Old Enemies and New Begnnings

Sunset hid behind a car that was parked along the sidewalk, watching the Dazzlings as they waited to cross the street. She had been trailing the Dazzling fors about three blocks. Sunset wasn’t really sure why she was following them or what she hoped to accomplish by doing so, but seeing how she and the Rainbooms weren’t exactly on speaking terms, she figured, why not.

Sunset watched the Dazzlings cross the street and disappear down an alley. She waited a few minutes before moving from her hiding place to continue pursing her targets. She crossed the street and slid into the alley. She walked straight for a few steps before being forced to turn right.

‘Where are they?’ she thought.

Sunset continued until she was again forced to turn again. This time however, she walked into a dead end. Sunset didn’t understand, she had only been a couple of feet behind the Dazzlings the entire time. So, where did they go? She took two steps backwards before she bumped into something. Sunset gasped and quickly turned around. Standing, now, in front of her was Adagio Dazzle.

“Adagio, I was just-”

“Did you really think we didn’t notice you stalking us?”

“I don’t know if ‘stalking’ is the right word…”

“Right, because you were only secretly following us,” Adagio said with a smirk.

“Okay…maybe I was stalking you but-”

“What do you want, Sunset?” Adagio interrupted.

Sunset felt Adagio’s eyes pierce through her very soul. She tried to come up with answer for the siren but every time she opened her mouth, nothing came out.

“Are you broken?” Adagio asked after several seconds of silence.

“I-I’m sorry, I just…I don’t why I’m following to be honest.”

Adagio crossed her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrow.

“I know that doesn’t make any sense but it’s the truth.”

“Okay,” Adagio scoffed as she turned to walk away.

“Wait,” Sunset called out. “Do you think that I could, maybe, perhaps, hang out with you guys?”

Adagio spun back around and faced Sunset. “You want to hang out with us?” she asked suspiciously. “Why?”

“Well, after you guys left, my friends and I kind of got into a…disagreement, I guess, and well, long story short, I’m not exactly talking to them at the moment.” Sunset shrugged.

“I see…well, because I’m feeling generous, I’ll let you hang with us; but don’t think this makes us friends.”

Sunset nodded and followed Adagio back through the alley. As they walked, Sunset found herself admiring Adagio’s body. There was something about the way Adagio’s hips swayed as she walked that was rhythmic; hypnotic even. Sunset couldn’t bring herself to look away.

‘And that ass,’ Sunset mused. ‘Must’ve taken Adagio an hour to squeeze into those jeans’ Sunset laughed to herself.

As Adagio and Sunset neared the entrance of the alley, Sunset noticed Aria and Sonata leaning against one of the building that made up the side street.

“About damn time” Aria said, pushing herself off the building, “What were two doing back there, making out?”

Sunset blushed at Aria’s comment, “We were just talking actually,” she said softly.

“Uh huh, sure you were.”

“Just ignore her,” Adagio said to Sunset.

The four girls emerged from the alley and continued their walk down the sidewalk. Adagio and Sonata walked in front followed by Sunset and Aria.

Aria wrapped an arm around Sunset’s shoulder and pulled her close. “So, Sunny,” she said enthusiastically. “I hope there’s no hard feeling about, y’know, me almost beating you to a pulp.”

“O-Of course not” Sunset said shakily as she felt Aria’s arm squeeze her body.

“Great!” Aria shouted while releasing Sunset from her grip. “Although, I am a little upset that Adagio intervened. I was really looking forward to hitting something.”

Sunset chuckled nervously and then cleared her throat, “S-So, where exactly were you guys hiding at in that alley?” she asked.

“On the fire escape,” replied Sonata.

“Fire escape?” Sunset responded, looking at Aria in confusion. “What fire escape?”

“The one you walked past after the first turn, silly.” Sonata chuckled. “You didn’t see it because you were too busy looking for us on the ground.”

“Clever,” said Sunset raising her eyebrow.

“It was Dagi’s idea” Aria said as she playfully kicked Adagio in the butt.

The sudden tap on her butt caused Adagio to jump. She whipped her head around and shot Aria an evil glare. “Kick me again and I’ll break your leg.”

“Is that a threat, bubble butt?” Aria teased.

Sonata and Sunset cupped their mouths to stifle their laughter.

Aria motioned to Sunset for her to trade places with her so that she could walk behind Adagio. Once behind her unsuspecting victim, Aria raised her leg and quickly kicked Adagio’s butt again.

Adagio jumped again. “Aria…” she said. “I swear…”

“What?” Aria said innocently. “I didn’t do anything.”

Adagio was trying to keep her cool, but Aria was starting to get on her nerves.

Aria winked at Sunset, then kicked Adagio a third time.

Adagio closed her eyes and bit her lip. “One more time, Aria,” she threatened. “Touch me one…more…time.”

Sunset could hear the poison dripping off Adagio’s words. She looked at Aria who was laughing silently to herself and swallowed as she watched Aria get ready to kick Adagio again.

Aria knew she was skating on thin ice but she couldn’t resist messing with Adagio. She had to see how Adagio would react.

Sonata took one look at Adagio and knew that she was reaching her tipping point. Out of the corner of her eye, Sonata saw Aria get ready to kick Adagio again. She had to think fast. “C’mon, Dagi!” she said as she grabbed Adagio’s arm and yanked her forward.

Adagio lunged forward as Sonata pulled her, causing Aria to miss her target and slightly lose her balance.

“What the hell, Sonata!” Aria yelled angrily.

Sonata smiled slyly back at Aria and flipped her off.

Aria froze in her tracks as her jaw dropped at Sonata’s gesture.

Sunset laughed hysterically and patted Aria on the back, “Maybe next time, girly.” Then she ran to rejoin Sonata and Adagio.

“What was that all about?” Adagio asked.

“Oh, nothing.” Sonata said with a smile, as she draped Adagio’s arm around her shoulder and then wrapped her own arms around Adagio’s waist. “How long until we get to the restaurant, Dagi, I’m starving.”

“I know, it’s just around this corner.”

Adagio, Sonata, and Sunset turned the corner and walked a few feet before entering the small restaurant. They waited in line while the hostess attended to the guests ahead of them.

“Thanks for waiting, assholes.” Aria said as she entered the building a couple minutes later.

“That’s what you get for being a meanie!” said Sonata.

“Shut up, Nata.”

“Leave her alone, Aria.” scolded Adagio, who was still locked in Sonata’s embrace.

Aria folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes.

Sunset watched as Sonata whispered something in Adagio’s ear and couldn’t help but wonder what the nature of their relationship was.

“We’ll be right back.” Adagio said while strode she off with Sonata still in her arms. “Sonata has to go to the bathroom.”

“Whatever,” said Aria.

Seconds after Adagio and Sonata walked off, the hostess returned to seat them.

“Table for four,” Aria said.

The hostess grabbed four menus and led Sunset and Aria over to a booth. The two sat on opposite sides and waited for Adagio and Sonata to join them.

“So, what’s up with those two?” Sunset asked, looking through the menu.

“What do you mean?”

“Adagio and Sonata, are they like…y’know, together or something?”

“Uh, no.” Aria snorted.

“Then what’s their deal?”

“They’ve always been like that,” Aria explained, flipping through the menu. “Adagio is like a mother to Sonata, but, at the same time, she’s more than that.”

“How so?”

Aria closed her menu and sighed, “It’s like this; The three of us have known each other since we were kids back in Equestria, but we grew up very differently. Adagio and I were orphaned as babies, we never met our parents. Sonata, on the other hand, had a family but they were really dysfunctional. When things got bad, Sonata always ran to Dagi.”

“Bad, like how?” Sunset asked.

“You’ll have to ask Adagio, it’s not a topic I like to discuss.” Aria said, reopening her menu. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s alright, I totally understand,” Sunset reassured.

Sunset looked around the restaurant and spotted Adagio and Sonata scanning the room for her and Aria. She waved a hand in their direction and called out, “Adagio, over here!”

Adagio did a 180 at the sound of her name being called and saw Sunset waving to her. “C’mon, Nata,” she said as she grabbed Sonata’s hand and walked towards the booth.

Sonata sat next to Aria and took her menu. “Did you guys order yet?” she asked.

“Just drinks, we were waiting for you guys,” said Sunset.

“Well, aren’t you sweet?” Adagio said, sitting next to Sunset.

Sunset caught a whiff of Adagio’s hair as it swished across Sunset’s face when she sat down.

‘Peaches,’ Sunset thought. ‘Adagio would smell like my favorite fruit.’

After reading over the menu for a little while, Adagio signaled to the waitress.

“You girls ready to order?” The waitress said, pulling out a notepad and pen from her apron.

“Yes, those two are going to split the Ultimate Breakfast platter, with sunny-side up eggs and a plate of whip cream.” Adagio said pointing at Sonata and Aria. “She’s just going to take some scrambled eggs and bacon.” She pointed at Sunset. “And I’m going to have the Belgian waffle combo.”

“Okay, I’ll put that right in for you guys.” said the waitress with a smile.

“I wasn’t done.” Adagio said indignantly.

“Oh…I’m sorry, please continue.”

Adagio glared at the waitress and rolled her eyes before continuing, “I would like my waffle lightly crisped around the edges, I would like egg whites instead of eggs, and bacon; crispy not burnt, instead of sausage. I would also like a side of home fries. Lastly, I would like everything on separate plates,” Adagio recited in the most entitled tone ever. “Now, I’m done.”

The waitress stood in silence, not knowing how to respond to Adagio’s demands. “Right, uhm…I’ll just go let the chef know,” she said.

“You do that,” Adagio said curtly. “Oh, and if my food is not made to my liking, you will regret it, got it?

The waitress nodded fiercely, “Y-Yes, ma’am.” she said, and then quickly walked away.

All three girls stared at Adagio, who simply looked at them and shrugged.

“That poor girl,” said Sunset.

“Nonsense, she’s fine.” Adagio said, taking a sip of her drink. "Anyway, I have a question for you.”

“Sure, ask away.”

“In the gymnasium, when Celestia was rambling on about us all becoming friends, I noticed that you were the only one who didn’t seem opposed to the idea, why is that?”

Sunset was somewhat caught off guard by the question. “I, uh, I don’t know. I-I guess I just thought that maybe Principal Celestia was on to something when she was talking about us all having things in common.”

“Such as?”

“I guess, for instance, you and me.” Sunset shrugged.

Adagio raised her eyebrow in intrigue at what Sunset could possibly think that she and her had in common. “Go on.” Adagio nodded.

“Well, we both tried to take over the school and failed…miserably. We-”

“Whoa.” Adagio said, holding up her hand. “Maybe you failed miserably, but I did not.”

“You do know that you lost at Battle of the Bands, right?” Sunset said with a growing smirk.

“Don’t patronize me, I’m completely aware of the outcome of that night.” Adagio snarled.

“So how is that not considered failing miserably?”

“Because we almost won.” Adagio said firmly. “Had you not interfered, we would’ve destroyed your friends and taken over this world.”

Sunset gave Adagio a confused look and shook her head. “So, let me get this straight, you’re blaming me for your failure?” Sunset clarified as she pointed to herself and then Adagio.

“Precisely.”

Sonata and Aria observed silently as Adagio and Sunset argued with one another. “S-Should we say something?” Sonata leaned in and whispered to Aria. But Aria didn’t hear her, she was too busy enjoying the show.

“How the hell is it my fault?” asked Sunset.

“Because you’re the one the Rainbooms needed in order to defeat us.” Adagio retorted as she slowly rose from her seat. “You’re the one who picked up the mic, you’re the one who unleashed the magic, and you’re the reason why I lost my powers; the reason why I lost everything. It’s all because of YOU!” Adagio stood over Sunset’s shaking frame, her eyes burning with hatred.

Sunset’s back was against the booth wall as she stared up at Adagio. She had never been so scared in her life. As she looked into Adagio’s eyes, Sunset could see the hate, resentment, and bitterness that Adagio felt towards her.

“Adagio, I’m so-”

“Don’t.” Adagio interrupted. “I don’t want your fucking apology. I don’t care what Celestia says, you and I will NEVER be friends.” Adagio turned to Aria and Sonata, who sat in stunned silence. “We’re leaving.” she said abruptly as she stepped out of the booth.

“But what about breakfast…” asked Sonata softly.

“I said we’re leaving. Let’s go.”

“But you promised that you-”

“NOW!” Adagio shouted, her voice booming like thunder.

Sonata and Aria moved instantaneously at the sound of Adagio’s voice. As they scrambled out of the booth Aria mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ to Sunset.

Sunset watched as the Dazzlings exited the building. “How could I be so stupid?” she said, banging her head against the wall. Everything was going perfect. She and the Dazzlings were having a great time, but then she had to go and ruin it by drudging up the Battle of the Bands.

Sunset sighed and shook her head as she slide out the booth. As she made her way to the exit, she bumped into their waitress.

“I’m guessing you won’t be needing this food then?” the waitress asked.

“I’m really sorry, but here,” Sunset pulled a fifty out of her wallet. “For the trouble.” She handed the waitress the money and walk out the building.