Mistress (Adagio's Big Comeback)

You've never felt so helpless.

In the corner of your eye, Twilight checks on Sunset, who slowly lifts her head, but you can't take your eyes away for long as Adagio's ascension completes. The massive sphere of red energy fades, leaving you in awe as you see her.

The love of your life, restored, as you both always wished. A gigantic serpentine being, as big as a house. Draconic in some ways, aquatic and fishlike in others, with equine features. She's beautiful and terrible all at once as she snakes around in the sky. Just two limbs, her forelegs, as back half of her body forms a single fishlike tail.

But the savage, mindless fury in her golden eyes tells another story. As does the ugly, malformed gem-like structure in her chest, which still bleeds and pulses with an uneven red light. It surges and crackles as she looses another roar, a palpable mix of a feminine and bestial pain, and this one looses a shockwave of power from her. The ground shakes, loose stones and grass are torn and flung away and it knocks all of you back dozens of feet and obliterating the nearby buildings. You land hard, but the adrenaline coursing through you forces you to your hooves once more.

Beams of light fill the sky, one yellow, two more a pale and a dark blue, which strike Adagio. They cause her to growl in anger, but only seem to singe her scales as you all look toward the palace.

A trio of alicorns flying in, one white, one deep blue and one pink, all approach and continue their barrage. The pink one begins casting a light blue sphere of magic around Adagio, constricting her, but the siren looses another thunderous roar which once more blasts the area with a field of magic and sound. The trio are knocked from the sky, barely controlling their descent as they all but crash land near you.

Adagio then screeches out in pain as her chest-stone fizzles, and she flees.

The white one, with a flowing, ethereal mane of green, pink and blue colours, says, “Twilight, she's too strong! We must stop her before she escapes! Conjure the portal, and we shall shepherd her towards it with our magic!”

Twilight groups up with the other alicorns and nods. She then looks at you, wet eyed and remorseful, and says, “I'm sorry, Radian, we have to banish her back to your world. She's weak now, since she hasn't fed on much energy and the stone's imperfect, but if she escapes now, we may never be able to restore her!”

You almost nod, but then you remember something that chills you to your bones.

Even if Twilight's fixed the time shift that Adagio once described with this portal spell, if they banish her, it won't just send Adagio back to the human world. It will rob her of her memories.

It won't even be your Adagio any more.

You can't let that happen, but how can you possibly stop four ponies of such power!?

Twilight casts a spell, and launches a pale white beam ahead of Adagio, which forms a black, swirling void in the siren's path.

The other three, which you remember as Celestia, Luna and Cadence, all begin to fire magic beams around Adagio, confining her flight path with glancing blows that torment and scratch, small but gathering injuries to funnel Adagio straight for the portal.

It can't end like this!

You've never thought this fast before, but a plan shines through, and you act.

You set up a unicorn signal with your emitter and place it on the ground, pointed at you. Once more, you feel the surge in power as your horn sparks with magic.

Then you take a deep breath, and unleash the strongest anti-alicorn field you can with your own spell. It's still part anti-unicorn, and you feel your strength fade, your vision grows pale, but you hold on. You have to hold on!

Meanwhile, the four princesses all cry out in pain as they all fall, unable to stand, let alone cast their spells.

Adagio passes the aperture just as it blinks out of existence, and she flies on, harmed and slowing as she heads for the horizon.

You don't stop, but instead take up your emitter in your mouth, dial in an anti-alicorn signal, and face it towards the princesses to keep them trapped. Someone'll help them, but not before you can make your escape.

“Radian... why?” Twilight gasps. “What have you done!?”

“I'm sorry! I can fix this!! I have to fix this!!” You hate yourself. You feel like a traitor. But you had no choice.

Well, you had a choice; either side with Adagio, the first person to ever care about you since your mom died, and a woman who had relied on you in turn, grew better together. Or you could have chosen Twilight, who's been idealistic and open, caring and nurturing. You care about Twilight a great deal, but she didn't need you. There could only be one outcome. It was nice while it lasted, you guess.

You sprint off, bolstering yourself with your own magic, and follow after Adagio as fast as you can. Between your boosted stamina and her injuries, you just barely keep up with her as she begins to slowly lose altitude, before you lose sight of her in a small forest as disturbed birds take flight from the landing.

As you reach the forest edge, there's a blink of red magic.

“Radian, wait!”

You skid to a stop, and a badly bruised and exhausted Sunset stands in front of you.

She says, “let me help you. If you go in there alone, you're not coming back, you know that, right?”

You catch your breath for a second, then rasp, “what do you mean?”

“You're chasing a siren. Alone. Even if the Adagio you care for is buried in there somewhere, all it will take is this... other side of her to sing, and you'll be hers. I think I can resist it a little by making a self-memory loop in myself, but you? And besides, even if she doesn't have her magic at full strength, if she lashes out in any way, like she almost did moments ago-”

You yell, “I don't need your help, damn it!”

Sunset tenses up and screams, “yes you fucking do!! I've had it! Stop toying with me! I get it, I was a horrible bitch! I hurt you in a way that I might never be able to repay! You think I want to be that? I want to do something, anything to make it up to you!” She stops to sob, and take a deep breath. “I could keep saying sorry, but I know you won't care, so I don't care what you think any more, or what you say. I'm all you've got. I'm going with you. For Dagi's sake as much as anything.”

You bite your lip and feel that old bile bubble up. The old pain. The old hatred.

Then you slap it in the face with the fact you just betrayed Twilight, who's been nothing but supportive, and with the truth that yeah, running alone against a siren, a being many times your size and a magnitude more powerful than you are or ever will be. It's over. Fuck that side of you.

You suck in a deep breath, bow your head and say, “you're right. Sorry.”

Sunset sighs with relief. “Thank you. Let me do this for you. Let me-”

“Wait,” you say and raise a hoof. “Yes, I need your help, but this doesn't make us square. Not by a damn long shot.”

Sunset laughs, incredulous, and shakes her head. “Fine, whatever. Let's call it self-interest for you, and I'll call it saving Equestria if it makes you feel any-”

You snap, “let me finish! We can't afford to be at each others throats in there. Not any more. There's some things I want to say. Important things, but we can talk as we walk.”

You turn and face the forest. It's every bad dream about being chased, every horror story of people being eaten by beasts or worse while alone in the wilds made manifest as you dread passing into the treeline. White snow partially covering the skeletal blackness, the spiky limbs stretching all over in a confusing mess of branches. It's bitterly cold, and you swear you'll be indebted to Rarity forever for the saddle, which wards off much of the cold.

Despite the deep fear in your heart, you both enter the forest.

“So, we need to start building bridges,” you say.

“Yeah. Fighting'll only make her stronger,” Sunset replies.

“It's not just that. I've had a lot to think about these last couple of days, and the more I've heard and seen, the more I've come to realise that I... we can't keep on like this. It's stifling both of us. Twilight made it sound like you've been acting desperate ever since we met again, and it brings out the worst in me.”

Sunset doesn't say anything, but looks deep into your eyes.

“I owe Twilight too much for this. She trusted me, and I threw it in her face, but I just couldn't face losing Adagio.”

This time she lowers her head. “I understand. I know what she means to you. I've felt her love for you, you know? I just wish I trusted it as much as Twilight did. Maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe you wouldn't have felt compelled to sneak the other siren stones into Equestria.”

“Fuck the past at this point. Now's the important thing, and the future. Which is what I wanted to talk about most of all.”

You take a deep, calming breath, and prepare to tread mental grounds you never thought you could.

“When I sell my inventions, I'm going to need help as the situation changes. That means I'm going to need employees.”

“You're... going to hire me?”

You nod. “Twilight said you needed work. I can provide that. But on one condition: I want in on your artefact hunts.”

Her eyes go as wide as her smile. “Sure!”

“This isn't a favour. I need you close so you can pay me back for what you've done. But I also want to try and make peace with Twilight, and if that means working with you, then so be it.”

Sunset manages a smile. “You won't hear me complain! Paying the bills, travel, lodging and stuff like that's a nightmare when some major artefact suddenly appears halfway across the world.”

“Exactly. It's the practical solution. I get to help Twilight, and we can see about... starting fresh. If Adagio can do it, then surely I can as well.”

“So... a truce?” She stops and holds out her hoof.

You suppress the dying anger again, and press your hoof on hers. “Truce.”

“I will say, that was a pretty ballsy move back there,” Sunset says with a raised eyebrow. “Attacking all four princesses of Equestria?”

“You think the repercussions'll be bad?”

She smirks. “Let's just say that I hope you like the moon.”

“What?” You just tilt your head.

She chuckles. “Never mind. I'm sure I can smooth things over with Twilight. Now, let's get moving. I'm freezing my tail off here.”

You both hasten into a trot. You have no idea where Adagio's gone, but you must figure that someone as big as her would be easy to see. Except the trees are so dense, you fear you'll lose your way. By some miracle it's not snowing at the moment so your tracks should stay as a marker, but you'd rather not tempt fate.

“This is impossible,” you grumble. “Every second we lose is a second she could be recovering and growing stronger. She could flee and we'd never know it.”

Sunset stops and shivers. “If she gets away, then Equestria's in serious trouble. Though that's going to mean little to us if we freeze to death first.”

“Hold on.”

You use your magic to remove your holster, saddle and pad. You then put them on Sunset, and use the holster strap to bind the blanket to you so it doesn't fall off.

“Hey, thanks!” Sunset says, admiring the saddle. “Ooh, nice.”

Free of your old prejudices... she looks kinda cute, actually. You suppress that thought and say, “it's just a practical solution. Now, we still need to find a way of finding Adagio. Damn it, if only I had my scanner...”

Sunset mumbles something, then yells, “charley-horse!”

You yelp as Sunset kicks you in the back leg and you fall to the ground in a heap. You shout, “fuck you! What the fuck's your problem!?”

A green wisp flows off of your body, and streaks away, straight and true.

You blink and can't believe it. She just pulled a you on you!

Sunset holds out her foreleg to help you up. “Sorry Radian, but c'mon! After it!”

You climb to your hooves and chase after it, staggering a bit before you get sensation back in your hind leg.

You're not even mad any more as you ask, “was that revenge for Sunburst? Did he tell you what happened?

“Huh? What are you talking about? I just figured we needed a little conflict so we could follow the energy Adagio's after.”

You laugh, despite everything. This girl's devious. You can respect that. You also can't help but feel some guilt because of how right Twilight was; you have more in common than you'd ever have thought.

The wisp winds and floats between the trees, and with you both in hot pursuit, you soon hear it.

Pained breathing. Feminine, but there's a power and weight to the voice. Adagio's voice. Then you see her in a clearing, coiled around herself. Her eyes are closed and the gem in her chest continues to flicker and crackle. Each spark causes Adagio to hiss and growl, but you can see the wound isn't as severe as it used to be. She's healing around the imperfect stone! If she isn't herself, and if she escapes now, it's over.

Without the panic, and having had a chance to brace yourself, she's still breathtaking to behold. So large, one of her cloven hooves could crush you, or you could be swallowed whole by her fang-filled maw.

But through it all, she's oddly beautiful. Knowing your Addy's inside there just steels your resolve, and you step into the open.

“Who!?” She raises her head and snarls. Her expression twitches rapidly; joy, rage, confusion, but her stone once more causes her to wince and hiss. “My pet...”

Her voice is... compelling. But you focus and say. “I'm here to save you.”

“We both are, Dagi,” Sunset says. “Please, come with us. We can help you.”

“Go? With you?” She laughs. “Why would I go anywhere with you!? So you can send me back to that scum-filled hive!? All those miserable, snivelling humans? That's it, isn't it!?” She begins to rise from the ground, a serpent poising to strike. “You want to take me back to that vile place so they can torture me more, isn't it? You enjoyed my pain, Sunset! Savoured my weakness! But you can't take me. Yet I can take you! I'm so much greater than you will ever be!”

So it's true... it's the other Adagio in control. The old Adagio.

You plead, “Addy, please, let me help!”

She snarls, “don't call me that!” Once more her expression shifts and flows, finally settling on a smile. It's not a good smile. “But let's not fight, my little pet,” she beckons with her foreleg. “Come to me. Help me rise to power. It's what you always wanted, right? To lose yourself to my voice?” She winces but smiles through the pain. “Subjugation is bliss.”

You shout, “no, and you should know that! You showed me how much more I could be. Just as I helped you become so much greater than this!” You gesture to her with your hoof.

Adagio bares her teeth, each as big as one of your legs and razor sharp. “Ah, I see. She's poisoned you against me. Well, we can't have that, can we?”

She begins to sing a sombre, gentle melody. You see Sunset dive for cover and block her ears as her horn sparks to life, but...

It's so beautiful.

Yes.

You should go to her.

She's your dream girl.

~~“Radian!”~~

Join her.

It will be alright.

~~“Radian, stop! Damn it!”~~

Pain! Your flank!

Sunset just stabbed you with her horn!

She yells, “snap out of it! Focus on me!”

“Damn it,” you mutter. “I've got a better idea.”

You fire up your magic for another unicorn boost and feel the clarity kick in. The fog completely lifts from your mind, but for how long? You need another angle...

Adagio looms over you and snarls. “You dare resist me?”

The higher she rises, the more frightened you become. You backpeddle.

Sunset follows. “Uh... so, Ray? What's the play here?”

“I... I don't know!”

She gives you a wide stare. “You did all this without a plan!?”

“I just reacted! I couldn't lose her, but... wait let me try something.” You start guessing. You throw out an earth signal. Maybe that can help coax out your Addy?

Nothing happens. Just a still furious siren, who bares her teeth and lunges at you.

“Oh, screw this,” Sunset growls, get close to you, and with a flash of red, you're... somewhere else in the forest.

You can see Adagio in the distance between the trees as she snarls and glances around. You breathe a sigh of relief and realise your breath had been caught in your throat for a few moments.

Sunset looks wobbly on her hooves as her horn sputters. “Damn it... we need a plan here, Ray,” she says.

“I... I don't know. I hate to admit it, but I'm a little out of my depth here,” you pace back and forth. “You've chased down a bunch of magic artefacts and stuff, right?”

Sunset scoffs. “Yeah, as a human! I can read minds over there, yeah, but I don't exactly have much else going for me. I used to have to rely on my friends so much that, as we started spending more time apart, I've fallen short a whole bunch of times against people who find Equestrian magic. Have you ever tried to fight a guy made out of living metal? Or outrun a girl who grows eagle wings out of her back? I was ridiculously out of shape. I've worked out whenever and wherever I can since leaving school, but I doubt a set of abs, which don't even stand out as a pony, are gonna help here!”

“Magic lasers?”

“After Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadence could only scratch her? I'm better than the average unicorn, sure, but no.”

Keep thinking, Radian! “I could boost your magic.”

“Are we really entertaining attacking your girlfriend here? Even then, I doubt I'll be as strong as them!”

Fuck, this is frustrating! “Okay! Fine! You can teleport, maybe we could quickly get Twilight's help?”

Sunset sighs. “Yeah, that seems sensible... but I'm exhausted and out of practice. That last one made me light headed. I had to run to catch up most of the way to reach you, and only did a short range warp to get in front of you before I lost you in the fore-.”

“There you are!!”

Oh fuck!

Adagio charges at you, crushing trees that only barely slow her down.

You both yelp and flee. You shout, “run back and get Twilight and the others!”

“Ray, that's a terrible idea! I can't abandon you!”

You go to argue, but Adagio takes a deep breath, then screams at you. Even with her drained powers, you're bombarded with a mix between a gale force wind and raw pain.

You strike back with blast of an anti-siren signal, and she falls to the ground with an animalistic snarl as her powers fail her, sliding between you and Sunset. The ongoing impact of her massive form causes the ground to shake, knocking you off your hooves for what feels like the hundredth time since you entered Equestria, but you keep up the signal.

You yell and hope Sunset hears you, “we have no other choice! Just go! I'll keep her pinned here!”

Adagio coils upright, growls, but suddenly laughs. “Pathetic little Radian... you can't stop me,” she says as she struggles upright. Your supercharged anti-siren signal may have worked, but your own boost has already worn off and she's fighting through your spell.

So you repeat; a pause in the anti-signal, boost your powers, and unleash another draining blast of magic at your corrupted girlfriend.

Adagio growls under the pain and weakness, and you begin to empower your unicorn magic for a third time. But it's not as strong. You're getting weaker, between the fatigue earlier and the constant use of magic... you can't keep this up for much longer!

You put on a brave face and try to fight on, closing your eyes from the effort, but when you force them open, Adagio's getting closer. The wound around her gem is still closing around it, slowly but surely, and still crackles with imperfect power and weeps a trickle of blood. Even if she wins, she's going to suffer from that thing forever... or until Twilight and her group find her and banish her. Again, will there be anything left of your Adagio worth saving?

Will you even be alive?

As Adagio once more falls to the ground from another anti-siren blast, you fall to your knees, exhausted and spent. But you try and boost your powers anyway.

Only when you go to fire another shot, Adagio coils up, bellows a tremendous roar and flicks out her tail in a wide sweep.

“Ray!”

You're launched as Sunset tackles you, and further propelled with a spray of dirt and snow as you narrowly avoid Adagio's tail. You scrape and tumble on the frozen ground, the cold snow stinging as you're covered in cuts and grazes from loose branches and rocks. You're tired and mostly unharmed, but you struggle to stand.

Sunset's not far, and she climbs to her hooves and runs for you. “let's just get out of here and regrou-”

A massive cloven hoof swats Sunset, cutting a deep gouge in the earth and flinging her across the clearing. She screams for a haunting split second as she narrowly misses you, bounces off the ground a few times and crashes into a tree with a horrifying, sickening thud.

She's not moving.

You gasp, “no,” then force yourself to stand and reach Sunset as Adagio's mocking laughter fills the forest.

* * *