"You might want to find a place to park," Adagio sneered at Sunset.

Sunset still stood by her car which she had stopped in the road. Still in somewhat shock; Sunset was with it enough to realize Adagio was right. If she didn't move soon she would be creating a traffic jam and calling attention to herself.

"Fine. I'll park in the bus stop parking garage. I'll meet you gals inside." Sunset's tone was a cross between hurried, practical instruction and panicked fear. Could Adagio and the Sirens be the culprits for the murders? They were bad, but eating people? That was beyond the pale. Still, nothing should be discounted. She got back in her car and went in the parking garage.

"This is a mistake Adagio," Aria said in a huff. Ever since Adagio announced they would go back to Cantorlot High; she had been against it. Sure life since they'd left had been miserable, but it still beat crawling back to their enemies on hands and knees.

"Aria, I'm tired and cold and hungry," Sonata whined. "I don't want to be on the road anymore. If this is what we gotta do, I'm fine with it." Sonata has had the hardest time adapting to their new, mortal, position. Night after night she had silently cried herself to sleep. All the anxiety she had been suppressing for the last fourteen hundred years was making it's way out. She was close to the mental breaking point.

"Yeah, well, you never wanted to go in the first place!" Aria yelled back in frustration of being out numbered.

"No! I didn't! And if we would have stayed maybe we wouldn't have . . . "

"ENOUGH!" Adagio yelled, cutting off Sonata. "Times change Aria. We're not what we once were. I hate to admit it, but Sonata is right; I'm tired. I'm tired of stealing and prostituting and physically fighting for every scrap of food or shelter we can find. The fact, whether you like it or not, is we are mortal, and we are powerless now. If you can swallow your pride enough to sleep with a stranger, then asking these girls for help shouldn't be that big a deal!"

Adagio made the best arguments she could but none of them were the real reason for their return. No, that was Chrysalis. Ever since the demon queen contacted her in that dream, she had been pushing Adagio on to get back and "corrupt" Sunset or Twilight. She never fully explained what that meant, only she had to do it or face pain everlasting. But she wasn't allowed to tell the others that. So she was left trying to make the most convincing arguments she could without telling the truth, It sucked but she was powerless to fight back.

"I never slept with anyone and you know it! I always beat the crap out of them and took their money," Aria protested.

"Spin it like you need to Aria. But we're here now and here is where we're going to stay. If you don't like, go your own way. I'm not stopping you." Adagio responded, genuinely tired of Aria's complaining and moaning.

"Fine," Aria said in a lower voice that was a cross between tired, angry, and defeated.

"Let's go inside then," Adagio said in a somewhat sympathetic voice. "Maybe Sunset will get us something to eat."

************************************************************

Sunset could just by looking at the three sirens they had had a bad road to haul. Their hair was oily and unkempt. Their eyes were sunken with dark shadows underneath them. Their skin was oily and dirty looking. They smelled bad and were noticeably thinner. A good twenty pounds at least. And considering they were thin before, all the elements combined to make them look more like zombie versions of their selves than actual real life human beings.

Sunset had bought them all value meals from a Burger King that was located with in the bus station. The three wolfed them down immediately. Adagio and Aria tried to look cool as they at, but Sonata held nothing back and ate as fast as she could. The more Sunset saw, the more her trepidation turned to pity. Yes, they were the Sirens and had caused untold misery through the ages, but they were also badly beaten and broken. It was almost enough for her to forgive them. Almost.

"Ok Adagio," Sunset said in her sternest voice, "why are you here?"

Adagio wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. While not good food or enough food, it was food and more than they had had in a while. She smiled as best she could. "Isn't it obvious Sunset Shimmer? Look at us." She spread her arms out behind her two compatriots. "Without our powers, we're penniless, homeless, hungry. We have nothing. I can't live like this anymore. So I figured if the good people of Cantorlot can forgive you, they can forgive us as well."

"Well you do look pretty busted, no doubt. But what do you expect to find here? Even if you are forgiven; what are you going to do about a place to live, jobs, I mean, have you thought any of that through?"

"Can't we stay with you?" Sonata asked pleadingly.

Sunset physically jumped back in her seat. "WHAT?" she shouted. "Oh no, no, no. No."

"See Adagio!" Aria snapped. "I told you we were wasting our time here. They would never accept us back. We should just leave again."

Adagio ignored Aria and looked Sunset dead in the eyes. "Why not?" she simply asked.

"I don't have the room and I don't trust you." Sunset simply responded.

Adagio nodded. "I don't blame you. I wouldn't trust us either. But we need help. Turning us away is effectively the same as signing our death warrants. We lived as minor goddesses on this world for a millennia. Like it or not, we have no coping skills for dealing with this world. As much as it pains me, and trust me, it really does, we're broken and powerless. We need your help."

Sunset went to speak but Adagio cut her off before she could. "I don't know if we paid our cosmic debt. The pain we caused over our lifetime has been immense. But what I do know is that we have paid for some of it and eventually we'll pay for all of it with our lives. Please Sunset, we need a break."

Just then Sonata broke down weeping. "I can't go back to the streets, I can't, I can't."

Aria rolled her eyes and Adagio looked from Sunset to Sonata and back.

Sunset felt her heart break for Sonata. She got up and put her arms around her. Sonata grabbed a hold of Sunset's right arm and buried her head in it, still crying.

"Fine; I'll take you back. But you can't all stay with me. I'm going to have to find places for at least two of you. Then we'll have to work on getting you your papers so you can get jobs. Deal?"

"And if you can't . . ." Aria started but was cut off by Adagio.

"Deal," Adagio said.

"Alright," Sunset said. "Let's go. Adagio, you'll stay with me. Sonata, I think Pinkie Pie would be the best match for you."

"And me?" asked Aria spitefully.

"Applejack most more than likely. She'd have the room. Rarity's family is already taking care of Fluttershy and I doubt if Rainbow Dash's parents would consent; although she'd honestly be the best match for you."

"Match? I need a place to stay, not a girlfriend. Besides, my door doesn't even swing that way."

"No, but you need a friend. Rainbow has a, uh, fighting spirit just like yours. But applejack should be able to handle you just fine." Sunset explained.

"Fine, we're all settled then," Adagio said. "May we go now?"

Sunset took one last look around at them. "Sure, why not."