The Worst

by SquiggelSquirrel

Chapters

They weren't fighting!
Can't unsee…
Sleeping together
…what has been seen
Laid, bare
Sisters
The Morning After
Drama
Crowded
Adagishy
Blaze
Dusk
Sorry
Home…
Words
… where the heart is
Foreword

They weren't fighting!

“You're… urrgh… you're the worst, Sonata!”, Aria Blaze growled.

“Well I think y-you're the… the worst, Aria!”, Sonata Dusk whined.

“Nuh… No, you are, SONATA!”, Aria yelled.

“No yoouuu arAriaaaah!”, howled Sonata.

“WILL YOU TWO STOP ARGU—”, Adagio Dazzle shouted, as she slammed open the door to Sonata's bedroom.

She'd come back early, already stressed from the part-time job she'd been forced into, after a mix-up with her work timetable. Her sisters had been fighting, again, more fiercly than usual from the sounds of it, and hadn't heard her come in. She'd headed to her room, not wanting to get involved, but eventually the yelling had grated on her nerves too much, and she'd decided to intervene.

The sounds of distant traffic filled the silence that followed for almost a full minute, before Adagio stepped back out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. Without a word, she turned, walked across the flat, picked up her coat and bag, and left through the front door, gently closing that behind her, too.

Half an hour later, Fluttershy was standing in line at Donut Joe's. She had planned to meet Rainbow Dash here after the other girl had finished practice, but had decided to turn up early and make some more progress on her book report. There was only one other person queuing, and that girl had been staring at the menu board for the last ten minutes, but Fluttershy didn't want to upset anyone by cutting in line. Granted, she wasn't entirely certain the other girl was queuing up to buy something.

“Umm… excuse me?”, Fluttershy asked for the eighth time, eliciting no more response than the previous seven. With each repetition, she had crept a small step closer. Now, she was close enough to sidle around to face the stranger. Able at last to see the girl's face, instead of only the back of her hoodie, Fluttershy stepped back with a gasp, and brought her bookbag up to her chest.

From behind the counter, the shop assistant watched the two girls wearily. At least there were no other customers waiting.

Eventually, Fluttershy spoke up.

“A-Adagio Dazzle?”

At first, Adagio did not respond. Only when Fluttershy took another small step away, did her gaze flick down from the menu, onto Fluttershy's face. Her brow furrowed, and her jaw shifted. After a short while, recognition dawned, and her face dropped back to a blank expression.

“Oh,” she stated, “it's you. You're one of The Rainbooms, right? Flicker-something… ”

“Fluttershy.” Fluttershy swallowed. “Umm, what are you doing here? If you don't mind me asking.”

Adagio stared at her a moment before muttering, “Oh, right…”, and stepping up to the counter. “Gimme one large choco-shake, with cream and sprinkles.”

Fluttershy watched as Adagio pulled a few coins from her purse, and began tapping one of them on counter absently, while the assistant mixed the drink. The last time Fluttershy had seen Adagio Dazzle, the former siren had been trying to take over the world. Watching her order a milkshake like any other girl was just… wrong, somehow. She wasn't sure if she should phone her friends, it wasn't as if Adagio was doing anything wrong.

“Uh, so… are you trying to take over the world again? Only, I don't see your sisters anywhere, and you don't seem to be doing anything evil, so, uh…” Fluttershy's voice trailed off. Adagio had stopped tapping the coin, and had turned to Fluttershy with a scary, wide-eyed look. Her mouth was set straight, but Fluttershy thought she saw one corner twitch before Adagio turned away, and began to speak.

“No, my sisters are… ”, Adagio shuddered slightly, “… not here. I'm alone, I just wanted a milkshake.”

The assistant returned with Adagio's drink, which she paid for, before stepping off to one side. Fluttershy stepped up to the counter.

“Um, one medium strawberry shake please, with no cream or sprinkles, if that's okay with you. Thank you.”

While her drink was being prepared, Fluttershy glanced across at Adagio, who was now leaning against a wall, staring down at her drink as though waiting for it to do something. Fluttershy wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed as though something was wrong, and she realised right then that she just couldn't bring herself to walk away without trying to help.

“Er, A-Adagio? Um, I was just wondering, if, uh, maybe you'd like to sit with me?”

Adagio's lip curled. “Why would I ever want to sit with you?”

“Oh. Uh, okay. I just thought, maybe, you're here alone, you might like someone to sit with. Sorry.”

The assistant returned with Fluttershy's drink. After handing over payment, with a mumbled “thank you”, Fluttershy headed over to an empty space by the window.

She sat down, and almost jumped straight out of her seat when Adagio sat down next to her. An angry glare told Fluttershy well enough not to comment on this, so she instead began to quietly sip her milkshake, waiting to see if Adagio would speak first.

Twenty minutes later, Fluttershy's drink was long finished. Adagio's had been stirred to death, but was otherwise untouched. Neither girl had spoken, and Fluttershy decided to finally break the silence.

“So, uh, Adagio. How have you and your sisters been doing lately?”

Adagio jerked bolt upright. “Doing it!? Doing what, exactly? Who says they've been doing anything? What exactly are you implying?”

Fluttershy's wilted under Adagio's glare, her response coming out as an incoherent squeak as she shook her head in denial of whatever it was that she'd said wrong. The glare continued.

This just happened to be the point at which Rainbow Dash arrived. Taking one look at the scene, she sprinted across the room, jumped up onto the table, and hoisted Adagio out of her seat by the shoulders of her top.

“HEY! What the HELL do you think you're doing to Fluttershy!?”

“Um, Rainbow, I…” began Fluttershy.

“None of your business, Rainbow Dash.” snarled Adagio.

“Like hell it's not! You go near my friend, you answer to me, got that?”

“…I asked if she wanted to sit…”

“What makes you think I even care about your pathetic little friends?”

“Pathetic? I'll show you pathetic, you little…”

Rainbow stopped, because Fluttershy had placed a hand on her forearm. Before the timid girl could speak, though, the shop assistant stepped in.

“Is there a problem here?”

Fluttershy spoke up. “I asked Adagio if she wanted to sit with me because she was here by herself and I thought she looked upset and it's ok, it was just a misunderstanding.”

Rainbow lowered Adagio, who gave the assistant a smile.

“No problem,” Adagio assured her. The girl looked doubtful, but headed back to the counter without pressing things further.

Rainbow slipped off the table, into the space between Fluttershy and Adagio. She turned to Fluttershy, and asked incredulously:

“Seriously?”

When Fluttershy nodded, Dash turned back to Adagio.

“So… you're here alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Where are your sisters?”

Adagio opened her mouth, then closed it. She pulled out her phone, and tapped the screen a couple of times.

“Well they haven't called me, so I guess they're still back at the flat. They're probably there, right now, doing…” Adagio gave another small shudder, as her voice trailed off. She slipped the phone back into her bag, and returned to stirring her drink.

“Doing what?”

“None of your business.”

Rainbow silently watched Adagio attacking her milkshake for a few moments more. She didn't trust the other girl at all, but she seemed pretty upset, and Rainbow found herself growing concerned, despite herself.

“Hey, uh, are you okay?”

Adagio stopped stirring, at turned to look at Rainbow. Her expression could not have been more disbelieving if the tomboy had suggested they take ballet classes together. Seconds dragged by as Rainbow waited for an answer.

Then Adagio chuckled.

“Okay?” a grin broke out across her face. “Of course I'm okay.” She chuckled again. “Why…” she giggled… “why wouldn't…” her shoulders began to shake, odd hiccupping noises escaping her throat.

Rainbow Dash was not at all comfortable with the way Adagio was staring at her. The girl's eyes were wide, she didn't seem to be focussing properly, and if Rainbow had known the phrase “rictus grin”, she would most likely have been thinking it about now.

“Why wouldn't…” Adagio continued, slowly lifting her hands to her face as her body continued to tremble, broken words fighting their way past diaphragm spasms. “…wouldn't I be, o, o…” Her hands tensed like claws, closing around her face.

She sucked a great gulp of air through the mask her own hands had formed.

Curling to a foetal position, Adagio Dazzle gave a long, distressed wail, and slumped sideways into her chair.

Can't unsee…

Rainbow Dash's hand hovered uncertainly. Adagio Dazzle, centuries old Equestrian monster in human form, leader of some of the most deadly villains ever to have walked the halls of Canterlot High School, (and, let's face it, all-around evil bitch,) was curled up like a baby, wailing and howling with despair, right in front of her. It didn't help that they were in a very public place, and that everyone in the shop had turned to stare at them.

“Uh, hey, um, cut that out. Please? Seriously, what's going on here? You're freaking me out. Do you need a, uh…” Rainbow's eyes darted around wildly as she tried to think what she could offer to placate the siren. Adagio's howling only redoubled. Rainbow tried to think what would work if she were in Adagio's position, but it was just too hard to imagine. The girl did seem to have a high opinion of herself; Maybe reminding her how awesome she thought she was would help?

The shop assistant had returned, but unfortunately seemed no less clueless than Rainbow.

“Whoa, c'mon, stop that. You're disturbing the other customers!” She turned to Rainbow Dash. “Tell your friend to stop that!”

“What do you think I'm trying to do? She's not my friend, I don't even know what's wrong with her!”

“Oh, honestly you two!” It was Fluttershy who spoke up. The normally timid girl had stood up, circled the table, and pulled up a chair right next to Adagio, before resting a hand on her shoulder.

“There, there. It's okay. Just let it all out.”

“But we don't want it all out!” wailed the panicked shop assistant.

“Yeah, we're trying to make her stop!” agreed Rainbow.

Fluttershy gave the pair of them an exasperated look. “Now stop that, both of you. Can't you see she's in pain?”

Duly admonished, both girls started to look a little less panicky, a little more embarrassed, and then a lot more concerned. Adagio's wails had quietened considerably, she was now just gasping loud, whining breaths. When Fluttershy rested a hand on Adagio's, the distraught girl responded by gripping Fluttershy's hand tightly in her own.

After a moment, the assistant piped up again. “Sh-should we call an ambulance?”

“No,” Fluttershy smiled, “I don't think she's injured, just upset.”

“Well, maybe her family?” The assistant flinched as this suggestion elicited another mewling wail from Adagio. Fluttershy just shook her head.

“No, it's okay, just give her time,” Fluttershy said, then turning back to Adagio: “There, there. Deep breaths. Just take it slowly.”

Eventually, the siren quietened, slowly uncurled, and sat herself back upright. Her eyes were red, and she was still sniffling, but she seemed to have regained some composure. By this time, most of the other patrons had lost interest.

“Um,” began the assistant, “are you okay?”

Adagio gave the girl a half-hearted glare, then drew herself up, squared her shoulders, and shifted her attention back to her milkshake. Lifting it from the table, she flicked the straw out and onto the floor, then lifted the glass to her lips. The other three girls watched in shock as Adagio gulped down roughly a whole pint of milk, sugar, cream, and chocolate syrup without pause. Afterwards, she brought the glass down with a firm “thud” on the tabletop, wiped the cream from her upper lip, and stood up, pushing off the tabletop with both hands.

“We're leaving,” she announced.

She was about halfway to the door, with Fluttershy following in tow, before Rainbow Dash came to her senses and reacted.

“Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute. Who says we have to go anywhere with you? Last time I checked, we were enemies!”

“I don't care what you do,” sneered Adagio, “stay if you want, but I am bored of this place.”

Rainbow Dash shot Fluttershy a pained look.

“Um, sorry Rainbow,“ said Fluttershy, ”I just don't want to leave her alone right now. I really think we should make sure she's okay first.”

“Uurgh, whatever!” growled Adagio, before making a line straight for the front door.

When Fluttershy followed in Adagio's wake, Rainbow jumped to her feet, pausing only to offer the shop assistant an apologetic look and an embarrassed “sorry!”, before sprinting after the two girls. She caught up just as Fluttershy passed the front door, and almost collided with Adagio when the redhead stopped abruptly.

“Hey, uh…” Adagio began, “… Flutterfly. You have a shower at your place, right?”

“Wait, what?” interrupted Rainbow Dash.

“Um, it's Fluttershy,” Fluttershy began, “and yes, we do have a shower, and a bath.”

“Great,” Adagio,“I really could use a shower right now, and I can't go back to my place.” She paused a moment, then added: “The shower's broken.”

“Oh, of course,” answered Fluttershy. “You can use the shower at my house.”

“Wait, WHAT!?” yelled Rainbow Dash. “Fluttershy, you can't be serious! She's…” Rainbow flailed her arms wildly in Adagio's direction, “… using you!” she eventually finished.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy exclaimed, using her “stern” voice. “Adagio Dazzle has turned to us for help and kindness, is that any way for you to be treating her?”

“I just wanted to use your shower,” Adagio muttered and crossed her arms, none too happy at being described like some sort of… charity case by the weakest and most useless of the Rainbooms.

“Oh, don't worry, Adagio,” Fluttershy smiled, taking one of Adagio's hands in her own. “It's right this way.”

Rainbow Dash watched, appalled, as a slightly bewildered Adagio Dazzle found herself being led, by the hand, down the street. She gritted her teeth, raised her hands either side of her head, and let out a frustrated whine. Then she threw her arms wide, let them fall back to her sides, and stomped after them.

A couple of blocks later, they found themselves at Fluttershy's front door. Rainbow Dash was at least relieved to see that Adagio had gone back to looking uncomfortable, frowning and shifting from one foot to the other as Fluttershy opened the door.

The girls stepped inside, and as Rainbow closed the door behind her, a sing-song voice echoed down the hallway.

“Fluttershy, dear, is that you?” A moment later, Fluttershy's mother appeared from a doorway at the end of the hall. She was wearing an apron, and holding up a wooden spoon with what appeared to be batter on the end. “Oh, hello, dear,” she sang, nodding towards Rainbow Dash “… and I see you've brought another friend home,” she commented, looking at Adagio.

Probably only Rainbow Dash heard Adagio's muttered “No!”

Fluttershy beamed. “Mom, Adagio would like to use the shower, if that's okay with you.”

“Of course, dear. I was just making some cookies,” continued the older woman, gesturing back into the kitchen, “would your friends like some?”

Fluttershy turned to the other two girls. “Would you? Mom makes really yummy cookies!”

“Sure” said Rainbow, “sounds good, Mrs. F”

Then Fluttershy turned to Adagio. The slow sound of a clock ticking filled the hallway as Adagio stared back. She seemed to be working through some extreme internal conflict. Her jaw worked furiously, one expression after another flickering over her face. For a moment, Rainbow was certain the girl was about to explode in a violent rage, and stepped around ready to intervene.

Then Adagio's face dropped. Staring at her feet, she gently kicked one of her boots and brushed her hair back to one side.

“Yeah, whatever,” she mumbled.

Still beaming, Fluttershy turned back to her mother. “Yes please, mommy!”

After… Mrs Fluttershy?… had left, Fluttershy began guiding Adagio towards the bathroom.

“Just up the stairs here, turn right at the top, and straight on to the end,” she explained, apparently intending to accompany Adagio all the way up anyway.

“Hey,” Adagio turned to Fluttershy, placing one hand on the other girl's shoulder and bringing her round face-to-face, “you do realise I'm still evil, right?”

“Of course!” grinned back Fluttershy, before starting her way up the stairs. “Feel free to use any of the soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Clean towels are in the cupboard. We'll be just down the hall, here.” Fluttershy gestured a door with a trio of large pink butterflies painted on it.

Scowling, Adagio Dazzle marched into Fluttershy's bathroom, and closed the door behind her.

Sleeping together

“OK, let's say there is something wrong with her.” Adagio had been in the shower for ten minutes already, during which Rainbow Dash had been pacing the room and… “not sulking”, while Fluttershy sat and read her book. Eventually, it was Rainbow who stopped her pacing and broke the silence. “I'm not saying I believe her little act, but… if there's something wrong, what do you think it is?”

Fluttershy closed her book, and looked up. “Oh, I don't think we should pry. I'm sure she'll tell us when she's ready.”

“Yeah, but, if we figure it out first, that'll help us help her, right? I mean, it's gotta be something to do with her sisters, right? You saw how she reacted when we mentioned them, and those three are like some sort of evil team, I'll bet they do everything together.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth to reply, but Rainbow ploughed on.

“They must have had a fight, or something. A really bad one. Hey, maybe they kicked her out!” The grin on Rainbow's face died quickly at the sight of Fluttershy's expression, “… which would be… bad, kinda. I mean, she is evil and she totally deserves it, but I guess we should be nice to her anyway?”

Fluttershy waited until Rainbow was finished talking before voicing her own opinion.

“I don't think there's ever a reason to not be nice, if you can. Maybe if we help her, we could become friends instead of enemies,” She glanced towards the door before continuing, “but I don't think we should be trying to guess what happened. Talking behind someone's back isn't nice, and we'd probably only jump to the wrong conclusions anyway. Let's just be there for her, and wait and see if she wants to talk to us about it.”

Fluttershy smiled, and Rainbow realised that the discussion was ended.

An hour and a half later, Adagio, dressed and mostly dry, but with still-damp hair, marched into Fluttershy's bedroom, where the two girls were watching cartoons on Netflix.

“Ok, I'm done here, so I'm leaving now.”

Fluttershy looked up, and moved as if to stand, before remaining seated.

“Oh, um, didn't you want any cookies? We saved them for you.”

Adagio eyed the plates set on the nearby table. One of them was piled high with cookies, the other two held only a sprinkling of crumbs. After a moment's hesitation, she crumbled.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess.”

“I'll go get you some milk. Oh, um, unless you'd prefer juice?”

“I don't suppose you have any beer?”

Fluttershy flushed slightly.

“Oh, n-no, sorry.”

“Milk's fine.”

Fluttershy nodded, and hurried from the room, leaving Adagio alone with Rainbow Dash. The Dazzling dropped into a chair with a grunt, before picking up one of the cookies and eyeing it disdainfully.

“God, I need a drink.”

“Rough day?” Rainbow had closed the cartoon, but still seemed focus on her internet browsing.

“Yeah, you can say that again.”

“So, uh,” Rainbow began, in her best trying-too-hard-to-be-casual voice, “wanna talk about it?”

Adagio stared at her, then smirked.

“Sorry, but no.” She bit into her cookie, raising one eyebrow in appreciation — the cookies were quite good, and Rainbow Dash seemed annoyed by her presence, which was a plus. By the time Fluttershy returned with a glass of milk, Adagio was actually smiling, gently.

Then Fluttershy spoke up.

“Uh, hey, Adagio! Would you like to watch a movie with us?”

Adagio frowned, and swallowed her mouthful of cookie.

“Er, no. I'm just staying here long enough to use your shower.” She paused, then added “… and eat these cookies. Then I'm leaving.” She felt it was important to be clear on this matter — if she stuck around any longer, these annoying Rainbooms would probably start trying to befriend her, or something. Adagio Dazzle was not about to become “friends” with any of these wimpy girls.

There was a knock on the door. Fluttershy's mother poked her head in.

“Fluttershy, darling, it's getting rather late. Do your friends want to sleep over?”

Adagio almost choked on her cookie.

While Fluttershy ineffectually patted the coughing Adagio's back, Rainbow Dash spoke up to make excuses. In retrospect, though, she maybe shouldn't have gone with the first idea that popped into her head.

“Oh, I think Adagio needs to watch her sisters tonight.”

"NO!” Adagio's reaction was almost instantaneous, the word cutting her coughing fit short. Fluttershy had to admit that Rainbow had a point; The mere mention of her sisters had brought a hunted, haunted look to the siren's face, and she found herself worrying that Adagio was going to break down again.

“I - I mean, no, my… sisters can look after themselves. I just…” she stopped, and began gazing at the floor, with a troubled expression. She hadn't given thought to where she would sleep tonight — not at home, she was certain of that much.

Fluttershy rescued her.

“Could we have some time to think about that, mom?”

“Of course, dear. I'll be downstairs if you need me to set up a guest bed.”

Adagio stared in horror at the door, as Fluttershy's mother's footsteps echoed up the hall.

“Fluttershy,” said Rainbow Dash, quietly, “could I please talk to you for a moment?”

By the time the other girls returned, Adagio had mostly regained her composure, and made some sense of the situation.

“Yeah, I know. I'm not welcome here; Don't worry, I can take care of myself. Tell your mom thanks for the cookies.”

Fluttershy blocked her path.

“Um, actually, I mean, if you want to stay tonight, that is, that would be okay. Er, in fact, uh, Rainbow Dash was going to stay here, too, and we were thinking of inviting some of our other friends around, that is, if they're not too busy.”

Adagio looked from one girl to the other, and back again.

“Seriously?” The girls both nodded, and Adagio found herself actually considering their offer. A hotel room would be expensive, especially last-minute. “I'm not sharing a room with any of you.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy muttered, “th-that's okay, we can all squeeze in here if you want the guest room to yourself.”

Adagio's eyes narrowed. “And why do you suddenly want all your friends sleeping over.”

Fluttershy looked wretched, and wouldn't meet Adagio's eyes. “O-oh, we just thought… it would be nice… it's not that we don't trust you…”

Rainbow held up a hand. “It's that I totally don't trust you, and I'm not leaving you here alone tonight to take advantage of Fluttershy.”

“Oh, please, ” Adagio glowered at Rainbow, “your friend is cute, but she's not really my type.”

Both the other girls flushed at this.

“Th-that's not what I meant!” stammered Rainbow.

“C-cute?” mumbled Fluttershy.

“Well, whatever,” Adagio shrugged. “I don't have my pajamas or anything.”

“Fluttershy said you could borrow some of hers,” said Rainbow, since Fluttershy was still too busy turning bright red over the “cute” comment.

“Ok, fine. But I don't want any of your stupid friends disturbing me while I'm trying to sleep.”

Fluttershy nodded, and stumbled back to the door while pulling out her phone.

“OK, I-I'll just… ph-phone them… let them know…” still mumbling, she slipped out of the room, once again leaving Adagio and Rainbow Dash alone together.

Once outside, Fluttershy drew a deep breath, then proceeded to dial Pinkie Pie's number. The party girl answered on the first ring.

“Fluttershy! I was just gonna call you, I had a really great idea!”

“Oh, uh, really?”

“Yep, whaddya say to a sleepover at your house tonight?” Fluttershy's expression froze. “I know it's, like, super last-minute, but I figured it's Friday today, which means it's Saturday tomorrow, which means we don't have to go to school, and I just have a hunch tonight's a night we can get everyone together! In fact, I was thinking, if it's you, me, Dashie, Jackie, Rarie, Sunny and Twily, that's seven, so if you had one other friend you wanted to invite, we'd have eight, which is just the most perfect sleepover number!”

“Um, that sounds nice,” agreed a stunned Fluttershy. “I was actually thinking the same thing, almost.”

“Awesome! I'll call all the girls, and I'll drop by Rainbow Dash's place on the way over and pick up her sleeping things, because she was meeting you today, which means she won't have her sleeping things with her, so we can save her having to make an extra trip. Wait, no, two extra trips! See you later, alligator!”

With that, Pinkie Pie hung up. Fluttershy stood, eyeing the phone suspiciously. She was fairly certain no-one else had told Pinkie Pie any of what had happened that afternoon, in fact she wasn't even sure how Pinkie had known she'd been meeting Rainbow Dash. Still, Pinkie “had a hunch” that everyone would be available, even at such short notice…

Fluttershy went to let her mother know that there would be eight girls staying at her house tonight.

…what has been seen

Twilight Sparkle took a moment to admire the flowers outside Fluttershy's house, before joining Sunset Shimmer on the front doorstep. She was nervous about her second ever sleepover, especially since Pinkie Pie had said that Fluttershy would be inviting a new friend, but also pretty excited — Princess Twilight had given her a lot of advice regarding sleepovers, and she was eager to put the theory into practice.

Things did not go as smoothly as she had hoped, though. When Fluttershy had ushered the two of them into her hallway, where Twilight immediately noticed a girl she didn't recognise leaning against the wall, Twilight had stepped forward to introduce herself, only to find Sunset's arm raised to block the way.

It was Sunset who spoke first.

“Fluttershy, what's going on?”

Before Fluttershy could answer, though, the other girl spoke up.

“Oh, don't worry.” She sauntered towards them. “I'm not here to fight, and I have no interest in your little sleepover. I'm just going to be staying in the spare room, by myself, and I thought I'd better make it clear right away that I don't want to be disturbed.”

The girl shot a look towards Twilight, who had instinctively sidled in behind Sunset.

“What!?” she growled, “don't tell me the Princess of Friendship is afraid of me now?”

“Oh, I-I'm not…”

“This is the Twilight Sparkle from this world, Adagio. You remember how everypony seems to have a counterpart here?” Even as Sunset explained this, Twilight stepped forward, swallowing her anxiety, and offered her hand, with what she hoped was a friendly smile. The other girl — “Adagio” — peered down at the outstretched appendage.

“Twilight,” Sunset continued, “this is Adagio Dazzle. She's the leader of three sirens who used their voices to spread dark magic all across Equestria, before they were banished to this world. She tried to take over the world a few months back, but we destroyed the pendants which gave them their mind-control powers, so I guess now she's just a regular teenage girl.” Adagio frowned, as that last part seemed to be directed more at her than the quivering, bespectacled girl standing beside Sunset.

Twilight's smile had faded entirely. Her hand, still outstretched, was now visibly shaking. Still, she didn't back down.

Adagio stared at her a while, tilting her head on one side while considering this turn of events. Eventually, one corner of her mouth twisted into an unpleasant smile, and she reached out her own hand, lips parting as she prepared to say something. She was interrupted , though, when Fluttershy spoke her name.

“Adagio?”

For some reason, this froze the siren in her tracks. Her eyes darted back towards Fluttershy, then to Twilight again. Her jaw shifted from side to side as she glared at Twilight, before she finally let out a dismissive grunt and knocked the outstretched hand aside with the back of her own.

“Whatever. Stay out of my way, and we can all sleep peacefully tonight.” With these words, Adagio spun on her heel and marched off to her room.

Fluttershy lead Twilight and Sunset up to her room, where the rest of the girls were already waiting. Upon entry, Twilight was greeted with a hug from Applejack, while Sunset received one Rarity. Pinkie sat on the bed, grinning and waving wildly, while Rainbow Dash beamed at them from the desk chair.

“Twilight!”

“Sunset!”

“Hey guys!”

“Eee, I'm so glad you both made it, now we're all here!”

“I do hope that dreadful Adagio Dazzle didn't you give you too much trouble, darlings.”

“An' speaking of,” Applejack turned to Fluttershy, “now we're all here n'all, an' not meanin' t'be rude, but d'ya mind explainin' just exactly why she is here? Last I checked, we weren't exactly friends with her.”

Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash, and between the two of them, they began to recount the day's events in full.

That night, Twilight Sparkle found herself lying awake, wondering what kind of world-view a girl like Adagio Dazzle must have. Even during Twilight's recent transformation into “Midnight Sparkle”, the darkly angelic she-demon who had tried to destroy the world, she hadn't really thought of herself as “evil”. If anything, she'd considered herself above such notions. It was hard to imagine any human choosing to be “evil”, but then again, the “Dazzlings” hadn't started out as humans.

She wondered what kind of trauma Adagio Dazzle had been through in the last few days, and whether this really was an opportunity for the girl's redemption. Twilight was still wondering about this when she drifted off.

Rainbow Dash hadn't planned on spying, honestly. She'd just been having trouble sleeping, and gotten up in the night to get herself some warm milk. True, this meant walking past the door to the spare room where Adagio Dazzle was supposed to be sleeping, and of course, it was best to do this quietly, without turning any lights on, so as not to wake anyone, but so what? If Adagio Dazzle really was asleep, the door would be closed, and there'd be no harm done, right?

Truthfully, she really hadn't expected to hear a muffled noise coming from the kitchen, and she hadn't expected to find anyone in there when she peered through the open door.

The lights were off, but moonlight flooded the room, and Rainbow's eyes were already adjusted to the dark. It was easy for her to see the ice cream tub on the table, and for her to recognise the girl sat, or rather, slumped at the table, as Adagio. The moonlight illuminated the spoon in her hand, and the dark stain on her lips.

Mostly, though, Rainbow's attention was caught by the way the moonlight glistened off Adagio's tear-soaked cheeks, which quivered as the girl sat, sobbing, and gazing vacantly into the darkness of the ceiling.

Dammit if seeing that hadn't felt like a kick to Rainbow's guts. As she crept back up to Fluttershy's room, her thoughts churned sickeningly, but she could reach only one conclusion: Fluttershy's wait-and-don't-pry policy wasn't going to cut it this time. They had to do something.

Rainbow just wished she knew what.

Half an hour later, Adagio heard someone coming down the stairs. She knocked the chair over, rushing to the kitchen sink to wash her face. The door was just ajar, but someone still felt the need to knock before entering. For a moment, Adagio considered trying to hide the ice cream, but it was pretty obvious she didn't have time, so she headed straight from the sink to the door to cut whoever it was off before they entered.

The hallway light was on. Fluttershy was standing at the door, with a deeply concerned look on her face.

“Um, a-Adagio? Rainbow Dash said that you were crying…”

“Rainbow Dash has a big mouth,” Adagio snarled, “and apparently an even bigger nose, if she's shoving it into other people's business.”

A muffled “thump” from the stairs caused Adagio to step further out of the kitchen, to discover the all the other attendees to Fluttershy's sleepover, perched on the stairs and trying to listen in on the conversation without being noticed.

“UURGH!” Adagio exclaimed, causing Fluttershy to flinch as she stabbed a finger in the girls' direction, “this,” she hissed, “is none of your business. Any of you!”

Fluttershy stepped back with a small nod. Sunset Shimmer, however, seemed undaunted.

“You're right, it's not.” Sunset descended the stairs, into the hallway. “Just tell me one thing, Adagio: Is there anyone else you can talk to about whatever this is?”

Adagio hesitated, and stepped back. The other girls began to follow Sunset's footsteps. Now that they could see her clearly, Adagio seemed far less intimidating than usual, less like a deadly super-villain, and more like a frightened teenage girl. Maybe it was the lack of makeup, or the haunted look in her eyes, the way she rubbed her elbows, or the way her hair simply hung down loose behind her.

The pastel pink pyjamas with the yellow butterfly motif probably contributed to the effect, though. She was even wearing fluffy bunny slippers.

“That…” Adagio began, “I mean, why would I want to tell anyone?”

“Because it will make you feel better,” replied Sunset, stepping forward. “Because this is hurting you, and you need to ask someone for help.”

“Th-that's ridiculous,” stammered Adagio. “Why would having more people know about this make me feel better?”

“I don't know,” replied Sunset, “but I promise you, it does. We want to help you; Whatever it is, I promise, we won't use it against you. Your secret is safe with us.”

A small voice from the back of the room interrupted.

“Um,” Twilight Sparkle had raised one finger, stepping forward to interpose her question, “is that OK? I mean, what if it's something really bad, or illegal?”

Twilight squirmed slightly as every pair of eyes turned to her.

“I can't speak for all of you,” answered Sunset, looking across the girls, “but Adagio needs someone she can trust. I am promising not to tell anyone her secret, if any of you aren't comfortable with that, maybe you should head back upstairs.”

Moments passed. Twilight nodded silently and stepped back into the group. No-one left. Eventually, Rainbow Dash spoke up, her expression far more subdued than usual.

“We promise.”

Everyone turned to Adagio. Her eyes darted around fearfully, and she backed away, her bottom lip quivering.

Then, she just seemed to… deflate. Her arms dropped, she stared down at the floor, and after a pause she turned back in to the kitchen, gesturing for the other girls to follow her.

Soon, Adagio was sat at the table, the kitchen light were on, and all the girls were gathered around her. She rubbed her face in her hands, kneading her head back and forth, before straightening up and beginning her tale.

“I… I went…” When her voice faltered, she closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, opened her eyes again, slowly, and let out a long sigh.

“I went home early. There was a mix-up at work. They didn't hear me come in. They didn't know I was there.”

“My sisters…” she added.

“They were arguing. I thought they were… it sounded like arguing. I thought it did.”

No-one else noticed the way Rarity straightened up, eyes widening and lips pursing.

“I… I walked in on them…” Adagio continued. She was wringing her hands together, interlocking her fingers in a series of scissoring motions, twisting from one to the next. “… not right away. Only after… after they'd been… 'at it', for a while.”

Sunset Shimmer was still smiling gently. Applejack and Rainbow Dash wore slowly deepening frowns as they tried to tease out the meaning behind Adagio's words. Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie simply looked politely interested, and Fluttershy just looked nervous.

“I walked in, and they were…” her throat caught, and she had to take another deep breath, “… doing it.”

Sunset's expression slid from friendly smile to confused shock. She turned to glance across at the other girls, meeting Rarity's expression, which mirrored her own. Fluttershy was glancing around uncertainly at the other girls, looking worried and slightly panicky. Pinkie Pie's expression was still blank, polite, curiosity, but Twilight's was more troubled, though still focussed on Adagio. Applejack and Rainbow Dash's expressions hadn't changed.

A silent pause followed Adagio's pronouncement, and only when it was clear that she had finished speaking, Applejack cleared her throat softly, and spoke up:

“Um, sorry but, doin' what, exactly?”

Adagio tried to glare at Applejack, but it was half-hearted at best. Her gaze dropped to the table, her lips curled, and her teeth clenched. Her bitter snarl came out coarser than anything she'd uttered so far.

“Each. Other.”

Laid, bare

Fluttershy had never noticed how loud her kitchen clock was.

Really, it was making the silence quite awkward.

Tick… tick… tick…

None of the Rainbooms dared be the first to speak, but it seemed Adagio had nothing more to say, either, and so the awkwardness dragged on.

Tick… tick… tick…

Eventually, it was Twilight who found her voice.

“Umm… are you sure —”

“YES, I'M FUCKING SURE!” Adagio exploded, slamming her fists on the table. “I KNOW WHAT FUCKING LOOKS LIKE WHEN I FUCKING WALK IN ON IT!”

Twilight visibly flinched at each “F-bomb”, while a panicked Fluttershy attempted to make placating motions with her hands. It seemed unlikely that this outburst wouldn't have woken her mother, or indeed half their neighbours, but this didn't seem to be foremost in the siren's mind right now. When Adagio continued, it wasn't clear if she'd taken any notice of Fluttershy, but her voice did drop to a quieter, if no less vehement, tone.

“They weren't wrestling and, 'oops!' just happened to fall on top of each other, and rip each other's clothes off right before I walked in. What I saw…” she shuddered, “they had… they were wearing… they were sharing a…” Adagio stopped waving her hands, and instead gripped her elbows. She looked thoroughly nauseous. “Oh gods…” her right hand moved up to rub her left shoulder as she gazed off towards the corner of the kitchen floor, “they weren't just… it wasn't…” she swallowed, then lifted her hands up so she could bury her face in them. “I don't think this was the first time. They must have… behind my back…”

The rest of the girls exchanged glances. Applejack breathed a profanity of her own, and Sunset stepped forward to place a hand on Adagio's shoulder.

“I'm sorry,” Sunset said, “that must have been really hard for you to see.”

Adagio swatted Sunset's hand away.

“Well, your 'sorry' doesn't help,” Adagio snarled, “I don't even know why I'm talking to you. You're probably all just waiting to laugh at me, and tell all your whole school all about the freakish perverts I have for sisters.”

“No, we're not.” Rainbow Dash's voice came out a little more raspy than usual. “Really, we won't…” she glanced around before continuing, “look, I-I'm sorry I was so rough with you earlier, I mean, I was just worried about my friends, because, well, you did try and take over the world and all…” Rarity coughed nervously, but Rainbow continued “…but, y'know, it's not like I hate you or anything, and — well, that totally sucks.”

“Oh, indeed,” opined Rarity, “that must have been a terrible shock for you, I can only imagine how you must be feeling.”

Adagio snorted. “Yeah, well you can't imagine. I don't want you to imagine it, none of you…” a thought struck her, “Do any of you even have sisters?”

Pinkie, Applejack, and Rarity each raised a hand nervously.

“Well, yes actually, three of us do…” Rarity's voice trailed off nervously.

“How wonderful!” The mock cheeriness of Adagio's voice and the gleeful smile that broke across her face were momentarily unnerving, but both disappeared with her next words. “Then image how you'd feel if you walked in on them screwing each other's brains out. Go on —” she sneered at Rarity “— really try to picture it.”

Rarity recoiled from Adagio's words with a disgusted expression. She and Applejack exchange an appalled glance. Further back, Pinkie Pie let out a strangled gurgling noise, the pinkness of her face deepening to match her hair, as her eyes unfocussed in the general direction of the ceiling.

Adagio grinned nastily at the obvious discomfort she was inflicting on these girls, but she was surprised when none of their friends stepped in to stop her. Indeed, though she'd been expecting anger, a confrontation, a taste of the conflict she'd always thrived on, the way the other girls were looking at her didn't seem angry at all, just… kind of…

Sad.

They felt sorry for her, and it pissed her off. It made her so angry, it made her stomach churn, her body shake, and her eyes burn. The anger leaked from her eyes, and rolled down her cheeks, salty and wet. It paralysed her, so she couldn't even brush Fluttershy's hand from her shoulder.

She wanted to hurt them, all of them. She dredged the depths of her mind for some cutting, soul-destroying remark she could use against them — something dripping with acid sarcasm, something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

“You… you don't know, any of you. You're just tiny, pathetic, short-lived…” she hesitated, appalled at the feebleness of her own retort. Her anger was chocking her, filling her throat until her voice sounded shaky and feeble. “Eighteen-hundred and sixty-seven years, we've been together. We've watched empires rise and fall! We helped them fall! We were ancient when your great-great-grandparents were newborns! All of you are nothing!”

She was shaking. Gods below, she was really shaking, and now Sunset Shimmer was reaching for her shoulder again… the stupid girl was still trying to be friends with her.

“You really love them both, don't you?”

Sunset may as well have punched Adagio in the guts. The sheer shock froze her trembling, and chilled her burning face. Did these girls have any clue who they were dealing with? Did they understand anything at all?

“Love them?” she whimpered incredulously, “I HATE THEM! I can't stand them, either of them. Eighteen-hundred years, and all we've ever done is fight! They drive me crazy, I end up yelling at them all the time —”

Adagio's face suddenly dropped to slack horror, her face paling.

“Oh gods, we fight all the time. Is that how they flirt? Have they been coming on to me? They were yelling at each other while… Have they been getting off on our fights? Did they think I was…” Adagio clutched the sides of her head, her breaths coming short and fast. “I'm never gonna feel clean again!” she wailed.

The next thing Adagio was aware of, she was surrounded by warmth. Squishy, warm, in some places bony, gentle warmth. Also, hair. Really a lot of hair. It took her several seconds to process this. Was she being… hugged?

Adagio suddenly realised something. She was tired. So very, very tired. If the Rainbooms really wanted to believe that she was their friend now, she just didn't have the strength to argue any more. She could save that for the morning. She let herself go limp, wrapped in the combined bosoms of Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer, waiting for them to decide when to end this.

“Feel any better?” asked Sunset, as the two of them eventually pulled away.

Adagio nodded. It was easier not to argue.

Fluttershy spoke next. “So… would you like to sleep with us tonight?”

Adagio chuckled at Rainbow Dash's sudden coughing fit. Fluttershy gave a tiny squeak and began to turn bright pink, adorably.

“Yeah…” Adagio raised an eyebrow, “but just sleeping, okay? No funny business.”

Sisters

Sunlight crept in through the window, slowly soaking the room in uncomfortable heat. The air stank, and the floor was a cluttered mess.

Aria Blaze dragged her mind fully back to the waking world, and set about the task of disentangling herself from Sonata's clinging limbs.

Why did Sonata have to get so grabby when she slept?

After some careful sideways maneuvering slipped her out of the bed, she straightened up and stretched. Then she stood, and stared at the wall for a five minutes, pondering her plan of attack. There was no escaping it — she was almost certain this morning would revolve around a “talk” with Adagio, who would most likely try to make it a whole morning of Aria getting yelled at by Adagio. Still, what couldn't be avoided, could be taken head-on, with a strong (and if possible, pre-emptive) offence.

Her strategy established, Aria grabbed some clothes — slacks and a baggy t-shirt, but it would have to do — took a deep breath, and strode confidently (and as quietly as possible) out of Sonata's room.

Adagio caught her completely off guard, by not waiting in ambush. The hall was filled with the deafening absence of an angry big sister. Was it possible Aria had actually woken up before Adagio, or — Aria shivered slightly — was Adagio planning something clever? No one did “sneaky” and “vindictive” like Adagio Dazzle. If she was really angry, Aria knew, she wouldn't see it coming — whatever “it” proved to be.

Still, Aria knew how to deal with that, too. Get your shots in first. Go in hard enough, angry enough, and Adagio might just be caught unprepared. Psyching herself up wasn't that hard, she just had to get angry about everything Adagio had done, or was clearly about to do. How dare Adagio just burst in on them like that — didn't Aria have a right to privacy? And just how long had she been hanging about in the flat, anyway, listening in on them and pretending not to be there!? How dare she, of all people, get all high-horse and judgemental about this? After all, what right did she have to continue calling herself their leader after she'd only led them from one disaster to another?

Gradually working herself up to an indignant rage, Aria marched into the main room of the flat. Most likely, Adagio would be waiting for her there. When this room proved empty, Aria turned and set a path for Adagio's room. The flat only had five rooms — three currently used as bedrooms, one bathroom, and the main kitchen/dining/living area. It would be an incredible stroke of luck if she had managed to wake up before her sister — it would allow her to storm in, guns blazing, and put Adagio on the back foot right from the start.

Aria continued working herself up so that, by the time she had reached Adagio's bedroom, was about ready to explode. She barely hesitated at all before grabbing the handle, slamming the door open, and unleashing a devastating opening salvo upon her sleeping sister.

“You know what, Adagio? Screw you! This is none of your business, you can just go…”

Aria stopped, and peered at the empty room. From one corner to another, there was no sign of Adagio, nor was there any place she could easily hide.

She hated to admit it, but whatever Adagio was up to, it was starting to creep her out, just a little bit. Was it actually possible the older siren had already left, or even… had she not come home last night? Aria stood still, silently pondering what kind of twisted punishment Adagio might be plotting, when nimble fingers grabbed her backside.

Later, Aria would insist that she yelled, and spun around in annoyance. Aria Blaze did not “shriek like a little girl”, ever, nor did she “jump three feet into the air”. Any suggestion to the contrary was only the result of Sonata's over-active imagination, and everyone knew how unreliable she was.

At any rate, there were no other witnesses to claim otherwise.

“Morning, Aria!” sang Sonata.

“Argh, don't go sneaking up on me like a freak, you idiot!”

“Y'know Adagio's gonna be sooo mad if she hears you were in her room.”

It took Aria a moment to process the sheer idiocy of this statement.

“Whu— you— but— urgh!” she exclaimed. “You're in here too, you moron!” she eventually settled on.

“You were here first though.” Sonata strutted around Aria, clearly convinced that she had the upper hand here. “So if I'm a moron, what does that make you?”

“At least ten times smarter than you! Adagio's not gonna care who was here first. She's not even gonna care we were in her room! Plus, she's not even gonna know we were in her room!”

Sonata grinned. “Hmm, not unless someone tells her…”

“Don't be even dumber that usual.”

“Ha! You're not the boss of me. Can't tell me what to do!”

“You wanna bet?” Aria snarled, closing the gap between them and grabbing the neckline of Sonata's pyjama's.

“Oooh, scary!” laughed Sonata. “What're you gonna do, ya wimp?” Her eyes narrowed. “Where're you gonna do it?”

Aria couldn't quite miss the way Sonata's eyes darted over to Adagio's bed. Her own eyes followed, then her mind reeled.

Adagio's bed…

Aria blanched, and dropped Sonata's top.

“I swear,” she hissed, “you must have been dropped on your head when we were chicks.”

“What's the matter?” teased Sonata, “Is the big baby scared?”

Aria glared at her. This was stupid. She wasn't gonna dance to Sonata's tune, they had more important things to worry about.

Then Sonata started singing, if you could call it that.

“Scaredy-scardey Aria! All afraid I'm gonna snitch! She's all scared of Adagio! Yeah, she's Adagio's little…”

Her impromptu cacophony was cut short by a pair of hands around her throat, driving her back down onto the bed.

Two hours later, Aria had returned to the subject of the missing Adagio, both she and Sonata having found time to shower and breakfast.

“She's not answering phone calls. She didn't leave a note. I checked her bank account, and she hasn't withdrawn enough to pay for a hotel room, or anything else.”

"Maybe she got tired of looking at your ugly face,” opined Sonata.

Aria ignored her, continuing to scan Adagio's social network accounts (well, if Adagio was going to use such an obvious password…).

“I mean,” continued Sonata, “living with you is just the worst, y'know?”

“Hm-hmm,” murmured Aria.

“Because you're such a… a useless crybaby!” snapped Sonata. “And a coward!” she added.

“Yeah, not now, Sonata.” Aria waved a hand in Sonata's general direction, frowning at the total lack of updates from Adagio in the last twelve hours.

Minutes passed in silence. Aria started trying to guess the password for Adagio's email account (sure, make mystable and your friggin' bank account no-brainers, but fates forbid someone should read your email, Adagio!).

“Hey, uh, Aria?” Sonata's voice was subdued, maybe even tremulous. Aria turned in surprise.

Sonata looked… worried. The blue ditz actually seemed upset about something.

“Ah-Adagio's coming back, right? I mean, she's mad at us, but she's not really mad at us, right? You don't think something happened to her, do you?”

Aria made a small noise in the back of her throat (why oh why did that moron have to look so adorably helpless?)

“Nah. Nah, I'm sure she's fine. She's just playing the drama queen, making us come and find her so she can act all 'wounded'. Nothing's gonna happen to her — Adagio Dazzle happens to other people.”

This seemed to perk Sonata up, slightly.

“Heh. Yeah, you're right. I guess we'd better find her quick, though, right? Like, the longer we take, the madder she's gonna be.”

“Yeah…”

“Oh yeah,” said the girl at the corner shop, the seventh person Aria had shown Adagio's photo to that morning, “I saw her yesterday, at Donut Joe's…”

The Morning After

Adagio Dazzle dreamed of Equestria. In her dream, she stood on stage before an endless crowd of ponies, the princesses among them. She held a microphone in her hand, and her voice was the very embodiment of rapturous beauty. Everypony was under her control, waiting, needing her command. After centuries of toil, she finally had everything she had ever worked for. She had made it. She was home.

Only one thing spoiled the moment. One sound, out of place. She turned to the rest of her band. Sure enough, there they were — Fluttershy, voice of an angel and subtle tambourine to back her vocals, Sunset Shimmer, guitar in hand and hair blazing like flames, Rainbow Dash… Why was Rainbow Dash attempting to turn “sawing through a drainpipe” into a musical accompaniment? Didn't she realise this was their big night, the greatest performance of their lives? Why wasn't she following orders? The horrible, deep, rasping noise was ruining their song. It was an important song — Twilight Sparkle had written it herself, with profound lyrics about the magic of friendship, which could brainwash anyone, no matter how strong their will.

The noise was so infuriating, it even woke her up. In a groggy half-sleep, she drove a vicious kick into Rainbow's ribs. Two layers of sleeping bags cushioned the blow, but the rainbow-haired girl stopped snoring, murmured, and rolled over, settling back into a quiet sleep.

Then Adagio lay awake in her bag, staring into the ceiling while she slowly separated dreams from reality, and reflected on the peculiar workings of her own subconscious. She hadn't dreamt of Equestria in a long time. The dream itself hadn't been sad, but now she felt melancholic, almost wishing she could go back there. As for the rest of it, having the Rainbooms as her own band… She smiled wanly. It was too bad these girls weren't evil, and would never follow her orders. If nothing else, she'd been forced to admit that they were a strong team. If she'd had support from them, instead of… other people, she'd probably be home by now.

There was no point dwelling on such things, though. Barely moving, she turned her attention to the clock. She watched the minutes tick past while trying to make sense of the time it showed. It took a while for her to accept how late it was in the morning — though it would explain why only she and Rainbow Dash were still in bed.

Reluctantly, she began to extricate herself from her bedding.

Adagio knew well enough the power music had to enthral people, even without the aid of magic. She'd also heard stories of creatures with enrapturing beauty, who could mesmerise anyone foolish enough to stare at them. Until she descended the steps to the kitchen that morning, it hadn't occurred to her that maybe the sense of smell could also be used to control the mind. Having replaced two meals yesterday with cookies and ice cream may also have been a factor.

She had to stop herself from drooling on entering the kitchen. There were pancakes. There were waffles. There was bacon and there were sausages and eggs and porridge and oh, yes, there was coffee. There was a lot more besides. There was even hot sticky apple pie, glistening on the counter, resting there while slowly cooling.

Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer were sat at the table, talking and giggling when Adagio walked in. They turned and smiled at her entrance, Sunset even waved.

Adagio frowned, and pulled up a chair as far from them as possible. At some point, she would need to have a “talk” with the Rainbooms, though it would probably be easier to wait until they were all together. She needed to make it absolutely clear that last night had been a one-time thing, just a casual convenience in a moment of weakness, and that she had absolutely no desire to turn it into anything more.

In the meantime, she picked up a plate, and began piling it high with everything she could reach, slowing just enough to cram half a slice of toast in her mouth.

Applejack walked walked past, depositing a plate full of mushrooms on the table.

“Mornin' Adagio. Y'missed the start of breakfast, on account of me and Pinkie being up so early, but we figured by the time Rainbow was up, some of us'd be wanting lunch, an', well, ah reckon ah got a li'l carried away with the cooking.”

Adagio grunted a response through a mouthful of sausage, while pouring herself a mug of coffee. Applejack headed back towards the grill, continuing to talk over her shoulder as she went.

“The other girls are out shoppin' groceries, 'cause we kinda emptied the pantry. Ah reckon they'll be back shortly, though.”

Adagio took a break from her mastication in order to gulp down her liquid caffeine. She allowed herself a contented sigh, and resolved to slow down a little, in order to enjoy the meal.

“Um, Adagio?” It was Twilight Sparkle — this world's Twilight, Adagio reminded herself (though the resemblance to Princess Twilight was uncanny) — who had spoken. “I was wondering if I could talk to you.”

Adagio considered the question, while constructing a waffle, bacon, and pancake sandwich, with maple syrup. Eventually, she turned to Twilight, narrowed her eyes, and growled her slow reply.

“Yeah…”

“Actually, I had a question I wanted to ask you.”

Adagio's narrowed eyes became an annoyed glare. Sunset attempted to gesture to Twilight that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Twilight's bright, innocent smile seemed oblivious to both.

“It's about what you said last night, about your sisters.”

Looks could kill. Adagio knew this for a fact — ask any cockatrice. Fortunately for Twilight, Adagio's glare had no supernatural power behind it. Still, Sunset Shimmer politely left the table, carrying a stack of two empty plates to the sink. Applejack left the room, muttering something about checking on Rainbow Dash.

“What. About. Them.”

“Well, I was just curious — you said that you hate them, but you've stayed with them for centuries. Why didn't you just leave?”

In the silence that followed, Adagio slowly raised one eyebrow. Her annoyance mixed with confusion and disbelief.

“They're my sisters,” enunciated Adagio, as if this were all the answer that was needed. When this didn't seem to satisfy Twilight, Adagio attempted to expand on it further. “I mean, what would people say about a siren who couldn't even look after her own sisters?”

“Oh.” Twilight's face fell, but she seemed to accept this answer. Adagio turned back to her meal, but paused when Twilight continued.

“I see.”

Something about the way she said this made Adagio look up. Had she imagined it, or… no, one look at Twilight's face told her there had indeed been an edge to those words. The girl was staring down through her plate with a look of — Adagio searched for the right word. Anger, maybe? Close, but not quite right. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to fit her face.

“You mean it's all about your reputation.”

Twilight practically spat the last word, and Adagio found the description she was looking for — cold fury. Not the righteous anger she would expect from Princess Twilight, but something altogether darker, and crueler. Adagio knew that somehow, she'd touched a nerve.

Adagio smiled, then shrugged.

“Well,” she replied, “no. I could care less what other people think.”

Twilight looked up, guarded but quizzical. “But you just said…”

“Yeah, I know, but I don't care. It only matters because they'd be right, because I care what I think, of myself. Those two might be the most useless lackeys a girl could ask for, but they're my lackeys. It's like they say, about a bad workman blaming her tools. A real leader makes the most with the followers she has, she doesn't waste time whining about how much easier things would be if her minions were perfect.

“Those two have their faults, but they're loyal.” She paused, reconsidering this last statement. “Well, Aria's always trying to take over, but neither of them would ever try to quit the band, or kick me out. We…”

Adagio hesitated, and turned back to her food. It didn't seem quite so appealing any more.

“We're sisters. We stick together.”

“I'm sorry,” Twilight said, “I may not completely understand, but… well, I think you've lost something important to you. Maybe you don't 'love' them, exactly, but you don't want them getting hurt, do you?”

“Not unless it's me hurting them,” muttered Adagio, just loud enough for Twilight to hear. A thought struck her. “And I don't mean that in a sexual way.

“But you're right. I don't want them hurt. Keeping them safe, finding food for them, keeping them happy,” Adagio snarled at the word, “that's my job as a leader. It's how I measure my success. It's how everyone else knows if I'm strong, or…

“Well, I've done a wonderful job of that, haven't I? I can just imagine what our parents would say, if they were here. Heh, they'd probably want to banish us all over again. Maybe to a world run by squirrels, or something.”

Twilight frowned. “I don't think you've done anything wrong, Adagio. Um, at least, not in the way you're thinking.”

Adagio raised one her eyebrow again.

“Um, I mean, you did try to take over the world. That's generally regarded as a bad thing.”

“OK, I get it.” Adagio hurriedly stacked a few more items on her plate. “I challenged the great Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and I lost. No hard feelings, well fought, nothing I did wrong, I'm just not as strong as your little gang.” Adagio stood up, pushing the chair aside.

“Oh, no, that's not what I —”

“You know what?” Adagio interrupted, picking up her plate. “I've changed my mind. I don't feel like talking to you. Enjoy your breakfast.” With this, she turned, and took one step towards the door, doubled back to pick up her mug of coffee, then strode out of the room.

Applejack reached the bottom of the stairs ahead of Rainbow Dash, and caught a glimpse of orange hair through the front room door. She decided to check on Adagio while Rainbow lurched her way into the kitchen.

Adagio was sat on the sofa, angrily munching her way through a plateful of food, staring out the window.

“Uh, hey there, Adagio. You okay?”

Adagio shot her a withering glare, before returning her stare to the street outside. She swallowed, and spoke.

“I'm fine. None of your business. Just leave me —”

Whatever she had been about to say was cut short, when she dropped her plate onto the coffee table and threw herself to the floor. Applejack stared in astonishment, as the siren twisted around to look up at her and hissed:

“What are they doing here?”

It took Applejack a moment to track Adagio's hand gesture, and to glance out the window. After that, she caught on fast. Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk were standing on the sidewalk, gesturing towards Fluttershy's front door.

Adagio began crawling towards the wall.

“I can't believe this! You called them? I thought you were meant to be on my side!”

“Now hold on there. I didn' call 'em, ah don' even have their number.”

“You could have found it! Or maybe one of your friends did!” Adagio had reached the wall, and was now pressed into the corner between the wall and a chair.

“Adagio, Ah don't reckon anyone in this house called 'em. Maybe they just figured it out some other way.”

The doorbell rang. Barely a moment later, someone started rapping on the door. Aria Blaze's voice called out, loudly enough to be heard throughout the house.

“Adagio! We know you're in there! We need to talk!”

Drama

“Adagio! We know you're in there! We need to talk!”

The rapping at the door continued its steady rhythm.

“Don't open it!” hissed Adagio, as Applejack took a step towards the front door.

Sunset Shimmer emerged from the kitchen, and gave Adagio and Applejack a questioning look.

“Just pretend we're not in,” pleaded Adagio.

The two girls stood uncertainly in the hallway, as the relentless drumming continued. Then a small noise made them turn; A pink hand was holding the letter plate open, and Aria's purple eyes were staring in.

“Open the door!” she demanded. “I know you're there; I can see you!”

Sunset shrugged, and headed for the door. Both she and Applejack heard Adagio's strangled whispering.

“I'm not here! Use the chain!”

Sunset slipped the security chain into place, and unlocked the door. Immediately, Aria forced her boot, hand, and most of her face into the gap, swinging the door open to the limits of the chain. The knocking continued, however.

“Adagio! Get your butt out here!”

“She's not here,” declared Sunset. “Why would she be?”

“Oh yeah? Then where is she?”

“How should I know?”

Aria paused a moment to consider this.

“Well if she's not here, why aren't you letting us in?”

“Uh, because we're enemies?”

As Aria considered this also, Rainbow Dash wandered into the hall.

“Hey, uh, what's going on?”

“Ha!” yelled Aria, thrusting a finger in Rainbow Dash's direction. “I knew you were here! You've dragged Adagio off to some brainwashing friendship camp, admit it!”

Rainbow Dash stared blankly back at the accusing finger.

“What?”

“Well, when was the last time you saw her?”

Rainbow Dash glanced from the Aria to Sunset, and briefly to Adagio, who was still hunched in by the chair, making frantic gestures in Rainbow's direction.

“Err, I dunno. Battle of the bands maybe?”

“Oh yeah?” grinned Aria triumphantly, “then are you saying you didn't leave Donut Joe's with her yesterday afternoon, with your wimpy pink-haired friend?”

No-one spoke for several seconds, the knocking filling the otherwise silent hallway.

“Nnoo?”

Aria inhaled, then yelled again.

“ADAGIO!”

Slumped against the chair, Adagio brought one hand up to her face.

“Alright, fine!” snapped Applejack. “She's here, but she just don't wanna talk to the two of you right now.”

“And we're just supposed to take your word for that?”

“Take it or leave it, we ain't lettin' you in.”

“Well then I'll just keep yelling, and Sonata's arm isn't even getting tired.”

“Nope!” affirmed Sonata cheerfully, without pause from her beating on the door.

Adagio drew herself up to a standing position, and stepped around the door-frame.

“Seriously? That's the best plan you two idiots could come up with?”

“Well it worked, didn't it?” smirked Aria.

Adagio grunted, and gestured for Sunset to open the door. Sunset gave Adagio a sardonic glare, but turned back to the door, and raised a hand to Aria's face, to push the girl back out of the door. Aria responded by snapping her teeth towards the encroaching hand.

“I can't take the chain off with you in the way.”

Reluctantly, Aria pulled back, allowing Sunset to close, un-chain, and re-open the door. Aria pushed past her, striding right up to Adagio, while Sonata crossed the threshold, but remained within reach of the door, continuing to knock.

Aria hesitated, looking Adagio up and down, before speaking.

“Geez Adagio, this is worse than I thought. You look like a teddy bear.”

Adagio's haughty glare faltered slightly as she remembered that she was still wearing Fluttershy's spare pyjamas.

“If you've got something to say, then say it,” she grumbled.

“Meh. Not really, just wanted to make sure you weren't getting 'rainbow magic' treatment from the 'Rainbooms'”

A thought struck Adagio, and she grinned.

“Hey, that's a great idea!” Glancing around, Adagio grabbed Rainbow Dash by the arm and dragged her forward. “How about you all sing a few bars, and see if you can un-gay these two with your friendship magic.”

“Wait, what!?” exclaimed a bewildered Rainbow Dash.

“You told them?” Aria asked flatly.

“Adagio,” interjected Applejack, “just to be clear, are ya bothered 'cause these two are related, or 'cause they're gay?”

Before Adagio could answer, Aria spoke up.

“What difference does that make?”

“A pretty big difference, ah reckon'.”

“Right, that whole 'gay pride' thing. It's a fad; Don't expect it to last.”

“Excuse me!?” Exclaimed Sunset. “That's not —” she glanced over at Sonata “— how can you say that?”

Aria turned a condescending grin towards Sunset.

“You're new here, so let me tell you: These apes are always finding new ways to hate each other, and they change the rules every other decade.

“Oh, you can't sleep with him,” she said, her voice switching to a higher pitch, “He's from a different country.

“Oh, not her either, she has a different religion.

“Ew, no, you're both women.

“Don't have sex with that, you're not the same species.

“And now,” she added, her voice returning to its normal moan, “you're trying to tell me I can't have sex with my own sister? Screw that. You lot”, she turned back to Applejack, “always think you're more enlightened than your grandparents, but your rules never really make sense.”

Sonata watched in amusement as various expressions played out on the other girl's faces.

“Different… species?” Applejack finally managed.

“Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.”

“Aria,” began Adagio slowly, “NEVER tell me the story behind that.”

“Who says it's just one story?”

Adagio shuddered, and raised clawed hands to either side of her face.

“So come on,” continued Aria, “why don't you all tell me what's 'wrong' with incest anyway?”

“Um,” Twilight Sparkle had entered the hallway, “historically, it was a way to prevent inbreeding, between heterosexual couples, but—”

“Right, inbreeding. Which doesn't matter, because me and Sonata aren't gonna have kids.”

“We aren't?” Sonata stopped knocking, and stepped forward, apparently distraught by this news.

Every pair of eyes in the hallway (except of course her own) turned to stare at Sonata. In perfect synchronisation, Aria and Adagio each slowly raised a hand to their face.

“Erm,” said Applejack, “Does someone need to have a 'talk' with her, about stuff?”

“Go ahead,” Aria smirked from beneath her palm, “I could use a good laugh.”

“Sonata,” began Sunset, stepping forward, “do you, uh, know where babies come from?”

Sonata stared blankly back at her for a moment, then grinned.

“Oooh, sure! A guy sticks his thingy in ya coochie,” she made hand gestures to illustrate the point, “and squirts his stuff in there, then you get a baby in ya belly and it grows all big, then rips its way out.

“It's kind dumb if you ask me, you should just lay your eggs and then get a guy to jerk off over them. Though I guess then that wouldn't be as fun, and having a baby wriggling around inside you does sound kinda cool, like you swallowed it but it's still alive. It's kinky, even.”

“Um,” said Sunset, reeling slightly from this exposure to Sonata's world-view, “right. You need a guy. And you two are both girls, so you can't make a baby with just the two of you.”

“O-o-o-h, okay!” Everyone relaxed slightly now that Sonata's confusion seemed to be over. “But we can still adopt, right?”

The only movement in the hallway was Aria's head, slowly turning towards Sonata. Her eyes were wide and fearful, but after a moment, a small smile played around the corners of her lips.

“You… you want to…”

“No,” said Adagio. “No. No, and absolutely, no. It's not happening, not now, not ever. I am not becoming an aunt by both of you at the same time.”

“Oh, what do you care?” muttered Aria.

“What do I CARE?” Adagio suddenly shrieked. “What do I care that my sisters are a pair of disgusting freaks!?” Both the other sirens flinched back at this, but Adagio wasn't done. “What do I care that you're both sick perverts who can't find anyone decent to bang!? I mean, why should it bother me that you want to add a child to your warped little game?”

Both Sunset and Rainbow Dash tried futilely to calm Adagio, or stop her rant. Already, Aria was wide-eyed, her fists clenched and her knuckles white. Sonata, meanwhile, was slumped against the wall, clutching her cheeks and whimpering.

“You know what?” Adagio's voice switched to low and menacing. “I don't care. Not any more; I'm done.”

“What…” began Aria.

“It's over.” Adagio answered. “Our pendants are smashed, our voices are gone. No more band, no more Dazzlings. We are never going home, so why should I waste my time on you two any more?

“So go ahead. Screw each other senseless. Adopt a whole new family. Do what you like, I don't care. From here on,” she took a deep breath, and her gaze swept over the both of them, her lip curled.

“I — don't — have — any — sisters.”

With this, she turned, shoved Rainbow Dash aside, and stomped her way up the stairs.

Crowded

Sonata Dusk slowly slid down the wall, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Aria Blaze slammed a clenched fist into the fall, and hissed after Adagio, “You bitch!”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, and Twilight Sparkle stood around feeling helpless and uncertain.

Fluttershy poked her head in through the front door, bags of shopping in either hand.

“Oh, is this a bad time? This is a bad time; I'll come back later.”

Backing out, she bumped into Pinkie Pie and Rarity, approaching from the other direction, causing Pinkie to drop one of the bags she was carrying.

While the three girls fussed around the spilled groceries, Aria turned an angry glare on Sonata. In two strides, she covered the distance between them, then bent down and hoisted Sonata upright by her jacket.

“Stop it.” Aria growled. “You hear me? Stop crying.”

Sunset and Applejack moved to intervene, but didn't reach them before Aria brought a hand up and swung it into Sonata's face, slapping the younger girl hard enough to send her sprawling into Rarity.

“You wanna cry?” yelled Aria, as Sunset and Applejack grabbed her arms and pulled her back. “I'll give you something to cry about; When we get home I'll make you howl.

“But not for her. You understand?” Aria's voice broke a little. “Don't make that face for her. She doesn't deserve it, and we don't need her.”

Sonata stood up, brushing aside Rarity's help. She walked across the gap slowly, until she stood right in front of Aria. Already, Sonata had stopped crying, and a weak smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Aria had gone limp in Sunset and Applejack's grip.

“Aria,” Sonata whimpered, lifting her sister's chin with one hand “you —” she leaned forward, “your mascara is running.”

Without warning, Sonata brought her other hand up sharply against Aria's cheek, causing Applejack and Sunset to flinch back in surprise. Their grip slackened, and when Aria suddenly rushed forward, she was easily able to slip from their grasp.

Snarling, Aria shoved one hand into Sonata's face and drove her back against the wall. Sonata responded by kicking Aria's shin, grabbing her wrist with one hand, and shoving her other, clawed, hand into Aria's breast. Aria brought her other hand up to Sonata's shoulder. The two of them rolled along the wall, so that it was now Aria who was driven back.

“Got you back, loser!” Sonata exclaimed gleefully, through Aria's grasping claws.

“Only 'cause you cheated!” responded Aria, finding a handhold on Sonata's ear and shoving her back across the hall.

Sonata's legs collided with a low table, and she fell back to a half-sitting, half-leaning position. She released Aria's wrist, grabbing the back of Aria's shoulder on instinct, to steady herself. Aria shifted the hand on Sonata's face around to the side, catching her before she hit the wall, then cradling rather than clawing her sister's head. Sonata flattened the hand resting on Aria's breast, and Aria moved her other hand down from Sonata's shoulder, to her waist. The two girls stood, panting, pressed together with Aria leaning over Sonata.

“We don't need her.” Aria brought her forehead forward to rest against Sonata's, and the two girls stared into each other's eyes, gently rocking together. “You hear me?” she breathed, “We don't need anyone else.”

Rarity cleared her throat.

“Ahem. Um, not to interrupt, but these bags are rather heavy, do you think we could possibly get through to the kitchen?”

Sonata raised a hand from Aria's chest to her cheek, both girls seeming to ignore Rarity. “She's our sister,” Sonata said, simply.

At this, Aria pulled away, and folded her arms, stepping aside to let Rarity past.

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie headed to the kitchen with their bags. Applejack went with them. That left Sunset, Rainbow Dash and Twilight in the hall with Aria and Sonata. When Aria walked off into the living room, Sonata followed her, and the other girls followed behind.

Standing in the middle of the room, with her back to the others, Aria spoke.

“You're the worst, Sonata.”

“No, you're the worst, Aria.”

“Moron.”

“Loser.”

“Vapid whore.”

“Dumb slut.”

The three other girls watched in bewilderment. It… sounded like they were fighting, or at least, it should have done, from the words they were using, yet both girls were smiling, and their tone was soft.

Sonata threw herself onto the couch. Aria crossed the room, and sat down next to her.

“I hate you,” said Aria, “you know that, right?”

“Not as much as I hate you,” Sonata grinned.

“No, I hate you more.” Aria turned, wiggling her eyebrows and running a hand across Sonata's navel.

“I hate you more.” Sonata turned towards Aria, tilting her head.

“Nuh-uh.”

“Yah-ha.”

Sunset coughed, gently, and gestured that maybe she and the other girls should leave.

This seemed to break the spell, though, as the two girls pulled apart.

“She's our sister,” repeated Sonata.

“We don't need her.”

Sonata pouted, turning puppy-dog eyes on Aria, who turned away and stood up, folding her arms again.

“Aria,” whined Sonata, “I don't wanna leave until Adagio says we're sisters again.”

Aria groaned. “Ugh. Fine,” she said, “I guess we can stick around a little longer.”

“Uh,” began Sunset.

“Don't hold your breath, though”, Aria continued “— Adagio's even more thick-headed than you.”

“You're staying?” asked Sunset.

“You have a problem with that?”

“Well, I'll need to check with Fluttershy; It is her home. And honestly, I'm not so sure it's such a good idea.”

“Fine, you ask her.” Aria headed for the door to the hall. “I need a drink.”

As Aria stepped into the hall, she was just in time to notice Fluttershy headed up the stairs. Aria ignored this, and continued towards the kitchen. Sunset Shimmer, following close behind Aria, didn't notice Fluttershy, so followed Aria to the kitchen instead.

Moments earlier, Applejack had recounted recent events to the three girls who had been out shopping, while Rarity began to unpack.

“Oh dear, I'd better go see if she's alright,” Fluttershy had said, thrusting her bags onto Applejack and hurrying out of the kitchen with a deeply worried expression.

Now Fluttershy was outside her own room, knocking on the door.

“Um, Adagio? Can-can I come in please?”

“Getting dressed!” came the grumpy reply.

“Oh, okay.” Fluttershy stood nervously outside the door, waiting, until Adagio opened it.

“What?”

“Oh, um, Applejack told me what happened. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” Adagio snarled. She headed back into the room, but left the door open. Fluttershy hovered on the threshold, but didn't speak.

“I just…” Adagio began, and Fluttershy stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Adagishy

“I just wish they could be normal, you know?” Adagio stood at the window, looking down on the street below. “I mean, not human normal, not boring normal. I don't really mean normal at all, just… normal for them, whatever that is.”

Fluttershy nodded, waiting to see if Adagio had more to say.

“Eighteen centuries… You know what? Screw them — I don't care. They've only ever held me back anyway, and now it's not as if I need their voices or their magic any more. I'll do just fine on my own, and I'm sure they'll survive somehow. I'll just… I'll…” Adagio's voice trailed off, and she stood, motionless, at the window, until Fluttershy stepped up beside her.

Adagio turned to face Fluttershy, and breathed, barely more than a whisper, “I don't know what to do.”

Fluttershy took Adagio's hand, their fingers entwined. Even as she searched for the right words, Fluttershy smiled, and the soft light from the outside lit her face. She hesitated, uncertain, when Adagio's other hand stroked her cheek.

Then Adagio closed the gap between them, and their lips met. Fluttershy gave a muffled exclamation as Adagio pressed forwards, hands slipping from Fluttershy's hold, and wrapping around her. Adagio felt Fluttershy tense, hands gripping her upper arms more firmly, but still so soft. To Adagio, Fluttershy felt awkward, clumsy even, no doubt lacking experience, but Adagio knew she had enough experience for both of them.

Moans and muffled words rose from Fluttershy's chest as Adagio held her, confidently. Adagio's hand slid down Fluttershy's spine and gripped her buttocks, Adagio's tongue stroked her barely parted lips. Fluttershy stumbled back, against the wall, as Adagio brought her other hand around on to the girl's chest.

Adagio pulled her head back, pulling their mouths apart to look on Fluttershy's face.

“S-stop. Please stop.”

Fluttershy looked terrified. Her eyes were tightly shut. Her lips were trembling. It seemed she might be about to cry.

Adagio froze, too stunned to react. The two girls stood, Fluttershy shaking while Adagio just stared.

Eventually, Adagio took a small step back, her arms dropping to her sides. Fluttershy immediately slipped away, stumbling towards the door. Adagio just stared after her, blankly, as Fluttershy pulled the door open and stepped out…

Fluttershy stopped on the threshold, and turned to look back at Adagio. They stood, staring at each other. When Adagio took a small step forward, almost on instinct, raising one hand towards her, Fluttershy stumbled two steps back onto the landing.

Adagio's arm fell, and she stepped back. Fluttershy remained in place.

Adagio stood motionless, watching Fluttershy hesitate, glancing back between Adagio and the stairs. She trembled as Fluttershy turned away, apparently finding the resolve to leave.

“I'm sorry.”

Fluttershy froze, and turned back to face Adagio. It slowly dawned on Adagio that the words had come from her own mouth.

“I… I didn't… Fluttershy…” Adagio's words came out chocked, and stumbling. “I'm sorry.”

Fluttershy just stood there, fear mixed with uncertainty on her face, as she watched Adagio slowly fall apart.

“I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, believe me, I wouldn't… not like that. I didn't think… I didn't know. I thought…”

Adagio slumped back against the wall, and closed her eyes, slowly sinking to the floor without another word. She sat there in silence, unmoving until she heard Fluttershy's quiet voice fill the emptiness of the room.

“Adagio?”

Adagio opened her eyes, and looked up. Fluttershy was back inside the room, leaning against the desk by the door, rubbing her elbow uncertainly.

“I — I'm not mad at you.” Fluttershy paused, struggling to find the right words. “You made a mistake. I understand, and…” Fluttershy took a deep breath before continuing, looking Adagio straight in the eyes, “… I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, but you really should know it's not okay to do that to someone, without asking.”

“No-one's complained before,” said Adagio, her eyes widening as she thought about what she'd just said. “I mean, they could have complained, if they wanted to, but they didn't. Lots of people have told me they like it when I'm aggressive, but I'd never try to force anyone to…”

Fluttershy nodded. “I believe you, but I'm guessing those other people weren't quite like me.”

“No. None of them were anything like you.”

“Um, but maybe in future you should ask first, just to be safe.”

Adagio nodded, her gaze drifting off to one corner of the room. Then a thought struck her, and her eyes snapped back to the girl standing opposite her. Before she could voice her question, Fluttershy continued.

“I also think that, well, that, isn't what you need right now. I know you don't want to talk about what happened downstairs, but I really think you need to let it out.”

Adagio moaned, her head flopping back as her gaze rolled up to the ceiling.

“Let what out? My sisters are freaks, my life has fallen apart, and I don't have a clue what I'm doing any more. I just end up hurting everyone around me, but I don't even enjoy that any more either.” Adagio paused in thought, not noticing the way Fluttershy cringed slightly at this statement. “I also hate my job.” She sighed, and looked back down at Fluttershy, with a gloomy expression on her face. “…and now, ” she continued “I've been reduced to some snivelling charity case, taking pity from you and your friends, because I don't even have enough pride left to walk away. I've fallen just about as far as I can, or else I wouldn't even be talking to you.

“Heh,” she chuckled, “you probably wouldn't be talking to me, either, if I wasn't so pathetic. I guess you just can't help but pity me, huh?”

Adagio sighed, and went back to staring at the ceiling, until Fluttershy spoke up.

“Well, I don't think 'pity' is the right word; I'm concerned about you. I think I still would be, if I knew you were hurt like this, even if you didn't ask for my help.”

“I didn't ask for your help,” Adagio said. “Not as such, anyway,” she conceded. “So, are you concerned for my sisters, too?”

“Yes, ” Fluttershy admitted, “but I'm more concerned about you.” Fluttershy stepped a little closer, sitting on the edge of the bed about half-way between Adagio and the door. “Do you really want to push them away like that?”

Adagio glared a little at Fluttershy, but then her expression softened. “I don't know,” she admitted. “I guess it's too late now.”

“It doesn't have to be.”

“I'm not going to go crawling back to them, like I did something wrong.”

“Well, they were still downstairs when I came up here. Maybe they haven't left yet.”

“I don't know.” Adagio squirmed. “Just the thought of them… together, makes my skin crawl. I don't think I'll ever be okay with it.”

“Do you want to be?”

“Maybe. It would make things easier, I guess.”

“Well, you won't know until you try.”

The two girls sat in silence, listening to the voices drifting up from downstairs.

Eventually, Adagio climbed to her feet, and began her slow walk towards the door.

Blaze

…As Aria stepped into the hall, she was just in time to notice Fluttershy headed up the stairs. Aria ignored this, and continued towards the kitchen. Sunset Shimmer, following close behind Aria, didn't notice Fluttershy, so followed Aria to the kitchen instead.

When Aria reached the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of Pinkie Pie constructing a second meal for herself, from the leftovers of the girls' protracted breakfast feast. Applejack was working on the washing-up, while Rarity, not content with simply putting the groceries away, had apparently set herself the task of reorganizing Fluttershy's entire kitchen.

Making a beeline for the fridge, Aria shoved Rarity aside, and began digging through the assorted bottles in the top shelf.

“Well excuse me, I'm sure,” Rarity muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Buzz off,” responded Aria, without looking up.

“I do beg your pardon,” said Rarity, in a tone suggesting anything but.

“I said: ” Aria turned to face Rarity, “Buzz. Off.”

“Oh really now, there is no call to be rude.”

Aria straightened, having lifted a bottle of soda from the fridge, and rounded on Rarity, not even glancing around at Sunset and Applejack as they closed in on her. “You wanna start something?”

“Not at all, but —”

“You think I don't know what you girls are up to, with your little schemes and mind-games? Well I'm not falling for it, and it pisses me off, seeing you all act so concerned, like none of this is your fault.”

“Our fault? I don't mean to be rude, but I hardly see how this has anything to do with us.”

“Nothing to do with you, huh? So you aren't trying to make Adagio into one of your 'friends'?”

“Uh…”

“… and I guess you think this is just about me 'n Sonata.”

“Well…”

“It wasn't enough for you, was it? Smashing our pendants? You're not gonna be happy until you've dragged us all into your little cult. Well forget it — you may have gotten your claws into Adagio, but you won't get me and Sonata so easily.”

“Aria,” interjected Sunset, drawing the girl's attention away from the cornered Rarity, “I think you've got the wrong idea. Adagio came to us for help, because she was upset.”

“Yeah, ” piped up Pinkie Pie, “and friendship isn't some freaky brainwashing cult, it's about people who like each other and trust each other spending time together and having fun, because they enjoy each other's company.”

“Oh sure, play innocent, like you don't…” Aria paused, mid sentence, her gaze sweeping across Sunset and Pinkie, “… you don't get it, do you?

“Do you have any idea how long we've been stuck in this dump? How long we — how long Adagio's been looking for a way to get our powers back, to get us back to Equestria? She's been obsessed. I don't have the patience, Sonata never had the brains, but Adagio? She made us believe. For centuries, she never shut up about it. Week after week, she had us trying every crackpot mumbo-jumbo, searching after every fairy story, trying anything just for a chance.

“Can you imagine what it felt like, seeing your big rainbow-light-show? Me and Sonata always believed we'd find a way back, one day, but when the time really came, we weren't ready, we weren't expecting it.

“But Adagio? She knew it right away. For her, it wasn't 'one day', it was always 'any day now', you know? It been, what, eighteen centuries, I guess? And she still jumped on it, right away.”

Sunset frowned. “I… didn't realise it meant so much to her.”

Aria slouched over to the table, and dropped herself into a chair.

“She hasn't mentioned any of it since then. Magic, Equestria, nothing. Six months, she's just…” Aria glared across the girls, “… you gave her hope. We really thought we'd made it, that we'd get our power back, that…

“And then you went and snatched it all away. And now Adagio's finally given up, so, congratulations —” Aria took a swig of her soda, “you broke her, and now you're gonna humiliate her with your silly make-overs and fru-fru friendship clubs.

“Heh. I don't even know if she really cares about this — 'thing' — with me and Sonata. Maybe she just needed something to freak out over.”

The long pause that followed, was interrupted by a buzzing sound coming from Sunset's bag.

“Oh, um, excuse me, I have to take this…” Sunset hurried out of the room, bag in hand. Once she was gone, Rarity gave a small cough, and approached Aria.

“I, uh, realise this is none of our business, but if you don't mind me asking, how serious is this 'thing' with Sonata, as you put it?”

“I guess you must be pretty disgusted by the idea, huh?”

“Well… no, actually. I'll admit,” Rarity held up a hand, “I was quite… shocked, when I first heard. Having thought on it more, though, I can't really say that you're harming anyone, and I don't feel like it's our place to judge you.”

“How very generous of you,” Aria intoned.

“More to the point,” Rarity continued, “I feel that it would be a shame if the three of you fell out over this, so perhaps there is something we can do, to help you 'patch things up', with Adagio?”

Aria blinked in surprise, then narrowed her eyes at Rarity. “Uh-huh. And why would you be so helpful?”

“Darling,” smiled Rarity, reaching a hand across the table to Aria's own, causing Aria to recoil, “it's what we do. Helping others — it's simply what we enjoy.”

Aria looked Rarity up and down, apparently unnerved by this concept.

“Ah guess I should warn ya, ” piped up Applejack, “it's kind of a 'friendship' thing. We ain't gonna ask for anything back from y'all, but if y'like havin' us help ya, maybe ya'll feel more like makin' friends with somebody, on account of friends tend to help each other out.”

“So it's… like a 'friendship' free sample?”

“Yep,” said Pinkie, “and if you think a patch-things-up-between-sisters party would help, we could make it a party free sample, too!”

“Although,” interrupted Rarity, “I rather suspect that on this particular occasion, a quiet conversation might be more… constructive. And we could probably be more helpful if we understood your feelings. I don't wish to presume, but I get the feeling you really do care, quite deeply, about Sonata?”

Aria's gaze drifted over the table, her expression thoughtful as she gently swung the bottle of soda around in small circles. Her expression slowly softened, and a small smile crept in to the corners of her mouth.

“She's… yeah.” Aria chuckled. “She's a total moron, but just so cheerful all the time, like nothing ever really drags her down. The way she smiles,” Aria closed her eyes, “the way she thinks, she's just so different, like she could never get boring, because she's always coming up with something new. She sees so much beauty, everywhere, and just being around her makes me feel so… awake, like nothing else ever has.”

Aria opened her eyes again, and gazed up at the ceiling. “I know it's stupid, but yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her. I don't wanna imagine what living would be like, without her. I get all these… feelings, whenever she's happy, or sad, or angry, or… anything, really. I'm pretty sure she could break me, if she really wanted to, and the weirdest part is, I think I'd be okay with that.”

Aria took another sip of her soda, oblivious to the way the girls were hanging on her words, or Rarity's knowing smile. Aria's concept of romance seemed somewhat… emo, but Rarity didn't doubt the sincerity behind her words.

Aria sighed, and continued her monologue.

“She's just too damn cute, y'know? Like, she does this thing were she has the most adorable puppy-dog eyes, or that silly little giggle, it just… breaks me down inside, like I can't even help myself. I just wanna wrench her arm 'round, make her scream. It's like music. Or stick a bunch of needles in her butt, get some tears going. She's just so freakin' hot when she's crying.”

Aria was still gazing off into the ceiling, and so didn't notice the suddenly very fixed smiles on the three girls gathered around her, or their sideways glances towards each other.

“She knows just how to get me worked up, too.” Aria's grin was devilish. “Keeps saying just the right thing to piss me off. And then there's the way she squeals when I shove my fingers right up her—”

“WEGETTHEPICTURE!” blurted Rarity, perhaps a tad too loud.

Regardless, this seemed to break Aria out of a form of reverie. She straightened, and turned to face Rarity, completely unabashed.

“Guess you're still a little squeamish, huh?” Aria grinned.

“R-regardless,” stammered Rarity, her face rapidly reddening, “I gather you also care about Adagio, just in a different way.”

“I guess.” Aria shrugged. “Anyway, Sonata's not gonna be happy 'till we're all 'sisters' again, which won't be easy. I don't think I've ever heard Adagio really apologise for anything, and she doesn't often go back on her word, either.”

Applejack spoke up next. “Well, Fluttershy's gone to check on Adagio, I don't reckon she wants to see you girls fighting, either. Maybe we should go talk to Sonata, an' wait to see what happens.”

Aria shrugged, and rose from her chair, headed for the door. Rarity and Applejack both rose to follow her, but Pinkie remained seated, looking thoughtful. Just before the trio reached the door, Pinkie Pie spoke.

“Applejack?”

Applejack turned, to see Pinkie Pie gesturing for her to come over. Aria continued out into the hallway, with Rarity close behind. Applejack headed back towards Pinkie Pie, but the pink-haired girl rose and slipped past Applejack, closing the door so that the two of them were alone in the kitchen.

Pinkie Pie's face had a most uncharacteristically worried expression.

“Um, are we sure about this?”

Dusk

…“You're staying?” asked Sunset.

“You have a problem with that?”

“Well, I'll need to check with Fluttershy; It is her home. And honestly, I'm not so sure it's such a good idea.”

“Fine, you ask her.” Aria headed for the door to the hall. “I need a drink.”

Rainbow Dash was having a lousy morning. OK, so she'd slept in late, but she'd had a late night, and she must have been lying awkwardly, because now her side hurt. More to the point, she still hadn't eaten — Applejack had dragged her out of bed, and she'd just about made it to the kitchen, where delicious food smells had awoken her hungry belly, before the sirens' drama in the hallway had kicked off. Now she found herself alone with Sonata and Twilight in the front room, the half-eaten remains of Adagio's breakfast resting temptingly on the table.

Of course, she could return to the kitchen, but that would mean leaving Twilight alone with one of The Dazzlings, which frankly didn't strike Rainbow as such a good idea, right now. So instead, she began leaning against a nearby wall, staring at the door, and waiting for one of the other girls to show up.

After Aria left the room, Sonata slumped back into the couch, folding her arms, and gazing out the window with a troubled expression on her face, until she felt a weight dip the couch next to her.

Turning to see where this added weight had come from, Sonata found herself face-to-face with a bespectacled purple girl, who was putting on an awkward smile.

“Hi there!” said the purple girl.

“Do I know you?” Sonata asked, frowning — the girl did look familiar.

“Oh, no. Not really, I mean. But you probably met the other 'me'.” Seeing no understanding in Sonata's face, Twilight continued, “The other Twilight Sparkle, I mean. That's my name — but there's another girl, from your world, who looks a lot like me, and has the same name. What I mean is, there are two Twilight Sparkles, and I'm one of them, but you've probably met the other one.”

Sonata smiled, and nodded, albeit with a slightly glazed-over expression. “Oh, OK. You're one of the Rainbooms, right?”

“Uh, well, no, I'm not in their band. But I am friends with them.”

“So, you guys are trying to make friends with Adagio, right? Can you make her not be mad at me and Aria? Because this really sucks.”

“I don't think it works that way, sorry.”

“Oh.” Sonata looked utterly dejected, and Twilight couldn't help but rest a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

“We'll talk to her, she might come around.”

“It's because we got our gems smashed, isn't it? I knew she was still mad about that.”

“Um, actually, I think she might think it's a little weird for two sisters to be doing… 'that'. A lot of people believe that sisters shouldn't, y'know, have sex.”

Sonata blinked. “Oooh, that makes more sense. What about you?”

“What?”

“Do you think it's wrong?”

“Oh! Well, I guess no, not really. I mean, it's a little unusual, but if you're not harming any—”

Twilight's eyes went wide, and her gaze slowly dropped.

“Sonata?”

“Hmm-mmh?”

“Y-your hand is on my knee.” As Twilight spoke these words, Rainbow Dash's head snapped around, but she remained speechless as Twilight continued. “Actually, just above my knee. And slightly inward. I'm not sure that's an appropriate place for your hand to be, really.”

Sonata was leaning forward, her smile suddenly a lot more… adult.

“You're cute, you know that?” Sonata… purred. “I bet Aria wouldn't mind sharing.”

Twilight shuffled back into the corner of the couch. She put her own hand over Sonata's, to prevent that hand from sliding any further up her leg, and she gave a small yelp when she felt Sonata's other hand encroaching onto her hips.

“Oi, blue girl,” growled Rainbow Dash, “hands off.”

Sonata briefly met Rainbow's glare, before slinking back to the far corner of the couch, pouting.

Twilight turned her head to offer Rainbow Dash a grateful smile, but froze when she felt something stroking its way up her leg. Turning her gaze downwards, she found that Sonata had slipped own shoe off, and was now stroking one foot up and down her shin.

Twilight glared angrily at Sonata, who raised her hands and wiggled her fingers.

“No hands.” Sonata sang.

Twilight frowned, and pushed Sonata's leg aside, then stood up. “No feet, either.”

It shocked Twilight just how quickly Sonata jumped up, how quickly she found herself pinned in between the couch and the lascivious siren.

“That's a fun game,” Sonata remarked, “no hands, no feet… what else can I use?”

“Don't make me come over there and smack you,” snapped Rainbow Dash.

The effect was dramatic. Sonata's expression suddenly changed to one of utmost shock, and she stumbled back away from Twilight, turning to face Rainbow, and bringing her hands up to her chest and covering her mouth, defensively. Twilight immediately took the opportunity to escape, slipping across to the doorway, though not actually leaving the room.

Looking at Sonata's wide-eyed stare, Rainbow Dash immediately regretted her outburst — partly because she recalled advice Applejack had once given her about dealing with children, never to make a threat you don't intend to follow through with — but mostly because the girl's reaction made her re-consider how violently Sonata had been treated just minutes ago, by Aria. And if that's how Sonata was treated in public…

“L-look,” Rainbow Dash began, mind racing to figure out how to undo the damage of her own careless words…

“You'll… smack me?” Sonata's voice trembled as she inched forwards, her steps bringing her closer to Rainbow, Twilight, and the door. “That's what you said, right?”

“Well…” Rainbow squirmed, shifting from one foot to the other.

Then Sonata's hands shifted, and Rainbow got a clear look at her face. The rainbow-haired girl froze in shock at the sight of the most creepy smile she'd ever seen, plastered over Sonata's face.

In the seconds Rainbow took to react, Sonata closed the gap between them. Standing less than an arm's reach away, she dropped her hands to her sides, and thrust her chin forward.

“Go on, then,” Sonata whispered. “Give me your best shot.”

“E-e-eh…” Rainbow turned a pleading look towards Twilight, who started making “I'll go get help” gestures, before turning to the door.

“What's the matter?” Sonata taunted, “You're a big, tough, girl, aren'tcha? Don't you wanna take a swing, show me who's boss? I bet you —“ Sonata raised a finger to stroke Rainbow's jawline “— like to play rough.”

Rainbow raised her own hands defensively. She could see insanity in the siren's eyes, and although it was nearly midday, Rainbow still felt it was too early in the morning for her to be dealing with this.

Then she noticed Twilight re-enter the room, backwards. In the doorway, stood Aria Blaze.

“What,” deadpanned Aria, “is going on here?”

Sonata… wiggled. Her hips and shoulders swayed in opposite directions, while her feet stayed planted. Without shifting her stare from Rainbow's face, she proclaimed in a loud, joyful voice:

“Rainbow Dash says she's gonna smack me around!”

Rainbow could swear, she didn't even have time to blink before Sonata was unceremoniously shoved aside, and Aria had her by the collar.

“The HELL!? You keep your hands off Sonata, ya hear?”

Honestly, Rainbow felt like crying. She just wanted to sit and eat a quiet breakfast, instead she had to deal with two deranged lunatics.

“Sure, OK”

“She's MINE, you got that?”

Rainbow stared back into Aria's furious gaze, and simply gave up.

“Absolutely. Whatever you say.”

At which point, Adagio Dazzle walked in.

“Ok, what's going on here?”

“Rainbow Dash and Aria are fighting over me!” proclaimed Sonata. “It's so romantic.” She sighed. “It's too bad Rainbow's kind of a wuss.”

“Hey, what?” Rainbow heard her own mouth exclaim, while the smarter parts of her brain tried to get her to keep quiet.

“Yeah,” Sonata continued, “you pretty much gave up right away, I mean, Aria didn't even hit you yet.”

“That's 'cause she knows she can't take me,” smirked Aria.

“Yeah, right!” Once again, Rainbow's brain was screaming at her mouth to stop, “I totally could.”

Adagio took a seat on the couch.

“Anyone got popcorn?”

Two minutes later, Sunset Shimmer, journal clutched under one arm, met Applejack and Pinkie Pie in the hallway. The three of them had heard yelling from the front room, and rushed in to investigate.

Aria Blaze was on the floor, cursing and screaming, with a bedraggled Rainbow Dash straddling her, pinning her down. Sonata Dusk was bouncing up and down in one corner of the room, laughing her head off. Fluttershy and Twilight were stood huddled together in another corner, looking horrified. Adagio was sat on the couch, watching the whole thing with obvious amusement. Rarity was stood against one wall, phone in hand, watching with an expression of stern disapproval.

“OK,” said Sunset, when Aria stopped for air. “What is going on in here?”

Sorry

Sunset stood, arms crossed, listening to the girls' explanation. When they had finished, she sighed, and turned to Sonata, who was standing by the wall opposite, next to Aria.

“Okay, first of all, Sonata,” she said, “whether or not you meant to, it's clear you made Twilight uncomfortable, and I think you should apologise.”

Sonata blinked, then shrugged and waved a hand sheepishly at Twilight, who was sitting on the couch to Sunset's left, next to Fluttershy, who in turn was sat next to Adagio.

“Ss-so-oo-or-ry-yy,” she intoned.

Twilight flushed. “I-it's fine. I don't want to make a big deal of it.”

“Fine,” continued Sunset, turning to Rainbow Dash next, “Rainbow Dash, I know you were upset, but you can't go around threatening to slap people. You should apologise to Sonata.”

Rainbow gave Sunset a betrayed look, before turning to face Sonata. “Uh, yeah. Sorry.”

“Oh,” Sonata grinned salaciously, leaning towards Rainbow, “it's fiiine.”

Aria raised an arm in front of Sonata, creating a barrier between the two.

“I also think you should apologise to Aria,” continued Sunset. When Rainbow gave a hurt whine, Sunset continued, “and Aria, you should apologise to Rainbow Dash.”

Aria folded her arms, and glared at Sunset. Rainbow jabbed a finger in Aria's direction.

“She hit me first!”

“I don't care who started it; You should both know better. So, which of you is going to show how mature you are, by apologising first?”

Aria and Rainbow glared at each other. Eventually, Rainbow shrugged, and rolled her eyes.

“Okay, okay, sorry for kicking your butt. Can I go now?”

“Rainbow!”

“Fine, sorry, geez!”

Sunset sighed, and looked to Aria.

“What?” the purple girl exclaimed, “You can't be serious?” Aria looked around the room, looking to Adagio in particular. Adagio shrugged, and swept an upturned hand outward in a “whatever” gesture.

Finding herself the focus of every gaze in the room, Aria wilted.

“Fine, I'm sorry. Happy now?”

“Sure!” exclaimed Rainbow, waving as she left the room, headed for the kitchen.

Sunset rubbed her temple and forehead. “When did I become a mother?”

Adagio chuckled. “I know that feeling.”

Fluttershy nudged Adagio, who suddenly started to look sheepish.

“What,” Adagio murmured, “right now?”

Fluttershy nodded. Adagio stood.

“Fine. A-Aria! Sonata!” Adagio snapped, causing both girls to stand to attention. After everything that happened, Sunset couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at the way the two of them responded to Adagio's commanding tone. Adagio's tone, however, was less commanding when she continued. “I… I'm… ggr… I'm sorry, okay?”

Aria and Sonata stood in stunned silence, mouths open.

The minutes ticked by, and Adagio's cheeks began to burn. Sonata's eyebrows we knitting together, as panic slowly filled her face; Sunset thought the blue girl might be about to cry. Slowly, Aria's head turned, her gaze shifting to Fluttershy, who immediately began looking down at her hands.

“Whu— ” Aria breathed “— what did you do to her?”

“Nothing!” Adagio exclaimed, hurriedly, “I didn't do anything to her!”

Fluttershy said nothing, but brought her knees up, as her face started to turn pink.

“Holy Carp!” exclaimed Aria, a bemused grin spreading across her face “you're screwing her!”

“No!” exclaimed Adagio, “It was just a misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding!?” echoed Applejack and Rarity.

“Carp?” muttered Twilight.

“Don't worry,” smirked Aria, “I'm not one to judge. Just didn't think she was your type, is all.”

“That — it — I — Anyway,” Adagio stuttered, “the point is…” she hesitated, remembering what the original point actually was, “I'm… sorry. I… I shouldn't have said those things. You two are…” she looked back and forth between the two of them “… really weird, and I don't understand you at all, and it's totally creepy, but…” she sighed “I shouldn't have said that we aren't sisters. I went too far.

“I guess… if it's what you both want… just… try not to be so… icky, around me, okay? But I… I don't want us to be… 'not sisters'.”

Aria's grin soured to a sullen glare, but Sonata grinned widely and lept forward, throwing her arms around Adagio with an excited squeal.

“A-da-gi-o! I don't want us to be not-sisters either!”

Adagio froze, hands hovering and lip curing, as Sonata dove face-first into her breasts. Seeing this, Aria chuckled, and shrugged.

“Ah well,” Aria sighed, “then I guess I don't have a choice. Fine, we're sisters again.”

“G-great!” replied Adagio, “so, uh, could you maybe get your girlfriend off'f me?” Adagio was starting to feel decidedly uncomfortable with the way Sonata was nuzzling her.

“Sorry,” replied Aria, far too amused to fear Adagio's wrath, “you're the leader.” With that, Aria slumped down on the couch to Sunset's left, next to Applejack and Pinkie Pie.

It took Adagio several minutes to extricate herself from the younger girl's embrace. Eventually, she gestured for Sunset Shimmer to help her. When Sonata had finally been dissuaded, she flopped down half on the arm of the nearby couch, half on Aria's lap. Aria slipped an arm around her waist.

“Great,” monotoned Adagio, “well, if we're done here…”

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat. Adagio returned to her seat, next to Fluttershy, and Sunset took center stage.

“Uh, actually, I have a couple of questions for you, and maybe a proposal.”

“Hope you bought her a ring!” heckled Aria.

Ignoring her, Sunset continued:

“I've been in contact with Princess Twilight, back in Equestria, and, well…

“You girls want to go 'home', right?”

Home…

Sunset tried to keep her smile warm, and friendly. It wasn't so easy, though, with the way Adagio and Aria were staring at her. Truthfully, she hadn't been able to stop herself from imagining, even hoping, that the trio would be overjoyed, grateful, and maybe even ready to embrace this peace offering and give friendship a try.

More realistically, she'd told herself, the Dazzlings would simply take what was on offer without a single thought of gratitude crossing their minds. She'd be OK with that, too — Canterlot wasn't built in a day, after all. There was even a chance the three of them would be completely uninterested, now that their pendants were gone.

Sunset hadn't quite been prepared for the death-stare Aria was now giving her, nor the suddenly intense way Adagio seem to be focussed on her, as if the siren was trying to decide Sunset's fate. Even Sonata seemed suddenly cold, though Sunset suspected the normally bouncy girl was only following her sisters' lead.

Finally, it was Adagio who broke the silence.

“Yeah…” she drawled, “… we do want to go back to Equestria. But if you're saying you can make it happen, I need to know what it's gonna cost us.”

“Well I'm not saying it's a sure thing,” said Sunset, quickly, “that's why I wanted to ask you some questions, first.”

“Isn't it obvious?” Aria snarled, “They want us to become their obedient little friends. I knew they were up to some goody-goody trick.”

Sunset was about to protest, when Adagio held up a hand to silence both of them, her gaze never leaving Sunset.

“Alright,” she said, her voice low and menacing, “ask your questions. I'm not making any promises, but we'll hear you out.”

“… right. Well, first of all, uh, do you know where the portal is?”

“Of course we do. We're not stupid.” Seeing Sunset's questioning expression, Adagio continued, “Of course we tried going back through the portal as soon as it opened again. The old coot who banished us here put some kind of curse on us, so we can't go through. If you're going to help us go back, you need to remove the curse.”

“I could've broken whatever spell he used easily,” bemoaned Aria, “if we'd gotten our full power back.”

Sunset nodded, head bowed in thought. “That's more or less what we figured. Okay, second question: did you ever try going through without your pendants?”

Sunset looked up in time to see the momentarily stunned look on Adagio's face, before the orange-haired girl turned her head towards Aria.

“You mean he might have cursed our pendants, not us?”

Aria looked uneasy. “I… don't know. Maybe? It's not like it matters, right? I mean, you never would have given up your pendant to go home, would you?”

“No…” admitted Adagio, “… probably not. Still, now you mention it, it does seem like the kind of thing he would have done.”

“I guess that also means you haven't tried going back since the Battle of the Bands, either,” said Sunset.

“No,” replied Adagio, “what does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, I've written to Princess Twilight, we thought you might be cursed, and she thinks the most effective way to remove it would be a powerful, all-purpose, harmony-based, counter-spell.”

Sunset waited for this to sink in.

“You mean,” said Sonata, “like the giant-ghost-horse-powered-rainbow-laser-cannon-thing you beat us with?”

“You mean,” said Aria, “you already removed it?”

“You mean,” said Adagio, “if we wait for the next time the portal opens, we can just walk through?”

Sunset coughed. “Erm… actually, Twilight's figured out a way to open the portal any time we feel like it.”

“Fine,“ said Adagio, “but that doesn't mean she can stop it opening, at the usual time, right?”

“I doubt it,” grinned Aria.

“So…” smirked Adagio, “we don't actually need you — we can just wait a few moons and get back all by ourselves, and you can't stop us.”

“That's true,” replied Sunset, “I mean, Princess Twilight could set up a bunch of alarm spells around the mirror, maybe have a few guards waiting to arrest you, or just stick the mirror itself in a locked room, but we won't try to stop you going back.” Watching the way Adagio's face fell, and enjoying it just a little bit more than she really should, Sunset continued, “Then again, we don't know for certain that the curse really has been lifted, and if it hasn't then you're going to need our help.”

Adagio looked to her sisters, the three of them exchanging some unspoken thoughts. Then she looked at the floor, thinking things over. Finally she sighed, blinked, and looked back up at Sunset.

“Alright,” she said quietly, “you win. We'll… be your friends, if you help us get home. Right, girls?” Her last question was directed at her sisters, who looked at each other for confirmation. Neither of them looked happy about the prospect.

“Yeah,” said Sonata, eventually, “OK”.

Aria shrugged. “I guess.”

“No.” said Sunset.

“WHAT!?” cried Adagio, “oh, come on! What do you want from us?”

“I never said anything about friendship,” shrugged Sunset, “you came up with that one on your own.”

“Actually, that was Aria,” offered Sonata.

“Don't make me hurt you.”

“Not the time, girls.”

“The 'price',” continued Sunset, “as you put it, is this: No more evil. No more stirring up trouble, no more hurting people, and no more dark magic, even if you find a way to do it without your pendants. If you want to learn about friendship, that's up to you, but the choice is yours.”

“Question!” chimed Sonata, “What about hurting people who want to be hurt?”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “So long as it's all between consenting adults, and no-one suffers long-term harm, that's fine. Though I really think you girls should look into safewords, if you haven't already.”

At this, Aria only chuckled.

“Well…” said Adagio, “fine. It's not like we have our pendants now anyway. We can play nice, I guess.” Then she frowned, “But is Princess Twilight willing to promise we wont be arrested the moment we step through?”

“Or any of the moments after that?” added Sonata.

Sunset nodded. “She says that, uh, whatever crimes you may have committed in the past, it's too long ago for there to be any outstanding warrants now. So long as you promise not to commit any new crimes, Equestria will grant you amnesty.” She paused for a moment. “She can't speak on behalf of other countries, of course.”

“Good enough.”

“Great.” smiled Sunset, “Just, well, let us know when you're ready. Princess Twilight will set up some recording equipment, so if it doesn't work, we should at least be able to get a better idea of why.”

Adagio looked over at her sisters. “I guess… how about this evening, say around seven?”

Sunset blinked. “That soon?”

Aria snorted. “We travel light. Always gotta be ready to move on… We just need to grab our things, I guess we should drop the landlord a note…” she rubbed her chin, “we could come back here, right? If there was anything we really needed.”

“Oh, I'm sure Princess Twilight wouldn't mind that,” replied Sunset, “so long as you don't make a habit of jumping back and forth all the time.”

Adagio stood up. She seemed slightly dazed. “Great, well, we'll get going, and uh, meet you at the portal at seven.”

Outside Fluttershy's house, Adagio stopped, and stared up at the sky. Aria and Sonata stepped forward just enough to see her face clearly. The leader of the Dazzlings wore an expression neither of her sisters had seen on her face for a long time. A smile, not scheming or filled with malevolence, nor even Adagio's signature fake-sweet-prelude-to-sarcasm. It was a smile filled with the simple, pure innocence of someone who has found the weight of the world lifted from their shoulders, with the contentment of being able to simply enjoy the moment.

Honestly, they found it a little disturbing. No less so, when they heard the softness in her voice, as she uttered, perhaps to them, or herself, or to the world in general:

“We're going home.”

Words

The low-hanging sun was casting long shadows across the courtyard of Canterlot High School when the Dazzlings arrived, luggage in tow. The Rainbooms (and Twilight Sparkle) were waiting around the school statue, the base of which held the portal to Equestria.

Looking over at Fluttershy, Adagio motioned for her sisters to hang back.

“Just give me a moment, girls."

Aria and Sonata said nothing, but stepped aside to give Adagio space. In truth, the three of them had barely spoken since leaving Fluttershy's house; Even Aria and Sonata's bickering had subdued to little more than a token gesture. As Adagio strode over towards Fluttershy, her two sisters watched in silence, then turned to face each other. In the awkward silence that followed, each tried to look at the other's face without making eye contact. This continued until an unexpected voice broke the silence.

“Hi there! We haven't talked much, but I'm Pinkie Pie, and you're Sonata, right?”

Aria blinked. Sonata nodded. “Oh! Uh, yeah…”

“Great! Can I talk to you for juuust a little while?”

Sonata glanced back at Aria, then shrugged, and nodded. “OK, sure.”

Aria folded her arms, and began gazing up at the rooftop of CHS while her sisters conversed with their, apparently now “former”, enemies.

Once they were some distance from Aria, Pinkie turned to Sonata and smiled, but it was the Dazzling who spoke first.

“OK, so, what do you wanna talk about?”

“Weeell — Aria hurts you, right?”

“Oh! Yeah,” Sonata rolled her eyes, moaning “she's absolutely the worst, y'know?” Then her expression flicked to a cheerful grin — “You wanna join in?”

“Oh,” said Pinkie, raising her hands defensively, “no-no, that's fine. I just — well, did you ever ask her to stop?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Well… y'know, uh, if you did ask her, do you think she would?” Off Sonata's confused frown, Pinkie continued, “I mean, you love each other, right? So, she should want you to be happy, even if you do enjoy fighting, and getting hurt.”

Sonata considered this, then turned and called across the courtyard, slightly louder than strictly necessary, “Oi!, Aria!”

Seeing her sister's “come here” gestures, Aria meandered over to where Sonata and Pinkie Pie were standing. Once she was at a conversational distance, Sonata spoke.

“Hey Aria, if I asked you to stop hurting me, would you?”

Aria responded by rounding angrily on the nervous-looking Pinkie Pie. “What the hell did you say to her?”

“I just —”

“It's none of your business, OK? She's fine with it, I'm fine with it, we don't need some prude like you telling us what to do.”

Pinkie's demeanour shifted, her nervous smile replaced with an angry glare.

“I just wanna make sure you're not gonna really hurt her.”

“What?!”

“You two like to play-fight; That's fine. Sisters do that all the time, even if your version's more grown-up-sexy. But do you have a way to make sure you don't go too far?”

“Well, I wouldn't…”

“So you never make mistakes? Everyone does! And if you don't start taking Sonata's saftey seriously, one day you're gonna put her in hospital, or worse!”

Aria blanched slightly at these words, Pinkie's unexpectedly full-on fury throwing her completely off-guard.

“I…”

“Or maybe it won't get that far, and you'll just end up hurting her so bad she never wants to play with you again! Is that what you want? You need a safeword.”

Aria swallowed, and turned a pleading look to her sister. “Sonata?”

Sonata was frowning pensively. When she spoke, her words were hesitant. “I… I think she's right. I know it's a pain, but I think we need a safeword.”

“Fine,” grumbled Aria. “I don't wanna listen to you whine about it, so whatever.”

“Great!” smiled Pinkie, her expression suddenly cheerful again. “Hey, if you girls are ever back in town, gimme a call and I'll throw you the biggest super-fun party ever!”

“A-ri-a!” Sonata smirked.

“What?”

Sonata's grin was full of malicious glee. “You looove me!”

“Do not.”

“Do too!”

“I will hurt you.”

“A-ria loves Sona-ta! A-ria loves Sona-ta!”

Pinkie giggled as the two sisters began to run circles around her, Aria growling and cursing while Sonata cackled gleefully.

A few minutes earlier…

As Adagio crossed the courtyard to reach Fluttershy, the timid girl's friends stepped back to give them some space. Face-to-face again, Fluttershy waited patiently while Adagio struggled to get the right words out.

“Fluttershy, I… I'll pay you back some day, OK?”

“Oh?”

“I get it, OK. I needed help, and you helped me, and I didn't trick you or anything, so… I… I owe you, OK? I know I won't be around much, but if there's ever something I can do to repay you, just let me know. I'm a villain but I do have my honour.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy looked slightly disappointed for a moment, but then she smiled. “That's OK. I just helped you because I wanted to, you don't have to do anything.”

“But…”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No. I don't want you to 'owe me' anything, alright?”

“Well, OK, I guess.”

“But, uh, maybe we could write to each other? And if you felt like coming back to visit some time, we could hang out?”

Adagio smiled. “Yeah, I'd like th—”

Adagio's smile froze, then sank into an expression of appalled realisation. Slowly, she brought her hand up to her face.

“Ohhh, crap,” she muttered. “Fluttershy, this means we're friends now, doesn't it?”

Fluttershy suppressed a giggle. “Oh, um, yes. I think so. I mean, if that's OK with you.”

“Yeah…” sighed Adagio, “… so much for the whole 'villain' thing, huh?”

“Well, maybe you don't need to be evil?”

“I guess not. Heh, this has been a weird couple of days. I will write, and I'll visit, I promise.”

“OK. Oh, and, maybe you could say 'hi' to pony-me.”

“A pony version of you, huh? That would be… interesting.”

Sounds of Aria and Sonata bickering drifted across the courtyard.

“Well,” shrugged Adagio, “I guess I'd better get going…” she hesitated, then blurted out: “Could I give you a kiss on the cheek, just to say goodbye?”

Fluttershy began to blush, but nodded soundlessly. Adagio stepped in close, raised her thumb and index finger to Fluttershy's chin, then leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Fluttershy's left cheek. Then she stepped away, taking one last look at the shy girl before heading back over to her sisters. As she turned away, Adagio couldn't help but grin at the adorable shade of pink Fluttershy had turned, and the tiny squeak that escaped the girl's lips.

She would definitely have to visit again.

Her sisters once again brought to heel (more-or-less), Adagio now stood in front of the portal. Raising one hand to its surface, she watched the way it rippled where she touched it. Previously, there had been a hard, burning sensation even from making contact with the threshold, but now it only felt slightly cool and liquid to the touch. It seemed the curse really had been lifted; She could hardly bring herself to believe it, even now.

Standing on the threshold, savouring the moment, Adagio reflected on centuries of toil, their efforts to recover their power, to command this little world, and ultimately, to return home. One out of three wasn't too bad, after all. She tried to imagine what it would really feel like to be back in Equestria, back in their old bodies. She tried to imagine the looks on her sisters' faces, the feeling of triumph. It was all… surprisingly difficult to imagine, now. She wondered when the images in her mind had become so cloudy.

He introspection was interrupted by Aria's impatience.

“Come on, Adagio. Are you just gonna stand there all night? This is it, we can finally go back to Equestria! Isn't that what you wanted, all this time?”

Adagio hesitated, and looked back at her sisters, at the way they were watching her. Aria's words echoed in her head.

Aria frowned; They'd come all this way, but she could tell from Adagio's expression, something was wrong.

Author's Note

Just to warn you all, we're nearing the end of this story; The next chapter will likely be the last. Thanks for all the feedback so far, and I hope you will all like the ending.

… where the heart is

“Adagio?”

Aria tilted her head, sloping her shoulders and frowning at her big sister. Moments before, Adagio Dazzle had been standing in front of the portal, stroking the surface while seemingly lost in thought. Now, she was staring at her younger siblings with intense puzzlement.

Seconds dripped past while the girls stared at each other in silence. Eventually, Aria grew uncomfortable with Adagio's gaze, and had to speak up.

“You wanna stop staring at me? Portal's right there. Equestria. Your frickin' obsession for the last eighteen centuries.”

Adagio continued to stare.

“What!?” moaned Aria, “I have something on my face? You've changed your frickin' mind? What's wrong now?”

Adagio's gaze fell for a moment, then shifted back up to her Sisters.

“What…” Adagio began, hesitating, “what about you?”

“We'll be right behind you, of course.”

“No, I mean, what do you want?”

Adagio glanced from Aria to Sonata and back again. Sonata's expression was blank; As usual, it was unclear how much of the conversation she was following. Aria, meanwhile, stood dumbfounded, for several seconds, until Adagio continued:

“I mean, if it was just you two — if I said I didn't care — would you want to go back to Equestria?”

Aria's face twitched. Her mouth moved silently. It took her several more seconds to form actual words. When she did, it was with a cry of exasperation.

“You decided to ask us this now!?”

Adagio hesitated again; For just a moment, Aria wondered if her elder sibling was about to freak out, or break down, all over again. Then the moment passed — Adagio's expression hardened, and she began glaring back imperiously.

“Yes,” she answered, “I just now decided to ask you. So?”

Aria shifted her weight uncomfortably. “I'm fine with it. Whatever.”

“That's not what I asked.”

At this point, Sonata spoke up:

“Um, 'Dagi? It's just… we only just became not-un-sisters again, I don't wanna not go somewhere you two are going without me.”

Adagio rolled her eyes at this. “I'm not talking about splitting up, Sonata. I just want to know if we're going back to Equestria because we all want to, or just because I want to.”

“What does it matter?” grumbled Aria, “we're going either way, right?”

“Just answer the damn question!” snapped Adagio.

Aria struck a rebellious pose, but quickly wilted under Adagio's glare.

“Well… honestly, I don't really care, either way — it's not like we're gonna get our magic back wherever we are, so…”

Sonata nodded, smiling until Adagio turned a wild-eyed stare her way.

“Uh, well,” the youngest siren faltered, “I mean, this place… it sucks, right?” She offered Adagio an uneasy grin, which faded, as Sonata's gaze drifted off to the side, to something no-one else could see. When she continued, her voice was… different, somehow — softer, and more subdued. “But… if we go back now, is it… is it gonna be like before, before…” she raised one hand to her chest, making a grasping motion in the air where her pendant had once hung, “… before we got our magic?” she re-focussed on Adagio, a worried expression filling her face.

“No,” Adagio replied, her voice low and hoarse, “not like that, ever again, I promise.” She sighed. “But it won't be the same as when we had our magic, either. We'll — we'll have to get jobs, earn money, live like… like 'normal' ponies.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Sonata, her voice and expression immediately bouncing back. “Then no, I don't really care either way, so long as we're all together.” She grinned.

Adagio's stare passed back and forth, from Sonata's cheerful grin, to Aria's uncomfortable squirming.

“But…” she began, weakly, “you… you were gonna 'make friends' with the Rainbooms, just so we could go back. You were ready to do just about anything they asked, just so we could go back… weren't you?”

Aria looked, if anything, more uncomfortable than before. “Well, yeah…” she muttered.

“'Cause we knew you wanted to go back,” Sonata grinned.

The sounds of distant traffic followed this proclamation for over a minute, while Adagio stood in silence. Then, as the other girls watched, she began to… shudder. At first, Aria thought it was a coughing fit. Adagio was making strange snuffling noises, and raised one hand to cover her mouth. She leaned back against the side of the statue's base, and her shoulders began to shake. Then Aria noticed the way Adagio's eyes were watering, tears welling up and threatening to spill.

“Oi, 'Dagi,” at her sister's odd behavior, Aria was starting to panic. Was Adagio really crying? “It's no big deal, OK? I know, we're useless, we should be all worked up about getting back, I'm sure we're such a disappointment, just yell at us already and get it over with, will ya?”

Adagio pulled her hand away, steadying herself enough to speak.

At first, Aria was certain she'd misheard, or misunderstood her sister's words, but then Adagio repeated herself, grinning insanely.

“I don't care either! Equestria sucked!”

“But… then why… ?”

“Because I thought you wanted to!!” exclaimed Adagio, howls of laughter bursting from her chest as she sank to the floor, while her sisters stared in astonishment.

Looking down at her sister, Aria thought back on all the years — no, centuries — that Adagio had worked them to exhaustion, driving them to pursue any hope, however faint, of getting home. And now, she was saying she didn't even want to get back? It had all just been a misunderstanding!? All that hard work, just because…

Because Adagio had believed that her sisters wanted to go home.

As angry as it made her, Aria couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. And once she started, she found she couldn't stop.

Moments later, all three Sirens were in hysterics, Aria managing to brace herself against the base of the statue, while Sonata simply rolled around on the floor, clutching her sides.

The Rainbooms watched in bewilderment for several minutes until, clutching her journal, Sunset Shimmer ventured forward.

“Um… so… should I tell Princess Twilight… ?”

Gasping for air, Adagio waved a hand in Sunset's direction, “T-tell her… never mind… we're staying.”

While Sunset hurried off to write an explanatory note to the Princess, Adagio lay gasping, while her sisters continued their howling.

Eventually, their laughter died down, and the three of them lay, exhausted, staring up at the clouds.

“Hey…” said Sonata, “so… now what do we do?”

Neither of her sisters answered, right away, but Aria turned her head to look at Adagio.

And after a few more moments, Adagio smiled.

“Let's…” she said, “let's go home.”

The Rainbooms (and Twilight) stood around the base of the statue, watching the three former Sirens walk away, luggage in tow. As the three of them moved beyond earshot, Pinkie Pie was the first to speak.

“So, this counts as a happy ending, right?”

“I guess so,” replied Sunset. “I mean, they did promise to behave themselves. I don't know if they'll keep to that now that they aren't going back, but…”

“Well,” opined Fluttershy, “I think it's wonderful, that they worked out their differences.”

The other girls nodded.

“Oh, indeed,” said Rarity, frowning slightly, “but I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of them from now on.”

“Yeah,” chuckled Rainbow Dash, “I totally think Adagio's gonna wanna see more of Fluttershy!”

“Yeah…” smiled Sunset, while Fluttershy blushed furiously, “A happy ending.”

And they watched, as the sisters continued to walk, talking cheerfully amongst themselves.

As Adagio stopped, abruptly, while the other two continued walking.

As Sonata and Aria turned back to face their sister, dropping their luggage, and walking slowly backwards away from her, hands raised placatingly.

Adagio wasn't moving much, but was she clenching her fists?

Sonata and Aria exchanged a glance, then broke out into a run. Adagio's enraged scream echoed down the entire length of the street, easily loud enough for the Rainbooms (and Twilight) to hear.

“YOU DID IT ON MY BED!?!?”

— The End

Foreword

It's been over a year since I wrote this story, and I feel the need to add a disclaimer. My views of incest have changed, and I now realise that the vast majority of incestuous relationships are abusive, or at least unhealthy — not because of being biologically related, but because of the emotions that normally come with being raised together as family.

I'm gonna leave the story up because I believe that people can still enjoy it for what it is — an unrealistic blend of comedy and over-the-top drama (not to mention the sometimes harmless shipping). I believe that, in its capacity to make people happy, this story can still do more good than harm. Plus, I'm still kinda proud of many other aspects of the story, and I really appreciate all the comments and support I received.

Maybe someday I'll write a sequel that actually addresses some of these points in-world. In the meantime…

… Just… don't try this at home, kids.

-- SquiggelSquirrel