Adagio and Midnight stood before the Starbucks counter and at first Adagio couldn't make up her mind.

“Hm... It's really an agony of choice... What shall I take, what shall I take...”

The salesgirl started to look annoyed but Adagio couldn't care less. She took her sweet time.

“Oh yeah. I'll have the big latte, thanks. And you, Midnight?”

Adagio noticed that Midnight was a bit uncomfortable and started to play with a strand of hair.

“Uhm... I guess I'll take the same...”

“Alright. And a second big latte for my friend here” Adagio ordered and the salesgirl sighed of relief because the other customers started to get annoyed as well.

“Well, finally! I thought you were gonna take forever!” a young boy commented who stood behind Adagio and Midnight in line.

Adagio turned around and said nothing but instead gave him her best death glare. That shut him up for good and he had a look on his face as if Adagio was about to rip his head off.

Adagio and Midnight took their two lattes and sat down at a table with a fantastic view of the asphalt desert called parking lot. Depressing.

“Thank you again for saving me from those stupid assholes” Midnight spoke up and Adagio almost choked on her latte. She was used to Aria talking like some ghetto rat from the outskirts of Canterlot, but she would've never expected an obviously well educated girl like Midnight to use foul language.

“You're welcome. And please... do me a favor and stop using such language. My sister is talking like that all the time and frankly, it infuriates me. We were not raised in the gutter but she talks like some wannabe gangsta from the west coast.”

“Oh uhm... I'm sorry. But I couldn't find any other proper words for those... persons. And it's not like I'm talking that way all the time as your sister does...”

Adagio wasn't mad. Somehow, she couldn't be angry at this innocent, fragile little girl.

“It's alright. Just don't talk like that anymore. At least when I'm around, would that be ok? I just can't stand it...” Adagio asked Midnight with a warm, almost maternal sounding voice.

“Sure thing, Adagio” Midnight said before her cell phone rang.

“Oh hey Mom... No, I'm studying with a friend at the Crystal Prep Library... Yes, you heard right. A friend... Yes, I'll be home soon. See you.”
She sighed and put away her phone.

“I'm glad she didn't ask where I am. She would freak out and ground me until I graduate if she found out that I'm with a stranger in Ponyville” Midnight said and rolled her eyes.

“She's a bit paranoid about me since I'm a nerdy girl and not big and strong like my brother.

Adagio took a sip from her latte and sighed too.

“Well, I wouldn't blame her for that. You're not exactly the most assertive type and if you ask me, you can't really defend yourself. Honestly, some martial art training would prove quite useful. Or do you wanna be a pushover for the rest of your time at Crystal Prep? I mean, I already said that I'd protect you, but I can't watch over you all the time, so it would be logical to take up some martial art. I'd suggest Krav Maga. That's what I do. It's easy to learn, efficient and brutal. You really learn fast how to take out an opponent without all that philosophical nonsense about inner peace you also get shoved down your throat if you learn some martial art from the far east...”

Midnight looked a bit uncomfortable.

“I know what Krav Maga is. And my mother would get suspicious if I wanted to learn a martial art all of a sudden. I mean, she doesn't know that I get bullied at CPA and I'd like to keep it that way. She's paranoid enough about my safety as it is...”

Adagio rolled her eyes and pointed her drinking straw at Midnight.

“What if one day you come home and look like you ran into a truck? Wouldn't that be worse than just telling her that you need to be able to defend yourself?”

Midnight started to play with her hair nervously.

“I know... But I don't wanna make her worry about me. And I always managed to hide it from her...”

“Yeah, up until now. Tomorrow could be a whole different story” Adagio pointed out.

“And what then? I don't know your mother, but I think she wouldn't be amused at all if you had to tell her about the bullying. And if I were your mother, I'd drag you to a martial art training if I had to. It would be unacceptable for me that my loved ones are bullied or even worse” she said and finished her latte.

Midnight sighed in defeat and stopped playing with her hair.

“You're right, Adagio. But I already know how this will go. 'Why didn't you tell me earlier?' Why why and why... I just don't want her to worry about me. She has to work all day long and I don't want to bother her with silly school problems of mine” Midnight said.

“Silly? This is a serious issue. I thought you were smarter than that. Bullying can lead to serious mental health problems and from time to time it even leads to death and destruction like at Columbine High. Although I don't think that you would ever do such a thing...” Adagio explained and Midnight giggled for the first time.

“Well, you see, I'd really like to sometimes. But you're right, I would never do something like that. And girls don't do school shootings anyway... At least as far as I know” she said and finished her latte as well.

“Anyway, let's get you home” Adagio said and stood up. Midnight followed her and the former siren groaned in annoyance because some young boys admired her car. That wasn't what angered her. They were touching it with their filthy little hands and Adagio hated handprints on her beloved car. She shooed them away and wiped off the prints.

“All the time I have to do that because apparently people don't know how a German car looks like. And it's not enough to just look at it, no! They have to touch it! I hate that!”

Adagio groaned and lit up a cigarette. Midnight stood next to her and looked at some pictures on her phone.

“Well, it's not a really common brand of cars here in the States. I can't blame people for curiosity” Midnight said.

“Yes, but that doesn't give them the right to make it dirty!” Adagio said and was still annoyed. It was her goddamn car, so only she had the right to touch it!

“I think you're overreacting, Adagio. It's not like they scratched it...”

“But they could have! And that's why I don't like anyone touching my car but me!”

Adagio smoked up and they got in the car.

“Please don't drive in such a suicidal way again, ok?” Midnight asked.

“Yeah, I already said that I'll drive decently. Shall I drop you off at your place?”

Midnight nodded.

“Yes, please. But drop me off somewhere where my mother can't see me getting out of your car. Like I said, she's a bit paranoid and I don't want her to ask me a billion silly questions...”

Adagio started the engine and drove back on the highway.

“Seems like your mother is quite the protective type” Adagio said.

“You have no idea. It took me forever to make her stop driving me to Crystal Prep and picking me up from there again. It was really annoying and it didn't help with the bullying. I got called names like mommy girl and the like. And she won't let me drive cars. As in, no drivers licence for me in the foreseeable future. I'm... I'm so sick of it” Midnight complained and Adagio thought about it. Being a mother herself she could understand Midnights mother to a certain degree.

“Well, she only wants to protect you but I think she goes a bit overboard with it. I can't really tell you more since I don't know your mother, though” Adagio said.

“Exactly. But she won't listen to me. She's only happy when she can care for me like some super mom and I'm really starting to hate that” Midnight complained even further and groaned.

“It's like she thinks that I'm still eight years old or so...” she began. Then her phone rang.

“Oh, speak of the devil. It's my mom. She'll definitely notice that I'm in a car and if I ignore her call then she won't stop annoying me the whole evening about where the hell I've been and why I didn't pick up the phone...”

Adagio thought about it for a moment and then left the highway, so Midnight could call her mother back as soon as possible.

“Don't pick up now if you want her to think that you're still in Canterlot and not in a car. Call her back when we're someplace quieter”

Adagio said and a few minutes later she drove onto a parking lot.

“Thanks” Midnight said and called her mother back.

“Hi mom” she began and Adagio could tell that Midnight was rather uncomfortable with the situation.

“No, I'm still at the CPA library... No, I just turned my phone to be silent so the other students aren't disturbed by any calls... Yes, I'm still studying... Yes, mom, I'll be home soon... Sounds delicious... Love you too, bye” Midnight concluded her call and hung up.

“Phew, she took it. Now I have to get home as soon as possible or else she might discover that I lied to her. It's not so far from CPA to my home” she said and Adagio pulled out her own smartphone and started a navigation app.

“Tell me your address, then I'll drop you off somewhere near your home” Adagio offered and looked expectantly at Midnight.

She told her the address and Adagio mounted her smartphone on the windshield.

“Very well then, let's get you finally home” Adagio commented and started the engine.

The rest of the drive was quite uneventful and Midnight didn't talk much. She was preoccupied with something on her cell phone and Adagio thought about how she was gonna tell her daughters that a second Twilight Sparkle was attending Crystal Prep.
Aria would call her insane and Sonata... well, Sonata would be as clueless as always. After a few minutes Midnight spoke up.

“You can drop me off at the end of that street” she said and Adagio nodded.

“Thank you for everything, Adagio. I won't forget it” Midnight thanked her and Adagio put on a warm smile.

“You're welcome. I guess we see each other tomorrow at school then?”

“I think so. Take care” Midnight said and got out of the car. After a few seconds she came back and knocked at the window.

“Do you have WhatsApp? I'd like to exchange numbers with you” Midnight said and Adagio didn't see why they shouldn't.

“Sure” she said, they exchanged their numbers and Midnight looked quite happy.

They waved good bye to each other and Adagio drove off in the opposite direction. It wouldn't take her long anymore too until she got home and she half expected to find the house burning. It didn't burn and Adagio parked her beloved car in the garage.

“I'm home!” she called out and found her daughters sitting in front of the TV playing games. She was grateful that they weren't on each others throats again and dropped her keys into a bowl.

“Hi mom” Aria and Sonata said in unison and Adagio raised an eyebrow. This was most unusual. The two sisters normally didn't do things together that often. Then she noticed their bloodshot eyes. They smoked pot. Again.

“What did I tell you two about smoking that stuff on my property!?” Adagio asked and Sonata paused the game.

“Well, I...” she began.

“Well what?” Adagio asked.

“We didn't smoke it here on your precious property” Aria said.

“Actually, she's right. We went to a nearby playground to smoke” Sonata explained.

“Is that so? Well, I hope nobody saw you” Adagio said and sat down.

“Mom, this is a big city. Nobody cares about two teenagers smoking some pot” Aria said and Sonata nodded.

“Yes, Ari was grumpy again, so I decided that it would do her good to calm down a bit. So, we smoked some and here we are. Getting along and not destroying the house!” Sonata said and giggled. Adagio rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“If you say so. At least I won't have to put up with your antics today. But I don't want you two to smoke more pot today, got it? When it wears off, I have to tell you something rather surprising...” Adagio said and stood up again to step out for a smoke. Aria and Sonata continued their game and Adagio thought about this peculiar development.

Apparently everypony in Equestria had a counterpart on Earth. But why? Maybe she could find that out when she and her daughters were back home in Equestria. Then her phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from Midnight.

'Hey there. I wanted to thank you again for everything. If you need any help with math or something, I'd be glad to help'.

Adagio smiled in a maternal way. She really liked this Midnight and replied right away.

'Like I said, you're welcome. And I'll take your word for it :)' she wrote and sent it.

Then it hit her like a bombshell. Of course! Why didn't she think of this earlier? Celestia and Luna, the principals of Canterlot High. And they clearly were the human counterparts of the Solar and Lunar Empresses back in Equestria! But Adagio reckoned that she and her daughters were too caught up with taking over this stupid school to notice. So she had three confirmed counterparts now. Celestia, Luna and Midnight.

She finished her cigarette and went back in to take a shower. She needed to think about this some more and a hot shower always helped her thinking things through. When she was finished, she sat down at the couch and Aria and Sonata were still playing their game. Adagio looked at them expectantly and they paused their game.

“Now that I've got your attention, I have to tell you something rather... strange. I've made a new friend today. Her name is Twilight Sparkle” Adagio said bluntly and her daughters looked at her as if she just told them to join Scientology.

“What! But why!? Are you crazy!?” Aria yelled. Sonata looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

“It's not like you think it is. She's not THAT Twilight Sparkle and the one I mean likes to be called Midnight” Adagio said and explained to them what happened earlier and that they have gained a new ally at Crystal Prep.

“But how can that be? I don't think our enemy Twilight has a twin sister” Sonata said.

“No, she doesn't” Adagio began.

“Think about it, back at Canterlot High. Recall the names of the Principal and Vice Principal? Exactly, Celestia and Luna. And with this new Twilight Sparkle around, I've found us a third human counterpart of somepony from Equestria” Adagio explained.

“In any case, she is, like I already said, a bullying victim and we'll look out for her for as long as she can't defend herself properly. I already advised her to take up some martial art and I hope she takes my advice to heart...” Adagio said and Sonata scratched her head.

“Uhm... sure” she said. Then Aria spoke up.

“I don't really know... What if this is just a decoy to get us? I mean, they didn't banish us or something like that. Maybe they want to finish us off for good” Aria pointed out.

“I've been thinking about something like that too but I don't think that this is the case. I know a liar when I see one and this Princess Twilight and her friends aren't the type for this kind of dirty work. From what I've heard about Sunset Shimmer is that they redeemed her and they'd rather try that on us too, if you ask me” Adagio explained.

“Hmm... I'm still a bit skeptical” Aria said.

“I can tell you more when I'm meeting this Midnight myself” she said.

“I'm with Ari on this one. I want to get to know her first before I can tell you for sure what I think about all this” Sonata said.

“Very well then” Adagio began.

“You'll meet her tomorrow. And don't forget, we're sisters” she said.

“We know” Aria and Sonata said in unison.

“You don't have to tell us that all the time” Aria said and rolled her eyes.

“Good good. Get yourselves ready for tomorrow” Adagio commanded and her daughters did right away as they were told.