The (Homeless) Dazzlings

A diner definitely wasn’t the most glamorous place to get sustenance. Even for them. But it was better than nothing, at least. That was pretty much all they needed as the three teenage girls entered the establishment. Without so much as a second look from any of the patrons, they took a seat at a booth next to the window.

Already, the eyes of one of the girls was scanning the place, seeking some kind of a way to plant a seed. However, it was already helped with a few other teenagers sitting a few booths away from them. The other two girls simply sat there, occasionally looking about, or otherwise keeping an eye on their leader, so to speak.

Aria slumped over, her omnipresent scowl deepening slightly as she sighed. Sonata, however, was smelling the enticing aromas from the kitchen and smiled. Her eyes eventually drifted back to the girl sitting across from both of them, feeling her lips pulling to a bigger smile.

“Seriously… talk about scraping the bottom of a barrel, Adagio,” Aria muttered, leaning her chin against her hand, “And just how do you plan on stirring up trouble? It’s not exactly a wrestling ring in here.”

Adagio didn’t answer as she continued to turn her gaze over the patrons of the diner, “Hmm…” she pondered quietly as she glanced back behind her, seeing a young couple arguing.

“Ooh, a couple’s argument!” Sonata said cheerfully, giggling behind her hands, “I wonder if it’s a nothing fight…”

Adagio held a hand up to silence her as she leaned back and perked up an ear.

“...I’m telling you, it was just a text!” the girl snapped.

“Yeah right, then why won’t you let me see it?” the boy retorted.

“Because my phone is private prop-you are a nutcase!” the girl huffed angrily.

Huffing a little herself, Aria rolled her eyes, “So that’s one. How about the rest of the place? I don’t think one arguing couple’s going to be enough.”

“Oh, come on, Aria! Give it some time!” Sonata pouted, crossing her arms, “Not everything happens at once!”

“Shut up, I wasn’t talking to you,” Aria said sourly, lifting her hoodie up over her head.

“Ladies, calm yourselves,” Adagio remarked as she watched an angry, bitter girl storm into the diner and sit down at the counter, making demands of the waitress, “That might work.”

“About time,” Aria said, following her gaze.

Sonata fiddled with her hood, feeling her stomach rumble, “Can we still get actual food, though? I’m hungry…”

Adagio fished a twenty-dollar bill out of her pocket and looked at it before handing it to her, “Sure, go get something to eat…”

Smiling brightly, Sonata took the money, “Yay! You guys want something?”

“Eh, a burger, I guess,” Aria said with a noncommittal shrug.

“I’m fine,” Adagio shrugged as she continued to watch the people around her. They’d started making hushed whispers when the angry girl had strode in.

Sonata got out of the booth as Aria gave her room to do so, and strolled up to the counter. Aria watched her go, frowning slightly and exhaling.

“Seriously, Adagio, why do you keep her around? She doesn’t even really need to be here,” Aria muttered, shaking her head.

Adagio shrugged, “What else are we supposed to do with her?”

“Let her do her own thing,” Aria said, adjusting one of her pigtails. She bit her lip, then sighed, “I don’t even know why you let her tag along. She just does what we do and that’s it.”

“You know she’d die without us,” Adagio remarked, narrowing her eyes.

Aria glanced toward an oblivious Sonata as she cheerfully chatted with the cook while he prepared their food. She sighed, crossing her arms and laying her head on them, “So that’s it, we’re just saving her butt.”

Adagio glanced over to Sonata as well and sighed, “...Yes, we’re saving her butt.”

“Oh well… least she’s following you like a little puppy instead of me,” Aria remarked.

Adagio glanced back at Sonata and gave the tiniest of smiles, “Mmhmm…”

A couple of minutes later, Sonata returned to the table with a couple of items. A hamburger for Aria, which she took with a stiff thank-you, and a hot dog for herself, along with a small bottle of soda pop. She slid the change over to Adagio, smiling gratefully.

“So! What’d I miss?” Sonata asked as she settled back into her seat.

“I don’t even know why you bother asking that. Nothing happened,” Aria rolled her eyes as she bit into her burger.

“We were just talking, Sonata,” Adagio sighed as she resumed her people-watching, taking note of how everyone was gossiping about the girl who’d sat down at the counter.

“Oh, okay,” Sonata bit into her hot dog, chewing thoughtfully. She looked back toward the counter, then at Adagio, “He was saying it was a slow night. But it was incredibly busy during lunchtime, though. Something about something going on over at the high school.”

“Oh? What’s that?” Adagio asked, turning her eyes back to Sonata.

Sonata twirled the end of her ponytail, thinking for a few moments, “I think he said there was some kind of big dance going on. A lot of the students were here today and were talking about it.”

“Oooh. School dance. Wow,” Aria said dryly, rolling her eyes, “Must’ve been the only exciting news all week.”

“Actually, it is,” Adagio smirked, “School dances are rife with bitterness. It’s a feast waiting to happen.”

“Eh, whatever, I guess,” Aria shrugged, eating more of her burger.

Sonata munched on her hot dog, looking out the window. She grinned widely as a long, black limousine drove past, “Limo! Limo! I win!” She gave Aria a light tap on the arm.

“Sonata, I told you, you’re supposed to point out the colours of a car, not the type,” Aria rolled her eyes.

Adagio chuckled and sat back as she watched the bitter girl get up and storm out, her red and orange hair dancing behind her. She could feel the discontent brewing around her as her jewel gave a shimmer, “My my, they really don’t like her, do they?”

Sonata looked down at her jewel as well, following Adagio’s gaze, “They really don’t seem to! What’s up with that?”

“Who cares, at least it’s something,” Aria remarked, “That’s odd, though. It doesn’t usually react like this around just one person in a place like this.”

“Hmm… looks like somebody’s making a pariah of herself,” Adagio smirked as she sat back as her jewel absorbed the energy around her.

“Yay!” Sonata smiled, finishing her food, “That’ll be awesome! I’ll bet we could get tons of energy from her!”

“Mmhmm,” Adagio smiled as she glanced out the window, watching the girl berating two younger boys.

Adagio sat up in her bed, reading by the dim candlelight she’d set up. She sighed as she took another glance around their hovel. It was an abandoned, two-level office building. Small, likely used for a family business before it was shut down. Their makeshift home had been set up on the second floor, with things such as beds and furniture cobbled together from whatever they’d managed to get their hands on.

Sounds of the floor creaking outside her room were heard, likely from Aria as she went to the bathroom to wash up. This was also evident from huffy sighs that sounded along with them. Silence followed for a moment or two, before new footsteps arose. This time, they approached Adagio’s door.

Creak. Creak. Creak. ...Creak.

While Adagio silently counted off in her head, there was a soft but audible set of knocking on the door.

“Adagio?” Came Sonata’s voice, “Can I come in?”

Adagio looked up and smiled, “Sure, come on in,” she said, waving her inside.

Sonata smiled as she came in, closing the door behind her. She got onto the bed, crawling over to Adagio, giggling a little.

“I can’t sleep…” Sonata said, twirling her hair a little bit, “Seeing that magic was so exciting.”

Adagio reached over and stroked Sonata’s arm. The real reason she kept Sonata around was because she admittedly held a soft spot for her. While she annoyed Aria to no end, she could brighten up even the most dire of circumstances.

Like now.

“It was, wasn't’ it?” Adagio smiled, putting her book down.

“Mm-hmm!” Sonata smiled, sitting a little closer to her, “I haven’t even seen you this excited in a long time, Adagio… I missed that gleam in your eyes.”

Adagio giggled softly, “It was nice to get a decent meal for once.”

Nodding in agreement, Sonata came closer and snuggled up beside her. She too hadn’t felt this excited in such a long time, probably not since shortly after their banishment. Maybe before? She wasn’t sure. Then again, she did manage to find pleasure in many of the little things this world had to offer, which was usually enough to keep her going. Sonata gave a little nuzzle to Adagio’s neck, closing her eyes a bit.

While she didn’t always see eye to eye with what Adagio and Aria did with all of this; there was always one thing that kept her coming back and staying. There was no denying the feelings she felt toward Adagio, something she’d felt ever since meeting her the first time. Sonata exhaled a little, breathing in Adagio’s scent while doing so.

“You smell pretty…” Sonata cooed.

Adagio wrapped an arm around Sonata’s shoulder and gently squeezed, “Thank you,” she whispered as she cuddled her close.

Adagio couldn’t recall a single night where Sonata had slept in her own room. She’d set one up, built her a bed like she had for herself an Aria (about as good a bed as you could get with planks and cinder-blocks). But Sonata never slept in it. She always wormed her way into Adagio’s room at some point in the night and slept with her.

In truth, Sonata didn’t like sleeping alone. She admitted to finding it cold and lonely, with nothing to snuggle up with. No one would have ever expected her to outright say someone like Adagio was a perfect candidate for cuddling, but she knew this very well. All throughout their travels in Equestria, the hotels were one big room with enough space for all of them to sleep. But ever since being banished here, that sort of thing was a luxury.

Sonata cuddled closer, feeling Adagio’s warmth against herself, looking up into her captivating eyes, “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about our store cupboard,” Adagio sighed, “We’re running out of food…”

“Are we?” Sonata pouted a little, “Oh, dear… I can do a midnight run, if you want.”

Adagio shook her head, “I don’t want you out scavenging alone. We’ll go together tomorrow night. There’s enough for the day.”

“Okay,” Sonata smiled, nuzzling into her shoulder, “Can we go to a pharmacy, too? I’m low on… er, the feminine stuff.”

Adagio pulled open the dented filing cabinet, where she kept their combined money, “...Sure. I think we have enough.”

Giving a little more of a smile, Sonata nodded and curled up against her, “Thank you… I’d borrow Aria’s, but the type she uses doesn’t work for me.”

“Of course,” Adagio said, rubbing Sonata’s stomach as she cuddled her closer, laying down as she blew out the candle, “We’ll get you what you need, Sona.”

Sonata giggled from the touch, relishing in the attention Adagio was giving her, “Thanks… Mm… that tickles…”

Adagio smiled, feeling less tense already as she nuzzled Sonata’s hair, pulling the worn out blanket over her and wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Sonata snuggled closer, nuzzling her neck and sighing in contentment. Sure, their triumphs were amazing for seeing Adagio so thrilled, but she could never get enough of moments like this.

“Goodnight, Adagio…” Sonata whispered.

“Goodnight, Sonata,” Adagio whispered.