Author's Note

Whoever said that it was a crime to have fun~? Why can't we just spend a little more time enjoying the empty seconds with the ones we love? Who would it hurt? The answer is no one~ Adagio has come to this conclusion after realizing how much fun the day has been with her girlfriend, Sunset. What will a couple more hours hurt?

DISCLAIMER: This story includes references to depression, depressing thoughts, insecurities, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts based around all of these concepts. If you do not want to read a story with slight references to these, I would urge you to click off.

Author's notes: Hey, guys! I'm really sorry for the late upload. It's been a minute, right? I've been really busy lately due to university and my relationships with different people. But I think I've more than made it up with this LONG chapter of mine~ Be warned, this chapter is not fully edited and it may not be the best due to the stress I've been feeling recently, but I will try to edit it later~ A big thank you to Mon668 for beta reading this chapter since her reactions show that my story still has an impact~ Have fun~!

Last Minute Shenanigans

Chapter X: Last Minute Shenanigans

My eyes widen, looking back down at the jacket I have on and instantly realizing where I had seen something like it before. Back when music and power were the biggest things in my life, instead of love and friendship. The reason there is no price tag… is because it’s already been bought. A long time ago. It has been worn ever since then by a very special person. Someone who meant nothing more than dirt to me a long time ago, but clearly, that definition has changed. She means the world and more to me now and I would do anything for her. “This is… your jacket…?” I ask slowly, my eyes still looking at the sleeves.

Her head nods with a smile pasted on her lips, her hands still holding my own and refusing to let go. “Yeah~ I used to wear it all the time, but it’s been sitting in the closet for a while now. I thought that maybe it would be just the right thing to get you to feel a little more confident~ Especially since you loved this type of clothing back then~” Sunset’s smile doesn’t fade as she kisses me slowly, bringing her hand to the back of my head. No matter how many times I feel her soft lips, I can never get used to the sensation, becoming addicted to it each and every time it happens. I’m always left wanting more, wanting to love her even more than I am now. To spend an eternity in her embrace and a minute more. I know heaven has to exist, if not in another life, right here in her arms. Paradise is being able to spend each and every second with the one you love and not get bored of it. Each moment is a new adventure. The soft texture of her lips and the warm feeling all make me feel even happier. Perhaps it’s because she’s so wonderful. Or because she makes my life feel so nice. She’s always there to pick me back up no matter what happens, even if I’m the one who hurts her. All I ever wanted was the world and here I am, with my whole world in my embrace~

Pulling away slowly and reluctantly, a smile comes across my lips, looking into her eyes once more. “Does this mean you’re giving me this jacket…?” I ask hesitantly, unsure how I feel about the situation. I don’t want to take something that has clearly been with her for a long time, but it’s also… a really nice gift. Something that is so personal to Sunset, connecting me with her even more. I kind of wish I had something to give her as well…

“Of course~ Why else would I want you to try it on?” Sunset asks me with a small wink before her hands slowly grab the collar of the jacket, fidgeting with it slightly. Despite the fact that this jacket was hers, Sunset seems to really like the sight of it on me for some reason unknown to me. A cheeky smile spreads across her face before her hands pull the collar towards her, bringing me with it. Instantly, a blush comes to me as Sunset forces me to lean on her slightly, our eyes locked with each other. “And I have to say that it looks really nice on you~” Sunset’s voice whispers in a sharp and teasing tone right into my ear, her warm breath gently lingering on my earlobe. Chills go up and down my spine as Sunset holds me close to her, her hands not releasing their grasp on the coat. What is… this feeling…? Why do I feel hot and cold at the same time…? Why do I not know what to do? This nervous and anxious feeling mixed with some sort of… expectation? What am I even expecting? The smell of her hair invades my mind as one of Sunset’s arms moves around my lower back, pulling me in even more. A small giggle escapes her lips as I feel a tingling sensation around my earlobe, Sunset’s teeth just barely biting at the area. Why does this feel… nice…? What the fuck am I doing right now? It’s like my body can’t move… No, I… don’t want to move… Each and every urge I feel tells me to stay in this embrace, no matter what may happen in the world around us. The sound of Sunset’s breathing can still be heard as she lets go of my ear, her lips slowly kissing my cheek and moving down to my neck, laying multiple small and warm kisses upon my skin. I-I… Why does my mouth feel dry…? Why does my body shiver to each sensual touch and loving embrace…? I…

Slowly, Sunset bites my neck before leaving a final kiss on my skin, bringing her eyes back up to meet mine again, her face conveying a look of confidence unlike her previous confident expressions. Slowly, Sunset’s hand comes up to my cheek, a giggle escaping her lips as we stare into each other’s eyes. “That is one way you can act confidently~” Sunset teases me in her normal tone of voice, her warm smile returning to her. “Let’s try to focus on finding and building up your own confidence~” Acting as if nothing had happened, Sunset let’s go of the jacket, ruffling my hair slightly before playfully pointing behind me towards the changing rooms. “Now, let’s see how those other outfits work on you, okay~?”

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The interior of the mall is kept at a colder temperature than I would like, but I suppose that’s because it’s in the middle of summer. Well, technically, it’s getting closer to the end than the middle, but the point still stands. I suppose most stores keep their temperatures pretty cool during this time of year to accompany the vast majority of people. It’s not necessarily uncomfortable, but it’s chilly enough to occasionally shiver at. That’s why I chose to go ahead and keep Sunset’s coat on while I wait. Actually, it’s not Sunset’s coat anymore… It’s mine, right? Sunset gave it to me to keep and wear, so, I suppose there’s no reason to keep thinking of it as hers. Shaking my head, I look at the jacket’s sleeves, remembering the times Sunset wore this. Back then, she and I were enemies because of my own selfish ambition. Now I get to wear it myself under entirely different circumstances. When I was told that time changes everything I didn’t necessarily believe it, but my own journey since last Christmas should prove that message all too true.

Excluding the jacket, Sunset bought me three to four new outfits to wear, all of them having the same general feel, but with different colors and articles of clothing. The funniest part of the whole checking out process is that Sunset insisted we needed to get me some headbands to complete the look. As much as I would do anything to make her happy, there weren’t any of those headbands in this clothing store, so Sunset got a little angry. In the end, she decided to find some online, but I’m not quite sure how that works. How does online shopping work? It confuses me to no end, but that could just be from my lack of experience with the online world. The most I’ve ever done on the internet is using my phone to make calls or text others. Oh, wait. I did once have to help Apple Bloom with some homework paper, but she spent more time helping me learn how to use the keyboard than I actually did to help her.

Why am I even debating online shopping…? It’s not like I would be able to comprehend it and do it myself… I mean, it sounds interesting, finding things that you may not necessarily find in normal stores, but I suppose I would have to have money to even consider the idea. Even if I didn’t buy Sunset’s jacket this month, I wouldn’t have a lot to necessarily spend on.

Though… a part of me feels guilty for spending Sunset’s money on my new attire… I kind of wish I did have the money to spend, just so I could pay her back for the countless times she’s covered the bill. Even now, I would be able to help out if I just had a little more money since Sunset decided she wanted to buy some new clothes for herself too. I don’t know. Maybe it’s enough that I got to contribute and help her decide on some articles of clothing. I think she liked some of my choices, but I’m not entirely sure. I tried to pick cheaper things, so I hope she didn’t notice the trend.

Every now and then, a couple more people would walk in or out of the changing rooms, looking disappointed or content with their choices in wardrobe. Some of the people who passed by me were people I recognized from Canterlot High, former students who are presumably making their way in the world. Just like Sunset and I now. Sometimes, people would wait out here as well, obviously waiting on someone they’re close with to get done changing. For now, it’s only me and an older man in the waiting space, a magazine being held in one hand while a plastic bag of purchased items is in his other hand. A small part of me is curious as to what he bought before, but I try to not pry, looking at my own plastic bag filled with clothing items.

Before I can look through my items once again like a child interested in new toys, my phone buzzes in my pocket, prompting me to pull it out to check what the notification is. Opening my phone, I see a text pop up from Sunset, instantly feeling confused at the sight. “I’ve changed~ Can you come back now?” is all she typed, making me reread it a couple more times. The last couple of times she changed, Sunset came out here for me to look at her, but now she wants me to come back to her changing room? Closing my phone slowly, I pick up my bag and smile to myself. Maybe Sunset just feels a little self-conscious about her appearance. If I can help in any way, I would obviously do it in an instant, so this is the least I can do. Standing up from my seated position, I slowly walk down the hallway of changing rooms, my mind a little unsure of which room she picked. Sighing quietly to myself, I look at the different doors and realize they don’t have differentiating numbers. “Movie,” I say loud enough to be heard while trying to not be a nuisance to anyone else in other rooms.

“Night~” Sunset’s voice cheerfully pitches in from a door two rooms down the hall, her hand reaching over the door and waving slightly. As embarrassing as it may be to say something like that, it’s always cute to see Sunset’s reactions. It was her idea to turn the phrase ‘movie night’ into something we use when we’re trying to find each other. Maybe because Marco Polo was used too much or such. Walking down to the door Sunset’s hand was above just seconds ago, I slowly turn the doorknob, looking inside carefully.

Inside the small room, Sunset’s back is turned to me, facing the mirror parallel to the door. From here, I can see the tan coat I picked out reach her thighs, black jeans covering her legs all the way down to her plain black boots, despite their soft material. Sunset seems to be adjusting something quickly, before brushing the hair out of her face, turning to me and smiling as best as she can. Despite the smile, I can tell Sunset is clearly nervous about what I think. Under her tan coat, she has a dark gray turtleneck shirt on, surprisingly making her even cuter than before. With this type of outfit, she looks quite… casual and professional at the same time. She looks… really beautiful~

“So, what do you think?” Sunset asks me slowly, turning her body and making different poses, trying to see what specifically appeals to me. Slowly, I reach my hand out and grab her shoulder, a big smile already present on my face as I look at her body.

“Honestly? You look amazing~” I say quietly, unsure of what else to say. “This outfit looks really nice on you~”

“You really think so?” Sunset asks as she turns back around to the mirror, inspecting her appearance a little more. “I… I like how I look as well, I was just worried that maybe… Maybe it doesn’t fit someone like me, you know?” For a moment, Sunset’s eyes connect with mine from the mirror, her hand slowly reaching behind her and grabbing onto my own. “Thanks for the feedback~ I’m glad to know I was wrong~” In one swift motion, Sunset turns around and pulls me in for a hug, tightly holding me against herself.

Wrapping my own arms around her, I smile to myself, simply enjoying the fact that I get to live this life with Sunset. “It’s not a problem~” I slowly whisper, leaving a small kiss on her cheek before our embrace ends. Sunset’s eyes speak a thousand words of gratitude and appreciation, her smile indicating some happy thought inside that head of hers, but before I can try to guess what it is, Sunset pats my shoulder and nods to the door behind me.

“Thank you for being so patient with me changing and all. I only have one more outfit and then we can get out of here~'' Nodding to her statement, I slowly back out of the room, exaggerating my sigh for comedic effect.

“Okay, I get the memo~ I’ll be back when you’re done changing yet again,” I tease her slightly, swaying my hips to her words with a chuckle. “Just text me when you’re done, alright~?” With that, she waves to me as I close the door behind me, walking away with a small lingering grin left on my face, chuckling at how cute Sunset can be at times. Despite our purpose being here to help me feel more confident, I’m actually enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. That’s how every situation with Sunset has gone. Even when we were enemies, I enjoyed teasing her more than I thought I would, often looking forward to our next confrontation. Can I help that Sunset is that fun to tease? Or just be around in general…? Maybe it’s just my own viewpoint since not everyone is in love with Sunset, but no matter what happens, I always think of Sunset as an… interesting person. To be able to keep that confidence while dealing with so many self-esteem issues is nothing short of impressive. I guess that’s why she’s trying to help me so much to get my own confidence back. I went through similar circumstances as her and she had people there for her, supporting her reformation.

I didn’t… I had no one, not even my sisters… They left shortly after our defeat and I don’t blame them. I didn’t have those people for me until Sunset appeared and tried to convince me of happiness. I only repaid her by laughing in her face and criticizing her personality. I guess, in that sense, I had a different path than Sunset, but either way, our paths lead us into each other’s arms and I wouldn’t change a thing. This reality I live in is the best it’s ever been. Almost perfect…

As much as the constant fights annoyed me, they were still a big part of my life… I saw them as family and I never thought it would go down like this… Life that is. The only thing that could make this life better is if… I could apologize to them. To tell them one time that they actually did mean something to me, despite my belittling nature combined with my anger issues. To tell them that I… loved them…

Shaking my head slightly, I walk back inside the waiting area, quickly taking my seat to avoid looking like an idiot. By now, the elderly gentleman was nowhere to be seen, the waiting room being mostly empty except for a younger man, dressed up in a high school suit with a flower in his pocket near his heart and a corsage in his hands. It looks like he’s sweating bullets, clearly nervous about something. If I had to guess, he is probably waiting for his high school sweetheart to get done changing into a dress, one that’s probably way too expensive for my taste. Well, at least my taste now. All of this effort and time wasted on a single night out during their young years in life. Given, I’ve never been to a dance, so why should I criticize something I haven’t experienced myself yet? Yet…? It’s not like I’m going to a dance any time soon, so using that word isn’t quite accurate.

Personally, I would be happier spending some time alone with Sunset inside and under a blanket while we watch a movie, when it comes to romantic time together at least. Or walking along the beach… There are so many more peaceful and beautiful alternatives to a dance where you wouldn’t be bullied for your choice in outfits. Then again, I’ve never danced with Sunset… I… I mean, it would be fun, wouldn’t it? How would it feel to dance with her…? Hands intertwined while holding her hip… Or her shoulder? Who would lead? It’s awfully funny that I’m sitting here, contemplating the logistics of a dance with Sunset when we probably won’t have the chance to for a while… Unless the Apple Family reunion has a dance…?

My phone buzzes again, bringing me out of my train of thought as I grab my phone. I expect to see Sunset’s icon once again, but surprisingly, it’s not displayed. Instead, it’s Fancy Pants’ icon with a message detailing… Wait. What? He’s changing what…? Why would he… I got used to how things were, but now he wants to change things around…? Why would he change my schedule…? Why now of all weeks? The reunion is in five days and he’s wanting to change it around…?

Instantly, my fingers start typing in a response to his message, but before I can finish my reply, a new buzz alerts me to a message, this one being from Sunset. God… Now I’m going to have to wake up before Sunset… I don’t know how she will react to this awful schedule change, but I’ll try to convince Fancy to change it back in the office tomorrow… Sighing heavily, I slide the phone back into my pocket, standing up once again to walk towards Sunset’s changing room. Today just has to be full of ups and downs, right…? Shaking my head a little, I try to get rid of the migraine in my skull before I see Sunset again, rubbing my forehead slightly. Once again, I walk to Sunset’s door, knocking on it slowly to make sure she has time to fully settle.

“Come in~” Sunset’s voice cheerfully rings out, the door unlocking at the same time. Accepting Sunset’s request, I slowly turn the doorknob, taking a couple steps inside, but before I can even see what she has on, my eyes are instantly covered by her hand. “Don’t look yet~” she slowly states, guiding me into the changing room and closing the door behind me. Already, I feel confused about this new situation, but I try to accept it as Sunset makes me sit down. Why is she making us do this…? Is this some surprise outfit she tried on…? Honestly, I don’t remember all the clothes we picked out so even trying to think of what she’s wearing right now is nearly impossible. It all just confuses me even more, bringing my hands up to hers, gently trying to remove her grasp from my eyes.

“Sunset? What is this about…?” I ask slowly, unsure of what to say in general. I’ve never really been surprised like this and it only really makes me realize how much I rely on my eyes. Especially to fully appreciate Sunset’s beauty, inside and out… If I couldn’t see, how would I be able to enjoy her warm smiles and cute faces? It’s… a depressing thought actually. I suppose what’s reassuring about this is the fact that Sunset is the one forbidding me from seeing her. I know it won’t last, but it still makes me wonder…

“Shh~ It’s alright~ I just wanted to do something different~” Without taking her hand away from my eyes, Sunset presses her lips against my forehead gently, a slight giggle escaping her shortly after. “I was thinking that maybe you could guess what I have on~” she states in a slow and teasing tone, probably with a big smirk written across her face.

“Hmm? How can I guess…? I forgot nearly a third of the stuff we picked out.” Finally, I let go of her hand, content to play her game until she’s satisfied with teasing me. With every fun tease she pulls off, another cute smile follows. Besides, I can usually use it as leverage to get another movie night that we can spend together~ Not that I need it, since Sunset loves them too.

“Well, you can feel me~ I’ll only let you see after you make a guess of course~” A small laugh escapes her, trying to not disturb anyone else who might hear her if she is too loud. A part of me feels worried about this idea, thinking about feeling somewhere that she might not be comfortable with forces a nervous smile on my face. Feeling her body to discern what she’s wearing… As worrying as it may be, the thought still makes me curious… What could be so mysterious that she needs me to guess what she has on before I see her?

“Alright,” is all that can leave my mouth, the only thing I really know what to say. Taking a deep breath, I slowly reach my hands out to try and feel her only for Sunset’s hand to guide mine to her legs. Instantly, I feel the soft sensation of her skin, recognizing the feel of her legs. So, she isn’t wearing tights or long pants, huh? That’s a pretty interesting fact since every other outfit she’s had on included one of the two. From what I can feel, it seems like I’m touching her shins, so I guess it wouldn’t be that odd to not feel something. She has worn skirts before. And shorts now that I think about it.

Breathing in gently, I finally slide my hands up her legs slowly, getting to her knees with a smile coming to my face. Despite how skinny Sunset can look to normal eyes, she certainly has a good amount of muscle on her. Maybe it’s due to the fact that she was a pony before coming here. Though, I find it easier to believe that she just works hard to keep herself in shape. Sunset works really hard to get through her college classes and her internship, so it probably takes a toll on her body. Does she… ever come home in a lot of pain…? Does she just hide it to spend those countless movie nights with me…? I should try to make her welcome home more inviting… I mean, I can’t cook that well at all, but I could try, right? Her thighs are so soft, yet firm, feeling like she could probably carry me with no problem at all. She deserves to rest when she comes home. Maybe a massage could help? Then again, I have very limited experience with that. The last time I tried was to help Sonata with a backache due to pulling a muscle.

Moving my hands up Sunset’s thighs, I hear her chuckle to herself, the reason unknown to me. I really do have to admire how perfect Sunset’s thighs feel. Even though I would love her no matter what shape she’s in, Sunset clearly maintains her body. She’s… really soft too… Why don’t I feel anything yet…? No skirt or shorts, despite my hands being halfway up her thighs. Just what in the world is Sunset wearing…? I… I mean, I’m supposed to find out what she’s wearing and I haven’t felt anything but her yet. Just her…

Before I can move my hands up towards her hips, Sunset stops my hands and I hear a small hum escape her lips. Opening my mouth, I prepare to ask her why she stopped me, but my words get caught in my throat as I feel Sunset’s leg slide up next to mine, slowly sitting down in my lap. The weight of her body pressing down on my legs only reaffirms the fact in my mind that she’s still here, the nerves along my back being lit on fire. “You can feel me again~” her voice whispers in the sweetest tone right in my ear. Her voice is sometimes addicting, no matter what she says. It’s so nice to hear those words simply because Sunset is the star in my life, but for some reason, her voice stirs my nerves more, making me feel warmer. I swear the temperature went up… Didn’t it…? Regardless, I hesitantly move my hands back to her thighs, feeling Sunset’s hand rest on my shoulder as her other hand is busy keeping me blindfolded.

Moving my hands upward, I finally feel some fabric around her thighs. It’s a really soft and sleek material, feeling like a waterproof shirt or something made from similar fabric. Is… is this…? Tracing my fingers along the fabric, I feel her skin once more right above her hips, making me feel all the more nervous. Is she wearing… a swimsuit…? This piece of clothing she has on is only covering such a small area not unlike a person’s underwear, but it feels like a strange material to be made out of if it is just that. Slowly, I lick my dry lips to try and keep them from sticking together as I take my hands off the person I love. “I… think I can guess now,” I state in a nervous whisper, Sunset simply chuckling as a response.

“No, no~ You can’t guess yet~ You haven’t felt the rest of me,” her warm words reassure me as she guides my hand back to her hip. Without hesitation, Sunset’s lips press against my forehead again, telling me it’s alright. Honestly, I feel a little worried what may happen if I feel more of her, considering how nervous my body feels right now. My back feels like it’s on fire and my neck tingles from the sensations. I can’t stop my lips from drying up every few seconds and I'm not sure why. Nonetheless, I slowly move my hands up, feeling her soft sides and her firm stomach. All of her body feels soft and soothing to the touch. I don’t know how she can be so perfect, both in and out… She’s so perfect and I love her more than anything in this world… What is this desire I feel to just hug her and never let go? To tell her how much I love her and to kiss those perfect lips once more… Even her ribs feel perfectly formed…

Once again, there’s that same fabric, right below where her chest is, snapping me out of my thought process. Tracing the fabric, I feel it go all the way around her back. This piece of clothing has a zipper in the back and it feels like it goes all the way up to her neck, while covering most of her shoulder blades. Hesitantly, I take my hands off of Sunset, licking my lips again and trying to compose myself. “Are you… wearing a swimsuit?” I ask slowly, unsure of what her reaction is to my question.

Slowly, Sunset’s body shifts off of mine, her mouth coming close to my ear and whispering, “Correct~” Finally, Sunset takes her hand away from my eyes, letting me see once more. And… she looks even better than I expected.

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Strawberries are odd foods. In some ways, they taste sweet, but at other points, they can taste kind of tart. I suppose it all depends on how they’re prepared. For instance, strawberry milkshakes are pretty sweet and taste pretty nice. I haven’t actually tried many strawberry flavored things in my life, but that’s mostly because I haven’t tried most foods in general. I didn’t really need to when I had my powers, but now I sort of need to eat. The most ironic part is that as soon as I needed to eat food to survive, I didn’t have the money to buy the best foods of the world. Hell, I still don’t have a lot of money. I only get a little money each month that’s spare from the expenses of food and bills. I agreed to pay half of the bills for our apartment when I moved in with Sunset, so I usually need to save for a few weeks if I want to buy something nice. Unfortunately, I needed to save for a month and a half to get enough money to buy that jacket for Sunset. Then again, I would say it’s worth it. Just to see the smile Sunset will have on her face will be… priceless.

Taking another sip of my strawberry milkshake, I savor the taste in my mouth, enjoying this time I get to spend with Sunset. She and I decided to get ourselves a treat before we leave the mall, but surprisingly, Sunset picked a mint chocolate chip milkshake. I always thought she preferred straight chocolate, rather than having it mixed with something else. Given how many times she’s had chocolate syrup with her ice cream, I was under that impression for a while now, but I suppose I still have new things to learn about Sunset. Looking over to her, I see her sip the straw from her cup with a smile, the light slightly reflecting off her hair. She looks just as priceless as ever and I can’t adequately describe just how much she means to me. Even now, I feel so close to her and I’m just glad to have her in my life. Actually, I don’t feel close enough to her…

Wrapping my arm around her, I pull our bodies closer together, leaning my head on her shoulder with a happy sigh leaving my lips. Sunset giggles in surprise, almost choking on her milkshake in the process. “Playful, are we?” she asks after composing herself, clearing her throat in a moment. “Well, you’re either playful or clingy~”

“What’s wrong with both?~” I ask her in a coy tone. A small chuckle is all Sunset lets out in response, holding me close as well. A small part of me feels bad that we have to leave the mall, given how fun it’s been shopping with her here. I suppose it would be nice to just be able to take in this moment longer. To be with her for just-

Sunset’s hand lets go of me quickly as she walks ahead of us, a gasp leaving her lips as she looks into a store. The store in question is an arcade with a more modernized style, bright lights, sounds and games, but there are still some classics towards the back of the store, like Pac-Pony or Diamond Dogs. The more surprising fact is that Sunset herself is focused on something in the store, though I’m not sure what. “What are you looking at?” I ask her with a puzzled expression, walking up beside her to try and discern what game has caught her attention.

“I didn’t know they had Equestrian Dance Party~” Sunset says fondly, looking at a dancing game that is closer to the front of the arcade, a couple of middle school children trying to press the buttons on the floor as fast as they can.

“What’s Equestrian Dance Party…?” I ask like a complete idiot, unaware of what arcade games are ‘good’ and which are ‘bad.’ Given, this idiot needs to know this piece of information, so I guess it’s okay to ask, right?

“It’s this really fun game that Pinkie Pie introduced me to a long time ago~ My friends and I used to play it a lot, but then we got busy and the store we went to play it removed the game. I’m not sure why.” Sunset’s face reflects a melancholy feeling, a sad smile displayed for what feels like an eternity. It isn’t nice to see Sunset hurt or feeling some sort of discomfort like sadness… I love making her happy instead of seeing this. Pressing my shoulder against hers, I take a sip of my frozen drink, putting my other hand on my hip.

“That doesn’t explain to me why those kids are stomping the buttons on the ground,” I say in a slightly interested tone while feigning ignorance. Truth is, I can already piece together why the kids were doing this, but I figure Sunset would enjoy teaching me this game while playing it. Slowly, I wrap my arm around her waist and walk toward the arcade, pulling her along. Instantly, a flustered expression comes across Sunset, a blush making her already orange skin turn into a lighter tone of orange with tints of pink.

“W-well, they’re pressing the buttons to dance in rhythm with the game. If you press them accurately and on time, you gain points. The person with the most points wins,” Sunset lets out, trying to hide her blush. Walking up to the game, I put us right in front of the game’s dance pads, clearly being next in line to play while I search my bag for some change. “W-what are we doing here?” Sunset asks quietly, looking around the arcade.

“We’re going to play and you’re going to teach me,” I state in a teasing tone, finally finding ten dollars from my bag.

“B-but um… Adagio, we’re kind of old to be in an arcade… I mean, maybe if we were in high school, but now? I’m in college and all,” she states apprehensively, clearly conflicted on the idea.

“Shimmer. Are you scared I might beat you~?” I tease her as a response. “My, I didn’t know THE Sunset Shimmer backs down from challenges. I had a different impression of you~ I suppose I could just learn from someone else.” Sunset’s expression turns into one of surprise as she reacts to my statement, unsure of what to say next.

“Do you… really want to play with me?” Sunset asks in a hesitant tone again. Her cute flustered face clearly tells me of her unsure feelings, wanting to play the game, but not wanting to be seen as weird. Every time she’s like this, it makes me want to kiss her even more, just to reassure her that I’m here.

Putting my hand on my hip, I lean in close to her ear, kissing her cheek in the process and letting it linger for a couple moments. “Oh, I definitely want to~” My tease causes Sunset to blush even more before I hand her my milkshake, patting her shoulder. “Hold this for me~ I’ll be back~” Sunset’s mouth opens to object, but I quickly stop her by putting my finger on her lips, shaking my head. I don’t attempt to say another word before walking away from Sunset, chuckling to myself. Hopefully, ten dollars is enough to be able to play that game, even if I end up losing.

Walking towards the counter, I see tons of prizes that kids could earn with enough tickets, but most of them are the cheap toys that would break in two minutes. Though, some of them are actually some nice quality items, requiring a lot of tickets. One such thing that catches my eye is a pair of wristbands with spikes on them. Honestly, it reminds me of something Aria would wear… Shaking my head, I look up to the cashier at the counter. The girl in the arcade uniform is leaning over in her chair with her feet kicked up on the counter and her ball cap pulled over her eyes, seemingly asleep from a lack of business. “Um…” Honestly, I’m unsure of what to do exactly in this situation… I don’t want to be rude to the girl, but I would also like to get the transaction over with, regardless of who she is. Though, I definitely understand the need for a power nap during work. I especially needed those in-between performances back at the nightclub…

“Trixie! Get back to work!” an intercom voice states within the arcade, instantly surprising both the girl behind the counter and me. Her body jumps slightly, pushing herself back from the counter before catching her hat from falling off her head.

“Um! Welcome to Cosmos Arcade! I’m Trixie and we can sell you hours of fun!” she instantly states as if it is rehearsed before straightening her hat, a worried expression written across her face. Honestly, the blue girl seems a bit familiar to me, but I’m unable to place exactly where I’ve met her before. “What can the great and powerful Trixie do for you tod-” Her voice unceremoniously cuts off as her eyes connect with mine, her smile disappearing with a look of recognition replacing it. I guess we have met before… Probably back at that damned school. I guess I can’t help but feel the urge to vomit when I think about how evil I was… And how many people I hurt. “A-Adagio Dazzle?” she asks in surprise, stepping back slightly to the sight of me. “What are you of all people doing here?” For a moment, her snarky tone annoys me a bit, but I can’t really blame her for any hostility that she shows. It’s understandable after everything I’ve done.

Sighing quietly, I look back up to her and place the ten dollars on the counter. “I’m here to play a game, that’s all,” I state quietly with as much of a peaceful tone as I can muster. Trixie surprises me quickly with a loud scoff leaving her lips, her hands moving to her hips.

“You expect me to believe that? You took me for a fool back at Canterlot High. I deserved more respect since I am the greatest and powerfulest of all time.” Once again a smirk comes across her face, seemingly happy in her own title before looking back at me. “What scheme do you have this time? Because I will not be a part of it. Besides, I probably have a better one anyway,” Trixie states, feigning an indifferent tone as she tries to pretend she’s the most powerful of all, yet I doubt she can throw an adequately good punch. Honestly, a part of me wants to strike her myself for the comment, but another part of me knows that what she said isn’t necessarily a lie… I was always known to lie due to… yeah. Still, I guess it hurts to have that past haunt my every action. Damn it… Regardless, I have to keep going through each day I can, no matter what others think. Right…? “What’s wrong? You look like someone killed your pet dog,” Trixie says in a slightly annoyed tone as she crosses her arms. Has she always been like this or did I ignore it back then? “I mean, I’m the one who’s supposed to be laughing at the fact you’re even here, but you’re making that difficult.”

“Just tell me the prices already,” I state in an equally annoyed tone, trying to avoid eye contact from the blue girl.

“I can’t believe you of all people would want to play a game,” she mutters under her breath, finally typing something up on the monitor. “Seriously though, where is that bully attitude you had?” Her tease is clearly meant to get on my nerves even more, grinding on my mind. I could try to justify it by saying I deserve this hostility, but it still gets on my nerves… I was horrible before, but the only way to change that image is to show I’ve changed… It’s just my damn anger issues that make it so hard to do that. “Okay, so you can either buy individual game passes or a day pass,” Trixie speaks up in a more tired tone than before. She was probably hoping for some reaction out of me… As long as I can be better than I was before, then I can maybe deserve better treatment in the future. From everybody. Just be the best person you can be, Adagio…

“What does the day pass entail?” I ask as politely as I can, finally making eye contact with her once more. Trixie looks surprised for a moment, but she instantly types something into the monitor with a sigh.

“It’s by far the most popular option, allowing you to have access to unlimited tries on any of the games in the arcade, but it costs twice as much as that,” the blue girl states as she points down at the ten dollar bill with a smirk written across her face.

“Twice as much?” That is… pretty steep… I don’t have twenty dollars on me for just one day pass… But I suppose I could put it on my credit card? It wouldn’t take that long to pay back if I use my paycheck well. Looking over at Sunset, I can’t help but feel myself smile, seeing her happy nature as she watches the different arcade games around her, despite the fact that she was worried about being too old just a moment ago. Would it really be that bad to indulge in this moment a while longer…? Just a couple more hours. Just a few more hours of seeing that bright smile and wonder in her eyes. I won’t go into debt over this as long as I make sure to pay it back by Friday. Just a while longer wouldn’t hurt.

Taking my card out of my bag, I slide it across the counter with a smile, nodding slightly. “Yeah, I’d like two of the day pass.” Trixie’s eyes widen slightly to my statement, but no snarky remark seems to come from her. Slowly, she swipes my card and confirms with the monitor before reaching behind her to a rack of lanyards. Plastic cards were attached to the lanyards with big letters spelling out ‘day pass’ in big electric letters, making it seem appealing due to its colorful format. Her hand slowly hands over two of the lanyards and my card before giving me a thumbs up.

“Have fun,” is all she says in a quiet voice as she sits down again, pulling her hat down to avoid the light. I’ll try to. Well, no… I will have fun. As long as Sunset is genuinely enjoying the experience, it will make the whole experience that much better. I just have to try and get the taste of this sour meeting out of my mouth for a bit… Thankfully, a strawberry milkshake should help with that a lot actually.

Shaking my head lightly, I quickly walk away from the counter, looking towards the dance arcade game where Sunset is still patiently waiting, but now her eyes are trained on me with a frown written across her face. Seeing her frown makes my own feelings of anxiety and sadness hit against the walls of my mind. I don’t want her to frown today. I want her to smile. I just want a little more time with that smile of hers.

“Hey, is everything alright? You didn’t seem to have a good time at the counter,” Sunset slowly says, her concerned eyes trying to pierce my soul again. She’s always pretty good at determining when I feel bad, yet another quality I admire about her. But today is going to be a good day for us. It’s been way too long since we've had a fulfilling day like today.

Taking the strawberry milkshake from her hand, I simply smirk before laying a kiss upon her cheek. “Of course I’m alright~ I was just thinking about how else I can spoil you today~” I tease her in a defiant voice, taking her hand in mine. “Just make sure you wear this.” Handing her the lanyard, I smile a bit, raising my eyebrow a little. Honestly, a part of me thinks about teasing her even more with some joke about having my name around her neck instead, but I decide against it as I notice the kids who were using the game finally leave the dance pads. “Oh, looks like it’s our turn, Summer Mist~” I state with a wink, pulling her with me towards the game. Sunset’s cheeks instantly flush a pink color, her sheepish smile controlling her face.

“You’re sure you want to do this…?” Sunset asks as she steps up on the pad, looking at the game’s monitor before locking our eyes once more.

“Where’s that confidence you had just an hour ago?” I ask her before playfully pushing her shoulder, setting my milkshake on a cupholder off to the side of the game. “Come on~ Show me those moves, Shimmer~”

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

“Aw, what’s wrong, Adagio~?” Sunset asks me as I look at this infuriating game. Slamming the mallet down on the hole in the surface in front of me, I can’t help but growl under my breath.

“Who’s idea was it to make these fucking moles so damn hard to hit?!” My statement just makes Sunset giggle more as she sips on her shake, watching me try to hit the damn robotic moles. They could have at least made it on a curve, making the first few easy to hit rather than this. As soon as you start up the game, the little bastards tease you just enough and then disappear into the darkness once more. The brown moles just keep peeking out enough to imprint their stupid cheeky grins in your mind before they’re gone again, making you look stupid as you hit an empty hole. The game’s buzzer rings, interrupting my thought process. “God damn it… How much did I get?” I ask out loud, even though I’m talking to myself more than Sunset. Looking up at the scoreboard, my mouth drops open almost as quick as Sunset giggles to the score. “Zero?! I swear I hit at least ONE of those little shits!” I almost yell, feeling my anger build up inside my mind. I could have sworn I hit one. They must be cheating me, right?

“Aw, chill out, Adagio~ It’s just a game~” Sunset tries to reassure me by hugging me from the side, a grimace still written on my face becoming a little less strict.

“Just a game? Those stupid things embarrassed me…” Shaking my head, a sigh leaves my mouth slowly, my eyes connecting with the mallet. “I could do it. I can hit them with one more try.”

“You said that the last two times~” Sunset laughs, pulling me away from the machine. “Come on, we can find some game you’re good at~ Just because you lost at the dance game and Whack-A-Mole doesn’t mean you will suck at the rest of these games.”

“It doesn’t mean I’ll suck. It means I’ll fail so miserably that even my ancestors will be embarrassed.” Then again… I don’t think my ancestors matter much anymore. I never really cared about who they were or what they would say about the choices I make. For all I care, they were weak sirens. Sonata, Aria and I were the only strong ones. Strong enough to have it all. But we were too weak to avoid being banished here.

“But I won’t be embarrassed of you~” Sunset cheekily teases me, kissing my cheek with her soft lips again. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll win at something. You just have to believe in yourself~” A thoughtful expression comes to her, locking her eyes with something ahead of us, but the exact thing that’s caught her attention is still unknown to me since there are dozens of games in this arcade. “What about a racing game?” she cheerfully hums, looking back to me with her usual warm smile, never failing to bring me a bit of happiness.

“Racing…?” Looking ahead of us, my curiosity is piqued, seeing a game with a singular motorcycle ride with a monitor right in front of it. “I’ve never… ridden a motorcycle before,” the words slowly fall from my lips, thinking about the possible defeat I’d suffer again, despite the fact that it seems to be a one player game.

“Aw, come on~ I’m sure you’ll do great~” Sunset’s enthusiasm isn’t shared by me but seeing that smile of hers always has a way to convince me to do anything. “Besides, if you win, I’ll let you be the little spoon tonight~” Sunset states with a cheeky smile and raised eyebrow, challenging me to make my move. Now that’s just playing dirty… I mean, I enjoy being both the little and big spoon, so it’s not that big of a deal, but cuddling as a reward for winning a game? Why does she have to be so beautiful, yet sadistic?

“Okay, you’re on~”

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

The air outside is much colder than the air that I’ve been accustomed to during the summer days. It always causes me to shiver ever so slightly, sometimes making the long walks home depressing. Although, on this occasion, it’s different. This time, I get to hold Sunset’s hand all the way there, despite the long and often dull paths through the city I’ve taken dozens of times. Now, every second is just another peaceful moment with her, another second that I get to smile with Sunset by my side. It’s all thanks to her that I get to have this peaceful and happy life. It’s thanks to her kindness that I’ve gotten friends in the first place. I really do owe her a big deal~ Even if we’re not talking, just spending time with her is enough to make me feel better from all the troubles in my life.

“As promised, you get to be the little spoon tonight~” Sunset states in that same teasing tone, slightly sticking her tongue out at me. “I mean, I told you that you could be the little spoon if you won, but you didn’t have to win that hard~ The bots in that game must have felt really bad~” A laugh comes from her mouth before she rests her head on my shoulder, squeezing my hand a little tighter. Her happy sigh warms my heart a little more,

“You said I would find a game I would be good at and now you’re telling me I shouldn’t have flexed my stuff~?” I laugh, nudging her with my hip. “I even found a second game I’m good at with that game called air tackey~”

“Honey, it’s called air hockey~” Sunset barely states through her laugh. “You’re so cute~” Once again, my cheeks flush, embarrassed by my stupid mistake.

“Eh, it’s not so cute when you’re the one who made the mistake,” I groan, trying to hide my face behind my scarf. My… scarf… Yeah…

“Well, it’s still cute~” Sunset’s hand reaches up to my cheek and rubs slightly with her thumb, her warm expression still there as always. “You’re… beautiful, Adagio~” Sunset’s words slowly flow out of her mouth, a longing look still in her eyes.

Why does she always have to fluster me so easily? She’s so good at making me smile uncontrollably, despite my mind expecting this by now. I mean, every kiss of hers still lights my heart ablaze and makes me wish for it to last an eternity more. But before I can reply to her statement, something catches my eye. Nearing our apartment, something looks… different… What the…

“Sunset… did you leave our window open…?”