Author's Note

DISCLAIMER: This story is a sequel to A Dazzling World, which had mentions of some triggering things. This story may deal upon those things, but so far, this chapter doesn't have any trigger warnings I think I need to address other than profanity. This chapter is not fully edited, so yeah! Please enjoy this new sequel to one of my favorite stories I have ever written~

Also, this chapter was beta read by Mon668 on AO3! She's a good friend of mine, so shout out to her for helping make this story the best it can be!

New Beginnings

The sound of music has always been a part of me, ever since I was young. Hearing the melodic notes of a song always tends to turn my head. It always makes me stop and think about how well the lyrics match the tones or what intervals they're played on. Once upon a time, I had a gift for song, but as time drifted by, that gift is now gone.

I suppose that's a good thing at this point. The last time I sang from the bottom of my heart, I used it for bad purposes and ended up losing the things I held closest to me. Now, I have a new life with new people in it, so I don't want to jeopardize my future with them by letting my voice out once more. Singing, for all it is worth, scares me… I only ever used my voice to help myself, so my mind feels worried that if I let it out again, it may throw everything into chaos. I don’t want to lose her… Ever…

Music can be a wonderful gift and something that can bond people together. No matter where you go, there is almost always some sort of music being played and shared with others. One person will often share their favorite type of music with their friends, letting them bond over their love for certain songs and bands. Overall, music is a lovely thing depending on who plays it and when it is presented.

This is not one of those situations…

Sitting on the hard wood bench, I can't help but sigh to myself as I hear the disorganized instruments try to play a symphony, only making me cringe slightly. The other adults sitting around at this band performance are mostly parents, cheering their young teenage children onward, but in the case of the woman sitting next to me, she is the older sister of one of the children. The orange woman simply has her arms crossed, not really moving much since the beginning of this performance. Her cowboy hat did compliment her nicely, but I don't really have the nerve to say such out loud.

I still don't know why I had to sit by her. After Apple Bloom begged me to come watch her performance, she told me that the only seat left was on the third row. Coincidentally, this seat happens to be right next to Applejack. I admit, the two of us have talked since Valentine's Day, but things are still shaky between the two of us.

Looking over to the cowgirl, a small glance is shared between us for a moment. Putting my hand out, I say, "Hey. I'm Adagio Dazzle. I hope we can get to know each other."

Chapter I: New Beginnings

The orange cowgirl sitting to my right averts my gaze slightly, but returns my handshake with a solid grip. Despite her clear distrust of me, she seems willing to talk to me at least.

"I know who you are," she states quietly so as to not interrupt the performance. "Well, I suppose I don't… not anymore." Her tone carries a guilty feeling with it, but her face doesn't change in the slightest. If anything, it's hard to tell exactly what she's thinking at a given time. Her stoic figure almost feels intimidating at times. I mean, she is intimidating simply because she's part of the Apple Family, but I suppose I also feel nervous due to her predisposition to me.

"I'm… different than before," I slowly state, looking towards the stage for a moment.

"Sunset tells me," Applejack explains in her thick country accent, not daring to look away from her little sister. "I'm… sorry that I'm not exactly jumping at the chance to know you again. I know Sunset tells the truth, it's just that-"

"You still think of me as the manipulative siren?" I ask, interrupting her mid sentence. A shameful look comes across her face for a moment, trying to hide under her cowboy hat slightly.

"I'm sorry, sugarcube. I don't mean to be mean or nothing, but I don't know the new you. Sunset told me ya overheard what I said and what it did to ya. And well… I'm real sorry." A guilty frown forms on her mouth before looking at me, an apologetic look caught in her eyes. "Listen. I'm willing to hear ya out and get to know you, but it has to be on my terms," she states with a serious tone in her voice. With a simple nod, I return her gaze, smiling as best as I can.

"Of course. I wouldn't make you do anything that you don't want to do." We both nod for a moment, our shared gaze broken momentarily before Applejack sighs to herself. Seemingly thinking of what to say, Applejack brings her hand to her chin, closing her eyes slowly.

"Have you ever been to a family gathering? Like a big one where there are activities and memorable experiences?" Her question confuses me at first, not really being able to recall ever going to a family gathering before.

"No, I don't think so. I haven't had a lot of family, so I never really went to one of those before." My answer, as short as it is, seems to please the cowgirl as she nods to herself. A part of me feels slightly worried about what she may be thinking about, but at this point, I've learned to just go with the flow.

"Alright," she states in a slow manner, looking me in my eyes as she does so. "The Apple Family is having a big family reunion in a week, so if you make it to that, you and I can get to know each other. No past sins considered," Applejack says, holding her hand out to me, locking our eyes together. Before I can even take her hand in mine, she pulls away slightly. "Only shake if you're serious. About changing yourself and loving one of my best friends." Again, her statement comes off as defensive, but I don't really blame her for it at this point. It's understandable to still hold a grudge against a siren after all… even if I'm not a siren anymore.

Shaking her hand as genuinely as I can, I give the cowgirl a smile, nodding to her inquiry. "I'm serious."

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Opening the door as quietly as I can, I look inside the apartment carefully, smiling to myself when I don't see anyone. Sunset, as determined as she always is, usually passes out when she gets home from her internship. This, in turn, gives me an opportunity to cuddle her when I get home, but today is slightly different. It's a very special time of the year, getting ever closer to the end of July. A big smile comes across my face as I think about the occasion, holding the gift wrapped box, quickly locking the door behind me. This is the first time that I can actively be a part of Sunset's birthday, so I want to make this as special as I can.

Walking over to the kitchen cabinets, I slowly open the bottom one, looking at the many boxes of cleaning supplies and vacuum materials, most of which are never really moved. Chuckling, I gently put the present behind everything else, making sure it can't be seen, even if some of the boxes are removed. It especially means a lot that I can be a part of her birthday since she doesn't really celebrate it that often. I'm here to change that~ Why wouldn't I celebrate the birth of my loving girlfriend~? The person who saved my life…

Sighing happily to myself, my eyes widen as I hear our bedroom door open. Sunset is already awake, huh? Closing the cabinet door, I turn towards the fridge quickly, opening it and looking for the chocolate ice cream. A small chuckle comes from my lips as I see the final piece of cherry cheesecake resting on the first shelf, tempting me to eat it right here and now. It would be a waste to eat it now, especially since I am saving it for Sunset's birthday.

Feeling her arms wrap around me slowly, a cute giggle comes from behind me, Sunset resting her head on my shoulder. "What are you looking for, my cute alligator~?" she asks in a groggy voice, clearly still tired from her nap.

"Just trying to look for the chocolate ice cream~" I softly explain, turning my head to kiss her cheek slowly.

"You're looking in the fridge, sweetheart~ It's in the freezer," Sunset says as she opens the top portion of the refrigerator for me. A deep pink blush comes to my cheeks, clearly seeing the ice cream right in front of me.

"I um… I-I knew that," I lie, knowing damn well that I did not know that. In fact, a lot of these human devices are still… confusing to me. It's only due to pure luck that I, a dense alligator, was able to find out how to use a phone and its many functions.

"Sure you did~" Sunset teases me as she lets go, walking over to the cupboards over the oven, grabbing a couple bowls and putting them down on the counter. "Don't forget the cherry ice cream too~ Unless you would rather have that slice of cheesecake now?"

"Ugh, don't tempt me," I say in an exaggerated tone of exhaustion. "It's the last slice, so I'm saving it for later." A cute giggle escapes my Shimmer's lips, her hand reaching over and cupping my cheek gently.

"Adagio~ You know we can always get more, right?" Her question, as innocent as it is, surprises me at first, catching me off guard. I suppose we can… I'm not rich by any means, but I could afford more if I saved my money. I guess I'm just all too used to the familiar diet of poverty. By that, I mostly mean going without food more times than not. The biggest thing that caught me off guard was Sunset saying "we".

A solemn expression takes hold of my face for a moment, thinking silently to myself. It's true that Sunset and I… have been dating for a couple months now, but I didn't really expect us to help finance things for each other yet. Nor be that close that we could steadily rely on each other like married couples do. I mean, we do share an apartment now, so it shouldn't be a big deal, right…? We haven't done anything more than sleep in the same bed together and I still second guess whether she loves me all the time…

"Adagio?" Sunset asks me to grab my attention, my eyes looking at her almost instantly after her question. "Are you alright?" Her eyes lock with mine, her hand never leaving my cheek. Again, her warm smile melts its way into my heart and her fiery hair stays on my mind. No matter how many times I look into her eyes, it never seems to bore me, letting me drown in her beauty. It's funny that I still have a hard time saying those words. My mind still believes I don't deserve this life, this happy end.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I slowly say, looking away and grabbing the ice cream cartons. Setting them on the counter, Sunset's hand gently turns my head back to her, a concerned expression now dawning on her.

"Are you overthinking again? You know I'm always here for you, right?" she asks me with a small smile, unsure of whether she should be worried or not. Looking away from her once more, I grab an ice cream scooper, unsure of what to say. A part of me wishes to indulge in her comfort, but another part of me tells me not to.

"Yeah…" I nod silently, Sunset pulling me into her warm embrace slowly. Clearly, the softer side of me won this time.

"Hey, hey. It's alright~ How about you go sit down and I'll bring the ice cream and you can talk with me about it, okay?" she softly expresses, cupping my cheek once more. With a silent nod, I walk past Sunset into the living room, sitting down on the couch softly. Normally, I would object to this, but I know Sunset would only accept yes as an answer. When it comes to my problems, she's eager to help me in any way she can. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed the same pleasure most of the time…

Walking into the room, Sunset carries two bowls of ice cream, a warm smile once again on her face. It’s only now that I realize she’s only wearing a large t-shirt and some small shorts. Appropriate for someone who just woke up from a nap. The shirt has a large cartoonish cat on it, the caption “Have a purr-fect day!” written in comic sans. Gently sitting beside me, Sunset hands me the bowl of cherry ice cream, looking towards me with her friendly gaze lit up by the light coming through the blinds. Despite the darker interior, it still feels… magical to be with Sunset… No matter how often I see her smile or feel her hug, it always makes me trip up on my words, caught in the magic of these wonderful feelings I have for her. I love being with her and I can never get used to it, honestly. Slowly taking a bite, Sunset’s lips are covered in chocolate ice cream, licking it away in an instant. Even if she’s messy, she’s always cute to me.

Bringing her hand to my cheek, Sunset’s eyes convey a message of worry, always wanting to help me in any way she can. “How did today go?” she asks slowly, referring to my visit with Apple Bloom. Honestly, it was the first time I’ve seen her in a few months, Applejack finally letting her see me again after agreeing to give me a chance. It took a lot of convincing from Sunset, but I don’t blame Applejack. She’s quite scared for her family…

“It felt really nice to see Apple Bloom again. She practically begged me to come to the clubhouse again, but overall, she was just super excited to finally talk to me without sending me letters.” With a nod, I look away, taking a bite of my own ice cream slowly.

“I see~ Did you talk with Applejack?” Sunset asks me cautiously, knowing that it could be a sensitive subject. A solemn nod of my head is the only answer I give to her question at first, looking away as I take another bite of my treat.

“Yeah, I did. She… invited me to the Apple Family reunion or such. I think that’s what she called it.” Looking back to Sunset, I see a big smile on her face and her eyes are wider than usual. Her hand grabs my hand and she locks her eyes with mine, a proud expression gripping hold of her beautiful face.

“That’s great, Adagio! Does that mean you two are on good terms or…?” Her previous happy expression changes to one of curiosity, eagerly awaiting my response.

“Not yet. She still doesn’t trust me nor do I expect her to. She said that this would help us get to know each other more and she’s willing to give me a chance. I suppose it’s due to all your convincing, huh?” I ask with a giggle, closing my eyes as I eat a bit more of my ice cream. The cherry flavor lingers on my tongue slightly, reminding me of Sunset. Well, it reminds me of times with Sunset. Like the bowling alley or one of our movie nights during that fateful week. With a smile, I simply shake my head and look back up at Sunset.

“Well, it’s still a good turn of events! At least she’s willing to give you a chance~ Especially since I love you so much.” Without a moment of hesitation, Sunset puts down her bowl of ice cream on the coffee table and hugs me quickly, sighing happily to herself. “You mean the world to me, Adagio~”

Slowly, I wrap my arms around her as well, resting my head on her shoulder and closing my eyes slowly. “I… I love you too, Sunset. You really do mean everything to me,” I whisper quietly, still not used to saying those words nor hearing them back. “I still… feel bad that you haven’t talked to your friends much over the past few months because of me. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to make up with them and-”

Before I can say another word, Sunset’s finger presses against my lips slowly, our embrace ending so that she could look into my eyes. Her warm smile and friendly eyes display her feelings of love way too easily, entrapping my heart every time I see that expression. “Shh. It’s alright~ We’re all talking again and we’re still friends. Applejack even agreed to give you a chance and I’m sure we won’t stop being friends. It’s alright, Adagio~ I’m talking with them again and we’re all still friends. You didn’t do anything wrong~” Hugging me again, I feel that all too familiar urge to display my sadness once again, but I am able to hold it back, holding Sunset close to me as well. Feeling her hair with my hand, I can’t help but enjoy the softness of it and the warmth of this hug. All of her is soft and warm.

“Promise me that everything will be alright…?” I slowly ask, letting my insecurity out in the open.

“I pinkie promise~” she simply states, not letting go of my body and retaining our loving embrace. “Everything will be alright~ You’re mine and I’m yours, Adagio. You mean everything to me and someday, my friends will accept that too.” Bringing her head off my shoulder, her hands move their position to my cheeks, warming my face quickly, but that could just be my blush as always. Bringing herself closer to me, she gently presses her lips against mine, kissing me with as much love as she can muster. My cheeks flush even harder than before as my mind races with thoughts of her and not much else. This girl means everything to me and I would do everything I could to keep her. To think that she was my enemy about half a year ago is hard to imagine, knowing how much she means to me now. How has my life changed so much…?

Leaning into our kiss as well, I hold Sunset’s body close to mine with a smile, enjoying as much of this moment as I can. I remember exactly what caused this rapid spiral of change. That one night in December… Everything had come to a head and then… you appeared. You told me that I was worth it and I could be happy too. If only you knew how happy you truly make me, Sunset Shimmer…

=========================================

Walking down the hard sidewalk, I feel the warm breeze of summer brush past my face, the sun providing heat to everyone around. Despite the weather conditions, I still wear my scarf with me at all times as well as my jeans and boots. I decided to wear one of Sunset’s t-shirts after leaving our apartment, since most of my clothes are dirty. Given, I don’t have much other than a couple different outfits… I should really buy myself more clothes when I get my next paycheck. Regardless of my clothes situation, Sunset’s shirt feels quite comfortable, though it could be that I only feel like that since it belongs to my girlfriend. It even has her scent on it, so I suppose that makes me happier than I would be in a normal shirt. The piece of clothing is blue in color with a simple logo for the Rainbooms, Sunset and her friends’ band back in high school. I wonder if they still play together…

Dodging between the people in the streets, I can’t help but notice how many more people are out during this time of year as compared to December. I suppose it is the summer, but it still felt a bit odd to me. Especially with the alarming amount of people dressed as clowns. Okay, what the hell is happening? Is it some sort of holiday? There’s even sounds of music and… confetti on the ground?

Walking around the corner, my eyes widen at the sheer amount of people on the sidewalks. This is what Rainbow wanted me to see…? Looking down the surprisingly empty road, I see oddly decorated cars and moving stands coming slowly down the street. What the fuck is this exactly…?

Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turn around quickly and lock eyes with a certain rainbow-haired girl. The perky individual hands me a caramel apple with a smile and grabs me in a hug. “Hey, Dagi! How are you doing?” she asks me with a laugh, holding me way too tightly. Despite the happiness I feel at seeing Rainbow, my eyes are drawn to the person she brought with her, locking my attention on them. The purple hair and white skin are unforgettable at this point, always trying to draw the attention of those around her. The fashionista wears star-shaped sunglasses as well as a frown.

“Um, good,” I say slowly, returning Rainbow’s hug with a small smile, but ending it quickly thereafter.

“You know Rarity and all,” Rainbow Dash says with a smirk, introducing her friend. The fashionista simply nods, taking a sip of her drink as she looks me up and down.

“Adagio. It’s um… a pleasure,” she says slowly, holding her hand out to me as a sign of kindness. Despite my urge to ignore her gesture, I know that I want to get to know every one of Sunset’s friends and resolve my differences with them. Taking her hand in my own, I shake slightly, a smile coming to my face.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Rarity~” I say as kindly as I can, hopeful that maybe I can get Rarity to meet the new me. Maybe we could even become friends…

“I brought Rarity along because I thought it would be nice for us to hang out together~” Rainbow cheerfully says, giving me a thumbs up. “Well, that and she wanted to see you again.”

“Oh? Really?” I ask slowly, my eyes looking at Rarity as a small blush comes over the fashionista.

“W-well, of course. Sunset keeps telling me of… your new side and I figured I could be more inviting to Sunset’s girlfriend, despite past occurrences.” Rarity, bringing a hand to her face, takes a deep breath in and looks around herself. “Besides, it is quite hypocritical of me if I don’t at least try, right?” she asks me, locking her eyes with mine with a small smile coming to her lips. Nodding slightly, I return the smile and chuckle to myself, covering my mouth with my hand.

“Thanks~ I hope I can impress,” I say happily, taking a bite of my caramel apple. Rarity nods to my statement and chuckles slightly to herself.

“I’m sure you will, darling~”

“Come on! The parade is about to start!” Rainbow states as she grabs both of our hands, surely tired of the reunion. She does seem to love more fun things than emotional moments. Wait. What the hell is a parade…?