When students were called to the Principal's office, it usually meant that bad things were awaiting them, even when said Principal was as fair and open-handed as Celestia. Such was the thinking when Sunset Shimmer walked the hallway towards that aforementioned office, a look of concern plastered over her face. Only a few other students were around right now, and most of them were concerned with getting things in or out of their lockers, leaving the former unicorn alone with her thoughts as she made her journey. However, that solitude did not last long.

"Sunset!"

Turning, the girl smiled as her lover, Flash, approached her from behind, before walking beside her at the same pace.

"Hey, Flash. What's up?"

The boy sighed.

"Got called to Celestia's office. You?"

Sunset raised an eyebrow.

"...Me too."

Flash looked to her, surprised.

"What do you think it's about?"

His girlfriend shook her head.

"No idea. Sounded important though."

Flash looked ahead, starting to look a little concerned himself.

"Well...guess we'll find out."

He had the right of it, as the door to Celestia's office was now right in view. The two young lovers, though clearly hesitant, nevertheless made their way over, with Sunset being the one to open the door. Once that was done, the two soon looked upon their Principal, who sat at her desk trying to look as composed and professional as she could. However, what truly surprised the youths was that, standing beside her, was none other than Adagio Dazzle. The eldest Siren sister, with her hands clasped behind her back, looked to them both with an expression that made it clear that she was very pleased with herself right now. For Sunset and Flash, experience had taught them well that, when Adagio looked like this, nothing good was about to happen. Still, in spite of this, they entered the room in earnest, closing the door behind them just as Celestia spoke.

"Please, take a seat."

And sit they did, into two chairs which had already been prepared for them. A silence fell between the four for a time until, finally, Celestia herself broke the silence, letting out a long sigh before addressing Sunset and Flash directly.

"I'm sure you two have heard recently that the local orphanage has been going through some...difficulties."

Hearing that, Flash frowned.

"Yeah. I volunteer there quite a bit. They say they're getting pretty under-funded these days. Last time I was there, the secretary was looking pretty worried about it."

Celestia nodded.

"Indeed. And I'm sure you, along with other students here, have been thinking of ways to try and help out."

Sunset leaned forward, adding her own voice to that matter.

"We have. Fluttershy's been suggesting trying to make appeals to the public for donations. Pinkie has been talking with Mr and Mrs Cake at Sugar Cube Corner to arrange some kind of bake sale, and all the others girls have been coming up with ideas of their own."

Again, Celestia nodded.

"I'm glad to hear of it. However..."

A slight grimace crossed her face.

"...it would appear that...a certain other road to revenue has been...suggested to us."

Sunset and Flash looked to each other with confusion, then, as one, looked to Adagio, who maintained that confident look of hers. Celestia, after casting a brief glance of annoyance to the latter, took in a deep breath before reaching down to open a drawer on her desk. After rummaging around in it for a time, she pulled out a sheet of paper, looked to it for a time, before then handing it over to Sunset. The ex-unicorn took it, and, holding it in both hands, began to read aloud.

"Official permission granted to Canterlot High School for the hosting of a..."

She paused, squinting her eyes and bringing the paper closer to her face, just to make sure she wasn't mis-reading the words before her.

"...a swimsuit contest?!"

Flash's head snapped in her direction.

"Pardon?!"

Sunset offered the paper to him.

"That's what it says!"

Flash took the offered paper, reading it to himself before looking back to Celestia.

"With respect, Principal Celestia...is this a joke?!"

Celestia hung her head.

"Believe me...I wish it was. However..."

She cast another glance to Adagio.

"...it appears the matter has been taken out of my hands."

Sunset too looked to Adagio, frowning slightly.

"What have you done?!"

Chuckling a little, Adagio now clasped her hands in front of herself, before replying.

"Well, I figured many of the other plans to fund the orphanage would not quite meet the levels we needed it to. So, since wholesale school events are so much more this school's forte, I figured it might be more prudent to go bigger."

She placed a hand upon her hip.

"Besides, I'm fairly certain an event such as this would get us the funds we need. Something like this? That would attract quite an audience."

This time, it was Flash's turn to look at her with annoyance.

"Yeah, I'll bet it will!"

He looked back to Celestia.

"Principal Celestia, you can't honestly approve of something like this?!"

Celestia shook her head.

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have done. Unfortunately, the matter was taken to Superintendent Sombra before being brought to my attention."

She looked away, frowning.

"Unsurprisingly, he was all in favour of the notion."

Then, she began to mumble under her breath.

"I swear, that man will be the death of me one day."

Looking back to the young couple in front of her, the older woman shrugged her shoulders.

"Bottom line, it’s been given his blessing. So, this is happening, regardless of my own objections. The school will be hosting this...event."

That final word, understandably, had been spoken with barely-restrained distaste, though nobody could fault her for it. Sunset and Flash looked to one another, then to the paper before, finally, speaking to each other.

"Think it'll work?" Flash asked, his voice tainted with uncertainty.

Sunset considered that.

"I...I don't know. I mean..."

When she spoke next, it was with a more begrudging tone.

"...the orphanage does need the money. And, like Adagio said, it'd probably get in a lot of people."

The way she'd spoken that suggested that, at least on some level, she had accepted this idea as a necessary, albeit unwanted, step towards their goal. Moreover, the way she now looked to her boyfriend quietly signalled that she was trying to get him to be more accepting of this whole mess, even though she herself was not exactly happy with it. For his part, Flash frowned, looking away and rubbing his temples.

"Those kids need help, so...I guess we can stomach this if it helps them."

Adagio nodded.

"That’s the spirit!"

The boy then looked to her, eyes narrowed.

"But we'll need to go over a few ground rules for this. A High-School swimsuit contest is gonna attract a lot of scrutiny, both inside and outside."

Adagio, hearing that, raised both hands.

"Not a problem. We can discuss rules right here, if you like."

Sunset nodded to that.

"I guess we'll need judges for it, like we had with the Battle of the Bands."

She looked to Celestia.

"Will you and Vice-Principal Luna be...?"

Celestia knew the unspoken question, and shook her head.

"Not this time. We may have authority over the general framework of this, but I think that, this time, it might be best left in the hands of the students themselves."

Flash raised an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't by any chance, just be saying that to try and distance yourself from this contest, would you?"

Celestia looked to him with utter stoicism.

"...I will neither confirm nor deny that."

Sunset and Flash looked to each other again, then back to her.

"So...who are you going to get instead?" Flash asked.

That question seemed to make Celestia somewhat uncomfortable, and she suddenly found herself unable to answer, leaving the field wide open for Adagio to let her voice known.

"Well...let's just say there's a second reason you two were called here."

Naturally, it took no time whatsoever for the couple to get the meaning of those words, and their eyes widened with shock and horror. Then, slowly, they sighed simultaneously, as though already resigned to their fate, with Sunset speaking for both of them.

"...Of course."