It's Just Us

Chapters

Unfinished Business
One Last Dance
Reliving Memories
Fate Be Damned

Unfinished Business

Water is the essence of life. In a way, it’s what makes the world turn. We all operate on a simple molecule, all held together in a liquid form. I guess that’s the reason why it feels so nice to have its normally cool temperature wash over my body, serving as a nice break from reality. I could always use the breaks, especially during the night. In fact, the night seems to be the only time I can get a break. The quiet stillness of the hours passing by makes it almost a shame to go to sleep. I’d rather keep my eyes open and my mind free than to fall asleep to those same old dreams. I guess even that would be lonely at some point. A quiet night without the fire to keep some light inside.

Shaking my head, I quickly rub my hands over my face from under the water. I was thinking about it again. Fire. And who it relates to… It never seems to leave my mind, like a burn on my memories. It leaves a nasty scar that can never hide from sight, huh? Damn it. It’s funny though. My therapist says that I should try to confront these memories. Or feelings. It’s easier to just hide away from them, to take my time in the shower or even getting up from bed. My therapist also says that I should try to get out and meet new people. That idea has never really excited me though… I work as a manager at a fucking music studio, so I already have to meet a lot of clients every day. What would be the point of getting to know others? Sirens aren’t supposed to have friends, aren’t they? Or…

Suddenly, the water stops flowing, leaving my wet body with some soap suds still left on me. What the hell happened this time…? I swear, if Aria forgot to pay the stupid water bill again, I will kill her. Turning to my left, I slide open the shower door quickly and grab the pink towel on top of the clothes hamper, throwing it around myself. “Aria!” I yell as I open the bathroom door, looking right and down the hallway with a clenched fist.

“What?” I hear Aria respond in an annoyed manner, not bothering to come make eye contact with me.

“Did you forget to pay the water bill again?” I ask her in an angry tone, holding onto the door as if it was her throat.

“I turned off the water because you’re taking too long again!” Aria yells back snarkily with a laugh following after.

“Damn it, Aria! I was almost done!”

“Then learn to take faster showers like Sonata and I!” she yells at me with a chuckle to herself, finally walking into the hallway to look back at me. Of course, she has another lollipop in her mouth, looking at me in a smug manner.

“Just turn the fucking water back on or I will throw your mattress out of this apartment!” Aria acts surprised as she hears my statement, placing both of her hands on her cheeks.

“Oh no! Don’t do that! But seriously, Adagio. What would you do? Push it out the window?” With that, Aria laughs while holding her stomach, gently leaning against the hallway wall.

“Aria, I swear-”

“Alright, alright. Cool it,” she states, holding her hand up. “I’ll turn your ‘fucking water’ back on.” Once again, Aria laughs as she walks back into the kitchen area of our apartment, flipping me off as she does so. Why does she have to be such a prick? And why do I deal with it? I could kick her out, right?

“Hi, Dagi~” a chipper voice greets me from behind me, making me jump back into the bathroom. To the left of the bathroom door, Sonata stands in the empty hallway with a smile on her face, her work clothes in her hand. “When you’re done, could you come get me? I need a shower before I go to work~” Sonata asks me with a kind expression on her face.

“As long as you get your girlfriend back in line,” I state in a tired voice, pointing down the hallway to the door Aria walked back inside. “She’s being a bitch again.”

“Oh! I’m sorry! It’s probably a side effect of the new insomnia medication~ I thought you would remember that. The doctor made a big deal about how this medicine could make her argumentative and all.” Nevermind the fact that Aria has always been argumentative… But I will admit that it’s been worse lately.

“Yeah, I’m sorry… I forgot. Just… Try to keep her in line. I’m having a hard time with her,” I state in an even more exhausted tone.

“Don’t worry, I’ll try to~ Oh! Isn’t today your work convention?” she asks me randomly, pulling out that question as if it was news to her.

“Um… Yeah. It is.” Honestly, the idea of my work convention doesn’t really bring a smile to my face. Even though it’s supposed to be this fun outing for the whole office and other branches of the business to bring awareness to what we offer, it just ends up making me even more anxious. The location of this convention is the primary factor though… Of course they had to book it at Canterlot City…

“When will you be back?” Sonata asks with the same smile never leaving her face.

“It’ll be a week-long convention, but I should be able to get back within five days. It’ll be in Canterlot City too, so you should be able to contact me fairly easily. I think reception is fine there…”

A concerned expression comes over Sonata’s face as soon as she hears the words come out of my mouth, a small frown appearing on her lips. “Oh…? Canterlot City? That sucks… Are you sure you won’t run into-”

“Don’t… Just… Don’t talk about that,” I whisper, holding my hand out to Sonata and closing my eyes. I’d rather not think about… that time in my life. “I’ll be fine. I’ll text you two when I get there,” I state in a monotone voice, turning my head away from her and closing the door. A couple muffled words come from Sonata before I close the door fully, but I can’t really make them out that well… Walking back towards the shower, I can’t help but sigh, bringing my hand to my face out of pure annoyance. This week is going to be hell on Earth, isn’t it?

Chapter I: Unfinished Business

Flights are always sort of annoying… It’s not like having wings and flying like a bird since it’s more of a propelled piece of metal, bringing you along for the ride and hoping you don’t die. Needless to say, I’m always sort of nauseous and tired after a flight due to the altitude changes and the fact I can never fall asleep while on a plane. There’s always a crying baby, a snoring person or the whole passenger lounge stinks of dozens of people. Reading a book doesn’t help either since it inevitably just makes me feel even more sick, so I often listen to music on flights. Thankfully, I’ve never had to be in an airplane with Aria before. If she was with me, then she would complain relentlessly about every small inconvenience. Hell, she’d probably be mad that there is a shortage of peanuts.

Now that I think about it, most of her anger is probably due to her constant lack of sleep… She’s been suffering from insomnia ever since we came to this world and we’ve tried a couple different medications to help her, but this newest one seems to make her even angrier even though she’s getting sleep. Sonata has helped her get some sleep, but that’s probably because of the fact that they’re dating each other… Now that is a weird concept. It used to be something that would make me want to barf as well, but now, it’s just a normal part of our lives. Sonata and Aria. And Adagio… Honestly, I’m probably just an add on at this point. I’m permanently the third wheel and maybe the two of them would be happier without me.

Walking into the lobby area of the airport, I look at the conveyer belt in anticipation of my luggage. No, I have to remind myself that they love me too, just in a different way. I guess I just feel like I’ve lost my purpose in life ever since… our magic was lost. I guess that I didn’t feel that way for a bit of time with… her. Shaking my head, I grab a black suitcase and sigh, walking towards the exit. I never expected to be back in Canterlot City, but here I am due to a company’s request to have forty of its regional store employees attend a convention that is supposed to be a big boost to our sales… It’s all a bunch of required bullshit that makes my eyes roll every time I think of it in more detail.

At least the company is paying for the hotel rooms that we’re going to use, so that’s nice. It means I can spend virtually all of my time in my room when I’m not attending the damn convention. If I can remember correctly, there’s also going to be free food, so I can just smuggle some to my room and avoid going out into the city. Maybe this trip won’t be as hellish as I thought it would be, but I’ll have to wait and see.

Walking outside of the airport, I struggle to work through the crowd, looking for the bus that’s supposed to go to the city center. If I remember correctly, it should be bus forty-eight, but every one I can see from here has numbers in the thirties or twenties. How many people use this airport? God damn it. Of course we couldn’t go to some town or city that doesn’t get a lot of air travel. No, I have to go to Canterlot City of all places. Still, I suppose everything will be fine as long as I stick to myself. No one I used to know should recognize me if I just stay by myself in my room and all. Speaking of which, I can’t wait to actually get to my hotel room simply because riding an airplane for three hours in a suit is really annoying… I just want to change into my pajamas and possibly take a nap before I have to go to the convention.

Where is that damned bus…? I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss it since it should be arriving right about now. A small feeling of doubt begins to build up in me, looking around for the transport I’m supposed to board. Looking in my bag, I pull out the schedule I printed out before the flight, making sure the time stamps I have in my head are correct. Just like I had expected, the bus should be here any minute now at Exit E. Wait. Exit E? My eyes widen as I look around myself, trying to find out what exit I’m at, considering this airport seems to label them. The only thing I can see around me is the damn letter C on each pillar near this entrance. C… Does that mean I’m at Exit C?

Looking at the map again, I feel my heart drop to my stomach, seeing the differently labeled exits and finally locating Exit E… Almost all the way across the airport from me… “Holy fucking shit…” Instantly stuffing the map into my bag, I hurry to take off my heels before doing a full-on sprint down the sidewalk in the direction of Exit E. Of course I get things messed up… My mind has been a jumbled mess for a while now, but I just hope I can get to that damn bus in time.

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The bus finally comes to a halt at the city center, a lot of muffled commotion being heard at full blast once the doors open. A small headache already begins to form, ready to leave this vehicle… The smell of the bus the whole ride over here was almost unbearable, due to the dusty seats and the sheer amount of people inside. Standing up as quickly as I can, I hurry off the bus just to get a breath of fresh air rather than being stuck in that cramped space for another second longer.

Taking a deep breath, I can’t help but enjoy finally being out of the bus, officially ending my trip. Well, at least until I have to go to the hotel… The sight of the buildings around me seem familiar instantly, reminding me of times I had passed them in the past. The memories of this city seem so foreign, distant yet close at the same time… None of this excites me. All this does is bring back visions of the past. One I hoped to have left back there…

Shaking my head, I begin walking swiftly away from the bus stop, pulling my phone out. I don’t need a map to find the hotel I’m booked at. It’s all in my head by now. Right now, my only priority is to keep up my promise and tell the girls that I made it here safely. Tapping the group chat icon, I quickly type into the message box, sighing as I do so. “Hey, girls. I made it safe and sound, so you don’t need to worry about me.” Usually, they’re pretty good at messaging back soon after they receive the notification, making it useless to put my phone away for less than a second just to open it again. Just like I predicted, I see the typing icon appear moments after my message is sent.

“Sonata is asleep right now. She wanted to take a nap after her shift,” Aria responds in a quick and short message. “Stay safe.” It’s not like this is exactly unusual for Aria… She never says much. Especially to me. Maybe some of that is my fault for how I stepped all over her when I was younger, due to what my therapist says. I realized that after a while and I’ve been trying to work at it, but our relationship has remained the same to this day… I suppose it makes me sad that Aria and I still have so little to say to each other despite mean comments or small talk. Maybe someday…

Shaking my head, I push my phone deep inside my purse, looking ahead of myself towards the buildings, one of which being the stupid hotel that I’m booked at. The hotel itself is actually quite nice, being an expensive and popular establishment to stay at when it comes to this city. So, I guess I’m kind of happy that my employers are willing to pay for my stay and expenses at such a place. As much as I have wanted It, I am not used to the luxury life. I had to work hard for mostly everything that I had, even my magic. I suppose I was naturally gifted, but training helps…

This trip, however, gives the employees a chance to live out a more luxurious lifestyle for a week, since all of our expenses are paid for. Honestly, it’s a bit too generous… It makes me suspicious about how much this company is actually making when they’re still paying me the same salary I had when I first signed on. You’d think that they would be willing to give someone like me a raise once in a while, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Regardless, the hotel itself looks pretty nice… Even though I hate this city with a fiery passion, a part of me wonders whether or not I will be getting a room with a view. All I know is the room number, not the type of room nor what story it’s on… Considering this hotel is combined with a casino, there are about twelve different floors to choose from and vastly different rooms. The outside of the hotel has neon lights on it with a mix of tan and brown walls, perfectly shining the lights off of them.

Walking closer to the hotel, I notice the vast number of people inside and out of the establishment, some of them being familiar coworkers from my office. Hopefully, I don’t have to talk to them much during this trip… The sound of chatter between dozens of people is just the beginning course from the people outside, making me feel like the sound inside is definitely going to be a whole chorus, one I will not enjoy at all. To be honest, now I’m fearful of how well I’m going to sleep in my room… Maneuvering past the group of people at the entrance, I carry the couple of bags through the door, pleasantly surprised to see that it’s actually quieter inside than it is outside. There’s still the sound of chatter, but there’s a mostly quiet lobby area at the front of this building before you can walk deeper inside, presumably to the casino area. The lobby is actually quite big… Red carpets, nice leather seats, and golden tan walls.

“Hot damn,” I slowly whisper to myself, looking up at the ceiling. Big chandeliers hang overhead with carved out shapes in the ceiling. I’ve never been in a place like this before, but a part of me wishes I had. Hesitantly, I walk toward the counter, still trying to take in the room around me. The man behind the counter looks like he’s still in high school with a bit of acne on his face and the timid posture of his body.

“H-hello, Miss. Can I help you?” he asks me as politely as he can as soon as I come close enough to the counter, clearly trying to do the best job he can.

“Hi, I’m supposed to have a reservation here for room 416?” I respond in a respectful tone as I look inside my purse, trying to find that damned instruction sheet I was given. Apparently, the music studio expects its employees to follow the schedule marked out in this instruction sheet. The only good thing about this sheet is that it gives you the necessary information to actually get checked in.

Instantly, the young man clicks something into a monitor, presumably checking for my reservation. “What’s the name on this?” he asks me slowly, looking back up with a smile.

“Adagio Dazzle.” Looking at the sheet, I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at the plans for this week… Apparently, everything is going to be held within this building, even the convention. Technically, this should make it even easier to avoid going outside, but the idea that I may have to run into coworkers every corner I turn is anxiety inducing, simply because I’m not exactly… fans of them.

“Ah, I see~ I have your reservation right here, but it’s protocol to ask for some form of identification,” the young man says slowly, his eyes still looking at the screen. I assume he also has a set of instructions for how things are supposed to go. Rules… They’re everywhere. Quickly handing him my ID, I can’t help but sigh, wondering what other things will be an inconvenience during this trip. “You’re good to go, Miss~ If you want, we can deliver your bags to your room?” he peacefully offers, gesturing to one of the bag carriers that most hotels have.

“No thanks. I’ll carry them myself,” I state with a nod, grabbing the room key he offers me before walking away from the counter. As much as I kind of want to explore the building, my first thought is to get settled in my room so I can finally take a nap before tonight’s big convention opening. If I’m lucky, I can maybe get a four hour rest, but that mainly depends on if I can actually fall asleep fast enough.

Closing the distance between me and the elevator, I look at a glowing panel that shows the layout of the current story I’m on as well as labeling which rooms are on which floors. Huh. It looks like my room is on the tenth floor. Ten floors up… If my room has a window, then it should be a pretty good view, at least I think so… Honestly, I shouldn’t be so picky about the view of a hotel room, but I guess I just like watching the horizon… Something that can reflect upon the landscape, giving it various moods depending on perspective. Clicking the button with an up arrow, I take a deep breath, thinking about the rest of this trip. There’s a lot left to be done… Let’s just hope I can survive all this.

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A loud ringing buzzes in my ear, distorting my thoughts. The only thing I can see is darkness and my muscles feel stiff, a large yawn instantly coming to me. The one thing that illuminates the darkness is the bright screen of my phone on the nightstand beside me, making me rub my eyes before daring to look at it. Is it really time to wake up already…?

A heavy sigh exits my lips before I reach over and grab my phone, squinting at the screen. The ringing finally stops, my hand lazily putting the device back to its resting place with another heavy breath. Let’s be honest, Adagio. I haven’t had a great sleep in… at least a couple years. I always wake up tired and wanting another couple hours, even when it’s a day off. It’s ironic that I don’t have insomnia, but I still feel like this. Aria’s the one with crippling insomnia…

Stretching again, I can’t help but rub my eyes and yawn, already hating the fact that I have to get up. Luckily, the curtains in the hotel are pretty thick, so they blocked out any light outside when I took my nap. Although, I doubt there’s any light out there any more. It’s eight at night, so the only embers of light should be dying out by now. The last moments of a slow sunset. A…

No. I can’t afford to lose my head again. Thoughts of her can’t enter my mind or else I’ll end up sticking in my room all week… I can’t think of her again. It’s awfully convenient that everything still seems to remind me of… God damn it. Slapping my cheek, I bite my tongue slightly, looking up to the ceiling. “It’s time to get ready,” I whisper to myself, sighing quietly in the dark room. The limited light only adds to the cold sensation I feel all across my body, rubbing my hand up and down my arm. The warm embrace of the bed betrays my responsibility to show up to the event, inviting me closer for yet another nice rest. Hesitantly though, I throw off the blanket, the cool air instantly rushing in and welcoming my legs outside of the warm nest I had made for myself. Reaching over to the lamp next to the bed, I turn it on and stretch one more time before standing up, shaking my head at my own wish to ignore this requirement. It’s funny. I could have technically avoided this whole trip if I had some sort of accident, but I suppose I wouldn’t stage something like that myself, but Aria probably would. We don’t get out that often now. Maybe that’s because we’re all tired or it’s because we just don’t have a lot to share.

Walking over to my suitcase on the floor next to the bathroom, I open it and grab a fresh pair of underwear as well as the dark black dress I had packed specifically for these kinds of dates. To avoid getting the dress wrinkly or dirty, I hang it from a hanger on the door, taking off the tank top I slept in. One last yawn escapes my mouth as I look in the mirror, seeing my hair going every which direction. I guess that was expected, but it’s still annoying to fix my hair… With a small sigh, I shake my head, closing and locking the door behind me. Tonight is going to be a long night, whether or not I want it to be. Turning the knob of the faucet, water begins to flow easily. I’ll be home soon, girls…

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The neon lights of the casino’s machines illuminate everything in sight, sounds of coins spilling and jazz music can be heard from far away. The black dress I have on doesn’t reflect the lights well, thankfully. I would hate to be wearing one of those sequin dresses that reflect every source of light, making it hard to even look at the person. I may love flashy fashion, but it would have to compliment my own character, rather than try and make up for a lack of looks. This dress does that well by showing off my curves in a decent manner and it doesn’t contrast with my face horribly. Modest enough, yet revealing. Usually, I would wear some sort of accessory with this like spiked bracelets or some sort of jacket, but since this is a formal event, I decided to just wear this dress, tights and black heels. Technically, nothing of this is flashy, so I have to make up with my own actions. Or my red lipstick, being the only thing I purposefully made to be noticeable. Thankfully, I am still allowed to have something to hold my hair up, so my spiked headband was still an option.

Even though I thought I would like this sort of environment, I don’t enjoy the constant clattering of machines, the heavy air of smoke and the constant cat-calling from people around. If the convention was held here, I would probably die, but it seems whatever gods there are were smiling down on me since they blessed me with the fact that the convention is held in a large auditorium near the casino. Nearby is not the best, but it’s way better than having to deal with half-drunk patrons and smoke. The only bad side? This room technically doesn’t open until the whole event is ready, making me and a ton of other formally dressed people wait outside. Some of them are my coworkers, but they seem too busy talking to their dates to actually strike up a conversation with me, someone they barely know.

To pass the time, I bought myself a pink lemonade from the bar, sipping on it occasionally. Well, I didn’t actually buy it… I put it on my tab, all of which would be paid for by my dear employers… I’m still suspicious by the fact that literally everything is going to be paid for other than purchases from outside the hotel. I mean, seriously everything. My plane ticket, bus fair, hotel room, food, drink, pool and gym access and even room cleaning. Hell, there’s probably other services that this hotel offers that I’m not even aware of just yet, but those will be revealed to me later. I oh so love to find loopholes in rules.

Now that I think about it, the girls would have an absolute field day here. Maybe we’re all just different sides of mischief… Aria would probably be raging about how the machines are unfair and rigged right about now. I mean, they are, but still. She’d also probably try to scam drunk guys out of their money by gambling, something she has a real talent for. Sonata, on the other hand, would be geeking out about the free access to the pool and food. She’d probably show up in a one-piece swimsuit, a duck floaty, flippers and goggles, just to have some fun in the sun. Aria would question the actual amount of fun you can have in the sun and Sonata would reply with ‘LOTS!’ When it comes to the actual convention, I don’t think the two of them would have that much fun at all. If anything, they would probably get themselves kicked out immediately with Aria trying to pickpocket someone or something else… Ironically, Sonata is more skilled at picking pockets, even if she hardly does it. In the end, maybe it’s for the best that I came here alone. I can just bide my time without getting into trouble and return home after a few days.

My eyes shoot open as I hear the doors next to me finally open, everyone around me noticing the same crucial detail. Taking the last sip from my glass, I hand it to the man holding the door open. I don’t know why I even handed it to him since he’s not a waiter, but it’s better to act like I meant to do it than for both of us to be confused… Besides, he works here, so he probably knows where to put it. Right? Without looking back, I walk inside the doors, seeing the absolutely massive room with dozens of tables set up with white tablecloths, plates, silverware and glasses. Towards the far end of the room, there’s a big stage with red curtains which is presumably where they will hold some kind of announcement once everyone is settled.

Sitting down at one of the tables in the middle of the auditorium, I can’t help but notice the sheer amount of guests coming in. I can almost swear some of these people don’t work for the music studio. Normally, I would attribute this to people’s dates for this event, but it’s a bit much… What exactly is going on here? What’s the fucking point of this convention? Whatever it is, it’s supposed to help profits somehow. I’m not sure exactly how that will be achieved, but it better be something good.

Due to the massive size of the auditorium, it takes a bit for everyone to finally funnel into the room and take their seats. My suspicion is that they’re going to try and fill our stomachs with good food before announcing one of the worst options this company could have taken… As long as they have a Four Roses Single Barrel, I should be fine… Should. Unless some other assholes take it for themselves. Then, it’s time to start a war.

As soon as everyone seems to be settled in, waiters come around to the tables, taking orders from the dozens of people here. Honestly, I won’t be surprised if I catch a cold because someone thought it was a totally good idea to come here with an infectious disease. That’s how people seem to be… Unnaturally cruel, uncaring and inconsiderate. Almost every person I’ve met seems to care for themselves and their wants over everyone else. Almost everyone… Except her…

Shaking my head, I focus my eyes down to my hands in my lap, trying to keep myself in the moment rather than lose the battle to memories. I shouldn’t lose my motivation to get through this stressful requirement… “Ma’am?” a masculine voice addresses me before I look up, trying to compose myself in the process.

“Hmm? What is it?” I ask in a slightly flustered tone, noticing the man is yet another waiter.

“May I know your order?”

“I wasn’t given a menu, so I’m not sure what to-” before I can finish my statement, the waiter points to the small stack of menus at the center of the table, undisturbed due to the fact that I’m alone at this table… It’s surprising that there’s even empty tables here, but I suppose they tried to make sure there were more than enough seats to accommodate their large crowd. “Oh, um…” Grabbing one of the menus, my eyes quickly scan the items, coming across one meal that caught my attention. “I’ll have the sixth special.”

Nodding, the waiter takes the stack of menus in his hand as he writes something down on his notepad. “Do you have anything specific you’d like to drink with that?”

“Do you have a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel? I’d like a glass of that,” I state with a smile, feeling relieved to see a small nod come from him. If everything is going to be paid for, why shouldn’t I spoil myself a little? It’s been so long since I’ve… well, since I’ve actually gave myself a break. The last time I did was… a couple years ago. Back when she used to inhabit my days. And my nights… Back when I still had that level of confidence my therapist wants me to get back. Back when…

Stop it, Adagio. It’s alright. You’re in a new time of your life, so it’s alright to spoil yourself. Biologically speaking, I’m almost thirty, so someone my age deserves a little break after nonstop work. I know I’m technically a lot older than that, but ever since my magic was taken away, it’s easier to feel tired. Just try to take deep breaths and have a good time. Worst comes to worst, they might mass fire employees, but they’re still paying for your hotel stay and trip back, so yeah. Besides, it would be an awfully weird way to fire everyone. If anything, it’s some mandated shitshow that the company thinks is “exciting”, but it’s actually something that everyone would have rather been told about via email. Still, it’s nice to live a week in luxury if you will.

Spoiling myself. That’s exactly what their sixth special was made for. It seems like it’s exactly designed after my interests. Technically, there were a lot of specials and orders to choose from, but this specific special seems so heavenly. You’re given a main dish of medium rare steak with a side of a baked potato. The best part about the meal? It gives you a dessert to eat with it. A slice of cherry cheesecake~ It seems that whatever gods there are, they really are smiling down on me. My favorite dessert ever just so happens to be offered today. Even if the meal had things I didn’t like, I still would have enjoyed the dessert that is given with it. Combining this meal with a glass of my favorite whiskey just sounds like the perfect deal. All of it paid for too~ I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but whatever it is, I hope I can do it again. I guess I could call it my way of appeasing whatever deities there are.

To top it all off, I’m alone at my table, which means I don’t have to actually make small talk or try to pay attention to some conversation. I can just eat in peace and think to myself. God, now I wish there was a view of the horizon from here… It would be the ultimate feeling of happiness in the world to me. I guess the only person I wouldn’t mind being there is some soulmate or whatever… But let’s be honest, Adagio. Romance is overrated. All it does is rip your heart out when you could have just been happy alone. As romantic as this meal may be, it can be just as nice alone.

Just as I look up, I see the waiter walking back towards my table with a couple plates in hand and a decently sized glass. I can already feel my taste buds salivating at the thought of the taste. Very few things in the world get me excited like a cherry cheesecake or my favorite whiskey, so it’s nice to have both once in a while~ The smell of the steak fills my nose as he sets the plates down on the table. It’s a pleasant smell, considering I’ve only had a good steak a couple times in my life. I didn’t need to eat when I had my magic, but I suppose the added benefit of turning into a human is the new set of taste buds. When we were in Equestria, the girls and I didn’t think about eating meat, but now? Sonata can’t take her hands off of tacos or burritos and Aria eats chicken every now and then. I personally don’t like turkey or chicken, but pigs and cows? Let’s just say that it’s a guilty pleasure of mine.

“If you need anything, just ask,” the waiter states in a respectful tone before he walks away from the table, allowing me to eat in peace. A small smile comes to me slowly, looking down at the plates. Taking a fork into my hand, I can’t help but chuckle to myself. What was I worried about? I’ll be able to enjoy myself here~

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The large lights above the auditorium are only turned off once everyone is done with their food and the dishes are taken away, leaving only the tablecloths. Unsurprisingly, the lights that are directed towards the stage are turned on now, directing everyone’s attention to that specific spot. Even though I had finished before most of the other people around me, I still kind of wish I could have another glass of whiskey, but I know it would be foolish of me to try and get drunk here of all places. One glass isn’t enough to even make me stagger, so I wouldn’t think my judgment is impaired. I don’t have to drive, but I would still like to be lucid when I hear about whatever this announcement is. I know some people ordered 3 or more glasses of alcohol, so I’m not sure if they will even remember what happened tonight by tomorrow. That’s something I don’t want to happen to me. Besides, spending my morning over a toilet isn’t something I’m particularly fond of.

Just as I had expected, a large roar of applause can instantly be heard as a couple of older people walk onto stage, waving to the crowd with their fake smiles. One of which I recognize as the CEO of the music studio. To be honest, I only recognize him due to a stock photo on the pamphlets given out at the location I work at, but I suppose it’s best if I don’t reveal that. The man in question moves towards the podium set up at the center of the stage, his hand still waving to us all until the applause finally settles. More than a modicum of flair is put into his actions, clearly trying to put on a show of his appearance. I couldn’t be less interested, but I keep my eyes on stage nonetheless.

“Hello, everyone! I am so pleased that you could all make it to our first ever company convention for Stars Music Foundation~ We tried to make sure all of our important employees could make it here since we’re all a family here~” Ugh. He pulled the family card… There’s not much that puts me off more than the stupid lie that a company is a family, especially when they try to get away with treating you horribly or underpaying you due to that statement. I don’t necessarily hate my job, but damn. I should have gotten a raise by now for the amount of work I do.

“And a big thank you to all of the employees of Mane Pictures who could make it today~” the older woman on stage pitches in, waving to the crowd. “We know it was very last minute, but we promise that this convention will be worth it for employees of both entities~” she adds, clasping her hands together and faking an excited look. So, I wasn’t wrong. There is an exceptionally large amount of people here due to the fact that there are employees from another company… Why? What the fuck is going on exactly? “We’re here to make an announcement tonight that will change the future of both Mane Pictures and Stars Music Foundation forever and we wanted to give it in a peaceful environment to our most treasured employees~ So, it was our idea to hold a convention to settle into the idea~ Just so everyone knows, no one is losing their jobs and their will be plenty of fun activities for the rest of the week~” When declared by the head of a company, fun activities usually translates to boring and mundane things to do to try and mingle with everyone else. The real question is still not answered though. Why are two companies holding a convention together? And why am I, a manager of one outlet, a ‘treasured employee?’

“I’m sure you’re all anticipating the reason why we called for this convention at the last minute, especially after that excellent meal~” the old man states with a toothy grin. Anticipation is an understatement, but I must admit that they did offer a good meal. “Without wasting any more of your valued time, we are happy to announce the merger of Stars Music Foundation and Mane Pictures~ This deal will mean lots of new outcomes for all of us and we know this is going to be a stressful process, so we will now be holding a Q&A for this venture.” Immediately, I can hear lots of whispers, the sudden news hitting everyone differently. For me, I couldn’t care less about this merger as long as I get to keep my job. Hell, a merger may mean I will finally get that fucking raise I deserve.

Though, it makes me wonder why exactly Mane Pictures would want to buy this music studio… Mane Pictures is certainly more wealthy, so I guess the only reason would be because they want to have a whole music department. This means that we’ll all be working under Mane Pictures from now on instead of Stars Music Foundation… I suppose contracts will have to be reworked, but it doesn’t matter much unless they run things horribly. Then I may have to quit… The older people on stage keep talking into the microphone, but a part of me doesn’t really care anymore. I’ve heard the reason this convention was even made for, so now I don’t really find it necessary to listen to all the legal speech they make for this portion of the night. Literally all of this could have been covered in an email. As nice as it is of them to bring us all to a luxury hotel, it isn’t enjoyable to fly for three hours back and forth to a city I’ve deliberately tried to avoid for a couple years now.

Honestly, now I just want to sneak out of here. I’ve had my cake and now the rest of the night is going to consist of a legal speech and probably some planned mingling session to get employees familiar with each other. What makes it worse is that everyone here is technically a high ranking employee of one of the companies or the date of one. I still don’t know why I was valued enough to be here. Just because I’m a manager? If anything I would feel even more embarrassed being here with such a meager title. It couldn’t have been an accident either since they made a reservation specifically under my name.

Maybe other managers were invited here too. Then I won’t feel so bad about it. I can see it now. The rest of this event is probably going to consist of mingling opportunities like dancing, fancy dinners or conversations through games. The games are probably not going to be over board games or such, but over things like pool or something else to stake money over. Of course, unofficially. The type of games that ‘sophisticated’ people would play. Funny. I don’t know how to play poker or games that require some sort of monetary pitch, so I won’t probably take part in those.

The sound of music playing breaks my train of thought, causing me to look up. The older people were now walking off stage as tables near the center of the room were being moved away towards the sides. A couple of waiters walk towards my table, making me stand up from my chair. Now I wish I didn’t pick a table near the center… The music itself sounds like a romantic jazz song, using plenty of horns and piano notes to form a pleasant melody. So, this is their mingling strategy. Try to make people dance and talk to each other before whatever Q&A they will hold. What makes it even funnier is that they change the lighting to a more dim purple and blue color, giving a certain mood to the room. Honestly, I can’t help but wonder whether or not I can duck out of here and sleep for the rest of the night rather than stand awkwardly here or try to strike up a conversation with some person.

It would be easier that way. I don’t think I’m required to be here during this part of the convention. Technically, it would be more enjoyable to go back to my room with another glass of whiskey, reading some book before I sleep for the rest of the night. Hell, the whiskey may actually help me go to sleep and ignore any sounds from neighboring rooms. It’s not like the doors to this room are locked or anything. I guess the only thing stopping me is myself.

Turning around, I walk between multiple people, towards the exit. As much as it feels scummy of me to skip out on this planned event, I would much rather lounge around in my room in pajamas and messy hair rather than a tight bra and dress. Besides, there’s always more opportunities to mingle in the rest of the week, but I can go ahead and catch up on some more sleep after the plane ride now~ It would definitely help me feel-

My body instantly stops in my tracks, the sound of the music being so loud that I can barely hear anything else. Even the music fades out as I widen my eyes, unsure of what I’m exactly seeing. My heart beats faster and my nerves all go haywire. Despite the color of the lights, the color of the horizon is right in front of me… The red and yellow colors most commonly attributed to fire waves so easily through the air… All in the form of hair. The color of orange cementing itself into my mind as my breathing goes out of control. Am I just imagining things again…? Why would I imagine something to make me panic? On today of all days? Fiery hair attached to the form of a slim woman with orange skin… If this is a vision, it’s way too real… it can’t be real, right? This is my fucking job convention. She wouldn’t be here, right? This is the whole reason I wanted to avoid this city. She can’t afford this hotel, right?

Instantly, every sense of doubt in my mind is thrown completely out the window as this woman turns her gaze towards me, our eyes meeting… She can’t be here… Not now… Why would she be here…? Why would… Sunset Shimmer be here of all places…?

One Last Dance

Chapter II: One Last Dance

Her mouth moves as if she says something, any sound being blocked by the loud music in the room… Every nerve in my body makes me freeze where I am, unable to think of what to do or say. Every step she takes to approach me makes my heart panic even more. You were why I avoided this city… Why would you be here? Every part of me screams to do something. Run? Yell? I spent so long trying to get you out of my mind… Just for you to show up now of all days. Why can’t the universe let me forget you?

“Adagio?” her innocent voice calls out to me, curious eyes locked with mine as she walks towards me. Instinctively, I take a step back, trying to make myself move. She can’t be here. Not a thing has changed about her since then. The exact same do-good attitude and innocent smile on her face. Nothing has changed. It has to be my imagination… Please just be my imagination. Her hand gives me a small wave as she quickens her pace, closing the distance between us as fast as she can. Nope. This isn’t my imagination… “Adagio?” she uses my name once more, trying to make sure it’s actually me… Why couldn’t this have been a masquerade?

Taking another couple steps away from her, I turn around and instantly start walking deeper into the crowd as fast as I can. I can’t talk to her now… It’s been way too long and there’s nothing to be said. She means nothing to me and… It’s just going to hurt more if I see her for a second more. “You have to get out of here, Adagio,” I whisper to myself, holding my arm tightly. I can feel my eyes watering as I walk away, despite my attempts to breathe.

“Adagio? Hold on, please?” Sunset’s voice calls out behind me, still on my trail. Just leave me alone… Why can’t I just move on? No matter what I do, the universe itself always tries to remind me… To push me towards those memories… Wiping my eyes as quickly as I can to keep my composure, I feel someone grab onto my hand, instinctively looking back and seeing her eyes once more. “Adagio, it really is you~” she states with that same smile I once knew so well…

“Let go of me,” I instantly state, pulling my arm from her grasp and trying to walk away from her.

“Wait, please! I just want to talk to you,” Sunset pleads with me, following right behind without catching the hint.

“What is there to catch up on? Hi, I’m Adagio and I’ve been doing jack shit!” I respond in a harsh tone, refusing to look her in the eyes again. She’s already taken enough of my time as it is…

“Would it really hurt you to slow down and have one chat? It’s been so long since… we’ve seen each other,” Sunset states in a more insecure tone than before, still following right behind me as I make my way towards the exit of the auditorium.

“And maybe that was for a good fucking reason.” A heavy sigh exits my lips, trying to convince myself that this is just a bad dream. “Just leave me alone.”

“Why are you so against talking to me? It’s been so long, I thought that maybe you would be willing to talk again and all?” her all too innocent voice tries to reason with me, trying to have one talk with me. She’s always been pushy. She’s always been convincing and persuading, but I really don’t want to talk to her…

“Oh, I don’t know. It may have to do with the fact that you and I used to be lovers… That doesn’t exactly mix well, now does it?” I harshly remark, scoffing at Sunset’s attempts to talk to me. Before I can make it to the door of the auditorium, Sunset grabs my hand again, walking around me to force our eyes to connect again.

“I know. I know. That can certainly be awkward, but… I just can’t believe you’re here and all~ I was hoping that we could catch up since it’s been a while~” Forcing my hand from her grasp, I close my eyes and take a deep sigh, trying to avoid the urge to make a scene by yelling at her.

“I can say the same about you,” I quietly state, referring to the fact that I’m surprised to even see her again… “But I don’t want to talk. So, go about your life like you were and leave me alone, got it?” I tell her with an angry glare, quickly walking past her and out the door. For a moment, I can hear her footsteps right behind me, still wanting to talk to me clearly, but after a moment, I hear her slow down. Quickening my pace, I walk past the casino machines as fast as I can without fully running, my eyes threatening to tear up again. Why did she have to be here? I dreaded coming to this fucking city, but I thought that I could avoid any possibility of seeing her again if I just stayed in this hotel…

Quickly pressing the elevator button, I can’t help but look back and feel relieved, seeing no sign of her behind me. Every time I get remotely close to forgetting you, fate has some cruel way of reminding me again… God damn it… My eyes begin to tear up again, my body shaking from some sort of emotion… Is it anger? I’m not sure…

Stepping into the elevator, I can’t help but close my eyes and grit my teeth, clenching my fist slowly. “Why did I ever have to meet you…?” I whisper to myself slowly, leaning against the back of the elevator…

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The world couldn’t have left me alone the one week I have to return to this god forsaken city… The one week I had to return here, she was here, in this very hotel. If that isn’t some rotten luck, I don’t know what is… What makes it even worse? I have to be attending the events throughout the week except for the fucking mingle sessions. Last night turned out to be horrible for me… It doesn’t matter if I had one of the best meals ever. There’s always a fucking price. You get something good, you get something bad. I should have expected something awful to happen. Just so happened that it wasn’t my job at stake. Just the one person who could deprive me of any sleep I could try to get.

“Damn it…” Throwing one of the pillows against the wall as hard as I can, I sigh and grip my head, trying to avoid any more tears from being shed. She doesn’t deserve this from me. I shouldn’t even have to acknowledge her. But she’s always been persuasive. She’s always tried to push to make sure everything turns out alright. Every little thing is the same about her. Her same determined nature and kind smile… Her welcoming eyes and innocent attitude. Every single thing about her is still the same. It would hurt less if she was at least a little different on the inside or out, but instead, it’s like a vision of my past has returned. All without my consent to top it all off.

Despite all my efforts, the stupid tears return, making me bury my face in my knees to try and hide the sounds. She will probably try to talk to me again tonight… No matter what, she will try to have a talk and convince me we can try to be friends. The funny thing is that trying to be friends is impossible for both of us at this point. There’s too much buried history to ignore… As much as I wanted to talk to her again a while ago, I know now that it’s a futile effort. She and I are done… it will only lead to more pain if I try to talk to her more. Right? I already went through enough pain the last time I talked to her… The best I can do is try to avoid her for the rest of this convention. Maybe she will get the hint… “Damn you, Shimmer…” Why does she always have to screw me over with the best of intentions…?

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I didn’t really pack another dress… I expected that it would be okay to wear the same thing throughout the week, periodically washing it. It’s a good thing I even picked a dress that can be washed. Tonight’s festivities should be dealing with another dinner, some games and a dance. They sure like their dances… According to the schedule, there’s another speech planned for after the dinner, but I couldn’t care less… I’m only going because I’m required to go tonight. Unfortunately, there’s a check-in sheet by the end of the night to make sure we actually participated, so I will have to stay most of the night. Maybe I can duck out after the speech and come back for the check-in sheet…

Regardless, the event starts in five minutes and I’m leaving the elevator now. My main goal is to try and avoid talking to Shimmer if she’s here. I assume she will be here since she was here last night. I highly doubt she was someone’s date… As soon as I sign my name on that stupid sheet, I’m going back to my room as fast as possible. Hopefully, I can go ahead and avoid talking to her if I come in just on time or even a little late. That is, if she isn’t waiting for me to try and get a chance to talk to me.

Sighing, I close my eyes as I make my way through the casino portion of the hotel as slowly as I can, idling by some machines every couple of steps. It’s ironic. I couldn’t help but cry my eyes out last night and now it’s hard to feel anything… My heart feels so numb. In one way, I’m glad since it might help me avoid her, but in another way, I shouldn’t have to feel this way… I already have enough trouble trying to keep my relationship between me and the girls. Trying to keep my job… Trying to keep this little life together, despite the fact that it’s not really worth much…

Sunset and I used to date… We used to be involved in each other’s lives and she made mine mean so much more. I would have said that my life was priceless back then, but that was then. Now, it’s all different. What makes her think we can just try to talk again after so much time between the two of us? After our split… Is it really that impractical that I wanted to forget her? My therapist told me that it’s not good to forget those memories, but to try and improve from them. Take them in stride and be happy that I’ve been able to love and live. It’s fucking easy for him to say considering he’s never felt this… I’m not sure anyone ever loved her as much as I did…

To be honest, I did want her back… I wanted to have the chance to fix things between us back then. Just to talk and try to give it another shot… Even thinking about trying to be friends after that is painful. I know that’s what she would want. She wants to catch up and try to be friends again, but I can’t be close to her anymore… Unless you want to be hurt again, Adagio, it’s best to keep trying to forget her sorry existence. The memories we shared…

I’m doing it again. Reminiscing on old times that have already passed. Things that can’t be brought back. God damn it, Adagio. Stop it. All you have to do today is ignore her to the best of your abilities and then go back to your room. Easy. No harm no foul. It will all be done after this week and you’ll never have to see her again. You won’t be hurt again… Shaking my head a little, I quicken my pace through the casino, getting closer to the auditorium. I arrive just in time to see dozens of people entering the room through the entrance, making sure I’m the last one to go inside. Hopefully, if everyone is already seated, Sunset won’t find me during the dinner. Or she’ll be considerate enough to wait until after the speech. Luckily, it doesn’t seem she waited behind for me, so I should be in the clear to try and enjoy my meal. Try being the optimal word since I’m not sure what I will do if she tries to talk to me. Will I get too emotional and storm out or will I shut down? Hell, I’m not even sure if it will be one of those two options.

Slowly walking inside behind other people, I try to take one of the tables at the very back of the room so that I will be covered in shadows by the time the speech starts. As for this dinner? I’m pretty much out in the open. I just hope Sunset doesn’t try to bother me during this dinner. Again, I’m sitting pretty much alone since I took the table at the very last second, avoiding everyone else… It’s nice to have a meal alone. That’s a concept that Sonata and Aria don’t seem to understand though… By the time the waiter comes to my table, I simply push the stack of menus over, keeping my eyes closed. “I’ll just take a slice of cherry cheesecake and a glass of Four Roses Single Barrel.” A small sigh comes from my lips under my breath, trying to keep myself composed. It’s going to be a really long night…

My eyes open as I hear the waiter place something down on the table, seeing the glass and cake already set in front of me. That was… certainly fast. “Someone already ordered that for you. Would you like an additional glass or just this one?” he asks me with the same respectful manner that every waiter has.

“Wait. Who was it?” I ask him, damn well knowing what the answer is.

“They asked me to stay anonymous, ma’am.” Instantly, my eyes scan the environment around me, a small fire of anger lit ablaze inside me… Looking to my left, my eyes connect with a person at another table, her hair matching that of a magnificent fire and her eyes matching the ocean itself… Once again, she smiles and waves at me, remaining in her seat. I know your damn game, Shimmer… I’m not going to be indebted to you, though…

“Do you see that girl over there with red and yellow hair?” I ask the waiter while gesturing to the person who's clearly trying to play a game of cat and mouse with me… After he nods, I sigh to myself, looking down at the cake in front of me. “Give her a black coffee with a piece of chocolate cake. Don’t tell her who sent it, but tell her I’m not playing this game.”

A look of confusion comes across the man as he looks to Sunset and back to me. “What do you mean by a game?” he asks out of pure curiosity.

“Just do it, please. Oh, and I would like that second glass.” Something tells me I will need it…

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Taking the last sip of my third glass, I do a fake clap to applaud the speech given to the employees of this new merger… Honestly, now I’m confused on what the fucking name of the company is. I’m sure it’s probably going to remain Mane Pictures, but no formal announcement of that has been made yet. It’s probably being saved for the final day to be some exciting reveal. It’s fucking pathetic… The bigger issue is the fact that I’m required to be here for most of the night. Worst comes to worst, I’ll have to leave in the middle and come back to write my name on the checklist. I don’t want to risk it, but I will leave if I have to… The weirdest part is the fact that they planned for the games and the dance to happen at the same time with the games taking place in the casino portion of the hotel. I don’t know why they would want to go out there, considering how it smells of smoke and is almost too loud, but that’s just my opinion.

Staying here would mean listening to the music that’s provided. If it’s anything like last night, the lights will be dimmed, which would make it easier to try and hide from Sunset. Before Sunset looks my way, I make sure to stand up from my seat and quickly walk into the crowd, making my way to the opposite side of the room. If I’m lucky, I can orbit the room well enough that she and I don’t make contact until the end of the night… That outcome is still unlikely though. She always had a talent for sniffing me out. Well, not just me, but anyone she needed to find. The only thing stopping me from leaving out right is the fact that this is a mandatory thing… As much as I give my job crap, I kind of need it… It would be best to just run away from her and keep my job rather than retreat back to my room and possibly lose my job. I’m not even sure why this is a mandatory event… Maybe they want to make EXTRA sure that all of the employees here mingle and get to know each other. That’s something I don’t want…

Walking over to a table with drinks and light snacks, I quickly grab a cup and act preoccupied, pouring a cup of punch. The only reason they have this provided is to make the atmosphere seem more inviting and to encourage people to dance more, either to pop or romance songs. Maybe I could hide backstage for the majority of this dance? Well, I might get kicked out if that happens… I could hide under the table, but then I would look even more miserable to anyone who sees me. Maybe it’s worth the price if I can avoid the pain that would come with a conversation with Shimmer…

“So, you remembered my tastes as well~” a chuckle comes from behind me, making my eyes widen. Too late to hide already… We’re only five minutes into the dance and she found me all too easily. Did she see me leave? God damn it…

“Leave me alone,” I state with a bland tone, trying to avoid eye contact and walking towards the crowd.

“Hey, I’m really sorry if I’m causing you actual trouble, but I was just wanting to talk one time,” Sunset responds in a slightly annoyed tone, causing me to laugh to myself. “Is it really wrong of me to want one conversation with you…?”

“I know you. Letting you have one conversation will lead to you convincing me for another and another. Forgive me if I’m more than a little resistant to that idea,” I state with a slight laugh, trying to get her to leave me alone.

“Do you really hate me that much…?” Sunset’s voice weakly lets out from behind me, causing me to halt in my tracks. To be honest, I’m not sure why I stopped, I only know that I can’t seem to move forward… “Did I make you hate me so much that spending one moment with me is torture for you?” She never fails to get in my head without her knowing it… I know she means the best and she would never intentionally try to hurt someone else, but it can’t be helped that it does hurt for me to spend time with her… I wouldn’t say I hate her. I just hate having to be around her or life reminding me of her… I just wish I didn’t have to hurt when I remember those times together. Once again, she thinks that everything is her fault and tortures herself from the inside out.

“Don’t start blaming yourself again, Shimmer. I thought you would remember-” before I can finish my statement, a sound causes both of us to stop everything… Why does this sound so nostalgic…? Is this…?

Looking back at Sunset, the same look of recognition is in her eyes, with her mouth left slightly ajar, seemingly shocked at what she’s hearing. Why does she look so pitiful like this…? “It’s… our song,” Sunset slowly states, keeping her gaze locked with mine. Both of us don’t dare to move an inch, trying to see what the other would do with this newfound situation…

“Was,” I state with a solemn look on my face for a moment before looking away from her. Instantly, Sunset walks in front of me and tries to reconnect our contact, a smile reappearing on her face despite the weak voice she just had.

“Do you still remember the words?” she slowly whispers, trying to grab my hand before I pull back, stepping away from her.

“Why does it matter to you? Why are you so damn persistent on talking with me again? Shouldn’t you have forgotten me by now?”

“You do remember~” Sunset says with a bigger smile, completely disregarding the other parts of my statement. “Do you… maybe want to dance? Just once for old time’s sake?” she asks with the same pleading eyes she used on me so many times before.

The song… Something Stupid. I suppose you could say both of us relate to it. This week in of itself is something stupid, bringing Sunset here of all places. I could have just remained home if they sent this as a stupid email, but now, I’m stuck here with the same girl who occupied so much of my life before. The one whom it hurts to be around due to something that happened years ago… Worst part is that she’s trying so hard to talk just once with me and making me feel sorry for her when she feels bad. What is her fucking motive? We can’t be friends… Why would she try so hard to speak to me just once? What could be said over one conversation? Just one? She must know that I don’t want to talk by now, but something pushes her to talk to me one time before we go our separate ways. Why are you so damn confusing, Shimmer? “God damn it,” I slowly whisper, taking a few steps away from Sunset as I rub my eyes, trying to think.

“What is it…?” Sunset slowly asks, putting her hand on my shoulder.

“This may be the stupid whiskey talking, Shimmer, but… will you leave me alone if I talk with you just once?” I ask without looking at her, still sighing under my breath at the stupidity I’m even thinking about.

“I pinkie promise. I just want to talk,” Sunset vows with the same genuine tone to her voice that she’s always had.

A deep breath comes from my lips, trying to handle the situation as I shake my head. Why does she always have to find a way into my head? Her innocent nature even though I am trying to avoid her… I don’t want to feel any more pain, but… maybe it’s worth it to listen to her. Just once. Then she will leave me alone for the remainder of this god awful convention. “Okay, I’ll talk with you if you show me you’re genuine with your promise.”

A curious expression comes to Sunset’s face, raising her eyebrow to my statement. “How exactly would I do that?”

“You wanted to dance, right? Show me you mean it, Shimmer.” Raising my hand to her, I can’t help but think I’m crazy for even considering this. “I’m only offering this once, so you better make it count. You’ll leave me alone regardless of the outcome of this dance, okay?” I tell her, keeping strict eye contact with the unpredictable woman I once knew…

Sunset instantly takes my hand and nods, her happy smile returning to her face once more. “I understand~” is all she says as if she was given a mission, one she intends to complete. Pulling me towards the center of the dance floor, her eye contact doesn’t falter for a moment before she places her hand on my waist, holding my own with her other hand. Slowly, our feet begin to move with the rhythm of the melody, a nostalgic feeling still overcoming my mind from the song. Every word of the song is bittersweet, making me remember times I smiled with her. Once again, her hands hold me as gently as she can, treating me like some precious thing… It’s a sensation I haven’t felt with anyone else, making it a trademark of hers… If anything, I should be guessing everything she does, but… maybe I just don’t want to remember. The reason why fate would put her here of all places is unknown to me… Raising her hand above my head, I slowly twirl right when the music calls for it, each note begging more from me. “You look nice, Adagio~ I hope it isn’t weird for me to say that,” Sunset softly states, her smile once again telling me she means it.

“I said we would talk after this dance if I’m convinced,” I respond in a straightforward manner, returning to our old position from the twirl.

“I know, but I’m just making small talk~ How much can that hurt?” she asks with a tilt of her head, seemingly amused by her own question. Spinning around on the dance floor, a part of me can’t help but relent, accepting the fact that she will make small talk throughout whether I like it or not. Either the whiskey really did a number on me or I just lost all my nerve…

“Fine. Just don’t try to talk seriously right now. I still haven’t decided,” I let out, looking away from Sunset.

“Fair enough~” Twirling me around again as gently as she can, a small giggle comes from her lips, seemingly enjoying this. “Though, it is fun to dance like this again, right?”

My eyes connect with hers, her kind nature showing itself all the same. “You really haven’t changed one bit, Shimmer. You’d think that would make you more predictable, but apparently not,” I say quietly with a slight roll of my eyes, trying to distance myself from the conversation.

“You say I haven’t changed when the same applies to you~ You’re still eating cherry cheesecake after all,” Sunset peacefully sighs after a slight giggle, spinning me around gently.

“Just shut up and dance, already,” I mumble, spinning Sunset for a change. You’re lucky I’m even giving you a chance to talk to me, Sunset… Take it seriously.

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

Signing my name on the checklist, I can’t help but be grateful that the night is finally over. Well, it’s almost over that is. The only thing left to do is conclude my business with a certain fiery-haired girl who has the determination to make mountains move. We ended up dancing for a lot longer than I intended… Maybe it’s because I lost track of the songs or when we were supposed to stop, but Sunset remained quiet throughout the whole thing, just dancing her heart out. Her smile always present… Funnily enough, she waited until I could sign my name off, probably anticipating what I have to say. Still, it was a bit reminiscent of older times…

Walking over to Sunset, I rub my forehead slowly, her expectant eyes still on me. “So, what’s the prognosis?” she asks nervously. Clearly, she hopes that she made enough of an impact on me to get that one conversation she’s been hoping for. As much as it kind of hurt to dance with her today, she did show me that she was genuine with every word she said… It’s true… Dancing with her again was fun, but I guess that’s why it hurt… Those times are gone, but I suppose Sunset earned her chance to speak her truth before we part ways…

“We can talk, but I will decide when and where,” I quietly state, walking out the door of the auditorium with her following behind me.

“Okay, when do you want to talk?” Sunset tries to ask in a composed voice, but her tone lets me know that she’s happy about this outcome.

“Meet me tomorrow night at room 416 after the mandatory Q&A. Don’t bother me during it and I’ll allow you some of my time afterward.”

“Oh? I’m just a couple rooms down from that~” Sunset pitches in with an eager tone, a happy nod coming from her. “I promise I won’t bother you during the Q&A.”

“Then it’s a deal,” I respond with a small nod, completely unsure of why I even agreed to this. Offering my hand to her, Sunset immediately shakes my hand before bringing me in for a hug. I should have expected that, honestly.

“I’ll see you then~”

Reliving Memories

Chapter III: Reliving Memories

Of course, the most recent set of activities and Q&A turned out to be really boring, but it was once again mandatory. Thankfully, everything they have during this convention takes place during the night time, so it’s not that difficult to try and catch up on sleep during the day. Tonight, though, may be different. For some reason, I promised my time to her… I promised to let her speak her piece tonight with me, but I don’t know how long that will take. The worst part is that I know my heart is going to hurt again, just like last night… As nice as the dance felt, it hurts on the inside. I don’t know why… I shouldn’t even feel anything considering she’s just a stranger now. Though, it’s hard to say she’s a stranger considering the fact that she hasn’t changed that much… I knew I drank too much whiskey. That has to be the reason I was stupid enough to let her dance with me and convince me to talk. What the hell does she even have to say after all this time? There’s not much to say… Every word is just going to bring back more memories.

Cupping some water in my hands, I gently wash my face with a sigh leaving my lips, glad to finally be out of my dress. The white t-shirt I threw on has some light wrinkles on it, making it look used. The pajama pants I have on have taco prints all over it due to it being a birthday present from Sonata. She seems to love those kinds of things… As soon as she sees something that can show her love for tacos or burritos, she’s willing to buy it. Unfortunately, that means the tablecloth we have at our apartment also has a similar print.

A knock at the door of my room can barely be heard from here, but it causes me to take a deep breath regardless. “Just a moment!” I call out, brushing the hair out of my face. It’s showtime… Just take deep breaths and you’ll get through this. It’s fine… Walking out of the bathroom, I close my eyes for a moment, thinking of what this night is going to hold for the both of us… Grabbing the doorknob quietly, I unlock the door, feeling my nerves fire up throughout my body. A part of me feels like I’m going to throw up, but I try to resist the nerves, taking another breath before twisting the doorknob.

Looking outside, my eyes can immediately recognize the figure standing before me, her smile and kind gaze still present. Surprisingly, she’s still dressed in her formal red dress, meaning she either wasted no time in coming here or she wanted to look punctual, making me feel underdressed. I mean, it’s my room, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter. “Hey, Adagio~ May I come in?” Sunset asks as politely as she can, holding her own hand. Opening the door wider and stepping to the side, I bring my hand out, gesturing for her to walk in.

“Make yourself at home,” I quietly respond, closing the door behind her and making sure to lock it. Sunset’s eyes look around the hotel room, nodding slowly at her surroundings with a slight chuckle.

“It doesn’t seem you unpacked that much, huh?”

A slow scoff leaves my mouth, followed by my own chuckle. “I didn’t see much reason to do that. I’m only going to be here for five days.” My words make Sunset’s gaze return to me with a confused expression, her eyes slightly wider.

“Wait. Five days? But the convention lasts seven days,” Sunset states in a confident and confused manner, her eyes still watching me as I walk by her towards my bed.

“They didn’t need me to be here for the last couple days, so I am going to leave earlier. It’s not that hard to understand.” Honestly, it makes me think whether or not Sunset is going to be here for the full seven days. If so, then there shouldn’t be some awkward goodbye. That’s a good thing…

Opening the window’s curtains and sitting down on my bed, I look towards Sunset, beckoning her to come sit beside me. It’s best to get this done with as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary pain… “So, you’re leaving the day after tomorrow…?” Sunset slowly asks me, taking a seat next to me. Despite her gaze, I keep my eyes on the night sky and the landscape shown from outside my window.

“Yeah, but let’s not focus on that,” I whisper slowly, taking in the beautiful lights. Looking at Sunset would be a bit… hard right now. Whatever this conversation is going to be about is surely going to make me feel awkward and I don’t know if I could quite keep my composure with direct eye contact. A small sigh leaves both of us as we look out the window. Even though there’s no beautiful colors to see, the night sky is still nice to look at every now and then.

“You still like looking at the horizon, huh?” Sunset says quietly, her head turning back to me. “You always did back then~ I suppose it’s nice to see that you still do these cute things~” A happy breath comes from her as she gently nudges my body in a playful manner, giggling to herself. In reality, both of us haven’t changed that much. At some points, it feels like no time has passed at all, torturing me even more to know the truth. It’s been a long time since we were young and in love… We should have moved on by this point, but Sunset still loves chocolate and gives the goofiest grins to her own jokes.

“Let’s brush past the small talk, Sunset,” I quietly whisper, finally looking back at her. “What do you want to talk about? You fought so hard for my time and you’ve finally got it, so let’s hear it.” A solemn look comes across the usually optimistic person before she directs her gaze to the ground, fidgeting with her hands slowly.

“You must really want me gone, huh…? Well, I… understand.” A heavy sigh exits her lips, sitting there and trying to think of what to say to me. “Honestly, I kinda wanted to talk about… our previous relationship,” she states with a small smile, her eyes connecting with mine once more.

“What is there to be said? I thought everything was said back then.” Despite my intent, my words come off harsher than I mean them too, causing me to clear my throat. “Sorry. I mean… What’s on your mind?” Sunset’s followed the rules so far, so she deserves more respect than that…

“Well, I… Do you remember how our relationship was? How many good memories we made together and the smiles we shared?” she asks genuinely, turning her whole body towards me slightly. Remember? How could I not? Every one of those memories has haunted me for a while now… It was the best time of my life, but it came to an end. There’s not much use for happy memories that just cause you to feel worse…

“Yeah… I do,” I barely say, keeping my eyes on the night sky ahead of me…

“It was… some of the best times in my life, honestly~” Sunset responds with a happy tone to her voice. “I remember sharing ice cream at the beach and going to the amusement park half drunk because we thought it would be a good idea~ I remember you giving me a piggyback ride for my birthday and taking me out to the movies~” Every word that comes out of her mouth progressively sounds happier and happier, seemingly reminiscing about our shared experiences. “I… remember how you said ‘I love you.’”

Standing up and walking towards the window, I try to avoid looking at her just so I can keep the remnants of composure that I have left. “What’s the point, Sunset? Was this talk just to go down memory lane and could-have-been’s?”

“Well, no, I-” Sunset cuts herself off, trying to think of the right words before she continues. “When we broke up, it hurt a lot… For a while, I couldn’t think straight and I couldn’t help but cry. I tried to date other people in the meantime, but none of those endeavors ever worked out like we did. It took a long time for me to feel better about it and realize that we had a good relationship back then,” Sunset slowly states, her tone sounding insecure.

“Do you think you were the only one who was hurt by that…?” my mouth speaks involuntarily, the words coming out before I can stop myself to think of what to say. Damn it, Adagio… You should have just shut up.

“No, that’s… why I wanted to talk. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other and I know that it hurt you too. From the way you’re acting, it’s evident.” Walking over to my side, Sunset gently places her hand on the glass, looking out at the city below. “I just wanted to say… that you deserve good things. No matter what happens, you’re a good person and I hope you have a good life~” Sunset’s hand slowly moves over to my cheek, holding it as gently as she can. “Our break up wasn’t your fault and you deserve to know that you’re still a good person~”

“It was our fault,” I slowly respond, closing my eyes to avoid the urge to tear up. Keep your walls up, Adagio… “Our relationship was a good one, true, but we both caused the end of it… You always treated yourself like a martyr, never trusting me with your negative emotions and always blaming yourself.”

“And you always put me before yourself, sacrificing the things you wanted to do for what I wanted,” Sunset quickly interjects after my statement, taking her hand away from me. “You were afraid of commitment because you thought you would hurt me… In reality, it’s our break up that hurt more than anything you did.” For a moment, I hear Sunset take a breath as if she is going to say something, only for a long silence to follow, both of us not daring to look at each other.

“You also always tried to make me feel better, just like you’re trying to do now. You always told me I deserved more and tried to be there to support me,” I whisper, keeping my gaze at the streets below. Sunset’s head turns back to me, seemingly surprised by my words, being one of the only kind things I’ve let myself say this entire trip.

“You always made sure to bring a smile to my face with your stupid antics~” Sunset pitches in, both of us chuckling slightly to her joke. “You made sure to get me a gift for every special occasion, even though the best gift was you being there in general~”

“And then you tried to outdo me the next time, leading to awkward present exchanges~” Another few kind words leave my mouth by instinct. At this point, I don’t know why I’m saying these things or even allowing Sunset and I to relive good days, but I can’t help but go with the flow… Trying to fight it would be even harder… Maybe it’d be better to just deal with the pain these memories bring for her sake.

“Do you remember the dinosaur stuffed animal I bought you?” Sunset happily asks with a sentimental look coming to her face.

“The one you bought because I was ‘too grumpy’ after my surgery?” I ask quietly, a little curious as to what she was meaning. Honestly, I forgot about the stuffed animal and when she bought it, but her bringing it up makes brief flashes come to my mind.

“Yeah, that one~” she chuckles in response to my question, her smile bigger than before. It’s that smile I couldn’t forget all this time, despite how much I tried… It’s this kind attitude that I thought about constantly and the pure happiness in the moments we shared… I tried so hard to push these memories away for a good reason. Every time I let myself revel in the happy feelings of one, it hurts to remember that it all ended so long ago… Someone who meant so much to me… Yet now we have to live on without each other.

“What’s your point, Sunset?” I barely say, breaking the silence with my quiet and solemn words. “There’s something else you want to say. What is it?”

“Eh? I…” Sunset stumbles over her words, trying to formulate something to say. Her stutters show her hesitancy to end this conversation or to actually tell me what she wants to… I can already feel the same urge for my voice to crack or to let tears well up, but I keep up the facade of being unaffected. “When I saw you the day before yesterday… I couldn't believe that you were here. I had thought about you ever since the day we broke up and…” Sunset stops herself and looks out the window slowly, taking deep breaths. “To see that you haven’t changed made me… No, that’s not right…” Briefly, she takes a moment to try and clear her throat, bringing her hand to her chest. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you, Adagio… I couldn’t stop thinking of the memories we shared together and… I really wanted to tell my truth before we had to leave, no matter the consequences.” With each passing word, Sunset’s voice becomes weaker and weaker, her eyes avoiding mine. “You were the best person in my life, Adagio… I find myself missing those days a lot and…” Finally meeting my gaze, I see tears well up in Sunset’s eyes, still trying to be brave with a small smile still present… “I still love you, Adagio… I never stopped loving you. I know you don’t share my feelings… You’ve been trying to get me off your back this whole trip, but… I just wanted to tell you that you’re a truly good person and I still love you. Maybe I can finally feel better if I just admit that and all…” Sunset takes a couple steps away from the window, turning her back to me as she wipes her eyes, presumably trying desperately to hold on to control. “I’m sorry I was a martyr back then… You deserved better and you still deserve love. Please remember that,” Sunset barely says, walking past the bed and picking up her purse. I can hear Sunset take a deep breath from here, finally looking back to me as I fully turn my back to the night sky. “I’ve said my piece now. As I promised, I won’t bother you for the rest of the trip… Please have a happy life, Adagio,” Sunset states with a small smile she fought to keep up, her hand giving me a small wave…

Why does she always have to push her way into my life…? Why do I always feel so helpless to the sight of her crying? I should hate her… We should be nothing to each other, but clearly, we still remember… We still think about each other for some damn reason. Is this fate’s humor? Torturing two souls into seeing each other once more, even though it’s obvious that it can’t work out for us? Too much time has passed and we both know it would cause too much pain… Yet my heart feels so conflicted once again. Damn it… Sunset truly was the love of my life, making it all the more painful that things could never go back to how they were. Things are too different now, despite how much I may wish not… No matter how much I try to convince myself that I hate her, my heart screams the opposite, my mind bringing back memories of her way too often… Nothing has changed, yet everything has. Her kind eyes still have a way to bring out emotions in me, but they aren’t mine anymore…

Would it really be that wrong to let us talk a bit more…? If this stupid fucking trip is supposed to be torture for the two of us, why not indulge in it? “Sunset?” I call out for her before she grabs the doorknob, causing her to meet my gaze again. “You can… talk to me again tomorrow. If you want,” I quietly state, not even thinking before I let the words flow from my mouth. Sunset’s smile grows wider and her tears seem to multiply as she nods, seemingly happy by my choice of words.

“I’d love that,” she agrees with a slight stutter.

“One more thing,” I say before she can open the door, locking our eye contact. “You… can bother me during tomorrow’s events. We can even share a table.” Why not indulge in the torture, right?

“I look forward to it~” Sunset says with a happy expression, wiping away her tears slowly before she walks through my door, closing it in the process. Fate has a funny way of making lives worse…

Fate Be Damned

Chapter IV: Fate Be Damned

“Are you sure you don’t mind spending this time with me?” Sunset asks with a nervous chuckle, standing outside the auditorium door with me. Tonight’s festivities include a gift exchange and karaoke which is a nice change of pace from the usual affairs. This is the fourth night of the convention and so far, everything has been mostly business or drinking festivities. Given, I’m sure the karaoke section will be mostly filled with drunk people as well, but if that’s the case, we can just leave for the night. After that, I will finally leave this convention tomorrow morning and fate can laugh in my face at the torture we’ve gone through.

“It wouldn’t hurt to be friends for a night,” I say quietly, smiling at her. “At least we can have a bit of fun before I leave, right?” A nod comes from Sunset with a giddy smile, her hand holding onto mine. It was always nice to see that… It is always nice to see her smile.

“That would be great~ Especially since you won’t look so lonely, sitting at a table by yourself~”

“Hey. I like being alone sometimes, so don’t act like it’s that pathetic,” I confidently state, rolling my eyes to Sunset’s giggles. Wrapping her arm around mine, Sunset and I patiently wait for the doors to open, her smile turning into a slight frown.

“Still, it must be boring to be alone. I mean, it’s boring right now, you know.”

“If you’re bored, you could always dunk your head in some water,” I whisper in a teasing tone, shaking my head at the funny ways Sunset would leave herself open for ridicule. It’s been a long time since I’ve joked like that… Hell, a part of me stings to do that, knowing that this won’t last, but I guess it will be okay for a night. Just to pretend for one night that everything is fine.

“You’re mean,” Sunset says with a cute pout, staring me down. “Although, that’s not a bad idea~ We could go swimming together if you want?” Sunset jokes with a raised eyebrow, looking for my reaction. Something like that doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea if I finally get to utilize the hot tub… If that is the case, then maybe we could, but I suppose it really depends on how the night goes.

“Maybe. Though, we should probably focus on the here and now,” I say with a monotone voice, looking back at the closed doors with a bit of irritation behind my eyes. “You’d think they would get past making people wait behind these doors by the fourth day.” Despite my statement, a part of me doesn’t actually mind the wait as long as she and I can still joke around each other. I know something like this can’t last forever… but it’s a nice thought… It would be nice if time could stretch itself just once. I suppose the real wish of my heart is for tomorrow to not come… Every time I think about tomorrow, I know all of this will end and she and I will have to move on. As much as my heart may wish it to not be true, she and I could never go back to what was… Too much time has passed to try and fix something broken… This night, as fleeting as it is, is just enacting a fantasy.

“I’m sure they’ll open the doors soon~ Besides, we can ditch after the dinner if you want?”

“Are you saying that because you don’t have a gift to participate in the gift exchange?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, causing her to giggle.

“Wha? Me? I would never forget something so crucial to this totally awesome convention!” Sunset exclaims in an exaggerated style, putting her hand to her chest. “Besides, I’m sure you didn’t get anything either, huh?” Booping my nose while sticking her tongue out, both of us laugh slightly. Her humorous nature never fails to brighten up a room, no matter what.

“That seems pretty scummy though, right? Grabbing dinner and just ditching? Seems a bit too rebellious for someone like the ‘pure’ Sunset I used to know~”

“I think you of all people should know that I’m not that pure~” Sunset scoffs with a slight nudge, shaking her head at my statement.

“Maybe behind closed doors, sure,” I whisper with a chuckle, Sunset’s cheeks instantly turning a brighter shade of pink. Before Sunset can respond, however, the doors finally open to the auditorium, prompting us to stop leaning against the wall. Instead, Sunset decides to lean on me with a couple giggles, both of us finally entering the room.

“Just make sure you behave, you mischievous siren,” Sunset teases me, sticking her tongue out in the process. All she gets in terms of a response is me rolling my eyes with a shake of my head, a smile still on my face regardless. Even though this is supposed to be torture for both of us, I can’t help but beg the world itself to let this night last longer than others… Just being able to joke around and talk with Sunset like this again is… great. While the thought of tomorrow ending it all may be painful, the experience itself isn’t… I should have avoided her, but it’s too late now. All I want in the world is for the world to give us a bit more time. Just a little more time before I leave… I never hated Sunset…

It always hurts because…

I always loved her…

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

“Well, you got your wish~ You better have enjoyed the hot tub~” Sunset cheekily teases me, nudging my hip once more as we walk down the hallway. Both of us are pretty much soaking wet, a singular towel wrapped around both of us, our hair continually dripping.

“Just because you don’t like hot tubs doesn’t mean you have to take it out on me,” I state in a confident tone, trying to sound serious despite my joke. A laugh is shared between the two of us, the warmth of the company briefly distracting me from the cold that comes with a soaking wet body. At least the carpet of the hotel can briefly warm my feet, but I’m not sure if you’re technically allowed to be barefoot in this hotel. I suppose it will be a secret between the both of us in that case.

A silence inhabits the air where our conversation used to be as we go farther down the hall, Sunset’s laugh fully disappearing without another word coming from her. I don’t really blame her for not knowing what to say… The distance between us and my room is closing by the second and the closer we get to it, the more prevalent reality becomes. Our time is almost over… Despite the fact that tonight has been one of the best days I’ve had in a long time, it all has to come to an end far too soon… No matter how long the day is, I would have still said the same thing… Reality. This game of make believe and fantasy has to end at some point, which means the inevitable goodbye. Sunset can probably sense it too, making it even worse… To see her smile so easily dissipate due to our unfortunate circumstances hurts me, but… it will all be better someday. We got to resolve our differences and I’m sure Sunset can finally move on. As for me…?

I’m just glad I got to help Sunset one last time… My love for her never truly disappeared… That’s why it was so hard to forget her. That’s why it hurt to remember her, but maybe the reason she was always on my mind was because she needed help one more time. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking… Trying to derive some sort of meaning from our meeting. I’ll never forget her, no matter how hard I may try. Even after years, she still brings a smile to my face easily. Too much time… If we had met sooner, maybe we could have fixed this… It’s all a bunch of maybes at this point, but above all else, I just want Sunset to be happy…

“I guess our night has come to an end, huh?” Sunset says quietly, her eyes looking towards the floor as we walk. Her hand grips mine tighter and a sigh comes from her lips, sharing my own feelings.

“Yeah…” A small sting of pain strikes through my heart as soon as I mutter the word, even my body trying to reject the truth. “You wanted to admit that you still loved me just to come to peace with it,” I whisper, averting my gaze to the floor as well.

“You still love me too, don’t you…?” Sunset quietly asks, a solemn tone to her words before she sighs heavily. A knot is already stuck in my throat, finding it hard to formulate the right words to say… No matter how hard I try, I can’t find the words, resulting in me just nodding to her question.

“It’s been too long for us to even try to fix what we had, though… Unfortunately, we need to move on,” I barely say, finding just enough strength to hold my composure together…

“Yeah… I suppose you’re right,” Sunset slowly whispers, her quiet voice displaying her own feelings of sadness. “Could you promise me one thing…?” she asks me quietly, her voice cracking at the end.

Stopping in front of my door, both of us finally look at each other once more, letting go of our hand hold… “What do you want me to promise, Sunset?”

Sunset’s eyes tear up slightly, making my heart hurt even more, her lips quivering ever so slightly. “Just… promise me you’ll have a good life, alright?” Her question, as short as it is, is full of emotion, her eyes pleading for me to promise her this one thing before we go our separate ways… Don’t do this to me, Sunset…

“I pinkie promise,” I whisper before hugging Sunset as tightly as I can, trying to keep my walls up as best as I can… “Promise me you’ll have a good life too, Sunset… Please…”

Returning my embrace, Sunset’s tears finally begin to flow as she nods into my shoulder, finally letting go and crying over fate’s cruel reality… The last thing I want to do is let go of her and enter my room… If only this night could be endless, just to give us what we both want… I’m not afraid to say it anymore… Sunset is the love of my life and life continually punishes me by taking her away. Holding her as close to me as possible, I can’t help but think about the fact that I probably won’t be able to uphold my promise… Without her in my life, I’m not sure if it will be a good life…

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

Zipping up my suitcase, I find it hard to look at the clean hotel room, avoiding the sight as much as I can… The time has come… After a sleepless night, my heart now has to go through the torture of leaving Canterlot City once more… It’s odd since I couldn’t wait for this moment to come just a couple of days ago, but now… It would be so easy to say it’s Sunset’s fault for getting herself back in my mind, but I also let her have that stupid dance and our talk. Subconsciously, I missed her too, so I’m just as much to blame as she is for our reconnection. I could have avoided her at any time again. I didn’t have to let her hang out with me last night, but I did…

All I wanted to do was defy fate for a little while. Just to pretend that… maybe things didn’t change. Maybe no time had passed at all. It was a fun fantasy while it lasted, but… All good things must come to an end, right? I’ll probably disappear from Sunset’s mind someday and she can have all the good things she deserves. But she’ll never leave my mind…

Wiping a couple tears from my face, I sigh heavily, trying to avoid crying again. “Damn it…” I thought it would be easy to leave here, but it turns out to be so much harder than I had expected. None of it is because of the luxury beds, drinks, or food, but because of her… I just have to keep reminding myself that too much time has passed for us. We can’t fix what we had… It would be better if we just go our separate ways and then she can move on fully. This is the right thing to do. Why does it hurt to do the right things…?

Taking a deep breath, I try my best to compose myself before I pick up my suitcase handle, rolling it behind me. Opening the door slowly, my eyes widen at the sight in front of me… “Why are you awake…?” I ask the fiery-haired woman standing in the hallway, her smile once again being present. Her expression, despite how hard she tries to make it seem different, displays her sadness all too well… Maybe that’s because I’ve known her for years, but the sight isn’t pleasant.

Her eyes look to the floor for a moment before she regains the strength to lock our gaze, pulling herself off the wall she had been leaning on. “I just… wanted to see you off. Well, I mean, I wanted to see you again. One last time and all…” For a long period of time, Sunset’s gaze stays locked with mine, both of us seemingly understanding how painful this must be for the other… Slowly, Sunset takes a few steps towards me, wrapping her arms around me with a pained sigh coming from her. As much as I may have avoided the gesture at the beginning of this trip, my body instinctively returns the hug now, my body threatening to let my tears go once more… “I’ll never forget you, Adagio… I love you and I hope you have a good life,” Sunset barely lets out with her weak voice, keeping her composure barely in my arms. My only want in the world at this moment is to hold her forever…

“I love you too,” I whisper, hugging her tighter for a moment, both of us reluctant to let go of our embrace. It’s impossible to try again, Adagio… Too much time has passed… Closing the door behind me, Sunset has a couple tears fall down her cheek, her face still remaining as composed as she can force it to be.

“Take care of yourself, Adagio,” Sunset quietly states, wiping away her own tears before looking at me again. Holding my walls up, I simply smile and nod to her statement, turning away from her slowly.

“Goodbye, Sunset.” Walking away from her, I try to force my tears down, the urge to let go becoming almost too much to bear… It’s too hard to look back at the woman who has given my life so much happiness… To leave her here and try to let us move on, knowing damn well I won’t ever forget her. Life’s cruel game is still going on, forcing us to see each other one last time before we go our separate ways, knowing that it’s too late for us… Images of a previous life never fail to come back to me, reminding me of every day we used to share. Every step hurts more than the last, my heart begging for me to turn back or at least look at her one more time… I have to keep my focus. This is for the best… Right? It’s for her. It would be naive to think we could try something like a relationship again. Naive of a siren like me…

It’s for the better… To leave and give her a chance to move on… I never needed anyone when I had my magic. I was the best siren of Equestria and I didn’t need anyone to validate my life or my pursuits. I was the best. Why would I have needed validation or someone to lend me a helping hand? That’s exactly what Sunset showed me… She showed me the better parts of life. Friendship, love, companionship… Enjoying the little things of life. She showed me so many things I never knew I needed. Power wasn’t what I needed in the end… I just needed something to make me happy. Someone… The one person who could relate to my downfall and my attempts to redeem myself was her. She was always there for me. I couldn’t help but fall for her.

It’s cruel of life to give me those experiences, just to take them away from me twice… I had to deal with the absence of her in my life before. I’m not sure if I could go through that again… She needs a better life. She needs to move on and have a good life. Every moment she’s been in my life was both a blessing and a curse…

Walking up to the elevator, I move my finger to press the down button, my hand hesitating before I can actually touch it. My tears stain my cheeks despite how hard I try to avoid crying… I can’t break down now. I have to be strong… I have to, right…? She… she needs to move on. I… Hesitantly, my eyes look down the hallway, Sunset’s eyes still looking towards me with her tears fully present. Her hand gives me a slight wave as she mouths the word, “Goodbye.” Please don’t cry over me… Her tears don’t dissipate as she turns away from me, finally walking the other direction down the hall with her head slumped down… She… needs to move on… Right?

No matter how hard I try to press the button, my hand won’t move forward an inch. If it’s fate that caused us to meet in the first place… If fate decided to make this game to torture two souls, where is the punchline…? Why does it hurt so bad to try and do the right thing, according to the world? If it’s our fate to be brought together just to be torn apart once more, why does it have to be like that…? Can’t fate just let us be happy once…? Would she be happy, moving on from me? Biting my lip and closing my eyes, a sigh comes from my lips as I let my hand down to my side. “Damn it…” I whisper, looking back at Sunset’s figure walking away from me… If this torture is our fate, then… maybe fate can go fuck itself…

Dropping my bag instantly, I kick off the damned heels and sprint down this hallway, the only thing separating me and the one woman who makes my life better… My life wouldn’t be better without her. She’s the love of my life and I… I’m tired of letting her be taken away… “Sunset!” I yell down this endless space between us, tears streaming from my eyes as I let my hair flow in the air. I’m done letting life take away the things that make me happy… The people who make me better. I need her.

Sunset’s body turns around to look behind her just in time to catch me as I run into her embrace, wrapping my arms around the person I love the most in the world. “A-Adagio?” Sunset’s voice asks in a weak tone after her own cries.

“I love you, Sunset,” I state between my sobs, holding her as tightly as I can. “I can’t do it anymore… I can’t let life take away the people I hold close anymore. I-I love you more than anything in the world, Sunset.” Still holding onto Sunset, I connect my eyes with hers, not caring to keep my composure in front of her anymore. “I would do anything to keep you in my life…”

A bright smile finally comes back to my summer breeze, her tears coming to her even harder than before as she hugs me back, crying into my shoulder. “I-I love you too, Adagio~” she’s barely able to say, kissing my cheek quickly, her smile getting bigger by the second. “I want you back too~ You’re my everything, Adagio~” Sunset whispers, pushing our lips together in an instant, surprising me. Returning her embrace, my own tears flow harder as well, both of us holding onto each other as much as we can… Fate be damned. I’m done letting her go. I’ll do anything I can to make sure this works and… I’ll never let her go again~ She’s my world, for now and forever~