Mistress (Adagio's Big Comeback)

You're sat on the opposite end of couch from Sunset while Adagio brews some crappy coffee. You can't look at her, and she can't look at you. The tension between the two of you has more mass than the goddamn sun.

Again, that annoying little logical side pleads at you to do something to resolve the issue, but there's too much pain owed.

“Small world, huh?” Adagio says and hands you both a coffee. She's acting so weird and chipper, but you know it's a front.

“Thanks,” Sunset says, sips it, takes a deep breath, then finally looks you in the eyes. “Radian, I know you don't want to speak to me, but when I bumped into Adagio, we got to talking and she wanted to patch things up. We... have a history too, and when she said she'd turned a corner, I honestly wanted to let bygones be bygones. When she said she'd found someone in her life, I had to come see. I didn't meant to interrupt your life again.”

You can't answer. If you do, you're not sure what will come out. You just stare.

Sunset turns towards Adagio as she pours herself a cup of coffee. “Maybe I should go?”

Adagio turns, full of sunshine and smiles, and says, “please, Sunset, I want to prove to you how I've changed.”

Sunset flicks her gaze towards you, then to Adagio as she rounds the couch and sits between the two of you. “You're in a relationship, Adagio, that alone tells me you've changed... but if we,” she says and gestures between you and her, “can come to some understanding, that would be even better. Just how much do you know about me and Radian's history?”

“It hasn't come up, Adagio lies, “we only met a little while ago, but we really hit it off. He said something about not getting on in school, but my Ray of Sunshine said it wasn't-”

Sunset gags on her coffee. “Ray of sunshine?”

Adagio giggles. “Sorry, pet names. I'm his Addy, and he's my Ray of sunshine!”

Sunset snorts and can't help but laugh a little.

“What's so funny?” Adagio tilts her head.

“It's nothing,” Sunset says stifling any further laughing and calms herself, then whispers, “pet names, huh? Small worlds, alright.”

You and Adagio share a confused look, then she focuses on Sunset again. “But yes, we've really hit it off since then. I wasn't in a great place for a while, and Ray found me drunk in a bar and recognised me from the Dazzlings. He took me home and looked after me. And before you make any judgements, he's been the perfect gentleman! When I found out he was recently made homeless, I offered him my place to stay and it just kind of came together from there.”

Sunset gives a really big smile. “That's great to hear, Adagio! After your, uh, issues with most people and all, this is a really big step. I'm so happy for you.”

“Oh, I've had time to come to terms with my place here, even if it meant having to break up with my sisters. It's not been easy going overall, and we are a little strapped for cash right now, but my Ray is building that machine,” she says and points at the bigger device, “that can make clean energy, and it's going to make us a fortune! The rent's due soon, but I'm confident he'll pull through.”

Sunset looks at the machine, then frowns. “Look, Adagio. I'm sure he's going to come through for you. We didn't interact much, not in a friendly way at any rate, but I know he's smart. All the same, it's amazing to see you happy, Dagi, especially after how angry you used to be at your situation. Plus, I kind of owe Radian for all the misery I put him through in school. I don't have a ton of cash, but I'm sure I could help with your bills or something if you'd like.”

Adagio sips her coffee, but pauses. She turns away from Sunset just a little as her expression flickers; a deep, dark smile that lasts for a split second before it returns to the bubbly, friendly persona she's been playing. “Well... there is something. You see, Ray's machine gets its power from wild, untapped Equestrian magic.”

Sunset gasps and you wince; the hell is Adagio doing?!

“Wait, hold on a second,” Sunset says and waves her hands, “I know we went to the same school but does he know about...” she fidgets and purses her lips. “...you know? The incidents?'”

Adagio pats Sunset's knee. “You don't need to dance around the issue. I've told him all about us Equestria girls.”

“Really?” Sunset peers around Adagio, behind her thick hair at you.

“Unicorns, sirens and all sorts. Sure,” you answer, flatly. You don't want to give her an inch, but you remember Adagio's instructions to go along with her plan.

“And you can just... use it? How?”

Adagio says, “maybe a demonstration's in order, Ray?”

You shrug and head to the machine, switch it on and open the energy conversion programs and stand aside to show Sunset the screen. It's currently generating enough power to run the apartment block twice over, but it's releasing it back out unchanged from the emitter since you lack a battery that could contain that much power.

Sunset's eyes grow wide as you show her the live feed, and she exclaims, “this is huge! How are you able to just harness magic like that? I've tried studying how magic works, even both Twilight's have, and it's only understandable to a certain degree. Certainly not enough to just control it on a whim.”

Adagio lounges back on the couch and gives you a wink. “Did I mention I like smart men? My Ray of sunshine's a genius. In fact, I'm sure he'll happy to share his findings with you as a sign of good faith.” She glances at you. “Right, Ray? You'd bury this old feud for me, wouldn't you? So we can live our best lives?”

Your brow twitches... you try your hardest, but all you can manage is to say, “I guess?”

Adagio grimaces but maintains her smile.

Sunset fiddles with her long, fiery hair and it's obvious she isn't buying your lacklustre sincerity, yet still says, “I'd like that. But what do you need from me?”

Adagio leans forward and calmly says, “we want to visit Equestria.”

“What!?” Both you and Sunset say in unison.

“See, as much as Ray has helped me through a rough patch, I'm still not especially happy here. I'd like to see my home, even if just once more. Not to mention Ray was saying he'd love to see the other world as well, ever since we talked about it, since it might give him an idea about perfecting his device. If he could scan the portal directly, that would help both of us a great deal.”

“Adagio, you realise what you're asking, right?” Sunset says and folds her arms. “I can't send a siren back into Equestria.”

“You don't need to worry about that,” Adagio says and bridges her fingers together. “Because of the destruction of my necklace, it would seem I'm not only unable to use Equestrian magic myself, but the world itself has seen fit to turn me into an earth pony. It's like I said back at the Starswirled festival, I made a mistake and it cost me my magic, and I had no idea how right I was.”

Sunset folds her arms. “You don't honestly expect me to believe that, right?”

“Tell her, Ray. About the signatures.” Adagio says with a nod.

You guess you might as well make good on your promise. “Ever since discovering about the species of Equestria and their relevant reflections either side of the portal, I've been scanning people to help guide my experiments in harnessing magic. It turns out each person, and their correlating species type, have a differing energy resonance. For example, you're a unicorn over there, right?”

Sunset hesitates, then nods.

“So am I, if the data is to be believed, because we resonate the same energy. Adagio here now resonates the same as an earth pony.”

Adagio adds, “so you see, I won't represent a threat. Not against you, not Twilight... I'm a non-issue.”

“I'll need proof. I can read thoughts. If you'll let me read yours, that'll go a long way to convincing me this is even remotely a good idea.”

Adagio's facade finally breaks, and she turns serious. “I'll tell you what. This is a lot to process already. You probably don't even know if Twilight, or Celestia or whoever's in charge will be alright with this. Let's take a rain-check on this for today. I'll have Ray get his notes together about the Equestrian magic flow, the energy types for people to ponies over there, and I'll also talk with him about forgiving you. How about you come over tomorrow afternoon, and we'll have a big meeting and discuss all of this, and you can read Ray's thoughts to confirm everything, okay?”

Sunset looks back and forth between the two of you, then she thumbs her chin and looks out the window for a few moments. “Okay, deal. I'll contact Princess Twilight. I'll also need to contact Princess Cadance too.”

Adagio raises an eyebrow and says, “a lot of princesses over there these days, huh? Celestia and Luna I knew, then of course Twilight's a new one... I've never heard of this Cadence.”

Sunset chuckles. “Yeah, they seem to be multiplying. Anyway, the receiving portal is currently undergoing repairs in the Crystal Empire, and-”

“The Crystal Empire?” Adagio's demeanour breaks further and she gasps. She leans forward, mouth agape. “It's back?”

“What do you know about it?” Sunset gives Adagio a suspicious glance.

“I used to ask about the goings on across Equestria when I was a siren,” Adagio says and shrugs. “Ponies that were under our spell would tell us all sorts of things, and we'd use them to figure out easier targets. The news that the Empire had fallen was somewhat recent when we were around. Some king made it vanish.”

Sunset's eyes go wide. “That was a long time ago. I knew you had been banished by Starswirl the Bearded, but it's easy to forget you three really are ancient.”

Adagio's already broken facade reverts into full, regular anger. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry,” Sunset smirks and waves her hand, “that's not what I meant. Look, we're getting off track here Anyway, Princess Cadence's in charge of the Crystal Empire, along with her husband Shining Armor, so if anyone's going to need to be informed about any potential visits, it will be both of them.”

“If that's what it takes, then so be it,” Adagio says.

Sunset sighs and thinks for a while. “Look, if you're telling the truth? And you want to become a better person? I'm game. You have no idea how happy it would make me to see you as a friend. I'm sure even Twilight would agree, so I'll message her as soon as I get home.”

“That's all I ask. Thank you!” Adagio says, recovers her peppy smile and stands. “More than anything, I'm just glad we've have a chance to settle our grievances, and I'm sure once we have a heart to heart, you and Ray will get on as well. I hope, no matter what happens, even if Twilight refuses, we can be friends. I've... been alone for a while. It's time I started making some changes to how I live my life.”

Adagio sends Sunset on her way after a brief hug, and heads over to the window. She's unreadable as you walk over to join her. She shudders and finally says, “ugh, I can't stand being nice to her.”

You say, “if I'd known you wanted me to kiss her ass, I could have prepared.”

“It's fine. Like I said, there's a lot of improvisation going on and we needed to buy time anyway. Did you discover anything about my necklace?”

You hand it back to her, and she puts it around her neck. “Nothing great. It still responds to what I would call discordant energy when applied a cycle between the three main energy types and their anti-types, but it's a faint spark of nothing. It certainly can't convert any power, nor store anything.”

Adagio nods, but says nothing, yet you can see a little grin form for a moment as her eyes scan outside. Not long after, you both see Sunset leave the apartment building and she walks down the street and out of view.

Adagio giggles, and you raise your eyebrow at her. Then she chuckles, and it turns into a full on hysterical laugh. You fear for her sanity for a moment, then she calms down a little and says, “Ray, do you believe in fate?”

“As a scientist? No.”

“I do. Every failure that has been directed at me, I have endured, and now it feels like I'm getting some payback. Sometimes things just... fall into place, you know?”

Most of that conversation with Sunset was a bit inconclusive. But one part stood out. “Are we talking about this Crystal Empire thing? You really got caught out by that. Sounds like we're going to be dealing with the alternative, pony versions of preppy douche-bag Shining Armor and Principal Cadance from the Crystal Academy.”

She smirks at you. “Very observant. Too bad my orders are still in effect. I want you to write up your notes for Sunset, and I want you to put on your best ass-kissing face when she arrives tomorrow. I want her to feel like you'd be willing to worship the ground she walks on.”

“I'll write the notes, but you know what? Sunset's the one thing I won't move on. Fuck her.”

Adagio gives you a long stare. “Really? All the things I know I could make you do for me, and this is the one thing on which you refuse to budge?”

You pull a page from Adagio's book and walk away from the window. “We're not having this conversation.”

“Ray...” She's genuinely shocked, and usually you'd be regretful, or a little amused you've managed to dumbfound her, but no. You need a distraction.

You just busy yourself writing a concise summary of your research and Adagio leaves you alone. She keeps her shrink topped off as you hear Battle repeat a couple of times, and you'd normally be proud of her using your emitter to scan herself, but you're not in any sort of victorious mood. She even serves you lunch and dinner as you finish your notes and work on the main device again.

Then, out of the blue, she sits next to you, and hands you a glass.

You sniff it and cough; it's borderline lethal with alcohol. “What's the occasion?”

“Well, it's a siren's sorrow, and I figured if you're going to pull a me on me, I'll pull a you on you.”

You tilt your head and she grins at you.

“You know, the whole 'ask a probing, uncomfortable question once, get blown off, ask it again later' thing you did when asking about my sisters? I want you to tell me about you and Sunset.”

You can't help but laugh and take a sip. Yep, that cheap ass cola really isn't doing much to block the overpowering spirits, and cough again. “You really wanna know?”

Adagio nods. “That's something friends do, right? Listen to each other blabber on about their past issues?”

You sigh, but relent. “I guess so. Let me get this in me and I suppose I can tell you. I owe you that much.”

Adagio smiles, holds out her own siren's sorrow, and you clink glasses. “To you, Ray.”

“Cheers, Addy.”

* * *