"What did you tell them, exactly?"

"What did I tell who?" Bon Bon sat across from Adagio in the break room. A week had passed since the battle with Chrysalis, and things were back to normal depressingly fast at Affluent Answers.

Adagio had gotten her raise, which she barely noticed, her car had gotten out of the shop, and now it was Tuesday morning. Adagio had been feeding on the grey numbness of the office, and she could feel her patience beginning to fray at the edges.

Things had been delightfully, horribly quiet.

"The witnesses. The police. The press. I expected an investigation, or perhaps a violation of my privacy by the esteemed C.C.P.D."

"Ah. Well, we had to pull some strings and grease some palms, but you and your..."

"Associates."

"Associates should be in the clear. Now, covering up the fight in the parking lot was impossible. Someone caught video. Did you know that you're a hero, now?" Bon Bon held out her phone, which showed a clip of Adagio dominating Chrysalis with anime fight scene noises added in.

"Oh, how sweet." Adagio's frown didn't move, but her eyes gleamed for just a moment.

"I thought you'd be happy that people aren't looking at you as a villain. This must be pretty convenient for your P.R."

"Well, Bon Bon, if that is your real name--"

"It's not."

"It's nice to be appreciated, but I couldn't care less about where I stand in meme culture. In the span of a day, they'll have moved on to the next loud, obnoxious spectacle and I'll move on with my life." Adagio flashed the briefest of smirks, then returned to her steady poker face.

"You should really reconsider that stance. You have a lot of eyes on you, Adagio, and being a 'loud, obnoxious spectacle' can be very dangerous. You ought to watch your step."

"Are you threatening me, Miss Bon Bon?" Adagio frowned and the tea in front of Bon Bon stopped steaming in an instant.

"Me personally? No, not at all. What I'm saying is that people have every reason to fear you, and it would be prudent to not come off as a greater threat. However." Bon Bon said. Her raised hand stopped Adagio's rebuttal before it could come out.

"We recognize that you are a magical creature, and you have physiological needs that warrant consideration. I've been asked to offer you an alternative to stalking the streets like a vampire for magic." Bon Bon said, tossing a silken, jingling sac onto the table.

Adagio's eyes widened as she tasted something akin to freshly baked bread. She plucked the bag and gave it a rattle before tugging the chord open. It was filled with glittering gems that made Adagio's mouth water. They were positively charged with raw magical energy.

"...not a threat, then. A bribe. What do you want from me?" Adagio said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"Read the note inside." Bon Bon said. Adagio pulled a little slip of paper from the bag and read it aloud.

"'Dear Miss Adagio Dazzle,

We are happy to offer you a monthly stipend of magically charged gems, courtesy of Camp Everfree.

In exchange, we ask that you keep your distance from the man known as Purple Prose or 'Buck', for the safety of all living things in Canterlot.

We look forward to your further cooperation.'

"Excuse me?" Adagio had meant it to come out as polite shock. Instead, it was a vicious growl that poked out of a toothy snarl.

"There's enough in that sac to keep you, uh, fed for an entire month, but in exchange, we ask that you stop provoking Purple Prose and allow us to handle him from here on out."

"Handle him...?" Adagio said. Her murderous expression had leveled out, but as she spoke, her eyes flashed red. "What are you going to do; lock him in a vault?"

"That's not up to me. I'm just the messenger. What I will say is you should really consider taking the deal. The organization I work for is subtle, but very powerful. There are Rainbooms in its ranks." Bon Bon said.
Adagio's fury shifted into a cold fear.

"And if I happen to refuse?"

"Nothing. You'll just be considered the same as you always were; a potential threat to be occasionally monitored. Why do you think I was sent to work in this office?"

"Ah, you're their watchdog. So my life and livelihood depends on their opinion of me."

"I didn't say that. That isn't how we operate. Our job is to respond to active threats. Coming after you just for being mean and nasty would be totally barbaric." Bon Bon shrugged.

"You'd never catch me." Adagio snarled.

"Yes, and you'd never be able to return to Canterlot." Bon Bon countered. Adagio felt her heart sink and her stomach growl as she thought about fleeing this place and leaving Buck in the arms of his mousey neighbor. "Adagio, we aren't trying to cage you in, and we aren't hunting you."

"This whole city is a prison."

"Look, did you forget I was up there with you?" Bon Bon pointed at the ceiling. "I've been observing you, and I know that you're not the monster that people say you are."

"You don't know the first thing about me 'Bon Bon'."

"I know you're trying to be better, even if you don't mean to. You helped to rescue those people. You went up against a villain to protect--"

"My interest. I swatted that fly because she came after what's mine."

"But he isn't yours, Adagio, especially not now. He's a person, like you or me."

"There is no person on the face of this pitiful realm that is like Me."

"There will always be people like you; the way you were. We are trying to offer you a way out. If you take these gems, you won't need Buck's magic. You'll be fed. If you don't want them, there's a return address in the bag, but I'd advise you to take them. It's safer this way." Bon Bon said, rising from the table.

Adagio wondered if she could boil Bon Bon's blood with a fine tuned spell, or perhaps create a bubble in an important vein. The thought passed just as Bon Bon was about to step out onto the office floor. Calm down, she thought to herself. You've been so out of sorts since meeting Buck, you've gotten used to being on the back foot. You have time, so take it.

"What exactly is the name of this mysterious firm that you work for?"

"The Pillars Organization. If you want to know more, you know where to find me." Bon Bon said. And then, like slipping a hood over her head, Bon Bon's stern and jaded expression was covered by a peppy grin.

Adagio waited for Bon Bon's footsteps to fade, then she pinched a shiny emerald from the bag. She inhaled, and a shimmering field of colorless mana flew into her mouth. Her hair gained a bit of color, her skin a bit of shine.

She would be satiated for an entire week.

A sun dappled beach of white sand stretched out to a horizon of towering cliffs overlooking a glassy, swaying sea. It was sometime before noon, Buck decided, because being out on a beach like that when the sun was at its height sounded like a special sort of reflective, skin-crisping hell. The calling of the gulls seemed nearly a mockery as they drifted above a solitary figure standing at the shore.

Despite the obvious summer blaze and a seeming inkling of common sense, the man was in a full tuxedo, and the look in his eyes as he examined his expensive wristwatch was that of a man who's lunch was very close to being late. His skin was a dull chestnut color under what one could swear was a cream colored toupee.

"Okay, so lemme get this straight." Buck said, scratching his chin.

There was a tender, longing sound coming from nowhere; a nostalgic violin tune that was only nostalgic because the last time Buck heard it was in a 90's sitcom. The man's eyes cast down, and suddenly, his face was one of quiet panic.

"I honestly don't know if she's going to return to me. I know the paperwork is intimidating, but, I can't risk losing everything again," said Bracer Britches; Manehattan Landlord. There was a slow zoom on the spit of beach that he was standing on.

"So this dude never shuts up about his last marriage, lives in a big-ass house, and is going after a girl who, s'far as I can see, is like his daughter's age." Buck said.

The music swelled and died, then suddenly sprung into a rapturous refrain as a comely young woman came prancing up the beach. She had a sort of opal colored skin tone and hair like a peppermint that had been zapped by lightning.
The caption read "Spring Step: Cloudsdale Cheer Squad."

"Bracer! Bracer, I'm so sorry I made you wait! I did it. I signed the prenup!" She said with a tittering urgency.

"And he's trickin' her into a binding deal that she gets nothin' out of, besides bein' stuck with his wrinkly ass." Buck said.

"So you'll do it!?" Said the aged man, in the kind of voice he'd probably offer to a minimum wage worker in an interview. The music tinkled up to an expectant rise.

"Oh hell naw, that man is a vampire! Run, girl!" Buck said.

"Yes, I'll marry you!" Said the twenty-two year old as she threw herself into the man's arms. Bracer Britches produced a black velvet box and held it open. There was a golden ring topped with a speck of a diamond.

"Nooo!" Said Buck and Ditzy, in unison. Their hips were side by side, a bowl of popcorn perched comfortably atop where their thighs scandalously met. Buck's arm was around her shoulder, a fact which caused Ditzy Doo to grapple with a vibrant blush for the first few minutes of the program. Ditzy's needles sped up from their steady pace, a intricate pink pattern emerging from between them. Ditzy narrowed her active eye at the cradle robbery unfolding before her.

"The wedding is tomorrow, Spring Step. Have you considered the dress that I offered?" Said Bracer.

"The one that your ex-wife wore?"

"Holy SHIT." Buck said, tossing popcorn into his mouth.

"Language." Ditzy said.

Suddenly, there was a distant squeal of tires, then a thumping jog, and finally the ring that Bracer was offering to Spring Step launched out of his hand. Bracer snarled and held his wrist. The camera slid down to show that he had been hit by an old slipper.

"Is that a chancla?" Buck said.

A geriatric woman stood in the shade of a palm tree, hand outstretched. She looked like she could be Spring Step, but from the far future.

"Abuela!?" Gasped Spring Step.

"¡Mi pobre y estúpida mija, te salvaré de este bastardo!"

"Woah! You tell 'im, Consuela!" Buck said.

"How dare you! You stand in the way of our love!?" Said Bracer.

"¡Rescataré a mi hija de tus garras de aumento de renta!" Abuela said, drawing a silver rapier that was at her hip.

"So it's war, then! For the hand of my beautiful Spring Step, I'll take you on in a Physical Challenge!" Said Bracer, presenting his steel.

The camera panned back on a dolly to reveal an intricate set that appeared to contain a park's worth of slides, a pit filled with foam spikes, an obstacle course, and a live studio audience.

Bracer and Spring Steps' grandmother squared off on a thin walkway straddling a tiger pit that was filled with green slime, but just as they dashed at each other, the feed cut to commercial.

"Welp, I can't tell if trash TV is gettin' better or worse." Buck shrugged.

It was Tuesday, and a wonderfully typical one at that. The sun was high, there was lemonade on the table, and Ditzy Doo had put her big box fan in front of the screen door. Buck was wearing blue jeans and an old T-shirt that featured the Golden Girls as a Final Fantasy party. Ditzy was currently filling out a striped summer blouse and a pair of jean shorts, which Buck had fixated on once his eyes finally pried themselves away from her chest.

"Eh, it's a rerun. You know what I wanna know?" Ditzy said.

"Is this show owned by Viacom or, like, Eric Andre?"

"No, what I wanna know is why you asked me to make you a scarf when Summer just started? And why pink?" Leading from Ditzy's lap to the floor was a fluffy pink scarf with a repeating cable pattern going down the middle.

"Oh, well, you were talkin' about how the Cakes ought to do more than just one sort of frozen treat if they wanna compete with that ice cream shop, and that reminded me of that time at Camp Everfree when I got my hand stuck in the ice cream machine, which made me think how nice it would be to just stick my fist in a chill sorbet on hot days like this, but that sounded a little psychotic in my head, which reminded me of that movie where Jack Nicholson is in the asylum, right, and well, I always thought straight jackets were such a weird, highly specific article of clothing, or is it torture now? Article of medical malpractice? Those're banned, right?"

"What?"

"So, anyways, I'm thinking straight jackets are kind of like an involuntary hug, or a medical grade glomp, if ya will, and I thought about all the hugs that used to get thrown around at conventions a few years ago, and how cozy it was, and I thought to myself, you know, a nice warm scarf would do me real good once we've gotten out of sticky sheets season, you know?" Buck shrugged. "And that's why I asked for a scarf."

Ditzy took a second to let her brain finish misfiring at Buck's line of thinking, then diplomatically decided to play through it.

"And the pink?"

"...I like pink." Buck smiled.

"Well, it's about half done."

"Does that mean it's got like a week?"

"No, no, it's more like two days."

"That doesn't seem possible based on my understandin' of how knitting works and also linear time."

"You haven't watched me knit before!" Ditzy smiled. The needles strung together another piece of the pattern.

"How're you doin' that without lookin'?"

"I am looking!" Ditzy smiled. One eye was trained on Buck, while the other was pointed down.

"Y'are?"

"With my other eye, Buck." Ditzy graciously offered.

"Oh. Oh! I thought you were starin' at my crotch." Buck laughed.

"Wha-I didn't, I mean, I wasn't trying to, I uh, um...!" Ditzy Doo's needles dropped to her lap in a panic as a deep blush raced across her cheeks.

"Hey."

"I-I mean I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your, uh, I wasn't peaking, I was just--"

"Ditzy, it's fine. You can look, Ditzy." Buck said. He pulled her closer. "Sorry, I was just teasin' ya." Buck's forehead touched Ditzy's, and she seemed to relax, but did not stop blushing.

"Geez..."

"Didn't mean to fluster you, sorry."

"It's okay, it's just been a while for me, you know? I guess I'm not used to the attention."

"Ah, well, I can ease up, if I'm makin' you uncomfortable." Buck said. Ditzy let her head rest against Buck's neck. He smelled like aftershave, and his hand rubbing her shoulder felt like pure comfort.

"It's okay." Ditzy sighed. She closed her eyes and sat cozy in Buck's warmth. In truth, Ditzy was no stranger to men ogling her, especially a certain set of assets that she had, but it felt so strange that her crush on Buck had blossomed into whatever this was, and the idea of him being receptive to her attraction was totally alien.

She knew that Buck couldn't help but notice her features, but he'd been so evasive about it, she tried not to read into it. She wasn't all that pretty, but she was glad she could appeal to him, even in such a surface way.

"Hey...have I told you that you're beautiful today?" Buck said.

"You said my outfit was really cute..." Ditzy mumbled.

"Well, your hair looks real nice in a low ponytail." Buck said. "I'm glad that you're keeping it out of your face."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"'cause I like lookin' at your face." Buck said, tilting Ditzy's chin up. "Because--and stop me if you've heard this one-- you're beautiful." Ditzy wanted nothing more than to root herself in this moment and stay in it forever. When Buck talked like this, he liked to get real close, like he was fighting the urge to smooch every second that he looked at Ditzy.

"You're such a flatterer." Ditzy said, dreamily.

"Uh-uh. I don't do hollow praise unless I'm bein' paid. You're just easy to compliment." Buck stole a tiny kiss, then. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Sweet, quick little pecks, right at the corner of Ditzy's mouth. It drove her crazy, in a good way.

"Big ol' smoothie. You're making me blush like a schoolgirl, Buck!"

"Yep. Because red looks good on you." Buck said, kissing her forehead. Ditzy turned away and picked up her needles again.

"Mr. Purple Prose. Did you invite me over this morning just to pet me up and tell me I'm pretty?" Ditzy giggled.

"Would you be offended if I did? I mean, I could write you some really mushy poetry if you'd like that better!"

"Oh geez, you're not kiddin' are you?"

"Of course not! I guess I'm just makin' up for lost time, you know?" Buck said, sitting back. "...I dunno. I'm sorry if I'm smothering you. I can take it slower."

"No! No, you don't have to, uh, slow down, I guess I'm just a little warm, what with the heat and all, you don't have to stop flirting with me, it reallymakesmefeelseenandIlikeitwhenyou'retouchyfeelyandstuff..." Ditzy trailed off.

She could think of one very specific way that Buck could make up for lost time, but she hadn't brought it up because she was worried that Buck was cagey because of the...work that Ditzy had caught the tail end of before, and she didn't want to be like Adagio who was constantly fondling and groping him, and they hadn't really had a ton of time to spend in the week because there was work and friends and Dinky and maybe Ditzy was sorta rusty since it had been a long, long while for her and what if she didn't compare to Adagio and...

"You okay, Ditzy?"

"Hm?"

"You kinda zoned out, there."

"Oh! Did I? Oh, no, I'm really mussin' up this pattern! Let me just..." Buck watched in amazement as Ditzy somehow reversed her stitching and undid a tangle of pink yarn.

"Man, Ditzy, you gotta teach me how to do that!" Buck said.

"Knitting scarves?"

"Well yeah, but I mean, like needlework in general. I'm always rippin' holes at the inseam of my pants--"

"Eh?" Ditzy blushed.

"By squatting and bendin' over and steppin' too far. And, you know that jacket I wore to the boardwalk got all kinds of tore up, so knowin' how to mend it would be pretty useful if shit's gonna keep comin' after me." The statement stole Ditzy's smile in an instant, but she didn't seem to slow down her knitting one bit.

"Well, if you want to use that jacket to practice, I'd be happy to teach you! Maybe next Tuesday morning?" Ditzy said.

"Are you asking me on a house date? To teach me how to fill holes?" Buck chuckled.

The oven started beeping, causing Ditzy to shoot up from where she was sitting. The popcorn bowl was an unfortunate casualty in the wake of this event, but it was ignored as Ditzy hurriedly went to the kitchen. The sweet, tangy smell of lemon and cranberries filled Buck's apartment as Ditzy removed her latest creation from the oven.

As Buck rose and reached for the hand vacuum, he looked over and saw Ditzy's red face from the side. Ah, so she was still bothered by innuendos. He reminded himself to cut down on that. He didn't want Ditzy to think he was horny all the time, even though that was true. If she was more cozy with light petting and taking things slow, Buck resolved to keep her comfortable. He owed her that much, at least. There was a creak as Ditzy opened her kitchen window.

Buck tried to pay attention to Ditzy's body language while he hunched over to clean up the popcorn. Her expression was crunched as she set the tray of muffins out on the counter by the window. She crossed her hands in front of her lap; something she always did when she was stressed. He was wrecking her afternoon.

"You know you can tell me to stop if I'm goin' too far, right?"

"Mhmm." Ditzy said, taking off her mittens. She wasn't looking at Buck, probably because he had embarrassed her.

"If you tell me to stop, I won't even touch you. I mean it." Buck said, standing at the mouth of the kitchen.

"I know, Buck." Ditzy said. "I guess I'm having trouble adjusting. It's been a long time since I was in a relationship, so it's a little, uh, overwhelming.

"Yeah, I can be." Buck said. Ditzy's glorious chest suddenly filled his downcast eyes. She had taken his hands.

"That's not what I mean! I mean, I really wanted you for a...a while, and now you're here and we're together and it's exciting!" Ditzy said.

"Yeah?"

"And kind of scary...I mean, people are gonna talk and we haven't even told Dinky yet, and I feel like I don't even know how to do this anymore!" Ditzy turned away sharply, presumably to check on the muffins, but she instead managed to pitch over mid spin. Buck caught her by the waist and back before she could hit the countertop. Ditzy's chest was heaving as Buck steadied her, but did not take his arms from around her.

"Sorry. I guess what I mean is, I'm worried that I'm not the kind of girl that you really like...I'm not like Adagio, you know? I just don't have that sorta energy that attracts you." Ditzy said, eyes falling down. Her hands, cupped in Buck's fell to her sides.

"You think I'm not attracted to you?" Buck said. Ditzy nodded, slowly. She shut her eyes on instinct. A dark part of her expected Buck to shout at her, but she heard him sigh instead.

((https://soundcloud.com/user-172575235/im-yours-buck-edition))

"Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it

I tried to be chill, but you're so hot that I melted

I fell right through the cracks

Now I'm trying to get back!"

Buck's voice approached Ditzy from a completely new angle. Buck was a baritone, so he tended to sing warm and low, but this song was coming out light and high and a bit scratchy. Ditzy peaked at the smile on his face, then began to smile herself under the fresh blush.

"Before the cool done run out

I'll be giving it my bestest

And nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention

I reckon it's again my turn

To win some or learn some,"

Buck's arm pulled Ditzy's waist up against him. She leaned back against him. This was...different. She had never been serenaded like this before, and a light tingle started to run through her skin.

"But I won't hesitate no more, no more

It cannot wait, I'm yours!"

And then he was pulling her to the middle of the kitchen. and he took her hand and twirled her around, and his breath was at her ear and her hips were swaying with his.

"Well, open up your mind an' see like me

Open up your plans and damn you're free!

Look into your heart and you'll find

love, love, love and love!"

Buck and Ditzy's hips dropped low on the downwards movement of the song. Ditzy smelled the cooling muffins, and felt the summer heat. She worried she might swoon if Buck let go of her. But she wouldn't let him. Her fingers stitched over his.

"Listen to the music of the moment,

people dance and sing!

We're just one big family,

And it's our godforsaken right to be

loved, loved, loved, loved, looooved!"

She would never let him go. She felt him poking her, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Sooo I won't hesitate

no more, no more!

It cannot wait, I'm sure!

There's no need to complicate

our time is short

this is our fate

I'm yours!"

For a moment, they just stood there. Ditzy's behind was flush against Buck's crotch, and Ditzy's breasts were laying heavily on top of Buck's arms around her. She was frozen in time, waiting. He would start kissing her neck, then biting. He would reach down and open her jeans. He would bend her over the counter and...or would he turn her around and tear her shirt open?

Buck's arms slipped away, then his hands grasped at Ditzy's shoulders. She could feel her knees shaking.

Just once, she had been woken up by the sound of Adagio moaning from the other side of her bedroom wall. It was a quiet, desperate series of quick gasps, right up against Buck's soft grunts. It was the heartbreaking sound of Buck dominating Adagio in the bedroom. Ditzy had hoped that night that Adagio would be gone by morning, but instead she had interrupted Ditzy's breakfast plans. Buck was rough and greedy with her. Ditzy wondered how greedy Buck would be now?

"Miss Ditzy Doo?" Buck said. Ditzy wondered if he would pull her hair, or spank her. His firm hands turned Ditzy around to face him. She was staring at the floor.

"Yeah, Buck...?" Ditzy squeaked. Buck's hands came around, and instead of scrambling at her shirt buttons, one of them cupped her chin, while the other stroked the side of her neck. She was expecting the dark and hungry look that Buck shared with Adagio, but instead, Ditzy's eyes came up to meet a look of deep, dreamy affection in Buck's.

"Can I kiss you?"

"Please?" Ditzy Doo whispered. Buck's lips were like warm pillows against hers. Ditzy's hands hovered uncertainly as Buck leaned in to pour more sugary affection into the kiss. It was impossibly tender and longing, Buck's lips pulling away and then coming back again and again, but Ditzy dared to lean forward, and was rewarded with Buck's tongue poking curiously into her mouth. Buck's grip slid to the small of her back while the other took her hand, while Ditzy whimpered and rolled her tongue around Buck's, silently begging for him to do more.

Buck pulled away then and gave Ditzy a little eskimo kiss.

"I love you, Ditzy Doo."

"And I love you too, Purple Prose..." Ditzy had said it easily and openly. The fact that it was the first time didn't even register. She had loved him for a thousand years. "Do you...wanna kiss me some more?" Ditzy whispered.

There was a loud buzz on the counter. Ditzy put her finger to Buck's lips, then picked the phone up and frowned.

"Aw, nuts!"

"What's wrong?"

"They other babysitter backed out on the weekend. I was trying to get Carrot Top to do it, but she hasn't been answering her phone!"

"Aw man, well, what days were you tryin' to clear?"

"Friday and Saturday."

"Oh, well I'm workin' early on Friday. If it's the afternoon, I could watch Dinky."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course! What're you gonna be busy with, if you don't mind me askin'?"

"Oh, I'm running a jewelry stall at the Renaissance Fair!" Ditzy smiled.

"Canterlot has a Ren Faire?"

"You haven't been!? I go every year! Oh, Buck, you'd love it there!"

"Well, uh, maybe I could meet you there and take Dinky with me! How's that sound?"

"Oh, well I was gonna have Carrot Top bring Dinky out there on Saturday, but if you wanna come down, that would be great. Dinky really loves the fair!"

"Yeah, count me in!" Said Scootaloo. She was currently halfway in the kitchen window, munching on a muffin that was now missing from the tray that Ditzy had set out.

"Scoots?"

"Oh, sorry, I should've asked before I took a muffin!" Scoots said. Buck and Ditzy looked at Scoots, then at each other, then back to Scoots. Buck's hands fell away from Ditzy.

"...Scoots, we're on the second floor. How are you doin' that?"

"Huh? Oh, like, barely. Can you open the screen door so I can come in?" Buck ran around the counter and out to the patio, where he saw Scoots standing on a hanging pipe under the kitchen window.

"Why'd you climb up here?" Buck said, squinting.

"Parkour!" Scoots leapt from her perch into Buck's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her inside.

"You crazy purple-haired drop bear!" Buck laughed. He hauled Scoots back into his apartment, then dropped her onto the couch when he saw Ditzy scowling. "What're you doin' here, Scoots?"

"I wanted to see if you were coming to game night! Without Adagio, we need to figure out what we're gonna do for O&O, you know?"

"Right, right. Well, I'm about ready to go. Hey, Ditzy, are the muffins cooled?" Buck said, then failed to catch a plastic bag filled with muffins. It bounced off his chest and flopped into Scoots' lap.

"Good to go, Buck!" Ditzy said.

"No, but seriously, can I come with you guys to the Ren Faire? I wanna do medieval stuff, like eating turkey legs and trying to not get the plague, or whatever!" Scoots said.

"I mean, sure! We can make a whole day out of it, we can get Sunburst along, and we can dress up, and take Dinky to all the cool stalls and stuff!"

"Yeah, bet!"

"Buck? I'm going to close my stall around 4ish on Friday. Would you maybe want to walk around and do Faire stuff with me after that?" Ditzy said, crossing her hands in front of her lap. "You know, just me and you?"

"Oh, well, I wouldn't wanna leave Dinky alone--"

"That's okay! I can watch her while you two go smooch!" Scoots hooked a thumb at her chest.

Buck saw a look of horror come screeching across Ditzy's face at the very idea.

"You and Sunburst can look after her together. Sound good?" Buck said. When Scoots nodded, Ditzy let out a sigh of relief. "It's settled, then. Well, I'll see you later, Muffin." Buck said, kissing Ditzy's cheek.

"Pfft, Muffin!? Are you seriously callin' her that, Buck!?"

"What? Ditzy's sweet, she's warm, she looks great no matter how she's dressed up, she smells nice and everything's better when she's around!" Buck said, counting on his fingers. "Like a muffin. Is that--is that nickname alright with you, Ditzy?"

Ditzy's blush had staged a bloody coup over her higher brain functions. In that moment, all she could do was nod rapidly with a big goofy smile on her face.

"Okay! Well, will I see you tonight? I'm gonna have Dinky over, 'cause she's been having trouble with her Lit homework, but I was gonna have her in bed by seven."

"I won't be off until nine..."

"Okay, well, I'm sleepin' in tomorrow, so if you want to hang out, you know, you're always welcome."

"I've gotta be up early tomorrow." Ditzy said, her smile lost somewhere.

"Alright. I'll see you latter, Muffin." Buck kissed Ditzy's hands and smiled, and then he was off.

Ditzy had never been serenaded like that before, and she'd never been held with such tender care. Buck was treating her like they were high school sweethearts going steady. Not once had he pinched her butt or even tried to touch her chest. He was being gentle and chaste instead of the "sex fiend" that Adagio said he was.

Ditzy crossed her arms under her chest and swayed the way that Buck had swayed her. Buck's eyes had been gentle and overflowing with a love that she had been staring into his back for what felt like ages. She loved it when he looked at her like that.

But she desperately wanted the hungry look that he always gave to Adagio.

Around the same time that Buck was singing to Ditzy Doo in his kitchen, Sunburst was bringing a cup of steaming coffee to Starlight. It was around three-ish, which meant she would start complaining about a caffeine headache in about 15 minutes if she didn't get her fix.
Starlight took the coffee without even looking up, but beckoned with her index finger, then kissed Sunburst on the cheek when he stooped down.

"You need rest." Sunburst said.

"I can rest when I'm dead. I need to figure out what we're going to do next." Starlight said.

At some point during the week, she had purchased a second cork board and set it up right next to the first. The old one featured what could easily be interpreted as a shipping grid of Buck's interpersonal relationships. The other had a shockingly good illustration of the powered up form of Chrysalis pinned over a map of the area around Canterlot, specifically in the Everfree Mountain Range.

"I need to work on something, since you told me to leave Buck alone instead of teaching him magic." Starlight said.

"Yes, and I was right. Buck may seem fine, but that's only because he's good at hiding his trauma, like someone else I know. He needs a break from magic and monsters and equestrian super villains."

"Hmph. With his magic, he's got a target painted on his back. The longer we leave him alone, the more danger he's in; didn't you say that? He needs to learn magic, otherwise he's a ticking time bomb. Either he gets too excited and blows himself up, or some other opportunist from a parallel dimension tries to take advantage of him. No offense, Sunburst, but I'm sick of dealing with him. I'm sick of looking at him on my wall, and I'm sick of thinking about him!"

"Are you sure you're not just guilty for what you said after the Boardwalk?"

"What, you mean the truth?" Starlight spat. Sunburst sighed and looked down at Starlight's notes. She appeared to be writing bullet point questions about changelings.

"We should both take a break, Starlight. We could take a week; go to the zoo, maybe, or we could go to that big cabin my Mom has up near Camp Everfree. Doesn't that sound nice? A little weekend getaway, just the two of us." Sunburst slid his arms around Starlight's shoulders and felt her relax just the slightest bit. "Maybe we could call the Pillars and have them send someone down to chase up Chrysalis. Don't you think you deserve a break?" Sunburst said. Starlight took a sip which gradually turned into a horrifying emptying of the steaming mug.

"No. Chrysalis came after Buck. She's our responsibility. He won't listen to me, so you need to be here when I try to teach him the first thing about magic. The Pillars are spread thin as it is; they just don't have the bodies to send down here. And to be honest, Sunburst...I need a win. I can't just let monsters run roughshod over our territory."

"Are you still talking about Adagio?"

"She's still a threat, even if she's being pacified by a bribe."

"You need to stop obsessing over her."

"It's only a matter of time before she comes after Buck again! Don't you get it, Sunburst? He's the closest thing we've got to an ace in the hole, and he's just sitting around, doing NOTHING while forces beyond his or anyone else's control are plotting to use him for who knows what!? Adagio is arguably worse than Chrysalis, because she can worm her way into his heart and pull on the strings! Chrysalis is just an old predator, but Adagio is, well, she's diabolical!"

"She's just after a meal."

"Then she's got you fooled too. You're smarter than this, Sunburst." Starlight said. She still wasn't looking at him, but she was starting to jitter in Sunbursts' arms.

"You need to rest."

"Evil doesn't rest."

"Just take a nap. One nap; that's all I'm asking, then you can get back to tearing your hair out about my best friend's dating life."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No, Starlight, I'm taking care of you. Will you let me?"

"If I nap, will you look into the Chrysalis thing? People have been disappearing in little isolated spots in the Everfree Forest, and it has to be Chrysalis. There's also been a few reports of people acting strangely in town.

"It's Canterlot. Everyone acts strangely in town."

"Not like that. I mean people no-call no-showing for work at a lot of businesses around the city. Some lady said her husband disappeared for days and then came home acting like nothing happened. And then there's reports of people acting vacant...sort of catatonic, and then suddenly snapping out of it."

"You think it's a changeling invasion? So soon?"

"Well, what else could it be?" Starlight said. Sunburst sighed and decided to humor her, hoping desperately that he could coax her into taking his bed if they made something like progress.

"It doesn't make sense for changelings. Think about it; we don't know exactly how long it took, but according to Harshwhinny's testimony, she was captured for a whole month before we found the nest. It took Chrysalis a month to stalk Buck and Adagio and then spring the trap. There were a lot of malformed eggs and changelings, but they couldn't have maintained a solid human form if they tried. And besides, the Everfree Mountain range is miles away; she couldn't possibly fly fast enough to get in and out of Canterlot, kidnap people and send changelings in their place, even if they had perfect disguises. It's only been a week!"

"Well, I'm not ruling her out. She was crafty enough to get away from me."

"How about you get some sleep, while I research possible creatures that could cause disappearances and odd behavior. Sound good?"

"...fine." Starlight let Sunburst bring her to his bed. She was already in pyjamas, which Sunburst noticed she had been wearing for a couple of days at this point. She was still wired from the coffee, so Sunburst held her and cuddled until she finally conked out.

Starlight was hiding something. He wasn't sure what, but she never got this jittery and this bullheaded unless she had done something wrong, and whatever it was must have been important.

"It's just a feeling. You need to trust Starlight. She's earned that much." Sunburst said, in the bathroom mirror.

With one pressing matter dealt with, Sunburst moved on to another. Buck and his mother would occasionally make fun, but Sunburst took the subject of grooming his facial hair with great seriousness. He snipped with his tiny, expensive scissors as if he were tending to an ancient bonsai, and was just starting to get into the flow of things when he stopped short.

He pinched at the goatee hairs he'd left in the sink, then raised them to his eyes.

There were a few strands of grey.

Maybe this was getting to be a bit too much for him as well.

Twenty minutes later, Buck and Scootaloo were sitting around Sunbursts' table.

"Where's Quibble?" Scoots said.

"Oh, he's not coming. I called him and told him the game's off until we sort things out."

"Oookay, why didn't you just call me then, Sunburst? I could've been chilling out with Ditzy!" Buck said.

"What we need to discuss is more important." Sunburst said, taking a seat.

"This is gonna to be a whole hell of a lot, isn't it?" Buck sighed.

"I'm afraid so, Buck." Sunburst said. His smile was apologetic as he patted Buck's shoulder. "I'm going to try and keep it simple, so you can get on with your day and mull it over. I invited Scoots, because even if I tell her not to listen, she'll just eavesdrop anyway."

"What!? No I wouldn't!"

"Scoots, you came in through my screen door today." Buck said.

"Okay, but I wasn't trying to listen in! That was a nice song you sang to Ditzy, by the way."

"Thanks."

"How are you and Ditzy, Buck? You guys hooked up right after everything that happened, right?"

"Yeah. Even though we haven't gotten to go on a date yet, it feels good, you know? Feels right, and she's...incredible, man. She's amazing."

"That's good to hear. Has Adagio tried to contact you at all?"

"No. I think she sent for Scoots to bring her some treats, but she hasn't tried to come at me, or anything."

"That's good. Buck, I've been trying to give you a break, because I can only imagine what you're going through right now." Sunburst watched as Buck slumped in his seat.

"I'm a monster, Sunburst. I don't remember a lot about Sunday, but I remember getting heated when Adagio showed up. Felt like I was having a nervous breakdown, like the kind of feelin' I used to get when I had night terrors as a kid. Like somethin' was in my head, trying to claw its way out. I...turned into somethin', didn't I?" Buck said.

"Not exactly. Starlight told me you were starting to turn when she knocked you out."

"Starlight was there?"

"You don't remember?"

"I was out for most of it."

"Right, well, Starlight and Ditzy Doo fought off the changeling queen; Chrysalis, and then the rest of us got in on it."

"Yeah, Scoots told me about the fight."

"Buck, I want you to know that I'm behind you on this. You're a special case, and we can only guess at what it means that you're generating magic. Magic is...a tricky business. It's not uniform, it has its own rules, many of which can only be guessed at, and no one totally understands how it works in this world. What's important right now is teaching you to get a hold on it, and then figure things out as we go. I've asked to get you some tools to suppress your magic, so at least there won't be any leakage."

"What do you mean you asked? Who did you ask?"

"And that's the other part. Me and Starlight are monster hunters."

"I got that part."

"We're specifically the monster hunters that have been designated to the general Everfree region. What that means is that Starlight and I identify magical threats and we deal with them. Usually that means banishing creatures or capturing them and sending them away, but sometimes it means killing them."

"...who do you work for?"

"The Pillars Organization; a non-profit company that has been working to contain Equestrian threats for countless generations. They were completely decommissioned until just recently, when they came under new management in the wake of the Rainbooms becoming sort of magical...celebrities."

"Ooh, mysterious! Do you guys get secret badges and stuff?" Scoots said.

"Not really. We're not government or anything like that. The company has connections in some very high places, and we exist to mop up things that can't be easily explained away. It's not nearly as much as you'd think; magical phenomenon was ridiculously rare until the Rainbooms. Some of them are even members!"

"Which ones?" Buck said.

"That's classified." Said Starlight, grumbling her way out of Sunbursts' room.

"The point is, Starlight and I get paid to protect Canterlot from magical threats. We've also made a habit of studying Equestrian magic in Starlight's case, and Lore and Magical Beasts in my case. We're trying to learn as much about Equestrian magic and the threats contained within so that we can keep Canterlot safe, and further our understanding. Humans don't normally possess Equestrian magic."

"But we can use it, with the right components and training. Or we could just be a magical unicorn that crossed over to cause trouble, like Sunset Shimmer. Or, I guess we could just be born magical like you, Buck." Starlight said. It was the same tone of voice that Buck used when he complained about money.

"We want to teach you. We want to give you just enough understanding to be able to defend yourself and an offer to join the Pillars if you want to. You could be a great help to us, and to the world. Just letting us study your magic in action could--"

"Okay, No. I'm not joining the men in black, Sunburst. I don't want to get paid to fight monsters; why the hell would anybody want to do that?" Buck said, cocking an eyebrow.

"So that they can save helpless people like you, Buck. The strong should defend the weak." Starlight said.

"I wanna join! I wanna fight monsters and do magic and stuff!" Scoots said.

"...I don't know, Scoots." Sunburst said.

"What? Why not?"

"There are two ways to get into The Pillars." Starlight said, yawning and holding up two fingers. "Either you display magical potential, or you are close with someone who can vouch for you. Buck is a shoe-in for a lot of reasons, the main one being that he's an arcane fire hose. You're, uhhh..."

"...Not needed. Got it." Scoots said, staring at the table.

"I can put in a good word for you, Scoots. I'd honestly feel better out in the wilds with you at my side. You did great on Saturday; I hope you know." Sunburst said, smiling. His hand on Scoots' shoulder seemed to cheer her up a bit, but the smile was bitter at best.

"But I will learn magic, 'cause I'm sick of bein' knocked around by magical weirdo freakazoids, and I don't want to transform into somethin' awful. I don't wanna be a liability that y'all have to rescue over and over again." Buck said.

"Finally, we're on the same page!" Starlight said.

"I don't remember askin' you a damn thing." Buck said, fixing Starlight with a glare.

"I thought you'd be grateful, considering the fact that I saved your life."

"You know what? That's fair. Lemme be more diplomatic. Thanks for protectin' me from that freaky bug bitch, Starlight." Buck said.

"You're welcome."

"But I need you to know that I don't like your damn attitude. You almost got me captured by that same freaky bug bitch."

"What!?"

"If you hadn't've dropped that fuckin' anvil on me on Saturday, then that--what's her name? Chryssi? She wouldn't have had the balls to come after me, because I'd be with Adagio. But because we were separated, we were both easy targets."

"You didn't need Adagio protecting you; the rest of us handled the situation fine." Starlight crossed her arms and stood her ground.

"Is that right? 'cause from what I heard, you wouldn't've been able to fight that thing at all if Adagio didn't body her first."

"None of this would have happened if you didn't get involved with a soul-sucking monster from another dimension!" Starlight exploded.

"STOP CALLING HER THAT!" Buck shouted.

"Buck...your eyes." Scoots said.

Buck's fists were shaking, and his eyes blinkered red before he caught his breath.

"What is your actual problem with Adagio, Starlight? Is it that she's got better hair than you? You can tell me." Buck deadpanned.

"My problem is that she's using you!"

"Isn't that what you're tryin' to do?" Buck said. Starlight balked as Buck's tense expression cooled into a dark and transactional calm. Scoots looked over and saw a pained look on Sunbursts' face.

"Buck, hang on a minute." Sunburst said.

"Naw, let's get all'a this out in the open. Starlight, you say that Adagio is just usin' me for my magic, but you're tryin' to do the same thing, yeah?"

"It's completely different!"

"Yeah, I guess so. Adagio needs magic to live, and you wanna use it to fight monsters. Either way, I'm just a battery."

"It's not like that, Buck." Sunburst said.

"Oh, it's not!? Then why does your girlfriend keep lookin' at me like I'm a hundred dollar bill on a string? Here's the deal, boys and girls. I'mma learn magic, but not for you, Starlight, and not for Adagio, but for me. Before anything else, it's for me; you got that? I've had about enough of bein' used, so this is gonna happen on my terms or not at fuckin' all, you understand?"

"...Understood. I guess I underestimated you, Buck. I was wrong to think that you were helpless." Starlight managed. It looked like a labor.

"I was caught off guard on Sunday. Can you blame me, with all the shit that was goin' down?"

"Not at all. It's easy to get overwhelmed when you're dealing with monsters and magic and relationship drama. But I remember Saturday; you handled yourself well." Sunburst said.

"I did my best. Wish I could'a had more of a positive impact." Buck shrugged.

"You made a call with the curry, and it didn't really work out. But you were thinking ahead on the problem, and that shows that you've got a good head for this, even if your ideas are...a bit out there." Starlight said.

"More importantly, you tried to deescalate things between Starlight and Adagio, and you kept everyone focused when we were at the aquarium. That shows leadership qualities!" Sunburst said.

"Eh, well, I used to defuse arguments between the Rainbooms all the time. And I work the counter at Sugar Cube Corner. Dealin' with ornery folks just comes with the territory. That's nothin' special." Buck said.

"It's a skill, Buck. Some people pay a lot of money to get degrees that say they can do that." Sunburst coughed.

"If you actually tried, you could really make a difference out there. That's what we're trying to say."

"And what if I don't wanna go risk my life, huh? I've got a stable job that I sorta tolerate, a woman that I love, and good friends. Why the hell should I need more than that?" Buck said.

"Buck, I know this is all scary, but if you wanted to sell sweets for the rest of your life, you wouldn't have gone to school for art. I know you want to be more than this. It's one of the reasons you're so depressed." Sunburst said it frankly, like he was reading a laundry list, and for a moment, both Scootaloo and Starlight thought that Buck was going to throw a punch.

"I'm a lover, not a fighter. Besides, my Mom would never forgive me if I got eaten by a Grue, or somethin'." Buck said, finally. Starlight threw her hands up.

"I give up. I give up! Sunburst, just teach him the basics of magic so we don't have to keep talking about this!" The door to Sunbursts' bedroom slammed as Starlight left the conversation.

"...so do you get paid, by, like how many monsters you bag, or what?" Scoots said.

"No, we're on a salary. Look, you guys, I should go take care of Starlight. She's been running herself ragged, and I've got to make sure she gets a proper rest. When do you want to start learning magic, Buck?" Sunburst said.

"Well, uh, I guess since my Tuesday nights're open now, we can start next week." Buck said.

"Me too! I wanna learn how to shoot lasers and fly and stuff!" Scoots said.

"Oh yeah, Sunburst, do you wanna come to the Ren Faire with us on Friday?"

"The faire is in town? Is it already that time of year?" Sunburst rose with sudden excitement, tossing papers off his desk until he unearthed a calendar. "Yes, I'll meet you there on Friday, absolutely! This is exactly what we need! I can get my old cloak and hat, and Starlight can just spend a day trinket hunting and participating in the games, and it'll be great! Haha, why am I yelling!?" Sunburst said. Buck smiled at Scoots, who covered her mouth and snickered.

"Alright, brother. If there's nothin' else, I'm gonna head out. Bring it in." Buck said, hugging Sunburst tight.

"See you tomorrow for groceries?" Sunburst said.

"You know it."

Time spent in rest is essential for all living creatures, but for an immortal like Adagio Dazzle, it was more like a vacation. Having long ago freed herself from the fear of missing out, Adagio had at times passed generations in peaceful sleep. She recalled spending a sizable chunk of the late 1700's living in a cottage in Austria, growing pears and teaching brave young girls from a nearby village how to poison their husbands when the time inevitably came. When Sonata and Aria had come to find her, she looked like a wizened spinster whose face was frozen in a smile.

"That was the life. How did I trade a life of pears and cunnilingus for this nonsense? Maybe I should get myself a little pear tree. Or a boat."

At current, Adagio was watching the sun set over Canterlot from the wide window of her suite. Her belly didn't rumble today, which was a nice change of pace.

For the first time this month, she was thinking clearly.

She was thinking so clearly that she was simultaneously furious and embarrassed over what she was about to do.

The way Buck had looked at her on Sunday night was unmistakable. He had seen her, and her presence alone was enough to drive him to blind fury.

He hated her, so much so that on sight he had lost control of his emotions. He was beginning to change into something that Adagio didn't recognize.

Not only had Adagio been found out by that cretin Starlight Glimmer, her very proximity to Buck had drawn the attention of the mad queen of the changelings. She was ruining his life, and most pressingly, Buck was likely unwilling to share even a morsel of his feelings for her.

Does he still care, or has he thrown himself at the feet of his vanilla housewife of a neighbor? Adagio hadn't checked, more out of fear than respect. And now she had to admit that even in her ancient wiles and wisdom, she had no idea how to proceed. Give her toothy maws and magical menaces any day; the true terror of this world was navigating the emotions of men.

It had always been so easy to move humans around on the board. All Adagio had to do was get a little taste of their emotion and it was like reading their minds. She could pluck and pull and play them as a harpist and get them dancing to whatever tune she desired. And yet Adagio felt a deep sour well puckering in her stomach as she realized that she simply didn't want to pull Buck on a string.

She wanted him to want her. She had gotten used to him, and now the absence of him in her diet made her feel malnourished. She had discovered a delicacy that could clear her skin and keep her young, and it had suddenly realized its worth and taken off running.

Adagio knew exactly one person to call on for matters like this, and that was the reason her back was to the phone on her kitchen counter. It was an archaism of a very recent age; a plastic see-through telephone with a dock, attached to the wall with a chord. It was an earnest gift; an attempt to keep Adagio current in an age of rapidly evolving technology, but it had been left in the dust with parachute pants and Adagio's precious halter neck crop tops.

Adagio only ever used the phone to to call one number, the number of the person that had given it to her.

After sighing, groaning, pacing for a while, drinking half a bottle of wine, screaming into a pillow and masturbating for nearly an hour, Adagio finally managed to exert the titanic feat of willpower required to pick up the phone and dial the number. If she was very lucky or very misfortunate, the line would be dead. She knew better than to expect that, of course.

"You've reached the office of Sonata Dusk, CEO of Red Pool Records! How may I direct this call?" Said a voice that was paradoxically both timid and magisterial.

"Directly to Sonata herself, if you wouldn't mind."

"Well...Miss Sonata is currently in a meeting. Could I take a message?"

"You certainly may not. Tell her that her sister is calling."

"Um, her sister? Which one, may I ask?"

"Does it matter?"

"It might? While we do have this number logged as an emergency contact, it's filed as "Bestie-Best Sister", and I frankly don't know which one that is."

"Just...! Tell Sonata that Adagio needs to speak with her. It's urgent; she'll understand."

"Please hold."

Adagio was made to suffer through the first twelve bars of an obnoxiously catchy Sapphire Shores tune before the phone clicked. She heard some hasty, apologetic whispers that suddenly cut off.

"Hiya sis!" Chirped an unmistakable voice.

"Hello, Sonata."

"It's been like a million years since you called!"

"It's only been a couple of months."

"Actually, it's been about six years." Said the voice of what Adagio assumed was Sonata's secretary.

"Shush! Well, what's goin' on, Dagi? I saw you on the news! You're famous again!" Sonata giggled.

"Yes, well, if I'm being perfectly honest, I've been having a rotten time."

"Oh no!"

"Which is why I'm calling you."

"Aww, Sis! I can be over in Canterlot in a day if you need me! We can go have a spa day and stay up late and watch soap operas, and I can make us some fruit punch and--"

"No, no, that's not what I mean. I'm sure you've got plenty of work on your hands what with you being...what did your secretary say you were, now?"

"She's my assistant, and I would be just lost without her, wouldn't I Coco?" Sonata's voice drifted a bit as she cooed, but then it returned just as quickly. "And I'm actually the CEO of a major record label now, Sis!"

"Oh? How did that happen?"

"Heehee! A girl has her ways!" Adagio was caught by a cold wave of nostalgic horror as she flashed through several of the ways that Sonata had used through the years to get what she wanted. It brought a genuine smile to her face.

"I see. Well, congratulations, Sonata. It's good to hear that you're doing well. I know its out of character for me, but I need...your advice." The statement hissed through Adagio's gritted teeth like a car with a burst tire being pushed uphill.

"...for realisies? Are you feeling sick?" Adagio could imagine Sonata's open eyed befuddlement.

"It's boy trouble, Sonata."

"Nooo! That big purple dummy on the boardwalk is actually your boyfriend!? I thought you were just being funny! Congrats, sis, I knew you could have fun if you put your mind to it!" Sonata cheered. Adagio slapped her forehead.

"It's not about fun, Sonata, it's about what he's hiding."

"Huh?"

"That man is packing a massive--"

"Dick?"

"--store of equestrian magic! He's a well of magical power, just waiting to be tapped, right at our fingertips! For some reason, his magic is tied directly to physical intimacy, so I've been--"

"Oh, sis, you haven't been getting jiggy with a human boy!?"

"I have been gradually cozying up to him and keeping him close, trying to figure out the nature of his powers and how exactly to make use of them."

"~I'm not hearing a nooo~"

"YES! Yes, I've been having sex with him, is that what you wanted to hear!?"

"Omigosh, sis! How long has it been!?"

"That's none of your business, Sonata." Adagio hissed.

"Well, is it good? He looks like a big dumb dumb, but I betcha he can last!"

"Don't make me come over there!"

"But I'd love it if you came to visit, sis! I can show you the studio and stuff!"

"Sonata, focus! Buck could be the break we've been looking for all this time! If we could learn to properly harness his magic, we could open a portal large and stable enough to go home!"

"Awww you even know his name! Buck and Dagi sittin' in a tree! P-H-U-K...uh...I-N-G!"

"That's not even close to how you spell that." Adagio said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It really doesn't matter, since he won't want to come within ten feet of me, now."

"Oof. What'd you do to him, sis? Something I would do?"

"Heavens, no! He just happens to have an annoying little nit of a watchdog who blew the whistle on my scheme."

"Why would they blow a whistle?" It was a testament to Adagio's will that she didn't stab the phone with a kitchen knife.

"The point is; Buck knows that I was using him to feed, and he now knows about the store of magic inside of him."

"Big oof!"

"I've been giving him some distance, but it's only a matter of time before he learns enough about magic to start gaining his own power. If I don't start influencing him again, he could become a major threat. I would much rather have him as a minion, but that seems off the table for now."

"So he knows you're a big meanie; so what? He's a boy. Just, I dunno, give him a shiny toy or pet him up a bunch!"

"He's not that vapid, Sonata. He's a sensitive man."

"Ooooh! I bet he gives you massages, doesn't he? The sweet ones are usually like that."

"...yes, he has, as a matter of fact."

"But he saw you for you, and now he's not so sweet, huh?"

"I wouldn't exactly put it like that."

"Well, sis, he's a boy, and boys're simple. You've been hanging around him, so you probably know what he likes. Even if you made him cry, or whatever, he'll go back to being a big, sweet dummy dumb if you just say you're sorry and, like, I dunno, suck his dick, or something!"

"I will not apologize, under any circumstances. And there's another wrinkle; his hovering cow of a neighbor very likely has him in her clutches right now. She bribes him with baked goods and...maid service, I think."

"Biggie-big oof!"

"She's a slow, cowardly thing, but she looks irritatingly cute in a skirt, and so Buck is attached to her by the hip, I'm sure."

"So why not just charm them, or whatevs?"

"You're thinking too short term, Sonata. I need to get close to him and spend more time studying his magic. I think I've only scratched the surface of what he can do."

"You mean in the bedroom?"

"Could you take this seriously for one second, Sonata?"

"Why do you even care? So what if he's got magic, we don't even have our amulets to take it!"

"Yes, but he could be convinced to open a portal for us, with enough time and grooming. Don't you see? This could be our ticket home! Finally!"

"...but what if I don't wanna go home, Adagio?"

"Excuse me!?"

"It's just...I've got a good thing going here!"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. You of all people should know by now how rotten this world is!"

"But it's not all bad, sis! Yeah, humans are stinky, but with a little work, I've done pretty good for myself! You could too if you would stop bumming around in Canterlot!"

"...you should watch what you say to me, little sister. Do I need to pay you a visit and remind you who the leader of the Dazzlings is?"

"Well...the Dazzlings broke up, sis." Sonata said. All the cheer had bled out of her voice. Adagio felt as a galleon that had run out of wind all at once, trapped in a sea gone horribly silent.

"I am on the cusp of a new power, possibly greater than any we've seen before. If I can harness it, there will be no reason left for Aria to rot in an oubliette or for you to do...whatever it is you do over there!"

"I sorta...find people that are good at singing, and then tell a bunch of people in suits that I'm going to spend money on them."

"The point is, if I can just get Buck wrapped around my finger again, we'll be one step closer to escaping this pitiful realm. If you want to be left behind, that's fine by me, but you could, at the very least, assist me in this endeavor that I've spent hundreds of years working toward!" Adagio said. It was a whisper that could have easily leapt up into a shriek at any moment. She took a breath and counted.

"Well, dagi. If you really want him that bad, you might have to level with him, at least a little bit."

"Level with him?"

"Yeah! Try to talk to him and work it out. He obviously has to like you, or you wouldn't be so gung ho about getting him back without using magic, or whatevs. So just...I dunno, try something unexpected! And if it doesn't work, he's still just a dumb boy. Kidnap him or something."

"Your advice is noted, Sonata. Thank you for picking up." Adagio sighed, defeated.

"Do you like him too, sis?"

"...He's very sweet. He reminds me of you, sometimes."

"Will you call me again and tell me how it goes?"

"...yes, Sonata, I will. Thank you. I think I needed a kick in the pants."

"What!? I wouldn't kick you! Uh, not on purpose, anyway!"

"Take care, Sonata."

Adagio hung up, and wondered if she had actually gained anything from the conversation. It was always hard to tell, with Sonata. Her eyes roamed over to her coffee table, where the bag of magically charged gems were sitting.

A bargain. When was the last time Adagio Dazzle had to bargain, or try this hard?

Far too long, perhaps.

"You know what I think, Scoots?"

"What's that?"

"I think Wednesday is the actual worst day of the week."

It was currently Wednesday, for the record, and it was around 4ish, which meant that Ditzy Doo had gone home and Mr. Cake was on kitchen duty, which mostly involved him looking after his own kids upstairs with the stairwell door open.

The ceiling fan in Sugar Cube corner had been fighting a wobbly but pointless battle with the encroaching summer heat, and as Buck stood on a ladder tightening the mounting bolts in the ceiling, he had begun to feel how he had before Adagio had come into his life. Vaguely exhausted and wondering if he'd be less bored as an electrician.

"No way! Monday's gotta be way worse!" Scoots said from where she was cleaning up the remains of the lunch rush.

"Hear me out, hear me out. I know Garfield's got everybody fooled, but people with normal sleeping schedules go into work refreshed on Monday. They're ready to wade through all the bullshit waiting for them at work. But Wednesday? Nobody has fun on Wednesday. You're tired from whatever happened to you on Monday and Tuesday, and you have no idea what's coming for you at the back half of the week. Nobody wants to talk about Wednesday, either. Only the weirdest people are out and about on Wednesday. Like, imagine if Iron Man's AI was named Wednesday instead of Friday. Everybody likes Friday! You power through your work shit and you rush into the weekend. You know what you get for getting through Wednesday?"

"What?"

"Fuckin' Thursday, Scoots. Thursday. If Friday is the grape in the fruit salad of the week, then Thursday is the honeydew." Buck said, squinting at a tape measure between the ceiling and the fan blades.

"Wait, then what's Wednesday?"

"Fuckin' cantaloupe, I guess." Buck said, descending the ladder.

"...Did you come to work high?"

"Naw, but that's a great idea. Talking to me when I'm high is like sitting between Douglas Adams and Weird Al Yankovic in an echo chamber."

"What?"

"S'like a parody of absurdity. You ever do edibles, Scoots?"

"Like, once. Brownies. Like, like a whole bunch. It took me days to get off the couch; I missed practice 'cause of that, and now brownies are my mortal enemy."

"Not pot?"

"Well, pot doesn't make you fat."

"I mean, I've never done CBD and didn't immediately get hungry."

"Huh."

"You wanna get fucked up on gummies and watch Paprika sometime?"

"What, like the spice?"

In response, Buck gasped like he was just given an extremely early Christmas gift.

*DING DONG*

A familiar woman with wide hips and bright orange curly hair strolled into Sugar Cube Corner, and to Buck's relief after scrambling behind the counter, it turned out to not be Adagio. At her side was a less familiar woman with light blue skin and hair that reminded Buck of toothpaste. At her other side she was carrying a kennel that contained a shivering cat.

Scootaloo was also shivering suddenly as she grabbed the ladder.

The first notes of "Tied Together With A Smile" dragged Buck into his personal food service purgatory as the couple approached the counter.

"Oh, I love this song! Eh, well, I used to, I guess." Said the blue and white haired woman.

"'bout the best review that Taylor Swift is gonna get in here. Hey, Carrot Top! Ditzy's been tryin' to call you about babysittin' Dinky!"

"Hm? I'm sorry, do I know you?" Said Carrot Top.

"Well, barely. It's Buck. I'm the guy that watches Dinky when you're not available? I'm datin' Ditzy Doo?" Buck said.

"Oh, you're friends! I'm Minuette!" The woman grabbed Buck's hand across the counter and treated him with both a firm handshake and a smile that was bright enough to hurt Buck's eyes. Her hands were like a dentists'; surprisingly cold.

"I dunno about all that."

"Oh, hey, you're the guy from the Boardwalk--"

"With the tentacles and the fire axe, yeah, that's me."

"Wait, weren't you dating that siren lady?"

"I was. Is there anything I can get for you guys?"

"Go ahead. It's my treat." Carrot Top droned.

"Thanks, sweetie." Minuette beamed and kissed Carrot Top on the cheek, then scanned the display case. "Is...hm...is there anything here that won't damage my teeth?"

"I think some of the cake pops are sugar free?" Scoots chimed in, having put the ladder away.

"Oh! I'll have two of those!" Minuette said.

"Oh, thanks for that. We can't freakin' give these things away!" Buck smiled and bagged up the treats.

"Aww...what a cute kitty! Does she do pets?" Scoots said. She was squatted down next to the kennel.

"Well, normally I'd say yes, but she's been pretty anxious lately." Carrot Top said. Scoots put her hand up to the bars, and the little calico purred. "Huh." Carrot Top let the cat out and picked her up, and she immediately began nuzzling against Scoots' outstretched finger.

"Seems fine to me!" Scoots said. She shuddered, then rubbed her arm.

"Hmm...well, that's odd. I was going to take her to a vet to get her looked at, but now she's all cuddly."

"We should go, anyway! Better safe than sorry, right?" Said Minuette. The cat hissed.

"You're right, we should get going." Said Carrot Top. "Besides, you've been worried sick over her. Once we know that she's fine, I'll get to see your pretty smile some more." Carrot Top said. Minuette blushed and nodded. She took Carrot Top's hand and headed for the door.

"Hey, wait! Carrot Top, are you gonna look after Dinky on the weekend or no?" Buck said.

"I don't think so. I'm planning a little trip up to the mountains with my girlfriend, and I wouldn't miss it for all the sweet little kids in the world." Said Carrot Top. The door jingled.

Buck stepped to the middle of the floor, scratching his head.

"Did that seem weird to you, Scoots?"

"What, all the mushy stuff? They're like you and Ditzy, but with less singing!" Scoots said, elbowing Buck.

"Well, there might be singing. I think I recognized Minuette from karaoke at Donut Joes'."

"Oh yeah, you took Adagio there! Wasn't that a Wednesday?" Scoots said, walking back over to the counter.

"...why do you remember that?" Just as Buck followed Scoots around the counter, there was a calamitous crash right behind him. The ceiling fan, which he had just finished de-wobbling decided to punch its card early, and also attempt to punch a hole in the floor.

"God fucking damn it, why is it always ceiling fans!?" Buck shouted.

One insurance claim, one lengthy clean up process and one sunset later, Buck was sitting on the floor in front of his coffee table with Dinky Doo next to him. Before them was a very thin book with a picture of a young, preppy lad in a blazer, looking excitedly at a bunch of paper clippings falling from the sky. The title said; "The Boy Who Loved Words."

((https://soundcloud.com/user-172575235/the-boy-who-loved-words-excerpt))

"There are, in this world, people who are born collectors. Some collect shells or stones. Others, feathers. Some have even been known to collect tiny teaspoons. Selig was a collector of words. Selig loved everything about words—the sound of them in his ears (tintinnabulating!), the taste of them on his tongue (tantalizing!), the thought of them when they percolated in his brain (stirring!), and, most especially, the feel of them when they moved his heart (Mama!)." Buck read.

There was an open notebook next to Dinky, with a column of words under the designation 'Vocabulary Words'. Dinky put in a great deal of effort to write the word 'stirring'.

"Whenever Selig heard a word he liked, he’d shout it loud, jot it down on a slip of paper, then stuff it into his pocket to save. Such a collector! Selig’s pockets positively brimmed with words. He stuffed new ones inside his shirt, down his socks, up his sleeves, under his cap. "

"Woooow!" Dinky said. "Words can go in your pockets!?"

"Yeah, I like to keep some choice words in my back pocket. Honestly, this story kinda sounds like my biography." Buck said.

"Whassa bye-bography?"

"A biography is...it's like a book that someone writes about your life. You know how you go on wacky adventures in Center Park with your Mom and Me, and we find shiny rocks and stuff?"

"Yeah! That's super fun!"

"Well, imagine if someone wrote a story about all the times you did that, and the kind of stuff you learn in school!"

"That sounds sorta spooky. How...how do they know all that stuff, Buck?"

"That's why they call them ghoooost writers, oooooo~!" Buck said, wiggling his fingers.

"...huh?"

"Nevermind. Didja pick the vocab words you wanna look up from the story?"

"Yep!" Dinky held up the paper, which had something like thirteen words on it.

"Oh, uh, you only need three, I think, Dinky."

"But I like a buncha those words!"

"Okay, fair. Here, let me...let me help you spell these."

"Okay, Buck!" Dinky said, as Buck lifted the pencil.

The door clicked open, and Ditzy Doo walked in. Her hair was in a state of general disarray, she had a pair of flat nose pliers in one hand, and the other hand was behind her back.

"There's my little angel!" Ditzy said.

"Mama!" Dinky was in Ditzy's free arm within seconds. "Mama, mama, did you know that there's um, there's writers that're ghosts!?"

"Oh? Is that so?" Ditzy said, smirking at Buck.

"Uh huh, uh huh! And, and you can keep words in your pockets!"

"I see! Has Buck been giving you enough words to fill your pockets, sweetie?"

"Yeah!"

"And no swears, or big sass, I hope?" Ditzy said, waddling over to the couch.

"What's a sass?"

"Sass is like the sort of things I say when I miss my nap." Buck said. "Or the sorta thing you'll probably say when you're...I dunno, somewhere in the nine to twelve range. Swears're advanced, prolly thirteen is when you'll start usin' those."

"Oh! I wanna be advance! Can I swear, mama?" Dinky said. Buck sucked in his lips and tried not to smile.

"When you're older. A lot older!" Ditzy said, frowning at Buck. "Guess what, Dinky? Mama finished your helmet!" From behind her back, Ditzy revealed a delightfully accurate yak's horned helmet made of...Buck guessed like cardboard and foam and some shockingly good acrylic paint.

"YAAAY! YAKS SMASH!" Dinky slapped the helmet onto her head and immediately barreled into the nearest object, which coincidentally was Buck, who had gotten up to greet her mother. In a brief calculation, it was decided that Dinky would hit Buck in the stomach with a headbutt and he'd have to tighten his abs and absorb the blow, but Buck seemed to forget that he was bad at math.

"Nice shot, Dinky..." Buck wheezed, holding his crotch.

"Dinky! That's a very mean thing to do! You hurt Buck! What do we say?"

"I thought you said you liked foot ball!" Dinky cheered.

"Hhhhehehh, good one...." Buck said.

"No! Dinky, we say 'I'm sorry, that was a mistake, are you okay?" Ditzy Doo said, removing the helmet.

"I'm okay, mama!" Dinky said. Ditzy put her hands on her hips. "Oh, um, Buck, are you okay?"

"s'alright, Dinky. I wasn't usin' 'em." Buck said, recovering at a speed that he found distantly alarming.

"I'm really sorry..." Dinky looked like she was about to break into tears any second. Buck remembered a story from a couple of weeks ago that involved Dinky kicking another kid in the shin for saying girls couldn't play soccer, and that melted his heart. Something far off in his head ached and screamed that he needed to make a difference, and so he summoned up as much courage as he could.

"I'm okay, Dinky, I'm okay." Buck said, patting her head. He looked up gravely. "Ditzy...is it alright if I teach her something, right here?"

"...yes, Buck. You can." Ditzy's smile promised exactly one chance after that joke Dinky made, which she probably didn't think up herself. Buck kneeled down in front of Dinky and smiled.

"Dink, it's okay to make mistakes, as long as you admit you did something wrong and try not to do it again. Mistakes aren't something to get mad about, they're something to learn from. We gotta make mistakes to grow; that's just the way people are."

"Even you, Buck?"

"Especially me! Remember how I almost burned the spaghetti and meatballs earlier?"

"No, I was doin' a crayon drawling!"

"Okay, well, the point is; sometimes you make mistakes, and sometimes people get hurt. Do you know what you do when that happens?"

"Whassat?"

"You figure out how to fix it. Even if you can't, the most important thing is that you try. That's the difference between bein' nice and bein' a big meanie. So the next time somethin' like this happens, what'll you do, Dink?"

"I...say sorry, an'...I figger out out how to fix it."

"And if you can't?"

"I try anyways!"

"Atta girl." Buck said. "You wanna hug?" By the time Buck got his arms halfway open, Dinky was squeezing him. Buck fought his tears to smile at Ditzy whose face was something like what Buck made when he looked up at the night sky. He had surprised her. He decided that he'd really like to keep surprising her like this. Maybe he had something to offer her after all.

It was then that Dinky Doo yawned, and after walking her through the back end of her literature homework, Ditzy lifted her up in her arms.

"Do you want to hang out for a little bit after you put Dink to bed? I've...I've got some ice cream in the freezer." Buck tried. Ditzy Doo bit her lip and nodded.

"I'll be right back." She said.

And it would have been a wonderful curtain down for the night if it had ended there, with Buck going through the day with only a single thing shattered on the floor and a set of sore balls, but in the week and a half of peace he'd experienced, he'd forgotten something very simple. Things had never and would never be that neat and tidy in his life.

There was an urgent knock at the door, and as Buck opened it, his smile flipped over to reveal an exhaustion he'd almost forgotten. The most gorgeous woman in the world was standing on the other side. He didn't remember much of Sunday, but he could recall the changeling coming to him just like this but with tears in her eyes, all contrite.

Adagio instead looked like someone who had been waiting for the DMV to open. Her arms were crossed, and her hip was cocked, but her magenta eyes were gentle and cautious as she stared up at Buck.

"Good evening, Buck. Can I come in?" Everything in Buck tensed. He stepped into the hallway and closed his door.

"No, Adagio, I don't think that's a good idea."

"...that's fine. We can speak out here, in this dingy hallway, if that's what you prefer."

"It is."

"Are you doing well, Buck? It's been a little while...I wanted to make sure you had space to recover."

"I'm good, Adagio. Real good, honestly." There was another half to that sentiment that the both of them tried to ignore.

"I'm glad to hear it. Buck...I came by tonight because I wanted to explain things to you."

"Are you sure it's not because you're thirsty?" Buck said. Adagio smiled and reached to paw at Buck's chest.

"Oh, I'm always thirsty for you, Buck~."

Buck took a measured step back.

"That wasn't an invitation."

"...yes, well. I thought about why you stormed off after the Boardwalk."

"I ran off because I found out the only thing you want me for is my magic, Adagio. Because I'm apparently a god damned geyser of freaky pony juice, and that's what you want."

"I'm not going to apologize."

"I don't expect one from you. I know better." Buck studied Adagio's expression. It didn't flinch, but her frown deepened just the slightest bit. "I have something you want, so you were using me. I get it. You don't have to explain anything." Buck said. His heart was starting to beat fast in his chest. He thought that getting to rest would ease this pain, but he was wrong as usual.

"Buck, please, I know this is hard, but just let me finish. I'm not going to apologize for drinking you. You heard my story and you know exactly what I am. I came to apologize for deceiving you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about your nature. I'm sorry that you feel I...no. I'm sorry for manipulating you. Because you're a human, I didn't treat you with respect, and I see now how hurtful that was."

"...okay. It's very big of you to come down and say you're sorry."

"That's not the whole reason I'm here, Buck."

"Of course." Buck crossed his arms.

"Buck, you're...not like anything else in this plane."

"I'm just another guy, Adagio. Most dudes are."

"No, Buck, I've spent enough time around you to know that's just a lie you tell yourself. You are exceptional, Buck."

"I'm not giving you my magic, Adagio."

"You're no fool. I know that by now."

"That's high praise, comin' from you. When did'ja decide to stop treatin' me like I'm stupid?"

"I never said you were stupid, Buck."

"You called me an idiot for datin' you, Adagio."

"I was angry, then."

"Yeah, I have that effect on people. Just ask Glimglam."

"Buck, I'm offering you a partnership. The two of us are more compatible than you know." Adagio said. Buck felt a slight pain in the back of his head, but he didn't know why.

"Oh? Sounds like a trade up from just being your lunch."

"Just listen to me! Please." Adagio stepped forward. Buck stepped back. Her eye twitched. "You are not like the other dullards in this town. You are caring and cultured and deeply, fundamentally passionate. You've been buried under layers of grief that I've only just barely scratched at, but I can help you! Think about what I can give you, Buck! An immortal life span's worth of plunder, enough to lift you out of this pit of raising rents and scurrying roaches, enough to place you in a higher station! I could provide you a tutor for whatever skill you want to perfect! I could...I could make it so that your writings could circle the globe in a day!"

"Are you being serious?" Buck said. Adagio's eyes began to call to him, but he had seen magic, and this wasn't a spell. Those magenta whirlpools tugged at his collar, just as Adagio stepped forward.

"Do you think I was lying when I told you I could give you the world? Think, Buck! We could leave this place; you could escape from your dead end job and vacation anywhere in the world for as long as you need! You could taste cuisine from anywhere, take lovers of any size or shape or creed! And the magic, Buck, think of the magic! With your power, we could fuel spells never dreamed of before! You and I, together, Buck. We could change everything, and you could finally have the happiness you've been denying to yourself." Her hands were on his cheeks.

This close, Buck could just make out that Adagio hadn't done her makeup before coming over. There were thin, salty tear stains on her cheeks.

"Adagio, have you been cryin' over me?" The question made his head hurt more than his heart.

"Don't you still want me, Buck?" Adagio whimpered. Her mask of pride had vanished, and Buck at last saw the longing, vulnerable beauty that had been peeking at him every time he and Adagio were alone.

Buck's hands were shaking again.

He wanted to reach up and wipe the fresh tear that was forming in her eye. He wanted to pull her close and kiss her until the end of time. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, that he forgave her, that they could try again, really they could. But then he grabbed her shoulder and stepped back to arm's length.

The door creaked open behind him, and a hand slipped into his.

Adagio's eyes filled with seething hatred as Ditzy Doo stood next to Buck. Buck remembered where he was, and what he had, and suddenly, the world that had begun to tilt like a carnival ride came to rest.

"So really, you came here to bargain. To cut a deal." Buck said. His free hand came up to rub at his aching temple. "You want me to sell myself to you, and in exchange you'll give me--"

"Anything. Everything!" Adagio said. "You don't have to stay in this miserable life, Buck! You can have a home!"

"...I've got a home, Adagio. It's wherever she is." Buck said, and the little smile he gave to Ditzy was enough for her to lean over and boldly kiss him, right in front of Adagio.

Buck watched as the honest Adagio that he wanted so desperately retreated and a scowl that could stare down a dragon rose to replace it.

"You're settling for this? She's just a human." Adagio hissed.

"So am I." Buck said. Adagio's hate wavered under the pain in Buck's eyes. "She loves me back." Buck said, simply.

Adagio thought she might explode, then. She wanted to scream in his face some very simple, impossible words, but the chains of her pride and her past dragged the sentiment down beneath the waves.

"Buck, think about what you're giving up, and for what? A pair of doe eyes and a half-decent stew? A pair of boulders in a sling under a collared dress?" Adagio saw Ditzy Doo squeeze Buck's hand. The hand that had touched Adagio's cheek and pet her hair and held her waist and made her climax.

"Forget it, Adagio. I'm not helping you take over the world, or whatever. You want to know why I've been doin' well since you last saw me?"

"Buck, stop. You need me. You know that you need me." Adagio remembered the revolutions. She remembered guillotines and cold cells and cannons. The familiar heartache of war clutched at her chest.

"I've been doin' well...because I haven't been seein' you." Buck said. Adagio's world shattered all over again. "If you're gonna keep tryin' to solicit me, I don't wanna see you around here. Goodnight, Adagio."

Buck turned to step into Ditzy's apartment. Adagio shut her eyes and lost count. After screaming internally for a thousand moons and one moment, she straightened her back and turned toward the stairs.

As Adagio approached her car, she passed by an insect on the wall of the apartment. He had blonde hair and red skin and a dirty smattering of freckles on his face. He was smoking and writing something in a notebook, which he hastily pocketed as she walked by.

"Hey baby, you lookin' for a good night?" Said the reprobate. Adagio looked up, and saw past the murder in her eyes. She somewhat recognized the human scum as one that liked to bark at Buck and his wall-eyed wretch as they passed him in the hall.

Adagio made a motion to tear her hair out, then caught herself and finally felt the cold grip of old habits tighten comfortably around her. She sat in her car, then rolled down the window. It was almost a smile.

"Get in." Adagio said.

Ditzy Doo checked the hallway one more time, Buck right behind her. Her heart was starting to calm down.

"...I think she's gone. That was really, really brave, Buck." Ditzy said. She locked the door and tugged Buck along to her bedroom where Dinky was snoozing.

There was just enough room for the three of them to lay together. There always had been.

"Come on...it's been a long day." Ditzy said. Buck wordlessly laid down next to Dinky, while Ditzy took the other side. When her head hit the pillow, she finally noticed that Buck's face was streaming with tears.

"Oh...oh, Buck...I know. I know..." Ditzy soothed. Buck was making a face that she had seen in the mirror; one of regret, confusion and tragedy. Ditzy stroked his cheek tenderly. Her other eye watched as Dinky rolled over and pressed her face into Buck's chest. Beneath Buck's broken expression, a shaky smile formed.

"She loves you, Buck. She told me, but she's scared to say it. Sound familiar?" Ditzy smiled, and in the quiet comfort of her bed, she kissed Buck's tears away.

"I love you, Ditzy Doo."

"I love you too, Purple Prose."

Buck couldn't know if he had made the right choice. There was a deep and painful longing in him, still, a torch that Adagio had lit and left to scorch him from the inside, but here in his arms was a comfort he had never imagined before, and a warmth the had been wanting him for ages. It would be a while before he nodded off, and in that time, he tortured himself over what he could have said or done differently, but every time he began to mutter, Ditzy Doo kissed his forehead, or the tip of his nose, or his lips.

Eventually, sleep took him, and Buck found a brief peace.

One dream had died, it seemed, but another was beginning.

The next evening, a small package arrived by monorail to a building covered by a hood of undulating colored glass. As a courier carried the package off the train, it passed under a sign that said MoPop; Museum of Pop Culture, then a pillar made of guitars, and finally the threshold of an unmarked door that had three different locks. The package came to rest on a fancy desk that lay beyond a staggering variety of security fixtures and waited.

After a few hours, a pale grey hand opened it. Atop the box was an address with the name and ZIP of Canterlot. Inside was a bag filled with gems, and a note.

In delightfully snide, curly calligraphy, the note read;

"Dear Pillars Organization

Absolutely Not.

Love, Adagio Dazzle XOXO"

Author's Note

Song Review: Kiss is a declaration by Prince that all a woman needs to be his girl is to share their time with him and give him a little sugar. Buck is the same way, and that simple sentiment sets the stage for a new romance. When you find new love, it can often feel pure and uncomplicated. We long for the bliss that comes with it, forgetting that human beings are complicated, and their relationships doubly so. I think Kiss is about wanting that simple love.