Mistress (Adagio's Big Comeback)

Adagio spends the night reading a book on running a business, which Applejack bought for her, so occasional annoyed utterances aside as she masters turning pages of her business book with hooves, you're soon applying everything you've learned today to work on Aria's stone. You'd prefer to be working on Adagio's, but you know she'd put her family first in this situation.

While you're now familiar with the method, and are making progress, you're struggling. You've had to improvise when it comes to tools and clamps; stealing the materials was one thing, but Starlight and Sunburst only had one clamp and one set of tools.

Instead, you've pinned the siren stone between a couple of heavy books, reinforced and held in place with enough books to pin it against the wall to make it as rigid as you can. You wrapped the replacement gem, a fire opal, and shattered it with a heavy candlestick holder. You're also forced to improvise putting it together with your inexperienced telekinesis while your emitter bombards the gem with the same frequency as the siren stone to help bond with the fragments. It's just as well you've always been good at working under pressure.

Fortunately the epoxy and powders are ready to go, so as you slowly construct the stone, it gets easier and easier.

“Ray, stop your silly project and come to bed.”

You frown and look at Adagio. She looks at you with lidded eyes and a grin, but you sigh and return to your work; she's succumbing to her other side again.

“As much as I'd like to, I can't. We've got limited time to get this fixed. I need to have it at least in a solid enough state to be wrapped and tossed through the portal first thing in the mor- hey!”

Adagio hooks you under your body with her foreleg and carries you to the bed. She then throws you on top, and leaps on after you. Before you can struggle off, she pulls you against her body. You know she's barely having to try, but you're completely held in place.

“Addy, please! Try to remember the plan!”

She huffs, but licks your neck all the way up to your cheek. “I've made a better one, my little lover. It's just you, me, my juice bar where I get to sing every day, you with a little lab where you can do your science stuff... and foals. LOTS of foals.”

You snap at her, “what about your sisters? What about your promises to give them their powers back?”

She sticks her tongue out. “Forget my sisters; Aria's mean and Sonata's happy where she is.” She then bares her teeth. “Besides, they betrayed me! They don't deserve their powers back!” She squeezes you, tight enough to hurt you. “We should break their stones so they can't ever get them back. Use them to repair mine!”

Okay, you were only somewhat serious before about being scared about giggle mode Adagio, but this really is getting frightening.

“That does it!” You project siren energy with your horn and Adagio grunts and releases you, so you quickly scramble off the bed as she presses a hoof to her head and winces.

“Darn it, I'm sorry Ray... giggly-bitch me's insidious. One second I was reading and thinking of starting my business, the next? It just took over.” She sheepishly crosses her forelegs and struggles to keep eye contact.

You say, “that's the problem... she is you in a lot of ways. The biggest distinction I'm beginning to see is that she's all about taking the path of least resistance whereas you normally act with more passion. And trying to make me give up on helping your sisters? That's the biggest worry. It's like how you were to begin with, when we first met. The side of you that pushed them away to begin with.”

“The old me again...” she says, hushed and afraid.

“All the more reason to drive ahead with the repairs. Are you sure you don't want me to repair yours first?”

“No, I'd never be able to face my sisters if I put myself first in this. You're doing fine, Ray, don't mind me.”

You sigh. “If you're sure. Well, that being the case, I'd best get back to work. Hopefully once we're done here, we won't have to worry about this other side of you.”

“Sure,” Adagio says and continues to look uncomfortable. “Though... uh, about the things I said...”

You smile at her. “It's not a terrible plan. Not sure if foals should be on the agenda just yet. I know we're extremely close already, but we've know each other for, what, a week?”

Adagio laughs. “Yeah, that's a bit much. I've just keep thinking about if we succeed; with our powers back and your devices sold and marketed, we could easily rocket to fame and fortune back in the human world, but here?” She looks at the window with a distant expression. “I still prefer it here. A simpler life with just you and me when the human world gets a bit too much, and we can introduce Sonata and Aria here too. I get they have their passion projects back there, but I'd love for them to experience this world again.”

“Don't worry, Addy. We'll get things sorted back home, and if we play our cards right, and we keep your powers subtle, I'm sure we can come back here whenever we want.”

“I hope so.” Adagio relaxes in bed. “I'll try to keep a lid on giggly bitch me and sleep or something.”

You head around the bed, kiss her and approach your workstation.

“Ray?”

“Hmm?”

Adagio sits back up again. “... Did... you want to know what happened to me? Before we met, I mean? I know you've been suspicious for some time.”

“I know you said it's ancient history by this point,” you say, then grimace. “I confess, Sunset already showed me with her magic. The assault and attempted mugging.” You approach and lean your forequarters on the bed.

She grumbles and rolls her eyes. “Of course she did. She's gotta stick her nose where it doesn't belong. Whatever, it doesn't change a thing. I should have told you when you offered to hear me out. I-” Adagio hesitates and bites her lip. “I've carried my old pride for years. I've been powerful, yet ever weakening, and somehow I kept fighting on. That moment, though? When that guy hit me? That was it. That was the moment I realised that it didn't matter what I was, or who I thought I was. At that moment, I was nothing. Nobody. Just some stupid bitch who refused to accept the consequences for her actions. Worst of all, I'd never been that scared. Even thinking about it makes me feel ashamed.”

“It's nothing to be ashamed of, Addy. I'd have panicked harder than you in that situation. But as for Sunset? I think she interpreted how you felt as... well, that you were considering taking a step off that bridge.”

Adagio forces a smile, but her ears flatten back, betraying her change of mood before her expression drops like a stone. “It did cross my mind, but it was more of a morbid curiosity thing. A weak moment. But say what you want about my attitude, but I'm stubborn at my core. I never gave in, even if I lacked the will to fight against my downward spiral.”

You approach the bed again. “I know, and it's part of the reason I respect you so much,” you say with a smile. “Someone who truly gave up wouldn't have kept going to the bar and passing that alley. Or bought a tazer to fight back if it happened again. The signs were there that you still had a fire inside you, no matter what anyone says.”

Adagio shrugs. “It wasn't that clear cut. I still shut down. I didn't leave my apartment for a week, didn't answer any calls. I just isolated myself.”

“Yet you kept on, despite that, Addy. It's courageous. Admirable.”

She smiles again, but this time it sticks. “Thanks, Ray. Like Sonata with her show, and Aria and her guitar... you're my inspiration now. And thank you for everything you've done for me. I may have sung it when giggly bitch me was in control, but I meant that song earlier. Every word.” She winks at you. “Even the interrupted ones.”

You have no words, just a heart that's about to explode. Every implication of what she sung to you and how far you've come together. You're a couple, beyond all doubt and nothing can say otherwise. You feel bigger than Adagio in spirit!

You lean onto the bed and hold one another, tightly. Her strength is immense, yet she's so comfortable, your longer necks pressing so firmly you can feel her strong, steady pulse. You just let the joy last as long as she wants it to, but finally the hug breaks and you stare at one another for a few moments more, she lies down and tries to rest.

As you approach the desk, Adagio suddenly says, “oh, and about that plan?”

You turn look at her over your shoulder.

“We can talk about foals a couple of years down the line or whatever,” she says, and has a dark, confident grin, “but make no mistake: at some point, we're going to go at it like a pair of wild animals in these bodies. I want you, in that cute unicorn stallion body, inside me. And it's going to be amazing. And we aren't gonna stop until people yell at us to stop making a racket. That's a guarantee, and that certainly isn't giggly bitch me talking either.”

Now you have even less words! You just stammer as she gives you a brief flash of the 'fuck me' eyes and settles back down.

Just don't say anything, Radian. You have work to do. Goddamn the seductions of a siren...

Hours pass as you focus on your mission, although it's a struggle considering what Adagio said to you. Every damn word.

Finally, after you hit your stride and shut out the world and any extraneous thoughts. Several hours pass as your eyes ache and fatigue saps your mind, Aria's stone is in a very similar state to Sonata's; crude, but intact. You gently cover it with a blanket to keep it hidden, and climb into bed.

Adagio sighs softly as you bring yourself closer to her, and wraps her legs around you. As much as you love the feeling and want to have it last, the moment you get comfortable, you fall asleep.

* *

You squint as you wake. It's been years since you pulled all nighter, like in in college, but you're not a teenager any more, who can just keep going regardless. You just yawn and conclude that three hours of sleep will have to suffice.

There's the barest hint of sunlight coming through the window and you carefully pull free from Adagio's grasp, climb out of bed and go to inspect your work.

The gem's in good shape. It's whole, the epoxy is almost completely dry and all it needs is a good grind and cutting; things that aren't crucial to the plan here, and can be done either after you learn the method today when finishing Sonata's stone or, worst comes to worst, you can bring it to a jeweller back home.

You smile at your work, then write a note about not using the stone until it's finished. You then take a spare pillowcase from a cabinet, rip it in two and wrap the stone and note inside, then carefully put it inside the emitter casing. Once you secure the strap to yourself, you head out into the corridor.

It's quiet through the palace, but a couple of guards eye you warily, yet let you go on your way. It's only as you approach the room with the mirror portal, which has one pegasus posted outside, that you realise this might take some ingenuity. You switch on the emitter and set it to give off a very subtle anti-pegasi signal.

He spreads his wings like a defiant shield and says, “halt. I've been given orders to keep this room off limits to all except her highnesses Princess Cadence, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

You may not have royal authority, but you're the understudy of a siren. You clear your throat and say, “well, actually, I'm here to conduct some scans of our side of the portal for Princess Twilight Sparkle in preparation for our journey back to the other world. See, there's an arcane bleed occurring due to the instability inherent in the imperfect energy transfer between worlds, and considering our task in repairing a stone of not inconsiderable power, any such instability may will hamper our ability to transfer back to my world, cause irreparable damage to the stone, or potentially both. Furthermore, I believe-”

He raises a hoof and staggers a little as the anti-signal works its magic and your speech confuses him. “Okay! Okay! In Celestia's name, I'm getting a headache! I'll give you a minute. Just don't make a mess!”

He pulls a key tucked on a string around his neck with his lips, deftly flips it between his teeth, and unlocks the door.

You smirk and say, “thank you, sir. I'll just be a moment!”

You head inside and half expect the guard to follow, but he just shakes his head and keeps on watch. You swing the door almost shut and approach the mirror.

Perfect. The plan is coming together just brilliantly. You take out your emitter and blast the mirror with the siren signal for a few moments, which should show up as a nice, strong anomaly back home, where Aria and Sonata should get in place to collect your contraband.

You undo the casing, retrieve the stowed stone, hover it before the mirror.

And stop.

There's no coming back from this, you realise. You pace back and forth as you consider your options, and realise you feel rotten for doing this.

You consider your options and the things you've heard and seen. You remember Sunset's warnings about Adagio losing control of herself when put in possession of her stone, and how magic and emotions have power here. You thought it ridiculous.

Except it isn't. You've seen what these emotions and what can be best described as magic-poisoning has done to Adagio. Giving her the stone might help, but what if it doesn't?

Considering what's happened to her while in this world, would she even still be your Addy? Would she be in full control, or succumb to this other side? Act like her old, bitter self? Would you go back to being just a face in the crowd? A servant to be manipulated for her needs? You even wanted that once upon a time! Just obey, just become adrift in the Dazzlings' music and be done with this crappy existence.

Except it isn't crappy any more, is it? Adagio loves you. Sonata likes you. Aria... okay, she tolerates you, but it's more than you had before. Yet, you also want them to get their powers back. Is doing this really the best option?

Even worse, Twilight clearly wants the best for you. She and Sunset know you and Adagio are up to something. Yet Twilight clearly still trusts you.

Twilight even wants to help you flourish and develop as an individual. She recognised all the wrong that has dragged you down, and even that it's made you stronger. You succeeded because of these trials, but now that you've begun to understand your potential, and have achieved several of your most wildest dreams, and met ponies here who are so like you in many ways; troubled backgrounds, yet brilliant, who have struggled and become better than they ever thought they would be. These ponies, who are now willing to accept you, and have offered to help you grow.

They even want to help Adagio, despite what she was. Rarity and Applejack like her. Want her to achieve her humble dream of a place of her own merit, outside of powers and mind-bending music.

But all you have to do to advance your goals? Is push the gem through the portal.

Simple, barely an effort. Easy. A path of least resistance.

Like Adagio's insidious other self.

The side of her that failed because of closing everyone off and lashing out.

She pitted her own will against her sisters.

Fought everyone, tried to control everyone.

Tried to use you, throw you to her sisters when they weren't themselves.

What if Sunset is right? What if, by doing this, you end up causing Adagio to fall to her old ways again?

But what if it doesn't? What if it's everything you've ever dreamed of?

And if you're being truly honest, what if you put the stone through, and get caught afterwards? With Aria the only one with a stone, and what if she falls on her old ways when she's only just started coming around to Adagio's new way of thinking. What if, in your moment of triumph, Aria falls victim to the warnings you've been given, lets loose her old anger and rage with all the powers of a siren, while Sonata and Adagio are powerless to stop her?

You feel like you're going to explode, or throw up. The pressure is staggering.

You take a deep breath.

Focus on the stone.

And be scientific and empiric, as Adagio and Twilight told you to be.

And realise that, at this moment, based on the inconclusive evidence of what your actions may cause, you just can't do it. But you also can't betray Adagio, so you compromise. You can simply bring it back with you as contraband through the portal once you've succeeded.

So you put Aria's stone back inside your device. You then take a piece of paper, an ink and quill, and write a new message:

'Will bring the stones back with us on the third night. Plan otherwise unchanged.'

Then you toss that through the portal, sigh deeply, and leave to return to your bedroom.

You stow you things, hide the stone back with Adagio's on the upper bookshelf, and manage to get another hour or two in bed before a guard wakes you up and informs you that Twilight's waiting.

A quick wash, a goodbye hug and a kiss from Adagio, as well as putting on your saddle to get used to wearing it, and you make your way outside.

A bright eyed Twilight meets you. “Good morning, Radian! Ah, I recognise those classic dark circles around the eyes. Somepony's been burning the candle at both ends.”

“Uh... yeah, you could say that,” you say and yawn. “I've got a lot on my mind, that's all.”

Twilight's smile is so chipper, it's like staring at the sun; it's both difficult to look at her and almost mocking to your drowsiness. “I sympathise absolutely! I've had plenty of sleepless study nights, early mornings to attend to tasks before the sun was up... not that things are much better now with my duties, but still.”

You chuckle. “I guess we've all had the pressure of learning to achieve our goals, huh? Pony or human, the grind is always the same.”

“I know, right?” Twilight smirks. “I may not have experienced human college, but as Princess Celestia's student, I always felt compelled to achieve the very highest standards. Not to mention all the mishaps I experienced because I may have put my mentor on a bit of a lofty pedestal and panicked from time to time.”

“Really? I have trouble believing most ponies here as being mean-spirited, least of all somepony who mentored you.”

“I'll admit, it was self-imposed. Whether I believed I would fail to restore the Crystal Empire, or believing my friend would be banished or imprisoned for letting Princess Celestia's pet phoenix perish.” She her chipper smile goes a bit... weird. “Or that time I thought I might be held back in magic kindergarten because of failing to report a friendship lesson to her, so I may have made everypony in town obsess over a doll of mine in an attempt to create a friendship lesson...h- ha... ha...” She begins hyperventilating for a moment, then takes a few controlled breaths.

Ooo... kay? “That... sounds like an interesting couple of stories. You'll have to tell me some time. Sadly, most of my misadventures came from adverse effects concerning jitters from too much strong coffee and other unpleasant occurrences because of cheap breakfast burritos.”

She laughs as you move alongside her and settle into a trot. “Well, I can't say we have any burritos around here, but they've recently opened a hayburger joint in the Crystal Empire.” She looks contemplative. “I wonder if someone told Cadence about my weakness to them? Anyway, how about a massively unhealthy breakfast in memory of sleepless nights, intense study and... well, to us! Our friendship””

“You know what? That sounds amazing. But will they serve burgers this early in the morning?”

Twilight stands tall and proud. “I'm not one to throw my title around, but in this case? I think I'll make an exception. Follow me! Let's try a full gallop, if you're up to it?”

“I've never let fatigue stop me learning yet! Let's do this.”

You smile and follow her directions, another sequence of leg movements that builds into a full sprint as you charge, eager for a greasy, soul-nourishing breakfast with your newest friend.

* * *