“I’ve just never had a real relationship before,” Sunset shrugged as she plucked more noodles from her take-out box, between her chopsticks, “I didn’t really see what was so important. I just… used people to get what I wanted. It was as simple as that.”

Adagio swallowed down her own food with a nod before prodding at her plate with a fork. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Sunset Shimmer. I know how electrifying it feels to take advantage of someone’s naivete. You don’t need to play nice with me,” she gave her a grin and a quick wink, “I won’t tell anybody.”

Sunset gave a chuckle and shovelled her food into her mouth, much to the dismay of Adagio who watched as she slurped the noodles past her lips. “Charming.”

They’d finished up Adagio’s vocal training for the day some time ago and had decided to order Chinese for dinner. The siren had turned the other girl’s offer down at first, but the ache of hunger in her stomach persuaded her to comply. Sunset had asked if she wanted to watch a movie to pass the time, but the older girl had to once again reject her. She reminded the former unicorn that she had no interest in becoming anything more than what they were currently... whatever that may have been; and so they merely sat on Sunset’s couch, telling tales of their life, and teasing each other all the same.

“I once… dated,” Adagio punctuated with air quotes, “this one boy who thought himself to be the next big shot of the music industry. The boy couldn’t write a lyric to save his life, and went on to live in his parent’s basement well into his thirties. Starswirl knows what he’s up to now– if he’s even still alive.” She shrugged and ate some more of her noodles.

Sunset paused and sat her chopsticks in her take out container before sliding down from the arm to sit on the cushion beside Adagio, facing her front-on. “So you’re like… actually thousands of years old?”

Adagio tutted and wagged her finger, “Now, now, Sunset you should know it’s not polite to ask a lady her age.” She smiled and set her plate on the red-head’s coffee table, turning towards her to indulge in her curiosity. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know how old I am anymore. When I was sent to this world I had to have been alive for at least... two millennia.” She inspected her nails, glanced up at the younger girl, and smirked as she seemed almost captivated by her. “But when I got here I was in a teenage girl’s body. I don’t know if maybe some of our magic from Equestria leaked over and kept us young, or stopped us ageing like normal human girls, but since you and your little group of friends destroyed our gems…” Adagio’s confidence faltered a bit before she let out a sigh, “Well, let’s just say I haven’t exactly enjoyed the back pain in the morning.”

The red-head looked down at her hands and wrung then awkwardly. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be. We all need to get older. To be honest, I’m… somewhat glad. It’s nice to feel mortal. It’s exciting,” she flashed her teeth in a grin.

Sunset didn’t want to admit it but Adagio was… charming. She was charismatic, and even without her magic she was absolutely enchanting.

“Well,” the older girl spoke as she pushed herself up from the couch, “thank you for the food, but I should really be off.” Adagio collected her purse from beside the coffee table and slung the strap over her shoulder. Sunset watched her gather her things and pluck her jacket from the coat rack by the door before piping up.

“When can I see you again?”

Adagio fixed her with a look, eyeing her curiously for a moment before giving a smirk. “You’re really that wound up?”

“That’s not—” she blushed, “that isn’t what I meant. I mean, when do you want to do this again?”

“Oh.” The siren hesitated, looking down at her feet and toeing the rug with her boot. “Well, I can stop by this weekend again, if that’s alright? And if things have been… stressful this week, well..” she gave a small, teasing pout as she tilted her head a bit. “You can decide what we do, after my lesson.”

Sunset blinked before giving a nod, “Yeah. Yeah, sure. Sounds good. Do you want me to pick you up, or—”

“That won’t be necessary,” the siren raised a hand. “Make no mistake; this little arrangement is of mutual convenience; nothing more. We needn’t get personal. The less you know about me, the better. For the both of us.”

“Yeah, right… sorry.”

Adagio smiled and cracked the door open, “See you this weekend.” Shooting Sunset one last wink and blowing her a kiss before stepping out the door, she left the apartment.

Sunset let out a shaky breath.

——————

“What do you mean you can’t come to laser tag this weekend!?” Pinkie Pie all but whimpered, her tight grip on her bestfriend’s shoulders never faltering. The pink teen was despondent— brimming on inconsolable— and Sunset could only rub her back with an awkward chuckle.

“I just can’t. I’m gonna be busy– uh. Cleaning.”

“Well, ‘m sure we could help ya out, Sunset. If’en you’d just’a asked.”

“No, no,” she finally managed to pull herself out of Pinkie’s grip, just enough to raise a hand in objection. “It’s fine, really. I like cleaning. I don’t really like other people seeing my mess, though.”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, “But your apartment’s always a mess?”

“Yeah, but— usually it’s a controlled mess. All my music stuff is lying everywhere and…” she trailed off, thinking of a better excuse. “And I’m actually meeting up with Starlight Glimmer to help me clean the place up! I haven’t seen her in awhile, so…”

“Well I’m sure Starlight could accompany us to laser tag darling,” Rarity smiled, “the more the merrier.”

“Yeah Sunshim!” Pinkie beamed, “Starlight can tell us all about how Twilight’s doing, too!”

The purple-haired bookworm peeked up over the bindings of her newest crime novel and adjusted her glasses. “Hm?”

Sunset waved her hands awkwardly, “Ngh— not you, Twi, sorry. The, uhm.” Sunset swallowed thickly, her cheeks warming at the thought of the Princess. “The other Twilight.”

“Speaking of Twilight, why don’t we invite her out with us? Sunset, you still have that journal of yours, right?” Rarity smiled.

“I do, but--”

The rest of the group exchanged glances between themselves. “So who wants to be the one to break it to Rarity that we can’t exactly be walkin’ round with two Twilight Sparkles?”

“Oh, pfft, ckuh, ugh. The people around here have seen much weirder, darling. Beside’s, everyone at school is already aware Twilight is a Princess from Equestria. There isn’t exactly anyone we’ll be needing to explain anything to.”

Sunset bit the inside of her cheek. “I’m sure Princess Twilight’s too busy to come hang out with us at laser tag. She is running that school, remember?”

Rainbow Dash pulled her feet from atop the lunch table and sat in her chair properly, arms folded across her chest as she narrowed her eyes toward the red-head. “Isn’t Starlight Glimmer also working at Twilight’s school as a counsellor or something? How come she has time to come hang out?”

Sunset shot the other girl a glare and rose to her feet, collecting her empty lunch tray as she stepped out from her chair. “Because Princess Twilight is the headmare-- mistress-- teacher. The head teacher,” she shook her head, flustered. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she walked over to dump her trash into one of the cafeteria garbage cans. She mumbled out a curse, taking a moment to steal herself before turning on her heel to return to the group.

“So you’re definitely not coming?” Pinkie pouted once more, eyes welling with tears as she clasped her hands together desperately.

“Sorry Pinkie. Maybe next time! It’s just that I already have plans.” She shrugged. From where she stood, she glanced over at Rainbow Dash who was currently staring at her sceptically. Sunset furrowed her brow with a frown as if challenging Dash to speak up. The blue teen retorted in a quick-spreading grin as she raised her hands, touched her thumb with her fore finger, and slid her other forefinger through the hoop.

Sunset’s face burned as she pursed her lips in a tight line, digging her nails into her palm in order to not bark at the other teen, lest she drew the attention of the rest of the group. Instead she swiftly turned on her heel once more and tossed her hair over her shoulder. She wasn’t going to take the bait. “I’ll see you girls later. I’m going to one of the art classes. Trixie needs my help with poster designs for her upcoming magic show. Don’t wait up.”

Once the red-head was out of earshot, the rest of the group turned in to mumble quietly. “She’s been acting weird these past couple’a days, right? It ain’t just me bein’ paranoid?”

“No, there is definitely something wrong. Sunset tells me everything. If Starlight was coming through the portal, I’d’ve known about it before she even told me. We have that kind of telepathic connection.” Pinkie furrowed her brow and stroked at her chin. “Maybe she’s throwing a surprise party!”

The other girl’s blinked.

“A party for what, exactly?”

“Well for being such good friends, silly! What else?”

Twilight peeked up from her book again to narrow her eyes. “I… don’t think that’s it. Maybe she just doesn’t want to go to laser tag and doesn’t know how to tell us without making anyone feel bad.”

“Hmm,” Rarity hummed, “she is the kind of person to sacrifice her own happiness for others. But, surely that can’t be right? Sunset loves laser tag.”

Applejack eyed up the rainbow-haired teen that was currently swinging on her chair, hands tucked into her pockets. “Dash? You alright there? You don’t seem all that concerned?”

“Oh--” Rainbow Dash stopped her swinging once more to join in on the conversation. “Yeah I’m fine. It just doesn’t seem like a big deal.”

“Not a big deal!?” Pinkie gripped the front of Dash’s shirt to shake her a bit. “There’s something wrong with Sunset and that’s not a big deal?”

“Hey-- easy, easy!” She frowned, prying the other teen’s hands from her now-crinkled shirt. “Sunset has other friends. She’s allowed to hang out with them. I don’t see what all the drama’s about.”

The group mumbled for a moment before begrudgingly agreeing with the blue girl. “I say we keep an eye on her though, just ‘n case things do start gettin’ weird.”

Pinkie Pie raised a hand to her forehead in a salute. “Mission: ‘make sure Sunset Shimmer is okay’, is a-go!”

Author's Note

here's another chapter of this mess

i promise there is a plot to this aouiejfdk,l

as always feel free to comment/rate/leave a thumbs up if you liked the new chapter! I'm hoping to be uploading a new project pretty soon 👀 stay tuned!