Sonata was rudely awoken by Adagio raging about something or other, though she couldn't make out exactly what it was. She groaned, rolled over, and looked her room up and down. It was back in its natural state – that is to say, it looked like a war zone. The clock read 8:43.

I really should clean this mess up before Adagio gets in here and...

Before she could finish her thought, she was interrupted by a loud knock on her door. Sonata tried to answer, but all that came out was a sleepy groan. A moment later, Adagio burst in.

“Get up right fucking now, you lazy ass!” she demanded harshly, glaring in disapproval as she took in the new mess in Sonata's room.

Go fuck yourself, Sonata thought, rolling over to face away from her sister. She was feeling defiant today, but she was so tired and her bed was just so comfy...

The next thing Sonata knew, Adagio was ripping her blanket off and looming over her menacingly. The clock read 8:50 … she must’ve dozed off again.

“What the hell did I say? Get your ass outta bed and into the fucking kitchen already!”

Adagio had a pitcher in her hand. Sonata knew what that meant…

“Okay! I'm up, I’m up! Just don't use cold water on me again!”

Adagio's expression softened a little and she headed for the door, but she stopped on the threshold.

“Two minutes. One second later and I’ll drag your sorry ass into the shower and it will be FRIGID.”

God damn, what's with her today? I bet Aria fucked up again. I wonder if she got the belt...

Sonata grudgingly got out of bed, got dressed, and shuffled into the kitchen. Adagio and Aria were sitting at the dining table, smoking and drinking coffee. Sonata had a better understanding of their addiction after trying it in the aftermath of the incident with Snips and Snails, but she still hated the smell of it. She sighed and sat down in her spot.

“What is it today, Dagi? Usually you're not this upset so early in the morning...” Sonata asked.

Adagio handed her phone to Sonata. Sonata played the video that Adagio had on the screen. Aria hovered over her shoulder to see what all the fuss was about.

It had been recorded from pretty far away, but despite that the video was very detailed. It showed the Rainbooms – including Sunset Shimmer – standing around the statue in front of CHS. There was no audio, but the video was very interesting, to put it mildly.

Sunset Shimmer periodically wrote in a strange book. Each time, the book glowed purple and vibrated a short time later. To most people, this would seem strange, but Sonata knew exactly what the book really was. She finished watching the video and put down Adagio's smartphone.

“I don't get it. What's the big deal?” Sonata asked her sisters.

Adagio groaned and facepalmed, but Aria was the first to respond.

“You're the worst, Sonata. Sunset Shimmer and her book, of course! We can't figure out what the hell it is, but you bet your ass it’s important!”

Sonata scratched her head and answered.

“Really? You don’t know what it is?”

Adagio's and Aria's jaws dropped and they just stared at her.

“What! What could YOU possibly know about this?” Aria demanded.

Sonata remained silent until she finished pouring herself a mug of coffee, savoring the moment.

“Well, duh! Didn’t you ever read Star Swirl’s Encyclopedia of Magical Tools and Relics back when we were in the Crystal Empire? I used to read a little bit every night to help me fall asleep!”

“Spill the beans already!” Adagio said expectantly.

“Oh, alright! It’s kind of like a set of walkie-talkies, but text-only. If you have a matching pair of those books, you can send messages to each other from one end of Equestria to the other… though I didn’t realize it worked across different dimensions, too!” Sonata explained.

“Wait,” Adagio interrupted, “So this book is basically an instant messenger? How come Aria and I have never seen one before?”

“Ummm... I guess they’re supposed to be pretty hard to make, so not many unicorns know how to do it… only, like, diplomats and stuff get to have one normally.”

Adagio’s face brightened as she listened.

“Sonata, you're a genius!” she said, rising from her chair. “Aria, change of plans; I have something better in mind. Get the car keys, we need to buy some supplies.”

Aria nodded and got up to get the keys while Adagio chugged the rest of her coffee.

“Sonata, you stay home and clean your room. I expect it to be spotless by the time we’re back,” Adagio ordered.

Sonata wanted to protest, but held her tongue. She didn’t want to have an argument right now. Her sisters walked out the door. Sonata got up, went to the window, and watched them drive away. As they disappeared from view, her whole body shivered in anticipation.

“Finally home alone! I thought this day would never come!” Sonata said to herself.

She immediately headed straight for Adagio's room. Normally she wouldn't even consider entering… when Adagio realized she’d been snooping around, there’d be hell to pay. Today, though, that was a risk Sonata was willing to take.

As she explored her sister’s room, the first interesting things she stumbled upon were Adagio's lingerie and sex toys.

“Oooh! How juicy! Someone has expensive tastes!” she giggled.

The next thing she uncovered was less salacious but more useful.

“Aha! That's where you’ve been hiding it all! Don’t mind if I do... It was a team effort, after all!” Sonata exclaimed, grabbing fistfuls of Adagio’s stash of stolen money.

Finally, after ransacking her sister’s room for a good fifteen minutes, she found what she was really looking for – Adagio’s handgun! A holster, several magazines, and a few boxes of ammo were in the same drawer.

Sonata grabbed everything she needed and brought it to the kitchen table. She sat down and loaded a magazine with bullets, all the while singing a little rhyme to herself.

“One, two, Sonata's coming for you... three, four, lock your door... five, six, grab your crucifix... seven, eight, meet your fate... nine, ten, never hurt anyone again!”

She finished with the gun and then went to her room. She put on a black hoodie, sunglasses, and a snapback cap, then opened her wardrobe and pushed aside all the clothes hanging within. Behind them was a backpack, which she proceeded to open. Sonata sighed with relief that neither of her sisters had discovered it – everything was where it was supposed to be.

Back in the kitchen, she put on the holster and slid the gun into it.

“Locked and loaded, bitches!” she exclaimed, reaching for the key hooks. Their second car was a bit old, but it would serve. She didn't actually have a license, but she snuck in some practice every now and then. Besides, what was one more crime compared to what she was about to do?

She tossed her backpack onto the passenger seat, started the engine, and drove in a general southern direction, to leave Canterlot for its suburbs.

Sonata started the car, pulled out the cigarette lighter, plugged their GPS into its socket, and flicked it on. She typed in an address and it directed her toward the south end of Canterlot. On her way there she stopped at a convenience store and picked up a slurpee, a couple hot dogs, and a pile of taquitos… this could be a long stake-out.

As she drove, her thoughts drifted to the previous Friday night.

Poor Principal Celestia, she thought to herself, she really didn’t deserve that huge mess I made in her office looking through the student files… or those nasty pictures I drew of her and her sister. Ah well, it couldn’t be helped. I had to make it look like it was just an act of vandalism, after all.

Before she knew it, she had reached her destination. Parking by the side of the road, she surveyed her surroundings. Sonata was taken aback at the sheer squalor of it all. She and her sisters didn’t live in the best part of town, but compared to this ghetto it was paradise on earth. She felt thankful that she was armed.

Sonata slurped up the last of her slushy and looked at the time. It had been a few hours since she arrived, but still nothing. She was considering going to get a new drink when she was startled by her cell phone vibrating. It was Adagio. Sonata hesitated, but decided to pick up.

“Hi Dagi!” she greeted her sister cheerfully.

“I'm just calling to make sure you're not screwing around. You are cleaning your room, aren’t you?”

Sonata was relieved her sisters weren't back at home yet.

“Yeah, I’m almost done. All that’s left is sweeping the floor,” she lied. She knew Adagio was going to take it out on her hide later, but just this once it was worth it.

“Good. Don’t forget that it’s your turn to cook today, too. I'll call you when we’re on our way home so you know when to get started,” Adagio said.

“Okey-dokey! How about chop suey on rice?” Sonata asked.

“Fine by me. Anyway, gotta go now. See you later. Love ya!” Adagio said.

“Love you too!” Sonata replied, then hung up. She sighed loudly and dropped her phone into the cup-holder.

When she realizes what I’ve been up to she’s gonna be beyond pissed, Sonata thought, but I’ll gladly take any punishment she can dish out if it means I get my revenge…

A few hours later, Sonata was about ready to blow her own brains out from absolute boredom when she finally saw what she was waiting for. Walking around the corner, laughing and giving each other a high-five, were Snips and Snails. They still had some noticeable bruises and black eyes from their run-in with Adagio, and they were wearing grills.

Posers like them with grills? Fake gold, no doubt, she thought to herself.

They didn't pay any attention to her car as they walked past. Sonata waited until they were a short distance away, then grabbed her backpack and got out of the car.

“Yo bitches! Guess who?” she called out.

Snips and Snails turned around in surprise.

“Hey, it's that mermaid bitch! ‘Da fuck you doin’ in our hood?” Snails demanded.

“Who gives a shit, let’s get her!” Snips said, pulling out a knife.

Sonata drew her gun on them and flipped the safety.

“Bad idea. Take out all your weapons and put them on the ground!” she barked.

Snips laughed at her.

“Nice try, bitch! We know your sister loaded that with blanks!” he said as he took a step forward.

Sonata pointed her gun down and shot him in the kneecap. Snips dropped his knife and fell to the ground, holding his leg and writhing in pain.

“That feel like a blank to you? Weapons on the ground and slide them over here, NOW!”

Snails complied, but Snips was still crying and gibbering on the ground.

“You crazy bitch, you shot me! I can’t believe you really fucking shot me!”

Sonata looked down at him in annoyance.

“Stop crying already! Fuck!” Sonata shouted, then shifted her gaze to Snails. “Hey, shithead! If your fatass friend can’t do what I say, you do it for him! Take his weapons and slide them over to me. HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!”

Snails did as she said. All in all, the two of them had been packing two knives, a length of chain, a brick, and a handgun. She tossed the brick to the other side of the street and stowed the rest in her backpack.

“Alright, now we're going to the next playground. Drag him along,” she said, motioning toward Snips with her gun. Quite a bit of blood had pooled beneath him.

“A… a playground? W-why?” they stammered.

“No questions! Now move it, Comrade Makarov here isn’t known for his patience!” Sonata snapped.

She got back in the car and followed them slowly, ready to run them down if they tried anything. It only took a few minutes to reach their destination, and the fat one left a satisfying trail of blood as they went. Sonata rolled down her window.

“Over there, up against that wall. Prop him up, too,” Sonata ordered.

They reluctantly did as they were told. Snips was looking pale from all the blood he’d lost, but he managed to get up the strength to speak.

“What the hell do you want from us? Your sister already kicked our asses! We’re sorry already, alright?” he pleaded.

“Oh, you're sorry! Well that changes everything!” Sonata said mockingly.

Before she could continue, her phone vibrated. It was Adagio again. Sonata answered the call and was immediately greeted with her sister’s wrath.

“Sonata Dusk! What the fuck did you do to my room? And where the hell are you, anyway? Just wait until you get home, you’re gonna WISH you got off as light as Aria did last week!” Adagio hissed.

Sonata knew that tone. It was the one Adagio only used when she was so angry she was beyond the point of yelling. Sonata was past the point of no return in here plan, though. There would be no reasoning with Adagio at this point, anyhow.

“I’m busy. I’ll see you tonight,” she replied curtly.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Snails trying to sneak away while she was distracted. He wasn’t getting off that easy, though.

“Sonata!”

That was the last thing she heard Adagio hiss at her as she dropped her phone to the ground. Snails noticed her bringing her gun to bear and started to run for cover. He never made it. Sonata dropped him with three quick shots in the back.

Meanwhile, Snips had fallen, unable to stand without Snails’ help because of his shattered knee, and was trying to crawl away. Sonata walked up behind him, grinning wickedly at his predicament.

“Well, it’s been fun, boys. See you in hell!”

He only managed to let out one final squeal of terror as she squeezed the trigger and put one into the back of his head. She calmly strode over to quivering heap that was Snails and did the same to him. She flipped the safety, put away the gun, and picked her phone up off the ground. It was undamaged; she had invested in a good case for it because she often dropped it by accident. Adagio had already hung up, so Sonata just shrugged and put it in her pocket.

She listened for a moment and didn’t hear any sirens. She guessed the cops wouldn’t arrive for a good long while. That was usually how it was in these bad neighborhoods.

Quickly getting to work setting the scene, Sonata opened her backpack and took out several baggies of meth and rolls of cash. Planting them on the bodies, she stood up to admire her handiwork one last time before leaving.

“Perfect!” she beamed.

She got into the car and fired up the engine, speeding away from the crime scene and reveling in the adrenaline rush. She’d have to go home and face Adagio eventually, but first she needed to dispose of the evidence.

Adagio’s has a pretty nice gun, she thought, shame she’ll never see it again.

Sonata didn’t get home until past midnight, but she saw a light in their apartment window. Adagio was waiting for her. She parked the car, braced herself for what she knew was to come, and began the trek up to their apartment. Next Chapter: Beginnings Estimated time remaining: 24 Minutes