That Warm Smile

Chapters

Movie Night
Dropping the Ball
Anniversary
Water's Benefits
For Real This Time

Movie Night

The winter is rolling in again… Should I really be surprised? I should be expecting the dreadful snow and icy surfaces. It’s just typical of December… The last time winter was here, I didn’t know what to do with my life. In a sense, I still don’t know, but at least I’m not lost. I have a direction and I have friends, but most of all, I have Sunset. This past year has been nothing but incredible due to her. She and I get busy frequently, but I make sure to put away some time for the two of us to be together. Especially with Sunset’s busy university schedule, I try to make sure I have anything but work free from my plans. Everything has been great with Sunset and I honestly couldn’t be happier.

Everything… except one small thing… One issue… Her involvement in my life. What was once a hallucination has now been plaguing my life almost every corner I turn. She takes control every now and again, usually making me forget what happens when she does something. Thankfully, she hasn’t done anything drastic just yet… I’m not sure why she hasn’t, but surely, she has a plan… I just need to find out what that is. When she first took control, I was sure she would do something to destroy my life, but… she’s been dormant. Just sorta there… The only thing that can point me to what she might be planning is wherever she goes when she takes control…

Unlocking the apartment door, I take a deep breath, turning on the light to the living room. That… can wait though. For now, it’s really late at night and I should probably get to bed. Sunset deserves to know what’s going on with me… I’ll tell her soon. Just not now. Maybe we can sit down and talk about it tomorrow night. We’re already going to watch a movie together, so it would be the optimal time to tell her about this.

Slipping my boots off, I look around the room, seeing a yellow sticky note on the coffee table. Gently taking off my scarf, I hang it on the rack next to the door, walking over to the note. I would be lying if I said I’m not curious about what is on the note… I’m not used to getting notes from her, but she’s probably asleep in our room. I guess it makes sense that she would write me a note in this instance. Did I keep her up…? I hope she didn’t wait for me… I should have texted her that I would be late.

“Hey, Alligator~ I hope you’re doing alright. It’s been a busy week, huh? I made us dinner. Your plate is in the fridge. I love you so much, Adagio~ XOXO” A small blush comes to my cheeks as I read the note, smiling at Sunset’s kind words. Even though I should be used to this, I’m not. It’s still… really nice to hear that she loves me, even if it has the signs for hugs and kisses at the end. I’ve never really been a fan of using those signs, but when Sunset uses them, they seem pretty… intimate. God, I love her… I can’t wait for our movie night tomorrow.

Chapter I: Movie Night

It’s like a dark fog… Eerily present in all my actions and my every waking moment. What was once a small hallucination has grown way out of proportion. Despite how hard I try to convince myself it’s all a bad dream, it’s real. Everything about this reality isn’t my imagination. It isn’t some nightmare. That would be the easy way out, wouldn’t it…? Just as soon as I find happiness in this pathetic life of mine, she has to come out. She has to be real… Why couldn’t she have been some dream. Some sort of figment of my imagination. Instead, she’s the retribution for my actions, constantly reminding me of my past. My fight to hurt others. I’ve long since given up that battle, but she keeps bringing it back. I thought I could get by if I just pretended she wasn’t real. If I just told myself she’s not there. Now? I can’t ignore it anymore… She makes sure of that.

Taking a sip of my water, I look at the yellow note on my desk again, trying to keep my breathing steady. This little… ‘gift’ was left on my desk. I’m not even sure when it was placed here since it wasn’t here yesterday. This little note, as innocent as it seems, is everything but peaceful. Instead, I’m looking down at my own handwriting, each letter staring back at me as if it is her… She wrote this… She did this. Any hope I had of it still being a dream is long since gone. Now there’s proof of her existence. Now I can’t run away from it… Not only has she invaded my mind, but now she’s rooted herself in almost every aspect of my life…

“Now it’s time for the cat to play, little mouse.” Her note is written in red ink, expertly signing it off with my own initials… She’s not the real Adagio Dazzle. Right? She can’t be… She’s some demon… Some siren left inside of me. I’m Adagio… I have to be. Despite how much she hates me, she hasn’t done anything to destroy my life just yet… Whenever she takes control, she plays along and acts like me around Sunset and my friends. Why…? She could so easily break my life, but she doesn’t… Wasn’t that her goal? To take revenge for me rejecting my siren instincts? What else could she want?

Slamming my fist onto my desk, I can’t help but sigh heavily, gritting my teeth. Why can’t I get a fucking break…? Haven’t I paid for my sins? Haven’t I done enough? I can’t seem to live a happy life, regardless of how hard I try. I’ve apologized for what I did. I’m trying so damn hard… Instead, this demon is possessing my life, forcing me to live in paranoia… What is her plan? What can I do? Grabbing the note, I feel a couple tears form in my eyes, sliding down my face… They aren’t tears of sadness. They’re tears of anger… Frustration. “Leave me alone…” Crushing the note in my hand, I grit my teeth just a little harder, pressing my forehead down on my arm. However temporary as it may be, resting here feels better than trying to reason with this unfair turn of events… It’s already been two months… I need to tell Sunset.

A loud knock on my door causes me to open my eyes quickly, looking up at the entrance just as it opens. Without asking for permission, a rainbow-haired woman walks inside my office holding her lunch box with a proud smile on her face. “Hey, Dagi~ Are you ready for lunch? I was figuring we could-” Upon looking at me, Rainbow Dash stops herself mid sentence, looking concerned. “Wait. Are you… crying? Is something wrong…?”

“Other than you rudely barging in without an invitation? No,” I say in a low breath, keeping my eyes down towards the table. Resisting the urge to grit my teeth, I slowly drop the note in the trash bin, looking towards Dash.

“You know you can talk to me if you need to, right? I know I’m not serious a lot of the time, but I can be if you-”

“Dash, can you leave?” I ask her quickly, trying to not get any more annoyed. The last thing I want is for her to pry into this matter before I get the chance to fully think about what I’m going to say to Sunset…

“Are you sure…? I… I don’t like seeing you upset,” Rainbow Dash says quietly, slowly approaching one of the chairs in my office. “I promise I won’t judge. What’s on your-”

“God damn it, Dash! I told you to leave!” I yell at her with grit teeth, trying my best not to cry anymore than possible. Why did she have to come in here now? She has the worst timing known to man… Pointing at the door, I slam my hand down on my desk, finally getting up from my seat. “I don’t need you to pry at something that isn’t your business!”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widen and she takes a couple steps back, finally realizing what I mean. She has a thick skull, so it makes sense… “Alright… I’ll go,” she tells me quietly before getting out of my office, closing the door behind her… Taking a deep breath, I sigh at myself, sitting down in my seat once more. I shouldn’t have yelled at her, but… she shouldn’t meddle in something like this… I’m so tired…

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Holding her soft hand in mine, both of us walk down the brightly lit aisle of the dollar store, looking for a few items on our list. As much as I would like to buy more expensive and better quality items, Sunset and I are still on a budget. My job doesn’t pay enough for me to frivolously spend on comfort products every time I get the urge. Sunset’s internship pays even less than my previous nightclub job, so I’m honestly surprised Sunset was getting along without me before. It was apparently due to a few lucky scholarships. Thankfully, Sunset doesn’t have to worry about scholarships anymore. Filthy Rich is essentially paying for the rest of her college education due to our bargain in the past. That… is another thing I didn’t tell her. My history with Filthy Rich is something I don’t need to talk to her about… It’s just something I’d rather get behind me and forget about as fast as possible.

“Hey, Alligator?” Sunset briefly says, putting a loaf of bread in the basket I’m holding. “Have I told you I love you today?” she asks me in a straightforward tone, seemingly serious about it. Regardless, it doesn’t fail to bring a smile to my face, my cheeks flushing without my control.

“W-why do you ask?” I respond in an attempt to remain composed. It still makes me really happy to hear those three words… That she actually… loves me.

“Because you came home kind of depressed. You usually take off your boots first if you’re in a good mood, but you took a few moments to breathe before taking off your jacket.” Looking towards me, Sunset gives me a warm smile, tightening her grip on my hand to reassure me of her presence. “That’s something you do when you have something on your mind. So, I was wondering if I told you just how much you mean to me today~” Does she really know me down to the detail like that…? She understands so much about me, even picking up on my body language that I didn’t know was happening. It’s not like I was consciously acting different. In a way, her paying attention like that is… kind of sweet.

“Are you intentionally cute?” I ask her slowly, keeping my eyes locked with hers. Even though our main intention coming here is to get some groceries before we watch a movie together, I can’t help but focus on her. Not on the expiration dates or the brand of items. Not on the color of the walls or the tiles. Instead, I focus on her. The shimmer of her hair and the shine in her eyes. Her warm smile.

“Well, I’m not trying if that’s what you’re asking~” Sunset tells me with a wink, before averting her gaze to pick out some cereal, gingerly tracing her finger along the boxes. If someone asks me to narrow down why I love her to one singular reason, I would be unable to speak. Finding one reason is simply impossible. It’s everything about her that makes me so unspeakably in love with her. Every relationship has its problems. Of course she and I have had our fair share of arguments, but she tries so hard to be the best she can, treating everyone with the kindness she thinks she doesn’t deserve. She’s so beautiful… Inside and out. That’s why it would be impossible to find a reason to say why I love her. There’s too many to count. Too many reasons to make a list or to write down.

“Do you try to be as beautiful as a star then? Since you shine like one every day,” I whisper with a small blush, disregarding my body’s instinct to feel embarrassed from saying something like that. Sunset, stopping in her tracks, slowly looks over at me with a blush of her own, unable to say anything for a little while. Despite the blush on her cheeks, a smile is ever present on her face. For some reason, her expression has a look of disbelief to it, her eyes almost watery.

“W-what did you say?” she asks me with a happy tone to her voice, tearful at my statement. Her reaction to my words only makes her seem more innocent and more beautiful.

“I said that you’re as beautiful as a star. Every single day,” I whisper once more, enjoying the feeling of her soft hand wrapped around my own. Despite every attempt from the world to tear us apart, she stands by my side… Even after everything I’ve done to her. She still sees some sort of value in me. What did I do to deserve her…?

“Thank you, Adagio~ I… I don’t know what to say,” Sunset slowly tells me with a big smile, tears running down her cheeks. Every time I look into her eyes in moments like these, I know exactly what she’s thinking. I know that I really love her. That’s what counts. This love of ours.

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The screen flashes as the two characters clash their swords together, talking about their motives. In a way, it’s a battle of attrition. Trying to prove their point is superior and weaken their opponent. It’s the third film of the night and I have long since stopped caring about who is fighting for what goal. At this point, I think both of us are grasping at any chance to prolong the night just a little longer. We both know it will be at least a week before we can spend this much time together again, so it’s sad to see the hours tick by. Even the warm touch of the blanket isn’t enough to distract me from how late it is. If anything, her hand gently holding onto mine serves to remind me that we should both be asleep by now.

The only light in this room comes from the TV screen. Even though Sunset’s grip would usually be tighter than it is now, I can’t blame her. Right now, her eyes are closed and her breathing is slow. It’s sad that I can’t spend more time with her, but seeing her peaceful face as she explores her dreams makes it all worth it. Only a demon would be cruel enough to wake her from this rest she’s earned. We’ve long since eaten all the popcorn and the hours just keep passing us by. Who could blame her for falling asleep? Once again, her head rests on my shoulder, reminding me of all the times we’ve been put in a situation like this. I never get tired of it though… It’s really nice to see her like this. To be with her. To be able to call this sleeping angel my own, knowing that no one else will be able to experience this with her. Is it wrong of me to feel possessive over her? I… love her more than anything else in the world. This shimmer on my life is something I treasure the most… To see her peaceful and beautiful face like this is a blessing I can never deserve.

Slowly pressing my lips against her warm forehead, I can’t help but smile. I never got the chance to talk to her about the demon in my mind. I know I need to, but… It can wait a few more days. I wouldn’t want to wake her just to give her bad news. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I slowly navigate to the camera, aiming it at the two of us. One more. Just for old time’s sake. Leaning my head against hers, I smile softly, taking a picture of the two of us. Sunset will probably make me send her a copy of it in the morning, but for now, I simply put my phone back in my pocket and grab the TV remote. Turning off the one light source in the room, both Sunset and I are left in almost complete darkness. Her body doesn’t move at all to the change in lighting, showing just how deep in sleep she is.

“You’re so cute,” I whisper before pulling the blanket off of us. It’s about time to bring the night to a close. It can’t last forever, as much as I may wish it to. Stretching slowly, I wrap an arm around Sunset’s shoulders, pushing my other arm under her legs. “Up you go~” I whisper again, pulling Sunset up off the couch, holding her close to me. Her head rests on my chest easily, making me smile a little more. Even though there’s practically no light, I can tell Sunset is still sleeping due to her soft breaths. Sunset will probably be sad that she fell asleep in the middle of our movie night, but I don’t really mind. As long as she gets her rest, it will all be worth it in the end. It’s also not that bad to take care of her like this anyway.

Carefully, I walk towards the hallway, making sure to go at a slow pace. I don’t want to trip on anything or wake her up. Our room only has a small amount of light from the blinds, revealing the moon’s presence. Closing the door with my foot, I carefully walk around the bed to Sunset’s side, the small amount of light from the window hitting her face. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder what she’s dreaming about. Is she dreaming in general? When I dream, it’s usually nightmares or dreams of spending time with her. Maybe she imagines me as well. Maybe she thinks of her friends and spending time with them. I don’t usually ask her what she dreams about, but I always think about it during these moments.

Once again, the smile I can’t seem to avoid comes back to my face. Slowly, I press my lips against her forehead again, lowering her body down onto the mattress. Pulling the blanket up, I cover Sunset’s body as well as I can, making sure she won’t get cold. It doesn’t take me long to get to my side of the bed, placing my phone on the nightstand and getting under the covers. I need to talk to her soon, but for now? I just hope she has pleasant dreams~

Dropping the Ball

Author's Note

DISCLAIMER: This chapter is NOT meant for children or people below adulthood. This chapter has some NSFW themes that should not be viewed by someone under the legal age in your country. If this is you, please do click away. This chapter includes, but is not limited to: Insecurities, anxiety, depression, lies, references to fire, sex, sexual content, profanity and minor amounts of violence. If you are still reading and are above the legal age, then please enjoy this new installment of That Warm Smile!

Dropping the Ball

Chapter II: Dropping the Ball

The February air only serves to taunt you… It is not as cold as December, giving you the slightest taste of spring. You still have to wear a coat though… I’ve never understood why cartoons make February look like some spring paradise. It’s still chilly and dark. The plants have yet to fully come back to life. Even still… The human race still marches on. Already, sports are being organized and brought back to the public eye, despite how cold it can be. I’ve never understood why humans, and ponies for that matter, are so interested in sports. Sirens never really had those sort of physical competitions. We preferred to prove we were better through magic or status. That status was usually the power we held over smaller or weaker creatures.

Today, there’s a baseball game Rainbow Dash wants everyone to attend. In the past couple months, she got into university and she quickly got involved with the athletics teams. I thought she would leave that life behind after everything, but maybe she wants to become a coach herself. Then she can make sure no one else has to take the same supplements she did. Regardless, she’s now the assistant to the coach of the university baseball team. It’s not necessarily her game or such, but Dash really wanted to see us there. I can’t say I’ve ever been to a baseball game, so this will be a new experience.

The only thing I’m scared about is… her… I don’t want her to take control in the middle of this game. I want to be there with my friends and not cause some sort of scene. It’s actually scarier that she has remained dormant… Every now and then, she takes control of my body, but she doesn’t do anything that would seriously damage my life. After all she’s said to me in the past, it’s hard to believe she’s grown a heart… Maybe she has some plan that requires everyone. For now at least.

Slowing my pace, I can’t help but stare at the gray sidewalk with a sigh. I was supposed to tell Sunset about this demon a couple months ago… But… Christmas seemed like an inconvenient time to tell her. She was so happy and I didn’t want to take that away from her. I don’t know why I waited all this time, but I really need to give Sunset the chance to help me with this… The last time I lied to her, it only ended up hurting her in the long run. I don’t want to deal with that again. So, that’s why I’ll tell her after this game… As soon as we get home.

Shaking my head, I try to hurry down the sidewalk. They’re waiting on me at this point. I would have gone with Sunset, but I had to stay at work for an extra hour… It’s alright. I’ll have enough time to talk to Sunset later tonight. What matters right now is the ball game. Dash really wants us there to share the “experience.” What does she even mean by experience? Does a ball game really have that much of a different atmosphere? I guess I’ll have to find out. In general, the only reason I’m coming to this game is because Dash wanted me to. She’s quite persuasive… That and she’s my friend. Let’s face it. Friendship is still new to me, so I’m not exactly used to all the feelings and obligations that come with it. I’m an expert at manipulation and planning, but not so much at friendship. Maybe Applejack could use some help managing everyone. I did like to be in charge…

When it comes to Sunset’s friend group, everyone plays a role. Everyone except me. Unless the role is being a sarcastic bitch. Then I have that covered. Pinkie Pie is the fun canon. Twilight is the genius. Applejack is the honest and hard-working structure for the group. Rainbow Dash is the rebel who often convinces Applejack to partake in a bit of mischief. Fluttershy is the careful one, trying to make sure no one gets hurt and Rarity? She’s the drama queen who has Applejack wrapped around her finger. Sunset is almost like the group leader in that sense. She knows the most about magic in this world and she tries to make sure everyone is heard, being the voice of reason. What does that leave for me? Not really much… I suppose I shouldn’t focus on fitting into the group and should just focus on being myself. There’s only one Adagio Dazzle after all.

Then again, probably not. There’s probably a second version of me on this planet somewhere. But in no way does she have the same life experiences as me, so my point still stands. One thing I’ve noticed above all else is that friendship hasn’t really changed me. Sure, it’s made me more nice, but I am still able to insult someone at the drop of a hat. I still know how to be manipulative and persuade people. When I had my magic taken away from me, I thought everything was gone, but now I realize that’s not true. My innate skills at charisma, manipulation, planning and body language haven’t gone anywhere. If anything, the loss of my magic has forced me to get better at these skills. Even if I am insecure sometimes, I can’t deny that my confidence has brought back most of these traits. Even my superiority complex sometimes acts up… That… needs to be controlled somehow. Friendship helps me learn how to be caring of other people’s feelings and learn that everyone is special in their own way while letting me hone my other skills. I thought being friends with someone meant it was all sunshine and rainbows, but I’m thankfully accepted for how I am. Rainbow Dash and Applejack don’t mind the occasional insult I throw their way and everyone seems to accept my egocentric behavior. Friendship is… really confusing.

The best I can do is be myself while learning to be a nicer person. Taking a deep breath, I reach into my bag, pulling out my phone. I can’t quite say I’ve ever been to this university or their ballpark, but I have to be close. Opening my phone, I look for the map icon. Honestly, I’ve never really used my phone for anything other than calling someone or taking pictures, so this is another new experience today. Rainbow Dash said it’s on the East side of the campus. Considering how I’m just entering the campus now, it shouldn’t be difficult to find where they are, but this university’s layout is weird. Pointing my finger in front of me at a statue, I look at the map, trying to find it on the digital representation. If this statue is on the North side of the campus, then… the stadium should be to my left somewhere. It would be to my right if I was facing the other way, but I’m looking towards the campus. Looking up from the map, I see a few people stare at me with confusion as they walk by. What? They’re acting like it’s weird to not know your way around a campus you’ve never been to before…

Slipping my phone back into my bag, I quickly walk down the sidewalk to my left. If there’s one thing I can say about a college campus, it’s that it feels much more like a small-knit community than I thought. Everyone here seems to be a student or a faculty member, walking around with some purpose. School pride is everywhere with the school’s iconic colors and mascot pasted on most windows or walls. I know Sunset attends college classes, but I didn’t think college was like this. It all feels so confusing and… different. I don’t really envy Sunset for attending college, but I am proud of her for doing so. She works so hard to pass her classes, all so that she can earn a degree. It’s inspiring in some aspects.

Walking past one of the buildings, I instantly see a large brick wall with baseball posters and ticket booths. Surprisingly, the line for the game is pretty long, going down the street. This has to be the stadium. I didn’t think there would be such a large line since it’s just a university ball game, but perhaps I’m just ignorant. I’m not really into sports anyway. Making my way towards the line, I search the people to try and find someone similar. It doesn’t take me long to find the group of friends, Pinkie Pie jumping up and down in excitement. Everyone is talking amongst themselves. Beside my friend group, there’s the Cutie Mark Crusaders, talking with each other as well. I didn’t expect them to be here… Though, I suppose it’s probably another one of their adventures to find their purpose in life. The Apple Family also loves sports from time to time from what I’ve seen, so Apple Bloom probably dragged Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo along.

When the pink-haired party machine spots me, I can’t help but anticipate something drastic to happen. “ADAGIO!!! WE’RE OVER HERE!!!” Pinkie screams at the top of her lungs, making my ears ring slightly. Seems that my fear was valid. Pinkie did do something drastic… Something that caused my ears to hurt. Rubbing my ear with my fingers, I slowly approach the group, shaking my head. Everyone is here except Rainbow Dash. She’s probably needed by the team, so it makes sense.

“How are ya, sugarcube? You look a bit pale,” Applejack tells me when I get close enough, patting my shoulder.

“My ears are still ringing, that’s all,” I say quietly, trying to get my hearing back to normal. Something smells like meat. Looking around at everyone, I see Pinkie Pie munching on a hotdog as happily as she can. Where… did she get that? I thought food was served inside?

“Do you need some ear plugs? It can get pretty loud at a ball game,” Sunset tells me, moving around the group to stand beside me. She doesn’t hesitate at all to hold my hand, kissing my cheek as we wait in line.

“I have some, darling~ Take these,” Rarity tells me, pulling out a couple of ear plugs from her purse. Her nails seem like they’re freshly painted orange. The same color of her girlfriend’s skin.

“Thanks. I’m not quite sure why, but my ears are pretty sensitive,” I respond, taking Rarity’s gift slowly. For now, I refrain from putting them in until we actually sit down.

“That probably makes you a pretty good music teacher, huh? Since you can pick up on a lot of musical notes,” Fluttershy says quietly, seemingly interested in the topic.

“I wonder if you’re just normally sensitive or if there’s some reason why… Maybe it’s due to your Equestrian DNA?” Twilight pitches in, looking at me with one of her scientific stares. Clearly, she wants to find the answer when she’s like this.

“But I don’t have sensitive hearing. Wouldn’t that nullify that explanation?” Sunset asks Twilight, both of their intellects seemingly piqued by this change in topic.

“Not necessarily. I have been analyzing the blood sample she gave me and Adagio has a bit more Equestrian DNA leftover than you do. That and you two are different species, so there could be differences there.” Twilight’s face lights up with excitement upon explaining this to us, her words demeanor telling me she is fascinated by the potential for magic and studies based around them. If I remember correctly, Sunset told me that’s how Twilight became a she-demon at the Friendship Games. Let’s just hope she won’t make the same mistake twice.

“W-wha…? Blood sample? Why did Adagio give you her blood?” Fluttershy asks the scientist slowly, a nervous expression coming to her face.

“Oh, I asked her to. Sunset and Adagio still have some Equestrian DNA in their bodies. We do too when we’re ponied up, but otherwise? No.” Ponied up…? Is that what they call their magical forms? Sounds pretty… stupid. I would have come up with a better name for it, but hey. They can do what they want.

“Wait. Adagio still has siren blood?” a southern voice interrupts the conversation, making me look behind me. Apple Bloom’s eyes are wide open, clearly looking away from her friends and their conversation with a bewildered expression.

“What exactly does that mean? Does she still have magic?” Sweetie Belle asks Twilight instead of me, making Rarity flash her an angry glance.

“Sweetie Belle! We shouldn’t talk about such a… sensitive topic,” Rarity tells her younger sister with a harsh tone.

“No, it’s alright. Really. It doesn’t offend me,” I tell the Fashionista with a raised hand, trying to reassure her that it’s fine with me.

“By all accounts, no. I don’t think it means she has magic. It doesn’t really affect her at all. She’s essentially human. I’m honestly not sure what that part of her DNA does.” Twilight shrugs slightly, trying to explain her point effectively. The fact that Twilight still isn’t sure what that part of my DNA does is a little… unnerving. I have an idea what might be involved with that. It involves a certain umbra in my mind… Her presence has been gripping onto my life for almost a year now and I’m not sure why. Could she be a byproduct of that siren DNA?

“As long as it doesn’t hurt her or cause our lives any trouble, I don’t mind~” Sunset tells the group proudly, resting her head on my shoulder. Our lives… Her saying that reminds me that she and I just keep getting closer. We feel practically inseparable now… I’m completing her sentences and she knows everything about me. The idea that she and I are spending our lives together is… really nice. Not every relationship feels this close. This… personal. We feel so involved in each other’s lives and at this point? I never want to be out of her life. I want her to be with me for… forever… Is it really that hard for me to admit? Is it because sirens don’t typically commit their lives to another due to love? They usually did it for personal gain… What gain do I get other than having someone perfect love me and being able to love them in return?

A solemn smile comes to my face as everyone continues the conversation, my ears sort of filtering out all the information. When it comes to hurting our lives… I’m not sure. That siren DNA might be the reason that demon has been inhabiting my mind. She claims to be the real Adagio, but she can’t be. I am. I’m still the same siren I was, just… without the lust for power. It seems that’s all she is. She hasn’t done anything to damage our lives yet, but I… I don’t know if she will remain dormant like that. What will I do if I can’t control her? If I can’t stop whatever she wants to do? I don’t want to be the reason this perfect relationship of ours is damaged…

“Adagio?” Applejack asks for my attention, making me shake my head and look at the farm girl.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Rares was asking why ya didn’t bring your scarf today,” Applejack explains, nodding her head towards her girlfriend. Rarity’s expression seems concerned that I wasn’t listening, but she nods slowly.

“I um…” I can’t seem to find the words to answer, stammering slightly. Compose yourself, Adagio. You’re better than this. “I didn’t want to damage it at a ball game, that’s all.”

“Ah~ I see. You’ve learned your lesson, huh, darling?” Rarity asks me with a small wink, making me roll my eyes slightly at her statement.

“I’m going to talk to Adagio privately for a moment, if that’s alright with everyone,” Sunset tells the group before pulling me a little bit away from the line, turning our backs to everyone else. In front of us is an empty street with a nice cool breeze blowing against us. “What are you thinking about?” Sunset asks me just as kindly as ever, holding my hand in a gentle and firm fashion. “Is there anything bothering you? Are you having hallucinations again?” Sunset’s kind and attentive nature reminds me just how easily I fell in love with her, but she is quickly able to deduce what could be bothering me. She knows me really well… Looking into her eyes, I see a concerned yet beautiful stare, only accentuated by her warm smile. I need to tell her… I need to talk to her about those hallucinations. How they’re not just hallucinations anymore… I have physical proof of her taking control of my body and… I would do anything to protect her.

But right now isn’t the best time…

“No, not really. I’m just preoccupied with other thoughts, that’s all. I’ll try my best to be here~” I return a smile to Sunset, pressing my forehead against hers slowly. A happy sigh exits her lips as the breeze hits us. Every moment with her feels magical. I need to talk to her, but it can wait until after this game. She shouldn’t worry about it the whole time we’re trying to be here for Dash.

“Um, hey. Girls? The line’s moving now,” a small voice speaks up, tapping our shoulders. Turning my gaze, I see Fluttershy’s small yet happy expression, pointing towards the people ahead of our group. Everyone waits for Sunset and I to move with them before daring to go ahead. Sunset chuckles slightly before pulling my hand along. It doesn’t take a lot to convince me to follow. Usually, Sunset has an easy time convincing me to do things in general. When it comes to ball games, I have no idea what to expect, but I’m sure we will have some fun either way. I’m not exactly sure who has the tickets… I’m sure I should have one. Why would I be invited if I don’t have a ticket? Getting closer to the main gate, the staff check everyone’s tickets, making sure they’re all real. When they get to us, Fluttershy takes out a stack of the tickets with a small, handing them over to the security personnel for a moment. “There’s ten of us~ We should be sitting next to each other,” Fluttershy tells the man quietly, surprisingly taking charge of the group.

“So, did the tickets come for free since Rainbow Dash is the assistant to the coach or…?” I whisper to Applejack, wondering who exactly I would need to pay back in the future. I’m already in debt to everyone here for helping me buy the motorcycle for Sunset’s birthday. Everyone except the Cutie mark Crusaders. I don’t exactly like the idea of owing someone… I like to repay my debts when I can.

“Nope. Fluttershy paid for our tickets herself~ She actually insisted on it. I don’t exactly let people pay for me or my little sister often, but I couldn’t exactly say no if she really wanted to.” Fluttershy paid…? Each ticket is worth around twenty dollars. Since there’s ten of us here, that means she paid at least 200 dollars without interest… I… I wish I had that kind of money to spare. God, I remember when I could barely afford rent at that hole in the wall apartment. I’m still used to living a lifestyle that means saving as much money as I can. I’ve been trying to break my strict habit since I have a little more money than I used to, but… it’s hard to exactly spend on myself when I am still afraid of losing the things I have at the drop of a hat.

Walking inside the gate, there’s a big circular opening before people can walk left or right to sit in their seats surrounding the ballpark. Pinkie Pie is instantly jumping around with a happy expression, seemingly excited to be here. “Ooh! We have to get some snacks! Baseball hotdogs are better than any other hotdog out there!” Pinkie Pie excitedly states, pointing towards the food centers. It’s a pretty innocent gesture to be excited about food of all things at a sports event, but it fits Pinkie Pie fully. Honestly, I’ve never had a hotdog before. At least, I don’t think so.

“Um, everyone? I don’t mean to um… break the excitement, but I got five seats on the left side of the audience and… five on the right,” Fluttershy slowly tells us, holding five tickets in each hand. “S-so, who um… wants to sit with each other. I’m fine with either, honestly.” Looking at the pieces of paper in Fluttershy’s hands, my mind knows exactly what I want to do… I want to sit next to Sunset, no matter what. This is my first baseball game and it would only feel right if I get to experience most of it with her by my side.

Reaching out and grabbing the tickets from Fluttershy’s left hand, I give one to Sunset, making sure to put the one right next to hers in my pocket. “Of course, I want to sit with Sunny. The only thing I want to know is who else would like to sit near us.” Holding out the pieces of paper, I look around at the group, noticing Applejack reaching for them. Before she can grab them, a yellow blur takes them from my hand, making both of us look in its direction. Instantly, Apple Bloom gives two of the tickets to her friends, keeping one for herself.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, go!” Apple Bloom yells excitedly, all three girls running towards the left side of the stadium. Dust can almost be seen in their absence, all of them moving pretty fast. Looking towards Sunset, I can’t help but nervously chuckle with her, both of us knowing how much trouble they may be to sit with…

“I guess we’re on babysitting duty,” Sunset tells everyone in a joking manner. Everyone laughs except for Applejack who still looks annoyed that her little sister stole the tickets she was reaching for.

“Good luck, you two!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaims with a giant wave as Sunset leads us away from the group, walking in the direction the crusaders went. The only thing I can think about is how much mischief Apple Bloom might get us into… All I wanted to do was relax with my girlfriend and enjoy this game, but Apple Bloom always has some sort of plan going on in that head of hers. A dense head, but still.

Sunset holds onto my arm, resting her head on my shoulder. A small coo exits her mouth, making me blush within a second. Sunset knows exactly what she’s doing. She knows just how her cute demeanors affect me. I try to act cute for her too sometimes, but I’m not sure if it works. “Don’t worry~ We’ll have time for each other, Alligator~” she whispers in a sweet and caring tone, kissing my cheek as gently as ever.

“How did you know that’s what I was thinking?” I ask her slowly, not stopping our pace for a second despite the blush on my face.

“I could tell by how confidently you said you wanted to sit with me. And how you looked a little disappointed when Apple Bloom grabbed the tickets,” Sunset tells me with a wink, still knowing everything about me. Almost everything… Her soft hand slowly runs down my fingers, warming my hand ever so easily. “We’ll be able to spend some time together~ I promise,” Sunset tells me with her warm smile, her grip never loosening for a second. Despite the cold weather of February, my heart always feels so warm when I’m with her. I feel so fuzzy and dizzy with her… As if I’m walking on clouds, she makes me feel like everything will be alright. Even if the world is collapsing around us. That’s the gift Sunset keeps giving… She’s given it to me every single day ever since that December more than a year ago. When she walked into that nightclub, I never thought she would give me such a powerful reason to live. To be here for her. To experience this love and share it with her.

“Sunset, why do I love you so much?” I whisper, feeling a tear come to my eye as I look into her peaceful gaze. Both of us stop our walk, ignoring every single person that passes us by. A blush comes to Sunset’s cheeks, but her eyes never look away from mine. Her smile gets wider before hugging me tightly, giggling to herself.

“Because I love you too~” Her answer, as generic as it is, is given to me honestly, her warm embrace making me want to cry slightly. Wrapping my arms around her, I nod slowly, closing my eyes. She’s right. If she didn’t treat me with such kindness and an open heart, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with her… Because of her caring nature, I can’t help but love her. Every part of her. Even the times she’s stubborn or won’t listen to reason. “I love you more, Adagio,” Sunset whispers into my ear, making the nerves along my back go haywire.

“That’s impossible~” A stupid smile comes across my face, absolutely smitten with this fiery spirit. As bad as Sunset’s life has been, I’m… really happy we met in this world. I probably wouldn’t have given her advice the time of day if I still had my magic.

“Uh, Adagio? Are ya two lovebirds done yet?” a familiar voice asks from beside us, causing Sunset to take a deep breath before looking towards the farm girl. It seems even Sunset was wanting some time with me.

“Adagio will be available in just a second, Apple Bloom~ We’ll catch up.”

“Alright, I get it. You two are in love and all, but I mean… Ya have all day to kiss in your apartment. Just saying.” With that, Apple Bloom walks away from the two of us, Sunset reconnecting her eyes with mine.

“She is right, you know~ We should probably stop.” Sunset gently touches my cheek before letting go of our embrace, looking towards the seats. “How about you go catch up with Apple Bloom and I’ll find our seats?” Turning back to me, Sunset blows me a kiss with a wink, taking a few steps backward. “I’ll save a kiss for when you get back, Alligator~” Her hand gives me a small wave before turning around and walking towards the seats, my feet moving towards the left. Well, Apple Bloom… What exactly do you want this time?

Shaking my head, I quickly make my way through the crowd, looking for her iconic magenta bow. Surprisingly, it’s not the bow I see first. It’s a sparkly gold cape flowing in the wind, attached to the smaller body of Apple Bloom. Her and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders are standing near a support beam holding up the second floor of the stadium. This place is… much bigger than I had expected. Regardless, there’s a thoughtful look on Apple Bloom’s face. That almost always means some sort of trouble. I guess it’s my job to make sure she doesn’t get hurt or do something too crazy. Then again, I doubt I could stop her since she can drag me around on a whim.

Apple Bloom points out to the audience, saying something to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “Come on, girls! If we station ourselves in different parts of the audience, surely one of us will catch one.” Sweetie Belle nods her head with a happy smile, but her expression drops when she sees Scootaloo’s disapproving shake of her head.

“Nope. I think we should consider finding the basket and taking one before they even start this. Then we wouldn’t have to get lucky,” Scootaloo speaks up, clearly not up for Apple Bloom’s plan.

“What exactly are you three planning?” I ask with a raised eyebrow, getting close enough to three of them to speak comfortably. The three girls look towards me, Sweetie Belle giving me a wave.

“Hi, Adagio~ How are you doing?” she asks me with a kind tone, but it doesn’t take long for her smile to disappear. “We’re just trying to find a way to get the giveaway and all. We can’t agree on a plan.” A giveaway?

“What kind of giveaway?” I ask them, feeling a little confused. I wasn’t aware there would be any giveaway.

“Well, they’re selling some jerseys that are modeled after the team. Thankfully, they’re giving some of these away by throwing them out into the crowd,” Apple Bloom tells me with half interest, waving her hand towards the audience seats. “Sweetie Belle was wanting one since the jerseys are purple and all. Now we just need a gameplan to get one.”

“If we’re just relying on pure luck, then we won’t be able to get one. If we really want to get one for Sweetie, we need to find where they’re stashing the loot,” Scootaloo tells Apple Bloom with a sigh, annoyed that she isn’t being heard. “What do you think? Which plan is better?” Scootaloo asks me with a hopeful look, causing the other two crusaders to stare at me for an answer as well. Gee… I sure do love being put in the middle of things like this. Honestly, this whole situation annoys me in general, but I simply look up and take a deep breath. Putting one of my hands on my hip, I point out towards the crowd with a raised eyebrow.

“When is the giveaway happening?” I ask them, trying to mask any annoyance in my voice with a tired tone. Despite the fact that I have helped Apple Bloom countless times, I’m still dragged into pretty childish scenarios. Whatever. It’s fine. I can do this and then get back to Sunset. Apple Bloom is my friend, so it’s the right thing to do. Doesn’t mean it’s any less annoying though…

“In about five minutes,” Apple Bloom tells me with her thick southern accent, keeping her eyes on any of the entrances people could come from with the jerseys.

Damn… We’re in a tight spot. We only have five minutes to decide? Moving around in this crowd will take five minutes in general. “Okay, we’re going to take Apple Bloom’s plan for now. If we don’t get a jersey, we can try something else, alright?” I say in a hurried manner, pointing towards the different spots the crusaders should be at. “I’ll-”

“Adagio will stay up here in case any of the jerseys get thrown high into the audience,” Apple Bloom says with authority, pointing Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to their respective spots. Before they go, they push their fists together before raising them in the sky.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, go!” they all yell in unison, leaving me alone by this support beam. I was prepared to take charge, but Apple Bloom sort of pushed herself in, asserting her authority. Alright. Point made, Apple Bloom. You’re a part of the Crusaders and I’m not, so I’ll follow your lead on this one. I’m used to being the leader. The only one I exchange leadership with on a regular basis is Sunset. She and I… often take turns to be in charge of things. Certain purchases. What we will watch. What we will do… But when it comes to everyone else, I’m used to being the lead. Despite how much Aria wanted to be in charge at times…

Focus, Adagio. You can think about them later… Right now, I need to watch out for those jerseys… Looking towards the front of the audience, a couple people walk out with baskets in their hands, fabric lining the inside. The woman with the microphone opens her mouth to speak, but I can hardly hear her words due to the people around me. The Crusaders can probably hear her, but I would have to rely on lip-reading. I don’t care enough to actually understand her speech, if I’m being completely honest… All that matters right now is getting that shirt, giving it to Sweetie Belle, and getting back to Sunset. The air smells vaguely of metal, meat, and sweat, but I try to not let it bother me.

After putting the microphone down, the people with the baskets reach inside, throwing out folded fabric into the audience. So it begins… Instantly, everyone clamors to try and catch one, people leaning forward in their seats to get a better chance at getting this esteemed prize. For now, my goal is to focus on the ones coming towards the top of the audience. Dozens of jerseys are thrown too far to my left or right, gravity not giving me enough time to make it to one of them. We only need one. Not three. Not two. One. As long as one of us gets one, then our mission will be completed. Although, I’m not really liking our chances of that… From the sight of their baskets, it looks like the people throwing these things out are already running out. Come on. Just throw one up here. I’m doing this for my friend, so give me a bone here… That makes me sound like a dog, but I prefer cats over any other kind of pet. Damn it, stop getting distracted, Adagio.

A purple flash goes flying into the sky, falling down towards my left… Not too far for me to try and grab it. Reaching out my arm, I feel the soft fabric land in my hand. Trying to pull it towards me, I feel quite a bit of resistance, making me look to my left. A blue hand is latched onto the shirt, belonging to a woman with shiny silver hair. Her eyes instantly make contact with mine, jogging my memory within a second.

“Let go of my jersey, Adagio Dazzle!” Trixie scolds me with a pouting lip, pulling on the shirt to try and take it from my grip. “The great and powerful Trixie caught it first! You’re just jealous of my superior skill,” she tells me with a prideful look, boasting her ego. I… didn’t expect her to be here. This blue bitch…

“I caught it first, you third-rate magician with fourth-rate tricks.” I can feel the urge to bare my teeth, baring an angry smirk. The last time I saw Trixie, I tried my hardest to be nice to her and avoid a confrontation just to prove I’m better than I once was. Besmirch me once, I will let it go. Besmirch me twice? You deserve a confrontation. Time to put my new confidence to use.

“How dare you! I made my way to the finals of the Battle of the Bands! Something you lost,” Trixie tries to make a point, pulling the shirt harder.

“Only because I made it that way,” I harshly snap at her, pulling the shirt towards me. Regardless, Trixie still holds her ground. She only made it that far because I convinced her to sabotage the Sunset and her friends. She probably thinks it’s her own genius idea, but that’s the art of manipulation.

“Is this all you have to do? Harass me? Where’s your girlfriend? I figured the Rainbooms would have you leashed by now,” Trixie hisses at me, never breaking her eye contact with me… Leashed…? How. Dare. She… I am still independent. Powerful… She shouldn’t underestimate me so easily… Within a moment, my hand goes numb, making my eyes widen. No. No no no. Not now. Letting go of the shirt, I look at my hand with a grimace, trying to force my feeling back into it. I can’t let that happen… I can’t do that. “Ha! The great Trixie proves her power once again! Go and destroy another school or whatever it is you sirens do,” she taunts me with a prideful smirk, making the anger in my heart get louder. The fire only gets brighter… I want to hit her so much right now. You’re alright, Adagio. It’s just your pride that’s damaged. Just your pride… God damn it. My pride is one of the things I had to build back up… Who does she think she is?

Turning towards Trixie, I prepare to yell some very choice words at her, but I’m not given the chance before something grabs my arm. I’m almost immediately pulled away from Trixie, her face disappearing into the crowd. Stopping at the base of some stairs, I look towards Apple Bloom, wanting to scold her for pulling me away, but she probably did me a favor… It would do me more good to save face if I want to keep my pride intact.

“Okay, so we weren’t able to get one,” Apple Bloom tells me and the other two crusaders, my eyes only noticing them now. “I guess my plan wasn't fool proof to begin with. Do we want to give Scootaloo’s plan a try?” Despite the other two crusader’s stares, Scootaloo’s attention seems focused on something else.

“Would it be alright if I changed my plan? I think I have a new target,” Scootaloo tells us quietly, nodding towards something behind us. Looking back, nothing really catches my eye as out of the ordinary. It’s just a bunch of people, getting snacks, merchandise and other products. Or other people are walking towards their seats. What’s this target she has in mind? “The family by the taco counter. The one with the big wagon,” Scootaloo whispers to us, my eyes scanning the environment for whoever she’s talking about. It doesn’t take long for me to spot a red wagon, a child who looks like they’re ten-years-old sitting inside. The presumed father is talking with the register of the taco counter while the mother scrolls her phone. More importantly, I notice the exact reason why Scootaloo is targeting them in particular.

“What the fuck…?” I whisper quietly, Apple Bloom punching my arm. Just because she doesn’t like cursing doesn’t mean I have to restrict my vocabulary. Then again, constant swearing does give off the vibe of stupidity, so I try to curse sparingly. Using more descriptive words not only makes you look smarter… It lets you save face.

“I know, right?! How in the hell do they have so many of them?” Scootaloo asks, completely unphased by my cursing and throwing in one of her own. She’s like the opposite of Apple Bloom in some ways… Inside that kid’s wagon is a vast ocean of purple fabric, seemingly filled to the brim with the jerseys that were given out. There’s no way those three caught that many… Did they make other people help them? Did they steal them? There’s at least twenty in that wagon alone. There couldn’t have been much more than that thrown out, right? “Okay, so do we agree that the new plan is to get one of theirs? That kid doesn’t even look that excited about it to begin with,” Scootaloo states with a grimace, all three crusaders, seemingly in agreement about that fact. She’s right. The kid looks like he could hardly care less about the jerseys, simply looking at the tablet in his hands.

“I may not condone stealing, but I think you may be right,” Apple Bloom tells Scootaloo with a nod, receiving a harsh stare from her friend.

“Unless it’s at a certain school competition. Then you and Adagio have absolutely no problem stealing, huh?” Upon hearing Scootaloo’s words, both Apple Bloom and I look at each other with a weird expression on our faces. At first, I can’t quite tell how to feel, but we quickly start laughing at her friend’s anger.

“Oh my god, that was fun,” I state with my hand holding onto my side, trying to compose myself. This attempt would be in vain though.

“Scoots told me how ya used pens to delay Dash! Gosh, I really wish I could have seen their faces,” Apple Bloom tells me through her giggles, trying to take a deep breath.

“A-and she told me how you just slammed the door on her face!” I exclaim through a laugh, leaning against a support beam to prevent myself from falling over.

“Very. Funny,” Scootaloo lets out in a grumble, grinding her teeth a little as we laugh at her misfortune. Well, more like our antics against her, but still.

“We should probably get back on track. How are we going to steal one of those jerseys?” Sweetie Belle asks us, trying her best to not giggle as well. From what Apple Bloom told me, Sweetie Belle was competing with her sister in the School Days competition, but we never bumped into her. Apple Bloom did see Rarity for a brief time period, though… “What about a distraction? They’re waiting on food, right? If two of us distract the parents, then one of us could swoop in and grab one of the jerseys. The kid wouldn’t even notice. He’s so engrossed in that tablet of his,” Sweetie Belle tells us, forming a plan of attack.

“How exactly would we distract them, though?” Scootaloo asks in a quiet tone, bringing her hand to her chin. The man and the woman seem to be equally preoccupied, but they would be the most likely to notice if we tried to snatch one of their jerseys…

“What if someone lures the mom away and someone else spills a drink on the dad? Then it would leave the wagon open,” I tell the group with a raised eyebrow, staring at the family. Even though I wouldn’t want to steal this necessarily, I want to get back to Sunset more. Besides, the fact that they’re hoarding that many shirts is kind of… ridiculous. Totally not rationalizing this act just because I want to get done with it.

“I could distract the dad~” Sweetie Belle speaks up with a smile, making Scootaloo pat her shoulder in approval.

“I’ll lure the mom away! I have a dollar, so I could convince her she dropped it.” Pulling out a dollar from her pocket, Scootaloo dawns a prideful expression, leaving only Apple Bloom and I without some sort of role. Looking towards Apple Bloom, the two of us lock eyes, the young cowgirl taking a moment to breathe.

“I will steal the jersey. I’m pretty good at that anyway. Adagio, you need to stand far away from them so that I can pass off the jersey to you, just in case I’m being followed,” Apple Bloom tells me with a serious expression on her face. For a moment, my mind wants to protest, but I hold my tongue. This is a Cutie Mark Crusaders operation, not just me and her. Nodding my head, I don’t say anything before making my way towards the family, letting the three of them decide when to enact their plan. It would be better if I’m on the opposite side of the family so that Apple Bloom will have a straight dash towards me instead of running back and forth. It would be more likely for the family to see her if she temporarily has to stop to run in the opposite direction. Passing by the family, I take a quick look at the kid, confirming that he’s still totally engrossed in his tablet. He’s tapping away on some game, meaning he’s probably more distracted than he would be if he was just passively watching a show. This should be a pretty easy feat. All we need to do is a few simple steps and then we will be done. Then I can get as far away from Trixie as possible and get back to Sunset. Maybe we should exchange our seats with Rarity and Applejack.

Unzipping my bag, I look back towards the crusaders, making eye contact with Apple Bloom. Without saying anything, I tap my bag, prompting Apple Bloom to look at it. It doesn’t take her long to realize what I mean before she nods slowly, turning her gaze back to her friends. I’m glad she understands. If she does get followed, she can quickly stuff the shirt into my bag and make her way into the audience, disappearing from sight. Apple Bloom is pretty good at getting away from others. She’s shown that multiple times. Now all she needs to do is show me one more time. Turning around, I pull out my phone to try and act casual, far away from the family, but close enough to spectate everything. The girls talk for a few more seconds before Sweetie Belle makes her way towards a vending machine, Scootaloo placing a dollar bill a bit away from the family. Sweetie Belle moves towards the family with an open drink in her hand, following my suggestion. As long as things don’t go south, then this plan should be fine. Instinctually, I hold my breath, watching the scene.

Sweetie Belle stands close to the family, acting like she’s about to order. I can tell the girl is thinking of how she would make this look accurate, looking towards the ground. Acting can be a difficult job, but I know Sweetie Belle can do it. She has a heart for theatre. Every time I’ve talked to the Crusaders, I’ve easily heard about Sweetie Belle’s skill at acting. You can do this… Sweetie Belle’s eyes look up at the man behind the counter, seemingly ordering something. As soon as he hands a taco over to her, Sweetie Belle expertly drops the drink on the man, making it look like an accident. Instantly, Scootaloo goes into action, talking to the woman as Sweetie Bell deals with the situation with the father. As soon as both adults are fully distracted with their eyes looking away from the wagon, Apple Bloom looks towards me and gives me a smile before dashing towards the kid and the jerseys. The yellow blur zooms past the wagon, the kid looking up in confusion. Thankfully, it doesn’t look like he suspects one of the shirts being missing.

Apple Bloom zooms towards me, slipping the shirt into my bag for safekeeping. “Done! That wasn’t so hard~ They didn’t even chase after me,” Apple Bloom tells me with a prideful look, seemingly fanning her ego for running so fast.

Opening my mouth to respond, the words stop halfway as I look towards the family again. My smile disappears and I can’t help but look at them more intensely. The father is flailing his arms about, his mouth as wide as a manhole cover as he yells at Sweetie Belle. The girl has long since stopped moving, frozen in front of the man. Tears stream from her green eyes, evident from all the way over here…

Walking quickly towards the family, a grimace comes to my face, feeling my mind get a little dizzy. I suggested this plan to the Crusaders… I didn’t think someone would react this violently towards them, but does that really matter? There’s no excuse to lose your cool over some spilled liquid… None. I deal with anger all the time, douchebag. No no no. I’m not going to let this slide. She’s just a kid…

“Do you know how much this shirt fucking costs?! It is worth more than your life!” he screams at Sweetie Belle, fire in his eyes. Too bad the flame in my heart burns even brighter. Seeing Sweetie Belle cry from his verbal abuse and the onlookers judging the whole situation makes my blood boil… How can you call yourself a good father if you set this as an example?

Answer. You can’t.

“I-I’m sorry,” Sweetie Belle barely speaks, trying to defend herself in her petrified state.

“Sorry ain’t gonna cut it!” he yells again, his anger making his face red. Before anything else can happen, I grab Sweetie Belle’s shoulder pulling her behind me so that the man can face me.

“Hey, asshole,” I state with a slight growl, bringing a smirk to my face. Before he can respond, I bring my hand to his face so hard that the sound reverberates around us. Easily, he falls to the ground, clutching his cheek with a shocked expression. He deserved it… He deserves even worse. The fact that there was an echo to my slap is actually a little impressive since we’re in a more open space. Perhaps I hit him too hard… All it takes is one look to see the entitled expression on his face to erase any doubt from my mind. No. I didn’t hit him hard enough. “Next time, pick on someone in your own weight class,” I tell the man in a low tone, staring at him with full intent to cause more pain…

Turning around, I grab Sweetie Belle’s shoulder, bringing her along with me back in the direction of Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle, finally unparalyzed from her fright, starts crying and grabs onto me, making me feel a little weird. I’ve never had to comfort a kid before… This is… something I’m not used to. Rubbing her shoulder, I try to make her feel safe in any way I can. I’m used to taking power and striking fear in others’ hearts, not… providing comfort. The only people I’ve done that for are Sunset and my other close friends. I’d love to see that man try to come after me. Then he would have to explain why he was screaming at a little girl that she is worthless. I’d gladly face the consequences as long as it means Sweetie Belle is safe.

“It’s alright. You’re safe,” I tell Sweetie Belle quietly, seeing Apple Bloom approach the two of us. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made you do that.” Pulling the jersey out of my bag, I hand it to Sweetie Belle, slowing her cries down a little.

“What happened?” Apple Bloom asks us quietly, a concerned expression on her face. Sweetie Belle’s sniffles clearly tell us she’s not ready to talk, making me lock eyes with Apple Bloom for a moment. Running up to my other side, Scootaloo giggles before noticing Sweetie Belle’s current situation. I expect her to ask what’s going on as well, but instead, she swoops around in front of us, looking Sweetie Belle in the eyes.

“How about we exchange seats with some of the others so that you can sit next to Rarity? Would that be alright?” the orange girl asks with a kind smile, clearly trying to take care of her friend, no questions asked. After taking a few moments to try and breathe, Sweetie Belle slowly nods, keeping her eyes towards the floor. Scootaloo takes Sweetie Belle’s hand in her own, bringing her out of my embrace. Walking towards the other side of the stadium, Apple Bloom looks back at me, staying beside her friends. No words are said between us, but Apple Bloom’s gaze tells me a thousand words. Mostly consisting of gratitude and goodbye. Slowing down, I watch the Crusaders walk off, consoling one of their members as they walk. I didn’t mean for that to happen… Hopefully, Sweetie Belle can feel better sooner rather than later.

Taking a deep breath, I take a step out into the bleachers, ready to find Sunset. I could really use some time with her and a drink… This wasn’t how I expected this day to start off.

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Music plays periodically as the players run back and forth. I don’t know much about the game, but I do know when to clap due to the crowd’s indications. Every time I get to see Rainbow Dash help the coach, I can’t help but smile. I know how big this game is for her. It’s her first big game as the one behind the lines instead of being the athlete. My mind has been replaying our conversation for a while now… The time Rainbow admitted to me how trapped she felt. How broken she felt… To see the same Rainbow Dash with a determined smile on her face, living a better life. It’s inspiring. I’m glad she got to choose another path in life. A lot of people don’t get that chance or they never realize they need that change.

“Ooh~ That one went high,” Fluttershy says with awe in her eyes. One thing I’ve learned from sitting here is that Fluttershy is more involved in sports than I thought she would be. Maybe that’s because she’s been Rainbow Dash’s friend since childhood. The two of them were neighbors in Cloudsdale and both of their families moved here at relatively the same time. Regardless, Fluttershy has been pretty active in this game, excited with each batting. In-between the two of us is one empty seat, the location where Sunset was sitting up to a few minutes ago. Already, my hand misses her touch, but she wanted to go get snacks with Pinkie Pie. To my right, strangers sit with their own friends, making me feel a little awkward. I’m at the end of our group, so everyone else is to my left…

“Tell me. If you’re so involved in sports, why don’t you participate in any?” I ask Fluttershy without taking my eyes off the game. Even though I don’t know half of the stuff that’s going on, I find it more natural to keep my eyes forward than to distract Fluttershy from the game.

“Oh, I was involved in some when I was younger~” Fluttershy tells me with a happy tone to her voice, seemingly thinking of those memories fondly. “Specifically, I liked playing tennis and such, but I kind of fell out of that hobby when I couldn’t find someone interested in playing.” Watching the players run across the field to catch a ball, I can’t help but think of Fluttershy’s words.

“Rainbow Dash didn’t want to play with you?” I ask her slowly, causing Fluttershy to turn her gaze towards me.

“Oh, she usually did! But she got pretty busy with her teams and all. No one else seemed interested in playing a nice and calm match of Tennis, so I kinda stopped.” A melancholy expression comes across Fluttershy’s face before she takes a sip of her drink, returning her gaze towards the field. “Now, I just come to Dashie’s games. It’s fun, but it’s been a while since I’ve done something that active.”

“What did you say?” A surprised voice causes both of us to look to the end of the lane, seeing a familiar purple girl, back from her trip to the restroom. “You used to play tennis?” Twilight asks Fluttershy with wide eyes, clearly shocked to hear that tidbit of information.

“Well, yeah. But I stopped after a while,” Fluttershy tells Twilight with a flustered chuckle. To be honest, she’s probably just as confused as I am to see Twilight’s surprise.

“Because you couldn’t find a partner, right?” Twilight slowly asks, sitting down in her seat and looking at Fluttershy. “I um… Well, tennis is one of my favorite sports too and… I mean, let’s face it. I don’t get out very much. I’m glued to my research. But if you’re looking for a calm and relaxing game, maybe I could play you sometime?” Twilight asks Fluttershy with a pleading look, seemingly desperate for some activity to do outside of her house.

“Hmm? Well, don’t you do things with Timber? Outside, I mean,” Fluttershy ponders aloud, prompting my memory to recall that name. Huh. Twilight has a boyfriend, doesn’t she? Even though I have no face to go with the name, he sounded like a pleasant dude. Too much of a nerd for my tastes, but then again, I’m dating Sunset. She’s a nerd as well, but… She’s a hot nerd. One with a great smile and an awesome ass. Rainbow Dash would be laughing out loud if she could hear my thoughts right now.

“Yeah, well… Timber and I are… kind of on a break right now.” Still? When Sunset and I talked to her, it was a good seven months ago. Did they take another break or is this the same break? Take a deep breath, Adagio. It’s not your place to get involved. Twilight says it’s a good relationship, they’re just taking their time.

“Oh? Well, we can play~” Fluttershy tells Twilight with a big smile, nodding to the nerd’s proposed activity. “When do you want to play a game? You have your own racket, right?” The both of them are clearly having fun talking about this topic, but my eyes never leave the field. A small part of my mind never stops picking at the thought of Twilight’s relationship. Sunset and I have had our… fights, but we never went on a break. The longest period of time we went without speaking was when I distanced myself away from her on Valentine’s Day. The same holiday is quickly approaching, so I should probably spend the whole day with her. Just to apologize for distancing myself from her back then.

That means that our anniversary is in… another month and a half. Sunset and I have almost been together for a year… A year sounds so short, but the two of us have made so many special memories since then. Even when we were friends, we got to make some really nice memories. Is it wrong of me to wish to see a lot more years pass by with her? Fuck, am I smiling again? It’s way too easy for me to smile like an idiot when I think about her.

“Whatcha talking about?” an energetic voice asks, breaking me from my train of thought. At the end of the row, Pinkie Pie and Sunset stand looking down at Twilight and Fluttershy. Sunset is holding two drinks and some cotton candy whereas the party machine herself is holding the equivalent of a vending machine’s stock in her arms. How in the hell…?

“Oh, we were just talking about the aerodynamics of a tennis ball~” Twilight tells our pink friend, making me raise my eyebrow even more. Okay, how much of that conversation did I miss? I know I was thinking to myself, but it wasn’t for that long. Right?

Moving down the row, Sunset sits beside me, handing me a grape soda. Both of us watch the pink ball of wonder sit down next to Twilight, somehow keeping all the snacks in her arms. “Oh? Why are you talking about a tennis ball? We’re at a baseball game, dummy~” Pinkie Pie teases Twilight with a smile. At least, I think it’s a tease… Half the time, I can’t really tell with her. Half her jokes sound as if she’s actually completely oblivious.

“What took you two so long? You missed some great… um… baseball,” I say slowly, knowing completely how lost I am in the plays they are doing. Honestly, I’m just passively watching them at this point, watching the ball be thrown back and forth.

“Shh, don’t pretend you know what is going on,” Sunset whispers to me, bringing a piece of cotton candy to my mouth. Eating the piece out of her hand, I look at her with a raised eyebrow, both of us giggling.

“You assume I don’t know anything about sports, huh?” Sunset laughs at my statement, pushing me slightly. Both of us ignore the others for this peaceful moment, just concentrating on each other.

“You don’t~ If you did, then you would have said something by now. You would have reacted to the great plays instead of following the crowd.” Pulling off another small piece of cotton candy, Sunset hands it to me with a smile. “Want another bite?” Taking the piece slowly, I give Sunset a skeptical look, the wind blowing through her hair. Despite the fact that everyone else in this stadium is clearly obsessed with the game, I find it hard to break my eyes from hers. She’s… so beautiful.

“I don’t get moments like these enough,” I whisper, putting the piece of cotton candy in my mouth. Sunset giggles quietly and brings her hand to my cheek.

“What? Being at a ball game?”

“No. I mean times where I can just admire you.” Sunset’s cheeks brighten up as her lips part slightly, a surprised look in her eyes. She makes me nervous and flustered all the time, but sometimes it’s nice to return that favor.

“A-admire me?” Sunset barely speaks, words being caught in her throat as she looks into my soul. Her beautiful eyes that look like a serene ocean never look away from mine, the wind making her look like an astonishing portrait. I used to think music was the best art in the world, but that feeling has long since disappeared.

“It’s because you’re art to me,” I say quietly, giving her as genuine a smile as I can. Within a moment, the crowd roars as something incredible happens in the game, but it’s hard for me to care. Seeing Sunset like this when time itself seems to slow down… It’s like a magic of its own. All I can seem to do is admire her…

“I admire you too, Adagio,” Sunset tells me with a happy smile, finally looking away from me as the blush on her face only intensifies. Sunset pulls off another piece of cotton candy, holding it close to my mouth without looking at me. Both of our hearts are probably racing, my mind full of thoughts about her. Taking the piece in my mouth, I tenderly lay my lips on her thumb, causing Sunset to look at me with a bright red face. Kissing her thumb, I pull back and give her a smile before returning my gaze to the game.

A loud whistle is blown to signify a break in the game, both teams’ players returning to the dugouts. Some people get up to go get snacks, some of them deciding to talk. Great… The moment I look back at the game, that’s when it stops for a break. Loud music plays on the speakers to give everyone something to listen to while the players rest. I wasn’t aware of how long the game would last. Although, why would they choose to play romantic music? Wouldn’t it be a more upbeat and catchy tune?

“Ooh! They’re doing the kiss cam!” Pinkie yells, making me look towards her with a surprised expression. Kiss cam…? What in the hell is that? Pinkie excitedly points towards a big screen at the other end of the stadium with a bunch of hearts on it, showing two random members of the audience. Surprisingly, the two of them kiss pretty quickly, the camera moving onto another couple. Wouldn’t this almost classify under sexual harrassment? The employees of the ball park are coercing two or more people to participate in an intimate act, risking rejection if they don’t. I will never understand humans and their constant sexualization and romanticism. It’s like they’re treating love as some zoo. Looking towards the dugouts, I see Rainbow Dash look towards the screen before searching the audience, spotting me. Her hand points towards the screen and yells, but I can’t hear her from this distance. “Um, Adagio…?” Sunset says slowly, making me look towards the screen again.

Instantly, my eyes widen as I see my face on the big screen, right beside the man sitting next to me. What the fuck…? Locking eyes with the man, I can’t help but feel a little disgusted, thinking about doing that act with anyone but Sunset. The man looks equally as surprised and uncomfortable as me, kind of shifting in his seat as his eyes turn towards the screen again. Do you have to kiss the person they capture you with? Why does this have to happen to me? This is my first ballgame and I’m forced to be in a situation with some jackass I don’t know. The worst part about it is that… Sunset looks pretty depressed as she stares at the board. I… I wouldn’t kiss another person. Is she sad that they didn’t think we were together…? I know that heterosexuality is more common, but… to see that sad expression written across Sunset’s face just tears my heart apart.

No… I love her. And only her…

Quickly cupping Sunset’s cheeks, I bring her face towards mine, pressing my lips against hers as passionately as I can. Within a second, I can feel an uproar of applause as I hold our embrace, making sure Sunset can feel everything. I may object to the treatment of love as entertainment, but… Sunset doesn’t deserve to feel depressed. To think I would ever bend to social pressure to kiss someone else. She’s mine and I’m hers… My little pony… My sunshine. Whether or not others see it, she’s my love and Sunset should know that will never change. I love you, Sunset… Always. Let everyone else see that, I don’t care. Sunset’s lips press against mine with an equal force, telling me she enjoys this just as much as I do.

Finally pulling away from our kiss, I look towards the board once more, giving the audience a smirk and a wink. No one tells me who I have to kiss… There’s only one person I love and they can learn to accept it~

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The gate opens in front of the stadium, multiple players walking out and wishing each other a good day. At this point, everyone else had long since left the stadium, but we all stayed here to wait for Rainbow Dash. Well, everyone but the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They went to their clubhouse to probably concoct some more plans of chaos. The game was actually pretty fun~ I got to spend it with Sunset and talk with my friends. Though, I did see that father a couple more times after our little encounter. His cheek still had my handprint on it and he always looked in the opposite direction whenever he saw me. He wasn’t the only one with a sour taste in his mouth when it came to me, though. Some older people in the audience would always give me a weird stare after the kiss cam. Half the time, it seemed like they were confused. The other half of the time, they just looked angry, but I don’t really have the energy to care.

“I really didn’t expect Pinkie to have a party cannon inside the stadium~” Fluttershy tells us with a small giggle.

“Duh! I have party cannons all around the city! Though, I do forget where some of them are.” A small pout comes to Pinkie Pie’s face, pondering where all of her devices of glitter and confetti are. Otherwise known as evil bitch machines… It takes so long to get glitter out of clothes. Thankfully, I managed to avoid them. Other bystanders? They weren’t so lucky…

“And it was pretty hilarious to see that mascot do some of those tricks on the field~ Though, I could probably do better,” Applejack states with a slight wave of her hand, causing Rarity to hug her arm.

“I’m sure you could, darling~ But there’s only one thing I regret about this whole experience,” she tells the group with a slight frown. “Apparently there was a kiss cam and I didn’t get to see it… If I had known that Adagio and Sunset would be broadcast, I wouldn’t have gone to the restroom,” Rarity whines as if it’s a tragedy she couldn’t see us kiss. That sure is a big disaster. Gee. It’s not like we kiss each other quite frequently. Oh boy, she missed the kiss cam, whatever shall we do?

“I mean, I could show you if you want~ I got the whole thing recorded, thankfully,” a familiar raspy voice tells Rarity, making everyone look towards the voice.

“Rainbow!” everyone else says in unison, surrounding her in a group hug. Seven people in a group hug is a lot. Eight would be even more troublesome. I should know. We’ve done it before. The bigger question on my mind is how did she record it? I didn’t see a phone in her hand. And why would she record it? No matter how much I may want to hear an explanation, I will probably never get these answers.

“You do?! You’re a lifesaver, Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaims, holding onto her friend as tight as she possibly can. For a second, I’m almost worried Dash’s eyes will pop out of her skull. “Now show me!” Rarity exclaims in almost a hiss, not wanting to wait an extra second before seeing the footage. Yep. Applejack is right. Rarity is a hopeless romantic.

“I mean, if you’re that desperate to see it, I could kiss her again~” I say with a wink, teasing Sunset and Rarity in different ways.

“I apologize for my girlfriend. She’s still being house-trained.” Turning my gaze to Sunset, glaring at her as she giggles at her joke. Alright, Sunset. Act all high and mighty for now. We’ll see who’s blushing later.

“I doubt you could get a kiss that good again! That was a pinnacle of displays of affection,” Rainbow laughs, giving her phone to Rarity. The fashionista holds onto the phone with a fierce grip, her eyes wide open as she stares at the screen.

“I was more interested in the snacks, honestly~” Pinkie Pie tells us with a wide smile, pulling a bag of peanuts out of her hair. “Thanks for helping me find that missing bag of gummies, Adagio! You’re a natural at being a snack detective!” Oh, yeah. I remember that. Pinkie Pie apparently threw one of her bags of gummies into the audience by accident, probably due to the overload in her arms. Hence why I had to help her find it…

“Speaking of Pinkie’s antics, should I be afraid that she has a party cannon in my house? It won’t leave my mind,” Twilight speaks up with a giggle, clearly joking about the statement Pinkie had said much earlier. All the while, Rarity eagerly watches Rainbow Dash’s phone.

“Don’t be silly!” Pinkie Pie tells the nerd with a smile, hugging her as tight as she can. “Of course I do~” That last statement makes Twilight’s eyes widen, realizing her joke was actually real. Remind me to not let Pinkie Pie close to Sunset and I’s apartment.

“Well, I think this game was a resounding success~ How about we all go out for some ice cream to celebrate, huh? It’ll be on me,” Applejack tells us, seemingly unphased by Pinkie Pie’s comment. Is it that normal to have Pinkie Pie say she has your home trapped? Eh, who am I kidding? It’s Pinkie Pie… Of course she does things that we can’t expect.

“Oh, um. I could pay for it,” Fluttershy speaks up with a smile, brushing the hair out of her face. Fluttershy paid for the tickets, the snacks, and any sort of merchandise the group bought while we were here. She made sure to charge everything to her and her only. How… in the hell… can she afford all this? God damn. How much money does she make from that pet daycare of hers?

“Well, if you’re alright with that… I hate to make you spend even more, sugarcube,” the cowgirl slowly says, looking towards the ground as if she feels guilty. “Ah just don’t wanna take advantage of ya, that’s all.”

“Oh, don’t worry~ I really don’t mind!” Fluttershy tells Applejack, patting her shoulder slowly. The light from the sun is starting to disappear, painting the sky orange and purple. Looking up at the sky, Applejack relents and nods to Fluttershy’s offer.

“Alright, we can-”

“THERE IT IS!!!” the fashionista yells, holding the phone above her head. It’s hard for me to avoid chuckling. Some things will never change, evidently.

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Walking into a brightly colored building, the smell of many different sweets is almost overwhelming. The night sky outside is barely an issue due to the bright and cheery attitude of the ice cream parlor. Everyone else walks ahead of Sunset and I, the music of the shop setting a fun little atmosphere. Thankfully, Applejack drove everyone over here with the use of her family van. Hopefully, she doesn’t mind driving Sunset and I back home either. We didn’t bring the motorcycle and it is a long walk back to our apartment.

Holding Sunset’s hand a little tighter, the two of us wait behind everyone else as we stand in line to order. Fluttershy was still insistent on paying for this little endeavor on the way over here, despite how much Applejack tried to convince her she already paid enough. As long as I don’t have to take more out of my scarily thin wallet, I’m fine. I don’t necessarily want to take advantage of them, but hey. My job doesn’t pay that much and they’re offering. Sounds fair to me.

“Hey, Alligator?” Sunset asks me slowly, everyone else paying attention to their own conversation. The smell of sugar only serves to make my tongue anticipate the treat that we’re trying to get. Sure, ice cream isn’t a cherry cheesecake, but it’s still nice.

“Hmm?” I hum slowly, feeling the urge to yawn. It’s been a really energetic day. One that can even tire me out. I expected to still have some energy by now, but right now, resting my head on her shoulder and holding her hand feels really… heavenly.

“You’d never be ashamed to be with me, right…?” Sunset asks me in a slow and insecure voice, never letting go of my hand for a second. Ashamed…? Why would I?

“I’m holding your hand right now. I’ve done practically nothing but shower you with affection today. What would make you think I would be ashamed of being with this sexy ass?” I whisper in response, chuckling as I pat her behind after making sure no one is behind us to notice. Sunset flashes me a glare in response to my action, but she slowly chuckles, accepting my joke. If there were more people around, she’d surely not be so open.

“I’m serious, Adagio. I… noticed how some people looked at us after the kiss cam. I don’t give a damn about them myself, but…” A complex series of emotions are painted on Sunset’s face as she looks towards the ground, sighing quietly. “I just never thought how you might think of that. I know that’s not exactly what you signed up for when we got together and all. The harsh looks.”

“Sunset…” Pulling her closer to me, I let a deep breath out of my lungs, making sure to hold her as close as possible. It’s true that some people stared, but who cares about them…? They don’t matter. The only person who matters when it comes to the matters of our relationship is her. Just like how I’m the only person who matters in her viewpoint. “I don’t care about their stares, Sunny. Honest. I often like attracting attention and I don’t care if they look at me favorably or not. If anything, their stares give me more opportunities to prove that you’re mine.” Locking eyes with Sunset, I give her a gentle smile before pressing my lips against her for a small kiss. Despite the intensity of the embrace, it still warms my heart just as much as any other kiss. “And that I’m yours~ So, don’t worry. I cherish every moment I’m with you. No matter who’s watching.” Even though Sunset and I have been in a relationship for almost a year at this point, it still doesn’t get easier to say those lovely things without a blush coming to my face.

Kissing my forehead, Sunset lets out a happy sigh of relief, content with my answer. “I love you too, Adagio~ I’m glad.” By the time I look forward again, I see everyone else has already moved ahead, putting an empty space between us. Sunset walks forward, leading me along by the hand. Maybe it’s just because I’m tired, but it feels almost nostalgic to be led like this. To have Sunset take the lead, pulling me by the hand. It reminds me of the short period of time where she and I were friends. Before we fell in love with each other.

“I’d like a um… sundae. With nuts,” Rarity speaks up, a certain air of uncertainty to her voice. At this point, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight and Pinkie Pie had all ordered their ice cream. They all stand off to the side, slowly enjoying their treat except Pinkie. She had three cones of ice cream, trying to make sure none of them overflowed. This seems to be a monumental task for even her.

“She would actually like some Rocky Road with chocolate syrup,” Applejack tells the woman behind the counter, patting her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Applejack! I knew exactly what I was ordering!” Rarity tells the cowgirl with a glare, making Applejack slowly raise her eyebrow.

“Uh huh… Just like how ya ordered a three course meal of stuff ya didn’t like just cause you wanted to seem more sophisticated?” Applejack remarks, making the fashionista bring her hand to her chest.

“That was one time, Applejack dear!”

“And then there was the time where I was going to the store and you were upset that I didn’t get ya some candy. Despite the fact that ya never asked.” Applejack brings another finger up, locking her eyes with Rarity. “Do ya really want me to go on, Sugarcube?”

“I-I… Hmph. I meant what I said.” Rarity crosses her arms and pouts at Applejack’s demonstration before looking at the woman behind the counter. “Rocky Road with chocolate syrup,” she says quietly, as if she’s trying to avoid judgemental stares. Even though it’s the middle of the night and no one else is in the store. It doesn’t take long for Rarity to give Applejack a look that says, “Damn you for knowing me so well.”

“I’d just like some vanilla, thanks,” Applejack tells the employee with a slight tip of her hat as a sign of respect, putting her arm around Rarity. Despite Rarity’s previously bitter stare, her pout falters slightly when Applejack holds her close, making her smile ever so slightly. After handing the cones to the two of them, Applejack and Rarity move towards the others, leaving only Sunset and I left to order. Her hand still holds onto mine as we move forward, my eyes looking into the display case at all the options available.

“And what would you two gals like today?” the yellow woman with navy blue and pink hair asks us with a chipper voice. Now that I have a closer look at her, I can’t help but feel like I’ve seen this woman before… Where did I meet her before? Her name tag says Bon Bon, but that name doesn’t really ring a bell with me…

“I’d like some good old chocolate ice cream~ For this lovely woman, she’d like some vanilla with cherry syrup~” Sunset tells Bon Bon with a smile, immediately remembering what ice cream I prefer. “With actual cherries as well~” Sunset locks her eyes with mine giving me a smirk. Instantly, a blush comes to my cheeks without my control. Why does she have to know so much about me…? Now I’m in the exact same position as Rarity was a few moments before. Flustered at the fact that my girlfriend knows exactly what I would want.

“Certainly! Here you two go~” Bon Bon says with a sweet tone, handing us the two ice cream cones. “Enjoy!” The vanilla is covered in the sweet red glaze with three cherries sitting on top of the scoop. Easily, my tongue starts to salivate and I can’t help but feel really lucky to have Sunset in my life.

“That… was for that kiss you gave me earlier,” Sunset whispers in my ear before we have the chance to turn towards the girls, electrifying the nerves along my back. Our relationship is like a war of attrition… The two of us vying for the chance to be the one in control. To force the other to step down. Perhaps it was always like this. Ever since I met Sunset… We’ve always tried to be one step ahead. Now, we try to make the other flustered without blushing ourselves. This war is pointless, but it’s the way we show our love. “Thank you for the treat, Fluttershy, Sunset says as we turn around, looking at the girls. Unsurprisingly, Pinkie Pie is already done with her three cones of ice cream, a mess on her cheeks.

“It really wasn’t a problem~ I’m glad everyone was able to come,” Fluttershy tells us with a smile, Applejack patting her shoulder slowly.

“You just say the word and I can get you as many apples as you’d like~ I think we all owe you at least a little bit after tonight.” A blush comes over the shy woman before nodding slowly.

“Alright, if you say so~”

“If you guys don’t mind, I think we should probably get home in a minute,” Rainbow Dash says with a loud yawn, bringing her hand to her face. “It was pretty tiring to help the coach the whole game and I’d like a full night’s sleep.”

“Alright, Rainbow. Just let the rest of us finish our cones, alright?” Applejack tells her friend with a slight roll of her eyes, causing some of us to giggle. Surprisingly, Sunset grabs one of the cherries from my cone, gingerly bringing it to her lips. Her eyes connect with mine before biting into the treat with a slight smile, making my eyes widen slightly. Even though the action itself has nothing wrong with it, something about her doing that felt a bit… strange to me.

“Yeah, Adagio and I are pretty tired too. We should probably get to bed soon~” Without saying another word, Sunset licks her ice cream pretending to not notice my stare. The way she licks her treat isn’t like the frantic craze of Pinkie Pie’s devouring. Instead… It's a gentle and kind gesture, taking in the taste slowly. Every lick is placed gently enough to barely cause a dent in the treat, yet it makes a huge impact on my mind. This seemingly innocuous act can’t seem to leave my mind, no matter how much I try to ignore it. My nerves are on fire again and I can’t help but wonder exactly why Sunset is so eager to go home…

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Waving to Applejack’s van, both of us give the cowgirl one last goodbye before I pull my keys out of my bag. The van slowly pulls out of the parking lot, my hands trying to find the right key as quickly as possible. The whole ride over here, Sunset gave me mischievous looks, acting in ways that were essentially harmless, yet evoking a reaction out of me all the same. To say my nerves are on the fritz is an understatement.

“Aren’t you going to unlock the door and let us in?” Sunset whispers in my ear, hugging me from behind. “It’s pretty… cold out here~” Without waiting a moment, Sunset gently bites my earlobe, sending electricity down my spine and making my thoughts go haywire. This feeling isn’t something I’m used to… This feeling of… attraction and want. My hands fumble with the keys, no matter how hard I try. All this electricity running through my nerves makes it hard to focus… “Aw, does my Alligator need some… help?” Sunset whispers in an alluring tone, grabbing my hand to steady it. Both of us quickly slide the key into the door’s lock, opening the door within a moment. Sunset finally lets go of her embrace, pressing her lips against mine before holding me against the wall. Every nerve in my body is on fire, making my legs feel weak… Pulling away from me, Sunset kicks the door closed without taking her eyes off of me, locking the door. “I can help in multiple ways, you know,” she whispers before brushing her finger along my chin, forcing my lips to connect with hers once more. Even though the temperature inside our apartment isn’t that warm, my body feels really hot… Is it due to my jacket… or her?

Gently sliding my jacket off of me, Sunset drops it to the floor, disregarding the coat rack. Each fiery kiss she places on my lips makes me feel a little warmer. Her body pushes against mine, holding me firmly against the wall. Her fingers slowly move down to my jeans, unbuttoning them with ease. My mind is thinking a thousand thoughts a second as my heart races. It’s so hard to breathe calmly when she’s doing this to me. It’s hard to even think straight when her lips are locked with mine so passionately… All it takes is a small flick of her finger to unhook my bra from underneath my shirt, pushing her lips closer to mine. My heart beats faster every time she kisses me, my body burning in all the right areas. I feel so helpless in her grasp, but… I don’t want it to stop.

Pushing my jeans down with a lustful desire, Sunset runs her fingers along my thigh before moving them between my legs. My back arches on its own as I stop breathing, feeling this burning sensation get even stronger. It’s almost like I can’t move… The satisfaction my mind feels from her movements down there is so… irresistible. She knows me so well… Every sensitive spot on my body is hers to abuse. I-I didn’t expect for this to happen after a ball game. Is it because I was so confident when I kissed her on camera…?

“Do you like how my fingers feel, Alligator?” Sunset asks in a low tone, bringing her lips to my ear once more. She never lets me off the wall for a second, holding me right where she wants me. I’m trapped… But if that’s the case, then why does it feel so good? “Does it feel irresistible? Hmm? Do you want me to keep going?” she whispers into my ear, pushing my jeans all the way down to the floor with her foot. I… I’m not used to being the one at her mercy. It’s… hard for me to think. The lower part of my body feels like it’s on fire and my body is sweating, regardless of temperature. I-it feels so nice… My head quickly nods to her question, hoping she doesn’t stop her pursuit. My hips move on their own to press down on her hand just a little more…

“Good girl~” Sunset whispers, taking advantage of every sensitive spot I have. Thanks to her constant teasing, almost my whole body feels sensitive right about now… a tingling sensation runs up my thighs, halting my breath every few seconds. My breaths come out as moans involuntarily, my body finding it hard to hide the pleasure I can feel… God, why does it feel so good? “You sure love teasing me, don’t you, Adagio?” Sunset asks in a seductive voice, building up the anticipation in my body with her fingers. Every movement she does to explore my body makes my spine arch slightly, sending waves of pleasure throughout my body. It’s so hard to think… I-I love every second of it. “Yet here you are, panting at my hand. Unable to handle it if I… tease you back~” In a moment, the pleasure stops and I can’t help but open my eyes immediately. W-why did she stop?

“P-please don’t… I…” I’m barely able to speak… It’s hard to catch my breath when all my mind seems to focus on is getting that feeling of pleasure back.

“Please what?” Sunset says slowly, running her hand under my shirt and stopping right below my breast… God, she knows exactly how my body wants her…

“Please… don’t stop. It feels really nice,” my mouth moves on its own, saying possibly the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever uttered. I don’t think I can control it even if I wanted to… I already miss her touch and the way my body reacted to every movement… My breath can finally stabilize, but… I liked it when it was unstable.

“Hmm… I don’t think so,” Sunset whispers in the same seductive tone, tracing her fingers along the edge of my underwear. Within a second, her fingers pull down the last piece of clothing on my lower body. Slowly, Sunset gets down onto her knees, pushing her hand against my stomach. “Don’t move. I want to make you feel… really good~” she tells me with a wink, instantly making a blush come to my cheeks. My legs want to close out of embarrassment, but… I’m also curious what she wants to do…

Gently placing her hands on the back of my thighs, Sunset forces me to bend my knees slightly, bringing her ever closer to me… Sunset gently kisses my thigh, sending a wave of electricity through my body. Her fingers trace along my ledge, reaching my vulva once more. Now, there’s no fabric in between her fingers and my body… Feeling her hand explore me again makes me gasp involuntarily, bringing back the same pleasure and high. Why does it have to feel so good…? “F-fuck,” I groan slowly, trying to keep my voice down. It’s not like anyone is watching us… It feels embarrassing, but… so damn good…

“You act like you’re going to cum just from my hand,” Sunset whispers with a giggle, bringing her hand away. “That would be a shame, wouldn’t it? Not lasting till the main course~” Every time she touches me, it builds up the anticipation in my body, making me feel more and more disappointed when she stops. God… My body really wants to let it go… To feel just a little more of that pleasure… “Now stay still,” Sunset tells me with a wink, wrapping her arms around the back of my thighs, pulling me mere inches away from her face. “You’re really beautiful, Alligator~” is the last thing Sunset says before gently pressing her lips against me, making my vulva feel even more sensitive… All this stimulation makes my heart race. I… I love this… I can feel every breath and touch. All this adrenaline racing through my veins makes my anticipation even worse…

A large wave of electricity and pleasure shoots up my spine as she licks my sensitive area. E-every movement of her tongue makes my body react uncontrollably. My legs feel so shaky a-and… fuck… Oh my god… I can’t stop myself from moaning at each touch… It feels so embarrassing, but if she stops right now, I might die. “O-oh god… Please don’t stop,” the words fall out of my mouth before another loud groan escapes, making me clasp my mouth. E-every time… Every single thing is making me feel so dizzy… The anticipation is building so much and the pleasure is almost too much. I would be scared of falling if it wasn’t for Sunset’s arms holding me right in place. I… I… “Oh s-shit…” It feels so good. I can’t even… think… w-why does my body have to shut down like this? I… Oh god, please don’t stop for anything… Please please please…

“Cum~ Cum for me, Alligator,” Sunset tells me, each word staining my mind… Everything… I-it’s too much… Her tongue, her hands. Every surge of pleasure. I… Oh my god… I-I… I can’t h-hold back anymore… F-fuck! I-it feels so… g-good! I-I can hardly breathe… I-I… Oh shit…. Damn it. I… I can’t think. Just… give me a moment. Holy shit…

Taking a deep breath, I try to open my eyes. I can’t do it though… My legs are twitching so much and I’m sure that the only reason I’m still on the wall is because of Sunset. My mind feels so dizzy… God, that felt so good… The anticipation is finally gone and my body feels… so fucking good. My whole body feels so sensitive… Opening my eyes, I can finally look down at Sunset, seeing her move her face away from my vulva with a smile. Gently licking her lips, she locks eyes with me, giving me a smirk.

“That must have felt nice~ You moaned a lot,” Sunset teases me, still holding my twitching body up. “I love you so much, Alligator~” Despite my urge to answer her question, I can’t actually bring up the words, a bright blush coming to my face once more. I am still trying to catch my breath… That… really knocked the air out of me.

“I-I love you too. S-so much,” I whisper, taking a deep breath to try and get my strength back. Pulling myself back up the wall, I can’t help but feel dizzy and exhausted, leaning against it for support. “I-I… you made me feel really good, Sunset. T-thank you,” I barely say, taking a moment to compose myself. “But… I assume we’re not nearly done yet, are we?” Looking at Sunset, she slowly stands up and shakes her head, giving me a smirk. Cupping my cheeks, she slowly presses her lips against mine, making me blush once more.

“Not. Even. Close~”

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Closing the door slowly, I turn on the light to the bathroom, looking at the mirror with a smile. Despite it being pretty chilly in our apartment, I didn’t really see the need to put on any clothes since Sunset and I have been cuddling the whole night. Now, it’s the middle of the night and I can’t help but smile at what she and I did after we got home. Remembering it gives me shivers even now. She really hit every single one of my sensitive spots. This whole day, she’s proved time and time again that she knows me in and out. I guess that’s what makes her notice when something is wrong.

Turning the faucet to the sink, I cup my hands and gather some of the water, gently splashing it against my face. Now, there’s only one more thing she needs to know about. Something that I have dreaded telling her for two months now… Just thinking about it makes me sigh heavily. Those hallucinations aren’t just some trick on my mind anymore. That demon is real and… I haven’t told her yet. I have been dreading this talk, but the more I put it off, the angrier she will be. This is a part of my life, whether I like it or not. I have to tell her. The last time I lied about something this big, I caused a big drift between Sunset and I. That’s… something I don’t want to happen again.

Turning off the water, I look in the mirror again, trying my best to think. I was going to tell Sunset after the game, but we got so caught up with ourselves that it was hard to remember what I needed to tell her before we fell asleep. I love her so much… I need to tell her. As soon as she wakes up, I’ll try to talk to her. This can’t go on in secret any longer. She needs to know.
“Needs to know, huh?” my mouth lets out instantly. I… I didn’t say that… I can’t move… All the feeling in my limbs is either gone or numb, no matter how much I try to move my body. Oh no… No no no. No! Not again! This can’t be happening right now… I had such a good day, right before I was going to talk to Sunset… My body moves against my will, looking into the mirror once more. My eyes are no longer full of happiness and energy. Now, they look at me with a dark stare, her mouth forming a small smile… “Poor Adagio, thinking that she is in control of this situation.” Her hand reaches up to the glass, gently scratching it without moving her eyes. I can’t stop her… I can’t move no matter how hard I try… “Did you really think I would let you talk to her? This nightmare is only beginning. You’ll just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.” Her hand finally leaves the mirror, forming the shape of a finger gun to my head. “Did you forget that I’m in control? Oh, Adagio… Any attempt to ruin my plans will result in a very bad outcome for you.” Her mouth forms into a smirk, her evil chuckle imprinting itself onto my mind. She… knows everything about me… Even my own thoughts. “And I’m sure you’d rather have your ‘Sunny’ safe than being honest with her and putting that warm smile at risk.” She laughs quietly, scratching her nails down the wall. “But you can decide. Let’s see what the mouse decides to choose. Safety… Or danger.”

Anniversary

Author's Note

April is always a time of enjoyment. For Adagio and her girlfriend, it turns out to be the month they confessed their feelings to each other a year ago~ Adagio has quite a few plans, but will they go accordingly?

Hello, everyone~ I'm glad you're here! This is officially the longest chapter I've written to date. I will probably outdo myself again sometime, but I have to tell everyone two different things. One, I want to say thanks to a good friend of mine for giving me the idea of correlating siren magic to fast food restaurants~ Second, I want to give Mon a big thanks for the inspiration to give Adagio a new pair of boots that will come into play in the future! Thanks, Mon! I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter since it took me two weeks to write it~

Anniversary

Chapter III: Anniversary

April. It’s always a weird time of the year. Technically, it’s spring, but it can still feel like winter or it can be just as hot as summer. Every day, you have to decide correctly whether you will be wearing a bunch of layers or not. If you decide incorrectly, you’re pretty much screwed. Especially since my daily routine is waking up, going to work, eating lunch, working till I come home, eating dinner, and going to bed. Rinse. Repeat. Sometimes, I have enough free time to hang out with some friends or Sunset, but it really depends on the day. Today is not one of those days…

Pulling the keys out of my purse, I quickly unlock the door, trying to escape the cold and oncoming storm. It’s been raining non-stop for almost a week. If it keeps going for any longer, it might ruin some of my plans… After Valentine’s Day last year, I purged Sunset from my life, trying to keep her away for her own good. In a week, it’ll mark a full year since I confessed my feelings to Sunset on that beach. One full year. Hopefully, the rain will stop by then. Some of my plans require a more… dry climate.

“Hey, honey~” Sunset’s voice echoes from the kitchen, the sound of the oven accompanying her words. I wasn’t expecting Sunset to cook something for us tonight, but it’s a pleasant surprise, nonetheless~ Our anniversary is quickly approaching and only a couple things could ruin it. One of those being her…

The demon in my mind hasn’t left… Ever since she threatened Sunset’s safety, she’s come and gone as she pleased. Despite my searching, I’m no closer to finding out what she’s planning. She said so herself. She has a plan. I just don’t know what it is. Now, I can’t even tell Sunset about her. I can’t tell anyone since she’s pretty much always watching. I’m on my own, trying to find out what she is trying to do. My biggest clue is her mannerisms. She’s always criticized me for not pursuing power. She thinks exactly like me and she’s ruthless. Like how I used to be… It’s not hard for me to deduce a couple of key interests of hers.

Taking off my scarf, I gently hang it on the rack, slipping my jacket off of me. It’s smart of her to not blow her cover… Why should I be impressed? She’s something in MY mind. Of course she would be cunning and intelligent. That’s what I am… She wants power and not much else. At this point, it’s a duel of sirens, trying to decide who is the real Adagio. I’ve never heard of this happening to any other siren, but regardless, I don’t plan on letting her fulfill whatever plans she has. All I have to do is realize what she’s after. If it was magic, then her logical choice would be going after our lost magic. I’ve checked my shoebox, but…. it wasn’t touched… So, she hasn’t moved my personal belongings. As much as I try to get in her head, my anniversary with Sunset is the only day I want completely free from her influence. I already agreed to not tell anyone about her, so hopefully, she doesn’t invade my special day with Sunset.

“Alligator?” Sunset’s voice breaks me from my train of thought, making me shake my head and look up from the floor. Standing in the entrance to our small kitchen, Sunset looks back at me with a concerned expression, wearing jeans, a t-shirt and socks, complemented by an apron with a picture of the sun.

“Sorry, Sunny~ I just got lost in a train of thought. How are you doing?” I ask her with a smile, kicking off my boots and walking over to her. The love of my life looks at me with a raised eyebrow, rubbing my shoulder slowly.

“Really? May I ask what you were thinking about?” she asks me with a chuckle pushing me slightly. It’s hard to answer her question immediately…

“I was just thinking about a special day, that’s all~” I whisper, bringing my hand to Sunset’s cheek.

“Oh? Have you decided what you’re going to wear?” Sunset says with a wink, looking down at my body momentarily. “I bet a couple of the dresses I own would look pretty good on you~”

“If you want to help me decide what I will wear, we can do that after dinner. I was actually thinking of what I have planned for our anniversary,” I whisper, feeling a little flustered at the thought of wearing a dress. I wouldn’t do that normally, but if it’s for Sunset, then I would do it in a heartbeat. Of course, I could wear that suit again, but… if it’s our anniversary, I’d rather look pretty than professional. Nothing wrong with making myself a bit of eye candy, right? She’s probably going to do the same for me.

“As long as you don’t take up the afternoon and nine. I have a couple plans of my own, after all,” Sunset teases me with a wink before turning around and walking back inside the kitchen. Rolling my eyes slowly, I can’t help but chuckle at her response. Both of us have our plans for this day and she refuses to tell me what she has in mind before I tell her my own ideas. I suppose that’s fair though. That means both of us will be surprised a week from now.

“What are you making?” I ask Sunset, changing the topic of our conversation towards dinner. Looking inside the kitchen, I see the oven is still cooking something, but it’s hard to make out what is inside the pan. The air smells like… cheese. Cheese and spice. At the sink, Sunset is washing the dishes, the hot air making her sweat slightly. “Hey, let me do that. You already made us dinner,” I tell her, rolling up my sleeves and walking up to the sink. Sunset hesitantly backs away from the sink, chuckling at me.

“How generous of you~ I didn’t think you would want to do that after your long day at work.” For some reason, Sunset’s comment rubs me the wrong way. Of course I’m tired, but it’s not like I would force her to do even more work. If anything, it should be equal between us unless one of us is sick.

“Your internship and classes are just as tiring as my job, Sunny. I can do something as simple as the dishes. You went through the trouble of making us dinner, so it’s the least I can do,” I tell Sunset quietly, giving her a smile before I scrub one of the cooking utensils she probably used for our meal. “We’re a team after all. Right?” Those words are the same ones she told me right after our first big fight. They’ve stuck with me and I can’t forget them simply because of how true that statement is. I may be my own person, but I left my individuality at the door when I decided to date Sunset. We’re a team now. Not two people who do whatever they want.

“Yeah, you’re right~” Sunset whispers before pulling on some oven mitts. From the action, I can only assume that the oven will beep within a minute.

“What did you make?” I ask once again, reiterating my curiosity before our topic got sidetracked.

“I made us some lasagna,” Sunset tells me with a big smile before a loud beep makes my ears ring. It seems that even if I am mentally preparing myself for a loud sound, it still causes some discomfort. Sunset quickly opens the oven, taking the pan out and setting it down on the top, a delicious smell filling the whole room instantly. The first time I had lasagna was when I made it with her… One of my first true cooking experiences, now that I think about it.

“You made it without me, huh?” I ask with a slight pout, ultimately happy to have dinner, but feeling a little sad I couldn’t get off work faster to make it with her.

“Don’t worry,” Sunset tells me with a wink, walking over to me before laying her lips on my cheek. “I’ll let you help me next time~”

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“Is it just me or do I try things on for you a lot of the time?” I ask from inside our closet, pulling on a dark blue fabric. At this point, I’ve already tried on three dresses and I haven’t exactly been impressed with how they look on me. We probably should have done this before I ate lasagna, but here we are. The one thing that makes me a bit flustered about this situation is that all these dresses are owned by Sunset. I don’t exactly have a big wardrobe. I have my suit, a couple different outfits, and then my hoodie and jeans. I used to have a black dress for my nightclub job, but… I didn’t like the memories associated with that. I really should spend more money on clothes. I think it would probably benefit me a lot. Hell, maybe Sunset would try on some of my clothes then as well. It’s an ironic and funny thought when I think about it.

“I can’t help it if you look good in a lot of the clothes you try on,” Sunset tells me from behind the door, a quiet chuckle barely being heard. “Besides, you seem to have fun when we do this~”

“More like you’re having fun,” I retort, rolling my eyes slightly. I can’t help but find her statement a bit humorous since she’s probably the one who enjoys this the most. I can only remember a couple times where Sunset tried something on for me instead of the other way around. Given, she already has a pretty big wardrobe, so it’s not like she needs to try on anything. Thankfully, Sunset and I are roughly the same size, so mostly all of these dresses fit me. One thing I have noticed is that Sunset is slightly bigger in bust size… I never even thought about that since it seemed like we were the same size. Then again, I’m not exactly comparing whenever we do see each other. Some other things are on my mind… I also found out that my hips are a little bigger than hers. These two areas may not be that big of a deal, but it does interfere with me wearing some of her dresses. Even if it fits me, it’s not exactly tailored for my body in the best way. Still. I have to make do with what I have. I can’t exactly afford to go buy a new dress.

“Can you blame me? You look stunning~” she teases me, causing both of us to laugh a little. I look stunning, but I feel a little jealous of her. It’d be nice to judge her trying on a couple outfits as well. I suppose I will see her in a dress soon enough. Just a week from now.

Taking a deep breath, I look down at my body, trying to make sure the dress fits just right. This one fits me the most compared to any of the other items, so I think it looks pretty good on me, but Sunset thought every one of them looked nice on me. “Okay, I’m ready.” Grabbing the door knob carefully, I take a moment to make sure everything is correct. I don’t want another skeleton situation… Twisting the doorknob slowly, I open it in front of me, looking towards the floor for a moment. Before walking out, I lock my eyes with the woman sitting on the bed, giving her a small smirk as I step into our room. From the look in her eyes, I can tell that Sunset enjoys the view, giving me a small clap as I pose for her. Sunset giggles when I spin around, showing her every possible angle that I can be seen from. The dark blue fabric shines slightly in the lights of our room, giving it a gala sort of vibe.

“Adagio,” Sunset says in a whisper, her eyes absolutely glued to me. Her eyes dart around me, scanning each part of the dress and how it compliments me. “It looks beautiful on you~” she tells me in a soft tone, her gaze almost making it look like there are hearts in her eyes. I can’t lie. It’s honestly pretty nice to see Sunset in a dreamy state like this.

“You said that about all the dresses,” I briefly disregard her sentence, looking down at the dress in an attempt to hide a small blush. Every time she calls me beautiful or cute, it makes me so unreasonably happy… My body feels flustered and a smile always comes to my cheeks. Sometimes, I wonder if she’s actually doing it on purpose.

Standing up off the bed, Sunset walks over to me and brings her hands to my shoulders, her soft touch making me feel even more flustered. “I know that~ All the dresses have looked beautiful on you. But… do you know what’s prettier than this attire?” Her question, as innocent as it is, rolls off her tongue with a lovestruck look caught in her eyes. Every part of my body knows what the answer is to her question. It’s so simple that an ant could guess it. At the same time, I don’t necessarily… want to guess. My mind craves the answer she so clearly has on her mind. I don’t like to admit it, but her admiration means the world to me… Just knowing that she has that special interest in me each and every day makes my heart flutter, reminding me I am worth something in the end. “You are~” she whispers quietly, cupping my cheek in her hand with that same dreamy look staring into my soul. Within an instant, my cheeks flush right as Sunset brings her lips closer to me, kissing my nose ever so softly. Half the time, I feel like I’m completely in charge, and the other half? I’m completely at her mercy, following her lead with a happy smile. Perhaps it’s because she tamed this siren, making me hardly bare my teeth at anyone. Anger used to be such an issue, but… with her, it’s rare for me to feel the effects of that rage. She makes me feel… complete.

Pressing my lips against hers, I complete the engagement she was too hesitant to continue. My heart flutters with each passing second… She’s so perfect, despite her own thoughts. “I love you too, Sunset,” I whisper, reading in between the lines of her actions. Every single part of me forces me to cling to her, not wanting this embrace to end a second sooner than it has to. I know I have a few more dresses to try on, but for now… just stay here with me.

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Each day drags on far longer than they usually would. One could chalk this up to summertime coming ever closer, but I know that the real reason is the anticipation. Whenever my mind anticipates something, time seems to drag on for so long, making me count down the seconds until the moment finally comes. The thing I’m looking forward to this time is my anniversary with Sunset. It’s five days until our anniversary and my mind is doing nothing but making me watch the seconds pass by. Every day I sit in my office, one of two things passes through my mind. The thoughts of the demon plaguing my mind or my plans for this anniversary… The warm air does nothing to distract me from those thoughts. It seems like everything reminds me of something Sunset and I did together, giving me a few more ideas that I could try to pull off. Most of these are fruitless since they can’t possibly fit within the day we have scheduled out. Regardless, it might be worth it to keep these ideas for a future anniversary.

For now, my attention needs to be on this anniversary and the demon that could sabotage it. I need to find out what her plan is and what she’s doing when she takes control of my body. One siren against another. If I want to see more than one anniversary with Sunset, it’s almost guaranteed that I need to stop her before she does anything else. My investigation, however urgent as it is, can wait until after this special day with Sunset… I’m hoping that if I don’t bother her, she won’t bother my day with Sunny. After that, though? Then it’s fair game…

One of my preparations for this day is the exact reason why I’m walking through the city now. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Rarity’s store. The last time I stepped inside, I needed her to fix my scarf. It’s not like I’m scared of the place. I just haven’t had an excuse to actually go there again since every time I’ve seen Rarity was at another social event or we agreed to meet up at a mutual location. Have I ever seen Rarity’s home? Huh… I’ve gone to everyone’s homes except hers. I honestly find that hard to believe since I’ve been running around this city a lot more in the past year than any other time. I know she has a house and not an apartment since Sweetie Belle mentioned it when I helped the Crusaders. Though, it’s hard for me to remember which time I helped them since they often find excuses to get me involved. By “they,” it’s usually Apple Bloom.

If I remember correctly, Rarity’s shop should be pretty close to the coffee place Sunset and I went to the first time she agreed to hang out with me. To this day, I’m still surprised that Sunset agreed to try being my friend due to what I did to her the time I saw her before that. Regardless, I’ve only been to Rarity’s shop twice, so its exact location isn’t exactly imprinted on my mind. It should be just down the street from the coffee shop, so that would place it… around the next corner, right? The coffee shop is somewhere to my right, so this next intersection should be the street where it’s located.

Quickly walking towards the four-way stoplight, I look down the street to my right, only seeing a couple of bland stores before the coffee shop. That would mean Rarity’s store is directly to my left… Looking to my left, I can’t help but feel relieved and pretty smart, seeing a familiar store with purple accents. Yep. That’s it. The store that refuses to be a “tragedy of modern and ancient architecture.” Rarity told me that herself on one of the many times I’ve gone over to the Apple Family home. Unsurprisingly, she’s there a lot of the time to either help out or just spend some time with her girlfriend. It’s a little surprising she doesn’t live with Applejack at this point, but then again, maybe Sunset and I jumped the gun a little too fast with that. Sunset didn’t really want me to keep living in that part of town and we thought it would be easier to split the rent of one apartment. And let’s face it… She and I always sort of acted like we were dating when we were friends.

Shaking my head slightly, I quickly cross the street, walking towards the clothing shop with a deep breath. Every time I ask Rarity for a favor, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. Maybe it’s because I don’t spend a lot of time with her… She and I are definitely friends, but I don’t spend as much time with her than I do with Rainbow Dash. Though, it would be nice to hang out with her a bit more. She and I can easily talk about luxury and fashion. The next time I could possibly hang out with the fashionista is after the anniversary… Opening the door to the clean, sleek and sparkly store, I walk inside and take a look around, seeing Rarity at the cash register. Gently, she hands a receipt to a woman with a smile, giving them an encouraging look.

“I’m sure you’ll love this~ If you have any problems at all, just come back and I will happily exchange this for something else,” Rarity happily tells her, waving the woman off before spotting me. An excited expression comes to her face before she composes herself, walking with the woman to the entrance and turning her sign to temporarily close the store. “Adagio darling!” she exclaims the moment she locks the door, hugging me as she leans her body weight against me. A dramatic embrace, but a typical one for Rarity. “What brings you here today? Is there another piece of clothing I can fix for you? Wait, please don’t tell me it involves Rainbow Dash’s antics again! She’s a good friend, but she has no idea what a good attire can mean to a person.” Rarity brings her hand to her head, seemingly frustrated with Rainbow Dash and her previous “crimes against humanity” as she would put it. “How is Rainbow Dash anyway? I haven’t called her lately.”

“One question at a time, alright, Rarity?” I ask with a chuckle, shaking my head as I make my way further into the shop, looking at the decor briefly. “Rainbow Dash is doing fine. She actually said she was going to ask you if you wanted to come with her to some rock concert since she had an extra ticket.” Rarity’s eyebrow raises slowly upon hearing this, walking towards a small table with two chairs on the opposite side of the room.

“I haven’t heard of this, but I do have a relatively free schedule~ When she asks me, I’ll probably accept it.” Sitting on one of the chairs, Rarity offers the other seat to me, wanting to have a friendly chat with me. “Do you want anything? Tea? Water?” she asks me kindly, offering me different beverage options before I shake my head.

“I’m alright. Thank you anyway,” I tell her with a slight wave of my hand, sitting down in my seat slowly. “And no, I don’t have another piece for you to fix, thankfully~ I just came here to talk to you about something else that’s important to me.” Feeling the scarf around my neck, I can’t help but feel grateful to Rarity for fixing something so precious to me. It was the first gift Sunset ever gave me and the thought of losing it makes me feel really depressed. Hence why I usually wear it, no matter the circumstance. Unless I’m doing something risky or if it’s really warm outside. “Don’t freak out, but Sunset and I are having our first anniversary in five days.” Regardless of what I said, Rarity’s face lights up with excitement, her eyes seemingly beaming with that same enthusiasm she has for making clothes.

“Oh my gosh, darling! I had no idea it’s already been a year since the two of you got together! Do you have anything special planned? Oh, you have to do something special!” Rarity emphasizes with an enamored look for the topic of love. She’s always been in love with love itself, often focusing on romance above all else. “Applejack and I went on a nice boat ride for our first anniversary~ Of course, that was my idea. Oh, and we also went swimming in the ocean for our second anniversary! Although, it was dark and no one else was around and… Well, I think you get the idea~” Rarity coos as if she’s reliving a lovely memory, tracing her finger in the shape of a heart on the table.

“Well, I do have a couple things planned. That was actually why I wanted to talk to you.” Here comes the embarrassing part… The part where I will inevitably feel guilty asking her for a favor. “I’m a siren. I don’t know much about love and romance. Sunset reassures me that I’m a great girlfriend all the time, but… I’ve never once taken her on a ‘proper’ date. I have multiple ideas that I’ve already paid for, but… I was wondering if I could ask for your opinion on the main part I’ve come up with?” I ask slowly, hanging my head slightly. It’s alright to feel a little ashamed, right…? To feel guilty that I haven’t taken Sunset on a “real” date before. I mean, she hasn’t taken me to some romantic dinner either, but I guess that’s because we’ve never really thought about that idea. Now that it’s getting ever closer to our anniversary, that idea becomes a little more tantalizing.

“Go ahead, Adagio. I’m listening~” Rarity tells me with a kind smile, clearly reassuring me that it’s alright to ask for her opinion.

“Sunset and I already figured we would both make plans, so I kind of reserved time around dinner. I kind of… scored a couple tickets to go to a piano recital from Fluttershy. It happens right before dinner and Sunset-”

“-has always wanted to go, right?” Rarity interrupts me, seemingly shocked by my words. “Sunset has always said how much she wants to go see a piano recital. Especially in a seat in the front three rows of the audience. Did… Did Fluttershy get you tickets for that?” Rarity asks me hesitantly, a hopeful and cautious look on her face.

“Front row, right in front of the middle of the stage,” I say with a small smile, happy that I could get these tickets for her. Rarity’s face looks relieved and happy to hear that news. “So, Sunset and I are going to the piano recital before dinner. I’m planning to dance with Sunset after dinner as well, but there’s only one big problem with this plan.” Taking a deep breath, I brush the hair out of my face, trying to think of the right words to say. “I… don’t know any of the ‘good’ restaurants. I was kind of hoping maybe you had a recommendation or even some connections?” It’s not exactly my proudest moment to ask Rarity this kind of thing… I was hoping I could do a better job and actually find a good restaurant for the two of us to attend, but that was harder to do than I thought it would be. Besides, I’m not exactly flush with cash right now… I’ve been saving up for this night for a while, but I don’t think I can afford a restaurant that charges up to a thousand dollars for one meal.

“Hmm… I see. Well, I do have a couple of connections,” Rarity says with a thoughtful look before her eyes light up, quickly getting up from her seat and walking over to the counter. “I know just the thing! There’s this beautiful place that serves top notch food and usually offers dances for couples. It’s four-and-a-half stars, and the owners owe me a favor since I designed their attire! Just give me a second to find the number.” Rarity frantically searches the drawers, pulling out a piece of paper with a relieved expression. Getting out of my seat, I slowly approach the counter, seeing Rarity write something down on a small note. “I’ll call them tonight~ You need to call them tomorrow morning so that you can confirm who you are and you’ll be the one cashing in my favor. Don’t worry, I’ll give them the details~” she tells me with a smile, handing me the note. Taking the note slowly, I can’t help but feel incredibly lucky that Rarity had an opportunity like this… I’m really glad she’s willing to help me with something like this, especially since I don’t know what I’m doing.

“Thank you, Rarity. This really means a lot~”

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

The day’s warm atmosphere is ever present as I walk along the sidewalk. It’s a busy day in the city today… It’s probably due to the fact that school has let out and mostly everyone who has an office job is out of work right about this time. Unfortunately, it makes traveling through the city a bit slower than I would like. Right now, I have somewhere I need to be and it’s a bit annoying to dodge and weave through the crowds. This is the last thing I need to check up on before our anniversary, so I would prefer to do it quickly… Once again, the minutes go by slowly each day that passes by. With each day, my anticipation for our anniversary only gets stronger. Is it wrong of me to be excited? The answer is obviously no, but I wish I didn’t have to count down the minutes.

It’s alright. There’s only one more thing I need to do. Then I can just focus on getting to our anniversary with little to no problems. There are so many things to do in general, but I’m just glad that I’m relatively prepared for this special day. All I want is to make sure that our anniversary is a great day for her. I’m sure she’s probably prepared ways to do the same for me, but I have no idea what she’s planned. The last thing I have to check is the thing that cost the most out of everything I planned for this day. Taking a deep breath, I walk forward, making my way towards the jewelry store. Despite the fact that Sunset already has some, she doesn’t have a lot… Nor does she have items she wears casually or such. If anything, she keeps them all in a special box, but I thought it would be nice to actually get her something she might feel comfortable wearing outside of the apartment.

This store in particular allowed you to make custom orders with whatever type of jewelry you desired. Then, once it’s ready, it will be shipped to the location closest to you for pick up. I must have ordered this gift a week ago at this point, but I’ve checked with the store every couple of days just to see if it’s arrived yet. The hardest part about this order was making it online, but I had a little bit of help from Apple Bloom. Of course, she was excited as all hell when she saw what I wanted to get Sunset, but I made her promise to keep her mouth shut. Thankfully, she keeps her word when she promises something.

Quickly walking inside the store, I can hear some chatting of patrons, the shine of the store ever present. Of course, everything is overly clean and organized. It’s true that I like luxury, but all the overwhelming colors seem like they’re trying to give people a headache. All the glass showcases hold the really expensive jewelry, tempting any person that comes in here without a mission. I, on the other hand, have a specific goal in mind. Walking towards the counter, I briefly look at some of the rings in the display before looking towards the woman behind the counter. Her hair has a shine that makes it look like she used some kind of product in it. As an added accessory, she has a couple of small gems glued to her face, adding to the store’s aesthetic.

“Welcome to the Crystal Empire! How may I help you today?” the woman asks in a kind and rehearsed tone. Every time I’ve come here, I’ve had to deal with the same few lines they’re trained to say. If I had to deal with the same clerk every time, then they would know me at this point.

“I have an order under the name Adagio Dazzle. It’s probably not in yet, but I just wanted to make sure,” I say quietly, pulling out a receipt from my bag. I wouldn’t usually be so straightforward, but at this point, I’m pretty tired of coming back to the same store every few days. Apple Bloom said an email would help me know when my order is ready, but I have no idea how to operate that. Sunset could probably teach me since she has to use an email for her school activities. Then again, what would I check my email on? I don’t have a computer and my phone is an old flip phone that can hardly operate the few apps it has.

“Alright, let me check on that for you! It will take a few minutes, so please be patient,” the woman says slowly, taking my receipt and walking into the back of the store. I’ve been through this song and dance before. Every time, they walk into the back and go check their stock, making sure my order isn’t there. They take about five minutes before they finally come back just to tell me the bad news that it isn’t here. Is it really that wrong of me to hope it’s here by now? Taking a deep breath, I look around the store, noticing the multiple people looking at the jewelry displays. Most of the people are grouped into twos, making them look like couples scouting out some pieces they could try to buy. On the other hand, some people are alone, looking at the selections with a nervous or concentrated expression on their faces. In one corner of the store, two women stand next to a ring display, looking down at the apparel. One of them has green skin and hair, some white in her hair that offers a good contrast to all the green. The woman she’s standing beside looks familiar to me for some odd reason. Her yellow skin and her pink and navy blue hair makes me feel like I’ve seen her before… Didn’t I see her at that ice cream shop a couple months ago…? It was right after that ball game that Rainbow Dash wanted us to go to. Her name tag said something like… Bon Bon? I can’t remember…

“Miss Dazzle?” the voice of the woman makes me look back to the counter, her hands holding a pink box. “Was this what you were looking for?” she asks me kindly, sliding the box across the counter and opening it in front of me. Inside the box, a gold chain bracelet shines brightly, a symbol of the sun interlocked with a musical note. The sun is a bright red gem and the musical note is purple, both colors contrasting the gold nicely. The red sun was inspired by the peculiar necklace Sunset owns that has an orange pendant with a red sun inside it. As for the purple musical note… Well, that was my contribution. I thought that since she’s given me so much to remind me of her, maybe it would be nice if she had something to remind her of me. Something she can look down at whenever she gets stressed and remember that I will always be here for her. Just like what I do with my scarf and my coat.

“Yes, it is. Thank you very much,” I say quietly, taking the receipt and the box from the woman. Closing the pink box, I put it in my bag before I walk towards the exit, looking at Bon Bon and the other woman one last time. It seems like a lot of love is going around this week. Now, all I have to do is wait until our anniversary. Only one question remains in my mind. Will she like it…? All I can do is hope that she will like the gesture.

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

The warm light of the sun spills into our room in the early morning. Sunset and I opted to go to bed early last night, so it’s not a surprise that I woke up a bit before the sun rose above the horizon. Despite the cool air in our room, I feel pretty warm, holding onto the one I love with a smile. Our white blanket covers the both of us, but the main heat I feel is from Sunset’s body. Despite the fact that I’ve been resting my head on her chest the whole night, she’s had no problem breathing. Her arms have never let go of me for a second and I can’t be happier for that fact. Her soft skin makes me want to stay here forever most days. Today is a little different though… As much as I love this embrace we’re in, we have a long day ahead of us. Full of surprises for each other.

Taking a deep breath of the one I love, I slowly push myself up, feeling my stiff muscles come to life again. The blanket slides down, baring my skin to a little more of the cool air in the room. I don’t usually like waking up so early, but my mind is too excited to wait any longer. This whole week, I’ve been counting down each second that passed by, making me anticipate this day even more. It’s finally here. It’s been a full year since I told her those three words. The words that ultimately changed our relationship and how we acted around each other. Looking towards Sunset’s face, a small smile is on her face, her eyes still closed. Slowly, her hand rubs my shoulder, clearly showing me she’s awake.

“How did you sleep, Alligator?” Sunset whispers, opening her eyes to look at me. Her soft touch makes my heart beat a little faster, a happy feeling coming to my mind. Seeing her in such a relaxed state makes me want to go back to sleep in her arms. Leaning down on my elbow, I gently kiss Sunset, laying my hand on her stomach.

“Not the best, but that’s simply because I’ve been so excited,” I whisper quietly, kissing her cheek slowly. Sunset giggles in response, clearly happy with the attention.

“Well, I’ve been excited too~ I can’t wait to see what you have in store for the day.” Sunset’s hand slowly strokes my hair, making me sigh happily. Again, a small part of me just wants to hold onto her and never let go. Just being able to stay with her. But today is about us. The whole day is ours. I made sure to get the day off. We have all the time in the world to cuddle, but this day is about us. We can cuddle later on in the day. “Alligator? Do you remember what happened a year ago?” Sunset asks with a dreamy smile on her face, still stroking my hair as gently as she can. That day was really emotional for the two of us. I remember almost every single detail like it was yesterday.

“Of course,” I whisper, slowly rubbing my hand on her stomach. “I had been avoiding you since Valentine’s Day due to the fact that I believed you deserved better than me. I woke up that day and found a letter in my mail slot. One with three different papers inside.” Remembering that time is… a little difficult. At that time, I was still heartbroken from pushing myself away from Sunset. The words “Read this if you still care…” are imprinted on my mind and I still can’t believe I hurt her that much… Her letter reminded me just how much I loved her and how I owed her a reason as to why I was pushing her away. “I read your letter and I wanted to talk to you just one more time. Just to tell you why. I didn’t want you to think it was your fault that I pushed you away,” I say slowly, my smile fading for a moment. “I didn’t think anything would come of it. I thought you would surely hate me. For loving you and pushing you away.” Looking down at Sunset’s stomach, I can’t help but frown at the pain we both felt when I pushed her away… It hurt us both so much and I realize now just how wrong I was to do that. “But the best part of that day was when I finally told you I loved you. Despite the fact that I was crying, it felt relieving to finally tell you this secret that had been on my mind for so long. I never knew that you loved me too.” A smile comes to my face, gently resting my head on her chest once more. Sunset, gently scratching my scalp, happily sighs to my answer. Her embrace holds me close and we both take a moment to just rest before we get ready for the day.

“You know what I remember?” Sunset asks me quietly, only the sound of our breathing being heard in our room. “I remember losing the person I loved, vying for one last effort to get you to talk to me again. Seeing you at the beach absolutely broke my heart. You were crying your heart out and all I wanted to do was comfort you again. If you remember, I did that a lot while you were healing from your head injury.” During and after. I remember it pretty well… Sunset was always there, making me feel better whenever she could. She even gave me the nickname Alligator due to how argumentative I was. All she wanted to do was comfort me. We cuddled, watched movies together and even slept in the same bed as each other that one time. It’s hard to forget those days. They were… really special to me. “Hearing you tell me in such raw emotion that you loved me, fully expecting for me to not reciprocate those feelings, made me feel so… conflicted. I felt sad for you and angry that you had pushed me away, but I felt so happy that we shared these feelings for each other. It was so nice to finally have you back in my life~” Sunset’s hand gently moves down from my hair to my back, holding me close to her with a happy sigh. “God, Alligator. I can’t believe it’s been a full year. We’ve had our ups and downs, but one year is still one hell of an accomplishment,” Sunset tells me with a giggle, happy about this special day of ours.

“Especially for a siren and a pony of all things. Who would have thought I would lay a pony?” I tease her quietly, sitting up in our bed with a stretch. Certainly not Aria or Sonata. I had no intention of being romantically involved with anyone, much less a pony.

“No no. It’s not ‘lay.’ It’s ‘making a nest,’ isn’t it?” Sunset tells me with a teasing tone, pulling herself off the bed and giving me a wink. Her messy hair only adds to how cute she is.

“You remembered?” It’s surprising that she remembers something so obscure about siren culture. Then again, I barely told her anything about it in the first place, huh…? I just figured she would forget after a while. It’s been months since I told her that and we never talked about it again.

“Of course~ I wouldn’t forget something so important to my Alligator~” she tells me with a giggle, resting her head on my shoulder. “Though, I have been curious about sirens recently. Would you mind telling me a little more?” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but smile at Sunset’s request to know more about me and the culture I was raised in. I know a lot about pony culture, but it’s always nice to learn something new from her.

“What would you like to know?” I ask her quietly, trying to remember everything I can in case she asks me a really random question.

“How did your magic work? Was it just the ability to influence others’ minds?” Sunset asks me quietly, her hand slowly grabbing my own, crossing her leg with mine. Sitting on this bed, both of us disregard the light of the sun, making this moment our own. We have the whole day to ourselves after all.

“No, not necessarily. Sirens had just as many spells as unicorns. We could cast runes and incantations for practically anything, the more powerful spells only being accomplished by higher level sirens.” Taking a deep breath, I try my best to remember what it felt like to have that kind of power. The ability to bend my words and tune, sewing magic into the world itself… “We could do such things as simple as summoning fire or as complex as astral projection. Tell me a spell and we could probably do it. Except for time travel,” I say quietly, remembering one of Sunset’s stories from Princess Twilight. Apparently, she had gone through multiple time travel adventures. Sirens never found out a spell for that. “We could slow down time though.” Sunset moves her head off of my shoulder, looking at me with a shocked expression as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Wait. What the hell? Why didn’t you use that when you were fighting us?” Sunset asks me quickly, curious to hear my response.

“Well, our powers were weakened a lot of the time we were here, making us usually resort to just manipulation tactics. It was only in the final battle that we could use our other spells effectively. Hence why you saw us in our siren forms and why we moved so fast. Of course I slowed down time in multiple instances during that battle. It was my ego that caused our downfall.” Bringing my finger to Sunset’s chin, I give her a wink, chuckling at the thoughts in my head. “I was using my top spells and you still beat me. Proud of yourself?”

“I’m more confused as to how we won in the first place,” Sunset tells me with a conflicted expression, presumably thinking about our battle.

“It’s due to that ‘magic of friendship’ or whatever. I feel icky just saying that,” I tease her with a chuckle, giving a fake shake to act disgusted at the thought of friendship. Slowly getting out of the bed, I walk over to the dresser, opening the shirt drawer.

“And let me get this straight. You could only keep this power by feeding off of negative emotions?” Sunset asks me with a confused tone to her voice, making me stop in my tracks. Huh… Of course those stupid unicorns never bothered to learn our magic down to its true roots. Instead, that old fool Star Swirl the Bearded opted to just banish us to another world without magic. Maybe they were too intimidated to dare try and figure out our magic from the inside out.

“Sunset, don’t believe that nonsense. The unicorns who wrote that down were utter fools,” I state quietly, pulling a shirt over my body slowly. “Wouldn’t it be disadvantageous for a species to solely rely on negative emotions? We could feed off of any emotion. Happiness. Sadness. Love. It was all power to our magic, but those damned sorcerers believed they understood us without taking a moment to actually study our magic.” Turning around to look at Sunset again, I take a deep breath to calm myself down. There’s no use in thinking about that stupid wizard again. What happened can’t be undone. Besides, being banished to this world turned out to be a gift. I got to meet Sunset and fall in love. “In short, we can feed off of any emotion we desire. Negative emotions are especially potent though due to their more volatile and pure forms. Think of anger as a… meal from a five-star restaurant. It’s a lot more filling and makes you more satisfied. Now think of happiness as a meal from a fast food restaurant. Not exactly the best, but it will do.” Anger especially was pretty pure in its expression. Sadness could be felt in different ways, just like happiness or other emotions. Anger, on the other hand, is almost universally felt in the same way. Pure, unbridled anger. It was a pretty powerful source of energy for our magic. Not using our magic didn’t mean we would lose it necessarily, but we would lose our talent at it. Magic is like any skill. You need to practice to keep it.

“Oh? I suppose the wizards working in Canterlot didn’t really know as much as they thought they did. Though, now I’m curious. You mentioned fire before. What was your word for it?” Sunset asks me with the same curious look in her eyes, not moving from her spot on the bed. Fire. Huh… It’s been a while since I thought of the siren language. I haven’t had the need to use it at all, but remembering it is almost… nostalgic.

“Rodon. The word for fire is rodon. So, if you wanted to say ‘the fire in my heart,’ you would have to say ‘rodon nayva.’” Forming a small heart with my hands, I smile at Sunset, seeing her enthusiasm to learn more. “Love is very similar to the word for heart. The word we use for romantical love is naytra.” Sunset’s eyes widen upon hearing my explanation, standing up slowly.

“If naytra is the word for love, then… how would you say ‘I love you’?” Sunset asks me quietly, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. Her eyes never break away from mine, her warm smile making my heart skip a beat. I know just where she’s going with this and I can’t help but find it endearing. It’s pretty nice to teach her these new concepts… To share a part of my life that I don’t get to talk much about. Most people don’t even know I’m a siren and the people that do aren’t really interested in it. Moving my hand up to her cheek, I slowly press my lips against hers, a smile coming to my face.

“Naytra ven tru. That’s how you say it,” I whisper after our embrace, the feeling of her lips lingering on my own. For a moment, the two of us swing back and forth, just looking into each other’s eyes. Sunset’s smile gets bigger after my statement, giggling to herself as we stand here.

“Then naytra ven tru too~” Sunset tells me with a teasing and loving tone, clearly aware the last word of her sentence isn’t in siren language. So, grammatically, it doesn’t make sense, but the intent is what matters. I can’t help but chuckle at her words, pushing her away slightly.

“Enough about this though. We should get ready now. I have somewhere to take you after all~” I tell her with a wink, reaching for the drawer with my shorts.

“Hmm? Alright, if we must~ How should I get dressed?” Sunset asks me, looking towards the closet before giving me her signature mischievous grin. “If you want me to get dressed at all~” Throwing a pair of shorts at her, a small sound of a thump can be heard as it makes contact with her face, doing little more than confusing her.

“Nothing more than casual. You’ll see once we get there~”

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

“So, why are we going to Rarity’s store?” Sunset asks me with a curious hum. Her voice smoothly flows through the warm air of the morning just as a car drives by. The trees sway back and forth slightly, giving the day a more magical feel. The casual sounds of the city accompany us with each step of the way. Sunset’s assumption about our destination is actually false. There’s a different reason I decided to bring us this way. Of course, there are dozens of stores in this part of the city, but it is understandable that Sunset would make a rationalization about the pretty odd route we’ve taken thus far. Each car that passes by serves as a small reminder of just how packed the city is. Regardless, it isn’t that difficult to pass by other civilians and make our way towards our destination.

“We’re not going to Rarity’s store. Unless you’re dying to see her today of all days. I figured today would be focused on the two of us,” I tease Sunset with a smile, holding her hand as we walk. Normally, we would take the motorcycle to get to our destination a lot faster, but I had a very particular route in mind. One that ultimately required us to walk here. Especially since the last time I made my way here, I was on foot. Why not tie it in to that emotional irony and walk here again instead of driving?

“Then where are we going?” Sunset asks me with a small giggle, clearly confused about my decisions.

“You’ll see soon enough~” My answer isn’t a lie. In fact, we’re getting close to the store I decided to bring us to. Sunset will learn exactly why I had chosen this route and the location as soon as she sees it. At least, hopefully. I can’t help but feel nostalgic on this walk, remembering a time that was a long time ago. It feels like a hundred years, but I suppose that’s normal when you change a lot. Change is always a weird subject. In one way, I feel like I’ve changed every aspect of my being, but another part of me feels like the exact same person I was before. Just a bit kinder and more empathetic. And without the lust for power… Regardless, I may have changed, but the city sure hasn’t.

Turning a corner pretty swiftly, I see Rarity’s store in front of me. We’re pretty close. As I said before, we aren’t stopping at her store. Instead, we’re going a little further down the street. Passing by Rarity’s boutique, Sunset’s eyes trace the windows, probably looking for our friend. Once again, a confused expression comes to her face, looking back at the boutique and then to me. I know this route is confusing, but it will all become clear in just a minute.

“I am so confused. Where are we going that requires us to go pretty much right next to Rarity’s-” Sunset stops mid sentence upon us coming to a four way stop light. Her eyes look straight ahead and her mouth hangs open. Hopefully, that’s a sign that she remembers the place exactly like I do. In front of us, there’s a store right on the corner of the block on the other side of the street. It’s pretty obvious from one glance that this place is a coffee shop.

“Do you remember where we first hung out as friends?” I ask her quietly, both of us crossing the street as soon as it’s safe to do so. Sunset doesn’t respond for a moment, looking towards the shop’s doors with wide eyes. It seems that she remembered it as soon as she saw this location.

“We went to get coffee together,” Sunset tells me in a low voice, surprised that this is the destination I decided on. Opening the door for Sunset, the sound of customers inside is pretty nostalgic. Of course, the location smells of all kinds of caffeinated beverages, giving it a happy atmosphere. Well, it’s a happy atmosphere for everyone else. Just like the last time I was here, the overwhelming smell is almost sickening to me. The buildup is just a lot to take in. Regardless, it’s nice to be here again. “You were asleep on that counter,” Sunset tells me quietly, looking at the counter with a smile on her face. I remember it like it was yesterday. The barista asked me multiple times what I would like to order, but I told her I was waiting for someone else. I even mistook Sunset’s tap on my shoulder as another barista, making me seem a little pathetic on my part.

“That weird route we took? It was the path I walked when I came here the first time,” I tell Sunset before grabbing her hand, walking over to the counter. Obviously, we didn’t go all the way back to my old apartment, but we did walk the majority of the path here. I thought it was pretty nice to go the exact way I did more than a year ago. Meeting Sunset as her friend for the first time here was really nice. Now, we’re girlfriends, coming back to the same cafe just to capitalize on some old memories. What can I say? It’s nice to do something like this? Especially on our anniversary.

“You walked all that way just to see me?” Sunset asks me with a surprised expression, both of us sitting down at the counter. Thankfully, the store isn’t that full, so only one other person is at the counter, sitting a couple seats down from us. That walk back then was made out of desperation. The little hope I still had in the universe was placed in this last ditch effort to make a friend. To find happiness in the dark life I was leading. Now, I’ve found more than happiness.

“I was serious when I told you I wanted to be friends,” I tell Sunset with a wink, leaning slightly on the counter. “I was willing to walk a long way to see you and give your advice a try. That should say something about my commitment, huh?” Looking towards the barista, I politely ask for two black coffees before she says anything, remembering the exact order that Sunset asked for back then. I remember almost everything Sunset has told me about herself. How can I not? It’s an important part of her and forgetting those aspects would only make me a bad friend. And partner…

“This really is the perfect way to start off the day,” Sunset says slowly, her eyes looking around the shop with a smile on her face. Bringing her hand to mine, she smiles at me with a flushed expression. “Why am I not surprised that you would think of something so sentimental?” It’s not like I try to think of sentimental things. I just get ideas that would be nice to experience with her. I suppose it's mainly based on nostalgia. Okay, fine. I do think of sentimental things, but I can’t help it.

“The way you’re reacting to this makes me really curious to see what you’ve planned~” I tell Sunset quietly, teasing her about the upcoming day. I’m sure I will love whatever we will do today, as long as we do it together.

“You’ll see, Alligator~ You’ll see~”

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

The city’s sounds get busier as we approach the more populated areas, cars passing by and people walking down the sidewalk is a common occurrence. There are so many mixed smells, combining the best and worst parts of the population in one fell swoop. Thankfully, we aren’t that far away to our next destination. Once again, this is something I planned, but after this, I will be following Sunset for a change. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what she has planned, but I’m also excited to see what she thinks of this. This part of the city is filled with businesses and high price buildings, making it a super busy place at almost any hour of the day. I suppose that means it’s a blessing we didn’t take the motorcycle. We would be stuck in traffic for hours.

“So, my Alligator brought us to get coffee to start off the day. I’m pretty curious to see what you’ve got up your sleeve now~ I’m willing to bet it’s something sentimental again,” Sunset tells me with a giggle, her eyes looking around at the tall buildings. Seeing her wonder and excitement makes it all worth it in the end. All the time I spent anticipating this day is finally paying off and I get to see every moment of joy in her eyes. It’s almost as powerful as the time I gave her that present a little more than a year ago… I felt so happy. My heart was beating so fast and it felt like my world was filled with blinding lights of beautiful colors. That feeling of pure joy has returned and I can’t help but wish that this day will last a lifetime. Sharing this happiness with her is so… wonderful~

“Well, you’ll see in just a second. We’re almost there,” I respond to Sunset with a smile, trying my best to withhold the urge to cry. This feeling of happiness in my heart is so… overwhelming. So wonderful, yet hard to manage. I’m barely able to hold back the tears, her warm smile striking my heart just a little more. Looking away to keep any form of composure I have, I take a deep breath, walking us through another crowd. We’re almost there. I’m so happy that Sunset has been enjoying this day so far~ Turning around a corner, I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, looking towards the building I’ve brought us to. “Sunset. Welcome to the Gamepad Emporium~” Aiming my hand towards the three story building, Sunset’s jaw drops even further than it did when she saw the coffee shop. A look of pure shock and confusion sweeps over her face, her mouth fruitlessly trying to form words.

“I-I… How… What? Huh?” Sunset barely says, sounding as if she’s a broken toy. “Adagio. That… is the biggest arcade in the whole city… It takes months to get in line to get tickets! Not to mention the tickets are so expensive… You’ve got to be joking, right?” Sunset asks me in disbelief, still trying to comprehend this whole situation. In truth, it does take months to even be let in. There’s a waiting list and time slots for each party that goes in there. Multiple well-known celebrities have visited the arcade and boasted about their time there. The tickets are pretty expensive, but the bigger problem is waiting. Almost every time the arcade opens time slots for another party, the tickets are bought out pretty much instantly. Only about thirty people are let in the building at a time and if there’s a cancellation, you aren’t given your money back. I suppose the whole allure of the arcade is why it’s so sought after. For a music teacher, this feat would surely be impossible.

“Uh huh,” I say quietly with a nod, pulling Sunset along as we approach the building.

“Seriously, what are we doing? You didn’t get us a reservation, right…? Adagio, this place is… it’s an arcade heaven. All types of games from the past and present are kept here. It costs so much and takes so much time to even get here…” Sunset’s tone is full of doubt and reluctance to believe that we’re actually going to go inside this building of fun and excitement. Honestly, her doubt is understandable. It’s hard to believe something like this would be possible at our financial level right now, but it’s still happening nonetheless.

“Let’s just say that I saved up for months for this day~” I whisper into Sunset’s ear, walking towards the building’s entrance. The outside of the building has bright blue and silver colors, sporting a more sci-fi appearance. With the budget to keep a three story arcade this exclusive, it’s not surprising they had enough money to stylize the outside. Due to the building’s exclusivity, there’s not a line in sight. The only hurdle to us getting inside is a man in a suit standing beside the entrance. In his hand, he holds a clipboard with a frown on his face, seemingly tired.

“Wait… Did you really…?” Sunset asks me slowly, a shocked and conflicted expression coming to her face. Months ago, she was so embarrassed to go to an arcade in a mall, fearing that someone in college would be too old to play those arcade games. Even though she’s only in her early twenties, she’s afraid she would be invading the space of teenagers today. I don’t give a fuck whether the high school kids look at her weird, she deserves to play the games she wants. Sunset has been sacrificing her own wants and needs for far too long. So, wouldn’t it be nice to get her a chance to play at the highest sought after arcade in the whole city?

Walking up to the man, he holds his hand out for us to stop, looking at the clipboard. “Do you have a reservation?” he asks me, clearly ready to either check us in or turn us back around. Pulling a piece of paper from my pocket, I hand it over to him, seeing his eyes look back and forth between the clipboard and the receipt. “You’re the reservation under Adagio Dazzle?” he asks me quietly, responding to him with only a small nod. As soon as he asks me this, Sunset’s eyes quickly look over to me, all sense of doubt erased from her mind and being replaced with joy and conflict. “Go right on ahead,” he tells us, giving me the receipt right before opening the door for us. As soon as we take our first few steps inside, the bright lights and loud music of an arcade hits my senses. If it wasn’t for this place’s highly sought after image, I would dare to criticize them for the lights, but regardless, it seems like a lot of fun. The whole building is practically one large room, cut up into three stories. At the center, there’s a marble statue of the arcade’s logo, opening up to the other floors above us. From what it looks like, there is some natural light on the statue, so I can only assume the opening goes all the way to the roof. Surely they would have a window there, right?

“Adagio, how much did this cost you?” Sunset asks me with a weak voice, her eyes looking around at the arcade with tears slowly falling down her cheeks. I just hope those tears are from happiness more than anything else. From the way she looks at the arcade machines and games, it looks like she can’t believe she’s actually here, able to play in the largest arcade the city can offer. The only kinds of teenagers here are the ones who would have enough money to afford a ticket to this place, so most of the people here are our age or older. No one here would taunt her for enjoying a simple game.

“Don’t worry about it, alright? I promise I could afford it without going into debt.” Bringing my hand to her cheek, I make her look at me, giving her a smile. “Today is about us. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just focus on playing whatever games you want to, okay?” Gently wiping away the tears from her cheeks, Sunset presses her forehead against mine, taking this moment to breathe.

“You’re so thoughtful, Adagio~ You remembered where we had coffee and that I like arcades, so you went above and beyond to give me just that. Thank you~” Sunset whispers, holding onto me with a big smile on her face. Being able to give her the same happiness she gave me all that time ago is the best feeling ever. She deserves the world~

“Thank me by beating me at a hundred games,” I tease Sunset, not exactly confident in my own abilities to win at these games. Sunset giggles in response, brushing her hand through my hair.

“We’ll see~”

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

The air feels so much cleaner here… Almost as if it’s made fresh just for the two of us. The wind feels so nice on my face and I can’t help but enjoy the scenery. The leaves in the trees rustle and the grass sways from side to side. I honestly didn’t expect this would be somewhere Sunset would want to take me, especially after the time we had at the arcade. Sunset’s plan is a lot simpler than my own. She decided that what she wanted to do with me is eat somewhere outdoors. In other words, she wants to have a picnic. As the perfect scenery, Sunset picked the Apple Family orchard to set up our picnic. Lots of open space and shade, so it gives us the perfect opportunity to have a fun and relaxing meal.

Leading us further into the orchard, Sunset stops at a clearing right next to one of the apple trees. A bright smile spreads across her face before locking her eyes with me, holding the basket up to eye level. “Do you like this spot?” Sunset asks with a cheerful tone, holding my hand a little tighter. Something about her energetic enthusiasm makes me feel so happy to be here. Even though we’ve never had a picnic before, I can’t help but feel like it’s magical nonetheless. Everything with her feels so nice… Going to a ball game, getting ice cream, holding hands, movie nights… Every moment with her feels like I’m living the best life I can. Sunset clearly put a lot of effort into this idea and I’m sure I will love it.

“It’s perfect,” I whisper, staring into her kind eyes. The spot and this moment in general are perfect. The double meaning of my statement seems to allude Sunset as she sets the basket on the ground, unfolding a blanket with ease. It doesn’t take long for the blanket to be set on the ground, both of us sitting on it and taking a moment to watch the opening. Gently grabbing the basket, Sunset opens it with a smile, looking towards me with a wink.

“I didn’t know what you would like, but I took a good guess~” Reaching inside, Sunset passes me a sandwich that’s inside a ziplock bag. I can’t help but feel relieved to see that the materials she used to make this didn’t consist of peanut butter. Back when I was working in that godforesaken night club, the only thing I could afford to make was peanut butter sandwiches. Needless to say, the taste has run sour with me at this point. If I never have to eat peanut butter again, it will be way too soon… Instead, Sunset made my sandwich with ham and cheese. Ham is my favorite lunch meat out of all of them, but that’s hardly a challenge when turkey tastes stale or has a certain tang to it. Thankfully, Sunset knows exactly what I like.

“You asked me some questions earlier today. I think it’s my turn to ask you some,” I say quietly, taking a bite out of the food Sunset made me. The cool wind brushes the hair out of her face and it feels pretty relaxing to sit and enjoy it like this. Bringing her sandwich to her mouth, she bites into it and hums quietly, swallowing it within a couple seconds.

“You have questions for me?” Sunset asks me with a coo to her voice, clearly amused that I would be curious about her as well. “Go ahead~ What do you want to know, Alligator?” This peaceful time of the day gives us the perfect atmosphere to have this picnic. I never suspected that this would be something she would want to do with me, but it’s pretty nice~

“You were a pony in Equestria, but in this world, you have no problem eating meat. Doesn’t that cause a bit of confusion?” Sunset’s eyes widen to my question, looking up at the sky for a moment. The shade of the tree falls on her face and a smile crawls across her lips as she looks up to the clouds. Each moment that passes by feels more beautiful, seeing her enjoy every second of the wind and the sun.

“Honestly? Yeah. Sometimes it does make me feel awkward and weird. Especially since cattle were just as intelligent as us in Equestria, but here? I guess it came naturally?” Sunset shrugs her shoulders slightly, taking another bite of her sandwich before taking a deep breath of the fresh air around us. “At first, I tried being vegan, but my taste buds changed when I came here. Combined with the fact that not every place offers vegan or vegetarian meals, it kind of just changed naturally. The people who made lunch at school only offered food with meat in it some days, but yeah. I guess it’s just normal for me now.” Reaching her hand up to the sky for a moment, Sunset sighs happily, leaning her back against the tree. “That’s not something I regret though. I genuinely tried and I realized that it’s not for me. Fluttershy is still a vegetarian though.” Honestly, that fact doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. She’s always loved animals and found value in all kinds of life. Her being a vegetarian is something I kind of expected from the start.

“If you don’t mind me asking, does it ever cross your mind that I’m a siren? I mean, you know that, but have you ever thought how it would be if we were back in Equestria?” The fact of the matter is that the two of us are completely different species, both transformed into humans by this world. Sometimes, it feels a little weird to me to think that I’m literally in a relationship with a pony. A creature that is… by all intents and purposes, the complete opposite of my species.

“Oh? Well, sometimes, yeah. I actually find it a little comical~ Thinking about me, a small pony, dating a larger than life siren. It’s only because of this world that we’re the same species by technicality, which makes our relationship pretty odd, huh? I’m not even sure this sort of outcome would have ever happened in Equestria,” Sunset tells me with a smile, finishing her sandwich with a cute and wholesome expression written across her face. “Honestly, that’s one of the reasons I’m so glad we both met in this world. I… never would have had you in my life otherwise. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me.” Sunset locks her eyes with mine, giving me a nervous smile after her statement. For some reason, those words cause both of us to feel a little nervous, my cheeks instantly flushing. Breaking her eye contact from me, Sunset reaches for the basket to get some of the other food she packed inside, only for me to grab her hand gently.

“Sunset,” I whisper, bringing her hand closer to me. “I’m just as glad as you are.” Those words she said to me felt so… nice. So kind and full of purpose. She really values every moment we spend together and it shows through her actions. Gently, I press my lips against her hand, looking up at her and enjoying the flustered stare. “I love you so much too, Sunny~”

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The clock is getting ever closer to five… That’s the time the piano recital begins and I can’t help but feel a little anxious, worried about how Sunset might react to it all. Sunset hasn’t spent that much on our anniversary, focusing on the more sentimental items. Yet here I am, apparently trying to show her up… I just hope she doesn’t feel insecure. I have enjoyed everything she’s done for us. She got us an opportunity to watch the first romance movie we watched in a theater she rented. She even took me bowling and I have enjoyed every single moment with her. Now, there’s only one more thing we are going to do before we go to the recital. I have no idea what it is, but that’s to be expected since she kept everything else as a surprise. Regardless, she’s been leading me into a part of the city I’m pretty familiar with.

“We’ll be done with this before four, right?” I ask her quietly, trying to make sure the two of us can get ready before we go to the recital. As much as I try to be calm about this endeavor, I can’t help but hope that this won’t last two hours. I put a lot of effort into planning our evening out. Just… try to relax, Adagio. I’m sure we will be able to make it. Enjoy this time you have with her. This is a day all about us, right?

“Don’t worry, Alligator~ We’ll have plenty of time to go home and change for whatever your plans are~” Sunset tells me with a wink, still leading me down the sidewalk. Sunset only knows that I have been planning our dinner plans and related activities for weeks now. The only thing I told her about my plans is that it would probably require a more elegant attire. I guess that’s why she wanted us to try on dresses a week ago… Thankfully, not many people are walking in the city at this time. Cars are pretty absent as well, giving Sunset and I some time to ourselves. Even though it’s pretty bright outside, the wind is still cool. I thought it would get pretty warm throughout the day, but thankfully, that didn’t happen. This part of the city is a place I’ve memorized, recognizing almost every corner. The only question that’s still in my mind is, “Why are we here?”

Leading me around a corner, I can already tell where we’re going. In just a few minutes, we would be approaching Garden Hooves Park, making me a little curious as to why we would be going to this park. It’s not like we’re going to pass it. It’s a pretty emotional place for me since a lot has happened there. Sunset knows this. She’s heard all the stories I’ve had about this place and she’s even come with me a couple times. I’ve had antics with Apple Bloom at that park. I had long conversations with friends there. And I overheard Sunset’s friends’ doubts on Valentine’s Day there… Regardless, that place is full of memories and I should have expected Sunset to capitalize on that.

Walking right next to the park, Sunset looks inside with a smile, turning her gaze to me and nodding to the park. “Are you ready?” she asks me quietly as if her plan was something I needed to prepare for. What is this summer mist planning?

Giving Sunset a smirk, I take a step inside the park, chuckling to myself. “I’m always ready, Shimmer~” I state confidently before locking my eyes with hers once more, giving her a small wink. “As long as it’s with you~” Sunset blushes to my words for a moment before giggling, holding my hand just a little tighter.

“Good~ I hope you will enjoy it then,” she tells me with a proud look on her face, leading me further into the park. The playground is surprisingly empty, just like the rest of the park. The tables with the overhead roof are still here, just like the last time I was here. Honestly, not a thing has changed. I almost expected things to be a bit different since Sunset has put so much effort into this day. I wonder why she’s bringing me here. And why I need to be ready for it.

“The last time I was here, the Crusaders were trying to find Applejack’s dog. It was a long search, but we eventually found her. The funny thing is that she wasn’t anywhere near here. She was close to Equestria World,” I say with a small laugh, remembering the adventure that Apple Bloom dragged me on. “The time before that, Rainbow Dash and Applejack brought me here after we celebrated Dash’s interview with her college. We didn’t really do much other than talk, but it was still pretty emotional for her.” Walking towards one of the tables, Sunset and I sit down, looking out at the rest of the park.

“It was pretty impressive that she decided to apply to college~ She was so close to her team, but then she decided to leave due to that whole ordeal with steroids and such. I’m glad she confided in you. I just wish I could have seen her hurting before,” Sunset tells me quietly, shrugging slightly. Honestly, that feeling is understandable. Sunset has been Rainbow Dash’s friend for longer than I have, so it hurts her that she couldn’t have seen Dash’s pain.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. I don’t think anyone could tell something was wrong. Dash is pretty good at hiding her pain, so the only way we could have known is by her telling someone.” Patting Sunset’s shoulder, I see Sunset nod slowly, happy to hear my reassuring words.

“Yeah, you’re right. Still. I’m glad that you have gotten to know all my friends~ It took a lot of work, but it’s really nice to see you getting along with everyone. You’re part of the friend group, you know?” Part of the friend group. For some reason, I can’t help but feel a little surprised to hear that. Yeah, I’ve gotten to know everyone, but I thought I was still kind of like an outsider and such. It’s nice to hear that they consider me a part of the group after everything I’ve done. Before I can respond, Sunset wraps her arm around me and happily sighs, resting her head on my shoulder. “Anyway, are you ready for your surprise?” Sunset asks me again, confirming with me that I’m actually ready. Giving her a small nod, Sunset brings her phone out of her pocket, tapping the screen a couple times before turning it off once again. A small part of me can’t help but feel a little anxious about what this surprise is going to be…

Despite the fact that the park had been pretty quiet thus far, a rhythmic squeak can be heard somewhere around us. Every couple of seconds, the same sound would echo and I can’t help but feel like I’ve heard it before… It’s not the sound of a theater curtain being pulled back, but it sounds like a wheel. Why can I recognize this sound? It takes me a moment before I can finally tell where the squeaking is coming from. Looking towards the entrance to the park, my eyes instantly widen. What is she doing here? Walking towards the entrance, Apple Bloom enters the park with her wagon behind her, her bow slightly bouncing on her head with each step. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that wagon… But why is she here in general?

“Hi, y’all! Did someone call for the Crusader Delivery Service?” Apple Bloom asks us as soon as she gets close enough to us, a box as big as my lap sitting inside her wagon.

“Delivery service? What is this about?” I ask the young cowgirl with a raised eyebrow, confused about her wording.

“Eh, it’s another attempt to find my meaning in life. And my big sis said I need to get a job since school’s about to let out and all,” Apple Bloom says with a slight shrug, an annoyed look on her face due to her sister’s demand. “Anyway! I hear today is a special day~” Apple Bloom gives me a cheeky wink, knowing exactly what this day is all about. If anything, she was the biggest force in getting me to confess my feelings to Sunset. Even if it was after my attempt to push her away. “I have a package from a Miss Sunset addressed to a ‘cute Alligator,’” Apple Bloom reads off a message on the box, acting as if she’s a real mail carrier. The name “cute Alligator” almost makes me blush, knowing exactly who put that down. Sunset has really gone all out on this anniversary, huh?

“Thank you, Apple Bloom. It’s nice of you to help Sunset with this,” I tell her quietly, accepting the box and resting it on my lap.

“It’s not a problem~ You two enjoy your day now, alright?” Apple Bloom states with a smile, turning her wagon around. Normally, the young cowgirl would have no qualms staying around to talk some more, but this time, she seems pretty self-aware of how special this day is for the two of us. Instead, she opts to leave us alone, giving us a small wave. “See ya!” Without saying another word, Apple Bloom runs towards the entrance to the park, the squeaking of her wagon following her. The box in my lap doesn’t feel as heavy as I thought it would. Regardless, I wait until the squeaking of Apple Bloom’s wagon fully disappears before I dare to open it.

Gently dragging my fingers along the box, I can’t help but wonder what’s inside. “Open it already~” Sunset tells me with excitement in her eyes and smile, clearly anxious to see what I think of her gift. I wasn’t planning on doing something like this until later. I wanted to give her the bracelet after dinner, but… I suppose now wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t even expect for her to give me a gift after everything else we’ve done for the day. It’s… really nice. She’s put so much work into this day and I can’t help but feel… so thankful. I love her so much.

Opening the box, my eyes instantly scan the green fabric inside, making me feel a little confused. What is this…? A blanket? It’s too big to be another scarf. Gently, I grab the fabric, pulling it out of the box to examine it. The first thing that catches my eye is the pattern on the fabric… It depicts the imagery of scales running along the back. I can tell it’s the back due to the sleeves and the hood at the top, making me chuckle slightly. She got me a hoodie that’s like an alligator? Turning it around, I see the front of the hoodie has a lighter green pattern, symbolizing the belly of an alligator. On the right side of the chest, two letters are stitched in orange thread. A.D… She put my initials on this hoodie too…

Looking towards Sunset, I see her eyes looking at me with a happy smile, almost tearing up as the moment goes by. “Do you like it?” she asks me quietly, gently reaching out to feel the fabric of the hoodie. It feels really soft… Everything about this hoodie makes me remember a dozen memories, holding each of them as close as possible. “I know it’s not necessarily the best gift, but I thought that you’d be a bit cute, you know? I know you said you didn’t mind the nickname, but I hope this isn’t too much-”

“Sunset,” I interrupt her, gently grabbing her hand with tears threatening to form. “I love it… I love it so much. You put so much thought into it and you gave me something that reminds me of all the times you’ve called me that name~ Thank you,” I whisper, bringing the hoodie closer to me and hugging it with a smile. This is so thoughtful. So special. No one else is allowed to call me an alligator other than her. It’s our thing. And because of that, this hoodie means so much to me. Taking a deep breath, I drop the hoodie back inside the box, wrapping my arms around Sunset. I’m somehow able to hold back the tears, despite every urge in my body making me want to cry from the overwhelming feeling of happiness. “Thank you~”

“There is another gift inside that box,” Sunset whispers with a giggle, returning the hug as happily as she can. Despite the fact that people may look at us weirdly for the nickname she gave me, I couldn’t be happier about it. Leaving our embrace, I feel a little curious to see what this other gift is that Sunset got me… Picking up the hoodie, I look inside the box only to see a shoe container inside, making me raise my eyebrow. Shoes? She’s already bought me these black boots I have on now. Or is it something else inside…? Slowly, I trace my fingers on the lid of the box, opening it with a curiosity eating at my soul. After removing the pieces of paper on top, I can’t help but take a deep breath, looking at the contents of the box. Inside, a couple of high-heel purple boots greet me, making my heart stop beating for a second. They look exactly like… “I saw them and I thought they looked a lot like the boots you wore when we first met~ I noticed that you didn’t really have those accessories anymore, so… I thought that maybe you’d like them~ Since they fit your sense of fashion exactly~” The only thing that makes these boots different from the ones I wore before is the lack of spikes on the back of the heels, but otherwise? They look exactly the same…

“I love them,” I say quietly, unsure of how I actually feel… How do I feel…?

“I know you’ve been dressing more confidently recently and all, but it’s just been my black jacket and some hair bands you’ve been putting in your hair. They’re not nearly as flashy as the stuff you liked before, so I thought that maybe this could be another good step to dressing as confidently as you can~” she happily tells me, proud of her choice of footwear. If she put so much effort into this choice, then why do I feel so hesitant to accept it…? It does fit my sense of fashion, but… Am I really ready to embrace that part of me again? I’ve been going with more tame clothes so far. Every time I look at these boots, it reminds me of the person I used to be. The one who tried to hurt Sunset and her friends. It’s something that haunts me… As much as I’ve been trying to be confident once more, I don’t know if I’m ready for this yet.

“They’re great,” I whisper, feeling the shoes with a hesitant touch. They feel just like the ones I had… It’s as if she took them straight from my past self. The evil siren I used to be. Putting the lid back on and the hoodie back on top, I look towards Sunset with a smile, nodding quietly. “I love them, Sunset~ Thank you~ I actually have something for you too.” Reaching inside my bag, I gently pull out the pink box, seeing the curiosity grow on Sunset’s face.

“Oh? You didn’t have to-”

“Says the one who got me both a hoodie and a pair of boots,” I interrupt her, pushing her shoulder slightly. “Besides, I wanted to. It’s something that I had been thinking about for a while.” Truthfully, it has been something I’ve wanted to get her for a while. I wanted something she could have to remind her of me, but I never knew what would be appropriate to give her. I already gave her the jacket, but she only wears that when it’s colder or if she’s going on a rough adventure. It’s a durable jacket that can be easily cleaned, thankfully, but she doesn’t have something she can wear all the time to remind herself of me like the scarf she gifted me.

Handing her the box, I see Sunset’s surprise turn into a curious smile, gently feeling the surface with a small nod. Now it’s my turn to await her reaction to the bracelet, anxiously wondering what she might think of it. The last thing I would want is for her to be disappointed in it. It didn’t cost as much as other pieces of jewelry, so she shouldn’t be guilt-ridden about the price. Opening it slowly, Sunset’s face turns from curiosity to complete shock upon seeing the contents inside, her cheeks blushing almost instantly. For a few moments, she doesn’t move, just keeping her gaze on the gold bracelet with an ambiguous expression. Does she… like it? Did I get something that she doesn’t like? Maybe I went too far…? Please say something…

“You got me a bracelet?” Sunset barely asks me, gently removing the item from the box. Her eyes look at the piece, inspecting it from top to bottom. “Adagio, this is beautiful~” she whispers, a small smile coming to her lips. Slowly, a tear falls down her cheek before she wipes it away, her smile getting bigger by the second. “It’s perfect~ It wouldn’t have been right without the purple music note~” she tells me, pointing out the charm that’s supposed to represent me. Quickly engulfing me in a hug, Sunset holds me as tight as she can, grateful for the gift. “Thank you so much, Adagio~ I… I don’t know what to say! It’s perfect!” A few of her tears rub off on me, reaffirming to me just how much she enjoys the gift. I was hoping she would love it this much~ Returning the embrace with equal force, I can’t help but enjoy this quiet moment. I’m glad I could have gotten her a gift that would make her day like this, but the best gift is being with her in general. The best part of the day is yet to come, Sunset. Just you wait.

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

Unlocking the front door, Sunset and I walk inside, a part of me already feeling tired. I can’t risk letting myself listen to that part of me though. We have a whole evening left to go and I don’t want to miss a single moment of it. The door closes pretty easily, my hand quickly turning on the light to our apartment. Even though the evening is getting late, there’s still a lot left of our special day. Putting the box down on the coffee table, I take a deep breath before taking off my jacket.

“I suppose we’re going to get ready now?” Sunset asks me with a smile, making me nod slowly. Her fingers slowly leave my own, her body walking away from me. Both of us know what time it is and thankfully, we are prepared for the ensuing events. Both of us have a dress and I have our tickets tucked away safely in my bag. Kicking off my boots, I follow Sunset towards our room, stopping just short to walk inside the bathroom entrance. Sunset looks towards me with a smile, blowing me a kiss as gently as she can. “I’ll see you in a moment then~” Is all she says before walking inside our room, closing the door behind her. She had purposefully kept the dress she’s going to wear a secret from me, making me wonder exactly what’s behind that door.

Closing the bathroom door behind me, I look at the shower, gazing at the hanger with a black cover on it. Before we left for the coffee shop, I put my dress in here, preparing for the night in advance. Regardless, the best part about this attire is that Sunset doesn’t have the slightest clue what it is. Walking towards the hanger, I gently take the black cover off of it, revealing a purple dress with a gold belt. Despite its simple design, it looks really pretty, almost shining in the light. One arm has a sleeve, leaving the other arm exposed to the elements. Regardless, it’s something that kind of fits my style at the moment. Sort of flashy with simple designs… Maybe someday I’ll get back to the full fashion sense I once had…

This dress, contrary to the ones I tried on before, actually fits my body perfectly. It should after all. Rarity put her talent into making it for me last minute. When I went to see her a few days ago, she absolutely refused to let me leave without a dress that fit me correctly. She called it a crime against our souls if I went out in a dress that wrinkled too much due to faulty placement for my body type. So, to the best of her ability, she made a dress for me within a couple hours, throwing together a simple, yet beautiful design. When I tried to pay her for it, she didn’t let me. All she told me was that the best thing I can do to repay her is by showing Sunset the time of her life. Otherwise, I have to give the dress back. I honestly hope she was joking about that, though…

Quietly removing my jeans, socks and shirt, I can’t help but take a deep breath, preparing myself. Picking up the tights I laid out beside the dress, I pull them on quietly, biting my lip in anticipation. I can’t wait to see what Sunset thinks of everything we’re going to do. The recital. Our dinner. A dance. I can’t wait… If it wasn’t for all the help I got from Rarity and Fluttershy, our anniversary wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting and amazing as it is now. Reaching up for the dress, I can’t help but admire just how soft it feels, making me feel even more guilty for not paying Rarity in the first place. She put a lot of work into this dress. All I can try to do is live up to it. On nights like this, I often ask myself how Sonata and Aria would look at me now… I can’t help but remember exactly how I treated them and how they would have reacted to my actions. They probably hate me… Even though they sent me postcards for a while, it felt more like an obligatory gesture, just trying to burn down the bridges between us as kindly as possible. Even though we left on bad terms, they still felt the need to send me those updates. I never bothered to send one in return… Besides, they would probably get lost since their postcards were never sent from the same address more than once.

I couldn’t ever tell what was actually going on in their lives… Aria would only buy generic cards and write her name in them before sending them to me. Sonata would put a sentence wishing me well, but not much more than that. All I can hope for is that their lives are going well. A part of me will always wish to see them one more time, just to talk and apologize for my past actions. Regardless, they would probably find my current life either pathetic or weird. Me, the leader of the sirens, in a relationship with Sunset Shimmer. Honestly, it does sound weird, but that’s how life has unfolded for me.

Slowly putting my hair back up with a hair band, I finally look in the mirror. It looks… amazing. It fits me just right and it’s just the right shade of purple, making me feel a little more confident in myself. It looks stunning… For a moment, I start to believe everything Sunset’s told me about how beautiful I am in her eyes. Hopefully, she thinks the same of this dress.

Slipping on a pair of high heels, I take a deep breath, opening the bathroom door with a small smile on my face. “I’m ready,” I call out, watching our bedroom door for a reply.

“Just give me a moment!” Sunset’’s muffled voice tells me, the sound of hurried movements making me chuckle slightly. The intention wasn’t to make her hurry. I was just trying to tell her that I’m done so that she doesn’t have to wait on me. I don’t mind waiting for her to finish getting dressed. I mean, both of us are trying to look nice for each other, so there’s no point rushing that process. Within a moment though, the door opens, Sunset quickly stepping out and brushing the hair out of her face. The dress she has on shimmers red, flames extending up from the bottom. Instantly, I recognize where I’ve seen this dress before, the memories of a night close to a year and a half ago coming to the front of my mind. A night full of neon lights, whiskey and confrontations. This beautiful dress she has on almost makes her look like she’s glowing, making me remember every single movement of that night she came to give me a bit of advice. Back then, I absolutely hated the dress, but now, I can see it for the beauty it is. Sunset’s nails shine a bright red, every part of her mimicking that night. It’s as if the Sunset from that time walked straight through time itself, appearing here. The only difference is the gold bracelet I gave her today. “I hope you like it? I don’t want it to cause any bad memories, I just thought that maybe it would be nice to be in the same dress I was a year and a half ago,” Sunset tells me softly, a slightly guilty expression coming to her face.

“You look so beautiful, Sunset,” I whisper without even thinking about it, the words slipping out of my mouth as soon as they can. Every part of her is so… perfect. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to look away from her right now. Everything about her standing there makes me feel so blessed to be with her… To be able to wake up next to her every single day and go to sleep with her in my arms every night.

“You look amazing too, Adagio~ Where did you get that dress…? It looks… stunning,” Sunset tells me quietly, clearly impressed with my choice of attire. Her eyes wide with surprise look at my dress, her hand slowly reaching out to me. Slowly, I respond to her longing touch, walking forward and letting her feel the fabric.

“Rarity made it for me last minute. She said it would be a crime if I didn’t have a dress that fits me perfectly,” I tell her with a quiet smile, bringing my hand to her cheek. Sunset blushes to my touch, both of us taking a moment to just stand here and admire each other. She’s so beautiful… “I wanted to look my best for you, after all,” I whisper again, the only sound in our apartment being our own quiet words. The world feels as if it’s revolving around us and I can only seem to look into Sunset’s eyes, both of us standing still.

“If you’re going to kiss me, then do it already,” Sunset whispers with a bated breath, her hands pulling my hips closer to her. The clock ticks by and it gets ever closer to five, but a part of me doesn’t care at this moment. All I want to do is to be with her, no matter what we’re doing. Slowly, I press my lips against hers, feeling the pure ecstasy racing through my veins at the touch. The taste of her cherry chap stick lingers on my lips, making me wonder if she put it on specifically for me.

“I love you,” I whisper between our kisses, Sunset never letting me go for a second.

“I love you more~”

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

The wind blows pretty fiercely outside, making me feel pretty happy that Sunset and I got here early. Opening the doors to the city theater, Sunset quickly makes her way inside before me, following her in without a moment of hesitation. The warm indoors feels much better than the cooler environment outside. Both of us decided to take the motorcycle here, but that didn’t turn out to be the best decision when it gets chilly in the evening. God, it was cold, riding that motorcycle… The city theater is pretty empty, considering the fact that a piano recital is happening soon.

Grabbing a hold of Sunset’s hand, I quickly walk towards the person attending the box office, reaching inside my bag. “Hi, I have two seats for the recital. I was wondering if we could go ahead and go to our seats before everyone else gets here?” I ask in a quiet and kind tone, noticing the woman looks tired beyond her years.

“May I see your tickets?” she asks me in return, her voice sounding like she absolutely doesn’t care about anything anymore, but she’s still going nonetheless. Sunset looks at me with a confused expression, still unsure why we’re here.

“Wait. A recital? What’s going on, Alligator?” She asks me with a curious tone just as I hand the tickets to the woman, a chuckle coming from my lips. She doesn’t know what this is about… She doesn’t know what recital is happening and she is unsure why we’re here in general. Holding onto her hand a little tighter, I give her a reassuring smile, letting her know that she’ll find out soon.

“You can go in,” the woman tells us in the same tired voice, handing me back our tickets. I can’t help but feel a bit excited that we can go ahead and sit in our seats, avoiding the major crowd that will be here any minute now. Quickly walking towards the door of the theater, I let Sunset inside first, following her in. The theater seems so much bigger than I had ever imagined… Bright red curtains, carved structures in the walls. A hundred or more rows of seats. All of it makes the atmosphere feel majestic and magical. Seeing Sunset here is perfect~

“Why are we here, Adagio? I mean, you’ve kept it a secret from me the whole ride over here. I think it’s about time I find out what we’re doing here,” Sunset tells me with a smile, a curious look still in her eyes as we make our way down the aisle.

“Well,” I whisper, chuckling at Sunset’s confusion. “There was a pianist who was coming to the city and it just so happens that they are doing a recital here.” Sunset’s eyes instantly look toward me with a surprised glance, unable to say anything for a few moments.

“Wait… We’re here to attend that recital?” she asks me slowly, still seemingly in disbelief at my words. I find it a little funny that she is still surprised at this point. I’ve already blown her mind a few different times today, but her pure joy and surprise is so cute and I love it. The blush on her face doesn’t go away as she looks around the theater, tracing the walls and the stage. This same blush only intensifies as we go further down the aisle, her face telling me she notices how much closer we’re getting to the stage. “Y-you got us tickets to a piano recital…? Really?” she asks me quietly, still in disbelief we’re here.

“We’re here, aren’t we~?” I ask her with a teasing tone, giggling at her tone for a moment. Since we got here early, there’s practically no one here other than a couple people at complete opposite ends of the theater. Sunset tugs on my hand, stopping in the middle of the aisle suddenly and making me look back at her. “Is something wro-”

My mouth instantly shuts as I see a few tears stream from Sunset’s eyes, her gaze locked with mine as a wide smile crawls across her face. Instantly, my heart stops, my mind running crazy with thoughts about this whole situation. Even though she’s smiling, it still concerns me to see her crying. Did I say something…? “Adagio,” she whispers, barely able to speak. “How many things did you plan for this night? Why did you go through so much trouble just to make sure everything about this day is perfect for me?” she asks me quietly, quickly grabbing me in a hug tight enough to stop my breathing. “I barely did anything compared to you. I took you to a couple places, but not nearly as fancy as this or as thoughtful as this. I told you I wanted to go to a piano recital like five months ago, but you remembered that,” she whispers into my ear, a happy tone in her voice making her sound overwhelmed.

“Sunny,” I respond in an equally quiet tone, holding her gently and feeling pitiful for Sunset’s clearly guilt-ridden mindset. Running my fingers through her hair, I gently shush her, pulling her along. “Your gifts to me were just as emotional for me and I loved every second with you~” I reassure her, walking closer to the front of the audience seating. Drying her tears with my thumb, Sunset giggles slightly, walking close to me. Her emotional state makes me want to protect her even more than usual.

“I know you liked them, I just feel a little guilty I didn’t think of doing something this nice for our anniversary,” Sunset tells me with a shrug, a smile still on her face at the fact that we’re here. “I mean, at least we’re not in the front row. Then I won’t have to feel so bad~” Sunset pushes me slightly, her words making my eyes widen slightly.

“Yeah, about that…” Sunset’s expression turns from happy to surprised once more as we make it all the way to the front row, a sheepish grin coming across my face. “We are sitting in the first row. So…”

“And now I feel depressed and guilty again. You just have to keep one upping me, huh?” Sunset asks me after taking a deep breath, both of us walking over to our seats and sitting down in front of the stage. Giggling at her statement, I can’t help but find this whole situation humorous, holding her hand gently.

“Then how about you just try to enjoy the performance and we’ll see what the night brings,” I whisper into Sunset’s ear, hearing more people walk into the theater. It’ll be filled soon, so these are the last few moments we have alone. Taking the moment, Sunset presses her lips against my cheek, giving me a kiss full of emotion. Is this her way of thanking me…?

“Deal~”

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

The sound of the waves from the ocean make this walk feel more magical, the bright light of the moon bouncing off of the water’s surface. Despite the fact that Sunset and I are still wearing our dresses, she insisted on coming to the beach, giving me one of those irresistible looks again. Our dance and dinner was just as great as the recital, pouring our hearts into our conversations and actions. That dance floor probably never looked as good as it did with us swaying from side to side on it. I could almost swear other couples were staring at us. Regardless, I wouldn’t have denied Sunset this request, even if I wanted to. I enjoy this beach just as much as she does, making it feel almost poetic that our anniversary gets to end where our relationship started.

Taking a bite of the cherry cheesecake, a big smile spreads across my face, grateful that we decided to bring along our desserts on our walk. For a while, I was a little afraid I wouldn’t be able to get a piece of this heavenly food today, but those fears were vanquished as soon as I saw the menu. That was the first thing I looked for when I picked it up. It’s not every day that I get to eat some cherry cheesecake. It wouldn’t have necessarily ruined the anniversary for me if I couldn’t get it, but it’s a nice bonus regardless.

“You seem to be enjoying your dessert~” Sunset coos as we walk along the sand, taking our time to take in the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. She’s right. I am enjoying it to my fullest, not daring to swallow for at least a moment. Every moment of this otherworldly taste is another moment of bliss. Every day of my life since my magic was taken away, I had to be tempted by the dessert, knowing I couldn’t afford to get it. Now that I finally have a job and an apartment that lets me save up a little of my money, I can get this treat for myself, but that wasn’t always the case.

“What can I say? It’s my favorite food and I don’t get it very often. Bite me,” I mock Sunset in a teasing tone, laughing to myself slightly. As a response, Sunset pushes me with a roll of her eyes, joining me in my laughter. I’m glad that Sunset likes my sense of humor. It would be pretty hard to joke with her if she didn’t. Especially since my humor airs on the bitchy side rather than jokes dads would say. I can be quite rude when I want to be, but I suppose it really depends on if the person knows my sense of humor and my personality. The only one close to being the same amount of bitchy I am is Rainbow Dash, but I think I’m still winning that competition.

“I mean, I have bitten you~ You didn’t seem like you hated it though~” Upon hearing Sunset’s teasing remark, I almost gag on my bite of cherry cheesecake, making Sunset laugh a little harder. I’m usually the one making innuendos, so when she makes one, it catches me off guard. It’s a good joke though.

“Why did I not expect that?” I ask after swallowing my bite, looking up at the sky and feigning a sigh. Even in small moments like these where nothing else matters other than our playful jabs at each other, I feel so lucky to be with her. It’s like every part of her completes me, complimenting my more brash and confident demeanor with a funny and wise outlook from her. Spending one full year with her has been really… amazing. I’d never trade it for anything else. I don’t care what treasures any god could offer me. None of them could be as amazing as her and the time we spend together~

For a few moments, silence passes between us, our walk down the beach never faltering. When we were first getting to know each other, I would have been nervous about silences like these, but it isn’t that big of a problem anymore. Now, I can sort of tell her thought processes without either of us saying a word. I know she’s probably thinking of something sentimental to say right about now. She always does on long walks like these. Taking another bite of my cherry cheesecake, I aim my gaze towards Sunset with a curious look. Her face tells me she’s content, but… there also seems to be some conflict in her eyes. Is something wrong…? I thought our anniversary was everything she could have wanted.

“Alligator,” Sunset says slowly, closing the takeout box with her cake inside. Her lips open hesitantly as if she wants to say something, but she can’t seem to find the nerve. What do you want to say, Sunny…? I always want to hear what she has to say, even if it turns out to be bad news. She trusts me enough to know that by now. “What do you think of a year? You know, since you’re thousands of years old,” she asks me with a melancholy tone to her voice, looking up to the sky.

“A year?” Honestly, the concept of a year is a little weird for me… In some aspects, it seems like a small, miniscule spec on my lifetime, but in other ways, it also feels like a long time. “I guess I would say it feels like a long time ever since my magic was taken away.” It’s a pretty interesting thought. A little more than two and a half years ago, I lost my magic at the Battle of the Bands, so a lot has happened within that relatively short amount of time. I went through poverty, shitty jobs, bad living situations, gaining friends, feeling happy, switching jobs and even falling in love with one of my friends. So much has happened and yet, it still feels like it’s a short time if you just classify it as a couple of years.

“So, our relationship has been a long one in your eyes?” she asks me in the same tone as before, her eyes still looking up at the stars. Her questions seem like they’re leading to some point, but it’s too vague for me to actually tell what she’s trying to say.

“I suppose so,” I respond with a slight nod, walking closer to Sunset to try and calm her just in case she’s feeling depressed. “It has been a pretty long year, huh? With everything that happened between us and your friends. How can it not seem like a long time?” Sunset nods to my question, gently pressing her shoulder against mine with a slight chuckle.

“I guess I’m just a little conflicted. This day has been so special and I have loved it so much, but is one year really that much of an achievement?” In a moment, I can understand Sunset’s conflict. In a way, she’s right. In some regards, it isn’t that big of an achievement, but for us, we wanted to have a big celebration.

“We wanted to do this. Isn’t that what matters? Having a big celebration because we wanted it?” I ask her quietly, closing my box as well. Sunset nods in agreement, sighing to herself. Once again, a small silence passes between the two of us before Sunset grabs my hand, leading me over to a bench.

“You’re right. And I should stop being a coward at this point,” she says with a deep breath, motioning for me to sit on one end of the bench. Cowardly…? What is she talking about? How in the world could she consider herself cowardly when she saved her school from magical threats countless times? If anything, she’s usually pretty brave.

Sitting down next to me, Sunset holds my hand and looks in my eyes, not saying a word for a few moments. Both of us sit in the light of the moon, looking into each other’s eyes and I honestly don’t know what I should think. What is so important that she needs to tell me? From all her actions, it’s pretty evident she has something on her mind. What is it?

“Adagio, I have a question I want to ask you,” she tells me as quietly as a mouse, a nervous look in her eyes and the shaking of her hand making me aware of just how anxious she feels. She’s asked me tons of questions before. Her actions are the reason I feel a little worried about this question in particular. It’s as if she’s afraid to say the words in case it’ll change our relationship forever, but what kind of question would do that?

“What is it?” My question prompts Sunset to remove her hand from my own, waiting a moment to take a deep breath.

“Well, I… You know how much I love you, but I want to reaffirm that notion. You mean the world to me,” she tells me with a warm smile on her face, seemingly getting rid of her hesitation. Putting our desserts on the bench, Sunset reaches towards her bag, biting her lip slightly. “I… really do love you. With all my heart. Our relationship has meant the most to me for a long time now, despite the fact that it’s only been a year.” Reaching inside her bag, Sunset slowly pulls out a black box, making me raise my eyebrow. What is that…? It looks familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve seen something like it before… Sunset’s eyes widen as soon as she says those last few words, the conflicted expression coming back to her face. “Despite the fact that it’s only been a year,” she repeats herself in a whisper, talking to herself for a moment. Sunset’s eyes look down at the peculiar black box and back up at me, biting her lip and trying to force herself to say something, but no words come out. “I… It’s too soon,” Sunset whispers again, tears coming to her eyes as she pushes the black box back into her bag.

“Too soon?” I ask her in response, pulling her into a hug as soon as I see the tears. “Sunset, what were you going to ask me?” Sunset shakes her head quietly, not saying a word to me for a few moments. Instead, she holds it all in, taking deep breaths.

“It’s… It’s nothing. Don’t worry. I was just being an idiot, that’s all,” Sunset tells me quietly, trying to wipe the tears away.

“Sunset, you’re not an-”

“One year is a long time, but I’m sure we’ll last for many years to come. There’s no need to rush anything, right?” Sunset asks me with a small smile, the light of the moon reflecting in her eyes. Wiping away her tears, Sunset tries to take deep breaths, making me wonder what made her act this way. She was sad just a second ago… But if she’s sure she feels better… That question she had on her mind can’t seem to leave my mind though…

“Yeah, we don’t have to rush anything~”

Water's Benefits

Author's Note

DISCLAIMER: This chapter includes a reference to dementia in passing when referring to an elderly person. Since this hits too close to home for some people, I figured I should make a warning.

Water's Benefits

Chapter IV: Water’s Benefits

“Are you going to be in there forever? We’re going to be late~” a sweet voice calls out for me from beyond the bathroom door. The warm water falls down onto my shoulders, my hair soaked from the previous twenty minutes. I’ve been in here for twenty minutes…. Twenty minutes of roaring water and racing thoughts… No matter how I try to block them out, they keep coming. Water is the most thought-provoking element in my life. It was where I was born and I can’t help but feel at home in it. The longer I stay here, the more my fingers prune up. Yet I find it hard to actually step out. Was she born in it as well? Was that demon also born in the water or was she born in fire?

Pressing my hand against the shower wall, I take a deep breath, sighing as the water runs along my back. She’s been more and more persistent lately. Popping up at the most inconvenient times. She made me leave Apple Bloom abruptly when she and I decided to hang out together. All the time she appears, I have to make some stupid excuse as to why I was acting uncharacteristically. The worst part about it is that she acts exactly like me with Sunset. She can’t tell the difference at all. This demon in my mind has been impersonating me, sweet talking Sunset, only to change her demeanor as soon as she’s alone. I’ve been able to stay present when she’s in charge more often, seeing exactly what she’s doing. Every single time she is in control, she does something completely random. Searching up Egyptian mythology, capitals of the world, and even the types of witchcraft there are in the world. How in the world do those things connect?

One thing I noticed she had tinkered with was… that. The broken red gem inside my shoebox of personal belongings. I don’t know why I kept it around, but I noticed that she had messed with it. She must have given it up after a while though… Not a single piece is missing. All 47 pieces are there. Why do I even have that number memorized…? Maybe because I had hope that maybe I could repair it back when I lost my magic. Surely she would know that it isn’t repairable. Right? She seems to know everything I do, so why mess with it? Unless there’s some way that it connects to her plans…

“Honey? Are you there?” the same voice calls out for my attention, making me open my eyes with a sharp breath. Clenching my fist, I shake my head, trying to get the demon’s chuckle out of my mind.

“Yeah? What is it, Sunny?” I ask in a loud voice, trying to speak over the water. I kind of forgot what she said before… Can I really be blamed? She has been in my mind for far too long and I need to get her out.

“I was just saying we’re going to be late if you stay in there much longer,” Sunset repeats herself with a concerned tone to her voice, a slow silence following after her sentence. “Would you feel better if I joined you? If the nightmares are-”

“It’s alright. I’ll be out soon, I promise~” I interrupt the love of my life, looking directly into the shower’s wall. The blurry and vague reflection of me only makes my resolve to beat this siren queen in my mind stronger. It’s the middle of July… A full year since she started to invade my mind. Unless you count the nightmares I had before. Sunset was mentioning nightmares… That’s what I’ve been saying whenever I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about the siren taking control of my body. The truth is that this nightmare is no longer a dream. It’s become a reality.

“Alright~ Maybe next time,” Sunset tells me with a cheeky tone through the door, making me sigh quietly. All these fun times with Sunset mean the world to me. She means the world to me… That’s why I need to get to the bottom of this. To protect her…

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

Slowly getting off the motorcycle, I look towards the beach with a deep breath, remembering Sunset’s last birthday almost a year ago. Today, we agreed to meet with her friends to go swimming and honestly? I’m a little excited. The swimsuit Sunset tried on in the mall all that time ago never got to be used. Until now. She looked great in it back then and I doubt anything has changed since then. From here, I can see our friends already setting up their towels on the beach, a pink blur running around the shoreline for some random reason. The white woman with purple hair is setting up a whole chair with an umbrella, making her space seem much more sophisticated than everyone else’s. To be honest, I’m a little jealous.

“Excited? I can’t believe we’ve never gone swimming before~ We’ve been dating for more than a year and that’s something we still haven’t done,” Sunset tells me with a happy chuckle, holding a duffle bag with all our swimming supplies in one hand and her helmet in the other.

“I’m especially excited to see you put that swimsuit to use~” I tease my Sunny with a short laugh, making Sunset roll her eyes with a smile on her face.

“I know, I know~ You like looking at my body. Just remember that I’m not the only piece of eye candy here, Alligator~” Sunset tells me with a wink, nudging me with her shoulder. Instantly, a small blush comes to my face without my control, making Sunset giggle a little more. It’s always easy for her to make me blush and feel flustered… Regardless, her statement does make me feel a little better that I can look good for her too. It’s ironic that I talk a big game, but as soon as Sunset sways her hips and uses a sweet tone in her voice, I’m putty in her hands. Thankfully, she doesn’t use that power for evil.

Shaking my head slowly, I try to get rid of the blush before the two of us get close enough for our friends to notice. Approaching the beach, I can see everyone either getting ready to swim or trying to rest in the shade. Fluttershy is close to the beach, crouching down and looking at the sand. Pinkie Pie, however, is rushing around the beach, seemingly picking up all the pieces of trash she can find. Pinkie’s randomness being used for a pretty good deed. Huh.

“Hey, guys!” Rainbow Dash calls out to us, causing the rest of the girls to look in our direction. Applejack almost instantly stands up from her towel, putting down the sun screen she was just lathering on herself. Twilight gives us a wave with a big smile,

“Hello, darlings~ I was wondering where you were,” Rarity tells us with a slightly dramatic tone, playing up her worry and resulting in an eye roll from Rainbow Dash. Before anyone else can say anything, Applejack walks towards us with a smile, patting Sunset’s shoulder.

“Heya, girls~ Glad ya could make it! Do you mind if I borrow Adagio for a moment?” Applejack asks, cutting straight to the point, but what that point is remains unknown to me. Sunset’s eyes connect with mine, a sense of shared confusion between the two of us. At this point, I can almost tell what Sunset is thinking about when she looks at me like that. This time, I’m sure I didn’t do anything wrong. At least, I’m ninety percent sure. Right?

“Alright? Well, I’ll see you in a minute then,” Sunset says with a confused tone, giving me a small kiss on my cheek before walking away from the two of us. Sunset opts to talk to her friends a bit before going to the closest bathroom to change into her swimsuit. Reconnecting my eyes with Applejack’s, I can’t help but notice her serious gaze.

“Okay… What did I do?” My question is filled with a tone that sounds tired, feeling exhausted that I always seem to be doing something wrong. Every corner I turn, there’s yet another thing that I’ve done that comes back to bite me.

“Ya didn’t do anything, sugarcube. Well, at least I hope not,” Applejack tells me slowly, leading me away from the beach to avoid the others from overhearing our conversation. I’m either about to be scolded or she’s about to deliver some difficult news. I’m not sure which one is better if I’m being honest… “It’s more about what ya haven’t done.” I can’t help but raise my eyebrow at Applejack’s statement, looking back at our friends briefly as the worrisome thoughts fill my mind once again.

“Okay. Then what did I not do?” I ask slowly, wishing the cowgirl would just get to the point already.

“Adagio, I’ve been trying to ignore it as best as I can. You wanted me to drop it, but I can’t. It’s been a full year and I… I feel worried about ya, sugarcube,” Applejack tells me with a concerned expression, putting both of her hands on my shoulders. “A year ago, we moved your stuff from Filthy Rich’s place back to your apartment and I really need to know what kind of business you had with him. He’s not good news, I’ll tell ya that much.” Suddenly, the memory Applejack is referencing comes back to my mind, making me realize just what she is talking about. I never told her the extent to which I used to work for Filthy Rich and that’s probably been eating her up from the inside out.

“Applejack. I’m fine, really. You don’t have to worry-”

“Damn it, Adagio. Don’t tell me that,” Applejack says in an angry tone, letting go of me and walking a few steps away from me with a huff. “Don’t ya know it’s my job to worry? I have to worry every day about the farm, Apple Bloom and now Granny. All I want is to know how exactly you’re connected to him, sugarcube.” Applejack’s hand comes up to her hand, clearly annoyed by my dismissal of her worries, but I can’t help but wonder why she would be stressed out over her grandmother…

“What’s going on with your grandmother…?” I slowly ask her in response, seeing Applejack’s expression turn from annoyance to hesitancy.

“Quid pro quo, Adagio. I already asked ya a question I’ve been waiting a year to ask. I would really appreciate hearing about your connection to that man,” Applejack tells me with a deep breath, looking back towards me in an attempt to restart the conversation. In a way, I appreciate Applejack’s concern for my safety… It shows that the two of us have come a long way since a year and a half ago. Back when she hated me…

“Alright… You want to know the story? I’ll tell you everything. I promise. Just… not here, alright? How about this Friday? I can make some time for us to be alone and I’ll tell you the whole story there.” This statement seems to please Applejack slightly, her expression telling me she’s not exactly happy that she can’t hear it now, but she seems to enjoy the outcome regardless. She isn’t the type of person to “look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“Fine. If ya promise, then I suppose that will do. As long as I get a straight answer, then I’ll be happy.” Hearing Applejack’s words, I can’t help but chuckle slightly, finding humor in her choice of words. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe no one else would think of this, but it’s pretty funny to me. Applejack, in return, looks confused. “What’s funny?” she asks me with a raised eyebrow, looking around her to see if something near her is causing my laughter.

“I just thought about how funny it is that you always want a straight answer or solution, but you, in fact, are not straight~” I tease the cowgirl with a short chuckle, an odd look coming from Applejack that can only be described as “Really?” After a minute, Applejack chuckles with me, shaking her head.

“I guess you’re right about that. Though, I already get a lot of jokes like that from Rarity.” The cowgirl looks towards the beach and subsequently her girlfriend, smiling to herself. For a couple moments, the sound of the ocean fills the air between us before I can remember my previous point of interest.

“Do I have to wait until Friday to hear what’s going on with your family? If it’s as private as my story, I would understand.” Honestly, Apple Bloom told me during the school competition of hers a year ago that something was happening in her family, but it was said in passing and I didn’t really have much time to address it then. It honestly makes me pretty curious. That combined with the fact that Apple Bloom hasn’t had much time to hang out anymore makes me a little worried. It’s the middle of summer and she’s in high school. She should have all the free time in the world.

“Nah, I guess not. I mean, it is pretty big, but I can sum it up in a few words,” Applejack tells me quietly, a small tone of uncertainty lingering in her voice. With a deep breath, Applejack connects her gaze with mine once more, a solemn smile spreading across her face. “Let’s just say I’ve been the head of the farm for a while now. Granny hasn’t been remembering things that well and she’s made some crazy demands that even she would have called insane just a few years ago. Such as painting the trees a different color.” Applejack tries to lighten the situation by making a joke, but it falls flat pretty quickly. I think both of us can tell just how serious the situation is and I can’t help but wait in morbid silence.

“What’s happening exactly…?” I ask her quietly, trying to be careful about potentially stepping on a sensitive area. Applejack shakes her head slightly, a pained sigh escaping her lips as she does so.

“The doctor said that she’s showing early signs of dementia… There’s hope that the new medication she’s on is the cause of this confusion, but we’ll have to wait and see.” Applejack idly kicks a stone away from her, the expression on her face telling me it’s a hard truth for her to admit, but maybe it also helps to talk about it… Rather than keep it inside.

Resting my hand on her shoulder, I do my best to give her a kind smile, trying to sympathize with her current situation. I’ve never had a family member that had to go through something this painful, but I never really had a family to begin with. Now, the closest person I have to family is Sunset. “I’m sorry you’re going through this, Applejack. If there’s something I can do to make it better, just tell me. I’ll be there as soon as possible.” The cowgirl returns my smile, gently grabbing my hand with a nod.

“Thanks, Adagio. There’s not really much ya can do. Other than holding yourself to your promise. Either that or help with Apple Bloom sometimes. She’s a handful that I sometimes don’t have the patience to deal with.” Applejack waves her hand in the air as if she’s describing Apple Bloom’s carefree nature in a gesture. Honestly, as much as Apple Bloom may pretend she doesn’t have a care in the world, I kind of doubt that. She probably deals with a lot behind the scenes…

“Speaking of Apple Bloom, where has she been recently? She’s been really busy, despite the fact that it’s summer.” Usually, the rascal is nagging me to help her with some school assignment or do some random thing that only makes sense to her. Why do I even go along with her antics? It’s probably because I care about her in a way and seeing her happy that I get to spend time with her isn’t something I get to see every day. It’s not as powerful as seeing Sunset’s happy smile, but it’s still nice.

“She’s been visiting Diamond Tiara a lot lately… I don’t necessarily think she should be doing that due to Filthy Rich and his slimy nature, but I suppose it’s a good deed. Helping someone in a time of need.” Applejack shrugs to herself with a conflicted expression. A part of me can understand how she feels about this odd situation. I can admit Filthy Rich isn’t the best influence, but at the same time, I don’t think he’s the type of man to jeopardize his daughter’s only friendship. From what Apple Bloom told me, Silver Spoon used to be her friend, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. I teach the girl every couple of weeks and it seems like she dropped Diamond Tiara as soon as she wasn’t popular anymore… It’s unfortunate. Diamond Tiara can’t control her sickness. Kids can be cruel to each other…

“I don’t think Rich will be a bad influence for your sister. He surely knows that Apple Bloom is Tiara’s only friend at this point,” I tell Applejack with the best reassuring tone I can muster, rubbing her shoulder. Applejack nods slowly, giving a doubtful yet understanding smile as best as she can.

“Just remember to keep your end of the bargain. I want to know about your business with Filthy Rich.” After a couple moments, Applejack flicks her hand a little, dismissing me. “Alright, that’s all I wanted to talk to ya about. You should probably get changed. Wouldn’t want to swim in that jacket, right?” Applejack teases me, both of us laughing shortly. Taking a couple steps away from the cowgirl, I give her a small wave, feeling glad that the two of us had this conversation.

“I’ll see you in a minute,” I remark, heading in the direction Sunset walked off to. A smile spreads across my face, thinking about the upcoming day. At least we got the tough conversation out of the way before anything else~

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

The sun beats down on everyone, but this environment makes it feel bearable. The mixture of fun games and water makes me feel more energetic than usual. Rainbow Dash’s insistence on playing volleyball and Fluttershy’s quest to find more shells for her collection are just two parts of the fun day in the sun. Everyone has their different definitions of fun, but at least they can all mesh together here. Even Rarity has had fun swimming with the others, despite her less than enthusiastic response to getting her hair wet.

The best part about the day has been the downtime I’ve gotten with Sunset, briefly wading in the water with her and talking about mindless subjects. It doesn’t matter what we talk about honestly. Just being with her is nice, seeing the water shine on her skin and her clear joy. Her smiles and laughs every time we splash each other makes me feel like time itself has slowed down just so I can enjoy the moment for a little while longer. Every smile seemingly captured like a photograph in my mind.

For now, I have to deal with the water dripping from my hair as the two of us stand on warm sand. Sunset’s hand holds onto mine as she talks with the man inside the ice cream shack, my ears not picking up a word she says. Instead, my focus is on her beautiful eyes, full of hope and life. Despite the fact that her hair is pretty much soaked, she still looks just as amazing as ever. Her jokes and optimistic outlook never fail to make me feel comfortable and at ease, being like a summer breeze in my mind. Once upon a time, it felt weird to hold her hand like this. It felt like I was doing something wrong, but now? It’s just second nature to us. In no way does it remove the effect it has on me, calming me down from essentially anything.

Hell, even my insecure thoughts about the siren queen locked inside my mind are easily soothed by her smile. Her words of reassurance instantly make me believe there’s some way out of this mess. There has to be, right…? There has to be some logical answer to help me take care of this… Life wouldn’t give me this great relationship with Sunset only to take it away with these bad circumstances, right? Then again, maybe I shouldn’t tempt fate with thoughts like that…

“Thank you~” Sunset tells the man with a smile, letting go of my hand to grab the two ice cream cones. I used to feel sad whenever she would let go of that embrace, but now I know it’s only a matter of time until she can hold my hand again. Turning away from the ice cream stand, Sunset hands me the vanilla cone with cherry syrup, once again getting what she deems to be my favorite. Sunset’s smile brightens up when she locks her eyes with mine, the sun reflecting off of her wet hair. “Nothing like a little refreshment after all that exercise, huh?” The light of my life simply licks her ice cream with the joy of a child on their birthday, enjoying every second of the day that she can.

“True, but it’s nothing compared to you,” I whisper in response, still simply trapped by her happy smile. I’d do anything to make her feel this way forever… To make her happy for multiple lifetimes, all because her happiness means the world to me. Sunset’s cheeks blush to my words, but instead of looking at me in disbelief, she simply kisses my cheek in gratitude.

“Well, I’ve enjoyed being with you too, Alligator~” Sunset coos with a happy tune, pressing her shoulder against my own. The warm sand under our feet gives us an incentive to keep walking, ignoring the sight of our friends. As much fun as it has been to hang out with everyone, sometimes, it’s nice to ignore them for a few minutes. Licking my ice cream, I take a deep breath and enjoy the fresh air, holding her hand once more.

“I’m just glad I could be free to come here today.” My statement carries two different sentiments. For everyone else, I simply mean I’m happy to be off work today, but for me? My life has been a constant fight for control lately. Every day, I can’t help but feel worried that she might take control and make my life even harder. The worst part is that I can’t tell anyone, so the best way I can express my sentiment is by saying I’m free for the day. Free from her influence.

“Is work being that difficult for you?” Sunset asks me quietly, seemingly picking up on the discomfort in my voice. Sunset’s concerned gaze looks towards me as we walk, enjoying her treat every now and then. “You know, if you’re not happy with it, I could help you job hunt and make a resume. I-”

“It’s not that,” I interrupt her with a smile, nudging her. “I’m fine. I like teaching kids how to sing since it gives me an excuse to involve myself with music even more. It’s just been busy lately since school is about to pick up next month and my boss is trying to find ways to make more money.” Fancy Pants has given me the latest news about the studio whenever he can and honestly? It’s been losing money for the past year, regardless of what Fancy Pants has tried. I have had multiple ideas that couple draw in more customers, but he hasn’t listened to me thus far. This latest venture is just one example of him trying something new to make the studio profitable again.

“Well, if you ever need to talk about it, just remember that I’m always here for you~ No matter what it is~” Locking eyes with Sunset again, I can tell the genuine tone to her statement, her warm smile reassuring me just how much she loves and cares about me. Regardless, I can’t talk to her about everything… There’s one thing I can’t tell her under any circumstance, no matter how much I may wish to tell her. She can’t know about the other version of me… The siren queen inside that has been taking control. She told me that Sunset would be put in danger if I ever tell her about this current situation we’re in. As much as it hurts to lie to her once more, I can’t tell her… She wants me to be truthful with her and she wants to be here for me under any circumstance, but I can’t risk talking to Sunset about this.

“I know. I would tell you if something is bothering me, I promise,” I lie to her as naturally as ever, not looking away from her for a second. Licking the ice cream again, I can’t help but feel a slight pain inside, wanting to let loose and tell Sunset about this danger. I’d never put her in harm’s way though…

“Can I talk about something that’s been bothering me?” Sunset asks me plainly, almost done with her treat as we walk ever closer to our friends. Stopping us in the middle of the beach, Sunset makes sure we’re out of earshot before looking back at me.

“Of course? What’s going on, Sunset?” My heart beat speeds up slightly upon watching Sunset’s conflicted smile, wondering what could be going on inside her head.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but… are you still having hallucinations?” Sunset asks me with an insecure tone to her voice, her eyes never breaking from mine. At this point, Sunset had finished her cone of ice cream, holding my hand with both of hers. “The last time we talked about it was a few months ago and you said it wasn’t affecting you so much anymore. You told me it wasn’t a problem and… I don’t know. It felt like you were brushing it off without taking my concern seriously.” Sunset shrugs her shoulders slightly, trying to express her feelings in the best way she can. I didn’t even know I had made her feel like I was disregarding her or that her thoughts didn’t matter… That wasn’t my intention at all. I can’t really talk to her openly given our current situation, so I had to make some excuse to stop talking about it. “I still think we should have Twilight study your symptoms and all, considering your past experiences with head trauma…”

“Sunset, I really am fine,” I tell her with a soothing tone, giving her the kindest smile I can. Despite my expression, my soul feels like it’s on fire to lie to Sunset like this… To tell her that everything is alright when it clearly isn’t. “I’m so sorry I disregarded your feelings before. I haven’t had a hallucination in months. Especially one regarding the evil version of myself.” Why do I have to be forced into this situation…? Her innocent expression of concern rips into me every second and it tears me apart to not tell her the truth… God damn it… “If you still want me to consult Twilight, I will, but I don’t think I need to since I’ve been fine for a long time now~ Especially with you by my side~”

Sunset’s expression lightens upon hearing my words, her smile getting ever bigger. “That’s… really nice to hear~ If you’re sure you’re doing better, then I won’t push you to consult Twilight.” Sunset giggles slightly, getting closer to me and surprising me by pressing her lips against mine. This kiss is filled with… conflict… As always, it feels so nice, but a part of me can’t enjoy it when I know that the reasons behind this embrace are lies. Everything I just said there was a lie just to get her off the trail… She’s bright enough to still be worried about the hallucinations and I shouldn’t be surprised. She’s always been smart, but please… Don’t get involved in this, Sunset…

Breaking the embrace, I force us to continue our walk towards our friends, trying my best to stop the conflict inside me. “Speaking of Twilight, you promised you’d be on her team for the next volleyball match, right?” I ask her as nonchalantly as possible. Hopefully, I can steer the conversation to a different topic and avoid it.

“Oh? Yeah, I did~ I totally forgot about that. Do you want to play with us? You’re pretty agile after all~” Sunset’s statement ends with a wink, her cute smile almost convincing me to take her up on the offer just to have a little more fun with her. Unfortunately, I need some time to myself after all that lying…

“I don’t think so~ I kind of want to just float by myself for a few minutes if that’s alright?” An understanding expression sweeps over her face before she nods, bringing her hand to my cheek.

“Alright~ Don’t spend too long in the water. You wouldn’t want to get too much water trapped in your ears~” Once again, Sunset’s statement is said in a caring tone, brushing the hair out of my face. She’s always looking out for me and making sure I am doing the best I can. Which is why it hurts even more to lie to her…

Taking the last bite of my ice cream cone, I give Sunset a nod, finally letting go of her hand. “I’ll only be in there a few minutes, don’t worry~” Sunset gives me a wave that lasts a little longer than usual, blowing me a kiss as we go our separate ways. Walking towards the ocean, I can’t help but wish that no one will bother me for this little endeavor. All I want is a few minutes to myself.

Easily, the water flows around my feet, getting deeper the further I walk into the silky smooth depths. Just as my hair started to dry, I decided to get myself wet again. What can I say? The water is pretty… nostalgic. At least, it is to me. The water is something that feels so natural. Even though it can be dangerous under the right circumstances, I never feel like I’m in any real danger when I’m wading in it. Even in the shower, water feels like a second home to me and it’s pretty obvious why. I was born a siren. Sirens are born in or near the water and my memories from being a siren are not gone yet. I may not have my magic, but that part of me still lingers.

Letting the water surround my body, I gently fall back into its embrace, instantly hearing the raging sounds of other people and the wind get deafened by a strangely lulling hum of the ocean. A soft, soothing hum of water fills my ears and it feels really… nice… Floating here without a care in the world. The nice soft touch of the water reminds me of a lot of different things. Hard situations or days I felt my happiest. The fresh air and the cool water make me feel at ease. Hopefully, I can find a way to tell Sunset the truth someday, but this is exactly what I needed to calm down. All the distracting sounds are deafened just like my thoughts… As much as I enjoy spending time with everyone, this type of bliss is what I’ve needed for a while now…

Within a moment, my body is pushed further into the water, something hitting my face at full force. Instantly, I can feel every part of my face turn to fire as pain registers on my mind. What…? My eyes open as quickly as they can, but I force them shut again due to the burning sensation of the water touching my eyes. Why am I in so much pain? What hit me…? Flailing my arms, I feel my body get more numb as the seconds tick by. Without my control, my legs instantly kick downward, pushing my body upward.

As soon as I can feel fresh air on my face, my body gasps in as much air as possible, water pouring from my hair. Everything still feels so numb and I can barely feel the air entering my lungs… What even happened…? Again without my control, my eyes open, water still trickling from my hair as my eyes look around. I’m… not controlling this at all… My body is moving on its own. No… Not on its own. Not again…

My eyes spot a floating volleyball in the water right next to me, my gaze instantly looking towards the beach. I can feel the roaring fire of a star stir inside me, despite the fact that I’m not angry… It’s her anger that’s in control. Not mine… I can feel her emotions…

“Who… threw that?” my voice lets out in a low growl against my will. I’m not in control of what I say… She is…

Everyone on the beach looks towards me with a concerned expression, but Rainbow Dash walks forward with a guilty expression, waving towards me. “Hey, Dagi! Sorry about that. I didn’t mean for that to happen! I hope I didn’t cause too much water to go up your nose?” Dash asks in the same obliviously kind tone she’s always used… She doesn’t know any difference between me and her, does she…?

“Rainbow Dash… Ever hit me again and you WILL regret it,” my voice states in a cold growl, my hand instantly grabbing the ball and throwing it at Rainbow Dash’s head as hard as I can. Dash catches the ball a second before it can hit her square on the nose, everyone looking at me with concern.

Without wasting another moment, my body forces itself to walk out of the water, the anger still ever present. She clinches my fist and walks away from everyone with a grimace on my face. “Darling? Will you come back here? Rainbow Dash didn’t mean it!” Rarity calls for me, but I have no choice but to ignore her. The siren queen in control disregards her statement as if it wasn’t an actual sentence. I can hear everyone else call after me, but she doesn’t even look back. She just forces me to walk on away from the beach, a grimace on my face. Why did this have to happen…?

For Real This Time

Author's Note

Enjoy~ <3

For Real This Time

Chapter V: For Real This Time

“Come on~ It’s time to wake up,” a gentle voice enters my ears, making me groan slightly. Despite how warm and soft it feels to just lay here, cuddling the love of my life, she wants me to wake up now of all times. It’s my off day and I would rather sleep in as much as I can before the world confronts me with another catastrophe. Besides… It’s cold as fuck outside and I don’t want to go out there in the January weather.

“I don’t want to,” I whisper back to the fiery-haired woman looking down at me. My eyes can barely open due to the light of the new dawn coming into the window. “It’s too early. How about we just sleep some more?” I know that Sunset wanted to do something important with me today, but I’m not sure what it is. We just got done with Christmas and New Years, so I have no idea what could be so important.

“Early? Honey, the sun is setting, not rising~” she responds to my statement with a soothing voice, gently running her fingers through my hair. My eyes widen after hearing her, feeling a little shocked at that revelation. No, that can’t be right. Can it?

“Setting…? But… We didn’t sleep for that long, did we? It feels like we only slept for a couple hours.” We couldn’t have slept all that time… Were we awake late into the night? Gently rolling off of Sunset, I grab my phone, looking at the time. All it takes is one glance to confirm that Sunset is right, making me groan a little more. Why do I have a mild headache after sleeping for that long? I should be fine…

“Did you forget your little adventure earlier today?” Sunset asks me with a slight chuckle. Adventure…? What adventure? Turning my gaze to Sunset, I see her smile at me with an amused tone to her expression, her hand slowly reaching over to my cheek. “You, Applejack and Rainbow Dash went to hangout with each other early in the morning and you came home completely drunk from drinking too much whiskey. I then suggested you should take a nap with me, which you happily accepted~” Drunk… I got drunk? That’s impossible. I’m pretty good at monitoring how much I drink and-

Wait… That actually checks out… If I remember correctly, I drank quite a lot with them and I disregarded my thoughts telling me to stop. The only reason I did that was because I wanted to drown out the thoughts of her. I was tired of thinking about what that demon wanted and I was so exhausted trying to figure out her plans. It’s been a constant battle for more than a year now… Two Halloweens ago, she started taking control of my body and I can’t do a damn thing about it. All I wanted to do was have a single moment where I didn't have to worry about her… So, I drank a lot more than I usually do. Not a smart thing to do in January when there’s still ice on the sidewalk…

“I’m sorry about that… I know you wanted to do something with me today. Did I ruin it or can it be salvaged?” I ask her slowly, looking in her eyes for a sign of anger. Surprisingly, nothing but a happy smile presents itself, Sunset slowly caressing my cheek.

“No no. It isn’t ruined. You will just have to get ready within the next hour, that’s all~” With her statement, Sunset slowly points to our window, the light of the setting sun peeking through our blinds. Taking a deep breath, I sit up and stretch, ready to approach the upcoming night with a happy attitude.

“Fine. I’ll take a shower then, but how do you want me to get ready? Something casual?” I ask her quietly, standing up from our bed with a yawn. The slight headache doesn’t go away at all, but I know it’s just something I will have to deal with. Looking back at Sunset, I see a dreamy smile come over her, looking me up and down for a moment.

“No, not really. This calls for us to dress in fancier attires. You wouldn’t mind wearing that dress you wore for our anniversary last year again, would you?” A pleading look comes from Sunset’s eyes and I can’t help but wonder exactly what she has planned… What could require us to get dressed up like that?

“Okay, I will, but there better be a good explanation,” I whisper in response, giving her a small smile before grabbing a towel. Whatever she has planned, I’m sure I will enjoy it.

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

Turning off the faucet to the shower, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I have to step out already. The water feels so natural to me and I honestly wish I could stay in it for a little while longer, but I know I can’t. I already said I would play along with whatever plan Sunset has. Still, the curiosity I can’t seem to shake plagues my mind. It’s just too tempting to understand why Sunset wants to go out. Maybe she wants to go on a romantic date since it’s been a while since we’ve done that. Or maybe she has some announcement to tell me?

Regardless of the circumstances, I’ll find out soon enough. Reaching outside the shower, I grab my pink towel, quickly drying off my body with a small sigh. Stepping out of the shower, I look towards the door, wondering if Sunset is done getting ready. She told me she didn’t need to take a shower, but I did. I agree with that notion though… I smelled heavily of alcohol, so it would be a good idea to get that smell off of me. Looking at the mirror briefly, I try to smile at myself, but a flash of darkness with red eyes makes me jump slightly. Every now and then, I get reminders of the siren’s existence, forcing me to stay on my toes.

Opening the door to the bathroom, I quietly walk out, looking inside our room. Sitting on our bed, Sunset looks at her laptop with a small smile and concentrated eyes, seeming focused on whatever is on her screen. “Something interesting?” I pipe up, leaning against the doorway with my towel wrapped around my body. Sunset promptly looks up from her laptop, a curious look on her face.

“Oh? It’s uh… It’s nothing interesting, really. I was just looking at that house we saw in October.” Sunset’s eyes look back down at the laptop with a conflicted smile before I walk over and sit down next to her. That’s right… A few months ago, the two of us went jogging together and we saw this decent house that was on sale. At the time, Sunset asked me if I ever thought about moving into an actual house with her, but I thought it was more of phrased in a rhetorical tone. I didn’t know she was actually serious about it.

“Are you thinking about it?” I ask her quietly, looking at the picture of the house on the screen and back at her. She and I don’t have nearly enough money to buy a house right now, but… the idea is interesting. It sounds pretty nice actually… Moving into an actual home with her where we would have more than a couple of rooms to move around in and we could actually have all our friends over. It’s nice to dream… Is it a dream…?

“Kind of… I mean, it’d be kind of nice, but it would be a big investment and we just don’t have the resources for that right now. I guess it seems stupid of me to wish, huh?” she asks me slowly, a guilty expression taking hold of her face before she shuts her laptop. I can’t help but feel sad, seeing her expression and wanting to help her feel a little better. Before I can do anything however, Sunset stands up from the bed, walking over to the closet to get her dress out.

“It doesn’t seem stupid to me,” I tell her with a reassuring tone, making Sunset look back at me with a guilty glance. Her mouth opens for a moment as if she wants to say something, but she just as quickly turns back around, looking for her dress without saying a word. Taking a moment to look at Sunset’s closed laptop, I debate for a moment whether I should open it and take another look at the price. I mean, we have been looking at getting a new place recently due to the robbery a long time ago, but I always figured we were getting another apartment. Not a house. Maybe we could afford it with enough savings…? “Anyway, I hope we can enjoy the night as much as we can~ It would suck if someone called us for no reason…”

Getting off the bed, I smile slightly, nodding to Sunset’s statement. From all of Sunset’s motions, she’s made it clear that she is nervous about today and this means a lot to her. Make sure you turn your phone off, Adagio…

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

The night’s cool air brushes against my skin as we walk down the sidewalk, making our way deeper into a park I’ve never been to before. Honestly, this is not what I expected when Sunset said she wanted to bring me someplace. Due to our attire, I thought we were going to some restaurant or such. Instead, Sunset brought us here, making me even more confused as to why we’re here. What is Sunset up to? Our anniversary isn’t for another couple of months, so I don’t think this would be some major surprise.

Regardless, the light from the moon makes our walk feel quite… magical. The blue atmosphere only adds to the atmosphere and honestly? I like every second of this. Even if we’re in an unfamiliar park, it still feels nice to be with her. One of the nicer aspects of the park is that there are quite a few trees, making it feel a little more private than other places.

Leading me into a circle of trees, I see a big fountain inside with almost glowing water due to some lights inside it. Being brought here only adds ten more questions to the dozens of thoughts inside my head. I really can’t think of a reason as to why Sunset would bring me here of all places. Looking towards her curiously, I see a hesitant look come over Sunset’s face before she takes a deep breath.

“Could you go sit on the edge of the fountain? I’m almost ready,” she whispers to me with a pleading look in her eyes. Almost ready for what…? That’s what I want to ask her most of all, but I can see how difficult this is for her. She’s clearly nervous and she needs a little encouragement before she can do what she came here to do. Nodding my head slowly, I let go of her hand and walk towards the edge of the fountain, sitting down as gently as I can.

Still standing at the edge of the enclosure, Sunset looks towards the ground for a few moments, not daring to move a step closer to me. Her red dress reflects the light of the moon slightly and I honestly can’t believe how beautiful she looks standing there. Her eyes look up slowly, a smile coming to her face as she walks around the enclosure. Without saying anything, her finger touches one of the trees, subtle lights coming from the tree’s branches. What looks like reused Christmas lights are strung up on all the trees, giving off soft blue, green and red light. Nothing too overwhelming to the point of drowning out the moon, but it still looks nice. Did Sunset do this herself…? How long did this take her…?

“Adagio, I… I honestly don’t know what to say,” she tells me quietly, circling around the fountain as a couple more trees suddenly have light come from them. “I’ve told you I love you so many times that it’s hard to come up with unique ways of saying it. You mean so much to me and… maybe that’s why I found it so hard to bring you here today. I wanted to wait and do this on our anniversary, but… I couldn’t wait any longer.” Again, a couple more trees light up as Sunset makes her way all around the enclosure. Within a few moments, all the trees’ lights are turned on and Sunset looks back towards me with a happy smile. It almost looks like she’s about ready to tear up, but I don’t know why. “Adagio, I want to tell you that I… want to spend the rest of my life with you. I really do,” Sunset tells me with a hesitant look to her face, yet staying true to her plan. All the lights bounce off of her in a magical manner, making her look like she’s caught in some mystical forest. Every part of this feels like it was planned out to perfection. She always has a tendency to do that~

“Sunset, I want to spend my life with you too,” I try to tell her in a reassuring tone, watching her smile widen at my statement.

“You know, every day, I wake up and I can’t help but be thankful for my life… For having friends like the girls and having the best girlfriend ever. Someone I can confidently say I love with all my heart~” Walking closer to me, Sunset stands right in front of me and grabs my hand, her smile becoming a little doubtful once more. “Yet, I always feel a little… sad. When I wake up, there’s always one question on my mind. I love you more than the world itself and sometimes, it’s hard to not feel a little insecure.” Looking into her eyes, I can tell she’s serious, making me want to hug her on the spot.

“Sunset, you mean the-”

“And for all the time we spent together, I still love you just as much as ever~” Sunset’s tone is full of happiness and dreams as she looks down at me. Her thumb slowly rubs against my hand and I can feel just how happy and conflicted she feels. “That’s why I decided to… do something a little more.” Without a moment of hesitation, Sunset kneels down to the ground with one knee on the ground. “Adagio. I’m tired of waking up and feeling afraid of what the future might bring. I’m tired of having this little voice in the back of my head telling me I should do something more, so… I want to make the future certain. I want to make our future shine.”

Reaching inside her bag, Sunset locks her eyes with mine, a singular tear falling down her cheek as she gives me her iconic warm smile. What is going on…? Why are you crying, Sunset…? Gently cupping Sunset’s cheek, she gently chuckles, pressing her face against my hand with a few more tears falling down her cheeks. All the light around us is reflected in her eyes, making me see the light of the world in her gaze. She is my world… Every beautiful light and moment is caught in those eyes and that’s just one reason of millions why I love her… What is on your mind, my summer mist?

“Adagio, will you make me the happiest woman in this world? Would you let me spend the rest of my life with you, through every challenge?” Before I can say anything in response, Sunset shows me a black box, opening it with a tearful smile to show me a shining ring. I… I-is that a… “Adagio,” Sunset whispers, barely keeping her composure as all the beautiful lights in the world are seemingly caught in this ring. “Will you marry me?”

Did… D-did I just hear her correctly? I… W-what even is this dream? This has to be a dream, right? She just asked me… Oh my god… “Yes. Yes, Sunset, Yes!” Quickly grabbing Sunset in a hug, I can’t help but feel tears start to stream down my face. I-I couldn’t care about what type of ring she got me or how she asked me, I just… I can’t believe it. Are we actually doing this…? “I love you~ I love you so much, Sunset,” I tell her through choked sobs, trying my best to keep myself together. It’s too late now though. How can I keep myself together? I feel so immeasurably happy and… it’s like the world is on fire. All the emotions raging up inside. I just want to be with her forever.

“I-I love you too, Adagio~” Sunset tells me through her own cries, holding me as tightly as she can. Not a molecule in my body wants to let go of Sunset, disregarding anything else in the world except for us. She’s all that matters. Despite the darkness in the world, she’s always enough to make it brighter. I love her more than anything else in the universe~ Of course I would spend the rest of my life with her~

The End
…
Till A Dazzling Trio~

Author’s Notes: Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading this story to completion! I know it’s been a little confusing with all the time skips, but let me clarify. This proposal happens nearly a year and a half after A Spooky Scary Siren and two years after A Shimmering Heartbreak~ So, as you can probably guess, A Dazzling Trio is the next story in the series! This story has quite a lot of buildup towards it, some of which was pretty subtle. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that this marriage plot will pick up in the next story~ A Dazzling Trio has been on my mind for the better part of a year and I feel super emotional actually getting to it a year after the creation of my first story~ A Dazzling Trio will be around the length of A Shimmering Heartbreak or longer, so I hope everyone is interested in getting back to the longform stories! I’ll see you all again in December! Stay special!