Snow fell in gentle flurries throughout the city of Canterlot, but the lack of wind made for a peaceful scene even in the dim, grey gloom of the afternoon overcast sky. This was especially apparent from the balcony of the top-floor penthouse where Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk sat, going over preparations for their revenge against those that had cheated them out of their ultimate comeback.

Not far from the central piece for the ritual they had put together; a looming, wicker effigy of an oceanic horror she couldn't begin to put a name to (and not just for pronunciation reasons!), Sonata sat with a laptop, having been asked to stay out of the way for now while the others prepared the instrument of vengeance. She gave the gnarly thing and all its twisty-wood tendrils a cursory glance while pulling her hoodie more tightly about herself to ward off the cold a little longer. In the meantime, Aria did her Aria thing.

"So, you're sure this'll-"

"Yes," snapped Adagio for the fifth time that day, kneeling as she worked a knife in long curves along the wooden panels of the floor with one hand and briefly indicating the effigy with the other, "it would be made of coral under ordinary circumstances, but it's only the shape of the thing that matters when the sparks start, and mechanically, it all checks out."

Arms crossed, Aria shook her head, and not just to keep from looking directly at the huge, eel-man-squid-shark thing their leader had woven from wicker over the past few months. "We've never actually done something like this before. Decades in this world and you've never even mentioned doing anything you picked up in the Hadal Archives."

Adagio kept carving the leylines into the flat ceiling of their home. "We've never needed to."

"Which is why I've got more doubts than usual! I mean, this evil super-spell of yours, can you really whip up a disaster using bird blood? One so bad it's supposed to hit not just the Rainbooms, but most of the city? Us along with it?"

"The annual festivities," Adagio answered while grunting with the exertion of knife against what had been pristine, tasteful floor-panel, "have provided an abundance of poultry popular at human feasts, and procuring the necessary heme, unwanted by most local merchants, was not difficult." Finishing up the last grooves of what would be the magical irrigation system, she sighed and wiped her brow even in the cold air. "Nothing ever said it had to be human blood." She looked Aria dead in the eye, a faint shine of rapidly cooling tears in her own. "I'm not excited to do this either, Aria, but as I recall-" she pointed a piercing finger at the base of Aria's uncovered neck, "we agreed that it doesn't really matter what happens to us anymore."

Her mouth tightly shut, Aria still wasn't sold, but before she could think of a non-wussy way to say she wasn't 100% sure she wanted to go through with it, Sonata spoke up.

"Guys. Come see this."

It not being remotely like Sonata to issue instruction in such demanding tones, Aria and Adagio shared a puzzled look before moving over to where they could see the screen that rigidly held her worried gaze. The little window displayed a video of Sunset Shimmer standing near her friends (including a poorly-disguised Twilight Sparkle in a ponytail and glasses), titled 'A Message To The Dazzlings,' posted on Sonata's MyStable page.

Internally afraid that they had somehow been discovered, that the Rainbooms preempted them somehow and were going to stop them without dumb luck this time (or not, she would find out later), Adagio glanced around to find that it was still just the three of them on that balcony. For now. Instinct was to search the house for any sign of them, but for now, she settled on gleaning any possible information from the primary source.

"This part came after," Sonata muttered when Aria and Adagio were ready and waiting, "but it kinda felt like the important part." She pressed 'Play' from the point she'd paused, the tiny Sunset on the screen speaking directly to the camera.

"Sooo... hi! You probably have a lot of questions, but we'd be happy to answer everything we can if you'll stop by CHS some time. Or Sugarcube Corner. Or anywhere, send us a message! I wasn't sold on the idea at first either, but after talking with our newest member-" the camera briefly panned over to Twilight, who wore a self-conscious grin as she sheepishly waved at it.

Sunset chuckled. "Different Twilight, which probably raises more questions, but anyway- we all agreed that there's no sense in holding grudges, that it would be nice if we could be friends, and hope you'll give us a chance. If you're still having trouble with your voices, or anything else, maybe we can work something out? We'd love to help you in any way we can, but since we don't know where you are, or if you're even still around, all we can ask is that you stop by some time if you ever wanna talk. We all hope you'll think about it, and we look forward to seeing you again. And, even if you refuse, the least we can offer is..." She smiled tenderly. "Merry Christmas."

The end of the video heralded only perplexed silence until Adagio poked Sonata's shoulder. "You said that came after. After what?"

"Oh, uh..." She took her cue to rewind to the start, where only Sunset was visible onscreen, a seasonal, red-and-green font floating over her face to relay the title of the video. When it faded, Sunset started to sing.

This is not the original version of the song, I just feel that Mr. Young does a better job of it. Posh sissy-voice king vs. deep, throaty-voice king, y'know?

And, I guess try to ignore that it's in a man's voice.

I say...

I'm sorry that with how things went, we all drove you away.

And I...

wish that things could have been dif'rent between us, and that is why...

I'm not glad.

The Magic of Friendship is for all, I'm sure there's a way,

or it'd just be too sad.

We'd gladly let go and ignore all, your past plans...

The camera panned out to show the rest of the Rainbooms, who all joined in the song.

Please come back, and we'll be,

all the best of friends in Harmony.

Please come back, it'd be swell,

if we knew you three were doing well.

So you guys, here's our call;

we would really love to see you all!

Friendship fits, like a glove,

so we really hope you girls might join us, come on back and feel the love!

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la la la!

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la!

While yes, your magic-draining, it was mean and wrong...

Since you three aren't reigning, it's all bygone!

We know this must sound suspect...

but you all have our respect.

So please, oh please, don't reject!

All of you we would protect!

Forever...

and ever...

Fluttershy sang a short, sweet little solo.

and ever and ever and eveeeeeer!

The rest joined in again.

Please come back, what's in store,

is a wealth of warmth forevermore!

You'll have love, you'll have praise,

even if it isn't ev'ry day!

If you do, we'll be glad,

'cuz we're sure you three can't be all bad!

Friendship fits, like a glove,

so we hope you girls might join us, come on back and feel the love!

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la la la!

Pinkie Pie could be heard shouting. "That's it, come on!"

The camera slowly panned out to show more and more students of CHS, until practically the whole school was in the shot, all singing along.

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la!

"Ev'ry-body!"

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la la la!

La la la la la, la la la la la, la la,

la la la, la la!

Everyone they could see wore sincere, welcoming smiles until the camera closed in on Sunset, who started her speech again before Adagio reached over to pause the video. Without a word, she stood, walked over to grip the nearest, ice-cold railing of the rooftop balcony, and held very, very still.

Neither she nor Aria were talking, so Sonata started that part for them. "Do you think they mean it?"

"Could be a trap," Aria halfheartedly muttered, not having moved from Sonata's side, "like, if they just want us back so they can make us their whipping girls. Or just beat us senseless for a laugh."

"Unlikely," Adagio breathed without turning back to face them, "because if those looks on their faces, the soul in their voices, were lies, they're better liars than I am, and we know there's no chance all of them could be so convincing. What's more," she said while pointing to the wicker abomination without turning around, "they aren't like us." Untrained ears might have heard a trace of guilt in her tone, but they would surely be mistaken.

Standing up, Sonata realized that Adagio was looking out towards Canterlot High. She'd never realized they could see the school from here, but there it was. "So, what're we gonna do?"

Adagio looked over her shoulder at the dark effigy, cold and waiting for the components of the ritual that would consume it, then back at CHS in the distance. She chuckled. "Let's say it's a trap. Let's assume they goaded their entire school into luring us back just so they could have a laugh at our expense. At their absolute worst, do you think they'd really hurt us? Can you picture those girls inflicting lasting injury on purpose?"

Clutching at her bare neck, Aria wanted to say 'yes,' but those last two words shifted her answer to a begrudging "No, but so what?"

"So, we go on a little trip, face whatever they have waiting for us head-on, and at worst, we can still come back here to continue as we were. Even if they know what we're doing and this is a ruse to lure us away and ruin all our efforts, again, they can't stop us from starting over elsewhere." She turned to face them. "We have nothing to lose. What do you say?"

Sonata looked at Aria, who looked like she was chewing on her own mouth as she tried to come up with an answer, so Sonata smiled, giving hers first in the form of a question. "Whatever happens, can we get candy canes on the way back? This is the only time of year they sell 'em all over the place!"

Brushing a hand along her chin, Aria nodded sagely. "Candy canes are pretty cool."

Snorting with amusement, Adagio headed inside. "So they are. Let's see where the rest of the day takes us."

When they reached the elevator, all stopped, fear gripping their hearts at the thought of actually confronting the Rainbooms without any kind of immediate power to call on. Looking at each other, the trio tentatively reached out to lock hands. Turning red, Aria muttered under her breath.

"Th-this is just until we get out of the building."

It wasn't.