Starlight Glimmer was used to being late to the party. She had been behind on most endeavors in her life, in a variety of different ways. In the study room of Sunburst's suite, Starlight Glimmer yawned. The specific late it was at the moment was late at night.

How long had Starlight Glimmer been at this? Whenever she yawned in the middle of her work, this thought would rattle around in her head like a ball bearing in a whistle. It had to have started when she met Sunset Shimmer.

Magic had done nothing but make her miserable, and so she wanted to use it for something good. Use it to defend and to help and to heal. She remembered the lectures, and the incredible demonstrations at Sunset's hands, and then when Starlight knew that she was ready to try after she had spent weeks in study and preparation, she had reached into the ether, and the ether turned away.

Sunset had said that she was simply having a hard time getting to grips with the theory, or the feel, but Starlight knew. She knew that this was just another failure, and when Sunset had tried to gently tell her that magical potential was different among all humans, that this force was unnatural in this world, that just because she couldn't naturally channel it, that didn't mean she couldn't harness it...well.

It had been ugly. Starlight had gotten ugly, then loud, and then inconsolable.

The feeling of rejection on that day would always sting; a scar on her mind that just couldn't be properly treated. She had a few of those, really. Magic. Fillydelphia. Her father.

No matter what life threw at her, Starlight Glimmer had never failed to disappoint.

And while Starlight knew that she was indeed a disappointment, she also knew that she was cunning and analytical. She knew the theory. She could run the calculations, perfectly recall runes and calligraphy and ingredients.

If the world had decided that Starlight Glimmer would never be a sorceress, she would be a warlock instead.

When Starlight and Sunburst had finally reunited, things started clicking into place. She had her sources and fences, she had a safe space, and she had Sunburst, and Sunburst was brilliant in all the ways that Starlight simply wasn't. He could find things, make connections that were invisible to Starlight, and he could interpret data from the most esoteric sources.

And, as a bonus, the two of them were deeply in love.

Starlight had no natural sway over the force of magic, and since magic was incredibly scarce in this world, it meant that she needed to get creative. With Sunburst's help, she had scoured ancient records and lore and had discovered a laundry list of materials and trinkets that could be used to channel, focus and store equestrian magic. Long-lasting and powerful somatic components were elusive and expensive, but the most basic sorts, which would disintegrate after use, could be obtained on a budget. A warlock had to be economical to get things done.

She was good at this; she needed to be. The Rainbooms were long gone; scattered around this country and others on their own private endeavors. The greatest heroes of their time had grown up and gone their separate ways, and without them, Starlight and Sunburst were the only things standing between Canterlot and the sporadic magical threats that threatened the city.

Things had been somewhat quiet since Starlight had come back to Canterlot; a crazy magical happenstance here and a magically mutated animal there.

She had moved in with Sunburst after about two years of living in a little rat shit apartment, and with them working and living together, she had been confident that Canterlot was safe because she made it so.

Then She had resurfaced. Adagio Dazzle. Leader of the Dazzlings. A siren. A soul-sucking monster, in other words. When she had sent after Sunset Shimmer about this, Starlight had received a weighty tome in the mail titled "Legendary Creatures of Equestria". It spoke of the sirens as three nightmarish sea creatures that drove ponies mad and bathed in pools of their blood. The book had clearly been touched by equestrian magic itself, so Starlight knew it had to have come from Twilight Sparkle. The other one; the pony Princess.

There was so much more she didn't know. There was always more that Starlight simply didn't know.

And she was so incredibly tired of obsessing over this bitch.

She had just shown up out of the blue in the same hotel that Sunburst lived in, and she was dripping wet and some moron was defending her for some ungodly reason. Maybe magic, maybe idiocy; it didn't matter.

Adagio Dazzle had appeared for the second time in her life, this time right outside her door, and Starlight had thought then that the monster wanted to finish what she started.

Adagio and her horrid brood were her first targets. Sunset had instructed Starlight simply to monitor their behavior and see how they were shaping up. She stalked them for a bit, using protective talismans to avoid being charmed, and what had Starlight found? Three washed-up C-grade celebrities trying to squeeze some affection out of their hardcore fans.

They were doing a "tour" out in the boonies around Appleloosa. It was strange; the affection they sucked out of the audience registered as barely a trickle to Starlight's sensing talisman, and the Dazzlings hadn't made any excessive moves, but she still felt on edge. Starlight had tried confronting them, a little bit, earlier.

They were supposed to be on the level, and Sunset had told her that they would probably be something like amicable if she just talked to them. She had tried to ask the purple one; Aria Blaze some things when she'd caught her alone while the other girls were packing their van, and Aria had grumbled a string of expletives to drive her away. Well, Starlight thought, that explains their lack of popularity.

Even the fans were tired of them, and The Dazzlings knew. They argued about it in their van every single night. At least that's what Starlight heard when she listened in on them from the outside. They were bitchy, sure, but they were a non-threat, it seemed, and just as Starlight was breathing a sigh of relief, a particularly nasty spat between the Dazzlings had managed to crack her warding talisman.

It was a dark and moonless night, and Starlight had tried to run to the distant Appleloosa skyline through the endless brush.

Aria Blaze was the one that caught her. She was a twin-tailed, thin-waisted woman who always wore something with ripped sleeves. She had grabbed Starlight by the collar, and then the whole world flipped, and then the purple bitch was standing above her. Her trailing, green-streaked purple twin tails reminded Starlight of her own hair, but she didn't have time to muse over that.

First, it was a kick to the face. A crack and a squelch from Starlight's nose. Broken. As Starlight tried to staunch the blood that was rapidly ruining the front of her shirt, Aria took her by the ankle and started dragging her through the patchy terrain back to the van. The siren hadn't said a word.

Starlight begged for her life, then. She knew they were going to kill her. Rocks and broken glass and shrubbery raked at Starlight's sides, and then she was tumbled onto the cold asphalt under a street light. They were miles away from Appleloosa. Starlight was alone. She didn't know when it was she had started crying.

"Please, please don't kill me, I'm sorry, please, my name is-" Starlight whined, but Aria's hand closed her mouth and squeezed her jaw. The siren hauled Starlight up to her feet as if she were weightless. How could a woman with such thin arms be so strong? Starlight couldn't ask. She was whimpering and sobbing into Aria's hand when the siren growled in a low, husky voice.

"I don't give a fuck who you are." Her cheeks were sunken in. "Look at me. Stop crying! Look at me." Aria said. Starlight tried to focus on Aria through her tears. "I've seen you around. You...you're not a fan, are you? No, look at that shirt; you're got no taste." Aria frowned. Her voice was somewhere between a grungy valley girl and a slasher villain. Sunset had said that Aria was a schemer like Adagio, but the most ambivalent of the three. "No, no, I know you; you were the one bugging me before! What, was me telling you to fuck off not enough!? You we're listening in on us, weren't you? So you gotta know what we are. Everybody does, now." Aria said. She took her hand away from Starlight's mouth and squeezed her wrist instead. Her grip was crushing.

"Please don't kill me, please, I won't spy again, I promise, please..." Starlight whined.

"Stop fucking crying!" Aria snarled, leaving Starlight no option other than to whimper and hold her nose. There were a lot of insects around this light post, and while they buzzed around Starlight, they gave Aria a wide berth. Like they knew to be afraid. "Like I care what you want, or what the fuck you're doing here." Aria said. Starlight yelped as Aria slapped her face.

"Look at me, bitch. Look at me. I'm fucking starving." Aria said. A new wave of panic clutched at Starlight's throat.

"No no no, please don't eat me-" Starlight started, but her pleading caught in her throat as Aria slapped her again.
Starlight fell backward onto the ground, clutching her stinging face.

"If you don't SHUT THE FUCK UP I'm going to rip your fucking legs off!" Aria screamed. Aria reached into her pocket and threw something metallic at the ground in front of Starlight. "Get up." Aria growled. Starlight picked herself up off the ground, sniffling and hyperventilating and coughing.

"Now pick it up." Aria said. "I said pick it THE FUCK UP!" Starlight scrambled to grab the thing at her feet that was shining, half out of the glow of the street light. "You know what that is?" Aria said.

Starlight nodded. It was a bowie knife. Her hands shook around it. She didn't really know how to hold it.

"Good. You might be something other than fucking useless, then. I'm starving. And you're going to feed me. So now, I want you to take that knife and try to cut my fucking throat with it. The only way you're gettin' away is if you kill me."

"No, please, I don't want to do this, please-" Aria had closed the distance in the space of a blink, and her fist had smashed into the side of Starlight's jaw. Starlight's world was dark for a blink, then her head rocked off the pavement.

"Can't you do anything other than whine!? Get up! Get mad!" Aria shouted. Starlight rolled painfully, trying not to nick herself with the knife. One of her eyes was swelling shut. Her mouth tasted like blood. She refused to pray. It wouldn't do anything. She'd had exactly one escape plan, and if she used it now, it would never work. She got up, again.

She was mad, honestly. She was mad at Aria for hurting her, but she was madder at Sunset for sending her out here, and mad mostly at herself for letting this happen. She tried to pull that anger together, to wad it up and throw herself with it. She stabbed and flailed with the knife in Aria's direction. She heard the bitch laugh as she stepped aside. Another slap to the face. A punch in the ribs. Aria was hitting her even harder and faster than before.

"Theeere you go. Come on, come on, FIGHT ME!" Aria laughed. Starlight screamed and tried to stab the siren in the heart, but Aria kicked her foot out from under her, and then her chin was busted on the road. Starlight was told later that she nearly bit through her bottom lip at that moment. She hacked and gagged on her own blood. Aria was chuckling somewhere behind her, but then she suddenly stopped.

Another one. Starlight saw that this one was Sonata. The ditzy one, according to Sunset Shimmer. Sonata looked at her as one looks at a road-kill squirrel. The distant pity hurt so much more than the bruises, Starlight thought, foolishly. Sonata's eyes were the color of crushed raspberries, her skin a ghostly blue, and her lips were up in the tiniest of smiles.

"What'cha doin', Aria? Is this a new toy?" Sonata said, looking past Starlight.

"Yeah, and I called dibs! I'm sorta busy right now, so can I ignore you some other time, Sonata?" Aria snobbed.

"Didn't Adagio say not to hurt anybody?" Sonata said with a tilted head.

"Please don't let her kill me! Please! I-AGGGHHH!" Starlight screamed in the wake of a cracking sound just behind her. The pain was immeasurable. She scrambled onto her back and saw a new bend in her leg.

"Ugh. Now it's screaming. See what you made me do?" Aria said. "You ruin everything, Sonata."

"Nuh-uh! I can fix stuff! Lookie!" Sonata said. She waved a hand, and Starlight screeched once more. A wave of bluish energy washed over Starlight's leg, and her tibia magically corrected itself. Starlight's throat was going raw. Aria was squatting over Starlight's legs, glaring at Sonata.

"I said I called dibs, so I get to mess with it!" Aria said. Starlight saw Aria's fist raise only a couple of inches above her leg, then snap down quickly and break right through it again. Starlight had a single thought as she screamed. She couldn't let herself pass out. Who knows what they would do to her? Stay focused. Think about escape. Starlight's rational side was smothered by a fresh spike of pain as Aria effortlessly punched her ankle out of alignment. Through the haze, she could see Aria's sallow cheeks filing in.

"Aria, cut it out, you know you're not supposed to do that!" Sonata said. She waved her hand again and Starlight's screaming caught in her throat. All she had room for was a ragged gasping sound while her fractures twisted and knitted back into place. She could see ugly purple bruises covering her leg.

"Oh yeah? What're you going to do about it, Sonata? You gonna stop me? You? Nobody's favorite?" Aria said. She crossed her arm and stomped down for emphasis. Straight down onto Starlight's knee. Starlight screamed so hard she vomited onto the asphalt.

"At least people have an opinion about me! You're the alto; people don't even know you exist!" Sonata wiggled her fingers, then put her knuckles on her hips and stood her ground. Starlight's agonized wheezing was her only answer as her knee reset beneath Aria's heel. She spluttered the blood and bile and tears out of her mouth, her eyes darting around, looking for any obvious way out of this. She couldn't believe how weak she was.

"Yes they do!" Aria said. She kicked Starlight right in the ribs; a cracking, brutal pain in the chest.

"Do not!" Sonata jabbed. She seemed to forget to heal Starlight on that one.

"Do too!" Aria said. And they bickered back and forth as Starlight tried to restrain her sobbing.

The argument between the two sirens came to a dead stop. So did the gibbering hum of the insects all around them. Even the wind seemed to hush into a whisper until nothing but the sound of clacking heels filled the world. Starlight looked down the road.

Terror came striding out of the darkness with a set of purple stiletto heels, wide swiveling hips, and glowing red eyes. Adagio Dazzle's hair was wrapped in a twist, a silk cloth covering it. Starlight had interrupted the Dazzling's nightly routine, clearly, because Adagio had a glare on her face that only a precise but broken schedule could make. There was a bottle of water in her hand.

"What do you think you're doing? Aria, Sonata, is that the one that was spying? What are you doing to that human, there?" Adagio's voice was slow and nearly yawning. Murder waited in the rafters above this sleepy messenger, Starlight could tell.

"Adagiooooo, she's doing it again! Aria is out here torturing people without your permission!" Sonata trilled. Her tone was almost gleeful.

"You little rat...!" Aria growled. She took special care not to strike Starlight again, but Starlight could feel the purple-haired siren's glare bore into her.

"And, what, Sonata, you were here teasing her? Arguing again, is that it?" Adagio said. Her tone was that of an exhausted mother at the end of the day.

"Well, well, no, Sis, I was trying to heal her up, and I was telling Aria that we don't do that stuff anymore!" Sonata simpered.

"Is that so? Because it sounded like you two were bickering, as usual." Adagio said. Was that the ghost of a smile? No, it couldn't be.

"It was just Sonata being the worst, that's all. I was out here dealing with this thing-" Aria started.

"No, no, I can see now, you were playing with your food, Aria, because--and this is in spite of my repeated warnings--you just can't seem to stop being a bitch to the poor little humans." Adagio said.

"See? Toooold ya!" Sonata said.

"Shut up, Sonata!" Aria grumbled.

"No, you!" Sonata said.

"Enough!" Adagio barked. The two sirens straightened up and went quiet. "Sonata. Heal this one. Do it properly now. Aria, go take a walk. I think I heard cows off in that field. You can entertain yourself with those, if you want, but you are not to touch any more humans without permission, understand?" Adagio said.

"What? You can't be serious!" Aria whined.

"Did I stutter?" Adagio said, banishing Aria with a wave of the hand.

Aria grunted and ran into the darkness off the road. Within a few seconds, the abominable sounds of cattle being slaughtered echoed on the breeze.

Starlight felt a million tiny pains as Sonata ran her hands through the air above her body. A feeling like acid rain pattered against her wounds, little droplets of arcane energy dripping from Sonata's palms. When half the work was finished, Sonata squatted down and took Starlight's hand with the gentility of a battlefield nurse. Her eyes were tender and distant. Sonata reached and ran her hand down Starlight's ruined leg, and the pain soothed into a dull ache. Then Sonata went to try and bend Starlight's leg, and Starlight screamed in agony.

"Can't fix the leg all the way, Sis. Aria beat it up real bad..." Sonata said.

"Will she walk again?" Adagio said.

"Probably. But not, like, good, you know?" Sonata said.

"Fair enough. Move." Adagio said. Sonata stepped aside. Now it was just Adagio looming over the barely conscious Starlight Glimmer. Adagio's eyes slid along Starlight's body briefly, then she sighed and shook her head. Her eyes met Starlights. "You'll have to excuse them; they're idiots." Adagio said.

"Thank you for-ghhk!" Starlight began, but then the heel of Adagio's shoe pushed into her throat.

"No. Human, you will speak when I ask you direct questions. You will answer my questions, preferably. That is to say, answering my questions would be preferable for you if you want to escape this mistake you've made. Have I made myself clear?" Adagio said. Starlight nodded frantically. "Good girl." Adagio said.

Adagio removed her foot from Starlight's throat and took a step back. She took a sip from the water bottle in her hand.

"Stand up." Adagio said. Starlight rose carefully and delicately. She could indeed stand on her busted leg now that it was healed, but it felt as if she had run a few dozen marathons on that leg alone. Her tears simply would not stop. "Who are you, human girl?" Adagio said.

"S-S-Starlight Glimmer...!" Starlight sobbed.

"Why are you spying on us, Starlight Glimmer? Tell the truth, now. I don't tolerate liars." Adagio said. her tone kept even, but there was the tiniest echo in it. "What exact information were you trying to steal?" Adagio had taken a step back, and her head tilted up to loose another yawn. Now was her chance.

Starlight Glimmer reached into her pocket and spoke an incantation in ancient ponish. She disappeared. The talisman she had brought as a backup would stop her from being seen or heard, so all she had to do was get clear. She couldn't risk running through the field; the rustling plants would be a dead giveaway, so she simply limped down the road in the opposite direction of the Dazzlings; toward Appleloosa. Her leg hurt so fucking bad, but she wouldn't let that stop her. She had gotten away, and she was going to tell Sunset Shimmer that the Dazzlings were anything but reformed, but her thoughts ceased as she fell forward and smashed her nose on the road. She felt a light but insistent tugging on her non-abused ankle. She was being dragged back.

Starlight flipped over and frantically clawed at the rope around her leg, but her hands came away wet. It wasn't made out of fiber. It was water. She looked up, and as Adagio strode out of the shadows, Starlight saw that the water in the bottle she was carrying had formed a lasso of sorts that had snared her ankle. Her hands passed pointlessly through it as she was pulled along the ground. Adagio spun her finger in a reeling motion.

"Oh, honey. That's three strikes. Your first mistake was spying on us." Adagio said.

"Help me! Someone please, please, anyone help me!" Starlight wailed.

"The second was interrupting my beauty sleep." Adagio said. Starlight saw Aria Blaze step back out onto the road. Her hands and boots were coated in dripping blood.

"And the third was thinking you could get away with just a little...hedge magic. I can smell your fear, Starlight Glimmer. You stink of desperation and terror and...something to prove. Oh, how cute!" Adagio giggled. Sonata and Aria flanked Adagio on either side.

"But you're in luck. I'm not like my little sister, here. I'm not going to hurt you. But you are going to answer my questions, and since you pulled that little stunt, I'm done treating you nicely." Adagio said. The whip of water lifted Starlight up into the air by her ankle. She was hanging upside down in front of the three dazzlings. Aria was grinning. Sonata was licking her lips. Adagio's smile was a thin, curling, murderous line.

"Yes, I think you're going to tell us exactly who you work for and what your purpose here is, and then, we're going to let you go, and that will be the last we see of you. You intruded on us. You realize that, right? This is your own fault." Adagio chided. "And we are oh-so thirsty, and you are just overflowing with fear, Starlight Glimmer. So before I start our interview, I believe the girls and I are in desperate need of a drink. What do you think, girls? Dinner and a show?" Adagio said. The other Dazzlings said nothing. Aria nodded. Starlight Glimmer could do nothing but shake and mumble in terror.

"Good. Now, Starlight Glimmer, it's good that you've had time to warm up..." Adagio purred. Her eyes widened while her pupils narrowed into blood-red slits. Her teeth extended into dagger points and her jaw widened. Her hair floated about her head. When she spoke, Starlight could see that there were rows of teeth in Adagio's mouth. A strange green haze penetrated Adagio's field of vision from all sides. She thought she was out of screams. She was wrong. Adagio Dazzle's voice shook the entire world.

"LET'S HEAR YOU SING!"

Starlight awoke with a start. Her heart was threatening to beat straight out of her chest. She looked around to find she was surrounded by safe, comfortable books. Sunburst's desk was in front of her. Her corkboard. Her spell circle. Sunburst's blanket around her.

Starlight wished that was a dream, but she ran a hand along her left leg and felt the hard metal bits just below the surface. After years of physical therapy and expensive surgeries, Starlight Glimmer could indeed run and jump and do all the things she could do before that day. But she would never do them as well as before, and she would never be without leg pain, at least a bit of it.

Some wounds simply could not be healed all the way, no matter what you did.

Where was she? She had wished she had told Sunburst or anyone besides Sunset Shimmer about that night for that matter, but in truth, she was angry at herself then. Ashamed.

That night...the Dazzlings had been weakened that night. Starving. That was what Adagio could do just feeding off the fear of one person and the trickles of adoration from her dwindling fanbase. The Adagio she had seen today was overflowing with magical energy. The readings seemed to indicate that it was leaking out of her at a rapid rate, but every time Starlight had cast a sensing ritual, it came back with terrifying results. Adagio had been replenishing her magic stores regularly. Maybe it was Buck, that horny idiot's affection for her, at least in part, but he was only one man, after all. He was just a patsy that she was using as a shield. Buck didn't know any better, that's all, so Starlight couldn't be mad at him.

She had seen worse things happen to people caught under the sway of corrupt magical manipulators; Buck was getting off pretty cleanly, all things considered. Things could be so much worse, and Starlight knew it was only a matter of time before they got there.

Adagio Dazzle had been the second magical menace that Starlight Glimmer had failed to stop, but she would not be the third.

"Focus, Starlight. You've got this. All you have to do is pay attention."

If Adagio Dazzle had a spell source hidden somewhere, it could be only one of three things; a magical artifact, a portal to Equestria, or a score of kidnapped people. Options B and C would have been obvious when she checked the suite. It had to be A.

Soon, Adagio Dazzle would tap that source, and with Starlight's aura scrying spell, combined with the signature sensing talisman she had planted on Buck during game night, she'd be able to figure it out.

Adagio Dazzle was a monster. Starlight hunted monsters. This time she would be ready to strike when the time came. Things would be different.

The spell circle had been giving off a flickering glow, showing a glowing phantasmal cube of a diagram. There was a bed, a closet, a chest of drawers, and an adjoining bathroom.

Adagio's room. Starlight had made sure not to disturb anything when she took a look around before. Adagio had to have hidden her artifact in there. It was her most secure sanctum. The only question was where? Starlight yawned, and when she finished, the illusory map had picked something up. One short figure with a yellow, glimmering aura. It was leaving a trail of ether in its wake. Adagio and her leaking faucet aura. Finally.

But then, there was another. A taller figure, with a reddish-orange aura like a flickering flame. That had to be Buck. She had taken the poor man home with her again. What was she going to do? Probably drain him of magic, like she did whenever they kissed. This was her nightly sip of wine, then.

Wait. What was that?

Adagio's silhouette touched Buck's, and Buck's sat on the bed. They stood and faced each other for the moment, Buck gesturing with his hands. They were talking. Adagio had a hand on her hip. Buck was shrugging. And then, Buck's silhouette made a motion with his arms that Starlight didn't recognize, exactly. It was a slow crossing of the arms in front of his stomach, then a lifting. Adagio leaned over him and put her hands on him, and pushed him down. She was on top of him. Their faces touched.

Oh. Even through her exhaustion, Starlight could see what was going on. She thought then that she should look away, then remembered that this was no time for modesty. Adagio was stripping Buck, climbing on him, kissing him. Their silhouettes tangled, and Adagio's seemed to undulate on top of Buck's for just a bit, she pulled on his top, sat up, and adjusted herself. They kissed again, this time for a bit longer, then Adagio got up and stepped out of frame. Where was she going?

Starlight yawned. She really was tired. She had even conked out on the couch for a bit earlier during the Ogres and Oubliettes game. She'd been losing sleep because she'd been studying and scouring with Sunburst for more magical theorems or any other information that could help the cause. And she'd been making plans and backup plans to deal with Adagio.

Adagio, besides being her usual brand of bitch, had behaved well during the game. She didn't seem to cast any magic when Starlight used a sensing spell on her; just the usual magical trickles. Buck had asked Adagio to be good...and she had. It must have been difficult for her to act like something other than a horrible little lamprey for one night. Maybe she was extra thirsty?

The aura map shimmered, and Adagio came back into the room, but she was pushing someone along, it looked like. An aura that was light purple and wispy. Who...? No. No, no no! Oh no, she had gone with them! It was Scootaloo!

Starlight swore under her breath. Of course. Adagio was extra thirsty, and now she was preying on poor, sweet Scootaloo for her magical energy! Buck was already under her thrall, so now, like a vampire, she was moving on to new prey! They were just standing there. Adagio had her hands on Scootaloo's shoulders, but the young woman's aura was flaring and pulsing. What were they doing to her? Starlight needed to know. She frantically reached into her little box of trinkets and pulled out a small set of moth's wings. She crumbled them up in her hands, whispered the enchantment in old ponish, and sprinkled the dust over the aura map.

Scootaloo was kneeling in front of the bed, where Buck was sitting with his legs open. Adagio was behind her.

The moth dust floated and swirled into the aura map. There was a warbling, crackling sound, like an out-of-tune theremin. Then voices.

Just a bit earlier and up several flights of stairs, Buck, Adagio, and Scootaloo were rising in a fancy elevator. Scootaloo was covering her red face. Adagio had a look of impish delight on hers. Buck on the other hand was red in the face for a different reason. Buck had just finished firing off a barrage of words that were not quite expletives which rose in pitch and ridiculousness before Buck had to stop and take a breath. Some nonsense about pushing the envelope and being a bridge too far and how in the world is your dastardly plan watching me fuck poor Scoots into a crater and Scoots why aren't you saying anything? Adagio had slowly taken Buck's hand in hers and nodded along and smiled.

Now Buck was breathing heavily. He put a hand up to his chest.

"Buck. Breathe. Didn't you tell me you had asthma? Relax." Adagio said. She rubbed Buck's back.

"Babe, you're out of your mind. I'm not about to "break" Scootaloo. That ain't the kinda relationship we have. We're co-workers!" Buck said.

"And what of it? You two are awfully close for simple co-workers, Buck, and she has been sneaking peeks at you all night. Personally, I don't think her little play-acting yesterday was entirely facetious. Isn't that right, little birdie?"

"Wh-what!? I wasn't...I didn't-No!" Scootaloo simpered.

"And besides, Buck, I'm thirsty." Adagio said, pouting.

"We all know that, 'dagio." Buck said.

"No, Buck, I mean I'm thirsty. You were so focused on easing me into the game yesterday and today, you didn't even bother touching me, let alone give me the adoration that I need. I'm deprived, Buck!" Adagio said. She swooned into Buck's arms and stroked his chin. "But watching you put this uppity little cherub in her place would surely make up for it..." Adagio purred.

"It's been a day, Adagio, and you drank me twice yesterday. You're not foolin' nobody." Buck said. Adagio crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"Well, little Scootaloo's scent is still all over you from yesterday! And..." Adagio sniffed. "And Starlight Glimmer? Did you have sex with that horrible creature when I wasn't looking!?" Adagio said, reeling from Buck in horror.

"What? No, fuck no! She tried to talk at me about you during the break!" Buck blushed.

"Oh? Is that so? Well, what did she say?"

"She asked me to spy on you, Adagio. She says you're leaking magical energy, and that you're dangerous." Buck said. The elevator dinged. Adagio hadn't let go of Buck's arm. As they walked down the hall to Adagio's suite, Scootaloo quietly followed behind.

"And? What did you say?" Adagio said. All humor had left her voice, replaced by a dripping, seething hatred.

"Whaddya think? I told her to fuck off." Buck said, glibly. "You haven't done anything wrong, hell, you've been sweet lately. I told her if she won't give you a chance, then I don't want to hear from her, period. That's all." Buck said. Adagio closed her eyes and focused. Honey and lemon. A simple, soothing flavor that was just as sweet as it was tart. Buck was telling the truth, and he was trying to soothe her at the same time. Adagio frowned. Since when was Buck her keeper? He was defending her, which meant, of course, that he wanted to keep her safe. Was he underestimating her? Did he think she couldn't handle aggressors like Starlight on her own? And then there was Scootaloo, who was clearly trying to muscle in on his schedule. Adagio's alone time with Buck during the week was under threat. Something had to be done.

"...I don't need defending, Buck. I can handle myself." Adagio said, finally. They were inside her suite, now.

"I know that, I know. But Starlight is obviously fuckin' terrified of you. She was willing to come at me; the person closest to you right now, to try and get at you. I was just making sure she knows the score. I ain't sellin' you out. You haven't done anything wrong in the first place!" Buck said. He pulled Adagio against him and wrapped her in a hug from behind. There it was. Adagio let his love for her soak into her skin. She felt the tension slack from her shoulders. The sudden rush of serotonin and magical power made her just a bit lightheaded.
"I'm sorry if I upset you." Buck finished.

"...I am upset. But, Buck, do you know what would cheer me up?" Adagio said. She traced a line down Buck's forearm.

"What's that, babe?" Buck said. She felt a tiny flicker of heat in him. Adagio turned and placed her hands on Buck's cheeks. She smiled as softly and sweetly as she could, and looked into his luminous golden eyes.

"Buck, it would really cheer me up if you would take Scootaloo to my bed and fuck her until she runs out of breath~" Adagio purred. Buck's face crumpled up and his creeping blush broke into a sprint across his face.

"Oh my god, Adagio, I am not taking Scoots to bed!" Buck groaned.

"The couch, then? That's where you broke me down on our first night!" Adagio smiled.

"...No!" Buck said.

"Then how about at the breakfast nook? Remember when you-"

"Adagio, this is just...look, you know what I'm like when I get goin', okay? This's weird, and Scoots is tiny. I don't even fucking know how much I can fit in her, let alone...and you ain't even asked her what she thinks about it! Scoots, Scoots, help me out here! You're not tryin' to get fucked tonight, are you? You just wanted to hang!" Buck said, gesturing at Scoots. His Hayseed drawl was sliding back in.

"Oh, so that's what it is? You guys think I'm gonna just fall apart when big ol' Buck comes at me? I'm not made of glass! I can take him!" Scootaloo said. Her foot was tapping rapidly at the floor. She was putting on a tough face, but she was in the middle of a full-body blush.

"Scoots, I thought you were into girls?" Buck said.

"I'm bi, Buck! Do you only listen to every other word I say?" Scoots said. Adagio giggled, then stifled it as Buck gave her a sour look.

"Okay, fair, that's on me. But Scoots, come on. You're making that same face from when you said you could beat me at Third Strike. You don't have anything to prove here, s'what I'm sayin'." Buck said. "And you don't have to have sex with me to hang out, okay? I wasn't kidding yesterday about including you in more things."

Adagio could sense Buck's lust easing off as he soothed Scootaloo. That honey lemon flavor was starting to fill the room.

"That's beside the point, Buck! You said that I would get a reward if I behaved during game night, and I've chosen that reward. I want you to savage this little ingénue until she thinks twice about climbing all over you in my presence." Adagio huffed.

"Are you serious, Adagio? Scoots was just joking, yesterday! We're not having an affair!" Buck said.

"Well, even if you were, you wouldn't be, because as you've established, we aren't 'really dating'." Adagio said, looking away. Buck started rubbing his temples.

"Adagio, I'm taking you on another date this Saturday. Or I would, if you would tell me what you want to do already, so I can budget!" Buck said.

"Yes, and we can get to that as soon as you've reduced this one into a quivering, soaking wet mess." Adagio said. She was checking her nails, now.

"Adagio, cut it out. You can't just launch me at girls like a dildo out of a fucking T-shirt cannon. What if I hurt Scoots?"

"You won't. You're very sweet, Buck. Too sweet. You keep underestimating the women in your life; it's sweet in one way and obnoxious in every other. It's also a weakness that you seem to guard jealously for some reason. Maybe if you have a nice, selfish tryst with a fragile little waif, you'll finally see that I can take you properly and stop holding back." Adagio said. Buck was now leaning over her, hands on his hips, while Adagio was glaring up at him, cross-armed.

"You passed the fuck out on our first night, Adagio." Buck growled.

"I wasn't ready, then. I'm more than prepared now, but even still, I'd like a demonstration." Adagio snapped back.

"Why do you think that sex has to be berserk shit all the time, 'dagio?"

"I don't. We simply have a score to settle." Adagio said. Buck's nose was almost touching hers. His soothing sweet emotion was running hot again. Perfect.

"Are you tryin' to get me to bend you over the table, right now?" Buck said.

"Maybe, Buck, if you'd stop dancing around and just fuck me. Adagio purred.

"Oh, that's IT!" Scoots shouted. Buck and Adagio broke out of their trance and glanced at her. Scoot's pout had dropped into a snarl. "I'm sick of you guys talking past me!" Scoots said.

"Are you still here?" Adagio grinned.

"Shut up! Buck, Adagio is right about one thing; you are underestimating me." Scoots said.

"You see? She wants you to break her!" Adagio nodded.

"And you're underestimating me, too! I'm not a virgin and I'm not a fragile little bird and I'm not a new engine, or whatever the fuck!" Scoots said.

"Wow, that one wasn't even close." Buck said.

"I'm a grown woman who can make her own stupid decisions! So Buck, I know you're trying to be sweet and caring and all that, but get over yourself! It's just a dick. I can handle a dick." Scoots said, raising an eyebrow. Buck shut his mouth.

"See?" Adagio jabbed.

"And you. I'm not scared of you." Scoots said, pointing to Adagio.

"Oh, yes you are." Adagio said. She took a step forward, straightened her back, and squared her shoulders. She was already taller than Scoots at a slouch, and now her shadow fell across Scoot's face.

"Okay, I'm real scared of you, sure, but I'm not going to fall to pieces just because Buck sticks it in me! I bet...I bet I can make him cum faster than you can!"

"What." Adagio said. Buck slapped a hand over his mouth.

"You heard me! I've seen Buck melt at work just from looking at your ass when you walk out! I could take him easy, and I bet I can do it better than you can! I can make him cum twice!" Scoots said.

"...I see. So you agree, then." Adagio said, smiling at Scoots.

"Huh?"

"A wager, sweetheart. We'll take turns. If you can make Buck cum faster than I can, then...oh...I don't know, what exactly do you want?" Adagio said.

"I...uh...I want Buck to carry me around for two weeks! And, uh...and call me Princess Scoots! And I want you to admit that you are threatened by me and you're scared that I'm gonna steal Buck away from you with my rockin' bod!" Scoots said.

"Ohohoho! A bit of fire in this one, I see! A shame about the leg shaking, however. It somewhat lessens the impact." Adagio said. Scootaloo's legs were indeed shaking, but she had put on a brave face. Adagio leaned forward. She lightly traced along Scoot's jawline and tilted her head up to face her. "And if I win? You're going to be my servant for those two weeks. You'll have to follow my every command. Every. Single. Command." Adagio purred. Scootaloo's bravado sunk into a mire of babbling and blushing and quivering.

"Holy shit! D'ya need me to getcha a mop, Scoots? An' a bucket that says 'Sub Juice' on it?" Buck laughed.

"No, no, I think a little maid's uniform that says 'Sub-Servient' on the cap is more her speed!" Adagio tittered.

"Oh, that's mean, babe!" Buck said.

"Both of you shut up! So I'm a sub, so what? Buck is a sub, and you don't hear me makin' fun!" Scoots said.

"You think I'm a WHAT-" Buck started, but Adagio turned him around, pushing him towards her room.

"Now, now, Buck, let's not get all worked up, remember your breathing! Come now, let's go and get ready!" Adagio said.

"Wait, I haven't agreed to this!" Buck said.

"Ughhh...okay, Buck, what is it you need in order to commit to this?" Adagio groaned. Buck turned around and looked Scoots over. She was still shaking, but she seemed more steady now.

"You can't cast spells on her, and you can't stop me from cumming when it happens. You don't get to make it harder on Scoots. Got it, 'dagio?" Buck sighed.

"Agreed. But since you're the goal, Buck, you don't get to touch or move unless you're told to. No interfering, and no going easy. Unless Scootaloo or I asks you to do something, you do nothing, understood?" Adagio said.

"Yeah! It's only fair!" Scoots said.

"Okay, fine, fine. Scoots, you're the guest, so you get to go first." Buck said.

"Oh...oh! Uh, yeah, sure!" Scoots said, giving a somewhat shaky thumbs up.

"Oh, how dare. Fine then, but I get to fluff you up. In private. You wait out here, little birdie, and I'll come fetch you soon enough. You may want to mentally prepare yourself." Adagio said. She pinched Buck on the ass and ushered him inside.

"You said your room is soundproof, I think, right?" Buck said. He watched as Adagio adjusted a dimmer switch and turned another knob that seemed to change the colors of the lights. Fancy!

"More or less, yes. What do you think? Blue lights? Red?" Adagio said.

"Purple, definitely. You wanna tell me just what in the fuck this is actually about? Why are you poking Scoots like this?" Buck said. The lights recessed in the ceiling bathed the bedroom in a luscious lavender glow.

"No, darling. You're the one that's going to be poking her." Adagio smiled. She placed a hand on Buck's shoulder and had him sit down. Buck immediately sunk into the ultra-plush cushion. It was like sitting his ass down on a cloud; he thought he would sink right through it to the floor.

"No, seriously. What are you on?" Buck said.

"Do you really want to know, Buck?" Adagio said. She was pulling her hair into a ponytail as Buck lifted his shirt off.

"That's why I asked, yeah." Buck said. His glasses got caught and the neck hole was stuck over his head. He couldn't see. After struggling for a few moments, he felt Adagio push him firmly down onto the bed then her breasts sliding along his chest, and finally Adagio settling in his lap.

"I'm being nice, Buck." Adagio said. She whispered it, right next to his ear. She scratched lightly at Buck's chest and ground her hips against his in slow, light circles. "You said it yourself; Scootaloo is 'going through it' and she's in need of attention. But she also clearly wants to be taken seriously, and also, she wants to be...handled. She doesn't feel like she's being seen, and so, I'm putting her in an arena that will let her simply be herself and cut loose without any judgement. Sound familiar?" Buck felt Adagio's weight shift, and her voice was far away again. "I'm also trying to teach you a lesson, Buck." Adagio said.

"Yeah? What's that?" Buck couldn't see her, but Adagio's lips found his. She didn't kiss him; instead, she let her lips brush up against his and sighed sweetly. Buck's nerves were electric; Adagio was getting even better at the tender treatment. She kissed right at the corner of his mouth. Buck felt Adagio sit up in his lap and then there was a slight shuffling of cloth. Her weight adjusted in his lap, and he felt her ass shimmying against his crotch.

"Just because someone is fragile, that doesn't mean they're weak, and even if they are, that doesn't mean they don't like to be broken every once in a while" Adagio's voice was in Buck's ear again. She was laying on top of him and grinding. He felt like he was shackled to the bed. "Now, can I have your opinion about something, Buck?" Adagio purred.

"Sure, babe. Anything." Buck said. Adagio pulled the shirt from his head and sat up, straddling his lap.

"How do you feel about fishnets?" Adagio said. Her eyes were half-lidded, and in the space of their conversation, she had styled her ponytail into a low bun. She'd switched into a set of frilly black lingerie, long fishnet gloves, stockings, and garters. Her thick thighs were just slightly overflowing the tight fishnets. Adagio turned in Buck's lap to reveal a thong that barely peaked over the crack of her big round ass cheeks which were spilling over Buck's own thighs.

"Holy mother of fuck, woman, I can only get so erect." Buck mumbled in awe.

"I did a little googling around after that conversation last week. The one about Nico Robin, and bondage?" Adagio said. She turned in Buck's lap again and laid atop him.

"Y'all ain't about to tie me up." Buck said.

"No...as long as you behave, Buck." Adagio said. She took Buck's hands and placed them on her ass. Buck squeezed and fondled her greedily. Adagio cooed in his ear.

"God damn...I almost wanna leave Scoots out there and keep you to myself." Buck said. Adagio gasped as Buck slapped her ass with both hands.

"Naughty boy! Now that wouldn't be very sporting, would it? This is supposed to be a competition!"

"Believe me, babe, you're in a league of your own. But, I'll play along if it means you're gonna crawl all over me like this. Fuck...fuck...look at you..." Buck's words trailed off as he stared down Adagio's cleavage, his hands roaming. He was burning up, and Adagio was too by the feeling of her crotch pressing against him. "Can...can I kiss you, Adagio? Is that alright?" Buck said.

"Yes, Buck. Of course you can. Why would you even ask?" Her lips met his properly, but it was Buck's tongue that invaded Adagio's mouth, and his squeezing, groping hands that pulled her close, and his grunting moans and his needy heat that flushed Adagio. Buck wanted to stay like this forever, but after a few moments of sucking face, he heard a familiar voice from under the door.

"Uhhh...you guys gonna let me in...?" Scoots called. Adagio pulled away from Buck and scooted off him. Her finger trailed down his crotch.

"I think you're plenty 'fluffed' enough. Are you ready, Buck?" Adagio said. She was standing, looking over her shoulder at him. Buck could not take his eyes away from her titanic fucking ass. Mustering all of his meager focus, he dragged his eyes back up Adagio's form, caught them as they tried to make a suicidal plunge back down, then managed to give Adagio a nod.

Adagio disappeared briefly past the door, then Buck heard Scoots squeal, then the rapid tapping of feet, which stopped in an instant. Adagio carried Scootaloo into the bedroom by her shoulders then set her down on the floor before the bed.

Scoots was shaking and her legs didn't seem to want to work, but Adagio held her up. Buck sat up a bit on his elbows.

"You okay, Scoots?" Buck said.

"Yeeeaaaahahaha...! I'm cool! We've come this far, so there's no room for second thoughts, right?" Scoots said in a shaky voice.

If one were to pull back the curtain and step into Scoot's red-faced dissociative episode, they would see that she was, as a matter of informed opinion, wheeling around a big fuck-off wheelbarrow of second thoughts.

First of all, there was the obvious thing. Scootaloo was a conventional bisexual woman, which in simple terms meant that she was attracted to a lot of male celebrities and terrified of women. The second was that, yes, Scoots had sexual experience, but it was probably a drop in the ocean compared to what these two had been getting up to, and she'd never actually, you know, been with a guy before. The third was that Adagio Dazzle was the most attractive woman to ever sashay across Scoot's field of vision, and she damn well knew it.

When Adagio came out of the bedroom, she was suddenly wearing fishnets, and she was looking at Scoots like she was going to thoroughly enjoy burying her body on a beach somewhere. Scoots, on the other hand, was staring up at Adagio like her fight or flight response was experiencing packet loss. When Adagio lightly touched Scoots on the shoulder, it seemed that Scoot's mental wi-fi finally connected to her legs, and she had tried to take off running.

Adagio had lifted her pretty much effortlessly, and then carried her into the bedroom, and now Scootaloo was on the floor in front of the bed, kneeling between Buck's jean-covered knees, and she was trembling in absolute terror.

Scoots hated her mouth for saying the things that she had wanted to say, because now she had to own up to those words, and she was scared as hell and very, very wet. Not in the bad way, though. In fact, she was hot and itchy and needy and those feelings were usually reserved for the bathroom at work every once in a while and like three nights out of the week in her dorm.

It was a co-ed dorm before her roommate had to move out for a family crisis, actually. She missed Bulk Biceps. He was the roommate. Besides Buck and Mr. Cake and Sunburst, he was like the only decent guy she knew, and he played a great pacifist cleric. Scoots had assumed that Buck was a kinda creampuff like Bulk was this whole time, but by the way Adagio had laughed and sneered, she was starting to think that was a miscalculation.

Buck's bulge was a dirty Christmas gift from hell that she was going to have to unwrap if she was ever going to get through this. Her eyes roamed over it and tried to make some guesses, but she could never tell these sorts of things. She honestly hadn't really thought about Buck that way until he started seeing Adagio, but the way she seemed to crave him and the way he looked at her...she wanted to be seen like that, too. Scoots...she wanted to be needed. That's what this was all about, wasn't it? Was Buck saying something?

"Scoots? Your safe word. Just in case, what is it?" Buck said from three million miles past the zipper road to the great bulge ridge.

"Uh...it's uh...you're gonna laugh." Scoots said. Rainbow Dash had laughed, She remembered.

"Yeah, maybe, but I want you to feel safe." Buck shrugged in the background of the biopic that Scoots was writing about his pants bulge.

"It's Run. You know, like, like run, like get outta there, run." Scoots mumbled.

"That's...that's more alarming than funny, but sure. Run. Got it. Okay." Buck said. His smile was like the morning sun over dick mountain. He really was a good guy. Scoots couldn't help but smile back. He tried to give you an out before. That's because he was underestimating you, or being sweet, probably both. That's right, he didn't think you could handle this! The way Buck talked to Adagio, he probably didn't think she could handle him, either. Scoots wondered then just how true the rumors were about Buck, and she got worried all over again.

"Ooh, don't be scared, little birdie~. I promise, this won't hurt. Do you need a bit of guidance?" Adagio offered. This was in no way helpful. Scootaloo tried to rub the blush out of her cheeks, but it didn't help. Buck was standing up now. Adagio had asked him to, Scoots thought. She hadn't heard that. All she could hear was her own quickening heartbeat.

"I know what I'm doing!" Scoots said. She absolutely did not. Scoots reached up with trembling hands and tried to undo the button on Buck's pants and for some reason, this was the hardest thing in the world, but she did it, she managed to get it open and she pulled down the fly and Buck felt really, like really warm, and he was fuzzy in there, and her hands got into his waistband and she pulled and pulled and his pants weren't coming down and she was fucking this up she was fucking it all up already!

"Scoots? Y'allright?" Buck said. No, no, don't look at me like that! If I take too long he's gonna stop being hard and this is just so embarrassing. But then, Scootaloo saw Adagio's yellow, fishnet gloved hands cover her own orange grabbers, and a pair of super soft breasts on her back, and a cheek against hers. Adagio was cool to the touch, and the feeling of her heartbeat alone made everything seem to slow down.

"Breathe. It's okay..." Adagio whispered. Scoots gulped, and Adagio helped her to tug Buck's pants down.

Buck's big, fat, purple dick flopped onto Scoots' face. It seemed like it was about a million inches long since it eclipsed her vision. Half of Scoot's face disappeared in the shadow of Buck's cock, and she could feel herself shaking again.

"Buck, would you please sit down and let the little birdie take care of you?" Adagio said. Buck obliged, and his cock, instead of darkening the world, was now pointing straight up at the ceiling. He was hairy down around the base, Scoots noticed. He was also uncircumcised which...Scoots was pretty sure she had never seen that before, actually. It looked more manageable from a bit farther away. She'd had smaller things in her pussy and bigger things in her ass before, definitely! She could do this! "Go on, then. You know what to do. Get him nice and wet..." Adagio purred.

Wet. Wet? Right! Wet! Lubrication was a good thing, hahaha holy shit is that thing going to even fit inside? Scoots would have to burn that bridge when she got to it. She shuffled forward, Adagio right behind her and she opened her mouth. She leaned in...and closed her mouth, and she tilted her head, opened her mouth again, then closed it again. Where to start, where to start? What was the right angle for this?

"...Scoots?" Buck said. She could see his heartbeat. Even through the foreskin, Scoots could see a thick, angry vein going up Buck's length. He was fatter in the center of his cock, and there was a little curve to the left.

"Hush, Buck." Adagio said. There was a clear bead of precum right at the tip of Buck's cock. It was tiny and kinda cute. "...go on and taste him, little birdie...he's being very patient, right now, but...can you tell? He's so excited to break you." Adagio said.

Scoots let her tongue out of her mouth and she leaned in and she licked the tip of Buck's cock. It was salty and the tiniest bit sweet. Did Buck like pineapples? That was a thing, right? Scootaloo pondered this as she lapped at Buck's cock head, then let her tongue wander all over his length. In a few spots around the head, Buck's cock twitched when Scoots' licked him. Her tongue traveled down to the base and then back up again. Was this good? Was it working? Scoots couldn't know. Her hand rose up, guided by Adagio's, and her fingers slid along the vein on the side, down to Buck's balls which felt odd and a little bit heavy and smooth but hairy at the same time. Adagio squeezed with Scoots' hand and Scoots felt and heard Buck's breath hitch for just a second.

"The head. Little circles...there's a good girl..." Adagio cooed. Scoots swirled her tongue around Buck's tip, and she clumsily fondled his balls. She felt his cock head press against her tongue and she looked down and realized that Adagio was holding it at the base. Adagio slapped Buck's cock head against Scoots' tongue and giggled when Buck moaned.

This is working! Scoots thought, but Adagio was helping, and wasn't this supposed to be a competition? Scootaloo batted Adagio's hand away and tried to focus on the technique. Wet. She needed to get him wet. Scootaloo stopped licking Buck's cock head and gathered some spit in her mouth, then slid her lips up and down the sides, slathering spittle in her wake. She let her wet tongue drag all over Buck's cock, then she slid her hand up and down with a gentle grip, spreading the spit around. Buck laid back then and moaned softly.

"Do you think you can fit his head in your mouth...?" Adagio whispered. Scootaloo mulled it over, then shrugged and opened her mouth as wide as possible. As the thick, dark purple cap approached her mouth, Adagio grabbed Scootaloo by the back of the head. She stopped her. "Mind your teeth. He's sensitive." Adagio hissed. Scootaloo shrugged Adagio's other hand off her shoulder and tried to sorta...sorta fold her lips over her teeth so they wouldn't scrape. It was difficult, but as she pushed forward and felt Buck's cock head fill her mouth, she felt a soreness starting to form in her jaw. It wasn't super unpleasant or anything, but she was surprised at how difficult it was for her to fit Buck's cock in her mouth. Scootaloo tried to force it, pushing in even deeper, but she coughed around Buck's cock and pulled back, gasping for air.

"You're on the clock, little slut. What? Do you need me to take care of him for you? Isn't this supposed to be a contest?" Adagio said in Scoot's ear. Every time Adagio spoke, it was like a little electrical shock ran through Scoot's nerves. Scoots looked left and saw a smartphone propped up on a chest of drawers. It was keeping track of the time. It had been about three minutes. She needed to get this show on the road if she wanted to have any hope of getting Buck off. Scootaloo took a deep breath.

"Buck?" Scoots said. She tried to sound commanding, but her voice cracked, a little bit like Sweetie Belle's used to do. It was squeaky, but she powered through the embarrassment.

"Yeah, Scoots?" Buck said, sitting up.

"Buck. Fuck my face." Scoots mumbled. She pointed to her jaw and opened her mouth.

"Uhh...you sure?" Buck said.

"Buck, she made a command of you, and she's waiting. Don't stall, now. Give her what she asked for!" Adagio barked.

"Alright, alright, uh, how deep are we talkin'?" Buck said.

"Just! Just stand up and spread your legs, okay?" Scootaloo said. She shut her eyes and tried to remember. She'd been here before, sorta. Once or twice, or maybe three times, when no one was around, but she'd been here. Just relax your jaw...

Buck got up and his cock booped Scoots briefly on the nose as he towered over her. Scoots shimmied between Buck's spread legs, and took his big meaty meat paws and placed them on the sides of her head.

"C'mon, Buck, just...ah...mmm...mmm...!" Buck immediately started petting and scritching her hair, and for a moment, Scootaloo felt every ounce of tension leave her body. She started making little contented hums, but she heard Adagio giggle behind her again, and she remembered what she was doing. Scoots opened her mouth again, grabbed Buck's cock, and angled it down to her mouth. Buck tilted his head at her but Scoots just nodded and gave him a glare.

Then Buck slid maybe half his length into her mouth before it hit her throat. Scootaloo coughed and gagged around Buck's fat dick, and he immediately pulled it back, but Scoots blinked the tears from her eyes and grabbed Buck's thighs, and pushed up into his cock, burying it as far as she could into her throat. She knew this part; she had read about it online! Scoots coughed again, but she steadied herself and swallowed around Buck's cock.

"H-Holy shit..." Buck mumbled. His hands stroked Scoots' hair as she choked on his dick. Scootaloo's gagging and groaning as her throat was filled was her only response.

"Ooh! She's a natural! Color me surprised. You sure do know how to pick your friends, Buck~" Adagio said. Did his cock just tense?

"Hey, don't go pinnin' this on me! You're the whole reason she's sucking me off right now!" Buck snapped.

"You're welcome." Adagio said. "Isn't it wonderful to be serviced by a cute, willing little bitch? Are you getting close?"

"What? Nah. We just got started. Scoots, you okay down there?" Buck said, concern on his face. Scootaloo blinked back her tears and gave a thumbs up. Her hands then went down to the floor and she leaned forward to try and take just a little bit more. She still wasn't close to her nose touching Buck's stomach, but her jaw was getting sore and the violating feeling in her throat was indescribable. Scoots knew she couldn't keep this up, so she hoped that Buck would really lean into it, but he was hesitating. Scoots pulled off and took a few shaky breaths.

"Well, this is an admirable effort, but Buck is a harder nut to crack than you think, little birdie. You're going to have to do better than that...!" Adagio purred. Then her hand was on the back of Scoot's head. Without hesitation, Adagio pistoned Buck's cock into Scoot's throat while she squealed around it. Scoots looked up to Buck's face and saw him gritting his teeth, his knees shaking.

Scoots tried to gather more spit on her tongue and lubricate Buck even more as her face was bounced all over his cock.

"Oooh, is that good, Buck? Don't you love making her yours? Are you going to cum for sweet little Scootaloo?" Adagio moaned. Her hand was a vice, and as Scoot's head was wrenched violently back and forth, the sounds coming from her aching jaw turned from muffled squeaks to a lewd, wet glarking choke.

"It's sooooo fucking good, but I need ahh...hmm...Scoots? Scoots, take a breath...!" Buck said. Adagio yanked Scoot's face off his cock. She sucked down air like she just swam up from the bottom of the ocean, rivulets of spit trailing between her lips and Buck's cock. She coughed and swallowed the spit in her mouth, and looked at Buck imploringly. "Fuck, you're cute." Buck mumbled. He stroked Scoot's hair again, and she shivered and smiled. "I just...I just...I need you to have a good time, too." Buck admitted.

"Huh?" Scoots blinked and looked over at Adagio, who had a dopey, trembling smile. Her hands were over her heart and she was blushing deeply.

"I think what Buck is trying to say, is he can't get off if you aren't getting off. And so..." Adagio reached down and undid the button on Scoot's shorts. She lightly guided Scoot's hand down to her wet crotch. "Let him have his fun...but touch yourself while you're at it, little ingénue." She took Scoot's chin in her hands and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"And, uh, turn to the side a little, so I can see." Buck said. Scoots moved a bit, then sat back down and opened her mouth. Buck's cock was perpendicular to her face, but he stuck it into the side of her mouth, and Scootaloo felt his head pushing on the inside of her cheek. Buck started thrusting again, hand holding Scoot's head steady from the top as he quickly slid his cock back and forth. This was way more manageable! Buck's groans got higher in pitch, he was almost sighing as he looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. Scoot's own eyes slid over to Adagio, who nodded at her enthusiastically.

"Oh, now this is different! I haven't seen this, before..." Adagio purred. Her hands were off Scootaloo, letting her take control of the situation. Scoots began lightly running her tongue along the underside of Buck's cock, earning a gasping moan from him. His thrusts got even faster, while Scootaloo moaned around his cock. Her fingers were moving on their own, digging into her panties. Her sopping wet shlicking noises caught up to Buck's frantic pace, and before long, she felt Buck's cock tensing in her mouth. He sounded near breathless.

"Yes, yes! There! Now, come here!" Adagio said. She pulled Scootaloo off Buck's cock and angled her head-on with it. Before Scootaloo even knew what was happening, Adagio's hand was on her wrist and Scoot's fingers were around Buck's shaft and his head was dribbling precum onto her tongue. "Open wide, little birdie~! Look at him. Beg him for it!" Adagio trilled. Scootaloo made eye contact with Buck again, and she moaned as her fingers rubbed her clit and she jerked him off light and fast, and in an instant Buck was gasping and his cum was squirting all over her tongue and her lips and her face.

"Ahnn...ahnn...ahh!" Scootaloo moaned and she wrung Buck dry.

After a few spurts, Buck's pulsing finally stopped, and he collapsed back on the bed, spent. Scootaloo just sat there for a moment, cum slowly dripping down her face. She closed her mouth and tasted it for just a second before she coughed and spit it up into her hands. It was bitter and slimy. "Blehck!"

"Oh, look, you've made a mess. Just a moment...here." Adagio chided. She was up and then she was back with a couple of tissues in her hand. She dropped them in Scootaloo's lap.

There was a beep, and when Scoots looked again, Adagio was sitting on the bed, checking her phone with one hand and stroking Buck's thigh with the other. Adagio showed Scootaloo the phone.

"Thirteen minutes. Congratulations! That's only a few minutes more than the time it took Buck to climax on our first night! Of course, we were both a bit drunk then, but semantics, little birdie, you've performed adequately." Adagio clapped her hands in a slightly patronizing way.

"Wha-really?" Scoots said. She'd had Buck's cock in her mouth for thirteen minutes!? No wonder her jaw was so sore.

"Yes, really. You've done wonderful for an absolute amateur at handling this man. Now...ehm...Buck?" Adagio halted, frowning.

"Yeah, babe?" Buck panted.

"Breathe, Buck. Why are you going soft?" Adagio said. She slipped a finger under his deflating shaft and flipped it over. Then she smirked and pawed it around a bit. To Scoots, it looked like a tiger playing with a cat toy.

"Well, guys usually do that when they cum, Adagio," Buck grumbled. Adagio blinked and stroked her chin as if this were a brand new theorem to her.

"Ah, yes, that's right. The refractory period." Adagio said, finally.

"Yeah...I'm gonna need a lil' break and some water, and-ah! Ahh, ah, okay, okay, I guess not then, what're you-fffuck, fuck, babe, I'm still sensitive!" Buck said. Adagio leaned down and began softly kissing up and down Buck's cock.

"Mm. Mm. Mm! I know you have more in you, Buck." Adagio giggled. She reached down and squeezed his balls. "And I know that you're way too considerate to leave a lady waiting!" Adagio kept pecking and suckling gently, and as Buck began to rise again, she straddled his waist and planted her hands on his chest.

Adagio eyed her big, precious teddy bear with his golden eyes and his sweet, high gasps and his fat cock and his...oh. Oh, she was more than just a bit worked up from watching Scootaloo taste him. No, at some point, Buck's eyes had started flickering to hers, and his adoration and lust and love mixed together and began to surround Adagio. She was already feeling a bit tipsy from just him looking at her, and now she was on him and she was going to make Scootaloo watch as she claimed him.

"Babe? Can...can I-" Adagio's lips stopped Buck's question and crushed it between their tongues. She drank his lust down and grinded her wet snatch against his stiffening cock and she was so thirsty! Buck's rich affection boiled her blood and made her hot and achey deep inside. She wanted to devour him, but she heard a beep behind her and caught herself. Scootaloo had started the timer.

Adagio begrudgingly pulled her lips away from Buck, biting his lower lip and pulling on it before letting it slide out of her mouth. Adagio started to sit up, but Buck reached up and grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her back down. Now it was like he was drinking her; these were not the sweet little pecks that Adagio had come to savor, this was a huffing, starving kiss. His hips bucked up against her and Adagio moaned and rolled against him, and for just a moment, she let him have his way.

But then, Adagio pushed Buck down and away and sat up. Her hands sat on his chest, pinning him down properly, and she began gyrating against him, with deliberate slowness. "I've been studying you, Buck. Did you know that? Did you know that I've been listening and paying attention?" Adagio said. She smiled at Buck with masterful malice, but all he could give her in return was a sweet and loving smile. There was no fear in him, just thirst and joy and awe. He adored her.

"Well, I mean, you changed into fishnets, and I'm pretty sure if you fuck me in them, my soul is going to jump out of my body. I mean; fuckin' garters, Adagio? Holy shit, the way your thighs are fuckin' muffin topping in them just a lil' bit and that bun in your hair and, I just-" Buck rambled.

"Hush now. That was a rhetorical question. I just wanted to share what I've learned. Aren't you curious, little birdie? Don't you want to know what Buck likes?" Adagio said. By now, Scootaloo was sitting on the far edge of the bed, watching with rapt attention, but when Adagio addressed her, Scootaloo simply looked away and pretended she couldn't hear.

"Buck has many weaknesses in the bedroom, it seems, as do most. But Buck...Buck one of the things that you are most vulnerable to...is variety. " Adagio rolled her hips forward and let her squishy, crushing thighs and the slick silk of her thong slide along Buck's shaft. A tiny moan escaped his lips. Adagio's hips slid and pressed and squeezed down on Buck's cock. "Look at you...you've said as much already. You want to do everything to me." Adagio said. The words were ambrosia on her tongue. There was a quavering echo in her voice. She leaned forward and let her forehead touch his.

"Buck...do you want to start by fucking my thighs~?"

Down several flights of stairs, and just above a set of blazing red cheeks Starlight's eyes were wide. Even for her, this felt perverse. She was expecting...what in the world was she expecting? She had thought that Adagio would do some kind of spell, or enchant Scootaloo in some way, and Buck would just sit there, hypnotized like something out of Dracula. But that seemed pretty stupid now since all that had happened was that Scootaloo had been between Buck's legs for a while and Starlight got to hear her gagging and Adagio, she was just egging her on.

This felt a little like entrapment, but it seemed mostly like just a particularly raunchy night, and...and, wow, I mean, yes, Adagio was all over Buck, but Starlight thought that was because she was cozying up to her thrall, getting him comfortable, but this, she didn't need to do this, did she? What exactly was Adagio playing at?

Over the course of this liaison, Buck and Scootaloo's auras had been flickering and glowing more intensely. This made sense since magic and emotion worked hand in hand and they were obviously excited, but from what Starlight could see, Adagio was draining Buck slowly and gradually, at least at first.

But when she got on top of him, the magic passing between them suddenly spiked. Where was the artifact? Boy, Buck was a real moaner, wasn't he? He sounded kind of...girly?

Focus. Starlight needed to stay focused.

She reached down and produced a notebook from Sunbursts' desk, and when she came back up, she saw that Adagio was up on her knees, reclining back against Buck, who was thrusting against her. How do they just keep going like that!? Focus! Auras. Monitor their auras. There has to be something to this...

Scoots watched with pure, morbid curiosity as Buck's hips smacked against Adagio's ass from behind. His hands were groping her breasts, and Adagio had a hand on his head to steady herself as she ground her hips back into him. Buck's cock head was peaking out just the slightest bit through Adagio's pillowy thighs as he thrust desperately, grunting with his chin on Adagio's shoulder.

"You see? Buck is just a man, and the end of the day. No need to be frightened, little birdie! He just wants a woman to let him do as he pleases, someone soft and thick and sturdy...ooh, ohh was that a bit of a hitch, Buck? You're loving every moment of this, aren't you? Tell me, little birdie, do you think you can get Buck to make this sound?" Adagio said. Her hand slipped down between her thighs, and her fingers tickled Buck's cock head as it came through.

Buck stopped thrusting at that and made a sound like a strangled cry. He shut his mouth quickly and grit his teeth, squeezing Adagio's breasts as she teased his tip, wiggling and grinding her hips against him.

"You see, Buck? You worry so much about breaking me, and it's sweet, it really is, but did you never spare a moment to think that I might be just enough woman for you? Hmm...?" Adagio bucked her hips back against him hard.

"Ahh...nnggghh!!!" Buck's cries almost sounded panicked to Scoots. His face was red and he was clinging to Adagio and panting into her neck.

"Yes, sweetheart, that's a very cogent point. I know it's hard for you to be so vulnerable, especially in front of your precious little co-worker, but this is just an appetizer, Buck. Didn't you say you wanted to cum in my pussy...in my mouth, and in my ass...?" Adagio said. Her hips were dipping forward and back with a jerky, unsteady pace.

"Are...nnn...are you gonna let me fuck you in the ass!?" Buck said. It was like a dog smelling a treat. His eyes went wide. Adagio rolled her fingers in little circles over his tip.

"Mm...no. No, not today, I don't think so." Adagio said, smirking.

"Aww..." Buck whined.

"Now, don't pout! Here, let me go. I do have something special planned for you." Adagio slipped free of Buck's grip, and she laid down with her head hanging over the side of the bed. Scoots saw Buck's lustful glare slide over every curve of Adagio's body as she reclined. "Look here, Buck; this time you're going to fuck my face. And don't you dare even think about holding back! I want to show the little birdie over there precisely how it's done." Adagio said.

"Adagio, you don't have to show off like this, we all know you're a bad bitch..." Buck mumbled. Scootaloo noticed that he still stood over her, hard as a rock, as he complained.

"Oh? You still think that tonight is about me? That's adorable, Buck. Come here." Adagio said. She reached up and grabbed Buck's ass, squeezing and pulling him forward. She kissed the underside of his cock head. "The only reason we're here right now is because I wanted to treat you, Buck." Adagio said, smiling up at him.

"...this really is you bein' nice?" Buck smiled.

"Clock's ticking, Buck. Get to it. Ahhhhnnn~" Adagio closed her eyes and opened her mouth, allowing Buck to easily slide his cock in. Scootaloo watched with dull shock as Buck pushed forward--or was Adagio pulling his hips?--and hilted in Adagio's throat with his balls touching her nose. Buck let out a deep breath and shuddered. Adagio's hand wandered down, and she started playing with herself.

Several floors down, Starlight Glimmer resisted the urge to cover her eyes.

The room was getting hotter, it felt like. Adagio gave Buck's ass a squeeze, and then she pushed his hips back until he was only halfway inside her mouth. Then she roughly pulled him right back, ripping a moan out of Buck. Buck fell forward a bit, having to steady his hands on either side of Adagio's body. He started giving hard, short thrusts, and his voice dropped into a rolling, grunting pant as he fucked Adagio's throat.

Adagio was right; he had been holding back. Adagio wheezed and gurgled around Buck's cock, his balls slapping against her face as he kept plowing into her.

Scootaloo could see the bulge of Buck's cock sliding back and forth through Adagio's upturned throat, and by the way her legs trembled and squeezed her own hand between her thighs, Adagio was taking a sadistic joy in being used like this.

Maybe, Scoots thought, they weren't so different after all.

Buck looked like he was caught between total ecstasy and the beginnings of some sort of werewolf transformation. His grunts were turning into ragged growls as the thrusting of his hips became a cruel, greedy pistoning motion.

Scootaloo could see Adagio's eyes rolling back. She hadn't stopped to come up for air. As Adagio's body shook from Buck's pounding, her hand slowly slid down his ass, her fingers between his cheeks and then...

Buck shuddered and his hips slapped into Adagio's lips once, twice, three times, and then he roared and came to a shaking stop. Adagio's throat twitched as she swallowed and teased him. Scootaloo saw Buck's ass muscles flex over and over again as he grunted until finally, he seemed to come back to himself and step back.

As Buck's cock slurped out of Adagio's mouth, the look on his face shifted from pure satisfaction to remorse and then confusion. Adagio took a breath as Buck's head popped out of her mouth, then she grabbed his ass and pulled him, refusing to let go and she suckled on his tip.

"You have got to be kidding!" Scoots said. She shuffled over to Adagio and Buck, who looked like he was having his soul sucked out. "How is she even...she's still...WHAT!?" Scoots simpered. Adagio giggled, earning a shuddering moan from Buck, and then flipped over and kept suckling. Her hand squeezed and slid along Buck's cock like she was wringing out a tube of toothpaste. "That is ridiculous! Adagio, you're amazing!" Scoots finished.

Somewhere close by and yet a million miles away, Starlight Glimmer broke through her own personal demiplane of lewd embarrassment and wrote "Actually a Succubus???" in a notepad, underlining it several times.

"Babe, babe, okay, okay stop, really reeeally sensitive, startin' to hurt, babe...babe!" Buck was tapping at Adagio's shoulder, but she kept suckling until finally, with great difficulty, Buck managed to pull his cock out of her mouth and place a hand on her forehead as she tried to pounce back onto it. Scootaloo stopped the timer. Eight minutes.

"Eight minutes!? Hax! I call hax! How did you hold your breath for so long!? Are you using magic!?" She pointed an accusing finger at Adagio. Buck took a stumbling fall onto the bed. He was smiling.

"Naw, Scoots, she's just gettin' better'n better at wringin' me dry. I need to step up my game, holy shit." Buck said. He closed his eyes and sighed.

Adagio rose and wiped off her mouth, then licked her fingers. She sucked her teeth as if she'd just enjoyed a three-course meal, then turned to Scootaloo, held up a cocky finger, and burped loudly. She covered her mouth immediately and turned red. Buck burst out laughing.

The enchantment that Starlight had cast on top of the aura-scrying map was beginning to fade. Moth wings were fragile and extremely temporary. The sound was cutting out. She heard a burp, and then laughter, but it was starting to sound like a phone going through a tunnel. Starlight scrambled into the desk for more, but she was out of distant spying trinkets for the week. She cursed under her breath. It was going to be all eyes, now.

"Yes, well, as per our arrangement, Little Birdie..." Adagio crawled over the bed to Scootaloo on all fours. Scoots' outrage turned to fear in the blink of an eye. She turned her head to Buck, hoping that he'd save her, but his eyes were closed in contentment. She was on her own. When Scoots looked back, the only thing she perceived was Adagio's vicious magenta eyes, her long curly locks, and a hungry smile. That, and Adagio's breasts pressing against hers.
"For the next two weeks, you belong to me."

"Did I hear that right?" Starlight Glimmer had said it aloud. The moth dust had completely evaporated, but she heard what Adagio had said, alright.

She wrote it down, circled it, drew some lines coming off it. 'You belong to me.' And then 'Enchantment ritual?' 'Scootaloo is a thrall?' 'Dark Magic'? Starlight supposed that the Sirens were all dark magic, but Adagio's aura hadn't flared much at all when she said that.

Scootaloo's had, and Buck's had especially.

Buck's flaming aura had been flickering and spiking in sudden bursts since Adagio returned to the room. He was obviously enjoying this much more than he let on. Had she enchanted him like this as well? Was she building an army of sex slaves!? Damn it, it was just more and more questions. What was the goal, here? Scootaloo's aura was almost the opposite of Buck's. It seemed to be shrinking but growing brighter, and somehow more transparent. Adagio's was like an inflating water balloon with a hole in the side.

"Oh shit, you were serious about that?" Buck's took a glance over at the two women and saw Adagio's lips on Scootaloo's. Scoot's hand was pinned to the side, while the other gripped the bedsheets. Adagio's sidelong glance told him everything he needed to know, and as he adjusted himself to watch her work, that glance turned gleeful.

"Ooh...oh...oh..nnn... " Scootaloo shivered as Adagio's nails dragged down her side. Adagio's lips were on Scoot's neck, now. "Okay, okay, so this's happening now, I guess...!" Scootaloo said. Adagio's hand clapped over the tiny woman's mouth.

"Right. The rules. While we are in private, You, little birdie, will only speak to me when I give you permission, or in answer to direct questions. Before then, the only sounds I want to hear out of your mouth are those cute little mousey moans or 'Yes Mistress.' You will do as I say, even if I tell you to pleasure Buck." Adagio said, winking in his direction. Buck pointed a bewildered finger at himself, eyebrow raised.

"When not in study, practice or work, you will be at my side, and I will use you as I please. Do you understand?" Scootaloo's terror-filled eyes dropped into a lustful, obedient flutter. She nodded, quickly. "Good girl." Adagio ran her fingers through Scootaloo's short purple hair.

Scootaloo nuzzled her head against Adagio's fingers, her eyes rolling back, closing. "Oh? Oh, look at this, Buck! What was the word you used? 'Scritches'? Oh, she just loves scritches, doesn't she?" Adagio cooed. Buck stifled a chuckle as Adagio scratched Scootaloo's chin like a puppy, then he had a thought.

"Scoots, you know you don't gotta do this if you don't want to, right?" Buck said.

"sssshutupBuckjustlemmeenjoythis...!" Scoots muttered as Adagio's nails dug into her scalp. Adagio pressed her breasts into Scoot's face, pinning her to the headboard.

"Bad girl! What did I just say about speaking out of turn? Honestly, if you're going to break the rules right off the bat, I'm going to have to discipline that rebellious tongue of yours..." Adagio said. She wobbled her breasts in Scootaloo's face, then pulled back and let her breathe.

"Lay down." Adagio commanded. The red-faced, mewling Scootaloo waddled downwards like a rare species of bird, and the second the back of her head touched the bed, she was surrounded by Adagio's glorious thighs. "Eat. You will stop when I say so." Adagio said. She was looking at Buck, but she lightly patted Scoot's forehead. "Yes? You look like you have something to say, Buck." A smirk crossed Adagio's face as she settled into the throne she had made of Scootaloo's face.

"Well, I was going to say that I didn't figure you for the jealous type, but we both know that's a fucking lie." Buck said. He was reclining with his head propped in his hand, elbow down. "I also wanna say that your bed is the most comfortable thing I've ever laid on, present company excluded."

"Flirt." Adagio giggled. Then she hummed softly and stroked Scootaloo's hair. Scoots was lapping at her slowly, seeming to savor every taste. Buck couldn't blame her. "And what of it? I like to guard my treasures, Buck." Adagio said. Her hips rolled slowly and delicately against Scootaloo's eager tongue.

"Well, uh...I guess I want to know what you're trying to prove, here? You said this's a treat for me and all, and I know you mean it, but there's a message here that I'm not picking up, and I just wanted to be honest about that. Can we just skip the guesswork? What're you tryin' to say?" Buck pondered. His hand reached out and idly stroked Adagio's thigh.

"Well, to be perfectly frank, Buck, I wanted you to understand a simple concept..." Adagio began. She was doing it again. A finger twirling in her bangs and a glance away, even as Scootaloo swirled her tongue over her clitoris, Adagio had a hard time with this kind of thing. Buck thought it was incredibly sweet that she had to think about it. She was choosing her words carefully. Finally, she presented them.

"Buck...you are surrounded by good people. I suppose I'm just jealous that you have such a close and comfortable bond with them. Even your neighbor and her child know you more than I do, and just lately I've been feeling like an alien invader."

"Princess, you're literally an alien invader." Buck snarked.

"I'm trying to be genuine, will you hush!?" Adagio barked. Buck nodded. "I...think that you were right. That things have been strange and quick and maybe I have been a little less than considerate of your needs. I wanted to try and think about a gift that would really suit you, and more than anything else, one that would show you that..." Adagio trailed off. She wasn't looking at him. Buck got up then, on his knees, and took Adagio's hand. Kissed the back, softly. Adagio looked at him and remembered to breathe. "I wanted to show you that I'm not just another 'bad girl'. I can give you things that no one else can. I can give you the whole world, and more, Buck. I know you're frightened of me, but I need you to tell me right now that...that you'll give me a chance, regardless. Please."

Adagio had started confident and careful, but as she spoke, her tone shook and buckled and crumpled into a quiet plea. Scootaloo's hands were on her thighs. Buck could see himself reflecting in Adagio's eyes.

"You were trying to impress me?" Buck said. Adagio's blush deepened and she looked down. She smiled. "You came to game night and humored us all, and you roped Scoots into a threesome, and you put this get up on and all of this because you were worried...about what?" Buck said.

"I was worried that you were going to realize that I'm more trouble than I'm worth." Adagio said it without thinking, then she covered her mouth and looked at Buck as if he were a nuclear explosion strolling down the block. She watched Buck as his expressions turned and ticked like the hands of a clock. Outrage, first. Then confusion, remorse and shame, and finally, finally, love.

It was a burning passion, held in his heart. A tiny sun. She felt it and tasted it and it was so blinding and blazing that her eyes teared up and she had to shut them tight.

"...I'm taking you to the Aquarium on Saturday. We are going to have lunch at a spot I know, and we're going to spend the day at the boardwalk, and the Aquarium is at the end of it. Adagio? Adagio, look at me, right here." Buck said. He put his hands on her cheeks. "You are going to relax, and talk about your past, if you feel up to it. And you're going to wear something nice, and so am I, and it's going to be a great day, and at the end of it, I'm going to bring you to this bed, and I'm going to spoil the fuck out of you." Buck said. Adagio could feel his hands quivering as he spoke.

"Okay." Adagio whispered.

"Okay? I'm not taking 'No' for an answer." Buck said.

"Yes. I will allow you to take me to the Aquarium. Naturally, I will pay for everything, and the two of us will spend the day as we please." Adagio said. She smiled at Buck down her nose.

"You don't have to-"

"But I will. And that is all there is to it, Buck." Adagio finished.

"Alright." Buck said. "Hey."

"Yes?"

"Can..." Buck muttered. Adagio's lips strolled over to his and hung around for a little while. From this tiny kiss, Adagio felt like she could crack the world open with the tip of her heel.

Power. Adagio could feel it coursing through every pore. Their eyes were closed as they kissed, and so Adagio hoped that Buck couldn't see her fins unfurling, or the equine ears poking up out of her hair.

Starlight Glimmer covered her eyes. Buck's aura had blossomed into a roiling pillar of flame, and the flare of it threatened to blind her. When the spots cleared from her vision, Starlight saw that the lines she had drawn on the desk were fractured in a way that it looked like a firecracker had gone off.

Scootaloo tapped frantically at Adagio's thigh. Adagio spread her knees and rose, allowing Scootaloo to gasp for air.

"There, now, you may speak. What have we learned?" Adagio said. She looked like her normal self, now that the kiss was broken.

"That you guys have a funny way of planning dates and also can I come too?" Scoots said, stretching and flexing her jaw. Adagio looked to Buck, who shrugged and smiled.

"...I'll allow it." Adagio said.

"Woohoo!" Scoots said. Her fists shot into the air.

"Now, Buck, there's a perfectly willing slave between my legs. Would you like to make use of her?" Adagio said, pawing at Buck's chest.

"Uhhh, Scoots, are you cool with being objectified like that?"

"Ugghhhh! Yeah, Buck, I am! Will ya stop thinkin' so hard, already? You're sucking the fun right out of the room!" Scootaloo groaned.

"Wow, rude. Alright, so it's gonna be like that, huh? Fine. Fine, you see this, right here?" Buck said. He make a wiggling motion with his fingers right at his ankles, then stretched his arms out spread eagle, and opened his hands. "Boom. See that? Trainin' weights're off, Scoots!" Buck said. He shuddered as he felt Adagio's silky fingers slide along his dick, which in a manner that was in no way coincidental, had ballooned back up to full power.

"Oh? Finally getting serious, are we?" Adagio said. She moved off Scoots and let her sit up.

"Wait, what? I thought the contest was over?" Scoots said, twiddling her thumbs.

"It is. And now I'm wound up, and you've gone an' pissed me off. So now, do you know what's gonna happen, Scoots?" Buck said. Adagio crept up behind Scootaloo and placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Uhh...what?"

"Now Scoots, me an' Adagio are gonna fuck you silly." Buck said. "'dagio, shut her up." Buck snapped. Adagio turned Scoot's head to the side and began tongue fucking her mouth. "Uh-uh. No touchin', Scoots." Buck said. Scoot's tensing hands fell to her sides and balled into fists while Adagio sucked on her tongue. Buck reached out and pulled on Scoot's cargo shorts. With one smooth yank, Scootaloo's pants and panties were off.

"Mmmph!?" Scootaloo tried to form a question, but her lips were so occupied with wrestling Adagio's that she had no time or space for it.

"'dagio, she looks plenty wet, but how 'bout'cha make sure?" Buck growled. He had put on the devil's grin and was certain it would not leave him for the rest of the night.

Adagio's hand swan dived down Scoots' quivering frame and her fingers began to play with the adorable puffy vulva below. One finger slid into the valley while the other two squeezed down on either side. Scoots' eyes closed and she moaned into Adagio's mouth.

"Take your time on that, babe. We want her nice and slick." Buck said. He sat back against the headboard and watched.

Adagio followed, maneuvering Scootaloo so that the both of them were kneeling with their knees on either side of Buck's waist.

"She's lookin' a lil' warm. Do me a favor and get'er tops off?" Buck said. Scootaloo gasped as Adagio's lips left hers. Adagio kept fondling Scoots with one hand, while the other slid under her shirt, undid a clasp, and then yanked everything over her head and straight off. "Woah, check that out!" Buck said. Scootaloo immediately went to cover her chest, but Adagio grabbed her wrists. Before Buck was a set of small breasts that looked to be about the size of a pair of perfect little handfuls, and the tiny orange nipples featured a pair of silvery bar piercings.

Buck sat up, and his fingers started sliding up and down Scoots' chest. He traced her nipples in little circles with his thumbs, then pinched and pulled lightly on the bars. Scootaloo moaned then, and Buck tried not to chuckle as he realized her breath smelled a bit like Adagio and a bit like gummy worms.

"Hands at your sides, little birdie~" Adagio hissed. Scootaloo shut her eyes and let her hands drop. She couldn't help but moan and Adagio prodded her opening with a finger from below, while two fingers worked her clitoris from above. Buck's tongue ran laps around her right nipple and at the same time, his fingers pulled and twisted at the left.

"I can take it...I can take iiiit...!" Scootaloo's mumbled mantra rose into a high-pitched squeal as another of Adagio's fingers spread her open and squeezed inside.

"Hey, Scoots?" Buck said. His pinches and squeezes softened into caressing flicks.

"Oh! Uh...h-hey, Buck!" Scoots panted.

"Hey, I haven't said it before, because, well, it's pretty weird. But you know what?" Buck said. He pressed down on her nipples, earning another squeal.

"W-w-what?" Scoots said.

"You're really pretty." Buck said. His lips pressed against hers for a moment. Scootaloo's thighs quaked. Adagio giggled.

"Oh, I think she's ready for you now, Buck." Adagio said.

"Yeah? How'd'ya figure?" Buck said, stroking Scoot's hair.

"Remember our first night, Buck? How I rode you until I came?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, Buck, Scootaloo just came, and she is a sopping, drooling mess down here."

"You wanna copy our first night?"

"In a manner of speaking. Why don't you lay down, Buck? Let me do the work." Adagio said. She pressed a hand against Buck's chest and he let himself flop back down onto the bed, his member giving a readied salute of a throb as Adagio positioned Scootaloo right over it.

When her bottom lips kissed Buck's tip, Scootaloo looked around as if awakening from a dream. Buck smirked at her, and the sweet venom in Adagio's smile made her heart race. Adagio's hands were on her hips, making Scoots swivel them in small circles.

"Fffffucking hell...Adagio, she's burning up!" Buck said. A tiny push from Adagio. The head pressed insistently against Scoots' drooling entrance.

"I can take it...I can take it...I can take it...!" Scootaloo said.

"Interesting theory." Adagio hummed. She bowed her head and slid Scootaloo's arm over her shoulders. Adagio reached down and spread Scootaloo's lips. Another push and Buck's cock head slid laboriously into place.

"Hooooly shit...babe, she's tiny! It's so fucking tight!" Buck groaned. He reached out and covered one of Adagio's hands with his own. Scootaloo sunk further down and Buck shuddered.

"Ooohhh nononono...ohhhhkaay, okay it's thick, it's thiiiick~!" Scootaloo squealed.

"Okay, stopstopstopstop!" Buck hissed. Adagio lifted Scoots's back up.

"Something the matter, Buck?" Adagio said.

"Oh, nothin' at all, except that I'm still sensitive, and being inside Scoots feels like fuckin' a panini press!" Buck grumbled.

"Wha...hey!?" Scoots said.

"No, no, in a good way. I'm just tellin' Adagio so she knows what's up." Buck said. He traced his thumb up Scoots' stomach and pressed gently against her abs. Every part of her was tight and smooth.

"Oh? Oh, I see. So you don't think you'll last, Buck?" Adagio said.

"Not long. You get what I'm sayin'?" Buck said. His thumb slid down past Scoots' belly button.

"Yes, I think I do. No holding back, then?" Adagio grinned. Scootaloo looked frantically between the two.

"I'll tell ya when." Buck said.

"What're you guys talking about? What are you gonna do?" Scoots squeaked.

"This." Adagio said.

Scootaloo's hips slammed all the way down onto Buck's shaft. About a fifth of Buck's cock didn't fit and Scoots hilted and screamed. She covered her mouth with a hand and her eyes rolled as Adagio began bouncing Scootaloo furiously on Buck's dick.

"Ohmigoshohmigoshohmigosh!!!" Scootaloo rambled while Adagio pistoned her up and down. Buck's thumb found it's mark and started to twirl lightly against Scoot's clitoris.

"Good girl, good girl! Look at how well you're taking him!" Adagio praised.

"Buck, Buck, you got too much dick, broooo!" Scootaloo gasped shakily.

"Oh fuck, that's weird! That's fucking weird, don't say that!" Buck grunted.

"You are henceforth only allowed to refer to him as bro in the bedroom!" Adagio laughed.

"oOOOOkaaAAAAYYY!" Scootaloo squealed. Her nails were digging into Adagio's shoulder.

"Why would you do that!?" Buck said.

"okayokayokayokaygonnacumgonnacumgonnacumagain!" Scootaloo's tongue was starting to hang out of her mouth. Adagio started going even faster.

"Fuck, fucking hell she's going ballistic! Hey, hey, babe, do me a favor!?" Buck groaned. Now his hands were on top of Adagio's, just trying to steady himself.

"Yes Buck, what is it?" Adagio said, patiently.

"Babe, gimmie a nice, breathy 'Ara ara'...! She loves that shit!" Buck said, gritting his teeth.

"WHAT!?" Scootaloo shrieked. Adagio smiled and rolled her eyes.

"~Ara~Ara~" Adagio slammed Scoots' hips straight down, and Buck watched as Scootaloo's eyes rolled back. Buck had expected a scream, but instead, Scoot's hands flew up to her cheeks and her thighs squeezed in and her whole body gave a buzzing shake, her breath coming out in a trembling gasp.

"Okay, okay, fuck, get her off!!!" Buck said, and when Adagio dragged Scoots off his cock, he erupted all over her thighs. Buck's seed shot up onto Scoot's stomach as she fell out of Adagio's grasp. She collapsed to the bed, her hands now down, holding onto her snatch as she quivered and tried to catch her breath.

Adagio slid over to Buck and kissed his cheek.

"I am not ready to have a conversation with you about polyamory." Buck said. Adagio laid her head right under his shoulder and cuddled up to him.

"That's fine, because I wasn't asking." Adagio said. She scratched gently at his chest hair, wondering what that word actually meant.

"Scoots? ...y'allright?" Buck said.

"I'm f-f-f-f-fiiiine!" Scoots vibrated.

"Okay, well, you should probably go use the bathroom. Come back if you wanna cuddle, okay? I guess you're spendin' the night--can she spend the night, Adagio?" Buck said.

"Why are you asking me, Buck?"

"Isn't she supposed to be your pet for the next two weeks?" Buck said. His fingers stroked the small of Adagio's back.

"Ah, yes, that's right. Yes, she can sleep over." Adagio yawned and closed her eyes.

"Yaaaay..." Scoots quavered.

When Scootaloo waddled back from the bathroom, Adagio watched with groggy amusement as Buck doted on her and asked if she was hurting anywhere or if that was too hard, or if she needed any water, and Adagio laughed as Scootaloo wordlessly slid in between the two of them under the covers.

As Buck and Scootaloo drifted off, Adagio was left with an unsettling conundrum. She had promised to share her past with Buck, and now there was a deadline. On Saturday, she was going to tell Buck who Adagio Dazzle was, and who she is now. She would need to take some time to decide what precisely to tell Buck. Adagio Dazzle had crossed an ocean of time trying both to deny her past and cling to it. And now Buck wanted to know it. Perhaps it would be better if she called the whole thing off. Buck would understand if she simply told him it was too painful to talk about.

Adagio's eyes searched the darkness above the bed, and its only answer was the dark embrace of sleep.

Sleep was good; it reminded Adagio of the cold safety of Home. Except now, she was sidled up to a flickering fireplace of a man.

Adagio was warm and exposed.

Starlight Glimmer wondered if there would be any sleep for her tonight. Her pencil moved across the page with a schizophrenic bounce, scribbling and circling and crossing out. Her phone beeped beneath her other finger, and then the printer beneath the desk whirred to life and vomited up a sheet of paper.

A tack in the board. A new addition.

Starlight had been wrong again, and behind, but she was catching up.

Starlight's lips turned up in a grin just briefly, then a deep frown as she took down notes.

There were more questions of course, but she had stumbled on a secret; one that she was sure Adagio didn't want anyone to know.

Starlight had thought that Adagio was just using Buck as her current idiot shield, but the aura she had just seen was hideously powerful and unstable. It shorted out her talisman prematurely, and it supercharged Adagio with a single kiss.

Adagio had been fawning over Buck and petting him up. She must have been terrified of him, trying to earn his favor; and for good reason.

Starlight Glimmer had thought that Adagio Dazzle was the greatest living threat to Canterlot, but she was wrong.

The true danger was Buck.

And now? Starlight had to decide what to do with him.

Author's Note

End of Act 1.

Song Review: Have you ever been deeply attracted to someone you know is top to bottom trouble? That's the axis that the monster girl genre spins on, and that's the feeling that both Buck and Adagio have for each other. It's also what Fear and Delight is about; "I run to the wolf as a doting sheep, it's wrong but I want you tonight."
Fear and Delight has an odd music video wherein our lead singer is forming an ensemble with himself, almost like all aspects of his personality are in accordance. This will end in tragedy, he says, but he's going in anyway, lining himself up so that a femme fatale with a bow and arrow can shoot him down.