Adagio Dazzle woke with a start. Drenched in sweat, she sat up to take a long drink from the water on her bedside table.

Another nightmare. She shook her head.

She didn’t remember the dream itself, but she was sure it wasn’t much different than the others she’d been having. We really aren’t that different. Lying back down, she fitfully nuzzled down into her hair, not caring that it twisted under her, not caring that it would be hell to deal with in the morning.

Maybe I should just stay in bed. Who needs mornings?

She fell back into a restless sleep.

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“You look like shit.”

Adagio looked up from the floor to be greeted by the sight of Aria Blaze leaning on the kitchen island and eating the last of her cereal. “Maybe I wouldn’t if your fat ass didn’t vacuum up all my food.” She threw in a growl for good measure, but it was lackluster at best.

Aria sneered, “I’m just trying to get your physique. Sorry we’re not all graced with a naturally plump derrière.”

The weary girl shook her head and started the kettle. “I accept your apology.”

“Seriously though,” she said, pausing to drink the milk from her bowl, “you don’t usually look so terrible.”

“And you don’t usually talk this much.” She sank into a seat at the table, the glossy wood cool on her face. “I’m fine.”

Aria opened her mouth to say something undoubtedly vile when Sonata Dusk walked in, blanket clutched around her like a cape. Her long blue hair stuck out at odd angles; it honestly looked like she was being electrocuted.

“Can we, like, not bicker this morning?” Sonata yawned. “I’m tired.”

“You look like shit, too.” The mean girl promptly received a flick to the forehead. “Fine, only a little crappy. Did you hear the screaming again?”

The hooded lump settled into a chair next to Adagio. Safe in her cocoon she nodded and shivered.

Adagio shivered too, yet she wasn’t remotely cold. “Screaming?” She watched her friends exchange a look that, despite their innumerable years together, she could not decipher.

Aria turned quickly to put her bowl in the sink. She leaned forward on her palms against the countertop. “I didn’t hear anything, you probably just watched too many scary movies before bed. Again.”

Though Adagio could hear the vitriol in her voice, there was a faraway quality to it. Then she scoffed. “You could sleep through an earthquake and a fire, what’s a few cries in the night going to do?”

“Okay, that was one time!”

Adagio wanted to smile. “Whatever.” She grabbed honey for her tea instead. “You can take yourselves to school today, right?”

The simple question made Aria look and forced Sonata from her barricade, “You’re not going to drive us?”

“Not if you can get there without me.” Adagio shrugged. It didn’t seem like a big deal.

“But you always take us everywhere!” Sonata wailed.

Adagio sipped her tea, unfazed by yet another outburst in their very long lives together.

“Cut the crap, Dagi.” Adagio winced imperceptibly. “When are you coming back to school? It was your idea and all.”

“I was thinking never, or maybe even a week or two after that. Give the students some time to forget about it.” Besides, we enrolled as seniors, what’s one measly year of high school in comparison to the centuries of higher learning we’ve already been exposed to?

Aria shook her head. “You’re totally overestimating Canterlot High’s ability to hold a grudge. They really suck at it.”

“We’ve already sort of made some friends, I think,” Sonata blurted, the thick quilt muffling the shrillness to a reasonable level.

“Maybe they can forgive you two, you weren’t the leader,” she muttered tersely under her breath.

“Well thank you for not letting me do that then.” Aria held her hand out expectantly. When nothing happened, she huffed. “We’ll go straight there and come straight home so don’t bother nagging.”

The smile she gave was decidedly sardonic. “That’s special. I don’t give a damn.” Adagio fished the keys out of her pants pocket and dropped them into the waiting hand.

“Whatever. Gimme a call if you stop feeling like shit and wanna take a ride.” Aria strode out to the front door.

“Hope you feel better Dagi!” Sonata chirped, throwing her arms around the uncharacteristically-surly girl’s waist. Before Adagio could throw her off with annoyance, she let go and skipped away. “See you later!”

“I’m fucking fine, you little shits!” she yelled after them. Eyeing the bedclothes strewn across the floor, she couldn’t muster the energy to be angry. “Dammit, stop leaving your shit everywhere Sonata.”

After stirring her tea into a mug, she let the liquid scald her hands. Taking a deep breath and a slow slurp of the soothing brew, Adagio felt her mind unmuddle. She cleared her throat. She sat alone in the kitchen: not eating, not moving, not thinking. Just breathing; just existing.

There was a limit, she found, on how far she could empty her mind. Roiling beneath the surface, unnamed - unidentified - emotions clawed at her, and she didn’t know how to assuage those.

Sleep. It was definitely time to try that sleep thing again.

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Cinnabar skin touched her body, leaving tendrils of fire behind. Powerful wings took them higher and higher as Adagio clung to the other woman for safety. Their ascension stopped. Curious, Adagio looked into the whiteless eyes of her guardian.

Her sharp tongue flicked out between jagged teeth to lick Adagio’s bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth.

Adagio moaned into the sanguine kiss, the rich taste piquing her senses. She nibbled the tongue that invaded her mouth, pouring as much passion into her actions as she could, given her position.

The winged woman pulled away slightly, then rested her forehead upon Adagio’s. Together, they danced in the air. Gently she said, “See ya ‘round, Dagi.” She released her.

Sunset Shimmer felt her phone vibrate. This was what it was programmed to do… right before ringing. On the second set of vibrations, she yanked out the device to silence it before the entire library learned what her ringtone was.

Glancing at the wide screen, it flashed a number for just a moment before it told her she had a missed call. Brow furrowed in confusion, 415?

“Who was that?” Applejack asked in a hushed tone, looking around to make sure she hadn’t disturbed anyone who may have been nearby.

“I don’t know,” Sunset replied. “It must’ve been a wrong number - it barely even rang.”

“Probably, seein’ as they called in the middle of class when everybody knows ya should be sendin’ messages.” Applejack had a point. “Anywho, what’s the number, maybe I know it on account of me having more people in my contact list.”

“Thanks for rubbing it in that I have no friends,” Sunset joked wryly. Then she pressed a button and shrugged, “Beats me. Blocked.”

It wasn’t the first lie she had told that day. Hell, it wasn’t even the first lie she had told to Applejack that day. It was common knowledge AJ had a free period before lunch, during which she would read up on current events in agriculture and history of apples. Personally, Sunset didn’t understand how an hour every day wasn’t enough to absorb all the information by now; surely Applejack has read all the small library could offer. Still, she had excused herself from her own class (Chemistry) by feigning a stomach ache and stole off to the library. Upon finding her friend, she told the trusting girl she’d finished her lab quickly and gotten excused for the rest of the day.

Applejack never suspected a thing. “Dang, dunno what to tell ya Sunset.”

Not looking up from the textbook she was supposedly reading, Sunset shrugged again, “If it’s not meant for me then it can’t mean anything, right?”

“I reckon not.” She didn’t sound entirely sure in her agreement, but turned back to her article on cross-fruit grafting all the same.

Sunset didn’t know why she kept lying to her friend. She wasn’t studying. She would definitely have to make up the lab she’s missing.

She didn’t want to talk.

That’s why ditching chem to sit in a force-quieted room in a friend’s presence was ideal.

She cursed her phone silently for infringing on her slice of perfection. Racking her brain for who the completely foreign area code could’ve been, her only guess gave her no comfort. Seeing as the other party couldn’t bring themselves to complete the call, it would be no use to dial them with her own number.

She had a plan though.

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Sunset waved at the departing librarian, the closest thing she had to a friend prior to the latest Fall Formal. As a regular patron of the run-down city library - at least one that didn’t huff paint in the bathroom or sell drugs behind the more intricate science fiction epics - she had become rather well-known among the staff.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s sufficiently far away from school and nobody knows about her past. No… everyone here knew her as Sunset Shimmer, the primitive girl who survives without internet at her pad and has to forage in public areas for scraps. Better than she-demon pony-freak.

A small part of her felt uneasy resuming her after-school routine immediately, but she refused to turn her life on its head because of a little mishap.

Of course, that small part remained. And here she was, about to test her morning hypothesis in the short minutes by herself.

Reciting the number several times, and rehearsing the motion in a dry run, the tremulous girl picked up the receiver of the old Help Desk landline and clicked the digits in their proper order.

She shut her eyes, willing herself to ignore what kind of trouble she might be in for if the staff found out she was calling long-distance. Bringing a hand to her chest, she commanded her heart to stop pounding frantically as she listened to the intermittent drone.

She knows it’s me, that’s why she’s not answering. Now wha-

“You’ve reached Adagio. How may I help you?”

“Hey, it’s me.”

There was a lengthy pause and Sunset was about sure the woman had hung up on her and she just hadn’t heard it. Maybe it’s for the best: it’s not like she knew what to say.

A considerably less stuffy “What did you want?” came across the line. The familiar dourness sort of put Sunset at ease.

“Meet me in the tunnel in one hour.”

“O-”

For the first time in nearly a week, Sunset felt confident and in control. She hung up before she could lose her nerve and start questioning herself. She’d encountered a lot of questions lately.

Making a note of the time, it would be best to leave now lest she be late for the appointment. Won’t hurt to get there before her either.

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Standing under the only working light Sunset chewed a thumbnail. Some hooligans rode their bicycles past her, whooping and throwing glass bottles at the walls. The draft they caused blew cold air up her legs. Shuddering, she hoped one of them would blow a tire from the result of their earlier shenanigans and just eat shit.

While she chastised herself for such thoughts, the enduring grin pulled her hand away from her mouth. Smiling complacently she crossed her arms and leaned back.

It was mere minutes before she heard the telltale clicks of a swagger in heels. Looking up she met the determined glare of a siren, dressed much more appropriately with the season in jeans and mid-calf boots.

Adagio’s hands were tucked into her sweatshirt pocket. Sunset winced in jealousy.

Approaching, her intense scowl receded to an uneasy grimace. It was returned with a crooked smile. The older girl stayed out of arm’s reach. “Shall we go for a walk in the park?”

Suddenly, Sunset felt like a cornered rabbit. Her mind’s ears twitched as she tried to remember why this was a good idea. Of course it was a symbolic meeting place, but why in the world would she pick such a seizable point?

“No, I’d much rather sit for this.” Gesturing out where Adagio just entered from, she asked, “Can I interest you in a drink?”

The woman’s face became unreadable, but Sunset could see a tremor in her pupils. “Sounds good.”

Her grin returned full force at the reluctance. Sunset strode past, stopping to see Adagio hadn’t moved an inch aside from turning around. Cheekily, she extended her left arm to escort the lady. To her surprise, her arm was quickly taken and their pace much brisker than originally intended.

Though her devious side wanted to let Adagio guide them aimlessly, she would refrain from spite. After all, it was her idea: she would lead the way.

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Holding the door open, Sunset was only the slightest bit disappointed Adagio had kept up so well. Part of her envied the other girl’s ability to power walk so effortlessly in those shoes.

Her grudge was forgotten as the air in the cozy coffeehouse warmed her face.

“Thank you,” Adagio said, her own face pink from the late autumn chill.

Sunset waved it off, a bit uncomfortable at the normalcy of the instance. Instead, she nodded toward the attentive barista who awaited orders.

Ignoring the banal pleasantry of everyday greetings, Adagio stepped up to the counter. “Large coffee, two shots of espresso, one caramel.” She pulled a plain leather wallet from her back pocket.

Putting her hand on the other girl’s to stall the activity, Sunset smiled to the frazzled-looking worker and said, “Make that two.” She really didn’t listen to the total, paying it mind only long enough to pass along enough money to cover the bill and throw the change into a tip jar.

If she were being honest with herself, Sunset was not much of a coffee drinker. To herself at least, she could admit to being a little glad that Adagio had chosen a drink that sounded somewhat interesting: partially to expand her own horizon, but mostly to make herself seem more flexible, and maybe less uncultured.

The overwhelming silence proved to be a lesson in awkwardness, so Sunset offered to wait for their drinks while Adagio found a place for them to sit. Thankfully it was accepted and she sighed with relief to be alone.

Alone meant no one looking over her shoulder, searching with big concerned eyes, waiting for the spontaneous generation of secrets.

The reprieve was short-lived. On her way to find the other girl, she briefly questioned her choice to forgo the cardboard insulators. She told herself to shut up and savor the burn.

In a corner Adagio sat on the far side of a booth by the window. Probably expecting her to sit on the other side… with her back to the café.

A deliberate effort to thwart any possible offensive, Sunset slid into the booth right beside Adagio and drank in her shock.

“So…?” The elongated syllable hung between the atypically-meek girls.

Gagging a little, Sunset swallowed her mouthful of liquid quickly; it was much bitterer than expected. “Hot,” Sunset explained. Then, “You called me.” When Adagio didn’t pick up the conversation, she averted her eyes and continued, “I started to think you wouldn’t, it’s been a week.”

“Today’s Wednesday.” The uncooperative girl stirred her beverage, “It’s only been six days. Besides, I thought it was customary to wait a few days before calling.”

“Isn’t that supposed to keep me guessing?” Sunset snorted, “What kind of game are you playing, Adagio Dazzle?”

“No game.” Adagio took a deep breath, “I just thought I needed to see you.”

“Why?” she said, silently hoping it came off more like a demand than a plea. Looking deep into Adagio’s dark-rimmed eyes, she could see the simple concept plagued both of them at night. Sunset didn’t have the energy to sympathize, imploring, “What could you possibly want from me now?”

“I don’t know, okay?!” Lowering her voice - for which Sunset was glad as she suddenly became conscious of how many other patrons were actually in the shop - Adagio continued, “I thought it would make me feel better.”

Sunset didn’t know how to answer that; dead air shrouded them once more. It was nigh unbearable, sipping coffee at each other. Surely there was a better way to break the ice.

“So… where did you grow up?” Sunset winced, but to her surprise Adagio answered immediately.

“Aquastria.” Her bored tone was considerably less shocking. Obviously she wouldn’t want to talk about a home she could no longer return to.

Not like I can relate or anything… she thought with a sigh. “Oh,” Well, as long as I’m already diggin’ my grave: “Isn’t that in the Caballo Latitudes, west of Saddle Arabia?”

“How” - it was Adagio’s turn to look surprised - “How do you know that?”

“Princess Celestia fostered no fools.” There was a break in her self-satisfied posturing. “You said you three ‘knew all about me’… Did you miss the part where I came from Equestria a couple years ago?”

Chuckling, Adagio responded amiably, “We were just fucking with you apparently. We knew you were a bully - even if you were one that got shot down by the giant, swirling rainbow that first drew our attention.”

Sunset nodded ruefully, “No reason to think there’s anything more to me than another teen ‘I had a bad childhood’ story.”

“Literally no clue you weren’t birthed a people thing,” Adagio agreed. “You hid it much better than we did in our early years.”

“You were kind of not expecting it,” Sunset said generously, pleased with the odd compliment.

“Well what happened that you could expect being banished?”

“Oh, nothing. I wasn’t banished.” She hesitated, unsure if it was wise to share this moment of her past life. In for a penny. She drained the last of her cup’s warmth. “Not from Equestria, anyway. I threw a fit, attacked the Princess with a book, and crossed over with what I could carry. I’ve never told anyone.”

Adagio threw her head back and laughed, “You are so much worse than I ever thought you were.”

Fidgeting with an empty paper cup, she diverted focus away from her hands. “Speaking of bad things…” Sunset reached into her backpack and removed from it a semi-transparent black fabric. “I believe this is yours.”

The fierce blush spreading over the older girl’s face made the ostentatious gamble worth it. Adagio quickly swiped at the cloth that dangled in front of her. “What, you just carry these around with you?” The way she mumbled the potentially-rhetorical question made Sunset’s chest swell.

She shrugged, “I’m hopeful that way.”

If it was possible, Adagio’s blush deepened. She looked out the window petulantly.

Sunset kind of regretted breaking their easy rapport, fruitlessly sipping coffee. She stood, tugging at her skirt. “I’m gonna get another cup - want one?”

“It’s getting late,” Adagio said without turning, “Don’t you think you should be heading home?”

Following her eyes, Sunset found she appeared quite correct. Really it was still rather early - if her phone was more indicative of the time than the encroaching nightfall - and were it a routine afternoon, she would spend at least another hour at the library.

“Maybe one for the walk then?” she asked, humoring the aberration and already backpedaling toward the counter.

Adagio extracted herself from the table. “On one condition.”

“Name it.” Sunset was feeling reckless.

“Let me walk you home.”

Sunset’s crooked grin receded into an even deadpan. On the other hand, she’d already - in all but name - accepted.

The impulsive girl ordered two more drinks.

“You just want to know where I live.”

If Adagio were to offer full disclosure, she was much more interested to know how Sunset lived. In any case, she stated as haughtily as she could, “I know where you live.” She smirked a little to see the pony-girl bristle.

“Then what’s in it for you?” the girl asked in a clipped tone, the grip on her knapsack tightening.

“Oh, y’know.” Adagio took a sip of the heavenly beverage, letting her tongue bask in the hot bittersweetness. “Just in case.”

Sunset loosed a bark of laughter, but otherwise quietly accepted the irony.

At least she can appreciate it.

A gust of wind ruffled the siren’s hair; she struggled to pull her hood up with one hand. Shivering, she grasped her brew with both hands, wishing them warm. Gazing jealously at the girl who looked like she was continuously on fire, Adagio very much wanted to lock arms again, even if only to siphon the heat from her bones. Yet that felt like it would be inappropriate so she refrained.

It was a very short walk - less than a mile from the bistro - to the cramped parking lot of an overstuffed apartment complex. She would choose to remain mute during the young woman’s one-handed search for keys.

Victoriously wrenching a small set of keys from her bag, Sunset opened the door with a flourish. Perhaps it was her own imagination, but it seemed to actually be colder inside the modest apartment.

When the unpredictable girl turned and asked, “Would you like to come in?” she was so taken aback she nearly forgot to shiver at the prospect.

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Exactly how she ended up pinned against the back of Sunset’s door was not clear to her.

Though their hands had freely explored one another’s bodies before, Adagio felt there was something new to the situation. Sure hands scratched at her exposed midriff, grasping the bottom of her sweatshirt and pausing.

Adagio fidgeted at the sudden cessation of attention, feeling scrutinized. Her throat bobbed, meeting her aggressor’s intense teal eyes; they were soft with beseeching. Adagio gave a sharp nod of assent.

Lifted to aid the removal of her thickest layer, her arms quickly came down to circle Sunset’s neck to pull the girl into another kiss.

Sunset stepped back, removing her own jacket, and took Adagio’s hand. Before she could blush, she was dragged through a narrow doorway and pushed onto a single bed.

Low purrs rumbled from Adagio’s chest as she watched Sunset strip in the dim light. She gasped silently as the lithe figure stepped out from a pile of clothes. She’s beautiful.

Drinking in the supple golden curves that made up Sunset Shimmer, Adagio barely registered herself being undressed, startled back to reality only when deft fingers unbuckled her boots.

“I- I can-” Adagio stuttered.

“Shut up,” Sunset growled, “and scoot back.”

Dumbstruck, she obeyed. Lying back on the bed, her face heated up when her jeans did not follow. Her hips were raised; her underwear slipped off. Adagio quickly shed her shirt and bra to match, feeling self-conscious that Sunset didn’t even look.

No, the seductress was occupied with a more intimate heat, leaning dangerously close to an embarrassing wetness. Adagio closed her eyes to block out the abasement of being scrutinized so intently.

A startled moan choked out of her, she looked down between her breasts to see Sunset lavishing her folds with a slow lick.

Without moving her head, the woman prowled onto the bed and turned her body in parallel with Adagio’s. Tentatively her knees moved closer and closer until one swung over to the other side.

Treated to a new sight, the siren gasped and consequently breathed in the deep aroma of fresh hormones. It was intoxicating. Shaking hands stroked the warm globes of muscle hovering overhead.

Pulling her mouth away, Sunset shifted to make eye contact. “You don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

The girl on top resumed her work and wiggled her hips enticingly.

Saucy bitch, Adagio thought. Tilting her head to the side, she nipped at the inner thigh that trapped her. No reaction. She bit down harder till moans shook her from the core.

Sunset didn’t pull away, merely rested her cheek on Adagio’s lower body, panting. “I guess you can do that too.” Adagio giggled at the vibrations the terse words made on her skin. “If you play nice, I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Oooh,” Adagio said before she could help herself, unsure if her muteness should stay unbroken. It no longer mattered as soon as the lapping tongue betwixt her legs repossessed her.

Tongue outstretched, she inched forward gingerly. The pink flesh was smooth and yielding and Adagio was gentle in her experimental probe, but Sunset recoiled sharply as if she’d been bitten.

“S-sorry,” she stuttered; through the hushed tone Adagio could hear a blush. “I was joking, you really don’t have to do anything.”

At a loss, Adagio said softly: “Shut up and spread your legs.”

A teasing shake later, Sunset complied.

Author's Note

I'm just posting this now as a placeholder. I'm going to keep writing before I make this public.
edit: oops I made it public. I guess I was gonna hide this chapter again, but since it's up I'll leave it.