Adagio Dazzle missed being able to scream.
There were times, after all, when having your mind read wasn't enough to fully convey what you were feeling.
Times like melting beneath Sunset Shimmer’s surprisingly skilled touch.
“‘Surprisingly skilled’, huh?” Sunset grinned up at her while Adagio caught her breath.
Adagio glared back at Sunset as the girl snuggled up close to her. Clearly she hadn’t learned that sometimes reading someone’s mind should be avoided—especially moments of post-intimacy bliss.
Sunset wrapped her arms around Adagio’s bare form and planted a tender kiss on her cheek. “Sorry, but you’re kind of loud when you… you know.”
Oh, how cute. Sunset still couldn’t say climax after their numerous encounters.
Sunset flushed red. “That’s a nicer way of putting it than I—speaking of encounters, we should do something for that.”
Adagio raised an eyebrow and smirked, certain they had just done something.
“I—no, I mean something special. For our anniversary.” Sunset sat up and gave Adagio an earnest smile. “It’s almost been a full year since we started… this.” She motioned a hand between the two of them.
Adagio’s smirk turned into a smug smile. She hadn’t realized that the two of them hooking up had been such a momentous occasion for Sunset. It was flattering, really.
“Ha ha,” Sunset said with a roll of her eyes. “Seriously though, I had an idea on how we could celebrate.”
Before, Adagio had been curious. Now Sunset had her interest.
Sunset’s grin widened. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
~~~
“Okay, you can take off the blindfold now.”
Adagio could hear the excitement in Sunset’s voice as she slowly slipped the strip of cloth from her face.
“Ta-da!” Sunset gestured at a beefy black motorcycle, grinning widely. “Eighty-eight cubic inches of engine, ninety-seven pound-feet of torque, and...” she hoisted a leg over the bike and turned the key in the ignition.
The engine roared to life, filling the quiet saturday morning air with a rumble that Adagio could feel from her spot by the door to Sunset’s apartment. It shook her from tip to toe, reverberating her very core. Down the street, old Missus Crabcake poked her head out her second floor window, looking around angrily for the source of the noise.
She scowled at Adagio and Sunset, certain that the morning interruption wasn’t from the white van in front of her home. Adagio bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.
Sunset killed the engine, and looked to Adagio expectantly. “So… what do you think?”
Adagio’s eyes went from Sunset to the bike and back, following the curves of the girl’s body. She couldn’t lie, the bike’s engine wasn’t the only thing purring right now...
She leaned over Sunset and killed the engine, taking the keys with her back towards Sunset’s apartment and beckoning the girl to follow her with a crooked finger.
~~~
Adagio couldn’t help but grin as Sunset cuddled close to her, panting for breath.
The sheets were a tangled mess now. Adagio had no idea where the pillows had ended up, and she was pretty sure that the hole behind the headboard hadn’t been there before.
“Have I ever told you you’re really good at derailing conversations?” Sunset asked.
Adagio snorted in response.
“So, I take it you like the bike?” Sunset propped herself up on an elbow, looking back at Adagio expectantly.
Adagio nodded, sending her orange curls bouncing. She carefully extricated herself from Sunset’s arm about her and climbed down the loft stairs before returning with two bottles of water. Sunset sat up and took a drink before she continued talking.
“So, I was thinking…” She paused and reached over to a red geode on the nightstand and slipped it about her neck. “We should go riding somewhere. Just you, me, and the open road. And the bike, of course.”
She was serious about celebrating the anniversary of when she'd taken Adagio’s virginity, wasn’t she?
Sunset had the unfortunate timing of having just taken a drink of water when Adagio let her hear that particular thought.
A red-faced Sunset coughed and sputtered water. “Seriously?” She asked once she finally regained some of her composure.
Adagio shook her head, shaking with silent laughter.
“That’s not funny,” Sunset muttered. Her smile said otherwise.
Adagio shrugged. She couldn’t talk, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t mess with Sunset in other ways. She liked to think of it as part of her charm.
“Yeah, real charming. Are you going to tell me what you think of the road trip idea?”
Adagio mulled the idea over. It sounded kind of fun, actually. It would be nice to do something different for once. Not that putting holes in the wall wasn’t fun.
“Great! We can leave tomorrow!” Sunset said a little too enthusiastically. “I know it’s sudden, but you really should head home. You know, pack and stuff. Gotta keep it light, though. The bike can only hold so much.” Sunset was practically pushing Adagio out the door before realizing Adagio was still very naked.
At least Sunset gave her enough time to put some clothes on before Adagio was out the door.
“Sorry about that, but I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. Lots of stuff to prepare, I’ll talk to you in the morning. Love you, bye!”
Adagio wasn’t sure she would like whatever Sunset was up to.
“Just trust me okay?”
The door to Sunset’s apartment closed behind Adagio.
Adagio frowned over her shoulder at the door before heading home, a myriad of conflicting thoughts vying for her attention. She took two steps before her phone buzzed.
‘Don’t forget to bring your violin.’
Adagio looked down at her phone with visible confusion and made it three more steps before one particularly terrifying thought clawed its way to the forefront of her mind.
Did Sunset say “Love you?”
~~~
Adagio was packed faster than she expected.
It helped when Sunset had said it was urgent to pack light. It didn’t help that part of her packing space had to be a violin and its case.
She flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She kept replaying the last few moments at Sunset’s in her head. Every time she tried to figure out what Sunset could be planning, Adagio became fixated on the last thing Sunset had said before the door had shut on her.
“Love you.”
Why?
It’s not like Adagio had done anything to earn love. Heck, she wasn’t even sure she’d ever been in love with anyone before.
Back in the old days, it was different. People would trip over themselves trying to prove they were worthy to bask in Adagio’s presence. She’d dined with royalty, gotten marriage proposals from the greatest artists ever known. She’d been a goddess deserving of the love people showered her with.
Love earned from her song.
A song she no longer had.
She scowled. Stupid, sexy Sunset, making things complicated with things like feelings.
She exhaled slowly and rolled herself off the bed, wandering her apartment. Her bare feet padded on the polished hardwood floors, echoing through the empty rooms.
Once, she’d shared these walls with her sisters. But, as with all great empires, loss brought internal strife, and the three had gone their separate ways. Now all Adagio had here was art and souvenirs from the past.
She wandered about, plucking random objects and inspecting them before returning them to their homes.
A jeweled egg, a sketch of a flying machine, a centuries old manuscript for a play she didn’t dare take out of its glass case. None of it made her feel any better.
Only one thing would at this point.
She returned to the bedroom and carefully extracted her violin from its case. A somber tune floated through the apartment, a hollow replica of her song. She took slow, deliberate breaths as she played, letting the cadence carry her into the song’s refrain.
Soft motes of light slowly appeared from nothingness, filling the room with a green glow. Adagio paid these little heed as she continued.
The Song balanced her—promised healing as it filled her with a gentle warmth.
These days it was the only thing that could soothe the frustration boiling just beneath the surface.
The Song rose to its final crescendo, raising Adagio’s spirits as the final notes played. Adagio carefully returned the violin to its home, pausing to look at the contents of the case and pull out a small purple silk bag.
She stared at the thing in her palm. It was such a small thing, but it felt heavy every time Adagio held the bag.
Housed within were the shards of what were once Adagio’s gem, the source of her magic—her song. Her voice. She frowned at the bag and put it back into the case.
Someday...
~~~
Adagio’s hair whipped in the wind, peeking out from underneath her helmet as she and Sunset rode. Trees melted into a blur as Sunset deftly steered the bike through the winding road they travelled. Adagio held on tight behind Sunset, more than a little impressed by the way the girl could handle a bike. They slipped around a white van when they hit a straight portion of road.
Good. Adagio was sick of being behind it anyway.
The bike turned off the highway, slowing considerably as they maneuvered down a gravel road, making the bike bounce uncomfortably. The ride became less and less pleasant as gravel gave way to dirt, and the bouncing became a cloud of dust around them.
Relief washed over Adagio when they finally stopped.
The bike’s engine ceased its roar and Sunset pocketed her keys before helping Adagio off the seat. Adagio looked about, curious and confused. Why were they stopping in the middle of a forest if they were on a road trip?
Sunset chuckled and took her by the hand. “Welcome to Everfree Forest.”
It was pleasant enough, Adagio supposed. Pine trees towered above, their tops lost in a dizzying tangle of branches that smothered the waning sunlight before it could really reach the forest floor. Leaves crunched underfoot as Sunset lead her around a bush to reveal a small campsite that had been set up.
“What do you think?”
Sunset seemed to be asking that a lot lately.
“Twice. I asked twice.”
Adagio smiled and rolled her eyes, though she was a bit surprised. Stealing someone else’s campsite didn’t seem like Sunset’s style. Still, it looked cozy.
A small pavilion tent had been set up in a small grassy clearing. The canvas flaps had been left open, revealing a wooden bed and nightstand that had been squeezed inside, with the only free floor space taken up by a plush looking rug.
“I didn’t steal someone’s campsite,” Sunset said, “I called in a favor with a friend who works nearby. The girls and I helped her out with an… incident when there was some magic trouble.” Sunset sat on the bed and kicked off her shoes, wiggling her toes. “Oh, that feels so good after riding.” She patted the spot next to her. “Take a load off.”
Adagio sauntered over to the bed and smirked as she pushed Sunset backwards, straddling the girl before kissing her deeply. She grinned when they finally had to come up for air.
“I take it you like the campsite?” Sunset asked with a smirk.
Adagio nodded and stole another kiss.
“Glad to hear it. Just don’t get too comfortable. This is a one night stand—stop. One night stop.”
And she said Adagio had a dirty mind.
“Anyway,” Sunset slipped out from under Adagio, much to Adagio’s disappointment. “I’m gonna get started on getting a fire going. Veggie dogs okay for dinner?”
Adagio shrugged noncommittally. She could take them or leave them.
“Take them it is.” Sunset disappeared with a wink through the tent flap to go get firewood.
Adagio let herself flop back onto the bed as a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Having someone around that could actually make her do things like smile was weird. Stranger still was the fact that over the last year she’d started to enjoy doing things with Sunset that weren’t sex.
Adagio wondered if there was a word for friends who did stuff like that.
She’d have to remember to look it up later, though. She had no phone service out here.
Sunset returned loudly, dropping a bundle of sticks and wood outside the tent.
A few minutes later, there was a decent fire crackling, with veggie dogs impaled on sticks hanging over the flames. Adagio and Sunset were sitting close together, enjoying the warmth of the fire and each other’s company.
It was nice.
“It is, isn’t it? We should do stuff like this more often.” Sunset closed her eyes and rested her head on Adagio’s shoulder.
Adagio took the opportunity to really look at the girl next to her. Sunset was a lot prettier than she realized. Adagio had never really noticed how her smile reached her eyes, or the way her hair seemed to always look good, even when there was a strand out of place.
She reached over and tucked it behind Sunset’s ear with a brush of her finger.
“Did I tell you I ran into Aria the other day?”
Adagio raised a curious eyebrow.
“I was grocery shopping and bumped into her. She… didn’t seem happy to see me when I asked how she was doing.”
Adagio wasn’t surprised. Aria was the kind of girl who could hold grudges for literal centuries.
“Yeah, I kind of got that vibe from her.” Sunset mumbled, staring into the fire. She went quiet for a few moments before changing the subject abruptly.
“Hey, you brought your violin, right?” She asked. “Can you play something for me?”
Adagio shot Sunset a curious look. While she was no stranger to playing for Sunset, Adagio was curious about why it had been so important that she bring her violin.
“Romantic atmosphere,” Sunset quipped, earning another eye roll from Adagio. “Just trust me. I’m not up to anything.”
Because everyone who could be trusted said they weren’t up to anything.
And since when did Sunset care about atmosphere, anyway? Adagio could remember a particular frisky Sunset during a boring movie in an empty theater.
“Alright,” Sunset scowled, flushing red in the firelight, “you don’t need to play dirty—you know what I mean.”
Adagio waggled her eyebrows at the girl playfully. Still, she’d teased her long enough.
She gave Sunset a quick peck on the cheek and slipped away from her, returning from the tent a moment later with her violin. She found a decent enough stump nearby to sit on, pulled her instrument from the case, and put bow to string.
The forest itself seemed to spring to life at the first note. Motes of magical light winked into existence, fireflies to dance to her tune. They twisted and twirled about each other, a dance Adagio could never hope to choreograph.
Her music swelled to something new as Adagio’s magic touched something different from the magic in Canterlot’s air—something primal.
She could feel it flow through her, a surging wave that welled up from the forest floor, threatening to overwhelm her. The magical light that danced about her shifted in color from their usual green to an angry red. Leaves kicked into the air as the wind picked up.
Adagio slowly lost herself to the cadence, a slave to the song of the forest until Sunset grabbed her hand and stopped the music on a sour note.
Sweat matted her hair to her forehead as Adagio panted for breath. Sunset took the violin from her shaky hands, putting it away for her and guiding her back to the fire. Adagio hadn’t noticed the chill until the warmth of the fire touched her.
She swallowed hard and looked to Sunset for answers.
“I-I don’t know. I know there’s a bit of Equestrian magic in this forest, but I didn’t think it would do,” The redhead waved a hand at where Adagio had been playing, “that.”
Adagio glanced over at the stump. Small patches of the stump had been blackened, no doubt the effects of the magic in the air.
“Here, you should eat something.” Sunset offered a hotdog.
Adagio took it but didn’t really feel like eating, opting to stare into the fire instead.
“You okay?”
Adagio shrugged.
“Maybe playing here isn’t a good idea anymore.” Sunset rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, glancing away as Adagio shot her an angry glare.
“Let’s just eat and get some sleep. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow.”
Adagio huffed angrily, scarfed down her food, and went to lay down.
Sunset joined her a few minutes later, wrapping an arm around Adagio before they both slipped into a fitful sleep.
~~~
“Hey, are you okay back there?” Sunset asked, risking a glance over her shoulder as they raced along a painfully straight stretch of road.
Adagio scowled at the inside of her helmet.
“I take that as a yes?”
Adagio sincerely wished Sunset couldn’t read her mind at that moment.
“Wanna talk about it—” Sunset visibly winced at her slip of the tongue. “Sorry…”
They rode in silence for the next few miles.
Eventually the treeline started to thin out. Foliage became sparser and the lush forest gave way to rocky cliffs and a view of the coastline. Adagio stared at the ocean as they rode, a familiar weight of something long forgotten settling in her stomach. It left no room for the last night’s frustration.
She exhaled slowly.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sunset asked wistfully. “When I lived in Equestria, my dad used to take me to the beach every summer. I was just a filly, but I remember being so happy splashing in the waves.
“That all stopped when Princess Celestia took me on as a student. I was to busy to waste time on things like beaches.”
The bike accelerated as Sunset put her story on hold to slip around a van driving a bit too slowly for their tastes (Key Own’s Locksmithing: We’re not just any John Smith!). The driver honked as they passed, drawing a middle finger from both Adagio and Sunset. Adagio could practically feel the driver’s rage through the van’s tinted windows.
She wished the driver could see her smirk.
“Dad died that fall. We never did get to go to the beach again.”
Adagio’s smile dropped, the van already forgotten. She leaned forward into Sunset and hugged her tighter. Losing family wasn’t easy to deal with, but at least she was here for Sunset.
“Thanks.” Sunset’s voice cracked as she gave Adagio’s hand a quick squeeze.
The bike roared loudly beneath them, and the rest of the ride continued in silence.
~~~
Adagio had always loved the beach, so she couldn’t really complain about the shitty motel when they were less than a block from the shoreline. It was a pity they’d only be here for one night.
“I didn’t know you liked the beach that much. We can always extend the stay here, if you want.” Sunset offered from her spot on the towel next to Adagio.
Once again, Adagio found her gaze tracing the curves on Sunset’s body. She was wearing a black two-piece that somehow made her look even better even though it was covering that flawless body underneath.
“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?” Sunset smirked, but couldn’t hide the touch of redness creeping onto her face.
Adagio shrugged. She didn’t have any reason to exaggerate.
She turned her attention to the rest of the beach. Sunset had found a secluded spot hidden by a rocky cliff. To one side, a series of tide pools collected water. Even from her seat, Adagio could see little creatures flitting through the water.
The rest of the beach was pristine white sand, a far cry from the filth that covered the public access areas they’d cut through to get to here. The tide lazily washed against the shore far enough away that Adagio wouldn’t need to worry about the violin case next to her.
“Speaking of the violin case, did you bring that for show, or are you gonna play while we’re here?” Sunset glanced over at Adagio.
Adagio rolled her eyes at Sunset. If it meant that much to her, she could indulge the redhead a bit.
“Well thank you for going out of your way for me. I’m in debt to you and your generosity.” Sunset’s sarcasm was palpable.
Adagio ignored it as she started to play. The Song felt different here. It ebbed and flowed, gently caressing Adagio with it’s melody as it beckoned her to dive deeper into it’s melancholy tones.
Promises of happiness—of release—hid between the notes, whispering on the winds with coy laughter. Once more, the magical light of the Song welled to life, sending a chill down Adagio’s spine.
The Song felt strange again. In the forest it had threatened to consume her, to overwhelm her. Here, Adagio felt more at ease. The Song called to her here, beckoned her home. When it finally ended, Adagio felt a longing she’d not felt in centuries.
“How do you feel?” Sunset asked, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes scanned Adagio like she was looking for something.
Adagio shrugged. There wasn’t any real difference, as far as she could tell.
She put the violin back in its case and sat back down on her towel, staring out at the water.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” Sunset was reading Adagio’s thoughts.
Adagio nodded absentmindedly. She’d lived in a bay that looked a lot like this, long ago. She remembered growing up in the warm shallows, playing and learning to sing.
“That sounds really nice.”
She could still remember the first sailor she'd lured onto the rocks—a lone fisherman in a little dinghy.
“And it just got really dark...”
Adagio flashed a wicked grin at Sunset.
“You’re kidding, right?”
Adagio didn’t answer. She stood up and sauntered towards the water, beckoning her lover with a finger.
“Adagio? That was a joke, wasn’t it?” Sunset started to follow. “Adagio?”
Sunset’s cries for her attention were silenced as Adagio dipped beneath the waves, letting the chill of the water engulf her. When she surfaced, Sunset was still trying to wade slowly out to her, mumbling about the cold.
Adagio swam up to the girl when she was waist deep and helped her in without waiting for permission.
Sunset surfaced again with a cry of surprise. “Not funny! Cold! Very cold!” She was already starting to shiver.
Adagio slipped close and wrapped her arms around the girl. There was one surefire way to warm Sunset, after all. She planted a kiss on her neck, and Sunset melted into Adagio.
~~~
“Man, whoever thought doing it on the beach is sexy never had to deal with the sand.” Sunset groaned and stretched when they got back to the motel. “I’ve got sand in spots nobody should ever get sand.”
She made a beeline to the bathroom and shed her swimsuit. “I’m gonna hop in the shower. You coming?”
Adagio was certain Sunset could feel her grinning from the shoddy bed. She was pretty sure they’d both done that already.
Sunset let out an embarrassed groan and the sound of running water drowned out the rest of her response.
Adagio was fine without a shower for now. What she could use was some food, though. Pizza sounded pretty decent.
“I’d kill for pizza.” Sunset called over the noise of the shower.
Of course she would say yes to pizza. Despite her promises, though, Sunset had never actually killed anyone for one. Disappointing, really.
“You know that’s an expression, right?”
Of course Adagio knew. A girl could dream, though.
She snatched up the room key and strolled out of the room, making sure to lock it behind her.
The motel was unsurprisingly empty, with only two vehicles in the parking lot. Adagio shot a curious glance at the one that wasn’t Sunset’s bike.
Another van sat near the motel office, looking identical to the one they’d passed this morning.
Adagio shrugged. Must be a local company.
There was a pizza shop near the motel. It was a little hole-in-the-wall place, and, despite the best efforts of the owners, it still looked doubtful that the place could pass a health inspection. Faded carpet and peeling wallpaper welcomed her as she entered.
“Hi, welcome to Koi Zoomy’s pizza, where the flavor will blow your mind!” An entirely too happy teen with purple hair behind the counter greeted Adagio.
Adagio pantomimed writing to the girl as she approached the counter. After a bit of confusion, the girl passed a napkin and pen to her.
‘Vegetarian pizza, please. Lost voice, sorry.’ Adagio scribbled down.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you get better soon!”
It took everything in Adagio’s power to not roll her eyes at the girl.
~~~
Twenty agonizing minutes of waiting in an uncomfortable booth with a tear in the cushion, and Adagio was on her way back to the motel. Despite the state of the pizza place, she couldn’t deny that the food smelled delicious.
She cut through the motel parking lot to get to the room, pausing to admire Sunset’s bike. Sunset had good taste.
Of course, Adagio already knew that.
She climbed the stairs to get to the room and frowned. Adagio was sure she’d locked the door when she left.
Her pace quickened, closing the distance to the door, and her heart stopped when she looked into the room.
It was an absolute mess.
The bed’s sheets had been thrown to the floor, and the mattress haphazardly leaned against the wall. Every drawer in the room had been left open, with clothes and the rest of their contents tossed aside without care.
Sunset was nowhere to be seen.
Neither was Adagio’s violin.
Her heart leapt into her throat as Adagio ran outside to the railing, looking down to the parking lot as though Sunset would magically walk up, perfectly fine and unaware that they’d been robbed.
No such thing happened.
That’s when a thought struck her: The van was gone.
For the first time in a long time, Adagio didn’t know what to do. Call the cops? What would she do? She couldn’t explain what had happened.
Tell the motel’s owner there’d been a break-in? No, he seemed like the useless sort.
She whipped out her phone and called Sunset. Maybe, by some slim chance, she’d left before the break-in?
“Hello?”
Adagio’s blood ran cold as someone other than Sunset answered.
“I can hear you breathing, Adagio.”
Fear was violently pushed to the back of Adagio’s mind as a white-hot rage clouded her vision.
“Sorry to say, but your plaything can’t talk right now.”
Her mind raced. Twenty-odd minutes wasn’t enough to get far. Sunset had to be nearby still.
“I know what you’re thinking: ‘Aria, how did you get your voice back?’ I should be thanking you, really. You’re the one who came up with the idea to syphon magic to rebuild one of our gems.”
Aria droned on, monologuing about magic and Sunset. Adagio tuned her out while she sorted things out.
She knew Aria had to be nearby, somewhere with magic in the air. It would have to be secluded, too. Aria wouldn’t want to be interrupted by passersby—the beach.
Adagio hung up and took off at a sprint back towards the secluded cove she and Sunset had been enjoying only a short time ago. She charged past the locksmith van parked near the path they’d taken earlier. Her chest burned as she ran, but that didn’t matter.
She was panting for breath by the time she arrived, looking around wildly until she caught a glimpse of Sunset’s fiery hair. She was at the girl’s side in a heartbeat.
Sunset was out cold, but she was breathing. That was one less thing to worry about, at least.
Adagio checked her for any injuries. Other than a lump on the back of the girl’s head, Sunset looked remarkably unharmed.
“You have no idea how hard it’s been to keep track of you two.” Aria’s voice sounded from behind Adagio.
Adagio spun to find her sister and fellow siren seated on a rock nearby with her arms folded in front of her, shielded from being spotted by the cliffs when Adagio had first approached.
Adagio’s eyes locked onto the red gem clasped to Aria’s throat with a black choker.
A gem that had restored Aria’s voice.
A gem that rightfully belonged to Adagio.
“Jealous?” Aria smirked and crossed her legs. “I don’t blame you. After all, you’re the one who couldn’t fix my gem yourself.”
Adagio stood and started stomping towards her sister.
“There’s that temper of yours. All that anger, and no outlet. A shame you can’t channel that into something productive like singing.” Aria stood cockily and began to sing herself.
It was a simple melody, but the magic Aria’s notes carried was enough to bring Adagio to her knees.
“I’m a little disappointed in you, Adagio. I expected the ‘fearless leader of the Dazzlings’ to have some sort of plan. Something up her sleeve to play the hero and rescue the princess.” Aria put a boot against Adagio and nudged the girl into the sand. “By the stars, you’re useless without your voice, aren’t you?”
Aria scoffed down at Adagio and drifted back to the rock she’d been sitting on, picking up a familiar violin case propped against it and tossing it through the air to land next to Adagio, kicking up sand.
“Here. Play something. Entertain me before I crush you.”
Adagio weakly reached out to the violin case and unclasped it. The instrument within hadn’t been broken. Maybe there was a chance after all.
She stood shakily and put bow to string, playing like her life depended on it.
It very well might have at that moment.
The Song filled the air, directionless and impotent. The Song was meant to heal—to fix Adagio—not this. She strode towards Aria with a fire in her heart and a determined expression.
Aria had taken something important from her, and Adagio wouldn’t rest until she’d rectified the situation.
Aria yawned before she began her own song. There was real power behind Aria’s voice, amplified and sharpened to a point. A point directed at Adagio.
The Song hit a sour note, and Adagio felt her mind clouding.
Aria had always been second best to Adagio. Of course she would try to use the gem to force submission. She’d always wanted to be in control, even when she’d been riding Adagio’s coattails when they were young.
Adagio could feel herself threatening to capsize, a rowboat in a tempest compared to the raw power of a siren’s gem. She pushed forward, hobbling closer to Aria even as the Song grew weaker.
The Song faded to nothing as she stopped a few feet from Aria.
Aria grinned and stopped singing. “You know, subservient is a good look on you. I think I’ll even let you hang around while I build my army.” She lifted Adagio’s gaze with a finger under the girl’s chin, making sure Adagio met her stare.
“I’ve always hated how you squandered our power. We should be ruling this world, not hiding in the shadows and feeding on scraps to survive. I’ll show you how we were meant to live. I’ll show everyone as they all fall under my spell. And I’ll start by making an example of this thorn in my side.”
Aria’s grin twisted into something wicked as she brushed past Adagio, striding towards Sunset.
She didn’t make it two steps before Adagio tightened her grip on the violin and swung with both hands.
Aria hit the sand with a pained groan as shards of violin rained around her.
Adagio stood over the dazed girl and snatched the gem from her neck, clasping it around her own throat as she looked at Aria with contempt.
Fire flooded through Adagio, warmth spreading through her like a wildfire, threatening to consume her. Adagio welcomed it, however. She had nothing to fear from this magic.
She was Adagio Dazzle, leader of the Dazzlings and the most powerful siren this world would ever see.
And she was whole.
A laugh bubbled up inside her and spilled out. “Do you want to know the difference between me and you, Aria?” By the stars, it felt good to speak again. “When I come up with a plan, I’m smart enough to pull it off. More importantly, I know how to tie off loose ends.”
~~~
“Sh-she’s always been a bit… different since she lost her voice in the accident, officer. Just promise me you’ll help her get better?” Adagio sniffled, wiping away the tears flowing down her face.
“Alright, Miss Dazzle, we’ll make sure she gets the help she needs.” A uniformed officer put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You and your friend are free to go. We’ll call you if we need anything else.”
“Th-thank you.” Adagio looked over to Sunset, who was seated on the curb nearby with a blanket around her. “Are you ready to head back to the hotel?”
Sunset looked up and nodded slowly.
She looked like hell. She had dark circles under her eyes, her hair was matted to her forehead, and she hadn’t said a word since waking up.
Adagio helped her to her feet and supported her as they walked back to the hotel room. Sunset moved slowly, but eventually they arrived to their trashed room. Adagio sat her down in a chair and handed her a slice of cold pizza before going about tidying the room.
When she got the bed into a tolerable state, she sat down and looked at Sunset. “I’m… glad you’re not hurt.”
Sunset smiled back at her weakly.
“You are alright… right?” Adagio’s brow furrowed.
Sunset hesitated before shaking her head, opening her mouth and closing it.
“Just tell me—oh no. No-no-no. She didn’t...” Adagio crossed the distance between them and knelt next to Sunset. “We can fix this. For now I can borrow your geode and read your mind until we can…” Her voice trailed off as she finally got a good look at Sunset’s geode.
The usually red stone had changed to a faded gray.
“Well, shit.”
Adagio let herself sink back onto the floor and rest against the bed. “Okay, recap. We’ve got my gem remade, at the cost of your voice and your geode. Meanwhile the one responsible is going to jail for kidnapping.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Oh, and my violin is destroyed, so there’s that nuisance.
“Any ideas on how to fix this?”
Sunset pursed her lips and snatched a pen and pad of paper off the motel desk. She scribbled something down and passed it to Adagio.
‘Do you remember when I told you about the Friendship Games fiasco?’
It took Adagio a moment, but the fuzzy details slowly came back. Something about her friend Twilight stealing magic a few years back with a locket or some such nonsense. Things were returned to normal after Sunset had destroyed—
“Oh, no,” Adagio stood abruptly. “You can’t be suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, are you?” Adagio’s words were more of an accusation than a question.
Sunset looked up at her hopefully.
“You can’t!” Adagio clasped a hand over her gem. “I just got my voice back. You can’t really expect me to give it up?” She took a cautious step back. She wasn’t even sure when she’d stood up. “There’s got to be a better way.”
Sunset shrugged and shook her head helplessly. Of course she didn’t have any other ideas, she wanted to take the most direct route.
Even if that meant taking Adagio’s voice from her again.
Adagio felt her feet carrying her backwards. Sunset stood, her expression full of worry.
Adagio turned and ran.
~~~
It was late evening the next day when Adagio got back to Canterlot. Singing someone into a trance to give her a ride had been child’s play.
It had left a sour taste in her mouth.
She got out of the rickety truck and stretched, waving the driver away with a grimace. It was overcast today. Adagio could taste the impending rain in the air.
“I need a drink.” Adagio muttered.
She’d been dropped off outside of Canterlot Mall. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the best place to find a bar. What was with malls and wanting to be wholesome?
It started sprinkling before Adagio had finished crossing the parking lot. She scowled at the sky. Of course it wouldn’t wait for her to get indoors.
She was soaked by the time she reached the entrance.
She stopped at the mall’s glass doors, looking inside.
People milled about, chatting, laughing, enjoying a night of fun with their loved ones. Adagio’s mind wandered back to Sunset.
She hoped she was okay.
Adagio shook her head angrily and stomped away from the mall, letting her feet carry her wherever they wished.
“Stupid Sunset. Why’d she have to be so selfish? How long have I wanted this? And then she wants me to throw it all away for her?!” Adagio sneered at nobody in particular. “And here I was thinking she was different from most humans.
“Of course she isn’t. ‘Oh, Adagio!’” Adagio’s voice got mockingly high, “‘I’m inconvenienced! I know you’ve been waiting years to get your voice back, but please give that up for me!’”
At least Sunset was gone now. Adagio had left her back at the coast, far away from Canterlot.
Alone.
She was probably scared, too.
Adagio risked a glance at her phone. She had twenty-three messages.
‘Adagio, where are you?’
‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m worried about you.’
‘Please answer when you can.’
Adagio scrolled through the messages and sank down to sit on the curb of the sidewalk. Even after she’d bailed on her, Sunset was worried about her?
Had Adagio, stars forbid, made a mistake?
“Adagio?” A chipper voice startled Adagio from her thoughts. “It is you! I thought you were on a road trip with Sunny?”
“I came back early.” Adagio said to Sunset’s pink-haired friend, the overly enthusiastic one.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear—” The pink girl’s—Pinkie Pie, that was it—jaw dropped. “You can talk! Oh, my gosh, it worked! You’ve got to come inside! We’re totally gonna celebrate!”
Adagio found herself being dragged be the hand down the street and into a brightly lit diner. Inside was a nauseating cacophony of neon and retro posters to give it a more “authentic” feel. Decades-old rock-and-roll music blasted from a jukebox on the far side of the seating area.
Pinkie didn’t wait for a waitress to seat them, snagging a booth by a window. “So how’d you fix you? Did Sunset’s plan work? Was it awesome? I bet it was awesome.” She let out an ear-splitting squeal of delight. “Was Sunset as excited as I am?”
Before Adagio could answer, Pinkie turned and shouted over to a surly looking man behind the counter. “Praline, two peanut butter fudge shakes and two orders of cheesy fries!”
“Sure thing, Pinkie,” the man called back.
Pinkie turned her attention back to Adagio. “Okay, so tell me about it. How’d you get your voice back? What stop was it?”
Adagio stared at Pinkie in visible confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Uh, the road trip, duh. It’s all Sunset’s been talking about for like two weeks.” Pinkie said, like this was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Really? Funny, she told me about the trip the day before we left and didn’t say why.” Adagio folded her arms in front of her. “So what was she up to, anyway?”
“She said she was gonna take you to spots with a whole bunch of magic to try and fix you—your voice, I mean. I don’t think she thinks you’re broken or anything. Well, I guess your voice was broken, but now it’s not!” Pinkie rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Wait… how did you get your voice back if it wasn’t the way Sunset thought of?”
Adagio’s gaze dropped to the table. “My sister kidnapped Sunset and stole her voice to remake the gem I’m wearing.”
“Oh…” Pinkie seemed to deflate at the news. “So… where’s Sunset, then? Is she with you?”
“I might have left her in a motel when she suggested smashing my gem to fix things...” Wow, Adagio sounded terrible when she said it out loud.
Pinkie went quiet as her brow furrowed. Judging by her expression, she was thinking really hard about something. It probably didn’t take much, though.
Adagio wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, but Pinkie didn’t speak until after their food had come.
“Are you going to do it?”
Adagio glanced up at Pinkie. “Do what?”
“Smash the gem. You could probably get a car to run it over in the street or something.” Pinkie plucked a fry from the plate in front of her and took a bite before the cheesy goop on it could fall back to the plate.
“Why would I do that?” Adagio asked, offended that Pinkie could ever suggest such a thing.
“For Sunset, of course.” Pinkie said before sipping at her milkshake.
Adagio opened her mouth to retort, but the words died in her throat. What would be the point? It’s not like Sunset would just forgive her for making things the way they were before.
How would that even work? ‘Sorry I stole the gem my sister made with your voice so I could selfishly regain mine?’ She scowled down at her fries.
“What would you do?” Adagio asked before she could stop the question from slipping out.
“I dunno.” Pinkie shrugged.
“You’re such a big help.” Adagio growled.
“Well, I’m not you. You gotta be the one to decide if it’s worth doing.” Pinkie munched idly on a fry before continuing. “Let’s start simple. Do you feel bad about what you did?”
Adagio scoffed. “Please, I’ve never felt guilty about something a day in my life. Why start now?”
“Well, you’re awfully frowny for someone who doesn’t care,” Pinkie pointed out, “and whenever Sunset gets mentioned you look down again—yeah, like that!”
Adagio looked back up. “That doesn’t mean anything.” The words felt hollow even to her.
Pinkie tapped another fry to her chin thoughtfully,oblivious to the cheesy stains she was leaving. “Do you like spending time with Sunset?”
Adagio cocked her head to the side, eyeing the pink-haired girl suspiciously. “I can’t say I’ve hated it.” She finally took a sip of her own milkshake, grimacing at the sugary concoction.
“Do you smile around her?” Pinkie asked.
“Well, yeah, I guess.” Adagio wasn’t sure what Pinkie was hoping to accomplish with these idiotic questions.
“Does she smile around you?”
“Yes…” It was mostly true, save for recent events.
“Do you think you make her happy?” Pinkie asked without skipping a beat.
“Yes.”
“Are you thinking about her right now?”
“Yes.” Adagio growled.
“Do you want her to be here right now?”
“Yes.” Adagio snapped, fed up with this interrogation.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes!” Adagio slammed a palm onto the table, rattling the dishes on it.
Pinkie gave her a small smile from across the table.
Adagio’s heart sank as she caught up to her unintentional confession. “Pinkie Pie, I think I messed up.” She stared down at her food in horror. “I… I don’t know how to fix this.”
“Have you tried apologizing?”
“I—no.” Adagio admitted.
“Then I think that’s a good place to start,” Pinkie said softly. “Now go get Sunset back. I’ll take care of the bill.” She shooed Adagio away, waving at Praline for the check.
Adagio stood to leave and paused, glancing back at the other girl. “Thanks, Pinkie. You’re not as stupid as I thought you were.”
“Thanks… I think.” Pinkie frowned for a moment before breaking out into giggles. “You sure have changed since the Battle of the Bands, huh?”
“Yeah... I guess I have,” Adagio said thoughtfully. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Sunset on where to meet her. There was only one place fitting enough for this.
“Go get her, tiger!” Pinkie called to Adagio’s back as she left the diner.
~~~
Another day of waiting. Another lonely evening before Sunset texted to let Adagio know she was almost there.
Adagio stared at the gazebo in the park near her house with conflicting emotions. She could still run. Sunset wasn’t here yet. Maybe she could find another way before she got here?
As if on cue, the rumble of a motorcycle reached her ears. Moments later a familiar looking bike rounded the corner and parked. The rider stepped off it and took off her helmet, revealing red and golden hair.
So much for running.
Adagio stood up from the cinder block she’d been sitting on and watched Sunset approach.
The other girl stopped a few feet away and eyed Adagio cautiously. She waited, though, which was more than Adagio had hoped for.
Sunset looked like hell. Dark circles ringed her eyes, which were puffy and red. Her hair was tousled and unkempt, and she looked like a light breeze might be enough to knock her over.
Adagio took a deep breath and steeled herself. “Sunset, I’m… sorry.” She pursed her lips before continuing. “I panicked. I didn’t want to lose my voice so soon after getting it back.”
She hesitated when she saw Sunset’s doubtful expression.
No. Adagio had chosen this path, there wasn’t going to be any backing down now. “I think I lost something more important in the process, though.”
Sunset’s eyebrows furrowed, but Adagio didn’t miss the flicker of a smile touch the girl’s features.
Adagio took another deep breath. Now for the hard part. “I want to fix this, even if it means never talking again. Because never hearing your voice would be so much worse.
“So, while I’ve got the chance,” Adagio stepped closer to Sunset, “there’s something I need to tell you. After this I may not be able to. Not in the right way.”
She kept moving closer, finding her strength when she realized that Sunset hadn’t pulled away.
“I picked this spot for a reason, actually. This is where I first realized that you weren’t as bad as I thought. I liked playing music for you here.” Adagio was close enough that she could have leaned in and kissed Sunset if the mood had been right for it. “I think it was here where I realized something important, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it, yet.”
Adagio leaned close to Sunset, not trusting herself to be able to speak louder than a whisper. Her voice was trembling at this point.
“I love you, Sunset Shimmer.”
Tears were streaming down Sunset’s face as Adagio pulled away from her, a hand clasped over her mouth. Adagio spun away quickly, lest she succumb to the maelstrom of emotion inside her heart as well. “Now, for the grand finale…”
Adagio crossed the damp grass, returning to the cinder block. She picked it up with both hands with a grunt and walked it over to the concrete sidewalk.
Sunset followed.
Adagio glanced over her shoulder and smiled as best she could. “Stand back, please.” She shooed at Sunset.
Sunset took a step away.
“Little further. I don’t know what this will do.” She continued shooing the beautiful girl back.
She unclasped the gem around her neck and placed it gently onto the sidewalk. A sad smile played across her lips. It felt like saying goodbye to an old friend.
Still, it was time to put this metaphorical dog out to pasture. Hesitating would just give her time to question herself. She hoisted the cinder block over her head and brought it down as hard as she could onto the red gemstone.
There was crunch, a bang, and Adagio’s world went white.
~~~
Adagio woke with a silent groan, bringing a hand up to her eyes. Everything hurt, and not in a good way.
She opened her eyes and looked up to find Sunset cradling her head on her lap.
“Hey.” Sunset said softly.
It was the most beautiful sound Adagio had ever heard. She smiled up at Sunset, tears in the corners of her eyes.
“Are you alright?” Sunset asked.
Adagio pushed her away and sat up, looking at Sunset expectantly.
Sunset pursed her lips and looked away. “The road trip was for you, by the way,” she said after a quiet moment. “I was trying to take you to places I thought there would be enough magic to fix your gem.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “I guess I was kind of right, huh?”
A pang of guilt ripped through Adagio as Sunset fell quiet again.
Adagio reached up and caressed the girl’s cheek. At least Sunset had her voice back. Now things could go back to the way things were.
Sunset looked back at Adagio and frowned. “Adagio,” her voice was soft—pitying, “I don’t think I can go back to the way things were.”
Ripping her heart out would have hurt Adagio less.
“I care about you—and I want to trust you—but what you did was… it was terrifying.” Tears streamed down Sunset’s face, falling into her lap. “I thought I’d lost you…”
A weight settled in the pit of Adagio’s stomach. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss against Sunset’s cheek, stood, and turned to leave.
A hand grabbing her own stopped Adagio from leaving.
“I don’t want to say goodbye, though,” Sunset whispered, just barely audible. “I don’t know what to do, though.”
Adagio sat next to Sunset and exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. If she were honest with herself, she didn’t either.
An uneasy quiet settled between them as both triedo think of something that could somehow fix the fiasco of the last few days.
“We could try what we did last year.” Sunset offered.
Adagio looked over at the her curiously. How could Sunset be in the mood?
A short laugh escaped Sunset. “No, Adagio, not sex. I was thinking breakfast could be a good start.” She placed a hand on top of Adagio’s and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Adagio nodded, blinking away tears of her own.
Breakfast sounded nice.
