The sun was only a glimmer of light on the horizon, weak beams illuminating a multicolored sky. As the Siren awoke to take in the early dawn, she found herself still in the seat of the cab and driven along the sprawling highway. It had only been the beginnings of the depths of night when they had left her last client’s mansion, the new day having not yet come to pass. Yet now she saw the streaks of red and softened gold making their way across the canvas of endless blue, turning the grey clouds into strings of candleflame.

A small movement of her leg and Adagio felt stiffness bite deep into her joints. Whatever position she had been sleeping in must have fared horribly for her to feel so uncomfortable, these issues meant for the aged and broken- well, she was admittedly one of those things. Perhaps just not physically. And she could feel her dress sticking to her legs, her time within the garment not a pleasant one. If she got the chance to see it burned, the sooner the better.

“Morning,” Applejack said, allowing only a momentary glance from the road to take note of her companion’s newly conscious state. “You alright?”

“Mmf… why wouldn’t I be?” Adagio asked. It was too early in the morning, she too fresh from sleep to want to answer any questions.

“You looked like you had a nightmare for a little bit, that’s all,” Applejack replied.

The sensuous woman felt her blood chill; the memory was as dim as the nightmare that now tried to flit away, but she still recalled the incident all the same thanks to the cigar burns that had seared her feet. Any nightmare born of memory was not something she wanted this purehearted girl to know. “I’m fine,” she said swiftly, her tired voice hardly more than a croak. “Where are we?”

“Just passed town. We’re about thirty minutes from home.”

The distance they’d traversed was not small, at least by her measurements. “How long have we been driving?”

“Seven hours and some change,” came the answer.

Was she far enough away to not be followed? Adagio prayed she was so that at least her fears might at least be quelled. But now she was racing towards a much more painful destination and the discomfort would be of a much more personal kind; the memories of Applejack’s home were warm and soft, gentle to her spirit and enough to make her heart ache. She would be ill-fitting in decent places, as well as among its denizens.

“So… things have changed a bit since you were here last,” the farmgirl began.

“I’m not surprised.”

“Well, Big Mac –my brother- he got married. Sweet girl named Sugar Belle, you’ll like her. But anyway, he’s moved out from his room, built a decent little cottage house next to ours since they want a family. You’ll be taking his old room for when you’re here.”

“Not gonna make me sleep in your bed this time?” Adagio tried to sound humorous, perhaps more like the confident and flirtatious version of herself that went over so well with clients; she hadn’t meant to sound disappointed.

“No. That’ll be up to you,” Applejack answered, even daring to cast a side-eyed glance. “Do- do you want to share a bed?”

It was too early into her awakening for emotions to be fully in check. Adagio blushed and turned her face, unwilling to admit that she just might be bothered by the separation- even if she tried to tell herself she wasn’t supposed to be.

“And, umm… I did tell them that I was going to get you, too,” the freckled blonde added. Was there a tension in her features at that confession? Adagio was swift to take note of it; perhaps her presence wasn’t to be entirely welcome after all. Someone had protested the farmgirl’s act of rescue. “So they know you’re coming and everything.”

“And they’re OK with that?” the Siren asked, gauging the girl for a reaction. “A person they’ve never met coming to live in their house, especially when it was the prostitute who came in and slept with you while they were gone…”

“They were a bit- uncertain about it when I first told them,” Applejack admitted. “But they agreed to it. So you don’t need to expect any sort of bad welcome or nothin’.”

Adagio would be the judge of that when the time came. Just because this blonde angel had managed to convince them of allowing her to sleep under the same roof did not mean she was welcome in the slightest. Maybe she could use that as an excuse for an early departure if she played her cards right.

“This is our exit. We’re not far, now,” Applejack declared, easing the truck from the highway and onto the exit, heading on into the depths of the foliage.

Adagio had taken this very exit all those years ago under the cover of darkness, and her early morning departure had been too miserable for her to give any thought to taking it all in. But how different it was from the worlds she’d known for so much of her life in this world; the pale, flat colors of urban jungles were nonexistent here, the shades of green all around here so lush and vibrant that the Siren wondered if she dwelt now in a jungle. Her early years had known the many colors of aquatic blue, the fading gasps of color as reef and life were turned grey before her. And here was this vast, wild country just a short drive away from the thousands who traveled. The deep verdant green of the trees, thick grass that turned dark and bright as they traveled along; the further she went into its depths, the more it felt as though this place were a haven from prying eyes. Adagio did not believe in safety just yet, but this deep country beckoned for her to come and believe, to see that she might belong in it.

The asphalt road turned to dust as Applejack pulled off the county road, sprawling rows of trees brushing against the border fence and casting their shade before their arrival. Adagio could see the first fruits beginning their growth on the branches above, bright colors like spangles amidst the leaves. She had known this place was an orchard farm thanks to her companion, but its vastness had not quite sunk in by mere word alone. “How big is this place?”

“About fifty acres,” Applejack said, the enormous breadth of space spoken with as much significance as yesterday’s weather. “We were hoping to buy Mr. Morgan’s property sometime last year, but the frost came early and stayed till just last month. That, and Apple Bloom’s college raised their tuition rates...”

“But that’s huge already,” Adagio breathed. “Is it just your family work works out here?”

Applejack shrugged. “For the most part, yeah. We hire some extra hands during the harvests just to make it go a little faster-”

“That’s insane. How long do you work every day?”

Again, the farmgirl could only shrug. “I dunno. Long? No need to exercise or nothing, we do that enough working out here.”

Adagio wanted to remain cold and detached, aloof amidst this place so she could not grow roots and try to feel attached. She knew she did not belong, would never belong, but how difficult a task it was when there was a marvel like this that enticed her! Though she doubted the farmgirl could see it, there was pride in her eyes when she spoke of her home. By her hands, her effort, she kept family and livelihood afloat- working alongside those she clearly cherished. It was infectious, begging for others to join in the fun. If only she didn’t actually know better.

“Here we are. Home,” Applejack said, at last giving a yawn after the long night and allowing herself to feel weary with task now accomplished. How long had she been awake, eyes peeled for the woman she sought to find? Adagio had been able to sleep the night through while Applejack continued on almost indomitably as though exhaustion was a choice rather than mandatory.

The two women descended from out of the cab and trudged over to the front door, farmyard quiet and only filled with the beginnings of early activity. The nearby henhouse was brimming with the clucking of its denizens though none had yet to make an appearance, the figure of a young girl moving about behind the wire mesh giving them reason to stir. The lights from the farmstead shone bright onto the darkened wood of the front porch, silhouettes of people clear through the glass and seemingly taking in the sight of their arrival. As the Siren quietly followed her companion towards the door, the entrance opened from inside as the matronly figure of a weathered old woman came into view, soon followed by the tall, muscular form of a straw-haired man trailing just behind.

“Morning, Granny,” Applejack said, up on the porch in a heartbeat and there to give the aged woman a hug; tension fell from the blonde’s shoulders as she did so, a lightness to her form as though this were the signal of good tidings. “Sorry I was gone for so long.”

“Good to have you back, child,” Granny Smith murmured, the reigning matriarch of the Apple family seemingly satisfied to see the entirety of her banner under one roof once more. A quick glance over to the silent Siren who waited a few feet away and watched the reunion unfold- enough for realization to kick in and see eyes narrow. “You found her.”

Adagio’s fears that she would be looked upon like a mouse held beneath a cat’s paw were unfounded, but only slightly; this scrutiny was as brutal and thorough as a fetid thing under a microscope. Perhaps never in her life had she been so thoroughly examined, nor so quickly. She only knew the name of this woman, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Granny Smith knew her far better than Applejack did; what would come of it she could only dread.

“Just last night. A place just outside of Big Easy,” the farmgirl reported, turning about and gesturing for the Siren to come to her side. “I know I’ve said her name before, but this- this is Adagio. Adagio, this is Granny Smith, head of the house and the whole Apple family.”

The inspection continued even as she took the wrinkled hand for a shake, those bleary eyes piercing through her façade at will and straight into her heart, able to decipher so much of Adagio’s genuine self without either of them having spoken a word. Adagio had spent many years of her life fooling the clever, the intelligent, even many of the wise- in whichever way she could manage. But now she was faced with one who possessed a wisdom of its own kind; tinged by sorrow and the mistakes that could only be found in many long years. Applejack thought of her as something wonderful, but Granny wouldn’t ever be fooled by any of her machinations.

“What you all dressed up for?” The straw-haired man Adagio had noticed earlier finally spoke, a deep baritone emanating from him and giving the impression of a slower, more ponderous being. But just as Granny had done, the sharpness of his gaze was darting this way and that as he put pieces of the puzzle together. Perhaps he was merely wanting confirmation of the answer he already suspected.

“Snuck into a party at the place. Some kinda event or something,” Applejack answered. A quick kick and her heels were tossed onto the nearby bench to await another day for their retrieval. “Had to look the part to get in.”

The man heeded the words, reading between the lines as he tried to decipher what hadn’t been spoken aloud. There was a protective nature to him, Adagio surmised- and right now, he was furious that his younger sister had put herself in harm’s way for someone who was more or less a complete stranger.

“Come on, then,” Granny said, stepping aside and pointing them towards the door. “Suspect y’all are hungry. Sugar Belle’s got breakfast going, go grab yourself something.”

“Gonna change first, if you don’t mind,” the farmgirl countered. “We’ll only be a few minutes.”

A quick flash of a moment where the matriarch pursed her lips; disapproval that her granddaughter would be alone with this strange prostitute in her house once more. But quickly as it came, the expression vanished and returned to tranquility, Granny merely giving a nod. “Be quick about it. Food’ll get cold.”

Adagio trailed behind her rescuer, trying her best to ignore the memory that told her where to head. It had been years since that one evening had been spent in this place, but the one with whom she shared the memory had assured its potency for all time. Much as Applejack’s family may not like it, she knew the layout of this house intimately.

“Here you are,” Applejack said, nudging open a wood door emblazoned with a bitten apple to reveal a comfortably furnished room within. It was similar in style and size to what she’d remembered the farmgirl’s being, the Siren recalling the almost rustic appearance of the place. Old, décor and style as though something from pioneer days, yet well-cared for and possessing the strength to endure centuries more. But this had most definitely been a male’s room, fewer decorations and simpler colors held within: a bed accompanied by a nightstand, a dresser, and a rocking chair was all that awaited her. “Why don’t you change? There’s some clean clothes for you in the drawer.”

Adagio felt her eyes widen by reflex; yes, the farmgirl had mentioned it something during the night, but she hadn’t actually thought it was a legitimate offering. A quick extraction of the top drawer revealed pairs of nightclothes, as well as whatever socks and underthings she might need. Another pull and she found a wardrobe, each drawer stuffed to the brim with fresh clothes that awaited her use. Had this been scrounged up from Applejack’s wardrobe, donations perhaps? Surely she hadn’t bought all these for her! “Applejack-”

The blonde turned a shade pinker beneath the freckles but shrugged the forming words away. “I tried my best to get you some decent stuff- you know, that you’d be alright with wearing. Hope I did alright.”

Her rescuer and her provider, all in the span of a mere twelve hours. Adagio could hardly stand beneath the weight of her shame, wishing that this wondrous woman hadn’t gone to such monumental efforts. All she could offer was looks- a pretty face who knew how to offer the heights of physical pleasure. But all of it could be done with a coldness, no care or intentional thought into any action or word spoken. This was just another addition to the excess, love put into action and given form; far, far too good for one such as herself. “I- why?”

Applejack tried to meet those jeweled eyes, hold them steady within her gaze as she spoke from the heart, but could only last a few moments before she had to give a laugh and allow the embarrassment flow from her form. “You know why,” she muttered. “Cause… I love ya. And want you stay here with me. That’s all.”

That’s all. Said so simply as though it were a thing of no consequence. But for one so alone, Adagio could only see the magnitude, the weight of such an admission. She was loved, genuinely loved- and she could offer nothing in return that could ever hope to be considered equal. This was a love unearned and most definitely undeserved, Applejack too enamored by beauty and pleasurable memory to truly see her for what she was. It would be the spell that would have to be broken before week’s end.

“Now hurry, if Sugar Belle’s cooking I wanna grab some of that honeyed ham before Big Mac eats it all,” Applejack declared, smile tinged by weariness yet genuine all the same. “See you down there in a few minutes?”

Hot guilt bubbled in her stomach, but she knew the truth would be better than a drawn-out lie. “I’m… not hungry,” Adagio said.

The farmgirl took pause. “Huh?”

“I- kinda need a little bit,” she continued. “Alone. If that’s alright.”

The admission was crushing to the poor blonde’s mood, but against it she would not argue just yet. “And you’re sure?”

“Mhm. I just want some time to-” Belittle herself? Calm down? Not go into shock and start screaming? The mere fact that she was here in this safe haven once more was both nightmare and dream, the epicenter of her greatest mistake and deepest happiness all at once. She knew this was a good woman, and all those down below were of the same mold. Adagio was the outlier in their midst and had not yet the strength to face them just yet. “Adjust. For a little bit.”

“Oh. Alright, then,” Applejack replied, pulling herself away from the bedside and back to the door. “I, uh, might be going out and about working once I’m done eating, but just ask for Granny- or Sugar Belle if you need anything.”

She would do no such thing but the Siren nodded all the same. “OK.”

A half-smile and Applejack closed the door on her dearest love, allowing the beautiful being to be alone with her thoughts. It was only the immediate moment after she heard the latch of the door close did Adagio understand how deeply she would rather be anything but alone with her thoughts. This was not a place in which she should spend time thinking; the changes of environment, the hostility of Applejack’s family, and the mere fact that she was around Applejack at all was enough to push her into overload. This was more emotion than she could confidently handle even on a good day, guilt and love and shame and pride all combining into a miserable mishmash of muddled feelings that were of no service to anyone.

She could feel the violet sequins pull away from her flesh, sweat and the long period of time spent within their sheath enough to make the mermaid gown stick to her form. It had been a gift from her former client, meant to be worn as she adorned his lap and was displayed as a trophy; if it weren’t for the vast sum he had spent upon her company, Adagio wouldn’t have deigned to spend another night in the place. Had fear kept her rooted to his commands- or had she felt like there were no other path for her to take? The more she pondered her choices, the more desperate the Siren became in extracting herself from the garment, eventually shredding it to bits and leaving herself naked as she sat atop the bed in a gasping mess.

“I shouldn’t be here,” Adagio murmured, quietly so as to ensure none who might wait at her door could hope to hear her. “This was a mistake.” Her deepest fears assured that such words were fact, impossible to miss; it was more than just being out of place, she didn’t belong here in the slightest, nor did she even want to be here. This was not a place of comfort or safety, the very walls condemning her as they gave testimony to the pain she had both endured and unleashed. To be used as a toy was all she was fit for, despite whatever nonsense Applejack might try to convince her of otherwise. No longer was she monstrous, her teeth having long since been pulled- but she was something pathetic, and that sort of misery could make those around her sink. She would have to convince Applejack to end this agreement early.

From outside the door came the sound of wood creaking, footsteps falling hard as slipper and boot strode by her room and towards the realm of her savior. A quick knock came from aged knuckles and Adagio heard the muffled murmurs of Applejack calling out to her family. This was to be a reckoning of sort between kinfolk, if she was correct. Perhaps she should try to ignore the sounds that would filter in- so of course she crept over to the door and gave strength to her listening ear.

“Don’t look at me like that, I did the right thing.” Applejack spoke in a proud tone, if not outright frustrated; just what sort of arguments had come before this one?

“You’ve been gone for a few days this time around.” Granny Smith’s creaking drawl was thin, but perfectly audible even through inches of solid wood. “I’m surprised you found her.”

“I was too, really. Thought she’d sneak away like the last time when I was at the ballpark in Manehatten.”

“Were you in danger?” Her brother spoke bluntly, not hesitating to attend to his core concerns.

“She worse than me,” Applejack replied, sounding sullen. “I said I did the right thing. I had to get her out of there, she even thought so.”

Partially true, but she would have survived- maybe. There had been the fearful thought that she would have been kept there as a prisoner, but Adagio had endured such threats before. Her last client had only acted on a few more impulses than most.

“AJ…” Big Mac’s voice came in a dulled groan. “What if someone comes looking for her? Someone who wants to cause trouble?”

“They won’t.”

“Were you followed?” Granny asked.

“I don’t think so- no! No, we weren’t,” the farmgirl insisted. “I know so. Besides, so what if I was? Should I have left Adagio to just deal with it?”

“Did- did she even want to leave in the first place?” Big Mac pressed. “What did you say to make her want to come down here? Look at that dress she’s wearing, it probably cost more than the house-”

“I didn’t pay her to come here, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Applejack’s voice was frigid even through the door, cold fury evident as a long-standing argument seemingly came to life once again. “I just asked her to stay a few days. And see.”

“See what?”

“If… if she wanted to stay here for good,” Applejack replied rather lamely, her hopes likely sounding more foolish when spoken aloud.

The silence was all too palpable, enough to make the silent Siren squirm in its midst. She shouldn’t be listening but couldn’t resist all the same; if there was to be evidence that could be used to convince Applejack she should be allowed to leave, it would be from what words would be said now.

“Applejack…” Big Mac’s voice remained low, but now rang deeper with a tinge of something else- was it sympathy? “I’m glad you’re safe. But you’re wasting your time-”

“So I should’ve left her there. To get hurt by that- that- you should have seen her last night, she was scared-”

“I’m not saying you did a bad thing, but- you’re like this cause you slept with her. Not because she wants to stay. You know this, you know what she does for a living.”

The fury in Applejack’s voice was barely constrained as she spoke. “You don’t know nothing. I know her, you’ve not even said a word to her yet-”

“You know her? How? You spent one night with her. AJ, just- no, listen to me,” Big Mac insisted. “Don’t spend your time hoping for something that won’t come true. You did a good thing- if it was really as bad as you say, you did the right thing. But she’s not gonna stay; she doesn’t want to. You know this.”

“That’s- well that’s just…” Applejack’s voice was failing, struggling to keep in check for reasons only sight could have explained. “What do you think? Am I just being stupid, Granny?”

The weathered matriarch gave a long sigh, having been more or less silent as the two siblings sparred. “You’re my girl. And I trust your judgment for now,” Granny finally said, “But she’s not been honest with you about much. Not yet.”

“What makes you say that?”

“She act the same way here as when you found her?”

“Well… no. She wasn’t.”

“Then she’s not being honest yet,” Granny assured her. “That girl’s holding secrets she don’t want you to know. And she just might run rather than have to tell you a single one of them.”

What words came next hardly mattered, little more than frivolity as the family trio discussed other matters beyond herself. Adagio slumped down against the wall, grateful for the cold sharpness of the aging wood against her bare flesh that distracted her from the anguish within her mind. There was no way for her to hide out here in this place; Applejack knew too little and would want to rectify that while her family already had the Siren well figured. And to make matters worse, Applejack’s family hardly seemed to hate her for it; they were willing to give her the opportunity to remain, be judged fairly. All their concerns were, for now, focused upon their kin- and wisely so. It only hurt because everything they’d said was true.

She allowed the rest of the morning to pass her by through the bedroom window, Adagio kept from sight by her own will. Was it dread that kept her hidden behind these four walls and away from prying eyes? She knew not how to interact with these people. They were so vastly different from her usual company; Adagio knew the desperate, the pitiful, the dangerous and powerful. Applejack had been lonely when they had first met, but still brimming with a dignity that allowed her happiness nonetheless. Her usual clients were shameless in their unhappiness- or worse, greedy for more than what their hearts could consume.

But this family? These were good people, and her presence would be poisonous. It would not be long before Adagio would be found out.

From the window she watched the family tend to their various chores and tasks, Applejack’s bright blonde hair shining like waves of pale gold beneath the sunlight. Even after what must have been an arduous day and an entire night’s driving, still she seemed to press on as though limitless. Memory resurfaced and spoke to the strength the young woman possessed; Adagio recalled just how well-toned the farmgirl had been, enough to be desirous in her own way. Never had she considered that the strength may truly run this deep.

The day grew bright, and the sun grew long. Shadows began to fall across the landscape as the final hours of sunlight came to a close, a sky of blue becoming scattered with shades of pink, red, and gold. It would be night soon, and Adagio had done her best to keep hidden away from the good people below. It had been the best option available to her.

Or so she’d thought. A knock came on the door, gentle raps as the handle turned and Applejack poked through. “Hey there,” she said, a faint smile on her lips- one that vanished, eyes wide as she took in the beauteous Siren’s bare form. “Ohmygosh, I’m sorry.”

Considering what experiences they had shared together, the idea that Applejack was actually embarrassed about seeing her naked was too much for her to take- especially when it was merely her bare back. Adagio found herself laughing in spite of herself. “I think this isn’t your first time seeing me like this,” she remarked.

“I just thought you’d be- umm, can you please put something on- later, I mean? Like when I leave?”

She complied, still too tickled by Applejack’s flustered reaction to argue; it had been far too sweet to react in any other way. “I will. What did you want, Applejack?”

“Well… dinner’s about ready,” came the answer. “So I was letting you know so you could come down. Well, get dressed and come down.”

Dinner? And that would be with the rest of Applejack’s family, wouldn’t it- to include two members she hadn’t even met yet! Such a thing had to be avoided. “I’m- I’m sorry, but I’m really not hungry today…”

“Umm, well,” Applejack hesitated, “Granny said you had to come down and join us for this one.”

Or else. The threat didn’t even need to be mentioned for the Siren to get the message. So she would not be able to just hide away and see this day go by. Unhappy and frazzled as she was, she would have to make Applejack’s family endure her company, meaning that her best chance for survival was simply to dwell there in silence. “OK, then.”

As the door was pulled closed, Adagio forced herself to rise from her seat atop the bed against her mind’s protests, extracting a simple button-up shirt and a pair of sweat pants and giving them a quick examination. Not exactly something in common with her usual attire, but the feel of it against her skin was something comfortable; Applejack had somehow guessed her size perfectly. When she gave herself a quick look-over in the mirror atop the dresser, the Siren had to bite her lip to hold back the grin. Though red and black were not typically her colors, the look made her seem as though she were a part of the Apple family already. Like she belonged…

She bought this entire wardrobe just for you. The though made Adagio pause, force her to consider its weight. She so badly wants you here, to stay. She wants you to belong. Why not give her what she wants? The offer was so delectably tempting, but too weak when faced against the cold reality that Adagio’s mind could not shake. This was only a costume, an adornment gifted by a once-client; she did not belong here, nor would she ever. Better to not try and fool herself.

Maybe you could belong, if you tried.

It didn’t surprise her when Adagio opened the door and found Applejack awaiting her, nor did the small flush of pink upon her cheeks. “Oh, you- you look pretty,” she said in a stumble. “Well… you always look pretty.”

Words said and meant, genuine enough to wound. “Thank you for this, Applejack,” she murmured. “You didn’t have to give me these.”

“I wanted to.”

“Well… thank you again.”

Farmgirl and Siren stood together at the top of the stairs in silence, each waiting for the other to make their move. Something needed to be done to break the tension, the gap between them charged with electricity and desiring release. But with Adagio too weighed down by shame to say much else and Applejack not quite brave enough to act, all that came to life was an awkward silence.

Until a quick glance down that made Applejack blanch. “Umm, uh- Adagio, you might want to…”

“Want to..?”
“Umm- you shirt, maybe it’s a bit-” The blonde gulped, unable to resist one final flicker before turning her head aside to prevent temptation. “Just a bit too much.”

A quick dart down provided the answer; too used to promiscuity in her actions, Adagio had left a good portion of her top unbuttoned and thus allowed ample exposure of her cleavage. Perhaps, considering present company, such appearance would not do. “Oh right, sorry- there. Sh- shall we?”

The moment she turned the corner into the dining room, Adagio felt every pair of eyes fall upon her and remain there. She was certainly the odd one out, whether it be in appearance or novelty mattered little. Her early arrival this morning, and the story that had likely come about because of it, ensured that she was to be the center of the Apple family’s attention.

Two she recognized, and two unfamiliar; a young girl that was certainly Applejack’s younger sister, a wiry teenager with vivid red hair held in form by a bright-pink bow. And then a woman a few years older that sat next to Big Mac, a somewhat plush woman with soft features and frizzy hair that fell down her neck in sweeping cascades of color. Hadn’t she mentioned this woman’s name once before? Adagio couldn’t recall.

“Well, everyone’s here,” Applejack declared, taking spoon in hand and eyeing the hearty bowl of chicken and vegetable broth that lay steaming before her. “Let’s dig i- oh, right, I almost forgot. Dagi, this is my sister, Apple Bloom. And this is Sugar Belle, Mac’s wife. She and Big Mac live in the cottage next to the house.”

Sugar Belle seemed keen on friendliness even from the moment they’d lain eyes, a bright spirit within causing her smile to beam as she greeted the uneasy Siren. An unusual fit when it came to the Apple family, or maybe a light that had shone so bright that the mild-mannered young man had been unable to resist. The sight of her made Adagio feel a little more at ease- until she turned and found Apple Bloom staring at her with open dislike, hostility and suspicion incapable of being mistaken for anything else. Whatever the young girl had against her would likely reveal itself in due time, but she was a strong reminder of how unnatural she was amidst these good people- one that would not be easily forgotten.

“Make sure to thank Sugar Belle for this one, y’all,” Granny declared as the table of six tucked in to their evening meal. “Got the vegetables from the garden this afternoon, all of it’s been her work.”

The frizzy woman ducked her head and smiled. “It’s nothing. Just- I hope it’s good,” Sugar Belle said. “I know it’s nothing compared to what AJ and Mac have been up to today.”

The two siblings simply shrugged it off, though Applejack’s more worn features seemed to be struggling the longer the day had rolled on. Adagio couldn’t imagine just how tired her rescuer was at this point- and so in control, emotions collected and not yet left reeling by the weariness. How was she doing this?

It had been a fool’s hope to think that she might escape this meal unscathed. As the small talk between family came and went in its spatterings, Adagio had dared to believe her presence would be given a reprieve from any unwelcome questions. But before too long, the talk of work and household chores came to an end, leaving her the sore thumb that could not be ignored.

In fairness, Sugar Belle had likely meant well. Turning from a quick word with her husband, she faced the downcast Siren and said, “So… Applejack’s been talking about you for ages now! I’m so glad I finally get to meet you, Adagio. Were you two friends from school at one point?”

Applejack grimaced as Adagio tried to not let her face grow pale. The idea of them having been friends in high school was impossible- just being acquaintances was laughable. Considering their past history and what had eventually seen them be quite intimately intertwined…

“We, uh- we knew each other- pretty well for a little bit,” Applejack said, coming to the Siren’s rescue in the midst of a growing silence. “She’s gonna be staying with us a few days until she decides what to do next.”

“Oh! Well that’s lovely, I hope you enjoy your time here,” Sugar Belle remarked. “I hope we don’t scare you off. I know it’s like its own little world out here, but it’s real nice. I bet you’ll fit right in.”

It was so easily said, without hesitation or a hint of irony behind it. Sugar Belle lived up to her name in fullness as her natural sweetness filtered through. Adagio found herself unable to resist a half-smile to the warmhearted woman, grateful even though the words were a surefire miss.

“Thank you,” Adagio murmured as her spoon filtered through broth, “But- but I really doubt I’ll fit in here.”

The frizzy-haired girl pondered that thought. “What makes you say that? I know Big Mac and I are a bit different, but we’re alright. I bet you and Applejack would be great together!”

So it was discovered that she was wildly forward. The two aforementioned women lost control for a good span of time, trying to recover from the shock of being so openly paired together and the embarrassment that came with it. Each of them came to be under watch, eyes wondering what they would do next in response to this obvious inspection.

“Sugar Belle, you- umm.” Applejack was a vicious shade of red, smiling wide as her own affections were determined to be made known. “Look, that’s a bit of a ways off, Adagio hasn’t said- nothing about- and you can’t just say that…”

“She shouldn’t- won’t,” Adagio added, recovering from her sputter as she tried to regain control. “AJ’s great but she can- there’s better girls than me, I know it and-”

The self-deprecation did not receive a warm welcome from the freckle-faced girl beside her; Applejack’s face turned dark, indignation quick to respond. “And what’s that mean?” She challenged. “I know we only knew each other for a little bit, but you ain’t bad as all that-”

“Yes she is.” The cold remark came through clear as day, bringing the awkward conversation down several degrees. All eyes turned to Apple Bloom, the young girl’s gaze fixed on her sister and beginning to burn bright as the fight within came to life. “And you know it. You can’t just ignore this.”

The blonde farmgirl gave a sigh, escaping in a hiss that spoke to the past history of this argument. “Apple Bloom, listen to me,” she began, “This ain’t like old times, alright, things have changed-”

“I remember what she did at school. How come you don’t remember?” Apple Bloom pressed. “You were in bigger danger than I was, why you just letting this pass by like it’s nothing?”

The awkward tranquility that had existed during the early moments of the dinner were quickly evaporating in the face of the young woman’s open hostility. Adagio, the target of all this attention, tried her best to keep averted from any gaze that might try to catch her eye, lest they seek an answer from her own lips. What could she say that wouldn’t damn her further? It wasn’t as if it wouldn’t be true.

“What are you two talking about?” Sugar Belle asked, ignoring the hand of her husband that came to rest on hers and advise against the query. “Applejack, I thought you said you’d met Adagio right before you graduated…”

“We met her before that. When she and her sisters tried to take over the whole freakin’ school,” Apple Bloom said. “Cause they needed to act like a couple of monsters. But look, now she’s here alone. Wonder what happened.”

“Apple Bloom, that is a long time ago,” Applejack said, the first tinge of heat in her voice now clearly evident and made moreso by the subtle rise from her seat. “Now, everyone makes mistakes and it ain’t right to hold them against folks forever-”

“Mistakes? She tried to suck everyone dry! Do you even hear yourself right now or are you too obsessed with sleeping with her to have any common sense?”

“Enough, AB,” Big Mac cautioned, his sharp gaze darting between parties and catching every shift of feature that came. Not one to end the sparring but a referee all the same, determined to keep the two heavier of his sisters personalities in check. “Drop this-”

Applejack, however, had taken the insult personally. “This ain’t about that and you know it! She’s with us cause she’s worth the effort- and is a good person, too! Do you really think that I’d bring in someone I don’t trust into our own house-”

“I think you fell in love with the first girl you fucked and that’s it! Come on, she’s conned everyone for years whether it be for fun or survival! She’s a hooker, AJ, why are you just ignoring that?”

“Watch yourself, now-”

“Talk about her like that again, Bloom, I swear,” Applejack sputtered.

It was time for her to enter a voice into this growing melee, even if she was going to have to turn against her rescuer. “Look, Applejack,” Adagio began-

“Enough.” The quiet, solitary word that came from a wrinkled voice was all it took to see the fiery conversation be instantaneously cooled. Angered faces turned from their duel and went to the edge of the table where the wizened form of Granny Smith now stood, tall and proud amidst her family’s descent into a base fury. “We don’t talk like that to one another in this house. Not ever. That understood? We don’t always get along, but we love each other. There is no person or thing on this planet that is ever going to change that, no matter how we feel about anything.”

Sister looked upon sister and their anger rising tempers quickly began to dissipate. Too unhappy –and too determined to remain unmoved- Applejack and Apple Bloom slumped back into their chairs and said no more, each absolutely convinced they could outlast the other.

Granny watched the table for further outbursts or what mutiny may come but found her expectations satisfied; no one would defy her when furious word was spoken and strong enough to ring them into silence. But she was not yet done, determined to have her own way in this evening for a little while longer. Turning to the miserable, silent Siren and giving a jerk of her head towards the hallway that led to her bedroom and simply ordering, “In.”

She so desperately wanted to ignore the command but worried that doing so might bring about far more dangerous consequences than death. Rising up on trembling legs, Adagio unwillingly followed the aging matriarch from the now-silent table and into quieter quarters. Away from the others, down the hall and past the door where Granny Smith stood at sentry and awaiting her presence.

The door closed behind her but the Siren found herself unable to notice. In her only visit to this place, Applejack had been wary to approach this part of the house as though it were kept concealed by a spell, or perhaps too hallowed a grounds to be worthy of her footsteps. Within the place was likely the original bedroom upon which the whole house had been founded, an ancient bedframe founded into the very floor of the building held and held down by a spacious mattress. Upon the walls surrounding the simply decorated space were numerous photos and tapestries, faces and names of all kinds so excessive in their number that Adagio would have needed hours just to read them all. Was this why her room was so protected? It felt more akin to a library than sleeping quarters.

“Sit.” Granny Smith pointed to the decrepit rocking chair that sat in the corner next to a miniscule table, she taking an opposing space on the bed so as to keep eyes on her guest. For a time, neither of them spoke; Adagio was unwilling to break the silence in hallowed grounds that were not hers by right and Granny seemed perfectly willing to take her time. Was it cruelty? Not likely. She seemed to be content to be slow in her examinations, whatever fruit that came from them incomprehensible to the younger woman.

“Do you know what my granddaughter’s famous for?” Granny Smith asked.

Adagio had a few answers to give that would have been fun, but none of them were likely very fitting. “N- no,” she admitted.

Was that a new wrinkle on her face? Granny’s expression gave little evidence for much of any emotion, if she possessed any to express. “She’s known for her honesty,” the aged woman said. “Even when it hurts her. So to hear her talk about you like that means something. Means either she’s telling the truth or you fooled her good. Which is it?”

She was intricately bound to the blonde woman who had all but forced her return to this place; whatever answer she gave would reflect back on Applejack, more likely than not. Adagio weighed her options for a time, wondering which would bear the worse fruit. “I… we slept together,” she said after a time. “I got hired by her friends a few years back. I was on the job.”

The old woman’s breath escaped in a long, slow exhale, eyes turned downwards as head gave a nod. Was she disappointed in the answer? Angry? Adagio knew how to read people, but the wisdom of this woman seemed inscrutable. “It was like a game,” she surmised.

“For a little while.”

“Why not all the while?”

Adagio hesitated. “She treated me like a person.”

Granny Smith pursed her lips, considering the answer. “Nothing you tell me is going anywhere, do you understand?”

Partially, but a whole answer to that question felt doubtful. So she could speak truthfully without consequence, even if this woman’s granddaughter was involved in her answers? That seemed too good to be true. “OK.”

“You know she loves you. Don’t you?”

A small stinging in her eyes that begged for attention, Adagio biting her lip in the hopes of preventing release. “I do,” she admitted.

“Then why don’t you say the same?” Granny asked, one single eye held wide as she scrutinized her unhappy prey. “Cause you love that girl too, don’t you?”

She’d been read like a book. Whatever intuition this woman had was beyond the scope of her magic and senses, streetwise intelligence and her own wits incapable of keeping herself hidden. What had given her away? The wide-eyed look at Applejack’s love, the fact that she wore Applejack’s own clothes, that she’d even returned to this homestead in the first place? Of course she loved Applejack; there were too many reasons not to, just as there were so many reasons why she shouldn’t.

“Speak up, now,” Granny Smith advised, “I won’t let my girl marry a liar.”

“She deserves better. Than me,” Adagio said, unable to meet that piercing gaze and slumping low.

“What makes you so bad?”

Adagio could feel those eyes burning into the back of her neck, wondering how much worse it would be to hold their gaze. “Your other granddaughter was right, you know,” she said. “Don’t you remember me? I remember you.”

“I remember. And what you did,” the old matriarch replied. “Does that still need to matter?”

“Of course it does.”

“Why?”

“Because people get hurt around me.”

Granny Smith saw as the shoulders slumped all the more; Adagio was beginning to melt into her own self, unwilling to endure much further punishment. Though the sight was pitiable, there could be no chance for mercy- not yet. This would need to be drawn as poison from a wound. “I remember you weren’t alone, too,” she remarked. “Where’re they?”

“M- my sisters?”

“Were they actually your siblings?”

“No, not- not really. Not my blood,” Adagio said. “But they were my family. And I was supposed to keep them safe.”

Granny allowed her sharp, clear eyes to bore in all the deeper. “Then where are they now, if they’re not with you?”

If she answered truthfully, there would be no going back. It would be the opening of a Pandora’s Box that would never be undone. The wound would reopen, the blood would flow, she would have to feel every inch of the pain again until the day came that such scars could finally fade. “I- well. I hope… I honestly hope that they’re dead.”

A single raised eyebrow. “Hate them that much?”

“Sometimes dead is better.”

Granny Smith’s expression did not truly change, but the cloudiness of wisdom on her features lessened somewhat, a new sharpness to be found instead. “What happened to them?”

She didn’t want to revisit the memory. It was her greatest mistake, deepest betrayal. There was so much she’d done wrong in such a short time, every single failing too difficult for her to overcome. How could she turn back time and see them rectified now, when so many days had passed by since? “When we got ran out,” Adagio began, “I borrowed some money. We had nowhere to run and we couldn’t trick anyone. If I tried threatening anyone for a place to stay, they called the cops. So a guy I met offered me cash so we had a place to stay for a few weeks.”

Granny Smith was old, but time had done nothing to dull her senses yet. “A loan shark,” she guessed.

“I kept borrowing. For as long as I could. We were desperate, and we had everything we needed. But then they wanted us to pay up,” Adagio said- and then her voice caught. Shame, fear, the cold memory of that day burned into her mind like fire upon wood, unable to be forgotten no matter how great a distance there could ever be. She would not escape its claws, the pain of everything she had done wrong and all the more that she was about to confess. “They threatened to kill me… and I panicked, I said they could take whatever they wanted. They figured that included us.”

Granny Smith’s sharp focus did not waver, but a paleness overcame her weathered face as the gears shifted, putting persons into place and making guesses at the logical conclusion. “That included you and your sisters…”

“They took them. I never knew where, they kept me and made me watch them get dragged out- I never should have said anything, I should’ve just let them kill me instead-”

“What happened?”

“I got taken. And I got to stay. So long as I worked hard paying off the money I’d borrowed,” Adagio continued. “I got drugged a lot at first. They’d come in, use me, and then leave. But once I got older, I got… I got good at it. I paid off my debt and just stayed. I could take care of myself, at least.”

She was nodding as she listened, Granny clearly displeased but still clearly listening- but now turning stark, words rolling back across her mind as she tried to find where her skills had stumbled. “Older- older,” she murmured, a quick breath sucked in. “Child, were- how old were you when this happened?”

It had been a fool’s hope that she wouldn’t actually react. She knew each memory too well, even the ones so drugged that motions and sound were little more than a blur before her half-conscious senses. Now Adagio felt the sting of salt in her eyes, trying to keep a smile even as her whole world fell to ruin at her feet. “I was kept tied down most of the time. But they made sure I stayed pretty. Apparently people liked that about me. When I grew up, they kept me around since I was so good at seducing people. And then a couple years later, I got paid to visit here with Applejack.”

“Child… how- how old were you?” Granny Smith asked. “When you first met my Applejack?”

“In human years?” A bitter chuckle at that remark. “Seventeen.”

“… And when you came here?”

“I’m twenty-five now.”

Granny Smith said nothing for a time, simply reaching over for her reading glasses and spending time seeing them wiped clean. Adagio, too exhausted for much else, sat slumped in her chair and unable to answer any further. What more could she say that would be of any use? Too weak to carry on, unable to illuminate more of her sad story. And it wasn’t as though each word hadn’t cut at her own flesh throughout it all…

The sound came to her ears of a deep, wearisome sigh as the longtime matriarch of the Apple family slowly rose to her feet. Though Adagio was worn from her confessional the weight of her crimes hung on her shoulders no longer, its burden now transferred to this frail, seemingly unbreakable woman who now chose to bear them on behalf of another. On staggering feet she walked over, head bowed, and put a bony hand upon shoulder. “I’m sorry, child,” she murmured.

Adagio couldn’t have held that gaze for more than an instant, gaze immediately clouded from a cacophony of emotions; she wanted to look up at that shadowed face and see what she could find even though shame demanded she not even try. “Please don’t b-”

“It’s alright to let it hurt. For a little while longer,” Granny continued. “But you can’t live among the ghosts forever. Not one so young and loved as you.”

“I’m not lov-”

“Be quiet and listen,” Granny Smith commanded, words arriving sharp to cleave through the interjection. “My granddaughter loves you. She loves you, child. And she wants you to stay here more than she’s ever wanted anything in her life. I don’t know if she’ll ever want anything like she wants that for you.”

She knew. Of course Adagio knew, she couldn’t know anything else. Just as she so desperately longed for the exact same ever since she had forced herself to depart from this safe place and back into the life she deserved. She would never belong here, no matter how many years and moments and changes came by to transform her. The shell would never be broken to allow in something new.

“Stop trying to die to your mistakes, child. Someone’s asking you to live, even if you’ve got more mistakes than you wish,” Granny said. “Stay here. Learn about all the mistakes me and my kinfolk have made across the years; I promise you’ll fit right in. No matter how many ways you wanna try and say otherwise. You might even be happy.”

“I doubt I’ll ever be happy again, ma’am,” Adagio whispered.

“Well… do you even wanna be happy?” She hadn’t expected such a question, Adagio darting up to stare at her companion who she found smiling in response to the confusion. “Take your time here. You won’t even have to ever leave again, if you don’t want to. See if loving someone don’t make you happy again.”

Author's Note

Next chapter tomorrow, same time. I think you get the idea behind this.

Enjoy, I guess.