"Now this one looks really good," Adagio said with genuine enthusiasm as she held up a stripped shirt in front of her. The two had been clothes shopping for about a hour and Sunset was really impressed with Adagio's picks. They were stylish yet simple. They made her look good but didn't make her stand out.

"Very low key Dag. I'm surprised by everything you picked so far."

"Why? I've been here long enough to know when to stand out and when to blend in. Now's the time to blend in." There was both a happiness in Adagio's voice and an irritation at the idea of being questioned.

"Ok, Ok, I get it. I also get we probably have enough for you to get by for a while. So how 'bout we pay for all this and then I can get you back and I can get to school." Sunset, likewise had a joyful tone in her voice. She found through their shopping excursion that she and Adagio were more alike and got along better than she could have ever imagined. It was almost like the two had been friends for years.

"Alright," Adagio said with noticeable disappointment. She was having the most fun she'd had in ages. But she also knew Sunset was right. "And what of me then?"

"Hmm," Sunset thought for a minute, her hand on her chin. "I'm actually going to be dropping out of school soon. So no sense in having you enroll there."

"Oh? Why's that? Finally going back to Equestria?" Adagio was more curious than she wanted to sound. If Sunset was going back, maybe she could go back with her and if so, maybe be free of Queen Chrysalis. Or maybe Chrysalis would want Adagio to act sooner, or maybe just kill her outright if she believed Adagio wouldn't have time to act.

"Eventually, but not yet." Sunset was very measured in her response. She didn't know how much she should or could give away. Despite their shopping trip, Adagio was still Adagio and an unknown quality. "I have something I need to do that I can't waste time in school for."

"Still don't trust me enough to tell me what you're up to?" Adagio asked slyly.

Sunset raised her one eyebrow and bluntly asked, "Should I?"

Adagio's face suddenly went dead. "No," she simply answered back.

Sunset nodded and then said, "Something evil from Equestria has escaped. It's already killed two people, not just killed them; but ATE them. We, Twilight and I, have to hunt it down and stop it. That's why I need to drop out. Once captured or killed, then I'm going back with Twilight. You and the others can, and should, come along with us."

Adagio's mouth dropped open in shocked disbelief. "But I just told you . . ."

"I know," Sunset cut her off. "And that's why I told you. And frankly, I'd like, I want your help."

Adagio was stunned. Sunset had trusted her so easily. Not only that, she knew who the culprit was. It had to be Chrysalis, it had to be. The fact that she actually ate two people further displayed how truly evil and vile she was. All Adagio had to do was tell her. But then what? Chrysalis would torment her, if not forever, then at least until Sunset and Twilight could stop her.

"I'm in," she said as convincingly as she could.

"Good. I'll talk more about when I get home tonight. But now let's pay and get out of here."

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Sunset helped Adagio take her new clothes inside the apartment and pack them away. After that, Sunset told Adagio she had free range of the apartment but said she shouldn't leave. She gave Adagio her cell phone number in case of an emergency and then left.
No sooner had Sunset left; Adagio was struck down with a powerful headache. It felt as though her head was going to tear in two. Then she heard the voice. The voice of her tormentor.

"Well? How does it go?" it hissed.

"Ahhh. I'm here aren't I? I'm with her aren't I? What else do you want?" Adagio said through the intense pain.

The pounding suddenly grew worse; Adagio shrieked.

"I told you, I need her corrupted. She had turned once, she can be turned again. Her or the other one, Twilight."

"AHHH! What . . . what does that even mean? Get her to turn back to evil? A little more clarification here."

"She needs to betray herself and her principles so badly, she gives up. That's what I mean."

"Not helllllllllllllll -AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Adagio crumpled to the floor in complete and total agony.

"Enough! Make it happen." And with that, the pain stopped.

Adagio laid on the floor just gasping, then she started crying. She was now reminded she was nothing more than a slave. She, the Mighty Adagio, was a simpering, beat, pup. She was nothing. At this point she almost wanted to tell Sunset what was going in hopes that she would kill her and end this suffering. But she knew Chrysalis wouldn't allow it. She was owned.

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Sunset Shimmer sat in her bedroom in her family's Brooklyn Brownstone. Well, what used to be her bedroom. Everything was packed up and out of the house. Only the box she sat on remained. Her father had gotten a new job out in California so the whole family was moving out there. She didn't want to move but she had no say in it.

"Sunset?"

Sunset turned to look at her father standing in the doorway. "Hey Dad."

"It's time to go sweetie," he said softly. He knew his daughter didn't want to move. She was leaving behind all her friends and the only house she had ever known. But this new job was a major step up in both pay and importance. He simply couldn't pass it up.

"I know. I don't like it, but I know." Sunset slowly got up and turned around to pick the box she was sitting on up.

"I'll get that honey," her father said sympathetically.

"Thanks Dad, but I got it."

"Yes; you do." He tried to sound positive and make her believe she had this move as well.

"Dad." Sunset was annoyed that her dad would try something so obvious.

"Oh cheer up Sunny. It won't be that bad."

"Dad, I'll be going to a school called Crystal Prep Academy. I can guess who goes there - a bunch of rich, entitled brats. That's who!"

"Oh? And what ghetto did you come out of Sunny?" Her dad laughed as he said it. There family had always been upper middle class. And now, with the new job, lower upper class. So hearing his daughter talk about the rich was amusing.

"Point taken. But compared to them . . . "

"Compared to them, you're awesome. Just go with it Sunny! It'll be, you'll be, ok." With that he went over and gave her a hug. "Now come on, your mother and sister are waiting in the car."

"Ok." She picked the box up and started to walk out of her room. Who knows , she thought to herself, maybe I'll meet someone just like me .

Author's Notes:

This contains a passage from "Even Mountains Erode Over Time". While the time line is different than in Mountains, the characters are the same. So I just took the same scene and moved from before school started to after.