The Worst

Zero minutes until she had to study with Sunset.

Wincing, waddling, winging. Adagio couldn’t take a single step without flinching from the pain, crinkling her diaper, and cursing under her breath. Going slowly prolonged all three, going fast seemed to multiply them.

She rubbed her sore butt, diaper crinkling as she pushed it out of the way. Her face only contorted with more pain. For the thousandth time she cursed the vice principal under her breath.

She cursed her study partner too. Adagio wanted nothing more than to get home and get some relief for the pain. But instead, she was waddling into the library.

Barely anyone was around. A shambling old librarian stored books in nearby shelves, and a handful of students were dutifully using nearby desks. Their numbers weren’t many, but any people meant Adagio would have to force herself to do a normal walk.

She squeezed her thighs together, ignoring the way the padding bunched up. Walking now produced louder, denser crinkles than before. And in the soft silence of the library they seemed thunderous. But no one looked up in her direction as she shuffled forward. Yet.

Sunset was waiting for her in a tucked away corner. She had a few books spread out on a desk, but left the seat opposite hers free of clutter. Nose deep in a book, she didn’t see Adagio approach, but she definitely heard her.

crinkle crinkle crinkle

Blinking, she looked up from her textbook in confusion. Adagio fought down red cheeks and refused eye contact.

“Hey.” Sunset gave a small wave.

Bite me. Adagio took a deep breath. With deliberate slowness, she approached the waiting chair. Her diaper couldn’t be as noisy this way. She hoped.

If Sunset did hear anything, she ignored it. But Adagio’s heartbeat still quickened with fear. Hundreds of excuses to play off the sounds jumped through her mind. Not one was believable.

Don’t notice… don’t notice… She sat down, diaper compressing under her weight.

crinkle crinkle

Sunset’s brow furrowed. She turned around to try and pinpoint the source of the soft noise hitting her ears. Adagio clenched her jaw. Pinpricks of pink threatened her cheeks.

“Okay, well… I’m glad you came.” Sunset looked back to her, hope in her voice. She really thought they could be civil to one another, didn’t she?

“That makes one of us.” Adagio was having none of it.

The hope deflated. “Right, well… let’s get to work then.” She flipped her book around and pushed it towards Adagio. “I’ve gotten a little work done while I was waiting. Since we have to cover a war, I was thinking the Griffinstone Revolution. Since there was no ‘right side’ we could have a little fun with the back and forth in the politics, you know?”

Adagio blew a raspberry, sticking her thumb down. Sunset’s shoulder’s dropped at the childish remark. “What?”

“Nothing about the Griffinstone Revolution was fun,” Adagio fired back. “It was just boring politics for five straight years and then one guy grabbed a guillotine for a hot minute. And King Grover was an ass and a half, to boot.”

Sunset blinked. “And you would know because…”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “I was in his court at the time, I’d think I’d know.”

Eyes as wide as diner saucers met hers. “What?!”

Harsh “shhh”s rang out through the library. Sunset winced, whispering back apologies before her attention returned to Adagio. “You were what?”

“I’ve been on this rock for a thousand years,” Adagio pointed out. “You think I stuck my head in the sand until I decided to take over this school?”

“Well… no, but…” Sunset scratched her head. “That’s kind of amazing. So you… knew King Grover?”

“Ass and a half,” Adagio reiterated.

“You were in his court?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Politicians are the best sources of misery. I ate like a queen. At least until he got his head cut off.” She sighed happily at the memory. “Couldn’t believe someone finally managed to shut him up.”

Sunset slumped against her chair in awe. “That’s just… incredible!”

Adagio couldn’t help but smugly smile. She leaned back in her chair, only for the sharp crinkle of her diaper to snap her out of it. What am I thinking? She couldn’t afford to reminisce in her current position. At any moment Sunset may discover the truth. Or Adagio would pee her diaper, or let something about her padded lifestyle slip if she wasn’t careful.

“Whatever,” she coughed out, raising her walls back up. They’d dropped only for a moment, but she’d remember that. “We can do your stupid idea if you want.”

The sour tone spoiled Sunset’s brightened mood. “Umm… okay then.” She collected her book back from Adagio’s side of the table. “I guess just start researching what life was like for the serfs under Grover’s rule. I doubt you’d have spent any time with them during the Revolution.”

Adagio narrowed her eyes. “You trying to be smart with me?”

Sunset crossed her arms. “So what if I am?”

Adagio clenched her fist. That was a little too bold for a wannabe-human. It was bad enough when the principals took that kind of tone with her, but she didn’t have to accept that from a fellow student. “Then I’d say get off your high horse, pony.”

“No, I think I’ll stay on it, thank you very much.” Sunset barked. “I’m trying to be nice to you, you know.”

“And I’m trying not to strangle you. Pretty soon we’ll both be failing.”

Sunset groaned. “What the heck is wrong with you three? I wasn’t nearly this bad when my world domination plans were stopped.”

Adagio snorted. “Because you’re pathetic.”

“Sure, just stoop to insults.” Sunset closed her book. “We both know that’s all you can do now.”

Adagio felt a knife sink in. And twist.

“Yeah? Well you—” She almost rose out of her chair, but sunk down when her retort failed. She grunted, mostly to cover the crinkling sound. Crossed arms, face snarling, she looked away.

A pregnant pause arose. Neither willing to say much after that. Sunset didn’t even return to her books. Though Adagio couldn’t see her face, the regretful expression spoke volumes. Finally, she birthed an apology.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset managed. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now and—”

“You’re right,” Adagio growled. “You can’t imagine it. You have no idea!” Her diaper bunched up, as if she needed the reminder. She just used that as kindling to fuel her rage against Sunset. “And the last thing I want is your pity.” She spat the word.

“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” Sunset almost whispered. “I just… I want to help you, okay? I had friends to get me through the same thing. Well, not the exact same, but you know. I think you deserve that too.”

“I don’t want or need anything from you, except for you to leave me alone.” Adagio’s grip was so tight she nearly tore a chunk out of her arm. “In case you’ve forgotten, you’re the reason I can’t sing anymore!” Her diaper crinkled. Yes, also you! She bitterly thought.

She reached for her pendant almost instinctually, but there was nothing there.

Sunset looked like she wanted to say something, but upon opening her mouth nothing came air. Just hot air. As far as Adagio was concerned, that was all this girl was full of.

She wanted to storm off then and there. In fact, it was pretty tempting. But the threat of discovering would be too great. And it didn’t help that she really had to work with Sunset for now. It was unpleasant, but failing even more so.

She shifted in her seat, trying to alleviate the pain of her stinging butt. Her diaper crinkled, but Sunset was still too taken aback to notice. Now it was Adagio’s turn to twist in the knife.

“And I’ll tell you something else,” she hissed. “I’m not through with you or this school yet. Just you wait; I’m going to make you pay.”

A declaration of revenge. Adagio had given a number of them over the years. She knew just how to use her voice to maximize how threatening it sounded. And this one was easy; she really meant it.

Her mind went back to the shattered pieces of their gemstones. The few she’d managed to recover, at least. Once she figured out how to repair it, it was game over for Sunset, for Vice Principal Luna, and this whole worthless school.

But despite the sincerity of the threat, Sunset actually managed to recover. Maybe it was because she’d given a few evil tirades of her own over the years, but Adagio’s practically bounced off of her.

Arms crossed, eyelids half lowered, she leaned back in her chair. “Well then, if that’s the way you feel, clearly I can’t leave you alone.”

Adagio’s face contorted into a snarl. “What?!”

“I’m not going to stand by while someone threatens Canterlot High,” Sunset pointed out. She leaned in. “So if I have to stick to you like glue to make sure you aren’t up to anything, I will.”

Adagio’s stomach dropped. Fear briefly flashed across her eyes, and a look of confusion from Sunset told her she noticed. But while Sunset found herself wondering just what about that scared the Siren, Adagio’s heart was thumping in her throat.

Stick to her like glue… No no no no no! She’d just given Sunset the only excuse she needed to keep a close eye on the Dazzlings. And between their group trips to the bathroom, Sonata’s trips to buy baby supplies, and the padding they had to wear everywhere, there was little chance Sunset wouldn’t find out about their diaper dependency. And if this goody-two shoes learned about it, the whole school might as well too.

Seizing the advantage, Sunset plopped a history book in front of Adagio. “So, I suggest you start studying. We still have a history report to do.”

Grumbly, but neutered, Adagio reached for the book without a word. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done. She felt like how King Grover looked when the rebels finally put his head on the chopping block: terrified of what was coming, but well aware it was a fate of her own making.

To make matters worse, when she brought her thighs together she felt the tiniest bit of dampness in the padding. Sunset had scared her so good, she peed herself a little.

Adagio just bit her lip. School was about to get even worse.