Mistress (Adagio's Big Comeback)

Your history with Sunset is no grand tale of mind-bending song singing sirens or magical equines, but you tell Adagio anyway.

The repeated bullying was largely shared by many other students, and fine, you'd have to be a special kind of hateful to obsess over a bully for that.

No, the apex of your anger was born from one specific moment.

You had a science fair project and you decided to go all out. You'd saved your money and pestered mom for a little more to build a calculator from scratch, complete with a digital display and even little screens to show the breakdown of the workings of the math for longer, tougher equations.

Normally you wouldn't put in that much effort but your dad had been on your case about your spotty attendance at school, and how your grades had been slipping (not the least because of Sunset's constant harassment), so you're going all in; no prisoners, and no half-measures. First prize or nothing, to not only get him to relax, but to use that as your gateway into asking for more allowance. It would also prove mom right that things might just be okay here.

He wanted to move out west, where the money would be better, while mom had family near Canterlot City. She was already unwell, and the move wouldn't have done her any favours. If you could prove you could knuckle down and succeed, it would help her. So yes, you made a damn fine piece of electronic wizardry. It was beautiful. You're still proud of it.

On the day of the science fair, you put your calculator in the school lab along with all the other students and the teacher would keep the door locked during lunch. Sunset wasn't even involved. She simply hadn't bothered making an entry. She even tried to get Snips and Snails to make something instead, but... well, they weren't exactly bright.

So she must have climbed in through the window. You never saw it, but your calculator was soaking wet (and, admittedly, she sabotaged everyone else's projects), frying most of the components since there were a few exposed connections in the inner workings. Nobody else had any proof it was her, but you remember her smug as fuck grin as the science fair was called off.

When you got home, and brought up the topic with your dad? And discovered mom had thrown money into it as well?

Holy shit, the fight that ensued... the yelling and screaming. Things had been relatively calm for a while before that night, but your attempt to earn dad's favour and subsequent proof that life wasn't any good in Canterlot just tore everything to pieces. That she had used money set aside for a rainy day to make sure you could make your calculator the best it could be just made it even worse.

Then mom fainted and had to go into hospital for quite a while. Dad started forcing the move out west, which made things even worse. Then came the ultimatum; you either went with him or stayed with your mom. There was no choice there. So he left you both.

Sure, mom received support from her family, and you even managed to get through college, moved out but kept returning home to help look after mom, got into a prestigious tech firm that let you earn your PhD on the job, but she continued to fade. Then she passed away.

*-**-*

You put down your second siren's sorrow and breathe fumes so stoichiometrically saturated with alcohol they have to be flammable. It felt good getting that off your chest, and the booze has helped a lot, but you're not kidding yourself; you doubt she really cared about all that.

Looking across at Adagio, she sips her sixth and fiddles with her hair. There's a gentle sway to her movements and it's good to see her loose like this. She says, “I'm not gonna lie, I don't know what I'm supposed to say to help, but I am sorry you had to go through that. I don't really have a frame or reference in losing a mom, but if losing my powers and becoming estranged from my sisters is even a fraction as bad as that, then I can see why you needed an escape. Even if I still think finding comfort in being lost in our songs a bit weird.”

Oh! Okay. She did pay attention. “I am weird, remember?” you chuckle. “But thanks for listening. I was actually surprised you were paying attention.”

She punches you playfully in the arm. “What are you implying? That your issues are somehow beneath me or something? In case you forget, I'm human too. Doing...” she pauses, waving her hands about searching for something poignant, gives up and giggles, “human stuff, like making friends and being supportive? Or do I need to remind you about your pep talk earlier when your dick was hanging out?”

You can't stop yourself from laughing. “I'm sure the jury's out on my humanity, you're only a human at the moment... we're all kinds of weird, huh?”

“Yep. Here's to you, my little weirdo.” Adagio pours you both another drink, and gulps down the rest of a bottle of cheap white rum.

“No offence, Addy, but damn you can put that stuff away.”

She stifles a little belch. “Maybe it's an earth girl thing, or a lingering siren thing. All I know is I'm only a little drunk.”

You take a long gulp and hand her the rest of the glass. “I'm good. I've never been one for drinking.”

“And I'm giving it up. Too many bad memories tied to drinking this stuff and being at my worst. Maybe I'm being frugal, but I just hate to let it go to waste,” Adagio says and knocks back the rest of the glass. “Having you around has been a great distraction. It kind of reminds me of back when it was me and-” She stops herself and sighs, hard.

“Your sisters, right?”

Adagio nods. “Yeah.” Try as she might, she can't help but let her mood slump.

“Sorry,” you say, “I didn't mean to bring you down.”

“It's fine. Like I said, you're good company.”

“I'd be careful if I were you, Addy,” you say and snicker, “someone might think you're falling for me.”

Adagio clears her throat and gives you a leery look. “That's rich. I hate humans, remember? You're... passable at best.”

“Uh... thanks?”

Her veneer of contempt lasts about three seconds before she giggles and takes a swig of her drink. “I'm fucking with you! Relax. You being here has pulled me so far away from where I was, I'm grateful to have you.”

You look at one another and can't help but chuckle as she clears her throat and tries, and fails, to hide her expression.

You've seen the full gamut of her emotions; anger, sadness, her early mainstay of defeated boredom. For someone you found hammered in a bar, crushed by life, she's smiled a lot since you've known her in ways that are all very distinct: that typical, dark smirk, the simpler smile, the smug, self-satisfied grin and the like.

This one was a really goofy smile she just made. It's so earnest. Innocent, even.

Adagio leans on her knees. “It's funny. If you'd met me sooner, I doubt we'd even be going for this whole power recovery, dealing with Sunset stuff. It might even be a normal friendship or whatever.”

You correct her and say, “if we'd met sooner, I doubt you would have given me the time of day. I'd probably be in a hospital with a broken jaw from Street Tough.”

“That's... accurate, sadly.” Adagio frowns. “Maybe it's a fate thing again. When I wrote 'Find the Magic', I thought we'd hit our lowest point, and that it was only uphill from there. But I was wrong. There was so much worse to come, between fighting with my sisters and-”

She stops dead in her speech and looks away from you.

You ask, “something wrong?”

Adagio turns towards you again and changes the topic. “S- Street Tough was just a loyal to his next pay-check. Bar Spoon seemed okay, I think had rich relatives, but I never really bothered asking about it. But as I was saying, it's also just nice having someone to talk to.”

It is nice just talking, though with Adagio's sudden shift and clear attempt to hide something important to her, an uneasy silence kicks in.

Discussing your past is also lingering with you, so you sigh and say, “not to re-downer the conversation, but about Sunset.”

Adagio grumbles, “hmph, fine. Way to ruin the mood...” She puts folds her arms and leans back on the couch. “Those anti-signals you've made? Can they be toned down?”

“Sure, I don't see why not.”

“Good. And you said it fogged your mind when you used it on yourself? Suppressed your talents?”

“Uh-huh.”

Adagio thumbs her chin. “Excellent. Can you show me how to do it?”

You're glad you stopped drinking when you did if you're going to start talking tech. You hand her your notes, but also say, “this is the nitty-gritty details, but I've already set a bunch of key macros on the handheld since I needed to switch between them quickly when testing your necklace. In order of siren, earth, unicorn and pegasus, it's just alt-one, two, three and four. Same order with the anti-signals, alt-five onward. Then just plus and minus to control strength.”

“Good. Now, step two. I really need you to convince Sunset you've forgiven her. I get why you've got a vendetta against her, honestly I do,” she says and squeezes your shoulder, “and if anyone knows about needless hatred, it's me, but we need her on our side for now.”

You sigh and have a think. “I want to, but every time I see her, all I can think of is what she did to me. How things could have been different if she'd just left me alone.” As the last of the alcohol gets into your bloodstream, you come up with an idea. “I'll tell you what, one thing I swore I wouldn't do to something you said you'd sworn off; how about a song?”

Adagio pouts. “Really? Really!?” She stands and folds her arms as she paces. The she picks up another almost empty bottle of tequila, drains that, and grumbles, “fine, asshole. I sing you one song, and I want you to worship at Sunset's feet tomorrow! Literally, if that's what it takes!”

You hate how stubborn you're being, but... goddamn it, Sunset. You grab the remains of a bottle of vodka, gulp it down, then throw your arms up in defeat. “Fine! You sing for me, I'll play nice with Sunset, but I won't be blamed if she reads my mind and learns I'm faking it.”

“Let's get this over with,” she mutters and pinches her brow. “What song? And no bitching about not having full harmony here; almost all my songs were written with my sisters in mind.”

“Then how about something made solo? I wanna hear that Siren's Sorrow song you've got on your track list.”

Adagio scowls at you, then grits her teeth. “You're really fucking annoying sometimes, you know that, right?”

“You did say I was driven, if I'm not mistaken?”

She clearly suppresses a smirk as takes out her phone and seems to be reading something. When she catches you staring at her, Adagio rolls her eyes and says, “it's not a normal song and I haven't thought about it in a while. I'm refreshing my memory on the lyrics. And just so you know, I went through a phase where I was considering musical theatre, so I wrote this as a practice song. If you laugh, I'll stop and you still go through with the deal.”

You raise your arms in submission and then fold them, acting the patient audience.

Adagio clears her throat and tunes up her voice, singing several notes on the scale. Finally, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, gives one of her more classic, sinister grins and sings;

“Does deceit strike my eyes? I'm aloft in the skies!

My powers are surging true!

I receive admiration, befitting my station,

As I rule from the skies, ever blue!

Subjects far and wide, I'm their goddess, their guide,

And I'll sing until the day is through.

As for rivals or foes? I represent all their woes!

I will crush them, as I always do!”

She shifts key, and her tone and expression turn dour.

“Then I open up my eyes,

a grim dawn, to no surprise,

as my path continues evermore descending.

Here's another grey tomorrow,

And I call for a Siren's sorrow,

So I hope next time I dream, I dream unending~.”

There's a light to her again. A harsh resilience. Her soul exposed as she keeps the morose expression, but forces a little smile.

“A place to call my own, without my heart of stone,

Just a place in the world I can sing.

No throne now desired, just to be admired,

For the gentle repose I can bring.

The gift of simple pleasures, through all walks and weathers,

A club, such a humble small thing.

What a place it would be, as they listen to me,

And my dreams and my voice all take wing!

Then I open up my eyes,

a grim dawn, to no surprise,

as my path continues evermore descending.

Here's another grey tomorrow,

And I call for a Siren's sorrow,

So I hope next time I dream, I dream unending~.”

Adagio slows down the tempo, and she looks around her. She looks crushed.

“Broken walls, angry neighbours, naught else for my labours,

As I naïvely keep my self esteem.

And a bar that's dead ended, as my soul is expended.

So much for that foolish old dream.

So I walk to and fro, nowhere else I can go.

But I know I'm running out of steam.”

Finally, she bursts into a rage and balls her hands into fists.

“One more blow to my pride, and I just want to hide!

I hate it so much, I could scream!"

Back on the downturn, Adagio slumps.

"When I open up my eyes,

Holding back my forlorn cries,

In the mirror I just smile, condescending.

While I seek a trail to follow,

And hope for a new tomorrow,

And pray for a sign my spirit's even mending~.

So by day and fading light,

I will carry on my plight,

Though fate subjects my soul to ceaseless rending,

I'll fight on, no hope or glory,

This won't be my final story.

And I'll shrug off the crushing doom, impending~.”

Adagio completely fades as the song's bridge ends, and bows her head. She closes her eyes and sings as a whisper.

“When I open up my eyes,

one more dawn, and no surprise,

Still my siren's song can't bend the world to breaking.

As instead I'm just myself,

One of many, off the shelf,

So mundane, worth nothing else, I go on waking,

Again...“

You're awestruck. She hasn't skipped a beat or degraded. Adagio still sings like an angel.

And unless she's become an expert actor in the time she broke up with her sisters, that anguish is real. You've felt hints from her on occasion, but there's no doubt it wasn't just a slow spiral. Something hit her, and hard.

“So?” Adagio asks.

You applaud her, and she offers a dainty bow. You say, “that was both the most beautiful and most crushing thing I've heard. Ever.”

Adagio smirks, arms akimbo. “Not bad for a solo outing, huh?”

“You've still got it,” you say. “Seriously, you could totally get back into singing and take the world by storm the old fashioned way. You said you were looking at musical theatre? Did you audition or anything?”

“I planned to,” she frowns and says, “but I didn't show. Something... came up. And besides, I don't know if I'm really cut out to start from nothing again. Not by myself. Even if I had my powers, it wouldn't feel right without-”

Adagio stops and something changes in her. You can see it dance on her deep, pink eyes; a spark, like something was asleep and now alert and vivid. Adagio looks at you, then over at your devices, and nods to herself.

She then pulls out her phone, taps the screen a few times, and puts it to her ear.

You feel like you should be able to make a connection, but the alcohol haze makes joining the dots clumsy and painful. Instead, you ask, “wait, who're you calling?”

Adagio raises a hushing finger at you, closes her eyes and steels herself. Then she grumbles and takes the phone away from her ear for a moment and mouths, “ugh, voice mail.” She braces herself again, and you hear an automated message playing but can't hear it clearly enough to tell who's talking.

When it finishes, Adagio says, “hey. It's Adagio. I want to talk to you. In fact, scratch that, I need to see you. It's important. Really important. I'm still in Canterlot City, in an apartment on floor two, room twenty six of the Bridle apartment complex on Dressage avenue. If It makes any difference, there's a really good take-out place near where I live that I know you'll love. My treat, okay? I'll see you... I hope I'll see you soon. Please.”

Adagio ends the call and runs her fingers through her curls.

“Seriously, who did you just call? Or is this another of those 'do as I say' things?”

She turns to you, swigs back another bottle of booze, gulps, and says, “got it in one. But it's someone I should have called a long time ago. For now, though?”

Adagio walks over to you and plants a kiss on your lips. The burn of alcohol is strong and renewed in your mouth from her lips alone as she puts another bottle in your hand, then says, “I want to forget about everything before this moment. Everything but us. So let's drink. To a new tomorrow.”

* * *