Not A Trick?

by trevordark

Rating: teen
Tags: Equestria Girls, Aria Blaze, Adagio Dazzle, Random, Slice of Life, Sex, Human, Sunset Shimmer, Second Person, Sonata Dusk, Other, Romance
Length: 8254

You have another unexpected encounter with Adagio, but something is different... Now Sunset is involved?

You have another unexpected encounter with Adagio, but something is different... Now Sunset is involved.

Author's note: You may want to read the prequel, or else you will be a little lost.

Cover art by SkycatcherEquestria.

Published 2015-04-09 08:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-04-09 08:40:01 UTC

Wait, what?

You shiver a little at the chilling winter breeze, tugging on your jacket collar and re-wrapping your scarf around your neck as you walk down the lonely, snow-plowed road. You'd gotten up early today to begin your morning route, but instead of heading to work like most days, you're simply walking just for the sheer enjoyment of it. Your footfalls seem to echo in this small suburban neighborhood. Strange that it's so quiet here, even though it's the morning of Christmas Eve.

Months have passed since the events of that night, but you've scarcely managed to go a day without remembering it in one way or another. Most of it had been a complete blur, but you can still faintly recall the mixed feelings of bliss and despair. Somehow, you'd managed to fall asleep that night, knowing you'd never be the same. The last thing you could remember was waking up alone on an empty mattress and stumbling out of the school. They had apparently left the door unlocked for you. It made no sense to you.

Maybe they had second thoughts about my world after all...

You're suddenly brought back to the present when you feel something cold and wet against your face. You look up, not quite in tune with what's going on around you until it occurs to you that it's started snowing again.

"It's really coming down thick this time..." You muse with a feeble smile, examining the now hazy neighborhood surrounding you. Pulling off your hat, you stand there silently for a while, eyes closed, just taking it all in. You breathe deeply, your lungs protesting a little at the cold, but it's refreshing all the same. You always loved doing this when it snowed, even as a child.

You begin to reminisce about the last Christmas you had back on your home world before the war. You were hardly a teenager back then. The crackling fire, hot cocoa, and spending quality time with your family... Those were some of the happiest moments of your life, but it was not allowed to last and the draft happened the very next month. You hadn't celebrated Christmas in the eight years since then, nor any other holiday for that matter. There just wasn't a point anymore.

"I think it's time..." You whisper to no one in particular, deciding that you're finally going to celebrate it this year, in this new world.

Eventually, you replace your hat back on your head and continue walking for another block or so before noticing two redhead girls coming up the street in your direction. You abruptly stop in your tracks, being quite unable to process what you're seeing. One of them is clearly Sunset, but the other one... "That's not possible..." You mutter aloud.

It's Adagio, but why is she with Sunset?

You suddenly realize how suspicious you probably seem right now and you start walking again so they don't see you just standing there, looking completely dumbfounded.

Re-wrapping your scarf so it somewhat conceals part of your face, you continue to observe the two as they approach from a distance. Sunset is doing most of the talking while Adagio walks at her side, hands in her coat pockets and head down, only asserting a few words here and there. You notice that her voice is surprisingly devoid of its usual sultry tone. You recognize it but it's much softer, not unlike Sunset's own voice. A slight smile curves up her mouth at Sunset's words, but her teary, bloodshot eyes speak a much different story.

Regret... Hers is a facial expression that you're no stranger to yourself. Buried somewhere deep inside her chest, it's consuming what little happiness she owns like some disheveled parasite, and she could not be making it any more obvious.

She's going through hell...

You'd heard about the outcome of the Battle of the Bands and for some reason, you'd hoped that the three of them would be okay, even after what they'd done to you.

You feel your heart pounding worriedly as they come close.

Please don't recognize me, please don't recognize me... Your mind reels as Sunset turns to you with a warm smile. "Merry Christmas!" She exclaims as they pass by, Adagio casting a quick acknowledging glance into your direction before quickly doing a double-take immediately afterwards. Your eyes widen in terror as you hear a muffled gasp and the footfalls behind you abruptly scuffle to a halt. You continue walking as nonchalantly as possible, but you can almost feel her staring back at you in disbelief.

"Anon?" She asks timidly after a short pause and you quicken your pace a little in response. "Hey, wait!" she calls and you turn your head to see her running toward you. You face her, panicking like a deer in headlights as she suddenly plunges into you and wraps her arms around in a tight hug. "I'm sorry!" She sobs, burying her head into your shoulder. "Oh dear Celestia, I'm so sorry..." You struggle frantically to break free from her tight embrace, fearing a repeat of the events from that night.

"Please don't touch me, Adagio!" You cry as she lets you go and you stumble back a few paces.

"Please, I won't hurt you!" she yelps, " I..." She lowers her head as she tries to hold back more tears. "I'm so s-sorry, Anon..." She stands there, eyes glued to the sidewalk below, hugging her arms. Who the hell is this girl standing in front of you? She couldn't be the same one from months ago.

"Anon," Sunset walks up next to Adagio and places her hands on her friend's shoulders. "Adagio and her friends reached out to me a couple months after the Battle of the Bands. They wanted to make amends with everyone for what they'd done, especially you." She turns to Adagio, who is still silently weeping. "I can't even begin to tell you the changes she's gone through since then and how badly she's been wanting to apologize. She's been looking for you for months." She rubs her friend's shoulders comfortingly. "Don't be sad, Dagie...."

"I-I'm not..." She finally raises her head back up and meets your eyes. "I'm just so glad you're still alive... When we couldn't find you for so long, I got worried..." You cock your head a little at her statement.

'What is she talking about? Does she mean...?'

"I was afraid that you'd..." She lowers her head again, unable to finish her sentence, but she's made it fairly clear that she thought you'd committed suicide. Thinking back, you remember how even in your world, some people would have done that after what you'd gone through. You'd never thought of it, however. You always reminded yourself that you could have been a lot worse off than being molested by a raveningly beautiful girl. You'd even considered yourself lucky, though it didn't change the fact that you had been terrified of her ever since. However, something about this encounter bothered you.

"...Why?" You ask, bewildered by her sudden change in personality and she looks up at you tentatively, unsure of what you mean. "Why was it so important for you to find me?" You elaborate, "Is this some sort of trick-"

"No! I-..." Adagio trails off, "Anon, I know there's nothing we can do to make up for what happened. I just know that I can't leave you wondering if we ever regretted it. We do..." She looks back down to her feet, "And I'm not just saying this to make myself feel better for what happened. After our pendants were destroyed, I realized just how awful we were to you. We tortured you, Anon. No one should have to go through that."

Still skeptical, you glance between Adagio and Sunset a few times. You know you can trust Sunset, but you're afraid Adagio might have something sinister going on behind her new personality. Still, you're a sucker for second chances. You know you had plenty in the past as well.

Let's see how it plays out.

Timidly approaching, you put your arms around her in a gentle embrace. Her eyes dart open in surprise as this is something she had never expected from you, but she eagerly returns the gesture, nearly squeezing the air out of your lungs. Once again, she buries her head into your shoulder and sobs quietly, but not because she's sad. In fact, it's quite the opposite. "It's okay, Ad-... Dagie." You hesitate slightly before saying her nickname, but she tightens her grasp around you a little in response, eliciting a heartfelt smile from Sunset.

She pulls back after a long while, wiping the tears from her eyes and she begins to smile. "Thank you so much." She finally says, meeting your eyes again. "Aria and Sonata wanted to apologize as well..." She trails off as you shift uneasily at the thought of meeting with the three of them altogether.

Sunset brightens up as she's struck with an idea. "There is a Christmas party going on tonight at Canterlot High. All of us will be there."

"That's true... It would mean the world to them if you could come." Adagio tilts her head at you with a smile. At this, Sunset eagerly nods at you with an approving look.

"Yeah, I'll come." You reply, wondering how safe it would be to meet up with the three of them all at once. At least there will be more people there.

"Thank you, Anon..." Adagio smiles, throwing her arms around you once more. Your heart melts a little and you sigh as you feel hers beating fast against your chest.

Safe enough, I suppose...

Dammit, Pinkie!

Pacing the polished floor of the gymnasium, you again contemplate going home, but not before catching Adagio's eye. She looks over and the two of you lock eyes for a moment before she begins to make her way toward you. You observe her as she approaches, a much different sight than from that morning on the sidewalk. Comparing her from months ago to now, you can tell that she isn't completely rid of her "bad-girl" appearance, what with the way she still sways her hips slightly as she walks. Her charm and talent for visual appeal, though much more modest now, is still mesmerizing all the same.

"Hey, you." She smiles warmly, though her eyes glimmer a little with concern.

"H-hey..." You reply as you tentatively glance back toward the foyer, but decide to stay after mustering up a little courage. "Enjoying the party?"

"Oh, it's alright." She laughs nervously, "You'd think that after a millennia of loving big crowds, I'd be used to them. Truth is, I'm a little terrified of it. I suppose things really have changed..."

"Did you celebrate holidays before this year?" You ask, but you figure you already know the answer.

"No..." She replies, thinking back. "Sona wanted to have Christmas last year, but Aria and I just weren't interested." She looks over at Sonata, who is thoroughly enjoying herself and having a very enthusiastic conversation with Pinkie Pie. "And, well... We were a lot different..." She averts her eyes a little, staring at nothing in particular. "We had Thanksgiving last month. It was our first real holiday in this world. Just the three of us and Sunset..." She smiles at her friends. "What about you? Did you have holidays where you're fr-" She stops short, suddenly wondering if you'd want to answer any questions about Earth to her.

"Yes," You reply, to her shock. "but not for the past few years."

"W-what happened?" She asks tentatively.

You deliberate for a few seconds before answering. "The war..." You figure this word probably means nothing to most people in this peaceful world, but Adagio's eyes widen knowingly after not hearing it for many, many years. "I'm sorry..." You continue, "I don't really like to talk about it..."

"It's alright." She smiles reassuringly. "I understand." Looking over at her friends, she ponders for a moment before opening her mouth again. "You want to join us?" She asks, gesturing toward the rest of the group.

"I, uh..." You freeze, still unsure about the idea of being around the three of them all at once.

"Anon..." Her smile fades a little, "I know there's nothing we can do to erase what we did, but..." She looks to the floor for a moment before meeting your eyes again, apprehensively placing a hand to your arm. "I want you to know that I'll do anything to fix this. Will you give me that chance?"

You close your eyes for a moment, letting out an inaudible sigh.

She's making such an effort. I can't just say 'no'...

"Yeah..." You whisper, nodding your head a little.

Her face brightens up at this and she wraps her arms around you in a tight hug. "Thank you..." She replies, "Now, come on..." She pulls back, offering a hand to you. You chuckle nervously at this, hesitating slightly as you take her hand. "C'mere, you." She grins slyly, giving your hand a slight tug and you both start to walk towards the rest of the group.

"Dagie..." You begin, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you..."

"What is it?" She smiles, cocking her head at you a little.

You think back to the morning after they'd had their way with you. "...Why did you let me go after that night?"

"Oh..." She pauses as the question catches her off-guard. "Well, I knew where you lived, at the time at least. We were going to pay you a visit the next night, but..." She ponders in deep thought for a moment. "I came over a few weeks later, but you were gone..." She frowns, squeezing your hand. "I wanted to apologize. I'm just glad I was able to, now." She smiles, "Sunset told me about how good of a friend you've been to her, especially after what happened with the Fall Formal."

"Oh, I was never actually there." You reply, "Before today, all I heard was what the other students know. She was nice, seemed like someone who was trying to put a bad history behind them." You chuckle a little, "A lot like you, in fact."

As if to end the subject on a fitting note, the two of you are interrupted by the sound of laughter coming from above. You look up to see Pinkie floating overhead with dozens of balloons tied around her waist. "Oh no, Pinkie!" Sonata exclaims worriedly, "How will you get down!?"

"It's okay, Sona! Don't you fret!" The pink-haired girl shouts, pulling a pointed hairpin out of her curls and starts popping the balloons one by one. "I'm always prepared!"

"What in tarnation are ya doin' up there in the first place, Pinkie Pie?" Applejack protests.

"You'll see!" She teases.

Ignoring the rather bubbly girl above you, you turn your attention to Aria and Sonata. "How are they doing?" You ask Adagio, gesturing toward them.

"Aria's a lot better. I can't thank you enough for what you did earlier. It's really been eating at her for a long time; and Sonata, well..." She smiles affectionately at the blue-haired girl, "It'd take the end of the world to get her spirits down. Knowing her, she's probably forgotten about the whole thing by now." She laughs.

Suddenly you notice Sunset looking over at you worriedly, gesturing to the sound of balloons popping over your head. You both look up to see Pinkie dangling something green above you. "I finally did it!" She shouts, eliciting a cascade of face-palms from her friends. You stare curiously at the leafy object hovering overhead until you finally realize what it is. It's...

"Mistletoe..." Adagio states absent-mindedly before suddenly understanding what this means and her eyes widen nervously. Sunset clearly hadn't told the other girls about the incident to spare Adagio the humiliation.

"I don't think that's how it works, Pinkie Pie..." Rainbow Dash points out. "Doesn't it have to be hanging in a tree or something?"

"Don't jinx it!" Pinkie retorts playfully, hanging upside-down as she suspends the leafy sphere by a string.

"Y'all know what this means, right?" Applejack grins craftily.

"Does it mean that they have to... you know...?" Fluttershy squeaks quietly, pursing her lips in demonstration. The others nod in unison. "Uhm... Oh..."

Sunset stands frozen in place, wondering how in the world she is going to get the two of you out of this situation. You feel Adagio fretting with your sleeve and you turn back to her, noticing that she's staring straight into your eyes with a slight smirk, almost as if asking the obvious question. You hesitate, suddenly realizing that this could go a plethora of different ways, but then you remember what Sunset told you before.

She deserves the benefit of the doubt... You tell yourself. It's only right. You smile back at her, nodding your head and she lets out a bashful squee before gleefully tackling you, causing a unanimous "Awwwh..." from everyone around you two. She kisses you with unbridled passion, showing just how long she's been holding back. Leaning into her embrace, you nervously return the gesture. Sunset stands a few feet away, looking dumbfounded for a second before pressing her hands to her mouth to try to stifle a happy squeal.

"Hey, now." Applejack exclaims after a moment and you both stop to look over. "Get a room, you two." She chuckles.

At this, Adagio smiles in approval. "Wanna take me home?" She whispers into your ear with a playful wink, a corner of her mouth turning up mischievously.

"Hell yes." You reply, clasping her hand in yours as you two walk toward the foyer.

"Wait..." Sonata exclaims, turning to Aria. "Where are they going?"

"They're going to go 'celebrate Christmas' at his place." Aria laughs.

"I get that, but... Oooohhhhhhhhhh..." She replies after a moment.

You Want To Do WHAT To Me?

Sitting in the back of the taxi cab, the two of you exchange nervous smiles as Adagio clings to your arm.

So much for giving myself a day to think about it... You smile weakly at her as she lays her head on your shoulder. Both she and Sunset had been much more convincing than you thought they'd be.

"You don't know how happy you've made me." She whispers, grinning up at you.

"Sunset was right about you." You whisper back, peaking her attention. "You really have changed."

Her eyes tear up a little as she picks her back up off of your shoulder. "Thank you..." She replies, smiling more."You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that." She ponders for a moment, "I can't imagine what you've been through, even before you came to this world. Before today, I was worried that maybe you'd gone back to your world to get away from what I did..." She pauses for a moment, her voice shaking a little. "I've never been through a war, but I remember hearing stories from before my time..."

"I didn't go back. I couldn't, even if I wanted to." You procrastinate for a few seconds, perking her curiosity. "The old Canterlot library... That's where it was..." You finally admit.

She processes the thought for a moment, before suddenly remembering that the building in question had been demolished months ago. "You mean... Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry, Anon..." She hugs your arm tighter.

"It's alright..." You reply, "Maybe someday I'll find a way back."

"I hope you can." She smiles, pecking you on the cheek as the taxi pulls into your driveway. "Maybe there's something the girls can do about the war..." She ponders thoughtfully, making sure to bring it up with Sunset at some point.

Opening the front door, you both step into the semi-warm atmosphere of your modest urban home. You suddenly begin to wonder if it's almost too quaint for her as you have no idea of her current living arrangement, but the contented smile lingering on her face says otherwise as you proceed into the living room. "Can I get you anything? Anything at all?" You ask as you remove your gloves.

"It's okay, I'm fine." She smirks, playing impishly with your scarf before untying it. "The only thing I need right now... is you." Her hand moves up to your coat zipper, gripping it between two fingers and slowly pulling it down. Her eyes follow it for a while before she looks back up at you, the corners of her mouth lifting playfully. At this, you lean in and kiss her, causing her to catch her breath for a second before she eagerly reciprocates.

Aside from your first kiss with Adagio earlier, not to mention your earlier encounter with her, you've never done this before. It's such an intricate feeling to describe: full of passion, instinct, and admiration. You unbutton her coat and she slides it off, letting it fall to the floor as she removes yours without breaking off from the kiss. You throw your coat aside and she wraps her arms around you in a soft embrace. Placing your hands on the small of her back, you gently caress her, sliding your hands up and down her sides.

"Mmmmh..." She moans quietly into your mouth and shivers excitedly in response. You absentmindedly slide your tongue into her mouth, wondering if perhaps there is such a thing as a "French kiss" here in this world. She hesitates for a few seconds, but soon returns the gesture in a cute, albeit slightly clumsy manner as if she's never done it before--an answer to your question. You stand there, contemplating whether or not it's appropriate, but another moan escaping from her throat tells you that she is thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. You continue to caress the small of her back, sliding your hands ever-so-slightly further downward with each iteration until you can feel her belt loops.

Daring to push your luck, you allow your hands to slide tentatively over the curve of her rear and to her thighs. Quivering excitedly at the gesture, her breathing quickens and so does her movement, pressing her full front onto you with unrestrained passion.

"Mmmmnhh..." She moans louder, warming up beneath your touch and you can tell that she's getting really close. She grips your leg with her thighs as she dangles tantalizingly near her climax. With a final gesture, you give her rear a firm squeeze and she jolts with excitement. "Mmnahhh!" She cries, pulling back as she shudders passionately. She squeezes you with her thighs so tightly that you can literally feel the circulation being cut off from your leg. Finally releasing her grip after a few seconds, she pants slightly as she recovers. "Oops..." She grins sheepishly, realizing what had just happened. "Oh, that was amazing..." She giggles, "You're a wonderful kisser, Anon... I didn't realize you could do that with your tongue."

"That's not the only thing I can do with my tongue..." You smile, gesturing downward with your eyes. "That is, if you haven't yet had your fill..."

Smirking widely, she takes both ends of your scarf in hand and gently pulls on it, leading you down the hallway to the bedroom with a rogue-ish wink. "Oh, I'm not even close..."

Shutting the door to the bedroom, you turn around to find Adagio staring hungrily into your eyes. You gulp nervously at this and she notices, letting out an amused giggle as she approaches, kissing you deeply. Returning the kiss, you untie her scarf and let it fall to the floor as she unbuttons your shirt. You gingerly pull hers off, exposing a lavender bra and she does the same, after which she playfully runs her hands over your shoulders and down your chest, stopping at your belt catch. Pulling back a little, she undoes your belt and slips it off, folding it in half and playfully tapping your hip with it.

You tense up at the suggestion, "Oh, dear god..." You utter and she laughs at the expected response, tossing the belt aside as her hands drift back to your waistline.

"Oh, we'll get to that later..." She unbuttons your jeans and lets them drop to your ankles. "Oh my..." She giggles, smiling contentedly at what she's presented with. Returning the favor, you can't help but gape at her damp, lavender panties. You had forgotten how breathtakingly beautiful she was, even in semi-raw form.

"Awwwh..." She melts inwardly, pecking you on the cheek. "Are we at a loss for words, hon?" She laughs, making you gasp as she quickly removes her panties and dangles them in front of your face, drawing your attention away from her luscious nethers.

"Hey, you." She giggles, tossing them aside. "You zoned out there for a second."

"Oh, sorry..." You wince, blushing fiercely at her words.

"Hey now," She smirks, "There's no shame here. I like it when you look at me like that. After all..." She presses herself up against you, whispering into your ear. "I always did love being adored." Pulling back, she reaches behind herself and unclasps her bra, sliding it off of her shoulders and throwing it aside next to her panties.

Your eyes drift, staring at her now completely nude figure before you're brought back to attention by a tickling sensation at your waistline. You look down to see Adagio slipping her fingers underneath the elastic band on your boxers.

"May I...?" She groans amorously, shooting you a playful wink as her fingers wiggle in anticipation. You simply nod in response, and with one quick motion, she pulls your boxers down and they fall to your feet. She looks down at you and catches her breath, her smirk turning into an open-mouthed grin.

"Oh, this is going to be fun..." She articulates, meeting your eyes again. "Someone's eager, and it's not just me..."

"You..." You breathe, "You are so beautiful, Dagie..."

She cocks her head at you with a smile, "Well, aren't you just quite the charmer?" She giggles, running her hands over your shoulders. "How about we put that sweet tongue of yours to work..."

Afterglow (And Hope For The Future)

Soft daylight streams in beneath your eyelids, awakening you from what you can recall was a pleasant dream. Looking across the room, you take note that it's just past seven in the morning and you figure it's probably time to start moving. You groggily stir in bed, about to get up to begin your morning routine before suddenly realizing that something, or rather someone, is holding you down. Memories of last night flood back into your mind and you sigh. Adagio is laying beside you, an arm and leg outstretched across your body and her head resting against your shoulder. You can feel both her heartbeat and the contented rising and falling of her chest against your side as she breathes and you visibly melt in genuine adoration.

Deciding that you want to impress her with breakfast in bed, you cautiously attempt to wriggle your way out of her loving grasp, but to no avail. A thigh can be felt brushing against your leg and her arm slides across your chest, both tightening their grip around you. She inhales deeply, stretching a little and she raises her eyes to meet yours. "Where do you think you're going...?" She groans fondly with a sleepy smile.

"I was thinking I'd make you breakfast." You reply, pecking her on the lips.

"Mmmh..." She moans sleepily, giggling a little. "Sounds heavenly." She replies and you take it as your queue to get up, but not before she pulls you back down and lifts herself onto you in a more dominating position. "Not quite yet, though." She smirks, lowering her face down to yours and kissing you ravenously.

"Oh, my..." You pull back after a moment, smiling. "Feeling peckish again, are we?"

"You have no idea." She grins mischievously, shifting on top of you a little. "I have a rather inexaustible sex drive. One of the perks of being a siren..." She laughs, fastening her thighs onto your leg. "I'll have to thank our friends for letting me keep that trait."

"You, always horny?" You chuckle nervously at the thought, "Sounds like fun."

"Oh, believe me..." Her smirk widens, if at all possible. "I'll be sure to include you in said fun."

Suddenly, there's a rustling of bushes just outside your window. "Ow!" A familiar voice shrieks, "Ari, you stepped on my f-mmmph" Her sentence is drowned out by a loud hushing.

"Wow, really?" You chuckle quietly and Adagio rolls off of you and onto her back, pressing her hands up to her mouth to stifle a giggle, but to no avail. She bursts out laughing, her pleasant feminine tone ringing throughout the bedroom.

"What are you two dorks doing here?" She shouts amid her fits of laughter, getting up and making her way to the window.

"I'm sorry!" Comes Sunset's voice through the blinds, "I tried to stop them, but they were really determ-" She stops short as Adagio pulls up the blinds, revealing her nude figure to her friend. "Oh... H-hi Dagie..." Sunset looks away, blushing vibrantly at what she's just seen. "I um..." She stammers, "Wow, this is really awkward..."

"Is it just you three?" Adagio smirks at her reaction.

"Y-yeah..." Sunset replies, still not looking directly at her. "I-I think so..."

"Well, why don't you come in since you're here?" She grins, looking back toward you. "That okay?" She asks.

"Yeah, it's fine." You chuckle, scouring the floor for your boxers. "I'll get breakfast going... if I can find my clothes, that is."

She laughs as she strides naked down the hallway and opens the front door to Sunset. "Hey, you." She smirks and Sunset jumps in surprise.

"H-hey..." She replies nervously as Sonata and Aria come in behind her. "Wow, um..."

"Come in." Adagio steps aside welcomingly, ushering the three of them in. She turns back as a classmate from school is walking his dog on the other side of the street. Both him and his four-legged companion stop dead in their tracks, mouths agape as they look over. She giggles, casting them a crooked grin and a wink as she closes the door.

"So, uh..." Sunset begins, "You didn't happen to incinerate your... clothes... did you?"

"Not quite." Adagio laughs, eliciting a quizzical stare from Sunset. "It's a long story." She shrugs, "I can go throw on a towel, if you like."

"Oh, no no! It's just that I haven't seen you walk around so nonchalantly in the nude before..."

Adagio grins mischievously, "So you're implying that you've seen me walk around suspiciously while naked, eh?"

The realization dawns on Sunset after a moment and her face takes on a form of complete embarrassment. "What? No!" She cries, "I wasn't implying anyth-"

"Relax, Sunny." Adagio laughs, "There's no shame here. Shall we sit down?" She gestures to the nearby table. "Your face is so red, you look like you might burst into flames at any minute."

Relaxing slightly, Sunset sits down, a little more comfortable now with making eye contact with her friend. "So, what happened?" She asks tentatively, suddenly wondering why she's making such a big deal out of it.

"Well, long story short..." Adagio begins, a dreamy smile appearing on her face as she thinks back to the night before. "I didn't exactly manage to get out of my clothes quite fast enough, if you know what I mean..."

Sunset's eyes widen knowingly. "Wow... Wait, he's really that good at foreplay?" She asks, watching as you walk across the room and into the kitchen. Adagio nods, following her gaze. The four of them stare at you for a moment before you notice and you halt, mid-reaching for a nearby pan.

"...What?" You smile, laughing nervously and they all burst into a fit of giggles.

A short while later, the five of you are sitting around the table, each enjoying a plateful of scrambled eggs.

"Hey, Anon." Sonata pipes up, looking around the room. "Why don't you have a Christmas tree? We went all out this year at our place!" She waves her hands around in the space surrounding her to exemplify.

Sunset leans over, "Pinkie." She states matter-of-factly and you laugh as you recall how the school was so overly-decorated the day before.

Adagio lets out an exasperated groan. "Ugh, it wouldn't so bad if they were just on the outside. But they're inside as well, and they blink." She articulates. "Every single one of them."

"How do you deal with it?" You hold back a chuckle.

"Sunglasses." Aria deadpans. "Dark sunglasses."

"At least we don't have to use the heater anymore." Sonata chirps, "All those lights keep the house warm."

"Oh, I just can't wait to see our electric bill for this month." Adagio sighs, smiling weakly.

"Heh, then you can send it to Pinkie." You return the smile, before the five of you burst into laughter. "Honestly, though." You return to Sonata's earlier inquery, your smile fading somewhat. "I haven't celebrated Christmas for..." You pause in thought, counting on your fingers. "-eight years, now?" At this, the room falls rather silent.

"Why not?" Aria asks.

"Well, things were getting pretty bad back home, what with the war and all." You begin to reminisce, both Aria and Sonata momentarily sharing confused glances, but seeming to understand all the same. "Anyway," You continue, "I had planned to celebrate Christmas and get a tree, but I actually didn't come to that decision until just yesterday morning." You smile, looking at each of their faces before resting on Adagio's.

"That being said, I don't think I'd have had it any other way than how it turned out." You admit, eliciting a smirk and a giggle from her. "The tree can wait 'til next year. In the meantime, what are you girls doing for Newyear's?..."

Well THAT Was a Big Change.

The public bus doesn't usually make stops at Canterlot High but on this day in particular, nearly all of them are heading there at one point or another. As the school comes into view, you can't help but chuckle at the sheer number of Christmas lights wrapped around the thing. Pinkie's idea... You muse to yourself matter-of-factly as you stand up and walk up the aisle toward the door.

"Merry Christmas!" The driver calls as you and a small group of people step out onto the sidewalk in the chilling breeze. As the bus pulls away, you freeze in place at the sight of three girls seated and conversing on a bench in the courtyard, easily recognized by their hair as Adagio and her friends. As your other companions from the bus cross the street, you stand there timidly, contemplating your decision in coming back here. The three of them haven't yet noticed you and although you know that they are probably much different now than they were back then, you still can't help but feel terrified.

Just then, a fourth figure enters your line of sight and you breathe out a relieved sigh. Sunset has always been considerate of the needs of others and you're grateful to her for that, especially now. She approaches the trio and looks over at the newcomers crossing the street for a brief second before setting her eyes on you. She smiles reassuringly, beckoning you over with a slight head movement as you regain your composure.

Finally able to move your own two feet again, you begin cross the street, heart-in-throat as you draw closer to them. Sunset whispers something inaudible and they all look over to you, quickly standing up. Adagio wears a new smile, her earlier regret seemingly forgotten while Aria, even though she knew you were coming, still looks at you with her mouth agape and Sonata just grins and waves at you energetically. Stepping up off of the pavement and onto the sidewalk, you suddenly realize that you are at a complete loss for words. "H-hey..." You finally manage after a short moment in a bashful tone that would've easily befitted Fluttershy.

"Hey Anon!" Sonata chimes in happily. "So listen, we're totes sorry about the whole 'holding you down, torturing you and raping you senseless ' thing earlier on. We won't do it again, for realsies, right Aria?" She looks over at her friend, who is cupping her hands over her mouth in an attempt to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Oh my Celestia..." Aria ponders aloud, scanning you from head to toe and suddenly recalling in great detail the events that had transpired that night. "I... am so sorry..." She chokes as she tries to articulate her words, "D-does it still hurt where I-... p-pinned you?"

"What? Oh... No, not anymore..." You reply, remembering that she'd gripped you by the neck to hold you in place while they tortured you, though you can't recall much more than that. "No long term damage other than my pride, perhaps. " You chuckle in an effort to cheer her up, but she lowers her head into her hands and starts to cry. You're tempted to embrace her, but your apprehension gets the better of you.

"You have... every right to be the m-most angry at me..." She sobs. Adagio and Sunset gather around her, each placing a hand on her back in comfort and she looks at them gratefully out of the corners of her eyes.

"It's okay, Ari'..." Sonata whispers, hugging her friend's arm. "Just let it all out..." The corners of Aria's mouth lift with the faintest hint of a smile and she leans into the hug slightly before she continues.

"I-..." Her voice cracks, "I was s-so rough on you... I hurt you... I-I bruised you... b-but the worst part of it all was that I... enjoyed it..."

"Aria..." You begin to understand why Sunset has befriended them. Mustering up your courage, you finally place your hands on her shoulders. "I can see that you are a completely different person now than you were back then. I forgive you."

"You-..." She gasps, "You really mean that?"

"Absolutely." You reply, pulling her into a hug and the others join in. "Whatever happened to you, it's made you girls into much better people. Now, come on, girls. It's Christmas Eve. Shall we go inside where it's warm?" You're met with four eagerly-nodding heads in response.

Well, that was a big change.

"Oh my goodness..." You laugh nervously as you enter the crowded atrium, "How many flyers did Pinkie send out?"

"Four hundred and fifty!" Pinkie pops up seemingly from the ground in front of you. "And that's not including friends! Welcome back!" She pulls you into a quick hug.

"They just keep pouring in, don't they?" Sunset chuckles.

"I know! The gym and classrooms are filled! Now, people are spilling into the hallway!" Pinkie exclaims, "-And get this! These two brothers came in with this cute little ferret." She points to the gym, "They're in there right now and the thing is doing hand stands and jumping, actually jumping through these little hoops. It's so cute! Come on, you have to see it!" She jumps behind them and starts pushing them into the direction of the gym, leaving you engulfed in the strange crowd around you. Adagio looks back at you as if beckoning you to come with them, but you make no notion to follow.

They got what they wanted. Let's leave it at that...

The thought stings a bit, but it's probably for the best. Getting too close to these girls, no matter how much they seem to have changed, is not a good idea. There is always the slightest possibility that they could be acting out the part just to gain your trust, and a smart enemy would do just that.

As they disappear into the gymnasium, you begin to contemplate going back home when a voice behind you catches your attention. "What are you doin' hangin' out with them?" Big Mac asks. "Don't you know what they did?"

"I heard," You reply, "but if Sunset says those girls have changed, then I believe her..." You trail off, suddenly realizing that you're betraying your own words.

"She's no different than them." He shrugs, continuing on his way through the crowd. "Sure, maybe she's changed too, but they all come from the same rotten apple tree, if ya' take my meanin'." You already know Sunset has her own dark past, but now you're starting to wonder how much she and Adagio are actually alike.

"Ah, shit..." You mutter under your breath as you begin to weave your way toward the gym.

This could still go very badly...

As you enter, you notice that Adagio is already looking in your direction in hopes of spotting you. When she does, her expression brightens considerably and she waves at you before returning her attention to the circus playing out in front of her. "Alright, go have fun!" The sound of Pinkie's voice echoes from across the room. "We'll all meet up back here after you're finished caroling!" A crowd begins to clear out of the gymnasium, each of them with a thick red pamphlet in their hands. The room is left somewhat open in their wake, enough for you to see where everyone else is.

The brunt of the group is situated around the stage, conversing with each other and watching the ferret while Sunset has been unintentionally pulled away and is now having a rather one-sided conversation with a very talkative male. She sees you and profusely excuses herself before making her way over.

"I'm glad you decided to stay." She begins, "I was afraid you'd left after we got separated."

"I almost did..." You glance back over to Adagio, her eyes glued to the ferret on-stage.

Sunset frowns a little, "I can understand why. I got your message, by the way."

You cock your head at her in confusion. "My message?"

"Yeah..." She absentmindedly reaches for her cell phone but stops short. "...you tried calling me that night. You don't remember that?"

You shift uneasily, "I don't really remember much at all from that night, Sunset..."

"I'm sorry..." Her expression falls somewhat, her eyes drifting to the floor for a second before looking back up at you. "Adagio told me about what happened, a month after they came back to the school. I was mad... But I really do believe she's sorry about it."

You ponder for a moment. "Have you ever thought that she could be playing you to get to me?"

She looks over at Adagio, considering the thought for a short while before replying. "At first, maybe... But I don't think she would ever do that now..."

"Why not?" You raise an eyebrow inquisitively.

"After she told me what happened, I didn't speak to her for a few days..." She looks back at you, her eyes glistening a little. "I was just so mad... Then one morning, I saw her on an overpass as I was on my way to school. She was standing on the other side of the railing and leaning over the busy highway."

She pauses, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "She didn't want live with the shame of what she'd done to you, let alone think that she'd ruined her only chance at redeeming herself by telling me about it."

"...She wanted to kill herself?" Your eyes widen at her words, "...Over me?"

Sunset nods, "I had to beg her to climb back over and I drove her home, but she was just so miserable... I realize now that I shouldn't have been so mad, since she'd practically poured her heart out to me when she told me about what happened. It was just too painful for her to talk to me every day, knowing what she'd done, especially since she also knew you're one of my best friends..." She sighs deeply, "And I bit her head off for confiding in me... She didn't deserve that, especially from me. She reminds me so much of myself..."

"Yeah, but you probably didn't molest anyone though, right?" You chuckle nervously.

"Actually..." She admits, looking away in shame. "I... I almost did something far worse..."

You inch backward a little, "...What do you mean?"

"I..." Her voice cracks, "I tried to kill Twilight and her friends... before." She locks her eyes with the floor. You attempt to process what you're hearing, but you just can't imagine Sunset being capable of something like that. "You know me, Anon." She looks back up at you earnestly, "You know I couldn't even think of doing such a horrible thing now, but back then, I was just so much different..." She lets out a long sigh as her eyes fall back to the floor.

"Not a single day goes by that I don't regret that..." She continues, "I know they've forgiven me, but it still makes me sad sometimes... Not at all like her, though." She returns her gaze to Adagio, "She's had it worse than me I think, because she was actually successful in doing something horrible, and possibly other times in the past as well. But now?" She meets your eyes again, "She's such a different person now. Over these past few months, I've learned just how wonderful she really is. She's caring, selfless, impossibly intelligent, and always passionate about trying to be a better person. Altogether with her still somewhat snarky attitude, she really does have a wonderful personality." She laughs, "She's been working really hard to make amends with everyone, especially you." Her smile fades somewhat, "I can't tell you how desperately she'd been trying to find you. Searching nearby towns, schools, even homeless shelters... She'd nearly given up all hope before today, but now that she's found you again, I don't think I've ever seen her so happy." She looks back at you with a faint smile. "She really likes you, you know?"

You feel words die in your throat, contemplating how to respond. "Where I come from..." You try to think of a way to put it delicately. "...it's uncommon that you end up having a relationship with someone who... did what she did. Yet, I can see that she's so much different now than she was before. I've forgiven her, but... I just don't know if it would be such a good idea to trust her like that."

"That's understandable," She smiles, "but it's not every day that you get 'blasted by rainbows' either. That has a way of changing people like nothing else can. I would say that she's not that same person since then." You ponder for a while before she continues.

"Everyone needs a second chance..." Her eyes shift down toward the floor, "I know I needed one... but more importantly, what I needed more than that was for someone to give me the benefit of the doubt. During the Battle of the Bands, my friends were still skeptical of me even though I did my best to prove myself and because of that, we almost lost everything." She stares blankly at the floor as she recalls the events from months ago.

"It all came to a head after I jumped in to stop Rainbow from showing the Dazzlings her magic during the semi-finals. The entire school jeered at me and everyone thought that I had gone back to being the way that I was before, but what hurt the most was that my own friends wouldn't even step in to defend me." She clenches her fists a little. "Eventually they came around, but it was during the final battle when they were most desperate and I..." Her voice cracks a little and she turns away, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. "I hesitated..." She finally articulates with a deep sigh. "It was only for a second, but part of me actually didn't want to help them because I felt more like a last resort than I did a friend. I just wanted to run off-stage and get away from it all, and I think that was exactly what they were expecting me to do, both them and Adagio..." She looks back up at you, wiping her tears with her sleeve. "But I'm glad I didn't. I only wish they could have tried to trust me... Maybe it wouldn't have gone so far..."

She's right, you know... You think as you shift your eyes shift back to Adagio.

"Adagio desperately needs the benefit of the doubt." She continues, following your gaze. "In some ways, she may already be an even better person than I am, especially if my previous confession is anything to go by." She looks back at you. "Please, Anon, will you do that for her? Will you trust her so that she doesn't have to go through the same emptiness and despair that I went through? For me? She's my best friend..." She pleads.

You ponder for a while, knowing that she's probably right, but you want to give yourself a while to think it over. "...Can I think about it?" You finally ask.

"Of course." She replies, frowning a bit. "I just want to come to a solution that's best for both of you."

"Thank you, Sunset..."