You really think that you and your sisters are going to stop me? It's my fault that you can't handle the truth! You all are failures! Only the strong can remain, as the weak die, and all of you will die sooner or later, just like the failures you ar-" "YOU'RE WRONG!" Sonata yelled cutting her off. "We're not failures! We're amazing just the way we are! All of us! You can't tell us who is and isn't a failure! If anyone's a failure, it's you for being such a meanie to everyone! No one likes you and we're all done with your bullying! So I'm going to ask this once, stop bullying us and be nicer to everyone! If you don't then me and my sister will stop you and if not us, someone will stop you!" The five girls watched in silence as Sonata pointed to Dawnshine as Dawnshine just stared at her. Just then the bell rang, lunch must have ended but the girls were still in the halls having their little fight. Dawnshine rolled her eyes at Sonata's stance against her. "Yeah, whatever you say, I got to go to class." Not wanting to be late to class, Dawnshine took her leave and started walking back to the cafeteria to get her backpack. The Dazzlings watched as Dawnshine walked away without a care in the world. They then went over to Arza who hugged them for standing up to her and the four of them went back to the cafeteria to get their things and went to class. As the girls got to their class they couldn't but wonder if Dawnshine's bullying and reign of terror would ever come to an end. //-------------------------------------------------------// 30. New Journeys Are Arriving //-------------------------------------------------------// 30. New Journeys Are Arriving It was another day of school and the Dazzlings were in their last period of the day just working on their last bit of homework. Just then the teacher rang a bell that they had to get the class's attention. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata looked over at their teacher a bit upset that they had to stop working on their homework. "Principal Celestia was generous enough to allow you, along with the rest of your grade to go on a trip. If you'd like to come take one of these papers and have your parents sign them. You'll be going to Camp Everfree and you'll be staying there for the next few days. The papers have all the information you need and what you should and shouldn't bring. If you have any more questions be pleased to come to me or any other teacher." The teacher said this with a smile as she then went over to her desk to work on some of her own work. The school bell rang and one by one kids started walking up to the front desk and took the paper. The Dazzlings looked at one another with a smile as they grabbed their things and walked up to the front desk and each grabbed a paper of their own. Walking out of the classroom and out of the school the Dazzlings read the paper learning all about the field trip they would be going on. "Hey, guys?" Aria and Adagio turned their focus from the paper and to Sonata who was looking at her them with worry. "Didn't Pinkie tell us once that she, Mom, and the others went to Camp Everfree and they were attacked by some sort of evil magical plant lady?" Adagio thought about it and nodded her head. "I do remember her saying that, but I thought that was something she made up since she's... you know, a bit crazy. She also said that was the place where she and the girls got their powers from the geodes that they found in the forest. We didn't believe her at first but when we first saw Mom and her friends use their powers in front of us, boy were we in shock." Aria looked at the girls confused. "That's all cool and all, but what does this have to do with everything? It's been years since Mom and her friends didn't go to Everfree any sort of magic that was there before is probably long gone by now, so there's nothing to worry about." However, Sonata wasn't so sure. 'I know there should be nothing to worry about but I still can't help but be worried. That was where Mom and her friends were attacked before but what if there's still magic in the forest?' Sonata continued to walk out of the school with her sisters still worried about the dangers that might lurk in the Everfree Forest. On the drive home from school, the girls told Sunset all about the field trip and thankfully she was okay with them going. Adagio and Aria smiled as they talked about what Everfree would be like and thought about all the kinds of fun activities they would do. Sunset smiled as the two talked in the back, but when she looked over to her passenger seat she saw that Sonata wasn't talking with them. Sonata looked down frowning and Sunset wasn't sure as to why she would be sad about a field trip, Sonata loved field trips, so why was she now looking disappointed? Sunset guessed that it was probably because they would be away from home for a few days and there would be no way to have contact with Sunset. When the three girls got home they immediately headed off to their rooms and started packing for the field trip next week. As the Dazzlings were packing their things, Adagio went downstairs to get her laundry so that she would have clothes for the trip. Sunset, who had just finished signing the papers allowing the girls to go on the field trip, saw Adagio and smiled as Adagio grabbed her laundry basket and started to make her way to her room. "Hey, Adagio?" Adagio turned around to see her mom with the papers in her hand. "You mind taking these to your sisters for me? I got to start working on dinner." Adagio smiled and walked over to her mom, putting the papers on top of her clothes basket. "Sure, Mom." Sunset smiled and nodded as she headed over to the kitchen to start cooking dinner for the family. Adagio then started up the journey back upstairs with the laundry and the papers in her hands. She first went to her room and put down her laundry basket and put down one of the papers and put it in her folder and into her backpack to give to her teacher tomorrow. Adagio then walked over to Aria's room and knocked on the door. Opening the door Adagio could see clothes and other things around Aria's room. Aria looked at Adagio and then at the paper. "Oh, mom signed it?" "Yeah, she did." Adagio then looked at something on Aria's bed. "Is that a grappling hook?" Aria looked over and saw it and started to sweat. "You've been hanging out with Rainbow again, haven't you?" "No, Pinkie Pie gave it to me." Adagio just blinked and shook her head leaving Aria's room. She had no reason why Pinkie Pie had a grappling hook, but then again it was better to not ask. Aria, who didn't mind Adagio leaving, she continued to pack her things as she happily put the grappling hook in her backpack. Adagio then walked over to Sonata's room, but before she knocked on the door she heard talking. "My sisters say that I shouldn't be worried but why do I feel like something bad is going to happen? Maybe I'm just nervous that we're going to be away from Mom for a few days, or maybe it's because we're going to be in the middle of nowhere. I know teachers are going to be there, but what if there's still magic in the forest that Mom and her friends didn't find? I just hope that my nerves are just getting to me, I don't want anything bad happening while we're there." Adagio who was outside, had heard everything and she couldn't help but feel bad for Sonata. She quickly knocked on Sonata's door and left the paper on the floor and raced back to her room. Once she closed her door she heard a door open and then quickly close, it was most likely Sonata. "I don't know why Sonata is stressing over going to Camp Everfree, but if she has a bad feeling..." Adagio looked out her window. "We're going to have to be on our guard just in case something does happen, Dawnshine is going to be there and when she's around trouble always happens. I can only hope that nothing bad happens and we can all have a good time at Camp Everfree with all our friends and make fun memories." Not wanting to waste any more time, Adagio began packing her things, ready for what Camp Everfree would bring for them. //-------------------------------------------------------// 32. Adventures Into The Unknown //-------------------------------------------------------// 32. Adventures Into The Unknown The students continued to look at the Camp, it was amazing! From the cabins to the trees to the big lake, and the huge campfire where they got to eat and tell scary stories. The Dazzlings smiled as they looked at the forest before them, it was their first time being somewhere besides the city, and they were already liking it. Just then a young woman and a young man exited one of the cabins and came out to all of the students and teachers. "Hello everyone!" The woman greeted waving her hand with a smile. The young man waving and smiling as well. "My name is Gloriosa Daisy and this is my brother, Timber Spruce. We're so glad that you've all come to our Camp, we hope that you all enjoy your time here." Celestia walked up to the two of them and greeted them with her sister Luna. "Gloriosa, Timber, we're so glad to be back. It's been so long since the last time we last came." "Yeah, let's just hope that this time nothing magical happens." Timber said. Students were confused by this, but the Dazzlings knew what he was talking about. The moment his sister turned evil and Dazzling's mom and her friends had to stop her with their new magical powers. Sunset had told them all about what had happened so they knew that Gloriosa was the one who turned into the evil plant lady. Sonata took a step back and hid behind Adagio, she didn't trust Gloriosa and she wasn't going to trust her anytime soon. Adagio and Aria saw this and frowned at Sonata. They hadn't even been there for long and Sonata was already scared of Gloriosa. Neither of them wanted their little sister to be nervous at Camp, the field trip was meant to be a fun time in the forest with each other and all their friends. "Sonata, it's okay. Mom and her friends stopped Gloriosa years ago, she's lost her powers, and she's not a threat anymore. There's nothing to be worried about, she's just a normal human being just like the rest of us." Sonata stared at Adagio and slowly went over to her side, out of her hiding spot. "Okay, everyone!" All the students then stopped their conversations and turned over to Timber. "Let's get you all settled down, and into your cabins. It's getting late so we'll have to wait until tomorrow to do our conversations. Everyone please find a cabin or tent and get all comfy. We'll be having dinner in about an hour so be sure to be ready by then." All the students nodded or grunted agreeing with Timber. Celestia, Luna, Timber, and Gloriosa went off to go cook some dinner for everyone as all the kids went off to get their stuff unpacked. The Dazzlings went their way own way where they found a cabin that wasn't occupied and went in it. The cabin was a typical cabin, with four beds and made out of wood, just like every cabin. The three girls started to unpack their things each choosing a bed for their own. Sonata and Aria took the top beds while Adagio took one of the lower ones, but when she looked across she saw an unused bed. "Hey girls, we should go around and ask if anyone wants our extra bed, it wouldn't be nice if we just kept this cabin to ourselves." "Two steps ahead of you, Adagio!" Adagio, Aria, and Sonata turned back to see Joy standing at the door. "I didn't help but overhear you say that you had an extra bed, you don't mind if I bunk with you guys?" Adagio turned to her sisters who had the same goofy smile as she did. "Sure!" The three girls agreed, making Joy smile as well. Joy walked in and started unpacking her things in the once-unused bed as the four girls started talking about what kind of fun things they might do at Everfree. Adagio had finished unpacking a while ago, but her other two sisters and Joy were still busy unpacking. They would've been done a while ago but Sonata started a pillow fight and the three of them started a war with one another. So, here Adagio was just sitting on a rock working on her drawing. She was in her zone and she was getting a lot done, it would be only a matter of days or even hours and she would finally be complete. Staring at the drawing, Adagio sighed to herself. The drawing was still not good to her, she wanted to make it perfect but no matter what she did it still didn't look as she wanted it to. Sure, the drawing of Sunset, Tom, her, and her sisters looked nice, but it wasn't how she wanted it to look, she was about to rip the drawing but she heard a voice behind her. "You're not going to destroy that beautiful drawing are you?" Adagio turned around to see Gloriosa standing behind her. Gloriosa then took a seat next to her on the rock as she then started looking at the drawing. "That drawing, it's a drawing of your family, isn't it?" Adagio nodded her head still looking at the drawing sadly. Gloriosa took a better look and saw someone that looked very familiar in the drawing. "That's Sunset Shimmer!" Gloriosa then looked over at Adagio. "Is... she your mother?" Adagio let out a nervous laugh and started to sweat a bit. "It's a long story but yeah, she's my mother. Along with my sisters Aria and Sonata, and not to forget our dad, Tom." Adagio then looked back down at her drawing sadly. "I wanted to give this to my mom and dad as a gift, for being such amazing parents, but..." She then sighed. "It's nothing that I wanted it to be, I can't give this to them." Gloriosa looked at Adagio confused but then smiled. "You're a perfectionist, aren't you?" Adagio looked over at Gloriosa and sadly nodded, she hated to admit it but she was one, and she hated that she was, but she couldn't help it. "Trust me, I use to be the same but I later learned that not everything you do has to be perfect, doing the best that you can is just as good." Gloriosa then put a hand on the drawing. "You don't mind if I take it do you?" Adagio nodded her head as Gloriosa took her drawing and stared at it with a smile. "This drawing is one of the best I've ever seen. I can see that you've put a lot of time and effort into making it, and this drawing shows just that. Adagio, you've made an amazing drawing and to me, it's already perfect. I'm sure that your parents are going to love it!" Adagio smiled and blushed at Gloriosa's kind words. "Thank you, Gloriosa." Gloriosa smiled and gave the drawing back to Adagio. Adagio looked at the drawing, but this time, she smiled when she stared at it. Now that she was looking at it, Gloriosa was right, the drawing really was nice. Adagio thought back to all the time and effort she put into making the drawing, even though she still didn't think it looked good enough she had to admit, it was still a nice drawing. "Dinner's going to be done soon, we should start making our way." Adagio looked up at Gloriosa and nodded her head. Adagio went back to her cabin and put her drawing notebook away and grabbed the three girls. The four made their way over to the campfire where people were gathering to eat. The Dazzlings and Joy took their seats and started eating the delicious food that the teachers had made for them. People talked and ate with one another and looked up at the night sky to see the stars shine brightly over them. It was starting to get late and everyone started to head back to their tents or cabins. As the Dazzlings got to their cabin they got into their pajamas and got in bed. As the girls lay down they started wondering what tomorrow would bring them. Tomorrow would be the start of camp activities and the girls were excited about what activity they would do tomorrow. Not wanting to be tired, the four girls soon fell asleep with smiles on their faces. The stars shined over Camp Everfree and the forest, but in the forest, a person was walking around. "Now where are the other geodes?" //-------------------------------------------------------// 33. Swimming On The High Seas //-------------------------------------------------------// 33. Swimming On The High Seas Dawnshine returned to her cabin in the middle of the night and silently walked back into her cabin and went into her bed. She was tired from all the walking she had done and she was looking forward to some sleep. "I looked everywhere for those geodes. I was told that this forest still had some geodes that hadn't been found, that's what the legend stated! And if the legend was right about the first seven geodes, then the other four are definitely still here, but where? I've looked everywhere and this forest is so big it could take days for me to find them, if I can get my hands on one I would have so much power, power that I want." Dawnshine smirked as she closed her eyes and went to bed. When everyone woke up they got dressed and walked out of their cabins to hear from Gloriosa and Timber what today's activity would be and to eat some breakfast. Seeing everyone around eating breakfast Timber decided to give them the news for today. "Alright, everyone!" Everyone turned to Timber to see what he had to say. "Today we're going to be doing one of my personal favorite activities, swimming!" Everyone smiled and started chatting with their friends. Even the Dazzlings who were eating their breakfast smiled, swimming was something that the Dazzlings loved doing when they were younger but sort of stopped when they got older. But they wouldn't back down at the offer of going swimming again just like when they were younger. Timber saw everyone chatting and smiled. "Once you're done with breakfast put on your swimsuits and we'll get the party started!" Everyone nodded their heads and went back to eating, some eating a bit faster so that they could hurry and get to swimming. After eating breakfast everyone went back into their cabins and started changing into their swimming wear. As the Dazzlings changed into their swimming they couldn't help but think of all the fun they were going to have in the water. Adagio wore more of a red bikini-like outfit, while Aria and Sonata both wore whole swimsuits. Reasons being Aria wasn't the type that liked to show off her body, not that she was embarrassed, just that it wasn't her thing. Plus, she didn't exactly like it when guys looked at her like she was some sort of treat. Aria knew that teenage boy's hormones were raging, but she had made a promise to herself that she would find a guy that liked her, not for her body but because of who she was. She only hoped that Bael wasn't like that, but she had hope that he wasn't. Sonata, on the other hand, was a whole different story. She wasn't fazed with Dawnshine but what she had said about Sonata's body had made the poor girl self-conscious about her body. So now, she wore the body suit that covered her body. Sonata checked in a mirror to make sure that none of her body was showing. Adagio and Aria saw what she was doing and sighed, Dawnshine still had an effect on Sonata. Now, her covering her body wasn't a bad thing, it was the fact that she was doing it because of what Dawnshine said to her. After the girls finished getting ready they walked out of their cabin and over to the water where a few kids were already waiting. It didn't take long for all the kids to come to the water and start putting down their towels. Gloriosa was in the kitchen working on making lunch for the kids once they were done with their fun in the water, while Timber stood on the shore to make sure nothing happened to any of the kids. He was shirtless with his swim trunks, now although Timber had mentioned that swimming was his favorite activity, he had to watch over all the students in the water. The Dazzlings jumped into the water and started to swim around with their friends. However, that quickly changed after one splash to Aria's back from none other than Sonata. The two quickly started a water fight which soon turned into a full-on war battle with all the girls splashing water at one another. The girls smiled and laughed as they splashed water at one another not having a care in the world with the fun they were having. Aria had managed to get away from the war, she was tired and she needed a break from the action. As she was swimming away she saw Bael who was relaxing in the water, the sun was up and it was probably refreshing to him. Seeing that Bael was all alone, Aria decided to swim over to him. "Hey, Bael!" Bael's eyes, which were at first closed, opened as he turned and saw Aria next to him. He smiled as he turned to face Aria. "Hey, Aria! What's up?" Aria smiled. "Nothing much just having some fun in the water. I can see that you're doing the same." Bael gave a small smile, something that Aria noticed. "Well, I was having fun hanging out with the guys, but then they swam off and got... distracted." He then pointed in a direction. Aria raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Distracted? How could they have gotten distract- oh." Turning over to the direction Bael was pointing she saw that some boys like Dean, Derek, Leon, Valex, and Venus were over by some of the girls like Phoebe, Gabby, Joy, Dawnshine, and even Adagio. Seeing that they were looked at the girls couldn't help but started to do all kinds of poses that made the guy almost hypnotized. Seeing that Aria grimaced, she couldn't believe that the guys were looking at the girls like that. Aria then started looking around and started to get a bit nervous. 'Where's Sonata?' Looking around she spotted Sonata who was sadly swimming away and swam over to Celestia who was by the shore measly putting her toes in the water. Luna was nearby but she was laying on the grass also making sure nothing happened to any of her students while at the same time reading a book. Aria frowned as she watched Sonata get out of the water and sit next to Celestia. She also watched as Celestia and Sonata started to talk, Celestia's head turned to the girls who were still "performing" in front of the guys as they watched. Celestia's head then turned and she and Aria made eye contact with one another before Celestia went back to talking with Sonata. "Seems like your sisters didn't want to get in on the fun, I guess." Aria turned to Bael and sadly smiled. "She's just been having a lot of... self-conscious issues lately. Dawnshine said some things to her that really good under her skin and now she's been acting different, our family has been trying our best but we can only do so much." Aria then turned to the girls and rolled her eyes, scoffing in disgust. "Can't believe the guys are looking at the girls like that, sick. And then the girls think that this is some sort of game, even my own sister is joining! I'm going to have to have a talk with her." Aria, who was frowning perked up when she heard the sound of someone laughing, she turned and saw Bael laughing. She raised her eyebrow and Bael stopped. "Sorry, it's just that I totally agree with you. Don't get me wrong, the girls do look nice, but to do that? Yeah, no way. The guys are into that and the girls want to have some fun with them because they know they like it." "You don't like that stuff?" Aria asked. She wanted to know why Bael wasn't over there. She hoped that it was because he wasn't some little pervert but she wanted to be sure. Bael just shrugged his shoulders. "Guess not. Maybe it's because I already like someone so I don't get attracted to other girls in their swimsuits? Not sure." What Bael didn't want to tell Aria was that the girl he had a crush on was right in front of him, but he didn't want to tell her just yet. Aria peaked at that, he liked someone, but who? Was it here? No, she wasn't going to ask that in the water near everyone, she wanted the moment to be special. So, Aria only smiled at Bael. "Well that's good, I hope that things go well with your crush." She playfully winked at him which made Bael blush, she wasn't sure if it was because of the sun or her but she wanted to believe that it was her who made him blush. The rest of the day was full of fun in the water with water fights, swimming, and even a balloon fight in the water. All the students had a bunch of fun, and thankfully, no one got hurt and everyone had a good time. When it was time to stop for the day and go in to eat some lunch, students came back to shore and grabbed their towels to dry off. The kids ate around the campfire so that they could warm up and feel the nice warmth of the heat. Sonata watched as some of the girls came back onto the shore in their bikinis. She sighed to herself, she felt out of place being the only one besides Aria wearing a full-body swimsuit. She had wanted to wear a bikini, but she was self-conscious and didn't feel right having one on. She had seen Dawnshine smirking from afar knowing good and well that what she had done was working and having an effect on Sonata. Dawnshine who was eating on shore had stared at the Dazzlings. She had already gotten to Sonata, all she had to do was get to Aria and Adagio and find the geodes and she would be in complete control. //-------------------------------------------------------// 34. A Magically Dazzling Find //-------------------------------------------------------// 34. A Magically Dazzling Find It was the next day and the Dazzlings had stepped out of their cabin and made their way over to the campfire to meet up with everyone else. They were on their third day of camp and the girls were ready for what was Camp Everfree going to bring for them. Once the girls made their way over to the campfire and meet up with the rest of their class, the Dazzlings talked to their friends as they waited for Gloriosa and Timber along with Celestia and Luna to tell them what the plan was for the day. Walking out the doors, out came Gloriosa, Timber, Celestia, and Luna. Students ended their conversations and paid attention to the teachers, they wanted to hear what the activity for the day was going to be. Gloriosa looked at all the students and gave them a warm smile. "Hello and good morning everyone!" Students greeted her back with smiles and waves and hello's of their own. Gloriosa smiled and looked at the students. "Today's activity is going to be a treasure hunt! Me and the others have hidden all sorts of treasures all throughout the forest. Teams of three will walk around the forest trying to find treasure, the more treasure, the more the points!" Kids started chatting and looking around seeing who they wanted to team with in the treasure hunt. While everyone else did that, the Dazzlings just smiled and looked at each other, they didn't have to think about who they wanted to team with. When there were literally three of them and their teamwork had helped them in the past so many times, it wasn't even a question of who they were going to be with. Gloriosa saw that everyone had found their team and was standing with them. "Alright then, the groups will be split into fours. Follow a teacher with your team and when the signal is given, you're free to roam around the forest looking for all the treasure hidden beyond the forest." Everyone nodded their heads and one team at a time, started heading in their own directions. The Dazzlings nodded at one another, determined to win the treasure hunt. Without another second being wasted, the girls started following Celestia and all the other teams who followed behind her. Once all the teams got into their positions and got the signal from their teachers, all the teams started to disperse throughout the forest trying to look around for all the hidden treasure. The Dazzlings took off in a different direction from the other teams, hoping that while everyone went one way, they could find all the other treasure in other parts of the forest. The treasure was marked with papers letting the students know what was and wasn't treasure. Celestia, Luna, Timber, and Gloriosa watched around as kids ran around the forest looking and finding all the treasure while also making sure everyone was okay. The treasure hunt was going on with a flurry as kids started to find all the treasure left and right. Joy had jumped into the lake and found some treasure underwater, which she was very happy about, getting wet was worth it for her. The Dazzlings who were searching the forest had each been able to find some treasure of their own. Looking at all the treasures they were finding, they had a strong feeling that they were once again going to win a team competition. Others such as Derek and Dean were working together as brothers hoping that they would make a good team just like the sisters. Frizzle to the surprise of her teammates was using her magic to suddenly make the treasure appear, however, since she was still learning she was having a bit of trouble making the treasure appear and not something else. Phoebe being one with nature was able to somehow listen to what nature was telling her which led her to find treasures that were in tricky spots to find. Dawnshine, who was supposed to be with her other teammates, had gone off course and started walking around the forest, she had other plans about some measly treasure hunt. She was still on the search for those geodes she had heard about, and to her, that was the only true treasure hiding in the forest. 'No matter what, I'm going to find those geodes and use them to my desire! While everyone else is on some stupid treasure hunt, I'm going to be hunting for the actual treasure that'll matter in the end! This forest is big but with all this free time I have to look around, surely I'll be able to find the geodes! And then... I'll get my revenge!' Continuing to walk through the forest, Dawnshine started to laugh to herself, she was going to find the true treasure no matter what. The Dazzlings had walked far into the forest, and as they were walking around, Adagio saw a tree that looked very familiar. "Uh, guys?" Sonata and Aria stopped and looked over at Adagio. "Isn't that the tree that you marked so that we knew where we were going?" Aria looked over at the x mark on the tree, she had put a mark on the tree so that the girls knew where they were going, however, it seemed that it didn't help. Adagio looked at Aria's shocked expression and sighed as she smacked her forehead. "Great, we're lost!" Out of anger, Adagio started to run away from her two sisters and somewhere inside the forest. "Aria! Wait!" Running after her sister, Sonata and Aria quickly ran after Adagio. "Adagio!" Aria and Sonata raced after Adagio going further and further into the forest. They dodged trees and vines as they continued to chase after their sister. The two girls ran after Adagio for what felt like forever until they saw Adagio standing before a clear spot in the forest as she was looking at something. Aria and Sonata jumped out of the forest and panting as they walked up to Adagio. After arriving at their sister, Sonata fell to the ground on her back as she panting viciously to catch her breath back and Aria took a seat on the ground to get her breath back. "Adagio... never... do... that... again!" Aria yelled catching her breath. Aria then looked at what Adagio was looking at and gasped as she too started to stare at the scene above her. Standing up and walking over to Adagio's side, Aria still looked at the scene before her. "Wow, that's beautiful!" Adagio could only nod her head as she looked at what was in front of her. In front of the Dazzlings was a tall tree, that stood taller than all the trees. It was bursting with life and looked much more greener and stronger than all the other trees around it, rather, than all the trees in the forest. Taking out her camera, Adagio took a picture of the tree and smiled. The tree was beautiful, the most amazing tree the girls had ever seen. "Wow, that tree is so big and cool looking!" Adagio and Aria turned their heads to see Sonata who had finally got up from the ground and was now looking at the tree. The two girls laughed to themselves and smiled, but they fully agreed with what their sister had said. Sonata smiled as she looked at the tree but then saw something that the other two hadn't. "Hey, look! There's an entrance to the tree!" Adagio and Aria looked over, and sure enough, there was an entrance to the tree. "I'm going in!" "Sonata wai-" Adagio, who had tried to stop her sister, was too late as Sonata quickly ran into the entrance of the tree. "I guess we better follow her." Looking over to her sister, Adagio was surprised to see nothing but thin air, she looked around and saw Aria running inside the tree. "Wait for me!" Adagio quickly ran over and followed her two sisters. Once Adagio walked into the tree she saw her two sisters looking at four shining stones on some rocks. One rock had a golden stone, one had a violet stone, one had a sky blue stone, and the final one had a purplish-black stone that was radiating an eerie aura to the Dazzlings. Each of the three previous stones was calling out to the Dazzlings, almost asking them to take them, and, they did. Adagio took the golden one, Aria took the violet one, and Sonata took the sky blue one. Looking at the stones more thoroughly, Sonata realized what they were. "Their geodes! Just like our moms and her friends!" Adagio and Aria looked at Sonata and then back at the stones. Their eyes widened, Sonata was right, they were geodes! Just then, the sound of a bell rang throughout the forest, most likely the treasure hunt was over and it was time for everyone to head back to camp. Adagio looked at her two sisters and they looked back at her. "Make sure no one finds out about these. We'll figure out what to do with these later, but for now, we have to head back to camp before anyone thinks something happened to us." Sonata and Aria nodded their heads, and the Dazzlings started making their way back to camp, with their new geodes in their pockets. They were so busy with what they found, they completely forgot about the fourth geode. Dawnshine had walked around the forest for hours and had a clue about where the geodes could be. "Ugh, maybe the rumor about the geodes was just a myth." Dawnshine heard the bell ring and growled as she kicked a tree. "Great, I've been looking all day, and for nothing!" Dawnshine started making her way back until she saw something in the corner of her eye. Following her instincts, she decided to head over to what she had seen. When she got closer she saw the big tree, she looked at it in surprise. "Wow!" Looking at the tree, Dawnshine then saw the entrance and decided to explore. Walking inside of the tree she looked around in surprise. "Dawnshine... behind you...." Dawnshine turned her head trying to find the voice, but she saw nothing. However, she did happen to see a stone that was laying on a rock, as she got closer Dawnshine smiled brightly, it was a geode! Picking it up, Dawnshine smiled to herself. "Finally.... after so long, I found you! You have no idea how much trouble you've given me trying to find you! But now that I have you..." Dawnshine smiled, already thinking about all the things she could do with the geode in her hand. "I can have my revenge on everyone who has wronged me! I can get back at the Dazzlings and with the whole rest of Canterlot! And then..." Just then Dawnshine's eyes shined a purplish-black. "I will take control over this pathetic world and rob it of all its magic, and then I will return back to Equestria and take control of that world as well!" Dawnshine started to laugh, her laugh echoing throughout the forest making everyone hear. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy all the fun we're going to have with each other! We'll take over this world! Geode and human!" //-------------------------------------------------------// 35. Campfire Of Dazzling Memories //-------------------------------------------------------// 35. Campfire Of Dazzling Memories When everyone came back to the camp it was declared that Phoebe, Frizzle, and Joy had found the treasure hunt finding the most amount of treasure. However, that didn't mean anything to the Dazzlings and Dawnshine as they had found the true treasure, their newly found geodes. When no one was looking the four ran off to their cabins and quickly put away their geodes, they wanted to make sure that no one saw them or even worse, take them. And as much as the Dazzlings wanted to tell Celestia or Luna, they knew that they would probably go tell Sunset and then their mom would take their geodes, and they didn't want that. Dawnshine too, didn't want anyone taking her geode from her, she had finally found the thing she was looking for and no one was going to steal it. She was determined to use the geode, to achieve her goals! The girls walked back out of their cabins and started walking over to the fire where dinner was starting to get served to everyone. The Dazzlings sat down by their friends on a log seat while Dawnshine sat across a rock, all by herself. Once the food had been handed out to everyone, the students and teachers started to eat their food by the heat of the fire. It was a good dinner, friends talked with one another and the teachers talked about what the plan was for tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Dazzlings and everyone else knew, that tomorrow would be their last day and they were hoping that tomorrow would be a fun last day of camp. So they were hoping that whatever the teacher was talking about or had in mind, would be a good way to end their time at camp. As people started to finish their dinner, bit by bit kids started to head off to their cabins to get some sleep for their final day at Camp Everfree. However, the Dazzlings stayed by the campfire, even though they were done eating and their friends and everyone else had gone inside for the night, they had stayed outside by the fire. They couldn't help but feel at peace with the night sky breeze and the stars above them, along with the nice heat of the fire, it was perfect. It was times like these that the Dazzlings started to think about everything that had happened to them over all the years. From going to school and making all their friends they know now in Kindergarten, it was so long ago but they still remembered being excited to go to school and have yet another day of fun either playing around or drawing, or all sorts of other fun things to do. They had moved up a lot, one day, long ago they were in Kindergarten, but they had moved up the ladder. From Kindergarten to Elementary, to Middle, and now High School, and with them being in their second year, they were only two years, plus a few months, away from graduating and heading off into the real world and to college. It had been a long road to get to where they were and the Dazzlings were proud of themselves. They had gone through so much but they had gotten through every class, test, and question they had been given. They thought back to when they ran into Gabby and how she had treated them. She was a bully at first and had started trouble with Sonata, giving the poor little girl at the time, a black eye. That had caused the Dazzlings to charge back at her and thus making the four of them get into a fight which led them to get into trouble, but Adagio and Aria didn't care because they were doing it to get back at her for what she did to Sonata. But in the end, it was Sonata herself who helped Gabby and brought her to the good side and out of the darkness she was trapped in. Since then, Gabby and the Dazzlings had been the best of friends and had put what happened in the past, well, past them. And they were glad when Gabby had told them that her life had gotten better, she and her mother, Gilda were closer than ever before and her mom had actually found a new boyfriend who was about to be her new stepdad! Thinking about Gabby had made the girls start thinking about the adventures they had with their Beys. Achilles, Spryzen, and Apocalypse, the Beys that they had won so many Battles and helped them win the Team Tournament, and helped Adagio become the World Champion. They had participated and watched so many amazing battles and Beyblade was still growing more popular each day. The girls had so much fun and the talks they had with their Beys were the best, the bond they had with their Beys was great! They remembered all the times they worked together to think of a strategy to beat the team they were facing so that they could win and move on to the next round and hopefully win the tournament, which in the end they won! Their journey was a fun one but they had to sadly end their journey, they had more important things, like school to focus on. Beyblade was only a hobby at the time and they had the future to focus on. And the future was far more important to them and they wanted to finish school, go to college and have their jobs, and one day, they wanted to have a family, so they had to let go of Beyblade and focus on school. So now here they were in High school, the final stretch of their time at school. Their first years as freshmen were an up-and-down journey, they had good days and bad days and good things happen and bad things happen. From joining the soccer team and helping their team make it all the way to the playoffs for the first time in years only to sadly lose, but that only fueled the team to do better the next time around. To meeting Dawnshine, who had sadly brought the girls a bunch of problems, but the Dazzlings knew better than to mess with her, they didn't want to get into trouble again. From meeting all kinds of new classmates and teachers, and learning all kinds of new things each day in their classes. From Math and Science to History and English, and even P.E. and Spanish, they had learned so much. And then when they finished their first year of high school, they had an amazing summer where they got to hang out with their family, and their mom's friends, who had taught them all kinds of new things. They had a blast that summer with every day something happening. Even hanging out with Celestia and Luna was fun and they couldn't have been happier. But now was the present, and the girls were currently in their second year of high school. Sophomore year was more than halfway over but the girls all agreed that it was just as fun as their first year, give or take some things. From trying to figure out what their careers should be and trying to have a good idea of what they wanted to do before they finished high school. The food fight in the cafeteria which got Celestia pretty mad at everyone, at the moment throwing food at other kids was one of the best things they had done. And even Camp Everfree, although they were still there, the days they had come were some of the best. To swimming, sleeping in their cabins, and finding those three geodes. Everything had been a blast and the Dazzlings were sad that they only had one more day here before they had to pack up and head back to Canterlot. Now although they had so many fun things happen in Sophomore year, there was still the big negative; Dawnshine getting to Sonata and making the girl want to end it all. It was one of the worst things to ever happen to the Dazzlings, and Dawnshine had gone way too far, even Gabby hadn't gone that far. Dawnshine had gone past any limits by saying the things she had said to Sonata. But thankfully, Sonata was getting the help that she needed and was getting better day by day. The Dazzlings looked up in the sky and saw the stars shining in the night, it was beautiful. Adagio looked at her phone and her eyes nearly flew out of their sockets when she saw the time, they hadn't realized that they had been out there for hours and everyone was most likely asleep. The girls quickly got up and ran to their cabin to get some sleep so that they weren't tired for their last day at camp. As they lay down on their beds, they only hoped that whatever life would bring them in the future would be just as great. In another part of Camp Everfree, Dawnshine was out in the forest once again, but this time with her geode. She brought out her geode from her pocket and smiled at it. "Time to see what you can do." With one big flash, the geode shot out a blackish-purple beam that hit the forest and a big explosion occurred. Dawnshine covered her eyes and when she opened them she saw that a big crater had filled the area where the beam shot toward. Dawnshine looked at the crater in shock and then at her geode with a big smile. "Oh, I'm going to love this!" //-------------------------------------------------------// 37. Returning To Canterlot //-------------------------------------------------------// 37. Returning To Canterlot When the students got up the next morning they sadly packed their things and got ready for the ride back to Canterlot. They had so much that they were sad that they had to now leave, even Dawnshine was sad that they had to leave. Once the Dazzlings and all the other students got their things packed and put them into the bus, Celestia, Luna, a few teachers, along with the students and the camp owners; Gloriosa Daisy and Timber Spruce stood in front of the bus. "Gloriosa." Celestia then turned to Timber. "Timber. Thank you for allowing us to come here, we all enjoyed our stay very much." Gloriosa smiled at Celestia along with the rest of the students. "It was a pleasure having you all. I'm glad that you all enjoyed the activities we had planned out, and maybe before you all graduate you can come back again." Gloriosa gave them a big smile, she then turned to Celestia and Luna. "And this time, thankfully no weird magical moments happened." Celestia and Luna smiled and nodded their heads. The rest of the students were confused by what Gloriosa had said but decided to ignore it. As for the Dazzlings and Dawnshine, they shifted uncomfortably. They still had the geodes that they found and they had still yet to tell anyone about what they had found. Adagio quickly looked down at her pocket and stared at the golden-colored geode. 'If anyone were to find out about what we found, especially Celestia or Luna, they might get weary and might be precautious and try to take away the geodes. They most likely don't want any more magic problems since Mom and her friends, but we haven't gotten our powers yet. Unlike with mom and them, they got their powers almost instantly while we've even managed to get anything.' Dawnshine too looked down at her pocket and stared at the geode that continued to emit the dark energy surrounding it. 'If I can harness the power inside of this geode I'll be one step closer to my goal of ruling the school with an iron fist like I've always wanted.' Dawnshine then looked over to the Dazzlings who were talking with one another while the teachers talked with each other about the future and how the students might come back. However, Dawnshine glared at the Dazzlings she still wasn't too sure if the Dazzlings had found some geodes of their own, they were nearby when Dawnshine found her geode but perhaps the three were too stupid and walked past it giving Dawnshine the chance to take it for herself. 'And when I do harness the powers of this geode, you'll be the first ones to go! No, I'll make you three my minions and have them do my work for me.' Dawnshine then gripped onto her geode even harder as her fits shook, her eyes shining a blackish-purple for a split second before returning to their original color. 'And after I rule the school and show the Dazzlings who's the boss, I'll take control of the whole world!' Dawnshine then thought back to the portal that was also the statue that was in front of the school, this time, her whole eyes turning a blackish-purple for a solid few seconds. 'And then I'll go back to my universe and take control of my old world as well! Canterlot and Equestria, will both be ruled by me as its ultimate ruler and emperor! I'll get my revenge on that Starswirl for doing this to my body, and get my old body back, and then... I'll be unstoppable!' Dawnshine's eyes went back to normal as the poor girl began to feel dizzy and held her head in pain. 'W-What was that? It was as if someone took control of me... but, I felt so... strong and powerful! Like I could do anything and everything I put my mind to!' Dawnshine looked down at her geode with a big smirk. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy my time using you in my journey to power!" "You are glad to come back anytime you want, just let us know of course. We don't want anyone coming here in the middle of the night without us knowing." Dawnshine attention went back to Timber who had made a joke making a few of the students and teacher laugh, but she just rolled her eyes. Celestia looked down at her watch and back at Gloriosa and Timber. "We should be on our way back, we want to make sure the students get back before sunset. Thank you again, I'm sure this won't be the last time we come here." Celestia and Luna turned back to the students. "Alright students, it's time to head back. Let's not waste any more time and get going." The students nodded their heads and thanked Gloriosa and Timber as they all started boarding the buses. The Dazzlings, Celestia, and Luna waved goodbye to Gloriosa and Timber who waved back to them. "Come again soon, we're always welcomed to have people come to our Camp!" Gloriosa smiled as she waved. Once all the students got into their seats the bus driver started the engine to the bus and started the adventure back to Canterlot. The Dazzlings watched as the bus drove away as they drove further and further away with Gloriosa and Timber still waving as they got smaller and smaller until they couldn't be seen anymore. The three girls and probably a few other students were sad that they had to leave and go back to Canterlot but at the same time, they were glad to finally be back in the city where they were used to living and seeing their parents again after a few days away from being home. Adagio and Aria were actually a bit surprised that Sonata didn't get homesick but with all the fun activities they had done Sonata probably didn't have a chance to think about it. The trip back to Canterlot was just like the trip to Camp Everfree, everyone was silent, doing their own things, not wanting to get on the teacher's bad side and get in trouble after all the fun they had just had. Aria was listening to her music as she looked out the window looking at everything that they drove past. Adagio was in the middle once again working on her drawing, after Gloriosa had seen her drawing and said such nice comments Adagio was determined to become an even better artist. She looked at the now finished drawing of her and her family and she smiled, she had put so much time into it and now looking at the finished product she couldn't help but smile, it looked amazing and she felt proud to say that. Sonata meanwhile, was on the seat next to the aisle and was talking to Phoebe who sat on the seat across from her. The two talked about all the fun they had at Camp Everfree, from the treasure hunt to swimming to telling scary stories, and the big paintball war on the last day, every moment is just as fun as the others. Before any of the students knew it, they had finally arrived back at Canterlot. The bus drove into the Canterlot High School parking lot and stopped near the sidewalk for the kids to get off safely. Students walked off the bus and grabbed their things, they were back at Canterlot, their home. As the Dazzlings grabbed their things they met their mom who was already waiting for them. The Dazzlings walked over to their mom's car and got in. During the ride home the girls told their mom all about their field trip, making sure not to tell her about the geodes that they had found. Once the girls arrived at their house they smiled seeing the house they were so used to, they had a fun field trip at Camp Everfree, but they were now back home. //-------------------------------------------------------// 38. Angels And Demons //-------------------------------------------------------// 38. Angels And Demons Halloween, the day, or rather, the night when kids dress up in costumes and go out walking around knocking on people's doors asking for candy. Now, just as the saying goes, trick or treat, was exactly how Halloween could be for some. On the bright side, kids could dress up as whatever their imagination thought, but on the bad side, Halloween could be a scary holiday where people pull pranks on others. Now although the pranks were supposed to be nothing but little harmless jokes, the pranks could still give the person quite a scare. The Dazzlings were currently at their house in their rooms putting on their costumes so that they could go trick or treating, something the three of them were going to do together as sisters. Sure, they were a bit old to go trick or treating, but it was a tradition for the three of them to go trick or treating with each other. And as Sonata would say, the three of them were never too old to go trick or treating, to which Sonata agreed. They only had two more years so they decided to continue doing it. After putting on her costume, Adagio smiled at herself as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had dressed up as an angel with a white dress and a halo to go along with it. Adagio smiled as she fixed her halo one last time to make sure it looked good. Smiling, she walked out of her room and headed downstairs where she was to meet up with her sisters. "ADAGIO! LET'S GO!" Adagio sighed, and that was the yell of her sister, Aria, who was most likely getting bored of waiting for her. Now Adagio had told Aria before going to her room to get ready that she was going to need her time because as she liked to say, you can't rush perfection. However, it seemed that Aria didn't get the memo. Groaning and rolling her eyes, Adagio yelled back at Aria. "I'M COMING HOLD ON!!" Looking at herself in the mirror one last time and telling herself that she looked good enough, she smiled and walked out of her room. Walking out of her room and downstairs to the living room, she saw Aria all alone tapping her foot on the ground in irritation. Waiting for her other two sisters for so long was probably starting to irritate her. Coming down the stairs, Adagio was able to get a better look at Aria's costume. Aria had gone all out and dressed up as a vampire with a cape and some fake fangs. Adagio was impressed with Aria's costume, it looked amazing and it kinda put Adagio's angle costume to shame. "Nice vampire costume." Turning her head Aria looked and saw Adagio who was giving her a smile in her halo costume. "You really went all out with your costume, and it shows!" Blushing, Aria turned her head, crossing her arms and closing her eyes, so that Adagio didn't see the ever so growing blush. "T-Thanks." Aria then peaked with one of her eyes and looked at Adagio's costume again. "You don't look so bad yourself, you really do look like the angels from the shows and movies." Adagio smiled and nodded her head, thanking Aria for her kind words. Aria smiled and faced Adagio as she waved her cape with her hand. She also showed off her fake fangs making sure Adagio could see her whole costume. "So, are you ready to give everyone a good scare? Making everyone tremble before us and rob them of their candy?" Aria then let out a maniac laugh as Adagio just stared at her letting out a nervous laugh. Aria was getting way into character but Adagio didn't mind, Aria was having fun and she was going to let her have it. "Well, maybe not steal people's hard-earned candy, but I am definitely ready to walk around and get some candy and look at everyone's candy." Adagio then did a little spin. "Plus, I don't think that I have a good costume to give people a scare." Aria looked at her costume and nodded her head, she knew that Adagio had a point. "Yeah, now if only Sonata was ready and then we could be heading out by now. By the time we get out there and start walking around for candy, all the good candy is going to be gone and we'll get all the bad candies. Ugh, what is taking her so long anyways?" Adagio shrugged, she had no clue where Sonata could be. She was the most looking forward to going trick or treating but now here she and Aria was waiting for her, what was taking so long? "Guyssss, I'm here!" Turning their heads, Adagio and Aria turned their heads to see their sister walking down the stairs, or rather, jumping down the stairs. Hopping down the stairs, Sonata made her way over to her sisters. Adagio and Aria looked at Sonata, their eyes widened in surprise. Sonata made her way over to Adagio and Aria with a big smile on her face. "So, what do you think of my costume?" Sonata had a mermaid costume on with a tail to go along with it. Adagio and Aria looked at Sonata and then at each other. Now the costume was cute, and Sonata looked amazing in it, like an actual mermaid. However, there was one big problem that Sonata didn't think about. "Uh, Sonata? How are you supposed to keep up with us?" Adagio looked at her worried and confused, she had a bad feeling that Sonata didn't think too much of her plan. Sonata smiled and opened her mouth to say something, but she was then hit with what Adagio had asked her. "Uh, oh..." Adagio sighed while Aria rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead. The two older sisters then decided that they had waited enough and started walking out of the house and off to start hunting for candy. "Hey! Guys! Wait for me!" Sonata yelled as she hopped to chase after her sisters and not fall behind. It had been a while but the three girls started walking with one another. Sonata still had to hop after Adagio and Aria but walking around and getting the candy from people pushed Sonata to hop her hardest. So now, the three girls, an angel, a vampire, and a mermaid were walking, or hopping in Sonata's case, around Canterlot knocking on people's doors for some candy. The girls had been walking around for about an hour and they had gotten a good amount of candy, and they were currently following Aria who had said she knew where all the good candy would be at. "Aria, is this even a good idea? What if all the good candy is already gone?" Adagio whined. She was getting tired from all of the walking they had been doing. After about twenty minutes, she was already wanting to go home but Aria and Sonata forced her to continue walking around with them and keep getting candy until they all got a full bag of candy. When she heard from Aria that she knew how they could get a lot of candy fast, she was quick to take advantage and listen to Aria. However, the Dazzlings had been walking for at least ten minutes and they had yet to even get one piece of candy. "Trust me, this plan is foolproof. Where we're walking is where all the rich people live and they're sure to have all the good candies to give out. Big candy bars or maybe even a hand full of candy, if we walk around the neighborhood for a few minutes, before we know it, we'll be sure to have a full bag of candy, and then." Aria looked over at Adagio who was starting to fall behind, even Sonata was ahead of her, and she had been hopping around for an hour and she still had the energy to continue without a problem. "We can happily go home, soo the faster you walk so that we can walk around the neighborhood, the faster we can go home, so hurry up." After hearing that, Adagio quickly picked up her pace and started speed walking to catch up to Aria and Sonata. "Trick or treat!" The three girls said with smiles on their faces. The person smiled at the three girls and gave each of the girls a bucket full of candy. "Thank you!" The Dazzlings smiled and walked away as the man smiled at them and shut the door. It was now nighttime and the girls were still out asking about for candy. The girls looked at their bags and then at each other with a smile on their faces. They had finally gotten a full bag of candies and they could finally start making their way home, something that Adagio was very happy about. As the three girls started making their way home, they looked up at the night sky where the stars shined above them. It had been a fun night for the three of them and with all the new candy they had, they would be happy and enjoy their candy for days to come. However, from earlier years, Adagio and Aria knew that they would have to keep their eyes on Sonata and how much candy she ate. The two of them still remembered a few years back when the three of them were younger and they had gotten their candy. That very night Sonata ate her whole bucket of candy, she would later realize that doing that would be a very bad mistake. The poor girl had gotten sick with a bad stomach ache for a week, and it took the girl a long time before she ever ate candy again, which sucked for Sonata. "This was fun! We should do this again next year and the year after!" Sonata smiled as she continued to hop. Aria and Adagio looked at her and smiled. As much as they didn't want to go trick or treating this year, Sonata was the reason they had decided to go. They knew Sonata was doing much better but they wanted to be safe than sorry. Plus, they still had a good time walking around and getting candy with one another. Sonata, Adagio, and Aria all looked at one another with a smile on their faces as they all took a deep breath and yelled. "Happy Halloween everyone!!" //-------------------------------------------------------// 39. A Friends Dazzling Graduation //-------------------------------------------------------// 39. A Friends Dazzling Graduation Graduation, a day when kids finally finish school after eighteen hard years of work. And today just so happened to be the day one of the Dazzling's friends was graduating. Being two years ahead of the Dazzlings, Arctic Ace was finally graduating from high school and would soon enter the real world. No longer would he be in school, but be heading off to college and trying to make a career of his life. It was a very special day, not only for him but also for Sonata. She knew that this day was coming, but she wished that it had taken a bit longer to arrive. She knew that in the long run, she was only being selfish in wanting Arctic to stay with her. He had been such a big help in her process of getting better after all the events of Dawnshine went down, and also having a huge crush on him wasn't making things any better. But she knew better than all people how much Arctic had been looking forward to this day, he had been looking forward to graduating for so long and he was excited to finally be done with high school and to head off to college. Sonata knew that once he was gone from school, she would miss him, but for today she had to be strong, for him. Upon arriving at the school Sonata and the rest of her family found their spots and took their seats to watch the graduation take place. They had gone to the one last year, but now that Artic was graduating, it was different. As the girls sat down, they couldn't wait to see Arctic graduate with the rest of his class. Not only that but Arctic had been given the prestige honor of being the class valedictorian. There, he would give a speech to hundreds, maybe even thousands of people! The Dazzlings were surprised but yet impressed that he had not only been given the honor of valedictorian but also the fact that he would give a speech in front of so many people, but they all knew he was ready. He had been practicing his speech for days and had even said the speech in front of the Dazzlings so that he could get some last-minute practice in before he said it in front of everyone. It was crazy to imagine that the same boy that helped them train for tournaments and battles during their Beyblade adventures, was now graduating from high school at the top of his class. As the Dazzlings were thinking about how proud they were of Arctic, the sound of a microphone going off could be heard snapping them out of their thoughts. "Hello and welcome to all of our guests that have come far and wide for such a special event! Today we celebrate a new generation of students who have worked so hard to get to where they are now! These students are on the biggest stage of their life, the stage that makes them no longer high school students but rather young adults venturing into the real world! Where they will either head off to college or begin their careers, which I hope nothing but the best of luck for them all! Without further ado, I'll like to introduce the valedictorian, Arctic Ace to the stage!!" Celestia walked away from the microphone and to her seat. Everyone cheered and either clapped their hands or whistled as they watched Arctic make his way to the microphone to give his speech. Sonata cheered the loudest screaming her heart out for Arctic, and although she got a bit of weird looks from people in the crowd, she didn't care. She was cheering for her friend, the guy she had a crush on, the guy that had done so much for her. Adagio and Aria looked at one another and smiled at their sister. They knew that Sonata was going to do this, but even they didn't expect her to be this loud! Not wanting to be outdone by their sister, the two of them started yelling their hearts out for Arctic as well. Once Arctic made his way to the microphone he looked at the crowd cheering for him. He was truly grateful for everyone and all the applause he was getting. He looked around the crowd, he saw his family, some of his old teachers, and even some of his younger classmates. He turned and then saw the Dazzlings who were cheering the loudest for him, and he couldn't help but smile seeing the big smile on Sonata's face. It made him happy that Sonata was finally doing better after everything that had happened with Dawnshine, but now she was finally better, and he couldn't be happier. He was also proud of himself, proud that he had become valedictorian and would be giving a speech on his graduation day, but now came the hard part, giving the speech. Even after all the time he spent practicing for the speech, he was still a bit nervous about giving one in front of so many people. Now giving a speech in class was normal, with only maybe thirty students, but this, this was different. He wasn't looking at his thirty classmates, he was looking at hundreds of people that he didn't know. Taking a deep breath, Arctic addressed the crowd. The crowd had already calmed down and was now awaiting his speech, and not wanting to make them wait any longer, Arctic began. "Hello everyone! I hope you're just as excited for this day as I am!" The crowd cheered and clapped their hands as Arctic smiled. "I'm so glad to be given the honor of valedictorian and the chance to give this speech in front of all of you." Arctic looked down at his piece of paper for a second, trying to calm his nerves a bit. "For those who don't know me, my name is Arctic Ace. My time at Canterlot was one that I'll never forget. From all the amazing teachers to students, to the classes. Everything was great and I have everlasting memories that I'll never forget here. My four years here have been nothing but great. When I started my journey here as a Freshman I was scared and shy, and mostly stayed to myself. I was afraid of the new place I was in, and with how big the school was, I felt small. However, thanks to some amazing people and teachers, I was able to get out of my isolation and made a ton of friends that I still have to this day. Throughout the years I grew, not only in height, strength, and smarts but also as a person. I learned the importance of having a plan before rushing into something and seeing things from so many different angles that I didn't think possible. If I can leave you all with something today it's this. Don't think about the past or the future when you are in the present. Don't wish that you were younger or older, because you should be focusing on the present and the person you are now, not the person you once were or the person you are to become." The crowd cheered and everyone clapped at what Arctic had said, agreeing with his words. "To everyone else who is graduating with me, I wish you all nothing but the best and I hope that you all do the best in life. To my teachers, I hope that you all continue enjoying your teaching careers at Canterlot and that whenever you do retire, I hope that you can finish thinking back to all the good times in your times teaching rather than the worst. It may not seem like it but your actions mean a lot more than you think. And to Principal Celestia, thank you for everything you have done for this school, the teachers, and the students who go to this school. This school wouldn't be half of what it is now without you leading the way. Now, not to waste any more time, I thank you all for coming here, and thank you for listening to me! Thank you!" Arctic bowed and headed back to his seat whilst being cheered all the way back to his seat. His classmates high-fived him and patted him on the back until he sat back down in his seat. The rest of the graduation went on and the Dazzlings watched as everyone went up one by one to get their diploma from Celestia. Emotions were high as the Dazzlings watched students cry once hearing their names and got their diplomas and parents as they watched their kids overcome all obstacles and finally graduate high school. The Dazzlings cheered the loudest when Arctic's name got called up. They watched as he walked across the stage and to Celestia who happily gave him his diploma. He shook her hand as the two took a picture he then thanked her one last time and walked off and back to his seat. Once every student had gotten their diplomas, they threw their hats into the air, happy that they had finally finished their time in high school once and for all. The Dazzlings clapped and cheered for all the students, but especially Arctic. They watched as he happily talked to some of his friends, they were proud of Arctic and they hoped the best for him in the future. //-------------------------------------------------------// 40. Putting An End To Year Two //-------------------------------------------------------// 40. Putting An End To Year Two The final week of Sophomore year, but this time the Dazzlings were more prepared for this year when Finals came. The girls did the same thing that they did last year and studied with one another until the time of Finals came. They even made sure to help out some of the Freshmen who were a bit stressed out with the Finals. But now that the Dazzlings knew what to expect unlike last year, they were ready for what Finals would bring for them. From doing their Finals in Science, Math, History, English, and their second years of Spanish and P.E. It was no problem for the girls and they were even happy that the Finals were easier for them than last year. And on the last day of school in their sixth period where the girls were in their classes, they were given their grades for the Finals. Not much had changed from last year, Adagio still stayed strong with her all A's, Aria had managed to get all A's this time around which she was happy about, and as for Sonata, she had taken a bit of a drop in her grades because of the problems she was having emotionally, but she was okay with that. She may not have all A's like her sisters but she was determined to get just as good grades as her other sisters, that was a promise that she made herself. The last day of school was something that the Dazzlings loved but also hated at the same time. They loved it because it gave them time to rest for the next year and it gave them time to be away from school and let them do all kinds of fun things to do during the summer. But at the same time, they hated it because they would go away from school, and the girls liked hanging out with new people and learning new things. They said goodbye to their teachers and goodbye to their friends on the last day, but they all knew that they would see each other in a few months. When the girls got home they started thinking about about what their next year would look like. Although it didn't hit them until right now but they were now officially halfway done with high school. It felt like it was just the other day and they were heading into their first day of high school, but here they were, just months away from going into their Junior year, their third year of high school. The girls were happy that they were halfway done, they had worked so hard and their grades were showing. They had some of the best friends they could ever ask for, they each had some pretty good grades if they said so themselves, and they had so far always had the best teachers, but then again Canterlot always had good teachers. And with a support system of both their mom and dad, their aunts, and all their mom's friends, they were in a good spot in their lives. But they all knew that the next two years were going to be the most important next years of their lives. They had been told by their teachers and parents that Junior year and Senior year were the years when students had to start figuring out what they wanted to do in their lives for careers. The girls knew just how serious it was and Sunset had told them it was best to start thinking over the summer. But no matter how much they looked they didn't find anything that struck their eye in what they wanted to do later in their lives. However, they weren't too worried, they still had time so they didn't need to know what they wanted to do until later on. They still had their Junior and Senior years to think and figure out what they wanted to do, but they knew that those two years could easily fly by before they knew it. Their first two years had flown by before they need it, so there most likely won't be a difference with the last two. "It's still crazy thinking that we're just two years away from graduating. Still feels like it was only a few days and we were in the final match against Gabby and her team in the Team Tournament. Man, those days were some of the best, I wish we could still have days like that." Sonata had suddenly said as the three girls were just sitting around doing nothing but mindlessly scrolling on social media. Adagio and Aria looked up from their phones and from one another. "Yeah, there's days really were fun." Adagio smiled as she thought back to all the fun matches she had with Achilles on her side. They were a team, such a good team that they became World Champions, and that was one of the best moments of her life, and one she would never forget. Aria smiled too and nodded her head. "It was awesome when we became Champions of the Team Tournament, it showed just what we could do together as sisters." Adagio and Sonata smiled at Aria's words, the three of them really did make a good team, the best team. "But." Aria then frowned which got the attention of Adagio and Sonata. "Now that we're in high school we don't have time to do things like that. We're going into our Junior year and like our mom said, we have to start thinking about what we want to do for our careers in life. As much as it use to be to have matches with our friends with our Beyblades, we have to focus on school. We have two years left and when you really think about it, that really ain't much time to decide when there's so many jobs out there that we could choose from." Adagio and Sonata nodded their heads, their sister was right, as much fun as the past was, it was time to focus on the future ahead of them. "Well, we'll just get through this just like everything else we've gotten through. Together we'll find out which career choices we'll make in the future and we'll do whatever we can to make them a reality." Aria and Sonata smiled at what Adagio said. She was right, no matter what the three of them would figure out what they would do, together. "Yeah!" Adagio, Aria, and Sonata all smiled, they would figure out what they wanted to do as jobs in the future, together. Sophomore year had come to an end, and now the Dazzlings were halfway done with their high school adventure. //-------------------------------------------------------// 41. Checkpoint To The Halfway Mark //-------------------------------------------------------// 41. Checkpoint To The Halfway Mark Have you ever realized that you were halfway done with school? One moment you were starting high school and beginning your freshman year but before you knew it two years were already over and now you only had two more years left to go until you graduated and were done with school for good. Unless you go to college of course, but that's a different story. The thought certainly hit Sonata while she was in her Math class with her sisters. The class was going over something to do with the angle of shapes or something like that. Sonata didn't remember nor did she care, she was too busy looking outside at the cute family of birds in their nest. Anything to keep her mind away from doing the uninteresting thing that was known as Math. Or as Sonata would call it, Mental Abuse To Humans, because boy, was it mental abuse to her and her poor brain. Sonata was sure by the time she was done with school, her brain would be fried from all the math equations it had to do. While she was looking at the lovely family of birds in their nest, the thought of being halfway done with school hit her. She was now a week into her Junior or third year of high school. She was past her freshman and Sophomore years and her Senior year would be around the corner before she knew it. Sonata and her sisters were halfway done with High-school and that was something to be impressed about and it made her proud. 'And to think Aria said I wasn't going to be smart enough to get through high school and finish. Well look at me now Aria, I'm still here and doing just fine.' Sonata decided it was best to turn her attention away from the outside and back to paying attention to the lesson, or at least try to pay attention. The moment she looked at the board her eyes almost flew out of their sockets. The board was full of hard-looking math equations and math notes. Sonata looked at the board then down at her notebook... her completely blank notebook... Sonata sighed. 'I hate Math with a passion.' Not wanting to be more behind than she already was, Sonata got to work writing down all the equations and notes on the board. It was an inner race writing the notes and making sure the teacher didn't erase the notes before she was done. Funny enough although two years had passed Sonata still hated Math with every single bone in her body, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Sonata was almost pretty sure that Math hated her back because of how difficult it was for her, unlike how it treated her sisters. Both Adagio and Aria were pros with the class, but Sonata? She thought back to that C on the top of her test paper a few days ago while her sisters had a wonderful A that they happily showed off to their parents. Suddenly, something landed on the top of her desk. Sonata looked down to see the student in front of her pass back the homework worksheet filled with equations. Thirty questions... show your work... for homework... on a Monday... Sonata sighed once again as she looked up at the ceiling. 'Why must you hate me Math gods? Does thy not have any compassion for me and my poor little brain?' Adagio who was across the room looked at Sonata who was staring at the ceiling and snickered. 'Some things never change, the war between Sonata and math rages on it seems.' Smiling, Adagio looked down on her worksheet and finished writing something down. Unlike Sonata, Adagio's worksheet was already done, all thirty questions were perfectly answered with such ease that it was almost scary. 'Thankful Math is no match for someone like me.' Adagio picked up her worksheet and put it in her binder which she then placed in her backpack. Now that she had finished her homework early she had some free time to spare... but... she had nothing to do. She had already finished all the homework that she was given in earlier classes during earlier times in the day and she had finished the book she got from the library. 'Well, I guess I could just chill class is over in five minutes anyway.' So, Adagio did just that and chilled at her desk. Aria who was in the back of the class turned and looked at Adagio who was relaxing at her desk. Rolling her eyes, Aria turned her head to see Sonata scratching her head in confusion from the math equations which made Aria laugh. 'Adagio, the smartest of the three of us and smarter than possibly Albert Einstein himself. And then there's Sonata... one of, if not, the biggest idiot I've ever seen. But I guess her good looks help her, I've never seen so many love letters in a locker before in my life.' Aria looked down at her worksheet which was almost done. All Aria had to do was four more problems and she would be done with her homework... 'Eh, I'll just finish this later.' Pulling out her binder, Aria put her homework away and back into her backpack. Just at that moment, the bell went off. Aria looked up and smiled as she stood up and pulled in her seat. "Finally, about time that stupid bell goes off. Adios school, until tomorrow." "Yay! Time to go to soccer practice." Aria turned around to see Sonata already behind her walking down the hall. Aria rolled her eyes and smiled. "You would be happy that class is over with. It looked like those math equations were destroying you." Sonata stuck out her tongue as she crossed her arms until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head Sonata saw Adagio smiling. "It's okay, Sonata. I'll help you out with homework when we get home, it's not that hard anyway." Smiling, Sonata hugged Adagio. "You're the best, Dagi!" Adagio smiled and patted Sonata on the back. The three siblings continued to make their way to soccer practice. Last year they had taken a break to work on their skills to help the team out. It sucked that they didn't play last year and because of them not playing certainly showed in their team's performance. Unlike the year before, the team missed the playoffs and finished with a record of 13-8 which was considerably worse than their 17-4 the year before. Now although the team and Coach Rainbow did the best that they could it still wasn't enough and they weren't the same since the Dazzlings left. So it wasn't a surprise when the Dazzlings returned to practice everyone, besides Dawnshine, pounced and hugged them and welcomed them back. The team had gotten back not one, but three, of its better players and now the team was going to be better than ever before! Coach Rainbow smiled as she walked up to all the girls with a smile. "Girls, it's good to have you back on the team! I've got a good feeling that this year is going to be our year! With you girls back our team just got twenty percent more stronger. But don't think I'm going to go easy on any of you, we're going to be training harder than ever before so be prepared!" The girls nodded their heads as they started to practice. As the Dazzlings got to work practicing with their friends, Dawnshine looked at them from afar as her geode shined. "Just you wait Dazzlings, peril will come and the darkness will engulf your light." Dawnshine smiled as her eyes glowed, the end was near. Author's Note So sorry for being gone, live happens and I'm afraid that gets in the way of my writing time. Thankfully I had some free time and was finally able to get back to doing what I love. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as the Dazzlings story continues! //-------------------------------------------------------// 42. Game Against Crystal Prep //-------------------------------------------------------// 42. Game Against Crystal Prep Adagio, Aria, and Sonata sat in the locker room waiting for the call. It was the first soccer game of the season and their opponent was Canterlot's worst enemy, Crystal Prep. The Dazzlings were so excited that they were already in their uniform and bouncing with excitement for the game to begin. All the girls were in the locker room either putting their uniform on or sitting down in silence. While the girls were waiting the door opened with Rainbow walking in. Rainbow looked at the girls and nodded her head, she didn't need to say anything, the girls knew. They all got up and walked out of the locker room and out to the field where their fate awaited them. Running out to the field the crowd booed them, but they didn't care. Canterlot was playing at Crystal Prep so they were prepared for the boos they were going to receive. Rainbow had taught them not to show them any emotion or they would use that against them and thanks to all the practice they were more than ready to show everyone what they had. The starters for both teams immediately went to the field and got into their positions. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata got into their positions, along with the rest of their teammates and Crystal Prep's team members. The girls were in the zone and they were ready for whatever was to come. Once the ball was set and the referee blew his whistle, the game began and both teams were coming at the other with everything they had! The fight to earn their first victory of the season wasn't going to be an easy one, that's what the girls knew upon entering this game against Crystal Prep. There were about ten minutes left on the clock until the game was over and the score was still tied at 0-0. Both teams were playing good defense shutting down the other team's offense and keeping the game tied. Aria was currently on the bench after being subbed out for Dawnshine, which she wasn't quite happy about but she was too tired to care about being on the field for the majority of the game. She watched desperately as she waited for her chance to go back into the game. Crystal Prep had the ball and was getting past Canterlot's tired defense, Aria gripped her water bottle as one of the players on the Crystal Prep team kicked the ball to one of their teammates, and that teammate kicked the ball toward the goal. Sonata, who had played goalie all game blocking multiple shots was too tired and too slow to stop the ball in time and the ball slammed into the net. The Crystal Prep team cheered as the crowd exploded. It may have taken a while but their team was finally on top taking the lead 1-0. Meanwhile, team Canterlot sighed and looked at their opponents. With being down by one and only having six minutes left, their chances of winning were slim but they weren't going to give up and let their worst enemies win so easily without putting up somewhat of a challenge. Adagio signaled her team for a team meeting as the girls came in for a meeting. Aria who was originally on the bench was finally back into the game after she was subbed in for Frizzle which she was more than happy to be back in. Joining the huddle, Aria looked at Adagio to hear the game plan. "Okay, listen up girls. We're down by one but we have a shot to tie this thing up. I know you're all tired but you have to push for just a bit longer." The girls nodded their heads as they listened to Adagio. Dawnshine meanwhile just stood and rolled her eyes and even though Adagio saw it she didn't care. "I know we only started practicing this move just this week, I think we got it down to at least try to attempt it." The team knew what Adagio was talking about and smiled. The team then got into their positions while waiting for the whistle to be blown. Once the referee blew his whistle, Canterlot's counterattack began. Adagio started with the ball and immediately kicked it over to Aria who started running up the field and toward Crystal Prep's goalie. Seeing that she was about to be stopped she was skillfully able to kick the ball between one of the defender's legs and toward Dawnshine. Dawnshine got the ball and started racing down the field with defenders chasing after her. Looking forward Dawnshine saw Athena on the other side of the field open, but she also saw the goal in sight. Taking a quick glance at her geode she smiled as the geode shined brightly in response. "Here we go." She whispered to herself. Running faster to the goal she glowed as she kicked the ball toward the goalie with incredible speed. The ball launched toward the goalie and right into it without a problem. The crowd was silent, in awe at Dawnshine's goal. Crystal Prep's fanbase started booing of course while Canterlot students cheered now that the game was tied up at 1-1. The girls went over to Dawnshine and congratulated her for her amazing shot. Sonata who was near the goalie had seen everything, she rubbed her eyes with her hands. "Did Dawnshine just... glow?" Sonata wasn't sure, she thought she had seen Dawnshine glow but maybe she was just tired? "But people can't glow... the last people to do that were us and Gabby but that was due to us connecting with our Beys and I don't think Dawnshine has a Bey..." Sonata rubbed her chin but shrugged it off. "I'm probably just tired." Just then the whistle blew and Sonata jumped into her position. Crystal Prep had the ball with just barely more than a minute and was charging down the field to try to kick one last goal before time expired. Gabby and Aria were doing their best to stop the ball but Crystal Prep was smarter and kicking the ball around to all their teammates confusing Canterlot's defenders. Seeing where the ball was being kicked, Adagio tried to intercept and regain the ball but she was too slow as the ball was given to yet another teammate of Crystal Prep. The ball was within ten feet but Canterlot was playing goal zone defense blocking any kicks Crystal Prep tried to attempt. Time was running out and if Crystal Prep wanted any chance of winning they had to do something and fast! But Canterlot wasn't going to let that happen and was trying their best to send the game into overtime. One of the Crystal Prep members kicked the ball up for grabs as two of Crystal Prep's team members while Adagio and Joy tried going for it. Somehow, one of the Crystal Prep players was able to hit the ball with their head. Not being able to react in time, Sonata missed and the ball bounced into the goal just as the game clock hit zero. The crowd cheered, their team had won and beat Canterlot. Adagio looked at the clock and there at her team members who were looking down in sorrow. They came into the game and fought with everything they had, but it wasn't enough for them to win the game. Walking over to their sister Adagio and Aria sat down next to their sister who was on the ground in shame. Aria reacted first and put a hand on Sonata's back. "It's okay, Sonata. We did everything we could, but we tried our best and had a lot of fun. Our season isn't over this is only the first game, we've got a whole lot of soccer, or football, whatever you want to call it, left to play." Adagio was next to put her hand on Sonata who had gotten up and was sitting with her sisters. "Ari's right, we've got this. This team is strong, one loss isn't going to affect our season. This team is going further than ever before and we'll win the championship sooner or later." Sonata looked at her sister's and smiled. "Yeah, thanks." The Dazzlings looked at the crowd in front of them, all the Crystal Prep students were going crazy about their victory, and the Dazzlings couldn't blame them. They started the season off with not only a victory but a victory against their worst enemy, what a better way to start their season? The Dazzlings watched as their players shook hands with their opponents and started to walk off the field and back to the locker rooms. The three sisters got up and started making their way toward the locker room. The Dazzlings made eye contact with Dawnshine who was passing them, she glared as she walked in front of them and into the locker room. Adagio, however, caught a glimpse of something from the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks confusing her two sisters. Sonata walked over to her sister and put a hand on her shoulder. "Everything okay, Dagi?" Adagio looked down at Sonata, then at Aria, and then at the locker room entrance where Dawnshine had just walked into. "I... I think Dawnshine has a geode just like we do." Sonata and Aria's eyes widened as they looked where Dawnshine had just walked into. "But there were only three, how did she get her hands on another?" Adagio looked at Aria and shrugged her shoulders. "Great, first we lose our first game of the season and now we find out that... she has a geode." Aria sighed and then looked at Adagio. "You know she's most likely going to use that geode for evil purposes or against us, right?" Adagio nodded her head. "I know... but until that happens we have to be prepared." Adagio's sisters nodded their heads, agreeing with their sister. The three sisters walked into the locker room together. Sure things didn't go the way they wanted things to go but that was just how the cookie crumbled. After realizing that Dawnshine had a geode just like them, the situation has now gotten serious. Whatever the future would hold, the Dazzlings would have to be ready for it. But no matter what came their way, whether it be school, life, or Dawnshine, whatever or whoever was to come their way, they would be prepared. Upon entering the locker room, as the girls started to get changed Adagio looked over at Dawnshine who was taking off her shoes. 'Whatever you have coming for us Dawnshine just know that me and my sisters will be ready for you.' //-------------------------------------------------------// 43. A Happy Dazzling Thanksgiving //-------------------------------------------------------// 43. A Happy Dazzling Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day, the day when you spend time with family, eat delicious food until you get fatter than your Uncle Joe, watch football, and did I forget to mention that you eat a ton of delicious food? From turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, ham, gravy, pumpkin pie, and so many more delicious entrees. Adagio and Sunset were currently in the kitchen working on the Thanksgiving meal. Now although they had maids and could have easily had them make the meal, Tom and Sunset were kind enough to let them have the day off. So now here the girls were, working on the Thanksgiving meal for the family. Sunset had just put the turkey in the oven while Adagio was working on the potatoes. The two of them were making good time and it was safe to say the two of them made a good team. Sunset had just finished washing her hands and was wiping her hands with a hand towel. "Thanks for the help, Adagio. I appreciate it. Without your help cooking everything would have taken me all day." Adagio, who had just finished with the mashed potatoes, turned around and smiled at her Mom. "You're welcome, Mom. It's a lot of fun cooking and it's been fun helping you." Sunset smiled and the two of them hugged. "So what's the next thing we have to cook?" Sunset couldn't help but laugh, Adagio was acting just like Sonata bouncing up and down enthusiastically. She could tell that Adagio was enjoying helping out but it seemed she enjoyed cooking a lot. "Well I guess we can get started on the-" "C'MON TACKLE HIM!" Sunset and Adagio looked at one another in surprise before running out of the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about. Running into the living room they spotted Tom and Aria on the couch watching the football game. Adagio sighed and smacked her forehead. "Oh no." Football season had begun a few months ago and it just so happened, that one day Aria was walking by and it caught her attention. It was since that day she had gotten involved with football. So now, here was Tom and Aria yelling at a screen watching a bunch of guys touching each other, catching a ball, and running up and down the field, at least that's what Adagio saw it as. "You remember our deal, Aria. Ten bucks the Packers win." Tom flashed her a smile holding a ten-dollar bill in his hand. Adagio looked over at Tom. Tom's team, the Packers, were currently facing the Lions, Aria's team. For the whole week, Aria and Tom had been arguing over who would win the game. Tom believed that the Packers would beat the Lions because of some sort of logic that the Lions can't win on Thanksgiving. Aria, however, believed that the Lions would beat the Packers since they had destroyed the Packers earlier in the season 34-20 at Green Bay. So, they did what football fans do, bet. Aria looked over at Tom and growled. The game had gone the complete opposite of how Aria thought it would go. "I know, you don't have to remind me. There's still plenty of time left to be played, I know Jared Goff can make a comeback and give the Lions the win." Aria's voice oozing with confidence. Quickly rolling her eyes, Adagio headed back to the kitchen. She had been holding back in laughter and she couldn't hold it in anymore. From the way Aria was getting so upset over a game in which she wasn't even playing, making a childish bet with their Dad, and then Jared Goff? That was by far the most unique but funniest name she had ever heard, and that's saying something, her name was Adagio and she had a sister named Sonata. Sunset looked over at Adagio laughing and couldn't help but smile seeing her family spending time and having fun on Thanksgiving. "NO! DANG IT!" Sunset looked over at the TV to see the Packers scoring yet another touchdown. Tom looked over at her with a smirk while Aria was burning with rage. Sunset smiled and started to head back to the kitchen to finish making the food. Walking back to the kitchen, Sunset stopped Sonata sitting down and setting up the table. Heading over to the dining room table Sunset could see the whole table was all set up with the plates and utensils. "Sonata? Why are you setting up the table? We aren't going to eat for another hour." Sonata turned around and smiled. "Hi, Mom! I got the table all set up so when the food is done we can get our food and eat faster." Sunset was about to remind Sonata that they wouldn't be eating for another hour or so, but then she began to think. Sonata had already finished setting up the table and it would be an inconvenience for Sonata to undo what she did and then have to redo the table an hour later. Plus, with Tom and Aria getting into the game and with her and Adagio cooking the food everyone would most likely be hungry and with everything set up, they would be able to eat faster... "Uh, Mom?" Sunset looked down to see Sonata looking at her worriedly, fiddling with her fingers. "Sorry Sonata, I guess I got lost in my thoughts." Sunset looked at the table one last time, Sonata did do a good job setting up the table and Sunset didn't want her hard work to be for nothing. "Thank you for setting up the table for us, Sonata. It does help us a lot." Sonata smiled brightly. "You're welcome!" Sunset smiled and started to head back to the kitchen. Adagio had been in there for a while and although Sunset trusted her, Adagio was still learning how to cook. "Can I help with the cooking?" Sunset looked back at Sonata and nodded her head. "YAY!" With a blink of an eye Sonata had rushed past Sunset and toward the kitchen making Sunset laugh as she walked over. With the help of Adagio and Sonata, Sunset was able to get all the cooking down in record timing. They brought the food over to the table and started getting everyone's plates ready for the Thanksgiving meal. The game had ended and it was Tom who came out victorious, something Aria wasn't so happy about. The family of five took their seats, got their plate, and started putting what they wanted to eat on their plate. Normally Sunset would have them go around the table saying what everyone was thankful for, but judging by everyone's face she could tell they were hungry. And even though Sunset was never going to say it, but she was sick and tired of hearing the basic friends, family, food, the basic stuff that everyone says. So without saying what they were thankful for, which no one seemed to care about, the family of five started to eat their Thanksgiving meal. It was safe to say from the harmonious moans of satisfaction, the food was a hit. The family ate, talked with one another, and all in all had a good time with one another. "Sonata, what are you doing?" Turning her attention away from her conversation with Adagio, Sunset looked over to see what Sonata was doing. "I'm making a Thanksgiving taco!" Sure enough, Sonata had a taco shell in her hand while putting some of the food in the shell. She had already put some mashed potatoes, and some ham and turkey in her taco and was currently going for the gravy. "Mind passing me the gravy, Adagio?" Adagio grabbed the gravy and reached over to give it to Sonata. "Thanks." Sonata then pours the gravy as the sauce meanwhile Sunset watches all this taking place in front of her eyes. Well, everyone's attention was focused on Sonata currently. Sonata was about to take a bit of her taco when she noticed all the attention she was receiving. "What? Why's everyone looking at me?" Everyone quickly looked away, returning to their previous conversation, and ate their food. Sunset watched as Sonata ate her Thanksgiving taco happily which made Sunset happy. 'I guess Sonata will love it no matter what's in the taco.' Looking over Sunset saw Adagio and Aria giggling at one another looking at Sonata enjoying her taco. Unbeknownst to Sonata, Aria had secretly taken a picture of Sonata eating the taco. Looking around the table, she saw her family having fun laughing, enjoying their food, and having some actual family time, something that was hard to get due to school and their work schedules but times like these, were some of Sunset's favorite. 'I'm thankful that I get to spend my Thanksgiving with my family and I wish to have many more with them.' To the others this may just be a yearly Thanksgiving where they spend time as a family and eat a delicious meal, but for Sunset, this truly was, a Happy Dazzling Thanksgiving. //-------------------------------------------------------// 44. The Overnight School Day //-------------------------------------------------------// 44. The Overnight School Day Thanksgiving break had ended and the Dazzlings were finally back at school for the first time in a week. They were currently in their last period working on a worksheet their teacher had given them. The worksheet was to be done within class but if students didn't finish they would have to take it home and finish it for homework, and, well, the Dazzlings didn't want any more homework than they already did. "Attention, class!" All the kids who were working on the worksheet stopped what they were doing and looked over at the teacher. "This weekend the school is having an overnight school day as a way to congratulate all the hard work that you've all put in this year." The Dazzlings looked at one another and smiled, an overnight school day sounded fun. "If you'd like to come you'll need to get this paper signed by your parents." The teacher held up a piece of paper to show the class. "They will be on my desk, when class is over you may come up and get one, that is all." The teacher then went back to her desk to probably grade her student's work. Adagio looked over at her sisters and smiled. "We just have to go to that overnight thing. I'm sure Mom will let us go too and probably all of our friends will go." Aria who had finally finished the worksheet looked up at Adagio. "Yeah but why are we going to stay at school more than we already have to? The overnight is the same thing as having a sleepover with the girls, why not just have a sleepover if you want to stay up all night?" Sonata who was secretly cheating off of Aria's paper spoke up. "I think it'll be really fun. We get to spend time with our friends and stay overnight at the school, sounds like fun to me." Sonata then smirked. "Plus, at a sleepover, you won't be able to spend time with Bael." Aria blushed and looked over at Sonata and gave her a monstrous glare. "You, shush." Aria got up picked up her paper and toward the front of the desk and took three papers for the overnighter. Sonata who was cheating looked down, sad that she wasn't able to finish cheating off of Aria's paper. Adagio looked at her younger sister and smiled before rolling her eyes and sliding her paper over to her sister. "Hurry up, I don't want you getting me in trouble." Sonata looked up at her sister and smiled before quickly getting to work copying Adagio's work. Coming back with three papers in her hand, Aria took her seat and handed one paper to Adagio and Sonata. Without having anything else to do Aria started to pack up to leave for the day. Adagio seeing what Aria was doing and then seeing that there were only a few minutes left of class started to pack up her things as well while Sonata finished copying. Going up to the class, Adagio and Sonata both handed in their papers right as the bell went off for the day. Packing their things and heading out the Dazzlings couldn't wait to let their mom know about the overnight stay at the school. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata were currently together making sure they had all their things packed and ready to go to the overnighter at the school. It was now Friday, the day or, rather night of the overnighter, and thanks to their Mom signing their papers they were allowed to go. They were so excited that the rest of the week went and left before they knew it and it was finally the day of the overnighter. "You ready to go girls?" The Dazzlings turned back to see their Mom, Sunset staying behind them with her keys in her hand. Adagio did a double check and looked over at her sisters who nodded their heads. "Yeah, we're ready to go Mom." Sunset smiled as the girls grabbed their things and made their way to the car. The girls were already in their pajamas and jumped into the car excited for the night they were about to have. The drive was short and fast and once the Dazzlings got there they jumped out of the car, waved goodbye to their Mom, and made their way to the cafeteria where the overnighter was taking place. Walking into the cafeteria, the Dazzlings were amazed at what they walked into. The cafeteria was decorated, there was food and games all over the place, and all of the Dazzlings' friends. Making their way to their friends the Dazzlings continued to look around at all the fun things they could and would be doing tonight. As she was looking around, something, or rather, someone, caught Sonata's eye. "Arctic?" Adagio and Aria stopped in their tracks and looked over to where Sonata was staring. Sure enough, Arctic was at the axe throwing part supervising over making sure nothing went wrong, and even showing some kids how to throw an axe. "I didn't think he would be here." "He's probably here as a helper, I'm sure only a few teachers are here tonight and they probably needed some extra help and he offered." That's what Adagio guessed. Seeing her sister smile made Adagio smile, she knew Sonata had been missing Arctic ever since he graduated from Canterlot last year. "I'm sure there will be a time during the night the two of you can catch up and talk, but for now let's go to the girls and set our stuff down." Sonata nodded her head and the girls made their way to their friends. "Hey, girls!" Aria waved as she set her things down and took a seat next to Phoebe. "Ready for tonight?" Adagio and Sonata set their things down and took a seat next to Frizzle and Joy. It didn't take long before the girls started talking about anything and everything that came up. From boys, school drama that was going on, anything that was new, you name it, and it was talked about. It had been a while since all the girls were talking and Aria was starting to get bored. She was all for talking to her friends, but looking at all the cool things around them she wanted to do something more exciting. Looking around she spotted Bael across the room with a plate of food while... Dawnshine was sitting next to him talking. Aria was confused, what was Dawnshine doing talking to Bael? Just then Aria saw the two of them laughing and Dawnshine put her hand, on his chest... Dawnshine. Put her hand. On Bael's chest. Oh, Aria was mad. Sonata who was happily talking to her friends noticed Aria's sudden silence. She looked over to see Aria looking over at something with a scowl on her face with her fist shaking in anger. Looking over to where Aria was looking, Sonata froze. Dawnshine was across the room talking to Bael, Aria's crush, with her hand on his chest. Sonata looked over at Aria with a frown, she could so easily tease Aria about being jealous but she knew it wouldn't have been a good time. Just then the worst thing possible could've happened, Aria's geode started to shine. For whatever reason Aria wanted to bring her geode while Adagio and Sonata kept their geodes at home. Panicking, Sonata stood up and grabbed Aria's arm. "Umm, Aria and I are going to walk around and play some of the games that are here, if that's okay with you girls?" Aria looked at her sister confused while the girls nodded their heads. Taking her sister's hand, Sonata started to take Aria away from the girls. "Uh, Nata? What are you doing?" Sonata stopped and turned to face Aria. Aria could tell from Sonata's expression that she was serious. "What's going on?" "Your geode, Aria." Aria looked down and sure enough, it was shining. "I know you saw Dawnshine and Bael talking but you need to calm down. You don't want the secret of our geodes to be revealed. You need to calm down right here, and right now." Aria nodded her head. She took a deep breath and released. Looking down she saw her geode stop shining, which made Aria smile. "Thanks, Sonata." Sonata smiled. "Just... why is she talking to them? They aren't friends, at least I don't think so. And who does she think she is putting her hand on his chest? Does she like him or something?" Sonata sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "You'll have to talk to Bael about that if you want to figure that out." Aria thought about what Sonata said and smirked. "I might just do that." Sonata was confused by that until she saw Aria walk away from her and to where Bael and Dawnshine were. 'Oh no.' She was about to follow Aria and stop her but she was stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she smiled to see who it was. "Arctic!" Arctic smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Sonata." "Yeah, it is..." Sonata thought back to what her sisters said about talking to Arctic. It had been weeks, maybe even months since she last saw him, when would be the next time she would see him? Maybe now was the time she told him about her... feelings for him. "Hey, uh, Arctic... I want to talk to you about something, in private." Confused but understanding, Arctic nodded his head. "All right, let's find a spot where we can talk in private." As Arctic and Sonata walked around to find a place to talk Sonata's heart started to pound, nervous about what she was about to tell Arctic. Adagio was still with the girls giggling and talking about any of the spicy tea that was going on at the time. Adagio didn't know when she started getting so obsessed with drama and tea but she had a feeling it was because of Rarity. Which... she wasn't particularly upset about, hearing about people's drama was actually a lot of fun. She was currently having the time of her life having fun with her friends until the girls around her stopped talking and stared at her. Adagio looked around at them with her eyebrow raised confused why her friends stopped what they were doing and started to look at her. "Uh, girls?" Adagio continued to look at them until she started hearing giggling. "What?" She turned to Athena who was giggling with Phoebe and saw her pointing at something. Turning around Adagio was met with someone she least expected. Her heart dropped as her cheeks started to burn but she kept her cool to not make it obvious. "Venus! H-How are you?" Adagio then smacked herself internally. 'Real smooth Adagio, stutter before him to make him think you can't talk.' Venus who was standing behind her smiled, but Adagio knew there was something more to it. His body language was off, he seemed almost nervous. He gave her a small wave with his other hand on the back of his hand, something Adagio picked up was something guys do when they get nervous. But why was Venus nervous? "Hey... Adagio." Another thing that seemed off, he was talking weird too. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something." He then looked around to see all the girls around and gave a nervous laugh. "But, uh, maybe just the two of us. N-Nothing against you girls!" The girls along with Adagio laughed at Venus's embarrassment. Adagio got up and turned to her friends. "I'll be right back." The girls nodded and let Adagio head out with Venus. "Let's find somewhere to talk. I wanna hear what you got to tell me." Adagio winked making Venus even more nervous as they walked around to find a place to talk. Aria was still making her way to Bael and Dawnshine trying to make her way through the crowd of kids. It took a while but after a few minutes of pushing her way out of the crowd, Aria finally made her way to Bael, and... only Bael? Where did Dawnshine go? Aria looked around and saw Dawnshine who was staring right at her with an evil grin with a piece of paper which Aria guessed had Bael's number on it. Did Dawnshine know that Aria had a crush on Bael? Aria then began to think back to homecoming a few years back when Adagio had told her and Sonata about how Dawnshine tried getting at Venus. Was Dawnshine purposely trying to get with the guys the Dazzlings had crushes on? Does that mean that Arctic was next in line for Dawnshine to try to get with? It was then that Aria realized that if she didn't want Dawnshine to steal Bael... she would have to get with him before that happened. Aria glared back at Dawnshine and went over to Bael who was now on his phone playing some game. "Yo! Bael!" Bael looked up from his phone and saw Aria. He smiled and waved as he put his phone away. "Whatcha doing? Why are you just by yourself?" Bael let out a nervous chuckle. "Everyone else hasn't arrived yet so I'm just waiting for them. Dawnshine came over and we started talking, it was cool, we have a few things in common." Aria frowned at that. "But what have you been up to?" "I was talking to the girls but..." Aria couldn't exactly tell Bael that she saw him and Dawnshine talking and she was about to throw some hands with her. "That got boring so I decided to walk around and then I saw you by yourself so I thought I would see what's up with you." "Oh okay, nice. Yeah, I've just been here... waiting for them." Bael sighed as he took another sip of his drink. Turning back she saw Dawnshine still looking at them which made Aria's gears grind. Aria then smiled on the inside, this was her chance but she also knew what she was about to do was risky. Calming herself down, Aria turned back to Bael. "Hey, Bael?" Bael looked up and made eye contact with her. "I want to talk to you about something." "Oh, okay. What's going on?" The two made contact with one another, the noise around them becoming silent. The same thing was going on for Adagio and Sonata. Whatever was about to happen, was going to happen whether or not the result was what the girls wanted. //-------------------------------------------------------// 45. A Dazzling Relationship Of Love //-------------------------------------------------------// 45. A Dazzling Relationship Of Love "I LIKE YOU!" ... Silence. Realizing what she had just done, Aria slapped her hands over her mouth. Her emotions had gotten the best of her and she spoke before she thought. Bael looked at her in confusion while Aria looked away hiding her blushing face. 'Why did I do that? I just ruined things between us. I can't believe I spoke before thinking, I'm so stupid. I'm so-' "That's just like you, going in straightforward like that." Bael laughed, making Aria uncertain if it was a good or bad thing he was laughing. "But I like you too." Turning around with lightning speed, Aria made eye contact with Bael who had a smile on his face. "I've liked you for a while now." It took a while before what Bael had said transferred into Aria's brain. "You... like me? Like... as in like like?" Bael nodded his head. "You like me?" Bael looked at Aria confused but smiled and laughed before nodding his head again. "You like me..." Bael went over to Aria and hugged her shocking her even more. "I'm not sure what's going on but yes, I do like you. You're amazing Aria and for a while now my feelings have changed for you, I like you, a lot." Aria could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks and she was sure that Bael could feel it. But from what he had said he was genuine, her feelings for her were legit. He shared the same feelings for her as she did for him! This was exactly what she wanted but it was still a surprise to her that he liked her back. Breaking out of her shocked state, she wrapped her arms around Bael and smiled. "I like you too Bael. I like you a lot." The two continued to hug while Sonata watched from afar and smiled for her sister. "So, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?" Turning around, Sonata remembered that she had wanted to talk to Arctic, something which she had forgotten about. "It sounded like it was important, but just know I'm kinda on a time crunch so if this could be quick. I just don't to get Celestia upset." Looking to her side, Sonata could see Celestia walking around and talking to some of the students. "Well, there's no other way to tell you this but..." The words were trapped, unable to come out of Sonata's mouth. She knew that Arctic was limited on his time and the last thing she wanted to do was get him in trouble, but the words weren't coming out. "I- uh..." Arctic looked at Sonata confused before it hit him before he sighed. "Let me guess." Sonata who was looking down at the ground, looked up at Arctic, the two of them making eye contact. "This is about you having feelings about me, isn't it?" Sonata's mouth dropped. "H-How did you...?" "I've known for a while..." Arctic looked away rubbing the back of his head. "For years now, I've always known you've liked me. You weren't exactly good at hiding your feelings for me. You were pretty obvious, as much as you tried to keep them hidden from me." Sonata was too embarrassed to say anything so she just looked down. Arctic looked at Sonata and sighed. "Look, Sonata." Sonata did as Arctic said and looked up. "You're a great girl. You're nice, smart, resilient, and all about a great person, but we can't be together." Sonata's heart shattered. "W-Wha- why?!" Arctic looked away, he hated to see Sonata like this. "Think about it, Sonata. I'm in college and you're still a Junior in high school. I know it's only a two-year difference but it would just be weird if we started dating." Watching Sonata look away and sigh, Arctic got up and hugged Sonata from behind. "It's okay." Arctic let go and looked at Sonata when she turned around and smiled at him. "I understand, you have a point it would look a bit weird, and I wouldn't want people to think differently of you. But... when I graduate from high school, can we get together?" Looking at her in surprise, Arctic couldn't help but smile at Sonata. "You know what? Sure. I'll be waiting for you until then." Sonata grinned and launched herself onto Arctic, who smiled and hugged her back. It may not have been the result that Sonata wanted but it gave her confidence for the future. She was halfway done with her Junior year and had her Senior year ahead of her, which gave her plenty of time to get herself together to be the best version of herself for when she graduated and she could be with Arctic. Now although Sonata wasn't sure if Arctic would actually wait for her or not, she stayed confident that he would wait until she was out of school. It had been a while and Adagio and Veus had been catching up asking each other about how school was going and things like that. However, during the whole conversation, Adagio could tell that something was different with Venus. The whole time the two of them had started talking he was nervous. He would stutter sometimes, zone out, look at Adagio, and not say anything, not that Adagio had a problem with that, but it was just weird that every time she brought it up he would panic and change the topic. And it wasn't like Adagio had a problem about the two of them talking but Venus had yet to talk to her about what he had mentioned to her at the beginning. "So... uh, Venus. Are we going to talk about what you wanted to talk to me about?" Adagio watched as Venus suddenly flinched and looked at her before quickly looking away, something he had done a lot as well. "Don't get me wrong I like talking to you and all, but not once have we talked about what you wanted to talk to me about. If this is what you wanted to talk to me about we could've just talked with the others around us. I don't see why we had to talk in private." Seeing Adagio standing up about to head back to her friends, Venus jumped up. "There is something I want to talk to you about. Something that we have to talk about in private." Adagio turned and looked at Venus confused. "Okay, then what's up then?" It wasn't like Adagio wanted to force Venus to talk but she wanted to do other things besides talking to people. She didn't want to just leave Venus without him talking to her about what he wanted to but he was making it hard and she was growing impatient. "Well... you know how we've been friends for quite a while now?" Adagio nodded her head. Where was Venus going with this? "Well, for a few weeks now, maybe even longer, but things have started to change. I've started to really enjoy our time together, not that I haven't before, but lately I've really enjoyed hanging out and spending time together. My favorite period has become Math and that's because of you. You make the class fun despite me not knowing a thing going on in that class." Adagio couldn't help but laugh at that, it was true that Venus hated Math and she would constantly have to help in class, which she didn't mind. "What I'm trying to get at here is... I've realized that I like you, Adagio." Adagio looked at him. Now looks can be deceiving and that was exactly what was going on. On the inside, Adagio was jumping up and down happy with the fact that her crush likes her back. On the outside, however, Adagio was keeping it cool and calm... mostly because she was afraid if she reacted how she was on the inside it would scare away Venus and make herself look like a fool. "I like you too, Venus." Venus looked at her in shock. "I have for a while now as well." Adagio didn't want to tell him the truth about how long she had liked him, and a white lie never killed. Adagio's insides were screaming at her to pounce on Venus and give him a hug but she fought back the urges of doing that, mostly because she was afraid she would hurt him if she did. Just then she felt Venus wrap his arms around her making her blush. "I'm so glad. I was so worried that someone like you wouldn't like someone like me, but I just had to get this off my chest. And not only does it feel great to get it off but you like me back! This is awesome!" Adagio couldn't help but smile at Venus' reaction and continued to hug him, happy that he felt the same way. It was like a dream come true for her, and in a way it was, but Adagio wasn't complaining, not one bit. The rest of the night couldn't have gone any better. The girls stayed up until the sun rose playing games and hanging out with their friends. With the Dazzlings hanging out with their new boyfriends, Sonata's case being a bit different, but nonetheless having a time to remember. Of course though, when all said was and done the girls weren't having any more fun. Immediately when they got home the three girls crashed and fell asleep. All the fun they had all night was enough to send them out for the next few hours. However, when they woke up they would tell the others about their adventure with their crush, something they were sure the other two would be happy about. Adagio was with Venus, Aria was with Bael, and Sonata would one day be with Arctic, at least that's what she kept telling herself. All of them were happy and couldn't wait for what was to come in their new relationships, well at least for Aria and Adagio. But Sonata was content to better herself before she did get into a relationship with Arctic. As the girls slept they could only hope that they had a dazzling relationship full of love and happiness. //-------------------------------------------------------// 46. The Incident At The Pool //-------------------------------------------------------// 46. The Incident At The Pool The sun was shining on a bright and wonderful day in Canterlot. Shining so much so that the heat was becoming unbearable to some, some like the Dazzlings. The Dazzlings sat in the living room with the AC running feeling the luxurious cool air. Sonata sat on the couch fanning herself with some mail envelopes wiping the sweat that would run down her forehead ever so often. Aria was just laid out on the couch resting, taking in the cool air and getting her mind off of the heat. Adagio on the other hand was on the ground in one of her crop tops drinking some refreshing water to cool herself off. Sonata sighed to herself as she pulled out her phone. She had changed into her pink tank top and into a pair of shorts but even that didn't seem to help. And although she was normally the cheerful one between the three of them, she wasn't very cheerful at the moment wanting nothing more for the sun to go away forever. Checking her phone, Sonata couldn't help but smile which Aria noticed. "And do tell us what are you looking at to make you smile during a time like this? You do understand that if this heat continues I might just start melting!" One thing that was to be known about Aria was that the heat didn't help with her anger, in fact, it made it worse. Turning to her sister, Sonata smiled. "Arctic just texted me." Her two sisters let out a groan which made Sonata roll her eyes. "He asked if we would like to go swimming with all of our friends, but I guess you guys don't want to so I'll just say we can't go." Before she knew it Adagio and Aria had gotten up and raced to their rooms. "I'll get the towels!" Adagio yelled. "Crap! Where did I leave my swimsuit?" Aria yelled running upstairs like a mad woman. Sonata only chuckled to herself as she texted Arctic back and started making her way upstairs to find her own swimsuit. It had only taken a few minutes for the girls to get their stuff and head down to the local swimming pool. When they got there they smiled as they noticed their friends already there either already swimming or putting their stuff down. "Hey, girls!" The Dazzlings waved to their friends who waved back after seeing the three of them. "Thanks for inviting us Arctic, the cool water is going to feel great." Arctic who was helping put some sunscreen on Sonata's back looked over and smiled. "It's no problem at all, everyone else was going and it wouldn't be nice if you left you three out." Adagio smiled smiled as she looked at her friends who were swimming around with each other. Venus was having a swimming race with the rest of the boys. The girls were having a little fight splashing each other while here Adagio was with Arctic who was helping Sonata get her sunscreen on and Athena who was tanning despite the unbearable heat. "Hey, Dagi." Adagio looked over at Sonata who had finally finished getting help from Arctic. "Ready to go swimming with everyone else?" Adagio smiled and got up from her chair. "Jump in together?" Sonata smiled and walked over to her sister as the two held hands. They walked over to the edge of the swimming pool and together they jumped into the pool. When the two resurfaced they laughed at one another. "Dagi! Nata!" The two looked over to see Aria with Phoebe. "We need your help or we won't win the water war!" Adagio and Sonata looked at one another and then to the other side of the pool where Joy and Frizzle smirking at the two. "You got it, Ari! I'll help you guys in any way I can!" Sonata swam over to Aria and Phoebe. "Are you coming, Dagi?" Adagio looked over at her two sisters and then at Joy and Frizzle. "A two against four doesn't sound fair. Sorry girls but I'm going to work with Joy and Frizzle." As Adagio swam over to the two girls she could hear Aria talking to Sonata and Phoebe about being a traitor, but she didn't care she was just making the game fair. "C'mon, girls! Let's win this thing!" The two nodded their heads and got into position. "Come at us with all you got!" Aria shouted as she, Phoebe, and Sonata got ready. The two teams stared each other down, the water war was about to begin. Arctic was sitting down on a chair reading a book. Compared to everyone else he was fine with the weather and he didn't exactly want to get wet. He was technically an adult so it was his responsibility to make sure everyone was okay which he was alright with. However, for the past few minutes now something, no, someone had been catching his eye. Arctic watched as a guy walked around the pool suspiciously with his phone always by his side. Sometimes he would raise his phone and most likely take a picture from what Arctic guessed. Arctic then watched as the guy strangely entered the pool and started swimming in a very odd way. "Hey, Arctic?" Arctic turned his head to see Athena standing up. "What's up, Athena? You don't want to tan anymore?" Arctic watched as she shook her head and looked out toward the pool. Arctic turned his head, and sure enough, Athena was looking at the same guy he was. "You realized him too, huh?" "How could I not? He's being weird and he looks like a creep." Athena then started to hide her body with her hands. "He's making me uncomfortable and it seems like I'm not the only one." Arctic turned his head to see other girls in the swimming pool looking uncomfortable and even some were hiding their bodies with their hands as they too stared at the guy. Some even completely leave the pool and go back to where they put their stuff. "I'm going to talk to some of the girls and see what they have to say. If they feel the same, I'll let one of the workers know about that guy. Wanna come with me, we can talk to more of them with the two of us." Athena nodded her head as the two of them walked over to get some answers. The water war between both groups continued with both teams splashing each other. Their laughs filled the air with none of them understanding what else was going on at the other side of the pool. Sonata was getting a bit tired, and a bit hungry so she had started to make her way over to where Adagio had brought some snacks in case they got a little hungry. As she was swimming over away from the group, she was unaware of the dangers beneath the water... Right as she was about to get out of the pool she felt something grope her thigh. "AHHH!" She quickly turned around to see a guy next to her. Sonata started to shake at the presence of the guy in front of her as she tried to back away. "P-Please don't hurt me." "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to touch you, young lady." The guy put his hands up in the air to show that he meant no harm. Although Sonata didn't fully trust him after what he just did, she didn't want to cause any trouble to everyone else. "I-It's okay, you just startled me was all." Sonata gave the guy a small smile and he reciprocated with a smile of his own as he swam away in a sudden fastness. Just then all of Sonata's friends swam over to her, in Arctic and Athena's case though they ran. "Sonata are you okay? Is everything okay? We heard you scream." Sonata looked over at Phoebe and then at the guy who touched her and watched as he got out of the pool and went over to get his stuff. "T-That guy over there, he... he touched me." Her friends gasped as Arctic looked over at the guy and watched as the man made eye contact with Arctic and started to quicken in his pace to gather his stuff. Athena bent down to Sonata's height. "How exactly did he touch you, Sonata? Do exactly what he did to you to me." Sonata looked at Athena and nodded as she did exactly what the guy did to her. Once Sonata groped Athena's thigh everyone gasped once again. Athena got up and looked over at the guy. "Looks like we were right to be worried about this guy, he's trouble just like what all the other girls told us." "More like a creep and an old pervert!" Aria growled as she looked at the guy who had finally finished getting his things and started to make his way out of the swimming pool. "Hey! He's getting away!" "He probably knew that Sonata would tell us what he did to her. That coward, running away like that! Well too bad, I'm not going to let him get away with touching my sister!" Adagio started to swim out of the pool with everyone else swimming behind her to catch up. "C'mon, Sonata. Everything will be okay." Phoebe swam with Sonata who was holding onto her, still scared and shaking after what happened. Adagio, along with all of her friends got out of the pool and started to chase after the guy. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to get away with what he did to Sonata. That was a promise! Author's Note I apologize for being gone for a bit, I was busy with school and family but I'm back. I was originally going to post the second chapter to the Pokémon book but I thought this chapter would be better, just because of the overall message I want this chapter to convey to the audience. Sexual assault isn't cool and shouldn't happen, that goes for both boys and girls, this isn't just a situation that happens to girls, things like this can happen to guys as I myself have been sexually assaulted. If you see someone doing this, tell them to stop, make sure the person is okay, get a teacher if you're at school or a higher up if at a job. Be the bigger person and make a stance, don't just be a watcher. Thank you, I appreciate you all for reading my somewhat decent stories :rainbowlaugh: https://static.fimfiction.net/images/emoticons/rainbowlaugh.png //-------------------------------------------------------// 47. Taking Down The Perpetrator //-------------------------------------------------------// 47. Taking Down The Perpetrator Adagio and her friends ran after the weird stranger to make sure he didn't get away. Running outside and looking around, Adagio noticed the guy near a car, most likely his, and was putting his stuff away. "Hey!" Adagio yelled as she ran over to the guy who got startled and started to hurry. "You're not going anywhere!" Adagio stood behind the car with her arms crossed, not caring that she was in her swimsuit and was dripping wet. There was no way the guy could escape without running her over, and unless he wanted to be charged with either killing someone or attempting to kill someone, he would think better than to run Adagio over. "Uh, can I help you, young lady?" The guy looked at Adagio with a worried expression. Adagio watched as he messed with his arms and touched his camera as if it were his baby. Adagio glared at the guy. "Did you touch my sister?" She watched as he visibly flinched and started to look around, not making eye contact with her. He was caught and he was more than likely trying to come up with a lie to get himself out of trouble. "Now it wasn't my intention to touch her. I was underwater, and I couldn't see what I was touching. I was trying to touch the edge of the swimming pool, but I mistakenly touched your sister. I do apologize." Now Adagio had to admit, his lie was a good one. Perhaps if she were younger she would've believed him and let him off the hook. But she knew better, she could read his lie. Seeing his nervousness, how fast he ran when he was seemingly caught, and the camera around his neck. He was a pervert and Adagio knew it. Adagio put on a fake smile, she had to know what was on that camera before she could be for sure. "It's quite alright. She just got a little scared was all, nothing serious. It was a reasonable mistake, anyone would've done it." Adagio continued to smile but on the inside, she was about two seconds away from beating the guy until he passed out. 'Anyone who isn't a pervert who likes to touch underaged girls and takes pictures of them.' Adagio then looked at his camera with a gentle smile. "That's a nice camera you got there." Looking down at his camera the guy smiled. "Oh, yes. It's one of my prized possessions." The guy started talking about how the camera worked and how it got it while Adagio mindlessly nodded her head with a smile. From the corner of her eye, she noticed her friends watching while Aria slowly crept up, unnoticed to the guy who continued to endlessly blabber on about his camera that meant so much to him which Adagio could under as it more likely than not had pictures of girls in it. She had also noticed Arctic on the phone which she guessed with the police or with her parents, either one would've worked. Aria was about five feet away from them and Adagio knew this was the best chance they had. "Now Aria!" The guy who was pointing to a part of the camera turned and before he could react, Aria pounced at him, ripping the camera out of his grip, and started to run. "Hey! Give that back!" The guy started to run after her but Adagio tripped him with her foot before running after Aria. "You'll pay for that!" He watched as Adagio ran up to catch Aria as he slowly got up. Adagio ran back and met up with Aria and all her other friends who were looking over the camera. Looking through the photos Adagio's prediction was right, all the photos were nothing but girls both kids and adults in their swimsuits either tanning in the sun or swimming around the pool. "I knew it. I can't believe someone can be so disgusting." Looking through the pictures and camera in hand with a still somewhat shaken Sonata by his side Arctic sighed. "I already called the police, they should be here shortly. With this evidence and Sonata's claim along with some eyewitnesses, it'll further show that he's guilty." "Give back my camera you thief!" The man entered the room with a scowl on his face. Aria jumped up and got into a fighting position along with Adagio and the rest of the gang. Just then the sound of sirens could be heard as some police entered the building. "We got a call from here?" One of the policemen asked as he and three others walked in. The man started to look worried as sweat started to drip down his bald forehead while Arctic got up and took the camera over to the police officer. "That man right there." Arctic pointed over to the guy who looked as if he was going to pee his pants at any moment. Arctic then gave the camera over to the police officer who started to go through the camera seeing the same thing as Arctic and everyone else did. "He's been taking pictures of girls and even touched any underaged girl, we've got the evidence and eyewitnesses as proof." Sonata stepped forward shyly with a towel over her. "H-he touched me right here." Sonata pointed to the area where the man had touched her. As one police officer went over to talk to Sonata, another went over to the pool to hear from some other people. The officer finally finished going through the camera and looked over at his partner. "Cuff him." His partner went over and cuffed him despite the guy trying to shake him off, which was all for nothing. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney." Everyone watched as the police officer against the pervert and took him into the back of their car. "I'm going to call Mom and Dad to let them know what happened." Adagio walked away, took out her phone, and started to call Sunset. "Hello? Hey, Mom! Oh, yeah we're at the swimming pool. Um.. about that, something kinda happened..." It must've been at least five minutes and Sunset and Tom arrived at the swimming pool, a monstrous glare in Sunset's eyes as she walked into the entrance. "Over here, Mom!" Aria waved her hand getting Sunset's attention as her Mom walked over. The police had already heard from all the witnesses and heard what Sonata had to say. Along with the evidence from the camera, which they took as it had all the pictures, the guy was going to get some time. It didn't help that he had some past crime history doing things like this before. By the time Sunset and Tom had arrived, the police were just about to leave with the pervert still in the back of the car. Sunset bent down and hugged Sonata who hugged her back. "Oh, Sonata. You're okay, that guy will never touch you like that ever again." Sonata smiled and nodded at her Mom. She was no longer scared and she was happy to know that the man was going to pay for what he did to her and all the other girls there. Sunset turned her attention to Adagio, Aria, and Arctic and smiled. "Good job you two, distracting the guy and stealing his camera. And thank you too, Arctic, for calling the police and making sure everyone was okay." Arctic nodded his head. "I wish it never happened but I'm glad that Sonata and everyone is okay." "It's nothing you could've done to prevent it, you didn't know what that guy was going to do." Sunset and everyone watched as the police drove away with the pervert in the back. "The good thing is that he's going to be gone for a long time so he can't hurt anyone else." Sunset smiled, just like that justice had been served. //-------------------------------------------------------// 48. Heading To Manehattan //-------------------------------------------------------// 48. Heading To Manehattan The crisp winter air enveloped all of Canterlot especially the Dazzlings's family home as the excitement bubbled within. It was finally winter time and everyone was in the Christmas spirit, especially Sonata. The house was decorated full of Christmas decorations and the big tree shined with the ornaments. For a while now, Sunset and Tom had been keeping a secret from Adagio, Aria, and Sonata. But the surprise they were going to share with their daughters, they were certain it would sprinkle their winter break with joy. As the family gathered in the cozy living room after eating their dinner, adorned with all the holiday decorations they had put up a week prior, Sunset shared the news. "Girls." she said with a gleam in her eyes which caught her daughter's attention. "This year, instead of our usual winter retreat, we've decided we're heading to Manehattan for vacation!" The announcement was met with wide-eyed excitement from the three girls. The mere thought of exploring the bustling streets of Manehattan filled their hearts with anticipation. They had heard all about Manehattan when Tom or Rarity came back from going there for a business trip and told them about the stories. The girls had been wanting to go for a while to go there for themselves to see what Manehattan was like. "When do we leave?" Sonata asked, her eyes sparkling. Tom grinned. "We'll be leaving tonight! So you three should better start packing soon." The trio squealed with joy and immediately rushed to their rooms to pack. Clothes, accessories, and a hint of anticipation filled their suitcases as the girls prepared for their impromptu adventure. Tom and Sunset smiled as they watched the three girls run upstairs to start packing their things for the vacation. The two got up and started making their way to the room to also start packing their things. While the girls were busy they started multi-tasking while packing their things and talking to their sisters. "I'm so excited! I can't wait to get to Manehattan! We're going to have so much fun there!" Adagio smiled as she packed one of her jackets into her suitcase. "I agree, it's going to be a lot of fun especially since it'll be all of us as a family." "I just wish it wasn't going to be so cold." Aria said as she grabbed some sweats and some long-sleeve shirts and placed them into her suitcase. It took them about a hour to finish packing but when they were finally done, they put their things into the car and headed to the airport. The family set out as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The airport was buzzing with travelers, but the family of five was able to navigate through the chaos with the ease of seasoned adventurers. After a brief wait, they boarded their flight to head to Manehattan. Thanks to Tom, the five were able to snag some first-class seats which the Dazzlings were happy about. On the plane, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata nestled into their seats, their excitement echoing in the confined space. As the three talked to one another, the engines roared to life. Before they knew it they were soaring through the skies and off to Manehattan to enjoy the vacation that awaited them. The girls looked out the window to see the ground from below which looked like small ants to them. With it being night time the girls slowly fell asleep with Sonata falling asleep on Adagio's shoulder and Aria resting her head on her mom's lap. Morning light kissed the skies as the plane descended upon Manehattan. The trio awoke to the sight of the city's iconic skyline, a sea of towering buildings glittering in the winter sun. "We're here!" Sunset Shimmer announced with a grin. The Dazzlings pressed their faces against the windows, soaking in the breathtaking view. Manehattan, a city of endless possibilities, stretched before them. The whole city looked to be decorated for Christmas as well with countless amounts of decorations on the buildings, even the airport was filled with decorations. Upon the plane landing safe and sound, the family got off the plane and went over to retrieve their bags. It took a while until they got their bags but while they waited, the girls looked around the huge airport that shined with Christmas spirit. People around them walking around most likely trying to get to their destination for the holidays to be with their loved ones. Sonata looked around the small stores and outside the airport's windows to see Manehattan outside, waiting for them to go on a journey around the city. "Oh, I can't wait! The scenery, the clothes, the stores, the food! This is going to be great!" Adagio looked at her sister and sighed, she was still somewhat tired and with Sonata being hyper this early was too much. "Just be sure to stay close to us at all times. We don't want you getting lost again." Seeing her sister pout and turn her head made her smile. "We wouldn't want Arctic to worry about you being lost, now do we?" Sonata smiled and shook her head. "Nope. He's with his friends and family back in Canterlot. I want him to enjoy his time while I get to hang out with you guys!" Sonata then turned to Aria who was on her phone texting. A devilish smirk grew on Sonata's face. "Are you texting your boyfriend, Ari?" Aria turned her head and gave Sonata a small glare which wasn't as powerful as the blush that was painted all over her face. "Shut up, Nata." Sonata giggled which made Aria roll her eyes. "If you must know, I am. Bael was just telling me about how his vacation was going, that's all." Unbeknownst to Aria, Adagio walked over behind her and peeked at her phone. "Oh, Aria~" Aria flinched and turned her head to see Adagio giving her a devilish smirk, one that Sonata's could never match up to. "From what things looked like you two were talking more than just how vacations were going. It might be my eyes playing tricks on me but..." Adagio took a step forward and got right next to Aria's ear. "It looks like he misses you." Aria blushed turning from a purple to a bright pink which made Adagio and Sonata burst out in laughter. Aria could only grit her teeth while her sisters continued to laugh while Sunset and Tom happily watched the three of them. Once the girls got their backs and got out of the airport and finally in Manehattan, the family decided to embark on a sightseeing adventure before making their way to the Manehattan Hotel where they would be staying. The bustling streets were adorned with festive decorations, and the air was filled with the magic of the season. The Dazzlings marveled at the sights and sounds, weaving through crowds and enjoying every moment. Manehattan was bigger and more beautiful than they could've ever imagined it to be. Finally, they arrived at their hotel. The lobby was adorned with holiday cheer, and the promise of a cozy room beckoned them. As they entered, the girls couldn't contain their excitement. The hotel room welcomed them with warmth, and the Dazzlings wasted no time in making themselves at home and planning their Manehattan escapade. Ideas for exploration, shopping, and entertainment floated in the air as the family settled in. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata exchanged gleeful glances, their anticipation building. Manehattan awaited, promising a winter vacation filled with memories, laughter, and the joy of togetherness. Little did they know, the adventure that awaited them in the city that never slept would be nothing short of magical. //-------------------------------------------------------// 49. A Dazzling Christmas Day //-------------------------------------------------------// 49. A Dazzling Christmas Day It was the morning of Christmas, the winter air was crisp and filled with the scent of pine as Sunset Shimmer, Tom, and their daughters, the Dazzlings, prepared for a special Christmas celebration all except for one that is Sonata who was still fast asleep. The cozy living room in their hotel room was adorned with twinkling lights, a beautifully decorated tree, and stockings hung by the fireplace. Sunset hummed a cheerful tune while finishing arranging the last few ornaments on the tree, her heart swelling with excitement for the evening ahead. Looking at the tree with satisfaction, Sunset made her way over to a book and started to write in it. "Mom, can we start baking the cookies now?" Adagio asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. Sunset smiled warmly at her eldest daughter looking up from her book. She smiled, finished writing, and put it down. "Of course, sweetie. Let's get started." Together, they whipped up batches of sugar cookies, gingerbread men, and peppermint bark, filling the house with the irresistible aroma of freshly baked treats. Meanwhile, Tom and Aria strung popcorn and cranberries to make garlands for the tree, their laughter blending with the joyful chatter of the season. As for Sonata... she was still fast asleep. "Santa... I want a bunch of plushies... and tacos." Sonata then turned over and smiled with a bit of drool running down her cheek. "And plushie tacos, yeah...." A slight blush then appeared on her face. "And an Arctic plushie." Sonata hugged her pillow with a bright smile as she continued to sleep. As the sun dipped below the horizon, signaling the arrival of Christmas Eve, the family gathered around the fireplace. It took a while to wake up Sonata who seemed to be in a coma but after a few minutes of trying and doing different techniques to wake up the sleeping beauty, all it took was for Aria to yell that it was time to open presents and if anyone who didn't arrive on time she would take their gifts was more then enough to wake Sonata up. Upon hearing that the once sleeping teenage girl became the Flash and was in her bed under the tree in a matter of three seconds. Adagio stared at Sonata in shock, she wasn't going to say anything but she was almost certain it had to do with Sonata's geode which happened to shine for a split second in her pocket. Of course, her eyes could've also been playing tricks on her and Sonata was just so serious that she tapped into third gear... Adagio smiled and shook her head, it was Christmas, she could worry about that another day. Sunset lit the fire, casting a warm glow across the room, and they settled onto the plush couches, sipping hot cocoa and sharing stories from past holidays. "Remember the time we built that giant snowman?" Aria reminisced, her eyes sparkling with fond memories. Sunset chuckled, nodding. "And then it started snowing so hard we couldn't even see it anymore!" Adagio had to catch herself before she accidentally spit out her hot cocoa. "And then Sonata couldn't see where she was going and ran right into the snowman and then the head got stuck on hers!" Their laughter filled the room, as well as a bright blush on Sonata's face, a testament to the bond they shared as a family. Despite the challenges they had faced in the past and even now, they had come together and forged a deep connection that nothing could break. As the day went by with fun and laughter, it was about to be the official start of handing out gifts to one another, the Dazzlings exchanged excited glances. It was time for the much-anticipated gift exchange. They had all secretly picked out special presents for each other, eager to see the joy on their loved ones' faces. "Okay, who wants to go first?" Sunset asked a twinkle of excitement in her eyes. She handed a beautifully wrapped package to Sunset, who unwrapped it carefully. Inside was a handcrafted necklace adorned with shimmering gemstones, reflecting Adagio's love for creating beautiful things. "Oh, Adagio, it's stunning!" Sunset exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She hugged her daughter tightly, feeling a rush of pride and love. Next, it was Aria's turn to give her gift. She handed a small, intricately carved wooden box to Tom, who opened it to find a collection of vintage vinyl records from his favorite artists. "These are amazing, Aria! Thank you so much." Tom said, his eyes shining with gratitude. Finally, Sonata presented her gifts to her sisters. She had spent weeks knitting cozy scarves in their favorite colors, a thoughtful gesture that brought tears of happiness to both Adagio and Aria even though she tried to hide it to look tough. "Thank you, Nata." Adagio looked at the scarf as she rubbed it against her face. "It feels so soft too." Aria looked at her purple scarf with a smile. "Where did you even learn to make these?" Sonata brightly smiled, both knowing that her sisters liked her gift and also because of her little surprise. "Auntie Rarity helped me make them, she just showed me what to do and I did the rest. Proud to say I did a good job." "Great is more like it. I love it and it's perfect for the cold season too." Adagio then smiled and took out to gifts and handed one each to Aria and Sonata. "Take it, girls, I know you're going to love them." Aria and Sonata nodded and unwrapped their gifts in a hurry. Sonata's eyes sparkled as she looked at her gift. "Wow, it's amazing! I love it!" Aria chuckled and rolled her eyes, of course, Sonata would like a gift that helped her make tacos. Opening up her gift, Aria was shocked to see what was inside. "No way! How did you find this? I thought they ran out?" Aria looked over at Adagio who smirked, she had gotten Aria an action figure from an anime she liked but they were sold out everywhere, at least that's what Aria thought. "It sure is a good thing my boyfriend has a family member who just so happens to work at a toy factory." Adagio grinned as Aria's mouth dropped even further. "I know, I know, you're wel-" Before she knew what hit her, Aria tackled Adagio nearly knocking the breath out of her. "O... okay, you're... you're welcome. C-can... you l... let me go... now?" Sonata laughed until she pulled out two more gifts. "Here you go, Mom, and Dad." Sonata handed her gifts to her parents who happily took them. "I hope you like them as much as Dagi and Ari did." Opening the gifts, Sunset and Tom smiled seeing two more scarfs also in their favorite colors and two notes talking about Sonata's love for the both of them which touched their hearts. "Thank you, Sonata. I love it." Sunset wrapped the scarf around her neck and smiled. Tom nodded his head, his scarf already around his neck. "We'll have to thank Rarity for teaching you how to make these two as well. They're amazing." As the evening unfolded, the Dazzlings and their parents exchanged heartfelt gifts, laughter, and cherished moments that would forever be etched in their memories. It wasn't just about the presents; it was about the love, connection, and gratitude they shared as a family. Now yes, the gifts were great but spending time as a family, that was the greatest gift of all to all of them. As the clock struck midnight once again, signaling the end of Christmas Day, Sunset looked around at her beautiful husband and daughters, feeling a deep sense of contentment and happiness. Looking in the book from earlier, Sunset smiled, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Celestia had texted her back wishing her a happy holiday. With a smile on her face, Sunset looked at her family who she loved dearly. This was what Christmas was all about—love, togetherness, and the magic of being with the ones you hold dear. Author's Note Sooo I'm late writing this, and I know I haven't posted in a while. I'm sorry I've just been really busy with school since it's getting close to the end of the school year. Hope you guys enjoyed //-------------------------------------------------------// 50. Celebrating The New Years //-------------------------------------------------------// 50. Celebrating The New Years The excitement was palpable as Sunset Shimmer and Tom busied themselves around the hotel room, preparing snacks, drinks, and decorations for the little New Year's Eve celebration they were having. The Dazzlings, also known as Adagio, Aria, and Sonata were buzzing with anticipation, eagerly helping around with the decorations and setting up for the countdown party. Although it was just going to be the three of them, they didn't mind spending time as one big happy family. Aria helped Tom decorate their hotel room with decorations to help with the mood, while Adagio and Sonata helped Sunset prepare treats. Technically Adagio helped out while Sonata tasted the treats to make sure they tasted good, but if you were to ask Sonata she would say that she had the hardest job of all. Sunset and Tom exchanged smiles, thrilled to ring in the new year surrounded by their lovely daughters. The living room was adorned with colorful streamers, balloons, and a glittering "Happy New Year" banner. Sunset had set up a cozy area with cushions and blankets for everyone to gather and watch the countdown on TV. Sunset looked around the room with a smile while Adagio gave a small smile at Aria who smirked. Sonata on the other hand had her mouth wide open looking at all the stunning decorations. "This place looks amazing, you guys did a great job." Tom smiled as Aria gave a closed-eyed smile. "Thanks, but..." Tom then turned to Aria who was about to grab one of the many snacks on the table and put his hand on her head as he began to rub it. "It's all thanks to Aria here. She was the one who did most of the work, I just helped where I needed to." Aria blushed and turned her head away which made everyone laugh at her cute dismay. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, laughter and chatter filled the air. Sunset and Tom shared stories of their own New Year's celebrations from years past with their friends and family, while the Dazzlings listened and mingled and shared their excitement for the night ahead as they were prepared for the next year ahead of them. Now of course the girls had and joined many New Year celebrations with their friends and family but this year was different, but in its special way. This would be the Dazzling's last New Year celebration before officially being "adults". As the final minutes of the year dwindled, the room fell silent, all eyes fixed on the television screen displaying the countdown. Sunset and Tom stood together, their daughters beside them, as the countdown began in unison with the rest of the world. The final few seconds were upon themselves as everyone watched from their homes with family and friends by their side. Elsewhere, all of the Dazzling's friends were also with their families excited for the new year that was coming toward them. Arctic watched on his couch with his family with a smile on his face. Bael, Venus, and Valex were all hanging out with each other looking at the seconds until the new year. Athena, Frizzle, Joy, Phoebe, Leon, and Gabby were all having a big New Year party enjoying the time with each other before the year ended. Sunset's friends were at Pinkie Pie's house having the time of their lives enjoying all the snacks that Pinkie had made for all of them. "10... 9... 8..." The voices of everyone in the room joined in, echoing the countdown with enthusiasm. The girls watched as the clock continued to count down as the second went down and down. Sonata smiled as she hugged her sisters while Sunset and Tom hugged each other in a loving embrace. "3... 2... 1... Happy New Year!" Cheers erupted, accompanied by hugs, high-fives, and the popping of champagne corks. Sunset and Tom exchanged a heartfelt kiss, their daughters hugging them tightly in shared joy. As the clock struck midnight, signaling the start of a brand-new year, Sunset raised her glass for a toast. "To new beginnings, cherished memories, and the love that binds us together," she said, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity. The Dazzlings clinked their glasses with their parents, their drinks being soda, and each other, sharing wishes for a year filled with happiness, success, and continued togetherness. With the formalities of the countdown over, the room transformed into a dance floor. Sunset and Tom, along with the Dazzlings, danced to upbeat music, letting go of inhibitions and embracing the joy of the moment. Adagio twirled gracefully with her Aria who showed off her dance moves with infectious energy, while Sonata laughed and spun around with her sisters, creating memories that would last a lifetime. Sunset and Tom watched with pride and happiness as their daughters and their loved ones danced and celebrated, grateful for the bond that held their family together through the years. After the initial excitement subsided, the family gathered around the dining table, where Sunset had placed a stack of colorful cards and markers. "Okay everyone, each person is to write down their New Year's resolutions and dreams for the upcoming year, don't be afraid either, they can be whatever you want them to be, it's your dream after all." The girls nodded their heads as they began to write down their dreams and goals for what they wanted next year. Adagio, the eldest of the Dazzlings, wrote down her resolution to focus on her career aspirations and spend more quality time with her loved ones. Aria wrote down her desire to travel more and explore new opportunities, while Sonata vowed to pursue her passion for creativity. Sunset and Tom also wrote down their resolutions, emphasizing the importance of family bonding and personal growth. Together, they discussed ways to support each other in achieving their goals and dreams throughout the year. As the night drew to a close, Sunset and Tom gathered their family for a moment of reflection. They expressed gratitude for the year gone by, for the challenges overcome, and for the moments of joy shared. Looking ahead with hope and optimism, they embraced each other in a group hug, knowing that no matter what the new year brought, they would face it together as one big, happy family—the Dazzlings and their parents, united in love and support. //-------------------------------------------------------// 51. The Start Of The New Years //-------------------------------------------------------// 51. The Start Of The New Years The New Year had arrived, bringing with it a crisp, chilly air and a sense of renewal. For the Dazzlings, it was a time of reflection and relaxation as they spent the holiday season with their parents, Tom and Sunset. After their tumultuous past and recent adventures, they relished these moments of calm and familial warmth. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata sat cozily in their hotel living room, sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace in their pajamas. Tom, their father, was busy preparing a delicious dinner, while Sunset, their mother, hummed a tune to herself as she took down the decorations the family had put up the day before for the New Year party. "Isn't it nice to do nothing but sit around and drink hot cocoa for the holidays?" Sonata exclaimed, wrapping herself in a fuzzy blanket as she happily drank her hot cocoa. Adagio smiled, nodding in agreement. "Absolutely. It's a much-needed break from our usual routines." Aria leaned back in her chair, gazing at the twinkling lights on the Christmas tree. "I almost forgot how peaceful life can be. With school and soccer, things have been pretty intense as of late." Her sisters nodded their heads taking in the nice calming silence. Their parents joined them, carrying trays of steaming food. Tom placed the dishes on the table, his eyes sparkling with joy. "Dig in, girls! I made all your favorite dishes." The evening passed in a blur of laughter, stories, and delicious food. They reminisced about their childhood memories, shared updates on their lives, and cherished the simple pleasure of being together as a family. As evening approached, people who were still celebrating the New Year started setting off fireworks. People gathered outside to watch the fireworks light up the sky. The colorful explosions reflected in their eyes, filling them with a sense of hope and anticipation for the year ahead. After a few days of relaxation and bonding, it was time for the family of five to return to Canterlot. They packed their bags, said their goodbyes to Manehattan, and boarded the airport that would take them back to their home sweet home. The plane ride was peaceful, the rhythmic sound of the airport traveling in the air lulling them into a state of calm. Adagio leaned her head against the window, watching the passing scenery down below with a contented smile. Aria glanced at her sisters, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know, I've been thinking. Our geodes have been acting strangely lately." She made sure to keep her voice down. Although her parents were across from them fast asleep, Aria still didn't want them to overhear what they were talking about. Much less anyone else either since they would probably think they were weird. Sonata perked up, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" "They've been glowing more frequently, almost like they're trying to tell us something," Aria explained, pulling out a necklace from beneath her shirt and tapping her fingers against her geode necklace which just so happened to be glowing. Adagio nodded, her brow furrowing slightly. "I've noticed that too. Maybe there's more to these geodes than we realize." Their conversation was interrupted as the plane started to make its approach to Canterlot. They gathered their belongings and stepped out of the plane, ready to resume their studies and routines and figure out more about their geodes. With determination in their hearts, the Dazzlings made a pact. When they returned home, they would devote themselves to training with their geodes, delving into the depths of their magical abilities to uncover the secrets that lay hidden within. Back at Canterlot High, the Dazzlings settled back into their daily lives. Classes, soccer practice, and games filled their schedules, but the mystery of their glowing geodes lingered in the back of their minds. One evening, after a particularly intense soccer game against a difficult opponent, they gathered in their rooms, each wearing their geode necklace. It was during the game that something unexpected happened. The girls noticed a faint glow emanating from their geodes. At first, they dismissed it as a trick of the light, but as they continued, the glow grew brighter and more pronounced. Once the game was over they quickly rushed to the bathroom and held out their geodes, watching in awe as the mysterious energy within them surged and pulsed with a newfound intensity. "This is incredible," Adagio exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. "I've never seen anything like it," Aria added, her voice tinged with excitement. Sonata giggled with delight, reaching out to touch the pulsating energy. "It's like our geodes are trying to tell us something!" The realization dawned on them—there was more to their geodes than they had ever imagined. These mystical artifacts held untapped power, waiting to be unlocked and understood. Now that they were home and that their parents were out of the house working at the moment, they took the opportunity to think about what had happened. "I can't shake this feeling that our geodes are trying to communicate with us." Adagio said, pacing the room back and forth, her hand rubbing her chin. "They've never done this before, especially not during a game." Aria frowned, crossing her arms. "Well we were pushing ourselves pretty hard to earn that victory, perhaps we pushed passed limits we didn't even know we had and it caused our geodes to shine like that? But even still how do we figure out what they're trying to say if they're trying to say something to begin with? It's not like they come with a manual." Sonata perked up, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "What if we try meditating with them? Maybe we can tap into their power that way." The idea intrigued them, and they decided to give it a try. They sat in a circle, closing their eyes and focusing on their geodes. Slowly, a soft glow emanated from the crystals, enveloping them in a warm, comforting light. As they delved deeper into their meditation, images, and sensations flooded their minds. They saw flashes of their past adventures, felt the bonds of friendship and sisterhood strengthening, and heard whispers of ancient magic guiding them forward, or perhaps it was their imagination playing tricks on them, they weren't sure. When they opened their eyes, they were filled with a newfound determination. "We have to keep exploring this power," Adagio said, her voice tinged with excitement. Aria nodded, a determined gleam in her eyes. "Agreed. Whatever these geodes hold, it's something we need to understand." Sonata grinned, her enthusiasm contagious. "Let's make it our New Year's resolution to unlock the full potential of our geodes!" And so, the Dazzlings embarked on a new journey, eager to unravel the mysteries of their magical gifts and unlock the true extent of their powers. With each day of training and exploration, they grew stronger, more confident, and closer than ever before. The New Year had brought them a promise of adventure, discovery, and endless possibilities. //-------------------------------------------------------// 52. A Dazzling Geode Training Session //-------------------------------------------------------// 52. A Dazzling Geode Training Session The crisp air greeted the Dazzlings as they stepped out of their home, the remnants of their New Year’s vacation still fresh in their minds. Snow lightly dusted the streets of Canterlot, but their focus wasn’t on the picturesque scenery. Each of them held their geodes, which had started to glow faintly during the last leg of their vacation, and a mix of excitement and apprehension lingered between them. Although they had their geodes for a while they had yet to use them, nor had the geodes glowed like this before. “I’m telling you, this means something,” Sonata said, clutching her geode as though it might leap from her hand. “They’re waking up, or… or evolving! Maybe we’re gonna turn into superheroes! We could be just like how Mom and her friends were like!” “Or we could explode,” Aria said dryly, though her gaze lingered on her own glowing geode. Adagio glared at her while Sonata stared at her in shock before looking down at her geode, a worried expression on her face as tears began to swell up in her eyes. Aria looked in surprise before turning over to Adagio who was giving her a devilish glare that made Aria look to the side as a bead of sweat dripped down her cheek. “Or then again we could be just like Mom! I-If not better and way cooler than what Mom did. Either way, we need to figure out what’s going on before something bad happens.” Adagio nodded, her expression resolute. “We need to train. If these geodes are changing, we have to understand how. Who knows why they were glowing? For all we know that could've been a sign that something is to come. Maybe someone else besides us and Mom and her friends got their hands on a geode and are using it for evil purposes." Aria and Sonata nodded their heads in agreement. "Let’s find somewhere remote where we can practice without worrying about anyone watching—or getting hurt.” The three of them bundled up and headed to an abandoned quarry just outside of town. It was secluded, quiet, and far enough from prying eyes. As they arrived, the barren landscape stretched before them, offering the perfect training ground. “Alright,” Adagio said, stepping into the center of the clearing. “Let’s figure this out. Start by focusing on your geodes, see if you can draw out whatever energy they’re holding.” Sonata eagerly clutched her geode and closed her eyes, while Aria gave Adagio a skeptical glance before following suit. Adagio held her geode tightly, concentrating as hard as she could. Minutes passed in silence. Then, a spark—Sonata’s geode began to glow brighter, and a faint aura of light surrounded her. She opened her eyes with a gasp as the energy flowed through her, lifting her slightly off the ground. Just then she began her ponying-up transformation as a pony ear, tail, and wings sprouted out of her, shocking the three of them. “Whoa! I think I’m flying!” Sonata cried, flailing her arms in excitement. “This is so cool!” Sonata then looked at herself and gasped. "They're back! This hasn't happened since the Beyblade times." “Focus, Sonata!” Adagio shouted though she couldn’t hide the awe in her voice. Sonata took a deep breath, and her aura steadied. She floated gently back to the ground as she went back to her normal state, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Did you see that? I’m like a magical fairy or something!” Before Adagio could respond, another surge of light appeared—this time from Aria. Her geode pulsed with a fiery energy, and the ground beneath her trembled slightly as she too began her ponying-up transformation. She looked down at her hands, which now glowed with a faint crimson hue. “This… this feels powerful,” Aria murmured, clenching her fists. She aimed at a nearby boulder, and with a sharp motion, she let out an ear-piercing scream, shattering the rock into multiple pieces as part of the boulder went flying. She turned to her sisters who had their hands over their ears, a rare grin on her face. “Okay, this is awesome.” "WHAT!? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Sonata yelled as she stuck a finger in her ear, trying to fix her hearing. Adagio watched in stunned silence as her sisters began experimenting with their powers, each display of energy more incredible than the last. Sonata floated higher and higher, spinning joyfully in the air, while Aria’s control over her destructive screams became more precise and powerful with every attempt. Determined not to be left behind, Adagio gripped her geode and focused harder. She envisioned the same energy coursing through her, imagined herself unlocking the same potential. But nothing happened. Her geode remained dull, its faint glow refusing to intensify. “Come on,” she muttered under her breath, frustration building with each failed attempt. She tried different stances, different breathing techniques, and even tried mimicking the motions Aria and Sonata had used. But no matter what she did, the result was the same: nothing. 'Is it broken? What am I doing wrong?' “Maybe you’re trying too hard,” Sonata suggested gently, floating down to stand beside her. “You should take a break and—” “I don’t need a break!” Adagio snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. Sonata down a step back in shock while Aria looked over at Adagio, her eyebrow raised. Adagio immediately regretted it, softening her tone. “Sorry, I didn't mean to snap on you, Nata. I just… I need to figure this out. I just don't understand why yours are working while mine isn't.” Adagio looked down at her geode with a frown. Aria crossed her arms, her fiery aura dissipating. “Hey, it doesn’t mean anything’s wrong with you. Maybe it just takes more time for your powers to show up.” Adagio forced a smile, though disappointment weighed heavily on her. “Yeah. Maybe. Safe the best for last, right?” Sonata and Aria smiled and nodded, despite not being sure. Even Adagio herself didn't believe what she was saying, but she could only continue to have hope. The girls continued practicing until the sun began to set, painting the quarry in shades of orange and gold. By then, Aria and Sonata had made significant progress, their confidence in their new abilities growing with each passing minute. Adagio, however, remained unable to draw anything from her geode. Despite her sisters’ encouragement, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being left behind which was a first for her. As they packed up to leave, Sonata placed a hand on Adagio’s shoulder. “You’ll get there, Dagi. I know it.” Adagio managed a small smile. “Thanks, Sonata.” The walk home was quiet, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Sonata and Aria were excited about their newfound powers, while Adagio grappled with feelings of inadequacy. As they entered their house, Sonata broke the silence. “Do you think we’ll ever have to use these powers? Like, for real?” she asked, looking between her sisters. Aria shrugged. “Who knows? I mean, it’s not like we’re in some comic book where villains just show up out of nowhere.” Adagio’s expression grew thoughtful. “Still, we should be prepared. We don’t know why our geodes are changing, or what it means. It’s better to be ready for anything.” Unbeknownst to them, in another part of Canterlot, a dark figure was already preparing for a confrontation. Dawnshine stood in the middle of a secluded forest, her own geode glowing with an ominous light. She raised her hand, and a surge of energy erupted from her palm, slicing through a tree with ease. The massive trunk fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Dawnshine smirked, her eyes glinting with malevolence. “Soon,” she murmured, her voice dripping with venom. “Soon, the Dazzlings will know what true power looks like. And when I’m finished with them, they’ll wish they never existed.” She turned away from the fallen tree, the wicked smile never leaving her face as she let out an evil laugh that echoed throughout the forest. The faint glow of her geode illuminated the darkness as she disappeared into the shadows, her mind filled with plans for the destruction of the Dazzlings. Back at the Dazzlings’ house, the three sisters sat in their living room, the glow of their geodes casting a soft light. Despite her earlier frustration, Adagio couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. She didn’t know when her powers would manifest, but she was determined to keep trying. She had hoped that one day her geode's powers would activate and when they did she couldn't wait to see what they would be. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew one thing for certain: they would face them together. She looked over at her sisters who were lying on each other asleep and smiled. Despite her powers not manifesting she was happy for her sisters that theirs did. Even if by some chance there was an evil villain at least two out of the three of them had their powers working. No matter who or what, the Dazzlings would take on the obstacle as one like they always had and always will. //-------------------------------------------------------// 53. Mothers And Daughters //-------------------------------------------------------// 53. Mothers And Daughters Mother’s Day arrived with warm sunlight filtering through the windows, promising a beautiful day for the Dazzlings to celebrate their mom, Sunset Shimmer. Well, not their birth mom so to say, but with how much Sunset had done for them, taking care of them since they were babies, she was basically their mom, whether by blood or not. The trio had spent weeks planning, determined to make this a memorable day for the woman who had always been there for them. “Alright,” Adagio announced as she surveyed the table looking at the amount of food she and her sisters had worked on all morning. They had wanted to surprise their mom with a Mother's Day breakfast so the three worked together to get the job done in no time. “Breakfast is done. Now, let’s wake up Mom.” Sonata set down a pitcher of orange juice, beaming. “She’s gonna love this! Pancakes, eggs, toast—oh! Don’t forget the strawberries. Mom loves strawberries!” “I got it,” Aria said, rolling her eyes but smiling as she placed a bowl of fresh strawberries next to the stack of golden pancakes. The three of them tiptoed upstairs to Sunset’s room, carrying a tray filled with breakfast and a small vase of flowers. Adagio knocked softly, then pushed the door open. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!” Sunset stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She smiled warmly when she saw her daughters standing there, holding the breakfast tray. “Good morning, girls. This is such a sweet surprise.” “Only the best for the best mom ever,” Sonata chimed, setting the tray on Sunset’s lap. Sunset chuckled, sitting up and taking a sip of the fresh orange juice. “You three really outdid yourselves.” The morning passed in a whirlwind of laughter and stories as Sunset enjoyed her breakfast while the girls shared memories and talked about their plans for the day. They had other things planned as well but they were waiting for Tom to get there. After cleaning up, they presented Sunset with a handmade scrapbook filled with pictures and heartfelt messages. “This is beautiful,” Sunset said, her voice thick with emotion as she flipped through the pages. “Thank you, girls. I love it.” “We love you more,” Aria said with a smirk, pulling her mom into a hug. The family piled into the car, ready for the next part of their plan. Adagio took the wheel, proudly displaying her driving skills. Their first stop was a nearby park where they spent the morning playing frisbee, taking pictures, and enjoying the sunshine. “Catch this, Mom!” Sonata shouted, throwing the frisbee high. Sunset leaped up and caught it mid-air, earning cheers from her daughters. “Still got it,” Sunset teased, tossing the frisbee back to Sonata. Afterward, they headed to an art studio for a pottery class. The session was filled with laughter as the girls and their mom tried their hand at crafting bowls and vases. Aria’s bowl collapsed into a lopsided mess, earning a round of good-natured teasing. “Looks like a modern art piece,” Sunset joked, holding up Aria’s creation. “Hey, it’s abstract!” Aria defended with a grin. As the afternoon turned into evening, they returned home to get ready for dinner. Tom, their dad, again not by blood but they still loved him, joined them, rounding out the family of five. Sunset beamed as she saw her husband walk in, holding a bouquet of sunflowers for her. “You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?” Tom said, handing her the flowers before kissing her cheek. The family headed to their favorite restaurant, a cozy Italian place with a warm atmosphere and delicious food. They were seated at a corner booth, and the table soon filled with plates of pasta, pizza, and salads. The conversation flowed effortlessly as they shared stories, cracked jokes, and reminisced. “Remember the time Sonata tried to make spaghetti and ended up burning water?” Adagio teased, making everyone laugh. “Hey! That was years ago,” Sonata protested, blushing. “And I’ve gotten better! Right, Mom?” “Definitely,” Sunset said with a wink. “Your lasagna last week was amazing.” Sonata beamed and stuck out her tongue to Adagio who just rolled her eyes but had an evident smile on her face. Tom chimed in, sharing stories from work and asking the girls about their recent activities. It was a picture-perfect evening, filled with love and laughter. As they were enjoying dessert, Sunset looked around the table, her heart full. “I’m so proud of all of you. Days like this remind me how lucky I am to have such an amazing family.” “Group hug!” Sonata declared, pulling everyone into a huddle that had their table neighbors smiling at the wholesome display. Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes watched the scene from a distance. Dawnshine stood outside the restaurant, her jacket hoodie covering her face as her hands clenched into fists as she observed the happy family through the window. Her geode pulsed with a sinister light, matching the intensity of the anger burning in her chest. “Look at them,” she muttered, her voice dripping with venom. “Acting like they’re perfect. Like they deserve everything they have when they don't.” She stepped back into the shadows, her eyes glowing faintly as her geode’s power surged. She had spent months honing her abilities, fueled by a deep resentment for the Dazzlings. They had everything she had ever wanted: a loving family, close-knit friendships, and a sense of belonging. It was more than she could bear. Dawnshine shook her head and looked down at her geode. Her geode was all that she needed, it gave her all the power in the world. The power that would make her wildest dreams come true. The power that would help her defeat the Dazzlings and send them to their demise. “I’ll make sure they lose everything,” Dawnshine whispered, her voice filled with malice. “By the time I’m done, they won’t even know what hit them.” Back inside the restaurant, the family finished their meal and prepared to head home. As they walked out into the cool evening air, Adagio looked up at the star-filled sky. “Today was perfect,” she said, her voice soft. “Thanks for everything, Mom.” “Thank you for making it so special,” Sunset replied, wrapping an arm around her. As they walked to their car, Dawnshine watched from her hiding spot, her heart pounding with rage. The sight of their smiles and laughter only fueled her determination. “Enjoy it while it lasts Dazzlings,” she hissed. “Because soon, your perfect little world is going to crumble.” The family drove off, completely unaware of the storm brewing in the shadows. For now, they were content, their hearts full of love and gratitude. But as they celebrated their bond, the seeds of conflict were already being sown, promising a confrontation that would test them like never before. //-------------------------------------------------------// 54. The Magic Of Friendship //-------------------------------------------------------// 54. The Magic Of Friendship The weekend had arrived, offering the Dazzlings a rare opportunity to relax before the chaos of their packed schedule. Between soccer practice and finals looming just around the corner, the three sisters—Adagio, Aria, and Sonata—knew their free time would soon be scarce. Determined to make the most of the day, they decided to spend it together, exploring Canterlot and enjoying the calm before the storm. Adagio led the group, her confident stride setting the pace. "Let's make today count," she said, glancing over her shoulder at her sisters. "Who knows when we'll get another chance like this?" "Agreed," Aria said, stretching her arms over her head. "But if we don’t stop for snacks soon, I’m revolting." Sonata grinned, skipping beside her sisters. "Snacks, exploring, and maybe some shopping! It's gonna be the best day ever!" The trio laughed as they wandered through Canterlot’s streets, chatting and window-shopping. Eventually, their path led them to the front of Canterlot High School. It felt weird but for some reason, the girls felt driven to come to the school. Just then the girls' geodes started to shine. “Why are we here?” Aria asked, frowning. "And why are our geodes acting up again?" “I don’t know,” Adagio admitted, folding her arms. “But it’s weird that we feel connected to stay here despite it being a weekend?” Before they could turn back, a voice called out from the shadows near the school entrance. “Well, isn’t this convenient?” The Dazzlings turned to see Dawnshine stepping into view. Her eyes blazed with fury, and her posture radiated hostility. "Dawnshine?" Sonata asked, tilting her head. The three sisters stayed close to one another, unaware of what Dawnshine was going to do or had planned. Sonata looked and noticed something hanging from Dawnshine's neck. "Hey! That's a geode just like ours!" Adagio and Aria looked closer and sure enough, Dawnshine had somehow gotten her hands on a geode as well. "How long have you had that geode for? Did you find it in Everfree Forest like we did?" Aria questioned. Just then Dawnshine's geode sparked and glowed menacingly as Dawnshine's eyes glowed. "Something isn't right. Dawnshine! What's wrong? “Don’t act like you care,” Dawnshine snapped. “You have everything—friends, talent, respect, a family! And what do I have? Nothing!” The sisters exchanged concerned glances. Was this why Dawnshine was so mean? Because she was jealous of the Dazzlings because they had something she didn't? “Look, Dawnshine,” Adagio began, stepping forward, “I don’t know what you think we’ve done to upset you, but—” “Don’t play innocent with me!” Dawnshine interrupted. Her hand shot to her neck, where a glowing geode hung on a chain. “I’m done watching you three steal the spotlight. With this, I’ll finally get what I deserve!” The geode’s glow intensified, and a wave of energy burst from Dawnshine, cracking the pavement beneath her. The Dazzlings staggered back, shielding themselves from the shockwave. A ball of energy surrounded Dawnshine, engulfing her in it as she smirked and let the power take over. “What power!” Aria shouted over the roar of energy. “You can feel it from here!” Adagio said, her voice tense. When the wave of energy subsided the Dazzlings were in shock to see what was once Dawnshine, now a devilish monster standing before them. The Dazzlings gasped, no longer did Dawnshine stand, now stood someone completely different. The monster looked at its new form and smiled, feeling the power it had within. "I can feel the power coursing through my veins! This is what I've wanted my whole life! A body worthy of my power! No longer is Dawnshine, for now, I am Eclipse Dawnshine! The new and improved Dawnshine that has no flaws! The Dawnshine that will stand at the top of the world with an iron fist!" The monster then looked at the Dazzlings. "The Dawnshine that will defeat you!" Without warning, Dawnshine sent a blast of magic hurtling toward them. Aria and Sonata leaped into action, dodging the attack and moving to counter. “Stay back, Adagio!” Aria called, launching herself at Dawnshine. “You don’t have powers yet!” Adagio clenched her fists, frustration welling up inside her as she watched her sisters take on the fight without her. Aria and Sonata worked together, dodging and weaving as they tried to disarm Dawnshine. Sonata’s agility allowed her to keep Dawnshine distracted while Aria went in for direct attacks. using her screaming powers to her advantage But Dawnshine’s geode amplified her strength and speed, making her a formidable opponent. Adagio nearly fainted when Dawnshine let out a blast that chipped Sonata's shoulder, making the poor girl wince in pain. “You can’t stop me!” Dawnshine shouted, sending a shockwave that knocked both Aria and Sonata to the ground. Adagio took a step forward, her instincts screaming at her to help. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t summon her powers. She could only hope that her sisters could hold their own against Dawnshine. 'Cmon powers, I need you!' Meanwhile, across town at Sugarcube Corner, the Rainbooms were gathered, enjoying their weekend together. It had been a while since the seven had all been together so they decided to have a friendly gathering to catch up. Pinkie Pie suddenly froze, her whole body trembling. “Uh-oh,” she said, her eyes wide. “What is it, Pinkie?” Sunset asked, concern crossing her face. “My Pinkie Sense is tingling!” Pinkie exclaimed as she shook in place. “Something bad is happening!” Pinkie looked over at Sunset with worry. “The girls are in trouble! They’re at Canterlot High!” The group didn’t hesitate. Although they never understood Pinkie's oddness, and probably never would, they knew better than to question it as it was always spot on. Grabbing their geodes, they rushed out of Sugarcube Corner and raced to Canterlot High to help the Dazzlings with whatever the situation was. Back at the school, the battle raged on. Dawnshine had taken control of the fight, her blasts of magic forcing Aria and Sonata to stay on the defensive. “You’re nothing without your precious magic!” Dawnshine taunted, aiming a particularly powerful blast at Sonata. Adagio watched in worry, she knew that Aria could continue to let out those ear-piercing screams but looking over at her Adagio could tell Aria was tired. She watched as Aria tried to let out another scream but nothing came out, shocking the two of them. Aria tried again but nothing came out. Adagio turned her head to see Sonata who was about to avoid the attack, stopped in place. The earlier attack that chipped her shoulder was getting to her, the adrenaline rush was no longer there and the pain was excruciating, so much so that it made it hard to move. And because of that, it was making it made her an early target to attack. Adagio watched in horror as Dawnshine powered up a huge attack, one that would no doubt kill Sonata if it hit. Aria rushed over to push Sonata out of the way but it was clear that she wouldn't make it in time. "NO!" Adagio screamed before ponying up as a flash of light surrounded her as her geode shined. Just as the attack was about to land, a shimmering barrier appeared just like Rarity's, deflecting the blast. Her two sisters gasped but smiled at the sight. "Dagi! Your geode! Its powers are working!" Aria crossed her arms but she had a smile on her face. "It's about time they worked! But I'm glad they chose now." Adagio stood in front of her sisters, a smile on her face as her geode glowed brightly. “I guess all it took was one of you nearly dying for it to activate. It must have felt my ambition to protect you guys,” she said, her voice steady. Adagio’s newfound power surged through her, with it, she felt like she could do anything. Aria and Sonata quickly followed suit, their geodes reacting to their sister’s energy as the three geodes shined brighter than ever before. Together, the Dazzlings faced Dawnshine, their confidence renewed. But Dawnshine wasn’t done yet. “You think that’s enough to stop me?” she sneered. "It doesn't matter how many of you there are! I'll defeat you all!" Before she could attack again, she noticed the Rainbooms had arrived, their own geodes glowing as they joined the fray. “Dawnshine, stop this!” Sunset called. “You don’t have to do this!” “Stay out of it!” Dawnshine shouted, sending a blast toward the Rainbooms. Rainbow Dash darted forward with her speed, trying to grab Dawnshine’s geode, but Dawnshine blocked her and sent her flying backward back slamming into Fluttershy and Twilight who were charging in to attack. The battle escalated, with the Rainbooms and the Dazzlings working together to subdue Dawnshine. The ten of them worked in harmony directing their attacks and creating openings for the others to strike. But Dawnshine was strong, not letting any of their attacks strike. Despite the Rainbooms and Dazzlings working together, they still had trouble against Dawnshine's power. Dawnshine used one hand to release a strong blast at the Rainbooms but Rarity's barrier magic blocked the attack. However, the attack had no stop in sight and left the Rainbooms with no chance of counterattacking. The Dazzlings gasped, Dawnshine was single-handedly putting the Dazzling's mom and her friends out of the fight. Dawnshine turned her head toward the Dazzlings and prepared to unleash her most powerful attack yet, aiming directly at Aria and Adagio. “No!” Sonata shouted, stepping in front of her sisters and absorbing the attack! Her geode pulsed with energy, and she released a powerful wave of magic that knocked Dawnshine back. With her attack knocking Dawnshine away, her attack that had been keeping the Rainbooms on defense subsided, giving them the chance to return back to the fight. Eclipse Dawnshine seethed in anger, gritting her teeth. "HOW?! Why won't you guys quit!" "Because us Dazzlings don't give up!" Adagio then started to glow. "Because our friendship with one another will always push up! Because together we can do anything! We have something you don't Dawnshine! One thing that's your biggest weakness! Friendship! And with friendship comes equality!" Adagio started to glow as she started to float in the air. The Rainbooms noticed this and smiled as they started to glow and float with her. Aria noticed this and smiled before she started to glow and float up with her sister. "Humility!" Sonata smiled as she joined everyone else. "And the most important thing of all! Love!" Along with the Elements of Harmony: Magic, Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, and Sunset's element: Forgiveness, the seven Rainbooms held hands before a rainbow shot out of them and into the sky where a unicorn came down and front of them. The Dazzlings seeing this gasped and smiled, decided to follow their lead they held their hands. With their elements of Equality, Humility, and Love, the three Dazzlings shot out a rainbow of their own as it went into the sky where a siren came down from and in front of them. "No! No! No! NO! I refuse to lose to you!" Using all of her power, Eclipse Dawnshine combined her energy as it transformed into a devilish-looking demon. It let out a roar but the unicorn and siren stayed strong, as the siren let out a roar of its own. The Dazzlings and the Rainbooms combined their powers, their magic manifesting as a radiant siren and a majestic unicorn. Dawnshine, in response, unleashed the monstrous demon formed by her corrupted geode. The battle was fierce, each side unleashing their most powerful attacks as the three collided in a monstrous clash. But the combined strength of the siren and the unicorn proved too much for Dawnshine’s demon as they both sliced through it like it was nothing. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" With a final, harmonious strike, the siren and unicorn destroyed the demon and shattered Dawnshine’s geode. As the dust settled, Dawnshine lay on the ground, her energy spent. The Dazzlings and the Rainbooms approached her cautiously. “Dawnshine,” Sunset said gently, kneeling beside her. “It’s over.” Dawnshine looked up with anger before she looked down and started to cry as tears streamed down her face. “I just… I just wanted to be noticed. To have friends. To matter.” The Rainbooms and Dazzlings looked at one another confused. Dawnshine looked at them and began her tale. Flashback A younger Dawnshine at the age of six was seen in her room at her desk, doing homework with a smile on her face. "I'm an only child so I didn't grow up with any siblings. My mom and dad were very successful and because of that they were always gone due to work, but they expected a lot from me." Dawnshine spoke as the flashback continued. A woman held a test paper with a 96 on it, Dawnshine was in front of her with a frown as she looked down. Her face was blacked out but anyone could tell she was upset. "A ninety-six!? That's the best you could do!?" The woman then slapped Dawnshine across the face. Dawnshine started to cry as tears streamed down her face. "I-I tried my best. I studied really hard. T-The teacher said I-I got the best score out of the whole test." The woman scoffed before slapping Dawnshine even harder as the young Dawnshine fell to the ground. "A ninety-six isn't good enough! You aren't studying hard enough! You're such a failure! Why couldn't we have had a better kid!" The woman walked away leaving Dawnshine on the ground. The young Dawnshine looked up, tears in her eyes, as she tried reaching for her mom. "I'm sorry! I'll do better next time! Don't leave! Mommy!" Dawnshine's mom walked away, a bright white light engulfing the younger Dawnshine. The scene then shifted over to an older-looking Dawnshine who was now twelve years old with two other girls. Dawnshine could be seen looking down in shock and sadness, a burst Bey in her hand. "And that's it! The Dragonslayer advance to the next round! Gabby and Genesis took care of Dawnshine like it was nothing! With a final score of 2-0, the Dragonslayers win the game 3-0!" The crowd goes wild as Dawnshine sighs and walks back to her teammates, their faces are also blacked out but their frowns are evident. "I guess we'll just have to practice a bit more, right team?" One of the girls scoffed as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. We were never a team. I didn't even want to take part in this but my parents forced me to." The other girls nodded. "Yeah, don't think we're a team or friends. Just because our parents work together doesn't mean we do." Dawnshine gasped. "B-but all the training we did. All the times we hung out together. Did that not mean anything?" The two girls looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. "Oh man, what a loser! She actually thought we enjoyed the time together." "If I could I would get that time back. I hated every moment of it. No wonder no one likes being around you. Not even your own parents like you!" The two girls started laughing again before turning around and walking away, leaving a very sad Dawnshine alone. "It must suck to be you." Dawnshine turned around to see Gabby who had a smirk on her face. "First you lose a match and then your so-called friends, too bad. But hey don't feel too bad, you were destined to lose our match before it even started! Your fate was sealed from the very beginning, and it seems the same applied to your friends." Gabby laughed out of loud before leaving Dawnshine to herself as she looked down at the floor doing her best to keep in the tears, her fists tightened. "And then there was the Tag Team Tournament. I had teamed up with two girls whose parents worked with mine. The three of us hung out and trained for the tournament, and I thought we had formed a friendship, but I was wrong. We lost the match and they left." Dawnshine said as the flashback switched to another scene. Dawnshine was in her room a few days later after losing the match to Gabby. She sighed as she laid on her bed looking up at the ceiling until she heard a sound. She got up and looked outside to see the Dazzlings running with their friends and family. "Because we are the Dazzlings and we will be adored!" Sonata, Adagio, and Aria yelled at once, as sisters. Dawnshine bitterly watched the Dazzlings who had big smiles on their faces run past her house. "Yes, I see it." Dawnshine heard her mother say. She got closer to her door to eavesdrop on the conversation. "It's all over the news. That group that calls them the Dazzlings won the tournament. That Sonata girl beat Gabby. The match was so intense that the whole stadium collapsed, absolutely stunning. I'd never seen something like that in my whole life. It's a shame, I wish I had a girl like those three. Maybe I should ask their mother if they want a switch in kids." Dawnshine's mother laughed. "That Adagio girl looks to have a lot of potential. Oh, but then that Aria girl has guts and strength. And then who can forget about Sonata? Now she showed true leadership and won her team the game." Dawnshine's mom sighed. "What I would give to have one of them as my daughter." Dawnshine gripped her dress as tears streamed down her face. "Why aren't I good enough for you?" Dawnshine walked away from the door and onto her bed. For the next couple of days, the news would be full of nothing but the Dazzlings and their victory. Adagio this. Aria that. Sonata beating Gabby. It all made Gabby sick. And the more she heard her parents talk about them and worship them like they were gods, the more Gabby hated the Dazzlings by the minute. "The more my parents talked about you guys and how they wish they had a different kid, hurt. A lot. It made me wish I was better. My whole life I thought I wasn't good enough for them. It's no excuse but with my parents treating me like nothing and not having any friends, I was jealous of everyone who had it better than me. And before I knew it, I had become a bully." Dawnshine said as the flashback switched over to another memory one last time. Dawnshine could be seen, she was fourteen years old and now in middle school. She was in a bed, shaking in fear, tears in her eyes with a jacket covering her naked body. Her clothes had been ripped off her and were thrown onto the floor. A man stood in front of the bed shirtless and with nothing but boxers on. His face was blackened out but he wore a smile on his face before putting his clothes back on. "Well, that was fun." The man looked down at Dawnshine, a smirk on his face. "You can try and tell my brother what we did, but who will he believe? His older brother who he's looked up to his whole life or his pathetic daughter he wishes he never gave birth to?" Dawnshine stayed quiet, not because she was scared, but because she knew the answer. "Yeah, that's what I thought." The man finished getting dressed and left the room leaving Dawnshine all alone. Dawnshine's breaths were shaky until she started crying. She looked down at a certain... private area and hugged her jacket to cover her body. Never again did she want to go through something like that ever again. And the sad part was that there was nothing she could do. She couldn't go to her parents, they wouldn't believe her. And the man that just the room... was a police officer, no way the police would believe another police officer did what he did. "It doesn't take a genius to know what happened in that bedroom that day. My dad's brother, my uncle, he well... you know. I didn't tell anyone and kept it to myself. But that was the moment that destroyed me. At that moment, after going through that hell, I was done. My life had been terrible, my parents didn't care about me, I had no friends, and my life had no purpose. All of that combined with holding in a secret as big as that destroyed me within. So, I stopped caring what people thought of me and started doing whatever I wanted to." Dawnshine said as memories of when she was a bully and all the bad things she had done up until that point flashed before her. End of Flashback "And now you know. All I ever wanted was to have friends, a family who loved me, and to feel like I mattered... and not a pathetic failure who was a mistake to be born." Dawnshine said as she looked down at the ground gritting her teeth, as she tried to hold back the tears. The Dazzlings and the Rainbooms were shocked to hear Dawnshine's story. The Dazzlings looked down, they felt bad for Dawnshine and what she had to go through. Adagio smiled as she offered her hand. “We're so sorry that you had to deal with that, no one should have to go through that." Aria offered a hand as well. "Despite all that you did, we forgive you. And if you want, we can be your friends.” Dawnshine hesitated, then took Adagio’s and Aria's hand. “You’d really want to be friends with me? After everything I’ve done?” Sonata nodded as she patted Dawnshine's back. “Of course! Everyone deserves a second chance." Sonata looked over at her mom with a smile. "Just like we had been given." She muttered to herself before looking back at Dawnshine. "Like the saying goes today's enemy is tomorrow's friend.” Dawnshine smiled faintly. “Thank you.” As the group helped Dawnshine to her feet, Sunset turned to the Dazzlings. “So,” she said, crossing her arms. “When were you planning to tell me about your geodes?” Adagio rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “We were going to. Eventually.” Sunset sighed but smiled. “Well, at least now we know. And it looks like you’ve got a handle on them. To think three more elements would join the Elements of Harmony.” The Dazzlings exchanged grins, mostly just happy their mother wasn't mad at them. Dawnshine looked at the group, hope flickering in her eyes. “Do you really think I can change?” Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder as she looked over at her girls. “I've been in your position before, and so have they long ago. With your friends, I know you can. I'm sure these three can help you even after everything. Trust me.” Dawnshine looked worried but when she saw Sunset's smile, it made her not as worried, showing a smile of her own. As the sun set over Canterlot, the Dazzlings, and the Rainbooms walked away together, ready to help Dawnshine find her dazzling second chance just as they had. Just moments ago the eleven of them had been fighting with one another, with Dawnshine trying to kill them, but now they were all standing together ready for new beginnings with Dawnshine at their side. Author's Note Probably one of the more, if not, the most darkest chapter I wrote. Did the fight scene suck? Yeah, it probably did, but I wanted to focus more on Dawnshine's backstory. Honestly, this was one of my favorite chapters to write, it might be a stretch to say my favorite one to write all time... but probably top 10 for sure, maybe top 5. Also, to answer anyone before they ask, I didn't go into full detail about Dawnshine's evil form because I thought, why not just have them envision it? Because, let's be honest, what I would envision would be different from what you envision. We all have imaginations, so use it and tell me what you imagined Dawnshine's evil form to look like. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! //-------------------------------------------------------// 55. To The Beach We Will Go //-------------------------------------------------------// 55. To The Beach We Will Go To celebrate their newly acquired friendship with Dawnshine, it was Sonata's idea to hit up the beach. So that's exactly what they did. As their feet touched the sand, the girls went down to find a spot to put their stuff. The girls' bikinis did wonders to the minds of all the guys down at the beach. As the Dazzlings walked down the coast the stares of the men followed their every step which didn't go unnoticed by the girls... well two of them at least. "Disgusting. Don't these dudes have girls of their own? Look at them and not at some high-schoolers, perverts." Aria rolled her eyes as she gave some glares to some of the guys scaring off some of the wandering stares. Adagio smiled at Aria and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't think it's all that bad. In fact, you should be proud that all these attractive guys are staring, it shows just how hot we are." Adagio turned around and did a little pose for the men making them fall for her even more. Adagio giggled and waved to the men. Aria went over and grabbed Adagio, pulling her away from the crowd of men who were starting to surround her. "Quit it. We're here to have fun at the beach not have fun with the men." Adagio pouted as she continued to be pulled by Aria. "Booooo." Dawnshine looked at Aria who walked past with Adagio still in her grasp. "It feels like walking next to three goddesses. They aren't even batting an eye to me." Dawnshine looked down at her bikini, she thought she looked hot in it. "Who isn't staring at you?" Sonata looked at Dawnshine and then looked around the beach somehow not noticing all the men looking at her and her sisters. "I'm sure whoever it is don't worry about it." It was then at that moment Sonata finally noticed Dawnshine's bikini. "WOW! Dawnshine you look so pretty! You've beaten me in beauty and I think you might match Adagio's." Dawnshine blushed at Sonata's sudden compliment but smiled. "Thank you." It was weird to think just the other day the four of them were going at one another. To think just yesterday Dawnshine was considering ending the Dazzling altogether. But now here they are today, not even twenty-four hours after all the drama took place, acting as if none of that happened and they had been best friends all their lives. It didn't take long for the girls to find a spot to call their own. Placing their things on the sand and helped put sunscreen on one another so they didn't burn from the hot sun that was beating down on them that day. There weren't any plans besides having fun, swimming in the water, making sandcastles, eat some ice cream which Sonata and Aria had already gotten their hands on in a matter of minutes. Dawnshine went down to the water to cool off in the cold water instead of tanning in the hot sun like Aria. Surprisingly enough, Adagio had decided to follow her. "I thought you would've wanted to tan with Aria." "I thought I'd join you. Besides, somehow has to watch after her." Adagio pointed over to Sonata who was splashing and swimming in the water playing with some little kids. "Fair point." Dawnshine dipped her toe in the water before quickly pulling it out. "Cold." "Well duh, what did you expect? The water was going to be hot? You just have to dive right in like Sonata." Adagio then thought of a smart idea and devilishly smirked. "All you need is a little... PUSH!" Adagio then pushed Dawnshine into the cold water. Dawnshine now cold and wet looked up at Adagio and smirked. "Oh, it's on!" The two then engaged in a water fight splashing one another and laughing as they took turns throwing water at each other. "I won't lose to you Ada-" Before Dawnshine could splash Adagio, she was shot in the face with some water from another direction. Adagio and Dawnshine looked over to see Sonata with a water gun in hand. "WATER FIGHT!" Sonata then started shooting the gun toward both Adagio and Dawnshine before getting tackled by Aria. "If it's a war you want, it's a war you'll get!" Aria and Sonata slammed into the water going underneath. Aria then sprang up from the water picking up Sonata and throwing her near Dawnshine splashing water into her face. "Long live the queen!" Just then a balloon struck Aria right in the face bursting out water. "Who dares!?" "Strike!" Adagio smirked before getting splashed by Sonata. The four girls smiled as they continued to splash one another having the time of their lives. After playing in the water for a few more minutes the girls decided to clock in and go back to their spot to eat some lunch they had brought. The four of them sat together eating on the sandwiches and chips. Dawnshine took a sip of her drink. "This has been a lot of fun, thanks for inviting me even though you didn't have to." "Why wouldn't we? We're friends after all." Sonata blatantly said as she continued to eat her food. Of course, it wasn't her fault, she had been the one that said to forget what had happened and it was all in the past. Aria nodded her head. "She's right. Quit beating yourself up, you just made a mistake and you apologized to everyone for everything." "You know a few years ago we had to deal with someone just like you, besides of course the magic." Dawnshine looked at Adagio in shock. "Back when Beyblade was trending, Gabby had turned to the dark side. She even teamed up with Aaron who came from another dimension and was completely evil. The three of us had to do everything in our power to help her see the light and the error of her ways. It took everything but eventually, we got to her and look at her now. She's one of our best friends." "She was going through a lot. With her dad leaving and her feeling as though her mom didn't care about her, it's understandable why she behaved like she did." Aria then smiled at Dawnshine. "Sounds a lot like you, right? Not to be rude of course." Dawnshine shook her head and smiled. "No, it's okay. We do sound a lot alike, with all the family drama and instead being just big bullies to everyone and then becoming evil." Dawnshine then looked at the Dazzlings. "But then three sisters took a chance on us when no one else did and helped us. We... I, can't thank you enough for all that you did, I'm glad we're friends. And I'm sure Gabby and I would be good friends." The Dazzlings smiled at their new friend. Aria raised her drink. "To our new friendship with Dawnshine!" The other three raised their drinks. "To new friendship!" The girls laughed until the sound of a woman screaming could be heard. The four girls looked at one another in shock before getting up and heading over to the woman who was in disarray. Others, probably family members and friends, crowded around her trying to help calm her down but their efforts were for not. Adagio took a knee to be at eye level with the women. "What seems to be the problem here?" "My boy! We can't find him anywhere! I want my boy back to me River! Come back!" The woman cried as her husband held her in his arms. The man looked up at the girls with a frown, he looked exhausted. "We looked everywhere but we couldn't find him. We already let the lifeguards know about our missing boy." Aria stepped in. "Do you have a picture of him or a description of what he's wearing?" The man pulled out his phone and showed the girls a picture of the boy. He was wearing a blue shirt, and shorts, with green eyes and dark blue hair. "With his colors of clothes, he could be in the water." Sonata pointed out. Dawnshine nodded her head as she looked out at the water which was packed with people. "That is a possibility. But with how dire the situation is, you have to think of the worst-case scenario. Possibly drowning, kidnapping, you never know. And with the beach being as packed as it is this makes looking for one kid like finding a needle in a haystack." The Dazzlings stood up and looked around the beach. Adagio looked at the mom who was still crying and then back at the beach with determination. "Girls, I know this is none of our business but we can't just have some little boy lost and scared. We won't stop until we find him and return him to his family." Dawnshine, Aria, and Sonata all looked at Adagio and nodded, determined to find the lost boy and return him to his parents. //-------------------------------------------------------// 57. A Redo Of The Playoffs //-------------------------------------------------------// 57. A Redo Of The Playoffs It had been a couple of weeks since the Dazzlings and Dawnshine had gone down to the beach and helped reunite a missing boy and his parents. During that time Canterlot's girl's soccer team had been working rigorously to be at their best for when playoffs arrived. Coach Rainbow had pushed the girls to be in her exact words "Twenty percent cooler and better than they were yesterday!" Unfortunately for Dawnshine, her foot injury would keep her sidelined for another two weeks. The previous few weeks she had been given time off to hopefully heal in time so that she would be ready for the playoffs but sadly it wasn't fully healed. The excitement in the air was electric as the Dazzlings and their soccer team gathered on the field, faces bright with determination. It was the start of the playoffs, and they were ready to give it everything they had, pushing harder than ever to surpass their performance from freshman year. Rainbow Dash, paced the sidelines with her usual confident grin, clapping her hands to rally the team. The girls who were doing some last-minute practice heard Rainbow's claps and went over to her. “Alright, ladies, this is our moment!” Rainbow Dash called out, her voice steady and filled with energy. “Let’s show them what we’re made of! Play as a team, back each other up, give it one hundred percent, and be twenty percent cooler than the other team!” Dawnshine, still nursing her injury from the beach rescue, sat on the sidelines with her foot wrapped, her spirit as strong as ever. “You’ve got this, girls!” she cheered, her voice echoing across the field. “I’ll be right here, cheering you on every step of the way!” Adagio, Aria, and Sonata shared a determined nod before taking their positions on the field. This was it, the moment they had been waiting for ever since they lost that playoff game in freshman year. They had wanted another chance and now was finally that chance. Adagio and Aria walked into the middle of the field while Sonata stood in front of the goalie doing a few jumps in place. The girls watched and waited for the game to begin. The game was on their home turf so the Canterlot crowd was cheering loudly for their team. Just then, the whistle blew, and the game was underway. Their opponents were tough, but the Dazzlings were tougher. Adagio took the lead, darting past defenders with impressive agility, while Aria blocked opponents from getting near Adagio or any other teammate who had the ball. Sonata, with her usual energy, blocked every shot the opposite team tried firing toward the goal. Thanks to Gabby and Athena, they were creating openings and setting up opportunities for her teammates. The team worked seamlessly, their years of friendship and practice shining in every pass and every sprint. “Come on, Sonata! You’ve got this!” Dawnshine shouted, her cheers carrying over the noise of the crowd. Their opponents had been able to take a free kick after Phoebe had accidentally caused a foul trying to get the ball back. And now, it was up to Sonata to block the kick so the team didn't get a point. As a girl from the opposing team kicked the ball, Sonata tracked it in the air and caught it firmly. The crowd cheered thankful that their team hadn't let up a point. The score was 1-0 with Canterlot in the lead early thanks to a goal from a Frizzle and Aria combination. There were still a few more minutes until halftime and the girls were looking to keep the lead up until then to keep the momentum on their side. "Keep it up, girls! We've got this! Don't let them score and keep up on the offense! We can win this thing!" The girls nodded at Adagio's encouraging words as they got ready for what the team had in store for them. As the game heated up, the Dazzlings’ teamwork became the highlight of the field. They passed with precision, defended with strength, and communicated flawlessly. Adagio scored the second goal, slipping past the goalkeeper with a swift kick. Aria followed up in the second half, taking a shot from outside the penalty box that soared straight into the net. Rainbow Dash pumped her fist in the air. “That’s how we do it! Keep it up!” The score was now 3-0 and everything was going right for team Canterlot. There were only a few more minutes until the game was over and all seemed over for the other team. The final moments of the game were intense, with their opponents rallying hard to even the score. With time against them, they would need to score, and fast if they wanted a chance at a comeback. However, the Dazzlings were relentless, playing with a tenacity that left the other team scrambling. Adagio made the last, crucial assist, passing the ball to Athena who landed the winning goal just as the final whistle blew. With a final score of 4-0, Canterlot had won and would be advancing to the next round of the playoffs! Something that hadn't been done in years! The crowd erupted in cheers, and the Dazzlings huddled together in celebration, their smiles wide and filled with pride. Rainbow Dash ran over, giving each of them a high-five and a hearty pat on the back. “You girls were unstoppable!” she exclaimed. “That’s exactly what I wanted to see!” The girls shook hands with the other team giving them words of advice and encouragement for the future. As they walked off the field, Dawnshine hobbled over to hug each of them, her eyes bright with pride. “You all did amazing! I knew you’d win it!” Sonata took a sip of her water and smiled. "And think what our team will be like once you come back from your injury? We'll really be unstoppable once we have you back!" Aria nodded her head in agreement with Sonata's statement. "I told you we would do this for you! And we'll keep winning too until you're back in shape to play. It wouldn't be fair if we all got to play in the playoffs and you couldn't." Adagio wiped her forehead with a towel to get rid of the sweat dripping onto her face. "If we keep winning you should be ready for the finals. I admit even though back then you were a ball hog, you were still a really good soccer player. You helped bring a lot to the offense, and now that you're a teammate I'm sure that offense will be even better once you're back and ready for action." Dawnshine let out a small laugh. "Again, I'm really sorry about all of that. If it wasn't for me we would have won that match back in freshman year." Seeing that Dawnshine looked down, Sonata wanted to make her feel better. "That was our first playoff game, we didn't have the playoff experience like the other team did. We were nervous and made mistakes. Back then when you said it was my fault we lost the game you weren't wrong. I didn't play all that great. Every single ball went past me. If I was able to block even one of them, we would've had a better chance at winning that game." Aria rolled her eyes. "All right, that's enough of that. No more pity parties, that's all in the past now. Let's celebrate this victory and think about what is going on currently. The past is the past, there's nothing we can do to fix it. But what we can do is use the past to not make the same mistakes twice now in the present." Sonata and Dawnshine nodded their heads as Adagio gasped. "Mom!" The girls turned their heads to see Sunset and Tom walking over to them. Adagio ran over and hugged Sunset. Aria and Sonata smiled as they too followed in Adagio's footsteps and hugged their parents. "You guys were amazing out there!" Sunset said. "Aria you look even faster than you did a few weeks ago." Aria played with her hair as she shyly looked away so no one would notice the blush on her face. "Adagio your leadership has only gotten better throughout the years." Adagio smiled and nodded her head. "And Sonata, your blocking was just magnificent!" Sonata smiled as she rubbed the back of her head. "What do you say we all go to the Sugarcube Corner and get some dinner?" Tom asked before looking over at Dawnshine who was looking to the side feeling like the third wheel. "Would you like to join us, Dawnshine? The more the merrier." Dawnshine looked up at Tom and then at the Dazzlings who nodded and smiled at her. "If it isn't too much trouble then I'd love to join you guys to dinner!" Adagio then looked down at her clothes. "Before we go to dinner, I think we should get changed back into our regular clothes and out of our jerseys, right girls?" Aria and Sonata looked down and realized they were still wearing their jerseys. "Give us a minute!" Sonata said as she rushed over to the locker room with Aria and Adagio not far behind her. Sunset, Tom, and Dawnshine watched as the girls raced to the locker room. With one game down and the team riding high on their victory, the Dazzlings were more motivated than ever, ready to take on the next round of the playoffs with everything they had. They knew this season was their chance to show everyone just how far they’d come—and they weren’t about to let anything stand in their way. They were determined to continue winning and eventually, win the championship and bring home the trophy back to Canterlot. //-------------------------------------------------------// 58. Rewinding Relapse //-------------------------------------------------------// 58. Rewinding Relapse The last few days had been nothing short of a whirlwind for the Dazzlings. Finals were right around the corner, and they had a crucial soccer match in the finals against Crystal Prep just days away. The air in their home was thick with tension; books and notes were spread across tables, and their focus had shifted almost entirely to schoolwork and practice. But despite their best efforts to keep up with everything, the stress had started to wear on each of them in different ways. Aria was more snappy than normal, getting into fights with Adagio almost every single day. Adagio too was pretty moody and even though she cared about her appearance, she hadn't been taking much care of it lately. Her hair was all over the place, her room was a mess with all the notes, and she looked like a zombie with the amount of sleep she had gotten lately. Sonata who was usually the most cheerful of the three, had become unusually quiet. She felt the weight of the expectations more heavily each day. Every missed soccer goal, and every math problem she didn’t understand, seemed to build up into a giant wall, pressing down on her until she felt trapped. She hadn’t wanted to say anything to Adagio or Aria—they were stressed too. But that evening, sitting alone in her room, the feelings became too much, and she found herself thinking about things she had thought she’d left behind. As she stared at her desk, Sonata’s gaze shifted to the drawer where she used to keep things she’d relied on during darker days. Her fingers hovered over the handle, trembling slightly as her mind filled with a painful, familiar urge. She hadn’t felt this pull in nearly a year, and it frightened her how strong it had returned. It had all started a year ago when she was being bullied by Dawnshine which led her to start doing that sort of thing in the first place but she, with the help of her family, got past that dark patch in her life. But now here it was clawing its way back into her head. A gentle knock on the door broke her train of thought. Sonata jumped, startled. Nobody had knocked on her door for the past few days so it surprised her to hear a knock. “Hey, Sonata? You okay?” It was Aria’s voice, tinged with concern. Sonata quickly moved her hand away from the drawer and wiped her eyes. “Y-yeah, I’m fine!” she called back, but her voice shook. She silently cursed herself, she couldn't even convince herself with the way she spoke. The door creaked open, and Aria stepped in, followed closely by Adagio. They exchanged a glance, instantly sensing that something was wrong. Although the two of them had been moody for the past few days, they had noticed Sonata's unusual behavior. And even though they were stressed out about the finals coming up as well as the championship game against Crystal Prep, family came first. They cared more about Sonata than some tests or soccer games. “Sonata,” Adagio said softly, moving closer. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’ve been quiet for days now.” Sonata’s defenses started to crumble. She could feel the dam breaking, her worries spilling out all at once. “It’s just… it’s all too much,” she whispered. Adagio and Aria looked at one another, worried about Sonata's condition. “School, finals, the soccer game… I feel like I can’t keep up like I’m letting everyone down.” Aria knelt down beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not letting anyone down, Sonata. We’re all feeling it.” Adagio looked at her sister with a tender gaze, realizing just how much she’d been holding in. “Sonata, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. We’re all in this together. You don’t have to carry this alone.” Sonata looked down, unable to meet their eyes. “It’s just… I almost… I thought about…” She swallowed, trying to force the words out. “I thought about going back to the way I used to cope with things. Just for a moment.” A heavy silence fell over the room, but her sisters’ expressions were only filled with understanding and concern. Aria pulled her into a tight hug. “Hey, you’ve come so far. You’ve been doing so well, and we’re so proud of you. Don’t forget that.” Adagio joined in, wrapping her arms around both her sisters. “You’ve been strong through so much, Sonata. And we’re not going to let you fall back. We’re going to get through this together.” Sonata closed her eyes, letting their warmth and support wash over her. Her heart, which had felt so heavy just minutes before, started to lighten. She took a deep breath, the urge fading as she leaned into the embrace of her sisters. After a few moments, Adagio pulled back, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “You know, maybe we need a break.” Aria nodded, understanding. “Yeah, we’ve been pushing ourselves non-stop. We need to step back and just… breathe.” Sonata wiped her eyes and managed a small smile. “I’d like that. What should we do?” Adagio brightened up. “How about dinner? Just us three, no distractions, no books or practice schedules. We’ll go somewhere nice, relax, and just enjoy being together.” Sonata’s smile grew a little wider. “That sounds amazing.” A few hours later, the Dazzlings found themselves at a cozy, family-owned Italian restaurant. The soft glow of candlelight and the smell of fresh pasta filled the air, and they felt their stress begin to melt away. Sipping on lemonade, Aria looked around at her sisters and grinned. “Alright, we’re officially on a break. No talk about finals or the game. Just fun stuff.” “Deal,” Sonata said, clinking her glass with Aria’s. The three chatted, reminiscing about funny memories from past years, and sharing their dreams for after graduation. The laughter and comfort of each other’s company reminded them of how much they meant to each other. After a particularly hearty laugh over one of Sonata’s stories, Adagio leaned back and sighed contentedly. “You know, sometimes I think we get so caught up in being perfect that we forget to just be ourselves.” Aria nodded, stirring her pasta. “Yeah, it’s like we’re always trying to live up to something. But nights like this… it’s enough just being here with you guys.” Sonata reached across the table, taking both her sisters’ hands. “Thanks for being there for me, you guys. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Adagio squeezed her hand. “We’re always going to be here for each other. No matter what.” They lingered over dessert, enjoying every bite of tiramisu and basking in the warmth of sisterhood. By the time they left, their spirits were higher than they had been in days, the weight of their worries seeming much lighter. As they walked home, Sonata looked up at the stars, feeling a renewed sense of hope. She knew finals and the soccer game were still waiting for them, but for the first time in days, she felt ready to face it all. When they reached their door, Adagio turned to the others. “Remember this feeling, alright? We’ll get through everything as long as we keep supporting each other.” Sonata nodded, her smile genuine. “I won’t forget. I promise.” What had almost turned into a dangerous relapse for Sonata, turned into a day where three sisters spent the day hanging out and taking a break from life. Adagio and Aria were glad that they were there for Sonata to stop their sister from doing anything she might regret. Sonata, meanwhile, was glad she had such great sisters that she could talk to them about anything and they could help her during rough times. With what had happened, their bond was stronger than ever before. The Dazzlings entered their home, hearts lighter and determination stronger, ready to take on whatever challenges came their way. Their little break had given them an extra breath of fresh air to push forward and continue studying and practicing for the difficult tests that were coming up. Whether it was a test or a soccer game, it didn't matter what the challenge at hand was. Because the girls would go into the challenge at hand together, as sisters. That's how they'd always done things and that's how it would continue to be, because they were the Dazzlings. //-------------------------------------------------------// 59. The Final Game Is Afoot //-------------------------------------------------------// 59. The Final Game Is Afoot The championship game for the girls’ soccer league was finally here, and the atmosphere was electric. The stadium was packed with students, parents, and fans from both Canterlot High and Crystal Prep, all eager to see who would take home the trophy. For the Dazzlings—Adagio, Aria, and Sonata—this was more than just a game. It was the culmination of years of hard work, countless hours of practice, and a burning desire to make history for their school. Canterlot hadn’t won the championship in years, and Crystal Prep had always been their toughest rival. But this year was different. The Canterlot team was stronger, more cohesive, and for the first time throughout the whole playoffs, they had Dawnshine on their side. Along with the Dazzlings, Frizzle, Athena, Gabby, Phoebe, and Joy, Canterlot had an all-star team just full of talent. Being guided by Coach Rainbow only made them even more formidable. This season was it, the girls could feel it. This was the season for them to win it all. In the locker room, the Canterlot team huddled together, their uniforms pristine and their faces determined. Coach Rainbow paced in front of them, her voice firm but encouraging. “Listen up, ladies,” she began. “This is the game we’ve been working toward all season. Most of you started this journey three years ago, while for some this is your first. Either way, let's finish what we started. Crystal Prep is no joke—they’re fast, they’re aggressive, and they know how to win. But so do we. We’ve got the skills, the strategy, and the heart to take them down. You are all very talented and I believe this is by far the best team I have ever coached. Play smart, play as a team, and leave everything on the field. Got it?” “Got it!” the team shouted in unison. Adagio glanced at her sisters, her amber eyes filled with determination. “This is it, girls. Let’s make Canterlot proud.” Aria smirked, cracking her knuckles. “I’m ready to crush them.” Sonata, always the optimist, grinned as she did a few stretches to get warmed up. “Let’s show them what the Dazzlings are made of!” Even Dawnshine, who had spent months on the sidelines before earning her place on the team, was focused. She adjusted her shin guards and looked at the Dazzlings. Although her ankle was feeling much better than it did a few weeks ago, the doctor still advised her to take it easy. “We’re doing this together.” The girls walked out of the locker room and onto the field where the crowd roared seeing their home team arrive, looking as fierce as ever. The referee’s whistle blew, signaling the start of the game. Crystal Prep immediately took control of the ball, their star striker weaving through Canterlot’s defense with precision. The Dazzlings and their teammates scrambled to keep up, but Crystal Prep’s first goal came within the first five minutes. Sonata looked at the ball that shot into the goal in shock, it had gone by she didn't even have a chance to react. She grinned as she looked back at the field, the game was on! The Canterlot crowd groaned, but the team didn’t let it shake them. They regrouped quickly, with Adagio taking charge in the midfield. Her sharp passes and strategic plays began to wear down Crystal Prep’s defense. Aria, playing forward, found an opening and sprinted down the field. Adagio sent a perfect through ball her way, and Aria didn’t miss. Her powerful shot soared past the goalkeeper and into the net. The stadium erupted in cheers as the scoreboard lit up: 1-1 as Canterlot tied up the game just as fast. Crystal Prep retaliated with relentless aggression, but Sonata, playing as a defender, was a wall of determination. She intercepted passes and cleared the ball with precision, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by fierce focus. By halftime, the score was tied at 2-2, thanks to some teamwork from Gabby and Dawnshine, and both teams were visibly exhausted. In the locker room, the Canterlot team gathered around Coach Rainbow, who outlined their strategy for the second half. “Crystal Prep is pushing hard, but they’re leaving gaps in their defense,” she explained. “Adagio, I want you to exploit those gaps. Aria, keep pressuring their backline. Sonata, you’re doing great, but I need you to stay tighter on their striker. And Dawnshine—great work out there. Keep up the intensity.” The team nodded, their spirits high despite the grueling first half. Adagio placed a hand on Dawnshine’s shoulder. “You’re doing amazing. Just keep playing like you are, and we’ll win this.” Dawnshine smiled a hint of pride in her eyes. “Thanks. Let’s finish this.” The second half began with a surge of energy from Canterlot. Adagio orchestrated the midfield like a maestro, her passes connecting seamlessly with her teammates. Aria and Dawnshine worked together up front, their newfound chemistry catching Crystal Prep off guard. Crystal Prep fought back with equal ferocity, and their star striker managed to score again, putting them in the lead at 3-2. But Canterlot refused to back down. With ten minutes left on the clock, Adagio intercepted a pass and launched a counterattack. She passed to Frizzle, who sent a long ball to Phoebe. Phoebe took the shot, and the ball soared into the top corner of the net. The crowd went wild as the scoreboard flashed 3-3. The clock ticked down, and the tension was palpable. Both teams were giving everything they had, but it was Canterlot who found the breakthrough. With two minutes remaining, Aria received the ball just outside the penalty box. She faked left, then right, before firing a shot that ricocheted off the post and into the net. The stadium erupted as Canterlot took the lead at 4-3. Crystal Prep launched one last desperate attack, but Sonata made a crucial block, knocking the ball off its course just as the referee blew the final whistle. The Canterlot team exploded in cheers, their victory secured. The Dazzlings embraced each other, their faces alight with joy. “We did it!” Sonata cried, tears streaming down her face. The Dazzlings and the rest of their team got into one big group as they jumped up and down. A few of the younger team members grabbed and poured their Gatorade onto their Coach who could only smile. The team was cheered by their fans and each team member held the championship trophy high as the team gathered around her. “This is for Canterlot!” Aria shouted, and the crowd roared in approval. Dawnshine stood off to the side, a small smile on her face. Adagio noticed and pulled her into the group hug. “You’re part of this team, Dawnshine. You earned this.” Dawnshine could only smile as she held onto the trophy with her team. 'So this is what it's like to be a team.' As the team celebrated on the field, the Dazzlings couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. They had worked hard, overcome challenges, and achieved something incredible together. As the night wore on and the celebrations continued, one thing was clear: this victory wasn’t just about soccer. It was about teamwork, resilience, and the unbreakable bond they shared with their friends and with each other as a team—and as sisters. //-------------------------------------------------------// 60. Goodbye Junior Hello Senior //-------------------------------------------------------// 60. Goodbye Junior Hello Senior When the Dazzlings woke up they knew what today was. The last day of their junior year was upon them. The girls got ready that morning and made their way to the Canterlot high. The three of them were happy to be done with junior year and start their summer full of nothing but fun, no more school assignments, tests, or studying. They were also excited to start Senior year which was to come in the next few months but they were also sad. They were sad that junior year would be over once the final bell rang. A lot had happened in their Junior year, like getting to Dawnshine and helping her, even becoming her friend. They even helped the girl's Canterlot soccer team win the championship and provide Canterlot a trophy after years of not winning anything. The teachers, and classmates they met this year, and the classes they had, it would be over and they would have to say goodbye. But despite them being sad that things were coming to an end, they remained calm and happy, with smiles on their faces. They weren't going to let the sad thoughts get the worse of them, they were going to enjoy their last day in all their classes. The final bell of junior year rang through the halls of Canterlot High, signaling the end of exams, projects, and endless study nights. For Adagio, Aria, and Sonata the sound was more than just a mark of freedom from schoolwork. It was a sign of growth, of leaving behind a year that had tested them in ways they hadn’t expected. They gathered their things slowly, each of them feeling the weight of the moment. Junior year had brought challenges, some they’d conquered and others that had left lasting marks. But today, as they walked through the school one last time as juniors, they were ready to leave it all behind. Sonata looked around their empty classroom, her usual cheerful demeanor softened with a touch of nostalgia. "Can you believe we’re actually done with junior year?” she asked, glancing at her sisters. “It feels like just yesterday we were walking in on the first day, nervous about everything.” Aria rolled her eyes but smiled. “Yeah, but we survived. And honestly? I’m kinda glad we’re moving on. Senior year is going to be a fresh start.” Adagio nodded in agreement. “We’ve been through so much this year, but we’re stronger for it. Next year, we’ll make the most of every moment. Let’s make it one to remember.” The three made their way down the bustling hallways, where students were laughing, hugging, and saying their goodbyes for the summer. Some even cried as they said goodbye to the Seniors who would be graduating that year and heading off to college or getting a job somewhere. As they walked, the Dazzlings stopped to talk with their friends. Each farewell was a mix of promises to stay in touch over the break and excitement for the coming year. They spotted Gabby near the lockers, who waved them over. “Hey, girls!” she greeted, giving each of them a quick hug. “Congratulations on finishing junior year. I have a feeling senior year is going to be quite the adventure for all of us.” “Thanks, Gabby,” Adagio replied with a smile. “And thank you for all the amazing moments we had this year. I know we've mentioned it a lot but we wouldn't have won that playoff game if it wasn't for you and your gameplay." Gabby beamed. “C'mon, I was just trying to help the team! I’m already working on my goals for next year. We’ll need to go out with a bang, after all.” They laughed and continued down the hall, where they surprisingly found Pinkie Pie handing out treats in the middle of the hall. How she was allowed into the school, they didn't know. “End-of-year cupcakes!” she announced, holding out a tray to them. “One for each of you!” Sonata’s eyes sparkled as she took a cupcake. “Pinkie, you’re the best! I’m going to miss these over the summer.” Pinkie grinned. “Don’t worry! I’ll be around all summer, so just let me know when you need a treat. And get ready for senior year—we’re going to have the best parties!” With one last hug from Pinkie, the Dazzlings continued their walk, waving goodbye to classmates and even a few teachers who had stepped out of their classrooms to bid farewell. They paused outside Mr. Crinkle’s English class, where the teacher was giving a student a fond pat on the back. “Ah, girls!” he greeted, spotting them with a warm smile. “It’s been a pleasure having you in my class. I hope you’ll continue reading over the summer—you all have a talent for analyzing literature.” Adagio gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Mr. Crinkle. We’ve learned a lot in your class. We’ll be ready for senior English, I promise.” He nodded, his eyes crinkling with pride. “I look forward to it. You girls have a great summer now.” The trio continued down the hall, their pace slowing as they neared the main doors of the school. They glanced back, taking in the familiar hallways one last time. This had been a place of struggle, of hard lessons, and also of growth and friendship. When they finally stepped outside, the warm breeze of early summer greeted them. The world felt open as if it was filled with possibilities. They took a few steps forward, looking at each other with a mix of relief and anticipation. Sonata broke the silence. “It feels weird, doesn’t it? Leaving everything behind. All the stress, the memories… everything we went through this year.” Aria gave a small nod. “Yeah, but sometimes you need to let go to move forward.” Adagio looked at her sisters with determination in her eyes. “Exactly. We’ve learned from the past, and now it’s time to look ahead. Senior year is going to be the year we focus on what’s truly important to us.” The three of them stood there for a moment, letting the weight of her words sink in. They knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, just as they always had. As they began to walk away from the school, Aria suddenly chuckled. “You know, we should make a list of things we want to do next year. Like a bucket list, but just for senior year.” Sonata’s eyes lit up. “Oh! That’s such a great idea! We could include all the things we want to experience together—parties, games, clubs, everything!” Adagio smiled, already thinking of ideas. “We’ll make it our best year yet. But first,” she said with a playful glint in her eye, “let’s celebrate the end of junior year. How about we go out for ice cream?” Sonata and Aria agreed eagerly, and the three of them headed toward their favorite ice cream shop, laughing and chatting as the summer sun shone down on them. The past year’s difficulties felt distant, fading behind them with each step they took. They spent the afternoon enjoying each other’s company, talking about their dreams for senior year, and laughing over memories of their junior year antics. They didn’t talk about the challenges they’d faced; those were behind them now. Instead, they focused on the fun, the joy of knowing they’d made it through and were stronger for it. As they walked home that evening, their hearts were light, their minds filled with the hope of what lay ahead. The path to senior year stretched out before them, filled with uncertainty, but also with endless possibilities. They would face it all together, ready to make the most of every moment. With one last glance back at Canterlot High, the Dazzlings took each other’s hands, a silent promise passing between them. This was just the beginning of their final journey through high school, and they were ready to take it on as sisters, as friends, and as a team. Author's Note And so Junior year comes to an end, a lot happened for the girls during this year. But there's one final year to go and one more arc left in the Dazzling's high school life. Onto Senior year! //-------------------------------------------------------// 61. Dazzling Driving Practice //-------------------------------------------------------// 61. Dazzling Driving Practice It was a bright, warm summer morning, and the Dazzlings had made an important decision: this was the summer they would learn how to drive and get their licenses. Adagio had already earned her license earlier in the year, and now it was time for her to help her sisters, Sonata and Aria, prepare for the road. Adagio and Sonata headed to a nearby empty parking lot, while Aria went out with their mother, Sunset, for some practice on quieter roads. As they reached the parking lot, Sonata’s eyes widened as she switched spots with Adagio. As she climbed into the driver’s seat, she gave Adagio a nervous smile, gripping the wheel tightly. “Okay, so… where do I start?” Adagio chuckled, sliding into the passenger seat. “Alright, first things first. Check your mirrors, and make sure everything’s adjusted so you can see clearly. Then put your seatbelt on.” Sonata nodded, doing as she was told. She adjusted her mirrors with a focused look, buckled her seatbelt, and exhaled a deep breath. “This is easy so far.” Adagio rolled her eyes. “That’s because we haven’t even moved yet,” Adagio teased, though she kept her tone light to ease Sonata’s nerves. “Alright, let’s start with some basics. Slowly press on the gas pedal.” Sonata’s foot pressed down harder than intended, and the car lurched forward, making them both jerk back in their seats. “Whoa!” Adagio’s hand flew to the dashboard instinctively. “Sonata! Easy on the gas.” “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” Sonata gasped, her cheeks turning pink. She let up on the pedal, eyes wide as she glanced over at her sister. “I didn’t mean to do that!” “It’s okay, just try to ease into it,” Adagio said, regaining her composure. “It takes a little practice to get a feel for it. Just take a breath, relax, and try again.” Sonata took a calming breath, then pressed on the gas pedal a little more gently this time. The car began to move smoothly, and a look of surprise crossed her face. “Hey, I’m doing it!” Adagio smiled, her fingers still gripping the edge of her seat. “Good. Now, let’s work on turning. See that spot over there?” She pointed to an open area in the lot. “Try turning around in that section. Start by signaling to your left.” Sonata flicked the blinker on, her brow furrowing in concentration as she slowly turned the wheel. She made the turn—albeit a bit wide—but they managed to stay in the lines. “Not bad,” Adagio complimented. “Just remember, small adjustments work best. You don’t have to turn the wheel too hard.” They continued practicing in the parking lot, going over basic moves like stopping, turning, and reversing. Sonata made a few more mistakes—pressing the brake too hard here, turning too sharply there—but Adagio was patient, keeping her instructions calm and encouraging. “Alright, now let’s try parking between those lines,” Adagio said, gesturing to a couple of empty spaces. Sonata took a deep breath, inching the car forward as she tried to line up perfectly. But the car ended up at an odd angle, and she cringed, putting her hand to her forehead. “Oops… that’s definitely not straight.” Adagio laughed softly. “It’s fine. Just back up a little and try again. Remember to take your time—there’s no rush.” Sonata nodded, and after a couple of tries, she managed to pull into the spot more or less perfectly. She looked at Adagio with a proud smile. “I think I’m getting the hang of this!” “You are,” Adagio agreed, impressed by her sister’s determination. “Just a little more practice and you’ll be ready for the real road.” But their progress wasn’t without a few nail-biting moments. At one point, Sonata hit the gas instead of the brake, causing the car to jolt forward again. Adagio’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly placed a reassuring hand on Sonata’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Mistakes happen,” Adagio said, trying to hide her own nerves. She didn't want to say anything to ruin Sonata's confidence, but she was going to need a lot of practice if she were to ever start driving on actual roads. “Just keep calm, and remember where each pedal is.” Sonata looked at her sheepishly. “Sorry, Adagio… this is kinda scary.” “It is at first. I was scared when I first started out too,” Adagio admitted, “but with practice, it’ll start to feel natural. You’ve already improved a lot, believe me.” With each round of practice, Sonata’s movements became smoother and more confident. She learned to ease into turns, manage her speed, and stop gently without jolting them both forward. By the time they finished, she was handling the car like a pro. “Great job, Sonata!” Adagio praised, clapping as Sonata pulled into a parking spot neatly. “I’m really impressed. You’re definitely ready for the next step.” Sonata beamed her nerves from earlier completely gone. “Thanks, Adagio! I couldn’t have done it without you.” She hesitated, her expression growing a bit uncertain. “But… what if I mess up on the actual driving test?” Adagio placed a reassuring hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You won’t. Just remember everything you practiced today. Believe in yourself, and stay calm. You’ve got this. Besides, you've got a lot of time before the actual driver's test, so you still have time to continue practicing.” Sonata nodded, her determination returning. “Okay! I’m gonna pass that test, and we can all drive around together this summer!” Adagio grinned, imagining the three of them cruising down the highway, taking trips, and enjoying the freedom that came with having their licenses. “Exactly. We’ll have the best summer yet.” Later that afternoon, Adagio and Sonata returned home to find Aria and Sunset just getting back as well. Aria had a proud look on her face as she tossed the keys back to Sunset. “I did great,” she announced, giving a satisfied grin. “Mom only had to remind me to slow down once.” Sunset laughed, nodding in agreement. “Aria’s a natural. We went around the neighborhood, and she did really well.” Sonata exchanged a glance with Adagio, her face lighting up with excitement. “Aria, we’re going to ace our tests! And then we can drive anywhere we want!” Aria smirked. “You’d better believe it.” The four of them went inside, talking and laughing about their driving adventures. As they settled in for the evening, Adagio reflected on how much they’d all grown. Getting their licenses was more than just about learning to drive—it was about independence, confidence, and taking on new responsibilities. As they sat together, discussing future road trips and daydreaming about their adventures, Adagio felt a sense of pride for her sisters and herself. They were ready to embrace the summer, and soon, they’d be hitting the open road as a team, tackling whatever life threw their way. //-------------------------------------------------------// 62. Dazzling Last Day Of Summer //-------------------------------------------------------// 62. Dazzling Last Day Of Summer The sun was setting on the last day of summer, casting a warm golden glow through Adagio’s bedroom window. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata were all gathered in her room, surrounded by blankets, snacks, and memories. They’d decided to spend their final evening of summer together, reliving memories from the past three years before their senior year began. This would be their final last day of summer before high school was over. The room felt cozy and safe, filled with laughter as the three sisters reminisced about how much they’d grown since freshman year. They thought back to all the amazing and fun memories they had made since the start of high school. “Remember when we first walked into Canterlot High?” Adagio began, smiling at the thought. “We were so different back then. We were so nervous but were the most nervous, Aria. Didn't you almost pee yourself?” Adagio teased as she pointed at Aria with a smirk. Aria glared at Adagio. "I did not, don't lie. I haven't wet myself in a long time." She turned her head before quickly looking over to Adagio. "Just how nervous was I that day?" Adagio smiled and waved off Aria, her teasing had worked and now Aria was questioning herself. Sonata giggled. “Back then I thought high school was going to be all fun and games. I mean the way Mom and Dad talked about it and how it was the best time of their lives, I thought it would be the best! But then it became not so great, all the homework and tests we had to do, I'm surprised I have any brain cells left." Aria rolled her eyes, though her grin was affectionate. “As if you had any brain cells to begin with." Sonata stuck out her tongue while Adagio let out a laugh. "Seriously, speak for yourself, Sonata. I knew it would be work—but I didn’t realize we’d actually learn things about ourselves. And each other.” Sonata nodded as she looked at the ceiling. "Yeah, I mean who would have thought I would do what I did back in sophomore year? But, I'm glad I got past that. It helped me grow and made me stronger in the long run." Adagio nodded, a reflective look crossing her face. “We really have grown, haven’t we? I mean, just look at us. We’re… closer.” The room fell into a comfortable silence as each sister thought about how much had changed. Freshman year felt like it had happened both a lifetime ago and just yesterday. So much had happened since then that it made the Dazzlings wonder if it had actually been three years and not more. Sonata stretched out on her blanket, looking up at the ceiling with a sigh. “Remember when I used to be so scared of speaking up in class? To think I was always the one to raise my hand to give my presentation first in elementary. Even back when played Beyblade and competed in those tournaments, I wasn't that nervous. So embarrassing.” Adagio smiled at her. “Yeah, but now look at you! You gave that big presentation last year without even a hint of nervousness. You looked like a pro.” Sonata blushed, a proud smile creeping across her face as she looked at her sisters. “Well, I had good role models.” “Aw, she’s getting sentimental on us,” Aria teased, nudging Sonata. But her voice held a warmth that showed just how proud she was of her sister. They’d been through so much, from struggling with classes to learning how to trust and rely on each other. High school hadn’t been a breeze, but each year had brought them closer together, binding them as more than just sisters—they were a team. “I still remember the sophomore year,” Aria said, leaning back against her pillows. “That was when we started to really figure out who we were. I mean, I remember thinking I’d just do things my own way, but… you guys were there. And I guess I needed that.” Adagio smirked. “And you were teasing Sonata. See, you can be sentimental too.” Aria tossed a pillow at her that slammed right into her face. “Yeah, don’t get used to it.” They burst out laughing, the kind of laughter that only came when they were truly at ease. It was one of the many things they’d grown to appreciate about each other—the little moments that made everything worthwhile. The room quieted again, and Sonata’s face turned thoughtful. “So… what are we hoping for this year? Do you have any goals you want to accomplish? Get perfect grades?” “Good question,” Adagio said, settling back into her blankets. “I think… I just want us to make the most of it. Senior year only happens once and after this year, well, there's no more school. Unless we go to college of course, but we'll be adults and get to make our own decisions and decide what we want to do.” “Yeah,” Aria agreed, her voice softer. “This is our last shot at all this. I want to leave without any regrets.” Sonata sat up, her face lighting up with excitement. “I want to make it the best year ever! I mean, we should do all the fun things—dances, football games, everything! We’ve gotta make it count.” Adagio smiled, nodding. “Then it’s settled. This year, we’re going to make memories that we’ll look back on for the rest of our lives.” They spent the next few hours talking about everything they hoped to do during their senior year, planning adventures, and making a mental list of things they couldn’t miss. They talked about their classes, the friends they’d made, the teachers who’d supported them, and even the silly, unforgettable moments that had made high school special. As the night wore on, they curled up under the blankets, settling into the comfortable silence that only sisters could share. Each of them was nervous about the unknowns of senior year, but there was something comforting in knowing they’d be facing it together. No matter what challenges or surprises lay ahead, they knew they’d always have each other. Adagio looked at her sisters, her heart swelling with pride and love. “You know,” she said quietly, “we’re going to be just fine. We’re the Dazzlings, after all.” Sonata smiled sleepily, snuggling deeper into her blanket. “Yeah. Together, we can handle anything.” Aria reached out, grabbing each of their hands in hers. “Agreed. No matter what, we’ve got each other’s backs.” The three sisters stayed like that for a moment, their hands intertwined as they made an unspoken promise to face their final year with courage, laughter, and love. They’d grown so much over the past three years, but their bond was stronger than ever. And it would continue to grow this year as well, as the bond between the three of them would be at the max with what was to come in store for them. But they weren't as afraid because as long as they had each other, they were ready for whatever the future held. As they drifted off to sleep, they dreamed of the memories they’d make, the adventures they’d have, and the incredible year that awaited them. Because tomorrow, they’d walk into Canterlot High together, ready to take on senior year as the Dazzlings—side by side, just as they were always meant to be. //-------------------------------------------------------// 63. The Beginning Of The End //-------------------------------------------------------// 63. The Beginning Of The End The morning sun streamed through each of the Dazzlings' bedroom windows, casting warm light across the familiar surroundings of their house. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata stirred awake, each feeling a bittersweet mix of nostalgia and excitement. Today was their last first day of high school. It was then that it hit them. It was the start of Senior year. To think on this very day three years ago they were starting high school, and now here they were—senior year. Adagio was the one to sit up first, running a hand through her curly, fiery long hair as she rubbed her eyes glancing around her room. She was usually the most composed of the three, but even she couldn’t deny the ache in her chest. It felt strange to think that in just a year, they’d be saying goodbye to this chapter of their lives. Just then Aria came walking into the room as she stretched and let out a groan. “One more year,” she muttered. “I can’t believe it.” “Are you excited or just relieved?” Adagio smirked, teasing her a little as she got out of bed to do some stretching of her own. Aria shrugged. “Maybe both. But…it’s kinda sad too. I mean, we’ve done this now for the last three years together. All the memories we've made all these years. From the soccer team to the food fight, and Sonata's mental problems.” "The friends we made, the teachers we had whether good or bad. Classmates we shared classes with even though some of them were annoying, and the classes we had despite some of them being downright boring." Adagio added. "But then some of the classmates we had were really fun and cool. And some classes we took were really insightful and fun. And how could you forget about winning the championship and giving Canterlot a trophy after all those years." Adagio and Aria smiled as they thought back on the memories before both looked down, sad that those memories would be over once this year was over. Sonata, who had woken up just a bit ago had overheard what her sisters were talking about and listened to everything, hiding behind the wall. As she peeked behind the wall to see her sister's sad faces, she wanted to do something to make them feel better. As always she was the most optimistic of the three and was most looking forward to starting Senior year. Moving from behind the wall, she ran into the room, practically vibrating with energy. “Come on, guys! We can be sad later! We’ve got one more year of awesome memories to make!” She dashed toward the bathroom to get ready, her bright energy lifting the room and the spirits of her sisters. Once the three of them had dressed in their best outfits for the occasion and styled their hair with an extra dose of flair, they gathered their bags and made their way out. The familiar streets felt somehow different that morning. They weren’t just high school students—they were seniors. Arriving at Canterlot High, they were greeted by a bustling crowd of returning students. The Dazzlings stood in front of the school, taking in the familiar setting they had been accustomed to for the last few years. Friends were reuniting, new freshmen were nervously looking around, and the Dazzlings couldn’t help but smile. The school was their home for just one more year, and they intended to make every moment count. As they entered the main hall, they found their friends they had known for years, waiting for them near the lockers. From the girls: Frizzle, Athena, Phoebe, Joy, Gabby, and Dawnshine. To the boys: Derek, Dean, Valex, Leon, Venus, and Bael. Hugs and laughter filled the air as everyone chatted about summer memories and their excitement for senior year. Adagio and Aria got hugs and kisses from their boyfriends Venus and Bael which made Sonata happy but also a little jealous since she couldn't get one from Arctic. But she had gotten a text from him earlier this morning wishing her a good first day of Senior year so she was content. Before long, the girls received their schedules. They started comparing classes, looking over to see if they shared any of their classes with each other or with their friends. But their excitement was interrupted by the sight of a few lost-looking freshmen wandering down the hall. “Hey, they look like they could use some help,” Adagio observed, a soft smile spreading across her face. The girl reminded Adagio of how she and her sisters probably looked back when they were freshmen. With a quick nod from her sisters, the three of them took on the role of friendly upperclassmen. They approached the freshmen, introducing themselves and offering to show them where their first classes were. Sonata, eager to make them feel welcome, gave one of her classic smiles. “Don’t worry! High school can be a little overwhelming at first, but it gets easier.” Aria smirked and added, “Just stick with us, and you’ll be fine. We’re, like, experts at this point.” The freshmen visibly relaxed, grateful for the help. "Thank you for the help." After showing them around and giving them a few tips, the girls made their way to their own classes, reflecting on how different they felt from when they had been freshmen. Upon arriving at their first period, one that they all shared together, the girls took their seats and waited for the bell to ring signaling the start of class. They sat down and looked around the classroom taking in the familiar setting. The desks all lined up looking up to the front of the board where the teacher would stand and give their lectures. The teacher's desk was at the corner of the room where they would sit and do what teachers typically did while the students did their work. The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of familiar faces, laughter, and moments of realization that this was their last first day of school. Just being in class felt different, whereas unlike in freshman year when they were nervous, they felt good, happy, and a small bit of sadness. Each class held a unique sense of finality, and the girls took their time enjoying every part of it. They exchanged glances during lectures, shared notes, and whispered about their excitement for upcoming events. From classes, field trips, and doing things that only seniors could do and attend such as the Senior Ball. Although being seniors was different, classes were the same altogether. For Aria, there was a moment when she hoped that senior classes would be just one bit interesting, but that was short-lived. It took everything in her power to not fall asleep from the boredom of her classes. It was the same old nonsense that teachers would give at the beginning of every year. The teacher would give a little summary of what they're like, what they like to do, something about their family, and life. "I like traveling. I have a husband, two kids, and a cat." That sorta stuff. What the class expectations were, what to expect to learn in the class, those dumb icebreakers that nobody wanted to do, and how to pass the class which was simple—do your work, pay attention, and ask questions so you knew what was going on. Aria groaned as she put her head on the desk praying that time would go by faster. Even though she may look like she was paying attention, Adagio was lost in her thoughts continuing to wonder what their final year would bring to her and her sisters. As for Sonata she happily sat at her desk and watched as her teachers showed the class their slideshows showing pictures of their families and other things like where they've traveled to. Although that was how their whole day went, the Dazzlings could all agree that their last first day was easy as they weren't given any homework, thankfully. By the end of the day, they regrouped at their lockers, feeling a sense of satisfaction. This was the beginning of their senior year—the start of something new, even if it was also an ending. //-------------------------------------------------------// 64. Trying Out For The Cheer Team //-------------------------------------------------------// 64. Trying Out For The Cheer Team It all started as a joke. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata had been lounging around after finally finishing their homework for the day. The Dazzlings were sitting around in the living room discussing some upcoming events that were happening at the school. Sonata, as usual, was bubbling with energy, throwing out ideas for fun activities they could do as seniors. Aria and Adagio weren't paying that much attention to Sonata's ideas, not to be rude but they were just plain bad or too crazy to happen. Suddenly, she perked up, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous idea. “Hey, what if we tried out for the cheerleading team?” she suggested, smiling brightly. "It would be a lot of fun, don't you guys think so?" Adagio laughed, brushing off the idea at first—until a sly smile crept onto her face. “You know… I think I’d look pretty good in a cheerleading outfit.” She went on the camera app to her phone and started looking at herself imagining herself in a cheerleading outfit, and she looked good. She gave a playful wink before putting her phone away. She looked over to her sister who deadpanned at her. Adagio let out a fake cough and quickly added, “What I meant was, we all would look cute in cheerleading outfits! I mean we are sisters, we practically have the same body." Sonata and Aria smiled and rolled their eyes. "Imagine us as the school’s new cheerleading stars, just like in the movies.” Adagio could see it now, the three of them cheering on the football team as they were popular, attractive, and got all the boy's attention just like in the movies. Aria rolled her eyes, scoffing. “Cheerleading? Really? That’s so not my thing. Besides cheerleaders in movies are too over the top. They're rude and disrespectful to everyone despite every guy liking them, like how Dawnshine used to act, just not every guy liking her of course." Aria then turned to Adagio. "We aren't those types of girls, and this isn't a movie, this is real life.” Sonata, catching onto Adagio’s enthusiasm for the plan, smirked at Aria. “Aw, what’s wrong, Aria? Scared you won’t keep up? Because it sure does sound like you are. All I can hear from you is excuses.” she teased. Aria shot her an annoyed look, but Adagio leaned in, her voice lilting with amusement. “We won't be exactly like the cheerleaders from the movies so don't worry about that Ari. We've got this! ... Or are you just scared?” she taunted, echoing Sonata’s challenge with a grin. Aria huffed, crossing her arms. She didn't like how her sisters were teasing her. The more teasing they did, the more she was determined to prove them wrong. “Fine, but only to prove I’m not a ‘scaredy cat’ like you two seem to think. Just watch, I won't just try out for the team, but I'll make it too!” Adagio and Sonata smiled at one another. With all of them on board, the plan to try out for the cheerleading team was a go! And just like that, the three of them were in. The decision made, the girls spent the next couple of days nervously preparing for trying out of the cheerleading team, not entirely sure what to expect from the tryouts. The morning of the cheerleading tryouts, the Dazzlings stood outside the gymnasium, stretching and warming up along with other students. The sight of freshmen nervously practicing jumps and a few experienced cheerleaders showing off their skills made the Dazzlings feel a mix of excitement and nerves. They shared a quick look, silently encouraging each other. “Alright, girls,” Adagio said, channeling her usual confidence. “Let’s show them what we’ve got.” Aria and Sonata nodded their heads as they took a few breaths to calm their nerves before the tryouts began. Right at that moment, the coach stepped out from the gymnasium to let the girls in and started to organize all the girls with some basic instructions. Tryouts began with jumps, and the gym echoed with cheers and claps as each student took turns demonstrating toe touches, pikes, and hurdlers. One girl would go at a time while the rest of the girls cheered them on. Even though they were all fighting for a spot to get on the team they still showed support to one another. Adagio nailed her jumps with grace while Aria gave her moves a fierce edge, and Sonata, to no one’s surprise, added a bit of extra bounce to everything she did, her natural enthusiasm shining through. Next up was tumbling. Adagio and Sonata managed some solid cartwheels and round-offs, but Aria surprised everyone with a clean, confident back handspring. Her sisters were the most surprised as their jaws were literally hitting the floor in shock at what their sister had just done before their very eyes. Aria played it cool, but there was a hint of a proud and boastful smile on her face as she rejoined her sisters. “Scaredy cat, huh?” she muttered, smirking at Sonata. Sonata laughed as she high-fived her sister. “See? You’re perfect for this!” Adagio folded her arms with a proud smile. "You've impressed all of us that's for sure." Adagio looked at the rest of the girls who looked more determined to do their best after Aria's wonderful display. "You lit a fire inside all of them." Adagio smiled. "This is going to make getting on the team even harder if everyone is giving it their all." Aria punched her hand in her other. "Good! The harder the challenge the better." The next thing the girls were to do was for them to learn a short cheer routine. The group watched closely as one of the senior cheerleaders demonstrated the moves: a blend of dance, high-energy cheers, and arm motions. They only had a few minutes to practice before performing, which tested how quickly they could pick it up, a skill they would need to know if they were to join the team. Adagio picked up the moves fast, her rhythm and poise shining through. She even added a playful wink at the end, giving her performance extra flair. Sonata’s natural charm and boundless energy made her shine, and despite her initial doubts, Aria matched the intensity, showing a surprising dedication to getting each move just right. Finally, they were asked to perform a loud, powerful cheer together as a team. They threw their voices confidently, letting their enthusiasm fill the gym. The coach nodded approvingly as they wrapped up, clearly impressed by their teamwork and spirit. After a round of applause, the coach dismissed everyone, letting them know that the results would be posted on the gymnasium's notice board the next day. The Dazzlings gathered their things and walked out of the gymnasium with the rest of the girls. "I still can't believe you did that, Ari! That was one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life!" Sonata exclaimed, throwing her arms up. "Oh, and Dagi your movements were so fluid! You looked like an expert out there! You're going to make the team for sure!" The two sisters smiled before Adagio spoke up. "You have to mention yourself as well, Nata. Your bubbly energy will give a new atmosphere to the cheerleading team." "I think everyone looked good in there. It's a shame there's only so many spots because if it was up to me I would allow everyone to be on the team." Adagio and Sonata agreed with her. The competition was rough so all the Dazzlings could do was cross their fingers and hope they would make the team. First thing in the morning, the Dazzlings headed straight to the gym, feeling a mix of anticipation and excitement. A small crowd had already gathered around the notice board, some students gasping in delight, others sighing in disappointment. The girls weaved their way through the crowd and looked at the board trying to find their names. Adagio scanned the list from top to bottom, left to right until her eyes landed on the names she had been looking for: Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk. All three of their names were there, proudly listed as members of the new cheerleading team. The sisters exchanged a look of stunned excitement before bursting into smiles and cheers. “We did it!” Sonata squealed, pulling her sisters into a hug. The three of them jumped up and down, causing some to give them weird glances as they walked by. Adagio laughed, her usual poise melting into pure joy. “Of course, we made the cheerleading team! We’re the Dazzlings after all!” Aria tried to keep her cool, but even she couldn’t hide her satisfaction. “Guess this cheerleading thing might not be so bad after all.” As they celebrated, they noticed a few names on the list that they knew, sparking even more excitement. The year was already off to an incredible start, and the Dazzlings couldn’t wait to see what their new roles on the cheerleading team would bring. With renewed confidence and excitement for the journey ahead, they left the gym, ready to take on the school year as both seniors and the newest members of the Canterlot High cheerleading team. //-------------------------------------------------------// 65. A Theatrical Performance //-------------------------------------------------------// 65. A Theatrical Performance As the Dazzlings prepared backstage, excitement buzzed through the theater. This was their big night: their class’s rendition of Romeo and Juliet, and they had all worked hard to make it an unforgettable performance. The Dazzlings made sure everything was set—props, stage lights, and last-minute cues were checked. They huddled together to admire the costumes that Rarity had meticulously designed for them. Each piece was beautifully crafted, capturing the elegance of Verona while adding a modern twist that felt just right for a high school production. It had been a rough couple of weeks for the theater class. The last few days had been the hardest trying to everything ready on time and everyone making sure they knew their cues and lines. Everyone had an important whether it be on stage or backstage and nobody wanted to make a mistake like they had during practices. If you were to ask anyone who was performing how they felt, they would be lying if they said they weren't a bit nervous. During the multiple practices they had before tonight every time, countless mistakes needed to be fixed. From saying the wrong line to being at the wrong place at the wrong time, being too early, being too late, accidentally ripping one of their costumes, and things like that. The teacher was patient though, and never got mad when the students made a mistake. She made sure to help everyone which made things easier for her students. The Dazzlings too were nervous, even Adagio was nervous, and she was normally fine from being the main attention. This time, however, was different as they would be performing in front of a large crowd. A crowd of people who would be critiquing their every movement. A crowd of people who would point and laugh at them if they made a mistake. However, their theater teacher helped them with that. The teacher knew that everyone was a bit nervous performing for the first time this year, but assured them that everything would go off without a hinge. "Don't get too wrapped up in making mistakes. If you do make a mistake, improvise. That's what actors are supposed to do." That's what she would tell her students to help calm their nerves. Her words not only helped the Dazzlings but all the students as well. And thanks to her words, that went through her student's heads, they were able to calm down, even just a little bit. So now here everyone was doing some last-minute practicing, making sure all the stage props were working, and putting on their costumes. Currently, the Dazzlings were putting on their costumes and doing their hair after double-checking that everyone and everything was accounted for. Sonata had just finished tying Dawnshine's hair into a ponytail like her own. "Thanks, Sonata. I'm not used to having my hair in a ponytail." Dawnshine looked herself in the eye and smiled, she looked good in a ponytail. "No problem, just leave it to the expert after all." Sonata showed off her ponytail making the two girls laugh. Aria smoothed down her costume, a rich burgundy dress that trailed with delicate lace, while Adagio inspected her Renaissance-style gown with gold accents. Sonata’s costume shimmered in shades of pale blue, perfect for her role as one of the characters in the Capulet family. "These are just perfect," Adagio said with a grin. "Rarity really outdid herself this time." Aria nodded as she watched the teacher start to walk toward the students. "Looks like it's time to get this performance underway." Sonata then jumped in and hugged her sisters. "And if we make a mistake or two, who cares? The show must go on! Or at least that's what they say." With a few deep breaths, the cast took their places as the audience settled in. The stage lights dimmed, and the theater went silent. As the curtain rose, the cast got to work and started performing Romeo and Juliet. The Dazzlings saw their parents who waved at them, encouraging them to put on a performance their parents would be proud of. One by one, the scenes unfolded, each actor bringing their character to life. Aria’s powerful portrayal of Tybalt captured the audience’s attention, her passionate delivery as fiery as the character’s reputation. Sonata, embodying a friend of Juliet, added lightheartedness and humor, which drew chuckles and smiles from the crowd. Adagio, graceful and confident as ever, played the Nurse, delivering her lines with a warmth that showed her character’s affection for Juliet who was being played by Phoebe. The famous balcony scene had the crowd enraptured, and as the tragic end of Romeo who was being played as Leon and Juliet approached, the tension in the room was palpable. When the play concluded, the audience sat in silence for a brief moment before bursting into applause. The entire cast stepped forward and took their bows. The crowd's cheers echoed through the auditorium, applause filling the air. As they made their way off stage, the Dazzlings exchanged proud glances. They’d poured their hearts into this performance, and the audience’s response made every moment worth it. “We did it,” Adagio whispered, beaming as they returned backstage. Aria and Sonata smiled, nodding in agreement. "I hope we impressed Mom and Dad with our acting skills," Sonata said as she took off her costume and started putting her everyday clothes back on. Aria too had finished taking off her costume and started to put her shoes on. "I would be surprised if they didn't. It looked like the performance was a big hit! I didn't see one empty seat throughout the whole room." As the Dazzlings finished changing into their normal clothes, they waved goodbye to their friends and out to meet with their parents. Upon seeing Sunset and Tom, the girls ran over and hugged their parents. "You guys were amazing out there! It was like I was actually watching the real thing." Sunset's praises made the girls blush. Tom nodded his head with a proud smile on his face. "I'd say. You three would be great actors if you choose to do that as a career." The girls could not only thank their parents but also for the opportunity they had to perform in the play. The play had been a success and the girls, along with the rest of their class had performed everyone enjoyed it. They were thrilled to have helped create something memorable, a performance that had left an impression on everyone watching. //-------------------------------------------------------// 66. The First Football Game //-------------------------------------------------------// 66. The First Football Game The Dazzlings were buzzing with excitement as they walked through the hallways of Canterlot High. It was the day of the first football game of the season, and the school was alive with energy. Students clustered together, chattering eagerly about the game, wondering how the team would perform this year and hyping up what they hoped would be an epic season opener. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata could hear the excited voices all around them as they made their way to the gym to get ready for cheer practice. Being part of the cheerleading squad meant they would be right in the middle of the action, and they were determined to give a good performance. After all, this would be the first time they would be performing with the cheerleading team and they wanted to start off strong. Adagio and Aria, in particular, had extra motivation to cheer loudly; their boyfriends, Venus and Bael had decided to join the football team that year, and they had both been training as hard as they could for this season. “Can you believe how hyped everyone is?” Sonata asked, bouncing on her heels. Everywhere she turned, people were talking about the football game later today. Some were already wearing some Canterlot merch for the game. “I know! And it’s just the first game,” Adagio replied, a grin lighting up her face. “But just wait until they see what we’ve been practicing. Our performance today will be so great that they'll be looking at us more than the football game.” Aria smirked. “And we’ve got front-row seats to all the action.” The trio arrived at the gym, where the rest of the cheer squad was gathering. As they changed into their uniforms and warmed up, the energy in the room grew more electric. After a quick pep talk from their captain, they headed out to the field early to go over their routines and practice a few stunts with the whole team. The stadium was still mostly empty, but the football players were already out on the field, stretching and running drills. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata found themselves sneaking glances over at Venus and Bael, who were both intensely focused on their warm-ups. Sonata looked at herself in the middle of practice while the team took a short-minute break. "I love these outfits. We look so cute!" Aria and Adagio looked at themselves and had to admit, they did look good. The Canterlot cheerleading outfits were great with how beautiful the Dazzlings were, the outfits multiplied that beauty of theirs. "And it looks like they think the same thing." As the cheerleaders went through their routines, the Dazzlings couldn’t help but keep an eye on the football field. They could see Venus and Bael chatting with their teammates, looking determined and fired up for the game. At one point, Venus glanced over and caught sight of Adagio in her cheerleading uniform. For a second, he was visibly distracted, a smile spreading across his face. “Venus, focus!” the coach’s voice barked from across the field, snapping Venus out of his trance. Nearby, Bael also got a playful smack on the back from one of his teammates after he’d been momentarily sidetracked by seeing Aria. The Dazzlings exchanged amused glances, holding back giggles. “That was so adorable,” Sonata whispered. “I think we might be a bit distracting. What do you think of your boyfriend staring at you, Dagi.” Adagio smiled while turning her head and blushing while her two sisters smiled. Aria chuckled. “Well, they’ll just have to stay focused. We’re not going anywhere.” Aria made eye contact with Bael and the two waved at one another. As game time approached, the stadium began filling with students, teachers, and local fans, the stands buzzing with anticipation. The cheerleaders lined up on the sideline, ready to start their first routine as soon as the game began. The Dazzlings shared a quick, confident smile before the whistle blew, officially kicking off the game. The crowd erupted into cheers, and the cheer squad sprang into action, executing the routine they’d been perfecting over the last few weeks. They jumped, clapped, and chanted, rallying the crowd to get excited for their team. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata cheered with everything they had, pouring their energy into every move and every chant. As the game unfolded, the Canterlot football team played with a fiery intensity, quickly dominating the field. Venus and Bael were giving it their all, and the Dazzlings could see the determination in their eyes every time they glanced over. The cheerleaders continued to boost the crowd’s energy, their cheers echoing through the stands and fueling the team’s drive. It was the last play before halftime and the other team had the ball. Time was ticking and the Quarterback was looking for someone to throw the ball to. Bael pushed his way through some of the offensive linemen and tackled the Quarterback. The crowd cheered as the cheerleaders waved their pom-poms, jumping up and down. Time was now over, with the first half of the game done for. "Great tackle, Bael!" Aria cheered. The cheerleading team watched as the football team went to their locker room while they got ready for their big halftime performance. During halftime, the cheerleading squad took to the center of the field for their big halftime routine. The Dazzlings led a complex cheer sequence, complete with flips and lifts, each move sharper and more energetic than the last. The crowd was fully engaged, clapping and cheering along with the squad. The Dazzlings could feel the adrenaline pulsing through them as they performed, thrilled by the energy around them. “Let’s keep it up, girls!” Adagio called as they finished the routine, breathing hard but smiling. With the halftime show over, the team came back onto the field, looking even more fired up. The game resumed, and Canterlot continued to dominate, their lead steadily growing. Every touchdown was met with cheers from the crowd, and the cheerleaders responded by leading louder, more enthusiastic chants. Venus and Bael each made impressive plays, drawing even louder applause and cheers from their girlfriends on the sidelines. Sonata gasped as she waved her pom-poms. "Did you just see what Venus did? That was so cool! The way he jumped over that guy who tried tackling him! He kinda looked like a horse." Aria and Adagio just laughed as they continued to watch the game. "That is my boyfriend after all!" Adagio held her head high with a prideful smile. "Venus and Bael are looking good, but that's all thanks to Leon." Aria watched as Leon stepped up in the pocket and threw a pass over to Valex who ran upfield with Venus blocking the way for his cousin. "I didn't know Leon was the Quarterback for the football team, but he's great." By the time the final quarter began, it was clear that Canterlot was on track to win in a blowout. The scoreboard reflected the team’s hard work, and the crowd was wild with excitement. The cheer squad pulled out their biggest, most elaborate cheers, rallying the fans as they all counted down the final moments of the game. When the clock finally ran out, the stadium erupted into cheers. Canterlot had won the game by a landslide, setting an impressive tone for the rest of the season. The cheer squad jumped and cheered alongside the fans, their voices ringing out in celebration. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata hugged each other, their excitement matching that of the rest of the crowd. They couldn’t be prouder of their school, their team, and especially their boyfriends. Sonata looked into the crowd and saw Arctic who had decided to come down to Canterlot to watch the game. Arctic waved down at Sonata who waved back with a bright smile on her face. “Looks like this season’s off to an amazing start,” Sonata said, practically bouncing on her feet. Canterlot was now 1-0, a great way to start off the season, and now with momentum, the team was sure to continue this hot start. Adagio nodded, looking over at Venus, who was celebrating with his teammates. “And there’s more to come. This is only the beginning.” The sisters watched as the football team gathered together in the middle of the field, taking a moment to soak in their victory. Venus and Bael both turned toward the sidelines, waving to Adagio and Aria, who waved back, beaming with pride. As the crowd slowly started to disperse, the Dazzlings lingered for a bit, soaking in the atmosphere and reflecting on the night. They couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the season would bring, both for the team and for themselves as part of the cheer squad. With one last look at the field, the Dazzlings linked arms and made their way toward the exit, still chatting excitedly about the game. They could already tell that this football season would be unforgettable, and they were ready to cheer for every game, every play, and every victory. As long as they had each other, their friends, and their school, they knew it was going to be an incredible year. //-------------------------------------------------------// 67. A Dazzling Triple Date //-------------------------------------------------------// 67. A Dazzling Triple Date It had been earlier that day and the Dazzlings were sitting around in their rooms just on their phones killing time. They had finished their homework for the weekend and now had nothing else to do. They were bored and wanted to do something fun but no matter what they thought of, nothing sounded fun or exciting to do. It was then as if someone heard their prayers for something interesting to happen each one happened to get a text from their boyfriends wondering if they wanted to go on a date at the Sugarcube Corner. Each of the girls smiled and started getting ready for their date. "What are you getting ready for?" Sonata who was looking down as she put her shoes on didn't notice Aria was by her door. When she heard that familiar voice, she looked up to see Aria standing in front of her room, a smile on her face. "I'm going on a date with Arctic. We're meeting at Sugarcube Corner." Aria was shocked to hear that Sonata was having a date at Sugarcrube Corner as well. Sonata didn't notice the shock on her face but she did notice Aria was dressed up as well. "You heading out someone too?" "I can't believe we both have a date at Sugarcube Corner." Aira then thought of something. "You wouldn't want to go on a double date with me and Bael, would yo-" Sonata had pounced on Aria, hugging her tightly. "That would be so much fun! Let's do it!" "And leave out your big sister out of all the fun?" Sonata let go of Aria as the two turned to see Adagio who was also dressed up. Adagio had heard everything and she too was shocked to know that all three of them had dates at Sugarcube Corner. "I'm sad. To think my sisters would go on a double date and leave me to myself when Venus and I also have a date at Sugarcube Corner. Aria rolled her eyes while Sonata smiled. "The more the merrier! We could have a triple date! That would be more fun than a double date." "Fine, we can go on a triple date but let's get going before it's too late." Adagio and Sonata nodded their heads in agreement as they finished getting ready and walked downstairs as they made their way to Sugarcube Corner. The Dazzlings were excited about their triple date at Sugarcube Corner. As they entered the cozy café, they spotted their boyfriends already waiting. Venus stood by the counter, smiling warmly as he noticed Adagio. Bael, with his usual laid-back vibe, greeted Aria with a playful grin, and Arctic waved as Sonata enthusiastically bounced over to him. The group settled at a large table by the window. Adagio leaned in close to Venus, their conversation full of laughter and shared glances. “It's nice seeing you again, we haven't talked much since school started up again. With you on the football team and me being on the cheerleading too, plus school and homework, it's a lot." She then looked at Venus and smiled. "I’m so glad we decided to do this,” she said, reaching for his hand. “Feels like we never get to do something all together.” “Any chance to spend time with you is a good one,” Venus replied, squeezing her hand. "But I will admit I wish football and school didn't take up too so much of my time otherwise we would be going on more dates." Meanwhile, Aria and Bael were chatting away, teasing each other over the menu. “Bet you couldn’t handle the extra-spicy sandwich,” Bael challenged a smirk dancing on his lips. “Oh, please,” Aria shot back, rolling her eyes. She knew Bael was teasing her but she wasn't one to say no to a challenge. “I could handle twice the spice than what that sandwich offers." Aria then looked at Bael with a smile of her own. "You, on the other hand, would probably need a glass of milk to help cool off your mouth.” The two of them shared a laugh, the playful competition lighting up their conversation. Across the table from Aria and Bael, Sonata and Arctic were discussing their favorite treats. “I think I might get the blueberry smoothie,” Sonata said, eyeing the menu. No matter how many times she went there, the food always looked good to her. Arctic nodded, grinning. “You should. You’ll need something to cool off after that giant cookie I saw you order.” Sonata giggled. “You know me too well.” The two of them ordered their food and continued to talk about things they loved. "So, tell me about college. What's it like?" The two smiled as they continued to talk to one another about anything that came to their mind. Once their food arrived, the table was filled with laughter, jokes, and the easy warmth of good company. Between bites, each couple found little moments alone. Adagio shared stories with Venus about the performance that she and her sister were a part of, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. Venus listened intently, smiling at her passion. “I love how you always know exactly what you want,” he said admiringly. When Adagio spoke about things she loved, it was as if she was shining bright like a star. Adagio blushed before quickly giving off one of her infamous flirty remarks. “It’s one of my many charms,” she replied with a wink which made Venus blush. Aria and Bael, meanwhile, were wrapped up in their playful banter. “Okay, I’ll admit, the spice level here is no joke,” Bael laughed, reaching for his water after trying Aria’s spicy sandwich. “Told you,” Aria teased, her smirk triumphant. "I'm the queen of spicy! Nothing is too spicy for me." Sonata and Arctic were huddled close, sharing their smoothies as they swapped stories about childhood memories. “I still can’t believe you once thought a cat was a mythical creature,” Sonata laughed. "But I guess then again I believed in unicorns until I was like fifteen years old." “Hey, I was, like, four!” Arctic defended, chuckling. “But I guess I had a wild imagination. But then again, what kind of little kid didn't have a big imagination.” When lunch came to an end, the three couples lingered, reluctant to part. It had been so long since the three couples were able to be together like this, and they didn't want it to end. Unfortunately, it was starting to get dark and it was about time for everyone to start making their way home. They each walked outside, holding hands and sharing quiet moments before saying goodbye. The Dazzlings waved goodbye to their boyfriends who waved back before going their separate ways back home. They were glad that they were able to go on a date with their girlfriends and promised to go on another one real soon. As the Dazzlings headed home, each of them felt grateful for the wonderful day. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata shared stories of their dates, smiling as they recounted each moment. Meanwhile, Venus, Bael, and Arctic walked off in their own directions, all three of them smiling as they thought about the unforgettable afternoon with their girlfriends. //-------------------------------------------------------// 68. To The Football Playoffs //-------------------------------------------------------// 68. To The Football Playoffs In their morning class, the Dazzlings overheard excited chatter from the students about the upcoming football game. This game was huge—if Canterlot High’s team won, they’d be advancing to the playoffs. The idea sparked immediate enthusiasm in Adagio, Aria, and Sonata, who exchanged determined smiles. “We’ll have to cheer our hearts out tonight,” Adagio said, her eyes bright with excitement. “The team needs all the support they can get.” “Especially our guys,” Sonata added with a grin. Of course, Arctic wouldn't be playing in the game. After all, he no longer went to Canterlot High, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to cheer for Venus and Bael who were on the team, along with the rest of their guy friends. "You two be sure to cheer on Venus and Bael as loud as you can! But be sure to also cheer on our other friends as well." Aria rolled her eyes. "Duh, you don't have to tell us twice. Obviously, we'll cheer on our friends. Our boyfriends aren't the only ones on the team after all." For the rest of the day, talk continued about the game tonight. The stakes the game held, how the players would play, and who would win in the end. The Dazzlings just listened to the endless chatter their classmates babbled on to one another. At times it became hard to stay quiet and not say something. Especially when a few kids started talking badly about their boyfriends, that's when it took everything in Adagio to hold Aria back from striking the kids down with the fury of a thousand suns. It was awful knowing that some kids said such insensitive things about their boyfriends and there was nothing they could do about it, without getting in trouble of course. Later that evening the Dazzlings arrived at the stadium with the rest of their cheerleading team. As the girls got ready to do some practice before the game went underway, Aria and Adagio watched as Venus and Bael practiced along with the rest of the football team. Sonata was always amazed when Leon threw the football high into the air as one of the Receivers ran and caught it. 'So cool!' But as much as the girls wished they could continue watching the boys practice, they couldn't get distracted. They too had their own practice and maybe if they looked good they could impress their boyfriends. The girls got to work and started practicing, doing some stretches, doing a few cheers and even doing a few flips for some extra spicy to the mix. Unbeknownst to Adagio and Aria, their practice had caught the eyes of Bael and Venus who watched them from afar. When the two of them had gone to the locker room to switch into their cheerleading outfits and came back out, it became harder for the guys to stay focused during practice. "Venus! Keep your eyes on the ball! Not the girls! The ball!" The Coach yelled at Venus who quickly averted his eyes from Adagio. "Yes, Coach!" Venus wanting to make it up to his Coach looked over to Leon who nodded. Venus ran his route as Leon threw the ball, and with ease, Venus caught the ball this time. If the team wanted a chance at winning, everyone would need to be at their best. Meaning that no matter how cute his girlfriend looked in her cheerleading outfit, Venus needed to stay focused, albeit difficult to do. That evening, the stadium was packed with students, parents, and teachers, all buzzing with excitement. The Dazzlings took their place with the cheerleading team, leading their squad with enthusiasm and precision. They performed routines, chanted cheers, and waved their pom-poms as the game began. Each time their boyfriends took the field, they cheered a bit louder, sending extra support their way. As the game progressed, it became a hard-fought battle, with both teams trading points in a tense back-and-forth. The Dazzlings watched with admiration, feeling proud of how hard their boyfriends were working on the field. When Venus made a crucial catch that set the team up for a touchdown, Adagio cheered so loudly that her voice echoed over the crowd. Bael’s impressive tackle later in the game drew an approving grin from Aria, who clapped with pride. As for Sonata, no matter who made a play on the team jumped up and down, waving her pom-poms with unrestrained excitement. It was coming to the end of the game and the score was tied. Canterlot currently had the ball with a few more minutes but the clock was ticking with each second passing by. Leon took the snap and quickly threw it to quickly threw it to Valex who raced upfield thanks to some blocking by Dean and Derek but was then tackled after a twenty-yard run. Adagio looked over at the clock while the rest of her team cheered loudly. The clock showed 1:23 left as the team was at the opponent's 37. Her attention was pulled away from the clock when Leon took the snap and gave it to another teammate who raced up the middle and got another six yards. Canterlot was now at the opponent's 31, with the clock showing 22 seconds left on the clock. The team quickly took their second timeout and gathered around together thinking of a play that could work. They were in field goal range but they wanted to go for the win. The Dazzlings watched as Bael came running onto the field. After a few more seconds, the team clapped in unison and got into their positions. The team hiked the ball as the Receivers ran their routes. The clock continued to tick as Leon held the ball and looked around for someone to throw the ball to. Bael had run into the middle of the field gaining the attention of two defenders. However, while the two of them had Bael covered, they had unintentionally left someone wide open. Leon threw the ball to a wide-open Venus who caught the ball and ran it in for a touchdown unguarded! The crowd and cheerleading roared with cheers as the football raced over to celebrate Venus's touchdown. And with only 6 seconds left on the clock, the game was as good as done. The Dazzlings watched as the Kicker got the field goal and then kicked the ball over to the opponent. The team had the ball and tried to score a touchdown to tie the game and send it over to overtime. The opposing Quarterback threw the ball high into the air with everything he had. The ball shot up into the air like a rocket before quickly coming down like a shooting star. Both the Receivers and defenders jumped up for the ball, but thanks to Bael who knocked the ball down, no one from the opposing team could catch the ball meaning one thing. "Game over! Final score: twenty-eight to twenty-one! The Wondercolts are advancing to the playoffs for the third straight year in a row!" The announcer yelled from over the microphone. Finally, after a grueling match, Canterlot High emerged victorious, securing their spot in the playoffs. The stadium erupted in cheers, and the Dazzlings couldn’t contain their excitement as they rushed onto the field along with a few others. They congratulated their friends, and for Aria and Adagio's case, their boyfriends, with warm smiles, hugs, and words of encouragement. “You were amazing out there!” Adagio said, squeezing Venus’s hand. “Looks like all that practice paid off,” Aria remarked, grinning at Bael. Sonata threw her arms in the air, accidentally letting go of her pom-poms which flew in the air. “You guys did it! Playoffs, here we come!” The girls continued to cheer with their friends. It had been a long-fought battle but in the end, it was Canterlot who had won. As the fix of them left the field together, along with their teams, the Dazzlings wondered what challenges and triumphs the playoffs would bring. But one thing was certain: they’d be there, cheering just as loudly, ready to support their team- and boyfriends- every step of the way. And whether they win or lose, it was the effort and fun they had that counted. //-------------------------------------------------------// 69. Going To A High School Party //-------------------------------------------------------// 69. Going To A High School Party After weeks of pleading, negotiating, and promising they’d be on their best behavior, the Dazzlings finally convinced their parents, Tom and Sunset, to let them attend a high school party for the first time. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata were thrilled; they had been hearing about a party that would be taking place in a few days that everyone would be going to and they were invited. So when they were given the green light that they could go, they couldn’t wait to have a carefree night out with their friends. Tom and Sunset gave them a quick rundown of ground rules before they left: no drinking, no wandering off, and most importantly, they were to stick together so no strangers trying doing anything with them. The girls nodded in agreement, eagerly assuring their parents that they’d follow every rule their parents told them. As they left, Sunset gave each of them a warm hug. “Have fun, girls,” she said, smiling. “But please, be careful.” “We will, Mom,” Adagio replied with a confident grin. “We’re just going to dance, talk, and have a great time.” With that, the Dazzlings set off, the anticipation bubbling up in their chests. By the time they arrived at the party, they could already hear the music pulsing through the house, and they exchanged excited glances. Once inside, the party atmosphere took over. Colored lights flashed around the room, and students filled the house, chatting, laughing, and dancing. The sisters stuck together at first, laughing and joining in the fun, just as they’d promised. But as more friends showed up and pulled them into different conversations, they gradually drifted apart. It had started off with Sonata seeing Gabby and Dawnshine and wanted to say hi but a quick hello turned into a full-on conversation. Then Adagio ran into Athena and Phoebe as they started dancing to the music. And before she knew it, Aria was alone but she saw some of her friends and hung out with them. Sonata was laughing with some friends by the snacks, telling stories, and cracking jokes that had everyone in stitches. She was in her element, surrounded by friends, feeling free and joyful. Adagio found herself chatting with a group of classmates who shared her love for music, exchanging favorite playlists, and debating over which songs should have been on the DJ’s setlist. Aria meanwhile was in the kitchen with Bael and Valex, the three of them getting some snacks and punch. Time passed quickly, and in the excitement, the sisters lost track of each other. They weren’t worried; the party was safe, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Hours blurred together in the haze of dancing, laughing, and talking. It wasn’t until much later that Adagio noticed she hadn’t seen Aria in quite a while. She scanned the room, her brows knitting in confusion. “Hey, Sonata!” she called over, trying to catch her sister’s attention. Sonata turned, looking equally confused as she approached. “What’s up?” Adagio continued to look around the room. “Have you seen Aria?” Sonata shook her head, a hint of worry beginning to cloud her expression. “No, I thought she was with you.” Adagio felt a pang of unease. “I haven’t seen her since earlier… it’s been hours. Let’s look around.” Together, they moved through the crowd, asking if anyone had seen Aria. Their friends shrugged, some saying they’d seen her a while ago, but no one knew where she was now. Sonata’s worry deepened as her carefree laughter from earlier was replaced with anxious glances around the room. They had even asked her boyfriend if he had seen her but even Bael hadn't seen her in a while since an hour ago. The two of them walked past a room and could hear the sound of a girl moaning from within. Sonata stopped and slowly turned her head to Adagio. "Y-you don't think?" Adagio gulped as she thought about opening the door before just then. "Cookie Dough~" "Eww." Both girls walked away from the room. Cookie Dough was a girl they knew so the chance that Aria was in that room was slim to none. “Maybe she went outside for some air,” Sonata suggested, trying to sound hopeful. Adagio nodded, and the two headed toward the back of the house, squeezing past groups of people. But as they combed through every room and even checked outside, there was still no sign of Aria. Sonata tried calling Aria's phone but after a few rings, it went to voicemail. They returned inside, both of them feeling the weight of dread settle in. It was then, as they made their way toward a quieter corner, that Sonata’s eyes widened in shock. “Adagio—there!” Sonata pointed toward the floor, her voice shaking. On the ground, just behind a couch, was Aria. She was slumped on her side, eyes closed, completely unresponsive. They rushed to her side, fear taking over as they knelt down next to her. Adagio gently shook her shoulder, her heart pounding. “Aria?” she called, her voice trembling. “Aria, wake up!” But there was no response. Sonata’s hands shook as she reached out, lightly patting Aria’s face. “Come on, Aria, please… wake up!” Aria remained still, her breathing faint but steady. The sisters exchanged panicked glances, not knowing what to do. “We… we need to call Mom,” Sonata whispered, her voice thick with fear. Adagio nodded, fumbling for her phone. Her hands were unsteady as she dialed Sunset’s number, feeling a lump in her throat as she waited for her mother to pick up. “Adagio?” Sunset’s voice came through, warm and slightly surprised. “Is everything okay?” “Mom…” Adagio’s voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath. “Something’s happened to Aria. She’s… she’s passed out, and we can’t wake her up. Please, can you come? Hurry, please.” There was a tense silence on the other end before Sunset spoke, her voice filled with a calm urgency. “We’re on our way. Just stay with her and don’t let her out of your sight. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” Adagio nodded, even though her mother couldn’t see her, and hung up the phone. She and Sonata sat beside Aria, each of them holding her hand and hoping with all their hearts that she would wake up. The party continued around them, most of the crowd oblivious to the crisis unfolding in their corner. Adagio’s mind was racing, wondering how this could have happened. They had only split up for a little while… How could things have gone so wrong? Minutes felt like hours as they waited, the worry settling in like a heavy weight on their chests. Sonata’s eyes glistened with tears, her usually bright expression replaced by one of quiet desperation. “Aria, please…” she whispered, clutching her sister’s hand. “Just open your eyes. We need you.” Adagio placed a comforting arm around Sonata’s shoulders, though she felt just as scared. She wished she could turn back time, and make sure they hadn’t split up. If only they had stayed together like they’d promised… With Aria unresponsive and their parents on the way, Adagio and Sonata could only hope that Aria would be okay. To be continued... //-------------------------------------------------------// 70. Heading To The Hospital //-------------------------------------------------------// 70. Heading To The Hospital Adagio and Sonata had carried Aria out of the house and onto the sidewalk as they waited for their parents to get there. Their hearts pounded as each second felt like hours. Their heads turned each time a car drove by hoping that it was their parents. "Where are they!?" It was taking everything in Sonata's power to burst out crying but she wanted to stay strong. She looked down at Aria as she still tried to wake her up but her attempts were for nothing as Aria remained unconscious." Adagio was a wreck, but as the oldest sister she felt as though it was her responsibility to stay calm. "They'll be here soon, we just have to be patient." Adagio noticed Sonata was breathing heavily so she moved over to Sonata and hugged her. "Take deep breaths, Sonata we can't have you having a panic attack at this moment. Aria is going through who knows what. I know you're scared, I am too. But the best thing we can do is stay calm and wait for Mom and Dad to pick us up and take us to the hospital." Sonata nodded her head and hugged Aria hoping she would wake up. The sound of honking from a car moved Adagio's and Sonata's attention from Aria to the direction of the honking. The two were happy to see their parents who had finally arrived. Sunset and Tom parked the car and quickly ran out of it, racing over to see Aria's condition. "Oh, Aria!" Sunset bent down and checked on Aria. She looked over at Adagio and Sonata with tears in her eyes, making the two feel even worse. "What happened to her?" Tom asserted the situation, he couldn't tell for sure what was wrong with his girl. But one thing was for sure, they had to act fast to ensure Aria was safe. "Get her in the car!" Before Adagio and Sonata were able to tell Sunset what had happened they had to carry Aria into the car as the family quickly took off to the hospital. What was supposed to be a night of fun took a terrifying turn for the worst, Sunset and Tom hurriedly drove to the hospital weaving their way through traffic not caring if the police pulled her over. Adagio and Sonata sat in the back of the car as they continued to watch over Aria, their hearts racing with worry. Adagio sat quietly, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, while Sonata kept glancing back, her eyes filled with tears. The two of them had told Sunset and Tom everything that had happened and how they were partying with their friends, until realizing Aria was missing and then found her passed out on the ground at the party. Once they arrived at the hospital, the staff quickly took Aria back for an examination, leaving the rest of the family in the waiting room, each moment feeling like an eternity. Sunset wrapped her arms around both of her daughters, whispering soft reassurances, though the worry in her eyes was unmistakable. Tom paced back and forth, glancing anxiously toward the doors, hoping for any sign of news. Eventually, the doctor appeared, a calm but serious look on his face. Sunset, Tom, Adagio, and Sonata stood up immediately, bracing themselves for whatever news might come, all hoping that the news was good. “Aria is stable,” the doctor began, offering a reassuring smile making the family release a breath they didn't know they were holding. “She seems to have consumed something her body wasn’t used to, which led to her reaction. But we were able to flush it from her system, and she should be okay. She’ll just need to take it easy for a few days to fully recover.” Relief washed over each of them as they exchanged looks, the tension easing slightly. Sunset exhaled deeply, pulling Adagio and Sonata closer. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said, her voice shaking with gratitude. "I'm just glad Aria is going to be okay." "You and me both." Tom hugged his wife as they both smiled happy their daughter was okay. Adagio and Sonata smiled at their parents before turning to each other and hugging one another. "Thanks for keeping me calm. I'm surprised you were so calm, it's no wonder Mom and Dad say you're the leader." Adagio looked down as now the tears were coming out making Sonata gasp. "If I'm being honest, I was terrified. I was so scared something serious had happened to Aria. But I had to stay strong for you. I was so scared that she had... she would be..." Soata smiled as she patted Adagio's back. "There, there. It's okay. Aria's safe and sound now. There's no need to think like that anymore, she's going to live." When Aria was finally moved to a recovery room, the family was able to visit her, as they all gathered around her bedside. Aria gave a small smile, still a bit groggy but clearly on the mend. Adagio took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You scared us,” she murmured, her voice soft with worry. "This wouldn't have happened if Sonata and I had watched over you. We should've stayed together like we always have." “Don't beat yourself up, it was might fault for taking a drink of something from someone I didn't know. Sorry,” Aria whispered, looking at her family with a faint, apologetic smile. “Guess I’ll have to be more careful.” Sonata sniffled, wiping away her tears. “Just…don’t do that again, okay?” Aria nodded her head, it was safe to say she learned her lesson and would never do that ever again. As Aria’s family surrounded her with love and support, they felt a deep sense of relief. Aria would be okay, and that was all that mattered. With gentle laughter and soft reassurance, they promised to be there for her as she recovered, grateful that their family was together and safe. The Dazzlings probably wouldn't be attending any more parties for a while but they were fine with that, as long as they were all okay, that's all that mattered. //-------------------------------------------------------// 71. A Principal's Retirement //-------------------------------------------------------// 71. A Principal's Retirement The Dazzlings entered Canterlot High School that day. As they walked to their classes, they overheard some kids talking about an assembly that would be taking place later that day. The three sisters wondered what the assembly would be about but assumed nothing of it. "I bet it's going to be one of those assemblies that talk about not taking drugs. Or even worse, the assembly that talks about not bullying people because it's wrong to do." Aria said as she rolled her eyes. "I hate that they make us do this every year, nobody listens to them anyway. Kids will still be stupid and take drugs and bully kids they're dicks." Sonata chopped Aria's head. "Ow! You know that I'm right." "Whatever this assembly is going to be about don't complain about it the whole time. I know those assemblies are annoying, everyone does. I don't like them either but if it means spending less time in class then that's all the better for me." Sonata smiled. Although the time of when the assembly was going to happen wasn't determined, Sonata hoped that it would be sometime during her Math class. Later that day, the gymnasium was filled with students, each curious about the unexpected assembly called by Principal Celestia. The Dazzlings sat together, exchanging glances as they waited for Celestia to speak. Finally, Celestia and Vice Principal Luna stepped up to the microphone, looking out at the crowd with a mix of pride and a hint of sadness. “Good afternoon, students,” Celestia began, her voice warm but solemn. “I have an important announcement to make. After much consideration, Vice Principal Luna and I have decided to retire at the end of this school year.” Gasps and murmurs filled the room as students absorbed the news. The Dazzlings, like everyone else, were stunned. Celestia and Luna had always been a fixture at the school, guiding them and being there for so many events and challenges. It was hard to imagine Canterlot High without them. "It'll be with a heavy heart to leave this place after working here for all these years. Since I never had kids of my own, I've always thought of the students here at my high school as my kids. And I can say that I'm proud of each and every one of you." The Dazzlings watched as Celestia gathered her thoughts, probably doing her best not to break down in front of her students. "Wow, so once this year is over Auntie Celestia and Luna will quit working here," Adagio said, quite surprised by the sudden news. "I wonder if Mom or Dad already know about this." It wouldn't be a surprise if Celestia had already talked to Sunset and Tom about retiring after the year but if Celestia had talked to them before this, why didn't they mention something to them beforehand? Or did they want Celestia to break the news to them herself? Who knows. "Auntie Celestia is really going to retire? For realsies?" Sonata said, holding back tears. Aria patted Sonata on the back. "You heard the lady, she's for realsies. But you shouldn't be sad, be happy for her." Sonata nodded her head as she wiped her eyes and looked up to listen to what else Celestia had to say. Celestia and Luna continued to speak for a few more minutes on their decision to retire. Mostly because they were getting old and the fact that they wouldn't always be working at the school their whole lives. They expressed that it was a hard decision to make since they loved working at Canterlot High and loved working with the kids making their years at Canterlot the best that they could be. The assembly later ended as everyone went back to their classes. Kids continued to talk about the sudden news that Celestia and Luna would be leaving and someone else would eventually be taking over as the principal. Some kids even started to take guesses on who the new principal would be. One of the teachers? A new principal from a different town or city? Some hoped that the principal would do things differently while others hoped that the principal didn't do anything that changed Canterlot. Everyone agreed that Canterlot was great just the way it was and nothing had to be fixed, besides some bullying but that was also worked out sooner or later. As the Dazzlings headed back to their class they thought back to the news that their Aunties would be leaving Canterlot. The good thing for them was that they would be graduating this year, but for everyone else, the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, they would miss Celestia and Luna. And if Sunset and Tom didn't know that Celestia and Luna were retiring, how would they feel when they heard the news that their old principals were retiring? Especially Sunset, since Celestia had helped her so much in the past. Later that evening, the Dazzlings sat around the living room, trying to focus on their homework but still thinking about the surprising announcement. Adagio looked up from her notebook, shaking her head. “It just doesn’t feel real,” she murmured. “Celestia and Luna are like... part of the school.” “I know,” Sonata agreed. “What’s going to happen without them?” Their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Sunset answered it, and to the family’s surprise, there stood Principal Celestia. “Good evening, Sunset,” Celestia greeted warmly as she stepped inside. She glanced at the Dazzlings and Tom, offering them a smile before turning her attention back to Sunset. “I have something I’d like to discuss with you.” Curious, the family gathered around as Celestia explained. “Sunset, I believe you’ve been a wonderful influence at Canterlot High. I’d like to offer you the position of principal when I retire.” The Dazzlings were shocked to hear Celestia's request. They looked over to their Mom who was also in shock. Their mom. The new principal of Canterlot High. Principal Sunset did have a nice ring to it. Sunset’s eyes widened in shock. “Me? Principal?” Celestia nodded, her smile encouraging. “You’ve shown such growth and dedication. I truly believe you’re the right person for the job.” Tom put a hand on his wife's hand. "You should do it, you would be a great principal." After a moment, Sunset’s surprise melted into a smile. “I’d be honored. Thank you, Celestia.” The Dazzlings and Tom burst into smiles, thrilled for Sunset. Adagio was the first to speak up. “Mom, that’s amazing! You’ll be the principal!” To celebrate, the family invited Celestia to stay for dinner. Over a warm meal, they shared stories, laughter, and excitement about Sunset’s new role. The Dazzlings beamed, imagining how their mother would bring her unique style and wisdom to the school they loved so much. It would be sad to say goodbye to Celestia and Luna but the future of Canterlot High would be safe in the good hands of their mother watching over it. As the evening came to a close, the family felt grateful for the new opportunities ahead, filled with anticipation for the changes that awaited them. With Sunset as the principal Canterlot would continue to strive like it has been since Celestia and Luna took it over all those years ago. The Dazzlings who although would already be gone from Canterlot were thrilled about the opportunity their mom had to help continue Canterlot High's legacy. //-------------------------------------------------------// 72. Not So Dazzling Puberty //-------------------------------------------------------// 72. Not So Dazzling Puberty Puberty. Something everyone goes through but affects them differently. In general, puberty is when a person grows both physically but also mentally. They get taller, their voices change, they start to smell, etc. However, puberty is different for males and females. For males, they get taller, their voices change thus making them have voice cracks, they start to grow pubic hair, and more embarrassing things like development to certain areas, and having what we call "wet dreams." But for girls though, it's much more complex. Something the Dazzlings learned for themselves. The past few years had been a whirlwind of change for the Dazzlings, and while their journey through high school was full of challenges, friendships, and triumphs, there was one universal truth they couldn't escape: puberty was not kind to anyone. It didn’t matter if they were former magical sirens turned high school students. The changes were inevitable, and they were anything but dazzling. Adagio was the first to notice the changes. As the oldest, she often felt the weight of maturity first. She had always prided herself on being the composed leader, but around her sophomore year, things began to shift. Her emotions, once so carefully controlled, became unpredictable. One moment, she'd feel on top of the world, and the next, she'd be irrationally irritated by the smallest things—like the way Sonata chewed her cereal. “Could you not slurp so loudly?” Adagio snapped one morning, glaring at her youngest sister. Sonata looked up with wide eyes, milk dripping from her spoon. “I’m not slurping. This is how cereal works!” Aria groaned from the couch, her voice heavy with fatigue. She was tired and in a bad mood, so to hear her sisters fighting in the morning wasn't helping. “Would you two shut up? Some of us are trying to exist in peace.” Sonata shot back, “You’re just grumpy because you haven’t had coffee yet!” Adagio sighed, rubbing her temples. She knew they were all going through changes, but knowing it didn’t make it any easier. For Aria, the mood swings hit the hardest. Always the fiery and sarcastic one, her temper now flared at unpredictable intervals. One day, during a group project in class, she snapped at a classmate for erasing part of their shared work. “Do you even know how to use an eraser properly?” she snapped, her voice sharp. The classmate recoiled, muttering an apology, while Aria huffed and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms. Moments later, guilt crept in, and she found herself apologizing, though it came out begrudgingly. Her sisters weren’t spared either. Sonata, in particular, bore the brunt of Aria’s short fuse, but she handled it with surprising grace—most of the time. One evening, Aria found Sonata crying in her bathroom. Her arms covered her face to hide the tears. “Nata?” Aria asked cautiously, peeking through the crack in the door. “Are you okay?” “Go away,” Sonata muttered, her voice muffled. Aria hesitated but stepped inside anyway. She sat beside her sister and handed her a tissue. “I'm... sorry, about earlier. That wasn't right of me to snap at you like that. You did nothing wrong, and I was completely in the wrong.” Sonata sniffed, shooting her a look through watery eyes. “Do you really mean that?” Aria smiled as she hugged her sister. “Yeah, I do.” Sonata hugged her back wiping away her tears and smiling. Physically, the changes were equally frustrating. Aria, who was normally always one hundred percent on the field at all times, struggled with sudden growth spurts that made her feel awkward and gangly. Her once-perfect coordination on the soccer field took a hit as she adjusted to her longer limbs. “Why do I feel like I have two left feet?” she groaned during practice one day after tripping over her own feet for what felt like the millionth time. Adagio tried to reassure her but was equally upset about the growth spurts. “Sadly, it’s a phase we'll have to get used to until it's over. Until then we have to find a way to get used to these changes if we still want to play like we have.” Sonata pouted. “You say that, but my arms and legs feel like they belong to someone else!” Sonata, meanwhile, found herself grappling with more…visible changes. She had always carried herself with poise and confidence not really caring about her body, at this not in that sort of way, but the stares she received from classmates as she began to “fill out” made her uncomfortable. She knew that as she grew up she would not only mature mentally but her body would mature as well, but she wasn't used to the stares, nor did she ask for them. Even her friends were dealing with the same thing one time she saw someone staring at Gabby's chest while the two were eating lunch. She started wearing baggier clothes and avoided drawing attention to herself, which was a stark contrast to her usual boldness and cheerful attitude that brought people to her positive nature. Aria noticed her sister’s change in behavior and brought it up one evening. “You okay, Nata?” Aria asked, leaning against the doorframe of Sonata’s room. Adagio too was curious what was up and looked at Sonata with a basket of laundry in her hands. Sonata looked up from her book, her expression guarded. “I’m fine. Why?” “You’ve been acting weird,” Aria said bluntly. “Like, avoiding people weird.” Sonata sighed, setting her book down. “It’s just…everything feels different now. The way people look at me. I don’t like it. Especially the guys, I didn't know they could be so perverted. And even some of the girls, like they're trying to one-up me and judging me, criticizing my every move I take.” Her two sisters nodded, understanding. They too, had been through the same thing. Guys looked at them with longing stares practically drooling while girls glared as they walked by. “Yeah, people suck. But don’t let them make you feel small. You’re still you.” Sonata managed a small smile. “Thanks, Ari.” If there was one thing all three sisters could agree on, it was that the absolute worst thing about going through puberty was the misery of periods. It was a topic they didn’t talk about often but found themselves bonding over in unspoken solidarity. On one particularly rough day, all three of them ended up sprawled in the living room, clutching heating pads and moaning dramatically. “I think I’m dying,” Sonata whimpered, clutching her stomach. "I think dying would be better than dealing with this." “You’re not dying,” Adagio muttered, though she looked just as miserable. 'But I sure do want to die right about now.' “Speak for yourself,” Aria groaned. “This feels like someone’s punching my insides.” Sunset walked in, arms full of snacks, and placed them on the coffee table. “I come bearing gifts,” she announced. The girls perked up slightly, their moods momentarily lifted by the sight of chocolate and chips. “Thanks, Mom,” Sonata said, grabbing a candy bar. “You’re a lifesaver,” Aria added. Sunset chuckled. “I’ve been where you are, trust me. Just take it easy today.” Over time, the Dazzlings began to adapt to the changes, supporting each other through the ups and downs. They learned to communicate better, recognizing when one of them needed space or support during these challenging times. Sonata started embracing her changing body, reclaiming her confidence by wearing what made her feel good rather than trying to hide. While Aria and Adagio worked on managing their emotions, finding outlets like writing or playing soccer and music to channel their feelings. Sonata, ever the optimist, leaned into her natural resilience, finding humor in awkward moments and reminding her sisters to laugh at themselves every now and then. One evening, as they sat on the roof of their house, watching the stars, Adagio broke the silence. “You know,” she said, “Even though all of this puberty stuff is pure chaos, I think we’re stronger now because of it.” Aria snorted. “Speak for yourself. I’m still trying not to punch people daily.” Today especially, it was a miracle she hadn't punched her substitute teacher in the face with how she was treating the class. Sonata giggled. “You’ve gotten better, though. Progress!” Adagio smiled. “Seriously, though. We’ve been through a lot, but we’ve grown because of it. And I think we’ve come out the other side pretty okay.” Aria smirked. “Speak for yourself. I’m amazing.” Sonata grinned. “And I’m fabulous.” Adagio rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t fade. “We’re the Dazzlings. We can handle anything.” As they sat together under the stars, the bond they shared felt unshakable. Puberty may have been rough and will continue to be rough, but it has also made them stronger—individually and as sisters. //-------------------------------------------------------// 73. Making It To The Finals //-------------------------------------------------------// 73. Making It To The Finals The day of the semi-finals had finally arrived, and Canterlot High was buzzing with excitement. For weeks, the football team had worked tirelessly, driven by one goal: reaching the championship game. But to get there, they first had to win tonight's match. The Dazzlings felt the weight of the event too; they knew this was no ordinary game, and they were ready to give their all to support the team. They were going to put on their best performance to date to help the team play the best that they could. The whole day, there was talk about the game tonight. Some kids said that the team was going to win and advance to the finals. While others said that the team wasn't going to win and lose. But no matter what, it seemed everyone was happy with how well the team played this year. Making it all the way to the semi-finals was a huge achievement. However, some didn't agree with that mindset saying that if they didn't win then the season was a bust. Arriving at the stadium hours before kickoff, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata led the cheer squad onto the field. Together, they practiced routines, reviewed chants, and fine-tuned every motion. The entire squad felt the magnitude of the game, everyone knew how much this game meant not only to the football team but also the entire kids population that went to Canterlot High. Tonight, they needed to go beyond routine cheers. They were there to be the backbone of Canterlot’s spirit, no matter how tough the game got. Once practice wrapped up, the Dazzlings took a moment to rest and watched as the football team hit the field for warm-ups. They noticed the players moving with an intensity they hadn’t seen before. Each pass was crisp, every tackle deliberate. Venus and Bael, Adagio’s and Aria’s boyfriends, were laser-focused, embodying the team’s collective resolve to bring home a victory. “Look at them go,” Sonata said, a bit awed. “They’re even more intense than usual.” Aria nodded a competitive gleam in her eye. “They’re hungry for that win. And we’re going to make sure they know we believe in them every step of the way.” As the crowd trickled in, the stadium quickly filled with a sea of Canterlot colors, signs, and painted faces. The Dazzlings exchanged determined nods, then gathered the cheer squad for a pep talk. “We’re here to help them win,” Adagio began, her voice steady and confident. “No matter what happens, we keep cheering, louder than ever. They’ll feel our energy and keep pushing.” “And no matter how the score looks, we’re here to boost their spirits,” Sonata added, her enthusiasm infectious. "But I'm positive they're going to win! I'm sure of it!" The others nodded, hyped and ready to give their all. With the pep talk finished, they took their places on the sidelines just as the referee blew the opening whistle. The game was underway. The next four quarters would be the most important quarters of their lives. When the clock hit zero, there would be a winner and a loser. From the start, the semi-final match was brutal. The opposing team had a fierce defense, and Canterlot’s offense struggled to break through. Every yard gained was hard-won, and the first quarter ended with a low score, each team only managing a field goal. As the game pressed on, the intensity grew, and the crowd’s energy fluctuated with each play. Whenever Canterlot seemed on the verge of scoring, the other team would block or intercept. It felt as if each mistake was weighing the team down. By halftime, Canterlot was trailing by ten points. The Dazzlings could sense the team’s frustration as they jogged back to the locker room for halftime. The crowd murmured in uncertainty, and the players looked drained. But the cheer squad refused to let the atmosphere grow disheartened. “Canterlot, we’re still in this!” Adagio shouted, her voice cutting through the worried murmurs. She and the rest of the squad launched into a powerful cheer, determined to keep the energy alive. In the locker room, the football team huddled around their coach, who gave a passionate speech, reigniting their focus and drive. He reminded them that this wasn’t just any game; it was their chance to make history for their school and prove that their hard work meant something. As he gave his speech, the Dazzlings, and the cheerleading team gave their halftime performance, putting back life into the crowd who had almost lost their fire. Reinvigorated, the players burst back onto the field with renewed determination. The crowd sensed the shift and began cheering louder. The Dazzlings led the chants, encouraging the fans to rally behind the team. This was their moment, and the cheer squad would ensure Canterlot felt their unwavering support. As the third quarter began, Canterlot’s team attacked with a newfound energy. The offensive line started finding gaps in the defense, and Venus caught a crucial pass, leading to a touchdown. The crowd erupted in cheers, and the cheer squad practically bounced with excitement, their voices echoing throughout the stadium. Aria and Sonata exchanged grins, their faces flushed with excitement. “They’re back in this!” Aria shouted. But the opposing team wasn’t ready to give up, either. They retaliated with equal intensity, and every play became a battle of inches. The fourth quarter arrived with Canterlot still down by a slim margin, but the team’s resilience was undeniable. Every cheer and every chant from the Dazzlings and the crowd seemed to bolster the players, driving them to push through. With only a few minutes left, the crowd was on edge. Canterlot had one final drive to score and take the lead. The players moved down the field with incredible precision, fighting for every yard. The Dazzlings led the fans in rhythmic chants, their voices hoarse but unwavering. They could feel the determination pulsing from the field, and they gave their all to match it. The clock ticked down, each second adding to the tension. With only twenty seconds left, Leon took the snap, scanning the field for an opening. Adagio’s breath caught as she watched, her heart racing. Leon spotted Valex, who had found a small gap in the defense. With a swift, powerful throw, Leon sent the ball sailing across the field. Valex leaped, catching it just before he crossed into the end zone. Touchdown! The entire stadium erupted into chaos, fans leaping to their feet, cheering and screaming in exhilaration. Canterlot had taken the lead with only seconds left on the clock. The Dazzlings screamed in triumph, hugging each other and the rest of the cheer squad, their joy boundless. They’d done it—the team had done it. They had won the game and would be advancing to the finals! As the final seconds ticked down and the whistle blew, the Canterlot crowd flooded the field in celebration. The Dazzlings joined in, tears of happiness mingling with the sweat and adrenaline. Adagio spotted Venus and ran to him, throwing her arms around him in a proud hug. Aria quickly found Bael, the two sharing a triumphant high-five before he lifted her in excitement. Sonata cheered alongside them, basking in the shared joy of victory with her sisters and friends. The players lifted their helmets in celebration, their smiles wide and their eyes reflecting the intensity of the journey they’d been on. This victory was more than just a game; it was the culmination of all their hard work, every practice, every injury, and every moment of doubt they’d pushed through together. The Dazzlings and the cheer squad huddled together, the realization hitting them that the next game would be the championship. They were so close to achieving their dreams, and the anticipation for what lay ahead filled them with a renewed sense of purpose. As the team and their fans celebrated around them, the Dazzlings shared a quiet, triumphant smile. They’d been a part of something incredible, and now, with the finals within reach, they were more than ready to see Canterlot go all the way. Aria nodded her head as the cheering from the crowd almost made her go deaf. "Even though they were down at halftime, they found a way to come back and win the game." Sonata jumped in the air with a bright smile. "I told you we would win!" “Next stop,” Adagio said, her eyes gleaming with excitement, “the championship.” And with their spirits high and their hearts set on victory, the Dazzlings knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. //-------------------------------------------------------// 74. Dazzling Bladers //-------------------------------------------------------// 74. Dazzling Bladers The day had started slowly for the Dazzlings. After a long string of busy weeks filled with school, soccer, cheerleading, and other activities, their schedule was suddenly empty. For once, there were no obligations, and none of them had any idea how to fill the void. Adagio lounged on the couch, scrolling aimlessly on her phone. “There’s nothing to do,” she grumbled. “Tell me about it,” Aria replied, sprawled out in the armchair, flipping through channels on the TV but finding nothing interesting. Sonata peeked her head into the living room from the kitchen, holding a popsicle. “We could bake something!” “We did that last week,” Aria pointed out. “Well, then maybe we could—” Sonata paused mid-sentence, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “Wait a second!” Adagio raised an eyebrow. “What now?” Sonata darted off, her popsicle forgotten, and the sound of rummaging echoed down the hall. Moments later, she returned triumphantly holding a familiar object: her Lord Spryzen. “No way!” Aria sat up, her eyes widening as she recognized the Beyblade. “I forgot we even had those!” Adagio exclaimed. It had been a few years since the girls last used their Beys so Adagio just assumed that Sunset had kept them in savings for the memories. Sonata beamed. “They were in that box Mom put in the attic. I went up there the other day to look for my old art supplies and found them!” Aria stood, the spark of excitement finally breaking through her boredom. “If Spryzen is here, then Prime Apocalypse must be, too.” “And Union Achilles,” Adagio added, a nostalgic smile forming on her face. The sisters bolted to the attic, tearing through boxes until they found what they were looking for. Sure enough, Adagio’s Union Achilles and Aria’s Prime Apocalypse were nestled among old trinkets and memorabilia. The girls exchanged grins, a shared memory of their countless battles bubbling to the surface. “You know what we have to do now, right?” Adagio said, holding her Beyblade aloft. “Battle it out, just like old times!” Sonata cheered. The Dazzlings quickly packed up their gear, grabbing their Beyblades, launchers, and an old portable stadium they hadn’t touched in years. They headed outside in the backyard and got everything ready. It was a perfect spot and it was where the girls had their first battle royale with one another. Setting up the stadium, the sisters felt a wave of nostalgia as they clicked their Beys into their launchers. Adagio smirked. “I hope you’re both ready to lose. Union Achilles is still the best.” Adagio equipped the Union sword as she put her Bey in Stamina Mode. Aria rolled her eyes. “In your dreams, Dagi. Prime Apocalypse is unstoppable, and you know it.” Sonata giggled, cradling her Bey as she put it in Left Spin Defense Mode. “You two keep talking, but you’re gonna be eating my dust when Lord Spryzen takes the win.” Just then a glow filled the Dazzlings and before they knew it they were in front of their Beys. Adagio opened her eyes to see Achilles. "Achilles! It's been so long!" Achilles tilted its sword and shield toward Adagio. "And it's good to see you two Adagio. Now let's show them what we got!" Adagio nodded her head with a smile. "Yeah!" With Aria, she crossed her arms and smiled to see Apocalypse. "I'm glad to see you, Apocalypse!" "As am I, Aria." Apocalypse growled. "What do you say we show your sisters who're the best!" Aria smirked. "I'm glad we can both agree on that!" With Sonata she smiled as she was face to face with Spryzen. "Spryzen!" "Sonata, I'm glad we could meet with one another again." Spryzen looked down at Sonata. "You've grown since we last saw each other." "I have grown, me and my sisters are in high school now!" Sonata then smiled. "And I'm glad to see you again too. But right now me and my sisters are about to Battle so let's team up one more time and show them that we're the greatest team ever!" Spryzen raised its axe. "Sounds like a plan." The girls came back from the Blading void and smiled. They were glad to have seen their Beys after all this time. The girls took their positions around the stadium, their energy levels climbing as the countdown began. “Three! Two! One! Let it Rip!” The three Beys launched into the stadium with a fierce clash of energy. Union Achilles spun with a balanced grace, Prime Apocalypse tore across the arena with destructive speed, and Lord Spryzen swirled with unpredictable agility. “Achilles, take control of the center!” Adagio commanded, watching as her Bey moved to dominate the center of the stadium. “Not so fast!” Aria countered. “Apocalypse, charge in there and take them out!” Prime Apocalypse collided with Union Achilles, the clash sending sparks flying. Meanwhile, Sonata watched with a mischievous grin. “Spryzen hit them with a Counter Break!” Lord Spryzen darted in, its rubber contact points absorbing the impact and sending Union Achilles and Prime Apocalypse bouncing back. The battle was intense, each Bey vying for dominance. Adagio’s strategy focused on balance maintaining defense at times and then striking at the right moment. Aria’s relentless aggression forced her opponents into constant defense, while Sonata’s unpredictability made her a wild card, her Bey switching modes mid-battle to adapt. All the girls smiled and laughed throughout the whole Battle, having the time of their lives just like they were all those years ago. “You’re not bad, Sonata,” Aria admitted, watching Spryzen deflect another attack. “But it’s time to end this. Apocalypse, Omega Blast!” Prime Apocalypse surged forward, its tip sparking against the stadium as it unleashed a devastating blow on Lord Spryzen. Sonata gasped as her Bey wobbled but quickly recovered. “Not so fast! Spryzen use Lord Whip!” The two Beys collided again, their energy creating a shockwave that sent Union Achilles skidding back. “Nice try, but Achilles isn’t going down that easy!” Adagio shouted. “Union Sword!” Her Bey’s blades extended, striking both Prime Apocalypse and Lord Spryzen simultaneously. The sisters watched in awe as the three Beys spiraled wildly, each teetering on the edge of the stadium. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata all smiled. "Time to end this! Achilles/Apocalypse/Spryzen!!" All three of their Beys avatars burst to life, unleashing their full potential. Their Beys glowed as they all shifted into second gear with Achilles going into Hyper-Flux, Apocalypse going into Dark-Flux, and Spryzen going into Rainbow-Flux with the three girls going into their ponying-up transformations. "Speed up with Prime Reboot!" Apocalypse tip gained traction as it suddenly gained a huge boost of speed and power. "Now end them both with Final Blast!" Adagio gritted her teeth. "Show them why we were the champions! Unison Whip!" "Defeat the once and for all!" Sonata smiled as she and Spryzen connected like they once did. "Lord Spryzen: S!" Once the three Beys made contact an explosion and smoke filled the air. The girls covered their faces with their arms as they gritted their teeth. When the smoke cleared the three of them were in shock to see that all three of their Beys had burst from the immense pressure of their attacks. “No way,” Aria said, her voice filled with disbelief. “It’s a tie?” “Guess we’re all still evenly matched,” Adagio said, her smirk returning. Sonata giggled. “That was amazing! I forgot how much fun this is!” The three of them sat back, catching their breath and laughing as they replayed the match in their minds. As the excitement settled, the girls began packing up their gear, their earlier boredom replaced with a sense of contentment. “You know,” Sonata said, holding her Lord Spryzen, “These Beyblades were such a big part of our lives for a while. I’m glad we found them again.” “Me too,” Aria admitted. “They're more than just mere toys, they brought us together in a way nothing else did.” Adagio nodded. “It’s not just about the battles. It’s about the memories we made with them.” The sisters shared a quiet moment, the bond between them feeling stronger than ever. “So, what do we do now?” Sonata asked, looking at her sisters. Adagio smiled. “We move forward like we always do. But at least now, we’ve given these Beys the sendoff they deserve.” The three of them packed up the stadium, slinging their bags over their shoulders as they left the park. Though they knew they might not battle with their Beyblades again, the memories of their adventures would stay with them forever. //-------------------------------------------------------// 75. The Last CHS Football Game //-------------------------------------------------------// 75. The Last CHS Football Game Today was the day that everyone had been looking forward to for a long time. The day of the championship had finally arrived, and the excitement in the air was electric. Canterlot’s football team was gearing up for the biggest and most important game of the season, and the whole school had gathered to cheer them on. In the center of the crowd were the Dazzlings, donning their cheer uniforms with a mixture of pride and bittersweet anticipation. They knew this would be their last time on the field as part of the cheerleading team, and they were determined to make every moment count. As the stands filled up, students, teachers, and families crowded together, all wearing Canterlot’s colors. Banners waved, faces were painted, and the roar of the crowd set the scene for an unforgettable showdown. The Dazzlings and the rest of the cheer squad arrived early, practicing their routines one last time before the big game started. Each move, each cheer, felt charged with emotion. “This is it, girls,” Adagio said, her voice filled with both confidence and nostalgia. “Let’s make it a game to remember.” Aria grinned, her competitive spirit flaring. “We’ll cheer so loud they’ll feel it in the next town over.” Sonata nodded eagerly. “And we’re going to give the team all the energy they need to bring home that trophy!” As the players took the field, the Dazzlings positioned themselves on the sidelines, leading the crowd in chants and cheers. Venus and Bael shot quick smiles in Adagio and Ari's direction before lining up with their team. The Dazzlings returned the smiles, giving a small wave before turning their focus back to their routines. Their hearts pounded with pride and excitement, and a little nervousness too; this game was going to be a tough one. The two teams met in the middle of the field and shook hands, showing respect to their opponent. They deserved respect, after all, both had made it to the finals and that was admirable. The game started with intensity, each play carrying the weight of the championship. The opposing team was formidable, blocking advances and taking advantage of every slip in Canterlot’s defense. But Canterlot was equally determined, pushing forward with every ounce of skill and teamwork they’d developed throughout the season. “Defense! Defense!” Adagio led the cheer, her voice carrying over the crowd. The cheer squad followed, their synchronized voices and movements energizing the fans. Every tackle, every pass, and every yard gained seemed to add fuel to the fire of competition. The game stayed neck and neck, with each team scoring in turn. As the first half ended, the score was tied, and everyone knew the next half would be decisive. The Dazzlings took a quick water break, their faces flushed from cheering nonstop. They were tired, but none of them wanted to stop. “We have to keep the team’s energy up,” Sonata said, her determination shining through despite her breathlessness. “They’re giving it everything they’ve got out there.” “And so will we,” Aria replied with a fierce grin. She and the others adjusted their ponytails and stretched, ready to jump back into action. As the second half started, the game became even more intense. Canterlot’s team pushed forward with renewed focus, running plays with precision, while their opponents fought back with equal resolve. The cheers grew louder, the tension building with each play. The Dazzlings led the crowd in chanting, jumping, and waving their pom-poms, their voices becoming hoarse but their spirits unbreakable. Venus and Bael played exceptionally, blocking, tackling, and making some incredible plays that had the crowd roaring. On the sidelines, Adagio and Aria couldn’t help but beam with pride. Seeing their boyfriends giving their all fueled the Dazzlings’ own energy, making them cheer even louder. The fourth quarter brought the intensity to its peak. With only a few minutes left on the clock, Canterlot had one last chance to score and break the tie. Everyone held their breath as Leon lined up the shot, the stadium falling silent. The ball snapped, a pass was made, and the running back sprinted down the field, dodging tackles. Venus and Valex ran along with him, blocking defenders along the way, giving the running back road to work with. “Go, go, go!” Sonata yelled, her voice cracking with excitement. The entire cheer squad joined in, their voices blending with the crowd’s as the running back barreled toward the end zone. And then, with just seconds to spare, he crossed the line. Touchdown! Canterlot had scored the winning points. The stands erupted with a deafening cheer, and the Dazzlings leaped with joy, hugging each other as the realization of victory set in. Canterlot was just moments away from winning the championship! The opponents with only a few seconds left to spare with the ball. The Quarterback took the snap as the Receivers ran down the field, they had one attempt and everyone knew that the hail mary was coming up. With as much strength as he could muster, the Quarterback threw the ball as far and high into the air as he could. The crowd and Dazzlings held their breath as they watched the ball come down from the sky, toward the end zone where Receivers and defenders were, either trying to catch or defend the pass. Multiple hands touched the ball as it came down but none of them caught it as the ball hit the ground. It was silent for a second but the realization hit and when it did, it hit hard. The crowd cheered as loud as they ever had as players, members of the crowd, the cheerleaders, and the Dazzlings ran onto the field in excitement. The players hoisted the championship trophy high, their faces lit up with smiles and pride as they celebrated with the fans and their teammates. Venus and Bael found Adagio and Aria in the crowd, sharing victorious hugs. The Dazzlings hugged each other tightly, their happiness mingled with a bittersweet feeling; this was the end of a chapter for them. As they embraced, the rest of the cheer squad joined in, some of them tearing up as they hugged their friends and teammates. The joy of winning was met with the sadness of knowing their cheerleading journey was over. “We did it,” Adagio whispered, her voice full of pride and nostalgia. Aria nodded, a hint of mist in her eyes. “It’s been an amazing run.” Sonata clutched her sisters’ hands. “We’ll never forget this, right?” “Never,” Adagio replied, squeezing her hand. The three of them stood side by side, watching the team bask in the glory of their victory. They had been part of something special, not just on the field but as a family, supporting each other through every practice, every game, every challenge. This victory was as much theirs as it was the players’. As the evening wore on, the celebrations continued, but for the Dazzlings, it was time to say goodbye to this chapter. They shared one last group hug with the cheer squad, promising to keep in touch and meet up for future games as fans. They had started this journey as just teammates, but they were leaving it as lifelong friends. As they walked off the field, they took a last look around, letting the memories flood over them—the cheers, the excitement, the challenges, and the triumphs. They had given it their all, just as they had with everything else in their high school lives. They were the Dazzlings, and they’d made their mark. “Ready for whatever comes next?” Aria asked, a small smile on her face as they walked away from the field. “Absolutely,” Adagio replied. “We’ve got each other. And whatever we face… we’ll face it together.” Sonata nodded enthusiastically. “Because that’s what sisters do.” As they stepped away from the stadium lights and into the cool night, the Dazzlings knew that this was the end of an era—but it was also the beginning of something new. They had faced every challenge, shared every joy, and would always be there for one another, ready to take on whatever the future had in store. //-------------------------------------------------------// 77. Dazzling Mystery At The Senior Ball //-------------------------------------------------------// 77. Dazzling Mystery At The Senior Ball The Senior Ball was the event everyone had been waiting for, and the Dazzlings were no exception. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata had spent the past week preparing their outfits, practicing their dance moves, and hyping up what was sure to be a magical night. Dressed in stunning gowns that matched their unique personalities—Adagio in a shimmering golden dress, Aria in a bold dark purple, and Sonata in a fun and flirty teal—they made their grand entrance at Canterlot High's decorated gymnasium. The gym sparkled with fairy lights, streamers, and a shimmering disco ball that cast dazzling reflections across the room. The air buzzed with excitement as students mingled, danced, and laughed, their energy infectious. “This is it, girls,” Adagio said, her confident smirk lighting up her face. “Let’s make this a night we’ll never forget.” “Finally, something fun after all those finals,” Aria said, rolling her eyes but smiling nonetheless. “Look at all this food!” Sonata exclaimed, already making a beeline for the buffet table that was full of delicious goodies made by Pinkie Pie. As the night went on, the Dazzlings split up to enjoy the festivities. Sonata was happily chatting with Gabby and Dawnshine near the snacks, bonding with the once-formidable rival. It was a surprise for her that two people who hated her and her sisters were now her friends. Meanwhile, Adagio and Aria were pulled onto the dance floor by Venus and Bael, their respective dates. Sonata watched as her sisters were pulled onto the dance floor and smiled. She was happy for her sisters but wished Arctic was around so she could have a dance too. Adagio felt a rare flutter of excitement as Venus twirled her under the sparkling lights. His smooth charm and genuine smile made her laugh more than she expected. Nearby, Aria and Bael shared a more energetic dance, their shared competitiveness showing as they tried to outdo each other with elaborate moves. “You’re going to have to do better than that,” Aria teased as Bael attempted an overly dramatic dip. “You asked for it,” Bael shot back, pulling her into a spin that left her laughing. The mood was perfect, and everything seemed to be going well—until an urgent announcement interrupted the festivities. Principal Celestia’s voice came over the microphone. “Attention, everyone. It appears that all the desserts from the dining table have gone missing. We’ll do our best to resolve this quickly, but in the meantime, we ask for your patience.” A collective groan echoed across the room, especially from the students who’d been eyeing some of the desserts all evening. “No dessert?” Sonata gasped, her eyes wide with horror. “This is a disaster!” Adagio placed a calming hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Relax, Sonata. We’ll figure this out.” “Figure it out?” Aria raised an eyebrow. “We’re here to have fun, not play detective.” But when a few murmurs in the crowd blamed Gabby or Dawnshine for the theft, the Dazzlings knew they couldn’t stand by. "I bet you it was Dawnshine, she was right over there. I wouldn't put it past her if she tried doing something. I knew that when she said she wanted to change was it nothing but crap." One said. "It was Gabby I tell you. She was the one who did this, she does like sweets." Another said. "They probably worked together. Think about it, one crazy bully is bad enough but when there's two it's double the trouble." A third person said. The Dazzlings looked over at Gabby and Dawnshine who looked down, sad from the comments that were dished out by their peers. “We can’t let this ruin the night,” Adagio said firmly. “And we definitely can’t let people blame our friends without proof. Come on, girls—we’re solving this mystery.” Sonata perked up immediately and started digging through Adagio's hair much to her dismay. “Detective Dazzlings to the rescue!” As she pulled out three detective hats. Adagio just stared at her before rolling her eyes. "We'll talk about that later. We have more important issues to deal with currently." The girls split up to gather clues and question their classmates. Sonata stayed near the buffet table, inspecting the empty dessert trays. “There are crumbs everywhere,” she muttered, crouching down to get a closer look. “And look—frosting smudges! Someone couldn’t resist a taste.” Aria, ever the skeptic, decided to talk to Gabby and Dawnshine directly. “I'm not saying you guys did it, and I don't believe you did it. But you two didn’t take the dessert, did you?” she asked bluntly. Gabby crossed her arms. “Seriously, Aria? Do I look like someone who needs to steal dessert?” Dawnshine rolled her eyes. “I’ve been eating these mini sandwiches all night. Why would I bother with dessert?” Satisfied with their responses, Aria moved on, keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior. Adagio, meanwhile, interrogated other students. She noticed a group of freshmen whispering in the corner and approached them with her most intimidating smile. “Anything you’d like to share?” The freshmen shook their heads vigorously, clearly terrified. “We didn’t do anything, I swear!” one of them squeaked. Adagio sighed and walked away, her sharp eyes scanning the room for anything out of place. After a few more minutes, the three sisters regrouped near the stage, as the sisters shared their findings. “I found frosting smudges by the buffet,” Sonata said. “Gabby and Dawnshine didn’t do it,” Aria added. “They’ve been eating other stuff all night, they would be too full to eat the dessert. Besides, Sonata was with them, no way they could have taken the dessert without Nata noticing.” “And the freshmen are too scared to try something like this,” Adagio concluded. The sisters were stumped until Sonata noticed something shiny on the floor. “Hey, what’s this?” She picked up a gold button, a very familiar golden button. “That’s from Screw Driver's jacket,” Aria said, narrowing her eyes. “Let’s go find him,” Adagio said, a determined glint in her eye. The Dazzlings got up and found Screw Driver near the punch bowl, looking suspiciously nervous. “Screw,” Adagio began, her tone sweet but firm. “Would you care to explain why your jacket button was near the scene of the crime?” Screw Driver’s eyes widened. “I—uh—well, you see…” “Spill it,” Aria said, crossing her arms as she glared at the man in question. “Okay, okay!” Screw admitted. “It wasn’t just me! I only helped carry the dessert. Paint Ball came up with the idea as a prank!” “Paint Ball?” Sonata gasped. “Why would he do that?” “He wanted to hide the dessert until the dance was over and then take it home to eat all for himself,” Screw said sheepishly. Adagio sighed. “Where are they?” “In the janitor’s closet,” Screw admitted. The Dazzlings wasted no time retrieving the dessert, carrying the trays back to the dessert table just as Principal Celestia was about to make another announcement. The girls told Principal Celestia what had happened and she smiled. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Celestia said into the microphone, drawing everyone’s attention. “The desserts have been found!” A cheer erupted from the crowd as the students rushed to grab their long-awaited treats. “Great job, girls,” Principal Celestia said, smiling at the Dazzlings. “It’s what we do,” Aria said with a smirk. With the mystery solved, the sisters returned to the dance floor. Adagio found Venus waiting for her, his hand outstretched. “May I have this dance?” She smiled and took his hand, letting him twirl her across the floor once more. Nearby, Aria and Bael resumed their playful competition, laughing as they tried to outshine each other. Sonata, meanwhile, sat with Gabby and Dawnshine at a table, happily munching on cookies and laughing at their jokes. “This has been the best Senior Ball ever. That mystery was so much fun to solve!” Sonata declared. As the night wore on, the Dazzlings couldn’t help but feel grateful for the memories they were creating. They’d solved a mystery, saved the dance, and spent the evening surrounded by friends. As the final song played, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata came together in the center of the dance floor, their arms wrapped around each other. “Here’s to us,” Adagio said, raising an imaginary toast. “And to many more dazzling nights,” Aria added. “Agreed!” Sonata said, giggling. Together, the sisters danced under the shimmering lights, ready to face whatever challenges—and adventures—lay ahead. The end of their senior year and high school experience was nearing the end. //-------------------------------------------------------// 78. A Dazzling Conclusion To High School //-------------------------------------------------------// 78. A Dazzling Conclusion To High School The final day of senior year arrived quietly, yet there was a hum of nostalgia and excitement in the air. The Dazzlings stepped onto Canterlot High’s familiar grounds, feeling a mix of emotions. With finals completed, there was no pressure—just a lighthearted day of movies, chatting with friends, and soaking in their last moments as high schoolers. Their morning started in homeroom, where students sprawled across desks or sat in small groups, already reminiscing. Their teacher had a movie playing, but most weren’t paying attention, too wrapped up in saying their goodbyes. The Dazzlings clustered together, watching the lighthearted atmosphere around them with a sense of wonder. "Can you believe it?" Sonata whispered, her voice tinged with both sadness and excitement. "It feels like just yesterday we were freshmen. Now, we’re done. Well, besides graduation that is." Adagio nodded, a soft smile gracing her lips. "We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? It hasn’t always been easy, but...we made it." Aria, always one to play it cool, folded her arms and leaned back. "Yeah, and after this, it’s on to the next big thing. But still...I’ll miss this place. Well, not the countless hours spent on school assignments." They spent the morning weaving through memories of classes, teachers, and friends. They laughed about moments they’d nearly forgotten, from school pranks to rushed projects and intense practices. It was a time of reflection, with each story adding to the bittersweetness of the day. When the bell rang for their next class, they reluctantly stood, heading off to more movie-watching and quiet farewells. In the next few periods, they cycled through classrooms, watching different movies, from comedies to superhero flicks, with most of their friends sharing snacks and laughing in the darkened rooms. Teachers had become a bit sentimental themselves, sharing memories of each student and reminding them of how much they’d grown. One of their favorite teachers, Mrs. Finch, took a moment to pause the movie in her class to address the seniors. "You’re all incredible young people, and I’ve been so lucky to watch you grow these last few years. Each of you has something special to offer this world—don’t forget that. And if high school taught you anything, I hope it’s that you have the strength to push through even the toughest of days." The Dazzlings exchanged glances, feeling a pang of emotion at Mrs. Finch’s words. They knew this day was all about celebrating the end of their high school journey, yet the reality of it still weighed on them. By lunchtime, the three of them decided to find a quiet spot outside, away from the noise of the cafeteria. They sat under the same tree where they’d had countless lunches and whispered conversations over the years. Looking out over the campus, the sights felt more vivid than ever, like they were committing every detail to memory. "I’m going to miss this," Sonata said softly, running her fingers through the grass. "We’ve been through so much together here. All the ups and downs...everything." Aria snorted, trying to keep her cool. "Yeah, yeah. But it’s not like we won’t be around each other after this. Just because we’re leaving here doesn’t mean everything changes." Adagio smiled at both of them, seeing her sisters in a whole new light. "I’m glad we got to go through this together. I can’t imagine high school without you two. It feels like we’re closing a chapter, but...I’m ready for what’s next. And we’ll still have each other, no matter where we end up." After lunch, they returned to their remaining classes, which went by in a blur of laughter, hugs, and endless exchanges of phone numbers and social media handles. Teachers who they thought didn’t care much about them gave heartfelt goodbyes, telling them to stay in touch, surprising the girls with how much they’d meant to so many people here. By the time the final bell rang, marking the official end of their high school journey, a strange quiet settled over them. The hallways filled with classmates, and there was a lingering energy of excitement mixed with the sorrow of farewells. They passed friends who they knew they might not see again after graduation, giving them tight hugs and sharing promises to stay in touch. Finally, the Dazzlings found themselves standing at the entrance of the school. They took a moment to look back at the building that had been their home for so many days, a place filled with countless memories—good, bad, and everything in between. Here, they had faced challenges, learned life lessons, and grown in ways they hadn’t expected. Sonata wiped a tear from her eye. "I know we’re coming back for graduation, but...it feels so final, doesn’t it?" Aria nodded, uncharacteristically somber. "Yeah. I thought I’d be ready to leave without a second thought, but it’s weird. Like...I’m leaving a piece of myself behind." Adagio placed an arm around each of them. "We’re not leaving anything behind. We’re carrying all of it with us—everything we learned, every memory, every friend we made. That’s what’s going to help us in the future." The three of them stood there in silence, each of them processing the end of this chapter in their own way. And although there was a sadness to it, there was also a spark of excitement, a shared understanding that they were ready for whatever came next. As they walked down the steps, the setting sun cast a warm glow on the school, making it look almost surreal. The familiar buzz of students and teachers behind them grew distant, and with each step, they felt like they were stepping into something new. "Let’s go celebrate, Dazzlings style," Adagio suggested, breaking the quiet with a smile. "We’ve got a few days before graduation, and we’re going to make the most of them. Besides, we’ll be back here soon enough, with our caps and gowns." Sonata grinned, her earlier sadness fading. "Yeah! And we’re going to own that stage. Can you imagine all three of us walking across and getting our diplomas together?" Aria rolled her eyes playfully. "Just don’t trip, Sonata. That would be a pretty memorable way to end things." They all laughed, the tension easing as they stepped into the future together. There was still so much to look forward to—graduation, the promises of summer, and beyond. As they left Canterlot High for the last time as students, they looked at each other, feeling a renewed bond that went beyond just being sisters. They were a team, a trio that had faced everything together, and they knew that whatever the future held, they would face it side by side. The Dazzlings—the name that had once been a title of ambition and rivalry—now represented something far stronger and deeper: the unbreakable connection between them as they embraced the journey ahead. Author's Note Merry Christmas to one and all! I hope you all have a good one and got what you wanted! 2 chapters remain //-------------------------------------------------------// 79. A Dazzling High School Graduation Day //-------------------------------------------------------// 79. A Dazzling High School Graduation Day The sun broke gently over the horizon, casting golden light through the open blinds of the Dazzlings' home. The house, nestled in the quiet suburbs of Canterlot City, was alive with energy even before the first alarm clock blared. Somewhere in the hallway, Sonata’s old alarm clock let out a cheerful—and ridiculously loud—chime of bells, signaling the start of what would be one of the most memorable days of their lives. Sonata shot up from her bed like a firework, the bells only serving as a backup to her natural enthusiasm. She practically vaulted out of her covers and twirled to face the mirror. Her graduation gown hung pristinely on the back of her closet door, and next to it was a pile of accessories she had been debating over for the past week. “Today’s the day! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Sonata squealed, spinning in circles. From across the hallway, Aria groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow. “Sonata, it’s six in the morning. We don’t have to leave for another five hours. What part of that don’t you understand?” Sonata ignored her and leaned over her bed, pulling out her matching shoes from under a pile of stuffed animals. "You don’t get it, Aria! This is the last day we’ll all be high schoolers. Once high school is over, we'll be officially grown-ups!" Aria sat up, her hair a wild mess of tangles and her eyes barely open. “Sonata, history will still be there in two hours when I wake up properly. You being this loud, though? That’s going to go down as a crime.” Aria then rolled her eyes. "Besides. "You’re barely a grown-up when you can’t even boil water without burning it." "That's what microwaves are for," Sonata retorted, unbothered. The hallway outside their rooms smelled faintly of lavender, courtesy of Adagio, who had been awake for the better part of an hour. Her door was ajar and faint sounds of a YouTube motivational speech played from her phone. Unlike her sisters, Adagio’s mornings were calculated and deliberate. She stood in front of her vanity, already dressed in her burgundy gown, her sash neatly tied and her golden hair cascading perfectly over her shoulders. “Adagio, don’t tell me you’re ready already,” Sonata exclaimed as she peeked in. Adagio turned, raising a brow. “Of course, I’m ready. It’s not every day you get to give the valedictorian speech at your graduation.” Sonata plopped onto Adagio’s bed, sprawling out dramatically. “I can’t believe you were picked to do that. I mean, I can believe it, but also, wow, you’re like… the best of us.” Adagio smirked, though her tone softened. “We’re all the best in different ways. I just happened to put in the work academically.” “Don’t let her fool you,” Aria muttered, dragging herself into the room with a mug of coffee she had commandeered from downstairs. “She’s been practicing that speech in front of the mirror for a week. Almost drove me insane hearing her rehearse it for the tenth time.” Adagio didn’t deny it. “Preparation is key. You might want to try it sometime, Aria.” “Yeah, well, we can’t all be walking dictionaries,” Aria shot back, but there was no real malice in her tone. Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, the smell of fresh pancakes and syrup filled the air. Sunset was bustling around in a casual yet elegant sundress, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. She moved between the stove and the table, flipping pancakes while trying to arrange a platter of fruit that had already started to look less appealing due to the Dazzlings’ last-minute rummaging the night before. Tom sat at the table, his usual cup of coffee in hand and the family’s old camera slung around his neck. He fiddled with the settings, squinting at the small screen. “So, do you think they’re nervous?” Sunset glanced over her shoulder, smiling as she placed another pancake on the growing stack. “Nervous? Nah. Excited? Definitely. Well, Sonata’s probably bouncing off the walls right now. Adagio is already dressed, I bet.” “And Aria?” Tom asked, sipping his coffee. “She’s probably trying to pretend like she doesn’t care.” Sunset laughed softly. “But she does. I caught her practicing how to walk in her heels last night when she thought no one was watching.” Tom chuckled. “They’ve come a long way, haven’t they? I mean, when they first came into our lives…” “Yeah,” Sunset said quietly, a flicker of memory passing over her face. “You came to Celestia's house where I was staying with three baby girls and put them in my trust. And then after we got married and when they found out the truth, we told them about their past. They were broken, especially Aria." Sunset then smiled. "To think those say girls who were once evil and tried to take over the world. But now? Look at them. They’ve got friends, ambitions… I’m just so proud.” Tom nodded. “They’re going to be fine. Even Aria. And you know Adagio won’t let them stumble.” He picked up his camera and aimed it toward the stairs. “Speaking of stumbling…” Right on cue, Sonata came bounding down the steps, her enthusiasm bubbling over. She was halfway through announcing, “Breakfast smells amazing!” when her foot slipped on the edge of the last step. With a yelp, she tumbled forward, only to catch herself on the banister at the last second. “Sonata!” Sunset rushed over, her heart skipping a beat. “Are you okay?” Sonata straightened up, flashing a sheepish grin. “Totally fine! I just… wanted to practice my dramatic entrance.” From the top of the stairs, Aria’s dry voice carried down. “Well, you nailed it.” Aria turned to Adagio. “What’s the over-under on Sonata tripping while getting her diploma?” Adagio thought for a moment before smiling. "Five bucks says she doesn't, she's got this... I hope." “Aria, I won’t trip,” Sonata said indignantly, hands on her hips. “I’ll… glide!” Adagio followed Aria down, gracefully as always, and gave Sonata a once-over. “Just please don’t trip on stage today. I’d rather not have to address the entire class with you face-planted behind me.” Sonata stuck out her tongue. “I’ll be fine! Besides, everyone would remember me if I did!” The girls gathered at the kitchen table, where Sunset laid out plates of pancakes, fruit, and scrambled eggs. Adagio took her seat with a regal air, while Aria immediately reached for the syrup. Sonata, of course, was too busy marveling at how much food was on her plate to start eating right away. Tom snapped a picture of them mid-bite, earning groans from Aria and a dramatic eye roll from Adagio. “Dad!” Aria complained. “Come on, Aria,” Tom said with a grin. “You’ll want to remember this one day.” “I’ll want to remember the pancakes, not me with syrup on my chin,” Aria muttered, wiping her mouth. “Trust me,” Sunset said as she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down. “He’s going to be even worse at the ceremony. Just smile and let him have his fun.” The morning passed in a flurry of activity. Sonata double-checked her outfit for the hundredth time, Aria reluctantly let Sunset fix her hair, and Adagio did one last run-through of her speech. The house felt alive, every room filled with laughter, banter, and the occasional shout of “Who took my shoes?!” courtesy of Sonata. Finally, as the clock ticked closer to departure time, Sunset clapped her hands. “Alright, everyone, it’s time to head out. Let’s not keep Canterlot High waiting!” Tom grabbed the camera, and the girls grabbed their gowns. The door swung open, sunlight spilling into the house as they stepped outside, ready for graduation. The family got into the car and Tom started it up. The car hummed quietly as it rolled out of the driveway, the early-morning sun glinting off the polished windows. It was a beautiful day, the sky a clear expanse of blue dotted with a few fluffy clouds. The perfect backdrop for the Dazzlings’ graduation day. Tom was in the driver’s seat, his hands steady on the wheel, though his eyes occasionally flicked to the rearview mirror to catch glimpses of his daughters. Sunset sat beside him, her ever-present warmth lighting up her expression as she adjusted her sun hat. She turned back briefly to check on the girls. “Alright, are we all set?” Sunset asked. “Do we have everything? Gowns, sashes, speeches, shoes?” “Got it, got it, got it, and... got it!” Sonata rattled off cheerfully, crossing her arms triumphantly. “Barely,” Aria muttered, arms crossed as she slouched in her seat. Her gown was draped carefully over her knees to avoid wrinkling, and her heels sat on the floor beneath her feet. “It took you twenty minutes to find your shoes, Sonata.” “They were hiding!” Sonata protested her voice light and teasing. “It’s not my fault I have sneaky shoes!” Adagio, seated in the middle of the backseat for once, shook her head with a sigh. “We’ve been up since six. How are you still this hyper, Sonata?” “Because it’s graduation day!” Sonata beamed, looking out the window as the familiar streets of their neighborhood passed by. “It’s like... the start of our next big adventure! Aren’t you guys excited?!” Aria raised a skeptical brow. “Excited to stop hearing you shout about graduation every ten seconds? Yeah, kinda.” Sonata puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance. “You’re so grumpy, Aria. Don’t you have any happy emotions about today?” Aria leaned her head against the window, her expression neutral but far from disinterested. “I’m happy I’m not going to be stuck in high school anymore. Does that count?” Sunset chuckled softly, turning to look at Aria from the front seat. “I remember feeling like that when I graduated,” she said. “But trust me, in a few years, you might actually miss it.” “Doubt it,” Aria muttered, though there was a flicker of thoughtfulness in her tone. Adagio, who had been silent for a while, finally chimed in, her voice calm and measured. “High school wasn’t perfect, but it was important. We learned a lot—about ourselves, about what we’re capable of.” She glanced out the window, her expression unreadable. “It’s strange, leaving it all behind.” Sonata leaned forward slightly, poking Adagio’s shoulder. “See? Even Miss Perfect Valedictorian has feelings about it!” Adagio swatted her hand away but smirked. “Of course I do. But unlike you, I don’t need to shout them to the world.” The car ride continued, the gentle rhythm of the tires on the road blending with the upbeat music Sonata had insisted on playing through the speakers. “Who gets to pick the next song?” Aria asked, her tone bordering on boredom as another bubbly pop song filled the car. “Not you,” Sonata replied quickly. “You’ll pick something grumpy and depressing!” “It’s called alternative rock, Sonata,” Aria shot back. “Just because it’s not a bubblegum sugar rush doesn’t mean it’s depressing.” Tom glanced at Sunset with a grin. “Should we intervene, or let them work it out?” Sunset laughed quietly. “Let them. It’s their day, after all.” As the car turned onto the main road toward Canterlot High, the girls began pointing out familiar landmarks. “Oh, look! There’s Sugarcube Corner!” Sonata exclaimed, pressing her face against the window. “Remember when we all went there after our soccer game? I had, like, five cupcakes that day!” “And you were bouncing off the walls for hours,” Adagio added dryly, though her lips twitched into a small smile. “Not as bad as Aria,” Sonata continued, grinning mischievously. “She tried to act cool, but she ate, like, three milkshakes!” Aria rolled her eyes. “And you’ve been keeping count ever since, apparently.” “Of course!” Sonata said proudly. “Memories are important!” The car grew quieter as they neared the school, the familiar red-bricked building coming into view. The parking lot was already buzzing with activity, students and their families arriving in waves. “Wow,” Sonata breathed, her voice soft for once. “It looks so... different today.” Aria glanced at her. “It looks the same as it always does.” “No, it doesn’t,” Sonata insisted. “It feels... bigger. More important.” Adagio folded her hands neatly in her lap, her gaze focused on the school. “That’s because it is important. It’s the last time we’ll see it like this.” The weight of her words hung in the air, even as Tom pulled into a parking spot. Sunset turned to face the girls, her voice warm and steady. “Listen,” she said. “Before we go in, I just want to say how proud I am of all of you. You’ve come so far, and this is just the beginning. No matter what happens next, you’ll always have each other—and you’ll always have us.” Tom nodded, his eyes glistening slightly. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now, how about we go make some memories?” The Dazzlings exchanged glances, their usual teasing and banter momentarily replaced with quiet understanding. “Let’s do this,” Adagio said, her voice firm. “Yeah,” Aria added, a rare hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “Best day ever, here we come!” Sonata declared, practically bouncing out of the car. The courtyard of Canterlot High was already alive with the hum of excitement by the time the Dazzlings stepped out of the car. Graduates and their families gathered in clusters, their voices mingling with the occasional sound of laughter or the snap of cameras. The school's burgundy-and-gold banners fluttered in the morning breeze, and balloons tied to railings swayed gently. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata adjusted their graduation gowns as they approached the main gathering area. Sonata, as always, was practically bouncing with energy, her blue hair bobbing with each enthusiastic step. Aria trailed behind with her usual air of detached coolness, though the slightest twitch of a smile betrayed her excitement. Adagio, poised and collected, led the way with the grace of someone about to take center stage. “There they are!” a familiar voice called. The sisters turned to see Gabby, one of their closest friends, waving them over. She was standing with Dawnshine, Phoebe, Athena, Frizzle, and Joy, their little group radiating warmth and excitement. Gabby was practically glowing in her gown, her sharp features softened by a wide grin. “Finally!” Dawnshine teased, adjusting her own cap. “I was starting to think you’d get here after the ceremony started.” Adagio rolled her eyes with a playful smirk. “As if I’d risk being late on this day.” Phoebe gave the three sisters an approving nod. “You all look stunning. Perfectly on brand, of course.” Athena grinned. “Yeah, I’d say you’re easily the best-dressed graduates here. Don’t tell the others, though—they might riot.” Sonata giggled, spinning around to show off her outfit beneath her gown. “We do look pretty amazing, don’t we?” Frizzle clapped her hands together. “Oh, this is so exciting! We’re graduating! Like, this is actually happening! I feel like I might cry.” Joy bounced over to Frizzle and pulled out a tissue, patting the poor girl's back. “Don’t start, Frizzle. If you cry, I’m going to cry, and then my mascara’s going to run.” “Wouldn’t be the first time,” Dawnshine quipped with a smirk which brought in a few chuckles. The Dazzlings’ reunion with their friends was quickly interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind them. They turned to see a group of familiar faces approaching: Bael, Venus, Valex, Leon, Dean, and Derek. Aria’s face lit up—not dramatically, of course, but enough that anyone who knew her well could see it. Bael gave her a lopsided grin as he approached. His dark hair was slightly tousled as if he’d barely bothered with a brush, but his piercing red eyes sparkled with warmth. “Hey,” he said casually, sliding an arm around Aria’s waist. “Figured you’d make a grand entrance.” Aria smirked. “We don’t do anything halfway.” Venus stepped forward next, his striking green eyes locking onto hers. His dark brown hair caught the sunlight, and the way he carried himself—calm, confident, and effortlessly charming—was enough to draw attention from anyone nearby. “Looking radiant as always,” Venus said, taking Adagio’s hand and kissing it lightly. Adagio’s cheeks tinted pink, but she maintained her composed demeanor. “And you look… passable,” she teased, though her smile gave away her affection. Valex, one of Bael’s closest friends, nudged Leon with a grin. “And here we thought today was about graduation. Turns out it’s just the Dazzlings’ runway show.” Leon chuckled. “Not wrong. They always steal the spotlight.” “Maybe we should just accept it and be the supporting cast,” Dean added with a shrug, his tone lighthearted. Derek jokingly threw an arm around Sonata’s shoulders. “Hey, if we’re all supporting characters, that means we don’t have to stress about speeches or anything. Let the stars handle it.” Sonata giggled. “I’ll be a gracious star! You can all be in my spotlight!” “Generous of you,” Bael said with mock solemnity, earning a laugh from the group. Aria and Adagio laughed as they looked at their sister. "Better watch out there, Star. I spotlight might be too much for you. We wouldn't want an unexpected trip, now would we?" Sonata pouted as everyone laughed. The crowd around them continued to grow as more graduates and their families arrived. Tom and Sunset hovered nearby, chatting with a few other parents while snapping candid photos of the group. “Okay, everyone, picture time!” Sunset called, holding up the family camera. The Dazzlings groaned in unison but didn’t protest as they lined up with their friends. Adagio stood in the middle, flanked by Venus and Aria, while Sonata struck a dramatic pose at the end. “Smile!” Tom said as he clicked the shutter. “Let’s make this one a keeper.” After the picture, Gabby turned to Adagio, her tone suddenly serious. “So, how are you feeling about the speech?” Adagio hesitated for a moment, her composure faltering slightly. “Honestly? A little nervous. It’s one thing to lead a group or perform, but this is different. It feels… final.” Venus placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be amazing. You always are.” “Agreed,” Dawnshine said. “Just channel that ‘Adagio Dazzle’ energy. You’ve got this.” Adagio nodded, her confidence returning. “Thanks. I needed that.” The group spent the next several minutes reminiscing about their time at Canterlot High, swapping stories about their most memorable moments. “Remember back when we played with Beyblades?” Leon asked, leaning against a nearby pillar. “That was wild.” “I'd say, those matches were intense! Who could forget that finale between Sonata and Gabby!” Derek exclaimed, earning a round of nods. “Gosh, I was so bad back then. I almost went for a world record on destroyed people's Beys." Gabby said holding her cheeks in embarrassment. “Uh… hate to break it to you, but you did.” Gabby moaned which made her friends let out a few chuckles. Sonata giggled. “I don't think I have a favorite memory. Each year was so fun.” Sonata looked back at the school where everyone was gathering. "I'm gonna miss this place." Gabby smiled. “I think it's safe that we all will. In one way or another.” The laughter and chatter continued, the group savoring these last few moments before the ceremony. For all their teasing and banter, there was an undercurrent of emotion—an unspoken acknowledgment that this chapter of their lives was about to close. Adagio glanced around at her sisters, her friends, and Venus. For all her ambition and drive, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia. “Alright,” she said, clapping her hands lightly. “Let’s do this. Time to graduate.” “Finally,” Aria muttered, though her tone was light. Sonata grabbed both their hands, practically dragging them toward the auditorium. “Best day ever, here we come!” With their friends and loved ones beside them, the Dazzlings stepped forward into the next stage of their lives, their bond stronger than ever. The main auditorium of Canterlot High was transformed into a breathtaking display of celebration. Rows upon rows of chairs stretched across the polished floor, each seat draped with burgundy and gold ribbons. The stage at the front was adorned with a grand archway of balloons and floral arrangements, framing the school’s crest, which gleamed in the spotlight. A podium stood center stage, with microphones carefully set to amplify the voices of the day’s speakers. The soft hum of conversation filled the air as proud families, teachers, and students found their seats. The excitement was palpable—an electric buzz that made the air feel almost charged. Backstage, the graduates waited in orderly rows, their emotions ranging from nervousness to uncontainable excitement. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata stood among them, their graduation caps tilted just slightly to accommodate their unique hairstyles. “Do you think we’ll be able to see Mom and Dad from up there?” Sonata asked, her hands fidgeting with her tassel. Adagio adjusted Sonata’s sash with practiced precision. “Of course we will. They’ll probably be front and center, waving like maniacs. Dad will want to get as many pictures of us as he can.” Sonata giggled. “Good. I want to wave back.” Aria leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed, though her eyes darted toward the stage as if she couldn’t help but anticipate the moment they’d walk out. “So, who wants to bet on who cries first?” “Sonata,” Adagio and Aria said in unison. “Hey!” Sonata pouted, crossing her arms before breaking into a grin. “Okay, fair. But it’s a happy cry! But Aria is a close second.” Aria was about to rebuke but the sound of Principal Celestia’s voice crackling to life over the microphone quieted the chatter among the graduates. “Ladies and gentlemen, parents, guardians, teachers, and friends,” Celestia began, her voice clear and strong, “Welcome to the Graduation Ceremony!” The room erupted into cheers and applause, the sound echoing off the high ceilings. The graduates began filing in, row by row, in a perfectly synchronized procession. The familiar strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" played over the speakers, its grandiose melody filling the air. Each step felt monumental, each click of a heel on the floor a reminder that this was the culmination of years of effort, growth, and transformation. Adagio led her sisters down the aisle, her head held high, her posture flawless. She exuded the air of someone destined to lead—a role she had embraced long before this day. Behind her, Aria walked with unbothered confidence, though there was a subtle gleam in her eyes as she glanced around the room. Sonata followed, her wide smile practically lighting up the auditorium as she waved discreetly at the crowd. “There’s Mom and Dad!” Sonata whispered, nudging Aria. Sure enough, Tom and Sunset were seated near the front, their faces shining with pride. Tom had the family camera ready, while Sunset clutched a tissue in one hand, already dabbing at her eyes. Sitting next to them was who shocked Sonata the most. There sitting beside her parents was Arctic! Sonata and Arctic made eye contact making them smile as they waved to one another. The graduates took their seats, filling the reserved rows at the front of the auditorium. The stage loomed before them, a symbol of everything they had worked toward. Principal Celestia, standing tall at the podium, smiled warmly at the crowd. “Today, we come together to celebrate the incredible achievements of this year’s graduating class. High school is more than just academics—it’s about growth, self-discovery, and the relationships we form along the way.” Her words were met with nods and murmurs of agreement from the audience. “This class has faced challenges, but they’ve risen above them with resilience and determination,” Celestia continued. “They’ve shown us what it means to adapt, to thrive, and to embrace the future with open arms.” The applause that followed was thunderous, and the graduates exchanged glances, a shared pride flickering in their eyes. “And now,” Celestia said, her smile widening, “to officially begin today’s ceremony, please welcome one of our own—Sonata—for the opening remarks.” The applause swelled again as Sonata rose from her seat, her heart pounding in her chest. Looking over to her sisters, Aria and Adagio gave her thumbs up and encouragement. She could feel the weight of every eye in the room, but she didn’t let it intimidate her. She had been told earlier that she was chosen to give a speech at the graduation and she had accepted, so that was no going back because she felt nervous. Instead, she let her excitement carry her forward, her steps light as she ascended the stage. Reaching the podium, she adjusted the microphone with a nervous laugh. “Wow. Um, hi, everyone!” The crowd chuckled warmly, and Sonata felt her nerves at ease. She glanced down at the cards she’d prepared but decided to set them aside. “So, when I found out I’d be giving the opening speech today, my first thought was, ‘What am I even going to say?’” Sonata began, her voice bright and cheerful. “I mean, graduation is kind of a big deal, right? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized... it’s not just about the big stuff. It’s about all the little moments that got us here.” She paused, letting her words sink in. The auditorium was silent, everyone hanging on her every word. “Like, remember that time in junior year when the girl's soccer team won the championship? Or back in sophomore year when there was that massive food fight in the cafeteria?” Sonata grinned, the memories drawing laughter from the crowd. “But it’s not just the fun stuff,” she continued, her tone softening. “It’s the challenges, too. There were days when I thought I wouldn’t make it. When I felt like I wasn’t smart enough or strong enough. But you know what? I wasn’t alone. I had my sisters, my friends, and my teachers reminding me that I could do it. And now… here we are.” Sonata’s voice wavered slightly as she looked out at the crowd. “I want to say thank you—to everyone who believed in us who are graduating, even when we didn’t believe in ourselves. To the parents who put up with all our late-night study sessions and mood swings, to the teachers who went out of their way to make us better, and to the friends who made every day brighter.” She smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “And to my sisters—Adagio and Aria—you’ve always had my back. I know I don’t say it enough, but... I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you!” The applause began softly but quickly grew into a standing ovation. Sonata’s cheeks flushed as she stepped back from the podium, overwhelmed by the crowd’s reaction. As she returned to her seat, Aria leaned over, her voice low. “That was… pretty good, Sonata.” Adagio nodded, her expression softer than usual. “Not bad at all.” Sonata beamed. “You think? Thanks, guys.” The ceremony continued, but Sonata’s words lingered in the air—a reminder of the journey they’d all taken to reach this moment. The crowd fell into a hushed murmur as Principal Celestia returned to the podium, her warm smile radiating pride. Beside her stood Vice Principal Luna, holding a stack of diplomas bound with elegant burgundy ribbons. The students in the front row straightened in their seats, the air thick with anticipation. This was the moment they had all been waiting for. “Now, the moment we’ve all been working toward,” Celestia announced, her voice carrying across the auditorium. “As I call each graduate’s name, please come forward to receive your diploma.” The audience erupted into cheers, though they quickly quieted again, eager to hear the names. Celestia opened the leather-bound folder in front of her, and the first name was called. One by one, students approached the stage, their faces a mixture of joy, nerves, and accomplishment. Each step up the stairs, each handshake, and each moment they held their diploma high felt monumental. In the second row, the Dazzlings waited their turn. Sonata bounced slightly in her seat, her excitement barely contained. “Sonata, calm down,” Aria muttered, though her lips twitched with amusement. “I can’t! This is the best day ever!” Sonata whispered back, her voice brimming with glee. Finally, it was time for the Dazzlings to take the stage. “Adagio,” Celestia announced. Adagio rose gracefully from her seat, smoothing her gown as she walked toward the stage. Her heels clicked softly against the floor, a sound that seemed to punctuate her poised confidence. The audience erupted into applause, and she could hear a particularly loud cheer from the front row. A quick glance revealed Sunset and Tom, both beaming with pride. As Adagio approached the podium, Celestia extended a hand. “Congratulations, Adagio. Your hard work and leadership have been an inspiration.” Adagio shook her hand firmly, her gold honor cords glinting under the stage lights as she accepted her diploma. She paused briefly to smile for the photographer before descending the stage with her head held high. “Aria,” Celestia called next. Aria stood, exuding her signature nonchalance. She walked to the stage with a steady stride, her expression cool and composed. Despite her laid-back demeanor, there was a spark of pride in her eyes as the audience cheered for her. “Congratulations, Aria,” Celestia said warmly. “Your tenacity and sharp mind have been a great asset to our school.” Aria gave her a quick nod, a small smirk playing on her lips as she took her diploma. She skipped the formal photo pose, instead flashing the camera a subtle peace sign before returning to her seat. “And finally, Sonata,” Celestia announced. Sonata practically jumped out of her seat, earning a few chuckles from the nearby students. She made her way to the stage, her grin so wide it threatened to split her face. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and the audience’s cheers seemed a little louder just for her. “Congratulations, Sonata,” Celestia said with a laugh. “Your positivity and spirit have been a joy to this school.” “Thanks, Principal Celestia!” Sonata chirped, shaking her hand enthusiastically. She held her diploma up like a trophy for her photo, striking an exaggerated pose that earned another round of laughter. As she returned to her seat, she whispered, “Told you I wouldn't trip. Did I look cool?” “Cool enough,” Aria muttered with a shrug. “You were fine,” Adagio added with a smile. The rest of the graduates filed up in turn, each one receiving their moment of recognition. As the last name was called and the final diploma handed out, the students erupted into applause, celebrating their collective accomplishment. Celestia returned to the podium, her voice carrying over the cheers. “And now, it is my great pleasure to introduce our valedictorian, Adagio, who will deliver the closing address.” The room quieted once more as Adagio rose from her seat, her movements deliberate and confident. Her sisters gave her encouraging nods, and Venus offered a quick thumbs-up from the audience. Adagio approached the podium, the weight of the moment settling over her like a warm cloak. The stage lights illuminated her golden hair, and the room seemed to hold its breath as she began to speak. “Good afternoon, graduates, faculty, friends, and family,” she started, her voice clear and steady. “Today marks a milestone in all our lives. It is a day to celebrate not just our achievements, but the journey that brought us here.” She paused, scanning the audience. “When we first walked through the doors of Canterlot High, we were just a collection of individuals, each with our own hopes, fears, and dreams. Over time, those hallways became a place where we discovered who we are and who we want to be.” Adagio’s tone softened, a hint of emotion seeping through her composure. “For my sisters and me, this journey was about more than just education. It was about redemption. We came to this school as outsiders, carrying the weight of past mistakes. But Canterlot High gave us something we never thought we’d find—acceptance. Friendship. A chance to grow.” She glanced at Sonata and Aria, her gaze lingering for a moment. “To my sisters, I want to say thank you. Aria, your strength has always kept us grounded. Sonata, your light has kept us moving forward. I wouldn’t be here without either of you.” The crowd murmured softly, touched by her words. Adagio took a steadying breath before continuing. “To our teachers, thank you for pushing us to be better than we thought we could be. To our families, thank you for your unwavering support. And to the Class of 2024, thank you for the memories we’ve created together.” Adagio’s voice grew stronger, more confident. “As we step into the future, remember this: the world is full of opportunities, but it’s also full of challenges. Don’t shy away from them. Embrace them. Because it’s through those challenges that we grow into the people we’re meant to be.” She looked out over the audience, her final words ringing with conviction. “This isn’t the end of our story—it’s just the beginning. So let’s go out there and make it unforgettable.” The applause started slowly, then built into a roaring standing ovation. Adagio stepped back from the podium, her heart swelling with pride and relief. As she returned to her seat, Sonata grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. “You were amazing,” she whispered. “Yeah,” Aria added, her tone gruff but sincere. “Nice work, Dagi.” Adagio smiled, her gaze shifting to the crowd. At that moment, she felt truly at peace. As the last echoes of applause faded and the crowd settled, Principal Celestia stepped back up to the podium. Her graceful presence commanded the room, and her warm smile reflected the pride she felt for every graduate in the audience. She waited a moment, letting the significance of the day hang in the air before she spoke. “Seniors,” Celestia began, her voice steady yet filled with emotion, “it has been an honor to watch you grow over these past four years. Today, you close the chapter of high school and step into a future full of unknowns, challenges, and opportunities. But as you leave Canterlot High, know this: you are ready.” The crowd murmured softly, her words striking a chord. “High school is not just about tests and grades,” she continued. “It’s about discovery—discovering who you are, what you value, and what you can contribute to the world. Each of you has faced your own challenges, and each of you has overcome them in your unique way. You’ve shown resilience, courage, and the ability to adapt, and those qualities will serve you well in the years to come.” Celestia’s eyes scanned the sea of caps and gowns, her expression softening. “Take a moment to reflect on where you started. Think of the friendships you’ve made, the lessons you’ve learned, and the memories you’ve created. Those things will stay with you, even as you forge ahead into the unknown.” She paused, letting the gravity of her words settle over the graduates. “And remember,” she said, her voice taking on a note of conviction, “the journey doesn’t end here. It evolves. Whether you’re pursuing higher education, entering the workforce, or following a different path, the most important thing is to move forward with purpose. Be kind, be curious, and never stop growing.” The audience erupted into applause, and Celestia smiled, her gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd. “Seniors, the world is waiting for you. Congratulations, and may your futures be as bright as your dreams.” The applause surged into a standing ovation, and the graduates rose to their feet, caps held high in triumph. The energy in the room was palpable—a blend of pride, joy, and the bittersweet realization that this was the final act of their high school journey. The graduating class cheered as they threw their caps high into the air, letting out cheers of happiness knowing that they were finally done with high school once and for all. After the ceremony, the courtyard outside the auditorium became a whirlwind of hugs, laughter, and tears. Graduates mingled with their families and friends, posing for photos and exchanging congratulations. The air was filled with the sound of celebration—cheers, the click of cameras, and the occasional sob from an emotional parent. The Dazzlings stood near the edge of the courtyard, surrounded by their closest friends. Sunset and Tom hovered nearby, snapping photos as the girls laughed and talked. Adagio, as always, was the picture of poise, though her normally sharp demeanor was softened by the pride and warmth she exuded. “Alright, everyone, group photo!” Sunset called, holding up the family camera. Adagio sighed but didn’t protest as she, Aria, and Sonata arranged themselves in front of their parents. Gabby, Dawnshine, Phoebe, Athena, Frizzle, and Joy joined in, squeezing into the frame alongside Bael, Venus, and the rest of their extended friend group. “Say ‘Canterlot High forever!’” Tom joked, earning groans and laughs in equal measure. “Canterlot High forever!” Sonata chimed loudly, throwing up peace signs as the camera clicked. As the group began to disperse, Aria leaned against one of the courtyard pillars, her cap held loosely in her hand. Bael joined her, sliding an arm around her waist. “You okay?” he asked quietly. Aria shrugged. “Yeah. It’s just... weird, you know? Saying goodbye to all this. Not that I’m going to miss every part of it.” Bael smirked. “But some parts?” Aria rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. “Yeah, maybe.” Nearby, Venus handed Adagio a small bouquet of sunflowers. She raised an eyebrow at him, her lips curving into a smile. “Sunflowers?” she asked. “Not exactly my style.” “They’re bright and confident,” Venus replied. “Like someone else I know.” Adagio shook her head, but her smile widened. “You’re lucky you’re charming.” Sonata, meanwhile, was flitting between groups of graduates, exchanging hugs and excited chatter with anyone who crossed her path. Arctic eventually caught up to her, offering her a bottle of sparkling cider he’d grabbed from a refreshments table. “To the best graduate on the planet,” he said with a wink, clinking his bottle against hers. Sonata laughed. “I’ll drink to that!” As the evening wore on and the crowd began to thin, the Dazzlings found themselves standing together near the school’s front steps. The setting sun bathed the building in a warm golden glow, casting long shadows across the courtyard. “This is it,” Sonata said softly, her usual bubbly energy tempered by the weight of the moment. “Yeah,” Aria agreed, her voice unusually quiet. “Feels... final.” Adagio looked up at the school’s facade, her expression thoughtful. “It is final. But it’s also a beginning.” She turned to her sisters, her voice steady. “We’ve come a long way. And no matter where we go next, we’ll always have this.” Sonata sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “You’re gonna make me cry.” “Don’t start,” Aria muttered, though her own voice wavered slightly. Adagio smirked. “Too late.” Their parents approached then, Sunset holding a tissue in one hand and Tom holding the camera in the other. “Ready to head home?” Sunset asked gently. Adagio took one last look at the school, her sisters flanking her on either side. With a small, resolute smile, she nodded. “Yeah. We’re ready.” As they walked away from Canterlot High, the school standing proudly behind them, the Dazzlings felt a mix of emotions—nostalgia, pride, and a quiet anticipation for whatever came next. The future was wide open, and they were ready to take it on, together. The drive home from Canterlot High was quieter than the drive to the ceremony. The energy of the day, the speeches, the cheering, and the moments of closure lingered in the air. The Dazzlings sat in the backseat, each lost in their thoughts as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting the city in hues of amber and crimson. Sonata was the first to break the silence. She had her cap tilted slightly off to one side, and her gown was bundled up in her lap, revealing her brightly colored sundress underneath. “Can you believe it’s over?” she asked, her voice a mix of awe and sadness. “Like, we’re officially done. No more homework, no more projects... no more cafeteria tacos.” Aria snorted. “I won’t miss the tacos. It was terrible.” Sonata gasped dramatically. “How dare you insult tacos, Aria! It was the heart and soul of lunch period!” Adagio rolled her eyes, though a small smile played on her lips. “If tacos were the highlight of your high school experience, Sonata, we have bigger problems.” “Hey, I’ll have you know it’s a symbol of resilience and camaraderie!” Sonata argued, pointing a finger in the air as if she were making a grand proclamation. Aria gave her a flat look. “It’s just a taco, Sonata.” Tom and Sunset exchanged amused glances from the front seat. “Alright, alright,” Sunset said, her voice gentle but firm. “Let’s focus on what’s next. You’re done with high school—so what are you girls thinking about for the future?” Sonata perked up immediately, her earlier faux indignation forgotten. “Oh, I know what I want to do!” she said, practically bouncing in her seat. Aria raised a skeptical brow. “This should be good.” Sonata ignored her. “I want to open a café! Like, a super cute one with bright colors and comfy chairs, and we’d serve coffee, tea, and cupcakes!” Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, her hands gesturing animatedly. “And maybe we could have karaoke nights, and an open mic for poetry, and—” “Let me guess,” Adagio interrupted, her tone teasing. “You’ll also serve tacos?” Sonata nodded vigorously. “Of course! What kind of café doesn’t serve tacos?” Tom chuckled. “That actually sounds like a great idea, Sonata. You’ve got the energy for it.” “You think?” Sonata beamed, her enthusiasm contagious. “Because I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I could even come up with themed cupcakes—like ones that look like little musical notes or flowers!” Sunset turned slightly in her seat, her smile warm. “If anyone can make a café like that work, it’s you, Sonata.” Sonata clapped her hands together. “Okay, then it’s decided! I’m going to be a café owner and the queen of cupcakes!” Aria rolled her eyes at Sonata’s exuberance but didn’t chime in right away. She stared out the window, watching the city pass by in a blur of lights and shadows. After a moment, Sunset glanced back at her. “What about you, Aria? Any plans?” Aria shrugged, her tone nonchalant. “I don’t know. Maybe join the police force, just for fun.” “Just for fun?” Adagio asked, her voice tinged with surprise. “Yeah, why not?” Aria replied, crossing her arms. “I'll be able to help people out." There was a brief pause as Adagio considered her sister’s words. “That’s... surprisingly insightful,” Adagio admitted. “I didn’t think you’d be so reflective.” “Don’t get used to it,” Aria said, smirking. Tom nodded approvingly from the driver’s seat. “Joining the police force sounds like a great idea, Aria.” Aria shrugged again, but there was a faint blush on her cheeks. “Yeah, well, we’ll see.” As the car continued its journey, all eyes turned to Adagio. She had been unusually quiet since the ceremony, her hands resting in her lap as she gazed out at the fading sunset. “So, Dagi,” Sonata prompted, leaning over to nudge her. “What about you? You’ve got that big valedictorian brain—what’s your big plan?” Adagio hesitated, her usual confident demeanor replaced with something more introspective. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot,” she admitted, her voice softer than usual. “High school was... a chance to start over. This whole second chance at life was a chance to start over. To prove to myself that I could succeed in a new way. And now that it’s over, I feel like I need to keep building on that.” Sunset’s eyes softened. “Do you know what that looks like for you?” Adagio nodded slowly. “I want to study fashion design. Maybe even start my own company someday—something big, something meaningful. I want to create something that lasts.” “Of course you do,” Aria said with a smirk. “You’re Adagio. You wouldn’t settle for anything less.” Adagio allowed herself a small smile. “Exactly.” Tom glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got the drive for it, Adagio. Whatever you decide to do, I know you’ll make it happen.” As the car pulled into their driveway, the conversation shifted from individual dreams to shared possibilities. “You know,” Sonata said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “No matter what we all end up doing, we should stick together. Like, maybe Adagio could make cute clothing designs for my café, and then Aria can protect the café!” Adagio raised an eyebrow. “You want me to make clothing for your café?” “Yeah!” Sonata chirped. “You could do that!" Aria laughed. “She’s got a point, Adagio.” Adagio rolled her eyes, though her expression softened. “We’ll see, Sonata.” “Promise me we’ll always be together,” Sonata said, her voice quieter now. “No matter what happens?” Adagio reached over and took Sonata’s hand, her tone firm yet gentle. “Always.” “Yeah,” Aria added, her voice carrying a rare sincerity. “We’re stuck with each other.” Inside the house, Sunset and Tom began preparing a small celebration—a modest cake and some sparkling cider to toast their daughters’ achievements. The Dazzlings changed out of their gowns and regrouped in the living room, the air filled with laughter and lighthearted teasing. As the evening wound down, the sisters found themselves sitting together on the back porch, the stars twinkling above them. “This is it,” Sonata said softly, leaning her head against Aria’s shoulder. “Not quite,” Adagio replied, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “It’s just the beginning.” They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the day settling around them. But in that silence, there was also excitement—a sense of limitless possibility. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together. //-------------------------------------------------------// 80. Dazzlings: Adagio, Aria, And Sonata //-------------------------------------------------------// 80. Dazzlings: Adagio, Aria, And Sonata The morning sunlight poured through the windows of the Dazzlings’ shared room, casting a golden glow on the packed suitcases and boxes scattered around. It was a bittersweet day—the day they had been anticipating yet dreading for months. With the girls now done with high school, they had now entered the adult world. They were all eighteen years old and as legal adults, it was up to them to decide what to do now. Whether it was going to college or finding a job, the girls were heading into their adulthood. The Dazzlings were heading off to college, each pursuing her own dream. Sonata was accepted into the prestigious Culinary Institute of Canterlot, where she planned to hone her skills and one day open her own restaurant. Aria had been accepted into the Canterlot Police Academy, driven by her desire to bring justice and protect others. And Adagio had been accepted into the Manehattan School of Fashion, the same institution Rarity had graduated from, determined to make her mark in the fashion world. This would be the first time the three sisters would be apart for an extended period. After years of being inseparable, the thought of going their separate ways filled them with a mix of excitement and sadness. “Are you sure you’ve packed everything, Sonata?” Adagio asked as she folded a scarf neatly into her suitcase. “For the tenth time, yes!” Sonata said with an exaggerated groan, tossing a small frying pan into her duffel bag. “You act like I’m going to a deserted island, not culinary school!” “Yeah, but knowing you, you’ll forget something important, like your chef’s hat,” Aria teased, zipping up her duffel with a smirk. “Hey! I’m not that forgetful,” Sonata shot back, sticking out her tongue. “Alright, enough bickering,” Adagio said, a rare softness in her tone. “Let’s not spend our last day together arguing. We should make the most of it.” The sisters nodded, their playful banter giving way to a quiet understanding. Their parents, Sunset Shimmer and Tom had planned a day filled with activities to send the girls off with plenty of love and memories. The morning began with breakfast at their favorite diner. The table was filled with laughter as Sonata piled her plate with pancakes, Aria stole bites of bacon from her sisters’ plates, and Adagio sipped her coffee with a knowing smile. “So, how are you all feeling?” Sunset asked, her warm gaze moving between the three girls. “Nervous but excited,” Sonata admitted. “I can’t wait to start learning all those fancy recipes!” “Same here,” Aria said, leaning back in her chair. “It’s going to be tough, but I’m ready for it.” Adagio nodded thoughtfully. “It’s a big step, but I think we’re all ready. We’ve come a long way.” Tom smiled proudly. “You three are going to do great. Just remember, no matter where you are, we’re always here for you.” After breakfast, the family spent the day visiting their favorite spots in Canterlot: the park where they had countless picnics, the arcade where Aria held high scores on several games, and the boutique where Adagio found her love for fashion. They ended the day with a home-cooked dinner, each family member contributing a dish. Sonata’s tacos stole the show, earning her teasing applause from her sisters. As the night wore on, the girls retreated to their room for one last sleepover. The space was now bare, with only a few boxes and suitcases left to mark the years they had spent together there. “Remember when we first moved in here?” Sonata said, lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling. “Yeah,” Aria said with a chuckle. “We fought over who got which bed for, like, an hour.” Adagio smiled fondly. “And then Sunset had to come in and make us draw straws because we wouldn’t stop arguing.” The sisters laughed, the memories flooding back. They talked late into the night, reminiscing about their journey from their troubled past to where they were now. “We’ve really changed, huh?” Sonata said, her voice soft. “Yeah,” Aria agreed. “And we’ve got Sunset to thank for a lot of it.” Adagio nodded. “She gave us a second chance, and we made the most of it.” The three girls smiled, from the things they went through during Elementary, their Blading adventures, and everything they had gone through during high school. The next morning was a whirlwind of last-minute packing and loading the cars. Sunset and Tom helped each of the girls with their things, their smiles hiding the sadness of letting their daughters go. Sonata was the first to leave, her culinary school just an hour’s drive away. She hugged her sisters tightly, tears in her eyes. “Don’t forget to send us pictures of all the food you make,” Adagio said, her voice wavering slightly. “Yeah, and don’t burn the kitchen down,” Aria added, earning a watery laugh from Sonata. “I’ll miss you guys,” Sonata said, hugging Sunset and Tom before climbing into the car. Aria was next, her duffel slung over her shoulder as she tried to play it cool. But as she hugged her family, her tough exterior cracked just a little. “Take care of yourselves, okay?” she said, her voice gruff. “You too,” Adagio said, giving her a rare, genuine smile. Finally, it was Adagio’s turn. Her polished demeanor faltered as she hugged her parents and sisters, the weight of the moment sinking in. “I’ll make you all proud,” she promised, her voice steady despite the tears in her eyes. “We already are,” Sunset said, pulling her eldest into a tight hug. As the last car pulled out of the driveway, Sunset stood with Tom, watching until the vehicles disappeared down the road. “They’ve grown so much,” Sunset said, her voice thick with emotion. “They have,” Tom agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “And they’ll do great things.” Sunset nodded, a proud smile breaking through her tears. “They’re strong, smart, and kind. I couldn’t ask for more.” The Dazzlings drove off toward their respective futures, each filled with determination and hope. Though they were heading in different directions, they carried the same unbreakable bond that had seen them through every challenge. As Sonata pulled up to her culinary school, she couldn’t help but think of the meals she would one day share with her family. As Aria arrived at the police academy, she felt a surge of pride, knowing she was stepping into a role that could make a real difference. And as Adagio walked through the doors of her fashion school, she smiled, ready to conquer the world of design. They were the Dazzlings—sisters, dreamers, and fighters. And though they were taking different paths, they knew they would always find their way back to each other. Because together, they could do anything. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata are the names of the Dazzlings who were once sirens that tried to take over Canterlot with their magical voices but got stopped by what would eventually be their mom and her friends. They were then given a chance at a second chance, from what would eventually be their dad, in life and they took up the offer. They then grew up with Sunset, beginning their lives all over again as babies to now grown adults. They had gone through an actual childhood and grew up. They had gone to school, had many Beyblade adventures together and with their friends, and now their most recent accomplishment was going through and finishing high school. But now the newest challenge was on the horizon, their college and adulthood. The Dazzlings, a name that was once feared, was now a name of three sisters who had and will accomplish great things in their life: together with nothing to fear. After all, they were the Dazzlings and they would be adored. Their story would be remembered forever as the most dazzling second chance ever. They had been given A Dazzling Second Chance where they made the most of it. They became Dazzling Bladers and had many fun and exciting battles with their Beyblades against their friends and became some of the top Bladers in the world. The Dazzlings truly had A Dazzling New Life from being babies to High School and it would continue in college and their adulthood. This is the story of three girls who did great things with their second chance in life, a dazzling second chance. The Dazzlings: Adagio, Aria, and Sonata. The End. Author's Note After years of starting this era and these books, it has all come to an end. The Dazzlings story has official ended. Thank you for all the support with these stories and I hope you enjoyed them. It's with a heavy heart to say goodbye to this series after all A Dazzling New Life was my first book on this website and now it comes to an end after all this time. I hope you continue reading my other books or and I hope you liked reading these books as much I liked making them for you! Again thank you for everything and Happy New Years! Onto the new year, 2025! //-------------------------------------------------------// 1. Prologue: The Start Of High School //-------------------------------------------------------// 1. Prologue: The Start Of High School "And the winners of the Tag Team Tournament are the Dazzlings consisting of Adagio, Aria, and Sonata! These girls have gone through a lot of adversity to make achieve this victory and I'm proud to announce them as our Tag Team Champions!" The crowd cheered as a younger version of the three girls stood in front of the crowd holding the trophy high for the crowd to see them smile as confetti fell from the sky. The cheers from the crowd went silent as Sunset turned off the TV. Getting up from the couch Sunset smiled at the past memory, looking back she had never seen the girls so happy before until then. It was a great day for all of them, to think it had been a few years, it still felt like it was yesterday. As Sunset headed into the kitchen she noticed the calendar on the wall and she smiled. Tomorrow was the big day, and circled with a red marker was the day her girls would be starting High-School. Middle school had flown by and now it was time for the girls to go into the last four years of school. It had been a long journey and every day felt like a new adventure with the three. To think she had once been enemies with them all those years ago but now she was the mother of three girls who stopped Aaron's evil plans and saved the world. She also remembered how the day had gone. She and Tom had taken the girls shopping for new clothes for High-School and boy was that an adventure. The girls had changed quite a lot over the years with all the them liking different things, but the good thing was that they all shared the same type of clothes. Cute and fashionable, Adagio liked more fashionable clothes, while Sonata and Aria both liked cute little girly outfits, however, some of Aria's clothes did have a bit of punk to them. The family of five then had a nice lunch and continued to walk around the mall for a while until they decided to go home for the day to enjoy a bit more family activities until it was time for the girls to go to bed. Sunset couldn't be happier for her girls, as she headed upstairs to get to her room she started to walk past each of the girl's rooms. She first walked past Adagio's room and saw Adagio fast asleep with her sleep mask on, she smiled and continued walking. Sunset then walked past Aria's room to see Aria snoring, probably having a good dream, smiled let out a small laugh, and continued walking. She continued walking down the hall to Sonata's room but when she got there she noticed the light in Sonata's room was still on. Making her way to the door, she silently opened it to see Sonata on her bed holding one of her plushes and looking worried. "Sonata?" Sunset asked when she walked into Sonata's room. "Why are you still awake? You should be going to bed for your first day tomorrow." Hearing her mom's voice Sonata turned around. When Sonata turned around Sunset could see the tears in her eyes. Quickly getting into mother mood Sunset went over to Sonata's bed and sat down next to her as she then rubbed the crying girl's back. "Hey, what's wrong Sonata? You should be happy, you're about to start High-School." Sonata rubbed her eye and then sniffed. "That's what I'm afraid of mom, I'm scared of High-School." She then looked down and held her plushy tighter. "What if things don't go well? What if I don't make any friends, or what if people don't like me? I know Adagio and Aria sometimes say I'm annoying... what if the three of us split up because we don't have the same bond as before? I don't want that to happen, I love Dagi and Ari too much." Sonata then started to cry more as she hugged her mom, tears staining Sunset's shirt. Sunset rubbed Sonata's back, in a way, she smiled as she remembered how it was for her when she first came into this world. She was nervous and afraid too but she had to stay strong in order to be able to survive in the new world she was unaware of. "Everything is going to be okay, Sonata. I understand High-School may sound scary but I can promise you that you'll have a lot of fun at Canterlot. Me and my friends had a lot of fun at Canterlot, and Aunt Celestia is the principal still so if you ever have a problem you can go to her. Me, your dad, and your sisters will be here for you if anything happens, no one will leave you." Sonata looked at her mom and gave a teary smile. She quickly wiped the tears out of her eyes and gave one of her famous smiles. "Yeah! I'm going to have the best first day of High-School ever with my sisters by my side! Nothing will stop me from having the best next few years of school." Sunset smiled. "Now that's what I want to hear from you. Now, if you truly want to have a good first day of school tomorrow I would recommend getting some rest, you're going to need it." As soon as Sunset finished her sentence she heard snoring, she looked down to see Sonata who had already fallen asleep. Sunset smiled and pulled the blanket over Sonata's body. "Sleep well, Sonata." Sunset gave Sonata a kiss on the cheek, turned off the room light, and walked out of her room. She gave one last look and saw that Sonata was fast asleep, she smiled and headed into the room that she and Tom shared. Tom was already asleep as he had a meeting to go to the next morning, so Sunset quietly got into bed. She turned off the lamp next to her but she couldn't fall asleep. She couldn't help but think about how the girl's first day of High-School would turn out, it was only a matter of time. Sunset smiled as she slowly started to drift to dreamland. 'I hope that whatever happens tomorrow the girls enjoy Canterlot and have as many fun memories as I did with all my friends.' Sunset then fell asleep with a smile on her face. The city of Canterlot was quiet as everyone was sleeping for the day that was to come and for some a start of something new. No one could predict what the future would hold for the Dazzlings, but at the same time, that's what makes their story all the more interesting. Tomorrow would be the start of High-School and it was going to be a day to remember. //-------------------------------------------------------// 9. You Win Some And Lose Some //-------------------------------------------------------// 9. You Win Some And Lose Some The Dazzlings were currently at lunch talking and eating with their friends. It had been an amazing past three weeks for them and they couldn't have been more happy at Canterlot. They had been having a ton of fun with their friends, their classes, teachers, and their classmates had been nothing but fun. Soccer too had been nothing but great as well, their team was full of talent and all the girls the Dazzlings played with were all special and amazing in their own ways. Their bond with one another was great and with Coach Rainbow, the team had been able to completely turn itself around over the past few years. For the first time, Canterlot had an outstanding record of 4-0, a record that they were proud of. Their team was stacked and with an amazing coach leading them, their team was one to be feared. Their fifth game of the season was tonight and the Dazzlings, the whole team actually, wanted to continue their undefeated streak and go 5-0. Their team had a bond and were motivated to do their best, that was what was pushing them to do their best and what was probably the reason they kept on winning their games. But tonight they were going up against one of the best teams in the country so they were in for a challenge, but they were ready. The more the challenge the more the fun they would have. The Dazzlings could only hope they would be able to beat the other team and continue their perfect record. The game had been nothing but a fight to the death, as both teams were coming at each other with everything they had. With both teams still having perfect records they were doing whatever they could to continue their perfect records. Sadly though things weren't going in Canterlot's favor, Aria and Adagio weren't having much luck that night. The score was 2-1 and sadly Canterlot was not the one who was winning tonight. Aria had missed the goal twice and Adagio had one of her shots blocked, along with Frizzle and Gabby also missing shots of their own. And unfortunately for Canterlot, Phoebe had gotten hurt earlier in the game and Joy was sick so she couldn't make it. Being down two starters against a team that was one of the best in the country was proving to be a problem for them. There were only a few minutes left in the game and things were coming down to the wire. The girls had gotten the ball back and were now up against the clock. Rainbow had called a timeout to not only think of a strategy but also give her team a bit of time to regain their strength and energy. If they wanted any shot at still winning the game they had to get another goal to tie things up and go into overtime and hopefully win the game like that. As much as Rainbow hated that they had to do that, it was the only way if they wanted a chance to win. The girls made their way back onto the field, they had regained a bit of their energy and were ready to tie up the score. Rainbow had given them a plan that was guaranteed to work if they executed it correctly, which wasn't a problem since the team had a strong connection. So once the girls got back onto the field and the whistle blew, things went underway. Adagio started with the ball and started running up the field as she went along with Rainbow's plan. As Adagio was running up the field she made sure to look around at her surroundings. She saw that Aria and Athena were to the left of her as Gabby and Dawnshine were to the right of her just like how Rainbow wanted it. Just then a defender from the other team got in front of Adagio and started defending her, but Adagio smiled as she kicked the ball away and over to Athena. Athena got the ball and started running getting closer to the goal. With Aria in front of her, Aria was able to help block her as she continued running up the field, and as a defender run over to her, she quickly kicked the ball away and over to Gabby. Gabby then caught the ball and started running with it while kicking the ball, time was starting to run out and they needed to get the extra point. She was about five feet away from the goal but a defender was stopping her from getting any closer. Not seeing any chance of getting away from the defender she kicked the ball over to Aria who was wide open. Rainbow smiled seeing as Gabby kicked the ball over to Aria who was wide open, it was just like she had thought. Her plan was going just as planned and now, once Aria kicked it in and got the extra point to tie things up they would move on to overtime and try to win the game like that. Rainbow's smile then started to go down as she saw Dawnshine starting to run over to Aria. She was confused, why was Dawnshine running toward Aria, that wasn't a part of the plan. Rainbow then did a quick glance around the field, had Dawnshine seen something that Rainbow hadn't and she was trying to help out Aria? Seeing that there was nothing to be worried about Rainbow was the one who started to get worried. She knew how Dawnshine was with the ball so she had made the ball strictly so Dawnshine didn't get the ball and do what she always did. But seeing that Dawnshine was running to Aria, Rainbow could only hope that Dawnshine wasn't going to do what she thought. 'Don't try taking the ball away from Aria, don't try taking the ball away from Aria!' With Aria being wide open she had a clear shot at kicking the ball into the goal but with Dawnshine running over to her at full speed, Aria wouldn't have the time to kick. And without having any more timeouts to stop Dawnshine, Rainbow could only watch in fear as Dawnshine got closer as Aria cranked her leg back to kick the ball. 'She's not going to make it in time!' Rainbow gritted her teeth, she was going to have a talk with Dawnshine later if she actually did what Rainbow thought she was going to do. Aria who didn't know Dawnshine was running up from beside her, had her eyes focused on the goal. In a split second, she saw an opening and fired. However, the next thing she knew she was hit from behind making her and the person fall as her shot was redirected. The ball shot up in the air and missed the goal as it flew over it. Aria gasped, but then it turned into anger as she looked back at who had slammed into her, her anger only got worse as she saw Dawnshine on top of her. Dawnshine only smirked as she got off of Aria and dusted herself off, she knew what she had done and she didn't care. Her team members glared at her, because of her not only Aria missed her shot but now the team had the ball again and would most likely kill the rest of the time that was left. Rainbow sighed as she sat down, the amount of anger she had at Dawnshine was probably overflowing. She took a seat next to Phoebe on the bench as she watched as the other team kept kicking the ball to one another killing the clock and eventually ending the game for good. Rainbow felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Phoebe smiling at her. "It's okay, Coach. We'll make sure to get better from this loss, we just had a bunch of bad luck, that was all. Next game we'll be sure to win." Rainbow could only smile at Phoebe's positivity, now although she was sad she still had a smile on her face. However, Rainbow, along with everyone else knew that it wasn't just because of bad luck. Rainbow kept her eye on Dawnshine who was still getting glared at by her teammates. 'We might've won if it wasn't for her.' Rainbow walked over to the other coach and the two shook hands. Canterlot's team and the other team shook hands as they went their ways. However, Canterlot's crowd could only boo as both teams started exiting the field, they were obviously mad that their school had lost. It was a shame once the buzzer went off, signaling the end of the game for good. The game was over, and for the first time that season Canterlot had lost, their perfect record was finally over. The Dazzlings and the rest of the girls left the field and started making their way to the locker room to get changed and leave for the night. They still held their anger against Dawnshine, because of her, they had lost the game. Because of her, Aria missed her shot, and because of her, their perfect record of 4-0 was finally over. And as they kept thinking about it, it only made them sad. Adagio sat on the bench in the locker room just looking at her locker with a unreadable expression. Sonata sat down and put her hands to her face, hoping to stop the tears that were threatening to come out. And as for Aria, she was beyond furious, because Dawnshine had missed her shot and it was all Dawnshine's fault. The locker room was quiet as everyone got changed out of their uniforms and back into their normal clothes. There was nothing to say, they all felt the same pain, they were a team after all. They had lost the game and it was all Dawnshine's fault. //-------------------------------------------------------// 28. Shopping At Canterlot Mall //-------------------------------------------------------// 28. Shopping At Canterlot Mall When the family got to the mall they found a parking spot and parked Tom's car. The family of five then got out of the car and started walking toward the front entrance to the mall. When the family walked into the mall they looked around and saw all the amazing little shops in the mall. From shoe stores, food courts, clothing stores, and all kinds of other stores that impressed every time the Dazzlings came into the mall. "Well, Sonata." Sunset said, making the girls turn around and face their mom and dad who were staring down at them. "What do you want to do here? Do you have anywhere you want to go? A store you want to visit and get something?" Sunset, Tom, and Sonata's two sisters turned to her seeing what she wanted to do. Sonata thought about it as she put her hand on her chin, there were so many cool stores she wanted to go into, and she did want to get a few things. She smiled and looked up at her family. "There are a few stores I want to visit, and I would like it if I could get a few things, so if that's okay with everyone else?" The rest of Sonata's family looked at her and smiled. "You don't have to ask us, Sonata. This is a day all about you, so whatever you want to do, we'll do it! Now cmon, let's go to the first store you want to go to." The family of five started walking around the mall, as one big happy family. So with that, Sunset, Tom, and the Dazzlings started walking around the mall going to all the stores that Sonata wanted to go to. From going into clothes stores and buying new clothes, along with some new shoes, Sonata even got some presents for all of her friends. The whole time walking around the mall as one big family was super fun and the whole family agreed that it was a time to remember. And even though they walked in silence, it was enough for the family, all that mattered was the time they were spending with one another. Although there were only so many times that the family of five were together with how Tom's job was, every time they were together as a family, they made sure to make the best moments and make all kinds of memories. After a few minutes of shopping and the family had done some shopping they decided to take a break and grab a bite at the food court. Tom went off to go get some food for the girls and the girls went to go find a table to sit at. The girls had done a lot of shopping with each of them holding at least a bag or two, or for Sonata's case, four. Adagio and Aria had gotten a bit of things for themselves, like some new clothes and some other things that caught their eye. Sonata placed her bags down and sighed as she wiped her forehead, all the weight from the bags was starting to get to her. Sonata had gotten some new clothes, some new shoes, some gifts for all of her friends and teachers, and even for her family, but they didn't know about it just yet. She had also gotten some stuff for herself, like some stuffed animals and some toys. She made sure to get the stuffed animals and toys when Aria wasn't looking, even though she was in high school, Sonata still enjoyed playing with toys and stuffed animals, and she probably wouldn't ever stop. The last thing she wanted was for Aria to tease her, and she didn't want that, not after all the bullying she had received from Dawnshine. Dawnshine, the person that had caused all of this, was the one who caused her to hurt herself and caused her family to be worried about her. She felt like it was all her fault, if only she was stronger and didn't let Dawnshine's words get to her, then maybe she wouldn't have fallen into a depression and caused so many problems for her family. Because of Dawnshine, now she was being treated so kindly, which wasn't a bad thing, but her family was treating her just like a baby. She couldn't even go to the bathroom without someone by her side, as much as she told her family that what she did was a one-time thing and she realized what she did and promised that she wouldn't do it again, they didn't want to take any chances. Everywhere Sonata went she would at least have someone with her, she even had to sleep with someone in her room with her. But, she kinda enjoyed having little sleepover parties with either Adagio or Aria. But after all of this started happening, Sonata realized that she too enjoyed having her alone time, and she was getting sick and tired of always having someone by her side. But, Sonata now knew that what Dawnshine had told her was wrong, she had known that for a while now. Her family had talked to her a lot and they let Sonata know that she was loved, and she felt it. She had been with her sisters for her whole life, and Tom and Sunset had taken her in to allow her to have a second chance in life and they treated her just like their very own child, so why did she still let Dawnshine get to her? She didn't know, but Dawnshine had gotten to her and Sonata let her get into her mind. Sonata still thought about the faces of her sisters and her mom when they walked in on her hurting herself, and the scar on her arm was still visible to the eye. She hated that she did that to herself, but she also hated that she worried her family so much, she didn't want her family worrying for her, and she wanted everything to just go back to normal. But now that she had done that, there was no telling what the future would look like for her. Sonata looked up and saw Adagio and Aria sitting down on their phones most likely either texting their friends or scrolling through social media, as Sunset sat down and watched as Tom had already ordered their food and was waiting for it to be finished making. Sonata smiled to herself, she was glad for the family she had, along with some amazing friends at school. She had a lot of people who loved her and she loved each and every one of them. As Tom came back with the food and the family started to eat together, Sonata smiled as she thought about all the fun memories she had with her friends and family. No longer would she fall for Dawnshine's words, or anyone else's false words. She knew the truth and the truth was that many people loved her and that she was an amazing person who wasn't a failure but a person who was still growing and learning. Sonata knew that she was far from perfect but she was fine with that, she liked herself just the way she was. After the family finished eating they grabbed their things and decided that it was time to make their way home. The drive back was silent as the family listened to the music on the radio, which the Dazzlings happily dance and sang to. Sunset and Tom heard them and laughed to themselves as they too decided to sing and dance with them, filling the whole car full of singing and laughter. When they got home the girls went to their own rooms they put their new clothes and items away. Sonata then went over to her sisters and gave them a hug, she was feeling better than ever and she was glad that she had such amazing sisters. She then went downstairs to her parents and gave Sunset and Tom a hug, they may not be her actual parents that gave birth to her, but that didn't mean anything to her. They still loved her very much and to her, they were the best parents ever. Sonata went to bed happy that night, happy that she had the best family that she could ever have. She made a promise to herself that she would never scare her family like that ever again, and that one day her family would be okay with her being by herself. But for now, she would take one step at a time and continue her life doing the best that she could, knowing that she was loved by a family she loved as well. //-------------------------------------------------------// 31. Dazzlings Head To Everfree //-------------------------------------------------------// 31. Dazzlings Head To Everfree Arriving at school, the Dazzlings were ready for their field trip and to head off to Camp Everfree, well Adagio and Aria were, but Sonata was still a bit hesitant. The girls had to go to their first-period classes for roll call, but after that, it would be time for everyone to head outside and make their way to the busses that would take them to Camp Everfree. Upon getting outside, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata all grouped up together and went to go meet with their friends. After walking around a bit they found all their friends already in a group talking with one another excited for the field trip. Once the Dazzlings met up with their friends all of them started chatting about Camp and what to expect. Their conversation ended once the teachers told the students to get onto the busses as their journey to Camp Everfree was soon to begin. One by one students started to board the busses and the Dazzlings and their friends all made sure to find seats by one another. The Dazzlings found three open seats near one another so being the sisters that they were they decided to sit next to one another. "I call the window seat!" Sonata said quickly as she then sat down on the seat next to the window. She then started mindlessly looking out the window rocking her head back and forth ready for the trip to Camp Everfree. Aria, however, did not like that Sonata was sitting in the window seat. "Hey! I want the window seat, move it, Nata!" Sonata looked over at Aria and stuck out her tongue making Aria even more furious. "Nope! I called it first, not my fault you were too slow." Aria gritted her teeth, she was about one second from beating Sonata to a pulp on the bus. "Why you little..." Aria and Sonata then started to glare at one another with a bolt of lightning sparking in between their faces. Adagio seeing what was about to happen quickly stepped in and being the big sister that she was, started to break up the fight between her sisters. "Hey! Knock it off you two, we're in high school now, we're not the same little kids that we were years ago, stop fighting over something so petty. One of you can have the window seat on the drive there and the other can have the window seat on the drive back." Aria and Sonata stopped their fighting and thought about what Adagio had told them. Aria looked over at Sonata and sighed. "Fine, Sonata can have the window seat on the way to camp, but I get the window seat on the way back, no questions asked." Aria had gotten up to move to another seat but she soon felt a strong force plow into her from the back. She would've fallen had it not been for her quick reflexes to keep her from falling. She turned back to see Sonata giving her a hug from the back. Sonata looked up at Aria with a big smile on her face. "Thank you, Ari!" Aria smiled as she patted Sonata's head. "Yeah, yeah, now sit down we're about to get going. And stop hugging me! No hugging me in public!" Sonata saluted and sat back down happy that she had the window seat. Adagio then walked over and sat in the middle seat and gave Sonata a smile who smiled back. Aria then sat next to Adagio and took out her phone and headphones. Adagio looked back at her own phone, at the start of the year Tom and Sunset had decided to give the girls phones. Adagio and Aria were mature and used their phones wisely... but a different story could be said for Sonata. In just a week, yes a week, of getting her phone she immediately got it taken away. Sadly, Sonata was not mature enough and quickly became obsessed with her phone not getting off it for even a second. And Adagio couldn't even start on the day Sonata lost her phone, that was a disaster. It was safe to say Sonata was not mature for her phone, as Adagio had it in her backpack to make sure Sonata didn't do anything with it. The teacher made a quick announcement to the students that the Dazzlings made sure to pay attention to. Although Adagio did have to slap Aria on the back of the head to get her to take off her headphones so that she could pay attention. Sure enough, the teacher said the one thing that everyone knew was coming. "And if anyone acts up on this bus be prepared to lose out of all the fun camp activities and their parents will be getting a phone call. That also goes for camp at well, I get that this is a fun field trip but that doesn't mean being disrespectful." The Dazzlings, no, the whole bus full of students nodded their heads, they didn't want to miss out on any of the camp activities and they definitely didn't want their parents getting a call. With that, the bus started to move and the trip to Camp Everfree had begun. The trip was silent for the most part as no one wanted to get on the teacher's bad side and get into trouble. Aria happily played her music and closed her eyes, most likely falling asleep. Sonata looked out the window and smiled each time she saw something interesting, which was everything because even a car and a cat made her smile. Adagio meanwhile just happily drew in one of her notebooks, she had been working on a picture of her family and it was coming together nicely. "Oh, that looks nice!" Adagio turned her head to look over at Sonata who was looking at her drawing with stars in her eyes. It was clear that Sonata liked it, but then again Sonata could only draw stick figures so it was no wonder she thought Adagio's drawing looked so good. Adagio smiled as she looked down at her drawing with a small blush. "Thanks, but it's nowhere near done. Plus, there are others that could probably make this drawing way better than I did. I'm still learning, but one day I'll be an amazing artist." Sonata just smiled at Adagio, she was as humble as ever. "You're already an amazing artist, Dagi... just as amazing as Camp Everfree!" Adagio looked up from her drawing and looked out the window, sure enough, they had arrived. The trees stood tall around Camp Everfree but Camp Everfree was what stood the biggest. As the bus drove onto the grounds of Camp Everfree, kids started looking out the windows and seeing the new sights before them. Adagio's smile got bigger when the bus stopped as she looked at the sign that said Camp Everfree. "This is going to be awesome!" Once the bus stopped kids started getting their stuff and started heading off the bus. When everyone was off the bus they looked around, still in shock at what they were seeing. They had finally made it to Camp Everfree. //-------------------------------------------------------// 36. One Final Day At Camp Everfree //-------------------------------------------------------// 36. One Final Day At Camp Everfree As the Dazzlings woke up the next morning they got dressed and walked out of their cabin to hear what their final activity would be for the day. "A paintball battle?" The students of Canterlot were surprised when they were told that they would be having a paintball battle as the final activity, but they weren't upset, no, they were ecstatic. Sonata jumped up and down in joy, she was ready for whatever the battle brought her, and Aria smirked as she rubbed her hands, she was determined to win the battle no matter what. As for Adagio she too was happy, but she was worried that the paint from the paintball was going to ruin her hair, she could only hope that the helmet could fit and protect all her hair. Teams were quickly made and everyone went to put on their gear for the battle. The Dazzlings were lucky enough to be put together, Adagio had a feeling that Gloriosa did that on purpose since they were sisters, but she didn't mind working with her sisters once again. So people, Dawshine, had tried to say that having the girls who won the Team Tournament on the same paintball team was unfair, but the teachers had made up their minds. Once everyone finished putting on their gear and got their paintball guns and ammo, Timber took one team to the left part of the forest while Gloriosa took the other team to the right part of the forest. Luna and Celestia had stayed on the campgrounds to both watch over the camp sight and watch the battle unfold in front of them, and thankfully for them, they had popcorn which Pinkie Pie happily gave to them, how she got there they didn't know, but they just went along with it because it was Pinkie Pie. As both teams got into their places and ready for the war before them they then heard the sound of a loud bell ring through the forest. Both teams took that as their cue that the battle had started and everyone started charging through the forest on a mission to find members of the other team and to win the war! As the Dazzlings rushed past trees with their team with them, they smiled at each other as they took different paths in the forest, the war had begun and they were ready to win! Adagio had run off in one direction with Sonata following her. Sonata had gone her way at first but she soon got scared when she realized that she was all alone and quickly raced off with one of her sisters. So here the two of them were slowly walking through the forest hiding behind trees when they heard any sound. Pinkie hid behind a tree and when she saw the course was clear she slowly started walking backward to get behind the three, but as she was doing that she bumped into something. She turned around and her eyes made eye contact with those of Joy. The two stared at each other for a second before jumping back at pointing their guns at one another. "Stop or I'll shoot you!" Both Sonata and Joy yelled as they held their fingers on the trigger. Adagio who was still moving up ahead had heard the yells. 'That's Sonata!' Adagio quickly ran back and saw that Sonata and Joy had their guns pointed at one another. Adagio quickly ran over and pointed her gun at Joy. "Stop, Joy! It's over, if you shoot Sonata you won't have enough time to reload and I'll shoot you! You can't win this, give up!" Joy realized that she was in a losing battle but she wasn't going to go out without a fight. "You won't take me alive!" Joy then pulled the trigger and shoot her gun at Sonata who quickly shoot back. Both the paintballs went flying and surprisingly collided in midair. The paintballs shoot and exploded making paint go flying covering both Joy and Sonata. Adagio who had jumped back to avoid the explosion of the paint hoped that she avoided the paint. However, she felt the splash of paint hit her head and she raised her arms to feel the paint on her hair. She gasped but then looked down at the ground, her hair covering her eyes. Sonata and Joy looked over at Adagio who had an unreadable expression, but they then saw Adagio start to shake and her fist tightened. Sonata saw this and knew what it meant. "Oh no." Just then a group of kids from the same team as Joy came running over and held their guns as they saw Adagio and Sonata. "Joy!" Frizzle yelled as she saw that Joy was covered in paint, showing that she had been eliminated along with Sonata. "Adagio must have eliminated her! Let's get her back for defeating our teammate!" The rest of the kids nodded their heads and held the trigger of their guns with their fingers as they pointed them at Adagio. "Stop and give up Adagio! You can't win!" Adagio looked up at the team as her eye flashed green for a split second. Sonata saw this and her eyes widened, they were in danger. Adagio then pointed her gun at the team and let out a cry. "MY HAIRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!" Her screams echoed throughout the forest scaring other kids and the adults teachers. Birds fled from their trees and flew for their lives, the sounds of kids screaming could be heard from a mile radius. Adagio panted as she stood tall above all the bodies laying on the ground around her. Sonata and Joy fell to the ground in shock at Adagio's power, she was against fifteen kids and she had defeated them all without a problem in the world. She regained her breath and then started running off, she was in a rage and she was going to defeat everyone who stood in her way. Sonata and Joy looked at each other and run after her, they heard the sound of a gun shooting and saw a boy on Joy's team on the ground, he had been hit in the chest with the paintball. The battle may have only just begun but Sonata had a strong feeling that the battle was going to be over faster than she thought. In another part of the forest, Dawnshine had just defeated a group of thirty kids without an effort. She smirked and held her gun with one hand as she started to walk away from the massacre she had just unleashed. Dawnshine looked down at her geode and smiled, it was shining brighter by the second. She had decided to take it out for a test spin and the results were amazing! She had already eliminated at least fifty people without breaking a sweat and still felt like she had more in the tank to unless. "This is way too easy." She started walking around the forest continuing to take out anyone who came in her way. As she was walking around she saw a group of students on her team covered in paint. Dawnshine walked over to one of the girls who was trying to stand, but she was having trouble getting up. She looked up at Dawnshine who just stared at her. "W-We were ambushed, Aria got to us! She made a bomb with the paintballs and got all of us in one go, along with the grappling hook that she has somehow, we didn't stand a chance! She's like a natural when it comes to stuff like that! She beat Valex and Leon in a two-on-one without a problem either! She's a pro, you got to be careful of her!" Dawnshine rolled her eyes and started to walk away, if there was anyone who was going to defeat Aria, it was going to be her. On the campgrounds, Aria had taken out another batch of kids who had tried to fight her. But one by one she took them out without a problem and was sweeping through the kids like they were flies. Celestia and Luna, along with Sonata and Joy cheered for Aria as she was pulling off all the stops to beat all the students who stood in her way. Doing spins and flips, and using her grappling hook Pinkie had given her to catch them off guard, and not before long, she had defeated everyone who was on the campgrounds. She panted as she looked around and saw no one. She smiled as she raised her gun. "We win!" "Not so fast!" Aria turned around and saw Dawnshine smirking as she walked toward her with her gun in hand. "I'm still in this thing!" She then pointed her gun at Aria. "I'm not losing to you, surrender now if you know what's good for you!" Aria smirked as she pointed her gun at Dawnshine. "I don't surrender to anyone, I will defeat you!" However, Aria didn't shoot, she was afraid that she was the only one on her team left and there was someone she had missed on Dawnshine's team, as much as she wanted to shoot, she had to play smart. Dawnshine too had her hand on the trigger, she knew that she could beat Aria with her geode, but something was telling her that she wanted to beat Aria without it. As both girls continued to stare at each other, they were unaware of the danger coming in hot. "DIE!" Aria and Dawnshine turned around to see a raging Adagio jump off from a cabin and launch fire on Dawnshine. The girl being caught off guard was blasted with paintball after paintball. Dawnshine fell to the ground, covered in paint, she gasped as she looked at herself and everyone laughing at how she looked. Dawnshine then gritted her teeth and growled as she stared at Adagio who started yelling and shooting paintballs in the air. "And the red team wins the paintball fight!" The red team cheered as the blue team went over and congratulated them. Dawnshine watched as everyone congratulated each other for the fun battle but she continued to glare. 'If only I had used my geode, I would've won... but I cocky... again!' Dawnshine then looked back over at the Dazzlings who were celebrating with one another, with smiles on her faces. 'Make no mistake, I will defeat you one day!' Her eyes flashed blackish-purple as the dark energy radiated off of the geode. //-------------------------------------------------------// 56. A Friends Life On The Line //-------------------------------------------------------// 56. A Friends Life On The Line The sun had just started to dip on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the beach as the Dazzlings and Dawnshine continued to look around the beach. What was an ideal day for relaxing, the girl's plans shifted when they found out about the missing boy and the distraught family. While looking around the beach and talking to a few more people to get any clues, they overheard people whispering about the missing boy last seen near the cliffs. "And you're sure that's where you last saw him?" Adagio asked the man who had mentioned seeing the missing boy. "Yep. That's the same kid in the picture." The man pointed to the picture of the boy in question. "I was going surfing and saw the little man hanging around the cliff. I was going to say something to him but the wave pulled him away and I lost him. I let the lifeguards know about it but they came back and said they couldn't find him so I assumed he went back to wherever he came from. But that was about an hour ago, so who knows where he is now." “He could've gone anywhere in that amount of time,” Dawnshine suggested, her face serious. “He could be in real trouble if he was last seen near the cliffs. It's too dangerous being over there, especially as a little kid like himself.” Aria and Sonata exchanged determined glances. “We’ll have to find him soon and fast,” Aria said as she looked at the horizon and saw the sun beginning to set for the day. “We're losing time and before long, it'll be nighttime and that'll make looking for him almost impossible. Let’s split up and cover more ground.” Sonata looked over at the father with a small smile. "We'll help you look for your son, but with the time that's left I recommend calling the police before it becomes nighttime." The father nodded and started to phone the police. "Dawnshine and I will take to the water and go look around the cliff. Aria and Nata, you walk around the beach. Maybe the boy did come back to shore and got lost in the crowd of people. It's easy for little kids to feel overwhelmed in large crowded areas like this." The girl nodded as the four went their separate ways, intent on finding the missing boy. Sonata and Aria took off down the beach, scanning the sand and nearby areas for any sign of the boy. However, that was going to be a daunting task to accomplish with the amount of people on the beach that day. If Aria and Sonata were to find the boy through the crowd it would be almost impossible. The good thing, however, was that people were starting to leave since it was getting late but even with people leaving the beach was still packed. "Even if this kid is here, how are we going to find him?" Sonata asked Aria, about ready to give up. "I'm not sure but we have to at least try finding him." Aria continued to look around. "As long as we stay focused we'll have a chance at locating him." Aria then looked over at the cliff. "Maybe if we got on some high ground we could find him whether he's in the water or on the beach. What do you think, Sonata?" Aria was met with silence making her turn her head. "Nata?" Sonata was looking over at the parking lot where there was an ice cream truck where the two of them had gotten ice cream earlier. Aria went over and karate-chopped Sonata's head. "Ow!" Sonata rubbed her head, turning her head over to Aria. "What was that for, Ari?" Aria folded her arms, glaring at Sonata. "What did I say about being focused? We got ice cream earlier, we can get some more later if you still want some. In case you forgot, we have a lost kid to be looking for." Sonata pouted. "I wasn't looking at the ice cream truck because I want ice cream. Think about it, what little kid doesn't like ice cream and sugar? What if he wanted some ice cream on his hot day?" Aria was about to retort on Sonata's claim but stopped after thinking it over. "You know, that's actually a great idea! Come on Sonata! Let's go see if the kid wanted some ice cream." Sonata nodded as the two raced over toward the ice cream truck. Meanwhile, Adagio and Dawnshine entered the water, swimming along the coastline and calling out his name, hoping he was nearby. "River! Are you there? Your mom is worried about you?" Adagio called out looking as she swam around some rocks. Dawnshine looked above at the cliff edge, curious if the boy had climbed up, and became scared to climb back down after climbing too high. "River! We're here to help you! I promise there's nothing to be afraid of! We only want to help return you to your mother!" The duo swam past a cluster of rocks, and there, near a jagged cliff edge, they spotted a small figure perched on some rocks. The figure in question was the very same missing boy and he looked to be holding his ankle, wincing in pain. “There he is!” Adagio pointed. The two swam over as fast as they could, navigating the slippery rocks and waves that splashed against the cliff. Dawnshine got onto the rocks and knelt beside him, gently placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Are you hurt?” He nodded, wincing as he shifted. “My foot… I tried to climb up, but I slipped and fell.” “You have to be more careful, okay?" Adagio gently said as the boy nodded with tears in his eyes. "Don't worry, we’re going to get you out of here,” Adagio assured him before glancing over at Dawnshine. “If it isn't too much trouble, do you mind carrying him on your back and swimming him back to the beach? You're stronger than me, Dawnshine, so it'll be easier if you do it rather than me." Dawnshine nodded and carefully lifted the boy onto her back, and then started to make their way back. Just as they moved from the rocks, a sudden crack sounded above them. They looked up just as a loose rock from the cliff edge tumbled down, striking Dawnshine’s ankle and causing her to lose her footing. She stumbled and fell into the water, the boy’s weight pulling her down as she struggled to stay afloat. “Dawnshine!” Adagio cried, moving to help but finding herself barely able to support the weight of both her friend and the boy. They were all too far from the shore, and the waves were rougher this close to the rocks. Panic set in as Adagio struggled, her own strength beginning to wane. It was now them who were in need of saving and quick! Adagio looked around trying to find a solution to save them all because if things didn't get better and soon... well, she didn't want to think about that. The kid held onto Dawnshine as he started to sob. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure someone will come and save us... I hope." Meanwhile, on the beach, Aria and Sonata had come back down to the beach after coming back from the ice cream truck with no boy to be found. "I thought for sure he would be there." Sonata slumped her shoulders. "I guess my idea wasn't so smart after all. All we did was waste precious time." Aria smiled and patted Sonata on the back. "Hey, it was a good idea. Don't beat yourself up. And there's still time to spare. Plus, at least we know for sure he isn't by the ice cream truck or in the parking lot." Sonata looked at Aria and smiled. Her eyes wandered over to the water and her eyes widened as she spotted the trio struggling in the water. “They’re in trouble!” Sonata gasped. Without a second thought, Aria and Sonata sprinted into the water, diving in and swimming toward their friends with everything they had. By the time they reached them, the lifeguards had also noticed the commotion and were heading over as well. "Dawnshine's ankle got hit by a rock! She can't swim without help!" She yelled as Aria and Sonata got near the three of them. "That's going to make things even harder..." Aria looked at Dawnshine's injury. "Is there any way you can move it at all? Even just a little bit?" Dawnshine tried to move her foot but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't move it even an inch. "I'm sorry, I can't. I'm a sitting duck." "Dagi! Help me out here!" Thanks to Aria’s help, both she and Adagio managed to hold onto Dawnshine and keep her from sinking underneath the water. "It's okay! I've got you!" Sonata took the boy from Dawnshine and steadied him onto her back. River clung tightly to her as they all swam toward the lifeguards. Together, the lifeguards and the girls worked to bring everyone safely back to shore. The lifeguards made sure to bandage both River and Dawnshine's injuries. As they finally reached the sand, the boy ran over and reunited with his anxious family. "River!" The boy ran into his mom's arms and hugged her. "Oh, I've missed you so much! I thought I had lost you forever!" The girls watched and smiled, happy that the family was reunited. The father patted his son on the head. "Now don't you go wandering off by yourself ever again, you understand?" The boy could only nod his head as he cried into his mother's arms. The mother got up and went over to the four girls shaking their hands and hugging them each, thanking them profusely. "Oh, thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?" "There's no need ma'am, really. We're all just glad that River is back with his family." Adagio smiled at the woman as she helped Dawnshine stand up straight. "Yeah! Seeing you all happy as one big family is all the reward we need." Sonata smiled brightly with Aria nodding in agreement. "I'm just glad we were able to help and find him before it got dark." Aria smiled as she watched as the boy rubbed his eyes, walked over to Dawnshine, and hugged her. Dawnshine, still breathing heavily, managed a smile as the boy hugged her in gratitude. "And I'm glad that you're not too hurt. You must've been scared beyond belief. Make sure to listen to your parents and stay by their side at all times." River smiled at Dawnshine. "I will! Thank you for saving me." Dawnshine patted his head. "You're very welcome." The family waved at the girls as they walked away, most likely back home. The girls waved back as the family eventually were out of sight. "Well girls, I would say this was a very successful day. A fun day at the beach and a successful rescue mission returning a boy to his family!" Adagio looked over to his sisters and Dawnshine with a smile on her face. The girls could only agree with her. "Let's head home, it's been quite a day and I don't know about you but I'm tired." Dawnshine nodded her head. "Yeah, and I need to check out my foot." Dawnshine looked down at her foot. "Sucks that this had to happen, and right before playoffs too." Dawnshine looked down upset. "You think your mom could pick us help and take me to my place?" "I'm sure our mom will be fine with that," Aria said as she went over and put a hand on Dawnshine's shoulder. "And don't worry about your foot, I'm sure it'll be better in time for the playoffs. And if it's not, we'll do our best for you." Dawnshine looked at Aria as the two smiled at each other. The two hugged each other, with Adagio and Sonata joining in the group hug. As the girls stood together on the beach, grateful that everyone was safe, the four friends exchanged tired but happy smiles, proud of the lives they had just saved. //-------------------------------------------------------// 76. For All The Blood, Sweat, And Tears //-------------------------------------------------------// 76. For All The Blood, Sweat, And Tears The final stretch of senior year had arrived, and with it, the weight of finals. Adagio, Aria, and Sonata felt the pressure like never before. The idea of graduating, of walking across that stage to receive their diplomas, kept them motivated—but it also made each of them nervous. This wasn’t just any test; these were the exams that could make or break their high school careers. They had come so far since freshmen year, and none of them could bear the thought of falling short at the finish line. For days leading up to finals, the Dazzlings were almost entirely focused on studying. Their notes covered every inch of their desks, highlighters in every color filled their rooms, and textbooks lay open, waiting to be reviewed just one more time. They quizzed each other on formulas, analyzed key points from history chapters, and tried to outdo each other’s understanding of complicated biology terms. But of course, it wasn't all fun and games despite them trying to make studying fun. "One more night of this, and I’m not sure if we’ll have any brain cells left by the time finals tomorrow." Aria groaned, flipping through her physics notes with a look of exhaustion. It had been days since the three of them actually had a good night's rest, but it would all be worth it if they passed their finals. Sonata giggled but was equally weary, clutching her notes on English literature. “I think I’ve reread this section on metaphors about a hundred times. I’m starting to feel like a metaphor myself!” Adagio, who normally cared about her appearance didn't care as her hair was all over the place, along with huge bags under her eyes. She looked over at her sisters and gave them both a reassuring smile. “We’ve done our best, and we’re going to keep doing our best. We’ve got this.” Despite her words, Adagio felt a bit of that same nervous energy in her chest. They’d put in the effort, but there was always that nagging thought—could they have done even more? The night before finals, the three of them gathered in the living room, each lost in their thoughts. After one final review, they set aside their notes, agreeing to give themselves some rest. It would be their last study session for this round of finals, and each of them hoped it would be enough. The next day, finals week kicked off with a sense of gravity and excitement. When they arrived at school, everyone had the same mixture of exhaustion and focus. Each classroom held an almost tangible silence, broken only by the scratching of pencils and the rustling of papers as students moved through each exam. Before heading to their classes, the three sisters hugged each other and made their way to their classes to battle finals. The Dazzlings felt the pressure in every class: math, history, science, English—each test pushed them to their mental limits. As they moved from one classroom to the next, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata barely had time to catch their breath between exams. Each test felt like a mountain to climb, and by the end of the day, they were exhausted. Their heads were buzzing with facts, equations, and paragraphs they hoped they’d remembered correctly. “Do you feel like your brain’s gone numb?” Sonata asked, slumping against her locker as they left their last exam. Aria let out a groan. “I don’t even know if I remembered half of what I wrote. It was like I knew it all yesterday, and now… I don’t know anymore.” Adagio, though tired, kept her spirits up. “We’ve done everything we could. Now we just have to wait and hope for the best.” The sisters trudged home that afternoon, a blend of relief and lingering anxiety following them. They knew they had given it their all, but the uncertainty of waiting for their results made the hours crawl by. The next day arrived with a mixture of nerves and excitement. Each of them felt it the moment they woke up. They’d done their part; now, it was up to the grades. Gathering in Aria’s room, they each held their phones, ready to check their results. “Okay… on the count of three, we open them together,” Adagio suggested, her hands shaking a bit from the anticipation. “One… two… three!” they said in unison, clicking on their messages. The room was silent as each sister scanned her results. Then, one by one, their expressions changed—from worry to joy and disbelief. “I passed!” Sonata squealed, bouncing up and down. “Me too!” Aria grinned, a sense of relief flooding her as she looked up at her sisters. Adagio felt a wave of pride as she nodded, her own results shining back at her. “We did it! We all passed!” The room erupted in hugs, laughter, and shouts of victory. All those late-night study sessions, the endless pages of notes, and the exhausting days had paid off. They were going to graduate. They were going to walk across that stage together, just as they had dreamed. After a few minutes of celebrating in Aria’s room, they couldn’t contain their excitement any longer. “We should celebrate!” Sonata suggested, her eyes sparkling with joy. “What do you have in mind?” Adagio asked, already thinking of ways to make the day special. Sonata’s smile widened. “How about we go to Sugarcube Corner? We can get milkshakes, grab some of those brownies we love, and just relax.” Aria raised an eyebrow. “After all that stress, I think we deserve an afternoon of pure sugar and joy. I’m in.” The three of them set off to their favorite spot in town, chatting excitedly about their plans for graduation and reminiscing about the hard work they had put in to get to this point. Once they arrived at Sugarcube Corner, they ordered the largest milkshakes on the menu, along with a plate of warm, gooey brownies that melted in their mouths. As they laughed and reminisced, each sister took a moment to reflect on how far they had come. From the struggles of freshman year to this final triumph, they’d faced every challenge together, supporting each other through every hardship. “I can’t believe it,” Sonata said with a sigh of relief, taking a sip of her milkshake. “We’re really going to graduate. All that studying… it was worth it.” Aria chuckled. “I can already see us in our caps and gowns. It’s going to be amazing.” Adagio nodded, a proud smile on her face. “We’ve worked hard, and we’ve grown so much. Senior year was tough, but we did it.” As the sun began to set outside of Sugarcube Corner, the Dazzlings toasted with their milkshakes, each of them making a silent promise to savor every last moment of their senior year. Graduation was no longer just a dream; it was within their reach. After their celebration, they walked home together, the evening air filling them with a renewed sense of excitement. The journey wasn’t quite over yet—there was still prom, still graduation, still so much to look forward to. But for now, they were content, their hard work having paid off, and they could look forward to the future with hope and pride. They had done it, together. As they walked home under the warm glow of streetlights, the Dazzlings knew they were ready for whatever came next, as long as they had each other.